Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, Mecole Hardman is the only one, his knee locked up on him and so we’re evaluating it right now. This was after – right after our meeting so – before we got on the field. So, we’ll just see where he’s at with that. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers, good football team, we understand that but we look forward to bringing (them) here to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: What’s the plan for D.J. Humphries?

REID:&nbsp;“I’m just going to evaluate – I’m going to stick with what I told you before, that he (D.J. Humphries) took some reps but let’s just see how he ends up after today and then we’ll go from there. We’ve kind of rotated guys in there but it’s – he did take some reps, and he made it through yesterday good so we’ll see how it went today.”

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Jawaan (Taylor) practiced today.”

Q: Tamba Hali is being inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame on Sunday. What was it like coaching him?

REID:&nbsp;“It was a pleasure. One hundred miles an hour every play, practice, game, that’s how he (Tamba Hali) rolled. I got him when he was a little bit older but he was something, boy, what a motor, great player.”

Q: Any update on Mecole Hardman? Any chance he could play?

REID:&nbsp;“I don’t know that. I mean they’re literally evaluating (him), so we’ll just see where it goes.”

Q: News broke yesterday that Eric Bieniemy was fired. He was around the team quite a bit last year during the playoffs. Would you do that again this year?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 6, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, Mecole Hardman is the only one, his knee locked up on him and so we’re evaluating it right now. This was after – right after our meeting so – before we got on the field. So, we’ll just see where he’s at with that. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers, good football team, we understand that but we look forward to bringing (them) here to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. With that, time’s yours.”Q: What’s the plan for D.J. Humphries?REID:&nbsp;“I’m just going to evaluate – I’m going to stick with what I told you before, that he (D.J. Humphries) took some reps but let’s just see how he ends up after today and then we’ll go from there. We’ve kind of rotated guys in there but it’s – he did take some reps, and he made it through yesterday good so we’ll see how it went today.”Q: On Jawaan Taylor.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Jawaan (Taylor) practiced today.”Q: Tamba Hali is being inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame on Sunday. What was it like coaching him?REID:&nbsp;“It was a pleasure. One hundred miles an hour every play, practice, game, that’s how he (Tamba Hali) rolled. I got him when he was a little bit older but he was something, boy, what a motor, great player.”Q: Any update on Mecole Hardman? Any chance he could play?REID:&nbsp;“I don’t know that. I mean they’re literally evaluating (him), so we’ll just see where it goes.”Q: News broke yesterday that Eric Bieniemy was fired. He was around the team quite a bit last year during the playoffs. Would you do that again this year?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-6-24

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

On the heels of their sixth-straight winning season (15-6), the Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team will look to reload and run things back when their season gets underway on Friday.

Shauna Smith returns for her ninth season in Gypsum leading the Lady Trojans.

SES will have to overcome the loss of their big senior trio from a year ago, but should have more than enough talent to get the job done this season.

The starting lineup will be anchored by a long senior in Adyson Rohr, a pair of juniors in Abigail Pearson and Suttyn Douglas, and a sophomore in Regan Duran.

The Lady Trojans will also look to the bench for big minutes out of senior Sarah Feldman, juniors Charlotte Knopf and Elliana Smith, sophomore Annabelle Villalaz, and a pair of impact freshmen in Reese Heinrich and Kyiah Samuelson.

We had a chance to catch up with Coach Smith before the start of the new season on Friday.

Q: What excites you most about the state of your program right now at SES?

A: I’m excited by our consistency. We know that every year we’re going to be competitive, we’re going to reload and that’s what we’re doing here again. We lost some people, but we know we’ve got more kids ready to come in. We always seem to get good kids out who are dependable, hard workers.

Q: What are some things you feel you can rely on as your younger players settle in?

A: We have some veterans that we can lean on, and Sarah Feldman and Adyson Rohr are great leaders. This is also Abigail Pearson's third year, and she has a lot of varsity minutes. Our veterans know where to be defensively and how to help and get back.

Q: What are the biggest question marks that you still have before the first game?

A: We have a lot of kids that will get playing time early but I don’t know who will get that time as the season goes on. I’m also wondering where our scoring is going to come from. We got a lot of that from our three seniors last year and we’re going to have to rely on other players to score.

Q: What are the biggest goals or expectations that this team has set out to achieve this year?

A: We’re super young, so our priority is getting to where we need to be by February. We’re going to have some tough nights with our youth but our goal is to be the best team we can be by February.

The Lady Trojans open their season at home, hosting the Hesston Swathers in Gypsum on Friday night.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn the heels of their sixth-straight winning season (15-6), the Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team will look to reload and run things back when their season gets underway on Friday.Shauna Smith returns for her ninth season in Gypsum leading the Lady Trojans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>SES will have to overcome the loss of their big senior trio from a year ago, but should have more than enough talent to get the job done this season.The starting lineup will be anchored by a long senior in Adyson Rohr, a pair of juniors in Abigail Pearson and Suttyn Douglas, and a sophomore in Regan Duran.The Lady Trojans will also look to the bench for big minutes out of senior Sarah Feldman, juniors Charlotte Knopf and Elliana Smith, sophomore Annabelle Villalaz, and a pair of impact freshmen in Reese Heinrich and Kyiah Samuelson.We had a chance to catch up with Coach Smith before the start of the new season on Friday.Q: What excites you most about the state of your program right now at SES?A: I’m excited by our consistency. We know that every year we’re going to be competitive, we’re going to reload and that’s what we’re doing here again. We lost some people, but we know we’ve got more kids ready to come in. We always seem to get good kids out who are dependable, hard workers.Q: What are some things you feel you can rely on as your younger players settle in?A: We have some veterans that we can lean on, and Sarah Feldman and Adyson Rohr are great leaders. This is also Abigail Pearson's third year, and she has a lot of varsity minutes. Our veterans know where to be defensively and how to help and get back.Q: What are the biggest question marks that you still have before the first game?A: We have a lot of kids that will get playing time early but I don’t know who will get that time as the season goes on. I’m also wondering where our scoring is going to come from. We got a lot of that from our three seniors last year and we’re going to have to rely on other players to score.Q: What are the biggest goals or expectations that this team has set out to achieve this year?A: We’re super young, so our priority is getting to where we need to be by February. We’re going to have some tough nights with our youth but our goal is to be the best team we can be by February.The Lady Trojans open their season at home, hosting the Hesston Swathers in Gypsum on Friday night.

2024-25 preseason profile: SES girls basketball

After an 8-13 finish a season ago, the Chapman girl’s basketball team is eager to get back on the floor when the new campaign gets underway on Friday.

Michael Wahlmeier returns to the helm for his fourth season leading the Lady Irish.

While the Chapman roster does not contain a single senior, this year’s Lady Irish returns a great deal of talent, with a starting lineup that will feature juniors Avery Baer, Adelynn Kirkpatrick and Abigail Gaston, and sophomore Jai Rodgers.

Chapman will also look for big minutes off the bench from junior Ivy Beck, sophomores Josie Baer and Cora Merritt, and freshman Callie Cook.

We had a chance to catch up with Coach Wahlmeier and get his thoughts on this year’s team before the Irish Classic.

Q: What lessons do you feel this team took from last year that they can take into this year?

A: I think we learned that we need to play better defense. We focused on our offense and didn’t quite live up to the billing we needed to have on defense. We lost a lot of offense to graduation so we know we’ll have to defend.

Q: What feels like the biggest strength of this team going into the season?

A: These are good kids, and they play hard. That’s a win from a coaching standpoint. If you have to be a cheerleader on the sidelines to get kids to play hard you’re fighting an uphill battle, but these kids are hungry for wins and they’re hungry for playing time. It’s a very competitive team.

Q: What are the biggest question marks you still have for this team?

A: We need to focus on rebounding because we don’t have a lot of height. We have to block out and go and get rebounds, or we’re going to give teams a lot of second chances, and we can’t afford that.

Q: What are the biggest goals or expectations that this team wants to achieve this year?

A: We’ve got the Irish Classic and we always want to have a good showing in our home tournament and be prepared to give ourselves a chance to win that. We also want to win more games than we lose, that’s important to view as a long-term goal.

The Lady Irish open the new year at home when the Irish Classic gets underway on Friday night.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostAfter an 8-13 finish a season ago, the Chapman girl’s basketball team is eager to get back on the floor when the new campaign gets underway on Friday.Michael Wahlmeier returns to the helm for his fourth season leading the Lady Irish.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>While the Chapman roster does not contain a single senior, this year’s Lady Irish returns a great deal of talent, with a starting lineup that will feature juniors Avery Baer, Adelynn Kirkpatrick and Abigail Gaston, and sophomore Jai Rodgers.Chapman will also look for big minutes off the bench from junior Ivy Beck, sophomores Josie Baer and Cora Merritt, and freshman Callie Cook.We had a chance to catch up with Coach Wahlmeier and get his thoughts on this year’s team before the Irish Classic.Q: What lessons do you feel this team took from last year that they can take into this year?A: I think we learned that we need to play better defense. We focused on our offense and didn’t quite live up to the billing we needed to have on defense. We lost a lot of offense to graduation so we know we’ll have to defend.Q: What feels like the biggest strength of this team going into the season?A: These are good kids, and they play hard. That’s a win from a coaching standpoint. If you have to be a cheerleader on the sidelines to get kids to play hard you’re fighting an uphill battle, but these kids are hungry for wins and they’re hungry for playing time. It’s a very competitive team.Q: What are the biggest question marks you still have for this team?A: We need to focus on rebounding because we don’t have a lot of height. We have to block out and go and get rebounds, or we’re going to give teams a lot of second chances, and we can’t afford that.Q: What are the biggest goals or expectations that this team wants to achieve this year?A: We’ve got the Irish Classic and we always want to have a good showing in our home tournament and be prepared to give ourselves a chance to win that. We also want to win more games than we lose, that’s important to view as a long-term goal.The Lady Irish open the new year at home when the Irish Classic gets underway on Friday night.

2024-25 preseason profile: Chapman girls basketball

On the heels of a 10-11 season and graduating a huge senior class, the Salina Central girl’s basketball team will look to take the next step this year with a fresh-faced squad and new leadership.

With long-time head coach Chris Fear sliding over to coach the boys, Paige Talbott will take the reigns of the girls' program at Central ahead of the new campaign.

Five seniors will headline this year’s team with big contributions expected out of Finley Jones, Remi Myers, Charlize Waltman, Tahlia Morris and Tessa Snyder.

The Lady Mustangs will also get big minutes from a core of four juniors that includes Lexi Guerrero, Macy O’Hara, Brooke Banninger, and Addison Hansen, as well as a few impact sophomores that should develop well throughout the season.

We had a chance to catch up with Coach Talbott ahead of the 2024-25 season to get her thoughts on this year’s Lady Mustangs.

Q: What is your vision for the culture of girl's basketball here at Salina Central?

A: There’s already a culture of excellence here around this program and I’m really grateful that the coaches before me have engrained that into our Lady Mustangs. We have a great group here, and we’re going to continue to have good character on and off the court. Each of our players is held to a very high standard, but they push each other and they’re all taking accountability to sustain our culture.

Q: What feels like the biggest known strength of this team ahead of the new season?

A: I know this team is going to work hard, and these girls have the kind of effort that you can’t coach. They fight on the floor for those 50-50 balls and we work hard on the glass. Any play that takes willpower and desire I believe that we’ll come out on top and that character and work ethic is great to see.&nbsp;

Q: What are some of the biggest question marks that you’ll be looking for answers for in these first few games?

A: These girls have played together for the last couple of years and they do have good team chemistry. They’ve had an incredible record at the JV level, and they know how to win, but I think they know that we’ll have to pick it up to play at the next level. This is a level of competition that they haven’t seen before, and we’ll have to be physical with the teams we play. We’ll have to find some more ways to score, and we’ll need to share the ball well and play within our roles.

Q: What are the biggest goals or expectations this team is looking to achieve this year?

A: We’ve talked about our goals as a team. Obviously we want to be above .500 and we want to be playing our best basketball and make a run at the end of the season but they know we have a lot to learn at the beginning of the season and we’ll have to learn game by game to improve every single day.

The Lady Mustangs will open the new year on the road at Andover Central on Friday, December 6th.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn the heels of a 10-11 season and graduating a huge senior class, the Salina Central girl’s basketball team will look to take the next step this year with a fresh-faced squad and new leadership.With long-time head coach Chris Fear sliding over to coach the boys, Paige Talbott will take the reigns of the girls' program at Central ahead of the new campaign.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Five seniors will headline this year’s team with big contributions expected out of Finley Jones, Remi Myers, Charlize Waltman, Tahlia Morris and Tessa Snyder.The Lady Mustangs will also get big minutes from a core of four juniors that includes Lexi Guerrero, Macy O’Hara, Brooke Banninger, and Addison Hansen, as well as a few impact sophomores that should develop well throughout the season.We had a chance to catch up with Coach Talbott ahead of the 2024-25 season to get her thoughts on this year’s Lady Mustangs.Q: What is your vision for the culture of girl's basketball here at Salina Central?A: There’s already a culture of excellence here around this program and I’m really grateful that the coaches before me have engrained that into our Lady Mustangs. We have a great group here, and we’re going to continue to have good character on and off the court. Each of our players is held to a very high standard, but they push each other and they’re all taking accountability to sustain our culture.Q: What feels like the biggest known strength of this team ahead of the new season?A: I know this team is going to work hard, and these girls have the kind of effort that you can’t coach. They fight on the floor for those 50-50 balls and we work hard on the glass. Any play that takes willpower and desire I believe that we’ll come out on top and that character and work ethic is great to see.&nbsp;Q: What are some of the biggest question marks that you’ll be looking for answers for in these first few games?A: These girls have played together for the last couple of years and they do have good team chemistry. They’ve had an incredible record at the JV level, and they know how to win, but I think they know that we’ll have to pick it up to play at the next level. This is a level of competition that they haven’t seen before, and we’ll have to be physical with the teams we play. We’ll have to find some more ways to score, and we’ll need to share the ball well and play within our roles.Q: What are the biggest goals or expectations this team is looking to achieve this year?A: We’ve talked about our goals as a team. Obviously we want to be above .500 and we want to be playing our best basketball and make a run at the end of the season but they know we have a lot to learn at the beginning of the season and we’ll have to learn game by game to improve every single day.The Lady Mustangs will open the new year on the road at Andover Central on Friday, December 6th.

2024-25 preseason profile: Salina Central girls basketball

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– For the first time in 15 years, a K-State women’s basketball player recorded a triple-double as Serena Sundell earned the distinction during a 110-24 win over USC Upstate on Thursday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

The 86-point margin of victory was the largest in program history, while this marks the 110 or more points in two games in the same season.

Sundell filled her stat line with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting and a 6-of-7 effort from the foul line, a career-high and school record-tying 13 assists, 10 rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Sundell becomes the fifth K-State player to record a triple-double and the first since Shalee Lehning carded a triple-double at Colorado on March 7, 2009.

Sundell’s 26 points were the most points in a K-State triple-double and her 13 assists were the most helpers in a K-State triple-double.

Joining Sundell in double figures were Taryn Sides with a career-high 23 points with a career-high seven 3-pointers. The sophomore from Phillipsburg, Kansas, added five rebounds, three assists and two steals to her line. Sides is the first Wildcat to make seven or more 3-pointers in a game since Rachel Ranke made eight at Oklahoma on Feb. 10, 2019.

Senior Temira Poindexter tallied 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 from distance.

Senior Eliza Maupin tallied 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Senior Kennedy Taylor notched 11 points and six rebounds.

- K-State (9-1) held USC Upstate (2-9) to one made field goal (1-of-15; .067) in the first quarter and won the frame, 27-2. The two points allowed tied the school record for the fewest points allowed in a quarter since the advent of the quarter system at the start of the 2015-16 season.

- The Wildcats would win the second quarter, 23-11, shooting 52.9 percent (9-of-17) in the stanza. K-State would hold a 50-13 lead at halftime.

- In the first half, Poindexter led K-State with 14 points, while Sundell filled her stat line with 11 points, seven assists, five rebounds, a block and a steal.

- K-State held USC Upstate to two made field goals in the third quarter (2-of-7), allowing the first made field goal with 3:42 to play in the stanza. The Wildcats opened the quarter on a 16-0 run and won the frame, 31-9.

- In the fourth quarter, Sundell secured the triple-double with her 10th&nbsp;rebound at the 2:01 mark of the fourth quarter. She was immediately subbed out to a loud ovation from the K-State faithful.

- For the second quarter of the night, K-State held USC Upstate to just two points in a quarter as the Wildcats won the frame 29-2. K-State held the Spartans to 1-of-9 (.111) shooting in the fourth quarter with the lone points coming at 8:07 of the frame. This was the first time K-State has held a opponent to two or fewer points in two quarters in the same game.

- K-State shot 57.6 percent (38-of-66) from the field including 46.4 percent (13-of-28) from 3-point range. The Wildcats dished out 28 assists on the 38 made field goals.

- K-State and USC Upstate met for the first time. The Wildcats are 2-1 against current members of the Big South Conference.

- K-State is 404-156 (.721) in its 37-season history inside Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats own a 237-30 (.888) record against non-conference opponents inside Bramlage.

- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 653-371 (.638). During his time in Manhattan, Mittie has collected a mark of 199-136 (.594). Mittie is 408-113 (.783) in games played in his home venue, including a 134-48 (.736) mark in Bramlage Coliseum.

- K-State owns a record of 257-96 (.728) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 19-3 (.864) all-time when ranked 13th in the nation.

- The Wildcats are 247-103 (.706) in games played in the month of December, including an active 10-game winning streak dating back to the start of December 2023. Under Mittie, K-State is 46-18 (.719) in games during the 12th&nbsp;month.

- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and forward Kennedy Taylor. This was the second time this lineup has been used this season. This was the 113th career start for Sundell, the 109th career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 97th career collegiate start and ninth at K-State for Poindexter, the 43rd career start for Taylor and her second at K-State and the 10th career start for Walker.

- K-State improves to 61-0 in the Jeff Mittie era when holding an opponent to 49 points or less. During the last four seasons, K-State is 53-3 (.946) when holding foes to 60 points or less.

- The Wildcats held a 50-13 lead at halftime on Thursday. Under Mittie, K-State is 159-19 (.893) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in nine games this season (9-0).

- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 26 times this season, including all four quarters on Thursday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 141-62 (.695) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.

- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in all four quarters. The Wildcats have 25 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting.

- Over the last four seasons, K-State is 51-3 (.944) when holding the advantage on the glass.

- K-State improved to 100-8 (.926) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in eight games this season (8-0).

- Sundell notched her 78th career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,390 career points and remains in 14th&nbsp;on the K-State career scoring list. This was a season-high for Sundell and was her 16th&nbsp;career game with 20 or more and her first since Feb.14, 2024 at Iowa State. This was the 26th&nbsp;time in Sundell’s career that she has lead K-State in scoring.

- Sundell’s 13 assists on Thursday improved her career total to 615. She tied the school record of 13 assists held by four other players. This was her sixth career game with 10 or more assists and her 72nd career game with five or more assists.

- Sides reached double figures for points for the sixth time in the last seven games and for the ninth time in her career. This was her first career game with 20 or more points.

- Sides connected on seven 3-point field goals on Tuesday. This marks her 16th&nbsp;career game with two or more connections from long range. This was her third career game with four or more connections from distance.

- Poindexter tallied her 86th&nbsp;career game with 10 or more points and her sixth this season. Her career collegiate point total stands at 1,673.

- Poindexter connected on three 3-pointers on Thursday. This was her fifth game with two or more connections from long range and the 59th&nbsp;of her career.

- Taylor notched her sixth game this season and the 49th&nbsp;of her career with 10 or more points.

- Taylor recorded her eighth game this season and the 61st of her career with five or more rebounds.

- Maupin tallied a personal season-high 15 points. This was her second game this season and the 11th&nbsp;of her career with 10 or more points.

- Maupin pulled in five rebounds, her third game this season with five or more boards and the 15th&nbsp;of her career.

- With her eight points on Tuesday, Glenn improved her career total to 950 points. She needs 50 points to become the 46th&nbsp;player in program history to score 1,000 or more career points at K-State.

On Serena Sundell getting a triple-double…

"I think if a kid gets that close, you try to give them a chance within reason. With the short bench tonight, we were giving her a chance while rotating players through. She's a heck of a player, and she's come close before. She fills up the stat line, and she’s the kind of player that has that ability.”

On what kind of accomplishment, a triple-double is for Serena…

"It tells you how hard it is to get when the last one was in 2009, right? It's not easy, and it usually comes from a player like her who has the ability to do a lot of things. It's great for her, she's had a really good week and a strong start to the season. I think she's doing a lot for our team."

On what has allowed for Taryn Sides to play well the last few games…

"I think our ball movement is really solid. Taryn put in the work this summer. As I've said many times, we saw it all summer against our practice squad guys, and against really good practice competition. I wanted her to hunt more, and I think she has the right mentality now. I think she knows that if it's the right shot, I want her to shoot it, make or miss, and she has that confidence right now. I'm a big believer that when players put the work in, there's a confidence that comes with it. I was asked earlier about the growth of a player, specifically from the first year to the second, and we're seeing that with both [Zyanna] Walker and Sides. The commonality between them is they put the work in, and if you do that, you have a really good chance for good things to happen."

On Imani Lester having 6 steals…

"It's a little out of the blue, but I'll say this about Imani, her effort is much better than it was. She's making plays, but like many high school centers, and I considered her a high school center last year, they often only want to play in certain areas of the floor. As I’ve told our centers, when you get here, you're a basketball player. Stop saying, 'This is my area,' because in today’s game, you have to defend pick-and-pop shooters, higher ball screens, and different actions compared to the game 10–15 years ago. I think Imani has grown into that. You saw her block the three-pointer with four seconds left. She’s just learned to play a lot harder."

On Eliza Maupin’s big performance…

"I think her activity is better, and she's running the floor much harder than she was two weeks ago. She's getting involved offensively quicker. With [Gisela] Sanchez unavailable right now, she's getting more opportunities. If she keeps doing those things, that’s what we know she’s capable of, right? When she steps on the floor, she’s already one of the top athletes out there every night. But she’s been inconsistent in her commitment to running the floor the way we want her to. When she does, good things tend to happen for Eliza."

On how Serena has grown since she was originally recruited…

"When she stepped on campus, she was ready in many ways; competitive in nature, coachable, and obviously skilled. She needed to get in the weight room, learn to play through contact, and, as a big guard, handle pressure defense. But looking back at her freshman year, she led that team. Yes, [Ayoka] Lee was the leader, but as a point guard, you have to lead, and she did. She helped take that team to the NCAA tournament, earning a first-round victory and doing a lot of great things. Where she’s grown the most is in all the vocal areas, the awareness a player needs to have. When players are younger, they’re usually only aware of their immediate surroundings. Let’s be honest, that’s typical for this age group. But as they grow, they start understanding how one thing impacts another. Serena is a great example of that. She’s incredibly coachable, a fantastic teammate, and clearly very talented. You’re seeing all those qualities continue to improve."

On how Sundell compares to other top guards in the country…

"I think Serena is very underrated nationally, but when people see her, they gain a greater appreciation for her. I can tell you those are the conversations we hear, whether it’s TV commentators seeing her for the first or second time, WNBA scouts who have her on their radar, you see her pop up on mock drafts, or other coaches watching more film. They all say, ‘Wow, this is a player who impacts every area.’ We’ve seen that from day one, but now it’s even more evident. The growth of [Taryn] Sides, the growth of [Zyanna] Walker, and the continued play of Jaelyn Glenn have allowed Serena to move all over the floor, which has been a big benefit to both her and the team."

K-State Senior Guard Serena Sundell

On recording her first career triple-double…

“It feels pretty good and it’s exciting. I don't think I've had one in my career, but my teammates were probably the most fun part about it, just seeing how excited they were, they all knew about it before me. I told Taryn [Sides], and she told everybody, “we have to let her get these rebounds.” People on the bench were like, go get the rebound. Everyone was so excited for me and supporting me. That was just really special to be a part of.”

On if she got nervous she wasn’t going to be able to record the triple-double…

“Not really, I wasn't nervous. I was just having fun.”

On when she knew she was getting close to recording the triple-double…

“There was a media time out in the fourth quarter that Mikayla [Parks] told me I needed three rebounds, and then coach Staci [Gregorio Foss] said, Go get some rebounds.”

On how it feels to be in the same conversation as K-State legend Shalee Lehning…

“She was a great player, and I hear her name all the time, and throughout this week, I've heard her name a lot just with the whole assist record. That's just super special to be even in the same conversation as her.”

On K-State reaching 110 points in two games this season…

"It's a big deal. It's just a testament to our team and the work that we've put in. Especially over the summer just with our shot tracker numbers, and everybody getting in the gym on their own. Handling that team by that margin just shows our shot making ability. So yeah, hopefully that just is a confidence boost going further into the season."

On the confidence of this team after a game like this…

“That's just fun basketball. That feeling you get when everything is going well is kind of the reason that you play. I couldn't do it without my teammates and them knocking down shots, being in the right spots, rebounding, and giving me good passes. I mean, Taryn [Sides] threw me several good passes tonight, just finding me in transition, and everybody's just kind of on the same page. It just gives our whole team a confidence boost going further when these games start to pick up here that we need to try to stay in those spots.”

K-State Sophomore Guard Taryn Sides

On how she felt watching Serena Sundell record a triple-double…

“I feel just so happy for her. She deserves it. She just does everything the right way. She plays the game the right way, finds her teammates and is aggressive for herself, and just makes everyone better around her. Not a lot of girls can do that, so that's something special about her, and I'm just so happy and proud of her."

On hitting seven threes tonight…

“I'm pretty confident. A lot of them were passes from Serena [Sundell]. I think that's just us playing well together, and my teammates finding me when I'm open and I'm just shooting it with a lot of confidence. Every time I shoot, I think it's going in.&nbsp; Which is the main thing about being a shooter, is you gotta have the confidence in yourself and believe it's going in every time. And right now, I do have that.”

K-State will play its fourth game in a week, as the Wildcats visit College Station, Texas, to face Texas A&amp;M on Sunday at 3 p.m.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– For the first time in 15 years, a K-State women’s basketball player recorded a triple-double as Serena Sundell earned the distinction during a 110-24 win over USC Upstate on Thursday night at Bramlage Coliseum.The 86-point margin of victory was the largest in program history, while this marks the 110 or more points in two games in the same season.Sundell filled her stat line with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting and a 6-of-7 effort from the foul line, a career-high and school record-tying 13 assists, 10 rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Sundell becomes the fifth K-State player to record a triple-double and the first since Shalee Lehning carded a triple-double at Colorado on March 7, 2009.Sundell’s 26 points were the most points in a K-State triple-double and her 13 assists were the most helpers in a K-State triple-double.Joining Sundell in double figures were Taryn Sides with a career-high 23 points with a career-high seven 3-pointers. The sophomore from Phillipsburg, Kansas, added five rebounds, three assists and two steals to her line. Sides is the first Wildcat to make seven or more 3-pointers in a game since Rachel Ranke made eight at Oklahoma on Feb. 10, 2019.Senior Temira Poindexter tallied 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 from distance.Senior Eliza Maupin tallied 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.Senior Kennedy Taylor notched 11 points and six rebounds.HOW IT HAPPENED- K-State (9-1) held USC Upstate (2-9) to one made field goal (1-of-15; .067) in the first quarter and won the frame, 27-2. The two points allowed tied the school record for the fewest points allowed in a quarter since the advent of the quarter system at the start of the 2015-16 season.- The Wildcats would win the second quarter, 23-11, shooting 52.9 percent (9-of-17) in the stanza. K-State would hold a 50-13 lead at halftime.- In the first half, Poindexter led K-State with 14 points, while Sundell filled her stat line with 11 points, seven assists, five rebounds, a block and a steal.- K-State held USC Upstate to two made field goals in the third quarter (2-of-7), allowing the first made field goal with 3:42 to play in the stanza. The Wildcats opened the quarter on a 16-0 run and won the frame, 31-9.- In the fourth quarter, Sundell secured the triple-double with her 10th&nbsp;rebound at the 2:01 mark of the fourth quarter. She was immediately subbed out to a loud ovation from the K-State faithful.- For the second quarter of the night, K-State held USC Upstate to just two points in a quarter as the Wildcats won the frame 29-2. K-State held the Spartans to 1-of-9 (.111) shooting in the fourth quarter with the lone points coming at 8:07 of the frame. This was the first time K-State has held a opponent to two or fewer points in two quarters in the same game.- K-State shot 57.6 percent (38-of-66) from the field including 46.4 percent (13-of-28) from 3-point range. The Wildcats dished out 28 assists on the 38 made field goals.QUICK FACTS- K-State and USC Upstate met for the first time. The Wildcats are 2-1 against current members of the Big South Conference.- K-State is 404-156 (.721) in its 37-season history inside Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats own a 237-30 (.888) record against non-conference opponents inside Bramlage.- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 653-371 (.638). During his time in Manhattan, Mittie has collected a mark of 199-136 (.594). Mittie is 408-113 (.783) in games played in his home venue, including a 134-48 (.736) mark in Bramlage Coliseum.- K-State owns a record of 257-96 (.728) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 19-3 (.864) all-time when ranked 13th in the nation.- The Wildcats are 247-103 (.706) in games played in the month of December, including an active 10-game winning streak dating back to the start of December 2023. Under Mittie, K-State is 46-18 (.719) in games during the 12th&nbsp;month.TEAM NOTES- K-State's starting five consisted of guards: Zyanna Walker, Jaelyn Glenn and Serena Sundell; forward Temira Poindexter and forward Kennedy Taylor. This was the second time this lineup has been used this season. This was the 113th career start for Sundell, the 109th career start for Jaelyn Glenn, the 97th career collegiate start and ninth at K-State for Poindexter, the 43rd career start for Taylor and her second at K-State and the 10th career start for Walker.- K-State improves to 61-0 in the Jeff Mittie era when holding an opponent to 49 points or less. During the last four seasons, K-State is 53-3 (.946) when holding foes to 60 points or less.- The Wildcats held a 50-13 lead at halftime on Thursday. Under Mittie, K-State is 159-19 (.893) when leading at halftime. The Wildcats have led at the half in nine games this season (9-0).- K-State has scored 20-or more points in a quarter 26 times this season, including all four quarters on Thursday. Since the start of the quarter-system in 2015-16, the Wildcats are 141-62 (.695) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter of a game.- K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in a quarter in all four quarters. The Wildcats have 25 quarters this season of 50.0 percent or better shooting.- Over the last four seasons, K-State is 51-3 (.944) when holding the advantage on the glass.- K-State improved to 100-8 (.926) when handing out 20 or more assists in a game. The Wildcats have dished out 20 or more assists in eight games this season (8-0).PLAYER NOTES- Sundell notched her 78th career game with 10 or more points. Sundell owns 1,390 career points and remains in 14th&nbsp;on the K-State career scoring list. This was a season-high for Sundell and was her 16th&nbsp;career game with 20 or more and her first since Feb.14, 2024 at Iowa State. This was the 26th&nbsp;time in Sundell’s career that she has lead K-State in scoring.- Sundell’s 13 assists on Thursday improved her career total to 615. She tied the school record of 13 assists held by four other players. This was her sixth career game with 10 or more assists and her 72nd career game with five or more assists.- Sides reached double figures for points for the sixth time in the last seven games and for the ninth time in her career. This was her first career game with 20 or more points.- Sides connected on seven 3-point field goals on Tuesday. This marks her 16th&nbsp;career game with two or more connections from long range. This was her third career game with four or more connections from distance.- Poindexter tallied her 86th&nbsp;career game with 10 or more points and her sixth this season. Her career collegiate point total stands at 1,673.- Poindexter connected on three 3-pointers on Thursday. This was her fifth game with two or more connections from long range and the 59th&nbsp;of her career.- Taylor notched her sixth game this season and the 49th&nbsp;of her career with 10 or more points.- Taylor recorded her eighth game this season and the 61st of her career with five or more rebounds.- Maupin tallied a personal season-high 15 points. This was her second game this season and the 11th&nbsp;of her career with 10 or more points.- Maupin pulled in five rebounds, her third game this season with five or more boards and the 15th&nbsp;of her career.- With her eight points on Tuesday, Glenn improved her career total to 950 points. She needs 50 points to become the 46th&nbsp;player in program history to score 1,000 or more career points at K-State.FROM THE HEAD COACHK-State Head Coach Jeff MittieOn Serena Sundell getting a triple-double…"I think if a kid gets that close, you try to give them a chance within reason. With the short bench tonight, we were giving her a chance while rotating players through. She's a heck of a player, and she's come close before. She fills up the stat line, and she’s the kind of player that has that ability.”On what kind of accomplishment, a triple-double is for Serena…"It tells you how hard it is to get when the last one was in 2009, right? It's not easy, and it usually comes from a player like her who has the ability to do a lot of things. It's great for her, she's had a really good week and a strong start to the season. I think she's doing a lot for our team."On what has allowed for Taryn Sides to play well the last few games…"I think our ball movement is really solid. Taryn put in the work this summer. As I've said many times, we saw it all summer against our practice squad guys, and against really good practice competition. I wanted her to hunt more, and I think she has the right mentality now. I think she knows that if it's the right shot, I want her to shoot it, make or miss, and she has that confidence right now. I'm a big believer that when players put the work in, there's a confidence that comes with it. I was asked earlier about the growth of a player, specifically from the first year to the second, and we're seeing that with both [Zyanna] Walker and Sides. The commonality between them is they put the work in, and if you do that, you have a really good chance for good things to happen."On Imani Lester having 6 steals…"It's a little out of the blue, but I'll say this about Imani, her effort is much better than it was. She's making plays, but like many high school centers, and I considered her a high school center last year, they often only want to play in certain areas of the floor. As I’ve told our centers, when you get here, you're a basketball player. Stop saying, 'This is my area,' because in today’s game, you have to defend pick-and-pop shooters, higher ball screens, and different actions compared to the game 10–15 years ago. I think Imani has grown into that. You saw her block the three-pointer with four seconds left. She’s just learned to play a lot harder."On Eliza Maupin’s big performance…"I think her activity is better, and she's running the floor much harder than she was two weeks ago. She's getting involved offensively quicker. With [Gisela] Sanchez unavailable right now, she's getting more opportunities. If she keeps doing those things, that’s what we know she’s capable of, right? When she steps on the floor, she’s already one of the top athletes out there every night. But she’s been inconsistent in her commitment to running the floor the way we want her to. When she does, good things tend to happen for Eliza."On how Serena has grown since she was originally recruited…"When she stepped on campus, she was ready in many ways; competitive in nature, coachable, and obviously skilled. She needed to get in the weight room, learn to play through contact, and, as a big guard, handle pressure defense. But looking back at her freshman year, she led that team. Yes, [Ayoka] Lee was the leader, but as a point guard, you have to lead, and she did. She helped take that team to the NCAA tournament, earning a first-round victory and doing a lot of great things. Where she’s grown the most is in all the vocal areas, the awareness a player needs to have. When players are younger, they’re usually only aware of their immediate surroundings. Let’s be honest, that’s typical for this age group. But as they grow, they start understanding how one thing impacts another. Serena is a great example of that. She’s incredibly coachable, a fantastic teammate, and clearly very talented. You’re seeing all those qualities continue to improve."On how Sundell compares to other top guards in the country…"I think Serena is very underrated nationally, but when people see her, they gain a greater appreciation for her. I can tell you those are the conversations we hear, whether it’s TV commentators seeing her for the first or second time, WNBA scouts who have her on their radar, you see her pop up on mock drafts, or other coaches watching more film. They all say, ‘Wow, this is a player who impacts every area.’ We’ve seen that from day one, but now it’s even more evident. The growth of [Taryn] Sides, the growth of [Zyanna] Walker, and the continued play of Jaelyn Glenn have allowed Serena to move all over the floor, which has been a big benefit to both her and the team."FROM THE FLOORK-State Senior Guard Serena SundellOn recording her first career triple-double…“It feels pretty good and it’s exciting. I don't think I've had one in my career, but my teammates were probably the most fun part about it, just seeing how excited they were, they all knew about it before me. I told Taryn [Sides], and she told everybody, “we have to let her get these rebounds.” People on the bench were like, go get the rebound. Everyone was so excited for me and supporting me. That was just really special to be a part of.”On if she got nervous she wasn’t going to be able to record the triple-double…“Not really, I wasn't nervous. I was just having fun.”On when she knew she was getting close to recording the triple-double…“There was a media time out in the fourth quarter that Mikayla [Parks] told me I needed three rebounds, and then coach Staci [Gregorio Foss] said, Go get some rebounds.”On how it feels to be in the same conversation as K-State legend Shalee Lehning…“She was a great player, and I hear her name all the time, and throughout this week, I've heard her name a lot just with the whole assist record. That's just super special to be even in the same conversation as her.”On K-State reaching 110 points in two games this season…"It's a big deal. It's just a testament to our team and the work that we've put in. Especially over the summer just with our shot tracker numbers, and everybody getting in the gym on their own. Handling that team by that margin just shows our shot making ability. So yeah, hopefully that just is a confidence boost going further into the season."On the confidence of this team after a game like this…“That's just fun basketball. That feeling you get when everything is going well is kind of the reason that you play. I couldn't do it without my teammates and them knocking down shots, being in the right spots, rebounding, and giving me good passes. I mean, Taryn [Sides] threw me several good passes tonight, just finding me in transition, and everybody's just kind of on the same page. It just gives our whole team a confidence boost going further when these games start to pick up here that we need to try to stay in those spots.”K-State Sophomore Guard Taryn SidesOn how she felt watching Serena Sundell record a triple-double…“I feel just so happy for her. She deserves it. She just does everything the right way. She plays the game the right way, finds her teammates and is aggressive for herself, and just makes everyone better around her. Not a lot of girls can do that, so that's something special about her, and I'm just so happy and proud of her."On hitting seven threes tonight…“I'm pretty confident. A lot of them were passes from Serena [Sundell]. I think that's just us playing well together, and my teammates finding me when I'm open and I'm just shooting it with a lot of confidence. Every time I shoot, I think it's going in.&nbsp; Which is the main thing about being a shooter, is you gotta have the confidence in yourself and believe it's going in every time. And right now, I do have that.”UP NEXTK-State will play its fourth game in a week, as the Wildcats visit College Station, Texas, to face Texas A&amp;M on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Sundell Registers Triple-Double in K-State WBB Win

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: What has it been like this past month working through the kicker situations?

TOUB: “It’s been – it’s an adventure, really. I mean a lot of credit goes to our long snapper (James Winchester) and our holder, Matt Araiza. Getting those guys and spending the time and figuring them out exactly how he wants – how the kicker wants the holds because it’s different for each kicker. He’s done a really good job with that. It says a lot about them and their professionalism.”&nbsp;

Q: Matt Araiza doesn’t have a lot of experience being a holder anyways, that couldn’t have been easy for him, right?

TOUB: “He (Matt Araiza) doesn’t but he’s – obviously he’s a quick learner. (Harrison) Butker really trained him well and he’s able to take these guys and just adjust. He’s just a good football player – and a good tackler too (laughter).”

Q: What are you seeing from the Chargers special teams unit?

TOUB: “They’re really good and I feel like I say this every week but they’re a top five unit right now. Derius Davis, the returner, number 12 – dynamite, he’s a blazer. He sticks his foot in the ground, he gets north and south as a punt returner and he’s also back there on kick return so he’s very, very dangerous. (Chargers P) J.K. Scott, the punter, excellent directional kicker – hangs it up well, hard to get returns on him. I think they only give up like 30 percent of his punts are returnable so that’s a challenge. (Chargers K Cameron) Dicker the kicker is solid. He hits the ball high, he’s another high ball hitter. Hard to get a block on him, gets it off quick and he has great leg strength.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Well, we’re just ready to play a divisional game so I’ll just open it up (to questions).”

Q:&nbsp;You moved to Joshua Williams in the middle of the Raiders game, how do you think he did, and do you plan on sticking with him as the starter going forward?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ll see where we’re at. Listen, we’re going to need everybody down the stretch. I mean, we’re in December, it’s December football – (we) need everybody to be healthy (and) stay healthy. We’re going to need all of these guys to win. Both of those guys (Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson) will probably play. We’ll see where we’re at as far as who goes first.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you see from Charles Omenihu in his return?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, it was good to get Charles (Omenihu) out there. He actually probably played more snaps than we anticipated, but I thought he was solid. There are a couple things in there – if you happen to talk to Charles he’ll tell you (that) he wished he had done a little bit differently, but I thought he was solid for going out there for the first time. An ACL (injury) is not easy to (recover from), you guys (the media) all know – to go out there and kind of have that confidence in, but credit to the trainers and (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) and his staff for getting Charles ready midseason here.”

Q:&nbsp;How much changes when you face a team a second time during the season?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, we did play them (the Chargers) fairly early. I think they’re – and with a new staff and a new team, I think it takes them a while to figure out who they are. I think they have figured that out and you can kind of see that. You can see the thread of what they want to do, what they would like to try to do (and) how they go about winning games. I think they have a great formula. I mean, I have a lot of respect for (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and (Chargers Offensive Coordinator) Greg (Roman) with the way they do things. It’s still going to come back to – I mean, when we have a wrinkle that’s a little bit different then the first time – absolutely, we always think that way. Can we get into those wrinkles? We’ll see because sometimes they’re dictated by the situation, but I think they’re a little bit different in – I mean, the biggest thing that will be different for us is that when we played them last time, (Chargers QB) Justin (Herbert) had a bum ankle and wasn’t running as much. I mean, he gutted it out in that game. He’s running pretty good now. That in and of itself will be different for us.”

Q: What is your impression of D.J. Humphries so far?

NAGY:&nbsp;“As far as the person – like I said a few weeks ago, (I) love the person. I love his (D.J. Humphries) energy. It’s a contagious, infectious personality that he has, with a lot of confidence but he also has to learn the lingo and how we do things and he’s been able to do that the last couple weeks. He’s been doing a really good job in practice of being able to show us with the opportunities he’s getting, and I think that’s half (of) the battle. It’s just the experience and the confidence and now, if he gets that opportunity and that’s the way we go, we’ll see on gameday if that’s the case.”

Q: If D.J. Humphries does get the opportunity to start and he needs help, how much does it help to have Joe Thuney next to him?

NAGY:&nbsp;“(It) helps a lot. You look there and you see – the one thing that jumps off to me, in regard to D.J. (Humphries) is just he’s had a lot of reps so that confidence is there. Then, you watch the reps in practice, and you see the mechanics and the techniques that he uses – the basic foundation of fundamentals. If there is something schematically that there might be a question with protection or in the run game, etcetera, Joe’s (Thuney) right there. I think it just really helps out a lot.”

Q: How did you assess Isiah Pacheco’s first game back overall?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesDecember 5, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: What has it been like this past month working through the kicker situations?TOUB: “It’s been – it’s an adventure, really. I mean a lot of credit goes to our long snapper (James Winchester) and our holder, Matt Araiza. Getting those guys and spending the time and figuring them out exactly how he wants – how the kicker wants the holds because it’s different for each kicker. He’s done a really good job with that. It says a lot about them and their professionalism.”&nbsp;Q: Matt Araiza doesn’t have a lot of experience being a holder anyways, that couldn’t have been easy for him, right?TOUB: “He (Matt Araiza) doesn’t but he’s – obviously he’s a quick learner. (Harrison) Butker really trained him well and he’s able to take these guys and just adjust. He’s just a good football player – and a good tackler too (laughter).”Q: What are you seeing from the Chargers special teams unit?TOUB: “They’re really good and I feel like I say this every week but they’re a top five unit right now. Derius Davis, the returner, number 12 – dynamite, he’s a blazer. He sticks his foot in the ground, he gets north and south as a punt returner and he’s also back there on kick return so he’s very, very dangerous. (Chargers P) J.K. Scott, the punter, excellent directional kicker – hangs it up well, hard to get returns on him. I think they only give up like 30 percent of his punts are returnable so that’s a challenge. (Chargers K Cameron) Dicker the kicker is solid. He hits the ball high, he’s another high ball hitter. Hard to get a block on him, gets it off quick and he has great leg strength.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Well, we’re just ready to play a divisional game so I’ll just open it up (to questions).”Q:&nbsp;You moved to Joshua Williams in the middle of the Raiders game, how do you think he did, and do you plan on sticking with him as the starter going forward?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ll see where we’re at. Listen, we’re going to need everybody down the stretch. I mean, we’re in December, it’s December football – (we) need everybody to be healthy (and) stay healthy. We’re going to need all of these guys to win. Both of those guys (Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson) will probably play. We’ll see where we’re at as far as who goes first.”Q:&nbsp;What did you see from Charles Omenihu in his return?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, it was good to get Charles (Omenihu) out there. He actually probably played more snaps than we anticipated, but I thought he was solid. There are a couple things in there – if you happen to talk to Charles he’ll tell you (that) he wished he had done a little bit differently, but I thought he was solid for going out there for the first time. An ACL (injury) is not easy to (recover from), you guys (the media) all know – to go out there and kind of have that confidence in, but credit to the trainers and (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) and his staff for getting Charles ready midseason here.”Q:&nbsp;How much changes when you face a team a second time during the season?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, we did play them (the Chargers) fairly early. I think they’re – and with a new staff and a new team, I think it takes them a while to figure out who they are. I think they have figured that out and you can kind of see that. You can see the thread of what they want to do, what they would like to try to do (and) how they go about winning games. I think they have a great formula. I mean, I have a lot of respect for (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and (Chargers Offensive Coordinator) Greg (Roman) with the way they do things. It’s still going to come back to – I mean, when we have a wrinkle that’s a little bit different then the first time – absolutely, we always think that way. Can we get into those wrinkles? We’ll see because sometimes they’re dictated by the situation, but I think they’re a little bit different in – I mean, the biggest thing that will be different for us is that when we played them last time, (Chargers QB) Justin (Herbert) had a bum ankle and wasn’t running as much. I mean, he gutted it out in that game. He’s running pretty good now. That in and of itself will be different for us.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: What is your impression of D.J. Humphries so far?NAGY:&nbsp;“As far as the person – like I said a few weeks ago, (I) love the person. I love his (D.J. Humphries) energy. It’s a contagious, infectious personality that he has, with a lot of confidence but he also has to learn the lingo and how we do things and he’s been able to do that the last couple weeks. He’s been doing a really good job in practice of being able to show us with the opportunities he’s getting, and I think that’s half (of) the battle. It’s just the experience and the confidence and now, if he gets that opportunity and that’s the way we go, we’ll see on gameday if that’s the case.”Q: If D.J. Humphries does get the opportunity to start and he needs help, how much does it help to have Joe Thuney next to him?NAGY:&nbsp;“(It) helps a lot. You look there and you see – the one thing that jumps off to me, in regard to D.J. (Humphries) is just he’s had a lot of reps so that confidence is there. Then, you watch the reps in practice, and you see the mechanics and the techniques that he uses – the basic foundation of fundamentals. If there is something schematically that there might be a question with protection or in the run game, etcetera, Joe’s (Thuney) right there. I think it just really helps out a lot.”Q: How did you assess Isiah Pacheco’s first game back overall?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-5-24

After a lackluster 6-15 season, the Salina Central boy’s basketball team is under new management and will look to lay the groundwork for a program rebuild in 2024-25.

Chris Fear, who led Centrals girls to a 125-58 record, winning more games than any other girl’s coach in program history, slides over to the boy's side after the one-year tenure of Billy Graf.

This year’s Mustangs will feature a strong group of upperclassmen and with a strong interior, could pose mismatches for opponents.

Central’s starting five will feature a trio of seniors in Kamryn Jones, Finley Waltman, and Tate Gary, and a pair of juniors in Kaden Snyder and Noah Peck.

Off the bench, the Mustangs will look for big minutes out of senior Christian Carter, juniors Gannon Cole and Greyson Jones, and a pair of impact freshmen in Kaeden Nienke and Grant Ostmeyer.

Before the start of the 2024-25 season we had a chance to visit with Coach Fear and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

Q: What is your hope for the culture of boy's basketball here at Central?

A: We have to establish what our culture is going to be, for me, that’s priority number one. We want to do everything we can to win basketball games but we need to establish how we go about our business on a daily basis, how hard we play, and the emphasis on being great teammates and being accountable. That has to be where we start but once you establish that with the talent we have the winning will come.

Q: What feels like the biggest known strength of this team?

A: We have a lot of size. A few of those kids haven’t played a ton at the varsity level but we have a chance to put some good size on the floor, score around the basket, and hopefully rebound well. Hopefully, we can score it in the post and make it difficult for opponents around the basket.

Q: What are some of the biggest question marks you still have ahead of these first few games?

A: Our biggest question mark is in our perimeter shooting. We have some guys that are capable of making threes because in today’s game, if you can make perimeter shots you can make up for a lot of other issues. We’ll see how that goes for us, I think we’re going to get open looks but I think that’s probably my biggest concern.

Q: What are the goals and expectations that Central has laid out for itself this year?

A: The guys are excited for something new and I think things are a little more organized than they were a season ago. I feel for our players; they’ve had three coaches in three years now, and that’s really hard, but it’s my hope that we can establish ourselves and this group is going to be the one that starts what we build. Our guys are excited about that, but our team is pretty open-ended about goals. Christmas will be a great time for us to evaluate where we’re at, and we can set goals for the second half from there.

The Mustangs begin their season this Friday when they travel to Andover Central for a showdown with the Jaguars.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostAfter a lackluster 6-15 season, the Salina Central boy’s basketball team is under new management and will look to lay the groundwork for a program rebuild in 2024-25.Chris Fear, who led Centrals girls to a 125-58 record, winning more games than any other girl’s coach in program history, slides over to the boy's side after the one-year tenure of Billy Graf.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>This year’s Mustangs will feature a strong group of upperclassmen and with a strong interior, could pose mismatches for opponents.Central’s starting five will feature a trio of seniors in Kamryn Jones, Finley Waltman, and Tate Gary, and a pair of juniors in Kaden Snyder and Noah Peck.Off the bench, the Mustangs will look for big minutes out of senior Christian Carter, juniors Gannon Cole and Greyson Jones, and a pair of impact freshmen in Kaeden Nienke and Grant Ostmeyer.Before the start of the 2024-25 season we had a chance to visit with Coach Fear and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.Q: What is your hope for the culture of boy's basketball here at Central?A: We have to establish what our culture is going to be, for me, that’s priority number one. We want to do everything we can to win basketball games but we need to establish how we go about our business on a daily basis, how hard we play, and the emphasis on being great teammates and being accountable. That has to be where we start but once you establish that with the talent we have the winning will come.Q: What feels like the biggest known strength of this team?A: We have a lot of size. A few of those kids haven’t played a ton at the varsity level but we have a chance to put some good size on the floor, score around the basket, and hopefully rebound well. Hopefully, we can score it in the post and make it difficult for opponents around the basket.Q: What are some of the biggest question marks you still have ahead of these first few games?A: Our biggest question mark is in our perimeter shooting. We have some guys that are capable of making threes because in today’s game, if you can make perimeter shots you can make up for a lot of other issues. We’ll see how that goes for us, I think we’re going to get open looks but I think that’s probably my biggest concern.Q: What are the goals and expectations that Central has laid out for itself this year?A: The guys are excited for something new and I think things are a little more organized than they were a season ago. I feel for our players; they’ve had three coaches in three years now, and that’s really hard, but it’s my hope that we can establish ourselves and this group is going to be the one that starts what we build. Our guys are excited about that, but our team is pretty open-ended about goals. Christmas will be a great time for us to evaluate where we’re at, and we can set goals for the second half from there.The Mustangs begin their season this Friday when they travel to Andover Central for a showdown with the Jaguars.

2024-25 preseason profile: Salina Central boys basketball

After a disappointing 8-13 season, the Chapman boys basketball team is eager to lay the groundwork for a brighter tomorrow with new management at the helm.

Andrew Kraxner has joined the Irish as the program’s new head basketball coach, taking the reigns from Drew Gruver.\

This year’s Irish certainly won’t be lacking in the veteran department, as Chapman’s rotation features exclusively juniors and seniors.

The starting five will feature a trio of seniors in Ayden Muniz, Drew Elliott and Jed Moody, alongside a pair of juniors in Talon Decker and Brecken Francis.

Off the bench Chapman will look for big minutes out of two more juniors in Jacob Gfeller and Connor Cote-Boss.

We had a chance to catch up with Coach Kraxner and get his thoughts on the team ahead of the new season.

Q: What is your vision for the culture of boys basketball here at Chapman?

A: We want to establish and build a culture here at Chapman throughout the year and set the standards and expectations in place. We also want to think about the big picture even beyond this season and I’ve been transparent about that with my players. Our seniors have had a lot of mature conversations about what this season needs to look like and what they want this program to look even 10 years from now.

Q: What feels like the biggest strength of this year’s team ahead of the first game?

A: I feel really good about our defense. We’ve been pushing that in the early part of our season through preseason practice, and defense is our main focus. Hopefully, we can take ownership of that.&nbsp;

Q: What are the biggest question marks you have for this team?

A: We don’t have a lot of varsity experience which could work in our favor in some ways but we graduated 95% of our scoring from last years team. I have a lot of guys that can get us 8 points a night but I don’t have anybody that can get us 20 points a game so we have to play defense with a lot of pride.&nbsp;

Q: What are the biggest goals and expectations this team hopes to achieve this year?

A: We’ve talked about our goals, and we want to be a competitive team with a good environment and culture. We want to compete on the floor and give ourselves chances to win. We don’t want Chapman to beat Chapman this year and we have to do the things we need to handle well.&nbsp;

The Irish will open their season at home when the Irish Classic gets underway on Friday night.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostAfter a disappointing 8-13 season, the Chapman boys basketball team is eager to lay the groundwork for a brighter tomorrow with new management at the helm.Andrew Kraxner has joined the Irish as the program’s new head basketball coach, taking the reigns from Drew Gruver.\<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>This year’s Irish certainly won’t be lacking in the veteran department, as Chapman’s rotation features exclusively juniors and seniors.The starting five will feature a trio of seniors in Ayden Muniz, Drew Elliott and Jed Moody, alongside a pair of juniors in Talon Decker and Brecken Francis.Off the bench Chapman will look for big minutes out of two more juniors in Jacob Gfeller and Connor Cote-Boss.We had a chance to catch up with Coach Kraxner and get his thoughts on the team ahead of the new season.Q: What is your vision for the culture of boys basketball here at Chapman?A: We want to establish and build a culture here at Chapman throughout the year and set the standards and expectations in place. We also want to think about the big picture even beyond this season and I’ve been transparent about that with my players. Our seniors have had a lot of mature conversations about what this season needs to look like and what they want this program to look even 10 years from now.Q: What feels like the biggest strength of this year’s team ahead of the first game?A: I feel really good about our defense. We’ve been pushing that in the early part of our season through preseason practice, and defense is our main focus. Hopefully, we can take ownership of that.&nbsp;Q: What are the biggest question marks you have for this team?A: We don’t have a lot of varsity experience which could work in our favor in some ways but we graduated 95% of our scoring from last years team. I have a lot of guys that can get us 8 points a night but I don’t have anybody that can get us 20 points a game so we have to play defense with a lot of pride.&nbsp;Q: What are the biggest goals and expectations this team hopes to achieve this year?A: We’ve talked about our goals, and we want to be a competitive team with a good environment and culture. We want to compete on the floor and give ourselves chances to win. We don’t want Chapman to beat Chapman this year and we have to do the things we need to handle well.&nbsp;The Irish will open their season at home when the Irish Classic gets underway on Friday night.

2024-25 preseason profile: Chapman boys basketball 

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;–&nbsp;This morning, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that TE Travis Kelce has been selected as the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the league's most prestigious honor, recognizing players who excel on the field and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game. Kelce is joined by 31 other nominees, with a selection from each club.

“Over the past 12 years, Travis Kelce has grown into one of the most dynamic individuals in all of football, both on and off the field,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “He’s a three-time Super Bowl Champion, a nine-time Pro Bowler and one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. He’s also a tremendous leader, a role model for young people in Kansas City and an inspiration to football fans around the world. Through his new Ignition Lab, the growing Eighty-Seven &amp; Running Foundation and his partnership with Operation Breakthrough, Travis has impacted the lives of thousands of young people in the Kansas City region and beyond. Very few athletes in the history of the game have balanced the same level of team success, individual accolades and community engagement. The Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community are proud to have Travis as the club’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.”

“I’m truly honored to be nominated as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. This organization and this city mean so much to me and to have the Chiefs nominate me again is special,” Kelce said. “Growing up in Cleveland Heights with supportive family and friends, I know the power of having people in your corner. It’s been incredible to be able to work towards providing that same support and inspiration to kids through Eighty-Seven &amp; Running and our work with Operation Breakthrough and the Ignition Lab. To see the inaugural class from the Ignition Lab getting ready to graduate is so special and something that I’ll cherish forever. I know how valuable hope and purpose is in those high school years, and these kids have really seized the opportunity. Being able to give back to the community here in Kansas City as well as show love to my hometown is not something I’ll ever take for granted. I’m forever grateful to represent Kansas City, the Hunt family, our fans and my foundation, and it’s an honor to be nominated.”

All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on FOX and the NFL Network on Thursday, Feb. 6. Each nominee will receive up to $55,000 and the award winner will receive up to a $265,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.

Since entering the NFL as a third-round draft pick in 2013, Kelce has been an impactful contributor to the Kansas City community, while also being a dominant force on the field and already being hailed as one of the greatest to play the position. Since establishing his foundation, Eighty-Seven &amp; Running, in 2015, Kelce has grown his contributions both in scope and financial contributions. In 2020, Kelce was recognized for his diligent efforts to support Kansas City youth with his first Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination.&nbsp;

With inspiration from his own positive childhood experience of growing up immersed in the diverse suburb of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Kelce saw the importance of his own impactful family structure, including the village of friends and family that supported him throughout school. With this understanding at the forefront, Eighty-Seven &amp; Running helps underserved youth strive to become productive citizens, motivating them to explore their abilities and discover their passions while learning critical life skills and mentorship.

Kelce has continued his dedication to the youth of Kansas City throughout his 12-year career, partnering with Operation Breakthrough, an after-school program diligently working to provide support and extracurricular opportunities to some of the most impoverished community members of Kansas City. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelce was an avid supporter of Operation Breakthrough, helping to keep their doors open through a tumultuous economic time and generating thousands of meals for Operation Breakthrough’s food-insecure population.

In 2020, Kelce purchased an abandoned muffler shop with the vision of turning the space into the “Ignition Lab” – a safe, after-school program for inner-city students to gain real-world, tangible experience and life skills and ignite their passions as an extension of Operation Breakthrough. This year, the inaugural class of the Ignition Lab is set to graduate high school, bolstered with work experience, internships, industry skills and support. Since its inception in 2020, the Ignition Lab has grown the number of students served by 350%.

In the four years of its existence, Ignition Lab students have launched three entrepreneurial businesses, including a food truck, a hydroponic farm and a digital media studio, all providing opportunities for students to discover their unique interests and further develop their skills. Along with the unparalleled knowledge, these ventures provide students an opportunity to earn wages from their work to help support their families. Ignition Lab students also complete a required financial literacy course to help equip them for success beyond their time in the program.

Kelce has been open about his struggles in school, explaining that he often lacked motivation. From his own experience, Kelce has focused on equipping students with a diverse set of practical skills, including computer, culinary and digital media skills, offering Operation Breakthrough students a myriad of opportunities to actively engage in their learning. Beyond the classroom, Kelce has ensured that students are also left with the gift of service by having Ignition Lab teens complete mentoring hours for younger students as part of summer school teaching teams. There have been over 25,000 hours of peer-to-peer mentoring completed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;–&nbsp;This morning, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that TE Travis Kelce has been selected as the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the league's most prestigious honor, recognizing players who excel on the field and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game. Kelce is joined by 31 other nominees, with a selection from each club.“Over the past 12 years, Travis Kelce has grown into one of the most dynamic individuals in all of football, both on and off the field,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “He’s a three-time Super Bowl Champion, a nine-time Pro Bowler and one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. He’s also a tremendous leader, a role model for young people in Kansas City and an inspiration to football fans around the world. Through his new Ignition Lab, the growing Eighty-Seven &amp; Running Foundation and his partnership with Operation Breakthrough, Travis has impacted the lives of thousands of young people in the Kansas City region and beyond. Very few athletes in the history of the game have balanced the same level of team success, individual accolades and community engagement. The Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community are proud to have Travis as the club’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.”“I’m truly honored to be nominated as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. This organization and this city mean so much to me and to have the Chiefs nominate me again is special,” Kelce said. “Growing up in Cleveland Heights with supportive family and friends, I know the power of having people in your corner. It’s been incredible to be able to work towards providing that same support and inspiration to kids through Eighty-Seven &amp; Running and our work with Operation Breakthrough and the Ignition Lab. To see the inaugural class from the Ignition Lab getting ready to graduate is so special and something that I’ll cherish forever. I know how valuable hope and purpose is in those high school years, and these kids have really seized the opportunity. Being able to give back to the community here in Kansas City as well as show love to my hometown is not something I’ll ever take for granted. I’m forever grateful to represent Kansas City, the Hunt family, our fans and my foundation, and it’s an honor to be nominated.”All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on FOX and the NFL Network on Thursday, Feb. 6. Each nominee will receive up to $55,000 and the award winner will receive up to a $265,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.Since entering the NFL as a third-round draft pick in 2013, Kelce has been an impactful contributor to the Kansas City community, while also being a dominant force on the field and already being hailed as one of the greatest to play the position. Since establishing his foundation, Eighty-Seven &amp; Running, in 2015, Kelce has grown his contributions both in scope and financial contributions. In 2020, Kelce was recognized for his diligent efforts to support Kansas City youth with his first Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination.&nbsp;With inspiration from his own positive childhood experience of growing up immersed in the diverse suburb of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Kelce saw the importance of his own impactful family structure, including the village of friends and family that supported him throughout school. With this understanding at the forefront, Eighty-Seven &amp; Running helps underserved youth strive to become productive citizens, motivating them to explore their abilities and discover their passions while learning critical life skills and mentorship.Kelce has continued his dedication to the youth of Kansas City throughout his 12-year career, partnering with Operation Breakthrough, an after-school program diligently working to provide support and extracurricular opportunities to some of the most impoverished community members of Kansas City. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelce was an avid supporter of Operation Breakthrough, helping to keep their doors open through a tumultuous economic time and generating thousands of meals for Operation Breakthrough’s food-insecure population.In 2020, Kelce purchased an abandoned muffler shop with the vision of turning the space into the “Ignition Lab” – a safe, after-school program for inner-city students to gain real-world, tangible experience and life skills and ignite their passions as an extension of Operation Breakthrough. This year, the inaugural class of the Ignition Lab is set to graduate high school, bolstered with work experience, internships, industry skills and support. Since its inception in 2020, the Ignition Lab has grown the number of students served by 350%.In the four years of its existence, Ignition Lab students have launched three entrepreneurial businesses, including a food truck, a hydroponic farm and a digital media studio, all providing opportunities for students to discover their unique interests and further develop their skills. Along with the unparalleled knowledge, these ventures provide students an opportunity to earn wages from their work to help support their families. Ignition Lab students also complete a required financial literacy course to help equip them for success beyond their time in the program.Kelce has been open about his struggles in school, explaining that he often lacked motivation. From his own experience, Kelce has focused on equipping students with a diverse set of practical skills, including computer, culinary and digital media skills, offering Operation Breakthrough students a myriad of opportunities to actively engage in their learning. Beyond the classroom, Kelce has ensured that students are also left with the gift of service by having Ignition Lab teens complete mentoring hours for younger students as part of summer school teaching teams. There have been over 25,000 hours of peer-to-peer mentoring completed.Since beginning his historic career over 10 years ago, Kelce has made an impact not only in Kansas City, including visits to children to encourage healthy lifestyles, visiting first responders, providing his time and voice to food banks and promoting the values of youth football.A three-time Super Bowl champion over his storied 12-year career in Kansas City, Kelce has shattered nearly every tight end record at a breathtaking pace. Entering the 2024 campaign, he caught a pass in 158 consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history and still active as of today. His 11,965 receiving yards are the third most by a tight end in league history, trailing only PFHOF TE Tony Gonzalez and TE Jason Witten. He is just the second player in Chiefs history to surpass 11,000 receiving yards (WR Dante Hall, 12,356). As of today, Kelce is tied with Gonzalez for the most touchdown receptions in Chiefs history with 76 and has caught 53 of those touchdowns from QB Patrick Mahomes, giving the pair the third-most QB-TE touchdown connections in NFL history and the most in Chiefs history. In a valiant display of consistency on the field, Kelce amassed at least 1,000 receiving yards each season from 2016-22, the most consecutive such seasons by a tight end in league history. Kelce is no stranger to big games, with 38 100+ receiving yard games, the most by a tight end in NFL history. In 22 career postseason games, he leads all tight ends with 19 receiving touchdowns, and his 165 postseason receptions are the best amongst all NFL pass catchers. Kelce has not missed a Pro Bowl nomination since 2015 and has been named AP All-Pro first-team four times and second-team three times.Fans are once again encouraged to participate in Nationwide's annual Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows fans to show support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. Fans can vote on X/Twitter by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name/X handle of their chosen nominee or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The nominee who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes will win an additional $35,000 donation from Nationwide to the charity of their choice, with the runner-up receiving $10,000 and the third-place winner receiving $5,000. Charity Challenge voting takes place from Thursday, Dec. 5 to Monday, Jan. 6.Beginning Week 14 and continuing through the end of the season, each of this year's nominees, including Kelce, will wear a special Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal in recognition of their accomplishments on and off the field.