By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

Southeast of Saline is off to a hot start to the 2024 campaign, and after winning the Trojan War for a seventh straight season, the Trojans now fix their gaze on a perennial power and postseason rival in Kingman.

The Eagles come into this contest at 2-1, their only loss to the defending 3A state champs in Cheney, while the Trojans enter at 3-0 with two victories over state powers.

Last week’s win over Beloit proved just how tough SES is, after losing both of their top offensive weapons in Grady Gebhardt and Tucker Thaxton for stretches of the game.

“Seeing our guys stick with it and understand what we do has been such a good thing for us,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “Everybody is working together and that’s a huge thing with this group. They’re resilient, they focus on the next play and we’ve had a lot of different guys make big plays for us.”

Southeast will need that resilience again this week against a Kingman team it’s met in each of the last two postsesaons.

The Eagles eliminated SES 28-22 in the 2022 semifinals, but the Trojans got their revenge with a 36-28 win in last year’s quarterfinals, setting up Friday night’s rubber match.

“Kingman is disciplined and their coaching staff does such a great job,” Gebhardt said. “Their kids are in the right spots, they’re always physical and those kids are gonna work hard for four quarters. We’ve had some great battles with them and this is a big game for us.”

This also marks the final game in a brutal early-season stretch that saw Southeast seek out opponents like Clay Center and Beloit for their early-season schedule.

“Playing good teams early like this is big, and it lets you learn who you are,” he said. “Mistakes are compounded in games like this but in our film sessions we can really see what might come back and haunt us later, it makes us better.”

Up against a perennial power, in enemy territory, it will take another strong effort for the Trojans to walk away with a win, but the team is up to the task.

“We have to take care of the football; turnovers are big in a game like this,” he said. “We have to stay together and know our role on defense, and we have to continue to improve on special teams.”

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and pregame coverage will be on Salina Post and KINA at 6:40. Devin Hanney and Russ Cossell will have the call.

You can tune in for live stream video and audio commentary below 100% free on Salina Post by clicking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/OBnEhzC9aYY">HERE</a>.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostSoutheast of Saline is off to a hot start to the 2024 campaign, and after winning the Trojan War for a seventh straight season, the Trojans now fix their gaze on a perennial power and postseason rival in Kingman.The Eagles come into this contest at 2-1, their only loss to the defending 3A state champs in Cheney, while the Trojans enter at 3-0 with two victories over state powers.<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>Last week’s win over Beloit proved just how tough SES is, after losing both of their top offensive weapons in Grady Gebhardt and Tucker Thaxton for stretches of the game.“Seeing our guys stick with it and understand what we do has been such a good thing for us,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “Everybody is working together and that’s a huge thing with this group. They’re resilient, they focus on the next play and we’ve had a lot of different guys make big plays for us.”Southeast will need that resilience again this week against a Kingman team it’s met in each of the last two postsesaons.The Eagles eliminated SES 28-22 in the 2022 semifinals, but the Trojans got their revenge with a 36-28 win in last year’s quarterfinals, setting up Friday night’s rubber match.“Kingman is disciplined and their coaching staff does such a great job,” Gebhardt said. “Their kids are in the right spots, they’re always physical and those kids are gonna work hard for four quarters. We’ve had some great battles with them and this is a big game for us.”This also marks the final game in a brutal early-season stretch that saw Southeast seek out opponents like Clay Center and Beloit for their early-season schedule.“Playing good teams early like this is big, and it lets you learn who you are,” he said. “Mistakes are compounded in games like this but in our film sessions we can really see what might come back and haunt us later, it makes us better.”Up against a perennial power, in enemy territory, it will take another strong effort for the Trojans to walk away with a win, but the team is up to the task.“We have to take care of the football; turnovers are big in a game like this,” he said. “We have to stay together and know our role on defense, and we have to continue to improve on special teams.”Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and pregame coverage will be on Salina Post and KINA at 6:40. Devin Hanney and Russ Cossell will have the call.You can tune in for live stream video and audio commentary below 100% free on Salina Post by clicking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/OBnEhzC9aYY">HERE</a>.

🏈 Trojans travel to Kingman in search of statement win over Eagles

The Salina Post Sports Friday Night Preview show returns for week four, as Tyler Henry and Devin Hanney get you ready for another exciting week of high school football.

This week's show includes a look at the full slate of area games, interviews with Brad Nicks (Abilene) and Shane Sieben (Rock Creek), and a full preview of all three broadcasts that will appear on the Salina Post Sports Network this week.

Below you can see the full schedule for all 11 of our area teams in week four.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/34qmeurpBp4"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Post Sports Friday Night Preview show returns for week four, as Tyler Henry and Devin Hanney get you ready for another exciting week of high school football.This week's show includes a look at the full slate of area games, interviews with Brad Nicks (Abilene) and Shane Sieben (Rock Creek), and a full preview of all three broadcasts that will appear on the Salina Post Sports Network this week.Below you can see the full schedule for all 11 of our area teams in week four.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727395657456.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727395674740.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Salina Post Sports Friday Night Preview: Week Four

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State will play six of its 10 Big 12 home games on weekends, as the league office announced the dates for its conference-only schedule on Thursday (Sept. 26).

The new 20-game league schedule will run from the end of December to the second week of March with each team playing 10 games at home and on the road as the conference expands to 16 teams in 2024-25 with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.

Game times and television information will be released at a later date.

Among the six weekend conference home games will be visits from projected top 10 teams Houston (Saturday, Jan. 11), Kansas (Saturday, Feb. 8) and Iowa State (Saturday, March 8). The Wildcats will also host West Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 25 as well as first-ever Sunday conference games with league newcomers Arizona State (Sunday, Feb. 23) and Colorado (Sunday, March 2).

The expanded conference schedule will tip on Monday, Dec. 30 with a home game against Cincinnati. It will be the first meeting in Manhattan as conference foes and the first visit by the Bearcats since 1967.

Other home games include Texas Tech on Tuesday, Jan. 14, Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Jan. 29 and perennial top 10 program Arizona on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

The road portion of the Big 12 slate starts with back-to-back trips to TCU (Saturday, Jan. 4) and Oklahoma State (Tuesday, Jan. 7). The Wildcats also have consecutive road trips three other times, including Kansas (Saturday, Jan. 18) and Baylor (Wednesday, Jan. 22), Iowa State (Saturday, Feb. 1) and Arizona State (Tuesday, Feb. 4) and BYU (Saturday, Feb. 15) and Utah (Monday, Feb. 17).

The expanded Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship will run Tuesday-Saturday, March 11-15 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City and will coincide with the women’s championship, which runs Thursday-Monday, March 6-10, also at T-Mobile.

Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are currently available, with prices starting at less than $18 per game. Fans can purchase now to see the Wildcats all year by visiting <a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a> or calling (800) 221.CATS.

Thirteen of the 16 Big 12 teams won at least 17 games in 2023-24 with 11 winning at least 20 games, including 32 wins by league champion Houston. Thirteen made the postseason a season ago, including NCAA Tournament appearances by Arizona, Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, TCU and Texas Tech.

K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in head coach Jerome Tang’s tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State will play six of its 10 Big 12 home games on weekends, as the league office announced the dates for its conference-only schedule on Thursday (Sept. 26).The new 20-game league schedule will run from the end of December to the second week of March with each team playing 10 games at home and on the road as the conference expands to 16 teams in 2024-25 with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.Game times and television information will be released at a later date.Among the six weekend conference home games will be visits from projected top 10 teams Houston (Saturday, Jan. 11), Kansas (Saturday, Feb. 8) and Iowa State (Saturday, March 8). The Wildcats will also host West Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 25 as well as first-ever Sunday conference games with league newcomers Arizona State (Sunday, Feb. 23) and Colorado (Sunday, March 2).The expanded conference schedule will tip on Monday, Dec. 30 with a home game against Cincinnati. It will be the first meeting in Manhattan as conference foes and the first visit by the Bearcats since 1967.Other home games include Texas Tech on Tuesday, Jan. 14, Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Jan. 29 and perennial top 10 program Arizona on Tuesday, Feb. 11.The road portion of the Big 12 slate starts with back-to-back trips to TCU (Saturday, Jan. 4) and Oklahoma State (Tuesday, Jan. 7). The Wildcats also have consecutive road trips three other times, including Kansas (Saturday, Jan. 18) and Baylor (Wednesday, Jan. 22), Iowa State (Saturday, Feb. 1) and Arizona State (Tuesday, Feb. 4) and BYU (Saturday, Feb. 15) and Utah (Monday, Feb. 17).The expanded Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship will run Tuesday-Saturday, March 11-15 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City and will coincide with the women’s championship, which runs Thursday-Monday, March 6-10, also at T-Mobile.Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are currently available, with prices starting at less than $18 per game. Fans can purchase now to see the Wildcats all year by visiting <a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a> or calling (800) 221.CATS.Thirteen of the 16 Big 12 teams won at least 17 games in 2023-24 with 11 winning at least 20 games, including 32 wins by league champion Houston. Thirteen made the postseason a season ago, including NCAA Tournament appearances by Arizona, Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, TCU and Texas Tech.K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in head coach Jerome Tang’s tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.SCHEDULE NOTES<ul>
 <li>The Big 12 will play a 20-game league schedule in 2024-25, playing 10 at home and 10 on the road... It is the largest conference schedule in school history, as it has evolved from 10 games in the Big Six (1928-47) to 12 games in the Big Seven (1947-58) to 14 games in the Big Eight (1958-96) to 16 (1997-2011), 18 (2012-24) and now 20 in the Big 12 era.</li><li>K-State will play Arizona for the first time since 2014, Arizona State for the first time since 2017, Colorado for the first time since 2020 and Utah for the first time since 1983.</li><li>K-State will play a conference game in the month of December for the fifth time and the first since 2022-23… It is the earliest conference matchup since 2020.</li><li>Cincinnati will visit Manhattan for the third time and the first time since 1967.</li><li>The series with Oklahoma State dates to 1922 while the schools have played home-and-home as Big Eight members (1959-96) and since 2010 when the Big 12 switched to a round-robin schedule.</li><li>Houston will visit Manhattan for the third time and the first time since 1971.</li><li>K-State and Kansas have played home-and-home every year since 1912 and have played at least once every year since 1907... It is the sixth-most played rivalry (301) in Division I men’s basketball.</li><li>K-State will host Arizona for the first time since 1981 with the Purple Wildcats winning all 5 previous meetings at home in the series... The schools have met just 14 times in their respective histories, most recently in the 2014 Maui Invitational, with K-State holding an 8-6 advantage.</li><li>K-State will host Arizona State for the first time since 1982, while the Wildcats will visit Tempe for the first time since 1980... The schools have met 9 times previously with the Sun Devils holding a 5-4 edge.</li><li>K-State and Colorado will meet for the 145th time in 2024-25 and the first time since 2020. All but 2 meetings have come as conference foes, starting with the Big Seven in 1948 followed by the Big Eight (1959-96) and Big 12 (1997-2011, 2024-25).</li><li>K-State and Utah will meet for just the fourth time in 2024-25 and the first time since 1983... The Wildcats will travel to Salt Lake City for the second time and the first time since a 65-59 win in 1972.</li><li>K-State and Iowa State have met home-and-away every year since 1918 with the series dating to 1909… The Wildcats will host the Cyclones on Senior Day for the second straight year.</li><li>K-State will visit UCF for the first time and play for the third time overall.</li>
 </ul>

Six Weekend Home Games Highlight K-State's 2024-25 Big 12 Schedule

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior David N’Guessan and junior Dug McDaniel met with the media on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 26), as the Wildcats started practice earlier this week.

Links to the audio and a transcript of the availability are above.

N’Guessan is one of 3 returning lettermen for the Wildcats, along with sophomores Taj Manning and Macaleab Rich in 2024-25. McDaniel is one of 11 newcomers, including 8 Division I transfers.

The De Lier, The Netherlands native will play his final year of eligibility in 2024-25 after seeing action in 120 games between Virginia Tech (2020-22) and K-State (2022-) with 39 starts. He is coming off a career year in 2023-24, in which, he posted career-highs for points (265), double-digit scoring games (14), field goals made (111) and attempted (190), double-doubles (3), rebounds (230), assists (31), blocks (26), steals (24) and minutes (935).

McDaniel, who was the first of the 8 Division I transfers to commit to the Wildcats in April, arrives after two seasons at Michigan (2022-24), where he averaged 11.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.8 minutes per game in 60 games with 52 starts. He led the Wolverines in scoring (16.3 ppg.), 3-point field goals (56), assists (4.7 apg.), steals (1.1 spg.) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) as a sophomore in 2023-24.

The Wildcats finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including an 8-10 mark in Big 12 play, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in Tang’s first two seasons, including consecutive postseason appearances.

The Big 12 announced its new-look 20-game conference schedule earlier today (Sept. 26) with the Wildcats set to face Cincinnati in the opener on Monday, Dec. 30. The team will play their first and only exhibition game against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Oct. 29 before hosting New Orleans in the opener on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

“It's been good so far. I came late because I was playing with the (Netherlands) national team, but I feel like I built chemistry with all the guys really fast. Vibes been really good to me, personally.”

On the similarities between Dug McDaniel and Markquis Nowell…

“Yeah, he does a little bit. Two different players, but yeah, point guard leaders, both dogs, like to get their teammates involved. So, to see a lot of that, they make it easier for other guys. So, make it easy for me personally. So, it's a lot of fun to play with.”

On what it takes to get back to the NCAA tournament…

“I mean, it takes everybody. Obviously, last year we had a few guys that could have contributed that wasn't there for us. We just want the whole team to be there, hold the rope so we can fight together.”

On his role as a veteran with a team full of newcomers…

“I feel just like being the leader, the lead by example, being my third year here, but also being a fifth year in college, I've been through it. I see what it has looked like when he made it to (NCAA) elite eight and then compared to last year, when he went to the NIT. So, I seen the good and the bad. I tried to set the good example for the rest of the guys, so they can, you know, learn faster, kind of speed up that process.”

On the good things he’s already seeing from the team this early…

“I would say how, what's the word, like, we got a little bit of everything. I feel like we can shoot, we got length, we got speed, athleticism. We got, you know, good point guards that can handle the ball. I feel like we're really all around, versatile. That's the word I was looking for, really versatile. So that's what I'm really liking.”

On his decision to stay at K-State for three years…

“I would say coaching staff. Obviously, with me graduating, I had the chance to, you know, go somewhere else and explore a little bit, but I don't feel like there will be a better place out there for me. I feel like coaches got my back, like Dug was saying, I've seen that the past two years, they go all out, and that makes it easy for you to do it for them on the floor.”

On his first impressions of the K-State team…

“I was excited, you know. We may not have the big names that everybody expected, but, you know, we have a lot of great dudes and leading up to the season, you know, we gonna find a way to mesh it, make it work, and we're gonna be really good this year.”

On how his skills fit in with the team…

“I think it fits in great. You know, I kind of could get back to my strengths of being a pass first guard, getting my teammates involved. You know, I got a lot of great weapons around me and I can't wait to get back to my original game.”

“Most definitely, most definitely. Going into the portal I made an emphasis to, you know, be around a lot of great guys that could take the pressure off me. Because just knowing me, knowing how I grew up, if you really know me, know I don't want to score the ball all the time, I'm trying to get others involved. My highlight plays, making a pass for my teammates, so now I kind of could get back to the flow of that. It's gonna be a really great season for me, and you know, we're gonna win a lot.”

“You know, I'm proud of my environment, that's the most I can say. You know, growing up where I'm from, you got to be tough to survive. So, you know, just having that dog mentally and carrying it on to the court, you know, sometimes you feel unstoppable out there. And you know, I'm the shortest guy, so I got to work extra hard. And, you know, dogs pretty small, but, you know, they pack a punch. So, I try to, you know, make that my identity.”

On Jerome Tang being the first coach to contact him while in the transfer portal…

“I was really surprised, you know. I entered the portal, I sat down on my couch, my phone wrung, I got back up immediately, answer the phone, it was coach Reem (Jareem Dowling). He said, ‘I got somebody for you, coach Tang,’ got on the phone. This was on a Monday, by the way. And then that same Thursday, both of them were at my house, you know, meeting me face to face. So, from that moment on, I already knew, like these guys were serious about this. And you know, as we kept going along, in the process, it just kept getting better. Now, I'm home.”

On the coaching staff relating him to Markquis Nowell…

“They mentioned him a few. But, you know, I feel like we share a similar traits, but we two totally different players. So, you know, I feel like they just trying to focus on me being the best me, you know, instead of me trying to be somebody else and just be the best Dug.”

On seeing his improvement on defense with these coaches…

“Most definitely, you know, I feel like that comes with being around great players that can take upon some of the other struggles that I had to do. You know, I have fresher legs, I have to make multiple plays and I could really focus on my task at hand. And, you know, defense has definitely been an emphasis in my going to the portal, like I want to show teams that I could play defense. And I feel like my defense got very better, coach U (Ulric Maligi) we watched a lot of film on it, and I can’t wait for the season. You know, I’m chasing player of the year, defensive player of the year, no question.”

On what he remembers from playing Coleman Hawkins at Illinois while at Michigan…

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior David N’Guessan and junior Dug McDaniel met with the media on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 26), as the Wildcats started practice earlier this week.Links to the audio and a transcript of the availability are above.N’Guessan is one of 3 returning lettermen for the Wildcats, along with sophomores Taj Manning and Macaleab Rich in 2024-25. McDaniel is one of 11 newcomers, including 8 Division I transfers.The De Lier, The Netherlands native will play his final year of eligibility in 2024-25 after seeing action in 120 games between Virginia Tech (2020-22) and K-State (2022-) with 39 starts. He is coming off a career year in 2023-24, in which, he posted career-highs for points (265), double-digit scoring games (14), field goals made (111) and attempted (190), double-doubles (3), rebounds (230), assists (31), blocks (26), steals (24) and minutes (935).McDaniel, who was the first of the 8 Division I transfers to commit to the Wildcats in April, arrives after two seasons at Michigan (2022-24), where he averaged 11.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.8 minutes per game in 60 games with 52 starts. He led the Wolverines in scoring (16.3 ppg.), 3-point field goals (56), assists (4.7 apg.), steals (1.1 spg.) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) as a sophomore in 2023-24.The Wildcats finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including an 8-10 mark in Big 12 play, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in Tang’s first two seasons, including consecutive postseason appearances.The Big 12 announced its new-look 20-game conference schedule earlier today (Sept. 26) with the Wildcats set to face Cincinnati in the opener on Monday, Dec. 30. The team will play their first and only exhibition game against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Oct. 29 before hosting New Orleans in the opener on Tuesday, Nov. 5.SENIOR WING DAVID N’GUESSANOn the vibes of the team so far…“It's been good so far. I came late because I was playing with the (Netherlands) national team, but I feel like I built chemistry with all the guys really fast. Vibes been really good to me, personally.”On the similarities between Dug McDaniel and Markquis Nowell…“Yeah, he does a little bit. Two different players, but yeah, point guard leaders, both dogs, like to get their teammates involved. So, to see a lot of that, they make it easier for other guys. So, make it easy for me personally. So, it's a lot of fun to play with.”On what it takes to get back to the NCAA tournament…“I mean, it takes everybody. Obviously, last year we had a few guys that could have contributed that wasn't there for us. We just want the whole team to be there, hold the rope so we can fight together.”On his role as a veteran with a team full of newcomers…“I feel just like being the leader, the lead by example, being my third year here, but also being a fifth year in college, I've been through it. I see what it has looked like when he made it to (NCAA) elite eight and then compared to last year, when he went to the NIT. So, I seen the good and the bad. I tried to set the good example for the rest of the guys, so they can, you know, learn faster, kind of speed up that process.”On the good things he’s already seeing from the team this early…“I would say how, what's the word, like, we got a little bit of everything. I feel like we can shoot, we got length, we got speed, athleticism. We got, you know, good point guards that can handle the ball. I feel like we're really all around, versatile. That's the word I was looking for, really versatile. So that's what I'm really liking.”On his decision to stay at K-State for three years…“I would say coaching staff. Obviously, with me graduating, I had the chance to, you know, go somewhere else and explore a little bit, but I don't feel like there will be a better place out there for me. I feel like coaches got my back, like Dug was saying, I've seen that the past two years, they go all out, and that makes it easy for you to do it for them on the floor.”JUNIOR GUARD DUG MCDANIELOn his first impressions of the K-State team…“I was excited, you know. We may not have the big names that everybody expected, but, you know, we have a lot of great dudes and leading up to the season, you know, we gonna find a way to mesh it, make it work, and we're gonna be really good this year.”On how his skills fit in with the team…“I think it fits in great. You know, I kind of could get back to my strengths of being a pass first guard, getting my teammates involved. You know, I got a lot of great weapons around me and I can't wait to get back to my original game.”On his role as a pass first guard…“Most definitely, most definitely. Going into the portal I made an emphasis to, you know, be around a lot of great guys that could take the pressure off me. Because just knowing me, knowing how I grew up, if you really know me, know I don't want to score the ball all the time, I'm trying to get others involved. My highlight plays, making a pass for my teammates, so now I kind of could get back to the flow of that. It's gonna be a really great season for me, and you know, we're gonna win a lot.”On his dog mentality…&nbsp;&nbsp;“You know, I'm proud of my environment, that's the most I can say. You know, growing up where I'm from, you got to be tough to survive. So, you know, just having that dog mentally and carrying it on to the court, you know, sometimes you feel unstoppable out there. And you know, I'm the shortest guy, so I got to work extra hard. And, you know, dogs pretty small, but, you know, they pack a punch. So, I try to, you know, make that my identity.”On Jerome Tang being the first coach to contact him while in the transfer portal…“I was really surprised, you know. I entered the portal, I sat down on my couch, my phone wrung, I got back up immediately, answer the phone, it was coach Reem (Jareem Dowling). He said, ‘I got somebody for you, coach Tang,’ got on the phone. This was on a Monday, by the way. And then that same Thursday, both of them were at my house, you know, meeting me face to face. So, from that moment on, I already knew, like these guys were serious about this. And you know, as we kept going along, in the process, it just kept getting better. Now, I'm home.”On the coaching staff relating him to Markquis Nowell…“They mentioned him a few. But, you know, I feel like we share a similar traits, but we two totally different players. So, you know, I feel like they just trying to focus on me being the best me, you know, instead of me trying to be somebody else and just be the best Dug.”On seeing his improvement on defense with these coaches…“Most definitely, you know, I feel like that comes with being around great players that can take upon some of the other struggles that I had to do. You know, I have fresher legs, I have to make multiple plays and I could really focus on my task at hand. And, you know, defense has definitely been an emphasis in my going to the portal, like I want to show teams that I could play defense. And I feel like my defense got very better, coach U (Ulric Maligi) we watched a lot of film on it, and I can’t wait for the season. You know, I’m chasing player of the year, defensive player of the year, no question.”On what he remembers from playing Coleman Hawkins at Illinois while at Michigan…

K-State's McDaniel, N’Guessan Meet the Media

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: Has Harrison Butker done a lot to work on his range with weights or other stuff?

TOUB: “Yeah, he (Harrison Butker) has. Just like I said, I mean, he does a good job with (Head Strength &amp; Conditioning/Director of Sports Science) Ryan Reynolds (and) our strength staff, they’re really into the power lifts, you know, the Olympic lifts. I really think that’s made a big difference for him, he’s really into it. He’s a guy – he’s a kicker, I think he power cleans over 300 pounds, it’s unbelievable. He’s really jumped into that part – that aspect of it. He covers every aspect of it, really. He does it all. He does it all at 100 percent, that’s why he is what he is.”

Q: What stands out about the Chargers special teams unit and how has it changed since new Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh took over?

TOUB: “We know these guys (the Chargers) well; they changed the head coach (Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh), but the special teams coach (Special Teams Coordinator&nbsp;Ryan Ficken) is the same. It’s the same that they’ve had the last couple years and (he) does a great job, the guys fly around. They’ve gotten better and better over the years, and he certainly does an excellent job. (Chargers K Cameron) Dicker the kicker is really good and (Chargers P) JK Scott hangs the ball up, (he) punts it to the boundary most of the time, causes fair catches. They’ve had 18 punts (and) I think only five returns out of 18 punts so that says something (and) seven fair catches, so he hangs it up. (The long) snapper’s (Chargers LS Josh Harris) good and then the returner, you’ve got to notice him, (Chargers Returner) Derius Davis, great speed, 4.3 (40-yard dash) guy, hits it north and south, can run around you, he’s got it all. They’ve put a lot into their special teams over the last few years and it’s definitely something – a lot more hard to handle now than it was four years ago.”&nbsp;

Q: What is your evaluation of Mecole Hardman so far this season?

TOUB: “Good. I mean, he (Mecole Hardman) did a good job on the kick returns. He was an arm tackle away from really breaking one. We had a sideline return call there and it’s one guy away. I mean, we had blockers up in front, (and) it was only the kicker left on the one. One punt I thought he possibly could’ve gotten to, it was a bad punt, and he decided not to. You’ve got to let him make those decisions back there. Then, one punt we got, we had like a 12-yard return, but we haven’t had too many opportunities, but we had a few last week.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, I don’t have a – I mean, listen, I’m happy we were able to pull that game out last week and (we’re) looking forward to our first AFC West divisional game, so with that I’ll just open it up.”

Q:&nbsp;What are your thoughts on Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins and the new-look Chargers team that favors running the football?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“(Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins) pretty positive affect, right? Listen, I have a lot of respect for (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and (Chargers Offensive Coordinator) Greg (Roman), (I’ve) known both of them for a long time. (I) kind of have a feel for, I think, what they want to do and become and you can see that they’re doing that, especially early. I know they’ve had a rash of injuries. We’re not going to overlook anything. I think Jim has a way of getting his team ready to play in any situation. The running backs, I mean both of them (Chargers RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards) really fit what they do. They feel like they – that’s the identity of their team now, right? Yet, they have a quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert), and we’ll see where the health is and all that, but they have a quarterback that, I think, is one of the best throwers in the league so it’s a pretty good combination for them. We’ll see who they put out there but to us, it doesn’t matter, really. We’re going to defend the scheme and try to play our best football.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a mindset that a defense has to have specifically in the red zone?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, no question. I think we’ve got guys that are built the right way. I mean, your back’s against the wall. Everything’s tighter down there. Offensive coaches will tell you this all the time – the windows get tighter, things close quicker, the game moves faster. There are certain guys that function really well in the red zone because of that and others that it takes a bit of time. Rookies come in and it’s the red zone and it’s the regular season and things are going fast, and you find out about guys pretty quick, but there’s definitely a mindset.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Chamarri Conner’s ability to always be around the football?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, if you watch him (Chamarri Conner) – I showed a clip this morning – the one thing he does all the time is gets off of blocks. He doesn’t – wide receivers try to block him (and) he wants nothing to do with them. Now, not all DBs do that but he has a physical mindset. He’s a safety playing a corner position at nickel. He’s earned the right to play that, and I put the challenge on him a while back. I didn’t know if he’d be able to do it, that wasn’t what he played in college, but I think he stepped in there and (he’s) done a real nice job for us. He’s another one of those guys that I think just likes mixing it up physical-wise. We take as many of those guys as we can get because that’s defensive football, right?”

Q: Is there surprising anything about the way that Rashee Rice has started the season or did you see this coming?

NAGY:&nbsp;“No, there’s nothing surprising with the way he’s (Rashee Rice) come back in. I think we probably compare it a little bit to last year when he first got here. Remember, we talked about drinking water from the fire hydrant, and he came back right away in OTAs and looked amazing. (He) took it into training camp (and) looked great, so it’s not surprising. It takes a little bit of time, but it’s been really cool to see him grow and I know he has a lot more to go.”

Q: On what Travis Kelce has been able to teach Rashee Rice over the past year.

NAGY:&nbsp;“Just a lot of things. A lot of good teaching points that Travis (Kelce) has done over the years that is invaluable. It’s great when we’re teaching them as coaches and we give them our insight but when the guy that’s (been) doing it for a bunch of years, like Trav is and making it work the way he does, when you’re a player and you hear that come from another player that’s had success, I think means a lot. So, watching him (Rashee Rice) now take that into account and do what he’s doing from Week 1 until now has been really cool.”&nbsp;

Q: With the road you guys had to navigate on offense last year, how did that help you as a starting point this year?

NAGY:&nbsp;“A lot. A lot. It really helped glue us together and show what we can do. Mentally (and) physically – it was a long season, and you get to that mentally to the playoff game against the Dolphins. You go through a gauntlet of teams there – on the road and then in the Super Bowl. Then, you’ve got to hit he reset button. I think, as an offense, there’s an energy, there’s excitement (and) we’re winning football games. Right now, we’re getting callused how to win and there’s not a lot of 20-point wins – there’s none – but we’re learning how to win in situational football, which is great, and I think can benefit us down the road.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from the Chargers and the way they approach their offense right now?

JONES:&nbsp;“They’re (the Chargers offense) physical. Nice running game – heck of a running back (Chargers J.K. Dobbins – (the Chargers) Quarterback Justin Herbert, we’ve played him multiple times, we know he has a big arm (and he) can make big plays out of the pocket. They’re (a) physical, hard-nosed football team.”

Q:&nbsp;From a teammate’s perspective, what can you say about Nick Bolton and what he means to everything you guys do?

JONES:&nbsp;“He’s (Nick Bolton) a dog. We try not to bring him off the field. We try to make sure he’s playing every play. He’s our play caller. I think he is the pillar of this defense.”

Q:&nbsp;You guys have a lot of success at stopping people in the red zone. What is the mindset that this defense has – do you take it to a different level when you have your backs against the wall?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesSeptember 26, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: Has Harrison Butker done a lot to work on his range with weights or other stuff?TOUB: “Yeah, he (Harrison Butker) has. Just like I said, I mean, he does a good job with (Head Strength &amp; Conditioning/Director of Sports Science) Ryan Reynolds (and) our strength staff, they’re really into the power lifts, you know, the Olympic lifts. I really think that’s made a big difference for him, he’s really into it. He’s a guy – he’s a kicker, I think he power cleans over 300 pounds, it’s unbelievable. He’s really jumped into that part – that aspect of it. He covers every aspect of it, really. He does it all. He does it all at 100 percent, that’s why he is what he is.”Q: What stands out about the Chargers special teams unit and how has it changed since new Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh took over?TOUB: “We know these guys (the Chargers) well; they changed the head coach (Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh), but the special teams coach (Special Teams Coordinator&nbsp;Ryan Ficken) is the same. It’s the same that they’ve had the last couple years and (he) does a great job, the guys fly around. They’ve gotten better and better over the years, and he certainly does an excellent job. (Chargers K Cameron) Dicker the kicker is really good and (Chargers P) JK Scott hangs the ball up, (he) punts it to the boundary most of the time, causes fair catches. They’ve had 18 punts (and) I think only five returns out of 18 punts so that says something (and) seven fair catches, so he hangs it up. (The long) snapper’s (Chargers LS Josh Harris) good and then the returner, you’ve got to notice him, (Chargers Returner) Derius Davis, great speed, 4.3 (40-yard dash) guy, hits it north and south, can run around you, he’s got it all. They’ve put a lot into their special teams over the last few years and it’s definitely something – a lot more hard to handle now than it was four years ago.”&nbsp;Q: What is your evaluation of Mecole Hardman so far this season?TOUB: “Good. I mean, he (Mecole Hardman) did a good job on the kick returns. He was an arm tackle away from really breaking one. We had a sideline return call there and it’s one guy away. I mean, we had blockers up in front, (and) it was only the kicker left on the one. One punt I thought he possibly could’ve gotten to, it was a bad punt, and he decided not to. You’ve got to let him make those decisions back there. Then, one punt we got, we had like a 12-yard return, but we haven’t had too many opportunities, but we had a few last week.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, I don’t have a – I mean, listen, I’m happy we were able to pull that game out last week and (we’re) looking forward to our first AFC West divisional game, so with that I’ll just open it up.”Q:&nbsp;What are your thoughts on Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins and the new-look Chargers team that favors running the football?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“(Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins) pretty positive affect, right? Listen, I have a lot of respect for (Chargers Head Coach) Jim (Harbaugh) and (Chargers Offensive Coordinator) Greg (Roman), (I’ve) known both of them for a long time. (I) kind of have a feel for, I think, what they want to do and become and you can see that they’re doing that, especially early. I know they’ve had a rash of injuries. We’re not going to overlook anything. I think Jim has a way of getting his team ready to play in any situation. The running backs, I mean both of them (Chargers RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards) really fit what they do. They feel like they – that’s the identity of their team now, right? Yet, they have a quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert), and we’ll see where the health is and all that, but they have a quarterback that, I think, is one of the best throwers in the league so it’s a pretty good combination for them. We’ll see who they put out there but to us, it doesn’t matter, really. We’re going to defend the scheme and try to play our best football.”Q:&nbsp;Is there a mindset that a defense has to have specifically in the red zone?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, no question. I think we’ve got guys that are built the right way. I mean, your back’s against the wall. Everything’s tighter down there. Offensive coaches will tell you this all the time – the windows get tighter, things close quicker, the game moves faster. There are certain guys that function really well in the red zone because of that and others that it takes a bit of time. Rookies come in and it’s the red zone and it’s the regular season and things are going fast, and you find out about guys pretty quick, but there’s definitely a mindset.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Chamarri Conner’s ability to always be around the football?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, if you watch him (Chamarri Conner) – I showed a clip this morning – the one thing he does all the time is gets off of blocks. He doesn’t – wide receivers try to block him (and) he wants nothing to do with them. Now, not all DBs do that but he has a physical mindset. He’s a safety playing a corner position at nickel. He’s earned the right to play that, and I put the challenge on him a while back. I didn’t know if he’d be able to do it, that wasn’t what he played in college, but I think he stepped in there and (he’s) done a real nice job for us. He’s another one of those guys that I think just likes mixing it up physical-wise. We take as many of those guys as we can get because that’s defensive football, right?”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: Is there surprising anything about the way that Rashee Rice has started the season or did you see this coming?NAGY:&nbsp;“No, there’s nothing surprising with the way he’s (Rashee Rice) come back in. I think we probably compare it a little bit to last year when he first got here. Remember, we talked about drinking water from the fire hydrant, and he came back right away in OTAs and looked amazing. (He) took it into training camp (and) looked great, so it’s not surprising. It takes a little bit of time, but it’s been really cool to see him grow and I know he has a lot more to go.”Q: On what Travis Kelce has been able to teach Rashee Rice over the past year.NAGY:&nbsp;“Just a lot of things. A lot of good teaching points that Travis (Kelce) has done over the years that is invaluable. It’s great when we’re teaching them as coaches and we give them our insight but when the guy that’s (been) doing it for a bunch of years, like Trav is and making it work the way he does, when you’re a player and you hear that come from another player that’s had success, I think means a lot. So, watching him (Rashee Rice) now take that into account and do what he’s doing from Week 1 until now has been really cool.”&nbsp;Q: With the road you guys had to navigate on offense last year, how did that help you as a starting point this year?NAGY:&nbsp;“A lot. A lot. It really helped glue us together and show what we can do. Mentally (and) physically – it was a long season, and you get to that mentally to the playoff game against the Dolphins. You go through a gauntlet of teams there – on the road and then in the Super Bowl. Then, you’ve got to hit he reset button. I think, as an offense, there’s an energy, there’s excitement (and) we’re winning football games. Right now, we’re getting callused how to win and there’s not a lot of 20-point wins – there’s none – but we’re learning how to win in situational football, which is great, and I think can benefit us down the road.”Chiefs Player QuotesSeptember 26, 2024DT CHRIS JONESQ:&nbsp;What have you seen from the Chargers and the way they approach their offense right now?JONES:&nbsp;“They’re (the Chargers offense) physical. Nice running game – heck of a running back (Chargers J.K. Dobbins – (the Chargers) Quarterback Justin Herbert, we’ve played him multiple times, we know he has a big arm (and he) can make big plays out of the pocket. They’re (a) physical, hard-nosed football team.”Q:&nbsp;From a teammate’s perspective, what can you say about Nick Bolton and what he means to everything you guys do?JONES:&nbsp;“He’s (Nick Bolton) a dog. We try not to bring him off the field. We try to make sure he’s playing every play. He’s our play caller. I think he is the pillar of this defense.”Q:&nbsp;You guys have a lot of success at stopping people in the red zone. What is the mindset that this defense has – do you take it to a different level when you have your backs against the wall?

Chiefs Quotes: 9-26-24

DALLAS, Texas –&nbsp;The watch list for the eighth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year was announced Thursday, with Kansas senior running back Devin Neal listed among the group of 52 of the nation’s top leaders in college football.

The student-athletes, nominated by their schools, have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

For Neal, this is the third award placing him on their watch list, with previous recognition from the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award. Additionally, he earned a spot on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List and the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List, with each of those being named prior to the season.

Neal has had a strong start to his senior season, rushing for at least 100 yards in each of the first four games and ranking No. 14 in the country with 110.8 yards per game on the ground. He has carried the ball 72 times for 443 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Among players from the power-four FBS conferences, Neal is the active leader in career rushing yards (3,520) and tied for first in rushing touchdowns (36).

Last season, Neal became the third Jayhawk in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, joining James Sims (2012-13) and Pooka Williams Jr. (2018-19). He also scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 2023, which is the second-highest single season total in school history and the most by a Jayhawk since 2007.

A hometown native of Lawrence, Neal is a team captain for his senior season and continuing to pursue several career records at Kansas. Neal is currently No. 4 in school history for career rushing yards and No. 2 in rushing touchdowns. He has run for 100 or more yards in seven of his past eight games and 16 times in his career, which also ranks second in school history.

Twenty semifinalists for the award will be announced on October 22. Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 12, 2025.

Last year, Mike Hollins of Virginia won the seventh annual award. The first six Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year awards were presented to Shaquem Griffin of UCF in 2017, D’Cota Dixon of Wisconsin in 2018, Trey Smith of Tennessee in 2019, Sam Ehlinger of Texas in 2020, Joshua Paschal of Kentucky in 2021 and Deslin Alexandre of Pittsburgh in 2022.

The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career.

In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.

The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle.

DALLAS, Texas –&nbsp;The watch list for the eighth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year was announced Thursday, with Kansas senior running back Devin Neal listed among the group of 52 of the nation’s top leaders in college football.The student-athletes, nominated by their schools, have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.For Neal, this is the third award placing him on their watch list, with previous recognition from the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award. Additionally, he earned a spot on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List and the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List, with each of those being named prior to the season.Neal has had a strong start to his senior season, rushing for at least 100 yards in each of the first four games and ranking No. 14 in the country with 110.8 yards per game on the ground. He has carried the ball 72 times for 443 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Among players from the power-four FBS conferences, Neal is the active leader in career rushing yards (3,520) and tied for first in rushing touchdowns (36).Last season, Neal became the third Jayhawk in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, joining James Sims (2012-13) and Pooka Williams Jr. (2018-19). He also scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 2023, which is the second-highest single season total in school history and the most by a Jayhawk since 2007.A hometown native of Lawrence, Neal is a team captain for his senior season and continuing to pursue several career records at Kansas. Neal is currently No. 4 in school history for career rushing yards and No. 2 in rushing touchdowns. He has run for 100 or more yards in seven of his past eight games and 16 times in his career, which also ranks second in school history.Twenty semifinalists for the award will be announced on October 22. Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 12, 2025.Last year, Mike Hollins of Virginia won the seventh annual award. The first six Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year awards were presented to Shaquem Griffin of UCF in 2017, D’Cota Dixon of Wisconsin in 2018, Trey Smith of Tennessee in 2019, Sam Ehlinger of Texas in 2020, Joshua Paschal of Kentucky in 2021 and Deslin Alexandre of Pittsburgh in 2022.The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career.In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle.

Devin Neal Named to Watch List for Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award

The Kansas Wesleyan Coaches' Show returns ahead of a big matchup in Salina with Bethel College this Saturday.

On this week's show, we sat down and visited with head coach Matt Myers, wide reciever Earl Gray, offensive coordinator James Bauer and developmental OL Dejour Williams.

The Yotes (1-3) will be in search of a crucial win on Saturday, September 28 at 6 P.M. when they return to Salina to battle Bethel (4-0).

The game can be heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson on the call.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aPYi6QTfao0"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Wesleyan Coaches' Show returns ahead of a big matchup in Salina with Bethel College this Saturday.On this week's show, we sat down and visited with head coach Matt Myers, wide reciever Earl Gray, offensive coordinator James Bauer and developmental OL Dejour Williams.The Yotes (1-3) will be in search of a crucial win on Saturday, September 28 at 6 P.M. when they return to Salina to battle Bethel (4-0).The game can be heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson on the call.

Kansas Wesleyan Coaches Show: 9-25-24

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kansas City Royals trimmed their magic number to two with a 7-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon.

Pinch hitter Adam Frazier’s one-out, line drive base hit to left field in the top of the ninth drove in two runs, breaking a 4-4 tie and guiding the Royals to their third straight win following a seven-game losing streak.

Salvador Perez's second single of the game scored Frazier, chasing Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan (3-8).

Hunter Renfroe hit his 14th homer of the season to open the scoring, a 424-feet shot that left the park at 108.4 mph.

Kris Bubic (1-1) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Royals closer Lucas Erceg recorded his third consecutive save in the series — and 14th of the season — with a shut down ninth inning.

Starter Michael Wacha pitched five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits, striking out two and walking one on 83 pitches, 58 for strikes.

In Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin’s final start for the team, the Royals went ahead thanks to five consecutive singles in the third. Tommy Pham, Bobby Witt Jr. and Yuli Gurriel dropped in RBI singles, lifting the Royals to a 4-1 lead.

Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. hit a three-run homer over the center field wall to tie the game at 4-4, his 17th of the season.

The Nationals ended a franchise record second longest scoring drought at 31 consecutive innings with an unearned run in the first inning. Dylan Crews came around to score their first run since Sept. 21 at Wrigley Field after a dropped infield pop fly by second baseman Maikel Garcia.

Corbin departed to a standing ovation and tipped his cap to the crowd before stepping into the home dugout and receiving high fives from the coaching staff. The 35-year-old pitcher recorded 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts on 73 pitches, 49 for strikes.

Corbin becomes a free agent this winter when his six-year, $240 million contract expires. The two-time All-Star’s signature moment came in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series when he tossed three scoreless innings in relief to earn the series-clinching victory for the Nationals in Houston, but has struggled the last four seasons, compiling 63 losses — the worst in the National League.

Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen left his start Wednesday night after 2 1/3 innings with left leg fatigue but appears on target to pitch out of the bullpen this weekend against the Braves.

“I think it was exactly what we thought it was going to be,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He was just a little fatigued. We just need to alter what he does now that he is not pitching and prioritize making sure that he’s out there when we need him, not worried about building up endurance or strength for the future. It’s about the next time he takes the mound.”

Quatraro said LHP Will Smith (15-day IL, back spasms) is scheduled to throw a live bullpen session Saturday.

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (9-12, 3.73 ERA) takes on Braves LHP Max Fried (10-10, 3.42) Friday night at Truist Park.

Nationals: RHP Trevor Williams (5-1, 2.19) faces the Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.15) Friday night at Nationals Park.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727380870341.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kansas City Royals trimmed their magic number to two with a 7-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon.Pinch hitter Adam Frazier’s one-out, line drive base hit to left field in the top of the ninth drove in two runs, breaking a 4-4 tie and guiding the Royals to their third straight win following a seven-game losing streak.Salvador Perez's second single of the game scored Frazier, chasing Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan (3-8).Hunter Renfroe hit his 14th homer of the season to open the scoring, a 424-feet shot that left the park at 108.4 mph.Kris Bubic (1-1) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Royals closer Lucas Erceg recorded his third consecutive save in the series — and 14th of the season — with a shut down ninth inning.Starter Michael Wacha pitched five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits, striking out two and walking one on 83 pitches, 58 for strikes.In Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin’s final start for the team, the Royals went ahead thanks to five consecutive singles in the third. Tommy Pham, Bobby Witt Jr. and Yuli Gurriel dropped in RBI singles, lifting the Royals to a 4-1 lead.Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. hit a three-run homer over the center field wall to tie the game at 4-4, his 17th of the season.The Nationals ended a franchise record second longest scoring drought at 31 consecutive innings with an unearned run in the first inning. Dylan Crews came around to score their first run since Sept. 21 at Wrigley Field after a dropped infield pop fly by second baseman Maikel Garcia.Corbin departed to a standing ovation and tipped his cap to the crowd before stepping into the home dugout and receiving high fives from the coaching staff. The 35-year-old pitcher recorded 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts on 73 pitches, 49 for strikes.Corbin becomes a free agent this winter when his six-year, $240 million contract expires. The two-time All-Star’s signature moment came in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series when he tossed three scoreless innings in relief to earn the series-clinching victory for the Nationals in Houston, but has struggled the last four seasons, compiling 63 losses — the worst in the National League.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Michael Lorenzen left his start Wednesday night after 2 1/3 innings with left leg fatigue but appears on target to pitch out of the bullpen this weekend against the Braves.“I think it was exactly what we thought it was going to be,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He was just a little fatigued. We just need to alter what he does now that he is not pitching and prioritize making sure that he’s out there when we need him, not worried about building up endurance or strength for the future. It’s about the next time he takes the mound.”Quatraro said LHP Will Smith (15-day IL, back spasms) is scheduled to throw a live bullpen session Saturday.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Brady Singer (9-12, 3.73 ERA) takes on Braves LHP Max Fried (10-10, 3.42) Friday night at Truist Park.Nationals: RHP Trevor Williams (5-1, 2.19) faces the Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.15) Friday night at Nationals Park.

⚾ Royals earn series sweep of the Nationals; magic number is 2

Kansas Wesleyan University's Women's Soccer dominated the McPherson College Bulldogs in an 8-0 rout on Wednesday night at JRI Stadium.

The result was the second highest margin of victory in the all time series, just behind a 9-0 KWU win in 1999. Wednesday's match up would further expand the Coyotes over whelming lead in the series over the Bulldogs. The series now stands at 31-0-4.

In the 18th minute of the first half <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/529521aa-6cd8-4f4e-bdf7-39cd0884d77f?elinkdata=12772">Maleia Jackson</a> scored the first goal of the day off of the assist by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e4f66aa8-2ac5-4d3b-a113-7b79528a51a5?elinkdata=12772">Emma Gervy</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e8717322-3c84-4011-afb3-c19e22d44661?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> to put the Coyotes up 1-0.

Soon to follow in the 19th minute <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/49a1fab7-cefb-40f6-a398-50ec0b298859?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> would score a goal of her own from an assist by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9eb7cf36-6a87-462a-b323-e2e99592f9e0?elinkdata=12772">Alexandra Muro</a> to put KWU up 2-0.

Coyotes continued to run the table and scored another goal in the 34th minute of the first half. This time it was by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1a4b69a5-feec-4228-bf7a-886cc20924aa?elinkdata=12772">Rylie Moreno-Rojas</a> off of the assist by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/38bba880-26fa-4c10-a1b8-0cc960305809?elinkdata=12772">Paige Proper</a> to stretch the lead to 3-0.

In the second half the Coyotes broke side and the Bulldogs just couldn't keep up. Early in the second half, at the 46th minute of play; <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/df14ee44-c831-4e1b-9ef8-6d74857466a5?elinkdata=12772">Rylie Moreno-Rojas</a> would score her second goal of the game off the assist form <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b0fa5428-ec2e-41ae-b2f9-ecf47142b1e9?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> to put KWU up 4-0.

At the 55th minute <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/84543f0e-39e4-4fd5-8b2e-bb7b48914e9f?elinkdata=12772">Carstyn Anderson</a> scored her own goal to help extend the KWU lead even further at 5-0.

At the 54th minute of play <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a80e60eb-8dd9-4291-b267-64086725b9c7?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> scored her second goal of the day from the assist of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/67f192e8-5def-4f58-9547-bdb0e519e304?elinkdata=12772">Carstyn Anderson</a> and to put the Coyotes up 6-0.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e955e83b-ae2d-4aec-9242-11d1c934d66e?elinkdata=12772">Rylie Moreno-Rojas</a> would earn her first career hat-trick as a Coyotes as she succored her third goal of the day at the 76th minute to put the Coyotes out front of the Bulldogs at 7-0.

To cap the game off <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7fa4159f-68ca-492a-b099-a15057fd5808?elinkdata=12772">Talia Walsh</a> would get a goal of her own from the assist of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/01096eee-c77b-4614-8ee6-c42f2b7ec4b1?elinkdata=12772">Teigan Nielsen</a> at the 87th minute.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ecce7bdf-cf1f-40fa-9844-311d73aa3789?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> had a fantastic day for the Coyotes tallying seven points on two goals and three assists, the most individual points in a match since Kayla Deaver scored 12 points (6 goals) in 9-0 win over Bethany in 2022.

Kansas Wesleyan Women's soccer moves to 3-4-1 after this big win over McPherson College.

Kansas Wesleyan University's Women's Soccer dominated the McPherson College Bulldogs in an 8-0 rout on Wednesday night at JRI Stadium.The result was the second highest margin of victory in the all time series, just behind a 9-0 KWU win in 1999. Wednesday's match up would further expand the Coyotes over whelming lead in the series over the Bulldogs. The series now stands at 31-0-4.In the 18th minute of the first half <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/529521aa-6cd8-4f4e-bdf7-39cd0884d77f?elinkdata=12772">Maleia Jackson</a> scored the first goal of the day off of the assist by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e4f66aa8-2ac5-4d3b-a113-7b79528a51a5?elinkdata=12772">Emma Gervy</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e8717322-3c84-4011-afb3-c19e22d44661?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> to put the Coyotes up 1-0.Soon to follow in the 19th minute <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/49a1fab7-cefb-40f6-a398-50ec0b298859?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> would score a goal of her own from an assist by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9eb7cf36-6a87-462a-b323-e2e99592f9e0?elinkdata=12772">Alexandra Muro</a> to put KWU up 2-0.Coyotes continued to run the table and scored another goal in the 34th minute of the first half. This time it was by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1a4b69a5-feec-4228-bf7a-886cc20924aa?elinkdata=12772">Rylie Moreno-Rojas</a> off of the assist by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/38bba880-26fa-4c10-a1b8-0cc960305809?elinkdata=12772">Paige Proper</a> to stretch the lead to 3-0.In the second half the Coyotes broke side and the Bulldogs just couldn't keep up. Early in the second half, at the 46th minute of play; <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/df14ee44-c831-4e1b-9ef8-6d74857466a5?elinkdata=12772">Rylie Moreno-Rojas</a> would score her second goal of the game off the assist form <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b0fa5428-ec2e-41ae-b2f9-ecf47142b1e9?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> to put KWU up 4-0.At the 55th minute <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/84543f0e-39e4-4fd5-8b2e-bb7b48914e9f?elinkdata=12772">Carstyn Anderson</a> scored her own goal to help extend the KWU lead even further at 5-0.At the 54th minute of play <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a80e60eb-8dd9-4291-b267-64086725b9c7?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> scored her second goal of the day from the assist of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/67f192e8-5def-4f58-9547-bdb0e519e304?elinkdata=12772">Carstyn Anderson</a> and to put the Coyotes up 6-0.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e955e83b-ae2d-4aec-9242-11d1c934d66e?elinkdata=12772">Rylie Moreno-Rojas</a> would earn her first career hat-trick as a Coyotes as she succored her third goal of the day at the 76th minute to put the Coyotes out front of the Bulldogs at 7-0.To cap the game off <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7fa4159f-68ca-492a-b099-a15057fd5808?elinkdata=12772">Talia Walsh</a> would get a goal of her own from the assist of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/01096eee-c77b-4614-8ee6-c42f2b7ec4b1?elinkdata=12772">Teigan Nielsen</a> at the 87th minute.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ecce7bdf-cf1f-40fa-9844-311d73aa3789?elinkdata=12772">Grace Conner</a> had a fantastic day for the Coyotes tallying seven points on two goals and three assists, the most individual points in a match since Kayla Deaver scored 12 points (6 goals) in 9-0 win over Bethany in 2022.Kansas Wesleyan Women's soccer moves to 3-4-1 after this big win over McPherson College.

KWU WSOC routs McPherson 8-0, remains undeteated in all-time series with Bulldogs

Hello and happy Thursday, everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine…

On Thursday Five Kansas City relievers pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball after starter Michael Lorenzen's early exit, Robbie Grossman hit a two-run double, and the Royals held for a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals.

Michael Massey singled in a run off DJ Herz (4-9) to help lift the Royals to a second-straight shutout victory after a season-high-tying seven-game losing streak.

Kansas City and Detroit are both 84-74 but the Royals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Tigers for the second wild-card spot. Both teams are still 2 games ahead of the Twins with four games left to play.

More locally Southeast of Saline swept their home cross country meet on Tuesday, with the boys dominating by 23 points over Berean Academy and the girls winning by 15 points over Smoky Valley.

Piper Brown led the way for the girls with a time of 20:42.47 while Brayden Walker took his fourth-straight race win with a time of 16:33.96.

And finally the Kansas State men’s basketball team will host a showcase on Saturday, October 5 beginning at 4 p.m., CT at the Dodge City Civic Center in Dodge City

The Wildcats will host an open practice followed by an autograph session at the arena with doors opening at 3 p.m., CT. Tickets start at $5 for kids under 17 and $10 for adults. For more information on the event, visit the Dodge City Parks and Facilities website.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_vumE5YRQeQ"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY SALINA POST(Transcript)Hello and happy Thursday, everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine…_________On Thursday Five Kansas City relievers pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball after starter Michael Lorenzen's early exit, Robbie Grossman hit a two-run double, and the Royals held for a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals.Michael Massey singled in a run off DJ Herz (4-9) to help lift the Royals to a second-straight shutout victory after a season-high-tying seven-game losing streak.Kansas City and Detroit are both 84-74 but the Royals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Tigers for the second wild-card spot. Both teams are still 2 games ahead of the Twins with four games left to play._________More locally Southeast of Saline swept their home cross country meet on Tuesday, with the boys dominating by 23 points over Berean Academy and the girls winning by 15 points over Smoky Valley.Piper Brown led the way for the girls with a time of 20:42.47 while Brayden Walker took his fourth-straight race win with a time of 16:33.96._________And finally the Kansas State men’s basketball team will host a showcase on Saturday, October 5 beginning at 4 p.m., CT at the Dodge City Civic Center in Dodge CityThe Wildcats will host an open practice followed by an autograph session at the arena with doors opening at 3 p.m., CT. Tickets start at $5 for kids under 17 and $10 for adults. For more information on the event, visit the Dodge City Parks and Facilities website._________

910 KINA Sports Headlines — September 26

A goal by McPherson with 13 seconds left sent the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes and McPherson College Bulldogs to a 2-2 tie on Wednesday night at JRI Hospitality Stadium.

It was a sour ending to a match dominated offensively by the Coyotes, who outshot McPherson 17-6 in the match.

McPherson's goal came after a KWU foul in the final minute of the match

The Bulldogs had a free kick from about 35 yards that initially deflected off a KWU player, then bounced to a McPherson player who tried to make a play on it. The ball was deflected by KWU keeper <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e1adb8f0-81a1-46a8-a999-82452caa3131?elinkdata=12726">Santiago Pagnutti</a> but found McPherson's Lorenzo Orlandi who headed it to Joao Rocha who had gotten behind KWU's last defender when the ball was headed to him and flicked it into the goal with on a header shot.

All four combined goals came in the final 25 minutes of the match.

KWU scored first, the first goal on a penalty after a McPherson foul in the penalty area that was converted by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b34727ed-fb92-4558-8a2f-577b434ea405?elinkdata=12726">Kamille Kum</a> in the 67th minute.

Wesleyan's second goal was in the 77th minute when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/45f87656-f0c3-4a5c-85af-23a9b4f086ac?elinkdata=12726">Seth Flores</a> scored, hitting one off the far post and in after a nifty bit of footwork by Eddie Flores deep into the box got him enough space to find Flores for the shot.

McPherson got on the board in the 79th minute with a penalty kick goal by Nathan Van Wyck.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ee6afe51-074e-48d4-be75-89b5ed3ee30f?elinkdata=12726">Cayden Andersen</a> led the Coyotes with four shots while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/be1f3fef-d36c-439a-8d6c-7b5fa768a5c5?elinkdata=12726">Mateo Hoyos</a>, Flores and Kum had two each.

A goal by McPherson with 13 seconds left sent the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes and McPherson College Bulldogs to a 2-2 tie on Wednesday night at JRI Hospitality Stadium.It was a sour ending to a match dominated offensively by the Coyotes, who outshot McPherson 17-6 in the match.McPherson's goal came after a KWU foul in the final minute of the matchThe Bulldogs had a free kick from about 35 yards that initially deflected off a KWU player, then bounced to a McPherson player who tried to make a play on it. The ball was deflected by KWU keeper <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e1adb8f0-81a1-46a8-a999-82452caa3131?elinkdata=12726">Santiago Pagnutti</a> but found McPherson's Lorenzo Orlandi who headed it to Joao Rocha who had gotten behind KWU's last defender when the ball was headed to him and flicked it into the goal with on a header shot.All four combined goals came in the final 25 minutes of the match.KWU scored first, the first goal on a penalty after a McPherson foul in the penalty area that was converted by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b34727ed-fb92-4558-8a2f-577b434ea405?elinkdata=12726">Kamille Kum</a> in the 67th minute.Wesleyan's second goal was in the 77th minute when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/45f87656-f0c3-4a5c-85af-23a9b4f086ac?elinkdata=12726">Seth Flores</a> scored, hitting one off the far post and in after a nifty bit of footwork by Eddie Flores deep into the box got him enough space to find Flores for the shot.McPherson got on the board in the 79th minute with a penalty kick goal by Nathan Van Wyck.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ee6afe51-074e-48d4-be75-89b5ed3ee30f?elinkdata=12726">Cayden Andersen</a> led the Coyotes with four shots while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/be1f3fef-d36c-439a-8d6c-7b5fa768a5c5?elinkdata=12726">Mateo Hoyos</a>, Flores and Kum had two each.

Late goal by McPherson forces Coyotes and Bulldogs to draw 2-2

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five Kansas City relievers pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball after starter Michael Lorenzen's early exit, Robbie Grossman hit a two-run double, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.

Michael Massey singled in a run off DJ Herz (4-9) to help lift the Royals to a second-straight shutout victory after a season high-tying seven-game losing streak.

Kansas City and Detroit are both 84-74 but the Royals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Tigers for the second wild-card spot.

Daniel Lynch IV (2-0) worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief of Lorenzen, who exited with lower body fatigue after 2 1/3 innings in his first start since sustaining a left hamstring strain on Aug. 27.

Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber and Sam Long bridged the gap to Lucas Erceg, who completed his 13th save. That effort extended the Kansas City bullpen's scoreless streak to 14 1/3 innings over four games.

James Wood and Nasim Nuñez had the only hits for Washington, which fell to a third consecutive shutout defeat and has lost eight of its last nine games.

Lorenzen cruised through the first two innings but departed with a batter retired in the third after a brief visit from the team medical staff. He threw 28 pitches, striking out two and officially issuing two walks, the latter coming on the at-bat that Lynch completed.

Royals: Kansas City optioned RHP Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Lorenzen.

Nationals: Manager Davey Martinez confirmed that All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has reported to the club's complex in West Palm Beach, Florida as planned and will work out there through Sunday. Abrams was demoted from the major league team Saturday for what was termed an internal matter. 

Left-hander Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.58 ERA) will pitch likely his final game for the Washington Nationals on Thursday. He is the last remaining active Nationals player who was on the 2019 World Series-winning team. His six-year, $140-million contract expires at the end of the season. RHP Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.28) goes for Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727314412664.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) gives Washington Nationals' Nasim Nunez his batting helmet back during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) gives Washington Nationals' Nasim Nunez his batting helmet back during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Five Kansas City relievers pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball after starter Michael Lorenzen's early exit, Robbie Grossman hit a two-run double, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.Michael Massey singled in a run off DJ Herz (4-9) to help lift the Royals to a second-straight shutout victory after a season high-tying seven-game losing streak.Kansas City and Detroit are both 84-74 but the Royals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Tigers for the second wild-card spot.Daniel Lynch IV (2-0) worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief of Lorenzen, who exited with lower body fatigue after 2 1/3 innings in his first start since sustaining a left hamstring strain on Aug. 27.Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber and Sam Long bridged the gap to Lucas Erceg, who completed his 13th save. That effort extended the Kansas City bullpen's scoreless streak to 14 1/3 innings over four games.James Wood and Nasim Nuñez had the only hits for Washington, which fell to a third consecutive shutout defeat and has lost eight of its last nine games.Lorenzen cruised through the first two innings but departed with a batter retired in the third after a brief visit from the team medical staff. He threw 28 pitches, striking out two and officially issuing two walks, the latter coming on the at-bat that Lynch completed.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Kansas City optioned RHP Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Lorenzen.Nationals: Manager Davey Martinez confirmed that All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has reported to the club's complex in West Palm Beach, Florida as planned and will work out there through Sunday. Abrams was demoted from the major league team Saturday for what was termed an internal matter. UP NEXTLeft-hander Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.58 ERA) will pitch likely his final game for the Washington Nationals on Thursday. He is the last remaining active Nationals player who was on the 2019 World Series-winning team. His six-year, $140-million contract expires at the end of the season. RHP Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.28) goes for Kansas City.

⚾ Royals ride bullpen to win over Nationals after Lorenzen's early exit

By JEREMY OBERMYER Salina Post Contributor

The Southeast of Saline boys and girls each won their respective divisions in the annual SES Invitational held on Tuesday.

The boys dominated by a margin of 26-49 over second-place finisher Berean Academy, while the girls won by a score of 63-78 over runner-up Smoky Valley.

The Lady Trojans placed five runners in the top twenty spots.&nbsp; 

Piper Brown (20:42.57) was the first Lady Trojan to cross the finish line, followed by Anna Jackson (20:54.33) in 7th place, with Cali Augustine (12th place, 21:14.82), Ava McGraw (14th, 21:30.05), and Regan Duran (20th, 21:46.91) rounding out the top twenty.

For the boys, it was Brayden Walker extending his gold medal streak to 4 as he won with a time of 16:33.96. 

Jacob Bircher brought home the silver medal, crossing the finish line at the 16:42.82 mark. 

The Trojans placed three more runners in the top ten with Jacob Tonne (4th, 17:08.50), Zachary Carlin (9th, 17:51.26), and Cole Frankin (10th, 17:56.83).

Southeast will travel to Halstead on Thursday, October 3rd, for their next meet.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727301333556.jpeg" alt="The SES boys and girls cross country teams show off the hardware after a dominant home performance." />
 <figcaption>The SES boys and girls cross country teams show off the hardware after a dominant home performance.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JEREMY OBERMYER Salina Post ContributorThe Southeast of Saline boys and girls each won their respective divisions in the annual SES Invitational held on Tuesday.The boys dominated by a margin of 26-49 over second-place finisher Berean Academy, while the girls won by a score of 63-78 over runner-up Smoky Valley.<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>The Lady Trojans placed five runners in the top twenty spots.&nbsp; Piper Brown (20:42.57) was the first Lady Trojan to cross the finish line, followed by Anna Jackson (20:54.33) in 7th place, with Cali Augustine (12th place, 21:14.82), Ava McGraw (14th, 21:30.05), and Regan Duran (20th, 21:46.91) rounding out the top twenty.For the boys, it was Brayden Walker extending his gold medal streak to 4 as he won with a time of 16:33.96. Jacob Bircher brought home the silver medal, crossing the finish line at the 16:42.82 mark. The Trojans placed three more runners in the top ten with Jacob Tonne (4th, 17:08.50), Zachary Carlin (9th, 17:51.26), and Cole Frankin (10th, 17:56.83).Southeast will travel to Halstead on Thursday, October 3rd, for their next meet.

SES Sweeps home cross country meet

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“(I) don’t have any injuries for you, everybody will practice today. We look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers, a very well-coached football team. They’ve got good players so we’ve got to have a good week of preparation. We have plenty of things to work on coming out of the last game, so we’ll start on that today. With that, (the) time’s yours.”

Q: What did you see from Kareem Hunt last week that made you think he was ready to be signed to the active roster?

REID:&nbsp;“I thought he (Kareem Hunt) had a good week of practice last week. He took the majority of the scout team reps, and it looks like he’s in pretty good shape. Now, the next step is just getting him in the game. He’ll rotate in and we’ll see how he does.”

Q: How do you see the workload between the running backs getting split up?

REID:&nbsp;“I don’t know, Adam (Teicher). We’ll just see how things go. I’ll play it by ear with him (Kareem Hunt). We’ve got three good running backs, so we’ll just get him back into the swing of things, see how it rolls.”

Q: On Kareem Hunt’s retention of the playbook.

REID:&nbsp;“I feel like his (Kareem Hunt) retention was pretty good and this week will help, too, just going through it. He’s got a pretty good feel on what we’re doing.”

Q: What is it about the run game that you’ve liked so far during these first three weeks?

REID:&nbsp;“I think – first of all, compliments to (Offensive Line Coach Andy) Heck and the offensive line and the players. I mean, they’ve done a great job of that. We’ve had positive yards and it’s a nice addition to everything. In this league, you’ve got to be able to mix things in there and it gives you a good power run game so you’re able to throw the ball.”

Q: How vital is it to be able to run the ball when you’re seeing the boxes that you’re seeing?