The Kansas Wesleyan Coaches' Show returns ahead of a rivalry matchup on the road with Bethany College this Saturday.

On this week's show, we sat down and visited with head coach Matt Myers, tailback Luke Armstrong, offensive coordinator James Bauer and developmental head coach Chris Snyder.

The Yotes (0-1) will be in search of a bounce back on Saturday, September 7 at 11am when they take on Bethany in Lindsborg. As always, 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/5c_pbKcyvi8"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Wesleyan Coaches' Show returns ahead of a rivalry matchup on the road with Bethany College this Saturday.On this week's show, we sat down and visited with head coach Matt Myers, tailback Luke Armstrong, offensive coordinator James Bauer and developmental head coach Chris Snyder.The Yotes (0-1) will be in search of a bounce back on Saturday, September 7 at 11am when they take on Bethany in Lindsborg. As always, 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- Week Two

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes thought for a moment that the Chiefs were headed to overtime. So did Ravens counterpart Lamar Jackson, who had found Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone with no time left for a touchdown that appeared to tie the game.

In the end, the NFL's season opener Thursday night was decided by referee Shawn Hochuli undertaking a video review.

With a capacity crowd that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-taylor-swift-nfl-9f78a6dad40ff62993c2462e9c653964">included pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;waiting in anticipation, Hochuli needed just seconds looking at that final play before making his announcement:&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1831903953250136219">Likely landed with his toe on the endline</a>, putting the Baltimore tight end out of bounds, and giving the Chiefs a 27-20 victory as they began pursuit of a record third consecutive Super Bowl title.

“Definitely nerve-wracking because it looked good from my angle on the sideline," Mahomes said, “but then the first view you could see his cleat. ... You have to wear white cleats next time. That's my advice for him.”

Mahomes threw for 291 yards and with a touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy, who also scored a rushing TD in his NFL debut, as the Chiefs not only won the rematch of last season’s AFC title game but beat the Ravens for the fifth time in six meetings.

That lopsided ledger has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-nfl-season-opener-arrowhead-stadium-e09ee6b958e96be75cfceeda74dab02f">especially frustrating for Jackson,</a>&nbsp;who has called Kansas City the Ravens’ “kryptonite.” He was sublime Thursday night, throwing for 273 yards and a touchdown and adding 122 yards on the ground, but that review of the final play left him to rue another missed opportunity to finally upstage Mahomes and Co.

“I thought it was a touchdown,” Jackson said. “Still think it was a touchdown.”

The Ravens were trailing 27-17 in the fourth quarter before kicking a field goal, then got the ball back at their own 13 with 1:50 left and no timeouts. Jackson completed a couple of throws to Likely, who had 111 yards receiving and a score, and scrambled for a crucial first down. Two plays later, Jackson found Rashod Bateman down the sideline for 38 yards to move the Ravens to the Kansas City 10 with 19 seconds remaining.

Jackson’s first pass was a throwaway, but his second missed wide-open Zay Flowers in the back of the end zone. Then came the final throw, after Jackson had scrambled for what seemed like an eternity, and Likely looked like he had forced overtime.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh even signaled for his team to try a winning 2-point conversion, though it never got the chance.

“I thought our guys (overcame) setbacks at times, and fought like crazy to overcome. It looked like we had an opportunity there to tie the game up and try to win,” Harbaugh said. “Didn’t happen at the end, but our guys fought.”

The wild ending came after the start was delayed about 20 minutes by a storm that brought heavy rain and lightning.

The Ravens proceeded to open with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Derrick Henry, who had tormented the Chiefs in six previous meetings while he was with Tennessee, plunging into the end zone from 5 yards out for the early lead.

But the high-octane Chiefs, trying to avoid back-to-back season-opening losses, needed just two minutes to answer. Mahomes twice connected with Rashee Rice, who has so far avoided any NFL punishment for his role in an alleged street-racing crash in Dallas, before Worthy showed why the Chiefs made him their first-round pick with his 21-yard touchdown run.

After those two drives, though, the first half was mostly marked by Week 1 blunders.

Jackson was strip-sacked by Chris Jones deep in his own territory, leading to a Kansas City field goal. Flowers was stopped short of the first-down marker on fourth-and-3 near midfield on the Ravens’ next series, leading to another field goal. And even Justin Tucker, one of the league’s most accurate kickers, pulled a 53-yard field-goal attempt wide left.

The Chiefs were not immune to mistakes. Mahomes' pass was picked off by Roquan Smith on a poor throw late in the first half, leading to a chip-shot field goal that got Baltimore — which trailed twice at halftime all of last season — to 13-10 at the break.

Yet the Ravens’ inability to get into the end zone, and swing the momentum their way, ultimately proved costly.

The Chiefs opened the second half with an 81-yard touchdown march to extend their lead. Then, after Jackson had connected with Likely on a broken play for a 49-yard touchdown throw, Mahomes drove them 70 yards against the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL last season for a touchdown that made it 27-17 with 10 minutes to go.

Tucker made it a one-score game with his field goal with 4:54 to go, and Baltimore quickly forced a punt. But despite Jackson’s impassioned play, he was left to trudge off the field after another disappointing loss to the Chiefs.

“It was a fight down to the end,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “When they say it's a game of inches, might be shorter than that.”

Swift, the girlfriend of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, wasn’t the only star attending the NFL’s opening night. Quincy Hall, the Olympic 400-meter champion, was in the crowd along with AC Milan midfielder Christian Pulisic, who will join his U.S. teammates Saturday night for an exhibition against Canada at nearby Children’s Mercy Park.

Baltimore: LB Kyle Van Noy left six plays into the second half because of an eye injury and did not return.

Ravens: Host Las Vegas on Sunday, Sept. 15.

Chiefs: Host Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725597547282.jpeg" alt="Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton and linebacker Drue Tranquill, left, defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton and linebacker Drue Tranquill, left, defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes thought for a moment that the Chiefs were headed to overtime. So did Ravens counterpart Lamar Jackson, who had found Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone with no time left for a touchdown that appeared to tie the game.In the end, the NFL's season opener Thursday night was decided by referee Shawn Hochuli undertaking a video review.With a capacity crowd that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-taylor-swift-nfl-9f78a6dad40ff62993c2462e9c653964">included pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;waiting in anticipation, Hochuli needed just seconds looking at that final play before making his announcement:&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1831903953250136219">Likely landed with his toe on the endline</a>, putting the Baltimore tight end out of bounds, and giving the Chiefs a 27-20 victory as they began pursuit of a record third consecutive Super Bowl title.“Definitely nerve-wracking because it looked good from my angle on the sideline," Mahomes said, “but then the first view you could see his cleat. ... You have to wear white cleats next time. That's my advice for him.”Mahomes threw for 291 yards and with a touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy, who also scored a rushing TD in his NFL debut, as the Chiefs not only won the rematch of last season’s AFC title game but beat the Ravens for the fifth time in six meetings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Call it what you want, but football season is here. Welcome back, <a href="https://twitter.com/taylorswift13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@taylorswift13</a>! ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/3ObP1JNoyz">pic.twitter.com/3ObP1JNoyz</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1831867628240937422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>That lopsided ledger has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-nfl-season-opener-arrowhead-stadium-e09ee6b958e96be75cfceeda74dab02f">especially frustrating for Jackson,</a>&nbsp;who has called Kansas City the Ravens’ “kryptonite.” He was sublime Thursday night, throwing for 273 yards and a touchdown and adding 122 yards on the ground, but that review of the final play left him to rue another missed opportunity to finally upstage Mahomes and Co.“I thought it was a touchdown,” Jackson said. “Still think it was a touchdown.”The Ravens were trailing 27-17 in the fourth quarter before kicking a field goal, then got the ball back at their own 13 with 1:50 left and no timeouts. Jackson completed a couple of throws to Likely, who had 111 yards receiving and a score, and scrambled for a crucial first down. Two plays later, Jackson found Rashod Bateman down the sideline for 38 yards to move the Ravens to the Kansas City 10 with 19 seconds remaining.Jackson’s first pass was a throwaway, but his second missed wide-open Zay Flowers in the back of the end zone. Then came the final throw, after Jackson had scrambled for what seemed like an eternity, and Likely looked like he had forced overtime.Ravens coach John Harbaugh even signaled for his team to try a winning 2-point conversion, though it never got the chance.“I thought our guys (overcame) setbacks at times, and fought like crazy to overcome. It looked like we had an opportunity there to tie the game up and try to win,” Harbaugh said. “Didn’t happen at the end, but our guys fought.”The wild ending came after the start was delayed about 20 minutes by a storm that brought heavy rain and lightning.The Ravens proceeded to open with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Derrick Henry, who had tormented the Chiefs in six previous meetings while he was with Tennessee, plunging into the end zone from 5 yards out for the early lead.But the high-octane Chiefs, trying to avoid back-to-back season-opening losses, needed just two minutes to answer. Mahomes twice connected with Rashee Rice, who has so far avoided any NFL punishment for his role in an alleged street-racing crash in Dallas, before Worthy showed why the Chiefs made him their first-round pick with his 21-yard touchdown run.After those two drives, though, the first half was mostly marked by Week 1 blunders.Jackson was strip-sacked by Chris Jones deep in his own territory, leading to a Kansas City field goal. Flowers was stopped short of the first-down marker on fourth-and-3 near midfield on the Ravens’ next series, leading to another field goal. And even Justin Tucker, one of the league’s most accurate kickers, pulled a 53-yard field-goal attempt wide left.The Chiefs were not immune to mistakes. Mahomes' pass was picked off by Roquan Smith on a poor throw late in the first half, leading to a chip-shot field goal that got Baltimore — which trailed twice at halftime all of last season — to 13-10 at the break.Yet the Ravens’ inability to get into the end zone, and swing the momentum their way, ultimately proved costly.The Chiefs opened the second half with an 81-yard touchdown march to extend their lead. Then, after Jackson had connected with Likely on a broken play for a 49-yard touchdown throw, Mahomes drove them 70 yards against the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL last season for a touchdown that made it 27-17 with 10 minutes to go.Tucker made it a one-score game with his field goal with 4:54 to go, and Baltimore quickly forced a punt. But despite Jackson’s impassioned play, he was left to trudge off the field after another disappointing loss to the Chiefs.“It was a fight down to the end,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “When they say it's a game of inches, might be shorter than that.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725580468000.png" alt="Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Star-studded crowd</h2><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving after today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/soAHLC6hAq">pic.twitter.com/soAHLC6hAq</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831929172580823268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift, the girlfriend of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, wasn’t the only star attending the NFL’s opening night. Quincy Hall, the Olympic 400-meter champion, was in the crowd along with AC Milan midfielder Christian Pulisic, who will join his U.S. teammates Saturday night for an exhibition against Canada at nearby Children’s Mercy Park.<h2>Injuries</h2>Baltimore: LB Kyle Van Noy left six plays into the second half because of an eye injury and did not return.<h2>Up next</h2>Ravens: Host Las Vegas on Sunday, Sept. 15.Chiefs: Host Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 15.

🏈 Chiefs hold off Ravens when review overturns TD on final play of season opener

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The Salina Central football program has spent the last three seasons re-establishing itself among the upper echelon of Class 5A and will look to build upon that steady success in 2024.

The Mustangs are 21-9 in their last three campaigns, with a 3-3 record in the playoffs and a trip to the 5A state quarterfinals.

Last year’s 7-3 squad had the success that many in Salina expected them to, but did it in an unexpected way, with backup Jack Gordon, who didn’t even take preseason reps at QB, filling in for the injured Gunnar Gross for most of the season.

Now, Gordon returns for his senior campaign with a full season of varsity QB reps under his belt and expectations just as high around the Mustang locker room.

“The game is always slower to a kid with a year’s experience,” 7th-year head coach Mark Sandbo said. “There was a reason that Gunnar was going to be our starter last year, but Jack came in and did a phenomenal job. He was not only effective, he was tremendous at times, but he was throwing to three guys who aren’t here anymore, and we’re going to have to put a little more on his shoulders.”

Receiver will be one of the biggest question marks for this year’s Mustangs, who graduated their top four receiving options in Hunter Mowery, Ryker Grossner, Sam Payne, and Elijah Wilson.

In addition to catching 36 passes for 239 yards, Wilson also carried the brunt of the run game, accounting for 1,522 of Central’s 1,853 rushing yards and all but three of their 21 rushing touchdowns.

In the backfield, juniors Keaton Smith and Cooper Reves will anchor a run game that could go as deep as four backs this season, while newcomers like Bodie Rodriguez and Abram Owings join returners Tate Gary, Christian Carter and Noah Peck to fill out the receiving corps.

While several starters on the offensive side may appear to be fresh faces, this year’s Mustangs are as veteran-heavy as ever with a nucleus of 15 seniors and 18 juniors leading the charge.

“We have some guys that have been biding their time that I have a lot of admiration for and excitement to get out there.” Sandbo said. “Those guys are ready to step up and make some plays.”

On defense, the Mustangs return a wealth of talent, with seniors Zach Calisti and James MacKinney in the trenches, James Cathey, Brayedn Haase, and Tyrus Young holding down the linebacker corps, and Isaiah White, Christian Garcia and Kory Serocki patrolling the secondary.

“We look and feel like and old school Central team,” he said. “We’re awfully big, we’re awfully physical, and we’re going to use that to our advantage. We’re excited about the opportunities that our guys create on both sides of the ball, and we should put some pressure on teams this year.”

While the names and numbers in maroon and white change over the years, the expectations around Central do not, and 2024 is no exception.

“We want to win the opener, we want to win the cup, we want to win the league and we want to win in November,” Sandbo said. “That’s the expectation around football in Salina. I think we have an awfully good football team, and I don’t think we’d hesitate to play anybody on a Friday night.”

The Mustangs will open their 2024 campaign in Salina, taking on cross-town rival Salina South this Friday at 7:00.

The 55th Mayor’s Cup matchup will be broadcast with live stream video and audio commentary on Salina Post free of charge.

2024 Salina Central Schedule 9/6: vs. Salina South 9/13: at Ark City 9/20: at Haysville Campus 9/27: vs. Goddard-Eisenhower 10/4: vs. Newton 10/11: at Andover Central 10/18: at Andover 10/25: vs. Goddard

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Salina Central football program has spent the last three seasons re-establishing itself among the upper echelon of Class 5A and will look to build upon that steady success in 2024.The Mustangs are 21-9 in their last three campaigns, with a 3-3 record in the playoffs and a trip to the 5A state quarterfinals.<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 year’s 7-3 squad had the success that many in Salina expected them to, but did it in an unexpected way, with backup Jack Gordon, who didn’t even take preseason reps at QB, filling in for the injured Gunnar Gross for most of the season.Now, Gordon returns for his senior campaign with a full season of varsity QB reps under his belt and expectations just as high around the Mustang locker room.“The game is always slower to a kid with a year’s experience,” 7th-year head coach Mark Sandbo said. “There was a reason that Gunnar was going to be our starter last year, but Jack came in and did a phenomenal job. He was not only effective, he was tremendous at times, but he was throwing to three guys who aren’t here anymore, and we’re going to have to put a little more on his shoulders.”Receiver will be one of the biggest question marks for this year’s Mustangs, who graduated their top four receiving options in Hunter Mowery, Ryker Grossner, Sam Payne, and Elijah Wilson.In addition to catching 36 passes for 239 yards, Wilson also carried the brunt of the run game, accounting for 1,522 of Central’s 1,853 rushing yards and all but three of their 21 rushing touchdowns.In the backfield, juniors Keaton Smith and Cooper Reves will anchor a run game that could go as deep as four backs this season, while newcomers like Bodie Rodriguez and Abram Owings join returners Tate Gary, Christian Carter and Noah Peck to fill out the receiving corps.While several starters on the offensive side may appear to be fresh faces, this year’s Mustangs are as veteran-heavy as ever with a nucleus of 15 seniors and 18 juniors leading the charge.“We have some guys that have been biding their time that I have a lot of admiration for and excitement to get out there.” Sandbo said. “Those guys are ready to step up and make some plays.”On defense, the Mustangs return a wealth of talent, with seniors Zach Calisti and James MacKinney in the trenches, James Cathey, Brayedn Haase, and Tyrus Young holding down the linebacker corps, and Isaiah White, Christian Garcia and Kory Serocki patrolling the secondary.“We look and feel like and old school Central team,” he said. “We’re awfully big, we’re awfully physical, and we’re going to use that to our advantage. We’re excited about the opportunities that our guys create on both sides of the ball, and we should put some pressure on teams this year.”While the names and numbers in maroon and white change over the years, the expectations around Central do not, and 2024 is no exception.“We want to win the opener, we want to win the cup, we want to win the league and we want to win in November,” Sandbo said. “That’s the expectation around football in Salina. I think we have an awfully good football team, and I don’t think we’d hesitate to play anybody on a Friday night.”The Mustangs will open their 2024 campaign in Salina, taking on cross-town rival Salina South this Friday at 7:00.The 55th Mayor’s Cup matchup will be broadcast with live stream video and audio commentary on Salina Post free of charge.2024 Salina Central Schedule 9/6: vs. Salina South 9/13: at Ark City 9/20: at Haysville Campus 9/27: vs. Goddard-Eisenhower 10/4: vs. Newton 10/11: at Andover Central 10/18: at Andover 10/25: vs. Goddard

Mustang mission to maintain standard of excellence in 2024

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

On Wednesday ommy Pham hit his first home run for Kansas City, a tiebreaking, three-run drive in a four-run fourth inning, as the Royals stopped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians

Seth Lugo (15-8) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He is one win behind Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Atlanta’s Chris Sale, who are tied for the major league lead. Lugo is 11-1 with a 1.40 ERA in 15 starts with four days’ rest.

Kansas City closed within one percentage point of Minnesota for the second AL wild-card spot. The Royals and Twins are both 4.5 games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland at 80-60.

Wednesday also saw K-Dubs <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eb2195b1-a3b6-4228-b581-1b3add44c1b8?elinkdata=11888">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;claim the Mid-South Tournament championship and helped lead the Kansas Wesleyan Men's Golf team to a tie for third place on Tuesday and Wednesday at Sand Creek Station.

Malone carded an 8-under par 208 for the tournament, and the Coyotes posted a team score of 865, tied with Friends, who was ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Men's Golf poll

And finally after a long wait the NFL is BACK, and it all kicks off tonight as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead.

Kickoff is set for 7:20 PM in Kansas City

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vD5ETyVk01g"></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 Wednesday ommy Pham hit his first home run for Kansas City, a tiebreaking, three-run drive in a four-run fourth inning, as the Royals stopped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland GuardiansSeth Lugo (15-8) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He is one win behind Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Atlanta’s Chris Sale, who are tied for the major league lead. Lugo is 11-1 with a 1.40 ERA in 15 starts with four days’ rest.Kansas City closed within one percentage point of Minnesota for the second AL wild-card spot. The Royals and Twins are both 4.5 games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland at 80-60._________Wednesday also saw K-Dubs <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eb2195b1-a3b6-4228-b581-1b3add44c1b8?elinkdata=11888">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;claim the Mid-South Tournament championship and helped lead the Kansas Wesleyan Men's Golf team to a tie for third place on Tuesday and Wednesday at Sand Creek Station.Malone carded an 8-under par 208 for the tournament, and the Coyotes posted a team score of 865, tied with Friends, who was ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Men's Golf poll_________And finally after a long wait the NFL is BACK, and it all kicks off tonight as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead.Kickoff is set for 7:20 PM in Kansas City_________

910 KINA Sports Headlines — September 5

The 24th-ranked Coyotes go on the road for the first time this season when they play Kansas Conference rival Bethany. Kickoff is 11 a.m. Saturday at Ted Kessinger Family Stadium in Lindsborg.\LIVE COVERAGE

"They've got a lot offensive lineman back from last year and they get good push up front. They stretched the field vertically (passing) multiple times (against Avila). We fully expect them to give us their best game, their best shot. We want to jump on them early.

"We need to take care of the football number one. Make sure we are running the ball and getting good movement up front and defensively make sure we take away the big plays. If we can force them to earn it and keep the yellow flags off the field, we'll put ourselves in a good position to win the game."I think (the rivalry) still exists based on geography alone. It certainly does with the alumni and the guys that remember pre-social media rivalries in those eras. No one here at the school wants to take a loss to them in anything and for us in football specifically it is priority number one to make sure that we secure wins on Bethany week."

The Coyotes return home for a game against Southwestern starting at 6 p.m. at JRI Stadium.

The 24th-ranked Coyotes go on the road for the first time this season when they play Kansas Conference rival Bethany. Kickoff is 11 a.m. Saturday at Ted Kessinger Family Stadium in Lindsborg.\LIVE COVERAGE<ul>
 <li>The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/368d5189-4287-42b2-a983-fb92a174112b?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>.</li><li>Live Stats will be available at&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/847df17b-8f53-414c-a8f6-95b440432110?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary</a></li><li>Radio coverage will be on the Coyote Radio Network. The online stream is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/921453b8-2d85-4a22-8e7d-ccfe5a26cedc?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>. Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at 10 a.m.</li>
 </ul>RECORDS<ul>
 <li>Kansas Wesleyan 0-1</li><li>Bethany 0-1</li>
 </ul>THE SERIES<ul>
 <li>This will be the 114th meeting. Wesleyan has won nine in a row and 11 of the last 12, including a 31-3 victory last season at JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex. Bethany leads the overall series 57-50-6.</li>
 </ul>KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes lost to No. 14 Evangel 35-24 last Saturday in the opener at JRI Stadium. They led 17-14 at halftime but the Valor scored three touchdowns in the third quarter.</li><li><a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/92c9c53f-44aa-43e7-be32-8125ce858900?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">Byron McNair</a>&nbsp;was 15 of 23 passing for 125 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions.&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8937d11e-55af-4565-85fa-f5cc4deac96b?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">Zarek Fewell</a>&nbsp;had 86 yards rushing on 16 carries and caught two passes for 32 yards while&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1f2410f9-a2a6-41d2-88aa-3e907a18910e?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">Darrias Pearsall</a>&nbsp;had four catches for 25 yards.&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/25e885dc-7e45-4bef-b78b-15f65fdc89d4?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">Luke Armstrong</a>&nbsp;rushed for 63 yards on nine tries that included a 20-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. KWU totaled 180 yards rushing on 43 attempts (4.2 average).</li><li>Quarterback Daeden "Buck" Taylor ran for 171 yards and three touchdowns and passed for another score in KWU's 31-3 victory over the Swedes last year at JRI Stadium. The Coyotes amassed 300 yards rushing on 49 carries (6.1 average) and limited Bethany to 177 total yards.</li><li>The game was close until the fourth quarter when Wesleyan scored three unanswered touchdowns. Taylor ran for the first two and threw a pass to&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8348bc7f-c282-4718-8c82-d0e2403ad9ee?elinkdata=11866" target="_blank">Ricardo Arias</a>&nbsp;for the third.</li><li>The Coyotes have outscored Bethany 104-9 in the last three games and have averaged 35.4 points against the Swedes since the 2001 season.</li>
 </ul>BETHANY AT A GLANCE<ul>
 <li>The Swedes lost to Avila 24-21 last Saturday in Kansas City. They trailed 21-7 early in the fourth quarter before Landry Shields threw touchdown passes to Jacob Madu and Michael Young that tied the game with 8:05 left. Avila kicked the game winning field goal with 3:24 remaining.</li><li>Shields, who was the starter last season in his freshman year, threw for 214 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against Avila. Young caught six passes for 89 yards and Madu five for 46. Bethany had 81 yards rushing on 29 carries (2.8 average) and held Avila to 84 yards on 38 attempts (2.2 average). The Swedes had 13 penalties for 149 yards.</li><li>Shields was 9 of 25 for 103 yards in last year's game in Salina. Madu had seven catches for 62 yards and Young four for 19.</li><li>Mike Grossner is in his second season as the Swedes' coach. He previously spent 15 seasons at Baker where his teams had 12 consecutive winning seasons, won six Heart of America Conference titles and were the NAIA national runner-up in 2016.</li>
 </ul>KWU COACH MATT MYERS"They've got a lot offensive lineman back from last year and they get good push up front. They stretched the field vertically (passing) multiple times (against Avila). We fully expect them to give us their best game, their best shot. We want to jump on them early."We need to take care of the football number one. Make sure we are running the ball and getting good movement up front and defensively make sure we take away the big plays. If we can force them to earn it and keep the yellow flags off the field, we'll put ourselves in a good position to win the game."I think (the rivalry) still exists based on geography alone. It certainly does with the alumni and the guys that remember pre-social media rivalries in those eras. No one here at the school wants to take a loss to them in anything and for us in football specifically it is priority number one to make sure that we secure wins on Bethany week."NEXT WEEKThe Coyotes return home for a game against Southwestern starting at 6 p.m. at JRI Stadium.

RIVALRY WEEK: No. 24 Coyotes face the Swedes in long-time series

NEWTON -&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eb2195b1-a3b6-4228-b581-1b3add44c1b8?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;claimed the Mid-South Tournament championship and helped lead the Kansas Wesleyan Men's Golf team to a tie for third place on Tuesday and Wednesday at Sand Creek Station.

Malone carded an 8-under par 208 for the tournament, opening with a 68, then posting back-to-back 70s for a 2-shot win over Josh Killngsworth of MidAmerica Nazarene.

The Coyotes posted a team score of 865 for the tournament, which tied with Friends University, who was ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Men's Golf poll recently released. Both teams were just a shot behind MidAmerica Nazarene.

Wayland Baptist was the team champion for the tournament with a score of 861.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/335f3626-f197-4aec-a49b-d78db8a5b87e?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Joey Wisocki</a>&nbsp;tied for eight in the individual standings with a 2-under 214,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/da198c26-cdcb-4167-9eab-2659eae22c29?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Hank Reeg</a>&nbsp;ried for 14th&nbsp;with a 217,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2b291130-e474-419a-a6d8-2404cb734151?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Tyler Tarvin</a>&nbsp;was 40th&nbsp;with a 226 and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1e91d1f6-5f85-40de-ba11-1ee285e58480?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Brooks Guinn</a>&nbsp;rounded out the finishers for the Coyotes with a 241, finishing 67th.

The Coyotes get a two week break before heading to LeMars, Iowa for the Northwest Iowa National Invitational at Willow Creek. After that it is the Central Plains Invitational at Salina Country Club on September 23-24.

NEWTON -&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eb2195b1-a3b6-4228-b581-1b3add44c1b8?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;claimed the Mid-South Tournament championship and helped lead the Kansas Wesleyan Men's Golf team to a tie for third place on Tuesday and Wednesday at Sand Creek Station.Malone carded an 8-under par 208 for the tournament, opening with a 68, then posting back-to-back 70s for a 2-shot win over Josh Killngsworth of MidAmerica Nazarene.The Coyotes posted a team score of 865 for the tournament, which tied with Friends University, who was ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Men's Golf poll recently released. Both teams were just a shot behind MidAmerica Nazarene.Wayland Baptist was the team champion for the tournament with a score of 861.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/335f3626-f197-4aec-a49b-d78db8a5b87e?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Joey Wisocki</a>&nbsp;tied for eight in the individual standings with a 2-under 214,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/da198c26-cdcb-4167-9eab-2659eae22c29?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Hank Reeg</a>&nbsp;ried for 14th&nbsp;with a 217,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2b291130-e474-419a-a6d8-2404cb734151?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Tyler Tarvin</a>&nbsp;was 40th&nbsp;with a 226 and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1e91d1f6-5f85-40de-ba11-1ee285e58480?elinkdata=11888" target="_blank">Brooks Guinn</a>&nbsp;rounded out the finishers for the Coyotes with a 241, finishing 67th.The Coyotes get a two week break before heading to LeMars, Iowa for the Northwest Iowa National Invitational at Willow Creek. After that it is the Central Plains Invitational at Salina Country Club on September 23-24.

Malone paces field, leads Coyotes to tie for third at Mid-South

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tommy Pham hit his first home run for Kansas City, a tiebreaking, three-run drive in a four-run fourth inning, and the Royals stopped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.

Kansas City (76-65) closed within one percentage point of Minnesota (75-64) for the second AL wild card spot. The Royals and Twins are both 4 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland (80-60).

Royals manager Matt Quatraro returned after missing two games following the death of his mother.

“Really happy for those guys,” Quatraro said. “Nobody wants to lose, and when you string a whole week of games together where you don’t win any of them, it wears on you, mentally, physically. It makes it tougher to believe in yourself, so however it had to happen ... it’s good to get a win.”

During the seven-game skid, the Royals had scored three runs or fewer in six straight games, the team’s longest such streak since Aug. 15-21, 2022. The Royals had scored two runs or fewer in five straight, their longest span since June 7-13, 2018.

Pham, claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Saturday, broke a 1-1 tie with his homer off Ben Lively (11-9), who allowed seven hits in four innings. The drive deep into the left-field seats was Pham’s eighth home run this season and gave Pham his first RBIs with the Royals.

“It just seems like we’ve had some chances and we just couldn’t come through with the big hit until tonight,” Pham said. “It felt very good because I’ve been having a hard time barreling up balls to the pull side, and today it was something I worked on, and it’s even better to see it translate into the game.”

Quatraro said it was a relief to have someone come through.

“Somebody’s got to let the pressure off, and he did,” Quatraro said. “It was nice to tie it up ... but you’re trying to play for a big inning there. It took till two outs to do it but that was a big, big hit for Tommy."

Paul DeJong reached on an infield single, Robbie Grossman singled for his first Royals hit since he was claimed from Texas on Saturday, and Michael Massey hit a tying single.

Lugo got help from DeJong when the third baseman made a diving grab on Daniel Schneeman’s sharp grounder in the hole in the fifth. Lugo also benefited from three double plays, one started by the pitcher

“It looked he really had a good curveball. He got in on the lefties with the cutter and when they were looking in, he softened it up away,” Quatraro said. “Pretty good soft contact night, I would say, the double plays, just had it all going.”

Lugo had a loss and no-decision since beating the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 19.

“I thought I threw the ball well,” Lugo said. “I thought I was using both sides of the plate with my fastball and breaking balls and kept the hitters off balance. I used a pretty good mix out there tonight.”

José Ramírez put Cleveland ahead 1-0 in the third with a two-out bloop single.

Kris Bubic struck out the side in the eighth and Lucas Erceg worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save and sixth with the Royals.

Guardians: 1B Josh Naylor did not play after leaving Tuesday’s game with a back spasm.

Royals: OF Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) was 0 for 4 with a sacrifice fly as began a rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He has been on the 10-day IL since Aug. 25.

Royals INF CJ Alexander was claimed off waivers by Oakland. He was designated for assignment on Saturday.

Guardians: LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1, 2.38) starts Friday’s series opener at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Royals: LHP Cole Ragans (10-9, 3.46) starts Friday’s series opener against Minnesota and RHP Zebby Matthews (1-2, 7.41).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725502875509.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tommy Pham hit his first home run for Kansas City, a tiebreaking, three-run drive in a four-run fourth inning, and the Royals stopped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.Seth Lugo (15-8) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He is one win behind Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Atlanta’s Chris Sale, who are tied for the major league lead. Lugo is 11-1 with a 1.40 ERA in 15 starts with four days’ rest.Kansas City (76-65) closed within one percentage point of Minnesota (75-64) for the second AL wild card spot. The Royals and Twins are both 4 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland (80-60).Royals manager Matt Quatraro returned after missing two games following the death of his mother.“Really happy for those guys,” Quatraro said. “Nobody wants to lose, and when you string a whole week of games together where you don’t win any of them, it wears on you, mentally, physically. It makes it tougher to believe in yourself, so however it had to happen ... it’s good to get a win.”During the seven-game skid, the Royals had scored three runs or fewer in six straight games, the team’s longest such streak since Aug. 15-21, 2022. The Royals had scored two runs or fewer in five straight, their longest span since June 7-13, 2018.Pham, claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Saturday, broke a 1-1 tie with his homer off Ben Lively (11-9), who allowed seven hits in four innings. The drive deep into the left-field seats was Pham’s eighth home run this season and gave Pham his first RBIs with the Royals.“It just seems like we’ve had some chances and we just couldn’t come through with the big hit until tonight,” Pham said. “It felt very good because I’ve been having a hard time barreling up balls to the pull side, and today it was something I worked on, and it’s even better to see it translate into the game.”Quatraro said it was a relief to have someone come through.“Somebody’s got to let the pressure off, and he did,” Quatraro said. “It was nice to tie it up ... but you’re trying to play for a big inning there. It took till two outs to do it but that was a big, big hit for Tommy."Paul DeJong reached on an infield single, Robbie Grossman singled for his first Royals hit since he was claimed from Texas on Saturday, and Michael Massey hit a tying single.Lugo got help from DeJong when the third baseman made a diving grab on Daniel Schneeman’s sharp grounder in the hole in the fifth. Lugo also benefited from three double plays, one started by the pitcher“It looked he really had a good curveball. He got in on the lefties with the cutter and when they were looking in, he softened it up away,” Quatraro said. “Pretty good soft contact night, I would say, the double plays, just had it all going.”Lugo had a loss and no-decision since beating the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 19.“I thought I threw the ball well,” Lugo said. “I thought I was using both sides of the plate with my fastball and breaking balls and kept the hitters off balance. I used a pretty good mix out there tonight.”José Ramírez put Cleveland ahead 1-0 in the third with a two-out bloop single.Kris Bubic struck out the side in the eighth and Lucas Erceg worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save and sixth with the Royals.TRAINER’S ROOMGuardians: 1B Josh Naylor did not play after leaving Tuesday’s game with a back spasm.Royals: OF Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) was 0 for 4 with a sacrifice fly as began a rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He has been on the 10-day IL since Aug. 25.ROSTER MOVESRoyals INF CJ Alexander was claimed off waivers by Oakland. He was designated for assignment on Saturday.UP NEXTGuardians: LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1, 2.38) starts Friday’s series opener at the Los Angeles Dodgers.Royals: LHP Cole Ragans (10-9, 3.46) starts Friday’s series opener against Minnesota and RHP Zebby Matthews (1-2, 7.41).___

⚾ Pham homers and Royals end 7-game losing streak

For the last six years, the Minneapolis Lions have flirted with the idea of making a run on the gridiron.

During that span, they’ve finished each season no better than 5-4 but no worse than 4-5.

Head coach Tom Flax hopes this will finally be the year the Lions take that next step.

“I really think we can make a deep run,” he said. “We’ve got the guys to do it, and the depth to do it. We’re going to be tested in these early weeks by our schedule, but we feel like we have an even district. There are some tough teams, and everyone has athletes, but if we can put it all together, I think we can make a deep run.”

Fortunately for Minneapolis, their centerpiece, quarterback and DB Owen Just, returns for his junior season after getting to grips with the Friday night lights as a sophomore.

“Owen’s gotten bigger and stronger,” Flax said. “He had a great summer, and he’s probably put on 15 pounds. At 6-2 he’s big, he has good maturity and he knows what to do with the football. I see him making a lot of good decisions, and he’s a savvy kid who’s shown great growth.”

Just will be protected by an O-Line that also returns a great deal of experience, featuring Ryan Myers, Gavin Baringer, and Dalton Krueger.

With strong protection in the trenches, the group that can really shine are the ones Just will be looking for through the air and on the ground on Friday nights.

“We have a lot of skill guys returning that can get the ball and make something good happen, and that feels like a strength,” Flax said. “We’re pretty solid up front, but we’ve got some real playmakers this year.”

Chief among that group are running back Mason Smith and Brayton Peters, wideout Zach Nelson, and tight ends Ethan Bohl and Grant Rice.

While the talent should be on full display every Friday, most of Minneapolis’ starters will be playing both ways, requiring a lot of juice in the tank to contend with some of the bigger teams on their schedule.

“We have to figure out who we are, especially in terms of physicality,” Flax said. “When you open up with Southeast, you can’t lack that, and we’ll be looking for that on both sides of the ball from our line to our backfield and safeties.”

That opening-week matchup with Southeast of Saline is set for this Friday in Gypsum at 7:00 and will be the first of three road games in four weeks to kick off the Lions season.

2024 Minneapolis Football Schedule 9/6: at SE of Saline 9/13: vs. Lyons 9/20: at Ellsworth 9/27: at Norton 10/4: vs. Halstead 10/11: vs. Beloit 10/18: at Russell 10/25: vs. Phillipsburg

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostFor the last six years, the Minneapolis Lions have flirted with the idea of making a run on the gridiron.During that span, they’ve finished each season no better than 5-4 but no worse than 4-5.Head coach Tom Flax hopes this will finally be the year the Lions take that next step.<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>“I really think we can make a deep run,” he said. “We’ve got the guys to do it, and the depth to do it. We’re going to be tested in these early weeks by our schedule, but we feel like we have an even district. There are some tough teams, and everyone has athletes, but if we can put it all together, I think we can make a deep run.”Fortunately for Minneapolis, their centerpiece, quarterback and DB Owen Just, returns for his junior season after getting to grips with the Friday night lights as a sophomore.“Owen’s gotten bigger and stronger,” Flax said. “He had a great summer, and he’s probably put on 15 pounds. At 6-2 he’s big, he has good maturity and he knows what to do with the football. I see him making a lot of good decisions, and he’s a savvy kid who’s shown great growth.”Just will be protected by an O-Line that also returns a great deal of experience, featuring Ryan Myers, Gavin Baringer, and Dalton Krueger.With strong protection in the trenches, the group that can really shine are the ones Just will be looking for through the air and on the ground on Friday nights.“We have a lot of skill guys returning that can get the ball and make something good happen, and that feels like a strength,” Flax said. “We’re pretty solid up front, but we’ve got some real playmakers this year.”Chief among that group are running back Mason Smith and Brayton Peters, wideout Zach Nelson, and tight ends Ethan Bohl and Grant Rice.While the talent should be on full display every Friday, most of Minneapolis’ starters will be playing both ways, requiring a lot of juice in the tank to contend with some of the bigger teams on their schedule.“We have to figure out who we are, especially in terms of physicality,” Flax said. “When you open up with Southeast, you can’t lack that, and we’ll be looking for that on both sides of the ball from our line to our backfield and safeties.”That opening-week matchup with Southeast of Saline is set for this Friday in Gypsum at 7:00 and will be the first of three road games in four weeks to kick off the Lions season.2024 Minneapolis Football Schedule 9/6: at SE of Saline 9/13: vs. Lyons 9/20: at Ellsworth 9/27: at Norton 10/4: vs. Halstead 10/11: vs. Beloit 10/18: at Russell 10/25: vs. Phillipsburg

Just, Lions looking to take next step in 2024

2023 was one to remember for the Ell-Saline football program.

In just their second campaign at the 8-man level, the Cardinals improved from a solid 6-4 to an outstanding 1o-2 with a trip to the 8MDI state semifinals.

While this year’s Ell-Saline team will look much different on offense, the Cardinals have laid the groundwork for a program built to last and are primed to pounce on the 8-man world once again.

“I like where we’re at right now,” Cardinal head coach Joe Roche said. “We seem to have a lot of kids that understand what we want to do on both sides of the ball. They come ready to go every day and they don’t need much motivation.”

The Brookville faithful will need little introduction to an Ell-Saline defense that returns a slew of starters from last year’s squad.

In the trenches, Reese Krone, Melvin Lutes, Victor Ruiz-Torres, and Jake Tillberg all return to give opposing fronts fits, while returners like Lucas Correa and Kas Kramer anchor the secondary.

The only big Cardinal question mark on defense is at linebacker, where Ell-Saline must replace two of the top players at their position in the whole state of Kansas.

“When you lose two guys who played in the 8-man all-star game that’s tough,” Roche said. “They knew everybody’s assignment, and they checked a lot at the line of scrimmage. Hopefully, our guys learned a lot from those two while they were here.”

On the other side of the ball the Cardinals will work with an all-new backfield in 2024, led by quarterback Reese Krone, who transitions from tight end, and will stay on as one of the team’s defensive linemen this year.

“Reese is a thinking man’s quarterback and we have a lot of high-level football conversations,” he said. “He’s 6-5, 220, and he’s been working his tail off preparing in the weight room for this year. He’s every bit as good as Marshall was, and I’m excited.”

Joining Krone in the backfield will be Melvin Lutes and Kas Kramer, whose rushing proficiency should complement a deep, somewhat fresh-faced wide receiver room in the passing game.

“We have a lot of guys stepping up to fill holes left behind and those are all big question marks, but the kids we have slotted in there have a chip on their shoulder,” Roche said. “They’re ready to prove themselves and I couldn’t be more excited.”

While some of the names up and down the roster have changed, the style of football in Ell-Saline has not, and opponents will need to be wary of both the electric speed and bruising power that the Cardinals play with every Friday.

“We like to outhit, and outblock everyone and we’re led by a wonderful senior class,” he said. Those guys are the foundation of our program, and they’ve been here from the beginning.”

Also unchanged are the expectations in Brookville, where a trip to the state semis has only fueled the fire of this Cardinal program.

“We want to make a deep run and we have a deep roster for the first time in a couple of years to do it,” Roche said. “We learned last year that we deserve to be here when we made that deep playoff run. Our guys put in the work, they play hard and there's a lot of real excitement in the community around Ell-Saline football.”

The Cardinals open the 2024 campaign at home when they play host to the Hanover Wildcats at 7:00.

2024 Ell-Saline Football Schedule 9/6: vs. Hanover 9/13: vs. Osborne 9/20: vs. Norwich 9/27: at Canton-Galva 10/4: vs. Solomon 10/11: at Little River 10/18: vs. Goessel 10/25: at Central Plains

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post2023 was one to remember for the Ell-Saline football program.In just their second campaign at the 8-man level, the Cardinals improved from a solid 6-4 to an outstanding 1o-2 with a trip to the 8MDI state semifinals.<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 this year’s Ell-Saline team will look much different on offense, the Cardinals have laid the groundwork for a program built to last and are primed to pounce on the 8-man world once again.“I like where we’re at right now,” Cardinal head coach Joe Roche said. “We seem to have a lot of kids that understand what we want to do on both sides of the ball. They come ready to go every day and they don’t need much motivation.”The Brookville faithful will need little introduction to an Ell-Saline defense that returns a slew of starters from last year’s squad.In the trenches, Reese Krone, Melvin Lutes, Victor Ruiz-Torres, and Jake Tillberg all return to give opposing fronts fits, while returners like Lucas Correa and Kas Kramer anchor the secondary.The only big Cardinal question mark on defense is at linebacker, where Ell-Saline must replace two of the top players at their position in the whole state of Kansas.“When you lose two guys who played in the 8-man all-star game that’s tough,” Roche said. “They knew everybody’s assignment, and they checked a lot at the line of scrimmage. Hopefully, our guys learned a lot from those two while they were here.”On the other side of the ball the Cardinals will work with an all-new backfield in 2024, led by quarterback Reese Krone, who transitions from tight end, and will stay on as one of the team’s defensive linemen this year.“Reese is a thinking man’s quarterback and we have a lot of high-level football conversations,” he said. “He’s 6-5, 220, and he’s been working his tail off preparing in the weight room for this year. He’s every bit as good as Marshall was, and I’m excited.”Joining Krone in the backfield will be Melvin Lutes and Kas Kramer, whose rushing proficiency should complement a deep, somewhat fresh-faced wide receiver room in the passing game.“We have a lot of guys stepping up to fill holes left behind and those are all big question marks, but the kids we have slotted in there have a chip on their shoulder,” Roche said. “They’re ready to prove themselves and I couldn’t be more excited.”While some of the names up and down the roster have changed, the style of football in Ell-Saline has not, and opponents will need to be wary of both the electric speed and bruising power that the Cardinals play with every Friday.“We like to outhit, and outblock everyone and we’re led by a wonderful senior class,” he said. Those guys are the foundation of our program, and they’ve been here from the beginning.”Also unchanged are the expectations in Brookville, where a trip to the state semis has only fueled the fire of this Cardinal program.“We want to make a deep run and we have a deep roster for the first time in a couple of years to do it,” Roche said. “We learned last year that we deserve to be here when we made that deep playoff run. Our guys put in the work, they play hard and there's a lot of real excitement in the community around Ell-Saline football.”The Cardinals open the 2024 campaign at home when they play host to the Hanover Wildcats at 7:00.2024 Ell-Saline Football Schedule 9/6: vs. Hanover 9/13: vs. Osborne 9/20: vs. Norwich 9/27: at Canton-Galva 10/4: vs. Solomon 10/11: at Little River 10/18: vs. Goessel 10/25: at Central Plains

Fueled by semifinal appearance, Cardinals press on with all-new backfield

BY GARY VAN CLEAVE&nbsp; Salina Post Contributor

LINCOLN - As the old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

This is especially true when it comes to quarterback at Lincoln High.

Logan Meier completed nearly 70% of his passes (98-137) for 1,283 yards, 12 touchdowns and a QB rating of&nbsp;106.8 as the Leopards’ quarterback last year.

Meier graduated much to the delight of opponents, but ahead of the 2024 season, in steps sophomore sensation Jeremiah Miller, whose talents could be on an even higher level.

“He's tall, good with his motions and can do it all, with really good potential,” Meier said of Miller.

That adoration and praise goes both ways.

“He was a field general and a QB that understood what needed to be done,” Miller said of his predecessor. “When we’re in a tough spot, he helped the whole team understand what needed to be done to succeed.”

Now it’s Miller’s turn to lead the Leopards as they prepare for their Sept. 6 opener at Ellis, and the 6-foot-1, 178-pound sophomore is ready to step up under center.

“I think I was prepared to take over as soon as I started honestly,” said Miller, who accounted for over 1,300 yards of offense and 19 touchdowns as a freshman.

Miller put up a 111.1 QBR as a freshman as he completed 28-of-51 passes for 490 yards, seven touchdowns and just two picks.

“I would describe myself as a versatile QB that has the ability to score multiple ways not only with my passing but also with my running capabilities,” Miller said. “I think my leadership needs some work, but right now I think I’m a leader that sees potential in all my teammates and tries to hold them to a high standard.”

Sophomore center Ayden McBride has witnessed firsthand the talents of both signal-callers.

“They’re both really good teammates and friends," he said. "I’ve known those guys since I was in first grade and they’ve always been athletic.”

Xavier Miller, Jeremiah’s younger fraternal twin brother by six minutes, knows his QB better than anyone.

“Very deep,” Xavier said on the brothers’ chemistry. “I’ve always been a receiver growing up and he's always been a QB. I knew even when we were younger that all I had to do was beat my defender on my route, and he could find me and get the ball in my hands.”

“He’s stubborn sometimes, but he’s always my main target during pass plays and is super reliable,” Jeremiah said of Xavier. “I think we have good chemistry, and he’ll adapt and understand everything I ask him to change or fix.”

Sophomore wide receiver Benjamin Bell, who caught 25 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, said Miller brings everything he has to the gridiron.

“I think the better question is what doesn’t he bring?" Bell said. “He has athleticism, size, incredible speed and arm strength, a strong IQ of the game, toughness, he has it all in my opinion, and I can’t wait for this season to start.”

Junior Easton Good earned all-district honors on the offensive line. He and his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame hope to play college football in a few years.

“Jeremiah is a dual threat QB,” Good said. “He can do it on the ground and through the air.”

Senior Levi Bates is one of the candidates to fill the backup QB slot.

“He’s a freak,” Bates said. “Like all the way to the sky.”

Jahdiel Miller, Jeremiah’s eighth-grade brother who plays a myriad of positions for the middle school, called his brother a leader and one who motivates.

“With enough exposure, I think he can make it pro,” the RB/WR/QB/lineman said.

“Jerry is a force to be reckoned with when he’s being explosive,” 2024 graduate Caleb Dotterer said.

That explosiveness could be seen on the ground where he churned out 526 yards on 75 carries and 10 touchdowns, including a pair of 100-yard games.&nbsp;

“It seems like he’s always throwing dots in games,” McBride said. “But I would say in the jamboree last year when he hurdled someone that was nice.”

That hurdle, still in the minds of many Lincoln teammates, came right on cue.

“Coach was getting us hyped, and he said, by all means, be a dude and make a play,” Miller said. “I saw the opportunity and took it.”

Miller brings major talent to the defensive side as well racking up 70-tackles (43 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 1 interception in his freshman campaign.

“He's been in the weight room a ton and gotten a lot stronger, while also working with coaches to increase his game IQ, recognize defenses and progress through reads,” Bell said. “He knows he has big shoes to fill, and is doing a lot to excel in that role. If he continues improving, he could go D-1.”

Lincoln opens their 2024 campaign this Friday when they travel to Ellis for a 7:00 showdown with the Railroaders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725471950054.jpeg" alt="Sophomore QB Jeremiah Miller drops back for a pass during the 2023 season. Photo courtesy of Gary Van Cleave" />
 <figcaption>Sophomore QB Jeremiah Miller drops back for a pass during the 2023 season. Photo courtesy of Gary Van Cleave</figcaption>
 </figure>BY GARY VAN CLEAVE&nbsp; Salina Post ContributorLINCOLN - As the old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.This is especially true when it comes to quarterback at Lincoln High.Logan Meier completed nearly 70% of his passes (98-137) for 1,283 yards, 12 touchdowns and a QB rating of&nbsp;106.8 as the Leopards’ quarterback last year.Meier graduated much to the delight of opponents, but ahead of the 2024 season, in steps sophomore sensation Jeremiah Miller, whose talents could be on an even higher level.“He's tall, good with his motions and can do it all, with really good potential,” Meier said of Miller.That adoration and praise goes both ways.“He was a field general and a QB that understood what needed to be done,” Miller said of his predecessor. “When we’re in a tough spot, he helped the whole team understand what needed to be done to succeed.”Now it’s Miller’s turn to lead the Leopards as they prepare for their Sept. 6 opener at Ellis, and the 6-foot-1, 178-pound sophomore is ready to step up under center.“I think I was prepared to take over as soon as I started honestly,” said Miller, who accounted for over 1,300 yards of offense and 19 touchdowns as a freshman.Miller put up a 111.1 QBR as a freshman as he completed 28-of-51 passes for 490 yards, seven touchdowns and just two picks.“I would describe myself as a versatile QB that has the ability to score multiple ways not only with my passing but also with my running capabilities,” Miller said. “I think my leadership needs some work, but right now I think I’m a leader that sees potential in all my teammates and tries to hold them to a high standard.”Sophomore center Ayden McBride has witnessed firsthand the talents of both signal-callers.“They’re both really good teammates and friends," he said. "I’ve known those guys since I was in first grade and they’ve always been athletic.”Xavier Miller, Jeremiah’s younger fraternal twin brother by six minutes, knows his QB better than anyone.“Very deep,” Xavier said on the brothers’ chemistry. “I’ve always been a receiver growing up and he's always been a QB. I knew even when we were younger that all I had to do was beat my defender on my route, and he could find me and get the ball in my hands.”“He’s stubborn sometimes, but he’s always my main target during pass plays and is super reliable,” Jeremiah said of Xavier. “I think we have good chemistry, and he’ll adapt and understand everything I ask him to change or fix.”Sophomore wide receiver Benjamin Bell, who caught 25 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, said Miller brings everything he has to the gridiron.“I think the better question is what doesn’t he bring?" Bell said. “He has athleticism, size, incredible speed and arm strength, a strong IQ of the game, toughness, he has it all in my opinion, and I can’t wait for this season to start.”Junior Easton Good earned all-district honors on the offensive line. He and his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame hope to play college football in a few years.“Jeremiah is a dual threat QB,” Good said. “He can do it on the ground and through the air.”Senior Levi Bates is one of the candidates to fill the backup QB slot.“He’s a freak,” Bates said. “Like all the way to the sky.”Jahdiel Miller, Jeremiah’s eighth-grade brother who plays a myriad of positions for the middle school, called his brother a leader and one who motivates.“With enough exposure, I think he can make it pro,” the RB/WR/QB/lineman said.“Jerry is a force to be reckoned with when he’s being explosive,” 2024 graduate Caleb Dotterer said.That explosiveness could be seen on the ground where he churned out 526 yards on 75 carries and 10 touchdowns, including a pair of 100-yard games.&nbsp;Miller can go vertical as well.“It seems like he’s always throwing dots in games,” McBride said. “But I would say in the jamboree last year when he hurdled someone that was nice.”That hurdle, still in the minds of many Lincoln teammates, came right on cue.“Coach was getting us hyped, and he said, by all means, be a dude and make a play,” Miller said. “I saw the opportunity and took it.”Miller brings major talent to the defensive side as well racking up 70-tackles (43 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 1 interception in his freshman campaign.“He's been in the weight room a ton and gotten a lot stronger, while also working with coaches to increase his game IQ, recognize defenses and progress through reads,” Bell said. “He knows he has big shoes to fill, and is doing a lot to excel in that role. If he continues improving, he could go D-1.”Lincoln opens their 2024 campaign this Friday when they travel to Ellis for a 7:00 showdown with the Railroaders.

Super sophomore Jeremiah Miller to lead Lincoln

Despite a challenging 3-6 finish to the 2023 season, the Chapman football program looked primed to take a step forward in 2024, with many expecting the return of head coach Kurt Webster, and quarterback Kelan Gruver.

Instead, the Irish were quickly left looking for replacements for both, with Webster taking a job at Shawnee Mission Northwest and Gruver following his father to Bonner Springs.

The first step for Chapman was to install a new head coach, and in February, the Irish had their man, announcing Jason Grider as the program’s new leader.

Grider spent his last two seasons coaching the Bethel Threshers at the NAIA level, and the eight seasons before that as head coach at Halstead.

His time with Halstead was highlighted by a six-year run from 2014 to 2019, during which the Dragons went 48-17, making multiple deep playoff runs and reaching the quarterfinals in 2015.

While the football culture in Chapman runs deep, Grider wants to instill those same values in this year’s Irish squad.

“We want to be smart, fast, and physical,” he said. “Most of the time the more physical team wins the ballgame, and we want to get ourselves to the point where we’re a very physical football team that eliminates mistakes.”

In terms of both talent and character, the cupboards in Chapman were far from bare upon Griders arrival, and he and his team have already set to work getting the most out of a hungry team.

“We’ve got really tough, smart, hard-working kids, and to me, that feels like a big strength,” Grider said. “We don’t have to coach effort here, and I think that says something about what Coach Webster was able to do here and what kind of kids we have in this community.”

The second big hurdle for the Irish to overcome lay in finding a new quarterback, a role that will be taken on by senior Cooper Lewis, who converts from slot back last year.

“Cooper’s a real smart kid and he understands what we want to accomplish,” Grider said. “From the outside, our offense looks simple for a quarterback, but he has to make a ton of reads and he’s picked that up quickly. He’s physically and mentally tough and that’s helped him win and find success at this position.”

Lewis will have good company in Chapman’s traditionally run-heavy backfield, with returners like Cade Hanney and Dakota Curtis expected to have a significant impact this season.

Chapman also returns five starters on defense in Lewis (S), Curtis (S), and Hanney (LB), alongside Kam Krogman (CB) and Ian Sayers (LB).

That group should get a boost from another core of rising stars like Talon Landreville, Blake Barnum, Neziah Brown, Isaac VanMeter and Jacob Gfeller.

The Irish will face a challenging schedule in a loaded NCKL this year, but Coach Grider and company remain dedicated to taking things one snap, and one game at a time, working to steadily improve throughout the season.

“We want to get a little bit better every day,” he said. “We’re focused on the journey, not the destination. If we can come out, eliminate mistakes, play hard and execute the way we’re capable of, I think we can be real successful this year. What that looks like in wins and losses I’m not sure but these kids have been working their tails off and they understand what it takes.”

Chapman will open their 2024 season at home when they take on Smith Center at 7:00 this Friday.

2024 Chapman Football Schedule 9/6: vs. Smith Center 9/13: at Abilene 9/20: at Riley County 9/27: vs. Clay Center 10/4: at Concordia 10/11: vs. Wamego 10/18: vs. Marysville 10/25: at Rock Creek

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostDespite a challenging 3-6 finish to the 2023 season, the Chapman football program looked primed to take a step forward in 2024, with many expecting the return of head coach Kurt Webster, and quarterback Kelan Gruver.Instead, the Irish were quickly left looking for replacements for both, with Webster taking a job at Shawnee Mission Northwest and Gruver following his father to Bonner Springs.<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 first step for Chapman was to install a new head coach, and in February, the Irish had their man, announcing Jason Grider as the program’s new leader.Grider spent his last two seasons coaching the Bethel Threshers at the NAIA level, and the eight seasons before that as head coach at Halstead.His time with Halstead was highlighted by a six-year run from 2014 to 2019, during which the Dragons went 48-17, making multiple deep playoff runs and reaching the quarterfinals in 2015.While the football culture in Chapman runs deep, Grider wants to instill those same values in this year’s Irish squad.“We want to be smart, fast, and physical,” he said. “Most of the time the more physical team wins the ballgame, and we want to get ourselves to the point where we’re a very physical football team that eliminates mistakes.”In terms of both talent and character, the cupboards in Chapman were far from bare upon Griders arrival, and he and his team have already set to work getting the most out of a hungry team.“We’ve got really tough, smart, hard-working kids, and to me, that feels like a big strength,” Grider said. “We don’t have to coach effort here, and I think that says something about what Coach Webster was able to do here and what kind of kids we have in this community.”The second big hurdle for the Irish to overcome lay in finding a new quarterback, a role that will be taken on by senior Cooper Lewis, who converts from slot back last year.“Cooper’s a real smart kid and he understands what we want to accomplish,” Grider said. “From the outside, our offense looks simple for a quarterback, but he has to make a ton of reads and he’s picked that up quickly. He’s physically and mentally tough and that’s helped him win and find success at this position.”Lewis will have good company in Chapman’s traditionally run-heavy backfield, with returners like Cade Hanney and Dakota Curtis expected to have a significant impact this season.Chapman also returns five starters on defense in Lewis (S), Curtis (S), and Hanney (LB), alongside Kam Krogman (CB) and Ian Sayers (LB).That group should get a boost from another core of rising stars like Talon Landreville, Blake Barnum, Neziah Brown, Isaac VanMeter and Jacob Gfeller.The Irish will face a challenging schedule in a loaded NCKL this year, but Coach Grider and company remain dedicated to taking things one snap, and one game at a time, working to steadily improve throughout the season.“We want to get a little bit better every day,” he said. “We’re focused on the journey, not the destination. If we can come out, eliminate mistakes, play hard and execute the way we’re capable of, I think we can be real successful this year. What that looks like in wins and losses I’m not sure but these kids have been working their tails off and they understand what it takes.”Chapman will open their 2024 season at home when they take on Smith Center at 7:00 this Friday.2024 Chapman Football Schedule 9/6: vs. Smith Center 9/13: at Abilene 9/20: at Riley County 9/27: vs. Clay Center 10/4: at Concordia 10/11: vs. Wamego 10/18: vs. Marysville 10/25: at Rock Creek

New head coach-quarterback tandem to lead Chapman into 2024

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

On Tuesday Kansas Football was officially ranked No. 19 in the week two Associated Press Poll and No. 20 in the &nbsp;Coaches Poll.

This is Kansas’ earliest ranking in the regular season since being ranked&nbsp;No. 14 on Sept. 2, 2008. Kansas opened the season at No. 22 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the Coaches Poll, marking the first time Kansas has been ranked in both major polls entering the season since 2008.

The ranking comes after Kansas won its season opener for the fourth straight season, defeating Lindenwood 48-3 to start the year 1-0. Kansas compiled 530 yards of offense, including 331 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns.

Tuesday also say 9-hole hitter Brayan Rocchio drive in four runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 7-1 Tuesday night, extending the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high seven.

Since tying Cleveland for the AL Central lead on Aug. 27, the Royals have dropped 5.5 games behind the Guardians, who have won five of six. Kansas City maintained a 4.5game lead for the final AL wild card.

And finally with high school football season getting underway this week our season previews for all 11 of our area high schools are going live on Salina Post, check it out for all the latest on Central, South, Abilene, Chapman, SES, Ellsworth, Minneapolis, Sacred Heart, Ell-Saline, Solomon and Bennington

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XnRvs5RImck"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY SALINA POST(Transcript)Hello and happy Wednesday, everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine…_________On Tuesday Kansas Football was officially ranked No. 19 in the week two Associated Press Poll and No. 20 in the &nbsp;Coaches Poll.This is Kansas’ earliest ranking in the regular season since being ranked&nbsp;No. 14 on Sept. 2, 2008. Kansas opened the season at No. 22 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the Coaches Poll, marking the first time Kansas has been ranked in both major polls entering the season since 2008.The ranking comes after Kansas won its season opener for the fourth straight season, defeating Lindenwood 48-3 to start the year 1-0. Kansas compiled 530 yards of offense, including 331 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns._________Tuesday also say 9-hole hitter Brayan Rocchio drive in four runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 7-1 Tuesday night, extending the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high seven.Since tying Cleveland for the AL Central lead on Aug. 27, the Royals have dropped 5.5 games behind the Guardians, who have won five of six. Kansas City maintained a 4.5game lead for the final AL wild card._________And finally with high school football season getting underway this week our season previews for all 11 of our area high schools are going live on Salina Post, check it out for all the latest on Central, South, Abilene, Chapman, SES, Ellsworth, Minneapolis, Sacred Heart, Ell-Saline, Solomon and Bennington_________

910 KINA Sports Headlines — September 4

On the heels of back-to-back 2-7 seasons, the Solomon football team will look to get back on track in 2024 with a new leader at the helm.

After spending the last four years as an assistant under Mike Kilgore and Andrew Capsey, Devin Rizzo has been promoted to head coach of the Gorillas, and has already gotten to work rebuilding the football culture.

“We’ve had a big emphasis on change this offseason,” Rizzo said. “It’s been a tough couple of years for us but we know that we have to make changes if we want to see a different result on the field. We’re doing things in a different way and we’ve run more this offseason than we ever have before to prepare our guys for Friday nights.”

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn the heels of back-to-back 2-7 seasons, the Solomon football team will look to get back on track in 2024 with a new leader at the helm.<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>After spending the last four years as an assistant under Mike Kilgore and Andrew Capsey, Devin Rizzo has been promoted to head coach of the Gorillas, and has already gotten to work rebuilding the football culture.“We’ve had a big emphasis on change this offseason,” Rizzo said. “It’s been a tough couple of years for us but we know that we have to make changes if we want to see a different result on the field. We’re doing things in a different way and we’ve run more this offseason than we ever have before to prepare our guys for Friday nights.”Rizzo inherits a team that is light on seniors, but heavy on experience, with a boisterous junior class that saw a good amount of playing time as sophomores last year.“We lost some key pieces and an incredible senior class that played a big role for us but we’re excited about the group that we have,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the amount of experience we’ll gain this year, we only have two seniors and we’ll be bringing back 19 guys next season.”This year’s Gorillas will be built around six team captains, including Andrew Gray and Mathias Baxa in the trenches, Seth Pekarek and Matt Hamm-Jones at linebacker, Carlos Duran at WR/DB, and Breken Coup, who takes the reins from his brother Spencer at quarterback.“Breken is extremely smart and he understands the game of football better than anyone I’ve coached,” Rizzo said. “He sees the game differently from the time he spends watching it and in today’s day and age there aren’t a lot of kids like that.”While several newcomers will be tasked with overhauling a new-look offense, much of the other side of the ball remains intact from last years core, and should be a unit the Gorillas can hang their hat on week to week.“I’m more excited about our defense than I have been before,” Rizzo, who served as defensive coordinator prior to this year added. “We bring back a ton of juniors that have a lot of experience and I’m excited to see that group play fast, physical, assignment sound football.”Youth across the board and inexperience in certain spots remain the biggest preseason mystery for Solomon, but if the Gorillas can find their footing and solidify their lineup, fortunes for the red and black unit could change quickly come kickoff this Friday.“We have a lot of guys that haven’t played a ton of varsity snaps so getting those jitters out of the way and seeing where we’re at is going to be huge for us,” he said. “Our biggest question mark is who’s going to take on that challenge and run with it.”Despite facing a stacked back half of their schedule, the Gorillas are taking things one game, and one snap at a time, as they look to rebuild their program the right way.“We put a big emphasis on the here and now,” Rizzo said. “Our focus right now is on a really good football team and a big rival in Rural Vista. We have to stay focused week in and week out and we have to stay focused on playing Solomon football.”The Gorillas will travel to White City for their week one matchup with Rural Vista, with kickoff set for 7pm this Friday night.2024 Solomon Football Schedule 9/6: at Rural Vista 9/13: vs. Wakefield 9/20: vs. Frankfort 9/27: vs. Central Plains 10/4: at Ell-Saline 10/11: vs. Goessel 10/18: at Canton-Galva 10/25: vs. Little River