TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Leavitt threw four touchdowns passes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ASUFootball/status/1842776268573446194">a 3-yard strike to Jordyn Tyson with 16 seconds left</a>, and Arizona State rallied for a thrilling 35-31 victory over Kansas on Saturday night.

The Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) outlasted the Jayhawks in a back-and-forth game that featured six lead changes in the second half. Cam Skattebo ran for a team-high 186 yards, including a crucial 39-yard dash on the game-winning drive.

“Good job by our guys just executing,” Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said. “That was it. We just played the next play. We didn't get rattled. We just responded.”

Leavitt completed 14 of 24 passes for 157 yards. His consistent play helped the Sun Devils bounce back from their first loss of the season, a 30-22 setback to Texas Tech on Sept. 21.

“It was just back to what we do,” Leavitt said. “The last game we played wasn't our brand of football, so we got back to that.”

Kansas (1-5, 0-3) has lost five straight, including four by a touchdown or less. Jalon Daniels threw for a season-high 260 yards and two touchdowns. Devin Neal ran for 71 yards and a touchdown.

The teams battled each other along with some record-setting heat in front of a sellout crowd of 54,639 on Saturday. The temperature at kickoff was 107 degrees, which set the mark for the hottest October game in Tempe dating back to 2000.

The Jayhawks didn't seem fazed by the heat, pushing ahead 31-28 with 2:04 left when Daniels hit Quentin Skinner for his second touchdown catch of the night, this one on a diving completion that went for 34 yards.

But the Jayhawks couldn't close it out, allowing the Sun Devils to drive eight plays for 75 yards in less than two minutes.

“At the end of the day, our job is to stop the offense,” Kansas defensive end Dean Miller said. “Unfortunately, we came up short. We've got to do better as a team and as a unit.”

Leavitt capped the decisive drive by floating the 3-yard touchdown pass to Tyson, who had slipped past a defender. It was Tyson's second touchdown catch of the night and a proud moment for the sophomore, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

Kansas took a 24-17 lead with 10:49 left in the game when Neal made a nifty cut before running untouched for the 31-yard touchdown.

The Sun Devils went up 21-17 early in the fourth quarter on a direct snap to Skattebo, who ran for the 1-yard touchdown. Leavitt converted on a crucial third-and-18 during the drive, rifling a precise pass over the middle to Tyson.

Arizona State tied the game at 14-all just before halftime when Leavitt threw a short pass Chamon Metayer, who ran 20 yards for the end zone. Kansas was hurt by two penalties over a three-play stretch on cornerback Cobee Bryant, who was flagged for holding and pass interference.

Arizona State's Keyshaun Elliott and Clayton Smith were ejected in the second half for targeting. The two — who are among the Sun Devils' best defensive players — must also miss the first half of Friday's game against No. 18 Utah.

Kansas: It's another brutal loss for the Jayhawks, who had high expectations entering the season but have just one win midway through the schedule. Kansas was ranked No. 19 in the nation after their season-opening win just five weeks ago.

Arizona State: It's another galvanizing win for the Sun Devils, who are much improved under coach Kenny Dillingham in Year 2. They'll have their biggest test of the year on Friday against No. 18 Utah.

Arizona State: Host No. 18 Utah on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728200068762.jpeg" alt="Kansas wide receiver Quentin Skinner (0) had six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in a 35-31 loss against Arizona State -photo courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas wide receiver Quentin Skinner (0) had six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in a 35-31 loss against Arizona State -photo courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Leavitt threw four touchdowns passes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ASUFootball/status/1842776268573446194">a 3-yard strike to Jordyn Tyson with 16 seconds left</a>, and Arizona State rallied for a thrilling 35-31 victory over Kansas on Saturday night.The Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) outlasted the Jayhawks in a back-and-forth game that featured six lead changes in the second half. Cam Skattebo ran for a team-high 186 yards, including a crucial 39-yard dash on the game-winning drive.“Good job by our guys just executing,” Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said. “That was it. We just played the next play. We didn't get rattled. We just responded.”Leavitt completed 14 of 24 passes for 157 yards. His consistent play helped the Sun Devils bounce back from their first loss of the season, a 30-22 setback to Texas Tech on Sept. 21.“It was just back to what we do,” Leavitt said. “The last game we played wasn't our brand of football, so we got back to that.”Kansas (1-5, 0-3) has lost five straight, including four by a touchdown or less. Jalon Daniels threw for a season-high 260 yards and two touchdowns. Devin Neal ran for 71 yards and a touchdown.The teams battled each other along with some record-setting heat in front of a sellout crowd of 54,639 on Saturday. The temperature at kickoff was 107 degrees, which set the mark for the hottest October game in Tempe dating back to 2000.The Jayhawks didn't seem fazed by the heat, pushing ahead 31-28 with 2:04 left when Daniels hit Quentin Skinner for his second touchdown catch of the night, this one on a diving completion that went for 34 yards.But the Jayhawks couldn't close it out, allowing the Sun Devils to drive eight plays for 75 yards in less than two minutes.“At the end of the day, our job is to stop the offense,” Kansas defensive end Dean Miller said. “Unfortunately, we came up short. We've got to do better as a team and as a unit.”Leavitt capped the decisive drive by floating the 3-yard touchdown pass to Tyson, who had slipped past a defender. It was Tyson's second touchdown catch of the night and a proud moment for the sophomore, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.“It means everything,” Tyson said.Kansas took a 24-17 lead with 10:49 left in the game when Neal made a nifty cut before running untouched for the 31-yard touchdown.The Sun Devils went up 21-17 early in the fourth quarter on a direct snap to Skattebo, who ran for the 1-yard touchdown. Leavitt converted on a crucial third-and-18 during the drive, rifling a precise pass over the middle to Tyson.Arizona State tied the game at 14-all just before halftime when Leavitt threw a short pass Chamon Metayer, who ran 20 yards for the end zone. Kansas was hurt by two penalties over a three-play stretch on cornerback Cobee Bryant, who was flagged for holding and pass interference.Arizona State's Keyshaun Elliott and Clayton Smith were ejected in the second half for targeting. The two — who are among the Sun Devils' best defensive players — must also miss the first half of Friday's game against No. 18 Utah.<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas: It's another brutal loss for the Jayhawks, who had high expectations entering the season but have just one win midway through the schedule. Kansas was ranked No. 19 in the nation after their season-opening win just five weeks ago.Arizona State: It's another galvanizing win for the Sun Devils, who are much improved under coach Kenny Dillingham in Year 2. They'll have their biggest test of the year on Friday against No. 18 Utah.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Home vs. Houston on Oct. 19.Arizona State: Host No. 18 Utah on Friday.___

🏈 Leavitt throws 4 TDs to lift Arizona State past Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener.

New York’s Gleyber Torres and Kansas City’s MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins. It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Yankees were just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off loser Michael Lorenzen.

Verdugo’s hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole second on a play allowed to stand following a video review. Yankees manager Aaron Boone started Verdugo in left over rookie Jasson Domínguez in a defense-influenced decision. Verdugo entered the game in a 2-for-34 skid at the plate

With the Yankees trailing 3-2, Verdugo made a sliding catch on Michael Massey’s fourth-inning fly just inside the line to strand two runners. The ball hit Verdugo’s right wrist just below his glove and bounced off his chest before he grabbed it with his bare left hand.

Chisholm, playing third base this year for the first time after the Yankees acquired him from Miami at the July trade deadline, made three fine defensive plays, two with the help of first baseman Oswaldo Cabrera, starting because of Anthony Rizzo’s fractured fingers.

Four Yankees relievers combined to allow only an unearned run over four innings after ace Gerrit Cole came out, unhappy with his performance. Clay Holmes, dropped from his closer’s job last month, worked 1 2/3 innings for the win. Luke Weaver got four straight outs for the save in his postseason debut.

Yankees star Aaron Judge went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, and Royals standout Bobby Witt Jr. was 0 for 5, barking at plate umpire Adam Hamari after a called third strike in the ninth.

Juan Soto went 3 for 5 and threw out Salvador Perez in the second inning trying to score from second on Melendez’s single to right. Kansas City first baseman Yuli Gurriel threw out runners at the plate on grounders in the first and fifth.

After a day off between Games 1 and 2, the series between the AL-best Yankees and wild-card Royals resumes Monday night. These teams met in four playoffs from 1976-80, with the Yankees winning the first three and getting swept in the last.

Cole allowed four runs — three earned — and seven hits in five-plus innings. Royals starter Michael Wacha gave up three runs, four hits and three walks in four-plus innings.

Tommy Pham hit a second-inning sacrifice fly, and Torres put the Yankees ahead 2-1 in the third with a 339-foot home run just over the right-field short porch.

Melendez’s two-run homer in the fourth gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead, but Royals pitchers issued four seven-pitch walks in the fifth, forcing in runs with walks by Angel Zerpa to Austin Wells and by John Schreiber to Anthony Volpe. The Yankees had not gotten a pair of bases-loaded walks in a postseason game since Bullet Joe Bush and Joe Dugan against the New York Giants’ Rosy Ryan in Game 6 of the 1923 World Series.

Volpe's throwing error at shortstop set up pinch-hitter Garrett Hampson's two-run, sixth-inning single through a drawn-in infield that put the Royals ahead 5-4. Wells’ two-out RBI single off Lorenzen tied the score in the bottom half.

New York's Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.96 ERA) starts against the Royals' Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.14) in a matchup of left-handers. Rodón made a pair of postseason appearances for the Chicago White Sox, in relief against Oakland in 2020 and a start against Houston in 2021 which he pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing Carlos Correa's go-ahead, two-run double. Ragans won the Wild Card Series opener at Baltimore on Tuesday with six scoreless innings of four-hit ball.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728181357575.jpeg" alt="New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo reacts after driving in a run on a double against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)" />
 <figcaption>New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo reacts after driving in a run on a double against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener.New York’s Gleyber Torres and Kansas City’s MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins. It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Yankees were just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off loser Michael Lorenzen.Verdugo’s hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole second on a play allowed to stand following a video review. Yankees manager Aaron Boone started Verdugo in left over rookie Jasson Domínguez in a defense-influenced decision. Verdugo entered the game in a 2-for-34 skid at the plateWith the Yankees trailing 3-2, Verdugo made a sliding catch on Michael Massey’s fourth-inning fly just inside the line to strand two runners. The ball hit Verdugo’s right wrist just below his glove and bounced off his chest before he grabbed it with his bare left hand.Chisholm, playing third base this year for the first time after the Yankees acquired him from Miami at the July trade deadline, made three fine defensive plays, two with the help of first baseman Oswaldo Cabrera, starting because of Anthony Rizzo’s fractured fingers.Four Yankees relievers combined to allow only an unearned run over four innings after ace Gerrit Cole came out, unhappy with his performance. Clay Holmes, dropped from his closer’s job last month, worked 1 2/3 innings for the win. Luke Weaver got four straight outs for the save in his postseason debut.Yankees star Aaron Judge went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, and Royals standout Bobby Witt Jr. was 0 for 5, barking at plate umpire Adam Hamari after a called third strike in the ninth.Juan Soto went 3 for 5 and threw out Salvador Perez in the second inning trying to score from second on Melendez’s single to right. Kansas City first baseman Yuli Gurriel threw out runners at the plate on grounders in the first and fifth.After a day off between Games 1 and 2, the series between the AL-best Yankees and wild-card Royals resumes Monday night. These teams met in four playoffs from 1976-80, with the Yankees winning the first three and getting swept in the last.Cole allowed four runs — three earned — and seven hits in five-plus innings. Royals starter Michael Wacha gave up three runs, four hits and three walks in four-plus innings.Tommy Pham hit a second-inning sacrifice fly, and Torres put the Yankees ahead 2-1 in the third with a 339-foot home run just over the right-field short porch.Melendez’s two-run homer in the fourth gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead, but Royals pitchers issued four seven-pitch walks in the fifth, forcing in runs with walks by Angel Zerpa to Austin Wells and by John Schreiber to Anthony Volpe. The Yankees had not gotten a pair of bases-loaded walks in a postseason game since Bullet Joe Bush and Joe Dugan against the New York Giants’ Rosy Ryan in Game 6 of the 1923 World Series.Volpe's throwing error at shortstop set up pinch-hitter Garrett Hampson's two-run, sixth-inning single through a drawn-in infield that put the Royals ahead 5-4. Wells’ two-out RBI single off Lorenzen tied the score in the bottom half.UP NEXTNew York's Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.96 ERA) starts against the Royals' Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.14) in a matchup of left-handers. Rodón made a pair of postseason appearances for the Chicago White Sox, in relief against Oakland in 2020 and a start against Houston in 2021 which he pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing Carlos Correa's go-ahead, two-run double. Ragans won the Wild Card Series opener at Baltimore on Tuesday with six scoreless innings of four-hit ball.

⚾ Verdugo's go-ahead single lifts Yankees over Royals in ALDS opener

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Really everybody went today. Mecole (Hardman) we have listed as questionable but he practiced (the) whole practice. Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) will be listed as doubtful but he had a good week of practice, good to get him back into the swing of things and I believe that’s – Mecole practiced today, I mentioned that – questionable. Mike Danna did practice today so – he did good. Look forward to the opportunity of playing the Saints, good football team and well coached. Our guys have had a good week of practice and look forward to bringing them in here to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Should be a heck of an atmosphere and great game. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: You’re down a wide receiver, what will your practice squad moves be?

HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Really everybody went today. Mecole (Hardman) we have listed as questionable but he practiced (the) whole practice. Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) will be listed as doubtful but he had a good week of practice, good to get him back into the swing of things and I believe that’s – Mecole practiced today, I mentioned that – questionable. Mike Danna did practice today so – he did good. Look forward to the opportunity of playing the Saints, good football team and well coached. Our guys have had a good week of practice and look forward to bringing them in here to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Should be a heck of an atmosphere and great game. With that, time’s yours.”Q: You’re down a wide receiver, what will your practice squad moves be?

Chiefs Quotes: 10-5-24

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The Kansas City Royals today announced their roster for the Division Series. The roster remains unchanged from the Wild Card Series.

The Royals will carry 11 pitchers into tonight’s series opener in New York, led by starting pitchers Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. The bullpen will consist of left-handed pitchers Kris Bubic, Sam Long, Daniel Lynch IV and Angel Zerpa, and right handers Lucas Erceg, Michael Lorenzen, John Schreiber and Brady Singer.

Kansas City will have 15 position players on the active roster, led by Captain Salvador Perez, All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Dairon Blanco, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Tommy Pham and Hunter Renfroe will man the outfield, and they will carry infielders Paul DeJong, Maikel Garcia, Yuli Gurriel, Adam Frazier, Garrett Hampson and Michael Massey, as well as catcher Freddy Fermin.

Gurriel, 40, brings the most postseason experience, having played in 88 postseason games with Houston from 2017-23 and Kansas City this year, while Perez enters the Division Series 10 games shy of George Brett’s franchise record for postseason games (43).

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The Kansas City Royals today announced their roster for the Division Series. The roster remains unchanged from the Wild Card Series.The Royals will carry 11 pitchers into tonight’s series opener in New York, led by starting pitchers Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. The bullpen will consist of left-handed pitchers Kris Bubic, Sam Long, Daniel Lynch IV and Angel Zerpa, and right handers Lucas Erceg, Michael Lorenzen, John Schreiber and Brady Singer.Kansas City will have 15 position players on the active roster, led by Captain Salvador Perez, All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Dairon Blanco, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Tommy Pham and Hunter Renfroe will man the outfield, and they will carry infielders Paul DeJong, Maikel Garcia, Yuli Gurriel, Adam Frazier, Garrett Hampson and Michael Massey, as well as catcher Freddy Fermin.Gurriel, 40, brings the most postseason experience, having played in 88 postseason games with Houston from 2017-23 and Kansas City this year, while Perez enters the Division Series 10 games shy of George Brett’s franchise record for postseason games (43).

Royals Announce 2024 American League Divisional Series Roster

By ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

The Sacred Heart Knights played their third consecutive game away from Salina on Friday night and faced an undefeated Sedgwick Cardinals team on its homecoming night.

The Knights were shutout for the majority of the game until a late touchdown made the final score 39-7 in favor of the Cardinals. Sedgwick is now 5-0 while Sacred Heart falls to 0-4.

Sedgwick led 13-0 after the opening quarter, 27-0 at halftime, and 39-0 after three quarters. Sacred Heart avoided being shutout by scoring with about 3:00 left in the game.

Despite the loss, the Knights have plenty to play for in the final three games of the regular season. Sacred Heart returns home to host Bennington on Friday, then travels to Herington for a Week 7 matchup before facing Republic County on its senior night on October 25th.

With Valley Heights in the driver's seat for the top seed in Class 1A, District 5, Sacred Heart could conceivably earn the second-seed and a district round home game on November 1st with head-to-head wins each of the next three weeks.

The Knights will face the Bennington Bulldogs at 7pm on Friday from JRI Stadium on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University. The game can been seen and heard at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

By ADAM COULTER Salina Post ContributorThe Sacred Heart Knights played their third consecutive game away from Salina on Friday night and faced an undefeated Sedgwick Cardinals team on its homecoming night.The Knights were shutout for the majority of the game until a late touchdown made the final score 39-7 in favor of the Cardinals. Sedgwick is now 5-0 while Sacred Heart falls to 0-4.<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>Sedgwick led 13-0 after the opening quarter, 27-0 at halftime, and 39-0 after three quarters. Sacred Heart avoided being shutout by scoring with about 3:00 left in the game.Despite the loss, the Knights have plenty to play for in the final three games of the regular season. Sacred Heart returns home to host Bennington on Friday, then travels to Herington for a Week 7 matchup before facing Republic County on its senior night on October 25th.With Valley Heights in the driver's seat for the top seed in Class 1A, District 5, Sacred Heart could conceivably earn the second-seed and a district round home game on November 1st with head-to-head wins each of the next three weeks.The Knights will face the Bennington Bulldogs at 7pm on Friday from JRI Stadium on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University. The game can been seen and heard at <a href="http://salinapost.com/">salinapost.com</a>.

Sacred Heart shutdown at Sedgwick

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

There may be no standard definition of a sports "superfan," but everyone knows one when they see one. Cleveland's John Adams comes to mind. The Guardians fan attended every home baseball game from 1973 until his death, at the age of 71, in 2023. He literally beat the drum from the stands for 48 seasons, or more than 3,500 games.

Kansas City has its own Superfan. Chris Coats, a United States Postal Service employee from Raytown, Mo., has been attending Royals games for most of his life, including 31 of the team's 33 playoff games since 2014. Coats attended the two American League Wild Card games in Baltimore earlier this week and is sticking around on the east coast for the Divisional Series that begins Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The goal is to make it back to Kauffman Stadium for Wednesday's game three in the series.

"It's going to be about 18 hours after Monday night to try to get back by Wednesday," Coats said in a Friday appearance on 1590 KVGB/95.5 FM's "Sports Day" show. "I think we can manage. We did 16 to Baltimore and we did okay. I've got a home-game streak going of over 1,600 games. I've got to make it."

With 81 home games a season, Coats' streak dates back more than 20 seasons. Things picked up around 2009 when Coats began following the Royals to other stadiums. Wearing a promotional Royals flag as a cape, he made the Fox Sports Kansas City broadcast at a game in Houston. The nickname "Superfan Chris" was christened.

"I was walking back and I found Ryan Lefebvre," Coats said. "We just got to talking. I had driven to Houston and I told him I was driving to Pittsburgh. He said, 'Oh wow, we'll have to get you on TV there, too. That's a heck of a drive.'"

Coats became a regular on Royals broadcasts as the team continued to struggle with losing seasons from 2004 to 2012. The Royals finished the 2013 season at 86-76, then made it to Game Seven of the 2014 World Series. Coats was one of several fans that postseason featured on the side of buses in downtown Kansas City.

Coats has now been to all 30 Major League Baseball cities but has yet to visit the new Truist Park in Atlanta or LoanDepot Park in Miami. Also a Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Tigers fan, he frequently attends football games in the fall.

"I get five weeks off every year but I've been saving a lot of that every year for something like this," Coats said of the MLB playoffs. "I asked for the whole month of October off and they gave it to me. I told them I'd come back as long as the Royals aren't playing. I don't expect to use all the time, but I guess I will if they make it to the World Series."

During his streak, Coats has married and had two boys. The youngest son, at just five years old, has attended between 50 and 60 Royals games this year and made the 16-hour trip to Baltimore with his father.

"I wanted to include him on the ride," Coats said. "I worked Monday, then I packed up the car and we drove. We had about 24 hours to get there. We made it work and what an incredible series to watch."

Coats has watched games from the old Yankee Stadium and the new park that is already 15 years old. As discussion in Kansas City turns to a new downtown stadium, Coats said there are plenty of good examples to choose from.

"A lot of the National League ballparks are pretty good," he said. "Pittsburgh and San Diego, there's just something about the background. Even St. Louis, with the Arch in the background, the downtown atmosphere is pretty cool. I know the Royals are pushing for it and the fans don't like it but it's something else."

Kansas City will play games one and two of the American League Divisional Series at Yankee Stadium on Saturday and Monday evenings. Game three moves to Kansas City with a time to be determined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728052435978.jpeg" alt="Royals "Superfan" Chris Coats (left) has attended more than 1,600 consecutive Royals games at Kauffman Stadium, and has attended 31 of the team's last 33 playoff games dating back to 2014." />
 <figcaption>Royals "Superfan" Chris Coats (left) has attended more than 1,600 consecutive Royals games at Kauffman Stadium, and has attended 31 of the team's last 33 playoff games dating back to 2014.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThere may be no standard definition of a sports "superfan," but everyone knows one when they see one. Cleveland's John Adams comes to mind. The Guardians fan attended every home baseball game from 1973 until his death, at the age of 71, in 2023. He literally beat the drum from the stands for 48 seasons, or more than 3,500 games.Kansas City has its own Superfan. Chris Coats, a United States Postal Service employee from Raytown, Mo., has been attending Royals games for most of his life, including 31 of the team's 33 playoff games since 2014. Coats attended the two American League Wild Card games in Baltimore earlier this week and is sticking around on the east coast for the Divisional Series that begins Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The goal is to make it back to Kauffman Stadium for Wednesday's game three in the series."It's going to be about 18 hours after Monday night to try to get back by Wednesday," Coats said in a Friday appearance on 1590 KVGB/95.5 FM's "Sports Day" show. "I think we can manage. We did 16 to Baltimore and we did okay. I've got a home-game streak going of over 1,600 games. I've got to make it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728051719002.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>With 81 home games a season, Coats' streak dates back more than 20 seasons. Things picked up around 2009 when Coats began following the Royals to other stadiums. Wearing a promotional Royals flag as a cape, he made the Fox Sports Kansas City broadcast at a game in Houston. The nickname "Superfan Chris" was christened."I was walking back and I found Ryan Lefebvre," Coats said. "We just got to talking. I had driven to Houston and I told him I was driving to Pittsburgh. He said, 'Oh wow, we'll have to get you on TV there, too. That's a heck of a drive.'"Coats became a regular on Royals broadcasts as the team continued to struggle with losing seasons from 2004 to 2012. The Royals finished the 2013 season at 86-76, then made it to Game Seven of the 2014 World Series. Coats was one of several fans that postseason featured on the side of buses in downtown Kansas City.Coats has now been to all 30 Major League Baseball cities but has yet to visit the new Truist Park in Atlanta or LoanDepot Park in Miami. Also a Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Tigers fan, he frequently attends football games in the fall."I get five weeks off every year but I've been saving a lot of that every year for something like this," Coats said of the MLB playoffs. "I asked for the whole month of October off and they gave it to me. I told them I'd come back as long as the Royals aren't playing. I don't expect to use all the time, but I guess I will if they make it to the World Series."During his streak, Coats has married and had two boys. The youngest son, at just five years old, has attended between 50 and 60 Royals games this year and made the 16-hour trip to Baltimore with his father."I wanted to include him on the ride," Coats said. "I worked Monday, then I packed up the car and we drove. We had about 24 hours to get there. We made it work and what an incredible series to watch."Coats has watched games from the old Yankee Stadium and the new park that is already 15 years old. As discussion in Kansas City turns to a new downtown stadium, Coats said there are plenty of good examples to choose from."A lot of the National League ballparks are pretty good," he said. "Pittsburgh and San Diego, there's just something about the background. Even St. Louis, with the Arch in the background, the downtown atmosphere is pretty cool. I know the Royals are pushing for it and the fans don't like it but it's something else."Kansas City will play games one and two of the American League Divisional Series at Yankee Stadium on Saturday and Monday evenings. Game three moves to Kansas City with a time to be determined.

Kansas City 'Superfan' looking to keep attendance streak alive during playoffs

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

Southeast of Saline handled their business and then some on Friday night, handing the Lyons Lions a 66-0 beatdown to celebrate homecoming in style.

With this win, the Trojans move to 5-0 on the year and 1-0 in district play, while Lyons falls to 1-4/0-2.

As expected, Southeast put on a show on both sides of the ball, racking up 542 yards of total offense, and scoring 60 of their 66 points in the first half.

Gannon Jacobson started the show with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Thaxton and a 14-yard touchdown run, bookending a 5-yard Amarion Holub score.

In the second quarter, Jacobson would four more touchdowns, including two through the air to Kaden Barragen and Kanyon Douglas, and two long runs of 44 and 64.

Up 60-0 at the half, SES emptied out its bench, giving their second and third stringers an opportunity in this varsity bout.

LaVone Hopkins capitalized on his chance, punching in the day's final score on a 4-yard rush from the red zone.

Gannon Jacobson was the star of the show, completing 5-13 passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns and rattling off 207 more yards and three additional scores on the ground.

Southeast will travel to Hillsboro (2-3) next week for a bonus Trojan War, while Lyons returns home to face 0-5 Nickerson.

You can watch the full broadcast of this game any time on-demand below.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostSoutheast of Saline handled their business and then some on Friday night, handing the Lyons Lions a 66-0 beatdown to celebrate homecoming in style.With this win, the Trojans move to 5-0 on the year and 1-0 in district play, while Lyons falls to 1-4/0-2.<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>As expected, Southeast put on a show on both sides of the ball, racking up 542 yards of total offense, and scoring 60 of their 66 points in the first half.Gannon Jacobson started the show with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Thaxton and a 14-yard touchdown run, bookending a 5-yard Amarion Holub score.In the second quarter, Jacobson would four more touchdowns, including two through the air to Kaden Barragen and Kanyon Douglas, and two long runs of 44 and 64.Up 60-0 at the half, SES emptied out its bench, giving their second and third stringers an opportunity in this varsity bout.LaVone Hopkins capitalized on his chance, punching in the day's final score on a 4-yard rush from the red zone.Gannon Jacobson was the star of the show, completing 5-13 passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns and rattling off 207 more yards and three additional scores on the ground.Southeast will travel to Hillsboro (2-3) next week for a bonus Trojan War, while Lyons returns home to face 0-5 Nickerson.You can watch the full broadcast of this game any time on-demand below.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FZHp4qCHMG8"></iframe>
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Trojans tame Lions in 66-0 beatdown

The Ell-Saline Cardinals continued their run of recent dominance on Friday with an emphatic 45-0 homecoming victory over the area rival Solomon Gorillas.

With this win, the Cardinals, who have won four straight, move to 4-1, while the Gorillas remain winless at 0-5.

Ell-Saline started the fireworks early, punching in a 2-yard Reese Krone touchdown run, set up by a Branton Gosvener interception on the game's first drive.

After forcing a quick three and out, Krone connected with Trey Williams from 35 yards away to extend the lead to 16.

The Cardinals’ next two drives would stall out as penalties wiped out a pair of would-be Kas Kramer touchdowns, but the junior wouldn’t be denied, striking on a touchdown run from 40 yards away on the very next drive.

With the spark lit, Kramer went on a rampage, following that score with an eight-yard touchdown scamper and finishing his day with an explosive 55-yard punt return to the house.

Before the final whistle, Kramer would have over 100 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.

With the rushing attack picking up huge chunks of yardage, Krone’s arm wasn’t called upon often in this game, but the junior made the most of his six attempts, connecting on three of them, including a second touchdown pass to Trey Williams to officially put this game on ice.

Ell-Saline will travel to Little River (5-0) next week while Solomon returns home to face Goessel (1-4).

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Ell-Saline Cardinals continued their run of recent dominance on Friday with an emphatic 45-0 homecoming victory over the area rival Solomon Gorillas.With this win, the Cardinals, who have won four straight, move to 4-1, while the Gorillas remain winless at 0-5.<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>Ell-Saline started the fireworks early, punching in a 2-yard Reese Krone touchdown run, set up by a Branton Gosvener interception on the game's first drive.After forcing a quick three and out, Krone connected with Trey Williams from 35 yards away to extend the lead to 16.The Cardinals’ next two drives would stall out as penalties wiped out a pair of would-be Kas Kramer touchdowns, but the junior wouldn’t be denied, striking on a touchdown run from 40 yards away on the very next drive.With the spark lit, Kramer went on a rampage, following that score with an eight-yard touchdown scamper and finishing his day with an explosive 55-yard punt return to the house.Before the final whistle, Kramer would have over 100 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.With the rushing attack picking up huge chunks of yardage, Krone’s arm wasn’t called upon often in this game, but the junior made the most of his six attempts, connecting on three of them, including a second touchdown pass to Trey Williams to officially put this game on ice.Ell-Saline will travel to Little River (5-0) next week while Solomon returns home to face Goessel (1-4).You can watch the full broadcast of this game any time on-demand below.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LhWtF0UHLgE"></iframe>
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Cardinals silence Gorillas in 45-0 homecoming rout

🏈 Area High School Football Scores: Week Five

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: What do the Saints bring in the return game?

TOUB: “The Saints are very good across the board. They have great personnel, they fly around, (and they’re) very well coached. (Saints Special Teams Coordinator) Darren Rizzi does a heck of a job; he has those guys flying around. When you watch the tape, it’s really impressive. On the return game, (Saints WR/RS Rashid) Shaheed is very good. I mean kick return (and) punt return, so smooth, he can hit north to south, he can get around you, got great speed, good decision-maker. He obviously had a muff last week but that’s an outlier for him really, we know – we have a lot of respect for him, he’s a very dangerous returner. They’re good across the board.”

Q: On Matt Araiza’s importance last game.

TOUB: “Yeah, he (Matt Araiza) had a great game, he had four punts – four inside the 20 (yard line), 50.0 gross (yards) and 50.0 net (yards). I mean, that’s pretty darn good numbers, I thought he was definitely a contender for AFC Player of the Week, I thought, on special teams. Obviously, I think – I can’t remember who got it – oh, Tennessee kid, the kicker got it at Tennessee (Titans K Nick Folk) it was well deserved, too. He (Matt Araiza) had a great game, he was important in that game for us, he flipped the field. We made him go the distance there, we got the ball back and then we scored with (Xavier) Worthy’s touchdown right after that so we had a big hand in that. Matt played an important part in the guys going down and downing the ball, so it was big.”

Q: On Harrison Butker’s missed kick.

TOUB: “I knew it was a hard (kick) – it’s going to be good if he (Harrison Butker) got it. I thought he had a real good shot at it, it was just half a yard short when you go down and look at actually where it landed. It was so deep that the returner couldn’t even get to it. We knew a returner was in there (and that) we had to cover that kick if it was short but the chance that we had – I mean, it was a perfect setup. They weren’t going to get the ball, they weren't going to get the ball with the field position, the time was going to run out. Pat (Patrick Mahomes) did a good job there, getting us in a situation, he’s so smart (laughter), he gets us in – he knows exactly what to do there, when we want to try a long one there so it’s perfect.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q: How difficult is it to lose a piece like Rashee Rice, hit the reset button and pull off what you were able to in that situation?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, there’s emotions that go into it, number one, that’s the human element. Then, there’s the coaching part and then the players aspect of being able to understand personnel-wise. He (Rashee Rice) was obviously a big part of that gameplan, and he always is. That’s why throughout the week it’s important to make sure that guys are – even if it’s not in practice, (they’re) somewhere at practice getting reps in certain positions. There’s a little bit of juggling that goes on in a short period of time – personnel-wise – and then understanding who’s going to run the next route that was in Rashee’s spot and if you take that person from a route, then you’ve got to replace him. It’s kind of a domino effect so I thought that (Wide Receivers) Coach (Connor) Embree and the wide receivers, tight ends (and) (Tight Ends) Coach Mel (Tom Melvin) – I thought everybody did a great job of getting back into the swing of things that a lot of people don’t see but guys have got to always be ready.”

Q: Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen offers a lot of unscouted looks. How do you go about preparing for something like that?

NAGY:&nbsp;“You want to make sure you – 30,000-foot view-wise – have a ‘good versus all’ concept. When teams and coordinators have different looks, you don’t want to get caught with something that you think they’re going to give you and then it’s something opposite. I think we’ve done a pretty good job with that this year of making sure the guys feel comfortable and then when a play is called, they can go out and execute in a quick manner.”

Q: As a former quarterback, how do you get a quarterback back into rhythm when things aren’t going as planned?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Staying calm and going back the basics. We’ve had a lot of great things happen in this offense because of him (Patrick Mahomes). There’s a lot of things that happen within one play, whether it’s a protection, whether it's a throw or whether it’s a wrong route that happens on an interception. So, just understanding that part of it and then resetting and using that next play mentality. Pat’s – there’s no one better than him because he’s so competitive and he wants to be great, so he puts a lot of pressure on himself in a good way. It’s a healthy pressure because he wants to do great, so we just want to make sure that we balance that, keep it contained and then go out there and cut it loose.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I just got done talking to (ESPN’s Play-By-Play announcer) Joe Buck and (PFHOF QB) Troy Aikman. (It) brought me back to the days when I was in the NFC. (I) used to see those guys all the time in New York. With that, I’ll open it up because it’s time to talk to you guys (the media).”

Q:&nbsp;In what ways do you still see the effects of Saints S Tyrann Mathieu in your locker room?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Listen, I’ve got a special place in my heart for (Saints S) Tyrann (Mathieu), right? He’s a special guy. It’ll be great to see him. I think the last time – I think we saw him when we went down there (to New Orleans) (for the) preseason game. Yeah, that’s the last time we got the chance to give him a big hug but (I) love Tyrann. You know, I see it every day, it’s a little thing but our DBs, before we – you guys aren’t out there until we get to stretch, right? Usually about 10 minutes before that, all of the DBs are out on the field and they’re doing footwork and (Defensive Backs Coach) Dave’s (Merritt) with them and (Safeties Coach) Donald’s (D’Alesio) with them but that was really established with Tyrann all the way back (in 2019). He was pulling those guys out of the locker room 10 minutes early and so that’s a leadership thing. I think he laid a foundation here, especially in the secondary, of some of the things that we do quite frankly and the way (that) they operate. I know those years, looking back when he was first here, (Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed) LJ was young at the time, and I remember him learning from Tyrann. Then, Tyrann left, and LJ was teaching Trent (McDuffie) so there’s been a trickle down and I think we owe Tyrann a lot for what he did when he was here.”

Q:&nbsp;What is the main reason that you’ve been able to be so successful against running back production this year?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Every game’s different, right? So, you hope that continues. I think the guys are playing like that (locks fingers), I think the chemistry and being lock and step is really important. I just got asked a similar question by (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) and I do think the fact that our linebackers play aggressively downhill helps us, too. I think it helps the (defensive) lineman in front of them. If we can keep doing that and making sure we don’t give up – you know, the thing that’s kind of bit us a little bit is a couple of explosive passes here and there and that would kind of get the offense going. We were doing pretty good and then (Chargers QB) Justin (Herbert) hit that slant to the slot there and Chamarri (Conner) was trying to – thank God Bryan Cook ran him down but if we can eliminate those plays and keep playing run defense like that then we can get them in longer third downs and try to have some success.”

Q:&nbsp;The Saints rank second in the NFL on third down. What do you see from them?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, I think they’re really good because they mix it up. It’s not just pass and it’s not just trying to chuck it down deep. I mean, they’ll run the football and they have some really good people to do that so that’ll kind of get you on your heels a little bit. (Saints QB) Derek (Carr) knows exactly what to – I’ve always had respect for Derek Carr and how he gets them in and out – or out of a bad play and into a good one. I think that has a lot to do with it and he’s a very accurate quarterback. When you’re talking about a third-and-three or four or five, or whatever, he’s smart enough to say, ‘Hey, I’m just going to get the first down here.’ I think that’s why they’re really good.”

Q:&nbsp;What sort of improvements are you looking to make on the defense?

JONES:&nbsp;“Tackling. I think we missed a couple tackles last week. (In the) early start of the game, giving up big plays, eliminating our opponent from scoring at the beginning of the game. I think that’s haunted for the last two games – first drive, starting (as) fast as we finish.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Saints QB Derek Carr and the Saints as you’ve been studying film this week?

JONES:&nbsp;“They’re playing really good football. It’s a playoff caliber team (that) we’re facing. (They have a) heck of a defense and the offense is relying heavy on (Saints QB) Derek Carr and (Saints RB) Alvin Kamara.”

Q:&nbsp;It seems like there are a lot of ex-Chiefs on this Saints team, do you expect to catch up with some old friends before the game?

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: What do the Saints bring in the return game?TOUB: “The Saints are very good across the board. They have great personnel, they fly around, (and they’re) very well coached. (Saints Special Teams Coordinator) Darren Rizzi does a heck of a job; he has those guys flying around. When you watch the tape, it’s really impressive. On the return game, (Saints WR/RS Rashid) Shaheed is very good. I mean kick return (and) punt return, so smooth, he can hit north to south, he can get around you, got great speed, good decision-maker. He obviously had a muff last week but that’s an outlier for him really, we know – we have a lot of respect for him, he’s a very dangerous returner. They’re good across the board.”Q: On Matt Araiza’s importance last game.TOUB: “Yeah, he (Matt Araiza) had a great game, he had four punts – four inside the 20 (yard line), 50.0 gross (yards) and 50.0 net (yards). I mean, that’s pretty darn good numbers, I thought he was definitely a contender for AFC Player of the Week, I thought, on special teams. Obviously, I think – I can’t remember who got it – oh, Tennessee kid, the kicker got it at Tennessee (Titans K Nick Folk) it was well deserved, too. He (Matt Araiza) had a great game, he was important in that game for us, he flipped the field. We made him go the distance there, we got the ball back and then we scored with (Xavier) Worthy’s touchdown right after that so we had a big hand in that. Matt played an important part in the guys going down and downing the ball, so it was big.”Q: On Harrison Butker’s missed kick.TOUB: “I knew it was a hard (kick) – it’s going to be good if he (Harrison Butker) got it. I thought he had a real good shot at it, it was just half a yard short when you go down and look at actually where it landed. It was so deep that the returner couldn’t even get to it. We knew a returner was in there (and that) we had to cover that kick if it was short but the chance that we had – I mean, it was a perfect setup. They weren’t going to get the ball, they weren't going to get the ball with the field position, the time was going to run out. Pat (Patrick Mahomes) did a good job there, getting us in a situation, he’s so smart (laughter), he gets us in – he knows exactly what to do there, when we want to try a long one there so it’s perfect.”&nbsp;&nbsp;OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: How difficult is it to lose a piece like Rashee Rice, hit the reset button and pull off what you were able to in that situation?NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, there’s emotions that go into it, number one, that’s the human element. Then, there’s the coaching part and then the players aspect of being able to understand personnel-wise. He (Rashee Rice) was obviously a big part of that gameplan, and he always is. That’s why throughout the week it’s important to make sure that guys are – even if it’s not in practice, (they’re) somewhere at practice getting reps in certain positions. There’s a little bit of juggling that goes on in a short period of time – personnel-wise – and then understanding who’s going to run the next route that was in Rashee’s spot and if you take that person from a route, then you’ve got to replace him. It’s kind of a domino effect so I thought that (Wide Receivers) Coach (Connor) Embree and the wide receivers, tight ends (and) (Tight Ends) Coach Mel (Tom Melvin) – I thought everybody did a great job of getting back into the swing of things that a lot of people don’t see but guys have got to always be ready.”Q: Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen offers a lot of unscouted looks. How do you go about preparing for something like that?NAGY:&nbsp;“You want to make sure you – 30,000-foot view-wise – have a ‘good versus all’ concept. When teams and coordinators have different looks, you don’t want to get caught with something that you think they’re going to give you and then it’s something opposite. I think we’ve done a pretty good job with that this year of making sure the guys feel comfortable and then when a play is called, they can go out and execute in a quick manner.”Q: As a former quarterback, how do you get a quarterback back into rhythm when things aren’t going as planned?NAGY:&nbsp;“Staying calm and going back the basics. We’ve had a lot of great things happen in this offense because of him (Patrick Mahomes). There’s a lot of things that happen within one play, whether it’s a protection, whether it's a throw or whether it’s a wrong route that happens on an interception. So, just understanding that part of it and then resetting and using that next play mentality. Pat’s – there’s no one better than him because he’s so competitive and he wants to be great, so he puts a lot of pressure on himself in a good way. It’s a healthy pressure because he wants to do great, so we just want to make sure that we balance that, keep it contained and then go out there and cut it loose.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I just got done talking to (ESPN’s Play-By-Play announcer) Joe Buck and (PFHOF QB) Troy Aikman. (It) brought me back to the days when I was in the NFC. (I) used to see those guys all the time in New York. With that, I’ll open it up because it’s time to talk to you guys (the media).”Q:&nbsp;In what ways do you still see the effects of Saints S Tyrann Mathieu in your locker room?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Listen, I’ve got a special place in my heart for (Saints S) Tyrann (Mathieu), right? He’s a special guy. It’ll be great to see him. I think the last time – I think we saw him when we went down there (to New Orleans) (for the) preseason game. Yeah, that’s the last time we got the chance to give him a big hug but (I) love Tyrann. You know, I see it every day, it’s a little thing but our DBs, before we – you guys aren’t out there until we get to stretch, right? Usually about 10 minutes before that, all of the DBs are out on the field and they’re doing footwork and (Defensive Backs Coach) Dave’s (Merritt) with them and (Safeties Coach) Donald’s (D’Alesio) with them but that was really established with Tyrann all the way back (in 2019). He was pulling those guys out of the locker room 10 minutes early and so that’s a leadership thing. I think he laid a foundation here, especially in the secondary, of some of the things that we do quite frankly and the way (that) they operate. I know those years, looking back when he was first here, (Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed) LJ was young at the time, and I remember him learning from Tyrann. Then, Tyrann left, and LJ was teaching Trent (McDuffie) so there’s been a trickle down and I think we owe Tyrann a lot for what he did when he was here.”Q:&nbsp;What is the main reason that you’ve been able to be so successful against running back production this year?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Every game’s different, right? So, you hope that continues. I think the guys are playing like that (locks fingers), I think the chemistry and being lock and step is really important. I just got asked a similar question by (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) and I do think the fact that our linebackers play aggressively downhill helps us, too. I think it helps the (defensive) lineman in front of them. If we can keep doing that and making sure we don’t give up – you know, the thing that’s kind of bit us a little bit is a couple of explosive passes here and there and that would kind of get the offense going. We were doing pretty good and then (Chargers QB) Justin (Herbert) hit that slant to the slot there and Chamarri (Conner) was trying to – thank God Bryan Cook ran him down but if we can eliminate those plays and keep playing run defense like that then we can get them in longer third downs and try to have some success.”Q:&nbsp;The Saints rank second in the NFL on third down. What do you see from them?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, I think they’re really good because they mix it up. It’s not just pass and it’s not just trying to chuck it down deep. I mean, they’ll run the football and they have some really good people to do that so that’ll kind of get you on your heels a little bit. (Saints QB) Derek (Carr) knows exactly what to – I’ve always had respect for Derek Carr and how he gets them in and out – or out of a bad play and into a good one. I think that has a lot to do with it and he’s a very accurate quarterback. When you’re talking about a third-and-three or four or five, or whatever, he’s smart enough to say, ‘Hey, I’m just going to get the first down here.’ I think that’s why they’re really good.”Chiefs Player QuotesOctober 4, 2024DT CHRIS JONESQ:&nbsp;What sort of improvements are you looking to make on the defense?JONES:&nbsp;“Tackling. I think we missed a couple tackles last week. (In the) early start of the game, giving up big plays, eliminating our opponent from scoring at the beginning of the game. I think that’s haunted for the last two games – first drive, starting (as) fast as we finish.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Saints QB Derek Carr and the Saints as you’ve been studying film this week?JONES:&nbsp;“They’re playing really good football. It’s a playoff caliber team (that) we’re facing. (They have a) heck of a defense and the offense is relying heavy on (Saints QB) Derek Carr and (Saints RB) Alvin Kamara.”Q:&nbsp;It seems like there are a lot of ex-Chiefs on this Saints team, do you expect to catch up with some old friends before the game?

Chiefs Quotes: 10-4-24

The Salina Post Game of the Week heads to the world of 8-man football for an all-area clash between the Ell-Saline Cardinals (3-1), and the Solomon Gorillas (0-4).

For Ell-Saline, this game is an opportunity to continue their recent run of dominance that has seen the Cardinals collect huge wins over Osborne and Canton-Galva after a brief week-one stumble at the hands of now 4-0 Hanover.

“I really like the progress we’ve made since game one,” Ell-Saline head coach Joe Roche said. “Our kids have been very detail oriented and they’re learning every step of the way. Sometimes you think you can get away with things in your first varsity game that you just can’t but we’ve grown a lot since then.”

While Solomon enters this week’s contest at 0-4, the progress made by one of the youngest teams in the state of Kansas, with a roster holding just two seniors, is apparent, and will be tested against another of 8-man Division I’s best.

“I’ve been impressed with our resilience so far,” Gorilla head coach Devin Rizzo said. “We’ve faced a tough schedule, and we’ve been hit with a lot of adversity, but our guys continue to show up every single day with great effort, great energy and a great love of the game of football. We’re very young but we’re focusing on the experience that we’re gaining.”

Many stars will take to the field tonight, but perhaps none brighter than Ell-Saline quarterback Reese Krone, who has puzzled opposing defenses with his 6-5, 220 point frame, strong arm, and downhill rushing ability.

“Reese fits right in with everybody and the kids know him as an outstanding guy,” Roche said. “He’s a great leader, the kids know he’s a gamer and he’s the kind of guy you want on your side.”

The quarterback matchup will be one to watch as sophomore standout Brecken Coup continues to rehab an injury that took him off the field for a majority of the first four games, but with the starter back in the saddle the Gorillas should ready to strike on offense.

While the Cardinals enter this game as heavy favorites, Solomon will look to use this contest to take another step toward the program they want to be, as this incredibly youthful roster continues to grow and mature.

“[Ell-Saline] fires off the football on both sides of the ball and they do things the right way,” Rizzo said. “The program Joe Roche has built down there is very impressive and I have a ton of respect for him and the way he does things. Our schedule is tough but we have an opportunity to go play a program that does things the right way, this is how we lay the groundwork of where we want to be.”

Kickoff in Brookville is scheduled for 7:00 and pregame coverage with livestream video and audio commentary will begin on Salina Post at 6:40.

You can tune into our broadcast of this game below 100% free.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Salina Post Game of the Week heads to the world of 8-man football for an all-area clash between the Ell-Saline Cardinals (3-1), and the Solomon Gorillas (0-4).<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>For Ell-Saline, this game is an opportunity to continue their recent run of dominance that has seen the Cardinals collect huge wins over Osborne and Canton-Galva after a brief week-one stumble at the hands of now 4-0 Hanover.“I really like the progress we’ve made since game one,” Ell-Saline head coach Joe Roche said. “Our kids have been very detail oriented and they’re learning every step of the way. Sometimes you think you can get away with things in your first varsity game that you just can’t but we’ve grown a lot since then.”While Solomon enters this week’s contest at 0-4, the progress made by one of the youngest teams in the state of Kansas, with a roster holding just two seniors, is apparent, and will be tested against another of 8-man Division I’s best.“I’ve been impressed with our resilience so far,” Gorilla head coach Devin Rizzo said. “We’ve faced a tough schedule, and we’ve been hit with a lot of adversity, but our guys continue to show up every single day with great effort, great energy and a great love of the game of football. We’re very young but we’re focusing on the experience that we’re gaining.”Many stars will take to the field tonight, but perhaps none brighter than Ell-Saline quarterback Reese Krone, who has puzzled opposing defenses with his 6-5, 220 point frame, strong arm, and downhill rushing ability.“Reese fits right in with everybody and the kids know him as an outstanding guy,” Roche said. “He’s a great leader, the kids know he’s a gamer and he’s the kind of guy you want on your side.”The quarterback matchup will be one to watch as sophomore standout Brecken Coup continues to rehab an injury that took him off the field for a majority of the first four games, but with the starter back in the saddle the Gorillas should ready to strike on offense.While the Cardinals enter this game as heavy favorites, Solomon will look to use this contest to take another step toward the program they want to be, as this incredibly youthful roster continues to grow and mature.“[Ell-Saline] fires off the football on both sides of the ball and they do things the right way,” Rizzo said. “The program Joe Roche has built down there is very impressive and I have a ton of respect for him and the way he does things. Our schedule is tough but we have an opportunity to go play a program that does things the right way, this is how we lay the groundwork of where we want to be.”Kickoff in Brookville is scheduled for 7:00 and pregame coverage with livestream video and audio commentary will begin on Salina Post at 6:40.You can tune into our broadcast of this game below 100% free.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LhWtF0UHLgE"></iframe>
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Cardinals clash with Gorillas on Salina Post Game of the Week

After delivering an unexpected 40-6 beatdown to the Eagles in Kingman last week, the Southeast of Saline football team will turn its attention to the district portion of their schedule as they begin grappling for postseason seeding.

Even short-handed and in enemy territory, the Trojans dominated last Friday, proving once again that they are in the conversation among the top teams in class 2A, and showcasing the depth of their roster.

“I thought our defense played outstanding at Kingman,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “They do a good job with a lot of things offensively but our kids were in the right spots and did a really good job.”

These first four weeks have provided true tests for the Trojans, who now hold wins over 3-1 Beloit and 2-2 Clay Center and Kingman, whose only losses came at the hands of SES and other state powers in 4-0 Louisburg and the defending 3A state champs in Cheney.

“The growth with our kids started in week one with Minneapolis and in the last three weeks they’ve taken big steps forward,” Gebhardt said. “We’re playing physical and you have to in games like that.”

First up in district play for Southeast (4-0) is Lyons (1-3), which has struggled mightily in recent years but is improving with a win already this season.

While the Lions don’t pose an immediate threat to SES, having lost in each of the last two years by a combined score of 154-7, the Trojans are keeping their focus within, and remain committed to playing better each and every week.

“We still have things we need to improve,” he said. “We need to continue to play team defense and we still need to watch film and make fewer mistakes on offense. If we can do that I think we’ll be in good shape.”

Despite being heavy favorites for their homecoming contest, Southeast still needs to take care of business if they want to stake their spot at the top of district 6.

&nbsp;“Every game is important and every district game is even more important,” Gebhardt said. “Everyone else is continuing to work and get better and we have to do the same as we continue to play hard and physical. At the end of the day this a league game, it’s a district game and we need to continue to play at a high level.”

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 at the link below 100% free on Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostAfter delivering an unexpected 40-6 beatdown to the Eagles in Kingman last week, the Southeast of Saline football team will turn its attention to the district portion of their schedule as they begin grappling for postseason seeding.<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>Even short-handed and in enemy territory, the Trojans dominated last Friday, proving once again that they are in the conversation among the top teams in class 2A, and showcasing the depth of their roster.“I thought our defense played outstanding at Kingman,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “They do a good job with a lot of things offensively but our kids were in the right spots and did a really good job.”These first four weeks have provided true tests for the Trojans, who now hold wins over 3-1 Beloit and 2-2 Clay Center and Kingman, whose only losses came at the hands of SES and other state powers in 4-0 Louisburg and the defending 3A state champs in Cheney.“The growth with our kids started in week one with Minneapolis and in the last three weeks they’ve taken big steps forward,” Gebhardt said. “We’re playing physical and you have to in games like that.”First up in district play for Southeast (4-0) is Lyons (1-3), which has struggled mightily in recent years but is improving with a win already this season.While the Lions don’t pose an immediate threat to SES, having lost in each of the last two years by a combined score of 154-7, the Trojans are keeping their focus within, and remain committed to playing better each and every week.“We still have things we need to improve,” he said. “We need to continue to play team defense and we still need to watch film and make fewer mistakes on offense. If we can do that I think we’ll be in good shape.”Despite being heavy favorites for their homecoming contest, Southeast still needs to take care of business if they want to stake their spot at the top of district 6.&nbsp;“Every game is important and every district game is even more important,” Gebhardt said. “Everyone else is continuing to work and get better and we have to do the same as we continue to play hard and physical. At the end of the day this a league game, it’s a district game and we need to continue to play at a high level.”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 at the link below 100% free on Salina Post.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FZHp4qCHMG8"></iframe>
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Trojans welcome in Lyons for homecoming

The Salina Post Sports Friday Night Preview show returns for week five, 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 Joe Roche (Ell-Saline) and Devin Rizzo (Solomon), 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 five.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UxRUCtWCAEA"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Post Sports Friday Night Preview show returns for week five, 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 Joe Roche (Ell-Saline) and Devin Rizzo (Solomon), 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 five.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728056618802.png" alt="" />
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Salina Post Sports Friday Night Preview: Week Five

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

With the high school football season reaching the halfway point, this Friday will be a busy one for all 11 schools in our area when week five kicks off tonight.

In Class 5A Salina Central will travel to take on Newton while South battles Valley Center. From the NCKL Abilene will clash with Marysville while Chapman faces Concordia. In the NCAA Southeast of Saline hosts Lyons for homecoming, Ellsworth squares off with Hillsboro, Sacred Heart travels to Sedgwick and Minneapolis hosts Halstead, and finally in Class 1A Bennington is at Valley Heights, and Ell-Saline plays host to Solomon.

Don’t forget tonight, you can tune in on KINA or on Salina Post for our Friday Night Preview show, to get caught up on last week’s action and to get ready for the games ahead tonight. That show airs weekly right here on KINA at 6:05.

You can also tune in for three broadcasts tonight with live video and audio commentary. Pregame begins at 6:40 for Ell-Saline’s contest with Solomon and Sacred Heart’s contest with Sedgwick, and here on KINA you can also catch the radio call for Southeast of Saline’s game against Lyons.

Don’t forget you can also get all the latest scores and highlights on the Salina Post facebook page or on Twitter @Spostsports

And finally this Saturday the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes are back in action as they travel to battle McPherson. Pregame on KINA starts at noon with kickoff slated for 1:00

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/koRxfRXsBv4"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY SALINA POST(Transcript)Hello and happy Friday, everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine…_________With the high school football season reaching the halfway point, this Friday will be a busy one for all 11 schools in our area when week five kicks off tonight.In Class 5A Salina Central will travel to take on Newton while South battles Valley Center. From the NCKL Abilene will clash with Marysville while Chapman faces Concordia. In the NCAA Southeast of Saline hosts Lyons for homecoming, Ellsworth squares off with Hillsboro, Sacred Heart travels to Sedgwick and Minneapolis hosts Halstead, and finally in Class 1A Bennington is at Valley Heights, and Ell-Saline plays host to Solomon._________Don’t forget tonight, you can tune in on KINA or on Salina Post for our Friday Night Preview show, to get caught up on last week’s action and to get ready for the games ahead tonight. That show airs weekly right here on KINA at 6:05.You can also tune in for three broadcasts tonight with live video and audio commentary. Pregame begins at 6:40 for Ell-Saline’s contest with Solomon and Sacred Heart’s contest with Sedgwick, and here on KINA you can also catch the radio call for Southeast of Saline’s game against Lyons.Don’t forget you can also get all the latest scores and highlights on the Salina Post facebook page or on Twitter @Spostsports_________And finally this Saturday the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes are back in action as they travel to battle McPherson. Pregame on KINA starts at noon with kickoff slated for 1:00_________

910 KINA Sports Headlines — October 4

The Kansas Wesleyan Coaches' Show returns for one final pre-bye week show as the Coyotes prepare to travel to McPherson to battle the Bulldogs.

On this week's show, we sat down and visited with head coach Matt Myers, defensive lineman Josh King-Bradley, defensive coordinator Justin Sullivan and developmental QB Sean Mooney.

The Yotes (2-3) will be in search of their second-straight win on Saturday as they look to level their ledger ahead of the bye against McPherson (4-1).

The game can be heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson on the call. Countdown to Kickoff presented by CAD Law begins at noon with kickoff scheduled for 1:00.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5LFPHWy_4zo"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Wesleyan Coaches' Show returns for one final pre-bye week show as the Coyotes prepare to travel to McPherson to battle the Bulldogs.On this week's show, we sat down and visited with head coach Matt Myers, defensive lineman Josh King-Bradley, defensive coordinator Justin Sullivan and developmental QB Sean Mooney.The Yotes (2-3) will be in search of their second-straight win on Saturday as they look to level their ledger ahead of the bye against McPherson (4-1).The game can be heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson on the call. Countdown to Kickoff presented by CAD Law begins at noon with kickoff scheduled for 1:00.

Kansas Wesleyan Coaches Show: 10-2-24

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the guys not practicing today, Rashee’s (Rice) really the only one. Rashee’s situation is (that) we’re getting the swelling out of his knee and then he’s going to have further tests next week, so (I) really don’t have anything to tell you from there. We’ll see how these tests go next week and once the swelling’s out of there. Congratulations to the Royals, first. What a great job they’ve done to this point, and I know they’re fired up to keep on going. I know we’re all glad to have them coming back here and having another chance to see them play. With that, we look forward to the challenge of playing the Saints. (They’re) a good football team (and they’re) well coached. I mean, (Saints Head Coach) Dennis (Allen) does a nice job with that group. Their coordinators – all three of them do a nice job with their phases and we’ve just got to make sure that we have a good week of preparation here going forward. Then, just on the business side of it, Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), you saw was elevated. He’s got a 21-day window. We’ll just get him back into the swing of things here and see how he does going forward here (in) the next couple of days. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”

Q: Is there any more of a sense of optimism with Rashee Rice than there was a few days ago?

REID:&nbsp;“I think it’s just ‘wait and see,’ is where we’re at. For his (Rashee Rice) sake, we’re really hoping that things work out for the best. Let’s just see where it goes and leave it up to the doctors to see. I’m definitely not a doctor.”

Q: What are the plans for Clyde Edwards-Helaire going forward?

REID:&nbsp;“We’ll practice him (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) today, with the scout team (and) give him some reps there and let him just kind of get back into the swing of things. He’s in good shape. He’s been working out so just get him back in the football part.”

Q: Are you close to getting Charles Omenihu back to practice?

REID:&nbsp;“I think that’ll be a little bit here.”

Q: What sorts of things are you seeing offensively when you say that you’re close?

REID:&nbsp;“Just getting rid of the penalties and those self-inflicted wounds – turnovers, penalties. Those hurt you at this level. You’ve got to take care of that, and I’ve got to make sure that I’m putting the guys in the right position to do the right things. I think the coaches would tell you the same thing with that and that’s where we’re at but it’s close. We’ve just got to keep rolling.”

Q: How much does not having Rashee Rice change things schematically for Monday night’s game?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, Rashee’s (Rice) had a phenomenal year. Unfortunately, in this league, injuries happen, and life goes on. We’ve always expected the next guys to step up and roll and it’s no different now. There’s not another Rashee (but) there’s other guys though that are very, very good, so we’ll be fine.”

Q:&nbsp;Regarding all of the injuries, have you experienced this before to start a season?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’m sure I have. I’ve been doing this a long time, there’s been injuries that have taken place. I don’t really dwell on them Nate (Taylor), I just kind of move on and go and wish the best of the kids most of all. We’ll take care of business, (General Manager Brett) Veach has done a good job of bringing people in here and depth and that, so (we) just have to take care of business.”

Q: How is Saints QB Derek Carr doing and how is he fitting into the offense?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Saints QB Derek Carr) doing a very nice job. He’s always been a good player and that’s not a question from our standpoint on that part. They’re doing a good job of protecting him and he’s doing a good job of delivering it to their receivers and they’ve got good skill players there and (a) good running back who’s also involved in the pass game and the run game. He’s done a very nice job.”

Q: What did Saints S Tyrann Mathieu mean to the Chiefs when he was here and what have you seen from him in these past three years?

REID:&nbsp;“Phenomenal player (Saints S Tyrann Mathieu). I’ll vote for him for the Hall of Fame going forward – I don’t have a vote but I would vote for him. He’s a tremendous leader, he actually makes this his home here so I think when he’s done, he’ll probably come back here. Great kid, great player, brings a lot of energy.”

REID:&nbsp;“Again, the doctors are monitoring him (Clyde Edwards-Helaire). He’s doing good, yeah, to answer your question, he’s doing good. He’s in all the meetings and that, he’s heading in the right direction. We just have to see on that, I think time is a big part of that, we’ll see how that goes.”

Q: On Jawaan Taylor’s penalties.

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Jawaan Taylor) got to fix those, I mean he’s got to fix those, that’s the bottom line. He’s very quick off of the ball and he takes a lot of pride in that, but you can’t be – you have to make sure that you’re not offsides. He’s got to take care of that part, he will.”

Q:&nbsp;On the play that Rashee Rice got hurt, did you notice how hard you got hit?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I didn’t notice it in the moment. I was more worried about trying to get the ball. Obviously, I was just trying to make a play, and it happens whenever you’re trying to make tackles.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you think when you saw the replay?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“When I saw the replay I felt (bad) that I hit Rashee (Rice). I think that’s pretty much all – I wasn’t really worried about myself. I was worried about his injury and hopefully that it wasn’t as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him.”

Q:&nbsp;What did Saints S Tyrann Mathieu mean to you guys in the locker room when he was here?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just – me being a young player, especially when he (Saints S Tyrann Mathieu) got here, just seeing that type of leader I think was something that I will forever remember. The way he inspired guys, the energy that he played with – obviously he is a great football player everybody can see that, but he is truly a great leader, one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. He pushed to get the best out of everybody every single day, he treated practice like games, he tried to get better every single day and that’s something that has helped me become who I am. A great football player, man. I’m hoping that he gets out there, not for me and my sake because he’s a great football player and always around the ball, but I think Kansas City getting to see him come back and be on that field again would be special for the city.”

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesOctober 3, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the guys not practicing today, Rashee’s (Rice) really the only one. Rashee’s situation is (that) we’re getting the swelling out of his knee and then he’s going to have further tests next week, so (I) really don’t have anything to tell you from there. We’ll see how these tests go next week and once the swelling’s out of there. Congratulations to the Royals, first. What a great job they’ve done to this point, and I know they’re fired up to keep on going. I know we’re all glad to have them coming back here and having another chance to see them play. With that, we look forward to the challenge of playing the Saints. (They’re) a good football team (and they’re) well coached. I mean, (Saints Head Coach) Dennis (Allen) does a nice job with that group. Their coordinators – all three of them do a nice job with their phases and we’ve just got to make sure that we have a good week of preparation here going forward. Then, just on the business side of it, Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), you saw was elevated. He’s got a 21-day window. We’ll just get him back into the swing of things here and see how he does going forward here (in) the next couple of days. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”Q: Is there any more of a sense of optimism with Rashee Rice than there was a few days ago?REID:&nbsp;“I think it’s just ‘wait and see,’ is where we’re at. For his (Rashee Rice) sake, we’re really hoping that things work out for the best. Let’s just see where it goes and leave it up to the doctors to see. I’m definitely not a doctor.”Q: What are the plans for Clyde Edwards-Helaire going forward?REID:&nbsp;“We’ll practice him (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) today, with the scout team (and) give him some reps there and let him just kind of get back into the swing of things. He’s in good shape. He’s been working out so just get him back in the football part.”Q: Are you close to getting Charles Omenihu back to practice?REID:&nbsp;“I think that’ll be a little bit here.”Q: What sorts of things are you seeing offensively when you say that you’re close?REID:&nbsp;“Just getting rid of the penalties and those self-inflicted wounds – turnovers, penalties. Those hurt you at this level. You’ve got to take care of that, and I’ve got to make sure that I’m putting the guys in the right position to do the right things. I think the coaches would tell you the same thing with that and that’s where we’re at but it’s close. We’ve just got to keep rolling.”Q: How much does not having Rashee Rice change things schematically for Monday night’s game?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, Rashee’s (Rice) had a phenomenal year. Unfortunately, in this league, injuries happen, and life goes on. We’ve always expected the next guys to step up and roll and it’s no different now. There’s not another Rashee (but) there’s other guys though that are very, very good, so we’ll be fine.”Q:&nbsp;Regarding all of the injuries, have you experienced this before to start a season?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’m sure I have. I’ve been doing this a long time, there’s been injuries that have taken place. I don’t really dwell on them Nate (Taylor), I just kind of move on and go and wish the best of the kids most of all. We’ll take care of business, (General Manager Brett) Veach has done a good job of bringing people in here and depth and that, so (we) just have to take care of business.”Q: How is Saints QB Derek Carr doing and how is he fitting into the offense?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Saints QB Derek Carr) doing a very nice job. He’s always been a good player and that’s not a question from our standpoint on that part. They’re doing a good job of protecting him and he’s doing a good job of delivering it to their receivers and they’ve got good skill players there and (a) good running back who’s also involved in the pass game and the run game. He’s done a very nice job.”Q: What did Saints S Tyrann Mathieu mean to the Chiefs when he was here and what have you seen from him in these past three years?REID:&nbsp;“Phenomenal player (Saints S Tyrann Mathieu). I’ll vote for him for the Hall of Fame going forward – I don’t have a vote but I would vote for him. He’s a tremendous leader, he actually makes this his home here so I think when he’s done, he’ll probably come back here. Great kid, great player, brings a lot of energy.”Q: On Clyde Edwards-Helaire.REID:&nbsp;“Again, the doctors are monitoring him (Clyde Edwards-Helaire). He’s doing good, yeah, to answer your question, he’s doing good. He’s in all the meetings and that, he’s heading in the right direction. We just have to see on that, I think time is a big part of that, we’ll see how that goes.”Q: On Jawaan Taylor’s penalties.REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Jawaan Taylor) got to fix those, I mean he’s got to fix those, that’s the bottom line. He’s very quick off of the ball and he takes a lot of pride in that, but you can’t be – you have to make sure that you’re not offsides. He’s got to take care of that part, he will.”Chiefs Player QuotesQB PATRICK MAHOMESQ:&nbsp;On the play that Rashee Rice got hurt, did you notice how hard you got hit?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I didn’t notice it in the moment. I was more worried about trying to get the ball. Obviously, I was just trying to make a play, and it happens whenever you’re trying to make tackles.”Q:&nbsp;What did you think when you saw the replay?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“When I saw the replay I felt (bad) that I hit Rashee (Rice). I think that’s pretty much all – I wasn’t really worried about myself. I was worried about his injury and hopefully that it wasn’t as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him.”Q:&nbsp;What did Saints S Tyrann Mathieu mean to you guys in the locker room when he was here?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just – me being a young player, especially when he (Saints S Tyrann Mathieu) got here, just seeing that type of leader I think was something that I will forever remember. The way he inspired guys, the energy that he played with – obviously he is a great football player everybody can see that, but he is truly a great leader, one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. He pushed to get the best out of everybody every single day, he treated practice like games, he tried to get better every single day and that’s something that has helped me become who I am. A great football player, man. I’m hoping that he gets out there, not for me and my sake because he’s a great football player and always around the ball, but I think Kansas City getting to see him come back and be on that field again would be special for the city.”Q:&nbsp;Were there some traits from him that you could pick up early in your career?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, you sit there and watch those guys – I watched him (Saints S Tyrann Mathieu) when he was in college and he dominated college football and then getting into the NFL and all the great plays that he had made and then being able to see him on a day-to-day basis – you want to see those guys that are the top of the top and how they prepare every single day, and he was one of those guys that you knew why he was great when you saw him practice and how he went about his business.”Q:&nbsp;You talked about how you guys will have to rely on Travis Kelce more without Rashee Rice on Monday, just curious about JuJu Smith-Schuster and Justin Watson and your rapport with them and how big they now become?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Those guys are always the guys that do it the right way. They are always in the right position, they do what they are supposed to do – get guys lined up – and I think having those guys is a luxury because you know that they’re going to be there, they’re going to get open and they’re going to make plays when their numbers are called. I think (General Manager) Brett Veach did a great job of continuing to build within that receiver room. Obviously, not expecting to have these two kind of big injuries early in the year in that receiving room but having the support of the guys to come in and step up and make plays whenever those guys aren’t in there.”Q:&nbsp;Speaking of JuJu Smith-Schuster, when the Chiefs bring back a player who had been here previously, how much are they able to hit the ground running?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They always have a good feel for our main stuff, our base concept stuff. Every year in the offseason (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid adds new stuff and the offensive coaches look around at what we can do better, so they have to learn some of that type of stuff, but I think you’ve seen with the guys that we’ve brought back is its guys that are very intelligent, they’re able to pick up the offense quickly. When stuff like this last game happens, you can throw JuJu (Smith-Schuster) in there and he can run some of those routes that Rashee (Rice) has, and he can even be in different positions maybe that he didn’t practice all week because he prepares the right way and he’s ready for his moment.”Q:&nbsp;Injuries are part of the game, but you guys have been hit pretty hard so far this year offensively. What’s the difficulty for you and adjusting to a lineup that is seemingly different every week?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Once the week goes on and you go through your gameplan, it’s usually pretty smooth because you have an understanding of the guys and what we’re trying to do in the concepts of the plays. During the games sometimes, especially how it happened this last game early where, obviously, Rashee’s (Rice) a huge part of the game plan, you have to kind of throw guys in there and make that timing up. (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) tries to get that done in practice. He tries to throw guys in certain situations, but obviously, there’s limited reps. I thought the guys did a great job of accepting the challenge and being in there in those moments. Coach Reid does a great job of getting guys prepared and ready to go throughout a week of gameplan, and we had an extra day this week, so, I’m sure guys will be ready to go out there and play some great football.”Q:&nbsp;On facing Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen’s defense.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just – (Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen is) a very intelligent coach. I mean, (he’s) someone that does a lot of different things. He’s a gameplan specific coach. Someone that – it’s not all about his defense. He looks at the offenses and what they do best (and) he tries to take those away and he’s really good at it. He’ll throw changeups in there (that) you might have not seen the entire season or in his past because he thinks this might work this week. It’ll be a great challenge for us. They’re a physical team, they play extremely fast and they have a lot of great players and veteran players so they can kind of get away with stuff because they know what they can and can’t get away with, so you’ve got to make sure that you’re really on top of every single check at the line of scrimmage and prepared for everything whenever you step to the football.”Q:&nbsp;What did that big play to Xavier Worthy on Sunday do for the receiver’s confidence and the whole offense?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I mean, whenever you hit those deep passes, it kind of opens everything up because defenses have to have more and more respect for any ability to score on one play. It was big in that game. I mean they were starting to get more and more downhill because we were running the ball, and we weren’t moving it and throwing it vertically. When we were able to hit that deep one, it kind of opened up the offense at least a little bit and our goal is to continue to show that we can do that on a week-to-week basis and even more than one time a game. There were more opportunities in that game to go downfield, so I have to continue to push the ball down the field so that it opens up everyone else underneath.”Q:&nbsp;How long does it normally take for you to build chemistry with a new guy?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It depends on every receiver. I think we have a lot of intelligent receivers in this receiving room right now, so I feel like we’re all seeing the field the same way. Now, it’s about me just having that trust and giving them the shots to make plays in traffic and stuff like that. Like I did with Xavier (Worthy) on that deep one, there were more opportunities to throw even to him later on in that game. Just continuing, for myself, to give him those chances to go out there and make plays and be the receiver that he is and that goes throughout the entire receiving room, the tight end room and the running back room.”Q:&nbsp;What’s your excitement level for the Kansas City Royals playoff success and them coming back in town to play?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s awesome. I mean, it’s great for the city. I’ve heard all the stories of how awesome the environment was the last time they were in the playoffs and they’re going to go up against a great baseball team in the (New York) Yankees – historic baseball team. I’m excited for these guys. They’re hungry, they’re playing great baseball right now and then to be at the K (Kauffman Stadium) – a sold-out crowd hopefully and I get to see that October baseball there is going to be special.”Q:&nbsp;Known New York Yankees fan and former Chiefs receiver Gehrig Dieter may be sniffing around you for tickets, is that appropriate for someone like that?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’ll let him (former receiver Gehrig Dieter) be there because then when we hopefully win, I’ll get to talk trash. No, it’s a – he’s a big (New York) Yankees fan. I think if the Yankees lost this series, he might have to move cities so let’s see if we can do that for him (laughter).”Q:&nbsp;Have you ever been to a postseason baseball game?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’ve been to a postseason baseball game. Back when I was in high school, the (Texas) Rangers made the World Series a couple of times and so I got to see them lose I think Game 5 against the (San Francisco) Giants one year and then I watched them lose – or maybe win the game that I was at, when they went up against the (Philadelphia) Phillies and they ended up losing Game 6 and that ball on the warning track. I’ve had some close heartbreaks there with the Rangers, but the (Kansas City) Royals are going to turn it around for me.”DE GEORGE KARLAFTISQ: Can you talk about the defense this year? You guys seem to be off to a great start.KARLAFTIS:&nbsp;“We’d (the defense) like to start games just a little better than we have. Just those first couple drives and whatnot but you know, (I’m) just proud of us sticking together and finishing it out when we need to.”Q: With the way that the Saints are executing on first and second down, how important is it to get them to third and long?KARLAFTIS:&nbsp;“(Laughs) It’s critical, you know. It’s going to be a huge task for us. That’ll be one of the keys to the game, if you will. You have to try to stop them on first and second down to get them into those passing situations.”Q: What kind of season is Chris Jones having?KARLAFTIS:&nbsp;“He’s (Chris Jones) having a great season. He’s doing everything. He’s playing the run; he’s getting after it in the pass rush. He makes my job a lot easier when I play next to him, too. He’s off to a great start. I’ve never been shy to say I think he’s the best defensive lineman (and) interior defensive lineman in the game. He’s off to a great start again.”