MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;K-State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has added local frontcourt help as former Shawnee Mission Northwest All-State selection Kennedy Taylor has transferred to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season. Taylor will have one season of eligibility.

Prior to joining the Wildcats, Taylor was a decorated player at Missouri State for the last two seasons. During her time with the Lady Bears, Taylor saw action in 65 games with 41 starts and tallied 749 points (11.5 ppg) including 43 games in double figures. She registered a field goal percentage of .509 (296-582) from the field and was .616 from the foul line (157-255). Taylor hauled in 505 rebounds (7.8 rpg), dished out 81 assists (1.2 apg), blocked 36 shots (0.6 bpg), pocketed 50 steals (0.8 spg) and registered 19 double-doubles.

In the 2023-24 season, Taylor was named the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Sixth Player of the Year and a 2024 All-MVC Third Team recipient by averaging 10.7 points on a .502 field goal percentage. She also pulled down 7.1 rebounds per game. Taylor’s top effort for the season came against Drake in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference championship game, as she notched a season-high 22 points and pulled in 11 rebounds.

In her first season at Missouri State in the 2022-23 season, Taylor was named to the 2023 All-MVC Third Team and a 2023 MVC All-Newcomer Team by averaging 12.3 points on a .515 field goal percentage, while pulling in 8.5 rebounds. Taylor ranked 13th nationally and first in the MVC with 4.0 offensive boards per game. She ranked 71st in the nation for total rebounds (272) and 76th in rebounds per game.

Taylor’s top performance in the 2022-23 season came against UIC on February 4, as she dropped a career-high 25 points, dished out a career-high six assists, while matching her career high with 15 rebounds. Her 25-point, 15-rebound, 6-assist game versus the Flames was the first by an MVC player since 2010 and she was one of just two NCAA Division I players to post that stat line in the 2022-23 season.

In the 2021-22 season, Taylor started her collegiate career at Colorado where she played in eight games.

Taylor was rated as the number two player in the state of Kansas by Prepgirlshoops.com in the 2020-21 season and was the 2021 Sports in Kansas 6A Player of the Year. In her senior season, Taylor averaged 14.9 points and 11 rebounds per game and helped Shawnee Mission Northwest to its first basketball state title. Set single-game school scoring record with 33 points...

During her prep career, Taylor was also nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, was the First Team Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-State, CJ Online All-State Basketball, a second team selection by the&nbsp;Wichita Eagle&nbsp;and a two-time DiRenna Award Finalist as one of the most outstanding high school basketball players in the greater Kansas City area. She also competed in the discus during her high school career.

K-State (26-8) completed the 56th season in program history, as the Wildcats achieved its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and collected 26 wins for the first time since the 2002-03 season. The Wildcats were ranked among the Associated Press top-25 for 18 consecutive weeks, including a high of number two in the nation on January 29.

MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;K-State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has added local frontcourt help as former Shawnee Mission Northwest All-State selection Kennedy Taylor has transferred to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season. Taylor will have one season of eligibility.Prior to joining the Wildcats, Taylor was a decorated player at Missouri State for the last two seasons. During her time with the Lady Bears, Taylor saw action in 65 games with 41 starts and tallied 749 points (11.5 ppg) including 43 games in double figures. She registered a field goal percentage of .509 (296-582) from the field and was .616 from the foul line (157-255). Taylor hauled in 505 rebounds (7.8 rpg), dished out 81 assists (1.2 apg), blocked 36 shots (0.6 bpg), pocketed 50 steals (0.8 spg) and registered 19 double-doubles.In the 2023-24 season, Taylor was named the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Sixth Player of the Year and a 2024 All-MVC Third Team recipient by averaging 10.7 points on a .502 field goal percentage. She also pulled down 7.1 rebounds per game. Taylor’s top effort for the season came against Drake in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference championship game, as she notched a season-high 22 points and pulled in 11 rebounds.In her first season at Missouri State in the 2022-23 season, Taylor was named to the 2023 All-MVC Third Team and a 2023 MVC All-Newcomer Team by averaging 12.3 points on a .515 field goal percentage, while pulling in 8.5 rebounds. Taylor ranked 13th nationally and first in the MVC with 4.0 offensive boards per game. She ranked 71st in the nation for total rebounds (272) and 76th in rebounds per game.Taylor’s top performance in the 2022-23 season came against UIC on February 4, as she dropped a career-high 25 points, dished out a career-high six assists, while matching her career high with 15 rebounds. Her 25-point, 15-rebound, 6-assist game versus the Flames was the first by an MVC player since 2010 and she was one of just two NCAA Division I players to post that stat line in the 2022-23 season.In the 2021-22 season, Taylor started her collegiate career at Colorado where she played in eight games.Taylor was rated as the number two player in the state of Kansas by Prepgirlshoops.com in the 2020-21 season and was the 2021 Sports in Kansas 6A Player of the Year. In her senior season, Taylor averaged 14.9 points and 11 rebounds per game and helped Shawnee Mission Northwest to its first basketball state title. Set single-game school scoring record with 33 points...During her prep career, Taylor was also nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, was the First Team Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-State, CJ Online All-State Basketball, a second team selection by the&nbsp;Wichita Eagle&nbsp;and a two-time DiRenna Award Finalist as one of the most outstanding high school basketball players in the greater Kansas City area. She also competed in the discus during her high school career.K-State (26-8) completed the 56th season in program history, as the Wildcats achieved its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and collected 26 wins for the first time since the 2002-03 season. The Wildcats were ranked among the Associated Press top-25 for 18 consecutive weeks, including a high of number two in the nation on January 29.

K-State Adds Transfer Kennedy Taylor for 2024-25 Season

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The Southeast of Saline track and field teams put on a strong showing at Thursday's Concordia Invitational, with the boy's team pulling out a close win and the girl's team on the podium in third.

All in all 13 individuals would medal in at least one event, including seven individual event winners between the two teams.

On the boy's side, 168 points for the Trojans was enough to narrowly hold off another state contender in Buhler, who finished the meet with 151.

Both teams ran away from the rest of the field as the third-place finishers from Beloit mustered just 64 points on the day

The girl's side saw similar dominance from Beloit and Buhler who tied for the win with 136 points, but among the rest of the field, the Lady Trojans rose to the top, ousting Marysville with 67 points for a third-place finish.

Below you find the full list of podium finishers for the Trojans and Lady Trojans from Thursday's meet.

Jacob Bircher - 1st 800 - 1st 1600

Tate Nurnberg - 1st high jump - 1st triple jump

Malachi Hopkins - 1st long jump - 3rd 110m hurdles - 3rd high jump

Nathan Friesen - 2nd 100m dash - 3rd 200m dash

Caden Parry - 2nd 110m hurdles - 3rd 300m hurdles - 3rd triple jump

Elliana Smith -&nbsp;1st high jump - 2nd 300m hurdles

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline track and field teams put on a strong showing at Thursday's Concordia Invitational, with the boy's team pulling out a close win and the girl's team on the podium in third.All in all 13 individuals would medal in at least one event, including seven individual event winners between the two teams.On the boy's side, 168 points for the Trojans was enough to narrowly hold off another state contender in Buhler, who finished the meet with 151.Both teams ran away from the rest of the field as the third-place finishers from Beloit mustered just 64 points on the dayThe girl's side saw similar dominance from Beloit and Buhler who tied for the win with 136 points, but among the rest of the field, the Lady Trojans rose to the top, ousting Marysville with 67 points for a third-place finish.Below you find the full list of podium finishers for the Trojans and Lady Trojans from Thursday's meet.Boys (1st/8, 168 points)Jacob Bircher - 1st 800 - 1st 1600Tate Nurnberg - 1st high jump - 1st triple jumpMalachi Hopkins - 1st long jump - 3rd 110m hurdles - 3rd high jumpNathan Friesen - 2nd 100m dash - 3rd 200m dashCaden Parry - 2nd 110m hurdles - 3rd 300m hurdles - 3rd triple jumpOwen Bailey - 2nd 400Levi Allen - 2nd 800Brayden Walker - 2nd 1600Cayden Walker - 3rd 1600Team&nbsp; - 1st 4x400m relay Girls (3rd/8, 67 points)Karlee Zurfluh - 1st 100m dashElliana Smith -&nbsp;1st high jump - 2nd 300m hurdles Anna Jackson - 2nd 3200
Suttyn Douglas - 3rd shot putTeam - 3rd 3x800m relay

Trojan Track Opens Season With 1-3 Finish in Concordia

By TYLER HENRY Lead sports writer for Salina Post

Hello and Happy Friday everybody it's Tyler Henry back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. 

On Thursday, it was announced that Kansas State head men's basketball coach Jerome Tang had made a significant addition to his 2024-25 roster with the signing of impact transfer guard Doug McDaniel. At five foot 11 175 pounds, McDaniel arrives from K State after two seasons in Michigan, where he led the Wolverines in scoring three point field goals assists steals and minutes as just a sophomore. 

In his two seasons in Ann Arbor, he averaged 12 points on 40% shooting, including 36% from downtown to go with 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 32 minutes per game while playing in 60 out of possible 66 games which 52 starts.

Yesterday was also a good day for the Kansas City Royals is Nelson Velasquez and MJ Melendez each homered and drove in two runs, helping lead Seth Lugo to attend one victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Right fielder Hunter Renfro throughout a potential tying run at the plate in the sixth inning before Kansas City broke the game wide open with eight runs in the seventh.

Finally speaking of baseball tonight, you can get another installment of our game of the week as the eighth-ranked Abilene Cowboys play host to Southeast of Saline. The first pitch is for 4:30 p.m. in Abilene and both games will be streamed with live audio and video on the Salida post. 

That's all for your sports update for today. But for even more great area sports content like this, check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/SPostSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Salina Post</a>&nbsp;Sports and stay tuned to 910 KINA

<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/yMa5EZ7D-ATjzBQNW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Kinasu 4-5-24" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>By TYLER HENRY Lead sports writer for Salina PostTranscript from featured audioHello and Happy Friday everybody it's Tyler Henry back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. On Thursday, it was announced that Kansas State head men's basketball coach Jerome Tang had made a significant addition to his 2024-25 roster with the signing of impact transfer guard Doug McDaniel. At five foot 11 175 pounds, McDaniel arrives from K State after two seasons in Michigan, where he led the Wolverines in scoring three point field goals assists steals and minutes as just a sophomore. In his two seasons in Ann Arbor, he averaged 12 points on 40% shooting, including 36% from downtown to go with 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 32 minutes per game while playing in 60 out of possible 66 games which 52 starts.Yesterday was also a good day for the Kansas City Royals is Nelson Velasquez and MJ Melendez each homered and drove in two runs, helping lead Seth Lugo to attend one victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.Right fielder Hunter Renfro throughout a potential tying run at the plate in the sixth inning before Kansas City broke the game wide open with eight runs in the seventh.Finally speaking of baseball tonight, you can get another installment of our game of the week as the eighth-ranked Abilene Cowboys play host to Southeast of Saline. The first pitch is for 4:30 p.m. in Abilene and both games will be streamed with live audio and video on the Salida post. That's all for your sports update for today. But for even more great area sports content like this, check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/SPostSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Salina Post</a>&nbsp;Sports and stay tuned to 910 KINA

910 KINA Sports Headlines — April 5

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez and MJ Melendez each homered and drove in two runs, leading Seth Lugo and the Kansas City Royals to a 10-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Right fielder Hunter Renfroe threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the sixth inning before Kansas City broke it open with eight runs in the seventh.

Velázquez drove in the first two runs of the game with a single and a homer.

“I was just trying to make contact,” he said. “I’m feeling good, trusting in everything we have been working on since spring training.”

Lugo (1-0) allowed one run and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win with the Royals. It was the latest quality outing by one of Kansas City's starters, who have a 1.43 ERA.

“Seth attacked from the beginning,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He threw a ton of strikes and mixed in all his pitches. He gets a lot of groundballs.”

Lugo struck out three and walked two. Angel Zerpa retired Andrew Benintendi with a runner on second to end the seventh, preserving a one-run lead.

“I thought I made some good pitches,” Lugo said. “They had some soft hits.”

Michael Soroka (0-1) gave up two runs and six hits over six innings in his second start for the White Sox.

Kansas City scored in the second on an RBI single by Velázquez.

The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the third on a pair of singles and an error by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., but Witt redeemed himself by turning an inning-ending double play.

“Ironically, before the game we were looking at it, we had only turned one double play prior to tonight," Quatraro said. "I don’t know how many it was tonight, three or four, but that was the key in keeping out of trouble along with throwing out the run at the plate.”

Velázquez made it 2-0 in the fourth with a 429-foot homer into the fountains in left-center.

Chicago got a run off Lugo in the sixth, snapping a scoreless streak of 25 innings. Andrew Vaughn lined a single to score Yoán Moncada. Lugo escaped further damage when Braden Shewmake flied out and Renfroe cut down Gavin Sheets at the plate tagging up from third.

The Royals busted it open in the seventh. Deivi García issued a pair of one-out walks and a single to pinch-hitter Adam Frazier. Kyle Isbel drove in two runs with a single and Maikel Garcia drove in another, chasing García. Dominic Leone walked Witt before a two-out error by Shewmake at shortstop scored three more.

“(The walks) really opened up the floodgates,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “Anytime you walk two guys, you’re asking for trouble. It’s just one inning of baseball that got away from us. We made a couple of mistakes, both fundamentally and physically, that we’ve got to clean up.”

Melendez then smacked his first homer of the season, a two-run shot.

“It was a good ballgame until the seventh inning and we let it get away from us there," Grifol said. "Crooked numbers, they always have a walk in there somewhere. Walks will kill you.”

Chicago signed RHP Mike Clevinger to a $3 million, one-year contract and optioned him to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, INF José Rodríguez was designated for assignment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712284440499.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Nelson Velázquez watches his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Nelson Velázquez watches his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez and MJ Melendez each homered and drove in two runs, leading Seth Lugo and the Kansas City Royals to a 10-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.Right fielder Hunter Renfroe threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the sixth inning before Kansas City broke it open with eight runs in the seventh.Velázquez drove in the first two runs of the game with a single and a homer.“I was just trying to make contact,” he said. “I’m feeling good, trusting in everything we have been working on since spring training.”Lugo (1-0) allowed one run and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win with the Royals. It was the latest quality outing by one of Kansas City's starters, who have a 1.43 ERA.“Seth attacked from the beginning,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He threw a ton of strikes and mixed in all his pitches. He gets a lot of groundballs.”Lugo struck out three and walked two. Angel Zerpa retired Andrew Benintendi with a runner on second to end the seventh, preserving a one-run lead.“I thought I made some good pitches,” Lugo said. “They had some soft hits.”Michael Soroka (0-1) gave up two runs and six hits over six innings in his second start for the White Sox.Kansas City scored in the second on an RBI single by Velázquez.The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the third on a pair of singles and an error by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., but Witt redeemed himself by turning an inning-ending double play.“Ironically, before the game we were looking at it, we had only turned one double play prior to tonight," Quatraro said. "I don’t know how many it was tonight, three or four, but that was the key in keeping out of trouble along with throwing out the run at the plate.”Velázquez made it 2-0 in the fourth with a 429-foot homer into the fountains in left-center.Chicago got a run off Lugo in the sixth, snapping a scoreless streak of 25 innings. Andrew Vaughn lined a single to score Yoán Moncada. Lugo escaped further damage when Braden Shewmake flied out and Renfroe cut down Gavin Sheets at the plate tagging up from third.The Royals busted it open in the seventh. Deivi García issued a pair of one-out walks and a single to pinch-hitter Adam Frazier. Kyle Isbel drove in two runs with a single and Maikel Garcia drove in another, chasing García. Dominic Leone walked Witt before a two-out error by Shewmake at shortstop scored three more.“(The walks) really opened up the floodgates,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “Anytime you walk two guys, you’re asking for trouble. It’s just one inning of baseball that got away from us. We made a couple of mistakes, both fundamentally and physically, that we’ve got to clean up.”Melendez then smacked his first homer of the season, a two-run shot.“It was a good ballgame until the seventh inning and we let it get away from us there," Grifol said. "Crooked numbers, they always have a walk in there somewhere. Walks will kill you.”TRANSACTIONSChicago signed RHP Mike Clevinger to a $3 million, one-year contract and optioned him to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, INF José Rodríguez was designated for assignment.UP NEXT

⚾ Royals score 8 runs in 7th and beat White Sox

DALLAS (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs' player Rashee Rice was the driver of one of two speeding sports cars who left after causing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-24b9e3281d0bca8c0c13a0cedda57b93">chain-reaction crash</a>&nbsp;on a Dallas highway over the weekend, the wide receiver's attorney said Thursday.

Why Rice left the crash Saturday was “a good question that's still being investigated," said Rice’s attorney, state Sen. Royce West, but he declined to elaborate. West expects charges to be filed against Rice, who was driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle, he said at a news conference without his client.

“He’s a young man that made a mistake,” West said Thursday, adding that Rice’s “heart goes out” to those who were injured. The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police said.

The driver of the Corvette also left without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. The Corvette belongs to Rice, West said Thursday, but no information has been released on the driver.

Rice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/doub11e_r/">posted to his Instagram Story</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-rashee-rice-car-crash-dallas-bbc86e5cccc79d7bbce5103070995994">taking “full responsibility”</a>&nbsp;for his part in the wreck.

Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.

West said that Rice, who is 23, will “do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible in terms of injuries, in terms of property damage.”

Investigators are interviewing witnesses, victims and others who may have been involved, police said Thursday.

Rice was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-corvette-lamborghini-crash-dallas-2f3ac72c23b1d9ca4860f8cacc8b173e">leasing the Lamborghini</a>&nbsp;from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company.

Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby SMU, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams. The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712017870514.png" alt="&nbsp;Rashee Rice-photo KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Rashee Rice-photo KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs' player Rashee Rice was the driver of one of two speeding sports cars who left after causing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-24b9e3281d0bca8c0c13a0cedda57b93">chain-reaction crash</a>&nbsp;on a Dallas highway over the weekend, the wide receiver's attorney said Thursday.Why Rice left the crash Saturday was “a good question that's still being investigated," said Rice’s attorney, state Sen. Royce West, but he declined to elaborate. West expects charges to be filed against Rice, who was driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle, he said at a news conference without his client.“He’s a young man that made a mistake,” West said Thursday, adding that Rice’s “heart goes out” to those who were injured. The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police said.The driver of the Corvette also left without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. The Corvette belongs to Rice, West said Thursday, but no information has been released on the driver.Rice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/doub11e_r/">posted to his Instagram Story</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-rashee-rice-car-crash-dallas-bbc86e5cccc79d7bbce5103070995994">taking “full responsibility”</a>&nbsp;for his part in the wreck.Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.West said that Rice, who is 23, will “do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible in terms of injuries, in terms of property damage.”Investigators are interviewing witnesses, victims and others who may have been involved, police said Thursday.Rice was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-corvette-lamborghini-crash-dallas-2f3ac72c23b1d9ca4860f8cacc8b173e">leasing the Lamborghini</a>&nbsp;from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company.Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby SMU, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams. The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.

Attorney: Chiefs Rice was driving Lamborghini in Dallas crash

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

The Sacred Heart golf team is preparing for another season and the goal of winning a ninth straight state championship. 

The Knights have won a total of nine state golf titles beginning in 1997, and have won eight straight since 2015, with the lone exception of the canceled 2020 Covid season.

Sacred Heart returns five golfers from last year’s team including Michael Matteucci, Hunter Newell, Luke Newell, Walker Tuttle, and Jason Marrs. 

The rest of the roster consists of Dominic Matteucci, Luke Newell, Ethan Newell, Will Tuttle, Ben Marrs, Cody Burr, and Mason Brown.

Interestingly, the team includes four sets of brothers.

Patrick Newell is the head coach for the Knights and has been in that position since the 2021 season. Prior to his tenure at Sacred Heart, he was the Salina Central Head Boys Golf Coach from 2002-2020.

"Practices have been very competitive this spring," Coach Newell said. "We have a solid top four of Michael, Hunter, Luke, and Walker. Jason, Dominic, Ethan, Ben, Cody, Mason, and Dayne are all battling it out for the other two remaining varsity spots."

"Even though we are in 2A, we play a mainly 5A schedule and play against some of the top players in the state," Newell added. "Big tournaments are at Bishop Carroll, Hays, Dodge City, and Goddard Eisenhower along with Hutchinson which has a 36-team field and is the largest tournament in the state.

Coach Newell spoke on some of the individual golfers who are primed for big seasons again this year. 

"Michael Matteucci is one of the most competitive golfers that I’ve coached," he said. "He is a multi-sport guy. He was starting quarterback for the football team and starting point guard for the basketball team. I have never seen such a tenacious appetite to succeed at everything that he does." 

Last year, Matteucci was the individual champion at 2A regionals at the Salina Municipal Golf Course and he was the individual State 2A champion at Hesston. The senior intends to sign with Washburn to play golf for the Ichibods in the fall of 2024.

Hunter Newell was part of a three-way tie for 2nd at the 2A regional last year. Two years ago he played in the First Tee Senior PGA tournament at Pebble Beach with Senior PGA tour player Rocco Mediate. Newell is planning on playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University.

Walker Tuttle tied Newell for 2nd at 2A Regionals last year and finished tied for 4th at 2A State last year.

Luke Newell finished as the third member tied for 2nd at 2A regionals last year, and went on to take 3rd place at the 2A state tournament.

Some of the players also shared their thoughts on the upcoming season.&nbsp;

"My individual goal for the season is to win at least one golf tournament during the regular season and to have a scoring average under 77,"&nbsp;Hunter Newell said. "I believe that one of the team goals for the year is to win four to five tournaments in the regular season while winning League, Regionals, and State." 

He continued, "The relationships that I have with my teammates and the relationship we all have is what has helped build the Sacred Heart golf dynasty in that we all share the love for golf and get better at it every day. We love being able to have fun on the course while knowing when it comes to tournaments, we have to dial in and be ready to help the team out by not giving up and staying with our scores."

Michael Matteucci's goals are to win at state as an individual, have the lowest scoring average of his four years, and win two tournaments. 

As a team, the goals are to win state again, win multiple tournaments, and attempt to shoot a school-record-low score at a tournament.&nbsp;

"My relationship with my teammates is different from most people's," Matteucci said. "We have all been playing golf together since we were kids. We all get along great and always have a great time on road trips to tournaments or at our daily practices. This helps our team succeed."

"One of my individual goals this year is to shoot even par in a tournament,"&nbsp;Walker Tuttle said, "We all have great relationships not only just on the golf course but also outside of practice. We play on the weekends and travel to play different courses to prepare for our tournaments. I think this helps our team's camaraderie and benefits us greatly."&nbsp;&nbsp;

"One of my individual goals this year is to improve my scoring average to 75 or below, and a major goal for me is to win state as a team and as an individual," Luke Newell said. As a team, we all build each other up and every day we look forward to competing and getting better. Being able to compete against each other and have the fire to try and beat each other every single day is what makes us such competitive and amazing golfers."

The Knights' first tournament and quest for another state championship begins on Friday at the Salina Municipal Golf Course. 

In addition to Sacred Heart, the Invitational includes teams from Clay Center, Ell-Saline, Ellinwood, Ellsworth, Smith Center, and Southeast of Saline.

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sacred Heart golf team is preparing for another season and the goal of winning a ninth straight state championship. The Knights have won a total of nine state golf titles beginning in 1997, and have won eight straight since 2015, with the lone exception of the canceled 2020 Covid season.Sacred Heart returns five golfers from last year’s team including Michael Matteucci, Hunter Newell, Luke Newell, Walker Tuttle, and Jason Marrs. The rest of the roster consists of Dominic Matteucci, Luke Newell, Ethan Newell, Will Tuttle, Ben Marrs, Cody Burr, and Mason Brown.Interestingly, the team includes four sets of brothers.Patrick Newell is the head coach for the Knights and has been in that position since the 2021 season. Prior to his tenure at Sacred Heart, he was the Salina Central Head Boys Golf Coach from 2002-2020."Practices have been very competitive this spring," Coach Newell said. "We have a solid top four of Michael, Hunter, Luke, and Walker. Jason, Dominic, Ethan, Ben, Cody, Mason, and Dayne are all battling it out for the other two remaining varsity spots.""Even though we are in 2A, we play a mainly 5A schedule and play against some of the top players in the state," Newell added. "Big tournaments are at Bishop Carroll, Hays, Dodge City, and Goddard Eisenhower along with Hutchinson which has a 36-team field and is the largest tournament in the state.Coach Newell spoke on some of the individual golfers who are primed for big seasons again this year. "Michael Matteucci is one of the most competitive golfers that I’ve coached," he said. "He is a multi-sport guy. He was starting quarterback for the football team and starting point guard for the basketball team. I have never seen such a tenacious appetite to succeed at everything that he does." Last year, Matteucci was the individual champion at 2A regionals at the Salina Municipal Golf Course and he was the individual State 2A champion at Hesston. The senior intends to sign with Washburn to play golf for the Ichibods in the fall of 2024.Hunter Newell was part of a three-way tie for 2nd at the 2A regional last year. Two years ago he played in the First Tee Senior PGA tournament at Pebble Beach with Senior PGA tour player Rocco Mediate. Newell is planning on playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University.Walker Tuttle tied Newell for 2nd at 2A Regionals last year and finished tied for 4th at 2A State last year.Luke Newell finished as the third member tied for 2nd at 2A regionals last year, and went on to take 3rd place at the 2A state tournament.Some of the players also shared their thoughts on the upcoming season.&nbsp;"My individual goal for the season is to win at least one golf tournament during the regular season and to have a scoring average under 77,"&nbsp;Hunter Newell said. "I believe that one of the team goals for the year is to win four to five tournaments in the regular season while winning League, Regionals, and State." He continued, "The relationships that I have with my teammates and the relationship we all have is what has helped build the Sacred Heart golf dynasty in that we all share the love for golf and get better at it every day. We love being able to have fun on the course while knowing when it comes to tournaments, we have to dial in and be ready to help the team out by not giving up and staying with our scores."Michael Matteucci's goals are to win at state as an individual, have the lowest scoring average of his four years, and win two tournaments. As a team, the goals are to win state again, win multiple tournaments, and attempt to shoot a school-record-low score at a tournament.&nbsp;"My relationship with my teammates is different from most people's," Matteucci said. "We have all been playing golf together since we were kids. We all get along great and always have a great time on road trips to tournaments or at our daily practices. This helps our team succeed.""One of my individual goals this year is to shoot even par in a tournament,"&nbsp;Walker Tuttle said, "We all have great relationships not only just on the golf course but also outside of practice. We play on the weekends and travel to play different courses to prepare for our tournaments. I think this helps our team's camaraderie and benefits us greatly."&nbsp;&nbsp;"One of my individual goals this year is to improve my scoring average to 75 or below, and a major goal for me is to win state as a team and as an individual," Luke Newell said. As a team, we all build each other up and every day we look forward to competing and getting better. Being able to compete against each other and have the fire to try and beat each other every single day is what makes us such competitive and amazing golfers."The Knights' first tournament and quest for another state championship begins on Friday at the Salina Municipal Golf Course. In addition to Sacred Heart, the Invitational includes teams from Clay Center, Ell-Saline, Ellinwood, Ellsworth, Smith Center, and Southeast of Saline.

Sacred Heart Golf in Search of Ninth Straight State Championship

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;made a significant addition to his 2024-25 roster with the signing of impact transfer guard&nbsp;Dug McDaniel&nbsp;(Washington, D.C./St. Paul VI Catholic VI/Michigan)&nbsp;to a Financial Aid Agreement on Wednesday (April 3).

A 5-foot-11, 175-pound guard, McDaniel arrives at K-State after 2 seasons (2022-24) at Michigan, where he led the Wolverines in scoring (16.3 ppg.), 3-point field goals (56), assists (4.7 apg.), steals (1.1 spg.) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) as a sophomore in 2023-24. In his 2 seasons in Ann Arbor, he averaged 12 points on 40 percent shooting (255-of-639), including 36.3 percent (89-of-245) from 3-point range, to go with 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.8 minutes per game while playing in 60 of a possible 66 games with 52 starts.

“It’s always a great day to be a Wildcat but even better when you get to welcome a player like Dug and his family to K-State,” said Tang. “Obviously he’s a tremendously skilled basketball player with a history of winning at both Paul VI and Team Takeover. When you combine that with playing two years in the Big Ten at Michigan it made him a priority for us as soon as he became available. Dug is not only a high-level scorer with the ability to create for his teammates, but a tough, relentless player who can also be a disruptor on the defensive end. Our fans are going to really enjoy getting to know him and his family.”

McDaniel is the second player to sign with the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season, following the signing of consensus top-50 high school prospect&nbsp;David Castillo&nbsp;(Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.])&nbsp;on Nov. 8, 2023.

In all, McDaniel scored 717 points in his Michigan career on 40 percent (255-of-639) shooting, including 36.3 percent (89-of-245) from 3-point range, and 77.1 percent (118-of-153) from the free throw line to go with 243 assists (4.1 apg.), 201 rebounds (3.4 rpg.) and 67 steals (1.1 spg.) in 1,965 total minutes (32.8 mpg.).

McDaniel posted double figures in 37 games, including seven 20-point efforts and two 30-point performances. He scored a career-high 33 points twice in a nearly 2-week span this past season, first at Oregon on Dec. 2, then again vs. Florida on Dec. 19. He knocked down a career 7 3-pointers on 12-of-21 shooting against the Ducks while he made 12-of-13 free throws against the Gators, along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

This past season, McDaniel averaged a team-best 16.3 points on 41 percent (151-of-368) shooting, including 36.8 percent (56-of-152) from 3-point range, and 77.4 percent (65-of-84) from the free throw line to go with 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 35.4 minutes per game. He scored in double figures 24 times, including six 20-point outings and a pair of 30-point performances.

In addition to scoring, McDaniel led the Wolverines in field goals attempted (368), 3-point field goals made (56) and attempted (152), free throw percentage (77.4), assists (121), steals (29) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) while he was second in field goals made (151). He ranked in the Big Ten’s top-20 in 8 categories, including 10th&nbsp;in scoring, seventh in assists, eighth in 3-point field goals/game (2.2) and fourth in minutes.

As a true freshman in 2022-23, McDaniel played in all 34 games with 26 starts for a Wolverine team that won 18 games and advanced to the NIT Second Round. He started the last 26 games of the season, including all 20 in Big Ten play, after a season-ending injury to starter&nbsp;Jaelin Llewellyn. He was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Dec. 12 after posting 15 points, 7 assists and 3 steals in his first start in a win at Minnesota on Dec. 8.

McDaniel averaged 8.6 points on 38.4 percent (104-of-271) shooting, including 35.5 percent (33-of-93) from 3-point range, to go with 3.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.7 minutes per game as a freshman in 2022-23. He scored in double figures 13 times, including a season-best 20 points in an overtime win over Wisconsin on Feb. 26, 2023. He led the Wolverines in assists (122), while he was second in steals (38) and fourth in scoring. He was the first freshman to post a 100-plus assist season since&nbsp;Trey Burke&nbsp;in 2011-12.

McDaniel was a consensus Top 100 recruit out of St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., leading the Panthers to a 31-5 record and VISAA (Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Association) Division I State Championship as a senior in 2021-22. He was the DMV Elite All-Northern Virginia Player of the Year and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Player of the Year as well as a VISAA Division I All-State First Team selection in 2022.

McDaniel led Paul VI to an 85-22 record in his prep career (not counting the shortened 2020-21 COVID-19 season), including two VISAA Division I State Championships (2020, 2022) and a pair of WCAC Tournament titles.

McDaniel also played for the ultra-successful Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit.

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

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;made a significant addition to his 2024-25 roster with the signing of impact transfer guard&nbsp;Dug McDaniel&nbsp;(Washington, D.C./St. Paul VI Catholic VI/Michigan)&nbsp;to a Financial Aid Agreement on Wednesday (April 3).A 5-foot-11, 175-pound guard, McDaniel arrives at K-State after 2 seasons (2022-24) at Michigan, where he led the Wolverines in scoring (16.3 ppg.), 3-point field goals (56), assists (4.7 apg.), steals (1.1 spg.) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) as a sophomore in 2023-24. In his 2 seasons in Ann Arbor, he averaged 12 points on 40 percent shooting (255-of-639), including 36.3 percent (89-of-245) from 3-point range, to go with 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.8 minutes per game while playing in 60 of a possible 66 games with 52 starts.“It’s always a great day to be a Wildcat but even better when you get to welcome a player like Dug and his family to K-State,” said Tang. “Obviously he’s a tremendously skilled basketball player with a history of winning at both Paul VI and Team Takeover. When you combine that with playing two years in the Big Ten at Michigan it made him a priority for us as soon as he became available. Dug is not only a high-level scorer with the ability to create for his teammates, but a tough, relentless player who can also be a disruptor on the defensive end. Our fans are going to really enjoy getting to know him and his family.”McDaniel is the second player to sign with the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season, following the signing of consensus top-50 high school prospect&nbsp;David Castillo&nbsp;(Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.])&nbsp;on Nov. 8, 2023.In all, McDaniel scored 717 points in his Michigan career on 40 percent (255-of-639) shooting, including 36.3 percent (89-of-245) from 3-point range, and 77.1 percent (118-of-153) from the free throw line to go with 243 assists (4.1 apg.), 201 rebounds (3.4 rpg.) and 67 steals (1.1 spg.) in 1,965 total minutes (32.8 mpg.).McDaniel posted double figures in 37 games, including seven 20-point efforts and two 30-point performances. He scored a career-high 33 points twice in a nearly 2-week span this past season, first at Oregon on Dec. 2, then again vs. Florida on Dec. 19. He knocked down a career 7 3-pointers on 12-of-21 shooting against the Ducks while he made 12-of-13 free throws against the Gators, along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists.This past season, McDaniel averaged a team-best 16.3 points on 41 percent (151-of-368) shooting, including 36.8 percent (56-of-152) from 3-point range, and 77.4 percent (65-of-84) from the free throw line to go with 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 35.4 minutes per game. He scored in double figures 24 times, including six 20-point outings and a pair of 30-point performances.In addition to scoring, McDaniel led the Wolverines in field goals attempted (368), 3-point field goals made (56) and attempted (152), free throw percentage (77.4), assists (121), steals (29) and minutes (35.4 mpg.) while he was second in field goals made (151). He ranked in the Big Ten’s top-20 in 8 categories, including 10th&nbsp;in scoring, seventh in assists, eighth in 3-point field goals/game (2.2) and fourth in minutes.As a true freshman in 2022-23, McDaniel played in all 34 games with 26 starts for a Wolverine team that won 18 games and advanced to the NIT Second Round. He started the last 26 games of the season, including all 20 in Big Ten play, after a season-ending injury to starter&nbsp;Jaelin Llewellyn. He was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Dec. 12 after posting 15 points, 7 assists and 3 steals in his first start in a win at Minnesota on Dec. 8.McDaniel averaged 8.6 points on 38.4 percent (104-of-271) shooting, including 35.5 percent (33-of-93) from 3-point range, to go with 3.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.7 minutes per game as a freshman in 2022-23. He scored in double figures 13 times, including a season-best 20 points in an overtime win over Wisconsin on Feb. 26, 2023. He led the Wolverines in assists (122), while he was second in steals (38) and fourth in scoring. He was the first freshman to post a 100-plus assist season since&nbsp;Trey Burke&nbsp;in 2011-12.McDaniel was a consensus Top 100 recruit out of St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., leading the Panthers to a 31-5 record and VISAA (Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Association) Division I State Championship as a senior in 2021-22. He was the DMV Elite All-Northern Virginia Player of the Year and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Player of the Year as well as a VISAA Division I All-State First Team selection in 2022.McDaniel led Paul VI to an 85-22 record in his prep career (not counting the shortened 2020-21 COVID-19 season), including two VISAA Division I State Championships (2020, 2022) and a pair of WCAC Tournament titles.McDaniel also played for the ultra-successful Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit.K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang’s&nbsp;tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.

Tang Signs Transfer Dug McDaniel

Q:&nbsp;You are here on a one-year deal, what are you hoping to get out of this season in Kansas City if it’s your only one?

WENTZ:&nbsp;“Lots of unknowns about the&nbsp;future, take it one day at a time first and foremost. (The) Big intrigue to wanting to come here and why I am here today is the winning culture. Seeing it from afar, seeing it from around the league for the last couple of years, just the culture that (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid has set, you see it. I’ve admired it for years, that was a big piece of the puzzle for me and the desire to be here on a winning team, in a good culture, in a good community, with a good fan base – just seemed like a good fit.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you talk to your former teammates QB Nick Foles about what it is like to play under Head Coach Andy Reid and Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy?

WENTZ:&nbsp;“I actually never did in this process, but when I played with Nick (Foles), I remember all the good things he had to say about his time here. He absolutely loved it, he loved working with those guys, those things he said to me back then definitely still rang true in my head as I was making this decision so to speak. I just remember all the positive things he said about the organization, the coaches, those names you just mentioned (Head Coach Andy Reid and Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy). Those things were definitely a factor and gave me a little more peace and comfort in knowing what I was getting into.”

Q:&nbsp;How much will the time you spent with Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson when he was your coach in Philadelphia help you be ready for the offense here?

WENTZ:&nbsp;“I don’t know the X’s and O’s yet; I see them from afar watching film or watching games whenever I’d see the Chiefs on film. I would image it will make sense to me pretty quick because of that, being five years with (Jaguars Head) Coach (Doug) Pederson in that offense. Obviously, there is always little intricacies and differences, but I think it will make sense to me and resonate with me pretty quickly. That part I am looking forward to, the last couple of years’ offenses have been very different that I’ve been in, so I’ve gotten to see a lot, experience a lot. I think this one will kind of hit home so to speak and be the most familiar for me over the last couple of years.”

QB CARSON WENTZQ:&nbsp;You are here on a one-year deal, what are you hoping to get out of this season in Kansas City if it’s your only one?WENTZ:&nbsp;“Lots of unknowns about the&nbsp;future, take it one day at a time first and foremost. (The) Big intrigue to wanting to come here and why I am here today is the winning culture. Seeing it from afar, seeing it from around the league for the last couple of years, just the culture that (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid has set, you see it. I’ve admired it for years, that was a big piece of the puzzle for me and the desire to be here on a winning team, in a good culture, in a good community, with a good fan base – just seemed like a good fit.”Q:&nbsp;Did you talk to your former teammates QB Nick Foles about what it is like to play under Head Coach Andy Reid and Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy?WENTZ:&nbsp;“I actually never did in this process, but when I played with Nick (Foles), I remember all the good things he had to say about his time here. He absolutely loved it, he loved working with those guys, those things he said to me back then definitely still rang true in my head as I was making this decision so to speak. I just remember all the positive things he said about the organization, the coaches, those names you just mentioned (Head Coach Andy Reid and Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy). Those things were definitely a factor and gave me a little more peace and comfort in knowing what I was getting into.”Q:&nbsp;How much will the time you spent with Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson when he was your coach in Philadelphia help you be ready for the offense here?WENTZ:&nbsp;“I don’t know the X’s and O’s yet; I see them from afar watching film or watching games whenever I’d see the Chiefs on film. I would image it will make sense to me pretty quick because of that, being five years with (Jaguars Head) Coach (Doug) Pederson in that offense. Obviously, there is always little intricacies and differences, but I think it will make sense to me and resonate with me pretty quickly. That part I am looking forward to, the last couple of years’ offenses have been very different that I’ve been in, so I’ve gotten to see a lot, experience a lot. I think this one will kind of hit home so to speak and be the most familiar for me over the last couple of years.”

Chiefs Quotes: Carson Wentz 4-4-24

By TYLER HENRY Lead sports writer for Salina Post

Hello and Happy Thursday everybody it's Tyler Henry back with another 910KINA Sports Update presented by Solana Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.

 The future of the Royals and chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question on Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County Missouri resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark, along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.

Despite that Royals owner John Sherman and chiefs President Mark Donovan both acknowledged long before the final tally that they thought the initiative would likely fail. More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan that would have replaced an existing three eighths of a cent sales tax that's been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex, the home for more than 50 years of Kaufman and Arrowhead Stadiums with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.

More locally, K-State senior Tyler Perry was among 21 players chosen to participate in the 2024 NABC Reese's Division One College All-Star game, which will be played on Friday, April 6, at the State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona. As part of the Final Four festivities.

 Friday's game will air nationally on CBS network with a 4:30 p.m. tip time and admission to the game as well as all of Reese's final for Friday is free to the public. 

And finally the Kansas City Royals fell in another Heartbreaker last night as the Orioles emerged from a five hour rain delay to walk off Casey in the night on a James McCann RBI single. 

That's all for your sports update for today. But for even more great area sports content like this, check out this Atlanta post and stay tuned to <a href="https://910kina.com/">910KINA</a> and <a href="http://Salinapost.com">Salinapost.com</a>

<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/4mAfVflD-ATjzBQNW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Kinasu 4-4-24" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>By TYLER HENRY Lead sports writer for Salina PostTranscript from featured audioHello and Happy Thursday everybody it's Tyler Henry back with another 910KINA Sports Update presented by Solana Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. The future of the Royals and chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question on Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County Missouri resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark, along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.Despite that Royals owner John Sherman and chiefs President Mark Donovan both acknowledged long before the final tally that they thought the initiative would likely fail. More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan that would have replaced an existing three eighths of a cent sales tax that's been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex, the home for more than 50 years of Kaufman and Arrowhead Stadiums with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.More locally, K-State senior Tyler Perry was among 21 players chosen to participate in the 2024 NABC Reese's Division One College All-Star game, which will be played on Friday, April 6, at the State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona. As part of the Final Four festivities. Friday's game will air nationally on CBS network with a 4:30 p.m. tip time and admission to the game as well as all of Reese's final for Friday is free to the public. And finally the Kansas City Royals fell in another Heartbreaker last night as the Orioles emerged from a five hour rain delay to walk off Casey in the night on a James McCann RBI single. That's all for your sports update for today. But for even more great area sports content like this, check out this Atlanta post and stay tuned to <a href="https://910kina.com/">910KINA</a> and <a href="http://Salinapost.com">Salinapost.com</a>

910 KINA sports headlines — April 4

BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the eighth before scoring twice against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.

It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.

The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.

The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.

Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.

Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore's final at-bat.

Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the right-hander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.

Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.

In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.

Royals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Orioles: After a day off Thursday, the Orioles hit the road for the first time this season, sending Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 1.50) to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712193045820.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro, left, argues with home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, after a play where Bobby Witt Jr. (7) was tagged out in a rundown between third and home against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro, left, argues with home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, after a play where Bobby Witt Jr. (7) was tagged out in a rundown between third and home against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the eighth before scoring twice against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore's final at-bat.Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the right-hander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.UP NEXTRoyals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.Orioles: After a day off Thursday, the Orioles hit the road for the first time this season, sending Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 1.50) to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.____

 ⚾ Orioles emerge from 5-hour rain delay to beat Royals 

On the heels of his team's third 4A state appearance in four years, Abilene head boy's basketball head coach Erik Graefe resigned from his post on Tuesday.

"This was a difficult decision but I feel like it's the right time for me to step aside," Graefe said. "I leave with nothing but love for Abilene. I was so fortunate to have coached with Tyler Bryson, and I am forever indebted to all of the players who played so hard for us."

During his four-year tenure leading the varsity team, Graefe's Cowboys posted a record of 59-27, and flirted with bringing Abilene their second state title in school history.

That run included a 19-4 campaign a season ago, that saw the Cowboys collect yet another sub-state title and finish the year with two All-State selections (Brax Fisher and Stocton Timbrook) on the KBCA team.

Prior to his time as head varsity basketball coach, Graefe served Abilene coaching the JV team, and prior to that, coached the middle school team, for a total of 18 years of service.

While surprising, the two parties will be parting ways on excellent terms, and Coach Graefe will be fondly remembered by all in Cowboy Country, having laid the groundwork for whoever steps up to lead Abilene next.

“On behalf of Abilene High School and the community, I would like to thank Coach Graefe for all his years of service to our youth," Abilene Athletic Director Will Burton said. "Not just for the last four years as our head high school coach but also for his years as an assistant at the high school level and as head coach at our middle school. I wish him the best in his future endeavors."

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.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>On the heels of his team's third 4A state appearance in four years, Abilene head boy's basketball head coach Erik Graefe resigned from his post on Tuesday."This was a difficult decision but I feel like it's the right time for me to step aside," Graefe said. "I leave with nothing but love for Abilene. I was so fortunate to have coached with Tyler Bryson, and I am forever indebted to all of the players who played so hard for us."During his four-year tenure leading the varsity team, Graefe's Cowboys posted a record of 59-27, and flirted with bringing Abilene their second state title in school history.That run included a 19-4 campaign a season ago, that saw the Cowboys collect yet another sub-state title and finish the year with two All-State selections (Brax Fisher and Stocton Timbrook) on the KBCA team.Prior to his time as head varsity basketball coach, Graefe served Abilene coaching the JV team, and prior to that, coached the middle school team, for a total of 18 years of service.While surprising, the two parties will be parting ways on excellent terms, and Coach Graefe will be fondly remembered by all in Cowboy Country, having laid the groundwork for whoever steps up to lead Abilene next.“On behalf of Abilene High School and the community, I would like to thank Coach Graefe for all his years of service to our youth," Abilene Athletic Director Will Burton said. "Not just for the last four years as our head high school coach but also for his years as an assistant at the high school level and as head coach at our middle school. I wish him the best in his future endeavors."Photo courtesy of Erik Graefe

Graefe Resigns as Head Boys Basketball Coach After 18 Years in Abilene

After a brief stumble out of the gates, the Southeast of Saline baseball team has caught fire, winning their last six games including a doubleheader sweep of Republic County on Tuesday.

With wins of 19-1 and 19-0 the Trojans move to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in league play while the Buffaloes drop to 0-6 and 0-2.

During this six-game stretch, Southeast has won all of its games by mercy rule, and has posted an obscene run differential of +98.

Game one was a quick one for the Trojans, who racked up five runs in the first, six in the second, and eight in the third to take a run-rule-shortened 19-1 victory.

Southeast rattled off eight hits and capitalized on 11 Buffalo blunders, with Sam Knopf leading the charge on a two-hit, three-run, 4 RBI day.

On the bump the Trojans looked dominant with Killian Vaughan and Cole Gilpin combining to toss three innings of three-hit ball, surrendering just one unearned run and striking out six.

Game two saw more of the same as Southeast struck for three in the first, seven in the second, three in the third and six in the fourth to win another shortened contest 19-0.

This time around it was the combined effort of Noah Rupert, Treytan Olson, and Lyrick Lilley who shut down Republic County from the mound, allowing just two hits and striking out five in a shutout win.

In game two six different members of the lineup recorded a hit, and a trio of Trojans in Treytan Olson, Evan Watkins, and Sam Knopf all drove in four runs.

SES will be tested on the road this Friday when they travel to Abilene for a two-game set with the 8th-ranked Cowboys.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After a brief stumble out of the gates, the Southeast of Saline baseball team has caught fire, winning their last six games including a doubleheader sweep of Republic County on Tuesday.With wins of 19-1 and 19-0 the Trojans move to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in league play while the Buffaloes drop to 0-6 and 0-2.During this six-game stretch, Southeast has won all of its games by mercy rule, and has posted an obscene run differential of +98.Game one was a quick one for the Trojans, who racked up five runs in the first, six in the second, and eight in the third to take a run-rule-shortened 19-1 victory.Southeast rattled off eight hits and capitalized on 11 Buffalo blunders, with Sam Knopf leading the charge on a two-hit, three-run, 4 RBI day.On the bump the Trojans looked dominant with Killian Vaughan and Cole Gilpin combining to toss three innings of three-hit ball, surrendering just one unearned run and striking out six.Game two saw more of the same as Southeast struck for three in the first, seven in the second, three in the third and six in the fourth to win another shortened contest 19-0.This time around it was the combined effort of Noah Rupert, Treytan Olson, and Lyrick Lilley who shut down Republic County from the mound, allowing just two hits and striking out five in a shutout win.In game two six different members of the lineup recorded a hit, and a trio of Trojans in Treytan Olson, Evan Watkins, and Sam Knopf all drove in four runs.SES will be tested on the road this Friday when they travel to Abilene for a two-game set with the 8th-ranked Cowboys.

Trojans Bash Buffaloes in Doubleheader Sweep

Southeast of Saline’s softball team picked up right where they left off on Tuesday, sweeping Republic County in dominant fashion to remain a perfect 4-0 on the year.

With wins of 19-1 and 14-1, the Lady Trojans also open league play at 2-0 while the Lady Buffs drop to 0-2 and 2-4 overall.

SES has won all four of their games by mercy rule and already holds a run differential of +51 less than a full week into their season.

It took the Southeast bats some time to warm up in the first game of their doubleheader as the Lady Trojans led just 3-1 after three, but a six-run fourth and a ten-run fifth allowed SES to put the opener to bed 19-1.

It turns out those three runs would have been more than enough as Lexi Jacobson was masterful once again in the circle, fanning eight batters and allowing just one unearned run on two hits all day.

Once Southeast turned up the heat they never looked back, as the top four bats in the order combined for ten hits, driving in ten more in the process.

Game two saw more of the same as SES allowed just one more run while striking for four in the first, five in the second, one in the third, and two more in the fourth and fifth for a 14-1 win.

This time it was Bryna Baird’s turn to baffle batters from the circle, allowing one run on three hits, striking out six, and walking just two.

Baird helped her own cause at the plate as well, recording three RBI on three hits, contributing more than the entire Republic County lineup combined.

It was also a good day at the plate for junior Abby Wyatt, who brought two more runs in to score on three hits.

The Lady Trojans will be back in action this Friday when they travel to Abilene for a 4:30 doubleheader with the Cowgirls.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.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>Southeast of Saline’s softball team picked up right where they left off on Tuesday, sweeping Republic County in dominant fashion to remain a perfect 4-0 on the year.With wins of 19-1 and 14-1, the Lady Trojans also open league play at 2-0 while the Lady Buffs drop to 0-2 and 2-4 overall.SES has won all four of their games by mercy rule and already holds a run differential of +51 less than a full week into their season.It took the Southeast bats some time to warm up in the first game of their doubleheader as the Lady Trojans led just 3-1 after three, but a six-run fourth and a ten-run fifth allowed SES to put the opener to bed 19-1.It turns out those three runs would have been more than enough as Lexi Jacobson was masterful once again in the circle, fanning eight batters and allowing just one unearned run on two hits all day.Once Southeast turned up the heat they never looked back, as the top four bats in the order combined for ten hits, driving in ten more in the process.Game two saw more of the same as SES allowed just one more run while striking for four in the first, five in the second, one in the third, and two more in the fourth and fifth for a 14-1 win.This time it was Bryna Baird’s turn to baffle batters from the circle, allowing one run on three hits, striking out six, and walking just two.Baird helped her own cause at the plate as well, recording three RBI on three hits, contributing more than the entire Republic County lineup combined.It was also a good day at the plate for junior Abby Wyatt, who brought two more runs in to score on three hits.The Lady Trojans will be back in action this Friday when they travel to Abilene for a 4:30 doubleheader with the Cowgirls.

Lady Trojans Rout Republic County, Move to 4-0

It was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday that the Kansas City Chiefs had agreed to a one-year deal with veteran quarterback Carson Wentz.

Wentz will replace former backup Blaine Gabbert, who is now an unrestricted free agent, and comes to Kansas City after spending the last two seasons as a backup with the Colts, Commanders, and Rams.

A Super Bowl winner with the Philadelphia Eagles, Wentz has completed 62.7% of his career passes for 22,292 yards, 153 touchdowns, and 67 interceptions.

This news broke alongside a Tuesday report from NFL insider Ian Rappaport that the Chiefs have agreed to a one-year deal to keep former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Kansas City.

Edwards-Helaire will return to the backfield alongside Isaiah Pacheco and could receive even more aid as Kansas City welcomed former Raven and current free-agent J.K. Dobbins in for a visit on Tuesday.

It was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday that the Kansas City Chiefs had agreed to a one-year deal with veteran quarterback Carson Wentz.Wentz will replace former backup Blaine Gabbert, who is now an unrestricted free agent, and comes to Kansas City after spending the last two seasons as a backup with the Colts, Commanders, and Rams.A Super Bowl winner with the Philadelphia Eagles, Wentz has completed 62.7% of his career passes for 22,292 yards, 153 touchdowns, and 67 interceptions.This news broke alongside a Tuesday report from NFL insider Ian Rappaport that the Chiefs have agreed to a one-year deal to keep former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Kansas City.Edwards-Helaire will return to the backfield alongside Isaiah Pacheco and could receive even more aid as Kansas City welcomed former Raven and current free-agent J.K. Dobbins in for a visit on Tuesday.

Chiefs Sign Carson Wentz, Re-Sign Clyde Edwards Helaire

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The future of the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County, Missouri, resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.

Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged long before the final tally that the initiative would fail.

 More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan, which would have replaced an existing three-eighths of a cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex — the home for more than 50 years to Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums — with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.

The Royals, who had pledged at least $1 billion from ownership for their project, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to help fund a $2 billion-plus ballpark district. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who had committed $300 million in private money, would have used their share as part of an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium.

“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” said Sherman, who left without taking questions. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”

Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward.”

That could mean many things: The Chiefs could try again with a reworked plan more agreeable to voters, change their entire funding approach to include more private investment, or they could even listen to offers from competing cities and states — such as Kansas, just across the state line to the west — that would provide the public funding they desire.

“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”

The current lease lease at Truman Sports Complex lasts through Jan. 31, 2031. And while Sherman has said the Royals would not play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, the Chiefs are hopeful of remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.

The tax — or, more accurately, the stadium plans — received significant public pushback almost from the start, when the teams struggled to put concrete plans before voters and were accused of lacking transparency throughout the process.

Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.

But, a self-imposed deadline to finalize their location lapsed without a plan, and in February, they finally announced they had scrapped both concepts and chosen a different downtown spot.

The new area, known as the Crossroads, has a vibrant arts and restaurant scene, and it is just blocks away from the T-Mobile Center and the bustling Power &amp; Light entertainment district. It also is close to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

But even then, plans remained vague. The latest ballpark renderings were made obsolete just last week when the Royals acquiesced to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ request that a major street that would have been part of the stadium footprint remain open; Lucas did not endorse the tax initiative until the Royals agreed to the change.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112749211.jpeg" alt="An Air Force B2 bomber flies over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>An Air Force B2 bomber flies over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The future of the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County, Missouri, resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged long before the final tally that the initiative would fail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712104528404.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure> More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan, which would have replaced an existing three-eighths of a cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex — the home for more than 50 years to Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums — with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.The Royals, who had pledged at least $1 billion from ownership for their project, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to help fund a $2 billion-plus ballpark district. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who had committed $300 million in private money, would have used their share as part of an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A statement from John Sherman regarding today&#39;s Jackson County election: <a href="https://t.co/t85qx0Cwfh">pic.twitter.com/t85qx0Cwfh</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775347697345610113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” said Sherman, who left without taking questions. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward.”That could mean many things: The Chiefs could try again with a reworked plan more agreeable to voters, change their entire funding approach to include more private investment, or they could even listen to offers from competing cities and states — such as Kansas, just across the state line to the west — that would provide the public funding they desire.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonCountyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JacksonCountyMO</a>⁩ voters have spoken. I’ll say more on the election results and what happens next soon. Stay tuned! <a href="https://t.co/emqsBfJqYq">pic.twitter.com/emqsBfJqYq</a>&mdash; Frank White (@JCEFrankWhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCEFrankWhite/status/1775364416424280068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”The current lease lease at Truman Sports Complex lasts through Jan. 31, 2031. And while Sherman has said the Royals would not play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, the Chiefs are hopeful of remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.The tax — or, more accurately, the stadium plans — received significant public pushback almost from the start, when the teams struggled to put concrete plans before voters and were accused of lacking transparency throughout the process.Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.But, a self-imposed deadline to finalize their location lapsed without a plan, and in February, they finally announced they had scrapped both concepts and chosen a different downtown spot.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ijleg960iH">pic.twitter.com/ijleg960iH</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1775340879663825097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new area, known as the Crossroads, has a vibrant arts and restaurant scene, and it is just blocks away from the T-Mobile Center and the bustling Power &amp; Light entertainment district. It also is close to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.But even then, plans remained vague. The latest ballpark renderings were made obsolete just last week when the Royals acquiesced to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ request that a major street that would have been part of the stadium footprint remain open; Lucas did not endorse the tax initiative until the Royals agreed to the change.“I think everyone has the same mixed feelings,” said Deidre Chasteen, a voter from Independence, Missouri, who remembers attending games downtown at old Municipal Stadium when the Royals played there from 1969-72.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112786193.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s not that we mind paying the three-eighths-cent sales tax. I think the problem is putting the stadium where it is,” Chasteen said. “We’re saying don’t ruin businesses that have been established down there for years.”The club also had not reached sales agreements with many landowners in the Crossroads, and other businesses had expressed concerns about traffic, congestion and parking in an already thriving residential neighborhood.Sarah Tourville, the Royals’ executive vice president, said the goal was to move into the stadium for opening day in 2028.The Royals moved from Municipal Stadium to Kauffman Stadium in 1973 and extensively renovated the ballpark from 2009-12. Arrowhead Stadium was built alongside Kauffman Stadium and also was renovated around the same time.While the Royals insist on playing in a new ballpark, the Chiefs wanted to stay put with a renovation that would have touched every aspect of their 52-year-old building, from the seating bowl to luxury amenities to the tailgating scene.“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose father, Lamar Hunt, helped get the existing stadiums built, said before Tuesday’s vote. “The financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we’ve outlined.”The Chiefs had hoped their success, including three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, would sway voters in their favor.“What my dad loved best about the stadium was the connection the team had with our fanbase,” Hunt said. “He loved this building for what it means to the fans, and we still believe it is one of the best stadiums in the National Football League and a bucket-list destination for fans across the NFL.”