KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Garrett Hampson and Salvador Perez drove in runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Sunday to complete a series sweep of their closest pursuers in the AL wild-card race.

Wacha (12-7) struck out seven while allowing just one walk is 100th career win. He got plenty of help from his defense, which turned two double plays and threw out a runner trying to score from first base in the first inning.

Kris Bubic handled the eighth for Kansas City before Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 11th save.

“It’s definitely a cool number for sure, something that was on my goal list coming into the season,” Wacha said of his milestone win. “It was definitely one of those days when (Bubic and Erceg) came in and slammed the door there.”

Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks before he was pulled with one out in the fifth inning. Minnesota's bullpen did not allow a run the rest of the way, though it didn't matter with the offense getting shut out.

The Twins held a lengthy closed-door meeting after the game, and manager Rocco Baldelli issued a statement without taking questions, saying: “It’s an unprofessional series of baseball that we just played and that’s my only comment for the day. I’m not commenting on anything else. I don’t think anything else really has to be said.”

The Royals moved 2 1/2 games ahead of AL Central-rival Minnesota for the second wild-card spot.

“Just keep your head up. It's a long season. We all know it,” Woods Richardson said. "Just take one pitch at a time. Lean on each other. Rely on each other. This is where a team becomes a team. Rely on each other and go to work.”

The Twins had a chance to strike in the first inning, and finally build some momentum after dropping four of the first six games on their seven-game trip. But Jose Miranda, who had singled, was thrown out by about a foot trying to score on Trevor Larnach's double, and Royce Lewis eventually struck out to end the inning.

“Kind of get into some trouble there in the first. Big play at the plate,” Wacha said. “That was almost a little wake-up call, a little momentum-shifter, like, ‘OK, let’s not give them any more opportunities.'”

The Twins' only other hits off Wacha came from Christian Vázquez leading off the third and sixth innings, and both times the veteran right-hander was able to get a double play to prevent a runner from even reaching second base again.

When the Royals got their chance, they took advantage of it.

MJ Melendez drew a walk leading off the fifth, and Freddy Fermin and Maikel Garcia followed with singles to load the bases for Hampson, who hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field. And when Tommy Pham walked to load the bases again, Perez followed with an RBI dribbler that traveled all of 80 feet down the third-base line for the only other run of the game.

“Those are the things where they happen for you, you feel good. When they happen against you, it's devastating,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “because you can't plan for that. And that's fortunate for us that it happened.”

Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring strain) is scheduled for a rehab appearance for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. He's been out since Aug. 27. ... LHP Will Smith (back spasms) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is “progressing fine,” Quatraro said. He went on the injured list Aug. 26.

Twins: 1B Carlos Santana was out of the lineup after leaving Saturday's game with an illness. Miranda started in his place.

Minnesota: RHP David Festa (2-5, 4.75) takes the hill to start three-game series against the Angels on Monday night.

Kansas City: RHP Brady Singer (9-10, 3.35) opens a three-game set against the Yankees on Monday night in New York.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725828266033.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Garrett Hampson and Salvador Perez drove in runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Sunday to complete a series sweep of their closest pursuers in the AL wild-card race.Wacha (12-7) struck out seven while allowing just one walk is 100th career win. He got plenty of help from his defense, which turned two double plays and threw out a runner trying to score from first base in the first inning.Kris Bubic handled the eighth for Kansas City before Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 11th save.“It’s definitely a cool number for sure, something that was on my goal list coming into the season,” Wacha said of his milestone win. “It was definitely one of those days when (Bubic and Erceg) came in and slammed the door there.”Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks before he was pulled with one out in the fifth inning. Minnesota's bullpen did not allow a run the rest of the way, though it didn't matter with the offense getting shut out.The Twins held a lengthy closed-door meeting after the game, and manager Rocco Baldelli issued a statement without taking questions, saying: “It’s an unprofessional series of baseball that we just played and that’s my only comment for the day. I’m not commenting on anything else. I don’t think anything else really has to be said.”The Royals moved 2 1/2 games ahead of AL Central-rival Minnesota for the second wild-card spot.“Just keep your head up. It's a long season. We all know it,” Woods Richardson said. "Just take one pitch at a time. Lean on each other. Rely on each other. This is where a team becomes a team. Rely on each other and go to work.”The Twins had a chance to strike in the first inning, and finally build some momentum after dropping four of the first six games on their seven-game trip. But Jose Miranda, who had singled, was thrown out by about a foot trying to score on Trevor Larnach's double, and Royce Lewis eventually struck out to end the inning.“Kind of get into some trouble there in the first. Big play at the plate,” Wacha said. “That was almost a little wake-up call, a little momentum-shifter, like, ‘OK, let’s not give them any more opportunities.'”The Twins' only other hits off Wacha came from Christian Vázquez leading off the third and sixth innings, and both times the veteran right-hander was able to get a double play to prevent a runner from even reaching second base again.When the Royals got their chance, they took advantage of it.MJ Melendez drew a walk leading off the fifth, and Freddy Fermin and Maikel Garcia followed with singles to load the bases for Hampson, who hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field. And when Tommy Pham walked to load the bases again, Perez followed with an RBI dribbler that traveled all of 80 feet down the third-base line for the only other run of the game.“Those are the things where they happen for you, you feel good. When they happen against you, it's devastating,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “because you can't plan for that. And that's fortunate for us that it happened.”<h2>Trainer's room</h2>Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring strain) is scheduled for a rehab appearance for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. He's been out since Aug. 27. ... LHP Will Smith (back spasms) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is “progressing fine,” Quatraro said. He went on the injured list Aug. 26.Twins: 1B Carlos Santana was out of the lineup after leaving Saturday's game with an illness. Miranda started in his place.<h2>Next up</h2>Minnesota: RHP David Festa (2-5, 4.75) takes the hill to start three-game series against the Angels on Monday night.Kansas City: RHP Brady Singer (9-10, 3.35) opens a three-game set against the Yankees on Monday night in New York.

⚾ Wacha tosses 7 innings of 4-hit ball, Royals sweep the Twins 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a tiebreaking single in a four-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Minnesota 4-2 Saturday night to open a 1 1/2-game lead over the Twins for the second AL wild card.

Held to one hit over seven innings by Bailey Ober, the Royals rallied against Jhoan Durán (6-9) and Griffin Jax, winning their third straight following a season-high, seven-game losing streak.

Kansas City (78-65) is second behind Cleveland in the AL Central and Minnesota (76-66) is third after losing four of five.

Duran, who topped 100 mph with five of 17 pitches, entered with a 2-0 lead and gave up a one-out single to Freddy Fermin, then hit Robbie Grossman with a pitch. Kyle Isbel hit an RBI single and Jax relieved, trying for a five-out save.

Tommy Pham hit a slow four-hopper to Brooks Lee and reached on an infield hit as the shortstop barehanded the ball and bounced his throw past first. Pinch-runner Dairon Blanco, who had been on second, scored on the error.

Witt, who leads the major leagues with a .336 average, looped a single into short center as Isbel scored for a 3-2 lead. ML Melendez drove in Pham with a two-out single off Jax, who blew a save for the fifth time in 13 chances.

Daniel Lynch (1-0) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings and Lucas Erceg pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save, his seventh since the Royals acquired him from Oakland in July.

Ober did not allow a runner to reach second, retired his final 15 batters, struck out seven and walked nine.

José Miranda hit a two-out RBI triple in the third and scored on Matt Wallner’s double off Alec Marsh, who gave up four hits in five innings.

Royals right-hander Dan Altavilla cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Omaha.

Twins: 1B Carlos Santana left in the bottom of the sixth inning with an unspecified illness and was replaced by Kyle Farmer.

Minnesota RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-3, 3.95 ERA) starts Sunday against Kansas City RHP Michael Wacha (11-7, 3.50 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725761132757.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a tiebreaking single in a four-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Minnesota 4-2 Saturday night to open a 1 1/2-game lead over the Twins for the second AL wild card.Held to one hit over seven innings by Bailey Ober, the Royals rallied against Jhoan Durán (6-9) and Griffin Jax, winning their third straight following a season-high, seven-game losing streak.Kansas City (78-65) is second behind Cleveland in the AL Central and Minnesota (76-66) is third after losing four of five.Duran, who topped 100 mph with five of 17 pitches, entered with a 2-0 lead and gave up a one-out single to Freddy Fermin, then hit Robbie Grossman with a pitch. Kyle Isbel hit an RBI single and Jax relieved, trying for a five-out save.Tommy Pham hit a slow four-hopper to Brooks Lee and reached on an infield hit as the shortstop barehanded the ball and bounced his throw past first. Pinch-runner Dairon Blanco, who had been on second, scored on the error.Witt, who leads the major leagues with a .336 average, looped a single into short center as Isbel scored for a 3-2 lead. ML Melendez drove in Pham with a two-out single off Jax, who blew a save for the fifth time in 13 chances.Daniel Lynch (1-0) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings and Lucas Erceg pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save, his seventh since the Royals acquired him from Oakland in July.Ober did not allow a runner to reach second, retired his final 15 batters, struck out seven and walked nine.José Miranda hit a two-out RBI triple in the third and scored on Matt Wallner’s double off Alec Marsh, who gave up four hits in five innings.Royals right-hander Dan Altavilla cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Omaha.TRAINER'S ROOMTwins: 1B Carlos Santana left in the bottom of the sixth inning with an unspecified illness and was replaced by Kyle Farmer.UP NEXTMinnesota RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-3, 3.95 ERA) starts Sunday against Kansas City RHP Michael Wacha (11-7, 3.50 ERA).___

⚾ Witt's go-ahead single lifts Royals over Twins

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kaden Feagin scored on a 1-yard run with 9:34 to go, David Alano added a 43-yard field goal with 58 seconds left and Illinois rallied to beat No. 19 Kansas 23-17 on Saturday night.

Illinois (2-0) beat a ranked nonconference opponent for the first time since topping then-No. 22 Arizona State on Sept. 17, 2011. The Illini also avenged a 34-23 loss last year at Kansas (1-1).

Feagin scored after Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for 37- and 28-yard completions on the eight-play, 80-yard drive.

Altmyer completed 16 of 25 passes for 192 yards. Zakhari Franklin had nine catches for 99 yards, and Bryant had three receptions for 70 yards.

Kansas' Jalon Daniels was 18 of 32 for 141 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions.

Daniels scrambled and found a wide-open Lawrence Arnold in the end zone for 13-yard TD pass that give the Jayhawks a 17-13 lead with 4:57 to go in the third quarter.

Luke Grimm caught nine passes for 40 yards and a touchdown for the Jayhawks. Devin Neal ran for 101 yards on 14 carries.

The teams combined for 17 points in the final 3:05 of the second quarter.

Illinois led 13-10 at halftime thanks to Xavier Scott’s 28-yard return of an interception with 36 seconds left in the quarter. Scott read a screen pass attempt by Daniels and raced untouched into the end zone. It was Scott’s second interception of the game.

A 50-yard field goal by Alano with 2:27 to go in the quarter was set up by a spectacular one-handed, 42-yard catch by Franklin along the sideline with Kansas’ Damarius McGhee holding his other arm.

The Jayhawks went ahead 10-3 on a 3-yard TD pass from Daniels to Grimm in the back of the end zone with 3:05 remaining in the half.

Illinois: The Illini proved they could go toe-to-toe and beat a ranked opponent, a good sign with games against No. 8 Penn State, No. 10 Michigan and No. 7 Oregon coming up in the next six weeks.

Kansas: Despite the loss, the Jayhawks showed they have a potent running attack led by Neal and and a sturdy defense. Illinois’ offense scored only one touchdown — albeit the winning TD — gained just 79 yards on the ground, and had only 14 first downs.

Kansas made some major errors including a penalty that wiped out a touchdown, and the interceptions by Daniels that ruined drives and allowed Illinois to pull ahead late in the first half. The Jayhawks will most likely drop out of the Top 25.

Illinois: Hosts Central Michigan on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725763065851.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kaden Feagin scored on a 1-yard run with 9:34 to go, David Alano added a 43-yard field goal with 58 seconds left and Illinois rallied to beat No. 19 Kansas 23-17 on Saturday night.Illinois (2-0) beat a ranked nonconference opponent for the first time since topping then-No. 22 Arizona State on Sept. 17, 2011. The Illini also avenged a 34-23 loss last year at Kansas (1-1).Feagin scored after Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for 37- and 28-yard completions on the eight-play, 80-yard drive.Altmyer completed 16 of 25 passes for 192 yards. Zakhari Franklin had nine catches for 99 yards, and Bryant had three receptions for 70 yards.Kansas' Jalon Daniels was 18 of 32 for 141 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions.Daniels scrambled and found a wide-open Lawrence Arnold in the end zone for 13-yard TD pass that give the Jayhawks a 17-13 lead with 4:57 to go in the third quarter.Luke Grimm caught nine passes for 40 yards and a touchdown for the Jayhawks. Devin Neal ran for 101 yards on 14 carries.The teams combined for 17 points in the final 3:05 of the second quarter.Illinois led 13-10 at halftime thanks to Xavier Scott’s 28-yard return of an interception with 36 seconds left in the quarter. Scott read a screen pass attempt by Daniels and raced untouched into the end zone. It was Scott’s second interception of the game.A 50-yard field goal by Alano with 2:27 to go in the quarter was set up by a spectacular one-handed, 42-yard catch by Franklin along the sideline with Kansas’ Damarius McGhee holding his other arm.The Jayhawks went ahead 10-3 on a 3-yard TD pass from Daniels to Grimm in the back of the end zone with 3:05 remaining in the half.THE TAKEAWAYIllinois: The Illini proved they could go toe-to-toe and beat a ranked opponent, a good sign with games against No. 8 Penn State, No. 10 Michigan and No. 7 Oregon coming up in the next six weeks.Kansas: Despite the loss, the Jayhawks showed they have a potent running attack led by Neal and and a sturdy defense. Illinois’ offense scored only one touchdown — albeit the winning TD — gained just 79 yards on the ground, and had only 14 first downs.POLL IMPLICATIONSKansas made some major errors including a penalty that wiped out a touchdown, and the interceptions by Daniels that ruined drives and allowed Illinois to pull ahead late in the first half. The Jayhawks will most likely drop out of the Top 25.UP NEXTIllinois: Hosts Central Michigan on Saturday.

🏈 Illinois rallies in the 4th quarter to beat No. 19 Kansas 

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kansas State safety Jack Fabris returned Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah's fumble 60 yards for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and VJ Payne's interception in the end zone helped the 17th-ranked Wildcats hold on for a 34-27 victory over Tulane on Saturday.

Tulane appeared to have scored a potential tying touchdown with 17 seconds left when Mensah hit Yulkeith Brown near the left pylon, but receiver Dontae Fleming was flagged for offensive pass interference.

Payne's interception came two plays later.

Avery Johnson passed for two touchdowns for Kansas State (2-0). DJ Giddens rushed for 114 yards, his sixth straight game hitting the 100-yard mark, and had 63 yards receiving, including a 45-yard touchdown catch on fourth down in the third quarter.

Tulane (1-1) led much of the game and was threating to break a 27-all tie when Mensah was sacked and stripped by linebacker Austin Romaine. Fabris scooped and scored to put K-State in front for good with 8:13 left.

Mensah, a first-time starter this season, finished 19 of 29 for 342 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Alex Bauman, only to be done in by his crucial turnovers.

Southern California transfer Mario Williams caught six passes for 128 yards for Tulane and Makhi Hughes rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown.

Williams's catches included a 47-yard gain down the middle of the field on third and 21, setting up Mensah's fade to Bauman to put Tulane up 27-20.

Dylan Edwards tied it with a 13-yard TD run, caping a 75-yard drive on which Johnson completed passes of 33 and 11 yards.

Tulane,&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.la.betmgm.com/en/sports/football-11/betting/usa-9/college-football-211">an 8 1/2-point underdog</a>, led 7-3 lead on Hughes' 3-yard run, which was set up by Mensah's 53-yard pass to Fleming.

Mensah's 36-yard connection with Bauman put the Wave up 14-3 lead in the second quarter before Kansas State put together its first touchdown drive, highlighted by Giddens' 51-yard run.

Johnson capped it, rolling left to buy time before finding Will Swanson for a diving catch in the back of the end zone on third down.

Tulane drove inside the K-State 20 twice more in the second quarter, only to lose yards both times and settle for Jacob Barnes field goals of 40 and 41 yards to make it 20-10 at halftime.

Kansas State: A strong second half on both sides of the ball helped the Wildcats beat Tulane for the first time in three tries and avenge a 17-10 loss to the Wave in Manhattan, Kansas, two seasons ago.

Tulane: Considering the Green Wave is in transition, just two games into a season with new coach Jon Sumrall and a new starting QB, this was a strong showing that bodes well for Tulane's prospects in the American Athletic Conference. But it also was a lost opportunity to strengthen its College Football Playoff credentials.

Kansas State hosts new Big 12 member Arizona on Friday night in what is technically a non-conference game because it was scheduled about two years ago.

Tulane has an arguably tougher game when it visits No. 15 Oklahoma on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725741746030.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kansas State safety Jack Fabris returned Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah's fumble 60 yards for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and VJ Payne's interception in the end zone helped the 17th-ranked Wildcats hold on for a 34-27 victory over Tulane on Saturday.Tulane appeared to have scored a potential tying touchdown with 17 seconds left when Mensah hit Yulkeith Brown near the left pylon, but receiver Dontae Fleming was flagged for offensive pass interference.Payne's interception came two plays later.Avery Johnson passed for two touchdowns for Kansas State (2-0). DJ Giddens rushed for 114 yards, his sixth straight game hitting the 100-yard mark, and had 63 yards receiving, including a 45-yard touchdown catch on fourth down in the third quarter.Tulane (1-1) led much of the game and was threating to break a 27-all tie when Mensah was sacked and stripped by linebacker Austin Romaine. Fabris scooped and scored to put K-State in front for good with 8:13 left.Mensah, a first-time starter this season, finished 19 of 29 for 342 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Alex Bauman, only to be done in by his crucial turnovers.Southern California transfer Mario Williams caught six passes for 128 yards for Tulane and Makhi Hughes rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown.Williams's catches included a 47-yard gain down the middle of the field on third and 21, setting up Mensah's fade to Bauman to put Tulane up 27-20.Dylan Edwards tied it with a 13-yard TD run, caping a 75-yard drive on which Johnson completed passes of 33 and 11 yards.Tulane,&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.la.betmgm.com/en/sports/football-11/betting/usa-9/college-football-211">an 8 1/2-point underdog</a>, led 7-3 lead on Hughes' 3-yard run, which was set up by Mensah's 53-yard pass to Fleming.Mensah's 36-yard connection with Bauman put the Wave up 14-3 lead in the second quarter before Kansas State put together its first touchdown drive, highlighted by Giddens' 51-yard run.Johnson capped it, rolling left to buy time before finding Will Swanson for a diving catch in the back of the end zone on third down.Tulane drove inside the K-State 20 twice more in the second quarter, only to lose yards both times and settle for Jacob Barnes field goals of 40 and 41 yards to make it 20-10 at halftime.<h2>The Takeaway</h2>Kansas State: A strong second half on both sides of the ball helped the Wildcats beat Tulane for the first time in three tries and avenge a 17-10 loss to the Wave in Manhattan, Kansas, two seasons ago.Tulane: Considering the Green Wave is in transition, just two games into a season with new coach Jon Sumrall and a new starting QB, this was a strong showing that bodes well for Tulane's prospects in the American Athletic Conference. But it also was a lost opportunity to strengthen its College Football Playoff credentials.<h2>Up Next</h2>Kansas State hosts new Big 12 member Arizona on Friday night in what is technically a non-conference game because it was scheduled about two years ago.Tulane has an arguably tougher game when it visits No. 15 Oklahoma on Saturday.___

🏈 Defense comes up big to help K-State escape Tulane with a win

The Junction City Blue Jays kicked off their 2024 season against the Haysville-Campus Colts on Friday night. The Blue Jays scored their first touchdown of the season on a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown by junior Scholar Brown. Junction City cruised to a 55-0 victory.

The Blue Jays got it done on all sides of the ball, including two punt returns for a touchdown, a fumble recovery in the end zone by Jalen Morgan, and several rushing touchdowns.

Another offensive highlight was a 62-yard connection from junior quarterback Conrad Gomez to junior wide receiver JaMarcus Vornes for a touchdown. Junction City led 48-0 at halftime and rested most of their starters in the second half.

The Blue Jay defense also had a dominant performance from the whole unit to start the season. 

Junction City head football coach Randall Zimmerman, now in his 31st year at the head of the program, expressed how pleased he was with his team and said he appreciated how hard the kids played. 

With the win, Junction City is 1-0 on the season. The Blue Jays now have a short week, as they will host Lawrence High School next Thursday night at Blue Jay Stadium for their home opener. 

By Anthony GorgesJC Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725694468024.jpeg" alt="The 2024 Junction City High School Football Team (Photo courtesy of Geary County Schools - USD 475 Facebook Page)" />
 <figcaption>The 2024 Junction City High School Football Team (Photo courtesy of Geary County Schools - USD 475 Facebook Page)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Junction City Blue Jays kicked off their 2024 season against the Haysville-Campus Colts on Friday night. The Blue Jays scored their first touchdown of the season on a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown by junior Scholar Brown. Junction City cruised to a 55-0 victory.The Blue Jays got it done on all sides of the ball, including two punt returns for a touchdown, a fumble recovery in the end zone by Jalen Morgan, and several rushing touchdowns.Another offensive highlight was a 62-yard connection from junior quarterback Conrad Gomez to junior wide receiver JaMarcus Vornes for a touchdown. Junction City led 48-0 at halftime and rested most of their starters in the second half.The Blue Jay defense also had a dominant performance from the whole unit to start the season. Junction City head football coach Randall Zimmerman, now in his 31st year at the head of the program, expressed how pleased he was with his team and said he appreciated how hard the kids played. With the win, Junction City is 1-0 on the season. The Blue Jays now have a short week, as they will host Lawrence High School next Thursday night at Blue Jay Stadium for their home opener.

Blue Jays cruise to a week one victory

Junction City 55-0 over Haysville-Campus High School

Washburn Rural 42-21 over Shawnee Heights

Blue Valley-Randolph 42-14 over Washington County

Junction City 55-0 over Haysville-Campus High SchoolManhattan 57-21 over Garden CityClay Center 34-7 over AbileneChapman 10-8 over Smith CenterWamego 41-8 over ConcordiaTopeka High 52-19 over Wichita WestWashburn Rural 42-21 over Shawnee HeightsMarysville 16-8 over Nemaha CentralRock Creek 63-7 over Bishop WardTopeka Hayden 35-7 over EudoraCouncil Grove 40-7 over WabaunseeMarion 46-20 over HeringtonRiley County 27-14 over Jefferson WestBlue Valley-Randolph 42-14 over Washington CountyRural Vista 46-0 over SolomonWakefield 46-0 over Goessel

Week 1 Area High School Football Scores

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans scattered four hits in six scoreless innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-0 on Friday night and traded places with the Twins in the AL Central and wild card standings.

The Royals now hold a half-game lead for second place in the division and the second wild card spot.

Michael Massey had three hits,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1832225056514080933">including a home run</a>, for the Royals.

Ragans (11-9) won for the first time since a 4-1 victory in Minneapolis on August 14, the Royals' lone win in Minnesota this season.

Zebby Matthews (1-3) took the loss. He allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings.

Ragans picked up his third strikeout of the game — and 200th of the season — to end the third inning, making him the fifth pitcher in Royals history to post 200 strikeouts in a season. He is the first Royals pitcher since Zack Greinke in 2009 to accomplish the feat.

The Royals plated a run in the third. Kyle Isbel drew a one-out walk and scored from first when Tommy Pham yanked the ball into the left field corner. The Twins answered with an almost identical play in the top of the fourth. Austin Martin ripped a two-out double to the wall in left, but Pham threw a relay to Bobby Witt Jr., who fired a strike to Salvador Perez to retire Kyle Farmer at the plate.

Massey then extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a 408-foot solo home run into the bullpen in right.

The Royals used their speed to add on in the fifth. Witt avoided a double play on a comebacker to Matthews and went to third on a single by MJ Melendez. Melendez stole second and both runners scored on a single by Hunter Renfroe.

Yuli Gurriel's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored the final run.

Royals: Renfroe was returned from the 10-day Injured List on Thursday's off day. In corresponding moves, RHP Steven Cruz was optioned to Triple-A Omaha and RHP Dan Altavilla was returned from the IL and designated for assignment.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans scattered four hits in six scoreless innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-0 on Friday night and traded places with the Twins in the AL Central and wild card standings.The Royals now hold a half-game lead for second place in the division and the second wild card spot.Michael Massey had three hits,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1832225056514080933">including a home run</a>, for the Royals.Ragans (11-9) won for the first time since a 4-1 victory in Minneapolis on August 14, the Royals' lone win in Minnesota this season.Zebby Matthews (1-3) took the loss. He allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings.Ragans picked up his third strikeout of the game — and 200th of the season — to end the third inning, making him the fifth pitcher in Royals history to post 200 strikeouts in a season. He is the first Royals pitcher since Zack Greinke in 2009 to accomplish the feat.The Royals plated a run in the third. Kyle Isbel drew a one-out walk and scored from first when Tommy Pham yanked the ball into the left field corner. The Twins answered with an almost identical play in the top of the fourth. Austin Martin ripped a two-out double to the wall in left, but Pham threw a relay to Bobby Witt Jr., who fired a strike to Salvador Perez to retire Kyle Farmer at the plate.Massey then extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a 408-foot solo home run into the bullpen in right.The Royals used their speed to add on in the fifth. Witt avoided a double play on a comebacker to Matthews and went to third on a single by MJ Melendez. Melendez stole second and both runners scored on a single by Hunter Renfroe.Yuli Gurriel's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored the final run.TRANSACTIONSRoyals: Renfroe was returned from the 10-day Injured List on Thursday's off day. In corresponding moves, RHP Steven Cruz was optioned to Triple-A Omaha and RHP Dan Altavilla was returned from the IL and designated for assignment.UP NEXT

⚾ Ragans throws 6 scoreless inning as Royals top Twins

Friday night marks the opening of the high school football season in Kansas.

--Junction City plays Haysville Campus in Wichita. The contest can be heard on 107.9 FM and 1420 KJCK. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

--Blue Valley - Randolph is at Washington County

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725635452198.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Friday night marks the opening of the high school football season in Kansas.In games of area interest:--Junction City plays Haysville Campus in Wichita. The contest can be heard on 107.9 FM and 1420 KJCK. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.--Manhattan goes to Garden City--Topeka High is at Wichita West--Washburn Rural hosts Shawnee Heights--Abilene travels to Clay Center--Chapman hosts Smith Center--Wamego visits Concordia--Marysville at Nemaha Central--Rock Creek hosts Bishop Ward--Hayden travels to Eudora--Council Grove plays at Wabaunsee--Marion travels to Herington--Riley County goes to Jefferson West--Blue Valley - Randolph is at Washington County--Solomon travels to Rural Vista--Wakefield hosts Goessel

High school football season opens Friday night

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chiefs: Host Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 15.

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

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

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23516&amp;type=Archive">Watch Conor Riley’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23517&amp;type=Archive">Watch Joe Klanderman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/coordinator-press-conference-september-5-2024/4885">Listen on Wildcats Uncut</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EumD2G5yXNgLSarXhsUzllnCQ7-ea9GjrtXuVomWN3U/edit#gid=0">Media Download</a>

<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EumD2G5yXNgLSarXhsUzllnCQ7-ea9GjrtXuVomWN3U/edit#gid=0"></a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State offensive coordinator&nbsp;Conor Riley&nbsp;and defensive coordinator&nbsp;Joe Klanderman&nbsp;met with members of the media on Thursday at the Vanier Family Football Complex prior to the Wildcats’ first road game of the year on Saturday at Tulane. Links to video and audio of both press conferences are above, and a transcript of select quotes are below.

CONOR RILEY, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

On what he learned about the offense against UT Martin…

“Well, we learned quite a few things. We learned that we need to start faster, have a little bit more urgency. I think, collectively, and it was reflective of us early on, I think we were playing a little bit tight. In a regard – and I used this earlier – playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. I was very pleased with the fact that you're looking at a lot of new faces, and, knock on wood, we didn't have an offensive penalty. I don't feel like we had an operation error. From the sideline standpoint, there was one point where a guy got lined up in the wrong formation. (He) didn't see a particular formation signal, and then a guy kind of jogged out, but we were able to, with a young quarterback, not rush that particular play. So, from a discipline standpoint, I was very pleased with that. I did very much like the way that we kind of answered the bell there in the second half. We had some adversity in the first half, and we had some adversity in the second half, and I felt like we handled that better.”

On the offensive line and their first time playing together…

“That was kind of a very similar synopsis. I know that we can play better. They know that we can play better. You look at it, and the statistics are what they are. I thought we made a poor decision a few times in some technique in pass pro, but, for as little pressures as we gave up, that's encouraging. In the run game, like I said, I thought early we were kind of catching a little bit and feeling things out as opposed to attacking. That resulted, a little bit, in a slower start. When you have the success that we did have running a football, there's a lot of positives to build on as well. I'm not going to say, ‘Well man, we averaged this per rush, so all is well and good.’ We know that we have to get better, and I expect that we will.”

What he liked and did not like about the passing game…

“Well, I like that we took advantage of some of the things that they gave us. There's a few things where I think that we had some missed opportunities within the passing game. Where I didn't like it was on some third downs. I thought that there were some third downs that we missed opportunities on. Maybe it was a bad read by a tight end, maybe it was a guy running into a backer that didn't open up a particular window, maybe it was progressing through something just a little too quick, or not progressing completely right on it. That's probably where I see that we need to improve. I didn't like where we were at third down conversion wise. To me – and very much credit them – I believe that they are very easily correctable on our end.”

On the challenges that Tulane’s defensive line presents…

“I think the defensive line is very reflective of their defense in general. They are fast, they are physical, and they are aggressive. The defensive line is probably the greatest indicator of that. They do not make a ton of mistakes. They don't get out of fits. I know that they played their first game under a new head coach under a new defensive system, and that's one of the things that's very impressive to me is you have a lot of new pieces. They do have a few players who did come with the head football coach from Troy that played right out here against Kansas State last year, including their starting nickel, who I think is a great football player. How physical they are, how well they get off blocks. We got a tremendous amount of respect for that head coach and that entire staff. They play their tails off.”

On if he got everything out of Dylan Edwards that he was hoping for in the first game…

“I was pleased with some of the touches that he got. When you look at the limited amount of plays that we had, I think there's a couple things to that. One is, I'm kind of looking at a stat line late Saturday night, and I'm going, ‘Holy cow.’ The thing that you come back to is a lost possession on a block punt because that's a lost possession. You come to a lost possession, or smaller possession, on a turnover. Then, obviously, the turnover in the second half (on the kickoff return). That's a lost possession. Another thing that's really going on in college football as well is there's new play clock rules. I'm kind of looking at that, and I obviously very much knew about what had happened during the course of the game that may have caused our play count to be a little bit lower, and the first person I looked at was me. Then the second thing, I started looking at other teams around the country. With the new play clock rules that the (clock) is continuing to go on on first down, you're seeing, I believe, something that the top 20 in the country with play count numbers from a year ago, they were all down about 10 plays. That could be for any number of reasons, but that's something that we as coaches need to continue to look at. So, I do believe that ties into Dylan. There were some things that were on the card. There's some things that we have done that you're going to continue to see as the season progresses.”

JOE KLANDERMAN, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

On what he learned about the defense in the first game…

“Kind of what we thought. I think it was a good situation. I knew we had some veteran guys, and I really felt like our stars played like stars, the guys that you would expect to would play well, played well – Brendan Mott, Desmond Purnell, Marques Sigle, Jacob Parrish, I could name others. Then the guys that were new that we knew were going to have wide eyes had wide eyes. We made some mistakes early. As the game went on, they got a little more comfortable, and hopefully that's going to be a trend that continues to just keep getting better and better because we're going to need those guys to get better and better.”

On the next step for Tobi Osunsanmi…

“I think sometimes he's a little inconsistent with his footwork in the run game. You bet – he can get off the ball and be really disruptive. He is a physical player. It’s not like he can't play the run. It's just that's all new to him. We've got to keep that in mind with the different things that he sees. Obviously, he's been going against our offense in the spring and fall camp and all those things. Sometimes he sees some run schemes that our offense doesn't do. So, for him to get some game time in those concepts is a big deal for him. He's just going to keep getting better, too.”

On Tulane’s running back being one of the best in the Group of 5…

“Great contact balance. I think he fits their run stuff really well. I feel like we're at a little bit of a disadvantage because of how we played Troy last year, and I think they're very similar, personnel wise, to what Troy had, honestly. They had a great running back at Troy; they a have great running back here. They had great receivers at Troy; they have great receivers here. I think they're physical up front in both places. They probably know a little bit more about how we defended them a year ago than we know how they're going to present what they do this year with their new personnel. So, that's going to be the biggest challenge, is getting all that stuff sorted out. But, to go back to your question not to dodge that, he's just a really physical runner with great contact balance. He doesn't fumble. I can't remember the stat, but he had all those carries and touches last year, and not one time did he put it on the ground. They say Group of 5, he's one of the better ones in the country, I think.”

On covering Tulane wide receiver Mario Williams…

“Yeah, he’s really fast. That's going to be the thing is checking out how our guys match up against their guys. He’s electric, fast and slippery and good at the top of route. Those guys are a really good group of receivers.”

On if there were any younger guys on the roster that he was pleased with last week…

“Aside from the guys that are in the two deep, is that what you're asking? It was cool to see Donovan McIntosh sort through a few things at corner. It was really cool – I know he's kind of quote, unquote in the two deep – but watching Wesley Fair run around and fly around and throw his body around. It was cool. Terry Kirksey, when he was in there, I thought was a difference maker. Asher Tomaszewski at nose played quite a bit at the end of the game. He's another one, with Uso (Seumalo) and Damian (Ilalio), his role is going to be his role this year, but for him to get in there and get some snaps and run around like he did was cool. So, a lot of positivity from the young guys.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23516&amp;type=Archive">Watch Conor Riley’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23517&amp;type=Archive">Watch Joe Klanderman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/coordinator-press-conference-september-5-2024/4885">Listen on Wildcats Uncut</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EumD2G5yXNgLSarXhsUzllnCQ7-ea9GjrtXuVomWN3U/edit#gid=0">Media Download</a><a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EumD2G5yXNgLSarXhsUzllnCQ7-ea9GjrtXuVomWN3U/edit#gid=0"></a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State offensive coordinator&nbsp;Conor Riley&nbsp;and defensive coordinator&nbsp;Joe Klanderman&nbsp;met with members of the media on Thursday at the Vanier Family Football Complex prior to the Wildcats’ first road game of the year on Saturday at Tulane. Links to video and audio of both press conferences are above, and a transcript of select quotes are below.CONOR RILEY, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOROn what he learned about the offense against UT Martin…“Well, we learned quite a few things. We learned that we need to start faster, have a little bit more urgency. I think, collectively, and it was reflective of us early on, I think we were playing a little bit tight. In a regard – and I used this earlier – playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. I was very pleased with the fact that you're looking at a lot of new faces, and, knock on wood, we didn't have an offensive penalty. I don't feel like we had an operation error. From the sideline standpoint, there was one point where a guy got lined up in the wrong formation. (He) didn't see a particular formation signal, and then a guy kind of jogged out, but we were able to, with a young quarterback, not rush that particular play. So, from a discipline standpoint, I was very pleased with that. I did very much like the way that we kind of answered the bell there in the second half. We had some adversity in the first half, and we had some adversity in the second half, and I felt like we handled that better.”On the offensive line and their first time playing together…“That was kind of a very similar synopsis. I know that we can play better. They know that we can play better. You look at it, and the statistics are what they are. I thought we made a poor decision a few times in some technique in pass pro, but, for as little pressures as we gave up, that's encouraging. In the run game, like I said, I thought early we were kind of catching a little bit and feeling things out as opposed to attacking. That resulted, a little bit, in a slower start. When you have the success that we did have running a football, there's a lot of positives to build on as well. I'm not going to say, ‘Well man, we averaged this per rush, so all is well and good.’ We know that we have to get better, and I expect that we will.”What he liked and did not like about the passing game…“Well, I like that we took advantage of some of the things that they gave us. There's a few things where I think that we had some missed opportunities within the passing game. Where I didn't like it was on some third downs. I thought that there were some third downs that we missed opportunities on. Maybe it was a bad read by a tight end, maybe it was a guy running into a backer that didn't open up a particular window, maybe it was progressing through something just a little too quick, or not progressing completely right on it. That's probably where I see that we need to improve. I didn't like where we were at third down conversion wise. To me – and very much credit them – I believe that they are very easily correctable on our end.”On the challenges that Tulane’s defensive line presents…“I think the defensive line is very reflective of their defense in general. They are fast, they are physical, and they are aggressive. The defensive line is probably the greatest indicator of that. They do not make a ton of mistakes. They don't get out of fits. I know that they played their first game under a new head coach under a new defensive system, and that's one of the things that's very impressive to me is you have a lot of new pieces. They do have a few players who did come with the head football coach from Troy that played right out here against Kansas State last year, including their starting nickel, who I think is a great football player. How physical they are, how well they get off blocks. We got a tremendous amount of respect for that head coach and that entire staff. They play their tails off.”On if he got everything out of Dylan Edwards that he was hoping for in the first game…“I was pleased with some of the touches that he got. When you look at the limited amount of plays that we had, I think there's a couple things to that. One is, I'm kind of looking at a stat line late Saturday night, and I'm going, ‘Holy cow.’ The thing that you come back to is a lost possession on a block punt because that's a lost possession. You come to a lost possession, or smaller possession, on a turnover. Then, obviously, the turnover in the second half (on the kickoff return). That's a lost possession. Another thing that's really going on in college football as well is there's new play clock rules. I'm kind of looking at that, and I obviously very much knew about what had happened during the course of the game that may have caused our play count to be a little bit lower, and the first person I looked at was me. Then the second thing, I started looking at other teams around the country. With the new play clock rules that the (clock) is continuing to go on on first down, you're seeing, I believe, something that the top 20 in the country with play count numbers from a year ago, they were all down about 10 plays. That could be for any number of reasons, but that's something that we as coaches need to continue to look at. So, I do believe that ties into Dylan. There were some things that were on the card. There's some things that we have done that you're going to continue to see as the season progresses.”JOE KLANDERMAN, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOROn what he learned about the defense in the first game…“Kind of what we thought. I think it was a good situation. I knew we had some veteran guys, and I really felt like our stars played like stars, the guys that you would expect to would play well, played well – Brendan Mott, Desmond Purnell, Marques Sigle, Jacob Parrish, I could name others. Then the guys that were new that we knew were going to have wide eyes had wide eyes. We made some mistakes early. As the game went on, they got a little more comfortable, and hopefully that's going to be a trend that continues to just keep getting better and better because we're going to need those guys to get better and better.”On the next step for Tobi Osunsanmi…“I think sometimes he's a little inconsistent with his footwork in the run game. You bet – he can get off the ball and be really disruptive. He is a physical player. It’s not like he can't play the run. It's just that's all new to him. We've got to keep that in mind with the different things that he sees. Obviously, he's been going against our offense in the spring and fall camp and all those things. Sometimes he sees some run schemes that our offense doesn't do. So, for him to get some game time in those concepts is a big deal for him. He's just going to keep getting better, too.”On Tulane’s running back being one of the best in the Group of 5…“Great contact balance. I think he fits their run stuff really well. I feel like we're at a little bit of a disadvantage because of how we played Troy last year, and I think they're very similar, personnel wise, to what Troy had, honestly. They had a great running back at Troy; they a have great running back here. They had great receivers at Troy; they have great receivers here. I think they're physical up front in both places. They probably know a little bit more about how we defended them a year ago than we know how they're going to present what they do this year with their new personnel. So, that's going to be the biggest challenge, is getting all that stuff sorted out. But, to go back to your question not to dodge that, he's just a really physical runner with great contact balance. He doesn't fumble. I can't remember the stat, but he had all those carries and touches last year, and not one time did he put it on the ground. They say Group of 5, he's one of the better ones in the country, I think.”On covering Tulane wide receiver Mario Williams…“Yeah, he’s really fast. That's going to be the thing is checking out how our guys match up against their guys. He’s electric, fast and slippery and good at the top of route. Those guys are a really good group of receivers.”On if there were any younger guys on the roster that he was pleased with last week…“Aside from the guys that are in the two deep, is that what you're asking? It was cool to see Donovan McIntosh sort through a few things at corner. It was really cool – I know he's kind of quote, unquote in the two deep – but watching Wesley Fair run around and fly around and throw his body around. It was cool. Terry Kirksey, when he was in there, I thought was a difference maker. Asher Tomaszewski at nose played quite a bit at the end of the game. He's another one, with Uso (Seumalo) and Damian (Ilalio), his role is going to be his role this year, but for him to get in there and get some snaps and run around like he did was cool. So, a lot of positivity from the young guys.”– k-statesports.com –RYAN LACKEY

K-State Coordinators Discuss Contest at Tulane

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⚾ Pham homers and Royals end 7-game losing streak

USD 475 announced that the Junction City High School boys soccer team opened its 2024 season on Tuesday night, claiming a 5-1 victory over Salina Central High School.

USD 475 announced that the Junction City High School boys soccer team opened its 2024 season on Tuesday night, claiming a 5-1 victory over Salina Central High School.

Blue Jay boys soccer wins

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — No. 9 hitter Brayan Rocchio drove in four runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 7-1 Tuesday night, extending the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high seven.

Kansas City was held to two runs or fewer for the fifth straight game and managed just four hits. The Royals’ losing streak is its longest since a 10-game skid from June 5-16 last year.

Since tying Cleveland for the AL Central lead on Aug. 27, the Royals (76-65) have dropped 5 1/2 games behind the Guardians (80-59), who have won five of six. Kansas City maintained a 4 1/2-game lead for the final AL wild card.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro missed his second game after the death of his mother Dorann Stagnitta. Bench coach Paul Hoover served as acting manager.

Cleveland first baseman Josh Naylor left for a pinch runner after singling in the eighth inning because of lower back tightness.

Steven Kwan had a two-run single for the Guardians and Kyle Manzardo had three hits.

Tanner Bibee (11-6) allowed one run and two hits in six innings — just the 39th time a Cleveland starter pitched six or more innings.

“I thought he was great, just attacking, throwing a lot of strikes," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "Especially after the third, he settled in and threw a ton of strikes, kept them off balance.”

Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. had his big league-best 57th multihit game of the season.

Brady Singer (9-10) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Rocchio’s sacrifice fly in the second and Andrés Giménez’s bloop RBI single in the fifth built a 2-0 lead.

Kansas City loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but Tommy Pham failed to tag up at third on Salvador Perez’s line drive to left. Paul DeJong followed with a sacrifice fly and Bibee struck out MJ Melendez.

“He can make pitches in big-time moments,” Vogt said. “Tanner is a big-time pitcher. He wants those moments, and for him to be able to slow down and execute in that situation was huge.”

Bibee is 7-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 14 road starts, and the Guardians are 20-7 in his outings this year.

“I was just trying to execute the next pitch,” Bibee said of the sixth inning. “When I get into a lot of trouble, I feel like it’s trying to do way too much. I think one goal for me today was just to execute one pitch at a time.”

Rocchio hit his seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth, a two-run drive against Sam Long that was just inside the left-field foul pole. The 23-year-old rookie homered after failing on a pair of bunt attempts.

“When I missed the first two bunts, I’m trying to stay calm and be patient to move the runner to second base. But I put a good swing on it," Roochio said. “Awesome, because I know if I don’t do anything, maybe he’s mad at me” in a reference to Vogt.

“It’s really easy when you don’t do your job or don’t get the job done to get down on yourself and just give away and at-bat, but he got pitch up and he crushed it,” Vogt said.

Rocchio added a bases-loaded walk in the eighth against James McArthur for a career-best four RBIs.

“What you saw in the sixth is probably what we need to do hopefully from inning one, just stringing a couple at-bats together, passing the baton and the next guy up hopefully can do the job,” Hoover said. “We want to be successful, but sometimes we want it so bad that we try to do a little too much.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — No. 9 hitter Brayan Rocchio drove in four runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 7-1 Tuesday night, extending the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high seven.Kansas City was held to two runs or fewer for the fifth straight game and managed just four hits. The Royals’ losing streak is its longest since a 10-game skid from June 5-16 last year.Since tying Cleveland for the AL Central lead on Aug. 27, the Royals (76-65) have dropped 5 1/2 games behind the Guardians (80-59), who have won five of six. Kansas City maintained a 4 1/2-game lead for the final AL wild card.Royals manager Matt Quatraro missed his second game after the death of his mother Dorann Stagnitta. Bench coach Paul Hoover served as acting manager.Cleveland first baseman Josh Naylor left for a pinch runner after singling in the eighth inning because of lower back tightness.Steven Kwan had a two-run single for the Guardians and Kyle Manzardo had three hits.Tanner Bibee (11-6) allowed one run and two hits in six innings — just the 39th time a Cleveland starter pitched six or more innings.“I thought he was great, just attacking, throwing a lot of strikes," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "Especially after the third, he settled in and threw a ton of strikes, kept them off balance.”Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. had his big league-best 57th multihit game of the season.Brady Singer (9-10) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.Rocchio’s sacrifice fly in the second and Andrés Giménez’s bloop RBI single in the fifth built a 2-0 lead.Kansas City loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but Tommy Pham failed to tag up at third on Salvador Perez’s line drive to left. Paul DeJong followed with a sacrifice fly and Bibee struck out MJ Melendez.“He can make pitches in big-time moments,” Vogt said. “Tanner is a big-time pitcher. He wants those moments, and for him to be able to slow down and execute in that situation was huge.”Bibee is 7-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 14 road starts, and the Guardians are 20-7 in his outings this year.“I was just trying to execute the next pitch,” Bibee said of the sixth inning. “When I get into a lot of trouble, I feel like it’s trying to do way too much. I think one goal for me today was just to execute one pitch at a time.”Rocchio hit his seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth, a two-run drive against Sam Long that was just inside the left-field foul pole. The 23-year-old rookie homered after failing on a pair of bunt attempts.“When I missed the first two bunts, I’m trying to stay calm and be patient to move the runner to second base. But I put a good swing on it," Roochio said. “Awesome, because I know if I don’t do anything, maybe he’s mad at me” in a reference to Vogt.“It’s really easy when you don’t do your job or don’t get the job done to get down on yourself and just give away and at-bat, but he got pitch up and he crushed it,” Vogt said.Rocchio added a bases-loaded walk in the eighth against James McArthur for a career-best four RBIs.Hoover said the Royals are pressing.“What you saw in the sixth is probably what we need to do hopefully from inning one, just stringing a couple at-bats together, passing the baton and the next guy up hopefully can do the job,” Hoover said. “We want to be successful, but sometimes we want it so bad that we try to do a little too much.”TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: 1B-3B Yuli Gurriel, acquired from Atlanta on Sunday, is listed as day to day with right hamstring tightness. He was replaced after doubling in the eighth inning Monday and did not play Tuesday.UP NEXTCleveland RHP Ben Lively (11-8, 3.92) starts Wednesday’s series finale against Royals RHP Seth Lugo (14-8, 3.12).

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