ORLANDO - According to multiple reports, the University of Central Florida has filed an application for membership with the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;

UCF becomes the second team from the American Athletic Conference to submit its application to the Big 12 on Wednesday, joining Cincinnati.&nbsp;

ORLANDO - According to multiple reports, the University of Central Florida has filed an application for membership with the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;UCF becomes the second team from the American Athletic Conference to submit its application to the Big 12 on Wednesday, joining Cincinnati.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It&#39;s done. I posted in the Dungeon first. Wednesday was always the plan. Friday is expected to be the official announcement. If you aren&#39;t already a <a href="https://t.co/WBnJOTyC4r">https://t.co/WBnJOTyC4r</a> subscriber, there&#39;s no better time than the present. <a href="https://t.co/VbMj3oBA6I">https://t.co/VbMj3oBA6I</a> <a href="https://t.co/O69Q7B7aL3">https://t.co/O69Q7B7aL3</a>&mdash; Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCFSports/status/1435690498921009154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: UCF has officially submitted its application to join the Big 12, per <a href="https://twitter.com/UCFSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UCFSports</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/Andy_Staples?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Andy_Staples</a> <a href="https://t.co/vE9pxcFCmv">pic.twitter.com/vE9pxcFCmv</a>&mdash; PFF College (@PFF_College) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1435720419731021824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

REPORT: UCF submits application to join Big 12

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;- Wildcat fans can attend a special ribbon-cutting&nbsp;ceremony for the new Shamrock Zone project prior to the Southern Illinois football game on Saturday.

When stadium gates open at 4 p.m., fans are welcome to attend the ceremony inside Gate D of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. &nbsp;The short ceremony will include President Richard Myers, Athletics Director Gene Taylor, head basketball coaches Bruce Weber and Jeff Mittie, representatives from HOK Architects and JE Dunn Construction and donors to the Shamrock Zone project.

“Saturday will be a special day as we not only welcome back a full crowd to Bill Snyder Family Stadium but also cut the ribbon on what has already become a significant addition to our facility infrastructure,” Taylor said. “The Shamrock Zone provides our fans new amenities for gameday while also providing a first-class space to utilize for football, basketball and volleyball games and recruiting. So many people made this project a reality and we appreciate their support, most notably the Ryan family and Shamrock Corporation.” As part of the&nbsp;Building Champions&nbsp;capital initiative, the Shamrock Zone has transformed the south concourse and includes permanent concessions and restrooms for the first time in the history of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Two new video boards have been added to the SW and SE corners of the stadium to mirror the two video boards on the north end of the stadium, along with a new ribbon board underneath the Shamrock Zone Club level. Most notably, the Shamrock Zone includes a 13,500 square-foot club space that offers a unique gameday experience of 318 club seats, 10 loge boxes, and 10 suites that span the south end of Bill Snyder Family Stadium while providing an enhanced lounge area to be utilized for volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball games.

Other improvements as a part of this project include extending Bramlage Coliseum entrances at the NW and NE points of entry, which adds 4,500 square feet of new concourse to Bramlage, as well as faster access.&nbsp; A new dining terrace has been constructed on the north end of the Bramlage Coliseum arena that will be utilized for upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons.

The Shamrock Zone was a $50 million project that began in February of 2019.&nbsp; Funding for this project was raised through generous philanthropic gifts by donors and friends of K-State Athletics.&nbsp; No University or state funds were used in the construction of this facility.&nbsp; The project began prior to the COVID pandemic and stayed on budget and on schedule through the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631125004722.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;- Wildcat fans can attend a special ribbon-cutting&nbsp;ceremony for the new Shamrock Zone project prior to the Southern Illinois football game on Saturday.When stadium gates open at 4 p.m., fans are welcome to attend the ceremony inside Gate D of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. &nbsp;The short ceremony will include President Richard Myers, Athletics Director Gene Taylor, head basketball coaches Bruce Weber and Jeff Mittie, representatives from HOK Architects and JE Dunn Construction and donors to the Shamrock Zone project.“Saturday will be a special day as we not only welcome back a full crowd to Bill Snyder Family Stadium but also cut the ribbon on what has already become a significant addition to our facility infrastructure,” Taylor said. “The Shamrock Zone provides our fans new amenities for gameday while also providing a first-class space to utilize for football, basketball and volleyball games and recruiting. So many people made this project a reality and we appreciate their support, most notably the Ryan family and Shamrock Corporation.” As part of the&nbsp;Building Champions&nbsp;capital initiative, the Shamrock Zone has transformed the south concourse and includes permanent concessions and restrooms for the first time in the history of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Two new video boards have been added to the SW and SE corners of the stadium to mirror the two video boards on the north end of the stadium, along with a new ribbon board underneath the Shamrock Zone Club level. Most notably, the Shamrock Zone includes a 13,500 square-foot club space that offers a unique gameday experience of 318 club seats, 10 loge boxes, and 10 suites that span the south end of Bill Snyder Family Stadium while providing an enhanced lounge area to be utilized for volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball games.Other improvements as a part of this project include extending Bramlage Coliseum entrances at the NW and NE points of entry, which adds 4,500 square feet of new concourse to Bramlage, as well as faster access.&nbsp; A new dining terrace has been constructed on the north end of the Bramlage Coliseum arena that will be utilized for upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons.The Shamrock Zone was a $50 million project that began in February of 2019.&nbsp; Funding for this project was raised through generous philanthropic gifts by donors and friends of K-State Athletics.&nbsp; No University or state funds were used in the construction of this facility.&nbsp; The project began prior to the COVID pandemic and stayed on budget and on schedule through the pandemic.

Shamrock Zone ribbon cutting is set for Saturday

CINCINNATI - According to an article written by the Cincinnati Enquirer, the University of Cincinnati has officially applied to become a member of the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;

View the article <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fcolumnists%2F2021%2F09%2F08%2Fsources-cincinnati-bearcats-submit-application-big-12-conference%2F5770273001%2F">HERE</a> (requires paid subscription).

Cincinnati, as well as the University of Central Florida, University of Houston, and BYU are all expected to begin the process of joining the Big 12 in coming weeks, according to multiple reports.

CINCINNATI - According to an article written by the Cincinnati Enquirer, the University of Cincinnati has officially applied to become a member of the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;View the article <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fcolumnists%2F2021%2F09%2F08%2Fsources-cincinnati-bearcats-submit-application-big-12-conference%2F5770273001%2F">HERE</a> (requires paid subscription).Cincinnati, as well as the University of Central Florida, University of Houston, and BYU are all expected to begin the process of joining the Big 12 in coming weeks, according to multiple reports.

REPORT: University of Cincinnati applies for Big 12 membership

Digital Tickets are now available for purchase for the 2021-22 school year. Digital tickets will be redeemed electronically at ticket booths/entrances day of the event.

These tickets are for home Junction City High School regular season athletic events only.&nbsp;

JCHS offers individual game tickets, All-Season/All Sport passes, and fall/winter/spring sports passes – An additional convenience fee will be added to the pass/ticket price when purchasing online

Individual ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for students (K-12).

All-Season/All sports passes cost $120 adults $60 students (K-12) – great value if you plan on attending all JCHS athletic events

Fall/Winter/Spring passes cost $40 adults and $20 students (K-12) – choose this option if you attend only sports during a particular sports season.

Link to purchase tickets&nbsp;<a href="https://bluejayathletics.org/event-tickets">https://bluejayathletics.org/event-tickets</a>

If you have any questions, contact the JCHS Athletic Department at 785-717-4214

Director of Athletics – Junction City High School

Digital Tickets are now available for purchase for the 2021-22 school year. Digital tickets will be redeemed electronically at ticket booths/entrances day of the event.These tickets are for home Junction City High School regular season athletic events only.&nbsp;JCHS offers individual game tickets, All-Season/All Sport passes, and fall/winter/spring sports passes – An additional convenience fee will be added to the pass/ticket price when purchasing onlineIndividual ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for students (K-12).All-Season/All sports passes cost $120 adults $60 students (K-12) – great value if you plan on attending all JCHS athletic eventsFall/Winter/Spring passes cost $40 adults and $20 students (K-12) – choose this option if you attend only sports during a particular sports season.Link to purchase tickets&nbsp;<a href="https://bluejayathletics.org/event-tickets">https://bluejayathletics.org/event-tickets</a>If you have any questions, contact the JCHS Athletic Department at 785-717-4214Go Blue Jays!Matt WesterhausDirector of Athletics – Junction City High School

Digital Tickets Now Available for JCHS Athletic Events for the 21-22 school year

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State opened up its 2021 football season Saturday with a 24-7 victory over Stanford. The game was tabbed the AllState Kickoff Classic and held inside of AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, home to the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;

Senior Linebacker and Junction City-native Ryan Hennington said the game was the experience of a lifetime.&nbsp;

"It was truly incredible, kind of like a dream come true," said Hennington, who tallied three tackles in the win. "It's something kind of cool to start your senior season out. The stadium was an amazing experience and the fans were incredible."&nbsp;

Ryan added that he knew the stadium was a lot bigger than Bill Snyder Family Stadium, but with as many Wildcat fans that traveled, the atmosphere was certainly special.

"I did my best not to focus on the crowd. Obviously, the Dallas Cowboy stadium is huge, but K-State fans did an amazing job of showing out. They made it feel like a home atmosphere, so it was great," he said. "I think I speak for the entire team, we're ready to roll. Especially with our new pregame tradition, this place is going to be off the hook."

Hennington's role was tweaked slightly in the offseason, with the Wildcats and Defensive Coordinator Joe Klanderman adding a three-man front into the mix of defensive play calls.&nbsp;

According to Hennington, the staff told him back in January there were a few twists that would allow the 'Cats to play faster. The seemingly biggest of those changes, a three-man defensive front, appeared in the win on Saturday. That change slid Hennington to Linebacker, where he says he thinks he's a great fit.&nbsp;

"The new position is a great fit. Linebacker is a great fit in just the way that we're able to run to the ball and run through our leverage," said Hennington. "It's just a lot better fit for our defense."

The Wildcats will certainly need speed on Saturday, with the upcoming task in Southern Illinois, a team that K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman said is very experienced and will throw some tricks at you.

“Tremendous, tremendous skill on offense, really good quarterback. Probably the best reverse team in the country. You're going to see some reverses out of different formations and reverse passes and gadgets and Wildcat. They make you defend sideline to sideline with everybody. You better not just key in on a couple of guys. They've got some tremendous players, but they hit reverses on everybody.," said Klieman. "So, we've got to make sure and have discipline within our defense. Then their defense, they're older, experienced guys. Have played a lot of football and had success last year, making it long ways in the playoffs and had a big road win.”

Hennington echoed his coach's thoughts, “Southern Illinois has a bunch of wrinkles in their offense, and they want to get the ball to the playmakers. I think it just comes down to us being disciplined and playing our assignment, understanding what they're trying to do, and how they're trying to manipulate us," he said. "So, if we can stick to our rules and principles, we can eliminate some of those explosive plays.”

Week-to-week, every opponent K-State will face will be vastly different, but Klieman added that because of the gadget plays and reverses that the Salukis utilize, his team will have to stay very disciplined in order to come out on top.

“Well, we were so prepared to play the run against Stanford and we had guys coming downhill. There were some times in big people that they'd have that we had everybody with the corner coming downhill at the run, and we can't do that this week because of the amount of gadgets and trick plays and double moves and just really variety of offense," said Klieman. "Stanford didn't give us that variety that Southern Illinois is going to. So, I think it's more of just the discipline of doing your technique and discipline of getting back to more spread-out football. Stanford wasn't as much spread-out football. These guys are going to run RPOs, and we're going to have all different personnel groupings. So it’s kind of back to what we did in fall camp versus our own offense that does so many different things. We have to get back to that because we had 12 full practices of nothing but Stanford. That's a different mindset playing those guys than it is playing a lot of teams.”

The Wildcats will welcome full capacity back into Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, when K-State and Southern Illinois face off for the first time in the history of the two programs. Kickoff will be just after 6p.m., with live coverage available on 1420 AM/107.9 FM KJCK.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631048847416.jpeg" alt="K-State SR Linebacker Ryan Hennington, image courtesy to K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State SR Linebacker Ryan Hennington, image courtesy to K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JACKSON SCHNEIDERMANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State opened up its 2021 football season Saturday with a 24-7 victory over Stanford. The game was tabbed the AllState Kickoff Classic and held inside of AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, home to the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;Senior Linebacker and Junction City-native Ryan Hennington said the game was the experience of a lifetime.&nbsp;"It was truly incredible, kind of like a dream come true," said Hennington, who tallied three tackles in the win. "It's something kind of cool to start your senior season out. The stadium was an amazing experience and the fans were incredible."&nbsp;Ryan added that he knew the stadium was a lot bigger than Bill Snyder Family Stadium, but with as many Wildcat fans that traveled, the atmosphere was certainly special."I did my best not to focus on the crowd. Obviously, the Dallas Cowboy stadium is huge, but K-State fans did an amazing job of showing out. They made it feel like a home atmosphere, so it was great," he said. "I think I speak for the entire team, we're ready to roll. Especially with our new pregame tradition, this place is going to be off the hook."Hennington's role was tweaked slightly in the offseason, with the Wildcats and Defensive Coordinator Joe Klanderman adding a three-man front into the mix of defensive play calls.&nbsp;According to Hennington, the staff told him back in January there were a few twists that would allow the 'Cats to play faster. The seemingly biggest of those changes, a three-man defensive front, appeared in the win on Saturday. That change slid Hennington to Linebacker, where he says he thinks he's a great fit.&nbsp;"The new position is a great fit. Linebacker is a great fit in just the way that we're able to run to the ball and run through our leverage," said Hennington. "It's just a lot better fit for our defense."The Wildcats will certainly need speed on Saturday, with the upcoming task in Southern Illinois, a team that K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman said is very experienced and will throw some tricks at you.“Tremendous, tremendous skill on offense, really good quarterback. Probably the best reverse team in the country. You're going to see some reverses out of different formations and reverse passes and gadgets and Wildcat. They make you defend sideline to sideline with everybody. You better not just key in on a couple of guys. They've got some tremendous players, but they hit reverses on everybody.," said Klieman. "So, we've got to make sure and have discipline within our defense. Then their defense, they're older, experienced guys. Have played a lot of football and had success last year, making it long ways in the playoffs and had a big road win.”Hennington echoed his coach's thoughts, “Southern Illinois has a bunch of wrinkles in their offense, and they want to get the ball to the playmakers. I think it just comes down to us being disciplined and playing our assignment, understanding what they're trying to do, and how they're trying to manipulate us," he said. "So, if we can stick to our rules and principles, we can eliminate some of those explosive plays.”Week-to-week, every opponent K-State will face will be vastly different, but Klieman added that because of the gadget plays and reverses that the Salukis utilize, his team will have to stay very disciplined in order to come out on top.“Well, we were so prepared to play the run against Stanford and we had guys coming downhill. There were some times in big people that they'd have that we had everybody with the corner coming downhill at the run, and we can't do that this week because of the amount of gadgets and trick plays and double moves and just really variety of offense," said Klieman. "Stanford didn't give us that variety that Southern Illinois is going to. So, I think it's more of just the discipline of doing your technique and discipline of getting back to more spread-out football. Stanford wasn't as much spread-out football. These guys are going to run RPOs, and we're going to have all different personnel groupings. So it’s kind of back to what we did in fall camp versus our own offense that does so many different things. We have to get back to that because we had 12 full practices of nothing but Stanford. That's a different mindset playing those guys than it is playing a lot of teams.”The Wildcats will welcome full capacity back into Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, when K-State and Southern Illinois face off for the first time in the history of the two programs. Kickoff will be just after 6p.m., with live coverage available on 1420 AM/107.9 FM KJCK.

K-State's Klieman, Hennington reflect on season-opening win, look ahead to SIU

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State fans can cheer on the football team before they even take the field at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, as tailgaters and fans are encouraged to congregate and welcome the team as it arrives at the stadium prior to each home game.

The Wildcats will arrive on the west side of the stadium approximately two hours and 30 minutes prior to each home game beginning with the home opener against Southern Illinois, as the team will be at the stadium at approximately 3:30 p.m. this Saturday. The busses will drop the Wildcats off at the intersection of the parking lot lanes for Gates 3 and 5 in the west parking lot, and the team will walk into Gate B of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Also on site to help welcome the team into the stadium will be the Pride of Wildcat Land, as they will perform from the steps around Gate B of the stadium, in addition to Willie Wildcat, cheerleaders and Classy Cats.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State fans can cheer on the football team before they even take the field at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, as tailgaters and fans are encouraged to congregate and welcome the team as it arrives at the stadium prior to each home game.The Wildcats will arrive on the west side of the stadium approximately two hours and 30 minutes prior to each home game beginning with the home opener against Southern Illinois, as the team will be at the stadium at approximately 3:30 p.m. this Saturday. The busses will drop the Wildcats off at the intersection of the parking lot lanes for Gates 3 and 5 in the west parking lot, and the team will walk into Gate B of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.Also on site to help welcome the team into the stadium will be the Pride of Wildcat Land, as they will perform from the steps around Gate B of the stadium, in addition to Willie Wildcat, cheerleaders and Classy Cats.

Fans invited to team arrival prior to each home game

Tyler Atkins led the Junction City Blue Jay boys cross country team with a first place finish in the Manhattan Invitational on Saturday. He turned in a time of 16:10.5 in the varsity boys race. Isaiah Smith of Junction City finished 16th in 17:25.0.

The Blue Jays finished sixth out of eleven teams.

In the girls varsity race Lorna Rae Pierce led the way for Junction City with a 12th place finish n 10:29. Brynna York finished 26th in 21:29 and Reagan McGuire 29th in 21:43.

The Lady Jays finished seventh out of nine teams.

Tyler Atkins led the Junction City Blue Jay boys cross country team with a first place finish in the Manhattan Invitational on Saturday. He turned in a time of 16:10.5 in the varsity boys race. Isaiah Smith of Junction City finished 16th in 17:25.0.The Blue Jays finished sixth out of eleven teams.In the girls varsity race Lorna Rae Pierce led the way for Junction City with a 12th place finish n 10:29. Brynna York finished 26th in 21:29 and Reagan McGuire 29th in 21:43.The Lady Jays finished seventh out of nine teams.

JCHS cross country teams open season

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Skylar Thompson rushed for two scores and Deuce Vaughn added another, and the Kansas State Wildcats opened their 2021 season with a 24-7 victory over the Stanford Cardinal in the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;

Kansas State's win snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to the end of the 2020 year, it also marked the Wildcats first-ever win inside of AT&amp;T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;

K-State's defense answered a variety of the questions that surrounded it on the outset of the season, shutting down Stanford and holding the Cardinal scoreless until the final three minutes of the game.&nbsp;

The defensive effort earned worlds of praise from K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman.

"We needed to be better on defense this year," said Klieman. "And we worked both our four down and our three down the entire spring, and just kind of learned the three down from some people that I'm pretty close to in the profession."

The effort from K-State's defense clearly frustrated the Cardinal as well. "You know, we seem disjointed," said Stanford Head Coach David Shaw. "We had opportunities. We didn't take advantage of those."

The Wildcats out-gained Stanford 344-233 in the contest and running back Deuce Vaughn led K-State's ground attack with 124 yards on 13 carries, just one yard shy of his career-high.&nbsp;Vaughn also ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, the longest touchdown run in the history of the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;

Vaughn wasn't the only Wildcat that saw success on the ground either. The Wildcat offense as a whole rushed for 6.5 yards per carry in the effort, which also set an All-State Kickoff Classic record.

The Wildcats will now take their 1-0 record into its home-opener at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against the Southern Illinois Salukis.&nbsp;

By Jackson SchneiderARLINGTON, Tex. — Skylar Thompson rushed for two scores and Deuce Vaughn added another, and the Kansas State Wildcats opened their 2021 season with a 24-7 victory over the Stanford Cardinal in the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;Kansas State's win snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to the end of the 2020 year, it also marked the Wildcats first-ever win inside of AT&amp;T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;K-State's defense answered a variety of the questions that surrounded it on the outset of the season, shutting down Stanford and holding the Cardinal scoreless until the final three minutes of the game.&nbsp;The defensive effort earned worlds of praise from K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman."We needed to be better on defense this year," said Klieman. "And we worked both our four down and our three down the entire spring, and just kind of learned the three down from some people that I'm pretty close to in the profession."The effort from K-State's defense clearly frustrated the Cardinal as well. "You know, we seem disjointed," said Stanford Head Coach David Shaw. "We had opportunities. We didn't take advantage of those."The Wildcats out-gained Stanford 344-233 in the contest and running back Deuce Vaughn led K-State's ground attack with 124 yards on 13 carries, just one yard shy of his career-high.&nbsp;Vaughn also ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, the longest touchdown run in the history of the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;Vaughn wasn't the only Wildcat that saw success on the ground either. The Wildcat offense as a whole rushed for 6.5 yards per carry in the effort, which also set an All-State Kickoff Classic record.The Wildcats will now take their 1-0 record into its home-opener at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against the Southern Illinois Salukis.&nbsp;

K-State beats Stanford 24-7

Center, Mo. 34, Christ Preparatory Academy 6

Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 50, Atchison 21

Lee's Summit Community Christian, Mo. 49, Fort Scott 0

Pretty Prairie 16, Hutchinson Central Christian 14

St. John's Beloit-Tipton 38, Sylvan-Lucas 20

St. Thomas Aquinas 28, St. James Academy 7

Parsons vs. Anderson County, ppd. to Sep 6th.

Winfield vs. Arkansas City, ppd. to Sep 6th.

PREP FOOTBALLAndale 57, Rose Hill 6Andover Central 10, Newton 6Augusta 48, Coffeyville 0Ava, Mo. 45, Humboldt 0Axtell 62, Wheatland-Grinnell 16Basehor-Linwood 27, Tonganoxie 6Bucklin 22, Spearville 6Buhler 42, Goddard 14Caldwell 30, Oxford 0Caney Valley 49, Fredonia 18Canton-Galva 56, Goessel 8Center, Mo. 34, Christ Preparatory Academy 6Central Heights 34, West Franklin 13Chaparral 32, Wichita Trinity 0Chapman 24, Sabetha 22Cheney 34, Kingman 14Cheylin 67, Golden Plains 12Circle 20, Chanute 12Clearwater 48, Belle Plaine 0Colby 35, Hugoton 7Commerce, Okla. 40, Galena 14Concordia 41, Wamego 40, OTCunningham 58, Rolla 8DeSoto 62, KC Turner 8Doniphan West 54, BV Randolph 8El Dorado 36, Independence 0Eureka 12, Neodesha 0Flinthills 48, Cedar Vale/Dexter Co-op 0Frankfort 60, Washington County 34Girard 33, Pittsburg Colgan 7Hanover 44, Pike Valley 0Hays 35, Wichita East 6Hesston 45, Haven 8Hillsboro 50, Nickerson 22Hodgeman County 48, Satanta 0Hutchinson 34, Valley Center 6Jackson Heights 45, Oskaloosa 6KC Piper 56, Ottawa 7Kapaun Mount Carmel 55, Wichita South 0Kinsley 38, Central Plains 6Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 50, Atchison 21Larned 41, Lyons 19Leavenworth 20, Shawnee Heights 13Lee's Summit Community Christian, Mo. 49, Fort Scott 0Little River 62, Peabody-Burns 6Madison/Hamilton 52, Burlingame 6Manhattan 21 Garden City 7Marion 26, Ell-Saline 7McPherson 24, Salina South 14Medicine Lodge 52, Triplains-Brewster 34Mill Valley 35, Gardner-Edgerton 14Moscow 26, Fowler 0Natoma 87, Deerfield 0Odessa, Mo. 35, Lansing 0Olathe Northwest 28, Olathe West 21Olathe South 7, SM West 6Perry-Lecompton 40, Jefferson West 6Pittsburg 28, Labette County 0Plainville 34, Phillipsburg 7Pratt 68, Hoisington 18Pretty Prairie 16, Hutchinson Central Christian 14Quinter 38, Rawlins County 8Riley County 17, St. Mary's 14Riverton 52, Baxter Springs 0Rossville 38, Centralia 0Royal Valley 16, Riverside 13SM East 28, SM North 7Salina Central 44, Wichita Campus 6Scott City 36, Ulysses 27Sedan 50, St. Paul 0Silver Lake 34, Rock Creek 28Smith Center 26, Norton 7Smoky Valley 20, Halstead 16Solomon 46, Linn 0Southeast Saline 50, Minneapolis 0St. John's Beloit-Tipton 38, Sylvan-Lucas 20St. Thomas Aquinas 28, St. James Academy 7Topeka Hayden 22, Emporia 2Topeka Seaman 71, Highland Park 6Valley Falls 34, Wetmore 20Victoria 52, La Crosse 26Washburn Rural 45, Topeka West 6Wellsville 26, Burlington 6West Elk 48, Udall 0Wichita County 56, Hoxie 6Wray, Colo. 30, Goodland 0^POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Columbus vs. Frontenac, ppd. to Sep 4th.Parsons vs. Anderson County, ppd. to Sep 6th.Solomon vs. Rural Vista, ccd.Valley Heights vs. Marysville, ccd.Winfield vs. Arkansas City, ppd. to Sep 6th.

Friday night high school football results

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jason Bean connected with Lawrence Arnold for the second time in the game with 1:12 remaining Friday night, allowing Kansas to escape with a 17-14 victory over South Dakota in coach Lance Leipold’s debut with the Jayhawks. The Coyoteshad pulled ahead when Kansas native Travis Theis ran 25 yards for a go-ahead score with 5:16 to go. The student section rushed the field to celebrate the end of a 13-game skid — albeit against an FCS opponent — and the Jayhawks’ first win since beating Texas Tech on Oct. 26, 2019.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jason Bean connected with Lawrence Arnold for the second time in the game with 1:12 remaining Friday night, allowing Kansas to escape with a 17-14 victory over South Dakota in coach Lance Leipold’s debut with the Jayhawks. The Coyoteshad pulled ahead when Kansas native Travis Theis ran 25 yards for a go-ahead score with 5:16 to go. The student section rushed the field to celebrate the end of a 13-game skid — albeit against an FCS opponent — and the Jayhawks’ first win since beating Texas Tech on Oct. 26, 2019.

Kansas defeats South Dakota

Chapman scored the winning points in the final minute of the game on a touchdown run by quarterback Nick Anderson to defeat Sabetha 24-22. The game was played in Chapman.

Coach Kurt Webster credited fullback Eli Riegel for a strong game. "We wouldn't have won without him. " Despite battling leg cramps and missing some time Webster confirmed Riegel came back into the contest for the final game winning drive in the fourth quarter. He rushed for more than 100 yards in the contest.&nbsp;

Chapman scored the winning points in the final minute of the game on a touchdown run by quarterback Nick Anderson to defeat Sabetha 24-22. The game was played in Chapman.Coach Kurt Webster credited fullback Eli Riegel for a strong game. "We wouldn't have won without him. " Despite battling leg cramps and missing some time Webster confirmed Riegel came back into the contest for the final game winning drive in the fourth quarter. He rushed for more than 100 yards in the contest.&nbsp;

Chapman wins their football opener

WAMEGO, Kan. — Leading 40-34, Wamego's defense faced a 4th and goal with the game on the line, but a read option run opened up just enough space for Concordia to tie the game.&nbsp;

An extra point later, and the Panthers would take a 41-40 win in 5 overtimes.&nbsp;

The Red Raiders fall to 0-1, while the Panthers are 1-0.&nbsp;

WAMEGO, Kan. — Leading 40-34, Wamego's defense faced a 4th and goal with the game on the line, but a read option run opened up just enough space for Concordia to tie the game.&nbsp;An extra point later, and the Panthers would take a 41-40 win in 5 overtimes.&nbsp;The Red Raiders fall to 0-1, while the Panthers are 1-0.&nbsp;

Wamego drops 5OT thriller to Concordia

The Big 12 is moving quickly on an expansion plan that could have the conference at 12 schools after Texas and Oklahoma leave, with BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston as the “most intriguing” candidates. 

Three people familiar with the Big 12′s talks say the eight schools being left behind by the Longhorns and Sooners are working to rebuild by adding four new members. One person says invitations to new members could go out as soon as next week. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Big 12 was not making its internal discussions public.

The Big 12 is moving quickly on an expansion plan that could have the conference at 12 schools after Texas and Oklahoma leave, with BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston as the “most intriguing” candidates. Three people familiar with the Big 12′s talks say the eight schools being left behind by the Longhorns and Sooners are working to rebuild by adding four new members. One person says invitations to new members could go out as soon as next week. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Big 12 was not making its internal discussions public.

Big 12 moving in a hurry to try and add new members

WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-IJOCGlcBZ-1dvRZO_9_fA">Clay Center @ Abilene</a>&nbsp;(5 Star Studios)

WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/whslive">Concordia @ Wamego</a>&nbsp;(Red Raider Network)

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/rock-creek-high-school-westmoreland-ks/gam092c88ddd3">Silver Lake @ Rock Creek</a> (NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/wakefield-high-school-wakefield-ks/gam9ecb6d9cdc">Bennington @ Wakefield</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/frankfort-high-school-frankfort-ks/gam7b010bb07c">Washington Co. @ Frankfort</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/290010?windowed=true">Marysville @ Beloit&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;(Beloit Trojan Channel)

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mission-valley-high-school-eskridge-ks/gam11d2b269a6">Wabaunsee @ Mission Valley</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-IJOCGlcBZ-1dvRZO_9_fA">Clay Center @ Abilene</a>&nbsp;(5 Star Studios)WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/whslive">Concordia @ Wamego</a>&nbsp;(Red Raider Network)WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/rock-creek-high-school-westmoreland-ks/gam092c88ddd3">Silver Lake @ Rock Creek</a> (NFHS Network) *subscription requiredWATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/wakefield-high-school-wakefield-ks/gam9ecb6d9cdc">Bennington @ Wakefield</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription requiredWATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/frankfort-high-school-frankfort-ks/gam7b010bb07c">Washington Co. @ Frankfort</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription requiredWATCH: <a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/290010?windowed=true">Marysville @ Beloit&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;(Beloit Trojan Channel)WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mission-valley-high-school-eskridge-ks/gam11d2b269a6">Wabaunsee @ Mission Valley</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

Area HS football broadcasts (Fri., Sep. 3)

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Manhattan High School Indians and Head Coach Joe Schartz open their season Friday night on the road against the Garden City Buffaloes.&nbsp;

The Indians will make the 4.5 hour bus trip to southwest Kansas for the contest, but for those unable to caravan out west to watch, a live video stream is available courtesy of Garden City High School and its Buffalo Broadcasting, a student-managed program.&nbsp;

Kickoff is set for 7p.m., and you can watch the live video coverage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_kHxIr4b34P28sjtglbiEg">HERE</a>.

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Manhattan High School Indians and Head Coach Joe Schartz open their season Friday night on the road against the Garden City Buffaloes.&nbsp;The Indians will make the 4.5 hour bus trip to southwest Kansas for the contest, but for those unable to caravan out west to watch, a live video stream is available courtesy of Garden City High School and its Buffalo Broadcasting, a student-managed program.&nbsp;Kickoff is set for 7p.m., and you can watch the live video coverage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_kHxIr4b34P28sjtglbiEg">HERE</a>.

Manhattan High football to be live-streamed Friday night

TOPEKA, Kan. —The Junction City Blue Jays defeated the Topeka High Trojans with a final score of 34-0.&nbsp; The game was called at halftime due to severe weather in the area.

Junction City received the kickoff to open the game and promptly drove down the field to take a 7-0 lead just 2:33 into the game, and the Blue Jays never looked back.&nbsp;

Senior quarterback David Rowell threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one more in his first start as the JCHS signal caller.&nbsp;

Junction City's speed was the highlight of the contest, with running backs T.J. Jones, Randall Banks, Xavion Felton, and Tyree Holloway showcased their abilities in the season opener.&nbsp;

Junction City is now 1-0 on the season and will head to Manhattan for the Silver Trophy game on September 10th.&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. —The Junction City Blue Jays defeated the Topeka High Trojans with a final score of 34-0.&nbsp; The game was called at halftime due to severe weather in the area.Junction City received the kickoff to open the game and promptly drove down the field to take a 7-0 lead just 2:33 into the game, and the Blue Jays never looked back.&nbsp;Senior quarterback David Rowell threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one more in his first start as the JCHS signal caller.&nbsp;Junction City's speed was the highlight of the contest, with running backs T.J. Jones, Randall Banks, Xavion Felton, and Tyree Holloway showcased their abilities in the season opener.&nbsp;Junction City is now 1-0 on the season and will head to Manhattan for the Silver Trophy game on September 10th.&nbsp;

Blue Jays stomp Trojans in weather-shortened game

Junction City 34, Topeka 0 ( Game called at halftime due to inclement weather )

Wichita Bishop Carroll 37, Wichita Northwest 27

BV North 51, Bishop Miege 24Iola 38, Osawatomie 0Junction City 34, Topeka 0 ( Game called at halftime due to inclement weather )Lawrence 28, Olathe East 7Lawrence Free State 49, SM Northwest 21Stafford 52, Fairfield 6Weskan 42, Pawnee Heights 30Wichita Bishop Carroll 37, Wichita Northwest 27

Thursday night prep football results

Lady Jay tennis competed in the JCHS Tennis Quadrangular on Thursday.&nbsp; Junction City, Lawrence Free State, Salina South and Manhattan were the four teams competing in the event. 

 Rachel Cho led the Lady Jays by going 2-1 in the #2 singles bracket.  She defeated her opponents from Lawrence Free State and Salina South.   Those two wins were the only wins of the evening before the event was rained out during the third round of matches. 

 The Lady Jays next compete in the Washburn Rural Quadrangular on Thursday, September 9.  Matches will be held at the Kossover Tennis Center and start at 3:00 pm

Lady Jay tennis competed in the JCHS Tennis Quadrangular on Thursday.&nbsp; Junction City, Lawrence Free State, Salina South and Manhattan were the four teams competing in the event. Rachel Cho led the Lady Jays by going 2-1 in the #2 singles bracket. She defeated her opponents from Lawrence Free State and Salina South. Those two wins were the only wins of the evening before the event was rained out during the third round of matches. The Lady Jays next compete in the Washburn Rural Quadrangular on Thursday, September 9. Matches will be held at the Kossover Tennis Center and start at 3:00 pm

Lady Jay tennis hosts their own quadrangular

The Junction City Blue Jays open the 2021 football season on the road Thursday night, taking on Centennial League rival Topeka High. Join Voice of the Blue Jays Dewey Terrill and color analyst Brian Field for a live video broadcast beginning at 6:30p.m. for the Central National Bank Pregame Show, with kickoff at 7p.m..&nbsp;

The Radio Broadcast is available on 1420 AM and 107.9 FM KJCK, or on the web <a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">HERE</a>.

The Junction City Blue Jays open the 2021 football season on the road Thursday night, taking on Centennial League rival Topeka High. Join Voice of the Blue Jays Dewey Terrill and color analyst Brian Field for a live video broadcast beginning at 6:30p.m. for the Central National Bank Pregame Show, with kickoff at 7p.m..&nbsp;The Radio Broadcast is available on 1420 AM and 107.9 FM KJCK, or on the web <a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">HERE</a>.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hRcT3DSqQI8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

WATCH LIVE: Junction City Football at Topeka 

MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;​On the heels of recent support and increased programming for diversity and inclusion and mental health,&nbsp;K-State Athletics continues its mission of enhancing the overall student-athlete experience as the&nbsp;department announced today an $11.5 million gift from Ike and Letty Evans to launch the Ike and Letty Evans Student-Athlete Success Program. This major gift will transform the current Student-Athlete Services department and allow for enhanced staffing, technological advances and programming for all student-athletes and academic services staff. Also included in the programming is a four-year plan for better preparing student-athletes for success after college with milestone goals set each year in the areas of leadership, academic development and professional development. “Ike and Letty are phenomenal K-Staters who wanted to make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “This gift will transform our student-athlete services department into one that is the envy of college athletics departments in the country and will have a lasting impact on the recruitment and success of all of our student-athletes.” Residents of Bluffton, South Carolina, the Evans have been longtime Kansas State supporters and recently contributed to name the Ike and Letty Evans Academic Success Center in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering. The center offers workshops on study skills, time management, engineering careers and internships. Through the center, students can access peer-to-peer tutoring, test preparation, first-year instruction and diversity support programs such as Women in Engineering and the Multicultural Engineering Program. Ike Evans, also a Wildcat baseball letterman, graduated from Kansas State University in 1965 with a degree in electrical engineering, while Letty also attended K-State following an upbringing in Topeka. The Evanses invest in both faculty and students in the college of engineering, and Ike is a member of the College of Engineering Hall of Fame and served on the Engineering Advisory Council. Ike retired after serving as president and COO of Union Pacific Railroad, one of America’s leading transportation companies and North America’s premier railroad franchise covering 23 states across the Western two-thirds of the United States. “K-State is special to us, and we wanted to help in a way that could enhance and change the lives of Wildcat student-athletes,” Ike and Letty said. “Our gift will enable K-State Athletics to allocate resources to assist student-athletes in their personal development with programming that establishes a lifetime of foundational skills and habits. We are excited for this program and are truly blessed to be able to help.” Kristin Waller, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Services believes this generous gift from the Evans family will have the kind of impact that will change the lives of student-athletes for decades to come.

“We are so incredibly grateful and humbled by the generosity of Ike and Letty,” Waller said. “Quality programming that is meaningful to the student-athlete experience is one of our key missions as we prepare them for their future professional plans.&nbsp;The magnitude of this gift will allow us to&nbsp;re-imagine&nbsp;services and implement practical experiences and programming that we've only ever dreamed of providing to our student athletes. This is a very special day for K-State student-athletes.”

More details regarding the new program will be announced at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630610806095.png" alt="Ike and Letty Evans Pledge $11.5 Million for Student-Athlete Success Program" />
 <figcaption>Ike and Letty Evans Pledge $11.5 Million for Student-Athlete Success Program</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;​On the heels of recent support and increased programming for diversity and inclusion and mental health,&nbsp;K-State Athletics continues its mission of enhancing the overall student-athlete experience as the&nbsp;department announced today an $11.5 million gift from Ike and Letty Evans to launch the Ike and Letty Evans Student-Athlete Success Program. This major gift will transform the current Student-Athlete Services department and allow for enhanced staffing, technological advances and programming for all student-athletes and academic services staff. Also included in the programming is a four-year plan for better preparing student-athletes for success after college with milestone goals set each year in the areas of leadership, academic development and professional development. “Ike and Letty are phenomenal K-Staters who wanted to make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “This gift will transform our student-athlete services department into one that is the envy of college athletics departments in the country and will have a lasting impact on the recruitment and success of all of our student-athletes.” Residents of Bluffton, South Carolina, the Evans have been longtime Kansas State supporters and recently contributed to name the Ike and Letty Evans Academic Success Center in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering. The center offers workshops on study skills, time management, engineering careers and internships. Through the center, students can access peer-to-peer tutoring, test preparation, first-year instruction and diversity support programs such as Women in Engineering and the Multicultural Engineering Program. Ike Evans, also a Wildcat baseball letterman, graduated from Kansas State University in 1965 with a degree in electrical engineering, while Letty also attended K-State following an upbringing in Topeka. The Evanses invest in both faculty and students in the college of engineering, and Ike is a member of the College of Engineering Hall of Fame and served on the Engineering Advisory Council. Ike retired after serving as president and COO of Union Pacific Railroad, one of America’s leading transportation companies and North America’s premier railroad franchise covering 23 states across the Western two-thirds of the United States. “K-State is special to us, and we wanted to help in a way that could enhance and change the lives of Wildcat student-athletes,” Ike and Letty said. “Our gift will enable K-State Athletics to allocate resources to assist student-athletes in their personal development with programming that establishes a lifetime of foundational skills and habits. We are excited for this program and are truly blessed to be able to help.” Kristin Waller, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Services believes this generous gift from the Evans family will have the kind of impact that will change the lives of student-athletes for decades to come.“We are so incredibly grateful and humbled by the generosity of Ike and Letty,” Waller said. “Quality programming that is meaningful to the student-athlete experience is one of our key missions as we prepare them for their future professional plans.&nbsp;The magnitude of this gift will allow us to&nbsp;re-imagine&nbsp;services and implement practical experiences and programming that we've only ever dreamed of providing to our student athletes. This is a very special day for K-State student-athletes.” More details regarding the new program will be announced at a later date.

Ike and Letty Evans Pledge $11.5 Million for Student-Athlete Success Program

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;With the 2021 NFL season a week away, a total of 15 former Kansas State football players have found spots on NFL teams as organizations trimmed their rosters to 53 active players and practice squad members earlier this week.

Of the 15 players, eight are on defense and seven are on offense. The longest-tenured former Wildcats are&nbsp;Tyler Lockett&nbsp;(Seattle) and&nbsp;Cornelius Lucas&nbsp;(Washington) as both are entering their seventh seasons.

Four players from last year’s team are now on NFL rosters, which includes defensive end&nbsp;Wyatt Hubert&nbsp;(Cincinnati – IR), tight end&nbsp;Briley Moore&nbsp;(Tennessee – IR), cornerback&nbsp;AJ Parker&nbsp;(Detroit) and linebacker&nbsp;Elijah Sullivan&nbsp;(San Francisco – Practice Squad). Parker, an undrafted free agent, earned the nod on the Lions’ active roster with a great performance in training camp and in preseason games.

Kansas State opens the 2021 campaign on Saturday by taking on Stanford in the Allstate Kickoff Classic. The game, which is played at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, kicks off at 11 a.m., and will be shown on FS1.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;With the 2021 NFL season a week away, a total of 15 former Kansas State football players have found spots on NFL teams as organizations trimmed their rosters to 53 active players and practice squad members earlier this week.Of the 15 players, eight are on defense and seven are on offense. The longest-tenured former Wildcats are&nbsp;Tyler Lockett&nbsp;(Seattle) and&nbsp;Cornelius Lucas&nbsp;(Washington) as both are entering their seventh seasons.Four players from last year’s team are now on NFL rosters, which includes defensive end&nbsp;Wyatt Hubert&nbsp;(Cincinnati – IR), tight end&nbsp;Briley Moore&nbsp;(Tennessee – IR), cornerback&nbsp;AJ Parker&nbsp;(Detroit) and linebacker&nbsp;Elijah Sullivan&nbsp;(San Francisco – Practice Squad). Parker, an undrafted free agent, earned the nod on the Lions’ active roster with a great performance in training camp and in preseason games.Kansas State opens the 2021 campaign on Saturday by taking on Stanford in the Allstate Kickoff Classic. The game, which is played at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, kicks off at 11 a.m., and will be shown on FS1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630610752067.png" alt="Fifteen Former Wildcats Land on NFL Rosters" />
 <figcaption>Fifteen Former Wildcats Land on NFL Rosters</figcaption>
 </figure>

Fifteen Former Wildcats Land on NFL Rosters

Junction City will play the Topeka High Trojans&nbsp; in their football season opener Thursday night at Hummer Sports Park in the capitol city.&nbsp;

Blue Jay head coach Randall Zimmerman will begin his 28th season at the helm at JCHS needing to replace a talented senior class from a year ago. Inexperience is a concern. "It'll just take a little bit of time. We're very patient with these kids. I like these kids, they've worked very hard. We have a tough opener, this is a tough ballgame for us for sure."

The game can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM and you can view the live stream of the contest&nbsp; with the link below. The broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. with kickoff at 7 p.m.

Junction City will play the Topeka High Trojans&nbsp; in their football season opener Thursday night at Hummer Sports Park in the capitol city.&nbsp;Blue Jay head coach Randall Zimmerman will begin his 28th season at the helm at JCHS needing to replace a talented senior class from a year ago. Inexperience is a concern. "It'll just take a little bit of time. We're very patient with these kids. I like these kids, they've worked very hard. We have a tough opener, this is a tough ballgame for us for sure."The game can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM and you can view the live stream of the contest&nbsp; with the link below. The broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. with kickoff at 7 p.m.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hRcT3DSqQI8"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Blue Jay football opens on Thursday night

SALINA, Kan. — The Junction City High School boys soccer team opened up its 2021 season with a win Tuesday night, defeating Salina Central 2-1.

The Blue Jays saw Jordan Kell and Ethan Hileman each notch a goal, with assists coming from both Gabe Lamb and Jayson Harris.&nbsp;

The win puts JCHS at 1-0 on the season. They'll be back in action Thursday night on the road against Highland Park.&nbsp;

SALINA, Kan. — The Junction City High School boys soccer team opened up its 2021 season with a win Tuesday night, defeating Salina Central 2-1.The Blue Jays saw Jordan Kell and Ethan Hileman each notch a goal, with assists coming from both Gabe Lamb and Jayson Harris.&nbsp;The win puts JCHS at 1-0 on the season. They'll be back in action Thursday night on the road against Highland Park.&nbsp;

JCHS boys soccer opens season with win

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Just one game after Skylar Thompson threw for more than 300 yards in leading Kansas State to an upset of No. 3 Oklahoma last year, the senior quarterback’s season was over due to a shoulder injury. 

Now, nearly a year later, he’s back for a sixth season and ready to take the field again in Saturday’s season opener against Stanford. Thompson hopes it's the best year yet, especially after a fall camp that he said has been the best, most productive of his lengthy college career.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Just one game after Skylar Thompson threw for more than 300 yards in leading Kansas State to an upset of No. 3 Oklahoma last year, the senior quarterback’s season was over due to a shoulder injury. Now, nearly a year later, he’s back for a sixth season and ready to take the field again in Saturday’s season opener against Stanford. Thompson hopes it's the best year yet, especially after a fall camp that he said has been the best, most productive of his lengthy college career.

Skylar Thompson returns at quarterback

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday at the Vanier Family Football Complex as Wildcats prepare for their 2021 season opener against Stanford in the Allstate Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;

Klieman previewed Stanford and detailed their offensive style. "You watch the film, they're going to do what they do, whether it's multiple tight ends to a tight end with a fullback to extra linemen, whatever it may be. I think that's still an identity that they have," said Klieman. "So, we have to a great job of trying to find some different looks and different things to try to slow those guys down because they're going to try to rush the football. I know that they have really good skill kids, and their quarterbacks can spin it around as well, but if you can't stop the run , it's going to be a long day for you."

The Wildcats will look to match the Cardinal offense with several new additions to the defensive side of the ball. Klieman highlighted the areas the defense had improved thanks to those new members of the team.

"Hopefully quite a bit with new faces. Kind of a renewed focus. A really good offseason. I know we're bigger, we're stronger, we're more athletic. Being deeper, doesn't mean that we're automatically going to play better. It still has to come down to executing. We talk all the time about limiting explosive plays, and you do that by playing with great technique and do that by tackling really well. That's still an emphasis for us, and we have to tackle really well," he said. "There's going to be a lot of new faces out there. We like what we see right now in fall camp with the improvements we've made on defense, but we'll find out the first three weeks of the season in the non-conference. We move guys around because some guys are playing multiple positions, so we need to continue to move guys around and find the best fit for everybody before we get into conference play. These next three weeks are really critical for us."

Offensively, the Wildcats will once again lean on All-American running back Deuce Vaughn to lead the way, and Klieman says Vaughn is more confident than ever.

“​​He was a real confident freshman as it was, but just the amount of reps, the amount of pictures that he's seen, the amount of carries he's had, as well as his reception stuff. You can tell he feels so comfortable within the offense and has learned a lot of the nuances of our offense as well as the pictures that a defense is showing him," said Klieman. "So, we're thrilled that this as an integral part of our offense, and obviously we need to find ways of getting him the football.”

Saturday's contest against Stanford will mark the first time K-State has opened the season against a power five opponents since KSU lost on the road at Stanford in 2016, but Chris Klieman noted just how big of a challenge his team is up against.

“Big and physical, across the board. It doesn't matter if it's the offensive line and tight ends, fullback, woo wide receivers for that matter to defensively. Really athletic physical guys that don't stay blocked and so from a personnel standpoint. It'll be a big challenge for us," he said.

The Wildcats and Cardinal kick off at 11 a.m., on Saturday inside AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the game will be shown nationally on FS1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630446019563.jpeg" alt="K-State Holds Weekly Football Press Conference Prior to Season Opener" />
 <figcaption>K-State Holds Weekly Football Press Conference Prior to Season Opener</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday at the Vanier Family Football Complex as Wildcats prepare for their 2021 season opener against Stanford in the Allstate Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;Klieman previewed Stanford and detailed their offensive style. "You watch the film, they're going to do what they do, whether it's multiple tight ends to a tight end with a fullback to extra linemen, whatever it may be. I think that's still an identity that they have," said Klieman. "So, we have to a great job of trying to find some different looks and different things to try to slow those guys down because they're going to try to rush the football. I know that they have really good skill kids, and their quarterbacks can spin it around as well, but if you can't stop the run , it's going to be a long day for you."The Wildcats will look to match the Cardinal offense with several new additions to the defensive side of the ball. Klieman highlighted the areas the defense had improved thanks to those new members of the team."Hopefully quite a bit with new faces. Kind of a renewed focus. A really good offseason. I know we're bigger, we're stronger, we're more athletic. Being deeper, doesn't mean that we're automatically going to play better. It still has to come down to executing. We talk all the time about limiting explosive plays, and you do that by playing with great technique and do that by tackling really well. That's still an emphasis for us, and we have to tackle really well," he said. "There's going to be a lot of new faces out there. We like what we see right now in fall camp with the improvements we've made on defense, but we'll find out the first three weeks of the season in the non-conference. We move guys around because some guys are playing multiple positions, so we need to continue to move guys around and find the best fit for everybody before we get into conference play. These next three weeks are really critical for us."Offensively, the Wildcats will once again lean on All-American running back Deuce Vaughn to lead the way, and Klieman says Vaughn is more confident than ever.“​​He was a real confident freshman as it was, but just the amount of reps, the amount of pictures that he's seen, the amount of carries he's had, as well as his reception stuff. You can tell he feels so comfortable within the offense and has learned a lot of the nuances of our offense as well as the pictures that a defense is showing him," said Klieman. "So, we're thrilled that this as an integral part of our offense, and obviously we need to find ways of getting him the football.”Saturday's contest against Stanford will mark the first time K-State has opened the season against a power five opponents since KSU lost on the road at Stanford in 2016, but Chris Klieman noted just how big of a challenge his team is up against.“Big and physical, across the board. It doesn't matter if it's the offensive line and tight ends, fullback, woo wide receivers for that matter to defensively. Really athletic physical guys that don't stay blocked and so from a personnel standpoint. It'll be a big challenge for us," he said.The Wildcats and Cardinal kick off at 11 a.m., on Saturday inside AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the game will be shown nationally on FS1.