MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13 Saturday.

Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at the half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.

K-State went over 40 points for the fourth straight regular-season game. The Wildcats also stopped Troy's 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in FBS coming into the game.

Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.

“It wasn't perfect, by any stretch,” Howard said. “We had some rough moments early in the second quarter. But we needed it. This was a game where we learned a lot. That was a really good team. They've got one of the tougher defenses I've ever gone against. They were hitting, and they did some really good things, schematically.

"I think that was a really good game for us to learn from. ”

K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.

Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.

The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.

“That was a great win for our guys, a great win over a really good team,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Their quarterback is a good player. We were going to shut down their run game. We gave them one big run where we missed a fit, but we did a really good job in the rush game."

K-State had a 21-10 halftime lead and put the clamps on the Troy offense in the third quarter. The Trojans' first three drives netted minus-1 yard.

“They had their way in the second quarter a little bit, so we had to make some adjustments," Klieman said. "I thought our guys adjusted well.”

Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.

Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13 Saturday.Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at the half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.K-State went over 40 points for the fourth straight regular-season game. The Wildcats also stopped Troy's 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in FBS coming into the game.Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.“It wasn't perfect, by any stretch,” Howard said. “We had some rough moments early in the second quarter. But we needed it. This was a game where we learned a lot. That was a really good team. They've got one of the tougher defenses I've ever gone against. They were hitting, and they did some really good things, schematically."I think that was a really good game for us to learn from. ”K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.“That was a great win for our guys, a great win over a really good team,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Their quarterback is a good player. We were going to shut down their run game. We gave them one big run where we missed a fit, but we did a really good job in the rush game."K-State had a 21-10 halftime lead and put the clamps on the Troy offense in the third quarter. The Trojans' first three drives netted minus-1 yard.“They had their way in the second quarter a little bit, so we had to make some adjustments," Klieman said. "I thought our guys adjusted well.”Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.

K-State improves to 2-0

Fort Scott 42, Central (Springfield), Mo. 12

Jackson Heights 42, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 6

Lawrence Free State 26, Olathe Northwest 0

PREP FOOTBALL=Abilene 47, Concordia 12Afton, Okla. 14, Columbus 12Andale 64, Rose Hill 13Anderson County 48, Osawatomie 6Andover Central 24, Maize 21Arkansas City 29, Andover 28, 2OTAshland 48, Golden Plains 31Atchison 63, KC Sumner 6Attica/Argonia 60, Cedar Vale-Dexter 14Axtell 52, Hartford 6BV West 31, BV North 13Baxter Springs 48, Uniontown 0Bishop Miege 51, BV Southwest 28Blue Valley 17, St. James Academy 3Bucklin 30, Kiowa County 12Buhler 21, Circle 13Burden Central 48, Flinthills 0Burlingame 60, Lebo 12Burlington, Colo. 42, Goodland 32Cair Paravel 60, Doniphan West 12Canton-Galva 62, Goessel 14Central Plains 58, Macksville 12Chanute 27, Pittsburg 0Cheney 41, Garden Plain 14Chetopa 46, Peabody-Burns 26Cheylin 47, Weskan 0Clay Center 61, Chapman 0Clifton-Clyde 56, Blue Valley Randolph 0Coffeyville 14, Winfield 0Council Grove 28, Mission Valley 6Crest 50, Chase County 8Cunningham 53, Moscow 0Deerfield 55, Western Plains-Healy 0Derby 63, Salina South 0Eads, Colo. 70, Greeley County 26Ell-Saline 44, Hanover 28Ellinwood 40, Douglass 6Ellsworth 62, Republic County 6Erie 22, Cherryvale 16Eudora 55, Bonner Springs 8Eureka 12, Neodesha 6Fort Scott 42, Central (Springfield), Mo. 12Frankfort 54, Washington County 6Fredonia 32, Bluestem 0Frontenac 21, Riverton 18Garden City 70, Wichita North 15Goddard-Eisenhower 44, Salina Central 28Haven 61, Smoky Valley 28Hays 28, Great Bend 27Hays-TMP-Marian 39, Ellis 14Highland Park 32, KC Schlagle 26Hill City 32, Trego 14Hillsboro 35, Nickerson 0Hoisington 38, Halstead 14Holcomb 49, Cimarron 10Holyoke, Colo. 43, Colby 7Hoxie 56, Wheatland-Grinnell 0Hugoton 55, Ulysses 13Humboldt 28, Caney Valley 8Hutchinson 50, Newton 7Hutchinson Trinity 41, Remington 7Ingalls 51, Triplains-Brewster 0Jackson Heights 42, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 6Jefferson North 36, Atchison County 0Jefferson West 16, Hiawatha 14Junction City 52, Dodge City 35KC Bishop Ward 26, Olpe 14KC Piper 34, Basehor-Linwood 31KC Washington 61, KC Harmon 0Kapaun Mount Carmel 43, Wichita East 29Kingman 40, Conway Springs 19Kinsley 50, Otis-Bison 0Lakeside 56, Reno County 52Lakin 50, Syracuse 14Larned 60, Lyons 0Lawrence 49, Olathe West 14Lawrence Free State 26, Olathe Northwest 0Leavenworth 58, Topeka West 6Liberal 47, Emporia 14Lincoln 62, Pike Valley 16Linn 44, Logan/Palco 32Little River 60, Rural Vista 20Louisburg 35, Paola 20Lyndon 62, Herington 0Madison 58, Marais des Cygnes Valley 6Maize South 49, Wichita Campus 7Marion 19, Sterling 0Marmaton Valley 74, Yates Center 0McLouth 26, Horton 6McPherson 57, Augusta 10Meade 54, Hodgeman County 34Medicine Lodge 61, Belle Plaine 0Mill Valley 65, SM West 7Minneapolis 34, Salina Sacred Heart 0Minneola 68, Spearville 20Mound Westonka, Minn. 27, Winona 11Moundridge 52, Bennington 6Mulvane 21, Independence 14Nemaha Central 62, Royal Valley 0Northern Valley 40, Tescott 7Northland Christian, Mo. 32, Cornerstone Family 14Norton 12, Smith Center 8Olathe East 34, SM East 14Olathe South 54, SM North 45Osage City 29, Burlington 18Osborne 60, Stockton 0Ottawa 30, Baldwin 0Parsons 24, Labette County 13Pawnee Heights 56, Chase 6Perry-Lecompton 20, Riverside 6Phillipsburg 46, Oakley 12Pittsburg Colgan 47, Girard 8Pleasanton 34, Northeast-Arma 14Pratt 54, Hesston 13Pratt Skyline 46, Stafford 0Quapaw, Okla. 47, Galena 20Quinter 52, St. Francis 0Rawlins County 30, Dighton 12Riley County 26, Rossville 20Rock Creek 32, St. Mary's 6Ruskin, Mo. 61, KC Wyandotte 6Russell 20, Plainville 13Sabetha 24, Holton 8Santa Fe Trail 28, Prairie View 22Scott City 54, Wray, Colo. 22Sedan 50, Udall 0Sedgwick 35, Inman 20Shawnee Heights 26, Lansing 25Solomon 44, Wakefield 20South Barber 54, Pretty Prairie 6South Sumner 66, Norwich 18Southeast Saline 52, Beloit 6Southern Cloud 71, Burrton 6Spring Hill 36, Tonganoxie 29St. Mary's Academy 58, Northeast-Arma 26St. Paul 40, Oswego 22St. Thomas Aquinas 28, BV Northwest 14Sublette 20, South Central 12Sylvan Grove 58, St John's Beloit 12Thunder Ridge 46, Rock Hills 0Topeka Hayden 56, Silver Lake 7Topeka Seaman 59, KC Turner 6Troy 46, Valley Falls 8Valley Center 14, Goddard 6Valley Heights 48, Onaga 16Victoria 44, La Crosse 22Wabaunsee 56, Northern Heights 0Wallace County 54, Oberlin-Decatur 8Wamego 49, Marysville 0Washburn Rural 28, DeSoto 14Waverly 45, Altoona-Midway 0Wellington 21, Clearwater 14Wellsville 35, Iola 6West Elk 56, Oxford 6West Franklin 24, Central Heights 13Wichita Bishop Carroll 47, Wichita South 7Wichita Collegiate 60, El Dorado 7Wichita County 88, Elkhart 0Wichita Independent 40, Fairfield 20Wichita Northwest 41, Wichita Heights 13Wichita Sunrise 39, Hutchinson Central Christian 20Wichita Trinity 33, Chaparral 14Wichita West 27, Wichita Southeast 8

Friday night football results

--Council Grove goes to Mission Valley&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

--Manhattan Flint Hills Christian goes to Wichita Life Prep Academy&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC Post-- Junction City 52, Dodge City 35--Manhattan 55, Topeka High 19&nbsp;--Washburn Rural 28, De Soto 14--Topeka Hayden 56, Silver Lake 7&nbsp;--Emporia 14, Liberal 47&nbsp;--Abilene hosts Concordia--McPherson 57, Augusta 10--Wamego 49, Marysville 0--Council Grove goes to Mission Valley&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;--Herington 0, Lyndon 62--Solomon travels to Wakefield &nbsp;--Manhattan Flint Hills Christian goes to Wichita Life Prep Academy&nbsp;

High School Football week two matchups

The Junction City Blue Jays traveled to Dodge City and defeated the Red Demons, 52 -35, at the newly remodeled Memorial Stadium.&nbsp; It was a slow start for the Blue Jays getting down 14 points only 5 minutes into the first quarter.&nbsp; But, with 45 unanswered points started off by a 69-yard running score by Michael Boganowski, the Blue Jays went on to win their first game of the season.&nbsp; During the postgame interview with Coach Zimmerman, the coach said he was proud of the way they fought back.&nbsp; Dodge City falls to 1 and 1 , playing Wichita South next week.&nbsp; The Blue Jays improve to 1 and 1 and will travel to McPherson next Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Junction City Blue Jays traveled to Dodge City and defeated the Red Demons, 52 -35, at the newly remodeled Memorial Stadium.&nbsp; It was a slow start for the Blue Jays getting down 14 points only 5 minutes into the first quarter.&nbsp; But, with 45 unanswered points started off by a 69-yard running score by Michael Boganowski, the Blue Jays went on to win their first game of the season.&nbsp; During the postgame interview with Coach Zimmerman, the coach said he was proud of the way they fought back.&nbsp; Dodge City falls to 1 and 1 , playing Wichita South next week.&nbsp; The Blue Jays improve to 1 and 1 and will travel to McPherson next Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Junction City Blue Jays defeat Red Demons in Dodge City

The Junction City Blue Jay football team will travel to Dodge City on Friday night for their week two matchup.&nbsp;

The Blue Jays lost their week one game against Hays last Friday, in overtime, 20-14. As for Dodge City, they won their season opening game against Wichita West, 13-8.&nbsp;

When previewing the matchup against the Red Demons, Junction City head coach Randall Zimmerman said, "They've got a really good front.&nbsp; They are big, strong, physical kids. You can tell they have been pushing weights around for a long time together, and we are going to have to be at our very best to be able to compete with these guys."

&nbsp; You can listen to the game on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK. The pregame broadcast starts at 6:30 p.m. with kickoff is at 7:00. JC Post will be unable to livestream the game. Dodge City High School does not allow visiting media outlets to livestream games from their facility.

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City Blue Jay football team will travel to Dodge City on Friday night for their week two matchup.&nbsp;The Blue Jays lost their week one game against Hays last Friday, in overtime, 20-14. As for Dodge City, they won their season opening game against Wichita West, 13-8.&nbsp;When previewing the matchup against the Red Demons, Junction City head coach Randall Zimmerman said, "They've got a really good front.&nbsp; They are big, strong, physical kids. You can tell they have been pushing weights around for a long time together, and we are going to have to be at our very best to be able to compete with these guys."&nbsp; You can listen to the game on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK. The pregame broadcast starts at 6:30 p.m. with kickoff is at 7:00. JC Post will be unable to livestream the game. Dodge City High School does not allow visiting media outlets to livestream games from their facility.

Junction City Blue Jay football team to play at Dodge City on Friday night

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;Wildcat fans can add one more sporting event to their weekend viewing as Kansas State University is partnering with Jeremy Clements Racing and driver Jeremy Clements on a K-State themed race car for Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR XFINITY race at Kansas Speedway.

Clements’ No. 51 Chevy will be fully wrapped in purple with official logos from the University and athletics department displayed prominently on the front hood, both doors and the back bumper. Fans can watch the race at 2 p.m., Saturday, as it will be televised nationally on NBC.

"I am excited to be on the "Home Team" this week with the K-State Chevy Camaro at Kansas Speedway,” Clements said. “In the classroom, on the court, or on the field, Kansas State University is leading the way and I hope we can add "Victory Lane" to the Wildcat trophy case this weekend. 

Go Cats!"Jim Bob Morris, prominent K-State Alum and University supporter, played a big part in securing the partnership for this weekend’s race. "Kansas State is a winner wherever they go, and the K-State Camaro with Jeremy Clements is ready to race and represent Kansas' best for a NASCAR Xfinity win this weekend,” Morris said."I would like to thank Jim Bob Morris for his commitment to K-State, and promoting the University through this car is another example of his support for his alma mater,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor added. “It will be awesome to see a purple K-State race car in action this weekend."

Jeremy Clements was seven years old when his grandfather, Crawford Clements, famed NASCAR owner and crew chief, began bringing him to the go-kart track, the beginning of a pursuit that would result in a driving career at NASCAR's national level.In August 2017, and in his 256th start, Clements recorded his first career NASCAR Xfinity series win at Road America, topping all the Cup-affiliated teams as well as securing his first Xfinity series playoff spot of his career.

The JCR underdog team would score NXS win No. 2 at the famed Daytona International Speedway in August 2022 to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. In 2023, Clements moved to fifth all-time in Xfinity starts and now only trails series main stays Kenny Wallace, Jeff Green, Jason Keller and Mike Wallace.

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;Wildcat fans can add one more sporting event to their weekend viewing as Kansas State University is partnering with Jeremy Clements Racing and driver Jeremy Clements on a K-State themed race car for Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR XFINITY race at Kansas Speedway.Clements’ No. 51 Chevy will be fully wrapped in purple with official logos from the University and athletics department displayed prominently on the front hood, both doors and the back bumper. Fans can watch the race at 2 p.m., Saturday, as it will be televised nationally on NBC."I am excited to be on the "Home Team" this week with the K-State Chevy Camaro at Kansas Speedway,” Clements said. “In the classroom, on the court, or on the field, Kansas State University is leading the way and I hope we can add "Victory Lane" to the Wildcat trophy case this weekend. Go Cats!"Jim Bob Morris, prominent K-State Alum and University supporter, played a big part in securing the partnership for this weekend’s race. "Kansas State is a winner wherever they go, and the K-State Camaro with Jeremy Clements is ready to race and represent Kansas' best for a NASCAR Xfinity win this weekend,” Morris said."I would like to thank Jim Bob Morris for his commitment to K-State, and promoting the University through this car is another example of his support for his alma mater,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor added. “It will be awesome to see a purple K-State race car in action this weekend."About Jeremy Clements:Jeremy Clements was seven years old when his grandfather, Crawford Clements, famed NASCAR owner and crew chief, began bringing him to the go-kart track, the beginning of a pursuit that would result in a driving career at NASCAR's national level.In August 2017, and in his 256th start, Clements recorded his first career NASCAR Xfinity series win at Road America, topping all the Cup-affiliated teams as well as securing his first Xfinity series playoff spot of his career.The JCR underdog team would score NXS win No. 2 at the famed Daytona International Speedway in August 2022 to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. In 2023, Clements moved to fifth all-time in Xfinity starts and now only trails series main stays Kenny Wallace, Jeff Green, Jason Keller and Mike Wallace.

K-State-themed race car featured Saturday at Kansas Speedway

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Lions walked into roaring Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, where the Kansas City Chiefs are nearly unbeatable and were trying to open their latest Super Bowl title defense with a win, and proved what Detroit coach Dan Campbell has come to know in turning around the long downtrodden franchise.

“This is a resilient team,” Campbell said. “We're built to handle some stuff.”

Under the bright spotlight of the NFL's season opener, Jared Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown, new Lions running back David Montgomery&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699980983922270258">ran for the go-ahead score</a>&nbsp;late in the game and Detroit held on for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-dropped-passes-chiefs-lions-c8ae8f426ed6bf1bc861241ec5edcce9">a 21-20 victory over the Chiefs</a>.

“We expected to win this game,” said Campbell, who won just three games his first season but led the Lions to eight wins over their final 10 games a year ago, when they went 9-8 and narrowly missed the playoffs. “We came in here, knew what we needed to do, knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we did that. We won.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown had six catches for 71 yards and a score, and Lions rookie&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699967866613928243?s=20">Brian Branch returned Patrick Mahomes' first pick</a>&nbsp;in an opener 50 yards for another touchdown, helping Detroit snap the Chiefs' eight-game Week 1 winning streak.

The Lions also snapped their own five-game skid in season openers.

“A lot of work has been put in this offseason,” Goff said, “and you want to start off winning the first one, and we did that today. We didn't play the best on offense, I thought the defense kept us in the game, but we found a way.”

The Lions were trying to run out the clock when&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699984191243661747?s=20">Goff's fourth-down pass near midfield was batted down</a>&nbsp;with 2:30 left, giving the Chiefs a chance. But they made a mess of it: Kadarius Toney dropped a potential 20-yard gain, a deep completion was called back for holding, Skyy Moore dropped a pass and a false start left&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699985349777428655?s=20">Mahomes heaving a fourth-and-25 throw</a>&nbsp;downfield.

When it fell incomplete and Detroit took over, Montgomery ran for a first down and the Lions ran out the clock.

Mahomes finished with 226 yards passing and two touchdowns, despite his receivers dropping a slew of passes. He also was the leading rusher for the Chiefs, whose self-inflicted wounds proved too much to overcome.

There had been equal parts anticipation and anxiety leading up to the game in Kansas City, where the Chiefs had celebrated their previous Lombardi Trophy in the midst of a pandemic, and only about 18,000 fans were able to join in the revelry.

Hundreds began tailgating outside the Arrowhead Stadium parking lots 14 hours before kickoff Thursday, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along with about 80,000 more people joined them to see the Chiefs raise their latest championship banner.

That was the anticipation. The anxiety came from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-lions-travis-kelce-52ad950cf2472c589bd48ee813145cd3">the absence of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones</a>, who is in the midst of a contract holdout. The defensive tackle was expected to miss the opener, but Kelce had only been questionable since Tuesday, when he hyperextended his knee in the final full practice before game day.

“It wasn't feeling right,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I wasn't going to put him out there with that, and he was honest with me.”

Detroit scored first in a showdown of two of the league’s top offenses a year ago. Goff took advantage of a clean pocket, thanks in part to Jones sitting in a stadium suite, to march down field and find St. Brown with a 9-yard touchdown pass.

The Chiefs answered with Mahomes finding five different wide receivers on a long drive, the last of them rookie Rashee Rice, who atoned for an earlier drop by snaring a short touchdown pass to knot the game at 7-apiece.

It remained that way until Campbell made a questionable decision late in the half.

The Chiefs were facing fourth-and-2 near midfield but had been called for holding, and rather than decline it, Campbell chose to push them back. Mahomes responded to third-and-17 by hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 24-yard strike. He added a 26-yard pass to Justin Watson, then hit Blake Bell with a short TD throw to give the Chiefs a 14-7 halftime lead.

With the Lions' offense still going nowhere in the second half, the defense stepped up. Branch caught a pass that bounced off Toney’s hands and found nothing but 50 yards of grass separating him from the end zone and a 14-all tie.

Up to that point, Mahomes had thrown 20 touchdown passes without an interception in five-plus season openers.

The Chiefs tacked on two field goals, but the missed chances to get into the end zone proved costly. The Lions followed up Harrison Butker’s second kick by driving 75 yards, twice converting on third down, with Montgomery capping the march with a 9-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit the the lead for good.

“The Lions did a heck of a job. They capitalized on a couple of things and we've got to fix it,” Reid said. “I liked the aggressiveness on the defensive side. There were some good things on offense. We just have to be more consistent.”

The Lions’ Marvin Jones fumbled away a good scoring chance in the second quarter, when Trent McDuffie knocked the ball out deep in Kansas City territory. It was the veteran wide receiver’s first fumble in his 12-year career and came on his 563rd touch, the longest active streak in the NFL.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-lions-travis-kelce-52ad950cf2472c589bd48ee813145cd3">Kelce had a bone bruise</a>&nbsp;and some swelling in his knee, though tests taken after the injury in practice showed no ligament damage. He went through a workout early Thursday to see whether he could move well enough to play, but Reid and Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder decided to give Kelce time to recover with their next game 10 days away.

Lions: Branch, the first player with a pick-6 in his Lions debut since 1967, departed with cramps on the final play of the third quarter. ... DT Levi Onwuzurike limped off with trainers with about 12 minutes left in the game.

Lions: Play their home opener on Sept. 17 against Seattle.

Chiefs: Visit Jacksonville on Sept. 17 for a divisional playoff rematch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694147333746.jpeg" alt="Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) is congratulated by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) is congratulated by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Lions walked into roaring Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, where the Kansas City Chiefs are nearly unbeatable and were trying to open their latest Super Bowl title defense with a win, and proved what Detroit coach Dan Campbell has come to know in turning around the long downtrodden franchise.“This is a resilient team,” Campbell said. “We're built to handle some stuff.”Now, everyone else knows it too.Under the bright spotlight of the NFL's season opener, Jared Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown, new Lions running back David Montgomery&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699980983922270258">ran for the go-ahead score</a>&nbsp;late in the game and Detroit held on for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-dropped-passes-chiefs-lions-c8ae8f426ed6bf1bc861241ec5edcce9">a 21-20 victory over the Chiefs</a>.“We expected to win this game,” said Campbell, who won just three games his first season but led the Lions to eight wins over their final 10 games a year ago, when they went 9-8 and narrowly missed the playoffs. “We came in here, knew what we needed to do, knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we did that. We won.”Amon-Ra St. Brown had six catches for 71 yards and a score, and Lions rookie&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699967866613928243?s=20">Brian Branch returned Patrick Mahomes' first pick</a>&nbsp;in an opener 50 yards for another touchdown, helping Detroit snap the Chiefs' eight-game Week 1 winning streak.The Lions also snapped their own five-game skid in season openers.“A lot of work has been put in this offseason,” Goff said, “and you want to start off winning the first one, and we did that today. We didn't play the best on offense, I thought the defense kept us in the game, but we found a way.”The Lions were trying to run out the clock when&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699984191243661747?s=20">Goff's fourth-down pass near midfield was batted down</a>&nbsp;with 2:30 left, giving the Chiefs a chance. But they made a mess of it: Kadarius Toney dropped a potential 20-yard gain, a deep completion was called back for holding, Skyy Moore dropped a pass and a false start left&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1699985349777428655?s=20">Mahomes heaving a fourth-and-25 throw</a>&nbsp;downfield.When it fell incomplete and Detroit took over, Montgomery ran for a first down and the Lions ran out the clock.Mahomes finished with 226 yards passing and two touchdowns, despite his receivers dropping a slew of passes. He also was the leading rusher for the Chiefs, whose self-inflicted wounds proved too much to overcome.“Got to be better,” Mahomes said.There had been equal parts anticipation and anxiety leading up to the game in Kansas City, where the Chiefs had celebrated their previous Lombardi Trophy in the midst of a pandemic, and only about 18,000 fans were able to join in the revelry.Hundreds began tailgating outside the Arrowhead Stadium parking lots 14 hours before kickoff Thursday, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along with about 80,000 more people joined them to see the Chiefs raise their latest championship banner.That was the anticipation. The anxiety came from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-lions-travis-kelce-52ad950cf2472c589bd48ee813145cd3">the absence of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones</a>, who is in the midst of a contract holdout. The defensive tackle was expected to miss the opener, but Kelce had only been questionable since Tuesday, when he hyperextended his knee in the final full practice before game day.“It wasn't feeling right,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I wasn't going to put him out there with that, and he was honest with me.”Detroit scored first in a showdown of two of the league’s top offenses a year ago. Goff took advantage of a clean pocket, thanks in part to Jones sitting in a stadium suite, to march down field and find St. Brown with a 9-yard touchdown pass.The Chiefs answered with Mahomes finding five different wide receivers on a long drive, the last of them rookie Rashee Rice, who atoned for an earlier drop by snaring a short touchdown pass to knot the game at 7-apiece.It remained that way until Campbell made a questionable decision late in the half.The Chiefs were facing fourth-and-2 near midfield but had been called for holding, and rather than decline it, Campbell chose to push them back. Mahomes responded to third-and-17 by hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 24-yard strike. He added a 26-yard pass to Justin Watson, then hit Blake Bell with a short TD throw to give the Chiefs a 14-7 halftime lead.With the Lions' offense still going nowhere in the second half, the defense stepped up. Branch caught a pass that bounced off Toney’s hands and found nothing but 50 yards of grass separating him from the end zone and a 14-all tie.Up to that point, Mahomes had thrown 20 touchdown passes without an interception in five-plus season openers.The Chiefs tacked on two field goals, but the missed chances to get into the end zone proved costly. The Lions followed up Harrison Butker’s second kick by driving 75 yards, twice converting on third down, with Montgomery capping the march with a 9-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit the the lead for good.“The Lions did a heck of a job. They capitalized on a couple of things and we've got to fix it,” Reid said. “I liked the aggressiveness on the defensive side. There were some good things on offense. We just have to be more consistent.”STREAK ENDSThe Lions’ Marvin Jones fumbled away a good scoring chance in the second quarter, when Trent McDuffie knocked the ball out deep in Kansas City territory. It was the veteran wide receiver’s first fumble in his 12-year career and came on his 563rd touch, the longest active streak in the NFL.LATEST ON KELCE<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-lions-travis-kelce-52ad950cf2472c589bd48ee813145cd3">Kelce had a bone bruise</a>&nbsp;and some swelling in his knee, though tests taken after the injury in practice showed no ligament damage. He went through a workout early Thursday to see whether he could move well enough to play, but Reid and Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder decided to give Kelce time to recover with their next game 10 days away.INJURIESLions: Branch, the first player with a pick-6 in his Lions debut since 1967, departed with cramps on the final play of the third quarter. ... DT Levi Onwuzurike limped off with trainers with about 12 minutes left in the game.UP NEXTLions: Play their home opener on Sept. 17 against Seattle.Chiefs: Visit Jacksonville on Sept. 17 for a divisional playoff rematch.___

Lions spoil Chiefs' home opener, rally for a 21-20 win 

The Kansas City Chiefs announced their injury report ahead of their season opening game on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions. On the injury report, was star tight-end, Travis Kelce.&nbsp;

Head coach Andy Reid said at his press conference on Tuesday, "Kelce hyperextended his knee." There has been no indication if Kelce will miss the season opener, or how long he will be out, but the Chiefs do believe that it is not a long-term injury.&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Kansas City Chiefs announced their injury report ahead of their season opening game on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions. On the injury report, was star tight-end, Travis Kelce.&nbsp;Head coach Andy Reid said at his press conference on Tuesday, "Kelce hyperextended his knee." There has been no indication if Kelce will miss the season opener, or how long he will be out, but the Chiefs do believe that it is not a long-term injury.&nbsp;

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce injured in practice on Tuesday

The Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night by the score of 7-6.&nbsp;

The Royals walked it off last night courteous of a balk by the White Sox pitcher. It is the second time this season that they have a walk-off win due to a balk.

The Royals wrap up their series tonight against the White Sox. You can hear the broadcast starting at 6:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night by the score of 7-6.&nbsp;The Royals walked it off last night courteous of a balk by the White Sox pitcher. It is the second time this season that they have a walk-off win due to a balk.The Royals wrap up their series tonight against the White Sox. You can hear the broadcast starting at 6:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.

Royals defeat the White Sox for second consecutive win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Masataka Yoshida hit a three-run homer and Adam Duvall had a solo shot to back Chris Sale as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3. Sale (6-3) didn’t allow a run over five innings, gave up two hits and struck out five while walking two. It was the first time he hasn’t allowed a run in a start since July 12 of last season. The Red Sox have won two straight after losing six of seven coming into the three-game set against the Royals. Zack Greinke (1-14) went 3 2/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Masataka Yoshida hit a three-run homer and Adam Duvall had a solo shot to back Chris Sale as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3. Sale (6-3) didn’t allow a run over five innings, gave up two hits and struck out five while walking two. It was the first time he hasn’t allowed a run in a start since July 12 of last season. The Red Sox have won two straight after losing six of seven coming into the three-game set against the Royals. Zack Greinke (1-14) went 3 2/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits.

Red Sox defeat the Royals

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. - On a night that Kansas State celebrated its three Big 12 Conference title teams, the 16th-ranked Wildcats turned the page on their 2022 league championship with an emphatic 45-0 season-opening win over Southeast Missouri in front of a sellout crowd on a sizzling Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/will-howard/11107">Will Howard</a>&nbsp;threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/dj-giddens/11102">DJ Giddens</a>&nbsp;rushed for 128 yards, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/rj-garcia-ii/11101">RJ Garcia II</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/ben-sinnott/11156">Ben Sinnott</a>&nbsp;each had 100-yard receiving performances, as the Wildcats dominated their first-ever meeting against the Redhawks, who entered ranked No. 11 in the FCS media poll.

"Coach (Chris) Klieman said after the game we only get 12 guaranteed opportunities," Howard said. "Whether we're playing Alabama or SEMO, it doesn't matter. We have to take care of business, and that's what we did. We can't take anybody lightly. SEMO is a good football team."

K-State marched to 588 total yards, its fifth-most offensive yards in history and most since a school-record 658 yards against North Texas in 2005. The Wildcats scored on five of their first six possessions and kept the Redhawks out of end zone, posting its most dominant shutout win since a 52-0 rout of Bowling Green in 2019.

K-State outrushed SEMO, 228-6, holding an opponent to its fewest rushing yards since allowing Texas A&amp;M -13 during a game in 2009. The Wildcats posted 11 tackles for loss, including four sacks of SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent. It wasn't until midway through the third quarter that SEMO reached 200 total yards. 

"A shutout is so big," K-State linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/daniel-green/11104">Daniel Green</a>&nbsp;said. "That's what you want. That was our mindset. It was a really good first game."

It wasn't until midway through the third quarter that the Wildcats booted a field goal or punted the football, and by then all that was left to question was whether true freshman quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/avery-johnson/11172">Avery Johnson</a>&nbsp;would join the fun.

Johnson ended his first-ever drive at K-State with a four-yard touchdown run with 14 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game, capping an 8-play, 79-yard drive.

"He was under control and in command," Klieman said. "He's really, really fast, and I think you guys can tell that. He's got great, great speed."

While Johnson sent the student section into a frenzy, K-State sizzled from start to finish amid 100-degree temperatures that did little to slow down the Wildcats, who sent battalions of players onto the field and left nothing to question.

"There's nothing better than game reps because there are 52,000 people here and the lights are the brightest and everybody's eyes are on you, which is fun," Klieman said. "We played 77 players, and it's awesome."

The Wildcats were pretty awesome from the start.

Howard threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for a score, and made an 8-yard touchdown reception in a dominant first half in which the Wildcats rolled to a 35-0 lead behind a lights-out offense and a defense that clamped down on the Redhawks on nearly every possession.

Howard fired a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ole Miss transfer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/jadon-jackson/11111">Jadon Jackson</a>, he and found Garcia II for a 37-yard score while also tucking the ball and racing around the left side 1 yard for another score, as the Wildcats raced to a 21-0 lead after 1 ½ quarters.

"We did a lot of good things," said Howard, who completed 18 of 27 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns and one interception, while he rushed for another score in his first start in a season opener. "It's never going to be perfect, but the good thing is there's a lot to learn from and a lot of teaching moments we can take into the future."

K-State's crowd of 52,066 marked its largest attendance in a game since 2017 and the largest home-opening crowd in eight years. Fans roared as they witnessed the first K-State touchdown from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/treshaun-ward/11185">Treshaun Ward</a>&nbsp;from 3 yards out for a 28-0 advantage before a 43-yard scamper by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/dj-giddens/11102">DJ Giddens</a>&nbsp;highlighted a drive that offensive coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/collin-klein/1979">Collin Klein</a>&nbsp;capped with some razzle dazzle.

Facing first-and-goal at the 8-yard line, Howard pitched the ball to Ward then darted toward the Redhawks sideline. Ward wound back and threw the ball back to Howard, who caught the ball in the flat and raced down the sideline and into the end zone with 38 seconds left for a 35-0 score, adding a final statement to a near-perfect first half.

"We'd practiced it the whole week," Ward said, chuckling. "I had to make it happen. That was a surreal moment to throw a touchdown in your college career when you're a running back."

Garcia II had five catches for 119 yards and one touchdown and Sinnott had five catches for 100 yards.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/phillip-brooks/11087">Phillip Brooks</a>&nbsp;had six catches for 40 yards. In all, K-State quarterbacks found eight different pass catchers during the contest.

"I was excited to be out there playing with my guys and playing football against somebody other than my teammates," said Garcia II, whose performance included receptions of 44 and 37 yards. "It's a big confidence booster for me. My coaches believe in me and put a great game plan in. We all executed.

"Meanwhile, fans got a chance to see the rushing tandem of Giddens and Ward in action. Giddens, a sophomore, had 15 carries for 128 yards, spinning and churning his way through would-be tacklers, while elusive Ward made his yards behind brilliant speed and ankle-breaking moves in the open field. Ward, a senior Florida State transfer, had 11 carries for 56 yards and one touchdown.

"There were a whole bunch of opportunities for big plays, and we just have to execute," Giddens said. "I'm a lot more comfortable. It took me a couple plays to get hit a couple times and then I fell into a zone. This is going to be deadly, the one-two (punch), it's going to be deadly."

Shortly after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/chris-tennant/11162">Chris Tennant</a>&nbsp;kicked a 51-yard field goal to make it 38-0, the Wildcats began inserting the remainder of their depth chart against the Redhawks, who were facing their second ranked Power 5 opponent in program history.

Meanwhile, on a night when K-State honored its Big 12 title teams, the Wildcats had a chance for an all-out celebration following its dominant win.

"Hopefully, we can do that again," Howard said, "and have the same ceremony next year."&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693741724929.jpeg" alt="(Will Howard/Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>(Will Howard/Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. - On a night that Kansas State celebrated its three Big 12 Conference title teams, the 16th-ranked Wildcats turned the page on their 2022 league championship with an emphatic 45-0 season-opening win over Southeast Missouri in front of a sellout crowd on a sizzling Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/will-howard/11107">Will Howard</a>&nbsp;threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/dj-giddens/11102">DJ Giddens</a>&nbsp;rushed for 128 yards, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/rj-garcia-ii/11101">RJ Garcia II</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/ben-sinnott/11156">Ben Sinnott</a>&nbsp;each had 100-yard receiving performances, as the Wildcats dominated their first-ever meeting against the Redhawks, who entered ranked No. 11 in the FCS media poll."Coach (Chris) Klieman said after the game we only get 12 guaranteed opportunities," Howard said. "Whether we're playing Alabama or SEMO, it doesn't matter. We have to take care of business, and that's what we did. We can't take anybody lightly. SEMO is a good football team."K-State marched to 588 total yards, its fifth-most offensive yards in history and most since a school-record 658 yards against North Texas in 2005. The Wildcats scored on five of their first six possessions and kept the Redhawks out of end zone, posting its most dominant shutout win since a 52-0 rout of Bowling Green in 2019.K-State outrushed SEMO, 228-6, holding an opponent to its fewest rushing yards since allowing Texas A&amp;M -13 during a game in 2009. The Wildcats posted 11 tackles for loss, including four sacks of SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent. It wasn't until midway through the third quarter that SEMO reached 200 total yards. "A shutout is so big," K-State linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/daniel-green/11104">Daniel Green</a>&nbsp;said. "That's what you want. That was our mindset. It was a really good first game." It wasn't until midway through the third quarter that the Wildcats booted a field goal or punted the football, and by then all that was left to question was whether true freshman quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/avery-johnson/11172">Avery Johnson</a>&nbsp;would join the fun.Mission accomplished. Johnson ended his first-ever drive at K-State with a four-yard touchdown run with 14 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game, capping an 8-play, 79-yard drive.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fjSdmw3E_1g?si=GABSB_vBe-zzqO4s" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>"He was under control and in command," Klieman said. "He's really, really fast, and I think you guys can tell that. He's got great, great speed."While Johnson sent the student section into a frenzy, K-State sizzled from start to finish amid 100-degree temperatures that did little to slow down the Wildcats, who sent battalions of players onto the field and left nothing to question."There's nothing better than game reps because there are 52,000 people here and the lights are the brightest and everybody's eyes are on you, which is fun," Klieman said. "We played 77 players, and it's awesome."The Wildcats were pretty awesome from the start.Howard threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for a score, and made an 8-yard touchdown reception in a dominant first half in which the Wildcats rolled to a 35-0 lead behind a lights-out offense and a defense that clamped down on the Redhawks on nearly every possession.Howard fired a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ole Miss transfer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/jadon-jackson/11111">Jadon Jackson</a>, he and found Garcia II for a 37-yard score while also tucking the ball and racing around the left side 1 yard for another score, as the Wildcats raced to a 21-0 lead after 1 ½ quarters."We did a lot of good things," said Howard, who completed 18 of 27 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns and one interception, while he rushed for another score in his first start in a season opener. "It's never going to be perfect, but the good thing is there's a lot to learn from and a lot of teaching moments we can take into the future."K-State's crowd of 52,066 marked its largest attendance in a game since 2017 and the largest home-opening crowd in eight years. Fans roared as they witnessed the first K-State touchdown from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/treshaun-ward/11185">Treshaun Ward</a>&nbsp;from 3 yards out for a 28-0 advantage before a 43-yard scamper by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/dj-giddens/11102">DJ Giddens</a>&nbsp;highlighted a drive that offensive coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/collin-klein/1979">Collin Klein</a>&nbsp;capped with some razzle dazzle.Facing first-and-goal at the 8-yard line, Howard pitched the ball to Ward then darted toward the Redhawks sideline. Ward wound back and threw the ball back to Howard, who caught the ball in the flat and raced down the sideline and into the end zone with 38 seconds left for a 35-0 score, adding a final statement to a near-perfect first half."We'd practiced it the whole week," Ward said, chuckling. "I had to make it happen. That was a surreal moment to throw a touchdown in your college career when you're a running back."Garcia II had five catches for 119 yards and one touchdown and Sinnott had five catches for 100 yards.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/phillip-brooks/11087">Phillip Brooks</a>&nbsp;had six catches for 40 yards. In all, K-State quarterbacks found eight different pass catchers during the contest."I was excited to be out there playing with my guys and playing football against somebody other than my teammates," said Garcia II, whose performance included receptions of 44 and 37 yards. "It's a big confidence booster for me. My coaches believe in me and put a great game plan in. We all executed."Meanwhile, fans got a chance to see the rushing tandem of Giddens and Ward in action. Giddens, a sophomore, had 15 carries for 128 yards, spinning and churning his way through would-be tacklers, while elusive Ward made his yards behind brilliant speed and ankle-breaking moves in the open field. Ward, a senior Florida State transfer, had 11 carries for 56 yards and one touchdown."There were a whole bunch of opportunities for big plays, and we just have to execute," Giddens said. "I'm a lot more comfortable. It took me a couple plays to get hit a couple times and then I fell into a zone. This is going to be deadly, the one-two (punch), it's going to be deadly."Shortly after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/chris-tennant/11162">Chris Tennant</a>&nbsp;kicked a 51-yard field goal to make it 38-0, the Wildcats began inserting the remainder of their depth chart against the Redhawks, who were facing their second ranked Power 5 opponent in program history.Meanwhile, on a night when K-State honored its Big 12 title teams, the Wildcats had a chance for an all-out celebration following its dominant win."Hopefully, we can do that again," Howard said, "and have the same ceremony next year."&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 Howard makes history, as No. 16/17 K-State opens with shutout of SEMO

The first week of the high school football season is officially in the books. Here are some local scores from area games.&nbsp;

Washburn Rural edges out Wichita East 26-25

Council Grove defeats Central Heights 26-7

Sunrise Christian Academy wins over Manhattan Flint Hills Christian 27-6

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe first week of the high school football season is officially in the books. Here are some local scores from area games.&nbsp;Manhattan beats Derby 33-19Dodge City beats Wichita West 13-8Washburn Rural edges out Wichita East 26-25Maize defeats Topeka High 43-0Pittsburg beats Emporia 54-28Abilene wins over Marysville 28-14Chapman edges out Concordia 14-13Clay Center defeats Wamego 19-7Topeka Hayden wins over Olpe 41-7Council Grove defeats Central Heights 26-7Silver Lake wins over Riley County 40-24Rural Vista beats Solomon 44-18Sunrise Christian Academy wins over Manhattan Flint Hills Christian 27-6

Local high school football scores from week 1

The&nbsp; first game of the 2023 high school football season for Junction City ends in a 20-14 overtime loss.

The Blue Jays struggled for most of the game stopping Hays standout running back Malik Bah. He accounted for all three touchdowns for the Indians, including the game-winning four-yard touchdown run in overtime.&nbsp;

The Blue Jays had a chance to tie and win the game in overtime, but were stopped one-yard short of the goal line on a fourth and goal option play in overtime.&nbsp;

Some highlights of the night for the Blue Jays were on a couple of long touchdown passes from quarterback Brock Bazan to Michael Boganowski. The first touchdown was in the third quarter and was a 21-yard connection that tied the game at 7-7. The highlight of the game for Junction City was the 86-yard connection between Bazan and Boganowski. It was 2nd down and 28, from their own 14-yard line, and Bazan threw it over the middle of the field to Boganowski and he took it in for six.&nbsp;

After the game, head coach Randall Zimmerman delivered remarks on the 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK postgame show. Zimmerman said, "Incredibly tough loss tonight. I've got to be better, and I will be better. I love this group of kids and&nbsp; we will continue to work. "

The Blue Jays travel to Dodge City to&nbsp; take on the Red Demons next Friday night. You can hear that broadcast and all Blue Jay games on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe&nbsp; first game of the 2023 high school football season for Junction City ends in a 20-14 overtime loss.The Blue Jays struggled for most of the game stopping Hays standout running back Malik Bah. He accounted for all three touchdowns for the Indians, including the game-winning four-yard touchdown run in overtime.&nbsp;The Blue Jays had a chance to tie and win the game in overtime, but were stopped one-yard short of the goal line on a fourth and goal option play in overtime.&nbsp;Some highlights of the night for the Blue Jays were on a couple of long touchdown passes from quarterback Brock Bazan to Michael Boganowski. The first touchdown was in the third quarter and was a 21-yard connection that tied the game at 7-7. The highlight of the game for Junction City was the 86-yard connection between Bazan and Boganowski. It was 2nd down and 28, from their own 14-yard line, and Bazan threw it over the middle of the field to Boganowski and he took it in for six.&nbsp;After the game, head coach Randall Zimmerman delivered remarks on the 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK postgame show. Zimmerman said, "Incredibly tough loss tonight. I've got to be better, and I will be better. I love this group of kids and&nbsp; we will continue to work. "The Blue Jays travel to Dodge City to&nbsp; take on the Red Demons next Friday night. You can hear that broadcast and all Blue Jay games on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.&nbsp;

Blue Jay Football loses in overtime to Hays in 2023 season opener

JUNCTION CITY - Starting at 6:45 p.m., catch the livestream of the Junction City Blue Jays as they host the Hays Indians for the season opener.

JUNCTION CITY - Starting at 6:45 p.m., catch the livestream of the Junction City Blue Jays as they host the Hays Indians for the season opener.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/637925?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>Sponsors of the livestream include:<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/VPz5tsku-H24lt1bJ.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="2023 Jchs Sponsors" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎥: LIVESTREAM: Junction City Blue Jays host Hays Indians 

JH&nbsp;Game 1 St X 26-24 Game 2&nbsp; Veritas 25-22 Game 3 St X 15-13

HS&nbsp;Game 1 Veritas 25-17 Game 2 Veritas 25-12 Game 3 Veritas 25-13&nbsp;&nbsp;

JH&nbsp;Game 1 St X 26-24 Game 2&nbsp; Veritas 25-22 Game 3 St X 15-13HS&nbsp;Game 1 Veritas 25-17 Game 2 Veritas 25-12 Game 3 Veritas 25-13&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saint Xavier volleyball teams compete against Veritas

The Junction City Blue Jay football team kicks off the 2023 season on Friday night. The Blue Jays host the Hays High Indians at Blue Jay Stadium. It is a rematch of the 2022 season opening game, where Hays defeated Junction City 33-21. This year, the Blue Jays will go for revenge on their home turf.&nbsp;

Junction City head coach Randall Zimmerman begins his 30th year as head coach. Talking about the Indians, Zimmerman said, "They are very physical, they're disciplined and they will never beat themselves. You've got to beat them."&nbsp;

The Blue Jays return several key players from a year ago, including the number one recruit in the state of Kansas, Michael Boganowski.&nbsp;

Kickoff is at 7:00 on Friday night at Blue Jay Stadium.

You can hear the broadcast on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK. Pregame begins at 6:30.&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City Blue Jay football team kicks off the 2023 season on Friday night. The Blue Jays host the Hays High Indians at Blue Jay Stadium. It is a rematch of the 2022 season opening game, where Hays defeated Junction City 33-21. This year, the Blue Jays will go for revenge on their home turf.&nbsp;Junction City head coach Randall Zimmerman begins his 30th year as head coach. Talking about the Indians, Zimmerman said, "They are very physical, they're disciplined and they will never beat themselves. You've got to beat them."&nbsp;The Blue Jays return several key players from a year ago, including the number one recruit in the state of Kansas, Michael Boganowski.&nbsp;Kickoff is at 7:00 on Friday night at Blue Jay Stadium.You can hear the broadcast on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK. Pregame begins at 6:30.&nbsp;

Blue Jay Football begins 2023 season on Friday

The Friday night high school football schedule finds:

--Hays at Junction City. The game can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK with the pregame show at 6:30 and kickoff at 7 p.m.

--Manhattan Flint Hills Christian plays at Kansas City East Christian

The Friday night high school football schedule finds:--Hays at Junction City. The game can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK with the pregame show at 6:30 and kickoff at 7 p.m.--Derby visits Manhattan--Dodge City goes to Wichita West--Washburn Rural hosts Wichita East--Topeka High visits Maize--Emporia hosts Pittsburg--Abilene travels to Marysville--Concordia goes to Chapman--Wamego travels to Clay Center--Hayden goes to Olpe--Council Grove is at Central Heights--Riley County plays at Silver Lake--Wakefield goes to Herington--Rural Vista travels to Solomon--Manhattan Flint Hills Christian plays at Kansas City East Christian

Friday night football schedule

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska's fight song begins, “There is no place like Nebraska.” When it comes to volleyball, those words never rang more true than Wednesday night.

The Cornhuskers laid claim to the world record for largest attendance at a women's sporting event with 92,003 filling Memorial Stadium for their volleyball match against Omaha.

The university took aim at the record last spring when it announced it would hold a daylong celebration of a sport that enjoys immense popularity in this state of fewer than 2 million.

“We took a chance by playing in Memorial Stadium, and to go for the record and break it. ... I don’t think anybody could have envisioned that when this whole thing started,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “It feels like a great accomplishment for this sport called volleyball played by women. It’s a state treasure. We proved it.”

The event began with an exhibition between in-state Division II powers Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State and was followed by the Huskers' three-set sweep of Omaha in a regular-season match. Country artist Scotty McCreery performed afterward.

The previous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-womens-soccer-sports-soccer-barcelona-0abf21b88c76e5183fda8cc4ac03244a">attendance record was 91,648, set during a Champions League soccer match</a>&nbsp;when Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 at the Camp Nou Stadium in 2022.

Memorial Stadium's official capacity is just over 85,000 for football, but that number was higher for this event because there were seats and standing room on the field.

Fans in red and white started their tailgate parties outside the stadium hours before first serve of an exhibition Wayne State won in three sets. The stadium was one-quarter full at the start of that match and gradually filled to capacity as players for Omaha and Nebraska were warming up.

There was a flyover during the national anthem and, minutes before first serve, Cook led his Huskers into the stadium to the Tunnel Walk, the longtime tradition of the football team. Synchronized chants of “Go Big Red!” were heard all around.

Conditions were 83 degrees, clear skies and a south wind listed at 4-mph at court level with gusts that sometimes moved the ball in unpredictable ways.

Though 91,648 was widely acknowledged as the women’s sports attendance record, at least one match at the unofficial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/mundo-women71.html">1971 Women’s World Cup in Mexico City reportedly drew 110,000 people.</a>

The American record attendance for a women’s sporting event had been 90,185 for the 1999 World Cup soccer final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California — the game where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/sports/soccer/23seconds.html">Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt</a>&nbsp;after scoring the decisive penalty shot for the U.S. win.

The NCAA does not track attendance across all sports, but associate director of media coordination and statistics Jeff Williams said a crowd of 90,000-plus was easily among the largest for a non-football game. A 2010 outdoor&nbsp;<a href="https://collegehockeyinc.com/stats/boxes11.php?mmicmsu1.d11">hockey game between Michigan and Michigan State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor drew more than 113,000 fans.</a>

A message seeking comment from officials of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/">Guinness World Records</a>&nbsp;was not immediately returned.

Nebraska has sold out 306 consecutive regular-season matches. (Wednesday's event won't count toward the streak because it is not being held on the team's Devaney Center court.) The Huskers have led the nation in attendance every season since 2013, and eight of the top nine crowds in NCAA volleyball history are matches that have involved Nebraska.

Nebraska has won five national championships in volleyball, and its program is one of the few in Division I women's sports that turns a profit — $1 million last year, according to athletic department CFO Doug Ewald.

“This is a statement on Title IX, and having two daughters of my own, what Title IX has done for women's sports is huge,” fan Troy Pfannenstiel of Omaha said before the matches.

Chancellor Rodney Bennett canceled classes for the day. NCAA President Charlie Baker, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti were on hand, as was Gov. Jim Pillen. So were Husker volleyball players who were part of iconic coach Terry Pettit's teams over four decades. High school teams from across a state stretching 430 miles border to border were excused from classes to attend.

There are 75 women from the state of Nebraska who are on Division I volleyball rosters this season. At 44 players per million in population, the state trails only Hawaii (67 per million) in Division I players produced per capita, according to volleyball statistician and historian Rich Kern of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.richkern.com/vb/FreePage.asp">RichKern.com.</a>

“You don’t think you’re going to be part of a world record event, and seeing how much everyone supports volleyball and wanted to be part of that record is awesome to see,” Omaha's Shayla McCormick said.

Volleyball has surpassed basketball as the No. 1 girls high school team sport in the United States. It’s long been No. 1 in Nebraska.

About 7,000 girls play high school volleyball in the state. Volleyball has been played in varying forms in Nebraska since the early 1900s. For many years, girls volleyball matches were warmup acts for boys basketball games. Volleyball became a sanctioned sport in 1972 and took off in the late 1970s when Pettit invited many of the state’s high school coaches to work at his camps in Lincoln.

Pettit also conducted so-called “satellite” clinics in small towns across the state. In a place where boys grow up dreaming of becoming Cornhusker football players, many girls are equally passionate about some day playing volleyball for a Nebraska team that annually ranks among the nation’s elite.

Ella Beck, 10, came with a group from tiny Pierce to see her first college volleyball match and root for her favorite player, setter Lexi Rodriguez.

Neveah Kehr, 10, came with her mom, Nicki, from Bismarck, North Dakota, to be part of the event. Nicki graduated from Nebraska, and she brought up her daughter watching the Huskers on television.

Neveah wore the No. 5 jersey of middle blocker Bekka Allick at a pep rally before the matches and, with more than 1,000 fans cheering, was invited to walk to where the players stood and was introduced to the woman she called her idol.

Neveah teared up, and Bekka gave her a hug.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693453778144.jpeg" alt="Nebraska and Omaha play a college volleyball match Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Eric Olson)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska and Omaha play a college volleyball match Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Eric Olson)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC OLSON AP Sports WriterLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska's fight song begins, “There is no place like Nebraska.” When it comes to volleyball, those words never rang more true than Wednesday night.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">😌😌😌 <a href="https://t.co/KyQCRk99A5">https://t.co/KyQCRk99A5</a>&mdash; Kansas Volleyball (@KUVolleyball) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUVolleyball/status/1697082227476107476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Cornhuskers laid claim to the world record for largest attendance at a women's sporting event with 92,003 filling Memorial Stadium for their volleyball match against Omaha.The university took aim at the record last spring when it announced it would hold a daylong celebration of a sport that enjoys immense popularity in this state of fewer than 2 million.“We took a chance by playing in Memorial Stadium, and to go for the record and break it. ... I don’t think anybody could have envisioned that when this whole thing started,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “It feels like a great accomplishment for this sport called volleyball played by women. It’s a state treasure. We proved it.”The event began with an exhibition between in-state Division II powers Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State and was followed by the Huskers' three-set sweep of Omaha in a regular-season match. Country artist Scotty McCreery performed afterward.The previous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-womens-soccer-sports-soccer-barcelona-0abf21b88c76e5183fda8cc4ac03244a">attendance record was 91,648, set during a Champions League soccer match</a>&nbsp;when Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 at the Camp Nou Stadium in 2022.Memorial Stadium's official capacity is just over 85,000 for football, but that number was higher for this event because there were seats and standing room on the field.Fans in red and white started their tailgate parties outside the stadium hours before first serve of an exhibition Wayne State won in three sets. The stadium was one-quarter full at the start of that match and gradually filled to capacity as players for Omaha and Nebraska were warming up.There was a flyover during the national anthem and, minutes before first serve, Cook led his Huskers into the stadium to the Tunnel Walk, the longtime tradition of the football team. Synchronized chants of “Go Big Red!” were heard all around.Conditions were 83 degrees, clear skies and a south wind listed at 4-mph at court level with gusts that sometimes moved the ball in unpredictable ways.Though 91,648 was widely acknowledged as the women’s sports attendance record, at least one match at the unofficial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/mundo-women71.html">1971 Women’s World Cup in Mexico City reportedly drew 110,000 people.</a>The American record attendance for a women’s sporting event had been 90,185 for the 1999 World Cup soccer final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California — the game where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/sports/soccer/23seconds.html">Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt</a>&nbsp;after scoring the decisive penalty shot for the U.S. win.The NCAA does not track attendance across all sports, but associate director of media coordination and statistics Jeff Williams said a crowd of 90,000-plus was easily among the largest for a non-football game. A 2010 outdoor&nbsp;<a href="https://collegehockeyinc.com/stats/boxes11.php?mmicmsu1.d11">hockey game between Michigan and Michigan State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor drew more than 113,000 fans.</a>A message seeking comment from officials of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/">Guinness World Records</a>&nbsp;was not immediately returned.Nebraska has sold out 306 consecutive regular-season matches. (Wednesday's event won't count toward the streak because it is not being held on the team's Devaney Center court.) The Huskers have led the nation in attendance every season since 2013, and eight of the top nine crowds in NCAA volleyball history are matches that have involved Nebraska.Nebraska has won five national championships in volleyball, and its program is one of the few in Division I women's sports that turns a profit — $1 million last year, according to athletic department CFO Doug Ewald.“This is a statement on Title IX, and having two daughters of my own, what Title IX has done for women's sports is huge,” fan Troy Pfannenstiel of Omaha said before the matches.Chancellor Rodney Bennett canceled classes for the day. NCAA President Charlie Baker, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti were on hand, as was Gov. Jim Pillen. So were Husker volleyball players who were part of iconic coach Terry Pettit's teams over four decades. High school teams from across a state stretching 430 miles border to border were excused from classes to attend.There are 75 women from the state of Nebraska who are on Division I volleyball rosters this season. At 44 players per million in population, the state trails only Hawaii (67 per million) in Division I players produced per capita, according to volleyball statistician and historian Rich Kern of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.richkern.com/vb/FreePage.asp">RichKern.com.</a>“You don’t think you’re going to be part of a world record event, and seeing how much everyone supports volleyball and wanted to be part of that record is awesome to see,” Omaha's Shayla McCormick said.Volleyball has surpassed basketball as the No. 1 girls high school team sport in the United States. It’s long been No. 1 in Nebraska.About 7,000 girls play high school volleyball in the state. Volleyball has been played in varying forms in Nebraska since the early 1900s. For many years, girls volleyball matches were warmup acts for boys basketball games. Volleyball became a sanctioned sport in 1972 and took off in the late 1970s when Pettit invited many of the state’s high school coaches to work at his camps in Lincoln.Pettit also conducted so-called “satellite” clinics in small towns across the state. In a place where boys grow up dreaming of becoming Cornhusker football players, many girls are equally passionate about some day playing volleyball for a Nebraska team that annually ranks among the nation’s elite.Ella Beck, 10, came with a group from tiny Pierce to see her first college volleyball match and root for her favorite player, setter Lexi Rodriguez.Neveah Kehr, 10, came with her mom, Nicki, from Bismarck, North Dakota, to be part of the event. Nicki graduated from Nebraska, and she brought up her daughter watching the Huskers on television.Neveah wore the No. 5 jersey of middle blocker Bekka Allick at a pep rally before the matches and, with more than 1,000 fans cheering, was invited to walk to where the players stood and was introduced to the woman she called her idol.Neveah teared up, and Bekka gave her a hug.

🏐 Nebraska volleyball stadium event draws 92,003 to set women's world attendance record

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

These are uncertain times for the world of Champions Indoor Football.

The league that has served as the home of the Salina Liberty since 2016 was supposed to enter its ninth season in 2024, but doubt has begun to loom large as teams have abandoned the league in droves.

Earlier this offseason the Omaha Beef, Sioux City Bandits, and Topeka Tropics announced they would be the first to desert, with Omaha and Sioux City quickly finding a home in the National Arena League for the 2024 season.

On Monday, the CIF announced the addition of a new expansion team from Park City, Kansas in the ICT Regulators, but no sooner was the ink dry on the paperwork before the Billings Outlaws were confirmed as the newest member of the prestigious AFL (Arena Football League) just a day later.

These moves left the CIF with just five member teams for 2024 (Salina Liberty, Gillette Mustangs, SW Kansas Storm, Rapid City Marshals, and ICT Regulators), but the chaos may not be done yet, as on Wednesday it was announced in a statement that the Gillette Mustangs were being put up for sale by owner Steve Titus.

While a return to the Champions Indoor Football League is not impossible for the Tropics, who have, as of Wednesday, August 30th, not yet found a home for 2024, many are left to ponder the fate of a league that in eight seasons has never seen its membership dip below six teams.

For more on this developing situation, stay tuned to the Salina, Little Apple, and JC Posts.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThese are uncertain times for the world of Champions Indoor Football.The league that has served as the home of the Salina Liberty since 2016 was supposed to enter its ninth season in 2024, but doubt has begun to loom large as teams have abandoned the league in droves.Earlier this offseason the Omaha Beef, Sioux City Bandits, and Topeka Tropics announced they would be the first to desert, with Omaha and Sioux City quickly finding a home in the National Arena League for the 2024 season.On Monday, the CIF announced the addition of a new expansion team from Park City, Kansas in the ICT Regulators, but no sooner was the ink dry on the paperwork before the Billings Outlaws were confirmed as the newest member of the prestigious AFL (Arena Football League) just a day later.These moves left the CIF with just five member teams for 2024 (Salina Liberty, Gillette Mustangs, SW Kansas Storm, Rapid City Marshals, and ICT Regulators), but the chaos may not be done yet, as on Wednesday it was announced in a statement that the Gillette Mustangs were being put up for sale by owner Steve Titus.While a return to the Champions Indoor Football League is not impossible for the Tropics, who have, as of Wednesday, August 30th, not yet found a home for 2024, many are left to ponder the fate of a league that in eight seasons has never seen its membership dip below six teams.For more on this developing situation, stay tuned to the Salina, Little Apple, and JC Posts.

Uncertainty Looms Large as CIF Continues to Shed Members

K-State opens their 2023 football season

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Deshaun Watson led Cleveland on back-to-back touchdown drives, capping one with a toss to tight end David Njoku, before the Kansas City Chiefs' backups overcame two pick-6s from their quarterbacks and rallied for a 33-32 victory over the Browns on Saturday in the exhibition finale for both teams.

Browns kicker Cade York, whose job could be on the line after a tough preseason, gave them the lead with a 40-yard field goal with 4:23 to go. But the Chiefs quickly drove the other way, and Harrison Butker hit from 44 yards to regain the lead.

York had another chance with less than a minute left, but his 43-yard attempt was partially blocked and never had a chance.

Watson played sparingly in the Browns' first three preseason games, so coach Kevin Stefanski gave him the entire first quarter against Kansas City (2-1). There were plenty of miscues, including a pair of fumbled handoffs, but the $230 million quarterback also provided some highlights once he settled into the game.

Watson, who was disappointing in six starts after serving an 11-game suspension last season, was 5 of 10 for 92 yards on Saturday. But after his first two drives ended with a lost fumble and a three-and-out, the next two made the end zone, including an eight-play, 80-yard drive that Watson highlighted with a 53-yard toss to Amari Cooper on a broken play.

Juan Thornhill picked off Chiefs backup Shane Buechele and returned it 34 yards for a score against his former team, then Caleb Biggers added a 27-yard interception return off Blaine Gabbert as Cleveland (1-2-1) built a 29-16 lead by halftime.

Both teams rested many of their stars — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce did not play for Kansas City, and Myles Garrett sat out for Cleveland — leaving a collection of backups to decide the outcome.

Despite the precautions, the game proved costly for Cleveland on the injury front.

Jakeem Grant Sr., who had returned after tearing his Achilles tendon last summer, was carted off with a knee injury on the opening kickoff. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott hurt his hip, linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk his knee and fellow linebacker Tony Fields II was evaluated for a concussion but cleared to return to the game.

Buechele, who has been in a tight competition with Gabbert for the Chiefs' backup QB job, was just 8 of 17 for 89 yards with two picks and a touchdown.

Gabbert fared marginally better, going 10 of 18 for 169 yards with two TD passes and an interception.

Justyn Ross and Ihmir Smith-Marsette had touchdown catches for Kansas City. La'Mical Perine was another other bright spot, potentially locking up a backup job by running for 32 yards while catching three passes for 44 yards and a score.

Browns: Garrett did not suit up for any of the Browns' preseason games. RB Nick Chubb, who had a career-best 1,525 yards rushing with 12 touchdowns last season, and All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio also sat our Saturday.

Chiefs: Mahomes was 12 of 17 for 120 yards with a TD pass during his preseason work. Other starters joining the league MVP and Kelce on the sideline included linebacker Nick Bolton, who had 180 tackles in a breakout season a year ago.

Browns: RT Jack Conklin (concussion) did not play despite returning to practice this week. RB Jerome Ford (hamstring), SS Grant Delpit (arm) and WRs Marquise Goodwin (illness) and Anthony Schwartz (hamstring) also did not play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686767718163.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Deshaun Watson led Cleveland on back-to-back touchdown drives, capping one with a toss to tight end David Njoku, before the Kansas City Chiefs' backups overcame two pick-6s from their quarterbacks and rallied for a 33-32 victory over the Browns on Saturday in the exhibition finale for both teams.Browns kicker Cade York, whose job could be on the line after a tough preseason, gave them the lead with a 40-yard field goal with 4:23 to go. But the Chiefs quickly drove the other way, and Harrison Butker hit from 44 yards to regain the lead.York had another chance with less than a minute left, but his 43-yard attempt was partially blocked and never had a chance.Watson played sparingly in the Browns' first three preseason games, so coach Kevin Stefanski gave him the entire first quarter against Kansas City (2-1). There were plenty of miscues, including a pair of fumbled handoffs, but the $230 million quarterback also provided some highlights once he settled into the game.Watson, who was disappointing in six starts after serving an 11-game suspension last season, was 5 of 10 for 92 yards on Saturday. But after his first two drives ended with a lost fumble and a three-and-out, the next two made the end zone, including an eight-play, 80-yard drive that Watson highlighted with a 53-yard toss to Amari Cooper on a broken play.Juan Thornhill picked off Chiefs backup Shane Buechele and returned it 34 yards for a score against his former team, then Caleb Biggers added a 27-yard interception return off Blaine Gabbert as Cleveland (1-2-1) built a 29-16 lead by halftime.Both teams rested many of their stars — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce did not play for Kansas City, and Myles Garrett sat out for Cleveland — leaving a collection of backups to decide the outcome.Despite the precautions, the game proved costly for Cleveland on the injury front.Jakeem Grant Sr., who had returned after tearing his Achilles tendon last summer, was carted off with a knee injury on the opening kickoff. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott hurt his hip, linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk his knee and fellow linebacker Tony Fields II was evaluated for a concussion but cleared to return to the game.Buechele, who has been in a tight competition with Gabbert for the Chiefs' backup QB job, was just 8 of 17 for 89 yards with two picks and a touchdown.Gabbert fared marginally better, going 10 of 18 for 169 yards with two TD passes and an interception.Justyn Ross and Ihmir Smith-Marsette had touchdown catches for Kansas City. La'Mical Perine was another other bright spot, potentially locking up a backup job by running for 32 yards while catching three passes for 44 yards and a score.SITTING STARSBrowns: Garrett did not suit up for any of the Browns' preseason games. RB Nick Chubb, who had a career-best 1,525 yards rushing with 12 touchdowns last season, and All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio also sat our Saturday.Chiefs: Mahomes was 12 of 17 for 120 yards with a TD pass during his preseason work. Other starters joining the league MVP and Kelce on the sideline included linebacker Nick Bolton, who had 180 tackles in a breakout season a year ago.INJURIESBrowns: RT Jack Conklin (concussion) did not play despite returning to practice this week. RB Jerome Ford (hamstring), SS Grant Delpit (arm) and WRs Marquise Goodwin (illness) and Anthony Schwartz (hamstring) also did not play.Chiefs: LB Leo Chenal left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury, and WR Kadarius Toney (knee) and CB L'Jarius Sneed (knee) did not play. RB Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) made his preseason debut, running once for no gain.UP NEXTBrowns: Open the season against AFC North rival Cincinnati on Sept. 10.Chiefs: Play the Lions on Sept. 7 in the NFL's regular-season opener.