The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) has announced the brackets and sites for Sub-State volleyball. 

The Junction City Lady Jays are the 16 seed in the 6A West bracket and will play the number one overall seed, Washburn Rural. The match will be played at Washburn Rural as well.

State volleyball tournaments are this Saturday, October 21st.&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) has announced the brackets and sites for Sub-State volleyball. The Junction City Lady Jays are the 16 seed in the 6A West bracket and will play the number one overall seed, Washburn Rural. The match will be played at Washburn Rural as well.State volleyball tournaments are this Saturday, October 21st.&nbsp;

State Volleyball site and matchup announced for Lady Jays

Addison Douglass of Wamego won&nbsp; her second straight Class 4A state golf title on Tuesday. Douglass shot 73-73–146 to win by 6 shots over Pratt’s Avery Blasi.

Her teammate Sara Springer aced the par-3 No. 11 at Salina Municipal.

<a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Golf/StateGirlsTournaments.cfm">Click here</a> for more state golf scores

The Hays High girls golf team shaved 10 strokes off their day one total and finished in second place at the 5A State Golf Tournament Tuesday at Carey Park in Hutchinson. After a 345 team score on Monday, Hays shot 335 Tuesday for a two-day total of 680. Kapaun Mt. Carmel won the team title by 31 shots. The Crusaders bettered Monday’s 327 by shooting 322 in the final round. Bishop Carroll finished third with a 700.

Evyn Cox led the Indians with an eighth-place finish. Cox had rounds of 83 and 82 for a two day total of 165. Abbie Norris had two rounds of 85 and tied for 11th at 170. After shooting an 89 on Monday, Jaycee Oakley finished with an 83 on Tuesday and finished 13th at 172. Lily Garrison had rounds of 88 and 85 and placed 15th with a 173. All four picked up all-state honors.

Kapaun’s Zimena Sarinana and Andover’s Regan Dusenbury both shot rounds of 70 on Monday and 74 on Tuesday and finished atop the leaderboard with a 144 total.

TMP-Marian’s Ashley Hipp closed with a 96 and finished 15th at the 3-2-1A tourney at the Hesston Golf Course. Hipp shot an 88 in her first round on Monday for a 184 total.

Margaret Ulruch of Collegiate, who shot a 73 Monday, won the 3-2-1A individual title after firing an 81 Tuesday for a 154 total. Colby’s Anna Starbuck tied for second six strokes backs after rounds of 82 and 78. Logan Nolan of Colby placed eighth with a 176.

Silver Lake won the team title with a 701, 21 shots better than Colby who had a 723 total.

Topeka Hayden won the 4A team title by 37 shots over Wamego. Hayden shot a 661 and Wamego 698. Wamego’s Addison Douglass won the individual title after rounds of 73. Pratt’s Avery Blasi finished second six shots back.

Olathe Northwest won 6A by 24 shots over Manhattan. Kinslea Jones of Maize had rounds of 71 and 66 and won the individual title by three strokes over Blue Valley’s Hadley Neese who had rounds of 72 and 68.

Addison Douglass of Wamego won&nbsp; her second straight Class 4A state golf title on Tuesday. Douglass shot 73-73–146 to win by 6 shots over Pratt’s Avery Blasi.Her teammate Sara Springer aced the par-3 No. 11 at Salina Municipal.<a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Golf/StateGirlsTournaments.cfm">Click here</a> for more state golf scoresThe Hays High girls golf team shaved 10 strokes off their day one total and finished in second place at the 5A State Golf Tournament Tuesday at Carey Park in Hutchinson. After a 345 team score on Monday, Hays shot 335 Tuesday for a two-day total of 680. Kapaun Mt. Carmel won the team title by 31 shots. The Crusaders bettered Monday’s 327 by shooting 322 in the final round. Bishop Carroll finished third with a 700.Evyn Cox led the Indians with an eighth-place finish. Cox had rounds of 83 and 82 for a two day total of 165. Abbie Norris had two rounds of 85 and tied for 11th at 170. After shooting an 89 on Monday, Jaycee Oakley finished with an 83 on Tuesday and finished 13th at 172. Lily Garrison had rounds of 88 and 85 and placed 15th with a 173. All four picked up all-state honors.Kapaun’s Zimena Sarinana and Andover’s Regan Dusenbury both shot rounds of 70 on Monday and 74 on Tuesday and finished atop the leaderboard with a 144 total.TMP-Marian’s Ashley Hipp closed with a 96 and finished 15th at the 3-2-1A tourney at the Hesston Golf Course. Hipp shot an 88 in her first round on Monday for a 184 total.Margaret Ulruch of Collegiate, who shot a 73 Monday, won the 3-2-1A individual title after firing an 81 Tuesday for a 154 total. Colby’s Anna Starbuck tied for second six strokes backs after rounds of 82 and 78. Logan Nolan of Colby placed eighth with a 176.Silver Lake won the team title with a 701, 21 shots better than Colby who had a 723 total.Topeka Hayden won the 4A team title by 37 shots over Wamego. Hayden shot a 661 and Wamego 698. Wamego’s Addison Douglass won the individual title after rounds of 73. Pratt’s Avery Blasi finished second six shots back.Olathe Northwest won 6A by 24 shots over Manhattan. Kinslea Jones of Maize had rounds of 71 and 66 and won the individual title by three strokes over Blue Valley’s Hadley Neese who had rounds of 72 and 68.

Wamego golfer wins second straight Class 4A state golf title

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State’s offensive line has been named one of the top units at the midway point of the season, as the Wildcats earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, The Foundation for Teamwork announced Tuesday.

K-State is one of 25 teams nationally, and one of three from the Big 12, that is up for the award that recognizes the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football.

Guided by fifth-year coach&nbsp;Conor Riley, the K-State offensive line has paved the way for 214.3 rushing yards per game to rank 11th&nbsp;nationally, while the Wildcats are tied for fourth overall and first among Power 5 programs with 19 rushing touchdowns this season. Additionally, K-State ranks 16th&nbsp;nationally by converting 48.8% on third downs, including a 67.4% (31-of-46) clip when needing 1-6 yards.

The K-State offensive line has also been a force in the red zone with the Wildcats scoring touchdowns on 82.8% of its 29 red-zone attempts as their 24 red-zone touchdowns are tied for eighth nationally and are tops in the Big 12. In terms of pass protection, K-State is allowing just 1.33 sacks per game to rank 22nd&nbsp;in the nation and third in the Big 12 as the Wildcats are en route for their fifth-straight season surrendering less than 2.0 sacks per game.

Led by left guard&nbsp;Cooper Beebe, a career 41-game starter who was named to ESPN’s Midseason All-America team on Tuesday, K-State’s starting offensive line unit includes senior left tackle&nbsp;KT Leveston, senior center&nbsp;Hayden Gillum, sophomore right guard&nbsp;Hadley Panzer&nbsp;and junior right tackle&nbsp;Carver Willis. Junior&nbsp;Taylor Poitier&nbsp;and senior&nbsp;Christian Duffie&nbsp;have also seen significant snaps this season.

Kansas State hosts TCU on Saturday in a 6 p.m., contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium that will be shown on ESPN2. The game is sold out, but K-State fans looking to purchase tickets through the secondary market are encouraged to do so through SeatGeek, K-State’s official secondary ticket partner. Fraudulent tickets are often seen on gamedays, and K-State Athletics can only verify secondary market tickets and assist fans with issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased directly from SeatGeek.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State’s offensive line has been named one of the top units at the midway point of the season, as the Wildcats earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, The Foundation for Teamwork announced Tuesday.K-State is one of 25 teams nationally, and one of three from the Big 12, that is up for the award that recognizes the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football.Guided by fifth-year coach&nbsp;Conor Riley, the K-State offensive line has paved the way for 214.3 rushing yards per game to rank 11th&nbsp;nationally, while the Wildcats are tied for fourth overall and first among Power 5 programs with 19 rushing touchdowns this season. Additionally, K-State ranks 16th&nbsp;nationally by converting 48.8% on third downs, including a 67.4% (31-of-46) clip when needing 1-6 yards.The K-State offensive line has also been a force in the red zone with the Wildcats scoring touchdowns on 82.8% of its 29 red-zone attempts as their 24 red-zone touchdowns are tied for eighth nationally and are tops in the Big 12. In terms of pass protection, K-State is allowing just 1.33 sacks per game to rank 22nd&nbsp;in the nation and third in the Big 12 as the Wildcats are en route for their fifth-straight season surrendering less than 2.0 sacks per game.Led by left guard&nbsp;Cooper Beebe, a career 41-game starter who was named to ESPN’s Midseason All-America team on Tuesday, K-State’s starting offensive line unit includes senior left tackle&nbsp;KT Leveston, senior center&nbsp;Hayden Gillum, sophomore right guard&nbsp;Hadley Panzer&nbsp;and junior right tackle&nbsp;Carver Willis. Junior&nbsp;Taylor Poitier&nbsp;and senior&nbsp;Christian Duffie&nbsp;have also seen significant snaps this season.Kansas State hosts TCU on Saturday in a 6 p.m., contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium that will be shown on ESPN2. The game is sold out, but K-State fans looking to purchase tickets through the secondary market are encouraged to do so through SeatGeek, K-State’s official secondary ticket partner. Fraudulent tickets are often seen on gamedays, and K-State Athletics can only verify secondary market tickets and assist fans with issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased directly from SeatGeek.Ryan LackeyAssociate AD for Communications

K-State’s Offensive Line Named to Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll

The Kansas State High School Activities Association girls state golf championships teed off this morning at four sites across the state on Monday morning.

Below are results from how Hutchinson and Reno County area golfers performed.

Class 5A Hutchinson: Lily Rodriguez (T68, +33)

Class 4A Buhler: Marlie Cooper (T19, +17); Brynlee Frank (26, +20); Macy Miller (T35, +25); Harlie Terrell (T61, +34); Delaney Hartnett (T68, +36); Sloane Adkins (T71, +37)

Class 3-2-1A&nbsp; Hesston: Meg Werner (T14, +20); Maci Kramer (T49, +33); Elizabeth Hosford (T57, +34); Wendy Roth (T63, +39); Hannah Vogt (T66, +40); Regan Eilert (87, +62)&nbsp;

CLASS 6A (Emporia Municipal Golf Course, Emporia) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Olathe NW, +28 2) Manhattan, +33 3) Shawnee Mission East, +39 4) Olathe East, +57 5) Blue Valley, +60

Top 5 Individual Scores 1) Ella Slicker, Shawnee Mission East, -1 2) Kinslea Jones, Maize, Even T3) Hadley Neese, Blue Valley, +1 T3) Maddie Myers, Manhattan, +1 5) Ingrid Blacketer, Shawnee Mission East, +3

CLASS 5A (Carey Park, Hutchinson) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Kapaun Mt. Carmel, +43 T2) Hays, +61 T2) Bishop Carroll, +61 4) St. Thomas Aquinas, +68 5) Blue Valley SW, +70 Top 5 Individual Scores T1) Bella Jones, Bishop Carroll, -1 T1) Regan Dusenberry, Andover, -1 T1) Ximena Sariana, Kapaun, -1 4) Naomi Koontz, Newton, +4 T5) Elise Eckert, Emporia, +11 T5) Madison Durr, Salina South, +11

CLASS 4A (Salina Municipal Golf Course, Salina) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Topeka Hayden, +55 2) Wamego, +68 3) Wellington, +76 4) Winfield, +77 5) Pratt, +85

Top 5 Individual Scores 1) Addison Douglass, Wamego, +3 2) Avery Blasi, Pratt, +5 3) Carley Littell, Winfield, +7 T4) Braegan Buessing, Santa Fe Trail, +8 T4) Lilli Sympson, Winfield, +8 T4) Peyton Wright, Baldwin, +8

CLASS 3-2-1A (Hesston Golf Course, Hesston) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Silver Lake, +72 2) Colby, +80 3) Jefferson West, +82 4) St. Mary's Colgan, +83 5) Caney Valley, +103

Top 5 Individual Scores 1) Margaret Ulrich, St. Mary's Colgan, +2 2) Klara Kleinig, Silver Lake, +9 3) Anna Starbuck, Colby, +11 T4) Amelia Bowles, Atwood-Rawlins County, +12 T4) Taylor Zordel, Silver Lake, +12

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697125242487.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas State High School Activities Association girls state golf championships teed off this morning at four sites across the state on Monday morning.Below are results from how Hutchinson and Reno County area golfers performed.Class 5A Hutchinson: Lily Rodriguez (T68, +33)Class 4A Buhler: Marlie Cooper (T19, +17); Brynlee Frank (26, +20); Macy Miller (T35, +25); Harlie Terrell (T61, +34); Delaney Hartnett (T68, +36); Sloane Adkins (T71, +37)Class 3-2-1A&nbsp; Hesston: Meg Werner (T14, +20); Maci Kramer (T49, +33); Elizabeth Hosford (T57, +34); Wendy Roth (T63, +39); Hannah Vogt (T66, +40); Regan Eilert (87, +62)&nbsp;CLASS 6A (Emporia Municipal Golf Course, Emporia) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Olathe NW, +28 2) Manhattan, +33 3) Shawnee Mission East, +39 4) Olathe East, +57 5) Blue Valley, +60Top 5 Individual Scores 1) Ella Slicker, Shawnee Mission East, -1 2) Kinslea Jones, Maize, Even T3) Hadley Neese, Blue Valley, +1 T3) Maddie Myers, Manhattan, +1 5) Ingrid Blacketer, Shawnee Mission East, +3CLASS 5A (Carey Park, Hutchinson) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Kapaun Mt. Carmel, +43 T2) Hays, +61 T2) Bishop Carroll, +61 4) St. Thomas Aquinas, +68 5) Blue Valley SW, +70 Top 5 Individual Scores T1) Bella Jones, Bishop Carroll, -1 T1) Regan Dusenberry, Andover, -1 T1) Ximena Sariana, Kapaun, -1 4) Naomi Koontz, Newton, +4 T5) Elise Eckert, Emporia, +11 T5) Madison Durr, Salina South, +11CLASS 4A (Salina Municipal Golf Course, Salina) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Topeka Hayden, +55 2) Wamego, +68 3) Wellington, +76 4) Winfield, +77 5) Pratt, +85Top 5 Individual Scores 1) Addison Douglass, Wamego, +3 2) Avery Blasi, Pratt, +5 3) Carley Littell, Winfield, +7 T4) Braegan Buessing, Santa Fe Trail, +8 T4) Lilli Sympson, Winfield, +8 T4) Peyton Wright, Baldwin, +8CLASS 3-2-1A (Hesston Golf Course, Hesston) Top 5 Team Scores 1) Silver Lake, +72 2) Colby, +80 3) Jefferson West, +82 4) St. Mary's Colgan, +83 5) Caney Valley, +103Top 5 Individual Scores 1) Margaret Ulrich, St. Mary's Colgan, +2 2) Klara Kleinig, Silver Lake, +9 3) Anna Starbuck, Colby, +11 T4) Amelia Bowles, Atwood-Rawlins County, +12 T4) Taylor Zordel, Silver Lake, +12

🏌️‍♀️ KSHSAA state golf day 1 area recap

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Following its 38-21 victory at Texas Tech, Kansas State collected a pair of Big 12 Player of the Week accolades as senior safety&nbsp;Kobe Savage&nbsp;earned the defensive honor and freshman quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was named the newcomer of the week, the conference office announced Monday.

It is the second and third weekly conference honors this year for the Wildcats as running back&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after his performance against UCF.

Savage registered his second-career Big 12 weekly honor as he was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after last season’s game at Oklahoma. This past weekend at Texas Tech, Savage registered seven tackles and picked off a pair of passes, including one that led to the final K-State touchdown of the night. Savage became the first Wildcat with multiple interceptions in a game since Kevion McGee had two at Iowa State in the 2018 finale, while he is the first K-State safety to do so since Travis Green against Texas Tech in 2014.

A native of Paris, Texas, Savage has one of seven games in the Big 12 this season with two interceptions, which is tied for the fourth most nationally in a game this year. He now ranks third nationally among active players in career interceptions per game (0.31), while he ranks seventh in career solo tackles per game (4.25).

Johnson is the 11th&nbsp;Wildcat to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year since the award began in 2016, while it is the second-straight year the Wildcats earned the honor after playing the Red Raiders. Johnson scored five rushing touchdowns on the night to tie the school record with former quarterback and current K-State offensive coordinator&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;(2011 vs. Texas A&amp;M) as well as quarterback Jonathan Beasley (2000 vs. North Texas). It is the most rushing touchdowns in a game this year, while it is the most by any true freshman nationally since Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine had five against Kansas in 2014.

Johnson, a product of Wichita, Kansas, set the Big 12 record for rushing touchdowns by a true freshman quarterback, while it is the most nationally by a true freshman quarterback since at least 1995. It was also the first time any Big 12 player had at least five rushing touchdowns in a game since 2016.

Kansas State returns home for the first time in nearly a month as the Wildcats host TCU on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, in a 6 p.m., game that will be televised by ESPN2.

Associate Athletics Director for Communication

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697487204892.jpeg" alt="Kobe Savage" />
 <figcaption>Kobe Savage</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697487278172.jpeg" alt="Avery Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Avery Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Following its 38-21 victory at Texas Tech, Kansas State collected a pair of Big 12 Player of the Week accolades as senior safety&nbsp;Kobe Savage&nbsp;earned the defensive honor and freshman quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was named the newcomer of the week, the conference office announced Monday.It is the second and third weekly conference honors this year for the Wildcats as running back&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after his performance against UCF.Savage registered his second-career Big 12 weekly honor as he was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after last season’s game at Oklahoma. This past weekend at Texas Tech, Savage registered seven tackles and picked off a pair of passes, including one that led to the final K-State touchdown of the night. Savage became the first Wildcat with multiple interceptions in a game since Kevion McGee had two at Iowa State in the 2018 finale, while he is the first K-State safety to do so since Travis Green against Texas Tech in 2014.A native of Paris, Texas, Savage has one of seven games in the Big 12 this season with two interceptions, which is tied for the fourth most nationally in a game this year. He now ranks third nationally among active players in career interceptions per game (0.31), while he ranks seventh in career solo tackles per game (4.25).Johnson is the 11th&nbsp;Wildcat to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year since the award began in 2016, while it is the second-straight year the Wildcats earned the honor after playing the Red Raiders. Johnson scored five rushing touchdowns on the night to tie the school record with former quarterback and current K-State offensive coordinator&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;(2011 vs. Texas A&amp;M) as well as quarterback Jonathan Beasley (2000 vs. North Texas). It is the most rushing touchdowns in a game this year, while it is the most by any true freshman nationally since Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine had five against Kansas in 2014.Johnson, a product of Wichita, Kansas, set the Big 12 record for rushing touchdowns by a true freshman quarterback, while it is the most nationally by a true freshman quarterback since at least 1995. It was also the first time any Big 12 player had at least five rushing touchdowns in a game since 2016.Kansas State returns home for the first time in nearly a month as the Wildcats host TCU on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, in a 6 p.m., game that will be televised by ESPN2.Ryan LackeyAssociate Athletics Director for Communication

Two Wildcats  receive weekly league honors

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State’s Homecoming game against Houston on October 28 will kick at 11 a.m., and will be televised by ESPN2.<a></a><a>&nbsp;</a>

<a>Next week will be the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and Cougars.</a>

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State’s Homecoming game against Houston on October 28 will kick at 11 a.m., and will be televised by ESPN2.<a></a><a>&nbsp;</a><a>Next week will be the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and Cougars.</a>

K-State’s Homecoming Game Set for Morning Kick

Junction City High School hosted the Girls 6A State Tennis Tournament last Friday and Saturday at the Blue Jay Tennis Complex. 

 The tournament featured the top players throughout the state of Kansas and included two Lady Jay singles tennis players, Julia Cho and Hannah Micheel.  For both players, this was the first time they earned their way into the tournament. 

 Julia Cho, a junior, began play against a regional champion from the West region and lost her opening round in straight sets.  In the consolation bracket, she lost the next round 8-4 to a Garden City opponent, which eliminated her from the tournament. 

 Freshman, Hannah Micheel, opened up her tournament play with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Shawnee Mill Valley.  She lost the next round against the #4 seed in the tournament from Shawnee Mission East, which put her in the consolation bracket.  She moved on further in the bracket when her opponent from Washburn Rural had an injury default.  However, the regional champion from Wichita Northwest defeated her 8-3 in the next round, ending Micheel’s run in the tournament.  Micheel finished the tournament with a 2-2 record. 

 The singles champion was Sarah Yan from Blue Valley West and the doubles team of Long/Schmidt from Shawnee Mission East won the doubles bracket.  Shawnee Mission East won the team title followed by Blue Valley West and Olathe Northwest.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697458386830.jpeg" alt="Julia Cho (left) and Hannah Micheel (right) both competed in the girls class 6A state tennis tournament which was hosted by Junction City&nbsp; High School." />
 <figcaption>Julia Cho (left) and Hannah Micheel (right) both competed in the girls class 6A state tennis tournament which was hosted by Junction City&nbsp; High School.</figcaption>
 </figure>Blue Jay athletics release&nbsp;--Junction City High School hosted the Girls 6A State Tennis Tournament last Friday and Saturday at the Blue Jay Tennis Complex. The tournament featured the top players throughout the state of Kansas and included two Lady Jay singles tennis players, Julia Cho and Hannah Micheel. For both players, this was the first time they earned their way into the tournament. Julia Cho, a junior, began play against a regional champion from the West region and lost her opening round in straight sets. In the consolation bracket, she lost the next round 8-4 to a Garden City opponent, which eliminated her from the tournament. Freshman, Hannah Micheel, opened up her tournament play with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Shawnee Mill Valley. She lost the next round against the #4 seed in the tournament from Shawnee Mission East, which put her in the consolation bracket. She moved on further in the bracket when her opponent from Washburn Rural had an injury default. However, the regional champion from Wichita Northwest defeated her 8-3 in the next round, ending Micheel’s run in the tournament. Micheel finished the tournament with a 2-2 record. The singles champion was Sarah Yan from Blue Valley West and the doubles team of Long/Schmidt from Shawnee Mission East won the doubles bracket. Shawnee Mission East won the team title followed by Blue Valley West and Olathe Northwest.&nbsp;

The 6A State girls tennis tournament was a success in Junction City 

The Junction City Blue Jay boys cross country team captured the Centennial League Championship on Saturday at Kanza Park in Topeka. I

Individually, Ethan Fontaine led the way for the Blue Jays, crossing the finish line in third-place with a blistering time of 16:01.40. On the girls side, Lorna Rae Pierce claimed runner-up accolades, clocking a time of 18:04.70. The girls wrapped-up competition in third-place.&nbsp; &nbsp;

USD 475 releaseThe Junction City Blue Jay boys cross country team captured the Centennial League Championship on Saturday at Kanza Park in Topeka. IIndividually, Ethan Fontaine led the way for the Blue Jays, crossing the finish line in third-place with a blistering time of 16:01.40. On the girls side, Lorna Rae Pierce claimed runner-up accolades, clocking a time of 18:04.70. The girls wrapped-up competition in third-place.&nbsp; &nbsp;

JCHS turns in a big day in cross country

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Freshman quarterback Avery Johnson ran for five touchdowns, a first in FBS this season, while sharing time with starter Will Howard, and Kansas State beat Texas Tech 38-21 on Saturday night.

Johnson finished with 91 yards rushing as the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) bounced back from a surprising loss at Oklahoma State with an eighth consecutive victory in the series for the defending Big 12 champions.

Jake Strong led a 99-yard drive to the only lead for Texas Tech (3-4, 2-2) in his debut in the third quarter after replacing injured starter Behren Morton. But the freshman threw three interceptions after the Wildcats had gone back in front.

Morton, who was starting because of the third long-term injury in as many seasons to Tyler Shough, was slow to get up several times in the first half and was ruled out after the break because of an undisclosed injury.

Strong's second series started at the Texas Tech 1-yard line, but his 13-yard pass got the drive going.

Strong ran 54 yards to set up an 8-yard scoring pass on third down, when he lofted a pass just as he was hit hard in the pocket and Jerand Bradley got a foot down as he fell out the back of the end zone to give the Red Raiders a 21-17 lead.

Johnson, whose only other touchdown came in a blowout of Southeast Missouri State in the opener, replaced Howard on the third series and scored on a 2-yard run for a 10-0 lead.

Howard, a senior closing in on 30 career games, returned several times in the first half, but it was Johnson's show after the break.

His 30-yard run put Kansas State back in front for good at 24-21, and Johnson's 11-yard score put the Wildcats up 10 the first play after VJ Payne's 17-yard return of Strong's first interception.

After Kobe Savage corralled Strong's third interception in the end zone, Johnson led an 80-yard drive to the game-sealing score, a 3-yard run for his fifth TD.

Treshaun Ward had 118 yards rushing as the Wildcats finished with 273 yards on the ground, the most allowed by Texas Tech this season.

Tahj Brooks ran for 98 yards and a touchdown for Texas Tech, and Morton scored on a 1-yard plunge.

Kansas State: The Wildcats appeared to have a chance for a three-score lead just before halftime when linebacker Jake Clifton forced a fumble on a catch by Cam’Ron Valdez and Kansas State recovered inside the Texas Tech 25. But Clifton made helmet-to-helmet contact with Valdez and was ejected for targeting. Texas Tech then drove for a touchdown and a 17-14 halftime deficit.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders just can't seem to escape injuries at quarterback. Shough had played the deepest into the season of the Oregon transfer's three years in Lubbock before breaking a leg. Now the question is how soon Morton might return, if at all. This could be a serious test of the QB depth chart.

Kansas State: TCU at home next Saturday in a rematch of last year's Big 12 championship game, when the Wildcats handed the Horned Frogs their first loss of the season.

Texas Tech: at BYU next Saturday in the second meeting between the schools. The other was in 1940.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697338056986.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Freshman quarterback Avery Johnson ran for five touchdowns, a first in FBS this season, while sharing time with starter Will Howard, and Kansas State beat Texas Tech 38-21 on Saturday night.Johnson finished with 91 yards rushing as the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) bounced back from a surprising loss at Oklahoma State with an eighth consecutive victory in the series for the defending Big 12 champions.Jake Strong led a 99-yard drive to the only lead for Texas Tech (3-4, 2-2) in his debut in the third quarter after replacing injured starter Behren Morton. But the freshman threw three interceptions after the Wildcats had gone back in front.Morton, who was starting because of the third long-term injury in as many seasons to Tyler Shough, was slow to get up several times in the first half and was ruled out after the break because of an undisclosed injury.Strong's second series started at the Texas Tech 1-yard line, but his 13-yard pass got the drive going.Strong ran 54 yards to set up an 8-yard scoring pass on third down, when he lofted a pass just as he was hit hard in the pocket and Jerand Bradley got a foot down as he fell out the back of the end zone to give the Red Raiders a 21-17 lead.Johnson, whose only other touchdown came in a blowout of Southeast Missouri State in the opener, replaced Howard on the third series and scored on a 2-yard run for a 10-0 lead.Howard, a senior closing in on 30 career games, returned several times in the first half, but it was Johnson's show after the break.His 30-yard run put Kansas State back in front for good at 24-21, and Johnson's 11-yard score put the Wildcats up 10 the first play after VJ Payne's 17-yard return of Strong's first interception.After Kobe Savage corralled Strong's third interception in the end zone, Johnson led an 80-yard drive to the game-sealing score, a 3-yard run for his fifth TD.Treshaun Ward had 118 yards rushing as the Wildcats finished with 273 yards on the ground, the most allowed by Texas Tech this season.Tahj Brooks ran for 98 yards and a touchdown for Texas Tech, and Morton scored on a 1-yard plunge.THE TAKEAWAYKansas State: The Wildcats appeared to have a chance for a three-score lead just before halftime when linebacker Jake Clifton forced a fumble on a catch by Cam’Ron Valdez and Kansas State recovered inside the Texas Tech 25. But Clifton made helmet-to-helmet contact with Valdez and was ejected for targeting. Texas Tech then drove for a touchdown and a 17-14 halftime deficit.Texas Tech: The Red Raiders just can't seem to escape injuries at quarterback. Shough had played the deepest into the season of the Oregon transfer's three years in Lubbock before breaking a leg. Now the question is how soon Morton might return, if at all. This could be a serious test of the QB depth chart.UP NEXTKansas State: TCU at home next Saturday in a rematch of last year's Big 12 championship game, when the Wildcats handed the Horned Frogs their first loss of the season.Texas Tech: at BYU next Saturday in the second meeting between the schools. The other was in 1940.___

Avery Johnson has 5 rushing TDs as Kansas State beats Texas Tech 

Following a Kansas Conference-wide bye week the Coyotes play league foe Avila on Saturday. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Zarda Multisport Complex in Kansas City, Missouri.

The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.

Live Stats will be available at <a href="https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary</a>

Radio coverage can be heard locally on <a href="https://910kina.com/">KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM</a>, and online at Eagle Communication's Post Sites (salinapost.com in Salina). The online stream is also available at <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.</a>

Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at Noon

Saturday's game will be the sixth between the two schools. KWU has a 3-2 lead in the series but Avila has won two of the last three including an 18-14 victory last season at JRI Stadium. The Eagles won 30-20 in Kansas City in 2021 and KWU 46-38 in 2020 at Graves Family Sports Complex.

The Coyotes won three games in a row before taking last Saturday off that was part of the KCAC-wide bye week. They defeated McPherson 10-7 September 30 in McPherson before the break. The defense was superb once again limiting the Bulldogs to 297 yards and 35 points below their season average.

After going 4-2 against teams in the Dr. Ted Kessinger Division the Coyotes' the last five games will be against their opponents in the Gene Bissell Division. The division winners receive berths in the NAIA playoffs.

KWU's opponents are averaging 15.5 points and 288.7 yards per game – 135 rushing and 153.7 passing. The Coyotes are averaging 18.3 points and 253 yards – 127.8 rushing and 125.2 passing.

Freshman quarterback Byron McNair made his college debut in the third quarter against McPherson and led the Coyotes on a game-winning 75-yard, nine-play drive in the fourth quarter. He was 7 of 11 passing for 115 yards and had 15 yards rushing on seven carries. Richard Lara started the game and was 7 of 16 for 54 yards.

Coach Matt Myers said a decision on Saturday's starting quarterback would be made later in the week. 

The Eagles have lost five in a row since defeating Bethany in the season opener. They lost to Evangel 44-6 in their game before the break and fell to McPherson 42-21 the previous week.

Opponents have averaged 42.3 points and 476.3 yards this season. Avila is averaging 26.7 points and 353.5 yards (224.7 passing) per game.

Quarterback Eli Williams has had a terrific sophomore season thus far. A transfer from TCU before last season the 6-foot-4 Williams has thrown for 1,334 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has a team-best 313 yards rushing and seven more touchdowns. 

Williams threw for 140 yards, two touchdowns and had 43 yards rushing in Avila's victory over KWU last season.

Kareem Chambers (22 receptions, 225 yards) and Robert Brooks (20-227) are the top wide receivers in 2023. Three others have at least 13 catches.

"(Williams) is the most talented player we'll probably play against. He put up 40-plus (points) on Southwestern, he'll be a challenge to say the least. He's tall, he's fast, and he can see everything. Our job will be to contain him as much as humanly possible and force him to do some things that he's not used to doing, hopefully. We need to keep him in the pocket and make him uncomfortable. Their skill positions are really good, their tailbacks are good, their wide receivers are really good. They're a little young up front. The game is the reverse of the first half of the season when we played a lot of run-heavy teams; (Avila) throws it 80 percent of the time."

"We are going to evaluate it and put the best guy out there (at quarterback) that we think can sustain drives, make really good decisions and score points."

"Whoever dreamt up the (new KCAC) schedule was a genius. (The bye) was really nice, everyone got to relax for a week. It was a welcome respite."

The Coyotes play Saint Mary in their homecoming game at 5 p.m. Saturday at JRI Stadium.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697299226670.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following a Kansas Conference-wide bye week the Coyotes play league foe Avila on Saturday. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Zarda Multisport Complex in Kansas City, Missouri.<h2>LIVE COVERAGE </h2>The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.Live Stats will be available at <a href="https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary</a>Radio coverage can be heard locally on <a href="https://910kina.com/">KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM</a>, and online at Eagle Communication's Post Sites (salinapost.com in Salina). The online stream is also available at <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.</a> Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at Noon<h2>RECORDS </h2>Kansas Wesleyan 4-2Avila 1-5<h2>THE SERIES </h2>Saturday's game will be the sixth between the two schools. KWU has a 3-2 lead in the series but Avila has won two of the last three including an 18-14 victory last season at JRI Stadium. The Eagles won 30-20 in Kansas City in 2021 and KWU 46-38 in 2020 at Graves Family Sports Complex.<h2>KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE</h2>The Coyotes won three games in a row before taking last Saturday off that was part of the KCAC-wide bye week. They defeated McPherson 10-7 September 30 in McPherson before the break. The defense was superb once again limiting the Bulldogs to 297 yards and 35 points below their season average.After going 4-2 against teams in the Dr. Ted Kessinger Division the Coyotes' the last five games will be against their opponents in the Gene Bissell Division. The division winners receive berths in the NAIA playoffs.KWU's opponents are averaging 15.5 points and 288.7 yards per game – 135 rushing and 153.7 passing. The Coyotes are averaging 18.3 points and 253 yards – 127.8 rushing and 125.2 passing.Freshman quarterback Byron McNair made his college debut in the third quarter against McPherson and led the Coyotes on a game-winning 75-yard, nine-play drive in the fourth quarter. He was 7 of 11 passing for 115 yards and had 15 yards rushing on seven carries. Richard Lara started the game and was 7 of 16 for 54 yards.Coach Matt Myers said a decision on Saturday's starting quarterback would be made later in the week. <h2>AVILA AT A GLANCE</h2>The Eagles have lost five in a row since defeating Bethany in the season opener. They lost to Evangel 44-6 in their game before the break and fell to McPherson 42-21 the previous week.Opponents have averaged 42.3 points and 476.3 yards this season. Avila is averaging 26.7 points and 353.5 yards (224.7 passing) per game.Quarterback Eli Williams has had a terrific sophomore season thus far. A transfer from TCU before last season the 6-foot-4 Williams has thrown for 1,334 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has a team-best 313 yards rushing and seven more touchdowns. Williams threw for 140 yards, two touchdowns and had 43 yards rushing in Avila's victory over KWU last season.Kareem Chambers (22 receptions, 225 yards) and Robert Brooks (20-227) are the top wide receivers in 2023. Three others have at least 13 catches.<h2>KWU COACH MATT MYERS</h2>"(Williams) is the most talented player we'll probably play against. He put up 40-plus (points) on Southwestern, he'll be a challenge to say the least. He's tall, he's fast, and he can see everything. Our job will be to contain him as much as humanly possible and force him to do some things that he's not used to doing, hopefully. We need to keep him in the pocket and make him uncomfortable. Their skill positions are really good, their tailbacks are good, their wide receivers are really good. They're a little young up front. The game is the reverse of the first half of the season when we played a lot of run-heavy teams; (Avila) throws it 80 percent of the time.""We are going to evaluate it and put the best guy out there (at quarterback) that we think can sustain drives, make really good decisions and score points.""Whoever dreamt up the (new KCAC) schedule was a genius. (The bye) was really nice, everyone got to relax for a week. It was a welcome respite."<h2>NEXT WEEK</h2>The Coyotes play Saint Mary in their homecoming game at 5 p.m. Saturday at JRI Stadium.

KWU Coyotes travel to Avila, kickoff at 1 p.m.

UPDATE: Both Junction City Lady Jay tennis players were eliminated on day one of the class 6A state girls tennis tournament. 

Junior Julia Cho was defeated and eliminated in her first two matches of the day.&nbsp;

Freshman Hannah Micheel lost her opening match and then worked her way through the back side of the bracket, but was defeated one round shy of advancing to Saturday&nbsp;

Day two of the class 6A girls tennis tournament gets underway on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the Blue Jay tennis courts.&nbsp;

All matches are at the Blue Jay Tennis Courts behind the Junction City Middle School. 

There are 72 players competing in the tournament, 24 single players and  24 doubles teams . 

Junction City has two players competing in the singles division, junior Julia Cho and freshman Hannah Micheel. Both girls will compete in several matches on Friday in hopes of advancing to Saturday, which would result in a top 12 finish on the year. 

The tournament runs all day on Friday, and continues with the top players advancing onto Saturday. There is no charge to attend the state tournament.&nbsp;

UPDATE: Both Junction City Lady Jay tennis players were eliminated on day one of the class 6A state girls tennis tournament. Junior Julia Cho was defeated and eliminated in her first two matches of the day.&nbsp;Freshman Hannah Micheel lost her opening match and then worked her way through the back side of the bracket, but was defeated one round shy of advancing to Saturday&nbsp;Day two of the class 6A girls tennis tournament gets underway on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the Blue Jay tennis courts.&nbsp;--By Anthony GorgesAll matches are at the Blue Jay Tennis Courts behind the Junction City Middle School. There are 72 players competing in the tournament, 24 single players and 24 doubles teams . Junction City has two players competing in the singles division, junior Julia Cho and freshman Hannah Micheel. Both girls will compete in several matches on Friday in hopes of advancing to Saturday, which would result in a top 12 finish on the year. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697216029524.jpeg" alt="Freshman Hannah Micheel serves in her first match of the day in the class 6A girls state tennis tournament.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Freshman Hannah Micheel serves in her first match of the day in the class 6A girls state tennis tournament.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697216232087.jpeg" alt="Junior Julia Cho receives a serve in her first match of the day in the class 6A girls state tennis tournament.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Junior Julia Cho receives a serve in her first match of the day in the class 6A girls state tennis tournament.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The tournament runs all day on Friday, and continues with the top players advancing onto Saturday. There is no charge to attend the state tournament.&nbsp;

UPDATE: 6A girls State tennis tournament, both Lady Jay tennis players eliminated on day one

The Junction City Blue Jay football team defeated the Topeka High Trojans 47-0 on Friday night in Topeka at Hummer Sports Park. 

The Blue Jays were excellent on offense, scoring a touchdown on every offensive drive except the last drive, when time expired. The scoring got underway in the first quarter when senior quarterback Brock Bazan threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior Michael Boganowski.

 Junction City had five rushing touchdowns on the night. The touchdown scorers included Griffon Bohannon (who had two touchdowns), Cooper Bogenhagan and quarterback Brock Bazan both added one, and the final touchdown of the night was from sophomore running back Lance Norris on a 25-yard touchdown run.

The Blue Jays also had a defensive score on an interception returned for a touchdown by sophomore defensive back Lovell Autry. 

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City Blue Jay football team defeated the Topeka High Trojans 47-0 on Friday night in Topeka at Hummer Sports Park. The Blue Jays were excellent on offense, scoring a touchdown on every offensive drive except the last drive, when time expired. The scoring got underway in the first quarter when senior quarterback Brock Bazan threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior Michael Boganowski. Junction City had five rushing touchdowns on the night. The touchdown scorers included Griffon Bohannon (who had two touchdowns), Cooper Bogenhagan and quarterback Brock Bazan both added one, and the final touchdown of the night was from sophomore running back Lance Norris on a 25-yard touchdown run.The Blue Jays also had a defensive score on an interception returned for a touchdown by sophomore defensive back Lovell Autry.

Blue Jay football team dominates Topeka High, improves to 4-3

Junction City defeats Topeka High 47-0

By Anthony GorgesJC PostJunction City defeats Topeka High 47-0Abilene defeats Augusta 42-0Clay Center defeats Rock Creek 26-12Concordia defeats Beloit 14-6Herington defeats Solomon 28-26Hesston defeats Chapman 34-20Manhattan defeats Lansing 42-0Topeka Hayden defeats Holton 24-7Washburn Rural defeats Emporia 46-0Wamego defeats Clearwater 45-10

Week seven high school football local scores

TOPEKA -&nbsp;Starting at 6:45 p.m., you can watch the livestream of the Junction City Blue Jays as they travel to Topeka to take on the Topeka High Trojans.

Commentary of tonight's game is provided by Anthony Gorges and Brian Field, who broadcast for Junction City all season long on Eagle Radio's KJCK 1420/107.9FM in Junction City. If you'd prefer to listen to the radio call,&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">click here</a>.

TOPEKA -&nbsp;Starting at 6:45 p.m., you can watch the livestream of the Junction City Blue Jays as they travel to Topeka to take on the Topeka High Trojans.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/661184?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>Commentary of tonight's game is provided by Anthony Gorges and Brian Field, who broadcast for Junction City all season long on Eagle Radio's KJCK 1420/107.9FM in Junction City. If you'd prefer to listen to the radio call,&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">click here</a>.Sponsors of JCHS Blue Jays Livestream:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696279549519.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥: LIVESTREAM: JCHS Blue Jays at Topeka High Trojans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes knows the Kansas City Chiefs' offense is still trying to put everything together.

It was evident in the way they struggled against Denver on third down Thursday night. The way they kept getting bottled up in short-yardage situations. And in how they failed time after time to turn red-zone trips into touchdowns.

“Luckily for us,” Mahomes said, “our defense is playing great."

So great that Mahomes' lone touchdown pass and Harrison Butker's four field goals were enough to squeak out a 19-8 victory over the Broncos, whose own woeful offense could only manage 197 yards behind a shaky performance from Russell Wilson.

“We have guys that are starters on other teams that are trying to find a way on the football field, and when they get on the field, they're making plays,” Mahomes said of the Kansas City defense. “And they're playing with confidence.”

Mahomes finished with 306 yards passing and an interception, and a big chunk of his production went to Travis Kelce, who had nine catches for 124 yards with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">Taylor Swift again cheering him on</a>&nbsp;from an Arrowhead Stadium suite.

Still, the inability of the Chiefs (5-1) to score touchdowns rather than field goals nearly proved costly.

Butker's first three field goals helped them to a 16-0 lead, but Wilson's touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton — ruled incomplete but overturned upon review — with about six minutes remaining kept the Broncos (1-5) alive. And when Javonte Williams bulled into the end zone for the 2-point conversion, what had been a one-sided shutout was a one-possession game.

The Broncos' league-worst defense couldn't make a stop, though. Mahomes converted third-and-2 with a 28-yard pass to Rashee Rice, and that put Butker in position for a 52-yard field goal with 1:55 left that put the game away.

“Our defense was incredible tonight, as it has been,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But we have to take care of business in the red zone. We had a lot of yards, positive yards, but you can't stall down there."

The Broncos have not beaten the Chiefs since Sept. 17, 2015, the year Peyton Manning led Denver to the Super Bowl. That was six head and interim coaches ago, and nothing changed with Sean Payton leading them Thursday night. In a league built for parity, their losing streak is the fourth-longest for any team against another in NFL history.

“I'm disappointed but I'm not discouraged,” Payton said. “Offensively we struggled throwing the ball. Our third-down numbers were poor. The turnovers, against a team like this, it's going to be tough to win the game, and yet we were still in it going into the fourth quarter. Sometimes you don't know how a game is going to unfold.”

As bad as the Broncos' defense has been this season, it was Wilson and their offense that kept dragging them down. He had 37 yards passing in the first half, and the only drive Wilson led past midfield ended on fourth down.

The Chiefs weren't doing a whole lot better.

Their first three forays into the red zone netted three points, thanks to an interception by Justin Simmons and a failed tush push out of a field-goal lineup on fourth down. Mahomes, who has struggled by his standards all season, only found his rhythm once in the first half, when he ended a 62-yard drive with a short touchdown pass to Kadarius Toney.

Butker made it 13-0 at the break when he drilled a 60-yard field goal as time expired.

The Chiefs' red-zone woes continued in the second half. They began by swiftly marching downfield and setting up first-and-goal at the Denver 8, but that soon turned into fourth-and-goal at the 7-yard line and Butker had to kick another field goal.

That was all Kansas City could muster until his clinching kick in the final minutes.

Thanks to the defense, that was all the Chiefs needed.

“I thought we did a lot of good things, just obviously red zone and some third downs we didn't execute at a high enough level,” Mahomes said. “I still think there were a lot of good things we can take from it.”

Swift watched Kelce and the Chiefs for the third time Thursday night. The two began a relationship a few weeks ago, when he invited Swift to a Chiefs game after failing to meet her during her Eras Tour. Swift flew in from Los Angeles, where she walked the red carpet on Wednesday night for the premiere of her concert film.

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones had a sack in his eighth straight regular-season game, which trails only his own 11-game streak in 2018 for the longest in franchise history. With at least one in his first five this season, Jones broke the club record to start the season held by Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.

Broncos: TE Greg Dulcich, who had just come off injured reserve, left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. It's the same injury that landed Dulcich on IR after hurting it in Week 1 against the Raiders.

Chiefs: S Justin Reid, who had an interception earlier in the game, briefly left in the second half. WR Justin Watson left in the fourth quarter with an elbow injury sustained while trying to make a diving catch.

Chiefs: Host the Los Angeles Chargers the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697191780867.png" alt="photo courtesy KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes knows the Kansas City Chiefs' offense is still trying to put everything together.It was evident in the way they struggled against Denver on third down Thursday night. The way they kept getting bottled up in short-yardage situations. And in how they failed time after time to turn red-zone trips into touchdowns.“Luckily for us,” Mahomes said, “our defense is playing great."So great that Mahomes' lone touchdown pass and Harrison Butker's four field goals were enough to squeak out a 19-8 victory over the Broncos, whose own woeful offense could only manage 197 yards behind a shaky performance from Russell Wilson.“We have guys that are starters on other teams that are trying to find a way on the football field, and when they get on the field, they're making plays,” Mahomes said of the Kansas City defense. “And they're playing with confidence.”Mahomes finished with 306 yards passing and an interception, and a big chunk of his production went to Travis Kelce, who had nine catches for 124 yards with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">Taylor Swift again cheering him on</a>&nbsp;from an Arrowhead Stadium suite.Still, the inability of the Chiefs (5-1) to score touchdowns rather than field goals nearly proved costly.Butker's first three field goals helped them to a 16-0 lead, but Wilson's touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton — ruled incomplete but overturned upon review — with about six minutes remaining kept the Broncos (1-5) alive. And when Javonte Williams bulled into the end zone for the 2-point conversion, what had been a one-sided shutout was a one-possession game.The Broncos' league-worst defense couldn't make a stop, though. Mahomes converted third-and-2 with a 28-yard pass to Rashee Rice, and that put Butker in position for a 52-yard field goal with 1:55 left that put the game away.“Our defense was incredible tonight, as it has been,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But we have to take care of business in the red zone. We had a lot of yards, positive yards, but you can't stall down there."The Broncos have not beaten the Chiefs since Sept. 17, 2015, the year Peyton Manning led Denver to the Super Bowl. That was six head and interim coaches ago, and nothing changed with Sean Payton leading them Thursday night. In a league built for parity, their losing streak is the fourth-longest for any team against another in NFL history.“I'm disappointed but I'm not discouraged,” Payton said. “Offensively we struggled throwing the ball. Our third-down numbers were poor. The turnovers, against a team like this, it's going to be tough to win the game, and yet we were still in it going into the fourth quarter. Sometimes you don't know how a game is going to unfold.”As bad as the Broncos' defense has been this season, it was Wilson and their offense that kept dragging them down. He had 37 yards passing in the first half, and the only drive Wilson led past midfield ended on fourth down.The Chiefs weren't doing a whole lot better.Their first three forays into the red zone netted three points, thanks to an interception by Justin Simmons and a failed tush push out of a field-goal lineup on fourth down. Mahomes, who has struggled by his standards all season, only found his rhythm once in the first half, when he ended a 62-yard drive with a short touchdown pass to Kadarius Toney.Butker made it 13-0 at the break when he drilled a 60-yard field goal as time expired.The Chiefs' red-zone woes continued in the second half. They began by swiftly marching downfield and setting up first-and-goal at the Denver 8, but that soon turned into fourth-and-goal at the 7-yard line and Butker had to kick another field goal.That was all Kansas City could muster until his clinching kick in the final minutes.Thanks to the defense, that was all the Chiefs needed.“I thought we did a lot of good things, just obviously red zone and some third downs we didn't execute at a high enough level,” Mahomes said. “I still think there were a lot of good things we can take from it.”SWIFT IN THE HOUSESwift watched Kelce and the Chiefs for the third time Thursday night. The two began a relationship a few weeks ago, when he invited Swift to a Chiefs game after failing to meet her during her Eras Tour. Swift flew in from Los Angeles, where she walked the red carpet on Wednesday night for the premiere of her concert film.SACK SITUATIONChiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones had a sack in his eighth straight regular-season game, which trails only his own 11-game streak in 2018 for the longest in franchise history. With at least one in his first five this season, Jones broke the club record to start the season held by Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.INJURIESBroncos: TE Greg Dulcich, who had just come off injured reserve, left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. It's the same injury that landed Dulcich on IR after hurting it in Week 1 against the Raiders.Chiefs: S Justin Reid, who had an interception earlier in the game, briefly left in the second half. WR Justin Watson left in the fourth quarter with an elbow injury sustained while trying to make a diving catch.UP NEXTBroncos: Host Green Bay on Oct. 22.Chiefs: Host the Los Angeles Chargers the same day.

Kelce has big game with Swift watching again as Chiefs beat Broncos 

The Junction City Blue Jay football team will be on the road for a second consecutive week. Junction City will travel to Topeka and take on the Topeka High Trojans at Hummer Park on Friday night.

The Blue Jays are currently on a two-game losing streak, with losses to both Washburn Rural and Manhattan. In both games, the Blue Jay offense has scored a combined total of just 14 points. 

Junction City is 3-3 on the season heading into the matchup with the Trojans. Currently, Topeka High has a record of 1-5. Their only win of the year being in week four against Emporia. 

Despite the record, Topeka High has some talented players, including BJ Canady, a 6'6 245 pound defensive end. Canady committed to play division one football at the University of California.

Randall Zimmerman, the head coach of the Junction City Blue Jays, admitted he likes how his team has responded in practice this week despite back-to-back losses.

When previewing the matchups against Topeka High, Zimmerman said, "The biggest thing for us is we need to snap the ball quick. We need to move the ball, maintain possession of the football, and try to wear them down." 

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City Blue Jay football team will be on the road for a second consecutive week. Junction City will travel to Topeka and take on the Topeka High Trojans at Hummer Park on Friday night.The Blue Jays are currently on a two-game losing streak, with losses to both Washburn Rural and Manhattan. In both games, the Blue Jay offense has scored a combined total of just 14 points. Junction City is 3-3 on the season heading into the matchup with the Trojans. Currently, Topeka High has a record of 1-5. Their only win of the year being in week four against Emporia. Despite the record, Topeka High has some talented players, including BJ Canady, a 6'6 245 pound defensive end. Canady committed to play division one football at the University of California.Randall Zimmerman, the head coach of the Junction City Blue Jays, admitted he likes how his team has responded in practice this week despite back-to-back losses.When previewing the matchups against Topeka High, Zimmerman said, "The biggest thing for us is we need to snap the ball quick. We need to move the ball, maintain possession of the football, and try to wear them down."

Blue Jay Football team will play Topeka High Trojans on Friday night

Junction City travels to Topeka High.&nbsp;You can hear the pregame broadcast starting at 6:30 with kickoff at 7:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.

Riley County travels to Nemaha Central&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostJunction City travels to Topeka High.&nbsp;You can hear the pregame broadcast starting at 6:30 with kickoff at 7:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.Abilene travels to AugustaChapman travels to HesstonClay Center hosts Rock CreekConcordia hosts BeloitCouncil Grove travels to Eureka&nbsp;Herington travels to SolomonManhattan travels to Lansing&nbsp;Riley County travels to Nemaha Central&nbsp;Topeka Hayden hosts HoltonWamego hosts ClearwaterWashburn Rural travels to Emporia

High School Football week seven matchups

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas men's basketball program was put on probation and ordered to take down its 2018 Final Four banner but escaped a postseason ban Wednesday, when an independent panel created by the NCAA to handle complex cases downgraded five Level I violations lodged against the Jayhawks.

The violations stem from a 2017 federal investigation into college basketball corruption, and hinged on whether representatives of the apparel company Adidas were considered boosters when two of them arranged payments to prospective recruits.

Kansas officials never disputed that payments were made, only that they had no knowledge of them, and they appealed the violations through the Independent Accountability Resolution Process. Their hearing took place in April and the ruling was announced less than a month before the start of the college basketball season in which the powerhouse Jayhawks will be a national championship contender.

“Today’s decision by the Independent Resolution Panel confirms what we’ve said since the beginning: the major infractions of which we were accused were unfounded,” Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod and athletic director Travis Goff said in a statement. “Most importantly, the panel decision unequivocally confirms our coaches were not involved in – or had knowledge of – payments to student-athletes."

The panel concluded the apparel company’s consultant “was a representative of Kansas’ athletics interests” beginning in August 2017, resulting in multiple Level II and Level III violations. But it found “no credible and persuasive information” to suggest that Kansas officials failed to cooperate, lacked institutional control or failed to monitor its men’s basketball program.

Among the penalties, the 2018 Final Four banner was ordered to be removed from Allen Fieldhouse, and any wins involving forward Silvio De Sousa — identified as “student-athlete No. 1” and central to the case — would be stripped from all records. The school also was given a variety of recruiting restrictions, which add to penalties that were self-imposed last year.

The panel made a point to avoid giving Kansas a postseason ban, though. The Jayhawks, led by Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson and with several key players returning, is expected to be preseason No. 1 when the AP poll is released next week.

"We have the penalties we’ve imposed, but we don’t want that to be a reflection on current student-athletes, or impose any limitations on current student-athletes,” said Christina Guerola Sarchio, the chief member for the Independent Resolution Panel hearing the case, said on a Zoom meeting to discuss the case.

Kansas won the 2022 national title while going through the IARP process. That championship is not affected.

The case against Kansas, which included minor infractions involving its football program, was the final one pending for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-southern-california-trojans-7e33fa9aa3436a92d6cf35fd3fab8681">soon-to-be disbanded IARP</a>&nbsp;after it sanctioned former LSU and current McNeese State men’s basketball coach Will Wade in June.

Kansas officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-basketball-mens-c7ece9b0614c9170849088f5391f55d3">suspended Self and top assistant Kurtis Townsend</a>&nbsp;for the first four games of last season, along with imposing several recruiting restrictions, potentially mitigating any penalties that IARP would hand down.

Along with barring the two coaches from off-campus recruiting last summer, the school self-reduced the number of official visits that it would allow during the 2023-24 academic year, reduced the total number of scholarships by three over a three-year span and reduced the number of recruiting days during the current year by 13 days.

“The NCAA membership has acknowledged the significance of these self-imposed penalties,” Sarchio said.

The case against Kansas stemmed from an FBI investigation that ensnared several schools, including Auburn, Arizona, LSU,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-mens-college-louisville-c33326925a9e27a742e05f0abc668f80">Louisville</a>&nbsp;and North Carolina State, and led to convictions of shoe company executives, a middleman and several assistant coaches.

Kansas initially was charged by the NCAA with five Level I violations, which are considered the most severe, including a charge of lack of institutional control and an allegation that Self had failed to keep the program in compliance.

Auburn received four years of probation through a traditional NCAA infractions process for a similar case, but Kansas joined others in appealing through the IARP, which was among the proposals made by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2018 to reform the sport. The panel was designed to work outside the purview of the NCAA and handle complex cases.

The IARP has been slow, though, and former NCAA President Mark Emmert acknowledged last year that the process was taking “way too long.” That is part of the reason the panel will be eliminated now that the Kansas case has been completed as the NCAA attempts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-122d93498e4876995ca842b191bda6dd">modernize its infractions process</a>&nbsp;and make it move more efficiently.

In the meantime, many alleged infractions from the 2017 investigation would no longer be against the rules. Name, image and likeness guidelines allow NCAA athletes in all sports to earn money from endorsements and other off-the-field business arrangements.

“That has been something we have been very conscientious about, in terms of the allegations of this case spanning an incredibly long time, and the resolution to get to where we are today took a number of months and years,” Sarchio said. “This case was not dormant. There was activity going on. It took this long to render a decision because it was an incredibly thorough record.”

The panel also has been criticized for inconsistent penalties. Arizona, LSU, Louisville and North Carolina State were given minor penalties and no postseason ban, while Oklahoma State was barred from postseason play for relatively minor violations.

Sarchio said that all of those cases were considered in rendering judgment in the Kansas case.

“What we looked at was the conduct, the fact that there were no Level I findings — there were some Level II and Level III — and compared to what the self-imposed penalties were,” she said. “That led us to reach the conclusion that we disclosed today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649033652138.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy University of Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy University of Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas men's basketball program was put on probation and ordered to take down its 2018 Final Four banner but escaped a postseason ban Wednesday, when an independent panel created by the NCAA to handle complex cases downgraded five Level I violations lodged against the Jayhawks.The violations stem from a 2017 federal investigation into college basketball corruption, and hinged on whether representatives of the apparel company Adidas were considered boosters when two of them arranged payments to prospective recruits.Kansas officials never disputed that payments were made, only that they had no knowledge of them, and they appealed the violations through the Independent Accountability Resolution Process. Their hearing took place in April and the ruling was announced less than a month before the start of the college basketball season in which the powerhouse Jayhawks will be a national championship contender.“Today’s decision by the Independent Resolution Panel confirms what we’ve said since the beginning: the major infractions of which we were accused were unfounded,” Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod and athletic director Travis Goff said in a statement. “Most importantly, the panel decision unequivocally confirms our coaches were not involved in – or had knowledge of – payments to student-athletes."The panel concluded the apparel company’s consultant “was a representative of Kansas’ athletics interests” beginning in August 2017, resulting in multiple Level II and Level III violations. But it found “no credible and persuasive information” to suggest that Kansas officials failed to cooperate, lacked institutional control or failed to monitor its men’s basketball program.Among the penalties, the 2018 Final Four banner was ordered to be removed from Allen Fieldhouse, and any wins involving forward Silvio De Sousa — identified as “student-athlete No. 1” and central to the case — would be stripped from all records. The school also was given a variety of recruiting restrictions, which add to penalties that were self-imposed last year.The panel made a point to avoid giving Kansas a postseason ban, though. The Jayhawks, led by Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson and with several key players returning, is expected to be preseason No. 1 when the AP poll is released next week."We have the penalties we’ve imposed, but we don’t want that to be a reflection on current student-athletes, or impose any limitations on current student-athletes,” said Christina Guerola Sarchio, the chief member for the Independent Resolution Panel hearing the case, said on a Zoom meeting to discuss the case.Kansas won the 2022 national title while going through the IARP process. That championship is not affected.The case against Kansas, which included minor infractions involving its football program, was the final one pending for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-southern-california-trojans-7e33fa9aa3436a92d6cf35fd3fab8681">soon-to-be disbanded IARP</a>&nbsp;after it sanctioned former LSU and current McNeese State men’s basketball coach Will Wade in June.Kansas officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-basketball-mens-c7ece9b0614c9170849088f5391f55d3">suspended Self and top assistant Kurtis Townsend</a>&nbsp;for the first four games of last season, along with imposing several recruiting restrictions, potentially mitigating any penalties that IARP would hand down.Along with barring the two coaches from off-campus recruiting last summer, the school self-reduced the number of official visits that it would allow during the 2023-24 academic year, reduced the total number of scholarships by three over a three-year span and reduced the number of recruiting days during the current year by 13 days.“The NCAA membership has acknowledged the significance of these self-imposed penalties,” Sarchio said.The case against Kansas stemmed from an FBI investigation that ensnared several schools, including Auburn, Arizona, LSU,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-mens-college-louisville-c33326925a9e27a742e05f0abc668f80">Louisville</a>&nbsp;and North Carolina State, and led to convictions of shoe company executives, a middleman and several assistant coaches.Kansas initially was charged by the NCAA with five Level I violations, which are considered the most severe, including a charge of lack of institutional control and an allegation that Self had failed to keep the program in compliance.Auburn received four years of probation through a traditional NCAA infractions process for a similar case, but Kansas joined others in appealing through the IARP, which was among the proposals made by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2018 to reform the sport. The panel was designed to work outside the purview of the NCAA and handle complex cases.The IARP has been slow, though, and former NCAA President Mark Emmert acknowledged last year that the process was taking “way too long.” That is part of the reason the panel will be eliminated now that the Kansas case has been completed as the NCAA attempts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-122d93498e4876995ca842b191bda6dd">modernize its infractions process</a>&nbsp;and make it move more efficiently.In the meantime, many alleged infractions from the 2017 investigation would no longer be against the rules. Name, image and likeness guidelines allow NCAA athletes in all sports to earn money from endorsements and other off-the-field business arrangements.“That has been something we have been very conscientious about, in terms of the allegations of this case spanning an incredibly long time, and the resolution to get to where we are today took a number of months and years,” Sarchio said. “This case was not dormant. There was activity going on. It took this long to render a decision because it was an incredibly thorough record.”The panel also has been criticized for inconsistent penalties. Arizona, LSU, Louisville and North Carolina State were given minor penalties and no postseason ban, while Oklahoma State was barred from postseason play for relatively minor violations.Sarchio said that all of those cases were considered in rendering judgment in the Kansas case.“What we looked at was the conduct, the fact that there were no Level I findings — there were some Level II and Level III — and compared to what the self-imposed penalties were,” she said. “That led us to reach the conclusion that we disclosed today.”

KU escapes postseason ban, major penalties; panel downgrades basketball violations

Junction City senior&nbsp; Michael Boganowski announced on social media that he is ready to announce where he will play college football next season. 

Boganowski, the number one ranked player in the state of Kansas and a four star recruit according to rivals.com, has narrowed his choices down to four schools. They are KU, K-State, Florida State, and Oklahoma.&nbsp;

Boganowski will make his decision on Thursday, October 19th at 4:00 p.m. in the gym at Junction City High School.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696955850956.png" alt="Junction City's Michael Boganowski will announce his college committment next Thursday, October 19th at 4:00 in the Junction City High School gym. Boganowski will choose between KU, K-State, Florida State or Oklahoma.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Junction City's Michael Boganowski will announce his college committment next Thursday, October 19th at 4:00 in the Junction City High School gym. Boganowski will choose between KU, K-State, Florida State or Oklahoma.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostJunction City senior&nbsp; Michael Boganowski announced on social media that he is ready to announce where he will play college football next season. Boganowski, the number one ranked player in the state of Kansas and a four star recruit according to rivals.com, has narrowed his choices down to four schools. They are KU, K-State, Florida State, and Oklahoma.&nbsp;Boganowski will make his decision on Thursday, October 19th at 4:00 p.m. in the gym at Junction City High School.&nbsp;

Junction City's Michael Boganowski to announce college committment Oct. 19

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State’s October 21 home game against TCU will kick at 6 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN2. It will be K-State’s fourth-straight night game dating back to the UCF contest.

<a></a><a>The game against the Horned Frogs represents a rematch of the 2022 Big 12 Championship, a 31-28 Wildcat victory. K-State has won four of the last five meetings against TCU, including each of its last two home games.</a>

The game against TCU is sold out, but K-State fans looking to purchase tickets through the secondary market are encouraged to do so through SeatGeek, K-State’s official secondary ticket partner. Fraudulent tickets are often seen on gamedays, and K-State Athletics can only verify secondary market tickets and assist fans with issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased directly from SeatGeek.

K-State travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech this Saturday in a 6 p.m. contest that will be shown on FS1.

Both games are scheduled to air on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and ESPN announced Monday that Kansas State’s October 21 home game against TCU will kick at 6 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN2. It will be K-State’s fourth-straight night game dating back to the UCF contest.<a></a><a>The game against the Horned Frogs represents a rematch of the 2022 Big 12 Championship, a 31-28 Wildcat victory. K-State has won four of the last five meetings against TCU, including each of its last two home games.</a>The game against TCU is sold out, but K-State fans looking to purchase tickets through the secondary market are encouraged to do so through SeatGeek, K-State’s official secondary ticket partner. Fraudulent tickets are often seen on gamedays, and K-State Athletics can only verify secondary market tickets and assist fans with issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased directly from SeatGeek.K-State travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech this Saturday in a 6 p.m. contest that will be shown on FS1.Both games are scheduled to air on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM.