by BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN - City Manager, Ron Fehr, has announced he will retire in mid-April of 2024.&nbsp;

Fehr was the City of Manhattan's eighth City Manager.

Fehr will retire with 24 years as City Manager, and more than 42 years working for the City of Manhattan in some capacity.

“If you would have forecasted that I would spend my entire professional career with the City of Manhattan, I would have chuckled and said, ‘Not likely.’ However, Manhattan really grew on me and ultimately my family also,” Fehr said, adding, “The Little Apple is a great place, and it has been an honor to serve this community and the City of Manhattan organization all these years as we look forward to our next chapter.”

Fehr was appointed City Manager on April 17, 2000, and has played a huge role in shaping the City's growth and development.

“Ron Fehr has been an invaluable asset to our community,” said Mayor Mark Hatesohl. “His leadership, vision, and commitment to public service have left an indelible mark on Manhattan.”

Fehr's career with the City of Manhattan started in the Parks and Recreation Department as it was being formed in January 1982. He was hired on as the Forestry and Parks Supervisor and served as Park Superintendent, and spent six years as an Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation while achieving his master's degree in public administration(MPA) from Kansas State University in December 1990.

In December 1992, Fehr was promoted to the position of Assistant City Manager.

Fehr has served in multiple positions including Acting Zoo&nbsp;Director, Acting Director of Human Resources, and Acting Director of Utilities (twice).

In 1995, Fehr assumed the role of Acting City Manager, and again in just before being permanently appointed to the position in April 2000.

“I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in serving as City Manager for Manhattan and to be surrounded by exceptional leadership teams, a talented and caring workforce, thoughtful elected officials, and intergovernmental partners, with motivated community and business leaders working together to make Manhattan and the Flint Hills region a better place to live, learn, work, and play,” Fehr said.

Upon its reorganization in January 2024, the City Commission will be tasked with conducting a search for a new permanent City Manager to build upon Fehr’s leadership and continue the City’s trajectory of success.

On January 2, following the recent November election, new city commissioners Susan Adamchak, Karen McCulloh, and Peter Oppelt; returning Commissioner John Matta; and current Mayor Pro Tem Wynn Butler will work with Fehr and City administration to consider the process to select his replacement.

Ron Fehr announces retirement planned for mid-April 2024

UPDATE: At just after 2:30 pm on Thursday, November 30th, RCPD posted to social media that 15-year-old Mycaria has been located safe.

MANHATTAN - On Thursday, November 30th, the Riley County Police Department posted to social media that&nbsp;15-year-old Mycaria was reported missing.

Mycaria was last seen around 8:30 pm on Wednesday in the 700 block of Allen Road.

Mycaria is 5'5", weighs 120 pounds and has medium-length brown hair and brown eyes.&nbsp;

If you have any information on where Mycaria may be, contact 911 or RCPD at (785) 537-2112.

UPDATE: 15-year-old found safe after RCPD asked for public's help

KHP personnel assisted 1,117 motorists over the holiday reporting period

The Kansas Highway Patrol is releasing its Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday Activity Report. The reporting period for the holiday ran from 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 26.

The Kansas Highway Patrol worked one fatal crash over the holiday reporting period. The fatal crash occurred in Jefferson County. Preliminary crash log information can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search.do">https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search.do</a>.

Information in the table is compared to the data from both 2021 and 2022.

Kansas Highway Patrol 2023 reports Thanksgiving holiday activity

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;

DEBORAH LYNNE COBLER, 34 Manhattan, Aggravated assault of LEO; Use of deadly weapon; Interference with LEO; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution; Criminal damage to property; Without consent value $1000 to $25,000; Bond $20,000

AMANDA DAWN DEFULVIO, 32, Manhattan, Failure to appear; Remains confined to Riley County Jail

FERNANDO JOSE GARCIA VELASQUEZ, 31, Criminal trespass; Remain in defiance of order by owner; Remains confined to Riley County Jail

ROBERT BRANDON OLP, 18, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Criminal damage to property; Without consent value &lt;$1000; Criminal damage to property; Without consent value &lt;$1000 x2; Remains confined to Riley County Jail

ZACHARY AARON FRANKLIN, 29, Junction City, Failure to appear; Bond $500

Riley County Arrest Report November 30

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged scam.

Just before 2;30p.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report for theft by deception in the 2400 block of Players Circle in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 73-year-old man reported an unknown suspect scammed him out of money over the phone and on the computer. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $900. 

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RCPD: Man lost $900 in alleged phone, computer scam

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for alleged sex crimes.

Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report for indecent liberties with a child in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 15-year-old girl is reported as the victim and a known 16-year-old as the suspect. Due to the nature of the crime, police released no additional details.

16-year-old accused of sex crime in Manhattan

DOUGLAS ELDEN PARKER, 68, Manhattan,&nbsp;Stalking; After served a protection order prohibiting contact; 2nd or subs x6; Violate protection order; Stalking/sexual assault/human trafficking per KSA 631a05, 631a06 x 6; Bond $5,000

CHARLES CLIFTON KENDRICK, 39, Manhattan, Failure to appear; Theft of property or services; Value less than $1,500; All Other Larceny; Failure to appear; Probation Violation; Bond $13,065

SOLOMON EMMANUEL MOMOLU JR, 23, Junction City, Failure to appear; Bond $1,000

ASIA RENAE DIAMOND STALLINGS, 23, Manhattan, Aggravated domestic battery; choke in rude manner; family member dating relationship; Bond $5,000

Riley County Arrest Report November 29

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two alleged instances of retail theft in Manhattan on Tuesday.

Just before 4:30p.m. officers filed a report for theft in the 100 block of Manhattan Town Center, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; JC Pennys reported two unknown suspects took multiple items from the store. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $2,175.&nbsp;

Just before 8:30p.m., Ulta Beauty reported that 5 unknown female suspects took multiple fragrance items from the store. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $5,000.&nbsp;

Anyone with information on these crimes can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RCPD: 2 thefts from stores in Manhattan Town Center

MANHATTAN - On November 6th, Chris Culbertson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, appointed <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media-communication/about/faculty/heather-woods.html">Heather Woods</a>, associate professor in the <a href="http://√">A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communications</a> as the Interim Director for the school.

In 2017, Woods joined the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communications and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in communications and technology.

Woods has served as the associate director of the graduate programs and research for the school.&nbsp;

Woods received her doctorate at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, her master's degree at Baylor University and her bachelor's degree at Kansas State University. Before joining the faculty at K-State, she served as an outreach and assessment coordinator at Project Vox, an open-access Mellon Foundation-funded digital humanities archive housed at Duke University. She also served as a teaching and learning fellow at UNC's Center for Faculty Excellence and a scholar in Duke University's Ph.D. Lab in Digital Knowledge.

"We thank Dr. Woods for being willing to lead the department while we search for a permanent director," Culbertson said. "I am confident, given her background and experience, that she will provide the leadership needed for the school during the interim."

A search for a permanent director is underway.

Interim Director appointed for A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication

MANHATTAN - Researchers at Kansas State University are part of a team that has been awarded a National Science Foundation(NSF) grant of $2 million to develop technology to boost the safety of prescribed burning.

Prescribed burning is used to intentionally set vegetation on fire to manage the land and natural resources and offers a variety of benefits.

Benefits include replenishing soil nutrients, increasing forage production for livestock and decreasing invasive plant overgrowth.

Prescribed burns also reduce the risk and impact from uncontrolled wildfires while removing built-up vegetation.

The aptly named project, "<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2306603" target="_blank">Smart and Safe Prescribed Burning for Rangeland and Wildland Urban Interface Communities</a>," connects research in social sciences and engineering to develop innovatice technology to support safer burning practices.

K-State researchers involved in the project are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/geography/about/people/faculty/joslin.html" target="_blank">Audrey Joslin</a>, associate professor of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/geography/" target="_blank">geography and geospatial sciences</a>&nbsp;in the College of Arts and Sciences;&nbsp;<a href="https://bae.k-state.edu/people/faculty/liu/" target="_blank">Zifei Liu</a>, assistant professor of&nbsp;<a href="https://bae.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">biological and agricultural engineering</a>&nbsp;in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering; and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/about/people/faculty/fick-walter/" target="_blank">Walter Fick</a>, professor of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">agronomy</a>&nbsp;and extension rangeland management specialist in the College of Agriculture.

Researchers are collaborating with landowners and members of the Eastern Kansas and Gyp Hills Prescribed Burn Associations in the areas of Medicine Lodge and Paola and are also doing outreach with schools in the area.&nbsp;

"I hope my research will aid the user-friendliness of the technology we develop so that it meets the needs of communities engaging in prescribed burning," Joslin said.

Other institutions involved in the project are Georgia State University, the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri. Their portion of the project is focused on fire behavior, grassland fuel mapping and hot-spot detection.

"Our long-term goal is to make prescribed burning safer so that land managers in Kansas and beyond will feel capable and comfortable enough to make more use of that beneficial strategy," Joslin said.

K-State Researchers Boost Prescribed Burning Safety with NSF Grant

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged criminal damage to property at a school in Manhattan,.

Just after 1:30p.m. Monday, police filed a report for criminal damage to property and trespass at Bluemont Elementary School, 714 Bluemont Avenue in Manhattan.

 An unknown suspect trespassed into the school and broke a window screen and blinds. 

The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $700. Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RCPD: Suspects broke into school, broke window screen, blinds

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

After closing out another impressive 14-7 season, the Wabaunsee boys basketball team will look to restock after graduating a ton of talent over the offseason.&nbsp;

Christian Ulsaker returns to lead the Chargers, entering his fifth year at the helm with an overall record of 54-38.

Zach Frank will be the only returning player from last year’s squad, and will headline a fresh-faced starting five that should look something like this come Friday.

PG- Caden Frank (Jr) G- Zach Frank (Sr) G- Cole Frank (So) G- Rhett Perry (Jr) F- Connor Strait (Jr)

The Chargers will also be in search of more depth throughout the early goings of the season to fill out their varsity rotation.

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach Ulsaker and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

Q: When you had a chance to look back on it, what were your overall thoughts on last season?

A: I was very happy for our Seniors who will go down as one of the winningest classes in Wabaunsee history. I'm sure they had goals and expectations that they wanted to achieve last year that got cut short, but the team as a whole has nothing to hang their head about. They came in, got to work, and made the community proud.&nbsp;

Q: Entering this year, what would you say are the biggest known strengths of your team?

A: &nbsp;I would say one of our biggest strengths this year is the number of boys that came out for basketball. This will be the largest team I have ever coached (27) and it doesn't look like it is a one-off situation. Our junior high program will have the most out in recent memory (26), and we have some really hard-nosed kids who aren't afraid to get after it.&nbsp;

Q: What are the biggest looming questions or challenges that you’ll look to sort out in these first few weeks?

A: &nbsp;I don't know if I will be able to answer it in the first few weeks, but our varsity experience this year is lower than in years past. We graduated seven seniors and returned just one player (Zach Frank) with any Varsity experience. It will be a great opportunity for our younger players to hit the ground running.&nbsp;

Q: What are the biggest goals and expectations for this group heading into the new season?

A: Our biggest goal is just to continue to improve each and every practice and game. I have a strong feeling the product you may see in the first week will be vastly different from the product you see playing in February.&nbsp;

The Chargers open their season in Alma with a home game against Manhattan Chief on December 5th.

2023-24 Preseason Profile: Wabaunsee Boys Basketball

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;With senior left guard&nbsp;Cooper Beebe&nbsp;being named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year for a second-consecutive season, Kansas State football collected 30 total postseason conference honors as league announced the 2023 Coaches’ All-Big 12 selections.

K-State’s 30 total selections ranked second in the conference behind Texas (34) and ahead of Texas Tech (28), Oklahoma (27) and Oklahoma State (26). The Wildcats had six players garner first- or second-team honors, tied for second in the league with Oklahoma and behind Texas (11).

Beebe, who was also named an All-Big 12 First Team pick for a third-straight season, is the fifth player in conference history to twice be named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, an award that began in 2006. The others were Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey (2019 and 2020) and Orlando Brown (2016 and 2017), as well as Baylor’s Spencer Drango (2014 and 2015) and Cyril Richardson (2012 and 2013).

A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe is the first K-State offensive lineman to earn three-straight All-Big 12 First Team citations from the league’s coaches since Dalton Risner in 2016, 2017 and 2018. On Tuesday, Beebe was the first player in school history to be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2023/11/28/football-beebe-named-one-of-three-finalists-for-outland-trophy.aspx" target="_blank">named a finalist for the Outland Trophy</a>.

Beebe was joined on the first team by tight end&nbsp;Ben Sinnott, who garnered first-team honors for a second-straight year. He finished the 2023 regular season ranked second nationally among tight ends in receiving yards (676), tied for fourth in catches (49) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (6), leading the Big 12 in the two former categories. He has produced the most receiving yards, catches and receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season in school history.

K-State’s All-Big 12 Second Team honors included quarterback&nbsp;Will Howard, defensive end&nbsp;Khalid Duke, linebacker&nbsp;Austin Moore&nbsp;and safety&nbsp;Kobe Savage.

Kansas State’s All-Big 12 Honorable Mention picks included punter&nbsp;Jack Blumer, wide receiver and kick returner&nbsp;Phillip Brooks, running back&nbsp;DJ Giddens, offensive lineman&nbsp;Hayden Gillum, cornerback&nbsp;Will Lee III, offensive lineman&nbsp;KT Leveston, defensive end&nbsp;Brendan Mott, cornerback&nbsp;Jacob Parrish, linebacker&nbsp;Desmond Purnell, defensive tackle&nbsp;Uso Seumalo, safety&nbsp;Marques Sigle, place kicker&nbsp;Chris Tennant, running back&nbsp;Treshaun Ward&nbsp;and offensive lineman&nbsp;Carver Willis.

Additionally, Duke picked up votes for Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, Howard for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Moore for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Sigle for Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, Ward for Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;for Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, senior&nbsp;Seth Porter&nbsp;for Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, and linebacker&nbsp;Austin Romaine&nbsp;for Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Kansas State, which finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, will learn of its bowl destination and opponent this Sunday.

K-State Totals 30 Selections on Coaches’ All-Big 12 Teams

Following another successful 13-9 season, the Wamego boys basketball team will look to continue their winning tradition under new leadership in 2023-24.&nbsp;

Steve Fritz takes over for long-time Raider head coach Troy Hemphill, who spent 26 years as the head of the Wamego program.

This year’s Raiders return a solid core of talent from last year’s team, with two returning starters and four seniors anchoring a lineup that should look something like this come tip-off.

- Spencer Hecht (Sr) - Drew Pettay (Sr) - Dusty Monroe (Sr) - Luke Isch (Sr)

Wamego will look to fill the last spot in its lineup, as well as big rotational minutes from a stable of veterans, including seniors Kolton Coope, Colin Schuck, and Eli Panzer as well as juniors Slade Smith, Caiden Newell, and Jace Johnson

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach Fritz and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

Q: What is your vision for the culture of boys' basketball here at Wamego.

A: Our goal will be to be a defensive-minded, tough, disciplined team.&nbsp; We want the guys to help their teammates be better every day and play as a cohesive group both offensively and defensively.

A: We can put together lineups that are very athletic 1-5. We may not be the tallest team, but we do have some size and size that can run and jump, and I think that athleticism will be a plus for us throughout the season.&nbsp;

A: The biggest question will be how do the guys that haven't really been exposed to varsity basketball handle the environment and physicality of varsity basketball? We have a couple players with a good amount of experience and some with very limited experience. How quickly those players adapt and develop will dictate our season.&nbsp;

A: The biggest goal and expectation is to get better every day at something. If we take a step forward every day, every week, every month then we will be where we need to be at the end of the season. Consistent progress is always the goal.&nbsp;

The Raiders open their season on the road with a game against Topeka High this Thursday.

2023-24 Preseason Profile: Wamego Boys Basketball

On the heels of yet another winning season (14-8), the Rock Creek girls basketball team will look to reload and run things back in 2023-24, with a new-look squad.

Adam Plummer returns to lead the Lady Mustangs in his ninth year as head coach in St. George.

After graduating five senior starters, Rock Creek will have some restocking to do this season, but still returns a great deal of talent with a lineup that should look like this come Friday.

G- Hadley Rempe (Jr) G- Mayci Clark (Jr) G/F- Acelyn Rottinghaus (Fr) F- Payton Rottinghaus (Sr) F- Ella Rhodes (Sr)

The Lady Mustangs will also look for big minutes off the bench out of senior Brooklyn Plummer, sophomore Ellie Prather, and a trio of freshmen reinforcements in Lucy Martinie, Kennedy Whaley, and Kylee Frazee.

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach Plummer and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

A: Last year was a solid season, we just didn't finish as well as we wanted. We started 13-3 and finished 14-8, losing some close games down the stretch. We graduated five dedicated seniors who led every day by example.&nbsp;

A: Our biggest known strength will be our point guard (Hadley Rempe). I only see her having a great year. We also return three senior posts that have experience and should be able to help us be successful in the paint.&nbsp;

A: Our biggest questions will be in how fast some of our freshmen get acclimated to varsity-level basketball. We will likely play 2-4 freshmen on the varsity team this year.

A: There is no change in our expectations, even though we know there will be growing pains with a young group. We expect them to compete daily and step on the court with an expectation to perform at a high level, anything will always be unacceptable.&nbsp;

The Lady Mustangs open their season in St. George with a home game against Clay Center this Friday.

2023-24 Preseason Profile: Rock Creek Girls Basketball

After a disappointing 4-17 season, the Wabaunsee girl’s basketball team will look to flip the script ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Head coach Trevor Keller returns for his fifth season at the helm to lead the Lady Chargers.

This year’s Wabaunsee squad will return several veteran pieces, including three starters from last year, culminating in a rotation that should look like this come tip-off.

G- Karli Meseke (Sr) G- Taryn Maike (Sr) G Harley Ridder (Jr)&nbsp; G Reese Michaelis (So) G/F Alexus Ford (Sr)&nbsp; F- Kaci Meseke (Sr)

The Lady Chargers will also receive some reinforcements in the form of the freshmen trio of Grace Zeller, Talen Orton, and Edan Perrin.

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach Keller and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

A: Inconsistency. We had several games throughout the year where we were good and several where weren’t up to the standard of what we expect. With how good our league is, if you don’t have your "A" game each night it will be rough and unfortunately we had some of those.

A: Depth. We return a lot of girls who received quality minutes last season. Along with our strong incoming freshman class, I am excited about the potential of our team this season.

A: With our depth and competition for minutes, I’m excited to see who separates themselves and earns playing time in the rotation. We have the ability to mix and match different lineups so seeing which ones work better is something we are hoping to answer.

A: &nbsp;Playing our brand of basketball each night and being more consistent will help us accomplish our goals. Every day at the end of practice we break it down with the goal and expectation of going to state, so with everyone’s continued effort and hard work, we are hoping we will be in Dodge City come March.

The Lady Chargers open their season in Alma with a home game against Manhattan Chief on Tuesday, December 5th.

2023-24 Preseason Profile: Wabaunsee Girls Basketball

After a season that saw them flip their record from 9-13 to 13-9, the Rock Creek boys basketball team will look to take another step forward in 2023-24.

Justin Smith returns to the helm for his second year as head coach of the Mustangs in St. George.

Despite graduating several key players a season ago, this year’s Rock Creek squad remains loaded with both talent and experience, with a starting five that should look like this come tip-off.

G- Daegan Vinduska (Sr) G- Coley Burgess (Jr) G- Ryker Zoeller (Jr) F- Brady Schneider (Sr) F- Gavin Rosa (Jr)

The Mustangs will also look to the bench for key rotational minutes from returning seniors David Wilkinson and Payton McCarn, junior Donovan Debita, and sophomore Gavin Rosa who will be joined by a trio of newcomers in Eli Bell, Peter Martinie, and Karson Toburen.

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach Smith and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

A: There were some good moments and bad, just like every season.&nbsp; I was pleased that we had an opportunity to compete for a spot in the state tournament but I wasn't happy with the way we played in the sub-state championship game.&nbsp; Overall I was happy with the growth with the program.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A: We are way longer than we were a year ago with the size that we have.&nbsp; Another strength is the depth we have with 8 guys that played varsity last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A: The biggest question that we have is if guys are going to be willing to fill the roles that we need them to fill.&nbsp; We have a lot of talented kids but we need kids to not be concerned with how much playing time or shots they get, but the overall needs of the team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A: The goals of this team are to compete and get better every night. If we do that then we will be able to compete for the overall goals that we have for our team which are to compete for a league title, substate championship, and state championship.&nbsp;

The Mustangs open their season in St. George with a home game against Clay Center this Friday.

2023-24 Preseason Profile: Rock Creek Boys Basketball

Following yet another 20-win season, the Wamego girl’s basketball team will look to restock and run it back ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Lady Raider head coach Brian McIntosh returns for a seventh season at the helm with an overall record of 92-40.

Despite losing several key veterans to graduation, Wamego does return a core of starters who will anchor a lineup that should look like this come tip-off.

G- Rylie Meinhardt (Sr) G- Sara Springer (Sr) G- Lexi Hecht (S0) F- Isabella Wilber (Jr)

In addition to the usual suspects, the Raiders will look for big rotational minutes and for a fifth starter from a group that includes Grier Panzer, Sariah Pittenger-Reed, Amber Kinsley, Dallas Frazier-Brown, and Leah Winter

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach McIntosh and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.

A: We had an incredible season and were dominant in most games. It was unfortunate that it ended the way it did but I'm extremely pleased with how our girls competed and conducted themselves. We had a special group of seniors that left a powerful legacy for our younger girls to follow.&nbsp;

A: They know what it takes to be one of the best teams in the state and they understand the work that goes into every practice and that your focus has to be in the present. They know that if you look too far ahead, you will stumble. I've been impressed with their focus on continuous improvement up to this point.&nbsp;

A: We have kids who are stepping into different and more intense roles on the team and it will take them some time to get acclimated, but we are confident it will happen sooner than later.&nbsp;

A: This group has high expectations and they understand what it takes to be one of the best teams in the league and the state. We will have some adversity, but it's all part of the process. We also have a very young team, so it will be even more important to focus on taking things one day at a time.&nbsp;

The Lady Raiders open their season with a road game against Topeka High this Friday.

2023-24 Preseason Profile: Wamego Girls Basketball

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Tylor Perry and reserve Arthur Kaluma each scored 20 points and Cam Carter recorded his first double-double and Kansas State pulled away in overtime to beat Oral Roberts 88-78 on Tuesday night.

Carter had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Darrin Ames and Will McNair Jr. each scored 11 points for the Wildcats (5-2) who won their second game in overtime this season. The Wildcats are 7-0 in extra session games under second-year coach Jerome Tang.

Issac McBride scored 25 points and Jailen Bedford 23 for Oral Roberts (2-4).

Bedford's 3-pointer with 3:10 left in overtime marked the Golden Eagles last lead — and final points — at 78-76. The Wildcats closed the game on a 12-0 run shooting 8 for 9 from the foul line, one of which came off a three-point play by Kaluma.

From a nice bounce pass via driving Kareem Thompson, McBride threw down a dunk with 1.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 72. Off the inbounds following a series of timeouts, Perry's long-distance heave rimmed out as time expired.

McBride made a pair of foul shots with 43 seconds left after getting fouled on a layup attempt to reduce Oral Roberts' deficit to 72-70. The Wildcats broke a tie at 68 when Perry made a 4-point play with 1:02 left after McBride fouled him on his 3-point make.

Kansas State hosts North Alabama on Saturday.

Kansas State uses overtime to pull away from Oral Roberts 

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Perhaps fifth-ranked Kansas was feeling a little bit jet-lagged. Or wished it was still in paradise.

Maybe the Jayhawks were looking ahead to a showdown with fourth-ranked UConn.

Whatever the reason, the team picked by many to contend for the NCAA title found itself in a one-point game with Eastern Illinois in the closing minutes Tuesday night. It took some big plays by Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. down the stretch, and some crucial plays at the defensive end, for the Jayhawks to escape with a 71-63 victory.

“I do not think ‘trap game’ is fair, because that's not giving Eastern Illinois enough credit for playing well, but it was not the ideal game to play in the moment we played it," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “I knew going into the game that his game was going to be a harder game than people thought.”

Dickinson finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds, and McCullar overcame a tough shooting night to score 18, but they got little help. The Jayhawks (6-1) were outrebounded by the Panthers and were just 9 of 22 from the 3-point line in their first game back from the Maui Invitational — and with the defending champion Huskies due in Allen Fieldhouse on Friday night.

“The matchup Friday is going to be a big one,” McCullar admitted. “We're going to learn from this.”

Tiger Booker led Eastern Illinois (3-5) with 20 points. Naykel Shelton and Kooper Jacobi scored 14 apiece.

“They’re smart, they know what they are doing, and we just didn’t have an answer for it,” Eastern Illinois coach Marty Simmons said.

The Jayhawks lost for the first time this season last week in Maui, when No. 3 Marquette controlled them most of the way in the semifinals, but they bounced back to beat No. 10 Tennessee in the third-place game.

They looked jetlagged against the Panthers on Tuesday night.

Eastern Illinois, which played Division III Eureka College its last time out, held the mighty Jayhawks to just one field goal over a five-minute stretch of the first half. The Panthers were still within 38-25 at halftime, thanks in part to Shelton's buzzer-beating 3-pointer, then used a 15-4 run out of the locker room to get within 42-40 with 15 minutes to go.

“They got a couple easy ones and the basket started getting bigger for them,” said Dickinson, who had 18 of the Jayhawks' first 46 points. “We just did a bad job of letting them get comfortable out there.”

Every time Kansas tried to get the home crowd into it, Eastern Illinois answered, and the Panthers surely began thinking about their first win over a Top 25 foe in 24 tries when they closed to within 59-58 five minutes left in the game.

Dickinson came to the rescue again, scoring in the post a few minutes later to make it 66-61. And after the teams traded empty possessions, Dajuan Harris Jr. got a steal, threw ahead to McCullar and his dunk essentially put the game away.

“What it gave us was a win,” Self said, when asked what his team gained from Tuesday night. “And it gave us a chance to stress and sweat, which is going to happen a ton this year. So it was probably good in that regard.”

Eastern Illinois will have another chance to knock off a Big 12 foe when it plays Iowa State in late December.

Kansas had not played in Allen Fieldhouse since beating Manhattan on Nov. 10. Now, the Jayhawks won't leave until they visit Indiana on Dec. 16. Along with UConn, they have games coming up against Kansas City and bitter rival Missouri.

Eastern Illinois plays University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, an NAIA school, on Saturday.

Kansas welcomes the Huskies on Friday night.

Dickinson has 25 points as Kansas tops Eastern Illinois

MANHATTAN (AP)—Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, who led the Wildcats to the Big 12 title last season and another bowl game this season, joined Wildcats running back Treshaun Ward among a rush of players into college football's transfer portal Monday.

Most teams wrapped up regular seasons this past weekend, leading some to declare their intent to transfer. Howard and Ward are among those who are graduate transfers, meaning they could enter the portal and become immediately eligible, while players who have yet to graduate must wait until Dec. 4 to make their announcements official.

Howard emerged as the Wildcats' starter last year after injuries to Adrian Martinez, and he led them to an upset of eventual national runner-up TCU in the Big 12 title game. Howard was the clearcut starter entering this season, though he was pushed at times by freshman Avery Johnson, and threw for 2,643 yards with 24 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

Howard, who will have one year of eligibility left, had tears in his eyes as he walked off the field after his final game at Kansas State on Saturday. He accounted for two touchdowns in a 42-35&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cyclones-wildcats-iowa-kansas-state-football-score-4068afa45a02f5a0cb82d58ebd31834f">loss to Iowa State</a>&nbsp;in a game played in heavy snow.

In a social media post, Howard thanked Kansas State coach Chris Klieman, his teammates and the Wildcats' fanbase before concluding: "I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my life and in the possibilities that lie ahead."

His departure means that Johnson, one of the nation's best dual-threat quarterbacks coming out of high school, will likely start for the Wildcats (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) in their bowl game. Johnson threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns but may be even more dangerous on the ground — he took over for Howard against Texas Tech and ran for five TDs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-state-texas-tech-college-football-f65bd758f60040e9c28ffd20d115bbaa">in a 38-21 victory</a>.

Ward, who arrived at Kansas State from Florida State, is transferring again after ceding playing time to D.J. Giddens throughout the season. He ran for 643 yards and five touchdowns while adding two touchdown receptions.

Another veteran QB hitting the portal Monday was Mississippi State's Will Rogers, who threw for 12,315 yards in four seasons with the Bulldogs; three of those seasons came while he was running the late coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense.

Rogers posted on social media before a season-ending loss to Ole Miss in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ole-miss-mississippi-state-football-score-e7e9ba75b9363538cd556472888dbed3">Battle for the Golden Egg</a>&nbsp;that he would transfer.

Notre Dame wide receiver and running back Chris Tyree, along with offensive lineman Zeke Correll, also entered the portal. Each of them have played at least 40 games for the Fighting Irish.

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