THE TOP 5 1)&nbsp;Kansas State will be making its fourth all-time appearance in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship on Saturday, as the 13th-ranked Wildcats will square off with third-ranked TCU at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will be televised nationally on ABC beginning at 11 a.m., with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe calling the action.

2)&nbsp;K-State is 9-3 this season with all three losses coming against teams that are currently ranked in No. 3 TCU, No. 18 Tulane and No 21 Texas. The Cats are bowl eligible for the third time under Chris Klieman and will advance to their 24th bowl appearance in school history, including the 11th in the last 13 seasons. Klieman is the first coach in school history to send three of his first four squads to the postseason.

3)&nbsp;Last time out, K-State scored 30 first-half points and used a dominant second-half defensive performance to top Kansas, 47-27. Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and had 82 receiving yards, while Malik Knowles had two rushing touchdowns. Defensively, K-State held Kansas to just six points and 96 yards in the second half while holding the Jayhawks to their second-lowest offensive output of the year.

4)&nbsp;Deuce Vaughn has 1,295 rushing yards this season to record his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards – just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks second in school history in career rushing yards (3,341) and moved into seventh place in school history for a season with his performance last week.

5)&nbsp;The Cats have been solid on defense, allowing just 19.4 points per game and 357.3 total yards per game. This week, they rank second nationally in turnover margin, ninth in interceptions, 10th in fourth down defense, 14th in scoring defense and 17th in pass efficiency defense. The Cats have kept each of their Big 12 opponents this year under their season scoring average entering its game against K-State while also holding three conference opponents without a touchdown.

THE TOP 5 1)&nbsp;Kansas State will be making its fourth all-time appearance in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship on Saturday, as the 13th-ranked Wildcats will square off with third-ranked TCU at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will be televised nationally on ABC beginning at 11 a.m., with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe calling the action.2)&nbsp;K-State is 9-3 this season with all three losses coming against teams that are currently ranked in No. 3 TCU, No. 18 Tulane and No 21 Texas. The Cats are bowl eligible for the third time under Chris Klieman and will advance to their 24th bowl appearance in school history, including the 11th in the last 13 seasons. Klieman is the first coach in school history to send three of his first four squads to the postseason.3)&nbsp;Last time out, K-State scored 30 first-half points and used a dominant second-half defensive performance to top Kansas, 47-27. Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and had 82 receiving yards, while Malik Knowles had two rushing touchdowns. Defensively, K-State held Kansas to just six points and 96 yards in the second half while holding the Jayhawks to their second-lowest offensive output of the year.4)&nbsp;Deuce Vaughn has 1,295 rushing yards this season to record his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards – just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks second in school history in career rushing yards (3,341) and moved into seventh place in school history for a season with his performance last week.5)&nbsp;The Cats have been solid on defense, allowing just 19.4 points per game and 357.3 total yards per game. This week, they rank second nationally in turnover margin, ninth in interceptions, 10th in fourth down defense, 14th in scoring defense and 17th in pass efficiency defense. The Cats have kept each of their Big 12 opponents this year under their season scoring average entering its game against K-State while also holding three conference opponents without a touchdown.

Kansas State prepares for TCU in Big 12 title game

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;Suzie Fritz, K-State’s all-time winningest volleyball coach, will not return in 2023 following 22 years leading the Wildcats. Fritz, who took over the program in 2001, has helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA Tournament 17 times, including 13 as the head coach. “Coach Fritz has poured all of her energy into this program for the last 20-plus years, and we will forever be grateful for her leadership and advancement of K-State Volleyball,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. &nbsp; <a>Fritz&nbsp;boasts a career mark of 393-263&nbsp;(.599) in her 22 seasons and has led the Wildcats to a national ranking in 12&nbsp;different campaigns. She owns a 201-191&nbsp;(.513)&nbsp;record in Big 12 action and helped lead the Wildcats to their first and only Big 12 title in 2003. </a> A national search for her replacement will begin immediately. “With our rich tradition of winning, along with the competitiveness of the Big 12 Conference and the new Morgan Family Arena – which we believe will be one of the nicest volleyball venues in the country when it opens next season – we are confident that great success lies ahead for our volleyball program,” Taylor added.

– k-statesports.com –

Executive Associate Athletics Director for Communications/PR

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;Suzie Fritz, K-State’s all-time winningest volleyball coach, will not return in 2023 following 22 years leading the Wildcats. Fritz, who took over the program in 2001, has helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA Tournament 17 times, including 13 as the head coach. “Coach Fritz has poured all of her energy into this program for the last 20-plus years, and we will forever be grateful for her leadership and advancement of K-State Volleyball,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. &nbsp; <a>Fritz&nbsp;boasts a career mark of 393-263&nbsp;(.599) in her 22 seasons and has led the Wildcats to a national ranking in 12&nbsp;different campaigns. She owns a 201-191&nbsp;(.513)&nbsp;record in Big 12 action and helped lead the Wildcats to their first and only Big 12 title in 2003. </a> A national search for her replacement will begin immediately. “With our rich tradition of winning, along with the competitiveness of the Big 12 Conference and the new Morgan Family Arena – which we believe will be one of the nicest volleyball venues in the country when it opens next season – we are confident that great success lies ahead for our volleyball program,” Taylor added.– k-statesports.com –KENNY LANNOUExecutive Associate Athletics Director for Communications/PRK-State Athletics

K-State volleyball coach Fritz will not return in 2023

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

The Wamego Red Raiders fought valiantly in their first-ever 4A state championship game but ultimately fell short to Bishop Miege on Saturday by a final score of 35-14.

Both sides came to play defensively in a scoreless first quarter, and at the half, the Raiders trailed one of the classes’ greatest dynasties by just a touchdown.

Out of the intermission, Wamego drove the length of the field but came up empty, and on the ensuing play, the Stags connected on a 93-yard touchdown pass to go up 28-14.

The Raider defense would only allow one more score through the end of the contest but the damage had already been done as Miege won their 11th state title 35-14.

“I was proud of our guys,” Wamego head coach Weston Moody said. “Everybody counted them out but they played hard until the final whistle and left it all on the field. We knew we were going to have to score some points and we squandered some opportunities to do that but we held them well until the half.”

While this finish is certainly bittersweet for the Boom Town faithful, what this year’s Raiders accomplished was nothing short of astounding, as Wamego posted their first-ever 12-win season and punched a ticket to their first state championship game in program history.

“There are so many things we can be proud of these guys for,” Moody said. “They battled through injuries at so many positions, they were counted out, our defense had a record-breaking season and put up numbers we may never see again and all of this was a testament to the work that these guys put in. We handled every test that was put in front of us and earned the right to face the ultimate test yesterday.”

Beyond a historic 2022 campaign, this year's Raiders have also changed the culture of high school football in Wamego, and the impact that this team has had both on their program, and on their community will continue to be felt for years to come.

“These guys have changed generations of football players here in this town,” he said. “The kids put in so much work and they showed everyone the kind of grind it takes to do this. Our town has come together around this team and they showed out big time yesterday.”

Much of that work was done on the backs of 15 seniors who changed not only the narrative surrounding Wamego football but the way things are done from the weight room to the locker room.

“We have a lot of special players in this senior group,” he said. “All of these kids bought in and they didn’t get press every week but every one of our seniors put the work in and played their role on this team. They built the culture and raised the standard of how we play football here at Wamego. Now we get to begin a new journey.”

This offseason, the Raiders will say goodbye to Hayden Oviatt, Colin Donahue, Chase Cottam, Hagan Johnson, Tayke Weber, Dawson Tajchman, Andrew Hildebrand, Gage Woodward, Noah Ficke, Austin Meyer, Blake Hamic, Lane Jeanneret, Grant Larson, Ariston Gamino, and Eli Bergmeier, but despite these heavy losses will return a great deal of talent for the upcoming season, eager to reload and run it back in 2023.

“I feel pretty good about the group we’re bringing back,” Moody said. “We have a big group of juniors and some great talent in our backfield returning. Those guys are going to be hungry and they know that they have big shoes to fill but they’re willing to do it and that work will begin on Monday.”

The Little Apple Post would like to thank everyone who followed along throughout our coverage of Wamego’s historic 2022 campaign and playoff run.

For continuing coverage of Wamego athletics, including coverage of Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorThe Wamego Red Raiders fought valiantly in their first-ever 4A state championship game but ultimately fell short to Bishop Miege on Saturday by a final score of 35-14.Both sides came to play defensively in a scoreless first quarter, and at the half, the Raiders trailed one of the classes’ greatest dynasties by just a touchdown.Out of the intermission, Wamego drove the length of the field but came up empty, and on the ensuing play, the Stags connected on a 93-yard touchdown pass to go up 28-14.The Raider defense would only allow one more score through the end of the contest but the damage had already been done as Miege won their 11th state title 35-14.“I was proud of our guys,” Wamego head coach Weston Moody said. “Everybody counted them out but they played hard until the final whistle and left it all on the field. We knew we were going to have to score some points and we squandered some opportunities to do that but we held them well until the half.”While this finish is certainly bittersweet for the Boom Town faithful, what this year’s Raiders accomplished was nothing short of astounding, as Wamego posted their first-ever 12-win season and punched a ticket to their first state championship game in program history.“There are so many things we can be proud of these guys for,” Moody said. “They battled through injuries at so many positions, they were counted out, our defense had a record-breaking season and put up numbers we may never see again and all of this was a testament to the work that these guys put in. We handled every test that was put in front of us and earned the right to face the ultimate test yesterday.”Beyond a historic 2022 campaign, this year's Raiders have also changed the culture of high school football in Wamego, and the impact that this team has had both on their program, and on their community will continue to be felt for years to come.“These guys have changed generations of football players here in this town,” he said. “The kids put in so much work and they showed everyone the kind of grind it takes to do this. Our town has come together around this team and they showed out big time yesterday.”Much of that work was done on the backs of 15 seniors who changed not only the narrative surrounding Wamego football but the way things are done from the weight room to the locker room.“We have a lot of special players in this senior group,” he said. “All of these kids bought in and they didn’t get press every week but every one of our seniors put the work in and played their role on this team. They built the culture and raised the standard of how we play football here at Wamego. Now we get to begin a new journey.”This offseason, the Raiders will say goodbye to Hayden Oviatt, Colin Donahue, Chase Cottam, Hagan Johnson, Tayke Weber, Dawson Tajchman, Andrew Hildebrand, Gage Woodward, Noah Ficke, Austin Meyer, Blake Hamic, Lane Jeanneret, Grant Larson, Ariston Gamino, and Eli Bergmeier, but despite these heavy losses will return a great deal of talent for the upcoming season, eager to reload and run it back in 2023.“I feel pretty good about the group we’re bringing back,” Moody said. “We have a big group of juniors and some great talent in our backfield returning. Those guys are going to be hungry and they know that they have big shoes to fill but they’re willing to do it and that work will begin on Monday.”The Little Apple Post would like to thank everyone who followed along throughout our coverage of Wamego’s historic 2022 campaign and playoff run.For continuing coverage of Wamego athletics, including coverage of Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

Historic Red Raider run comes to close with runner-up finish

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns, Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and a score, and No. 15 Kansas State pounded Kansas 47-27 on Saturday night to earn a shot at payback against TCU in the Big 12 championship game.

Malik Knowles added a pair of touchdown runs, and Philip Brooks and Sammy Wheeler also reached the end zone, as the Wildcats (9-3, 7-2, No. 12 CFP) beat their biggest rival for the 14th straight time in a game they needed to win.

Kansas State blew a 28-10 lead and lost 38-28 to the Horned Frogs during the regular season. Now, they'll face each other again on Dec. 3 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a College Football Playoff spot likely on the line for TCU.

It will be the first time the Wildcats play in the Big 12 title game, which went on hiatus from 2010-17, since toppling then-No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 during Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder's first tenure. The Horned Frogs were beaten by the Sooners in their only previous appearance in the 2017 championship game.

Jalon Daniels threw for 168 yards while running for a touchdown, and Devin Neal also had two TD runs, as the Jayhawks — bowl-bound for the first time since 2008 — finished the regular season by losing six of their final seven games.

Kansas (6-6, 3-6) made enough mistakes in the first quarter alone Saturday night to fill an entire game.

The result was a hole it could never escape.

The trouble began when O.J. Burroughs muffed a punt after a nice stand by the Jayhawks' defense, and Knowles needed one play to scoot in from the 5 for a touchdown. And after Kansas answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, its defense blew the coverage on Wheeler on a 42-yard touchdown pass.

On the ensuing kickoff, Trevor Wilson was mobbed at the 10-yard line, and another penalty on the return buried the Kansas offense. On third down, Bryce Cabeldue was called for holding in the end zone to give Kansas State a safety.

After the free kick, the Wildcats cruised to the end zone again for a 23-7 lead after one quarter.

The game soon turned into a track meet: Kansas marched through a suddenly driving rainstorm for two quick touchdowns around another score by the Wildcats, leaving them with a 30-21 advantage heading into the break.

Another major mistake by Kansas — a fumble by Torry Locklin in the third quarter — gave the Wildcats another short field, and Vaughn carried eight times on a nine-play drive before finding the end zone and putting the game out of reach.

Kansas has earned a reputation under Lance Leipold for playing mistake-free football, yet a multitude of mistakes on both sides of the ball gave the Wildcats more opportunities than they needed to hold onto the Governor's Cup.

Kansas State has struggled defensively the past two weeks, giving up 31 points to West Virginia before coughing up plenty of yards against the Jayhawks. Joe Klanderman's bunch will need to do better against the Horned Frogs.

The Wildcats have a week to prepare for TCU while Kansas awaits its bowl destination.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns, Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and a score, and No. 15 Kansas State pounded Kansas 47-27 on Saturday night to earn a shot at payback against TCU in the Big 12 championship game.Malik Knowles added a pair of touchdown runs, and Philip Brooks and Sammy Wheeler also reached the end zone, as the Wildcats (9-3, 7-2, No. 12 CFP) beat their biggest rival for the 14th straight time in a game they needed to win.Kansas State blew a 28-10 lead and lost 38-28 to the Horned Frogs during the regular season. Now, they'll face each other again on Dec. 3 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a College Football Playoff spot likely on the line for TCU.It will be the first time the Wildcats play in the Big 12 title game, which went on hiatus from 2010-17, since toppling then-No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 during Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder's first tenure. The Horned Frogs were beaten by the Sooners in their only previous appearance in the 2017 championship game.Jalon Daniels threw for 168 yards while running for a touchdown, and Devin Neal also had two TD runs, as the Jayhawks — bowl-bound for the first time since 2008 — finished the regular season by losing six of their final seven games.Kansas (6-6, 3-6) made enough mistakes in the first quarter alone Saturday night to fill an entire game.The result was a hole it could never escape.The trouble began when O.J. Burroughs muffed a punt after a nice stand by the Jayhawks' defense, and Knowles needed one play to scoot in from the 5 for a touchdown. And after Kansas answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, its defense blew the coverage on Wheeler on a 42-yard touchdown pass.On the ensuing kickoff, Trevor Wilson was mobbed at the 10-yard line, and another penalty on the return buried the Kansas offense. On third down, Bryce Cabeldue was called for holding in the end zone to give Kansas State a safety.After the free kick, the Wildcats cruised to the end zone again for a 23-7 lead after one quarter.The game soon turned into a track meet: Kansas marched through a suddenly driving rainstorm for two quick touchdowns around another score by the Wildcats, leaving them with a 30-21 advantage heading into the break.Another major mistake by Kansas — a fumble by Torry Locklin in the third quarter — gave the Wildcats another short field, and Vaughn carried eight times on a nine-play drive before finding the end zone and putting the game out of reach.THE TAKEAWAYKansas has earned a reputation under Lance Leipold for playing mistake-free football, yet a multitude of mistakes on both sides of the ball gave the Wildcats more opportunities than they needed to hold onto the Governor's Cup.Kansas State has struggled defensively the past two weeks, giving up 31 points to West Virginia before coughing up plenty of yards against the Jayhawks. Joe Klanderman's bunch will need to do better against the Horned Frogs.UP NEXTThe Wildcats have a week to prepare for TCU while Kansas awaits its bowl destination.

K-State rolls by Kansas in Big 12 football

Manhattan 21, Gardner-Edgerton 20, 2OT

PREP FOOTBALL=KSHSAA Football Championship resultsState Championship=Class 6A=Manhattan 21, Gardner-Edgerton 20, 2OTClass 5A=Mill Valley 28, Maize 14, OTClass 4A=Bishop Miege 35, Wamego 14Class 3A=Andale 28, Holton 0Class 2A=Nemaha Central 33, Kingman 17Class 1A=St. Mary’s 44, Inman 41Class 8-Man Div I=Wichita County 54, Little River 36Class 8-Man Div II=Axtell 76, Thunder Ridge 28Class 6-Man=Cunningham 38, Ashland 16

Manhattan wins the Class 6A State football championship

This Saturday, nine state championship games will kick off around the state of Kansas, and few are as steeped in narratives as the battle for Class 4A.

This final will pit Wamego, a school from a community of just over 4,500 people, against Bishop Miege, a school five miles outside of downtown KC, home to over 500,000.

As it has for decades it will pit the best team from the east, a side that has won the last eight 4A titles, against the best of the west, a side that will look to claim its first since 2013.

This game will pit public against private, it will pit rural against urban, but most importantly, it will pit one of 4A’s greatest dynasties against 4A’s team of destiny.

Since 2009, Bishop Miege has claimed seven state titles, winning six straight from 2014-2019.&nbsp;

The Stags have played in seven state finals in 11 years under head coach Jon Holmes and will be hungry to continue that run of dominance, and return their program to the top of Class 4A.

This season Miege cruised to 10-2, with their only two losses coming at the hands of St. Thomas Aquinas and 6A Blue Valley Northwest.&nbsp;

They steamrolled their way through the playoffs, knocking off Ottowa, Eudora, and KC Piper before avenging their loss to St. Thomas Aquinas in the state semis.

Many around the state of Kansas are picking the heavy favorites from KC without giving Wamego much thought, but if there’s one team built to rise from the west and rewrite history, it might just be these Boom Town Raiders.

From the beginning, this Wamego team believed that they could get here, and that belief sparked something within the Raider locker room, aiding them to a perfect 12-0 start, and a first state championship appearance in program history.

“Our confidence has been incredible to see and our guys have really bought into what we’ve been preaching from day one,” Wamego head coach Weston Moody said. “We’ve taken things one day at a time and you worry sometimes about the lights being too bright for guys, especially under pressure but they’ve pushed through and handled everything with aggression and focus.”

That aggression and focus led the Red Raiders on a postseason tear that saw them dismantle Ulysses, Rose Hill, and Andover Central, before bouncing McPherson in their semifinal last week.

As the Raider’s playoff run has heated up, so has Army commit Hayden Oviatt, who has rushed for over 880 yards and 11 touchdowns in the five weeks since returning from a broken foot.

“Getting Hayden back is a great thing for us,” Moody said. “In some bad weather having someone that can run the ball like he can have made a big difference. I think people also forget that the dude can spin it.”

Oviatt’s return has perfectly complimented signal caller Colin Donahue, who has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in Hayden’s absence, continuing to lead the team throughout the postseason.

On the other side of the ball, the Wamego defense has been playing on another level since week one and has stated a very legitimate case to be named one of, if not the best unit in the state across all classifications.

The Wamego D allows the fewest points (6.9), yards (112), rushing yards (51.9), and passing yards (51.1) per game, while forcing 32 turnovers and pitching three shutouts this season.

This unit hasn’t surrendered more than 16 points in any game all year, helping Wamego win every single contest, including last week’s semifinal, by 17 or more.

“The defensive guys don’t get enough of the glory but our guys have been steadfast with the idea that we play as one on that side of the ball,” he said. “I’m a firm believer that defense wins championships and I feel great about what Coach Good has done breeding that 1-11 mentality into these guys.”

That defensive unit will need to stand tall one more time this week against an elite Miege offense led by senior quarterback Mac Armstrong.

Armstrong has completed 245 of his 327 passes this season for 3,495 yards and 36 touchdowns, while surrendering just four picks to complement an effective run game split between David Garcia and DeAndre Beasley.

“Miege is balanced on offense,” Moody said. “They can run it when they want to, they can sling it around, they average about 270 pounds up front and they have plenty of different threats at the skill positions. Their offense is explosive and we’re going to have our work cut out for us but we want that challenge.”

In order to stymie a Stag offense that averages over 40 points per game, the Raiders will need to win the turnover battle, something Wamego has done an excellent job of this season at +28.

“We need to be opportunistic,” he said. “We need to generate turnovers, we’ll have to run to the football and play assignment sound. We have to limit their explosive plays and put our offense in a position to make big plays ourselves.”

Despite all of the pregame narratives and hype, Wamego will need to block out all of the external noise and focus on what got them here, explosive offense, stifling defense, a fiery competitive spirit, and the confidence to know, not just to feel, that they belong here.

“We’re ready,” Moody said. “We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for so long and the guys are excited. We want to take it all in but we have to mentally prepare to make sure these lights don’t get too bright. You don’t get these opportunities very often and it’s taken a long time for us to get here, we want to make sure we enjoy this.”

Kickoff between the Raiders and Stags is set for 1 pm at Topeka-Hummer Sports Park Stadium with the winners being crowned 4A state champions.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorThis Saturday, nine state championship games will kick off around the state of Kansas, and few are as steeped in narratives as the battle for Class 4A.This final will pit Wamego, a school from a community of just over 4,500 people, against Bishop Miege, a school five miles outside of downtown KC, home to over 500,000.As it has for decades it will pit the best team from the east, a side that has won the last eight 4A titles, against the best of the west, a side that will look to claim its first since 2013.This game will pit public against private, it will pit rural against urban, but most importantly, it will pit one of 4A’s greatest dynasties against 4A’s team of destiny.Since 2009, Bishop Miege has claimed seven state titles, winning six straight from 2014-2019.&nbsp;The Stags have played in seven state finals in 11 years under head coach Jon Holmes and will be hungry to continue that run of dominance, and return their program to the top of Class 4A.This season Miege cruised to 10-2, with their only two losses coming at the hands of St. Thomas Aquinas and 6A Blue Valley Northwest.&nbsp;They steamrolled their way through the playoffs, knocking off Ottowa, Eudora, and KC Piper before avenging their loss to St. Thomas Aquinas in the state semis.Many around the state of Kansas are picking the heavy favorites from KC without giving Wamego much thought, but if there’s one team built to rise from the west and rewrite history, it might just be these Boom Town Raiders.From the beginning, this Wamego team believed that they could get here, and that belief sparked something within the Raider locker room, aiding them to a perfect 12-0 start, and a first state championship appearance in program history.“Our confidence has been incredible to see and our guys have really bought into what we’ve been preaching from day one,” Wamego head coach Weston Moody said. “We’ve taken things one day at a time and you worry sometimes about the lights being too bright for guys, especially under pressure but they’ve pushed through and handled everything with aggression and focus.”That aggression and focus led the Red Raiders on a postseason tear that saw them dismantle Ulysses, Rose Hill, and Andover Central, before bouncing McPherson in their semifinal last week.As the Raider’s playoff run has heated up, so has Army commit Hayden Oviatt, who has rushed for over 880 yards and 11 touchdowns in the five weeks since returning from a broken foot.“Getting Hayden back is a great thing for us,” Moody said. “In some bad weather having someone that can run the ball like he can have made a big difference. I think people also forget that the dude can spin it.”Oviatt’s return has perfectly complimented signal caller Colin Donahue, who has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in Hayden’s absence, continuing to lead the team throughout the postseason.On the other side of the ball, the Wamego defense has been playing on another level since week one and has stated a very legitimate case to be named one of, if not the best unit in the state across all classifications.The Wamego D allows the fewest points (6.9), yards (112), rushing yards (51.9), and passing yards (51.1) per game, while forcing 32 turnovers and pitching three shutouts this season.This unit hasn’t surrendered more than 16 points in any game all year, helping Wamego win every single contest, including last week’s semifinal, by 17 or more.“The defensive guys don’t get enough of the glory but our guys have been steadfast with the idea that we play as one on that side of the ball,” he said. “I’m a firm believer that defense wins championships and I feel great about what Coach Good has done breeding that 1-11 mentality into these guys.”That defensive unit will need to stand tall one more time this week against an elite Miege offense led by senior quarterback Mac Armstrong.Armstrong has completed 245 of his 327 passes this season for 3,495 yards and 36 touchdowns, while surrendering just four picks to complement an effective run game split between David Garcia and DeAndre Beasley.“Miege is balanced on offense,” Moody said. “They can run it when they want to, they can sling it around, they average about 270 pounds up front and they have plenty of different threats at the skill positions. Their offense is explosive and we’re going to have our work cut out for us but we want that challenge.”In order to stymie a Stag offense that averages over 40 points per game, the Raiders will need to win the turnover battle, something Wamego has done an excellent job of this season at +28.“We need to be opportunistic,” he said. “We need to generate turnovers, we’ll have to run to the football and play assignment sound. We have to limit their explosive plays and put our offense in a position to make big plays ourselves.”Despite all of the pregame narratives and hype, Wamego will need to block out all of the external noise and focus on what got them here, explosive offense, stifling defense, a fiery competitive spirit, and the confidence to know, not just to feel, that they belong here.“We’re ready,” Moody said. “We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for so long and the guys are excited. We want to take it all in but we have to mentally prepare to make sure these lights don’t get too bright. You don’t get these opportunities very often and it’s taken a long time for us to get here, we want to make sure we enjoy this.”Kickoff between the Raiders and Stags is set for 1 pm at Topeka-Hummer Sports Park Stadium with the winners being crowned 4A state champions.

Boom Town looks to go out with a bang in 4A title match with Miege

DENVER (AP) — Whether Pete Carroll meant it as a barb for Russell 
Wilson or a bouquet for Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks coach made 
play-calling wristbands a hot topic in the NFL during a topsy-turvy 
season that has rattled the longstanding quarterback order.

Carroll
 was talking about the Seahawks’ surprising success in 2022 after moving
 on from Wilson when he mentioned Smith’s willingness to wear a 
wristband to help facilitate Seattle's play-calling.

“If you 
notice, Geno’s going off the wristband, and that’s a big help,” Carroll 
told Seattle Sports 710 AM earlier this month. “It’s smoothed things 
out, sped things up. And that’s part of it, too. We never did that 
before. There was resistance to that. So, we didn’t do that before.”

Wilson retorted with his own <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jacksonville-jaguars-denver-broncos-seattle-seahawks-nfl-sports-612de661c6102546d755e3cd732c2927">subtle dig</a>,
 reminding that he "won a lot of games there without one on the wrist. 
And I didn’t know winning or losing mattered if you wore the wristband 
or not.”

Coincidentally, Wilson wore a wristband for the first 
time with the Broncos in a win over the Jaguars in London two days 
before Carroll's comments, and he's been using it at games and practices
 ever since as the Broncos try to jump-start a sputtering offense.

He even wore it at the podium on Wednesday.

“Yeah, I guess I'm rocking this wristband here,” Wilson said with a chuckle.

On
 any weekend, roughly two-thirds of NFL quarterbacks are rocking the 
wristbands. Tom Brady has used one his whole career. But some QBs and 
coaches prefer memorization skills for their more complex plays.

The
 bands that hug the quarterback's non-throwing wrist and forearm contain
 dozens of plays with corresponding numbers or codes. They are often as 
much a benefit to the play-caller as to the QB because he can just call 
out a simple number rather than the entire play sequence with all its 
protections, checks and other nuances.

“As a play designer 
sometimes you want to get a little creative and those things can get a 
little bit verbose,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.

Calling
 out a number and not the entire play sequence saves a few ticks before 
the quarterback's earpiece shuts off with 15 seconds left on the play 
clock. The QB can then relay the play and break the huddle quicker, 
getting up to the line of scrimmage with a few extra seconds to survey 
the defense for any necessary adjustments.

Hackett said the 
wristbands especially come in handy on the road and are particularly 
helpful with the game's ever more complex play calls.

“It's just how offenses have advanced,” Hackett said. “... we're getting more elaborate with our play designs."

Not
 all plays on the coaches' call sheets are listed on the quarterbacks' 
wristbands. They're often limited to those complex calls or to red-zone 
plays that are installed later in the week, which means players have had
 less time to practice them.

Some QBs, such as the Titans' Ryan Tannehill, have tried them but don't wear them all the time like Brady does.

“Last
 year when we went to Seattle I wore one” because of the din at Lumen 
Field, Tannehill said. “Not too many times. I like to be able to hear 
the call and visualize it in my head as it comes in. It just helps me 
build the picture of what’s going on. When I hear it and I have to build
 the picture of the play in my head, it helps me communicate with my 
guys as opposed to reading a line on a wristband.”

Vikings QB Kirk
 Cousins doesn't usually wear a wristband, and that has something to do 
with Rams coach Sean McVay, who was Cousins' offensive coordinator in 
Washington from 2014-16.

Cousins recalled telling McVay, “These plays are long, and I could use a wristband.”

"Sean
 would say, ‘I don’t look down at the call sheet to call the play to see
 what the wristband number is. I just call the game from my head,’” 
Cousins recounted. “So, he said, ‘We can’t do that because I’d have to 
go find the play and then give you the number.’ I learned with Sean that
 I’m just going to have to memorize these plays and I don’t have the 
luxury of a wristband.”

“There’s so many different ways to do it 
and I think there’s positives and negatives to every different way,” 
Cousins said. “There’s times where I like having a fair amount of words 
because you can paint the picture better, but there’s other times where 
you’re calling two to three plays and it can just be a lot. With a 
motion, a shift, an alert and you have the play clock, so there’s a lot 
going on.”

Cousins said he picked up a trick from backup Nick Mullens when he was digesting the Vikings' new offense this summer.

“I
 was really struggling late in August and early September of really 
getting to a place where I could spit the plays out with just total 
ownership,” Cousins said. He recalled Mullens telling him, “I just 
record the tricky plays on my phone and instead of listening to music or
 the radio on the drive to and from work, I'll just listen to the play 
calls.”

“I started doing that and my drives are a little more 
boring," Cousins said, “but I find myself getting home to the garage and
 I feel a little better about the game plan and my command of the game 
plan.”

DENVER (AP) — Whether Pete Carroll meant it as a barb for Russell 
Wilson or a bouquet for Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks coach made 
play-calling wristbands a hot topic in the NFL during a topsy-turvy 
season that has rattled the longstanding quarterback order.Carroll
 was talking about the Seahawks’ surprising success in 2022 after moving
 on from Wilson when he mentioned Smith’s willingness to wear a 
wristband to help facilitate Seattle's play-calling.“If you 
notice, Geno’s going off the wristband, and that’s a big help,” Carroll 
told Seattle Sports 710 AM earlier this month. “It’s smoothed things 
out, sped things up. And that’s part of it, too. We never did that 
before. There was resistance to that. So, we didn’t do that before.”Wilson retorted with his own <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jacksonville-jaguars-denver-broncos-seattle-seahawks-nfl-sports-612de661c6102546d755e3cd732c2927">subtle dig</a>,
 reminding that he "won a lot of games there without one on the wrist. 
And I didn’t know winning or losing mattered if you wore the wristband 
or not.”Coincidentally, Wilson wore a wristband for the first 
time with the Broncos in a win over the Jaguars in London two days 
before Carroll's comments, and he's been using it at games and practices
 ever since as the Broncos try to jump-start a sputtering offense.He even wore it at the podium on Wednesday.“Yeah, I guess I'm rocking this wristband here,” Wilson said with a chuckle.On
 any weekend, roughly two-thirds of NFL quarterbacks are rocking the 
wristbands. Tom Brady has used one his whole career. But some QBs and 
coaches prefer memorization skills for their more complex plays.The
 bands that hug the quarterback's non-throwing wrist and forearm contain
 dozens of plays with corresponding numbers or codes. They are often as 
much a benefit to the play-caller as to the QB because he can just call 
out a simple number rather than the entire play sequence with all its 
protections, checks and other nuances.“As a play designer 
sometimes you want to get a little creative and those things can get a 
little bit verbose,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.Calling
 out a number and not the entire play sequence saves a few ticks before 
the quarterback's earpiece shuts off with 15 seconds left on the play 
clock. The QB can then relay the play and break the huddle quicker, 
getting up to the line of scrimmage with a few extra seconds to survey 
the defense for any necessary adjustments.Hackett said the 
wristbands especially come in handy on the road and are particularly 
helpful with the game's ever more complex play calls.“It's just how offenses have advanced,” Hackett said. “... we're getting more elaborate with our play designs."Not
 all plays on the coaches' call sheets are listed on the quarterbacks' 
wristbands. They're often limited to those complex calls or to red-zone 
plays that are installed later in the week, which means players have had
 less time to practice them.Wristbands aren't for everyone, though.Some QBs, such as the Titans' Ryan Tannehill, have tried them but don't wear them all the time like Brady does.“Last
 year when we went to Seattle I wore one” because of the din at Lumen 
Field, Tannehill said. “Not too many times. I like to be able to hear 
the call and visualize it in my head as it comes in. It just helps me 
build the picture of what’s going on. When I hear it and I have to build
 the picture of the play in my head, it helps me communicate with my 
guys as opposed to reading a line on a wristband.”Vikings QB Kirk
 Cousins doesn't usually wear a wristband, and that has something to do 
with Rams coach Sean McVay, who was Cousins' offensive coordinator in 
Washington from 2014-16.Cousins recalled telling McVay, “These plays are long, and I could use a wristband.”"Sean
 would say, ‘I don’t look down at the call sheet to call the play to see
 what the wristband number is. I just call the game from my head,’” 
Cousins recounted. “So, he said, ‘We can’t do that because I’d have to 
go find the play and then give you the number.’ I learned with Sean that
 I’m just going to have to memorize these plays and I don’t have the 
luxury of a wristband.”“There’s so many different ways to do it 
and I think there’s positives and negatives to every different way,” 
Cousins said. “There’s times where I like having a fair amount of words 
because you can paint the picture better, but there’s other times where 
you’re calling two to three plays and it can just be a lot. With a 
motion, a shift, an alert and you have the play clock, so there’s a lot 
going on.”Cousins said he picked up a trick from backup Nick Mullens when he was digesting the Vikings' new offense this summer.“I
 was really struggling late in August and early September of really 
getting to a place where I could spit the plays out with just total 
ownership,” Cousins said. He recalled Mullens telling him, “I just 
record the tricky plays on my phone and instead of listening to music or
 the radio on the drive to and from work, I'll just listen to the play 
calls.”“I started doing that and my drives are a little more 
boring," Cousins said, “but I find myself getting home to the garage and
 I feel a little better about the game plan and my command of the game 
plan.”

QB wristbands a trending NFL topic after Carroll comments

ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) — Gabby Gregory made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points and No. 25 Kansas State used a 30-4 third quarter to cruise past Clemson 76-38 in the Paradise Jam. Kansas State led by just three points, 32-29, at halftime before taking over in the game-changing third. The Wildcats closed it out with a 14-5 fourth. Jaelyn Glenn scored 16 points and Brylee Glenn added 12 points for Kansas State, which plays Northern Arizona on Friday. Ruby Whitehorn had a team-high eight points for Clemson, which faces Arkansas on Friday. The Tigers were 12-of-46 shooting (26%). The last meeting between the schools came on Nov. 25, 1990, in Manhattan, Kan., a 68-61 Clemson win.

ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) — Gabby Gregory made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points and No. 25 Kansas State used a 30-4 third quarter to cruise past Clemson 76-38 in the Paradise Jam. Kansas State led by just three points, 32-29, at halftime before taking over in the game-changing third. The Wildcats closed it out with a 14-5 fourth. Jaelyn Glenn scored 16 points and Brylee Glenn added 12 points for Kansas State, which plays Northern Arizona on Friday. Ruby Whitehorn had a team-high eight points for Clemson, which faces Arkansas on Friday. The Tigers were 12-of-46 shooting (26%). The last meeting between the schools came on Nov. 25, 1990, in Manhattan, Kan., a 68-61 Clemson win.

K-State defeats Clemson in women's basketball

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 16 points and his jumper with five seconds left allowed Kansas State to remain undefeated and hand LSU its first loss, 61-59 in the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic. Adam Miller gave LSU the lead, 59-57 with his layup with 1:15 left, but Markquis Nowell answered with a jumper with 49 seconds to go. The Tigers’ KJ Williams turned over the ball 15 seconds later, the Wildcats ran the clock down before Johnson took a feed from Desi Sills and buried the winning shot.

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 16 points and his jumper with five seconds left allowed Kansas State to remain undefeated and hand LSU its first loss, 61-59 in the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic. Adam Miller gave LSU the lead, 59-57 with his layup with 1:15 left, but Markquis Nowell answered with a jumper with 49 seconds to go. The Tigers’ KJ Williams turned over the ball 15 seconds later, the Wildcats ran the clock down before Johnson took a feed from Desi Sills and buried the winning shot.

Wildcats win the Cayman title

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a>Kansas State junior running back&nbsp;Deuce Vaughn&nbsp;</a>has been named a semifinalist for a second award this week, as the Round Rock, Texas native is one of 16 players still in the running for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

It is the third-straight season that Vaughn is a semifinalist for the award, including last year when he advanced to become one of five finalists. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award goes to the top college football player in the nation with ties to the state of Texas.

Vaughn, who on Tuesday was named a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2022/11/22/football-vaughn-named-semifinalist-for-doak-walker-award.aspx" target="_blank">semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award</a>, has 1,148 rushing yards to rank 16th&nbsp;nationally, while he is 14th&nbsp;in the country with 128.5 scrimmage yards (rushing plus receiving) per game. He ranks second nationally among running backs with three receiving touchdowns, while he is fifth in catches (38) and 14th&nbsp;in receiving yards (266).

Vaughn is just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons, joining Darren Sproles (2002, 2003, 2004) and Daniel Thomas (2009, 2010). Earlier this season, Vaughn became the fastest player in Big 12 history – and tied for the fastest player in the country since 1996 – to reach 3,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career, doing so in his 32nd&nbsp;game.

Finalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award will be announced on December 13, and those finalists will attend the award’s banquet and winner announcement on January 11.

Coming in at No. 12 in the latest College Football Playoff Top 25, Kansas State takes on Kansas on Saturday in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The game, which kicks off at 7 p.m. inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, will be televised by FOX.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a>Kansas State junior running back&nbsp;Deuce Vaughn&nbsp;</a>has been named a semifinalist for a second award this week, as the Round Rock, Texas native is one of 16 players still in the running for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.It is the third-straight season that Vaughn is a semifinalist for the award, including last year when he advanced to become one of five finalists. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award goes to the top college football player in the nation with ties to the state of Texas.Vaughn, who on Tuesday was named a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2022/11/22/football-vaughn-named-semifinalist-for-doak-walker-award.aspx" target="_blank">semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award</a>, has 1,148 rushing yards to rank 16th&nbsp;nationally, while he is 14th&nbsp;in the country with 128.5 scrimmage yards (rushing plus receiving) per game. He ranks second nationally among running backs with three receiving touchdowns, while he is fifth in catches (38) and 14th&nbsp;in receiving yards (266).Vaughn is just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons, joining Darren Sproles (2002, 2003, 2004) and Daniel Thomas (2009, 2010). Earlier this season, Vaughn became the fastest player in Big 12 history – and tied for the fastest player in the country since 1996 – to reach 3,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career, doing so in his 32nd&nbsp;game.Finalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award will be announced on December 13, and those finalists will attend the award’s banquet and winner announcement on January 11.Coming in at No. 12 in the latest College Football Playoff Top 25, Kansas State takes on Kansas on Saturday in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The game, which kicks off at 7 p.m. inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, will be televised by FOX.

K-State’s Vaughn Named Semifinalist for Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award

By STEPHEN HAWKINS&nbsp; Associated Press

The Texas Rangers hired Mike Maddux as their new pitching coach 
Wednesday, and added former Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton 
Moore as a senior adviser in their baseball operations department.

Maddux
 is returning to Texas to be on new manager Bruce Bochy's staff. Maddux 
was first the pitching coach for the Rangers from 2009-15, a span in 
which they made their only two World Series appearances. He spent the 
past five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been part of 11 
playoffs teams over his past 15 seasons as a pitching coach.

Moore
 spent the past 16 years with the Royals, where he was named GM in May 
2006 and also served as president of baseball operations before getting 
fired in September. The Royals had three consecutive 100-loss seasons 
before Moore's arrival. They won back-to-back American League pennants 
in 2014 and 2015, beating the New York Mets for the World Series title 
after the second one.

Moore will collaborate with Rangers general 
manager Chris Young, the former pitcher who finished his big league 
playing career with the Royals from 2015-17.

“There is no one more
 respected in our game. He rebuilt the Royals into a world champion,” 
Young said. “Dayton’s experiences as a longtime general manager, as well
 as his extensive background in scouting, will be a tremendous asset to 
me and the other leaders of our baseball group.”

Before joining 
the Royals, Moore spent 13 seasons with the Atlanta Braves in scouting 
and player development roles before becoming their director of player 
personnel in 2002.

Maddux was the second-longest tenured pitching 
coach in club history when he left the Rangers after the 2015 season and
 spent the following two years with Washington. Texas had four 
consecutive seasons with team ERAs under 4.00 from 2010-13. Before his 
arrival, they hadn't had a team ERA under 4.00 since 1990, and haven't 
had one since Maddux left.

After 15 seasons pitching in the big leagues, Maddux began his MLB coaching career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2003-08.

Even
 before three-time World Series champion manager Bochy was hired last 
month, the Rangers had said co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan 
Sagara wouldn’t return to their major league staff.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS&nbsp; Associated PressThe Texas Rangers hired Mike Maddux as their new pitching coach 
Wednesday, and added former Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton 
Moore as a senior adviser in their baseball operations department.Maddux
 is returning to Texas to be on new manager Bruce Bochy's staff. Maddux 
was first the pitching coach for the Rangers from 2009-15, a span in 
which they made their only two World Series appearances. He spent the 
past five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been part of 11 
playoffs teams over his past 15 seasons as a pitching coach.Moore
 spent the past 16 years with the Royals, where he was named GM in May 
2006 and also served as president of baseball operations before getting 
fired in September. The Royals had three consecutive 100-loss seasons 
before Moore's arrival. They won back-to-back American League pennants 
in 2014 and 2015, beating the New York Mets for the World Series title 
after the second one.Moore will collaborate with Rangers general 
manager Chris Young, the former pitcher who finished his big league 
playing career with the Royals from 2015-17.“There is no one more
 respected in our game. He rebuilt the Royals into a world champion,” 
Young said. “Dayton’s experiences as a longtime general manager, as well
 as his extensive background in scouting, will be a tremendous asset to 
me and the other leaders of our baseball group.”Before joining 
the Royals, Moore spent 13 seasons with the Atlanta Braves in scouting 
and player development roles before becoming their director of player 
personnel in 2002.Maddux was the second-longest tenured pitching 
coach in club history when he left the Rangers after the 2015 season and
 spent the following two years with Washington. Texas had four 
consecutive seasons with team ERAs under 4.00 from 2010-13. Before his 
arrival, they hadn't had a team ERA under 4.00 since 1990, and haven't 
had one since Maddux left.After 15 seasons pitching in the big leagues, Maddux began his MLB coaching career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2003-08.Even
 before three-time World Series champion manager Bochy was hired last 
month, the Rangers had said co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan 
Sagara wouldn’t return to their major league staff.

⚾ Dayton Moore joins Rangers organization as adviser

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 29 points and had 11 assists, Keyontae Johnson scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Kansas State beat Nevada 96-87 in overtime. The Wildcats outscored Nevada 16-7 in the extra session. Nowell’s layup with 11 seconds left in regulation tied it at 80 and the Wolfpack couldn’t get off a shot. Jarod Lucas scored 20 points, Will Baker 19, Kenan Blackshear 17 with 10 assists and Tre Coleman and Darrion Williams each scored 10 for Nevada.

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 29 points and had 11 assists, Keyontae Johnson scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Kansas State beat Nevada 96-87 in overtime. The Wildcats outscored Nevada 16-7 in the extra session. Nowell’s layup with 11 seconds left in regulation tied it at 80 and the Wolfpack couldn’t get off a shot. Jarod Lucas scored 20 points, Will Baker 19, Kenan Blackshear 17 with 10 assists and Tre Coleman and Darrion Williams each scored 10 for Nevada.

K-State men's basketball remains undefeated

Congratulations to Chauncey Baxter of Salina, the Week 11 winner in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!

Chauncey, who scored 13 of 14 points, wins $100.

Although the season is underway, you still have time to win!

<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6457a6fe-ce1b-48df-a651-5d8582b478f7?contestid=3#registration/login">Sign up today</a>&nbsp;to make your picks for a chance to win great weekly prizes, including cash,&nbsp;gift cards, concert tickets, and Chiefs tickets.&nbsp;If you pick well, you'll also be in the running for the local season prize of $1,000 and a national season prize of a trip to Hawaii!

Don't miss out on the state's best pro football pick'em contest!&nbsp;

<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6457a6fe-ce1b-48df-a651-5d8582b478f7?contestid=3#registration/login">Click here to register for Gridiron Glory</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662062091203.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations to Chauncey Baxter of Salina, the Week 11 winner in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!Chauncey, who scored 13 of 14 points, wins $100.Although the season is underway, you still have time to win!<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6457a6fe-ce1b-48df-a651-5d8582b478f7?contestid=3#registration/login">Sign up today</a>&nbsp;to make your picks for a chance to win great weekly prizes, including cash,&nbsp;gift cards, concert tickets, and Chiefs tickets.&nbsp;If you pick well, you'll also be in the running for the local season prize of $1,000 and a national season prize of a trip to Hawaii!Don't miss out on the state's best pro football pick'em contest!&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6457a6fe-ce1b-48df-a651-5d8582b478f7?contestid=3#registration/login">Click here to register for Gridiron Glory</a>

Gridiron Glory: Congratulations Chauncey Baxter!

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=22013&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-november-22-2022/4781" target="_blank">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/player-media-availability-november-22-2022/4782" target="_blank">Listen to Player Breakout Interviews</a> MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex as No. 15 Kansas State hosts Kansas in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ – are above in addition to an audio link of player breakout interviews. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.

“Good afternoon, everyone. Looking back on Saturday, obviously a strange first half how everything went down. Both teams scored on defense. There were some explosive plays. We were able to get the extra turnover on the fourth-and-one stop, which I thought was big to take that one and score. It’s 14-nothing, then 14-13, and then, 28-13 and kind of went back and forth a little bit. A couple things that really stuck out to us is getting two field goals in two-minute drives, in essence, with the first field goal with around two minutes left. They elected to use some timeouts to try to save time, which I thought was smart because they were going to get the ball the second half. Then we got a sack and so we started using our timeouts, and then we were able to get another field goal to score twice before half. Even though they were field goals, I thought it was really important there. Then the missed extra points, I thought, were really important because West Virginia was kind of chasing a lot of points the rest of the day and had to go for two and weren't successful there. In essence, you're losing almost a touchdown with two-point conversions misses and missed PATS, and then the missed field goal. So, special teams, I thought, was really good. I thought Malik Knowles was dynamite on special teams as well as a receiver, and our offense was very aggressive and did some really good things in the first half. A little bit tougher probably to do things in the second half because they took about nine minutes off the clock on the first drive and don't get points, which was, I'm sure, demoralizing to the fact of they needed some quick scores, and we were able to get a stop there. Pleased anytime you can go on the road and get a win, especially in Morgantown. It's a really tough place to play. It's a tough environment and our guys were able to handle business and now we're back this week. We’ve got a really good KU team coming in here. I've got a lot of respect for Coach Leipold, does a great job, and they're playing really well. I know they've been beaten the last couple of weeks, but they're a good football team and it should be a heck of a battle here on Saturday.”

Associate Athletics Director for Communications

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=22013&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-november-22-2022/4781" target="_blank">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/player-media-availability-november-22-2022/4782" target="_blank">Listen to Player Breakout Interviews</a> MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex as No. 15 Kansas State hosts Kansas in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ – are above in addition to an audio link of player breakout interviews. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACHOpening Statement…“Good afternoon, everyone. Looking back on Saturday, obviously a strange first half how everything went down. Both teams scored on defense. There were some explosive plays. We were able to get the extra turnover on the fourth-and-one stop, which I thought was big to take that one and score. It’s 14-nothing, then 14-13, and then, 28-13 and kind of went back and forth a little bit. A couple things that really stuck out to us is getting two field goals in two-minute drives, in essence, with the first field goal with around two minutes left. They elected to use some timeouts to try to save time, which I thought was smart because they were going to get the ball the second half. Then we got a sack and so we started using our timeouts, and then we were able to get another field goal to score twice before half. Even though they were field goals, I thought it was really important there. Then the missed extra points, I thought, were really important because West Virginia was kind of chasing a lot of points the rest of the day and had to go for two and weren't successful there. In essence, you're losing almost a touchdown with two-point conversions misses and missed PATS, and then the missed field goal. So, special teams, I thought, was really good. I thought Malik Knowles was dynamite on special teams as well as a receiver, and our offense was very aggressive and did some really good things in the first half. A little bit tougher probably to do things in the second half because they took about nine minutes off the clock on the first drive and don't get points, which was, I'm sure, demoralizing to the fact of they needed some quick scores, and we were able to get a stop there. Pleased anytime you can go on the road and get a win, especially in Morgantown. It's a really tough place to play. It's a tough environment and our guys were able to handle business and now we're back this week. We’ve got a really good KU team coming in here. I've got a lot of respect for Coach Leipold, does a great job, and they're playing really well. I know they've been beaten the last couple of weeks, but they're a good football team and it should be a heck of a battle here on Saturday.”RYAN LACKEYAssociate Athletics Director for Communications

K-State Discusses Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Weekly Press Conference

Associate athletics director for Communications

1)&nbsp;Following a 48-31 road win at West Virginia, Kansas State returns home to close out the 2022 regular season with the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown against in-state rival KU. The Wildcats can clinch a berth in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship with a win against the Jayhawks. The game will be televised nationally on FOX with a 7 p.m. kickoff from Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

2)&nbsp;K-State is 8-3 this season with all three losses coming against teams that are currently ranked in No. 4 TCU, No. 19 Tulane and No 24 Texas. The Cats are bowl eligible for the third time under Chris Klieman and will advance to their 24th bowl appearance in school history, including the 11th in the last 13 seasons. Klieman is the first coach in school history to send three of his first four squads to the postseason.

3)&nbsp;Last time out, K-State scored 41 points in a dominant first half against West Virginia – the most first-half points by the Wildcats under Klieman. Will Howard had a big day, throwing for 294 yards (19-of-27) and accounting for three touchdowns, while Malik Knowles eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for the third time this season, finishing with six catches and 111 yards and a touchdown.

4)&nbsp;Deuce Vaughn has 1,148 rushing yards this season to record his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards – just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks second in school history in career rushing yards (3,194) and moved into the top 10 in school history for a season.

5)&nbsp;The Cats have been solid on defense, allowing just 18.7 points per game and 361.8 total yards per game. This week, the Cats rank fourth nationally in turnover margin, 11th in fourth down defense, sixth in interceptions, 15th in scoring defense and 19th in pass efficiency defense. The Cats have kept each of their Big 12 opponents this year under their season scoring average entering its game against K-State while also holding three conference opponents without a touchdown.

By Ryan LackeyAssociate athletics director for CommunicationsTHE TOP 5 1)&nbsp;Following a 48-31 road win at West Virginia, Kansas State returns home to close out the 2022 regular season with the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown against in-state rival KU. The Wildcats can clinch a berth in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship with a win against the Jayhawks. The game will be televised nationally on FOX with a 7 p.m. kickoff from Bill Snyder Family Stadium.2)&nbsp;K-State is 8-3 this season with all three losses coming against teams that are currently ranked in No. 4 TCU, No. 19 Tulane and No 24 Texas. The Cats are bowl eligible for the third time under Chris Klieman and will advance to their 24th bowl appearance in school history, including the 11th in the last 13 seasons. Klieman is the first coach in school history to send three of his first four squads to the postseason.3)&nbsp;Last time out, K-State scored 41 points in a dominant first half against West Virginia – the most first-half points by the Wildcats under Klieman. Will Howard had a big day, throwing for 294 yards (19-of-27) and accounting for three touchdowns, while Malik Knowles eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for the third time this season, finishing with six catches and 111 yards and a touchdown.4)&nbsp;Deuce Vaughn has 1,148 rushing yards this season to record his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards – just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks second in school history in career rushing yards (3,194) and moved into the top 10 in school history for a season.5)&nbsp;The Cats have been solid on defense, allowing just 18.7 points per game and 361.8 total yards per game. This week, the Cats rank fourth nationally in turnover margin, 11th in fourth down defense, sixth in interceptions, 15th in scoring defense and 19th in pass efficiency defense. The Cats have kept each of their Big 12 opponents this year under their season scoring average entering its game against K-State while also holding three conference opponents without a touchdown.

K-State hosts Kansas Saturday

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — No. 19 Kansas State beat West Virginia 48-31 to move one win away from clinching a berth in the Big 12 championship game. The Wildcats finish the regular season at home next Saturday against Kansas. They are looking to join TCU in the title game Dec. 3 in Arlington, Texas. Kansas State jumped ahead 14-0 a little more than three minutes into the game, thanks in part to Cincere Mason's 37-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Wildcats led 41-25 at halftime. Those were the most first-half points for Kansas State in 14 years. K-State's Will Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — No. 19 Kansas State beat West Virginia 48-31 to move one win away from clinching a berth in the Big 12 championship game. The Wildcats finish the regular season at home next Saturday against Kansas. They are looking to join TCU in the title game Dec. 3 in Arlington, Texas. Kansas State jumped ahead 14-0 a little more than three minutes into the game, thanks in part to Cincere Mason's 37-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Wildcats led 41-25 at halftime. Those were the most first-half points for Kansas State in 14 years. K-State's Will Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score.

K-State stays in Big 12 title game

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Bijan Robinson ran for career-highs of 243 yards and four touchdowns, helping Texas beat Kansas 55-14 to keep its hopes alive of playing in the Big 12 title game. The Longhorns need to beat Baylor next week while hoping the Jayhawks can beat Kansas State. The win Saturday was a bit of revenge for the Longhorns after their 57-56 overtime loss to Kansas last year in Austin. Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels started for the first time since hurting his shoulder six weeks ago against TCU. He had 230 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Bijan Robinson ran for career-highs of 243 yards and four touchdowns, helping Texas beat Kansas 55-14 to keep its hopes alive of playing in the Big 12 title game. The Longhorns need to beat Baylor next week while hoping the Jayhawks can beat Kansas State. The win Saturday was a bit of revenge for the Longhorns after their 57-56 overtime loss to Kansas last year in Austin. Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels started for the first time since hurting his shoulder six weeks ago against TCU. He had 230 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception.

Texas rolls past Kansas

As the final whistle sounded in Wamego on Friday night, a profound realization set in around the stadium.

For the first time in school history, the Red Raiders would be playing for a state championship.

This 33-16 win over McPherson was just the latest in a run of 12 straight victories that have put Wamego on the doorstep of ultimate gridiron glory.

“Everybody is excited about this and it means a lot to our guys and to the whole community,” Raider head coach Weston Moody said. “You go anywhere and people are amped up and rightfully so. Our kids were emotional on Friday, it was their last game on that field but Hayden said it best, the job isn’t done, we still want to make it to the top.”

This semifinal success story wasn’t without its fair share of adversity.

Things started smoothly enough in Wamego, as the Raiders took a 13-0 lead right out of the gates.

After that the Bullpups battled back, rattling off 16 unanswered points to snatch a 16-13 lead, Wamego trailed, but never lost their composure.

“We didn’t really freak out after we went down,” Moody said. “In years past, I think we’ve had a freak-out factor in moments like that when the momentum swings but our guys stayed calm and decided to pick it up and attack these guys.”

With his back to the wall, staring down elimination, Hayden Oviatt picked up the torch and with the wind of Wamego at his back, willed the Raiders back in front with three unanswered touchdowns to deliver the 33-16 victory.

“Having Hayden back is huge,” he said. “He gives us another weapon, and when he wills things they happen. There’s a reason he’s going to Army West Point and in the fourth quarter, we knew he was going to make it right. Everyone knew he was going to get the football but it didn’t matter.”

On the other side of the ball, those 16 unanswered McPherson points would be the last they would muster as the Raider defense did what it has done all season, tightening the screws and locking out the Bullpup offense.

“Our defense hunkered down,” Moody said. “They could have easily been shell-shocked but these guys decided that they were going to fight to the end no matter the circumstances. There’s no letdown in these guys whether they're up or down and they stymied them while our offense took over.”

In the end, this 17-point victory is the closest challenge anyone has laid to Wamego’s undefeated season, and with one final test ahead, there’s no doubt that the Raiders are peaking at the perfect time.

“We’re absolutely playing our best football right now,” he said. “When our guys were on the sideline in-between series’ making in-game adjustments and it’s cool to see them understand what we want to do and make it happen on the field. That comes with experience but I’m extremely proud of them.”

From the opening kickoff of the season, this Wamego team believed that they could win a state championship, 13 weeks later the Raiders will have an opportunity to do just that against a Miege juggernaut.

“Our guys believed that they could get here from day one and we still believe it now,” Moody said. “We’ve talked about it, we’ve worked for it since June and here we are in late November in a position to go after this. There won’t be a single person outside of our locker room that picks us to win over Miege and rightfully so but people didn’t think we could get here so why not shock them again.”

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAs the final whistle sounded in Wamego on Friday night, a profound realization set in around the stadium.For the first time in school history, the Red Raiders would be playing for a state championship.This 33-16 win over McPherson was just the latest in a run of 12 straight victories that have put Wamego on the doorstep of ultimate gridiron glory.“Everybody is excited about this and it means a lot to our guys and to the whole community,” Raider head coach Weston Moody said. “You go anywhere and people are amped up and rightfully so. Our kids were emotional on Friday, it was their last game on that field but Hayden said it best, the job isn’t done, we still want to make it to the top.”This semifinal success story wasn’t without its fair share of adversity.Things started smoothly enough in Wamego, as the Raiders took a 13-0 lead right out of the gates.After that the Bullpups battled back, rattling off 16 unanswered points to snatch a 16-13 lead, Wamego trailed, but never lost their composure.“We didn’t really freak out after we went down,” Moody said. “In years past, I think we’ve had a freak-out factor in moments like that when the momentum swings but our guys stayed calm and decided to pick it up and attack these guys.”With his back to the wall, staring down elimination, Hayden Oviatt picked up the torch and with the wind of Wamego at his back, willed the Raiders back in front with three unanswered touchdowns to deliver the 33-16 victory.“Having Hayden back is huge,” he said. “He gives us another weapon, and when he wills things they happen. There’s a reason he’s going to Army West Point and in the fourth quarter, we knew he was going to make it right. Everyone knew he was going to get the football but it didn’t matter.”On the other side of the ball, those 16 unanswered McPherson points would be the last they would muster as the Raider defense did what it has done all season, tightening the screws and locking out the Bullpup offense.“Our defense hunkered down,” Moody said. “They could have easily been shell-shocked but these guys decided that they were going to fight to the end no matter the circumstances. There’s no letdown in these guys whether they're up or down and they stymied them while our offense took over.”In the end, this 17-point victory is the closest challenge anyone has laid to Wamego’s undefeated season, and with one final test ahead, there’s no doubt that the Raiders are peaking at the perfect time.“We’re absolutely playing our best football right now,” he said. “When our guys were on the sideline in-between series’ making in-game adjustments and it’s cool to see them understand what we want to do and make it happen on the field. That comes with experience but I’m extremely proud of them.”From the opening kickoff of the season, this Wamego team believed that they could win a state championship, 13 weeks later the Raiders will have an opportunity to do just that against a Miege juggernaut.“Our guys believed that they could get here from day one and we still believe it now,” Moody said. “We’ve talked about it, we’ve worked for it since June and here we are in late November in a position to go after this. There won’t be a single person outside of our locker room that picks us to win over Miege and rightfully so but people didn’t think we could get here so why not shock them again.”

Raiders beat Bullpups to advance to first-ever state championship

PREP FOOTBALL=KSHSAA Football Championship=Sub-State=Class 6A=Gardner-Edgerton 56, Olathe Northwest 7Manhattan 28, Derby 23Class 5A=Maize 42, Hays 9Mill Valley 63, BV Southwest 0Class 4A=Bishop Miege 38, St. Thomas Aquinas 28Wamego 33, McPherson 16Class 3A=Andale 36, Clay Center 0Holton 48, Topeka Hayden 17Class 2A=Kingman 28, Southeast Saline 22, 2OTNemaha Central 30, Sabetha 14Class 1A=Inman 23, Conway Springs 6St. Mary's 46, Centralia 16Class 8-Man DII=Axtell 36, Canton-Galva 32Thunder Ridge 58, Dighton 12Class 8-Man DI=Little River 48, Burlingame 0Wichita County 76, Hill City 30Class 6-Man=Ashland 78, Cheylin 34Cunningham 60, Waverly 12

Friday night football scores

On Friday night, Wamego will take the field looking to do something that no team in Red Raider history has ever accomplished.

Punch a ticket to a state championship game, and earn the right to play for the title of best team in Class 4A.

Standing in their way is a McPherson squad that will be more than hungry to do the same, after being stopped in their tracks in the 4A semifinals three times in the last four years.

While Wamego wades into uncharted waters, the confidence and energy in the Red Raider locker room remain high as this group looks to ink their names in the history books on Friday night.

“Our mentality has been pretty good,” Wamego head coach Weston Moody said. “Everyone has been higher on us this week than they have been in the past. A lot of people thought we were good but not elite and I don’t think anyone believed we could get here besides the guys in our locker room.”

That confidence from within was tested last week when the Raiders found themselves down to Andover Central for a second-straight quarterfinal, but Wamego dusted themselves off and turned the tide to avenge last year’s elimination loss 42-7.

“That game started just like it did last year,” Moody said. “It was a disaster. All of those things go through your head, and that’s the most adversity that we’ve faced all year but our guys bounced back and it was nice to see us respond. We didn’t back down, we stepped up.”

Now, Wamego will turn its attention to a perennial power in McPherson, in the midst of another strong season, eliminating Mulvane 34-13, Ark City 35-0, and Towanda-Circle 49-28 last week.

Years ago, Bullpup head coach Jace Pavlovich hosted Coach Moody as a recruit at Fort Hays State, this week, the two will line up on opposite sidelines in mutual respect, but intent on sending the other home nonetheless.

“McPherson is very well coached,” Moody said. “I know that staff well and they’re going to have those guys ready to go. They don’t make many mistakes and they play hard. They’ve been down this year but they always battle back and I know we’re going to get a four-quarter battle. Their kids have been here before and the lights won’t be too bright for them.”

Offensively, the Bullpups have managed to remain even-keeled, gashing opposing secondaries for big gains through the air as effectively as they wear teams down on the ground.

“They’re balanced on offense and they have good quarterback and running back play,” he said. “Their offense is very similar to ours, they want to take what you give them and exploit that while avoiding silly mistakes. We’re going to have to be fundamentally sound, tackle in open space, and create some takeaways.”

On defense McPherson has looked stout as well, holding opponents to just 17.3 points per game and 253 yards of total offense through the regular season.

In order to find success on either side of the ball, Wamego must assert their will in the trenches, and play the more physical side of this blue-collar matchup.

“We’ve been pretty solid with our offensive line and our backs,” he said. “We have to continue to take what the defense gives us and we have to be the more physical team for four quarters. I think our guys are up for that challenge.”

While many teams appear worn down by week twelve, the competitive fire and hunger for greatness have propelled the Raiders to continue pressing each and every day in pursuit of a final act that has long evaded the Wamego faithful.

“I’ve been impressed with our guys’ attitude and willingness to continue looking to get better every day in practice,” Moody said. “We’ve been going since June and a long season can wear on kids sometimes but they haven’t been fatigued and I think our postseason experience has helped with that. I’m really impressed with how they’ve attacked each day.”

Kickoff between the Raiders and Bullpups is set for 7 pm at Wamego High School with the winner advancing to the 4A state championship to take on either 9-2 Bishop Miege or 9-2 St. Thomas Aquinas.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorOn Friday night, Wamego will take the field looking to do something that no team in Red Raider history has ever accomplished.Punch a ticket to a state championship game, and earn the right to play for the title of best team in Class 4A.Standing in their way is a McPherson squad that will be more than hungry to do the same, after being stopped in their tracks in the 4A semifinals three times in the last four years.While Wamego wades into uncharted waters, the confidence and energy in the Red Raider locker room remain high as this group looks to ink their names in the history books on Friday night.“Our mentality has been pretty good,” Wamego head coach Weston Moody said. “Everyone has been higher on us this week than they have been in the past. A lot of people thought we were good but not elite and I don’t think anyone believed we could get here besides the guys in our locker room.”That confidence from within was tested last week when the Raiders found themselves down to Andover Central for a second-straight quarterfinal, but Wamego dusted themselves off and turned the tide to avenge last year’s elimination loss 42-7.“That game started just like it did last year,” Moody said. “It was a disaster. All of those things go through your head, and that’s the most adversity that we’ve faced all year but our guys bounced back and it was nice to see us respond. We didn’t back down, we stepped up.”Now, Wamego will turn its attention to a perennial power in McPherson, in the midst of another strong season, eliminating Mulvane 34-13, Ark City 35-0, and Towanda-Circle 49-28 last week.Years ago, Bullpup head coach Jace Pavlovich hosted Coach Moody as a recruit at Fort Hays State, this week, the two will line up on opposite sidelines in mutual respect, but intent on sending the other home nonetheless.“McPherson is very well coached,” Moody said. “I know that staff well and they’re going to have those guys ready to go. They don’t make many mistakes and they play hard. They’ve been down this year but they always battle back and I know we’re going to get a four-quarter battle. Their kids have been here before and the lights won’t be too bright for them.”Offensively, the Bullpups have managed to remain even-keeled, gashing opposing secondaries for big gains through the air as effectively as they wear teams down on the ground.“They’re balanced on offense and they have good quarterback and running back play,” he said. “Their offense is very similar to ours, they want to take what you give them and exploit that while avoiding silly mistakes. We’re going to have to be fundamentally sound, tackle in open space, and create some takeaways.”On defense McPherson has looked stout as well, holding opponents to just 17.3 points per game and 253 yards of total offense through the regular season.In order to find success on either side of the ball, Wamego must assert their will in the trenches, and play the more physical side of this blue-collar matchup.“We’ve been pretty solid with our offensive line and our backs,” he said. “We have to continue to take what the defense gives us and we have to be the more physical team for four quarters. I think our guys are up for that challenge.”While many teams appear worn down by week twelve, the competitive fire and hunger for greatness have propelled the Raiders to continue pressing each and every day in pursuit of a final act that has long evaded the Wamego faithful.“I’ve been impressed with our guys’ attitude and willingness to continue looking to get better every day in practice,” Moody said. “We’ve been going since June and a long season can wear on kids sometimes but they haven’t been fatigued and I think our postseason experience has helped with that. I’m really impressed with how they’ve attacked each day.”Kickoff between the Raiders and Bullpups is set for 7 pm at Wamego High School with the winner advancing to the 4A state championship to take on either 9-2 Bishop Miege or 9-2 St. Thomas Aquinas.

Wamego to battle the Bullpups on the precipice of history

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 19 points, Cam Carter added 16 and Kansas State defeated Kansas City 69-53. Desi Sills scored 10 of his 11 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes to help the Wildcats blunt a Roos rally. Shemarri Allen scored 21 points, including 16 in the second half when the Roos cut a 20-point deficit to 10, the final time with four minutes to go. Anderson Kopp added 13 points. A soaring dunk by Johnson put K-State up by 20 early in the second half. But a 3-of-17 shooting stretch by the Wildcats aided Kansas City’s comeback. The Roos were not able to get the margin to single digits with Sills putting in four layups.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 19 points, Cam Carter added 16 and Kansas State defeated Kansas City 69-53. Desi Sills scored 10 of his 11 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes to help the Wildcats blunt a Roos rally. Shemarri Allen scored 21 points, including 16 in the second half when the Roos cut a 20-point deficit to 10, the final time with four minutes to go. Anderson Kopp added 13 points. A soaring dunk by Johnson put K-State up by 20 early in the second half. But a 3-of-17 shooting stretch by the Wildcats aided Kansas City’s comeback. The Roos were not able to get the margin to single digits with Sills putting in four layups.