By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

The NFL never really stops, so the offseason continues with the draft starting Thursday night.

The Carolina Panthers have the No. 1 overall pick and, as usual, a lot of the hype surrounds the quarterbacks. Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson are among the coveted prospects.

Here's more to know ahead of the NFL draft:

The draft is a three-day extravaganza in Kansas City, Missouri, starting Thursday night.

The first round begins at 8 p.m. Eastern. The second and third rounds are on Friday starting at 7 p.m. The fourth through seventh rounds are on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.

The draft can be viewed on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Everyone is pretty much asking the same questions about the NFL draft. See how AP's experts on NFL and college football answer them in AP's NFL mock draft.

The Panthers have the No. 1 pick in the draft after making a trade with the Chicago Bears.

After that, the Houston Texans select at No. 2, while the Arizona Cardinals are No. 3. The Indianapolis Colts (No. 4) and Seattle Seahawks (No. 5) round out the top 5.

The Panthers are expected to take a quarterback with the top selection. The candidates include Young, Stroud, Levis and Richardson.

Not every team has a draft pick in the first round. The Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers will sit the first night out unless they make a trade.

Four of the five teams are out of the first round because of trades. The one exception is the Dolphins. The NFL punished the franchise by taking away its 2023 first-round and 2024 third-round pick after a probe found the team tampered with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton.

The most loaded position in this draft might just be tight end. The record for tight ends drafted in the first round is three, most recently done in 2017. There is a chance that gets broken and more tight ends go in the first round than wideouts.

Notre Dame's Michael Mayer, Utah's Dalton Kincaid, Georgia's Darnell Washington and Oregon State's Luke Musgrave all have their fans and could be among those selected Thursday night.

The draft could also be a semi-renaissance for the running back spot. Texas' Bijan Robinson is one of the most coveted prospects at his position in the past decade. Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs, Texas A&amp;M's Devon Achane, UCLA's Zach Charbonnet and Tulane's Tyjae Spears are also talented prospects.

AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682363536790.jpeg" alt="Alabama quarterback Bryce Young talks on the field during the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, March 4. The national high school player of the year as a senior in California went on to become the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner as a sophomore at Alabama.&nbsp;Young is in the mix for the first pick in the NFL Draft later this week. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)" />
 <figcaption>Alabama quarterback Bryce Young talks on the field during the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, March 4. The national high school player of the year as a senior in California went on to become the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner as a sophomore at Alabama.&nbsp;Young is in the mix for the first pick in the NFL Draft later this week. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports WriterThe NFL never really stops, so the offseason continues with the draft starting Thursday night.The Carolina Panthers have the No. 1 overall pick and, as usual, a lot of the hype surrounds the quarterbacks. Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson are among the coveted prospects.Here's more to know ahead of the NFL draft:WHEN IS THE NFL DRAFT?The draft is a three-day extravaganza in Kansas City, Missouri, starting Thursday night.The first round begins at 8 p.m. Eastern. The second and third rounds are on Friday starting at 7 p.m. The fourth through seventh rounds are on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.The draft can be viewed on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.MOCK DRAFTEveryone is pretty much asking the same questions about the NFL draft. See how AP's experts on NFL and college football answer them in AP's NFL mock draft.WHO HAS THE TOP PICKS?The Panthers have the No. 1 pick in the draft after making a trade with the Chicago Bears.After that, the Houston Texans select at No. 2, while the Arizona Cardinals are No. 3. The Indianapolis Colts (No. 4) and Seattle Seahawks (No. 5) round out the top 5.The Panthers are expected to take a quarterback with the top selection. The candidates include Young, Stroud, Levis and Richardson.QUIET THURSDAYNot every team has a draft pick in the first round. The Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers will sit the first night out unless they make a trade.Four of the five teams are out of the first round because of trades. The one exception is the Dolphins. The NFL punished the franchise by taking away its 2023 first-round and 2024 third-round pick after a probe found the team tampered with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton.BIG DRAFT FOR TEs, RBs?The most loaded position in this draft might just be tight end. The record for tight ends drafted in the first round is three, most recently done in 2017. There is a chance that gets broken and more tight ends go in the first round than wideouts.Notre Dame's Michael Mayer, Utah's Dalton Kincaid, Georgia's Darnell Washington and Oregon State's Luke Musgrave all have their fans and could be among those selected Thursday night.The draft could also be a semi-renaissance for the running back spot. Texas' Bijan Robinson is one of the most coveted prospects at his position in the past decade. Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs, Texas A&amp;M's Devon Achane, UCLA's Zach Charbonnet and Tulane's Tyjae Spears are also talented prospects.AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo contributed to this report.

NFL Draft Guide: How to watch, who will go No. 1

NEW YORK - The NFL announced today it will collaborate with the Emmy-winning show “The Shop UNINTERRUPTED” for a special limited series, featuring top player prospects and personalities in Kansas City for the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Titled “Draft Day in The Shop,” executive producer&nbsp;Maverick Carter and co-creator&nbsp;Paul Rivera will welcome top 2023 NFL Draft prospects&nbsp; Anthony Richardson, Bijan Robinson, Paris Johnson, Jr., and Will Anderson, Jr., into The Shop to have authentic conversations about a range of topics, including pro football dreams, iconic plays, mentorship and life off the field.&nbsp; “As the NFL Draft continues to be a pillar of sports and culture, we’re thrilled to welcome ‘The Shop UNINTERRUPTED’ to the 2023 NFL Draft and showcase this year’s top prospects through intimate, unique conversations in an atmosphere only The Shop can provide,”&nbsp;said Angela Ellis, NFL Media’s vice president of original content and entertainment. NFL Media’s Emmy Award-winning production team –&nbsp;spearheaded by&nbsp;Dallas Hitchcock,&nbsp;head of creative content&nbsp;– leads the NFL’s first special content series with UNINTERRUPTED.&nbsp; This collaboration follows a pivotal past year for The Shop franchise. Last year, The Shop partnered with Amazon Prime Video to introduce TNF in The Shop, an all-new, live presentation of the show during Thursday Night Football. Most recently, season five of The Shop UNINTERRUPTED garnered a nomination from the 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards.  &nbsp; "We are incredibly excited to collaborate with the NFL as we continue to expand The Shop franchise," said Rivera, co-creator of The Shop and CMO of The SpringHill Company. "The Shop was created to build community and provide a safe space for authentic conversation. With so many eyes on Draft week, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to show up in Kansas City and empower the prospects with a seat in The Shop to tell their 'More Than An Athlete' stories." The&nbsp;“Draft Day in The Shop”&nbsp;content series will air exclusively on NFL+ beginning Thursday at noon ET. Additional content will be available on NFL and UNINTERRUPTED YouTube and social channels throughout Draft weekend (April 27 - 29).  &nbsp; Fans can visit NFL+ for continuous coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NFLNEW YORK - The NFL announced today it will collaborate with the Emmy-winning show “The Shop UNINTERRUPTED” for a special limited series, featuring top player prospects and personalities in Kansas City for the 2023 NFL Draft. Titled “Draft Day in The Shop,” executive producer&nbsp;Maverick Carter and co-creator&nbsp;Paul Rivera will welcome top 2023 NFL Draft prospects&nbsp; Anthony Richardson, Bijan Robinson, Paris Johnson, Jr., and Will Anderson, Jr., into The Shop to have authentic conversations about a range of topics, including pro football dreams, iconic plays, mentorship and life off the field.&nbsp; “As the NFL Draft continues to be a pillar of sports and culture, we’re thrilled to welcome ‘The Shop UNINTERRUPTED’ to the 2023 NFL Draft and showcase this year’s top prospects through intimate, unique conversations in an atmosphere only The Shop can provide,”&nbsp;said Angela Ellis, NFL Media’s vice president of original content and entertainment. NFL Media’s Emmy Award-winning production team –&nbsp;spearheaded by&nbsp;Dallas Hitchcock,&nbsp;head of creative content&nbsp;– leads the NFL’s first special content series with UNINTERRUPTED.&nbsp; This collaboration follows a pivotal past year for The Shop franchise. Last year, The Shop partnered with Amazon Prime Video to introduce TNF in The Shop, an all-new, live presentation of the show during Thursday Night Football. Most recently, season five of The Shop UNINTERRUPTED garnered a nomination from the 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards.  &nbsp; "We are incredibly excited to collaborate with the NFL as we continue to expand The Shop franchise," said Rivera, co-creator of The Shop and CMO of The SpringHill Company. "The Shop was created to build community and provide a safe space for authentic conversation. With so many eyes on Draft week, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to show up in Kansas City and empower the prospects with a seat in The Shop to tell their 'More Than An Athlete' stories." The&nbsp;“Draft Day in The Shop”&nbsp;content series will air exclusively on NFL+ beginning Thursday at noon ET. Additional content will be available on NFL and UNINTERRUPTED YouTube and social channels throughout Draft weekend (April 27 - 29).  &nbsp; Fans can visit NFL+ for continuous coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NFL, UNINTERRUPTED to collaborate on 'Draft Day in The Shop' series

KANSAS CITY&nbsp;— The Kansas City Current earned the team’s first regular-season win with a 2-0 result over the Orlando Pride. This is the Current’s second consecutive win across all competitions, as the team also defeated the Houston Dash in 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play earlier this week.

Of course, I’m really happy today about the win against Orlando,” said interim head coach Caroline Sjöblom. “We didn’t have that many practices to prepare for this game, but I think that the players followed the game plan today, 100%. So I’m really proud of our players, and of course all the game changers that came in the game as well.”

The Current came out strong in the first half, with several big chances throughout the first 45 minutes. In the 13th minute, defender Hailie Mace charged up the left-hand side and dodged around Pride defender Emily Madril. Her shot forced a diving save from Orlando goalkeeper Carly Nelson, who sent the rebound toward midfielder Cece Kizer. Kizer’s ensuing shot was pushed just out of bounds by the Orlando back line.

Kansas City was knocking on the door in the second half. The action kicked off just two minutes in, when midfielder Debinha raced past the Pride defense to find a perfectly placed ball from defender Kate Del Fava. The Brazilian was tackled at the edge of the box to stop the run.

In the 51st minute, the Current had two in a row. Rookie forward Michelle Cooper muscled past the Orlando defense to rip a shot from the top of the box. Orlando’s goalkeeper was in the right place at the right time to make an easy save. Just seconds later, Debinha intercepted the ball to lay off a quick pass to midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo. She quickly hit a left-footed shot that sailed toward goal but was scooped up by Nelson.

Kansas City did find the back of the net in the 64th minute, when defender Izzy Rodriguez forced high pressure on the Orlando goalkeeper. Nelson attempted to clear the ball out, but defender Hailie Mace intercepted the clearance at the edge of the box. She laid the ball off for Debinha, who charged past two Pride defenders and slid the ball into the far corner of the goal.

Just four minutes later, the Current did it again. It was another run down the left by Mace, who rushed past the Pride back line and sent a cross into the box. Kizer found it at the back post and tapped it in for her second goal of the season.

With two assists, Hailie Mace becomes the first Kansas City Current player to log multiple assists in one regular season match in club history. Goalkeeper Cassie Miller logged her second clean sheet in a row across all competitions, an impressive feat as she faced nine corner kicks from the Orlando Pride. She now has four career clean sheets with Kansas City across all competitions.

The Kansas City Current returns to action next weekend at home, facing NJ/NY Gotham FC on April 30 at 5 p.m. CT. Season tickets, flex plans, and single-match tickets are available for all home matches at Children’s Mercy Park. For pricing and information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansascitycurrent.com/" target="_blank">kansascitycurrent.com</a>.

Kansas City CurrentKANSAS CITY&nbsp;— The Kansas City Current earned the team’s first regular-season win with a 2-0 result over the Orlando Pride. This is the Current’s second consecutive win across all competitions, as the team also defeated the Houston Dash in 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play earlier this week.Of course, I’m really happy today about the win against Orlando,” said interim head coach Caroline Sjöblom. “We didn’t have that many practices to prepare for this game, but I think that the players followed the game plan today, 100%. So I’m really proud of our players, and of course all the game changers that came in the game as well.”The Current came out strong in the first half, with several big chances throughout the first 45 minutes. In the 13th minute, defender Hailie Mace charged up the left-hand side and dodged around Pride defender Emily Madril. Her shot forced a diving save from Orlando goalkeeper Carly Nelson, who sent the rebound toward midfielder Cece Kizer. Kizer’s ensuing shot was pushed just out of bounds by the Orlando back line.Kansas City was knocking on the door in the second half. The action kicked off just two minutes in, when midfielder Debinha raced past the Pride defense to find a perfectly placed ball from defender Kate Del Fava. The Brazilian was tackled at the edge of the box to stop the run.In the 51st minute, the Current had two in a row. Rookie forward Michelle Cooper muscled past the Orlando defense to rip a shot from the top of the box. Orlando’s goalkeeper was in the right place at the right time to make an easy save. Just seconds later, Debinha intercepted the ball to lay off a quick pass to midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo. She quickly hit a left-footed shot that sailed toward goal but was scooped up by Nelson.Kansas City did find the back of the net in the 64th minute, when defender Izzy Rodriguez forced high pressure on the Orlando goalkeeper. Nelson attempted to clear the ball out, but defender Hailie Mace intercepted the clearance at the edge of the box. She laid the ball off for Debinha, who charged past two Pride defenders and slid the ball into the far corner of the goal.Just four minutes later, the Current did it again. It was another run down the left by Mace, who rushed past the Pride back line and sent a cross into the box. Kizer found it at the back post and tapped it in for her second goal of the season.With two assists, Hailie Mace becomes the first Kansas City Current player to log multiple assists in one regular season match in club history. Goalkeeper Cassie Miller logged her second clean sheet in a row across all competitions, an impressive feat as she faced nine corner kicks from the Orlando Pride. She now has four career clean sheets with Kansas City across all competitions.The Kansas City Current returns to action next weekend at home, facing NJ/NY Gotham FC on April 30 at 5 p.m. CT. Season tickets, flex plans, and single-match tickets are available for all home matches at Children’s Mercy Park. For pricing and information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansascitycurrent.com/" target="_blank">kansascitycurrent.com</a>.

KC Current earns 1st regular season home win against Orlando Pride

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Taylor Ward, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani hit consecutive homers in the sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Trout also had two doubles for the Angels, who managed only one hit in the first five innings against Jordan Lyles (0-4) before the heart of their order unloaded on the Kansas City starter during a nine-pitch span.

Ward's drive into the short left-field porch was followed by Trout's fifth homer of the year and Ohtani's 415-foot blast to center for his own fifth homer. Los Angeles hadn't hit back-to-back-to-back homers since June 8, 2019.

Ward scored two runs in the Angels' second victory in five games.

MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. connected for the Royals, who opened their 10-game trip by losing two of three in Anaheim. Kansas City has lost eight of nine and 11 of 13.

Reid Detmers yielded seven hits while pitching into the sixth for the Angels. Austin Warren (1-0) gave up Witt's homer in the seventh during his second appearance of the season, and Carlos Estévez got his third save with a six-pitch ninth inning.

Lyles yielded four hits over six innings with five strikeouts.

Melendez homered in the first, but Ward scored on Ohtani's flyout later in the inning after advancing on Trout's double.

Pasquantino delivered his fourth homer with one out in the sixth, but Ward tied it again on the first pitch of the Angels' half of the inning. Trout then secured the Angels' first back-to-back homers since April 2 with an 0-2 drive to right, and Ohtani homered to center five pitches later.

Three homers gave the Royals ample opportunity to use an apparently new home run helmet — a silver chapeau resembling a medieval knight's headgear that they placed on the home-run hitter's head upon his return to the dugout.

The Angels are pioneers in this field, trading in last year's home-run cowboy hat this spring for a large samurai helmet suggested by Ohtani.

Freddy Fermín got his first major league hit with a single in the third for Kansas City. The 27-year-old Venezuelan catcher is batting .293 at Triple-A Omaha, and he got a chance in the majors this weekend with Franmil Reyes on the paternity list.

Royals: Melendez left in the fourth inning with lower back tightness. Hunter Dozier replaced him in right field.

Angels: Promising rookie C Logan O'Hoppe will be sidelined for four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. O'Hoppe was off to an outstanding start after seizing the Halos' starting job behind the plate out of spring training, but he injured himself last week.

Royals: Brad Keller (2-2, 3.00 ERA) takes the mound when Kansas City continues its road trip in Arizona on Monday.

Angels: José Suarez (0-1, 9.26 ERA) has a golden opportunity to get his disappointing season on track when the struggling Oakland Athletics open a four-game series at the Big A on Monday.

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports WriterANAHEIM, Calif. — Taylor Ward, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani hit consecutive homers in the sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.Trout also had two doubles for the Angels, who managed only one hit in the first five innings against Jordan Lyles (0-4) before the heart of their order unloaded on the Kansas City starter during a nine-pitch span.Ward's drive into the short left-field porch was followed by Trout's fifth homer of the year and Ohtani's 415-foot blast to center for his own fifth homer. Los Angeles hadn't hit back-to-back-to-back homers since June 8, 2019.Ward scored two runs in the Angels' second victory in five games.MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. connected for the Royals, who opened their 10-game trip by losing two of three in Anaheim. Kansas City has lost eight of nine and 11 of 13.Reid Detmers yielded seven hits while pitching into the sixth for the Angels. Austin Warren (1-0) gave up Witt's homer in the seventh during his second appearance of the season, and Carlos Estévez got his third save with a six-pitch ninth inning.Lyles yielded four hits over six innings with five strikeouts.Melendez homered in the first, but Ward scored on Ohtani's flyout later in the inning after advancing on Trout's double.Pasquantino delivered his fourth homer with one out in the sixth, but Ward tied it again on the first pitch of the Angels' half of the inning. Trout then secured the Angels' first back-to-back homers since April 2 with an 0-2 drive to right, and Ohtani homered to center five pitches later.TIN CAPThree homers gave the Royals ample opportunity to use an apparently new home run helmet — a silver chapeau resembling a medieval knight's headgear that they placed on the home-run hitter's head upon his return to the dugout.The Angels are pioneers in this field, trading in last year's home-run cowboy hat this spring for a large samurai helmet suggested by Ohtani.FAST FREDDYFreddy Fermín got his first major league hit with a single in the third for Kansas City. The 27-year-old Venezuelan catcher is batting .293 at Triple-A Omaha, and he got a chance in the majors this weekend with Franmil Reyes on the paternity list.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Melendez left in the fourth inning with lower back tightness. Hunter Dozier replaced him in right field.Angels: Promising rookie C Logan O'Hoppe will be sidelined for four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. O'Hoppe was off to an outstanding start after seizing the Halos' starting job behind the plate out of spring training, but he injured himself last week.UP NEXTRoyals: Brad Keller (2-2, 3.00 ERA) takes the mound when Kansas City continues its road trip in Arizona on Monday.Angels: José Suarez (0-1, 9.26 ERA) has a golden opportunity to get his disappointing season on track when the struggling Oakland Athletics open a four-game series at the Big A on Monday.

Ward, Trout, Ohtani hit 3 straight HRs, Angels beat KC 4-3

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor

Following a brief stumble at the hands of the Omaha Beef last week, the Salina Liberty rebounded in a big way on Saturday, defeating the Southwest Kansas Storm 45-38.

With this win, the Liberty remain in fourth at 5-2, while the Storm fall to 2-4 on the season.

The main attraction of this game was a battle between two quarterbacks debuting for their new teams, and it appears the Liberty have found their missing piece, as Ed Crouch looked every bit as good as advertised in the victory.

The former FCF MVP racked up 179 all-purpose yards under center, tossing five touchdowns through the air and adding one on the ground while surrendering just two interceptions on the day.

On the other side of things, it was a rough day for new Storm signal-caller Josh Hollins, who threw three picks to just one TD, but did add three rushing scores in the loss.

Once again, the Liberty secondary feasted on poor passes, as Deetray Matthews, Trevon Slayton, and Tyrie Allen each recorded an interception on a day that saw Salina break even in their turnover differential.

Salina struck first in this game and never looked back, taking the early 8-0 lead on a connection from Crouch to Anthony Love to open the scoring.

By halftime, the Liberty lead had grown to 22-15, and the offense picked up right where they left off out of the locker room with another Crouch hookup to Love to extend the advantage to 14.

The Storm battled, and actually managed to outscore Salina the rest of the way, but their comeback effort came up short as the Liberty secured the win to get back on track.

With the regular season a little over halfway in the books, the Liberty are in an excellent position to secure a playoff spot, and will have a non-league game at home against the Queen City Insane Asylum this Saturday before resuming league play on May 6th.

Salina will play two of their final three games on the road, with trips to Southwest Kansas and Wyoming bookending a home game with Sioux City before the CIF playoffs get underway.

For continuing coverage of Liberty football all season long stay tuned to the Salina, JC, and Little Apple Posts.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617387097958.png" alt="Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>Following a brief stumble at the hands of the Omaha Beef last week, the Salina Liberty rebounded in a big way on Saturday, defeating the Southwest Kansas Storm 45-38.With this win, the Liberty remain in fourth at 5-2, while the Storm fall to 2-4 on the season.The main attraction of this game was a battle between two quarterbacks debuting for their new teams, and it appears the Liberty have found their missing piece, as Ed Crouch looked every bit as good as advertised in the victory.The former FCF MVP racked up 179 all-purpose yards under center, tossing five touchdowns through the air and adding one on the ground while surrendering just two interceptions on the day.On the other side of things, it was a rough day for new Storm signal-caller Josh Hollins, who threw three picks to just one TD, but did add three rushing scores in the loss.Once again, the Liberty secondary feasted on poor passes, as Deetray Matthews, Trevon Slayton, and Tyrie Allen each recorded an interception on a day that saw Salina break even in their turnover differential.Salina struck first in this game and never looked back, taking the early 8-0 lead on a connection from Crouch to Anthony Love to open the scoring.By halftime, the Liberty lead had grown to 22-15, and the offense picked up right where they left off out of the locker room with another Crouch hookup to Love to extend the advantage to 14.The Storm battled, and actually managed to outscore Salina the rest of the way, but their comeback effort came up short as the Liberty secured the win to get back on track.With the regular season a little over halfway in the books, the Liberty are in an excellent position to secure a playoff spot, and will have a non-league game at home against the Queen City Insane Asylum this Saturday before resuming league play on May 6th.Salina will play two of their final three games on the road, with trips to Southwest Kansas and Wyoming bookending a home game with Sioux City before the CIF playoffs get underway.For continuing coverage of Liberty football all season long stay tuned to the Salina, JC, and Little Apple Posts.

Crouch shines in debut as Liberty quiet Storm 45-38

HILLSBORO –&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan women's track saw some great performances for the Coyotes on Saturday at the Tabor College Invitational at Joel Wiens Stadium.

The 4x100m relay picked up an event win as the group of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14299">Tamayia Washington</a>&nbsp;(SO/Manhattan, Kan.),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14310">Grace Pearson</a>&nbsp;(FR/Cypress, Texas),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14313">Grayce Tankersley</a>&nbsp;(FR/Hillsboro, Kan.) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14302">Bailey Mann</a>&nbsp;(SO/Ferris, Texas) finished with a time of 52.34 seconds.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14314">Elizabeth Stout</a>&nbsp;(FR/Holden, Mo.) won the shot put with a mark of 11.37m,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14294">Nicole Holaday</a>&nbsp;(SR/Gove, Kan.) was fifth with a mark of 10.75m, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14297">Saffron Jacobs</a>&nbsp;(JR/Johannesburg, South Africa) was 10th&nbsp;with a mark of 9.75m.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14310">Grace Pearson</a>&nbsp;placed second in the 200m with a time of 26.09 seconds, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14313">Grayce Tankersley</a>&nbsp;was ninth with a time of 28.48.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14313">Grayce Tankersley</a>&nbsp;placed second in the long jump with a mark of 4.74m.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14297">Saffron Jacobs</a>&nbsp;placed third with a mark of 37.99m, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14314">Elizabeth Stout</a>&nbsp;was seventh with a mark of 32.98m.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14294">Nicole Holaday</a>&nbsp;was third in the hammer throw with a mark of 42.79m,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14312">Brooklyn Sloane</a>&nbsp;(FR/Hill City, Kan.) was 11th&nbsp;with a mark of 30.41m, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14314">Elizabeth Stout</a>&nbsp;was 15th&nbsp;with a mark of 29.25m.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14308">Madisyn Ehrlich</a>&nbsp;(FR/Salina, Kan.) placed third in the 800m in 2:29.77,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14303">Josie Koppes</a>&nbsp;(SO/Manhattan, Kan.) placed fourth in 2:31.33,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14295">Regan Rhodes</a>&nbsp;(SR/Mullinville, Kan.) was sixth in 2:42.28,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14300">Alayna Behrman</a>&nbsp;(SO/Craig, Colo.) was seventh in 2:43.27 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14298">Savannah Pilsner</a>&nbsp;(SO/Columbus, Texas) was 14th&nbsp;in 3:02.73.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14311">Joni Schroeder</a>&nbsp;(FR/Salina, Kan.) placed 12th&nbsp;in the 1500m with a time of 5:33.43.

The Coyotes are back in action next weekend at the Southwestern Relays in Winfield.

KWU Sports InformationHILLSBORO –&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan women's track saw some great performances for the Coyotes on Saturday at the Tabor College Invitational at Joel Wiens Stadium.The 4x100m relay picked up an event win as the group of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14299">Tamayia Washington</a>&nbsp;(SO/Manhattan, Kan.),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14310">Grace Pearson</a>&nbsp;(FR/Cypress, Texas),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14313">Grayce Tankersley</a>&nbsp;(FR/Hillsboro, Kan.) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14302">Bailey Mann</a>&nbsp;(SO/Ferris, Texas) finished with a time of 52.34 seconds.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14314">Elizabeth Stout</a>&nbsp;(FR/Holden, Mo.) won the shot put with a mark of 11.37m,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14294">Nicole Holaday</a>&nbsp;(SR/Gove, Kan.) was fifth with a mark of 10.75m, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14297">Saffron Jacobs</a>&nbsp;(JR/Johannesburg, South Africa) was 10th&nbsp;with a mark of 9.75m.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14310">Grace Pearson</a>&nbsp;placed second in the 200m with a time of 26.09 seconds, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14313">Grayce Tankersley</a>&nbsp;was ninth with a time of 28.48.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14313">Grayce Tankersley</a>&nbsp;placed second in the long jump with a mark of 4.74m.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14297">Saffron Jacobs</a>&nbsp;placed third with a mark of 37.99m, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14314">Elizabeth Stout</a>&nbsp;was seventh with a mark of 32.98m.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14294">Nicole Holaday</a>&nbsp;was third in the hammer throw with a mark of 42.79m,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14312">Brooklyn Sloane</a>&nbsp;(FR/Hill City, Kan.) was 11th&nbsp;with a mark of 30.41m, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14314">Elizabeth Stout</a>&nbsp;was 15th&nbsp;with a mark of 29.25m.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14308">Madisyn Ehrlich</a>&nbsp;(FR/Salina, Kan.) placed third in the 800m in 2:29.77,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14303">Josie Koppes</a>&nbsp;(SO/Manhattan, Kan.) placed fourth in 2:31.33,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14295">Regan Rhodes</a>&nbsp;(SR/Mullinville, Kan.) was sixth in 2:42.28,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14300">Alayna Behrman</a>&nbsp;(SO/Craig, Colo.) was seventh in 2:43.27 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14298">Savannah Pilsner</a>&nbsp;(SO/Columbus, Texas) was 14th&nbsp;in 3:02.73.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/17/14311">Joni Schroeder</a>&nbsp;(FR/Salina, Kan.) placed 12th&nbsp;in the 1500m with a time of 5:33.43.The Coyotes are back in action next weekend at the Southwestern Relays in Winfield.

KWU women's track continues season at Tabor Invitational

OTTAWA –&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan men's tennis dropped a 5-2 decision to the Ottawa Braves on Saturday at Forest Park in the KCAC finale for the Coyotes.

Wesleyan finishes the conference season with a 6-5 record, 8-10 overall, and will head to Ottawa on Wednesday to face the Braves again in the KCAC quarterfinals.

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13541">Bryce Ware</a>&nbsp;(SO/Amarillo, Texas) scored one of two points for the Coyotes in the match, winning at No. 1 singles, defeating Santiago Tartaglia 6-2, 6-4.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13545">Luke Craft</a>&nbsp;(SO/Manhattan, Kan.) picked up the other point for the Coyotes with a win at No. 6 singles beating Eric Czapinski 6-4, 6-4.

Ottawa got wins in the other four singles matches. Julian Toloza beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13543">Garrison Wright</a>&nbsp;(SO/Maize, Kan.) 6-4, 6-4; Jhoel Quinonez beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13985">Jacob Phelps</a>&nbsp;(FR/Lawton, Okla.) 6-3, 6-3; Kevin Ugarteche beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13992">Adam Hanson</a>&nbsp;(FR/Edmond, Okla.) 6-3, 6-2; and Oscar Giorgio beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13984">Collin Phelps</a>&nbsp;(FR/Salina, Kan.) 6-1, 6-1.

In doubles, KWU got a win in the No. 1 flight but could not pick up another win as Ottawa claimed the doubles point. Ware and Wright beat Giorgio and Toloza 6-2 for the Coyote win. Oscar Aguilera and Tartaglia beat Hanson and Craft 6-1; and Quinonez and Ugarteche beat Collin and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13985">Jacob Phelps</a>&nbsp;6-0.

KWU Sports InformationOTTAWA –&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan men's tennis dropped a 5-2 decision to the Ottawa Braves on Saturday at Forest Park in the KCAC finale for the Coyotes.Wesleyan finishes the conference season with a 6-5 record, 8-10 overall, and will head to Ottawa on Wednesday to face the Braves again in the KCAC quarterfinals.<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13541">Bryce Ware</a>&nbsp;(SO/Amarillo, Texas) scored one of two points for the Coyotes in the match, winning at No. 1 singles, defeating Santiago Tartaglia 6-2, 6-4.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13545">Luke Craft</a>&nbsp;(SO/Manhattan, Kan.) picked up the other point for the Coyotes with a win at No. 6 singles beating Eric Czapinski 6-4, 6-4.Ottawa got wins in the other four singles matches. Julian Toloza beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13543">Garrison Wright</a>&nbsp;(SO/Maize, Kan.) 6-4, 6-4; Jhoel Quinonez beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13985">Jacob Phelps</a>&nbsp;(FR/Lawton, Okla.) 6-3, 6-3; Kevin Ugarteche beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13992">Adam Hanson</a>&nbsp;(FR/Edmond, Okla.) 6-3, 6-2; and Oscar Giorgio beat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13984">Collin Phelps</a>&nbsp;(FR/Salina, Kan.) 6-1, 6-1.In doubles, KWU got a win in the No. 1 flight but could not pick up another win as Ottawa claimed the doubles point. Ware and Wright beat Giorgio and Toloza 6-2 for the Coyote win. Oscar Aguilera and Tartaglia beat Hanson and Craft 6-1; and Quinonez and Ugarteche beat Collin and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/8/13985">Jacob Phelps</a>&nbsp;6-0.

Coyote men fall to Ottawa; Ware, Craft score points for KWU

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Giacomo Vrioni scored two goals a few minutes apart to lead the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.

Vrioni first-timed a cross played by Emmanuel Boateng to open the scoring in the 31st minute and made it 2-0 in the 35th minute with a putback of a missed shot by Carles Gil.

Johnny Russell scored for Sporting KC (0-6-3).

The Revolution outshot Sporting KC 16-8, with nine shots on goal to three for Sporting KC.

Djordje Petrovic had two saves for the Revolution. Tim Melia stopped seven shots for Sporting KC.

Sporting played a man down after Andreu Fontàs was shown a red card for denying an obvious run scoring opportunity in the 61st minute.

Both teams next play Saturday. The Revolution host Cincinnati and Sporting KC hosts Montreal.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Giacomo Vrioni scored two goals a few minutes apart to lead the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.Vrioni first-timed a cross played by Emmanuel Boateng to open the scoring in the 31st minute and made it 2-0 in the 35th minute with a putback of a missed shot by Carles Gil.Johnny Russell scored for Sporting KC (0-6-3).The Revolution outshot Sporting KC 16-8, with nine shots on goal to three for Sporting KC.Djordje Petrovic had two saves for the Revolution. Tim Melia stopped seven shots for Sporting KC.Sporting played a man down after Andreu Fontàs was shown a red card for denying an obvious run scoring opportunity in the 61st minute.Both teams next play Saturday. The Revolution host Cincinnati and Sporting KC hosts Montreal.The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Vrioni scores 2 goals as Revolution beats Sporting KC 2-1

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif — MJ Melendez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded as the Kansas City Royals scored five times in the ninth inning to rally for an 11-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels that snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday night.

Hunter Dozier had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run single in the ninth that provided some insurance for the Royals. Matt Duffy also had three hits.

The Angels lost despite hitting four home runs for the second time this season. Matt Thaiss gave the Halos an 8-6 lead in the eighth inning with a two-run shot, but José Quijada (0-1) was unable to hold it.

Hunter Renfroe went deep twice and Mike Trout homered for the first time in two weeks. It is the sixth time since 2020 the Angels have lost when hitting at least four homers.

Quijada hit two Royals batters with pitches in the ninth. Nicky Lopez reached to lead off the inning after getting plunked and then scored when Kyle Isbel doubled off the right-center wall. Isbel advanced to third on a throwing error and scored to tie it at 8 on Edward Olivares' one-out base hit.

Quijada loaded the bases with walks to Salvador Perez and Duffy before he hit Melendez with an 0-2 fastball to bring Olivares home with the go-ahead run.

Scott Barlow retired the Angels in order in the ninth for his second save.

Renfroe led off the eighth with a double. Gio Urshela grounded out and Brandon Drury struck out looking before Thaiss connected on a first-pitch slider from Jose Cuas (1-0) to give the Halos an 8-6 advantage.

Renfroe had a pair of solo shots to left field for the 18th multi-homer game of his career. His homer in the fourth inning got the Angels to 3-2. It barely stayed fair and made it over the short wall in the left-field corner as Kansas City outfielder Nate Eaton was unable to get to it in time.

Renfroe's team-leading sixth homer leading off the sixth was a no-doubter.

Trout, out of Friday's lineup after the Angels' cross-country trip, had a two-run shot in the fifth for his fourth of the season.

Kansas City appeared to get out of the sixth with a 6-5 lead after Zach Neto flied out, but plate umpire Mark Ripperger called a balk before the pitch, keeping the inning alive.

Drury advanced to second on the balk and scored the tying run two pitches later when Neto singled to right field.

Royals: LHP Daniel Lynch (rotator cuff strain) went two innings during an extended spring training outing.

Angels: OF Taylor Ward, who has only two hits in his last 26 at-bats, got the night off.

The teams wrap up their weekend series Sunday. Kansas City RHP Jordan Lyles (0-3, 4.62 ERA), who has a 4-4 career mark against the Angels, takes on Reid Detmers (0-1, 4.50). The left-hander allowed five earned runs in his only previous start against the Royals last season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682223582776.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals second baseman Matt Duffy (15) celebrates in the dugout after scoring off of a triple by MJ Melendez during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday.&nbsp;(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals second baseman Matt Duffy (15) celebrates in the dugout after scoring off of a triple by MJ Melendez during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday.&nbsp;(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOE REEDY AP Sports WriterANAHEIM, Calif — MJ Melendez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded as the Kansas City Royals scored five times in the ninth inning to rally for an 11-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels that snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday night.Hunter Dozier had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run single in the ninth that provided some insurance for the Royals. Matt Duffy also had three hits.The Angels lost despite hitting four home runs for the second time this season. Matt Thaiss gave the Halos an 8-6 lead in the eighth inning with a two-run shot, but José Quijada (0-1) was unable to hold it.Hunter Renfroe went deep twice and Mike Trout homered for the first time in two weeks. It is the sixth time since 2020 the Angels have lost when hitting at least four homers.Quijada hit two Royals batters with pitches in the ninth. Nicky Lopez reached to lead off the inning after getting plunked and then scored when Kyle Isbel doubled off the right-center wall. Isbel advanced to third on a throwing error and scored to tie it at 8 on Edward Olivares' one-out base hit.Quijada loaded the bases with walks to Salvador Perez and Duffy before he hit Melendez with an 0-2 fastball to bring Olivares home with the go-ahead run.Scott Barlow retired the Angels in order in the ninth for his second save.Renfroe led off the eighth with a double. Gio Urshela grounded out and Brandon Drury struck out looking before Thaiss connected on a first-pitch slider from Jose Cuas (1-0) to give the Halos an 8-6 advantage.ALL FOR NAUGHTRenfroe had a pair of solo shots to left field for the 18th multi-homer game of his career. His homer in the fourth inning got the Angels to 3-2. It barely stayed fair and made it over the short wall in the left-field corner as Kansas City outfielder Nate Eaton was unable to get to it in time.Renfroe's team-leading sixth homer leading off the sixth was a no-doubter.Trout, out of Friday's lineup after the Angels' cross-country trip, had a two-run shot in the fifth for his fourth of the season.NOT SO FASTKansas City appeared to get out of the sixth with a 6-5 lead after Zach Neto flied out, but plate umpire Mark Ripperger called a balk before the pitch, keeping the inning alive.Drury advanced to second on the balk and scored the tying run two pitches later when Neto singled to right field.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: LHP Daniel Lynch (rotator cuff strain) went two innings during an extended spring training outing.Angels: OF Taylor Ward, who has only two hits in his last 26 at-bats, got the night off.UP NEXTThe teams wrap up their weekend series Sunday. Kansas City RHP Jordan Lyles (0-3, 4.62 ERA), who has a 4-4 career mark against the Angels, takes on Reid Detmers (0-1, 4.50). The left-hander allowed five earned runs in his only previous start against the Royals last season.

Royals rally with 5 in 9th for 11-8 victory over Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani struck out the side on 12 pitches in the first inning Friday night, throwing sweepers that broke horizontally like Frisbees and punctuating them with a 98.7-mph fastball. Angels manager Phil Nevin said he had never seen an inning more dominant during his nearly three decades in the big leagues.

Ohtani remained far too much for the Kansas City Royals to handle in his latest outstanding start.

Ohtani struck out a season-high 11 and allowed two hits over seven innings, and fill-in catcher Chad Wallach hit a two-run homer in Los Angeles' 2-0 victory.

Ohtani (3-0) returned to the mound just four days after a lengthy rain delay limited him to two innings in Boston, and the two-way superstar didn't miss a beat in his spectacular season on the mound. After fanning the side in that incredible first, Ohtani also struck out his final six batters — and in between, Kansas City managed two singles and two walks while getting just one runner to second base.

"From a hitter's standpoint, I would have no idea what to prepare for," Nevin said. "Because he's got 98 in there, but he doesn't usually throw the fastball a lot. The sweeper is kind of unhittable when he's throwing it for strikes. I'm glad I don't have to face him. I'm glad he's on my side."

Ohtani has given up two runs and eight hits over 28 innings with 38 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.64 — the lowest in franchise history through a pitcher's first five starts. Ohtani also extended his franchise record with his 12th consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer.

Wallach stepped up impressively in the absence of injured rookie catcher Logan O'Hoppe, helping Ohtani behind the plate and also delivering the decisive homer in his first major league at-bat of the season.

"I love catching him," Wallach said. "Probably the best stuff I've ever seen, so it's fun for me to be back there and just catch pitches. ... (The first inning) was the best I've ever seen. He was throwing it exactly where he wanted to, and just all the pitches were nasty."

After issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth, Ohtani fanned six in a row to secure his major league-best 12th double-digit strikeout game since the start of 2022.

Carlos Estévez and Jose Quijada completed a three-hit shutout, with Quijada giving up a one-out single to Bobby Witt Jr. before finishing his fourth save in front of Angel Stadium's third sellout crowd of the year.

Kansas City opened a 10-game trip with its seventh consecutive loss and its 10th in 11 games.

"He's special pretty much any night he takes the field," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Ohtani. "He came out, struck out the side in the first, and then I think our at-bats got better over the next four innings or so, and then he introduced that curveball late. We hadn't seen that, and it kept us off balance. He's got a huge arsenal. Overall, the at-bats were pretty good, considering we were facing him. But it wasn't good enough. … (Ohtani) seems like somebody who can do whatever he sets out to do."

Wallach, who joined the Angels earlier Friday from Triple-A Salt Lake, drove a changeup from Ryan Yarbrough (0-2) 424 feet in the third inning for just his second big league homer since 2020.

Kansas City pitched a bullpen game in the rotation slot of injured left-hander Kris Bubic, with opener Taylor Clarke throwing two scoreless innings.

Mike Trout got the night off for the Angels in their return from a disappointing seven-game East Coast trip.

Angels rookie shortstop Zach Neto was hit by a pitch in each of his first two at-bats. He already has been hit by five pitches in his first seven games in the majors.

Royals: Bubic will have Tommy John surgery next week. He made three starts this season and showed improved form before his elbow ligament woes were diagnosed.

Angels: O'Hoppe went on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder problem. The promising rookie hurt himself on swings Monday and again Thursday, but the team hasn't revealed much about the nature of his injury. Wallach and Matt Thaiss are the Angels' two remaining catchers, with Max Stassi yet to make his season debut.

Tyler Anderson (1-0, 6.75 ERA) makes the fourth start of his Angels career in search of his first victory over the Royals, who counter with former Angels right-hander Zack Greinke (0-3. 4.03).

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports WriterANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani struck out the side on 12 pitches in the first inning Friday night, throwing sweepers that broke horizontally like Frisbees and punctuating them with a 98.7-mph fastball. Angels manager Phil Nevin said he had never seen an inning more dominant during his nearly three decades in the big leagues.Ohtani remained far too much for the Kansas City Royals to handle in his latest outstanding start.Ohtani struck out a season-high 11 and allowed two hits over seven innings, and fill-in catcher Chad Wallach hit a two-run homer in Los Angeles' 2-0 victory.Ohtani (3-0) returned to the mound just four days after a lengthy rain delay limited him to two innings in Boston, and the two-way superstar didn't miss a beat in his spectacular season on the mound. After fanning the side in that incredible first, Ohtani also struck out his final six batters — and in between, Kansas City managed two singles and two walks while getting just one runner to second base."From a hitter's standpoint, I would have no idea what to prepare for," Nevin said. "Because he's got 98 in there, but he doesn't usually throw the fastball a lot. The sweeper is kind of unhittable when he's throwing it for strikes. I'm glad I don't have to face him. I'm glad he's on my side."Ohtani has given up two runs and eight hits over 28 innings with 38 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.64 — the lowest in franchise history through a pitcher's first five starts. Ohtani also extended his franchise record with his 12th consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer.Wallach stepped up impressively in the absence of injured rookie catcher Logan O'Hoppe, helping Ohtani behind the plate and also delivering the decisive homer in his first major league at-bat of the season."I love catching him," Wallach said. "Probably the best stuff I've ever seen, so it's fun for me to be back there and just catch pitches. ... (The first inning) was the best I've ever seen. He was throwing it exactly where he wanted to, and just all the pitches were nasty."After issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth, Ohtani fanned six in a row to secure his major league-best 12th double-digit strikeout game since the start of 2022.Carlos Estévez and Jose Quijada completed a three-hit shutout, with Quijada giving up a one-out single to Bobby Witt Jr. before finishing his fourth save in front of Angel Stadium's third sellout crowd of the year.Kansas City opened a 10-game trip with its seventh consecutive loss and its 10th in 11 games."He's special pretty much any night he takes the field," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Ohtani. "He came out, struck out the side in the first, and then I think our at-bats got better over the next four innings or so, and then he introduced that curveball late. We hadn't seen that, and it kept us off balance. He's got a huge arsenal. Overall, the at-bats were pretty good, considering we were facing him. But it wasn't good enough. … (Ohtani) seems like somebody who can do whatever he sets out to do."Wallach, who joined the Angels earlier Friday from Triple-A Salt Lake, drove a changeup from Ryan Yarbrough (0-2) 424 feet in the third inning for just his second big league homer since 2020.Kansas City pitched a bullpen game in the rotation slot of injured left-hander Kris Bubic, with opener Taylor Clarke throwing two scoreless innings.Mike Trout got the night off for the Angels in their return from a disappointing seven-game East Coast trip.KERPLUNKAngels rookie shortstop Zach Neto was hit by a pitch in each of his first two at-bats. He already has been hit by five pitches in his first seven games in the majors.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Bubic will have Tommy John surgery next week. He made three starts this season and showed improved form before his elbow ligament woes were diagnosed.Angels: O'Hoppe went on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder problem. The promising rookie hurt himself on swings Monday and again Thursday, but the team hasn't revealed much about the nature of his injury. Wallach and Matt Thaiss are the Angels' two remaining catchers, with Max Stassi yet to make his season debut.UP NEXTTyler Anderson (1-0, 6.75 ERA) makes the fourth start of his Angels career in search of his first victory over the Royals, who counter with former Angels right-hander Zack Greinke (0-3. 4.03).

Shohei Ohtani strikes out 11; Angels beat Royals 2-0

After a brief stumble last week at the hands of the Omaha Beef, the Salina Liberty will look to get back in the win column this Saturday when they play host to the Southwest Kansas Storm.

The Liberty will enter this contest in 4th place in the CIF standings at 4-2 while the Storm continue to battle in 6th at 2-3.

Salina will return to Tony’s Pizza Events Center with an ace up it’s sleeve this week, following the signing of new quarterback Ed Crouch, who brings a wealth of indoor experience in addition to a championship-winning pedigree.

Crouch was named MVP of the Fan Controlled Football League in 2021 after leading his Wild Aces to an FCF championship, defeating the Glacier Boyz 46-40.

The dual-threat finished that season completing 39 of his 69 passes for 673 yards, 13 touchdowns, and only five picks, racking up an additional 242 yards and 10 TDs on the ground all in just seven games.

Crouch also brings CIF experience as a former signal-caller for the Wichita Force, which only improved the confidence in the Liberty staff to bring the elite talent on board.

“I’m very excited to bring him in,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “I saw firsthand what that young man was capable of in Wichita. He’s a dual-threat quarterback with incredible accuracy and the mindset of a competitor. Getting to work with a guy like this is going to be a lot of fun and we believe he’s the missing piece to our offense.”

The first test for Crouch will come in the form of a Southwest Kansas team that ranks third in the league in total defense, and fourth in scoring defense, and one that will unveil a new QB of its own in Josh Hollins.

“They play good defense and they can keep the pedal to the metal offensively,” O’Neal said. “They added a new quarterback from Wyoming and revamped their offensive line to add to a strong core of skill guys. Defensively they’ve always been strong but now they have a weapon at quarterback to really open up their offense.”

In order to get things back on track, Salina will need to ensure that they win the battle in the trenches this week, a task that will be entrusted to several new recruits making their Liberty debuts on Saturday.

“We need to control the line of scrimmage,” O’Neal said. “That’s something we didn’t do in that Omaha game and we didn't really do it against Billings either which led us to bring some guys in on that line.”

Kickoff between the Liberty and Storm is set for 6:35 pm at Tony’s Pizza Events Center, and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.

For continuing coverage of Liberty football all season long, stay tuned to the Salina, JC, and Little Apple Posts.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617387097958.png" alt="Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>After a brief stumble last week at the hands of the Omaha Beef, the Salina Liberty will look to get back in the win column this Saturday when they play host to the Southwest Kansas Storm.The Liberty will enter this contest in 4th place in the CIF standings at 4-2 while the Storm continue to battle in 6th at 2-3.Salina will return to Tony’s Pizza Events Center with an ace up it’s sleeve this week, following the signing of new quarterback Ed Crouch, who brings a wealth of indoor experience in addition to a championship-winning pedigree.Crouch was named MVP of the Fan Controlled Football League in 2021 after leading his Wild Aces to an FCF championship, defeating the Glacier Boyz 46-40.The dual-threat finished that season completing 39 of his 69 passes for 673 yards, 13 touchdowns, and only five picks, racking up an additional 242 yards and 10 TDs on the ground all in just seven games.Crouch also brings CIF experience as a former signal-caller for the Wichita Force, which only improved the confidence in the Liberty staff to bring the elite talent on board.“I’m very excited to bring him in,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “I saw firsthand what that young man was capable of in Wichita. He’s a dual-threat quarterback with incredible accuracy and the mindset of a competitor. Getting to work with a guy like this is going to be a lot of fun and we believe he’s the missing piece to our offense.”The first test for Crouch will come in the form of a Southwest Kansas team that ranks third in the league in total defense, and fourth in scoring defense, and one that will unveil a new QB of its own in Josh Hollins.“They play good defense and they can keep the pedal to the metal offensively,” O’Neal said. “They added a new quarterback from Wyoming and revamped their offensive line to add to a strong core of skill guys. Defensively they’ve always been strong but now they have a weapon at quarterback to really open up their offense.”In order to get things back on track, Salina will need to ensure that they win the battle in the trenches this week, a task that will be entrusted to several new recruits making their Liberty debuts on Saturday.“We need to control the line of scrimmage,” O’Neal said. “That’s something we didn’t do in that Omaha game and we didn't really do it against Billings either which led us to bring some guys in on that line.”Kickoff between the Liberty and Storm is set for 6:35 pm at Tony’s Pizza Events Center, and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.For continuing coverage of Liberty football all season long, stay tuned to the Salina, JC, and Little Apple Posts.

Liberty excited to unveil new weapons in matchup with Storm

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic will have Tommy John surgery next week, the team announced Friday.

Bubic experienced forearm tightness last weekend during his start against Atlanta, and further examination revealed he needed major surgery. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure in Los Angeles.

Bubic went 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA in three starts for the Royals this season, his fourth in the major leagues. The Bay Area native and Stanford product went 3-13 last year in his first full season in Kansas City's starting rotation, and he has one victory in his last 15 starts combined.

But Bubic made major changes to his approach in the offseason and entered this year with increased velocity and a new slider. He had 13 strikeouts and just one walk in his first two starts this season before his final start on a cold, rainy day in Kansas City.

The Royals used right-handed reliever Taylor Clarke as an opener Friday night to fill Bubic's spot in the rotation when they opened a weekend road series against the Los Angeles Angels. Kansas City has lost six straight and nine of 10.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic will have Tommy John surgery next week, the team announced Friday.Bubic experienced forearm tightness last weekend during his start against Atlanta, and further examination revealed he needed major surgery. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure in Los Angeles.Bubic went 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA in three starts for the Royals this season, his fourth in the major leagues. The Bay Area native and Stanford product went 3-13 last year in his first full season in Kansas City's starting rotation, and he has one victory in his last 15 starts combined.But Bubic made major changes to his approach in the offseason and entered this year with increased velocity and a new slider. He had 13 strikeouts and just one walk in his first two starts this season before his final start on a cold, rainy day in Kansas City.The Royals used right-handed reliever Taylor Clarke as an opener Friday night to fill Bubic's spot in the rotation when they opened a weekend road series against the Los Angeles Angels. Kansas City has lost six straight and nine of 10.

Royals' lefty Kris Bubic to have Tommy John surgery

MANHATTAN&nbsp;– Legendary K-State Athletics figure&nbsp;Ernie Barrett, affectionately known as ‘Mr. K-State,’ with his trademark firm handshake, passed away on Friday morning at the age of 93 in Manhattan, Kan.

A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m., CT on Thursday, April 27 at Bramlage Coliseum with a reception to follow in the Shamrock Zone. The service and reception are open to the public.

Barrett is survived by his wife of 72 years,&nbsp;Bonnie, his son&nbsp;Brad&nbsp;and a grandson&nbsp;Ryan&nbsp;and wife,&nbsp;Lauren. He was preceded in death by his parents (Ernie&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ruby Barrett) and son&nbsp;Duane.

Born in Pratt on Aug. 27, 1929, Barrett called Wellington his home, where he led Wellington High School to its only state championship in 1947 as an all-state basketball player. Recruited by the likes of Kansas’ Phog Allen and Oklahoma State’s Henry Iba out of high school, Barrett chose Kansas State, beginning a long association in 1948 when he entered the university as a freshman basketball player for Hall of Fame head coach&nbsp;Jack Gardner&nbsp;and then freshman coach and future Hall of Famer&nbsp;Fred “Tex” Winter.

Barrett was a two-time graduate of the university, earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1951 and a master’s degree in journalism in 1956.

During his near 75-year association with K-State, Barrett served the university as a student-athlete (1948-51), assistant basketball coach (1958-64), assistant athletics director (1963-69), director of athletics (1969-75), university consultant (1988-91) and director of development (1991-2007). His list of accolades and achievements are nearly endless. As a student-athlete, he captained the 1950-51 team that opened venerable Ahearn Field House while guiding the Wildcats to the Final Four as the school’s first consensus All-American. As an assistant coach to Winter, he was part of two Final Fours (1959 and 1964) and five Big Eight titles from 1958-64. Later as athletics director and fundraiser, he was instrumental in the hiring of legendary coach&nbsp;Jack Hartman&nbsp;as men’s basketball coach in 1970 and helped spearhead numerous athletics facilities, including Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Colbert Hills Golf Course, Tointon Family Stadium and R.V. Christian Track and Field Complex.

Barrett was a charter member of the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990, while the university erected a statue of him in front of Bramlage Coliseum in 1999 as a tribute to his many contributions. He was named to the State of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was selected to the school’s 13-member All-Century Basketball Team in 2003. His number 22 jersey hangs in the rafters of Bramlage Coliseum after he was honored by the school in 2005.

Barrett was associated with three of K-State’s four all-time Final Four appearances, including the first in 1951 as a player and two as an assistant coach in 1959 and 1964, while he was part of teams that won a combined seven Big Seven or Big Eight Conference titles (1950, 1951, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964).

As a basketball player, Barrett famously led the Wildcats to their first and only NCAA Championship game during his storybook senior season in 1950-51, while earning First Team All-America honors on the team that opened historic Ahearn Field House. He averaged a team-leading 10.3 points as a senior en route to helping K-State to a 25-4 overall record, which included the Big Seven Holiday Tournament and Big Seven regular-season titles and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the tournament, the Wildcats defeated No. 12 Arizona, No. 11 BYU and No. 2 Oklahoma State to set up a matchup with Kentucky in the NCAA title. Due to a shoulder injury, he was limited to just 4 points in the championship game, which the Wildcats lost 68-58.

Overall, the Wildcats were 54-22 (.711) during Barrett’s 3-year playing career, which included a pair of Big Seven Conference titles in 1950 and 1951. He scored 675 points in 77 career games.

As a senior, Barrett earned First Team All-America honors from the Helms Foundation,&nbsp;The Sporting News&nbsp;and International News Service, while he was selected for second team honors by Converse Yearbook and Look magazine as well as third team honors from the UPI. He was also unanimous First Team All-Big Seven.

Upon graduating from K-State, Barrett was one of his four Wildcats taken in the 1951 NBA Draft, as the Boston Celtics took him with the seventh pick of the first round. Due to his service in the U.S. Air Force from 1951-53, he deferred his commitment with the Celtics until 1953, playing two seasons (1953-54 and 1955-56) for the legendary&nbsp;Red Auerbach&nbsp;and alongside Hall of Fame player&nbsp;Bob Cousy, helping the Celtics to the Eastern Division finals twice.

Barrett returned to his alma mater as assistant alumni secretary for the K-State Alumni Association in 1955 before becoming an assistant coach for Winter in 1958. He spent six seasons (1958-64) on Winter’s staff, helping the Wildcats to a 123-36 (.774) record cumulating in the 1964 Final Four. The team shared or won the Big Eight regular-season title five times in his six seasons on the coaching staff, boasting a 72-12 (.857) mark in conference play, with Final Four appearances in 1959 and 1964.&nbsp;

Barrett moved full-time into the administrative ranks in the fall of 1964 before succeeding&nbsp;Bebe Lee&nbsp;as the school’s director of athletics on March 10, 1969. He was the first Kansas-born athlete to lead the department. He spent seven years (1969-75) leading the athletics department, in which, he hired the school’s all-time winningest coach&nbsp;Jack Hartman&nbsp;while leading fundraising campaigns for KSU Stadium (now Bill Snyder Family Stadium), the athletic dormitory and the R.V. Christian Track and Field Complex.

After leaving for the private sector, Barrett returned to his alma mater in 1991 as the department’s director of development for which he served until his retirement in 2007.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682092710270.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>K-State SportsMANHATTAN&nbsp;– Legendary K-State Athletics figure&nbsp;Ernie Barrett, affectionately known as ‘Mr. K-State,’ with his trademark firm handshake, passed away on Friday morning at the age of 93 in Manhattan, Kan.A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m., CT on Thursday, April 27 at Bramlage Coliseum with a reception to follow in the Shamrock Zone. The service and reception are open to the public.Barrett is survived by his wife of 72 years,&nbsp;Bonnie, his son&nbsp;Brad&nbsp;and a grandson&nbsp;Ryan&nbsp;and wife,&nbsp;Lauren. He was preceded in death by his parents (Ernie&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ruby Barrett) and son&nbsp;Duane.Born in Pratt on Aug. 27, 1929, Barrett called Wellington his home, where he led Wellington High School to its only state championship in 1947 as an all-state basketball player. Recruited by the likes of Kansas’ Phog Allen and Oklahoma State’s Henry Iba out of high school, Barrett chose Kansas State, beginning a long association in 1948 when he entered the university as a freshman basketball player for Hall of Fame head coach&nbsp;Jack Gardner&nbsp;and then freshman coach and future Hall of Famer&nbsp;Fred “Tex” Winter.Barrett was a two-time graduate of the university, earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1951 and a master’s degree in journalism in 1956.During his near 75-year association with K-State, Barrett served the university as a student-athlete (1948-51), assistant basketball coach (1958-64), assistant athletics director (1963-69), director of athletics (1969-75), university consultant (1988-91) and director of development (1991-2007). His list of accolades and achievements are nearly endless. As a student-athlete, he captained the 1950-51 team that opened venerable Ahearn Field House while guiding the Wildcats to the Final Four as the school’s first consensus All-American. As an assistant coach to Winter, he was part of two Final Fours (1959 and 1964) and five Big Eight titles from 1958-64. Later as athletics director and fundraiser, he was instrumental in the hiring of legendary coach&nbsp;Jack Hartman&nbsp;as men’s basketball coach in 1970 and helped spearhead numerous athletics facilities, including Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Colbert Hills Golf Course, Tointon Family Stadium and R.V. Christian Track and Field Complex.Barrett was a charter member of the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990, while the university erected a statue of him in front of Bramlage Coliseum in 1999 as a tribute to his many contributions. He was named to the State of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was selected to the school’s 13-member All-Century Basketball Team in 2003. His number 22 jersey hangs in the rafters of Bramlage Coliseum after he was honored by the school in 2005.Barrett was associated with three of K-State’s four all-time Final Four appearances, including the first in 1951 as a player and two as an assistant coach in 1959 and 1964, while he was part of teams that won a combined seven Big Seven or Big Eight Conference titles (1950, 1951, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964).As a basketball player, Barrett famously led the Wildcats to their first and only NCAA Championship game during his storybook senior season in 1950-51, while earning First Team All-America honors on the team that opened historic Ahearn Field House. He averaged a team-leading 10.3 points as a senior en route to helping K-State to a 25-4 overall record, which included the Big Seven Holiday Tournament and Big Seven regular-season titles and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the tournament, the Wildcats defeated No. 12 Arizona, No. 11 BYU and No. 2 Oklahoma State to set up a matchup with Kentucky in the NCAA title. Due to a shoulder injury, he was limited to just 4 points in the championship game, which the Wildcats lost 68-58.Overall, the Wildcats were 54-22 (.711) during Barrett’s 3-year playing career, which included a pair of Big Seven Conference titles in 1950 and 1951. He scored 675 points in 77 career games.As a senior, Barrett earned First Team All-America honors from the Helms Foundation,&nbsp;The Sporting News&nbsp;and International News Service, while he was selected for second team honors by Converse Yearbook and Look magazine as well as third team honors from the UPI. He was also unanimous First Team All-Big Seven.Upon graduating from K-State, Barrett was one of his four Wildcats taken in the 1951 NBA Draft, as the Boston Celtics took him with the seventh pick of the first round. Due to his service in the U.S. Air Force from 1951-53, he deferred his commitment with the Celtics until 1953, playing two seasons (1953-54 and 1955-56) for the legendary&nbsp;Red Auerbach&nbsp;and alongside Hall of Fame player&nbsp;Bob Cousy, helping the Celtics to the Eastern Division finals twice.Barrett returned to his alma mater as assistant alumni secretary for the K-State Alumni Association in 1955 before becoming an assistant coach for Winter in 1958. He spent six seasons (1958-64) on Winter’s staff, helping the Wildcats to a 123-36 (.774) record cumulating in the 1964 Final Four. The team shared or won the Big Eight regular-season title five times in his six seasons on the coaching staff, boasting a 72-12 (.857) mark in conference play, with Final Four appearances in 1959 and 1964.&nbsp;Barrett moved full-time into the administrative ranks in the fall of 1964 before succeeding&nbsp;Bebe Lee&nbsp;as the school’s director of athletics on March 10, 1969. He was the first Kansas-born athlete to lead the department. He spent seven years (1969-75) leading the athletics department, in which, he hired the school’s all-time winningest coach&nbsp;Jack Hartman&nbsp;while leading fundraising campaigns for KSU Stadium (now Bill Snyder Family Stadium), the athletic dormitory and the R.V. Christian Track and Field Complex.After leaving for the private sector, Barrett returned to his alma mater in 1991 as the department’s director of development for which he served until his retirement in 2007.

K-State mourns passing of 'Mr. K-State' Ernie Barrett

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes made a bold promise to Chiefs president Mark Donovan at one point last season, knowing full well that the NFL draft would be coming to Kansas City for the first time the last weekend in April.

"I was going to make sure they say 'World Champion Kansas City Chiefs' whenever they announce our pick," Mahomes said, "and I held my word to that, and I don't know it's ever been able to be said in the host city."

Get ready for what could be a long party next Thursday night at Union Station.

The same place where the Chiefs ended their Super Bowl victory parade in February is the site of the draft, and the Chiefs are picking last in the first round after winning their third Lombardi Trophy. So unless they trade up — always possible given their aggressive general manager, Brett Veach — the Chiefs won't be on the clock until the sun has long set.

It remains to be seen who will be left with a first-round grade from Veach by that point.

Or even what position the Chiefs will attack.

The Chiefs need help at offensive tackle and wide receiver, two positions that were hit hard by departures in free agency.

"I think when you have the GM blue book it kind of says, 'Smart in free agency and build through the draft,' Veach said, "and I think I've learned over the years as you have more and more success that becomes more difficult."

In free agency, players cost more. In the draft, the Chiefs tend to pick near the end of each round.

Yet they struck it rich in last year's draft. Defensive back Trent McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis, both first-round picks, became linchpins of the defense alongside cornerbacks Josh Williams and Jaylen Watson. Second-round pick Skyy Moore had a crucial punt return in the Super Bowl, while seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco led the Chiefs in rushing.

"We really had to slam dunk this thing from start to finish," Veach said, "and it was one of those years a GM dreams of."

Who are the Chiefs dreaming about this year with 10 picks overall?

If they address the offensive line with the No. 31 pick, Ohio State's Dawand Jones and Oklahoma's Anton Harrison are possibilities. The Chiefs have done plenty of work on Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers if they go that route. And pass rushers such as Kansas State's Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey could be available there.

"We always try to stick to best available. It's probably a cookie-cutter line all GMs use," Veach said, before acknowledging: "It does become difficult sometimes when you have certain position groups that are really deep, because you do think, 'Maybe he's a little higher in value but there's depth in that position, so maybe you can get something similar.' So, it's just working the board and really trusting your guys at the end of the day."

Why are the Chiefs picking 31st if they have the last pick in the first round? The Dolphins had to forfeit their first-round pick for violations of the NFL anti-tampering policy, moving Kansas City up one spot in the draft order.

The Chiefs watched JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman leave in free agency, making wide receiver a priority. Two other priorities are defensive end, where the Chiefs released Frank Clark to create salary cap space, and offensive tackle, where starters Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie signed elsewhere in free agency.

Quarterback, of course, but also Mahomes' protectors on the interior offensive line. The Chiefs also are deep at cornerback after loading up in last year's draft and hitting on just about all of the picks.

Travis Kelce remains the best tight end in the NFL. But he turns 34 in October, and while the Chiefs have a few developmental prospects, they need to start looking for a replacement for the four-time All-Pro.

The Chiefs would certainly cause a hometown stir by selecting Anudike-Uzomah, who was born in Kansas City and played prep football in the suburb of Lee's Summit, Missouri, before becoming a star for Kansas State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682025936791.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid speaks during the AFC head coaches availability at the NFL meetings March 27 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid speaks during the AFC head coaches availability at the NFL meetings March 27 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes made a bold promise to Chiefs president Mark Donovan at one point last season, knowing full well that the NFL draft would be coming to Kansas City for the first time the last weekend in April."I was going to make sure they say 'World Champion Kansas City Chiefs' whenever they announce our pick," Mahomes said, "and I held my word to that, and I don't know it's ever been able to be said in the host city."Get ready for what could be a long party next Thursday night at Union Station.The same place where the Chiefs ended their Super Bowl victory parade in February is the site of the draft, and the Chiefs are picking last in the first round after winning their third Lombardi Trophy. So unless they trade up — always possible given their aggressive general manager, Brett Veach — the Chiefs won't be on the clock until the sun has long set.It remains to be seen who will be left with a first-round grade from Veach by that point.Or even what position the Chiefs will attack.The Chiefs need help at offensive tackle and wide receiver, two positions that were hit hard by departures in free agency."I think when you have the GM blue book it kind of says, 'Smart in free agency and build through the draft,' Veach said, "and I think I've learned over the years as you have more and more success that becomes more difficult."In free agency, players cost more. In the draft, the Chiefs tend to pick near the end of each round.Yet they struck it rich in last year's draft. Defensive back Trent McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis, both first-round picks, became linchpins of the defense alongside cornerbacks Josh Williams and Jaylen Watson. Second-round pick Skyy Moore had a crucial punt return in the Super Bowl, while seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco led the Chiefs in rushing."We really had to slam dunk this thing from start to finish," Veach said, "and it was one of those years a GM dreams of."Who are the Chiefs dreaming about this year with 10 picks overall?If they address the offensive line with the No. 31 pick, Ohio State's Dawand Jones and Oklahoma's Anton Harrison are possibilities. The Chiefs have done plenty of work on Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers if they go that route. And pass rushers such as Kansas State's Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey could be available there."We always try to stick to best available. It's probably a cookie-cutter line all GMs use," Veach said, before acknowledging: "It does become difficult sometimes when you have certain position groups that are really deep, because you do think, 'Maybe he's a little higher in value but there's depth in that position, so maybe you can get something similar.' So, it's just working the board and really trusting your guys at the end of the day."PICK 'EMWhy are the Chiefs picking 31st if they have the last pick in the first round? The Dolphins had to forfeit their first-round pick for violations of the NFL anti-tampering policy, moving Kansas City up one spot in the draft order.NEEDSThe Chiefs watched JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman leave in free agency, making wide receiver a priority. Two other priorities are defensive end, where the Chiefs released Frank Clark to create salary cap space, and offensive tackle, where starters Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie signed elsewhere in free agency.DON'T NEEDQuarterback, of course, but also Mahomes' protectors on the interior offensive line. The Chiefs also are deep at cornerback after loading up in last year's draft and hitting on just about all of the picks.FORWARDING THINKINGTravis Kelce remains the best tight end in the NFL. But he turns 34 in October, and while the Chiefs have a few developmental prospects, they need to start looking for a replacement for the four-time All-Pro.GOING LOCALThe Chiefs would certainly cause a hometown stir by selecting Anudike-Uzomah, who was born in Kansas City and played prep football in the suburb of Lee's Summit, Missouri, before becoming a star for Kansas State.

Super Bowl champion Chiefs ready for KC to host NFL draft

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Coming off two weeks of preparation, the Kansas State women's golf team is set to meet its conference foes once again as the Wildcats compete in the 2023 Big 12 Women's Golf Championship, Friday through Sunday, at the par-72, 6,264-yard Dallas Athletic Club in Dallas, Texas.

The 54-hole event will feature one round per day with tee times beginning at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Friday's first round will see the Wildcats paired with Kansas and Oklahoma with a 10 a.m. tee time. The Big 12 is annually one of the top conferences in women's golf, and the 2022-23 season is no exception as seven teams are ranked in the top 50, led by four top-25 squads in No. 8 Texas, No. 13 Baylor, No. 20 Iowa State and No. 23 Oklahoma State. The Wildcats faced league competition just two weeks ago at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they tied for eighth place with 12.5 points. "The Dallas Athletic Club will present all the teams with a good challenge," said head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/coaches/kristi-knight/1877">Kristi Knight</a>. "The Big 12 is a great league with lots of competition, but every team is beatable. We can only control what we do and be where our feet are." Seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/haley-vargas/9667">Haley Vargas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/manon-donche-gay/9663">Manon Donche-Gay</a>&nbsp;will lead K-State's five-player lineup into the Big 12 Championship that also sees freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/noa-van-beek/9669">Noa Van Beek</a>, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/remington-isaac/9665">Remington Isaac</a>&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/napua-glossner/9664">Napua Glossner</a>&nbsp;competing for the Cats. This lineup was used two other times during the spring slate. Vargas leads the Wildcats with a 72.88 stroke average this season, while Van Beek is second at 74.06 and Donche-Gay is third at 74.21. Vargas, a senior from Lubbock, Texas, has posted a pair of top-20 finishes, highlighted by a tie for third place at the Dale McNamara Invitational in October. Van Beek, a freshman from Oene, Netherlands, had a season-best finish of a tie for 11th at the Westbrook Invitational in February, while Donche-Gay's best placing was a tie for eighth at the FAU Paradise Invitational at the beginning of the spring season. In addition to a team trophy, the top 10 individual finishers at the Big 12 Championship will receive medallions and will be recognized as a member of the All-Tournament Team. Live results on all three days of the 2023 Big 12 Championship can be followed at Golfstat.com. Additionally, final-round coverage on Sunday will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682000691204.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. - Coming off two weeks of preparation, the Kansas State women's golf team is set to meet its conference foes once again as the Wildcats compete in the 2023 Big 12 Women's Golf Championship, Friday through Sunday, at the par-72, 6,264-yard Dallas Athletic Club in Dallas, Texas.The 54-hole event will feature one round per day with tee times beginning at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Friday's first round will see the Wildcats paired with Kansas and Oklahoma with a 10 a.m. tee time. The Big 12 is annually one of the top conferences in women's golf, and the 2022-23 season is no exception as seven teams are ranked in the top 50, led by four top-25 squads in No. 8 Texas, No. 13 Baylor, No. 20 Iowa State and No. 23 Oklahoma State. The Wildcats faced league competition just two weeks ago at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they tied for eighth place with 12.5 points. "The Dallas Athletic Club will present all the teams with a good challenge," said head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/coaches/kristi-knight/1877">Kristi Knight</a>. "The Big 12 is a great league with lots of competition, but every team is beatable. We can only control what we do and be where our feet are." Seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/haley-vargas/9667">Haley Vargas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/manon-donche-gay/9663">Manon Donche-Gay</a>&nbsp;will lead K-State's five-player lineup into the Big 12 Championship that also sees freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/noa-van-beek/9669">Noa Van Beek</a>, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/remington-isaac/9665">Remington Isaac</a>&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/napua-glossner/9664">Napua Glossner</a>&nbsp;competing for the Cats. This lineup was used two other times during the spring slate. Vargas leads the Wildcats with a 72.88 stroke average this season, while Van Beek is second at 74.06 and Donche-Gay is third at 74.21. Vargas, a senior from Lubbock, Texas, has posted a pair of top-20 finishes, highlighted by a tie for third place at the Dale McNamara Invitational in October. Van Beek, a freshman from Oene, Netherlands, had a season-best finish of a tie for 11th at the Westbrook Invitational in February, while Donche-Gay's best placing was a tie for eighth at the FAU Paradise Invitational at the beginning of the spring season. In addition to a team trophy, the top 10 individual finishers at the Big 12 Championship will receive medallions and will be recognized as a member of the All-Tournament Team. Live results on all three days of the 2023 Big 12 Championship can be followed at Golfstat.com. Additionally, final-round coverage on Sunday will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.&nbsp;&nbsp;