KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes was forced to rely on his badly sprained right ankle rather than his strong right arm when the Kansas City Chiefs were desperately driving with a chance to win the AFC championship.

The All-Pro quarterback, missing three wide receivers to injuries and battered himself, took off on a third-down play near midfield in another gut-check game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mahomes&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619893298017046529?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">strained to reach the mark he needed</a>&nbsp;and was headed out of bounds when he felt the hands of Joseph Ossai send him sprawling into the bench.

The mad dash, coupled with the 15-yard penalty for a late hit, was all Kansas City needed.

Harrison Butker strode confidently onto the field, sent a 45-yard kick through cold, gusting wind over the crossbar with 3 seconds to go, and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619893825748733954?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">put the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;for the third time in four years with a 23-20 victory.

“I don’t think we have any cigars,” Mahomes said with a smile, "but we’ll be ready to go in the Super Bowl.”

It was vindication for the AFC West champions, who had lost three straight to their newfound nemeses, including a three-point overtime loss to Cincinnati in last year's conference title game. All of those defeats were by three points.

Now, the Chiefs are headed back to the big game.

Awaiting them is coach Andy Reid's old team, the Eagles, in the first matchup of Black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl with Mahomes and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts. It will also feature a brother-against-brother showdown between Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Philadelphia center Jason Kelce.

“I’ve watched them all year," Mahomes said. “It’s going to be a great challenge for us. But I’m going to celebrate this first.”

Mahomes, who hurt his ankle against Jacksonville in the divisional round, threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns, even though he was missing three of his wide receivers to injuries by the end. Marquez Valdes-Scantling led with 116 yards and a touchdown, while Travis Kelce — bad back and all — had seven catches for 78 yards and a score.

“It’s a tough bunch. My heart goes out to them, man, they’re tough guys,” Reid said. “They worked so hard this week. Pat and Kelce were both banged up a little bit. They pushed through and great things happened."

The Chiefs also managed to shut the mouths of the Bengals, some of whom had taken to calling their home “Burrowhead” for Joe Burrow, who had never lost to Kansas City. Even&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AftabPureval/status/1618358368183418881?s=20&amp;t=UYEKHyWVeZk3GI5d83tiVg">Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval</a>&nbsp;started in on the trash talk.

“I’ve got some wise words for that Cincinnati mayor,” Kelce said. "Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!”

Burrow, who was sacked five times and wobbly by the end, finished with 270 yards passing to go with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Bengals. Tee Higgins had six catches for 83 yards and the score.

“We’re not going to make it about one play. There was plenty of plays we left on the field today that could have put us in a better position,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “The character of this football team, that’s never going to change. We’ve got the right people in the locker room, the right men leading this team and this organization.

“I know that this is a team that our city and our fan base can be proud of,” Taylor added. "They represent themselves the right way, and we’re going to fight, scratch and claw to be back in this position next year.”

The Chiefs were able to do early what the Buffalo Bills could not in last week’s divisional round: They ran roughshod over an ailing Bengals offensive line missing two starters to injury with another bothered by a sore knee.

Burrow was sacked three times in the first quarter alone and the Bengals offense did not gain a single yard.

Mahomes looked just fine on his sore ankle in leading Kansas City to a field goal on its opening possession. When the Chiefs got the ball back, Mahomes did it again, but only after Kadarius Toney failed to pull in a nifty throw for a would-be touchdown — the incompletion was upheld upon review.

Cincinnati finally got moving in the second quarter, but it also had to settle for Evan McPherson’s chip-shot field goal.

So much for two of the league’s highest-scoring offenses.

The Chiefs finally reached the end zone late in the second quarter when Mahomes hit Kelce, loosely covered by Jessie Bates III, with a fourth-down throw for the touchdown. The Bengals drove 90 yards in the closing minutes, but only added a field goal to get within 13-6 at the break.

Turns out their offense was just hitting its stride. And another classic was brewing.

After the Chiefs went three-and-out to start the second half, Burrow led the Bengals downfield, bolting through a yawning hole in the defense for a third-down conversion before&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619871975056236546?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">hitting Higgins from 27 yards out</a>&nbsp;to knot the game 13-all.

Mahomes, suddenly down three wide receivers to injuries and beginning to limp, gamely pressed on. He answered Burrow with a touchdown drive of his own, capped by a third-down throw to Valdes-Scantling to regain the lead.

The Chiefs had a chance to gain some breathing room later in the third quarter, but Mahomes somehow lost control of the ball before throwing a pass and the Bengals pounced on the fumble. Six players later — including an audacious fourth-down throw from Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase — Samaje Perine ran into the end zone to tie it at 20.

Burrow gave the Chiefs a chance when his deep throw to Higgins on third down was batted into the air and picked by rookie cornerback Josh Williams. Mahomes managed to move the Chiefs past midfield, but two runs went nowhere and his third-down throw to Jerick McKinnon was well short, forcing them to punt in Bengals territory.

Kansas City's defense held, though, got a crucial&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619892142096240643?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">sack from Chris Jones</a>&nbsp;to force a punt with 39 seconds left, and shaky return man&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619892575086809088?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">Skyy Moore broke free for 29 yards</a>&nbsp;on the return. That gave Mahomes and the offense one more try.

“It was a tough road to get here. To win 10 in a row, it was a pretty incredible feat,” Taylor said. "We came up short. We wanted to play longer than that, but really proud of these guys.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes was forced to rely on his badly sprained right ankle rather than his strong right arm when the Kansas City Chiefs were desperately driving with a chance to win the AFC championship.The All-Pro quarterback, missing three wide receivers to injuries and battered himself, took off on a third-down play near midfield in another gut-check game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mahomes&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619893298017046529?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">strained to reach the mark he needed</a>&nbsp;and was headed out of bounds when he felt the hands of Joseph Ossai send him sprawling into the bench.The mad dash, coupled with the 15-yard penalty for a late hit, was all Kansas City needed.Harrison Butker strode confidently onto the field, sent a 45-yard kick through cold, gusting wind over the crossbar with 3 seconds to go, and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619893825748733954?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">put the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;for the third time in four years with a 23-20 victory.“I don’t think we have any cigars,” Mahomes said with a smile, "but we’ll be ready to go in the Super Bowl.”It was vindication for the AFC West champions, who had lost three straight to their newfound nemeses, including a three-point overtime loss to Cincinnati in last year's conference title game. All of those defeats were by three points.Now, the Chiefs are headed back to the big game.Awaiting them is coach Andy Reid's old team, the Eagles, in the first matchup of Black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl with Mahomes and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts. It will also feature a brother-against-brother showdown between Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Philadelphia center Jason Kelce.“I’ve watched them all year," Mahomes said. “It’s going to be a great challenge for us. But I’m going to celebrate this first.”Mahomes, who hurt his ankle against Jacksonville in the divisional round, threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns, even though he was missing three of his wide receivers to injuries by the end. Marquez Valdes-Scantling led with 116 yards and a touchdown, while Travis Kelce — bad back and all — had seven catches for 78 yards and a score.“It’s a tough bunch. My heart goes out to them, man, they’re tough guys,” Reid said. “They worked so hard this week. Pat and Kelce were both banged up a little bit. They pushed through and great things happened."The Chiefs also managed to shut the mouths of the Bengals, some of whom had taken to calling their home “Burrowhead” for Joe Burrow, who had never lost to Kansas City. Even&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AftabPureval/status/1618358368183418881?s=20&amp;t=UYEKHyWVeZk3GI5d83tiVg">Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval</a>&nbsp;started in on the trash talk.“I’ve got some wise words for that Cincinnati mayor,” Kelce said. "Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!”Burrow, who was sacked five times and wobbly by the end, finished with 270 yards passing to go with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Bengals. Tee Higgins had six catches for 83 yards and the score.“We’re not going to make it about one play. There was plenty of plays we left on the field today that could have put us in a better position,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “The character of this football team, that’s never going to change. We’ve got the right people in the locker room, the right men leading this team and this organization.“I know that this is a team that our city and our fan base can be proud of,” Taylor added. "They represent themselves the right way, and we’re going to fight, scratch and claw to be back in this position next year.”The Chiefs were able to do early what the Buffalo Bills could not in last week’s divisional round: They ran roughshod over an ailing Bengals offensive line missing two starters to injury with another bothered by a sore knee.Burrow was sacked three times in the first quarter alone and the Bengals offense did not gain a single yard.Mahomes looked just fine on his sore ankle in leading Kansas City to a field goal on its opening possession. When the Chiefs got the ball back, Mahomes did it again, but only after Kadarius Toney failed to pull in a nifty throw for a would-be touchdown — the incompletion was upheld upon review.Cincinnati finally got moving in the second quarter, but it also had to settle for Evan McPherson’s chip-shot field goal.So much for two of the league’s highest-scoring offenses.The Chiefs finally reached the end zone late in the second quarter when Mahomes hit Kelce, loosely covered by Jessie Bates III, with a fourth-down throw for the touchdown. The Bengals drove 90 yards in the closing minutes, but only added a field goal to get within 13-6 at the break.Turns out their offense was just hitting its stride. And another classic was brewing.After the Chiefs went three-and-out to start the second half, Burrow led the Bengals downfield, bolting through a yawning hole in the defense for a third-down conversion before&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619871975056236546?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">hitting Higgins from 27 yards out</a>&nbsp;to knot the game 13-all.Mahomes, suddenly down three wide receivers to injuries and beginning to limp, gamely pressed on. He answered Burrow with a touchdown drive of his own, capped by a third-down throw to Valdes-Scantling to regain the lead.The Chiefs had a chance to gain some breathing room later in the third quarter, but Mahomes somehow lost control of the ball before throwing a pass and the Bengals pounced on the fumble. Six players later — including an audacious fourth-down throw from Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase — Samaje Perine ran into the end zone to tie it at 20.Burrow gave the Chiefs a chance when his deep throw to Higgins on third down was batted into the air and picked by rookie cornerback Josh Williams. Mahomes managed to move the Chiefs past midfield, but two runs went nowhere and his third-down throw to Jerick McKinnon was well short, forcing them to punt in Bengals territory.Kansas City's defense held, though, got a crucial&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619892142096240643?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">sack from Chris Jones</a>&nbsp;to force a punt with 39 seconds left, and shaky return man&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1619892575086809088?s=20&amp;t=rMO7et-wnRbd1SF1K_GtYQ">Skyy Moore broke free for 29 yards</a>&nbsp;on the return. That gave Mahomes and the offense one more try.“It was a tough road to get here. To win 10 in a row, it was a pretty incredible feat,” Taylor said. "We came up short. We wanted to play longer than that, but really proud of these guys.”

Chiefs will go to the Super Bowl

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

On the heels of a monster win over Wamego last week, the Rock Creek boys’ basketball team will enter the home stretch of their season with an overall record of 8-5, looking to strengthen their position with sub-state fast approaching.

Despite gaining a monicker for being a “fourth-quarter team” at times, the Mustangs have done enough to take home victories in a majority of their games, and have the capability to be a very scary team come the postseason.

“Our effort has always been good and that’s one of the things we’ve really been focusing on in my first year here,” Rock Creek head coach Justin Smith said. “We’re playing at a good pace and we’re pressing and getting after people, we’ve done a good job of that.”

With an early-season injury to Dalton Whitworth, who remains questionable to return with a broken ankle, the Mustang's depth has been tested, but a surprise class of juniors has answered the call, and Rock Creek hasn’t missed a beat.

“I think some of our juniors have come along at a higher clip than we expected before the season began,” Smith said. “They put a lot of work in over the summer and they’ve been big contributors for us.”

Coley Burgess and Daegen Vinduska have led the offense for the Mustangs this season, combining to split 20 points on any given night.

Part of what makes Rock Creek so challenging to guard is in how they spread their scoring around and hit teams from all over the floor, but while that even spread has been a blessing at times, it’s also led to some inconsistencies offensively.

“We need to continue to get consistent scoring from people,” he said. “We have a lot of guys that average 11 or 12 but they may have 15 one night and 2 the next. If we do gain that consistency we’re going to be tough to beat.”

While Rock Creek doesn’t boast a traditional 20-point per night star, the Mustangs have seen their go-to playmakers emerge in the month of January, giving an already confident group an even bigger boost moving forward.

“We’ve had kids step up and play a more dominant role and that’s allowed some of our kids to separate themselves a bit,” Smith said. “We’ve had kids that I didn’t think would play a lot that are getting quite a bit of time, I figured we’d be deep but not this deep.”

With a propensity for overturning late deficits, and a roster loaded with talent, the Mustangs will look to continue putting all the pieces together to peak at the right time, and chase their lofty goals come late February.

“We’re still in a division where we can win a championship if we take care of our league and we can still secure a strong position at sub-state,” Smith said. “Every year that I’m head coach our goal will be to make it to state and compete for a state championship and I think if we continue to build and grow that’s an opportunity that will be available to us.”

Rock Creek will return to the floor on Friday, February 3rd when the Mustangs welcome in Riley County at 7:00.

For continuing coverage of Mustang hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorOn the heels of a monster win over Wamego last week, the Rock Creek boys’ basketball team will enter the home stretch of their season with an overall record of 8-5, looking to strengthen their position with sub-state fast approaching.Despite gaining a monicker for being a “fourth-quarter team” at times, the Mustangs have done enough to take home victories in a majority of their games, and have the capability to be a very scary team come the postseason.“Our effort has always been good and that’s one of the things we’ve really been focusing on in my first year here,” Rock Creek head coach Justin Smith said. “We’re playing at a good pace and we’re pressing and getting after people, we’ve done a good job of that.”With an early-season injury to Dalton Whitworth, who remains questionable to return with a broken ankle, the Mustang's depth has been tested, but a surprise class of juniors has answered the call, and Rock Creek hasn’t missed a beat.“I think some of our juniors have come along at a higher clip than we expected before the season began,” Smith said. “They put a lot of work in over the summer and they’ve been big contributors for us.”Coley Burgess and Daegen Vinduska have led the offense for the Mustangs this season, combining to split 20 points on any given night.Part of what makes Rock Creek so challenging to guard is in how they spread their scoring around and hit teams from all over the floor, but while that even spread has been a blessing at times, it’s also led to some inconsistencies offensively.“We need to continue to get consistent scoring from people,” he said. “We have a lot of guys that average 11 or 12 but they may have 15 one night and 2 the next. If we do gain that consistency we’re going to be tough to beat.”While Rock Creek doesn’t boast a traditional 20-point per night star, the Mustangs have seen their go-to playmakers emerge in the month of January, giving an already confident group an even bigger boost moving forward.“We’ve had kids step up and play a more dominant role and that’s allowed some of our kids to separate themselves a bit,” Smith said. “We’ve had kids that I didn’t think would play a lot that are getting quite a bit of time, I figured we’d be deep but not this deep.”With a propensity for overturning late deficits, and a roster loaded with talent, the Mustangs will look to continue putting all the pieces together to peak at the right time, and chase their lofty goals come late February.“We’re still in a division where we can win a championship if we take care of our league and we can still secure a strong position at sub-state,” Smith said. “Every year that I’m head coach our goal will be to make it to state and compete for a state championship and I think if we continue to build and grow that’s an opportunity that will be available to us.”Rock Creek will return to the floor on Friday, February 3rd when the Mustangs welcome in Riley County at 7:00.For continuing coverage of Mustang hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

2022-23 Midseason Report: Rock Creek boys basketball

As we head into the final month of the regular season, the Rock Creek girls’ basketball team will look to keep the good times rolling, entering the home stretch ranked as the #10 team in Class 4A, with an overall record of 11-3.

Like many great teams at all levels across all sports, the Lady Mustangs have lived by a simple principle this season; It doesn’t matter how you win, what matters, is that you win.

“Our perseverance and ability to win in a number of different ways have been the best thing that I’ve seen from this team this season,” Rock Creek head coach Adam Plummer said. “We’ve won in the low 30s, we’ve won in the 50s and 60s, we’ve won in man, we’ve won in the zone and we’ve won with different styles offensively. In 20 years I’ve never experienced anything quite like this where what we’re doing is inconsistent but the winning is consistent.”

That mantra has held true all season as the Lady Mustangs have wins where they’ve scored as few as 36 and as many as 65, while also taking victories in games where they held their opponents to as little as 19, and while surrendering as much as 53.

Overall, this is a Rock Creek team that lacks a true superstar, but in many ways, that makes them more difficult to guard, as the points can come from anywhere on any given night.

“We haven’t had many surprises individually,” Plummer said. “We don’t have one star that we play around. It’s a bunch of kids who like each other, who get along, and who play for each other on the court.”

Overall, the Lady Mustangs’ ability to grit through anything thrown their way and come out on top more often than not has given this team an air of confidence about them that will serve them well down the stretch.

“I think having to find so many different ways to win has given this team more confidence,” he said. “I’ve had that conversation with them, they have an expectation to win no matter how they’re playing individually. It allows us to be flexible on both sides of the ball and we keep fighting until we end up on the right side of the scoreboard.”

While there are many positives to take away from Rock Creek’s play through the first half of the season, the Lady Mustangs remain committed to finding ways to narrow the margins between good and great, specifically in their post-play.

“We still want to improve our ability to score in the paint consistently,” Plummer said. “That’s been a hallmark of what we’ve done for the last four years but we haven’t been consistent about getting those high percentage shots this year.”

With an absolutely loaded 4A sub-state looming on the horizon, Rock Creek hopes to avoid their mistakes of the past and lock up a strong position in the upcoming sub-state bracket.

“We know we have to keep winning because home court and seeding make a big difference in 4A,” he said. “Last year we slipped up and got moved to the three-seed which put McPherson in our sub-state. We also know that February is a time where some teams trend up and others trend down, we need to be playing our best basketball this month so we can be at our best when sub-state rolls around.”

Rock Creek will return to the hardwood on Friday, February 3rd when the Lady Mustangs welcome in the Falcons of Riley County.

For continuing coverage of Rock Creek hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAs we head into the final month of the regular season, the Rock Creek girls’ basketball team will look to keep the good times rolling, entering the home stretch ranked as the #10 team in Class 4A, with an overall record of 11-3.Like many great teams at all levels across all sports, the Lady Mustangs have lived by a simple principle this season; It doesn’t matter how you win, what matters, is that you win.“Our perseverance and ability to win in a number of different ways have been the best thing that I’ve seen from this team this season,” Rock Creek head coach Adam Plummer said. “We’ve won in the low 30s, we’ve won in the 50s and 60s, we’ve won in man, we’ve won in the zone and we’ve won with different styles offensively. In 20 years I’ve never experienced anything quite like this where what we’re doing is inconsistent but the winning is consistent.”That mantra has held true all season as the Lady Mustangs have wins where they’ve scored as few as 36 and as many as 65, while also taking victories in games where they held their opponents to as little as 19, and while surrendering as much as 53.Overall, this is a Rock Creek team that lacks a true superstar, but in many ways, that makes them more difficult to guard, as the points can come from anywhere on any given night.“We haven’t had many surprises individually,” Plummer said. “We don’t have one star that we play around. It’s a bunch of kids who like each other, who get along, and who play for each other on the court.”Overall, the Lady Mustangs’ ability to grit through anything thrown their way and come out on top more often than not has given this team an air of confidence about them that will serve them well down the stretch.“I think having to find so many different ways to win has given this team more confidence,” he said. “I’ve had that conversation with them, they have an expectation to win no matter how they’re playing individually. It allows us to be flexible on both sides of the ball and we keep fighting until we end up on the right side of the scoreboard.”While there are many positives to take away from Rock Creek’s play through the first half of the season, the Lady Mustangs remain committed to finding ways to narrow the margins between good and great, specifically in their post-play.“We still want to improve our ability to score in the paint consistently,” Plummer said. “That’s been a hallmark of what we’ve done for the last four years but we haven’t been consistent about getting those high percentage shots this year.”With an absolutely loaded 4A sub-state looming on the horizon, Rock Creek hopes to avoid their mistakes of the past and lock up a strong position in the upcoming sub-state bracket.“We know we have to keep winning because home court and seeding make a big difference in 4A,” he said. “Last year we slipped up and got moved to the three-seed which put McPherson in our sub-state. We also know that February is a time where some teams trend up and others trend down, we need to be playing our best basketball this month so we can be at our best when sub-state rolls around.”Rock Creek will return to the hardwood on Friday, February 3rd when the Lady Mustangs welcome in the Falcons of Riley County.For continuing coverage of Rock Creek hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

2022-23 Midseason Report: Rock Creek girls basketball

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds against his former team, and No. 5 Kansas State beat Florida 64-50 in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. Markquis Nowell finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Wildcats. They improved to 18-3 to equal the 1972-73 team for the best start through 21 games in school history. Colin Castleton scored 13 points and Myreon Jones had 11 for the Gators. They dropped to 0-3 against the Big 12 this season.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds against his former team, and No. 5 Kansas State beat Florida 64-50 in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. Markquis Nowell finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Wildcats. They improved to 18-3 to equal the 1972-73 team for the best start through 21 games in school history. Colin Castleton scored 13 points and Myreon Jones had 11 for the Gators. They dropped to 0-3 against the Big 12 this season.

Wildcats defeat Florida

With things heating up heading into the final month of the regular season, the Rock Creek Mustangs will welcome in Wamego for a Manhattan-area showdown on Friday night.

The Red Raiders will come into this contest at 9-4 while Rock Creek enters at 7-5, each looking to strengthen their position ahead of sub-state in late February.

Both teams are also coming off of tough midseason tournaments, where each faced off against and hung with larger opponents from all around the state.

“We’ve faced some different teams in this stretch,” Rock Creek head coach Justin Smith said. “We’ve seen a lot of length and a lot of size and Wamego has some of that. We’re going to have to be able to rebound and defend and if we can do that we’ll give ourselves a chance.”

In addition to facing a loaded pool at the Tonganoxie Tournament, this game will also be the ninth in a stretch of 9/10 games played away from home for Wamego, which has seen the Raiders go 5-3 in the first eight.

“I feel like we are learning to compete harder and to trust each other more,” Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. “We competed awfully well with a good 5A team in KC-Piper last Friday night and probably should have won that game.”

As these two area foes turn their attention to one another, each gears up for a rivalry atmosphere that has heightened in anticipation of Rock Creek joining Wamego’s league next season.

Despite the energy that is sure to consume the gym in St. George, Rock Creek remains intent on approaching this game like any other against an incredibly talented Red Raider squad.

“These guys have competed against each other for years, they know each other well and this game means a lot to them,” Smith said. “This also means a lot to the community but I’ve tried to make the guys understand that this isn’t for a state championship, this is just another game against another good basketball team that we have to work to have success against.”

That respect goes both ways in this series, as Wamego has prepared for a Mustang team that has turned opponents over en masse this season, causing chaos on both ends of the floor.

“They get up and down the court and try to pressure you both offensively and defensively,” Hemphill said. “They attack the basket hard and challenge you to keep them out of the lane. We have to handle defensive pressure in the backcourt and guard the ball when they have it.&nbsp; If we turn it over and let them get in the lane then it will be hard for us to win.”

On the home team’s side of this matchup, Rock Creek will have their hands full with a Red Raider offense capable of spreading out their scoring and keeping opponents off balance with their combination of speed and size.

“The Hecht kid does a good job shooting the ball and the Wolfe kid scores it well for them,” Smith said. “Those are the two main scorers that we’re going to have to do a good job on. They also have a 6-6 kid who gets out on the offensive glass and protects the rim well, we have to keep them off the offensive boards tonight.”

Tip-off between the Mustangs and Raiders is set for 7:00 at Rock Creek High School following the girl’s game at 6:30.

For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorWith things heating up heading into the final month of the regular season, the Rock Creek Mustangs will welcome in Wamego for a Manhattan-area showdown on Friday night. The Red Raiders will come into this contest at 9-4 while Rock Creek enters at 7-5, each looking to strengthen their position ahead of sub-state in late February.Both teams are also coming off of tough midseason tournaments, where each faced off against and hung with larger opponents from all around the state.“We’ve faced some different teams in this stretch,” Rock Creek head coach Justin Smith said. “We’ve seen a lot of length and a lot of size and Wamego has some of that. We’re going to have to be able to rebound and defend and if we can do that we’ll give ourselves a chance.”In addition to facing a loaded pool at the Tonganoxie Tournament, this game will also be the ninth in a stretch of 9/10 games played away from home for Wamego, which has seen the Raiders go 5-3 in the first eight.“I feel like we are learning to compete harder and to trust each other more,” Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. “We competed awfully well with a good 5A team in KC-Piper last Friday night and probably should have won that game.”As these two area foes turn their attention to one another, each gears up for a rivalry atmosphere that has heightened in anticipation of Rock Creek joining Wamego’s league next season.Despite the energy that is sure to consume the gym in St. George, Rock Creek remains intent on approaching this game like any other against an incredibly talented Red Raider squad.“These guys have competed against each other for years, they know each other well and this game means a lot to them,” Smith said. “This also means a lot to the community but I’ve tried to make the guys understand that this isn’t for a state championship, this is just another game against another good basketball team that we have to work to have success against.”That respect goes both ways in this series, as Wamego has prepared for a Mustang team that has turned opponents over en masse this season, causing chaos on both ends of the floor.“They get up and down the court and try to pressure you both offensively and defensively,” Hemphill said. “They attack the basket hard and challenge you to keep them out of the lane. We have to handle defensive pressure in the backcourt and guard the ball when they have it.&nbsp; If we turn it over and let them get in the lane then it will be hard for us to win.”On the home team’s side of this matchup, Rock Creek will have their hands full with a Red Raider offense capable of spreading out their scoring and keeping opponents off balance with their combination of speed and size.“The Hecht kid does a good job shooting the ball and the Wolfe kid scores it well for them,” Smith said. “Those are the two main scorers that we’re going to have to do a good job on. They also have a 6-6 kid who gets out on the offensive glass and protects the rim well, we have to keep them off the offensive boards tonight.”Tip-off between the Mustangs and Raiders is set for 7:00 at Rock Creek High School following the girl’s game at 6:30.For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

Red Raiders travel to Rock Creek for future league preview

As the month of January winds to a close, two ranked Manhattan area rivals will square off on Friday night when the #3 Wamego girls travel to St. George to take on #10 Rock Creek.

Both teams have high aspirations as we head into the home stretch of the season, as the Lady Raiders come into this contest at 12-1, while the Lady Mustangs enter at 11-2.

While Wamego and Rock Creek have each looked dominant in stretches this season, both have also proven to be human, each taking one of their three combined losses at midseason tournaments last week.

This series has been dominated by the Lady Raiders as of late, as Wamego has taken the lone matchup in each of the last six seasons, but the Lady Mustang’s ability to adapt and find ways to win will serve them well here if they can overcome those previous losses mentally.

“There are definitely moments where it looks like we’re peaking and playing our best basketball and then there are moments like Tuesday where we’re not,” Rock Creek head coach Adam Plummer said. “I’m hoping we show up on Friday for a pretty good rivalry, I know our kids are excited to play, and mentally I hope we don’t put a block inside of our heads that we can’t beat them.”

On the other side of this matchup, Wamego has put a heavy emphasis on handling the Lady Stang's size offensively, and pressure defensively.

“Rock Creek is very intentional about getting their posts involved and they do a nice job of getting it inside to them,” Wamego head coach Brian McIntosh said.&nbsp; They complement that with a few guards that can knock down the three, and they like to use their length on the defensive end and get deflections in their zones.”

For Rock Creek, the focus this week has been on dealing with the quickness of a small, but lethal Raider attack that has kept opponents off balance all season long.

“Wamego is very guard-oriented and they have a lot of speed and shooting ability at that position,” Plummer said. “They have some kids with skill sets that you don’t usually see and we have to make sure we do a really good job of staying disciplined and helping on our back-side rotations.”

To come away with another win and maintain their spot in the top three of the KBCA rankings, Wamego will need to stay true to their identity and push the pace despite facing one of their tougher opponents this season on paper.

“Our defensive pressure and ability to attack offensively will always be what propels this team forward,” McIntosh said. “We will need to be assignment correct tonight and it always helps when you can knock down shots.”

Both teams will also prepare for a rivalry atmosphere that has only gotten better as the joining of the two teams in the same league draws closer.

“This game always has a great atmosphere and the gym will be packed tonight with fans and student sections,” Plummer said. “I’ve tried to downplay this as just another game in years past but it’s really not and we need to show up because they always show up. It’s important for them to beat us and it needs to be important for us to beat them.”

Tip-off between the Lady Mustangs and Raiders is set for 6:00* pm at Rock Creek high school with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30*.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAs the month of January winds to a close, two ranked Manhattan area rivals will square off on Friday night when the #3 Wamego girls travel to St. George to take on #10 Rock Creek.Both teams have high aspirations as we head into the home stretch of the season, as the Lady Raiders come into this contest at 12-1, while the Lady Mustangs enter at 11-2.While Wamego and Rock Creek have each looked dominant in stretches this season, both have also proven to be human, each taking one of their three combined losses at midseason tournaments last week.This series has been dominated by the Lady Raiders as of late, as Wamego has taken the lone matchup in each of the last six seasons, but the Lady Mustang’s ability to adapt and find ways to win will serve them well here if they can overcome those previous losses mentally.“There are definitely moments where it looks like we’re peaking and playing our best basketball and then there are moments like Tuesday where we’re not,” Rock Creek head coach Adam Plummer said. “I’m hoping we show up on Friday for a pretty good rivalry, I know our kids are excited to play, and mentally I hope we don’t put a block inside of our heads that we can’t beat them.”On the other side of this matchup, Wamego has put a heavy emphasis on handling the Lady Stang's size offensively, and pressure defensively.“Rock Creek is very intentional about getting their posts involved and they do a nice job of getting it inside to them,” Wamego head coach Brian McIntosh said.&nbsp; They complement that with a few guards that can knock down the three, and they like to use their length on the defensive end and get deflections in their zones.”For Rock Creek, the focus this week has been on dealing with the quickness of a small, but lethal Raider attack that has kept opponents off balance all season long.“Wamego is very guard-oriented and they have a lot of speed and shooting ability at that position,” Plummer said. “They have some kids with skill sets that you don’t usually see and we have to make sure we do a really good job of staying disciplined and helping on our back-side rotations.”To come away with another win and maintain their spot in the top three of the KBCA rankings, Wamego will need to stay true to their identity and push the pace despite facing one of their tougher opponents this season on paper.“Our defensive pressure and ability to attack offensively will always be what propels this team forward,” McIntosh said. “We will need to be assignment correct tonight and it always helps when you can knock down shots.”Both teams will also prepare for a rivalry atmosphere that has only gotten better as the joining of the two teams in the same league draws closer.“This game always has a great atmosphere and the gym will be packed tonight with fans and student sections,” Plummer said. “I’ve tried to downplay this as just another game in years past but it’s really not and we need to show up because they always show up. It’s important for them to beat us and it needs to be important for us to beat them.”Tip-off between the Lady Mustangs and Raiders is set for 6:00* pm at Rock Creek high school with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30*.For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.*Game times have been updated.

Rock Creek hosts Lady Raiders in battle of ranked Manhattan-area schools

Concordia 58, Lafayette (Wildwood), Mo. 48

Goddard-Eisenhower 53, Lawrence Free State 14

Little River 63, Hutchinson Central Christian 35

St. James Academy 64, Manhattan 31

Wichita Bishop Carroll 50, SM Northwest 47

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Andale 53, Halstead 34Andover Central 55, Wichita Trinity 15Arkansas City 53, Wellington 52Bucklin 41, South Gray 39Canton-Galva 56, Fairfield 43Chaparral 44, Sedgwick 28Cheney 48, Nickerson 9Clearwater 49, Dodge City 38Concordia 58, Lafayette (Wildwood), Mo. 48Derby 61, SM East 43Emporia 56, Maize 27Garden Plain 50, Circle 41Goddard 43, Kapaun Mount Carmel 31Goddard-Eisenhower 53, Lawrence Free State 14Goessel 80, Stafford 23Haven 52, Rose Hill 23Hiawatha 47, St. Mary's 45, OTIngalls 50, Satanta 35Jefferson West 40, Wellsville 30Kiowa County 36, South Central 23Lawrence 41, Topeka West 33Linn 53, Onaga 42Little River 63, Hutchinson Central Christian 35Maize South 52, Mill Valley 20Marais des Cygnes Valley 50, Hartford 42Marysville 44, Jackson Heights 42Minneola 51, Pawnee Heights 46Moundridge 50, Belle Plaine 36Mulvane 36, Conway Springs 31Olathe Northwest 48, Newton 22Parsons 50, Chanute 46Spearville 52, Hodgeman County 49Spring Hill 56, Baldwin 44St. James Academy 64, Manhattan 31Topeka 69, Wichita Northwest 34Topeka Hayden 47, Nemaha Central 40Topeka Seaman 60, SM West 52Washburn Rural 44, Wichita Life Prep 41Wichita Bishop Carroll 50, SM Northwest 47Wichita East 47, Augusta 32Wichita North 48, Wichita Collegiate 37Wichita South 31, Shawnee Heights 28Wichita Southeast 62, Olathe South 57Wichita Sunrise 51, Berean Academy 49Winfield 43, Wichita Campus 28

Thursday night girls basketball results

St. Mary's Academy 55, Wichita Home School 51

St. Thomas Aquinas 55, Fort Osage, Mo. 36

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Augusta 56, El Dorado 49, OTBlue Valley 67, Manhattan 59Cheylin 47, Hi-Plains, Colo. 34Clay Center 52, Hillsboro 40Kapaun Mount Carmel 69, Wichita North 40Maize South 63, Goddard 30McPherson 47, Valley Center 27Mulvane 58, Clearwater 37Parsons 50, Chanute 46Smoky Valley 50, Hutchinson Trinity 43St. Mary's Academy 55, Wichita Home School 51St. Thomas Aquinas 55, Fort Osage, Mo. 36Wichita Heights 67, Wichita Northwest 42

Thursday night boys basketball results

Congratulations to Cindy Holecek of Ellsworth, the Week 20 winner in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!

Cindy, who scored 16 of 16 points, wins $100.

Although the season is almost over, 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;

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 Cindy Holecek of Ellsworth, the Week 20 winner in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!Cindy, who scored 16 of 16 points, wins $100.Although the season is almost over, 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;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 Cindy Holecek!

Following a fantastic 22-3 season, the Wamego girl’s basketball team picked right up where they left off, and will enter the home stretch of their 2022-23 campaign at 12-1.

Despite losing a few key pieces from a season ago, the Lady Raiders haven’t missed a beat, and have taken up permanent residence in the top five of the Class 4A rankings, outscoring their first 13 opponents by a staggering 329 points.

“I've been very pleased with how the girls have stayed in the moment and focused on one game at a time,” Wamego head coach Brian McIntosh said. “I've also been impressed with how close this group is on and off the floor. They support each other and want great things to happen for their teammates.”

On the floor, those great things have come both in the form of convincing victories, and individual accolades for a Raider team that has three different players scoring double digits on average.

As part of a push to be the best they can be individually and as unified as they can be as a team, Wamego has put a heavy emphasis on playing unselfish basketball on offense, and rewarding toughness on both ends of the floor, which has led to an uptick in taken charges, trips to the line, and offensive boards.

“Our attention to detail has improved significantly over the season,” McIntosh said. “The better the opponent, the smaller your margin for error is. We pride ourselves on execution in big moments of games.”

While Wamego has dominated in the win column this season, the Lady Raiders remain intentional about continuing to be the best they can be, further cleaning up those fine margins ahead of what should be another deep playoff push.

“We’re still committed to daily improvement,” he said. “We have to continue to focus on controlling what we can control and playing up to our standards night in and night out.”

The Raiders have also received a sizable boost from the return of senior standout Addison Denney, who missed last year’s run with an ACL injury but has returned to give Wamego even more energy this season.

“It's nice to have her back,” McIntosh said. “She brings a lot of passion, strength, and toughness to our team. She has been playing really well the past few games and I look for her to continue improving for the rest of the season.”

While all of these things have contributed to Wamego’s success on the floor, their bonds and connections off of it have been equally beneficial, not only to their play between the whistles but also to their development as people, something Coach McIntosh has put an emphasis on throughout his time at Wamego.

“This group is very close,” he said. “They do a lot outside of basketball together and have formed extremely strong bonds. They have a lot of respect for each other because they know how hard they've worked in order to get to this point and I think this has led to a genuine love for their teammates.”

Even beyond this season, this group of student-athletes continues to build on the groundwork laid by those who came before them, for the next generation of Lady Raiders, and strengthen friendships that in many cases, may last a lifetime.

“We talk daily about our culture and what we want it to look like,” McIntosh said. “We have built this on our three core values: Hard work, self-discipline, and love. When we step on the court, it’s our goal for these three things to shine above anything else. We feel like if we focus on this, the wins will come, but more importantly, we will create bonds that will last forever.”

The Lady Raiders will be back in action on Friday, January 27th when Wamego travels to Rock Creek, looking for a sweep of the Mustangs on Friday night.

For continuing coverage of Wamego girls’ basketball all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorFollowing a fantastic 22-3 season, the Wamego girl’s basketball team picked right up where they left off, and will enter the home stretch of their 2022-23 campaign at 12-1.Despite losing a few key pieces from a season ago, the Lady Raiders haven’t missed a beat, and have taken up permanent residence in the top five of the Class 4A rankings, outscoring their first 13 opponents by a staggering 329 points.“I've been very pleased with how the girls have stayed in the moment and focused on one game at a time,” Wamego head coach Brian McIntosh said. “I've also been impressed with how close this group is on and off the floor. They support each other and want great things to happen for their teammates.”On the floor, those great things have come both in the form of convincing victories, and individual accolades for a Raider team that has three different players scoring double digits on average.As part of a push to be the best they can be individually and as unified as they can be as a team, Wamego has put a heavy emphasis on playing unselfish basketball on offense, and rewarding toughness on both ends of the floor, which has led to an uptick in taken charges, trips to the line, and offensive boards.“Our attention to detail has improved significantly over the season,” McIntosh said. “The better the opponent, the smaller your margin for error is. We pride ourselves on execution in big moments of games.”While Wamego has dominated in the win column this season, the Lady Raiders remain intentional about continuing to be the best they can be, further cleaning up those fine margins ahead of what should be another deep playoff push.“We’re still committed to daily improvement,” he said. “We have to continue to focus on controlling what we can control and playing up to our standards night in and night out.”The Raiders have also received a sizable boost from the return of senior standout Addison Denney, who missed last year’s run with an ACL injury but has returned to give Wamego even more energy this season.“It's nice to have her back,” McIntosh said. “She brings a lot of passion, strength, and toughness to our team. She has been playing really well the past few games and I look for her to continue improving for the rest of the season.”While all of these things have contributed to Wamego’s success on the floor, their bonds and connections off of it have been equally beneficial, not only to their play between the whistles but also to their development as people, something Coach McIntosh has put an emphasis on throughout his time at Wamego.“This group is very close,” he said. “They do a lot outside of basketball together and have formed extremely strong bonds. They have a lot of respect for each other because they know how hard they've worked in order to get to this point and I think this has led to a genuine love for their teammates.”Even beyond this season, this group of student-athletes continues to build on the groundwork laid by those who came before them, for the next generation of Lady Raiders, and strengthen friendships that in many cases, may last a lifetime.“We talk daily about our culture and what we want it to look like,” McIntosh said. “We have built this on our three core values: Hard work, self-discipline, and love. When we step on the court, it’s our goal for these three things to shine above anything else. We feel like if we focus on this, the wins will come, but more importantly, we will create bonds that will last forever.”The Lady Raiders will be back in action on Friday, January 27th when Wamego travels to Rock Creek, looking for a sweep of the Mustangs on Friday night.For continuing coverage of Wamego girls’ basketball all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

2022-23 Midseason Report: Wamego girls basketball

Bennington 66, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 32

Greeley County 62, Cheyenne Wells, Colo. 38

Troy 60, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 59, OT

Wichita Defenders Homeschool 61, Central Christian 44

Wichita Southeast 63, Wichita Bishop Carroll 62

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Augusta 52, El Dorado 49, OTBV Southwest 71, Tonganoxie 24Beloit 63, Salina Sacred Heart 52Bennington 66, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 32Blue Valley 54, SM Northwest 53Bonner Springs 82, KC Turner 40Central Heights 56, Osawatomie 36Chanute 47, Paola 31Chase 58, Natoma 45Cherryvale 70, Neodesha 39Dighton 57, Otis-Bison 36Ellinwood 55, Minneapolis 36Ellsworth 47, Plainville 42Emporia 41, Manhattan 39Frontenac 64, Pittsburg Colgan 44Galena 47, Columbus 40Garden City 63, Goodland 55Girard 43, Fort Scott 38Greeley County 62, Cheyenne Wells, Colo. 38Hanover 71, Washington County 53Highland Park 76, Eudora 45Hill City 63, Smith Center 33Hoisington 61, Phillipsburg 46Hoxie 43, Russell 38Hugoton 69, Scott City 36Hutchinson 55, Derby 50KC Bishop Ward 75, Cair Paravel 55KC Piper 51, Leavenworth 38Kapaun Mount Carmel 69, Wichita North 40La Crosse 59, St. John 34Lakeside 59, Lincoln 41Lawrence Free State 63, SM North 38Lyndon 59, Heritage Christian 56Madison/Hamilton 60, Waverly 43Maize South 63, Goddard 30McPherson 51, Andale 36Mulvane 58, Clearwater 37Olpe 96, Southern Coffey 7Osage City 61, Ottawa 58Osborne 69, Wilson 52Rawlins County 62, Logan/Palco 47Rock Hills 41, Tescott 31Silver Lake 81, Santa Fe Trail 62Smoky Valley 50, Hutchinson Trinity 43Solomon 65, Flint Hills Christian 31Southeast Saline 75, Republic County 23St. Mary's Academy 70, Topeka 60Sylvan-Lucas 57, Southern Cloud 44Thunder Ridge 64, Pike Valley 45Topeka West 65, Basehor-Linwood 59Troy 60, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 59, OTVictoria 46, Ellis 31Wamego 70, Council Grove 40Weskan 68, Heartland Christian 34Wichita Defenders Homeschool 61, Central Christian 44Wichita Heights 67, Wichita Northwest 42Wichita South 49, Wichita West 47Wichita Southeast 63, Wichita Bishop Carroll 62Hillsboro Tournament=Third Place=Clay Center 52, Hillsboro 40SPIAA Tournament=Consolation=Ashland 45, Ingalls 41Satanta 52, Spearville 51Quarterfinal=Kiowa County 64, Hodgeman County 57Meade 62, Bucklin 51Pawnee Heights 56, Minneola 48South Gray 48, South Central 42POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Bluestem vs. Humboldt, ppd.

Tuesday boys basketball results

Burlingame 54, Marais des Cygnes Valley 45

Cornerstone Family 41, Topeka Heritage Christian 26

Ell-Saline 59, Hutchinson Central Christian 50

Sedgwick 44, Wichita Defenders Homeschool 25

St. John's Beloit-Tipton 48, Bennington 41

St. Mary's 61, Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 50

Wichita Bishop Carroll 45, Wichita Southeast 42

Wichita Sunrise 43, Wichita Defenders Homeschool 13

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Arkansas City 36, Winfield 30Atchison County 63, Atchison 39BV Southwest 56, Tonganoxie 26Burlingame 54, Marais des Cygnes Valley 45Chase 49, Natoma 37Clifton-Clyde 57, Linn 51Cornerstone Family 41, Topeka Heritage Christian 26Deerfield 53, Western Plains 41Dighton 61, Otis-Bison 49Ell-Saline 59, Hutchinson Central Christian 50Ellis 55, Victoria 40Ellsworth 57, Plainville 25Eureka 66, Caney Valley 33Fairfield 62, Stafford 20Fort Scott 49, Girard 34Galena 47, Columbus 39Goodland 67, Garden City 45Greeley County 62, Cheyenne Wells, Colo. 38Heritage Christian 49, Lyndon 35Highland Park 56, Eudora 50Hugoton 59, Scott City 50Inman 47, Belle Plaine 34Kapaun Mount Carmel 42, Wichita North 33Lakeside 64, Lincoln 27Lebo 58, Hartford 16Madison/Hamilton 60, Waverly 43Minneapolis 46, Ellinwood 20Neodesha 41, Cherryvale 30Northern Valley 56, Stockton 44Norwich 54, Cunningham 12Osborne 72, Wilson 49Ottawa 52, Osage City 44Paola 58, Chanute 47Phillipsburg 47, Hoisington 21Pittsburg Colgan 56, Frontenac 41Quinter 47, Golden Plains 44Rawlins County 50, Logan/Palco 24Rock Hills 45, Tescott 25Rural Vista 49, Northern Heights 26Salina Sacred Heart 46, Beloit 43Sedgwick 44, Wichita Defenders Homeschool 25Smith Center 51, Hill City 13Smoky Valley 58, Hutchinson Trinity 27Solomon 36, Flint Hills Christian 28Southeast Saline 47, Republic County 29St. Francis 43, Oberlin-Decatur 34St. John 44, La Crosse 33St. John's Beloit-Tipton 48, Bennington 41St. Mary's 61, Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 50Sylvan-Lucas 43, Southern Cloud 17Thunder Ridge 44, Pike Valley 30Troy 48, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 31University Academy, Mo. 73, KC Sumner 17Wakefield 58, BV Randolph 55, 2OTWallace County 71, Triplains-Brewster 19Wamego 70, Council Grove 19Wellington 72, Wichita Campus 6Wichita Bishop Carroll 45, Wichita Southeast 42Wichita Heights 56, Wichita Northwest 21Wichita Sunrise 43, Wichita Defenders Homeschool 13Top Gun Tournament=First Round=Baldwin 55, Jefferson West 28Spring Hill 84, Wellsville 28POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Bluestem vs. Humboldt, ppd.

Tuesday girls basketball results

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Jaren Holmes matched his season high with 23 points as No. 12 Iowa State held on to beat No. 5 Kansas State 80-76. The Cyclones moved into a three-way tie atop the Big 12 standings with the Wildcats and Texas. Gabe Kalscheur added 19 points for Iowa State. Osun Osunniyi finished with 16. Markquis Nowell led Kansas State with 23 points. Free throws by Osunniyi, Caleb Grill and Holmes sealed the victory in the final 24 seconds.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Jaren Holmes matched his season high with 23 points as No. 12 Iowa State held on to beat No. 5 Kansas State 80-76. The Cyclones moved into a three-way tie atop the Big 12 standings with the Wildcats and Texas. Gabe Kalscheur added 19 points for Iowa State. Osun Osunniyi finished with 16. Markquis Nowell led Kansas State with 23 points. Free throws by Osunniyi, Caleb Grill and Holmes sealed the victory in the final 24 seconds.

Wildcats fall to No. 12 Iowa State

Kansas State moved up eight spots to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press college basketball poll after outlasting rival Kansas 83-82 at Bramlage Coliseum last week. It's the Wildcats' highest ranking since reaching No. 3 in 2010-11.

Kansas State moved up eight spots to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press college basketball poll after outlasting rival Kansas 83-82 at Bramlage Coliseum last week. It's the Wildcats' highest ranking since reaching No. 3 in 2010-11.

Wildcats are ranked number five in the AP poll

WACO, Texas (AP) — LJ Cryer had 22 points with five 3-pointers and 17th-ranked Baylor stretched its Big 12-best winning streak to five games with a 75-69 win over No. 9 Kansas. It was a matchup of the last two national champions. The reigning champion Jayhawks lost their third straight game. It’s only their fourth three-game losing streak in coach Bill Self’s 20 seasons. Adam Flagler added 17 points for 2021 champion Baylor, which is 15-5. Freshman guard Gradey Dick had 24 points for the 16-4 Jayhawks while Jalen Wilson had 23. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season.

WACO, Texas (AP) — LJ Cryer had 22 points with five 3-pointers and 17th-ranked Baylor stretched its Big 12-best winning streak to five games with a 75-69 win over No. 9 Kansas. It was a matchup of the last two national champions. The reigning champion Jayhawks lost their third straight game. It’s only their fourth three-game losing streak in coach Bill Self’s 20 seasons. Adam Flagler added 17 points for 2021 champion Baylor, which is 15-5. Freshman guard Gradey Dick had 24 points for the 16-4 Jayhawks while Jalen Wilson had 23. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season.

Baylor tops Kansas in Big 12 play

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes sustained a right high ankle sprain in the Kansas City Chiefs’ divisional playoff win over the Jaguars, a person familiar with the nature of the injury told The Associated Press on Sunday. But the All-Pro quarterback is expected to play in next weekend’s AFC championship game. Mahomes was hurt late in the first quarter Saturday when a Jacksonville defender landed on him. X-rays taken during the game came back negative, and Mahomes returned after halftime to lead Kansas City to the 27-20 victory. He had an MRI on Sunday that showed no structural damage.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes sustained a right high ankle sprain in the Kansas City Chiefs’ divisional playoff win over the Jaguars, a person familiar with the nature of the injury told The Associated Press on Sunday. But the All-Pro quarterback is expected to play in next weekend’s AFC championship game. Mahomes was hurt late in the first quarter Saturday when a Jacksonville defender landed on him. X-rays taken during the game came back negative, and Mahomes returned after halftime to lead Kansas City to the 27-20 victory. He had an MRI on Sunday that showed no structural damage.

Patrick Mahomes suffers high ankle sprain in Chiefs' win

Bishop Miege 73, Central Academy(Kansas City), Mo. 44

Northern Valley 67, Triplains-Brewster 32

St. Xavier 61, Topeka Heritage Christian 47

Wichita Heights 51, Kapaun Mount Carmel 36

Wichita South 57, Wichita Bishop Carroll 52

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Bishop Miege 73, Central Academy(Kansas City), Mo. 44Chase 69, Natoma 28DeSoto 43, Leavenworth 40Deerfield 45, Moscow 32Gardner-Edgerton 63, Savannah, Mo. 33Hodgeman County 72, Minneola 60KC Bishop Ward 78, McLouth 33Larned 58, St. John 45Lebo 77, Waverly 53Logan/Palco 44, Western Plains-Healy 23Northern Valley 67, Triplains-Brewster 32Osborne 56, Thunder Ridge 41Pawnee Heights 63, Meade 61Pike Valley 47, Southern Cloud 37Pleasant Ridge 44, Cair Paravel 43Rock Hills 41, Tescott 34Satanta 55, South Gray 0South Central 51, Bucklin 43Spearville 60, Ingalls 50St. John's Beloit-Tipton 65, Lakeside 54St. Mary's, Ore. 53, Nemaha Central 39St. Xavier 61, Topeka Heritage Christian 47Sylvan-Lucas 52, Wilson 31Weskan 73, Wheatland-Grinnell 49Wichita Heights 51, Kapaun Mount Carmel 36Wichita Independent 67, Nickerson 52Wichita South 57, Wichita Bishop Carroll 52Baldwin Invitational=Augusta 65, Heritage Christian 57Girard 64, Bishop Seabury Academy 36Burlington Tournament=First Round=Burlington 67, Silver Lake 56Ottawa 46, Labette County 42Burrton Tournament=First Round=Goessel 63, Fairfield 48Little River 64, Berean Academy 39Canton-Galva Tournament=First Round=Bennington 63, Solomon 18Moundridge 65, Canton-Galva 26Centre Tournament=First Round=Douglass 60, Wakefield 16Elyria Christian 65, Marion 39Cunningham Tournament=First Round=Cunningham 60, South Barber 42Medicine Lodge 60, Pratt Skyline 45Norwich 66, Kinsley 41Stafford 59, Attica 46Flint Hills Tournament=First Round=Chase County 40, Council Grove 31Mission Valley 58, West Franklin 54Halstead Tournament=First Round=Concordia 72, Halstead 46Haven 69, Winfield 28Hi-Plains League Tournament=First Round=Lakin 61, Elkhart 50Southwestern Hts. 48, Wichita County 40Syracuse 71, Stanton County 50Hoisington Tournament=First Round=Ellsworth 57, Cimarron 35Hoisington 57, La Crosse 47Holcomb Tournament=First Round=Clay Center 55, Holcomb 46Hesston 72, Republic County 25Hillsboro 63, Riley County 46Remington 59, Eureka 29Iola Tournament=First Round=Anderson County 64, Marmaton Valley 34Humboldt 47, St. Paul 29NW Kansas League Tournament=First Round=Rawlins County 69, St. Francis 26Spring Hill Tournament=First Round=Glendale, Mo. 76, Wichita North 52Goddard-Eisenhower 75, KC Harmon 27Mill Valley 76, Spring Hill 51Sterling Tournament=Consolation Semifinal=Smoky Valley 71, Lyons 33First Round=Hugoton 68, Kingman 53Sterling 68, Hutchinson Trinity 51Tonganoxie Tournament=First Round=Eudora 46, Metro Academy 41KC Piper 91, Bonner Springs 76Uniontown Tournament=Fredonia 57, Oswego 31Jayhawk Linn 49, Prairie View 41Valley Falls Tournament=Perry-Lecompton 63, Valley Falls 43

Boys basketball results

Christ Preparatory Academy 59, KC Wyandotte 39

Kapaun Mount Carmel 60, Wichita Heights 50

Northern Valley 59, Triplains-Brewster 23

Wichita Bishop Carroll 53, Wichita South 38

Wichita Defenders Homeschool 50, Wichita Classical 35

St. James Academy 68, Lee's Summit North, Mo. 41

College Heights Christian, Mo. 41, Southeast 29

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Baldwin 69, Pleasant Hill, Mo. 34Basehor-Linwood 54, Topeka West 34Bennington 58, Solomon 16Christ Preparatory Academy 59, KC Wyandotte 39Clearwater 31, Mulvane 28Derby 57, Hutchinson 23El Dorado 32, Augusta 28Goddard-Eisenhower 62, Wichita Campus 18Great Bend 57, Dodge City 50Heritage Christian 43, Osawatomie 19Hodgeman County 68, Minneola 43Kapaun Mount Carmel 60, Wichita Heights 50Logan/Palco 31, Western Plains-Healy 29Maize South 62, Goddard 21Manhattan 58, Emporia 55, 2OTMcPherson 41, Andale 29Meade 40, Pawnee Heights 32Natoma 42, Lincoln 32Northern Valley 59, Triplains-Brewster 23Wichita Bishop Carroll 53, Wichita South 38Wichita Defenders Homeschool 50, Wichita Classical 35Wichita Southeast 63, Wichita East 38Wichita Sunrise 53, Macksville 47Blue Valley North Tournament=(First Round=St. James Academy 68, Lee's Summit North, Mo. 41Burlington Tournament=(First Round=Ottawa 55, Sabetha 46Silver Lake 52, Paola 25Centre Tournament=(First Round=Douglass 61, SVHE 42Elyria Christian 54, Centre 14Marion 41, Wakefield 29Hillsboro Tournament=(First Round=Clay Center 41, Holcomb 36Eureka 52, Riley County 47Hesston 40, Remington 35Hillsboro 46, Republic County 15Hoisington Tournament=(First Round=Ellsworth 44, Otis-Bison 13Hoisington 48, La Crosse 14Mid-Continent League Tournament=Ellis 43, Trego 39Hoxie 63, Norton 43Phillipsburg 71, Oakley 27Smith Center 60, Hays-TMP-Marian 51Northern Plains Tournament=Consolation Semifinal=Rock Hills 45, Thunder Ridge 29Southern Cloud 36, Chase 34Sylvan-Lucas 51, Pike Valley 36Semifinal=Lakeside 56, Osborne 47St. John's Beloit-Tipton 62, Wilson 42NW Kansas League Tournament=First Round=Quinter 61, Greeley County 32Sharon Springs 34, Oberlin-Decatur 22St. Francis 55, Dighton 26Southeast Tournament=First Round=College Heights Christian, Mo. 41, Southeast 29Neodesha 58, Baxter Springs 15Riverton 39, Columbus 33Sterling Tournament=First Round=Hugoton 56, Smoky Valley 46Southeast Saline 58, Sterling 21Tonganoxie Tournament=First Round=Bonner Springs 54, Wamego 48Uniontown Tournament=Fredonia 60, Oswego 11

Girls basketball results

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 24 points, including the go-ahead alley-oop dunk with 25 seconds left in overtime, and No. 13 Kansas State beat second-ranked Kansas 83-82 on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game series skid.

Desi Sills also scored 24 points, and Nae'Qwan Tomlin had 15 points and 10 boards, as the Wildcats (16-2, 5-1 Big 12) hung tough after blowing a 14-point first-half lead and then squandering a chance to win the game in regulation.

Jalen Wilson tried to take over in overtime for Kansas, converting a three-point play, knocking down a 3-pointer and making a pair of free throws for an 82-80 lead with just over a minute to go. But after Johnson made a free throw at the other end, Wilson missed a deep 3-pointer as the shot-clock expired to give the Wildcats another chance.

After a timeout, Markquis Nowell threw a lob that Johnson slammed down for an 83-82 advantage with 25 seconds to go.

Kansas also called a timeout to set up its own finishing play, but the sure-handed Dajuan Harris Jr. lost the ball in traffic and the Jayhawks never got a chance to put up a potentially winning shot as purple-clad fans flooded the floor.

Wilson finished with a career-high 38 points for the Jayhawks (16-2, 5-1). KJ Adams had 17 points and Gradey Dick had 16, though both of their key players were riding the bench at the finish after fouling out.

In an epic slugfest, both teams had chances to win in the final 30 seconds of regulation.

Kansas had possession first with 23 seconds to go and the game tied at 72, only to watch Harris Jr. lose control near the midcourt line — much like he did at the finish of overtime. The Wildcats grabbed the loose ball and pitched it ahead to Johnson, but the star forward missed a wild shot at the rim just before the buzzer sounded.

In the most anticipated Sunflower Showdown in years, which drew a capacity crowd that snaked around Bramlage Coliseum hours before tipoff as it waited to get in, it was the less-regarded Wildcats rather than the defending national champions that demonstrated early poise and precision.

Kansas State made its first five 3-pointers and shot 52% from the field in the first half. It stuffed Wilson, the Big 12's top scorer, three times before he made a basket. And at one point, the Wildcats led by as many as 14 points.

Yet there's a reason the Jayhawks entered the night 29-5 in Bramlage Coliseum.

They always seem to deal with the pressure there.

Wilson finally got on track, scoring 12 in the first half, and Adams found success with floaters in the lane, pouring in 15 by the break. The Jayhawks eventually closed down the perimeter, forcing Kansas State to unsuccessfully drive to the basket, and they slowly trimmed away at their deficit, closing within 44-39 by halftime.

Despite foul trouble — Kevin McCullar Jr. went to the bench with four with 10 minutes to go, eventually fouling out, and Adams also fouled out down the stretch — the Jayhawks eventually made it all the way back, taking their first lead since the opening minutes at 59-57 with just under 8 minutes to go.

Kansas State refused to give up, though. So did Kansas.

Turns out 40 minutes wasn't enough to decide it.

Kansas somehow hung around despite struggling mightily from the foul line, going 24 of 34, and shooting 6 of 29 from the 3-point line. The Jayhawks did it by turning around early turnover trouble and effectively getting to the rim on offense.

Kansas State relies heavily on Nowell to make things happen, particularly on offense, and his worst games have led to losses. He was held to 13 points by Butler and committed five turnovers against TCU. But despite scoring just four points against Kansas, he piled up seven assists, and none more important than the last.

Kansas returns home to play No. 14 TCU on Saturday. Kansas State plays Texas Tech the same day.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 24 points, including the go-ahead alley-oop dunk with 25 seconds left in overtime, and No. 13 Kansas State beat second-ranked Kansas 83-82 on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game series skid.Desi Sills also scored 24 points, and Nae'Qwan Tomlin had 15 points and 10 boards, as the Wildcats (16-2, 5-1 Big 12) hung tough after blowing a 14-point first-half lead and then squandering a chance to win the game in regulation.Jalen Wilson tried to take over in overtime for Kansas, converting a three-point play, knocking down a 3-pointer and making a pair of free throws for an 82-80 lead with just over a minute to go. But after Johnson made a free throw at the other end, Wilson missed a deep 3-pointer as the shot-clock expired to give the Wildcats another chance.After a timeout, Markquis Nowell threw a lob that Johnson slammed down for an 83-82 advantage with 25 seconds to go.Kansas also called a timeout to set up its own finishing play, but the sure-handed Dajuan Harris Jr. lost the ball in traffic and the Jayhawks never got a chance to put up a potentially winning shot as purple-clad fans flooded the floor.Wilson finished with a career-high 38 points for the Jayhawks (16-2, 5-1). KJ Adams had 17 points and Gradey Dick had 16, though both of their key players were riding the bench at the finish after fouling out.In an epic slugfest, both teams had chances to win in the final 30 seconds of regulation.Kansas had possession first with 23 seconds to go and the game tied at 72, only to watch Harris Jr. lose control near the midcourt line — much like he did at the finish of overtime. The Wildcats grabbed the loose ball and pitched it ahead to Johnson, but the star forward missed a wild shot at the rim just before the buzzer sounded.In the most anticipated Sunflower Showdown in years, which drew a capacity crowd that snaked around Bramlage Coliseum hours before tipoff as it waited to get in, it was the less-regarded Wildcats rather than the defending national champions that demonstrated early poise and precision.Kansas State made its first five 3-pointers and shot 52% from the field in the first half. It stuffed Wilson, the Big 12's top scorer, three times before he made a basket. And at one point, the Wildcats led by as many as 14 points.Yet there's a reason the Jayhawks entered the night 29-5 in Bramlage Coliseum.They always seem to deal with the pressure there.Wilson finally got on track, scoring 12 in the first half, and Adams found success with floaters in the lane, pouring in 15 by the break. The Jayhawks eventually closed down the perimeter, forcing Kansas State to unsuccessfully drive to the basket, and they slowly trimmed away at their deficit, closing within 44-39 by halftime.Despite foul trouble — Kevin McCullar Jr. went to the bench with four with 10 minutes to go, eventually fouling out, and Adams also fouled out down the stretch — the Jayhawks eventually made it all the way back, taking their first lead since the opening minutes at 59-57 with just under 8 minutes to go.Kansas State refused to give up, though. So did Kansas.Turns out 40 minutes wasn't enough to decide it.THE TAKEAWAYKansas somehow hung around despite struggling mightily from the foul line, going 24 of 34, and shooting 6 of 29 from the 3-point line. The Jayhawks did it by turning around early turnover trouble and effectively getting to the rim on offense.Kansas State relies heavily on Nowell to make things happen, particularly on offense, and his worst games have led to losses. He was held to 13 points by Butler and committed five turnovers against TCU. But despite scoring just four points against Kansas, he piled up seven assists, and none more important than the last.UP NEXTKansas returns home to play No. 14 TCU on Saturday. Kansas State plays Texas Tech the same day.

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