By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

Tonight, the Rock Creek and Wabaunsee girls’ basketball teams will meet in Alma for a rematch of a Manhattan-area showdown that resulted in a Mustang victory the first time around.

Rock Creek comes into this contest at 7-1 ranked as the #5 team in Class 4A and fresh off a bounce-back victory over Rossville after falling to Silver Lake on their home floor a week ago.

“In my experience when you get beat a lot of times if your kids are competitors the bounce back is actually easier to find,” Mustang head coach Adam Plummer said. “I tend to have more trouble at times with how kids handle success. I wasn’t too worried because I know this group likes to compete and when you get embarrassed on your home court like that your only choice is to get back up.”

On the other side of this matchup, the Lady Chargers will enter at 1-5, still looking to find their footing but confident in themselves after falling to Rock Creek by just five the first time around.

“We are continuing to make daily improvements in practice, it just hasn't shown up in the final box score yet,” Wabaunsee head coach Trevor Keller said. “Offensively we need to score at a more consistent rate and defensively we need to do a better job of limiting teams to one shot per possession.”

In the first meeting between these two, the Mustangs escaped with a 40-35 victory in a game that served as a real wake-up call for Rock Creek.

“All respect to Wabaunsee, they deserved to win that first game but we believe that we’re much better than what we played that night,” Plummer said. “We found a way, and sometimes you have to win ugly but I hope our kids are locked in tonight as we have been in the past.”

Meanwhile, the Lady Chargers, still in search of their first win of the new year and hungry to snap a five-game losing streak, are relishing the opportunity to do just that on their home floor against a ranked opponent.

“That was probably the best we have played as a group all season and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to compete against another high-level basketball team,” Keller said. “They have a really balanced team with every player understanding their role. Becca Conrow does a really good job of getting deep post position and she has the ability to step out and knock down threes. Brynn McFall does a good job of getting them into their offense and then taking what the defense gives her.”

After struggling from the floor early in the first meeting, the start for Rock Creek will be imperative, especially away from the friendly confines of home.

“Getting off to a good start will be important,” Plummer said. “We also need to recognize what they’re doing on the defensive end more quickly. We can’t let Karli Meseke get open and shoot threes on the outside but we also can’t give her sister any easy looks inside. If we can do that they won’t be as balanced and I think we’ll be okay.”

Tip-off between the Lady Chargers and Mustangs is set for 6:30 pm on the campus of Wabaunsee High School with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00.

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

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorTonight, the Rock Creek and Wabaunsee girls’ basketball teams will meet in Alma for a rematch of a Manhattan-area showdown that resulted in a Mustang victory the first time around.Rock Creek comes into this contest at 7-1 ranked as the #5 team in Class 4A and fresh off a bounce-back victory over Rossville after falling to Silver Lake on their home floor a week ago.“In my experience when you get beat a lot of times if your kids are competitors the bounce back is actually easier to find,” Mustang head coach Adam Plummer said. “I tend to have more trouble at times with how kids handle success. I wasn’t too worried because I know this group likes to compete and when you get embarrassed on your home court like that your only choice is to get back up.”On the other side of this matchup, the Lady Chargers will enter at 1-5, still looking to find their footing but confident in themselves after falling to Rock Creek by just five the first time around.“We are continuing to make daily improvements in practice, it just hasn't shown up in the final box score yet,” Wabaunsee head coach Trevor Keller said. “Offensively we need to score at a more consistent rate and defensively we need to do a better job of limiting teams to one shot per possession.”In the first meeting between these two, the Mustangs escaped with a 40-35 victory in a game that served as a real wake-up call for Rock Creek.“All respect to Wabaunsee, they deserved to win that first game but we believe that we’re much better than what we played that night,” Plummer said. “We found a way, and sometimes you have to win ugly but I hope our kids are locked in tonight as we have been in the past.”Meanwhile, the Lady Chargers, still in search of their first win of the new year and hungry to snap a five-game losing streak, are relishing the opportunity to do just that on their home floor against a ranked opponent.“That was probably the best we have played as a group all season and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to compete against another high-level basketball team,” Keller said. “They have a really balanced team with every player understanding their role. Becca Conrow does a really good job of getting deep post position and she has the ability to step out and knock down threes. Brynn McFall does a good job of getting them into their offense and then taking what the defense gives her.”After struggling from the floor early in the first meeting, the start for Rock Creek will be imperative, especially away from the friendly confines of home.“Getting off to a good start will be important,” Plummer said. “We also need to recognize what they’re doing on the defensive end more quickly. We can’t let Karli Meseke get open and shoot threes on the outside but we also can’t give her sister any easy looks inside. If we can do that they won’t be as balanced and I think we’ll be okay.”Tip-off between the Lady Chargers and Mustangs is set for 6:30 pm on the campus of Wabaunsee High School with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00.For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

Lady Chargers host ranked Rock Creek in Manhattan area rematch

From top to bottom, the Big 12 hasn't started conference play like this in a decade.

No. 11 Kansas State has already surpassed last season's overall win total and made an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">impressive Top 25 poll debut</a>&nbsp;this week after being picked to finish last in the 10-team league with new coach Jerome Tang and a completely revamped roster.

The Wildcats (15-1) have won their first four Big 12 games, just like defending national champion No. 2 Kansas and No. 14 Iowa State, which is surging again after a surprise run to the NCAA Sweet 16 last March.

“I’m very thankful. I’ve been really blessed by God to have this opportunity,” Tang said after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kansas-mens-state-wildcats-oklahoma-b7e78c573aa07a86d049c013c89916bf">K-State beat Oklahoma State for its ninth win in a row</a>&nbsp;before he praised his 15-player roster. “I know this is not about me.”

The Big 12 is the only league in the county with half of its teams ranked, and every team still with a winning record. That is with previously ranked teams Texas Tech and West Virginia both 0-4 in the conference.

“We’ve just got to go on a run here," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said. “And it’s not going to be easy.”

The last time the Big 12 had multiple teams open league play 4-0 with multiple other teams 0-4 was 2012-13, the season it became a 10-school league. There is also a lot going on in between those two extremes.

Texas (14-2, 3-1 Big 12), moving forward without fired coach Chris Beard, had its biggest comeback in 10 years by overcoming an 18-point deficit to beat TCU at home Wednesday night. The Horned Frogs (13-3, 2-2) had rallied from 17 down for a win at Baylor a week earlier.

"In the Big 12, we’re going to be in games like this all season long,” said Longhorns interim coach Rodney Terry, who is 7-1 since taking over the program when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-chris-beard-texas-law-enforcement-64f650d82cd95028ad80ae5946fe2e24">Beard was suspended after an arrest on a felony domestic violence charge</a>&nbsp;before being fired last week.

TCU, which last March got its first NCAA Tournament victory in 35 years, had an 11-game winning streak until&nbsp;<a href="http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=35400177">Gabe Kalscheur's 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left</a>&nbsp;gave Iowa State a 69-67 win on Saturday.

“In the second half, we’ve got to pick up our pace and show our will,” TCU guard Emanuel Miller said after the Texas loss. “We’ve got to know every possession matters. In this league, you mess up one possession, it can cost you the game.”

Only six of the 20 conference games played so far have been decided by more than six points and home court hasn't been an advantage so far: Visiting teams have an 11-9 record.

“It’s reality, we play in the toughest conference in college basketball. ... We have literally no off night," Oklahoma State senior forward Kalib Boone said.

The Cowboys now go to preseason Big 12 favorite Baylor (11-5, 1-3), the national champion two seasons ago and two-time defending league champ. The Bears avoided an 0-4 start when freshman Keyonte George had 32 points in an 83-78 victory at West Virginia on Wednesday in their first game as an unranked team since the end of the 2018-19 season.

Baylor was in a school-record 65 consecutive polls until back-to-back home losses last week. The Bears lost 88-87 to TCU before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kansas-baylor-bears-state-wildcats-oklahoma-5e33a1957953ee4fedfb1fdf11111886">K-State's overtime win in Tang's return to Waco</a>, where he was on Scott Drew's staff the previous 19 seasons.

“Coach Tang has done a great job with their chemistry, their grit, their toughness,” Drew said.

The Wildcats, off to their best overall start since 1958-59, has 10 transfers and three freshmen. The only holdovers from last season are junior forward Ismael Massoud and senior guard Markquis Nowell, the Big 12 leader with 8.8 assists a game and seventh with 17.2 points.

Kansas State debuted just outside the top 10 in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">the same AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;that saw Iowa State made a 11-point jump from 25th. The Cyclones have won the two most-lopsided conference games so far, by 15 over Baylor on New Years' Eve and 84-50 over Texas Tech this week.

Big 12 coaches picked Iowa State to finish eighth, even after coach T.J. Otzelberger won 22 games and took the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 in his debut last season after inheriting a two-win team. Their starting lineup has a true freshman guard and four transfers.

The Cyclones play Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-oklahoma-state-cowboys-kansas-jayhawks-mens-e63a581b1fe76f5fca56eb57d01a8cce">Kansas (15-1) just overcame a 10-point deficit</a>&nbsp;in the final five minutes for a 79-75 victory over Oklahoma.

“We told them before the game you might as well enjoy it because it is going to be a grind,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.

That describes just about every Big 12 game so far this season.

From top to bottom, the Big 12 hasn't started conference play like this in a decade.No. 11 Kansas State has already surpassed last season's overall win total and made an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">impressive Top 25 poll debut</a>&nbsp;this week after being picked to finish last in the 10-team league with new coach Jerome Tang and a completely revamped roster.The Wildcats (15-1) have won their first four Big 12 games, just like defending national champion No. 2 Kansas and No. 14 Iowa State, which is surging again after a surprise run to the NCAA Sweet 16 last March.“I’m very thankful. I’ve been really blessed by God to have this opportunity,” Tang said after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kansas-mens-state-wildcats-oklahoma-b7e78c573aa07a86d049c013c89916bf">K-State beat Oklahoma State for its ninth win in a row</a>&nbsp;before he praised his 15-player roster. “I know this is not about me.”The Big 12 is the only league in the county with half of its teams ranked, and every team still with a winning record. That is with previously ranked teams Texas Tech and West Virginia both 0-4 in the conference.“We’ve just got to go on a run here," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said. “And it’s not going to be easy.”The last time the Big 12 had multiple teams open league play 4-0 with multiple other teams 0-4 was 2012-13, the season it became a 10-school league. There is also a lot going on in between those two extremes.Texas (14-2, 3-1 Big 12), moving forward without fired coach Chris Beard, had its biggest comeback in 10 years by overcoming an 18-point deficit to beat TCU at home Wednesday night. The Horned Frogs (13-3, 2-2) had rallied from 17 down for a win at Baylor a week earlier."In the Big 12, we’re going to be in games like this all season long,” said Longhorns interim coach Rodney Terry, who is 7-1 since taking over the program when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-chris-beard-texas-law-enforcement-64f650d82cd95028ad80ae5946fe2e24">Beard was suspended after an arrest on a felony domestic violence charge</a>&nbsp;before being fired last week.TCU, which last March got its first NCAA Tournament victory in 35 years, had an 11-game winning streak until&nbsp;<a href="http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=35400177">Gabe Kalscheur's 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left</a>&nbsp;gave Iowa State a 69-67 win on Saturday.“In the second half, we’ve got to pick up our pace and show our will,” TCU guard Emanuel Miller said after the Texas loss. “We’ve got to know every possession matters. In this league, you mess up one possession, it can cost you the game.”Only six of the 20 conference games played so far have been decided by more than six points and home court hasn't been an advantage so far: Visiting teams have an 11-9 record.“It’s reality, we play in the toughest conference in college basketball. ... We have literally no off night," Oklahoma State senior forward Kalib Boone said.The Cowboys now go to preseason Big 12 favorite Baylor (11-5, 1-3), the national champion two seasons ago and two-time defending league champ. The Bears avoided an 0-4 start when freshman Keyonte George had 32 points in an 83-78 victory at West Virginia on Wednesday in their first game as an unranked team since the end of the 2018-19 season.Baylor was in a school-record 65 consecutive polls until back-to-back home losses last week. The Bears lost 88-87 to TCU before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kansas-baylor-bears-state-wildcats-oklahoma-5e33a1957953ee4fedfb1fdf11111886">K-State's overtime win in Tang's return to Waco</a>, where he was on Scott Drew's staff the previous 19 seasons.“Coach Tang has done a great job with their chemistry, their grit, their toughness,” Drew said.The Wildcats, off to their best overall start since 1958-59, has 10 transfers and three freshmen. The only holdovers from last season are junior forward Ismael Massoud and senior guard Markquis Nowell, the Big 12 leader with 8.8 assists a game and seventh with 17.2 points.Kansas State debuted just outside the top 10 in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">the same AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;that saw Iowa State made a 11-point jump from 25th. The Cyclones have won the two most-lopsided conference games so far, by 15 over Baylor on New Years' Eve and 84-50 over Texas Tech this week.Big 12 coaches picked Iowa State to finish eighth, even after coach T.J. Otzelberger won 22 games and took the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 in his debut last season after inheriting a two-win team. Their starting lineup has a true freshman guard and four transfers.The Cyclones play Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-oklahoma-state-cowboys-kansas-jayhawks-mens-e63a581b1fe76f5fca56eb57d01a8cce">Kansas (15-1) just overcame a 10-point deficit</a>&nbsp;in the final five minutes for a 79-75 victory over Oklahoma.“We told them before the game you might as well enjoy it because it is going to be a grind,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.That describes just about every Big 12 game so far this season.

Big 12 starts the season strong

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Emily Ryan had 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead four Iowa State players with 14 points and the 15th-ranked Cyclones beat Kansas State 67-56. Denae Fritz completed a three-point play with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter to give Iowa State the first double-digit lead of the game. Ryan scored the opening six points of the fourth quarter, on a three-point play and 3-pointer, and she added another basket for a 59-46 lead with 5:35 left. Iowa State went nearly three minutes without scoring to have its lead trimmed to 62-56 with 2:32 left, but Ashley Joens answered with a 3-pointer from the corner for a nine-point lead.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Emily Ryan had 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead four Iowa State players with 14 points and the 15th-ranked Cyclones beat Kansas State 67-56. Denae Fritz completed a three-point play with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter to give Iowa State the first double-digit lead of the game. Ryan scored the opening six points of the fourth quarter, on a three-point play and 3-pointer, and she added another basket for a 59-46 lead with 5:35 left. Iowa State went nearly three minutes without scoring to have its lead trimmed to 62-56 with 2:32 left, but Ashley Joens answered with a 3-pointer from the corner for a nine-point lead.

Iowa State defeats Kansas State in Big 12 women's basketball

Congratulations to Chauncey Baxter of Salina, the Week 18 winner in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!

Chauncey, who scored 13 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 Chauncey Baxter of Salina, the Week 18 winner in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!Chauncey, who scored 13 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 Chauncey Baxter!

Bishop Miege 78, Lincoln College Prep, Mo. 48

Flint Hills Christian 58, Central Christian 47

Heritage Christian 71, Bishop Seabury Academy 63

St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 65, Wakefield School, Va. 34

Wichita Heights 53, Wichita Bishop Carroll 36

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Abilene 52, Wamego 43Anderson County 59, Prairie View 17Andover 70, Salina Central 30Andover Central 61, Goddard 26Baldwin 66, Ottawa 43Basehor-Linwood 74, Topeka Seaman 71Beloit 70, Chapman 27Bishop Miege 78, Lincoln College Prep, Mo. 48Central Heights 53, West Franklin 41Chaparral 69, Belle Plaine 55Cheylin 48, Wichita County 43Colby 58, Goodland 45Cunningham 80, Burrton 35Derby 58, Newton 31Douglass 38, Conway Springs 35Elkhart 72, Deerfield 36Ellinwood 73, St. John 19Emporia 58, Paola 28Flint Hills Christian 58, Central Christian 47Galena 60, Pittsburg Colgan 41Garden City 86, Liberal 59Goddard-Eisenhower 56, Arkansas City 55Haven 49, Hoisington 25Heritage Christian 71, Bishop Seabury Academy 63Hesston 63, Pratt 50Highland Park 107, KC Sumner 64Hodgeman County 55, Pawnee Heights 50Holton 56, Perry-Lecompton 52Hugoton 64, Hooker, Okla. 60Humboldt 66, Fredonia 53Hutchinson 61, Maize 46Junction City 44, Topeka Hayden 42KC Bishop Ward 94, Maranatha Academy 38Kingman 55, Medicine Lodge 54Lawrence 61, Olathe East 39Lawrence-Nelson, Neb. 45, Rock Hills 20Leavenworth 43, Lansing 34Lebo 62, Madison/Hamilton 41Linn 59, St. Xavier 22Little River 71, Goessel 51Lyndon 77, Council Grove 39Macksville 66, Ingalls 45Maize South 59, Valley Center 39Marmaton Valley 57, Crest 31Marysville 59, Concordia 52McPherson 57, Augusta 42Mulvane 50, Buhler 47Nickerson 61, Halstead 52Norwich 46, South Barber 21Olathe West 70, SM West 58Osborne 56, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 50Phillipsburg 58, Trego 53Pike Valley 55, Southern Cloud 41Quinter 63, Western Plains 24Remington 64, Marion 32Riverton 49, Girard 47Rose Hill 58, Clearwater 25Russell 65, Smith Center 50Shawnee Heights 67, KC Turner 41Silver Lake 35, Wabaunsee 32Smoky Valley 57, Hillsboro 53South Gray 83, Minneola 48Southeast Saline 66, Clay Center 49Spearville 63, Ness City 59St. Mary's 65, Riley County 40St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 65, Wakefield School, Va. 34Sylvan-Lucas 63, Natoma 26Thunder Ridge 67, Lakeside 37Troy 67, Onaga 61Valley Falls 53, Pleasant Ridge 30Weskan 55, St. Francis 23West Elk 54, Burden Central 51Wichita Campus 64, Salina South 59Wichita Classical 66, Ell-Saline 26Wichita Collegiate 63, Wellington 41Wichita Heights 53, Wichita Bishop Carroll 36Wichita Independent 58, Cheney 47Wichita Trinity 68, Garden Plain 66Wilson 58, Chase 25

Boys basketball results

Central Christian 43, Flint Hills Christian 22

Heritage Christian 57, Bishop Seabury Academy 17

Pike Valley 28, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 22

Wakefield School, Va. 23, St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 17

Wichita Bishop Carroll 49, Wichita Heights 36

Wichita Defenders Homeschool 32, Reno County 30

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Andale 59, El Dorado 12Andover 58, Salina Central 45Andover Central 48, Goddard 18Baldwin 49, Ottawa 41Basehor-Linwood 74, Topeka Seaman 71Bennington 70, Moundridge 60Berean Academy 32, Sedgwick 27Bluestem 39, Neodesha 34Burrton 47, Cunningham 43Canton-Galva 49, Solomon 29Central Christian 43, Flint Hills Christian 22Central Plains 54, Sterling 39Chanute 38, Coffeyville 32Chaparral 34, Belle Plaine 32Chapman 49, Beloit 26Cheney 56, Wichita Independent 32Circle 55, Winfield 29Clearwater 45, Rose Hill 16Conway Springs 35, Douglass 32Derby 55, Newton 28Ell-Saline 50, Wichita Classical 33Frankfort 73, Wetmore 14Garden Plain 56, Wichita Trinity 17Goddard-Eisenhower 31, Arkansas City 22Goodland 48, Colby 23Haven 37, Hoisington 32Hays 63, Great Bend 45Hays-TMP-Marian 43, Hoxie 40Heritage Christian 57, Bishop Seabury Academy 17Hesston 47, Pratt 14Highland Park 64, KC Sumner 20Hillsboro 51, Smoky Valley 49Hodgeman County 64, Pawnee Heights 28Hugoton 43, Hooker, Okla. 39Hutchinson 39, Maize 20Inman 49, Hutchinson Trinity 14Jefferson West 59, Royal Valley 43KC Wyandotte 52, KC Washington 30Kingman 48, Medicine Lodge 36Larned 42, Lyons 32Lawrence 61, Olathe East 39Liberal 58, Garden City 50Little River 59, Goessel 25Macksville 53, Ingalls 35Maize South 47, Valley Center 34McPherson 49, Augusta 13Mulvane 26, Buhler 23Nemaha Central 42, Riverside 31Nickerson 50, Halstead 45Norton 39, Oakley 35Norwich 61, South Barber 7Oberlin-Decatur 49, Northern Valley 35Olathe North 72, Lawrence Free State 18Olathe West 41, SM West 37Osage City 63, Chase County, Neb. 28Phillipsburg 55, Trego 28Pike Valley 28, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 22Pleasant Ridge 52, Valley Falls 21Quinter 63, Western Plains 24Rawlins County 55, Triplains-Brewster 26Remington 60, Marion 20Riverton 22, Girard 20Rural Vista 40, Centre 9SM Northwest 32, Olathe Northwest 28Salina South 44, Wichita Campus 14Smith Center 60, Russell 31Southeast Saline 45, Clay Center 28Spring Hill 47, Louisburg 39St. Francis 44, Weskan 12Stanton County 75, Walsh, Colo. 16Sylvan-Lucas 47, Natoma 20Wakefield 40, Herington 25Wakefield School, Va. 23, St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 17Wallace County 50, Greeley County 32Wamego 42, Abilene 17Washburn Rural 47, Topeka 46Wellington 82, Wichita Collegiate 17West Elk 44, Burden Central 27Wheatland-Grinnell 33, Dighton 31Wichita Bishop Carroll 49, Wichita Heights 36Wichita County 64, Cheylin 1Wichita Defenders Homeschool 32, Reno County 30Wichita Northwest 57, Wichita West 7Wichita South 58, Wichita Southeast 51Wilson 42, Chase 31

Girls basketball results

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 20 points and found Keyontae Johnson for an alley-oop dunk with 38 seconds left as No. 11 Kansas State held off Oklahoma State 65-57. Johnson added 12 points and Desi Sills had 11 for the Wildcats, who won their ninth straight and matched their victory total from last season. Predicted to finish last in the Big 12, Kansas State went from unranked last week to just outside the top 10 in the AP poll. Kalib Boone scored 23 points and Caleb Asberry had 15 for the Cowboys, who have lost three of four, all by 10 points or fewer.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 20 points and found Keyontae Johnson for an alley-oop dunk with 38 seconds left as No. 11 Kansas State held off Oklahoma State 65-57. Johnson added 12 points and Desi Sills had 11 for the Wildcats, who won their ninth straight and matched their victory total from last season. Predicted to finish last in the Big 12, Kansas State went from unranked last week to just outside the top 10 in the AP poll. Kalib Boone scored 23 points and Caleb Asberry had 15 for the Cowboys, who have lost three of four, all by 10 points or fewer.

K-State holds off Oklahoma State 

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

With the 2022 portion of the schedule well in the books, the Wamego and Abilene girls’ basketball teams will meet on Tuesday night, each looking for a big early-January win.

The Lady Raiders have gotten off to a roaring start this season at 7-0 and will come into this contest ranked as the #3 team in Class 4A, having knocked off St. Mary’s and Concordia to open their new year.

“We have played very well as a team this season,” Wamego head coach Brian McIntosh said. “The girls have been extremely unselfish and only care about winning. They’re making the extra pass on offense, executing defensively, and building a strong bond on and off the court.”

On the other side of this matchup, the Cowgirls will enter this contest at 1-6, still putting the pieces together early in the year.

“We are starting to learn to compete and play for all four quarters,” Abilene head coach Shawn Herrman said. "We still need to stay patient on offense and limit our turnovers in a half-court set.”

While Wamego will come into this contest as heavy favorites, the Lady Raiders have afforded a great deal of respect to their opponents this week, while keeping the focus on the Cowgirl’s game in the paint.

“Abilene does a good job of playing into their post,” McIntosh said. “They switch up their defenses to try and keep you off rhythm. Dannefer is definitely someone they want to go to. She is very active in their offense, and it will be important for us to not allow her to catch where she wants to.”

On the other side of the matchup, Abilene will look to solve a puzzle that no other team has had an answer for, against a deep Raider attack that can hit their opponents from all over the court.

“They are extremely efficient on offense,” Herrman said. “They take care of the ball, apply ball pressure full-court, and continue that pressure in the half-court set. You can’t focus on just one player and they are very well-coached and experienced.”

To find that success, the Cowgirls will have to value each possession and handle the Raider press for 32 minutes.

“We have to take care of the ball and handle the pressure,” Herrman said. “We also have to become more efficient on the offensive end to give ourselves a chance.”

Meanwhile, Wamego will look to continue playing their game in the hopes of collecting an eighth straight victory to stay perfect on the year.

“We have to continue being us,” McIntosh said. “It doesn't matter who we play, we need to live up to our standards and the expectations we have for ourselves. For us, that means being the aggressors on both offense and defense.”

Tip-off between the Lady Raiders and Cowgirls is set for 6:30 at Abilene High School with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00.

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

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorWith the 2022 portion of the schedule well in the books, the Wamego and Abilene girls’ basketball teams will meet on Tuesday night, each looking for a big early-January win.The Lady Raiders have gotten off to a roaring start this season at 7-0 and will come into this contest ranked as the #3 team in Class 4A, having knocked off St. Mary’s and Concordia to open their new year.“We have played very well as a team this season,” Wamego head coach Brian McIntosh said. “The girls have been extremely unselfish and only care about winning. They’re making the extra pass on offense, executing defensively, and building a strong bond on and off the court.”On the other side of this matchup, the Cowgirls will enter this contest at 1-6, still putting the pieces together early in the year.“We are starting to learn to compete and play for all four quarters,” Abilene head coach Shawn Herrman said. "We still need to stay patient on offense and limit our turnovers in a half-court set.”While Wamego will come into this contest as heavy favorites, the Lady Raiders have afforded a great deal of respect to their opponents this week, while keeping the focus on the Cowgirl’s game in the paint.“Abilene does a good job of playing into their post,” McIntosh said. “They switch up their defenses to try and keep you off rhythm. Dannefer is definitely someone they want to go to. She is very active in their offense, and it will be important for us to not allow her to catch where she wants to.”On the other side of the matchup, Abilene will look to solve a puzzle that no other team has had an answer for, against a deep Raider attack that can hit their opponents from all over the court.“They are extremely efficient on offense,” Herrman said. “They take care of the ball, apply ball pressure full-court, and continue that pressure in the half-court set. You can’t focus on just one player and they are very well-coached and experienced.”To find that success, the Cowgirls will have to value each possession and handle the Raider press for 32 minutes.“We have to take care of the ball and handle the pressure,” Herrman said. “We also have to become more efficient on the offensive end to give ourselves a chance.”Meanwhile, Wamego will look to continue playing their game in the hopes of collecting an eighth straight victory to stay perfect on the year.“We have to continue being us,” McIntosh said. “It doesn't matter who we play, we need to live up to our standards and the expectations we have for ourselves. For us, that means being the aggressors on both offense and defense.”Tip-off between the Lady Raiders and Cowgirls is set for 6:30 at Abilene High School with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00.For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

3rd-Ranked Lady Raiders travel to Abilene looking to remain perfect on year

With a month's worth of action on the hardwood already in the books, two teams, each ranked in Class 4A before the season began, will clash in Abilene as the Cowboys prepare to host white-hot Wamego on Tuesday evening.

The Red Raiders will enter this contest at 6-1, having already collected two wins in the new year, after knocking off St. Mary’s 60-55, and Concordia 59-49 last week.

“I’ve been impressed with our ability to rebound so far, especially on the offensive glass,” Wamego head coach Troy Hemphill said. “I’ve also been pleased with how we’re taking care of the ball, averaging just eight turnovers per game.”

On the other side of the matchup, the Cowboys have stumbled a bit in the new year, dropping their first two January matchups to St. Mary’s Academy and Marysville to fall back to 4-4 coming into this one.

“We still don’t take very good care of the ball,” Abilene head coach Erik Graefe said.&nbsp; “We also still need to rebound better, but I continue to be impressed with how hard our guys play every night.”

These two squads split their season series in the 2021-22 campaign, with Wamego winning the most recent battle 47-42 last February.

With both teams reloading and looking to make a deep playoff push again this year, games like this will be critical in setting the tone and establishing momentum as each works towards a potential peak in late February.

For the Raiders to remain undefeated in the new year and collect their seventh victory of the season, Wamego must find ways to overcome an Abilene team that loves to cause chaos and utilizes its speed to keep opponents off balance.

“They like to push the tempo, apply pressure in the backcourt and run up and down the floor,” Hemphill said. “They also have very balanced scoring. Cottone is a good guard and has proven he can have big games offensively, overall they are pretty long and athletic.”

On the flip side, to ensure they do not start 2023 at 0-3, it will be critical for the Cowboys to overcome the inside strength of a Red Raider team that has had its way with a majority of their opponents this season.

“They are strong with good size,” Graefe said. “They are always very well coached, Donahue is a competitor, Hecht can shoot it, and Shea is a monster. We will have to lower our turnovers, and not give our opponents extra chances on the glass.”

For the Raiders, this game will be more or less business as usual, as Wamego looks to continue what got them this far, and what they hope will take them even further in the future.

“We need to take care of the ball and take good shots,” Hemphill said. “We can't give them extra possessions by turning it over against the pressure of taking hard shots that lead to misses and run-outs on the other end.”

Tip-off between the Raiders and Cowboys is set for 7 pm at Abilene High school following the girl’s game at 6:30.

For continuing coverage of all four programs all season long, stay tuned to the Salina Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorWith a month's worth of action on the hardwood already in the books, two teams, each ranked in Class 4A before the season began, will clash in Abilene as the Cowboys prepare to host white-hot Wamego on Tuesday evening.The Red Raiders will enter this contest at 6-1, having already collected two wins in the new year, after knocking off St. Mary’s 60-55, and Concordia 59-49 last week.“I’ve been impressed with our ability to rebound so far, especially on the offensive glass,” Wamego head coach Troy Hemphill said. “I’ve also been pleased with how we’re taking care of the ball, averaging just eight turnovers per game.”On the other side of the matchup, the Cowboys have stumbled a bit in the new year, dropping their first two January matchups to St. Mary’s Academy and Marysville to fall back to 4-4 coming into this one.“We still don’t take very good care of the ball,” Abilene head coach Erik Graefe said.&nbsp; “We also still need to rebound better, but I continue to be impressed with how hard our guys play every night.”These two squads split their season series in the 2021-22 campaign, with Wamego winning the most recent battle 47-42 last February.With both teams reloading and looking to make a deep playoff push again this year, games like this will be critical in setting the tone and establishing momentum as each works towards a potential peak in late February.For the Raiders to remain undefeated in the new year and collect their seventh victory of the season, Wamego must find ways to overcome an Abilene team that loves to cause chaos and utilizes its speed to keep opponents off balance.“They like to push the tempo, apply pressure in the backcourt and run up and down the floor,” Hemphill said. “They also have very balanced scoring. Cottone is a good guard and has proven he can have big games offensively, overall they are pretty long and athletic.”On the flip side, to ensure they do not start 2023 at 0-3, it will be critical for the Cowboys to overcome the inside strength of a Red Raider team that has had its way with a majority of their opponents this season.“They are strong with good size,” Graefe said. “They are always very well coached, Donahue is a competitor, Hecht can shoot it, and Shea is a monster. We will have to lower our turnovers, and not give our opponents extra chances on the glass.”For the Raiders, this game will be more or less business as usual, as Wamego looks to continue what got them this far, and what they hope will take them even further in the future.“We need to take care of the ball and take good shots,” Hemphill said. “We can't give them extra possessions by turning it over against the pressure of taking hard shots that lead to misses and run-outs on the other end.”Tip-off between the Raiders and Cowboys is set for 7 pm at Abilene High school following the girl’s game at 6:30.For continuing coverage of all four programs all season long, stay tuned to the Salina Post, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Red-hot Raiders travel to Abilene seeking sixth-straight win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the first half as No. 1 Georgia demolished No. 3 TCU 65-7 to become the first team to win consecutive College Football Playoff national championships. The Bulldogs became the first repeat champs since Alabama went back-to-back a decade ago and left no doubt that they have replaced the Crimson Tide as the new bullies on the block. TCU, the first Cinderella team of the CFP era, never had a chance against the Georgia juggernaut and suffered the most lopsided loss in a national title game dating to the start of the BCS in 1998.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the first half as No. 1 Georgia demolished No. 3 TCU 65-7 to become the first team to win consecutive College Football Playoff national championships. The Bulldogs became the first repeat champs since Alabama went back-to-back a decade ago and left no doubt that they have replaced the Crimson Tide as the new bullies on the block. TCU, the first Cinderella team of the CFP era, never had a chance against the Georgia juggernaut and suffered the most lopsided loss in a national title game dating to the start of the BCS in 1998.

Georgia claims the College Football Playoff championship

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Michael Bishop, who helped revolutionize the game of college football as one of the first premiere dual-threat quarterbacks while playing for Kansas State in 1997 and 1998, has been selected to the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2023.

Bishop – whose dual-threat play at quarterback sparked the term “Wildcat Formation” that has been used extensively over the past two-plus decades – is the seventh K-State player or coach selected to college football’s highest honor and the fourth in the last 11 years. He joins former linebackers Gary Spani (Class of 2002) and Mark Simoneau (Class of 2012), and running back Darren Sproles (Class of 2021), as well as coaches Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf (Class of 1966), Charles Bachman (Class of 1978) and Bill Snyder (Class of 2015).

Joining Bishop as players in the Class of 2023 are Eric Berry (DB, Tennessee), Reggie Bush (RB, USC), Dwight Freeney (DE, Syracuse), Robert Gallery (OT, Iowa), LaMichael James (RB, Oregon), Derrick Johnson (LB, Texas), Bill Kollar (DT, Montana State), Luke Kuechly (LB, Boston College), Jeremy Maclin (WR/KR, Missouri), Terance Mathis (WR, New Mexico), Bryant McKinnie (OT, Miami), Corey Moore (DL, Virginia Tech), Michael Stonebreaker (LB, Notre Dame), Tim Tebow (QB, Florida), Troy Vincent (DB, Wisconsin), Brian Westbrook (RB, Villanova), DeAngelo Williams (RB, Memphis). The coaches in this year’s class are Monte Cater (Lakeland [WI], Shepherd [WV]), Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern, Navy, Georgia Tech), Roy Kramer (Central Michigan) and Mark Richt (Georgia, Miami).

When the 2023 Hall of Fame Class is officially inducted in December, only 1,074 players and 230 coaches will have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.62 million who have played or coached the game during the past 153 years. In other words, less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of the individuals who have played the game have earned this distinction.

The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort &amp; Casino Las Vegas.

Bishop, who led the Wildcats to a 22-3 record during his two-year career, left K-State holding 26 game, season or career records, including career rushing yards by a quarterback (1,314), career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (23), lowest interception percentage in a season (1.36% in 1998), single-game passing yards (441 vs. Louisiana-Monroe in 1998), passing yards in a season (2,844 in 1998), passing touchdowns in a season (23 in 1998), career passing touchdowns (36), longest pass (97 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe in 1998) and total offensive yards in a season (3,592 yards in 1998).

A product of Willis, Texas, who came to K-State from Blinn Junior College, Bishop won the Davey O’Brien Award in 1998 in addition to being a runner up for the Heisman Trophy and finalist for the Maxwell and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards. Bishop’s outstanding 1998 season came on the heels of a 1997 campaign in which he was named the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and MVP of the 1997 Fiesta Bowl, a 35-18 victory over Syracuse.

Following his time at K-State, Bishop was drafted in 1999 by the New England Patriots. He later went on to play 10 seasons in the Canadian Football League, helping lead the Toronto Argonauts to a victory in the 2004 Grey Cup.

Bishop was selected to the K-State Football Ring of Honor in 2015, while a year later he was inducted into the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Associate Athletics Director for Communications

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Michael Bishop, who helped revolutionize the game of college football as one of the first premiere dual-threat quarterbacks while playing for Kansas State in 1997 and 1998, has been selected to the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2023.Bishop – whose dual-threat play at quarterback sparked the term “Wildcat Formation” that has been used extensively over the past two-plus decades – is the seventh K-State player or coach selected to college football’s highest honor and the fourth in the last 11 years. He joins former linebackers Gary Spani (Class of 2002) and Mark Simoneau (Class of 2012), and running back Darren Sproles (Class of 2021), as well as coaches Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf (Class of 1966), Charles Bachman (Class of 1978) and Bill Snyder (Class of 2015).Joining Bishop as players in the Class of 2023 are Eric Berry (DB, Tennessee), Reggie Bush (RB, USC), Dwight Freeney (DE, Syracuse), Robert Gallery (OT, Iowa), LaMichael James (RB, Oregon), Derrick Johnson (LB, Texas), Bill Kollar (DT, Montana State), Luke Kuechly (LB, Boston College), Jeremy Maclin (WR/KR, Missouri), Terance Mathis (WR, New Mexico), Bryant McKinnie (OT, Miami), Corey Moore (DL, Virginia Tech), Michael Stonebreaker (LB, Notre Dame), Tim Tebow (QB, Florida), Troy Vincent (DB, Wisconsin), Brian Westbrook (RB, Villanova), DeAngelo Williams (RB, Memphis). The coaches in this year’s class are Monte Cater (Lakeland [WI], Shepherd [WV]), Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern, Navy, Georgia Tech), Roy Kramer (Central Michigan) and Mark Richt (Georgia, Miami).When the 2023 Hall of Fame Class is officially inducted in December, only 1,074 players and 230 coaches will have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.62 million who have played or coached the game during the past 153 years. In other words, less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of the individuals who have played the game have earned this distinction.The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort &amp; Casino Las Vegas.Bishop, who led the Wildcats to a 22-3 record during his two-year career, left K-State holding 26 game, season or career records, including career rushing yards by a quarterback (1,314), career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (23), lowest interception percentage in a season (1.36% in 1998), single-game passing yards (441 vs. Louisiana-Monroe in 1998), passing yards in a season (2,844 in 1998), passing touchdowns in a season (23 in 1998), career passing touchdowns (36), longest pass (97 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe in 1998) and total offensive yards in a season (3,592 yards in 1998).A product of Willis, Texas, who came to K-State from Blinn Junior College, Bishop won the Davey O’Brien Award in 1998 in addition to being a runner up for the Heisman Trophy and finalist for the Maxwell and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards. Bishop’s outstanding 1998 season came on the heels of a 1997 campaign in which he was named the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and MVP of the 1997 Fiesta Bowl, a 35-18 victory over Syracuse.Following his time at K-State, Bishop was drafted in 1999 by the New England Patriots. He later went on to play 10 seasons in the Canadian Football League, helping lead the Toronto Argonauts to a victory in the 2004 Grey Cup.Bishop was selected to the K-State Football Ring of Honor in 2015, while a year later he was inducted into the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.– k-statesports.com –RYAN LACKEYAssociate Athletics Director for Communications

K-State’s Bishop Elected to College Football Hall of Fame

WACO, Texas (AP) — Ismael Massoud hit a 3-pointer with 31 seconds left in overtime and Kansas State extended its winning streak to eight games with a 97-95 victory night at No. 19 Baylor. New Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang was on Baylor staff the past 19 seasons. Markquis Nowell had 32 points for the 14-1 Wildcats, and his 14th assist of the game was on the go-ahead 3 by Massoud. Keyontae Johnson added 24 points for K-State, which matched its best overall start since 1958-59. Adam Flagler had 23 points and Keyonte George 22 for Baylor, which is 10-5 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Ismael Massoud hit a 3-pointer with 31 seconds left in overtime and Kansas State extended its winning streak to eight games with a 97-95 victory night at No. 19 Baylor. New Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang was on Baylor staff the past 19 seasons. Markquis Nowell had 32 points for the 14-1 Wildcats, and his 14th assist of the game was on the go-ahead 3 by Massoud. Keyontae Johnson added 24 points for K-State, which matched its best overall start since 1958-59. Adam Flagler had 23 points and Keyonte George 22 for Baylor, which is 10-5 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

Wildcats improve  to 14-1

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for total yards in a season, and the Kansas City Chiefs rolled to a 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders to lock up the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Mahomes passed for 202 yards and rushed for 29 against the Raiders, giving him 5,608 total yards for the season. That surpassed the record of 5,562 yards set by Drew Brees in 2011 with the New Orleans Saints. The Chiefs will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Kansas City is 14-3, matching its franchise record for regular-season victories. The Raiders finished 6-11.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for total yards in a season, and the Kansas City Chiefs rolled to a 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders to lock up the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Mahomes passed for 202 yards and rushed for 29 against the Raiders, giving him 5,608 total yards for the season. That surpassed the record of 5,562 yards set by Drew Brees in 2011 with the New Orleans Saints. The Chiefs will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Kansas City is 14-3, matching its franchise record for regular-season victories. The Raiders finished 6-11.

Chiefs win in Las Vegas

Lawrence Free State 64, Gardner-Edgerton 37

Wichita Northwest 38, Wichita Bishop Carroll 31

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Basehor-Linwood 60, KC Turner 41Beloit 62, Hoisington 30Cheney 52, Garden Plain 51Ell-Saline 60, Remington 57Highland Park 66, Atchison 47Hugoton 80, Scott City 46Jayhawk Linn def. Chetopa, forfeitJunction City 53, Manhattan 46Kingman 75, Nickerson 46Lawrence Free State 64, Gardner-Edgerton 37McPherson 48, Circle 22Metro Academy 63, Nevada, Mo. 43Ottawa 51, Tonganoxie 48Phillipsburg 53, Russell 47Shawnee Heights 76, Lansing 50South Haven 60, Gobles, Mich. 4Topeka 40, Emporia 6Wichita Collegiate 77, El Dorado 53Wichita Northwest 38, Wichita Bishop Carroll 31___

Wichita Bishop Carroll 74, Wichita Northwest 43

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Andale 55, Rose Hill 9Anderson County 55, Wellsville 34Andover 56, Goddard 26Basehor-Linwood 47, KC Turner 12Berean Academy 53, Hutchinson Trinity 25Bluestem 36, West Elk 33Central Plains 60, Macksville 40Chanute 49, Pittsburg 39Cheney 42, Garden Plain 31Conway Springs 42, Chaparral 37El Dorado 40, Wichita Collegiate 35Elkhart 45, Sublette 36Emporia 51, Topeka 40Flinthills 34, Wichita Classical 27Garden City 54, Great Bend 47Highland Park 56, Atchison 40Hoisington 54, Beloit 19Iola 56, Osawatomie 22Jackson Heights 76, McLouth 41KC Christian 40, Cair Paravel 26Lakeside 71, Pike Valley 43Lawrence 66, SM Northwest 41Liberal 59, Hays 50Manhattan 47, Junction City 25Nickerson 53, Kingman 41Northern Valley 49, Greeley County 46Norton 55, Stockton 16Olathe West 65, Olathe North 42Olpe 53, Hartford 20Onaga 39, Flint Hills Christian 35Ottawa 49, Tonganoxie 20Phillipsburg 74, Russell 28Remington 66, Ell-Saline 35Riverton 25, Caney Valley 23Salina South 36, Newton 30Scott City 45, Hugoton 42Shawnee Heights 49, Lansing 23Silver Lake 59, Rock Creek 30St. Francis 38, Idalia, Colo. 37St. John 56, Ness City 48Trego 60, Hill City 23Wellington 56, Clearwater 34Wichita Bishop Carroll 74, Wichita Northwest 43

After splitting their first four games to open up the 2022-23 campaign, a rested and rejuvenated Wabaunsee boys’ basketball team will be excited to get back on the floor on Friday night when they host the 2-4 Bears from St. Mary’s.

At 2-2, this matchup represents not only an opportunity for Wabaunsee to rise above .500 and gain a leg up on a league opponent, but also a chance to gain some ground in their sub-state, where the Bears and Chargers will share a bracket come late February.

Critically, Wabaunsee will once again employ the services of stellar standout Eli Oliver, who missed the first three games of December for the Chargers.

“I am glad to have Eli back,” Wabaunsee head coach Christian Ulsaker said. “I believe his presence on the court will be a game-changer for us. We still need to limit turnovers and create easier opportunities for baskets on our offensive end.”

Like many teams this week, the Chargers will have to find ways to settle back into their routine and rhythm early after nearly three weeks off the hardwood for the holidays.

“It’s always a challenge knocking off that rust that you may acquire over any extended break from hoops, but we ran a lot of game-like situations over the break.”

Unlike Wabaunsee, the Bears have already returned to the court in the new year after tussling with and falling to ranked Wamego 61-55 on Tuesday.

Now, these two league and sub-state rivals prepare to square off in the first of two showdowns this regular season.

While St. Mary’s has come out on the losing end of four of their six games, the Bears have hung tough against bigger opponents like Wamego, Silver Lake, and Nemaha Central already, and should provide a good test for a Charger team still settling in.

“They run a multitude of offenses that allow their players to be basketball players,” Ulsaker said. “They have solid guards that can really shoot it. We have to limit our turnovers, execute our transition defense and be tougher than our opponent on the glass.”

Tip-off between the Chargers and Bears is set for 7 pm in Alma following the girl’s game at 6:30.

For continuing coverage of Charger and Lady Charger hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter splitting their first four games to open up the 2022-23 campaign, a rested and rejuvenated Wabaunsee boys’ basketball team will be excited to get back on the floor on Friday night when they host the 2-4 Bears from St. Mary’s.At 2-2, this matchup represents not only an opportunity for Wabaunsee to rise above .500 and gain a leg up on a league opponent, but also a chance to gain some ground in their sub-state, where the Bears and Chargers will share a bracket come late February.Critically, Wabaunsee will once again employ the services of stellar standout Eli Oliver, who missed the first three games of December for the Chargers.“I am glad to have Eli back,” Wabaunsee head coach Christian Ulsaker said. “I believe his presence on the court will be a game-changer for us. We still need to limit turnovers and create easier opportunities for baskets on our offensive end.”Like many teams this week, the Chargers will have to find ways to settle back into their routine and rhythm early after nearly three weeks off the hardwood for the holidays.“It’s always a challenge knocking off that rust that you may acquire over any extended break from hoops, but we ran a lot of game-like situations over the break.”Unlike Wabaunsee, the Bears have already returned to the court in the new year after tussling with and falling to ranked Wamego 61-55 on Tuesday.Now, these two league and sub-state rivals prepare to square off in the first of two showdowns this regular season.While St. Mary’s has come out on the losing end of four of their six games, the Bears have hung tough against bigger opponents like Wamego, Silver Lake, and Nemaha Central already, and should provide a good test for a Charger team still settling in.“They run a multitude of offenses that allow their players to be basketball players,” Ulsaker said. “They have solid guards that can really shoot it. We have to limit our turnovers, execute our transition defense and be tougher than our opponent on the glass.”Tip-off between the Chargers and Bears is set for 7 pm in Alma following the girl’s game at 6:30.For continuing coverage of Charger and Lady Charger hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Chargers battle Bears to kick off 2023 portion of season

Despite a disappointing 1-4 start to their 2022-23 campaign, the Wabaunsee girl’s basketball team is refocused and ready to get back on track after the holiday break, with an opportunity to answer the bell at home on Friday night.

The Lady Chargers (1-4) will open the new year with a league and sub-state opponent in St. Mary’s (1-5), who has also struggled off the starting line this season.

Despite the record on the stat sheet, this Wabaunsee team had a very limited sample size of games in 2022, and was trending in the right direction going into the break, something that should serve them well as they look to pick up where they left off.

“We made small steps towards becoming the team that we hope to be in late February,” Lady Charger head coach Trevor Keller said. “We have had some ups and downs and I would like for us to be more consistent, but I am excited about the direction that we are headed in.”

In addition to the pressure of a critical early-January game, Wabaunsee will also have to settle in quickly as the Lady Chargers look to knock off the rust of the winter break against a St. Mary’s team with a 2023 matchup already under their belts.

“We need to continue to get better at limiting turnovers as well as rebounding on both ends of the floor,” Keller said. “Getting back in game shape and getting back into a rhythm after a break can be challenging. St. Mary's was able to play on Tuesday against Wamego who plays very fast so we will need to be ready to play from the start.”

In addition to this being a big league matchup, Wabaunsee and St. Mary’s share a sub-state this season, adding to the already high stakes of what could be a pivotal game later down the road.

In terms of the matchup on the floor, the Lady Chargers will have to find an answer for one of the best bigs in the league in Hayden Heim, who has had her way with opponents in the paint so far this season.

“Offensively they can play both inside and out,” he said. “They have guards who can shoot it from three and they have one of the best posts in the league. It will be key for us to not give up any open looks and to rebound it well on the defensive end. Defensively they have played a number of different defenses so it will be important for us to recognize what they are in and then attack.”

On their side of the contest, working to control, or at the very least compete on the boards will be critical for the Chargers, who cannot afford to give Heim second and third chances at easy buckets.

“We will need to start fast and play with toughness,” Keller said. “It will be really important for us to share the ball well on offense and defensively we have to do a good job of limiting them to one shot.”

Tip-off between the Lady Chargers and Bears is set for 6:30 pm in Alma with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00.

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

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorDespite a disappointing 1-4 start to their 2022-23 campaign, the Wabaunsee girl’s basketball team is refocused and ready to get back on track after the holiday break, with an opportunity to answer the bell at home on Friday night.The Lady Chargers (1-4) will open the new year with a league and sub-state opponent in St. Mary’s (1-5), who has also struggled off the starting line this season.Despite the record on the stat sheet, this Wabaunsee team had a very limited sample size of games in 2022, and was trending in the right direction going into the break, something that should serve them well as they look to pick up where they left off.“We made small steps towards becoming the team that we hope to be in late February,” Lady Charger head coach Trevor Keller said. “We have had some ups and downs and I would like for us to be more consistent, but I am excited about the direction that we are headed in.”In addition to the pressure of a critical early-January game, Wabaunsee will also have to settle in quickly as the Lady Chargers look to knock off the rust of the winter break against a St. Mary’s team with a 2023 matchup already under their belts.“We need to continue to get better at limiting turnovers as well as rebounding on both ends of the floor,” Keller said. “Getting back in game shape and getting back into a rhythm after a break can be challenging. St. Mary's was able to play on Tuesday against Wamego who plays very fast so we will need to be ready to play from the start.”In addition to this being a big league matchup, Wabaunsee and St. Mary’s share a sub-state this season, adding to the already high stakes of what could be a pivotal game later down the road.In terms of the matchup on the floor, the Lady Chargers will have to find an answer for one of the best bigs in the league in Hayden Heim, who has had her way with opponents in the paint so far this season.“Offensively they can play both inside and out,” he said. “They have guards who can shoot it from three and they have one of the best posts in the league. It will be key for us to not give up any open looks and to rebound it well on the defensive end. Defensively they have played a number of different defenses so it will be important for us to recognize what they are in and then attack.”On their side of the contest, working to control, or at the very least compete on the boards will be critical for the Chargers, who cannot afford to give Heim second and third chances at easy buckets.“We will need to start fast and play with toughness,” Keller said. “It will be really important for us to share the ball well on offense and defensively we have to do a good job of limiting them to one shot.”Tip-off between the Lady Chargers and Bears is set for 6:30 pm in Alma with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00.For continuing coverage of Wabaunsee hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

Lady Chargers host St. Mary's looking for big momentum swing to open 2023

NEW YORK — The NFL has canceled the Bills and Bengals' week 17 game and announced their plans for playoff scenarios. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed all clubs of his decision on Thursday, after speaking with the Bills, the Bengals and NFL Players Association leadership.

“This has been a very difficult week,” Goodell said. “We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country.  We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them.”

Canceling the game between the Bills and Bengals creates potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios. The NFL says that in an effort to mitigate those "inequities," NFL clubs will consider Friday in a Special League Meeting a resolution recommended by the Commissioner and approved today by the Competition Committee, consisting of two elements: 

The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the number one seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season. Those circumstances involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team and are listed below:

Buffalo and Kansas City both win or both tie in week 18 – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Baltimore wins or ties – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Cincinnati wins – a Buffalo or Cincinnati vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati in Week 18 it will have defeated Cincinnati, a divisional opponent, twice but will not be able to host a playoff game because Cincinnati will have a higher winning percentage for a 16-game schedule than Baltimore will for a 17-game schedule. 

If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati and if those two clubs are scheduled to play a Wild Card game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. 

If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the Wild Card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.

NEW YORK — The NFL has canceled the Bills and Bengals' week 17 game and announced their plans for playoff scenarios. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed all clubs of his decision on Thursday, after speaking with the Bills, the Bengals and NFL Players Association leadership.“This has been a very difficult week,” Goodell said. “We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country. We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them.”Canceling the game between the Bills and Bengals creates potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios. The NFL says that in an effort to mitigate those "inequities," NFL clubs will consider Friday in a Special League Meeting a resolution recommended by the Commissioner and approved today by the Competition Committee, consisting of two elements: The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the number one seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season. Those circumstances involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team and are listed below:Scenario 1Buffalo and Kansas City both win or both tie in week 18 – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.Scenario 2Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Baltimore wins or ties – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.Scenario 3Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Cincinnati wins – a Buffalo or Cincinnati vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati in Week 18 it will have defeated Cincinnati, a divisional opponent, twice but will not be able to host a playoff game because Cincinnati will have a higher winning percentage for a 16-game schedule than Baltimore will for a 17-game schedule. If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati and if those two clubs are scheduled to play a Wild Card game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the Wild Card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.

🏈 NFL releases scenarios after canceling Buffalo-Cincinnati game

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, with the school telling his attorney on Thursday that Beard is “unfit" for the position.

Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.

The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.

Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was internal investigation.

The university's vice president of legal affairs, Jim Davis, wrote in a letter to Beard's attorney Thursday that Beard engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university.” Whether prosecutors continue with the case does not determine whether Beard engaged in conduct unbecoming of the school, Davis wrote.

Police responded to an emergency call at Beard’s house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument.

The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence, but Trew issued a public statement on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-chris-beard-top-25-college-basketball-today-99133534a0645c7318c6557d425d5dcf">Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her.</a>&nbsp;She also said she never intended for him to be arrested or prosecuted.

“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening," Trew said in her statement. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way.”

Trew’s statement did not address why she made the emergency call or other details in the police report, such as bite marks and abrasions on her face and telling officers that she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds.

Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, has said the coach is innocent, and pointed to Trew's statement in a letter sent early Thursday to the university in which Minton pressed the school to keep Beard.

“Coach Beard has not done anything to violate any provision of his contract with the University of Texas,” Minton wrote, adding he expects the charges to be dropped.

Minton's letter also said Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte “has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong — and is innocent." It also said said that Texas officials told Beard to resign or be fired.

“Your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program,” Davis wrote in the school's termination letter.

“This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgement that makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university,” Davis wrote.

According to the arrest affidavit, Trew initially told police that she and Beard they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.” Police reported Trew said Beard slapped her glasses off her face and “choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”

The Travis County district attorney's office has not responded to previous requests for comment on Beard's case or whether Trew's Dec. 23 statement would change how prosecutors proceed with the felony charge. A Jan. 18 court hearing is scheduled, according to online records.

Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game and was hired at Texas in 2021 with the expectation that he would lift his alma mater to the same elite level. He had the Longhorns program humming this season, starting 6-0 and ranked as high as No. 2.

Associate head coach Rodney Terry took Beard's place during the suspension, and Del Conte said Thursday that Terry would remain acting head coach through the rest of this season.

“We thank Coach Rodney Terry for his exemplary leadership both on and off the court at a time when our team needed it most," Del Conte said. “We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who throughout this difficult time have continued to make us proud to be Longhorns.”

The Longhorns (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) won their first five games under Terry before losing 116-103 to Kansas State on Tuesday.

A Texas graduate, Beard spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech as an assistant under Bob Knight from 2001-2011, then returned there as head coach in 2016.

He was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders and was named The The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.

His departure for Texas — a deal reached after a meeting with Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour’s drive north of Lubbock — left Texas Tech officials frustrated.

As soon as he landed in Austin, Beard set out to rebuild a program from the ground up, changing the roster and trying to whip up new enthusiasm for the program as he engaged with students and often held comedic “fireside chats” on campus. In his first season, he led Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech that was the Longhorns’ first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670872672542.png" alt="Chris Beard from his arrest in Travis County" />
 <figcaption>Chris Beard from his arrest in Travis County</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, with the school telling his attorney on Thursday that Beard is “unfit" for the position.Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was internal investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672954198060.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The university's vice president of legal affairs, Jim Davis, wrote in a letter to Beard's attorney Thursday that Beard engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university.” Whether prosecutors continue with the case does not determine whether Beard engaged in conduct unbecoming of the school, Davis wrote.Police responded to an emergency call at Beard’s house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument.The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence, but Trew issued a public statement on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-chris-beard-top-25-college-basketball-today-99133534a0645c7318c6557d425d5dcf">Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her.</a>&nbsp;She also said she never intended for him to be arrested or prosecuted.“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening," Trew said in her statement. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way.”Trew’s statement did not address why she made the emergency call or other details in the police report, such as bite marks and abrasions on her face and telling officers that she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds.Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, has said the coach is innocent, and pointed to Trew's statement in a letter sent early Thursday to the university in which Minton pressed the school to keep Beard.“Coach Beard has not done anything to violate any provision of his contract with the University of Texas,” Minton wrote, adding he expects the charges to be dropped.Minton's letter also said Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte “has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong — and is innocent." It also said said that Texas officials told Beard to resign or be fired.“Your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program,” Davis wrote in the school's termination letter.“This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgement that makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university,” Davis wrote.According to the arrest affidavit, Trew initially told police that she and Beard they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.” Police reported Trew said Beard slapped her glasses off her face and “choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”The Travis County district attorney's office has not responded to previous requests for comment on Beard's case or whether Trew's Dec. 23 statement would change how prosecutors proceed with the felony charge. A Jan. 18 court hearing is scheduled, according to online records.Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game and was hired at Texas in 2021 with the expectation that he would lift his alma mater to the same elite level. He had the Longhorns program humming this season, starting 6-0 and ranked as high as No. 2.Associate head coach Rodney Terry took Beard's place during the suspension, and Del Conte said Thursday that Terry would remain acting head coach through the rest of this season.“We thank Coach Rodney Terry for his exemplary leadership both on and off the court at a time when our team needed it most," Del Conte said. “We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who throughout this difficult time have continued to make us proud to be Longhorns.”The Longhorns (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) won their first five games under Terry before losing 116-103 to Kansas State on Tuesday.A Texas graduate, Beard spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech as an assistant under Bob Knight from 2001-2011, then returned there as head coach in 2016.He was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders and was named The The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.His departure for Texas — a deal reached after a meeting with Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour’s drive north of Lubbock — left Texas Tech officials frustrated.As soon as he landed in Austin, Beard set out to rebuild a program from the ground up, changing the roster and trying to whip up new enthusiasm for the program as he engaged with students and often held comedic “fireside chats” on campus. In his first season, he led Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech that was the Longhorns’ first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.

🏀 Texas fires coach Chris Beard amid domestic violence charge

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State Athletics Director Gene Taylor introduced Jason Mansfield as the ninth head volleyball coach in school history on Wednesday. A transcript of the press conference is below.

“Well, first of all, thank you for being here. Obviously, we’re very excited to be able to introduce you to our new volleyball coach. Before I do, I've got some thank yous. There were a few folks that were part of this process. Jill Shields, our Deputy (AD), Julie Owen, Kenny Lannou and Rob Heil were part of the group that helped us through this. I will tell you there was a lot of interest in this position. As we talked to really, really good candidates throughout the country, their interest in K-State was based on a lot of a lot of things. Obviously, the history of the program, our reputation as an athletic department, the other things that are going on in our athletic department, the success of our programs, and clearly the new facility was certainly something that drew a lot of interest in this position. We were very, very fortunate to have some really, really good candidates. Turnkey was the search firm. Katy Staudt was somebody that helped us a great deal to really pound the pavement. This process went very quickly, but the timing of it was at the end of volleyball season, and a lot of candidates were in postseason.

“We're very, very fortunate today to introduce you to our new head volleyball coach, Jason Mansfield. Jason comes to us as a longtime assistant at the University of Washington. He had a lot of success. He’s probably on the top assistant coaches in the country in terms of some of the athletes that he's coached over the years. Obviously he spent a lot of time at Stanford and has been to multiple Final Fours, a couple of national championships. So his reputation as a volleyball coach with a lot of connections and a longtime assistant, he's ready for this position, and he discussed that quite a bit during the course of the interviews. As a matter of fact, we had a little stumble with him because of the weather. He was scheduled to come out in person, then we had that storm that blew through here. So, we had to do it by Zoom. We had a Zoom call with him, and then he had to do a second Zoom. One of the pieces, Jason Brummett FaceTiming as he walked him through the facility. So, this is the first time he's been to Manhattan, Kansas. Obviously, we're excited to eventually get his family here. He's got two young kids. He's got a daughter, Rylee, and a son, Dylan, and his wife is Kim. They’re obviously not here, but eventually they'll make it out, and I know they're very excited. They just had a 19-hour drive to Disneyland over Christmas. He was able to get a lot of work done

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State Athletics Director Gene Taylor introduced Jason Mansfield as the ninth head volleyball coach in school history on Wednesday. A transcript of the press conference is below.GENE TAYLOR, ATHLETICS DIRECTOROpening statement…“Well, first of all, thank you for being here. Obviously, we’re very excited to be able to introduce you to our new volleyball coach. Before I do, I've got some thank yous. There were a few folks that were part of this process. Jill Shields, our Deputy (AD), Julie Owen, Kenny Lannou and Rob Heil were part of the group that helped us through this. I will tell you there was a lot of interest in this position. As we talked to really, really good candidates throughout the country, their interest in K-State was based on a lot of a lot of things. Obviously, the history of the program, our reputation as an athletic department, the other things that are going on in our athletic department, the success of our programs, and clearly the new facility was certainly something that drew a lot of interest in this position. We were very, very fortunate to have some really, really good candidates. Turnkey was the search firm. Katy Staudt was somebody that helped us a great deal to really pound the pavement. This process went very quickly, but the timing of it was at the end of volleyball season, and a lot of candidates were in postseason.“We're very, very fortunate today to introduce you to our new head volleyball coach, Jason Mansfield. Jason comes to us as a longtime assistant at the University of Washington. He had a lot of success. He’s probably on the top assistant coaches in the country in terms of some of the athletes that he's coached over the years. Obviously he spent a lot of time at Stanford and has been to multiple Final Fours, a couple of national championships. So his reputation as a volleyball coach with a lot of connections and a longtime assistant, he's ready for this position, and he discussed that quite a bit during the course of the interviews. As a matter of fact, we had a little stumble with him because of the weather. He was scheduled to come out in person, then we had that storm that blew through here. So, we had to do it by Zoom. We had a Zoom call with him, and then he had to do a second Zoom. One of the pieces, Jason Brummett FaceTiming as he walked him through the facility. So, this is the first time he's been to Manhattan, Kansas. Obviously, we're excited to eventually get his family here. He's got two young kids. He's got a daughter, Rylee, and a son, Dylan, and his wife is Kim. They’re obviously not here, but eventually they'll make it out, and I know they're very excited. They just had a 19-hour drive to Disneyland over Christmas. He was able to get a lot of work done“So, without further ado, I can't tell you how excited we are to have Jason here and for me to introduce you to our new head volleyball coach, Jason Mansfield.”JASON MANSFIELD, HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACHOpening Statement…“Hello, everyone. First, I want to start off by doing some thank yous. Thank you to President (Richard) Linton, Jill Shields and Gene Taylor for believing in me and taking a chance on me. For my parents, their support and guidance all these years. My wife and kids, Rylee and Dylan, for coming on this adventure with me. My mentor John Dunning, in my humble opinion, the best ever to do it in this sport. I was so fortunate to coach with him for 15 years. Lastly, to all my former players that I've been coaching for 27 years, they have always been my why. They have shaped me into the coach that I am today. So, I want to thank them.“I'm very excited to be here. I came here to build a program that lasts, a program with high character, great connection to each other and the community, and lastly, a passion to compete. The more I talked with Gene and Jill, the more I saw that so much is in place here - great academics; great facilities, especially the new Morgan Family Volleyball Center; the Big 12 Conference, which I think is improving more and more every year; and the community of Manhattan that is second to none and how passionate they are about this university, and I can't wait to get started with these student-athletes. I've connected with all of them, as well as incoming recruits. They are so excited for the new possibilities, and that means everything to me. So, I'm excited to get started.”How his career as an assistant has prepared him to be a head coach…“I was really fortunate, like I said, to coach at Stanford for 15 years with John Dunning. From there, I went to Illinois and got a chance to coach with Kevin Hambly for a season, and then Chris Tamas for season. Then I got a chance to go to Washington and coach with Keegan Cook and Leslie Gabriel. So just a very unique period of time in my life where I coached at the same place for 15 years and left there. I felt like I needed to grow as a coach. Then I was with four different head coaches in four years. So, the amount of growth I had during that time was phenomenal. The last five seasons, it's the best staff have ever been a part of the three of us together. I loved it. We grew together and I think it helped me prepare for this situation and what kind of staff I want, what kind of culture I want. So, I feel like I'm the most prepared I've ever been.”On the Big 12 Conference in terms of volleyball success…“Like I said, it's a growing conference. There's a lot of great programs, great coaches in this conference with Texas being at the top. We lost in the first round at TCU this year, so I got a chance to see how good that program was and a first-time head coach there. The conference is really good. I know there's going to be some changes in the next couple of years, but we're just trying to be the best that we can be at K-State and hopefully add to that conference. But, I'm really excited about the new opportunity. I know that the Big 12 speaks for itself as far as the amount of support they have for all the programs and all the sports, so that was definitely a very attractive piece to this.”On the potential ceiling of the K-State Volleyball program…“First and foremost, I want to thank Coach (Suzie) Fritz and Coach (Jeff) Grove for the last 20 years here and all they've poured into this program, and maybe most importantly the student-athletes they've recruited here and the athletes that are here right now and the ones that are coming in. They're really excited to get started, like I said, and it starts with them. So, what's the ceiling? I want to be as good as we can be. I'm very competitive. I want to win every match that we play. I want to win every point that we play. We're going to train really hard, and we're going to figure out the best way to do that. I think the goal is always to try to make the NCAA Tournament, and then anything can happen from there. So, our goal is to get started, get connected, figured out how to play the game at a high level, and then we're going to compete every match that we play.”On his first priority after arriving in town…“Well, I got in late last night, so sleep was the main priority. Everything is so new, and I'm just excited to see it all. I met wonderful people, obviously on the Zooms, but today as well. So, I'm just excited to continue to connect with more people.”On his recruiting philosophy…“I want people that are passionate about the game, passionate about learning and growing. That's the biggest piece. I have a passion for the game, and obviously wanting to learn and grow myself. I think those are the best players to recruit, players that love the game, they're unselfish and have high character as well. So that'll be the goal.”Kenny Lannou&nbsp;Executive Associate Athletics Director for Communication / PR