By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

In each of the last two seasons, the Salina Liberty saw an opportunity to claim a first-ever CIF championship slip through their fingers on the final play of the Champions Bowl.

Despite the gut-wrenching heartbreak, Salina endured, and for the third consecutive year, the Liberty will return to the title bout, this time for a rematch against the Omaha Beef.

The lack of love lost between these two franchises is staggering, but despite the tension that is sure to show its face on the field this weekend, the Liberty remain focused on their ultimate goal of indoor glory.

“There’s nothing poetic about this game,” Salina HC Heron O’Neal said. “We didn’t care who we played we just wanted to get back here. We understand what we need to do to learn from our past experiences and push ourselves over the top.”

The Liberty ran through Billings after a first-round bye to get here while Omaha took down the SW KS Storm before upsetting the Sioux City Bandits in the semis, handing Salina home-field advantage in the process.

“We play a lot different at home and we get that extra juice from our fans,” O’Neal said. “That crowd has a great football IQ. They know to cause all sorts of havoc when our opponents have the ball and they know how to fire us up when we’re on offense.”

The aforementioned Salina faithful put on a special show in a 36-31 win over Omaha earlier this year after a preseason scrum that led to suspensions on both sides.

Since then both teams have been on the rise, with Omaha winning their last six straight, and Salina winning six of their last seven, the lone loss coming in Omaha as part of an ugly 14-11 affair.

Both teams are bursting at the seams with offensive talent, but whenever they meet it seems that the defenses steal the show.

“Omaha has a great defense from top to bottom and it’s never been easy to score on those guys,” he said. “We can’t worry about what they’re doing, we just have to execute our gameplan the best that we can. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and be better.”

For the Beef, the offense will look very similar to what it did in the last meeting between the two, with CIF legend Andrew Jackson taking snaps under center.

While Jackson leads the CIF in both yards (1,947) and completions (201) with runner-up numbers in touchdowns (32), the Liberty secondary has had his number this season, handing him his two least efficient performances.

Salina will also need to ensure that they slow the ground game of DeShawn Jones, who leads the league with 20 rushing touchdowns on the season.

On the other side, the Liberty are still fine-tuning an offense that had all four of their big playmakers on the field for the first time all season in their semifinal win over Billings last week.

“Our offense was inconsistent all-around,” O’Neal said. “Everyone took turns not executing at the rate we needed and the film wasn’t fun to watch but we made a lot of corrections.”

With quarterback Javin Kilgo settling into his role at QB1 (13 TD-3 INT, 640 yds in 4 games) and reigning MVP Tracy Brooks rejoining the offense with Demarius Washington and Fast Ed Smith, Salina finally has all the pieces primed to fire.

On the other side of the ball, the Liberty still boast the best scoring defense in the league by far, holding opponents to just 25 points per game, nearly 10 better than the next best unit.

“Our philosophy has always been creating and capitalizing on turnovers, staying balanced on offense, and being dynamic on special teams,” he said. “That doesn’t change just because it’s championship week.”

Champions Bowl VII will kick off at 6:30 PM at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617387097958.png" alt="Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>In each of the last two seasons, the Salina Liberty saw an opportunity to claim a first-ever CIF championship slip through their fingers on the final play of the Champions Bowl.Despite the gut-wrenching heartbreak, Salina endured, and for the third consecutive year, the Liberty will return to the title bout, this time for a rematch against the Omaha Beef.The lack of love lost between these two franchises is staggering, but despite the tension that is sure to show its face on the field this weekend, the Liberty remain focused on their ultimate goal of indoor glory.“There’s nothing poetic about this game,” Salina HC Heron O’Neal said. “We didn’t care who we played we just wanted to get back here. We understand what we need to do to learn from our past experiences and push ourselves over the top.”The Liberty ran through Billings after a first-round bye to get here while Omaha took down the SW KS Storm before upsetting the Sioux City Bandits in the semis, handing Salina home-field advantage in the process.“We play a lot different at home and we get that extra juice from our fans,” O’Neal said. “That crowd has a great football IQ. They know to cause all sorts of havoc when our opponents have the ball and they know how to fire us up when we’re on offense.”The aforementioned Salina faithful put on a special show in a 36-31 win over Omaha earlier this year after a preseason scrum that led to suspensions on both sides.Since then both teams have been on the rise, with Omaha winning their last six straight, and Salina winning six of their last seven, the lone loss coming in Omaha as part of an ugly 14-11 affair.Both teams are bursting at the seams with offensive talent, but whenever they meet it seems that the defenses steal the show.“Omaha has a great defense from top to bottom and it’s never been easy to score on those guys,” he said. “We can’t worry about what they’re doing, we just have to execute our gameplan the best that we can. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and be better.”For the Beef, the offense will look very similar to what it did in the last meeting between the two, with CIF legend Andrew Jackson taking snaps under center.While Jackson leads the CIF in both yards (1,947) and completions (201) with runner-up numbers in touchdowns (32), the Liberty secondary has had his number this season, handing him his two least efficient performances.Salina will also need to ensure that they slow the ground game of DeShawn Jones, who leads the league with 20 rushing touchdowns on the season.On the other side, the Liberty are still fine-tuning an offense that had all four of their big playmakers on the field for the first time all season in their semifinal win over Billings last week.“Our offense was inconsistent all-around,” O’Neal said. “Everyone took turns not executing at the rate we needed and the film wasn’t fun to watch but we made a lot of corrections.”With quarterback Javin Kilgo settling into his role at QB1 (13 TD-3 INT, 640 yds in 4 games) and reigning MVP Tracy Brooks rejoining the offense with Demarius Washington and Fast Ed Smith, Salina finally has all the pieces primed to fire.On the other side of the ball, the Liberty still boast the best scoring defense in the league by far, holding opponents to just 25 points per game, nearly 10 better than the next best unit.“Our philosophy has always been creating and capitalizing on turnovers, staying balanced on offense, and being dynamic on special teams,” he said. “That doesn’t change just because it’s championship week.”Champions Bowl VII will kick off at 6:30 PM at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.

Liberty host Beef in high-stakes Champions Bowl rematch

Junction City got strong pitching from Brady Stuewe, JJ Tylicki and Boston Dowd enroute to a 3-1 victory over the Topeka Farmers at Rathert Field Saturday night.

Stuewe got the start and went up five innings on the mound, giving up one run. Tylicki, who just recently arrived in Junction City from Cowley County Community College pitched one inning and Dowd three the final three innings.

In the seventh inning the Brigade broke open a 1-1 ballgame when they loaded the bases and Edward Scott singled to drive in two runs to make the score 3-1. Junction City will host the Topeka Farmers again at 7 p.m. Saturday at Rathert Field.

Junction City got strong pitching from Brady Stuewe, JJ Tylicki and Boston Dowd enroute to a 3-1 victory over the Topeka Farmers at Rathert Field Saturday night.Stuewe got the start and went up five innings on the mound, giving up one run. Tylicki, who just recently arrived in Junction City from Cowley County Community College pitched one inning and Dowd three the final three innings.In the seventh inning the Brigade broke open a 1-1 ballgame when they loaded the bases and Edward Scott singled to drive in two runs to make the score 3-1. Junction City will host the Topeka Farmers again at 7 p.m. Saturday at Rathert Field.

Brigade improve to 12-2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke tossed six innings of one-run ball, Edward Olivares hit two solo homers and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1. Both Grienke (1-4) and Olivares were activated from rehab assignments Friday. Olivares belted homers to left field in his first at-bats — in the third and fifth innings — for his first career multi-homer game. Greinke allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts for his first win in his second stint with Kansas City. Seth Brown collected the lone RBI for Oakland. Scott Barlow earned his ninth save of the season.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke tossed six innings of one-run ball, Edward Olivares hit two solo homers and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1. Both Grienke (1-4) and Olivares were activated from rehab assignments Friday. Olivares belted homers to left field in his first at-bats — in the third and fifth innings — for his first career multi-homer game. Greinke allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts for his first win in his second stint with Kansas City. Seth Brown collected the lone RBI for Oakland. Scott Barlow earned his ninth save of the season.

Royals topple Athletics 3-1

Shohei Ohtani struck out a career-high 13 over eight dominant innings of two-hit ball, and the AL MVP also reached base three times in the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals. After giving up two leadoff singles in the first inning, Ohtani retired 16 straight Royals and 23 of the final 24 batters he faced, allowing just one baserunner over his final seven innings on a walk that was quickly erased by a double play. With the backdrop of a rare Southern California lightning storm illuminating the sky far beyond center field, Ohtani also got a single and two walks at the plate in his latest electrifying two-way performance.

Shohei Ohtani struck out a career-high 13 over eight dominant innings of two-hit ball, and the AL MVP also reached base three times in the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals. After giving up two leadoff singles in the first inning, Ohtani retired 16 straight Royals and 23 of the final 24 batters he faced, allowing just one baserunner over his final seven innings on a walk that was quickly erased by a double play. With the backdrop of a rare Southern California lightning storm illuminating the sky far beyond center field, Ohtani also got a single and two walks at the plate in his latest electrifying two-way performance.

Ohtani shuts out the Royals

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Dean Wade. He made 28 starts last season and became a solid contributor during the team’s resurgence. Wade averaged 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 19.2 minutes in 51 games last season before suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery. He missed the final 15 games. 

The 6-foot-9 Wade, A former Kansas State standout, had been valuable as a fill-in starter and the Cavs missed him down the stretch. Wade gives the Cavs depth along with size and another outside shooter. He made 43 percent of his 3-pointers in his last 12 starts.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Dean Wade. He made 28 starts last season and became a solid contributor during the team’s resurgence. Wade averaged 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 19.2 minutes in 51 games last season before suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery. He missed the final 15 games. The 6-foot-9 Wade, A former Kansas State standout, had been valuable as a fill-in starter and the Cavs missed him down the stretch. Wade gives the Cavs depth along with size and another outside shooter. He made 43 percent of his 3-pointers in his last 12 starts.

Cavaliers want to retain Dean Wade

Tickets for Kansas City Chiefs training camp became available to season ticket holders Tuesday and now can be reserved by the general public, starting Wednesday.

The Chiefs will be back in St. Joseph for training camp for a 12th time this summer with open practices starting July 28. Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter says preparations continue as the campus and city get ready to roll out the red carpet.

"I think it's very exciting," Carter said. "We actually had an operational meeting (Tuesday) and kind of worked through a lot of the moving parts. I think it will be more exciting once they actually get here and we're facing live bullets rather than talking about it. But, it's an exciting time to be a Griffon."

All training camp practices will be held at the Mosaic Training Fields on the Missouri Western campus. Members of the general public can reserve their training camp tickets starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday by going to Chiefs.com/trainingcamp.

While fans were allowed back at camp in 2021, there were still certain COVID restrictions in place. This year is full steam ahead, as fan autograph sessions are back after being suspended last summer.

Marci Bennett, executive director for the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, says getting camp back last year was nice, but there were still difficulties.

"Last year was kind of like tiptoeing through the tulips," she said. "Because, we didn't have it the year before and then last year, we were still really perusing the COVID situation."

Even with the restrictions last year, Bennett says the economic impact of training camp in the city is hard to exactly measure, but is certainly palpable.

"We know it's a big impact," she said. "Our hotels show a big increase and they can tell. I mean, they're not asking people if they're here for Chiefs camp, but if three-fourths of the people checking in on a Friday night have Chiefs jerseys on, you know it's making an impact."

Carter says this is the final year the Chiefs are required to come to St. Joseph, according to the current agreement. But, he's optimistic a more long-term deal can be sorted out.

"They're not required to tell us what they want to do necessarily until March when their season is over," he explained. "But, I can tell you I have had a conversation, very high-level, very brief. Didn't dig in, but started that discussion and it was very positive."

The Chiefs have come to St. Joseph for camp every year since 2010, with the exception of 2020 due to COVID-19.

The CVB is still in the process of planning and marketing this year's camp, but Bennett says one staple, the 'Welcome Chiefs' yard signs, will start popping up again soon.

"Not only does that welcome the Chiefs," she said, "but it reminds all of our local residents that, 'Hey! The Chiefs are here! They're here right now!' That's kind of cool, too. It kind of pumps up the community."

Moreover, Bennett says training camp is a great opportunity for fans from outside the city to explore St. Joseph and learn more about what it has to offer.

"What that does in my mind is help those Chiefs fans realize that, 'Okay, once Chiefs season is over, and we want to go somewhere and not have to put five tanks of gas in our car to get there, let's go to St. Joe. Let's see what that town really is all about.'"

The full 2022 Chiefs' training camp schedule&nbsp;<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a5d6b5f3-7f76-46ab-b52c-89b403fb5bda">can be viewed here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655896157498.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph PostTickets for Kansas City Chiefs training camp became available to season ticket holders Tuesday and now can be reserved by the general public, starting Wednesday.The Chiefs will be back in St. Joseph for training camp for a 12th time this summer with open practices starting July 28. Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter says preparations continue as the campus and city get ready to roll out the red carpet."I think it's very exciting," Carter said. "We actually had an operational meeting (Tuesday) and kind of worked through a lot of the moving parts. I think it will be more exciting once they actually get here and we're facing live bullets rather than talking about it. But, it's an exciting time to be a Griffon."All training camp practices will be held at the Mosaic Training Fields on the Missouri Western campus. Members of the general public can reserve their training camp tickets starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday by going to Chiefs.com/trainingcamp.While fans were allowed back at camp in 2021, there were still certain COVID restrictions in place. This year is full steam ahead, as fan autograph sessions are back after being suspended last summer.Marci Bennett, executive director for the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, says getting camp back last year was nice, but there were still difficulties."Last year was kind of like tiptoeing through the tulips," she said. "Because, we didn't have it the year before and then last year, we were still really perusing the COVID situation."Even with the restrictions last year, Bennett says the economic impact of training camp in the city is hard to exactly measure, but is certainly palpable."We know it's a big impact," she said. "Our hotels show a big increase and they can tell. I mean, they're not asking people if they're here for Chiefs camp, but if three-fourths of the people checking in on a Friday night have Chiefs jerseys on, you know it's making an impact."Carter says this is the final year the Chiefs are required to come to St. Joseph, according to the current agreement. But, he's optimistic a more long-term deal can be sorted out."They're not required to tell us what they want to do necessarily until March when their season is over," he explained. "But, I can tell you I have had a conversation, very high-level, very brief. Didn't dig in, but started that discussion and it was very positive."The Chiefs have come to St. Joseph for camp every year since 2010, with the exception of 2020 due to COVID-19.The CVB is still in the process of planning and marketing this year's camp, but Bennett says one staple, the 'Welcome Chiefs' yard signs, will start popping up again soon."Not only does that welcome the Chiefs," she said, "but it reminds all of our local residents that, 'Hey! The Chiefs are here! They're here right now!' That's kind of cool, too. It kind of pumps up the community."Moreover, Bennett says training camp is a great opportunity for fans from outside the city to explore St. Joseph and learn more about what it has to offer."What that does in my mind is help those Chiefs fans realize that, 'Okay, once Chiefs season is over, and we want to go somewhere and not have to put five tanks of gas in our car to get there, let's go to St. Joe. Let's see what that town really is all about.'"The full 2022 Chiefs' training camp schedule&nbsp;<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a5d6b5f3-7f76-46ab-b52c-89b403fb5bda">can be viewed here</a>.

🏈 Chiefs training camp tickets now available 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit two three-run homers and drove in a career-high eight runs, but Whit Merrifield led off the 11th inning with an RBI double in the Kansas City Royals’ 12-11 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. 

Ohtani crushed a 423-foot homer in the sixth and a tying, 438-foot shot in the ninth, giving him the biggest RBI game of his five-year stateside career. The AL MVP then set a record for the most RBIs by a Japanese-born player in major league history with a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning. Carlos Santana had four hits and drove in a season-high five runs for the Royals, while rookie Bobby Witt Jr. had his first multi-homer game while driving in a career-high four runs.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit two three-run homers and drove in a career-high eight runs, but Whit Merrifield led off the 11th inning with an RBI double in the Kansas City Royals’ 12-11 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani crushed a 423-foot homer in the sixth and a tying, 438-foot shot in the ninth, giving him the biggest RBI game of his five-year stateside career. The AL MVP then set a record for the most RBIs by a Japanese-born player in major league history with a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning. Carlos Santana had four hits and drove in a season-high five runs for the Royals, while rookie Bobby Witt Jr. had his first multi-homer game while driving in a career-high four runs.

Royals defeat the Angels in a high scoring game

Junction City defeated Sabetha 12-10 in game one of a doubleheader at Rathert Field Tuesday night. Game two was postponed due to the severe thunderstorm that moved through the area.

Junction City defeated Sabetha 12-10 in game one of a doubleheader at Rathert Field Tuesday night. Game two was postponed due to the severe thunderstorm that moved through the area.

Brigade win game one of scheduled doubleheader

By Ryan Lackey - Associate Athletics Director for Communications

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Highlighted by Big 12-leading marks from the women’s tennis, men’s cross country, women’s cross country and women’s golf programs, all of Kansas State’s athletic teams met and exceeded the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate multi-year standard for the 10th straight year as the NCAA released its latest Division I APR data from the 2020-21 academic year.

In addition, the football program (978) ranked second in the Big 12, men’s basketball (965) fourth and women’s track and field (988) fourth. Other multi-year scores included men’s golf (987), baseball (963), men’s track and field (967), women’s basketball (963), rowing (989), women’s soccer (986) and volleyball (979).

The Academic Progress Rate measures the eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team and also serves as a predictor of graduation success. Each year, the NCAA tracks the classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I team through the annual scorecard of academic achievement, known as APR. The score measures eligibility and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21 academic years.

By Ryan Lackey - Associate Athletics Director for CommunicationsMANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Highlighted by Big 12-leading marks from the women’s tennis, men’s cross country, women’s cross country and women’s golf programs, all of Kansas State’s athletic teams met and exceeded the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate multi-year standard for the 10th straight year as the NCAA released its latest Division I APR data from the 2020-21 academic year.In addition, the football program (978) ranked second in the Big 12, men’s basketball (965) fourth and women’s track and field (988) fourth. Other multi-year scores included men’s golf (987), baseball (963), men’s track and field (967), women’s basketball (963), rowing (989), women’s soccer (986) and volleyball (979).The Academic Progress Rate measures the eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team and also serves as a predictor of graduation success. Each year, the NCAA tracks the classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I team through the annual scorecard of academic achievement, known as APR. The score measures eligibility and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21 academic years.

K-State Programs Once Again Shine in APR Report

Junction City defeated the Sabetha Bravos 20-10 Monday evening in Sabetha. The two summer collegiate baseball teams play again Tuesday night at Rathert Field. Game time is 7 p.m.

Junction City defeated the Sabetha Bravos 20-10 Monday evening in Sabetha. The two summer collegiate baseball teams play again Tuesday night at Rathert Field. Game time is 7 p.m.

Brigade win on the road

Andrew Benintendi, Salvador Perez and Hunter Dozier homered, Nicky Lopez drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 in the opener of a three-game series. 

Kris Bubic, who came into the game as one of four pitchers in the majors to have at least eight starts and no wins this season, struck out a season-high seven in six innings for his first victory. 

Taylor Ward had two hits — including a homer in the third inning — and drove in both runs for the Angels. Los Angeles had come in with some momentum after taking four of five in Seattle, but managed only seven hits.

Andrew Benintendi, Salvador Perez and Hunter Dozier homered, Nicky Lopez drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 in the opener of a three-game series. Kris Bubic, who came into the game as one of four pitchers in the majors to have at least eight starts and no wins this season, struck out a season-high seven in six innings for his first victory. Taylor Ward had two hits — including a homer in the third inning — and drove in both runs for the Angels. Los Angeles had come in with some momentum after taking four of five in Seattle, but managed only seven hits.

Royals get three home runs in a win over the Angels

This is part three in a series on former Kansas State University football coach Bill Snyder. This story touches on his life after coaching football.

During an appearance at a Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel convention in Junction City this past week the former K-State football coach Bill Snyder was asked about what he is doing now. One is serving as a speaker at a variety of different functions. "It's for good causes and this is obviously an extremely good cause."

Snyder has five children, ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He stays in contact with them. "I try to stay in touch. Now some of the great grandchildren are too young to communicate with on the telephone but all the rest that are I visit with every single day on the telephone. That's important to me. "

The former coach also noted that there are many programs that have become significant to him. "I'm heavily invested in the Kansas State University Leadership School. That has been significant. We have what we call the Snyder Leadership Fellows. I didn't name that but somebody else did." That involves a group of leaders that come through a program he works with on occasion each year.&nbsp;

He is involved in a state level Kansas leadership program and multiple other Kansas State University, community and state programs. "I get to pick and choose so I don't run myself ragged with that."

Snyder is also busy with a lot of correspondence. "That's one thing I've always stayed up with. I'm responsive, kind of felt an obligation to respond to correspondence that I get. " Snyder added that people are very gracious so he keeps up with the correspondence.

In addition to serving as a coach, which is a teaching job, Snyder was a high school teacher for many years early in his career. At Kansas State he served as the head football coach from 1989 until 2005 and again from 2009 until 2018. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and was the recipient of numerous conference and national coach of the year honors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655747813439.jpeg" alt="Bill Snyder speaking to the Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel in Junction City." />
 <figcaption>Bill Snyder speaking to the Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel in Junction City.</figcaption>
 </figure>This is part three in a series on former Kansas State University football coach Bill Snyder. This story touches on his life after coaching football.During an appearance at a Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel convention in Junction City this past week the former K-State football coach Bill Snyder was asked about what he is doing now. One is serving as a speaker at a variety of different functions. "It's for good causes and this is obviously an extremely good cause."Snyder has five children, ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He stays in contact with them. "I try to stay in touch. Now some of the great grandchildren are too young to communicate with on the telephone but all the rest that are I visit with every single day on the telephone. That's important to me. "The former coach also noted that there are many programs that have become significant to him. "I'm heavily invested in the Kansas State University Leadership School. That has been significant. We have what we call the Snyder Leadership Fellows. I didn't name that but somebody else did." That involves a group of leaders that come through a program he works with on occasion each year.&nbsp;He is involved in a state level Kansas leadership program and multiple other Kansas State University, community and state programs. "I get to pick and choose so I don't run myself ragged with that."Snyder is also busy with a lot of correspondence. "That's one thing I've always stayed up with. I'm responsive, kind of felt an obligation to respond to correspondence that I get. " Snyder added that people are very gracious so he keeps up with the correspondence.In addition to serving as a coach, which is a teaching job, Snyder was a high school teacher for many years early in his career. At Kansas State he served as the head football coach from 1989 until 2005 and again from 2009 until 2018. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and was the recipient of numerous conference and national coach of the year honors.

Bill Snyder has plenty to do following his retirement from football

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Jared Koenig pitched into the sixth inning for his first career win and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, helping the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 to end an eight-game home losing streak. Seth Brown had three hits, including his first home run at the Oakland Coliseum in nearly a year. Sean Murphy also connected to help the A’s avoid a three-game sweep. Oakland, which won for the third time in 18 games overall, still owns the worst record in baseball at 23-45. The Royals stranded six runners in scoring position and were shut out for the ninth time this season.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Jared Koenig pitched into the sixth inning for his first career win and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, helping the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 to end an eight-game home losing streak. Seth Brown had three hits, including his first home run at the Oakland Coliseum in nearly a year. Sean Murphy also connected to help the A’s avoid a three-game sweep. Oakland, which won for the third time in 18 games overall, still owns the worst record in baseball at 23-45. The Royals stranded six runners in scoring position and were shut out for the ninth time this season.

Royals are shut out by Oakland

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Kansas City Chiefs will host eight local schools to play against each other in an all-day competition at Washburn University.

In partnership with Nike, the Kansas City Chiefs says it will host eight high school football teams for an “11-On” competition at Washburn University’s Yager Stadium, 1925 SW College Ave., on Friday, June 24.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">Chiefs&nbsp;</a>said 11-On is a unique, half-day, team experience initiative that supports scholastic high school football team competition. It said the program focuses on building character and life skills - along with team foundations - through an exciting and fast-paced competitive event.

The team noted that the event begins at 9 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m. with different schools competing throughout the day. It said the event format includes multiple 7-on-7 games along with position-specific drills conducted in alternating drill stations to work on skills and technique.

Chiefs said 11-On powered by Nike is open to the public and free to attend - whether a family member or friend is competing or not.

In addition to the on-field competition, the Chiefs said it will also bring a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2020/02/news-vince-lombardi-trophy/" target="_blank">Lombardi Trophy</a>&nbsp;display for photos. It said the<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/community/traininglab" target="_blank">&nbsp;Chiefs Training Lab powered by GEHA</a>&nbsp;- the club’s mobile, interactive experience to teach youth about the importance of health, wellness and being active - will also be at the event.

By WIBW TVTOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Kansas City Chiefs will host eight local schools to play against each other in an all-day competition at Washburn University.In partnership with Nike, the Kansas City Chiefs says it will host eight high school football teams for an “11-On” competition at Washburn University’s Yager Stadium, 1925 SW College Ave., on Friday, June 24.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">Chiefs&nbsp;</a>said 11-On is a unique, half-day, team experience initiative that supports scholastic high school football team competition. It said the program focuses on building character and life skills - along with team foundations - through an exciting and fast-paced competitive event.Participating schools include:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.center.k12.mo.us/" target="_blank">Center High School</a></li><li><a href="http://jchs.usd475.org/" target="_blank">Junction City High School</a></li><li><a href="https://www.usd383.org/schools/secondary-schools/manhattan-high-school" target="_blank">Manhattan High School</a></li><li><a href="https://www.olatheschools.org/west" target="_blank">Olathe West High School</a></li><li>Shawnee Heights High School</li><li><a href="https://haydencatholic.org/" target="_blank">Hayden Catholic High School</a></li><li><a href="https://shs.seamanschools.org/" target="_blank">Seaman High School</a></li><li><a href="https://usd437.net/schools/wrhs/" target="_blank">Washburn Rural High School</a></li>
 </ul>The team noted that the event begins at 9 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m. with different schools competing throughout the day. It said the event format includes multiple 7-on-7 games along with position-specific drills conducted in alternating drill stations to work on skills and technique.Chiefs said 11-On powered by Nike is open to the public and free to attend - whether a family member or friend is competing or not.In addition to the on-field competition, the Chiefs said it will also bring a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2020/02/news-vince-lombardi-trophy/" target="_blank">Lombardi Trophy</a>&nbsp;display for photos. It said the<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/community/traininglab" target="_blank">&nbsp;Chiefs Training Lab powered by GEHA</a>&nbsp;- the club’s mobile, interactive experience to teach youth about the importance of health, wellness and being active - will also be at the event.

JCHS and MHS football will compete in "11-On" competition

The Salina Liberty will be headed back to their third consecutive Champions Bowl after rounding up the Outlaws in a 26-14 defensive duel.

Despite posting their second-lowest scoring mark of the season, Salina’s defense shined, blanking Billings through three and holding off a late comeback effort in the final frame.

“I liked our defense all the way until the fourth quarter,” Liberty HC Heron O’Neal said. “We’ve been through a lot this season but we got right back to where we said we were going to be, now we have to bring it home.”

With an upset in Sioux City the stage is set for a Champions Bowl rematch between the Liberty and Beef in Salina next week, a game the Liberty wasted no time shifting their attention to.

“We’re laser-focused and we were smiling but nobody was celebrating in that locker room,” O’Neal said. “We’re ready for Omaha and we know it’s going to be a war.”

Salina struck for a score in each of the first three quarters with Demarius Washington and Fast Ed Smith hauling in touchdown catches from Kilgo in the first and second before Tracy Brooks punched in a score on the ground in the third to put the Liberty up 20-0.

Billings outgained Salina in total offense but the Liberty defense stood tall, with two huge fourth-down stops and a fumble recovery on the night.

The Outlaws would tally two touchdowns of their own in the fourth thanks to running back D’Nerius Antione but it proved to be too little too late as the Liberty cruised to the semifinal victory.

Salina has won six of their last seven games, with the lone loss coming in a 14-11 stalemate in Omaha. To win their first-ever title, the Liberty know that they must improve early and often on offense.

“I take the way we execute upon myself and this was a horrible game in my eyes,” Salina QB Javin Kilgo said. “Regardless of what the scoreboard says we have a lot to clean up this week and we’ll be hitting it hard.”

The season finale will be played at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center on Saturday, June 25th.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617409785202.png" alt="Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Liberty will be headed back to their third consecutive Champions Bowl after rounding up the Outlaws in a 26-14 defensive duel.Despite posting their second-lowest scoring mark of the season, Salina’s defense shined, blanking Billings through three and holding off a late comeback effort in the final frame.“I liked our defense all the way until the fourth quarter,” Liberty HC Heron O’Neal said. “We’ve been through a lot this season but we got right back to where we said we were going to be, now we have to bring it home.”With an upset in Sioux City the stage is set for a Champions Bowl rematch between the Liberty and Beef in Salina next week, a game the Liberty wasted no time shifting their attention to.“We’re laser-focused and we were smiling but nobody was celebrating in that locker room,” O’Neal said. “We’re ready for Omaha and we know it’s going to be a war.”Salina struck for a score in each of the first three quarters with Demarius Washington and Fast Ed Smith hauling in touchdown catches from Kilgo in the first and second before Tracy Brooks punched in a score on the ground in the third to put the Liberty up 20-0.Billings outgained Salina in total offense but the Liberty defense stood tall, with two huge fourth-down stops and a fumble recovery on the night.The Outlaws would tally two touchdowns of their own in the fourth thanks to running back D’Nerius Antione but it proved to be too little too late as the Liberty cruised to the semifinal victory.Salina has won six of their last seven games, with the lone loss coming in a 14-11 stalemate in Omaha. To win their first-ever title, the Liberty know that they must improve early and often on offense.“I take the way we execute upon myself and this was a horrible game in my eyes,” Salina QB Javin Kilgo said. “Regardless of what the scoreboard says we have a lot to clean up this week and we’ll be hitting it hard.”The season finale will be played at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center on Saturday, June 25th.

Liberty blank Billings through three, advance to third straight Champions Bowl

This is part two in a series on former K-State football coach Bill Snyder. This story focuses on how Snyder was contacted and then became interested in becoming the head football at Kansas State.

Former Kansas State University Athletic Director Steve Miller was persistent in his pursuit of Bill Snyder for the Wildcat head football coaching job. At the time Snyder was the offensive coordinator for the Iowa Hawkeyes.&nbsp;

During a presentation to the Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel in Junction City this week the coach humorously related how Miller had called Snyder multiple times to see if he would come to Manhattan to interview for the Kansas State coaching job, but Snyder had always said no. Miller didn't give up, explained the coach, who remembered a Sunday afternoon in Iowa City when two men that he didn't know came to the door of his home.&nbsp; One introduced himself as Steve Miller. "He asked if he could come in and of course we invited him in and he went through everything again."

During the two hour visit Miller posed a question that was explained by Snyder and had the audience of retired educators chuckling. "Coach do you have a spare bedroom upstairs, and I said why do you ask? He said I'm not leaving until you decide that you will at least come to Manhattan and see if it's a job that you would like to have."

Snyder game in and made the trip to Manhattan. "I flew down to Manhattan with no intent to accept the job but I wanted to see if I couldn't get Steve, what do you say, off my back." At K-State Miller took Snyder into the Legends Room which was full of people ranging from professors and administrators to students and other community members all of whom were trying to tell the coach why he should be at Kansas State University.&nbsp; Snyder said he pulled University President Jon Wefald and asked him if could arrange for someone to take him on campus. "I want to go spend an hour on campus. He said why do you want to do that? I said I just want to go see the campus."

Snyder noted that he was given a ride to the middle of the campus where he spent the next hour stopping people who didn't know who he was and visited with them. "I didn't tell them why I was there and I just asked questions about the community, about the students, about the university, about the athletic department, about anything and everything that I could think of." Upon returning to Wefald Snyder told him he would visit with his family. "I may be interested. He said what changed your mind and I said the people. I was so impressed by the gracious people that I met, students, faculty, visitors to the campus and that's what took me to Kansas State University."

Snyder would guide Wildcat football to a pair of Big 12 championships and numerous bowl game victories during two stints as head coach at Kansas State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655604385303.jpeg" alt="Bill Snyder talked with a fan during a Junction City appearance this week" />
 <figcaption>Bill Snyder talked with a fan during a Junction City appearance this week</figcaption>
 </figure>This is part two in a series on former K-State football coach Bill Snyder. This story focuses on how Snyder was contacted and then became interested in becoming the head football at Kansas State.Former Kansas State University Athletic Director Steve Miller was persistent in his pursuit of Bill Snyder for the Wildcat head football coaching job. At the time Snyder was the offensive coordinator for the Iowa Hawkeyes.&nbsp;During a presentation to the Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel in Junction City this week the coach humorously related how Miller had called Snyder multiple times to see if he would come to Manhattan to interview for the Kansas State coaching job, but Snyder had always said no. Miller didn't give up, explained the coach, who remembered a Sunday afternoon in Iowa City when two men that he didn't know came to the door of his home.&nbsp; One introduced himself as Steve Miller. "He asked if he could come in and of course we invited him in and he went through everything again."During the two hour visit Miller posed a question that was explained by Snyder and had the audience of retired educators chuckling. "Coach do you have a spare bedroom upstairs, and I said why do you ask? He said I'm not leaving until you decide that you will at least come to Manhattan and see if it's a job that you would like to have."Snyder game in and made the trip to Manhattan. "I flew down to Manhattan with no intent to accept the job but I wanted to see if I couldn't get Steve, what do you say, off my back." At K-State Miller took Snyder into the Legends Room which was full of people ranging from professors and administrators to students and other community members all of whom were trying to tell the coach why he should be at Kansas State University.&nbsp; Snyder said he pulled University President Jon Wefald and asked him if could arrange for someone to take him on campus. "I want to go spend an hour on campus. He said why do you want to do that? I said I just want to go see the campus."Snyder noted that he was given a ride to the middle of the campus where he spent the next hour stopping people who didn't know who he was and visited with them. "I didn't tell them why I was there and I just asked questions about the community, about the students, about the university, about the athletic department, about anything and everything that I could think of." Upon returning to Wefald Snyder told him he would visit with his family. "I may be interested. He said what changed your mind and I said the people. I was so impressed by the gracious people that I met, students, faculty, visitors to the campus and that's what took me to Kansas State University."Snyder would guide Wildcat football to a pair of Big 12 championships and numerous bowl game victories during two stints as head coach at Kansas State.

Bill Snyder explains how his Kansas State journey began

After a much-needed bye, the Salina Liberty sit in a familiar position as they prepare to host a CIF semifinal game for a third consecutive season.

Their opponent this time around comes in the form of the Billings Outlaws, a team the Liberty split the season series winning the more recent contest 34-19 in May.

Billings began their playoff run in Montana last week with a 49-40 win over Wyoming in the quarterfinals and will be hungry to make a deep run in their inaugural CIF season.

The winner of this game will advance to the seventh annual Champions Bowl to take on either Sioux City or Omaha in a bracket where all four teams have what it takes to claim a national title.

“Any one of these teams can walk away with the championship,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “Everyone has beaten each other and there’s no weak team but there’s also not really a juggernaut in my opinion.”

Salina entered the postseason with the best scoring defense in the league, holding opponents to just 25 points per game, while Billings boasts the second-best scoring offense putting up 45 on average.

Much of that production has been the result of quarterback Charles McCullum, whose 40 passing touchdowns are 13 clear of the next best mark in the league.

16 of those have been hauled in by league-leading wide reciever Tyron Laughinghouse, who has gashed opposing secondaries all season long.

“Billings has a ton of talent and a stockpiled roster with a who’s who of indoor football,” O’Neal said. “They’ve got some great former NFL talent but we’ve seen them before and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

While Salina has hung their hats on defense, the offense has come together in the past few weeks as well thanks to the addition of new QB1 Javin Kilgo and the return of reigning MVP Tracy Brooks to the backfield.

In a season that saw the Liberty start four different quarterbacks, Kilgo has been just what the doctor ordered, tossing 11 touchdowns to only one pick in his first three games.

“I’m supremely confident in Javin,” O’Neal said. “The schedule makers didn’t give us a creampuff schedule and that allowed him to see and compete against some of the best teams in our league. He may be new but he’s battle-tested and he brings championship experience.”

This game could also be the first time that Kilgo, Brooks, Fast Ed Smith, and Demarius Washington all share the field, turning Salina’s offense into a powder keg with the potential to explode for monster numbers if they can continue playing mistake-free football on Saturday.

“We can’t turn the ball over and expect to win against any of these teams that are left,” he said. “Billings has a great offense and we can’t lean on our defense to make too many plays.”

After falling short titles on the final play of the last two Champions Bowls, emotions will be running high for this Liberty playoff run as many veterans hope to end their career with the first ring in Salina’s history.

“We have to rely on the experience that we had and the experience that we brought in,” O’Neal said. “Some of these guys know that this might be their last game and we have to handle the emotions of that and play for our fellow man out there regardless of who we’re up against.”

Kickoff between the Liberty and Outlaws is set for 6:30 pm at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617409785202.png" alt="Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Salina Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>After a much-needed bye, the Salina Liberty sit in a familiar position as they prepare to host a CIF semifinal game for a third consecutive season.Their opponent this time around comes in the form of the Billings Outlaws, a team the Liberty split the season series winning the more recent contest 34-19 in May.Billings began their playoff run in Montana last week with a 49-40 win over Wyoming in the quarterfinals and will be hungry to make a deep run in their inaugural CIF season.The winner of this game will advance to the seventh annual Champions Bowl to take on either Sioux City or Omaha in a bracket where all four teams have what it takes to claim a national title.“Any one of these teams can walk away with the championship,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “Everyone has beaten each other and there’s no weak team but there’s also not really a juggernaut in my opinion.”Salina entered the postseason with the best scoring defense in the league, holding opponents to just 25 points per game, while Billings boasts the second-best scoring offense putting up 45 on average.Much of that production has been the result of quarterback Charles McCullum, whose 40 passing touchdowns are 13 clear of the next best mark in the league.16 of those have been hauled in by league-leading wide reciever Tyron Laughinghouse, who has gashed opposing secondaries all season long.“Billings has a ton of talent and a stockpiled roster with a who’s who of indoor football,” O’Neal said. “They’ve got some great former NFL talent but we’ve seen them before and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”While Salina has hung their hats on defense, the offense has come together in the past few weeks as well thanks to the addition of new QB1 Javin Kilgo and the return of reigning MVP Tracy Brooks to the backfield.In a season that saw the Liberty start four different quarterbacks, Kilgo has been just what the doctor ordered, tossing 11 touchdowns to only one pick in his first three games.“I’m supremely confident in Javin,” O’Neal said. “The schedule makers didn’t give us a creampuff schedule and that allowed him to see and compete against some of the best teams in our league. He may be new but he’s battle-tested and he brings championship experience.”This game could also be the first time that Kilgo, Brooks, Fast Ed Smith, and Demarius Washington all share the field, turning Salina’s offense into a powder keg with the potential to explode for monster numbers if they can continue playing mistake-free football on Saturday.“We can’t turn the ball over and expect to win against any of these teams that are left,” he said. “Billings has a great offense and we can’t lean on our defense to make too many plays.”After falling short titles on the final play of the last two Champions Bowls, emotions will be running high for this Liberty playoff run as many veterans hope to end their career with the first ring in Salina’s history.“We have to rely on the experience that we had and the experience that we brought in,” O’Neal said. “Some of these guys know that this might be their last game and we have to handle the emotions of that and play for our fellow man out there regardless of who we’re up against.”Kickoff between the Liberty and Outlaws is set for 6:30 pm at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.

Liberty host Outlaws, battle Billings for ticket to Champions Bowl VII

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Daniel Lynch had a career-high 10 strikeouts in five innings to win for the first time in nearly two months, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Friday night in a matchup of teams with the two worst records in the major leagues. Salvador Perez doubled and homered for the Royals. Whit Merrifield added three hits while Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor each had two to send the plummeting A’s to their 21st loss in their last 24 home games. The Royals (22-41) began the day percentage points ahead of the A’s, who fell to 22-44 with the loss and dropped 19 games behind the first-place Astros in the AL West.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Daniel Lynch had a career-high 10 strikeouts in five innings to win for the first time in nearly two months, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Friday night in a matchup of teams with the two worst records in the major leagues. Salvador Perez doubled and homered for the Royals. Whit Merrifield added three hits while Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor each had two to send the plummeting A’s to their 21st loss in their last 24 home games. The Royals (22-41) began the day percentage points ahead of the A’s, who fell to 22-44 with the loss and dropped 19 games behind the first-place Astros in the AL West.

Daniel Lynch helps Royals to win over the Athletics

Junction City was slated to host the Midwest A's in baseball Friday night at Rathert Field but the game has been called off at the request of the A's.&nbsp;

Junction City was slated to host the Midwest A's in baseball Friday night at Rathert Field but the game has been called off at the request of the A's.&nbsp;A reschedule date has not yet been set.

Brigade game on Friday night has been cancelled

Kansas will visit Kentucky and Baylor is set to host Arkansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge next season. The leagues announced the 10 matchups set for next January 28, a Saturday. All 10 Big 12 members and all but four of the Southeastern Conference teams will participate. The other games include: Alabama at Oklahoma, Auburn at West Virginia, Florida at Kansas State, Texas Tech at LSU, Mississippi at Oklahoma State, TCU at Mississippi State, Iowa State at Missouri, and Texas at Tennessee. The SEC has held the edge in five of the last six years.

Kansas will visit Kentucky and Baylor is set to host Arkansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge next season. The leagues announced the 10 matchups set for next January 28, a Saturday. All 10 Big 12 members and all but four of the Southeastern Conference teams will participate. The other games include: Alabama at Oklahoma, Auburn at West Virginia, Florida at Kansas State, Texas Tech at LSU, Mississippi at Oklahoma State, TCU at Mississippi State, Iowa State at Missouri, and Texas at Tennessee. The SEC has held the edge in five of the last six years.

Sec / Big 12 challenge matchup set

You can hear the Kansas City Royals play at Oakland Friday night on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM. The broadcast time is 8 p.m. with the first pitch at 8:40 p.m.

You can hear the Kansas City Royals play at Oakland Friday night on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM. The broadcast time is 8 p.m. with the first pitch at 8:40 p.m.

Royals play at Oakland Friday night

For the first time this season the Junction City Brigade ( 7-2 ) have lost a baseball gaame.

The Brigade lost to the Midwest A's 8-7 and 8-3 in a doubleheader played Thursday in Belton, MO. Junction City will host&nbsp; the A's at 7 p.m. Friday at Rathert Field.

For the first time this season the Junction City Brigade ( 7-2 ) have lost a baseball gaame.The Brigade lost to the Midwest A's 8-7 and 8-3 in a doubleheader played Thursday in Belton, MO. Junction City will host&nbsp; the A's at 7 p.m. Friday at Rathert Field.

Brigade are swept in a doubleheader

Former K-State football coach Bill Snyder credits educators for having a great impact on his life. That was a message during remarks to a Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel audience in Junction City Thursday. "The people that have had the greatest impact on my life are people like you, people who sat in classrooms with me, people who guided me, people who gave me direction, people who redirected me in many, many ways. "&nbsp;

Snyder told the story about his childhood. "My mother worked at a downtown department store in St. Joseph, MO.. " He added that she worked 12 hours a day, six days a week and didn't make a lot of money. They lived in a one room apartment, his mother never drove an automobile in her life and she had to walk to work. At night he slept on a murphy bed and his mother on a cot. " But I thought we were rich because of my mother and all that she did for me."

Snyder attended the University of Missouri where he struggled and after one semester returned to St. Joseph where he attended community college with no plans to further his college education beyond that level until the football coach and athletic director for William Jewell College, Dr. Norris Patterson, came to see him. Snyder decided to attend the school and between the jobs that were provided and some need based scholarship money worked his way through college. "I didn't want my mother to have to pay for anything so I made sure that I had enough employment in order to pay what the scholarships did not pay and I was able to do exactly that. " He worked his way through college and went into teaching at Gallatin High School in the small town of Gallatin, MO.

Snyder told a humorous story that left his audience laughing out loud about how he was required to take a foreign language and he had enrolled in one that was unfamiliar to him, Spanish. He took the necessary two classes. " And I thought I'll take one more&nbsp; and that will give me a minor, and I'll have a minor in something. Big mistake in my life!" When he arrived in Gallatin he was informed by the principal that he would be teaching four classes of Spanish. "I don't know if it was fortunately or unfortunately such a small school, the largest class was seven students and the smallest was four." Snyder recounted how he stayed up late every night just to prepare for the next day's lesson. " I was one step ahead, that's it, period!

Later Snyder would become a teacher and assistant football coach at Indio High School in Indio, California. On his first day he learned about his teaching responsibilities including physical education and unexpectedly for one semester....Spanish!&nbsp;&nbsp;

After serving as a graduate assistant in the football program at USC, he returned to Indio High School for three years as the head football coach. He then moved to Foothill High School in Santa Anna, California with the intention of becoming an assistant&nbsp; football coach and physical education teacher. While laughing, explained that on the first day the principal informed him that a teacher had left. "And we would like for you...you guessed it right?&nbsp; So for one class a day I'm back in the classroom with the Spanish students. I thought I will never get away from this, I've got to get into college coaching where that doesn't take place. "

But one point was clear in his remarks. While he may have forgotten the names of some acquaintances over the years he could clearly remember the names of his teachers. "I can recall them so quickly and dream up&nbsp; the images because of the impact that they had."

Sherman would go on to coach at Austin College, North Texas State, the University of Iowa and finally Kansas State University where he took on the massive job of trying to build up the Wildcat football program.

Former K-State football coach Bill Snyder credits educators for having a great impact on his life. That was a message during remarks to a Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel audience in Junction City Thursday. "The people that have had the greatest impact on my life are people like you, people who sat in classrooms with me, people who guided me, people who gave me direction, people who redirected me in many, many ways. "&nbsp;Snyder told the story about his childhood. "My mother worked at a downtown department store in St. Joseph, MO.. " He added that she worked 12 hours a day, six days a week and didn't make a lot of money. They lived in a one room apartment, his mother never drove an automobile in her life and she had to walk to work. At night he slept on a murphy bed and his mother on a cot. " But I thought we were rich because of my mother and all that she did for me."Snyder attended the University of Missouri where he struggled and after one semester returned to St. Joseph where he attended community college with no plans to further his college education beyond that level until the football coach and athletic director for William Jewell College, Dr. Norris Patterson, came to see him. Snyder decided to attend the school and between the jobs that were provided and some need based scholarship money worked his way through college. "I didn't want my mother to have to pay for anything so I made sure that I had enough employment in order to pay what the scholarships did not pay and I was able to do exactly that. " He worked his way through college and went into teaching at Gallatin High School in the small town of Gallatin, MO.Snyder told a humorous story that left his audience laughing out loud about how he was required to take a foreign language and he had enrolled in one that was unfamiliar to him, Spanish. He took the necessary two classes. " And I thought I'll take one more&nbsp; and that will give me a minor, and I'll have a minor in something. Big mistake in my life!" When he arrived in Gallatin he was informed by the principal that he would be teaching four classes of Spanish. "I don't know if it was fortunately or unfortunately such a small school, the largest class was seven students and the smallest was four." Snyder recounted how he stayed up late every night just to prepare for the next day's lesson. " I was one step ahead, that's it, period!Later Snyder would become a teacher and assistant football coach at Indio High School in Indio, California. On his first day he learned about his teaching responsibilities including physical education and unexpectedly for one semester....Spanish!&nbsp;&nbsp;After serving as a graduate assistant in the football program at USC, he returned to Indio High School for three years as the head football coach. He then moved to Foothill High School in Santa Anna, California with the intention of becoming an assistant&nbsp; football coach and physical education teacher. While laughing, explained that on the first day the principal informed him that a teacher had left. "And we would like for you...you guessed it right?&nbsp; So for one class a day I'm back in the classroom with the Spanish students. I thought I will never get away from this, I've got to get into college coaching where that doesn't take place. "But one point was clear in his remarks. While he may have forgotten the names of some acquaintances over the years he could clearly remember the names of his teachers. "I can recall them so quickly and dream up&nbsp; the images because of the impact that they had."Sherman would go on to coach at Austin College, North Texas State, the University of Iowa and finally Kansas State University where he took on the massive job of trying to build up the Wildcat football program.

Bill Snyder shares his early story with retired educators

NEW YORK (AP) —On Thursday afternoon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city. 

Kansas City joins Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle as the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.

Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.

FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.

The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.

New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&amp;T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.

Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.

Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&amp;T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.

Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.

Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ’86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.

Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.

The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.

Specific sites for each round will be announced later.

In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan.

“Over the past five years, the greater Kansas City area has pulled together in remarkable ways to demonstrate to those around the globe that ‘We Want The World Cup.’ And that hard work has paid off,”&nbsp;said Sen. Jerry Moran.&nbsp;

“I look forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world to the Soccer Capital of America when Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup. Thank you to the KC2026 leadership team, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and all the ambassadors and volunteers for your work to bring for the most-watched sporting event in the world to Kansas City.”

In 2017, at the start of the bid 2026 World Cup bid process, Sen. Moran offered his support for Kansas City to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee.

“Today is a great day for Kansas City! Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland? The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC and the KC Sports Commission have shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality, and I congratulate them for their hard work,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. “The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655416220085.png" alt="Image courtesy FIFA live broadcast of host cities" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FIFA live broadcast of host cities</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —On Thursday afternoon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city. Kansas City joins Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle as the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffifaworldcup%2Fvideos%2F816004116431454%2F&show_text=false&width=380&t=0" width="380" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City, you are a World Cup City!&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1537549342000701442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&amp;T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&amp;T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ’86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.Specific sites for each round will be announced later.In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan.“Over the past five years, the greater Kansas City area has pulled together in remarkable ways to demonstrate to those around the globe that ‘We Want The World Cup.’ And that hard work has paid off,”&nbsp;said Sen. Jerry Moran.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world to the Soccer Capital of America when Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup. Thank you to the KC2026 leadership team, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and all the ambassadors and volunteers for your work to bring for the most-watched sporting event in the world to Kansas City.”In 2017, at the start of the bid 2026 World Cup bid process, Sen. Moran offered his support for Kansas City to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee.“Today is a great day for Kansas City! Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland? The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC and the KC Sports Commission have shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality, and I congratulate them for their hard work,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. “The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

Kansas City selected as a host city for 2026 FIFA World Cup

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– An already strong home men’s basketball schedule got even better on Thursday&nbsp; (June 16), when Florida was announced as Kansas State’s opponent in the 10th&nbsp;annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge set for Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Bramlage Coliseum.

Director of Men's Basketball Communications at K-State, Tom Gilbert , said ESPN will provide coverage of all games on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU with start times and complete television information to be released later.

The Gators will be one of at least 17 home games for the Wildcats in 2022-23, which includes Wichita State on Saturday, December 3, and the usual grueling nine game Big 12 slate. The team will also play host to Nebraska in the return of the Wildcat Classic on Saturday, December 17 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– An already strong home men’s basketball schedule got even better on Thursday&nbsp; (June 16), when Florida was announced as Kansas State’s opponent in the 10th&nbsp;annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge set for Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Bramlage Coliseum.Director of Men's Basketball Communications at K-State, Tom Gilbert , said ESPN will provide coverage of all games on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU with start times and complete television information to be released later.The Gators will be one of at least 17 home games for the Wildcats in 2022-23, which includes Wichita State on Saturday, December 3, and the usual grueling nine game Big 12 slate. The team will also play host to Nebraska in the return of the Wildcat Classic on Saturday, December 17 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.