KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes, rookie Jaylen Watson returned an interception 99 yards for the go-ahead fourth-quarter score, and the Kansas City Chiefs held on to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24. 

Mahomes finished with 235 yards passing, and Jerick McKinnon and Justin Watson hauled in the TD passes for the Chiefs. Kansas City fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter and spent most of the game playing catch-up. Justin Herbert finished with 334 yards passing and three touchdowns for the Chargers. The Chiefs improved to 2-0 and lead the AFC West.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes, rookie Jaylen Watson returned an interception 99 yards for the go-ahead fourth-quarter score, and the Kansas City Chiefs held on to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24. Mahomes finished with 235 yards passing, and Jerick McKinnon and Justin Watson hauled in the TD passes for the Chiefs. Kansas City fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter and spent most of the game playing catch-up. Justin Herbert finished with 334 yards passing and three touchdowns for the Chargers. The Chiefs improved to 2-0 and lead the AFC West.

Chiefs rally past the Chargers

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=20788&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Collin Klein’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=20789&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Joe Klanderman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/coordinator-press-conferences-september-15-2022/4745" target="_blank">Listen on Wildcats Uncut</a> MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State offensive coordinator&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;and defensive coordinator&nbsp;Joe Klanderman&nbsp;met with members of the media on Thursday at the Vanier Family Football Complex prior to the Wildcats hosting Tulane on Saturday. Links to video and audio of both press conferences are above, and a transcript of select quotes are below.

COLLIN KLEIN, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

“I was going to say, hopefully it's not raining as hard as it was last week. Obviously, whatever we’ve got to do to win the ballgame and play well. The second half provided some dynamics for us with the weather. I know, third quarter, I get on the phone with Adrian (Martinez) and he's like, ‘Coach, the ball’s never been this heavy.’ It was just full of water. But our guys battled through it. There hasn't been a pick one way or the other of saying this week we’ve got to do this or not or whatever. It's just kind of the game flow and how it's been. We're ready and excited, obviously, to throw it around when we need to and that part of the game.”

On playing guys like Ben Sinnott it different spots on the offense…

“Love working with our guys, and we have a lot of smart football players. They're allowing us to do and put some people in different places, in different personnel groups. You know, that can put pressure on people. Ben is one of those guys and being able to be multiple move guys around is one of our strengths.”

On the throwing ability Adrian Martinez showcased during last week’s opening drive…

“Like I said, I mean, we can throw the football. We’ve got great receivers. We’ve got a good quarterback. I've been very pleased with his decision making, and he definitely is processing the game at a really high clip and protecting us in certain runs, protecting some passes that he's checked out of because of certain pressure looks that he's seen and is taking the game as it comes. It's not something that I want to force, but I think it'll be a more natural flow hopefully as we move forward.”

On the attempted trick play against Missouri…

“We had a decent look for it on tape and the backside corner wasn't over as much as we thought and down in a short yardage situation in the redzone. It all kind of come together for us of knowing when we wanted to do it and where we wanted to do it. Kade (Warner) studies his butt off and knew exactly who it was that we needed to influence, and credit to them. They covered it, and he still got us first down so no worries there.”

“Deuce is Deuce. I'm not surprised, not one bit. He's top shelf in every area. You see his notebook from the week of him watching tape on his own and it's darn near a novel, truly. He's special. Totally unselfish too. You watch, he's sprung two touchdowns just by his blocking, and that's what he's called to do on that play. It's an honor to coach him and an honor that he’s on our team and a Wildcat.”

JOE KLANDERMAN, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

On the health status of the defense...

“As you go through the season there is always stuff and that's just what it is. Even though the game wasn't a close game at the end of the game for the score, it was a nip and tuck game for a lot of time and guys got a lot of snaps. So, it's just the normal wear and tear, but yeah, I think we're going to be okay.”

“He’s just rock solid. In the corner room, he’s probably the guy that understands things the most. He’s got a ton of snaps under his belt. He’s extraordinarily fast. He’s got the ability to make plays, and the fact that he hasn’t been tested is a testament to him.”

On Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt …

“He's a stud. Yeah, he's really good player. He's extremely sharp, extremely tough. He took some big shots last week and just jumped up Rocky Balboa style. I thought he showed a lot of heart in that stuff. I think he makes good decisions. He knows what to do with the ball and looks very, very comfortable out there. He's played a lot of snaps in his career. So, I think he's definitely going to be one of the better quarterbacks that we see this year.”

“I think their RPO game is good. I don’t know if they’ve gotten into it as much as maybe they plan too. But yeah, I think they’ve with their stuff. Coach (Jim) Svoboda, I’ve known about him for many, many years, and he’s really innovative in the things he does. I think he knows exactly what he wants to do. So, I’m interested to see some new things this week.”

On the combination of Josh Hayes and Kobe Savage at safety…

“I think they’re phenomenal. I think their doing a great job, and they are both new players. Kobe, in particular, improved so much from week one to week two. I know he had a pretty good game against South Dakota, but he was better against Missouri. I think Josh having missed the South Dakota game will improve quite a bit between what he did against Missouri and what he can do this week.”

Associate Athletics Director for Communications

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=20788&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Collin Klein’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=20789&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Joe Klanderman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/coordinator-press-conferences-september-15-2022/4745" target="_blank">Listen on Wildcats Uncut</a> MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State offensive coordinator&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;and defensive coordinator&nbsp;Joe Klanderman&nbsp;met with members of the media on Thursday at the Vanier Family Football Complex prior to the Wildcats hosting Tulane on Saturday. Links to video and audio of both press conferences are above, and a transcript of select quotes are below.COLLIN KLEIN, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOROn the passing game….“I was going to say, hopefully it's not raining as hard as it was last week. Obviously, whatever we’ve got to do to win the ballgame and play well. The second half provided some dynamics for us with the weather. I know, third quarter, I get on the phone with Adrian (Martinez) and he's like, ‘Coach, the ball’s never been this heavy.’ It was just full of water. But our guys battled through it. There hasn't been a pick one way or the other of saying this week we’ve got to do this or not or whatever. It's just kind of the game flow and how it's been. We're ready and excited, obviously, to throw it around when we need to and that part of the game.”On playing guys like Ben Sinnott it different spots on the offense…“Love working with our guys, and we have a lot of smart football players. They're allowing us to do and put some people in different places, in different personnel groups. You know, that can put pressure on people. Ben is one of those guys and being able to be multiple move guys around is one of our strengths.”On the throwing ability Adrian Martinez showcased during last week’s opening drive…“Like I said, I mean, we can throw the football. We’ve got great receivers. We’ve got a good quarterback. I've been very pleased with his decision making, and he definitely is processing the game at a really high clip and protecting us in certain runs, protecting some passes that he's checked out of because of certain pressure looks that he's seen and is taking the game as it comes. It's not something that I want to force, but I think it'll be a more natural flow hopefully as we move forward.”On the attempted trick play against Missouri…“We had a decent look for it on tape and the backside corner wasn't over as much as we thought and down in a short yardage situation in the redzone. It all kind of come together for us of knowing when we wanted to do it and where we wanted to do it. Kade (Warner) studies his butt off and knew exactly who it was that we needed to influence, and credit to them. They covered it, and he still got us first down so no worries there.”On Deuce Vaughn…“Deuce is Deuce. I'm not surprised, not one bit. He's top shelf in every area. You see his notebook from the week of him watching tape on his own and it's darn near a novel, truly. He's special. Totally unselfish too. You watch, he's sprung two touchdowns just by his blocking, and that's what he's called to do on that play. It's an honor to coach him and an honor that he’s on our team and a Wildcat.”JOE KLANDERMAN, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOROn the health status of the defense...“As you go through the season there is always stuff and that's just what it is. Even though the game wasn't a close game at the end of the game for the score, it was a nip and tuck game for a lot of time and guys got a lot of snaps. So, it's just the normal wear and tear, but yeah, I think we're going to be okay.”On Ekow Boye-Doe’s play…“He’s just rock solid. In the corner room, he’s probably the guy that understands things the most. He’s got a ton of snaps under his belt. He’s extraordinarily fast. He’s got the ability to make plays, and the fact that he hasn’t been tested is a testament to him.”On Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt …“He's a stud. Yeah, he's really good player. He's extremely sharp, extremely tough. He took some big shots last week and just jumped up Rocky Balboa style. I thought he showed a lot of heart in that stuff. I think he makes good decisions. He knows what to do with the ball and looks very, very comfortable out there. He's played a lot of snaps in his career. So, I think he's definitely going to be one of the better quarterbacks that we see this year.”On Tulane’s RPO game…“I think their RPO game is good. I don’t know if they’ve gotten into it as much as maybe they plan too. But yeah, I think they’ve with their stuff. Coach (Jim) Svoboda, I’ve known about him for many, many years, and he’s really innovative in the things he does. I think he knows exactly what he wants to do. So, I’m interested to see some new things this week.”On the combination of Josh Hayes and Kobe Savage at safety…“I think they’re phenomenal. I think their doing a great job, and they are both new players. Kobe, in particular, improved so much from week one to week two. I know he had a pretty good game against South Dakota, but he was better against Missouri. I think Josh having missed the South Dakota game will improve quite a bit between what he did against Missouri and what he can do this week.”RYAN LACKEYAssociate Athletics Director for Communications

K-State Coordinators Preview Tulane Game on Thursday

Congratulations to Zachary Chaput of Junction City, the Week 1 winner&nbsp; in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!

Zachary, who scored 12 of 15 points, wins two tickets and a parking pass to the Kansas City Chiefs home opener Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Although the season has begun, you still have time to win!

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662062091203.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations to Zachary Chaput of Junction City, the Week 1 winner&nbsp; in Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest!Zachary, who scored 12 of 15 points, wins two tickets and a parking pass to the Kansas City Chiefs home opener Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.Although the season has begun, you still have time to win!<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6457a6fe-ce1b-48df-a651-5d8582b478f7?contestid=3#registration/login">Sign up today</a>&nbsp;to make your picks for a chance to win great weekly prizes, including cash,&nbsp;gift cards, concert tickets, and Chiefs tickets.&nbsp;If you pick well, you'll also be in the running for the local season prize of $1,000 and a national season prize of a trip to Hawaii!Don't miss out on the state's best pro football pick'em contest!&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6457a6fe-ce1b-48df-a651-5d8582b478f7?contestid=3#registration/login">Click here to register for Gridiron Glory</a>

Gridiron Glory: Congratulations Zachary Chaput!

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have taken on an almost unbeatable air in the AFC West over the past six years, not only winning the division each time but losing just six games total against some of their longest-standing rivals.

Except when it comes to the Los Angeles Chargers.

They've showed no fear in splitting their past four meetings with Kansas City, including a win in Arrowhead Stadium last season. And after making a series of offseason moves — like signing Khalil Mack, who had three of their five sacks in their opener against the Raiders — designed to deal with Patrick Mahomes and rest of the Chiefs' dynamic offense, the Chargers have every reason to be confident about facing the Chiefs again on Thursday night.

“They came in last year and beat us,” Mahomes said. “They're going to be ready to go. They've won here. They're not going to be scared to come in and play. We have to have a better mindset that we have to play well from the start.”

The Chiefs did that in their opener in Arizona, when they marched for touchdowns on their first three offensive series and were never seriously threatened in a 44-21 romp. Mahomes ended up with 360 yards passing and five TDs, dismissing any notion that the Kansas City offense would languish without wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

The defense also played well, holding Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to seven points into the fourth quarter.

Thursday night's game can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM. The broadcast time will be 6:30 p.m. for the pregame show. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have taken on an almost unbeatable air in the AFC West over the past six years, not only winning the division each time but losing just six games total against some of their longest-standing rivals.Except when it comes to the Los Angeles Chargers.They've showed no fear in splitting their past four meetings with Kansas City, including a win in Arrowhead Stadium last season. And after making a series of offseason moves — like signing Khalil Mack, who had three of their five sacks in their opener against the Raiders — designed to deal with Patrick Mahomes and rest of the Chiefs' dynamic offense, the Chargers have every reason to be confident about facing the Chiefs again on Thursday night.“They came in last year and beat us,” Mahomes said. “They're going to be ready to go. They've won here. They're not going to be scared to come in and play. We have to have a better mindset that we have to play well from the start.”The Chiefs did that in their opener in Arizona, when they marched for touchdowns on their first three offensive series and were never seriously threatened in a 44-21 romp. Mahomes ended up with 360 yards passing and five TDs, dismissing any notion that the Kansas City offense would languish without wide receiver Tyreek Hill.The defense also played well, holding Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to seven points into the fourth quarter.Thursday night's game can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK AM. The broadcast time will be 6:30 p.m. for the pregame show. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m.

Chiefs will host the Chargers Thursday night

TOPEKA —&nbsp;The state championship dominance of schools like Bishop Miege is now an issue for the Kansas Legislature.

The Kansas State Board of Education passed the multiplier proposal on to legislators by a 6-4 vote Wednesday morning. Board members Porter, Waugh, Mah, Jones, Haas and Clifford voted for the proposal. Members Arnold, Dombrosky, Horst and McNiece voted against it.

The classifications from 4A and down voted in favor of a proposed change that would introduce a multiplier for successful private schools that would inflate their enrollment number for classification purposes, 5A and 6A did not vote in favor.

Kansas High Schools voted 216 to 139 to make the change.

The identifying statutes need to be approved by the Legislature prior to implementation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598357043542.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —&nbsp;The state championship dominance of schools like Bishop Miege is now an issue for the Kansas Legislature.The Kansas State Board of Education passed the multiplier proposal on to legislators by a 6-4 vote Wednesday morning. Board members Porter, Waugh, Mah, Jones, Haas and Clifford voted for the proposal. Members Arnold, Dombrosky, Horst and McNiece voted against it.The classifications from 4A and down voted in favor of a proposed change that would introduce a multiplier for successful private schools that would inflate their enrollment number for classification purposes, 5A and 6A did not vote in favor.Kansas High Schools voted 216 to 139 to make the change.The identifying statutes need to be approved by the Legislature prior to implementation.

KSHSAA multiplier headed to Statehouse

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview the Wildcats’ final non-conference game of the year this Saturday against Tulane.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Well, good afternoon, everyone. Recapping a little bit from last Saturday, just really pleased with the guys’ focus and effort and staying engaged through the delays. We had the delay to start the game to shrink in our warmups and handling the adversity of the first break that - I didn't realize how long it was - but it was almost close to an hour. Not quite, but it was close to an hour to be able to come back out and make some plays and then go back in at halftime and continue to keep our focus and not let our guard down and played really good football in some tough conditions, tough environment with the ball being so wet.

 I was happy we were able to control the line of scrimmage and we were able to make some plays on defense with turnovers. That helped get us some short fields. We got to capitalize more on some of the short fields that we got from an offensive standpoint. But, once again, they were playing a lot of cover zero and just getting everybody up in the box assuming and knowing that it was hard to throw the ball. We popped a couple of runs, so that was big to see. We are excited about getting that win and moving on. We've got a really good Tulane team coming in here. They’re 2-0, they’re playing well. I have a ton of respect for Coach (Willie) Fritz. I've known him for a long time. They've got really, really good players. I think they have a really good quarterback, and obviously they can really run and have some really good athletes on both sides of the ball.”

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview the Wildcats’ final non-conference game of the year this Saturday against Tulane.&nbsp;&nbsp;CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACHOpening Statement…“Well, good afternoon, everyone. Recapping a little bit from last Saturday, just really pleased with the guys’ focus and effort and staying engaged through the delays. We had the delay to start the game to shrink in our warmups and handling the adversity of the first break that - I didn't realize how long it was - but it was almost close to an hour. Not quite, but it was close to an hour to be able to come back out and make some plays and then go back in at halftime and continue to keep our focus and not let our guard down and played really good football in some tough conditions, tough environment with the ball being so wet. I was happy we were able to control the line of scrimmage and we were able to make some plays on defense with turnovers. That helped get us some short fields. We got to capitalize more on some of the short fields that we got from an offensive standpoint. But, once again, they were playing a lot of cover zero and just getting everybody up in the box assuming and knowing that it was hard to throw the ball. We popped a couple of runs, so that was big to see. We are excited about getting that win and moving on. We've got a really good Tulane team coming in here. They’re 2-0, they’re playing well. I have a ton of respect for Coach (Willie) Fritz. I've known him for a long time. They've got really, really good players. I think they have a really good quarterback, and obviously they can really run and have some really good athletes on both sides of the ball.”

K-State Talks Tulane at This Week’s Press Conference

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports announced Monday that Kansas State’s Big 12 opener at Oklahoma on September 24 will kick at 7 p.m., and will be televised by FOX.

The Wildcats are in search of their fourth win in Norman in the last six trips, which includes a 38-35 victory over the third-ranked Sooners in 2020, K-State’s first road win over a top-five team in school history. Since head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman’s first season in 2019, each of the three games between the Wildcats and Sooners have been decided by seven or less points. K-State won at home against the fifth-ranked Sooners, 48-41, in 2019, while Oklahoma escaped Manhattan last season with a 37-31 win.

<a>K-State closes out non-conference action this Saturday against Tulane inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which will kick at 2 p.m., will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.</a>

A limited number of scattered single and SRO tickets are available for the game against the Green Wave. Those can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.k-statesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports announced Monday that Kansas State’s Big 12 opener at Oklahoma on September 24 will kick at 7 p.m., and will be televised by FOX.The Wildcats are in search of their fourth win in Norman in the last six trips, which includes a 38-35 victory over the third-ranked Sooners in 2020, K-State’s first road win over a top-five team in school history. Since head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman’s first season in 2019, each of the three games between the Wildcats and Sooners have been decided by seven or less points. K-State won at home against the fifth-ranked Sooners, 48-41, in 2019, while Oklahoma escaped Manhattan last season with a 37-31 win.<a>K-State closes out non-conference action this Saturday against Tulane inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which will kick at 2 p.m., will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.</a>A limited number of scattered single and SRO tickets are available for the game against the Green Wave. Those can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.k-statesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

K-State’s Game at Oklahoma Set for Primetime Kick

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;For the second time in his career, Kansas State senior&nbsp;Phillip Brooks&nbsp;has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.

The honor comes on the heels of Brooks’ 76-yard punt return touchdown in K-State’s 40-12 victory over Missouri on Saturday, the fourth punt-return score of his career. He was first honored following the Kansas game in 2020 after returning two punts for touchdowns.

With K-State holding a 14-3 lead, Brooks provided a quick spark on the second play after a lightning delay of nearly an hour. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri product fielded the punt and alluded one defender before cutting across the field toward the Wildcat sideline and using a wall of protection on the way to the longest punt return of his career to put K-State up three scores.

Brooks now ranks first in school history with a career punt-return average of 17.7 yards, while the four punt-return touchdowns in his career rank second in K-State history. Both of those figures lead the nation among active FBS players. He also ranks eighth in school history with 549 career punt-return yards.

A wide receiver who has started 18 games in his career, Brooks also crossed the 1,000-yard threshold in career receiving yards against the Tigers, a mark that now stands at 1,008 as he became the 34th&nbsp;player in school history to accomplish the feat. Brooks is also one of 33 players in K-State history with at least 2,000 career all-purpose yards, entering this week’s game with 2,160 yards.

K-State, 2-0 for the third time in four years under head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman, closes out non-conference action this Saturday against Tulane inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. A limited number of scattered single and SRO tickets remain for the game, and those can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.k-statesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

The Wildcats and Green Wave kick off at 2 p.m., on Saturday, and the game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663068637069.jpeg" alt="Phillip Brooks" />
 <figcaption>Phillip Brooks</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;For the second time in his career, Kansas State senior&nbsp;Phillip Brooks&nbsp;has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.The honor comes on the heels of Brooks’ 76-yard punt return touchdown in K-State’s 40-12 victory over Missouri on Saturday, the fourth punt-return score of his career. He was first honored following the Kansas game in 2020 after returning two punts for touchdowns.With K-State holding a 14-3 lead, Brooks provided a quick spark on the second play after a lightning delay of nearly an hour. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri product fielded the punt and alluded one defender before cutting across the field toward the Wildcat sideline and using a wall of protection on the way to the longest punt return of his career to put K-State up three scores.Brooks now ranks first in school history with a career punt-return average of 17.7 yards, while the four punt-return touchdowns in his career rank second in K-State history. Both of those figures lead the nation among active FBS players. He also ranks eighth in school history with 549 career punt-return yards.A wide receiver who has started 18 games in his career, Brooks also crossed the 1,000-yard threshold in career receiving yards against the Tigers, a mark that now stands at 1,008 as he became the 34th&nbsp;player in school history to accomplish the feat. Brooks is also one of 33 players in K-State history with at least 2,000 career all-purpose yards, entering this week’s game with 2,160 yards.K-State, 2-0 for the third time in four years under head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman, closes out non-conference action this Saturday against Tulane inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. A limited number of scattered single and SRO tickets remain for the game, and those can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.k-statesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.The Wildcats and Green Wave kick off at 2 p.m., on Saturday, and the game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

   K-State’s Brooks Garners Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week Honors

THE TOP 5 1)&nbsp;K-State welcomes a familiar foe to Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday as long-time Big 8 and Big 12 member Missouri visits Manhattan for an 11 a.m., ESPN2-televised showdown. It is the first time the two teams have squared off since the 2011 season as the Collin Klein-led Wildcats held off the Tigers, 24-17, in Manhattan. A sellout crowd has been announced for Saturday’s game.

2)&nbsp;Coming off a Consensus All-America season, running back Deuce Vaughn picked up right where he left off in the 2022 opener, rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown against South Dakota. It was his seventh-straight game with more than 100 rushing yards, which ranks second in school history to Darren Sproles, who had a 10-game streak spanning over the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

3)&nbsp;A transfer from Nebraska, Adrian Martinez earned the start at quarterback for the Wildcats last week as he became the first signal caller to start a season opener after transferring from a Division I school since Matt Miller (Texas A&amp;M) started the 1994 opener. However, he is the first ever to come straight from one Division I school and start the next year’s season opener as Miller redshirted the 1993 season.

4)&nbsp;With seven returning starters on defense a year ago, the Wildcats returned to form against South Dakota as they pitched a shutout, their first since the 2019 Bowling Green game. It was one of just nine shutouts nationally during the opening weekend of the season and the only one in the Big 12. South Dakota only converted on 5-of-16 third down attempts, while the Coyotes were 0-of-4 on fourth down.

5)&nbsp;Known for its special teams prowess, K-State brings back both of its primary returners in Malik Knowles (kickoffs) and Phillip Brooks (punts), each of whom have garnered All-America status in their disciplines during their careers. However, it was a blocked punt by Seth Porter and a 17-yard return for a score by Desmond Purnell that got the Wildcats their first special teams touchdown of the season.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS 297&nbsp;–&nbsp;Rushing yards in last week’s season opener, the most in a game by the Wildcats since the 2019 KU game (342).

19.5&nbsp;–&nbsp;Points allowed per game since last season and after the switch to a 3-3-5 defensive alignment.

8&nbsp;–&nbsp;Consecutive games with a rushing TD by Deuce Vaughn, the longest streak by a Wildcat since Collin Klein in 2012 (12).

7&nbsp;–&nbsp;Consecutive 100-yard rushing games by Deuce Vaughn, the second-longest streak in school history (Darren Sproles, 10).

0&nbsp;–&nbsp;Points given up in last week’s season opener, the lone shutout in the Big 12 and one of only nine in the nation.

TEAM NOTES NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES

• Since 1990, K-State holds a 93-18 (83.8%) record in regular-season non-conference games.

• That stretch includes a 79-8 (90.9%) mark at home. During those 30 years (excluding the one-game non-conference schedule in 2020), the Wildcats have had perfect regular season non-conference ledgers 17 times and unblemished marks at home on 24 occasions, which included last season. A WINNING TRADITION

• Kansas State has been one of the best Big 12 teams since the inception of the conference in 1996. The Wildcats are third with 127 victories, trailing only Oklahoma and Texas.

• The Wildcats also rank third in the conference in winning percentage since round-robin play began in 2011. They sit at 57.6% (57-42), trailing only Oklahoma (81.6%; 80-18) and Oklahoma State (66.7%; 66-33).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 32-18 (64.0%) at home in Big 12 play and 25-24 (51.0%) on the road.

THE TOP 5 1)&nbsp;K-State welcomes a familiar foe to Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday as long-time Big 8 and Big 12 member Missouri visits Manhattan for an 11 a.m., ESPN2-televised showdown. It is the first time the two teams have squared off since the 2011 season as the Collin Klein-led Wildcats held off the Tigers, 24-17, in Manhattan. A sellout crowd has been announced for Saturday’s game.2)&nbsp;Coming off a Consensus All-America season, running back Deuce Vaughn picked up right where he left off in the 2022 opener, rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown against South Dakota. It was his seventh-straight game with more than 100 rushing yards, which ranks second in school history to Darren Sproles, who had a 10-game streak spanning over the 2002 and 2003 seasons.3)&nbsp;A transfer from Nebraska, Adrian Martinez earned the start at quarterback for the Wildcats last week as he became the first signal caller to start a season opener after transferring from a Division I school since Matt Miller (Texas A&amp;M) started the 1994 opener. However, he is the first ever to come straight from one Division I school and start the next year’s season opener as Miller redshirted the 1993 season.4)&nbsp;With seven returning starters on defense a year ago, the Wildcats returned to form against South Dakota as they pitched a shutout, their first since the 2019 Bowling Green game. It was one of just nine shutouts nationally during the opening weekend of the season and the only one in the Big 12. South Dakota only converted on 5-of-16 third down attempts, while the Coyotes were 0-of-4 on fourth down.5)&nbsp;Known for its special teams prowess, K-State brings back both of its primary returners in Malik Knowles (kickoffs) and Phillip Brooks (punts), each of whom have garnered All-America status in their disciplines during their careers. However, it was a blocked punt by Seth Porter and a 17-yard return for a score by Desmond Purnell that got the Wildcats their first special teams touchdown of the season.STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS 297&nbsp;–&nbsp;Rushing yards in last week’s season opener, the most in a game by the Wildcats since the 2019 KU game (342).19.5&nbsp;–&nbsp;Points allowed per game since last season and after the switch to a 3-3-5 defensive alignment.8&nbsp;–&nbsp;Consecutive games with a rushing TD by Deuce Vaughn, the longest streak by a Wildcat since Collin Klein in 2012 (12).7&nbsp;–&nbsp;Consecutive 100-yard rushing games by Deuce Vaughn, the second-longest streak in school history (Darren Sproles, 10).0&nbsp;–&nbsp;Points given up in last week’s season opener, the lone shutout in the Big 12 and one of only nine in the nation. TEAM NOTES NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES• Since 1990, K-State holds a 93-18 (83.8%) record in regular-season non-conference games.• That stretch includes a 79-8 (90.9%) mark at home. During those 30 years (excluding the one-game non-conference schedule in 2020), the Wildcats have had perfect regular season non-conference ledgers 17 times and unblemished marks at home on 24 occasions, which included last season. A WINNING TRADITION• Kansas State has been one of the best Big 12 teams since the inception of the conference in 1996. The Wildcats are third with 127 victories, trailing only Oklahoma and Texas.• The Wildcats also rank third in the conference in winning percentage since round-robin play began in 2011. They sit at 57.6% (57-42), trailing only Oklahoma (81.6%; 80-18) and Oklahoma State (66.7%; 66-33).• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 32-18 (64.0%) at home in Big 12 play and 25-24 (51.0%) on the road.

K-State looks ahead to Missouri

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Chris Klieman thought Kansas State had a nice set of offensive plays ready for the opening series of the season.

The Wildcats only got to call one of them Saturday night.

That's because Malik Knowles took the opening handoff 75 yards for a score, setting the tone for the rest of the game, and Deuce Vaughn proceeded to run for 126 yards and another touchdown in a 34-0 rout of overmatched South Dakota.

“We won the toss, took the football and scored on the first play,” Klieman said with a smile. “We had a really nice series of plays that we were going to operate and we ended up scoring on the first play.”

Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez, who was just 11 of 15 for 53 yards through the air, added 39 yards rushing and a touchdown for Kansas State. Desmond Purnell returned an early blocked punt for a touchdown, and backup running back DJ Giddens reached the end zone midway through the third quarter to extend the lead to 34-0.

By that point, the Wildcats had built such a comfortable lead that they began resting their starters, and they in turn began thinking ahead to next weekend. Former conference rival Missouri is returning for the first time in more than a decade.

“I know they're a really good program, lots of talent,” Klieman said. “I'm excited to have that rivalry game played again.”

Carson Camp had 139 yards passing and an interception for the Coyotes, who couldn't overcome an abundance of dropped passes, silly penalties and other miscues against a team that expects to contend for the Big 12 title.

The game certainly looked nothing like their 2018 meeting, when the Coyotes lost a 27-24 heartbreaker.

“You have to learn from a game like this and get better for next week,” South Dakota coach Bob Nielson said.

The Wildcats started with a bang Saturday night, but it wasn't their high-profile transfer quarterback or star running back that stepped into the spotlight. It was Knowles, the somewhat mercurial wide receiver, who took a simple end-around and, picking up a nice block from Vaughn, raced 75 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play.

Things didn't get any better for South Dakota.

After the Coyotes were held to a second straight three-and-out, Seth Porter got his hand on the ensuing punt and Purnell picked it up, then ran untouched 17 yards to the end zone to give the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.

Vaughn shook free for the first time late in the first quarter, when he split the defense on a 39-yard touchdown run.

Just about the only thing that went wrong for the Wildcats, who also got a second-quarter TD from Martinez, came when Chris Tennant missed an extra point. Otherwise, their offense piled up 269 yards in the first half while their defense held the Coyotes to 99, and made a fourth-and-1 stop on South Dakota's only promising drive.

Kansas State scored again on its first possession of the second half, when Gidden checked into the game and found a 12-yard lane to the end zone, giving the Wildcats a 34-0 lead and effectively putting the game away.

“We played a ton of players that are going to get a great education from film,” Klieman said, “because we're going to need them as the season continues on, but overall I'm very pleased.”

Martinez spent most of the night checking down — at least, when he wasn't taking one of his three sacks. But that didn't bother Klieman, who was happy with the way the veteran transfer handled the Wildcats' revamped, up-tempo offense.

“I've seen us operate at a really high level throwing the football throughout fall camp,” Klieman said, “and it's something we’ll just continue to work on. But I'm not concerned about it. We’ll be better and we’ll be more efficient.”

South Dakota has five top-10 teams from the Football Championship Subdivision awaiting down the road. None of them will be as good as the Wildcats, so getting the experience the Coyotes did on Saturday night is bound to help.

Kansas State cruised without showing much offensively, and that bodes well for next week's showdown against the Tigers. Martinez only took a couple shots downfield all game as the Wildcats pounded the ball and dominated the clock.

South Dakota heads to Montana next Saturday.

Kansas State welcomes the Missouri Tigers back to town next Saturday.

Kansas State wide receiver Malik Knowles runs 75 yards for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Dakota Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Chris Klieman thought Kansas State had a nice set of offensive plays ready for the opening series of the season.The Wildcats only got to call one of them Saturday night.That's because Malik Knowles took the opening handoff 75 yards for a score, setting the tone for the rest of the game, and Deuce Vaughn proceeded to run for 126 yards and another touchdown in a 34-0 rout of overmatched South Dakota.“We won the toss, took the football and scored on the first play,” Klieman said with a smile. “We had a really nice series of plays that we were going to operate and we ended up scoring on the first play.”Not that the Wildcats ever slowed down.Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez, who was just 11 of 15 for 53 yards through the air, added 39 yards rushing and a touchdown for Kansas State. Desmond Purnell returned an early blocked punt for a touchdown, and backup running back DJ Giddens reached the end zone midway through the third quarter to extend the lead to 34-0.By that point, the Wildcats had built such a comfortable lead that they began resting their starters, and they in turn began thinking ahead to next weekend. Former conference rival Missouri is returning for the first time in more than a decade.“I know they're a really good program, lots of talent,” Klieman said. “I'm excited to have that rivalry game played again.”Carson Camp had 139 yards passing and an interception for the Coyotes, who couldn't overcome an abundance of dropped passes, silly penalties and other miscues against a team that expects to contend for the Big 12 title.The game certainly looked nothing like their 2018 meeting, when the Coyotes lost a 27-24 heartbreaker.“You have to learn from a game like this and get better for next week,” South Dakota coach Bob Nielson said.The Wildcats started with a bang Saturday night, but it wasn't their high-profile transfer quarterback or star running back that stepped into the spotlight. It was Knowles, the somewhat mercurial wide receiver, who took a simple end-around and, picking up a nice block from Vaughn, raced 75 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play.Things didn't get any better for South Dakota.After the Coyotes were held to a second straight three-and-out, Seth Porter got his hand on the ensuing punt and Purnell picked it up, then ran untouched 17 yards to the end zone to give the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.Vaughn shook free for the first time late in the first quarter, when he split the defense on a 39-yard touchdown run.Just about the only thing that went wrong for the Wildcats, who also got a second-quarter TD from Martinez, came when Chris Tennant missed an extra point. Otherwise, their offense piled up 269 yards in the first half while their defense held the Coyotes to 99, and made a fourth-and-1 stop on South Dakota's only promising drive.Kansas State scored again on its first possession of the second half, when Gidden checked into the game and found a 12-yard lane to the end zone, giving the Wildcats a 34-0 lead and effectively putting the game away.“We played a ton of players that are going to get a great education from film,” Klieman said, “because we're going to need them as the season continues on, but overall I'm very pleased.”DEFENDING ADRIANMartinez spent most of the night checking down — at least, when he wasn't taking one of his three sacks. But that didn't bother Klieman, who was happy with the way the veteran transfer handled the Wildcats' revamped, up-tempo offense.“I've seen us operate at a really high level throwing the football throughout fall camp,” Klieman said, “and it's something we’ll just continue to work on. But I'm not concerned about it. We’ll be better and we’ll be more efficient.”THE TAKEAWAYSouth Dakota has five top-10 teams from the Football Championship Subdivision awaiting down the road. None of them will be as good as the Wildcats, so getting the experience the Coyotes did on Saturday night is bound to help.Kansas State cruised without showing much offensively, and that bodes well for next week's showdown against the Tigers. Martinez only took a couple shots downfield all game as the Wildcats pounded the ball and dominated the clock.UP NEXTSouth Dakota heads to Montana next Saturday.Kansas State welcomes the Missouri Tigers back to town next Saturday.Kansas State wide receiver Malik Knowles runs 75 yards for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Dakota Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

K-State holds South Dakota scoreless

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw for 182 yards with touchdowns on the ground and through the air, Kansas piled up 297 yards rushing against overmatched Tennessee Tech, and the Jayhawks rolled to a season-opening 56-10 victory Friday night. Devin Neal took a handoff 80 yards for a touchdown and finished with 108 yards rushing and two scores. Nebraska transfer Sevion Morrison, Daniel Hishaw and backup quarterback Jason Bean also had touchdown runs for the Jayhawks. The Jayhawks also got a 61-yard TD return by Jacobee Bryant off a blocked field goal that set the tone early. Golden Eagles starter Jeremiah Oatsvall was just 10 of 18 for 76 yards with a TD and an interception.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw for 182 yards with touchdowns on the ground and through the air, Kansas piled up 297 yards rushing against overmatched Tennessee Tech, and the Jayhawks rolled to a season-opening 56-10 victory Friday night. Devin Neal took a handoff 80 yards for a touchdown and finished with 108 yards rushing and two scores. Nebraska transfer Sevion Morrison, Daniel Hishaw and backup quarterback Jason Bean also had touchdown runs for the Jayhawks. The Jayhawks also got a 61-yard TD return by Jacobee Bryant off a blocked field goal that set the tone early. Golden Eagles starter Jeremiah Oatsvall was just 10 of 18 for 76 yards with a TD and an interception.

Jayhawks win their football opener 

Burlingame 46, Marais des Cygnes Valley 0

KC East Christian 62, Cornerstone Family 40

Maur Hill - Mount Academy 54, Oskaloosa 14

PREP FOOTBALL=Abilene 14, Marysville 7Andover Central 35, Buhler 13Arkansas City 43, Winfield 14Atchison 31, Ottawa 24Atchison County 44, Valley Falls 6Attica/Argonia 41, Norwich 12Axtell 82, Cair Paravel 38BV Northwest 35, St. James Academy 21Basehor-Linwood 47, Tonganoxie 42Baxter Springs 42, Southeast 0Bishop Miege 40, BV North 14Blue Valley 28, BV Southwest 21Burden Central 50, Sedan 12Burlingame 46, Marais des Cygnes Valley 0Burlington 32, Santa Fe Trail 12Caney Valley 28, Erie 0Canton-Galva 66, Little River 36Centralia 34, Valley Heights 14Chanute 38, Augusta 14Chaparral 12, Medicine Lodge 6Chase County 60, Frankfort 8Cheylin 45, Cheyenne Wells, Colo. 27Circle 50, Labette County 0Clearwater 29, El Dorado 22Clifton-Clyde 52, Hanover 6Concordia 26, Chapman 20Council Grove 41, Central Heights 0Crest 58, Yates Center 0Cunningham 38, Ashland 30DeSoto 27, Lansing 21Dighton 50, Oberlin-Decatur 0Dodge City 34, Wichita West 6Douglass 48, Belle Plaine 26Elkhart 56, Boise City, Okla. 6Ellinwood 53, Syracuse 0Ellsworth 14, Beloit 6Emporia 25, Pittsburg 22Eudora 41, Baldwin 0Eureka 42, Cherryvale 20Galena 32, Riverton 7Garden Plain 6, Conway Springs 0Gardner-Edgerton 63, SM East 32Girard 20, Columbus 15Goddard 56, Wichita Campus 35Goessel 42, Bennington 14Halstead 42, Smoky Valley 40Haven 21, Hillsboro 14Hays 33, Junction City 21Hays-TMP-Marian 26, Oakley 13Hesston 21, Hoisington 14Hiawatha 26, Royal Valley 19Highland Park 60, KC Wyandotte 47Hodgeman County 36, South Gray 16Holcomb 34, Liberal 20Humboldt 54, Fredonia 18Hutchinson Trinity 24, Sedgwick 18Inman 46, Marion 12Iola 14, Osawatomie 0Jackson Heights 61, Horton 7Jayhawk Linn 62, Northeast-Arma 6KC Bishop Ward 36, Independence 14KC East Christian 62, Cornerstone Family 40KC Piper 31, Shawnee Heights 20KC Sumner 21, KC Washington 0Kapaun Mount Carmel 51, Wichita South 0Kingman 28, Cheney 14La Crosse 46, Otis-Bison 0Lakeside 48, Linn 46Lakin 36, Stanton County 0Leavenworth 61, KC Turner 0Logan/Palco 60, Stockton 14Lyndon 20, Lebo 14Macksville 60, St. John 12Madison/Hamilton 66, Hartford 6Maize South 44, Andover 16Manhattan 26, Derby 23, OTMaur Hill - Mount Academy 54, Oskaloosa 14McPherson 44, Great Bend 27Meade 48, South Central 0Mill Valley 40, Olathe Northwest 0Minneapolis 18, Republic County 6Minneola 56, Kiowa County 6Moscow 34, Pawnee Heights 13Nemaha Central 35, Holton 28Neodesha 37, Bluestem 0Ness City 26, Central Plains 8Nickerson 28, Lyons 0Northern Valley 38, Natoma 0Norton 37, Plainville 17Olathe North 26, Olathe East 6Olathe West 33, Lawrence Free State 6Onaga 21, McLouth 0Osage City 58, Mission Valley 6Oswego 63, Marmaton Valley 34Oxford 20, Flint Hills Christian 0Paola 28, Fort Scott 6Parsons 56, Prairie View 22Pike Valley 42, Wilson 6Pittsburg Colgan 14, Frontenac 12Pleasanton 24, Uniontown 22Pratt 67, Larned 0Pretty Prairie 44, Hutchinson Central Christian 34Rawlins County 46, St. Francis 0Riverside 34, Jefferson West 21Rogers Heritage, Ark. 20, Louisburg 16Russell 39, Ellis 7SM North 28, SM South 7SM Northwest 44, SM West 0Sabetha 28, Perry-Lecompton 14Salina Central 52, Salina South 28Salina Sacred Heart 20, Wichita Trinity 19Scott City 42, Cimarron 0Silver Lake 28, Riley County 21Smith Center 29, Phillipsburg 21Solomon 48, Rural Vista 0South Barber 36, Pratt Skyline 32Southeast Saline 38, Rock Creek 20Southern Coffey 8, Mulvane 0Spring Hill 46, Bonner Springs 13St. John's Beloit-Tipton 40, Rock Hills 8St. Mary's 20, Rossville 13St. Paul 66, BV Randolph 34St. Thomas Aquinas 31, BV West 7Stafford 50, Fairfield 0Sterling 40, Remington 14Sylvan-Lucas 42, Lincoln 28Tescott 43, Peabody-Burns 6Thunder Ridge 74, Alma, Neb. 58Topeka Hayden 21, Olpe 7Triplains-Brewster 60, Deerfield 13Troy 28, Wabaunsee 22Valley Center 21, Newton 17Victoria 49, Kinsley 0Wakefield 40, Herington 16Wallace County 14, Quinter 6Wamego 45, Clay Center 6Washburn Rural 49, Wichita East 42Washington County 46, Doniphan West 0Wellsville 40, Anderson County 6Weskan 44, Golden Plains 20West Elk 50, Udall 0West Franklin 46, Northern Heights 12Wetmore 58, Southern Cloud 0Wichita Bishop Carroll 53, Wichita Northwest 41Wichita Collegiate 21, Rose Hill 6Wichita North 70, Wichita Southeast 24Wray, Colo. 36, Goodland 16___

Friday night football scores

by BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

The game between Rock Creek Mustangs and the Southeast of Saline Trojans kicks off at 7:00 p.m. 

Starting at 6:50 pm, the video feed will go live <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFt2wmgTUyE">here</a>:

<a href="https://salinapost.com/">Salina Post</a>, a partner of Little Apple Post, will be live streaming the game for those who are unable to make the trek.&nbsp;&nbsp;

by BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostThe game between Rock Creek Mustangs and the Southeast of Saline Trojans kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Starting at 6:50 pm, the video feed will go live <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFt2wmgTUyE">here</a>:<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pFt2wmgTUyE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://salinapost.com/">Salina Post</a>, a partner of Little Apple Post, will be live streaming the game for those who are unable to make the trek.&nbsp;&nbsp;

LIVESTREAM: Rock Creek Mustangs at Southeast of Saline Trojans Football

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

The Southeast of Saline Trojans and Rock Creek Mustangs will kick off their 2022 campaigns in Gypsum on Friday in what could very well be the best quarterback duel in the state.

For the Trojans, Luke Gebhardt will once again take center stage after completing 70% of his passes in 2021 for 2,389 yards and 31 touchdowns, scrambling for 12 more and tossing just five picks.

Opposite Gebhardt will be Dalton Whitworth, who led the state of Kansas in passing last season with 2,894 yards. Whitworth paired that with an unheard-of 38 touchdowns while coughing up just 16 interceptions.

“Any time you bring back experience, especially at quarterback, it makes your life easier,” Rock Creek head coach Shane Sieben said. “Dalton is a kid that everyone looks up to, they’ve voted him team captain and there’s a calmness about the team when he’s under center.”

While the Trojan defense allowed just 12 points in all of last year’s regular season, the SES secondary will need to step up their game to hold out against the Whitworth-led air raid.

“The last few years we’ve played a lot of run-heavy teams but we have to be prepared for what they can do through their air,” Trojan head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “If we’re not they’re going to beat us. We have to get pressure on the quarterback and battle through that tough O-Line.”

While SES prepares for Whitworth, the Mustangs will do the same in relation to Luke Gebhardt, with each coach showing caution and respect to the other signal caller.

“Coach Gebhardt has done an unbelievable job, they don’t have to rebuild they just reload,” Sieben said. “They bring back a lot of talent and we talk about Dalton but Luke Gebhardt was the all-state kid ahead of him and he has really great threats at receiver.”

While the quarterback duel will stay front and center in the spotlight, the Trojans remain committed to offensive balance and will be eager to get new tailback Nathan Friesen rolling in the backfield.

“We have a new running back and some new offensive linemen and if we can establish that run game a lot of things will open up for us,” Gebhardt said. “Obviously our quarterback and receiving corps bring back a lot of experience but we need to get that running game going.”

Both of these teams have the potential to make real noise in their respective classes, and while both coaches respect the other’s program, neither will show an ounce of fear or give an inch on Friday night.

“Our guys have comfort in each other and in our system, we just need to understand what they’re trying to take away and take advantage of that,” Sieben said.&nbsp; When you play a team like SES in week one you know you’re going to face a lot of adversity, we just need to stay the course, believe in each other, and respond when those things happen.”

With new pieces lining each roster going into week one, this matchup will be every bit as much a test of will as it is of strength and skill.

“We want to play tough,” Gebhardt said. “In the first few weeks things aren’t always going to go the way we want them to, but we have to withstand what Rock Creek brings and keep fighting when things aren’t easy for us. We want to find out how tough we are.”

Kickoff between the Trojans and Mustangs is set for 7 pm at Southeast of Saline High School and the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed live on the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorThe Southeast of Saline Trojans and Rock Creek Mustangs will kick off their 2022 campaigns in Gypsum on Friday in what could very well be the best quarterback duel in the state.For the Trojans, Luke Gebhardt will once again take center stage after completing 70% of his passes in 2021 for 2,389 yards and 31 touchdowns, scrambling for 12 more and tossing just five picks.Opposite Gebhardt will be Dalton Whitworth, who led the state of Kansas in passing last season with 2,894 yards. Whitworth paired that with an unheard-of 38 touchdowns while coughing up just 16 interceptions.“Any time you bring back experience, especially at quarterback, it makes your life easier,” Rock Creek head coach Shane Sieben said. “Dalton is a kid that everyone looks up to, they’ve voted him team captain and there’s a calmness about the team when he’s under center.”While the Trojan defense allowed just 12 points in all of last year’s regular season, the SES secondary will need to step up their game to hold out against the Whitworth-led air raid.“The last few years we’ve played a lot of run-heavy teams but we have to be prepared for what they can do through their air,” Trojan head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “If we’re not they’re going to beat us. We have to get pressure on the quarterback and battle through that tough O-Line.”While SES prepares for Whitworth, the Mustangs will do the same in relation to Luke Gebhardt, with each coach showing caution and respect to the other signal caller.“Coach Gebhardt has done an unbelievable job, they don’t have to rebuild they just reload,” Sieben said. “They bring back a lot of talent and we talk about Dalton but Luke Gebhardt was the all-state kid ahead of him and he has really great threats at receiver.”While the quarterback duel will stay front and center in the spotlight, the Trojans remain committed to offensive balance and will be eager to get new tailback Nathan Friesen rolling in the backfield.“We have a new running back and some new offensive linemen and if we can establish that run game a lot of things will open up for us,” Gebhardt said. “Obviously our quarterback and receiving corps bring back a lot of experience but we need to get that running game going.”Both of these teams have the potential to make real noise in their respective classes, and while both coaches respect the other’s program, neither will show an ounce of fear or give an inch on Friday night.“Our guys have comfort in each other and in our system, we just need to understand what they’re trying to take away and take advantage of that,” Sieben said.&nbsp; When you play a team like SES in week one you know you’re going to face a lot of adversity, we just need to stay the course, believe in each other, and respond when those things happen.”With new pieces lining each roster going into week one, this matchup will be every bit as much a test of will as it is of strength and skill.“We want to play tough,” Gebhardt said. “In the first few weeks things aren’t always going to go the way we want them to, but we have to withstand what Rock Creek brings and keep fighting when things aren’t easy for us. We want to find out how tough we are.”Kickoff between the Trojans and Mustangs is set for 7 pm at Southeast of Saline High School and the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed live on the Salina Post.

Quarterback duel takes center stage as Rock Creek travels to SES

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;With the 2022 NFL season kicking off a week from now, a total of 13 former Kansas State football players have found spots on NFL teams as organizations trimmed their rosters to 53 active players and added practice squad members earlier this week.

Of the 13 players, eight are on defense and seven are on offense. The longest-tenured former Wildcats are&nbsp;Tyler Lockett&nbsp;(Seattle) and&nbsp;Cornelius Lucas&nbsp;(Washington) as both are entering their eighth seasons.

Three players from last year’s team are now on NFL rosters, which includes a pair of draft picks in quarterback&nbsp;Skylar Thompson&nbsp;(Miami) and safety&nbsp;Russ Yeast&nbsp;(Los Angeles Rams), in addition to undrafted free agent defensive tackle&nbsp;Timmy Horne&nbsp;(Atlanta). Several veteran Wildcats switches teams from last year as Elijah Lee moved from Cleveland to Kansas City, Byron Pringle went from Kansas City to Chicago, D.J. Reed went from Seattle to the New York Jets, and Kiondre Thomas moved from the Los Angeles Chargers to Green Bay.

K-State embarks on the 2022 season this Saturday as the Wildcats host South Dakota inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. and will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;With the 2022 NFL season kicking off a week from now, a total of 13 former Kansas State football players have found spots on NFL teams as organizations trimmed their rosters to 53 active players and added practice squad members earlier this week.Of the 13 players, eight are on defense and seven are on offense. The longest-tenured former Wildcats are&nbsp;Tyler Lockett&nbsp;(Seattle) and&nbsp;Cornelius Lucas&nbsp;(Washington) as both are entering their eighth seasons.Three players from last year’s team are now on NFL rosters, which includes a pair of draft picks in quarterback&nbsp;Skylar Thompson&nbsp;(Miami) and safety&nbsp;Russ Yeast&nbsp;(Los Angeles Rams), in addition to undrafted free agent defensive tackle&nbsp;Timmy Horne&nbsp;(Atlanta). Several veteran Wildcats switches teams from last year as Elijah Lee moved from Cleveland to Kansas City, Byron Pringle went from Kansas City to Chicago, D.J. Reed went from Seattle to the New York Jets, and Kiondre Thomas moved from the Los Angeles Chargers to Green Bay.K-State embarks on the 2022 season this Saturday as the Wildcats host South Dakota inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. and will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Thirteen Wildcats Earn Spots on NFL Rosters

Rock Creek Mustangs start off regular season play on Friday, September 2nd at Southeast of Saline High School against the Trojans.

<a href="https://salinapost.com/">Salina Post</a>, a partner of Little Apple Post, will be live streaming the game for those who are unable to make the trek.

The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m.&nbsp;You can watch the livestream, on Friday, using <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFt2wmgTUyE">this link</a>.

by BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostRock Creek Mustangs start off regular season play on Friday, September 2nd at Southeast of Saline High School against the Trojans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661966080121.png" alt="Rock Creek vs Southeast of Saline Poster" />
 <figcaption>Rock Creek vs Southeast of Saline Poster</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://salinapost.com/">Salina Post</a>, a partner of Little Apple Post, will be live streaming the game for those who are unable to make the trek.The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m.&nbsp;You can watch the livestream, on Friday, using <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFt2wmgTUyE">this link</a>.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pFt2wmgTUyE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

FOOTBALL FRIDAYS: Rock Creek at Southeast of Saline to be live streamed

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;The Kansas City Chiefs will open the Chiefs Hall of Honor at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to the public on Thursday for fans to view a tribute commemorating the life and legacy of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, broadcaster and Kansas City icon, Len Dawson.

“We believe it’s important to provide Chiefs Kingdom and the Kansas City community an opportunity to honor the life and legacy of Len Dawson.&nbsp;My family and I would like to invite fans to celebrate Len’s many contributions to the Chiefs and the game of professional football, as well as his unwavering commitment to his adopted hometown of Kansas City,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “There is no more revered place inside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium than the new Hall of Honor, and we believe this will offer a fitting tribute for our great fans to remember one of the true legends of the game.”

The tribute inside the Chiefs Hall of Honor will be open to the public – free of charge – from 1 to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Guests should park in Lots F and G and enter into the CommunityAmerica Credit Union Gate. Once inside the gate, visitors will be directed down the spiral ramp and will proceed to the Hall of Honor. After exiting the Hall of Honor, guests will have the opportunity to view a tribute on the stadium’s video boards before exiting the stadium at Tower Gate East.

Due to the number of anticipated guests, all movement through the stadium and the Hall of Honor will be queued. All guests wishing to view the tribute will have to pass through security screening at the CommunityAmerica Credit Union Gate. The NFL’s clear bag policy (<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/stadium/clearbag" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/stadium/clearbag</a>) will be in effect for Thursday. A complete list of permitted and prohibited items is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/stadium/prohibitedpermitteditems" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/stadium/prohibitedpermitteditems</a>.

Guests with questions regarding the Len Dawson Tribute can contact Fan Experience at (816) 920-4237 or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fanexperience@chiefs.com" target="_blank">fanexperience@chiefs.com</a>.

Kansas City ChiefsKANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;The Kansas City Chiefs will open the Chiefs Hall of Honor at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to the public on Thursday for fans to view a tribute commemorating the life and legacy of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, broadcaster and Kansas City icon, Len Dawson.“We believe it’s important to provide Chiefs Kingdom and the Kansas City community an opportunity to honor the life and legacy of Len Dawson.&nbsp;My family and I would like to invite fans to celebrate Len’s many contributions to the Chiefs and the game of professional football, as well as his unwavering commitment to his adopted hometown of Kansas City,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “There is no more revered place inside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium than the new Hall of Honor, and we believe this will offer a fitting tribute for our great fans to remember one of the true legends of the game.”The tribute inside the Chiefs Hall of Honor will be open to the public – free of charge – from 1 to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Guests should park in Lots F and G and enter into the CommunityAmerica Credit Union Gate. Once inside the gate, visitors will be directed down the spiral ramp and will proceed to the Hall of Honor. After exiting the Hall of Honor, guests will have the opportunity to view a tribute on the stadium’s video boards before exiting the stadium at Tower Gate East.Due to the number of anticipated guests, all movement through the stadium and the Hall of Honor will be queued. All guests wishing to view the tribute will have to pass through security screening at the CommunityAmerica Credit Union Gate. The NFL’s clear bag policy (<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/stadium/clearbag" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/stadium/clearbag</a>) will be in effect for Thursday. A complete list of permitted and prohibited items is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/stadium/prohibitedpermitteditems" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/stadium/prohibitedpermitteditems</a>.Guests with questions regarding the Len Dawson Tribute can contact Fan Experience at (816) 920-4237 or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fanexperience@chiefs.com" target="_blank">fanexperience@chiefs.com</a>.

Len Dawson tribute at Chiefs Hall of Honor Thursday

After a dominant 9-1 2021 campaign, the Riley County Falcons underwent a full makeover, graduating 18 of their 22 starters ahead of the 2022 season.

Those changes also came with a drop in classification, and Coach Willimon’s squad will enter Class 2A for his second year at the Falcon’s helm.

“3A and 2A are both really tough,” Willimon said. “You’re dropping Andale and Concordia for Silver Lake, Rossville, Nemeha Central, and Sabetha so it’s of a wash for competition and we expect our district to be just as tough.”

Despite the turnover, Riley County has nothing but optimism heading into the new year and will be eager to take the field when they host Silver Lake on Friday.

“Our strength this year is in our chemistry,” he said. “We have a really good senior class that showed up to the weight room all summer and have once again set big goals. I look forward to seeing how their leadership develops but we’ve been very pleased with how they’ve stepped in and carried the load.”

While many in Riley County may not recognize all the members of the new-look offense right away, Falcons fans should be in for a treat as several stars step up to take their turn under the Friday night lights.

“We’re not returning a lot of offensive experience but we’re returning a lot of offensive potential,” Willimon said. “We’re excited to get these guys out there and see what they can do.”

The biggest change will come at the quarterback position, where Eli Harmison will take over as the Falcon’s signal caller.

Harmison will be joined in the backfield by Samson Waggoner and Brett Hopper, with Lukas Kulp, Sammy Allen, Kaden Root, and Noah Frese headlining the receiving corps.

In the offensive trenches, Riley County returns all-league first-teamer Torin Sheaves, who will be joined by Jackson Shanahan, Brogan Schuh, Eli Sias, and Trent Webber.

As expected in Class 2A, the Falcons will have a number of two-way players, with Shanahan, Sheaves, and Sias also lining the defensive front.

The linebacker corps will consist of Brogan Schuh and Brett Hopper on the inside, and Lukas Kulp and Samson Waggoner on the outside, while Sam Allen and Jace Woodard patrol the deepest parts of the field at safety.

Rounding out the defense is another two-way star in Noah Frese, who will take his spot at corner opposite KJ Davis.

While the personnel on the field has changed a lot from 2021, the mission in the Falcon locker room has not, and Riley County will enter the new season with traditionally high expectations for their foray into 2A.

“The expectation has and will always be to make the playoffs and advance in November and that doesn’t change,” Willimon said. “That’s the expectation in Riley County and every day in practice we work to get there but we understand that it’s going to be a battle.”

The Falcons will kick off their season on September 2nd hosting a Silver Lake team that comes off of a 9-3 campaign in 2021.

For more on Riley County football all season long stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter a dominant 9-1 2021 campaign, the Riley County Falcons underwent a full makeover, graduating 18 of their 22 starters ahead of the 2022 season.Those changes also came with a drop in classification, and Coach Willimon’s squad will enter Class 2A for his second year at the Falcon’s helm.“3A and 2A are both really tough,” Willimon said. “You’re dropping Andale and Concordia for Silver Lake, Rossville, Nemeha Central, and Sabetha so it’s of a wash for competition and we expect our district to be just as tough.”Despite the turnover, Riley County has nothing but optimism heading into the new year and will be eager to take the field when they host Silver Lake on Friday.“Our strength this year is in our chemistry,” he said. “We have a really good senior class that showed up to the weight room all summer and have once again set big goals. I look forward to seeing how their leadership develops but we’ve been very pleased with how they’ve stepped in and carried the load.”While many in Riley County may not recognize all the members of the new-look offense right away, Falcons fans should be in for a treat as several stars step up to take their turn under the Friday night lights.“We’re not returning a lot of offensive experience but we’re returning a lot of offensive potential,” Willimon said. “We’re excited to get these guys out there and see what they can do.”The biggest change will come at the quarterback position, where Eli Harmison will take over as the Falcon’s signal caller.Harmison will be joined in the backfield by Samson Waggoner and Brett Hopper, with Lukas Kulp, Sammy Allen, Kaden Root, and Noah Frese headlining the receiving corps.In the offensive trenches, Riley County returns all-league first-teamer Torin Sheaves, who will be joined by Jackson Shanahan, Brogan Schuh, Eli Sias, and Trent Webber. As expected in Class 2A, the Falcons will have a number of two-way players, with Shanahan, Sheaves, and Sias also lining the defensive front.The linebacker corps will consist of Brogan Schuh and Brett Hopper on the inside, and Lukas Kulp and Samson Waggoner on the outside, while Sam Allen and Jace Woodard patrol the deepest parts of the field at safety.Rounding out the defense is another two-way star in Noah Frese, who will take his spot at corner opposite KJ Davis.While the personnel on the field has changed a lot from 2021, the mission in the Falcon locker room has not, and Riley County will enter the new season with traditionally high expectations for their foray into 2A.“The expectation has and will always be to make the playoffs and advance in November and that doesn’t change,” Willimon said. “That’s the expectation in Riley County and every day in practice we work to get there but we understand that it’s going to be a battle.”The Falcons will kick off their season on September 2nd hosting a Silver Lake team that comes off of a 9-3 campaign in 2021.For more on Riley County football all season long stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.

2022 Preseason Profile: Riley County Football

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

After toiling for three seasons, the Wabaunsee rebuild bore fruit in 2021 in the form of a 7-3 campaign and a dominant 68-0 win in the opening round of the playoffs.

Now, with a bigger roster and a platoon of returning veterans, the Chargers will look to take the next step up in Class 1A under the direction of fifth-year head coach Jess Rutledge.

“We have a lot of players that have either started multiple years for us or played significant minutes and that’s our strength,” he said. “The key will be to make sure we are pushing everyone to be better than they were last year and to keep the depth chart deep to have options.”

One of the few major question marks for Wabaunsee comes in the form of a nearly 2,000-yard hole left by graduated senior Cade Oliver, who holds every single passing record in Chargers history.

Stepping up to replace Oliver is junior Wyatt Wurtz, who has impressed the Wabaunsee coaching staff and will look to fill those shoes this season.

“[Wurtz] is a very capable player,” Rutledge said. “He has filled in at times for Cade over the past two seasons and will bring his own unique dynamic to the position.”

The Chargers will also need to restock some of the weapons at Wurtz’s disposal after the graduation of Brayden Meseke, who led the team with 830 receiving yards last season.

Stepping into the role of WR1 will be senior standout Eli Oliver, who led the team with 12 touchdown catches last season. Oliver will be joined in the receiving corps by Logan Clark and Miguel Hernandez.

The O-Line will remain widely unchanged, with Jacob Meseke, Tate Deever, Alex Beggs, and Maverick Havenstein all returning for another year and Zach Frank reprising his role as the leading rusher in the backfield.

“We have a lot of talent returning from a squad that set the school records for yards per game and points per game last season,” Rutledge said. “Look for that type of play to continue.”

On defense the Chargers return all but one starter from a unit that gave opponents nightmares last year, holding their opposition to under 14 points per game throughout the regular season.

The trenches will once again be staffed by seniors Ryan Schutter and Lanson Parry at defensive end, with Maverick Havenstein and Alex Beggs plugging the middle.

In the linebacker corps, Tate Deever returns fresh off a team-leading 118-tackle season. Deever will again be joined by Zach Frank and Bryton Reves, who combined to add another 170 tackles last season.

The Chargers also bring back Eli Oliver and Logan Clark, each with two interceptions last season, to anchor the secondary alongside Wyatt Wurtz and Miguel Hernandez.

With a tough schedule ahead of them Wabaunsee will need every bit of their returning talent to take the next step but with a loaded roster of veterans and a senior-heavy locker room, the Chargers are primed to do just that.

“This season will be a big test for us,” Rutledge said. “We’re setting out to accomplish something more, something bigger than what we’ve seen here at Wabaunsee in quite some time. For now, we will put our noses to the grindstone and work on accomplishing just that.”

The Chargers will kick off their 2022 campaign on Friday, September 2nd when they travel to Troy to take on the Trojans.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorAfter toiling for three seasons, the Wabaunsee rebuild bore fruit in 2021 in the form of a 7-3 campaign and a dominant 68-0 win in the opening round of the playoffs.Now, with a bigger roster and a platoon of returning veterans, the Chargers will look to take the next step up in Class 1A under the direction of fifth-year head coach Jess Rutledge.“We have a lot of players that have either started multiple years for us or played significant minutes and that’s our strength,” he said. “The key will be to make sure we are pushing everyone to be better than they were last year and to keep the depth chart deep to have options.”One of the few major question marks for Wabaunsee comes in the form of a nearly 2,000-yard hole left by graduated senior Cade Oliver, who holds every single passing record in Chargers history.Stepping up to replace Oliver is junior Wyatt Wurtz, who has impressed the Wabaunsee coaching staff and will look to fill those shoes this season.“[Wurtz] is a very capable player,” Rutledge said. “He has filled in at times for Cade over the past two seasons and will bring his own unique dynamic to the position.”The Chargers will also need to restock some of the weapons at Wurtz’s disposal after the graduation of Brayden Meseke, who led the team with 830 receiving yards last season.Stepping into the role of WR1 will be senior standout Eli Oliver, who led the team with 12 touchdown catches last season. Oliver will be joined in the receiving corps by Logan Clark and Miguel Hernandez.The O-Line will remain widely unchanged, with Jacob Meseke, Tate Deever, Alex Beggs, and Maverick Havenstein all returning for another year and Zach Frank reprising his role as the leading rusher in the backfield.“We have a lot of talent returning from a squad that set the school records for yards per game and points per game last season,” Rutledge said. “Look for that type of play to continue.”On defense the Chargers return all but one starter from a unit that gave opponents nightmares last year, holding their opposition to under 14 points per game throughout the regular season.The trenches will once again be staffed by seniors Ryan Schutter and Lanson Parry at defensive end, with Maverick Havenstein and Alex Beggs plugging the middle.In the linebacker corps, Tate Deever returns fresh off a team-leading 118-tackle season. Deever will again be joined by Zach Frank and Bryton Reves, who combined to add another 170 tackles last season.The Chargers also bring back Eli Oliver and Logan Clark, each with two interceptions last season, to anchor the secondary alongside Wyatt Wurtz and Miguel Hernandez.With a tough schedule ahead of them Wabaunsee will need every bit of their returning talent to take the next step but with a loaded roster of veterans and a senior-heavy locker room, the Chargers are primed to do just that.“This season will be a big test for us,” Rutledge said. “We’re setting out to accomplish something more, something bigger than what we’ve seen here at Wabaunsee in quite some time. For now, we will put our noses to the grindstone and work on accomplishing just that.”The Chargers will kick off their 2022 campaign on Friday, September 2nd when they travel to Troy to take on the Trojans.For more on Wabaunsee football all season long stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.