Category: Sports
Listen to Tiger Talk with Fort Hays State basketball coaches Tony Hobson and Mark Johnson
Click below to listen to Tiger Talk with “Voice of the Tigers” Gerard Wellbrock and Fort Hays State women’s basketball coach Tony Hobson and men’s coach Mark Johnson.
Tiger Talk airs on Monday evening at 6 p.m. on Tiger Radio Mix-103.
FHSU’s Davis named MIAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State’s Rob Davis has been named the MIAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Davis averaged 24.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game last week helping Fort Hays State to a pair of wins.
He had 24 points in a 73-65 win at Newman, hitting a key 3-point field goal to extend Fort Hays States lead to six points with 28 seconds remaining in the game. He shot 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-5 beyond the 3-point line.
In a 92-63 win over Sterling College, he had 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a 4-of-6 effort beyond the 3-point line.
For the week, he shot 65.4 percent from the field, 63.6 percent beyond the 3-point line, and 88.9 percent at the free-throw line. Davis extended his streak of scoring at least 20 points to five consecutive games and he is the second-leading scorer in the MIAA at 24.7 points per game.
The 5-11 senior guard is a native of Detroit, Mich. where he competed at Westside Christian Academy prior to playing at Pratt Community College.
TMP’s Millershaski signs with Bethany
By JEREMY McGUIRE
Hays Post
HAYS-Thomas More Prep Marian’s Hannah Millershaski signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Bethany College on Monday morning. Millershaski is in her first year with the Lady Monarch program after transferring from South Gray High School in Montezuma. She was a three year starter for the Rebels and averaged 5.7 points and 2.5 rebounds as a junior.
Millershaski broke her hand in volleyball this season and re-aggravated the injury at the beginning of basketball practice. She will be out for another couple of weeks as she allows the latest injury to heal. She was joined at the signing by her parents (Bruce and Karrie Millershaski), TMP Head Coach Rose McFarland and Bethany Head Coach Keith Ferguson.
Chiefs beat Broncos in overtime
DENVER (AP) – Cairo Santos’ 34-yard field goal hit the left upright and bounced through as the overtime period expired Sunday night to give the Kansas Chiefs a 30-27 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday night.
That avoided the third tie in the NFL this season, something that hasn’t happened since 1973 before the league introduced overtime.
The winner followed a risky move by Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who sent his kicker out for a 62-yard try with 1:01 left only to see Brandon McManus – who has hit from 70 yards in training camp – come up short.
“It’s on me,” Kubiak said, explaining he made the move because he had confidence in his kicker even with a new long snapper who joined the team on Friday. “We didn’t have any doubt that he could get the ball there. The thought process was on the other end: if we do punt, do we get the ball back?”
McManus practically begged to get a crack at the 62-yarder.
“That’s still well within my range. I just kind of hit the ground,” he said. “From that distance, everything kind of needs to be perfect just because of how far you are away. It didn’t happen for me.”
Instead of having to go 80 yards or more, however, the Chiefs got the ball at the Denver 48 with one timeout and just over a minute remaining. The Chiefs reached the Denver 16 before Santos ended the snoozer-turned-thriller in perfect fashion. Even his teammates hesitated as they ran out to celebrate, unsure if the ball had clanked through or not with the stadium rocking as if it hadn’t.
The Chiefs (8-3) kept up with the Oakland Raiders (9-2) in the AFC West race and the Broncos (7-4) could find themselves fighting for a wild card now.
Both teams kicked field goals on their opening possession of overtime, McManus from 44 yards and Santos from 37.
That followed Kansas City’s amazing tying drive in the final 3 minutes of regulation.
Alex Smith threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tyreek Hill and a 2-point conversion pass to tight end Demetrius Harris with 12 seconds left to tie it at 24.
Hill’s third touchdown of the night capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive that included three defensive penalties, a fourth-and-10 conversion at the Broncos 3 and zero Kansas City timeouts.
The Chiefs had burned their last two timeouts just before Trevor Siemian’s 76-yard touchdown toss to Bennie Fowler, who got behind cornerback Phillip Gaines with three minutes left that seemingly sealed Denver’s win.
Siemian threw for 368 yards and three TDs with no interceptions in his best game as a pro. But he was sacked five times as his O-line proved just as porous as it has all season even after team made better protection a priority following at their bye.
The game turned into the white knuckler the NFL expected when it flexed the AFC West showdown to Sunday night rather than having the Patriots-Jets game in prime time as originally scheduled.
But the first half was laborious – Kansas City managed just 49 yards of offense but led 9-3 thanks to a safety and Hill’s 86-yard touchdown return on the ensuing free kick.
Smith finished 26 of 44 for 220 yards with one TD and six sacks, half of them by Von Miller.
INJURY UPDATE Denver RB Kapri Bibbs was evaluated for a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit from S Eric Berry but returned later in the first quarter. Houston left for a few series but returned and the Chiefs never announced what his injury was.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: K.C. continues its brutal road swing with a trip to Atlanta next weekend.
Broncos: After the lone November home game, the Broncos travel to Jacksonville.
Hot shooting carries Tigers past Sterling
By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State shot 61-percent from the field, hit 11 3-pointers and Rob Davis scored 25 or more points for the fifth straight game as the Tigers (4-2) beat Sterling College 92-63 Saturday at Gross Coliseum.
Davis scored a game-high 25 and dished out five assists. He was 8-of-11 from the floor and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and hit five of his six free throws.
JaQuan Smith and Lake Reed both scored 12. Smith also pulled down seven rebounds. Hadley Gillum scored eight and had eight boards.
Mark Johnson Postgame Press Conference
JaQuan Smith Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers opened the game on a 9-0 run and led by as many as 15 in the first half and by as many as 30 late in the game.
FHSU women roll past Sterling for sixth win
By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
HAYS, Kan. – Jill Faxon led six Tigers in double-figures with 19 points as the Fort Hays State women beat Sterling College 91-67 Saturday at Gross Coliseum. Tatyana Legette added a career-high 18 points, Nikola Kacperska 14 while Kacey Kennett and Taylor Rolfs both added 11 as the Tigers improve to 6-0 for the fifth time under head coach Tony Hobson.
Toby Hobson Postgame Press Conference
Game Highlights
Fort Hays State used a 17-2 first quarter run to go up 12. They scored 12 straight in the second quarter to push the lead to 18 at halftime.
One day after tying a school record with 16 3-pointers, the Tigers knocked down 11 against the Warriors with Kacey Kennett hitting three and Kacperska, Faxon and Madison Mittie all with two.
FHSU shot 51-percent from the field but were only 10-19 from the free throw line.
Troy uses big plays and tipped pass to beat Plainville in title game
HAYS – Facing third down and 36 from their own 18 yard-line Troy quarterback Reid Greaser threw a deep pass into double coverage where it was knocked up into the air and caught by Troy’s Brody Winder who ran it in for the 82 yard touchdown pass putting Troy up 28-24 on the Plainville Cardinals late in the third quarter. The Trojans would hold on down the stretch and win their first ever that championship Saturday in Hays.
Troy, making their second straight title game appearance racked up more than 440 total yards of offense and scored on three plays of more than 60 yards in the victory.
Plainville started the game with a Riley Nyp touchdown run, his first of two on the afternoon, taking a 7-0 lead. But Troy needed just one play on their second possession to find the end zone, a 71 yard touchdown pass from Greaser to Cuttar Huss, tying the game at 7.
Troy took their first lead of the game with 13 seconds to play in the first quarter on a Brody Winder 61 yard touchdown reception giving the Trojans a 14-7 lead. But Hayden Friend answered on the ensuing kickoff, returning it 69 yards to tie the game at 14 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter the two defenses stepped up and only Plainville was able to get on the board thanks to a 27 yards field goal from Tanner Copeland, he was 1-for-2 on the day. Plainville led 17-14 at halftime.
Troy’s offense came to life once again in the third quarter outscoring Plainville 14-7. Tyler Franken hauled in a 30 yard touchdown pass to give Troy the 21-17 lead midway through the third quarter. The second touchdown, the eventual game winner proved to be too much for the Cardinals to overcome.
Plainville once again had an answer putting together a 10-play 70 yard drive that was capped off by Nyp’s second touchdown of the game taking a 24-21 lead.
On their next possession Troy ran into a stout Plainville defense. Following a penalty and a Willie Wilkerson sack Troy facing a third down and 36 from their own 18 yard line quarterback Reid Greaser lofted a pass into Plainville territory that was deflected and ended up in the hands of Brody Winder who ran it if for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning touchdown with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.
Plainville coach interview
In the fourth Plainville drove into Troy territory twice but turned it over on downs both times, including once at the two yard line.
Troy outgained Plainville 445 to 369 total yards. They racked up 374 yards through the air. Plainville finished with 194 rushing yards.
Reid Greaser, Troy quarterback was 14-21 with 374 yards, four touchdown and two inceptions. Plainville’s Hayden Friend finished 16-29 for 175 yards.
Friend also finished with a game-high 109 yards rushing on 13 carriers. Riley Nyp added 85 yards and two touchdowns.
Plainville, playing in their first state title game since 1985, finished the season 11-2. Troy wins their first ever state football championship and finishes 13-0.
K-State beats Kansas to give Bill Snyder win No. 200
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Alex Barnes ran for 103 yards and a touchdown, Winston Dimel also had two scores on the ground and Kansas State gave coach Bill Snyder his 200th win with a 34-19 victory over Kansas on Saturday.
The 77-year-old Snyder became the 26th coach to achieve 200 wins and the sixth to do so spending his career at one school, joining Joe Paterno, LaVelle Edwards, Tom Osborne, Chris Ault and Vince Dooley.
Snyder has 161 more wins than the second-winningest coach in Kansas State history.
Quarterback Joe Hubener added his own TD run for the Wildcats (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) after taking over for Jesse Ertz, who left with an undisclosed injury early in the second half. Hubener got banged up and was briefly relieved by third-stringer Alex Delton, though he eventually returned to the game.
Carter Stanley threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns for the Jayhawks (2-10, 1-8), but he spent the entire game taking wicked blows behind a beat-up offensive line. Stanley also threw an interception that Donnie Starks returned for a touchdown that set the tone early in the game.
The pick-six followed a touchdown run by Barnes early in the second quarter and gave Kansas State a 20-3. The Wildcats then pushed it to 27-3 early in the second half on Dimel’s second TD run.
The biggest highlight for the Jayhawks came when Stanley, their promising freshman quarterback, connected with LaQuvionte Gonzalez for a 95-yard touchdown pass — the third-longest in school history. Stanley also found Michael Zunica with a short TD pass early in the fourth quarter.
Stanley also fumbled with about 2 minutes left to prevent any sort of comeback.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas was coming off an overtime win over Texas, its first Big 12 win in two years, and aiming for back-to-back victories for the first time in five years. But the Jayhawks still have a long way to go to catch up to their biggest rival, which has won 21 of the past 25 meetings.
Kansas State was far from perfect. There was a muffed onside kick, an extra point that was blocked, a fumble by Hubener in the closing minutes and five penalties that left Snyder miffed on the sideline.
UP NEXT
Kansas begins preparing for next season. The Jayhawks made significant gains after going winless a year ago, and now it’s up to coach David Beaty to keep building the program.
Kansas State awaits its bowl fate. The Texas Bowl appears the most likely destination, but other possibilities include the Russell Athletic Bowl, Cactus Bowl and Alamo Bowl.
Listen to the Holthus Hotline with ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus
Listen as ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus recaps last week’s loss comeback win over AFC West rival San Diego and previews Sunday’s game at Houston.
The Holthus Hotline airs Saturday at 6:30 a.m. during the Chiefs season.
No. 5 Kansas dunks its way past UNC Asheville
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Frank Mason III had 21 points, Udoka Azubuike added 17 in his first career start and No. 5 Kansas dunked its way to a 95-57 victory over UNC Asheville on Friday night.
Josh Jackson contributed 14 points, Lagerald Vick had 12 and Devonte Graham finished with 11 assists, including consecutive alley-oop passes to Azubuike that helped the Jayhawks (5-1) win their 42nd straight game at Allen Fieldhouse.
The only bummer for Kansas came in the closing minutes, when Graham banged up his right foot on a drive to the basket. He did not return, though the injury did not appear to be serious.
Kevin Vannatta and Ahmad Thomas led Asheville (3-3) with 12 points apiece.
Sneed’s 16 lifts K-State over Boston College
NEW YORK (AP) — Xavier Sneed scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Kansas State to a 72-54 win over Boston College in the first game of the Barclays Center Classic on Friday night in New York.
Dean Wade and Barry Brown added 11 points apiece as Kansas State improved to 5-0.
Ky Bowman led Boston College with 13 points. Connor Tava and Jerome Robinson finished with 11 each.
The third meeting between the ACC and Big 12 programs_and the first in regular season play_was not especially competitive.
Kansas State used a 11-2 run spanning 6:47 in the first half to take control. The run began with Isaiah Maurice’s jumper at 7:27 which tied the game 7-7, and was culminated by Wade’s dunk with 5:46 left in the half. By that point, the Wildcats had an 18-9 lead that they would not relinquish.
The Wildcats led 31-22 at halftime and limited the Eagles to 29.2 percent shooting from the field in the first and 33.3 percent for the game.
Boston College committed 14 turnovers in the first half and 21 for the game, with Sneed’s steal and breakaway jam midway through the second half underscoring Kansas State’s prowess in turning turnovers into points.
Sneed’s jam put the Wildcats up 47-35, and from there the Eagles never seriously threatened Kansas State.
The Wildcats finished the game shooting 45.4 percent from the field.
BIG PICTURE
Boston College: After starting the season with four games against small programs, the Eagles took on a major conference squad in Kansas State and were found to be significantly lacking. Was it an isolated moment or is Jim Christian’s team headed for its third-straight losing season?
Kansas State: The Wildcats’ first game against a major conference opponent could not have been scripted better as Kansas State maintained its early first half lead for the remainder of the game.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Boston College: The loss ended the Eagles’ three-game winning streak, and probably put to rest any hopes Boston College could break into the Top 25.
Kansas State: Despite a complete performance in beating Boston College, Kansas State is probably not going to move into the Top 25.
NOTABLE
Boston College: Nic Popovic was tended to by a trainer as he lay on the court after being inadvertently elbowed by Kansas State’s D.J. Johnson early in the first half.
Kansas State: Friday night’s game was Kansas State’s second at the Barclays Center.
UP NEXT
Boston College: Will meet the loser of the of the Maryland/Richmond game Saturday.
Kansas State: Will meet the winner of the of the Maryland/Richmond game Saturday.
Tiger women set record for points; tie record for 3s in win over Bethel
By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State set a new school record for points in a game and tied the single-game record with 16 3-pointers as they beat Bethel College 125-31 Friday at Gross Coliseum. The 125 points surpassed the 120 scored against McPherson College on November 17, 2014. The Tigers also hit 16 3-pointers against Northwestern Oklahoma State on November 18. 2009.
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers first four baskets all came from beyond the arc as they built a 29-3 first quarter lead and were up 61-15 at halftime.
Fort Hays State had 41 assists on their 49 made baskets with seven each for Nikola Kacperska and Taylor Rolfs. and outscored the undermanned Threshers 40-3 off turnovers and 18-0 on second chance points.
Carly Heim led five Tigers in double-figures with a career-high 18 points. Madison Mitte added a career-high 16 while Kacey Kennett and Taylor Rolfs both scored career-high;s with 13 points a piece. Taylor Chandler scored 11.