Sports – Page 343 – Hays Post Archive

Chiefs RB Spencer Ware can coexist with Jamaal Charles

Posted on October 21, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The assumption all along has been that the Chiefs’ Spencer Ware would provide a nice stop-gap at running back until Jamaal Charles returned to full-time duty from his devastating knee injury.

Ware showed last weekend that he’s not going anywhere.

In fact, he made quite an argument for bringing Charles out of the bullpen in a relief role.

The bruising fantasy darling ran 24 times for 131 yards and a touchdown to lead Kansas City to a 26-10 victory in Oakland . Ware also had a couple of nice catches, showcasing some of the same versatility that had made Charles a mainstay in the lineup.

“When you talk about Jamaal, you’re talking about a Hall of Fame player. We always say, ‘You’re not going to replace Jamaal, that’s not what you do,”‘ Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But I don’t want to take anything away from Ware and the way he plays. He’s so tough.

“Having them both out there,” Reid added, “that’s a win-win, I think.”

Indeed, Charles had more carries last weekend in his second game back from a torn ACL, and even found the end zone for the first time in more than a year. But it was Ware who carried the bulk of the load, and the former LSU standout will likely do the same on Sunday against New Orleans.

It was an especially encouraging sign given his struggles holding onto the ball lately.

FHSU women’s basketball tabbed fourth in preseason coaches poll

Posted on October 20, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the conference this year according to the 2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, released Thursday (Oct. 20) by the league office. It is the fourth-straight year the team has been picked to finish in the top-four in the league. The poll is comprised of votes from all 14 head coaches in the league, who are not allowed to list their own institution on their ballot.

The Tigers earned 127 points in the poll to finish fourth. The four Kansas universities were ranked one through four in the poll, with Emporia State, winners of four-straight conference tournament titles, leading the way with 12 first-place votes and 168 total points. Defending NCAA Division II Central Region champion Pittsburg State was listed atop the final two ballots, earning 156 points to come in second. The third- through fifth-ranked teams are separated by just eight points, with Washburn earning five more points than the Tigers and the Griffons of Missouri Western just behind FHSU at 124 points.

Entering his ninth season at the helm, head coach Tony Hobson returns seven players from a year ago, including two starters and two All-MIAA honorees. Jill Faxon, a third team All-MIAA honoree last season, returns for her senior season after averaging over 12 points and nearly six rebounds per game. Fellow senior Nikola Kacperska averaged 8.3 points and nearly two assists per game last year, garnering honorable mention All-MIAA accolades. Taylor Chandler, Tatyana Legette and Carly Heim all return valuable experience after playing in at least 29 contests a year ago. The seven returners are joined by eight newcomers, including seven freshmen and one Division I transfer.

The Tigers reached the NCAA Central Region tournament for the second-straight time last season, earning a trip to the NCAA tournament in consecutive years for the first time in program history. The Tigers have won 18 conference games in each of the last two seasons, finishing in the top-two in the final standings each year.

The Black and Gold will get their first taste of game action in less than two weeks when they travel to Lawrence, Kan. for an exhibition contest against Kansas on Sunday, October 30. The Tigers open up the regular season on Friday, November 11 against Upper Iowa in St. Joseph, Mo.

2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Emporia State (12)	168
2. Pittsburg State (2)	156
3. Washburn	132
4. Fort Hays State	127
5. Missouri Western	124
6. Central Oklahoma	96
7. Nebraska-Kearney	95
8. Central Missouri	89
9. Missouri Southern	83
10. Southwest Baptist	75
11. Northeastern State	43
12. Lindenwood	40
13. Northwest Missouri	31
14. Lincoln	15

TMP-Marian volleyball holds at No. 3 in latest KVA poll

Posted on October 20, 2016

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Thomas More Prep-Marian volleyball team will take a No. 3 ranking into this weekend’s sub-state tournament. The Monarchs (35-2) hold down the spot for the third straight week.

The Monarchs are the No. 1 seed at the Lakin sub-state which will be played Saturday.

La Crosse dropped a spot to No. 4 in 1A Division I. Stockton is up two to No. 8.

Wheatland-Grinnell dropped a spot to No. 2 in !A Division II where Northern Valley took over the top spot. Otis-Bison jumped up two spots to No. 7.

Class 6A
1. Blue Valley West 36-0 (1)
2. Olathe Northwest 30-4 (2)
3. Lawrence-Free State 30-6 (4)
4. Shawnee Mission East 26-8 (6)
5. Blue Valley Northwest 25-8 (3)
6. Manhattan 24-12 (7)
7. Blue Valley 19-11 (8)
8. Blue Valley North 23-10 (5)
9. Olathe East 21-15 (NR)
10. Garden City 31-5 (9)

Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas 29-9 (1)
2. Shawnee Heights 31-6 (2)
3. Lansing 30-5 (3)
4. Newton 34-4 (4)
5. St. James Academy 19-15 (NR)
6. Pittsburg 31-5 (6)
7. Goddard-Eisenhower 34-5 (8)
8. De Soto 27-8 (9)
9. Maize 28-9 (5)
10. Emporia 19-7 (10)

Class 4A – Division 1
1. Abilene 34-3 (1)
2. Rose Hill 30-6 (2)
3. Louisburg 20-14 (3)
4. Paola 18-12 (8)
5. El Dorado 22-11 (5)
6. McPherson 22-15 (6)
7. Wamego 19-17 (7)
8. Augusta 23-11 (NR)
9. Kansas City-Piper 21-13 (10)
10. Ulysses 24-12 (4)

Class 4A – Division 2
1. Topeka-Hayden 29-11 (1)
2. Burlington 27-7 (2)
3. Concordia 31-8 (3)
4. Girard 28-6 (4)
5. Santa Fe Trail 25-8 (5)
6. Andale 23-11 (6)
7. Nickerson 27-9 (7)
8. Smoky Valley 25-10 (8)
9. Holcomb 30-5 (9)
10. Baxter Springs 27-8 (NR)

Class 3A
1. Silver Lake 30-5 (2)
2. Cheney 30-4 (1)
3. Thomas More Prep-Marian 35-2 (3)
4. Wellsville 30-4 (7)
5. Beloit 30-4 (5)
6. Douglass 26-6 (9)
7. Hesston 29-6 (4)
8. Kingman 30-5 (6)
9. Garden Plain 24-9 (8)
10. St. Marys 30-5 (10)

Class 2A
1. Central Plains 31-1 (1)
2. Heritage Christian 29-6 (2)
3. Kiowa County 30-3 (3)
4. Flinthills 34-2 (4)
5. Oswego 30-5 (5)
6. Jefferson County North 30-6 (6)
7. Wabaunsee 27-7 (7)
8. Valley Falls 27-7 (8)
9. Hoxie 28-5 (9)
10. Chase County 29-7 (10)

Class 1A – Division 1
1. Centralia 37-0 (1)
2. Goessel 35-1 (2)
3. Beloit-St. John’s/Tipton 32-2 (4)
4. LaCrosse 28-4 (3)
5. Hanover 31-7 (5)
6. South Barber 31-3 (6)
7. South Central 27-6 (7)
8. Stockton 20-6 (10)
9. Dighton 25-10 (9)
10. Immaculata 22-10 (8)

Class 1A – Division 2
1. Northern Valley 24-7 (4)
2. Wheatland-Grinnell 31-6 (1)
3. Sylvan-Lucas 28-5 (2)
4. Fowler 23-9 (3)
5. Waverly 23-8 (7)
6. Logan 20-12 (5)
7. Otis-Bison 21-11 (9)
8. Axtell 19-15 (6)
9. Wallace County 18-13 (8)
10. Weskan 18-14 (10)

FHSU men’s soccer No. 2 in first NCAA Central Region rrankings

Posted on October 20, 2016October 20, 2016

The season’s first set of region rankings released by the NCAA has the Fort Hays State men at No. 2 in the Central Region. The rankings reflect a battle between Lindenwood and FHSU for the top spot in the region.

Lindenwood is ranked No. 1 in the Central Region in the first edition of the region rankings this year. A head-to-head win over FHSU likely has Lindenwood in the driver’s seat for the time being. The teams will not meet again until the regular season finale on November 6 in St. Charles, Mo. Lindenwood is 9-2-2 overall and FHSU is 8-3-1. Northeastern State holds the No. 3 spot in the rankings, while Harding is No. 4.

The top two teams in the region will be selected to the NCAA Tournament in November. Fort Hays State is the two-time defending Central Region champion is seeking its fifth consecutive trip to the tournament.

Below are the NCAA Men’s Soccer Central Region rankings for October 19, 2016.

Rank	Team	In-Region Record	Overall DII Record
1	Lindenwood (MO)	9-2-2	9-2-2
2	Fort Hays State	7-2	8-3-1
3	Northeastern St.	5-4	5-5
4	Harding	8-3	8-3

FHSU women’s soccer No. 5 in first set of NCAA region rankings

Posted on October 20, 2016October 20, 2016

The Fort Hays State women’s soccer team has been tabbed No. 5 in the first set of Central Region Rankings released by the NCAA on Wednesday. The Tigers are one of five MIAA teams inside the top six.

Central Missouri currently owns the No. 1 spot in the region rankings. Minot State of the NSIC is No. 2, but its only loss of the season was to Fort Hays State. The Tigers have a big chance to move up in the rankings this week when they host the No. 3 and No. 4 ranked teams, Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma, at home. Lindenwood is No. 6 in the region, another team FHSU has a head-to-head win against this season.

Six teams are selected to the NCAA Tournament at the end of the regular season. Below are the NCAA women’s soccer Central Region Rankings for October 19, 2016.

Rank	Team	In-Region Record	Overall DII Record
1	Central Missouri	12-1-0	12-1-0
2	Minot State	11-1-0	11-1-0
3	Northeastern State	12-2-0	12-2-0
4	Central Oklahoma	10-3-1	10-3-1
5	Fort Hays State	10-3-1	10-3-1
6	Lindenwood (MO)	6-6-1	6-6-1
7	Bemidji State	10-4-0	10-4-0
8	Minnesota State	10-3-1	10-3-1

Chiefs’ Houston returns to practice after knee surgery

Posted on October 19, 2016October 19, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since having surgery in February to repair a poorly functioning ACL in his left knee.

The four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher was expected to do individual drills only as the Chiefs slowly get him back into playing shape, and coach Andy Reid did not say when he might be game-ready.

Reid did say it was a virtual certainty it won’t be Sunday against New Orleans.

Houston missed several weeks late last season with what the Chiefs thought was a hyperextension of his knee. He came back for the playoffs, but was limited in games against Houston and New England.

FHSU men’s basketball picked third in MIAA preseason poll

Posted on October 19, 2016October 19, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Coming off its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Mark Johnson, Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball has been picked third in the MIAA Preseason Poll. The poll is voted on by MIAA coaches.

MIAA Men’s Basketball Virtual Media Day Link

Northwest Missouri State, the three-time defending conference champion, is picked No. 1 in the poll receiving all first-place votes possible for a total of 169. Coaches exclude their own team from their selections, so the first place vote from NWMSU went to Washburn.

Washburn is picked second in the poll with 147 points. Fort Hays State is third with 127 and Lincoln was close behind with 123.

Fort Hays State, Northwest Missouri State, and Nebraska-Kearney represented the MIAA in the NCAA Tournament last year. Nebraska-Kearney is picked sixth after finishing second last year. FHSU finished fourth in the regular season standings last year.

The Tigers have All-MIAA First Team selection Rob Davis returning for his senior year after averaging 16.7 points per game last year. He is the only regular starter returning from last year’s squad, but FHSU has several others returning that saw plenty of time as reserves. Hadley Gillum, Kyler Kinnamon, Trey O’Neil and Drew Kite all played in at least 28 games last season.

Below is the 2016-17 MIAA Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (13) 169
2. Washburn (1) 147
3. Fort Hays State 129
4. Lincoln 123
5. Missouri Southern 111
6. Nebraska-Kearney 104
7. Central Oklahoma 94
8. Pittsburg State 93
9. Central Missouri 92
10. Lindenwood 72
11. Emporia State 55
12. Missouri Western 45
13. Northeastern State 22
14. Southwest Baptist 18

Former Tiger James Fleming competing professionally in Italy

Posted on October 19, 2016October 19, 2016

Former Fort Hays State guard James Fleming is currently playing professional basketball in Italy. Fleming signed with Olympia Club Rutigliano and has seen great success in his first two games.

Fleming scored 45 points and had seven assists in his debut and then backed that with a 30-point performance in his second game. Fleming and another former NCAA Division II player, J.J. Mina from Sonoma (Calif.) State, have provided the majority of the offense for the team early in the season.

Fleming played two seasons at Fort Hays State from 2013-15. He averaged 10 points per game, while shooting 37 percent beyond the 3-point line and 83 percent at the free-throw line in his career with the Tigers.

Here is a link to the club’s website – https://olympiarutigliano.com/

Fleming joins a long list of players from Fort Hays State coached by Mark Johnson to go on and play professionally. Below is a list of former players under Johnson to play professionally. Years listed are years played at FHSU.

Dom Samac (2014-16)
Craig Nicholson (2012-16)
James Fleming (2013-15)
Tomislav Gabric (2012-15)
Ben Congiusta (2009-13)
KC Rodenburg (2011-12)
Moses Dayee (2010-12)
Karron McKenzie (2010-12)
Dominique Jones (2009-11)
Dijon Smith (2009-11)
Ken Bowman (2009-11)
Terry Jeffries (2007-09)
Rob Igbawua (2007-09)
Tyrone Shephard (2004-06)
Jonathan Raney (2001-03)
Melroy McKelvey (2001-03)

TMP-Marian No. 1 seed, Hays No. 3 at volleyball sub-state tournaments

Posted on October 19, 2016October 19, 2016

TOPEKA, Kan. – TMP-Marian (35-2) is the No. 1 seed in the Lakin 3A sub-state volleyball tournament Saturday and will open with Southwestern Heights (2-28) at 2 p.m. Saturday in Lakin.

Hugoton and Cimarron are the other two teams on the Monarchs half of the bracket.

The host Broncs (31-7) are the No. 2 seed.

Hays 4A-Division I volleyball sub-state bracket

Lakin 3A volleyball sub-state bracket

Hays High (14-17) is the No. 3 seed and will open with McPherson (23-16) in the second match of the day Saturday at their own 4A Division I sub-state. Top-seeded Ulysses (24-12) plays Buhler (6-29) in the first match at 2 p.m.

HHS volleyball swept in Salina

Posted on October 19, 2016

SALINA, Kan. – The Hays High volleyball team dropped a pair of matches at the Salina Central triangular Tuesday. The Indians were swept by the Mustangs 21-25, 6-25 then by Maize 13-25, 18-25.

Tasiah Nunnery had four kills in each match and 22 digs on the night to lead the Indians. Maddie Hutchison added eight assists against Central.

The Indians close out their regular season 14-17. They will host one of the eight 4A Division I sub-state tournament’s this Saturday.

Chiefs ship RB Davis to Packers for draft pick

Posted on October 18, 2016October 19, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs have traded backup running back Knile Davis to the Green Bay Packers, who desperately need to add depth to their injury-riddled backfield.

The Packers gave up a conditional draft pick Tuesday for Davis, who has already started practicing with his new team.

The Packers needed help at running back with Eddie Lacy nursing a bothersome ankle and James Starks undergoing knee surgery. Lacy was their only active running back against Dallas on Sunday, when he rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries in a 30-16 loss.

Starks will be out a couple of weeks. Lacy was being held out of practice Wednesday because the ankle was “very sore,” coach Mike McCarthy said.

That means the Packers will have to get Davis up to speed on the playbook quickly if he’s going to be ready when the Chicago Bears visit Lambeau Field on Thursday night.

The Davis deal was the start of a slew of roster moves on Tuesday for Kansas City. The Chiefs signed free agent defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, who was with Washington for two games this season. He previously played four years in San Diego.

Kansas City added cornerback Terrance Mitchell, defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches and linebacker Ramik Wilson from its practice squad.

Defensive end Allen Bailey and linebacker Justin March-Lillard were placed on injured reserve. Defensive lineman Nick Williams was waived.

Tigers finish 16th at the Lindenwood University Invitational

Posted on October 18, 2016

FHSU Sports Information
St. Charles, Mo. – Dalton Ayres led the Fort Hays State Men’s Golf team at the Lindenwood Invitational, hosted at the Missouri Bluffs golf course, with rounds of 81, 77 and 81. He finished the tournament T-58th by posting a total score of 239.

Jake Weller placed 83rd alone with rounds of 78, 88 and 82 for a total of 248. Marcus Willey finished T-89th by posting rounds of 82, 85 and 89. Isaiah Grover finished 92nd alone with rounds of 87, 89 and 92. Marshall Hutchins finished his tournament with a solo 93rd finish by producing rounds of 91, 94 and 100.

Missouri-St. Louis took the team title with an overall team score of 859. Central Missouri finished second with a score of 863. Central Oklahoma placed third as a team by posting a team score of 878. The Tigers finisht 16th overall.

Markus Lindberg of Missouri-St. Louis was the top individual golfer with a 2-under par overall finish and rounds of 71, 69 and 71.

FHSU football holds weekly football press conference

Posted on October 18, 2016October 18, 2016

Fort Hays State Weekly Football Press Conference
October 18, 2016

Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown conducted his weekly press conference in advance of the Tigers home game with Missouri Western Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field. Brown and select players met with the media inside Lewis Field on Tuesday, a session that can be heard by clicking on the links below.

Head coach Chris Brown

Senior linebacker Alex Schmidtberger

Junior running back Shaquille Cooper

Junior defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd