🎧 LISTEN: December 26, 2024 News

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                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735217756273.png" alt="AP-Sports" />
                        <figcaption>AP-Sports</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning AP Sports for December 27th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=qgxaf-1785dcb-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

📢📰🎧 LISTEN: Early Morning AP Sports

AP Sports Summary for December 25th, 2024:

Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports

Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women's basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark's only the fourth women's basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931.

Wemby at The Garden. LeBron vs. Steph. The NBA's Christmas Day lineup, as always, has star power

LeBron James made his Christmas debut in 2003. Victor Wembanyama was born 10 days later. That's right: James has been featured on the NBA's big day for longer than Wembanyama has been alive. And on Wednesday the league's oldest player and brightest young star will be big parts of the holiday showcase. It's another Christmas quintupleheader, with Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visiting the New York Knicks, Minnesota going to Dallas for a Western Conference finals rematch, Philadelphia heading to Boston to renew a storied rivalry, James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and Denver playing at Phoenix.

Pro Picks: Chiefs will beat the Steelers and Ravens will edge the Texans on Christmas Day

Playoff berths, draft positioning and more are up for grabs in Week 17. There's going to be plenty of football on television this holiday week with the NFL playing games on five out of six days, starting with a doubleheader on Christmas Day featuring four of the AFC's top five teams. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs visit Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Then, two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take on C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The Bears host the Seahawks on Thursday night and there are three games on Saturday, making Sunday's schedule light at nine games.

Falcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched Cousins

It was the most surprising first-round pick in a long time when the Atlanta Falcons chose Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection in the NFL draft last April. That came just six weeks after the Falcons had signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million in guarantees. But that move is no longer a head-scratcher after Penix's solid starting debut in place of a benched and turnover-prone Cousins. Several teams have fared well with new quarterbacks this season including the Steelers, Broncos, Vikings and Commanders.

Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could start a trend in skiing. And pro sports in general

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could be the start of a trend in ski racing. The 40-year-old American standout had replacement surgery in April and returned to the World Cup circuit after nearly six years last weekend. She says her knee feels "amazing" and that "it's something to seriously consider for athletes that have a lot of knee problems." Her surgery was the first of its kind in World Cup skiing. Vonn had a robot-assisted surgery in April with part of the bone in her right knee cut off and replaced by two titanium pieces. She was planning her comeback a month later.

Boise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship moments

No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for its third trip to the Fiesta Bowl. This time it's in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year's Eve. Boise State's first appearance on the national stage was in a memorable victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2007. But former coach Chris Petersen said the victory in that bowl three years later over TCU was even more meaningful for the program.

Players have mixed feelings about being on the road on Christmas as NFL adds more holiday games

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Games on Christmas aren't new to the NFL. The Miami Dolphins famously beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a playoff game on Dec. 25, 1971 — a double-overtime classic that still holds the record for the NFL's longest game. In 2020, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with six touchdowns in a game when the Saints beat Minnesota on Christmas. Lately the league has been much more aggressive about scheduling games on Christmas. That's been met with mixed feelings among the players. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley says there is an offensive line Christmas party planned for Friday at center Tyler Linderbaum's house. Quarterback Lamar Jackson's plan is to celebrate on Thursday.

Embiid ejected after drawing 2 technicals in game against Wembanyama and Spurs

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was ejected in the first half of Monday night's game against San Antonio after drawing two technical fouls. Referee Jenna Schroeder ejected Embiid with 2 minutes, 59 seconds left in the second quarter. The seven-time All-Star received the first technical for arguing with Schroeder, and received another technical — and ejection — from Schroeder before any more game time elapsed. Embiid was close to Schroeder, but it wasn't clear from replays whether he made contact with the official. An enraged Embiid charged toward the officials after the ejection and was restrained by teammate Kyle Lowry, head coach Nick Nurse and several assistants.

Nikki Glaser uses Prime Video's NFL postgame show appearances to help prepare for Golden Globes

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Nikki Glaser has become a familiar face to football fans this season. Her breakthrough performance at the Tom Brady Roast on May 5 paved the way for five appearances on Amazon Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" postgame show. Glaser said before last Thursday's game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers that doing her "Late Hits" segment was a no-brainer following her success at the Brady roast.

Leaving Thunder, Bucks off the NBA's Christmas game list has those teams feeling snubbed

Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference and has a MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Milwaukee has the NBA's leading scorer in Giannis Antetokounmpo. They were the teams that made their way to the NBA Cup final. By any measure, they're both very good teams. And neither will play on Christmas Day this year. Bah, humbug. The NBA faces the same challenge every summer, figuring out which 10 teams will get the honor of playing on Christmas Day. But the Bucks and Thunder are right to feel snubbed.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, December 25th, 2024." />
                        <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, December 25th, 2024.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Merry Christmas!</p><p>AP Sports Summary for December 25th, 2024:</p><div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8629017/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div><p>Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports</p><p>Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women's basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark's only the fourth women's basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931.</p><p>Wemby at The Garden. LeBron vs. Steph. The NBA's Christmas Day lineup, as always, has star power</p><p>LeBron James made his Christmas debut in 2003. Victor Wembanyama was born 10 days later. That's right: James has been featured on the NBA's big day for longer than Wembanyama has been alive. And on Wednesday the league's oldest player and brightest young star will be big parts of the holiday showcase. It's another Christmas quintupleheader, with Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visiting the New York Knicks, Minnesota going to Dallas for a Western Conference finals rematch, Philadelphia heading to Boston to renew a storied rivalry, James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and Denver playing at Phoenix.</p><p>Pro Picks: Chiefs will beat the Steelers and Ravens will edge the Texans on Christmas Day</p><p>Playoff berths, draft positioning and more are up for grabs in Week 17. There's going to be plenty of football on television this holiday week with the NFL playing games on five out of six days, starting with a doubleheader on Christmas Day featuring four of the AFC's top five teams. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs visit Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Then, two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take on C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The Bears host the Seahawks on Thursday night and there are three games on Saturday, making Sunday's schedule light at nine games.</p><p>Falcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched Cousins</p><p>It was the most surprising first-round pick in a long time when the Atlanta Falcons chose Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection in the NFL draft last April. That came just six weeks after the Falcons had signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million in guarantees. But that move is no longer a head-scratcher after Penix's solid starting debut in place of a benched and turnover-prone Cousins. Several teams have fared well with new quarterbacks this season including the Steelers, Broncos, Vikings and Commanders.</p><p>Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could start a trend in skiing. And pro sports in general</p><p>ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could be the start of a trend in ski racing. The 40-year-old American standout had replacement surgery in April and returned to the World Cup circuit after nearly six years last weekend. She says her knee feels "amazing" and that "it's something to seriously consider for athletes that have a lot of knee problems." Her surgery was the first of its kind in World Cup skiing. Vonn had a robot-assisted surgery in April with part of the bone in her right knee cut off and replaced by two titanium pieces. She was planning her comeback a month later.</p><p>Boise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship moments</p><p>No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for its third trip to the Fiesta Bowl. This time it's in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year's Eve. Boise State's first appearance on the national stage was in a memorable victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2007. But former coach Chris Petersen said the victory in that bowl three years later over TCU was even more meaningful for the program.</p><p>Players have mixed feelings about being on the road on Christmas as NFL adds more holiday games</p><p>OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Games on Christmas aren't new to the NFL. The Miami Dolphins famously beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a playoff game on Dec. 25, 1971 — a double-overtime classic that still holds the record for the NFL's longest game. In 2020, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with six touchdowns in a game when the Saints beat Minnesota on Christmas. Lately the league has been much more aggressive about scheduling games on Christmas. That's been met with mixed feelings among the players. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley says there is an offensive line Christmas party planned for Friday at center Tyler Linderbaum's house. Quarterback Lamar Jackson's plan is to celebrate on Thursday.</p><p>Embiid ejected after drawing 2 technicals in game against Wembanyama and Spurs</p><p>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was ejected in the first half of Monday night's game against San Antonio after drawing two technical fouls. Referee Jenna Schroeder ejected Embiid with 2 minutes, 59 seconds left in the second quarter. The seven-time All-Star received the first technical for arguing with Schroeder, and received another technical — and ejection — from Schroeder before any more game time elapsed. Embiid was close to Schroeder, but it wasn't clear from replays whether he made contact with the official. An enraged Embiid charged toward the officials after the ejection and was restrained by teammate Kyle Lowry, head coach Nick Nurse and several assistants.</p><p>Nikki Glaser uses Prime Video's NFL postgame show appearances to help prepare for Golden Globes</p><p>INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Nikki Glaser has become a familiar face to football fans this season. Her breakthrough performance at the Tom Brady Roast on May 5 paved the way for five appearances on Amazon Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" postgame show. Glaser said before last Thursday's game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers that doing her "Late Hits" segment was a no-brainer following her success at the Brady roast.</p><p>Leaving Thunder, Bucks off the NBA's Christmas game list has those teams feeling snubbed</p><p>Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference and has a MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Milwaukee has the NBA's leading scorer in Giannis Antetokounmpo. They were the teams that made their way to the NBA Cup final. By any measure, they're both very good teams. And neither will play on Christmas Day this year. Bah, humbug. The NBA faces the same challenge every summer, figuring out which 10 teams will get the honor of playing on Christmas Day. But the Bucks and Thunder are right to feel snubbed.</p><p>AP-Scorecard</p><p>Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:</p><p>___</p><p>TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION</p><p>		San Antonio	at	New York	12 p.m.	</p><p>		Minnesota	at	Dallas	2:30 p.m.	</p><p>		Philadelphia	at	Boston	5 p.m.	</p><p>		L.A. Lakers	at	Golden State	8 p.m.	</p><p>		Denver	at	Phoenix	10:30 p.m.	</p><p>___</p>

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

🎧 LISTEN: Christmas Eve Pastors 2024

🎧 LISTEN: Hospice and HomeCare of Reno County

🎧 LISTEN: Boys and Girls Club

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                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, December 23rd, 2024" />
                        <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, December 23rd, 2024</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for December 23rd, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=v9ydx-177fd80-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN:  🏈 Chiefs are 14-1; 🏈 Cowboys edge Tampa Bay on SNF; 🏀 WSU gets big win over K-State 

AP Sports Summary for December 23rd, 2024:

Jalen Hurts leaves with a concussion as the Eagles' winning streak ends at 10

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jalen Hurts has been ruled out of the Philadelphia Eagles' game at the Washington Commanders with a concussion. Hurts' head bounced off the ground at the end of one run, and Frankie Luvu hit him in the helmet at the end of another early in the first quarter. Hurts went to the blue medical tent on the visiting sideline and was replaced at quarterback by Kenny Pickett. After trying to return to the game, Hurts was escorted back to the tent and then down the tunnel to the locker room. Pickett threw a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown and an interception after as the Eagles went up big early in the game.

Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson lead surging Vikings past Seahawks 27-24

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third TD pass of the game, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC. Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and two TDs as the Vikings won their eighth straight. If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a first-round playoff bye. The Seahawks have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak and fell one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.

Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs lose control of their playoff fate

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass, Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four field goals and the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24, costing Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers control of their playoff fate. The end of a four-game winning streak left the Bucs even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker. A three-year playoff run for the Cowboys ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before the prime-time kickoff. Mayfield was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes when the Cowboys' DaRon Bland stripped the ball from Rachaad White to seal the win.

College playoffs looks for good matchups after snoozy first round of blowouts

The average final score over the first week of the College Football Playoffs: Winners 36, Losers 17. This bold, new experiment was supposed to bring more programs from more parts of the country into the loop of a largely regional sport that had been dominated by about a half-dozen teams for the last decade. Instead, it will take another 10 days to find out if "more" really means more — or if more just means more blowouts before arriving at what we had before — a group of four contenders battling it out for a title that only they had any realistic chance to win.

After beating Tennessee, Ohio State will finally get its rematch with Oregon

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State players had been thinking about a rematch with Oregon long before the Buckeyes crushed Tennessee in a first-round playoff game. Their first chance to avenge the Oct. 12 loss to the Ducks looked to be the Big Ten championship game, but that slipped away when the Buckeyes lost to Michigan and gave up their spot in the title game. Now, by virtue of Saturday night's 42-17 win over Tennessee, the Buckeyes will see the Ducks again in a quarterfinal game on a grand stage — the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

Texans WR Tank Dell released from hospital, headed back to Houston after severe knee injury

HOUSTON (AP) — Texans receiver Tank Dell has been released after an overnight stay in the hospital and was traveling back to Houston on Sunday after sustaining a severe knee injury in Saturday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach DeMeco Ryans provided the update Sunday, but didn't have many details beyond his return to Houston. "Right now, we still will be evaluating to see where he is," Ryans said. "He's still meeting with doctors to see what's next for him. But it is a significant knee injury."

Tiger's son makes the ace. Bernhard Langer makes the winning putt in playoff over Woods at PNC

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods' son hit the shot of his life for a hole-in-one. Bernhard Langer hit the shot that mattered. The 67-year-old Langer made an 18-foot eagle putt on the first playoff hole as he and son Jason won the PNC Championship for the second straight year. They beat Woods and 15-year-old son Charlie in a playoff. Team Langer and Team Woods each shot 57 in the scramble format. They made par on only four holes and set the tournament scoring record. Charlie Woods says the entire day, even in loss, was his most fun on the golf course.

Penn State beats Louisville 3-1 to make Schumacher-Cawley 1st female coach to win volleyball title

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Jess Mruzik made 29 kills with a .315 hitting percentage, and Katie Schumacher-Cawley became the first female coach to win a NCAA volleyball championship as Penn State defeated Louisville 3-1 in the final. The Nittany Lions (35-2) earned their record eighth national championship and first since 2014 under the third-year coach, who has led the team while undergoing treatment for breast cancer that was diagnosed in September. Schumacher-Cawley has nonetheless conducted practices between treatments, a determined and emotional journey that provided a rallying point for players and garnered widespread support. Penn State completed its mission by winning 25-23, 32-34, 25-20 and 25-17.

Rangers forward Matt Rempe suspended for eight games for elbow on Heiskanen

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended for eight games for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday night. Rempe had an in-person hearing via Zoom on Sunday, as opposed to a phone call, which allowed senior vice president of player safety George Parros and his department to suspend Rempe for six or more games. Rempe, a 6-foot-8 forward, became popular last season in his rookie year with the Rangers for fighting some of the toughest players in the league, but he was ejected twice and also received a four-game ban for an elbow to the head of New Jersey's Jonas Siegenthaler.

Tyreek Hill says drops against 49ers were a result of lack of practice reps with Tua Tagovailoa

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill has not shied away from accountability during one of the least productive seasons of his nine-year career. On Sunday, after a poor performance in Miami's 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Hill was candid about the reason for a puzzling decline in his connection with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this season. Hill caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown and had several drops, including one on third down that went through his hands on Miami's opening drive. He said the drops were becuase of a lack of practice reps with Tua Tagovailoa.

Final	(19)Cincinnati	84	Grambling St.	49	

		Middle Tennessee	at	(1)Tennessee	7 p.m.	

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Monday, December 23rd, 2024" />
                        <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Monday, December 23rd, 2024</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>AP Sports Summary for December 23rd, 2024:</p><div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8628152/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div><p>Jalen Hurts leaves with a concussion as the Eagles' winning streak ends at 10</p><p>LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jalen Hurts has been ruled out of the Philadelphia Eagles' game at the Washington Commanders with a concussion. Hurts' head bounced off the ground at the end of one run, and Frankie Luvu hit him in the helmet at the end of another early in the first quarter. Hurts went to the blue medical tent on the visiting sideline and was replaced at quarterback by Kenny Pickett. After trying to return to the game, Hurts was escorted back to the tent and then down the tunnel to the locker room. Pickett threw a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown and an interception after as the Eagles went up big early in the game.</p><p>Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson lead surging Vikings past Seahawks 27-24</p><p>SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third TD pass of the game, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC. Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and two TDs as the Vikings won their eighth straight. If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a first-round playoff bye. The Seahawks have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak and fell one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.</p><p>Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs lose control of their playoff fate</p><p>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass, Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four field goals and the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24, costing Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers control of their playoff fate. The end of a four-game winning streak left the Bucs even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker. A three-year playoff run for the Cowboys ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before the prime-time kickoff. Mayfield was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes when the Cowboys' DaRon Bland stripped the ball from Rachaad White to seal the win.</p><p>College playoffs looks for good matchups after snoozy first round of blowouts</p><p>The average final score over the first week of the College Football Playoffs: Winners 36, Losers 17. This bold, new experiment was supposed to bring more programs from more parts of the country into the loop of a largely regional sport that had been dominated by about a half-dozen teams for the last decade. Instead, it will take another 10 days to find out if "more" really means more — or if more just means more blowouts before arriving at what we had before — a group of four contenders battling it out for a title that only they had any realistic chance to win.</p><p>After beating Tennessee, Ohio State will finally get its rematch with Oregon</p><p>COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State players had been thinking about a rematch with Oregon long before the Buckeyes crushed Tennessee in a first-round playoff game. Their first chance to avenge the Oct. 12 loss to the Ducks looked to be the Big Ten championship game, but that slipped away when the Buckeyes lost to Michigan and gave up their spot in the title game. Now, by virtue of Saturday night's 42-17 win over Tennessee, the Buckeyes will see the Ducks again in a quarterfinal game on a grand stage — the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.</p><p>Texans WR Tank Dell released from hospital, headed back to Houston after severe knee injury</p><p>HOUSTON (AP) — Texans receiver Tank Dell has been released after an overnight stay in the hospital and was traveling back to Houston on Sunday after sustaining a severe knee injury in Saturday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach DeMeco Ryans provided the update Sunday, but didn't have many details beyond his return to Houston. "Right now, we still will be evaluating to see where he is," Ryans said. "He's still meeting with doctors to see what's next for him. But it is a significant knee injury."</p><p>Tiger's son makes the ace. Bernhard Langer makes the winning putt in playoff over Woods at PNC</p><p>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods' son hit the shot of his life for a hole-in-one. Bernhard Langer hit the shot that mattered. The 67-year-old Langer made an 18-foot eagle putt on the first playoff hole as he and son Jason won the PNC Championship for the second straight year. They beat Woods and 15-year-old son Charlie in a playoff. Team Langer and Team Woods each shot 57 in the scramble format. They made par on only four holes and set the tournament scoring record. Charlie Woods says the entire day, even in loss, was his most fun on the golf course.</p><p>Penn State beats Louisville 3-1 to make Schumacher-Cawley 1st female coach to win volleyball title</p><p>LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Jess Mruzik made 29 kills with a .315 hitting percentage, and Katie Schumacher-Cawley became the first female coach to win a NCAA volleyball championship as Penn State defeated Louisville 3-1 in the final. The Nittany Lions (35-2) earned their record eighth national championship and first since 2014 under the third-year coach, who has led the team while undergoing treatment for breast cancer that was diagnosed in September. Schumacher-Cawley has nonetheless conducted practices between treatments, a determined and emotional journey that provided a rallying point for players and garnered widespread support. Penn State completed its mission by winning 25-23, 32-34, 25-20 and 25-17.</p><p>Rangers forward Matt Rempe suspended for eight games for elbow on Heiskanen</p><p>NEW YORK (AP) — New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended for eight games for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday night. Rempe had an in-person hearing via Zoom on Sunday, as opposed to a phone call, which allowed senior vice president of player safety George Parros and his department to suspend Rempe for six or more games. Rempe, a 6-foot-8 forward, became popular last season in his rookie year with the Rangers for fighting some of the toughest players in the league, but he was ejected twice and also received a four-game ban for an elbow to the head of New Jersey's Jonas Siegenthaler.</p><p>Tyreek Hill says drops against 49ers were a result of lack of practice reps with Tua Tagovailoa</p><p>MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill has not shied away from accountability during one of the least productive seasons of his nine-year career. On Sunday, after a poor performance in Miami's 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Hill was candid about the reason for a puzzling decline in his connection with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this season. Hill caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown and had several drops, including one on third down that went through his hands on Miami's opening drive. He said the drops were becuase of a lack of practice reps with Tua Tagovailoa.</p><p>AP-Scorecard</p><p>Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION</p><p>Final	Indiana	122	Sacramento	95	</p><p>Final	Houston	114	Toronto	110	</p><p>Final OT	Denver	132	New Orleans	129	</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE</p><p>Final	Carolina	3	N-Y Rangers	1	</p><p>Final	Washington	3	Los Angeles	1	</p><p>Final	Florida	4	Tampa Bay	2	</p><p>Final SO	Anaheim	5	Utah	4	</p><p>Final	Edmonton	3	Ottawa	1	</p><p>Final	Colorado	5	Seattle	2	</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE</p><p>Final	Atlanta	34	N-Y Giants	7	</p><p>Final OT	Carolina	36	Arizona	30	</p><p>Final	Cincinnati	24	Cleveland	6	</p><p>Final	Detroit	34	Chicago	17	</p><p>Final	Indianapolis	38	Tennessee	30	</p><p>Final	L.A. Rams	19	N-Y Jets	9	</p><p>Final	Washington	36	Philadelphia	33	</p><p>Final	Minnesota	27	Seattle	24	</p><p>Final	Buffalo	24	New England	21	</p><p>Final	Las Vegas	19	Jacksonville	14	</p><p>Final	Miami	29	San Francisco	17	</p><p>Final	Dallas	26	Tampa Bay	24	</p><p>___</p><p>TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL</p><p>Final	(3)Iowa St.	99	Morgan St.	72	</p><p>Final	(6)Alabama	81	Kent St.	54	</p><p>Final	(8)Kansas	87	Brown	53	</p><p>Final	(14)Oklahoma	89	Cent. Arkansas	66	</p><p>Final	(19)Cincinnati	84	Grambling St.	49	</p><p>Final	(24)Michigan	89	Fort Wayne	58	</p><p>___</p><p>TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION</p><p>		Boston	at	Orlando	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Houston	at	Charlotte	7 p.m.	</p><p>		San Antonio	at	Philadelphia	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Utah	at	Cleveland	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Brooklyn	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.	</p><p>		Minnesota	at	Atlanta	7:30 p.m.	</p><p>		Toronto	at	New York	7:30 p.m.	</p><p>		L.A. Clippers	at	Memphis	8 p.m.	</p><p>		Milwaukee	at	Chicago	8 p.m.	</p><p>		Washington	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.	</p><p>		Portland	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.	</p><p>		Indiana	at	Golden State	10 p.m.	</p><p>		Phoenix	at	Denver	10 p.m.	</p><p>		Detroit	at	L.A. Lakers	10:30 p.m.	</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE</p><p>		N-Y Rangers	at	New Jersey	1 p.m.	</p><p>		Winnipeg	at	Toronto	2 p.m.	</p><p>		Montreal	at	Columbus	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Philadelphia	at	Pittsburgh	7 p.m.	</p><p>		St. Louis	at	Detroit	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Tampa Bay	at	Florida	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Washington	at	Boston	7 p.m.	</p><p>		Buffalo	at	N-Y Islanders	7:30 p.m.	</p><p>		Carolina	at	Nashville	8 p.m.	</p><p>		Chicago	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.	</p><p>		Dallas	at	Utah	9 p.m.	</p><p>		San Jose	at	Vancouver	9 p.m.	</p><p>		Anaheim	at	Vegas	10 p.m.	</p><p>___</p><p>NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE</p><p>		New Orleans	at	Green Bay	8:15 p.m.	</p><p>___</p><p>TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL</p><p>		Middle Tennessee	at	(1)Tennessee	7 p.m.	</p><p>___</p>

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Monday

🎧 LISTEN: Hutchinson YMCA

🎧 LISTEN: Creighton University Economist Ernie Goss

🎧 LISTEN: AAA Kansas

🎧 LISTEN: 1861 Club

CANYON, Texas — Listen back to the complete audio broadcast of the 2024 NJCAA DI Football National Championship Game between Hutchinson Community College and Iowa Western Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The game was broadcasted on KHUT-FM and KWBW-AM/FM with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color analyst)

HutchCC defeated Iowa Western, 28-23, to claim its second national title in program history.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734652034031.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CANYON, Texas — Listen back to the complete audio broadcast of the 2024 NJCAA DI Football National Championship Game between Hutchinson Community College and Iowa Western Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The game was broadcasted on KHUT-FM and KWBW-AM/FM with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color analyst)</p><p>HutchCC defeated Iowa Western, 28-23, to claim its second national title in program history.</p><div><iframe title="2024 NJCAA Football National Championship - HutchCC v Iowa Western" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ju8pn-177ae1d-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: NJCAA Championship Game rewind: HutchCC 28, IWCC 23

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Thursday, December 19th, 2024" />
                        <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Thursday, December 19th, 2024</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for December 19th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=6w9bq-1779f33-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN:  🏈 HutchCC National Champs; 🏈 Shrine Bowl bid goes to Emporia; 🏀 K-State WBB 12-1 

🎧 LISTEN: Hutchinson Salvation Army

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Wednesday, December 18th, 2024." />
                        <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Wednesday, December 18th, 2024.</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for December 18th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=37egm-1777e08-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN:  🏈 NJCAA Championship tonight; 🏈 HutchCC Jordan wins NJCAA Award; 🏀 Hutch High sweeps Campus; 🏀 HutchCC Jackson KJCCC honor

🎧 LISTEN: Parson & Pope Conversation on 12/17/24

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for December 17th, 2024" />
                        <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for December 17th, 2024</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for December 17th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=yrmi8-1775f28-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN:  🏈 Vikings and Falcons win on MNF; 🏈 Mahomes questionable; 🏀 Hutch High vs Campus tonight

🎧 LISTEN: Alzheimer's Association

🎧 LISTEN: City of Hutchinson

🎧 LISTEN: December 16, 2024 News

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher.png" />
                        <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher.png</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for December 16th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=tyc4p-1772ab4-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN:  🏈 Chiefs win, but Mahomes injured; 🏈 K-State RB Giddens to commit to NFL; 🏀 Haven BB teams sweep Great Bend

🎧 LISTEN: Dole VA Medical Center

🎧 LISTEN: Wreaths Across America

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