Hutchinson (13-4, 7-4) at Garden City (7-10, 3-8)

When: Saturday, January 14, 2023 At: Conestoga Arena, Garden City, KS Time: 2:00 p.m. Radio:&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHUT">KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 1:45 p.m.</a>&nbsp;- Steve Carpenter (PBP); Daren Dunn (Color) Video:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kjcccsports.net/hutchcc/?B=490799">Blue Dragon Sports Network, 1:45 p.m.</a> Twitter: @bluedragonsport <a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/files/Women-s_Notes_18_-_Garden_City.pdf">CLICK FOR FULL GAME NOTES (PDF Format)</a>

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team closes out the first half of Jayhawk Conference play on Saturday with a road trip to meet the Garden City Broncbusters.

Tipoff for the Blue Dragons (13-4, 7-4) and Broncbusters (7-10, 3-8) is 2 p.m. at Conestoga Arena in Garden City. The game will be streamed on the Blue Dragon Sports Network and broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) beginning at 1:45 p.m.

The Blue Dragons enter play against the Broncbusters after a Wednesday bye and an 82-76 victory over Seward County last Saturday at the Sports Arena. The Dragons rallied from a small deficit after three quarters and outscored the Saints 25-18 in the final 10 minutes.

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/williams_mya_wx3b">Mya Williams</a>&nbsp;scored 20 points to lead the Dragons, while&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/duffy_monae_4kqq">Monae Duffy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/howard_kali_o73g">Kali Howard</a>&nbsp;both produced double-doubles and&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/armstead_journey_v4yx">Journey Armstead</a>&nbsp;scored 15 points, all from the free-throw line to power the Blue Dragons to their third-straight victory.

Over their three-game winning streak, the Blue Dragons are averaging 83.3 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from distance. The Dragons are also a plus-10 in rebounding margin and are forcing 21.3 turnovers per game.

The Blue Dragons are currently in a four-way tie for fourth with

Garden City enters play on a three-game losing streak after falling 86-47 on Wednesday at Butler. The Busters shot only 33.9 percent overall and was just 4 of 18 from 3-point range. Garden City also turned the ball over 21 times. Butler shot 52.9 percent from the field.

Over their three-game skid, the Busters are averaging only 49.7 points, while shooting 33.1 percent from the field.

The Blue Dragons have dominated the all-time series with Garden City, 76-19, but the last four games in the series have been defensive grinds. The Blue Dragons have won nine in a row in the series, but in the last four meetings Hutchinson has won by scores of only 56-52, 54-42, 60-48 and 55-51.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673705940335.jpeg" alt="HutchCC @ Garden City" />
 <figcaption>HutchCC @ Garden City</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationHutchinson (13-4, 7-4) at Garden City (7-10, 3-8)When: Saturday, January 14, 2023 At: Conestoga Arena, Garden City, KS Time: 2:00 p.m. Radio:&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHUT">KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 1:45 p.m.</a>&nbsp;- Steve Carpenter (PBP); Daren Dunn (Color) Video:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kjcccsports.net/hutchcc/?B=490799">Blue Dragon Sports Network, 1:45 p.m.</a> Twitter: @bluedragonsport <a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/files/Women-s_Notes_18_-_Garden_City.pdf">CLICK FOR FULL GAME NOTES (PDF Format)</a>The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team closes out the first half of Jayhawk Conference play on Saturday with a road trip to meet the Garden City Broncbusters.Tipoff for the Blue Dragons (13-4, 7-4) and Broncbusters (7-10, 3-8) is 2 p.m. at Conestoga Arena in Garden City. The game will be streamed on the Blue Dragon Sports Network and broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) beginning at 1:45 p.m.The Blue Dragons enter play against the Broncbusters after a Wednesday bye and an 82-76 victory over Seward County last Saturday at the Sports Arena. The Dragons rallied from a small deficit after three quarters and outscored the Saints 25-18 in the final 10 minutes.<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/williams_mya_wx3b">Mya Williams</a>&nbsp;scored 20 points to lead the Dragons, while&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/duffy_monae_4kqq">Monae Duffy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/howard_kali_o73g">Kali Howard</a>&nbsp;both produced double-doubles and&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/bios/armstead_journey_v4yx">Journey Armstead</a>&nbsp;scored 15 points, all from the free-throw line to power the Blue Dragons to their third-straight victory.Over their three-game winning streak, the Blue Dragons are averaging 83.3 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from distance. The Dragons are also a plus-10 in rebounding margin and are forcing 21.3 turnovers per game.The Blue Dragons are currently in a four-way tie for fourth withGarden City enters play on a three-game losing streak after falling 86-47 on Wednesday at Butler. The Busters shot only 33.9 percent overall and was just 4 of 18 from 3-point range. Garden City also turned the ball over 21 times. Butler shot 52.9 percent from the field.Over their three-game skid, the Busters are averaging only 49.7 points, while shooting 33.1 percent from the field.The Blue Dragons have dominated the all-time series with Garden City, 76-19, but the last four games in the series have been defensive grinds. The Blue Dragons have won nine in a row in the series, but in the last four meetings Hutchinson has won by scores of only 56-52, 54-42, 60-48 and 55-51.

🏀 WBB: Blue Dragons back on the road to face Garden City

HUTCHINSON, Kan.-The Hutch High Basketball teams continue to be unbeaten in the 2022-2023 basketball season with a sweep of the Great Bend Panthers 45-33 in the girls game and 69-53 in the boys contest.

Sophomores Grace Posch and Aliyah Green both scored 12 points each to pace the Salthawk girls in scoring to help the undefeated Salthawks get by the Panthers 45-33 in basketball action at the SAC on Friday night.

Libby Jackson had one of her best games of the season with 10 points including 2 treys and senior point guard Josie McLean added 9 points to the ledger.

Great &nbsp;Bend's outstanding freshman Sadie Spray had 17 to lead the Panthers.

Hutchinson is 8-0 on the season while Great Bend falls to 4-5.

Hutch girls travel to Derby for a stand alone game on Tuesday night in a game that will tip at 7:30 pm.

Senior Wade Meyer had a career night with 24 points including going 9-9 from the foul strip to lead the Salthawks in scoring. Nifty sophomore guard Terrell King added 13 points, with 9 points alone in the 3rd quarter. Nic Lange also added a solid night with 12 points and big rebounds to lead the undefeated Salthawks to a 69-53 win. &nbsp;Junior Julian Smith knock down 2 big 3 point baskets in the first half while Dauntay rounded out the Salthawk scoring with 5 points.

Great Bend was really scrappy throughout the whole night including a strong 3rd quarter and pulled within 4 points of the Salthawks in the second half, but Meyer's free throws in the 4th allowed the Salthawks to get the win.

The leading scorer for Great Bend was 6'4" freshman Ian Premier with 14 points. Carter Coombs added 12 and Tyler Stuhlsatz had 7.

Hutchinson got some breathing room by outscoring the Panthers in the 2nd quarter 16-5 before halftime.

Hutchinson now 8-0, will travel to Dodge City to compete in the 80th annual Dodge City Tournament of Champions next Thursday and will match up with the Newton Railers at 2pm to open the tournament.

Great Bend will drop to 4-5 and will participate in the El Dorado Tournament starting on January 19th.

HUTCHINSON, Kan.-The Hutch High Basketball teams continue to be unbeaten in the 2022-2023 basketball season with a sweep of the Great Bend Panthers 45-33 in the girls game and 69-53 in the boys contest.GIRLS GAME RECAP:<div><iframe title="Conor ReillyPostgame Show January 13th, 2023" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4w575-13626a0-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>Sophomores Grace Posch and Aliyah Green both scored 12 points each to pace the Salthawk girls in scoring to help the undefeated Salthawks get by the Panthers 45-33 in basketball action at the SAC on Friday night.Libby Jackson had one of her best games of the season with 10 points including 2 treys and senior point guard Josie McLean added 9 points to the ledger.Great &nbsp;Bend's outstanding freshman Sadie Spray had 17 to lead the Panthers.Hutchinson is 8-0 on the season while Great Bend falls to 4-5.Hutch girls travel to Derby for a stand alone game on Tuesday night in a game that will tip at 7:30 pm.BOYS GAME RECAP:<div><iframe title="Bryan Miller Postgame Show after Great Bend Win" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=xws6x-13626a4-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>Senior Wade Meyer had a career night with 24 points including going 9-9 from the foul strip to lead the Salthawks in scoring. Nifty sophomore guard Terrell King added 13 points, with 9 points alone in the 3rd quarter. Nic Lange also added a solid night with 12 points and big rebounds to lead the undefeated Salthawks to a 69-53 win. &nbsp;Junior Julian Smith knock down 2 big 3 point baskets in the first half while Dauntay rounded out the Salthawk scoring with 5 points.Great Bend was really scrappy throughout the whole night including a strong 3rd quarter and pulled within 4 points of the Salthawks in the second half, but Meyer's free throws in the 4th allowed the Salthawks to get the win.The leading scorer for Great Bend was 6'4" freshman Ian Premier with 14 points. Carter Coombs added 12 and Tyler Stuhlsatz had 7.Hutchinson got some breathing room by outscoring the Panthers in the 2nd quarter 16-5 before halftime.Hutchinson now 8-0, will travel to Dodge City to compete in the 80th annual Dodge City Tournament of Champions next Thursday and will match up with the Newton Railers at 2pm to open the tournament.Great Bend will drop to 4-5 and will participate in the El Dorado Tournament starting on January 19th.

🏀 Salthawks claw their way past Panthers

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Salthawk Basketball teams will return home for a non-league match up with games vs Great Bend tonight at the SAC.

The Girls game will tip at 6 pm followed by boys action at 7:30 pm.

Video stream for both Freshman and JV teams will stream on the <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks/gamf06d66ceac">Hutch High NFHS Network Channel</a> and the HHS Varsity games will stream on the Hutch High Channel at <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/search/?query=hutch">nfhsnetwork.com</a>.

KWBW Audio at the SAC is available on 89.2 FM so bring your radio's to the game and catch all the action with Glen and Coach Nac.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673613815997.png" alt="GameDay: Hutchinson vs Great Bend tonight at the SAC" />
 <figcaption>GameDay: Hutchinson vs Great Bend tonight at the SAC</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Salthawk Basketball teams will return home for a non-league match up with games vs Great Bend tonight at the SAC.The Girls game will tip at 6 pm followed by boys action at 7:30 pm.Video stream for both Freshman and JV teams will stream on the <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks/gamf06d66ceac">Hutch High NFHS Network Channel</a> and the HHS Varsity games will stream on the Hutch High Channel at <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/search/?query=hutch">nfhsnetwork.com</a>.KWBW Audio at the SAC is available on 89.2 FM so bring your radio's to the game and catch all the action with Glen and Coach Nac.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/504074?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div><a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

🎥 🏀 REPLAY: Hutch High vs Great Bend tonight at the SAC

Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud def. Rock Hills, forfeit

Kapaun Mount Carmel 69, Wichita Northwest 41

Wichita Bishop Carroll 73, Wichita North 48

Wichita Classical 78, Central Christian 19

Wichita Independent 53, Conway Springs 41

<h2>BOYS BASKETBALL:</h2>Andover 72, Salina South 42Andover Central 55, Arkansas City 37Augusta 60, Winfield 44Basehor-Linwood 45, Lansing 32Beloit 75, Minneapolis 31Bennington 51, Berean Academy 34Burden Central 72, Oxford 70Burlingame 47, Lebo 46Canton-Galva 53, Goessel 52, OTCentral Heights 56, Council Grove 47Central Plains 42, Victoria 35Chase 77, Thunder Ridge 20Circle 58, Buhler 48Cheney 67, Kingman 49Cheylin 45, Western Plains-Healy 26, 6OTColby 65, Ulysses 38Columbus 63, Baxter Springs 42Cunningham 53, South Barber 51Dodge City 32, Liberal 29Elkhart 64, Boise City, Okla. 57Ellinwood 69, Macksville 56Galena 55, Riverton 49Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud def. Rock Hills, forfeitHays-TMP-Marian 65, Ellis 36Heritage Christian 55, Cair Paravel 39Hesston 71, Lyons 28Highland Park 91, KC Harmon 29Hill City 97, Stockton 21Hugoton 53, Goodland 50, 6OTHumboldt 47, Cherryvale 46Hutchinson 69, Great Bend 53Independence 47, Chanute 33Jayhawk Linn 47, Oswego 29Junction City 52, Emporia 39Kapaun Mount Carmel 69, Wichita Northwest 41Lakeside 63, Lincoln 43Lawrence 46, Mill Valley 39Leavenworth 77, KC Turner 60Logan/Palco 65, Golden Plains 32Maize 64, Newton 51Manhattan 60, Washburn Rural 58McPherson 60, Mulvane 30Medicine Lodge 57, Garden Plain 54Norwich 55, Pretty Prairie 41Olathe East 73, Lawrence Free State 8Olathe North 65, Olathe South 54Olathe Northwest 52, Olathe West 45Olpe 53, Madison/Hamilton 31Oskaloosa 53, Pleasant Ridge 45Phillipsburg 55, Norton 51Pike Valley 68, Natoma 20Pittsburg 61, Labette County 22Pratt 58, Hillsboro 49Pratt Skyline 65, Fairfield 51Remington 67, Moundridge 62Rose Hill 34, El Dorado 25Scott City 56, Holcomb 43Shawnee Heights 65, Topeka Seaman 51Smoky Valley 71, Larned 46South Gray 88, Bucklin 64St. John's Beloit-Tipton 69, Tescott 40St. Thomas Aquinas 70, Bishop Miege 65Stanton County 55, Sublette 48Triplains-Brewster 61, Weskan 47Valley Center 58, Salina Central 41Wellington 52, Andale 48Wellsville 69, Iola 49West Elk 59, Argonia 53West Franklin 61, Osage City 60Wichita Bishop Carroll 73, Wichita North 48Wichita Classical 78, Central Christian 19Wichita Collegiate 76, Clearwater 38Wichita East 80, Wichita South 41Wichita Heights 71, Wichita West 44Wichita Independent 53, Conway Springs 41Wichita Trinity 52, Chaparral 51GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Andover 58, Salina South 28Andover Central 54, Arkansas City 34Berean Academy 50, Bennington 30Burrton 43, Oxford 41Canton-Galva 66, Goessel 41Cheney 58, Kingman 27Circle 38, Buhler 37Clay Center 45, Abilene 31Clearwater 53, Wichita Collegiate 14Colby 57, Ulysses 11Douglass 40, Belle Plaine 33Emporia 56, Junction City 24Fort Scott 44, Coffeyville 35Frontenac 69, Girard 52Garden Plain 55, Medicine Lodge 26Goddard-Eisenhower 39, Goddard 24Golden Plains 49, Logan/Palco 4Haven 56, Nickerson 52, 2OTHeritage Christian 47, Cair Paravel 19Hesston 59, Lyons 39Highland Park 96, KC Harmon 18Holcomb 73, Scott City 55Hutchinson 45, Great Bend 32Hutchinson Trinity 43, Chaparral 39Inman 53, Marion 23Jefferson North 68, Jackson Heights 49KC Piper 55, Topeka West 45Lakeside 55, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 20Macksville 38, Ellinwood 32Maize South 68, Wichita Campus 19McPherson 60, Mulvane 30Minneapolis 43, Beloit 41Mission Valley 54, Chase County 49Nemaha Central 58, Royal Valley 39Newton 34, Maize 25Osage City 65, West Franklin 39Phillipsburg 57, Norton 27Pike Valley 34, Tescott 19Remington 42, Moundridge 31Reno County 29, Flint Hills Christian 26Riley County 48, Silver Lake 47, 3OTRiverside 40, Holton 25Riverton 54, Galena 41Rock Creek 60, Wabaunsee 22Rock Hills 47, Lincoln 30Rose Hill 34, El Dorado 25Sabetha 48, Perry-Lecompton 21Santa Fe Trail 49, Anderson County 31Smith Center 56, Republic County 39Smoky Valley 50, Larned 44South Barber 41, Cunningham 19St. Francis 46, Dighton 23St. John's Beloit-Tipton 67, Natoma 36St. Mary's 51, Rossville 47Thunder Ridge 49, Chase 14Topeka 60, Topeka Hayden 25Topeka Seaman 30, Shawnee Heights 27Trego 61, Oakley 43Wamego 83, Marysville 25Washburn Rural 48, Manhattan 32Wellington 44, Andale 34Wichita Bishop Carroll 56, Wichita North 16Wichita Classical 45, Central Christian 31Wichita Northwest 58, Kapaun Mount Carmel 54Wichita Trinity 43, Chaparral 39

🏀 High School Scoreboard from Friday Night

&nbsp; HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports.

Kansas State defensive lineman Felix Anudike-Uzomah has decided to turn to the NFL. He made his announcement via Twitter yesterday afternoon.  Uzomah almost played in 31 games over  his career with the Wildcats. Last year, the Kansas City native had 46 tackles, 11 of those for loss and eight and a half sacks. He was awarded Second Team all-American by the Football Writers Association of America and third Team all-American by the AP. 

Chiefs got  a boost from an unlikely offensive hero down the stretch, leading a Kansas City playmaker to AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for the second straight month. Running back, Jerick McKinnon led the NFL with nine touchdowns in his last six weeks of the season. That earned him the accolade for the first time in his seven year career. 

Chiefs  star quarterback Patrick Mahomes once again honored for his charitable efforts. Mahomes, the team's Walter Payton NFL man of the Year nominee, now the winner of the nationwide charity Challenge. Nationwide will donate $25,000 to Mahomes Foundation 15 and the Mahomes Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the neutral site if Buffalo and Kansas City meet in the AFC Championship game. 

The NFL decided to put the potential match up in a neutral city after the Bills Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. 

Chiefs 14 and 1, the one seed but played one more game than the second seed the bills. The league brokered the neutral site because Buffalo could have been the top seed with a victory over Cincinnati. 

It'll be  a Kansas basketball festival for the ages this weekend, when the second ranked Jayhawk men's basketball team plays host to 14th ranked Iowa State for the 125 year celebration as dozens of former players, coaches, managers and more expected back to Lawrence, including former Kansas head coaches Roy Williams, Larry Brown and Ted Owens. 

All four worked together in 2014 for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Allen Field House. The game tips at 3 pm on ESPN +tomorrow.  

High school basketball. Tonight, Hutch will play host to Great Bend both games right here on BW. Our coverage of the girls at 5:45 with the bes,t Glen and Dan tonight. 

Also, Buhler at Circle, Haven hosts Nickerson, Trinity Catholic hosts Sterling , Stafford host Central Christian Fairfield hosts Pratt Skyline, Norwich at Pretty Perry. Best of luck to those teams.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for January 13th, 2023" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=uc3bq-13615a6-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>&nbsp; HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports.Kansas State defensive lineman Felix Anudike-Uzomah has decided to turn to the NFL. He made his announcement via Twitter yesterday afternoon. Uzomah almost played in 31 games over his career with the Wildcats. Last year, the Kansas City native had 46 tackles, 11 of those for loss and eight and a half sacks. He was awarded Second Team all-American by the Football Writers Association of America and third Team all-American by the AP. Chiefs got a boost from an unlikely offensive hero down the stretch, leading a Kansas City playmaker to AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for the second straight month. Running back, Jerick McKinnon led the NFL with nine touchdowns in his last six weeks of the season. That earned him the accolade for the first time in his seven year career. Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes once again honored for his charitable efforts. Mahomes, the team's Walter Payton NFL man of the Year nominee, now the winner of the nationwide charity Challenge. Nationwide will donate $25,000 to Mahomes Foundation 15 and the Mahomes Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the neutral site if Buffalo and Kansas City meet in the AFC Championship game. The NFL decided to put the potential match up in a neutral city after the Bills Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. Chiefs 14 and 1, the one seed but played one more game than the second seed the bills. The league brokered the neutral site because Buffalo could have been the top seed with a victory over Cincinnati. It'll be a Kansas basketball festival for the ages this weekend, when the second ranked Jayhawk men's basketball team plays host to 14th ranked Iowa State for the 125 year celebration as dozens of former players, coaches, managers and more expected back to Lawrence, including former Kansas head coaches Roy Williams, Larry Brown and Ted Owens. All four worked together in 2014 for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Allen Field House. The game tips at 3 pm on ESPN +tomorrow. High school basketball. Tonight, Hutch will play host to Great Bend both games right here on BW. Our coverage of the girls at 5:45 with the bes,t Glen and Dan tonight. Also, Buhler at Circle, Haven hosts Nickerson, Trinity Catholic hosts Sterling , Stafford host Central Christian Fairfield hosts Pratt Skyline, Norwich at Pretty Perry. Best of luck to those teams.That's sports on BW.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

🎙 📰 Eagle Media Sports for Friday Morning

Thursday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Cheylin 61, Weskan 47Hoisington 49, Halstead 42Kansas Deaf 67, Kansas Deaf 66Kansas Deaf 98, Kansas Deaf 56Leavenworth 51, Lansing 30Wichita Sunrise 68, Kickapoo, Mo. 35Wiley, Colo. 69, Deerfield 26Thursday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Halstead 39, Hoisington 24Kansas Deaf 102, Kansas Deaf 80Logan/Palco 36, Plainville 35

🏀 High School Scores from Thursday night

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

From top to bottom, the Big 12 hasn't started conference play like this in a decade.

No. 11 Kansas State has already surpassed last season's overall win total and made an impressive Top 25 poll debut this week after being picked to finish last in the 10-team league with new coach Jerome Tang and a completely revamped roster.

The Wildcats (15-1) have won their first four Big 12 games, just like defending national champion No. 2 Kansas and No. 14 Iowa State, which is surging again after a surprise run to the NCAA Sweet 16 last March.

“I’m very thankful. I’ve been really blessed by God to have this opportunity,” Tang said after K-State beat Oklahoma State for its ninth win in a row before he praised his 15-player roster. “I know this is not about me.”

The Big 12 is the only league in the county with half of its teams ranked, and every team still with a winning record. That is with previously ranked teams Texas Tech and West Virginia both 0-4 in the conference.

“We’ve just got to go on a run here," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said. “And it’s not going to be easy.”

The last time the Big 12 had multiple teams open league play 4-0 with multiple other teams 0-4 was 2012-13, the season it became a 10-school league. There is also a lot going on in between those two extremes.

Texas (14-2, 3-1 Big 12), moving forward without fired coach Chris Beard, had its biggest comeback in 10 years by overcoming an 18-point deficit to beat TCU at home Wednesday night. The Horned Frogs (13-3, 2-2) had rallied from 17 down for a win at Baylor a week earlier.

"In the Big 12, we’re going to be in games like this all season long,” said Longhorns interim coach Rodney Terry, who is 7-1 since taking over the program when Beard was suspended after an arrest on a felony domestic violence charge before being fired last week.

TCU, which last March got its first NCAA Tournament victory in 35 years, had an 11-game winning streak until Gabe Kalscheur's 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left gave Iowa State a 69-67 win on Saturday.

“In the second half, we’ve got to pick up our pace and show our will,” TCU guard Emanuel Miller said after the Texas loss. “We’ve got to know every possession matters. In this league, you mess up one possession, it can cost you the game.”

Only six of the 20 conference games played so far have been decided by more than six points and home court hasn't been an advantage so far: Visiting teams have an 11-9 record.

“It’s reality, we play in the toughest conference in college basketball. ... We have literally no off night," Oklahoma State senior forward Kalib Boone said.

The Cowboys now go to preseason Big 12 favorite Baylor (11-5, 1-3), the national champion two seasons ago and two-time defending league champ. The Bears avoided an 0-4 start when freshman Keyonte George had 32 points in an 83-78 victory at West Virginia on Wednesday in their first game as an unranked team since the end of the 2018-19 season.

Baylor was in a school-record 65 consecutive polls until back-to-back home losses last week. The Bears lost 88-87 to TCU before K-State's overtime win in Tang's return to Waco, where he was on Scott Drew's staff the previous 19 seasons.

“Coach Tang has done a great job with their chemistry, their grit, their toughness,” Drew said.

The Wildcats, off to their best overall start since 1958-59, has 10 transfers and three freshmen. The only holdovers from last season are junior forward Ismael Massoud and senior guard Markquis Nowell, the Big 12 leader with 8.8 assists a game and seventh with 17.2 points.

Kansas State debuted just outside the top 10 in the same AP Top 25 that saw Iowa State made a 11-point jump from 25th. The Cyclones have won the two most-lopsided conference games so far, by 15 over Baylor on New Years' Eve and 84-50 over Texas Tech this week.

Big 12 coaches picked Iowa State to finish eighth, even after coach T.J. Otzelberger won 22 games and took the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 in his debut last season after inheriting a two-win team. Their starting lineup has a true freshman guard and four transfers.

The Cyclones play Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, where Kansas (15-1) just overcame a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes for a 79-75 victory over Oklahoma.

“We told them before the game you might as well enjoy it because it is going to be a grind,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.

That describes just about every Big 12 game so far this season.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports WriterFrom top to bottom, the Big 12 hasn't started conference play like this in a decade.No. 11 Kansas State has already surpassed last season's overall win total and made an impressive Top 25 poll debut this week after being picked to finish last in the 10-team league with new coach Jerome Tang and a completely revamped roster.The Wildcats (15-1) have won their first four Big 12 games, just like defending national champion No. 2 Kansas and No. 14 Iowa State, which is surging again after a surprise run to the NCAA Sweet 16 last March.“I’m very thankful. I’ve been really blessed by God to have this opportunity,” Tang said after K-State beat Oklahoma State for its ninth win in a row before he praised his 15-player roster. “I know this is not about me.”The Big 12 is the only league in the county with half of its teams ranked, and every team still with a winning record. That is with previously ranked teams Texas Tech and West Virginia both 0-4 in the conference.“We’ve just got to go on a run here," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said. “And it’s not going to be easy.”The last time the Big 12 had multiple teams open league play 4-0 with multiple other teams 0-4 was 2012-13, the season it became a 10-school league. There is also a lot going on in between those two extremes.Texas (14-2, 3-1 Big 12), moving forward without fired coach Chris Beard, had its biggest comeback in 10 years by overcoming an 18-point deficit to beat TCU at home Wednesday night. The Horned Frogs (13-3, 2-2) had rallied from 17 down for a win at Baylor a week earlier."In the Big 12, we’re going to be in games like this all season long,” said Longhorns interim coach Rodney Terry, who is 7-1 since taking over the program when Beard was suspended after an arrest on a felony domestic violence charge before being fired last week.TCU, which last March got its first NCAA Tournament victory in 35 years, had an 11-game winning streak until Gabe Kalscheur's 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left gave Iowa State a 69-67 win on Saturday.“In the second half, we’ve got to pick up our pace and show our will,” TCU guard Emanuel Miller said after the Texas loss. “We’ve got to know every possession matters. In this league, you mess up one possession, it can cost you the game.”Only six of the 20 conference games played so far have been decided by more than six points and home court hasn't been an advantage so far: Visiting teams have an 11-9 record.“It’s reality, we play in the toughest conference in college basketball. ... We have literally no off night," Oklahoma State senior forward Kalib Boone said.The Cowboys now go to preseason Big 12 favorite Baylor (11-5, 1-3), the national champion two seasons ago and two-time defending league champ. The Bears avoided an 0-4 start when freshman Keyonte George had 32 points in an 83-78 victory at West Virginia on Wednesday in their first game as an unranked team since the end of the 2018-19 season.Baylor was in a school-record 65 consecutive polls until back-to-back home losses last week. The Bears lost 88-87 to TCU before K-State's overtime win in Tang's return to Waco, where he was on Scott Drew's staff the previous 19 seasons.“Coach Tang has done a great job with their chemistry, their grit, their toughness,” Drew said.The Wildcats, off to their best overall start since 1958-59, has 10 transfers and three freshmen. The only holdovers from last season are junior forward Ismael Massoud and senior guard Markquis Nowell, the Big 12 leader with 8.8 assists a game and seventh with 17.2 points.Kansas State debuted just outside the top 10 in the same AP Top 25 that saw Iowa State made a 11-point jump from 25th. The Cyclones have won the two most-lopsided conference games so far, by 15 over Baylor on New Years' Eve and 84-50 over Texas Tech this week.Big 12 coaches picked Iowa State to finish eighth, even after coach T.J. Otzelberger won 22 games and took the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 in his debut last season after inheriting a two-win team. Their starting lineup has a true freshman guard and four transfers.The Cyclones play Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, where Kansas (15-1) just overcame a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes for a 79-75 victory over Oklahoma.“We told them before the game you might as well enjoy it because it is going to be a grind,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.That describes just about every Big 12 game so far this season.

🏀 Big 12 hasn't had top-to-bottom start like this in a decade

Patrick Mahomes is the graybeard of the quarterbacks in the AFC playoffs even though he's only 27 and wasn't even born yet when Tom Brady was a freshman at the University of Michigan in 1995.

With Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) out and Teddy Bridgewater, 30, also hurt, the Miami Dolphins are preparing rookie Skylar Thompson, 25, to start at Buffalo this weekend.

That would make Mahomes the oldest starting quarterback in the AFC field.

Mahomes said he certainly feels as if he's entered a new phase in which he's no longer the puerile passer who took the league by storm in 2018 when he threw for 50 touchdowns and was the league MVP in his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs' starter.

“Yeah, I feel like it’s changed. I have two kids now, I’m married. I’m kind of an old soul, so I am kind of the oldest — I am literally the oldest — quarterback in the AFC,” Mahomes said.

“It speaks to the talent that we have in the AFC and the guys that I’m looking around at are going to be there for the long time. So, I’ll be the old head in the AFC for a while now and I’ll try to use that experience to my advantage.”

Buffalo's Josh Allen and Cincinnati's Joe Burrow are both 26. Chargers QB Justin Herbert and Ravens QB Tyler Huntley, who's filling in for Lamar Jackson (knee), are both 24, and Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is 23.

Not that he'll be reclining in a rocking chair, but Mahomes gets to sit out wild-card weekend after the Chiefs earned the top seed in the AFC for the third time in his five seasons as the starter.

If they win in the divisional round, the Chiefs would host the conference championship game for a record-extending fifth consecutive year so long as the opponent isn't the Bills (13-3), whose game at Cincinnati was canceled after safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on Jan 2.

If the Bills and Chiefs reach the AFC title game, it will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The league brokered the neutral site deal because Buffalo could have been the top seed with a victory over the Bengals.

It all starts Saturday when the Chargers (10-7) visit the Jaguars (9-8) for the playoff debuts of Herbert and Lawrence. On Sunday, the Dolphins (9-8) visit the Bills (13-3) and the Ravens (10-7) visit the Bengals (12-4).

1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (14-3). Two Lombardi trophies in four Super Bowl appearances: lost to Packers 35-10 in Super Bowl 1, beat Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl 4, beat 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl 54, lost to Buccaneers 31-9 in Super Bowl 55. Last year: No. 2 seed, beat Steelers 42-21 in wild-card round, beat Bills 42-36 (OT) in divisional round, lost to Bengals 27-24 (OT) in AFC championship game. Eighth consecutive trip to the playoffs. Seventh consecutive AFC West title.

Plan the parade: Because of Patrick Mahomes. It’s the same reason as last year and the three years before, all of which ended in the AFC title game or beyond. He has never failed to advance past the divisional round as the full-time starter in Kansas City. Mahomes was better than ever this season despite losing Tyreek Hill in a trade with Miami. He threw for 5,250 yards to break his own franchise record along with a league-best 41 TD throws.

Hold the confetti: Turnovers, penalties and special teams. The Chiefs were minus-3 in turnover differential this season, putting them squarely in the bottom half of the league. They also were in the bottom half in penalty yards. And long a strong suit for Kansas City, special teams have been a headache. Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney have had trouble with fumbles on punt returns and Harrison Butker is a career-worst 18 of 24 on field-goal attempts with three missed PATs.

“We had a lot of close games this year where we had to step up, and guys had to step up, in big moments, and even though it doesn’t make it easy as a fan watching it, I think it shows that we have guys that will compete at the end of the games and make these plays to win football games." — Mahomes.

2. BUFFALO BILLS (13-3).&nbsp;No Lombardi trophies in four Super Bowl appearances: lost to Giants 20-19 in Super Bowl 25, lost to Washington 37-24 in Super Bowl 26, lost to Cowboys 52-17 in Super Bowl 27, lost to Cowboys 30-13 in Super Bowl 28. Last year: 11-6, No. 3 seed, beat Patriots 47-17 in wild-card round, lost to Chiefs 42-36 (OT) in divisional round. Third straight AFC East title.

Plan the parade: With Josh Allen at quarterback, any objective is achievable. Though he's thrown 14 interceptions, he’s also shown an ability to carry the Bills on his back. Buffalo is 8-3 when trailing at any juncture of a game this season after going 2-6 last year. The Bills' three losses have been decided by three points or fewer. The team is also battle-tested in having overcome much adversity in closing out the season winning seven straight and matching a single-season record for victories. The Bills have won despite having their schedule disrupted by two major winter storms, and they rallied to close the season by beating New England following an emotionally draining week following Hamlin's collapse at Cincinnati.

Cancel the confetti: Injuries are becoming an issue with the most notable to Von Miller, who significantly muscled up Buffalo’s middling pass rush before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in November. Miller was the missing piece on a defense that had trouble generating pressure at Kansas City in the playoffs last year. Buffalo’s secondary is also thin. Hamlin was starting in place of Micah Hyde, who has been sidelined by a neck injury since September. CB Tre’Davious White is gradually returning to form since being activated in November after missing a calendar year with a knee injury.

“I’m so proud of our organization, our team, just so many people, the way we’ve dealt with so much this year.” — GM Brandon Beane.

3. CINCINNATI BENGALS (12-4).&nbsp;No Lombardi trophies in three Super Bowl appearances: lost to 49ers 26-21 in Super Bowl 16, lost to 49ers 20-16 in Super Bowl 23, lost to Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl 56. Last year: 10-7, No. 4 seed, beat Raiders 26-19 in wild-card round, beat Titans 19-16 in divisional round, beat Chiefs 27-24 (OT) in AFC championship, lost to Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl 56. Second straight AFC North title.

Plan the parade: Third-year QB Joe Burrow has a knack for finding creative ways to win. He passed for 4,475 yards in 16 games and his 35 TDs tied him with Allen for second most in the league behind Mahomes’ 41. He has two 1,000-yard receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins along with veteran Tyler Boyd and others who have stepped up big. The defense has outstanding edge rushers in Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson along with run-stopping DT DJ Reader and a pair of versatile linebackers in Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt. The Bengals haven't lost since Oct. 31.

Cancel the confetti: RB Joe Mixon is tough in fighting for extra yards, but the Bengals running game hasn’t been a huge factor. He topped 100 yards just once this season. The Bengals will have to start backups in both offensive line positions on the right side after injuries to La’el Collins and Alex Cappa. The offense has shown a tendency to be flat for parts of some games. Depth in the secondary also has been an issue.

“We’ve adjusted to what teams are doing to us throughout the year. The beginning of the year was a lot of ups and downs. Then, as the season went on, we made some tweaks and adjustments that have been really good for us both in the run game and pass game, understanding how to win games.” — Burrow.

4. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (9-8).&nbsp;One of four teams with no Super Bowl appearances. Last year: 3-14, missed the playoffs. First playoff appearance since 2017, when they lost to the Patriots 24-20 in AFC championship game. Won AFC South in Doug Pederson's first season as head coach in Jacksonville.

Plan the parade: Trevor Lawrence is a rising star in a conference stacked with young, stellar quarterbacks. At 23, Lawrence is the youngest QB in the playoffs. He completed 66.3% of his passes for 4,113 yards, 25 TDs and eight INTs, in his second season. He also has five rushing scores. Fumbles have been his biggest issue — he has lost nine — but he’s clearly figuring out what it takes to get it done at the most important position in professional sports.

Cancel the confetti: Although Jacksonville’s defense has played well down the stretch, allowing a combined 22 points in victories over the Jets, Texans and Titans, that success came against a slew of bottom-tier QBs: Zach Wilson and Chris Streveler for the Jets; Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel for the Texans; and Joshua Dobbs for the Titans. The Jaguars’ pass rush has been mostly suspect against top-flight passers, although takeaways keep coming and LB Josh Allen is showing signs of becoming the dominant force the team expected when it drafted him seventh overall in 2019.

“We’re ready to take over. We’re not in this for no reason. We worked our butts off to get to this point.” — Allen.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (10-7). No Lombardi trophies in one Super Bowl appearance: lost to 49ers 49-26 in Super Bowl 29. Last year: 9-8, missed the playoffs. First playoff appearance since 2018 when they beat Ravens 23-17 in wild-card round and lost to Patriots 41-28 in divisional round.

Plan the parade: After dealing with injuries for most of the season, the Chargers are finally healthy and playing their best football. Los Angeles has won four of its past five, the offense is showing a semblance of balance with more consistency in the run game and the defense has done a good job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Justin Herbert threw for at least 300 yards in every game this season.

Hold the confetti: Brandon Staley is going into his first playoffs as a head coach. He is one of the most aggressive coaches in the league, but this is the time of year when the wrong decision could have huge ramifications. The Chargers also have one of the worst run defenses in the league. They allowed 5.42 yards per carry, the worst average by any team since the 1970 merger, while 10 running backs had 100-yard games against the Chargers.

“I think that we have a team that is full of quality experiences, and it has been fun to watch this group take shape together to carve its own path here with the Chargers. We get a big opportunity on Saturday to really make our mark.” — Staley on not having a lot of playoff experience on his roster.

6. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-7). Two Lombardi trophies in two appearances: beat Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl 35 and beat 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl 47. Last year: 8-9, missed the playoffs. Fourth playoff appearance in five years.

Plan the parade: Since acquiring LB Roquan Smith in a trade, the Ravens are allowing just 14.7 points per game. If they can do that in the playoffs, they can hang with anyone, even if QB Lamar Jackson remains out because of his knee injury he sustained last month. RB J.K. Dobbins has looked refreshed and healthy since returning from injured reserve, averaging nearly 100 yards rushing in four outings. The Ravens also have one of the league’s great clutch performers in a close game in K Justin Tucker. And if Jackson can actually return at some point ...

Cancel the confetti: Jackson hasn’t even practiced since his injury in early December when he was tackled by Broncos OLB Jonathan Cooper, so expecting him to provide a major lift is fanciful at this point. Furthermore, QB2 Tyler Huntley hasn’t been totally healthy, either. The Ravens benefitted from a favorable schedule down the stretch and grinded out enough wins to make the playoffs, but asking their defense to dominate against a team such as the Bengals — and the perhaps the Chiefs or Bills later in the postseason — is a different thing entirely.

“This team has been through a lot. There’s been a lot of ups, there’s been a lot of downs, and one thing that we keep on doing is fighting.”—TE Mark Andrews.

7. MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-8). Two Lombardi trophies in five appearances: lost to Cowboys 24-3 in Super Bowl 6, beat Washington 14-7 in Super Bowl 7, beat Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl 8, lost to Washington 27-17 in Super Bowl 17, lost to 49ers 38-16 in Super Bowl 19.

Plan the parade: The speed of WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle has given defenses fits all season, and Miami’s timing-based offense is at its best when those two find openings over the middle of the field. Hill was second in yards (1,710) and receptions (119) during the regular season and has the playoff experience to help carry Miami’s passing game. Waddle was seventh with 1,356 yards.

Hold the confetti: Injuries. The O-line is banged up, and the QB situation seems ever-changing. Tagovailoa was among the NFL’s highest-rated passers all season, but he hasn’t been cleared to return to football activities yet after being diagnosed with a concussion and it’s unclear when the Dolphins will see him back on the field. While Thompson did just enough to lead the Dolphins to a playoff-clinching win over the Jets, Miami’s offense, which was waning even with Tagovailoa toward the end of the season, is severely limited without him.

“There’s still confidence in this team, confidence in this whole building. I feel like you never lose that as a competitor." — Hill.

Patrick Mahomes is the graybeard of the quarterbacks in the AFC playoffs even though he's only 27 and wasn't even born yet when Tom Brady was a freshman at the University of Michigan in 1995.With Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) out and Teddy Bridgewater, 30, also hurt, the Miami Dolphins are preparing rookie Skylar Thompson, 25, to start at Buffalo this weekend.That would make Mahomes the oldest starting quarterback in the AFC field.Mahomes said he certainly feels as if he's entered a new phase in which he's no longer the puerile passer who took the league by storm in 2018 when he threw for 50 touchdowns and was the league MVP in his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs' starter.“Yeah, I feel like it’s changed. I have two kids now, I’m married. I’m kind of an old soul, so I am kind of the oldest — I am literally the oldest — quarterback in the AFC,” Mahomes said.“It speaks to the talent that we have in the AFC and the guys that I’m looking around at are going to be there for the long time. So, I’ll be the old head in the AFC for a while now and I’ll try to use that experience to my advantage.”Buffalo's Josh Allen and Cincinnati's Joe Burrow are both 26. Chargers QB Justin Herbert and Ravens QB Tyler Huntley, who's filling in for Lamar Jackson (knee), are both 24, and Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is 23.Not that he'll be reclining in a rocking chair, but Mahomes gets to sit out wild-card weekend after the Chiefs earned the top seed in the AFC for the third time in his five seasons as the starter.If they win in the divisional round, the Chiefs would host the conference championship game for a record-extending fifth consecutive year so long as the opponent isn't the Bills (13-3), whose game at Cincinnati was canceled after safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on Jan 2.If the Bills and Chiefs reach the AFC title game, it will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The league brokered the neutral site deal because Buffalo could have been the top seed with a victory over the Bengals.It all starts Saturday when the Chargers (10-7) visit the Jaguars (9-8) for the playoff debuts of Herbert and Lawrence. On Sunday, the Dolphins (9-8) visit the Bills (13-3) and the Ravens (10-7) visit the Bengals (12-4).1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (14-3). Two Lombardi trophies in four Super Bowl appearances: lost to Packers 35-10 in Super Bowl 1, beat Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl 4, beat 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl 54, lost to Buccaneers 31-9 in Super Bowl 55. Last year: No. 2 seed, beat Steelers 42-21 in wild-card round, beat Bills 42-36 (OT) in divisional round, lost to Bengals 27-24 (OT) in AFC championship game. Eighth consecutive trip to the playoffs. Seventh consecutive AFC West title.Plan the parade: Because of Patrick Mahomes. It’s the same reason as last year and the three years before, all of which ended in the AFC title game or beyond. He has never failed to advance past the divisional round as the full-time starter in Kansas City. Mahomes was better than ever this season despite losing Tyreek Hill in a trade with Miami. He threw for 5,250 yards to break his own franchise record along with a league-best 41 TD throws.Hold the confetti: Turnovers, penalties and special teams. The Chiefs were minus-3 in turnover differential this season, putting them squarely in the bottom half of the league. They also were in the bottom half in penalty yards. And long a strong suit for Kansas City, special teams have been a headache. Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney have had trouble with fumbles on punt returns and Harrison Butker is a career-worst 18 of 24 on field-goal attempts with three missed PATs.“We had a lot of close games this year where we had to step up, and guys had to step up, in big moments, and even though it doesn’t make it easy as a fan watching it, I think it shows that we have guys that will compete at the end of the games and make these plays to win football games." — Mahomes.2. BUFFALO BILLS (13-3).&nbsp;No Lombardi trophies in four Super Bowl appearances: lost to Giants 20-19 in Super Bowl 25, lost to Washington 37-24 in Super Bowl 26, lost to Cowboys 52-17 in Super Bowl 27, lost to Cowboys 30-13 in Super Bowl 28. Last year: 11-6, No. 3 seed, beat Patriots 47-17 in wild-card round, lost to Chiefs 42-36 (OT) in divisional round. Third straight AFC East title.Plan the parade: With Josh Allen at quarterback, any objective is achievable. Though he's thrown 14 interceptions, he’s also shown an ability to carry the Bills on his back. Buffalo is 8-3 when trailing at any juncture of a game this season after going 2-6 last year. The Bills' three losses have been decided by three points or fewer. The team is also battle-tested in having overcome much adversity in closing out the season winning seven straight and matching a single-season record for victories. The Bills have won despite having their schedule disrupted by two major winter storms, and they rallied to close the season by beating New England following an emotionally draining week following Hamlin's collapse at Cincinnati.Cancel the confetti: Injuries are becoming an issue with the most notable to Von Miller, who significantly muscled up Buffalo’s middling pass rush before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in November. Miller was the missing piece on a defense that had trouble generating pressure at Kansas City in the playoffs last year. Buffalo’s secondary is also thin. Hamlin was starting in place of Micah Hyde, who has been sidelined by a neck injury since September. CB Tre’Davious White is gradually returning to form since being activated in November after missing a calendar year with a knee injury.“I’m so proud of our organization, our team, just so many people, the way we’ve dealt with so much this year.” — GM Brandon Beane.3. CINCINNATI BENGALS (12-4).&nbsp;No Lombardi trophies in three Super Bowl appearances: lost to 49ers 26-21 in Super Bowl 16, lost to 49ers 20-16 in Super Bowl 23, lost to Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl 56. Last year: 10-7, No. 4 seed, beat Raiders 26-19 in wild-card round, beat Titans 19-16 in divisional round, beat Chiefs 27-24 (OT) in AFC championship, lost to Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl 56. Second straight AFC North title.Plan the parade: Third-year QB Joe Burrow has a knack for finding creative ways to win. He passed for 4,475 yards in 16 games and his 35 TDs tied him with Allen for second most in the league behind Mahomes’ 41. He has two 1,000-yard receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins along with veteran Tyler Boyd and others who have stepped up big. The defense has outstanding edge rushers in Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson along with run-stopping DT DJ Reader and a pair of versatile linebackers in Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt. The Bengals haven't lost since Oct. 31.Cancel the confetti: RB Joe Mixon is tough in fighting for extra yards, but the Bengals running game hasn’t been a huge factor. He topped 100 yards just once this season. The Bengals will have to start backups in both offensive line positions on the right side after injuries to La’el Collins and Alex Cappa. The offense has shown a tendency to be flat for parts of some games. Depth in the secondary also has been an issue.“We’ve adjusted to what teams are doing to us throughout the year. The beginning of the year was a lot of ups and downs. Then, as the season went on, we made some tweaks and adjustments that have been really good for us both in the run game and pass game, understanding how to win games.” — Burrow.4. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (9-8).&nbsp;One of four teams with no Super Bowl appearances. Last year: 3-14, missed the playoffs. First playoff appearance since 2017, when they lost to the Patriots 24-20 in AFC championship game. Won AFC South in Doug Pederson's first season as head coach in Jacksonville.Plan the parade: Trevor Lawrence is a rising star in a conference stacked with young, stellar quarterbacks. At 23, Lawrence is the youngest QB in the playoffs. He completed 66.3% of his passes for 4,113 yards, 25 TDs and eight INTs, in his second season. He also has five rushing scores. Fumbles have been his biggest issue — he has lost nine — but he’s clearly figuring out what it takes to get it done at the most important position in professional sports.Cancel the confetti: Although Jacksonville’s defense has played well down the stretch, allowing a combined 22 points in victories over the Jets, Texans and Titans, that success came against a slew of bottom-tier QBs: Zach Wilson and Chris Streveler for the Jets; Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel for the Texans; and Joshua Dobbs for the Titans. The Jaguars’ pass rush has been mostly suspect against top-flight passers, although takeaways keep coming and LB Josh Allen is showing signs of becoming the dominant force the team expected when it drafted him seventh overall in 2019.“We’re ready to take over. We’re not in this for no reason. We worked our butts off to get to this point.” — Allen.5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (10-7). No Lombardi trophies in one Super Bowl appearance: lost to 49ers 49-26 in Super Bowl 29. Last year: 9-8, missed the playoffs. First playoff appearance since 2018 when they beat Ravens 23-17 in wild-card round and lost to Patriots 41-28 in divisional round.Plan the parade: After dealing with injuries for most of the season, the Chargers are finally healthy and playing their best football. Los Angeles has won four of its past five, the offense is showing a semblance of balance with more consistency in the run game and the defense has done a good job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Justin Herbert threw for at least 300 yards in every game this season.Hold the confetti: Brandon Staley is going into his first playoffs as a head coach. He is one of the most aggressive coaches in the league, but this is the time of year when the wrong decision could have huge ramifications. The Chargers also have one of the worst run defenses in the league. They allowed 5.42 yards per carry, the worst average by any team since the 1970 merger, while 10 running backs had 100-yard games against the Chargers.“I think that we have a team that is full of quality experiences, and it has been fun to watch this group take shape together to carve its own path here with the Chargers. We get a big opportunity on Saturday to really make our mark.” — Staley on not having a lot of playoff experience on his roster.6. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-7). Two Lombardi trophies in two appearances: beat Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl 35 and beat 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl 47. Last year: 8-9, missed the playoffs. Fourth playoff appearance in five years.Plan the parade: Since acquiring LB Roquan Smith in a trade, the Ravens are allowing just 14.7 points per game. If they can do that in the playoffs, they can hang with anyone, even if QB Lamar Jackson remains out because of his knee injury he sustained last month. RB J.K. Dobbins has looked refreshed and healthy since returning from injured reserve, averaging nearly 100 yards rushing in four outings. The Ravens also have one of the league’s great clutch performers in a close game in K Justin Tucker. And if Jackson can actually return at some point ...Cancel the confetti: Jackson hasn’t even practiced since his injury in early December when he was tackled by Broncos OLB Jonathan Cooper, so expecting him to provide a major lift is fanciful at this point. Furthermore, QB2 Tyler Huntley hasn’t been totally healthy, either. The Ravens benefitted from a favorable schedule down the stretch and grinded out enough wins to make the playoffs, but asking their defense to dominate against a team such as the Bengals — and the perhaps the Chiefs or Bills later in the postseason — is a different thing entirely.“This team has been through a lot. There’s been a lot of ups, there’s been a lot of downs, and one thing that we keep on doing is fighting.”—TE Mark Andrews.7. MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-8). Two Lombardi trophies in five appearances: lost to Cowboys 24-3 in Super Bowl 6, beat Washington 14-7 in Super Bowl 7, beat Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl 8, lost to Washington 27-17 in Super Bowl 17, lost to 49ers 38-16 in Super Bowl 19.Plan the parade: The speed of WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle has given defenses fits all season, and Miami’s timing-based offense is at its best when those two find openings over the middle of the field. Hill was second in yards (1,710) and receptions (119) during the regular season and has the playoff experience to help carry Miami’s passing game. Waddle was seventh with 1,356 yards.Hold the confetti: Injuries. The O-line is banged up, and the QB situation seems ever-changing. Tagovailoa was among the NFL’s highest-rated passers all season, but he hasn’t been cleared to return to football activities yet after being diagnosed with a concussion and it’s unclear when the Dolphins will see him back on the field. While Thompson did just enough to lead the Dolphins to a playoff-clinching win over the Jets, Miami’s offense, which was waning even with Tagovailoa toward the end of the season, is severely limited without him.“There’s still confidence in this team, confidence in this whole building. I feel like you never lose that as a competitor." — Hill.

🏈 Chiefs top seed in AFC, but title game could be in Atlanta-AFC Playoff Preview

The Kansas City Chiefs earned the AFC's top seed for the third time in Patrick Mahomes' five seasons as their starting quarterback. Even if they win in the divisional round as they've done every year under Mahomes, the Chiefs would only get to host another AFC championship game if it's not against the Buffalo Bills. The NFL decided that if it's a Chiefs-Bills matchup, that title game will be played in Atlanta. That's because the Bills' game at Cincinnati was canceled following Damar Hamlin's medical emergency on Jan. 2. The Bills could have secured the No. 1 seed by beating the Bengals.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will have a familiar route through the playoffs no matter what direction it goes. In the divisional round, the Chiefs could face former Andy Reid assistants now leading the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens, an AFC West rival in the Los Angeles Chargers or longtime star Tyreek Hill with his new team, the Miami Dolphins. And in a potential AFC title game, the Chiefs would face the Bills in a rematch of two years ago or the Bengals in a rematch of last year. Kansas City also played Buffalo in last year's divisional round in an epic overtime thriller before losing to Cincinnati in overtime with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens are still practicing without Lamar Jackson. But Thursday did include one significant development. There was an update from the star quarterback’s Twitter account. Jackson tweeted that he's suffered a grade 2 PCL sprain. He says there's still inflammation surrounding his knee and his knee remains unstable. Jackson hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee in a Dec. 4 win over Denver. He missed the final five games of the regular season. Now the Ravens face the prospect of playing their postseason opener at Cincinnati without him Sunday night.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott is no longer the lead running back for the Dallas Cowboys. The two-time rushing champ shares the backfield role with Tony Pollard. The understudy is the team's leading rusher going into a wild-card playoff game at Tampa Bay on Monday night. Elliott's teammates and coaches grade his value on a scale beyond production on the field. Quarterback Dak Prescott is the leader among Elliott's supporters. They've been the face of the Dallas offense since their remarkable rookie season together in 2016.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr posted on Twitter that he is ready for the challenge of playing in a new city. Those were his first public comments since being benched by coach Josh McDaniels with two weeks left in the season. Carr was the Raiders QB for nine seasons. He owns multiple team records, including most career passing yards with 35,222 and passing touchdowns with 217. The Raiders have until Feb. 15 to release Carr or his $32.9 million salary for 2023 will be guaranteed.

UNDATED (AP) — Big 12 men's basketball is off to roaring start. No. 11 Kansas State has already surpassed last season's overall win total at 15-1 and is 4-0 in conference play along with No. 2 Kansas and No. 14 Iowa State. That comes as Texas Tech and West Virginia have lost their first four conference games. The last time the Big 12 had multiple teams open league play 4-0 with multiple other teams going 0-4 was 2012-13. The Big 12 is still the only league in the county with half of its teams ranked, and every team still has a winning record.

UNDATED (AP) — Derek Mason announced on social media that he is stepping down as Oklahoma State's defensive coordinator and taking a sabbatical from coaching football. Mason took over this past season after Jim Knowles took the same position at Ohio State. Under Mason, Oklahoma State allowed 28.9 points per game, fifth in the Big 12, and surrendered 435.7 yards per game, eighth in the 10-team conference. Mason joined the staff this season after being defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2021. He was the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2014-2020 and was defensive coordinator at Stanford before that.

UNDATED (AP) — Clemson is working to hire TCU assistant Garrett Riley as its next offensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a deal was being finalized and still needed approval from the school’s Board of Trustees. The board’s compensation committee had a meeting scheduled for Friday with a lone action item on the agenda: Football assistant coach contract. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney announced earlier that offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter would not return to the coaching staff. Streeter is a longtime member of Swinney’s staff who was promoted to offensive coordinator after last season.

NEW YORK (AP) — Trevor Bauer was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who cut ties after the pitcher’s unprecedented 324-game suspension over sexual misconduct allegations was reduced by an arbitrator. Los Angeles designated Bauer for assignment on Jan. 6, the last day to restore him to the roster, after arbitrator Martin Scheinman cut the suspension imposed by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to 194 games. The Dodgers placed the pitcher on waivers Thursday and any team can claim Bauer by Friday. Bauer is owed about $22.5 million from the remainder of his $102 million, three-year contract, making a waiver claim unlikely.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — At the NCAA convention, outgoing President Mark Emmert said goodbye, incoming President Charlie Baker introduced himself and the state of college sports was declared unstable. Baylor President Linda Livingstone says college sports is "both thriving and threatened.” Livingstone is chairwoman of the NCAA’s Board of Governors. Earlier in the day the Division I Board Division I Board of Directors approved a host of recommendations intended to reform the top-tier of college sports, from membership standards to the size of championship brackets. But Livingstone re-iterated federal intervention is needed to help preserve college sports.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines led a group of about two dozen demonstrators outside the NCAA convention. They were protesting the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. They also threatened the NCAA with legal action if it doesn’t change its policies. Gaines competed in last year’s NCAA swimming and diving championships against Penn’s Lia Thomas, who became first transgender woman to win a national title. Eighteen states have passed laws banning transgender athletes from participating on girls' or women's sports teams.

The Kansas City Chiefs earned the AFC's top seed for the third time in Patrick Mahomes' five seasons as their starting quarterback. Even if they win in the divisional round as they've done every year under Mahomes, the Chiefs would only get to host another AFC championship game if it's not against the Buffalo Bills. The NFL decided that if it's a Chiefs-Bills matchup, that title game will be played in Atlanta. That's because the Bills' game at Cincinnati was canceled following Damar Hamlin's medical emergency on Jan. 2. The Bills could have secured the No. 1 seed by beating the Bengals.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will have a familiar route through the playoffs no matter what direction it goes. In the divisional round, the Chiefs could face former Andy Reid assistants now leading the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens, an AFC West rival in the Los Angeles Chargers or longtime star Tyreek Hill with his new team, the Miami Dolphins. And in a potential AFC title game, the Chiefs would face the Bills in a rematch of two years ago or the Bengals in a rematch of last year. Kansas City also played Buffalo in last year's divisional round in an epic overtime thriller before losing to Cincinnati in overtime with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens are still practicing without Lamar Jackson. But Thursday did include one significant development. There was an update from the star quarterback’s Twitter account. Jackson tweeted that he's suffered a grade 2 PCL sprain. He says there's still inflammation surrounding his knee and his knee remains unstable. Jackson hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee in a Dec. 4 win over Denver. He missed the final five games of the regular season. Now the Ravens face the prospect of playing their postseason opener at Cincinnati without him Sunday night.FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott is no longer the lead running back for the Dallas Cowboys. The two-time rushing champ shares the backfield role with Tony Pollard. The understudy is the team's leading rusher going into a wild-card playoff game at Tampa Bay on Monday night. Elliott's teammates and coaches grade his value on a scale beyond production on the field. Quarterback Dak Prescott is the leader among Elliott's supporters. They've been the face of the Dallas offense since their remarkable rookie season together in 2016.LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr posted on Twitter that he is ready for the challenge of playing in a new city. Those were his first public comments since being benched by coach Josh McDaniels with two weeks left in the season. Carr was the Raiders QB for nine seasons. He owns multiple team records, including most career passing yards with 35,222 and passing touchdowns with 217. The Raiders have until Feb. 15 to release Carr or his $32.9 million salary for 2023 will be guaranteed.UNDATED (AP) — Big 12 men's basketball is off to roaring start. No. 11 Kansas State has already surpassed last season's overall win total at 15-1 and is 4-0 in conference play along with No. 2 Kansas and No. 14 Iowa State. That comes as Texas Tech and West Virginia have lost their first four conference games. The last time the Big 12 had multiple teams open league play 4-0 with multiple other teams going 0-4 was 2012-13. The Big 12 is still the only league in the county with half of its teams ranked, and every team still has a winning record.UNDATED (AP) — Derek Mason announced on social media that he is stepping down as Oklahoma State's defensive coordinator and taking a sabbatical from coaching football. Mason took over this past season after Jim Knowles took the same position at Ohio State. Under Mason, Oklahoma State allowed 28.9 points per game, fifth in the Big 12, and surrendered 435.7 yards per game, eighth in the 10-team conference. Mason joined the staff this season after being defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2021. He was the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2014-2020 and was defensive coordinator at Stanford before that.UNDATED (AP) — Clemson is working to hire TCU assistant Garrett Riley as its next offensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a deal was being finalized and still needed approval from the school’s Board of Trustees. The board’s compensation committee had a meeting scheduled for Friday with a lone action item on the agenda: Football assistant coach contract. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney announced earlier that offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter would not return to the coaching staff. Streeter is a longtime member of Swinney’s staff who was promoted to offensive coordinator after last season.NEW YORK (AP) — Trevor Bauer was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who cut ties after the pitcher’s unprecedented 324-game suspension over sexual misconduct allegations was reduced by an arbitrator. Los Angeles designated Bauer for assignment on Jan. 6, the last day to restore him to the roster, after arbitrator Martin Scheinman cut the suspension imposed by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to 194 games. The Dodgers placed the pitcher on waivers Thursday and any team can claim Bauer by Friday. Bauer is owed about $22.5 million from the remainder of his $102 million, three-year contract, making a waiver claim unlikely.SAN ANTONIO (AP) — At the NCAA convention, outgoing President Mark Emmert said goodbye, incoming President Charlie Baker introduced himself and the state of college sports was declared unstable. Baylor President Linda Livingstone says college sports is "both thriving and threatened.” Livingstone is chairwoman of the NCAA’s Board of Governors. Earlier in the day the Division I Board Division I Board of Directors approved a host of recommendations intended to reform the top-tier of college sports, from membership standards to the size of championship brackets. But Livingstone re-iterated federal intervention is needed to help preserve college sports.SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines led a group of about two dozen demonstrators outside the NCAA convention. They were protesting the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. They also threatened the NCAA with legal action if it doesn’t change its policies. Gaines competed in last year’s NCAA swimming and diving championships against Penn’s Lia Thomas, who became first transgender woman to win a national title. Eighteen states have passed laws banning transgender athletes from participating on girls' or women's sports teams.THURSDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal (7)UCLA 68 Utah 49Final (8)Gonzaga 75 BYU 74Final (9)Arizona 86 Oregon St. 74NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Oklahoma City 133 Philadelphia 114Final Miami 108 Milwaukee 102Final Boston 109 Brooklyn 98Final Toronto 124 Charlotte 114Final Cleveland 119 Portland 113Final 2OT Dallas 119 L.A. Lakers 115NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal Seattle 3 Boston 0Final Detroit 4 Toronto 1Final OT N-Y Rangers 2 Dallas 1Final Winnipeg 4 Buffalo 2Final Carolina 6 Columbus 2Final Montreal 4 Nashville 3Final Tampa Bay 5 Vancouver 4Final Minnesota 3 N-Y Islanders 1Final Calgary 4 St. Louis 1Final Chicago 3 Colorado 2Final Ottawa 5 Arizona 3Final Vegas 4 Florida 2

Sports Headlines for Friday

The NFL has named Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon as its AFC offensive player of the month for December and January of the 2022 season.

In December and January (a stretch that included six games), the running back led the NFL with nine total touchdowns, recording a receiving touchdown in every single game. McKinnon is the first running back since 1970 with a scoring reception in at least five straight games.

McKinnon’s final stat line in December and January was 33 rushes for 142 yards (4.3 yards per attempt) and one rushing touchdown — along with 27 catches for 274 yards and eight touchdowns. McKinnon’s nine receiving touchdowns on the season lead the league for running backs. 

Thursday’s announcement marks McKinnon's first career Offensive Player of the Month award. It is the third for the Chiefs this season. McKinnon joins punter Tommy Townsend (September) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (November) in taking home a monthly award during the 2022 season.

McKinnon is the sixth Chiefs running back to earn a monthly award, joining the likes of Priest Holmes (a two-time winner), Kareem Hunt, Larry Johnson (a two-time winner), Christian Okoye and Barry Word.

The NFL has named Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon as its AFC offensive player of the month for December and January of the 2022 season.In December and January (a stretch that included six games), the running back led the NFL with nine total touchdowns, recording a receiving touchdown in every single game. McKinnon is the first running back since 1970 with a scoring reception in at least five straight games.McKinnon’s final stat line in December and January was 33 rushes for 142 yards (4.3 yards per attempt) and one rushing touchdown — along with 27 catches for 274 yards and eight touchdowns. McKinnon’s nine receiving touchdowns on the season lead the league for running backs. Thursday’s announcement marks McKinnon's first career Offensive Player of the Month award. It is the third for the Chiefs this season. McKinnon joins punter Tommy Townsend (September) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (November) in taking home a monthly award during the 2022 season.McKinnon is the sixth Chiefs running back to earn a monthly award, joining the likes of Priest Holmes (a two-time winner), Kareem Hunt, Larry Johnson (a two-time winner), Christian Okoye and Barry Word.

McKinnon wins player of month

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the neutral site if Buffalo and Kansas City meet in the AFC championship game.

The NFL decided to put that potential matchup in a neutral city after the Bills’ Week 17 game against Cincinnati was canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.

The Chiefs (14-3) are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but played one more game than the second-seeded Bills (13-3). The league brokered the neutral site deal because Buffalo could have been the top seed with a victory over the Bengals.

The Buffalo-Cincinnati game Jan. 2 was halted in the first quarter after Hamlin collapsed and was resuscitated on the field. He was released from a hospital nine days later, after returning to Buffalo.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-health-damar-hamlin-buffalo-2a2003b201800d81fedec0d65415190b">Hamlin was released from a Buffalo hospital</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.

The NFL said Thursday that Atlanta was designated as a potential backup postseason site before the 2022 season. All other potential matchups in the AFC title game will be played on the higher seed’s home field.

“We are heartened by the continued improvement and progress of Damar Hamlin in his recovery, and Damar and his family remain top of mind for the entire NFL community,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We are also grateful to Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons for agreeing to host the AFC championship game in Atlanta should the Bills and Chiefs advance.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the neutral site if Buffalo and Kansas City meet in the AFC championship game.The NFL decided to put that potential matchup in a neutral city after the Bills’ Week 17 game against Cincinnati was canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.The Chiefs (14-3) are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but played one more game than the second-seeded Bills (13-3). The league brokered the neutral site deal because Buffalo could have been the top seed with a victory over the Bengals.The Buffalo-Cincinnati game Jan. 2 was halted in the first quarter after Hamlin collapsed and was resuscitated on the field. He was released from a hospital nine days later, after returning to Buffalo.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-health-damar-hamlin-buffalo-2a2003b201800d81fedec0d65415190b">Hamlin was released from a Buffalo hospital</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.The NFL said Thursday that Atlanta was designated as a potential backup postseason site before the 2022 season. All other potential matchups in the AFC title game will be played on the higher seed’s home field.“We are heartened by the continued improvement and progress of Damar Hamlin in his recovery, and Damar and his family remain top of mind for the entire NFL community,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We are also grateful to Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons for agreeing to host the AFC championship game in Atlanta should the Bills and Chiefs advance.”

Chiefs-Bills, if it happens, will be in Atlanta

HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports. Wichita State will once again serve as a regional site for its 64 team. $1 million winner take all event dates for the A-Team Wichita Regional will be announced in the near future. This will be Wichita's fourth go round as regional host, making it the longest running location in the TBT's tenure history, which top again hosting in 2019 and holds each of the top five attendance mark in TBT history. The aftershocks hold an 8-1 record at the roundhouse with back to back Wichita regional titles.

Zach Busch, J.R. Simon and Garrett Stutz are set to return as the aftershocks coach general managers with Bush also serving as head coach for a third straight summer.

 McPherson  College coach Doug Quint announcing on January 11th he is stepping down as McPherson College Head's men's soccer coach. Quint began his soccer coaching career as the boys coach Hutchinson High directing the Salthawk program to two league championships, two regional championships and two consecutive appearances at the KSHSAA Classics, a state tournament. He coached the Salthawks for three years, also instrumental in building Hutchinson's first soccer complex with his father, Don Quint Sr. While serving and starting Club Azari and the Hutchinson Youth Soccer Association. With his announcement, Quint completes a 20 year collegiate coaching career with two KCAC regular season and three KCAC postseason tournament titles among his 215 wins. 

The  inaugural edition of the NFL Players All-Pro first team featured four chiefs, according to the NFLPA. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight-end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones and punter Tommy Townson, each selected by their peers is the best at their position. 

For this past season, the NFLPA introduced the players All-Pro team for the first time following the 2022 season. 

In a letter written by NFLPA president and Cleveland Browns offensive guard J.C. Tretter, the All-Pro team was brought about to provide players a voice on who really is the best, as opposed to the popularity contest. Sometimes the Pro Bowl gets into with fans during the voting.  

Chiefs middle linebacker Nick Bolton, one of six linebackers nominated for the 2022 Professional Butkus Award that given to the top linebacker in high school college in the NFL. Bolton has had a monster season 180 tackles. That is a new single season high in  franchise history. 

The Reno County Coaches show returns for 2023 tonight here at 6 pm on BW. Glen Greenwald chats with Adam Clark, longtime boys coach at Central Christian and I'll visit with DJ Kaufman, the Central Christian Girls  coach. They're off to another fabulous start.  

<div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for January 12th, 2023" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=bfge3-135fe97-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports. Wichita State will once again serve as a regional site for its 64 team. $1 million winner take all event dates for the A-Team Wichita Regional will be announced in the near future. This will be Wichita's fourth go round as regional host, making it the longest running location in the TBT's tenure history, which top again hosting in 2019 and holds each of the top five attendance mark in TBT history. The aftershocks hold an 8-1 record at the roundhouse with back to back Wichita regional titles. Zach Busch, J.R. Simon and Garrett Stutz are set to return as the aftershocks coach general managers with Bush also serving as head coach for a third straight summer. McPherson College coach Doug Quint announcing on January 11th he is stepping down as McPherson College Head's men's soccer coach. Quint began his soccer coaching career as the boys coach Hutchinson High directing the Salthawk program to two league championships, two regional championships and two consecutive appearances at the KSHSAA Classics, a state tournament. He coached the Salthawks for three years, also instrumental in building Hutchinson's first soccer complex with his father, Don Quint Sr. While serving and starting Club Azari and the Hutchinson Youth Soccer Association. With his announcement, Quint completes a 20 year collegiate coaching career with two KCAC regular season and three KCAC postseason tournament titles among his 215 wins. The inaugural edition of the NFL Players All-Pro first team featured four chiefs, according to the NFLPA. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight-end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones and punter Tommy Townson, each selected by their peers is the best at their position. For this past season, the NFLPA introduced the players All-Pro team for the first time following the 2022 season. In a letter written by NFLPA president and Cleveland Browns offensive guard J.C. Tretter, the All-Pro team was brought about to provide players a voice on who really is the best, as opposed to the popularity contest. Sometimes the Pro Bowl gets into with fans during the voting. Chiefs middle linebacker Nick Bolton, one of six linebackers nominated for the 2022 Professional Butkus Award that given to the top linebacker in high school college in the NFL. Bolton has had a monster season 180 tackles. That is a new single season high in franchise history. The Reno County Coaches show returns for 2023 tonight here at 6 pm on BW. Glen Greenwald chats with Adam Clark, longtime boys coach at Central Christian and I'll visit with DJ Kaufman, the Central Christian Girls coach. They're off to another fabulous start. That's sports on BW.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

🎙 📰 Eagle Media Sports for Thursday Morning

KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Royals announced Wednesday that the club has invited 19 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz. 

Among the invitees are seven pitchers, four catchers, four infielders and four outfielders.

Included in the 19 invitees are 10 players who were originally signed or drafted by Kansas City: left-handed pitcher&nbsp;Austin Cox, right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Andrés Núñez, catchers&nbsp;Logan Porter&nbsp;and&nbsp;Luca Tresh, infielders&nbsp;Clay Dungan,&nbsp;Nick Loftin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Tyler Tolbert&nbsp;and outfielders&nbsp;Tyler Gentry,&nbsp;Brewer Hicklen&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Rave.

There are five additional invitees who are returning to the organization in 2023, including right-handed pitchers&nbsp;Yefri Del Rosario&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ryan Weiss, catchers&nbsp;Tyler Cropley&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jakson Reetz&nbsp;and outfielder&nbsp;Dairon Blanco.

The remaining four players are new to the organization and include: right-handed pitchers&nbsp;Brooks Kriske,&nbsp;Mike Mayers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nick Wittgren&nbsp;and infielder/outfielder&nbsp;Matt Beaty.

KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Royals announced Wednesday that the club has invited 19 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz. Among the invitees are seven pitchers, four catchers, four infielders and four outfielders.Included in the 19 invitees are 10 players who were originally signed or drafted by Kansas City: left-handed pitcher&nbsp;Austin Cox, right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Andrés Núñez, catchers&nbsp;Logan Porter&nbsp;and&nbsp;Luca Tresh, infielders&nbsp;Clay Dungan,&nbsp;Nick Loftin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Tyler Tolbert&nbsp;and outfielders&nbsp;Tyler Gentry,&nbsp;Brewer Hicklen&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Rave.There are five additional invitees who are returning to the organization in 2023, including right-handed pitchers&nbsp;Yefri Del Rosario&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ryan Weiss, catchers&nbsp;Tyler Cropley&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jakson Reetz&nbsp;and outfielder&nbsp;Dairon Blanco.The remaining four players are new to the organization and include: right-handed pitchers&nbsp;Brooks Kriske,&nbsp;Mike Mayers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nick Wittgren&nbsp;and infielder/outfielder&nbsp;Matt Beaty.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673526547338.jpeg" alt="KCSpringTraining.JPG" />
 <figcaption>KCSpringTraining.JPG</figcaption>
 </figure>

⚾️ Royals will have 59 at Spring Training

&nbsp; NEW ORLEANS –&nbsp;Tulane built an early lead and never looked back in a 76-53 win over Wichita State Wednesday night in Devlin Fieldhouse. Wichita State (11-6, 1-3) has now dropped three straight games after winning its conference opener. <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;scored a team-high 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;logged her sixth double-double of the season behind 10 points and 11 rebounds. Wichita State shot just 33 percent from the field and went just 4-of-20 from three-point range. Tulane hit 8-of-25 three-pointers and finished the game at 47 percent overall. For just the third time this season Wichita State lost the rebound battle. The Shockers were minus-9 on the glass, the largest of the year. A&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/curtessia-dean/7199">Curtessia Dean</a>&nbsp;jumper opened the scoring in the first quarter, but it would be all Tulane for the remainder of the period. The Green Wave connected on 13-of-18 from the field and grabbed a 31-16 lead after 10 minutes. The 31 points were the most Wichita State had allowed in the first quarter all season. Asinde (8) and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/shamaryah-duncan/7156">Shamaryah Duncan</a>&nbsp;(4) combined for 12 of Wichita State's 16 points in the opening frame, but points would be hard to come by. Just over two minutes into the second quarter Tulane pushed the margin to as many as 19. Wichita State would cut it to 12 with 2:21 left in the half behind an 8-2 run, but Tulane's fifth triple of the half gave the Green Wave a 47-32 lead at the half. Tulane finished the half shooting 66 percent from the field and 5-of-11 from beyond the arc. Wichita State was able to score 10 points off nine first half turnovers and shot 42 percent. McCarty led the Shockers with 10 points – all coming in the second quarter – and Asinde added eight. The first 11 points of the third quarter belonged to the Green Wave, extending their lead to 26, forcing a Wichita State timeout. Tulane would hold Wichita State to just six points in the third quarter and take a 65-38 lead into the final 10 minutes. Both teams emptied their benches early in the fourth quarter. Wichita State would outscore the Green Wave, 15-11, over the final 10 minutes. Up Next Wichita State concludes a two-game road trip in the Sunshine State on Sunday, Jan. 15 vs. UCF at 12 p.m. CT.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673525260968.jpeg" alt="WSU vs Tulane.jpg" />
 <figcaption>WSU vs Tulane.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; NEW ORLEANS –&nbsp;Tulane built an early lead and never looked back in a 76-53 win over Wichita State Wednesday night in Devlin Fieldhouse. Wichita State (11-6, 1-3) has now dropped three straight games after winning its conference opener. <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;scored a team-high 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;logged her sixth double-double of the season behind 10 points and 11 rebounds. Wichita State shot just 33 percent from the field and went just 4-of-20 from three-point range. Tulane hit 8-of-25 three-pointers and finished the game at 47 percent overall. For just the third time this season Wichita State lost the rebound battle. The Shockers were minus-9 on the glass, the largest of the year. A&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/curtessia-dean/7199">Curtessia Dean</a>&nbsp;jumper opened the scoring in the first quarter, but it would be all Tulane for the remainder of the period. The Green Wave connected on 13-of-18 from the field and grabbed a 31-16 lead after 10 minutes. The 31 points were the most Wichita State had allowed in the first quarter all season. Asinde (8) and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/shamaryah-duncan/7156">Shamaryah Duncan</a>&nbsp;(4) combined for 12 of Wichita State's 16 points in the opening frame, but points would be hard to come by. Just over two minutes into the second quarter Tulane pushed the margin to as many as 19. Wichita State would cut it to 12 with 2:21 left in the half behind an 8-2 run, but Tulane's fifth triple of the half gave the Green Wave a 47-32 lead at the half. Tulane finished the half shooting 66 percent from the field and 5-of-11 from beyond the arc. Wichita State was able to score 10 points off nine first half turnovers and shot 42 percent. McCarty led the Shockers with 10 points – all coming in the second quarter – and Asinde added eight. The first 11 points of the third quarter belonged to the Green Wave, extending their lead to 26, forcing a Wichita State timeout. Tulane would hold Wichita State to just six points in the third quarter and take a 65-38 lead into the final 10 minutes. Both teams emptied their benches early in the fourth quarter. Wichita State would outscore the Green Wave, 15-11, over the final 10 minutes. Up Next Wichita State concludes a two-game road trip in the Sunshine State on Sunday, Jan. 15 vs. UCF at 12 p.m. CT.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 WBB: Hot-Shooting Tulane Downs Wichita State

AMES, Iowa –&nbsp;In the 100th&nbsp;all-time meeting between K-State and Iowa State, the Wildcats rallied back several times but fell short in upsetting (15/15) Iowa State, 65-56, at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday night.

K-State (12-5, 1-3 Big 12) was led by sophomore guard Jaelyn Glenn with her second straight double-double with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 4-of-7 from 3-point range, 10 rebounds, and six steals. Glenn tied her career-high with six steals.

Iowa State (11-3, 3-1) featured four players with 14 points each and were led offensively by Emily Ryan with 11 rebounds and eight assists.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673524715037.jpeg" alt="K-State vs Iowa State" />
 <figcaption>K-State vs Iowa State</figcaption>
 </figure>AMES, Iowa –&nbsp;In the 100th&nbsp;all-time meeting between K-State and Iowa State, the Wildcats rallied back several times but fell short in upsetting (15/15) Iowa State, 65-56, at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday night.K-State (12-5, 1-3 Big 12) was led by sophomore guard Jaelyn Glenn with her second straight double-double with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 4-of-7 from 3-point range, 10 rebounds, and six steals. Glenn tied her career-high with six steals.Iowa State (11-3, 3-1) featured four players with 14 points each and were led offensively by Emily Ryan with 11 rebounds and eight assists.

🏀 WBB: K-State comeback comes up short at Iowa State

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Marcus Carr made the go-ahead 3-pointer with a minute to play and Sir’Jabari Rice hit three free throws over the final six seconds, sending No. 10 Texas to a wild 79-75 win over No. 17 TCU. The Horned Frogs led by 18 in the first half and appeared in total control on their way to what would have been the program’s first road win over a top-10 opponent. But Texas chipped away in the early minutes of the second half and rallied behind Rice and Dylan Disu, who combined for 27 points after halftime.

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (AP) — Freshman Keyonte George scored a season-high 32 points to lead Baylor to an 83-78 victory over West Virginia. Baylor led by six at halftime and the lead changed eight times in the second half. George, who made 10 of 18 field goals with five 3-pointers, hit a 3-pointer with 2:09 left to put Baylor ahead 70-66. Joe Toussaint hit a floater with 12 seconds left to pull West Virginia within 80-78. After George made one of two free throws, Toussaint missed an off-balance 3-pointer with 5 seconds left that would have given the Mountaineers the lead. Adam Flagler finished it off with two free throws for Baylor.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Emily Ryan had 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead four Iowa State players with 14 points and the 15th-ranked Cyclones beat Kansas State 67-56. Denae Fritz completed a three-point play with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter to give Iowa State the first double-digit lead of the game. Ryan scored the opening six points of the fourth quarter, on a three-point play and 3-pointer, and she added another basket for a 59-46 lead with 5:35 left. Iowa State went nearly three minutes without scoring to have its lead trimmed to 62-56 with 2:32 left, but Ashley Joens answered with a 3-pointer from the corner for a nine-point lead.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been released from a hospital in Buffalo nine days after he went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated during a game at Cincinnati. Hamlin went home home after spending two days undergoing tests at Buffalo General Medical Center. He was transferred to Buffalo after spending last week at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where the 24-year-old experienced what doctors called “a remarkable recovery.” Neither doctors nor the Bills disclosed the results of the tests Hamlin had. Doctors said he will continue his rehabilitation with the Bills.

NEW YORK (AP) — In an era dominated by WAR and OPS, Carlos Correa’s free-agent destination was decided by MRIs. Turns out the Minnesota Twins had a leg up on keeping the All-Star shortstop because of their doctors’ comfort with his surgically repaired right leg. San Francisco balked at finalizing a $350 million, 13-year contract and the New York Mets hesitated to close a $315 million, 12-year deal, both after a scan of Correa’s tibia alarmed their physicians. Minnesota’s medical staff felt more comfortable with an ankle repaired in 2014. The Twins went ahead with a $200 million, six-year agreement.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel says quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and has been ruled out for Sunday’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa has not yet been cleared to return to football activities. The Dolphins are preparing for rookie Skylar Thompson to be their starter when they face the Bills for the third time this season. Backup Teddy Bridgewater is working his way back to full strength after dislocating his pinky finger.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are focusing on a playoff reboot with a defense that wasn't as dominant late in the season as it was early. Dallas visits Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild-card game Monday night. Safety Jayron Kearse is making a hard turn to 2023. He says the regular season doesn't matter anymore. Defense carried the Cowboys to a 4-1 record in the five games quarterback Dak Prescott missed after breaking a thumb in a loss to the Bucs in the opener. That unit wasn't nearly as dominant in the final four weeks before the playoffs.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was again absent from practice during the portion open to reporters. The Baltimore star hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee in a Dec. 4 win over Denver. There was no sign of him Wednesday as the Ravens prepared for Sunday night’s playoff opener at Cincinnati. Jackson missed the final five games of the regular season. Tyler Huntley started the first four of those, but he has been dealing with shoulder issues and did not play in the regular-season finale. Anthony Brown started that game.

UNDATED (AP) — Wild-card weekend is all about familiarity. All six games feature teams that already faced off this season, including three matchups between division rivals going head-to-head for the third time and two clubs playing each other in back-to-back weeks. Bust out the popcorn. It should be a wild weekend. The action kicks off Saturday with the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers are the hottest team in the NFL, entering the postseason on a 10-game winning streak that gave them the NFC’s No. 2 seed. The Seahawks walked off the field last week uncertain about their playoff berth and got in when the Detroit Lions upset Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.

Final (22)Coll. of Charleston 71 UNC-Wilmington 69

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Marcus Carr made the go-ahead 3-pointer with a minute to play and Sir’Jabari Rice hit three free throws over the final six seconds, sending No. 10 Texas to a wild 79-75 win over No. 17 TCU. The Horned Frogs led by 18 in the first half and appeared in total control on their way to what would have been the program’s first road win over a top-10 opponent. But Texas chipped away in the early minutes of the second half and rallied behind Rice and Dylan Disu, who combined for 27 points after halftime.MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (AP) — Freshman Keyonte George scored a season-high 32 points to lead Baylor to an 83-78 victory over West Virginia. Baylor led by six at halftime and the lead changed eight times in the second half. George, who made 10 of 18 field goals with five 3-pointers, hit a 3-pointer with 2:09 left to put Baylor ahead 70-66. Joe Toussaint hit a floater with 12 seconds left to pull West Virginia within 80-78. After George made one of two free throws, Toussaint missed an off-balance 3-pointer with 5 seconds left that would have given the Mountaineers the lead. Adam Flagler finished it off with two free throws for Baylor.AMES, Iowa (AP) — Emily Ryan had 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead four Iowa State players with 14 points and the 15th-ranked Cyclones beat Kansas State 67-56. Denae Fritz completed a three-point play with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter to give Iowa State the first double-digit lead of the game. Ryan scored the opening six points of the fourth quarter, on a three-point play and 3-pointer, and she added another basket for a 59-46 lead with 5:35 left. Iowa State went nearly three minutes without scoring to have its lead trimmed to 62-56 with 2:32 left, but Ashley Joens answered with a 3-pointer from the corner for a nine-point lead.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been released from a hospital in Buffalo nine days after he went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated during a game at Cincinnati. Hamlin went home home after spending two days undergoing tests at Buffalo General Medical Center. He was transferred to Buffalo after spending last week at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where the 24-year-old experienced what doctors called “a remarkable recovery.” Neither doctors nor the Bills disclosed the results of the tests Hamlin had. Doctors said he will continue his rehabilitation with the Bills.NEW YORK (AP) — In an era dominated by WAR and OPS, Carlos Correa’s free-agent destination was decided by MRIs. Turns out the Minnesota Twins had a leg up on keeping the All-Star shortstop because of their doctors’ comfort with his surgically repaired right leg. San Francisco balked at finalizing a $350 million, 13-year contract and the New York Mets hesitated to close a $315 million, 12-year deal, both after a scan of Correa’s tibia alarmed their physicians. Minnesota’s medical staff felt more comfortable with an ankle repaired in 2014. The Twins went ahead with a $200 million, six-year agreement.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel says quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and has been ruled out for Sunday’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa has not yet been cleared to return to football activities. The Dolphins are preparing for rookie Skylar Thompson to be their starter when they face the Bills for the third time this season. Backup Teddy Bridgewater is working his way back to full strength after dislocating his pinky finger.FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are focusing on a playoff reboot with a defense that wasn't as dominant late in the season as it was early. Dallas visits Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild-card game Monday night. Safety Jayron Kearse is making a hard turn to 2023. He says the regular season doesn't matter anymore. Defense carried the Cowboys to a 4-1 record in the five games quarterback Dak Prescott missed after breaking a thumb in a loss to the Bucs in the opener. That unit wasn't nearly as dominant in the final four weeks before the playoffs.OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was again absent from practice during the portion open to reporters. The Baltimore star hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee in a Dec. 4 win over Denver. There was no sign of him Wednesday as the Ravens prepared for Sunday night’s playoff opener at Cincinnati. Jackson missed the final five games of the regular season. Tyler Huntley started the first four of those, but he has been dealing with shoulder issues and did not play in the regular-season finale. Anthony Brown started that game.UNDATED (AP) — Wild-card weekend is all about familiarity. All six games feature teams that already faced off this season, including three matchups between division rivals going head-to-head for the third time and two clubs playing each other in back-to-back weeks. Bust out the popcorn. It should be a wild weekend. The action kicks off Saturday with the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers are the hottest team in the NFL, entering the postseason on a 10-game winning streak that gave them the NFC’s No. 2 seed. The Seahawks walked off the field last week uncertain about their playoff berth and got in when the Detroit Lions upset Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.WEDNESDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal (1)Houston 83 South Florida 77Final (4)Alabama 84 (15)Arkansas 69Final (25)Marquette 82 (6)UConn 76Final (10)Texas 79 (17)TCU 75Final (12)Xavier 90 Creighton 87Final (16)Miami 88 Boston College 72Final Texas A&amp;M 82 (20)Missouri 64Final (22)Coll. of Charleston 71 UNC-Wilmington 69Final (24)Duke 77 Pittsburgh 69NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Washington 100 Chicago 97Final Detroit 135 Minnesota 118Final Boston 125 New Orleans 114Final Milwaukee 114 Atlanta 105Final New York 119 Indiana 113Final Memphis 135 San Antonio 129Final Sacramento 135 Houston 115Final Denver 126 Phoenix 97NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal Philadelphia 5 Washington 3Final Toronto 2 Nashville 1Final Edmonton 6 Anaheim 2Final Los Angeles 4 San Jose 3

Sports Headlines for Thursday

MCPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson College soccer coach <a href="https://macbulldogs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/coaches/doug-quint/646">Doug Quint</a>, announced on Jan. 11, he is stepping down as the McPherson College head men's soccer coach. &nbsp;

Quint began his soccer coaching career as the boys' coach at Hutchinson High School, directing the Salthawks' program to two league championships, two regional championships, and two consecutive appearances in the KSHSAA Class 6A State Tournament. He coached the Salthawks for three years. &nbsp;

He was also instrumental in building Hutchinson's first soccer complex with his father, Don Quint Sr., while starting Club Azzurri and the Hutchinson Youth Soccer Association.&nbsp;

With his announcement, Quint completes a 20-year collegiate coaching career with two KCAC regular season and three KCAC post-season tournament titles among his 215 wins, which place him 16th among active NAIA men's coaches in total career wins. &nbsp;

Quint also posted a school record 54 wins in seven seasons in his two short tenures as McPherson College women's soccer coach, including a record 13 wins and second place conference finish in 2007. His coaching tenures were separated by his time as the Bulldogs' Athletic Director.&nbsp;

"Coach Quint leaves a soccer legacy at McPherson College that is unmatched," McPherson College President Michael Schneider said. "Doug has served our campus community well and has been a true champion for our student athletes as both a coach and administrator. We are grateful for 20 outstanding years of service."&nbsp;

In his final 18 seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach, Quint saw his teams post winning KCAC season records every season with two undefeated seasons in 2009 and 2014, and a string of 15 overall winning season records. &nbsp;

His 2016 team won a school record of 16 matches, finishing 16-3-2 overall and 8-2-1 in KCAC play, while bettering the previous school record of 15 wins set during the Bulldogs' 15-2-0 undefeated 2009 KCAC championship season.&nbsp;

"I've been fortunate to have coached a great group of Bulldog student-athletes during that time and to have some super, supportive assistants over the years, many of which had previously played for me. Those relationships are what make being a coach extra special," Quint said. "Twenty years as a collegiate head coach at one school is unique in this day and age. It was an honor when I was selected back in 2002 to revive the Bulldog soccer program. I want to thank the current and past administrations and fellow coaches I've worked with at McPherson College over the past 20 years. It's been a pleasure and an honor to lead the McPherson College program and to have worked with them in furthering the Bulldog athletic programs."&nbsp;

In addition to his two regular season conference titles and three postseason tournament titles, Quint leaves McPherson College with multiple KCAC Coach of the Year honors, six KCAC regular season second place finishes, three additional KCAC Tournament Runner-up finishes, six teams that qualified for NAIA National Tournament play, and five teams which achieved NAIA National ranking recognition topped by his 2021 squad's #20 ranking. &nbsp;

Quint recently completed his term as president of the NAIA Soccer Coaches Association.&nbsp;

"Most importantly, I've been blessed with a supportive spouse (Jeny), who was a collegiate player and coach herself and knew what she was getting into when she married a collegiate coach,” Quint said. “It was neat to have the opportunity to coach our oldest son (Kaden) at both the club and collegiate levels; now, I'm looking forward to being able to be more a part of (his younger children) Sydney and Devin's lives."&nbsp;

According to McPherson College Director of Athletics, Chandler Short, current assistant men's soccer coach Kent Freund will take over for Quint as the interim head coach. Freund has served as assistant coach since 2019.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673462463088.png" alt="Doug Quint coached soccer in Hutchinson for three years. [Submitted Photo]" />
 <figcaption>Doug Quint coached soccer in Hutchinson for three years. [Submitted Photo]</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson College soccer coach <a href="https://macbulldogs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/coaches/doug-quint/646">Doug Quint</a>, announced on Jan. 11, he is stepping down as the McPherson College head men's soccer coach. &nbsp;Quint began his soccer coaching career as the boys' coach at Hutchinson High School, directing the Salthawks' program to two league championships, two regional championships, and two consecutive appearances in the KSHSAA Class 6A State Tournament. He coached the Salthawks for three years. &nbsp;He was also instrumental in building Hutchinson's first soccer complex with his father, Don Quint Sr., while starting Club Azzurri and the Hutchinson Youth Soccer Association.&nbsp;With his announcement, Quint completes a 20-year collegiate coaching career with two KCAC regular season and three KCAC post-season tournament titles among his 215 wins, which place him 16th among active NAIA men's coaches in total career wins. &nbsp;Quint also posted a school record 54 wins in seven seasons in his two short tenures as McPherson College women's soccer coach, including a record 13 wins and second place conference finish in 2007. His coaching tenures were separated by his time as the Bulldogs' Athletic Director.&nbsp;"Coach Quint leaves a soccer legacy at McPherson College that is unmatched," McPherson College President Michael Schneider said. "Doug has served our campus community well and has been a true champion for our student athletes as both a coach and administrator. We are grateful for 20 outstanding years of service."&nbsp;In his final 18 seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach, Quint saw his teams post winning KCAC season records every season with two undefeated seasons in 2009 and 2014, and a string of 15 overall winning season records. &nbsp;His 2016 team won a school record of 16 matches, finishing 16-3-2 overall and 8-2-1 in KCAC play, while bettering the previous school record of 15 wins set during the Bulldogs' 15-2-0 undefeated 2009 KCAC championship season.&nbsp;"I've been fortunate to have coached a great group of Bulldog student-athletes during that time and to have some super, supportive assistants over the years, many of which had previously played for me. Those relationships are what make being a coach extra special," Quint said. "Twenty years as a collegiate head coach at one school is unique in this day and age. It was an honor when I was selected back in 2002 to revive the Bulldog soccer program. I want to thank the current and past administrations and fellow coaches I've worked with at McPherson College over the past 20 years. It's been a pleasure and an honor to lead the McPherson College program and to have worked with them in furthering the Bulldog athletic programs."&nbsp;In addition to his two regular season conference titles and three postseason tournament titles, Quint leaves McPherson College with multiple KCAC Coach of the Year honors, six KCAC regular season second place finishes, three additional KCAC Tournament Runner-up finishes, six teams that qualified for NAIA National Tournament play, and five teams which achieved NAIA National ranking recognition topped by his 2021 squad's #20 ranking. &nbsp;Quint recently completed his term as president of the NAIA Soccer Coaches Association.&nbsp;"Most importantly, I've been blessed with a supportive spouse (Jeny), who was a collegiate player and coach herself and knew what she was getting into when she married a collegiate coach,” Quint said. “It was neat to have the opportunity to coach our oldest son (Kaden) at both the club and collegiate levels; now, I'm looking forward to being able to be more a part of (his younger children) Sydney and Devin's lives."&nbsp;According to McPherson College Director of Athletics, Chandler Short, current assistant men's soccer coach Kent Freund will take over for Quint as the interim head coach. Freund has served as assistant coach since 2019.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;