For the fourth-consecutive week, the Hutchinson Community College football team holds on to the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Division I Rankings, which were released on Monday.

This is the 39th consecutive poll the Dragons have been ranked in, which breaks a tie for the second-longest run in the rankings in program history. The Dragons were in 38-straight polls from 2018 to the third week in 2021. Hutchison was out of 6 of the next 7 polls before returning on November 2, 2021, which started the current run in the rankings.

<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/fball/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR FULL NJCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL RANKINGS</a>

The Blue Dragon record for consecutive weeks ranked in the polls is 45, which was set from 2010 to 2013.

This is the sixth time the Blue Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA polls in program history. The Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in 33 of the past 59 polls and have been ranked in the nation's Top 3 for 34 consecutive polls.

The Blue Dragons moved to 4-0 after last Saturday's 99-0 victory over Ellsworth on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

Coming up this Saturday will be Hutchinson's third nationally ranked matchup of the season as No. 14 Dodge City comes into Gowans Stadium for a Noon kickoff. Dodge City returned to the poll after falling out three weeks ago. The Conquistadors rallied from 21 points down to defeat Iowa Central 25-24 on Saturday in Dodge City.

This will be the second-straight season Hutchinson and Dodge City will meet as ranked opponents. Last season the Dragons were No. 1 and Dodge City was No. 11.

The top four teams in this week's rankings remain the same. The Dragons garnered all 12 first-place votes. Iowa Western stayed second, followed by Snow and Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Georgia Military moved up to No. 5 after Kilgore was upset by Cisco last weekend.

Garden City (4-1) climbed two spots to No. 6 this week. Highland rolled past Independence and jumped three spots to No. 10. Dodge City is No. 14 and Butler is No. 15. Coffeyville is receiving votes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727738777871.jpeg" alt="The Blue Dragon Football Team stays at No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Rankings for the fourth-straight week." />
 <figcaption>The Blue Dragon Football Team stays at No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Rankings for the fourth-straight week.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationFor the fourth-consecutive week, the Hutchinson Community College football team holds on to the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Division I Rankings, which were released on Monday.This is the 39th consecutive poll the Dragons have been ranked in, which breaks a tie for the second-longest run in the rankings in program history. The Dragons were in 38-straight polls from 2018 to the third week in 2021. Hutchison was out of 6 of the next 7 polls before returning on November 2, 2021, which started the current run in the rankings.<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/fball/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR FULL NJCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL RANKINGS</a>The Blue Dragon record for consecutive weeks ranked in the polls is 45, which was set from 2010 to 2013.This is the sixth time the Blue Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA polls in program history. The Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in 33 of the past 59 polls and have been ranked in the nation's Top 3 for 34 consecutive polls.The Blue Dragons moved to 4-0 after last Saturday's 99-0 victory over Ellsworth on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.Coming up this Saturday will be Hutchinson's third nationally ranked matchup of the season as No. 14 Dodge City comes into Gowans Stadium for a Noon kickoff. Dodge City returned to the poll after falling out three weeks ago. The Conquistadors rallied from 21 points down to defeat Iowa Central 25-24 on Saturday in Dodge City.This will be the second-straight season Hutchinson and Dodge City will meet as ranked opponents. Last season the Dragons were No. 1 and Dodge City was No. 11.The top four teams in this week's rankings remain the same. The Dragons garnered all 12 first-place votes. Iowa Western stayed second, followed by Snow and Mississippi Gulf Coast.Georgia Military moved up to No. 5 after Kilgore was upset by Cisco last weekend.Garden City (4-1) climbed two spots to No. 6 this week. Highland rolled past Independence and jumped three spots to No. 10. Dodge City is No. 14 and Butler is No. 15. Coffeyville is receiving votes.

🏈 HutchCC remains No. 1 in NJCAA rankings

Ranked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Rankings, the Hutchinson Community College women tied a program record for consecutive weeks in the poll.

Now ranked in 15 consecutive polls dating back to the 2023 preseason rankings, the Blue Dragons tie the 2009 and 2010 teams when they were ranked in 15-straight polls.

<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/wsoc/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR COMPLETE NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S SOCCER RANKINGS</a>

The Blue Dragons went 1-1 last week, falling to No. 14 Cowley 3-0, but earned a KJCCC road win at Garden City 1-0. Hutchinson is now 5-2-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the KJCCC, which is fourth place in the lead.

The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex and travels to Dodge City on Saturday.

The KJCCC remains well represented in this week's national rankings. Butler (8-0-3) remains No. 6. Kansas City (8-0-3) moves up one spot to No. 9. Cowley (5-2-1) jumps two spots to No. 12 and the Blue Dragons dropped one spot to No. 18

The top eight teams from last week all remained where they were. Navarro was No. 1 for the second-straight week with all nine first-place votes. Iowa Western is second, followed by Seminole State, Tyler and Arizona Western.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727738663314.jpeg" alt="Blue Dragon Women's Soccer is No. 18 this week, which ties the Blue Dragon all-time record for consecutive run in the rankings at 15 weeks." />
 <figcaption>Blue Dragon Women's Soccer is No. 18 this week, which ties the Blue Dragon all-time record for consecutive run in the rankings at 15 weeks.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationRanked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Rankings, the Hutchinson Community College women tied a program record for consecutive weeks in the poll.Now ranked in 15 consecutive polls dating back to the 2023 preseason rankings, the Blue Dragons tie the 2009 and 2010 teams when they were ranked in 15-straight polls.<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/wsoc/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR COMPLETE NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S SOCCER RANKINGS</a>The Blue Dragons went 1-1 last week, falling to No. 14 Cowley 3-0, but earned a KJCCC road win at Garden City 1-0. Hutchinson is now 5-2-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the KJCCC, which is fourth place in the lead.The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex and travels to Dodge City on Saturday.The KJCCC remains well represented in this week's national rankings. Butler (8-0-3) remains No. 6. Kansas City (8-0-3) moves up one spot to No. 9. Cowley (5-2-1) jumps two spots to No. 12 and the Blue Dragons dropped one spot to No. 18The top eight teams from last week all remained where they were. Navarro was No. 1 for the second-straight week with all nine first-place votes. Iowa Western is second, followed by Seminole State, Tyler and Arizona Western.

⚽ Dragons tie team mark for consecutive run in rankings

EAGLE Media's Rob Dreher visits with HutchCC head football coach Drew Dallas for the fourth edition of "Dragon Talk" of the 2024 football season. Dreher will visit with Dallas every Monday, with episodes airing on Monday at 6 p.m. throughout the football season on KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5). Some dates will air at different times due to Royals baseball. Please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">Broadcast&nbsp;Calendar</a>&nbsp;for accurate times.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693268716902.png" alt="Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas logo" />
 <figcaption>Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas logo</figcaption>
 </figure>EAGLE Media's Rob Dreher visits with HutchCC head football coach Drew Dallas for the fourth edition of "Dragon Talk" of the 2024 football season. Dreher will visit with Dallas every Monday, with episodes airing on Monday at 6 p.m. throughout the football season on KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5). Some dates will air at different times due to Royals baseball. Please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">Broadcast&nbsp;Calendar</a>&nbsp;for accurate times.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas (Sept. 30, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9wrgr-16ec2f1-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Kansas State sophomore quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was honored for his play in the Wildcats’ 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State by being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

It is Johnson’s first weekly conference honor this season and second of his career as he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last year after the Texas Tech game. He is the first K-State player to earn the weekly Big 12 offensive honor since&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;last year against UCF and the first Wildcat signal caller since Will Howard following the 2022 Oklahoma State game.

Against the Cowboys, Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 aim – setting career highs across the board – while he rushed for 60 yards and another two scores on five carries.

Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012, while it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.

In addition to the Big 12 weekly honor, Johnson was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List earlier on Monday.

No. 20 Kansas State is off this week before returning to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado. Kickoff for the game against the Buffaloes is set for 9:15 p.m. (CT) and will be shown on ESPN.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726284868191.png" alt="Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State Athletics<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Kansas State sophomore quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was honored for his play in the Wildcats’ 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State by being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.It is Johnson’s first weekly conference honor this season and second of his career as he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last year after the Texas Tech game. He is the first K-State player to earn the weekly Big 12 offensive honor since&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;last year against UCF and the first Wildcat signal caller since Will Howard following the 2022 Oklahoma State game.Against the Cowboys, Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 aim – setting career highs across the board – while he rushed for 60 yards and another two scores on five carries.Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012, while it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.In addition to the Big 12 weekly honor, Johnson was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List earlier on Monday.No. 20 Kansas State is off this week before returning to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado. Kickoff for the game against the Buffaloes is set for 9:15 p.m. (CT) and will be shown on ESPN.

🏈 Avery Johnson named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways —&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/g7SdhtxuJYA?feature=shared" target="_blank">the playful finger wag at opponents</a>&nbsp;after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.

“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”

Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.

Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”

Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.

Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727711604410.jpeg" alt="FILE - Retired Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo waves to the crowd as his jersey number was retired by the team during halftime of the Nuggets' NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Retired Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo waves to the crowd as his jersey number was retired by the team during halftime of the Nuggets' NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressDikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways —&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/g7SdhtxuJYA?feature=shared" target="_blank">the playful finger wag at opponents</a>&nbsp;after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

🏀 Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancer

The Major League Baseball playoffs are approaching and a Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge matchup in the World Series looms as an enticing October possibility.

But first, the National League needs to get its waterlogged mess of a playoff race out of the way.

While the rooting interests of baseball fans vary widely, there’s little doubt MLB and television executives are drooling over the potential matchup between two of the top sluggers of this generation. Ohtani recently became the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-f8141d695112175fc2b695a0e9e748d9">first player to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases</a>&nbsp;in one season while Judge hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orioles-yankees-score-eba44e0873d6e88bbc47fe44be7844da">58 homers</a>.

On top of that, Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Judge (New York Yankees) play in the nation’s top two media markets for two of the sport’s most storied franchises.

Of course, there will be 10 other teams trying to block those teams from the Fall Classic. Last season, the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4 games to 1 for their first title in franchise history.

Who’s in the MLB playoffs? Who’s still fighting?

The Diamondbacks are going to be big fans of the New York Mets or Atlanta Braves for a few hours on Monday afternoon.

The National League playoff race comes down to a doubleheader between the Mets and Braves on Monday. The two games were moved to the day after the scheduled end of the regular season because of Hurricane Helene,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-braves-postponed-5124c79507c8cab9683f0d92b4448e13">which washed out two games of the crucial Mets-Braves series</a>&nbsp;last week.

The Mets (88-72) and Braves (88-72) will both make the playoffs if they split the doubleheader. But if there’s a sweep, the Diamondbacks (89-73) will sneak into the bracket as the No. 6 seed while the team that gets swept is eliminated.

Once the first game is over, the D-backs will know who they’re supporting. They’ll go through a light workout at Chase Field on Monday in case their season continues.

The Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Padres have already clinched four of the six NL playoff spots. Both the Brewers and Padres will host a Wild Card Series starting Tuesday while the Dodgers and Phillies earned some rest by claiming the top seeds.

The American League’s bracket is set. The No. 6 Tigers travel to face the No. 3 Astros while the No. 5 Royals are on the road against the No. 4 Orioles in the two Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Yankees and Guardians are the top seeds.

How does baseball’s wild-card round work?

The best-of-three wild-card format is in its third season. The format was changed in 2022 from the sudden death one-game format that was in place since 2012 with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic-affected 2020 season.

Six teams each from the American League and National League qualify for the postseason, including the three division winners in each league. The three wild-card teams in each league are the teams with the best record that didn’t win their division.

The top two division winners with the best records in each league get a bye and don’t have to play in the wild-card round. Those four teams get a few days of rest. Those teams are the Yankees and Guardians in the American League and the Phillies and Dodgers in the National League.

The wild-card round will feature four series: The No. 6 seed will play at the No. 3 seed in both the AL and NL. The No. 5 seed will play at the No. 4 seed.

One big advantage for the higher seed in those wild-card series is they get to host all three games.

Many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-rule-changes-explainer-61dc5754b7e14da5bf62074a26e3c07b">baseball’s recent rule changes</a>&nbsp;are still in effect during the postseason, including the pitch clock, a ban on extreme infield shifts and a limit to how many times a pitcher can disengage from the rubber. The pitch clock has been a huge change for the sport and widely celebrated, cutting game times by about a half-hour.

There is one rule that doesn’t make the postseason cut: the so-called “ghost runner” in extra innings.

During the MLB regular season, if a game goes to extra innings, a runner is placed at second base to start the 10th inning when each team bats. That won’t happen in the postseason. Extra innings will be played just like the previous nine.

The Dodgers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series at +325, followed by the Yankees (+450) and Phillies (+450),&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/mlb/world-series-news-updates-odds-bm15/" target="_blank">according to BetMGM</a>&nbsp;Sportsbook.

The wild-card rounds will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The later rounds will be split between FS1, TruTV, TBS and Fox.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727706249845.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy MLB" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy MLB</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressThe Major League Baseball playoffs are approaching and a Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge matchup in the World Series looms as an enticing October possibility.But first, the National League needs to get its waterlogged mess of a playoff race out of the way.While the rooting interests of baseball fans vary widely, there’s little doubt MLB and television executives are drooling over the potential matchup between two of the top sluggers of this generation. Ohtani recently became the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-f8141d695112175fc2b695a0e9e748d9">first player to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases</a>&nbsp;in one season while Judge hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orioles-yankees-score-eba44e0873d6e88bbc47fe44be7844da">58 homers</a>.On top of that, Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Judge (New York Yankees) play in the nation’s top two media markets for two of the sport’s most storied franchises.Of course, there will be 10 other teams trying to block those teams from the Fall Classic. Last season, the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4 games to 1 for their first title in franchise history.Here’s a look at what’s coming:<h2>Who’s in the MLB playoffs? Who’s still fighting?</h2>The Diamondbacks are going to be big fans of the New York Mets or Atlanta Braves for a few hours on Monday afternoon.They’re just not sure which one.The National League playoff race comes down to a doubleheader between the Mets and Braves on Monday. The two games were moved to the day after the scheduled end of the regular season because of Hurricane Helene,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-braves-postponed-5124c79507c8cab9683f0d92b4448e13">which washed out two games of the crucial Mets-Braves series</a>&nbsp;last week.The Mets (88-72) and Braves (88-72) will both make the playoffs if they split the doubleheader. But if there’s a sweep, the Diamondbacks (89-73) will sneak into the bracket as the No. 6 seed while the team that gets swept is eliminated.Once the first game is over, the D-backs will know who they’re supporting. They’ll go through a light workout at Chase Field on Monday in case their season continues.The Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Padres have already clinched four of the six NL playoff spots. Both the Brewers and Padres will host a Wild Card Series starting Tuesday while the Dodgers and Phillies earned some rest by claiming the top seeds.The American League’s bracket is set. The No. 6 Tigers travel to face the No. 3 Astros while the No. 5 Royals are on the road against the No. 4 Orioles in the two Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Yankees and Guardians are the top seeds.<h2>How does baseball’s wild-card round work?</h2>The best-of-three wild-card format is in its third season. The format was changed in 2022 from the sudden death one-game format that was in place since 2012 with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic-affected 2020 season.Six teams each from the American League and National League qualify for the postseason, including the three division winners in each league. The three wild-card teams in each league are the teams with the best record that didn’t win their division.The top two division winners with the best records in each league get a bye and don’t have to play in the wild-card round. Those four teams get a few days of rest. Those teams are the Yankees and Guardians in the American League and the Phillies and Dodgers in the National League.The wild-card round will feature four series: The No. 6 seed will play at the No. 3 seed in both the AL and NL. The No. 5 seed will play at the No. 4 seed.One big advantage for the higher seed in those wild-card series is they get to host all three games.<h2>Rule changes</h2>Many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-rule-changes-explainer-61dc5754b7e14da5bf62074a26e3c07b">baseball’s recent rule changes</a>&nbsp;are still in effect during the postseason, including the pitch clock, a ban on extreme infield shifts and a limit to how many times a pitcher can disengage from the rubber. The pitch clock has been a huge change for the sport and widely celebrated, cutting game times by about a half-hour.There is one rule that doesn’t make the postseason cut: the so-called “ghost runner” in extra innings.During the MLB regular season, if a game goes to extra innings, a runner is placed at second base to start the 10th inning when each team bats. That won’t happen in the postseason. Extra innings will be played just like the previous nine.<h2>Betting favorites</h2>The Dodgers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series at +325, followed by the Yankees (+450) and Phillies (+450),&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/mlb/world-series-news-updates-odds-bm15/" target="_blank">according to BetMGM</a>&nbsp;Sportsbook.<h2>How to watch</h2>The wild-card rounds will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The later rounds will be split between FS1, TruTV, TBS and Fox.<h2>Postseason schedule</h2>Wild-card series: Oct. 1-3Division series: Oct. 5-12League Championship series: Oct. 13-22World Series: Oct. 25-Nov. 2

⚾ MLB’s postseason is on the way, but first, a photo finish for the NL wild-card race awaits

Monday, Sept. 30 Dragon Talk - 6 p.m. (KWBW) Chiefs Kingdom Show - 7 p.m. (KWBW)

Tuesday, Sept. 31 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Wednesday, Oct. 1 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 3 p.m. pregame, 3:38 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Thursday, Oct. 2 Royals at Orioles (ALCS - if necessary) -&nbsp;2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Reno County Coaches Show - 6 p.m. (KWBW)

Friday, Oct. 3 Hutch High v. Derby - 6:30 p.m. pregame, 7 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)

Saturday, Oct. 3 HutchCC v. Dodge City - 11:30 a.m. pregame, noon kickoff (KHUT, KWBW)

Find the complete EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar <a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">here</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725282945901.png" alt="EAGLE Media" />
 <figcaption>EAGLE Media</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHMY2">KHMY-FM (93.1) </a><a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">KHUT-FM (102.9) </a><a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>Monday, Sept. 30 Dragon Talk - 6 p.m. (KWBW) Chiefs Kingdom Show - 7 p.m. (KWBW) Tuesday, Sept. 31 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)Wednesday, Oct. 1 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 3 p.m. pregame, 3:38 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Thursday, Oct. 2 Royals at Orioles (ALCS - if necessary) -&nbsp;2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Reno County Coaches Show - 6 p.m. (KWBW) Friday, Oct. 3 Hutch High v. Derby - 6:30 p.m. pregame, 7 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)Saturday, Oct. 3 HutchCC v. Dodge City - 11:30 a.m. pregame, noon kickoff (KHUT, KWBW) Sunday, Oct. 4 Find the complete EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar <a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">here</a>.&nbsp;

🎧 EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar (Sept. 30-Oct. 6)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, September 30th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, September 30th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for September 30th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ydeyg-16eb648-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: ⚾ Royals start wildcard games on Tuesday, 🏈 Chiefs edge Chargers, 🏈 Dragons set scoring record

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went 1 for 4 on Sunday to wrap up the regular season batting title.

Witt and the Royals begin a Wild Card series in Baltimore on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716344690913.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went 1 for 4 on Sunday to wrap up the regular season batting title.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bobby Witt Jr. enters today leading Major League Baseball—and with it, the American League—with a .332 batting average. He&#39;s poised to win the fifth batting title in Royals history, joining George Brett (&#39;76, &#39;80, &#39;90) &amp; Willie Wilson (&#39;82). P.S. George is here in Atlanta.&mdash; Jake Eisenberg (@JakeEisenberg_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeEisenberg_/status/1840461720080257512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Witt and the Royals begin a Wild Card series in Baltimore on Tuesday.

⚾ Witt Jr. wins batting title

Henry runs for 199 yards and Jackson has 3 TDs as Ravens rout previously unbeaten Bills 35-10

BALTIMORE (AP) — Derrick Henry ran for 199 yards, Lamar Jackson accounted for three touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Buffalo Bills 35-10. The Bills lost for the first time this season. Henry had an 87-yard rushing TD that was the longest in in the team's 29 years in Baltimore and caught a pass in the end zone for just the fourth time in his NFL career. Jackson had TD passes to Henry and Justice Hill. Josh Allen fumbled as part of a rough game for Buffalo following a 3-0 start.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce help Chiefs rally for 17-10 win over Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10. Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and set the franchise's career receptions record. Mahomes also threw an impressive deep pass to Xavier Worthy for a 54-yard touchdown. Justin Herbert threw for 179 yards for the Chargers while dealing with an ankle sprain.

AP Top 25: Alabama overtakes Texas for No. 1 and UNLV earns its 1st ranking in program history

Alabama has returned to No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time in two years following its dizzying victory over Georgia, making this 16 of 17 seasons the Crimson Tide have held the top spot at some point. UNLV is making its first-ever appearance and is tied for No. 25 with Texas A&amp;M. Alabama received 40 of 63 first-place votes and leapfrogged three teams to take over No. 1 from Texas. The Longhorns tussled with Mississippi State and slipped to No. 2. Ohio State remained No. 3, Tennessee is No. 4 and Georgia is No. 5.

NL playoff matchups pending Mets-Braves makeups on Monday. AL set with Astros-Tigers and O's-Royals

NEW YORK (AP) — The baseball season is going extra innings. While the American League playoff picture cleared up Sunday, the National League remained muddled heading into what was supposed to be an off day before the postseason. Houston hosts Detroit, and Baltimore is at home against Kansas City in best-of-three AL Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Astros-Tigers winner faces AL Central champion Cleveland in a Division Series starting Saturday, and the Orioles-Royals winner plays the AL East champion New York Yankees. The NL is still uncertain because of two rainouts last week, with the New York Mets, Arizona and Atlanta vying for the final two wild-card spots in the 12-team playoffs. The Mets traveled back to Atlanta on Sunday and will play a makeup doubleheader Monday against the Braves.

Arraez denies Ohtani NL Triple Crown, set to win batting title for 3rd team

NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Arraez held off Shohei Ohtani's bid to win the National League Triple Crown and was set to become the first player since the 1800s to earn batting titles with three teams. Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. won his first American League batting championship, finishing with a major league-best .332 average. Arraez went 1 for 3 and posted a .314 mark for San Diego, lowest for an NL batting champion since Tony Gwynn's record-low .313 in 1988. Arraez won the the 2022 AL title at .316 for Minnesota and the 2023 NL title at .354 with Miami.

Americans get biggest road win and capture the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight time

MONTREAL (AP) — The Americans have won the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight time. Xander Schauffele led the way with five birdies in eight holes to lead a lot of red scores on the board for the U.S. team. It had a four-point lead going into the singles sessions and the outcome was never really in doubt. The final was 18 1/2 to 11 1/2. That's the largest margin for the Americans on the road. Sam Burns capped off an unbeaten week. The Internationals' only victory since these matches for players from everywhere but Europe came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.

Chastain passes Truex on late restart to win NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Ross Chastain took the lead from Martin Truex Jr. on a late restart and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. William Byron was unable to chase down Chastain after he took the lead with 20 laps to go, though the Hendrick Motorsports driver still wound up with the best finish among the 12 to qualify for the second round of the postseason. The retiring Truex, who was eliminated last week at Bristol, finished third in what was his last race at Kansas. Ryan Blaney had a loose left wheel in the final stage but rallied to finish fourth, giving the defending champ's postseason hopes a big boost.

The final day for the Oakland Athletics arrives ahead of next season's move away from the Bay

SEATTLE (AP) — The name Oakland being attached to the Athletics ended Sunday after the final out of their season finale against the Seattle Mariners. When the 2025 season begins, the A's will still exist — and oddly enough open the year in Seattle — but the name Oakland will no longer be there. A's manager Mark Kotsay says his jersey is going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Brent Rooker and Seth Brown are keeping theirs. The A's played their final home game in Oakland on Thursday and will play next season in Sacramento. Oakland lost its final game of the season 6-4 to the Mariners.

Marlins part ways with 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins have parted ways with Skip Schumaker, ending the 2023 NL Manager of the Year's two-season stint with the team. The Marlins went 146-178 under Schumaker, who was hired in 2022 as the franchise's 16th manager. His contract was for two years with a club option for the 2025 season, which the team voided earlier this year. In his first season, Schumaker led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in a non-pandemic year since 2003. They made the postseason despite a minus-57 run differential and eventually were swept by the Phillies in their NL wild-card series.

Mets blank Brewers 5-0 behind Lindor and Peterson to move 1 win from wild card

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered and drove in two runs, David Peterson pitched seven brilliant innings and the New York Mets moved within one win of a playoff berth with a 5-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Francisco Alvarez also had two RBIs for the Mets, who headed to Atlanta needing at least a doubleheader split Monday against the rival Braves to secure a National League wild card. New York could have clinched a postseason spot Sunday with a win and an Arizona loss, but the Diamondbacks routed San Diego 11-2 at home to complete their regular season. The afternoon twinbill in Atlanta was scheduled to make up two Mets-Braves games postponed on Wednesday and Thursday due to heavy rain from Hurricane Helene.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Monday, September 30th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Monday, September 30th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for September 30th:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8579373/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Henry runs for 199 yards and Jackson has 3 TDs as Ravens rout previously unbeaten Bills 35-10BALTIMORE (AP) — Derrick Henry ran for 199 yards, Lamar Jackson accounted for three touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Buffalo Bills 35-10. The Bills lost for the first time this season. Henry had an 87-yard rushing TD that was the longest in in the team's 29 years in Baltimore and caught a pass in the end zone for just the fourth time in his NFL career. Jackson had TD passes to Henry and Justice Hill. Josh Allen fumbled as part of a rough game for Buffalo following a 3-0 start.Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce help Chiefs rally for 17-10 win over ChargersINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10. Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and set the franchise's career receptions record. Mahomes also threw an impressive deep pass to Xavier Worthy for a 54-yard touchdown. Justin Herbert threw for 179 yards for the Chargers while dealing with an ankle sprain.AP Top 25: Alabama overtakes Texas for No. 1 and UNLV earns its 1st ranking in program historyAlabama has returned to No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time in two years following its dizzying victory over Georgia, making this 16 of 17 seasons the Crimson Tide have held the top spot at some point. UNLV is making its first-ever appearance and is tied for No. 25 with Texas A&amp;M. Alabama received 40 of 63 first-place votes and leapfrogged three teams to take over No. 1 from Texas. The Longhorns tussled with Mississippi State and slipped to No. 2. Ohio State remained No. 3, Tennessee is No. 4 and Georgia is No. 5.NL playoff matchups pending Mets-Braves makeups on Monday. AL set with Astros-Tigers and O's-RoyalsNEW YORK (AP) — The baseball season is going extra innings. While the American League playoff picture cleared up Sunday, the National League remained muddled heading into what was supposed to be an off day before the postseason. Houston hosts Detroit, and Baltimore is at home against Kansas City in best-of-three AL Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Astros-Tigers winner faces AL Central champion Cleveland in a Division Series starting Saturday, and the Orioles-Royals winner plays the AL East champion New York Yankees. The NL is still uncertain because of two rainouts last week, with the New York Mets, Arizona and Atlanta vying for the final two wild-card spots in the 12-team playoffs. The Mets traveled back to Atlanta on Sunday and will play a makeup doubleheader Monday against the Braves.Arraez denies Ohtani NL Triple Crown, set to win batting title for 3rd teamNEW YORK (AP) — Luis Arraez held off Shohei Ohtani's bid to win the National League Triple Crown and was set to become the first player since the 1800s to earn batting titles with three teams. Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. won his first American League batting championship, finishing with a major league-best .332 average. Arraez went 1 for 3 and posted a .314 mark for San Diego, lowest for an NL batting champion since Tony Gwynn's record-low .313 in 1988. Arraez won the the 2022 AL title at .316 for Minnesota and the 2023 NL title at .354 with Miami.Americans get biggest road win and capture the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight timeMONTREAL (AP) — The Americans have won the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight time. Xander Schauffele led the way with five birdies in eight holes to lead a lot of red scores on the board for the U.S. team. It had a four-point lead going into the singles sessions and the outcome was never really in doubt. The final was 18 1/2 to 11 1/2. That's the largest margin for the Americans on the road. Sam Burns capped off an unbeaten week. The Internationals' only victory since these matches for players from everywhere but Europe came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.Chastain passes Truex on late restart to win NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas SpeedwayKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Ross Chastain took the lead from Martin Truex Jr. on a late restart and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. William Byron was unable to chase down Chastain after he took the lead with 20 laps to go, though the Hendrick Motorsports driver still wound up with the best finish among the 12 to qualify for the second round of the postseason. The retiring Truex, who was eliminated last week at Bristol, finished third in what was his last race at Kansas. Ryan Blaney had a loose left wheel in the final stage but rallied to finish fourth, giving the defending champ's postseason hopes a big boost.The final day for the Oakland Athletics arrives ahead of next season's move away from the BaySEATTLE (AP) — The name Oakland being attached to the Athletics ended Sunday after the final out of their season finale against the Seattle Mariners. When the 2025 season begins, the A's will still exist — and oddly enough open the year in Seattle — but the name Oakland will no longer be there. A's manager Mark Kotsay says his jersey is going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Brent Rooker and Seth Brown are keeping theirs. The A's played their final home game in Oakland on Thursday and will play next season in Sacramento. Oakland lost its final game of the season 6-4 to the Mariners.Marlins part ways with 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip SchumakerMIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins have parted ways with Skip Schumaker, ending the 2023 NL Manager of the Year's two-season stint with the team. The Marlins went 146-178 under Schumaker, who was hired in 2022 as the franchise's 16th manager. His contract was for two years with a club option for the 2025 season, which the team voided earlier this year. In his first season, Schumaker led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in a non-pandemic year since 2003. They made the postseason despite a minus-57 run differential and eventually were swept by the Phillies in their NL wild-card series.Mets blank Brewers 5-0 behind Lindor and Peterson to move 1 win from wild cardMILWAUKEE (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered and drove in two runs, David Peterson pitched seven brilliant innings and the New York Mets moved within one win of a playoff berth with a 5-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Francisco Alvarez also had two RBIs for the Mets, who headed to Atlanta needing at least a doubleheader split Monday against the rival Braves to secure a National League wild card. New York could have clinched a postseason spot Sunday with a win and an Arizona loss, but the Diamondbacks routed San Diego 11-2 at home to complete their regular season. The afternoon twinbill in Atlanta was scheduled to make up two Mets-Braves games postponed on Wednesday and Thursday due to heavy rain from Hurricane Helene.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Pittsburgh	5	Ottawa	2	Final	Dallas	4	Minnesota	2	Final	Utah	6	Colorado	3	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Atlanta	26	New Orleans	24	Final	Chicago	24	L.A. Rams	18	Final	Cincinnati	34	Carolina	24	Final	Denver	10	N-Y Jets	9	Final	Houston	24	Jacksonville	20	Final	Indianapolis	27	Pittsburgh	24	Final	Minnesota	31	Green Bay	29	Final	Tampa Bay	33	Philadelphia	16	Final	San Francisco	30	New England	13	Final	Washington	42	Arizona	14	Final	Kansas City	17	L.A. Chargers	10	Final	Las Vegas	20	Cleveland	16	Final	Baltimore	35	Buffalo	10	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	New York	87	Las Vegas	77	Final	Connecticut	73	Minnesota	70	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON		Detroit	at	Buffalo	7 p.m.			N-Y Rangers	at	New Jersey	7 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	N-Y Islanders	7 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Detroit	7 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Florida	7 p.m.			Washington	at	Columbus	7 p.m.			Seattle	at	Calgary	9 p.m.			Vancouver	at	Edmonton	9 p.m.			Los Angeles	at	Anaheim	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Tennessee	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.			Seattle	at	Detroit	8:15 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Monday

ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.

Atlanta hosts a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.

Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.

“This whole thing here has been something that I don't think anybody has ever experienced,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Atlanta would advance to a Division Series matchup at San Diego if the Braves win either game Monday. Of 28 completed doubleheaders in the major leagues this season, 13 were sweeps and 15 were split, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start the opener of the doubleheader and Chris Sale, the leading NL Cy Young Award contender, is slated for the second game.

“That's about as good as I can feel," Snitker said. “The ball's in our court. If we can't pull one of those off, it's just one of (those) things.”

If the Braves win the opener, they likely would hold back Sale for Tuesday's Division Series Game 1.

Before recording an out, Morton gave up a leadoff double to Tommy Pham, a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and Massey's 14th homer of the season.

“You get to a two-strike count, you feel like the top of the zone is a little bit more open and he just turned and burned on it,” Morton said.

Morton (8-10) allowed all four runs, five hits and two walks while striking out three over 4 1/3 innings. He also surrendered a solo homer to Hunter Renfroe.

The 40-year-old Morton was drafted by the Braves in 2002 and made his big league debut for Atlanta in 2008. In what could be his final major league start, he was given a ovation after Snitker pulled him in the fifth.

“I just remember walking off the field having allowed four runs getting pulled in the fifth inning in a game that means a lot to everybody here,” Morton said. “The fans here have supported me ever since I came back. People have been really kind to me, really supportive when they see me in public, at the stadium.”

Four Braves pitchers combined for 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief.

“They all just kind of handed the ball off and did exactly what we needed to do which is give us an opportunity to score and get in the game,” Snitker said.

But Atlanta went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners. Matt Olson singled and Jorge Soler walked with one out in the eighth, but Ramón Laureano and Sean Murphy struck out against John Schreiber.

“We had a chance," Olson said. “Schreiber had a funky arm and made some good pitches. It was a different angle and not stuff you see every day. He made some good pitches. I was on second base looking at a lot of them. Sometimes you have to tip the cap.”

Alec Marsh (9-9) allowed one earned run over five innings for the win. Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.

Witt went 1 for 4 to earn the AL batting title with a .332 average.

“It's special and it's an honor,” Witt said. “It's something that wasn't even a goal. You never think as a kid it would ever happen and now it happened.”

Royals: Claimed the No. 5 seed in the American League will face fourth-seeded Baltimore in the Wild Card Series that begins on Tuesday.

Braves: The doubleheader against the Mets is to make up the games that were postponed on Wednesday and Thursday by heavy rains. While Sale is set to pitch the second game, Snitker indicated that he would likely make a switch if the Braves locked up a playoff berth in the opener. That would set up Sale to pitch in the opener of the Wild Card Series.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727650739606.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RICK FARLOW Associated PressATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.Atlanta hosts a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.“This whole thing here has been something that I don't think anybody has ever experienced,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.Atlanta would advance to a Division Series matchup at San Diego if the Braves win either game Monday. Of 28 completed doubleheaders in the major leagues this season, 13 were sweeps and 15 were split, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start the opener of the doubleheader and Chris Sale, the leading NL Cy Young Award contender, is slated for the second game.“That's about as good as I can feel," Snitker said. “The ball's in our court. If we can't pull one of those off, it's just one of (those) things.”If the Braves win the opener, they likely would hold back Sale for Tuesday's Division Series Game 1.Before recording an out, Morton gave up a leadoff double to Tommy Pham, a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and Massey's 14th homer of the season.“You get to a two-strike count, you feel like the top of the zone is a little bit more open and he just turned and burned on it,” Morton said.Morton (8-10) allowed all four runs, five hits and two walks while striking out three over 4 1/3 innings. He also surrendered a solo homer to Hunter Renfroe.The 40-year-old Morton was drafted by the Braves in 2002 and made his big league debut for Atlanta in 2008. In what could be his final major league start, he was given a ovation after Snitker pulled him in the fifth.“I just remember walking off the field having allowed four runs getting pulled in the fifth inning in a game that means a lot to everybody here,” Morton said. “The fans here have supported me ever since I came back. People have been really kind to me, really supportive when they see me in public, at the stadium.”Four Braves pitchers combined for 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief.“They all just kind of handed the ball off and did exactly what we needed to do which is give us an opportunity to score and get in the game,” Snitker said.But Atlanta went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners. Matt Olson singled and Jorge Soler walked with one out in the eighth, but Ramón Laureano and Sean Murphy struck out against John Schreiber.“We had a chance," Olson said. “Schreiber had a funky arm and made some good pitches. It was a different angle and not stuff you see every day. He made some good pitches. I was on second base looking at a lot of them. Sometimes you have to tip the cap.”Gio Urshela homered for the Braves.Alec Marsh (9-9) allowed one earned run over five innings for the win. Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.BATTING TITLEWitt went 1 for 4 to earn the AL batting title with a .332 average.“It's special and it's an honor,” Witt said. “It's something that wasn't even a goal. You never think as a kid it would ever happen and now it happened.”UP NEXTRoyals: Claimed the No. 5 seed in the American League will face fourth-seeded Baltimore in the Wild Card Series that begins on Tuesday.Braves: The doubleheader against the Mets is to make up the games that were postponed on Wednesday and Thursday by heavy rains. While Sale is set to pitch the second game, Snitker indicated that he would likely make a switch if the Braves locked up a playoff berth in the opener. That would set up Sale to pitch in the opener of the Wild Card Series.

⚾ Royals close out regular season with win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes has run through the gamut of situations in his 100 regular-season starts.

Even though the Kansas City Chiefs were down 10-0 to the Los Angeles Chargers a little more than 11 minutes into Sunday's game, Mahomes knew there was plenty of time to bounce back.

On a day he passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, Mahomes singled out his defense as the pivotal reason the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs rallied for a 17-10 victory and are 4-0 for the first time since 2020.

“We weren’t playing good. but I think the best thing is, no one talks about it and they start to now, but our defense is really good,” said Mahomes, who completed 19 of 29 passes. “They know how to shut the door and keep us in games. Then they believe that the offense is going to find a way to score enough points at the end.”

Kansas City has won six straight over the Chargers. It also has 11 straight road victories victories over its AFC West rival, the longest active winning streak by a visiting squad and tied for third all-time.

“I’m proud of our guys for hanging in there. Easily could have gone a different direction there, but the guys supported each other," coach Andy Reid said.

The Chiefs bounced back after losing wide receiver&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-rashee-rice-injured-7dc06648f3fd38941dd8963670c6cc50">Rashee Rice to a potential season-ending knee injury</a>&nbsp;in the first quarter. Rice was hit by Mahomes while both players were pursuing Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton during an interception return.

The Chargers (2-2) scored 10 points off a pair of Chiefs turnovers — a fumble by Carson Steele and Mahomes' fifth interception of the season — but that was it.

Los Angeles went three-and-out on four of its eight possessions in the final three quarters. Nonetheless, the Chargers had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth quarter when they drove to the Kansas City 3-yard line, but Justin Herbert's pass intended for tight end Hayden Hurst was incomplete after Chris Jones and Felix Anudike-Uzomah applied pressure on fourth-and-1.

Seven minutes later,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1840528294716023277">Samaje Perine put Kansas City ahead</a>&nbsp;with a 2-yard touchdown run up the middle.

The Chargers, who won their first two games behind a strong running game, finished with only 55 yards rushing and averaged 2.3 yards per carry.

“Got to get Justin just a little bit more time. Some of the throws he made, some of the plays he made were incredible,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Got to look at how we respond from here, and it’ll be like starting the season over again when we come back (from the bye week).”

Mahomes completed passes to six players. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-chiefs-record-466a834119e572d5dad408e0741734f1">set the franchise’s career receptions record</a>, surpassing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Xavier Worthy had three catches for 73 yards, including hauling in&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1840505902064972101">a 54-yard pass from Mahomes</a>&nbsp;in the second quarter for the Chiefs' first touchdown.

Kansas City's defense also took advantage of a hampered Herbert, who was playing with limited mobility because of a high ankle sprain and had a patchwork offensive line because of injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.

“We were able to create some pressure there in the second quarter and second half, and get those guys going,” linebacker Drue Tranquill said. “We knew they were a little beat up on the O-line, and there might be some communication, chemistry issues. We were able to take advantage of that down the stretch.”

Herbert was sacked twice by Jones and was hit 10 times on 31 dropbacks. He completed all seven passes in the first quarter, but was 9 of 20 the rest of the way.

“They do a good job of getting after the passer. We expected that, we knew that, and I thought we were preparing for it,” said Herbert, who was 16 of 27 for 179 yards with a touchdown. “I thought the offensive line did a great job stepping up, blocking, doing everything they needed to do, but it’s definitely on us to be better.”

After Steele's fumble, Herbert completed all four of his passes on Los Angeles' opening 10-play drive, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1840491283665547720">7-yard strike to Ladd McConkey</a>&nbsp;in the back of the end zone. Herbert took a big hit from Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring while throwing, but he put the ball in a tight spot as safety Bryan Cook had his back turned.

Cameron Dicker's 50-yard field goal extended the Chargers' lead to 10-0. The drive started after&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1840493162223026190">Fulton intercepted Mahomes' pass</a>&nbsp;intended for Kelce and returned it 29 yards up the right sideline.

Rice punched the ball loose behind Fulton and Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered. But a video review showed Rice was out of bounds when he forced the fumble, allowing LA to keep the ball.

Kansas City had a pair of turnovers and went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions before getting on track late in the second quarter.

The Chiefs took over at their 46 after forcing the Chargers to go three-and-out, and Mahomes immediately connected with Worthy for the deep touchdown. Worthy, the speedy rookie receiver who was the 28th overall pick in April's draft, blew past Fulton on a go route and caught it 3 yards deep in the end zone on a pass from Mahomes that&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NextGenStats/status/1840506167036113112">went 62 yards in the air</a>.

Harrison Butker's 37-yard field goal tied it at 10-all midway through the third quarter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727654476310.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy, right, is celebrates after catching a 54-yard touchdown pass from teammate Patrick Mahomes, left, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy, right, is celebrates after catching a 54-yard touchdown pass from teammate Patrick Mahomes, left, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)</figcaption>
 </figure>JOE REEDY AP Sports WriterINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes has run through the gamut of situations in his 100 regular-season starts.Even though the Kansas City Chiefs were down 10-0 to the Los Angeles Chargers a little more than 11 minutes into Sunday's game, Mahomes knew there was plenty of time to bounce back.On a day he passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, Mahomes singled out his defense as the pivotal reason the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs rallied for a 17-10 victory and are 4-0 for the first time since 2020.“We weren’t playing good. but I think the best thing is, no one talks about it and they start to now, but our defense is really good,” said Mahomes, who completed 19 of 29 passes. “They know how to shut the door and keep us in games. Then they believe that the offense is going to find a way to score enough points at the end.”Kansas City has won six straight over the Chargers. It also has 11 straight road victories victories over its AFC West rival, the longest active winning streak by a visiting squad and tied for third all-time.“I’m proud of our guys for hanging in there. Easily could have gone a different direction there, but the guys supported each other," coach Andy Reid said.The Chiefs bounced back after losing wide receiver&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-rashee-rice-injured-7dc06648f3fd38941dd8963670c6cc50">Rashee Rice to a potential season-ending knee injury</a>&nbsp;in the first quarter. Rice was hit by Mahomes while both players were pursuing Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton during an interception return.The Chargers (2-2) scored 10 points off a pair of Chiefs turnovers — a fumble by Carson Steele and Mahomes' fifth interception of the season — but that was it.Los Angeles went three-and-out on four of its eight possessions in the final three quarters. Nonetheless, the Chargers had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth quarter when they drove to the Kansas City 3-yard line, but Justin Herbert's pass intended for tight end Hayden Hurst was incomplete after Chris Jones and Felix Anudike-Uzomah applied pressure on fourth-and-1.Seven minutes later,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1840528294716023277">Samaje Perine put Kansas City ahead</a>&nbsp;with a 2-yard touchdown run up the middle.The Chargers, who won their first two games behind a strong running game, finished with only 55 yards rushing and averaged 2.3 yards per carry.“Got to get Justin just a little bit more time. Some of the throws he made, some of the plays he made were incredible,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Got to look at how we respond from here, and it’ll be like starting the season over again when we come back (from the bye week).”Mahomes completed passes to six players. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-chiefs-record-466a834119e572d5dad408e0741734f1">set the franchise’s career receptions record</a>, surpassing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez.Xavier Worthy had three catches for 73 yards, including hauling in&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1840505902064972101">a 54-yard pass from Mahomes</a>&nbsp;in the second quarter for the Chiefs' first touchdown.Kansas City's defense also took advantage of a hampered Herbert, who was playing with limited mobility because of a high ankle sprain and had a patchwork offensive line because of injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.“We were able to create some pressure there in the second quarter and second half, and get those guys going,” linebacker Drue Tranquill said. “We knew they were a little beat up on the O-line, and there might be some communication, chemistry issues. We were able to take advantage of that down the stretch.”Herbert was sacked twice by Jones and was hit 10 times on 31 dropbacks. He completed all seven passes in the first quarter, but was 9 of 20 the rest of the way.“They do a good job of getting after the passer. We expected that, we knew that, and I thought we were preparing for it,” said Herbert, who was 16 of 27 for 179 yards with a touchdown. “I thought the offensive line did a great job stepping up, blocking, doing everything they needed to do, but it’s definitely on us to be better.”After Steele's fumble, Herbert completed all four of his passes on Los Angeles' opening 10-play drive, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1840491283665547720">7-yard strike to Ladd McConkey</a>&nbsp;in the back of the end zone. Herbert took a big hit from Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring while throwing, but he put the ball in a tight spot as safety Bryan Cook had his back turned.Cameron Dicker's 50-yard field goal extended the Chargers' lead to 10-0. The drive started after&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1840493162223026190">Fulton intercepted Mahomes' pass</a>&nbsp;intended for Kelce and returned it 29 yards up the right sideline.Rice punched the ball loose behind Fulton and Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered. But a video review showed Rice was out of bounds when he forced the fumble, allowing LA to keep the ball.Kansas City had a pair of turnovers and went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions before getting on track late in the second quarter.The Chiefs took over at their 46 after forcing the Chargers to go three-and-out, and Mahomes immediately connected with Worthy for the deep touchdown. Worthy, the speedy rookie receiver who was the 28th overall pick in April's draft, blew past Fulton on a go route and caught it 3 yards deep in the end zone on a pass from Mahomes that&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NextGenStats/status/1840506167036113112">went 62 yards in the air</a>.Harrison Butker's 37-yard field goal tied it at 10-all midway through the third quarter.

🏈 Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce help Chiefs rally for win over Chargers

GARDEN CITY, Kan.&nbsp;— The No. 17-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team snapped a three-game winless streak with a hard-fought 1-0 Jayhawk Conference road victory on Saturday at Garden City.

Sophomore Haley Rogers scored in the 57th minute for the game’s only goal and freshman goalkeeper Marina Lopez had her second shutout of the season to help the Blue Dragons snap an 0-1-2 streak over their last three games.

Hutchinson improved to 5-2-3 overall record and 4-2-3 (15 points). The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Salthawk Sports Complex. Garden City is now 3-8-1 overall and 0-8-1 in the KJCCC.

The Blue Dragons are now 33-0-1 all-time vs. Garden City and are now 16-13 all-time in 1-0 games.

After a scoreless first half, sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Edwards intercepted a long Garden City pass and then traveled about 35 yards before passing to Rogers. The Blue Dragon forward drew Garden City’s goalkeeper and another Broncbuster defender to her, got by both and scored into an empty net for a 1-0 lead with 31:30 to play in the second half.

Rogers scored her seven goal of the season and had her first career game-winning goal. Edwards had her fourth assists of the season.

Lopez (2-0-1) had four saves in her performance. She made two saves after the Dragons took their 1-0 lead, including a key diving save with about 12 minutes to play.

The Blue Dragons out-shot Garden City 9-6.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727660636333.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationGARDEN CITY, Kan.&nbsp;— The No. 17-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team snapped a three-game winless streak with a hard-fought 1-0 Jayhawk Conference road victory on Saturday at Garden City.Sophomore Haley Rogers scored in the 57th minute for the game’s only goal and freshman goalkeeper Marina Lopez had her second shutout of the season to help the Blue Dragons snap an 0-1-2 streak over their last three games.Hutchinson improved to 5-2-3 overall record and 4-2-3 (15 points). The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Salthawk Sports Complex. Garden City is now 3-8-1 overall and 0-8-1 in the KJCCC.The Blue Dragons are now 33-0-1 all-time vs. Garden City and are now 16-13 all-time in 1-0 games.After a scoreless first half, sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Edwards intercepted a long Garden City pass and then traveled about 35 yards before passing to Rogers. The Blue Dragon forward drew Garden City’s goalkeeper and another Broncbuster defender to her, got by both and scored into an empty net for a 1-0 lead with 31:30 to play in the second half.Rogers scored her seven goal of the season and had her first career game-winning goal. Edwards had her fourth assists of the season.Lopez (2-0-1) had four saves in her performance. She made two saves after the Dragons took their 1-0 lead, including a key diving save with about 12 minutes to play.The Blue Dragons out-shot Garden City 9-6.

⚽ Dragons earn tough 1-0 win at Garden City

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Out-hit .327 to .147, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team suffered a Jayhawk Conference sweep to No. 5 Barton on Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons fell 25-17, 25-12, 25-17 to the nationally ranked and KJCCC-leading Cougars.

Hutchinson is now 12-11 overall and 3-4 in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons play host to No. 6 Colby at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Barton improved to 20-1 and 7-0 in the league.

The Blue Dragons had a 9-6 lead and were tied at 15-all in the opening set. From that point, the Cougars showed their firepower, outscoring the Dragons 10-2 to close the first set and 40-21 for the remainder.

Freshmen Atlyn Proctor and Brooke Galey led the Blue Dragons offensively with nine kills each.

Proctor hit .208 on 24 attacks. Galey hit .156 on 32 attacks.

Sophomore middle McKenzie Murphy was next with five kills on .118 hitting.

Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson finished with 20 assists. Freshman libero Addy Foster had 14 digs and freshman Beatriz Carvalho had 11 digs and two aces.

The Blue Dragons out-blocked Barton 3-1, but were out-dug 52-28 and out-aced at the service line 11-2.

Aubrey Olander and Phoebe Reyes had 10 kills each to lead Barton. Elena Stankovic had five service aces.

Set 1: The Blue Dragons took a 4-2 lead on an Ellie Suber kill and led 6-3 on a Galey kill. Barton pulled within one at 7-6 and eventually tied the set at 9-all on a Hutchinson attack error. A Galey kill gave the Dragons a 10-9 lead. Murphy then connected on a slide attack to tie the set at 11. Trailing 15-14, the Dragons tied the set on a Cougar attack error. Barton then took control with a 5-0 run that was snapped by a Murphy kill to cut the Barton lead to 20-17. Barton closed the set on a 10-2 run, hitting .286 to the Dragons’ .047 to win the set 25-17.

Set 2: Barton scored the first three points of the second set and never relinquished the lead. The Dragons had the deficit at one three different times on a Precious Johnson block, Galey kill and Murphy kill. Barton then went on a 11-4 run to take an 18-11 lead. Barton then scored the final seven points of the set, hitting .448 in the set to win 25-12.

Set 3: Barton took immediate control jumping out to a 9-2 lead. The Dragons scored six points in a row on Carvalho’s service run. She had two aces in the run to pull with 9-8. Barton quickly regained control with a 5-1 run. That run drew to 11-3 to build a 20-12 lead. Barton hit .270 in the set to finish off the Blue Dragons 25-17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727660369205.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Out-hit .327 to .147, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team suffered a Jayhawk Conference sweep to No. 5 Barton on Saturday night at the Sports Arena.The Blue Dragons fell 25-17, 25-12, 25-17 to the nationally ranked and KJCCC-leading Cougars.Hutchinson is now 12-11 overall and 3-4 in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons play host to No. 6 Colby at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Barton improved to 20-1 and 7-0 in the league.The Blue Dragons had a 9-6 lead and were tied at 15-all in the opening set. From that point, the Cougars showed their firepower, outscoring the Dragons 10-2 to close the first set and 40-21 for the remainder.Freshmen Atlyn Proctor and Brooke Galey led the Blue Dragons offensively with nine kills each.Proctor hit .208 on 24 attacks. Galey hit .156 on 32 attacks.Sophomore middle McKenzie Murphy was next with five kills on .118 hitting.Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson finished with 20 assists. Freshman libero Addy Foster had 14 digs and freshman Beatriz Carvalho had 11 digs and two aces.The Blue Dragons out-blocked Barton 3-1, but were out-dug 52-28 and out-aced at the service line 11-2.Aubrey Olander and Phoebe Reyes had 10 kills each to lead Barton. Elena Stankovic had five service aces.Set 1: The Blue Dragons took a 4-2 lead on an Ellie Suber kill and led 6-3 on a Galey kill. Barton pulled within one at 7-6 and eventually tied the set at 9-all on a Hutchinson attack error. A Galey kill gave the Dragons a 10-9 lead. Murphy then connected on a slide attack to tie the set at 11. Trailing 15-14, the Dragons tied the set on a Cougar attack error. Barton then took control with a 5-0 run that was snapped by a Murphy kill to cut the Barton lead to 20-17. Barton closed the set on a 10-2 run, hitting .286 to the Dragons’ .047 to win the set 25-17.Set 2: Barton scored the first three points of the second set and never relinquished the lead. The Dragons had the deficit at one three different times on a Precious Johnson block, Galey kill and Murphy kill. Barton then went on a 11-4 run to take an 18-11 lead. Barton then scored the final seven points of the set, hitting .448 in the set to win 25-12.Set 3: Barton took immediate control jumping out to a 9-2 lead. The Dragons scored six points in a row on Carvalho’s service run. She had two aces in the run to pull with 9-8. Barton quickly regained control with a 5-1 run. That run drew to 11-3 to build a 20-12 lead. Barton hit .270 in the set to finish off the Blue Dragons 25-17.

🏐 HutchCC swept by No. 5 Barton

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Hutchinson Community College women’s cross country has been around since 1984. Not once over those 40-plus seasons has a Blue Dragon runner broken the 18 minute mark at 5,000 meters.

That changed on Saturday at the University of Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival as not 1, not 2, but three different Blue Dragon runners eclipsed the 18-minute barrier to re-write Hutchinson’s record book.

Freshmen Faith Jepchirchir and Lilian Mateo Torrez and sophomore Jordyn Picolet became the first three Blue Dragon women’s runners to break the 18-minute mark, leading No. 7 Hutchinson to a 13th-place team finish in a field that included some of the top NCAA Division I teams. Hutchinson was the third-highest finishing NJCAA team in the field with 382 points.

Jepchirchir, who won the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in August, led the Blue Dragons on Saturday, shattering the old Blue Dragon 5,000-meter record by 1 minute and 4 seconds with a time of 17:08.1. Jepchirchir placed 21st in the Chili Pepper.

Mateo Torrez was making her Blue Dragon debut and was impressive with a 38th-place time of 17:31.9.

Picolet smashed her career-best 8K time as a freshman by 44.5 seconds with a time of 17:53.1.

Those three times helped the Blue Dragons run an average time of 18:31.72.

Also posting a career-best 5K time was sophomore Abigail Grantham, who placed 176th in a time of 20:01.9.

Sophomore Laura Avila placed 178th with a time of 20:03.7.

The Blue Dragons will next run at the Cowley Invitational on October 12 in Winfield.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725107761874.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationFAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Hutchinson Community College women’s cross country has been around since 1984. Not once over those 40-plus seasons has a Blue Dragon runner broken the 18 minute mark at 5,000 meters.That changed on Saturday at the University of Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival as not 1, not 2, but three different Blue Dragon runners eclipsed the 18-minute barrier to re-write Hutchinson’s record book.Freshmen Faith Jepchirchir and Lilian Mateo Torrez and sophomore Jordyn Picolet became the first three Blue Dragon women’s runners to break the 18-minute mark, leading No. 7 Hutchinson to a 13th-place team finish in a field that included some of the top NCAA Division I teams. Hutchinson was the third-highest finishing NJCAA team in the field with 382 points.Jepchirchir, who won the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in August, led the Blue Dragons on Saturday, shattering the old Blue Dragon 5,000-meter record by 1 minute and 4 seconds with a time of 17:08.1. Jepchirchir placed 21st in the Chili Pepper.Mateo Torrez was making her Blue Dragon debut and was impressive with a 38th-place time of 17:31.9.Picolet smashed her career-best 8K time as a freshman by 44.5 seconds with a time of 17:53.1.Those three times helped the Blue Dragons run an average time of 18:31.72.Also posting a career-best 5K time was sophomore Abigail Grantham, who placed 176th in a time of 20:01.9.Sophomore Laura Avila placed 178th with a time of 20:03.7.The Blue Dragons will next run at the Cowley Invitational on October 12 in Winfield.

👟 Jepchirchir leads three Dragons under 18:00 at Chili Pepper

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Running against some of the top teams at the NCAA Division I level, the NJCAA No. 9-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s cross country team posted a team Top 10 finish on Saturday at the University of Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival.

Dennis Cheruiyot, Cornelius Kogo and Titus Kiprotich ran times in the Blue Dragon all-time Top 10 at 8,000 meters to lead the Blue Dragons to an eighth-place team performance on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588955468734.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationFAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Running against some of the top teams at the NCAA Division I level, the NJCAA No. 9-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s cross country team posted a team Top 10 finish on Saturday at the University of Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival.Dennis Cheruiyot, Cornelius Kogo and Titus Kiprotich ran times in the Blue Dragon all-time Top 10 at 8,000 meters to lead the Blue Dragons to an eighth-place team performance on Saturday.Arkansas won the men’s team title with 29 points. Western Colorado was second with 127 points. The Blue Dragons were the second-highest NJCAA team in the team standings, scoring 259 points to finish eighth. Only Butler placed higher than the Dragons. The Grizzlies were seventh with 207 points.Hutchinson’s solid performance helped the Blue Dragons finish better than NJCAA No. 3 Iowa Central and No. 6 Crowder College. The Dragons also finished ahead of NCAA Division I power LSU. The Tigers placed ninth.The Dragons posted a team time average of 25:09.54 on Saturday.Running his first 8K race as a Blue Dragon, Cheruiyot led Hutchinson with a 14th-place performance – second among NJCAA runners – in a time of 24:22.9. That time is the fifth-fastest time by a Blue Dragon at 8,000 meters in program history.Kogo placed 17th at the Chili Pepper. His time of 24:29.2 was third best among NJCAA runners and the sixth fastest 8K time in Blue Dragon history.Kiprotich placed 33rd on Saturday with the 10th-fastest 8K time in team history of 24:54.9.Farin Mangelson was the only other Blue Dragon to place in the Chili Pepper Top 100, placing 98th in a time of 25:48.1.The remaining Blue Dragon runners finished:+ Thaddaeus Rotich placed 128th in 26:13.0;+ Kaden Lohrentz placed 141st in 26:26.1;+ David Ultreras placed 159th in 26:52.4;+ Leo LeGrand placed 219th in 28:04.5;+ Blake Yoder placed 258th in 30:39.5.The Blue Dragons will next run at the Cowley Invitational on October 12 in Winfield.