ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team suffered its first shutout loss of the season on Wednesday in a national ranked matchup against the Cowley Tigers.

No. 14 Cowley scored goals on two set pieces and defeated No. 17 Hutchinson 3-0 in a Jayhawk Conference match at the Cowley Soccer Complex.

The Blue Dragons fall to 4-2-3 overall and 3-2-3 (12 points) in the Jayhawk. Cowley is 5-2-1 overall and in league play (16 points). Hutchinson starts the second half of conference play on Saturday at Garden City.

Hutchinson was out-shot 14-11 on Wednesday, but was able to muster only a handful of quality scoring chances. Cowley goalkeeper Marin Peoples stopped Haley Rogers on a point-blank shot in the first half. The Dragons also had two close shots in the first half that just missed the goal.

The Blue Dragons’ top three scorers – Miller, Kaitlyn Edwards and Katharina Marx combined for eight shots, with six on goal, all saved by Peoples.

The first 30 minutes were tightly played, but in the 32nd minute the Dragons committed a foul in their defensive third of the field. Cowley’s Mai Line Geffry connected on a free kick from 35 yards out to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Cowley took a 2-0 lead on a corner kick in the 55th minute and scored again 3 1/2 minutes later when Hina Suzuki got behind the Dragon defense on a deflected ball and scored into a wide-open net.

Blue Dragon sophomore goalkeeper Karsyn Slothower had six saves and allowed three goals.

The Blue Dragons are 14-6-1 all-time against Cowley, but the Tigers won their third game in a row against Hutchinson and are 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727342192629.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team suffered its first shutout loss of the season on Wednesday in a national ranked matchup against the Cowley Tigers.No. 14 Cowley scored goals on two set pieces and defeated No. 17 Hutchinson 3-0 in a Jayhawk Conference match at the Cowley Soccer Complex.The Blue Dragons fall to 4-2-3 overall and 3-2-3 (12 points) in the Jayhawk. Cowley is 5-2-1 overall and in league play (16 points). Hutchinson starts the second half of conference play on Saturday at Garden City.Hutchinson was out-shot 14-11 on Wednesday, but was able to muster only a handful of quality scoring chances. Cowley goalkeeper Marin Peoples stopped Haley Rogers on a point-blank shot in the first half. The Dragons also had two close shots in the first half that just missed the goal.The Blue Dragons’ top three scorers – Miller, Kaitlyn Edwards and Katharina Marx combined for eight shots, with six on goal, all saved by Peoples.The first 30 minutes were tightly played, but in the 32nd minute the Dragons committed a foul in their defensive third of the field. Cowley’s Mai Line Geffry connected on a free kick from 35 yards out to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.Cowley took a 2-0 lead on a corner kick in the 55th minute and scored again 3 1/2 minutes later when Hina Suzuki got behind the Dragon defense on a deflected ball and scored into a wide-open net.Blue Dragon sophomore goalkeeper Karsyn Slothower had six saves and allowed three goals.The Blue Dragons are 14-6-1 all-time against Cowley, but the Tigers won their third game in a row against Hutchinson and are 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.

⚽ No. 14 Cowley wins over No. 17 Hutchinson

IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five Kansas City relievers pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball after starter Michael Lorenzen's early exit,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BallySportsKC/status/1839094959502405827">Robbie Grossman hit a two-run single</a>, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.

“Throwing strikes,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro explained. “We know that’s a big key is to challenge hitters. They have good stuff. They know that.”

Michael Massey singled in a run off DJ Herz (4-9) to help lift the Royals to a second straight shutout victory after a season high-tying seven-game losing streak.

Kansas City and Detroit are both 84-74 but the Royals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Tigers for the second wild-card spot. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rays-tigers-score-ea5e62c66c31e1318f3041d545fc3966">Tigers beat the Rays</a>&nbsp;7-1 on Wednesday night.

Daniel Lynch IV (2-0) worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief of Lorenzen, who exited with lower body fatigue after 2 1/3 innings in his first start since sustaining a left hamstring strain on Aug. 27.

Lynch has not allowed a run in 10 relief appearances since he was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Aug. 26.

“Since he’s come back up, he’s thrown the ball exceptionally well. And that was a huge part of tonight as well,” Quatraro said.

Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber and Sam Long bridged the gap to Lucas Erceg, who completed his 13th save. That effort extended the Kansas City bullpen's scoreless streak to 15 2/3 innings over four games, and the pitching staff's overall scoreless run to a franchise record 26 innings.

“When it’s going Zerpa to Schrieber to Long to Erceg, I mean that’s pretty nasty guys,” Lynch said. “So I think that when guys just keep going and doing their jobs, it makes it easier.”

James Wood and Nasim Nuñez had the only hits for Washington, which fell to a third consecutive shutout defeat and has lost eight of its last nine games.

"I think they’re pressing for sure," Nats manager Dave Martinez said. “We’ve just got to go out there and relax tomorrow and just get a good pitch to hit.”

Lorenzen cruised through the first two innings but departed with a batter retired in the third after a brief visit from the team medical staff. He threw 28 pitches, striking out two and officially issuing two walks, the latter coming on the at-bat that Lynch completed.

Royals: Kansas City optioned RHP Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Lorenzen.

Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez confirmed that All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has reported to the club's complex in West Palm Beach, Florida as planned and will work out there through Sunday. Abrams was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nationals-abrams-demoted-408ac7cf9c569b3abedd470b510cfb82">demoted from the major league team</a>&nbsp;Saturday for what was termed an internal matter. UP NEXT

Left-hander Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.58 ERA) will pitch likely his final game for the Washington Nationals on Thursday. He is the last remaining active Nationals player who was on the 2019 World Series-winning team. His six-year, $140-million contract expires at the end of the season. RHP Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.28) goes for Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727314412664.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) gives Washington Nationals' Nasim Nunez his batting helmet back during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) gives Washington Nationals' Nasim Nunez his batting helmet back during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — Five Kansas City relievers pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball after starter Michael Lorenzen's early exit,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BallySportsKC/status/1839094959502405827">Robbie Grossman hit a two-run single</a>, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.“Throwing strikes,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro explained. “We know that’s a big key is to challenge hitters. They have good stuff. They know that.”Michael Massey singled in a run off DJ Herz (4-9) to help lift the Royals to a second straight shutout victory after a season high-tying seven-game losing streak.Kansas City and Detroit are both 84-74 but the Royals hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Tigers for the second wild-card spot. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rays-tigers-score-ea5e62c66c31e1318f3041d545fc3966">Tigers beat the Rays</a>&nbsp;7-1 on Wednesday night.Daniel Lynch IV (2-0) worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief of Lorenzen, who exited with lower body fatigue after 2 1/3 innings in his first start since sustaining a left hamstring strain on Aug. 27.Lynch has not allowed a run in 10 relief appearances since he was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Aug. 26.“Since he’s come back up, he’s thrown the ball exceptionally well. And that was a huge part of tonight as well,” Quatraro said.Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber and Sam Long bridged the gap to Lucas Erceg, who completed his 13th save. That effort extended the Kansas City bullpen's scoreless streak to 15 2/3 innings over four games, and the pitching staff's overall scoreless run to a franchise record 26 innings.“When it’s going Zerpa to Schrieber to Long to Erceg, I mean that’s pretty nasty guys,” Lynch said. “So I think that when guys just keep going and doing their jobs, it makes it easier.”James Wood and Nasim Nuñez had the only hits for Washington, which fell to a third consecutive shutout defeat and has lost eight of its last nine games."I think they’re pressing for sure," Nats manager Dave Martinez said. “We’ve just got to go out there and relax tomorrow and just get a good pitch to hit.”Lorenzen cruised through the first two innings but departed with a batter retired in the third after a brief visit from the team medical staff. He threw 28 pitches, striking out two and officially issuing two walks, the latter coming on the at-bat that Lynch completed.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Kansas City optioned RHP Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Lorenzen.Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez confirmed that All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has reported to the club's complex in West Palm Beach, Florida as planned and will work out there through Sunday. Abrams was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nationals-abrams-demoted-408ac7cf9c569b3abedd470b510cfb82">demoted from the major league team</a>&nbsp;Saturday for what was termed an internal matter. UP NEXTLeft-hander Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.58 ERA) will pitch likely his final game for the Washington Nationals on Thursday. He is the last remaining active Nationals player who was on the 2019 World Series-winning team. His six-year, $140-million contract expires at the end of the season. RHP Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.28) goes for Kansas City.

⚾ Royals win second straight Wednesday

SALINA, Kan. — The Hutchinson Salthawks football team (2-1) travels to Salina South (0-3) for its second road game of the season with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.&nbsp;at Salina Stadium.

Catch the Salthawk Football Pregame Show sponsored by The Medicine Shoppe at 6:30 p.m. on <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>.

The award winning EAGLE Media sportscast crew consisting of Glen Grunwald with the play-by-play and color analysts Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato. Hutch High senior Matt Peterson will provide the NFHS video stream on the Hutch High&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/">NFHS Video Stream</a>&nbsp;Channel.

Game audio is available at kwbwradio.com of click <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">HERE</a>. Download the KWBW Radio app and take the game with you on the road.

The NFHS Network Hutch High Channel is a pay-per-view broadcast this season. Choose either an annual pass or pay month-to-month.

The live broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727167996382.png" alt="Gameday vs Salina South - Sept. 26th 2024" />
 <figcaption>Gameday vs Salina South - Sept. 26th 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA, Kan. — The Hutchinson Salthawks football team (2-1) travels to Salina South (0-3) for its second road game of the season with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.&nbsp;at Salina Stadium.Catch the Salthawk Football Pregame Show sponsored by The Medicine Shoppe at 6:30 p.m. on <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>.The award winning EAGLE Media sportscast crew consisting of Glen Grunwald with the play-by-play and color analysts Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato. Hutch High senior Matt Peterson will provide the NFHS video stream on the Hutch High&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/">NFHS Video Stream</a>&nbsp;Channel.Game audio is available at kwbwradio.com of click <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">HERE</a>. Download the KWBW Radio app and take the game with you on the road.The NFHS Network Hutch High Channel is a pay-per-view broadcast this season. Choose either an annual pass or pay month-to-month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726224332945.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The live broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m.<div>
</div>

🏈🎥🎧 Hutch High on the road at Salina South

CLASS 6A 1. Blue Valley West 2. Mill Valley 3. Olathe West 4. Blue Valley North 5. Washburn Rural 6. Olathe South 7. Blue Valley NW 8. Shawnee Mission NW 9. Lawrence Free St. 10. Olathe NW

CLASS 5A 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 2. St. James Academy 3. Topeka Seaman 4. Blue Valley SW 5. Andover 6. Andover Central 7. Bishop Carroll 8. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 9. Maize South 10. Great Bend

CLASS 4A 1. Bishop Miege 2. Andale 3. Clearwater 4. Clay Center 5. Rock Creek 6. Eudora 7. Holton 8. Louisburg 9. Rose Hill 10. McPherson

CLASS 3A 1. Beloit 2. Nemaha Central 3. Cheney 4. Topeka Hayden 5. Halstead 6. Wichita Trinity Academy 7. Hesston 8. Hoisington 9. Silver Lake 10. Rossville

CLASS 2A 1. Inman 2. Ellinwood 3. Sedgwick 4. Hillsboro 5. Maranatha Christian 6. Valley Heights 7. Garden Plain 8. Oakley 9. Maur Hill-Mount Academy 10. Moundridge

CLASS 1A-Division I 1. Little River 2. Spearville 3. Goessel 4. South Gray 5. Centralia 6. Pretty Prairie 7. Flinthills 8. Rock Hills 9. South Central 10. Sylvan-Lucas

CLASS 1A-Division II 1. Hanover 2. Lebo 3. Ingalls 4. Attica 5. Argonia 6. Marais des Cygnes Valley 7. Greeley County 8. Wheatland-Grinnell 9. St. Paul 10. Beloit-St. John's/Tipton

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684765193638.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Volleyball AssociationCLASS 6A 1. Blue Valley West 2. Mill Valley 3. Olathe West 4. Blue Valley North 5. Washburn Rural 6. Olathe South 7. Blue Valley NW 8. Shawnee Mission NW 9. Lawrence Free St. 10. Olathe NWCLASS 5A 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 2. St. James Academy 3. Topeka Seaman 4. Blue Valley SW 5. Andover 6. Andover Central 7. Bishop Carroll 8. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 9. Maize South 10. Great BendCLASS 4A 1. Bishop Miege 2. Andale 3. Clearwater 4. Clay Center 5. Rock Creek 6. Eudora 7. Holton 8. Louisburg 9. Rose Hill 10. McPhersonCLASS 3A 1. Beloit 2. Nemaha Central 3. Cheney 4. Topeka Hayden 5. Halstead 6. Wichita Trinity Academy 7. Hesston 8. Hoisington 9. Silver Lake 10. RossvilleCLASS 2A 1. Inman 2. Ellinwood 3. Sedgwick 4. Hillsboro 5. Maranatha Christian 6. Valley Heights 7. Garden Plain 8. Oakley 9. Maur Hill-Mount Academy 10. MoundridgeCLASS 1A-Division I 1. Little River 2. Spearville 3. Goessel 4. South Gray 5. Centralia 6. Pretty Prairie 7. Flinthills 8. Rock Hills 9. South Central 10. Sylvan-LucasCLASS 1A-Division II 1. Hanover 2. Lebo 3. Ingalls 4. Attica 5. Argonia 6. Marais des Cygnes Valley 7. Greeley County 8. Wheatland-Grinnell 9. St. Paul 10. Beloit-St. John's/Tipton

🏐 Kansas Volleyball Association Week 3 rankings

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Kansas State senior linebacker&nbsp;Austin Moore&nbsp;has been named a semifinalist for one of the most prestigious honors in major college football, the William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Moore is one of a record-breaking 203 semifinalists from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA for the award that recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

A native of Louisburg, Kansas, Moore is the 11th Wildcat semifinalist for the award in as many years, joining Tyler Lockett (2014), Stanton Weber (2015), Will Davis (2016), Trent Tanking (2017), Dalton Risner (2018), Adam Holtorf (2019), Tyler Burns (2020), Landry Weber (2021), Adrian Martinez (2022) and Cooper Beebe (2023). Lockett, Risner, Holtorf, Martinez and Beebe were all named finalists for the award.

“These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “The Campbell Trophy continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year's candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow’s world.”

Moore is in his sixth season of college football in 2024 as he has totaled 186 carer tackles, 28 tackles for loss, four sacks an interception and six total passes defended. His 28 career TFLs ranks 32nd&nbsp;nationally among active players, a mark that includes 2.5 this season. He is tied for third on the team this season with 14 tackles, while he has a sack and one pass breakup.

A three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree, Moore was nominated for that award with a perfect 4.0 GPA in both 2022 and 2023, while he earned Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators in both of those seasons. Moore obtained his undergraduate degree in kinesiology with a minor in gerontology in May 2023, graduating with a 3.941 GPA.

Away from the field and the classroom, Moore has participated in numerous community-service events, including the Powercat Auction, Special Olympics Clinic, Supper Bowl, Evening with the Stars Prom, Football Clinic for Special Olympics, “Be The Match” Bone Marrow Drive Prep and Adopt-A-Family.

Moore and the 23rd-ranked Wildcats host No. 20 Oklahoma State on Saturday in an 11 a.m., contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be shown on ESPN.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727290187906.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State Athletics<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Kansas State senior linebacker&nbsp;Austin Moore&nbsp;has been named a semifinalist for one of the most prestigious honors in major college football, the William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moore is one of a record-breaking 203 semifinalists from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA for the award that recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.A native of Louisburg, Kansas, Moore is the 11th Wildcat semifinalist for the award in as many years, joining Tyler Lockett (2014), Stanton Weber (2015), Will Davis (2016), Trent Tanking (2017), Dalton Risner (2018), Adam Holtorf (2019), Tyler Burns (2020), Landry Weber (2021), Adrian Martinez (2022) and Cooper Beebe (2023). Lockett, Risner, Holtorf, Martinez and Beebe were all named finalists for the award.“These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “The Campbell Trophy continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year's candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow’s world.”Moore is in his sixth season of college football in 2024 as he has totaled 186 carer tackles, 28 tackles for loss, four sacks an interception and six total passes defended. His 28 career TFLs ranks 32nd&nbsp;nationally among active players, a mark that includes 2.5 this season. He is tied for third on the team this season with 14 tackles, while he has a sack and one pass breakup.A three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree, Moore was nominated for that award with a perfect 4.0 GPA in both 2022 and 2023, while he earned Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators in both of those seasons. Moore obtained his undergraduate degree in kinesiology with a minor in gerontology in May 2023, graduating with a 3.941 GPA.Away from the field and the classroom, Moore has participated in numerous community-service events, including the Powercat Auction, Special Olympics Clinic, Supper Bowl, Evening with the Stars Prom, Football Clinic for Special Olympics, “Be The Match” Bone Marrow Drive Prep and Adopt-A-Family.Moore and the 23rd-ranked Wildcats host No. 20 Oklahoma State on Saturday in an 11 a.m., contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be shown on ESPN.

🏈 K-State’s Moore named semifinalist for Campbell Trophy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kareem Hunt never expected to walk through the doors of the Kansas City Chiefs practice facility again.

So when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-kareem-hunt-22fb0b6fe17c5a4f98381cda40d04b5a">their erstwhile star running back did last week</a>, what struck Hunt first was even more unexpected.

“Honestly, my first thought was the building smelled the same,” he said Wednesday. “Brought back so many memories.”

Mostly good. Some bad, including the way things ended six years ago.

Hunt had become one of the NFL’s premier players by his second season in the league, and was helping a team led for the first time by Patrick Mahomes in pursuit of the playoffs. But in late November, video surfaced that showed Hunt kicking a woman in the hall of a Cleveland hotel, and while no charges were filed when she stopped cooperating with authorities, the Chiefs swiftly and decisively released him, putting Hunt’s future as a professional football player in peril.

“I was very young at the time — 23 — and had a lot of success going for me, and felt like I needed time to figure myself out,” said Hunt, who was signed by Kansas City last week when Isiah Pacheco was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.

“I felt like it was good for me to do that,” he added. “I guess it worked out.”

Hunt ultimately signed with the Browns, served an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, and became an important part of their backfield. He ran for 2,285 yards and five touchdowns over five years.

After he was hampered for much of last season by a sports hernia, Hunt opted for offseason surgery. He didn’t sign with a team during the summer or training camp, so when the Chiefs lost their second running back — Clyde Edwards-Helaire already was on the non-football illness list — they flew Hunt into town and gave him a chance to prove he still had it.

“You can see how hungry he is,” said Mahomes, who remained close to Hunt even after his release by Kansas City. “You come in and you haven’t had training camp and stuff like that, but he pushed through. He took last week like a mini training camp.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kareem-hunt-nfl-8529e5259a1918caae3ca49084b9d862">Hunt spent last week working with the scout team</a>&nbsp;ahead of their game Sunday night in Atlanta, when they held on in the final minute for a 22-17 victory. That left them 3-0 as they prepare to visit the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend.

While the Chiefs have been happy with the production of Carson Steele, an undrafted rookie, and journeyman Samaje Perine, they also wanted some experienced depth. Hunt checked that box. And the fact that he already was familiar with some of the playbook, and its complex terminology, allowed Hunt to get up to speed more quickly than most.

“Looks like he’s in pretty good shape, so now the next step is getting him into the game. He’ll rotate in and we’ll see how he does,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We have three good running backs and we’ll just get him back in the swing of things.”

The Chiefs are averaging just 4.1 yards per carry, putting them in the bottom half of the league this season.

It’s unclear exactly how much Hunt will be able to help the cause. While he is still just 29 years old, the former Toledo star dealt with a series of injuries while he was in Cleveland, and the reality is that he has not played much in the past year.

But he also has something to prove. He watched as the Chiefs morphed into a dynasty after he was let go, with Reid calling the plays and Mahomes under center. They have won three Super Bowls in the past five years, including the last two, and they have a chance to make NFL history by becoming the first team to win three straight Lombardi Trophies this year.

Hunt wants to be a part of that. And along the way, prove he has grown and matured since his last time with Kansas City.

“That’s been my goal,” he said. “Any player who steps on a football field wants to get a championship ring. It would be a dream come true for me, ever since I was a little kid. I couldn’t be more excited to help these guys defend their title, to come back here and see all these familiar faces again.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726605270510.jpeg" alt="FILE - Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) scores a touchdown ahead of Los Angeles Rams free safety Lamarcus Joyner (20) as Chiefs offensive guard Cameron Erving (75) looks on during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) scores a touchdown ahead of Los Angeles Rams free safety Lamarcus Joyner (20) as Chiefs offensive guard Cameron Erving (75) looks on during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kareem Hunt never expected to walk through the doors of the Kansas City Chiefs practice facility again.So when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-kareem-hunt-22fb0b6fe17c5a4f98381cda40d04b5a">their erstwhile star running back did last week</a>, what struck Hunt first was even more unexpected.“Honestly, my first thought was the building smelled the same,” he said Wednesday. “Brought back so many memories.”Mostly good. Some bad, including the way things ended six years ago.Hunt had become one of the NFL’s premier players by his second season in the league, and was helping a team led for the first time by Patrick Mahomes in pursuit of the playoffs. But in late November, video surfaced that showed Hunt kicking a woman in the hall of a Cleveland hotel, and while no charges were filed when she stopped cooperating with authorities, the Chiefs swiftly and decisively released him, putting Hunt’s future as a professional football player in peril.“I was very young at the time — 23 — and had a lot of success going for me, and felt like I needed time to figure myself out,” said Hunt, who was signed by Kansas City last week when Isiah Pacheco was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.“I felt like it was good for me to do that,” he added. “I guess it worked out.”Hunt ultimately signed with the Browns, served an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, and became an important part of their backfield. He ran for 2,285 yards and five touchdowns over five years.After he was hampered for much of last season by a sports hernia, Hunt opted for offseason surgery. He didn’t sign with a team during the summer or training camp, so when the Chiefs lost their second running back — Clyde Edwards-Helaire already was on the non-football illness list — they flew Hunt into town and gave him a chance to prove he still had it.“You can see how hungry he is,” said Mahomes, who remained close to Hunt even after his release by Kansas City. “You come in and you haven’t had training camp and stuff like that, but he pushed through. He took last week like a mini training camp.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kareem-hunt-nfl-8529e5259a1918caae3ca49084b9d862">Hunt spent last week working with the scout team</a>&nbsp;ahead of their game Sunday night in Atlanta, when they held on in the final minute for a 22-17 victory. That left them 3-0 as they prepare to visit the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend.While the Chiefs have been happy with the production of Carson Steele, an undrafted rookie, and journeyman Samaje Perine, they also wanted some experienced depth. Hunt checked that box. And the fact that he already was familiar with some of the playbook, and its complex terminology, allowed Hunt to get up to speed more quickly than most.“Looks like he’s in pretty good shape, so now the next step is getting him into the game. He’ll rotate in and we’ll see how he does,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We have three good running backs and we’ll just get him back in the swing of things.”The Chiefs are averaging just 4.1 yards per carry, putting them in the bottom half of the league this season.It’s unclear exactly how much Hunt will be able to help the cause. While he is still just 29 years old, the former Toledo star dealt with a series of injuries while he was in Cleveland, and the reality is that he has not played much in the past year.But he also has something to prove. He watched as the Chiefs morphed into a dynasty after he was let go, with Reid calling the plays and Mahomes under center. They have won three Super Bowls in the past five years, including the last two, and they have a chance to make NFL history by becoming the first team to win three straight Lombardi Trophies this year.Hunt wants to be a part of that. And along the way, prove he has grown and matured since his last time with Kansas City.“That’s been my goal,” he said. “Any player who steps on a football field wants to get a championship ring. It would be a dream come true for me, ever since I was a little kid. I couldn’t be more excited to help these guys defend their title, to come back here and see all these familiar faces again.”

🏈 Back with the Chiefs, RB Kareem Hunt wants to prove he’s matured, still has something left

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727284909380.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Kansas State Athletics
 
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">MANHATTAN, Kan. &ndash; As a thank you to its dedicated and loyal fans in the western part of the state, the Kansas State men&rsquo;s basketball team will host a showcase on Saturday, October 5 beginning at 4 p.m., CT at the Dodge City Civic Center in Dodge City, Kan.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">The Wildcats will host an open practice followed by an autograph session at the arena with doors opening at 3 p.m., CT. Tickets start at $5 for kids under 17 and $10 for adults. For more information on the event, please visit the Dodge City Parks and Facilities website <a id="OWA04271778-9833-6ca4-26aa-944d7dfb1a95" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://dodgecityks.myrec.com/info/products/default.aspx" style="color: blue !important;border: 0px;">here</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">The third-year head coach Jerome Tang and his staff welcome 14 players for the 2024-25 season, including 3 returning lettermen (senior David N&rsquo;Guessan and sophomores Taj Manning and Macaleab Rich) and 11 newcomers. Among those newcomers are 8 Division I transfers, a junior college All-American (Mobi Ikegwuruka) and a top-50 high school prospect (David Castillo).</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">The transfer class is considered one of the best in the country and includes notable additions Achor Achor (Samford), Coleman Hawkins (Illinois), Dug McDaniel (Michigan) and Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky) as well as Baye Fall (Arkansas), Brendan Hausen (Villanova), C.J. Jones (UIC) and Max Jones (Cal State Fullerton).</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">The Wildcats finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including an 8-10 mark in Big 12 play, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats&rsquo; 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in Tang&rsquo;s first two seasons, including consecutive postseason appearances.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:15px;font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;border: 0px;">The team had their first official workout for the upcoming season on Tuesday (Sept. 24). They will have 42 days until their first exhibition game against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, Oct. 29 and 49 days before hosting New Orleans in the opener on Tuesday, Nov. 5.</div></div>

🏀 MBB: K-State to host showcase in Dodge City

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics had long ago carved out a Jekyll-and-Hyde legacy as one of Major League Baseball's most successful — and sad-sack — franchises. Under their belts: nine World Series titles and 19 seasons of futility punctuated by 100 or more losses.

This, though, is different. Now, legions of A's fans view the team as the sport's most treacherous under the ownership of billionaire John Fisher, an heir of the family that founded The Gap in 1969 — one year after the A's moved to Oakland from Kansas City.

Just a few years after embracing “Rooted In Oakland” as their motto, the A’s this week are coming to the end of their 57 see-sawing seasons in a city regularly overshadowed by the mystique of its storied neighbor, San Francisco.

“I know these times coming to the games are always going to be among the best years of my life," longtime A's fan Will MacNeil, 40, rued as he contemplated an ending that is crushing a community's soul. “And for a billionaire owner to rip it away from me, it's frustrating.”

A baseball team that has moved twice moves again

The A's exodus from Oakland will give the team the dubious distinction of being the first Major League Baseball franchise to have moved on four different occasions. After starting in Philadelphia in 1901, the A’s moved to Kansas City in 1955, then to Oakland in 1968, with California's capital city of Sacramento and Las Vegas next in the peripatetic pipeline.

No place has been the A's home for as long as Oakland, where they're the last professional sports team in a two-county region known as the East Bay — home to 2.8 million people living across the water from San Francisco.

Through the years, the baseball team became an emblem of East Bay's grit and flair. The A's glory years included the colorfully attired, mustachioed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgk-DnMM8LA">“Swingin' A's”</a>&nbsp;during the first half of the 1970s, the muscular and swaggering&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL6GNcrVtvE">“Bash Brothers”</a>&nbsp;of the late 1980s, and the scrappy underdogs of the 2000s that yielded a real-life fairy tale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4QPVo0UIzc">in the film, “Moneyball,”</a>&nbsp;based on the Michael Lewis book that ushered in the era of data-driven analysis.

Through those decades, the A's stadium — the now-crumbling Oakland Coliseum — became an East Bay hub where people of all races, ages, incomes and backgrounds rallied around a common cause.

“It was really like the public square," lifelong A's fan Jim Zelinski said earlier this year. His father brought him to the team's first game at the Oakland Coliseum on April 17, 1968 — a 4-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles before a crowd of 50,164.

"I remember my dad telling me how sports can bring everybody together, creating a sense of pride and identity,” he said.

Rooting for the A's connected everyone from longshore workers at Oakland's bustling port to the tech geeks of Silicon Valley to hippies from nearby Berkeley to technology to subversives forged in the cauldron of a city where Huey Newton started the Black Panthers and Sonny Barger led a notorious chapter of the Hells Angels.

“The A’s are such an indelible part of this community,” Zelinski said. “Everybody was so proud of not only the teams, but there was also this sense of, ‘Hey, this is us! This is the East Bay!’”

The Coliseum, lovingly known as baseball's “Last Dive Bar"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/sports/baseball/oakland-coliseum.html">after a 2019 story</a>&nbsp;in The New York Times drew that analogy, is a remnant of the 1960s when cities built stadiums designed to be used for both baseball and football. Its deteriorating condition is why Fisher began looking to build a new stadium for the A's soon after he bought the team for $180 million in 2006.

For all the derision aimed at the facility, the Coliseum has been the site for three of the 24 perfect games thrown in baseball history, and it's the place where Rickey Henderson set the record for career stolen bases. It also has been the been the backdrop for the four World Series championships the A's won in Oakland; only the Yankees, with seven championships, have won more since 1968. Seven winners of the American League's Most Valuable Player award have starred for the Oakland A's, as have five pitchers who won the league's Cy Young award.

Three of the A's World Series title were won in consecutive years under the ownership of Charles O. “Charlie” Finley, who brought the team to Oakland from Missouri.

Finley brought his mule “Charlie O” with him to serve as the team mascot and made an unsuccessful push to get the leagues to use orange baseballs and allow designated runners. But before selling the A's in 1980, Finley also pushed for night games during the World Series so more people could watch the games on TV and the designated hitter rule so fans wouldn't have to watch pitchers try to hit. The former is a staple today, as is the later — though purists still debate it.

Finley died in 1996, long before the 50-year reunion of the 1974 World Series champions held in June. But his niece, Nancy Finley, flew in from Texas to represent the family during the ceremony at the Coliseum, where she worked for much of the 1970s. It will likely be her last visit; she can't bear the thought of attending the A's final game in Oakland on Thursday.

“I wouldn't want to be there. It would be too hard,” Nancy Finley said. “I can't stop having flashbacks whenever I go back there. I have every section, row and seat memorized.”

The bond between fans and a community is strong

Other beloved sports teams have spurned their devoted fans by moving elsewhere through the decades, including the baseball's Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants in 1958 and the National Football League's Colts, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N3oH7KHoKc">moving vans left Baltimore for Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;in 1984 during the middle of the night.

But none of them have been jilted in quite the same way as the East Bay.

“It’s taken so long for this move to evolve that it’s been like a slow death eating me up very single day,” said A’s fan Mike Silva, 72, wiping away tears as he showed some of his old ticket stubs.

“You can still cheer for them after the move, but you are just gong to be cheering for the uniform,” he said. “It’s not the same. ”

The NFL's Raiders already turned their back on Oakland twice. They did it first in 1982 when they moved to Los Angeles before coming back in 1995, only to leave for Las Vegas in 2020 — the year after the National Basketball Association's Warriors hopped over the bay to San Francisco.

After the A's decided to follow the Raiders to Las Vegas, Fisher poured more salt into Oakland fans' wounds. Rather than stay in the Coliseum, Fisher chose to move the A's 85 miles northeast to a minor-league ballpark in Sacramento for at least the next three years while waiting for the new stadium in Nevada to be built. Hundreds of A's employees and Coliseum concession workers, including some who had been there for more than 40 years, will be laid off when the A's leave Oakland behind.

On Monday, after staying fairly mum during the final season, Fisher wrote an open letter to fans and the community. His words echoed with regret.

“The A’s are part of the fabric of Oakland and the East Bay and the entire Bay Area,” Fisher wrote. “I know there is great disappointment, even bitterness. ... I can tell you this from my heart: we tried. Staying in Oakland was our goal. It was our mission, and we failed to achieve it. And for that I am genuinely sorry.”

Many devout A's fans have been boycotting games in disgust. Those who still come, like Will MacNeil, regularly lead chants of “Sell the team!'" before lobbing a profanity at Fisher.

MacNeil, known as “Right-Field Will” after being a fixture in the Coliseum's bleachers for nearly 20 years, has accumulated about 200 A's jerseys during his fandom. He estimates only 20 fit him now because of the weight he put on while drowning his sorrow about the team's move in beers.

"I know I shouldn’t have been because it’s only sports, but this move really destroyed me,” MacNeil said as he cheered the A's on to a victory in May.

Zelinski, the fan who attended the A's first game in 1968, spent nearly 30 years fighting to keep sports teams in Oakland. When the season started, he still didn't want to believe it would all be to no avail.

“I had some of the greatest memories of my life at the Oakland Coliseum,” Zelinski, 65, said in April. “The A's are such an irreplaceable part of the East Bay culture that I don't think people can quite grasp what incredible sadness there is going to be like at that final game in September."

He will never find out. After a long battle with bladder cancer, Jim Zelinski died June 7 — the same day that A's outfielder JJ Bleday slugged a homer in the bottom of the ninth to catapult the team to a 2-1 victory.

Here in Oakland, as a quiet end approaches, that sets us up to leave you with&nbsp;<a href="https://mason.gmu.edu/~rmatz/giamatti.html">an observation</a>&nbsp;that the former baseball commissioner, A. Bartlett Giamatti, once made about the sport. It hangs over the community this week like a misplaced curveball: “It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727280503417.jpeg" alt="FILE - Fans pour onto the field at the Oakland Coliseum after the Oakland A's beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 and won their third straight World Series, Oct. 17, 1974, in Oakland. (AP Photo, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Fans pour onto the field at the Oakland Coliseum after the Oakland A's beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 and won their third straight World Series, Oct. 17, 1974, in Oakland. (AP Photo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics had long ago carved out a Jekyll-and-Hyde legacy as one of Major League Baseball's most successful — and sad-sack — franchises. Under their belts: nine World Series titles and 19 seasons of futility punctuated by 100 or more losses.This, though, is different. Now, legions of A's fans view the team as the sport's most treacherous under the ownership of billionaire John Fisher, an heir of the family that founded The Gap in 1969 — one year after the A's moved to Oakland from Kansas City.Just a few years after embracing “Rooted In Oakland” as their motto, the A’s this week are coming to the end of their 57 see-sawing seasons in a city regularly overshadowed by the mystique of its storied neighbor, San Francisco.“I know these times coming to the games are always going to be among the best years of my life," longtime A's fan Will MacNeil, 40, rued as he contemplated an ending that is crushing a community's soul. “And for a billionaire owner to rip it away from me, it's frustrating.”<h2>A baseball team that has moved twice moves again</h2>The A's exodus from Oakland will give the team the dubious distinction of being the first Major League Baseball franchise to have moved on four different occasions. After starting in Philadelphia in 1901, the A’s moved to Kansas City in 1955, then to Oakland in 1968, with California's capital city of Sacramento and Las Vegas next in the peripatetic pipeline.No place has been the A's home for as long as Oakland, where they're the last professional sports team in a two-county region known as the East Bay — home to 2.8 million people living across the water from San Francisco.Through the years, the baseball team became an emblem of East Bay's grit and flair. The A's glory years included the colorfully attired, mustachioed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgk-DnMM8LA">“Swingin' A's”</a>&nbsp;during the first half of the 1970s, the muscular and swaggering&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL6GNcrVtvE">“Bash Brothers”</a>&nbsp;of the late 1980s, and the scrappy underdogs of the 2000s that yielded a real-life fairy tale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4QPVo0UIzc">in the film, “Moneyball,”</a>&nbsp;based on the Michael Lewis book that ushered in the era of data-driven analysis.Through those decades, the A's stadium — the now-crumbling Oakland Coliseum — became an East Bay hub where people of all races, ages, incomes and backgrounds rallied around a common cause.“It was really like the public square," lifelong A's fan Jim Zelinski said earlier this year. His father brought him to the team's first game at the Oakland Coliseum on April 17, 1968 — a 4-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles before a crowd of 50,164."I remember my dad telling me how sports can bring everybody together, creating a sense of pride and identity,” he said.Rooting for the A's connected everyone from longshore workers at Oakland's bustling port to the tech geeks of Silicon Valley to hippies from nearby Berkeley to technology to subversives forged in the cauldron of a city where Huey Newton started the Black Panthers and Sonny Barger led a notorious chapter of the Hells Angels.“The A’s are such an indelible part of this community,” Zelinski said. “Everybody was so proud of not only the teams, but there was also this sense of, ‘Hey, this is us! This is the East Bay!’”<h2>A storied ballpark is left behind</h2>The Coliseum, lovingly known as baseball's “Last Dive Bar"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/sports/baseball/oakland-coliseum.html">after a 2019 story</a>&nbsp;in The New York Times drew that analogy, is a remnant of the 1960s when cities built stadiums designed to be used for both baseball and football. Its deteriorating condition is why Fisher began looking to build a new stadium for the A's soon after he bought the team for $180 million in 2006.For all the derision aimed at the facility, the Coliseum has been the site for three of the 24 perfect games thrown in baseball history, and it's the place where Rickey Henderson set the record for career stolen bases. It also has been the been the backdrop for the four World Series championships the A's won in Oakland; only the Yankees, with seven championships, have won more since 1968. Seven winners of the American League's Most Valuable Player award have starred for the Oakland A's, as have five pitchers who won the league's Cy Young award.Three of the A's World Series title were won in consecutive years under the ownership of Charles O. “Charlie” Finley, who brought the team to Oakland from Missouri.Finley brought his mule “Charlie O” with him to serve as the team mascot and made an unsuccessful push to get the leagues to use orange baseballs and allow designated runners. But before selling the A's in 1980, Finley also pushed for night games during the World Series so more people could watch the games on TV and the designated hitter rule so fans wouldn't have to watch pitchers try to hit. The former is a staple today, as is the later — though purists still debate it.Finley died in 1996, long before the 50-year reunion of the 1974 World Series champions held in June. But his niece, Nancy Finley, flew in from Texas to represent the family during the ceremony at the Coliseum, where she worked for much of the 1970s. It will likely be her last visit; she can't bear the thought of attending the A's final game in Oakland on Thursday.“I wouldn't want to be there. It would be too hard,” Nancy Finley said. “I can't stop having flashbacks whenever I go back there. I have every section, row and seat memorized.”<h2>The bond between fans and a community is strong</h2>Other beloved sports teams have spurned their devoted fans by moving elsewhere through the decades, including the baseball's Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants in 1958 and the National Football League's Colts, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N3oH7KHoKc">moving vans left Baltimore for Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;in 1984 during the middle of the night.But none of them have been jilted in quite the same way as the East Bay.“It’s taken so long for this move to evolve that it’s been like a slow death eating me up very single day,” said A’s fan Mike Silva, 72, wiping away tears as he showed some of his old ticket stubs.“You can still cheer for them after the move, but you are just gong to be cheering for the uniform,” he said. “It’s not the same. ”The NFL's Raiders already turned their back on Oakland twice. They did it first in 1982 when they moved to Los Angeles before coming back in 1995, only to leave for Las Vegas in 2020 — the year after the National Basketball Association's Warriors hopped over the bay to San Francisco.After the A's decided to follow the Raiders to Las Vegas, Fisher poured more salt into Oakland fans' wounds. Rather than stay in the Coliseum, Fisher chose to move the A's 85 miles northeast to a minor-league ballpark in Sacramento for at least the next three years while waiting for the new stadium in Nevada to be built. Hundreds of A's employees and Coliseum concession workers, including some who had been there for more than 40 years, will be laid off when the A's leave Oakland behind.On Monday, after staying fairly mum during the final season, Fisher wrote an open letter to fans and the community. His words echoed with regret.“The A’s are part of the fabric of Oakland and the East Bay and the entire Bay Area,” Fisher wrote. “I know there is great disappointment, even bitterness. ... I can tell you this from my heart: we tried. Staying in Oakland was our goal. It was our mission, and we failed to achieve it. And for that I am genuinely sorry.”<h2>Some are coming out to the bitter end</h2>Many devout A's fans have been boycotting games in disgust. Those who still come, like Will MacNeil, regularly lead chants of “Sell the team!'" before lobbing a profanity at Fisher.MacNeil, known as “Right-Field Will” after being a fixture in the Coliseum's bleachers for nearly 20 years, has accumulated about 200 A's jerseys during his fandom. He estimates only 20 fit him now because of the weight he put on while drowning his sorrow about the team's move in beers."I know I shouldn’t have been because it’s only sports, but this move really destroyed me,” MacNeil said as he cheered the A's on to a victory in May.Zelinski, the fan who attended the A's first game in 1968, spent nearly 30 years fighting to keep sports teams in Oakland. When the season started, he still didn't want to believe it would all be to no avail.“I had some of the greatest memories of my life at the Oakland Coliseum,” Zelinski, 65, said in April. “The A's are such an irreplaceable part of the East Bay culture that I don't think people can quite grasp what incredible sadness there is going to be like at that final game in September."He will never find out. After a long battle with bladder cancer, Jim Zelinski died June 7 — the same day that A's outfielder JJ Bleday slugged a homer in the bottom of the ninth to catapult the team to a 2-1 victory.Here in Oakland, as a quiet end approaches, that sets us up to leave you with&nbsp;<a href="https://mason.gmu.edu/~rmatz/giamatti.html">an observation</a>&nbsp;that the former baseball commissioner, A. Bartlett Giamatti, once made about the sport. It hangs over the community this week like a misplaced curveball: “It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart.”

City of Oakland coming to grips with departure of its baseball team

Week 5 of the college football season is upon us in the Sunflower State. See below for the schedule involving state teams.

KJCCC 11 a.m. - Dodge City vs. Iowa Central 11 a.m. - Community Christian (Mich.) vs. Garden City Noon - Hutchinson vs. Ellsworth 1 p.m. - Highland vs. Independence 1 p.m. - Iowa Western vs. Coffeyville 1:30 p.m. - Butler vs. Snow College

KCAC 1 p.m. - Saint Mary vs. Bethany 1 p.m. - Avila vs. McPherson 1:30 p.m. - Sterling vs. Southwestern 3 p.m. - Ottawa vs. Evangel 6 p.m. - Tabor vs. Friends 6 p.m. - Kansas Wesleyan vs. Bethel

MIAA 1 p.m. - Central Missouri vs. Nebraska Kearney 1:30 p.m. - NW Missouri vs. Emporia St.&nbsp; 2 p.m. - Missouri Western vs. Washburn 3 p.m. - Northeastern St. vs. Missouri Southern 7 p.m. - Central Oklahoma vs. Fort Hays St.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719520416153.png" alt="EAGLE Media College Football Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>EAGLE Media College Football Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>Week 5 of the college football season is upon us in the Sunflower State. See below for the schedule involving state teams.KJCCC 11 a.m. - Dodge City vs. Iowa Central 11 a.m. - Community Christian (Mich.) vs. Garden City Noon - Hutchinson vs. Ellsworth 1 p.m. - Highland vs. Independence 1 p.m. - Iowa Western vs. Coffeyville 1:30 p.m. - Butler vs. Snow CollegeKCAC 1 p.m. - Saint Mary vs. Bethany 1 p.m. - Avila vs. McPherson 1:30 p.m. - Sterling vs. Southwestern 3 p.m. - Ottawa vs. Evangel 6 p.m. - Tabor vs. Friends 6 p.m. - Kansas Wesleyan vs. BethelMIAA 1 p.m. - Central Missouri vs. Nebraska Kearney 1:30 p.m. - NW Missouri vs. Emporia St.&nbsp; 2 p.m. - Missouri Western vs. Washburn 3 p.m. - Northeastern St. vs. Missouri Southern 7 p.m. - Central Oklahoma vs. Fort Hays St.

🏈 Week 5 KJCCC, KCAC, MIAA schedule 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for September 25th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for September 25th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for September 25th, 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=z27m5-16e481e-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: ⚾ Royals win in extra innings, 🏈 Chiefs activate RB Hunt, 🏈 Brett Favre reveals Parkinson disease diagnosis

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Isbel snapped Kansas City's 27-inning scoreless streak by sprinting home on a throwing error in the 10th inning, Cole Ragans gave up three hits in six innings, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Isbel, the Royals' automatic runner to begin the 10th, reached third on Bobby Witt Jr.’s infield single to short and crossed the plate on Nasim Nuñez's low throw to first to end Kansas City's seven-game slide.

“It’s a little bit of a sigh of relief," Ragans said. “We knew it’s going to come down to probably a game like this to get us back on track.”

Kansas City and Detroit are both 83-74 but the Royals own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Both teams are two games up on Minnesota.

After three games without a hit with a runner in scoring position, the Royals were 2 for 11 in that situation Tuesday, though neither plated a run.

“There’s definitely frustration, but I think tonight it was more like, disbelief,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “We know we’re too good a team to have that continue for a long period of time.”

Kyle Finnegan (3-7) escaped the 10th without further damage, but the Nationals lost for the seventh time in eight games.

“Our defense was good until that one play,” said Nats manager Dave Martinez. “It really came down to one play, and execution, and not being able to hit the ball.”

Lucas Erceg worked a clean 10th for his 12th save and ninth with the Royals, striking out Joey Gallo for the final out after the Nationals slugger hooked a 3-2 offering just to the foul side of the right-field foul pole.

"You can never count your chickens there that you’re going to strand the runner," Quatraro said of Erceg, whom Kansas City acquired in a trade from Oakland at this year's deadline. “But you certainly like your chances.”

Ragans struck out six in his fourth consecutive outing of six innings or more to lower his September ERA to 1.08.

Kris Bubic stranded a runner on third in the seventh, Sam Long pitched a scoreless eighth and Angel Zerpa (2-0) threw a perfect ninth to get the game to extra innings.

Royals: RHP Hunter Harvey (back) will be shut down for the season. The reliever hasn't appeared since Aug. 4, and will get another medical opinion. “He's going to go see someone in Dallas to see if they can find something different, but by all accounts, we think it's just going to be rest” that he needs, said Quatraro. ... RHP James McArthur (right elbow), who last pitched on Sept. 16, also won't return this season. ... RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring) remains on track to return from the injured list to make Wednesday’s start, Quatraro said.

Nationals: Recalled OF Stone Garrett from Triple-A Rochester and placed INF Andrés Chaparro on the paternity list.

Lorenzen (7-6, 3.43 ERA) will try to continue his excellent form since joining the Royals from Texas at the deadline. He has a 1.85 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts with Kansas City. He'll face rookie lefty DJ Herz (4-8, 4.30).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239521858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Isbel snapped Kansas City's 27-inning scoreless streak by sprinting home on a throwing error in the 10th inning, Cole Ragans gave up three hits in six innings, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.Isbel, the Royals' automatic runner to begin the 10th, reached third on Bobby Witt Jr.’s infield single to short and crossed the plate on Nasim Nuñez's low throw to first to end Kansas City's seven-game slide.“It’s a little bit of a sigh of relief," Ragans said. “We knew it’s going to come down to probably a game like this to get us back on track.”Kansas City and Detroit are both 83-74 but the Royals own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Both teams are two games up on Minnesota.After three games without a hit with a runner in scoring position, the Royals were 2 for 11 in that situation Tuesday, though neither plated a run.“There’s definitely frustration, but I think tonight it was more like, disbelief,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “We know we’re too good a team to have that continue for a long period of time.”Kyle Finnegan (3-7) escaped the 10th without further damage, but the Nationals lost for the seventh time in eight games.“Our defense was good until that one play,” said Nats manager Dave Martinez. “It really came down to one play, and execution, and not being able to hit the ball.”Lucas Erceg worked a clean 10th for his 12th save and ninth with the Royals, striking out Joey Gallo for the final out after the Nationals slugger hooked a 3-2 offering just to the foul side of the right-field foul pole."You can never count your chickens there that you’re going to strand the runner," Quatraro said of Erceg, whom Kansas City acquired in a trade from Oakland at this year's deadline. “But you certainly like your chances.”Ragans struck out six in his fourth consecutive outing of six innings or more to lower his September ERA to 1.08.Kris Bubic stranded a runner on third in the seventh, Sam Long pitched a scoreless eighth and Angel Zerpa (2-0) threw a perfect ninth to get the game to extra innings.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: RHP Hunter Harvey (back) will be shut down for the season. The reliever hasn't appeared since Aug. 4, and will get another medical opinion. “He's going to go see someone in Dallas to see if they can find something different, but by all accounts, we think it's just going to be rest” that he needs, said Quatraro. ... RHP James McArthur (right elbow), who last pitched on Sept. 16, also won't return this season. ... RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring) remains on track to return from the injured list to make Wednesday’s start, Quatraro said.Nationals: Recalled OF Stone Garrett from Triple-A Rochester and placed INF Andrés Chaparro on the paternity list.UP NEXTLorenzen (7-6, 3.43 ERA) will try to continue his excellent form since joining the Royals from Texas at the deadline. He has a 1.85 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts with Kansas City. He'll face rookie lefty DJ Herz (4-8, 4.30).

⚾ Royals win in extra innings Tuesday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — ESPN's Field Yates reported on Twitter/X Tuesday that Kareem Hunt has been signed to the Kansas City Chiefs 53-man roster and they have let Keontay Ingraham go.

Hunt was drafted by the Chiefs back in 2017&nbsp;and led the NFL in rushing yards (1,327) as a rookie and qualified for the Pro Bowl.&nbsp;

In five years with Cleveland, Hunt played in 91 games, gained 4,436 yards rushing and scored 40 touchdowns. Hunt also caught 226 receptions for 1,890 yards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726603212832.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — ESPN's Field Yates reported on Twitter/X Tuesday that Kareem Hunt has been signed to the Kansas City Chiefs 53-man roster and they have let Keontay Ingraham go.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Chiefs have signed RB Kareem Hunt to their 53-man roster and waived RB Keontay Ingraham. So, Hunt now figures into the RB rotation alongside Carson Steele and Samaje Perine.&mdash; Field Yates (@FieldYates) <a href="https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1838682230333309369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hunt was drafted by the Chiefs back in 2017&nbsp;and led the NFL in rushing yards (1,327) as a rookie and qualified for the Pro Bowl.&nbsp;In five years with Cleveland, Hunt played in 91 games, gained 4,436 yards rushing and scored 40 touchdowns. Hunt also caught 226 receptions for 1,890 yards.

🏈 Hunt now on 53-man roster

AP Sports Summary for September 25th, 2024

Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre says he has Parkinson's disease

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre told a congressional committee Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Favre made the announcement as part of his testimony about a welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi. Favre does not face criminal charges, but he has repaid just over $1 million in speaking fees funded by a welfare program in the state. He was also an investor a biotech company with ties to the case that said it was developing concussion drugs. It is unclear if Favre's disease is connected to his football career or head injuries.

Pac-12 files a federal lawsuit against Mountain West over $43 million in 'poaching' penalties

The Pac-12 is suing the Mountain West over what it calls unlawful and unenforceable fees that could cost the rebuilding conference more than $40 million for adding Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State and San Diego State. The antitrust lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in California and is seeking a declaratory judgment by a judge. The Mountain West has exit fees of upward of $17 million for departing schools. There are also poaching fees that were put in place in the Mountain West's scheduling agreement with Oregon State and Washington State, the only current Pac-12 members this season.

Padres turn triple play to clinch playoff spot with 4-2 win over Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The San Diego Padres clinched a playoff spot Tuesday night when they stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with a game-ending triple play to preserve a 4-2 victory over the NL West leaders. After missing the postseason last year, Manny Machado and the Padres earned the eighth playoff berth in franchise history. They are guaranteed at least a National League wild card with five games remaining in the regular season. San Diego is two games behind Los Angeles with two games left in their series at Dodger Stadium. The party was on in the Padres' clubhouse, with music pumping and lights flashing as players drenched each other in alcohol.

Astros overcome terrible start to clinch 4th straight AL West title

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros have clinched their fourth straight AL West title with a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners, overcoming a terrible start to reach the playoffs for an eighth consecutive year. The Astros are the first team to win four straight AL West crowns since Oakland won five in a row from 1971-75. It's the first time they've won four consecutive division titles, after winning three in a row twice before. Houston limped out to a 7-19 record and trailed Seattle by a season-high 10 games on June 18. But the Astros won their next seven to start a 13-2 stretch as they improved to 46-42 by July 5. They moved past the Mariners into first place in mid-August and cruised home to the division crown.

Man City confirms Rodri injury as Guardiola bemoans loss of 'irreplaceable' star

Manchester City says midfielder Rodri has ligament damage in his right knee but hasn't given a time frame for his potential absence. The Spain international is among the favorites to win this year's Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world. He limped off after 20 minutes of the 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. City confirmed in a statement that the 28-year-old Rodri "suffered a ligament injury," having traveled to Spain to seek specialist consultation on the problem.

Italy's Luna Rossa showed two skippers are better than one on the America's Cup yachts

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Italy's Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli surprised its rivals at the last America's Cup by showing up with two helmsmen to steer its foiling yachts. The unorthodox setup proved to be genius. The team reached the finals where it gave defender New Zealand a battle. Now all the teams at the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona have copied the two-helmsmen scheme. Luna Rossa is back in the challengers' final against INEOS Britannia. The winner will face New Zealand for sailing's biggest prize. Luna Rossa believes they have an edge given the experience that Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni have sharing the helm.

Baltimore Orioles clinch playoff berth for 2nd straight season

NEW YORK (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles are headed to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since the 1990s, clinching no worse than a wild-card berth thanks to a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees paired with Minnesota's loss to Miami. Baltimore has only a remote chance of overtaking the Yankees for the AL East title. The Orioles trail by five games with five games left but hold the tiebreaker after clinching the season series. Coming off their first AL East title since 2014, the Orioles started 23-11 and were 55-31 before play on July 3 but have gone 32-39 since.

As an era ends, the city that was home to the Oakland A's comes to grips with their departure

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics already have carved out Jekyll-and-Hyde legacy as one of Major League Baseball's most successful and sad-sack franchises with nine World Series titles and 19 seasons of futility punctuated by 100 or more losses. Now, legions of A's fans view the team as the sport's most treacherous under the ownership of billionaire John Fisher, an heir of the family that founded The Gap in 1969 — one year after the A's moved to Oakland, California, from Kansas City, Missouri. As the A's close out 57 seasons in Oakland before moving to Sacramento and then Las Vegas, it's heralding the end of an era that's crushing a community's soul.

Ionescu scores 36 points and Liberty advance to WNBA semifinals with 91-82 win over Dream

NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu tied a franchise playoff record with 36 points and the New York Liberty beat the Atlanta Dream 91-82 on Tuesday night to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs. Jonquel Jones added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Liberty, who will face Las Vegas in the next round that begins Sunday in New York. New York, which entered the playoffs as the top seed, swept the best-of-three series. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard did all they could to try and stave off elimination. Gray finished with 26 points and Howard added 19.

Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane announces his retirement

COMO, Italy (AP) — Former France and Real Madrid center back Raphael Varane has announced his retirement to end a career that included a World Cup title and a big haul of club trophies. The 31-year-old Varane signed with promoted Serie A club Como in July but injured his knee during his only appearance with the Italian club. He writes on Instagram that "it is with immense pride and a feeling of fulfillment that I am announcing my retirement from the game that we all love." Varane was arguably the tournament's standout defender when France won the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He also helped Madrid to four Champions League titles and three Spanish league trophies.

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 Wednesday, September 25th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, September 25th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for September 25th, 2024<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8576779/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>Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre says he has Parkinson's diseaseWASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre told a congressional committee Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Favre made the announcement as part of his testimony about a welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi. Favre does not face criminal charges, but he has repaid just over $1 million in speaking fees funded by a welfare program in the state. He was also an investor a biotech company with ties to the case that said it was developing concussion drugs. It is unclear if Favre's disease is connected to his football career or head injuries.Pac-12 files a federal lawsuit against Mountain West over $43 million in 'poaching' penaltiesThe Pac-12 is suing the Mountain West over what it calls unlawful and unenforceable fees that could cost the rebuilding conference more than $40 million for adding Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State and San Diego State. The antitrust lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in California and is seeking a declaratory judgment by a judge. The Mountain West has exit fees of upward of $17 million for departing schools. There are also poaching fees that were put in place in the Mountain West's scheduling agreement with Oregon State and Washington State, the only current Pac-12 members this season.Padres turn triple play to clinch playoff spot with 4-2 win over DodgersLOS ANGELES (AP) — The San Diego Padres clinched a playoff spot Tuesday night when they stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with a game-ending triple play to preserve a 4-2 victory over the NL West leaders. After missing the postseason last year, Manny Machado and the Padres earned the eighth playoff berth in franchise history. They are guaranteed at least a National League wild card with five games remaining in the regular season. San Diego is two games behind Los Angeles with two games left in their series at Dodger Stadium. The party was on in the Padres' clubhouse, with music pumping and lights flashing as players drenched each other in alcohol.Astros overcome terrible start to clinch 4th straight AL West titleHOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros have clinched their fourth straight AL West title with a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners, overcoming a terrible start to reach the playoffs for an eighth consecutive year. The Astros are the first team to win four straight AL West crowns since Oakland won five in a row from 1971-75. It's the first time they've won four consecutive division titles, after winning three in a row twice before. Houston limped out to a 7-19 record and trailed Seattle by a season-high 10 games on June 18. But the Astros won their next seven to start a 13-2 stretch as they improved to 46-42 by July 5. They moved past the Mariners into first place in mid-August and cruised home to the division crown.Man City confirms Rodri injury as Guardiola bemoans loss of 'irreplaceable' starManchester City says midfielder Rodri has ligament damage in his right knee but hasn't given a time frame for his potential absence. The Spain international is among the favorites to win this year's Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world. He limped off after 20 minutes of the 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. City confirmed in a statement that the 28-year-old Rodri "suffered a ligament injury," having traveled to Spain to seek specialist consultation on the problem.Italy's Luna Rossa showed two skippers are better than one on the America's Cup yachtsBARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Italy's Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli surprised its rivals at the last America's Cup by showing up with two helmsmen to steer its foiling yachts. The unorthodox setup proved to be genius. The team reached the finals where it gave defender New Zealand a battle. Now all the teams at the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona have copied the two-helmsmen scheme. Luna Rossa is back in the challengers' final against INEOS Britannia. The winner will face New Zealand for sailing's biggest prize. Luna Rossa believes they have an edge given the experience that Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni have sharing the helm.Baltimore Orioles clinch playoff berth for 2nd straight seasonNEW YORK (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles are headed to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since the 1990s, clinching no worse than a wild-card berth thanks to a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees paired with Minnesota's loss to Miami. Baltimore has only a remote chance of overtaking the Yankees for the AL East title. The Orioles trail by five games with five games left but hold the tiebreaker after clinching the season series. Coming off their first AL East title since 2014, the Orioles started 23-11 and were 55-31 before play on July 3 but have gone 32-39 since.As an era ends, the city that was home to the Oakland A's comes to grips with their departureOAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics already have carved out Jekyll-and-Hyde legacy as one of Major League Baseball's most successful and sad-sack franchises with nine World Series titles and 19 seasons of futility punctuated by 100 or more losses. Now, legions of A's fans view the team as the sport's most treacherous under the ownership of billionaire John Fisher, an heir of the family that founded The Gap in 1969 — one year after the A's moved to Oakland, California, from Kansas City, Missouri. As the A's close out 57 seasons in Oakland before moving to Sacramento and then Las Vegas, it's heralding the end of an era that's crushing a community's soul.Ionescu scores 36 points and Liberty advance to WNBA semifinals with 91-82 win over DreamNEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu tied a franchise playoff record with 36 points and the New York Liberty beat the Atlanta Dream 91-82 on Tuesday night to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs. Jonquel Jones added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Liberty, who will face Las Vegas in the next round that begins Sunday in New York. New York, which entered the playoffs as the top seed, swept the best-of-three series. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard did all they could to try and stave off elimination. Gray finished with 26 points and Howard added 19.Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane announces his retirementCOMO, Italy (AP) — Former France and Real Madrid center back Raphael Varane has announced his retirement to end a career that included a World Cup title and a big haul of club trophies. The 31-year-old Varane signed with promoted Serie A club Como in July but injured his knee during his only appearance with the Italian club. He writes on Instagram that "it is with immense pride and a feeling of fulfillment that I am announcing my retirement from the game that we all love." Varane was arguably the tournament's standout defender when France won the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He also helped Madrid to four Champions League titles and three Spanish league trophies.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Cleveland	6	Cincinnati	1	Final	Kansas City	1	Washington	0	Final	Miami	4	Minnesota	1	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	2	Tampa Bay	1	Final	Chicago White Sox	3	L.A. Angels	2	Final	Baltimore	5	N.Y. Yankees	3	Final	Boston	6	Toronto	5	Final	Houston	4	Seattle	3	Final	Oakland	5	Texas	4	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Milwaukee	7	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Chicago Cubs	10	Philadelphia	4	Final	Atlanta	5	N.Y. Mets	1	Final	St. Louis	7	Colorado	3	Final	San Francisco	11	Arizona	0	Final	San Diego	4	L.A. Dodgers	2	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Boston	4	Washington	2	Final	Montreal	3	New Jersey	0	Final	Carolina	2	Tampa Bay	1	Final	Buffalo	3	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Ottawa	2	Toronto	1	Final	N-Y Rangers	6	N-Y Islanders	4	Final	Anaheim	4	San Jose	3	Final	Vancouver	3	Seattle	1	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	New York	91	Atlanta	82	Final	Las Vegas	83	Seattle	76	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		Cincinnati	at	Cleveland	6:40 p.m.			Kansas City	at	Washington	6:45 p.m.			Miami	at	Minnesota	7:40 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Seattle	at	Houston	2:10 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Detroit	6:40 p.m.			Baltimore	at	N-Y Yankees	7:05 p.m.			Boston	at	Toronto	7:07 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	Chi White Sox	7:40 p.m.			Texas	at	Oakland	9:40 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Chi Cubs	at	Philadelphia	6:05 p.m.			Milwaukee	at	Pittsburgh	6:40 p.m.			N-Y Mets	at	Atlanta	7:20 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Colorado	8:40 p.m.			San Francisco	at	Arizona	9:40 p.m.			San Diego	at	L-A Dodgers	10:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON		Florida	at	Tampa Bay	7 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Columbus	7 p.m.			Washington	at	New Jersey	7 p.m.			Detroit	at	Chicago	8 p.m.			Edmonton	at	Winnipeg	8 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Dallas	8 p.m.			Calgary	at	Vancouver	10 p.m.			Los Angeles	at	Vegas	10 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS		Indiana	at	Connecticut	7:30 p.m.			Phoenix	at	Minnesota	9:30 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – With three golfers placing in the top three individual slots, the No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team completed a dominant run to the Bent Tree Intercollegiate team championship.

Entering the day with a 17-stroke lead, the Blue Dragons extended that cushion even further on Tuesday to win their first team title of the season.

Hutchinson posted a 54-hole team score of 12-under 852, defeating NCAA Division III opponent Nebraska Wesleyan by 21 strokes. Wesleyan had an 873 team score. Tournament host Iowa Western was third at 885.

The Dragons shot over par as a team for the first round this season, posting a 1-over 289 on Tuesday. That was still the low team score of the final round.

For the second-straight tournament, a Blue Dragons won an individual championship.

Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/northgraves_jack_mp7b">Jack Northgraves</a>&nbsp;joined sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/box_charlie_0808">Charlie Box</a>&nbsp;as individual winners this season, firing an 8-under 208. Northgraves led start to finish with a tournament-low 66 in the opening round on Monday. Northgraves closed the tournament with an even-par 72 on Tuesday at Bent Tree Golf Club.

Blue Dragon golfers finished in the top three individual slots on Tuesday.

Box and fellow sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/razinskas_david_xbtl">David Razinskas</a>&nbsp;tied for second individually at 3-under 213.

Box had the Blue Dragons' low round of the final round with a 2-under 70. Razinskas shot a second-straight 72 on Tuesday after opening with a 69 in the first round.

Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/ross_louis_6g3i">Louis Ross</a>&nbsp;finished in 11th place at 221 after a final-round 75.

Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/caruthers_jaydon_5jz1">Jaydon Carruthers</a>&nbsp;placed 18th at 226. Carruthers had a 76 on Tuesday.

Blue Dragon individual player, freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/schultz_cal_h6x5">Cal Schultz</a>, had a strong recovery after opening with an 80 on Monday. He came back with a 75 in Monday's afternoon round and posted a season-low 73 on Tuesday to finish 22nd at 228. Schultz jumped 10 spots in the standings.

Freshman individual Tyler Schultz placed 33rd at 234 after a final-round 81.

The Blue Dragons' third fall tournament will be next Monday and Tuesday at the Grier Jones Shocker Classic at Sand Creek Station in Newton.

TEAM SCORES 1. Hutchinson – 852 (280/283/289) 2. Nebraska Wesleyan – 873 (292/288/293) 3. Iowa Western "A" – 885 (293/204/298) 4. Northeast Nebraska – 898 (296/299/303) 5. Iowa Central – 911 (302/305/304) 6. Iowa Western "B" – 913 (208/295/310) 7. Briar Cliff "A" – 937 (311/307/319) 8. Barton – 940 (319/306/315) 9. Concordia – 946 (323/312/311) 10. Briar Cliff "B" – 1,000 (343/330/327)

BLUE DRAGON INDIVIDUALS 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/northgraves_jack_mp7b">Jack Northgraves</a>&nbsp;– 208 (66/70/72) T2.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/razinskas_david_xbtl">David Razinskas</a>&nbsp;– 213 (69/72/72) T2.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/box_charlie_0808">Charlie Box</a>&nbsp;– 213 (70/73/70) 11.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/ross_louis_6g3i">Louis Ross</a>&nbsp;– 221 (78/68/76) 18.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/caruthers_jaydon_5jz1">Jaydon Carruthers</a>&nbsp;– 226 (75/75/76) 22.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/schultz_cal_h6x5">Cal Schultz</a>&nbsp;– 228 (80/75/73) 33.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/walker_tyler_ijcw">Tyler Walker</a>&nbsp;– 234 (77/76/81)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727215050746.jpeg" alt="Jack Northgraves poses with the Bent Tree Intercollegiate individual championship plaque after leading the No. 3 Blue Dragon men to the team title on Tuesday in Council Bluffs, IA." />
 <figcaption>Jack Northgraves poses with the Bent Tree Intercollegiate individual championship plaque after leading the No. 3 Blue Dragon men to the team title on Tuesday in Council Bluffs, IA.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationCOUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – With three golfers placing in the top three individual slots, the No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team completed a dominant run to the Bent Tree Intercollegiate team championship.Entering the day with a 17-stroke lead, the Blue Dragons extended that cushion even further on Tuesday to win their first team title of the season.Hutchinson posted a 54-hole team score of 12-under 852, defeating NCAA Division III opponent Nebraska Wesleyan by 21 strokes. Wesleyan had an 873 team score. Tournament host Iowa Western was third at 885.The Dragons shot over par as a team for the first round this season, posting a 1-over 289 on Tuesday. That was still the low team score of the final round.For the second-straight tournament, a Blue Dragons won an individual championship.Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/northgraves_jack_mp7b">Jack Northgraves</a>&nbsp;joined sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/box_charlie_0808">Charlie Box</a>&nbsp;as individual winners this season, firing an 8-under 208. Northgraves led start to finish with a tournament-low 66 in the opening round on Monday. Northgraves closed the tournament with an even-par 72 on Tuesday at Bent Tree Golf Club.Blue Dragon golfers finished in the top three individual slots on Tuesday.Box and fellow sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/razinskas_david_xbtl">David Razinskas</a>&nbsp;tied for second individually at 3-under 213.Box had the Blue Dragons' low round of the final round with a 2-under 70. Razinskas shot a second-straight 72 on Tuesday after opening with a 69 in the first round.Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/ross_louis_6g3i">Louis Ross</a>&nbsp;finished in 11th place at 221 after a final-round 75.Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/caruthers_jaydon_5jz1">Jaydon Carruthers</a>&nbsp;placed 18th at 226. Carruthers had a 76 on Tuesday.Blue Dragon individual player, freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/schultz_cal_h6x5">Cal Schultz</a>, had a strong recovery after opening with an 80 on Monday. He came back with a 75 in Monday's afternoon round and posted a season-low 73 on Tuesday to finish 22nd at 228. Schultz jumped 10 spots in the standings.Freshman individual Tyler Schultz placed 33rd at 234 after a final-round 81.The Blue Dragons' third fall tournament will be next Monday and Tuesday at the Grier Jones Shocker Classic at Sand Creek Station in Newton.TEAM SCORES 1. Hutchinson – 852 (280/283/289) 2. Nebraska Wesleyan – 873 (292/288/293) 3. Iowa Western "A" – 885 (293/204/298) 4. Northeast Nebraska – 898 (296/299/303) 5. Iowa Central – 911 (302/305/304) 6. Iowa Western "B" – 913 (208/295/310) 7. Briar Cliff "A" – 937 (311/307/319) 8. Barton – 940 (319/306/315) 9. Concordia – 946 (323/312/311) 10. Briar Cliff "B" – 1,000 (343/330/327)BLUE DRAGON INDIVIDUALS 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/northgraves_jack_mp7b">Jack Northgraves</a>&nbsp;– 208 (66/70/72) T2.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/razinskas_david_xbtl">David Razinskas</a>&nbsp;– 213 (69/72/72) T2.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/box_charlie_0808">Charlie Box</a>&nbsp;– 213 (70/73/70) 11.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/ross_louis_6g3i">Louis Ross</a>&nbsp;– 221 (78/68/76) 18.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/caruthers_jaydon_5jz1">Jaydon Carruthers</a>&nbsp;– 226 (75/75/76) 22.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/schultz_cal_h6x5">Cal Schultz</a>&nbsp;– 228 (80/75/73) 33.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mgolf/2024-25/bios/walker_tyler_ijcw">Tyler Walker</a>&nbsp;– 234 (77/76/81)

⛳ Northgraves leads Blue Dragons to Bent Tree Intercollegiate title

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brett-favre-mississippi-welfare-money-nfl-59d5047f9e8b1cd6055f13697eea7027">Brett Favre</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/40d578574b5d419d82a427575b045c03">Parkinson’s disease</a>, he told a congressional committee Tuesday.

Favre made the disclosure as part of his testimony about a welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi. Favre, who does not face criminal charges, has repaid just over $1 million in speaking fees funded by a welfare program in the state and was also an investor in a biotech company with ties to the case. The biotech firm has said it was developing concussion treatments.

The former football star told the committee that he lost his investment in the company “that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others.”

“As I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me — I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s — this is also a cause dear to my heart,” Favre said.

What causes Parkinson's disease is unknown, and it is unclear if Favre's disease is connected to his football career or head injuries. He said in 2022 that he estimates he experienced “thousands” of concussions in his two decades in the NFL.

Favre appeared at the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee hearing to advocate reform of the federal welfare system to better prevent fraud.

“The challenges my family and I have faced over the last three years—because certain government officials in Mississippi failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably trying to blame me, those challenges have hurt my good name and are worse than anything I faced in football,” Favre said.

<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2022/11/16/in-light-of-favre-welfare-scandal-gop-members-renew-calls-for-accountability/">House Republicans</a>&nbsp;have said a Mississippi welfare misspending scandal involving Favre and others points to the need for an overhaul in the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-sports-general-football-brett-favre-us-news-ff86e556f25aee92aef15da86c2cc915">Favre has said he didn’t know</a>&nbsp;the payments he received came from welfare funds and has noted his charity had provided millions of dollars to poor kids in his home state of Mississippi and in Wisconsin, where he played most of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brett-favre-mississippi-welfare-money-nfl-59d5047f9e8b1cd6055f13697eea7027">Brett Favre</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/40d578574b5d419d82a427575b045c03">Parkinson’s disease</a>, he told a congressional committee Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">During his opening statement before Congress, <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettFavre?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrettFavre</a> says he&#39;s recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/bANW0t3SK6">https://t.co/bANW0t3SK6</a> <a href="https://t.co/IFQzqC847M">pic.twitter.com/IFQzqC847M</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1838592945483612597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Favre made the disclosure as part of his testimony about a welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi. Favre, who does not face criminal charges, has repaid just over $1 million in speaking fees funded by a welfare program in the state and was also an investor in a biotech company with ties to the case. The biotech firm has said it was developing concussion treatments.The former football star told the committee that he lost his investment in the company “that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others.”“As I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me — I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s — this is also a cause dear to my heart,” Favre said.What causes Parkinson's disease is unknown, and it is unclear if Favre's disease is connected to his football career or head injuries. He said in 2022 that he estimates he experienced “thousands” of concussions in his two decades in the NFL.Favre appeared at the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee hearing to advocate reform of the federal welfare system to better prevent fraud.“The challenges my family and I have faced over the last three years—because certain government officials in Mississippi failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably trying to blame me, those challenges have hurt my good name and are worse than anything I faced in football,” Favre said.<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2022/11/16/in-light-of-favre-welfare-scandal-gop-members-renew-calls-for-accountability/">House Republicans</a>&nbsp;have said a Mississippi welfare misspending scandal involving Favre and others points to the need for an overhaul in the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-sports-general-football-brett-favre-us-news-ff86e556f25aee92aef15da86c2cc915">Favre has said he didn’t know</a>&nbsp;the payments he received came from welfare funds and has noted his charity had provided millions of dollars to poor kids in his home state of Mississippi and in Wisconsin, where he played most of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

🎥Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre says he has Parkinson’s disease

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Tuesday, September 24th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Tuesday, September 24th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for September 24th, 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=7syrb-16e2bcc-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>