Dave Riggert – Page 1150 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Bearcats’ Simmons named Special Teams Player of the Week

Posted on October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

For the third consecutive week No. 3 Northwest Missouri State was honored as Jordan Simmons was named MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week announced by the league office Monday.

Simmons returned his second kickoff for a touchdown this season going 98-yards against Missouri Southern Saturday, shifting the momentum to the Bearcat sideline in Northwest’s 52-21 win. The junior from Kansas City, Mo., finished with 206 yards of all-purpose yardage and was the leading rusher with 92 yards and two TDs on the ground. The two ground scores move him to eighth all-time in Bearcat history.

Northwest hosts Missouri Western who took home Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors with running back Michael Hill and defensive end David Bass respectively.

The Bearcats also moved up one spot to No. 3 in the latest AFCA Top 25 released on Monday as the Griffons returned at No. 25 making this weekend matchup a Top 25 contest in St. Joseph. Kickoff from Spratt Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

K-State/Texas A&M game to air on ABC

Posted on October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

Kansas State athletics officials received word on Monday that the Wildcats’ game against Texas A&M on November 12 will be televised by ABC at either 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. The exact game time will be determined on Sunday as ABC has utilized a six-day option.

The selection marks the 10th straight week that a Wildcat football game will be televised and the fourth this season on ABC after the network also picked up K-State’s games against Baylor, Missouri and Oklahoma State.

Fans can purchase tickets to both remaining home games as a combo ticket to both the Texas A&M game and the December 3 home finale against Iowa State is available for only $85. The first 500 fans to purchase a combo ticket will receive a free Jordy Nelson bobblehead.

Fans can order tickets online at www.k-statesports.com, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the ticket office located inside Bramlage Coliseum.

No. 14 Kansas State will hit the road this weekend for a matchup with the third-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday. The game, which will be televised by ABC, will kick off at 7 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

Big 12 hands out weekly football honors

Posted on October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

Landry Jones (Oklahoma), E.J. Gaines (Missouri) and Justin Tucker (Texas) have been named Big 12 Conference Football Players of the Week, as selected by a media panel. Jones (offense) was honored for the second time this season and sixth occasion in his career. Tucker (special teams) picked up his second career award while Gaines (defense) was recognized for the first time.

Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week

Landry Jones, Oklahoma, QB, Jr, Artesia, N.M.

Landry Jones completed 35-of-47 (.745) passes for a school-record 505 yards and five touchdowns (two interceptions) in No. 9 Oklahoma’s 58-17 win at previously unbeaten No. 8 Kansas State. The junior’s yardage figure also was the most for any player at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. His TD throws covered 11, 18, 29, 8 and 12 yards. OU finished with 690 yards of total offense, its highest total since the 1978 Oklahoma State game (692), and averaged 9.2 yards per play against the Big 12’s top defensive unit entering the game. With his 90 touchdown passes, Jones set the Oklahoma career record previously held by Sam Bradford with 88.

Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week

E.J. Gaines, MU, CB, So, Independence, Mo.

E.J. Gaines anchored a solid second-half defensive performance as Missouri upset No. 16 Texas A&M 38-31 in overtime in College Station, Texas. Gaines notched a career-best 10 tackles and broke up a career-best four passes, including three in the fourth quarter as Mizzou rallied from a 28-17 deficit and held the Aggies to three second-half points. The first-year sophomore starter has 13 passes defended (11 PBUs, 2 INTs) on the season, which is tops in the Big 12 Conference (1.63 per game avg.) and ranks fifth nationally.

Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week

Justin Tucker, Texas, K, Sr, Austin, Texas

Justin Tucker made a pair of field goals, including a career-long 52-yarder, and connected on all five of his PATs to score 11 points in No. 24 Texas’ 43-0 win over Kansas. He also dropped his one punt of the game inside the 20 at the KU 12-yard line.

— Big 12 Press Release —

Cardinals’ La Russa announces retirement

Posted on October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

Tony La Russa, the winningest manager in St. Louis Cardinals franchise history, today announced his retirement after a record 16 seasons as the team’s manager. La Russa, 67, guided the Cardinals to their 11th World Championship this season and leaves the game ranked 3rd all-time in managerial wins (2,728) behind only John McGraw (2,763) and Connie Mack (3,731).

“My most prominent feeling today as I reflect back on my 33 years of managing and my 16 years as a St. Louis Cardinal is my overwhelming gratitude for the good fortune that I have had and the many people who helped me along the way,” said La Russa. “I had the opportunity to work for three organizations that were all very different, but very much the same in the most important way – their drive for success.”

“On behalf of the entire Cardinals organization and our tremendous fans, I want to thank Tony for everything he has done over the past 16 years to help keep the Cardinals among the most respected and revered franchises in all of professional sports,” stated Cardinals Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill DeWitt, Jr. “Tony leaves behind a legacy of success that will always be considered one of the greatest eras in Cardinals history; an era that began immediately with a Division title in 1996 and was capped off with a World Championship in 2011”

La Russa, who was named the Cardinals 48th manager on October 23, 1995, guided the Cardinals to a franchise record 1,408 wins. He led the Cardinals to eight division titles (1996, 2000-02, 2004-06 & 2009), three National League pennants (2004, 2006 & 2011) and two World Championships (2006 & 2011).

“It has been a privilege and an honor to work with one of the greatest managers in the history of the game,” said Cardinals Sr. Vice President and General Manager John Mozeliak, “Tony has been a leader, an innovator and a friend.”

La Russa is 2nd all-time in games managed with 5,097, including stints with the Chicago White Sox (1979-86) and Oakland A’s (1986-95). He ranks 1st on the Cardinals all-time games managed list with 2,491 and his 16 years of continuous service were tops among active managers/head coaches in the four major professional sports leagues.

La Russa’s Cardinals teams finished above .500 in 13 of his 16 seasons. They recorded 105 wins in 2004 and 100 wins in 2005, making La Russa just the second Cardinals manager to oversee two 100-win seasons. This year La Russa became only the second manager to win two World Championships with the Cardinals, joining Billy Southworth (1942 & 1944). La Russa and Sparky Anderson are the only managers to have led both a National and American League team to World Series titles.

During La Russa’s 16 years at the Cardinals helm, the team surpassed 3 million in season attendance 13 times, including a franchise record 3, 552,180 fans in 2007. His Cardinals teams finished no lower then 3rd place in all but three seasons.

La Russa’s Cardinals teams posted a National League best 913 wins during the decade of the 2000s, winning a league-leading 33 postseason games during that same time frame. Since joining the Cardinals in 1996, La Russa’s teams led the National League with 50 wins in the postseason and their .544 regular season winning pct. (1,408-1,182) ranked 2nd in the N.L. during that span.

— Cardinals Public Relations —

Kansas State’s Malone named semifinalist for Thorpe Award

Posted on October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

Kansas State junior defensive back Nigel Malone is one of 15 players nationally to be named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s most outstanding defensive back, the Jim Thorpe Association announced on Monday.

Malone is the first Wildcat up for the award since Terence Newman was the award winner in 2002. He is also the fourth K-State defensive back to earn semifinalist status, joining Newman (2001 semifinalist, 2002 winner), Chris Canty (1995 and 1996 semifinalist) and Jamie Mendez (1993 semifinalist).

A native of Manteca, Calif., Malone has six interceptions this season to lead the Big 12 and rank second nationally, and he also has 12 passes defended, which is second in the league and eighth in the country. He is also one of two players this season to intercept two or more passes in multiple games as he had two picks against Eastern Kentucky and Oklahoma.

Malone, who transferred from City College of San Francisco prior to this season, is tied for third in school history in interceptions, while he is tied for the most by a first-year Wildcat player with All-American Jamie Mendez, who had six interceptions in 1990.

The Thorpe Award was established in 1986 and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011. Three other Big 12 defensive backs – Brodrick Brown (Oklahoma State), Tony Jefferson (Oklahoma) and Markelle Martin (Oklahoma State) – joined Malone on the list.

No. 14 Kansas State will hit the road this weekend for a matchup with the third-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday. The game, which will be televised by ABC, will kick off at 7 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

Tigers roll to exhibition win over Southern in One State, One Spirit Classic

Posted on October 31, 2011

The No. 25 Mizzou basketball team defeated Missouri Southern State in the One State, One Spirit Classic Presented by Leggett and Platt on Sunday (Oct. 30) in Joplin, Mo. The game was another outreach by the Mizzou Department of Athletics and Missouri Southern State Department of Athletics towards the Joplin community following a devastating tornado that hit the area back in May. The two schools raised more than $100,000 for the community with the game.

Mizzou was led by a strong offensive attack as six different players finished in double-figures, led by preseason All-American Marcus Denmon. The Tiger senior tallied 25 points 8-13 shooting including a 4-8 mark from 3-point range. Michael Dixon pitched in 19 points and just missed a double-double with eight rebounds. Matt Pressey added 18 points and Ricardo Ratliffe contributed 17 more.

After a slow first half, senior Kim English connected on a trio of 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 10 points on the game. Sophomore point guard Phil Pressey also had an explosive game with 10 points and a game-high nine assists. As a team, Mizzou shot 57.5-percent from the floor and connected on 54.2-percent from distance.

The community of Joplin showed great support at the game as the Leggett and Platt Arena hosted a sell-out crowd that was the largest in school history at 3,477. The capacity of the building is listed at just 3,200. Fans of both schools from all over the state packed the arena and seemed to cheer both teams. The game was also the first time that fans got to see the team play an opposition under first year head coach Frank Haith.

“It was a humbling experience in the fact that we got to see a lot of Joplin,” Denmon said in the postgame press conference. “Some of the things that happened here back in May were devastating. It touched a lot of the guys here. I felt it was good for our team to get out here and see. Hopefully we can learn from the experience.”

Mizzou will be back in action on Wednesday (Nov. 2) as they host Truman State at Mizzou Arena in its second exhibition game of the season.

— MU Sports Information —

K-State at Oklahoma State will kick off at 7:00 PM

Posted on October 31, 2011

Kansas State’s Big 12 football matchup at Oklahoma State will air to a primetime ABC television audience as the league office announced today that Saturday’s game will kick at 7 p.m. from Boone Pickens Stadium.

The contest between the No. 17 Wildcats (7-1, 4-1) and No. 3 Cowboys (8-0, 5-0) will mark the ninth straight week that a K-State football game will be televised this season.

Following Saturday’s game at Oklahoma State, K-State will return home to face Texas A&M. Fans can purchase a combo ticket to both the November 12 Texas A&M game and the December 3 home finale against Iowa State for only $85 as tickets still remain for the final two home contests.

— KSU Sports Information —

Kansas suspends Taylor & Johnson for exhibition games

Posted on October 31, 2011

Kansas guards Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson have been suspended for violating team rules and will miss both of the No. 13 Jayhawks’ exhibition games.

Coach Bill Self declined to discuss the specific violations Sunday, but he did say they occurred during the offseason and that both players “have been terrific since school began.”

They’ll miss exhibition games Tuesday night against Pittsburg State and Nov. 8 against Fort Hays State.

Taylor is the Jayhawks’ leading returning scorer after averaging 9.4 points and 4.6 assists last season. Johnson started six games a year ago and is their best returning outside shooter.

Kansas opens its regular season Nov. 11 against Towson.

— Associated Press —

Griffons win at Southwest Baptist for fifth straight victory

Posted on October 29, 2011

It wasn’t pretty, but Missouri Western football has now won five straight games, after a 31-24 win against Southwest Baptist Saturday afternoon in Bolivar.

Baptist scored 13 points of Western turnovers to make it a game, but the Griffons, despite losing the turnover battle 3-0, got a gritty performance from Michael Hill on the ground to pull out the victory. Hill unofficially carried close to 30 times for close to 200 yards. Junior defensive end David Bass unofficially record four sacks. Official statistics were not made available after the game.

Baptist, struck first with an early first quarter touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. The Griffons then responded with a 34 yard touchdown pass from Travis Partridge to Tarrell Downing to tie the score at 7 in the first. Western then took a 14-7 lead early in the 2nd quarter when Partridge hit Hill for a 13 yard touchdown.

Baptist answered with at the 8:19 mark in the 2nd with a Dan Connors 3 yard touchdown catch from Charles Johnson. Western reclaimed the lead at 2:13 with a 23 yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein, his MIAA record 13th consecutive field goal, and gave the Griffons a 17-14 lead heading into halftime.

The Bearcats would tie the game at the 8:00 minute mark of the 3rd quarter with a 31 yard field goal from John Colliver. But the turning point came on Western’s next offensive possession, after successfully completing two fourth down conversions. The Griffons used a fake punt on 4th and 8, when Reggie Jordan took the direct snap and ran for a first down. Three plays later, The Griffons would go for it on 4th and 2 at their own 48, and convert with a Michael Hill 48 yard run, which put the Griffons down at the two. Travis Partridge finished the drive with a two yard touchdown run to put Western up 24-17.

The Griffons added another score at the 13:19 mark of the 4th quarter, with a Dominic Thomas 6 yard touchdown run to make it a 31-17 game. Baptist answered with a 20 yard touchdown from Marcus Sullivan at 9:53 to pull to within a touchdown, but the Griffons ran out the clock and secured their 5th straight victory. They will host Northwest Missouri State next Saturday at 2:00 pm at Spratt Stadium.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats pull away from Southern in second half

Posted on October 29, 2011October 29, 2011

It took the fourth-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats almost three quarters to get rolling, but jumped on Missouri Southern to take a 52-21 MIAA win at Fred G. Hughes Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Northwest improved to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in league action in a game that was much tougher than the final score reflected on the scoreboard. The Lions fell to 3-5 overall and 2-5 in the MIAA as the Bearcats reached the 50-point plateau for the seventh time this season.

The Bearcats took a touchdown lead into the half as they were held out of the end zone when Blake Christopher threw only his second interception of the year. Maurlon Bembry picked off the pass attempt to Jake Soy in the corner of the end zone for the Lions second take-away of the half.

MSSU pulled within 14-7 before the pick when Demon Haire recovered a Bearcat fumble in the end zone with just over two minutes left in the half.

Both teams struggled through sloppy play in the third quarter before the Bearcats stole the momentum when Bryce Enyard picked off a Lions pass and returned it 49 yards to the MSSU 18-yard line setting up a Todd Adolf field goal. It was Enyard’s fourth pick of the year after he had intercepted Collin Howard’s pass on the previous play, but a roughing the passer penalty gave the Lions a first down and a second opportunity.

A 40-yard field goal from Adolf and a two-yard MSSU touchdown plunge pulled the Lions back within three, but that would be all the Lions could muster as the Bearcats took the game over. Jordan Simmons returned the ensuing kickoff 98-yards shifting the tide back to the Northwest sideline closing out the third quarter.

Simmons would score one final time for this third touchdown of the game as he raced 34 yards down the sideline sealing a Bearcat victory. His two second half touchdowns would be sandwiched by a 4 yard touchdown pass to Kyle Kilgore from Trevor Adams and a blocked punt recovered by David Mosley in the end zone.

Simmons finished with a game high 92 yards on 11 carries and three scores.

Blake Christopher finished 12 of 23 for 105 yards passing and added another 33 yards on the ground before being forced out of the game with a leg injury. Christopher rushed for two first half touchdowns as well.

Adams completed all three pass attempts for 26 yards and one touchdown.

The Bearcats used a balanced attack with 298 yards of total offense while the Lions finished with 302 yards. However the Bearcats, who are in the top 10 in the nation in turnover margin, used three take a ways and four sacks to slow the MSSU offense.

Northwest returns to action next weekend for their final regular season road matchup against rival Missouri Western. The two longtime rivals enter the game both ranked in the regional rankings with the Griffons at 7-2. Kickoff from Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph is slated for 2 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —