Dave Riggert – Page 706 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Mizzou basketball programs to host black & gold event

Posted on October 7, 2014October 7, 2014

Missouri Athletics announced that it will host the annual Black & Gold Scrimmage event, featuring both Mizzou Men’s and Women’s Basketball on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Held at Mizzou Arena, admission to the event will be free for all Tiger fans.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and members of both basketball programs will be signing autographs on the Mizzou Arena concourse. Fans will receive a limited edition autograph card for the teams to sign. Scrimmages and skills competitions are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Head Coach Robin Pingeton is beginning her fifth season at the helm of Mizzou Women’s Basketball. Coming off of back-to-back postseason appearances, the Tigers look to continue laying the foundations of success at Mizzou. The team returns 10 players from the 2013-14 season including star three-point shooter, Morgan Eye, and adds three newcomers in freshmen Bri Porter and Carrie Shephard and junior transfer Juanita Robinson.

Mizzou Men’s Basketball will begin its first season under the direction of head coach Kim Anderson. The Tigers will be one of the youngest squads in college basketball this season with nine newcomers entering the program. The club’s 2014 recruiting class was ranked among the Top 15 nationally by various recruiting outlets. Three freshmen, Jakeenan Gant, Montaque Gill-Caesar and Namon Wright, were each ranked among the Top 75 players in their class and give Mizzou Basketball its largest incoming group of freshmen since 2008-09.

— MU Sports Information —

Royals claim ALCS berth with sweep of regular-season-best Angels

Posted on October 6, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — (AP) The Kansas City Royals waited nearly three decades to return to the postseason. Now that they’re here, they want to stick around for a while.

Alex Gordon hit a bases-clearing double in the first inning, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas each homered and the wild-card Royals finished off a three-game sweep of the mighty Los Angeles Angels with an emphatic 8-3 victory Sunday night in the AL Division Series.

The scrappy team with the quirky manager, popgun offense, dynamic defense and lights-out bullpen will open the AL Championship Series against the Orioles beginning Friday night in Baltimore. Kansas City went 4-3 against the O’s this year.

“I’ve never seen this group of kids so confident on the big stage,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It’s really fun to see their development and watch them come into the postseason and just really take their game to the next level.”

The Angels, 98-64 in the regular season, became the second team in the divisional era that began in 1969 to have the best record in the majors and get swept out of the playoffs, STATS said. In no small coincidence, the Royals dealt the same humiliating fate to the New York Yankees in the 1980 ALCS.

Stalking around the mound amid an electric atmosphere, James Shields lived up to his “Big Game James” billing. The Royals’ ace gave up homers to Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, but otherwise held in check a suddenly punchless Los Angeles lineup

Shields was helped, too, by a pair of diving grabs by center fielder Lorenzo Cain on back-to-back plays. All told, the highest-scoring team in baseball managed six runs in the entire series.

“Anything happens in the playoffs,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “You don’t go in with any badge saying you won the most games, and you’re certainly not going to get any points for that going into the playoffs.”

As for the Royals, “they’re going to be a team tough to beat in this tournament,” he said.

Kansas City showed off great glovework in every game, especially by its fleet outfielders. In this one, Cain’s catches in the fifth inning ended an Angels’ rally and preserved a five-run lead.

The Royals coasted the rest of the way to their seventh straight postseason victory dating to Game 5 of the 1985 World Series, the last time they were in the playoffs. George Brett, the star of that team, watched from an upstairs suite and raised his arms when ace closer Greg Holland fanned Trout for the final out.

This bunch of Royals is certainly making up for all that lost time.

Kansas City played a 12-inning thriller against Oakland in the wild-card game, and a pair of 11-inning games in Los Angeles before returning home to an adoring crowd at Kauffman Stadium.

This one had none of the drama, not that anybody wearing blue cared.

After Trout staked his team to the lead, Angels starter C.J. Wilson quickly got into trouble. The left-hander with the $16 million price tag this season gave up consecutive singles and a four-pitch walk in the first inning to load the bases for Gordon, whose slicing two-out double gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead.

Sensing the game already slipping away, Scioscia immediately turned the game over to his bullpen. It didn’t fare a whole lot better.

The Royals kept the pressure on, and even plodding designated hitter Billy Butler got in on the act, stealing second base to the roar of the crowd. It was his fifth career steal and first in two years, but it typified the way the Royals have been winning this postseason.

Dazzling pitching, daring baserunning and some dogged determination.

After swiping seven bases and playing small-ball against the A’s, the club that hit the fewest homers in the regular season pounded out four long balls against Los Angeles.

Moustakas hit the first of them in the 11th inning of the opener, Hosmer hit the second in the 11th inning the next night, and both of them went deep to finish off the sweep.

Hosmer’s two-run shot came in the third inning. Moustakas connected in the fourth.

By that point, the Angels — their high-priced offense having fizzled and pitching having failed them — were slumped over the railing of their dugout. They spent the final five innings bundled up against the October chill, periods of rain making their night miserable.

But hardly putting a damper on Royals fans that have waited 29 years for these moments.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals RHP Kelvin Herrera pitched a scoreless seventh inning. He left Thursday night’s series opener after five pitches with a strained forearm.

UP NEXT

The Orioles, who beat Detroit 2-1 on Sunday to finish off their series sweep, are in the ALCS for the first time since 1997.

— Associated Press —

Smith, Chiefs come up short at San Francisco

Posted on October 6, 2014October 6, 2014

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The day began with another round of questions about the relationship between Jim Harbaugh and his players. It ended with him putting a lot of trust in them to make a big play.

And just as Harbaugh’s teams usually do, the San Francisco 49ers delivered.

The 49ers converted a gutsy fake punt from deep in their territory and leaned on five field goals from Phil Dawson to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 22-17 on Sunday, quieting the drama around Harbaugh’s future for at least one more week.

“The football team has done good. And the better you do and the more you do, the more people try to trip you up,” Harbaugh said. Later, he added: “My destiny lies between these walls with these men.”

Reports have appeared since the offseason that players aren’t particularly happy with Harbaugh, and the latest caused 49ers CEO and acting owner Jed York to speak out.

About three hours before kickoff, York posted on Twitter: “Jim is my coach. We are trying to win a SB (Super Bowl), not a personality or popularity contest. Any more questions?”

Harbaugh and his players helped answer some of them with a critical call late, spoiling the return of former franchise quarterback Alex Smith in the process.

The 49ers (3-2) turned to a trick play on fourth-and-1 from their 29 early in the fourth quarter, giving a direct snap to Craig Dahl for a 3-yard run up the middle. Colin Kaepernick directed the offense downfield, and Dawson kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8:42 to play for the go-ahead score.

“It doesn’t matter where they’re called on the field. You just have to execute,” Dahl said. “See the ball, catch it, tuck it away and go.”

Dawson also connected from 55, 52, 35 and 30 yards. He credited Harbaugh and the coaching staff for having confidence in him to make the kicks, particularly the two long ones.

Kaepernick threw for 201 yards and a touchdown, and Frank Gore ran for 107 yards to offset the absence of injured tight end Vernon Davis.

The 49ers smothered Smith and the Chiefs (2-3) for most of the second half, including twice in the closing moments. Smith threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns, but Perrish Cox intercepted his overthrown pass to end any chance Kansas City’s comeback.

“It’s tough, you’re competitive, you want to win the game. Some of those guys I played a long time with,” said Smith, who completed 17 of 31 passes.

San Francisco sparked the offense with the fake punt, and even more big plays followed. Brandon Lloyd made a leaping 29-yard catch over 6-foot-3 Sean Smith — “basketball’s version of the alley-oop,” Lloyd said — to extend San Francisco’s drive again and set up Dawson’s fourth field goal.

Dawson also lined up for a 54-yard field goal with 4:19 remaining after San Francisco stopped Kansas City. But the Chiefs were penalized for having 12 players on the field, handing the 49ers a first down. Dawson finished the drive with a 30-yard field goal.

Smith and Kansas City took over with 2:12 left and another chance to rally. But Smith sailed a pass to tight end Anthony Fasano, and Cox swooped in for an easy interception.

“I thought he handled (the environment) like a champ,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Smith.

On a sun-touched day that sent temperatures into the low 90s in Silicon Valley, both offenses started out hot.

Smith completed six of eight passes for 61 yards on the game’s opening drive, capping it with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Jamaal Charles ran for 80 yards to eclipse Larry Johnson (6,015 yards) for second place on Kansas City’s career rushing list, but was mostly a nonfactor late.

San Francisco scored on all three of its possessions in the first half, though the first two ended with Dawson’s big right leg. Kaepernick finished off the third drive where he wanted, rolling to his right and lofting a 9-yard pass to a wide-open Stevie Johnson to give the 49ers a 13-10 lead.

The Chiefs stopped San Francisco to start the third quarter, and De’Anthony Thomas ran his first punt return 28 yards, then caught a short screen and sprinted 17 yards for a score to put the Chiefs back in front, 17-13.

But San Francisco stayed focused and never lost its cool.

— Associated Press —

Missouri-Georgia game to kickoff at 11:00 a.m. Saturday

Posted on October 6, 2014October 6, 2014

The University of Missouri football game on Saturday, October 11th has been chosen for an 11 a.m. (central time) kickoff, with the game being televised on CBS.

A very limited amount of reserved tickets (approximately 100 as of Sunday) remain available for the SEC East Division showdown. Tickets can be purchased online, at www.mutigers.com, on the phone by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS locally), or in person at the Mizzou Arena ticket office.

The game is Mizzou’s annual Gold Rush game, as fans are asked to wear gold. Tiger Walk will begin at 8:45 a.m., with parking lots opening up at 6 a.m.

The will be broadcast in St. Joseph on ESPN 1550 AM.

— MU Sports Information —

Griffons fall at home to Pittsburg State 23-13

Posted on October 4, 2014

The Missouri Western football team lost at home Saturday night at Spratt Stadium to Pittsburg State 23-13.

Missouri Western trailed by just four at halftime, 17-13 but two Connor Frazell field goals in the second half and a second half shutout by the Gorilla defense proved too much for Missouri Western.

Trailing 14-10 halfway through the second quarter, Josh Walker nearly gave the Griffons a boost with a 57 yard punt return but Skylarr Gaston chased Walker down from behind an poked the ball out giving the Gorillas the ball at the Missouri Western four yard line. Pittsburg State turned the fumble into three points and gave the Gorillas a 17-13 halftime lead.

The Gorillas outgained Missouri Western 354 to 192. Pittsburg State rushed 48 times for 134 yards. The Griffons 13 points were the most allowed by Pittsburg State this season.

Raphael Spencer came up short of another 100 yard game rushing 17 times for 83 yards. Skyler Windmiller finished 12-27 passing for 114 yards with one interception and Missouri Western’s lone touchdown. Windmiller hit Stephon Weaver for a three yard strike in the second quarter to pull the Griffons within four.

Meshack Kennedy had seven solo tackles and 12 total. Cody Lindsay had the Griffons only sack on the night. The Griffons drop to 3-2 on the season and 3-2 in the MIAA.

Missouri Western hits the road next Saturday for a matchup with Fort Hays State on Oct. 11.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western volleyball stays in first place with sweep of Pitt State

Posted on October 4, 2014October 4, 2014

The Missouri Western volleyball team won their seventh straight MIAA contest in a 3-0 sweep of Pittsburg State Saturday afternoon, 25-17, 25-17, 25-20.

The Griffons rallied on seven straight points in the third to complete the sweep. It’s the Griffons longest winnings streak since beginning the 2002 season 8-0.

Missouri Western dispatched the Gorillas 25-17 in both the first two sets then fell behind 6-3 in the third before rattling off seven straight points that included six Pittsburg State errors. MWSU controlled the rest of the set, winning 25-20.

Jessie Thorup led the way offensively for the Griffons, serving during the seven-point run and racking up 13 kills while hitting .333. Kelsey Olion hit .360 with 11 kills and chipped in four blocks. Sarah Faubel had eight digs a day after becoming the program’s all-time leader in that category. Jordan Chohon finished with 38 assists, five digs and a kill.

Missouri Western hits the road next week playing at Fort Hays on Oct. 10 before making the trip to face No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney on the 11th.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Waters leads No. 23 Kansas State to big win over Texas Tech

Posted on October 4, 2014October 4, 2014

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jake Waters admitted that he was “gassed” after a 50-yard quarterback-keeper in the first half helped propelled No. 23 Kansas State to a rout of Texas Tech on Saturday night.

Funny word choice considering he never let up on the gas the rest of the night.

Waters wound up throwing for 290 yards and four touchdowns, ran for 105 yards and another score and paced the Wildcats’ high-octane offense in a 45-13 victory.

“It seems like we were clicking so well on offense,” Waters said. “I want to get like that every game. It’s a special feeling when you get like that.”

Tyler Lockett had 12 catches for 125 yards and two scores, and Curry Sexton had nine catches for 128 yards and the other two scores, helping the Wildcats (4-1, 2-0) prepare for a showdown in two weeks with fourth-ranked Oklahoma by easily dispatching the Red Raiders.

“Jake was pretty decent about finding the right guys tonight,” said Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, who is always reticent to lavish too much praise on anyone.

Playing with a sore shoulder, Davis Webb threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns for Texas Tech (2-3, 0-2). But he also threw a career-high four interceptions — two each to Travis Green and Morgan Burns — and was victimized by numerous drops that ruined promising drives.

“We’ve got to continue to find a way to protect the football,” Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “You never want to turn it over, no matter what the score is.”

The drops weren’t the only problem for the undisciplined Red Raiders, though.

One week after committing 16 penalties for 158 yards in a loss to Oklahoma State, the Big 12 leaders in yellow flags were penalized nine times for 89 yards. That pushed their total for the season to 55 penalties, among the worst in major college football.

Most of the drops and penalties were crippling, too.

On one drive late in the third quarter, with the Wildcats already leading 31-7, the Red Raiders dropped four passes in a span of five plays. The last of them occurred in the end zone and wiped out a touchdown, and Webb threw his third pick of the game on the ensuing play.

The flags may have troubled Kingsbury even more.

There was the hands-to-the-face penalty that helped Kansas State to its second touchdown, a short run by Waters early in the second quarter. There was a hold that wiped out a 21-yard pass play in the third quarter. And on one Kansas State scoring drive, Texas Tech racked up 29 yards in penalties on unsportsmanlike conduct and pass interference calls.

“We simply got out-played,” Texas Tech linebacker Pete Robertson said. “We couldn’t stop them and it was going back-and-forth and our offense was stuck in some bad positions. We should have stopped Kansas State on third downs and fourth downs, but we let them slip away.”

Texas Tech actually had a chance to strike first, marching right down the field on the game’s first possession. But on second-and-5 at the 7, Webb’s pass was picked off in the end zone by Burns, who made a nifty one-handed grab to scuttle the drive.

Everything went Kansas State’s way the rest of the night.

Waters hit Sexton with a 48-yard touchdown strike a few minutes later as the Kansas State offense started humming. By the time the senior quarterback hit Lockett with a 15-yard scoring strike with 21 seconds left in the first half, the lead had ballooned to 24-7.

Lockett’s second TD catch came late in the third quarter, giving him 21 for his career and moving him into third place on the school’s list. He also broke a tie with Jordy Nelson and Quincy Morgan and set the school mark with his 11th 100-yard receiving game.

Texas Tech kept battling into the fourth quarter, closing to within 31-13 on Webb’s TD pass to Jakeem Grant. But Waters and Sexton answered with their second touchdown completion — a spectacular catch that is certain to end up on many highlight reels — and DeMarcus Robinson added a short scoring run to put the game firmly out of reach.

“I think we made huge strides today,” Lockett said. “The offense just clicked.”

— Associated Press —

No. 19 Nebraska’s rally comes up short at 10th-ranked Michigan State

Posted on October 4, 2014October 4, 2014

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Trae Waynes intercepted Tommy Armstrong’s pass with 30 seconds remaining, and No. 10 Michigan State held off a furious Nebraska rally, beating the No. 19 Cornhuskers 27-22 on Saturday night.

The Spartans (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) led 27-3 heading into the fourth quarter before three Nebraska touchdowns set up a tense finish. A 43-yard pass to Alonzo Moore gave the Huskers the ball at the Michigan State 37 with just under a minute to play.

But on a day when several other top teams lost in wild upsets, Nebraska (5-1, 1-1) couldn’t finish this comeback. Armstrong’s pass to the end zone fell incomplete, and Waynes then came up with his second interception of the game.

The Spartans shut down Nebraska’s vaunted running game, and the Cornhuskers didn’t score in the first half despite three Michigan State turnovers in its own territory. Tony Lippett caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Connor Cook in the first quarter, and when he scored on a 32-yard reverse, Michigan State was up 27-3 with 2:02 remaining in the third.

But Nebraska star Ameer Abdullah, who was held to 45 yards rushing, scored on a pair of short runs in the fourth, and De’Mornay Pierson-El returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-22 with 3:22 remaining. It might have been closer, but Nebraska attempted a pair of 2-point conversions in the fourth and missed them both.

Michigan State recovered an onside kick but couldn’t run out the clock. With Nebraska out of timeouts, Jeremy Langford was forced out of bounds, stopping the clock with 1:12 remaining and bringing up fourth down. Then Michael Geiger’s 36-yard field goal attempt missed, bouncing off the left upright and crossbar.

That gave Nebraska the ball at its own 20, but the Spartans held on.

Nebraska entered the game ranked No. 2 in the nation in rushing, and Michigan State was No. 4 in rushing defense. That matchup wasn’t much of a contest. The Huskers managed only 47 yards on the ground — they had been averaging 355.

Cook’s pass was intercepted on his first attempt, but Nebraska went three and out and punted, a wasted opportunity that set the tone for the half. Lippett slipped free deep down the left sideline and caught Cook’s pass for a 7-0 lead later in the first quarter.

Langford’s 31-yard scoring run made it 14-0 in the second quarter, but his fumble later in the quarter gave Nebraska the ball at the Michigan State 41.

Again the Cornhuskers couldn’t take advantage, but their punt was fumbled by Macgarrett Kings, giving Nebraska the ball at the 24. The Huskers were inside the 10 when Abdullah’s fumble ended that drive.

It was 17-0 at halftime.

Abdullah had rushed for over 200 yards in each of his previous two games, but he was barely a factor in this one until the fourth quarter.

Huskers wide receiver Kenny Bell was hurt in the first half and did not return. The school did not immediately identify his injury.

Michigan State center Jack Allen was ejected in the fourth quarter for a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

— Associated Press —

MWSU soccer upsets Southwest Baptist Saturday in Bolivar

Posted on October 4, 2014October 4, 2014

The Missouri Western soccer team got a header from K.C. Ramsell in the 35th minute Saturday in Bolivar to hand Southwest Baptist their first MIAA loss of the season, 1-0.

Sydney Cluck set Ramsell up for the header that was all the Griffons needed behind an impressive, 11 save performance from Sarah Lyle. It was Lyle’s fifth shutout of the season. She now has a save percentage of .902 on the season and has allowed six goals in 10 matches.

The Bearcats had 18 total shots to the Griffons seven with all of Missouri Western’s shots coming on frame. Ramsell’s only shot was the goal and game winner.

The win moves Missouri Western to 2-3-1 in MIAA play and 5-4-1 overall. The Bearcats are not 7-2 and 4-1 in the MIAA.

The Griffons return home next week for matchups against Washburn on Oct. 10 and Emporia State on Oct. 12.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KU falls at West Virginia for 26th straight road loss

Posted on October 4, 2014October 4, 2014

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Clint Trickett threw for 302 yards and a touchdown, Mario Alford returned a kickoff 94 yards for a score and West Virginia beat Kansas 33-14 on Saturday.

Rushel Shell ran for a season-high 113 yards and a score while Josh Lambert kicked four field goals for the Mountaineers (3-2, 1-1 Big 12).

The Mountaineers’ Kevin White finished with six catches for 132 yards and matched Stedman Bailey’s school record of five straight games with 100 receiving yards.

West Virginia jumped ahead 26-0 at halftime and cruised from there.

Kansas (2-3, 0-2) managed little offense in the debut for interim head coach Clint Bowen, who took over after Charlie Weis was fired on Sunday. The Jayhawks were held to 176 totals yards and nine first downs.

Kansas lost its 26th straight road game. The busiest player for the Jayhawks was Trevor Pardula, who punted 14 times.

Kansas quarterback Montell Cozart, who had four interceptions in a 23-0 loss to Texas last week, couldn’t move the offense again and played only the first half. Two other quarterbacks had no better luck in the second half.

West Virginia amassed 557 yards of offense but its special teams had an up and down day.

After the Mountaineers’ Jordan Thompson fumbled a punt on his 18 that led to a short touchdown run by the Jayhawks’ Corey Avery, Alford took the ensuing kickoff down the right sideline for a score to put West Virginia ahead 33-7 late in the third quarter.

Late in the game, the Jayhawks’ Nick Harwell returned a punt 76 yards for a TD, the third straight game that West Virginia’s special teams allowed a score.

The margin of victory could have been much greater. West Virginia had another field goal attempt blocked and Dustin Garrison fumbled the ball away at the Kansas 5 following a 28-yard run.

Trickett completed 20 of 35 passes with an interception. Several of his incompletions were long throws. White and Alford both let passes go off their hands in the end zone, resulting in two of Lambert’s three first-quarter field goals.

White got loose in single coverage late in the quarter and Trickett found him in stride for a 63-yard TD for a 16-0 lead.

Alford turned a screen pass into a 39-yard gain late in the second quarter, leading to Shell’s short TD run. Lambert, who earlier had field goals of 42, 25 and 43 yards, capped the first-half scoring with a 53-yarder as time expired.

— Associated Press —