BOYS
Bishop LeBlond 66, West Platte 50
Raytown South 75, Benton 33
GIRLS
Lathrop 41, Bishop LeBlond 19
Category: Sports
Missouri, Illinois announce four-year football series
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A border state football rivalry between Missouri and Illinois that dates to 1896 is scheduled to resume with a four-year home and home football series that will begin in the 2026 season at Champaign, Illinois, school officials announced Monday.
“We are pleased to announce a four-year home and home series with the University of Illinois,” said Mizzou Director of Athletics Jim Sterk. “This is another opportunity to renew a great football rivalry that we believe Tiger fans everywhere will be excited about.”
Mizzou will travel to Illinois for a September 26, 2026 contest in Champaign, Ill., with the Illini returning the game the following year to Columbia, Mo., on September 18, 2027. The teams will also meet in Champaign on Sept. 16, 2028 before concluding the agreement in Columbia on September 15, 2029.
Missouri and Illinois have met 24 times in football, with the Tigers holding a 17-7 series advantage. However, Mizzou has won six-straight and seven of the last eight between the programs, including a 23-13 win during the 2010 campaign in the last meeting between the programs which was played in St. Louis.
The Illinois series marks the first games Mizzou Athletics has contracted beyond the 2025 campaign.
In addition to the series with Illinois, Mizzou also announced Monday that it has completed its 2020 football schedule with the addition of a Nov. 21 home game against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. The Tigers other 2020 non-conference games include home contests with Central Arkansas (Sept. 5) and Eastern Michigan (Sept. 26), in addition to a Nov. 7 game at BYU.
— Mizzou Athletics —
MWSU offensive coordinator Chet Pobolish hired as head coach at SW Oklahoma State
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western football offensive coordinator Chet Pobolish was named head football coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State, Monday.
Pobolish served one season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at MWSU after five seasons at Southeastern Louisiana University.
“I’m super pumped for Chet and his wonderful family,” MWSU head coach Matt Williamson said. “Southwestern Oklahoma State is getting a phenomenal football coach with exceptional effort. Chet’s so much more than just a football coach, he’s a great friend of mine and a tremendous person. He will do an incredible job there and I wish him the best.”
Pobolish’s Griffon offense averaged 359 yards and 28 points per game this season. Missouri Western’s 216.7 rushing yards per game were the second most in the MIAA. The Griffons scored at least 40 points in five-straight games, including a 65-point performance at Northeastern State on Sept.30.
A national search for Pobolish’s replacement will begin immediately.
— MWSU Athletics —
Mizzou’s Okwuegbunam named SEC Freshman of the Week
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football TE Albert Okwuegbunam is the SEC Freshman of the Week, announced Monday (Nov. 20) by the league office. This marks his second SEC weekly honor after earning the distinction on Oct. 23 following Mizzou’s Homecoming win over Idaho.
Albert O is coming off a five-catch, 116-yard performance in Mizzou’s bowl-clinching 45-17 victory at Vanderbilt Saturday. Two of his five catches went for scores, including a career-long 57-yarder that put the game on ice in the fourth quarter. Of his five receptions, four came on third down and all went for first downs with three of those coming on third-and-long situations, including a third-and-eight (57 yard TD), a third-and-11 (20-yard catch) and a third-and-seven (seven-yard TD).
Okwuegbunam is a prime candidate for Freshman All-America honors this season as he is tied for the national lead in TD catches among TEs. He is also second in the SEC among all receivers with nine TDs and he has five more than the next-best TE on the list (CJ Conrad of Kentucky). His nine TD grabs are also tied for the top mark nationally among all freshmen.
Okwuegbunam and the Tigers will close the regular season this Friday at Arkansas in the annual Battle Line Rivalry Presented by Shelter Insurance. Kick is set for 1:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN 1550.
— Mizzou Athletics —
K-State’s Pringle, Thompson earn weekly Big 12 football honors
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Coming off Kansas State’s 45-40 upset victory at No. 10 Oklahoma State, Kansas State wide receiver Byron Pringle and quarterback Skylar Thompson have been named the Big 12 Offensive and Newcomer of the Week, respectively, the conference office announced Monday.
The honor was the third of Pringle’s career but the first of the offensive variety as he was named special teams player of the week twice in 2016. It was also the Wildcats’ first weekly conference honor for offense since the 2015 regular-season finale (Deante Burton vs. West Virginia). Thompson picked up his first weekly Big 12 accolade.
Pringle made Big 12 history against the Cowboys as he became the first player in conference history to record three receiving touchdowns in addition to a kickoff-return score in a single game. On the day, Pringle caught four passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, the latter tying the school record, which hadn’t been accomplished since Tyler Lockett did so against Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
A product of Tampa, Florida, Pringle averaged 41.5 yards per catch, the third-highest mark in school record. His 89-yard kickoff return touchdown in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a lead that they would not relinquish, as he improved his career kickoff-return yardage to 966 to improve to eighth in school history.
Thompson, a redshirt freshman who made just his second-career start, threw for 204 yards and three scores on 10-of-13 aim, while he rushed for 93 yards and another touchdown. He accumulated a 284.9 pass efficiency rating, the fourth-highest mark in school history and the best mark ever by a Wildcat freshman. Additionally, his three passing touchdowns were tied for the second most by a Wildcat freshman.
A native of Independence, Missouri, Thompson has thrown for 510 yards and four touchdowns this season, both ranking fourth in school history among freshmen. He also has 251 rushing yards this year, needing 38 yards to move into the top five in K-State history among freshmen, a list that does not include any quarterbacks.
K-State hosts Iowa State on Saturday in its regular-season finale, a contest kicks off at 2:30 p.m.
— K-State Athletics —
Chiefs’ struggles continue with 12-9 OT loss at New York
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Roger Lewis Jr. made a spectacular catch to set up the winning 23-yard yard goal by Aldrick Rosas in overtime and the New York Giants responded from weeks of adversity to beat the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs 12-9 on a blustery, cold Sunday.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Giants (2-8) and sent the Chiefs (6-4) to their fourth loss in five games.
The winning kick came two plays after Lewis was yanked to the ground on a deep pass from Eli Manning, but still caught the ball while flat on his back for a 34-yard completion on a fourth-down heave. Had he not caught it, flags flew for pass interference.
It was an unexpected was for a team that came into the game in turmoil, with questions about the future of coach Ben McAdoo and many wondering whether the Giants had quit in one-sided losses to the Rams and then the winless 49ers in the past two weeks.
Few expected them to beat the Chiefs, especially with Andy Reid’s record coming off a bye week. He was 16-2.
The Giants not only won, they intercepted Alex Smith twice, setting up their first nine points. Orleans Darkwa scored on a 1-yard run after Damon Harrison’s interception. Rosas, who missed the extra point after the Darkwa TD, kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Giants a short-lived 9-6 lead with 1:38 left in regulation after Janoris Jenkins’ interception.
With one time out, Smith drove the Chiefs 69 yards in nine plays, the big shot a 32-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Harrison Butker tied the game with a 23-yard field goal — his third short one — with :01 left in regulation. The drive was kept alive when Jenkins’ interception was nullified by a pass interference penalty against him.
McAdoo pulled out every trick in his book, using a fake punt; a halfback option that was intercepted; an odd formation with his tackles lined up 5 yards wide; and then the decision to go on fourth-and-5 from the Chiefs 36 with just over two minutes to play.
The Giants took the lead early in the second quarter after defensive tackle Harrison intercepted a deflected shovel pass and returned it to the Kansas City 26-yard line. Led by DT Robert Thomas’ blocking, Darkwa scored from 1 yard after Marcus Peters was called for pass interference in the end zone.
Rosas, who had missed a field goal in each of the last four games, had his extra point pushed wide right by the wind.
Kansas City cut the lead in half on the next series, driving 61 yards in more than nine minutes. Butker ended up with his first 31-yard field goal.
GIANTS RESPOND
The Giants’ unexpected performance came less than a week after co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said the embattled McAdoo would remain in charge through at least the end of the season. Days later, McAdoo and his team held what he termed “a brutally honest” team meeting in which mistakes and lack of effort plays were shown for all to see after the two losses by a combined 82-38 margin.
INACTIVES
The Giants were missing two key starters. WR Sterling Shepard was out after having a career game against San Francisco, making 11 catches for 142 yards. He was added to the injury report Saturday with an illness and could not play. CB Eli Apple was at home with his mother, who had brain surgery on Thursday. “He’s My best friend, my nurse and part time ninja,” Annie Apple tweeted Sunday morning. …Thanks for being my side every step of the way.”
UP NEXT
Chiefs: Host Buffalo next Sunday.
Giants: at Washington on Thanksgiving night.
— Associated Press —
No. 23 Missouri women hold off Missouri State 69-59
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Sophie Cunningham scored 26 points with 10-for-14 shooting to lead No. 23 Missouri to a 69-59 win over Missouri State on Sunday.
Amber Smith added 17 points, tying a career best, and Cierra Porter hauled in 12 rebounds for Missouri (3-1), which shot 53 percent from the field to win its third straight.
Missouri pulled away with an 8-0 burst in the fourth quarter to make it 66-56 with just over two minutes to play. Cunningham had a pair of free throws to spark the run and capped it with a jumper.
Liza Fruendt quickly trimmed the gap to 66-59 with a 3-pointer but Missouri State (1-2) was held scoreless over the final 2:05.
Fruendt led Missouri State with 29 points, including five 3-pointers.
The win marked Missouri’s fourth in the last five meetings against Missouri State and extended the series advantage to 20-8.
— Associated Press —
Copeland scores 30, Nebraska tops North Dakota 92-70
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — It took four tries for Isaac Copeland to have the kind of game he was expected to play for Nebraska this season, scoring 30 points to lead the Huskers to a 92-70 win over North Dakota Sunday.
The Georgetown transfer, who averaged just 7 points per game in Nebraska’s first three contests, made 12 of 14 shots, including 3 of 4 three pointers, and pulled down eight rebounds while triggering the early first half spurt that put Nebraska up for most of the game.
Copeland was relieved to have his first big game at Nebraska.
“It felt good,” he said. “I have a good support system around me. My dad calls pretty much daily to let me know to keep working, stay positive and this is eventually is going to happen. I didn’t expect it to be 30 points. But I’ll take it.”
Nebraska (3-1) hit six of its first nine shots, taking a 15-5 lead on Copeland’s layup with 15:13 left in the first half. The Huskers led by as many as 18 in the first half in which they hit 61 percent of their shots.
North Dakota (2-2) turned the ball over 12 times in the first half and made just 12 baskets to fall behind 49-32.
The Fighting Hawks took advantage of Nebraska’s cold shooting to open the second half to cut the Husker lead to 53-46 on a Cortez Seales jumper with 14:07 remaining. Nebraska used a 12-2 run capped by an Anton Gill 3-pointer to go up 75-55 with 8:57 remaining.
“The second half we cut it to 10, but Conner (Avants) picks two quick fouls and that kind of deflated our rhythm a little bit,” said North Dakota coach Brian Jones. “Some of the things we tried to take away we did, some of the things we needed to take away we did not. … I give them a lot of credit. They have not shot the ball even remotely or nearly as well as they had today.”
Nebraska held Geno Crandall, who came into the game averaging 28 points per game, to just two free throws in the first half. Crandall, who finished with 13 points, got his first field goal with 12:50 remaining in the game.
“Evan Taylor did a tremendous job on Crandall in the first half,” said Nebraska coach Tim Miles. “I don’t think people realize how tough he is to guard one-on-one. We had some guys helping him too, to shrink the floor. But Evan really did a great job on him. You can’t keep him forever. He still got 13.”
Marlon Stewart led North Dakota with 20 points. Avants had 16 points and Dale Jones had 11 points for the Fighting Hawks.
Gill had a career-high 16 points, Glynn Watson, Jr. had 13 points and Isaiah Roby had 11 points for Nebraska.
BIG PICTURE
North Dakota: This is the fifth-straight season the Fighting Hawks have played a Big Ten opponent and are now 0-7 all-time against the league since moving to NCAA Division 1 in the 2008-2009 season.
Nebraska: The Huskers struggled shooting through the first three games, making just 36 percent overall and only 27 percent from 3-point range. The Huskers finished at 53 percent on Sunday.
QUOTABLE
Miles on Copeland, who had back surgery and missed last season and Gill, who had knee surgery last year.
“I’m just so happy for them. Two guys go through major surgery, back surgery and the injury that Anton went down and see them just really explode, I’m just so happy for them. I know what a relief it is, how exciting it is for them and they deserve it. They’re worked every day, they’ve struggled without any groaning and griping. They’ve stayed with it … I’m really happy for those guys to bust out.”
UP NEXT
North Dakota will return to Grand Forks where it hosts Northland College in its home opener Tuesday.
Nebraska travels to Orlando where it will meet Central Florida in the first of its three games in the Advocare Invitational Thursday.
— Associated Press —
Missouri Western comes up short against No. 7 UNK in MIAA Tournament championship
KEARNEY, Neb. – Griffon volleyball (24-10) fell in its first ever MIAA Championship final 3-1 to No. 7 Nebraska Kearney (33-3). The loss snaps MWSU’s 13 match winning streak, the longest since 1987.
SURVIVAL BY RALLY
In the second set, Missouri Western faced a 24-21 deficit and trailed 1-0 in the match. The Griffons fought off back-to-back set points and rallied for five straight points to win the set. Kills by Shellby Taylor started and finished off the rally to win the set.
TURNING POINT
The third set saw the Griffons lead 6-0 early and 24-21 late. However, the Lopers rallied off three consecutive points late in the set. UNK had to fight off set point four different times before finally winning the decisive set 29-27.
SPARK OFF THE BENCH
For the second match in a week, Erin Erb came off the bench for career nights. Erb had a career-high 16 kills in the match against the Lopers. In MWSU’s win against UNK on Nov. 11, she came off the bench for a then career-best 14 kills.
BEST SEASON
Missouri Western’s 2017 season is one for the record books as it won the most matches since 1997. The Griffons claimed a share of the conference regular season title for the first time since 1987. MWSU set new program records for digs (2,264) and assists (1,597) in a single season. MWSU also knocked off four ranked opponents. For head coach Marian Carbin, the season allowed her to win her 100th career match and lead her alma mater to 16 conference wins for the second time in her career and program history.
UP NEXT
Missouri Western awaits its NCAA Tournament fate to be announced on Monday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m. central time. Eight teams make the Central Region and the Griffons were ninth in the NCAA Central Region rankings on Nov. 15.
— MWSU Athletics —
Griffons hang on to defeat Quincy 63-61
ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team (2-2) never trailed, but had to hang on for its second win of the season, 63-61 over Quincy (0-4) Saturday afternoon.
CLOSE CALL
The Griffons led by 18 with 3:19 left in the game, but Quincy ended the game on an 18-2 run and had the final possession, but couldn’t get off the final shot. Missouri Western’s only points during the Quincy run were two free throws. The Griffons also missed a pair of free throws with eight seconds left, giving the ball to Quincy.
ANOTHER WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN
Missouri Western scored the first points of the game and never trailed. It was the second wire-to-wire for the Griffons this season. So far the scripts have been similar for the team’s wins and losses. Both losses have come in overtime with the Griffons never trailing in either win.
LEADERS
Lavon Hightower led the Griffons with 18 points. He was one of three Griffons in double-figures as Seth Bonifas and Trey Brown each scored 10 points. Hightower, T.J. Evans and Cheikh Fall tied for the team lead with six rebounds each. Clearman led the team with five assists and also had a team-high three steals.
UP NEXT
The Griffons play their next three games on the road, beginning with a trip to Rockhurst on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
— MWSU Athletics —