By Steve Carpenter – Hutchinson CC Sports Information

IOWA FALLS, Ia. -The Hutchinson Community College football team opens its 88th season on Thursday night as the NJCAA No. 5-ranked Blue Dragons travel to Iowa Falls, Iowa, to meet the Ellsworth Panthers.

Kickoff at Cadet Stadium is 7 p.m.

The Blue Dragons come off a 9-3 campaign in 2018. Hutchinson finished eighth in the final NJCAA rankings and won the Salt City Bowl, 35-6 over Navarro.

Ellsworth finished 1-10 last season, dropping its final six games of the season.

Starting his 13th season, Hutchinson head coach Rion Rhoades returns eight starters (3 offense, 4 defense, 1 specialist) and 27 overall letterwinners (14 offense, 12 defense, 1 specialist). The 2018 Blue Dragons averaged 34.8 points, 216.7 rushing yards, 160.2 passing yards and 376.8 total yards offensively.

Defensively last season, the Blue Dragons allowed 18.7 points, 73.4 rushing yards (the second fewest in program history), 172.5 passing yards and 245.9 total yards per game.

Hutchinson and Ellsworth opened the 2018 season on a Thursday night at Gowans Stadium. The Dragons racked up 348 yards and limited Ellsworth to 206 yards in a 30-12 Hutch victory.

The Blue Dragons play their seventh all-time Thursday night game. Hutchinson is 6-0 in Thursday night games.

This will be Hutch’s fifth Thursday night season opener. The Dragons played Coffeyville on a Thursday to open the 2011 season. In 2014, the Dragons played the Bethany College KV and in 2015 the Dragons played the Sterling College JV. Then there was last year’s game with Ellsworth at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons will face three NJCAA Top 10 teams, two more in the second 10 and two more receiving votes – that’s based on the NJCAA preseason rankings. The Dragons travel three times to Iowa this season and all six road trips average 320 miles one way.

Rhoades is nearly a coaching milestone. With 13 total years (12 at Hutch and 1 at Fort Scott), Rhoades is four wins away from 100 coaching wins, all coming in the KJCCC. He has a career record of 96-53. Rhoades is currently fifth on the KJCCC coaching wins list. Hutch’s next victory will tie former Blue Dragon coach John Matous. Former Hutch coach Charles Sesher is third in all-time league coaching wins with 115. Former Butler coach Troy Morrell is first with 154 and former Coffeyville and Fort Scott coach Dick Foster is second with 146 victories.

Information Box

BLUE DRAGON FOOTBALL

No. 5 Hutchinson (0-0) at Ellsworth (0-0) When: Thursday, August 22, 2019 Where: Cadet Field, Iowa Falls, IA Game time: 7:00 p.m. Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) – Glen Grunwald (PBP), Daren Dunn (analysis/sidelines), 6:30 p.m. Video stream: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 6:50 p.m. Live Stats: BlueDragonSports.com Twitter: @bluedragonsport CLICK FOR FULL GAME NOTES (PDF Format)

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Andy Reid and Sammy Watkins speak after practice leading up the 3rd preseason game Saturday vs San Francisco at Arrowhead.

BOSTON (AP) — Brock Holt helped the Red Sox make quick work of the Kansas City Royals in a victory that was two weeks in the making.

Holt hit an RBI single with one out in the 10th inning as Boston beat Kansas City 5-4 on Thursday to complete the weather-suspended game that began Aug. 7.

“We wanted to end it as quick as possible,” said Holt, who hopped on a flight to San Diego with his teammates after the game. “It was probably the best outcome we could have had today.”

The original contest was halted after a 1 hour, 49 minute-rain delay early on Aug. 8 with the score tied 4-4 and nobody out in the top of the 10th inning. Royals catcher Meibrys Viloria was facing a 2-1 count against Red Sox reliever Josh Taylor.

Play resumed 14 days, 14 hours and 18 minutes later when Taylor (1-1) lobbed a ball to Nick Dini, who pinch hit for Viloria and lined out to first base.

“It’s weird, especially when I was anticipating facing a lefty (Viloria) and then they bring in a righty (Dini),” Taylor said.

Taylor struck out Ryan O’Hearn and pinch hitter Bubba Starling grounded out to end the Royals’ inning. Starling took the spot of nine-hole hitter Billy Hamilton, who went 2 for 4 with a strikeout on Aug. 7 but was designated for assignment on Aug. 16.

Christian Vázquez doubled to center field after Andrew Benintendi struck out looking to lead off Boston’s 10th. Richard Lovelady (0-3) intentionally walked pinch hitter Sam Travis before Holt singled on a line drive to left field to score Chris Owings, who was pinch running for Vázquez.

The official time of game was 3:48, with only 12 minutes being played Thursday.

“The way things have been going, (I thought) we might play 16 innings,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora, whose team lost 14 of 22 coming in. “But I’m glad Christian put a good swing and then Brock put a good swing.”

Viloria’s two-run single in the third inning on Aug. 7 gave Kansas City a 2-0 lead. J.D. Martinez tied it with a two-run homer in the fourth and Xander Bogaerts’ two-run double made it 4-2 in the fifth.

Whit Merrifield singled in a run in the sixth and Nicky Lopez doubled in the seventh to knot the score at 4. Play was eventually stopped at 10:47 p.m. and the game was suspended at 12:36 a.m.

With Kansas City nearly 30 games out of a playoff spot, manager Ned Yost suggested after the suspension that the teams wait until the end of the season to see if completing the game was necessary. “That’s the smart thing to do,” Yost said on Aug. 8.

Before Thursday, Boston’s most recent suspended game was April 16, 2010, at home against Tampa Bay and resumed the following day. Kansas City’s last suspended game, an Aug. 31, 2014, home contest versus Cleveland, was completed that Sept. 22.

NO DAYS OFF

Both teams forfeited an off day to finish the game. The Royals flew in from Baltimore on Wednesday night ahead of a weekend series in Cleveland. The Red Sox already were home after losing on back-to-back days to Philadelphia.

FREE BASEBALL

Fans under 18 were allowed into Fenway Park for free and a $5 admission fee for adults was to be donated to the Jimmy Fund. Early arrivers were allowed to walk around the warning track on the field and concessions were sold at a discounted price.

JIMMY FUNDED

The 18th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon took place Tuesday and Wednesday and featured the stories of cancer patients, doctors and researchers during both broadcasts. A two-day total of $3,471,104 was raised to support nearby Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Jake Newberry was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation before the game. RHP Kyle Zimmer was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. . RHP Jesse Hahn (UCL sprain in right elbow) began a rehab assignment with the Arizona League Royals on Wednesday.

Red Sox: LHP David Price (left wrist cyst) threw another bullpen session after the game. Cora said the team would decide on a course of action afterward.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (8-11, 4.78 ERA) seeks his ninth straight start of at least six innings when Kansas City opens a three-game series Friday in Cleveland.

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (14-5, 4.10) makes his first career start against the Padres as Boston begins a three-game set Friday.

 

Thursday Morning Sports with KWBW’s Rob Dreher.

By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer

The Los Angeles Wildcats and New York Guardians will be among the teams taking the field when the XFL returns in February.

The league revealed the logos and names Wednesday for its eight teams, which will also include the DC Defenders, Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, St. Louis BattleHawks, Seattle Dragons and Tampa Bay Vipers. The reveal was done during a presentation on the XFL website that was also on the ESPN and Fox Sports websites.

The league announced in 2017 that it was coming back after it went one season in 2001 before shutting down. The XFL recently signed former Oklahoma and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Landry Jones as its first player and had a session in California with coaches to go over rules.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Moustakas hit a three-run homer and Keston Hiura drove in a pair of runs as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 in a game shortened to 7 1/2 innings by rain. The contest was called after a delay of 66 minutes. Milwaukee broke a six-game losing streak against the Cardinals, who fell a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Orioles tied a major league record by allowing their 258th home run this season but hit four of their own in an 8-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Anthony Santander and Renato Núñez hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning for Baltimore, which won its first series since July 25-27 at the Los Angeles Angels. Jonathan Villar opened the scoring with a two-run shot, while Hanser Alberto put the game away with a three-run blast in the sixth.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid continues to take an old-school approach to using starters during the preseason, rather than protecting his guys from the potential for injury _ the trend that has been developing league-wide. So, he generally plays the No. 1 units into the second quarter of their second tuneup and the starters into the second half of their penultimate exhibition game. The value, Reid says, outweighs the risks.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson went through the wringer his first two seasons. He never felt confident of himself under longtime coach Bill Snyder. With the arrival of new coach Chris Klieman, the junior signal-caller has taken over the leadership of a team that has bowl expectations. The season opener is Aug. 31 at home against Nicholls State.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — About the only thing the football programs at Kansas and Kansas State have had in common much of the past three decades is the stretch of Interstate 70 that connects them. Those differences are reflected in their new head coaches. The Jayhawks tasked Les Miles with building a winner. He has a national title at LSU on his resume. The Wildcats opted to replace Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder with North Dakota State’s wildly successful Chris Klieman.

National Headlines

UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Wildcats and New York Guardians will be among the teams taking the field when the XFL returns in February. The league revealed the names Wednesday for its eight teams, which will also include the DC Defenders, Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, St. Louis BattleHawks, Seattle Dragons and Tampa Bay Vipers. The league announced in 2017 that it was coming back after it went one season in 2001 before shutting down.

UNDATED (AP) _ The Chicago Cubs are back atop the NL Central, moving a half-game ahead of St. Louis by downing the San Francisco Giants, 12-11. Kris Bryant hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning to send the Cubs to their fourth straight win. The Cardinals suffered a 5-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers as Mike Moustakas homered and Keston Hiura drove in a pair of runs in the rain-shortened game.

UNDATED (AP) _ The Atlanta Braves have maintained their six-game lead over Washington in the NL East. Adeiny Hechavarría and Ronald Acuña Jr. each belted two-run homers to back Julio Teheran, seven innings in the Braves’ 5-0 shutout of Miami. Patrick Corbin worked eight scoreless innings and Asdrubel Cabrera’s three-run homer capped a six-run third as the Nationals blasted the Pirates, 11-1 in Pittsburgh.

UNDATED (AP) _ The Minnesota Twins continue to lead the AL Central by three games over Cleveland after both teams lost. Lucas Giolito scattered three hits in his third complete game of the year to pitch the Chicago White Sox past the Twins, 4-0. J.D. Davis delivered an RBI single to cap the New York Mets’ two-run 10th in a 4-3 victory against the Indians.

HOUSTON (AP) _ Houston ace Justin Verlander went the distance on a two-hitter and came away with a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers, leaving the Astros with a seven lead over Oakland in the AL West. Verlander retired his first 14 batters and finished with 11 strikeouts and no walks, but he also gave up home runs to Ronny Rodriguez and John Hicks, the last of which broke a 1-1 stalemate in the ninth. Robinson Chirinos provided four of Houston’s six hits, including his 14th round-tripper of the season.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) _ Khris Davis and Marcus Semien belted two-run homers off JA Happ and Stephen Piscotty added a solo blast as the Oakland Athletics knocked off the New York Yankees, 6-4. Mike Fiers improved to 12-3 by limiting the Yankees to two runs over 5 1/3 innings, helping the A’s win for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics have a half-game lead over Tampa Bay for the second AL wild card, and the Yankees dropped their third in a row to cut their lead in the AL East to nine games over the Rays.

Wednesday Scores

INTERLEAGUE
Final N-Y Mets 4 Cleveland 3 (10 Innings)
Final Philadelphia 5 Boston 2
Final L-A Dodgers 2 Toronto 1 (10 Innings)

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 7 Seattle 6
Final Chi White Sox 4 Minnesota 0
Final Baltimore 8 Kansas City 1
Final Detroit 2 Houston 1
Final Texas 8 L-A Angels 7
Final Oakland 6 N-Y Yankees 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Cincinnati 4 San Diego 2
Final Colorado 7 Arizona 2
Final Washington 11 Pittsburgh 1
Final Atlanta 5 Miami 0
Final Milwaukee 5 St. Louis 3 (8 Innings)
Final Chi Cubs 12 San Francisco 11

BALTIMORE (AP) — In his trying first season as the Orioles’ manager, Brandon Hyde was not the least bit concerned about his team tying a dubious record on a night it cruised to an easy win.

Baltimore matched a major league mark by allowing its 258th homer this season, but the Orioles hit four of their own in an 8-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

“We’ve given up a ton of homers,” Hyde said. “What’s the record … 258? So, if it’s 259 or 330, I don’t care. I just want us to get better on the mound and obviously finish this year and go into next year trying to do a better job of keeping the ball in the ballpark and staying off the barrel, but home runs are up. … We’re all tired of seeing them and hopefully we can get better going forward.”

Anthony Santander and Renato Núñez hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning for Baltimore, which won its first series since July 25-27 at the Los Angeles Angels.

Jonathan Villar opened the scoring with a two-run shot, while Hanser Alberto put the game away with a three-run blast in the sixth.

Whit Merrifield homered leading off the third for Kansas City. The 2016 Cincinnati Reds owned the previous record for home runs allowed in a season, but the Orioles have 35 games to surpass them.

Long balls have hampered Baltimore throughout the year. The Yankees hit 61 homers off Orioles pitching this season, a record for one team against another.

Aaron Brooks (3-7) picked up his first win in eight starts with the Orioles since being claimed on waivers from Oakland on July 6. He allowed one run and seven hits with four strikeouts over five innings. It was also his first win since April 11.

The last team Brooks beat? The Orioles.

“For me coming over to a new organization, I wanted to show positive movement forward and competitiveness,” Brooks said. “I feel like I’m finally moving towards that part of my game again. It feels good.”

Villar put the Orioles ahead 2-0 in the second with his homer off Mike Montgomery (3-6), whose streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings was snapped. Stevie Wilkerson later hit an RBI double. He finished with a career-high three hits.

“Credit them,” Montgomery said. “They had a good game plan, they did a good job of making me work, chasing pitches that I wanted them to chase. I wasn’t executing pitches as well as I have the last few weeks, but that happens. They did a good job, just trying to battle.”

Santander and Núñez, who hit his 28th homer, made it 5-1 in the fifth, and Alberto increased the margin in the sixth.

“It feels good when you’re on the winning side,” Alberto said.

The Royals fell to 1-11 in rubber games this year.

QUIET BATS

The Royals have scored one or zero runs in 25 games this season, third most in the majors.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: SS Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder) was fine after a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Omaha. Mondesi, who served as DH, was scheduled to play 3-to-5 innings in the field on Wednesday. … Manager Ned Yost hasn’t decided whether LHP Danny Duffy (left hamstring strain) will return to the rotation this weekend. Duffy threw 65 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday. “We could either have him do a live rehab or put him back in the rotation,” Yost said.

Orioles: OF Dwight Smith Jr. (left calf strain) started in left field at Triple-A Norfolk on a rehab assignment Wednesday after serving as the DH the prior two games.

UP NEXT

Royals: Resume a suspended game Thursday in Boston with a 2-1 count on catcher Meibrys Viloria in the top of the 10th inning. The teams were tied 4-4 before the game on Aug. 7 was interrupted by rain. Zach Plesac (6-4, 3.53 ERA) starts the opener Friday in Cleveland against Jakob Junis (8-11, 4.78).

Orioles: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (2-6, 4.78) has lost his last three decisions and will match up against Tampa Bay LHP Ryan Yarbrough (11-3, 3.34) on Thursday.

DENVER, Colorado (AP) – Richard Callaghan, who coached Tara Lipinski to Olympic gold, has been banned from figure skating by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for sexual misconduct.

Callaghan, who also coached six-time U.S. champion Todd Eldredge, was ruled “permanently ineligible” on Wednesday for actions involving a minor. Callaghan was accused by a former student, Adam Schmidt, in a lawsuit. Schmidt alleged that Callaghan sexually abused him from 1999-2001. Schmidt was 14 in 1999.

Also in 1999, Callaghan was investigated for sexual misconduct involving another coach, Craig Maurizi, but U.S. Figure Skating dismissed those charges. Maurizi said the incidents began in 1976 when he was 13, and continued for years.

Now 73, Callaghan was suspended in March 2018 by SafeSport and by the federation. He sued SafeSport, but the lawsuit was dismissed.

U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement Wednesday that it “has made Richard Callaghan permanently ineligible, in compliance with the policies and procedures of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. This action follows Callaghan’s March 6, 2018, suspension of membership.”

HAYS, Kan. – Meet the 2019 Fort Hays State football team on Saturday, August 24 at Big Creek Crossing in Hays. Coaches and players will be signing autographs and giving out 2019 schedule posters from 1-3 pm. The Student Athletic Advisory Committee will be taking donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, so please consider donating to a good cause while attending this event. Also, register for a chance to win a pair of season tickets. Information on season ticket packages will also be available.

Posters and sharpies for autographs will be provided. Members of the FHSU Cheer Squad and Victor E. Tiger will also be at the event.