In a frigid nailbiter Grove defeats Guthrie 28-19; advances to semi-finals

GROVE, Okla. – A red-hot Grove defense turned up the heat Friday night and defeated Guthrie 28-19 to advance to the Class 5A semifinal game.

Frigid temperatures hovered around 25° at kickoff, but Grove’s defense was hot as they sacked Guthrie’s quarterback, Hayden Calvert, four times forcing three fumbles.

Guthrie’s defense tried to keep the ball out of running back Emmanuel Crawford’s hands for most of the game.

But the key to the game was a Hagen Hacker interception late in the fourth quarter.  After the turnover, Crawford evaded a swarm of defenders and sprinted downfield, 40 yards to give the Ridgerunners prime field position.  Two plays later, Crawford took the ball and swept to the Grove side of the field and bolted 36 yards into the endzone with five minutes to go in the game.

Grove finished the night with 212 yards on the ground and 149 yards in the air.  Guthrie had 173 rushing yards and 146 passing yards. Crawford finished the night with 179 rushing yards. Carson Trimble threw for 149 yards and Hacker had 101 receiving yards.

The Ridgerunners drew first blood when Trimble connected with Hacker on a 42-yard pass.  Corey Martin added the extra point.

 The drive started with Trimble getting sacked backing up the Ridgerunners to the 32-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Trimble eluded two defenders to get the ball on the 42-yard line giving the Ridgerunners a first down.  Two players later Trimble hit one of his favorite target for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead.

Before halftime, Guthrie’s Carson Wilder was hit with a 15-yard personal foul penalty.

In the early minutes of the third quarter, Guthrie scored on a flea flicker trick play from Calvert to Willy Clymer that went 41 yards in the air and Noah French added the extra point to tie the game.

Trimble hit Jackson Gain for a 43-yard pass and Martin added the point to put Grove up 14-7.

Jaylen Chelf’s 31-yard run moved Guthrie within reach of the Ridgerunners, but a failed kick allowed Grove to maintain a 14-13 lead.

Grove took advantage of a Guthrie blotched snap and three plays later Jacob Gain ran up the middle five yards untouched giving Grove a 20-13 lead.  The extra point was missed.

Wilder connected on a 26-yard pass from Calvert.  A series of penalties took Guthrie from going from a two-point conversion run to missing an extra point kick allowing Grove to keep a  20-19 lead.

With five minutes left in the game, Crawford capitalized on Hacker’s game-winning interception to score Grove’s winning touchdown.

Grove takes their undefeated record to meet the Carl Albert Titans next weekend. The Titans defeated Del City 19-0.  The time, date, and place of the game have not been set.

Scoring

Guthrie       0        0        13      6        19

Grove          0        7        13      7        27

Second Quarter

  • GRO:  Hagen Hacker 42 pass from Carson Trimble (Corey Martin kick)

Third Quarter

  • G: Willy Clymer 41 pass from Hayden Calvert (Noah French kick)
  • GRO: Jackson Gain 43 pass from Trimble (Martin kick)
  • G: Jaylen Chelf 31 run (kick failed)
  • GRO: Jacob Gain 5 pass from Trimble (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

  • G: Carson Wilder 26 pass from Calvert (kick failed)
  • GRO: Crawford 36 run (Martin kick)

Kansas City Royals confirm new stadium plans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals confirmed Tuesday they plan to build a new baseball stadium.

Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman penned a letter to Kansas City and fans saying the team is building a new ballpark district and are looking at options in downtown Kansas City or close to it.

Sherman said it has become difficult to maintain Kauffman Stadium, which opened in 1973. When the team’s lease with Jackson County ends in 2030, the stadium will be over 60 years old.

“The renovations required at The K to achieve our objectives would cost as much or more than the price tag to develop a new ballpark,” Sherman wrote. “A new home would be a far better investment, both for the local taxpayer dollars already supporting our facility and for the Kansas City community.”

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One year ago, Sherman and the Royals said they planned to look into a downtown baseball stadium. Speculation has been ongoing ever since about where the team would land, and Royals fans have weighed in on both sides of the matter.

Sherman said Tuesday the team now has “several leading locations under close consideration, both in downtown Kansas City and close to it.”

The team released new renderings of what they imagine the new stadium could look like some day. The Royals also released several criteria on what they’re looking for in a new ballpark district.

Funding

Sherman said the team has two guiding principles in its stadium planning:

“First we would no ask Jackson County citizens to contribute any more tax dollars than you already do today. Second, we want to take these steps together, with your input and engagement, as a community.”

The Royals CEO said the move to a new ballpark “will be contingent on contingent on continuing our public-private partnership and investment with multiple local jurisdictions and the State of Missouri.”

Impact

Sherman said building a new stadium would be the largest public-private development project in Kansas City history, projected at $2 billion. The Royals expect the ballpark’s construction would create 20,000 jobs, $1.4 billion in labor income and $2.8 billion in total economic output.

Additionally, the team expects the first year of the new ballpark would drive $185 million more in regional economic output than Kauffman Stadium does now. Sherman said the ballpark could create more than 600 new jobs and spending will drive over $60 million in tax revenue over the first decade.

The Royals also project the new ballpark could spur new development downtown, bringing thousands of new jobs and millions in economic output.

What’s next?

Sherman said the Royals will hold a listening tour over the next several months and begin a discussion with local, state and federal officials on funding.

The Royals CEO said transparency will be a “guidepost” in the planning process.

“From the Royals World Series Championship teams of 1985 and 2015, to the Monarchs and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and to your support and dedication throughout the decades, our city possesses a rich baseball history,” Sherman wrote. “If this proposal moves forward, we see this development as another storied chapter for Kansas City.”


Here is the letter from Sherman, reading in part:

To our dedicated Royals Fans and the Kansas City community:

I am reaching out to you on two fronts. First, I want to thank you for your support this past season. While we were not satisfied with out results on the field, the future of our baseball club under the leadership of J.J. Picollo and new manager Matt Quatro holds great promise. Our objective is to return to form and compete for a championship on behalf of the great fans of Kansas City.

Second, as we look to the future, I want to share with you our perspective on Kauffman Stadium, our treasured home for the last half century. We have enjoyed many exciting moments togethers at the Truman Sports Complex over the years. In the spirit of Ewing Kauffman, our current mission I sot look ahead to ensure that Major League Baseball and the Kansas City Royals will thrive in this region for decades to come.

Following Mr. K’s original vision for the franchise, we also want to ensure that we have a world-class ballpark that stays competitive with our peers nationwide and best serves our community to the fullest. Kansas City is evolving into a leading sports destination – demonstrated by the NFL Draft, the KC Current’s new stadium, the World Cup – and much more yet ahead. These developments, along with a new KCI airport terminal, are transforming our region.

As you may already know, it’s become challenging to maintain The K. When its current lease with Jackson County concludes at the end of this decade, it will be 60 years old. The renovations required at The K to achieve our objectives would cost as much or more than the price tag to develop a new ballpark. A new home would be a far better investment, both for local taxpayer dollars already supporting our facility and for the Kansas City community.

A year ago, we announced that we were undertaking a diligent, deliberate and transparent process to explore the possibility of a new ballpark district. We said we would look at various locations across the city that will allow for residential, commercial and community components. We are excited to now share that we have several leading locations under close consideration, both in downtown Kansas City and close to it.

Each site offers unique opportunities. We look forward to seeking input from the public over the coming months about our vision to best serve our residents and build on the momentum our city is experiencing. To accomplish this move, our plans will be contingent on continuing our public-private partnership and investment with multiple local jurisdictions and the State of Missouri.

Grove demolishes Sapulpa 70-28, advances to second round of playoffs

GROVE, Okla. – Grove’s Emmanuel Crawford continued to tear up the record books scoring six touchdowns Friday night as the second-ranked Ridgerunners defeated eight-ranked Sapulpa 70-28 advancing to the second round of Class 5A playoffs.

Grove will host Guthrie who defeated Elgin 17-0 at Ridgerunner Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.  

The one-two punch of a stingy Ridgerunner defense and a juggernaut offense paved the way for Grove to finish the night with 623 total yards.

Crawford finished the night with 294 rushing yards pushing his season rushing record to 1,893 rushing yards. The Grove senior has 40 touchdowns on the season.

Before a capacity crowd, Crawford dazzled his fans with runs of 59, 54 and 85 yards.

Sapulpa scored on the opening drive. Marco Smith, back in action after suffering a broken collarbone earlier in the season, scored on an 8-yard run. Trent Whittaker added the extra point to put the Chieftains on the scoreboard first 7-0.  

Grove started their first drive on their own 41-yard line. After a long Ridgerunner gain and an illegal procedure call, Crawford moved Grove up to the 13-yard line.  Three plays later Crawford walked untouched, into the endzone from the 1-yard line. Corey Martin’s kick tied the score 7-7.

Grove’s defense neutralized Sapulpa’s running game and Grove safety Landon Davis knocked the ball down in the endzone thwarting a Chieftain’s scoring drive.  

Then the fireworks started.

Facing a fourth down, Grove set up in punt formation, but instead of punting Crawford cradled the ball and sprinted down the sideline 59 yards to put Grove in the lead.

Grove never relinquished that lead and exploded in the second quarter, putting up 28 points to take a 42-14 halftime lead.

Grove added 21 points in the third quarter with a Carson Trimble 36-yard touchdown, followed by Crawford’s 85-yard touchdown run and Derrick Thomas’s 9-yard run.

Hayden McClendon finished scoring for the Ridgerunners on a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.

In other Oklahoma playoff games Poteau defeated Miami 48-14; Quapaw defeated Central 28-22; Commerce defeated Pocola 39-18; and Keifer defeated Vinita 42-26.

Grove 14 28 21 7= 70

Sapulpa 7 7 7 7 = 28

PLAY BY PLAY

First Quarter

  • S: Marco Smith 8 run (Trent Whittaker kick)
  • G: Emmanuel Crawford 1 run (Cory Martin kick)
  • G: Crawford 59 run (Martin kick)

Second Quarter

  • G: Crawford 6 run (Martin kick)
  • S: Bryant 6 blocked punt return (Whittaker kick)
  • G:  Crawford 54 run (Martin kick)
  • G: Hagen Hacker 43 pass from Carson Trimble (Martin kick)
  • G: Crawford 5 run (Martin kick)

Third Quarter

  • G: Trimble 36 run (Martin kick)
  • G: Crawford 85 run (Chris Johnson kick)
  • G: Derrick Thomas 9 run (Johnson kick)
  • S: Marco Smith 12 run (Whittaker kick)

Fourth Quarter

  • G: Hayden McClendon 10 run (Johnson kick)
  • S: Blake Hurt 32 run (Whittaker kick)

Milestones that the Chiefs could set against the Jaguars

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are in the mid-season grind as they host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The Jaguars come in with little fanfare at 3-6 but the 6-2 Chiefs are not taking the young squad lightly.

As they prepare to host the Southern cats, Kansas City could break these milestones during the game.

Dating back to Week 16 of 2012, the Chiefs have scored in 155 consecutive games, marking the second-best streak of consecutive games with points in franchise history. Points scored against the Jaguars this week will extend the streak to 156 consecutive games.

With 100 receiving yards this week, TE Travis Kelce would tally his 33rd career regular season game with at least 100 yards receiving, the most in club history. Kelce’s 32 regular season games of 100+ receiving yards are tied for most by a tight end in league history with only Rob Gronkowski.

Kelce looks to extend his streak to 135 consecutive games with a reception. Kelce currently holds the franchise record for most consecutive games with a reception.

Since 2018, the Chiefs are 47-3 when they hold their opponents to less than 27 points, including in postseason play. The Chiefs have held six of their 2022 opponents to less than 27 points thus far.

Since Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo arrived in Kansas City in 2019, the Chiefs’ defense has recorded 130 sacks in 57 regular games. The Chiefs currently hold an 11-game streak of recording at least one sack. This is the second-longest streak under Spagnuolo’s watch in Kansas City behind a 15-game streak from 2019-20.

With just half of a sack, DE Carlos Dunlap will record his 100th career sack. A total of 40 players in NFL history have recorded 100.0 sacks since sacks became an official stat in 1982.

Andy Reid among the most handsome NFL head coaches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a new study ranking the most handsome head coaches in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid stands among the top-five.

Pictures of all 32 head coaches were ran through the the Golden Ratio Face app and given a score based on their appearance.

  1. Kliff Kingsbury – Arizona Cardinals
  2. Brian Daboll – New York Giants
  3. Lovie Smith – Houston Texans
  4. Andy Reid – Kansas City Chiefs
  5. Frank Reich – Indianapolis Colts

The average score for NFL head coaches was a 7.68 out of 10. Reid received an 8.72.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell received the lowest ranking among all head coaches with a 6.36 rating.

Kingsbury, the most handsome coach in the NFL, earned a 9.2 rating.

Reid will face the the 13th most handsome head coach, Doug Pederson, on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Ridgerunners win 41-20; Crawford sets Class 5A record

GROVE, Okla. – Grove exploded in the third quarter, at the feet of senior phenom Emmanuel Crawford, to score 14 points and defeat Bishop Kelley 41-20.

The Grove crowd erupted in a standing ovation for Crawford when it was announced midway through the third quarter that Class 5A had a new rushing leader in Crawford.

Crawford rushed his way into the state’s history books finishing the night averaging 14.2 yards a carry. He had 256 of Grove’s 349 rushing yards and scored four touchdowns. He has over 6,000 rushing yards in his high school football career.

Crawford scored on runs of 7 in the first quarter, 11 and 63 yards in the third quarter and capped off Senior Night with a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Bishop Kelley kept Grove’s defense on the field for most of the first half and controlled the line of scrimmage, but Grove’s offensive took ownership of the second half.

The victory also secured the undefeated Ridgerunners a top seed in the playoffs where they will host Sapulpa next Friday.

Quarterback Carson Trimble found an opening on the Bishop Kelley side of the field as the Ridgerunners moved into striking distance in the first quarter.  Crawford drew first blood on a 7-yard touchdown run. 

The Ridgerunners increased the score 13-0 after Grove’s swarming defense sacked Kelley’s Stice Smith forcing a fourth-and-long situation.  Grove’s defense blocked a punt and Gavin Stone picked up a loose ball and scored on a 15-yard return.

Bishop Kelley’s Reid Jones scored on a 3-yard touchdown pass and Smith connected with Mason McFarlane for a 17-yard touchdown pass to take the lead 14-13.  Bishop Kelley pulled away on a 7-yard touchdown run by David Lenhard for a 20-13 lead over the Ridgerunners.

Grove clawed back on Crawford’s 15-yard touchdown run before halftime. Bishop Kelley had 166 rushing yards and 229 yards on offense.

Bishop Kelley 0 20 0 0 20
Grove 13 7 14 7 41

Grove wins big 72-7 over Pryor; forces four fumbles

PRYOR, Okla. – Grove forced four fumbles in their 72-7 win over Pryor, but when junior defensive tackle Ty Schlessman scooped up the ball and rambled 25 yards into the endzone he not only scored for the Ridgerunners, but he was also making a bold statement about Grove’s defensive unit.   

Grove’s stingy defense held its opponents to just over 15 points a game in the first eight games of the season.  On Friday the Ridgerunners held Pryor to 13 first downs and 92 rushing yards and 94 passing yards.

The fourth-ranked and undefeated Grove is heading into the state playoffs as the possible top seed.  The 9-0 Ridgerunners will finish the regular season taking on 4-4 Bishop Kelley next Friday at Ridgerunner Stadium.   

Grove unleased 28 points against Pryor in the first quarter showing why the Ridgerunners are averaging over 52 points a game.

The Ridgerunners scored twice within the first three minutes of the game. Senior running back Emmanuel Crawford scored four touchdowns for the evening.  He has 29 touchdowns on the season.

Grove capped off a 48-yard drive with a 29-yard pass from quarterback Carson Trimble to Crawford and a pass interference penalty call set up Grove’s second touchdown – a 36-yard run by sophomore Jackson Gain.

Trimble hit Crawford on a 64-yard screen pass to push the Ridgerunners up 21-0.

Kicker Corey Martin’s extra-point kicks were all good.

A Pryor turnover put the ball back in Grove’s hands when linebacker Brayden Casey forced Brody Ward to get rid of the ball throwing an interception.  A pass interference call put the ball in Crawford’s hands at the Pryor 26-yard-line where he trotted into the endzone.  Martin added the extra point to lead Pryor 28-0.

 Pryor pushed the ball over the scrimmage line on a fourth-and-inches but a holding call pushed Pryor back to their own 25-yard line.   

The defense maintained their touch defensive stand and had their second interception to finish the first quarter.

A 20-yard touchdown pass from Trimble to Hacker was called back in the second quarter.   Pryor’s penalties kept the Ridgerunners in the red zone and out of the endzone until Martin hit a 25-yard-field.

A blotched kick turned the ball over and two plays later Crawford scampered 15 yards for a touchdown and Martin added an extra point pushing the score 38-0.

A turnover on downs put the ball back into the Ridgerunner’s hands with about six minutes left in the half. Trimble hit his favorite receiver Hacker on a 33-yard pass for a touchdown to put Grove up 45-0 at halftime.

Pryor and Grove exchanged turnovers in the third quarter and Pryor’s Julian Espinoza scored on an 11-yard run and Lucas Smith kicked in the extra point for Pryor’s lone score.

Two Ridgegunners scored in the final minutes of the third quarter. Derrick Thomas scored on a 32-yard run and Hayden McClendon rushed for 48 yards to score.

Gavin Wyatt scored on a 5-yard run for the final score in the fourth quarter.   

Undefeated Grove cruises to victory over Oklahoma's Class 5A State Champions Collinsville

COLLINSVILLE – Grove’s premier running back Emmanuel Crawford churned out 345 yards and scored four touchdowns as Grove carved its way through defending 5A State Champion Collinsville defeated the Cardinals 49-21.

Prior to Friday’s game, Grove’s offense was averaging 49.7 points a game and most of that was at the feet of Grove’s workhorse Crawford. The Grove senior was averaging 10 yards every time he touched the ball, rushing for 951 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns.

By the end of the night, Crawford had passed the 1,000-yard mark ending Collinsville’s 21-game winning streak.  The high-octane Ridgerunner offense scored on its first five possessions.

Grove drew first blood with a 20-yard touchdown run by Crawford early in the first quarter. Corey Martin booted in the extra point to put the Ridgerunners up 7-0.

Two 15-yard penalties helped Collinsville as quarterback Kaden Rush capped off a 75-yard drive with a 7-yard run while Justice McMath added a point to tie the game 7-7.  

Grove struck again at the opening of the second quarter when quarterback Carson Trimble hit Hagen Hacker with a 21-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the endzone.  Martin added an extra point to put Grove up 14-7.

A series later Crawford scampered 70 yards for the Grove’s third touchdown pushing him over 1,000 rushing yards.  Martin added an extra point as Grove took a 21-7 lead.   

The next time Grove touched the ball Crawford received the handoff, weaved through defenders to the right side of the field, made a couple of quick moves and ran 56-yards to push Grove up 28-7.

Trimble showed some track speed and scampered down the field 53 yards to the 10-yard line for a first-and-goal. A penalty and three plays later Trimble hit Hacker for a 10-yard pass to go up 35-7 at halftime.

A scoreless third quarter was plagued with penalties and a missed Grove field goal. Grove finished the night with 15 penalties for 125 yards while Collinsville had two penalties for 15 yards.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Collinsville’s Jack Keith took the ball in from the two-yard line and McMath added the extra point as Collinsville made a dent in the Ridgerunner score 35-14.   

Grove quickly responded with a Trimble 3-yard run to increase the lead to 42-14.

In the waning minutes of the game, Collinsville scored on a 29-yard pass from Rush to Henslick and Crawford added his final touchdown for the night on a 1-yard run.

Scoring

Grove                7        28     0        14      49

Collinsville         7        0        0        14      21

11-year-old becoming star quarterback despite physical challenges

Photo courtesy: Kristi Mickey

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Watching 11-year-old Eli Schultz play football, you might assume he’s just your average sports-loving kid. Although he has a love for the game, Eli isn’t your typical boy. Currently a 5th grader at Carl Junction, Eli has faced more challenges than most people go through in an entire lifetime. A native of Ghana, Eli was diagnosed at birth with a rare congenital disorder called Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS).

ABS occurs when the lining of the amniotic sac is damaged during pregnancy. This creates string-like strands of tissue, in which the fetus gets tangled. These strands may wrap around different parts of the developing body, cutting off blood flow and preventing the baby from growing normally. The constricted blood flow causes a wide range of birth defects. ABS caused Eli to be born without his lower left leg. It also left him without several fingers and toes. It would take six surgeries to get him to where he is today.

“He has had a number of surgeries to give him as much function as possible, including two finger separations, and three leg amputation revisions. His most recent amputation revision was using the Ertl Procedure and while that rehab and recovery was brutal, it has had a tremendous impact on his ability to run without pain,” said Eli’s father, Tobin Schultz.

At just 13-months-old, Eli was adopted by Tobin and Shannon Schultz of Carl Junction.

“The first year he came home I coached against a freshman from another school who competed with a prosthetic. He got to go in the game for one play, as time expired and my players felt guilty for hitting him. I wondered if that was how ‘able-bodied’ sports might be for Eli. We spent a lot of time researching adaptive equipment that could help him accomplish ‘normal tasks.’ We researched adaptive sports and activities, not knowing what he would be able to participate in,” said Tobin.

Encouraged by their research, Tobin and Shannon got their son involved in wrestling. He also competed at special track meets against other athletes with limb differences, but there was another sport that Eli would become interested in.

Photo courtesy: Kristi Mickey

“When I was young I liked to tackle my dad and I used to wrestle with him. But when I started getting older I would watch football on TV and thought it looked fun,” said Eli.

“When he decided to play football I encouraged him to play guard because I didn’t know if he could run well enough or secure the ball well enough to be a quarterback. When he started typing class, we got him a special keyboard so he could use his thumbs to type with,” said Tobin.

Between special training and special parents who encouraged their young boy to go after his dreams, Eli was able to play quarterback this year, and on the first play during the first game of the season, he scored a touchdown.

Photo courtesy: Kristi Mickey

“It’s not bad being a quarterback because I’ve got my best friends Canyon and Carter, and it’s your friends that help you out the most if you mess up or have a bad play, and stuff like that,” said Eli.

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Determined not to let his physical challenges get in the way of the sport he loves, and with the help of his best friends, his teammates and his dad, Eli would help lead the 5th grade Bulldog football team to a winning season, and a spot in the upcoming Superbowl game against East Newton.

Photo courtesy: Kristi Mickey

“I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way, and so I worked really hard, and my friends helped to encourage me to put in a lot of work. We all lifted weights every day, two days a week. In the offseason, we lifted weights on Saturdays and we did speed training and conditioning,” said Eli.

“We are very thankful for his team of teachers, coaches, mentors, teammates, friends, doctors, trainers, and therapists. He has a huge and truly amazing support system who motivate him and help him reach his goals.”

Eli, who knows a little something about overcoming adversity, has some advice for those out there who may be faced with a disadvantage.

“You know, people will tell you, ‘you can’t do that,’ but you just have to go out there and show them that, ‘yes, you can.’

Photo courtesy: Kristi Mickey

“There’s a lesson my son has taught me, and that’s to never underestimate him and that God has a very special and unique purpose for his life. He isn’t content competing against others with similar differences, he wants to compete against everyone. He wants to type faster than anyone else using the same keyboard – hit harder, run faster and throw farther than any ‘able-bodied’ athlete.”

Homecoming week filled with activities at Missouri Southern

JOPLIN, Mo. — It’s a big week for students at Missouri Southern State University.

They’re celebrating homecoming week at MSSU, with activities taking place each day this week.

Tonight (10/6), it was the annual homecoming week pep-rally and bonfire, which took place in front of the Mayes Student Life Center.

Hundreds of students, staff and alumni rallied around the football team in preparation for Saturday’s homecoming football game.

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Homecoming week activities continue tomorrow with a picnic on the oval, a live DJ, the announcement of the homecoming royalty and plenty of video games to go with this year’s homecoming theme: “Lions Level Up.”

“It’s so exciting and it builds adrenaline, and I know when I was in high school and played sports, people cheering you on just makes you so much more excited and makes you so much ready for the game, for sure,” said MSSU Freshmen, Kelsey Fletcher.

Saturday at 2:00 p.m., the Missouri Southern Lions host the Lincoln Blue Tigers for the homecoming football game.

The coronation ceremony will take place at half-time.