Junction City High School will be selling 12-inch by 12-inch pieces of JCHS Field Turf mounted and displayed in a black wooden shadow box ( or similar shadow – box ).  Orders are being taken through October 16 or until all the available turf is sold.

The cost before October 10 is $43.95 and after October 15 $54.86.

You can also purchase a piece of the turf Friday evening from 5:30 until 8 p.m. at the Al Simpler Stadium.  That is scheduled in conjunction with JCHS, middle school, and junior jays scrimmages, and Future Blue Jay night activities at the high school.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior offensive lineman Cody Whitehair was one of 34 players nationally to be added to the watch list for the 2015 Rotary Lombardi Award during the award’s final update, the Rotary Lombardi Award Committee announced Tuesday.

 

Whitehair is now a member of the Lombardi Award watch list for a second-consecutive season, while his honor marks the sixth Wildcat to be up for the award since 2012.

 

A product of Abilene, Kansas, Whitehair picked up Preseason All-America and All-Big 12 honors entering 2015 after starting 38 of his 39 career games, including all 13 games at left tackle in 2014. He was an integral part of a 2014 K-State offensive that tallied 30 rushing touchdowns, the 10^th most in school history. The Wildcat offense ranked in the top 25 in nine categories, including team passing efficiency (11^th), red zone offense (14^th) and passing offense (16^th).

 

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line up scrimmage.

 

Semifinalist for the award will be chosen on November 5, while finalists will be announced on November 19. The 46^th Rotary Lombardi Award winner will be announced on December 9, at the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas.

– k-statesports.com –

RYAN LACKEY

Assistant Director | Athletics Communications

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Omar Infante led a seven-run charge in the sixth inning to support a strong start by Kris Medlen, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-3 on Monday night.

Despite working on a pitch count, Medlen (2-0) lasted six innings in his first start since Sept. 27, 2013, with Atlanta. The right-hander allowed five hits – one of them a two-run homer by Adam Jones in the first inning – while striking out six without a walk.

Medlen, who returned last month after his second Tommy John surgery, made seven appearances out of the Kansas City bullpen before replacing Jeremy Guthrie in the starting rotation.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Montell Cozart will be under center for new Kansas coach David Beaty when the Jayhawks begin their season Sept. 5 against South Dakota State.

Beaty announced Monday that the junior had won the competition for starting quarterback.

Beaty said, “He is a very bright, hard-working, smart dude.

“He’s what you want. I love the dude that he is. Our team loves him.”

Cozart started three games as a freshman in 2013 and the first five games last season before Michael Cummings took over. But when Cummings sustained a season-ending left knee injury in the spring game, it appeared the job would be Cozart’s to lose.

Still, Beaty made him earn it in a competition with talented junior college transfer Deondre Ford and a pair of freshmen, Ryan Willis and Carter Stanley.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Nelson, one of the top targets for NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, was injured Sunday in a preseason loss at Pittsburgh. The team said Monday only that he suffered a “significant right knee injury” that would cost him the season.

Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said the team had hoped for good news in a re-evaluation of Nelson’s injury. Instead, the Packers will be without a playmaker who set career highs in receptions (98) and yards receiving (1,519) in 2014.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger look ready for the regular season.

The immediate future for Jordy Nelson seems far more uncertain.

The Green Bay Pro Bowl wide receiver limped off with a potentially serious left knee injury in the first quarter of the Packers’ 24-19 preseason loss to the Steelers on Sunday. Nelson landed awkwardly while trying to cut after making an 8-yard reception on Green Bay’s opening drive and did not return.

Rodgers completed 4 of 5 passes for 57 yards during two series of work, with one drive ending with a touchdown run by Eddie Lacy and the other with Rodgers getting sacked by James Harrison for a safety.

Roethlisberger played into the second quarter, connecting on 11 of 14 for 100 yards a score. Pittsburgh Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey left with a left ankle injury in the first quarter and did not return.

 

BOSTON (AP) – Mike Moustakas’ two-run double capped a four-run ninth inning that carried the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals to an 8-6 comeback victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Moustakas also had a solo homer and RBI double for Kansas City, which salvaged a split of the four-game series.

Boston led 6-4 going into the ninth. After left fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. threw out Omar Infante trying for an inside-the-park homer for the first out, Kansas City rallied with four hits against Junichi Tazawa (2-6), tying it on Eric Hosmer’s two-run single. Moustakas hit a bases-loaded double to right.

Chris Young (9-6) retired one batter and Wade Davis got the final three outs for his 11th save.

BOSTON (AP) – Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer, Yordano Ventura pitched six effective innings and the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals beat the Red Sox 6-3 Saturday night, ending Boston’s four-game winning streak.

Kendrys Morales added a two-run double and Alex Rios had three singles and an RBI for Kansas City. Following losses the first two nights, the Royals can earn a split of the four-game series Sunday.

Mookie Betts hit a solo homer and David Ortiz had two singles and three walks for the Red Sox. Boston had won four of the five meetings this season, and 10 of 12 since the start of 2014.

Ventura (8-7) gave up one run and six hits, striking out six. He improved to 4-0 in his last six starts. Greg Holland got Travis Shaw to pop out with the bases loaded for final out, earning his 28th save.

Leading 2-0 in the sixth, the Royals chased Matt Barnes (3-4) when Perez homered.

 

Junction City Blue Jay head football coach Randall Zimmerman felt it was a good day for his team following their scrimmage Saturday at Al Simpler Stadium. But there is an area where he wants to see improvement.

“We’ve just got to get better overall, but the main thing is that we’ve got to get better with our conditioning. When we get in better shape physically then our minds are going to be a lot tougher to.  We’re going to be able to push farther into practice, and push farther into games and those kinds of things. Towards the end we wore just out a little bit.” The coach did add, however it had been a long week for the team.

Zimmerman said overall everyone gave a good effort. ‘We had some real good things going offensively, and some really really good things going on defensively. I think the unit that’s ahead is the defensive unit, obviously. Those guys are making nice plays, making it tough to move the football against.”

Zimmerman credited fullback Raye Wilson with having a good scrimmage. “Ryan ( Henington ) is coming into his own, starting to throw the ball. Offensive front is coming around. We’ve just got to make sure we’re not taking downs off up there.”

The coach also commented on the defense. “Defensively the kid that really stands out right now is Tim Bell. He’s making plays all over the field, Christien Ozores making plays all over the field. Christian has really taken that defensive unit under his wing, and has led them, doing nice things. Aryus Jones, Trae McDaniel, there are a whole bunch of guys doing well. “On the defensive line the coach mentioned Darius Hicks, Bradley Breckenridge, Willie Mabry, Stephon Starks, and he noted that other players are d0ing well and working hard to get better.

The Blue Jays have their Blue – White scrimmage next Friday night at Al Simpler Stadium at 7 p.m.  Junction City hosts Highland Park on September 4.

 

BOSTON (AP) – Johnny Cueto had his worst start since coming to Kansas City just before the trading deadline, and the Boston Red Sox beat the AL Central-leading Royals 7-2 on Friday night to send them to their second straight loss. The Royals entered the series against last-place Boston with a 14 1/2-game lead in the division.