Monarchs Ready For Season Opener
TMP-Marian opens its football season tomorrow night at Ellinwood. It will mark the head coaching debut for Jon Borer and be the Monarchs’ first game as a member of the Mid-Central Activities Association. Junior Nick Hammeke will be the starting quarterback in the new spread offense. Hammeke started the final seven games last season, but had to beat out senior Nathan Zimmerman to run the offense. Borer says it was not an easy decision.  The Monarchs won their opener last year before dropping their final eight games. We’ll have coverage of the Monarchs and Ellinwood beginning with the Fort Hays Auto Sales Pre-game Show at 6:30pm tomorrow on SportsRadio 1400 KAYS. The Hays High Indians open at home tomorrow night against Chapman. We’ll again have the Indian games on 96.9, KFIX and we’ll take a look at their season opener tomorrow.

FHSU Not Looking Past East Central
The Fort Hays State Tigers will be looking for a 2-0 start Saturday night when they host the East Central Tigers at Lewis Field. It’s East Central’s season opener as they try to end a 13-game losing streak going back to 2008. Tigers junior linebacker Alex Whitehill says he’s not looking past them. East Central is coached by former Fort Hays State Tiger player and assistant Tim McCarty who turned Tabor College into a playoff team earlier this decade. Kickoff is at seven o’clock Saturday at Lewis Field.

FHSU Volleyball Opens Season Tomorrow
The Fort Hays State volleyball opens their new season tomorrow at a tournament hosted by Texas A&M-Commerce tournament. The Tigers have just on senior on the roster in setter Whitney Liggett. Despite being young, coach Kurt Kohler likes how his squad has come together. The Tigers open up tomorrow against Arkansas-Monticello and Tarleton State. Saturday they will face Southern Arkansas and host Texas A&M-Commerce.

Royals Drop Finale To Texas
The Texas Rangers have pulled farther ahead in the AL West with a 4-3 victory at Kansas City. Yuniesky Betancourt homered for the Royals last night. Bryan Bullington gave up four runs on eight hits in just under six innings. The Royals are off today before hosting Detroit this weekend.

Kendall To Have Surgery
Kansas City Royals catcher Jason Kendall is scheduled to have shoulder surgery tomorrow in Los Angeles for a torn right rotator cuff and will be out the next eight to 10 months.

Cardinals Lose 5th Straight
The late season dive continues for the St. Louis Cardinals who are swept in Houston, losing 5-2 last night. It’s their fifth straight loss which sees them fall eight games behind Cincinnati in the NL Central and five back in the wildcard. St. Louis is off today before returning home to face the Reds tomorrow

Rockies Lose By The Bay
San Francisco scores the go-ahead run from second in the eighth inning on a wild pitch and a throwing error as they edge Colorado 2-1. Ubaldo Jimenez (17-6) was denied in his fifth attempt at a franchise-record 18th win. The Rockies are seven back in the NL West and 5 1/2 back in the wild card. The Rockies travel to Philadelphia tonight.

Local Sports Calendar
HHS girls tennis hosts HHS Invitational, 3pm
HHS boys soccer vs. Salina Central, 4pm
HHS cross country at Great Bend, 4pm
TMP-Marian volleyball at Abilene, 5pm

MIAA Football Schedule
No. 14 Texas A&M-Kingsville at No. 1 NW Missouri State, 6pm
Mesa State at No. 19 Missouri Western, 6pm
Central Missouri at Illinois State, 6:30pm

Big 12 Football Schedule
Northern Illinois at Iowa State, 7pm

Top-25 College Football Schedule
Marshall at No. 2 Ohio State, 6:30pm
Florida A&M at No. 13 Miami (Fla.), 6:30pm
No. 15 Pittsburgh at Utah, 7:30pm
No. 14 USC at Hawaii, 10pm

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PRESEASON
Green Bay at Kansas City, 7pm
Denver at Minnesota, 7pm

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICIAN LEAGUE
Wednesday's Games
Chicago White Sox 6, Cleveland 4
Boston 9, Baltimore 6
N.Y. Yankees 4, Oakland 3
Tampa Bay 2, Toronto 1
Minnesota 2, Detroit 1, 10 innings
Texas 4, Kansas City 3
L.A. Angels 4, Seattle 2
Thursday's Games
Oakland (Braden 9-9) at N.Y. Yankees (Sabathia 18-5), 12:05pm
Boston (Matsuzaka 8-4) at Baltimore (Bergesen 6-9), 6:05pm
Detroit (Verlander 14-8) at Minnesota (S.Baker 12-9), 7:10pm
Cleveland (Tomlin 2-3) at Seattle (Fister 4-10), 9:10pm

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Wednesday's Games
Houston 5, St. Louis 2
Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 5, L.A. Dodgers 1
Arizona 5, San Diego 2
Cincinnati 6, Milwaukee 1
Atlanta 4, N.Y. Mets 1
Florida 16, Washington 10
San Francisco 2, Colorado 1
Thursday's Games
N.Y. Mets (J.Santana 10-9) at Atlanta (T.Hudson 15-5), 6:10pm
Philadelphia (Blanton 6-6) at Colorado (J.Chacin 7-9), 6:10pm