PRATT, Kan. (KWCH) – A man died in a Pratt house fire reported Monday afternoon near the intersection of South High Street and West 3rd Street. Pratt police said the man was a father whose wife and three children were inside the home at the time of the fire reported about 3:30 p.m.

Police said the woman and three children safely evacuated the home. The man reportedly was outside when the fire started and went in, concerned that his family could still be inside.

The state fire marshal’s office responded to the scene as part of a “supplemental investigation,” police said.

The investigation’s preliminary results show that the fire’s source might’ve been electrical.

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Rebounding has been a concern for Kansas State, as evidenced by ranking 14th overall in the conference.

So it’s no surprise Wildcats coach Jerome Tang brought it back up before the team hosts Drake (9-0) Tuesday night. Tang used a boxing analogy to illustrate the rebounding issues, saying it’s not enough to play defense if they can’t come away with the possession.

“It’s not over when we contest the shot, we gotta go get the rebound,” Tang said. “Otherwise, we’re gonna get knocked out. We’ve been throwing the punch contesting the shot, but we haven’t been finishing the play.”

St. John’s outrebounded the Wildcats 51 to 40, including nine offensive boards alone by forward Zuby Ejiofor. These created second-chance opportunities for the Red Storm, which Kansas State couldn’t reciprocate in the second half.

It’s essential for the Wildcats to improve against the Bulldogs on Tuesday night.

ACHOR ACHOR’S DEPARTURE CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER K-STATE PLAYERS

Kansas State took a loss with the sudden departure of forward Achor Achor, who was anticipated to be a major transfer acquisition.

Luckily, coach Jerome Tang says the team prepared for these situations. He is encouraged by the new opportunities presented to players like Taj Manning and Mobi Ikegwuruka, who will step up amidst Achor’s exit.

“It opens up the opportunity for a lot of guys,” Tang said. “It also gets people’s attention. Love Achor and wish him the best, but one of the things I said is that one of the goals this summer was to have an abundance. So that if you lost a player or two, you still had enough to accomplish what you wanted to accomplish.”

Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Kansas State Wildcats on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.

Kansas senior cornerback Mello Dotson capped off an incredible season by earning his second All-America honor on Monday.

The Associated Press named Dotson to its Third Team All-America list, adding to his earlier selection as a Walter Camp Second Team All-American on Dec. 12.

Dotson’s recognition is a big moment for Kansas football.

He’s the first Jayhawk to earn All-America honors since linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. in 2018. Even more impressive, Dotson joins an exclusive group as only the 13th Kansas player to be named an All-American multiple times.

His selection marks the 25th All-America honor in program history.

This season, Dotson proved to be one of the best cornerbacks in the country.

He led the Big 12 Conference with five interceptions, a number that tied for third nationally among cornerbacks. Two of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns, which tied him for the most in the country.

He also tallied 49 tackles and 12 pass deflections, consistently making life difficult for opposing offenses.

Dotson’s career numbers are even more impressive.

Over his time at Kansas, he racked up 12 interceptions, 177 tackles, and 37 passes defended. He also set a school record with four interceptions returned for touchdowns—truly a game-changer every time he was on the field.

His senior year was full of highlights.

Dotson earned First Team All-Big 12 honors and was an Honorable Mention for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. One standout moment came against No. 17 Iowa State, where he returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown.

That game earned him Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week honors.

Dotson wasn’t the only star cornerback for Kansas this season.

His teammate, Cobee Bryant, was named a Second Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association on Dec. 13.

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