Chiefs stars Karlaftis and McDuffie crash Kansas high school volleyball match, end up serving a hand as line judges

Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champions George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie dropped in at high school volleyball match and served a hand of their own

Shawnee Mission East players got a big surprise this week when Kansas City Chiefs defensive stars George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie showed up at one of their games to show support for the team. / Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

People love to reminisce about their glory days and favorite high school moments.

Years from now, plenty of 2025-26 Shawnee Mission East (Kansas) Lady Lancers volleyball players will remember a special night from earlier this week.

Big Surprises

They might not recall that it happened on a Monday. Heck, they might not even remember that they swept the Bishop Miege Lady Stags in straight sets: 25-20, 25-20, 25-22.

What they will remember is the night that a pair of their sports heroes – Kansas City Chiefs starting defensive stars George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie – strolled into their gymnasium before their game with Bishop Miege and donned blue Lancers vs. Stags shirts to support the Lady Lancers.

How cool is this? Two big-name Kansas City Chiefs, Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis, showed up to support Shawnee...

Posted by Sports in Kansas on Thursday, October 16, 2025

The Chiefs, fresh off an impressive 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football, made it more memorable when they grabbed flags and took to the edge of the court to serve as line judges for the competitive match.

A couple of players known to step up in big moments, Karlaftis and McDuffie seemingly performed without a hitch. To their credit, the Lady Lancers also did their part and improved to 16-9 overall with the win and dropped Bishop Miege to 5-22.

Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Big Turnaround

Shawnee Mission East is in the midst of a major turnaround this season. The Lady Lancers went 12-24 overall last year. They entered the weekend 18-9 overall.

As a squad, the Lady Lancers have put up impressive numbers. They have totaled 800 kills, 107 blocks, 173 aces, 1,018 digs, 764 assists and 1,178 receptions as a team. The group is led by sophomore standout Jessie Hill, who leads the team with 35 aces, 273 digs and 351 receptions; junior Lainey Barrett, who tops the roster with 57 total blocks; and freshman Alaina McGuire, who has tallied 578 assists.

Big Stars

Both 2022 first-round picks, Karlaftis and McDuffie brought major star power into the gym.

Karlaftis, a defensive end drafted by the Chiefs with pick No. 30 out of Purdue in 2022, has 22 tackles this season, including 14 solo stops and three tackles for loss, plus a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro whom the team picked at No. 21 after trading up with Buffalo, has 26 tackles, including 20 solo stops, with an interception and six pass breakups so far this year.

Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) runs on field for warm ups against the Baltimore Ravens prior to a game during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

They have helped the Chiefs rebound to a 3-3 mark after beginning the season 0-2 with one-score losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. Guided by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, they have helped Kansas City’s defense climb to No. 12 in total defense through the first six games.

Shawnee Mission East was scheduled to host Staley on Saturday before turning its attention to cheering on its Chiefs supporters this Sunday, when Kansas City hosts AFC West rival Las Vegas (2-4) at noon on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

---

Recommended Articles

feed