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15136 ANG KS Pigskin and Hoops_7.3765x10.indd 1
7/31/15 11:16 AM
2015-2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
Burlingame Bearcats . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Burlington Wildcats. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Emporia Spartans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Free State Firebirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Hayden Wildcats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Highland Park Scots . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Holton Wildcats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Jackson Heights Cobras . . . . . . . . . 24
Jefferson Co. North Chargers. . . . . 26
Jefferson West Tigers. . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Junction City Blue Jays. . . . . . . . . . 30
Lawrence Chesty Lions. . . . . . . . . . 32
Lyndon Tigers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Manhattan Indians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
McLouth Bulldogs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Mission Valley Vikings. . . . . . . . . . 40
Osage City Indians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Oskaloosa Bears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Ottawa Cyclones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Perry-Lecompton Kaws . . . . . . . . . 48
Riley County Falcons. . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Rock Creek Mustangs. . . . . . . . . . . 52
Rossville Bulldawgs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Royal Valley Panthers . . . . . . . . . . . 56
St. Marys Bears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Santa Fe Trail Chargers. . . . . . . . . . 60
Seaman Vikings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Shawnee Heights Thunderbirds. . . 64
Silver Lake Eagles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Topeka High Trojans. . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Topeka West Chargers. . . . . . . . . . . 70
Valley Falls Dragons . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Wabaunsee Chargers. . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Wamego Red Raiders . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Washburn Rural Junior Blues. . . . . 78
COLLEGES
Emporia State University Hornets.80
Kansas State University Wildcats. 82
University of Kansas Jayhawks. . . . 84
Washburn University Ichabods. . . 86
PROFESSIONAL
Kansas City Chiefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
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2015-2016
This is the 29th edition of our Pigskin & Hoops magazine and we hope that you enjoy
it. The “Quest Credit Union Road to a Championship” begins September 4th with the
start of football season. Football state championships are held across the state on November 28th with the 8-man divisions playing the week before. The basketball season
ends with the state tournaments March 9-12.
When you are at the games, make sure to send us a tweet with the #iam580wibw for us
to retweet to the rest of the world! Show us your school pride with pictures of tailgates,
team apparel, pep rallies and anything else you can think of. Also, when the game is
going on or over, use #580preps to help us include the results of the game you just
watched on wibwnewsnow.com/scores.
Quest Credit Union is again our “Road to a Championship” sponsor and for that we
thank them for their great support! Because of them and every sponsor in this magazine, there is no charge to you. We would appreciate it, though, if you could tell your
local sponsor that you appreciate their support of high school athletics!
Here are the schools that brought home state titles last season in football:
Class 6A – Shawnee Mission East
Class 5A – Bishop Carroll
Class 4A-DI – Bishop Miege
Class 4A-DII – Andale
Class 3A – Rossville
Class 2-1A – Olpe
8-Man D-I – Central Plains
8-Man DII – Victoria
The state basketball winners from the boys and girls are as follows:
Class 6A – Wichita East and Wichita South (third straight title)
Class 5A – Wichita Heights and Leavenworth (repeat)
Class 4A-DI – McPherson (repeat) and Bishop Miege (repeat)
Class 4A-DII – Holcomb and Hugoton
Class 3A – Scott City and Hesston
Class 2A – St. John (repeat) and Central Plains (repeat)
Class 1A-DI – Hanover and Hoxie (fourth straight title)
Class 1A-DII – Wallace County and St. John’s Tipton
Last year in high school athletics was incredible. How often does football not see a
repeat champion and then see a slew of repeats in basketball? Locally, the Rossville
Bulldawgs finally earned a state championship in football. After snapping a losing skid
to Silver Lake in the postseason, Rossville picked up its first state title in program history. History was made last year for the Hoxie Lady Indians as they broke the Kansas
girls basketball record of 91 in a row set by Little River. Hoxie sits at 95 consecutive
wins going into this year.
During a season of highs and lows, don’t forget the effort the coaches, players and officials give for your enjoyment. Please be good sports and appreciate that both teams
are trying to win the game, but both can’t win. Be supportive of your team and enjoy
their effort as they try to get better at all parts of their young adult lives. Kick back and
enjoy the wild ride for this year and don’t forget to use #iam580wibw and #580preps
to give more coverage to your favorite teams. Here’s hoping your favorite team has a
great year!
COPY WRITERS
Greg Akagi • Alex Dingman
Pat Strathman • Jake Lebahn
Nick Gosnell • Dan Johnson
580 WIBW
MARKETING STAFF
Larry Riggins
General Manager
Jeremy Lamb
Director of Sales
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PUBLICATION
MANAGER
Torey Berndt
GRAPHIC ARTIST
Carol Gallmeyer
WIBW RADIO AM/FM
P.O. Box 1818
Topeka,
KS 66601-1818
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Direct TV NFL Sunday ticket
Mondays
Mexican Monday
½ price CCQ & Chips (dine in ONLY)
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College Football on all TVs!
AREA LEAGUES
BIG 7
ACCHS
Hiawatha
Holton
Jefferson West
Nemaha Central
Perry-Lecompton
Riverside
Royal Valley
Sabetha
FLINT HILLS
NORTH CENTRAL
FRONTIER
Anderson County
Central Heights
Iola
Osawatomie
Prairie View
Santa Fe Trail
Wellsville
Chase County
Council Grove
Herington
Lyndon
Mission Valley
Northern Heights
Osage City
West Franklin
CENTENNIAL
Abilene
Chapman
Clay Center
Concordia
Marysville
Wamego
PIONEER
Baldwin
DeSoto
Eudora
Louisburg
Ottawa
Paola
Spring Hill
Emporia
Hayden
Highland Park
Junction City
Manhattan
Seaman
Shawnee Heights
Topeka High
Topeka West
Washburn Rural
SUNFLOWER
Free State
Lawrence
Leavenworth
Olathe East
Olathe North
Olathe Northwest
Olathe South
Shawnee Mission East
Shawnee Mission North
Shawnee Mission Northwest
Shawnee Mission South
Shawnee Mission West
LYON COUNTY
Burlingame
Hartford
Lebo
Madison
Marais Des Cygnes Valley
Southern Coffey County
Waverly
NORTHEAST KANSAS
Horton
Jackson Heights
Jefferson County North
Immaculata
Maur Hill Mount Academy
McLouth
Oskaloosa
Pleasant Ridge
Valley Falls
MID-EAST
Riley County
Rock Creek
Rossville
Saint Marys
Silver Lake
Wabaunsee
TRI-VALLY
*Schools in bold are included in Pigskin & Hoops 2015-16.
Burlington
Caney Valley
Cherryvale
Eureka
Fredonia
Humboldt
Neodesha
6A 5A
4A
4A 3A
2-1A
8-man
FOOTBALL
Welch Stadium, Emporia
Carnie Smith Stadium, Pittsburg
Div. I Hummer Sports Complex, Topeka
Div. II District Stadium, Salina
Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson
Lewis Field Stadium, Hays
Fischer Field, Newton
BASKETBALL
6A
5A
4A
4A
3A
2A
1A
1A
Charles Koch Arena, Wichita
Kansas Expocentre, Topeka
Div. I Bicentennial Center, Salina
Div. II White Auditorium, Emporia
Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson
Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan
Div. I Gross Memorial Coliseum, Hays
Div. II United Wireless Arena, Dodge City
MARCH 9-12, 2016
NOVEMBER 21, 2015 - 8-MAN
NOVEMBER 28, 2015 - 11-MAN
STATE PLAYOFF SITES
CONNECT WITH US!
JAKE
Lebahn
DAN
Johnson
PAT
Strathman
JAKE LEBAHN is the Sports Director
at 580 WIBW and is also the host
of 580 Sports Talk. Jake is in his 8th
year covering high school sports
for 580 WIBW. He has helped cover
high school football, basketball, and
track. This will be Jake’s third year as
the color commentator for both high
school and Washburn football. Jake
continues to do play-by-play for both
Ichabod basketball teams this year. Jake
graduated from Salina Central, and
went on to letter all four years for the
Washburn football team and earned
all conference honors his senior year.
M@JakeLebahn
DAN JOHNSON is in his 14th year
contributing to 580 WIBW Sports.
Dan was the Class 1A on-site reporter
for 13 years of 580 WIBW’s State
Basketball Tournament coverage. He
has provided sideline reporting for
football, on-site reports, play-by-play
and color commentary for 580 WIBW
basketball broadcasts. Prior to coming
to 580 WIBW, Dan called play-by-play
for 5 years in southeast Kansas. Dan is
the Affiliate Relations Director for the
Kansas Radio Networks, a division of
WIBW radio, as well as an announcer for
both the Kansas Information Network
and the Kansas Agriculture Network.
PAT STRATHMAN enters his second
year on the 580 WIBW Sports team. Pat
is the voice of high school athletics for
nine Shawnee county high schools, providing play-by-play for football, basketball, baseball and softball. He graduated
from KU with a degree in journalism in
2013. After KU, Pat served at the sports
director for KAIR radio in Atchison,
covering high school and Benedictine
athletics. In addition to high school coverage, Pat is a broadcaster for Washburn
men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. He also helps with 580 Sports Talk.
Pat is a Kansas Association of Broadcasters award winner from Seneca, Kan.
M@PatStrathman
GREG
GREG AKAGI is in his 23rd year as
a member of the 580 WIBW sports
team. He will start his 10th season and
2nd as color analyst for high school
football. Greg also provides reports
and play-by-play throughout the
season. He is also involved in the postseason football and spring high school
coverage on 580. Greg has been a part
of 580’s start to finish broadcasts of
the state basketball tournaments since
1994. He served six seasons as sideline
reporter for Kansas State football.
M@GregAkagi
Akagi
ALEX
Dingman
NICK
Gosnell
ALEX DINGMAN is in his 4th year as
a full-time member of the 580 WIBW
Radio Staff. For a handful of years, Alex
has been a part of 580’s state basketball
tournament coverage, calling the playby-play of 1A DII in Hays, 1A-D1 in
Emporia, and 3A in Hutchinson. He
has also helped with regular season high
school football and basketball broadcasts.
Alex is a news reporter and anchor for 580
WIBW. He was a state qualifier in cross
country before graduating from Topeka
High School in 2005. Alex went on to run
cross country and track on scholarship
at Baker University in Baldwin City.
M@BrodcastDING
NICK GOSNELL is the newest addition
to the 580 Sports team. Nick joined
WIBW in May. Nick spent the last 10
seasons covering high school sports for
KNGL/KBBE in McPherson. He was a
regular contributor to the Kansas High
School Scoreboard Show, a show he
will host every Friday night this fall and
winter on 580 WIBW and the Kansas
Information Network. Nick was named
the 2013 Media Award recipient by the
Kansas Basketball Coaches Association
for his play by play, and was featured
in the Radio’s Rising Stars 30 under
40 issue of Radio Ink in 2013 as well.
M@NickGosnell11
BURLINGAME BEARCATS
Lyon County League • 8-Man DI / 2A • Purple & White M@Bearcat_Sports
Profile
HEAD COACH: JEFF SLATER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
(INCLUDING ’15 SEASON)
RECORD AT SCHOOL: 6-3
‘14 OVERALL RECORD: 6-3
‘14 DISTRICT RECORD: 3-2
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 7
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 5
TOTAL RETURNING LETTERMEN: 11
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The Burlingame Bearcats football
squad looks to improve on a 6-3 mark in 2014, as coach Jeff Slater begins his second season at the helm of the Eight Man Division I squad.
The Bearcats will be experienced on offense, with seven starters returning. Five starters return on the offensive side of the ball. Eleven
lettermen will continue their Bearcat careers. Slater looks for another
big season from Senior Robert Hutchins, who toted the pig for 1,250
yards and 18 total touchdowns in his junior campaign, en route to
second team All-Lyon County League honors. Hutchins was also a
ball hawk on defense, picking off six passes and recording 73 tackles
and was second team all-league as a defensive back in 2014. Hutchins
was honorable mention all-state. Junior center Irish Masters is the
linchpin of the offensive line, and was second team all-league in 2014.
Masters is the Bearcat punter, as well, and averaged 30 yards a boot
last season. Sophomore signal caller Dalton Sporing looks forward to
2015 Football Schedule
09/04HARTFORD HOME
09/11MDCV HOME
09/18FRANKFORT AWAY
09/25WAVERLY HOME
10/02LEBO AWAY
10/09
RURAL VISTA
AWAY
10/16
FLINT HILLS
HOME
10/23PEABODY AWAY
10/29MADISON HOME
improving on his eight total touchdowns last year, and he’ll have experienced targets in senior wide receiver Tanner Tyson, who had four
touchdown catches last season and senior tight end Harrison Summers, who caught passes to pay dirt six times in 2014.The middle of the
Bearcat defense has a solid start, with senior linebacker Austin Jones
returning. Jones recorded 83 total stops for Burlingame in 2014, and
was named second team All-Lyon County League. Paul Holt looks
to continue his dominance at defensive end, as Holt had 102 tackles
last year, sacked the quarterback five times, and dropped 12 Bearcat
opponents for losses in 2014. He is the sole returning first team allleague selection for the Bearcats. He was also honorable mention allstate. His fellow bookend, Sophomore Tristan Lee, returns as well.
Special teams’ maven Senior Layton Dreyer will look to add to his 41
total tackles from 2014, while junior Anthony Horestadt will continue
his punt return duties, where he averaged 12 yards a return. Slater
says that his team’s first goal in 2015 will be to start fast. “We want to
play fast and get off to a good start the first four games,” Slater said.
“We played from behind a lot last season. We have a great group of
kids returning who are committed.” Burlingame last qualified for the
state playoffs in 2004. The Bearcats play three of their first four games
at home, and have five home tilts overall in 2015. Two of those home
games are against teams coach Slater considers league favorites. Waverly visits Burlingame September 25, while the Bearcats close out the
regular season with Madison at home on October 29.The only back to
back road trips for the Bearcats are October 2 and 9 to Lebo and White
City, respectively. Slater said, “We have a great group of upperclassmen, with a very talented group of sophomores and freshmen. Our
goal is to win a league championship and make the State playoffs.”
By Nick Gosnell
Burlingame Bearcats
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Burlingame Bearcats
boys basketball squad was a .500 team in 2014-15 and will look
to a young nucleus to push the ball up and down the floor for
long-time coach Creighton Winters. Just three starters return
for the Bearcats, but five other lettermen will look to step up in
2015-16 as well. Sophomore Dalton Sporing is the top returning
scorer, netting just under double figures at 9.3 points per game.
He is joined by a balanced supporting cast, including senior Clay
Thomas, who scored 6.2 points per contest and added three rebounds, and four other Bearcat cagers who averaged around five
points each night, sophomores Jake Thompson, Tristan Lee and
Zach Herrick and junior Danny Queney. Queney is the team’s
top returning rebounder, cleaning the glass between five and six
times per contest. The Lyon County League will provide a rugged slate for the Bearcats again, as Olpe was a third place team
in Class 2A last year, while Hartford finished fourth in Class
1A Division I. Waverly also returns a strong nucleus of players
and Marais De Cygnes Valley has four starters back. The annual
Lyon County League tournament will take place in Emporia January 25-30, 2016. Defending the home floor will be vital for the
Bearcats coming out of the blocks, as Burlingame hosts its annual preseason tournament December 3-5 with Cair Paravel Latin
School, Cornerstone Family School and Waverly. The Bearcats
then travel to Lyndon, a team that ended their season in 2015
with a 50-40 loss in a 2A Sub-State semifinal. If the Bearcat boys
commit to listening to coach Winters’ instruction and pushing
themselves harder every day in practice, they can be competitive
night in and night out. Conditioning will be at a premium, as
they will need to be stronger than their opponents in the fourth
quarter to get the close ones to go their way. This is especially
true on the defensive end, as the team that gets stops late wins.
That is the difference between a .500 basketball team and one
that puts itself in a position for a top Sub-State seed.
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
CREIGHTON WINTERS
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 11
(INCLUDING ’15-16 SEASON)
‘14-15 OVERALLRECORD: 11-11
‘14-15 LEAGUE RECORD: 3-4
STARTERS RETURNING: 3
LETTERMEN RETURNING: 8
HEAD COACH:
TBA
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
‘14-15 OVERALL RECORD: 1-20
The Burlingame Bearcat girls will have a new coach for the 201516 season. As of press time, that coach had not yet been named,
but there is still plenty of reason to believe improvement is on the
way for the Bearcat girls. Wins were at a premium in 2014-15, as the
Bearcats went 1-20 and did not win a Lyon County League contest.
Fortunately, the cupboard is not bare for the Bearcats. Four starters
return among a group of six letter winners, including leading scorer
senior guard Taylor Carson. Carson also is the team’s best passer
and will have to balance the desire to score with the goal of getting the best Bearcat shot each possession. The Bearcats have inside
presence Hannah Young returning as well, as she led the Bearcats
on the glass. Fellow senior forward Ali Vandevord also returns,
and will be counted upon to provide leadership for the Burlingame
squad. Assisting the Lady Bearcats off the bench will be junior forward Shannon Kirwan and a pair of sophomores, guards Fallon Tyson and Kristen Kline. Kaitlyn Zabokrtsky and Kelsie Quaney will
also bolster the Bearcat depth. How quickly the Bearcat girls pick up
the new system will go a long way to determining their fate in the
tough Lyon County League, with traditional power Olpe poised to
make yet another postseason run and Waverly as the top challenger.
With new leadership at the helm, if the Bearcats buy in, the only way
to go is up in 2015-16.
’15-’16 Basketball Schedule
12/03-05 PRE-SEASON TOURNAMENT HOME
12/08 LYNDONAWAY
12/15 MADISONHOME
12/18 HARTFORDAWAY
01/05 LEBOAWAY
01/08 SCCAWAY
01/12 MDCVHOME
01/15 WAVERLYHOME
01/19 OLPEHOME
01/25-30
LCL TOURNAMENT
AWAY
02/02
NORTHERN HEIGHTS
AWAY
02/08 WETMOREAWAY
02/12 LEBOHOME
02/16
MISSION VALLEY
AWAY
02/18
WEST FRANKLIN
AWAY
02/26
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN
HOME
BURLINGTON WILDCATS
Tri-Valley League • 4A-DII • Red & Gray
Profile
HEAD COACH: RUSTY EMLING
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 13
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Optimism is high for the Burling-
ton Wildcat football team as coach Rusty Emling begins his 13th
season at the helm. With 18 returning lettermen, including six starters on each side of the ball, experience is the key word for the Wildcats, coming off a Class 4A Division II playoff appearance in 2014.
On offense, the Wildcats return their top receiver from the past
two years in senior tight end Nathan Vander Linden. Junior Colby
Johnson moves back to fullback after playing quarterback last year.
Johnson will be backed up by junior Dalton Stukey and sophomore
Tucker Whitworth. Senior Tate Swank and sophomore Conner Jeffers, both good fits for their flex bone offense, will have a tough competition at quarterback. Junior Reid Williams will man one of the
wingbacks in the flex bone while there is an all-out battle between
senior Trevor Glasgow, junior Connor Rychlec, sophomore Jacob
Jasper and sophomore Jayden Payne to fill the other wingback posi-
09/04EUREKA AWAY
09/11
CANEY VALLEY
AWAY
09/18CHERRYVALEHOME
09/25ERIE AWAY
10/02FREDONIAHOME
10/09NEODESHAHOME
10/16IOLAHOME
10/23GIRARD AWAY
10/29
ANDERSON COUNTY
AWAY
tion. Seniors Kobe Hill and Owen Redding return on the line. Dalton Handley, Zak Kang, Levi Isch , Peyton Beyer, Harrison Rohrer,
and TJ Lang all bring back playing experience and size and will rotate in on the line. Johnson returns as the team’s leading tackler at
the linebacker position. He will be joined by Levi Isch, Tate Swank,
Zac Kang, Connor Jeffers, Tucker Whitworth and Kevin Birk on the
inside. At outside backers, Dalton Stukey, Jacob Jasper, Nik Alfers
, and Garrison Fiedler will compete for playing time. The defensive line will be anchored by three returning senior starters; Kobe
Hill, Owen Redding, and Nathan VanderLinden. The size to provide depth up front comes from Dalton Handley, TJ Lang, Peyton
Beyer and Harrison Rohrer. The defensive backfield will be all new
as the Wildcats graduated all three positions. Reid Williams will
make the move to corner from outside linebacker. Connor Rychlec,
Jayden Payne and Trevor Glasgow will step up to fill the other corner
and safety positions. In Tri Valley League action, Neodesha, Caney
Valley and Cherryvale should be the league front-runners again this
year. Humboldt returns some fast, aggressive players and Fredonia
returns size and depth at their skill positions. Eureka and Erie will
have to replace key losses to graduation to compete with the top
teams in the league. Burlington is a member of Class 4A, Division
II District 3 with Garnett-Anderson County, Girard and Iola. The
Wildcats will have just one district home game vs. Iola, before traveling to Girard and Anderson County to close out the regular season. The challenge is in front of the Wildcats, but if their additional
year of maturity and playoff experience combines properly with increased young depth, there is no reason they can’t make some noise
in the 4A Division II playoffs at the end of the season.
By Nick Gosnell
Burlington Wildcats
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Burlington Wildcat
boys basketball team has a bunch of holes to fill after graduating
eight players off last year’s 19-3 and undefeated (9-0) Tri-Valley
League Championship team. Three of those graduates earned
All-League honors. Second year coach Matt Barrett said of his
first group of seniors at Burlington, “Last year’s seniors are going
to be a tough group to replace. They played so well together and
had such great team chemistry on and off the court. They represented Burlington the right way.” The Wildcats return two key
members from last season, Owen Redding and Dalton Rankin.
Barrett said, “Owen and Dalton split minutes in the post last year
with three other players. They played about half of each game
last year and still put up some really good numbers. They were
very effective, and they are both very solid in the post, get great
position, rebound the ball well, and they can step out and hit
the three. Owen and Dalton will be expected to be team leaders
this season.” The Wildcats return five other kids with limited
varsity experience in Brogan Nordstedt, Dylan Meyer, Reid Williams, Parker Braun and Isaac Kuhlmann. Barrett said, “Those
five guys could have started or been huge contributors for a lot
of varsity teams in the state last year, but they were stuck behind
a very deep and talented group of seniors.” This year’s team will
definitely look a little bit different, but the expectations will remain the same. Barrett said, “We should be able push the ball up
the floor this year and get after teams defensively. We will be a
team that wants to play inside/out through our two returning
starters Redding and Rankin. This young group has had a lot of
success throughout the years in Middle School and coming up
through the program here at the high school level. Our expectations are that they will continue to have success.”
The Burlington Lady Wildcat girls return a wealth of experience
in 2015-16 with six letter winners and three starters back off of
a team that went 16-7 overall and 8-0 in Tri-Valley League play
in Coach David Gilman’s first year as head coach. Scoring is the
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
MATT BARRETT
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
HEAD COACH:
DAVID GILMAN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
Wildcats’ main concern going into the season, as they lost leading scorer and Honorable Mention All-State performer Malorie
Wagner to graduation. Shelbi Emling is the top returning scorer.
The senior point guard and 2014-15 All Tri-Valley League selection averaged 9.5 points per game and shot 30 percent from three
and 68 percent from the free throw line in her junior campaign.
Post Regan Norton and guard Asha Roney both averaged seven
points per contest, while Kinsie Atkins averaged five points a
night. The Lady Wildcats are battling injuries in the preseason.
However, Gilman says, “We should be long and athletic when
everyone is healthy.” The Tri-Valley League continues to get
more competitive, according to Coach Gilman. Gilman says,
“Caney Valley, Humboldt, Neodesha and Fredonia add young
skilled players this year. We hope our experience can lead us to
defend our title.” Gilman is also excited by the level of competition the Lady Wildcats will meet in non-league action. They will
meet Baldwin, Louisburg, Chanute and Silver Lake along with
Paola, Sabetha and Labette County. Should the Lady Wildcats
survive that gauntlet, they will be battle-tested come March,
which should put them in a great position to play their best basketball and hopefully find a way to State at the end of the year.
12/04
OSAWATOMIEAWAY
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EUREKAHOME
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EMPORIA SPARTANS
Centennial League • 5A • Red & Black
M@EmporiaSpartans
Profile
HEAD COACH: CORBY MILLESON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK:
The Emporia football team
aims to get back on track after a pair of losing seasons. Before this
stretch, the Spartans’ last losing season was 2005 and the last time
they missed the playoffs was 2008. Head coach Corby Millison returns just six starters on both offense and defense for his second
season. Millison says his team is extremely young and depth is a
concern. They lose 16 seniors. Millison says the Centennial may be
the toughest league in the state and their schedule is brutal with
an unforgiving district that includes Wichita Kapuan Mt. Carmel,
Wichita Heights, and Andover. Emporia went 0-3 in district play
last season against the same foes. Senior quarterback Tanner Taylor, a three-year starter, is expected to carry the load offensively.
Taylor was an honorable mention All-League performer. Classmate
Max Brown was second-team All-League at center. Fullback Nick
09/04
WASHBURN RURAL
HOME
09/11
JUNCTION CITY
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09/18
TOPEKA WEST
AWAY
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TOPEKA HIGH
AWAY
10/02
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10/09SEAMAN AWAY
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WICHITA KAPAUN
AWAY
10/23
WICHITA HEIGHTS
AWAY
10/30ANDOVERHOME
Kirmer was honorable mention All-League while fellow senior
Chase Henton returns at receiver. Millison says the Spartans have
enjoyed the switch from the spread back to the flex bone. Defensively, they work out of the 4-3 formation. Kirmer was honorable
mention All-League and is joined at linebacker by fellow senior
JaMarcus Moorehead. Brown is back at defensive end and Taylor
returns at defensive back. Millison says their focus this summer
has been on being a sound and disciplined team on defense. Kick
returner Bryce Crouch was second team All-League as a sophomore. Tough league action should again prepare Emporia for the
stiff competition they face in district play. The Spartans cannot afford any injuries and will need sophomores and juniors to step up
if they are to be successful. They open with a pair of home games,
then go on the road for two, before finishing with three of five away.
Two of three district games are on the road. Emporia football could
still be a year or two away from competing again as a top team in
the league, but they do have some talented seniors who are going
to attempt to prove critics wrong. Taylor, Brown, Kirmer, Henton,
and Moorehead provide coach Millison with a strong foundation to
work from this season. It will be exciting to see the younger players
develop and we’ll see how much pride these seniors have. Millison
has his first year out of the way and is ready to build for the future.
It should be another fun season in the Centennial League and the
Spartans will have to battle to finish in the middle or near the top of
the pack. Millison says they had a great summer and are improved
from a year ago. After a couple of down years, Emporia hopes to
get back to the tradition of winning more games than they lose and
advancing to the postseason.
By Alex Dingman
Emporia Spartans
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: A nice bounce back season gives Emporia confidence heading into this year. Coach
Beau Welch returns four starters for his sixth season leading the
Spartans. At the school, he’s 60-46 after going 11-11 last season
and finishing second in Sub-State, losing to Maize South in the
Sub-State championship game 62-42. They will miss talented
point guard John Williams (19.5 ppg, seven rpg), but return
three three-year starters who helped them win the Garden Plain
Classic and finish second in the Ralph Miller Classic a year ago.
Senior guard Tanner Taylor was all league honorable mention,
averaging eight points, three rebounds, and two assists. Classmate Max Brown, a forward, was also all league honorable mention, contributing nine points and five rebounds per game. Fellow seniors Seth Tilton and Tate Demler return at guard after
combining for 12 points per game. Once again, the Spartans lack
overall height, but that did not stop them from out rebounding
their opponents last season. Coach Welch believes the league
will be very balanced. He is happy with the experience he returns and says, “If we can score the ball, we have a chance to be
decent.” Replacing Williams is difficult. He accounted for a lot
of offense and also helped them limit their turnovers to just nine
per game. This team has a good amount of leadership and should
again reach double-digit victories after managing just four the
season before last. They begin play at home against Lawrence
before competing in the Garden Plain Tournament. They participate in the Chanute Tournament in January and finish the
season with three of four games at home.
The Emporia girls look to continue improving in head coach
Carolyn Lee’s third season. The Lady Spartans led the league in
team defense, allowing just 41 points per game while scoring 51,
and finished with a strong record in a tough league. Coach Lee
describes this year’s bunch as young but talented. She says they
are athletic, coachable, and hard workers. Leading the team are
returning starters senior Taylor Birch and junior Braxtyn Stew-
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
BEAU WELCH
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 6
HEAD COACH:
CAROLYN LEE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
art. They combined for 15 points and seven rebounds per game
last season. Junior Kelsey Gordon saw a lot of minutes down the
stretch last year and will be a strong competitor after shooting
48 percent from the field. Other top returners are junior Jennica
Smith, an 88 percent free throw shooter, and Hannah Taylor, who
shot 50 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman. The league
will be solid again this season after seeing five of its teams make
the state playoffs last year (Emporia, Hayden, Seaman, Manhattan, Washburn Rural). Emporia lost a talented senior class,
but coach Lee is determined to see that win total continue to
climb. After back to back seasons with 5-8 league records, the
Lady Spartans flipped the switch and went 8-5, finishing in the
middle of the pack. They were bounced in the first round of the
state tournament by eventual fourth place finisher St. Thomas
Aquinas (Overland Park). Birch, Stewart, and Gordon are asked
to lead this group, but coach Lee will need others to step up if the
Lady Spartans are to enjoy another double-digit victory season
and trip to state. They begin by hosting Lawrence before playing
in the Garden Plain Tournament. The Lady Spartans play in the
Glacier’s Edge Tournament at home in late January and four of
their final seven games are at home in February, the last month
of the regular season.
12/04 LAWRENCEHOME
12/08, 11-12 GARDEN PLAIN TOURN.
AWAY
12/18
TOPEKA HIGH
HOME
01/05
TOPEKA WEST
HOME
01/08
HIGHLAND PARK
AWAY
01/12SEAMANAWAY
01/15
TOPEKA WEST
AWAY
01/21-23 CHANUTE TOURNAMENT AWAY (B)
01/22
MANHATTAN
HOME (G)
01/28-30 GLACIER’S EDGE TOURN. HOME (G)
01/28
MANHATTAN
AWAY (B)
02/05
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
HOME
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AWAY
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TOPEKA HIGH
AWAY
02/16 HAYDENHOME
02/19
JUNCTION CITY
AWAY
02/23 SEAMANHOME
02/26
HIGHLAND PARK
HOME
Happy to support athletics!
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FREE STATE FIREBIRDS
Sunflower League • 6A • Green & Silver
Profile
HEAD COACH: BOB LISHER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 19
The Free State Firebirds had another outstanding season that came up a game short of the 6A championship game. Coach Bob Lisher’s teams have won 73 games the
last nine seasons and have been one of the dangerous teams when it
comes to the playoffs. This season’s version of the Firebirds may be just
as exciting with several key skilled and experienced players coming
back. The area that will need some work will be along the offensive
and defensive lines. Free State lost a lot of great players in the trenches
and coach Lisher knows he’ll need the new players to gain experience
fast to be ready for the grind of the season. Free State will be led by the
talented and multi-dimensional senior quarterback Bryce Torneden
(1,277 rush yards, 1,064 pass yards). Torneden orally committed to
play college football at North Dakota State in July to focus on his senior season. Senior running back Khaury El-Amin (551 rush yards,
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10/09 SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH HOME
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6.9 yards per carry) is one of the top returning backs for the Firebirds.
One player that Coach Lisher and everyone are glad to have back is senior Sam Skwarlo. He suffered a season ending injury in the first game
of last season. You’ll see senior Paul Bittinger and junior Zion Bowlin
get carries as well. Seniors Logan McKinney and Drew Tochtrop return at wide receiver. Junior Zack Sanders will also see time at wide
out. Junior Jay Dineen returns at tight end. Coach Lisher will build
the offensive line around senior tackle Tanner Liba (6’4”, 302). Coach
Lisher’s defense will be strongest in the linebackers and secondary.
Torneden (42 solo tackles, 15 assisted and one INT for TD) leads the
secondary. Bowlin, formerly a linebacker, joins him in the secondary.
McKinney and Sanders are back at the corners. The Firebirds will
have Skwarlo back at linebacker, which will pay dividends. Dineen,
Bittinger and Tochtrop will see plenty of time in the defensive middle.
Experience along the defensive line is thin. Senior defensive end Jalen
Galloway has some varsity experience. Senior Darian Lewis looks to
move from linebacker down in the trenches to help with the defensive
front. How tough is the Firebirds schedule? Eight of the nine teams
they have on the schedule made the playoffs. Coach Lisher considers
defending 6A champions Shawnee Mission East and Lawrence as the
Sunflower League favorites. Olathe North and SM-West will also fight
for the league title. The Firebirds play all four of those teams. You can’t
forget the Free State plays in one of the toughest districts with Topeka
High, Manhattan and Washburn Rural. Coach Lisher knows there’s a
lot of work to be done in the trenches for the Firebirds to have a successful season. The schedule is tough and it means that they will have
to get better quickly. If they’re able to come together and develop well,
Free State could find themselves right back in the 6A playoffs.
By Greg Akagi
Free State Firebirds
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Free State Firebirds
have several new faces including first year coach Sam Stroh.
He’s the third head coach in the school’s 19-year history. Coach
Stroh comes from Shawnee Heights where he led the T-Birds to a
20-3 record and a 5A state tournament berth last season. Coach
Stroh was very happy with the enthusiasm, dedication and commitment the kids have made to the program to compete in the
Sunflower League. Senior Hunter Gudde returns with the most
experience at the varsity level. He will bring his relentless play
and his no fear approach to attacking the basket. Several players
will be vying for starting spots including senior guard Kristian
Rawls, junior forward Sloan Thomsen and junior guard Shannon Cordes. Junior Jacob Pavlyak will be up there to compete
for playing time as will senior forward Chrision Wilburn, junior
forward Cameron Clark and senior forward Darian Lewis. Junior Jay Dineen will also be a part of the mix. Coach Stroh spent
the last two seasons coaching in the Centennial League and now
comes to the Sunflower League. He considers it one of the two
toughest leagues in the state and says it’s the best returning talent top to bottom in the league. What it means is that there will
be no easy game throughout the season. The Firebirds always
play a tough schedule and this year will be no exception. Coach
Stroh has been very happy with everything the players have done
to prepare for the season, but says several players need to step
up and play at an All-League level this season in order for the
Firebirds to attain the success they would like to see. If the players keep improving during the season, Free State could be the
surprise team this season.
The Free State Firebirds in the 2014-15 season was a team that
gradually got better and better, finishing with a 17-5 record and
losing in the Sub-State final. They have one of the top players in
the state and a good returning core group and players coming
back off of season long and in-season injuries. It all starts with
first team 6A All-State and reigning Sunflower League player of
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: SAM STROH
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
‘14-15 OVERALL RECORD:
11-10
HEAD COACH:
BRYAN DUNCAN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 14
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
the year in 5’11” junior Madison Piper (18 points per game, seven
rebounds per game). 5’7” Sophomore Cameryn Thomas (eight
ppg, three apg) missed almost a third of the season because of
injury. She showed her potential when healthy and looks to show
what she can do in a full season. 5’9” senior Hannah Walter (four
ppg) and 5’5” junior Jaycie Bishop (five ppg) also return as starters. One player the Firebirds missed last season due to a knee
injury was 5’9” senior Peyton Brown. Coach Duncan says she
can provide a much needed inside presence for Free State. The
schedule is always tough with powerhouses such as two-time
defending 5A champion Leavenworth, Olathe South, SM-Northwest and SM-West among other teams the Firebirds go through
every year. Coach Duncan says the Firebirds need to cover a second and third offensive threat to take pressure off of Piper. He
knows that teams will focus on stopping Piper. Brown can take
some of the pressure off with her inside the paint. What kind of
depth will the Firebirds have is another concern and how well it
develops will be something to watch. Coach Duncan feels this
will be a strong defensive team and one that understands their
roles too. Piper is capable of carrying this team a long way, but
if other scoring threats develop, it will make them a team not to
mess with come the month of March. .
12/03 ACE
HOME (B)
12/04
TOPEKA HIGH
AWAY (G)
12/08
CTRL ACAD. OF EXCEL. AWAY (G)
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MILL VALLEY
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01/05
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01/12 LEAVENWORTHHOME
01/15
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AWAY
01/21-23
MCPHERSON TOURN. AWAY (B)
01/28-30 FIREBIRD WINTER CLASSIC HOME (G)
01/30
WILLIAM CHRISMAN
AWAY (B)
02/02
KC SCHLAGLE
HOME (G)
02/05
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02/09
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AWAY
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AWAY
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OLATHE EAST
AWAY
HAYDEN WILDCATS
Centennial League • 4A-DI • Blue, White & Gold
Profile
HEAD COACH: BILL ARNOLD
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 9
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: For the second year in a row, the
Hayden Wildcats lost to the state champion. In 2013, Hayden fell to
eventual champion Buhler. Last year, the Wildcats avenged that loss
with a 49-19 victory over the Crusaders to advance to the Class 4A Division I state championship. Hayden battled with undefeated Bishop
Miege and almost pulled the upset against a team that allowed just
seven points in the playoffs going into the title match. The Stags barely
edged the Wildcats 42-35 and gave Hayden its second loss of the 2014
season. This year, the Wildcats must replace an incredible senior class
that moves on to the next level. Luckily, Hayden has 30 returning lettermen and a few key cogs on both sides of the football. Offensively,
Hayden gets its two top rushers back in seniors Daniel Gaito (5’7”,
170) and Connor Schumacher (5’11”, 195). Schumacher rushed 100
times for 842 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago. He also was a
threat catching the ball, recording the third-most receptions at 37 for
09/04SEAMAN AWAY
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AWAY
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580 yards and a team high nine TDs. Gaito provided a nice option,
racking up 548 yards and five scores on 117 carries. Senior Mason
Dodd (6’0”, 175) is back after a 10-catch season that resulted in 62
yards and one touchdown. Up front, seniors Will Stringer (6’2”, 235)
and Jack O’Neal (5’9”, 220) anchor the line. The big question mark is
at quarterback. The city’s co-offensive player of the year Jacob Head
moves to Washburn to play baseball. Head threw for 2,200 yards and
32 touchdowns while adding 217 yards and five touchdowns on the
ground. That’s a tall task for anyone to replace, but coach Bill Arnold is
looking forward to it in a league that could see an exciting race. Head
was key offensively and maybe linebacker Derrick McGreevy was just
as important defensively. The Centennial League defensive player
of the year finished his outstanding career with 357 tackles, 135 of
which were recorded last year. McGreevy’s partner in crime is at least
back in senior linebacker Brooks Peavler (6’1”, 190). Peavler shined
last year, accumulating 78 tackles, six sacks, a forced fumble and one
interception. He headlines a defense that sees three starters return.
The other two returners are on the line in senior Atticus Wilcox (6’2”,
215) and junior Jake Heit (5’10”, 225). Although his eight tackles might
not show it, Wilcox is solid up front. Heit is just as impressive as he
wrapped up his sophomore campaign with 82 tackles and three sacks.
Coach Arnold saw just one loss in the Centennial League a year ago.
Duplicating that might be tough, but the league crown is somewhat up
for grabs with many players gone. And not to be overlooked, Hayden’s
district schedule against Andover Central, El Dorado and TowandaCircle is very doable for the Wildcat bunch. Only six combined starters are back, but if the Wildcats get contributors from underclassmen
and stay healthy, they can get right back to the state playoffs.
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By Pat Strathman
Hayden Wildcats
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK:
Coach Ted Schuler and the
Wildcat faithful might wonder what could have been. Injuries
and sickness riddled the Wildcat bunch. If the Wildcats were fully
healthy, the season might have been special. Narrow losses to Shawnee Heights and Manhattan could have been wins that more than
likely led to a league crown. But that didn’t happen and the close loss
to Ottawa, a team that qualified for state, ended a challenging year
for the Wildcats. This season doesn’t get any easier, though. Four of
the five starters a year ago were seniors, leaving Hayden with some
questions this year. Luckily, young Jett Canfield is back after a solid
season. The sophomore was fourth on the team in points per game
with 9.3. He drilled 21 total threes while shooting 32 percent from
behind the arc and was 81 percent at the free throw line. Canfield
was a good floor general too, dishing out 63 assists. His production
has to go up to go with two other players that came off the bench.
Senior forward Carson Engroff provided a spark off the bench. He
averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds. He was efficient offensively,
shooting a high 61 percent from the field. Senior guard Mason Dodd
saw the floor 15 times a year ago and scored 10 total points. He
should compete for a starting job. Marcus Meier and Derrick McGreevy are both gone and that leaves a battle in the paint for starting
positions. Senior Will Stringer, sophomore Hayden Federico and junior Scott Wilson all should get a look at a starting nod down low.
Just like the football team, the boys basketball team sees an excellent
senior class leave. The Centennial League might be more wide open
this year in hoops and if Hayden gets underclassmen and others to
gel, this team could be sneaky good come February.
With a solid nucleus of seniors, the Lady Wildcats took another step
forward last year. Although they finished with the same Centennial League mark in 2013-14, the Lady Wildcats narrowly missed
out on a league crown in an extremely competitive race. Going into
the final night of high school basketball, there was a four-way tie
for first. Hayden spoiled Shawnee Heights’ chance at a title and
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
TED SCHULER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 14
HEAD COACH:
JESICA FARMER-WALTER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 6
used that confidence to win a Sub-State championship on Hayden’s
home floor. After beating Andale in the first round 41-36, the Lady
Cats faced undefeated and rival it seemed for Hayden sports Bishop Miege. Hayden led at various times in that game, but fell 53-45
and beat Buhler 64-51 the next day for third at the 4A Division I
state tournament. Now coach Jesica Farmer-Walter goes into this
year with that great senior class gone, but one player back that’s
poised to add to her numbers. Senior Jordan Lenherr averaged 10.4
points and 5.7 rebounds a year ago that earned her All-City honorable mention. She’s expected to increase her numbers as she was
a key player last year. She needs help as All-City second teamers
Kirah Lohse and Bree Schmidt move on to college. Senior forward
Raven Lawlor scored 4.2 points a game as a starter and she’s expected for bigger things in 2015-16. Also helping down low this
year is senior forward Taylor Otting. In the backcourt, seniors Emily Gartner, Mariah Grunert and Jordan Van Auken all are ready
for their chance to make contributions. Grunert averaged the most
points out of the trio, scoring 2.7 points a night and shot 43.5 percent from three-point land. The loss of the senior class is tough. But,
this senior group knows what’s expected. If this group continues
the heavy pressure defensively, the Lady Cats can get back to the
state tournament once again.
12/11BASEHOR-LINWOODAWAY
12/14HOLTONAWAY
12/18SEAMANAWAY
12/22
ST. JAMES
AWAY
01/05
WASHBURN RURAL
HOME
01/08
TOPEKA WEST
AWAY
01/12
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
HOME
01/15
TOPEKA HIGH
HOME
01/18-22 BASEHOR TOURNAMENT
AWAY
01/26
BALDWIN
AWAY (B)
01/29
WASHBURN RURAL
AWAY (B)
02/02
WASHBURN RURAL
AWAY (G)
02/05
HIGHLAND PARK
HOME
02/08
BALDWIN
HOME (G)
02/09
JUNCTION CITY
AWAY
02/12 SEAMANHOME
02/16EMPORIAAWAY
02/19MANHATTANAWAY
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02/26
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AWAY
HIGHLAND PARK SCOTS
Centennial League • 5A • Red & Green
M@HPHSATHLETICS
Profile
HEAD COACH: FARON KRAFT
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: After four rough seasons, High-
land Park looks to get back on track with a new coach. Faron Kraft
replaces Nick Cummings after a 5-32 record the past four years.
Coach Kraft has been in Kansas for quite some time. The list of
schools is quite long, ranging from all over the Sunflower state. He
joins Highland Park after one season with Sublette as the football
and track head coach. Kraft played football at Bethany College for
four seasons and participated in track and field for two. He’s had
coaching stints at Salina South, Wichita County, Medicine Lodge
and Dighton, just to name a few. Kraft’s first season with the Scots
sees plenty of players with experience from the prior year. Senior
Alex Rodriguez returns as the starting quarterback. He completed
41 of his 127 passes for 396 yards and four touchdowns last season.
He rushed for another 100 yards as well. At running back, seniors
09/04
JUNCTION CITY
AWAY
09/11
KC HARMON
AWAY
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TOPEKA HIGH
AWAY
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10/23SEAMANHOME
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Devon Wunder and Chris Harris share the work load. Both had a
great offseason. Senior Jesus Gonzalez and sophomore Will White
man the wide receiver core. Gonzalez was a top target for the Scots
a year ago. The biggest concern is up front. Senior Javier Ramirez
looks to be the leader to keep others going and working hard. One
of the bright spots for the whole squad last year was junior linebacker Jaime Fernandez. Although the team had just one win over
KC Harmon, Fernandez kept grinding and tackling, earning a spot
on the All-Centennial League honorable mention list. On the defensive line, senior Jamal Keeling and junior Ja’Onte Swoops both
look to improve on last year’s numbers. Swoops’ season saw him
earn an All-City honorable mention. And in the secondary, junior
Phil White returns to lead this group. Coach Kraft notes, “We have
a great group of kids that are trying to figure out what it takes to be
successful. There is talent, but the key will be whether they can come
together and stay together. We have a brutal schedule and that will
test our ability to stay together as a team, but if we can get to districts
with our confidence in tact, we will have a shot.” Just like any new
coach, coach Kraft wants to change the culture of the football program. Getting kids in the weight room and participate is step one.
Success this season won’t necessarily be judged by wins and losses. If
the players do come and stick together, Highland Park could pick up
some wins. One thing that should help the Scots is every other team
in their district lost key pieces from last year. Sure, the first three
games are tough with all on the road, but if Highland Park does keep
faith, the Scots could see their first multiple win season since 2011.
And if those two or three wins come in district play, the Scots could
see playoff time, just like 2011.
ETDA
East Topeka
Dental Associates
Go
Scots!
Benjamin P. Rutherford, DDS
Carrie B. Peterson, DDS
1605 SE 29th Street
Topeka, KS 66605
266-9100
Fax 266-7717
208 W. 4th St.
Holton, KS 66436
785-364-4636
Fax 785-364-4815
www.EastTopekaDental.com
By Pat Strathman Highland Park Scots
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Coach Jason Jones’ first season was a perplexing one. No one should be surprised with a barely
below .500 record when Highland Park had to replace four outstanding starters. But, the way the Scots accumulated that 10-11 mark is
interesting. On the road, Highland Park enjoyed a 7-3 record. Inside Ken Darting Gymnasium, the Scots picked up just three wins
to eight losses. This season, Highland Park looks to avoid last year’s
home record with four starters back and maybe one of the deepest
teams in the Centennial League. There is plenty of senior leadership
for this year’s group. Senior point guard Malik Keith is ready for a
prime season. He led the Scots in scoring, steals, assists, free throw
attempts and free throw percentage. Keith averaged 10.9 points a
night, 4.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds and made 41 percent of his shots. His
breakout season earned him first team All-City. Senior guard Jahlil
Osby was closely behind Keith in scoring. He scored 10.5 points a
contest while shooting 36 percent from behind the three point line.
Seniors Daishon and Ahmad Fox round out a solid group of guards
that could cause problems in the league. Inside play is the main area
that the Scots lack. Senior forward Dashawn Williams needs to increase production. Topeka High transfer Harold Emanuel provides
a good scoring option down low. He can play once the season starts
and the addition makes the Scots even tougher. Emanuel left the
Trojans after scoring 10 points a game and reeling in three boards a
night. There’s no question that the Scots have talent, but coach Jones
says, “If we learn to play unselfish offense, play solid team defense
and build on what we did last year, we should have a chance to be
very competitive.” Coach Jones is ready for his second year that very
well could be special at the end.
The Lady Scots slightly improved their record from 2013-14, but
just by one more victory. Highland Park was able to play defense
at times, but the offense could never be a consistent thing. Plus, it
didn’t help that transfer Alex Tyson suffered an injury that prevented her from playing some games. For season number three for coach
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
JASON JONES
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
HEAD COACH:
MIKE CALHOUN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
Mike Calhoun, he has one starter back from that squad. The nice
part is he returns one of his more reliable scorers from the previous
year. Senior post Don’Taijh Jones is back after scoring nine points a
night and pulling down seven rebounds a game. She showed flashes of being able to dominate. Look for her to bring those numbers
up some more. Joining Jones in the paint after seeing some varsity
time last year is junior Aieron Smith. Rounding out the group is
senior Elaina Woodward and sophomore LaShai Clark. The whole
backcourt is essentially brand new with key losses. Destiny Pead
packed another scoring punch for the Scots last year by averaging
eight points. And defensively, Angelique Kyles was the anchor and
she isn’t back after her senior season. Much is up in the air, but a
duo of seniors looks to build it back up. Camille Sanders and Ceiara
Roberts provide needed leadership for the 2015-16 season. Junior
Tamaira Carter plans to battle for the final guard spot on the floor.
So many questions surround this team, but coach Calhoun is confident, saying, “We have been working hard and will be competitive.
We had a good summer. The girls got better and I look forward to
the season.” If the Lady Scots can continue to play great defense and
pick up the offensive numbers, Highland Park may be able to surprise a few teams in a tough Centennial League.
12/03
KC WASHINGTON
HOME (G)
12/08
KC SCHLAGLE
HOME (G)
12/10-12 BLUE VALLEY SHOOTOUT AWAY (B)
12/15
TOPEKA HIGH
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TOPEKA WEST
AWAY
01/05
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
AWAY
01/08 EMPORIAHOME
01/12
JUNCTION CITY
HOME
01/15MANHATTANAWAY
01/21-23 TOPEKA INVITATIONAL AWAY (B)
01/28-30
MID-SEASON TOURN. AWAY (G)
02/02
TOPEKA HIGH
HOME
02/05HAYDENAWAY
02/09
TOPEKA WEST
HOME
02/12
JUNCTION CITY
AWAY
02/16
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
HOME
02/19SEAMANAWAY
02/23
WASHBURN RURAL
HOME
02/26EMPORIAAWAY
HOLTON WILDCATS
Big 7 League • 4A-DII • Blue & White
M@holton_wildcats
Profile
HEAD COACH: BROOKS BARTA
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 20
It was a disappointing end to
the 2014 season for Holton as the Wildcats lost to eventual 4ADiv II runner-up Columbus in the second round of the playoffs. Holton still banked a 9-2 record and another Big 7 league
title. Wildcats head coach Brooks Barta is in his 20th season
with 193 career wins. He’ll more than likely eclipse 200 career wins while trying to improve on the nearly 86 percent win
mark throughout his time at Holton. The Wildcats return a lot
more experience than a year ago with 11 players seeing starting time. The vaunted Holton wishbone offense will be led by
senior quarterback Justin Rieschick (5’9”, 165). Senior Mason
Barta (6’2”, 210) returns at fullback. Senior running backs Will
Wright (5’10”, 165) and Justin Pool (5’9”, 155) have starting
experience. Junior RB’s Spencer Baum (6’1”, 165), Tyler Price
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09/04
SILVER LAKE
HOME
09/11
MAIZE SOUTH
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09/25HIAWATHA AWAY
10/02
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JEFF WEST
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(6’1”, 170), and Bryson Patch (6’1”, 175) will provide depth in
the backfield. Senior tight ends Kaden Brandt (6’3”, 185) and
Austin Frakes (6’2”, 200) were starters last year. Seniors Sam
King (6’3”, 190) and Tanner New (6’1”, 175) and junior Carson
Meerpohl (6’1”, 165) will contribute. The offensive line returns
experienced seniors in Jacob Coufal (6’3”, 220), Brandt Rose
(5’11”, 255), Torin Kaboudan (5’9”, 220), Justin Wells (6’3”, 205)
and junior Brandon Lennherr (6’2”, 230). Seniors Brian Nelson
(6’0”, 230), Josh Bjelland (6’3”, 260), along with juniors Tell Witter (6’1”, 220), Dalton Gakle (6’3”, 195), Parker Zeller (5’11”, 185)
and Aaron Bain (6’1”, 190) to compete for playing time too. The
same players, who will provide strength along the offensive line,
will do the same along the defensive interior. The 3-4 defense
returns All-State player and two time leading tackler in Barta at
linebacker. Brandt and Frakes have starting experience. King,
Zeller and Price should contribute too. The more experienced
Wildcats will be tested in the first three games of the season.
Holton hosts Silver Lake, and then travels to Maize South and
then a Big 7 showdown at Sabetha. After the opening game hosting Silver Lake, the Wildcats have five of their next six games
on the road. Coach Barta says after a disappointing loss in last
season’s playoffs, the Wildcats are motivated and want to get
back to the state title game. This Holton team will be smaller
in stature than you normally would think a Wildcats team to
be, but will not be lacking in team speed. It’s pretty simple for
Coach Barta. He says getting off to a good start with three big
games is important, but not as important as the progress the
team will need to make heading into the districts and playoffs.
By Greg Akagi
Holton Wildcats
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Holton Wildcats came
up a game short of making the state tournament in the first year
for head coach Ryan Noel. The Wildcats finished 15-7 on the
season including a 13-3 league record in the Big 7. Coach Noel’s
team was hit by graduation, but knows he has great competitiveness and depth with this year’s squad. The Wildcats return junior
shooting guard Bryson Patch and will look to him to increase his
scoring and all-around game. Patch averaged nine points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals and one assist per game. Coach Noel doesn’t
have a lot of returning scoring after that, but plenty of depth to
fill out the lineup. Senior power forward Kaden Brandt and senior forward Mason Barta (injured all of 14-15) will look to give
Holton a physical presence up front. Brandt saw the floor a tad
last year, averaging 0.6 points and 1.6 rebounds. Junior small
forward Aaron Bain will get plenty of time on the floor after
small averages of 0.3 points and 0.3 rebounds. The other guards
include senior Will Wright junior Riley Strader (0.6 ppg, 0.6 reb)
and senior Brandt Rose (0.7 reb). Wright showed a slight offensive spark with 1.8 points to go with 0.7 rebounds a game. Coach
Noel had a successful first year at Holton and knows it will take
some work improve on last year’s win total. Patch will improve
from his solid sophomore season and will be one of the top players in the Big 7. Who else will step up to provide scoring will be
important to the success of the Wildcats. Coach Noel feels post
play will be important for Holton and expects many Big 7 teams
to be talented which will make for a fun season.
Holton head coach Jon Holliday begins his 25th year at the helm
of the Wildcats girls program. Last season’s team finished 13-9
as they lost in the Sub-State finals. The Wildcats return 80 percent of their scoring, but the team only averaged 41.9 ppg. Coach
Holliday says the girls had a solid summer of work and everyone
knows they’ll need to find a way to manufacture more scoring.
Four starters return including returning including 5’7” junior
Courtney Bosswell, 5’10” senior Hayley Thompson, 5’10” se-
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: RYAN NOEL
HEAD COACH:
JON HOLLIDAY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 25
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
nior MacKenzie Moore and 5’5” junior Ashlyn Wielert. Bosswell did a bit of everything, averaging 7.7 points, 2.4 assists and
2.6 steals a night. Thompson did damage on the glass (6.0 rpg)
and chipped in buckets when needed (6.1 ppg). Moore averaged
4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while Wielert scored seven points a
night. 5’9” sophomore Shay Tanking (7.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg) returns
as the Wildcats leading scorer. Seniors Sarah Sweet (1.8 ppg),
Quinn Holaday (0.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Holly Karn and Shari Riley
give Coach Holliday experience off the bench. The Big 7 will be
one of the better small school leagues in the state. Sabetha and
Hiawatha will be strong as will Jeff West. Coach Holliday also
expects Nemaha Central and Royal Valley to be competitive as
well. Increase the scoring is the biggest priority for Coach Holliday. The coach says increased rebounding and reduce fouling has
been emphasized and will be important for Holton to be able to
compete on a night in night out basis. You improve the rebounding, it will lessen the opportunity for second chance points. You
decrease the number of fouls, the less free throw chances the
opponent will have. What it comes down to for Coach Holliday
is being more consistent. He knows this team is capable of that.
You throw that all together, it will get the Wildcats back into the
4A-Div. II state tournament.
12/04SABETHAAWAY
12/08PERRY-LECOMPTONAWAY
12/11 ACCHSHOME
12/14 HAYDENHOME
12/19 RIVERSIDEHOME
01/05
JEFF WEST
AWAY
01/08
NEMAHA CENTRAL
HOME
01/12HIAWATHAAWAY
01/15
ROYAL VALLEY
AWAY
01/18-23 TONGANOXIE TOURN. AWAY (B)
01/18-23 BASEHOR TOURNAMENT AWAY (G)
01/29 SABETHAHOME
02/02 PERRY-LECOMPTONHOME
02/05ACCHSAWAY
02/12RIVERSIDEAWAY
02/16
JEFF WEST
HOME
02/19
NEMAHA CENTRAL
AWAY
02/24 HIAWATHAHOME
02/26
ROYAL VALLEY
HOME
JACKSON HEIGHTS COBRAS
Northeast Kansas League • 2-1A • Green & Gold
Profile
HEAD COACH: CALEB WICK
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 4
After a 7-2 season in 2013, the
Jackson Heights Cobras somewhat took a step back in 2014. Jackson
Heights opened the season with four straight losses before earning a
forfeit win over Immaculata. Despite the slow start, Heights nearly
snuck into the playoffs, but a narrow 28-24 loss to Onaga prevented the Cobras from the Class 2-1A postseason. Coach Caleb Wick
is back for season number four with plenty of returning lettermen
and starters. This year’s team is senior heavy, which is a change of
pace from last year. In a 28-20 loss to McLouth, the Cobras started
eight freshmen and sophomores. Coach Wick says, “We had a great
learning experience last season and I think these boys are primed to
show people what they can do. Seniors really need to show leadership this year and keep the team together.” Senior quarterback Zane
Richter highlights the group of six returning starters. Richter is back
after a good junior year. He passed for 450 yards and eight touch-
M@JHCobras
09/04HORTONHOME
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10/09
VALLEY FALLS
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10/23WABAUNSEE AWAY
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VALLEY HEIGHTS
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downs while rushing for 237. Senior fullback Adam Brey is primed
and ready for a breakout season after rushing for 375 yards. Creating
the holes up front shouldn’t be a problem for the Cobras with senior
offensive linemen Wyatt Roles and Caleb Sullivan back. Coach Caleb
Wick is switching things up offensively, though. He says, “We are going to go back to the basics: three yards and a cloud of dust. If it takes
one play or 32 plays, it doesn’t matter.” Many of the same offensive
starters go both ways. The defensive is in good shape with eight of
the 11 spots already occupied with returners. The linebacker core anchors the defense with seniors Adam Brey and Caleb Sullivan leading the charge. In the secondary, senior Zane Richter holds the safety
position. One area that gets overlooked often is special teams and the
Cobras could use that to their advantage. Sophomore kicker Jason
Parker was one of many underclassmen that received a starting nod
a year ago. Junior punter Mason Thomas recorded a 35-yard average
booting the football. With 22 total returning lettermen, coach Wick
is excited saying, “These underclassmen have been waiting their turn
and last year, every one of them got a taste of varsity football. If players buy into the amount of toughness and execution that needs to
happen on each and every play, I think the 2015 season will go as
planned for us.” While the Cobras return a bulk of players, the rest of
the Northeast Kansas League sees the same thing. “Horton and Maur
Hill bring back some great skilled athletes and will be challenging
for the league title once again,” Wick said. “I believe that the league
will be very solid this coming year. Night in and night out, teams are
going to have to bring their 'A' game to compete.” The talent is there
for the Cobras. Last year’s season was necessary to place the foundation for this year. If everyone believes in each other, Jackson Heights
could be at the top of the NEKL.
By Pat Strathman
Jackson Heights Cobras
In 2013, the Cobras were
loaded with senior leadership. First-year coach Chris Brown took
over in 2014 with essentially a new team. That didn’t stop him or the
players from having a magical season. Jackson Heights lost just once
in the Northeast Kansas League to Maur Hill Mount Academy in
the second game of the season. The Cobras recoiled and struck back
later in the year with a 56-50 overtime win over the Ravens to tie
for the league championship. Jackson Heights didn’t stop there as
the Cobras advanced to the Class 2A state tournament for the first
time since 2007. The incredible season came to a close as the Cobras lost to eventual state runner-up Central Plains 67-42. Just two
starters are back for the Cobras, but one is an All-Stater to go with
nine other lettermen. Senior wingman Zane Richter logged an excellent breakout season. The All-State selection scored a remarkable
27 points a night while grabbing eight rebounds a game and swiping
three steals a contest. His season high for scoring was a whopping
40 points against Nemaha Central in the semifinals of the Thunder
Classic. He set the scoring record in the tournament with 101 points.
Helping last year was junior guard Wyatt Olberding. He logged 10
points and five rebounds a game. Senior point guard Westin Jacobson saw some playing time, averaging 3.8 points and 1.6 steals. For
the other three positions, battles are expected. Seniors Austen Sauvage, Lane Holliday, junior Mason Thomas and sophomore Brady
Holliday compete for the remaining guard slots. Sophomore Braden
Dohl looks to man the vacancy down low. Matching last year’s success could be challenging, but coach Brown says, “I look forward
to seeing how they play with the target on their back all season.”
There’s no doubt that the Cobras took the league by surprise. If the
pressure defense and outside scoring (173 made three-point shots
last year) are there, look out for the high-scoring Cobras.
Year number two for coach Dan Shupe was very successful. Although the 12-10 record isn’t glossy, last year’s bunch provided the
first winning season for the program in several years. The 9-7 mark
in the Northeast Kansas League was good for fourth and almost
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: CHRIS BROWN
HEAD COACH: DAN SHUPE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
was a third-place finish. Narrow losses to Pleasant Ridge (53-51),
Horton (39-34) and the league’s undefeated champion Valley Falls
(43-37) prevented the Lady Cobras at more success. Just like the
boys team, Jackson Heights returns two starters. Both returners
are senior forwards in Becca Gibson and Katelin Strube. Both had
similar season averages. Gibson was at 5.6 points a game to go with
5.9 rebounds a night. Strube recorded 5.4 points and six rebounds
a contest. Junior Hannah Williams joins the duo to provide help
off the bench when needed. Although no starting guards are back,
senior guard Taylor Abel should limit the pain. She dropped in 5.6
points a night and added 2.5 assists per game. Senior Marley Wareham played a few minutes as she recorded a 2.5 points per game average. Other players helping to shoulder the load are senior Brianna
Cattrell, junior Alexis Rieschick and sophomore Kate Lierz. Last
year was a big stepping stone for the Cobras. Six seniors received
a taste of a winning season, which should lead to more confidence
heading into 2015-16. Still, coach Shupe says, “The Northeast Kansas League will be competitive. Valley Falls will be the favorite.
Maur Hill, Horton, Jefferson County North and Jackson Heights
should be in the upper half of the league.” The foundation is there to
be successful and if the Cobras can sneak in a few wins, they could
be at the top of the league.
12/04IMMACULATAAWAY
12/11 MAUR HILL MOUNT ACADEMY HOME
12/15
PLEASANT RIDGE
HOME
12/18OSKALOOSAAWAY
01/05
VALLEY FALLS
HOME
01/08MCLOUTHAWAY
01/12 JEFFERSON COUNTY NORTH HOME
01/15HORTONAWAY
01/18
ST. MARYS
HOME (G)
01/19-23 NEMAHA CENTRAL TOUR. AWAY (B)
01/26-30 HIAWATHA TOURNAMENT AWAY (G)
01/29
ST. MARYS
HOME (B)
02/02 IMMACULATAHOME
02/09
PLEASANT RIDGE
AWAY
02/12 OSKALOOSAHOME
02/16
VALLEY FALLS
AWAY
02/19 MCLOUTHHOME
02/23 JEFFERSON COUNTY NORTH AWAY
02/26 HORTONHOME
JEFFERSON Co. NORTH CHARGERS
Northeast Kansas League • 2-1A • Green & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: JEFF SCHNEIDER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Mark MacMillan has been at Jef-
ferson County North for over 30 years. A former player and assistant
coach last year replaces him after a 2-7 season. Jeff Schneider joined the
JCN football program in 2014. He also was an assistant girls basketball
coach for Steve Noll. Prior to rejoining with Jefferson County North,
Schneider spent seven years at Valley Falls as an assistant football coach
and head baseball coach. He had six winning seasons as baseball coach
and took the Dragons to state four times. The alum takes over for MacMillan with plenty of positivity surrounding this year’s team. Sixteen
of the 22 possible starters are back. Seven returners are on the offensive side of the football. The Chargers are set on the offense line. All
five, yes, ALL five big fellas are back. Leading the way are seniors Elijah
Meyer, Kyle Noll and Caigen Atzenweiler. Juniors Braden Schneider
and Gavin Polson join the trio to make a solid group up front. And if an
injury occurs, JCN has sophomore Jacob Schrick who started games a
09/04MCLOUTHHOME
09/11OSKALOOSAHOME
09/18
PLEASANT RIDGE
HOME
09/25HORTON AWAY
10/02TROY AWAY
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CHRIST PREP
HOME
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VALLEY FALLS
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10/23MARANATHA AWAY
10/29
DONIPHAN WEST
HOME
year ago. An experienced quarterback loves seeing his whole offensive
line join him for another year and senior Bryce Noll gets one more year
with them. The main signal caller earned All-Northeast Kansas League
honorable mention in 2014. The main areas of concern are at running
back and receiver. Senior Spencer Hubbard gets first crack at the starting job as a tailback. Senior Brian Seever plans to challenge him. Splitting time is a trio of sophomores in Ridge Robertson, Anthony Cahill
and Samuel Larson. Out on the edges are seniors Cole Bryant and Nick
Funk. Another senior Jake Brickell looks to crack the rotation for some
playing time. Junior Joel Abel and sophomore Brayden Summers are
going to compete as well. On the defensive side, nine starting positions
are already filled. Just like the o-line, up front shouldn’t be an issue
with Elijah Meyer, Kyle Noll, Braden Schneider and Gavin Polson. Joel
Abel and Cole Bryant both rotate in the game to provide much needed
depth. Caigen Atzenweiler anchors the linebacker core. Jacob Schrick
and Samuel Larson join him. Junior AJ Stutz is also a guy to see time at
backer. In the secondary, there is a plethora of guys. Nick Funk, Spencer
Hubbard, Ridge Robertson, Anthony Cahill and Brian Seever make a
solid group. Brayden Summers rounds out the unit. In special teams,
Joel Abel might be on the best kickers in the Northeast Kansas League.
He earned All-NEKL honorable mention in 2014. Coach Schneider is
still somewhat a stranger at Jefferson County North. First-year coaches
are always interesting to follow, but Schneider expects to hit the ground
running. He says, “The players are hungry for success and hope to adapt
quickly to the new system. Nine seniors who have started for several
years hope to provide the necessary leadership.” Plenty of pieces are in
place for the new coach and the district is wide open. That’s a recipe for
possible postseason play if the Chargers want it badly enough.
By Pat Strathman
Jefferson Co. North Chargers
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Jefferson County North faced
Troy in the fourth game of the season a year ago. The Chargers
lost 55-47. A few months later, the Chargers had a chance to
avenge the loss, but failed to do so in the Sub-State semifinal
game, losing 59-45 to the Trojans. Despite not making it to the
postseason, JCN still posted a decent 11-5 mark in the Northeast
Kansas League, good for third place behind Jackson Heights and
Maur Hill Mount Academy. Coach Jim Brickell opens his 33rd
season with just one starter back, but he’s one of the shining stars
in the league and maybe in Kansas. Senior Bryce Noll is coming
off a remarkable junior season. The 6’2” swingman averaged 20
points and five rebounds a night. Those numbers might jump
up with the loss of four starters. Two starters both accounted
for points and defense a year ago. Shawn Lane’s scoring helped
Noll out tremendously and Austin Wolfe’s hustle and defense
was crucial to the team’s success. Six other letter winners must
replace those two things. Senior Jake Brickell looks to be one of
those guys. The 5’10” guard is the leading guy to man a guard
spot. One other to help is 6’2” sophomore Brayden Summers,
who helped the JV squad earn an impressive 17-2 mark. Down
low, 6’4” junior post Braden Schneider plans to build off last year.
Senior Elijah Meyer (6’3”) combines with 6’1” senior forward Cole
Bryant and 6’4” senior Nick Funk to complete the group that plays
in the paint. Offensively, the Chargers should be in good shape,
but defensively, coach Brickell says, “Defense is a real concern.
We lost our two best defenders and our returning players did not
defend well last year. We have to develop a defensive stopper to
guard the opponent’s best offensive player.” Indeed, that needs to
happen to compete with stars in the league, but if it does, JCN
could surprise some.
Last season was a tough one to swallow for JCN faithful, although
it was somewhat expected. The Lady Chargers were extremely
young a year ago. Still, they did their best to tie for fifth in the
NEKL. Sometimes programs have to experience a bad season
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: JIM BRICKELL
HEAD COACH: STEVE NOLL
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 33
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 11
COACHING RECORD: 487-282
to pave way for the future. That’s the case for 2015-16 with six
different players with starting experience returning and eight total
lettermen. Junior swingman Jentry Seichepine is back to lead the
group after averaging eight points and 6.8 rebounds a game. Her
production last year earned her All-NEKL second team. Senior
Ella Weishaar also is a swing player and should help out the
group with her leadership. In the paint, sophomores Annabelle
Vaught and Ravyn Jobbins look to increase their production.
Vaught averaged 7.5 points and six rebounds a contest while
Jobbins scored five points a game and reeled in 5.1 rebounds a
night. Senior Gabbi George and junior Elaina Tweet round out
the group of posts. In the backcourt, junior Julie Schrick mans
the point guard spot. She dished out three assists a game while
chipping in four points a night. Senior Carley Elias averaged
three points a game and she’s back as one of three seniors that
are needed for this young group. Coach Steve Noll notes, “We did
improve as the season went on. It took a while for everyone to find
their roles on the team. With a year under their belt, I look for
good things from this group. We still need to become consistent,
but when that comes, I think we could surprise some people.” If
the Lady Chargers can limit their turnovers (18 per game) and
shoot the ball better, the group can accomplish just that.
12/04MCLOUTHAWAY
12/11HORTONAWAY
12/15TROYAWAY
12/18
VALLEY FALLS
AWAY
01/05
PLEASANT RIDGE
HOME
01/12
JACKSON HEIGHTS
AWAY
01/15 OSKALOOSAHOME
01/19, 22-23VALLEY FALLS TOURN. AWAY (B)
01/26, 29-30 JCN TOURNAMENT
HOME (G)
02/02 MCLOUTHHOME
02/05 HORTONHOME
02/08IMMACULATAAWAY
02/12
VALLEY FALLS
HOME
02/16
PLEASANT RIDGE
AWAY
02/23
JACKSON HEIGHTS
HOME
02/26OSKALOOSAAWAY
JEFFERSON WEST TIGERS
Big 7 League • 4A-DII • Black & White
M@JWHS_KS
Profile
HEAD COACH: STEVE JOHNSON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Many people believe if you win
the battle in the trenches, you’ll win the game. Well that bodes well
for a Jefferson West football team which returns solid leadership
up front. A young team struggled to get going last year, but the Tigers finished strong, finishing as district runner-up before falling
to Santa Fe Trail in the opening round of the state playoffs, 24-12.
Santa Fe Trail eventual lost in the state semifinals. Last year’s team
went 3-6 after going 7-3 the year before with a large senior class.
That win total matched the most in coach Steve Johnson’s tenure at
Jeff West (2009). Johnson expects this season’s group to get off to
a faster start and make another run at the playoffs. Johnson loves
the core of guys he returns on the line, but says there are question
marks at skill positions as the season gets underway. Senior running back Luke Herring returns after rushing for over 1,000 yards
09/04RIVERSIDEHOME
09/11WAMEGO AWAY
09/25SABETHA AWAY
10/02HIAWATHAHOME
10/09
NEMAHA CENTRAL
AWAY
10/16HOLTONHOME
10/23
ROYAL VALLEY
AWAY
10/30PERRY-LECOMPTON AWAY
and scoring eight touchdowns. Herring averaged a strong seven
yards per carry due in large part to senior offensive tackles Michael Majors and Jared Ice. Majors is a three year starter and AllLeague performer. Ice is also a three year starter and was honorable mention all league. Senior center Keaton Young is a two year
starter. The run game again should be strong, but the Tigers must
develop a passing attack. Defensively, it again starts with Majors,
who recorded 44 tackles and six sacks as a junior. Fellow senior
Josh Massey joins Majors at defensive tackle. Massey, an honorable mention All-League performer, managed 40 tackles and five
sacks. Not a bad one-two punch. In the secondary, senior Keishon Brown and junior Quentin Guerra return. Brown recorded 33
tackles, while Guerra tallied 21. Johnson will have to find some
linebackers. Kicker is a strong position for Jeff West. Herring is a
three year starter and all league performer. He cashed in on 20 of
24 point after attempts last season. Johnson says the Big 7 League
will remain tough from top to bottom. Four league teams made
the state playoffs a year ago. The Tigers begin their season at home
against Riverside before traveling to Wamego and Sabetha. They
return home to face Hiawatha before traveling to Nemaha Central
and returning home to take on Holton. Jeff West finishes its season
with two away games, at Royal Valley and at Perry-Lecompton.
Coach Johnson is excited to get this season going. He knew last
year was going to be a struggle after losing such a strong senior
class. But this year he expects more out of his team and they should
battle for a winning record and another trip to the postseason.
And once they get there, the Tigers hope they aren’t one and done
this season.
By Alex Dingman
Jefferson West Tigers
It was an up and down
season for Jefferson West in coach Ryan West’s first season. The
Tigers finished 9-12 overall, but did complete their first winning
Big 7 League season in eight years, going 9-7 and finishing fourth.
Coach West said his team really got it going at the end of the
year. They gave a solid Holton team a battle at Sub-State, losing
in double overtime. They miss a good trio in Jacob Dickey, Grady
Middendorf, and Conner Mickens. Dickey led the league in scoring
at nearly 19 per game, was first team All-League, and honorable
mention All-Class 4A. Middendorf was honorable mention AllLeague, averaging 12, while Mickens chipped in six per game to go
with 4.5 assists. Middendorf and Mickens were the team’s best two
three-point shooters. They lose over 70 percent of their offense and
rebounding. However, another trio of seniors are ready to step up,
led by guard Hunter Overstreet, the most experienced Tiger coming
back. He popped in four points and handed out two assists per game
last season. Senior forward Chord Livingston was good for three
points and two rebounds. Classmate Nathaniel Schmidt is looking
to improve on the two points and two rebounds he averaged from
the center position. Other returning lettermen include senior Jacob
Korb, and juniors Isaiah Schmidt and Hunter Williams, all forwards.
Coach West says Overstreet, Livingston, and Nathaniel Schmidt must
emerge as team leaders. He says they have a full summer program in
place and attendance has been good. Their home opener is week two
against Nemaha Central, followed by an away game at Sabetha. West
believes those two squads will be the teams to beat in the league. The
Tigers play at the Tonganoxie Tournament in January and wrap up
the regular season with away games at Holton and Riverside, before
returning home to challenge Hiawatha.
What an exciting end to the season it was for the Jefferson West girls
last season. The Lady Tigers knocked off Royal Valley and Holton to
win a Sub-State championship and go to state for only the second
time in school history. Jeff West gave number one seed and eventual
state champion Hugoton its greatest test at state, losing in the first
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
RYAN WEST
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
HEAD COACH:
JOHN MALLOY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
round 54-49. It was a two point game with a minute left. The Lady
Tigers finished with an 11-12 overall record and a 7-9 mark in
league play, beating all league opponents at least once besides 3A
state qualifier Sabetha. Both games with them were close. Jeff West
misses 6’3’’ Olivia Bree, a two time first team All-League performer
who was second team all class 4A-DII last season, and shooter Dani
Slimmer. However, three starters return, led by two year starter Faith
Becker. Becker, a junior point guard, was the second leading scorer
and tops in assists. Coach John Malloy is really excited about 6’2”
super sophomore Mariah Murdie. Malloy says, “With length and
athleticism, as well as dedication to improvement, I expect Mariah
to turn some heads this season.” The other returning starter is
Tayler “Bug” Metzger. Malloy says the junior “hit her stride last year
as a three point shooter and terrific on ball defender.” Malloy says
Metzger is hampered by a nagging knee injury, but should be 100
percent by November. Three seniors expected to help lead this group
are Jordan Biggs and twins Emma and Maddy Broxterman. Other
returning letterwomen are junior Taylor Glitner and sophomore
Alyssa Garza. Malloy says Garza was huge for the Lady Tigers late
in the year last season and had her best game in the state tourney
against Hugoton. Malloy expects her to compete for a starting spot.
12/04
ROYAL VALLEY
AWAY
12/08
NEMAHA CENTRAL
HOME
12/11SABETHAAWAY
12/18ACCHSAWAY
01/05 HOLTONHOME
01/08 RIVERSIDEHOME
01/12 WAMEGOHOME
01/15HIAWATHAAWAY
01/18-23 TONGANOXIE TOURN.
AWAY
01/29
ROYAL VALLEY
HOME
02/02
NEMAHA CENTRAL
AWAY
02/05 SABETHAHOME
02/12 ACCHSHOME
02/16HOLTONAWAY
02/19RIVERSIDEAWAY
02/25 HIAWATHAHOME
JUNCTION CITY BLUE JAYS
Centennial League • 6A • Blue & White
M@BLUEJAY_Sports
Profile
HEAD COACH: RANDALL ZIMMERMAN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 21
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Coach Randall Zimmerman’s
got back into the 6A playoffs this past season before losing the
quarterfinal to Lawrence Free State. The Bluejays also have nine
consecutive winning seasons. Junction City has good experience coming back and with 10 starters back on defense, could
be a tough team to score throughout the season. The Bluejays
return five starters on offense. Junior quarterback Ryan Hennington will take the controls of Coach Zimmerman’s multidimensional offense. He’ll have a pretty good talent to hand
the ball off to in junior running back Jovon Baldwin (Honorable Mention All-Centennial League). Junction City always has
plenty of talent along the offensive front and this year is no different. Seniors David Graham and Chris Quidachay anchor the
offensive line. The defense will be led by senior defensive back
and first team All-Centennial League talent Christien Ozores.
09/04
HIGHLAND PARK
HOME
09/11EMPORIA AWAY
09/18
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
HOME
09/25SEAMANHOME
10/02
WASHBURN RURAL
AWAY
10/09MANHATTAN AWAY
10/16
WICHITA SOUTHEAST
HOME
10/23
WICHITA EAST
AWAY
10/30
WICHITA NORTH
HOME
Five of Ozores defensive teammates garnered Honorable Mention All-Centennial League honors including senior defensive
line Darius Hicks, senior linebacker Trae McDaniel and senior
defensive back Raye Wilson along with junior defensive back
Aryus Jones. You’ll also see senior linebacker Terrel Wilson
also provide plenty of support in the middle. Coach Zimmerman knows this will be a fast and confident defense that can
create havoc and can turn a game with big plays. Raye Wilson will handle the return duties on special teams and junior
Wayne Shirley will handle the kicking and punting duties. The
Bluejays will have three of their first four games at Al Simpler
Stadium. Coach Zimmerman says the early part of the season
will be important because he wants to see his team gain confidence and come together as a team. The first four games include home games against 5A playoff teams Shawnee Heights
and Seaman. The Bluejays then have road games at Washburn
Rural and Manhattan. They come back to host two of three
district games to end the regular season. Coach Zimmerman
knows getting into the playoffs coming out of the Centennial
League is well earned. He expects the league race to be tough
as always. The experienced defense will be a big asset if the
offense is slow to develop. If the Bluejays develop their usual
multi-dimensional offense, it will give plenty of headaches to
opposing teams. Coach Zimmerman’s teams are always tough
at home and on the road and always have outstanding athletes.
If this team comes together and continues on an upward trek
throughout the season, the Bluejays would not be a team anyone wants to face in the postseason.
By Greg Akagi
Junction City Blue Jays
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Every coach wants to see
consistency for several reasons. One way for Junction City head
coach Patrick Battle not to see consistency is the record of the
team. The first four seasons under Coach Battle, the Blue Jays
have finished 6-15. Last year, injuries to the graduated seniors
forced coach Battle to use several different lineups. It also means
the experience gained from the adversity should serve Junction
City well in the 2015-16 season. Seven of the eight returning lettermen had at least one start in the 2014-15 season. Senior shooting guard Ricardo Evans (11.4 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per
game, 1.8 assists per game, 2.0 steals per game) was an honorable
mention All-Centennial League selection. Senior small forward
Raye Wilson (4.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.5 apg) was also named honorable mention. Senior power forward Josh Hall (4.0 ppg, 4.4 reb),
senior point guard T.J. Poole (7.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg) and junior center
Cody Magee (3.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg) are back. Junior center Zach Terry
(1.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg), senior SG Kareem Avant (2.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and
senior small forward Nick Arneson (1.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg) also bring
back experience for coach Battle. Coach Battle says the Centennial League will be similar to 2014-15. He says it as a balanced
league from top to bottom. The coach says Manhattan and Highland Park will be considered the favorites, but says anyone can
win or lose in 2015-16. The Blue Jays have a lot of experience and
balance returning and that will help in showing the improvements that can get them over the six win plateau and lead to
many more. Junction City needs to stay away from injuries and
as the season goes along, they will be a very competitive team.
The Junction City Lady Jays turn to a Blue Jays graduate to coach
the program.
Derek Petty is a 1983 graduate of Junction City and has been
coaching in California the past 10-plus years. It’s been a lot of
hard work and he’s been very happy about the work the team
has done to prepare for the season. The Lady Jays were 4-17 a
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
PAT BATTLE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 5
LETTERMEN RETURNING: 8\
HEAD COACH:
DEREK PETTY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
season ago. Senior guards Akia Fain (11.5 ppg, 4.0 reb, 77% FT)
and Kealee Rains (10.7 ppg, 3.0 reb, 74 percent FT) are the top
returning leading scorers and were both honorable mention AllLeague last season. Sophomore forward Alana Kramer (6.5 ppg,
4 reb) garnered all-defensive team honors. Junior forward Allison McKenzie (4.3 ppg, 5.0 reb, 73% FT) returns for the Lady
Jays. Coach Petty will have additional returnees to look at to
complete the lineup and bench. Improvement in the Centennial
League is not an easy task. Five league teams last season had 14
wins or more with several going to state and finishing ranked in
4A, 5A or 6A. Many of those same teams will be just as good this
season and the Lady Jays will face most of them twice. Junction
City will also compete in the Capital Classic mid-season tournament. It’s never easy when a new coach comes in. Coach Petty,
like every other coach, has plenty of goals set for this season.
The two main things he would like to see if for the Lady Jays
to be competitive and to be able to build a solid foundation for
years to come and return Junction City to one of the 6A girls
powerhouses.
12/04
SALINA CENTRAL
HOME
12/05
DODGE CITY
AWAY
12/11
GREAT BEND
AWAY
12/15 HAYSHOME
12/18 MANHATTANHOME
01/05
TOPEKA HIGH
HOME
01/08
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
AWAY
01/12
HIGHLAND PARK
AWAY
01/15
WASHBURN RURAL
HOME
01/21-23
MCPHERSON TOURN. AWAY (B)
01/22
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS HOME (G)
01/28-30 GLACIER’S EDGE TOURN. AWAY (G)
01/29
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
HOME (B)
02/05
TOPEKA HIGH
AWAY
02/09 HAYDENHOME
02/12
HIGHLAND PARK
HOME
02/16SEAMANAWAY
02/19 EMPORIAHOME
02/23MANHATTANAWAY
02/26
TOPEKA WEST
AWAY
Go Blue Jays!
Junction City Branch Locations
802 N. Washington Street
540 W. 6th Street
116 W. 8th Street
521 E. Chestnut Street
(Walmart Supercenter)
1801 W. Ash Street
www.centralnational.com
Member FDIC • Equal Housing Lender
LAWRENCE CHESTY LIONS
Sunflower League • 6A • Red & Black
M@LawHS_Athletics
Profile
HEAD COACH: DIRK WEDD
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 17
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: If you look up the word expectations
in the dictionary, it states that it’s a strong relief that something will happen
or be the case in the future. The Lawrence High Lions have high expectations for what could a very special year for the players and their fans. The
Lions lost in the first round of the 6A playoffs to eventual state champion
Shawnee Mission East and finished 5-5. Lawrence High returns 16 starters with several attracting major college interest. Senior QB Alan Clothier
returns as a dangerous dual-threat talent. Coach Wedd is excited to see how
Clothier will be with more freedom in the offense to utilize his talents. He’ll
have one of the best running backs in the state to hand the ball off too in
senior J.D. Woods (1,656 rush yds, 16 TD’s, first team 6A All-State). Junior
Trey Moore will give coach Wedd a very nice 1-2 punch in the backfield.
Who will Clothier throw the football too is a question that Coach Wedd
will need to figure out. Ivan Hollins and Luke Padia are two wide outs that
09/04
BLUE VALLEY WEST
HOME
09/11LEAVENWORTH AWAY
09/18
FREE STATE
AWAY
09/24 SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST AWAY
10/02 SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH HOME
10/09
OLATHE SOUTH
HOME
10/16
OLATHE NORTHWEST
AWAY
10/23
OLATHE NORTH
HOME
10/30
OLATHE EAST
AWAY
will get a lot of looks. Senior Price Morgan returns at tight end. The Lions
may have the best bookends along the offensive line in senior tackles Amani
Bledsoe (6’5 270) and Trey Georgie (6’5 260). Bledsoe who was first team 6A
All-State, is considered the number one recruit in the state and is considering colleges from coast to coast that know how special a player he will be for
their program. Georgie also has several Division I offers with his size and
ability too. When teams go up against the Lions defense, they’re going to
see an experienced, big and athletic group who may rival some of the great
Lawrence High defensive teams of the past. Bledsoe and Georgie will be
anchoring the defensive line. Morgan, who had 132 tackles last season and
was first team 6A All-State, is getting major college looks, is a big and physical linebacker anchors the middle. Tanner Green is also back at linebacker
and provides a great compliment to Morgan in the middle. Konner Kelly
also returns at linebacker. Clothier looks to make the transition to defensive
back and will be a force for the Lions defense. The schedule always proves
to be tough in the Sunflower League. Five of the teams on this year’s schedule made the playoff last season. This year’s league race will be fantastic to
watch. Lawrence High will be considered one of the favorites along with defending 6A champion in SM-East, SM-West, Free State and Olathe North.
Lawrence High and Free State will have their city rivalry in week three of the
season and the Lions play Olathe North during week eight of district play.
If the Lions get off to a good start this season, it will put them on the path that
Coach Wedd wants to see. A big key is keeping the expectations in check
and not getting ahead of what is in front of them. The Lions have done a
lot of growing up the past two seasons and they hope that it will be pay off
this year. The bar is set high and this team has the talent to play well into
November.
By Greg Akagi
Lawrence Chesty Lions
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The season for the Lawrence High can be described in so many different ways. Even
though it didn’t end with a 6A state title, getting to the state
title game and finishing 23-2 with a Sunf lower League title is
just the start of the accomplishments for Mike Lewis and the
Lions. You turn the page to the 2015-16 season, a lot of talent returns, and the doubt of some who say they can’t repeat
this past season’s success. The Lions return several key players including senior Price Morgan (7.6 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game), who uses his linebacker body to play physical in the post. Senior guard Anthony Harvey (3.0 ppg, 1.4 reb)
is quick and athletic and will be counted on early in the season.
Senior forward Fred Brou (3.1 ppg, 2.9 reb) can jump out of the
building and will be a presence underneath the bucket for the
Lions. Senior guard Justin Roberts (17.5 ppg, 2.9 reb) was an
All-Sunf lower League and second Team All-State honoree last
season. He suffered a torn ACL in April and probably won’t
be back until after the Christmas break. His offensive scoring
and leadership he brings to the f loor will be missed early on
in the season. Juniors Jackson Mallory and Kobe Buffalomeat
also return with some varsity experience. The Lions only two
losses last year were to 6A champion Wichita East. Going undefeated through the Sunf lower League is a great accomplishment. Lawrence will start the season without one of the state’s
best players in Justin Roberts. Coach Lewis knows how strong
this team is mentally and feels like they will make it through
just fine until Roberts returns. This edition of the Lions has a
great chance to make it back to the state tournament.
The Lions went through growing pains last season and according to second year head coach Jeff Dickson, accomplished a lot
at the same time. The seven wins were the most in five seasons
and reaching the Sub-State final for the first time in six seasons
shows coach Dickson that the tide is starting to turn for the Lions. Senior forward Alexis Boyd (7.6 ppg, 4 rpg) returns as the
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: MIKE LEWIS
HEAD COACH:
JEFF DICKSON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
leading scorer and a player who was playing her best ball at the
end of last season. Sophomore guard E’Lease Stafford (7 ppg,
3.3 rpg, 1.3 apg), who garnered honorable mention All-Sunf lower League honors, was one of the top freshmen in the Sunf lower League and will look to contribute even more this season. Junior guards Olivia Lemus (6.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and Skylar
Drum (3.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) logged a lot of varsity minutes and are
counted on to provide support from the outside. Coach Dickson will have a talented young bench which could be led by 6’3”
freshman Chisom Ajekwu. Seniors Emma Bentzinger (guard/
forward) and Gracie Reinsch (forward), as well as sophomore
guards Talima Harjo and Asia Goodwin will counted on to fill
in vital minutes. Don’t be surprised to hear more about newcomers Sammy Williams and Hannah Stewart too. Improvement is never easy in the Sunf lower League. Coach Dickson
says it’s the toughest in the state and knows there will be no
easy games in the league. Coach Dickson is very proud of the
effort and commitment the players have given them to prepare
for the season. He says a strong foundation was laid for the
future and says if they stay healthy, the Lions will surprise a lot
of people with what they are going to accomplish.
12/04EMPORIAAWAY
12/07
BARSTOW
AWAY (G)
12/08, 10-11
BV SHOOT-OUT
AWAY (B)
12/11
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
AWAY (G)
12/14
TOPEKA WEST
HOME (G)
12/15
KC WYANDOTTE
AWAY (G)
12/17
HY-VEE SHOOT-OUT
AWAY (B)
12/18
FREE STATE
HOME
01/05LEAVENWORTHAWAY
01/08
OLATHE SOUTH
AWAY
01/12
SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
HOME
01/15
OLATHE EAST
HOME
01/28-30 TOPEKA TOURNAMENT AWAY (G)
02/05
SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH HOME
02/09 SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST AWAY
02/12
OLATHE NORTHWEST
AWAY
02/16
SHAWNEE MISSION NORTH HOME
02/19
OLATHE NORTH
HOME
02/23
HOME
02/26
FREE STATE
AWAY
LYNDON TIGERS
Flint Hills League • 2-1A • Orange & Black
Profile
HEAD COACH: BRENT HOELTING
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
In coach Brent Hoelting’s first
season leading the Lyndon Tigers, the team went 9-2, losing in the
state quarterfinals to Troy, 23-0. This came after an 11-win season
and second straight loss to powerhouse Centralia in the state semis.
Hoelting says they lost a great senior class. He’s looking forward to
his players competing for many open spots this season. After bringing back half the starters a year ago, Lyndon returns only three starters on offense and two on defense. The Tigers miss their jack-of-alltrades talent Dawson Swinehart. The Shrine Bowl participant rushed
for over 1,800 yards, had 30 rushing touchdowns and threw for 734
yards and six scores. He lined up at receiver in the Shrine Bowl and
will begin his college career as a kicker at Coffeyville Community
College. Lyndon will have to develop a new quarterback. At running back, senior Wyatt Fitch rushed 65 times for 316 yards. Fitch
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M@LyndonHSTigers
09/04HERINGTON AWAY
09/11
MISSION VALLEY
HOME
09/18
NORTHERN HEIGHTS
AWAY
09/25
CHASE COUNTY
HOME
10/02OSWEGOHOME
10/09
OSAGE CITY
HOME
10/16OLPE AWAY
10/23
YATES CENTER
HOME
10/29WHITEWATER-REMINGTON AWAY
caught seven passes for 88 yards and scored seven total TD’s. Senior
Nick Ratzloff is a monster at tight end. Ratzloff was first team AllLeague with 12 receptions for 369 yards and four touchdowns. He
averaged 30 yards per catch. Sophomore wide out Dexton Swinehart
caught 13 passes for 112 yards and a TD as a freshman. Senior guard
David Oakley brings stability to the offensive line. Defensively,
honorable mention All-League linebacker Fitch leads the way after
recording 99 tackles, an interception, and a defensive TD. Senior
Nate Kerschenskee contributed 73 tackles and five sacks a year ago.
Coach Hoelting has a challenge in store for him this season. He has
a young squad led by a small senior class. Only 11 total lettermen return. It’s cliché, but Hoelting says they are working to improve every
day. He has many young guys who are eager to prove themselves.
Hoelting says the Flint Hills League should be tougher than ever.
With many teams in the mix, Hoelting expects Lyndon to battle for
a league crown. The Tigers begin the season with two of three games
away from home. They play Mission Valley at home week two. Last
year Lyndon narrowly defeated Mission Valley 36-30. Following a
stretch of three straight at home weeks four through six, is a much
anticipated game at Olpe. Olpe squeezed past Lyndon last season
winning 36-28. District play wraps up with a home matchup versus
Yates Center and an away game at Whitewater-Remington. With so
many new pieces, coach Hoelting will struggle to get nine wins out
of his team again. Seniors Ratzloff, Fitch, Oakley, and Kerschenskee must provide great leadership and help bring the younger guys
along. It’s a time for Lyndon to build for the future, but these Tigers
are used to success and expect to be one of the best in the league and
a state qualifier.
By Alex Dingman
Lyndon Tigers
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: A year after winning 15
games with a strong senior class, the Lyndon boys were supposed to be in rebuilding mode last season. Instead, the Tigers
didn’t miss a beat, winning 16 games before losing to Olpe in
the Sub-State final. Olpe went on to take third place at state.
Coach Michael Massey is now 138-71 at Lyndon, a 66 percent winning percentage. Four starters and eight lettermen
return this year after bringing back just two lettermen a year
ago. Massey is excited to have a majority of last year’s team
back, but says they need to find leadership. Nick Ratzloff is
Lyndon’s only two-year letterman and one of five seniors who
see significant time. Ratzloff is one of two returners who averaged double digits in points. He netted 10 per game, while
sophomore Jamie Reed was good for 11. Senior Ryan Herdman
scored 9.5 points per game and sophomore Dexton Swinehart
contributed 8.5. That’s a nice balanced attack and those sophomores should be ready to provide even more this season. Seniors Dalton Fitch, AJ Sellers, and David Oakley are called
upon to help lead and provide depth. Massey expects league
play to be tough and recognizes Osage City, Council Grove,
and West Franklin return a lot of quality players. Lyndon will
be ready for anybody this season. A good mix of senior leadership and young talent should equal another successful season
for the Tigers. They should again find themselves in position
to play for a trip to state. Four of their first six contests are at
home and they travel to the Flint Hills League Tournament in
January. Three of their final four games are on the road.
Second year head coach Brad Johnston says his Lyndon squad
may be the youngest team in the Flint Hills League this season. Johnston returns just one starter from a team that went
13-9, an improvement of five wins, before losing 58-44 to
Olpe in the Sub-State semis. The Tiger girls again had a winning league record at 4-3. Lyndon loses All-League performers Caroline Sprecker and Alexis McGonnigle and has 10 girls
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
MICHAEL MASSEY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
HEAD COACH:
BRAD JOHNSTON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
who are new to varsity. The only returning letterwoman is
sophomore guard Claria Spurgeon. Spurgeon averaged a solid
eight points per game as a freshman. Johnston says, despite
many of the teams losing a lot of good players, he expects the
league to have the same high level of competition. He says,
“The league has some great coaches who know how to get the
best out of their players.” Johnston acknowledges his team is
extremely young, but says, “This is a great group of girls who
are ready to work hard.” The hard work begins with an away
game at Marais des Cygnes Valley. However, the schedule is
advantageous for a team that needs time to mature. They’ll
get plenty of time to do that in the confines of their home
gym. Four of Lyndon’s first six games are at home. They play
at the Flint Hills League Tournament in January and three
of their final six contests are on the road. It will be tough
sledding for the Tiger girls early on as new players adjust to
varsity, but coach Johnston has a great opportunity to build
for the future. His only returner is a sophomore so his team
should be full of experience the next couple years. He hopes
to build some confidence this year and be a much improved
team by the end of the season.
12/04MDCVAWAY
12/08 BURLINGAMEHOME
12/11
CHASE COUNTY
HOME
12/15
MISSION VALLEY
AWAY
12/18 HERINGTONHOME
01/05
NORTHERN HEIGHTS
HOME
01/08
OSAGE CITY
AWAY
01/12
WEST FRANKLIN
AWAY
01/15
COUNCIL GROVE
HOME
01/18-23 FLINT HILLS LEAGUE TOURN. AWAY
01/29
MISSION VALLEY
HOME
02/02WABAUNSEEAWAY
02/05 OLPEHOME
02/09
ST. MARYS
HOME
02/12HARTFORDAWAY
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02/20MADISONAWAY
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MANHATTAN INDIANS
Centennial League • 6A • Navy Blue & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: JOE SCHARTZ
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
(INCLUDING ‘15 SEASON)
The Manhattan Indians had a
great season finishing 7-2, but their streak of six straight playoff
appearances ended. Head coach Joe Schartz and the Indians play
in one of, if not the toughest district in the state. The Indians face
new challenges this season with only three starters returning on
offense and three returning on defense. Manhattan will have some
key players returning on offense. Senior quarterback Blake Wewer will lead the Indians offense. Wewer is back after being a solid
carrier, recording 32 rushes for 186 yards and one touchdown.
Junior running back Kedrain McDonald will give the offense a
multi-dimensional talent. McDonald has potential to be one of
the best backs in the league. He rushed 69 times for 485 yards and
five touchdowns last year. McDonald also reeled in 13 balls for 225
yards and three touchdowns. His production should be interest-
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ing to watch as Chris Martin moves on to college. Martin was a
first team All-Centennial League selection. McDonald should be
the main focus of the Indian offense as the number one back. The
offensive line will be anchored by junior offensive lineman Eldon
Picou (6’3”, 270). He is looked upon for leadership as a pair of AllCentennial first teamers moves on in Anthony Renteria and Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Colton Wagner. Coach Schartz will
look at several players to step up and fill other offensive positions.
The defense will have a couple of good anchors along the defensive line in senior defensive ends A.J. Pablo (6’3”, 205) and Nat
MacCharles (6’2”, 190). Coach Schartz will look for them to create
problems for the opponents’ offense. Senior strong safety Jemell
Richardson (5’10”, 170) will anchor the defensive backfield for the
Indians. Other players need to fill the void of Kaden Frasier. He
was All-Centennial League first team last season. Coach Schartz
knows that the Centennial League schedule, coupled with one of
the toughest districts in the state, means you must play your best
every game. The Indians start out with two of their first three on
the road at Shawnee Heights and in week three at Topeka-Hayden.
They also play the two teams that beat them in districts last season, Topeka High and Free State, on the road. Coach Schartz says
Topeka High will be the favorite to win the league. He does expect
the Centennial League race to be its typical tough go for all teams.
The Indians will be a very young team and coach Schartz knows it
will take some time for them to mature. He does know they have
the ability and skills to be the typical, tough Manhattan team. If
the team comes together as one, the Indians will be young, but will
be dangerous and be very capable of getting back into the playoffs.
By Greg Akagi
Manhattan Indians
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The first year for Benji George
as Manhattan’s head coach saw a lot accomplished. The Indians
won their first Centennial League title and finished 18-3 on the
season. They did not get to the 6A state tournament, so there are
some goals yet to be accomplished. Coach George and his coaching staff are incredibly excited about the upcoming season with
four returning starters and seven lettermen back from last year’s
team. It starts with senior guard Gabe Awbrey (14.8 points per
game, 41% 3-point FG%), who garnered second team All-League
and All-State honorable mention his junior season. Junior point
guard Trevor Hudgins (9.2 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.3 rpg), finished with the
fourth highest assist average in school history last season. Other
seniors include forward Grant Munsen (3.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg),
guard Robbie Ostermann (5.1 ppg, 41% 3-pt FG), and center Cole
Gritton (3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg) are a part of the core returning. Senior
center Darryl Mallett and junior guard Tommy Ekart will also be
key in the Indians’ success this season. Manhattan winning the
Centennial League title is an accomplishment in and of itself with
the quality and depth of each team in the league. Coach George
expects it to be the same this season. The Indians open the season
at the Hays Shootout and will also be a part of the Dodge City
Tournament of Champions. Manhattan’s schedule is also tough in
that they only have six home games. They play three in a 10-day
stretch in January and the remaining three in an 11-day stretch in
February. If the Indians continue to improve and stay healthy, they
will be strong contenders to defend their Centennial League title
and go a step further into the 6A state tournament.
The Manhattan Indians have enjoyed two wonderful seasons. You
can start with 40 wins, 23 Centennial League wins, back-to-back
league titles and two state tournament appearances. Coach Scott
Mall’s squad were second in scoring offense and third in scoring
defense in the Centennial League and set school records for free
throw percentage and three-pointers made. The Indians did lose
all five of their starters so Coach Mall’s team will be a lot less ex-
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: BENJI GEORGE
HEAD COACH: SCOTT MALL
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 23
‘14-15 OVERALL RECORD:
18-5
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
LETTERMEN RETURNING:
perienced than the last couple of seasons. Junior guard Gigi McAtee (8.3 ppg, 3.5 reb, 2.3 apg, 29-3pt) was honorable mention in
class 6A and the Centennial League and returns as the leading
scorer for the Indians. Senior guard Madison Mittie (4.9 ppg, 2.6
reb) and junior forward Kennedy Wilson (4.5 ppg, 2.7 ppg) will
be counted on as starters. Senior guard Tarrah Bammes will also
look to work her way into increased playing time and into a starting role. Coach Mall’s team was hit hard by graduation. McAtee,
Mittie and Wilson all played key minutes last year and will be
looked upon to step their leadership roles. The Indians are the
two-time defending league champions so they will have a target
on their backs every Centennial League contest. Coach Mall says
Shawnee Heights should be the favorites but should have plenty of
competition for the top of the league standings. Manhattan will
not have a home game in December. The Indians will also play in
the always tough Mid-America Classic tournament in McPherson.
There’s a lack of experience and not a lot of scoring returning for
Manhattan. Who develops as offensive options and how well the
team can come together on defense will determine the direction
of the team early on. You never count out a Scott Mall coached
team and long winning tradition of the Indians program.
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McLOUTH BULLDOGS
Northeast Kansas League • 3A / 2A • Purple & Gold
Profile
HEAD COACH: GARY FREEMAN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
Winning has become the norm
for the McLouth Bulldogs. Prior to last year, McLouth was riding a
streak of three straight winning seasons. The number would be at
four, but the Bulldogs fell a bit shy of finishing above .500. And, a
close 20-14 loss to Pleasant Ridge prevented McLouth from a trip to
the Class 3A state playoffs. Trying to get back to a winning record
might be challenging this year with switches on the team and coaching staff. Four of the five coaches on staff are gone. That includes head
coach Chris Stewart after finishing his seventh season with McLouth
with a record of 33-33. The new man at the helm is Gary Freeman.
Coach Freeman begins his 10th year with the school, but first as head
coach. Just like the previous coaching staff, the team is somewhat
depleted with just seven combined starters back. The good news is
he has the quarterback spot figured out. Well, yes and no, I suppose.
Senior Sergio Hernandez can play multiple spots on offense. He can
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be a running back, but he’s also a QB. Junior Brody Troupe can be the
main signal caller as well. So, the flexibility is there if coach Freeman
needs to make a switch mid-season, although no true coach wants
that problem. If Troupe doesn’t wind up being under center, he’s out
on the edge as the main receiving threat. At running back is junior
Braden Antes. He rounds out the skills positions, which should be a
strength for this year’s squad. But, as many know, without an offense
line, those guys might have issues racking up yards. If consistency is
harnessed up front, the Bulldogs can once again be a good offensive
unit like many years in the past. Defensively, there is a glimmer of
All-State potential. Senior linebacker Adam Perkins is back to be the
heart and soul of the defense. He accumulated 80 tackles and seven
sacks in 2014. Those numbers placed him on the All-Northeast Kansas League first team. In the secondary, senior defensive back Jack Arnett is the leader for the unit. He earned All-Northeast Kansas League
second team honors. On the d-line is junior Mystikal Randel. Like
Perkins, he had a productive last year, racking up 43 tackles. Coach
Freeman notes, “There is a solid group of juniors and seniors returning that has the potential to surprise a lot of people. A talented group
of freshmen are coming in to push the sophomores and play early.”
Although there is much to replace, coach Freeman believes this is “a
team with the ability to win seven or more games and be a playoff
team.” The Bulldogs have to survive a league that has teams returning plentiful amount of players, but coach Freeman is okay with that.
“McLouth will be underestimated in 2015 and we hope exactly for
that because it puts us in position to improve and surprise teams.”
If the whole team mixes well, coach Freeman could get his wish of
playoffs and more.
By Pat Strathman
McLouth Bulldogs
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The McLouth Bulldogs
had their share of ups and downs last year, but they were pretty competitive in the Northeast Kansas League. Nine of the 15
losses were by 12 points or fewer. Maybe that’s not incredibly impressive, but the seven defeats by nine points or fewer are. And,
to add some more, the Bulldogs dropped three games by losing
by four points or fewer. So, the 7-15 record very easily could have
been better. Plus, seven of those nine losses were in league play,
making the 5-11 NEKL mark a bit deceiving too. The program
is basically wiped clean with few players returning and a brand
new coach. Zack Carlton takes over the reins for Jason Graf, who
moves to Yates Center. Coach Carlton is a graduate of GardnerEdgerton High School. He was a baseball player at Washburn
University and was a student assistant in 2012-13 for coach Steve
Anson. Five seniors graduated off last year’s squad, leaving a
group of young guys ready to take over. Replacing Nic Bair is the
first order of business for the Bulldogs. Bair was one of the better
scorers in the Northeast Kansas League. Senior Jack Arnett looks
to be the main guy with his senior leadership. Classmate and fellow guard Lukas Skaggs is being relied upon for his leadership
as well. Juniors Brody Troupe and Tanner Zink look to make
the jump after contributing some last year. Coach Carlton says,
“With the leadership of our two seniors, they have been showing
the young guys the correct way to work in the weight room and
in the gym each day, improving and getting better every day. I’m
excited to take over for such a hardworking group of guys.” The
NEKL is looking mighty tough this year, but if the scoring picks
up, the Bulldogs can pull some upsets.
Similar to the boys squad, the Lady Bulldogs saw close defeats.
Out of the 19 losses, six were decided by five points or fewer. Two
of those were in the Northeast Kansas League. The final two defeats were to Heritage Christian, one by three points and one by
two that came in Sub-State play to end the season for McLouth.
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
ZACK CARLTON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
HEAD COACH:
KRISTIE CLARK
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
Not often does a school see changes at the head coaching spots in
the three main programs in football and boys and girls basketball. On top of that, McLouth sees a brand new athletic director
making the jump from the middle school. Kristie Clark replaces
Lindsey Graf as the new AD and girls basketball coach. Five girls
from last year’s squad return. A pair of seniors looks to lead this
young bunch in Dominique Tullis and Liz Butler. Junior Rachel
Sparks is the lone junior planning on receiving playing time.
Sophomore Cierra Funk and Justina Williams both are ready to
make the jump to the varsity level. In addition to the few upperclassmen, nine freshmen are being brought up to the varsity
level immediately. Coach Clark notes, “We will be a young team,
but I’m very excited about the potential to build.” Young might
be an understatement with a whopping nine freshmen preparing for playing time. Coach Clark is really left with no choice,
though, having very few players on the team in general. Last year,
there were just eight kids that were on the varsity squad and three
graduated. The nice thing is coach Clark knows the freshmen as
she was down in middle school for quite some time. The tough
part is competing in the NEKL, which should be just as tough
this year. It’s a rebuilding year, but coach Clark is ready.
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MISSION VALLEY VIKINGS
Flint Hills League • 2-1A • Crimson & Gold
Profile
HEAD COACH: CODY WITTE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Mission Valley head coach Cody
Witte enters his third season at the Viking helm with a wealth of experience back off of a squad that reached the Class 2-1A playoffs last
year. The Vikings return nine offensive starters and eight defensive
starters among sixteen lettermen. A balanced rushing attack returns
paced by junior quarterback Clay Phillips, who ran for 550 yards in
2014 and took the pig to pay dirt six times. Also returning to run for
Mission Valley are Senior running back Cole Hodge who ran for 300
yards and two touchdowns and his backfield mate Sophomore Blake
Roberts, who tallied 300 yards and three scores in 2014. Clay Phillips’ favorite target looks to be fellow junior wide receiver Sam Gleason, who caught 200 yards worth of aerials and found the end zone
three times. The Viking defense will be led by Hodge, who tallied 35
tackles in his junior campaign at linebacker and added a sack and an
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interception, Clay Phillips will assist, as he had 34 stops last year and
pilfered the pig three times from his defensive back spot, and Tyler
Phillips will be counted on as well, as he brought the ball carrier to the
ground 25 times, sacking the quarterback twice and forcing a fumble.
Coach Witte says, “We have a large group of returning starters. Our
upperclassmen are doing a great job of leading our team and setting
high expectations.” The Flint Hills League will continue to provide a
great test for the Vikings. Coach Witte says, “Lyndon is still considered the favorite to win the Flint Hills League. Council Grove has a
lot of returning starters and will be tough again. Overall, it should be
pretty even competition every Friday night in our league.” In district
play, the Vikings will compete against Allen-Northern Heights, Cottonwood Falls-Chase County, Herington and Marion. Marion was
the 2014 district champion in Class 2-1A District 3, as they defeated
Mission Valley for the title 72-14.Last year Marion went undefeated
in District play, with the Vikings second in the district at 3-1. Northern Heights finished third at 2-2, Chase County was fourth at 1-3
and Herington brought up the rear at 0-5. If the returning players
for the Vikings can remain healthy, they have every opportunity to
contend for a district title and change their postseason fortunes by
virtue of getting a better draw in the first round, as district champions face district runners-up in the first round of the Class 2-1A
playoffs each year. Coach Witte says of his returners, “Many of them
still have a bitter taste in their mouth from losing the district championship last year and then getting eliminated in the first round of
the playoffs. We are hungry and determined to improve upon last
year’s finish.” Another year of experience figures to go a long way
toward seeing that improvement materialize on Friday nights.
By Nick Gosnell
Mission Valley Vikings
The Mission Valley Viking
boys both return and lose a lot of experience, as coach Jordan
Hysten has eight letter winners on his 2015-16 squad. Hysten said,
“We graduated seven seniors, but also return eight letter winners.
We have a good group of players with some varsity experience to
build the team around. We will be undersized but athletic.” That
said, finding players who can put the ball in the basket is still a
priority. Coach Hysten said, “Our major scorers, Tanner Allen
and Cody Walker, graduated.” Allen was an all-league player,
while Walker was honorable mention. Senior forward Colton
Jackson will be counted on to provide leadership, as he was a
20-game starter in 2014-15. Jackson provided five points, two
rebounds and one block for the Vikings in his junior campaign.
Senior forward Masen Boswerth will be a threat from the outside,
as he looks to improve on his 30 percent clip from beyond the arc.
Wyatt Anderson is another solid senior performer, as the guard
will be tasked with adding on to his assist and steal numbers from
last season. Senior forward Cole Hodge will commence his third
season as a full time member of the Viking varsity and provide
some strength on the boards. Junior Gage Atwood is the team’s
best returning free throw shooter at 86%. Junior Clay Phillips is
an accurate shot from the field, as he hit at a 45% clip in 2014-15.
Junior Sam Gleason is the team’s shut down defender, while Junior
Seth Rudeen will provide scoring off the bench. Coach Hysten is
convinced that the program is trending upward, as the Vikings
went to the semifinals of sub-state in back to back years for the
first time in over 15 years, and won eight games each of the last
two seasons. Hysten says, “This team will look to become the first
team to win 10 or more games since the 2003-2004 season.” If the
younger players’ development in practice against the now departed Vikings has prepared them well for Varsity play, then double
digit wins are a more than reasonable goal.
The Mission Valley girls basketball team is going to count on
continued development of its squad for success in 2015-16. The
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
JORDAN HYSTEN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
(INCLUDING ‘15-16 SEASON)
HEAD COACH:
CASEY KONDA
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 5
Vikings return two starters and six letter winners from 2014-15.
Fifth year coach Casey Konda highlighted Sophomore Forward
Faith Martin as a leader on the squad, as Martin returns having
averaged nine points, six rebounds and two blocks per game in
her freshman season, on a squad that finished 7-14 overall and
4-6 in the Flint Hills League. Coach Konda said, “We will be a
young team again this year, but have the potential to really compete well in our league.” Coach Konda added, “The girls side of
the Flint Hills League has been very competitive both in and outside of the league. I expect it to be just as competitive this year
and hope that we can find ourselves in the mix come tournament
time.” The Vikings play just one home game prior to Christmas,
a December 15th date with Lyndon. Prior to that, they visit West
Franklin for the season opener and then travel to the St. Marys
tournament. The always tough Flint Hills League tournament is
the midseason test for the Vikings in Emporia beginning January 18th. The Vikings have just seven home dates in 2015-16, the
above mentioned Lyndon game and three dates each in January
and February. If the Vikings use their road slate to develop good
team chemistry, they have a chance to be competitive at the end
of the year.
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OSAGE CITY INDIANS
Flint Hills League • 3A • Red & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: ANDREW GANTENBEIN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Osage City Football is looking to
redevelop what seventh year coach Andrew Gantenbein calls, “a 1-0
mentality”. That mentality has resulted in a 27-30 record overall in
Gantenbein’s previous campaigns. The Indians will have plenty of
experience returning on the team to give them an opportunity to
have more success than 2014. The Indian squad took their lumps
due to injury last year, but look to come back with a vengeance.
The comeback of their signal caller will be vital to that effort. Senior quarterback Ryan Haskins was injured throughout 2014, but
the honorable mention All-State selection in 2013 will have plenty
of weapons to work with while he gets comfortable again in the
spread offense. Ten lettermen return for the Indians, including
eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters. A target with
big potential for Osage City is 6’4” sophomore Tyson Wilkins. He
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joins experienced receiver, senior Joe Schemm and running backs
Jordan Lamond and Jason Cooley as expected producers for the Indians. Tight end Brett Sage and linemen Travis Gustafson and Coleman Johnson look to pave the way for the Indian charge. Gustafson
was an All-Flint Hills League selection and honorable mention AllState in 2014. Many of the Indians will play on both sides of the football, as Coach Gantenbein looks to get his best 11 on the field for as
many snaps as possible. Establishing the ground game will also be a
key for Osage City, as offensive balance is vital. Coach Gantenbein
also wants his team to play faster on defense in their 3-5 scheme.
The versatility of looks that the defense can provide will be key to
the Indians’ success, and the team’s added experience should make
those adjustments possible. District play will be a challenge for the
Indians, as they face perennial 3A powers Silver Lake and Rossville
and an Oskaloosa squad that finished 2014 at 6-3. The Indians were
defeated by a total of 184 points in their three district games in 2014.
The Indians early schedule should help build their confidence, as
three of their first four non-district opponents were the teams they
beat last year. Developing depth will be vital for the Indians, and
getting young players acclimated to Friday nights prior to district
play. Coach Gantenbein said, “We’ll need some younger guys to step
up and fill in some spots.” If Osage City can stay healthy and gain
momentum through non district play, they can be much more competitive in 2015, and if Haskins can recapture the magic of his sophomore season, the Indians could be in the playoff mix on the Thursday
before Halloween, even in what could be the toughest district in all
of Class 3A. Is it possible that a school south of the capital city can
make the playoffs out of this district in 2015? The Indians believe so.
By Nick Gosnell
Osage City Indians
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Osage City boys basketball team ended their season at the Class 3A state tournament in
Hutchinson in March with a first round loss to Wellsville 59-51.
Longtime Indian head coach Dennis Fort enters his 22nd campaign with three starters and four letter winners returning off that
team, including senior forward Duncan Fort, who scorched the nets
for an average of 26.6 points per game and added eight rebounds
per contest in his junior season. Also back is senior guard Ryan
Haskins, who was good for 10 points and six boards a night in 201415. Junior guard Jason Cooley also returns. He averaged five points
per contest. Coach Fort is excited about his squad this year. He said,
“We return our two best players from last year, a second team AllState player (Fort) and an HM All-Stater (Haskins). Ryan Haskins
had a football injury during most of the season last year and was not
his normal self throughout the season. Look for him to really have
a good year. We also return Jason Cooley as a starter who will be a
junior this year and has a full season of varsity basketball under his
belt. We also have a sophomore in Tyson Wilkins who saw a lot of
varsity minutes last year and will be a starter for us this year. Our
fifth starter will be Kaleb Irvin who will surprise a lot of people this
year. He is a utility player who can do a lot of different things. The
biggest problem we will have is finding a sixth and seventh man.
Right now that is wide open.” The Indians won 21 games in 2014-15,
a Flint Hills League title and a Sub-State championship. In spite of
all those accomplishments, the team is still hungry to make it to
the weekend at the Sports Arena in March. Coach Fort said, “We
feel we have a very solid team returning and would like another
chance at the state tournament.” If Fort and Haskins stay healthy
along with the rest of the starters, and the Indians can build depth
as the season goes along, they have every opportunity to get that
second chance. Few teams in the state in any class will have a one
two punch the equal of Fort and Haskins. If the Indians can find a
consistent third scorer, they will become incredibly difficult to de-
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
DENNIS FORT
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 22
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
HEAD COACH:
CHRIS KIRKPATRICK
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
‘14-15 LEAGUE RECORD: N/A
fend. Those are the type of teams that hoist trophies in mid-March.
The potential is there. Will they realize it? Only the rigors of the
season will tell the tale.
Osage City’s Lady Indians will have five letter winners returning
when they take the court in December, including four guards with a
second year in Coach Chris Kirkpatrick’s system. The Lady Indians
will not have much size at all returning. In fact, the tallest returner
is junior post Baeh Gill, who stands at just 5’8”. Gill scored just one
point per game while pulling down two rebounds. The lack of size
and inexperience overall at the post position will be a concern for
Osage City. The Lady Indians top returner is senior guard Katie Testerman. Testerman averaged 10.8 points per game and pulled down
four rebounds. Fellow guard Kelsy Orender is also a reliable scoring threat, as the junior netted 7.2 points and three rebounds per
contest in 2014-15. Bigger contributions are needed from Kodie Otterness and Molly Plinsky, along with Jordan Hon and Georgia Hutton. Despite a 3-18 finish last year, Coach Kirkpatrick looks forward
to the challenge this season. He says, “We have five girls returning
with varsity experience. We will have to build off of being competitive at the end of last season and continue to get better each day.”
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NORTHERN HEIGHTS
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01/29
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02/02
SILVER LAKE
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02/05WAMEGOAWAY
02/09 ROSSVILLEHOME
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02/16
ST. MARYS
HOME
02/23 LEBOHOME
OSKALOOSA BEARS
Northeast Kansas League • 3A • Blue & Red
Profile
HEAD COACH: SCOTT WHALEY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: After a below .500 season in 2013,
the Oskaloosa Bears turned the program in the right direction. Oskaloosa finished with a 6-3 mark with just one loss in the Northeast
Kansas League to Pleasant Ridge, 24-18. If the Bears found a way to
claw out a win there, Oskaloosa would be NEKL champs. Instead, the
Bears settled for a tie for second with Maur Hill-Mount Academy. Obviously, the ultimate goal is making the playoffs, but the Bears are in a
loaded district with historic powerhouse Silver Lake and the reigning
champion Rossville Bulldawgs. Coach Scott Whaley enters year number 10 with a plethora of returnees from last year’s squad. In the dual
wing offense, the Bears saw plenty of success on the ground. However,
two of the top three rushers are gone in Justin Sharp and Luis Rodriguez. Rodriguez was the team’s leading rusher with 931 yards and 14
touchdowns. He averaged 5.4 yards a carry. Sharp was better with 7.4
yards a rush and was third on the team with 528 yards and scored
09/04
VALLEY FALLS
AWAY
09/19MARANATHA AWAY
09/25
JACKSON HEIGHTS
HOME
10/02MCLOUTHHOME
10/09
PLEASANT RIDGE
AWAY
10/16ROSSVILLE AWAY
10/23
SILVER LAKE
HOME
10/29
OSAGE CITY
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three times. That production needs to be replaced and luckily for the
Bears, they have a head start in senior Dillion Grother (6’1”, 160). He
rushed 121 times for 771 yards and nine touchdowns. In four games,
he rushed for 100 yards or more and boasts a nice 6.4 yards per carry
average. Helping him are a trio a seniors in Kyle Hopkins (6’4”, 190),
Ben Harvey (6’2”, 190) and Tommy Molder (6’1”, 175). Hopkins and
Harvey combined for 89 rushing yards last year. Expect senior Scott
Coates (6’0”, 170) to get some carries too. Up front, the Bears return
four of the five guys. Seniors Austin Fowler (5’10”, 175) and Justin Cross
(6’2”, 210) provide leadership for the unit. Juniors Cooper Thurston
(6’0”, 220) and Thad Willits (5’8”, 180) and sophomore Heath Knopp
(6’0”, 200) round out the o-line. Quarterback is the only spot that sees
a lack of experience. Senior Dalton Van Houtan (6’2”, 200) plans to
be the main signal caller in a rush-heavy offense. Defensively, there
is depth at defensive line and linebacker. Kyle Hopkins had the most
success up front, recording a team-high nine sacks and 69 tackles.
Tommy Molder was a close second with four sacks. Dalton Van Houtan, Justin Cross, Cooper Thurston, Thad Willits and Heath Knopp
provide depth to allow fresh legs to be on the field always. Some of
those guys can play linebacker as well. Ben Harvey, though, leads the
linebacker group with 75 tackles and an interception. Dillion Grother
recorded 59 tackles to form a nice one-two punch. The secondary has
the biggest holes, with Justin Sharp and Luis Gonzalez both combing
for eight picks last year. Scott Coates and fellow classmate Cole Chess
(5’9”, 125) both need to bring along sophomores Jerod Shufflebarger
(5’8”, 130) and Tristan Hopkins (5’6”, 110) to solidify the pass defense.
A few places need to be replaced, but the talent is there for the Bears
to compete for the league title and get back-to-back winning seasons.
Country Corner Variety & Floral
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321 Jefferson St., Oskaloosa, KS 66066 ▪ 785-863-2200
By Pat Strathman
Oskaloosa Bears
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Scott Whaley steps down as
head coach and remains as just a football coach. That switch brings
in Travis Kohler. Kohler had been the Oskaloosa middle school
boys basketball coach the previous two years. He graduated from
Wamego in 2005 and the University of Kansas in 2010. His coaching career began in 2007 when Kohler coached the MAYB basketball teams from 2007 to 2011 for the Wamego Red Raiders. He also
coached the Kansas Cagerz from 2010-11, a 17-U AAU boys basketball team out of Salina. Coach Kohler opens his first season as head
basketball coach for the high school with just two starters back and
the majority of the scoring gone. The two leading scorers last year
were Justin Sharp and Luis Rodriguez, both gone because of graduation. Rodriguez averaged 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals
a night. Sharp was closely behind with 12.5 points per game, 3.8
rebounds a night and 2.7 steals a contest. That must be replaced and
the pressure falls down low. Senior center Kyle Hopkins recorded a
5.3 points and 4.4 rebounds average. Junior forward Braeden Pfau
plans to help Hopkins after averaging 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds.
Senior center Justin Cross saw limited time and managed to average 1.1 points and one rebound. Senior forward Dalton Van Houtan
didn’t produce much a year ago (1.7 points per game and 1.5 rebounds a night) and plans to change that in 2014-15. The backcourt
lacks experience, but senior Shane Adams is up to the challenge.
Adams produced in many areas on the floor, averaging 2.6 points,
1.6 rebounds, 1.7 steals and one assist. He’s being relied to help cover the loss of Sharp and Rodriguez. Coach Kohler is focusing on
limiting turnovers and rebound the ball better in his first year. If
that happens and the scoring picks up, the Bears look to compete
in the NEKL.
Joining new boys basketball coach Travis Kohler is Daniel Hissong.
He replaces LeAnn Tufte after another tough year for the Lady
Bears. He begins his fourth year teaching at Oskaloosa and first as
the head basketball coach. Ten letter winners and all five starters
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
TRAVIS KOHLER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
HEAD COACH:
DANIEL HISSONG
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
Monday-Friday 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
785-863-2229
were back in 2014-15, but that didn’t see an improvement in record.
Coach Hissong looks to change that with three starters and five lettermen back. Senior guard Maddy Miller is one of the few seniors on
this year’s young squad. She led the way in many different statistical
categories for the Lady Bears while manning the point guard position. Juniors Ali Ragan and Shelby Wright both helped Miller in the
backcourt a year ago and look to have breakout seasons in 2015-16.
Sophomore guard Brylie Bassett looks to take a step forward after
seeing action as a freshman. In terms of success in the paint, junior
Tomi-Lyn Hickman and sophomore Jaden Courter both led the way
down low in several ways. They look to combine with junior Mattie Molder to bolster the frontcourt. Although this is his first year,
coach Hissong knows how tough the Northeast Kansas League is.
“Our league has had a lot of strong teams recently, with several
young ladies moving on to play ball at the next level,” Hissong said.
This year is no different for the NEKL, but coach Hissong says, “We
have a hardworking group of girls that are looking to compete this
year.” The first step for the Lady Bears is to embrace and learn coach
Hissong’s new system. Success won’t be judged by wins or losses for
Oskaloosa this year. Instead, if the Lady Bears cut down on turnovers and shoot the ball better, they could sneak in a few victories in
coach Hissong’s inaugural year.
12/04
PLEASANT RIDGE
HOME
12/11
VALLEY FALLS
HOME
12/15MCLOUTHAWAY
12/18
JACKSON HEIGHTS
HOME
01/05HORTONAWAY
01/08
KC CHRISTIAN
AWAY
01/12IMMACULATAAWAY
01/26, 29-30 JEFFERSON CO. N. TOURN. AWAY (G)
02/02
PLEASANT RIDGE
AWAY
02/05
VALLEY FALLS
AWAY
02/09 MCLOUTHHOME
02/12
JACKSON HEIGHTS
AWAY
02/16 HORTONHOME
Playing in the dirt, it’s what we do.
785-863-2534
OTTAWA CYCLONES
Frontier League • 4A-DI • Red & White
M@OHSActivities
Profile
HEAD COACH: BOB HEDRICK
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
The overall success of the Ottawa Cyclones football season may ride on the healing speed of their
quarterback. 4A Division I basketball All-Stater and starting quarterback Junior Isaac McCullough is coming off of surgery this summer. If healthy, he will be one of the top signal callers in the state.
McCullough threw for nearly 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns in his
sophomore campaign and added 455 yards and six touchdowns on
the ground. Sixth year head coach Rob Hedrick is optimistic. He says,
“We are excited about the upcoming season and what we might be
able to accomplish. It always helps when there are multiple o-linemen
returning with experience. Same goes for the backfield and receivers alike. Defensively we feel good about the kids we have returning
and the kids who will be competing for playing time. “The other offensive returners are junior running back Luke Snider, who rushed
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33 times for 225 yards and two touchdowns and offensive linemen
senior Beau Lynch and juniors Brock Huddleston and Drew Bones.
Defensively, Lynch will anchor the defensive line, and linebackers senior Tristan Morris and junior Brock Reed will fly around the field
for the Cyclones. Hedrick still believes the Cyclones will be successful, with or without McCullough. Hedrick said, “A lot is riding on
whether or not Isaac can play or not. Not having someone of Isaac’s
abilities playing would obviously have a big influence on what we
could do offensively. We have a solid team and I believe we will have
success even if Isaac can’t play. The weight room numbers and effort
have been very encouraging during the spring and summer. The entire staff is excited about the upcoming season.” For Ottawa, it may
be a saving grace that only the final three district games of the campaign against Baldwin, Eudora and DeSoto determine playoff eligibility. If McCullough can be back to full strength by then, you have to
like the Cyclones’ chances to advance out of their district, and with
the additional effort and time expended by the rest of the team to fill
in until he’s healthy, the Cyclones could be dangerous to a team unprepared for their improvement. Should McCullough not come back
healthy, it will be offense by committee for the Cyclones. However, as
long as the coaching staff and the returners can find a way to keep the
chains moving, the Cyclone defense should be strong enough to keep
them in games until the fourth quarter and it is amazing what teams
can accomplish when they are given the chance late in the game.
Finding the person to go to make that big play will be the coaching
staff’s toughest task if McCullough is not at full speed. Nevertheless,
the Cyclones will be competing for a playoff spot clear through the
season’s final week. Getting beyond that? We’ll have to wait and see.
By Nick Gosnell
Ottawa Cyclones
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Ottawa boys basketball
team is coming off of a fourth place finish in Class 4A Division I in
2014-15. The Cyclones won their first game at the 2015 State Tournament over Fort Scott, before losing to eventual runner up Basehor Linwood and then falling in the third place game to Shawnee
Mission Bishop Miege. The Cyclones return just two lettermen off
of that squad, but both are juniors and excellent building blocks
for the 2015-16 season. 6’4” guard Isaac McCullough averaged 17
points per game for the Cyclones along with five rebounds, four
steals and three assists per game. McCullough also shot 50% from
beyond the arc, en route to first team All-State honors from the
Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. Junior guard Perry Carroll was also a double figure scorer for the Cyclones in 2014-15, as
he averaged 11 points per game along with four rebounds, four assists and three steals per contest in his sophomore season. Cyclones
coach Cliff McCullough is realistic about his team’s chances. McCullough says, “We graduated 9 seniors from last year’s team but
have All-State Isaac McCullough returning for his junior year. We
will also have junior Perry Carroll returning who played a significant role in last year’s success. We will be rebuilding around these
so we have a pretty good place to start. There will be many opportunities for our younger kids to step into a varsity role this year.” The
Frontier League will also provide a challenge for the Cyclones as
Eudora and Paola return most of their squads. The elephant in the
room is whether or not McCullough can come back fully healthy.
If he is able to do so, he will continue as one of the toughest matchups in the state in any class. If he is slowed, however, that could
affect the Cyclones’ record and Sub-State seeding, though as long
as he returns to 100% by Sub-State, the team should be okay. If the
youngsters that take their places on the Cyclone sideline this season were able to develop from practicing against one of the state’s
best teams in 2014-15 and continue their growth into this season,
particularly if they are forced into different roles until McCullough
is fully healthy, then the Cyclones have every opportunity to end
their season in Salina on the final Saturday of play once again.
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
CLIFF MCCULLOUGH
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
(INCLUDING ‘15-16 SEASON)
HEAD COACH:
KELLI FISCHER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
The Ottawa Lady Cyclones will be in a rebuilding year in 201516, according to third-year head coach Kelli Fischer. Sophomore Kamryn Schaffer is the sole returning Lady Cyclone with
any proven varsity scoring prowess, as she netted 8.4 points per
game in 2014-15 along with cleaning the glass nearly five times
a night. Also expected to contribute are senior forward Brynn
Ferguson and junior guard Ryen White. Though the Lady Cyclones lost five seniors to graduation, Coach Fischer says, “We
have a strong nucleus to build around.” The Lady Cyclones will
deal with the rugged Frontier league, including state power
Paola. Young players will have to step up for the Lady Cyclones
to have success. Last year’s squad was 15-8, including a 7-4 league
mark. Coach Fischer is 23-13 overall in her time at Ottawa, so
the program appears to be in solid shape. 2015-16 will tell just
how solid that shape continues to be. If everything goes according to plan, the Cyclones should be playing their best basketball
at the end of the season. The Lady Cyclones would love nothing
more than to give their fans an opportunity to have two teams to
cheer for in mid-March at the Salina Bicentennial Center. To do
that, they will have to become more than the sum of their parts.
12/04
ST. JAMES
HOME
12/08
KC PIPER
AWAY
12/11 TONGANOXIEHOME
12/15
TOPEKA WEST
AWAY
12/18
DE SOTO
HOME
01/05LOUISBURGAWAY
01/08 PAOLAHOME
01/12BALDWINAWAY
01/15EUDORAAWAY
01/19-23 BASEHOR INVITATIONAL
AWAY
02/02
SPRING HILL
HOME
02/05
BISHOP SEABURY
AWAY
02/09
DE SOTO
AWAY
02/12 LOUISBURGHOME
02/16PAOLAAWAY
02/19 BALDWINHOME
02/23 EUDORAHOME
02/26
SPRING HILL
AWAY
PERRY-LECOMPTON KAWS
Big 7 League • 4A-DII • Blue & White
M@PLHSKaws
Profile
HEAD COACH: MIKE PARAMORE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 15
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Coach Mike Paramore enters his
15th season on a slight upswing. The Kaws went 4-5 last season after consecutive years of managing just three victories. Paramore is
now 69-66 at Perry-Lecompton and 121-119 in his coaching career.
The Kaws are competing with a small senior class. It’s a concern and
Paramore knows there may be some growing pains along the way.
However, he expects his kids to play hard with great enthusiasm and
pride. Perry-Lecompton has seven returning starters on offense after
having just four entering last season. They are replacing their starting
quarterback and running back, which is never easy. Seth Surface did
a fine job at QB and is now playing at Emporia State. Austin Kurtz
was their starting running back and he’s off to play at Tabor. Both positions are open and there are several guys competing for the spots. A
trio of players has experience at QB, led by senior Mitchell Bond, who
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09/18BALDWIN AWAY
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10/09HIAWATHA AWAY
10/16
ROYAL VALLEY
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10/23HOLTON AWAY
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JEFF WEST
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has starting experience and was the backup last year. He also saw
time at receiver. Junior Jordan Spreer was the junior varsity starting
QB and senior Aaron Chenhall, mostly a wideout, has experience in
that position as well. Junior Cole Kellum is the frontrunner at RB after carrying 27 times for 227 yards and three scores. Chenhall, senior
Nathan Bays and classmate Isaiah Dark have all seen significant time
at WR. Senior Braden Johanning was honorable mention All-League
at center. His leadership on the line is huge for this team. Joining him
up front are senior tackle Brett Koehler and junior guard TJ Turpin.
Tight end Landon Jamison, a senior, returns with experience, as well
as sophomore Spencer Roe. Defensively, the Kaws return five starters after bringing back just three the year before. Johanning is back
to lead things up front and is joined on the line by junior Torin Van
Nest, Roe, who became a starter at defensive end as a freshman, and
Jamison, who was a backup last season. Chenhall and Cole Kellum
transition from starting at the corner spots to playing the safety positions. Bays and Bond have experience at corner and are likely to fill
those spots. Linebacker is the biggest concern on defense for coach
Paramore. Battling for playing time are junior Nick Quinlan, classmate Michael Kellum, Turpin, and sophomore Tyler Erickson. PerryLecompton has an advantageous schedule for a team that needs time
to do some growing up. Four of their first five games are at home, and
three of their final four are on the road. Paramore believes Holton
is the league favorite until proven differently. He says the rest of the
league appears to be pretty balanced. Replacing starters at QB and RB
is tough, but the Kaws have a strong core of guys with varsity experience and some younger players who have already made an impact.
Paramore hopes his team can take another step forward this season.
J.B. PEARL
SALES & SERVICES, INC.
27425 W. Hwy 24
St. Marys, Kansas
(785) 437-2772
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Perry, Kansas
(785) 597-9909
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785-597-5151
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By Alex Dingman
Perry-Lecompton Kaws
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Kaws took a minor step
back last season, finishing 7-14. They were 8-13 the year before
and had increased their win total four straight seasons. But last
year was coach Jared Swafford’s first leading the team and he is
excited about returning five seniors with plenty of varsity experience. The senior class is led by Mitch Bond, who can play both
inside and out. Classmate Aaron Chenhall is slated to start the
year at point and is joined in the backcourt by Nate Bays, also
a senior. The other two seniors, Braden Johanning and Landon
Jamison, are back at forward. A pair of juniors should see significant playing time. Cole Kellum can play both guard and forward, while Jordan Spreer should get plenty of minutes at guard.
Sophomore Spencer Roe is an impressive young player who sees
minutes at the forward position. Coach Swafford says he has seen
good improvement in his players from year one to two. He notes
they had a productive summer, which has helped them continue
to grow as a team. Perry-Lecompton’s experienced senior class
could help them better compete in the Big 7 after managing just
a 4-12 league record a year ago. They are not an extremely deep
team so it’s important for the starters to play smart and stay
out of foul trouble. Swafford says their dedication over the past
couple off-seasons prepares them for tough league action. He is
excited to get the season going and see what these seniors can do.
Their season starts with home games against ACCHS and Holton
and they compete in the Valley Falls Tournament in January.
Four of their final six games are at home.
It was a tough go for the Perry-Lecompton girls last season. They
entered the year with zero returning starters, no seniors, and
only two girls with varsity experience. It showed, as the Lady
Kaws finished 4-16 in coach Lisa Surface’s second season, after going 10-11 the year before. They are led by a pair of players
who have been playing varsity since their freshman years. Both
earned honorable mention All-League honors last season. Senior
Sam Mallonee averaged 10 points, six rebounds, and blocked 15
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
JARED SWAFFORD
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
HEAD COACH:
LISA SURFACE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
shots from her post position. Her scoring average went up six
points from her sophomore season, which ended early due to a
knee injury. Junior Lexia Jamison also averaged 10 points while
dishing out over two assists per game from her guard position.
She averaged eight points as a freshman. Mallonee and Jamison
will be leaned on heavily, but Surface needs others to step up if
they are going to approach a double-digit win total. Junior guard
Abbi Folks returns with varsity experience. She was good for four
points and four rebounds a year ago. Classmate Ronna Erickson
should see plenty of time at forward, while senior Shelby Easum
contributes in the post. Entering year three, coach Surface is optimistic the Lady Kaws can take a step forward and continue to
build for the future. It was tough sledding last year, but Surface
says these girls “have a desire to work hard and compete, which
is fun to coach.” She says the Big 7 is a tough league and they
better be ready to compete every night. If Mallonee and Jamison
can get some help, the Perry-Lecompton girls could get back to a
double-digit win total. They open the season with a pair of home
games before playing five of the next six on the road. They play
in the Jefferson County North Tournament at the end of January
and finish the season with four of six at home.
12/04 ACCHSHOME
12/08 HOLTONHOME
12/11RIVERSIDEAWAY
12/15
JEFF WEST
AWAY
12/18
NEMAHA CENTRAL
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12/21ROSSVILLEAWAY
01/05HIAWATHAAWAY
01/12
ROYAL VALLEY
AWAY
01/15 SABETHAHOME
01/21
ACCHS
AWAY (G)
01/28
ACCHS
AWAY (B)
02/02HOLTONAWAY
02/05 RIVERSIDEHOME
02/09
JEFF WEST
HOME
02/12
NEMAHA CENTRAL
AWAY
02/16 HIAWATHAHOME
02/23
ROYAL VALLEY
HOME
02/25SABETHAAWAY
RILEY COUNTY FALCONS
Mid-East League • 3A • Blue & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: STEVE WAGNER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 32
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Every team in the Mid-East League
has some significant holes to fill from last year. Riley County is no exception, but the Falcons do return most of their offensive line which
could be a big advantage for them this season. Six starters return on
offense. One area that’s a little bare of experience is in the offensive
backfield. The Falcons will need to replace a talented quarterback
that graduated, but they do have an All-League running back to carry
the ball. Garrett Staten (160, Junior) rushed for more than 900 yards
last year, scoring 17 touchdowns. Staten is the only returning starter
in the backfield and will probably get the lion’s share of carries this
year. Wide receiver Jackson Wagner (145, Senior) was also named to
the All-League team after hauling in 24 catches for 467 yards (almost
20 yards per catch). Wagner will provide a dangerous deep receiving threat for whoever becomes quarterback for the Falcons, assuming that Wagner isn’t that quarterback. After Staten and Wagner, all
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other returning starters on offense are on the line. Dylan Moore (215,
Senior) earned All-League honors at offensive tackle. Moore is joined
up front again by Matthew Bruckerhoff (185, Senior) and Tucker
Cales (185, Senior) at guard, and Zach Richard (230, Senior) at center.
A new quarterback’s development should benefit greatly with this
experienced line. Plus, the running game already seems to be intact.
The Falcons’ offense should still fly high. Riley County also returns
six starters on defense. Tucker Cales was impressive of the defensive
line last season, earning All-League honors with 54 tackles. Cales
will be joined on the d-line again by Dillon Reichert (210, Senior).
Reichert had 30 tackles last year. Dylan Moore is the lone returning
starter in the linebacker corps. Matt Bruckerhoff wasn’t listed as a
returning starter, but did play a lot of snaps on defense, collecting 34
tackles. He will bring some much needed experience up front. The
defensive backfield is almost intact from last season. Wes March (165,
Junior), Tyler Halstead (165, Sophomore) and Garrett Staten are all
returning starters. Staten piled up 36 tackles last season. The Falcons
will need to develop a few players on defense, mostly on the line and
at linebacker, but the overall defense appears to be in pretty good
shape. Veteran head coach Steve Wagner always seems to do a great
job of rebuilding his teams. The challenge for the Falcons in the MidEast League this year appears similar to last season. Riley County lost
handily to eventual state champion Rossville and to Silver Lake, but
did beat the remaining teams in the league. Like everyone else in the
league, the Falcons have some big “ifs’” going into the 2015 season.
But, “if” their passing game can complement their rushing game, and
“if” a couple new starters step up at linebacker or on the defensive
line, this team could contend for the top of the league.
By Dan Johnson
Riley County Falcons
The Falcon boys graduated
two talented players from a very solid team, but they appear to have
even better overall depth and experience going into this season.
Senior Jackson Wagner will be a three year starter. Wagner earned
All-League honors last season after averaging 10 points and three
assists. Senior guard Alex Sager scored nine points per contest and
averaged five rebounds. Don’t be surprised if Sager’s offensive numbers jump up considerably this season. The third returning starter
for the Falcons is senior post Zach Richard who averaged roughly
five points and four rebounds last season. Coach Steve Fritz has a
deep group to fill out the playing rotation. Senior post Dalton Huey
and senior guard Ty Ruckert both lettered last year, as did junior
forward Derek Barnes, sophomore guard Ty Nelson and sophomore
forward Tyler Halstead. Coach Fritz says the Falcons have a good
core group of returning players with a fair amount of varsity game
experience. He says the ultimate determining factor deciding how
far this team goes will be the development of the younger players
that started gaining experience late last year. Fritz says he expects
the Mid-East League to be tough again, with Rock Creek returning
the most from last year. Fritz says that Silver Lake is always strong,
and that Rossville is always a tough, physical matchup. He adds that
Wabaunsee and St. Marys were very young last season, and he expects both to make big improvements this year. The Falcons appear
to have a very solid guard rotation with some scoring ability. Inside,
Riley County has several bodies and sufficient size, but no one has
proven themselves yet as an offensive threat. Part of that is because
last year’s top scorer was a post and has graduated. If one or more interior players for Riley County can provide some offensive balance,
the Falcons could fly high this season.
It should have been a rebuilding year last year, but someone forgot to
tell the Lady Falcons. In spite of having only one returning starter,
Riley County still managed an above .500 record and finished 7-3 in
a very tough Mid-East League. This season, the Lady Falcons have
four returning starters and appear poised to contend for the league
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: STEVE FRITZ
HEAD COACH:
HAROLD OLIVER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 27
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
championship. A trio of Lady Falcons averaged double figure scoring last season. Senior forward Alyssa Kulp and senior guard Jordan Clouse each averaged 10 points per game with Kulp connecting
on 55% of her shot attempts. Junior Bethany Crubel had a stellar
sophomore campaign, scoring 13 points per contest. Crubel, Kulp
and Clouse each earned All-League honors last season. Crubel and
Kulp were also named Honorable Mention for Class 3A. Sophomore
Tory Thomson is also back after starting at point guard as a freshman. Riley County has two more letter winners who should help
fill out the primary playing rotation. Senior guard Kerrigan Simons
played extensive minutes last season and sophomore forward Emily
Earhart also earned significant playing time. Coach Harold Oliver
says Riley County has an experienced group returning, and that it
should be a fun and exciting year. He says the kids worked hard over
the summer to improve. Oliver adds their schedule is very challenging, but they’re looking forward to it. League-wise, the coach says
the Mid-East should be very competitive. Much like his Lady Falcon
squad, he says Silver Lake and Rossville also return almost everyone. Oliver has 480 wins at Riley County going into this season. It
would take an outstanding season to reach 500 this year, but that is
a possibility with this team.
12/03
BLUE VALLEY
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VALLEY HEIGHTS
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12/08 WAMEGOHOME
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12/15
CLAY CENTER
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HOME
01/19-23
HILLSBORO TOURN.
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ROCK CREEK
HOME
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02/16
COUNCIL GROVE
AWAY
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ST. MARYS
AWAY
ROCK CREEK MUSTANGS
Mid-East League • 3A • Black & Silver
M@rockcreekjrsr
Profile
HEAD COACH: MIKE BEAM
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 23
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Enough of this finesse stuff!
Mustangs Coach Mike Zabel says he experimented with a different offense
and defense the past couple seasons. He says it’s time for Rock Creek
to get back to being a very physical team. You can debate whether the
different offensive and defensive systems contributed to the Mustangs’
struggles the past couple seasons, but the team also had major rebuilding
going on with the roster, and some key injuries. Rock Creek graduated
some of their biggest playmakers from last season, but a couple weapons
are back along with most of the offensive line. If Zabel does indeed go
back to the offense typically associated with the Mustangs, look for a lot
more players running the ball and fewer passing attempts. Much of the
offensive backfield will feature new starters. Senior Jackson Fike appears
to moving into the quarterback position. Senior tight end/running back
Carson Becker churned out about 5 yards per carry in limited attempts
last year. The 6’5”, 220 lb. Becker could be used to anchor the backfield,
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but may also be moved up front to beef up the offensive line. Junior Avery Ebert and sophomore Sam Ringering also have some varsity carries.
Further depth at running back may come from senior Michael Zabel and
juniors Tim Reed and Jacob Lutgen. The strength of the offense appears
to be the line which returns three starters, possibly four if you count
Becker. Back are senior center Jason Stadel, 6’1”, 280, senior guard Nate
Jilka, 5”10”, 180, and senior Tackle Layne Turnbull, 6’3”, 195. Other candidates to help fill the line rotation are seniors Tristan Larocuue, AJ Burenheide, Trystan Buss and Jared Garcia and junior Brad Johnson. Senior
tight ends Riley Mocabee and Isiah Dobbins will likely bookend the line.
The Mustangs should have one of the biggest, most physical offensive
lines in the league. On defense, four players are returning that pulled
down at least 20 tackles last season. Jared Garcia and Trystan Buss rotated in at defensive tackle, while Becker and senior AJ Burenheide both
started at linebacker. Jason Stadel will likely fill the nose guard position.
Tristan Larocuue and Riley Mocabee should also see significant snaps
on the line. In addition to Becker and Burenheide, other candidates for
playing time at linebacker are Tim Reed, senior Luke Niemeyer and Isiah
Dobbins. In the defensive backfield, sophomore Sam Ringering worked
his way into a starting cornerback position as a freshman last season.
Ringering will likely be joined in the defensive backfield by Jackson
Fike, Michael Zabel and Jacob Lutgen. Cody Vidana and Myles Stamm
could also factor into the defensive backfield. While the overall number
of returning defensive starters is limited, a lot of players played a lot of
snaps. There’s a good amount of experience returning, and the Mustangs
defense could cause some real problems up front for their opponents.
The offensive playmakers are unproven for the Mustangs, but the roster should lend itself well to Coach Zabel’s goal of being more physical.
By Dan Johnson
Rock Creek Mustangs
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Mustangs return two
starters from a team that finished runner-up in the state championship, but there’s also a lot of other talent ready to step into prominent roles. Coach Jim Johnston has developed great depth the past
several seasons. That’s why this year’s team appears to be “reloading” rather than “rebuilding.” The Mustangs return a talented starting duo inside with 6’5” senior Carson Becker and 6’2” senior Jared
Garcia. Becker averaged 16 points and eight rebounds last season,
earning both All-League and All-State honors. Johnston says Becker has the ability to play inside or out, and could have scored a lot
more points last season but was willing to let others gain experience. Garcia also earned All-League and was Honorable Mention
All-State. Garcia averaged 10 points, and is also a threat both inside
and outside. Johnston says several other players are ready to help fill
the rotation this year. Caleb Rogge is a 6’2” sharp-shooting senior
guard who averaged seven points and probably would have started
on most teams last year. 6’5” senior Tristan Buss is very physical and
dominated in JV play last year. Coach Johnston says having Buss in
the lineup will allow Becker to play some at guard. Isiah Dobbins
is a 6’3” senior that also has the versatility to play either guard or
post. At point guard, the future is now. Johnston says junior Cooper
Schloctermeier has the potential to be one of the best point guards
to come out of Rock Creek. Fellow junior guard Avery Ebert is a
great defender who can also shoot the ball. Further guard depth
will come from senior defensive specialist Jackson Fike and senior
sharp-shooter Logan Jensen. Johnson says the Mustangs also have
four talented sophomores who will be fighting for varsity minutes,
once again giving Rock Creek great depth. The coach says he has
more shooters to put on the floor this year, which should help take
some defensive pressure off of Becker and Garcia inside. Johnston
says the Mustangs should be even better offensively this year, but
they need to work to improve their defense. On paper, no one else
in the Mid-East League seems to have as much returning as Rock
Creek. The Mustangs appear to be the favorite to win league again,
and could very well work their way back to the state tournament.
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
JIM JOHNSTON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 13
HEAD COACH:
ADAM PLUMMER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
A young Lady Mustangs’ squad struggled last season, but could
be much improved this year. Four starters are back, along with 3
other lettermen, but there is a major change on the bench. Rock
Creek welcomes back 2002 graduate Adam Plummer who had been
coaching at Valley Heights. Plummer inherits a team that’s mostly
intact from last year, but it still relatively young. Junior guard Morgan Feldkamp is the leading returning scorer after averaging seven points and four assists last season. Fellow junior guard Brynn
Hammett is also back. Hammett averaged four points last year.
6’0” senior Alli Snapp gives Rock Creek some length and athleticism inside. Snapp averaged 6 rebounds last season and is a shotblocker, but has had limited effectiveness offensively. Junior Jayden
Weers also returns as a starter inside after posting five points and
five rebounds per contest as a sophomore. Coach Plummer will have
plenty of depth at the post position. Seniors Mariah Matthews and
Winter Henry, along with junior Olivia Lee, are all post players who
lettered last season. The question for this squad appears to be depth
at guard. Hopefully, a younger player is ready to play some varsity
minutes. If not, one of the experienced post players may need to
change positions.
12/04
CLAY CENTER
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12/15
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01/05
RILEY COUNTY
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SILVER LAKE
AWAY
01/12ROSSVILLEAWAY
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01/29WAMEGOAWAY
02/02CENTRALIAAWAY
02/05
RILEY COUNTY
AWAY
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02/12
ST. MARYS
AWAY
02/16CHAPMANAWAY
02/19
SILVER LAKE
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ROSSVILLE BULLDAWGS
Mid-East League • 3A • Red & Black
M@RossvilleDawgs
Profile
HEAD COACH: DERICK HAMMES
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Defending State Champion Rossville
graduated some key players, but the Dawgs should still be a force again
this season. Several talented athletes have moved on, but Coach Derick
Hammes still has All-State quarterback Tucker Horak. Now a senior,
Horak ran for 2,089 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, while passing for another 1,651 yards and 22 touchdowns. Other than Horak, the
Dawgs must replace most of their offensive backfield. They do return
junior Dawson Hammes who averaged just under six yards per run
on limited attempts. Junior Trevor Balch and sophomore Isiah Luellen
also have some varsity experience at running back. Transfer junior Jacob Bradshaw has also played quarterback, and could factor into the offense. Horak still has one of his favorite receiving targets in All-League
senior Christian Roduner, who hauled in 40 catches for 556 yards and
six touchdowns. Junior transfer Cole Schumacher and junior Kyle Parr
are also projected as varsity receivers. While returning runners and re-
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RILEY COUNTY
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10/02
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OSAGE CITY
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SILVER LAKE
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ceivers are sparse, almost all of the starting offensive line is back. Senior
Gabe Marney (6’2”, 240) earned All-League last season. Marney will be
joined on the line again by seniors Zach Jenson (5’11”, 185), Tyler Sage
(6’0”, 235) and Kole Davoren (6’4”, 210). Several players are vying for the
remaining line positions, including senior Chayne Hulbert who started
one game last year. Seniors Eric Ebert and Isaac Luellen, along with juniors Jared Ebert and TJ Fiedler are also battling for snaps on the line.
Coach Hammes says scoring should not be a problem with the school’s
leading rusher (Horak) back to lead the offense. Graduation delivered a
bigger hit to the Dawgs defense where only five starters are back. Defensive end Isaac Luellen earned All-League with 39 tackles last year. Gabe
Marney also started on the line last season. Coach Hammes projects that
Chayne Hulbert, Eric Ebert, Jack Reeves and Tyler Sage will all play snaps
up front this season. Coach Hammes says the biggest question mark on
defense will be replacing an All-State linebacker. Dawson Hammes is
the only returning starter at linebacker, and leads all returning players
with 81 tackles last season. Seniors Derek Gentry, Alex Cavanaugh and
Zach Jenson, plus sophomore Isiah Luellen are expected to also play at
linebacker this season. Gentry and Jenson each collected more than 20
tackles last year. Christian Roduner and Tucker Horak highlight the defensive backfield. Roduner earned All-League last year with 50 tackles
and three interceptions. Horak added 42 tackles and three interceptions.
Other projected defensive backs include Trevor Balch, Jacob Bradshaw,
Kyle Parr and Cole Schumacher. Coach Hammes says he is looking for
new leadership from his team. He says finding selfless leaders who can
buy into the team concept will be critical for this year’s success. Hammes
adds, living up to high expectations, and having a target on their back
will be a new experience for this team, but if the Dawgs can handle the
pressure and develop young talent, they could be in for a great year.
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By Dan Johnson
Rossville Bulldawgs
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Rossville Bulldawgs lost
four of their five starters from last year’s team so, naturally, Coach
Derek Dick believes they’ll be much improved this season! Huh?
Part of Dick’s seemingly contradictory reasoning is because of the
arrival of two new players who transferred in from Washburn Rural
during last school year. Coach Dick describes junior guard Jacob
Bradshaw as a slasher and a very good defender. Dick says fellow
junior transfer Cole Schumacher is very good offensively, and can
score in a variety of ways. Dick says both players will be a big help
to the program. Bradshaw and Schumacher join All-League performer Tucker Horak who averaged 11 points, four rebounds and
four assists last season. Horak is the only actual returning starter, but Coach Dick also has five other lettermen to round out the
playing rotation. Senior forward Christian Roduner has the most
varsity experience of that group, averaging five points and three
rebounds last season. Fellow seniors Lorenzo Mason at guard and
forward Chayne Hulbert could also contribute. In addition to the
junior transfers, three more in the junior class should factor heavily into the playing rotation. Guard Dawson Hammes averaged four
points and two rebounds as a sophomore, and has the ability to hit
the perimeter shot. Wyatt Dyche and Trey Anderson will add depth
to the guard and forward rotations, respectively. Coach Dick says
the Dawgs should be better this year due to good depth and a much
better basketball IQ. The coach adds that his team will once again be
very athletic, but they’ll have more size than the past couple years.
Dick says his team should also have more fire power offensively. He
says he’s looking forward to this season, and that the Dawgs should
be much more competitive. Dick says that Rock Creek will be the favorite to win league, but otherwise the Mid-East League looks wide
open. Unless these Dawgs prove to be more bark than bite, Rossville
could finish in the top half of the league.
The Lady Dawgs finished with an overall winning record last season
and a .500 record in a very tough Mid-East League. This year could
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH: DEREK DICK
HEAD COACH: MICHAELBELL
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
be even better. Coach Michael Bell has four starters back, and lots of
depth. A pair of All-Leaguers will lead the way for Rossville. Senior
point guard Heidi Nitsch averaged almost nine points and three assists last year, while blossoming star junior Amanda Hill averaged
more than 12 points and five rebounds per contest. Seniors Lauren
Steckel and Katie Conley also started last season. Steckel, a guard,
scored seven points on average while forward Conley added five
points and five rebounds per contest. Six other players will likely
factor into the main playing rotation. Size in the paint is available
from senior Rachel Day and junior twins Lora and Sara Shinn. Bell
says the Shinn twins, who are both just shy of 6’0”, are a big presence
inside and are only getting better. Further guard depth will come
from the sophomore trio of Jayln Porter, Maura Buhler and Ashley
Zemek. Bell says Porter is a very good defender and could earn lots
of playing time this year. The depth of the Lady Dawgs gives them
the versatility to match up with virtually any opponent. Rossville
has struggled to score at times the past couple seasons, but the offense should have more punch this year thanks to the improved perimeter shooting ability of Hill, Nitsch and Steckel. The Lady Dawgs
did lose an athletic presence inside due to graduation, but the overall depth and physical maturity should more than compensate.
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SILVER LAKE
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RILEY COUNTY
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01/12
ROCK CREEK
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01/15
ST. MARYS
AWAY
01/19, 22-23 VALLEY FALLS TOURN. AWAY (B)
02/02
ST. MARYS
HOME
02/05WABAUNSEEAWAY
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OSAGE CITY
AWAY
02/12
SILVER LAKE
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RILEY COUNTY
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ROCK CREEK
AWAY
ROYAL VALLEY PANTHERS
Big 7 League • 4A-DII • Purple & Silver
M@RV337
Profile
HEAD COACH: JAKE LOTT
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The Royal Valley Panthers begin
head coach Jake Lott’s second campaign with nine returning starters from a team that went 2-7 in 2014 and 1-5 in the Big Seven.
Coach Lott says, “Our returning experience should help us hit
the ground running into the new season.” Senior Derrick Barger
returns at running back. He was the Panthers’ leading rusher in
2014 and an Honorable Mention All-League selection. Barger will
also help to anchor the Panther defensive backfield. Senior Jarrett
Roy is the other returning Panther with all-league honors, as the
offensive lineman/defensive tackle was honorable mention AllBig Seven in 2014. Senior signal caller Zac Lux also returns, along
with running back Garrett Schultz, tight end Trent Terrel, wide
receiver Nick Ehrhart and running back Noah Hart among those
lacing it up for their final Panther campaign. Each senior will also
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play a role defensively, with Lux, Ehrhart and Hart at defensive
back. Schultz and Terrell will play defensive line. Other returners
are junior offensive linemen Jacob Box and Garret Rodewald. Box
is a defensive lineman as well, while Rodewald plays linebacker.
Expected to contribute this year are Senior Noah Howerton and
junior Kenny Aitkens on the line, along with juniors Noah Ensley and Kyle Stithem in the backfield on both sides of the ball.
Sophomore Cutlass Wishteyah is the sole 10th grader mentioned
by Coach Lott as a known commodity prior to the season, though
many youngsters will have to show improvement for the Panthers
to have success. Coach Lott says, “One of our weaknesses will be
depth, the team will have to have young players step up into certain
positions and be ready to play.” Coach Lott adds, “The key will be
developing leadership to lead the team through the season. With
a bunch of experience returning the key will be on getting better
and building skills each and every day. The offensive and defensive line has to turn into a strength for this team and finding some
depth for those positions will be key. The team has to stay healthy
throughout the season.” Lott expects the Big Seven to continue to
be controlled by perennial 4A-Division II power Holton, though
Nemaha Central and Sabetha will also provide excellent competition for the league’s top spots. The Holton Wildcats are a district
opponent for the Panthers, along with Jefferson West and PerryLecompton. The Panthers will play the latter two at home before
closing the season with a trip to Holton. If the Panthers can avoid
the injury bug and jell together prior to district play, improvement
should be on the way, and competition should be fierce for a Class
4A-Division II playoff spot.
By Nick Gosnell
Royal Valley Panthers
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Royal Valley Panthers
boys basketball team will play their fourth season under coach
Keith Pelton in 2015-16. The Panthers will return most of their
team’s nucleus from last season where they may have surprised
some people due to their lack of varsity experience coming into
last year. That should not be the case this year with three full time
starters, and two additional part-time starters returning this winter. The Panthers will also look to see strong and consistent contributions from some key underclassmen as well. The three full-time
returning starters are all seniors. Guard Derrick Barger averaged
six points per game while dishing out 89 assists. Guard Noah Rottinghaus was a near double figure man for the Panthers, averaging
9.8 points per game, along with over five and a half rebounds per
contest. Kwaki Spoonhunter was a third productive guard, as he
averaged 8.7 points per game, just over four rebounds per contest
and distributed 43 assists. Four more seniors will see action for the
Panthers, including super sub Jarrett Roy, who averaged 8.3 points
per game and just over four rebounds each night. The other senior
contributors are Nick Ehrhart, Jacob Rottinghaus and Derek Linn.
Linn is the tallest Panther at 6’4. Juniors Lucas Broxterman and Ian
Lee will bolster the Panther bench, along with sophomores Mason
Spoonhunter and Thunder Knoxsah. Royal Valley will battle Sabetha and Nemaha Central for Big Seven supremacy, with Holton
also in the mix. The Panthers will need to continue their strong
defensive effort and work hard to overcome the loss of two of the
better rebounders in the league to graduation as well as the top
shot blocker. Duplicating the defensive effort from 2014-15 season
will be difficult and will put even more emphasis on the team defense as a whole.
Royal Valley girls basketball coach Corey Katzer returns two starters and five letter winners from a Panther squad that finished 8-12
in 2014-15. The pinwheel of the Panther offense will be returning
post Kate Hanson, a first team All-Big Seven selection last season,
who averaged 10.5 points per game, along with 7.7 rebounds per
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
KEITH PELTON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 4
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
HEAD COACH:
COREY KATZER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
contest and 3.5 steals every night. Sophomore point guard Tamo
Thomas can also put the ball in the net, as she averaged 8.25 points
per game in her freshman campaign and added 3.4 rebounds and
three steals to her ledger on average, as well. Another key returner for the Panthers is senior forward LaVonna BigGoose, as she
scored over four points a night and contributed 2.5 rebounds and
1.5 steals per game in her junior campaign. One key to Panther
growth in girls basketball lies in the underclassmen, according to
Coach Katzer. He said, “We are looking to see continued growth
from our strong group of underclassmen, Maggie Schuetz, Melissa
Jordan and Annabella Thompson. I am excited to see them in an
increased role.” However, Coach Katzer knows he can’t get the production he’d like from the younger players without senior leadership, and he cited the continued maturation of Hanson and fellow
Senior Macy Putnam as key to Panther success. Coach Katzer said,
“We will have a good mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen
that gained a lot of varsity experience that will be keyed upon. It
will help that the kids will be in the second year of our system and
program, which will aid in their development.” The Panther girls
will be challenged in Big Seven play every night. Coach Katzer
said, “The league, as always, will be one of the top girls basketball
leagues in the state.”
12/04
JEFF WEST
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12/08ACCHSAWAY
12/11 HIAWATHAHOME
12/15RIVERSIDEAWAY
12/18
SANTA FE TRAIL
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01/05
NEMAHA CENTRAL
AWAY
01/08SABETHAAWAY
01/15 HOLTONHOME
01/21-23
PANTHER CLASSIC
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01/29
JEFF WEST
AWAY
02/02 ACCHSHOME
02/05HIAWATHAAWAY
02/09 RIVERSIDEHOME
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NEMAHA CENTRAL
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ST. MARYS BEARS
Mid-East League • 3A • Blue & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: MYRON FLAX
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
TOTAL RETURNING LETTERMEN:
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: It’s the beginning of a new era for
the St. Marys Bears. For the first time in more than a decade, a different head coach will be in charge. Myron Flax takes over the reins after
coaching for 15 years at Trego Community High School in western
Kansas. St. Marys struggled through a rebuilding project last year as
only two returning starters were back on both offense and defense.
Flax inherits a much better situation. His first Bears’ squad will have
more than half of the starters back on both sides of the ball. On offense,
senior Jayson Failer returns at quarterback. Failer should have plenty
of rushing options to give the ball. Sophomore Taegan Schoenfeld was
impressive both rushing and catching the ball as a freshman last year.
Seniors Corey Tyler and Nick Rutledge are also very capable runners.
Failer should also have plenty of passing options. Senior Reagan Steele
has developed into a reliable wide receiver. Fellow senior Tyler Layton
also provides a threat downfield. Senior flanker Louis Johnson has big
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play potential. Physical junior tight end Mitchell Roche should provide
some solid blocks and a target for shorter passes. The offensive line will
be anchored by senior center Jordon Colson. A list of projected starters
was not available, but the rest of the line will likely be filled by a combination of seniors Jared Schoemann and Anthony Foster, and juniors
Chris Akin, Wathan Moylan and Eric Sack. Akin, Sack and Foster are
all burly, physical players while Colson, Schoemann and Moylan are
more mobile. The offensive line may lack a little experience initially,
but this group has the physical tools to develop into a solid line. Seven
starters are back on defense, highlighted by the backfield. Jayson Failer returns at strong safety, while Corey Tyler and Teagan Schoenfeld
are both back at the corners. Versatile Tyler Layton can play all the
backfield positions, and Caleb Bird and Kory Gomez will add depth
to the positions. Jared Schoemann leads a line backing corps that will
replace a couple starters, but both Reagan Steele and Nick Rutledge
have varsity experience at the position. The defensive line is mostly
intact. Chris Akin returns at tackle. Mitchell Roche can play either at
tackle or defensive end, while Jordan Colson manned the other end
position. Anthony Foster and Eric Sack will likely battle for a tackle
position. Louis Johnson and Waythan Moylan both have experience
at defensive end. Much like the offense, there are a lot of nice pieces
back for this season. Of course, Coach Flax may use much different offensive and defensive formations than his predecessor, so some players
could be in different positions from last season. Time will tell if change
is good, but Flax says his squad had a nice off-season and that the players are working hard. From an experience and growth standpoint, the
Bears should be improved. As always, the Mid-East League will have
some huge challenges, and the district looks very tough.
By Dan Johnson
St Marys Bears
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: After a couple difficult seasons, Coach Adam Hurla says this could be a nice turnaround year
for the Bears. St. Marys brings back nine lettermen, including four
starters, and some perimeter shooting ability. The Bears don’t have
tremendous size, but senior post Jared Schoemann plays well inside,
averaging nine points and seven rebounds last season. Junior guard
Jeff Kleinsmith can also play some at forward. The sharp-shooting
Kleinsmith was the focus of defenses last year, but still managed
nine points and five rebounds per contest. As a freshman last year,
Mitch Flanagan helped take some of the perimeter pressure off
Kleinsmith. Flanagan surprised opponents by knocking down 38%
of his three-point attempts and averaging eight points. The guarddominated Bears also feature seniors Jordan Baumchen and Reagan Steele. Baumchen has been limited due to injuries the past two
years. When healthy, Baumchen gives the Bears another three-point
threat. Steele is a defensive specialist who averaged four rebounds
and two steals per contest. Austin Rieschick also played major minutes as a freshman last season. Rieschick stepped into the point
guard role, dishing out three assists per game. As mentioned, St.
Marys didn’t have much of an inside presence besides Schoemann
last season, but Coach Hurla has hopes that junior Josh Schindler
will help fill that void this year. Hurla says he is looking forward
to this season because he believes the Bears can make a huge turnaround if his guys work hard and play for one another. Hurla says St.
Marys has a lot of experience coming back, and a bunch of kids who
love to play the game. The coach adds that if they play better on the
defensive end, they should be able to compete with anyone. Height
will be somewhat of an issue again for the Bears this season, but
Hurla has had success (including a state championship) with shorter
teams. Last year’s squad shot almost 30% from 3-point range, and
most of those shooters are back.
The Lady Bears graduated four starters from last year. In spite of
that, Coach Randy Wild says this year’s team should be fun to watch
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
ADAM HURLA
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 8
HEAD COACH:
RANDY WILD
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 6
as they develop over the course of the season. A trio of seniors will
lead the way. Kati Kolde is the lone returning starter. Kolde is a
streaky three-point shooter who also pulled down three rebounds
per game. Kayce Flanagan has the most experience of any returning post player on the team. Flanagan averaged almost five points
per game. Much like Flanagan, fellow senior Shelby Flach is another
physical forward who lacks some height. Part of Wild’s optimism
for this season is due to the 14-5 record posted by the JV team last
season. Now much of that JV team is ready for varsity. The junior
class features guards Anna Moylan, Madelyn Stewart and Maddie
Layton. Moylan is a good perimeter shooter while both Stewart and
Layton are athletic speedsters. The sophomore class is highlighted
by point guard Logan Hurla who averaged almost two steals per
game in varsity action last year. Fellow sophomore Madison Bird
can also play point guard, while Madison Schoemann has the versatility to play either guard or forward. Coach Wild says St. Marys
also has a large freshman class coming in, and some of the freshmen
should be ready to push for varsity minutes as the season goes on.
Unless there is some height in the freshman and sophomore classes, this will be a small team. The Lady Bears are deep with speedy
guards that Wild could substitute freely if he chooses. This could be
a good pressing team.
12/08, 10-11 ST. MARYS TOURN.
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SANTA FE TRAIL CHARGERS
Pioneer League • 4A-DII • Red & Blue
Profile
HEAD COACH: JAYSON DUNCAN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 6
Wow. What a difference a year
makes. Coach Jayson Duncan knew his Santa Fe Trail football team
was in position to make some noise last year and they sure did. A team
that went 1-8 the prior season finished 9-3 with a 3-0 district record.
The Chargers enjoyed their first winning season since 2002 and first
playoff berth since 2001. They knocked off Jefferson West and Frontenac before losing to Columbus in the state semis, 44-12. Entering the
state playoffs, Santa Fe Trail had outscored opponents 382-128. Their
only regular season losses were to state qualifiers Wellsville (3A) and
Ottawa (4A-D1). Duncan says they “lost a bunch of good players to
graduation, kids that started multiple years. However, we have a great
crew coming back and I expect us to be competitive. We now have
some confidence, which is huge.” He wants to build on what they were
able to accomplish last season. His goal is to again win more games
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than they lose and make it back to the playoffs. The Hastings boys
help pave the way up front. Junior guard Jake Hastings was first team
All-League and honorable mention All-4A. Senior Cody Hastings is
also back at guard. Seniors Collin Watkins and Daniel Courtwright
return at skill positions. Watkins rushed 16 times for 131 yards as a
running back while Courtwright also sees time in the backfield and
caught 18 passes for 286 yards from the wide out position. Those four
are the only returning starters on offense. The defense returns seven.
Senior linebacker Trevor Boudeman leads the way. Boudeman’s coming off a season in which he registered 90 tackles. At outside linebacker, senior Cal Lyle recorded 72 tackles. Up front, senior defensive end Ethan Dean managed 57 stops, while junior Peyton Newton
had 45 tackles and two interceptions from his safety position. How
will Santa Fe Trail follow up its best season in over a decade? Last
year, the Chargers thought they were good enough. Now they know
they’re good enough. Confidence is a powerful thing and success often breeds more success. In coach Duncan’s sixth season, Santa Fe
Trail has a chance to prove last season wasn’t a fluke. The Chargers
could use the excuse that they graduated a lot of talent, but so could a
lot of teams. Duncan and his team have a great opportunity to show
the Pioneer League and 4A that they are a force for years to come.
The quest begins with a road game at Iola, followed by their home
opener against Central Heights, before a date at Royal Valley, a team
the Chargers blew out last season 55-13. An away game at Anderson
County is followed by home dates with Wellsville and Ottawa, giving
Santa Fe Trail a couple opportunities in a row to get revenge. District
play consists of away games at Bishop Ward and Prairie View and a
home game against Osawatomie.
By Alex Dingman
Santa Fe Trail Chargers
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: It was a rebuilding year for
the Santa Fe Trail boys in Mike Staniec’s first season as head
coach after being an assistant for a couple years. The Chargers
went 6-15 and 5-7 in league play, finishing in the middle of the
pack. Four starters return and Staniec’s expectations are higher.
He says this is an athletic group which is not afraid to work. He
says they had a great summer and says this should be a fun year.
Returning at point guard is their most experienced player, senior
Collin Watkins. Watkins averaged nine points, two rebounds,
while shooting 36 percent from outside. Senior center Cody
Hastings was good for six points and five rebounds. Seniors Daniel Courtwright and Seth Coltrone are back after combining for
eight points. Courtwright was also good for three rebounds per
contest. Coach Staniec says their first year in the Pioneer League
was a good one for them and he feels they are better ready to
compete with top teams Wellsville and Osawatomie. The Chargers face a stiff test out the gate as they travel to Olpe for the
first game of the year. Olpe was undefeated and the top team
in 2A last year entering the state tournament. They ended up
getting third. Santa Fe Trail has a home date with Wellsville, another state qualifier, in January, before playing in the Royal Valley Panther Classic. Wellsville was fourth in 3A last year. They
play Wellsville again in February, this time on the road, before
finishing the regular season with home games against Anderson
County and Iola. The Chargers have a good mix of inside and
outside talent and are led by four quality seniors. They should
take a step forward this season and compete with the top teams
in the league.
The Santa Fe Trail girls knew it was going to be tough following
a championship season and departure of six seniors, and it was.
Entering his second season as head coach, Keith Johnson says his
team again is young and inexperienced, but at least some have a
year of varsity experience under their belts. Like last season, the
Lady Charges are guard heavy, and therefore rely on their shoot-
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
MIKE STANIEC
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 4
HEAD COACH:
KEITH JOHNSON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
ing and on ball defense, which was much improved by the end of
last year, according to Johnson. He says that must carry over to
this season. Senior guard Peyton Workman is their top returner
after averaging five points and four rebounds per game. Senior
post player Skye Dunnaway was good for five points and three
rebounds. Junior guard Grace Herren contributed four points
per contest, while sophomore guard Piper Johnson was good for
three points and two rebounds. Senior guards Carley Stone and
Keelie Johnson combined for three points. Other top returners
are sophomores Kelsey Simmons, a guard, and Greta Costlow, a
post player. Coach Johnson is confident Santa Fe Trail can improve upon their 5-16 overall record and 4-8 league mark. He
says Wellsville will again be the best team in the league, followed by Anderson County. The Lady Chargers season starts
with a test on the road against Olpe. They play in the Royal Valley Panther Classic in January and finish up the regular season
with home games against Anderson County and Iola. Many of
the girls on this team practiced against the group that won state
in 2014 and know what it takes to get to that level. Coach Johnson believes his team will continue to improve and, if they can
shoot effectively and play solid D, they could give teams trouble
in Sub-State.
12/04OLPEAWAY
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SEAMAN VIKINGS
Centennial League • 5A • Cardinal Red & Royal Blue
Profile
HEAD COACH: BLAKE PIERCE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 12
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: With 16 of the 22 starters back in
2014, the Seaman Vikings were prime and ready for a big season. The
start of the year wasn’t the greatest in a tough Centennial League, but the
Vikings bounced back by winning four of their last five regular season
games. Seaman nearly beat Shawnee Heights for the district title and
the Vikings had to travel to Leavenworth in the first round of the Class
5A playoffs. The Pioneers ended Seaman’s season, but the postseason
appearance happened for the third year in a row. Coach Blake Pierce
opens his 12th year with 13 starters back. Six of the 13 are offensive returnees, the key one being at quarterback. Junior signal caller Dalton
Cowan showed flashes of being a top QB in the league. He threw for
1,271 yards and 11 touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed for 469 yards
and three scores. Coach Pierce notes, “Cowan is expected to be even
better this season with improvements in size and strength, along with
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experience gained last season.” The All-Centennial honorable mention
selection is the x-factor for this Vikings’ offense, but the Vikes are missing another key cog from last year. League first team running back Reid
Fehr is gone. His partner in crime is senior Coltan Moranz, who plans
to replicate what Fehr did in 2014. Moranz recorded 126 carries for 667
yards and three TD’s. That production was good to get on the honorable
mention lists for both the city and Centennial League. Helping create
holes on the offensive line is a pair of seniors. Dawson Johannes and
Ian Hall anchor the unit. Hall is an All-Centennial League second team
selection in 2014. A few other linemen need to fill the holes. Speaking of
holes, Seaman has just one returner at wide receiver. Junior Nick Steiner
reeled in 15 catches for 170 yards and two scores. No more Joe Reagan
or tight end Wyatt Hendrix to catch passes and the Vikes need another
option for Cowan. The absence of Hendrix alters defensively more than
anything. Hendrix dominated at the defensive end position, recording
89 tackles and a whopping 10 sacks. On the opposite end, senior Cole
Esser wasn’t that bad himself. Seaman might have featured the best set
of defensive ends with Esser adding 67 tackles and six sacks. The linebacker corps is set with a pair of solid backers. Senior Bailey Kelly accumulated 28 tackles and two sacks in 2014. Junior Mike Latendresse had
better numbers with 45 stops and three sacks. The secondary is led by
junior corner Simeon Sykes. He was an honorable mention selection for
both the city and Centennial League. Sykes picked off the QB twice and
had 24 tackles. He’s also a weapon as a punter, recording a 37-yard average. The weapons are there for the Vikes, but the key in coach Pierce’s
eyes is “a fast, aggressive defense.” The offensive firepower is there and
if that defense comes together in a somewhat open race for the league
crown, Seaman can be at the top.
By Pat Strathman
Seaman Vikings
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Seaman made slight improvements from the 2013-14 season, although the expectations were a
bit higher than the final record. In 2013-14, the Vikings were 8-13.
With four starters back in 2014-15, Seaman finished right at .500.
The season could have easily been better with close losses in a different year for the Centennial League. The Vikes ended the season
with a 7-6 league mark, good for fourth. And, Seaman advanced
to the Sub-State championship game versus the Shawnee Heights
Thunderbirds, but failed to move on to the Class 5A state tournament. In his fifth year, coach Craig Cox watches his top two scorers
move as two starters return. Losing All-City first team member Joe
Miller hurts the most. His 17.7 points per game led everyone in Topeka. On top of that, he was second on the team with five rebounds
a night and first with 40 made threes. That production is tough to
replace, but senior guard Josiah Hazim looks to rise to the occasion.
He played in all 22 games and was third in scoring with 8.1 points
a night. He shot the ball at a decent level at 43 percent from the field
and 35 percent from deep. Hazim added 4.2 rebounds a contest too.
Helping him is junior Ethan Sparks. He saw the court many times,
averaging 2.4 points and 1.7 boards. The second leading scorer a
year ago was Reid Morgart. He was right at 10 points a night and
had a team-high 6.3 rebounds a night. Senior forward Ryan Zeferjahn looks to pick up the slack after averaging 8.1 points and 4.8
rebounds. Junior forward Tanyon Schafer is back after producing
off the bench. He recorded 4.7 points a game and pulled down 2.9
boards a contest. There’s lots to replace for the Vikings, but the rest
of the Centennial League joins them, giving Seaman still a shot at
finishing better than fourth this season.
Coach Steve Alexander saw his Lady Vikes go to the Class 5A state
tournament for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, the trip was
short as Seaman ran into one of the best players in 5A to end the season. Still, lots of success for the Lady Vikes as they controlled their
own destiny in the Centennial League. All they needed was a victory
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
CRAIG COX
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 5
HEAD COACH:
STEVE ALEXANDER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 23
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
over Hayden and they would clinch a share of the league crown.
That didn’t happen either as Seaman settled for a tie for third. Now,
three crucial starters are gone in the Centennial League player of
the year Tatyana Legette and All-City second teamer Rachel Heald.
Legette moves on to Fort Hays State after averaging a double-double, 16.1 points and 10 rebounds. Heald’s presence was on the defensive end as she averaged 4.6 blocks while scoring 9.1 rebounds a
night. The two lone returning starters are in the backcourt. Senior
Tatum Smith and junior Jaycee Sumner both are expected to lead
this year’s bunch. The 5’7” Smith chipped in 2.8 points a game while
the 5’2” Sumner added 3.7 points a contest. Junior Meghan Sumner
(5’2”) plans to help as she played one varsity game and then suffered an injury. Juniors Lacey Dell (5’7”) and Taylor Nickel (5’6”)
and sophomores Makayla Akin (5’6”) and Delaney Kramer (5’6”) all
battle for starting positions and playing time. In the paint, seniors
Tonnia Scott (5’9”) and Andie Sodergren (5’8”) have a tall task to
limit the loss of Legette and Heald. Scott averaged 1.5 points and 1.5
rebounds and Sodergren followed with 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds.
Juniors Reagan Calhoon (5’10”) and Sydney McNorton (5’8”) both
round out the group. This year is drastically different for the Lady
Vikes, but with solid leadership, blended in with young talent, Seaman has a chance to remain competitive in league.
12/04
OLATHE SOUTH
AWAY (G)
12/08
KC TURNER
AWAY (B)
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SHAWNEE HEIGHTS THUNDERBIRDS
Centennial League • 5A • Columbia Blue, Red & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: JASON SWIFT
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 13
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: History was made for the Thun-
derbirds last year. The start was anything but historic. The T-Birds
were 1-4. Three of those losses were decided by a combined seven
points. But, a 28-21 overtime victory over Topeka High put the TBirds back in the air as they strung together three more victories to
end the regular season. The 5-4 Thunderbirds used that momentum
to beat 9-1 Pittsburg to advance to Sub-State. Shawnee Heights almost ended up in the state championship game, but a wild finish
in a 42-41 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas stopped the magical flight for
the T-Birds. Although the loss still probably stings, Shawnee Heights
recorded its best finish ever in program history. Coach Jason Swift
gears up for his 13th season with a fresh group of players. Coach
Swift says, “They need to replace 22 seniors who were great players and led us further than we have gone in school playoff history.”
There’s no doubting that as a slim amount of players that recorded
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yardage is back. Out of the 5,115 total yards, just 208 of that were accumulated by players returning this year. The two lone returners are
on the offensive line in seniors Nikolai Tostado and Jarod Cooper.
They are relied upon for their leadership with young players. Juniors
Colton Oshel, Alex King, Keegan Labahn and Cade Holmes are set
for a competitive battle for starting jobs. After passing for over 2,000
yards and 20 touchdowns, Camden Wheatley moves on. Junior
quarterback Trey Brown is the projected starter after completing
one pass for a score. The most electric running back Tony Barksdale
is also gone after rushing for 1,800 yards and 30 TD’s. Senior Alex
Shiekh plans to be the starting carrier. The receiving group takes a
blow with the losses of Malik Stanley and Austen Hubert, who combined for 1,300 yards and 14 scores. Seniors Sam Remfry and Damian Hernandez and junior A.J. Gonzales all look to shoulder the load.
Junior tight end Wyatt Hubert can help too. Defensively, Tostado is
the lone guy back from the previous season. He was third on the
team with 98 tackles and first with five sacks. He averaged 8.2 tackles and recorded 10.5 stops for losses. Hubert, Oshel, King, Holmes
and junior Kane Florence all should see playing time. DeJuan Gardenhire and Carter Hall were tackling machines at the linebacker
spots and are both gone. Gardernhire recorded 202 tackles and Hall
had 105. Remfry and other young players are ready for their chance
to follow suit. In the secondary, Hubert and Aidan Lighthiser move
on after combining for nine interceptions. Brown leads the unit with
one pick. Senior Dylan Flesher, Gonzales, and sophomore Mitchell
Lady are prepped to share playing time. Heights has to replace the
most in the whole league, but if those underclassmen embraced last
year’s senior class and learned, the T-Birds might be in better shape
than most people think.
By Pat Strathman
Shawnee Heights Thunderbirds
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: For the first time since 2002,
the Shawnee Heights T-Birds flew into the Class 5A state basketball
tournament. Back in 2002, Shawnee Heights won the state championship. That wasn’t repeated last season when the T-Birds ran into
an impressive Blue Valley West team. Even though the ending wasn’t
ideal, Shawnee Heights tied for the best record in Class 5A heading
into the tournament with 20 wins and a second-place finish in the
Centennial League. All starters are gone and coach Sam Stroh moves
on to Free State to coach the squad over there. Shawnee Heights sees
a leader with college coaching experience take over the program in
Steve Wallace. Coach Wallace comes from the University of Kansas
where he was an assistant for women’s coach Bonnie Henrickson. At
the high school level in Kansas, he turned the boys program around
at KC Piper. After a 2-19 season in his first year, Wallace coached
the Pirates to a 32-13 record and a 4A state tournament appearance
in his last two years. His first year sees hurdles placed before him
and the squad. The city and league player of the year Tez Scroggins
is gone after averaging 16.7 points per game. Kobe Goudeau, Malik
Stanley and Andrew Korbe join Scroggins in graduation, leaving the
cupboard somewhat bare. The frontcourt should be the strength as
role players Ahmad Winston and Poncho Freeman return. Freeman,
a junior, averaged 3.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and made 58 percent of
his shots. Winston is a senior, who should flashes of being a capable
big man. In the backcourt, junior Trey Brown holds down the unit.
He scored 3.6 points a night and grabbed 1.2 boards a game. Brown
also made 11 threes while shooting 39 percent from deep. Sure, the
turnover in the Heights program is noticeable and hurts, but with a
trio of players that are ready for the chance to shine in a league that
lost quite a bit, the T-Birds can continue to soar above to the top.
The Lady Thunderbirds nearly missed out on a postseason berth. A
wild fourth quarter forced Shawnee Heights’ Sub-State championship game with Seaman into overtime. The Lady Vikes surged in
the extra period and took the place of Shawnee Heights in the Class
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
STEVE WALLACE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
HEAD COACH:
BOB WELLS
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 15
5A state tournament. All is not lost, though, as coach Bob Wells
has four starters and 10 total letter winners back for his 15th season. The headliner is junior post Jazz Sweet. She’s back after a stellar
sophomore campaign, averaging a double-double of 18.3 points and
11 rebounds. Sweet should be the leading candidate for the league’s
and city’s player of the year after earning second team All-State in
5A. Senior Mikala Wells joins Sweet in the paint with an ability to
extend out to the perimeter. She chipped in six points and rebounds
a contest and nailed the occasional three-pointer. Junior Valerie
Golder plans to help down low as well. Leading the backcourt is
senior point guard Blaize Burgess. She earned second team All-City
honors a year ago. Burgess is the straw that stirs the drink with her
ability to dash into the lane, dish the ball or nail a big shot. Senior
LaRaisha Owens is at the two spot after scoring seven points a night.
Senior Alexis Ramos battles for the final starting position with junior Faith Rottinghaus and sophomore Lydia Ostenson. Coach
Wells believes, “It’s going to take a lot of work and team chemistry
to accomplish our goals. This is a very highly motivated group to
improve on last year’s play.” The Lady T-Birds should be motivated
with the perfect opportunity to be Centennial League champions
and a great chance at postseason play at the Kansas Expocentre.
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Topeka, KS 66608
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SILVER LAKE EAGLES
Mid-East League • 3A • Maroon & Gold
M@SilverLakeEagle
Profile
HEAD COACH: C.J. HAMILTON
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 41
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: When you’re a football factory like
Silver Lake, you rarely rebuild. Instead, you reload. This season, may be a
bigger reloading project than most. The Eagles have some experience coming back on offense with five returning starters, but only two starters are
back on defense. Fortunately, eight-time state champion coach C.J. Hamilton has 14 returning lettermen and several underclassmen to help fill those
openings. On offense, the Eagles return some talented receivers and most
of the offensive line. Junior Dalton Dultmeier is the projected quarterback.
Dultmeier played mostly in mop-up situations last season, and had limited pass attempts. Dultmeier will have a pair of talented receivers to throw
to. Senior slot receiver Cole Baird averaged almost 19 yards per catch with
his 20 receptions last season, while senior wide out Logan Wolfley caught
25 passes for 333 yards. Senior Luke Wichman and sophomore Keenan
Baird also have some varsity experience at receiver. The Eagles will have
all new starters at running back, although senior Hunter Howerton got
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extensive carries last season, rushing for more than 350 yards and three
touchdowns. Cole Baird and junior Garrett Huske also had several carries.
Further depth at running back could come from sophomore Gable Howerton. The offensive line returns All-League senior Kyler Womack (185 lbs.)
at center, along with senior tackle Kolton Kirkwood (190 lbs.) and senior
guard Jesse Renfro (195 lbs.). Seniors Devon Jones and James Martin also
played some varsity time at the guard and tackles positions, respectively.
Juniors Kyle Frick (215 lbs.), Joey Clark (175 lbs.) and Thad Madere (190
lbs.) along with sophomores Josh Dallman (215 lbs.) and Tyler Griffin (210
lbs.) will add depth to the line. Even with wholesale changes in the offensive
backfield, expect the Eagles to remain a high scoring team. Defensively,
only safety Cole Baird and senior end Trace Henderson return as full-time
starters from last year, although senior Blake Matzke also played a lot late
in the season after sidelined due to injuries early in the year. Henderson,
Matzke, Devon Jones and senior Dean Honas will likely rotate at defensive
end. Matzke pulled down 31 tackles last season while Henderson notched
27. Senior Zach Redmon, Kyle Frick, junior Timmy Williams, Tyler Griffin
and Josh Dallman are projected to compete for the defensive tackle duties. No starters return at linebacker, but Hunter Howerton, junior Michael Schaefer, Garrett Huske, sophomore Josh Boyd, Gable Howerton
and sophomore Will Boyd are all projected to play at that position. Cole
Baird will highlight the defensive backfield. Baird racked up 58 tackles at
safety last season. Candidates for the other backfield positions include Logan Wolfley, senior Blake Hallacy, Dalton Dultmeier, junior Ryan Wagner,
Keenan Baird and sophomore Trent Byers. While Silver Lake will have
several candidates ready to compete for each defensive position, only Cole
Baird, Henderson, Wolfley and Matze had more than 10 tackles last season.
Coach Hamilton has always done a great job of preparing his teams. Experienced or not, the Eagles will still be tough to beat.
By Dan Johnson
Silver Lake Eagles
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Graduation may have hit the
Eagles harder than anyone else in the league. Silver Lake lost all five
starters, but they do return a trio of seniors who had notable contributions coming off of the bench. This includes forward Logan Wolfley,
who actually earned All-League and Honorable Mention All-State
honors in spite of not being a starter. Wolfley averaged eight points
and six rebounds while shooting 57 percent. Two other lettermen
also made their minutes count when coming off the bench. Senior
guard Cole Baird averaged seven points and four rebounds. Fellow
senior guard Blake Hallacy also averaged seven points while shooting
about 37 percent from three-point range and 91 percent from the free
throw line. Even with graduating such a deep senior class last season,
Coach Linndy Freiden should still have plenty of athletes to fill the
roster. While guard options look plentiful, Frieden says they need to
find more depth at the post position. Seniors Blake Matzke and James
Martin, along with juniors Kyle Frick and Trace Henderson, will likely
battle for post minutes. More help in all positions could come from a
large group of younger players. The JV team finished 13-4 last season,
and many of those players should be ready for varsity action. Frieden
says the Eagles have a good group of young kids to draw from, but
rebounding and lost defense is a concern. The coach says they’ll have
to wait and see how the team jells together, but the Eagles should have
solid three-point shooting, and they should be able to apply an effective press on defense. Like most league coaches, Frieden says Rock
Creek is the favorite to win the Mid-East. As for the Eagles, there may
be a lot of unknowns early on, but this team could also be dangerous
late in the season.
The Lady Eagles, on the other hand, are stacked with returning talent. Coach Loren Ziegler has four starters back, including three who
earned All-League honors, from a team that finished 23-3 last season
and finished fourth at the state tournament. Senior guards Lexie Gifford and Madi Wegner along with senior forward Rachel Heiman all
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
LINNDY FRIEDEN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
HEAD COACH:
LOREN ZIEGLER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 29
averaged between 11 and 12 points to earn All-League. Gifford also
added three steals per contest, while Heiman pulled down an average of 7.5 rebounds. Senior Guard Taylor White also started last season. White averaged 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, and has started the
past three seasons. The Lady Eagles don’t have tremendous size or
experience inside, but senior forward Jordan Yoder will help in that
regard. Yoder averaged four points and four rebounds and is one of
three returning lettermen who came off the bench. The other two,
senior guard Jessica Johnson and junior guard Kayla Lane round
out the returning playing rotation from last year. Coach Ziegler says
Silver Lake has experience at the guard positions, but he does have
some concern about rebounding and defending the post. Ziegler says
the Lady Eagles do have good athletes who are also good basketball
players. Silver Lake is known for its’ suffocating full-court press, and
considering the depth they have at guard, they are likely to utilize it
frequently again this season. The Lady Eagles generate a lot of transition offense off of forced turnovers. They also have multiple players
who can knock down the three-point shot. A team with good post
play can hurt the Lady Eagles inside, but you still have to contend
with the press. Not surprisingly, Silver Lake is considered the favorite
in the Mid-East League this year. Another trip to the state tournament is definitely within their reach.
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TOPEKA HIGH TROJANS
Centennial League • 6A • Black & Gold
Profile
HEAD COACH: WALT ALEXANDER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
For the third-straight season,
the Topeka High Trojans clinched a share of the Centennial League
championship. Still, the ultimate goal is a state championship and the
Trojans ran into a buzz saw in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs. The Hutchinson Salthawks (with a deceiving 5-4 regular season
record) won the 64-46 shootout en route to the state title game. Topeka
could follow suit in 2015 with a loaded group of athletes under coach
Walt Alexander. First and foremost, the league’s offensive player of the
year Alec Beatty has to be replaced. Beatty rushed for 1,103 yards and
19 touchdowns on 122 carries this past season and completed 100 of
151 passes for 2,025 yards and 22 touchdowns. Beatty finished his career with 7,170 all-purpose yards and 84 touchdowns. Those numbers
pop off the page, but one man is ready to be the main signal caller.
Junior Corey Thomas slides over from wide receiver to take the major-
Frank N. Johnson, D.D.S. P.A.
DENTISTRY
Dr. Frank N. Johnson, D.D.S P.A.
1244 SW Oakley • Topeka, Kansas 66604
Tel 785.357.7706 • Fax 785.357.0226
785-233-3164
Topeka, KS 66608
www.hallcp.com
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ity of the snaps behind an absolutely loaded offensive line. Center Jake
Regnier is the only missing piece from the o-line. Senior tackle Teven
Jenkins (6’6”, 310) headlines the unit. A few months ago, Jenkins committed to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, choosing from many schools
in power conferences. Seniors Dakota Williams (6’2”, 285) and Ryan
Luna (6’2”, 275) and junior Billy Wagemaker (6’1”, 230) are back with
Jenkins to form a solid offensive line. Battling for the final spot are
junior Lee Jones (6’0”, 300) and sophomore Tanner Matthias (6’0”,
255). Junior Devin Wolf (6’5”, 280) and sophomore Matt Garza (6’4”,
290) provide depth and more experience. Those guys plan on creating
space for one of the top backs in the league in senior Mike McCoy.
McCoy exploded on the scene last year, rushing for 1,110 yards and 21
touchdowns. He’s expected to increase those numbers and has NCAA
Division I potential. Senior Saylor Caraway completes the one-two
punch after racking up 607 yards and five scores. Senior Dante Brooks
is the main weapon on the edges at receiver. He’s also receiving D-I
looks after reeling in 33 catches for 708 yards and nine scores. To add
more points is in the special teams with junior kicker Ruth Fiander
back after drilling three field goals and 73 extra points. Defense is the
biggest Achilles heel for the Trojans. Seven returning starters need to
be leaps and bounds better to go with the explosive offense. On the defensive line, Wagemaker and senior Kevon Seats are back. A quartet of
seniors creates the linebacker unit in Jacob Anderson, Brian Collins,
Dante Brooks and Brady Packard. Secondary has two returning starters in Corey Thomas and senior Kobe Richardson. Coach Alexander
knows the defense has to be better to put this team over the top. The
potential is there for an extraordinary season that could see the Trojans competing for state title.
By Pat Strathman
Topeka High Trojans
Heading into last season,
the stars appeared to have aligned for the Topeka High Trojans.
T-High had senior leadership, talent and depth galore in 201415, but the season didn’t quite pan out the way the Trojans truly
wanted. A puzzling 7-14 mark, including a 4-9 record in the Centennial League was the result of the previous year. But yet, the
Trojans were one of the few to take down the Manhattan Indians, Centennial League champions in 2014-15. All of that senior
leadership moves on and so does an important junior for coach
Pat Denney in his ninth season. Point guard Josh Barber moves
on after earning All-City honorable mention with averages of
13 points, four assists and three rebounds. Luckily, guard play
should be a strength. 5’8”senior Machias Jackson is a capable
floor general with the ability to shoot. Senior Jarin Downin (6’1”)
has the ability to score and 5’11” senior Mario King can get hot
in a hurry from three-point range. To provide depth, 6’1” junior
J’Shaliek Hendricks can do a bit of everything. Senior Kaleb Kaleb Barber (6’2”) can rebound and lock down defensively. Juniors
Hunter Holloman (5’10”) and Jalen Wilson (6’1”) round out the
backcourt. T-High loses Harold Emmanuel, who transfers to
Highland Park, but the Trojans get a transfer as well in 6’2” senior
TC Smith. Smith comes from Topeka West and showed flashes
of being a star in the league. In the paint should be interesting
with no real depth on paper. Big 6’7” senior John Madden has
potential to be a force inside. Helping him out is 6’6” junior Carson Denney, who shows a nice touch on the perimeter to go with
the scoring inside. The league is once again tough, but there are
many teams in the mix for the crown and T-High can certainly
be one of them.
Going into last season, the Lady Trojans had just one returning
starter and three letter winners in a stacked Centennial League.
Although T-High just had a 5-8 posting in the league, the Lady
Trojans were competitive in many games, almost stealing a few
against the top teams. Now, second-year coach Hannah Alexan-
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
PAT DENNEY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 9
HEAD COACH:
HANNAH ALEXANDER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
der has three starters back from the young squad a year ago with
potential to be one of the surprise teams in 2015-16. One of the
top talents in the whole state of Kansas is point guard Adrianna
Henderson. The senior is primed and ready for an even better
season after being placed on the All-State third team. She averaged 21.8 points a night. She excelled at the free throw line,
drilling 80 percent of her freebies. To help her in the backcourt
is junior shooting guard Rylee Burris. Burris chipped in four
points a contest last year, but she always had potential to shoot
the long ball. She connected on 35 percent of her three-point
tries and she’s expected to add to the scoring with Henderson. In
the paint, junior Erica Birch shows promise after a good sophomore campaign. She averaged seven points and five rebounds a
game a year ago. Birch and Henderson provide a nice one-two
punch. Senior Precious Posey saw limited time and expects to
compete for a starting spot. Senior Jhailyn Johnson is also looking for the same opportunity. Coach Alexander says, “We began
to play very well together at the end of the season. I believe the
girls see the big picture and they want to be successful together.”
The Lady Trojans indeed started to click at the end of the season,
which could pose a huge threat for the rest of the teams in the
league and in the state.
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TOPEKA WEST CHARGERS
Centennial League • 5A • Purple & White
M@TopekaWestAthle
Profile
HEAD COACH: JOHN TETUAN
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 4
Topeka West football has been
an improved program over the years. Back in 2010 and 2011, the
Chargers saw winless seasons. Coach John Tetuan in his first season saw a 1-8 finish in 2012 and a 3-6 mark in 2013. Topeka West
somewhat took a step back in 2014 with just two victories in a tough
slate of games in the Centennial League. Coach Tetuan is ready for
year number four with plenty of experience back and a plethora of
players that understand Tetuan’s system. The lone bad news is the
loss of two key players. In 2014, Josh Reynolds was a dual threat
quarterback. He’s gone as well as the power running back Michael
Mariani. The Chargers need to find an answer at both these positions in order to take leap forward this season. Whoever earns the
starting nod as the main signal caller or carrier should be happy
to see the other weapons around them. The offensive line contains
four of the seven returning offensive starters. To help even more,
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those four are all seniors that have been together for the past few
years. Center David Montero anchors the inside. Joining him is
guard Jacob Saskowski and tackles Lane Bays-Broils and Tevin
Lucky. The o-line is the foundation for this year’s squad to be successful. As long as those guys are creating holes and using their
leverage, the quarterback and running back should be just fine. In
terms of targets for the new QB, the Chargers have a trio of players that received playing time last year. Seniors Challim Claiborne
and Dante Banks are the bigger threats on the edges. Junior Zach
Shima had a solid sophomore campaign and looks to build off that.
Defensively, the question mark is at linebacker. Not one returner
is back in the unit. Just like the o-line, the defensive line is set with
the same guys. Montero, Lucky and Bays Broils plan to lead the
defense with their senior leadership. One starter is back in the secondary in Dante Banks. He plays cornerback and anchors the pass
defense. Coach Tetuan says, “We have to find a way to build on the
experience we have and carry it over to wins. We have worked hard
all offseason and the kids are ready to get going. They have a great
attitude and confidence about them this year that hasn’t been here
since I’ve been head coach. It’s exciting to see.” Those comments
are high praise for this year’s team, but there’s no denying that this
bunch has the most experience in coach Tetuan’s previous years as
head coach. Coach Tetuan also notes about the Centennial League,
saying, “We plain in one of the toughest leagues in the state and
it’s a dogfight week in and week out. It’s a grind and we have to
find out how to be mentally tough enough to compete every week.”
With many teams losing a great deal of talent, the Chargers could
be the surprise team with all that experience.
By Pat Strathman
Topeka West Chargers
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Last season was just strange
for the Topeka West Chargers. Although the record indicates a
4-17 finish and a 3-10 posting in the Centennial League, the mark
is really deceiving. The majority of losses saw the Chargers lose
by just a few points. Topeka West competed in the vast amount of
games, but just fell short in the final quarter. Even though coach
Rick Bloomquist, who begins his fourth season with the Chargers, might hate this phrase, he really had the best 4-17 team in
Kansas the previous year. Two starters and seven letter winners
are back to put the losing ways in the rearview mirror. Senior
Jordan Newby is the go-to scorer after having one of the strongest finishes in the Centennial League. He averaged 13 points
and seven rebounds a night, earning him a spot on the All-City
second team. Joining him in the paint is senior Brandon Raney.
Raney needs to contribute on the offensive end to help replace
the loss of big Josh Reynolds. The backcourt takes a blow with the
loss of TC Smith, who transfers to Topeka High. His leadership
could have been vital for this young unit, but sophomore Koriyon Carr plans to build on his freshman campaign. He averaged
three points and three assists per game. Coach Bloomquist notes,
“We will be young, but feel like our young kids are talented and
work well together. Best freshman class in recent history at Topeka West last season. How fast they mature and develop themselves around Jordan already is a huge key. We will have more
depth than in recent years, but still very young.” The key cog in
Newby is back, but in order to be a working machine, all pieces
must come together. If the young talent continues to develop, the
Chargers can erase the 14-loss season from their memories by
competing for a league title.
At first glance, how many people think of a 1-20 as being a good
year? Sure, not many, but the Lady Chargers suffered the pain of a
one-win season just to build a foundation for the future. To open
2014-15, Topeka West struggled in more ways than one. But when
the year was over, the Lady Chargers had something in place to
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
RICK BLOOMQUIST
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 4
HEAD COACH:
LAURA NICHOLS
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
build on this season with coach Laura Nichols in her second season. Four starters and six lettermen return for the 2015-16 year.
All-City honorable mention Regan Braun is a big blow with her
12 points per game average and leadership. Coach Nichols turns
to junior Lauryn Davis to be the force inside. She averaged five
points and four rebounds a night. Helping her in the paint are
seniors Alicia Lopez and Sierra Smith, who both saw the floor at
various times a year ago. The backcourt is highlighted by junior
Kelsey Bowers, who has taken the leader role on this squad. She
scored three points a game last year. Senior Fherrin Manning
plans to increase her production, after averaging six points and
three boards. Seniors Addison Donohue and junior Sydney Watkins complete the group on the perimeter. Coach Nichols says,
“We evolved a great deal as a program last year, so we’ll be looking for an equal amount of growth, if not more, in the upcoming
season. I look for a team that plays solid defense and continues to
develop on the offensive end.” The defense is clearly the foundation of the Chargers. If those offensive numbers vastly improve,
so will Topeka West. The big key is limiting the turnovers and
if that happens, everything else will fall into place and the Lady
Chargers will have momentum for years down the line.
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JUNCTION CITY
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VALLEY FALLS DRAGONS
Northeast Kansas League • 2-1A • Black & Gold
Profile
HEAD COACH: ROD BUNDE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 22
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Heading into 2014, the Valley Falls
Dragons possessed 18 total lettermen. The squad was ready for an above
.500 season for the first time since 2010. But yet, that didn’t happen as
the Dragons failed to take off by recording a 3-6 record. Valley Falls’
posting is still a bit deceiving with four narrow losses by a combined 11
points. The Dragons lost to Oskaloosa 32-30 to open the season. Three
of the four close defeats were in district play; a 16-14 loss to 7-3 Maur Hill
Mount Academy, a 33-28 loss to Valley Heights and a 28-26 defeat to
Onaga. Flip a few of those scores around and the Dragons end a playoff
draught. Coach Rod Bunde hopes that’s the case for this season with 10
lettermen back. Back at quarterback is senior Marty Gatzemeyer (6’2”,
195). In 2013, he passed for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. He
had fewer yards with 938, but he matched his scoring total through the
air with 10. On the ground, he increased his production with 690 yards
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and 15 TD’s. The All-NEKL QB is ready for those numbers to jump up
even more. One of Gatzemeyer’s favorite targets is back with him in
senior Jarrett Wildeman (5’10”, 160). Wildeman reeled in 21 catches for
339 yards and five touchdowns. Senior tight end Ty Gatzemeyer (6’2”,
210) is a capable threat in the passing game after catching nine balls
for 144 yards and a score. Senior Adam Pickerell (5’11”, 150) also plays
tight end and can provide help in the passing attack. In the backfield,
seniors Koltyn Maltsbarger (5’11”, 170) and Conner Gast (5’10”, 160)
are ready to add to their numbers. Maltsbarger carried the ball 51 times
for 347 yards and three TD’s. His 6.8 yards per carry average was the
highest on the squad. Gast was closely behind with 5.2 yards per rush,
but he recorded 30 more carries for 422 yards and three scores. Those
numbers can jump up, but with just one returning starting offensive
lineman, that might be tough. Senior Blake Shipley (5’10”, 290) is the
lone guy back. He needs help from senior Matt Branam (6’2”, 175), juniors Tanner McGee (5’11”, 170), Colton Huffman (5’10”, 170) and Dalton Barnett (5’10”, 215) and sophomore Eli Coleman (6’2”, 225) to pave
way for the backs to make this year’s offense efficient. Defensively, a lot
of those same offensive guys start. The front seven has the most experience. Up front, Pickerell, Shipley and Ty Gatzemeyer all saw time. The
linebacker corps is highlighted by Wildeman. He’s joined by juniors
Jachin Drinkard (5’11”, 175) and Tucker Sherretts (5’10”, 175). The secondary is in great shape with Marty Gatzemeyer being an All-League
safety. Maltsbarger, Gast and junior Chris Yates (6’1”, 150) make this a
solid unit. The skills positions are basically set with great potential for
a breakout year. If the Dragons can receive consistency in the trenches,
hang onto the ball and stay healthy, Valley Falls can turn things around
and compete for a NEKL championship.
By Pat Strathman
Valley Falls Dragons
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOk: The Valley Falls Dragons might
have sent a petition to get Maur Hill Mount Academy, Jackson
Heights and Jefferson County North out of the Northeast Kansas
League. No, that’s not at all true, but six of the Dragons’ eight losses came at the hands of those teams in 2014-15. After losing three
straight, Valley Falls built a seven-game winning streak, only to see
it snapped by a three-game losing skid by those same teams. Outside
of that, Valley Falls had an okay season under coach Caleb Gatzemeyer. Coach Gatzemeyer enters his 11th year at the helm with a trio
of starters back. Those three players are seniors in all-around player
Marty Gatzemeyer, shooting guard Ty Gatzemeyer and center Zac
Allen. Marty Gatzemeyer was a double-figure scorer the previous
year, averaging 10 points and 2.5 assists a night. Twin brother Ty
was not too far behind, dropping 3.5 dimes and scoring eight points
a contest. Allen is the leading returning scorer with 11.3 points and
seven rebounds per game. Helping out down low is junior Chris
Yates. The backcourt has depth with a pair of juniors and seniors.
Seniors Adam Pickerell and Koltyn Maltsbarger both plan on sharing time. Cousin of Marty and Ty and junior Dawson Gatzemeyer
and junior Billy Coleman look for extended playing time to solidify
the group. Coach Gatzemeyer says, “As a team, we have to develop
a more up-tempo style on offense. We look to get our bigs out in
transition. We will use our athleticism on defense. We have a solid
group returning that is a lot of fun to coach.” Valley Falls should be
in okay shape defensively, but the offense needs to get back to the
style coach Gatzemeyer wants to see. If the Dragons can steal a few
wins from that trio of teams last year, Valley Falls can be a top-three
team in the NEKL.
For the past decade, it seems, the Lady Dragons had to constantly
wait. Valley Falls paced back and forth, waiting for a chance to overcome Jefferson County North for a Northeast Kansas League championship and a postseason berth at the Class 2A state tournament.
Check both those things off the list. Valley Falls not only won the
NEKL title, the Lady Dragons posted an unblemished 16-0 record.
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
CALEB GATZEMEYER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 11
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
HEAD COACH:
TODD GISH
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 17
At the tournament, Valley Falls beat Hill City 52-37 and then fell
to Moundridge and Meade to claim fourth. Coach Todd Gish sees
essentially everyone return with a hunger for a state crown. Valley
Falls can play nine players. Seven are seniors. The backcourt is led
by Ali Brown, who averaged 11.1 points and 2.5 rebounds a game.
Jenna Kramer was closely behind with 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds
a night. Lauren Harrington was a lockdown defender, swiping 2.1
steals a contest. Macee Jepson averaged 1.3 assists. Natalie Pickerell
and sophomore Mally Burns overload this stacked group of guards.
In the frontcourt, sophomore Rachel Frakes is the main weapon after averaging 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. Seniors Callie Watson
and Sydney Gish fill the rest of the loaded roster. Coach Gish says,
“We have excellent depth at every spot on the floor and the most exciting and satisfying aspect of this team is that they are completely
unselfish and want to everything possible to help their teammates
find success.” If there is one weakness, coach Gish notes, “Rebounding was an area of focus last season and we did make strides, but we
still aren’t where I’d like us to be.” The deck is stacked in favor of
Valley Falls this season. The rare combination of size, quickness,
leadership and depth should have Lady Dragons’ fans extremely excited for 2015-16.
12/04 CENTRALIAHOME
12/08
PLEASANT RIDGE
AWAY
12/11OSKALOOSAAWAY
01/05
JACKSON HEIGHTS
AWAY
01/12HORTONAWAY
01/15 MCLOUTHHOME
01/19-23 VALLEY FALLS TOURN. HOME (B)
01/26-30 JEFFERSON CO. N. TOURN. AWAY (G)
02/01
PLEASANT RIDGE
HOME
02/05 OSKALOOSAHOME
02/16
JACKSON HEIGHTS
HOME
02/19IMMACULATAAWAY
02/23 HORTONHOME
02/26MCLOUTHAWAY
WABAUNSEE CHARGERS
Mid-East League • 2-IA • Red, Blue & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: BRIAN HENRY
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Head Coach Brian Henry has a huge
challenge this year as his Chargers team graduated much of the size
and experience from last season’s winless squad. This year’s team will
be junior and sophomore-dominated, with only one senior letterman
on the roster. Junior quarterback Cooper Imthurn will lead the offense.
Imthurn had modest statistics as a sophomore in both rushing and passing, but should be better equipped for the position this season simply
due to experience and some physical maturity. Sophomore running back
Kolby Dreogemeyer provided a pleasant surprise as a freshman. Dreogemeyer ran for more than 500 yards, leading all returning rushers for Wabaunsee. Dreogemeyer will most likely share carries again with junior
Mitchell Wertzberger who ran for a pair of touchdowns last season. The
Chargers have some holes to fill on the offensive line. Wabaunsee will
rebuild the line around junior Ryan Rose on the interior and lone senior
Bryce Kelley at tight end. The Chargers tend to utilize a run-heavy of-
M@wabchargers
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ST. MARYS
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09/25
ROCK CREEK
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MISSION VALLEY
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10/16
VALLEY HEIGHTS
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10/23
JACKSON HEIGHTS
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10/29
VALLEY FALLS
AWAY
fense, and Wertzberger, Dreogemeyer and Imthurn are all capable runners. Imthurn could also provide more of a passing threat this season,
although Wabaunsee has some question marks at the receiver positions.
The success of the offense will most likely hinge on the development and
depth of the offensive line. Defensively, the Chargers return some talent in the linebacker corps and in the backfield, but the defensive line
will be unproven. Wertzberger has the most accolades of the returning
defensive starters, earning First Team All-League honors. Wertzberger
wrapped up 59 tackles from his linebacker position. Dreogemeyer also
had success at linebacker, collecting 57 tackles. Junior Luke Swicegood
split time between linebacker and defensive end, and was credited for
42 tackles. Imthurn also made his presence known on defense, totaling
39 tackles from his strong safety position. Much like the offensive line,
the defensive line also has holes to fill, and may be a little undersized.
Coach Henry says their underclassmen will be depended upon early and
often. The coach adds that he will measure success this season not by
wins, but by how his team competes. Two more important factors for
this season, according to the coach, are work in the weight room and getting more kids to come out for the team. Henry adds that they only have
one senior (Bryce Kelley), so they need underclassmen to step up both on
and off the field. Henry says the Mid-East League should be tough again
with defending state champ Rossville as a favorite and Silver Lake a close
second. He says he expects the rest of the league will be closer to each
other than to the top two teams. The young Wabaunsee Chargers will
most likely struggle to get wins this season, but this is an opportunity
for the squad to learn and improve as the season progresses. Virtually
the same personnel could take the field in the following year. With an
entire experienced team coming back after this year, 2016 could be a big
turnaround season.
By Dan Johnson
Wabaunsee Chargers
Young and experienced. As
contradictory as it may sound, the Chargers are both. Wabaunsee
went through a major rebuilding process last season after graduating nine seniors from the previous season. As a result, one junior and
three sophomores grabbed starting positions. Those four players are
back. In addition, Wabaunsee only lost three seniors from last year’s
team. The Chargers are still young, though. Center Bryce Kelley is
expected to be the only senior on this year’s roster. Kelley averaged
seven points and six rebounds per contest last year. This year’s team
will be junior-dominated with three returning starters from that
class. Power forward Mitchell Wertzberger was Honorable Mention
All-League after averaging eight points and six rebounds. Point guard
Cooper Imthurn was right behind with seven points, three rebounds
and four assists per game. Small forward Kameron Wurtz is the final
returning starter. Wurtz averaged five points, three rebounds and two
assists. The Chargers have a couple other lettermen, plus deep junior
and sophomore classes that will help fill the playing rotation. Head
Coach Skyler Suther says his team’s defense was pretty good about
holding opponents to about 50 points last year, and he looks for that
to get better. Suther adds that while their defense was good, their offense struggled. The coach says he anticipates that his squad’s scoring
will also be improved this season. Even with as young as they were
last season, the Chargers still managed seven wins. Another year of
growth and maturity could make a big difference this season. A couple members of the junior class may be ready to become team leaders. League play will still be a big challenge, but this Wabaunsee team
could be noticeably better this season.
The Lady Chargers are coming off of their first state tournament appearance in more than 30 years. Wabaunsee graduated two starters
from that squad, one of them a very talented All-Leaguer, but a couple
returning players also greatly advanced their performance throughout the season. Senior Alli Terrapin upped her scoring average to 11
points while also pulling down five rebounds and blocking three shots
per game. Probably the biggest surprise though was the performance
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
CHRIS KIRKPATRICK
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 10
‘14-15 LEAGUE RECORD: NA
HEAD COACH:
SHANNA PERINE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 2
of then-freshman Karen Schultz at point guard. Schultz averaged almost 12 points and five rebounds. The Lady Chargers will still be one
of the biggest teams in the league with the 6’0” Terrapin and senior
forward Taylor Nikkel who is just shy of 6’0”. Nikkel’s scoring was
minimal last season, but she still hauled in about four rebounds on a
team that typically had two 6-footers on the floor with her. Look for
Nikkel’s numbers to bump up this year. Coach Shanna Perine also
expects big things from 5’10” freshman Abby Oliver. Juniors Maddy
Michaelis and Britt Michaelis have played considerable varsity minutes and give the Lady Chargers some depth at the guard positions.
Several younger players may also be ready to compete for varsity minutes. Perine says the team accomplished their goal last year of making
it to the state tournament. Now, she says, they need to build on that
experience and continue to get better. The Lady Chargers are somewhat of a wildcard in the Mid-East League. You can pretty much predict what you’re going to get from the upperclassmen, but the talent
level of a couple younger players (most notably Schultz and Oliver) is
a huge variable. At worst, Wabaunsee will most likely be in the middle
of the pack in the Mid-East League. If that young talent performs at a
high level, the Lady Chargers could be looking at another trip to the
state tournament.
12/04
NORTHERN HEIGHTS
AWAY
12/08
CHASE COUNTY
HOME
12/15ONAGAAWAY
12/18
ROCK CREEK
HOME
12/22FRANKFORTAWAY
01/08
ST. MARYS
AWAY
01/12
SILVER LAKE
HOME
01/15
ROCK CREEK
AWAY
01/21-23 R.V. PANTHERS CLASSICAWAY
01/29
RILEY COUNTY
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02/02 LYNDONHOME
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02/09
MISSION VALLEY
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RILEY COUNTY
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ST. MARYS
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SILVER LAKE
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WAMEGO RED RAIDERS
North Central League • 4A-DII • Red & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: LEE WEBER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: NA
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: NA
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The new Wamego football coach
says he left what would have been his best team ever at Council
Grove to lead the Red Raiders. Lee Weber says that is because he
feels Wamego “holds the potential to be a powerhouse in 4A.” Weber says he has big shoes to fill and praises Dale Burkholder for the
work he did in “bringing this program to a championship level.” The
Red Raiders are 14-1 in league play the last three seasons and was
bounced from the playoffs in the first round last year by Clearwater
(14-7). Weber has 15 years of head coaching experience and a 6465 overall record. Wamego graduated a talented senior class of 16
letter winners, including Hutchinson Community College signees
Kyler Alderson and Eli Miller. Weber says the loss to Clearwater has
his squad hungry for more. He wants a team that “overachieves and
is recognized for its speed, toughness, discipline, and will to win.”
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He says the seniors and juniors have limited experience and will
have to grow up fast. Being able to adapt to a hurry up, no huddle
offense will be key. Offensively, Weber says they need to be efficient
and “play at lightning speed.” He wants to control the ball and pace
of the game. Defensively, he wants Wamego to be the best tackling
team in the state and says “we need to hold our opponents under
two scores.” It’s never easy to replace a quarterback and Wamego
has to replace a good one. Kyler Alderson was a two-year starter and
threw the pigskin all over the field. Senior Ethan Thomas and junior Dillon Blain compete to fill the spot. Seniors Anthony Gamino
and Jakob Katzenberg are back at receiver, and classmate Hunter
Loewen returns at running back. The Red Raiders have a trio of senior studs returning on defense. Michael Bryan (defensive end) and
Kasey Feyh (defensive tackle) are back to again wreak havoc in the
trenches. Linebacker Shawn Burns has been an all-league performer. Wamego lost a lot of talent and a well-respected head coach. Some
strong leaders return on defense, but it may take time for the offense
to develop. Coach Weber is excited about the possibilities. He says
they ramped up off-season weight room workouts and challenged
the players to attend camps this summer. He can tell the kids care
and calls them “an exciting group of young men.” They look to wrestle the league crown back from Abilene and Weber feels good about
advancing past their district (Chapman, Smoky Valley, Nickerson).
But they aren’t looking far ahead. “Our number one goal is to go 1-0
each week.” Three of their first four games are away from home and
they finish with two out of three of their district matchups at home.
Coach Weber believes his team is ready to take the next step and
make some noise in the postseason. #RedRising
By Alex Dingman
Wamego Red Raiders
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: An experienced coach replaces seven seniors this year in Wamego. Troy Hemphill enters
his 18th season leading the Red Raiders. Coming off a rebuilding year and a 10-11 record, Wamego finished a solid 14-7 with
an impressive 8-2 league record, good for second place behind
Abilene. Hemphill loses three starters along with those seven seniors, but believes he has some young guys ready to go and they
should be “pretty good eventually.” Hemphill says a lot of their
success will be determined by the kind of leadership they get and
by how quickly the sophomore class gets ready to compete at the
varsity level. After showing off his three-point shooting prowess
as a freshman, Dillon Blain earned All-League honors, scoring
15 per game, along with three rebounds and two assists per contest. Blain, a guard, will likely be joined in the starting lineup by
fellow junior Sean Nordberg, a forward who averaged six points,
three rebounds, and shot nearly 90 percent from the free throw
line last year. Senior guards Anthony Gamino and Landis Rowden should also begin the season as starters. Gamino averaged
seven points and three assists, while Rowden was good for three
points, two rebounds, and over a steal per game. This squad will
likely go through some growing pains, but should again finish
near the top of the NCKL. Hemphill believes Abilene will be
tough to beat, but says the rest of the league is fairly balanced.
Two of their first three contests are on the road, they play at the
Tonganoxie Tournament in January, before finishing the season
with four of five games on the road. A young team should just get
better as the season goes, and coach Hemphill believes his team
could be clicking pretty well by the end of the year.
A new coach takes over a young Wamego girls basketball team
that has had great success in recent years. Kevin Kinderknecht,
formerly a coach at St. Marys High School, replaces Jim Page,
who won about 75 percent of his games at Wamego. Page led the
Lady Raiders to a state championship in 2013 and a second place
finish in 2014. Wamego won 15 games his final season and now
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
TROY HEMPHILL
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 18
RECORD AT SCHOOL:
HEAD COACH:
KEVIN KINDERKNECHT
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 1
both of his talented daughters have graduated. Last year they
missed state, losing to Hayden in the Sub-State final 64-40.
Hayden went on to capture third place at state. Kinderknecht
is going to lean heavily on senior guard Caitlyn Claussen.
Claussen, a forward, averaged seven points and six rebounds as
a sophomore and eight points, seven rebounds as a junior. Junior
guards Tessa Seeberger (seven ppg, two apg) and Ashley Faiola
(four ppg) return with varsity experience. Also in the mix, junior center Jordan Braun, sophomore guard Emma Faulkner
and sophomore forward Tarah Henderson. For his first season
as head coach, Kinderknecht has four girls with starting experience and six total who have lettered. He says he is excited to
get back to coaching and is looking forward to working with “a
terrific group of young ladies.” They open at home against Rossville before going on the road for two. The Lady Raiders play at
the Tonganoxie Tournament in January and play four of their
final five away. Coach Page set the bar pretty high and made it so
opponents got nervous when they saw Wamego on their schedule. The Page sisters have departed and it’s time for a new era.
Coach Kinderknecht is ready to get his inaugural season started
and is determined to avoid having Wamego take a step back this
season.
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RILEY COUNTY
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NEMAHA CENTRAL
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12/15 CHAPMANHOME
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CLAY CENTER
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01/08 CONCORDIAHOME
01/12
JEFF WEST
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01/15 MARYSVILLEHOME
01/18-23 TONGANOXIE TOURN.
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01/26
COUNCIL GROVE
AWAY
01/29
ROCK CREEK
HOME
02/02 ABILENEHOME
02/05
OSAGE CITY
HOME
02/09CHAPMANAWAY
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02/16
CLAY CENTER
HOME
02/19CONCORDIAAWAY
02/23MARYSVILLEAWAY
WASHBURN RURAL JUNIOR BLUES
Centennial League • 6A • Blue & White
Profile
HEAD COACH: STEVE BUHLER
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Year number two looked vastly dif-
ferent than the first for coach Steve Buhler. After a 5-4 start at his
new school, coach Buhler and the rest of the Juniors Blues were left
a bit puzzled and frustrated with just two victories with a team that
returned 15 of its 22 starters in 2014. The Junior Blues look to turn
the corner with the loss of a few key pieces to the puzzle and a bunch
of newcomers. Five starters are back on the offensive side of the football, but Rural is missing one of the better quarterbacks in the league
last year in Blake Peterson. Senior Mitch Schurig (6’2”, 180) fills the
void after being Peterson’s backup the prior year. Coach Buhler is
excited to see Schurig going into his final year. Protecting Schurig
is a trio of returning starters. Senior Michael Mattox (6’1”, 250) and
juniors Danny Shields (6’3”, 250) and Jeshon Edwards (6’0”, 250) are
ready after notching another year of experience on their belts. There
is a battle for the remaining positions, but the front runners are se-
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nior Hunter Esquibel (5’10”, 215) and junior Caleb Locke (6’0”, 260).
Getting the majority of carries this year is senior Matthew Williams
(5’5”, 160). He rushed 60 times for 291 yards last season and is expecting to increase his production. Helping out Williams are juniors
Ben Harrison (5’9”, 180) and Hunter Browning (5’11”, 180). There is
one starter back at wide receiver. Senior Jovon Hall (5’8”, 170) reeled
in 11 passes for 66 yards. He’s the main target via the air and also in
the return game. Three others are set for competition in this spread
offense in junior Collin Wilson (5’11”, 160) and seniors Derek Kyser
(6’1”, 170) and Jacob Martens (6’0”, 170). Senior tight end Kyle Resnik
(6’2”, 200) plans to be another weapon in the passing attack as well.
Six starters return defensively. The most loaded unit is at linebacker
with three of the four backers back. Senior Will Jones (6’2”, 215) is set
to plan at outside linebacker as this team changes to a 3-4 defense.
The two inside guys are senior Lavale Jackson (6’0”, 208) and junior
Nolan Brewer (5’11”, 185). The final spot belonged to All-Centennial
League second teamer Nathan Mikoleit. He’s gone and someone
has to replace his presence. Secondary is looking good with a pair
of cornerbacks returning. Hall is one of the few guys that plays both
ways. At the other end is senior Jovan Cay (5’11”, 180). The two open
spots at safety are shared by juniors Chandler Rogers (5’10”, 170) and
Cody Ladson (6’1”, 185) and senior Alec Stindt (5’8”, 150). The biggest question is up front with just one guy back in senior Romney
Tuiloma (6’2”, 295). He’s capable of a monster year, but seniors Tyler
Fuller (6’2”, 180) and Samir Zauoch (6’2”, 290) and junior Patrick
Thompson (5’11”, 230) need to develop quickly in a league filled with
plenty of size. Last year, it looked promising on paper. That wasn’t
the case. This year, Washburn Rural could get back on track.
785-233-3164
Topeka, KS 66608
www.hallcp.com
By Pat Strathman
Washburn Rural Junior Blues
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: Last year was a puzzling season for the Washburn Rural Junior Blues. The squad won just
three games in the Centennial League, but yet, the Junior Blues
were competitive in the majority of the games. The nice thing is
Washburn Rural is riding a bit of momentum. Rural started to
click down the stretch and knocked off the Manhattan Indians
in Sub-State play, the league champions a year ago. That alone
can be monumental for 2015-16. Add four returning starters for
coach Todd McAtee and there’s a recipe for a successful year.
Now, the loss of All-City second teamer Chris Edwards hurts.
He was the leading scorer by averaging 15 points a game. The
leading candidates to be this year’s leading scorer are a pair of
seniors. Guard Ziyad Kassim and forward Zach Lutz both had
decent outings. Kassim averaged 7.5 points a night. Lutz was
right there with him, scoring seven points and grabbing 2.6 rebounds a contest. After being injured for parts of the year, junior Jenner Hickel looks to stay healthy and contribute more. He
scored 6.4 points and nabbed 2.1 rebounds a game. He was also
efficient, making 50 percent of his shots and 54 percent of his
threes. Senior Lukas McCalla was a role player, averaging five
points and nailing 42 percent of his three-pointers. Rounding
out the backcourt is junior Brayden White. He’s a capable floor
general after dropping in 4.5 points and recording 3.5 assists per
game. Coach McAtee says, “We finally have a group of upperclassmen with a lot of prior varsity experience. I think our guys
really learned how to compete last year and are now ready to take
the next step.” Indeed, the Junior Blues are in good shape in a
league that sees plenty of turnover. If Rural can compete versus
size and limit turnovers, the Junior Blues can get back over .500.
The start of the year didn’t look promising for the Lady Junior
Blues. Before the Christmas break, Rural was 1-3. When the Lady
Juniors Blues returned to action, they were 7-1 in January and
used that ride en route to a share of the Centennial League crown
and a Class 6A state tournament berth. One of those three early
Boys Profile
Girls Profile
HEAD COACH:
TODD MCATEE
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 4
HEAD COACH:
KEVIN BORDEWICK
YEARS AT SCHOOL: 7
losses was to Shawnee Mission Northwest and Rural avenged the
defeat with a 50-47 win for third place. Coach Bordewick enters
his seventh year as head coach with plans to place even higher.
A solid core of players is back, but the Lady Junior Blues must
first answer how to replace the production of the city’s player
of the year Paige Cunningham. That all doesn’t happen with
just one player, but senior Mercedes Parker is the main option
in the paint. Parker was the city’s newcomer of the year, averaging 4.5 points and 6.7 rebounds. Her biggest contribution is on
the offensive boards. The two main weapons are seniors Jordyn
Musselman and Lauren Biggs. Both were on the All-City second
team. Musselman scored 10 points and reeled in 4.4 rebounds a
night while Lauren Biggs averaged 10.1 points and 3.5 rebounds.
That’s a good start for Rural, but sophomores Megan Lucas and
Kendall Michalski are expected to increase production. Lucas
chipped in 1.1 points and grabbed 1.3 rebounds a game. Michalski dropped in 2.2 points and recorded one rebound a game.
Coach Bordewick notes, “We should be pretty quick and athletic. I do think we are a competitive, hardworking group who
wants to prove they can contend for a league and state title.” It all
comes down to mixing in the new players, but if that does happen successfully, lookout for Washburn Rural this year.
12/04
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HAYDEN
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EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY HORNETS
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2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The Hornet football team broke its
streak of two straight trips to the post season with its 4-7 campaign
in 2014. The Hornets were Kanza Bowl champs in 2012 and then
made the playoffs in 2013 and were looking for big things in 2015,
but the injury bug hit the hornets hard in 2014, resulting in a tough
season. The Hornets two-deep combined for 54 games missed last
year due to injury. The key injury was to All-Conference quarterback Brent Wilson. For the second straight year, Wilson broke his
collarbone and missed the second half of the season. Head coach
Garin Higgins, who is now in his ninth year, says 2014 was a learning year for the team saying, “The biggest thing for us, is being
able to learn from last year’s season. We didn’t handle adversity
very well last year. We weren’t able to adapt and overcome those
adversities. I don’t think we were as tough minded as we needed to
be, which is disappointing, but hopefully we learn from that.” The
Hornets started off with a solid win, but then a tough loss started
a bad string of games says Higgins. “Last year, losing that second
game of the year to Central Missouri really affected us more than
I thought it did, and we don’t want to have two bad years. We want
to be at the top of the MIAA. Sometimes you got to go through
growing pains to get to success.” Good news for the Hornets is
that Brent Wilson is back at quarterback and really knows this
offense. Wilson set all sorts of records in 2013 and hopes to get
back to those numbers in 2015. If Wilson is healthy, he can pick
you apart and Garin Higgins says they will alter a few things to
keep Wilson healthy, but not make drastic changes saying, “I just
feel like going into this year, we are going to make it a priority to
protect him, but we won’t worry or change who we are. He just
needs to make some subtle changes to help him protect himself
better.” The skill positions should be a strength for the Hornets as
they return several key guys in Kavaski Ervin, Mitchell Foote and
Drake Smithton at wide receiver. This group will have to find a
way to replace Austin Willis, who set records and started the NFL
season with the Oakland Raiders. Antonio Brown, the 2013 MIAA
freshman of the year, will be the feature tailback with freshman
Landon Nault, making a push after a terrific high school career in
Oklahoma. The Hornet offensive line lost three starters from a year
ago, but they do have All-MIAA pick Jarrett Statsny back along
with Daniel Goodman and Jordan McAdoo. The defense needs to
improve in 2015 and Garin Higgins knows this saying, “Our defense is one of those areas where we have to play better. We have
to be able to play four quarters. We have to be consistent on the
defensive end.” Topeka native and linebacker Jason Tetuan is their
leading returning tackler and will look to build on a very solid junior season. The defensive line has Eddie Vinson, James Junious
and Donovan Walker, whom all had a very good 2014 season. The
secondary had 15 interceptions a year ago which was fourth in the
MIAA. They return AJ West and Tre Dickerson. Both can fly and
performed well for the Hornet track team. Ace Mayze also is back
after starting 10 games last year. The Hornets have key players back
from last year and Coach Higgins says it comes down to one thing
saying, “At the end of the day, your guys have to go out and make
plays. That is the name of the game and we have to play it for four
quarters.” If Wilson stays healthy and the Hornets get a few other
key guys to have big years, the Hornets could be vying for another
post season appearance.
By Jake Lebahn
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The upcoming season for the
Hornets shouldn’t resemble the 2014-2015 season. Last year was a
year that many Hornet basketball fans and players would like to
forget. The Hornets struggled throughout the season and couldn’t
find a rhythm as they ended up missing the MIAA tournament by
going just 5-14 in the league and 12-16 overall. The Hornets should
be much better this year under Shaun Vandiver, now in his fifth
season as head coach. The Hornets return three starters from last
year’s team and have two others who saw very valuable minutes.
Leading the way for the Hornets will be senior Terrence Moore,
the Wichita Heights product. He was third team All-MIAA last
year and was the fifth leading scorer in the MIAA as well. Moore,
who is lightning quick, can get to the basket with ease, but also
wreaks havoc on defense as he was second in the MIAA in steals
last year. Joining Moore as a returning starter is senior guard Micah Swank, who is a solid guard who can shoot the three as he hit
almost 40 percent of his threes a year ago. Swank is steady and
takes care of the ball as he had the 15th best assist-to-turnover
ratio in the MIAA a year ago. Joining the two seniors will be two
juniors in Jevon Taylor and Jay Temaat, who started a few games,
but were also the team’s second and third leading scorers. Taylor
chipped in 10 points per contest and Temaat produced nine per
game. The question for the Hornets will be inside in the paint.
Can they find a big guy to hold down the fort? Vandiver will look
to sophomore transfer Bradley Fisher from Montana State. He
has the size, as he is a seven-foot center, but he needs to produce.
Junior forward Joshua Oswald is another transfer that Vandiver
will be looking to make a big impact in the frontcourt. The Hornets have the guard play to be a very quality team, if they can get
some production from their big guys expect a much improved
team and a scary team that many people won’t want to play.
The Emporia State Lady Hornets won the national championship in 2010 and they almost added another national title this
past year as they advanced to their sixth Elite Eight appearance
in school history. The Lady Hornets saved their best basketball
for the end of the season as they made it all the way to semifinals
of the NCAA tournament, but fell to eventual champion, California of Pennsylvania, in a tough contest that came down to the
wire. It was a terrific season for the Lady Hornets as they went
29-5 and 15-4 in the MIAA and won their third straight MIAA
Tournament crown. Jory Collins, who is now in his sixth year
as head coach, has put together some impressive numbers since
taking over the program. The Lady Hornets have won an average
of 26 games a year over the last four seasons, including 59 wins
over the last two years. The Hornets should be very good again
in 2015-2016. Collins will have to replace All-American Merissa
Quick and Amber Vandiver as they both graduated. Quick and
Emporia State University
Vandiver were a force underneath and Collins will look to Katheryn Flott to take over the post position this year. The good news
for Collins is that his entire backcourt is back. Junior Kelly Moten, who was first team All-MIAA, is back along with freshman
of the year Addie Lackey. Throw in seniors Kelsey Barnwell and
Whitney Gordon and you have four guards who can all shoot
and drive it very well. The Lady Hornets have plenty of experience coming back and if they can find a few people to step up
on the inside, this team will again by vying for a MIAA title and
have another great opportunity to do some damage again in the
NCAA tournament.
11/08
KANSAS
AWAY (W)
11/13
SW OKLAHOMA
AWAY (W)
11/14
SIOUX FALLS
AWAY (M)
11/14
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST AWAY (W)
11/15
SW MINNESOTA STATE AWAY (M)
11/17
CAMERON UNIVERSITY HOME (W)
11/21
WICHITA STATE
AWAY (M)
11/21
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS HOME (W)
11/24
NW OKLAHOMA
HOME (M)
11/26
HAWAII PACIFIC
AWAY (W)
11/27
WTAMU CLASSIC
AWAY (M)
11/27
HAWAII HILO
AWAY (W)
11/28
WEST TEXAS A&M
AWAY (M)
12/03NEBRASKA-KEARNEYAWAY
12/05
FORT HAYS STATE
AWAY
12/12
CENTRAL MISSOURI
HOME
12/16
MISSOURI SOUTHERN
AWAY
12/19
PITTSBURG STATE
AWAY
12/31
ROCKHURST
HOME (M)
01/02 LINCOLNHOME
01/04 LINDENWOODHOME
01/07
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
AWAY
01/09
NORTHEASTERN STATE
AWAY
01/13 NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE HOME
01/16
MISSOURI WESTERN
HOME
01/23WASHBURNAWAY
01/28
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
AWAY
01/30
CENTRAL MISSOURI
AWAY
02/03
MISSOURI SOUTHERN
HOME
02/06
PITTSBURG STATE
HOME
02/10
NORTHEASTERN STATE
HOME
02/13LINCOLNAWAY
02/18
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
HOME
02/20
NORTHEASTERN STATE
HOME
02/24 NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE AWAY
02/27 WASHBURNHOME
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY WILDCATS
09/05
SOUTH DAKOTA
HOME
09/12UTSA AWAY
09/19
LOUISIANA TECH
HOME
10/03
OKLAHOMA STATE
AWAY
10/10TCUHOME
10/17OKLAHOMAHOME
10/24TEXAS AWAY
11/05BAYLORHOME
11/14
TEXAS TECH
AWAY
11/21
IOWA STATE
HOME
11/28KANSAS AWAY
12/05
WEST VIRGINIA
HOME
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The Wildcat football program
did what, well, the Wildcat football program has done a lot
under head coach Bill Snyder: win a lot of games and make
another trip to a bowl game. 2014 for the Wildcats had plenty of positives, beating Oklahoma in Norman, going 7-2 in
the Big 12, and winning nine games for the fourth straight
year. Nothing has changed coaching wise. Bill Snyder, who
was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, is back
for his 23rd year with the Wildcats. Dana Dimel and Del
Miller handle the offensive duties and Tom Hayes will continue manning the defense. The biggest difference will be on
the field. The Wildcats return just four starters on offense
and for the first time in some time, don’t have a well-known
playmaker at the skill position. Gone is record-setting wide
receiver and Mr. Do it all in Tyler Lockett and the man who
threw him the ball in quarterback Jake Waters. BJ Finney
is also gone on the offensive line. The cupboard isn’t completely bare, though. Charles Jones and Dalvin Warmack return at running back. Cody Whitehair and Boston Stiverson
are back to anchor the offensive line. The biggest question
mark will be which of the four quarterbacks will be the feature signal caller and who will he throw to. A four-person
quarterback battle is rare, but either Joe Hubener, Jesse Ertz,
Jonathan Banks or Alex Delton will be under center. Don’t
be surprised if you see multiple quarterbacks the first few
games until Snyder decides on a fulltime quarterback. The
wide receiver spot not only loses Lockett, but Curry Sexton
as well. Deante Burton, Kyle Klein, Stanton Weber and Cody
Cook look to be the guys who will step in for the two graduating seniors. The offense could be a bit shaky to start off,
but come the middle and the end of the season, look for the
offense to churn out points like it always does. The defense
on the other hand returns a handful of starters. On the defensive line, Travis Britz and Will Geary are both back and
will look to improve from their junior and freshman seasons. The linebacking corps has lots of depth. Junior Will
Davis along with now sophomore Elijah Lee should be big
time players this season. Lee had a terrific true freshman
season a year ago and Davis is always steady. The secondary
also has plenty of returning starters. Cornerbacks Morgan
Burns and Danzel McDaniel both had solid junior seasons
and have plenty of experience coming into their senior seasons. The man in charge of the secondary is senior Dante
Barnett. The three-year starter is becoming more of a vocal
leader and is basically a coach on the field. The Wildcats
were picked to finish seventh in the Big 12. It seems every
single year the Wildcats get picked to finish in the lower
half of the league, just like this year, but every year they
always end up near the top. The first month could be bumpy
with the new players, but once again, at the end of the season, they will be playing smart solid football and be near the
top. They have Bill Snyder as head coach. Are you going to
doubt this team?
By Jake Lebahn
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: If you don’t recognize many of
the players on the Wildcat basketball team, don’t worry you are not alone.
The Wildcats had a roster overhaul in the offseason that included several
transfers and players being dismissed for various reasons. The 2014-2015
season is one that many fans and players want to forget as the Wildcats
struggled all season long and it resulted in a 15-17 overall record and an
8-11 Big 12 record. Bruce Weber, now in his fourth season as head coach,
has some work to do to get this team ready for their first game in November. Out with the old and in with the new. Let’s first start with the players
who Bruce Weber lost to graduation in Thomas Gipson and Nino Williams. The two post players were K-State’s most consistent players by far
and were the team leaders off the court. Now to the players who decided
to transfer or were not asked back this year. Marcus Foster got in Weber’s
doghouse and never got out and was dismissed from the team. Foster
showed signs of life during the season but never could consistently produce what he did his freshman year. Jevon Thomas, Nigel Johnson and Tre
Harris all decided to transfer after the season ended for various reasons.
The Wildcats lost their top three scorers and rebounders from last year that
they will have to replace. The leading scorers that will are back are senior
guard Justin Edwards, who averaged six points per game, junior forward
Wesley Iwundu, who averaged five points per contest and senior forward
Stephen Hurt who chipped in three points per game. Iwundu has had some
very good games. Other players to watch out this coming season are sophomore forward Malek Harris, who averaged just two points per game, and
incoming freshman and Mr. Kansas Basketball Dean Wade. Harris has the
athleticism and skill to be a very solid player and with a year of experience
under his belt, his sophomore year could be his breakthrough year. Wade,
who stands at 6’8”, starred at St. John this last year and is a four star recruit
that put up 22 points, eight rebounds and close to four blocks a game during his high school career. Wade is the seventh player in Wildcat basketball
history to be named Mr. Kansas Basketball. The Wildcats could struggle
this year, but they will gain valuable experience and if someone can step up
and be a legit scoring threat, well the Cats might just surprise some people.
The Kansas State women’s basketball program had a big change in 20142015. Jeff Mittie, now in his second year as head coach, replaced longtime
head coach Deb Patterson. Mittie and Wildcats did have a pretty good season a year ago considering all the growing pains a team can have when you
transition from one coach to another. Mittie has had success wherever he
has coached. He took TCU from the bottom to the top; same as Arkansas
State and Missouri Western. The Wildcats in year one under Mittie went
19-14 overall last year and 7-11 in conference play. Their season came to
an end when Missouri beat them in the second round of the WNIT. The
Wildcats got some valuable experience in the WNIT and they return a few
key players from last year’s squad. First, let’s go over the players they lost.
Second and third leading scorers Haley Texada and Ashia Woods are gone
due to graduation, but they bring back leading scorer in junior Breanna
Lewis. Lewis averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per contest a year ago
and should improve on those numbers in year two of Mittie’s system. Also
Kansas State University
back are guards Bri Craig, Kindred Wesemann and Shaelyn Martin. Craig
is in her senior year and averaged six points a year ago. Wesemann started
32 games a year ago and put up eight points per contest and Martin, who
had a terrific freshman season, averaged four points and five rebounds, but
also led the team in assists with three per game. The Wildcats have the returning player in all facets of the game to show great improvement in year
two under Mittie. Guards Wesemann, Martin and Craig are battled tested
in the Big 12 and Lewis, who stands at 6’5”, should command a double
team in most situations. The Wildcats are a team that could make a big
jump from last year to this year. Don’t be surprised if they pull of an upset
or two and end up near the top of the Big 12.
11/06
FORT HAYS STATE
HOME
11/13 MARYLAND-ESHOME
11/16 COLUMBIAHOME
11/20
SOUTH DAKOTA
HOME
11/23-24
CBE HOF CLASSIC
AWAY
11/29
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
HOME
12/04GEORGIAAWAY
12/09
COPPIN STATE
HOME
12/12
TEXAS A&M
AWAY
12/19
COLORADO STATE
WICHITA
12/22
NORTH DAKOTA
HOME
12/29
ST. LOUIS
HOME
01/30
OLE MISS
HOME
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UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS JAYHAWKS
09/05
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
HOME
09/12MEMPHISHOME
09/26RUTGERS AWAY
10/03
IOWA STATE
AWAY
10/10BAYLORHOME
10/17
TEXAS TECH
HOME
10/24
OKLAHOMA STATE
AWAY
10/31OKLAHOMAHOME
11/07TEXAS AWAY
11/14TCU AWAY
11/21
WEST VIRGINIA
HOME
11/28
KANSAS STATE
HOME
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: Continuity is something Jayhawk
football has been lacking in the last seven year. The Kansas
Jayhawks are on their third head coach since Mark Mangino was
fired in 2010. Wins have come very few recently. The number of
wins the last four years combined equals nine. Charlie Weis lasted
just two seasons after being named head coach. He won a total
of four games and didn’t leave much in the cupboard for 2015 in
terms of experience. Out with the old and in with the new, the
man in charge of the Jayhawk football team going forward is David
Beaty. Beaty comes from Texas A&M where he was the recruiting
coordinator and wide receivers coach. But Lawrence, Kansas isn’t
a new place for the new head coach. Beaty was an assistant at KU
under head coach Mark Mangino from 2008-09. Beaty is known
in the coaching world as a terrific recruiter. He is going to have
to be with the few players he has on scholarship. With the junior
college transfers and the players Weis kicked off the team thinned
out the roster and KU has just 64 players on scholarship. A football
coach has to do a lot of things in a short amount of time and that
is the one issue that is the biggest according to Beaty saying, “The
biggest thing for us is time. We want to do so many things, and
this is a process, and doing things overnight doesn’t help sustain
success. We see the potential, but there are only so many hours in
the day.” The offense will be led by Rob Likens, who comes from
California where he coached the Bears wide receivers and was
their passing game coordinator. The defense has a familiar face
calling the shots in Clint Bowen. Bowen took over the interim job
after Weis was let go last year after four games. So the defensive
scheme won’t be that much different than a year ago. A big
question for this team will be at quarterback. The Jayhawks got
handed some adversity right away in the Beaty tenure. Incumbent
quarterback Michael Cummings tore his ACL in the spring game
leaving the Jayhawks with a quarterback battle going into the
season. Beaty is leaning toward Montell Cozart, but the job is open
if someone else takes it from him. Beaty wants his quarterback
to do specific things saying, “Someone to lead our team. Guys
that can manage and take care of the ball. They don’t have to win
the game themselves but move our team down the field.” Lots of
positions will be up for grabs during camp and a lot of new faces
will be in starting roles as the Jayhawks return just four players
on offense and defense. Offensively, the Jayhawks lost several guys
from graduation or being dismissed from the team. Tight end Ben
Johnson is one to keep an eye on as Beaty has had great things
to say about his sophomore pass catcher. The wide receiver spot
looks to be up for grabs, but look for Tre Parmalee and Joshua
Stanford to take the lead. Defensively, they will lean on returning
starter Ben Goodman at defensive end. Courtney Arnick will be
the leader among the linebackers and in the secondary it looks like
Anthony Smithson will be the one in charge. Beaty’s philosophy is
very simple; Get better every day, but get better at specific things.
“Don’t coach in generalities. Use things that describe exactly
that we are looking for and make something measurable.” He
also wants a fast paced team that can go, saying, “Tempo is very
important. We also want to employ an attacking defense and not
let the offense rest.” The Jayhawks have an uphill battle going into
2015, but don’t be surprised if this Jayhawk team wins more games
than the experts think. When players believe in their coach, that
tends to get things going in the right direction.
By Jake Lebahn
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: There seem to be a few certainties in life: death, taxes and the Kansas Jayhawk basketball team winning the Big 12 regular season title. They did so again for the 11th consecutive season. The Jayhawks had a very up and down 2014-2015 year.
The good was winning another Big 12 title. The bad, for the second
straight year, they didn’t make it to the second weekend of the tournament as they lost to Wichita State in the third round. A disappointing
NCAA tournament fueled the Jayhawks to a gold medal in the World
University Games as the Jayhawks represented the USA in Gwanji,
South Korea. The Jayhawks went undefeated in South Korea and giving the USA its first gold medal in the games since 2005. Frank Mason,
Wayne Selden and Perry Ellis all were named to the World University
Games All-Tournament team. Selden took home the Best Player Award
during the tournament as he really stood out, averaging 19 points per
game. The Jayhawks did lose two players to the NBA during the offseason in freshmen Kelly Oubre and Cliff Alexander, but the majority of
the scoring and rebounding is back this year. The trio that will lead the
Hawks will be the trio that led the team last year in now senior Perry
Ellis and juniors Frank Mason and Wayne Selden. Mason seems to be
the straw that stirs the drink while Ellis is steady and the “x-factor” will
be Selden. If the junior can put together a full season the way he played
in Korea, then look out. The light may have gone off for Wayne Selden.
The backcourt will again feature Devonte Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk
and Brannen Greene. Mykhailiuk and Greene didn’t play in Korea due
to a hip injury to Greene and Svi not being American. Incoming freshman LaGerald Vick is athletic and can shoot it and should help add
depth to the backcourt. The frontcourt might have more depth than
the guard spot. Jamari Traylor is back for his senior year along with Ellis. Throw in junior Landon Lucas and senior Hunter Mickelson, who
also had a great showing in Korea, and you have four players who can
start on almost any team. The Jayhawks also have two incoming freshman post players who could be very productive in Carlton Bragg and
Cheick Diallo. Bragg is a stretch four who can shoot it from the outside
and Diallo is an energy big man who is freakishly athletic. This KU
squad will be ranked preseason top five and for good reason. This team
has the experience and the depth to make a deep run in the tournament in 2015-2016.
The Jayhawk women will be under new leadership for the upcoming
season and it will be a face that many people recognize in the state
of Kansas. Bonnie Henrickson’s 11-year tenure with the Jayhawks is
over and it is now Brandon Schneider’s team for the foreseeable future.
Schneider, who became the sixth head coach in KU women’s history,
comes to Kansas after a five-year stint at Stephen F. Austin, where he
returned SFA to the top of the Southland Conference. SFA won backto-back league titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the Ladyjacks made
three postseason appearances. Schneider is no stranger to success as he
led Emporia State’s women’s team to a national title in 2010 and ended
University of Kansas Jayhawks
his career with ESU at 306-72, with eight straight trips to the NCAA
tournament before heading to SFA. Schneider has his work cut out for
him in his first year as the Jayhawks went just 13-16 a year ago and
they lose their three leading scorers from a year ago in Chelsea Gardner, Natalie Knight and Asia Boyd. Those three combined to score 38
points per game. The Jayhawks will be very young as they have no seniors on the roster, four juniors and the rest sophomores and freshmen. He does like the makeup of the players coming back from last
year saying, “They work extremely hard. They have great character. It’s
just a matter of getting out on the court, start to improve and embrace
the process of getting better every day.” Schneider is looking for four
things in a player he recruits. “Perform at a high level academically. Be
competitive, be tough and want to be coached. If they don’t fit these
criteria, then it probably won’t be a good fit here.” Schneider also says
he will recruit the state of Kansas hard to make sure the good quality
players stay in Kansas saying, “If they are the fit we talk about, then we
need keep them here.” The Jayhawks have an uphill climb with plenty
of unknowns going forward, but they have a coach who has a great
track record and should get them back near the top of the Big 12 in
no time.
11/04
PITTSBURG STATE
HOME
11/10
FORT HAYS STATE
HOME
11/13
NORTHERN COLORADO
HOME
11/17
MICHIGAN STATE
AWAY
11/23-25
MAUI INVITATIONAL
AWAY
12/01 LOYOLAHOME
12/05 HARVARDHOME
12/09
HOLY CROSS
HOME
12/12
OREGON STATESPRINT CENTER
12/19 MONTANAHOME
12/22
SAN DIEGO STATE
AWAY
12/29
UC IRVINE
HOME
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WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ICHABODS
09/03LINDENWOOD AWAY
09/10
NEBRASKA KEARNEY
HOME
09/19
PITTSBURG STATE
AWAY
09/26 MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE HOME
10/03
FORT HAYS STATE
AWAY
10/10
CENTRAL MISSOURI
HOME
10/17 MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
AWAY
10/24
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
HOME
10/31
EMPORIA STATE
AWAY
11/07
NORTHEASTERN STATE
AWAY
11/14 NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE HOME
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The 2014 season was something
that Washburn fans and players hadn’t seen or been a part of since
2003. The Ichabods had gone 10 straight years with a winning record.
That streak was snapped last year when the team went 4-7. Head coach
Craigh Schurig, who is the all-time winningest coach in Washburn
history, enters his 14th season and is nine wins away from win number 100. Schurig said a lot of variables added up to a tough 2014 season saying, “We never had any consistency. We had some games that
were good, but more or less it was also an intensity level and maybe
a lack of discipline and the intensity didn’t match our opponent. We
tried to make it more intense in the offseason and in the summer. Going into the season, it is going to be about competition. “The 2015 season will have a lot of question marks going into game one. Gone from
last year were the two team leaders and four-year starters in safety
Calvin Kenney and running back Vershon Moore. Schurig says this
team has had a few guys step up in the leadership role this offseason
saying, “Going into this season, Michael Miller and Cody Heiman
are moving into leadership roles. We need our upper classman to be
vocal. Guys like Zach Weekley, but we need to help each other get on
the same page. Derek McGinnis is also stepping up as well.” The biggest question mark is at quarterback. Mitch Buhler was injured early
last year and the Ichabods never got in a rhythm on offense. This year,
the signal caller will be manned by transfer Derek McGinnis from
North Dakota State. McGinnis, a Crete, Nebraska native, comes in
as a junior and will have two years to play for the Ichabods. He was
given the reigns of the offense after a promising spring learning the
playbook. Schurig is excited about McGinnnis saying, “He has competitive fire. He is a perfect situation for us. I am anticipating some
great things from Derek. He has picked up the offense pretty well. His
experience being a veteran of the college game is very beneficial.” The
running back spot will be manned by another transfer in Brandon
Bourbon. If that name sounds familiar to KU fans, it should. Bourbon transfers in from KU to be the feature back. The offensive line
and wide receiver spots both have depth from a year ago and should
be pretty solid. The receiving corps should rely on the likes of seniors
Jordan Hart and Connor Crimmins. The offensive line is anchored by
junior Michael Miller, senior Cameron Brown and sophomore Bob
Marco, all back from last year. The defense should be much better in
2015 as they have eight starters back. Schurig says this is the group
that should lead us early saying, “We feel the DL should be solid with
some depth. We have some guys coming back at every position: linebacker, the secondary and the DL. I anticipate our defense being pretty strong.” The linebackers have great depth along with the secondary. Seniors Zack Weekley and Alec Stuber along with junior Cody
Heiman are all back at linebacker from last year. The secondary has
four of their five starters back from last year. Senior Shay Wooten and
Jaime Myers will start at outside linebacker and at free safety is sophomore Peter Pfannenstiel . Junior Zach Franklin is back after a nice
sophomore season at cornerback. The defensive line has junior Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq and senior Spenser Matthews back at the rush
end spot. Both had very good seasons a year ago. Sophomore Trey
Parker is back after a very nice freshman year. This defense could be
very good if they stay healthy. If the Ichabods get good quarterback
play and they play with the emotion head coach Craig Schurig wants,
this team should bounce back and finish much higher than their preseason pick of seventh in the league.
By Jake Lebahn
Washburn University Ichabods
‘15-’16 BASKETBALL OUTLOOK: The Ichabods had an up and down
2014-2015 season that resulted in some great wins, but also tough losses. Inconsistency seemed to be the biggest issue for Washburn. The Ichabods went 16-16
on the year and 10-9 in the MIAA. The Ichabods missed the NCAA tournament for the third straight season, having last been in the big dance in 20112012. Washburn head coach as well as Washburn Hall of Famer Bob Chipman
look to end that drought this season with several key guys coming back from
last year. Chipman, now in his 37th year, has 773 wins in his career. He returns
three starters from a year ago and six other players who saw important minutes
a year ago. The big question for the Ichabods will be who will replace 1,000
point scorers Alex North and Kyle Wiggins. The two four-year players were the
consistent forces last year and will be missed, both with production and leadership. The Ichabods do return the bulk of their frontcourt with senior Christian
Ulsaker and sophomores David Salach and Brady Skeens. These three are very
athletic and can play above the rim and get up and down the court. The biggest
question for the 2015-2016 will be the guard spot. The lone returner from the
backcourt is senior shooting guard Andy Wilson. Wilson will be looking for
help from some incoming freshmen and a few transfers. Two of the names that
should help out Wilson handle the ball are freshmen Javion Black from Olathe
East and Tyas Martin of Sunrise Academy out of Wichita. Transfers Emeka
Ogbonna from Oklahoma Wesleyan and Randall Smith of Jacksonville State
will also help out at the guard spot. The Ichabods will also feature a junior varsity team this season. The Ichabods have hired former player Matt Hundley,
who coached at Barton County the last five seasons, as an assistant. The JV program will have 15 players on the roster, compared to 11 on the varsity squad
and will have a 10-game season currently with hopes of adding more games.
The Ichabods have the athleticism to really push the ball up the court and if
they can find some guards who can score and distribute the ball this could be a
very dangerous team that will be a threat to win the MIAA title.
For the second straight year, the Washburn women didn’t make it to the MIAA
tournament in Kansas City. They got bounced out in the play-in game of the
conference tournament at home against Northeastern State. This is a shock
because for 12 straight years, the women’s team made it to the NCAA tournament, not just the MIAA tournament. The Ichabods went 16-12 last year and
8-11 in conference play. The Ichabod team will not be fielding a Junior Varsity
team this year like the men will, but in 2016-2017 they will. Ron McHenry, who
is now in his 16th year as head coach, knows the last two years, his team underachieved saying, “This is not what we are used to. We couldn’t score very
well. Our league was tough, but we didn’t quite have enough to compete. But we
weren’t that far off either. It’s time to get back to where we were competing for a
league title.” The Ichabods return two starters in junior point guard Erica Lane
and senior forward Jayna Smith. The Ichabods also have several players who
played big time minutes a year ago as well. Junior forwards Felicia Gibbs, Cindy
Demosthene and Alexis Bowens all should improve from their sophomore seasons. Incoming junior transfer Erin Dohnalek comes from Northern Iowa and
will compete for the starting small forward role. Julie Ravn, who transfers in
from Cowley County and is from Horsens, Denmark, can really shoot the ball
from the outside. The MIAA will feature a new 22-game league schedule. This
will make the already tough league even tougher, but McHenry likes the new
format saying, “I am not a big fan of the divisions like we had last year, so it’s
getting closer to playing everybody twice with 22 games. Hopefully this year
we can mix in a few more games to make it more of a true conference champion.” McHenry knows he doesn’t have the star returning player but that’s ok
saying, “We got a lot kids who have been in the system. They have had a good
summer. They are good players. They just need to get on the floor and play.
Erica is back along with some big kids. It will be more of a win by committee,
but we have a lot of kids who can play.” This team should be a deep team and
competition for playing time will be at an all-time high. If a few players step up
and the newcomers give this team a boost, expect this team back near the top
of league like they have countless times before.
11/06
OKLAHOMA
AWAY (M)
11/13-14
LAS VEGAS CLASSIC
AWAY (M)
11/13
MINOT STATE
AWAY (W)
11/14
UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARY
AWAY (W)
11/16
TABOR
HOME (M)
11/18
NEWMAN
HOME (W)
11/21
ROCKHURST
HOME (M)
11/21
DRURY
AWAY (W)
11/24
PERU STATE
HOME (M)
11/24
NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
AWAY (W)
11/27
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN
AWAY (W)
11/28
UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARY
HOME (M)
11/28
PALM BEACH ATLANTIC
AWAY (W)
12/02
FORT HAYS STATE
AWAY
12/05
NEBRASKA KEARNEY
AWAY
12/12
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
HOME
12/16
PITTSBURG STATE
AWAY
12/19
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE
AWAY
01/02 LINDENWOODHOME
01/04 LINCOLNHOME
01/07
NORTHEASTERN STATE
AWAY
01/09
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
AWAY
01/13
MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
HOME
01/16
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
HOME
01/23
EMPORIA STATE
HOME
01/27
CENTRAL MISSOURI
AWAY
01/30
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
AWAY
02/03
PITTSBURG STATE
HOME
02/06
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE
HOME
02/10
CENTRAL MISSOURI
HOME
02/13LINDENWOODAWAY
02/17
NORTHEASTERN STATE
HOME
02/20
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
HOME
02/24
MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
AWAY
02/27
EMPORIA STATE
AWAY
785-233-3164
Topeka, KS 66608
www.hallcp.com
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
2015 FOOTBALL OUTLOOK: The Kansas City Chiefs
had a roller coaster of a season when you look back at
their 2014 campaign. Expectations were very high as
they came into the season after just missing their first
playoff victory in Indianapolis to end their 2013 season.
So with thoughts of returning to playoffs and possibly
winning the division, the 2014 season had high hopes.
The Chiefs’ first game not only was a loss, but a crushing
one at that, as they lost two of their better leaders and
run stuffers to Achilles injuries in Derrick Johnson and
Mike DeVito. The Chiefs had a tough time rebounding
from the loss as they started the season 0-2. The Chiefs,
though, found their groove in the middle of the season
as they stood 2-3. Coming off their bye week, they found
their groove and won five straight games to stand at 7-3
with just six games to go and in the driver’s seat to earn
09/13
HOUSTON TEXANS
09/17
DENVER BRONCOS
09/28
GREEN BAY PACKERS
10/04
CINCINNATI BENGALS
10/11
CHICAGO BEARS
10/18
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
10/25
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
11/01
DETROIT LIONS
11/07BYE
11/15
DENVER BRONCOS
11/22
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
11/29
BUFFALO BILLS
12/06
OAKLAND RAIDERS
12/13
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
12/20
BALTIMORE RAVENS
12/27
CLEVELAND BROWNS
01/03
OAKLAND RAIDERS
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
HOME
AWAY
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
HOME
a playoff berth. They couldn’t sustain it as they stumbled
to the end of the season as they lost three straight and
lost four of their last six games to end the season 9-7 and
missing out on the playoffs. The Chiefs weren’t far off.
Of their seven losses, three of them were four points or
fewer and five of them were within a single possession.
The 2015 season has a different feeling for several reasons.
The first is Andy Reid, now in his third year at the helm
of the Chiefs. Normally in year three is when the team
takes off after being in the same system for three years.
The second is John Dorsey, who has gone out and signed
several key additions to this year’s squad to make this
a more complete team. The biggest signing wasn’t even
a new player. It was getting the league’s sack leader
under a new contract. Justin Houston will be a Chief for
many years to come as he signed a six-year, 101 million
dollar deal. The next big signing was former Missouri
Tiger standout Jeremy Maclin. The Chiefs get their
much needed go-to wide receiver in Maclin. Reid knows
Maclin well and Maclin knows this offense as he played
under Reid for two seasons with the Eagles. Maclin had
a breakout 2014 season and the Chiefs are hoping he can
be the guy to help improve their downfield passing woes.
Another key addition that might be the biggest pickup
is guard and Pro-Bowler Ben Grubbs. Dorsey traded for
Grubbs and it looks like the Chiefs got a steal from the
Saints in Grubbs. He has been in the league since 2007
and has been steady ever since and should help stabilize
the Chiefs offensive line.
The biggest highlight of the offseason is the amazing
story of Eric Berry. The strong safety went from being
diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December
to back on the playing field in July. Berry’s remarkable
comeback from cancer has inspired many citizens, but
also his teammates in the process. 2015 first round pick
By Jake Lebahn
Marcus Peters was asked what he has learned from Berry
saying, “Leadership and a whole lot of courage. Just for
him to come back and fight through what he has been
through like nothing has changed, it’s motivating.” Berry
will be fighting for playing time with Ron Parker, Husain
Abdullah and Tyvon Branch.
The biggest question for the Chiefs might be their
schedule this year. The Chiefs will be on the road for
four of their first six games and one of those games will
be in London, England, when the Chiefs face the Detroit
Lions at Wimbley Stadium. The Chiefs not only have the
rare lost home game; they have just seven home games
this year, but they also face the Packers on the road on
Monday night. Then the upcoming Sunday, they are on
the road to face the Bengals. The good news though is the
Chiefs end the season with four home games in their last
six and they end the season with home games against the
Browns and the Raiders, two teams that have struggled
in recent years.
The Chiefs offense should be potent as they have the skill
guys in, Jamaal Charles, Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce and
DeAnthony Thomas to make plays. The offense having
success should come down to two areas. One, they avoid
injuries to key guys and two, does the offensive line give
Alex Smith time to make the plays down the field in the
passing game. The defense should be just as stout as it was
in 2014. They return everyone on defense from last year’s
squad and add first round pick Marcus Peters to the fold.
The biggest concern for the defense will be at nose guard
and how quickly Pro Bowl lineman Dontari Poe recovers
from back surgery. The line will be anchored until
Poe returns by DeVito, Howard and Allen Bailey. The
secondary should be a strength with Sean Smith back,
though he will miss the first three games due to suspension.
Phillip Gaines and Peters will man the other corner spot.
The linebacking unit might be the best in the league
with Houston and Hali back to put pressure on the
quarterback and the team has their field general back in
Derrick Johnson.
Kansas City Chiefs
Special teams has been huge for the Chiefs in recent years
with Pro Bowl punter Dustin Colquitt pinning teams
inside the 20 and a return unit that is a threat to take
a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown at any given time.
Kicker Cairo Santos made 25-30 field goals a year ago and
is steady enough to deal with the new PAT rules that will
be coming to the league this year.
The AFC West will once again be tough as The Broncos
will be the favorites in the AFC West again mainly
because of Peyton Manning, but the Broncos are not as
strong as they once were. Some key injuries and some key
players lost to free agency make the Broncos beatable this
season. The Chargers will be the same Chargers as they
normally are; competitive and in the mix. The Raiders
should be improved and are always tough against the
Chiefs as they took down the Chiefs last year in Oakland.
Success for the Chiefs this year might come down to the
first six weeks of the season. If Alex Smith and company
can keep their head above water to start the season, they
have a chance to finish with a flurry and get back to the
playoffs and finally end the long playoff drought.

the PDF file

Transcription

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