FALL SPORTS 2025 AREA HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW
SPARTAN VOLLEYBALL SETS SIGHT ON SUB-STATE TITLE
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
The Emporia High School girls volleyball team looks to make a run at a sub-state title and state-tournament berth in 2025. And they’ll undertake that mission with the majority of last season’s squad intact.
The Lady Spartans lost one starter to graduation. Sadie Rethman
completed her time last fall, but the Spartans should have the personnel to match her production.
“The team was kind of new last year,” said Emporia head coach Jiangping Wang.
“I only had three seniors, and only two that kind of played. We were still young last year. I feel like we did ok. “I will have five seniors
this year. Three of them will start.”
Emporia posted a 23-13 record last year despite losing five seniors from the 2023 squad, which went 25-12. They’ll endeavor to exceed those records when practice begins Aug. 18 and with the commencement of season matches Aug. 29. The Lady Spartans will be
led by a trio of returning seniors— Jade Xu, Molly Williams and Harley Smith.
Xu, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, averaged nearly four kills per set in 2024 and tallied 336 total for the season. The 5-foot-8 Smith amassed 118 blocks, playing middle blocker and hitter. Williams is the unit’s libero and averaged 4.7 digs per set and logged 400 on the year.
SPARTANS’ POTENTIAL RESTS WITH YOUNG RUNNERS
By Chris adams Emporia GazEttE
Emporia High School cross country will hit the ground running in 2025 with most of it’s varsity boys team intact.
The Spartans lost key contributor Gideon Lowery, but will field a host of underclassmen that could keep the squad competitive.
“We lost Gideon. He was our first and second runner a lot of times,” said Emporia coach Michael Robinson. “He’s the only varsity contributor we lost. Otherwise, we have a lot of underclassmen coming up on the boys side.”
Robinson said it’s going to be a young team, but he is hopeful.
“There’s a lot of talent and potential for talent there, so I’m excited about that,” he said.
The girls squad enters the year a bit more depleted in the varsity ranks, losing contributors Reagan Thompson, Allison Curtis, and Leanna Lewis. The Lady Spartans’ roster will also comprise younger runners.
“They’re also fairly young,” Robinson said. “Our numbers were down a little bit. I’ve seen more girls this summer at training, so I’m kind of excited about that. We’re bringing back our main talent with Madison Evans, Emma Beatty and Ivanna Orduno.”
The end-game goal for Robinson’s run-
ners is state meet participation. Individually, or as a team. However, the more realistic goal from year to year is to develop the young talent. This season, in particular, the sophomore boys. He said their progress and racing experience in 2025 should pay dividends in November and next year.
“The ultimate goal is to have as many in
the state meet at the end of the season as possible. Whether that’s individuals, or ideally, full teams,” Robinson said. “But that’s not always going to happen, especially depending on a regional. So at this point, midway through the summer, we really want to develop that younger talent.”
The Spartans are hosting two meets this
year: An invitational Saturday, Sept. 13 at Jones Park, “That’s our great big home invitational that gets a little bit bigger every year, and that’ll be the one time they get a run at home,” and the Centennial League meet at Peter Pan Park, “It’s going to be at Peter Pan, though, because there’s disc golf at Jones that day.”
SPARTAN FOOTBALL ZEROES IN ON POSITIVE DIRECTION
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
It’s been a tough go for the Spartan football program the past five seasons, in particular the last two, where victories have been completely elusive.
A new leader has come on board to guide the program in a positive direction. Daniel Goodman was named head coach in May. The Emporia High graduate sees potential in the roster and seems assured due to the positive attitude being exemplified by the junior and senior players.
“I’ll say this. The kids here are not afraid to work hard,” Goodman asserted. “They push themselves and want to be held to a standard, and they’re working. They just go about their business.”
The Spartans participated in the Emporia State camp earlier in the summer and undertook skill development sessions and strength training during the remaining days permitted by KSHSAA. They will journey to Wichita Heights a week before their season opener for a jamboree. Also benefitting the program is the return of several players with varsity reps.
“We have guys that have played a lot of varsity football. So it’s not going to be shock and awe to them of what a Friday night is like,” Goodman stressed. “Now it’s just trying to get all that work to pay off and see it reflect on the scoreboard a little bit for them. Obviously, it’s no se -
cret the past two years, they haven’t won a game. So it’s tough…the ones that are still here in the program, the juniors and seniors and even some of those sophomores, they’re willing to work hard, and they have experience…it’s not a lack of trying or wanting, that’s for sure.”
Goodman said a new offense will be implemented this year — defense, too — but did not go into specifics.
“It’s not going to be the same football that the town has seen in the past four or five years. It’s a different brand of football, a little bit different offensively. I’ll put it this way. We’re trying to get guys to take snaps under center.”
He said they parceled in the offense throughout the summer while cautiously progressing until the coaching staff was set.
“That way, the vernacular, and the coaching is all the same,” Goodman explained.
Despite two consecutive winless campaigns, the Spartan season goals aren’t win-loss column-centric. The aim is to bring the effort each day and consistently improve, allowing success to be a byproduct of that.
“Honestly, our goals are just getting better every day,” Goodman said. “If I had a crystal ball and I could see what
the future holds, I’d obviously try to change things to match what we want. In my mind, with wins and losses, you feel like you’ve lost everything if you don’t reach that goal. And if everybody understands, our goal is to get a little bit better…put that work into the summer and work really hard all year, everything else will kind of take care of itself at some point in time.”
What Goodman has observed in his players provides the coach with a currency of optimism.
“They’re working harder every day and gaining more belief in themselves every day. It’s been awesome to see.”
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH FOR EMPORIA GIRLS TENNIS
Emporia High School girls tennis returns five out of six varsity players this fall, so the expectations for a stellar season are high.
“We have both our doubles teams returning that played varsity last year, and then we have a singles girl who was a freshman last year returning as well,” said Emporia coach Saul Trujillo.
The freshman, now sophomore, is Izabela Hinst, who began on the JV squad last season and moved up to varsity, securing the number two singles spot.
“My number two singles girl, Izabela, got a little bit of varsity time last year as a freshman,” Trujillo said. “Hopefully, she can make a jump this year.”
The number one doubles team consists of Peyton Chanley and Kinsley Hines, and the number two unit is Alexa Tovar and Chelsea Mendez.
“Peyton and Kinsley didn’t medal last year at state,” he said. “They qualified, but were one match off
medaling. They lost in a really tight game. So I’m sure they’re going to want a medal this year.”
The number one singles player is senior Kali Keough. Keough, who plays USTA juniors tournaments outside of high school competition, qualified for the KSHSAA State Tournament the past three years, placing fourth overall in her sophomore season.
“We have three seniors and two juniors. So I’m going to set the bar pretty high for them,” Trujillo said. “Last year, we qualified our number one singles and our number one doubles team to state. I’m hoping we get more than that this year… this is probably the strongest team I’ve ever had.”
Trujillo is optimistic about the likelihood of the Lady Spartans producing an epic season.
“They’re just a great group of girls there. They’re really coachable, outgoing and fun. It’s just high expectations this season with five out of the six varsity players being upperclassmen.”
EXCITEMENT KEY FOR SPARTAN LADY GOLF
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
First-year Emporia High School girls golf coach Caleb Short has a goal: To get kids excited about the sport.
If that is a pre-determined, built-in season goal and a driver, then success should eventually result with that coaching philosophy. When Short accepted the job, he told Emporia athletic director Beau Welch that his intention was to grow the game.
“There was a great article out from the USGA recently, talking about 25 percent of all golfers now are women,” Short said. “The youth game has grown a lot, and so we ought to be a part of that and get as many kids excited to play as we can.”
Short believes the ingredients are present. His enthusiasm, coupled with Emporia hosting the
5A State Tournament this year, could generate a fair amount of zeal around the girls program.
“I mean, you want to have fun, you want to compete, and then we do host a state tournament this year,” he said. “If we can get somebody, or the whole team, into that, that would obviously
be the ultimate goal.”
However, the Lady Spartans will have to navigate the excitement and season without state tournament finalist Elise Eckert. Eckert, who placed fourth at the 2024 5A tournament and fifth in 2023, transferred to Seaman High School for her senior
year. Though Emporia is returning two juniors, Kelsey Shull and Clara Heitman.
“They’re both juniors, played the first two years of their career here,” Short said. “They never played golf until they took it up in high school to just kind of see what it was about. They both re -
ally dropped their averages a lot over the first two years.”
Short said Shull and Heitman will be the leaders of a unit that has not been completely determined. He said Emporia Middle School has a strong program, and some of those players could come up to the high school squad.
“We’re gonna grow the game, man. We’re trying to find anybody who wants to play,” Short said. “We had our team meeting. We had six girls at that. Talking to Jordan Young at the middle school, they’ve got a good thing going down there…So that’s what we’re going to have for a team this year.”
The West Franklin graduate isn’t short on determination and optimism. He’s about growth and encouragement. He went out for golf in his sophomore year and by his senior year was playing in the State 3A Tournament.
EMPORIA BOYS SOCCER LOOKS TO HAVE HEALTHY SEASON
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
The Emporia High School boys soccer team enters the 2025 season with expectations to improve on last season’s 6-10-1 effort.
The Spartans return a capable squad that could turn 2025 into a special season.
“This group, by far, is one of the better ones in terms of wanting to go out there and play,” said Emporia coach Victor Ibarra. “They were exposed to a lot of professional players during the summer, and I saw their play really excel. I just believe the group is going to be unique from that standpoint…I have a really good feeling about them.”
Some of the players who could make that happen are senior midfielder Kevin Magaña, junior forward Thiago Esquivel, and sophomore goalkeeper Braylon File.
“Kevin has been on the varsity team since his freshman year, and the same thing with Thiago and Braylon,” said Emporia coach Victor Ibarra. “But obviously, with Kevin being a senior, he’s been around the program for three years. He’s been one of the best players on the team, so he understands the role.”
Magaña has garnered a plethora of honors, including allleague and all-state selections for three consecutive seasons. Esquivel is a goal-facilitator, and File is an up-and-coming goalstopper with a high ceiling.
“In terms of talent, I think Braylon is one of the better goalkeepers out there,” Ibarra said. “Braylon played some minutes last year as a freshman goalkeeper. He’s an exceptional talent, and it’s going to be really nice to have somebody that plays year-round soccer, which all three of them do.”
Ibarra indicated that one of their greatest challenges is playing rosters comprised of year-round players, especially teams in the Kansas City and Wichita areas. However, the Spartans can counter that with their 15-deep varsity depth chart, which should prove to be competitive.
“I think we’ll be a really, really nice team,” Ibarra said. “They understand the culture. They understand what we need to do in terms of making sure we’re playing together. Last year, I think, was one of our lower seasons in terms of wins and losses, but I thought the guys handled a lot of noise really well, and that’s going to make this group extremely tough mentally. So I just think the team is going to be tough due to the previous seasons.”
Safety in numbers
Ibarra said the norm is eight to nine players who can contribute meaningful minutes on the pitch, but this year, Emporia has 13-15. The Spartans regularly draw 60-80 players for tryouts, so fielding two teams is realistic.
“We never struggle with numbers. We’re going to go ahead and try to keep two teams.”
And having assistant coaches Theresa Ibarra and Eric Huggard goes a long way in coaching up the Emporia squad.
“Coach Theresa Ibarra coaches the goalkeepers, both varsity and JV. And then, Eric Hoggard handles the JV team,” he said. “It’s a tall task to ask one coach to handle 30 guys.”
Ultimately, the win-loss paradigm isn’t the barometer of success. Success and wins are distinct elements of any given season. Ibarra’s coaching perspective changed after a few campaigns, and no matter the outcome of 2025, it’s always about the players.
“The first three years, it was about winning the state title and about just coming back and what I thought wasn’t being done right,” the Emporia High School graduate said. “And then, after three years, I realized that the mentoring and watching kids grow up from kids to young adults was extremely rewarding.”
LADY SPARTANS TO DO MORE WITH LESS
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
Emporia High School gymnastics vaults into the 2025 season with one returning senior after losing a state-qualifier to graduation.
Senior Annalie Huebner is back, while floor state competitor Jaylin Dickason has moved on.
“Last season was good. I think we had eight girls,” said Emporia coach Angela Podrebarac. “One of my seniors, Jaylin, had gone to state…I have one returning senior this year.”
With a small cohort of gymnasts and competing against a bevy of powerful 5A programs each season, Podrebarac focuses on developing the gymnasts on an individual level. Gymnasts can make it into state competition via team qualification or in single events.
“We spend a lot of time in our program focusing on individual stuff with the girls,” Podrebarac said. “Of course, we have team scores, and we try to get to state through our scores with a team, but we tend to send a lot of girls individually.”
Team qualification is a challenge due to the competiveness of the Kansas City schools, where there is a multitude of 5A teams with plenty of ability.
“There’s tons of gyms up there. A lot of talent, a lot of higher-level girls in the Kansas City area, which is a little hard to compete with sometimes when you just have one gym here that concentrates on traditional gymnastics,” she explained. “So we really focus on the girls scores individually, trying to get to state as well.”
The goal for the Lady Spartans is to PR each time out, in every meet.
“A lot of times, the girls will at least get one or two PRs in events as they go from meet to meet. We typically have seven to eight meets with one home meet,” the Spartan coach said.
Additionally, the Emporia gymnasts consistently set personal records because of out-of-season preparation. The preparation allows them to establish routines.
“Gymnastics isn’t a seasonal sport. It’s really a year-round sport. So if the girls are training out of season, that’s super helpful because then they come back at the beginning of the season conditioned and ready,” Podrebarac explained. “We’ll have floor routines put together, which takes an enormous amount of time,
choreography, and things like that. So the main goal from last season to this season is just to be
in the gym, getting prepared for this season…coming in strong is always the main goal.”
MADISON CROSS COUNTRY COMPETES WITH TWO RUNNERS
By Chris adams
The Emporia Gazette
Similar to Hartford, Madison will comprise just two runners. Both are boys. Sophomores Braxton Perry and Matty Thompson will grace the 3.1-mile courses for the Bulldogs.
“I don’t have any girls returning…and then I have junior high runners and that’s it,” Boles said.
Thompson is new to distance running, and Boles said this year will be the time for the sophomore to become acquainted with the sport.
“Matty’s goal, this year, is just to kind of fall in love with running,” she said. “And because he’s not super competitive, winning races and going to state that’s not really in his wheelhouse this year. And that’s ok.”
Perry, on the other hand, has been running for three seasons, initially joining cross country to be a part of something.
Boles said Perry has steadily improved, and now his goal is the state meet. She said he has been training all summer.
“He is ready to go,” Boles said. “He would really like to make it to state.”
SOME GAPS IN THE LINE FOR MADISON FOOTBALL
By Chris adams
The Emporia Gazette
Madison Bulldog football replaces half of its starting roster from 2024, requiring a handful of returning players to step up and fill the void left by departing seniors.
“Every year we’ve got new groups of kids that are ready to step onto the varsity field,” said Madison coach Nate Teichgraeber. “And we’re going to have to replace half of our starters from last year’s team.”
Yet, the key piece for the Bulldogs isn’t the void-fillers but returning senior starter Octavian Dean. Dean excels on both sides of the ball.
“One guy we have to have to mention is Octavian Dean,” Teichgraeber said. “He plays tight end for us on offense. He’s a good run blocker, a good athlete and a guy that does good things when he gets the ball in his hands.”
The all-state and two-time all-league selection also excels on defense, wreaking havoc in the first level.
“He’s really one of our anchors at defensive end,” Teichgraeber added. “I think everybody knows they have to block Octavian. He’s a disruptor and causes
teams trouble in the run game, and he can get after the quarterback. He’s a tough guy to block, and so we really count on him to be able to make plays and fly around up front and be a problem for offenses.”
The Bulldog coach said their defense is strong at all three levels. Returning Lyon County League Defensive Player of the Year Drake Loveall roams the second level at linebacker. He led Madison in tackles last season.
“I think he had multiple playoff games where he had over 10 tackles and was very instrumental in our success defensively,” Teichgraeber said. “He’s a guy that can really cause some fits. Once he diagnoses a play, he’s got the speed to track it down. So we’re super excited about him.”
In the secondary, the Bulldogs return three of their starting four from 2024. Teichgraeber is confident
they’ll be able to stop the big-chunk passing plays.
“They did an excellent job for us last year. So I anticipate those guys taking another step up and trying to limit a team’s big play capability in the passing game,” he said. “So there’s definitely some positives on all three of levels of our defense.”
However, Madison is semi-depleted on the line, having lost two starters.
“Something we need to improve on is up front,” Teichgraeber admitted. “We have Octavian, but the other two spots are going to be new guys. A big spot in the middle of our defense and at one of our defensive end spots. We have some candidates. We’ve got to figure out who’s ready to play there and contribute.”
Offensively, the Bulldogs are set in the skill positions, but like the defense, they have line deficiencies.
SABINA BOLINGER
GOAL-ORIENTED LADY BULLDOGS AIM FOR STATE
By Chris adams The Emporia Gazette
What do you do when you lose three very critical players? How do you reset?
Those are the questions that Madison High School volleyball coach Ashley Redeker is wrestling with.
“We did lose three very key players last year, and so this season I’m looking to put some girls in some new roles and switch up some things that maybe they’ve been doing for the past three years,” Redeker explained. “I don’t want to say we have a younger team just by losing three players, but those three players played varsity for me since they were freshmen. So we have some girls who are going to have to step up this season.”
The Lady Bulldogs will roll with senior outside hitter Caylin Luthi, senior middle hitter Sadie Albert, senior setter Bryn Roth, senior outside hitter Kam White and senior defensive specialist Sadie Davis.
“Caylin will be a returner for me. She is an outside hitter, but she’s more of a utility player,” Redeker said. “She sets them for us. She plays the back row, she hits on the front line, so she will be a key.”
Albert is the senior leader who handles the middle.
“She is a middle hitter for us. And this summer, she started putting it all together and coming into her own. So very excited to see what she’s going to do for us this season.”
The other seniors possess a seemingly high ceiling and progressed by season’s end.
“At the end of the season, we had some injuries, of course. So I threw some of them in there, and they were very promising and looked really good…So I’m excited to see what they’ll do for us this year.”
The Lady Bulldogs will also have a few depth pieces to rotate in during the season. Junior middle Rylie Watts and sophomore outside hitter Rylee Darbro, along with incoming freshman Molly Dannels, will
add depth to the Lady Bulldog varsity roster.
“And then Catherine Seiter, who will be a senior this year, is going to see some new minutes on the floor. I have a lot of girls that are all about right there together,” Redeker said. “So it’ll be a fun little jigsaw puzzle.”
Madison fell to Flinthills in the sub-state final last year, but the experience was invaluable for the players who were on the court during the 2024 postseason.
“We ended as the sub-state runner-up. That was a huge
highlight for our girls because they got a trophy for being the regional winner,” Redeker commented. “It was a very good motivator to show the girls what it’s like to be playing at that level.”
The long-time Madison coach said the 2025 squad is very goaloriented, which should serve them well because Redeker’s program comprises a long list of boxes to check.
“Obviously, the ultimate goal is to make it to state, but we try to set mini-goals to accomplish instead of just working for that one main goal at the end of the year,” she said.
Some of the goals include placing in the top three in the Lyon County League and targeting a certain number of wins in tournaments.
“So we make little check marks throughout the season,” Redeker said. “We try to set weekly goals. It’s cool to see that they like to see those check marks. They like to see the progress. They come to practice. They work hard. They want to get better. They want to leave their mark on Madison in every program that they’re a part of.”
COURTESY PHOTO/SABINA BOLINGER
WILDCATS ROLL OVER POSITIVES FROM 2024 INTO 2025
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
The mood around the Northern Heights football program had been dour for a few years; the attitude cynical and dismissive as the Wildcats searched for a win. An acceptance of defeat had blanketed the collective psyche. However, Northern Heights prevailed, claiming victory over the stranglehold of losing last season, along with three wins.
“Last year, we had quite a few positives, mostly being that we finally won three games,” stated Northern Heights coach Peyton Heins. “I can’t even remember how many years, I think a three or four-year slump that we were in. So that helped build some confidence.”
It has been a tall hurdle to overcome since Heins took over the program nearly three and a half years ago. He said losing basi-
cally got into the players’ heads. It seemed it had found a safe space there.
“When you’ve been losing, as long as they’ve been losing, a lot of it becomes mental,” he said. “My first year up there, I asked them, ‘Do you guys just not care if you win or lose?’ I said, ‘The goal of any sport is to win. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t win, but if you don’t try, and you lose, that’s where it becomes a problem.’ And they said, ‘Well, you just kind of get used to losing.’ I said, ‘That’s a problem.’”
The struggle for a positive attitude and maximum effort raged inside the program.
“This year’s seniors, when they’re in middle school in their eighth grade year, I think they lost two games,” Heins said. “They’ve had success in the past. But when you get into a system that has lost forever, it kind of wears on. I’ve battled this senior class when
they were sophomores, kind of going down the rabbit hole of doing what everybody was doing in front of them. There’s been quite a few battles along the way.”
However, it seems the outcome of the mental battle has been decided. The Wildcats won three contests in 2024. The impact three wins can have is significant.
“Three years later, we’re to the point where they don’t like to lose, they’re sick of losing,” Heins said. “ They sniffed a little bit of success last year, so they’re pretty hungry this year.”
Now, the Wildcats embrace the win and action the effort to fend off the loss, as they seek to put the lean years behind them and move forward. The Cats return key senior players who have played since their freshman year and who are eager to win more games. Additionally, Heins feels confident about winning additional games this year, especially with the per-
sonnel they’ll have on the field. It starts with junior quarterback Cooper Woodrow and the offensive line.
“He’s been the quarterback pretty well the last two years. Last year, he kind of took over the role. He’s smart as a whip. I couldn’t ask for a better quarterback…probably what I’m most excited about this year is that, for the first time since I’ve been up there, we’ll actually have some depth at O-line. And O-line is probably the most important part of an offense, because if you can’t block, you can’t run, you can’t pass.”
As for their seniors, team leader and state-tournament wrestler Leo Dedonder sets the tone for the team.
“He’s the leader of the team. The boys mostly follow what Leo does.”
Elijah Warnick will anchor the lines.
“He’ll be a key on the line. He’s
probably one of my biggest boys.”
Skill-player TJ Dean and the 6-foot-5 Kelton Bish round out the seniors and bring athleticism to the gridiron.
Heins’ plan and directive is to win the first two games of the year—Burlingame and Lebo.
“Winning breeds winning and losing breeds losing,” he said. “I’ve been instilling that in the boys that our first two games need to be our biggest games of the year. Every week we’re 0-0. If we do end up winning, we don’t become 1-0. We become 0-0 again until next week.”
It appears that losing is in the rearview mirror for the Wildcats and winning is on the horizon.
“When you go through your first two years of high school and don’t win a football game…they’re all pretty hungry this summer,” Heins said. “They’ve all been showing up to weights and being good leaders…I’m really looking forward to this season.”
COURTESY
LADY CATS COURT OPTIMISM
By Chris adams Emporia GazEttE
Northern Heights High School volleyball has talent. It’s just been a matter of bottling it up and pouring it into the glass.
Stir in some continuity, and second-year coach Morgan Stout sees a glass full of ability and aptitude, not the frustrations of a one-win squad from 2024.
“There’s just a lot that they haven’t been taught or that has kind of gone out the window because there hasn’t been a consistent head volleyball coach here for a while,” she said. “We have a very talented group of seniors, juniors and sophomores. The freshmen coming in have a lot of potential.”
Their success could hinge on the defensive play of senior libero Bri Pierce. Pierce earned All-Lyon County League Second team honors last year.
Senior track and field standout Jaitlyn Johnson will also be counted on to make an impact.
“She’s going to do well for us. She has gone to state in track and field and is a great, great athlete,” Stout said. “I’ve been having her hit outside, but she has an incredible vertical, and so having her in the middle of the block is crucial.”
Juniors Reese Houck and Meagan Allen have committed themselves to refining their skill set during the offseason and should be ready to contribute significantly in 2025.
“They have really stepped up this year, big time,” Stout said. “They came in over the summer and worked. In fact, Reese asked me to do some individual stuff with her during the summer. She’s taken on a setting role, which she has never done before. So I’m really excited.”
Avery Patton and Addisen Petersen are two sophomores who should bring substantial production to the court as well.
To complement their dedication and skills, the team is making posters that display season goals and core values. They will be hung in the gym.
“I told them at the beginning of the season, I’ve told
them all summer, that my goal for them, because I know how talented they are, is to play in the LCL league championship at the tournament…and then to make it to substate. We have pretty much returned everyone that was on varsity last year, aside from one senior. I’m excited about that.”
Euler Insurance Agency Inc
Everett “Pete” Euler, Agent 920 Commercial, P.O. Box 605 Business: 620.342.6272 | Residential: 620.343.6364 pete.euler.b6wt@statefarm.com
NORTHERN HEIGHTS CROSS COUNTRY RETURNING A
OF EXPERIENCE
B y C hris adams
The Emporia Gazette
The Lady Wildcats finished fourth at the 1A state meet in 2024. They return their best runners.
“We’re going to have a good core group of girls coming back that are really going to help us out, that we’re a part of that team last year,” Callanan said.
Junior Ellie McCrory placed third at state, clocking 20:46, and junior Josie Tiffany finished in the top 20, running 22:18. Sophomore GraceAnn Cathcart cracked the state meet top 50, and senior Alanna Brecheisen was also a state competitor.
“Girls-wise, we’re going to be very excellent this year, and potentially next year as well,” Callanan said. “Obviously, we have the McCrory girl, but also coming back is Josie Tiffany. She’s actually listed as one of the top 1A returning girls. So that will be really exciting to see what she’s capable of; coming back as more mature and eager to do better.”
The Wildcats have a handful of boys, too, led by sophomore Cooper Spade.
“He’s going to be my standout boy this year,” Callanan said.
Juniors Henry Schneickert and Jacob Merrill will factor in as well.
“I’ll be really interested to see how he (Schneikert) does. I have another junior coming back that was injured last year, who didn’t get to run, Jacob Merrill. He’ll be kind of leading the second group to come through…they’re all hard workers.”
YOUNG SQUAD TO GUIDE LEBO FOOTBALL
By Chris adams
The Emporia Gazette
Lebo High School football will suit up in 2025 with a scarcity of upperclassmen, but that doesn’t worry Wolves’ coach Brian Hadley. He believes the Lebo squad could be the youngest in 8-man. They only return two seniors and two juniors from last season’s 7-3 team.
“Everybody else is a freshman or sophomore. So it’s going to be interesting,” he said.
Hadley, in his 12th season at Lebo, looks forward to playing the younger guys.
“They only lost one game in two years in junior high,” he said. “The sophomores played a good JV schedule last year and had a lot of success there and got some varsity time…It’ll just be getting the mental reps and the mental aspect of high school football because it’s a whole lot different when you’re a junior or senior.”
But Hadley will lean on his four experienced players. In particular, Brayden Hopkins and Ayden Ferguson. Hopkins led the Wolves with 242 receiving yards last year and was a 2nd-Team All-Lyon County League selection. Ferguson plays tight end and was chosen as an All-Lyon County League Honorable Mention.
“The other two juniors and seniors play JV, and they’ll fight for some varsity time,” he said. “But it’ll just be a lot of these sophomores. And we got a few freshmen that are ready to play.”
Sophomores Mateo Plummer and Jaxon Grimmett should also step in and contribute in 2025. Plummer started at linebacker as a freshman, and Grimmett compiled several varsity carries at running back.
The performances of the skill players in games this summer helped allay any doubts about the abilities of the younger players.
“We’ve played about 10 five-on-five games this summer…we only lost one,” Hadley explained. “So that kind of showed us the talent we have, the catching and throwing, the athleticism.”
The Wolves’ five-man squad barely lost to Chase County and prevailed in contests against Lyndon, Madison, Burlingame, Waverly and Northern Heights. However, Hadley cautioned that the scenario changes in-season. “It’s different when you pad up and those guys have to go physical.”
And there has been complete attrition on the line, creating an issue for the Lebo coach. “So we’ll be rebuilding that. And that’s my big, big concern.”
Hadley said the Lyon County League is solid, but there should be some parity in 2025. All programs lost players.
“I still think we can be successful just competing for our league,” he said. “The league was pretty strong last year. Burlingame probably had one of their better
teams they’ve had in a long time. Madison was very strong last year, and Waverly. But they’ve all lost people, too. So I think having a chance to possibly be in the top three of the league would be considered a success. Winning a playoff game, going above 500 in your district. I think those are all realistic expectations, still, even as young as we are.”
Whether it’s an experienced group or a younger edition, such as this year, Hadley relishes the challenge that each season brings.
“I suppose if it ever got to feeling like a job, then I would step away. This is probably my 23rd year coaching football, and I still love it. I do the high school weights in the morning, and just being around the guys. There’s nothing quite like the game planning and coming into a week and trying to execute your game plan on Friday nights. Seeing if you can out-coach the other coach.”
KEY LOSSES GIVE LADY WOLVES NEW LOOK
By Chris adams
The Emporia Gazette
It seems like you can announce on social media in August that Lebo High School and Hanover High School will meet in the 1A Division II state volleyball title match in early November.
A given? It has been in recent years. Since 2021, the programs have battled it out on the court in early November. Each team is 2-2. Hanover won last year’s matchup. Lebo also played in the 1A Division I 2020 state championship contest, losing to Claflin-Central Plains. That’s five consecutive seasons the Lady Wolves have played for a state championship. They’ve won more than 40 games per season since 2021 and boast a four-year aggregated record of 167-13. Will they make a sixth appearance in 2025?
“We will look different, potentially offensively, just because the past couple of years we’ve graduated quite a bit of that offense that really stands out,” said Lebo coach Gina Peek.
The Wolves had a core group of offensive threats the past four years, including Brooklyn Jones, Audrey Peek, Saige Hadley and Siara Crouch. Now they’ll have to reset without an obvious offensive centerpiece.
“It just may take longer to get the ball put down than when you have Saige Hadley or Audrey, or some of the players that we’ve had offensively, and even Sierra Crouch came into last year and really started to be able to put the ball away,” Peek commented.
In 2025, Lebo will rely on volleyball IQ to garner some success. Peek said the returning group of players possesses intelligence that could be used to take down opponents.
“They’re an intellectual bunch,” she said. “So they will have to work pretty hard to understand some nuances and probably have to beat people just as much intellectually and defensively as offensively.”
Seniors Ally Peek and Allison Konrade will lead the Lebo squad. Peek will most likely step into the setter role and be ex-
pected to contribute offensively, while Konrade will play in the middle.
“Ally will probably set and she’ll need to step up with some offense, and then Allison has played in the middle for two years and even got some significant minutes her sophomore year in the state championship, where she just came through with some specific things,” Peek said.
Rachael Barnhardt is their other returning starter. Peek said Barnhardt has locked in offensively this summer and understands that she needs to consistently touch the ball.
“Offensively, we’ll rely on her pretty heavily,” the Lebo coach said. “And then I’ve got a couple of freshmen coming in who have played a couple of years of club season, which will help them make the transition into the high school game.”
Peek said the team had a productive summer and developed a base for the upcoming season while new leaders emerged in a transitory period for the Lady Wolves.
“I felt like we achieved some things during our summer workouts and stuff that we
needed to get done,” she said. “The leadership change is probably the thing that’ll look most different. There are kids who definitely helped out the team in the previous years. They weren’t the ones who made the newspaper and the stats or anything like that. They understood that their responsibility was going to need to change.”
With a roster that doesn’t reflect the offensive prowess of the past five seasons, the transition to a more “cognitive” approach will be necessary throughout the season.
“Even when I have all of that offense, we still train the same way and try to understand the game,” Peek explained. “From an intellectual standpoint, they’ll probably have to tap into some of those things a little bit more, really understanding their opponent and how they’re going to execute some things. When you’re not taller and jump higher than people, you just have to tap into that. That’s even been our story with the amount of athleticism we’ve had the past couple of years. We are not anywhere close to being bigger than anybody else.”
LEBO CROSS COUNTRY HOPES TO CONTINUE TO BUILD
By Chris adams
The Emporia Gazette
Lebo High School will also field a full girls squad this year. They return all members, but one, of a team that finished sixth at last season’s 1A state meet. The Lady Wolves will miss their 2024 number one, Kennah Speer, who placed 11th at state.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot of growth in the girls that are returning,” Durst said. “Three of them were first-year high school cross country runners last year. And they’ve put in a lot of work this summer.”
Durst foresees the Wolves employing a pack-run methodology during races with a crew that consists of three juniors, one sophomore and one senior, or Eliie Grimmett, Chloe Whalen, Chrissy Chivas, Adelynn Harvey and Cira Plummer, respectively.
“I think they’re going to be able to pack run for a good portion of the race and use some strategy to try to move up together in races and encourage each other,” Durst explained. “Before somebody decides to break off and make their own push for the finish.”
Asked if having a four/five-person unit means that the state meet is a season goal, Durst said, “Absolutely.”
“I think any time you have a team, that’s an expectation. These girls work really hard, and they’re going to put it all out there. At the end of the day, it comes down to which regional you get thrown into. Last year, we had a really tough regional and had to run really well to make it to state. But yeah, I think that’s always the expectation when you have a group of four.”
more runners Reid Gausman, Eli Seaman and Sam Bailey.
On the boys side, Lebo lost 1A 5K state champion Caleb Durst, who is applying his run craft in college this year. The Wolves will roll with sopho -
“Once again, we don’t have enough for a boys team,” Durst said. “So I think for those boys, it’s all about individual growth.”
GROWTH A PRIORITY FOR OLPE FOOTBALL
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
On the bus ride home from Dodge City last basketball season, after the Olpe High School boys team collected another state title, the phone of head basketball and football coach Chris Schmidt blew up. Within an hour, more than 90 texts flooded his device. Most were from his former players.
Collectively, these singular acts of messaging seem to distinctly reflect the impact Schmidt’s programs have had on the development of young men in the Olpe community. For Schmidt, Olpe’s on-the-field success is secondary to the growth of the teenagers he coaches in the fall and winter.
“I take a lot of pride in that,” he said. “That’s what drives me, that. Knowing that I have formed those relationships with those kids. They follow our program. They’re interested in it. That’s the thing
that hits me as hard as anything. Just to be able to have helped those guys in their growth.”
That type of growth could also help translate a 7-3 2024 season and playoff loss to postseason nemesis Centralia, into an even better 2025. Schmidt said his triedand-true philosophy still applies: take it one game at a time with a healthy dose of grit. However, this season, Olpe will lean into the run a bit more. The long-time Eagle coach said personnel considerations necessitate a clock-control, rush-oriented attack on offense, especially against teams that can score quickly. The Eagles don’t possess open-field breakaway speed but do offer the offense some quickness to the hole.
“I do think this team is going to be a little different than what we have had,” he said. “Just straight speed? We don’t have a whole bunch of that. I feel like this team will be one that depends on running the
football. I think we got quite a few linemen back with some experience, and the running backs we have are more physical-type kids. They’re going to lower the shoulder pads and try to get three or four yards. And if they can make a guy miss, they’ll get another 15 yards and probably get caught.”
The Eagles will most likely rotate between four to five backs and use a few different sets in the backfield. Schmidt said it won’t be an offense that can spread the defense.
“One thing is our quarterback position. Dexton (Hoelting) was in that spot last year. We did a lot of good things, and we don’t really have a kid who throws it particularly great,” he admitted.
On the defensive side of the ball, focusing on the run and adjusting to the opponent’s personnel is paramount.
“We’re not going to change a whole bunch,” he said. “We might do a little different because of who we’re playing, per-
sonnel. The first thing on defense is we don’t want people to run against us.”
Schmidt said the season’s first contest against Osage City will be an immediate test. They’ll be playing against All-State selection Kasen Parsons, one of the top players in 2A football and a 3A javelin champion.
“I think they’ll be as good a team as we play. Parsons, that kid’s a good ballplayer,” Schmidt said. “They got the other skill kids. We played them three times in sevenon-seven. Each time we’ve played, we have gotten better. So that’s encouraging. We’ll play some teams down the road, hopefully, in the playoffs, that I think will be very good, but I don’t think we’ll see a team that has the quarterback play and the athletic kids, receiving and running, that are any better than what we’re seeing with them. For us, that’s good, because we’ll see right off the bat in week one what we’ve got to get better at.”
LADY EAGLES SEEK TO REDEEM DISAPPOINTING 2024 SEASON
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
Olpe High School volleyball returns a cadre of experienced senior players in 2025, which could help produce a winning season.
The Lady Eagles posted a 15-20 record last year and went 6-6 in a strong Lyon County League.
“We were a little disappointed with our season,” said Olpe coach Crystal Heins. “We’ve got a lot of seniors this year who have got a lot of varsity experience. So we’re excited about the upcoming season. We think they have the potential to do very well, and we’re hoping they can make it into some postseason play.”
The senior reliability factor is high. It begins with Lilly Skalsky. The talented multi-sport athlete registered an average .157 hit percentage in 2024 but amassed 316 kills
and four kills per set. She also led the team with 194 digs and 30 service aces.
Outside hitter Kamryn Temeyer logged 99 kills and 85 digs in a total of 64 sets played.
Setter Kayla Steinke tallied 402 assists in 79 sets and recorded 17 digs.
Middle hitter/blocker Ella Wilson made 64 kills in 79 sets and accumulated 25 blocks. “She’s developed into a really good middle. So we’re excited to see what she can bring to the team this year,” Heins commented.
And Carly Geiger will most likely lead the defensive play
as a back-row specialist.
Sophomore Alisa Skalsky showed promise as a freshman, totaling close to 39 kills in 48 sets along with 74 digs. “She tore her ACL in basketball season, and so we’re kind of waiting to see if she’s going to be released and how she can fit into the team dynamic,” Heins said.
Heins is optimistic about 2025 and feels the Lady Eagles can be competitive in the LCL.
“We’re excited because some of them lost some of their seniors. So we’re hoping that our senior leadership and experience can hopefully help us have a successful season.”
OLPE CROSS COUNTRY TO FIELD SMALLER ROSTER THIS YEAR
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
Lilly Skalsky will lead the Lady Eagles this season, having placed 10th (21:48) at the 2024 1A state meet and second in the 3200 meters at last season’s 1A state track and field championships.
“She’s going to be a key factor on that girl’s side leading the team,” said first-year Olpe coach Jaime Diaz. “We have a pretty young team. Some are sophomores, and some junior high girls are out this year who are going to rely heavily on her leadership. So she gets to kind of help build the program a little bit as it’s starting to get a little bit bigger. That girls side is going to do some special things here in the future for sure as they start to grow.”
The Eagles bring back standout runner Kaleb Arnold. Arnold finished fifth at state in 2024 and is the defending state champion in the 3200 meters (9:50.87).
“I think that kid loves to run,” Diaz commented. “He’s great to be around. Just good guidance for the whole team. Everyone’s going to be looking up to him.”
Diaz hopes to field teams in the near future, but this year the numbers are challenging.
“Our goal is to field teams at some point. I don’t know if we’ll get there this year. I’m excited to kind of get as many, many people as I can to come out and run. But if we can get a team going this year, we’ll do some great things for sure.”
COURTESY PHOTO
SCOREBOARD NOT REFLECTIVE OF JAGUAR FOOTBALL
By Chris adams
The Emporia Gazette
Hartford High School football has a new leader. Former Jaguar Dalen Kistner will shepherd the prowl in 2025, his first year as a head coach. He is the brother of Danen Kistner, who left Hartford in April to become the head boys basketball coach at Clifton-Clyde High School.
Prior to 2025, Kistner served as an assistant coach for two campaigns in the Jaguar program after playing four seasons of football at Bethel College. While at Bethel, Kistner was a member of a Thresher team that won three Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference championships. Now, Kistner will begin the process of bringing some championships to Hartford. But first, it’s improving upon what was established last season. Kistner’s familiarity with the program should also help.
“Last year, we definitely had a lot of bumps in the road,” Kistner said. “It didn’t seem like we could ever get our feet on the ground like we wanted to. But take away the scoreboard, and a lot of good things did happen. If all you’re looking at is a scoreboard, it’s easy to miss some good things that are happening out there.”
He said last year’s version of the Jaguars featured several young players who were some of the better athletes in the program as they began developing their football skill set as the season progressed. Kistner said that development has carried over into the summer.
“The more field time that you can get, the better off you’ll be,” he said. “Sure, we took some bumps last year, and maybe those guys weren’t ready for all the reps they had to take all the time, but it certainly set you up for a better spot right now. It’s super exciting that those guys had those reps and gained that experience because all that stuff really matters.”
The Jaguars bring back two seniors and an athletic
junior class. Defensive tone-setter Simon Blankley returns at running back and middle linebacker, and Daden Wilson will start on the offensive line.
“Then we roll into our juniors, and this is probably our most athletic class…three really good kids: Coy Wilkinson, Landen Schultz and Tyce Ndegwa,” Kistner said. “I would really say they’re the heart of our team right now. They can really take
us to some good places.”
Kistner said the program had to lean on the trio somewhat as sophomores, and that experience has manifested itself as leadership capability, which impacts the underclassmen.
“It kind of trickles into our sophomores,” he said. “As freshmen, they had a bit of a deer in the headlights at times, but you can see it this summer, they’re more into it.”
Kistner also likes what
he sees with the sophomore and freshman classes. Overall, he sees growth and adaptation in his players.
“Things are starting to click just a little bit faster and move a little bit better,” he said. “We’re switching some personnel up, where
some kids have been playing the last couple of years. It’s really awesome to see where they were at the beginning of last season and where they’re at right now. I think it’s going to set us up well to be a pretty competitive team this season.”
COURTESY PHOTO/ANNABELLE PAYTON
Back L-R Tyce Ndgewa, Bo Peters, Coy Wilkinson, Tyson Bulsin, Nolin Trester, Connor Trester, Kennan Renfrow, Carson Menke, Brady Kelley, Dakota Olson
HIGH HOPES FOR LADY JAGUARS
that we’ll be better than some people are probably thinking.”
Hartford High School volleyball begins the 2025 season with new leadership as Leo Sheahan takes over for Ashton Kistner.
Sheahan is in his first year of coaching high school volleyball and still becoming familiar with his players. He is adopting a wait-and-see approach.
“I definitely have some high hopes for the team,” he said. “I don’t know where we’ll end up in the season necessarily, but I do think
Sheahan’s experience has been at the club and college levels, developing players at the Rising Phoenix Volleyball Academy in Emporia and as an assistant coach at Emporia State. He explained that there are differences between college and high school games.
“To be honest, I didn’t watch much of the high school volleyball this past year,” the Anderson County High School graduate admitted. “I’ve definitely been more in -
volved in the college age, so definitely a little bit different going from college level to high schoollevel volleyball. Just figuring out what people are going to work in different spots and what their skill levels are, and skill sets. Typically, you have one main setter at the college level ver-
sus having two in high school, playing a 6-2 versus a 5-1.”
Sheahan said their summer matches showed some promise, locking up with several Lyon County League programs.
‘We played some teams in summer ball, like Lebo and Madison, and I believe we went 1-1 with Madison sets-wise,” he said. “Lebo, they beat us, but it was a very close game…I feel like we went toe-to-toe with Lebo.”
The Lady Jaguars return senior starters libero Sydney Sull (libero) and Aubrey Finner-
ty, junior Jade Wilson and sophomore Lauren Finnerty.
“Lauren is definitely going to be one of our key players this year between setting and hitting,” Sheahan said.
He looks forward to the challenge of coaching a Jaguar team to an above .500 record. Hartford went 9-19-2 in 2024.
“I’m excited to coach
the team and see what we can do. They have talent. It’s just honestly about whether or not they can break that habit of having a negative mindset and working together as a team. If we can do that, we can be a really successful team. My goal is definitely to be above .500…I’ll start from there and see where it goes.”
B y C hris adams
The Emporia Gazette
COURTESY PHOTO/ANNABELLE PAYTON
HARTFORD CROSS COUNTRY TO FIELD ONE RUNNER
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
Hartford is in the opposite situation from Chase County; no full teams. Actually, there is only one runner in total.
“My kids graduated last year…I’ve got some junior high kids, but I only have one high school girl. A freshman,” Windle said. “Cody (Cleveland), Oliver (Smith), and Sam (Blankley) all graduated, so that’s a little weird. And then Sam and Oliver were out a lot, and then Trinity (Windle) ran all but one of those years. So it’s just a completely different landscape for me right now.”
The freshman girl is Cecilia Westhoff. Windle said Westhoff is a bit apprehensive about running the 5K as opposed to a two-mile race and that she is more interested in fitness than competition.
“I mean, she’s gonna try to place high, but she wants to stay in shape,” Windle said. “She likes being in shape. So she’s more interested in that than in a high place. I’m excited that she’s out…and I’ve got some junior high boys that are out too, that she runs with and stuff.”
SPORTS SAFETY TIPS
• PREPARE KIDS FOR THE DEMANDS OF PLAYING A SPORT
• WARM UP AND STRETCH BEFORE GAMES AND PRACTICES
• REMEMBER TO HYDRATE
• WEAR APPROPRIATE SPORTS GEAR
• DON’T TAKE CHANCES WITH THE BRAIN: KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CONCUSSIONS
• MAKE REST A PRIORITY
• BE A PREPARED COACH
• BE A SUPPORTIVE PARENT
Learn ways to help your child stay injury free and healthy while playing sports.
Attend a sports safety clinic in your area, such as ones held by Safe Kids across the United States, which provides coaches and parents with ways to keep young athletes healthy and injury free throughout their sports careers.
Hartford Booster Club
BULLDOGS’ FORMULA IS
By Chris adams Emporia Gazette
Chase County High School football follows a pattern. It is subject to a formula. Even the dichotomy of the 2024 postseason — a 50-0 shutout of Sedan and a wild 58-52 loss to Central Plains — is a result of it.
And it seems to be serving the Bulldog program well as it heads into the 2025 campaign.
“If you look at it, we’ve been in the playoffs six straight years. A lot of success. We’ve had young guys every year. So we expect to develop those guys,” said Chase County coach Derick Budke. “The last couple of years that we’ve had young guys on the field early, we
didn’t start off three and zero.”
The implication is that the Bulldogs placed younger players with fewer varsity reps on the field and began the season with mediocre records but still achieved success in the final outcome. Budke said the program philosophy and approach of putting the more inexperienced Bulldog personnel on the field as the season progresses has
served the team well by season’s end.
“There’s a little bit of that developmental process that happens early,” Budke said. “That’s been our M.O. We’ve been a quarterfinalist four times in the last six years. The formula has been there. Our kids are doing a great job this summer of working. We went undefeated in five-on-five. We had a great camp up at Emporia State.”
A TRIO OF RETURNERS TO LEAD LADY BULLDOGS
By Chris adams Emporia GazEttE
Chase County High School volleyball begins 2025 building on its highly successful 2024 campaign, where they posted a 32-7 record and earned a Flint Hills League title.
The Lady Bulldogs return several key pieces from last season’s squad, so deep postseason aspirations could become reality, barring any injuries.
“I’m actually really fortunate in that I’m returning five varsity players,” said Chase County coach LeAnn Hansford. “So I am hoping to exceed what we were able to achieve and accomplish last year…We were champions (FHL) last year, both in the tournament and overall, and with the girls that I have.”
The Bulldog unit will be framed around three players:
Madelyn Wilson, Reace Harshman and junior Natalie Neff.
Wilson’s accomplishments and skill sets are well documented as she’ll lead Chase County in a bid for a 2025 state berth. The 6-foot-2 senior student-athlete is a unanimous first-team Flint Hills League and First-Team Grasslands selection, who has amassed 1,000 kills and 250 blocks in three seasons.
“Madelyn Wilson is just a phenomenal athlete all the way around,” Hansford said. “You hear about her all the time. So I don’t know what else to say about her other than, everybody knows her, right?
She is honestly one of the most fantastic girls on the court, but also off the court. She’s extremely intelligent, she’s caring, she works her tail end off in everything she does.”
Harshman, also a senior, has
received FHL and Grasslands honorable mention awards.
“She’s been playing middle, but she’s one of those girls that I could easily move to almost any position, and she’s still going to do a great job,” Hansford said.
Neff is a Second-Team FHL and Grasslands selection at setter.
“She loves volleyball. When you talk about girls who just absolutely have a passion for the sport, she is heart all the way around,” Hansford said.
What should also help the Lady Bulldogs is team chemistry and camaraderie. Hansford said cohesion is definitely a characteristic of the squad.
“They read each other well,” she said. “They know each other’s strengths. They know each other’s weaknesses. On and off the court, in this sport, and in other sports, they just seem to
have really good cohesion as a group.”
That includes game dances, a type of support mechanism, which are becoming more popular in volleyball.
“The group of girls that I have, they do crazy things together during the season. They have their own dances. I don’t even know what those dances are called because mostly I just laughed at them. But they had their own thing going where they were definitely working together…with volleyball, you have to have that. It’s such a mental sport that the building up of each other is such a great component.”
As for weaknesses, Hansford said they could manifest mentally. Perhaps that’s where the dances come into play.
“I know we kind of have a little bit of a target on our back
in the league now because of last year,” she said. “So just making sure that we have that mental toughness to be aware that everybody’s going to come after us and we’ve got to prove ourselves.”
Whatever the season-end win-loss numbers equate to, Hansford’s goal each year is for her players to come away with a little bit more love and appreciation for the game.
“I want girls who are going to leave at the end of the season loving the sport, regardless of the level of success. I want them to realize that volleyball is something you can continue to do the rest of your life. And I want to see the improvements throughout the season that will lend to that love. The idea of teamwork and working together, and being a unit, is a fantastic part of volleyball.”
COURTESY
CHASE COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY LOOKING TO RELY ON VETERAN RUNNERS
The Lady Bulldogs return three runners this season — not having lost any studentathletes to graduation — and will roll out a full team.
“I’m really excited,” Budke said. “We’re going to have a five-member girls team. We haven’t had a girls team for several years.”
Team members include Sadie Mushrush, Bella Mushrush, Maggie Peters, Naomi Peters, Lexi Price, Alexys Miller and Clara Patterson.
Enrollment
USD 284 Chase County Schools August 10, 7:00 am-7:00 pm August 11, 8:00 am-12:00 pm
K-12
“They’re great little athletes and so I’m excited to see what the girls team can accomplish this season,” Budke added. “They’re all hard workers. I think we’ll be placing as a team at several of our meets this year.”
Enrollment at Chase County Junior-Senior High School
Chase County Junior-Senior High School 620-273-6354
Chase County Elementary 620-273-6676
For the boys, senior John Paul Ubert and junior Josiah Peters will lead the squad.
Budke said their schedule should help the runners once the postseason arrives. They’ll be competing in two new meets: Burlington and Goessel. The intent is to run against teams that they’ll face at regionals.
“We’re going to a couple of meets this year that we’ve nev -
er done before,” she said. “Trying to get some more exposure with our regional teams that we’ll compete against. So we’re going to Burlington.
I don’t have any information, just that there are more of our regional competitors that go to that meet. For the same reason, Goessel. We don’t really
have any league teams that we ever see at regional. So it gives us a chance to get some competition with people we’ll see at regional.”
B y C hris a dams Emporia Gazette
