2016 spring sport web

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Saturday, March 19, 2016

1

SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW 2016

INSIDE:

New Blood in Iola Softball Program Iola's Chris Weide inherits program with mix of youth and experience as he embarks on first head coaching job. — Page 4 Stories and Photos by Jon Dykstra

Page 2 — Iola baseball gears up for postseason run Page 10 — Mustang tennis' Works seeks return to state Page 14 — Cub softball poised for another big year Page 20 — Yates Center seniors guide track team

2 Saturday, March 19, 2016

IOLA MUSTANGS HEAD COACH: Mark Percy

2016 ROSTER: Keanen Badders Gus Luedke Skyler Rush Ethan Sigg Brett Taylor Zane Beasley Ben Cooper Tucker Fosha Darius Greenawalt Ethan Scheibmeir Garrett Wade Coleson Wiggin Evan Sigg Ethan Tavarez Isaac Vink Blake Ashmore Hunter Baughn Derek Bycroft Mat Karr Dylan Newland Kane Rogers Nic Zimmerman

12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

2016 SCHEDULE: (All times 4:30 p.m.)

March 22: JV vs. Chanute 24: V @ Chanute 28: JV @ Central Heights 29: V vs. Central Heights April 1: JV vs. Burlington 4: JV vs. Prairie View 5: V @ Prairie View 8: V vs. Independence 11: JV @ Anderson County 12: V vs. Anderson County 18: JV vs. Osawatomie 19: V @ Osawatomie 21: JV @ Burlington 26: V @ Parsons 28: V vs. Neodesha May 2: JV vs. Wellsville 3: V @ Wellsville 6: JV vs. Independence 9: JV @ Santa Fe Trail 10: V vs. Santa Fe Trail 16-19: Regionals 26-27: State

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Mustangs ready for another run

The Mustangs were able to get all the way to the state playoffs last year and with a bulk of their team returning, coach Mark Percy and his Mustangs look to make a return trip this spring.

"I'm always excited for the new year, just because it is a new team, even if we just lose a couple of guys," Percy said.

"Our number one goal is to win the league... and I think we have a pretty good shot."

For Iola, the biggest key to their success resides on the mound with staff ace Ethan Scheibmeir.

The junior is coming off of a sophomore campaign where through a team-high 46 innings, he posted a 1.98 ERA and struck out 56 batters.

"I'm really happy that Ethan is back," said Iola senior Keanen Badders. "He is our ace and we rely on him a lot for his pitching."

With those 56 strikeouts he only surrendered 20 walks.

"We are very confident with our ace back," Mustang senior Ethan Sigg said. "He is a huge contributor for the whole team and he just brings a lot of energy to the whole team. We're lucky to have him back."

Developing the depth behind Scheibmeir is the biggest wildcard for the Mustangs. They must replace their No. 2 pitcher Drew Faulhaber.

Percy said the Mustangs have a couple of very good options waiting in the wings to plug into the rotation.

"Between Scheibmeir and Ben Cooper we feel pretty confident," Percy said.

Cooper, a junior, threw 11 innings during his sophomore season and only allowed three earned runs while striking out 13 oppos-

Iola freshman Derek Bycroft fields a ball in a preseason practice and prepares to flip it. ing batters.

"We started working (Ben) a little bit later as the season went and he came in and got us out of some jams and pitched really well," Percy said. "He will probably be one of our starters."

Coleson Wiggin, also a junior, threw the thirdmost innings on the team.

He finished the year with a 5.25 ERA in his 16 innings pitched.

"We have a decent number of guys," Percy said. "It is just going to be who can step up and get people out and throw strikes."

The lineup will be led by a senior with Badders returning. He hit .388 last season with seven extra-base hits

including one home run.

Badders will go through a transition this season though as Percy will put his star hitter in the field after he spent all of last season as the team's designated hitter.

"I'm pretty confident in it," Badders said. "I've been taking a lot of fly balls and practicing a lot since last season."

With arm injuries limiting Badders' ability to play the field, he made a big transition for his senior season. He is switching throwing arms which will allow him to play the outfield.

"He has had some injuries since he started playing," Percy said. "He had an arm injury the first year he started playing. It messes with

his throwing and he had to throw sidearm, because his shoulder was really hurt.

The next year, he hurt his knee, so he missed the whole season with a knee and when he came back, his shoulder was still hurting so bad that he actually went to throwing left-handed, which he's doing right now.

"He's mainly been an infielder so transitioning to the outfield with a glove on the other hand and then judging balls, it's been quite a transition."

Percy says there is a possibility that Badders could switch back to throwing with his normal arm if it is feeling good.

"He had surgery on his right arm, but he's still not throwing," Percy said. "Since he threw all last season lefthanded, he's not doing bad, but I think he'd like to get back right."

Badders will be joined in the lineup by fellow senior Sigg. The Mustang first baseman hit .321 last season with six doubles and a triple.

Sigg hopes to build on those numbers and help lead this group of Mustangs even further than they went last season.

"We have that mindset to get back to state and win a lot of ball games," Sigg said.

"We have a lot of returning players, only losing two seniors. Hopefully we can get back to that spot and win a state championship."

Badders is ready to embrace that mindset heading into this year.

"Our expectations are very high," Baddders said. "We went to state last year and we are going to try to repeat that this year.

"Repeat what we did last year, but better."

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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4 Saturday, March 19, 2016

IOLA FILLIES HEAD COACH: Chris Weide (1st year) 2015 RESULTS: Record: 4-13;; Lost in Regional 1st round to Prairie View, 13-3 2016 ROSTER: Kersia Brunner Micaiah Larney Ashlie Shields Della Lohman Toni Macha Riley Murry Jadyn Sigg Sydney Wade Carly Cescon Camryn Freimiller Chloe Gardner Katelynn Olsten Scout Rush Chloe Wilson Mia Aronson Paige Burrough Hailei Gregg Madisyn Holloway Maci Martin Kassy Shelby Kendra Sprague Katie Weide Sierra Snavely

12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

2016 SCHEDULE: (All times 4:30 p.m.)

March 22: JV vs. Chanute 24: V @ Chanute 29: JV/V vs. Central Heights April 1: JV vs. Burlington 5: JV/V @ Prairie View 8: V vs. Independence 12: JV/V vs. Anderson County 19: JV/V @ Osawatomie 21: JV @ Burlington 26: V @ Parsons 28: V vs. Neodesha May 3: JV/V @ Wellsville 6: JV vs. Independence 10: JV/V vs. Santa Fe Trail 16-19: Regionals 26-27: State

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Fillies recharge with coach, freshmen The Iola softball team enters the 2016 season with plenty of energy and a renewed sense of confidence under first-year coach Chris Weide.

Weide says he will lean on assistant coach Becky Carlson and his senior class of Ashlie Shields, Kersia Brunner and Micaiah Larney as he adapts to his first head coaching job at the high school level.

"He is a really good coach," Shields said. "He was really good in basketball (as an assistant coach for Carlson).

I'm just excited to see where he can take us."

Shields said she is ready to embrace that role as more of a leader during her final season with the Fillies.

Weide is far from the only new face with the program as he welcomes nine freshmen to the team. For the Fillies, which only have eight upperclassmen, the influx of freshmen really adds to their depth.

"We have a lot of talent coming up that we are going to use at the varsity level," Weide said. "Probably one of the best things is that we have enough girls to play junior varsity so they are going to get a ton of experience that bodes well for the future."

Weide will rely on at least one freshman to provide much more of an impact than simple depth.

Sierra Snavely will begin her high school career as the likely top pitcher for her team.

"It is very exciting," Snavely said. "I've played ball for five years and I've always wanted to play for my high school and represent Iola.

I'm pretty happy that I'm a freshman and getting ready

to play."

She is coming off of an injury that she suffered during her club season.

"I'm on a Kansas City team and we had a scrimmage a few weeks ago before high school ball got started and I got hit by a girl and it popped one of my collarbones out of place so I had to go get it put back," Snavely said of her injury.

Snavely should be ready to go for the season-opener though later this month against Chanute.

"I should be starting right before our first game."

Snavely is no stranger to playing with many of the players on the team despite being just a freshman. She has played club softball with many of her older teammates.

"I've played with quite a few of these girls outside of high school ball on traveling teams," Snavely said. "There are some girls on this team I have never talked to, but now seeing their ambition to play is exciting."

Her teammates are definitely excited to have her on the team.

"She is so much fun and she is a great athlete," said Shields, who will serve as Snavely's catcher. "She puts a lot of hard work into softball."

Snavely said she is ready to embrace the high expectations that those around the program have for her.

"I've played on several different teams for several different organizations and everywhere I've gone I've had to prove myself to the coaches and the players," Snavely said. "I've always been that one kid who (coaches say) 'she is new and let's see what she's got.'"

Iola senior Ashlie Shields prepares to throw during a preseason practice.

"And everywhere I've gone people have accepted me and thought that I've had a leadership role."

Snavely said she enjoys being a leader as the pitcher and helping her teammates.

"I like that feeling," Snavely said. "Being knowledgeable. ... I'm not a very vocal person, but once I have that (leadership) role, I have to take it on because I really enjoy it."

The new ace will have plenty of help in the leader-

ship department with not only the coaching staff but the senior class as well.

Shields, as a senior leader, is setting the goals high for this season.

"Our team goal is to go to state, because I think we can make it," Shields said with a smile.

For Weide, he sets his goals a little more basic as he takes over.

"Every game, be ready to work hard," Weide said of his philosophy.

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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6 Saturday, March 19, 2016

IOLA MUSTANGS & FILLIES HEAD COACH: Dana Daugharthy (2nd year) 2016 ROSTER: Mustangs Braden Plumlee, 11; R.J. Holding, 11; Kendall Jay, 11; Chase Regehr, 11; Trea Mitchell, 11; Austin Wallace, 10; Austin Rohr, 10; Jonathan Rodewald, 10; Kiefer Endicott, 10, Kanyon Beasley, 10; Christian Jackson, 10; Nathan Sprague, 10; Alex Morrison, 10; Alex Luckett 9; Cole Regehr, 9; Kolt Knoblich, 9; Tayton Driskel, 9; Blake Haar, 9; Dylan Doolittle, 9; Blake Gilkerson, 9.

Fillies Jessica Oakley, 12; Klair Vogel, 12; Cassie Delich, 12; Madi Carlin, 10; Erin Klubek, 10; Addy Prather, 10; Brianna Winner, 9; Ashleigh Nicholas, 9.

2016 SCHEDULE: April 1: JV/V @ Labette County, 2 p.m.

8: V @ Parsons, 4 p.m.

11: JV @ Chanute, 3:30 p.m.

15: V, Montgomery County Classic, @ Coffeyville, 3 p.m.

22: V, Fredonia Relays, @ Fredonia, 3 p.m.

26: JV @ Fort Scott, 3:30 p.m.

28: V @ Osawatomie, 3:30 p.m.

May 3: V @ Burlington, 3:30 p.m.

5: JV vs. Crest, @ Humboldt, 3:30 p.m.

6: V @ Chanute, 3:30 p.m.

9: JV @ Iola, 3:30 p.m.

12: Pioneer League, @ Garnett, 3:30 p.m.

20: Regionals 27-28: State, @ Wichita

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Track & Field looks to continue to build Dana Daugharthy's track program will have plenty of youth to build around on this season.

"There are a lot of new young kids out," junior Chase Regehr said. "That is what we are looking for as we look to build the program up."

The boys' team doesn't have a single senior on their roster, but they do have five juniors back, including statequalifier Chase Regehr, who will lead the Mustangs' 4x800 relay team, an event that the team hangs their hat on in recent years.

"The 4x800 is always a strong Iola-type of race," Regehr said. "You think of track, you think of the 4x800 and my freshman year. We were really good and I was a freshman and able to be on that team.

"I think this year's team could be just as good if not better than that team."

The 4x800 team faces some attrition from last season, but Regehr believes some of the newcomers to the team can help the relay reach even greater heights.

One of those potential newcomers is one that Regehr is quite familiar with.

His little brother, Cole, will look to lock down a spot as a freshman.

"I look for the fourth runner to maybe be my brother Cole," Chase said. "He also ran cross country."

Another newcomer that will be on the 4x800 will be junior Braden Plumlee, who returns to the team after spending last season with the baseball team.

"It is exciting," Regehr said. "I am glad to get some of the juniors out. Those guys have been needing to go out, they are good runners.

They will definitely add to the team."

In addition to Plumlee, junior Kendall Jay also joins the program this season.

Regehr is also looking forward to his individual events as he comes off a league championship in the open 800.

"Number one goal is to obviously win another 4x800 title for league," Regehr said.

"We have two-straight and I'd like to make it three-straight.

"I'd also like to repeat as open-800 champ for the league and I'd like to qualify for state in both events."

The girls' team will be led by their throwers and unlike their male counterparts they have three seniors to lead the team.

"I think we have a pretty good team this year," Vogel said. "We are working hard and I think we can go far."

Jessica Oakley and Klair Vogel lead those throwers as they mentor their fellow female throwers, as well as the younger male throwers.

"I think it is good for the underclassmen because we can show them the ropes and how to do stuff so that when they are upperclassmen they can help," Oakley said.

Vogel, the Fillies' top javelin specialist, is set up for a big season this year.

"My personal goal is to get over 100 feet and to go to state," Vogel said.

Her offseason has been busy as she prepares to try and realize that goal.

"Just a bunch of lifting weights and getting some upper-body strength," Vogel said.

Oakley, a discus and shotput thrower is working had to build confidence going into her final season with the Fillies program.

Chase Regehr runs during a preseason track and field practice.

"I'm pretty excited that we have a new throwing coach and he is going to be really good for us," Oakley said. "My overall goal is to get to state."

Daugharthy is happy to have their new throwing coach Vince Coons back in the fold.

"He's been great," Daugharthy said. "He is an experienced throw coach.

He coached me when I was

in high school. He is a new coach, but really he is an old new coach."

With this young team, Daugharthy is excited to see his team grow throughout the year.

"We have a lot of young people and as they develop in their freshman and sophomore years they will definitely contribute," Daugharthy said.

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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8 Saturday, March 19, 2016

IOLA MUSTANGS HEAD COACH: Doug Kerr (4th year) 2015 RESULTS: Fourth in state 2016 ROSTER: Gage Tomlinson Drake Sell Parker Smith Jeremy Waldman Elijah Luedke Gentry Dougherty Chloe Hageman

12 10 9 9 9 9 9

2016 SCHEDULE: April 5: JV Iola Invitational, 3 p.m.

7: @ Independence, 1 p.m.

12: @ Pittsburg Invitational 3 p.m.

14: @ Parsons, 3 p.m.

18: JV @ Anderson County, 3 p.m.

19: @ Osawatomie, 1 p.m.

25: Buck Quincy Invitational, @ Iola, 11 a.m.

May 2: JV @ Independence, 3 p.m.

3: @ Coffeyville, 1 p.m.

9: Chanute Invitational, 3 p.m.

10: Anderson County Invitational, @ Garnett, 1 p.m.

12: Prairie View Invitational, @ Linn Valley, 1:30 p.m.

16: Regionals 23: State

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Reboot for Mustang golf team The Iola golf team faces a transition year in coach Doug Kerr's fourth season at the helm of the Mustangs after he led his team to a fourthplace finish in the state tournament last season.

According to Kerr, he is looking forward to this season just as much as he was with bigger expectations on the team last season.

"It is the same excitement level, but just a different type of excitement," Kerr said.

"Last year, it was the anticipation of getting to state and it was almost like the season dragged on so long because we wanted to get to that end destination.

"This year we have five freshmen, a sophomore and a senior. The five freshmen are just full of excitement and it's fun and there is no pressure on them."

Kerr's group loses a bulk of his team from last year and will have just one upperclassman on the team with senior Gage Tomlinson being counted on to play a big role.

"He was injured last year and hurt his knee in football, so he is coming off of a surgery right now, so we are bringing him along slowly," Kerr said.

Drake Sell is the only other returner from last year's team. The sophomore will also be counted on to help lead the team.

"Sell played JV for us last year," Kerr said. "He has some tournament experience.

"We took him to a tournament last year as a sixth man so he got a little bit of experience and that is going to pay dividends down the line," Kerr said. "We wanted to do that to help this year."

Parker Smith hits his ball during a preseason Mustang golf practice. Smith is one of five freshmen on the team for the Mustangs this year.

Among the group of five freshmen that Kerr has out for the team includes Chloe Hageman.

"Hageman is doing a good job," Kerr said. "Last year she did a good job for the middle school team."

Iola does not have a girls golf program, which would have their season occur during the fall, so Hageman joins the boy's team and will compete in the tournaments right along with the boys.

Kerr says it is fun this season to have a girl out for the team.

"It is really rare for us because a school our size has

track and softball, that eats up a lot of the girls that have played golf before," Kerr said. "She is really doing her own thing, which I am really proud of her for because she hits the ball really well.

I don't think it is going to be a deficiency for her. She will be able to hit right with anybody on our team."

The other freshmen will all need to play important roles for the Mustangs as they look to rebuild the program.

"The five freshman were all very competitive last year," Kerr said.

One of the other freshmen

that Kerr is very excited to work with and watch develop is Jeremy Waldman.

"Waldman was good for (the middle school) last year," Kerr said.

The Mustang schedule will look a little bit different this season as they will try to ease their young team into playing at the high school level.

"We are going to take it slow," Kerr said. "We kind of switched the schedule around a little bit to fit our kids a little bit better rather than playing some of the challenging courses we did the last three years."

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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10 Saturday, March 19, 2016

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Iola tennis sticking with what works

IOLA MUSTANGS HEAD COACH: Dan Berg (2nd year) 2015 RESULTS: Colby Works finished 11th in the state as a junior.

2016 ROSTER: Tyler Heinrich Colby Works Mason Key Thomas Elder Ryan Eyster Rhett Allen Isaiah Fawson Quentin Mallette Jon Miller Brett Plumlee

12 12 12 12 11 11 11 10 9 9

2016 SCHEDULE: March 22: Chanute/Pittsburg/Fort Scott @ Independence; 3 p.m.

24: Columbus/Parsons/Independence @ Iola; 3 p.m.

31: Pittsburg/Columbus/Chanute @ Coffeyville; 3 p.m.

April 2: Neodesha Invitational @ Neodesha; 9 a.m.

5: Fort Scott/Ottawa @ Chanute; 3 p.m.

7: LCHS/Fort Scott/Columbus @ Pittsburg; 3 p.m.

12: Parsons/Chanute/Pittsburg @ Coffeyville; 3 p.m.

15: LCHS/Columbus @ Chanute; 3 p.m.

22: Paola/Fort Scott/Columbus @ Chanute; 2 p.m.

May 2: JV - Pittsburg/Independence / @ Coffeyville; 3 p.m.

6-7: Regionals 13-14: State

Iola senior Colby Works practicing during the preseason. Works finished 11th in the state as a junior.

Iola's tennis program will not lack for leadership this season under second-year coach Dan Berg.

Berg took over the program last season and learned a lot in his first season at the helm of the Mustang program.

"I coached volleyball for 35 years and sometimes I take a drill that I used in volleyball and it seems to work into tennis," Berg said.

He also has the benefit of having a veteran-laden team returning.

"We are looking forward to this year," Berg said. "Since we have everyone back except the one senior that grad-

uated, we think we can do a lot better this year.

"Number one thing we are shooting for is to do well at regionals. We need people we can take to state."

Of the 10 members of the Iola squad, seven are upperclassmen, including four seniors.

That senior class is led by returning state qualifier Colby Works. Works placed 11th last year in the state tournament.

"He has really done a good job," Berg said. "He has really worked to get better this year," "I think I've gotten a lot better since last year," Works

said. "I've played all summer and practiced all winter and fall."

Works will be hunting for a return to the state tournament in his final season as a Mustang and he will hope for an improvement over last year's finish.

"I'm hoping to get top-eight, that is my goal," Works said.

"The top-five guys are all really good, but after that the rest of us are all pretty even because I played a bunch of them a lot of times."

Works is confident after seeing many of his peers in the area on the court graduate.

"Coming in as a senior, it

is kind of a cool feeling because, unless there are freshmen, I know who my competition is going to be," Works said. "Every meet I go to, I'm going to expect to get first or second, just based on past experience."

Berg joins his star in that confidence.

"Some of the competition from last year graduated and when we looked at the No. 2s from the area, he should do really well."

Works has looked to improve on his weaknesses from last year..

"My backhand has gotten 10 times better than it was," Works said. "It used to be a really big weakness and now I can hit it confidently against pretty much anyone.

I also feel like my serve has gotten better. Basically, every aspect has improved a lot."

He is also ready to embrace a larger role as a leader this season.

The Mustangs' No. 2 player will be junior Isaiah Fawson, who came on at the end of last season and had an unlucky draw that cost him a trip to the state tournament with Works.

"I couldn't get him seeded," Berg said. "We had to pick numbers and drew the number one player."

Works is excited to see the strides that his teammate has made in the offseason.

"Last year, he should have made it to state," Works said.

"So this year we expect Isaiah to make it, too."

Mason Key is another Mustang that has shown promise and should be in line for a good senior season.

"Mason has been on the team all four years with me and played varsity all four years," Works said. "Our topfive is really solid."

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Humboldt pitching staff will lean on their ace in 2016 The Humboldt baseball program is no stranger to high expectations and they enter the 2016 season with very high hopes.

Humboldt went 20-4 last season.

Jake Haviland returns as the team's top pitcher.

The all-league performer finished last season with an 8-1 record and 1.23 ERA to go with 63 strikeouts and just 10 walks.

The senior will look to lead the pitching staff that enters the season with some uncertainty.

"The biggest question mark for us right now is the rest of the pitching rotation," Humboldt coach Mike Miller said. "We have a lot of guys battling to fill out the rotation, and I think we have the right guys to make us a very solid pitching staff."

Humboldt senior Jake Haviland takes a ground ball during a preseason baseball practice. Haviland was an all-league performer last season.

Among those candidates are juniors Daylon Splane

and Rayce Hoepker.

"Hoepker threw some big

innings for us last year, but he and Splane will both be asked to play a much bigger role for our pitching staff," Miller said. "We've been developing some younger guys to fill out the rest of our rotation."

Whoever does fill out the rest of the Cub rotation will have the benefit of playing in front of what Miller expects to be a very good defense.

"I believe we will be a strong defensive team again," Miller said.

That defense will rely on some youth to fill in the gaps in the Cub lineup.

"I have been pleased with the way some of our young players have continued to improve after seeing some varsity time last year," Miller said. "We will count on them to fill some holes for us at the varsity level."

Lance Daniels leads the underclassmen as a letterwinner last year.

After losing out to Burlington for the league title last year, the Cubs will look to right that this season and take the crown.

"Burlington lost a lot from their league championship team last year, but still return some very good players and they have some young kids that were really impressive last year," Miller said. "I think we have the potential to be right there in the running for the league championship as well."

Caney is another team that Miller thinks will be in contention.

"Caney was a much-improved team last year that I think will be challenging for the league title this year," he said.

Cubs continue chasing titles, girls seek improvement Coach Eric Carlson has worked hard building up his track and field program at Humboldt and in 2016, he expects the program to take more steps forward.

"This is the biggest team we've had, boys and girls," Carlson said. "This is my 14th year at Humboldt."

Last season, the boys team made great strides and won the league championship, a feat the program hadn't accomplished since 1995.

The team also won the regional crown. They hadn't done that since 1993.

Carlson is confident his group can continue to ride that momentum heading into this season.

"We did lose some seniors that we need to replace but

we have a good group of freshmen from last year; sophomores this year that are going to step up," Carlson said. "I can already tell in their training that they are much, much better than they were last year."

The Cubs have a talented senior class to lead the team, led by Bryce Isaac and Anthony Doran, "Isaac has gone to state every year since his freshman year and he is definitely going to be a leader as he competes, but also in our practices," Carlson said.

"Doran played baseball until last year and came out and did track," Carlson said. "He was immediately successful.

He does the pole vault and had never pole vaulted be-

fore and ended up doing 106, hopefully he improves on that."

Junior Joe Kline also returns to the fold after taking third in the state in the mile and also qualified in the twomile.

"Kline is probably our most talented runner," Carlson said.

Carlson says making it two straight league titles is very much in play for this group and after that anything is possible.

"I think we have a shot of repeating as league champion, it's not going to be easy by any means," Carlson said.

"Regional champs are just going to depend where we end up for regionals and how we do during the season. I

have high expectations for the boys."

On the girls side, Carlson hopes to continue to build that program to eventually get to the level of the boys'.

"Our girls are a year older and a year more talented," Carlson said. "They should be much better."

The girls side looks to be led by their relay teams according to Carlson.

"We had a girls relay team make it to state in the 4x800," Carlson said. "We probably could have had a 4x400 team make it on the girls side, they just ran out of gas. So I look for both of those teams to do well again."

Sophomore Britnee Works also returns after a qualifying for state in the high jump.

Humboldt senior Anthony Doran runs during a preseason track and field practice.

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Cub softball ready and loaded for 2016

Humboldt sophomore Rylan Wilhite rifles a ball across the diamond from her new shortstop position. Wilhite moves from third base, where she started as a freshman to shortstop this year.

Golf coach, freshman class learning together Ron Sparks enters the 2016 season with a lot on his plate.

The newly appointed head coach faces the challenge of life without Robbie Sellman, who has led the program as a four-time state qualifier.

Luckily for Sparks he has another Sellman waiting in the wings to inherit the No. 1 spot on the team as Ryan Sellman is now aboard.

"It is very exciting to have him on the team," Sparks said. "Ryan has a lot of potential, I can already tell he is going to be a good player for me this year. He seems

very motivated to do well and is working hard every day in practice.

The freshman enters his high school career much like his brother did. He has high expectations as the leader of the team.

In addition to Sellman, Sparks hopes he can count on junior Matt Lea as a leader for his team.

"He'll definitely be one of the leaders with experience and knowing what to do," Sparks said. "He has already shown some potential in practices."

The rest of the Cub lineup consists of a lot of inexperience with a pair of other freshmen.

Sparks is counting on growing right along with that young group of golfers.

"It'll be a learning experience for me as it will be a learning experience for some of them," the first-time golf coach said.

"Learning new things is exciting for me... We will grow together and I look forward to learning more about golf."

Anytime a softball team returns their pitcher from the previous season, it bodes well for their chances at having a great season and winning a lot of games.

When that returning pitcher is Courtney Richey, it bodes well for your chances of having a special season and winning the state tournament.

"With her pitching, she is probably one of the best pitchers in the state in all classes, so she is going to keep the score down," said coach Brad Piley. "If we can stretch two or three runs across we should have a good chance to win."

Richey, a first-team allstater last season, returns to the circle and will have a lot of help around her.

The Cubs' vocal leader resides behind the plate, where junior Makayla McCall returns as Richey's battery-mate after making the transition from third base to catcher prior to last season.

"My catcher is a junior this year," Piley said. "She is really athletic. I'm looking for her to really come alive with the batting this year.

She has a strong arm. I'd say she'll be an all-league, allstate catcher this year.

"She was really comfortable in that role (as a vocal leader) last year," Piley added. "I think this year she is really going to take it over.

Catcher is the one that runs the team for you because they see everything so I'm really looking forward to her running the team."

McCall has the benefit of being in her second year of learning to catch for Richey.

"With the pitcher she's got, she's going to have to be a good catcher because Courtney throws in the mid-60's

and she has a riseball, curveball, screwball. She's got everything," Piley said.

Piley knows he can count on those two, but he also is very comfortable with the rest of the Cub defense.

"Pretty much up-the-middle is pretty strong," Piley said.

Rylan Wilhite makes the move from third base to shortstop for her sophomore season and Piley has been very pleased with what he has seen from her transition so far this offseason.

Tilar Wells moves up from a reserve role to now be the starter at second base.

Piley is also excited to have senior Hannah Hulett back after she missed last season as she will solidify the Cub outfield from the center field position.

"She started for me as a sophomore and did really well," Piley said. "She really looks good so far, so it is like having another starter coming back there.

"She had five hits at state as a sophomore as a lefthanded slapper."

Expectations, as they were heading into last season, will be high for Piley's squad, but he feels his group is ready to handle those expectations and take the program to where it wants to go.

The last two seasons, the Cub march to the state tournament has been derailed

by Silver Lake, but Piley believes that this is the season that his team can make that next step.

"Our goal every year is to make it to state and win state," Piley said. "The last years we ran into Silver Lake and hopefully we can get the job done this year."

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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Justice Pugh throws a ball during a preseason practice.

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Marmaton Valley looks to take next step After finishing in the middle of the pack in their league last season, the Wildcats have a lot of returning talent and coach Derek Scharff hopes that their experience can lead to a big step forward this season.

"We pretty much got everyone back," Scharff said of his team's mindset entering the season. "So we plan on competing this year."

It will be key for the Wildcats to try and replace Shaun Frye, who in his first year with the program was able to establish himself as the leader among the Marmaton Valley pitchers and had a very solid year. Unfortunately for Scharff and his team, they only had Frye for one season before he graduated. Now Scharff is looking for some of his young guys to step up to fill Frye's shoes.

"Our main pitchers are going to be sophomores,"

Scharff said. "The kid we lost last year pitched a lot for us and we'll have to replace him."

Among the sophomore pitchers that the Wildcats will be counting on this season include Justice Pugh, Korbin Smith and Tristan Fraker.

Jake Kale will be the veteran among the arms for Scharff, as the junior will also figure into this season's rotation.

The Marmaton Valley lineup will have a familiar face at the top of it lineup again this year with senior Jake Kress leading off.

The rest of the lineup will be buoyed by the return of another pair of seniors with Keagan Boyd and Gage Adams.

"It will be nice," Scharff said. "(The seniors) have all played since they were freshmen so we are expecting a lot

of them this year."

With all of their experience, the coaching staff is counting on those three seniors to take even larger leadership roles with the team.

"They have gotten better every year so we are looking for leadership out of those guys," Scharff said.

With Kress, Adams and Boyd gearing up for their last hurrah as Wildcats, Scharff is counting on this being a banner year for his program as long as the talented pitchers that they have at their disposal continue to develop like Scharff thinks that they can.

"I look at us to hopefully have a winning record this year and hopefully compete near the top of our league," Scharff said. "I think we should compete with most of our league's schools this year."

Wildcat softball works to reload Marmaton Valley will be relying heavily on their youth as they look to improve going into the new 2016 season.

"Last year, we had a young team," Marmaton Valley coach Kaylan Colgin said. "A lot of them were just starting out. We had a lot of freshmen.

This year we have a lot of sophomores and we also have a lot of freshmen.

"We are still a very young team and still learning," Colgin added. "They are picking up on it though, so that's good."

Karlie Stephens joins the high school team for this season and will immediately be counted on to fill the void atop the Marmaton Valley pitching rotation.

"Karlie is a freshman, but

she's had a lot of work," Colgin said. "She'll be one of our main pitchers."

As Colgin shapes her team for the future, she hopes that Stephens can be a building block for not only success this season, but in the future too.

"She came to us with experience," Colgin said. "Before with our other pitchers, as a freshman, they were just starting out."

The coaching staff has already been impressed with the work ethic that Stephens brings to the game as a young pitcher.

"She has put in a lot of work outside of the season," Colgin said. "She has put in the work, so hopefully we see that reward."

The lineup is a work in progress for the Wildcats, but Colgin hopes to see development throughout the season from her group of hitters.

"I expect them to do a pretty good job," Colgin said.

"We've got a lot of speed. Last year, they were a quick team and we've still got the same girls, so they are still pretty quick on their toes."

Ashlynn Pinkerton will be one of the leaders of that lineup.

"Ashlynn is one of our seniors," Colgin said. "She's always been a tremendous hitter."

The strategy is simple for the Wildcats this year.

"Always just do better than the year before," Colgin said.

"That is the whole plan."

Marmaton Valley's Karlie Stephens pitches during a preseason Wildcat practice. The freshman will be counted on to play a pivotal role for Marmaton Valley this season.

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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18 Saturday, March 19, 2016

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Newman leads young Wildcats There is hardly a doubt in coach Steve Smith's mind who the leader of his Marmaton Valley track and field team is.

That honor goes to senior Brady Newman. The 6-3 leaper is a two-time regional champ in the high jump and qualified for state last season.

Newman is embracing that responsibility as well.

"It feels good," Newman said. "This will be my sixth year and I just want to be the best in the sport."

The senior enters his final season as a Wildcat with some clear goals on his plate.

"This year, I'm hoping to get 6-6," Newman said. "I went out at state last year with 6-4. This year, I'm hoping to get 2 inches better and

either tie the school record or beat it."

The star has been impressed with how wellrounded he believes this group of Wildcats can be.

"I think we can be pretty good," Newman said. "We have Austin Deer running the 100 and he can get it in about 11.3 seconds. We have people spread out in all events pretty much."

Smith has been pleased with the development he has seen from Newman throughout the years.

"He has been improving every year," Smith said.

The girls side was able to qualify a 4x800 relay team to state last season. Unfortunately, two members of that team have graduated.

Sophomores Megan Ensminger and Shelby Yoho re-

turn this season from that group and Smith counts on each of them to be pivotal pieces this season.

Even if they don't run a relay with Yoho this year, Smith is hopeful that she will be going to state individually this time around.

"We are looking for her to qualify as an individual," Smith said, though he is not sure what that event might be yet for the multi-talented runner.

"For Shelby, she has the opportunity to qualify in some distance running like the 800, mile and two-mile. I don't know what she is going to focus on yet."

Smith says the key this season for his team is focus.

"We've got to stay motivated throughout the year," Smith said.

Lancers driven in 2016 Crest may be a small school, but coach Alan Newton doesn't want that to limit his track and field team's expectations.

"My thing, as with most coaches, is to try to get them to be better than just the local hero," Newton said. "It is easy for someone that has a lot of natural talent to not have to try hard and still be the local hero because you don't have any competition.

"Then when you start to rise up to the state level, you find out, wait a minute, I'm not that special."

For Newton's athletes that have high expectations, like returning state qualifier in the javelin Evan Godderz, the key is to remember that they need to keep improving throughout the season and just winning an event sometimes isn't a high enough standard to hold yourself to.

"You are not competing with the local small-town track teams, you are competing with a big pond, not a small pond," Newton said. "Just because they are from a 5A school or a 6A school doesn't mean they are genetically better. Their advantage is they have competition. If there is no one around to challenge you, you have to challenge yourself, otherwise when you do rise up to the state-level, you are going to get smacked down."

Godderz, a senior, is the unquestioned leader, according to Newton, as he embodies his team philosophy.

"If I had a whole team of Evan Godderzs, attitude-wise, I could get a whole lot accomplished," Newton said. "Evan is a person that doesn't make excuses and always tries to improve."

Evan's sister, Laurel,also returns to the team for her junior season after just missing out on qualifying for state in the javelin as well.

Brady Newman goes airborne during a preseason Marmaton Valley practice.

Youth generates SCC excitement Jeff True enters the 2016 season at Southern Coffey County with a lot of excitement for his young team.

"We're going to be pretty young this year with a majority of the track team being made up of freshmen and sophomores," True said.

The youth on the team is very accomplished, led by sophomore Adina Ratzlaff.

Ratzlaff got third in the 400 at state last year. She also set the school record in the 300 intermediate hurdles during her freshman campaign.

"It is always exciting when you have a bunch of kids coming back," True said. "I also think there are going to be some freshmen that make an impact, too."

Ratzlaff also made her mark for the 4x100 relay team that made it to state. She was joined on that relay by her fellow sophomores Erikah Lyons, Kimberlyn Gunlock and Danielle Kasprzak.

The Titans do have one key senior back for his final season with Hunter Panke. He qualified for state in the long jump.

"He has done pretty well the last few years as a jumper," True said.

Panke is joined in the jumping ranks by Chonnor Ludolph.

"He did well last year," True said.

"He is a sophomore and he'll be strong for us, too, this year."

True is also looking forward to being able to work with this group of athletes again this season and watching them continue to improve throughout the season.

"It is always good to have some returning kids that are young and have a good work ethic," True said. "They get along well. It should be a fun season."

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Saturday, March 19, 2016

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The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Yates Center track relies on seniors for leadership The Yates Center track team doesn't have very many seniors this year, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality.

"Good lord, they are probably the most important people we have," coach Jenny Davis said about her group of seniors. "Our seniors are returning state medalists.

"Brett (Holloway) in three events with the 4x800, the triple jump and the two mile.

Makayla Jones in the shot and discus. Makayla placed fifth last year in shot with one of the best throws I've ever seen her have."

With such an accomplished pair of seniors, Davis combines her practices with the middle school, so those two seniors can have plenty of influence of the future of the program.

"It is pretty phenomenal," Davis said of the leadership on her team. "The best example is the sophomore class.

From the beginning of last year to the beginning of this year, they have improved leaps and bounds and that is because of those sophomores, juniors that are now juniors and seniors in front of them."

Both Jones and Holloway embrace that role as additional coaches for the Wildcats as Holloway helps develop the runners and Jones works with the throwers.

"I remember when I was in middle school, we saw the high schoolers run and everything, but we never got that one-on-one time if they wanted to explain something to us," Holloway said. "I

think it is crucial, definitely at a young age when they are just learning the events, that they learn to do it the right way and they can just build on that."

The Wildcats have plenty of talent in the wings behind their seniors as well with a very accomplished junior class.

"Levi Cooper moved here from St. John and he was able to qualify for state in the 200," Davis said. "Mikey Bruner is a pivotal point in our 4x800 and also can qualify himself and he probably will again in the open 800."

Although numbers are lower for Yates Center, expectations are high.

"I am really excited," Holloway said. "We got a lot of new guys that are experienced enough that they can come in and fulfill the roles you expect from a junior.

They are good kids that are disciplined and you can expect a lot out of them."

One of those young athletes that Holloway expects to mentor is Hadley Splector, a freshman, who may be his replacement in holding down the top spot for the Wildcat distance runners as soon as next year. The two consistently run together during the Wildcat practices.

"It is pretty tough going in knowing that there is a freshman that is just as fast as you," Holloway said. "It is really important though. I can instill some morals into him, then I have four more years of him learning from me still going."

Freshman Hadley Splechter, left, runs along side senior Brett Holloway as the Yates Center track and field team practices for the upcoming season. Holloway has been a state-qualifier in three events.

Wildcat golfers play to unique course Yates Center has plenty of advantages and disadvantages going into the 2016 golf season and those just begin with the course they play on.

Yates Center hardly practices putting because they practice on their sand-greens course, but play most of their regular-season events on a traditional grass-green course.

"The regular part of the season, we are going to struggle because our tournaments are on grass and we don't practice on that. We don't get greens enough. We can't read breaks and speed."

Although this makes the regular season more difficult for the Wildcats, they have still been very successful at the state level.

"We are bringing back five boys that played varsity last

year," Barnes said. "For our sand-greens we are going to be pretty competitive."

Remi Wagner finished ninth at regionals and ninth at state last season and he returns to lead the team that returns many of its main contributors.

"I'm going to try to improve on it this year," Wagner said. "I want to try to get top-five at state this year if not win it."

Good Luck Athletes!

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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Good Luck To All Area Sports Teams!

22 Saturday, March 19, 2016

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Replacing pitchers key for Yates Center in their pursuit of Humboldt in league Yates Center knows who the team to beat in the area is and coach Abby Collins is hoping that this is the year her Wildcats can get over the hump.

"We definitely have some top teams in our league with Humboldt," Collins said.

Coming off a state bid last season, Yates Center is going to be able to rely on a very experienced core of the lineup to try and take down the Cubs.

"They've been working hard on defense. I think we are going to have the bats."

The Wildcats are able to run out a lineup that consists of five batters who hit over .300 last season.

Those five players were se-

niors Jessica Rossillion and Hallie Green, juniors Hali Crellin and Emily Proper, and sophomore Katelynn Jones.

"Rossillion, my senior, will be the leader of the team," Collins said. "She is a good leader and always positive and keeping the girls up. She just goes hard 100 percent of the time and leads by her actions."

The team must replace nearly all of its pitching from last season, however, and that figures to have a huge impact on how far this team will go.

Collins is counting on Proper to help fill that void with her arm, while continuing to shine with her bat for

the Wildcats.

"Proper will be my pitcher," Collins said. "She's the No. 1 pitcher."

The Yates Center defense should be strong behind Proper and give her a security blanket. Rossillion will play shortstop with Jones at third base. The right side of the infield will consist of Green at first base and Crellin at second.

"I think if we can throw strikes then our defense is going to have to step up and make plays," Collins said.

If Proper can step up and the lineup can continue to produce at the plate, the Wildcats are setup to make a run at the Cubs for the league title.

Yates Center's Emily Proper pitches during practice.

New coach focused on basics

Gavin Dillow pitches during a preseason practice for Yates Center.

David Daugharthy inherits a baseball program at Yates Center that has struggled in the last couple of years and he is focused on fixing the culture of the program before all else.

"My (goal) is to basically improve the character of our players," Daugharthy said.

"Basically focusing on hard work and kids doing what is right on the field and off the field and being basically a mature, responsible adult.

We had some issues with that with some of the players on the team, so we need to fix that first and that will lead to wins."

Daugharthy thinks his pitching staff has plenty of potential heading into the season and has the oppor-

tunity to become a strength with some fine-tuning.

"They have decent mechanics," he said. "I've kind of changed how some of them have thrown. The first day of practice, I changed their throwing style a little bit, so it is a little bit of a learning curve to learn how to pitch with that throwing style. They are learning and we'll get there."

Although the pitchers have some experience, the lineup will mostly consist of young players that the Wildcats will hope to see grow as the season goes.

"We have a lot of young players on the team," Daugharthy said. "We have guys that got a little bit of playing time last year but

not a whole lot. We are going to be building a whole new team essentially this year based around those main parts."

Aside from building character, the coaching staff hopes to build a program with strong fundamentals.

"I think (the basics) are the most important part of baseball to be honest," Daugharthy said. "I'm also a football coach, so thinking about the difference between a football and baseball coach. Football is all about game planning, who can come up with better plays and stuff like that.

Baseball is all about the fundamentals. So I think it is really important to break it down and really emphasize the fundamentals."

The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Best of Luck to All Area Sports Athletes!

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The Iola Register Spring Sports Special

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