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Diamond Kings eye 3-peat
When describing what makes the Iola Mustang baseball team a perennial powerhouse — the Mustangs will be aiming for their third consecutive Pioneer League title — Coach Levi Ashmore attributed it to a culture begun 20 years ago by Coach Mark Percy.
Although today’s Mustangs never played under Percy, his impact remains evident through a focus on perfection and passing lessons learned down to the younger generation.
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Susan Lynn
“We’re fortunately in a place here in Iola, where baseball has been good for the past 10 or 15 years. We’ve had a lot of great players come through,” Ashmore said. “Coach Percy was here from 2005 to 2020 and laid a great foundation for the program. I’ve been fortunate to step in and lead the program. We have a lot of good players today. The culture is good for Iola baseball.”
Returning most of their starting lineup from 2024, Ashmore said there is
IOLA BASEBALL
Iola High’s Tre Wilson will be key to the team’s quest for a third straight Pioneer League championship
not much he plans to change this season. The Mustangs graduated starting pitchers Colton Cloud and Mac Leonard last spring, but Ashmore believes he has the arms to fill the void.
“Grady Dougherty and Gavin Jones gave us some good innings at the varsity level last year,” Ashmore said. “Gavin has been a Steady-Eddie for two years. Grady burst onto the scene last year and threw some really good non-conference games for us. He took down McPherson, which is a two-time defending 4A state champion.”
Ashmore also mentioned junior Easton Weseloh, who may not have the most varsity experience, but has a very high development ceiling and more than a few nasty pitches.
Sophomores Kale Pratt, Jase Herrmann, Austin Crooks and senior Trevor Tatman will each see time coming out of the bullpen.
“We have some guys we’re pretty excited about. We just have to see them with a hitter in the box and a different uniform on,” Ashmore said.
When it comes to hitting, Ashmore is also confident. Multiple hitters have a history of batting over .300 by season’s end and have already faced some of the best pitching in the state.
“Thankfully, we return a good group of hitters from last year. Trey Wilson has been awesome his first two years,” Ashmore said. “He returns as a junior who will hit the three-hole for us. Grady (Dougherty) plays first base and will hit in our four-hole. He’s very good and is going into his third year. Jase Hermann got his feet wet as a freshman. Lucas Maier played a lot. Nick Bauer played a lot. We have five or six guys in the lineup who have experience.”
While confident in his team, Ashmore wants to make sure his players do not become overconfident. As the returning Pioneer League champion, the name adorning their jerseys may as well be a target for up-andcoming teams looking to make names for themselves.
“It’s fun playing with a target on your back. There are high expectations,” Ashmore said. “You go out every day expecting to win every game you see on your schedule. You know you’re going to get everybody’s best shot, so that demands our best every single time we go out.”
Iola High’s Easton Weseloh returns as a starter at third base for the Mustangs.
Mustang softball, locked and loaded
With only one player not returning to the 2025 lineup, the Iola Mustangs’ chances look promising.
Coach Chris Weide says the softball team’s deep bench and talented underclassmen bode well for a breakout season.
“This is my eighth year, and this is the first time I’ve had this much talent,” Weide said. “In a normal year, we’d have four or five girls that are real solid. I think this is a special group.”
Last season’s bitter ending may have something to do with their motivation. The girls exited the postseason in a 4-2 loss to Bluestem in the playoffs.
Multiple-time Pioneer League honors recipient senior Elza Clift will lead the Mustangs on the mound and in the batter’s box as lead-off hitter. Reese Curry, a three-time All-Pioneer League honoree, will serve as catcher. An up-and-comer, and recent state wrestling qualifier, is Zoie Hesse, who Weide said has the potential to be the best hitter in the history of IHS. Weide also has high hopes for sophomore Brooklyn Holloway, who he credits for her athleticism and aggressiveness at center field.
“Kyndal Bycroft and Kaysin Cruisinbery will do some stuff for us in the field and at the plate,” Weide said. “Harper Desmarteau, she’s going to play at Allen next year, will probably play a little center field, but she may also be catching and playing third base just to fill some spots.
“We’ve got nine seniors in the group, and seven of those started last year. We’ve already seen the leadership qualities come out of them,” Weide said. “We also have eight freshmen coming in, which is a really good group. There is some talent there and also a couple of
Iola High’s Harper Desmarteau will see time behind the plate once again in 2025.
girls who might push for some varsity playing time. Even though we have all of the starters back, we have enough girls coming up who know they have to work every day to keep their spot.”
Coach Chris Weide
Kyndal Bycroft — 12
Elza Clift — 12
Kaysin Crusinbery — 12
Reese Curry — 12
Baylie Crooks — 12
Harper Desmarteau
— 12
Alana Mader — 12
Kinsey Schinstock — 12
Kenleigh Westhoff — 12
Gabi Briggs — 11
Faith Warden — 11
Zoie Hesse — 10
Brooklyn Holloway — 10
Harlei Gregg — 9
Shaylee Karns — 9
Tierce Moore — 9
Blayke Patterson — 9
Jordan Potter — 9
Evie Schooler — 9
Jordan Spillman — 9
Addi Wacker — 9
Iola primed for big year on the track
After getting one athlete to the KSHSAA state meet last year, the Iola Mustangs hope to punch a few more tickets to Wichita’s Cessna Stadium in May.
Iola coach David Daugharthy prefers his athletes not put their focus on their times and distances at the first of the season. That can wait.
“Every time we go out there, we’re trying to do our best, but we understand we aren’t always going to hit that mark,” especially at the first of the season, Daugharthy said. “We want our best marks at league — at the end of the season and on to state.”
Sophomore 3200-meter runner Keegan Hill is aiming to make a second appearance at state. As a freshman, Hill finished 15th, and coaches are confident of his chances to place much higher this season.
“He has really turned it on this year,” said Britt Daugharthy, who is the wife of David Daugharthy and specializes in coaching distance runners. She also coaches cross country in the fall.
“Keegan’s been doing some winter track running and he wants to win. He’s so fun to coach.”
Senior Cortland Carson, also a basketball standout, may leave his mark in the hurdles and on the relay
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Coach David Daugharthy
Cortland Carson — 12
Alex Donnelly — 12 Alejandro Escalante — 12
Kale Godfrey — 12
Gavin Jones — 12
Konner Larney — 12
Cole Moyer — 12
Alex Smail — 12
Griffin Westervelt — 12
Iola High’s Keegan Hill hopes to return to the state track and field meet as a sophomore.
team. Carson came up just short of making state in the hurdles last season, but Coach Daugharthy believes he could break through this year.
“Carson might be able to help us in a relay as well as the intermediate hurdles. He could get to that spot. We also have guys in the 4x800 relay that have pieces that I think could maybe get to state,” Daugharthy said.
Freshman sprinter Kevon Loving and Jacoby Hill, a junior, also show promise.
Hill, a junior, is a bit of an anomaly. As a first-time high school track competitor, Daugharthy said he noticed his raw athleticism despite still recovering from a serious ACL injury.
For the girls, the Mustangs did not have a state quali-
fier last season. However, following a few narrow misses at the 2024 regional meet, a few Iola athletes show promise.
“We have a junior thrower, Bethany Miller, she was close to qualifying last year and a sophomore sprinter, Kesha Smith,” Daugharthy said. “I think she missed out by .02 seconds. Those are ones who are on the edge, but we have a lot that show potential and might get there.”
The girls are in a bit of a rebuild. However, following a strong turnout during the first week of practice, Coach Britt Daugharthy feels the girls program can make a turnaround.
“We’ve been trying to get more girls to come out. We’ve really dipped in our distance girls, so having any girls out is so exciting,” Daugharthy said. “A lot of those girls did cross country. I saw them getting faster then, and I look forward to seeing them do it again. It’s fun to see how many of the students are ready. There’s a difference between those who did off-season training and those who didn’t.”
IHS GIRLS TRACK
Coach David Daugharthy
Keelie Keeler — 12
Melody Norman — 12
Melanie Palmer — 12
Maya Shaughnessy — 12
Wanker — 12
Ashworth — 11
Genoble — 11
Hill — 11 Bethany Miller — 11 Ari Ramirez — 11
Mahala Burris — 10
Cristina Del Las Mercedes — 10 Abby Jerome — 10 Lily Lohman — 10
Lainey Oswald — 10
Keysha Smith — 10
Sydney Ebberts — 9
Iola High’s Bethany Miller will once
throwing events for the Mustangs.
Iola golfers
Out of the gate, the Iola High golf team faces a few challenges, but none so insurmountable as to affect their goals, said Coach Jeremy Sellman.
The Mustangs will be operating without a home course until at least May, due to renovations at Allen County Country Club’s golf course.
The boys are aiming for their third consecutive Pioneer League title.
Iola High’s Brennen Coffield is gunning for a third straight state golf appearance this season.
“It’s going to be hard to three-peat as league champions due to the 8-ball we’re behind,” Coach Sellman said. “I’ve told the kids, ‘You’ve got to take advantage of every time we’re on a course and focus on the opportunities of getting out to swing some clubs.’”
“It’s unfortunate, but once they get the project at the country club completed, it’s going to make the course way better. It will also give us better conditions to practice in that it will prepare us for larger, more difficult golf courses.”
Despite graduating IHS mainstays and state qualifiers Xander Sellman and Chris Holloway last spring, Sellman feels confident the team’s next generation of Mustangs will rise to the challenge of filling their spots.
Sellman noted junior Brennen Coffield and senior Ethan Harris’s chances of qualifying for state.
With the program in a bit of disarray due to holding practices 30 minutes away in Garnett, Sellman credited Harris for providing leadership as team captain.
“He really worked on his game last year. He qualified for state and he hopes to qualify again this year,” Sellman said. “He wants to go out with a bang his senior year. He’s also taken control, making sure kids are getting to practice, making sure they have their equipment. He got a couple of kids to come out. He’s a hard-working kid and I don’t think anybody besides Brennen works harder than him at golf.”
As for Coffield, Sellman believes the junior is also a virtual lock for state barring some unforeseen catastrophe. With Xander Sellman now playing at Nebraska, Sellman never wavered from his belief Coffield could fill the role as Iola’s next ace.
“He’s the guy. He was really kind of the guy last year. He was my No. 1 golfer,” Sellman said. “He was just a little more consistent day in and day out. He didn’t mind the added pressure of being with bigger schools or better golfers.”
Coach Jeremy Sellman Ethan Harris — 12
Mustang tennis team sees net gains
The Iola Mustangs have an eclectic mix of athletes coming into this season with hopes of introducing a few more players to the state tournament.
Without a single senior on the 2024 roster, the Mustangs return six of eight players including state qualifiers Ethan Riebel and Brody Thompson.
“We’ll be in the Southeast Kansas regional, which is typical. But it will be a feat getting to state,” said Coach Chris Belknap. “I’d like to do it again, but just because you did it last year doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. We’re going to have to work at it for sure, but I think we’ll get a spot or two at least.”
Along with Riebel, Thompson and the rest of the returning Mustangs, Iola may have a few surprises for opponents this season.
First is German exchange student Simon Mueller. Although new to tennis, Meuller’s skills as an experienced racquetball player may give him an edge.
Freshman Mosiah Fawson also may make an immediate impact. Coming from a tennis pedigree, Fawson took to the court long before he became a Mustang.
“We’ll have three players completely new to tennis, so we have room to improve,” Belknap said. “Fawson is pretty experienced. I think he could wake up in the middle of the night and start playing a game.”
Donovan Nee — 12
Ethan Riebel — 12
Harley Blankenship — 11
Trapper Boren — 11
Payton Kern — 11
Simon Mueller — 11
Zachary Pfaff — 11
Brody Thompson — 11
Mosiah Fawson — 9
Ben Heiman — 9
As with any endeavor, true mastery comes from good coaching and lots of practice. Belknap relies on his upperclassmen to serve as instructors.
“They can lead from experience,” Belknap said. Oftentimes, “the younger players are going to respect their advice more than mine, especially if it’s their first year.”
Coach Chris Belknap
Iola High’s Ethan Riebel returns for his senior season.
Cub baseball has unfinished business
HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High’s baseball squad has some unfinished business on the diamond.
The Cubs, having already rolled through the Tri-Valley League, were on the precipice of a second straight trip to the Class 3A State Tournament last year. But Burlington rallied in the sixth inning of the Substate Championship game, sending Humboldt home broken-hearted with a 19-5 record.
The good news is the Cubs return a good chunk of that core this season.
“Our guys are hungry to get back to state,” head coach Mike Miller said. “We lost a piece of our rotation and a big bat from our lineup, but I think we have some guys ready to step into those roles.”
Humboldt High returns a deep and experienced team to the baseball diamond in 2025, including returnees Blake Ellis, left, and Mason Sterling.
Two of Humboldt’s top three pitchers return in seniors Logan Page and Kyler Isbell.
Both earned all-league recognition for their dominance on the mound and at the plate.
Page hit .333 with 24 hits and 25 RBIs, while going 6-2 with a 1.31 ERA over 42.2 innings.
Isbell hit .260 with 10 RBIs, while going 6-1 on the mound with a 2.00 ERA.
That third spot in the rotation will almost certainly go to fellow senior Cole Mathes, who allowed just one earned run over 15.2 innings, while striking out 18. Oh, and he slugged .415 with 22 hits and seven RBIs.
The rest of the team is primed for action as well.
Senior Blake Ellis scored 36 runs while hitting .379, good enough for all-league designation, and Colden Cook earned honorable mention while hitting .311 with 11 RBIs and 13 runs.
Mason Sterling racked up a .306 batting average.
“We have several others who will be in the mix to round out the rotation,” Miller said. “I expect us to be a strong defensive team once again. Offensively, we had several guys who really came on strong toward the end of the season and provided some big sparks in key situations.
“Top to bottom, I feel really good about our lineup and expect big things from them.”
Running through the TVL will be no cakewalk, he predicted.
“The league will be better this season,” Miller said. “There were some young teams that really improved
as the year went on. Caney Valley always seems to be in contention. Neodesha will be a good team as well.
“We always have a goal of winning the league, and it’s no different this year,” he continued. “I look forward to seeing them compete and see how everything shakes out.”
HUMBOLDT BASEBALL
Lady Cubs eye return to top of TVL
HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High’s softball squad found itself in an unfamiliar position at the end of the 2024 campaign.
It marked the first time in 10 years the Lady Cubs had not won, or at least shared, the Tri-Valley League title.
“We had our moments,” head coach Brad Piley said. “Just not enough of them.”
But with losing only one senior from last year’s 10-win squad, hopes are high the Lady Cubs will once again vie for league supremacy.
Humboldt has all three of its returning pitchers back in 2025, headlined by the one-two pitching punch of senior Shelby Shaughnessy and junior Taevyn Baylor.
Both earned all-league recognition last season.
Shaughnessy led the Lady Cubs in batting with a .487 average, with 18 RBIs, 10 walks and 32 stolen bases. Pitching-wise, she was 6-6 with a 2.9 ERA, As the team’s cleanup hitter, Baylor hit .400 with three home runs and 20
HUMBOLDT SOFTBALL
Coach Brad Piley
Shelby Shaughnessy — 12
Chanlynn Wrestler — 12
Taevyn Baylor — 11
Skylar Hottenstein — 11
Laney Hull — 11
Addy Borjas —10
Leah Carman — 10
Kamry De La Torre — 10
Jo Ellison — 10
Hadley Galloway — 10
Kinley Hart — 10
Lakyn Meadows — 10
Carlie Weilert — 10
Bailey Daniels — 9
Addisyn Drake — 9
Gabi Vargas-Garcia — 9
Humboldt High junior Taevyn Baylor hit .400 at the plate and went 8-4 on the mound in 2024.
RBIs. She stole 36 bases and went 8-4 on the mound with a shutout and a 2.5 ERA. She struck out 73 batters on the season.
See LADY CUBS | Page 20
Seniors take charge on track at HHS
HUMBOLDT — A pair of newcomers (sort of) will be counted on for big things this year for Humboldt High’s track and field team.
Seniors Karingten Hall and Tre Franklin will lace up their cleats, officially, for the first time this spring, although both are familiar with success on the track.
Hall qualified for the state meet in several sprint events as a freshman and sophomore at Iola High School.
After transferring to Humboldt for her junior year, Hall was ineligible to compete for the orange and black at the varsity level.
That meant a season filled with junior varsity meets — or if she ran in varsity — knowing her marks wouldn’t count.
Humboldt High’s Karingten Hall is primed for a successful senior campaign on the track in 2025.
HUMBOLDT
TRACK
Coach Eric Carlson Boys Blake Ellis — 12
Franklin — 12 Keith Gomez — 12
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“We took Karingten to the Tri-Valley League meet, where she won the 100 meters by about a full second,” Cub head coach Eric Carlson said. “But she couldn’t get anything out of it.”
That changes in 2025, with Hall champing at the bit for a return to state.
“It says a lot that she was willing to stick it out like that,” Carlson said. “We didn’t push her a lot in practice. We can do some things with her starts to make her times even faster. We’re looking forward to that.”
Franklin, too, is a transfer into the Humboldt school system, having qualified for state in the 200- and
Brody Gunderman — 12
Kyler Isbell — 12
Matt McCullough — 12
Brigg Shannon — 12
Gunner Stone — 12
Luke Gibbons — 11
Taner King — 11
Carson Peters — 11
Avion Seamster —11
Mason Sterling —11
Thatcher Mueller — 10
Cooper Peters — 10
Luke VanLeeuwen — 10
Jack Works — 10
Weston Johnson — 9
Kacen Lucero — 9
Nathan Seibert — 9
Ty Shaughnessy — 9
Girls
Karingten Hall — 12
Anna Heisler — 12
River Johnson — 12
Laney Hull — 11
Savannah Koch — 11
Emmy Hole — 10
Carlie Weilert — 10
Lillie Bingham — 9
Addisyn Drake — 9
Jordyn Hencey — 9
Adalyn Hillmon — 9
Willow LaCrone — 9
Maggie McCullough — 9
Gabi Vargas-Garcia — 9
Olivia Wheatley — 9
Brady Whitworth — 9
Kaydence Whitworth — 9
Humboldt golfers take a swing at state
HUMBOLDT — Twelve Humboldt golfers will tee off for the 2025 season, 10 of whom competed last spring.
Junior Layne Ellison and sophomores Broc Ivy and Thatcher Mueller competed in the bulk of the 2024 tournaments, “and they all showed improvement through the year,” head coach Bret Hauser said.
Now, they’ll have a fourth who will likely be in medal contention from Day 1.
Incoming freshman Connor Newman brings a wealth of experience, having competed in various youth tournaments.
“He pretty much grew up on the golf course,” Hauser said. “He’s got some length and accuracy, which is huge. And he already has a strong mental approach.”
Having four regulars on the roster is key because it qualifies Humboldt for team scores, Hauser noted, “something we haven’t had for a while.”
Rounding out the boys roster are seniors Colden Cook, Curt Shannon and Franciso Torres and freshman Bryer Grisier.
Maleah Gordon — 10 Bristol Krone — 10
Ella Schomaker — 10
Humboldt will have four girls on the roster as well, Tymber Schultz, Malea Gordon, Bristol Krone and Ella Schomaker. They’ll be eligible to compete through the year, but will not take part in postseason events.
Because Humboldt does not have a girls team in the fall, they play alongside the boys in the spring.
Hauser is excited for the potential the upcoming season entails.
“We’re hoping to put together some good team scores,” he said.
Thatcher Mueller returns for Humboldt High in 2025.
Wildcats seek to be diamond kings
MORAN — Marmaton Valley High has an unusual dichotomy on the baseball diamond.
While the Wildcats will have a small roster of only 12 — seven if you take away dual-sport athletes splitting time with the track squad — Marmaton Valley will have an abundance of the key commodity at any level of baseball: pitching depth.
“Everybody who’s a fulltime baseball player is a pitcher,” Wildcat head coach Adam Barth said.
Tyler Lord
That should give MV a leg up with the state now allowing teams to play up to 26 regular season games, up from 20 two years ago.
“If we do what we need to do, we’re gonna be in good shape,” Barth said. “We have a really good group of kids out there. It’s an exciting time.”
There’s plenty to build on from last season, where Marmaton Valley rebounded from an 0-7 start, ending the regular season on a 10-game winning streak.
Several of the pitchers saw plenty of action in 2024, including senior Dominic Smith, juniors Tyler Lord and Garrett Morrison and sophomore Andi Carr, who has again signed up to play baseball since softball was again a no-go at Marmaton Valley.
“Dominic did a great job hitting in the 2-hole last year,” Barth said. “We’ll probably use him a lot out of the bullpen.”
Lord, meanwhile, split time between shortstop and the pitching mound, and shined on the basepaths, going a perfect 34 of 34 on stolen base attempts.
Brothers Chris and Mason Ferguson made an impact
in the lineup. Chris Ferguson, a junior, will play the outfield. Mason, a sophomore, will handle corner infield positions.
Brendon Newman saw plenty of action in the outfield as a freshman last season.
“He had probably the biggest growth from the beginning of the season to the end,” Barth said. “And he’s picking it up this season where he left off.”
Junior Brevyn Campbell adds another capable bat in the outfield. “He’ll play anywhere in the outfield or at second,” Barth said.
Some incoming freshmen will look to make an immediate impact. Thomas Allee already looks versatile enough to play pretty much wherever he’s needed. Kaden McVey will likely see plenty of time behind the plate
Newcomer Todd Stevenson offers an enticing blend of speed and athleticism. On top of seeing action in the outfield, Stevenson gives the Wildcats a left-handed pitcher on the mound.
Also, perhaps, in the mix is senior Kele Michael, who is working his way back from a football injury.
MARMATON VALLEY BASEBALL
Humboldt track: Seniors lead the way
Continued from 14
400-meter dashes at El Dorado.
“Just the little I’ve seen Tre in practice, you can see how explosive he is,” Carlson said. “He’s got a motor. It’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
With a squad of 34, Carlson is eager to see what other talented performers are ready to rack up some medals.
Junior Laney Hull, who qualified for state high jump as a sophomore, while narrowly missing out on qualifying in hurdles races, looks to add to her medal haul.
“She’s our only returning state qualifier,” Carlson noted.
Incoming freshman Gabi Vargas-Garcia already excels in throwing events, Carlson noted, as does junior Savannah Koch, who competed in middle school, but had not yet dabbled in high school track until this spring.
Lady Cubs: Softball
Continued from 13
Also earning all-league recognition was second baseman Skylar Hottenstein, who batted .373 with a whopping 55 stolen bases last year. Piley looks for more of the same for the junior.
Junior Laney Hull will once again man shortstop, giving the Lady Cubs a solid defensive core up the middle. Senior Chanlynn Wrestler serves as the team’s de facto coach on the field behind the plate.
Kinley Hart, who played primarily junior varsity in 2024, will get an extended look at first base.
An all-freshman outfield suited up for the Lady Cubs last spring in Carlie Weilert in center, Lakyn Meadows in left and Adlee Galloway in right. Sophomore Jo Ellison, also offers depth at pitching.
“We can be as good as any team I’ve had,” Piley said. “If we take care of business. We’ve got an opportunity to do some things this year.”
“We talked her into it,” Carlson said.
Senior Anna Heisler, most definitely not a newcomer, has excelled in the 800 meters in years past.
“We’re gonna have a lot of young competitors,” Carlson noted. “If we can keep the mindset to stick it out, even if they’re competing against juniors and seniors who are bigger and faster than they are, we have a shot to build something. The key is keeping them positive with the understanding it might be a struggle early on. There are going to be growing pains, but our goal always is to peak at the last three meets of the season” at league, regional and state competitions.
“We tailor our workouts so we’re at our best in the middle of May,” he concluded. “It’ll be interesting to see how they grow and react to the competition.”
Humboldt High’s Leah Carman gives the Lady Cubs speed and depth as a sophomore.
MV thinclads have high hopes in ’25
MORAN — A decorated senior class will lead the way for Marmaton Valley High’s track team in 2025.
The Wildcats, with 22 athletes on the roster, feature some returning state qualifiers.
Piper Barney’s growth on the track can be measured in leaps and bounds, having secured state medals in both the long jump and 300-meter hurdles, while just finishing outside the top six in the triple jump.
“It’s going to be tough losing her after this year,” Wildcat track coach Steve Smith said.
Also looking to make it back to state is fellow senior Brayden Lawson, who qualified in 2024 in the shot put.
Jaedon Granere is a two-time state qualifier as well in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
Junior Todd Stevenson hopes to ascend to the role of state qualifier in his specialty, the triple jump.
MARMATON VALLEY TRACK
Boys
Jaedon Granere — 12
Brayden Lawson — 12
Brevyn Campbell — 11
Chris Ferguson — 11
Todd Stevenson — 11
Dagan Barney — 10
Mason Ferguson — 10
Brendon Newman — 10
Cooper Scharff — 10
Colin Ard — 9
Brady Burton — 9
Kameren McClenning — 9
Bryan Uhlrich — 9
Girls
Piper Barney — 12
Khiana Haynes — 12
Sophia Heim — 11
Kylah Sander — 11
Taylen Blevins — 10
Myleigh Eslick — 10
Yareli Medrano — 10
Harlie Cook — 9
Evva Sander — 9
Marmaton Valley High’s Piper Barney will seek another state medal in jumping events this spring.
“If he puts in the work, I can see him taking that step,” Smith said.
It’s too soon to tell if sophomore Cooper Scharff, a state medalist in the sprints last season, will be cleared to return to action after a knee injury derailed his football season.
“He’s been working hard in rehab to come back,” Smith said. “It’s too soon to tell, but I won’t count him out.”
Crest rebuilds with target on its back
COLONY — The upcoming baseball season will carry a familiar tune for Crest High’s Lancers.
The Lancers, for the second consecutive season, will look to keep up the team’s success on the diamond after bidding adieu to a deep and talented senior class.
All Crest did last spring was run roughshod through the Three Rivers League on the way to its third state tournament appearance in four years.
“It’s gonna be a challenge,” head coach Roland Weir said. “We’ve got a target on our backs. Our goal is to win league, and everybody wants to take it away.”
And while the Lancers may not have as much experienced depth as in years past, they still return several talented performers to the diamond.
Senior Kade Nilges will once again be counted on to help anchor the Lancer pitching staff. He led the team in appearances last year (12) while going 4-2 with a 3.20 earned run average. He also hit a robust .385 with 29 RBIs in 28 games.
He’ll share the frontline pitching responsibilities with junior Drake Weir, Coach Weir’s son, with a caveat.
Drake Weir is coming off a knee injury from the football season, and has delayed surgery in order to play baseball this spring.
“We’re playing it week by week, game by game, to see how it goes,” Coach Weir said. “So far, he’s doing well with his rehab, but only time will tell.”
Drake Weir, who hit .353 with 26 RBIs while going 2-2 with a 3.17 ERA on the mound, will likely relinquish his catching duties this spring, and instead handle first base, to reduce the strain on his knee.
Juniors Jensen Barker and Henry White also will be expected to see time on the mound, Weir said, although much of their experience the past two years was in the field.
Barker hit .292 with 29 RBIs; White hit .353 with a team-high 43 runs with 18 RBIs.
Sophomore Roy Gordon got plenty of experience in the field last season. “We’re looking for him to do bigger and better things,” Weir said.
Weir also will look to junior Dalton Kersley to handle second base this season.
Crest High’s Henry White returns for his junior year for the Lancers.
Newcomer Kole Walter headlines a large and talented freshman class. Weir expects a handful of youngsters to make an impact, and soon.
“We’ll be deep, and we’ll be fast,” Weir said. “We’re gonna steal some bases and move people around. If anyone knows me, they know I’m aggressive.”
And while he expects the Lancer lineup to remain relatively stable, exactly where each player suits up on the diamond will likely vary from game to game.
“A lot’s going to depend on who’s pitching,” Weir said.
“Every year’s different, and every year has its challenges,” Weir said. “We’ve been lucky to have the same group of kids around for a while. Now we’ve got a tradition started, and your younger players have seen it when they were in middle school. Now they’re a part of it.
“We’ve had a successful football season and a successful basketball season. I have no doubt we’ll be successful in baseball as well.”
Sporing takes reins for Lady Lancers
COLONY — Forgive Dakotah Sporing if he has a Gertrude Lawrence song stuck in his head this spring.
Lawrence, the stage and screen legend, earned a Tony award for her performance, partly with her powerful rendition of the Broadway standard “Getting To Know You,” from “The King And I.”
There will be a lot of getting to know his players as Sporing takes the reins of the Crest High softball program.
For one, half of Crest’s roster will have entered the season with minimal practices under their belt — for good reason.
The Lady Lancers basketball squad’s magical run to the Class 1A-I State Tournament kept a big chunk of the talent focused on the hardwood for the first two weeks of the spring sports practice season. Tack on a weeklong spring break, and some players likely will have laced up their cleats for the first time in 2025 just as the regular season launched.
“I’ve told the basketball girls that they can’t talk too much about softball yet,” Sporing laughed. “Take care of the basketball first. But the ones I’ve talked to are excited about it.”
Crest’s 12-strong roster has plenty of returning talent, led by senior Delaney Ramsey.
Ramsey was having a solid junior campaign until she broke her ankle while sliding into second base last year. “She’s excited to be back,” Sporing said.
Ramsey batted .400 (14 of 35) with four doubles, three triples and 12 RBIs, while scoring 13 runs over 14 games, good enough to earn All-Three Rivers League recognition.
Junior McKenna Powell showed flashes of power in 2024 with two home runs.
On top of those, Kinley Edgerton and Kaelin Nilges showed improvement on the diamond last year and should make an impact this season, Sporing predicted.
“We have some talented athletes,” Sporing said. “It’s up to me to figure where they fit best into the system,
CREST SOFTBALL
Coach Dakotah Sporing
Cursten Allen — 12
Karlee Boots — 12
Delaney Ramsey — 12
Aylee Beckmon — 11
Kinley Edgerton — 11
Kaelin Nilges — 11
McKenna Powell — 11
Kinley Romines — 11
Khloey Valentine — 11
Allison Weatherman — 11
Gracyn Ellington — 9
Summer Valentine — 9
and to build on their strengths.”
Topping the list will be to determine a pitching staff.
“I told the girls everyone is gonna pitch until we get it figured out,” he chuckled. “We’re gonna figure it out together.”
Sporing has plenty of diamond coaching experience, serving as an assistant coach the last three seasons for the Lancer baseball team.
His softball experience?
“The most I know from softball is from watching my sister play,” he laughed. “There’s definitely a lot to learn, but I’m excited. It’s a new challenge.”
The four or five girls who have been regular attendees at practices in the early going leave him optimistic.
“They’ve been working hard, gotten a lot of reps, and they’re excited,” he said. “We’re building a little momentum.”
Crest High’s McKenna Powell will be counted on to help power the Lady Lancers this season.
Hopes remain sky high for CHS track
COLONY — Crest High’s star-studded track and field team continues to grow in leaps and bounds.
This year’s squad of 29 is one of the largest in recent memory, giving plenty of young talent to a team that already excels in multiple events.
“I really like our numbers,” head coach Kaitlyn Cummings said.
Even better, the newcomers bring new skills. Several of the returnees — we’re looking at you, juniors Josie Walter, Peyton Schmidt and Aubrey Allen — have made a name for themselves in middle- and long-distance races.
“We’ve got some new throwers and sprinters as well,” Cummings said. “On the boys’ side, we’re adding distance runners and sprinters into the mix.”
Walter and Schmidt will aim to earn their third straight state medals in the 3200 meters. Walter narrowly missed a second straight medal last May in the 1600 as well. They’ll be joined by Allen, another middle distance wiz, on the 4x800-meter relay team.
Speaking of Schmidts, Hanna Schmidt — Peyton’s younger sister — will look for a sequel to her memorable 2024 state meet in the 100-meter hurdles. Hanna was blazing toward a top-three finish in the state meet when she clipped the last hurdle and fell to the turf. She still medaled, placing eighth, but left Wichita with a feeling of unfinished business. Oh, and she also qualified for state
CREST TRACK
Boys
Teagan Allen — 12
Gunner Ellington — 12
Gentry McGhee — 12
Elijah Taylor — 12
Ryan West — 12
Jacob Zimmerman — 12
Max Black — 11
Blaine King — 11
Henry White — 11
Xander Fuller — 10
Gage Jones — 10
Lane Yocham — 10
Grady Allen — 9
Jimmy Ayers — 9
Daylan Nicholas — 9
Charlie Slyter — 9
Kole Walter — 9
Girls
Aubrey Allen — 11
Kim Coleman — 11
Lizzie Ellington — 11
Kinley Edgerton — 11
Peyton Schmidt — 11
Josie Walter — 11
Kamryn Jones — 10
Hanna Schmidt — 10
Jaycee Schmidt — 10
Gracyn Ellington — 9
Kallei Robb — 9
Adayrean West — 9
Summer Valentine — 9
in both the 300-meter hurdles and the long jump.
On the boys’ side, Gentry McGhee enters his senior year looking to build on last year’s season in which he qualified for state in the 200 meters.
Gunner Ellington, too, will look to return in the 1600. He qualified for state as a sophomore, nabbing a 12thplace finish, but fell just short of returning last year as a junior, in both the 1600 and 3200 races.
“That was one of the toughest regionals in the state,” Cummings recalled. “We hope to see him make some gains this year.”
Jacob Zimmerman will once again run the hurdles.
As for the newcomers:
Freshmen Kole Walter and Daylan Nicholas have signed on as has junior Henry White. All three will split time between track and baseball as dual-sport athletes.
Another dual-sport athlete, freshman Summer Valentine, will suit up for the Lady Lancer softball squad.
“Summer has done a nice job already in throwing events,” Cummings said.
The healthy track numbers leaves Cummings optimistic Crest’s athletes will attain both team and individual accolades.
“We’ve got to rebuild our 4x100 relay teams, but we’ve got kids who can do it,” Cummings said. “Things are looking good.”
Crest High’s Hanna Schmidt earned a state medal in the 100-meter hurdles as a freshman.
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Yates Center softball, tiny but fierce
YATES CENTER — Yes, the Yates Center High softball squad is light on numbers.
Even so, this year’s squad could have the makings of something special.
With only 11 players on the roster, staying healthy is of paramount importance, head coach Alexa Estes noted.
Yates Center returns two-time All-Three Rivers League performer Kinley Morrison, a junior.
Morrison was dominant both on the mound and at the plate in 2024.
She struck out 97 batters as a pitcher, while tallying a .514 batting average, 36 of 70, with only three strikeouts as a batter.
Last season marked her second straight year to earn all-league recognition.
Most teams would be content to stick with their ace for the full year.
But Estes has a couple other talented pitchers on her roster as well in senior Avery Eakin and sophomore Cayten Cummings.
“Avery did a great job pitching for us last season,” Estes said. “Cayten will pitch more as a backup.”
Morrison’s pitching forte is her speed, Estes said. Eakin, meanwhile, relies more on keeping batters off balance. “She gets a lot of pop-ups,” Estes noted.
Cummings also excelled last season, all over the place, suiting up at catcher and in the infield, on top of seeing time at pitcher.
She earned honorable mention all-league recognition in 2024, while racking up a .627 (32 of 53) batting average, with only two strikeouts. Cummings was the only freshman to receive any kind of postseason recognition from the league coaches.
The talent doesn’t end there.
Altoona-Midway imports Sandra Morales and Keyleigh Clines both have shown their athleticism in practice.
YATES CENTER SOFTBALL
Coach Alexa Ellis
Avery Eakin — 12
Jaycie Randall — 12
Madison Hall — 11
Anna Morando — 11
Kinley Morrison — 11
Lauren Schultz — 11
Cayten Cummings — 10
Mylin Tidd — 10
Maddison Chambers — 9
Keyleigh Clines — 9
Sandra Morales — 9
Makenzi Morrison — 9
Crest High’s Avery Eakin returns as one of the Wildcats’ two front-line starters in 2025.
“We have good pitching and good catching, and our top five hitters are all coming back,” Estes said. “That’s a pretty good start.”
Jaycie Randall will likely return to her leadoff spot in the batting order, where her speed wreaked havoc on opposing defenses.
“Once she got on base, she almost always scored,” Estes noted.
Sophomore Mylin Tidd showed flashes of power last year as a freshman, with a pair of home runs to her credit.
“We’re going to be extremely aggressive on the basepaths,” Estes said. “We want to create chaos. Our defense should be strong, too.”
But team success will certainly hinge on durability, she repeated
“Last year, we had a full bench,” Estes said. “This year, we have two backups. Our biggest concern will be to make sure our pitchers and catchers stay healthy.”
Estes said teams like Jayhawk-Linn — “They’re always a good challenge.” — and Three Rivers League newcomer Central Heights will likely be among the teams to beat this spring.
“We lost to Central Heights last year at regionals,” she noted. “We’ll try to get some redemption this season.”
YC baseball continues upward trend
YATES CENTER — Yates Center High’s baseball squad features a tantalizing blend of experience with new talent in 2025.
“We’re going to have our ups and downs, especially with our kids who are inexperienced,” noted Jarrod McVey, entering his third year at the helm. “But we tripled our win total last season, and we’re hoping to take more strides this season.”
Returning from last season’s six-win campaign is first-team All-Three Rivers League catcher Kaiden Rutherford, who hit at a .415 clip in 2024 with 22 hits, 18 RBIs and 23 runs in 21 games.
“It helps having somebody like him behind the plate,” McVey said of the returning senior.
But he’s not the only player who showed great improvement last season.
Evan McVey wasn’t far behind Rutherford in terms of offensive production. As a freshman, McVey hit .383 with a team-leading 223 hits with 18 RBIs and a team-high 27 runs.
On top of their offensive production, Rutherford and McVey will anchor the pitching staff, alongside junior Blake Morrison.
The trio handled the bulk of the pitching load for the Wildcats last spring, and will likely do the same this year, Coach McVey predicted.
“Throwing strikes will be the key,” he said. “We struggled at times last year to find the strike zone, which in turn led to shorter outings.”
More control also will aid Yates Center’s defense.
“We’re focusing on doing the little things, playing defense and smart baserunning,” he said.
On top of the six wins, Yates Center had another half-dozen games in which the Wildcats led until the middle innings, before the other team rallied to take the lead.
“But even then, we didn’t just roll over and die,” McVey
Coach Jarrod McVey
Garrett Audiss — 12
Kevin Brown — 12
Blake Cuppy — 12
said. “We showed grit and fought back each time, but we just couldn’t finish.”
The defensive lineup will largely be dictated by who’s pitching, McVey noted.
Versatility will be key.
“There’s some good baseball coming out of the Three Rivers League,” McVey said. “Colony is still gonna be right up there, and Pleasanton and Southeast both have strong teams. Uniontown lost a lot to graduation, but they’re always strong. Bringing Central Heights to the league will help, too.”
That said, McVey is cautiously optimistic Yates Center can make some noise in 2025.
“Our goal is to win league, and it’ll be our goal every year,” he said. “I told the boys that we just have to prepare, no matter what happens. Then we’ll see where we are and where we need to improve.”
Yates Center High’s Kaiden Rutherford earned allleague honors as a catcher in 2024.
Wildcat track grows in leaps, bounds
YATES CENTER — It wasn’t long ago — two years, in fact — that Yates Center High lacked enough athletes to field a track team for a full season.
Head coach Ryan Panko remembers.
Fast forward to this spring, where 19 Wildcats will suit up in the blue and white, including a number of (still young) experienced thinclads.
“We’re young, but we’ve got some nice numbers,” Panko said.
And talent.
Sophomore Jaylynn Birk, who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the state track meet as a freshman — missing the final qualifying mark by 2 seconds in the 800-meter run — returns to head the Wildcats in middle distance events.
“She had a qualifying spot until the final stretch on the last lap,” Panko recalled. “Then a couple of girls passed her.”
She’s used that as fuel in offseason training, and looks to avoid such heartbreak this season.
Birk took second in the Three Rivers League meet in the 1600 meters as well.
Wylee Shaffer, one of the Wildcats’ lone seniors on the team, will headline the Wildcat throwers. She took fifth in both the discus and javelin at the TRL meet last spring.
Incoming freshman Mckynzee Burkholder showed promise as a thrower in middle school as well.
In keeping with the theme on the boys side, Jeremiah Jones showed steady improvement in throwing events.
Colton Burkholder, likewise, made an impact in middle distance races, including top-10 finishes in the 800 and 1600.
“And we have a bunch of new guys,” Panko added. “We just have to realize they’re young. There’s a different learning curve, especially with the boys.”
YATES CENTER TRACK
Ryan Panko
Chambers — 11
Culver — 11
Yates Center High’s Jaylynn Birk, while just a sophomore, has emerged already as a team leader for the young and growing Wildcat track squad.
Brighter days ahead for SCC track
LE ROY — An already small Southern Coffey County High track and field squad took a couple of tough blows before the season even started.
Seniors Karley Ohl and Emily Ludolph are down for most, if not all, of the 2025 campaign because of knee injuries.
Ohl, a multi-sport standout, is done for the year with a torn ACL.
“She’ll serve as our manager,” head coach Jeff True said.
It’s too soon to tell whether Ludolph — a state qualifier in the shot put last spring — will heal in time to compete.
“Right now, it’s a big question mark,” True said. “She’s been to a couple of doctors already. We’ll see how it goes.”
What remains is a squad consisting primarily of throwers.
On the girls side, fellow senior Kaytlynn Winn will compete in javelin, while juniors Miley Patterson,
Southern Coffey County High’s Cyrus Nickel returns as a sophomore in 2025.
Southern Coffey County High’s Emily Ludolph may not get a shot to return to the state track meet this season because of a knee injury.
Hailey Honn and Melissa Edwards also will take part in throwing events.
Incoming freshman Cheyenne Dyke is the sole outlier on the girls’ side. She’ll run hurdles as well as the 200and 400-meter dashes, True said, “or some combination of the three. She may also do some high jump, although it can be tough for younger athletes.”
Only two boys, sophomore Cyrus Nickel and incoming freshman Syrus Coder, will suit up for the Titans this spring.
“Right now, our numbers are down, but we expect them to rebound a bit in the near future,” True said.
SOUTHERN COFFEY CO. TRACK
Coach Jeff True
Girls
Kennedy Gunlock — 12
Kaitlynn Winn — 12
Melissa Edwards — 11
Hailey Honn — 11
Miley Patterson — 11
Cheyenne Dyke — 9
Emma Kent — 9
Boys
Cyrus Nickel — 10
Syrus Coder — 9
