Women’s and men’s tennis It was a difficult spring for the JCCC tennis program, which began the season by learning 2014 would be their final one. Nevertheless, both teams qualified for their respective national tournaments, although the Lady Cavaliers squad decided to not make the trip. In the 41-year history of the program, 36 under Moser, the women’s tennis program qualified for nationals 25 times, with 13 top-10 finishes. In June the team was recognized as the NJCAA Academic Team of the Year, earning the top grade point average in the country of 3.83. The men made the most of their final national appearance, finishing ninth overall, giving JCCC its 23rd top-10 national finish in history. The team’s leader was sophomore Spartak Rahachou. Seeded seventh in the No. 1 singles bracket, Rahachou reached the semifinals before falling. He finished the season ranked in the top-10 in the final ITA rankings, which earned him ITA All-American. He is the 18th and final player to earn that honor. He compiled a 31-13 career mark, which established a new record at No. 1 singles that will never be broken. Prior to this year’s tournament, Moser was selected the Men’s Junior College Coach of the Year by Wilson and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The end of the program also brought an end to Moser’s hall-of-fame career. In his 36 years at JCCC, Moser led his program to 31 national tournament appearances.
Golf The golf team also learned that it too would play its final season in spring 2014. That news did not derail the five members of the team, as they posted an impressive season. JCCC finished runner-up in the conference, fourth at District and 17th at the NJCAA championships, giving the program its 17th top-20 national finish in team history. JCCC had three players garner all-conference honors, including first-team performer and team MVP Charlie Rinehart. He was fifth in the point standings and finished the year with a team-best stroke average of 75.5, tying the 11th best season at JCCC. When the final scorecard was turned in, it closed the book on a historic and illustrious career for head coach Lafayette Norwood. In 23 seasons as golf coach, Norwood guided the team to 17 berths in the national tournament, including 14 straight from 1996 to 2009. His teams recorded nine top-15 and three top-10 finishes. He also captured the KJCCC title three times and led his teams to 42 tournament victories. The list of individual honors won at JCCC under Norwood is just as impressive and includes three All-Americans and five NJCAA All-Tournament performers. Additionally, he has mentored 72 All-Jayhawk Conference selections, three individual conference champions, 30 All-Region/District performers, seven PING Golf Coaches Association All-District selections, three JCCC Male Athletes of the Year and five NJCAA Academic All-Americans.
Golden Girls dance team At the National Dance Alliance (NDA) camp, JCCC’s Golden Girls dance team won first place in team dance as well as a Blue Superior rating, a spirit stick for collegiate image and a bronze bid to nationals. Four dancers were All-American nominees and two were winners; the team as a whole earned a sixth-place finish at the NDA national tournament. At the Region VI competition, the dance team placed first in hip-hop and second in team dance. Eight out of 12 team members earned a 3.0 or above grade point average; two earned a 4.0 average. Amy Sellers is the team’s coach.
Duck dynasty: Student Raquel Kramer Raquel Kramer had no doubt she would win the grand prize in the Maple Leaf Farms Discover Duck Recipe Contest. “I entered three times, three different recipes. I just knew I would win,” she said. “After working a double [shift] at the restaurant, I just started trying things out.” Kramer, a student in the chef apprentice program at JCCC, took first place in the student chef division, taking home $2,500 from the duck retailer Maple Leaf Farms. Her recipe for Asian duck empanadas with cherry ginger sauce was the result of hours spent in her kitchen, using her friends as taste testers and her boyfriend as inspiration. “The recipe is a combination of two cuisines – Asian and Mexican – and my boyfriend loves both of those. He also really loves empanadas, so I combined some of the spices and flavorings of Asian cooking, all in an empanada,” Kramer said. Her boyfriend liked the result: a tangy/sweet, meaty turnover. So did her friends. So, too, did the panel of judges at Maple Leaf Farms. Mike Wieczorek, Midwest regional manager for Maple Leaf Farms, said contest judges look for a recipe that is simple yet delectable. “We would like the recipe to be casual upscale dish that’s marketable” to both professional chefs and at-home cooks, he said. Calling Kramer’s creation a nice balance of salty and sweet, Wieczorek presented Kramer her check in the Hospitality and Culinary Academy at JCCC. Kramer said she has loved cooking ever since she was a child. Her family’s kitchen was always filled with family members – grandmother, grandfather, mother – making or baking something. She’ll use part of her prize money to buy some professional-quality knives. Part of it will go to buy ingredients for the next recipe contest, this one with a cash prize and a free year’s supply of duck. “I love duck,” Kramer said. “So I might as well keep trying.” 19