MID-KANSAS SPORTS MAGAZINE
INDEX Sports Editor's Column..............3 McPherson Tennis......................4 McPherson Volleyball.................6 McPherson Soccer..................... 8 McPherson Football..................10 McPherson Cross Country.......12 McPherson Middle School....... 14 Canton-Galva.............................16 Inman..........................................17 Moundridge................................18 Smoky Valley....................... 19, 20 Elyria Christian School ............20
From the Editor's Desk… There's no season better than fall sports. Excitement is in the year as it's the start of a new school year and optimism is running rampant. The Fall Sports Preview is the first of four produced during the year by Davies Communications. The Winter Basketball Preview, the Basketball PostTournament edition and Spring Sports Preview follow. Schools we cover in addition to McPherson High include Canton-Galva, Elyria Christian School, Hesston, Inman, Little River, Moundridge and Smoky Valley. In addition to our magazine, follow all these teams online daily at www.midkansasonline.com. This begins my 36th year of covering McPherson area Steve Sell sports and every year it seems to get bigger and better. We also have photo galleries on our website, including those taken by contributing photographer Kendall Shaw, whose amazing work also can be found at www.outdoorkansas.zenfolio.com. He has very reasonable photo packages available for purchase. Also, for football fans, tune in at 8 a.m. each Saturday for the Mid Kansas Sports Magazine Broadcast Edition from Perkins Family Restaurant and Bakery, anchored by KNGL-KBBE Sports Director Nick Gosnell. Area football coaches offer their analysis from their Friday night games and preview the upcoming game of the week. Tune in to 96.7 each Saturday or better yet, join us at Perkins for a good meal and great fellowship.
Hesston................................21, 22 Little River..................................22
Credits — • The Mid Kansas Sports Magazine was written and edited by award-winning Midkansasonline.com Sports Editor Steve Sell. • Photos for the edition were taken by contributing photographer Kendall Shaw. whose website for photos is www.outdoorkansas.zenfolio.com. • The publication was designed and printed by McPherson Business Solutions. • The Mid Kansas Sports Magazine is a publication of Davies Communications Inc.
midkansasonline.com STEVE SELL, Sports Editor Covering McPherson Sports for 36 Years Your Fastest Source for Local Sports
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• QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS AND MORE QUESTIONS — Every year there’s a new set of questions that have to be asked as we head into the fall sports season. • Can McPherson High’s football team make it nine playoff appearances in a row despite the toughest district schedule since Tom Young has been head coach? • Is it possible for Kyler Kinnamon to break his own single-season rushing record now that he doesn’t have TJ Stites as his ball-carrying complement? • With four top players returning — including defending state doubles champions Emily Ediger and Camry Holle, state singles runner-up Ellea Ediger and sixth-place state singles finisher Katlyn Reifschneider — will McPherson High’s girls tennis team be raising a banner in the Roundhouse for the second year in a row? • Currently on an amazing run, does McPherson High’s volleyball team again battle for state supremacy despite losing a lot of star power? • After a huge graduation hit, how does McPherson High’s boys soccer team continue its recent trend of success? • Will McPherson High’s cross country team send some qualifiers to state this season? • Now that they’re out of McPherson High’s football district, can Smoky Valley High School make the playoffs? • How do the Hesston Swathers replace the amazing talents of 2,000-yard-plus rusher Ryan Schadler, not to mention longtime quarterback linchpin Wyatt McKinney? • Can the Moundridge football team avoid the devastating injuries that have plagued it the past couple of years? • Will Ed Ramsey be able to continue the Inman High football momentum started by Mike Vernon? • Who does Canton-Galva football coach Jeff Savage install as the pinwheel of his potent offense? • With basically the same team as last year, is the only way for the Little River football team to go is up? • Which area school will emerge as a volleyball power? • AVCTL DIVISION III FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS 1. Buhler — The Crusaders ended McPherson High's seven-year league championship run and even with the loss of All-Stater Riley Allen, they still have enough to go through the division unscathed. 2. McPherson — Questions at running back and general overall depth are keynote. The Bullpups hope to get through the first two weeks of the season healthy, as they open against 5A power Salina South and then host Andale, which ended their season in resounding fashion last year. 3. Winfield — The Vikings will apply heat to McPherson for the No. 2 spot. Will Adler will rival McPherson's Kyler Kinnamon, Buhler's Jace Williams and Hays' Alex Delton as the top quarterback in Class 4A. 4. Rose Hill — The Rockets have slid back the last couple of years, but may be a team nobody wants to play. 5. El Dorado — It seems like Travis House was at El Dorado forever. Now the Wildcats find out what life without him is like. 6. Augusta — Welcome to the new division. Only two wins last year and six in the last five.