Maci McClure Minneapolis
Salina Central’s Anna Hogeland
By Hayden Swope
Salina Central’s Anna Hogeland had a stellar junior season that year, but knew she had to top it heading into the 2024 season. After preparing and training all offseason, Hogeland is happy she got to share all of her successes with her coaches and teammates.
“Overall my senior season couldn’t have gone any better,” Hogeland said. “I was able to consistently hit 11 ft at most meets and place high at all of them. I’m also extremely grateful to have such amazing teammates and coaches around me who have helped encourage me throughout the last four years.”
While some of Hogeland’s goals weren’t met and others were, you could still find her on the podium at this year’s state meet.
“One of my goals this season was to hit a personal record above 11 feet,” Hogeland said. “Although I never hit this, I came extremely close at several different meets. Another goal I had this year was to place higher at state compared to last year, which I was able to do by placing second.”
Not only did Hogeland place at state, but she also got to share it with one of her closest friends.
“My favorite memory from this season would probably be tying for second at state with Bethany Hicklin from Salina South,” Hogeland said. “I have practiced and trained with her throughout all of high school so it was special to share that moment with her.”
After graduation Hogeland plans to head up to Manhattan to continue her academics.
“This fall I’m attending Kansas State University to major in architecture,” Hogeland said.
COMMERCIAL TIRE CALL OF THE WILD ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
Inman’s Zachary Martisko
By Matt Browning
When he was young, Inman’s Zachary Martisko was taught to fish by his dad.
Fast forward a few years later and one of Martisko’s friends got him into hunting.
Now both fishing and hunting are an obsession for him.
“I like to be in the outdoors for a couple different reasons,” Martisko said. “The first is that it is very relaxing when you are sitting there hunting. I also enjoy exploring to find new places to hunt and fish.”
With his increased passion and love for the outdoors over time, Martisko has focused on specific types to hunt and fish.
“Some outdoor activities that I am involved in are waterfowl hunting (ducks and geese), deer hunting, and fishing,” Martisko said. “I also have a small herd of goats and sheep.”
While there are no particular memories of hunting or fishing that stand out to Martisko, he is thankful that so many of his friends and family enjoy the hobby.
“Some of my favorite memories of hunting and fishing are just hanging out fish my friends and family and enjoying time together while doing something that we love to do,” Martisko said.
Junction City High School
By Matt Browning
Hellas
Construction recently had two turf fields – for baseball and softball – at Junction City High School.
“As the
Athletic Director I believe that athletics are a point of pride for communities,” said Junction City Athletic Director Chris Bogenhagen.
“Successful athletics often translates to positive community engagement. We know that our schools are much more successful when we are able to bring our students, parents and community members together for events. Having facilities which allow us to provide an experience for our stakeholders is always a priority. Turfed fields provide us with a playing surface that not only looks good, but also allows us to play when weather might ultimately cause us to cancel with other surfaces.”
Bogenhagen said the process with Hellas was seamless and that he would gladly choose Hellas again.
“Working with Hellas has been very easy,” Bogenhagen said. “Members of the Hellas team have worked to complete the desired stadium and the finished product looks very much like the design we came up with back at the beginning. Hellas is a long term investment to USD 475. From our first project together over 15 years ago, to our present day football stadium, to today. We have enjoyed and appreciated the Hellas product. I would gladly stand behind the decision for another school to choose Hellas for their products.”
From a physical perspective, McPherson’s Cale Dahlstrom has the ability. But it was getting better mentally that was his focus prior to his senior season.
“One thing I worked on a lot was my mental game,” Dahlstrom said. “So I played in tournaments and I also played with my older buddies that were better than me.”
Not only did Dahlstrom, who is carrying a scoring average of 86.3 this season, spend a lot of time himself on the course, he played in tournaments to get a better feel for competitive atmospheres.
“I played a lot of golf this past summer,” Dahlstrom said. “I played in summer tournaments to prepare me for this upcoming season.”
Dahlstrom and the Bullpups have had a highly successful season, with potentially more success coming. There is one particular win that stands out to Dahlstrom.
“The most exciting part of this season was when we won regionals,” Dahlstrom said. “The reason it was so exciting is because we are on step closer to is goal to win state.”
Playing well and winning a state title would be icing on the cake for Dahlstrom and make it one of the best seasons in McPherson golf history.
“The goals I had for this season was to win state as a team and take top ve individually,” Dahlstrom said.
Beloit’s Lance Lundine
By Matt Browning
Through 22 games this season, Beloit’s Lance Lundine was batting .333 with four extra base hits and 20 runs driven in. What does Lundine attribute his success to?
“I wanted to continue to working on my hitting and building confidence in the box,” Lundine said. “I feel like the hitting camps and going to the Wichita State camps helped build my confidence in the box.”
Lundine is a three-sport athlete for the Trojans, so finding time to specifically work on baseball is difficult. But he thinks playing other sports is also beneficial to baseball.
“I was busy with cross country, and basketball, so I didn’t have
much of a chance to do a lot of specialized baseball workouts,” Lundine said. “But I feel my other two sports helped me with stay in shape, and could use them to help with my baseball.”
Beloit’s season started off kind of rocky when three seniors decided not to play baseball this season, but thanks to Lundine and other underclassmen, the Trojans have had some impressive wins.
“The most exciting part of the season was being able to keep getting wins and knocking off the No. 2 team in 4A,” Lundine said. “Even when three of our seniors decided not to play this season, and another senior got injured the first game, we had to have underclassmen and freshmen step in to fill these positions.”
Noah Lau – Hutchinson Trinity HS
By Matt Browning
Multiple health problems forced Hutchinson Trinity’s Noah Lau to attend Advanced Physical Therapy.
“I first injured myself during basketball in 2023,” Lau said. “I had a stress fracture in my lumbar spine and sciatic nerve pain. During the most recent basketball season, I had a high ankle sprain and tore several ligaments in my ankle.”
There was more than one exercise that APT used on Lau that proved to be beneficial.
“For my nerve pain, nerve glides and hamstring stretches were the most beneficial,” Lau said. “Side planks and flutter kicks were the most beneficial for my back injury. Single leg balance exercises were the most beneficial for my ankle.”
For multiple weeks, Lau had to go to APT to lessen his discomfort, while also rehabilitating his injuries.
“For my back and nerve injury, I went twice a week for about two to three months and then once a week for another six weeks,” Lau said. “For the ankle injury, I went one to two times a week for four months. They started by setting long term goals for me, and then I did very simple and light exercises. After a couple weeks, they would move me on to harder exercises when I was stronger.”
Concordia’s Caleb Hanson
By Hayden Swope
Caleb Hanson, a baseball player at Concordia High School, was a first team all-league outfielder for the Panthers last season. After meeting so many expectations last season, Hanson was excited to continue to pursue those goals this year, but felt like he fell short.
“We ended up going seven and fourteen,” Hanson said. “The season did not quite go exactly how I thought it would. I set a lot of goals for myself but didn’t meet them all.”
Even while not every goal was met, fun was had with Hanson and the team throughout the year, and that’s what kept him going.
“My favorite memory from this season was playing fungo golf as a team after practice,” Hanson said.
Something else Hanson will miss are the weekly team bonding sessions with the team before a big game.
“Another good memory was our team dinners on Wednesdays,” Hanson said.
Hanson has big plans for after graduation, and will continue his education for his future career.
“After high school I plan to attend Northeast Community College for lineman school,” Hanson said.
PRESCOTT
AUSHERMAN AMERICAN FAMILY ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Minneapolis’ Maci McClure
By Hayden Swope
Minneapolis’ Maci McClure had a season full of ups and downs, with a lingering injury throughout the season. Even with the injury, McClure was able to come back and place at the state meet.
“I ended up getting sixth at state in triple jump,” McClure said. “I suffered an injury towards the middle of our season and had to sit out the rest of the season up until regionals, and then I sort of struggled at regionals. I have lots of motivation to be back and better next year.”
McClure started off the season by making goals for herself, and prepared for the season in a way that would best benefit reaching those goals.
“I had the goal of breaking my school records in both triple and long jump,” McClure said. “I came very close. It was only off by two inches in the long jump and I broke my triple jump record by about seven inches.”
Even with all the troubles McClure had to face this season, rehabbing back to compete in the state tournament will stick with her.
“Fighting back at state to get sixth place after I ranked not great because of my trouble at regionals and also breaking my school record is a memory I’ll never forget,” McClure said.
By Matt Browning
Travis Kirk has a long history at Hutchinson Community College and just finished his 22nd season as a Blue Dragon basketball women’s assistant coach, which ended in a national championship.
Originally hired by Rob Edmisson to join the women’s staff before the 2001-02 season, Kirk stayed on staff when Nathan Daume was hired before the 2002-03 season. Kirk was once again retained by current head coach John Ontjes.
Over the past 15 seasons, Kirk has helped guide the women’s program to national status. The Blue Dragons have now captured 8 of the last 16 Region VI championships (2009,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022, 2024). The Dragons have qualified for 11 NJCAA National Tournaments.
Hutchinson has also won 11 Jayhawk West championships.
The Hutch women have posted record of 607-159 over Kirk’s first 22 seasons.
During his first season with the Hutch CC women, the Blue Dragons tied a team record for wins with 27. In 2005, Hutch CC had 23 wins, which tied for the fourth most victories and in 2008 HCC had 24 victories, which tied for the third-most in program history.
And then the undefeated national championship season in 2024.
Travis KirK
Kirk is a graduate of Haven High School, Hutchinson Community College and the University of Kansas. He has a master’s degree in sports administration from KU.
TEAM OF THE MONTH
Maize South Softball
By Blake Chadwick
Maize South softball took the area by storm this year with a record of 25-3 before reaching the state tournament.
The Mavericks are led by head coach Cody Stucky, who is in his 20th year coach, 19th as a head coach and second year at Maize South.
“I definitely knew we had a talented group of players but I wasn’t aware that our pitching would be as good as it’s been,” Stucky said. “They all seem to be very close
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and if one girl is having an off day, another girl will pick her up and play really well. Our pitching and defense has been very solid which is obviously a very big deal.”
The Mavericks have a bunch of good players and have a lot of youth that sets them up for a very big future with junior pitcher and third base Sophie Stockam, junior catcher Lizzy Lassley, sophomore shortstop Kiley Thornquist and pitcher Kinslee Cottner.
The key to success for the Mavericks was just as you would think, and that is to keep it simple.
Visit Wichita is proud to support sports in Wichita. Athletes, fans and events have a tremendous impact on our community, and we’re committed to helping bring more sports to our city. Learn more about how sports contribute to making Wichita a great place to live, work and play, head to VisitWichita.com/SportCity.
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“We try to keep things light and loose but then when it’s time to focus in they do a nice job of that,” Stucky said. “We have set the bar high and the expectation is to win and if a team wants to beat us, they are going to have to play really well.”
For the Mavericks, the team that beat them in state had to do just that.
After a 3-2 win over Topeka Seaman, Maize South went on to play against the eventual state champion, Bishop Carroll Golden Eagles.
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Kelsey Stewart-Hunter
Jocelyn Alo
Sydney McKinney
Butler Community College’s FBLA
By Matt Browning
On February 24, Butler Community College students attended the 73rd Annual Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference at Pittsburg State University.
Competing against four-year and twoyear colleges in various business-related events, Butler had seven students place in their events and qualify to compete at the National Collegiate FBLA conference in Orlando, FL, in June.
Janice Akao, Butler accounting professor and FBLA advisor, takes great pride in her students’ accomplishments. “Their achievements reflect the high standard of education and mentorship provided by our institution. It is truly a testament to the hard work and commitment of both students and faculty,” Akao said.
Below is the list of students who qualified for nationals and their finishes, listed by hometowns.
Eskridge, KS
Matt Shults – 3rd in Business Ethics
Haiti
Thara Lee Kenmarla Casimir – 2nd in Finance Case Study / 3rd in Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition
Lebo, KS
Valley Center
Victoria Wurm – 1st in Accounting Case Study / 1st in Foundations of Economics / 2nd in Foundations of Marketing / 3rd in Future Business Executive
Parkville, MO
Lyndsey Conley – 1st in Foundations of Management / 1st in State of Chapter Presentation / 2nd in Marketing, Sales & Communications Case Study / 3rd in Foundations of Selling
Kaleb Waller – 1st in Foundations of Accounting / 2nd in Foundations of Economics
Wichita
Branson Dixon – 2nd in Foundations of Selling / 4th in Foundations of Economics
Kaelib Harp – 1st in Future Business Educator / 1st in Management Case Competition / 2nd in Business Ethics / 2nd in Foundations of Hospitality Management / 2nd in Retail Management
Whether you come for a degree or to take a few gen eds, Butler has hundreds of courses guaranteed to transfer to any Kansas public university, taught by faculty who know their students’ names.
Our average class size is 16, but the opportunities created at Butler are boundless.
Kansas Resident Tuition & Fees: $130/credit hour
Ellsworth’s Jason McWilliams: Coach of the Month
By Blake Chadwick
Ellsworth High School baseball head coach Jason McWilliams has been coaching for 13 years, starting at Ellsworth in 2018 and taking over as head coach in 2019. Being around baseball his whole life, McWilliams credits his grandfather as the one who helped him first fall in love.
“I remember watching baseball with my Grandad,” McWilliams said. “I was fortunate enough to watch the great Nolan Ryan. It was hard not to fall in love after watching him pitch. Baseball took hold, and the fire was lit.”
McWilliams knows a lot about adapting his coaching styles to the teams he has and knew that this
“The mindset and philosophy is to be more aggressive offensively, and we have to play solid defense behind the guy on the bump,” McWilliams said.
“We coach to play each game like we are playing the best team on our schedule. We put ourselves in pressured situations so that when it arrives, our response is a reaction.”
Ellsworth is led by senior pitcher Cole Webber, senior pitcher Lane Rolfs, and senior shortstop Will Cravens, with juniors Gavin Moyer and Dax Leiker also being key
Before going to state, McWilliams mentioned how good the team would have to play defensively.
“In order to make a deep playoff run this year, we have to play our best baseball,” McWilliams said.
“It starts on the bump. We have to have solid outings by not just our ace, but our 2,3 and 4 pitchers. We must also play solid defense behind them and continue to see
GETTING YOU BACK TO THE THINGS YOU LOVE.
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“Our job is to help improve quality of life,” says orthopedic surgeon Travis Rump, D.O. “We do everything we can to help people get back to the things they enjoy.”
Salina South’s Dominique Girard
By Hayden Swope
Salina South’s Dominique Girard spent all season trying to accomplish the one goal of having fun all season long while also being successful on and off the green.
“Overall the season went pretty well,” Girard said. “Individually, I improved from last season and was fighting for a final top six regional spot all year. I gave it my all and was as close as possible but was unable to get over the hump and miss the top six by one spot. Other than that I had fun and improved the golf game. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
While getting to improve all throughout the season, Girard was excited to just be able to do the sport he loves with his people and friends.
“My favorite memory from the season was just hanging with my teammates for one last ride and just enjoying the journey,” Girard said. “I really enjoyed golfing and just being able to do it every day for free just was amazing.”
Making memories with his teammates will always be something Girard remembers, but his plays on the green will also be there to look back on.
“One thing that stood out for me though is driving over the green on a par four and birdying the hole at practice,” Girard said.
Girard will head up to Manhattan this upcoming fall to further his academics.
“After high school I plan on attending Kansas State University and studying agribusiness,” Girard said.
By Matt Browning
Even though it was her first and only season as a varsity bowler for Salina Central, Cas Gonzalez made an impact for the Mustangs.
Gonzalez provided depth and accepted her role for Central, which was to be a good teammate and step up when called upon.
“She only bowled one season which was her senior year,” said Salina Central coach Mike Kilgore. “She was able to jump in and learn how to become a great teammate and learned a skill that she can carry on for the rest of her life.”
While Gonzalez was not the top bowler for the Mustangs, Kilgore said she improved exponentially throughout the season and became a solid bowler.
She carried an average of 110, knocked more than 3,300 pins over, had a high game of 148 and a high series of 393.
“She had a great season for a person never bowling before,” Kilgore said. “She was very coachable.”
Dotted Line.... 2024 Signings
Maliyah Koster, Salina South, Cloud CC softball
Maddison Black, Abilene, Fort Hays cheer
Savannah Smith, Inman, McPherson College softball
Corey Muehler, McPherson, Hutchinson CC basketball
Hunter Mendez, McPherson, Central Christian soccer
Kyden Thompson, McPherson, Cowley CC basketball
Adin Bruna, Abilene, Southwestern tennis
Gracie Hylton, Abilene, Fort Hays cheer
Jentree McGivney, Abilene, Kansas State cheer
Leland Hept, McPherson, Central Christian soccer
How to Prevent “Bleacher Butt”
If you’ve ever attended a sports event, concert, or school function, chances are you’ve encountered the uncomfortable reality of “bleacher butt.” After sitting on hard, unforgiving bleachers for an entire event, that achy, sore feeling sets in. Even if you haven’t experienced this, school sports and athletic seasons are ramping up, and you may experience bleacher butt in the near future. It is vital to have strategies to reduce this pain so you can enjoy every event you attend!
Why Does it Hurt to Sit on Bleachers?
Bleachers can cause low back, leg, and butt pain when sitting. There are several reasons for this. Bleachers do not have backrests, which causes poor posture when sitting in them. People tend to slouch forward, hurting the butt and lower back. The glute muscles are also being compressed between the bones in your pelvis and the hard bleacher seat, which can cause pain. This compression can cause circulation loss, numbness, and tingling in the butt and legs. Sitting in bleachers is similar to sitting for prolonged periods at a sedentary job. However, offices tend to have ergonomic chairs at least. Muscles and joints can get stiff and cause pain whenever our bodies move very little.
How to Make Sitting on Bleachers More Comfortable
Unfortunately, there’s no magical solution to make sitting on a hard, uncomfortable surface more comfortable. However, there are solutions to cope and make it as comfortable as possible. Here are some ideas:
Bring
a Cushion!
Cushions, as simple as they are, provide a padded surface that helps to distribute weight evenly across the sit bones. The
cushion could be a one-inch thick piece of foam or a bleacher seat with a cushion and backrest. Cushioned seats for bleachers may be your ticket to comfort while you watch your favorite events for the rest of the summer.
Try for Better Posture
You should be mindful of your posture to minimize discomfort while sitting in bleachers (and other seats). Good sitting posture involves engaging the core muscles, not slouching, and keeping your spine vertical from the hips to the neck and head as much as possible. You should shift your weight from side to side and stretch if you feel uncomfortable. Building strength and stamina for postural muscles, like the abdominal muscles, help maintain good posture for longer.
Be Active Before and After the Event
A great way to make bleacher sitting more comfortable is to do something active right before and right after sitting. This will minimize stiffness and pain from sitting through stretching and getting adequate
blood flow to your muscles. You could walk or play a sport, but warm up properly first!
Stand Up Occasionally
One of the best ways to reduce the painful bleacher butt is to take breaks to stand and walk during the event, hopefully at an intermission or half-time. You should aim to stand every half hour or so. You could take a walk to the concession stand or the bathroom. Of course, you can stand up and cheer for your favorite team! However, be mindful of the people behind and to the side of you to not block their view if they are not standing.
While bleacher butt is an all-too-common issue, it doesn’t have to ruin your event experience. By understanding why sitting on bleachers can be painful and trying out these practical tips for comfort, you can now make the most of your time at sporting events, concerts, or any other bleacher-seated occasions. Remember, a little preparation and mindfulness go a long way in ensuring a pain-free and enjoyable experience!
Fire Science
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State Swim Recap
Class 5-1A
50 Yard Freestyle
Hillsboro’s Lauryn Vogt finished first with a time of 23.77
McPherson’s Danica Brunk finished third with a time of 24.53
Salina Central’s Josie Ebel finished eighth with a time 25.73
1 Meter Diving
Salina Central’s Caroline Fields finished sixth with a score of 360.20
100 Yard Butterfly
Hillsboro’s Lauryn Vogt finished finished first with a time of 56.02
Southeast of Saline’s Ali Richardson finished fourth with a time of 59.21
100 Yard Freestyle
McPherson’s Danica Brunk finished first with a time of 52.77.
“It was good to see Danica get that
individual state title,” head coach Angela Brunk said. “It was something she was wanting for a long time, so to see her reach her goal was really exciting. I couldn’t be more proud of all her hard work.”
500 Yard Freestyle
McPherson’s Bree Pickerell finished seventh with a time of 5:34.03
“Bree Pickerell did amazing this year,” Brunk said. “She set a goal to medal at state this year and started practicing in the mornings and eating better.”
Hesston’s Angela Ewert finished eighth with a time of 5:37.09
McPherson’s Clarea Williams, Adyson Wiens, Bree Pickerell and Danica Brunk finished sixth with a time of 1:45.33
State Golf Recap
Class 4A
Individual
McPherson’s Blaize Hoover finished first with a score of 139
“It was very rewarding to see him finish a round after leading many tournaments this year,” McPherson head coach Kurt Kinnamon said. “He had an outstanding work ethic, and it is great to see that pay off. It is always good to see good things happen to good people as a coach.”
Team Scores
McPherson finished second with a score of 629
Class 3A
Team Scores
Hesston won the state championship with a score of 635
“Going into the event, I knew we had the potential to compete for a trophy,” Hesston head coach Grady Pauls said. There were highs and lows, but the team persevered
through tough conditions and a very strong field. We’ve been focusing on our mental game in the latter half of the season, and their grit and resilience really paid off.”
Class 2A
Individual
finished 11th with a score of 83 points
Hillsboro finished 12th with a score of 79 points
Salina Sacred Heart’s Walker Tuttle finished fourth with a score of 153
Salina Sacred Heart’s Michael Matteuci finished second with a score of 148
“Michael Matteucci has been our team leader since his sophomore year,” Salina Sacred Heart head coach Patrick Newell said. “He’s been our most consistent player the last three years.”
Salina Sacred Heart’s Luke Newell finished third with a score of 150
“Luke Newell is a junior and will need to be our leader next year,” Newell said. “Luke has finished in third place at state the last three years. He’s very consistent and should be one of the favorites to win state next year.”
“Walker Tuttle has really come on the last two years,” Newell said. “He’s been playing at a very high level the last two months.”
Team Scores
Salina Sacred Heart won its ninth straight state championship with a score of 612
“Being the favorite is a lot of fun but also stressful,” head coach Patrick Newell said. “It’s always in the back of your mind, ‘will this be the year it ends?’” “On the way back to Salina last night, I told the team that I’m glad it’s over because I’ve been stressed, and they all said coach, ‘We had your back.’”
Team Scores
McPherson
SALINA AREA STATE GOLF RECAP
Danica Brunk - McPherson
Salina Sacred Heart
Concordia’s Erinae Flesher
By Hayden Swope
Concordia’s 2023 first team allleague infielder Erinae Flesher had high hopes heading into the spring season. With this being her last year as a Panther, Flesher wanted to do everything she could to make it the best season yet.
“It was my senior year which meant it was my last year,” Flesher said. “I was hoping for a really good season because I believe in my teammates more than anything. “The season did not go as we thought, but I still had a blast and I enjoyed every moment I got with those girls.”
After having her eye on one big goal all throughout high school, Flesher was able to share that goal and memory with her teammates on one of the most important
nights of the season.
“I did accomplish one goal and I have set this goal since freshman year,” Flesher said. “I finally hit a home run over the fence on my senior night. It was honestly the best game of my life.”
Even off the field Flesher tried to make the most of her season, and the last few moments with her girls.
“My favorite memory of the season would have to be all the long bus rides with my team, even though the bus is not that ideal place to be,” Flesher said. “My best friend Brecklynn and I always jammed out at the back of the bus.”
After graduation, Flesher has aspirations to further her education.
“My plans after high school is to continue my education at Hays Hair School in Salina,” Flesher said.
McPherson’s Haely Hagemann
By Hayden Swope
McPherson’s first team all-league catcher Haely Hagemann used all the competition she saw during the season to prepare for those postseason games. Falling to Andale in the regional championship game, Hagemann is still proud of the hard work put in over the season.
“We saw some tough 5A and 6A competition that we played well against,” Hagemann said. “We saw Andale at home in the regional championship and fell to them. They played a great game and we didn’t play up to our standards. But the season was a blast all year. This team was truly so fun to play with. We definitely had a bond that not many teams can say they had.”
on this team wanted success for everyone else. We played for each other 100 percent of the time and played our hearts out for the seniors.”
Only a junior with one more year of McPherson softball, Hagemann will miss this year’s team and all the memories that were made.
“My favorite memory playing this season had to be just playing on this team,” Hagemann said. “These girls are the girls I have played with my whole life. We have had such a special bond as a team that I haven’t experienced on many other teams. Everyone
Hagemann is already committed and is excited to further her athletic journey at the next level.
“After high school I’ll be continuing my academic and athletic career at Butler Community College,” Hagemann said. “I absolutely can’t wait to play for Coach Bohanan and learn more about the game from her and her staff. I also plan to major in engineering with a focus and chemistry while I’m there.”
Boys Track Recap
Class 1A 400 Meter Dash
Little River’s Andrew Smith finished third with a time of 51.06
Class 2A 100 Meter Dash
Lyndon’s Tanner Heckel finished first with a time of 10.78
Class 2A 200 Meter Dash
Eureka’s TJ Mills finished first with a time of 22.78
Moundridge’s Kaden Elmore finished second with a time of 22.81
Class 2A 400 Meter Dash
Moundridge’s Kaden Elmore finished first with a time of 50.27
Class 2A 4x100 Meter Relay
Bennington’s Isaiah Garrett, Payge Rodenbeck, Lorenzo McVay and Manny McVay finished second with a time of 44.21
Class 2A High Jump
Ell Saline’s Brogan Rowley finished second with a jump of 6-06
Moundridge’s Heath Churchill finished third with ha jump of 6-06
Class 2A Long Jump
Lyndon’s Tanner Heckel finished first with a jump of 23-11.25
Class 2A Triple
Jump
Lyndon’s Tanner Heckel finished second with a jump of 45-00.75
Class 2A Javelin
Throw
Lyndon’s Tanner Heckel finished third with a score of 179-06
Class 2A Shot Put
Lyndon’s Kaedin Massey finished second with a throw of 50-10.75
Class 2A Discus Throw
GETTING YOU BACK IN THE GAME.
Lyndon’s Kaedin Massey finished second with a throw of 164-02
Class 3A 4x400 Meter Relay
Southeast of Saline’s Amarion Holub, Owen Bailey, Caden Parry and Jacob Bircher finished third with a time of 3:26.64
Class 3A 4x800 Meter Relay
McPherson’s Caleb Muehler finished second with a
McPherson’s Caleb Muehler finished second with a Buhler’s Layne Whisler finished third with a time of 9:33.01
Class 5A Triple Jump
Southeast of Saline’s Levi Allen, Ben Grauerholz, Cayden Walker and Brayden Walker finished second with a time of 8:17.12
Great Bend’s Cooper Ohnmacht finished first with a jump of 47-03.50
Girls Track Recap
Class 1A 4x100 Meter Relay
Little River’s Alaina Eck, Kami Grasser, Ashley Stephenson, and Saelyn Raleigh finished second with a time of 51.18
Class 1A Triple Jump
Little River’s Havana Olander finished first with a jump of 37-10.50
Class 2A 100 Meter Dash
Moundridge’s Cammi Unruh finished second with a time of 12.58
Bennington’s Rori Miles finished third with a time of 12.74
Class 2A 200 Meter Dash
Sterling’s Julia Kilgore finished second with a time of 25.70
Moundridge’s Cammi Unruh finished third with a time of 25.88
Class 2A 400 Meter Dash
Sterling’s Julia Kilgore finished second with a time of 57.88
Class 2A 1600 Meter Run
Sterling’s Faith Ekart finished third with a time of 5:16.93
Class 2A 3200 Meter Run
Sterling’s Faith Ekart finished third with a time of 11:54.28
Class 2A 4x100 Meter Relay
Bennington’s Jaylee Moss, Taleigh Watson, Jordan Bartlett and Rori Miles finished first with a time of 50.72
Class 2A 4x800 Meter Relay
Salina Sacred Heart’s Caroline, Stone, Skylar Douglas, Gracy Dorzweiler and Lauryn Mikkelson
finished second with a time of 10:08.52
Hillsboro’s Jaidyn Frantz, Quinlyn Funk, Riley Richert and Addison Jost finished third with a time of 10:13.58
Class 2A Long Jump
Moundridge’s Cammi Unruh finished first with a jump of 16-11
Class 3A 100 Meter Dash
Team Scores – Class 2A Moundridge finished first wih a score of 55 points
SALINA AREA STATE GIRLS TRACK RECAP
Hesston’s Ashley Lehman finished first with a time of 12.08
Class 3A 200 Meter Dash
Hesston’s Ashley Lehman finished first with a time of 25.21
Class 3A 400 Meter Dash
Hesston’s Ashley Lehman finished first with a time of 56.83
Class 3A High Jump
Southeast of Saline’s Elliana Smith finished second with a jump of 5-06
Class 3A Pole Vault
Hesston’s Ashley Lehman finished second with a jump of 11-06
Class 4A 100 Meter Dash
Andale’s Rylee Meyer finished first with a time of 12.34
Class 4A 400 Meter Dash
Wellington’s Dru Zeka finished first with a time of 58.35
Buhler’s Lillie Ledford finished third with a time of 59.14
SalinaRegionalSportsMedicine.com
Class 4A 4x100 Meter Relay
McPherson’s Addison, Chapman, Andi Buschbom, Alexa Casebeer and Jayla McLeod finished second with a time of 49.87
Class 4A 4x400 Meter Relay
McPherson’s Addison, Chapman, Andi Buschbom, Izabel Backhus and Jayla McLeod finished second with a time of 4:07.31
Class 4A Triple Jump
Buhler’s Alycea McCoy finished with a jump of 36-07
Class 5A 1600 Meter Run
Salina Central’s Katelyn Rupe finished second with a time of 4:55.19
Class 5A 3200 Meter Run
Salina Central’s Katelyn Rupe finished first with a time of 10:18.09
Salina Central’s Kaylie Schultz finished third with a time of 10:45.10
Class 5A High Jump
Salina South’s Tamia Cheeks finished second with a jump of 5-04
Team Scores
Class 3A
Hesston finished third with a score 44 points
Class 5A
Salina Central finished second with a score of 50 points
Clay Center’s Allison Adams
By Hayden Swope
Allison Adams, a softball player at Clay Center, was an honorable mention all-league infielder last year. Adams knew that no matter the outcome of the season, she would always be thankful for the teammates and friends she made along the way.
“The season didn’t go as planned as we struggled at times with batting and pitching,” Adams said. “I wish we could have done better as a whole but I love playing softball with these girls and I’ll miss it.”
Not only were friendships made, but relationships
with her coaches as well. Adams even got to be a part of sharing a special moment with one of her favorite coaches.
“My favorite memory of the season was honoring our head coach Dawn Richter for over 300 wins,” Adams said.
After high school Adams has aspirations to continue her schooling and education in purple pride.
“My plans right now are to attend Kansas State University and get my bachelor’s degree in sports nutrition,” Adams said.
Sports Card & Autograph Memorabilia
Ell-Saline High School
By Matt Browning
The Ell-Saline SAFE program has done many positive things throughout the school, but its partnership with the Saline County KDOT team might be the most. The two organizations work together during Winter Driver Preparedness Week.
“During the week we had a different theme every day to educate our drivers about the dangers of winter driving,” said Ell-Saline sponsor Tyler Casteel. “These activities included Snow Plow safety. During this event, we partnered with KDOT and Saline County and asked them to come out with a couple of snow plows and their drivers to talk with students. The Drivers of Saline County and KDOT explained the do’s and do not’s of being around a snow plow. The drivers were very engaging and let our students climb on and around the trucks. This gave our students a great perspective of how large a snow plow is. During the week, we also discussed proper tire tread depth and how this can affect stopping distances, traction, and other safety hazards.”
Casteel said that for his program to be successful, it all starts with the students who are dedicated to SAFE.
“My student sponsors Gabby Norris, Kalie Powell, Joclyn Peterson, Madi Helm, Rhett Gillham, and Carley Peirce were a major help in the success of our program this year.,” Casteel said. “My students assist me with SAFE surveys and programs. During the year we hosted many programs to help provide our teen drivers as well as our community resources to help them become more aware of roadway dangers.”
Aimee Funk, Goessel
Madliyn Hefin, Inman
Brody SalinaFarthing, Central
Ryan Brown, Salina South
McPherson girls swim team
Alaina Eck, Little River
Blaise Hoover, McPherson
Clifton-Clyde’s Hailie Affolter: Salina Area Athlete Spotlight
By Blake Chadwick
As a sixth grader, Hailie Affolter from Clifton-Clyde fell in love with doing track.
The senior would spend hours working on her events after school to improve, focusing on shot put, discus, and running in the 200-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay.
“My mindset is different when I am competing compared to when I am practicing,” Affolter said. “During track meets, I try to keep a positive mindset and do my best. Over the years, I have learned that getting in your head and worrying about the little mistakes will only make you do worse.”
Affolter also has another love, and that is in her artwork.
“I started taking art in my sixth grade year and continued through my senior year,” Affolter said. “My passion for art originated from a very young age.”
She has been able to showcase her art thanks to Clifton-Clyde’s focus on providing a variety of art shows.
“I enjoy going to these art shows, it allows you to see all the different talents of students your own age from our area,” Affolter said.
“I have to say winning the “Best Of” show award is one of my biggest accomplishments. With hundreds of different pieces of art from many talented artists, this year, I won two of the three awards they hand out for the best of show ribbons.”
Herrington’s Kwinton Barlow-McKenna
By Blake Chadwick
Kwinton Barlow-McKenna is a Herington track and field senior who has been doing shot put, discus, and javelin for the last six years.
“Kwinton is a really good kid,” head coach John Pritchard said. “He does well academically and is a hard worker in the gym, improving himself with each sport. He is the kind of student who will always be honest and not give coaches or teachers a hard time.”
Barlow-McKenna is one of the most competitive kids and knows exactly what to do when the bright lights come on.
“I compete in everything I do because I love the feeling of winning,” Barlow-McKenna said. “I just have a natural instinct to try to win and beat the next person, and I hope if I show enough competitiveness, it will rub off on my teammates. My mindset is to beat myself and beat the person ahead of me.”
you mess up but tries to coach you on how you can fix that mistake and work with you,” Barlow-McKenna said.
The senior also used that competitiveness to become a great leader for Herington.
“I’m the type of leader that doesn’t just tell you when
He will continue his track and field and football career at the next level up in Leavenworth, Kansas where he will attend the University of Saint Mary and study sports medicine.
Hanover’s Hayden Behrends: Athlete Spotlight
Hanover’s Hayden Behrends had his eyes on personal improvement and team cohesion this season.
“I work out five days a week to become more athletic and explosive, trying to better myself every day during the off season,” said Behrends.
When asked how he wanted to improve this season and how he worked to achieve that he said, “I wanted to improve my performance and help others do the same. I did my best to push and motivate my teammates to do their best every day.”
Hayden said his goals for this year were to make it to state track, individually and as a team, and improve their distances and times. Improving as a player and a team throughout the year has been the most exciting part of the season for Hayden.
“I enjoy watching our team come together and improve as a whole,” he said.
This year, Behrends received the TVL Spotlight Athlete of the Week during football season, the Burlsworth Character Award, and the Kansas Governor’s Scholar award.
As Hayden prepares to embark on the next chapter of life, his commitment to bettering himself while uplifting others shines brightly, a testament to the power of sports to shape not just great athletes, but compassionate, driven individuals.
“This fall I plan to attend Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska, to become a physical therapy assistant. I have also immensely enjoyed lifting weights over my high school years and learning how to strengthen all of the muscle groups. I am anxious to learn more about the human body and the effects that wellness, diet and exercise have on one’s overall health. I also feel that I am a compassionate person and will enjoy helping others rehabilitate after an injury. I look forward to helping people in all stages of life. I would ultimately like to return to our community to provide care as a physical therapy assistant.”
Butler Co. FBLA
By Matt Browning
On Dec. 10, 2023, Madison and Monica Moore were involved in a fatal crash just three miles from their house. The other driver ran the stop sign, colliding with their vehicle and causing it to roll. Both died instantly. In the days following, this intersection was identified by Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey as one of the five deadliest in Butler County. Madison, 16, and her mother Monica, 46, were both natives of Douglass. Madi was an active member of our SADD/SAFE group last year. Monica had coached several teams for many years.
Only 36 hours after the tragedy, Madison’s best friend and five classmates requested to speak
at the county commissioners meeting. In a room full of adults, the media, and county officials, these high school students gave passionate and composed speeches calling for action from the elected officials. They discussed their ideas to make the intersection safer and made it clear that they would not rest until changes were made. They called for rumble strips and larger LED stop signs to be installed at minimum but asked the county to do more. They said that as teenagers, if they were distracted that rumble strips would cause them to look up, that LED stop signs would get their attention, but a
roundabout, speed reduction or four-way stop should be considered as well as increasing the traffic citations issued. Their voices were heard. A week and half after the crash the rumble strips went in. It took four hours. The LED stop signs have also been installed as well as the Sheriff increasing radar patrol of the area and issuing citations.
The students look at this achievement with bittersweetness. Their pleas also prompted the commission to launch studies at other deadly intersections in the county, Commissioner Herzet told the students this was the start, he was also asking the county to look into buying property at that intersection to improve visibility. These six students, in a time of great grief, took what they have learned through SAFE and chose to make changes in traffic safety that could save countless lives.
Buckle up. Phones down. Have fun.
There’s just one place where students are students first, where athletics are played with purpose and perspective, and where young athletes develop the discipline and confidence they need to be leaders in life.
That place is the high school in your community.
High school sports: A winning part of a complete education.
This message presented by the Kansas State High School Activities Association and the Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
SOFTBALL STARS SHINE IN WICHITA
Experience top-tier softball at Wilkins Stadium, home of Wichita State Softball, during the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball’s AUX competition. From June 10-25, watch the world’s best athletes compete in 18 games over two weeks in a dynamic format to crown an individual champion. Don’t miss this showcase of intense competition and elite skill!
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Kelsey Stewart-Hunter
Jocelyn Alo
Sydney McKinney