FALL SPORTS 2024 AREA HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW
EMPORIA
MADISON
CHASE COUNTY
LEBO
OLPE
NORTHERN HEIGHTS
HARTFORD
COURTESY PHOTO
Emporia High School football.
EMPORIA FOOTBALL LOOKS TO CONTINUE TO LAY FOUNDATION IN 2024
B y J ohn S orce john@emporia.com
The Emporia High School football team is going to field a youthful roster this season.
Second year head coach Kaden Glinsmann said he is happy to have more numbers out for football this season, with the majority of them freshman and sophomores and only 11 seniors. That brings excitement as the program looks to build a foundation, but also means the majority of the roster will consist of underclassmen playing mostly against upperclassmen on Friday nights.
The offense is going to be highlighted by junior running back Rylan Crowell and sophomore quarterback Micah Gray. Glinsmann feels those are two guys he can build an offense around.
“Micah is very talented,” Glinsmann said. “He’s a baseball player first, but he’s done a great job and is starting to step up as one of our leaders. Rylan is a guy who can be super explosive. He dealt with some injuries at the end of
last year, but he had a great summer and I think he could have the potential to play at the MIAA level.”
Another baseball first guy, Madden Seidl is one of those seniors that emerged late last season and is going to step up for the Spartans at tight end.
The defense will be led by senior Koby Le at defensive end, who has had a varsity impact since his freshman year. Glinsmann feels he will have an opportunity to play at the next level.
“Koby is a guy that has gotten a lot of recognition from Emporia State and some other MIAA schools,” Glinsmann said. “He’s done a good job of going to different camps and putting himself out there.”
Other defensive guys to keep an eye on are junior Brody Telfer at linebacker, sophomore Garrett LeBlanc at defensive back and sophomore Ben Collins at the other end.
While it may be a few years before Emporia is solidified as a consistent contender, Glinsmann is excited to see the foundation being laid and relayed that message to the seniors who may not be
around to see the fruits of their effort.
“The seniors who have stayed have been through a lot of adversity,” Glinsmann said. “My message to them earlier in the summer was that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the next best time is right now. They’re probably not going to see the
shade of that tree that they’re planting right now. But my hope is maybe when you come back after college or when your kids are here and you’re back in this community, and Emporia is really good. I want these guys to be able to say they helped lay that foundation in 2024.”
EMPORIA VOLLEYBALL HOPES TO REMAIN
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Emporia High School volleyball team looks to remain a consistent team despite the departure of some key players to graduation.
Entering her fourth year leading the Lady Spartans, head coach Ping Wang said the team will be young this year with only two returning varsity starters.
“Our offense/hitting will be a strength this year,” Wang said. “We’ve added a few good hitters and blockers to our lineup, and we hope that will make our of-
fense stronger.”
Jade Xu is the team’s top returner, a junior who started as a freshman and made First Team All-League last year. She is joined by seniors Sadie Rethman and Adeiah Heffner as returning players.
But everyone else is new to the varsity level. Juniors Harley Smith and Molly Williams are expected to have an impact this year, along with sophomores Aubree Hess and Kaylee DeWitt.
Wang said the team will likely struggle with consistency as the new varsity players adjust to the speed of the game. The team hopes to work through that in prac-
tices and improve throughout the season. When all is said and done, Wang hopes to see her team finish in the top three in the Centennial League.
EMPORIA CROSS COUNTRY HOPING TO HAVE RUNNERS EMERGE AS SEASON GOES ALONG
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Emporia High School cross country team will be looking at a largely inexperienced roster this fall.
The boys will be led by senior Gideon Lowry and sophomore Edgar Gomez. The duo will have big shoes to fill after Daghyn True’s family moved to Spring Hill over the summer.
The girls will be led by sophomores Madison Evans, who finished 30th at state a season ago, and Emma Beatty. The duo was at or near the top of a majority of the girls events a season ago as freshmen, and it will be exciting to see how they can build off of that success in the coming years.
Tenth-year head coach Mike Robinson is excited to see what runners emerge over the course of the season.
“We are expecting to really develop some new younger runners and see how they mesh with our more seasoned veterans,” Robinson said.
Robinson feels the team will rely heavily on its returns, and also noted the team chemistry as a strong point. This year’s
team will lack experience and he is hoping to see constant improvement across the board. The key to that success will be the
kids working hard and maintaining positive attitudes.
EMPORIA GIRLS TENNIS TO FIELD LARGER ROSTER THIS SEASON
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Emporia High School girls tennis team returns three juniors to what is otherwise a larger group this season.
The Lady Spartans return Kali Keough at No. 1 singles after finishing
fourth at state last season as a sophomore. She also took home regional and league titles.
At No. 1 doubles, the pairing of Peyton Chanley and Kinsley Hines also return for Emporia. Chanley reached state as a freshman, but they are entering their second season as a doubles team. They
have their eyes on a trip to state this year.
Head coach Saul Trujillo is glad to see more girls give tennis a try this year and is hopeful to see some of them emerge as key varsity players as the season goes along.
“We have a young squad for the most part this year, with a few juniors at the
varsity level,” Trujillo said. “We hope to see a lot of growth and see some girls take over leadership roles.
“This is a great group of girls and it’s exciting to see a lot of numbers this year. We hope to take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way and hopefully qualify some more girls to state.”
EMPORIA BOYS SOCCER LOOKS TO HAVE HEALTHY SEASON
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The Emporia High School boys soccer team is hoping to put last year’s injury-plagued season behind them. The Spartans are coming off a year
that saw them finish 10-8 before falling in the regional championship game to Newton in penalty kicks. They dealt with significant injuries for the majority of the season, and head coach Victor Ibarra is hoping to see his guys stay healthy this time around.
The team graduated nine players from last year’s roster but return 18, headlined by junior Kevin Magana and sophomore Brayden Sailer. Both were named players to watch in Class 5A by KSHSAA Covered.
Ibarra said the team is going to be
very deep this year, and competition for playing time has been a factor throughout camp. But he is confident he will be able to find the right mix of players and hopes the team will be playing its best soccer towards the end of the season.
EMPORIA GIRLS GOLF TO RELY ON TOP TWO PLAYERS IN 2024
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
It may be largely a year of individual scores for the Emporia High School girls golf team.
The Lady Spartans will be led by the duo of junior Elise Eckert and sophomore Kelsey Shull, and both will likely be posting individual scores for the majority of the season.
Head coach Rick Eckert has two other girls in sophomore Clara Heitman and senior Lya Orozco out for the team this year, but both are new to the sport and he wants to ease them into tournament action.
“This is the smallest team we have had in years,” Eckert said. “We will not have team scores for some of our tournaments with only four girls until everyone is ready for varsity level competition.”
Eckert hopes to see Elise improve on her fifth-place finish as state from last season and hopes to have one or two more girls get there as individuals. He feels that Shull improved a great deal over the summer and hopes to see all four girls improve as the season goes along.
“We hope to improve our team performance heading toward regionals and will try to qualify for state,” Eckert said. “The girls will need to work hard and put in the time and effort if we are to get where we want to go.”
THERESA IBARRA
THERESA IBARRA
EMPORIA GYMNASTICS HOPES TO SEE IMPROVEMENT THROUGHOUT SEASON
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
Despite the fact that the Emporia High School gymnastics team has just seven members this year, the goal remains the same.
The Lady Spartans hope to have qualifiers at state come Oct. 26 at Newton. Last year’s lone qualifier, Laney Cooper, graduated.
But the team does return five members, including seniors Chloe Fisch-
er, Jaylin Dickason and Taylor Wilson. Also returning this year will be junior Annalie Huebner and sophomore Sage Wohletz. The team welcomes two freshmen in Kaylee Gilliand and Addelynn Malone.
Entering year 12 leading the team, head coach Angela Podrebarac said she likes to see the girls progress over the course of the season.
Emporia’s home meet will be on Monday, Sept. 23 in Spartan Gymnasium.
MADISON CROSS COUNTRY TO HAVE EXPANDED ROSTER THIS YEAR
By chad Smith
The Emporia Gazette
Madison cross country has expanded for the upcoming season, growing from three runners to seven this year. As a combined high school and junior high, the team will now have some competition in practice.
They will also have more support on race day, which are things that head coach Jenn Boles is excited about.
“We are a close family team,” Boles said. “At the meets, you will see teammates cheering their teammates on during races before and after their races. This is a strength for the team as running is such a mentally challenging sport and when you have a team that is out there encouraging you, as a runner it gives you a mental boost to keep the negative thoughts out.”
Boles stated their season goals including improving their times and qualifying for state. Returning runners include Reece Winder, Braxton Perry, and Lily Hudson. Lily is a three-time state qualifier and has a few colleges talking to her about cross country and track, but she has not made any commitments yet.
Zoe Tally Not pictured Zach Suggs
“Lily has always set a good example of what hard work in the off season can do to affect your season,” Boles stated.
“She has always, on her own, run during the summer so that she starts the season off in shape and ready to go. Reece is a
very positive teammate and lifts everyone up. As a freshman, he is already a team leader.”
COURTESY PHOTO/JENN BOLES
Charlie Kingery, Annabelle Boles, Reece Winder, Lily Hudson, Braxton Perry,
MADISON FOOTBALL LOOKING TO REPLACE
By chad Smith
The Emporia Gazette
The top goal for Madison football this year is to improve the championship culture, according to head coach Nate Teichgraeber. That begins with the second goal on his list, which is winning their first game. Teichgraeber is entering his ninth season as a head coach but this will be his first at Madison.
It will be a rebuilding effort for the Bulldogs this season, after losing some valuable senior leadership. Replacing that production and positivity will be a tough challenge, but everyone is ready to contribute. Developing cohesion and involving more guys on offense has been a big topic this summer for the coaching staff. Three returning starters in the secondary and two more returning linemen provide some solid building blocks.
Senior Colton Isch will aim to build off last season, where he rushed for 473 yards and five touchdowns. He also led the team with 12 catches for 270 yards and three more scores. Taking over at quarterback will likely be senior Cade Hurlburt. The Swiss Army knife player filled in at the position in 2022 and performed well.
“We graduated some all-state caliber human beings, and solid football play
ers,” Teichgraeber said. “We will have to involve more guys on offense, and have a more balanced run/pass play distribution to spread the ball around to keep defenses honest. We need to become more physical at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We have had a solid spring/summer in the weight room and we hope to see better results from our bigs up front on both sides of the ball.”
COURTESY PHOTO/KIM GAINES
MADISON VOLLEYBALL LOOKING TO RELY ON EXPERIENCE IN 2024
Back Row: Sadie Davis, Brynn Roth, Kam White, Caylin Luthi, Sadie Albert, Reese Hurlburt, Catherine Seiter, Emma Fankhauser. Middle Row: Jenna Thomsen , Cheyenne Trower, Candice Ashlock, Jalynn Weakley, Kimber Hudson, Miranda Houston, Rylie Watts. Front Row: Tess Fankhauser, Zoaie Quintana, Rylee Darbro, Lily Kingery, Hallie Davis, Kayleigh Trester.
Morgan Weakley.
By chad Smith The Emporia Gazette
Madison volleyball will be relying on their experience for the upcoming season. Head coach Ashley Redeker is excited about what this team can do, with so many familiar faces returning to the floor.
“I am very excited about this season,” Redeker said. “With so many experienced players returning, I have high hopes that we will be able to progress and improve each day.”
The Lady Bulldogs will have many players with more than two years of experience, which will help the team get better each day. That is the key to success for Madison this year, according to Redeker.
“This year the team has set big goals,” she said. “We are working on accomplishing all of our mini goals that we have set each day as a team.”
Seniors Candice Ashlock and Jalynn Weakley will help lead the charge. Madison graduated two seniors last year,
but the core of this team returns to get even further than last season.
NORTHERN HEIGHTS FOOTBALL ENTERING NEW ERA IN TWO AREAS
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
2024 will be a year of many firsts for the Northern Heights football program.
The Wildcats will make the transition from 11-man to 8-man football this season. It will also be its first year in the Lyon County League after playing in the Flint Hills League. Second year head coach Peyton Heins will have four se-
niors returning to this year’s squad, with two of them being Tripp Stormont and Gabe Beck. Most of the experience will come on the lines.
The team will also rely on juniors Leo DeDonder, Kelton Bish, TJ Dean, Harlan Badger and Kamden Robinson. Sophomores Cooper Woodrow and Cameron Hageman also figure to have an impact.
Heins said a big part of this season is going to be adjusting to playing a new style of football. But he wants his play-
ers to play together as a team and complete games, and the results will be there in the end.
“We are excited to learn 8-man,” Heins said. “I think there is a lot of potential to be competitive with the players that we have.
“Obviously the ultimate goal is to win, but our first goal is to play as a team and care for each other. The second goal is to play all four quarters and the third is to let the win come to us.”
NORTHERN HEIGHTS VOLLEYBALL SET TO BEGIN NEW ERA
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
There will be new leadership in place this season for the Northern Heights volleyball team.
Loren Rice is in her first year coaching the Lady Wildcats. She credited one of her own coaches with her wanting to get involved on the coaching side.
“One of my biggest role models in life was my club volleyball coach,” Rice said. “I hope that I can be a positive role model to some of these girls and help them learn not only about volleyball, but also about life.”
Morgan Stout will also be on staff this year as an assistant coach.
The team will have a larger roster on the floor this year, with a big group of freshmen that Rice said will have an immediate impact. They join a group of returning varsity players in Briauhna Pierce, Brylee McCullough, Kerstyn Fox and Addisyn Hinrichs.
Rice said the team is excited for a fresh start and is looking forward to growing as a team over the course of the season. She credited their never give in attitude as a strength, but would like to have more numbers in the gym.
The team goal for 2024 is to improve, compete well and have fun. Keys for success will come down to maintaining a positive attitude, showcasing leadership and working together as a team.
NORTHERN HEIGHTS CROSS COUNTRY HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN 2024
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Northern Heights cross country team returns a number of key runners this season.
The girls will be led by sophomore Ellei McCrory, who won every meet last year including taking home a regional and state title. Head coach Lane Callanan also noted fellow sophomore Josie Tiffany as someone who is ready to step into a larger role this fall.
On the boys side, the Wildcats return
senior Rees Spade, who finished 28th at state. He will be joined by classmate Max Olson and sophomore Jacob Merrill as well as freshman Cooper Spade, who set the two-mile record for the North Lyon County middle school track team in the spring.
“We are looking forward to another great season at Northern Heights,” Callanan said. “We have a great group of athletes who are wanting to show how good of a team they can be year after year.”
Callanan credited the team’s success to its teamwork, which is extra beneficial in
a sport that can be viewed from an “individual” lens in a lot of cases.
“Cross Country can be seen as an individual sport but our team really relies on each individual to do their best for it to work out in our favor,” Callanan said. “This group as a whole has proven to be able to work well together and have always pushed each other to do their best.”
While the team does have some experienced runners at the high school level, Callanan noted they will be young age wise and is hopeful to see the incoming freshmen make a smooth transition from
the two-mile middle school run to the high school 5K run. The team’s goal this season is to have both the boys and girls teams contending at regional and be factors at the state meet in Wamego.
Callanan hopes to see his kids come to practice every day showing effort and a positive mindset.
“If we come to practice every day with those two things, we can compete at state,” Callanan said. “We have to work hard every day and push ourselves with a positive attitude. If we can do that, we will be a team to beat.”
LEBO FOOTBALL EYING RETURN TO POSTSEASON
By chad Smith
The Emporia Gazette
Lebo football is aiming for more success in 2024 following a regional runnerup finish last year. The Wolves return five seniors, who will be expected to lead the team for head coach Brian Hadley and assistant Dennis Becker.
Quarterback Drew Konrade threw for over 1,000 yards and scored 29 touchdowns last season as a junior. Now fully healthy, the senior will fuel an electric offense with his dynamic running skills. Fellow seniors Zach Oswald and Ashton Lattimer will provide protection on the offensive line.
Seniors Taegan Kelley and Eli Hauff
return as the primary running options. Lebo’s top receiver from last season was Brayden Hopkins. The junior hauled in 11 catches for 109 yards and four touchdowns last year, despite dealing with a shoulder injury.
Lebo will return eight starters from the team last season, with valuable experience on the offensive side of the ball. An
eight man freshman class will add to their depth, but they may be forced to step up at skill positions throughout the year. After a 6-4 regular season, the Wolves finished last year strong. They have made the second or third round of the playoffs in each of the last four years and garnered some much-needed experience in big games.
Front Row: HC Brian Hadley, Sr. Dominic Risner, Sr. Grayson Shoemaker, Sr. Corey Reese, Sr. Gunnar Graybeal. Second Row: Jr. Taegan Kelley, Jr. Drew Konrade, Jr. Zach Oswald, So. Brayden Hopkins, So. Daniel Rausch, Jr. Eli Hauff, Manager Kohlton Shoemaker. Back Row: AC Dennis Becker, Fr. Brandon VanDever, Fr. Ayden Ferguson, Fr. Kaden Balding, Fr. Garrison Knight, Fr. Gus Ford, AC Jim Jones. Not Pictured: Sr. Kord Kiefer, Jr. Ashton Lattimer, Manager Rayden Risner, Manager Matthew Ferguson
LEBO VOLLEYBALL HAS EYES ON THREE-PEAT
By chad Smith
The Emporia Gazette
An experienced Lebo volleyball team enters the 2024 season with some serious potential.
The reigning back-to-back state champions in Class 1A Division II will be led by seniors Saige Hadley, Abi Jones and Siara Crouch, along with talented juniors
Ally Peek and Allison Konrade. Hadley, the returning KVA 1A Division 1 Player of The Year, compiled 505 Kills, 52 Aces, 388 Digs, and 48 Blocks last season.
Head coach Gina Peek has seen a lot of talented players in her 13 years at Lebo, but she is very excited to watch these ladies conclude their high school careers.
“I am excited to see these seniors
compete in their final season,” Peek said. “They have worked hard and achieved a lot of success in the past three years. I hope all of our girls always enjoy the opportunity of getting to compete every season.”
In addition to veteran talent, the Wolves will have plenty of depth this season. The JV program has been strong for the last several years, so the girls will be
ready if and when they are injected into the varsity lineup. Susanna Knight (Sr), Aubrianna Vannocker (Jr), and Rachael Barnhart (Soph) are all expected to make an impact this year for the Wolves.
The strengths of this team will be their athletic ability, experience, and ball control. Coach Peek notes that the girls’ high intellect for the game will also help them succeed on the court.
LEBO CROSS COUNTRY HOPES TO BUILD OFF 2023 SUCCESS
By chad Smith
The Emporia Gazette
Building upon success from last year, the Lebo cross country team will seek more of the same this season. Led by Caleb Durst and Kennah Speer, the Wolves will strengthen its program by encouraging younger runners and to cultivate a positive team camaraderie. These two runners placed first as individuals at the Lyon County
League meet last year and also qualified for state.
Durst won the state title and will try to repeat again this year with an improved time. He would like to continue his running career in college, and is currently considering various options.
Cira Plummer and Chloe Whalen return to the girls team, which is expected to contend as a team to qualify for the state meet. They will have Waverly freshmen Eli Seaman and Sam Bailey joining the team. Lebo will have
a girls team with the addition of sophomores Ellie Grimmett and Christanne Rivas and freshman Adelynn Harvey.
Head coach Amanda Durst believes they have a great team culture and their athletes enjoy encouraging one another and pushing each other to become better. She says the main goal this year is for each athlete to improve throughout the season and obtain personal times consistently. Her keys for success are dedication to training, perseverance, and a positive attitude.
L to R: Adelynn Harvey, Chrissy Rivas, Ellie Grimmett, Eli Seaman, Caleb Durst, Sam Bailey, Kennah Speer, Cira Plummer, Chloe Whalen
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Olpe football team is hoping to make a run in the postseason this fall.
The Eagles will be led by seniors Dexton Hoelting and Kale Weakley. Hoelting will start at quarterback and defensive back and only played in two games last year after suffering an injury. But he amassed 281 passing yards and 194 rushing yards in those two games.
Weakley will start on both lines and racked up 17 solo tackles, 21 assisted and 11 behind the line of scrimmage on defense.
“We feel if we do the fundamentals – block, tackle, and execute at a decent rate – we will compete with anyone,” head coach Chris Schmidt said.
The Eagles also return Brayden Lienemann (tight end/linebacker), Abbot Bailey (running back/linebacker), Jaiden Kurzer (lineman), Eli Markowitz (running back/safety) and Colton Redeker (running back/ defensive end) to an experienced core group. Brecken McGuire (wide receiver/safety) and Issac Knuth (lineman) will step up to the varsity level this year.
Entering his 18th year leading the Eagles, Schmidt
welcomes Matt Redeker as an assistant coach on his staff this year after the retirement of Terry Smith.
While the team does return a good amount of experience, Schmidt noted his team is not that big physically and hopes to have some kids emerge as playmakers during the season.
“We have quite a bit of experience back and have kids who think the game pretty well,” Schmidt said. “That said, we are not that big and really don’t have anyone who sticks out, so we will need to find some playmakers.
“We hope to improve every week, do well in districts and hopefully make a run in the playoffs.”
OLPE VOLLEYBALL TO HAVE STRENGTH IN NUMBERS THIS SEASON
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
Olpe volleyball head coach Crystal Heins is excited to have a lot of girls out for the team this year.
“We have an extremely large team for a 1A school,” Heins said. “Our team consists of 37 players and two managers. Due to the high number of players, we were able to add
a third coach this year. We are very excited to have the extra help on the sidelines and are extremely grateful to our administration and school board for recognizing the need for a third coach.”
That third coach is Elisha Carlson, with Catherine Livers staying on staff as the team’s assistant.
While Heins noted the team’s new players do not have a lot of varsity experience, they
821 Commerical St. Emporia, KS (620) 342-2122
are quick learners. She hopes to see each player get better and improve their individual skill level. The keys for success will come down to hard work, communication and teamwork.
Lilly Skalsky and Kayla Steinke are the team’s returning leaders. Heins noted that Skalsky has tremendous court vision, while Steinke runs the offense as the setter and is smart with her placement decisions. Kamryn Temeyer has gotten stronger as an outside
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hitter and better with her ball placement, and Ella Wilson stood out this summer and is a good blocker.
Some new players expected to step up to the varsity level this year are Hana Cole, Ashlyn Tollefson and Addy Gillund.
“This group of young ladies have great attitudes and work really well together as a team,” Heins said. “They are also really fun to coach.”
OLPE CROSS COUNTRY TO FIELD SMALLER ROSTER THIS YEAR
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Olpe cross country team is going to have just five runners at the high school level this year.
The team has two seniors, two juniors and one sophomore this year. Garret Hammond and William Beadles are the seniors, Kaleb Arnold and Lilly Skalsky are the juniors and Reese Johnson is the lone sophomore.
The future appears to be bright, however, as the school does have five runners coming up through the middle school program. Arlis Sieberns, Daniel Coughlin, Kayle Wade, Brogan Vogts and Caroline Traffenstedt are all running as seventh graders.
Second year head coach Aubrey Arnold said she is looking forward to watching the athletes grow and achieve their goals over the course of the season.
B y c had S mith
The Emporia Gazette
HARTFORD FOOTBALL RETURNING EXPERIENCED SQUAD IN 2024
The 2024 football season for Hartford will be about improvement and leaning on experience. The Jaguars will have nine returning starters on offense and seven on defense, according to head coach Danen Kistner. While he acknowledges they are very young in the trenches, they have some exciting potential.
“The youth of this team is exciting,” Kistner said. “There is a lot of good young talent on our football team. We would love to see this team get over .500 and get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2021.”
Their 1-8 record from a year ago was a product of their youth and inexperience, but the Jaguars have some talented leadership at the skill positions. Sophomore quarterback Landen Schultz returns to lead the Vertical West Coast offensive attack. Senior Tysin Bulson will help carry the load on offense after racking up 1,679 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Senior Nolin Trester will again be a key player for Hartford, after leaving his mark in all areas of the game last year. The Bulldogs will have a lot of speed that Kistner and assistants Kolton Neill and Dalen Kistner will look to exploit in all three phases of the game.
“Our guys had a great offseason and have busted their tails to do everything they can to get our program back into the playoffs,” Kistner said. “One of the keys to doing that this year will be to win the turnover battle every night. Taking care of the ball while taking it away from the other team will be an important focus for us this year.”
Front L-R: Daden Wilson, Parker Engel, Simon Blankley, Landen Schultz, Bryson Jacobs
Back L-R Tyce Ndgewa, Bo Peters, Coy Wilkinson, Tyson Bulsin, Nolin Trester, Connor Trester, Kennan Renfrow, Carson Menke, Brady Kelley, Dakota Olson
HARTFORD VOLLEYBALL TO RELY ON VETERANS THIS SEASON
By chad Smith The Emporia Gazette
The upward trajectory for Hartford volleyball is expected to continue this season, with tremendous leadership from its most experienced players.
Five seniors return, led by Tobye Sull and Keilee Finnerty. Sull finished last season with 46 aces, 225 assists, and 184 digs. Finnerty recorded 33 aces, 121 kills, and 22 blocks for the Bulldogs. Lexi Giesken-Mears will be another difference maker for Hartford. She tallied 110 kills, 20 blocks, and 138 digs for the team last season.
Head coach Ashton Kistner is expecting even more improvement this year. The primary area will be focused in serve receive and enhancing the ability to read the ball effectively.
Kistner stated that the goals for this season are to identify weaknesses and transform them into strengths. “The foundation of success in reaching these goals lies in showing up to practice every day with motivation and a positive attitude,” she said.
Kistner enters her sixth year as head coach, and has plenty of motivation to continue.
“What drives my passion for coaching is not just the opportunity to teach and develop volleyball skills, but also the chance to help athletes grow into better individuals,” she said. “Through the leadership and communication skills cultivated in volleyball, I aim to empower them for success both on and off the court.”
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Front L-R: Jade Wilson, Emmalie Bess, Sydney Sull, Tobye Sull, Nayeli Gardner
Back L-R Faith Stone, Lexi Giesken-Mears, Avery House, Trinity Windle, Keilee Finnerty, Aubrey, Finnerty, Lauryn Finnerty
HARTFORD CROSS COUNTRY TO FIELD
FOUR RUNNERS THIS YEAR
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
Hartford High School is going to have four runners – three boys and one girl – this season.
Cody Cleveland returns to lead the boys. He medaled in the majority of his meets last season and nearly qualified for state as an individual. Oliver Smith and Samuel Blankley also return for the boys and should be impact runners. Only one girl will run for Hartford this year in Trinity Windle.
All four runners are seniors, and head coach Tammy Windle called them all hard workers with a lot of experience.
Windle would like to see the kids reach state, though they are one runner short of being able to qualify as a team. But with four seniors, she is hopeful to see strong showings from all of her runners to cap their high school careers.
“We hope to have a strong season and improve upon our performances from last year,” Windle said. “The key to that will be keeping everyone healthy.”
COURTESY
Sitting Trinity Windle, Standing Cody Cleveland, Oliver Smith, Sam Blankley
CHASE COUNTY FOOTBALL LOOKS TO RETURN TO POSTSEASON
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
Coming off a 7-4 campaign and its second straight trip to the sectional round, the Chase County football team has its eyes on a return to the postseason in 2024.
The Bulldogs will look to rely heavily on Luke Budke and Wyatt Griffin on both sides of the ball. Budke notched eight receiving touchdowns last year on offense while piling up 65 tackles on defense. Griffin will be the team’s signal caller and threw for 15 touchdowns, while recording
nine more on the ground.
Guthrie Danford will be one of the focal points of the Chase County defense after compiling 120 tackles a season ago. He will also get some reps at running back on the offensive side of the ball. Colton Kewley will line up at defensive end and tight
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end this season, but shined coming off the edge last year. He totaled 33 tackles, five for loss, and two sacks.
Also returning with starter experience for the Bulldogs are tight end/defensive back Landon Doty and linemen Chris Rangel, Reece Budke and Hudson Doty.
COURTESY PHOTO/LINDA DRAKE
CHASE COUNTY VOLLEYBALL TO RELY ON JUNIOR RETURNERS THIS YEAR
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Chase County volleyball team is going to rely heavily on their top two junior returners on the hardwood this year.
The Lady Bulldogs will return its top player in junior
Madelyn Wilson, who set a school record in kills last year and also earned First Team All-League and First Team Grasslands. Fellow junior Reace Harshman is also back and earned honorable mention in both categories. Those two are the team’s top returning hitters.
Head coach LeAnn Hansford said she enjoys watching athletes improve throughout the season, the “wow”
moments. She feels the team will be able to offset the graduation of many of the team’s top passers from last year.
“We graduated our strongest passers but other athletes are working hard to make up for the loss,” Hansford said. “These girls work hard for each other and want their teammates to succeed.”
CHASE COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY TO RELY ON VETERAN RUNNERS THIS FALL
By John Sorce john@emporia.com
The Chase County cross country team hopes to return runners to state this season.
The Bulldogs will rely heavily on Carson Schroer and Tate Morgan, who are returning seniors and were part of a regional championship team as sophomores in 2022. They will be joined this year by junior John Paul Ubert and sophomores Joey Swift and Josiah Peters.
Sophomore Sadie Mushrush will lead the way on the girls side and is the team’s only returning runner from a year ago. She is joined this year by classmate Lexi Price
and freshman Alexys Miller.
The goal for the season according to head coach Amy Budke is to qualify for state as a boys team, with qualifying two girls for state as they don’t have a full roster.
“It will be interesting to see where the boys team
lands this year,” Budke said. “I envision a very successful season for them.”
The team also welcomes a new assistant coach in Andy Birchmeier, who Budke anticipates will be a great addition for the team.
COURTESY PHOTO/LINDA DRAKE
