Sportsink09262013 1 20

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A magazine focusing on all things sports in northwest Kansas

INK.

October 2013

Learning the ropes

Members of HFA dive head first into the game

All hands on deck

The Thunder Ridge volleyball team has a family feel, and the Longhorns have high expectations for the season The Hays Daily News

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3

Thirst quencher

Northern Valley High School junior football player Ame Baird cools off during a break at practice in August in Almena.

Jolie Green, Sports Ink

What’s up?

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All hands

A look inside this issue

on deck

The Thunder Ridge volleyball team has high expectations for 2013

6

16

Love the game

Local youth get started early with

the Hays Football

Association.

8

Game changer

The nose guard position can be a vital one for high school football teams to enjoy success.

Ready to run

Q&A with Ness City senior Dray Carson

Sports Ink. contributors: Nick McQueen nmcqueen@dailynews.net Conor Nicholl cnicholl@dailynews.net Everett Royer sportsink@dailynews.net Jolie Green jgreen@dailynews.net Chad Pilster cpilster@dailynews.net Austin Colbert acolbert@dailynews.net Nicole Hester nhester@dailynews.net On the cover - Hays third-graders Carson Spray and Mason Norris. Photo by Chad Pilster

Volume 3, Issue 8 Sports Ink. is published and distributed by The Hays Daily News. Copyright Š 2013 Harris Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Sports Ink. is a registered trademark of The Hays Daily News, 507 Main, Hays, KS 67601 (785) 628-1081.

4

This group could win I

t’s getting to the point where I might need to seek outside help for nod in my lineup based on schedule. Both are dual-threat quartermy addiction. backs. I’ve been on the back of Cam Newton to two straight fantasy Hi, I’m Nick and I’m a fantasy football junkie.

Super Bowls and Garcia and Delton could do the same thing. Garcia Four leagues this season. It’s a constant numbers and matchup accounted for six touchdowns in his first game, a 45-0 win against crunch. I’m to the point where I almost have someone playing in Ellis. Garcia’s opportunities to score are going to be greater each each game every week. week based on the teams the Leopards play until the postseason.

But, every year I add to it, and come up with a fantasy team made I’ve always been a fan of doubling up a quarterback and receiver, up of guys we see in person every Friday — at the high school level. so my first receiver would be La Crosse’s Taylor Yohe, who could beIt’s really fun to think about. come Garcia’s favorite target. Yohe is a difficult matchup at 6-foot-3 So, I’ve gone through and made a list of the guys with good speed. He only caught three balls in his first For starters in this area I would want on my team if I were to game, but averaged 27 yards per catch and had a touchgo into high school fantasy battle. down. Behind him is Victoria’s Noah Dreiling, who Staying true to most fantasy drafts, I would first go would likely also be used in a flex-type position in the nick after a running back. It should come as no surprise, Knights’ offense. Dreiling’s upside is you never know it’s going to an eight-man player, simply because how the Knights are going to attack, and they could of the monstrous numbers put up in a faster-paced go for big numbers at any time. Ness City’s Chandler game. My top selection would be Trent Rietzke at Thunder Ridge.

Hawkins could be used the same way.

A speedy, shifty back, Rietzke is running behind a big line for the At tight end, Goodland’s Tyler Gastineau is the guy with Marshall Longhorns, and should be featured all season as the go-to guy. His Jay, of La Crosse, backing him up. Gastineau has a good frame at 6-2, first-week numbers were amazing — 210 yards, four touchdowns.

200, and is a big target for sophomore quarterback Trey Teeter.

His backup would be Osborne’s Kenton Ubelaker. Ubelaker plays Kicker, there’s no question that Hays High’s Lane Clark is the best in an offense that is going to put up big numbers all season long, in the business around here, but because I’m a sucker for the underand they’re going to have many opportunities, because it seems the dog story, I would also draft Natoma’s Jackson Meiers, a rare accurate Bulldogs still have some defensive woes to shore up. kicker from the eight-man ranks.

The second pick would be a quarterback, and there are many good Lastly, I would select the Wallace County defense. In Week 1, the options in this area. My pick, though, would be La Crosse junior Jack Wildcats shut out a pretty potent Dighton team, and big things Garcia. His backup is Hays High junior Alex Delton. Garcia gets the could be coming this season for Kevin Ayers’ crew in Sharon Springs.

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5

Who’s That?

Notable performances in northwest Kansas Jack Garcia

Garcia, the junior quarterback for the La Crosse High School football team, was stellar in the Leopards’ season-opening 45-0 win against Ellis. Garcia had six total touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) as La Crosse racked up 451 yards of offense. Garcia threw for 230 yards on nine completions, and had nine carries for 54 yards. Garcia found three different receivers for touchdowns with a long of 41 yards to junior Andrew Jay.

Kelsey DeBoer

A sophomore on the Hays High School girls’ golf team, DeBoer debuted the 2013 season by leading the Indians to a second-place finish in their season-opening HHS Invitational at Smoky Hill Country Club. DeBoer shot a nine-hole 46 to finish third individually, pacing Hays High to a second-place 206, 10 strokes better than third-place Dodge City. Her 46 was three strokes back of second place, and one shot better than fourth place. She then shot a 47 at Salina two weeks ago, helping Hays High to another second-place finish.

Kenton Ubelaker

Ubelaker, a senior running back for the Osborne High School football team, put up big numbers in the Bulldog’s seasonopening win against Trego in WaKeeney. Ubelaker had 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and three special teams touchdowns. He had two punt returns for 75 total yards and two punt return TDs. He also had four kick returns for 148 yards and took one 78 yards for a score as Osborne won 64-38. Ubelaker also caught two passes for 10 yards, and 14 tackles.

Brooke Schmidt

Schmidt, a senior tennis player for Victoria High School, won the No. 1 singles bracket at the HHS Invitational earlier this month, to help Victoria to the team title. Schmidt defeated Hays High School’s Julie Balzer twice, including a 6-1 win in the finals to claim the individual crown.

Victoria also had the second-place finisher in No. 2 singles — Maegan Karlin.

Got an idea of someone who you think should be included in Who’s That?

Send it to sportsink@dailynews.net with Who’s that? in the subject line, or call (800) 657-6017.

6

Learning

CHAD PILSTER, Sports Ink. Mason Norris, left, 8, tackles Ashton Putz, 8, as Tim O’Connor, one of their coaches, gives instructions during a Hays Gamblers third-grade practice earlier this month at Aubel-Bickle Park in Hays.

the ropes Hays Football Association getting kids started at an early age.

W

Noah Briseno tackles Aaron Weigel during the third-grade Gamblers’ practice.

Page 6

ith rain on the way, and lightning in the background in early September, the Hays Gamblers third-grade football team ran through drills at Aubel-Bickle Park.

Split into three stations, two groups worked on tackling, the other on blocking and after approximately 10 to 15 minutes, they would rotate on to the next coach.

A near-perfect tackle by team member Remy Stull was met with an excited “that’s the way” from one of his coaches — Dustin Demel. Stull then high-fived his way to the back of the line, and calmly waited for his next turn between the cones, seemingly focused on repeating the task.

“You see a kid, how they start football, and they don’t really know October 2013

anything about it, or understand it,” said Demel, who is in his eighth year of coaching with the Hays Football Association. “By the time you’re done and they move into middle school, they not only know it, but they come to love it.”

That’s a big reason why the HFA, Hays’ management of its six member teams of the Western Kansas Football League, has seen an increase in popularity amongst youngsters.

In fact, this is the first year the group has fielded a third-grade only team, said HFA director Eddie Perrett.

“This is the largest third-grade group we’ve ever had,” said Perrett, who has been with the organization since 2005, but inherited director duties in 2008. “Very few teams have third- and fourth- graders combined, but because SPORTS INK.

s

7 we had so many third-graders, we just tried it out to see how they could do it.”

Two weeks into the season and in their first game, the third-grade team picked up a 24-8 win against Stafford County, a team of mostly fourth-graders.

“There are kids here that want to learn the game of football,“ said Demel, a Fort Hays State University quarterback in 2001 and ‘02. “We’re patient with them, and we coach them the right way.

“They learn a lot.”

Demel coaches the youngest team with Tim O’Connor and Josh Waddell, two guys he has coached with each year. Generally in the HFA, coaches will stick with teams they start with through sixth grade, before they begin playing football at the middle school level.

The first group Demel coached was this year’s junior class at Hays High School and Thomas More Prep-Marian, including Hays High standout quarterback Alex Delton.

“We try to teach life lessons — adapt stuff from football over to life, too,” Demel said. “That’s the enjoyment I get — just being around and seeing that.”

Hays’ six teams are made up of the third-graders (Gamblers), and two more third- and fourth-grade combined teams (Gamblers and Outlaws), a fifth-grade team (Outlaw) and two sixth-grade teams (Gamblers and Outlaws).

“Our numbers are just a little down at the fifth-grade level,” Perrett said. “I think there are 22 total fifth-graders, but we have 20 third-graders.”

Each team plays a six-game season — three home and three away — then, if it qualifies, gets to play a seasonending tournament at Fort Hays’ Lewis Field Stadium. The annual event features the top eight teams from each division.

The third- and fourth-grade teams play their first round at Hays Middle School, while the fifth- and sixthgrade teams play their first-round games at Lewis Field. The following week, the semifinals and finals are all at Lewis Field.

“It’s basically 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. game times (the first week),” Perrett said.

“We’ll run eight games that day, and hopefully not get too far behind.”

Parents watch as their kids do a drill that involves diving on a pad during the Gamblers’ practice.

The sixth-grade Gamblers finished last season undefeated. That group became the first seventh-grade football class at Hays Middle School and TMP-Marian Junior High, something for which the youth coaches hope to prepare the kids.

“We take it serious,” Demel said. “It’s not only to go out and have fun.

“They’re going through basically a college practice in the third grade.”

Through the season, teams are scheduled for four practices per week, from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and play games Saturdays. Teams range in distance from Burlington, Colo. to McPherson, Perrett said.

While the end-of-the-year tourna-

ment in Hays is the top eight teams in each division, the bottom teams travel to Great Bend for a tournament as well.

Of course, none of the playing time comes cheap. Entry fee per player is $110 at early registration (June 20), and $150 at final registration (July 20).

That fee covers the cost of equipment (helmets, pads, pants, leg and knee pads) and officials, along with things such as tape, ice packs and game balls.

Each team is charged with coming up with the funding for uniforms and parents help with travel costs.

“One year, a team even rented the Black Knight limo bus, and the kids all went in that,” Perrett said.

Officials for Hays’ home games are hired through Fort Hays, the same officials who work many area junior high, freshmen and high school junior varsity contests.

Coaches, while volunteering, take the job seriously. Some have gone as far as to even watch game film, Demel said, and the feedback from most parents has been positive through the years.

“I do it for the love of the game,” Demel said. “Can’t wait until my boy (1-year-old) gets up there.”

- Nick McQueen, Sports Ink.

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8

“That nose

guard spot, have

I

always

said that it is one position where it can

almost take

over a

game.”

- Kevin Ayers, Wallace County

Wallace County’s Dalton Walker

coach

Page 8

October 2013

SPORTS INK.

Game 9

The nose guard

changer

W

allace County High School senior Dalton Walker is 5-foot-9, 215 pounds and a state powerlifting champion. Walker began to start midway through his sophomore season for an 8-2 team that allowed 16.2 points per game, sixth-best in Eight-Man Division II. Walker didn’t record a sack, but finished with 55 tackles. Last year, Walker started at nose guard for a 10-1 squad that allowed a classification-best 9.3 points per contest. He finished with 40 tackles, eighth-best on the Wildcats, but did lead the team in tackles for loss with eight.

Wallace County opened the 2013 season with a 51-0 victory against high-octane Dighton. Walker had six tackles and helped limit the Hornets to 41 total yards.

Walker’s impact, though, goes far beyond his individual statistics.

“Last year, he really kind of exploded onto the scene,” Wallace County coach Kevin Ayers said. “That nose guard spot, I have always said that it is one position where it can almost take over a game.”

The main goal of the nose guard is supposed to command a double team and control the ‘A’ gaps, the gaps on either side of the center.

Otis-Bison coach Travis Starr has had two all-state nose guards in the last four years with Robert Kolas and Sam Higgason.

Sports Ink.

FILE PHOTO, Sports Ink. Hoxie coach Lance Baar instructs nose guard Mitchel Johnson during a game last season in Sharon Springs.

Offensively, he always puts his best lineman at center to block the nose. Quinter has enjoyed success in the last five years because of all-state nose guards Zach Nemechek and Sam Leighton.

“If you can’t block the nose, you can’t really run anything,” Starr said.

This season, the area is experienced and talented at nose guard with Walker, Hoxie’s Mitchel Johnson, Oakley’s Ryan Kuhn, October 2013

Plainville’s John Arnold, Almena-Northern Valley’s Phillip Bryant and Norton’s Stewart Whitney.

“It’s a huge spot,” Hoxie coach Lance Baar said. “You can disrupt the whole play if you have a good nose guard.

Someone to get penetration. It really makes things a lot easier PAGE 10 on your next level, on your linebackers.”

Page 9

10

FILE PHOTO, Sports Ink. Norton’s Stewart Whitney goes after a fumble during last season’s game against Smith Center in Norton.

“They can see the play a lot better, they can get to the ball a lot quicker,” he added. “If you have a big, physical presence at nose, it’s pretty big for your defense. You are going to attract a lot of double teams as well.”

While some people might instantly think of gigantic space-eaters as nose guards, sometimes nose guards are smaller, quicker and faster than the opposing center. Being strong, tough and physical, though, are requirements for a position that often receives little glory. Arnold often shifts around.

Sometimes, he will play straight up on the center. Other times, it’s a shade or possibly farther down the line.

“I would rather play there than anywhere else, even if I don’t get that many tackles,” Arnold said.

Arnold didn’t play football as a freshman, but went out as a sophomore. He immediately started playing nose guard and has slimmed down from 260 to 240 pounds with the Cardinals’ weightlifting program.

Coach Joe Simon called Arnold’s main responsibility “to keep their linemen off our linebackers.” Opponents have poked Arnold in the eye a few times; Arnold has said he has used various measures to defend himself. Last season, he recorded 29 tackles, eighth-best on the team, and four tackles for loss, third-highest.

“They are pretty dirty,” Arnold said. “If you don’t pay attention, sometimes the center will have the guard come in and hit you low, so then he can get you out of the way. …You’ve just got to expect the unexpected.”

The 5-foot-7, 156-pound Bryant, a fire hydrant-esque player, led Northern Valley with 108 tackles as a junior. Also the starting fullback, Bryant is known for his physical

Camaro Enough said.

11 play.

“He is a super nose guard,” Northern Valley coach Chuck Fessenden said. “He goes to the ball, he knows where the ball is going. He pursues to the ball and he never quits. He causes people problems, big problems. A lot of times our centers are big kids and not real quick and he is really quick. He gave people trouble last year.”

Victoria coach Doug Oberle is one of the area’s top coaches. For years, the Knights have had strong nose guards, including Landon Cook and Dylan and Nathan Kuhn.

The strong defensive line play has helped Victoria reach the state playoffs 11 straight years in the eight-man ranks, a style known for offense. In Week 1 of the 2013 season, 11-man teams averaged 24 points per game.

Eight-man teams averaged 33.4 points per contest, according to preppowerindex.com.

“I truly believe, and I have had conversations with lots of coaches, to coach defense at the eight-man level is probably one of the hardest things to do for a number of reasons,” Oberle said. “You can’t pressure people as much as you would like. If you start blitzing guys here and there, you have got nobody to replace, nobody to recover.

Schemes are so difficult.”

The eight-man field is 80 yards, 20 yards shorter than the 11-man field and penalties can play a bigger role because of the shorter field. Plus, there is less punting, so more teams attempt fourth down conversions.

Teams normally try to run 3-2, 3-3/5-1 defensive looks. With any scheme, though, Oberle said it’s “only as good as your kids.”

“It starts up front,” PAGE 12 Oberle said.

JOLIE GREEN, Sports Ink Northern Valley’s Phillip Bryant is a nose guard and plays fullback for the Huskies.

2917 Vine, Hays (785) 625-4830

12

“I would rather play there than anywhere else, even if I don’t get that many tackles.”

- John Arnold, Plainville senior nose guard

Plainville senior John Arnold (66) is a three-year starter at the nose guard spot for the Cardinals.

In the 11-man ranks, some teams, such as Ellis, don’t often use a nose guard. Instead, the Railers are more comfortable with four defensive linemen. Among others, Oakley, Plainville and Norton have talent up front. Whitney was honorable mention all-league last season. Head coach Lucas Melvin called Whitney “pretty quick and compact. Not real big (at 5-8, 160).”

“We think it is good to have one,” Melvin said. “We have always in the past, kind of played them in a shade technique, but there has been times that we have played them head up, too. That’s another personnel thing. If you have one that can do a good job there, you want to make sure that you utilize them.”

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Kuhn, named the defensive MVP in the district as a sophomore last season, helped Oakley finish No. 1 in Class 2-1A scoring defense last season. The Plainsmen rose to No. 3 in the statewide media poll after the first week with a shutout of Class 4A Colby.

“Tough kid,” Ellis coach Butch Hayes said. “Gets to the ball. Creates havoc there. He is a tough kid. Oakley is going to be a tough team. Coach (Randall) Rath does a great job there. He is the leader of that defense.”

Nose guards have factored into many critical games in recent seasons. Arnold said his best performance came in a 6-0 road playoff win as a sophomore against Johnson-Stanton County, a game when he made one tackle. However, because he was disrupting linemen, Plainville linebackers Andrew Casey and Nathan Thyfault combined for 29 tackles and three for loss.

“He knows what his job is to do and he does a good job with it,” Simon said. “ I don’t think it bothers him one bit if he doesn’t make 10 tackles. He is not a big glamor guy.”

Walker helped Wallace County advance to the sub-state championship game last season.

Thunder Ridge’s Kade Dennis, who has graduated, helped the Longhorns earn state runner-up in 2012.

EVERETT ROYER, Sports Ink.

“You can goof up the center/quarterback exchange, you can be in the backfield making a mess of things awful quick, and that’s something that he tries to do game in and game out for us,” Ayers said. “If your nose is forcing a double team, that just frees things up. Dalton has drawn a lot of double teams. He drew a lot of double teams last year, and that just allows other guys to run and make plays, and if you don’t double him, he is going to disrupt things, and make it a long night for your quarterback.”

- Conor Nicholl, Sports Ink.

100 Center Ave Oakley, KS 67748

13

”

rd

All hands on deck

Thunder Ridge all in for 2013 season

K

ENSINGTON — It’s not difficult to find the few kids in Kensington. If they aren’t at home, school or practice, they are probably sitting outside the convenience store at the intersection of Highway 36 and Main Street on the north edge of town.

“A disadvantage of living in a small town is there isn’t much to do. Basically our weekends are sitting up on the Corner,” said Heidi Larson, a junior at Thunder Ridge High School. “We just sit there and talk, and that’s what I like about the small town, too. You can talk to anyone about pretty much anything.”

When they get really bored they like to play a game called Sasquatch — the origin of the name being a mystery — which is essentially a game of hide and seek. The catch is the so-called seekers are riding around town in vehicles with flashlights, and the people on foot are supposed to make it from one place to another without getting caught.

Unfortunately for them, Kensington Sports Ink.

NICOLE HESTER, Sports Ink. Thunder Ridge sophomore Shaylin Webb runs through a drill in practice.

isn’t very well lit at night.

“It’s pretty dangerous, especially in the dark when you can’t see anything,” Larson said.

“I’ve tripped over some logs and people have gotten clothes-lined before. Last year it was a big deal. Just something fun to do on the weekends.”

But when fall rolls around, most of the games are put aside in favor of athletics, something Thunder Ridge has repeatedly proven it’s very good at.

Football dominates the town, and the October 2013

Longhorn football team has owned most of its opponents recently, winning the Eight-Man Division II state title in 2011 and finishing as runner-up a season ago.

While the boys get most of the attention, the girls are hardly ignored. The Thunder Ridge volleyball program has quickly developed into a power in Class 1A Division I, and is coming off a 28-9 season and trip to the sub-state title game.

But one thing the volleyball team lacks is the hardware the football team has, something the girls hope to change this season.

“We want to show that we can be as good as the football team,” said Larson, who plays multiple positions on the volleyball team.

“The boys always say that volleyball is so easy. We want to show them that it’s not as easy as you think. We want to work hard and win a championship and show them that we can PAGE 14 be good like them.”

Page 13

14

Nicole Hester • Hays Daily News Thunder Ridge volleyball coach John Boden instructs his team during practice late last month in Kensington.

If you were to ask Thunder Ridge volleyball coach John Boden, he might have compared the team to an entry-level sedan a few years ago. But when the team broke through and beat Hoxie in the sub-state final in 2011 and finished with 30 wins, things changed.

Last year’s finish was a disappointment, a loss to Scandia-Pike Valley in sub-state when the Longhorns were the No. 1 seed, but the season was still a glowing success.

In fact, since Kensington and Agra’s Eastern Heights High School consolidated in 2008, the Longhorns are 104-68.

And with what could be the most talented roster Coach Boden has ever had entering his sixth season, this year could be special for Thunder Ridge volleyball. So special the idea of what they could accomplish drove Coach Boden to tears.

“It’s kind of like putting 50 bucks in a Porsche and getting to drive it as fast as you can down the road,” Coach Boden said. “I was in that power cruise of I’m the coach of what could be the greatest Thunder Ridge girls’ volleyball team in history, if they do certain things. I was absolutely overPage 14

whelmed at the thought of having 10 great athletes on varsity that could intermix and be great.”

The talent is stacked top to bottom for the Longhorns, with many freshmen and sophomores playing alongside the upperclassmen, which includes senior Caitlin Boden, John’s oldest daughter.

Caitlin’s relationship with her father is one that revolves heavily around volleyball.

Dad and coach are one and the same to her on most days, and more often than not it’s volleyball that comes up at the dinner table.

And the ride home. And just about everywhere else.

“I’ve always heard it’s really tough to coach your daughter and I truly know what they are talking about,” Coach Boden said. “It’s harder this year than it ever has because I expect her to be an extension of the coaching staff, so if she messes around I probably get on her harder than anybody else.”

Caitlin has adapted to the role, and knows what buttons she can push with her father.

But she also understands that it comes with extra scrutiny and responsibilities.

October 2013

“Being the coach’s kid, when you mess up you don’t only get ripped during practice, you get ripped at home, too,” Caitlin said.

“It’s a lot of pressure. You definitely have to work for your position because people would be like, ‘Oh, he’s just playing her because she’s the coach’s kid.’ I’m used to it.”

And Caitlin is also used to winning. Last year’s senior class set a school record with 95 career wins, a record this year’s seniors — which include Boden, Jaimzi Neal and Aleah Seaman — should be able to shatter having entered the season 85-28 through the past three years.

The future is also bright, with the bulk of the Longhorns’ starters being underclassmen. Sophomore Kirsten Burger is the bright spot at outside hitter, and despite suffering a high-ankle sprain in practice early this season, should be a focal point for the offense when she returns.

“Anybody that knows Kirsten Burger knows she plays to win. She hits the ball very hard and is probably our best hitter and probably our best passer,” Coach Boden said. “When we need a point we’ve SPORTS INK.

15 got to go to her. We expect when we go to her she is going to hammer it down.”

drills and really feel we are in the best shape and the strongest we’ve ever been.”

Coach Boden did some nudging to get • • • Webb and the girls going in the weight While Burger might be the best on the room, as they were never really comfortable court, another sophomore has made a malifting weights around the football team. jor impact off it in setter Shaylin Webb.

The boys would tease the girls — always The Longhorns improvement heading into in good humor — but that teasing was this season isn’t just about talent, but about usually enough to keep the girls from getthe work they have put in the weight room, ting too enthusiastic. a new phenomenon for this program.

But this year was different.

“We’d get about “When the boys a few weeks into started showing up “You can tell the the summer and around 6:45 you’d girls are stronger, hit those weights and just stop,” Caitlin mentally and physi- you’d try to impress Boden said of the team’s weightcally, and hitting the every boy there,” lifting regime in Webb said. “A couple ball harder.” previous years. even mentioned that “Where as this year JOHn boden we had improved we kept lifting and Thunder ridge coach and they’ve seen us getting stronger get more muscle.” and were actually This inspired effort having fun with it because there were more in the weight room has prompted the and more girls showing up every week.” school to pay for a professional weightWebb led the effort to get the girls into the lifting coach for the girls next summer. weight room. Her father would come in and watch during the summer because an adult ••• needed to be present. Slowly the number of Coach Boden likes to let the silence sink players coming to work out grew, and the in before he delivers what has become his results have been seen each day in practice calling card. When everyone is least exthis fall. pecting it, Coach Boden comes out yelling, “You can tell the girls are stronger, mental- “Are. You. Ready!” before the players take ly and physically, and hitting the ball hardthe court prior to each game. er,” Coach Boden said. “We certainly do a “It scares the heck out of the freshlot of conditioning within the skills and the men and the other people that are in the “from the pen to the pan” slaughter days monday & wednesday

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Good Luck in the 2013-2014 school year.

crowd,” Coach Boden said. “I’ve always been kind of motivational. I’m a loud man and have a loud mouth. My wife says I’m louder than others. But I always try to get them pumped up and I’m really a cheerleader that’s coaching.”

While it takes some getting used to, the players have learned to love it. The simple phrase has become the team’s cue to focus and get in serious game mode.

“He can be obnoxious sometimes, but it’s a good obnoxious,” Larson said of her coach. “Before games we will just be sitting there and he will be giving us a talk in silence and he will just start screaming it.

It startles us all and we sit there and start laughing.”

For whatever reason, it seems to be working for the Longhorns.

Coach Boden’s expectations for this season are undoubtedly high, as are the expectations of the players. But they are also realistic, and know they might be too young to catch powers like Hoxie, Centralia and Olpe.

Nonetheless, the goal remains a return trip to state this season. And ultimately, a return trip home with something to add to the trophy case.

“I think truly getting over the top in our mind is bringing home hardware now,” Coach Boden said. “We have to have all six people representing us and being ready for the ball. It takes a pass, set and hit to score a point.”

- Austin Colbert, Sports Ink.

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16

Just a Minute with Nick McQueen

Dray

Carson

Ness City senior cross country runner Q: Did the state title last year surprise you a little bit?

A: I expected to run about a minute slower than I did. I really thought Pedro (Montoya, Ellinwood) would have annihilated me like he did at regionals. I guess I just had the momentum and the mindset to do it.

Q: What is your expectation for this season?

A: I didn’t run as fast as I was hoping to in my first race, but plenty of time to work, plenty of room to improve. The goal is sub16 and defending my title, and going from there.

Q: What has made the Ness City program so good through the years?

A: Our coach is one of the best in the state as a high school coach. He has produced many great athletes and runners. He runs a really good program and knows what he’s doing.

Q: What is the secret to being a successful runner?

A: It’s not just a cross country runner, it’s any sport. You have to have the mindset you are going to win. You can’t go into anything and think you’re going to lose. You have to be willing to be comfortable with the team, and know you are going to win. All you have to think is you’re going to win this.

Q: What’s the most difficult course you run?

A: Only every other year, but Rim Rock, that’s a really tough course. Other than that, Wamego is actually a close second.

Q: What is the most scenic course?

A: Again, it has to be Rim Rock. The course is just beautiful. You have wood chips, and you go through forest and meadows — just really nice.

Q: How did you get started running?

A: In junior high, I was always playing basketball and that was the dream.

Then my junior high coach talked me into high school cross country. I thought it would be a good way to stay in shape while I’m not playing basketball.

After freshman year, I really didn’t know, then I didn’t play basketball. After sophomore year, I really got dedicated and by my junior year it showed.

Q: Do you have some college running plans?

A: There are a couple schools I’m looking at.

Wichita and Emporia are the highest. They’ve been contacting me. They have really good programs for what I want to go into.

Page 16

October 2013

SPORTS INK.

Connor Hawkins Teammate

Jessie Rubottom Teammate

Wyatt Beckman Former teammate

If he could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be?

His girlfriend Taylor

Steve Prefontaine

Any famous runner Galen Rupp

If Nike named a running shoe after him, what would it be called?

Something to Pontoon (his do with freshman year Prefontaine shoes)

Persistance

What song do you think he likes, but won’t admit to?

Hollaback girl

Long Live (Taylor Swift)

Barbie Girl

Name an actor that would play him in a movie Johnny Knoxville

Zach Efron

James Franco

Stranded on an island, what one thing would he most want with him?

His water bottle

His watch (so he can run)

His cell phone

Other than running, what one thing could he win an award for?

Good listener (you can tell His dedication him anything, and he’ll be there)

ON

Call of Duty

17

Ink. BLOTS

A spattering from NW Kansas

From 2006 to 2012, the Doug Oberle era averaged 41.4 points per contest for the Victoria High School footblal team.

However, the numbers were pretty consistent across the board: 50.3, 36.7, 45.5, 47.3, 37.7, 32.7 and 36. The Knights’ three best seasons came from the three best scoring offenses. The 2006 squad went 12-1 and won the Eight-Man, Division II state championship; the 2008 team was state runner-up and the ‘09 squad went 10-2 and advanced to the sub-state championship game. This season, Victoria was supposed to put up big numbers — and showed it in a big 58-28 Week 1 victory against a quality Macksville team.

The Knights, up 2-0 after the first quarter, scored 56 points in the final three quarters. Despite 100 penalty yards, Victoria rolled up 508 yards of total offense, including 348 rushing and 7.1 yards per play on 72 plays. Last season, the Knights averaged 6.7 yards per play with 47.5 plays and 319 yards per contest, including 220 yards per game on the ground.

- Conor Coming from someone who has never had the desire to run (even when I was in shape), I would imagine distance running is probably the sport that might take the most dedication. It might be the only sport where someone doesn’t necessarily have to be talented, they just have to work hard. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone being called a talented runner — just a hard-working runner.

- Nick

Heading into the season while contemplating who we thought were going to be the best high school football teams, and it was fairly easy to see why (because of what the Panthers lost), but we probably did them an injustice by not trying harder to get Phillipsburg on the list. Sure, the Panthers lost Sean Newlan, and the bulk of their defense from a season ago. Keep in mind, though, when teams lose a “standout” player, sometimes that makes them better as a team, and that can be more dangerous. Friday is Week 4 of the season with a big matchup against MCL rival Smith Center.

- Nick

I think sometimes people forget the stark difference between 11-man and 8-man football. Eight-man has, on the whole, fewer punts and way more scoring on an 80-yard field, 20 yards shorter than the 11-man field. I looked at every game from Week 1 of the 2013 season; the 11-man teams averaged 24 points per game. The eight-man squads averaged 33.4 Two different types of football, both very exciting.

- Conor The Phillipsburg volleyball team continues to roll. The Panthers, under veteran coach Terra Keeten, simply do not fall off. This fall, Phillipsburg started 5-0, including a three-set victory against rival Smith Center.

- Conor

Buzz

Sept. 27 — The La Crosse High School football team hosts Plainville in the annual rivalry contest. La Crosse has won the last three meetings, with two coming two years ago (regular season and sub-state championship game).

Sept. 27 — The Hays High football team hosts Garden City for its homecoming game at Lewis Field Stadium.

Oct. 5 — Fort Hays State University hosts William Jewell for homecoming, part of the annual Oktoberfest celebration.

Oct. 15 — High school girls compete in regional golf tournaments to determine state qualifiers. Hays and Colby will host the 5A and 4A regionals.

What’s on your mind?

Tweet to @HDNsports, #sportsink

Ness City Jr./Sr. High

Jaden Williams Stockton junior

Victoria Jr./Sr. HS

Wow! 25-22 Lady Eagles win set 3! 2-0 on the evening for both JV and V. Good job ladies!

I can’t decide if I want track or basketball here quicker.

Way to compete Knight XC! It was like running on the sun today. Great job battling the heat!

Sports Ink.

On the Horizon

October 2013

James Harris TMP assistant FB coach

Good, better, best, never let it rest, until good is your better and better is your best!

Marcus Moeder WSU track and field

I applaud any man who can bring AP to the ground one on one...the man is a beast!

Page 17

18

The closer

austin

Colbert

I

It pulls you in

’ve never seen an eight-man football game.

The idea is still weird to me, but my interest in it has certainly risen after making trips to Logan and Kensington (both towns I had never heard of until recently) to get interviews for stories.

Coming from Wichita, eight-man football just didn’t get much attention.

The reason I moved from Wichita to Hays was to work for The Hays Daily News, something I would have never imagined doing just a few years ago. In fact, becoming a journalist wasn’t even a plan of mine.

I remember debating with myself on whether or not I should apply for my school newspaper at Wichita State University. I was fairly shy and lacked confidence, and was convinced I wasn’t a good enough writer to get hired. I was a fourthyear senior that had just declared journalism as my major, now my third choice.

As it turned out, most of my fears were completely unfounded.

I graduated from WSU in May with a degree in communications and spent a year and a half as the editor-in-chief of my college paper. I was twice named the Kansas Collegiate Journalist of the Year by the Kansas Collegiate Media and covered the entire NCAA Tournament, including WSU’s Final Four run, letting me rub shoulders with the biggest names in the sports industry.

Then I decided to move to Hays in late July and have been sent to cover some of the state’s smallest communities, a far cry from the craziness of Charles Koch Arena.

And surprisingly, I love it.

Covering major sporting events in cities like Los Angeles and Atlanta is a lot of fun. But I’ve learned that it’s just as special to drive two hours from the nearest McDonald’s to write about a kid that no Division I university will ever bat an eyelash at.

In some ways, that story is much more personal and fulfilling.

I know I still have a lot to learn about journalism, about western Kansas, and about eight-man football (did you know the field is only 80-yards long?). But I’m finding that Hays might be the best place to learn all of this.

Maybe I’m still out of my element in the small towns like Russell and Victoria (I used to think Hutchinson was small), but there is a charm to them that has already pulled me in.

There are great people here, great communities, and great athletics. As I continue to get to know all of you, I’m sure I will discover even more great things, and hopefully my editors will let me write about every one of them.

785-625-5736 Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm

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TRENT RIETZKE Thunder Ridge junior

The tailback for the Longhorns helped Thunder Ridge avenge last year’ season-opening loss by guiding his team to a 60-30 win against Rock Hills to open the season. Rietzke finished with 210 rushing yards on 28 carries with four touchdowns, part of 420 yards on the ground for the Longhorns in the game. Thunder Ridge scored seven rushing touchdowns.

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Office: 785.798.2300 Cell: 785-798-5341

19

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