Sports Ink Test

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A magazine focusing on all things sports in northwest Kansas

Time to …

August 2011

‘Shrine’ Stars gather in Hays for annual charity event for Shriners Hospitals for Children

The Hays Daily News

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What’s up?

A look inside this issue

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Slidin’ sideways

Fun in the sun

The Hays Recreation Commission offers baseball, softball opportunities for youth.

8

Time to ‘Shrine’ Area athletes ready for big stage at annual

Kansas Shrine Bowl in Hays.

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ontinuing to

Run

Three area runners will get a chance to stay the course during the Shrine Bowl

All-Star race.

Larry Radcliffe, Hill City, pilots his United Rebel Sprint Series 305 sprint car during a heat race July 15 at WaKeeney Speedway.

NICK SCHWIEN Sports Ink.

Cover illustration by Nick Schwien nschwien@dailynews.net Sports Ink. contributors: Nick McQueen nmcqueen@dailynews.net Conor Nicholl cnicholl@dailynews.net Raymond Hillegas rhillegas@dailynews.net Steven Hausler shausler@dailynews.net Volume 1, Issue 6 Sports Ink. is published and distributed by The Hays Daily News. Copyright © 2011 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.

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Walk away, or return?

T

he thought of walking away crossed his mind. Pack it every piece and then some, with the exception of two doors up and never look back. and two fenders. They were the only things salvageable.

After all, he was lucky to be walking away from what A friend of his estimated it took approximately 500 total happened at all. All his blood, sweat and tears were in scathours to get things back in running order. It was a paintered pieces. And if they weren’t in pieces, things were bent staking task, especially since he put in several hours in the like a contortionist. offseason to get ready, only to have it all tore up in just a That tends to happen when you barrel roll in your stock few races. car down the frontstretch of WaKeeney Speedway, one of the He missed approximately six weeks. Upon his return, he most violent things a driver can experience. Terry Cunningwas burned out. ham lived through it April 24 at his hometown dirt track.

“The first night back at Hays, I went out and came back in “After I tore it up at WaKeeney and just trying to get it done and told my wife, ‘Let’s load it up and go home,’ ” he said and back together, I was about ready to walk away,” he said. about the June 10 race at RPM Speedway. “It wasn’t fun. So “I was burned out. I worked until 2 or 3 we set down for about five minutes FOR STARTERS o’clock in the morning every night.” and talked about things. … I decided Cunningham ended up on the driver’s to try it again and got up and changed side when the wreck ended. He’s unsure a few things. Then we went out and how many times he actually rolled, and ran second and had fun again.” footage of the accident — his wife, Kim, It helped Cunningham had his wife dutifully tapes each race he’s in — didn’t by his side, no matter if he would have show everything because she dropped walked away or not. the video camera when the accident began in turn four to “When she’s not at the track, I’m kind of lost,” he said. rush to her husband’s side. By the time he stopped rolling, “She knows I’m not going to get into something if it’s not he was past the flagstand near turn 1. right. She had no qualms about (me getting back in it). If Luckily, he was not injured. she did, she didn’t tell me. She said it’s a helpless feeling But upon his return from turkey hunting, a big task was watching something like that. She doesn’t like all the work ahead of him — the rebuilding process. Night after night, that I had to put in it. She lived without a husband for six he toiled in his shop. The process basically involved nearly more weeks. a complete rebuild. He acknowledges it would have been “If she didn’t enjoy it and didn’t go to the races, I’m 99 quicker to come back if he had a new chassis waiting in the percent sure I wouldn’t be doing it. That’s some of the time wings. Instead, he had to pry, bend and straighten about we get to spend together.”

nick

SCHWIEN

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Who’s That?

Notable performances in northwest Kansas Dylan Gottschalk

The player for the Hays Monarchs came on strong this summer and was hitting .365 heading into the Class AA Zone Tournament last week in Pratt.

He had three home runs, tying for the team lead, and his .615 slugging percentage was secondbest for the Monarchs.

The team was 18-12 entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed.

C.J. Johnson

The Quinter sprint car driver won his heat race at the 55th annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals on July 16, then finished third in the 360 feature. A night earlier, he won a URSS 305 sprint car feature in WaKeeney. On July 17, Johnson finished third at the URSS fourth annual Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals at RPM Speedway in Hays.

Baylee Holecek

The 11-year-old, in her first season competing with the Hays Striders track club, qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics in Wichita in the 400-meter dash and the pentathlon. The soon-to-be sixthgrader at Ness City has a season-best 67.95 seconds in the 400. In the pentathlon, her personal best is 12 foot, 10.25 inches in the long jump; 2 minutes, 51 seconds in the 800-meter run; 23-81⁄4 in the shot put; 18 seconds in the 80-meter hurdles and 3-101⁄2 in the high jump.

Josh Munsch

The 20-year-old who runs for the University of Kansas cross country and track team won the Wild West Festival 5K run July 2 in Hays. Munsch won in a time of 15 minutes, 43.05 seconds — nearly a minute ahead of the second-place finisher. It was the second-fastest time in the event’s history. Munsch is a former standout runner for Hays High School.

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

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

Fun summer T

he hot sun beats down on the well-manicured fields as children of all ages kick the reddish dirt, sending small plumes of dust into the Kansas wind.

The familiar sound of pings outnumber the birds chirping near the diamonds at Auble-Bickle Park, and the encouraging sounds from coaches and parents quickly outnumber the pings of the aluminum bats.

Such is the case for children playing softball and baseball during the summer sports season of the Hays Recreation Commission.

In some games, score is kept. In others, simply getting players in the right positions and batting order is the objective — that, and the development of the players.

“I think as far as opportunities, sportsmanship and things like that, the HRC does a good job of getting everyone involved,” said Jaymie Ruder, one of the coaches for the Hyper Hitters girls’ 8-and-younger coach-pitch softball league. “In time, you might see the better athletes rise to the top. But it’s great to see those kids who at the beginning of the year had trouble hitting the ball then get to the point where they can hit it all the time on the first few pitches.”

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in the

SUN

Ruder is in the second year of helping coach an HRC team.

Her husband, Brian, also is a coach in the HRC. “It’s always fun to support the kids and help out other kids, too,” she said.

HRC Superintendent Roger Bixenman has watched the summer baseball, softball and Tball leagues grow through the years, including adding a K-18 league this season.

“It’s a good way for them to get out and not only develop their skills as a baseball and softball player … but it offers an opportunity to meet new friends.

Hopefully we’re able

“It’s always fun to support the kids and help out other kids, too.”

Jaymie Ruder, HRC coach Page 6

August 2011

to provide everything for them to have fun.”

Bixenman said he is proud when he sees former HRC participants continue into the high school and collegiate levels after getting a start in the local programs.

“They all start out like I’ve seen them in our leagues and move on,” he said. “It’s nice to see them move on to the high school level, and some even on to college ball.

It’s rewarding to see them do that.”

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One of the biggest things Bixenman said makes the summer leagues successful is the volunteers, including coaches, parents and umpires.

Many of those coaches are parents of children playing on teams. That’s the case for Troy Herrman, who coaches his son’s 8-and-younger coach pitch baseball team.

“Our kids start soccer in the spring and then jump into baseball and softball in the summer,” Herrman said.

“It’s what they look forward to all day to go play the game.”

Herrman has spent enough years coaching to know the HRC programs are a great learning experience for all involved.

“I think you learn a lot about yourself as an individual with a lot of the stuff we do in life,” he said. “The kids show you that.”

• NICK SCHWIEN, Sports Ink.

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8

Time to …

Area athletes get ready for big stage at annual Kansas Shrine Bowl

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a Crosse’s Marcus Moeder and Norton’s Terrell Lane started all four years for teams that often played deep into the playoffs but never reached a state title game. Each accumulated big numbers and suffered conor injuries that cost them parts of seasons. nicholl Hill City quarterback Reggie Jordan was, statistically, the nation’s most productive eight-man player in Raymond 2010. The scrambling signal caller, like Moeder and Hillegas Lane, was well-known throughout Kansas during and Steven his career. Jordan led the Ringnecks to the greatHausler est season in school history last fall and later collected the highest individual honor for a Kansas eight-man player.

Two and a half years ago, Casey Sedbrook transferred from WaKeeney-Trego Community High School to Hays High School. He had started for Trego, a .500 program, but was a little undersized. Sedbrook quickly gained weight, fought through several injuries and became the fulcrum for the Indians’ turnaround as a running back and linebacker.

For many years, Smith La Crosse’s Center’s Marcus Moeder wishbone/belly series offense was built around small, yet quick, offensive linemen. In 2009, though, Marshall Musil, Moeder’s friend and Justin Nixon changed the trend. former teammate The 360-pound Nixon, the biggest player in coach Roger Barta’s 33 years, picked up a Shrine Bowl nomination. Two years later, 250-pound Josh Nixon, followed in his brother’s footsteps.

The quintet, from different schools and backgrounds, will come to the same place Saturday: Fort Hays State University’s Lewis Field Stadium, site of the 38th annual Shrine Bowl.

story by

photos by

“Marcus is not afraid

to hit anyone.

He may not be the biggest person out there, but he is going to run full speed at you and

hit you right in the mouth.”

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‘Shrine’ Consistent Moeder

everal weeks ago, La Crosse football coach Jon Webster was working at the high school while Moeder completed a workout for the Wichita State University track team, the program he’ll attend in the fall. Webster and Moeder took a break and talked for approximately 30 minutes.

“I don’t know if there was ever a time when the two of us just sat and talked,” Webster said. “That was something, we weren’t player and coach anymore. It was just a couple of guys sitting around hanging out, talking.

It was just two friends.”

Moeder and Webster discussed Moeder’s workout, what he expected at Wichita State, shared laughs and embarrassing stories and talked about past La Crosse football games and track meets. Webster recently called the conversation his favorite moment with Moeder, an athlete who rushed for 3,648 career yards, set school records in the 100-meter dash and long jump and won the Class 2A state long jump title this spring.

“I can think of a million different great plays he made on the football field, but just sitting there spending time with a great young man and somebody I am extremely proud of was probably the most special,” Webster said.

Moeder certainly was special on the field, too. In his first three seasons, the 6-foot, 150-pound Moeder exceeded 1,000 yards twice and averaged nine yards a carry. Defensively, he picked off 13 passes and was known for his speed, awareness and big hits.

“Marcus is not afraid to hit anyone,” said Marshall Musil, a 2009 Shrine Bowl selection from La Crosse and Moeder’s best friend. “He may not be the biggest person out there, but he is going to run full speed at you and hit you right in the mouth. He sees the field so well that it is just hard for him not to be in every play. He is just so fast to the ball.”

Last fall, Moeder injured his foot early in the season and missed four and a half games.

“It was just pretty hard, but it was something I had to deal with,” he said.

Even with the injury Moeder, known for his calm and stoic demeanor, kept the same personality. He came to every practice and workout and helped the other players. Webster likened Moeder to another coach. Only once did Webster see Moeder show emotion. On Oct. 15, Moeder returned against Brookville/ Ell-Saline. Moeder was playing defense, made a break on the ball and fell down. At first, Webster thought Moeder had hurt his foot and attempted to pull Moeder out of the game.

Moeder was halfway to the sideline when he became upset.

“He really didn’t want to listen to anything that I had to say, but I threw him back out there the next play and he went out and led us to a nice victory and made some nice plays,” Webster said.

In the abbreviated season, Moeder still finished with 707 rushing yards and 25 tackles. But on the strength of his entire career, Moeder still picked up a Shrine Bowl invitation for a program that has four double-digit win seasons in the last five years. He is the fourth Leopard selected in the last five years; La Crosse had three in the previous 21 seasons PAGE 10 before 2007.

August 2011

Page 9

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Norton’s Terrell Lane

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“It’s our community and our program,” Webster said of the Shrine Bowl selections. “Our parents do a great job getting our kids to commit to our program and doing the little things that need to be successful. Those individuals that are rewarded, it really says a lot for the entire team. We have had a nice string of kids in the Shrine Bowl and it’s almost come to each year, the seniors are kind of looking at each other and they are like, ‘Well, who is it going to be this year. Almost like a little competition amongst them to be the one who is picked.’ ”

Lane: natural player

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ome athletes just look like a prototypical football player. One of those was 5-foot-11, 220-pound Norton running back Terrell Lane, a big, bruising athlete known for his physicality and speed.

“Just looking at him, he fits the part,” Plainville coach Joe Simon said.

Those attributes helped Lane earn effusive praise from opposing coaches.

Before the 2010 season started, Scott City coach Glenn O’Neil called Lane a “powerful back with playbreaking speed.” Beloit coach Greg Koenig labeled Lane “an explosive game-changer in all phases.” During the season, Smith Center coach Roger Barta, in his 32nd year with the Redmen, called Lane “as good as any back we’ve ever seen” after Lane rushed for 281 yards and five scores in a Norton victory.

Lane’s talents helped him overcome various problems. Lane originally was from Texas, but his parents had trouble and the courts moved him to Norton to live with his grandmother when he was in elementary school.

On the field, Lane tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the final game of his sophomore season. Lane first went to a doctor in Phillipsburg for a diagnosis. “(He) told me that I had completely blown it and I was never going to be able to run as fast as I did or cut like I did,” Lane said. “He basically told me that I would never be able to play football like I did again.”

Lane went to a second doctor in Kearney, Neb., who gave more positive news. Lane returned in two months, but then battled a bad ankle sprain his junior season.

Lane missed little time and had his second of three 1,000-yard years.

“He wanted to play,” Norton coach Lucas Hill City’s Melvin said. “You don’t recover from a bad ankle Reggie Jordan sprain for a long time.”

Last year, a healthy Lane delivered 1,748 rushing yards, pushing his career total to 5,013 yards. Lane, the cousin of NFL running back Cedric Benson, became the fourth Norton player to reach the Shrine Bowl in the last 11 years.

“He has got size, he has got speed, and he runs hard,” Simon said.

Jordan: Eight-Man pick

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he most rare of all achievements for a Kansas eight-man football player is a Shrine Bowl selection.

Only four eight-man players, two for the West and two for the East, earn a nod. At the start of the season, Jordan didn’t even have the Shrine Bowl as one of his goals. Instead, he simply wanted to make the two eight-man all-star games: the Kansas East vs. West game in mid-June and the more exclusive (only 24 players) Kansas vs.

Nebraska game in late June.

In the fall, Jordan collected 3,606 total yards, the nation’s best among eight-man players, according to MaxPreps. com, and earned Hays Daily News Offensive Player of the Year honors.

He helped Hill City finish 11-2, the most wins in school history, and advance to the state title game. The numbers and victories yielded a surprise for Jordan after the fall.

Camaro Enough said.

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During sixth hour one day, Hill City coach Chris Shank told Jordan he had made the Shrine Bowl, the fourth Ringneck player in school history to earn the honor and the first since 1987.

“I really couldn’t say anything,” Jordan said. “Out of all the eight-man kids in the state, I got selected as one.”

The Shrine Bowl also offers another rare opportunity for Jordan — his first 11-man game since 2007. Hill City switched to eight-man after Jordan’s freshman year. Jordan, who likely will be used as a multi-purpose threat in the Shrine Bowl, will play 11-man football next fall at Hutchinson Community College.

“Gives me a chance to get back to 11-man and get a feel before I go off to college and play,” Jordan said.

Sedbrook: The Transfer

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s a sophomore, Casey Sedbrook was 5-foot-8 and weighed 159 pounds. He gained 449 rushing yards, collected eight rushing touchdowns and 77 tackles for WaKeeney-Trego.

Once Ryan Cornelsen took over as Hays High’s football coach, Cornelsen hired longtime friend Steve Sedbrook, Casey’s dad, as an assistant. Casey transferred and finished up his sophomore year at Hays High.

The next fall, Sedbrook had grown to 5-11, 180 pounds. He collected 101 tackles and helped Hays High to a 7-2 record.

“He had some success at WaKeeney,”

Hays High’s Casey Sedbrook

Cornelsen said. “I felt like the first couple of practices, maybe he could play for us and help us. Then after the first few games, I realized that he was awfully good and a lot of that is that he prepared himself physically in the weight room.”

Last fall, Sedbrook, who bulked up to 184 pounds for his senior year, earned first team all-WAC honors for the second straight season when he rushed for 1,008 yards, the first HHS’ player to clear the milestone since 2003. Even more special was Sedbrook’s desire. He fought through a leg injury as a junior and a shoulder problem last fall.

Cornelsen said he couldn’t imagine having a kid “that plays with any more emotion.” HHS wrestling coach John Hafliger called Sedbrook the toughest kid he ever coached.

Even with the accolades, Sedbrook was left off the initial Shrine Bowl roster but was added within a few days.

Sedbrook represents the seventh Hays High selection since ‘98.

“Having it in Hays, that was always kind of a goal,” Sedbrook said.

In addition, it gives Cornelsen, formerly the La Crosse coach for six seasons, a Shrine Bowl pick for five straight seasons. Sedbrook will play football and baseball at Fort Hays State University next season.

Nixon: Following family

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hroughout the decades, Smith Center, helped by longtime assistant coaches Dennis Hutchinson and Tim Wilson, long has been able to find and develop strong offensive linemen.

“Traditionally, we have been able to run the football, and we have had some great linemen. And our line coaches, I think, do a really good job teaching line fundamentals,” Smith Center coach Roger Barta said. “But we’ve just been blessed. Good linemen in the state of Kansas are hard PAGE 13 to find.”

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Usually the linemen are small and quick. On the famous 2007 Smith Center team that set multiple Kansas records and earned national media attention, only two players weighed more than 220 pounds: junior Justin Nixon, a starter at tackle, and his brother, freshman Josh.

“Traditionally, we are always small in the line and hopefully we are quick, and we believe in speed and ability to run,” Barta said. “Traditionally, we don’t have very many big kids at Smith Center.”

But the Nixon brothers have been a little different. Justin picked up Shrine Bowl honors in ‘08. The next year, Josh moved into a full-time role for the entire season. He was the team’s biggest player in 2009 at 250 pounds — 30 pounds bigger than all but one Redmen. Last year, Nixon weighed 250

pounds again, Smith Center’s secondbiggest player. He earned unanimous first team all-league honors on both sides of the ball and helped Smith Center finish 8-3 and average 327 rushing yards a contest.

Nixon anchored the left side of the line, traditionally the side Smith Center usually runs toward.

His play produced the Redmen’s 19th Shrine Bowl pick since 1994. Since then, they’ve had at least one every year except ‘03 and Smith ‘07.

Center’s Josh Nixon

“They were both real strong,” Barta said. “Josh was a real strong young man, especially in the hands. If he gets his hands on you, you are dead. He has got you. He has got pretty good feet, too. His hands and feet are pretty good, and he is a smart young man and a competitive person.”

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Continuing to 14

Run T

his winter, when Hays High School senior Bailey Zimmerman got the letter inviting her to compete in the Shrine Bowl All-Star cross country race, she couldn’t help but

smile.

“I was excited,” Zimmerman said. “It is an honor to run with those girls.”

Zimmerman will compete with 27 other top seniors from all classifications in Kansas, which includes 12 all-state runners, in a 2-mile race Saturday at Fort Hays State University.

“I am really scared and Bailey Zimmerman, nervous,” Zimmerman left, and Seth Tophoj said. “These are some both were key comof the best runponents of the Hays High cross country ners from all over team last season.

Kansas. But at the They are two of three same time, I am area runners compretty excited to run peting in the Shrine with all of these really Bowl All-Star race. amazing runners.”

Page 14

August 2011

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“It is funny how it worked out. My senior year it came to Fort Hays, and I am going to be running (collegiately) at Fort Hays. It will be really cool to have all my friends and family come watch.” Bailey Zimmerman This will be the fourth time the all-star runners, which includes 20 allThunder Ridge High School also will Shrine Bowl All-Star cross country state runners. be competing in the women’s race. race has been run, and it will be the He has the ninth-fastest time from She was an all-state runner in Class first time it has been at Fort Hays.

1A this fall, finishing 14th in 17:27.03 state heading into the all-star race, finFort Hays cross country coach Jason ishing in 16:45.20 on the 5,000-meter on Oct. 30 in Wamego.

McCullough planned the course Oct. 30 at Rim Rock Farm.

Adams said she is a bit nercourse for the Shrine Bowl “There aren’t a whole lot of kids that vous for the race since she has race. get to participate,” Tophoj said. “I am had a tough time training. She It will begin at Lewis Field, injured her knee during basket- definitely excited to be able to run this and the runners will funrace.” ball season. nel through the south gate Tophoj, who will join Zimmerman “I got a knee bruise, and that and onto the dike. They will at Fort Hays this fall, has been trainknee has been bothering me proceed north along the dike, ing for collegiate running, so he said as I’ve been training for cross Adams run by Wiest Hall, turn around he is prepared. country,” Adams said. near the Wooster Apartments and run “I think I am in pretty good shape,” Hays High senior Seth Tophoj will along Big Creek to Main Street before Tophoj said. “I don’t know if I will be compete for the Indians on the boys’ turning back to return to the stadium. side. They will run the same 2-mile in as good of shape as I was in state “It is funny how it worked out,” track. I am ready for the race though.” course as the women.

Zimmerman said. “My senior year it • KLINT SPILLER, Sports Ink. Tophoj will compete with 31 other came to Fort Hays, and I am going to ACIDIZING CEMENT TOOL RENTAL be running (collegiately) at Fort Hays.

It will be really cool to have all my friends and family come watch.”

Zimmerman finished 13th in a time of 16 minutes and 30.70 seconds at the Class 5A meet Oct. 30 at Rim Rock Farm, which gives her the seventhfastest time from state heading into the all-star race. But that was nine months ago.

Though it has been a long time since she ran on a cross country course, Zimmerman said she still feels as though she is geared for the longCody Gougler, distance races. outfielder and She finished third in the 800-meter first baseman run in 2:21.03 on May 28 at state, and Hays Larks she said she has been staying active A junior to be at Southeastern Lousiana University, Gougler led the Hays Larks in this summer. batting average into mid-July. Gougler was batting .411 in 35 games played. He also had Zimmerman has been trying to run scored 29 runs and had 51 hits, 10 doubles, two every day in the morning. She also home runs and 27 runs driven in. Gougler, a second-year player in Hays, also carried a has been walking to work at Sonic, .540 slugging percentage and led the Larks in walks by the midway point of the month. and she has been active at the lake on weekends.

“I am getting up and running, but it has been really hard to find the selfmotivation to get up at 7 a.m. when I go to bed at like midnight,” ZimmerOffice: 785.798.2300 Cell: 785-798-5341 man said. swiftinc@gbta.net P.O. Box 466, Ness City, KS 67560 KimbraLee Adams of Kensington-

16

Just a Minute with Nick McQueen

Barb Leo

Wife of Hays Larks Manager Frank Leo Q: In your eyes, what makes the Hays Larks special?

A: I think it’s the tradition of the Larks. Just the fact they’ve been around technically since the 1800s. We didn’t become the Larks until 1946, but the tradition and the consistency of Frank being there for 30 years makes it very, very special. And, the guys that return year after year.

Q: Do you ever get tired of baseball?

A: Baseball? No. I do get tired sometimes of all the extra work that goes with it. Frank is constantly on the phone. He’ll drive in the garage and I say, “Good, now I can tell him what I needed to tell him.” And, he’s on the phone. We have trouble finding time to talk to each other sometimes during the summer.

Q: What do you see as your role with the Larks?

A: I see my role as Frank’s right arm. I try to do the things he just flat doesn’t have time to do — take care of emailing. I count up the money every night and many times get it out to the Larks’ treasurer, finding host families, just a whole ton of stuff. Some people probably think I just show up to the ball game and keep the book, but there’s a lot more.

Q: Your family also has hosted Larks in the past. How great of an experience is that?

A: It is really an awesome experience. They’re all different, so you might get a really funny guy, you might get a real serious guy. You might get a guy that loves to eat, you might get a guy that doesn’t eat very much. But just over the years, we have enjoyed every single player.

When they leave, there is a huge void for a couple of weeks. It’s like a member of your family is gone.

What her husband and two friends think about:

Barb Leo

ON

Take a guess. How Who would play her many home runs has she in a movie about the Larks? seen at Larks Park?

I‘m guessing she’s seen 600-plus.

Q: What is the most memorable summer you’ve witnessed?

A: Would have to be the 1995 (NBC) World Series.

It would just have to be. We had never made the championship game before. Lance Berkman put us on his back and carried us through. We just watched that video again. We get a kick out of it every time we watch it. We’re down 9-3, and Lance hits a grand slam or any moment like that. That was the most memorable World Series for sure. 2001 was a very memorable summer, too.

Q: What sets the Larks apart from some of the other summer programs?

A: The community support. If you travel to any of the other Jayhawk League teams, they draw maybe 50 or 100 if they’re lucky. Derby might draw more, but that’s about it. We get crowds that are 600, 1,000 on a special night. I just feel like our community supports the Larks better than the other communities do.

Q: How long will the Leo family keep this going?

A: That is a good question. I’m hoping that it will keep going for a while. I don’t know if I could put a number of years on it. There always seems to be a point in the summer where it’s really hot, and we might be in a bit of a slump and Frank will maybe say, “Man, I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” And yet, when we get to the World Series, it’s just so much fun. I am not ready for it to be over. But, who knows? I can’t even put a number of years on it. I can’t imagine what would happen to the Larks program.

Use three words to describe her.

What baseball position best fits her?

Taking a guess, what was her worst and best subject in school?

Diane Keaton

Dedicated, caring, loving.

Catcher.

(Hey, she caught me, didn’t she?)

Worst: history.

Best: math.

Amy Madigan (“Field of Dreams”)

Dedicated, Loyal, A believer.

Barbara Billingsley (“Leave it to Beaver”)

Graceful, resourceful, tenacious.

Frank Leo Well over 1,000, taking into consideration home runs hit by FHSU players, HHS players, Larks players over the years.

Kathy Harper

1,247 Ken Windholz

Math was her best, Catcher. and biology her worst.

(She would want to be I know for a fact close to the action.) she was a very good student.

Pitcher.

(Definitely).

Worst: vocal music.

Best: math.

17

Memory Lane

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he only two times the Shrine Bowl annual charity game has been played in Hays, records have been set — in the form of a field goal.

During the 2007 version, in the 10-year anniversary of the game’s previous visit to Lewis Field Stadium, it came as no surprise the focus was on a kicker after the final horn.

After attempting just five field goals during his senior season at Valley Center, Drew Johnson made his presence felt, helping the West squad to a 26-7 victory at Lewis Field Stadium.

The future Friends University kicker booted two field goals and set a new record.

“It was a great opportunity,” said Johnson, whose field goals were the first two made of his career.

His 57-yard field goal in the thirdquarter broke the Shrine Bowl record, set previously by Hays High School’s Wes Simoneau in 1997, the only other time the game had been played in Hays in its 37-year history.

“When I kicked it, I thought it was good immediately,” Johnson said at the time.

The two field goals were mixed with two touchdown runs by Andale’s Jason Robben, named the West’s most valuable player with 86 rushing yards on 16 carries.

The win by the West at the time was the 20th in the series. It was the second win in a streak of five straight heading into this year’s game. Overall, the West leads the series 23-13-1.

• NICK MCQUEEN, Sports Ink.

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The Hays CVB Welcomes You!

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Enjoy these other events and attractions in and around Hays.

Aug. 13 Sept. 17-18 Oct. 7 & 8

Herzogfest Midwest Deutsche Oktoberfest FHSU Homecoming/Oktoberfest Historic Fort Hays and Sternberg Museum of Natural History

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Contact the Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau to find out how we can help you organize your next event in Hays.

785-628-8202 1-800-569-4505 www.haysusa.net

18

Chuck Norris approved

I

f you ever have a chance to eavesdrop on the sports ofthe “Annoying Orange.” You want to talk about annoying? fice here at The Hays Daily News, you’ll quickly realize Talk about Hays High School’s Casey Sedbrook. one thing — each individual here has a list for everyNo matter how bad you want him to stay down, Sedthing. brook won’t give up. Quite often, he The Closer Whether it be top five athletes, top 10 might be the most undersized on the sports movies or even top six places to field for his position, but you’re not eat French fries, you name it, we have going to get rid of him. He’ll keep a list for it. coming at you.

During Fall 2010, there was one guy You know “Bieber Fever?” They say who was at the top of pretty much Chuck Norris can cure it. I’m not imevery list we put together — Hill City’s pressed.

Reggie Jordan.

What is impressive is La Crosse’s MarNever before had I seen one player who could take concus Moeder, and his confidence to admit Katy Perry’s “Calitrol of a football game like Jordan did for the Eight-Man, fornia Girls” was one of his favorites. Talk about believing Division I state runner-up Ringnecks. He made every list in your “game.” That carries over we had during the football season, even our published one onto the field. when he was named our offensive player of the year. He And finally Chuck Norwas our own version of Chuck Norris. ris — enough said. Nah. Which got me thinking: Maybe we all have a little Chuck Let’s change that to Norris in us. Especially, the five area players competing in Josh Nixon, a linethis weekend’s Shrine Bowl. Need some proof? man from Smith They say if Chuck Norris had a twin, the world would Center — enough come to doom. Oh yeah? If Reggie Jordan had a twin, the said. school would not only have had its first state appearance By the way, Chuck in history, it would be touting a trophy and some finger Norris made me write bling. Though, his numbers would have gone down, this. his dual-threat ability would have become a quadruplethreat. But, I’ll bet Hill City faithful might be wishing Jordan came with a younger brother, because without him, Ringneck football might be in for a long season.

They say Chuck Norris can cut through a hot knife with butter.

So what? Norton’s Terrell Lane cut through something not many have been able to for the past six years — the Smith Center defense.

No one who pays attention will be able to forget when he rushed for 281 yards and four scores (five total) on just 15 touches in a 42-26 drubbing of the Hill City perennial powerphenom house.

Reggie It’s a Chuck Jordan Norris fact he could annoy

nick

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19

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