Varsity Kansas - The Blog

This iPod thing is pretty addictive. I started putting songs in it on Friday and I’m already over 1,000 with plenty of my CDs still to be put in. All my CDs are burned, so I have to name all the tracks and artists. It’s pretty time-consuming, but a lot of fun. I’ve added a lot of songs that weren’t on my CDs, too.

Between that and not having celebrated Christmas yet, I admittedly haven’t been thinking a lot about high school sports. My sister and her husband were out of town on Christmas, with his family, so my family pushed Christmas back until Saturday, when nobody has to work. Sitting here on Dec. 27 with tons of Christmas presents still under the tree is an odd feeling. But, to be honest, it actually feels like the day before the day before Christmas. Or Christmas Eve-Eve, if you will.

 I’ll be ready to get back to the grind next week, though. City League hoops gets going again, and Hoopfest is next week. That has always been one of my favorite events, and will be exciting this year because of the boys game between Southeast and East. I don’t imagine any team beating the Buffaloes this season, but the Aces definitely have the talent to do it.

I’m going to try to implement some new features in this blog after the break, to get more regular visitors and make it a little more newsy, as opposed to just some guy giving his thoughts on the Kansas high school sports landscape. The only one I’ve thought of so far is a “Game of the Week” feature, which I’ll use for the rest of the basketball season. I’ll pick an important game from the area and break it down, providing keys to the game and comments from both coaches. This is something I’m definitely looking forward to doing.

As far as other features go, I’ll have to brainstorm some more. You readers are more than welcome to offer ideas, and maybe I’ll pick one of those. That’s all for now. I’ve got to get back to shaking presents.

Sitting here waiting for coaches to call me back, so I thought I’d blog on as many topics as I can think of. Here we go.

– As unsettling as the hype around the Brown/Harper press conference was to some, a lot of positives came out of the recruitment process…

As a side note, I must point out that pretty much right when I started writing this blog, both coaches called me back within a few seconds of one another. So I’m done with that, but I’ll continue blogging anyway.

…like I was saying, a lot of good came from the attention Arthur and Chris got from major colleges this year. Their success will likely prompt coaches on every level — JUCO, Division I, NAIA, etc. — to give a Wichita kid a look. Look at all the major college coaches who got to see players besides Arthur and Chris who were at the camp held by Brian Butler this summer. So even if some see the recruiting process as impure or overhyped, the end result is that more athletes from this area will have a better chance to get a college education. Tell me how that’s a bad thing.

– As far as basketball goes, the City League is off until Thursday, with no games on Friday. So this is the chance for some area teams to steal some attention. When you wake up to The Eagle’s sports section tomorrow, you’ll find articles about some teams we aren’t always as quick to cover when City League games are going on. I’m going to Hillsboro tonight to watch the defending 3A champion Collegiate boys take on the Trojans. The Spartans look to be well on their way to defending their title.

– Speaking of 3A, I’m coming clean and admitting that having Thomas More Prep as the No. 7-ranked team overall in the preseason rankings was pretty boneheaded. I watched them dominate the Class 4A tournament last year and finish 24-1 and figured they’d be even more dangerous dropping down a level. Apparently I figured wrong. They’ve already lost two games and only beat Sunrise by 5. No offense, Sunrise. But can we all just forget that I put TMP at No. 7? Thanks.

– While we’re at it, let’s also forget that I ranked Cheney No. 5 in 3A last week, even though the Cardinals moved up to 4A this year. The KSHSAA is so confusing sometimes. But I’ll take the blame on that one.

– As excited as I am about giving some good area teams much-deserved pub tonight, I think we can all agree that the highlight of this week’s basketball schedule is the boys game on Thursday between South and Southeast. I just talked to Deon Allen (he called back), and he said he couldn’t remember his colleagues and students being as excited about as South basketball game as they are this one. These Titans haven’t played in many big games, but that could work in their favor.

– I’ve been alerted by my boss, esteemed editor Kirk Seminoff, that for our year-end package, I’ve been assigned to write a column about something important that happened on the high school beat this season. I have a few ideas, but I’ve only been on this beat about a month, and I missed most of football season while on an internship in Atlanta. So I’m calling on readers for some help. What were some of the most memorable high school sports moments you can remember from this calendar year? If you nominate one and I pick it, you win nothing. But I’m sure it will make both of us happy.

I’ve been watching too much Game Show Network recently, and one of the shows that I’ve spent too much time on is “To Tell The Truth,” hosted by the guy who played Jay Peterman on Seinfeld

In the show, three people claim to be a person who accomplished some obscure feat, and the D-list celebrity panel asks each of them questions to figure out which one is who he or she is claiming to be. I promise, I’ll get to my point eventually.

Anyway, on the rare occasion that one of the panelists knows which person is real, that panelist bows out of that round, not asking any questions or predicting who is real after the questions are over. So, since today is the day when City League football players Arthur Brown and Chris Harper announce their college choices, I must bow out of the prediction game as far as Harper goes. I already know where he’s going. At least I think I do.

And all of you will know in about an hour, too. But I can still predict on Brown, and I’m picking LSU. The only reason I have is because when Brian Butler appeared on the radio this morning, he listed Brown’s possible destinations and said LSU first. I just don’t think he was listing them in random order.

I’m pretty excited to attend this press conference, and I don’t know why. I’m basically against the hype machine that is ESPN, but they run these press conferences every now and then, and the whole thing where the guy puts on the hat of his new college and people go crazy is somewhat appealing. It will be a new experience, to say the least.

I mean, all Arthur and Chris will really be doing is announcing which school they’ll probably redshirt at next season. But I guess I’m just buying into the hype this time.

Last night I got a text message from my friend who was covering the boys basketball game between Southeast and Bishop Carroll. The message read “East is better than Southeast.”

It was difficult to agree or disagree with him at the time, and that was before either of us knew that East had been upset by South. I use the term “upset” loosely — South is an extremely talented team that is capable of beating any team on any night. But East was ranked No. 3 in the state, so technically it’s an upset.

So now since Southeast is undefeated and East has a loss. But Southeast barely held off Carroll last night after winning its first four games in blowouts. So who is better at this point in the season? I say it’s too close to call. I know, taking the easy way out.

But the two teams are so similar. Before last night’s loss, East was ranked No. 3 and was one spot ahead of Southeast. The Aces have a strong trio in Leon Flowers, Jawanza Poland and Garrius Holloman, but Jordan Cyphers, Adonis Gantt and Cortez Barnes are just as good. Both teams are incredibly deep and athletic.

Ron Allen and Carl Taylor are two of my favorites in the City League. I’ve always like Allen, the East coach. And after a young reporter gets over the fear of approaching Taylor after a Southeast loss, it’s easy for him to see that Taylor is a great guy. A few years ago, I made a point to try to make him smile. It was tough, but I finally cracked him. Just barely.

I bring up the coaches because the teams play different styles. Taylor preaches defense, which allows the Buffaloes to put up a ton of points. East gets their points through a fast-break game that few teams can keep up with. It makes for an interesting matchup when the teams play against one another, seeing which team is able to control the tempo.

So who is better? If you’re looking to last year for the answer, good luck. The teams split two games — Southeast won the first by two points and East needed overtime to get revenge later. Many of the key players on both teams are back, so the games will probably be just as close this season.

Who is better? We’ll get an indication when the teams meet for the first time on January 4. But judging by last season, that game won’t tell us much or come close to providing an answer.

Many games have already been postponed because of ice (or expected ice). We’ll update our list here and on Kansas.com/sports. To report a postponement, call 316-268-6251 or e-mail stats@varsitykansas.com.

Basketball

City League

Bishop Carroll at Southeast, 6 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

East at South, 6 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Heights at Kapaun Mount Carmel, 6 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Northwest at North, 6 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

West at Andover, 6 and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13

Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League

Arkansas City at Winfield, Jan. 29

Clearwater at Circle, no makeup date

El Dorado at Buhler, Dec. 13

Kingman at Andale, no makeup date

Maize at Hutchinson, no makeup date

Salina Central at Goddard, 5 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20

Salina South at Derby, Dec. 18

Valley Center at Newton, no makeup date

Wellington at Andover Central, girls Jan. 15, boys Jan. 22

West at Andover, 6 and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13

Central Plains League

Cheney at Belle Plaine, no makeup date

Conway Springs at Garden Plain, Jan. 7

Smoky Valley at Sterling, Dec. 20

Mid-Central Activities Association

Halstead at Hillsboro, no makeup date

Haven at Collegiate, no makeup date

Nickerson at Hoisington, Dec. 18

Other area games

Caldwell at Udall, no makeup date

Kinsley at Norwich, Dec. 17

Pratt at Larned, no makeup date

Shidler (Okla.) at Cedar Vale, no makeup date

Around the state

Topeka Hayden at Spring Hill, boys Jan. 22, girls Jan. 28

Gotta admit, I love the concept behind the conference-vs.-conference series that seem to dominate college basketball these days. It started with The Big East vs. ACC, then the Big Ten filled in for the Big East (and seemingly never bests the ACC), and now the other four BCS conferences are doing it (SEC vs. Big East, Big 12 vs. Pac-10).

It got me thinking: Wouldn’t it be great to have a City League vs. AV-CTL challenge? I haven’t worked through the details of finding space in the schedule for this extra game, though for most every school it wouldn’t be all that difficult. But think about these matchups:

Maize vs. Northwest — Imagine the smack talk across 21st Street on game day.

Derby vs. Southeast — A once-great football rivalry goes indoors.

Valley Center vs. Heights — Winner take all . . . of Park City.

Andover (or Central) vs. Kapaun Mount Carmel — We’re pretty sure this would get some backyard blood boiling.

Campus vs. South — We’d get Ron Meyer and Ricky Ross to be honorary captains.

Goddard vs. Bishop Carroll — Another west-side story waiting to happen.

Hutchinson vs. East — Two traditional basketball powers (who already meet almost yearly).

McPherson vs. North — Matchup of two of the state’s best gymnasiums.

Newton vs. West — Why? Because Mike Bonczyk coached at both places.

I’d be insulting your intelligence if I posed as an expert on swimming or wrestling. I’m a baseball guy, and much of my brain space is taken up by random baseball facts, like the fact that the Cincinnati Reds once featured a starting outfield of Dmitri Young, Mike Frank and Chris Stynes (get it, Young Frank and Stynes…I guess you have to be a fan of Mel Brooks to understand this).

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have respect for other sports, too. So I’m writing this blog about boys swimming and wrestling, two winter sports whose seasons started recently. In the interest of truth in reporting, however, I have to tell you that I’ve been a huge wrestling fan since age 6. But my hero is Triple H, not Rulon Gardner. And when I first covered a wrestling meet for The Eagle, I wondered why the referee only slapped the mat one time for a pin, as opposed to three. Or five for King Kong Bundy back in the day. Remember that? Tell me you wouldn’t go see a high school wrestling dual if steel chairs were allowed. I’m just saying.

But seriously, Kansas is an amazing state for high school wrestling. I’ve been to the state meet several times and I’m always impressed with how many people show up and how well each school is represented. I used to think the pre-match wrestling habits were odd but I learned to stop judging when I realized I would’ve gotten the tar beaten out of me even by the 103-pounders if I tried to step onto the mat. I also don’t think I could lose five pounds in 3 1/2 hours.

But there are a ton of great wrestling teams and individuals in the Wichita area. It’s unfortunate we lost the best name, Atticus Disney, to Shawnee Heights, but we’re definitely not lacking in talent in this part of the state. In fact, you don’t even have to go outside the City League to find studs — Carroll, Northwest and Heights practically have rosters full of them.

As far as swimming, this is a growing sport in Kansas, as new schools seem to initiate the sport every year. Maize is in its second season, and I think Campus and McPherson are relatively new to the game, as well. Swim meets are fast paced and exciting. This is another sport I avoided in high school because I didn’t learn to swim until I was 12, after nearly drowning in the Atlantic Ocean. And I still can’t breathe under water. True story.

So tell me some of the swimmers and wrestlers in the area that merit watching. I’m always looking for knowledge, even if the next wrestling meet I attend doesn’t have a main-event ladder match.

Basketball is in full swing now. Or is it? I don’t really know what “full swing” means, but maybe two games qualifies. Either way, it’s basketball season and we’ve seen some interesting things during the first two nights with a full slate of games.

Let’s start with Friday. I don’t know if the Heights girls can be beat. They missed their first 16 shots against South and trailed 14-0 after the first quarter. But the Falcons led at halftime and made the plays down the stretch to win.

I wrote about this a lot in the story, but Jennifer Lane is pretty much stone cold. Her perpetual calm demeanor isn’t always an asset, but it definitely is when the game is on the line late. She made six straight free throws in the fourth quarter and hit a key jump shot, and she did it while looking as though she was playing without any effort. That’s a compliment — the great ones always make it look easy.

Lane’s calmness is balanced by Amanda Orloske, who is the team’s emotional leader. She stays calm, too, but isn’t afraid to rein in a teammate who may be getting a little too emotional. This Falcons team is different than in years past because it doesn’t have a lot of height or experience, but I couldn’t have been more impressed with Lane and Orloske, and if the Falcons play another close game I think those two will make the difference again.

OK, now that the lovefest is over we can get back to other observations from Friday, and I have two. The first is that I was surprised Northwest was able to control the tempo against the East boys. I know a team can’t do anything about a team holding the ball and eating up clock, but during the past few years I’ve seen East execute its plan to run against opponents trying to slow the Aces down.

Coach Ron Allen said he wanted East to do a better job in the halfcourt offense, and apparently the Aces stayed patient enough against Northwest, because they eked out a close victory. Against Heights last night, it was a different story. The Falcons tried to run with East and had success for a while before the Aces took over. If you missed Jawanza Poland’s dunk on the evening newscasts last night, I feel sorry for you. It was pretty incredible — better than anything I’ve seen from a high schooler.

Also, Belle Plaine starting 2-0 is noteworthy. Not because the Dragons weren’t supposed to be good, but because the first victory came against Wichita Trinity. I picked Trinity to win the Central Plains League and Belle Plaine to finish second, so I suppose you can call Belle Plaine’s win an upset. But the Dragons are playing solid defense, allowing 84 points in two games.

As far as Tuesday goes, I was interested to see how Andover Central’s boys would stack up with Collegiate and how Collegiate’s girls would fare against Central. We got the fairly predictable results with Collegiate’s boys win and Central’s girls victory. Both those teams apparently looked pretty strong and are early state title contenders. It might even be a disappointment if Central doesn’t win it considering the talent it has. No pressure, Jaguars.