Random Thoughts
Dec. 18, 2007 @ 1:04 p.m. by Jeff LutzSitting 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.
December 18th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Actually the holy war is on Friday. BC @ KMC.
December 18th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
– 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.
Do you Think Collegiate is legit at # 7?
December 18th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I think one of the biggest High School series of moments was Collegiates rode to the State Championship. WCS barely made it to the substate championship, they won on 2 cole fiegel free throws v.s. Cheney with 1 second left. And then were down like 15 points in the championship game to Trinity. And in the State Tourney they were the 7th seed.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Most Memorable High School Sports Moments: Garden Plain’s first football title, Andale goes back to back, Hutchinson 4 peats.
MAIZE STUNNING GODDARD ON MAIZE’S HOMECOMING 36-35 in 2 overtimes! Handing Goddard’s first loss of the year!
December 18th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
If high school football OT is sudden death how did Goddard lose by 1? Nomination for the biggest thing in Wichita Sports: In General the overall respect and college acknowledgement of area football players, which include the obvious: Harper, Brown and the not so Obvious: Nolen-South, Shine-NW, Evans-Heights, Bowin-South, Steven-Carroll
I have just noticed that this year it seems more players are getting some looks, and respect based on thier play, not thier school but I could be wrong
December 19th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
High school football is not sudden death.
It’s equal shots from the 10 yd line.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
so does that mean the 2-point was no good?
December 20th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
It was 21-21 going into the first ot. Maize and Goddard exchanged touchdowns to make it 28-28 going into double overtime. Goddard scored first to make it 35-28.
Maize scored a touchdown on the first play they had the ball in double overtime to make the score 35-34. Maize called a timeout and decided to go for the 2 point conversion and succeeded to win the game 36-35!
December 21st, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Collegiate legit at #7, ranked in top 10 in Maxpreps Kansas rankings.
Film at +11.
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
Maxpreps doesn’t have a clue. Collegiate might be the seventh best team in the City of Wichita. When you consider the KC area schools, they aren’t even close to 7th overall in the state. They may be No. 1 in 3A, but there are a lot of bigger schools who would school them royally head on. Collegiate is not better than East, South, Heights, Carroll or Kapaun. Not by a long shot. Since Southeast is ranked ahead of them, that puts WC at NO 7 in Wichita.
December 22nd, 2007 at 12:23 pm
We’ll see how good collegiate is come sub state. They’re in probably the toughest bracket in all of 3A. They almost lost early last year to 2 CPL teams. There are at least two teams in their sub state this year that could easily take them.
December 23rd, 2007 at 10:25 am
“Collegiate is not better than East, South, Heights, Carroll or Kapaun”
Well, Collegiate plays Kapaun on Feb. 9th. So we will see about that.
December 26th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Yes, the Maize-Goddard game was a classic example of one team being very prepared and one team thinking they had it in the bag. What made the victory even more sweet for Maize was the fact that Goddard fans showed up on Maize’s field prior to the game dancing on the field seemingly celebrating a forthcoming victory and the Goddard players used up well over half of Maize’s field for warm-ups. As the game went on, you could feel the air being let our of their tires. Poetic justice.
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
This is a test post by Kansas.com.
January 6th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Hey how about Romero Cotton owning eight state championship rings after he wins an individual wrestling title this year. I would venture to say that this is a first in high school sports in Kansas. How can you top that?