Varsity Kansas - The Blog

by joanna

There’s a ton of track regionals going on — or about to be finished or over by this point — around the state tonight. Did you see or hear about an impressive team or individual. Share here.

Now on Sunday, you’ll need to check out The Eagle and Kansas.com and varsitykansas.com for every single one of the regionals. Yep, they will all be there in black and white. I’ll be in the office on Saturday typing up results, so will my boss Kirk Seminoff and our wonderful correspondent Taylor Eldridge. Josh Wood, our online guru will be a major part of this, too. I’m pretty sure he intends on scanning the faxed results and getting them up as quickly as possible.

Anyway, Check out The Eagle, check it out online. We’ll have everything you could possibly want to know heading into the state track meet. In each class, we’ll list every qualifier in each event from the best times/distances on down. It’s a must-see. It truly is. I actually had one person tell me that he’s seen a whole lot of people with the paper in the stands at the state track meet. So it’s not just me saying it’s must-see reading.

Enjoy! And if you’re a regional host, remember to get us those results.

by joanna

I promised a positive post and here it is. This is a follow up to what annoys you, which wasn’t hit with as much gusto as I thought it would be, but then maybe nobody wanted to be as negative as I was asking.

So you’re job here is to find the positives in anything. I’ll get it started.

I love being off on a Friday night (It rarely happens, so there’s nothing better than hanging with the family and not worrying about having to work until after midnight).

I love exciting games that go down the wire with outstanding individual performances — that don’t go into extra innings or overtime.

I’m happiest when my kids have just fallen asleep at naptime and I can chill on the couch and read a book.

I like it when I see a random act of kindness — like the woman at the K.T. Woodman track meet who waved at me to signal me that she was leaving so I could have her parking spot.

I’m always impressed when an athlete is willing to talk after a tough loss.

I love it when an old-time favorite movie comes on TV that I haven’t seen in forever — like right now I’m watching A Fish Called Wanda. Hilarious!

I love it when I don’t have to cook dinner — whether it’s someone else cooking or it’s takeout or we go out. Nothing better than coming home from work to no cooking.

I love sitting at a softball game and noshing on my seeds, keeping score. It honestly doesn’t get any better than that.

Now how about you? Remember this is a positive one, so it would be wrong to dog someone out for what they like.

by joanna

At least that’s what the woman sitting next to me at the Class 6A regional championship game at Maize thinks. No lie. All because of my innocently mentioning extra innings. Not that I expected them.

OK, let me explain. The woman sitting next to me — whose name I do not know — was there because her daughter is a JV player at Maize and her daughter sang the national anthem (unbelievably well, mind you!). This lady and I chatted all game and toward the end I mentioned something, I couldn’t even quote it exactly, about extra innings. At the time Maize was leading 1-0 and I did think, based on how Northwest kept missing opportunities to score, that Maize would win and would go to state. Well, as soon as I committed this cardinal sin, she turned to me and said (half-joking, mind you) that I would be blamed if Maize ended up going to extra innings and would be even more to blame if Maize lost.

Now I don’t want to hear from anyone who thinks she was being ridiculous. I know how fans are — you watch your favorite team on TV and if they start doing poorly suddenly, you try to remember what you were doing when they were playing well and start doing it again. Don’t hate. You know if you’re a fan, you’ve partaken in this before. I admit it. I’ve done it. It doesn’t work, but you think it does.

Anyway, Maize ends up losing the game and she does blame me. I felt it. So I’m sorry. I am. I don’t care who wins or loses, but I’m not out to be part of any jinxes, either.

Moving on…..

I really did not think that Northwest would win this game. Especially after Maize swept the Grizzlies last Friday night 3-0 and 7-2. But Northwest came through in the top of the seventh with three two-out hits and a walk. Very, very impressive win. Now can Northwest make any noise at state? That I do not know about. (Isn’t Olathe East just going to win 6A again anyway? I mean, come on.)

Now onto my evening. This was one of those nights when I absolutely love my job. Whereas Tuesday night I had to deal with the obligatory complaints about where someone’s paper always ends up (really, I have no clout, I don’t know who the delivery people are and I’m asleep when they’re delivering your paper. I would help if I could).

But tonight, the weather was gorgeous, I sat in the very cool stadium seats at Maize, I looked out at a wonderful field that had a large M mowed into the outfield. There was a good crowd, I could see the Maize baseball scoreboard so I could keep up with that game (it’s a much nicer scoreboard by the way. Why don’t any businesses come through for the softball team? It’s a fair question.) The crowd was nice and I loved eating my Dill Pickle seeds. And Maize junior catcher Taylor Funk came up to me between games and said that she appreciated what I had written, that she was my new favorite athlete. Can I just say that solidified even more how cool she is? And after the game she talked to me about the loss — which makes her even better? None of that — “sniff, sniff, I can’t talk right now.” Nope, she did her business with the dang media and moved on.

On top of that I saw a wonderful game. Who can beat a night like that? Probably not many of you being that there wasn’t much going on. So I win.

Now, where were you? See anything interesting?

by joanna

So if you’re on this web site, you obviously all like competition of some sort. Me, I’m so competitive that I don’t want to compete unless I know I can be at least average or better. I know, it’s a sickness. One I seemed to have passed down to my children two-fold being that my husband is just as competitive (it makes for some interesting checkers and gin rummy, let me tell you).

Anyway, this isn’t competitive, but let me see if I start something if you can finish it.

I ask a question and you give the answer. Then you ask a question and someone else answers.

Playing off the “I wanna know: What annoys you” :

What’s worse: Athletes doing the fist bump with officials before a basketball game or  students yelling air ball during a game?

Remember, answer this question, then ask one of your own. I’ll try to stay on top of the spamming. Ugh.

The No. 7 seed.

Single digit wins.

This is what the post-season is all about. Not only did the Rockets beat No. 2 seed Andover, they follow it up with an upset over No. 1 seed Andover Central to take home the 4A Regional title. Once the last out was recorded they celebrated by dogpiling on the mound as if they had one the state tournament. Did they care that they had on the home white uniforms and that the rain had the pitcher’s mound looking like the dirt was imported fresh off a plane from Georgia. No. Even one of the coaches got in on it and he looked like he had tried to reenact that Old Spice commercial for its “Swagger” scent.

But that’s how you celebrate when you probably didn’t think at the start of the tournament you’d be winning the whole thing.

SIDE NOTE:

Andover Central had a great year. There are a lot of programs that would love to have a 21-2 record. Trust.

And I haven’t been here that long, but sophomore Ben Minnihan pitched the best I’ve seen a guy pitch in pressure situations. He did give up the game winning hit, but with the go ahead run(s) in scoring position twice he shut down shop. Striking out a total of five batters when he needed outs.

by joanna

Is this a blog post about high school sports? It could be. Is this personal? It could be. I don’t really care. I just want to know what annoys you. Is it when your kids don’t listen to you, just say OK? Is it when the coach ignores your pleas for more playing time for your kid? Or is it when it rains your basement leaks?

I want to know.

I do. Because I care.

Since I know you care about me so much, here’s what annoys me.

I hate when it rains the same day I wash my car. I’m annoyed when I get in line at a store and no one ever makes eye contact, even though I obviously need help. I get annoyed when, after asking a question of an athlete, said athlete looks at me as if it’s possibly the most stupid thing ever said in the history of the universe. I get annoyed when fans make fun of heavier athletes. I am so annoyed that American Idol’s elimination shows last for so stinking long.

I’m annoyed by fans who don’t cheer at games. I’m annoyed by arrogance. I’m annoyed by the fact that my cat thinks it should stay out all night — and then come home at 4 a.m. and meow outside my window. I’m annoyed by negativity. Ha! Isn’t that hilarious?

So share with me. I promise, I’ll have a positive follow up to this. But let’s vent for a bit. Get it out. You’ll feel better. I always feel so much happier at a good vent — it’s like it all disappears.

by joanna

I want to look ahead — in a second. First of all, I’m sorry to those of you whose posts continue to be delayed in showing up. I try to update the spam, but for some reason there are those of you who are spam-magnets. Secondly, I’m impressed with some of you readers who remember what I write (my goodness, I forget!) and then use it in a post, i.e., Wichitaeaglereader who made a point to let us know it was a sarcastic post. It’s almost like having inside jokes with you.

All right,  second’s up. Let’s look at tonight. There’s some 4A regional baseball regionals going on, including one at El Dorado where Andover Central will play El Dorado and Augusta will play Rose Hill in the semifinals. Should be interesting, especially since Rose Hill already scored an upset of Andover.

Thursday’s even more interesting because we’ve got the second round of soccer regionals. There’s six area games — Campus at Maize, 7 p.m.; Heights at Goddard, 6; Northwest at Goddard, 6 in Class 6A and Andover Central at Wichita Trinity, 5 p.m.; Bishop Carroll at Andover, 7; Hays vs. Kapaun Mount Carmel at Friends, 6 in Class 5-1A.

There’s some pretty good baseball and softball regionals, too. I’m pretty sure Independent will handle its softball regional, while Maize and Northwest could meet in 6A. In baseball, we could see a Maize-Northwest rematch and then a Goddard-Heights game.

I’m especially curious about how the Maize-Northwest softball and baseball regionals will turn out. Maize swept Northwest softball last week and Maize baseball beat Northwest in a single game last week. But North, which got run-ruled and no-hit by Northwest last week in baseball, is in the 6A tournament already. What will happen here?

It’s definitely worth watching.

Didn’t mention your team here? Feel free to fill us in.

by joanna

Just got off the phone with Bill Faflick, the City League athletic director, and he said he had a meeting this morning at Northwest about the new nine-lane, all-weather track that is expected to be in place there by August. The work on the track will begin on Monday, while the work on Southeast’s eight-lane, all-weather track that will also service Curtis Middle School will begin a week from Monday and is expected to be finished in August. (These tracks, which replace the god-awful one at Northwest and the cinder one at Southeast, are being paid for out of the capital fund)

“I absolutely love it. We’re going to have improved facilities, desperately needed improved facilities that are quality facilities that match the quality kids and coaches we have.

“Track is the single biggest participation sport in the Wichita public schools. Our facilities are desperately in need of a face lift. We’re going to get a nine-lane track at Northwest, which will be the site for the City League track meet — nine schools, nine lanes.”

Faflick said  the long jump, triple jump and the pole vault will be taken outside the stadium, which will be safer all around.

by joanna

So last night I was at Douglass, a town I’d never been to. Isn’t that surprising? Even when Monty Beisel was playing there my first year, I didn’t get out to Douglass. It’s a nice town and wow, what a nice track at that school.

Anyway, I was there for the 4A softball regional and as Andover Central is posing for pictures, someone asks, you’ve won the regional championship, where are you going? Now the right answer was obviously “To state.” Ha! The Jags fooled everyone, yelling “Disney World.” OK, it made me laugh.

Andover Central is going to state in 4A and Andale is, too. They should be two of the better teams there. (The AV-CTL sure is strong in softball, huh?)

Goddard and Heights both easily advanced last night in 6A, as well. Carroll and Ark City — who played for the 5A title last year, with Ark City winning — advanced as well.

In baseball, Valley Center advanced to the 5A tournament with a win over Carroll. North beat Dodge City in 6A to go. Too bad that Campus got upset in that semifinal. That could have been a great final. (I know Dodge fans, your team won, but it could have been a great final)

Soccer also had its first round last night, and Goddard slipped past Derby in OT, Andover Central beat Rose Hill 1-0, Heights beat South 1-0. That’s a lot of close games. Then there are the blowouts — Northwest 6, North 0; Kapaun 8, Valley Center 0; Andover 10, Liberal 0; Trinity 9, West 0.

We should certainly have some closer games in Thursday’s round, though.

So what other teams are you happy to see advance? What surprises have you seen? Please share.

by joanna

Is anyone else tired of all my question titles. Ah, well, I did it again.

But what I want to know is who loves Goddard? We either get a lot of Goddard fans on this blog or we get a lot of a couple people posting. Either way, I’ve been amused by the comments that I’ve received lately from readers who think that we hate this school or that school or just don’t give enough love to their favorite school.

And since Goddard has been the most vocal lately about how Goddard has gotten no love this spring season, I thought I’d answer this question. So as soon as I got to work this morning, I did a little research.

Here’s what I found of stories about Goddard or notebooks that included Goddard. Now these weren’t the ones that had a mention of Goddard — I didn’t count all of those — these were the ones that actually spent quite a bit of time on Goddard.

Baseball — Story vs. North (made the front page), story vs. Maize, story vs. Northwest.

Soccer — two notes in two separate notebooks, story vs. Maize, the season preview for the Wichita area.

Softball — story vs. Derby, story vs. Maize, the season preview for the Wichita area

Tennis — story at the Collegiate tournament, story at the Goddard tennis tournament, story at 6A tournament

Track — track notes, KT Woodman

Golf — notebook item, story at Andover Central Invitational.

Now, I’m not going to do this for every program, but I did it for Goddard because I was so thrown by the concept that there are actually people who think we’ve ignored Goddard. Honestly, we have 80 schools in the area, and there are very very very few schools who have gotten even close to the same amount of coverage as Goddard. Frankly, by looking at how much coverage we have put on Goddard, maybe we’ve been neglecting everyone else and need to focus on others. Hmmmm. Just a thought. Nah, Goddard obviously deserved the coverage it got. So do the other teams we cover.