A new favorite athlete
May 5, 2008 @ 10:31 p.m. by Joannaby joanna
OK, this has nothing to do with how great this athlete is on the field — although she’s awfully good. This has to do with how impressive an interviewee she is.
I covered Maize-Carroll softball tonight (Maize swept 7-0, 4-1) and talked to catcher Taylor Funk after the game. Why did I talk to her? Oh, she made a great play during the game, diving for a low pop fly behind home plate. It had to be pure instinct because I seriously doubt that she even saw the ball because the ump had to get out of the way. And she did well hitting, too.
But this kid is a great interview. I love kids like this! I interviewed her for another story between games and promised myself that I would be talking to her after the game — when you have limited time and know you need to get a kid who can talk well. She took the question and answered it thoughtfully and without cliches and gave more than than a two-word answer.
She doesn’t quite rank up there with Joseph Houlik, the former Collegiate quarterback and basketball player (he was a godsend, almost as good as his coach, Mitch Fiegel). But she’s good.
I have to admit that I love talking to Carroll coach Jennifer Unrein, too. I put her in the same category as Derby coach Christy Weve (former Carroll coach), Goddard coach Rita Smith, Northwest coach Merri Copeland, former Maize coach Teri Larson (who will be coaching softball at Maize South in 2010). They say things the way they are. They don’t sugarcoat. So you know that if someone played a great game, they will let you know. If someone struggled, they’ll let you know. I love that honesty. Too often we get that bs of — oh, they work hard and give 110 percent. You have to wade through that because there’s so much of it around. I know that if they tell me their team won’t be that good — it will be the truth and not some sort of mental game. If they tell me, hey, our team has a chance to win it all — I believe them.
I sat next to the woman who keeps stats for Northwest. Man, I stink, but I can never remember her name. She’s very young, but she is serious about softball. She kept stats tonight just because she wanted to see these two teams. She used to keep stats at Wranglers games, too. I’d see her whenever I came to sit for the last part of the inning before going onto the field for interviews. Why can’t I remember her name?!
May 5th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
I think the girl you are thinking of is named Katie Rogers. I’m not 100% sure on that though. She writes all the articles about Northwest Softball on catchitkansas.com
Maize sweeping Carroll makes things really interesting before regionals. Maize is 15-3 with a MONSTER showdown with NW (16-2) on friday. Goddard and Heights are 18-2. Goddard and Heights will get the 1/2 seeds, but the Maize/NW showdown will possibly determine who gets to host at regionals. (records are based off of me assuming that Goddard beats Kapaun, Northwest beats East and Heights beats North).
Last year, Maize swept NW in the regular season but NW beat Maize 2-0 in the Regional Finals. Regional seedings and being able to host are up for grabs plus Maize is obviously looking for revenge.
If Maize and NW split. NW most likely will get the 3 seed with Maize getting the 4 seed. Which means that these two schools might meet each other again in the Regional Finals.
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May 5th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Joanna were you impressed with Maize enough tonight to put them in with your favorite teams BC, NW, Goddard, and Heights?
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May 6th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Shouldn’t this be A New Favorite Person? Since your not talking about athletic abilities rather interviewing skills?
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May 6th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Notmuchofyou, are you correcting my grammar here? Don’t get me started in that area…
Seriously, if I said new favorite person it would be someone random or a parent. But when I say new favorite athlete — which she is — that’s what I mean.
whatdoesjoannathink, I definitely put Maize up there with the best. I’m interested to see what Northwest and Maize will do, but I’d have to say that the two best teams I’ve seen are Goddard and Maize.
Carroll has some issues defensively and must get its offense going. Northwest needs more consistent pitching after Jessica Odell.
I only saw Goddard against Derby, but I was impressed with its pitching, defense and offense.
As for Maize, the Eagles have everything going right now. The pitching and hitting are impressive, but it’s that defense that could get them far. I was blown away by how good they are defensively. Easily the best defensive team I’ve seen.
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May 6th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Easily the best defensive team I’ve seen.
Thats not what the Bulldogs of Arkansas City say. :)
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May 6th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Opportunity knocks, you know better than to write something like that! Come on, man. It’s my opinion. I didn’t say the Bulldogs would say that. I haven’t seen Ark City, so I can’t comment. Are you dogging me just because you miss me?
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May 6th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Well then you should interview me for a job and then I might become your favorite athlete…you know kill 2 birds with one stone. Get a job and impress the girl ;)
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May 6th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Joanna thanks for your kind words about Maize. Hopefully they can keep it up and finish strong. Early on Maize had a few things to work through but now they have come together. Opportunity knocks good luck to you the rest of the season. Just remember on any given night anyone can win and anyone can lose. There is no shame losing to the 5A state champs.
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May 6th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Hey, give me a break, I’ve had to put up with Jeff the last two games I’ve been at.
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May 8th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Joanna, you can give Maize all the negative words you want. It’s your opinion and noone has the right to take that away. Besides that, Maize isn’t at the top of the list on any sport.
Track:
Last Friday’s meet at Goddard was overall Goddard and Bishop Carroll in front of Maize.
Tennis:
Although Maize beat Goddard at the AVCTL league, Goddard beat Maize at the Regional tournament.
Soccer:
Maize did beat Goddard. But they did so without some of Goddard’s strongest players (Berry, Leach).
Softball:
Goddard beat Maize and has a dominant record that outscores their opponents 14:1.
Baseball:
Although their records are the same, Goddard has two wins over Maize and Goddard leads the AVCTL with a perfect 10-0 league record.
Golf:
Maize finished third in AVCTL, once again right behind Goddard which took second.
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May 8th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Jay, what negative words did I give Maize? I just called out a player as one of my new favorite people to talk to. How is that negative?
OK, I’m assuming you meant positive, but dude, this post wasn’t about Goddard or comparing Maize to Goddard. Please, people, let’s not look too deeply into every single post and comment and assume that your team or player or son or daughter is being hated on.
As for your Goddard comments, congrats on the great year Goddard is having. Yay for Goddard. Props to Goddard. Whoo-hooo. Seriously. Goddard has done well. Oh My Goddard.
But I wasn’t dogging Goddard. I was saying I liked a player I talked to. She just happened to be from Maize. Goddard’s biggest rival.
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May 8th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Goddard can’t be stopped.
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May 11th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Wow!! Jay you showed us your blue and white mentality. First you need to actually read the blog and understand it before you try to make your post. It also helps if you have your information correct. Goddard split with Maize in softball. And they are 14-1 because they play a week schedule.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
man, you really should us maize people. but what about football and soccer… oh and also. ive posted this before. if berry and leach where playing. maize would of won by alot more, becuase then goddard wouldnt of packed the box so maize couldnt shoot. goddard was playing for a tie, not a win. if those two players where in the line up. goddard would of opened up the field so that berry and leach could do something. which would of left there defense in shambles as maize would of done what they always do. and smashed them. but hey, its ok, you goddard folks just keep patting yourselfs on the back for your sweet saying “oh my goddard”…
Pluck This. oh my goddard just got beat.
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