Varsity Kansas - The Blog

Post by Jordan Bass

Kapaun explodes for 5 runs in the top of the 3rd inning with some help from Shawnee Heights.

The inning started with a hit batter, then a wild pitch that advanced him all the way to third. A single tied the game at 1.

Heights proceeded to hit the next two batters and then walk in an RBI to make it 2-1. A groundout to first made it 3-1.

A double made it 4-1 with still only one out.

Kapaun tacked on another run with a safety squeeze play to make it 5-1 before flying out to end the inning.

by joanna

The 100s — my favorite event — are all over. In the 4A boys 100, Andale’s Ethan Ungles won. It was a fun race to watch because it was tight, but Ungles led the whole way.

In 6A, SM East’s Terrance Thomas won easily in 10.53. W. Northwest’s Demarcus Robinson finished second in 10.88, edging Olathe Northwest’s Shawn Smith, who also finished in 10.88.

Kapaun and El Dorado finished third in 5A and 4A 3200 relay.

Post by Jordan Bass

A throwing error by Kapaun allows the first run of the game to cross.

Heights pitcher Trevor Worthington is throwing well so far, striking out four his first time through the Kapaun order.

1-0 Heights through 2

Post by Jordan Bass

Kapaun advanced runners to 2nd and 3rd with one out after Dominik King’s bunt single and a throwing error but two strikeouts from Heights ended the threat.

Heights put runners on 1st and 3rd with two outs but a flyout to left field ended that threat.

The sun is starting to shine through as the lights are finally shut off at Lawrence-Dumont.

Zeros through 1

Post by Jordan Bass

Just about to get underway here in the second semfinal between Kapaun and Shawnee Heights. Starting on the mound for Kapaun is senior Aaron Boswell. Kapaun is the visiting team and will be facing Thunderbird senior Trevor Worthington. It defintely is not sunny but the field is starting to dry out a little bit after a brief sprinkle between games. First pitch to Brandon Esposito hits him and we are underway.

Post by Jordan Bass

Topeka-Seaman just punched their ticket to the state finals with a 5-run fifth inning to end the game early. Good thing too because five minutes after the game ended a light sprinkle started to fall over Lawrence-Dumont. Be back with weather updates if needed. If the rain stays away I’ll be back with inning by inning updates for Kapaun and Shawnee Heights in around 30 minutes.

by joanna

I can’t figure out something — and it’s a serious thing — do I keep my jacket on or not? I go outside to talk to some athletes and it’s chilly, so I wear my jacket. But then the sun comes out and it’s quite warm, so I take it off, then it starts to rain. What the heck?

The athletes don’t seem to have such problems. They’re in their sweats and jackets. I guess you can never be too warmed up for a race, especially the 100. Me, I can be too warmed up for interviewing. Isn’t it the same thing? (insert laughter here)

So the 5A girls 3200 relay is just finishing, and every team is finished except for one. They were almost lapped twice. It’s kind of sad to see this girl running all the way around for nearly two full laps — all. by. herself. At the state meet. The 5A boys haven’t been able to do their warmup run from the north end of the track to the south starting line.

So here’s the question: Should these kids even compete at the state meet?

Here’s my thoughts: I know it’s likely embarrassing for those girls to finish so far back. I know that stinks.

But you know what? How excited do you think they were to compete at state? For the rest of their lives they can say they competed at state. No one will know they were nearly lapped twice.

Just my thoughts. Yours?

Post by Jordan Bass

It’s looking like a repeat title isn’t in the cards for St. Aquinas as we are back to action in the 5A State Baseball Tournament. As for the conditions, the rain last night has made the dirt around the bases pretty messy and the wind is still blowing out to left field but not near as strong as yesterday. Be back with scoring updates for this first semfinal.

Seaman 6, Aquinas 1 after 4

by joanna

I know, that’s about the cheesiest title ever. But I was enjoying watching the boys won the 110 hurdles.

Here’s why: Jetmore’s Isaac Bradshaw won in 15.50 and he led most of the way. But near the end of the race, he hit a hurdle, making him stumble. “I was just thinking, ‘OK, please don’t let me lose this.’”

In 2A, Bennington’s Lawson Montgomery ran away with the race, winning in 14.23, the second best time of the day. The second place finisher ended in 15.03.

In 5A, Bonner Springs twins Jonathan and Jeremy Walker finished 1 and 1. Near the end, Jonathan looked back to see where his brother was.

“I wanted to make sure that he was behind me, that he got second,” Jonathan said.

At the end of the race, Jeremy, who had hit a hurdle, said to Jonathan, “I thought I was going to get you.”

They were both so obviously having fun that it was cool.

In the 6A hurdles, SM North went 1 and 2 with Southeast’s Keith Hayes, the defending champ, finishing fourth. He fell onto his knees at the end of the race, clutching his hamstring, which he had hurt during the 400 relay on Friday.

I talked to him after the race as he was getting ice wrapped on his hammy. “I’m just so discouraged,” he said. He doesn’t know if he even wants to run the 300 hurdles later. I reminded him that he told me yesterday that he didn’t want to be in the stands, he wanted to be competing.

“Yeah, but I also didn’t want to be running behind anyone,” he said.

I then talked to SM North’s Aaron Sawyer because I’m intrigued by the fact that their track uniforms are black and hot pink. Now, I know real men wear hot pink and these are some big dudes. But I still asked them to explain themselves. Sawyer said it’s a retro thing, a throwback. It’s something they’ve always done at state.

Works for me.

We’re in the 4 by 800 relay right now. It’s a little slow going.

There’s no Wichita-area boys champs yet. I’m bummed. I was hoping to get a story right away in the morning. But I’m sure the area kids will start winning soon. I hope. I need a story to write.

I could have a shot in the 100 with Northwest’s Demarcus Robinson the lone Wichita area kid in 6A; Grant Loescher of Newton finished second in the prelims times in 5A, Andale’s Ethan Ungles first in 4A prelims. Cunningham, in 1A, had the 2, 3, 4 top times in the 100 prelims.

by joanna

Class 5A softball semifinals have been postponed until 1 p.m. today. But if storms start up again, it could be moved into Sunday or Monday.

Ugh.