Varsity Kansas - The Blog

by joanna

If you didn’t catch the story in today’s paper about the proposed changes to the Wichita public school district’s bond issue, it talks about how four schools would not get a pool (East and North would still get a pool under the new proposal). And none of the seven schools would get new tennis courts.

Now I’ve been out there to the pools and to the tennis courts and I know how bad they are. I’m sure some of you have seen them, too. I mean, the story I wrote in mid-May, Southeast AD Mark Lamb told me that every so often rebar has to be sawed off because it’s sticking up out of the tennis court’s surface.

So what are your thoughts? Is this a big deal? The proposed bond issue would still have plenty of athletic improvements if the school board accepts these cuts. Is it enough. Your thoughts, please.

by joanna

Cortland Carney has been out of the City League for a decade now, which is aging me oh-so-much. (There’s a lot of things that do that to me.) But my first two years in this job, he played basketball his junior and senior years at South. So I remember him very well (I seem to remember more about those first two years in Wichita than I remember the last two. Go figure.)

Anyway, Carney stopped by the house last night because his niece is my stepdaughter. So he chatted for awhile and I had the great idea to put him in the blog today (he reads the blog, by the way.)

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By J. Long

If you didn’t know Blake B is in reference to Blake Bell.

I got a chance to peep the kid when he worked out with Steve Cisneros, quarterback guru, and I will say I was very impressed. His mechanics are raw, but he learns quickly.

The kid exudes athleticism. His movements are very fluid, natural. And he has a great pedigree with his dad and uncle being former NFL players.

He has the arm of a pocket passer, but he’s also mobile enough to make things happen if the pocket collapses.

I wasn’t around last season, so I don’t know what kind of QB that Bishop Carroll had, but I’m assuming he had to be pretty good if Blake lined up at receiver.

That’s all I’ll say about him for now. Throwing the ball is a lot easier when there isn’t defensive player running at you. So I’ll save any other comments until after Heights.
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by joanna

I was wondering what to put on the blog today, and my husband came up with this idea (I’m off today because I’m covering the Shrine Bowl Saturday night in Emporia).

This is just a question, not a knock on anyone who makes decisions either way. After my husband brought it up, I started to think about someone like Garrett Gould. Here’s a kid who has been pretty much going nonstop all summer long. He’s been all across the country.

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by joanna

Whew. I’m not even sure what I’m going to write here. I just had 20 minutes to write my game story on the 29-28 victory by the West over the East. I’m still a little shaky with the adrenaline rush.

But here you go:

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by joanna

We’re 20 minutes from game time and I’m getting so excited. Um, yeah. I am looking forward to it, though. It should be good.

I’ll try to update anyone who’s coming to the blog — even though it’s on TV. But I know I have some loyal readers out there who I want to hook up. (more…)

by joanna

I’m here, are you? Will you be at the Shrine Bowl tonight? OK, if you can’t make the loooong drive up 35 to Emporia, will you watch the game on Channel 8, KPTS?

I enjoy the Shrine Bowl, seeing a lot of kids I haven’t seen in awhile, players I’ve never seen and media I only see a few times a year.

Here’s a link to the story I wrote on Tim Grunhard, an East team coach and the Bishop Miege coach, here’s the story that Jonathan wrote on Southeast’s DeAndre Howard, and here’s a story that correspondent Taylor Eldridge wrote on Remington’s Cole Cherryholmes. And here are the Shrine Bowl rosters.

by joanna

As part of the Shrine Bowl - which is Saturday, are you going? — there will be a 5k run featuring the All-Star cross country teams.

It’s Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. in Emporia. There’s a 1 mile fun run/walk at 8:45. There will be high school runners, middle schoolers and and open and masters runners. Middle school and high school athletes can enter for $10 and they get a T-Shirt and award for participating, a free ticket to the Shrine Bowl football game. There’s also free food after the run.

Course:  The course starts west of Welch Stadium, runs on the streets of Emporia and finishes in Welch Stadium.

 by joanna

Just got this photo of the three B’s this morning from when they were at the Football University All-Star Camp in Orlando.

Below are some comments from coaches who worked with the guys.

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by joanna

I was reading this story on Brent Holmes by the Philadelphia Daily News — it just moved on the AP wire, so you can find it pasted below — and it’s just unbelievable to think what can happen to you in athletics. (more…)