By Taylor Eldridge

Every Wednesday I am going to try to post a feature I like to call “5 Minutes With…” I’ll try to get as wide of diversity I can, ranging from the studs, to boys and to girls. But it will be kind of a getting-to-know feature that should be a lot of fun.

Alright, let’s get to it. This week I was able to catch up with Derby senior Meshach Kennedy, a stud hurdler. Click the jump for more.

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Join Joanna Chadwick and Chris Elliott for a live chat today from 1-2 p.m. We’ll be chatting about, well, everything.

Also, if you join the chat, we’ll have a drawing for VarsityKansas.com T-shirts that we’re giving away.

So don’t miss it!

By Taylor Eldridge

Every Tuesday I am going to take a few minutes with Wichita-area track and field coaches and see where the conversation takes us. This will be a weekly feature, so be sure to keep coming back for more every Tuesday here at the VK blog.

This week I caught up with Northwest boys’ coach Ron Russell during a delay earlier this afternoon at the North/East Invitational at East High School. The Grizzlies are the heavy favorites to repeat as City League champions (last year was the school’s first league title) and contend for a Class 6A team title. So how are those expectations weighing on this year’s team?

Click the jump to find out.

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by joanna

Softball notes ran today, so I figured it was time to start talking some softball on the blog. Who’s up for it?

A question came up on another post about who are the top area pitchers. We lost some longtime top pitchers to graduation in Nikki Armagost, Katie Armagost, Jessica Odell, Karley Schmelzer.

Here are some names I threw out there, feel free to discuss and add to the list.

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by joanna

Just got word from Northwest wrestling coach Eric Prichard that four seniors from Kansas became All-Americans this weekend in the senior division at nationals.

Valley Center’s Cade Blair finished sixth at 152, Blue Valley’s Parker Madl finished fourth at 171, Northwest’s Kyle Caylor finished eighth at 215, and Northwest’s Trey Page was seventh at 285.

Congrats to everyone!

by joanna

You may have heard of dothedeed.org. It’s a very cool movement that the Eagle is part of, along with others, including the Greteman Group.

I have recently been trying to find ways to get our kids to find ways to be kinder to one another, to help someone out — with no reward — and to not be self-centered.

Yesterday I was loading mulch into the back of my van when a guy in a cowboy hat, named Alan, walked up and said, ‘Let me help you with that.’ I was so touched by his sweetness.

So here’s what I’m wondering: What’s the nicest thing to happen to you recently, what’s the nicest thing that you’ve done?

by joanna

It’s a busy night of high school sports. Three of my favorites are the Bishop Carroll-Maize baseball game, the Northwest-Goddard baseball game and the Maize-Carroll softball game.

Got a better event out there? Let us know.

I watched the Baylor-Duke women’s game last night. I love watching Brittney Griner. But the end to that Stanford game was amazing. That final 4.4 seconds reminded me of Tyus Edney for UCLA in 1995, when he drove the length of the court in 4.8 seconds to beat Missouri. Yes, I covered that game. Amazing.

By Chris

I’m glad to be here in Kansas. For those a little curious about my background, I’ll give a brief glance.

I was born and raised in Houston. I Played basketball and ran track during high school, but didn’t really standout in either due to my school’s (Cy-Falls) uncanny ability to produce D-1 athletes. Even though everyone else in Texas is crazy about football, I’m actually a basketball freak. That’s why I covered the Cougars Men’s Basketball beat for four years at the University of Houston.

So yeah, I was pretty thrilled when they upset UTEP and earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time in 18 years. Anyways, I freelanced as a writer and videographer for the Houston Chronicle before making the 600-something-mile trek up to Kansas. I look forward to covering all the area schools and interacting with the kids, parents, coaches and fans. Holler at me with any good story ideas.

By Taylor Eldridge (< Become a Fan on Facebook)

Well, I won’t lie to you. There was nothing going on this past weekend.

So instead, let’s discuss some of the most valuable point-getter’s this spring. Kids like Kurt Pauly, who can help a team to usually at least 35 points a meet. Miles Ukaoma is another versatile athlete that helps Maize out in different events. Who else will score in multiple events this season?

by joanna

I have a new co-worker, Chris Elliott. He is starting today, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

He’s from Texas, but we won’t hold that against him. All that means is we can quiz him about how a state does football so right.

If you want to e-mail him, it’s celliott@wichitaeagle.com or call him at 316-268-6296.