Bethel College’s crazy trick play

Yesterday10:07 p.m.

You’ve got to check this out — it got picked up as one of the lead stories on Yahoo! – This really is nuts. I guess when it’s your last game …

By Tony Adame | Filed under Bethel, football | Comments (0)

PSU’s Cartagena named best in MIAA

Yesterday8:51 p.m.
PAMELA CARTAGENA

PAMELA CARTAGENA

This was a tight race — but Pittsburg State’s Pamela Cartagena beat out Emporia State’s Ting Liu and Arica Shepard for MIAA volleyball player of the year honors, unseating Liu, last year’s player of the year, then ending the Hornets’ season on Thursday at Warrensburg, Mo., in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional. Cartagena, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter (!) will end her career as a four-time first-team all-MIAA pick.

And, just to illustrate how competitive the league was this year, Liu wasn’t even a first-team pick this season at setter. That went to Washburn’s Kate Hampson as Liu was relegated to the second team. Shepard, ESU’s Brittney Miller and Washburn’s Mollie Lacy were also first-teamers.

Here’s the full list:

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By Tony Adame | Filed under MIAA, volleyball | Comments (0)

All-KCAC Football

Monday4:40 p.m.
ETHAN HALLER

ETHAN HALLER

Very few surprises from the all-KCAC football team that came out today — I think the coaches who voted got this one right — and if you’ve read this blog you know that I’m not scared to disagree with the picks when all-Whatever teams come out, regardless of league or sport. But I like this one. A lot. Ottawa quarterback Ethan Haller was a no-brainer as the offensive player of the year and Bethel defensive lineman James McCartney repeated as defensive lineman of the year. McCartney was THE dominant d-lineman the last 2-3 years in the KCAC so big ups to him.

JAMES MCCARTNEY

JAMES MCCARTNEY

I also came away with these gems: A) Ottawa loses pretty much everybody for next year, but could very well win a game or two in the playoffs this year BECAUSE THEY’RE LOADED and …. B) It’s McPherson & Friends and then everybody else when it comes to the KCAC title next year. Check this out — the Bulldogs return 16 all-KCAC players from this year’s team that just got an at-large bid for the playoffs. That’s 5 first-teamers, 6 second-teamers and 5 honorable mention selections. And most importantly, they bring back their QB in Shane Mascarenas. Friends brings back 14 all-league picks (2 1st team, 7 2nd team, 5 HM). That’s gonna be … nuts. Full lists below, typed up by yours truly:

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By Tony Adame | Filed under KCAC, football | Comments (0)

FULL PLATE: Fort Scott wins Region VI/Mac, Ottawa in NAIA playoffs

Sunday6:58 p.m.
THE LAW FIRM OF HITEM, STICKEM & BEATEM AKA FORT SCOTT COACHING STAFF

THE LAW FIRM OF HITEM, STICKEM & BEATEM AKA THE FORT SCOTT COACHING STAFF

My plate is full this evening, with Fort Scott pulling out the 13-12 Region VI win over Butler and the KCAC getting two bids to the NAIA playoffs with undefeated, No. 5 Ottawa hosting Hastings (Neb.) andNo. 12 McPherson traveling to MidAmerica Nazarene for the first playoff appearance in school history. That’s 87 years, if you’re counting. Here’s the full NAIA playoff schedule, if you’re interested.

I covered the Ottawa-Friends game yesterday and I’ll tell you what … Ottawa looked really, really good. Like they got up 42-0 in the first 16 minutes good. And as far as finally getting to see Ethan Haller play? Dude could start for most of the teams in the MIAA, no doubt. He’s that good. Their defense? Not so much. And as far as Friends — if they would have finished that comeback, as one of our page designers told me — that’s the kind of thing you could go 40 years as a sportswriter and never see. Just nuts.

So … Fort Scott. Brooks Seeley covered that game today and yes, it was cold, and yes, he whined the whole time (LOL) but he got to see a great one. And because No. 3 Blinn beat No. 1 Navarro on Sunday in the SW Region title game, that means, no matter what, the Greyhounds are gonna be No. 1 in the next poll and get to play for the national title at the Citizens Bank Bowl in Pittsburg on Dec. 6 — let’s just hope they can get the No. 2 team to come play them, whoever that may be (Likely Blinn). Couldn’t have set itself up any better for Fort Scott.

I’m out. TA.

PS. I’VE BEEN SAYING ALL YEAR … HE’S NICE!!!

By Tony Adame | Filed under Fort Scott C.C., Jayhawk, KCAC, McPherson, NAIA, Ottawa, football | Comments (0)

Friends vs. Ottawa: Outlook & prediction

Nov. 13, 200911:49 p.m.
WHERE WE LAY OUR SCENE...

WHERE WE LAY OUR SCENE...

So the Big Game of the Year is tomorrow, right here in Wichita.

And I’ll be there, live and in living color. The last game I went to at Friends … wasn’t pretty. The Falcons got stomped by Northwestern Oklahoma State in the first round of the NAIA playoffs last season … although Friends won the game by forfeit later. But that’s another story.

So about tomorrow … forget about the tiebreakers for a moment, because if Friends wins, they’re in the playoffs. Which means Ottawa and McPherson sweat it out for an at-large bid. But don’t kid yourself, because there’s no way three teams from the KCAC make the playoffs. I think if Ottawa and McPherson both win, the Bulldogs are still going to be forced to sweat it out a little. Point blank: the KCAC doesn’t have much national respect when it comes to the postseason.

On the field, a lot of people think this game is gonna be won or lost through the air, with the key matchup being Ottawa wide receivers Clarence Anderson and Corey Schultz vs. Friends defensive backs Quinn Cunningham and Cole Perry. I think if Friends can find a way to put pressure on All-Everything QB Ethan Haller, then the Falcons can win. If not … they can’t get into a shootout with Ottawa.

I think that’s about enough from me.

My prediction: 42-28 Ottawa.

See you there.

TA

By Tony Adame | Filed under Friends, KCAC, Ottawa, football | Comments (0)

Bethel’s Mike Moore resigns

Nov. 13, 20095:01 p.m.
MIKE MOORE

MIKE MOORE

Just got off the phone with Mike Moore, who resigned after 10 seasons as the Bethel football coach today. It’s a situation where Moore wants to spend more quality time with his family — he’s got kids that are 15, 13 and 11 — and something he said he’s been thinking about for awhile now. My take? Great coach — and a great hire for any area high school program, which would make sense because he’s going to keep his family in the community. And he wouldn’t have to be out recruiting, which eats up the biggest portion of your time in the offseason.

I’ve got a story about this in tomorrow’s Eagle, until then here’s the release from Bethel, including defensive coordinator Travis Graber being named the interim coach:

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By Tony Adame | Filed under Bethel, football | Comments (0)

All-MIAA football (WU’s Watkins named def. POY)

Nov. 10, 20092:38 p.m.

Just got this in — looks like Washburn senior linebacker Zach Watkins capped off his career without another playoff appearance (they got robbed, yes, but let’s move on) but with MIAA defensive player of the year honors and a third-straight first-team nod. NW Missouri RB LaRon Council was named the MIAA off. player, and that’s well-deserved. Watkins unseated incumbent def. POY Myles Burnsides for top dog, also. The NW Missouri safety was still a first-team pick. And might they be together on the first-team All-American roster …

Also, Fort Hays State DB/KR/PR CJ Lovett was a first-team pick as the return man — it couldn’t have been anybody else — but I’m a little surprised at his second team DB selection. Thought he was a first-team lock. Watkins had two teammates join him on the first team in DE Eric Lawrence and freshman DB Pierre Desir.

NW Missouri’s Blake Bolles was your toss-up first-team QB pick — don’t kid yourself that this could have gone to either Bolles, Washburn’s Dane Simoneau or Fort Hays State’s Mike Garrison. I think if either Simoneau or Garrison (co-2nd team picks) had been able to gut out another MIAA win it would have been theirs. But to the victor go the spoils.

My thoughts? Really liking these teams. I’m me, so I’ll always have a few beefs here and there when it comes to these things … but this is a good representation of this league’s all-stars.

Here’s the press release and full list, courtesy of the MIAA.

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By Tony Adame | Filed under MIAA, football | Comments (1)

Butler, Fort Scott set for rematch/MIAA loses out on playoff bids

Nov. 8, 20095:33 p.m.
GARY KARR: ONLY LIVING MEMBER OF THE SUNFLOWER SLATE HALL OF FAME

GARY KARR: ONLY LIVING MEMBER OF THE SUNFLOWER SLATE HALL OF FAME

Here’s the scores from Sunday’s Region VI semifinal games, and what I know so far … as always, make sure to read Monday’s Eagle for the whole story:

No. 8 Butler 21, Coffeyville 14

At El Dorado, Butler was down 14-7 with under 3 minutes to play, Ross Dausin hits Dontel Watkins on 22-yd Td pass to tie it 14-14 and then Coffeyville fumbles ensuing kickoff, Butler’s Bret Soft recovers, leading to a Henderson 3-yd TD run to seal the win. It was Butler’s 18th straight win over the Red Ravens, and as my college teammate Steve Brittingham pointed out to me a couple of months ago, we played on the last CCC team to beat the Grizzlies. Unfortunately that was 1997. Not unfortunate because of who won or lost, just because it means we’re getting old.

No. 2 Fort Scott 42, Hutchinson 17

Was hoping the Blue Dragons could put up a fight after getting smoked 31-0 in the regular season — but they didn’t. If the Greyhounds win next Sunday, they’re playing for a national title. As far as Hutch, I think that they’ll learn from this year — I don’t think that there was anything they could do about the hype that surrounded them coming into the season. That was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations for a team that hadn’t really done anything yet.

UPDATE: Just checked the Hutch News Web site and it looks like the Blue Dragons are headed to the Salt City Bowl on Dec. 5 in Hutchinson.

Hey, 6-5 means they’re bowl eligible. Getting jobbed out of a bowl last year must have really stung, because they went and created their own bowl to play in. Amazing.

MIAA

Just got this info from Gary Karr — MIAA gets only one playoff bid in football for NW Missouri State, which means Central Missouri, Missouri Western and Washburn are out. Ouch. Gotta check the books, but I can’t remember the last time just one playoff team came out of the MIAA. Double ouch.

By Tony Adame | Filed under Jayhawk, MIAA, football | Comments (0)

Saturday’s scores/Pitt State falls to Truman/Region VI previews

Nov. 7, 20094:50 p.m.


Here’s scores from today’s games. Can’t believe what happened with Pitt State. Getting some with texts and e-mails from angry PSU fans already.

And Friends-Ottawa next Saturday … yessir I will be there. Will you?

MIAA

Washburn 56, Emporia State 35 – Ichabods won when they were supposed to, now they’ve got to wait and see how the Super 4 rankings shake out. I think they deserve to be in the playoffs, but might be a win short. As far as ESU … time to wipe the slate clean and start from scratch, right? Simoneau hits for 354 and 3 Tds. Nice bounce back game for him, and while I may have cooled on my off. MVP talk … I definitely think the defensive MVP is Watkins and Simoneau is your first-team qb.

Truman 28, Pitt State 21 — Truman had not won a game in the MIAA this year before beating the Gorillas. Things are as bad as they’ve been at PSU since Broyles arrived. Ultimately, someone has to provide answers to the people that make the team go, aka the fans. Not unfathomable for PSU to get it turned around for next year but it’ll take some work. Gorillas’ 5-6 record is Broyles first losing season.

Fort Hays State 48, Missouri Southern 34 — Caps best season for Tigers since joining MIAA. Verdugo, on the hot seat before the year, gets some much-appreciated job security.

KCAC

No. 14 Friends 22, Kansas Wesleyan 10 — Falcons struggle a little … but still win and that’s all that matters at this point. KCAC title game is Saturday in Wichita vs. Ottawa.

No. 7 Ottawa 41, Bethany 14 – This wraps up a piece of KCAC title for Braves and could have clinched them a playoff berth. Knowing what I know, that matters zilch to this group. They want Friends.

No. 16 McPherson 34, Bethel 16

Sterling 26, Saint Mary 14

Southwestern 23, Tabor 20

By Tony Adame | Filed under Jayhawk, KCAC, MIAA, football | Comments (0)

Saturday’s games … and then some

Nov. 6, 200911:53 p.m.
HOW 'BOUT THEM DUCKS!

HOW 'BOUT THEM DUCKS!!!!

Thought I’d start this thing off with a little Pac 10 action via the Jayhawk Conference — that’s former Wichita North and Butler County star Zac Clark in the middle of the Oregon locker room, singing the fight song after his Ducks beat Oregon on Halloween in Eugene. I’ve always thought that things like this are the beauty of the Jayhawk — one fall you’re playing in front of a couple grand on some dingy field behind an elementary school in El Dorado and the next …

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: They are playing basketball now, BTW, including the Hutch men trouncing Barclay behind 18 points, 11 boards and 7 assists from Garrius Holloman on Thursday than waxing Fort Scott on Friday behind 16 from Joe Mitchell. I guess GH’s knee is gonna be okay …

If you haven’t checked out my Newman previews, you can go here and here.

Here’s my look at Saturday’s football games — I’ll do my Jayhawk stuff for Sunday when I’m posting scores, post-haste, manana:

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By Tony Adame | Filed under KCAC, MIAA, baseball, football | Comments (0)