Happenings from around the state’s small-college conferences:
MIAA
-Fort Hays State senior defensive lineman Aaron Burton played well in a season-opening loss to Emporia State. Here’s an article on Burton from Conor Nicholl of the Hays Daily News. The Tigers get a shot at redemption on Saturday when they host No. 15 Washburn, where FHSU coach Chris Brown was a coordinator at before he came to Hays.
-It’s no surprise that Emporia State’s volleyball team is off to a 4-0 start and in first place in the MIAA. The team that is a surprise at 4-0 is Fort Hays State, which is off to its best start since 2004.
KCAC
-Bethany’s football team was the lone winner out of the KCAC in openers – here’s my story from Kansas.com and in Wednesday’s Eagle. Bethany sophomore defensive end Steven Williams (8 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack) was named KCAC defensive player of the week.
-McPherson goalie and Wichita native Taylor Parrott was named the KCAC defensive player of the week after shutting out York in the second half and overtime of the Bulldogs’ 2-1 win. McPherson trailed 1-0 before rallying.
JAYHAWK
-Butler football opened up $12 million BG Products Veterans Sports Complex with a 28-10 win over No. 5 Navarro in front of over 6,000. Here’s the story from The Wichita Eagle’s Jeff Lutz, who was in El Dorado.
-Top-ranked Cowley volleyball started the season 6-0, but has been off since Aug. 28 and have a big Jayhawk East test on Wednesday at Coffeyville. The Red Ravens are 6-1.
TWO OF BUTLER'S GREATEST - CORNELIUS CARRADINE AND ZACH METTENBERGER
Here’s the link to my article on No. 2 Butler opening up El Dorado’s shining jewel – the $12 milliion BG Products Veterans Sports Complex. The Grizzlies take on No. 5 Blinn on Saturday – Jeff Lutz will cover for The Eagle.
The MIAA opened up Thursday night – with No. 1 Pittsburg State welcoming Northeastern State to the MIAA with a rout at Tahlequah.
Jayhawk Conference
No. 5 Blinn (0-0) at No. 2 Butler (1-0), 7 p.m. — Just like Butler, Blinn is a team with national championship aspirations, but the Buccaneers are young, with over 60 freshmen on the roster. Blinn won its last national title in 2009 with future Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton at quarterback, defeating Fort Scott in the Citizens Bank Bowl at Pittsburg.
No. 10 Hutchinson (1-0) at No. 12 Navarro (0-0), 7 p.m. – Troy transfer Luke Barnes showed Hutchinson coach Rion Rhoades picked the right quarterback after a three-way battle in training camp. Barnes threw for a school-record 459 yards in the Blue Dragons’ 58-26 win over No. 17 Coffeyville last week.
Other games
No. 16 Tyler (0-0) at Fort Scott (1-0), 1 p.m.
Southeast Texas Prep (0-0) at Independence (0-1), 1 p.m.
Highland (0-1) at Northeastern Oklahoma (0-0), 7 p.m.
Cisco, Texas (0-0) at Garden City (1-0), 7 p.m.
No. 7 Trinity Valley, Texas (0-0) at No. 17 Coffeyville (0-1), 7 p.m.
Dodge City (0-1) at Kilgore (0-0), 7 p.m.
KCAC
Friends (0-0) at Evangel (0-0), 6 p.m. – Derby product Jeff Kontz is a four-year starter for Friends and one of the best defensive backs in the nation. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety was an All-KCAC pick last season with 59 tackles, five interceptions and five pass breakups and is a preseason All-American. This game should be a good test for the Falcons – Evangel is picked fifth in the Heart of America, but the first four teams are all ranked in the Top 25. The Crusaders also have a pair of preseason All-America linebackers in Jamail Randle and Taber Cheo.
Other games
William Penn (0-0) at Bethel (0-0), 11:30 a.m.
Kansas Wesleyan (0-0) at Cumberland (0-0), noon
Sterling (0-0) at Benedictine (0-0), 1 p.m.
Saint Mary (0-0) at Nebraska Wesleyan (0-0), 1 p.m.
Missouri Valley (0-0) at McPherson (0-0), 6 p.m.
No. 24 Bethany (0-0) at Southwest Assemblies (0-0), 6 p.m.
Here’s a look at Saturday’s small-college football games, with a full slate in the Jayhawk Conference, where they’ve moved their annual series with the SWJCFC teams to the second week of the season.
JAYHAWK CONFERENCE
No. 17 Coffeyville at No. 10 Hutchinson, 7 p.m. – Gowans Stadium gets a marquee national matchup to open the season and the much-anticipated debut of Coffeyville coach Aaron Flores, who won three national titles as an assistant at Butler.
Each team will have a Division I transfer starting at quarterback, with Troy’s Luke Barnes getting the nod for the Blue Dragons after winning a three-man battle in training camp. Barnes, 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, runs a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and set the Florida state high school passing records for career touchdown passes (51) and passing yards (5,810) at Fort Walton Beach High School, breaking the marks set by Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel.
Former Iowa backup A.J. Derby will start for Coffeyville. Derby was the backup for the Hawkeyes last season but transferred to Coffeyville in January after being moved to linebacker. Prediction: Hutch
Other games
No. 2 Butler at Dodge City, 7 p.m. — Yes, Butler should win easily, but it could be easy to lose focus with next week’s stadium-opening game against Blinn looming. Biggest question for Grizzlies is how new quarterback Billy Cosh will perform – Cosh transferred from James Madison (and Kansas State before that).
Garden City at Independence, 7 p.m.
Fort Scott at Highland, 7 p.m.
KCAC
No. 18 Baker at No. 11 Ottawa, 6 p.m. – The Braves have two All-American candidates back on defense in defensive back Donald Anderson, a Wichita Southeast product, and defensive end Zach Van Deusen. Anderson had 53 tackles and five interceptions last season, with two returned for touchdowns. He also is a playmaker on special teams, where he blocked three kicks in 2011.
Baker has one of the top transfers in the country — on any level — in running back Dillon Baxter, a former five-star recruit who was kicked off the team at Southern California last October then got the boot at San Diego State in February. Junior quarterback Jake Morse, last year’s HAAC co-offensive player of the year, also returns for the Wildcats. Prediction: Baker
Jayhawk Conference Media Day was Friday in Wichita – Butler is the defending champ and finished 2011 ranked No. 2 in the NJCAA after winning the Citizens Bank Bowl in Pittsburg. Hutchinson finished the season No. 9. NJCAA Preseason rankings should be out next week. Biggest change for the early part of this season is that the Jayhawk won’t open up with their annual series against the Texas JuCos – they’ll do it in their second week, highlighted by Butler opening up its new stadium against Blinn. Here’s a quick look at what went down Monday, going by how the teams were picked to finish:
1. Butler (2011: 11-1, overall, 6-0 Jayhawk)
This year, it’ s all about Dreamius Smith. And a new stadium. The sophomore tailback and former KU signee had to split time with Jasper Sanders and Derrick Thomas as a freshman but it looks like he gets to be the featured back this year – even with Thomas back. And with that, Smith and Thomas have got two big-time offensive linemen back in tackles John McClure (6-4, 310 pounds) and Jesse Ingle (6-3, 280). McClure, who won a state title at Heights with Smith, is a returning All-American and one of the top JuCo o-line products in the country. K-State/James Madison transfer Billy Cosh will be Butler’s QB, replacing Chandler Whitmer, who had a pretty decent year last season but had the unfortunate task of playing after LSU starter Zach Mettenberger. Cosh hasn’t played in a game in two years.
“I feel like we’ve got some good leadership … guys with good experience,” Butler coach Troy Morrell said. “Dreamius is up to about 225 pounds and running really well. And we’ve got a good group up front that can block and protect people.”
Defensive backs Tate Omli and Max Martinez – both Kansas kids – are back and could make a big impact. Morrell said defensive line is his biggest concern.
Can’t remember a Butler team that’s been this (potentially) good and built so much around Kansas natives. Butler has 11 kids playing in the Shrine Bowl tomorrow. Amazing.
2. Hutch (2011: 9-3, 5-1)
First things first: Hutchinson coach Rion Rhoades is rocking some serious, Sons of Anarchy-type facial hair.
That being said, of course the Blue Dragons are going to be good this year – but are they good enough to contend with Butler? It seemed like if it was going to happen it was going to be last year, with two of the top offensive players in the nation back in WR Cordarrelle Patterson and QB Elliot Alford, but they’re both gone now. Hutch only has nine starters back – 5 offense, 4 defense – but Rhoades is confident in that group. Sounds like there’s still a QB race between Troy transfer Luke Barnes, Arkansas Tech transfer Jesse Stone and last year’s backup, Slader McVey. Hutch’s strength is on defense – they’ve got arguably the two best interior defensive linemen in the conference back in Toby Johnson (6-4, 305) and Ben Bradley (6-2, 310). With U. of Miami transfer Keion Paine at cornerback this could be a special defense. Rhoades also recruited well – they’ve got 7 kids in the Shrine Bowl tomorrow.
KILLER start to the schedule for Hutch – open at home with Coffeyville then head to Navarro.
“I feel like our football team is relatively complete,” Rhoades said. “We’ve got a nice group to work with.”
Also, some sad news – TE Zach Tipton had a major concussion this spring and won’t be able to play football anymore. Tipton, a Goddard product, was solid for the Blue Dragons last year.
3. Coffeyville (2011: 6-4, 4-2)
New coach Aaron Flores made his bones as the offensive coordinator at Butler – winning 3 national titles and playing for it all 6 times – and was brought in by AD Jeff Leiker after things fell apart for Darian Dulin the last two years. University of Iowa transfer A.J. Derby (6-4, 230 pounds) is the Red Ravens’ quarterback and has a HUGE advantage in that he has been at Coffeyville since January. He initially won the backup quarterback job at Iowa last fall as a redshirt freshman, completing 3 of 6 passes for 30 yards. But he was suspended for two games in October after he was arrested on charges of public intoxication and criminal mischief. Kirk Ferentz moved him to linebacker, and he bolted.
4. Fort Scott (2011: 4-4, 4-3 – under NJCAA probation, record didn’t count)
“Everybody in here is a liar and a cheater except for me … I”m as pure as the driven snow.” – Fort Scott coach Curtis Horton.
Greyhounds had a nice year last year, but it didn’t count because they were on NJCAA probation after some major violations – violations that occurred as Fort Scott rose to the ranks of the NJCAA’s best. Horton took over on July 7 and had to walk into camp a month later and tell his team the season wouldn’t count – that’s tough. Horton paid a HUGE compliment to defensive back Kevin Short (6-2, 180), saying he could be an NFL guy.
5. (tie) Dodge City (2011: 3-7, 3-3)
Dodge City coach Bob Majeski has a big-time defensive end back in Marcus Hardsion, who had a great freshman season (46 tackles, 3 sacks) and is getting a lot of high Division I looks and has the size – 6-4, 290 pounds – to play either on the end or on the interior at the next level. Looks like the Conqs have Butler CC transfer Jace Banner at running back. Dodge had its biggest win in 20 years last season when it beat Garden City … two terrible teams but don’t underestimate
5. (tie) Garden City(2011: 2-7, 2-4)
No team has fallen from the ranks of the Jayhawk – and national – elite with a more resounding thud than Garden City. It’s to the point where second-year coach Jeff Tatum has taken to referring to the Broncbusters as the “little guy” in the conference. Remember that this is a team that was in bowl games and the national rankings every year. All that being said, Garden City does have seven starters back on defense and an interesting situation at quarterback – Georgia transfer Nick Marshall(6-2, 190) will lead the Busters’ offense. Marshall played in every game for the Bulldogs last year … at cornerback. Marshall is a Rochelle, Ga., native and had an offer to play hoops and football at Georgia but decided just to focus on football.
7. Highland (2011: 1-8, 1-5)
Highland’s got a new coach in Ryan Held, who was the offensive coordinator at Butler last season. Held has been a head coach on the NCAA DII level at Panhandle State and in the NAIA at Peru State, so he’s got good experience. Highland was giving up 70-plus points on a regular basis last season. “I came in and blew up the roster,” Held said. “When you get beat 89-0, that’s what you’ve got to do.” South Alabama transfer
8. Independence (2011: 0-9 overall, 0-6 Jayhawk)
Rough year for coach Steve Carson last season – including blowout losses to Butler (63-0), Trinity Valley (63-0) and Hutch (70-0). The Pirates do have their quarterback returning in sophomore TyQuan Hayes and a pair of offensive linemen in Trey McCluskey (6-foot-3, 290 pounds) and Newton product Jacob McGuire (6-2, 275). “I’m optimistic about what we’ve got coming back,” Carson said. “But I’m also realistic about what the other teams have.”
Big postseason honors today out of Ark City, as Cowley CC freshman outfielder Laura Seeman and freshman 2B Haley Strawn were both named first-team NJCAA Division II All-Americans – capping a big year in which the Tigers won the Jayhawk East and finished 4th at the NJCAA D2 Tournament.
Strawn, who I wrote a feature about last month, led Cowley in batting (.505), home runs (20), doubles (29), hits (107), runs scored (82), total bases (196) and slugging percentage (.925). She also recorded a .991 fielding percentage in her first year playing second base – her natural position is shortstop. Cowley coach Ed Hargrove moved her to second after another player quit before the season.
Seeman, a Maize product, led Cowley in on base percentage (.551) and was second in home runs (15), runs scored (64), total bases (148) and slugging percentage (.846). She also was third on the team in hits (88) and RBIs (67).
The big question now, and I suppose this is a good problem to have, is if Hargrove will still move Strawn back to shortstop like he said he planned to.
Highland pitcher Zuzana Kudernatschova and Independence 1B Heather Lanphear were also first-team picks out of the Jayhawk.
The Jayhawk Conference is expanding its football rosters to 59 from 55 from 2012 – adding four out-of-state players to a “taxi squad” that can play in non-conference games (including bowls). During conference play, schools can still only use 12 out-of-state players but that group of 12 can be switched out week-to-week. In the past, you could only swap an out-of-state player in the first 3 games. Which also meant that if your all-star from Florida or Georgia or California or wherever got hurt in the 10th game, there went your season.
Hutchinson coach Rion Rhoades spearheaded this movement – big opposition came from Butler coach Troy Morrell, who wanted things to stay the way they were. His big beef? Cuts down on opportunities for Kansas kids.
Here’s a look at the evolution of football rosters in the Jayhawk:
1965 – 40 players on roster, 10 could be out-of-staters
1979 – 45 allowed on roster, 40 suit up for games, 10 -out-of-staters
1987 – 55 allowed on roster, 40 suit up for games, 10 out-of-staters
1988 – 55 allowed on roster, 45 suit up for games, 10 out-of-staters
First-year Coffeyville Community College football coach Aaron Flores sat down for a Q&A with us Tuesday morning – Flores is a familiar name in the Jayhawk Conference after spending 10 years at Butler Community College, where he was part of teams that won three national championships, played in six national title games and won nine Jayhawk titles. Flores took over after Darian Dulin, another former Butler assistant, was fired in November.
Flores, American Football Monthly Magazine’s offensive coordinator of the year in 2003, spent last season as the OC and QBs coach at Itawamba (Miss.) Community College:
Back to the live blog for my last day at Region VI Tournament in Hartman- when I find out who is taking over for the finals I’ll put up a link to their Twitter account. The Barton men pulled off the huge upset yesterday in taking down No. 1 Coffeyville, which I think makes Seward the new favorite – and Saints guard Trey Starks had the WOW moment of the day yesterday with his follow dunk against Dodge City. Here’s our lineup today – I’ll update with scores and some stats as the games end.
WOMEN
Independence 71, Garden City 58 FINAL
Garden City led by six at halftime but got run out of the gym in the second half. Diara Moore led the Pirates with 28 points including a fadeaway three in front of her own bench from NBA range that had people buzzing at Hartman.
Hutchinson 61, Cloud 55 FINAL
Hutch improves to 32-0 with the win. Ranked No. 2 in the country, Blue Dragons will face Indy in tomorrow’s final. Jackie Patterson led Hutch with 13 points, but was only 4 of 19 from field.
MEN
Cowley 76, Barton 67 FINAL
Cowley trying for first Region VI title since 1957 and making 3rd title game appearance in five years.
Haven’t done one of these in awhile but there’s lots going on today at Hartman Arena in Park City – the women’s quarterfinals were last night. I’ve seen about 20 4-year schools here so far, most noticeable being South Carolina and Oklahoma State head coach Travis Ford. Here are the matchups for your Selection Sunday – I’ll update with scores and some stats as the games are finished:
Barton 68, Coffeyville 64 FINAL
Huge upset by Barton. Coffeyville top-seeded team in Region VI and No. 5 in nation falls. Barton’s Algie Key leads his team with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Somehow or another, Barton coach Craig Fletchall always figures out a way to be in the mix this time of year. Coffeyville’s Charles Hammork, the Jayhawk East MVP, finished with just 4 points on 2-12 shooting – including 0 for 5 on 3s.
Cowley 61, Hutchinson 52 FINAL
Score tied 23-23 at halftime – Hutch had big lead in first half but let it slip away. Blue Dragons had chance to tie it late in second half from free-throw line but missed them both. Great defensive effort by the Tigers – specifically 6-5, 245-pound forward Gavin Brown.
Cloud 70, Independence 68 FINAL
Cloud’s Richard Carter hits game-winner with 5 seconds left. Nice little pull-up J from the free-throw line. Indy went nuclear in second-half w/ a stretch that included two technicals and an intentional foul.
