A magazine focusing on all things sports in northwest Kansas

February 2013

The Hays Daily News

INK.

Aiming morefor

The Panther girls have

been competitive for years, but

titles have been elusive in

Phillipsburg.

1

2

UNLIMITEDTRULY

Nex-Tech Wireless is eligible to receive support from the Federal Universal Service Fund in designated areas. As a result, Nex-Tech Wireless must meet reasonable requests for service in these areas. Questions or complaints concerning service issues may be directed to the Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection by calling 1-800-662-0027.

Wishing all area athletes

Sign up withNex-Tech Wireless

and receive:

UNLIMITEDSUCCESS!

877-621-2600 www.nex-techwireless.com

DATA

© 2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nex-Tech is the ONE choice that gives you the most TV channels, cool features like HD, DVR and On Demand all for the best price in town.

Nex-Tech TV starts as low as $47.95!*

*Some restrictions apply. Prices subject to change.

What’sup?A look inside

this issue

Volume 2, Issue 12Sports Ink. is published and distributed by The Hays Daily News. Copyright © 2012 Harris Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in

part without permission is prohibited. Sports Ink. is a registered trademark of The Hays Daily News, 507 Main, Hays, KS 67601 (785) 628-1081.

Cover illustration by steven Hausler shausler@dailynews.net

sports ink. Contributors: niCk MCQueen nmcqueen@dailynews.net Conor niCHoll cnicholl@dailynews.net everett royer sportsink@dailynews.net

steven Hausler shausler@dailynews.net klint spiller kspiller@dailynews.net CHelsy luetH clueth@dailynews.net.

Going for it

14

8

6

Making a run

The Russell high school giRls’

baskeTball Team has TuRned iTself inTo a

conTendeR..

aiMing higherThe PhilliPsbuRg giRls’ baskeTball Team has had a

successful Run. The PanTheRs jusT don’T have many cRowns To show foR iT.

kings of the lanes

bowling bRoTheRs keiTh and kevin ubeRT do TheiR besT To

mainTain a comPeTiTive edge.

Everett Royer, Sports Ink.La Crosse junior Marshall Jay takes the ball to the basket against Otis-Bison senior Dylan Wissman in the third quarter of their game earlier this month in La Crosse.

3

Year in and year out in this business, high school sports can really keep you guessing. While we prepare each year for what

we think will happen, it never fails — someone or some team will always throw a wrench in the spokes.

That’s why we love to do what we do. Not that we covet being proved wrong or like to end up with egg on our face, but we love to see the little guy get his chance to shine, or David slaying Goliath, or a team coming together despite facing adversity.

Of course, we do like it when all goes according to plan as well. For example, at the beginning of the football season, the buzz around the office was all about Ness City. The Eagles came through.

But, it might be the surprises that make what we do so much more thrilling. It’s the Otis-Bisons of the world that make a miraculous run into the postseason, and make the Class 1A Division II basketball title game. It’s teams like the Wallace County girls, who last season were able to shut down Hutchinson-Central Christian star Jamie Patrick, something not many had been able to do.

It can even be negative surprises, like watching a heavily favored Plainville boys’ team fall in the 2A sub-state in Ellis last season, something some of us thought would never happen. On the other hand, wasn’t it cool to see Ness City rise to the occassion?

It’s what we live for. Here are a few things that could provide a surprise this season. • I would be surprised if the Hoxie girls’ basketball team doesn’t

successfully defend its Class 1A Division I championship. Through its 8-0 start this season, Hoxie averaged 78 points per game and never scored less than 67. That came in a 26-point win against a salty Ellis team. Hoxie allowed just 29 points per game in that same stretch. Hoxie has been ranked No. 2 behind Olpe all season and it would be a real shock if it’s not those two playing for the crown.

•…if anyone but Ellis and Smith Center are playing for the sub-state championship on the girls’ side in the Plainville 2A sub-state in early March. Although, this could be the prediction that gets

blown up with an upset or two. After all, Smith Center was a potential favorite in a stacked sub-state last season before Belleville-Republic County knocked everyone off.

•…if Hays High sophomore Brady Werth doesn’t end this season with a double-double average. The 6-6 Werth already has put together a strong career

for the Indians and his numbers were mind-blowing early this season. He could have one of the best careers under longtime coach Rick Keltner by the time it’s all said and done. I also would be so bold as to say he’ll be one of the top five in the HDN’s all-area bas-ketball team and likely make a run at being the player of the year.

• …if anyone but Hoisington is hoisting the 3-2-1A state wrestling trophy in February at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Although ranked fourth as of Jan. 15, Hoisington, on paper, looks to be a potential favorite. Don’t count out teams like Plainville and Hoxie, though. Plainville could be in the mix, and Hoxie should be hoisting some type of hardware — just probably not the top dog.

McQUEEN

For starters

nick

Everyone loves a surprise4

1-800-222-3121www.mwenergy.com

“Making Energy Work for You”

Like our student athletes, Midwest Energy’s 285 employees live these values every day. As a team, we work together in all kinds of weather, year-round, to provide you safe, reliable and efficient electric and natural gas services. We do this with a single vision: Building a brighter future for our 90,000 customer-owners throughout central and western Kansas. We wish all area athletes and teams a safe and successful season!

Jacob DozierJourneyman Lineman, Hays

Serving Since 2007

Motivation. Dedication. Teamwork.

Who’sThat?

Notable performancesin northwest Kansas

John GriffithGriffith, a senior for the Trego boys’

basketball team, enjoyed a strong start to the season for the Golden Eagles. A 5-11 guard, Grif-fith averaged 19.1 points per game through the first 10 games, including a 31-point effort in a 62-44 win against Norton prior to the MCL Tournament. Griffith posted at least 25 points three times while averaging five rebounds and three as-sists per game. The Golden Eagles started the season

4-6 heading into the MCL Tourney.

Audra SchmeidlerSchmeidler, a freshman on

the Hays High School girls’ basketball team, put up 41 points in a freshman game for the Indians against Garden City earlier this month. Her performance in the freshmen game earned her some playing time in the varsity game later in the night, where she scored two points.

Cale RogersRogers, a freshman for the Smith Center High

School wrestling team started 14-5 at 106 pounds after taking second place in the Norton J.R. Dur-ham Invitational, then finished first in the Oberlin Invitation-al the following week in early January. Rogers was ranked No. 2 in the weight class, be-hind Ellsworth junior Ty Nien-ke, who was second in Class 3-2-1A last season. Rogers’ older brother, Clint, was ranked No. 6 at 126 pounds,

and their older brother, Colt, was a four-time 3-2-1A champions for the Redmen.

Got an idea of someone who you think should be included in Who’s That?

Send it to sportsink@dailynews.netwith Who’s that? in the subject line,

or call (800) 657-6017.

Fallyn HandleyHandley, a 5-foot-7 junior, keyed a strong

start for the Palco girls’ basketball team. Hand-ley, through the first nine games, averaged a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12.7 rebounds per con-test. Her best game was a 57-55 win against Natoma, where she scored 17 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. She also has collected 20 steals after getting six in the season opener.

5

One brother is not quite as good as he used to be. The other said he might

be as good as he’s ever been. Regardless, both Kevin and Keith Ubert

are among the names synonymous with good bowling at Centennial Lanes in Hays.

The two, along with their dad, Jerry, are mainstays on the lanes year-round, all the while trying their hardest to promote the sport and keep people interested.

“I love the sport, and I love it when I see others start to get involved,” said Keith, who owns the center’s highest se-ries at 879, something he accomplished in 2009. “Would be great to see the sport grow. Right now, it’s kind of dying — not a lot of people in it.”

That doesn’t stop those involved from working on their game, said Kevin, who started bowling when he was 7 years old. Keith started when he was 4.

“It’s just being competitive,” Kevin said. “Once you’re good at something, you strive to be the best.”

And, they do it most of the year. Leagues at Centennial Lanes run from August to April.

The fact it’s something they can all participate in is a big draw.

“As kids, we got to know the guys that

dad bowled with,” Kevin (33) said. “So, now we bowl with them — something to do together we enjoy.”

And, the rewards for staying with it can draw them in as well. Keith has bowled competitively for much of his life. From 1997 to 2000, one of the brothers was “King of the Lanes” in every youth tournament. Keith rolled his first perfect game (300) in a youth league.

“You have to try and stay sharp and fo-cused,” Keith said. “I got more involved in my early 20s to go to bigger tourna-ments.”

Then, he started realizing he could cash in.

“Nice to see a reward, too, at the end when you put all that time and effort into it,” he said.

The experience and involvement in the sport, though, is rewarding enough, even for Jerry, who said he never even came

Page 6 February 2013 SPORTS INK.

Kingsof the lanesBowling Brothers

maintain competitive edge

Keith, left, and Kevin Ubert are league members at Centennial Lanes who have been bowling most of their lives.

STEVEN HAUSLER, Sports Ink

Kevin and Keith visit with their dad, Jerry, at Centennial Lanes.

6

close to bowling at the level his sons do.

“I’ve given up on that,” he joked. He would have a long way to go. After

rolling another 300 in December, Keith has 40 in his career. His resume also includes 32 career 800 series (three games). Last year, he carried a 243 average with the United States Bowling Congress, of which he is a member of Hays’ Hall of Fame (inducted in 2011).

His 879 series at Centennial Lanes came in 2009 on what he called a “rare night.”

No slouch either, Kevin said he is now wanting to get back up to that level, admitting his younger brother far sur-passed him. Kevin has collected eight 300s and two career 800s, averaging 215 last year.

“It’s just like anything else, if you don’t practice, you’re going to get passed up,” Kevin said. “I’ve put more time into practicing to try and get back up to that level I know I’m capable of.”

Keith’s most distinguished finish came in 2011, when he was third in the Rio Rancho Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. His most recent accomplishments were local, winning the Scotch Trio Tour-nament in Wichita in 2012, and the

Centennial Lanes Scratch Tournament as well.

“There were a bunch of really talented bowlers (in New Mexico),” Keith said. “I got ran over by a pro, pretty much.”

But his game is as good as it has been. “The game and equipment is evolv-

ing, and you have to keep up,” he said. “I feel like this is the best I’ve been the past few years. I’ve been exceeding here lately.”

His success is something he hopes he can pass on to someone else — anyone else that would enjoy the game as much as he has.

“First-time bowlers, you try and make them feel welcome,” Keith said. “Give them some tips to make sure they try and enjoy the sport — keep it going.

“If they like doing it, maybe they’ll bring more friends down the road.”

Nick McQueen, Sports Ink.

of the lanes

Kevin Ubert bowls at Centennial Lanes in Hays earlier this month.

7

Aiming With all the success the Panthers have had, one thing has been missing for the Phillipsburg girls’ basketball team.

Phillipsburg’s Mattison Dusin (32) grabs a rebound against TMP-Marian during a game in December at Al Billinger Fieldhouse in Hays. Also pictured are the Pan-thers’ Madysen Frantz (11) and Mindy Gower (21).

8

Aiming morefor

With all the success the Panthers have had, one thing has been missing for the Phillipsburg girls’ basketball team.

In the Phillipsburg High School gymna-sium, enormous posters adorn the upper walls with league championships, regional and sub-state titles and state placings list-ed in navy blue lettering for the school’s

different sports. Nearly all the sports have multiple accomplish-

ments on the boards. In fact, some of the boards are nearly full, but only one has a single listing: girls’ basketball.

Phillipsburg has been a dominat-ing force in volleyball, recording six league titles since 2006, four sub-state titles since 2008 and four top-three state finishes since 2008, but it hasn’t translated to girls’ basketball.

Panther girls’ basketball has posted six winning seasons out of the past seven, a school-record 16 victories last year and a 65-41 record in head coach Kim Pakkebier’s five full seasons, but the Panthers have nothing to show for it beyond their win total. The Panthers have never won a sub-state tournament, thus never earning a state appearance, and the school’s lone championship, a Mid-Continent League title, came when Phil-lipsburg joined the league in 1973 — a 39-year championship drought.

Many of the current players’ parents likely

weren’t even in high school at that point, and some might not have been born yet.

“It’s kind of frustrating, but we’ve got to keep improving, move on and hope for better things in the future,” said forward Michaela Gower, the team’s lone senior.

For coaches who have coached more than one season, Pakkebier’s 61.3 winning percentage in her first five seasons is the second best in the school’s history behind Dan Murphy, who led Phil-lipsburg from 1971 to 1975 to a 32-18 record.

The Panthers seem to have been snake bitten in Pakkebier’s tenure, because she has had some tremen-dous players.

Lindsay Dusin, the 5-foot-9 elder sister of Phillipsburg’s star forward Mattison Dusin, was there for Pakke-bier’s first two seasons.

Pakkebier said Lindsay Dusin was good enough she could play all five positions and often did during games.

She averaged a double-double her senior season with 14.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game and played collegiate volleyball at Hutchinson Community College and South-western Oklahoma State Univer-sity.

Sports Ink. February 2013 Page 9

story byKlint Spiller

photos bysteven hausler

PAGE 10

9

Makenzie Weinman, an all-confer-ence libero on the Fort Hays State University volleyball team, played for Phillipsburg from 2006-2010, and Rae-gan Vanderplas, who dots Phillipsburg’s record book for steals and assists, played from 2008-2012.

“It seems like the years we have the most talent, it coincides with the years

other schools have had their most talent as well,” Pakkebier said.

The Panthers have five second-place finishes and one third-place finish in the league counting the MCL tournament and regular season standings in Pakke-bier’s time.

Even last season, when Phillipsburg was 16-6, the Panthers ran into MCL

foe Smith Center, who went undefeated through the regular season before falling in its Class 2A sub-state final.

Other years, the team has suffered an injury that threw off the team. For instance, Weinman suffered an ankle injury in 2009-2010, and she missed significant time. Partly as a result, the Panthers finished 10-11 — the one losing

“it seems like the years we have the most talent, it coincides with the years other schools have had their most talent as well. ”

Kim Pakkebier, Phillipsburg coach

Panther coach Kim Pakkebier, left, talks with Dakota Wilkison during Phillipsburg’s game against TMP earlier this season.

10

2917 Vine, Hays(785) 625-4830

CamaroEnough said.

season in Pakkebier’s tenure.“I think that threw us off our game,”

Pakkebier said. “When we did eventu-ally get her back, we never could pick up where we left off with her and gelled back together.”

Pakkebier said she used to talk with her team about adding championships to the posters on the gym’s wall. In fact, the Panthers made it their goal one year, but that squad finished runner-up in the league standings and MCL tour-nament and missed the state tourna-ment.

Pakkebier said it added too much pressure.

“We kind of stopped talking about it,” she said. “We decided to take it one game at a time, one practice at a time, and build from there.”

Looking aheadThis year’s team probably won’t break the

drought, but the Panthers have a promis-ing future.

Phillipsburg features a lineup composed largely of underclassmen after graduating three of their top players from last season’s squad and losing senior forward Regan Bartels to a season-ending knee injury.

The Panthers have only one senior, Gower, but she isn’t one of her team’s top contributers, averaging 2.8 points per game early in the season.

Junior forward Mattison Dusin has car-ried the lion’s share for her squad. She has averaged a double-double with points and rebounds the past two years, breaking her sister’s school record for rebounds in a season with 258 last year.

“She loves to rebound,” Pakkebier said. “Last year, she averaged more re-

bounds than she did points.”Like Lindsay, Mattison Dusin shares

her sister’s want to rebound, but her sister was regarded as an extremely ag-gressive player.

Mattison said she’s attempted to take that from her sister’s game as well. But sometimes, Mattison, who can often be caught smiling while battling inside, said she has to be reminded from time to time.

“I always get yelled at by my mom and my dad for not being aggressive,” she said.

With Mattison Dusin (13.3 points and 10.8 rebounds through 10 games)

to build around, the Panthers just have to fill the gaps, and Phillipsburg has a cast of rising stars surrounding her.

Through 10 games, freshman guard Katelyn Swanson had her team’s second-highest scor-ing average (7.0 per game).

PAGE 12

ABOVE: Dusin eyes the basket for a shot against TMP. RIGHT: The Panthers’ Mindy Gower, left, handles the ball against TMP’s Melissa Pfeifer.

11

2917 Vine, Hays(785) 625-4830

CamaroEnough said.

Seeing limited time initially, Swan-son emerged Dec. 8 against Nickerson with 14 points, and she has the team’s best free throw percentage, shooting 75 percent.

“I think we’ll be real good in the next few years, only losing one girl,” Swanson said. “(Michaela Gower is) good, but we have a lot coming up.”

Junior guards Madysen Frantz and Shania Wilkison averaged 5.9 and 5.0 points per game.

Everyone else on the varsity squad are sophomores, with guard Mindy Gower, Michaela’s sister, leading her class in scoring with 5.9.

Early in the season, the Panthers’ inexperience was evident.

Phillipsburg averaged close to 20 turnovers per game, but the Panthers progressively cut that number down as the season carried on.

Pakkebier said she expects that trend

to continue as her players gel together.“Part of it is just understanding each

other,” she said. “... Some of those turnovers are coming from being a new team and having some inexperi-enced players. It’s not that they aren’t good players, because they are. They just aren’t reading each other like we hope they will be as they continue throughout the season.”

Mattison Dusin said she believes their early struggles have been because they are trying to do everything per-fect within the team’s system.

“I think we just need a little more time to get in the flow together and just be more of a team and go where everyone else goes and flow with the game more,” she said.

“Sometimes, I think we just go with the offense and not really play basket-ball. We just do what we are supposed to every single time, and it doesn’t

work or we get a turnover because we think the pass has to go there.”

The Panthers are underdogs this sea-son, but they could quickly turn into contenders as the underclassmen gain experience.

Hoping to add a “number”Early in her coaching career at Phil-

lipsburg, Pakkebier said her team

12

Proud SupportersOf Panther Athletics!

Oliff BoeveChapel

WINCHELLS INC.

PHILLIPSBURGMAIN OFFICERR3 Box 4A785-543-2118

Proud Supportersof Panther Athletics!

I make insurance simple.SM

Securities & services offered through FBL Marketing Services, LLCSecurities & services offered through FBL Marketing Services, LLCSecurities & services offered through FBL Marketing Services, LLCSecurities & services offered through FBL Marketing Services, LLC++++, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA50266, 877/860-2904, Member SIPC.50266, 877/860-2904, Member SIPC.50266, 877/860-2904, Member SIPC.50266, 877/860-2904, Member SIPC. Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company+*, WesternAgricultural Insurance Company+*, Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company+*/West Des Moines, IA. +Affiliates*Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services M094-ML-BC (2-12)

Shane Kinter746 Fourth Street Phillipsburg, KS 67661785-543-5202shanekinter.com

R&ARodgers & Associates

383 F StreetPhillipsburg, Kansas 67661 Office: 785/543-6481

LANDMARKImplement, Inc.

291 East Hwy. 36 • Phillipsburg, KS 67661

“Building our business one satisified customer at a time”

Curly Willow IIFlowers & GiftsCheck out the selection of Valentine Gifts

240 State Street Phillipsburg • 785-543-2265

placed an emphasis on adding “num-bers” to the posters in the gym, imply-ing the years of championships. Since then, she has stopped talking about it, but her players are aware of the program’s struggling history.

After all, many sports in Phillipsburg are littered with “numbers.”

Boys’ golf has 20 league titles, 12 regional titles and three top-three

finishes. Football has similar accomplish-

ments — six league championships, four district titles, four bi-district titles, a regional championship, a third-place finish at state and a state championship.

Even girls’ cross country, which sometimes struggles to field full teams, has two league titles from the

early 1970s.The Panthers realize they are under-

dogs this season, but still, Mattison Dusin said they want to add a “num-ber” to the wall.

With luck and more experience, they have a decent shot, especially with Dusin as a senior next season.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “We are getting better.”

13

White’sFoodliner

We Proudly Support Area Athletes!

Open 7 Days A Week7 am-10 pm

785-543-5412934 3rd St., Phillipsburg

HAHN & AMES, P.A.RANCE E. AMES

Attorney at Law

353 F StreetPhillipsburg, KS 67661

785-543-2166 (V)785-543-2167 (F)

rames@hahnlaw.net

Serving all your legal needs.

Go Panthers!Offices in Phillipsburg,

Logan, Stockton and Palco

Wishing AllAthletes the Best!

M&M MAPES & MILLER

Certified Publilc Accountants

711 3rd St. • Phillipsburg

800-543-6561

Denis W. Miller, CPA , PartnerRebecca A. Linx, CPA, Partner

785-543-2114 Phillipsburg Farm & Auto(785) 540-4290

Taylor’s Supply(785) 425-6789

Order Online...Pick-up In Store...WWW.NAPAONLINE.COM

Proud to Support Panther Athletics!

FIRST NATIONAL BANK and TRUSTPhillipsburg ~ Logan ~ Long Island

SMITH COUNTY BANK ~ Smith CenterSOLOMON VALLEY BANK ~ Beloit

Member FDIC www.agbank.com

Matteson Motors, Inc.276 West State Street

Phillipsburg, KS

A proud supporter of all Panther activities

Page 14 February 2013 SPORTS INK.

Russell

Frank Schulte graduated from Russell High School in 1979. That winter, he played on a Bronco team that won the Class 4A state championship.

Schulte always remembered playing in a gym that was either full or near capacity. At that point, Russell had won five boys’ basket-ball crowns in the previous 30 years, still the most of any area boys’ program.

Schulte, now a businessman in Russell, took over the girls’ basketball team four winters ago. At that point, the Broncos had struggled for many years, including a winless season in 2007-08. Not only did Schulte want to win games, he looked to bring full crowds back to Amos Morris Fieldhouse.

“When we came into the program, Russell basketball was kind of a joke,” senior Madi-son Beagley said.

Schulte has quickly changed Russell and

built the Broncos into one of Class 3A’s stronger teams. Not only has Schulte devel-oped talent, such as Beagley and his daugh-ter, junior Janna Schulte, he has changed the Russell basketball pipeline and played a different style than most elite squads. In Schulte’s four seasons, Russell has improved from 7-14, to 14-8 to 15-7 to 8-2 this winter.

“I came into a situation where anything I did that was halfway good would be con-sidered better,” Schulte said. “Really, I came into a win-win situation. I was fortunate that I got some good athletes to work with and hopefully that will continue to come.”

Overall, Russell has struggled in virtually all sports for many years. Russell has just nine top four finishes since 1979. Beagley sighs when she looks up at the banners.

This past fall, the Bronco girls’ golf team took third in Class 3-2-1A. In 2008, baseball,

on the riseUnder

coach Frank SchUlte, the

rUSSell girlS are working Up

the ladder.

Russell’s Madi-son Beagley, left, drives the baseline against Beloit’s Shaylyn Krone dur-ing a game earlier this season.

Steven Hausler Sports Ink

14

led by Jake Brown, the eventual starting second baseman for Kansas State University, finished fourth. Girls’ golf took third. In 2001, girls’ track finished third.

The last Russell team to finish in second was girls’ track in 1999. The last state title came in Schulte’s senior year.

Football has struggled for de-cades and went through a 1-8 year last fall. Boys’ basketball is winless this winter and not competitive. Track has enjoyed some standout athletes, in-cluding sprinter Zach Axelson and sprinter/long jumper Peyton Weiss, but not enough to finish high at state.

Wrestling has several solid wrestlers again this winter and had Tyson Schmidtberger — the school record holder with 141 wins — a few years ago. But numbers are quite low.

Russell has enjoyed plenty of success in powerlifting, a rarity for a school that hasn’t had much success in football or track. (At the lower classifica-tions, Sharon Springs is strong in powerlifting — but also in football, basketball and track).

From 2008 to 2012, either the boys or girls (or both) placed in the top-three at state in powerlifting, including one state crown from the boys. Currently, Mark Paul, athletic director and boys’ basketball coach, said numbers in the weight room have been low.

“Sometimes it’s hard to talk them into it,” Paul said.

Schulte has changed one key aspect that’s allowed girls’ basketball to rise. Like many other teams that see consistent success, Schulte has coached the girls for years. The major-ity of the team has played with Schulte since fifth grade and developed strong bonds and chemistry. It helped the program win the North Central Activities Association league crown in 2011, the first title for girls’ basket-ball in nine years.

“Over the years, the way kids learn how to play basketball has changed,” Schulte said. “Back in my day, it was mostly a lot of drive-way time, and now, I think that if a high school program is going to be successful, the kids have to start in third, fourth and fifth grade playing mainly MAYB basketball

because the driveway time is not happening anymore.”

“About the only way that you can make that happen is to put a team together, prac-tice with them and go play tournaments,” he added. “That way when they come into the school age basketball in the seventh

grade, they have got two or three years of experience under them already. I think Russell was a little behind on that.”

Multiple area schools, including defending Class 1A, Division I Hoxie, have done that. Coach Shelly Hoyt coaches the team in the summer and in the winter. Beloit coach Dal-las Cox, in his 30th year of coaching, agrees with Schulte. Not only does a team need a consistent coach for continuity, the players need to be involved for years.

“It needs to start in elementary school,” Cox said. “They don’t need to go crazy and play in a lot of tournaments, but they have to play together year after year after year.”

Schulte coached the girls before junior high and then he took over the middle school program five years ago. The team had a strong season and Schulte received word Russell might be making a change at the varsity level. Before then, he never envisioned taking over the high school program, but applied for the job. Schulte recorded a four-win improvement in his first season.

“In his first year, I could just tell, he was getting things in place, getting things struc-tured, instilling some discipline, just some things that the program needed to come around,” Cox said. “I told him, if at the time, our league gave out Coach of the Year award, I really felt like he deserved it, and I meant that seriously. I just think he has done a really good job.”

Russell enjoyed an even bigger climb in Schulte’s second year. Janna Schulte was a freshman that year and Russell had one senior in Weiss, a two-time state champion

in the long jump who went to Emporia State University for track. Schulte and Beagley, among others, have led in Weiss’ stead.

“She was amazing,” Janna Schulte said. “She really brought us together as a team, and she was funny.”

Coach Schulte’s friend, Mark Ptacek, the father of Russell junior guard and standout golfer Alex Ptacek, runs the junior high program. Beagley has played AAU basket-ball throughout the country the last several years and has received strong interest from multiple Kansas schools, including pow-erhouse Hutchinson Community College. Because of her summer experience, the 5-foot-10 Beagley can play the post and pe-rimeter effectively. Last summer, she played 80 to 100 games.

“There is not very many of us,” Alex Ptacek said. “The few girls that are in sports are really the ones who do anything at our school, so we get out there in the summer when everyone else isn’t, and we try to im-prove ourselves. …We have that drive and we don’t like to lose.”

Russell, though, plays a slower style than many top-ranked opponents. While many teams run and full-court press, the Broncos are better suited in a half-court offense. Russell isn’t ranked in the top 10 of the Kansas’ coaches rankings, but is the highest ranked team in the Norton sub-state, ac-cording to masseyratings.com, a statistical site that includes strength of schedule.

The top 10 teams in the coaches’ rankings all rank in the top 50 statewide in offense and/or defense, according to Massey. Rus-sell stands 100th in offense and 139th in defense. The Broncos average 60.7 posses-sions per game (Cimarron, ranked No. 7 in Class 3A, averages 67.5, a substantial difference). Of Russell’s first nine games, no contest was greater than 19 points.

“It definitely fits us better,” Coach Schulte said. “We want to try to push the ball, but we are not the fastest team in the world. We will take a fast break if we get it.”

Beagley averages 17 points and six re-bounds a contest, while Janna Schulte is at 9.4 points and seven rebounds. Still, the team chemistry and continuity has turned the Broncos into a consistent winner.

“I love every girl that has come through this program, and hopefully they feel the same way about me,” Coach Schulte said. “I am proud. Hopefully we can keep im-proving. We have improved every year and this year, it’s time to maybe take that extra step to make it to the state tournament.”

Conor Nicholl, Sports Ink.

on the rise

Sports Ink. February 2013 Page 15

“Over the years, the way kids learn hOw tO play basket-ball has changed.”Frank schulte

russell cOach

15

with Nick McQueen

Just a Minute

ON

Ben McLemoreJ.R. Smith (Knicks)

Derrick Rose

Kyler Niernberger

Teammate

Rick Keltner

b-ball coach

Derek BixenmanTeammate

What professional or college player does he remind you of most?

Megan FoxHoney boo

boo (when she gets older)

Nicki Minaj or Beyonce

IF you could pick one celebrity for him to marry, who would it be?

Energetic, positive, funny

Short term

memory

Energetic, Hard-working,

funny

What three words best describe him?

Cristiano Rinaldo

Coach Michealis or

David Cardinal

Michael Jordan

If he could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would he choose?

“What is love”

“Gangham Style”

Any rap song

If he went on American Idol, what song would he choose to sing?

Incredibly quick

Air jordan 14s (his number)

Taking it to the rack

If Nike were to name a shoe after him, what would you call it?

WindholzHays High School junior guard

Jordan

Page 16 February 2013 SPORTS INK.

Q: You guys have enjoyed a strong start. Other than the number of wins, does this season have a different feel than last year?

A: Last year, we were kind of young, and there were a lot of games we could have won. We have a lot more passion this year, it’s so amaz-ing to feel like we are playing right now.

Q: What do you think is an advantage Hays High has over teams when they step on the floor?A: We definitely are quicker. We have a few big

guys inside that do the work, and we have some quick guards. And I think when we put those two together, it’s pretty hard to stop us.

Q: Many have said Hays High has the best student section. What makes them so great?

A: I love our student section. I wish they could come to every away game with us. There is so much energy there. Our very first game of the season was probably our biggest student section. Every game, they’re there to support us and it’s just awesome. It gets everyone going. The cheerleaders, the band, I don’t feel like it’s basketball without the band. They really get us going.

Q: You also play soccer. Do you have a preference toward one or the other?

A: I like them both. Basketball is more of a team, and soccer, those guys I’m really close with. I just like to kick butt with everyone.

Q: Have you thought about the possibility of participating in collegiate athletics?A: I just want to keep working at it. That’s a hope I

have in my mind.

Q: Hays High is a tough place to play. Where is the second toughest place?

A: That’s tough. The second toughest probably is Garden City. Their student section and fans are not as good as ours, but they get loud. Good atmosphere to play in.

Q: If you had to pick one college or pro athlete you really admire, who would it be? Why?

A: A guy I really like is Perry Ellis. Seeing him play personally at the TOC. He made it from Wichita — just a fun guy to watch. I also like Jordan Juenemann. Coach talks about him a lot, and he’s such great guy. He’s never stopped working. He’s a good guy to look up to.

Q: What’s a realistic goal the rest of the season for the Indians?

A: Finish strong as a team. Play good and just see how far we can get. Everyone is stepping up. Brady is hitting big

shots. And Lane is doing good. We’re coming together as a team, that’s probably the biggest goal.

16

A spattering from NW Kansas

Ink. BLOTSI saw Bird City-Cheylin assistant

football coach and head boys’ basketball coach Anthony Blair in

the fall at a football game. He smiled and his thoughts immediately turned to basketball. Cheylin has been on a cusp of breaking through in basketball and ap-pears on the right track this season. The Cougars started 7-1, and 6-foot-8 senior Joshua Keltz has turned into a talented player. Keltz improved his athleticism in the summer. That helped him earn all-state honors as a lineman in football. He is well on his way to similar accolades in basketball. He has averaged 13.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.6 blocks per game. Keltz stands 10th nationally and first in Kansas in blocks per game, according to maxpreps.com.

-C.N.

For a team that has struggled as mightily as Thomas More Prep-Mar-

ian has, the Monarchs might have one of the better players in the region: senior point guard Heather Ruder. She has been extremely fun to watch, because it’s hard to tell what she will do on a given night to try and will her team to victory. Unfor-tunately, often even her greatest efforts still haven’t led to victories. TMP’s season was epitomized against Ellinwood earlier in the season. Ruder made eight 3-point-ers and scored a career-high 30 points, and TMP lost 74-64.

- KS

Perhaps the Hays High School band should print up T-shirt that read

“Fear the Beard.” While leading one of the best pep bands around in December at the HHS gym, Hays High band direc-tor Craig Manteuffel was rockin’ the long beard that could probably maintain a mind of its own. He should keep it that way. Leave the trimmer alone.

- N.M.

If you’ve never been, everyone should experience the Class 3-2-1A

State Wrestling Championships in Febru-ary at Gross Memorial Coliseum at least once.

- N.M.

17

Office: 785.798.2300Cell: 785-798-5341

swiftinc@gbta.netP.O. Box 466,

Ness City, KS 67560

ACIDIZING CEMENT TOOL RENTAL

Coming off his state champi-

onship at 138

pounds last sea-

son, Ochs got off to a

good start in 2012-13. He

started the season 22-0,

winning the always-tough J.R. Durham Invi-

tational in Norton for his 22nd win.

Ochs was ranked No. 1 at 160 pounds to start the season and sat atop the rankings as of Jan. 14.

Hoxie High School senior

CALVIN OCHS

Local & LongDistance HaulingVans, Flatbeds

1697 E 250 LanePhillipsburg, KS 67661

Rick Coomes

TRUCKINGSINCE 1964

VIS-POLISH

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENTYour aluminum wheels are a huge investment...& your livelihood depends on their performance.

Robotic Wheel Polishing...The polish that outlasts

the rest!AT

COOMES

On Jan. 11, the two Rush County high schools, Otis-Bison and La

Crosse, met up in La Crosse for a Cen-tral Prairie League contest.

La Crosse had two chances to win the girls’ game at the buzzer, but Otis-Bison earned a 46-45 victory. In the boys’ con-test, La Crosse never trailed and rolled past Otis-Bison, 65-36.

After both games, coaches and players expressed joy with the victory — and also a win against their rivals.

“It’s a little more special than every other game just because we see these kids on a weekly basis,” La Crosse junior Lucas Moeder said. “You know them really well, so it means a lot.”

“This has been a big rivalry for us,” Otis-Bison girls’ basketball coach Rich-ard Schmidt added.

“It’s a friendly rivalry, because kids know each other, 4H and everything like that.”

The Otis-Bison and La Crosse rivalry is like many in northwest Kansas: friendly and fractured by the split of eight-man and 11-man football. There is little dislike on either side or insult-ing. Just good competition — and that’s fine.

Currently, the area has virtually no heated rivalries. Instead, it’s more rivalries built on tradition, such as Logan/Almena-Northern Valley and Smith Center/Norton/Phillipsburg in the Mid-Continent League. Out west, Weskan and Wallace County have developed a great rivalry, but it’s been most competitive in girls’ sports.

Many of the rivalries, such as Otis-Bison/La Crosse and La Crosse/Ness City, now occur only in volleyball and basketball.

Ness City dropped to eight-man foot-ball a few years ago after forming an 11-man co-op with Dighton. Otis-Bi-son’s main rival in football is arguably Victoria, a game where the Cougars have played well the last few seasons.

But that contest still is built among mutual respect.

“There is a huge rivalry between us,” Victoria junior center/nose guard

Nathan Kuhn said of the two Central Prairie League foes last fall. “It goes back quite a ways, too.”

Still, though, the athletes get along well with each other, including last Friday.

During the games, Otis-Bison and La Crosse alums from the past several years, including Cou-gar standout Zach Stejskal and La Crosse standout Austin Webs, spoke in

the stands. Otis-Bison and La Crosse players talked after the game and wore smiles.

“It’s a rivalry,” Otis-Bison coach Bry-ant Briggs said. “It’s tough, being 15 miles apart. You never want to lose and that’s the best thing about it is both towns and teams and fans and every-body are so competitive. It’s great to be a part of. I enjoy it.”

NICHOLL

The closer

conor

Fueling the friendly rivalry

EVERETT ROYER, Sports Ink. Otis-Bison senior Hannah Bannister gets ready to shoot a free throw late in the game against La Crosse earlier this month.

18

• Welding & Fabrication• Certified Pipeline Welding

• Sandblast & Coating• Powder Coating

• Custom Metal Art Creations

Come See Us Today!1027 East Hwy 40 Byp

Hays, KSCheck us out on the web at www.leonswelding.com or find us on Facebook

CALL or Stop by

for more information!

785-625-5736

Monday – Friday

8am – 5pm

19

Get Warmed Upfor Winter

Best in Customer Servicewith knowledgeable professionals

Infinity FurnacesThe most high efficiency cost saving furnaceUp to 96.6% AFUE• Comfort Heat Technology®• Ideal Humidity Systems®• High efficiency air filtration cabinet• Lifetime heat exchange limited warranty• 10 yr. parts limited warranty when properly registered

900 Commerce Parkway • Hays,KS • 625-2115 • www.glassmancorp.com

• Sales • Installation• Residential • Commercial• 24/7 Emergency Service

Best of luck to the Phillipsburg Panthers & all the area teams!

At Sun� ower Electric Power Corporation, we encourage you to learn all you can

In the classroom In your extracurricular activities In the world around you

To learn more about electricity, energy savings, and electrical safety, visit our

www.sun� ower.net

Sun ower Electric Power Corporation 301 W. 13th St. Hays, KS 67601 785.628.2845

s n�o er

20