Stallions planning to participate in U.S. Army All-American Bowl tryout

I am kicking off a highlight project to spotlight some Schlagle Stallions who will be traveling to San Antonio for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl tryout. DJ Sayles, Stephan McIntosh, Tre'von Wallace, TJ Wallace and J'veyon Browning.

The game has showcased some of the best talent in the country specifically Vince Young. No doubt this is a great opportunity to get exposure as I am sure the top programs in the country will be watching the senior game.

This is a solid opportunity for these gentlemen. Best of luck to each of them during the tryouts. Represent KCK well.

Be on the look out here for the highlight package that is sent for evaluation.

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Regarding the All-KCKAL Football Team

As usual, within minutes of publishing the All Kaw Valley League football team, I received an email from someone about the All Kansas City Kansas - Atchison League football team.

The reason why the team hasn't been published is I've yet to receive the team.

Sometimes voting in some leagues takes longer than the other. Last year, I received the All-KCKAL team late.

If I do not receive a team soon, I would be willing to create one just for the league, provided that I receive some help with Atchison and the players who deserve to be honored from that team.

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The 2011 All Kaw Valley League Soccer Team

Here's the 2011 All Kaw Valley League soccer team announced this week. Everyone was voted on the team by the coaches inside the KVL.

FIRST TEAM

F - Jake McCurry (12), Lansing

F - Jimmy Bormolini (11), Lansing

F - Martin Cervantes (12), Bishop Ward

MD - Jack Lopez (10), Mill Valley

MD - Matthew Briggs (12), Tonganoxie

MD - Gustavo Ruiz (12), Turner

D - Dakota Foster (12), Basehor-Linwood

D - Nate Mitchell (12), Bonner Springs

D - Jake Nye (11), Lansing

D - Oscar Acuna (12), Turner

Keeper - Collin Cook (12), Piper

Utility Player - Austin Eagles (12), Turner

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SECOND TEAM

F - Spencer Bush (12), Bonner Springs

F - Matthew Saathoff (11), Tonganoxie

F - Kelvin Ibarra (10), Turner

MD - Steven Coy (12), Basehor-Linwood

MD - Spencer Frank (11), Bonner Springs

MD - Andy Ericks (10), Lansing

D - Riley Vomhof (11), Mill Valley

D - Tony Vitale (12), Mill Valley

D - Matt Cavlovic (12), Piper

D - Marcus Titterington (12), Tonganoxie

KEEPER - Keaton Truesdell (11), Tonganoxie

UTILITY PLAYER - R.J. Cawthon (12), Piper

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HONORABLE MENTION

F - Trey Kincheloe (11), Basehor-Linwood

F - Lane Young (11), Basehor-Linwood

F - Joe Davis (12), Piper

F - Jeremy Wilson (10), Piper

MD - Zach Ferguson (9), Basehor-Linwood

MD - Tyler Bartholomew (12), Tonganoxie

MD - Gabe Moran (11), Turner

MD - Louie Rebeck (12), Bishop Ward

D - Zach Sawalich (11), Basehor-Linwood

D - Bailey Weeks (9), Mill Valley

D - Tyler West (12), Turner

KEEPER - Brett Steuart (12), Bonner Springs

KEEPER - Russell Clark (12), Basehor-Linwood

UTILITY PLAYER - Marcus Box (12), Basehor-Linwood

UTILITY PLAYER - Jose Vega (12), Bishop Ward

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The 2011 Kaw Valley League's All Volleyball team

(CLICK FOR A LARGER VERSION)

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The 2011 Kaw Valley League football team

The 2011 Kaw Valley League's All Football team was released this week.

A number of local players from Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., made the team. Here's the entire team. Grades of each player are in the parenthesis.

Basehor-Linwood Bobcats quarterback Colin Murphy and his twin brother Ryan Murphy were unanimous selections at their respective positions. 

This team was voted on by the coaches inside the league.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Colin Murphy (12) , Basehor-Linwood (unanimous)

RB - Johnathan Jackson (12), Bonner Springs

RB - Jesse Hiss (12), Basehor-Linwood

WR - Ryan Murphy (12), Basehor-Linwood (unanimous)

WR - Stevie Williams (12), Bonner Springs

TE - Ben Johnson (11), Basehor-Linwood

OL - Ben Kamm (12), Basehor-Linwood

OL - Michael Miller (12), Lansing

OL - Sam Worthy (11), Turner

OL - Shewmon (12), Basehor-Linwood

OL - Coleman McCann (11), Mill Valley

OL - Cletus Gilmore (11), Piper

KICKER - Nick Rodriguez (12), Turner

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Zach Callahan (12), Mill Valley

DL - Ben Johnson (11), Basehor-Linwood

DL - Drew Potter (11), Basehor-Linwood

DL - Caleb King (12), Piper

LB - Jesse Hiss (12), Basehor-Linwood

LB - Dalton Mellies (12), Basehor-Linwood

LB - Julian Cole (12), Piper

LB - Marcus Grant (12), Mill Valley

CB - Justic Oehlert (12), Mill Valley

CB - Tanner Garver (11), Basehor-Linwood

CB - Litton Vanderwerff (12), Lansing

PUNTER - Nick Rodriguez (12), Turner

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SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Skyler Windmiller (11), Mill Valley

RB - Nick Hugehes (12), Lansing

RB - Drew Potter (11), Basehor-Linwood

RB - Matt McDonald (11), Piper

WR - Wade Hanna (12), Mill Valley

WR - Beau Soucie (12), Piper

TE - Jared Vogel (12), Piper

OL - Kyle Dumler (10), Bonner Springs

OL - Jesus Monarca (11), Bishop Ward

OL - James Howey (12), Lansing

OL - Knute Holden (11), Mill Valley

OL - Colton Gatton (10), Mill Valley

OL - Andrew Kump (11), Bishop Ward

KICKER - Brad Brown (11), Lansing

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Drew Hern (12), Bonner Springs

DL - Drake Leger (11), Turner

DL - Ryan Lynch (12), Tonganoxie

DL - Michael Miller (12), Lansing

LB - Nick Rodriguez (12), Turner

LB - Mike Golubski (12), Bishop Ward

LB - Colton Beebe (9), Piper

LB - Cameron Trout (12), Lansing

LB - Matt Call (11), Bonner Springs

CB - Daemon Franklin (12), Bonner Springs

CB - Matt McDonald (12), Piper

CB - Staton Rebeck (11), Mill Valley

PUNTER - Ben Johnson (11), Basehor-Linwood

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HONORABLE MENTION

OL - Trevor Hickman (12), Basehor-Linwood

OL - Joe Jerome (11), Mill Valley

OL - Blake Pyles (12), Bonner Springs

QB - Jordan Jackson (10), Bonner Springs

TE- Ethan Rice (12), Mill Valley

WR - LJ Hatch (12), Mill Valley

KICKER - Andrew Wesp (12), Mill Valley

KICKER - Parker Miller (12), Piper

DL - Cole Taylor (12), Lansing

DL - Tyler Kruskamp (12), Turner

PUNTER - Jared Vogel (12), Piper

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KCK Preps and Sport Highlights Unlimited names the All KCK Defense

Now that the season has come to an end we would like to start celebrating the efforts some of the talent had this year 2011. Take a look at the All KCK Defense presented by KCKPreps and Sport Highlights Unlimited.

Information will start circulating soon for an award ceremony to celebrate and get these young men together. We will also name award winners for Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Play of the Year and Game of the Year 2011. The candidates for each of the awards will be announced in the coming weeks. So if you see your name on any of these lists I would very much appreciate your attendance. We are hoping each player named can attend in their game jerseys.

Feedback and recommendations are welcome. My hope is that this does generate some conversation because lists like this are difficult. Feel free to email me at davidbrox@shukc.com if you care to discuss the drawbacks of having a 4-4-3 alignment.

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HIGHLIGHTS: Bonner Springs Stevie Williams

In spite of the loss to Gardner, Bonner Springs wide receiver Stevie Williams finished his senior season strong. With 7 catches 125 yards and 2 TD's he was able to finish the season with 6 consecutive 100 yard games with at least 1 TD. 

Ending your senior season with 50 catches 939 yards and 13 TD's is fantastic and I could not be more proud of his attitude and effort throughout 2011. I am sure that there was some fear associated with a QB change especially to a sophomore but it worked out great.

Stevie finishes his high school career with 87 receptions 1624 yards and 25 TD's. That is over 18 yards every time he caught the ball and a TD just under every 4 receptions.

As I watch film I like to compare these young men to players in the NFL. It took me a while to put my finger on who I thought Stevie reminded me of and it hit me as I watched his work against Gardner. Steve Smith from the Carolina Panthers has the same type of frame and speed. 

To give some perspective to Stevie's dominance in high school Steve Smith averages 14.7 yards per catch and a TD just under every 12 receptions in his NFL career.

Stevie is getting interest from Rice, North Dakota State, Washburn and the JUCO's here in Kansas. Where ever he lands I know I will be watching his progress.

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Harmon's Jauan Wilson set to start at Coffeyville

According to someone connected with the Coffeyville Red Ravens basketball team, former Harmon Hawk Jauan Wilson will be starting as a freshman this year.

Wilson set two key school records during his time at Harmon - most varsity starts and most points.

Wilson started all four years from the beginning at his career at Harmon.

He's a solid guard who should make an immediate impact for a Coffeyville program that's been outstanding the past decade or so.

He was selected All Kansas City Kansas - Atchison First Team two years in a row by the league's coaches.

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COMMENTARY: There's more luck in sports than anyone will admit

Stop me now if you've ever heard "Joe Blow Rock-N-Roll" average sports fan say the following after a big win for his or her team.

"We were lucky to win that game. If it wasn't for the good luck we had, we would not have won."

Very rarely, if at all, do sports fans, athletes or coaches admit that simple good luck played a role in their victories.

Funny enough, "bad luck" is quickly credited for a loss, particularly if that loss involved a Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver illegally kicking the ball up in the air inside the end zone to save their season against an underdog Missouri Tigers team.

Or, a soon-to-be national title winner receiving a 5th down against the very same Missouri football program.

But I digress.

Sports fans and athletes hate to admit luck played a factor in wins. It sometimes takes away our bragging rights against the rival fans. We hate to cheapen wins and glorious victories against teams we loathe.

Reality, however, paints a different story.

Just look across the sports world over the past few months.

- The St. Louis Cardinals, a deserving World Series winner, drowned in good luck the last month of the season. Sure, they caught fire and played great baseball. However, the Atlanta Braves performing the second largest September choke job in baseball history made it possible. As great as St. Louis played, if Atlanta simply played .500 baseball, the Cardinals do not sniff the playoffs. That great baseball would not have mattered.

- Take your Kansas City Chiefs this season. They are 4-4, with three of those losses coming by at least 28 points - and two of those embarrassments coming at home. Looking a little closer at the fate and luck the Chiefs received, they should be 2-6 at the best. One of their wins came against an Indianapolis Colts team without Peyton Manning. Another win came after Philip Rivers fumbled a snap late in the fourth quarter. Yet another win against the Oakland Raiders happened after both the team's starting quarterback and starting running back were hurt. The Chiefs have a nice group of players with heart, but to not admit they've been lucky this year would be dishonest as a fan. The Chiefs are probably the worst 4-4 team in NFL history if you look things fairly.

- Aaron Rodgers, the outstanding quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, is having a historical season. His quarterback rating - halfway through the season - is an insane 129.1. There's been nothing lucky about his game. The luck with Rodgers comes with the team he landed at. Over 20 teams passed over Rodgers in the 2005 NFL Draft. Green Bay had very little hope of drafting him, but yet he falls down to them. What if, say, the Kansas City Chiefs selected him instead of Derrick Johnson? How about if the San Francisco 49ers picked him instead of Alex Smith? Green Bay could become the next great NFL dynasty. It would not have been possible if 20 teams passed over Rodgers. If Rodgers was with the Chiefs, who arguably have better wide receivers than the Packers, how pretty would the Chiefs be sitting right now?

There's so many other examples that do not need a paragraph.

Bill Buckner booting the ball in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series that allowed the game-winning run for the New York Mets to come in.

Franco Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers pulling off one of the biggest flukes in NFL history with the Immaculate Reception, defeating the Oakland Raiders in the 1972 NFL Playoffs. That play's legality is debatable with the rules at the time of the play and I'm sure Terry Bradshaw did not draw it up that way.

The point is, you won't see Packers fans roll around Green Bay saying they were "lucky to get Rodgers deep in the first round."

Mets fans will not concede their World Series title due to being on the good side of luck.

Still, it would be nice to see more people admit good luck when they see it and when they benefit from it.

Good luck with that, though.

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Several Piper athletes named to all league teams

A number of Piper Pirates athletes recently made the Kaw Valley League teams voted on by the respective coaches of the sports.

KCK Preps will publish the entire teams once we get a hold of them, but I don't want to punish schools if they get their athletes to me early.

Congratulations to all of the Pirates!


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Football:

Cletus Gilmore (11) - 1st Team lineman
Caleb King (12) - 1st Team defensive lineman
Julian Cole (12) - 1st Team linebacker
Matt McDonald (11) - 2nd Team running back and defensive back
Jared Vogel (12) - 2nd Team tight end and honorable mention punter
Beau Soucie (12) - 2nd Team wide receiver
Colton Beebe (9) - 2nd Team linebacker
Parker Miller (12) - Honorable mention kicker
 
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Soccer:

Collin Cook (12) - 1st Team keeper
Matt Cavlovic (12) - 2nd Team defensive player
RJ Cawthon (12) - 2nd Team utility player
Joey Davis (12) - Honorable mention forward
Jeremy Wilson (10) - Honorable mention forward 

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Volleyball:

Megan Woolley (10) - All League
Cori Smith (12) - Honorable mention 

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