CAPTION: The Buhler Crusaders (9-2) will play Andover Central in the Class 4A semifinals Friday night at Andover. CREDIT SPORTS IN KANSAS
By John Mesh
The Buhler High School football team advanced to the Kansas Class 4A state football semifinals with a 28-14 victory over Wamego Friday night at Wamego.
It was a payback game for the Crusaders, who lost to Wamego 29-14 in Week 1.
The Crusaders (9-2) will play Andover Central (10-1) in the 4A West semifinals next Friday night at Andover.
“Great effort,” Buhler head coach Steve Warner told Ad Astra Radio. “Our offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage against a very good front. I’m very proud of the kids. We always talk about how you handle adversity is what makes you a champion. We’re excited to go to work for another week. Our kids will be ready.”
Andover Central, which defeated Hutchinson 37-7 in Week 1, defeated Wellington 58-13 in the sectional round game.
Just like 2021, Buhler will face Andover Central in this coming Friday’s semifinal game.
The East semifinal matchup will feature Shawnee Mission Bishop Miege (4-7) at Tonganoxie (8-3). In the East sectionals, Tonganoxie defeated Lansing 21-7 and Miege downed Chanute 37-13.
Buhler scored its points on touchdown runs by Landon Martinez (24 yards), Nick Gazayay (32 yards, 1 yard) and Mitchel McDaniel (1 yard).
Jared Miller kicked three extra points and Cash Carson caught a 2-point conversion pass from Brendan Scripsick.
Buhler had 281 yards of total offense (91 passing and 190 rushing) and Wamego 241 (176 passing and 71 rushing).
Scripsick completed 7-of-12 passes for 91 yards, including 3 passes for 70 yards to Quentin Pisano. McDaniel rushed for 81 yards, Gazaway 68 and Martinez 41.
Will Hanen led Buhler defense with 9 tackles, Jacob Miller made 7 stops and Cruz Hershbeger 7. Jaxon Pratt recorded 1 sack. Miller intercepted a pass.
The Crusaders led Wamego 14-0 at halftime. Buhler scored a touchdown in the first quarter and one in the second quarter.
Buhler led Wamego 20-7 after three quarters and outscored the Red Raiders 8-7 in the fourth quarter.
Wamego finished the season with a 9-2 record.
Warner is in his 40th year of coaching, including 37 as head coach. Warner has a 284-111 overall record, including a 164-53 in 19 years at Buhler.
Buhler’s assistant coaches are Jason Kohls, Garret Hotmar, Kevin Ruda, Robby Gray, Willie Adkins, Mike Zeyen, John Neill, Caleb Brill and Cole Cruz.
The Crusaders posted a 7-3 record in 2023, 4-5 in 2022, 10-2 in 2021, 6-4 in 2020, 8-3 in 2019, 5-5 in 2018, 7-3 in 2017, 11-2 in 2016, 10-1 in 2015 and 9-3 in 2014.
The 2013 Buhler squad won the 4A state title with a 13-1 record. The Crusaders beat Holton in the semifinals to advance to the 4A state title game in 2013.
The Crusaders went 8-4 in 2012, 11-1 in 2011, 12-1 in 2010, 11-2 in 2009, 9-3 in 2008, 7-4 in 2007 and 7-4 in 2006 (Warner’s first season).
Before Warner arrived, the Crusaders went through six straight losing seasons from 2000-2005.
Chuck Porter coached Buhler from 1987-1999 and he posted a record of 78-48. The Crusaders lost to Pittsburg 28-10 in the 1990 Class 5A state championship game.
After a 6-3 season in 1980, Buhler had six losing seasons until Porter arrived.
Larry Prather guided the Buhler football team for a 45-28 record from 1972-1979.
Buhler has been playing football since 1916.
KSHSAA state football semifinal pairings
Class 6A
East
No. 1 Gardner-Edgerton (10-1) vs. No. 2 Blue Valley West (10-1)
West
No. 1 Derby (11-0) vs. No. 2 Manhattan (11-0)
Class 5A
East
No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (11-0) vs. No. 11 St. James Academy (6-5)
West
No. 2 Eisenhower (9-2) vs. No. 9 Hays (7-4)
Class 4A
East
No. 5 Tonganoxie (8-3) vs. No. 15 Bishop Miege (4-7)
West
No. 2 Andover Central (10-1) vs. No. 5 Buhler (9-2)
Class 3A
East
No. 1 Wellsville (11-0) vs. No. 3 Topeka Hayden (10-1)
West
No. 1 Andale (11-0) vs. No. 7 Holcomb (9-2) *6 p.m.
Class 2A
East
No. 3 Nemaha Central (10-1) vs. No. 13 Council Grove (8-3)
West
No. 1 Southeast of Saline (11-0) vs. No. 3 Beloit (9-2)
Class 1A
East
No. 3 Centralia (10-1) vs. No. 4 Rossville (8-3)
West
No. 1 Conway Springs (11-0) vs. No. 3 Valley Heights (9-2) *6 p.m.
8-Man DI
East
Central Plains (9-2) vs. Clifton-Clyde (9-2) *6 p.m.
West
South Central (11-0) vs. Hoxie (11-0) *6 p.m.
8-Man DII
East
Axtell (11-0) vs. Frankfort (9-2)
West
Dighton (11-0) vs. Victoria (11-0)
6-Man
East
Cunningham (10-0) vs. Tescott (9-2) *6 p.m.
West
Weskan (11-0) vs. Golden Plains (9-2)
Buhler’s Emerson Walden named KVA Second Team All-State in Class 4A
The Kansas Volleyball Association announced the 2024 All-State Teams, Players of the Year and Coaches of the Year selections for all classifications.
Buhler High School junior Emerson Walden was named to the KVA Class 4A Second Team.
Halstead High School’s Bailey Bernal and Dalaina Schutte made the Class 3A All-State First Team. Halstead’s Katharine Engel was named to the Second Team and Piper Schroeder was named Honorable Mention.
Halstead’s Diana Schutte was named 3A Coach of the Year for guiding the Dragons to the Class 3A state championship.
Beloit’s Addison Budke was named Player of the Year.
In Class 2A, Inman’s Suttyn Harris was to the First Team. Teammate Taylor Froese was named to the Second Team.Inman’s Kenna Woods was named Honorable Mention.
Class 1A state champion Little River placed two players on the First Team — Anika Feldman and Havana Olander. Teammates Evie Look and Saelyn Raleigh were named to the Second Team.
Feldman was named 1A Player of the Year and Little River’s Kim Rolfs and was named Coach of the Year.
Kansas Volleyball Association 2024 All-State list — https://www.adastraradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2024-KVA-All-State.pdf
Haven, Nickerson, Halstead athletes make all-CKL football team
Haven, Nickerson and Halstead placed several players on the 2024 Central Kansas League All-League Football Team.
Haven: Nash Wray (1st team QB/2nd team KR), Aiden Hoopes (1st WR), Van Loop (2nd RB), Aaron Logan (2nd OL, Kolton Altvater (2nd K), Grant Patry (HM TE), Chandler Ingold (HM WR), Dakota Arndt (1st DL), Blake Richey (HM DL).
Nickerson: Zein Rextor (HM OL), Keatin Abernathy (2nd OL), Addrick Nelson (HM DB).
Halstead: Connor Herman (1st OL/DL). Carlos Martinez (1st K), Braxton Creed (2nd QB/1st DB), Kurt Faudell III (2nd OL), Kohen Corona (2nd WR), Joey Millspaugh (HM RB/2nd LB), Reese Carmichael (2nd LB), Gage Meyer (HM DL), Noah Diehl (HM DB/KR).
Five Blue Dragon volleyball players earn All-KJCCC/Region 6 honors
Five members of the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team earned post-season recognition as members of the 2024 All-KJCCC Division I/All-Region 6 Volleyball teams.
Sophomore McKenzie Murphy and freshman Atlyn Proctor were named to the all-KJCCC/Region 6 second team.
Freshmen Addy Foster and Tiana Simmons and sophomore Shelbi Wilson were honorable mention selections.
Murphy, a sophomore middle blocker from Fort Scott, was Hutchinson’s leading blocker in 2024 with 1.06 blocks per set. She averaged 1.22 blocks per set against KJCCC competition this season.
Her 152 blocks this season ranked 15th in team single-season history. Murphy’s 297 career blocks rank sixth in program history.
Offensively, Murphy hit .247 and averaged 1.24 kills per set. She had a season-high nine kills against both Cloud County and Seward County. She posted season highs of eight blocks against Neosho County and Pratt.
Murphy is a two-year all-KJCCC selection. She was honorable mention all-conference as a freshman in 2023.
Proctor is a freshman outside hitter from Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. was the Blue Dragons’ leading hitter this season. She averaged 2.96 kills per set on 1.85 hitting. Proctor also averaged 0.74 digs and 0.39 blocks per set.
Proctor reached double figures in kills 21 times, breaking the 20-kill mark three.
She had 22 kills on .288 hitting against Vincennes University at the Cardinal Classic in Park Hills, Mo.
She had 21 kills on a season-high .459 attack percentage against Pratt. Proctor also tallied 21 kills on .457 hitting against Butler.
Proctor posted five double-doubles this season, getting a season-high 18 digs against the Friends JV.
Foster, a freshman libero from Derby, set a Blue Dragon freshman record for digs and ended up No. 2 on Hutchinson’s single-season digs list.
Foster racked up 664 total digs this season, averaging 4.54 digs per set. Those 664 digs were second on the single-season list to Mariana Blum’s 731 in 2004.
Foster’s 4.54 digs-per-set average ranked sixth overall and third on the freshman list.
Foster had double figures in digs in 36 or 40 matches this season. She had eight matches surpassing 20 digs, including a season-high 28 digs against Vincennes University on Oct. 11.
Foster had 25 digs in a five-setter against Dodge City on Oct. 9 and 25 digs in a four-set win over McCook on Sept. 20.
Simmons, a redshirt freshman right-side hitter from Stillwell, averaged 2.56 kills on 2.08 hitting this season. She also averaged 1.64 digs and 0.57 blocks.
Simmons had a season-high 18 kills twice – the first vs. McCook when she hit .318 for the match and added 16 digs. The second was against the McPherson JV. Simmons had double figures in kills in 14 of 36 matches played.
Simmons had three double-doubles this season.
Wilson, a sophomore from Columbus, averaged 6.6 assists per set running primarily a 6-2 offense this season. Wilson also averaged 19.2 digs and had 37 service aces this season.
Wilson had a season-high 45 assists in a four-set match vs. Butler on Oct. 23. She had 40 assists in a five-set battle with Vincennes.
Posting a season-high 12 digs vs. Dodge City on Oct. 9, Wilson had three double-doubles this season.
Hutchinson’s Terrell King tops Sports in Kansas All-State boys basketball returning players
Hutchinson High School senior Terrell King is listed by Sports in Kansas as one of its top returning All-State basketball players in Kansas Class 5A.
King is joined on the 5A Boys First Team by Great Bend High School junior Ian Premer and Andover senior Josh Kim. Maize High School junior Brandon Myovela is on the Second Team in 5A.
The Cunningham senior duo of Luke Albers and Will Wegerer lead the Kansas Class 1A Division II Team.
Blue Dragon men’s basketball team drops out of NJCAA Division I rankings
The Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team fell out of the NJCAA Division I rankings after dropping two of its last three games and falling to to 4-2.
The Hutchinson men’s basketball team plays road games at No. 1-ranked defending NJCAA champion Barton Community College at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Fort Hays Tech Northwest (Goodland) at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Barton (5-0) moved up to No. 1 from its preseason No. 2 ranking.
Butler Community College (5-0) is ranked sixth this week after a No. 8 ranking last week.
The HutchCC women’s basketball team (6-0) stayed at No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I women’s poll. Dodge City (5-1) is ranked ninth and Butler CC (4-0) is ranked 24th.
The Hutchinson men’s basketball team plays road games at Barton Community College at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and Fort Hays Tech Northwest (Goodland) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The HutchCC football team (9-1) is at No. 2 in the NJCAA Division I poll after beating Garden City 42-17 on the road Saturday.
Iowa Western (10-1) is No. 1, Georgia Military College (10-1) is No. 3 and Northwest Mississippi College (10-1) is No. 4.
The top four teams in the NJCAA Division I earned berths in the NJCAA Playoffs with the top two teams securing home games.