By John Mesh
Hutchinson Community College’s Drew Dallas was need the 2024 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Coach of the Year and HutchCC running back Waymond Jordan Jr. was named KJCCC Offensive Player of the Year.
Jordan was joined on the first team by HutchCC teammates Samari Collier, quarterback; Tate Hoover, fullback; Tre Brown, wide receiver; Ja’Cory Thomas, wide receiver; Bubba Craig, offensive tackle; Devan Lowe, defensive tackle; Marshon Oxley, defensive end; JaQuel Mack, linebacker; Demonte Gaston, cornerback; Kollin Collier, safety; and Davis Barr, punter.
Blue Dragons on the second team are Jarred Napoli, tight end; Derrick Salley Jr., wide receiver; Mason Thrush, center; Jeremiah Williams, offensive guard; Ja’Kwon McKinney, defensive tackle; La’Modrick Spencer, safety; Kedrick Walker, linebacker; Nestus Burger, kicker; and Kordell Ghouldsby, return specialist.
Honorable mention went to Carson Bradley, offensive tackle; Chandavian Bradley, defensive end; David Jester, cornerback; DeMarcus Johnson, defensive end; Dylan Johnson, offensive guard; Ben Prosper, wide receiver; Avian Rice, safety; and Rudy Vargas, defensive tackle.
The Blue Dragons have a 9-1 overall and are ranked No. 2 in the last regular-season NJCAA Division football poll.
Hutchinson will host an NJCAA Division I semifinal game at Gowans Stadium. The date, kickoff time and opponent have yet to be determined.
Buhler football players named to AVCTL Division 3 Team
The Buhler High School football team, which finished the 2024 season with a loss to Andover in the Kanas Class 4A state semifinals, placed several players on the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division 3 Team.
Buhler won the AVCTL 3 league title with a 5-0 league mark and posted a 9-3 regular season record.
Buhler senior Will Hanen was named Defensive MVP. Buhler’s Steve Warner was named AVCTL 3 Coach of the Year.
Buhler First Team performers: Mitchel McDaniel, running back/defensive back; Bodey Radenbaugh, offensive line; Tanner Brown, offensive line; Cash Carson, defensive line; Cruz Hershberger, defensive end; Will Hanen, linebacker; Jacob Miller, linebacker.
Buhler Second Team performers: Logan Turner, offensive line; Jeremy Gentry, special teams; Nick Gazaway, linebacker; Quentin Pisano, defensive back.
Buhler Honorable Mention: Brendan Scripsick, quarterback/punter; Nick Gazaway, running back; Cash Carson, offensive line; Jax Pratt, tight end/defensive end; Nixon Standlee, offensive line; John Aldrich, offensive line; Chase Gentry, defensive line; Brady Gotti, defensive back; Jared Miller, kicker.
Varsity Kansas recognizes Halstead volleyball players, coach
Halstead, the Kansas 3A state volleyball champions, were recognized by Varsity Kansas/Wichita Eagle on its All-Metro Team.
The All-Metro Team was released on Saturday.
Halstead’s Dalaina Schutte was named to First Team All-Metro. Halstead coach Diana Schutte was named Coach of the Year.
Halstead players on the All-Metro Second Team are Bailey Bernal, sophomore outside hitter; and Katharine Engel, junior outside hitter. Piper Schroeder, sophomore libero, made the All-Metro Third Team.
Dalaina Schutte, Halstead senior, is the heart and soul of the team, but the engine that made one of the most dynamic offenses in the state hum, according to Varsity Kansas.
Schutte’s brilliance as a 5-1 system setter powered Halstead to a 43-2 season and the first state championship in program history.
The Bethel College commit registered a career-high 972 assists and finished with 2,032 in her career, while adding 124 kills, 56 aces, 20 blocks and 220 digs to earn first team all-state honors in Class 3A and first team all-league recognition in the Central Kansas League.
Halstead coach Diana Schutte on Schutte:
“I had multiple people come up to me this year and tell me they didn’t realize how good Dalaina was because she just makes it look so easy. And she does make it look easy out there. She’s not really flashy, but she makes her teammates better and she’s pretty crafty at being able to get the ball to any hitter at any time anywhere on the court. She was very deadly on the dumps when she was playing front row. It was pretty nice because I didn’t really have to coach her very much.”
After knocking on the door for so long, Halstead coach Diana Schutte finally snapped a 33-year-long drought at the state tournament and then led Halstead to the first state championship in program history.
It was a magical season for the Dragons, who finished with a 43-2 record, the Central Kansas League and Class 3A championships.
In her 20th year of coaching volleyball and 10th year at Halstead, Schutte won a state title with her daughter, Dalaina, as a senior and star setter for the team.
The roster for the Dragons also included Bailey Bernal, Katharine Engel, Piper Schroeder, Jordy Schroeder, Daynica Euwer, Sloane Linton, Annie Williams, Tess Williams, Peyton Wendling, Ainsley Farmer and Thea Boese.
Halstead coach Diana Schutte on her team: “I catch myself smiling all these weeks later, like, ‘Did that really happen?’ It’s been so much fun because during the season, I was watching so much film of other teams and now it’s been nice to go back and just watch my team. This was a special, special team. Some of these girls work for me at the pool (in Halstead) and a lot of them have been coming to my youth camp since they were little girls. I’ve known them since they were itty-bitty second-graders and to see all of their hard work finally pay off has been so special.”