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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following op-ed column was written by Karissa Niehoff, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, and Bill Faflick, executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. The column deals with two vital issues facing high school athletics.
By KARISSA NIEHOFF and BILL FAFLICK
Executive Director of the NFS/Executive Director KSHSAA
Bill Faflick
Karissa Niehoff
After months of working with state government, education and health leaders, schools in all 50 states have been given the go-ahead to resume high school sports at some level of competition. Schools in the District of Columbia were the last to receive the green light on April 1. This is great news and signals that a return to normalcy may be on the horizon by the time schools begin sports and activities this fall.
Unfortunately, there is an ever-increasing issue that could put a kink in the return-to-play plans in Kansas and across the country – a shortage of officials, as in referees and umpires, that borders on catastrophic in some sports and in some parts of the nation.
The shortage of officials in high school – and middle school – sports has been a growing concern for several years; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has moved the issue to heightened levels.
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Former Shawnee Heights javelin standout Alyssa Conway has developed into one of NCAA Division II's top hammer throwers for Emporia State track and field. [Photo courtesy of Stephen Coleman]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It’s probably safe to say that most high school athletes in Kansas have no idea what the hammer is or how to throw it.
But that’s understandable. In fact, it hasn’t been that long ago that Emporia State track and field standout Alyssa Conway, a Shawnee Heights product, was in the same position.
“I was so confused when I came here and coach asked me if I wanted to try out the hammer,’’ said Conway, primarily a javelin thrower in high school. “I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ I had no idea what I was getting myself into and that was probably for the better.
From that humble beginning, Conway has become the most prolific hammer thrower in ESU history, breaking the 23-year-old school record held by another Topekan, Washburn Rural’s Laura Mayo, at the Drake Relays two weeks ago.
Shawnee Heights graduate is the new Emporia State record-holder in the women's hammer throw. [Photo courtesy of Stephen Coleman]
Last week Conway was named the MIAA Field Athlete of the Week after winning in the Alex Francis Classic at Fort Hays State, her second win in three weeks after finishing second in the prestigious Drake event.
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Former Washburn Rural standout pitcher Dalton Huggins picked up his third save of the season in Washburn's 12-9 win at Northwest Missouri on Thursday. [File photo/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's baseball team snapped a tie score with three runs in the eighth inning and held on for a 12- 9 series-opening win Thursday at Northwest Missouri.
The Ichabods will close out their regular season with a Friday doubleheader, starting at 12 p.m.
Taking advantage of two Bearcat errors in the top of the first, Washburn (17-20 overall, 16-15 in the MIAA) took a 2-0 lead on Peter Shearer's two-out, two-run single.
The Bearcats (13-24, 11-20) cut Washburn's lead to 2-1 in half in the bottom of the first, but Washburn went up 3-1 in the third when Xavier De Leon singled home Shawnee Heights product Cole Emerson.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University put freshmen Jaycee Ginter and Marrit Mead and junior Ashton Friend on the All-MIAA softball first team, selected by conference coaches, while Mead was also named the MIAA freshman of the year.
Washburn third baseman Marrit Mead, a Santa Fe Trail product, earned a spot on the All-MIAA softball first team and was named the conference freshman of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Ichabod freshman Jaycee Ginter, a former Shawnee Heights star, was named to the All-MIAA softball first team. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn junor Ashton Friend was one of three Ichabods named to the All-MIAA softball first team. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Mead, a Santa Fe Trail product, hit a team-high 471 over the regular season and also leads the Ichabods in hits (71), runs scored (45) and stolen bases (22), while Shawnee Heights product Ginter has a pitching record of 13-4 with a 3.09 earned run average, 30 RBI and six home runs and Friend leads Washburn and the MIAA with 11 homers and 46 RBI.
Ichabod junior Bri Francis and freshman Hadley Kerschen received honorable mention.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Christian Roduner's college baseball career at Emporia State is winding down, but the Rossville native made sure last weekend that he won't soon be forgotten.
Turning in a Senior Day performance for the ages against Fort Hays State, Roduner went 2 for 4 with a home run, two runs scored and three runs batted jn for ESU in a 13-3 first-game MIAA win over the Tigers and then put that performance to shame in the second game, achieving one of baseball's rarest single-game feats when he hit for the cycle in the Hornets' second straight 13-3 romp.
Roduner is believed to be the first Hornet to hit for the cycle since Emporia State moved to the NCAA Division II ranks in 1992.
"I had never done that,'' said Roduner, the MIAA HItter of the Week. "I was close my freshman year at Colby (Community College). I was a triple away from a cycle, but I didn't get it.''
Emporia State senior infielder Christian Roduner, a Rossville native, hit for the cycle in last Saturday's 13-3 MIAA win over Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Stephen Coleman]
On Saturday Roduner was able to get the triple, arguably the hardest of the four cycle components to get, out of the way on his first at bat.
"The triple was the luckiest one,'' Roduner said. "I hit it to dead center and it actually kind of kicked off the center fielder's glove and it winded up rolling down the fence and it was a standup triple. That was a lucky one for sure.''
