SPORTS: 2014 Kaw Valley League names all-league football teams (OFFENSE)

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The coaches in the Kaw Valley League have honored several football players from this year's football season.

The all league teams were announced this week.

Leading the way were the Piper Pirates with 13 members selected. Other athletes from Turner High School, Bishop Ward and Bonner Springs were honored.

The full list:

FIRST TEAM

QUARTERBACK

• Logan Koch, Mill Valley

RUNNING BACK

• Marcell Holmes, Bonner Springs
• Travon Jones, Piper

INTERIOR LINEMAN

• Caleb White, Basehor-Linwood
• Scott Hattok, Lansing
• Evan Applegate, Mill Valley
• Ben Hecht, Mill Valley
• Justyn Leslie, Tonganoxie

TIGHT END

• Shawn Pahls, Piper

WIDE RECEIVERS

• Christian Jegen, Mill Valley
• Jared Sommers, Tonganoxie

_____

SECOND TEAM

QUARTERBACK

• Krystian Abbott, Lansing

RUNNING BACK

• Sterling Owens, Piper
• Colton Beebe, Piper

INTERIOR LINEMEN

• Andrew Ramirez, Bishop Ward
• Jacob Wylie, Bonner Springs
• Chase Battes, Mill Valley
• Tyler Shurley, Mill Valley
• Collin Beebe, Piper

TIGHT END

• Zach Deverill, Mill Valley

WIDE RECEIVER

• Jonah Freese, Bonner Springs
• Kenneth Banks, Lansing

______

HONORABLE MENTION

QUARTERBACK

• Connor Byers, Bonner Springs

RUNNING BACK

• Cole Henley, Bishop Ward
• Dewaun Wilkes, Lansing
• Darnell Miller, Turner

INTERIOR LINEMAN

• Jacob Freese, Bonner Springs
• Aaron Hawes, Piper
• Ben Clark, Tonganoxie

TIGHT END

• Greg Deveau, Tonganoxie

WIDE RECEIVER

• Jake Jones, Piper

SPORTS: 2014 Kaw Valley League All-League Volleyball team announced

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The Kaw Valley League announced its all-league volleyball team.

Several athletes from Wyandotte County made the team.

ALL-LEAGUE

• Abbey Mellies, Basehor-Linwood
• Jaime Weible, Basehor-Linwood
• Madi Osterhaus, Basehor-Linwood
• Julianne Jackson, Bonner Springs
• Mikaela Bennett, Bonner Springs
• Kyle Farris, Lansing
• Steve Sherard, Lansing
• Lacey Angello, Lansing
• Catherine Kaifes, Mill Valley
• Alicia Pickett, Mill Valley
• Kennedy Wallace, Piper
• Jadyn Anderson, Piper
• Emily Hummelgaard, Tonganoxie
• Alissia Nevarez, Turner

HONORABLE MENTION

• Courtney Norris, Basehor-Linwood
• Courtney Robinson, Basehor-Linwood
• Hope Garcia, Bishop Ward
• Nadia Rios, Bishop Ward
• Caitlin Reed, Bonner Springs
• JoLee Ritchhard, Lansing
• Regan Johnson, Piper
• Lauren Jackson, Tonganoxie

2012 Kaw Valley League football team announced

By NICK SLOAN, NJSloan212@gmail.com

The Kaw Valley League has released its all-league football team.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Skyler Windmiller, Mill Valley
RB - Drew Potter, Basehor-Linwood
RB - Matt McDonald, Piper
TE - Ben Johnson, Basehor-Linwood
WR - Staton Rebeck, Mill Valley
WR - Paul Jones, Piper
OL - Andrew Lillich, Basehor-Linwood
OL - Coleman McCann, Mill Valley
OL - Blake Martin, Piper
OL - Joe Jerome, Mill Valley
OL - Sam Worthy, Turner
K - Connor Mills, Mill Valley

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Tanner Eikenbary, Piper
RB - Lucas Mein, Lansing
RB - Cole Holloway, Tonganoxie
TE - Maverek Dearinger, Piper
WR - Khalil Bailey, Lansing
WR - L.J. Hatch, Mill Valley
OL - Josh Barnes, Basehor-Linwood
OL - Jesus Manarca, Bishop Ward
OL - Shawn Bryant, Bonner Springs
OL - Chase Taylor, Lansing
OL - Coltyn Gatton, Mill Valley
OL - Thomas Miller, Tonganoxie
K - Jose Mejia, Piper

HONORABLE MENTION

QB - Jordan Jackson, Bonner Springs
QB - Paul Berry, Turner
RB - Kendall Short, Mill Valley
TE - Thad Marshall, Lansing
TE - Zach Hanna, Mill Valley
WR - Jonathan Blackwell, Bonner Springs
WR - Shane Levy, Tonganoxie
OL - Jacob Frederick, Turner
OL - Jay O'Bryan, Basehor-Linwood
OL - Andrew Kump, Bishop Ward
OL - Jacob Wylie, Bonner Springs
OL - Drew Goebel, Lansing
OL - Knute Holden, Mill Valley
OL - Evan Applegate, Mill Valley
OL - Jonathan Ortiz, Piper
OL - Blake, Knetter, Piper
K - Jason VanMaren, Bonner Springs
K - Brad Brown, Lansing
K - Eric Tate, Tonganoxie

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DE - Ben Johnson, Basehor-Linwood
DE - Tim Thomas, Mill Valley
DE - Ryan Smith, Mill Valley
DE - Drake Leger, Turner
LB - Matt Call, Bonner Springs
LB - Micah Clarke, Mill Valley
LB - TJ Phillips, Mill Valley
LB - Colton Beebe, Piper
DB - Tanner Garver, Basehor-Linwood
DB - Ryan Bath, Mill Valley
DB - Keaton Cofield, Piper
P- Ben Johnson, Basehor-Linwood

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Tyler Howell, Bonner Springs
DL - Sean Eskina, Piper
DL - Shane Levy, Tonganoxie
DL - Drew Potter, Basehor-Linwood
LB - Cory McCleary, Basehor-Linwood
LB - Christian Porter, Lansing
LB - Blake Miles, Mill Valley
LB - Blake Martin, Piper
DB - Jonathan Blackwell, Bonner Springs
DB - Matt McDonald, Piper
DB - Jeremy Jensen, Turner
P - Colton Beebe, Piper

HONORABLE MENTION

DL - Nick Chaney, Basehor-Linwood
DL - Andrew Kump, Bishop Ward
DL - Jesus Manarca, Bishop Ward
DL - Kyle Dumler, Bonner Springs
DL - Chase Taylor, Lansing
DL - Lincoln Benson, Mill Valley
DL - Kyle Skinner, Piper
LB - Jake Phillips, Basehor-Linwood
LB - Aaron Puckett, Bonner Springs
LB - Tyler Ayres, Lansing
DB - Lucas Mein, Lansing
DB - Xavier Chestang, Lansing
DB - Jared Sommers, Tonganoxie
DB - De'Andre Fenrick, Turner
P - Andrew Schneider, Bishop Ward
P - Brad Brown, Lansing
P - Skyler Windmiller, Mill Valley

MAKING HISTORY: Piper wins first ever regional title in football

By NICK SLOAN, NJSloan212@gmail.com

The Piper Pirates football program has officially taken the next step up in becoming one of the best 4A programs in the State of Kansas.

For the first time in the history of Piper High School, the Pirates are regional champions in football, defeating Baldwin 27-21 on the road Saturday night.

The Pirates used some big plays on defense and the passing game to take the lead - and eventually hold off a strong Baldwin team from a late comeback attempt.

Quarterback Tanner Eikenbary connected on a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior Sean Eskina to cut an early 7-0 deficit to 7-6, following the missed extra point. Baldwin responded with a 29-yard touchdown of their own, extending the lead to 14-6.

However, the Pirates defense weathered the storm, allowing Piper to  score the next 21 points in the game.

Matt McDonald's one-yard touchdown, which was followed up by an Eikenbary two-point conversion, tied the game at 14.

Sophomore Colton Beebe would set up the next Piper scored with his foot and his defense. Beebe drilled a 67-yard punt to flip field position. Later on, he sacked Baldwin's quarterback and caused a fumble.

From there, McDonald and the Pirates offense took advantage. He scored from six yards out to give Piper its first lead of the game. The touchdown was McDonald's sixth score of the postseason.

Near the end of the first half, another senior made a huge play.

Senior cornerback Keaton Cofield picked off a pass to end a Baldwin drive. Cofield's interception came in the end-zone, preserving a 21-14 halftime lead for the Pirates.

A Baldwin fumble set up Piper's final score, one that turned out to be the game-winner. Eikenbary threw his second touchdown of the game, extending Piper's lead to 27-14. The Bulldogs responded, cutting the lead down to 27-21.

But it was Cofield and the Pirates defense that had the final laugh.

Cofield made his second interception of the game late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Piper offense to kill some of the clock. After a Beebe punt pinned Baldwin inside its own 20, the Pirates turned Baldwin over on downs to earn the victory.

With the win, Piper improves to 9-2 on the season. They've won five games in a row, clinching their third straight district and bi-district titles in the process.

ANOTHER THREE-PEAT: Piper knocks off Jefferson West to win bi-district title

By NICK SLOAN, NJSloan212@gmail.com

For the Piper Pirates football team, it was about repetition.

For Piper senior running back Matt McDonald, it was about redemption.

McDonald, who suffered a season-ending injury in the first round of the 4A playoffs last season, played perhaps the best game of his Pirates career in Tuesday's 34-21 victory over Jefferson West.

McDonald scored four touchdowns in the game, including the game-winner.

But for the Pirates, it took awhile before shaking off Jefferson West. Jefferson West scored the opening touchdown of the game, a 25-yard touchdown pass that put the Pirates down 6-0.

Piper responded with its own touchdown drive to begin the game.

Sophomore Colton Beebe had the big play of the drive, a 40-yard rush. The senior McDonald finished off the drive with a 19-yard touchdown run, giving Piper a 7-6 lead.

After struggling on its opening drive, the Piper defense stiffened up for most of the first half.

After they forced Jefferson West to go three and out, Piper began another drive that featured a lengthy Beebe run and a McDonald run that ended it.

Beebe had about a 20-yard carry, setting up McDonald's second touchdown of the game - this one coming from 35 yards out at the 8:18 mark of the second quarter.

"It was a fun game for me tonight," McDonald said. "It's been hard work and my lineman played hard and blocked for us."

Jefferson West did not go away.

After taking the ball over deep inside their own territory, Jefferson West's offense gashed Piper's defense, using misdirection plays and a quarterback sneak on fourth down to finish the drive with a touchdown.

The two point conversion left the score tied at 14-14.

In the second half, two unsung heroes stepped up to make big plays for the Pirates.