Sports

Cobras Taylor Abel (shown above, back middle) and Hannah Williams (back right) watch as teammate Bree Williams (front right) sends an attack over the net in a recent match against Onaga. That trio stepped up big, helping JHHS defeat Onaga to split its home opener.

JHHS volleyball battles back to split home opener

Competing on its home court for the first time this season, JHHS volleyball coach Kaylee Mick said her team might have been a little anxious leading up to its non-league matches against Bishop Seabury and Onaga on Thursday night. That may have caused some issues in the first match, a loss to...

Jackson County football teams prepping for challenging match-ups to open 2015 campaign

High school football season kicks off with week one games this Friday, holding plenty of enticing match-ups for fans around Kansas to get excited about. In Jackson County alone there will be some high stakes right away, especially with Holton getting ready to host Silver Lake in another much-...

Holton's Megan Rhule (shown above, at left) and Shari Riley (middle) look on as teammate Hayley Thompson (diving, at right) lays out to save a ball during a recent practice. All three played key roles in the team's two wins to open the season on Tuesday.

Lady Wildcats come away unscathed from tough road matches to start the season

There is always some nervousness going into the first volleyball game of the season, Holton High School volleyball coach Janelle Noel admitted, and you can never know for certain how a team will perform. While the Wildcats had some rough patches here and there on the road in Leonardville on...

New JHHS cross country head coach Brad Alley (shown above, front right) demonstrates the proper running form to his team at a practice early on this season.

Young Jackson Heights cross country team has bright future ahead

New Jackson Heights cross country coach Brad Alley is in a familiar spot and not just because he returned to his alma mater this fall. Already, Alley said he is noticing similarities between the 2015 Cobra cross country runners and his first squad at Royal Valley High School. That, too, was a...

Panther Ali Bryan (shown above, at left) sets up teammate Macy Putnam (front right) for an attack during a recent practice. Both helped the team claim a third-place trophy at the 4A-DII state tournament last season and are part of the reason RVHS has its sights set on picking up some more hardware this fall.

Royal Valley volleyball aims to keep momentum rolling in 2015

Given the historic season the Royal Valley volleyball team put together last fall; setting a school record for wins (26), claiming the program’s first sub-state championship and making its first-ever state tournament appearance, the Panthers weren’t lacking for success. What the team was lacking...

The JHHS second string offense (shown above) runs through some plays on the first day of practice. While head coach Caleb Wick noted the Cobras have a strong group of upperclassmen to led the way, he said the progress of some of those young players could help them become a complete team and achieve some success on the football field in 2015.

Optimism is high for a Cobra football comeback this fall

Redemption may be a key theme for the Jackson Heights High School football team this season, considering how the 2014 campaign played out. After leading the Cobras to a playoff appearance and a league title in his first two seasons, JHHS coach Caleb Wick saw his team decimated by injuries last...

Area softball players to have new "Fall ball" option starting in September

If you organize it, they will come. At least, that’s what Holton High School softball coach John Deitrich is hoping for as he moves forward with plans for the “Lila Belle (LB) Fall Softball League” in Holton to begin competition this September. For the inaugural season, sign-up is open to...

Holton quarterback Justin Rieschick (shown above, middle) lobs a pass to a running back as the Wildcats worked on their routes during practice on Tuesday.

Veteran group looks to lead HHS football back to familiar heights in 2015

On the surface, last season seemed like a pretty typical one for the Holton High School football team. The Wildcats rolled to a 9-2 overall record, claiming league and district titles in the process, and they were only derailed in the playoffs by a team (Columbus) that eventually represented the...

Benedictine's Bryce Barnett (shown above, at left) and Ottawa's Christa Hill (right) were selected as the first ever recipients of the Riederer family college scholar athlete award.

Former Wildcats recognized with new scholarship for established college athletes

Participation in collegiate sports can be quite a balancing act along with a full academic load, something Holton native and former NFL strength and conditioning coach Russ Riederer knows all too well. That is why Riederer and his family have set up a scholarship in memory of his late mother,...

Holton High School football coach Brooks Barta (shown above, at right) stands with his son, Mason (left), in front of the field where the pair have had a lot of shared experiences. Another experience the two will share is playing college football for Kansas State, as Mason recently committed to KSU. Now, however, the two are preparing for their final season together on the HHS football field.

Barta's path to football success a familiar one

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The son of a highly regarded prep football coach in northern Kansas gets set to wrap up a sterling high school career before suiting up collegiately for the Kansas State University football team. Holton High School senior Mason Barta is in that position...