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Year: 2019

Defensive miscues costly as FHSU softball drops two games at Lindenwood

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ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Fort Hays State fell in both contests at Lindenwood University on Saturday. Defensive miscues plagued the Tigers throughout the doubleheader as Lindenwood won by scores of 4-2 and 1-0, moving to 14-10 overall and 5-7 in the MIAA. FHSU moved to 12-11 overall and 5-3 in the MIAA with the losses.

Game 1: Lindenwood 4, Fort Hays State 2
Poor defensive execution led to three Lindenwood runs in a 4-2 loss to open the afternoon. Lindenwood plated three runs in the first inning, but mental mistakes aided in the last two of three to score.

Lindenwood started its half of the first inning with a triple and double to score a run, but the Tigers helped the Lions out the remainder of the inning. With one out and a runner on third, pitcher Michaelanne Nelson came home with a throw that had the runner caught in a pickle. However, while Sara Breckbill chased the Lindenwood runner back toward third, she missed the runner on a diving tag, allowing the runner to retreat safely to third. During the next at bat, Breckbill threw down to second on a steal attempt and the ball went into center field allowing the runner from third to score. The Lions went on to plate another run on a single, opening the game with a 3-0 lead.

The Tigers struggled to get baserunners into scoring position throughout the first six innings of the game. A Lily Sale single in the third was the first hit of the game for FHSU against Lindenwood starter Marina Esparza, who did not face much resistance until the seventh inning. A Katie Adler home run to open the fourth inning produced the Tigers’ first run of the game, cutting the Lindenwood lead to 3-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Lions pushed their lead back to three on another poor defensive decision by the Tigers. With runners at first and third with two outs, Breckbill opted to throw down to second on a steal attempt. The throw was well late at second base and the runner from third cruised home to easily score a run on the double steal. The batter then flew out to end the inning.

Despite the defensive miscues, the Tigers still had a shot to tie or take the lead in the seventh. Bailey Boxberger led off the inning with a home run, cutting the Lindenwood lead down to 4-2 with a tape-measure blast over the elevated center field wall. With two outs, Grace Philop and Jeni Mohr came up with timely singles and then advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Allison Jurgensen drew a walk to load the bases, but Esparza ended her brief patch of wildness by striking out Sale on three pitches to end the game.

Nelson threw a complete game for the Tigers, allowing four runs on 10 hits and a walk. She struck out two Lions and moved to 4-6 overall on the season. Esparza also went the distance for Lindenwood, moving to 2-2 on the season.

Game 2: Lindenwood 1, Fort Hays State 0
Game two of the doubleheader boiled down to a pair of Tiger errors in the third inning as Hailey Chapman took a tough-luck loss in the pitching circle.

Lindenwood pitcher Stormee Galka was a thorn in the Tigers’ side as she accounted for two of the Lions’ three hits against Chapman. She scored the game’s only run, while also throwing a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts and three hits allowed. Galka had a bloop single in the third inning that Tiger left fielder Megan Feiner misplayed and she motored an extra two bases on the miscue. Chapman made the pitch she needed with two outs, inducing a ground ball to shortstop Lily Sale, but Sale’s throw to first was low and Bailey Boxberger could not dig it out. Galka crossed the plate and that’s all she needed as she dominated the Tiger lineup in the circle.

Katie Adler and Boxberger were the only Tigers to find hits off Galka. Adler went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Boxberger picked up her lone hit of the game to lead off the seventh. The Tigers had runners reach first and second with one out after Galka’s only walk allowed, but Galka got a weak pop up and a ground out to end the game.

Chapman matched Galka in the hits allowed column, while striking out three. The game’s lone run was unearned. Chapman threw her sixth complete game of the season and moved to 7-5 overall.

Tiger Notes
-Katie Adler and Bailey Boxberger were the only Tigers with more than one hit in the doubleheader, Adler finishing with three and Boxberger with two.
-Besides the pair of solo home runs in the first game, FHSU had only three baserunners reach scoring position all day over 14 innings played. All three of those were in the 7th inning when the Tigers were down to their last at bat.
-Fort Hays State has been shut out in six of its 11 losses this season. The Tigers are 0-4 this year in games decided by a score of 1-0.

Up Next
Fort Hays State is back at home on Friday, March 29 when it plays host to Northeastern State in another MIAA doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 2 pm.

Gonzales, Kragel capture individual titles; Deutscher earns provisional in Emporia

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EMPORIA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State women’s track and field team kicked off its outdoor season at the Emporia Spring Invite on Saturday. On the day, the Tigers brought home two individual titles alongside a provisional.

Yessenia Gonzales claimed the title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:44.86. Summer Kragel capped a first place performance in the high jump with her mark of 5 feet, 5 inches. Alexcia Deutscher earned both a personal record and a provisional in the javelin with a throw of 160 feet, 2 inches, good enough for second place.

Among the first place finishes, the Tigers performed strong in all aspects of the competition. Lindsay Shupe took seventh in the 200 meters with a time of 25.47, as well as a third place finish in the 400 meters with a time of 59.58. Lyric Holman also placed high in the 400 meters, coming in sixth at 1:00.81.

In the 1,500-meters, Grace Buessing took seventh with a time of 5:04.92, alongside a ninth place finish by Averi Wilson who came in at 5:08.04. In the 5,000-meters, Abigail Stewart claimed third place with a time of 19:12.57. Rylea Oliver gave the Tigers another top-ten finish by coming in sixth place in the 3,000-meters steeplechase at 12:42.75.

Heading to track events, Haley Jones took fourth place in the high jump at 5 feet, 1 inch. Rohey Singhateh got her outdoor season off on a strong start following a fourth place finish in the long jump at 18 feet, ¼ inch. Singhateh also took home a third place finish in the triple jump with her distance of 38 feet, 4 ¼ inches. Kayla Smith rounded out the top-ten finishes in the triple jump with her jump of 36 feet, 5 inches.

Laurel Haley claimed ninth place in the discus with her throw of 141 feet, 6 inches. In the hammer throw, Julia Wagner achieved an eighth place finish with a throw of 145 feet, 2 inches.

The Tigers will be back on the track for their lone home meet of the season. The Alex Francis Classic will be held in Hays on Friday (March 29).

Newell claims first as Tigers compete at first outdoor meet in Emporia

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EMPORIA, Kan. – Outdoor season is upon us as the Fort Hays State men’s track and field team welcomed the season at the Emporia Spring Invite. The Tigers competed in the event, held Saturday, and had a strong showing to kick start the season.

Kolt Newell led the way for Fort Hays State following a first place finish in the high jump. Newell performed a 6 foot, 8 ¾ inches jump to also give him an NCAA provisional.

Alongside Newell’s provisional, the Tigers boasted strong showings throughout the event. Robbie Schmidt placed third in his first time competing in the steeplechase with a time of 10:00.21. Justin Moore claimed a personal record in the 5,000-meters with a time of 14:59.8.

Philip Landrum took third in the 200 meters with a time of 21.69, followed closely by Malcom Gardner coming in sixth place at 22.06. The two also placed in 13th and 11th in the 400 meters.

Behind Schmidt in the steeplechase, three other Tigers placed in the top-ten. Peter Franklin crossed the line in fourth at 10:07.62, with Robert Loeffler in fifth at 10:13.06 and Christopher Nemechek rounding out the places with ninth with a mark of 10:42.73.

Heading to field events, Lucas Broxterman finished at the heels of Newell as he came in third place in the high jump at 6 feet, 4 3/4 . In the pole vault, Mark Faber finished in fourth at 15 feet, 1 inches and Ryan Stanely took seventh with a mark of 14 feet, 7 ¼ inches. Broxterman also claimed third in the long jump at 22 feet, 5 ¼ inches.

Jacob Gaughan took sixth in the discus with a throw of 161 feet, 7 inches. Cameroun Fouts finished out the strong performances on the day with a ninth place finish in the javelin at 179 feet, 9 inches.

Among other performances this week, FHSU sent a handful of multi athletes to Wichita State. Matthew Pieper led the way at that meet, claiming second in the decathlon after completing the event with 6,167 points.

The Tigers are back on the track on Friday (March 29) for their lone home meet in the Alex Francis Classic in Hays.

Court: Judge went too far in dropping Kansas man’s drug case

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A federal appeals court says a judge went too far by dismissing a Kansas drug indictment after finding that a prosecutor violated the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

Gregory Orozco photo Wyandotte Co.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson should retry Gregory Orozco.

Robinson dismissed Orozco’s two drug charges in December 2017 after finding that federal prosecutor Terra Morehead intimidated a witness into not testifying and belatedly disclosed evidence.

Morehead was also accused of misconduct in her handling of a case in the 1990s that caused a man to be imprisoned for nearly 23 years for a crime he didn’t commit.

The appeals court says Robinson never addressed why dismissing Orozco’s case was necessary to deter misconduct.

Police need witnesses in Kansas murder to come forward

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and on Friday asked the public again for help with the investigation.

Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV

Just before 9p.m. March 16, police responded to the report of a shooting in the 1100 block of SW Hillsdale Street in Topeka, according to Lt. John Trimble.

Officers found a victim identified as 25-year-old Robert McKinsey James, unresponsive in the yard suffering what appeared to be several gunshot wounds.

Officers were able to secure the scene and first responders performed first aid on McKinsey. He was transported to an area hospital where he died, according to Trimble.

The suspect vehicle is described as an older, boxy, dark colored SUV that was seen fleeing from the area shortly after the shooting. The SUV had several occupants, according to Trimble.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police.

Former HHS standout Preston Weigel finishes third at NCAAs

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PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Former Hays High and current Oklahoma State standout Preston Weigel wrapped up his collegiate career with a third place finish in the 197 pound weight class at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Saturday.

Weigel, a senior and the No. 3 seed in his bracket, wrapped up his tournament in impressive fashion by pinning No. 6 William Miklus of Iowa State in 2:10 in the consolation semifinal before defeating No. 4 Patrick Brucki of Princeton, 7-1, in the third-place match.

Photo Courtesy Oklahoma State Athletics

Weigel wraps up his season with a 16-1 overall record and finishes his Cowboy career at 69-23 overall and as a two-time All-American.

“I gave it everything I had and finished pretty high,” Weigel said. “I feel like I maybe could’ve done a little better last night, but that’s just the way it goes. If I could play the matches out the way I wanted, I’d be winning it. It was fun though. It was a fun tournament.”

After winning his quarterfinal round match on a 58-second fall over No. 11 Christian Brunner of Purdue Friday afternoon to earn the second All-America honors of his career, Weigel fell to No. 2 Kollin Moore of Ohio State Friday night for his first loss of the season.

Oklahoma State Sports Information contributed to this story

Inspectors: Kansas City-area hospital makes fixes after botched colonoscopy

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KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City area hospital has passed a follow-up inspection after state inspectors found that its staff failed to properly respond to an 83-year-old woman who died one day after undergoing a routine colonoscopy.

Cass Regional Medical Center in Harrisonville came under scrutiny after Martha Wright of Pleasant Hill died in August of internal bleeding. In November, inspectors found that the hospital hadn’t recognized the seriousness of the incident or done a proper review to determine how it happened.

Hospital officials said in an email that the designation was lifted after a follow-up inspection in February but also acknowledged new infractions for cleanliness that the hospital had to address.

Ribbon-cutting for FHSU’s Stroup Hall simulation center on Monday

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FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University’s Department of Nursing will host a ribbon cutting and open house at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 25, in Stroup Hall.

The ribbon cutting is to celebrate a remodel project that included the creation of a simulation hospital, skills lab and separate clinic.

Both the hospital and clinic have five rooms each.

A new video system is capable of recording students during simulations, as well as a conference room for student debriefing and a student lounge with a sitting area, microwave, and refrigerator.

This was a collaborative project between FHSU and the Hays Medical Center and made possible through a $250,000 grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

Hays High girls’ soccer cruises past TMP

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By JEREMY McGUIRE
Hays Post

HAYS-Hays High opened up their 2019 girls soccer season in impressive fashion with a 7-1 win over TMP on Saturday at the Hays High Field. The Lady Indians tallied their first goal in the 14th minute when Taleia McCrae found the back of the net off of an assist from Jersey Johnson. That was the first of six first half goals for Hays as Caroline Robben, Savannah Schneider, Maggie Robben, Johnson, and Allison Shubert all scored for the Lady Indians who led 6-0 at halftime.

Kaylee Hernandez would get TMP on the board in the 44tth, which would be the only goal of the day for TMP who struggled to get the ball on the offensive end of the field all game. Johnson would score her second goal of the game in the 57th minute to wrap up the scoring for the game. Hays High showed their depth as they were able to make wholesale changes throughout the match. The Lady Monarchs did not have the depth but played hard throughout for first year head coach Racheal Hamel.

With the loss TMP drops to 0-3 on the season and will travel to Wichita on Monday to face Word of Life. Hays improves to 1-0 and will be in McPherson on Tuesday for the opening round of the McPherson Invitational where they will face Salina South.

SILAS HIBBS INTERVIEW

 

NWS weather spotter training in Russell March 26

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Russell/Ellsworth County Emergency Management invites you to attend the presentation of the National Weather Service “Storm Fury On The Plains” Weather Spotter Training on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 6:30 P.M. at the Dream Theater in Russell or on Wednesday March 27, 2019 at 6:30 P.M. at Ellsworth Junior/Senior High PAC in Ellsworth.

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Wichita have partnered with the local Emergency Management office and will be presenting information that will help prepare storm spotters and weather enthusiasts for the upcoming storm season. National Weather Service staff will provide an in depth weather presentation that will engage the audience by teaching them about the different types of storms, the individual storm features that help a person to recognize a storms potential severity, how to report hazardous weather, and severe weather safety.

The presentations are hosted by local county Emergency Management agencies and typically last up to two hours. They are open to anyone that has an interest in weather. There are no fees to attend, you do not have to register, and you do not have to sign up to be a spotter. So, if you are interested in learning more about severe thunderstorms and their hazards, please take the time to come out and join us for a very interesting and enjoyable evening.

For more information please contact your local county Emergency Manager or [email protected].

For further details please contact Keith Haberer at Russell/Ellsworth County Emergency Management, 850 Elm St., P.O. Box 158, Bunker Hill, Kansas 67626 (785) 483-5100 or 210 N Kansas Ave, Ellsworth Kansas 67439 (785) 472-4161.

– SUBMITTED –

Hays High DECA students win State Career Development Conference awards

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USD 489

Twenty-three Hays High School DECA students competed in the 2019 State Career Development Conference March 3-5 on the campus of Kansas State University.

Student winners include the following:

• Isabell Braun, Kallie Leiker and Brianna Forinash – 1st Place, Community Service Project

• Paige Polifka-Denson and Allison Hillebrand – 1st Place, Public Relations Project

• Jacie Robinson and Ryan Hernandez – 2nd Place, Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research

• Connor Teget, Peyton Thorell and Keaton Markley – 1st Place, Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research

• Landon Dinkel and Lauren Kent – 5th Place, Creative Marketing Project

• Brooke Denning, Cassidy Prough and Madelyn Waddell – 4th Place, Entrepreneurship Promotion Project

• Matt Goodale – 7th Place, Innovation Plan

• Peyton Niernberger and Kaydee Brin – 1st Place, Franchise Business Plan

• Abigail Dickinson – 1st Place, Business Growth Plan

• Emma Pfannenstiel and Joanna Carrillo Maldonado – 3rd Place, International Business Plan

• Shyann Schumacher and Carson Ackerman – 8th Place, Integrated Marketing Campaign – Event

• Trevor Mai – 10th Place, Integrated Marketing Campaign – Event

• Carson Ackerman – 3rd Place, Principles of Marketing

Kansas zoo mourns loss of beloved ambassador

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SALINE COUNTY —Rolling Hills Zoo is mourning the loss of one of the zoo’s iconic and beloved species, Motomba, an African lion, who had to be humanely euthanized on Friday due to complications from a long-term illness., according to a media release.

Motomba -photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo

“He was a marvelous ambassador for his kind and helped stimulate the conservation of this endangered species,” said Bob Jenkins, Executive Director of Rolling Hills Zoo.

Born in captivity in 1997, Motomba and his brother Simba arrived at Rolling Hills Zoo in 1998. As cubs they were introduce to Torrey, a female lion and original resident of the zoo’s main barn. Motomba, Simba and Torrey moved into the new Lion Exhibit at Rolling Hills Zoo in July 2000. Motomba outlived his brother Simba who died in June 2016.

Just shy of his 22nd birthday on March 30, Motomba lived well passed the expected lifetime of a wild African lion, who seldom live longer than 15 years, and the median age for male lions in captivity is 20 -25 years old. Neither Motomba nor Simba produced any offspring.

Motomba, a beloved member of the Rolling Hills Zoo family, could be heard by visitors throughout the park chuffing along with an occasion roar as a way to express a greeting or excitement with his keepers. As a non-threatening vocalization, staff members always enjoyed hearing Motomba’s chuffing throughout the day.

Powerful and majestic, lions once roamed most of African and parts of Asia and Europe. Today they are found only in parts of sub-Saharan African, except for one very small population of lions in India’s Gir Forest. Lions have no natural predators, but due habitat loss, conflicts with people and poaching, African lion numbers have plummeted by more than 40 percent in the last three generations, and with only about 20,000 in the wild they are now listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Redlist (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

The staff at Rolling Hills Zoo will be working with the SSP (Species Survival Plan) of the AZA (Association of Zoo and Aquariums) to secure a new lion(s) for Rolling Hills Zoo in the future

Experts warn Midwest flood risk may persist for months

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OMAHA (AP) — Even as floodwaters receded in hard-hit places in in the Midwest, experts warned Saturday that with plenty of snow still left to melt in northern states, the relief may only be temporary.

 

Rainfall and some snowmelt spurred flooding in recent weeks that’s blamed in three deaths so far, with two men in Nebraska missing for more than a week. Thousands were forced from their homes in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri, as water broke through or poured over levees in the region. The damage is estimated at $3 billion, and that figure is expected to rise.

As temperatures start to warm, snowmelt in the Dakotas and Minnesota will escalate, sending more water down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries.

Lt. Col. James Startzell, deputy commander of the Corps of Engineers’ Omaha, Nebraska, district, said even warmer temperatures are possible into next week. He urged those living near rivers to keep a wary eye on them.

Bill Brinton, emergency management director for hard-hit Buchanan County, Missouri, which includes St. Joseph’s 76,000 residents, said he expects more flooding this spring. Buchanan and its neighboring counties have been ravaged by this round of flooding.

“There’s a sense from the National Weather Service that we should expect it to continue to happen into May,” Brinton said. “With our levee breaches in Atchison and Holt and Buchanan counties, it’s kind of scary really.”

A precautionary evacuation involving hundreds of homes in the St. Joseph area was lifted as the Missouri River began a swift decline after coming just inches short of the 1993 record. St. Joseph was largely spared, but Brinton said 250 homes were flooded in the southern part of Buchanan County. It wasn’t clear when residents would be able to get back.

When they do, officials say they need to be careful. Contaminants that escaped from flooded farm fields, industrial operations and sewage plants are part of the murky water now saturating homes.

In Fremont County, Iowa, homes remain underwater, so it will be some time before residents can return, said county Supervisor Randy Hickey.

“We don’t want them in that water, anyway,” Hickey said.

The water itself isn’t the only concern. Experts warn that sharp objects — broken glass, pieces of metal, pointy sticks and rocks — could lurk in muddy debris. Downed or broken power lines also may pose electrocution hazards.

Another risk is posed by river wildlife. Brinton said two people in Buchanan County were bitten by snakes after returning home following flooding in 2011.

The Missouri River had yet to crest further downstream in Missouri, but flooding impact in those areas was expected to be far less severe.

Concern was rising on the Mississippi River, too. Major flooding was reported at several spots north of the Iowa-Missouri line. St. Louis and other Missouri cities were seeing mostly moderate flooding.

Even the lower Mississippi River was impacted. The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday rescued two boaters from a disabled vessel near New Orleans. Coast Guard officials said the flooding means more debris in the river, and the currents can pull a boat into danger.

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