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Category: Sports

FHSU among tops in the nation in men’s basketball attendance

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FHSU Athletics

INDIANAPOLIS – Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball ranked among the top five nationally in attendance for the third consecutive year in 2015-16 as the NCAA official basketball attendance numbers were released on Tuesday. FHSU ranked fifth nationally in 2015-16, averaging 2,471 fans per game and was one of three NCAA Division II schools to have more than 40,000 total fans attend home contests (joining Northern State and Augustana).

Northern State (S.D.) was the national leader once again in 2015-16, averaging 3,346 fans per game. National champion Augustana (S.D.) had an average of 2,726 fans watch its home contests to rank second for the second straight year. Midwestern State (Texas) was third at 2,553 fans per game, seeing a jump of 587 fans per game from last year, and fellow MIAA school Nebraska-Kearney was fourth at 2,539 fans per game, also seeing a healthy jump of 521 fans per game. Four of the top five schools in attendance are from the Central Region in NCAA Division II, with Midwestern State as the only exception among the top five.

Fort Hays State ranked third nationally in each of the previous two years, but continued its run of averaging more than 2,000 fans per game for the eighth consecutive season. The Tigers have been among the top 10 nationally in attendance for seven consecutive seasons, going back to 2009-10.

The large crowds at Gross Memorial Coliseum once again created a home-court advantage helping the Tigers to a 15-2 record on their floor in 2015-16. The coliseum is annually one of the toughest venues on opponents, where FHSU has a record of 338-53 since joining NCAA Division II, winning 86.4 percent of its games. The overall record for FHSU at the coliseum of 572-106 is equally as impressive, winning 84.4 percent of its games. The Tigers have reached at least 10 home wins in 38 of 43 seasons in the coliseum. FHSU has went undefeated at home four times in that span.

The Tigers won at least 12 games at home for the ninth-consecutive year, playing an average of 15 contests per year at home in that run. In the school’s 25-year NCAA Division II history, the Tigers have produced at least 11 wins at home in all but two seasons.

The Tigers helped the MIAA lead the nation once again in attendance as a conference. The average attendance at MIAA schools in 2015-16 was 1,419. The Lone Star Conference was second at 1,267 fans per game.

Below is a link to the NCAA Division II top 30 attendance figures for the 2015-16 season.

2015-16 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Attendance Figures

Carts filling up for benefit golf tournament as deadline nears

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Drive-for-Cancer-Golf-2016-300x140If you would still like to get a four person team together for the Eagle Relay for Life-Drive for Cancer Golf Tournament, please call Todd Lynd at 785-301-2211 by no later than NOON Thursday.

The tournament will be this Friday at The Fort in Hays. Registration is at 8am, with a shotgun start at 9am.

All participants will receive a free T-shirt, lunch at the turn, and all competition holes are included.

The cost is $80 per player.

TMP-Marian names new head football coach

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Courtesy TMP-Marian

Courtesy Honolulu Star-Advertiser / Cindy Ellen Russell
Courtesy Honolulu Star-Advertiser / Cindy Ellen Russell

HAYS, Kan. – Thomas More Prep-Marian is pleased to announce the new faculty and coaching staff members that will be joining the Monarch Family for the 2016-2017 academic year.

The departure of John Montgomery at the end of the past school year left a vacancy for head football coach and high school business teacher. The new head coach of Monarch football is Jason Cauley who most recently was head coach at Moanalua High School, a 2,000-student school near the southern shore of Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Cauley is a native of Mobile, Ala. and has been playing and coaching football all his life. Following a successful high school career, Cauley played at Mississippi College before transferring to the University of West Alabama. Following the events of 9/11, Cauley enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a Cavalry Scout (19D). After his time in the The Army, Cauley returned back home to work as an assistant for 7A Murphy High School in Mobile on the coaching staff of Rick Cauley, his brother. After a move to Hawai’i, in 2011, Cauley served as offensive coordinator and QB coach for Moanalua, then filled that same role for Kapolei High School for two years before taking the head coaching position at Moanalua. Over the years, Cauley has earned many honors and achievements, both as a player and coach, including multiple playoff appearances. Cauley, his wife, Amanda, and their two children, Liam (4) and Layla (2), will be moving to Hays to join the Monarch family this summer.

“I grew up around the game, and I value the chance to help young men learn the game and the values of respect, excellence, integrity, service, loyalty, and tradition that it teaches. I knew I wanted to coach in a private, Christian environment,” Cauley said. “Hays is just the kind of family-oriented community we’re looking for. I’m excited to be a part of the Monarch family from our alumni roots to our current and future students and families.”

In addition to his coaching duties, Cauley will teach social studies, weights, and study skills classes at TMP-Marian.

Walk off for the Larks in Jayhawk League opener

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HAYS, Kan. – An exciting start to Jayhawk League play for the Hays Larks. Austin O’Brien hit a two-out walk off home run off of Drake Harper in the bottom of the ninth to lift them to a 7-5 win over the defending Jayhawk League North Division champs El Dorado Tuesday night at Larks Park.

It’s the Larks first walk off win since July 12, 2014 when they beat the Fort Collins (Colo.) Foxes 15-11.

The Larks (5-0, 1-0 JL) led 5-3 until the Broncos (3-1, 0-1 JL) tied the game with two runs in the eighth.

Mike Mioduszewski singled with one out in the ninth but was forced out at second on Nate Olinger’s ground ball. One pitch later, O’Brien went opposite field over the scoreboard in right for the game winner.

Jax Biggers had three of the Larks 10 hits, two of them doubles and drove in two runs. Mioduszewski and Devlan Granberg both had two hits.

D.J. Carr (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and picked up his first win of the season.

Game two of the three-game series is Wednesday night at 7 pm. Free admission courtesy of Dr. Krug and Jones and Walk in Chiropractic.

Bench-clearing fray mars Orioles’ win over skidding KC

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By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) – Kansas City right-hander Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch to spark a bench-emptying fray , and the Baltimore Orioles extended the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high six games with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night.

Mark Trumbo homered and drove in four runs, and the Orioles also got long balls from Ryan Flaherty, Chris Davis and Adam Jones.

But the game’s most striking moment came in the fifth, when Ventura (4-4) drilled Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball. In the second inning, with Baltimore leading 5-0, the two exchanged words after Ventura twice threw inside to the two-time All-Star.

So in the fifth, an instant after the ball hit him, Machado charged the mound. Ventura prepared for the onslaught by slinging aside his cap and glove, but Machado landed a solid punch before the pitcher tackled him to the ground.

Both dugouts and bullpens emptied before peace was restored. Machado was restrained by teammate Chris Tillman after the initial thrust.

Machado and Ventura were ejected with the score 5-1.

Hays soccer player brings home state honors

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coach and zach
Zachary Wagner and Matt Ruark

Zachary Wagner, 16, Hays, a team member of the U16 Division I Kansas Rush Academy, participated and won the Kansas Youth Soccer Association State Cup on June 4.

Zach travels seven months of the year, outside his high school soccer season to practice weekly in Kansas City and plays throughout the Midwest.

Zach, with the support of his parents, Eric and Jennifer, have spent countless hours traveling for him to train and play. Zach plays under the direction of Coach Daouda Kante, voted National Youth Soccer Coach of the year and is a retired professional player.

Zach is pictured with Assistant Coach Matt Ruark who originally scouted Zach and brought him aboard his Kansas City team four years ago. The team next travels to the Region II Youth Soccer Championship held in Indianapolis from June 24 to 29.

Wright gets it right as Orioles use 3 HRs to beat Royals

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By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

Paulo Orlando had two hits in the Kansas City Royals loss in Baltimore Monday. (Courtesy Kansas City Royals)
Paulo Orlando had two hits in the Kansas City Royals loss in Baltimore Monday. (Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

BALTIMORE (AP) – Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters hit solo homers in the seventh inning to back a sparkling pitching performance by Mike Wright, and Baltimore Orioles beat Kansas City 4-1 Monday night to extend the Royals’ losing streak to five games.

Manny Machado also homered for the Orioles, who have won five of six – all in come-from-behind fashion.

Wright and Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy were locked in a scoreless duel until the Royals pushed across an unearned run in the seventh.

Trumbo led off the bottom half with his 19th home run, and Wieters connected with one out to chase Duffy (1-1). Adam Jones capped the uprising with an RBI double.

K-State mourns the passing of Henry Childs

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Courtesy kstatesports.com

MANHATTAN, Kan. – A three-year letterwinner at K-State who went on to play nine seasons in the NFL, former Wildcat Henry Childs passed away at the age of 65 in his native Thomasville, Georgia, last Friday.

Childs, who is one of 28 players in program history with 1,000 career receiving yards, led K-State from his tight end position in both receptions and receiving yards in 1971 and 1973 under head coach Vince Gibson. In his three-year career, he totaled 95 catches for 1,365 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Childs was drafted in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft by Atlanta before being acquired by New Orleans as a rookie. He went on to play seven years with the Saints, including a Pro Bowl season in 1979 when he led NFL tight ends with 846 yards on 51 catches to go along with five touchdowns. He went on to play for the Rams in 1981 and Packers in 1984.

In 1994, Childs was selected to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. In nine-year professional career, he recorded 223 receptions for 3,401 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Larks close out non-league play undefeated with win over Sox

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HAYS – Mike Mioduszewski had three hits including a solo home run and Mikey Gangwish drove in two runs with a third inning double to lead the Hays Larks to a 5-3 win over the Colorado Sox and a three game series sweep at Larks Park.

The Larks (4-0) scored all of their runs in the first five innings then held on as the Sox (1-3) used a two-run homer in the seventh and scored on a groundout in the ninth to make things interesting.

Alex Lopez (1-0) pitched three hitless innings and struck out three for the win. Chad Smith allowed the one run in the ninth and gets his first save.

The Larks are off Monday night before starting Jayhawk League play Tuesday night at 7 pm at home against El Dorado.

Indians hit 4 homers, blank Royals for 4-game sweep

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By STEVE HERRICK
Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) – Francisco Lindor hit one of Cleveland’s four solo homers and drove in three runs, and the Indians completed a four-game sweep of the World Series champion Kansas City Royals with a rain-delayed 7-0 victory Sunday.

Corey Kluber (5-6) allowed two hits and was pulled after the sixth inning when the game was delayed by inclement weather for 3 hours, 10 minutes.

Lindor, Carlos Santana and rookie Tyler Naquin homered in the fifth. Mike Napoli connected in the fourth.

The Indians moved past the Royals into first place in the AL Central on Saturday. Cleveland has won five straight overall and six of seven against Kansas City this season.

Broncos say Aqib Talib suffered minor gunshot wound

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By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – The Denver Broncos say star cornerback Aqib Talib is recovering after being shot in the leg at a Dallas nightclub.

Team spokesman Patrick Smyth said the team has been in touch with the cornerback and that he’s doing OK. Smyth said the team was gathering more information.

Last week, Talib said he was looking forward to the trip Monday to the White House where President Barack Obama will honor the Broncos for winning the Super Bowl. It’s unknown if he’ll still be able to make the trip.

The Broncos’ three-day mandatory minicamp starts Tuesday.

Talib, a former standout for the Kansas Jayahawks, is entering his ninth NFL season and has been named to the Pro Bowl the last three seasons.

Larks sweep Sox; remain unbeaten

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HAYS, Kan. – The Hays Larks remained unbeaten on the 2016 season with a doubleheader sweep of the Colorado Sox Saturday night at Larks Park. Hays used a three-run first inning to take the lead for good in a 5-3 win in game one. They scored two in the third and two more in the fifth of a 6-1 win in game two.

Cole Hendrix (2-0) pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win in the opener. DJ Carr allowed an unearned run in the seventh and for the save. Connor Ross hit a solo homer. Jacob Boston, Mikey Gangwish, Ty Redington and Austin Unrein all drove in runs.

Former Hays High standout Layne Downing allowed one run on two hits over two innings of relief and picked up the win in the second contest. Connor Ross had two hits, drove in a run and scored two runs/ Jacob Boston drove in two and scored a run.

The Larks close out the three-game series with a single game Sunday at 6 pm.

Lindor homers, leads Indians past Royals

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By STEVE HERRICK
Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Francisco Lindor hit one of Cleveland’s three home runs, leading the Indians into first place in the AL Central with a 7-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Lindor, whose two-run homer came in the seventh inning, became the first Indians player to record three extra-base hits in a game this season. He also started an outstanding defensive play in the ninth. Playing in a shift near second base, he made a backhand stop of Kendrys Morales’ hard-hit grounder and flipped to third baseman Jose Ramirez, who was playing behind second. Ramirez threw to first for the out.

Tyler Naquin hit a two-run homer in the sixth. Mike Napoli started the four-run inning with a solo homer.

Josh Tomlin (8-1) bounced back from his first loss of the season and allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings. Ian Kennedy (4-4) gave up five runs in six innings.

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