FHSU Sports Information
The non-conference baseball game between Fort Hays State and Bethany College, scheduled for Wednesday (Mar. 26) has been canceled due to high winds in Hays. The game is now rescheduled for April 16 at 4 pm.
The Tigers are set to host Emporia State this weekend in a four-game conference series at Larks Park. The opening game of the series on Friday night will serve as the annual “Pack the Park” event at Larks Park. Game time is set for 7 pm on Friday night.
FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State Softball’s doubleheader versus Colorado Christian on Wednesday (March 26) has been canceled due to high winds in the Hays, Kan., area. No makeup date has been announced.
For up-to-date changes to the 2014 FHSU Softball schedule, check out fhsuathletics.com or follow @fhsuathletics on Twitter.
The Tigers continue their homestand with conference doubleheaders this weekend, March 29-30, against Lincoln and Lindenwood, respectively.
Twenty-five members of the Hays Wrestling Club have qualified for the Kansas State Championships on Saturday and Sunday at the Expo Center in Topeka.
The wrestling club had 29 wrestlers qualify for the district tournament in Goodland last weekend. Wrestlers had to place in the top four at the sub-district tournament the week before.
Hays had 25 of the 29 wrestlers place in the top four in Goodland.
District results below:
8 & under
49 pounds – 1st – Kaden Harding
4th – Sarah Zimmerman
55 pounds – DNP – Jarrett Riedel
58 pounds – 5th – Harley Zimmerman
4th – Taylor Anderson
67 pounds – 2nd – Jake Taliaferro
80 pounds – 1st – Kendal Walker
88 pounds – 2nd – Will Linenberger
10 & under
55 pounds – 3rd – Cyrus Vajnar
61 pounds – 3rd – Gannon Winter
90 pounds – 2nd – Gavin Meyer
110 pounds – 1st – Gavin Nutting
2nd – Dalton Dale
12 & under
64 pounds – 1st – Jordan Zimmerman
80 pounds – DNP – Devin Fisher
92 pounds – 6th – Taron Burkhart
105 pounds – 2nd – Kreighton Meyer
165 pounds – 1st – Logan Schulte
215 pounds – 1st – Conner Staab
14 & under
80 pounds – 3rd – Cory Hale
85 pounds – 4th – Austin Clanton
110 pounds – 4th – Hazen Keener
115 pounds – 4th – Isaac Zimmerman
135 pounds – 3rd – Conrad Vajnar
150 pounds – 1st – Austin Dale
155 pounds – 3rd – Jonathan Springer
165 pounds – 2nd – Trey VanPelt
205 pounds – 1st – Brayden Dorzweiler
High School
170 pounds – 2nd – Tathan Burkhart
FHSU Sports Information
The Tiger softball team drew a split with Metro State to start its weeklong homestand on Tuesday (March 25). Fort Hays State won Game 1, 2-0, on a walk-off home run before dropping the second contest, 6-1.
FHSU moved to 19-12 overall on the season while Metro State is now 13-7. The Tigers return to action Wednesday (March 26) in a non-conference doubleheader with Colorado Christian at Tiger Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.
Game 1: FHSU 2, Metro State 0
After six innings of scoreless play, FHSU walked off on a two-run home run from Kellsi Olsen to win, 2-0, over Metro State in Game 1.
Paxton Duran (11-5) threw her third consecutive complete game, narrowly missing her second no-hitter of the season after allowing just one hit (the lone base runner) while striking out five. Duran has been dominant of late, giving up only one run and four hits in her last 21 innings pitched.
FHSU had six hits on the day, shutting out Metro State for the first time this season. Olsen led the team with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate with two RBI while Amanda Vaupel was 2-for-3 with one run.
In the seventh, Vaupel led off with a single through the left side before moving to second on Kylie Strand’s sacrifice bunt. With one down, Olsen took a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for the win.
Game 2: Metro State 6, FHSU 1
Four runs in the second inning proved too much for Fort Hays State to overcome as it fell, 6-1, to Metro State in the doubleheader finale.
Kelsey Kimminau dropped to 7-5 with the loss, throwing two innings and allowing five runs (though just two were earned) on three hits. Sarah Cochran threw the final five innings in relief, scattering five hits for just one run earned.
At the plate, Jenna Lang finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, while Danie Brinkmann went 1-for-2 with a walk. Bianca Adame tripled to lead off the game, finishing 1-for-4 offensively.
Down 5-0 after three innings, FHSU answered with one run in the fourth, but that was it for the Tigers. With one out, Brinkmann earned a walk and moved to second on Amanda Vaupel’s single through the left side. After Madison Putman replaced Brinkmann as a pinch runner, Paxton Duran grounded into a fielder’s choice that put runners on first and third with two outs. Lang singled on a 2-1 pitch to center field in the next at-bat, plating Putman.
MSU added one more in the seventh, closing out the win.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Kansas guard Wayne Selden announced Tuesday that he return for his sophomore season.
The 6-foot-5 Selden averaged nearly 10 points for the Jayhawks, whose season ended with a 60-57 loss to Stanford on Sunday in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
Selden was considered a first-round talent coming out of high school, but an up-and-down campaign may have caused his stock to drop. Most draft projections had him going late in the first round or at some point in the second round.
Fellow freshman Andrew Wiggins has already said he plans to enter the draft, while 7-foot center Joel Embiid is still weighing his options. Most expect the Cameroon native to be a top-five pick despite a back injury that caused him to miss the NCAA tournament.
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Wichita State’s season came to a conclusion long before even Kentucky coach John Calipari thought it deserved, at the hands of his Wildcats in a thrilling NCAA tournament game.
Yet in the aftermath of the loss on Sunday, two things became clear: The Shockers had put together a season to remember and they’re poised to do it again.
After making the Final Four a year ago, they became the first team to start 35-0. They won their first Missouri Valley tournament title since 1987. They went toe-to-toe with Kentucky.
They also return several key players next year. Cleanthony Early will be the biggest loss, but stars Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton will all be back.
That means the ride might not be over just yet for Wichita State.
By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
After more than a decade as athletic director/assistant principal at Hays High School, Clint Albers will be moving on to another school district. Albers accepted the same position at Olathe South a couple of weeks ago, though he will fulfill his contract with USD 489. Albers’ contract ends June 30, and his position with Olathe South will begin mid-July.
For the better part of two decades, Hays has been home for the Albers and his family. Both Clint and his wife, Dawn, graduated from Fort Hays State University, where Clint Albers was an offensive lineman for the FHSU football team after graduating from Chapman High School. The couple has two daughters, Sydney and Lakin, who are in fourth- and first-grade, respectively. Albers resignation is expected to become official at the upcoming school board meeting.
ST. LOUIS (AP) – After falling short in the NCAA tournament, a trio of Kansas players now faces the stay-or-go decision on the NBA that has been looming all season.
Andrew Wiggins is almost certain to leave for the pros. He’s projected as a lottery pick, perhaps first overall, even after a poor showing Sunday in a 60-57 loss to Stanford in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
Seven-footer Joel Embiid is also a projected lottery pick. A back injury combined with soaring stock could leave Embiid and his handlers with no choice but to declare for the draft.
Shooting guard Wayne Selden could also declare for the draft, though he’s the most likely to return.
If any of them come back, Kansas could be well-positioned for another March run next year.
FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State’s Kate Lehman was named to the 2014 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Coaches’ All-America Team as an Honorable Mention selection, announced Monday (March 24) by the organization.
Lehman started all 29 games for the Tigers this season, helping the team to its third straight 20-win season, a first in school history. The center led NCAA Division II with 5.4 blocks per game (155 total) and two triple-doubles. Lehman’s points per game (16.5) and rebounds per game (11.2) averages led the team in both categories as she totaled 20 double-doubles for the year. The Newton, Kan., native scored in double figures 25 times this season and hit the double-digit mark in rebounds 23 times. Additionally, Lehman had at least five blocks (her season average) in 17 games.
Additionally, Lehman has climbed into the Top 10 of several school record categories, listed below:
Season Records (2013-14 season)
Career Records (2011-current)
Joining Lehman from the MIAA are First Team honorees Keuna Flax (Central Missouri) and Lizzy Jeronimus (Pittsburg State).
Lehman is Fort Hays State’s first All-American honoree during its NCAA Division II era, and the first since Annette Wiles earned the distinction during the 1989-90 season, when FHSU was a member of the NAIA.
The complete WBCA Division II Coaches’ All-American Team is below…
First Team
| Name | School | Position | Year | Height |
| Lauren Battista | Bentley | Forward | Senior | 6’0″ |
| Jada Blackwell | Cal Poly – Pomona | Forward | Junior | 6’1″ |
| Courtney Finn | Bentley | Guard | Senior | 5’9″ |
| Keuna Flax | Central Missouri | Forward | Senior | 5’11” |
| Megan Fogt | Hillsdale College | Forward | Junior | 6’1″ |
| Hollie German | Lee | Guard | Senior | 5’8″ |
| Mimi Hill | North Georgia | Forward | Senior | 6’3″ |
| Lizzy Jeronimus | Pittsburg State | Forward | Junior | 5’11” |
| Valerie Majewski | Edinboro | Guard | Junior | 5’7″ |
| Sharaya Selsor | Colorado Mesa | Guard | Senior | 5’9″ |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Position | Year | Height |
| Jeanette Anderson | Caldwell College | Forward | Senior | 6’1″ |
| Katie Benson | Seattle Pacific | Forward | Senior | 6’1″ |
| Taylor Beverly | Montevallo | Forward | Junior | 5’10” |
| Carly Boag | Minot State | Center | Senior | 6’1″ |
| Mariyah Brawner-Henley | Lewis | Forward | Sophomore | 6’0″ |
| Shareta Brown | Wayne State (Neb.) | Center | Junior | 6’1″ |
| Taylor Buie | Nova Southeastern | Guard | Sophomore | 5’4″ |
| Kristen Celsor | Harding | Guard | Senior | 6’0″ |
| Erin Chambers | Simon Fraser (BC) | Guard | Junior | 6’1″ |
| Jazmine Charles | Lenoir-Rhyne | Guard | Junior | 5’10” |
| Sarah DeShone | Ferris State | Guard | Senior | 5’7″ |
| Mary Louise Dixon | Stonehill College | Guard | Senior | 5’5″ |
| Dallas Ely | West Chester (PA) | Guard | Sophomore | 5’9″ |
| Devin Griffin | West Texas A&M | Forward | Senior | 5’10” |
| Anna Hackert | Southern Indiana | Forward | Junior | 6’1″ |
| Courtney Hamilton | Chico State | Guard | Senior | 5’8″ |
| Aquillin Hayes | New Haven | Guard | Junior | 5’8″ |
| Malika Jackson | Texas A&M International | Forward | Senior | 6’0″ |
| Bobbi Knudsen | Montana State – Billings | Guard | Senior | 5’8″ |
| Kate Lehman | Fort Hays State | Center | Junior | 6’4″ |
| Laurel Lindsay | Edinboro | Guard | Junior | 6’0″ |
| Catherine Noack | Bloomsburg (PA) | Guard | Senior | 5’8″ |
| Jen Papich | Gannon | Forward | Senior | 6’1″ |
| Tae’lor Purdy | Regis | Guard | Senior | 5’10” |
| Chelsey Rhodes | Delta State | Guard | Sophomore | 5’6″ |
| Jordan Smith | Alabama – Huntsville | Guard | Senior | 5’8″ |
| Williesha Spencer | Flagler College | Guard | Senior | 5’3″ |
| Seneca Walton | Delta State | Center | Junior | 6’1″ |
| Nyeshea Willie | Barton College | Guard | Senior | 5’8″ |
| Kiara Wright | Tarleton State | Center | Senior | 6’1″ |
By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
23 – Most wins in school history.
23 – Most consecutive wins in school history.
3 – 3rd season with 20 or more wins in school history. 22 wins in 1943-44. 21 wins in 1995-96.
175 – assists by Kyler Niernberger are the most in a single season breaking Brian Woods record.
7.0 – assists per game ranks Niernberger second for a single season.
284 – career assists by Niernberger ranks 4th all-time.
180 – career assists by Lane Clark ranks 12th all-time.
451 – number of assists during the season for Hays High as a team.
117 – career steals by Lane Clark ranks 8th all-time.
50 – steals this season by Clark ranks 15th for a single season.
4 – number of players with 40 or more steals. First time the feat has happened in school history. The previous high was three in 1977. Lane Clark finished with 50, Jordan Windholz 47, Kyler Niernberger 43, and Isaiah Nunnery 42.
436 – points by Lane Clark ranks 38th in a career.
597 – points by Jordan Windholz ranks 21st in a career.
825 – points by Brady Werth ranks 9th currently as a junior.
418 – rebounds by Werth ranks 8th currently in a career.
41% – three point percentage shot by Kade Parker ranks in a tie for 8th for a single season.
40% – three point percentage shot by Lane Clark ranks in a tie for 11th for a single season.
39% – three point percentage shot by Jordan Windholz ranks in a tie for 12th for a single season.
Career games played: Lane Clark 76, Kade Parker 71, Kyler Niernberger 67, Jordan Windholz 66.
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew Harrison scored 20 points, twin brother Aaron had 19 and Kentucky ended Wichita State’s pursuit of perfection Sunday when Fred VanVleet’s potential game-winning 3-pointer missed in a 78-76 victory in the NCAA tournament.
Julius Randle had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and James Young also had 13 points for the No. 8 seed Wildcats (26-10), who made a series of clutch free throws in the final minutes to hold off the top-seeded Shockers in arguably the most captivating game of a thrilling first weekend.
Kentucky will play in-state rival Louisville in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Indianapolis.
Cleanthony Early scored 31 points and Ron Baker had 20 for the Shockers (35-1), who hadn’t lost since last year’s Final Four.
FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State’s Kevin Czarnecki hit a grand slam and then a 3-run game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth to help FHSU to a 12-11 comeback win in 10 innings on Sunday (Mar. 23) against Northwest Missouri State at Larks Park in Hays. FHSU won the game on a throwing error by the shortstop with two outs in the 10th, plating a runner from third.
Fort Hays State, now 7-16 overall and 6-14 in the MIAA, came all the way back from a 9-2 deficit to eventually tie the game in the ninth on Czarnecki’s heroics. The Tigers split the four-game series with the Bearcats.
Steve Johnson Postgame Interview
Pitching struggled early as each team’s starter lasted only 0.2 innings (Alex Cox for FHSU and Andrew Trout for NWMSU). After one inning, Northwest Missouri State (14-10, 10-7 MIAA) led 4-2. After getting two quick outs to start the second inning, Northwest Missouri State strung together five straight hits, a walk, and then another hit to score five runs and take a 9-2 advantage. The five runs were charged to Joe Mapes, who relieved Cox.
With one RBI already to his credit in the first inning, Czarnecki stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the second with two outs and delivered a grand slam over the left field wall to cut the Bearcat lead back to three at 9-6.
Both teams had pitching finally settle in to tack up zeros from the third through sixth innings. Northwest Missouri State finally ended the scoring drought with two runs in the top of the seventh off reliever Gabe Cook, who did a great job limiting the Bearcats to just the two runs on five hits and four walks with one strikeout in his 5.0 innings of relief.
FHSU immediately got the two runs back in the bottom of the seventh to make it 11-8. Austin Unrein came in to score on a passed ball and Clayton Garland had a RBI on a fielder’s choice.
Nick Hammeke relieved Cook to start the eighth inning and worked a pair of 1-2-3 innings to set the stage for the bottom of the ninth. Hammeke came into the game at shortstop in the third inning when Cook moved from shortstop to pitcher. That made the Tigers drop the DH in the lineup early in the game, but it worked to success as Cook and Hammeke were the key on the mound to let the Tiger offense chip away.
A win looked bleak for FHSU with two outs in the ninth and no runners aboard, but Garland was hit by a pitch and then Horace Johnson singled to right field to set the stage for Czarnecki. Opting to continue to bat left-handed even though he can switch hit, Czarnecki took a first-pitch fastball from lefty Ryker Fox and smoked it over the right field wall to tie the game at 11-11 and run his RBI total to eight for the game, the most by a FHSU player since April 12, 2008 when Greg Bieker had nine against Truman.
Hammeke danced around hitting a batter in the 10th, getting a groundout to keep the Bearcats scoreless with the go-ahead runner stranded at third.
With one out in the bottom of the 10th, Cook walked and then Austin Unrein singled to put runners at first and second. Cook moved to third on a flyout to right field by Jordan Miller. With two outs, Gus Strunk hit a chopper and reached by a throwing error on the Bearcat shortstop that short-hopped the first baseman, allowing Cook to score the game-winning run.
Hammeke did not allow a hit in his three innings of relief work and struck out one, moving to 2-0 on the season. Fox took the loss for Northwest Missouri, now 4-2 after tossing 3.1 innings of relief. Fox was the starting pitcher and winner for NWMSU in the first game of the series.
The Tigers are slated to play Bethany College in a non-conference game on Wednesday (Mar. 26) at Larks Park in Hays. Game time is set for 3 pm. The Tigers then host Emporia State in a four-game conference series on the weekend (Mar. 28-30) with Friday as “Pack the Park” night at Larks Park.
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dwight Powell had 15 points and seven rebounds and No. 10 seed Stanford wrapped up its second straight upset at the free throw line, knocking off No. 2 Kansas 60-57 in the South Regional on Sunday.
Chasson Randle added 13 points, six steals and four assists for the Cardinal (23-12), who advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 2008 — also their last NCAA appearance. They beat No. 7 seed New Mexico on Friday.
Stanford will play 11th-seeded Dayton, which beat No. 3 Syracuse 55-53, in the round of 16 in Memphis, Tenn.
Freshman Andrew Wiggins had just four points on 1-for-6 shooting with four turnovers in his final college game for Kansas (25-10). Wiggins is a likely NBA lottery pick and had averaged 28 points the previous four games.
Kansas is the second No. 2 seed to be eliminated. Villanova lost 77-65 to seventh-seeded Connecticut in the East Regional.
Tarik Black had 18 points and six rebounds for the Jayhawks, but he fouled out with 5:25 to go. Conner Frankamp had 12 points on four 3-pointers, the last two in the final 23 seconds to make it close after Stanford had pulled ahead by seven.
Stanford was 9 for 12 at the free throw line over the final 2:04 and needed all those points. Frankamp’s second 3-pointer narrowed the gap to 59-57 with 14.9 seconds left.
Anthony Brown hit just one of two free throws with 12.9 seconds and Frankamp banged a third 3-point attempt off the glass near the buzzer in a bid to tie it.
Kansas went to a full-court press down five points with about 11 minutes to play and forced five turnovers the next 6 minutes to tie it
Kansas had been 0 for 10 from 3-point range for the tournament, seven of the misses against Eastern Kentucky, before Frankamp connected with 3:34 to go in the half.
Frankamp hit another one just before the halftime buzzer off a turnover to put the Jayhawks up 24-22, their first lead of the game with both teams shooting just 32 percent. They trailed most of the first half against Eastern Kentucky, too, before pulling away for an 80-69 victory.
Powell hit his first shot on a drive after going 0 for 8 against New Mexico on Friday. He had 10 points before drawing his fourth foul early in the second half.
