The Royals pitchers and catchers are having warm thoughts as they arrive in Arizona today. The first official day of Spring Training is tomorrow. Most of the 34 pitchers and seven catchers on the camp roster have already arrived, ahead of today’s deadline. The full squad is due to report on the the 14th and the team will open Cactus League play against the Rangers on the February 22. Stay tuned to Royals baseball all season on Eagle radio 14 KAYS.
Category: Sports
FHSU Wrestling Finishes Fourth at MIAA Championships
The Fort Hays State wrestling squad finished fourth at the MIAA Tournament in Edmond, Okla. on Sunday. It was the first MIAA Tournament in wrestling since 1986, now that wrestling is a championship sport in the MIAA again starting this year. Nebraska-Kearney edged Central Oklahoma for the team championship, 109 points to 102. Central Missouri was third with 47 and FHSU scored 42.
Garrett Jones was the top placer for the Tigers, taking second in the 125-pound bracket. He got an opening round bye and then defeated Blayne Shockley of Lindenwood by pin in 3:35. He lost to Connor Bolling of Nebraska-Kearney in the championship match by a 4-1 decision.
Fort Hays State had four wrestlers place third, which included Rory Wilkinson at 133 pounds, C.J. Napier at 141 pounds, Sam Thoman at 165 pounds, and Zack Grimes at 184 pounds.
Wilkinson won his opening round match over Michael Caldwell of Lindenwood with a 7-2 decision, but then dropped to the consolation bracket losing by pin in 6:58 to Daniel DeShazer in the semifinals. He then pinned Dan Karlskin of Truman in 2:57 to reach the consolation final, where he edged Hunter Neighbors of Central Missouri by a 2-1 decision.
Napier lost 5-2 in the semifinals to Trison Graham of Central Oklahoma, but rebounded for a 3-2 overtime win over Jacob Janes of Lindenwood and then took third with a 3-1 decision over Brock Coutu of Nebraska-Kearney.
Thoman won his opening round match over Dustin McClintock of Truman by a 17-8 major decision, but lost to Chase Nelson of Nebraska-Kearney by a 12-4 major decision in the semifinals. He bounced back to win by injury default against Cullen Halpin of Lindenwood and defeated McClintock again for third by a 5-1 decision.
Grimes lost in the opening round to Mark Fiala of Nebraska-Kearney by an 8-5 decision, but defeated Tanner Keck of Central Oklahoma 5-3 to reach the consolation final. He defeated Nate Seiler of Truman by a 6-2 decision for third.
Fort Hays State wraps up its dual season on Thursday (Feb. 14) when it hosts Nebraska-Kearney at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. The dual is set to begin at 7 pm.
Three Former HHS Wrestlers Qualify for NJCAA National Tournament
Three former Hays High wrestlers have qualified over the weekend for the national junior college tournament. Colby Community College’s Cash Drylie won the 197 pound weight class at the NJCAA West/Central Tournament in Pratt. The Trojans Dylan Braun finished second at 184 while Korey Pfannenstiel of Pratt Community College finished third at 149.
The NJCAA national tournament is February 21-23 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Former HHS Standout Munsch with Big Day for Jayhawks in Seattle.
For the second time in a week, former Hays High runner Josh Munsch recorded a career-best and moved up the all-time school performance list at the University of Kansas as he competed at the Husky Classic in Seattle Saturday. 
Munsch was coming off an outstanding mile race a week ago at the Armory Collegiate Invitation, running to a fifth-place finish and the seventh-fastest mile in school history at 4:04.14. Saturday afternoon the junior again turned in a career-performance, completing the eight laps of the 200-meter track in 4:03.18 to finish fifth overall. The time was nearly a full second better than the race he ran just seven days ago and gets him ever-closer to breaking the elusive four-minute barrier. Munsch’s time moves him into the NCAA top-50 and ranks him ninth in the Big 12 this season.Josh lettered in cross country and track at Hays High School and was a member of the 2010 WAC, regional and state championship track teams. He is the son of Cory and Pam Munsch of Hays is majoring in design.
Hot Shooting Lifts Tigers Over Nebraska-Kearney
The Fort Hays State Tigers shot 70-percent including 9-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half, building a 30-point lead at the break and go on for a 94-68 win over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday afternoon in front of 4,077 at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers have now won five-straight and are 15-6 overall and 9-4 in the MIAA. The Lopers fall to 6-15 and 3-10 in their first year in the MIAA.
The Tigers finish the game shooting 55-percent and were led by Craig Nicholson and Carson Konrade who both scored 16. Nicholson added 11 assists, Konrade grabbed seven rebounds. Dwayne Brunson added 13 points, Ben Congiusta 11 and Lance Russell 10 along with five assists.
Coach Mark Johnson Post Interview
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Player Interview
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Game Highlights
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Keyser Shoots Lady Tigers Past Nebraska-Kearney
Fort Hays State held Nebraska-Kearney to 32-percent shooting and 25 points in the second half as they run their win streak to four with an 87-63 victory Saturday afternoon at Gross Coliseum. The Lady Tigers improve to 16-5 overall and 8-5 in the MIAA. The Lopers are now 6-14 and 3-10 in their first season in the MIAA.
Both teams got rolling on offense in the first half. The Lopers hitting on 68-percent of their shots and the Lady Tigers 53-percent. Fort Hays State used a 19-6 run to build a 12 point first half lead. The Lopers got as close as two before a 13-4 Tiger run pushed it back to double-figures and led 47-38 at the break.
Traci Keyser tied a season-high hitting five 3-pointers and scoring a game-high 24 points. Keyser moves past Mardy Robinson into fourth place in career made three-pointers. Kate Lehman added 15 points and blocked seven shots. Tera Inglesbe scored 13 and Kate Edwards added 12.
Tony Hobson Post Game Interview
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Game Highlights
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FHSU Baseball Wins Series Finale at Metro State
The Fort Hays State baseball team took the final game of a three-game series at Metro State by a score of 10-6 on Saturday (Feb. 9). The Tigers took the series by winning the last two games and start the year at 2-1 before jumping into conference play next weekend against Central Missouri in Hays.
Jesse Hart was the winning pitcher in long relief for the Tigers, pitching the final 7.1 innings of the nine-inning contest. He relieved Robert VanCour, who lasted just 1.2 innings and allowed four runs. Hart allowed just three hits, three walks and just one of his two earned runs allowed were earned. Hart struck out four batters. He worked three 1-2-3 innings, which included the fourth, sixth, and ninth.
Clayton Garland was 4-for-6 at the plate in the leadoff spot, scored three times, and drove home a run. Casey Sedbrook, who pinch ran early in the game for Chris Santoscoy, tied for the team lead in RBI with Kelston Rule as both drove home two Shane Wade and Jordan Miller also recorded one RBI each.
The Tigers had a total of 17 hits in the game and just two went for extra bases. Garland and Sedbrook each had one double. FHSU trailed after three innings 5-4, but Sam Thornton scored on a balk and Kelton Rule singled home a run in the fourth to give FHSU its first lead at 6-5. The Tigers kept the lead the rest of the way, scoring three in the seventh to go up 9-5. After a Metro State run in the bottom of the seventh, FHSU tacked on one more in the ninth.
Fort Hays State opens MIAA play next weekend (Feb. 16-17) at Larks Park in Hays when it hosts nationally ranked Central Missouri in a three-game series. The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday.
– FHSU Sports Information –
Hays Hurricanes Dominate Home Meet
The Hays Hurricanes swim team won their home meet Saturday with 21 swimmers placing in the top 3 of their events. Other teams attending the meet were: Scott City, Golden Belt, Dodge City/Cimarron and Garden City.
Individual Hurricanes swimmers placing in the top 3 include:
Alisara Arial (age 9): 3rd place in the 50 back (57.56) and the 100 free (2:13.01)
Kallyn DeWitt (age 11): 2nd place in the 50 back (44.14) and 50 breast (46.68) and 1st place in the 100 free (2:52.97)
Lakin Ditter (age 14): 2nd place in the 100 fly (1:37.99)
Megan Flavin (age 11): 1st place in the 100 breast (1:52.14) and 100 free (1:25.31) and 3rd place in the 50 free (35.51) and 50 back (45.15)
Ana Goodlet (age 13): 3rd place in the 100 fly (1:38.96)
Mackenzie Hagerman (age 8): 3rd place in the 25 free (23.30), 25 breast (28.53) and 100 free (2:02.75)
Hannah Harman (age 12): 2nd place in the 100 free (1:26.46) and 3rd place in the 50 fly (46.53)
Amelia Jaeger (age 8): 1st place in the 50 free (42.93), 50 fly (53.22), 100 IM (1:57.27) and 100 free (1:39.00)
Yesenia Maldonado (age 11): 2nd place in the 100 IM (1:44.56)
Abigail Margreiter (age 11): 1st place in the 50 free (29.80), 100 back (1:15.00) and 50 fly (33.50) and 3rd place in the 50 breast (47.20)
Emilee Pfannenstiel (age 12): 1st place in the 50 back (40.05), 50 breast (45.77) and 100 IM (1:30.33) and 2nd place in the 50 free (32.62) and 50 fly (43.00)
Caden Riat (age 10): 3rd place in the 100 free (2:02.62)
Elliot Rule (age 12): 2nd place in the 50 free (38.53) and 3rd place in the 100 free (1:34.82)
Rilee Schwarz (age 8): 1st place in the 50 back (1:00.47) and 3rd place in the 50 free (47.31) and 25 fly (28.91)
Kai Shaffer (age 8): 1st place in the 100 free (1:28.34) and 2nd place in the 50 free (36.63)
Isaac Smith (age 11): 1st place in the 50 back (36.42), 50 breast (36.99), 50 fly (33.73), 100 free (1:10.37) and 200 free (2:41.96)
Zachary Smith (age 8): 1st place in the 50 free (38.05), 50 back (47.56), 50 breast (55.02), 50 fly (47.43) and 100 IM (1:42.32)
Jackson Stanton (age 12): 2nd place in the 50 breast (56.27) and 3rd place in the 50 free (44.65) and 50 back (49.18)
Elizabeth Thomas (age 10): 1st place in the 50 back (49.69) and 100 free (1:41.69) and 2nd place in the 50 free (40.05), 50 breast (55.13) and 50 fly (1:02.59)
Kayson Unsworth (age 10): 2nd place in the 50 back (1:12.25), 50 breast (1:04.23) and 100 free (1:52.45), 3rd place in the 50 free (48.99)
Sydney Witkorn (age 9): 3rd place in the 50 breast (1:07.40)
Alisara Arial (age 9): 3rd place in the 50 back (57.56) and the 100 free (2:13.01)
Kallyn DeWitt (age 11): 2nd place in the 50 back (44.14) and 50 breast (46.68) and 1st place in the 100 free (2:52.97)
Lakin Ditter (age 14): 2nd place in the 100 fly (1:37.99)
Megan Flavin (age 11): 1st place in the 100 breast (1:52.14) and 100 free (1:25.31) and 3rd place in the 50 free (35.51) and 50 back (45.15)
Ana Goodlet (age 13): 3rd place in the 100 fly (1:38.96)
Mackenzie Hagerman (age 8): 3rd place in the 25 free (23.30), 25 breast (28.53) and 100 free (2:02.75)
Hannah Harman (age 12): 2nd place in the 100 free (1:26.46) and 3rd place in the 50 fly (46.53)
Amelia Jaeger (age 8): 1st place in the 50 free (42.93), 50 fly (53.22), 100 IM (1:57.27) and 100 free (1:39.00)
Yesenia Maldonado (age 11): 2nd place in the 100 IM (1:44.56)
Abigail Margreiter (age 11): 1st place in the 50 free (29.80), 100 back (1:15.00) and 50 fly (33.50) and 3rd place in the 50 breast (47.20)
Emilee Pfannenstiel (age 12): 1st place in the 50 back (40.05), 50 breast (45.77) and 100 IM (1:30.33) and 2nd place in the 50 free (32.62) and 50 fly (43.00)
Caden Riat (age 10): 3rd place in the 100 free (2:02.62)
Elliot Rule (age 12): 2nd place in the 50 free (38.53) and 3rd place in the 100 free (1:34.82)
Rilee Schwarz (age 8): 1st place in the 50 back (1:00.47) and 3rd place in the 50 free (47.31) and 25 fly (28.91)
Kai Shaffer (age 8): 1st place in the 100 free (1:28.34) and 2nd place in the 50 free (36.63)
Isaac Smith (age 11): 1st place in the 50 back (36.42), 50 breast (36.99), 50 fly (33.73), 100 free (1:10.37) and 200 free (2:41.96)
Zachary Smith (age 8): 1st place in the 50 free (38.05), 50 back (47.56), 50 breast (55.02), 50 fly (47.43) and 100 IM (1:42.32)
Jackson Stanton (age 12): 2nd place in the 50 breast (56.27) and 3rd place in the 50 free (44.65) and 50 back (49.18)
Elizabeth Thomas (age 10): 1st place in the 50 back (49.69) and 100 free (1:41.69) and 2nd place in the 50 free (40.05), 50 breast (55.13) and 50 fly (1:02.59)
Kayson Unsworth (age 10): 2nd place in the 50 back (1:12.25), 50 breast (1:04.23) and 100 free (1:52.45), 3rd place in the 50 free (48.99)
Sydney Witkorn (age 9): 3rd place in the 50 breast (1:07.40)
The Hays 12 & Under relay team of Emilee Pfannenstiel, Yesenia Maldonado, Megan Flavin and Isaac Smith placed 1st in the 200 freestyle (1:04.40) and 200 medley (1:17.63)
As the season winds down, the following Hurricanes swimmers have qualified for the Division 2 South Championship Swim Meet: Megan Flavin, Ana Goodlet, Alison Helget, Amelia Jaeger, Abigail Margreiter, Emilee Pfannenstiel, Ben Rajewski, Kai Shaffer, Isaac Smith, Zachary Smith, Gracie Stanton and Elizabeth Thomas.
Hays High Sweeps Liberal at Home
Hays High 57 – Liberal 31 (Ladies)
Hays High scored the first seven points of the game and then after having their lead cut to four, scored the next ten points to lead by fourteen, and the Hays High Ladies Indians rolled to a 57-31 win over Liberal.
Hays broke a three game losing streak in picking up their seventh win of the year. Katelyn Schumacher scored a career high 23 and Janae Gagnon added 13 in the win. All told seven girls scored on the night. Hays shot 47% (23-49) and turned the ball over only seven times. Liberal shot only 28% (11-40) with 22 turnovers.
Hays improves to 7-9 (3-2). Liberal drops to 4-13 (0-5).
Lady Indian Highlights 2-8
Maska Post Game Interview 2-8
Hays High 60 – Liberal 46 (Boys)
Slow starts have spelled disaster at times for Hays High this season. Friday night, the Indians scored just one field goal and six points in the first quarter and trailed Liberal by as many as nine points (17-8) at the 5:40 mark of the second quarter. Hays thought fought back outscoring Liberal 14-3 over the next five minute to take a 22-20 half time lead.
At half time the two teams combined for nine field goals and 23 made free throws.
Liberal scored the first five points of the second half grabbing a 25-22 lead, and that is when Hays High took control. The Indians broke away on a 13-1 run and after two Liberal free throws another 9-0 run that extended into the fourth quarter. Hays outscored Liberal 20-8 in the third.
Hays pushed the lead as high as 18 during the fourth quarter winning 60-46.
The game featured a combined 50 turnovers and 72 free throws.
Hays shot 29-37 from the line while Liberal was 19-35. Liberal made 16-22 free throws to start the game but made only 3 of 13 down the stretch.
Hays shot 33% (14-43) and 16% (3-19) on three pointers. Liberal was 32% (12-38) and 18% (3-17) behind the arc.
The Indians were led by Lane Clark with 19 points. Clark made 10 of 12 free throws and two of the Indians threes. Brady Werth added 11. Nine different Indians scored.
Liberal put three in double figures. JJ Lews (an FHSU football signee) scored 13 and grabbed 10 rebounds. Blake Stout added 11 and William Ross scored 10.
Hays improves to 11-5 on the year and 3-2 in the WAC. Liberal is now 5-12 and 1-4 in conference play.
Both Indian teams are on the road to Abilene on Tuesday.
Tiger Baseball Splits Season Opener at Metro State
The Fort Hays State Tigers let a ninth inning lead slip away in a 13-12 extra inning loss in game one of their doubleheader at Metro State Friday afternoon. The Tigers rallied from an early deficit to win the second game 10-4. The two teams close out the three-game series Saturday afternoon in Denver.
Game 1: Metro State 13, Fort Hays State 12, 10 innings
Jeff Levett hit a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom the 10th to lift the Roadrunners to the win. The Tigers led 8-7 after eight innings then scored three in the top of the ninth to go up 11-7.
Luke McKay walked the first three batters in the ninth leading to four Metro runs in the bottom of the inning to force extra innings.
Nathan Miller’s one-out single gave the Tigers a 12-11 lead in the 10th, but Chris Santoscoy struck out and Jordan Miller grounded out stranding two in scoring position.
Levett hit his game-winning home run after a one-out walk by Nathan Briar who took the loss.
Fort Hays State shortstop Sam Thornton had two hits and drove in four runs. Nathan Miller and Jay Sanders both drove in two.
Starter Alex Ellison gave up three earned runs on six hits over 5.0 innings.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 10, Metro State 4
Starter Taylor Davis settled down after giving up four unearned runs in the first inning for the complete game victory. Davis struck out three and walked four, giving up the four unearned runs on five hits.
The Tigers scored two in the fourth then took the lead with five in the fifth higlighted by Horace Johnson’s two-run double that scored Ryan Busboom and Kelton Rule to put FHSU up for good. Jay Sanders added a two-run single in the sixth.
Ryan Busboom went 3-for-3 and scored four runs. Chris Santoscoy, Kelton Rule, Jay Sanders and Jordan Miller all had two hits. Sanders and Miller both drove in two.
FHSU Softball Sweeps UNK in Season Opener
The Fort Hays State softball team sweeps Nebraska-Kearney 2-0 and 4-1 in their season opener Friday afternoon at Tigers Stadium.
Game 1: FHSU 2, Nebraska-Kearney 0
Maddy Holub tied her career single-game strikeout mark, fanning 16 in the complete game victory. The Hays senior allowed three hits while walking four.
The Tigers scored one in the fourth on a Courtney Dobson RBI single. Amanda Vaupel drove in a run with a double in the sixth for the final margin.
Game 2: FHSU 4, Nebraska-Kearney 1
Freshman pitcher Paxton Duran allowed one earned run on four hits, striking out three and walking three in a complete game victory in her Tiger debut.
FHSU scored two in the first an a wild pitch and an Amanda Vaupel single. They added two more in the fifth on an error and a Danie Brinkman triple. Bianca Adame went 3-for-4 while Brinkman and Duran both had two hits.
Two More Indians Sign Letters Of Intent
Two more Hays High Indians signed their letters of intent to play college athletics Friday morning at the school cafeteria. Both Derek Bixenman and Kellen Griffin inked letters to play at Fort Hays State University, but in different sports.
Griffin signed to play soccer for the Tigers. The talented senior played nearly every position on the pitch as a high schooler, even filling in at goalie one game. Griffin considered both Drake and South Dakota School of Mines before settling on FHSU. Coach Chris Michaelis says that Griffin finished in the top ten or fifteen in nearly every career record over his time at HHS.
Bixenman will continue his track and field career for the black and gold. The senior injured his knee during football his sophomore season and while he did participate during track was never at full strength. It was Bixenman’s junior year were he broke out, high jumping 6’6″ at the state meet in Wichita. That jump was good enough to finish Bixenman second behind teammate Adam Deterding. Bixenman helped the Indians to a third consecutive team state title in the spring of 2012. Bixenman was also a first team WAC basketball player last season.
FHSU Rallies for 1-Point Win Over Northwest Missouri State
The Fort Hays State Tigers outscored Northwest Missouri State 15-5 after falling behind by nine points with 7:40 to play and beat the Bearcats 59-58 Wednesday night at Gross Coliseum. The victory is the fourth straight for FHSU and improves them to 14-6 and 8-4 in the MIAA. Northwest has a two-game win streak come to an end and drops to 15-6 overall and 8-4 in the conference.
Johnson Post Game Interview 2-6 pt1
Johnson Post Game Interview 2-6 pt2
The Bearcats went on a 21-5 run in the second half to build the nine-point lead, but the Tigers rallied and took the lead on a Lance Russell 3-pointer. After Dwayne Brunson missed the front-end of one-and-one, Northwest’s shot at the horn rimmed off to preserve the Tigers win.
Fort Hays State used a 14-4 first half run to go up five and led by three at the half when Dwayne Brunson hit a left-wing jumper with less than two seconds to play. Brunson scored 16 in the first half and the Tigers hit on 63-percent of their shots in the first frame.
Brunson Post Game Interview 2-6-13
FHSU shot a season-high 56-percent from the floor and hit five of their 12 3-point attempts. Dwayne Brunson led three in double-figures with a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds. Craig Nicholson scored 13 and Carson Konrade added 11 going 3-for-5 from 3-point range.