January 2016 – Page 74 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

New No. 6 Lady Blue Devils go to 15-0 with 111-59 win

Just as her No. 1 fan, former KCKCC standout Clay Young now on the KU basketball team, walked in, Blue Devil sophomore Janay Jacobs put up this hair-raising shot in KCKCC’s 111-59 win over North Central Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

No. 6 in the latest NJCAA Division II women’s basketball poll, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s unbeaten Lady Blue Devils observed the new ranking Wednesday with a 111-59 win over North Central College.

It was the 15th win in a row for the Blue Devils, who are right back home today for a 5 p.m. contest with the Kansas Nuggets, a team made of former area college standouts. The Blue Devil men are also in action tonight, hosting Wentworth Military Academy at 7 p.m.

The games are the last before Jayhawk Conference play begins next Wednesday at Highland which boasts the No. 7 ranked women’s team. The home opener comes Saturday, Jan. 16, against Johnson County which has the No. 1 women’s team and defending national champion; and the No. 2 ranked men’s team. Those games are at 2 and 4 p.m.

KCKCC exploded out of the box with a record 37-17 first quarter against North Central, at team they had beaten earlier by only 79-68 at Trenton, Mo. Shooting 55.6 percent, the Blue Devils led 57-26 at the half and finished at 53.4 percent in their biggest offensive production of the season. They also had a season low five turnovers while forcing 23 steals including five each by Erin Anderson, Sierra Roberts and Arrica Daye.

Six Blue Devils scored in double figures led by Cheyenne North, 20 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots; and Erin Anderson, 19 points five rebounds, six assists and five steals. Roberts added 17 points, Brooklyn Wagler and Brie Tauai 15 each and Arrica Daye 11 points, six assists and five steals.

“Probably our best game of the year collectively,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “We spent a lot of time since Monday’s game talking about our effort and energy and I think it showed tonight. I was extremely pleased with both the balanced stat sheet and our ball handling.

“With all but one player scoring and everyone with at least one rebound and an assist, it shows that when we are focused we have a lot of players who can do many different things to help us win. And anytime you run the floor and play as hard as we did with so many opportunities for turnovers and make only five, you have to be very pleased with the great job of focusing and decision making.”
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.

Sen. Moran to hold listening tour stop in Wyandotte County on Jan. 11

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., will visit Wyandotte County as part of his Kansas Listening Tour on Monday, Jan. 11.

The meeting will be from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Jan. 11 at Donnelly College Community Event Center, 608 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan.

Area residents are encouraged to attend and share feedback with Sen. Moran on the critical issues facing Kansas and the nation. The issues Sen. Moran focuses on and the work he does in Washington, D.C., are largely based on the conversations he has with Kansans during these town hall meetings, according to a spokesman.

Besler joins U.S. Men’s National Team for January camp

Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler was selected to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster on Wednesday to participate in the U.S. MNT January Camp from Jan. 10 to Feb. 6 in Carson, Calif.

“With World Cup qualifiers and Copa America, 2016 is an important year for the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Besler said in a news release. “This camp will be important for us to set the tone for the year. I’m excited to join my teammates as we prepare for the year ahead.”

The annual training camp is highlighted by two international friendlies as the United States begins preparation for the 2016 Centennial Copa America in June. Jurgen Klinsmann’s 23-player squad will meet Iceland on Jan. 31 at 2:45 p.m. CT and Canada on Feb. 5 at 9:15 p.m. CT, with both matches taking place in Carson at StubHub Center.

Besler made his international debut in January 2013 and helped lead the U.S. to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title later that year. He was also a key contributor during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, starting all four matches as the Americans advanced to the Round of 16. He earned six of his 29 career caps in 2015, including a pair of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November.

A native of Overland Park, Kan., Besler ranks seventh in Sporting Kansas City history with 219 games played across all competitions since being selected in the first round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft out of Notre Dame. He is a four-time MLS All-Star (2011, 2013-15) and has twice been named to the MLS Best XI (2012-13) to go along with an MLS Defender of the Year honor in 2012.

Besler logged 38 appearances for Sporting Kansas City in 2015 and guided the club to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship. He led MLS in clearances while adding a career-best four assists in all competitions. The 28-year-old center back was named an MLS All-Star for the fourth time and shared Sporting KC Defensive Player of the Year honors with Soni Mustivar.

The United States – ranked 32nd in the latest FIFA rankings – will face Iceland and Canada ahead of this summer’s 2016 Centennial Copa America, a 16-team tournament that celebrates the centenary of CONMEBOL (the South American football confederation) and Copa America. The tournament, comprised of six CONCACAF nations and 10 CONMEBOL teams, will run from June 3-26 at 10 different venues across the U.S.

Before playing Copa America, the U.S. will face Guatemala on March 25 (away) and March 29 (Columbus, Ohio) in CONCACAF’s semifinal round of 2018 World Cup qualifying.

– Story from Sporting KC