July 2017 – Page 57 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Sporting KC advances to U.S. Open Cup semifinals

KC forward Latif Blessing took a shot in the first half. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Dallas midfielder Ryan Hollingshead made a sliding last-second block on a shot by Gerso Fernandes that had gotten past the Dallas goalkeeper. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Story and photos by Brian Terrel

Sporting KC advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals over FC Dallas Tuesday night in a tough extra-time game marked by three ejections.

Sporting broke open a scoreless game with three goals during the 30-minute overtime period to win the game 3 to 0. The Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament played among the U.S. professional and semiprofessional leagues.

Kansas City moves on to face the San Jose Earthquakes in the semifinals. The location and date of the game will be announced Friday.

Sporting KC honored its late owner Neal Patterson with a tribute and moment of silence before the game, and with armbands worn by both teams.

In the first half, Dallas gained a man advantage early when Sporting defender Seth Sinovic was given a red card for tripping Dallas’s Michael Barrios on a breakaway in the 15th minute.

Shorthanded, Sporting still attempted to continue its attack through the remainder of the first half, but by the second half it had settled into its own end, parrying a series of Dallas attacks.

Homegrown talent Erik Palmer-Brown won multiple challenges in the penalty area and goalkeeper Tim Melia made some timely saves to keep Dallas off the board throughout regulation time.

The overtime period followed the same pattern of Dallas control until Dallas defender Maximiliano Urruti was ejected in the 101st minute for his dangerous high kick that sent KC defender Ike Opara out of the game on a stretcher.

With the teams even at 10 men, Sporting struck. Forward Latif Blessing, whose frantic pace drove his team all night, scored off an assist by midfielder Benny Feilhaber.

Sporting gained a man advantage when Dallas midfielder Javier Morales was ejected in stoppage time, and then Blessing quickly struck again, putting the home team up 2 – 0.

KC forward Daniel Salloi closed out the scoring with a goal in the second overtime period, counter-attacking FC Dallas and knocking in a pass from Feilhaber.

Opara was held at a hospital overnight with a concussion. Sporting KC plays next in an MLS match at Real Salt Lake on July 22.

Sporting KC forward Latif Blessing vented his frustration as his header sailed left of the goal during first half stoppage time. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Gerso Fernandes was taken to the ground by Dallas defender Hernan Grana. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Tempers flared between the teams as the medical staff treated Ike Opara on the field. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Latif Blessing did a cartwheel and back flip to celebrate his second goal in overtime. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Goalkeeper Tim Melia made a diving stop in overtime to keep Dallas scoreless. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Latif Blessing worked the ball past Hernan Grana. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Forward Daniel Salloi knocked in a goal to make the score 3 – 0. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Latif Blessing celebrated the victory with some dancing in front of the North End fans. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Victims of six-vehicle fatal crash on I-70 near toll plaza identified

Five people died in a six-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon near the toll plaza on I-70 in Leavenworth County. A fire engulfed some of the vehicles. (KC Scout photo)

Three Topeka, Kansas, residents and one Urbana, Illinois, resident were among the fatal victims of a six-vehicle crash on Tuesday afternoon two miles east of the I-70 toll plaza.

A fifth fatality was not identified yet, pending notification of family members, according to the Kansas Turnpike Authority trooper’s report.

There were two semis and four other vehicles involved in the crash on westbound I-70, according to the trooper’s report. A fire broke out involving some of the vehicles, including the semis. The crash was in Leavenworth County. I-70 reopened last night, according to highway officials.

Sheldon H. Cohen, 83, of Topeka, was driving a Buick LaCrosse when he and Virginia Cohen, 79, of Topeka, were killed, according to the trooper’s report.

Ricardo Mireles, 38, of Topeka, another fatal crash victim, was driving a Ford Taurus, according to the report.

Also killed in the crash was Teresa J. Butler, 61, of Urbana, Illinois, who was driving a GMC Terrain, the trooper’s report stated.

A passenger in the Terrain was killed, according to the trooper’s report, but was not identified because family had not yet been notified.

The driver of a 2015 Freightliner semi, a 56-year-old man from Houston, Texas, had a possible injury and was taken to the hospital, the report stated.

The driver of a 2016 Freightliner semi, a 53-year-old man from Ashville, N.C., was not injured, according to the report.

A sixth vehicle involved in the crash, a Chevrolet Avalanche, was driven by a 53-year-old Ashland City, Tennessee, man who was not injured, according to the trooper’s report.

Troopers pieced together this report about how the accident happened:

“The Chevrolet Avalanche (Vh #6), and USXpress commercial motor vehicle (Vh #5) [the 2016 Freightliner semi], were stopped in the outside, westbound lane. Construction was ahead at the Eastern Terminal of the Kansas Turnpike approximately two miles west of the collision scene.

“The GMC (Vh #2) [Terrain], Buick (Vh#3) [LaCrosse}, and Ford (Vh #4) [Taurus], were slowing and preparing to stop in the outside lane.

The Indian Creek Express commercial motor vehicle (VH #1) [the 2015 Freightliner semi], was traveling westbound, in the outside lane. It crested a slight hill and, for an unknown reason, the CMV [commercial motor vehicle] (Driver # 1) perceived the other traffic late. Passenger’s side brake marks from the CMV were observed just prior to the first area of impact, and they trail towards the inside lane.

“The first area of impact was located in the outside lane, where the Indian Creek Express CMV (Vh #1) struck the GMC Terrain (Vh #2). Upon impact, the GMC was forced toward the inside wall and rotated counter-clockwise.

“The CMV (Vh #1) carried through and struck the Buick, (Vh #3) just in front of the GMC (Vh #2). The Buick (Vh #3) was forced to the northwest, and into a guardrail. The impact with the guardrail forced the Buick (Vh #3) to rotate approximately 180° [degrees] clockwise and came to rest in the north grass ditch facing south.

“After striking the Buick (Vh #3), the Indian Creek Express CMV (Vh #1) kept its momentum and struck the Ford Taurus (Vh #4) that was directly behind the USXpress commercial motor vehicle (Vh #5).

“The Ford (Vh #4) was forced under the rear of the semi-trailer of USXpress (Vh #5).

“The truck tractor, (Vh #1) of Indian Creek Express then struck the rear of the semi-trailer of USXpress (Vh #5). The USXpress (Vh #5) then struck the rear of the Chevrolet Avalanche (Vh #6) that was stopped. A fire ignited between Vh #1, Vh #4, and Vh #5.”

Heat advisory continues today

A heat advisory is in effect through 7 p.m. today, according to the National Weather Service.

High temperatures may reach 96 today with a heat index of 103 possible, the weather service said. South southwest winds of 10 to 13 mph may gust as high as 18 mph.

Storms are not in Wyandotte County’s forecast today, but are possible in areas to the north.

Residents are advised to wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors, according to the weather service. Those who work or spend time outside may want to take extra precautions and reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening when possible.

The Salvation Army is opening its facilities as cooling shelters whenever there is a heat advisory. The Salvation Army facility at 6723 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, is open as a cooling shelter between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today.

The weather could cool off on Thursday after rain moves through.

Tonight, skies will be mostly clear with a low of 77, according to the weather service, and a south southwest wind of 7 to 10 mph.

Thursday, there will be a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 92, with a heat index as high as 99. There will be a south southwest wind of 5 to 7 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected.

Thursday night, there is a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 71, with a northeast wind of 3 to 6 mph. New rainfall amounts of between a half and three-fourths of an inch are possible.

Friday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 85, with an east northeast wind around 6 mph. Between a tenth and quarter of an inch of rain is possible.

Friday night, expect mostly clear skies with a low of 67, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 89, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of 69, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny with a high near 91, the weather service said.

Sunday night, expect mostly clear skies with a low of 71, according to the weather service.

For more information about the weather, visit www.weather.gov.