The victim of a homicide at 1:37 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, in the 200 block of Kindelberger Road has been identified.
The victim was Eric Jackson, 38, a resident of Shawnee, Kansas, according to a Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman.
Jackson was suffering from gunshot wounds when police officers found him, according to police. He was taken to a hospital where he later died.
The case is under investigation by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department Criminal Investigations Division. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
Members of KCKCC’s Jayhawk Conference champion team include, front row, from left, redshirt Diamond Williams, Caroline Hoppock, Caitlin Stewart and Lexi Watts; second row, head coach Joe McKinstry, Kisi Young, Nija Collier, Lillie Moore, Lizzie Stark, Carson Chandler, Lenaejha Evans, Camryn Swanson, Brodi Byrd and assistant Tameka O’Neal. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
For the first time in 22 years, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Lady Blue Devils wear the crown of Jayhawk Conference champion.
A 64-60 win over nationally ranked Johnson County Saturday wrapped up the Lady Blue Devils’ first NJCAA Division II conference championship and KCKCC’s fourth in history.
The Blue Devils shared the 1995 NJCAA Division I conference championship with eventual national champion Independence and then won back-to-back titles in 1996 and 1997.
“I’m super super happy for our girls,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “It’s been a long journey. This is what we talked about when we recruited this sophomore class. I’m ecstatic they’re able to reap the rewards for their hard work over their two years.”
To win the championship in the toughest DI conference in the nation, the No. 4 Blue Devils (8-2) had to sweep the No. 9 Cavaliers for the first time since 1997, a sweep that dropped JCCC (6-4) into fourth place behind No. 7 Highland and No. 10 Labette, both 7-3.
The only drawback, the Blue Devils (26-4) will most likely have to do it again. Assuming a JCCC win over Fort Scott Wednesday, the Cavaliers (26-4) and KCKCC will square off in a Region VI semifinal this coming Saturday at 4 p.m. Hesston will play at Labette Wednesday with that winner to play at Highland Saturday. The Region VI title game will be played Tuesday, March 5, at Hartman Arena in Lake City.
Deadlocked 31-31 in a first half that had six ties and four lead changes, the Blue Devils never trailed in the second half but it took huge 3-pointers by Brodi Byrd and Caroline Hoppock and game-clinching free throws from Nija Collier and Lexi Watts to hold off a late JCCC rally.
KCKCC built its biggest lead at 50-40 with nine minutes left only to have the Cavaliers close to 50-45. Hoppock blunted that rally with a trey but the Cavaliers closed again to 55-51 and set up the biggest play of the game.
Byrd, the 5-6 freshman from Truman, took a page right out of Patrick Mahomes’ repertoire – a left-handed 3-point that just beat the shot clock with 4:27 left.
“Without a doubt the biggest play of the game,” McKinstry said. “We were in trouble and she bailed us out. Sometimes in a long season you’re in position to need some luck. We acknowledge that and we welcome it.” Not only was it Byrd’s first ever left-handed three, she had never attempted one.
“Never,” Byrd said. “There wasn’t any other option. I had to rush.”
Collier kept the KCKCC lead at 60-54 on an assist from Byrd with 2:41 left and it stayed that way until JCCC’s Jacionna Stowers tossed a huge scare into the biggest crowd of the season, knocking down two contested 3-pointers in the final 33 seconds.
Free throws had not been good to the Blue Devils all evening – just 12 of their first 21. But Collier swished a pair after Stowers’ first trey had cut the lead to 60-57. Stowers’ second three made it 62-60 but Watts kept it a two possession game with two monster free throws with 24 seconds to go.
“Obviously it was not the prettiest win but I was happy how hard we competed and then stepped up and made free throws when it really mattered after their No. 1 made two super difficult shots that were really contested,” McKinstry said.
Collier, who played only six minutes the first half because of two early fouls, led KCKCC with 15 points and six rebounds while Kisi Young with 11 points and six rebounds and Lillie Moore 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds kept the Blue Devils in contention the first three quarters.
Byrd, who played 34 minutes, had eight points including a pair of treys, five rebounds, five assists and no turnovers; Lenaejha Evans, eight points and four rebounds; Watts, eight points including 5 of 6 free throws; and Caitlin Stewart, three rebounds, two assists and two steals while directing the offense.
But it was the KCKCC defense that was decisive. The Cavaliers managed just 3-of-15 field goals in being outscored 15-9 in the pivotal third quarter and 7-of-21 the final quarter.
“They had 17 more shots and 16 offensive rebounds but otherwise I was pleased the way our defense stepped up and limited them to one shot when we really needed to,” McKinstry said.
Doused with water in a jubilant locker room, KCKCC head coach Joe McKinstry followed squad members in cutting down the nets after winning the Jayhawk Conference Saturday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
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Blessed Sacrament Family Center, 2215 Parallel, Kansas City, Kansas, will be the site of a Mardi Gras dinner from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2. The dinner will be seafood gumbo or jambalaya, red beans and rice. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Bingo is planned. Proceeds will benefit Our Lady and St. Rose parish.
Christ the King Catholic Church will hold a Community Blood Center blood drive from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, March 4, in Davern Hall, 3024 N. 53rd St., Kansas City, Kansas. To schedule a donation or for more information, visit www.esavealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.
The St. Stanislav Girls Choir of Slovenia will sing at a Mass and concert at 6 p.m. Friday, March 1, at Holy Family Parish, 274 Orchard St., Kansas City, Kansas. Forty-five teen students in the choir attend school in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The Mass and concert is dedicated to “Mary, Help of Christians.”
“Scripture Study and Reflection” will be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The program is facilitated by Heather Neds. The Gospel Non-Violence Study Group will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. To register, call 913-906-8990. “Not By Bread Alone,” a Lenten retreat, will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, at the Keeler Women’s Center. A light dinner will be provided. Those interested in attending should make a reservation by calling 913-906-8990. The Keeler Women’s Center is a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Atchison, Kansas. All programs are free. To register, call 913-906-8990.
The 58th Annual Greater Kansas City Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast will be held Tuesday morning, Feb. 26, in the Kay Barnes Ballroom of the downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Convention Center, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Chair of the 2019 Breakfast is Rick Retrum. More than 900 persons are expected to attend the 2019 breakfast co-sponsored by more than 30 area mayors. This year the breakfast will benefit Restoration House of Kansas City, a faith-based group providing physical needs and recovery help for survivors of sex trafficking. Guest speaker at the breakfast will be Kathy Nelson, president and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation. Tickets are $50 each.
Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will observe the seventh Sunday after Epiphany at 10 a.m. Feb. 24.
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