Month: February 2020

Light snow in forecast today

Light snow, under 1 inch, is possible through Wednesday morning in Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)

Light snow is in today’s forecast from the National Weather Service.

Snow could develop later today, with accumulating snowfall tonight through Wednesday, according to the weather service.

The Wednesday morning commute could see some minor impacts with slippery roads, especially across central and northeast Missouri, the weather service said.

Less than an inch of snow is expected for Wyandotte County.

It was 36 degrees at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Temperatures for the rest of the week will be above freezing in the daytime, and will be below freezing at night until Saturday.

Today, there is a 50 percent chance of snow, the weather service said. Snow will be possible before 10 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., then a chance of rain after 11 a.m.. The high will be near 39. A north wind of 8 to 14 mph will gust as high as 22 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.

Tonight, there is a 50 percent chance of rain and snow before 8 p.m., then a chance of snow between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 27. A north wind of 16 mph will gust as high as 25 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is in the forecast.

Wednesday, it will be mostly cloudy, then gradually sunny, with a high near 36, the weather service said. A north northwest wind of 9 to 15 mph will gust as high as 24 mph.

Wednesday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 21 and a northwest wind of 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 44, the weather service said. A calm wind will become southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Thursday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 26, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 47, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 26, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny, with a high near 53, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 34, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 59, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 41, according to the weather service.

Monday, there is a 40 percent chance of rain, with a high near 57, the weather service said.

Sporting KC signs 18-year-old goalkeeper

Sporting Kansas City has signed an 18-year-old goalkeeper, John Pulskamp.

Pulskamp, a homegrown player, has signed a three-year contract through 2022 with an option for 2023, according to the team. He will be the second youngest goalkeeper ever for Sporting KC.

Sporting has added Pulskamp to the club’s 2020 roster after acquiring his homegrown rights from the LA Galaxy in exchange for $50,000 in 2020 general allocation money. The 6-foot-2 goalkeeper spent two seasons with the LA Galaxy Academy before turning professional in 2019 with Sporting Kansas City II at the USL Championship level.

“We’re very excited about signing a young goalkeeper of John’s quality, and more importantly I’m proud of the way he has bet on himself, worked his way up from Sporting KC II and earned an MLS contract,” Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City manager and Sporting director, said. “Now it’s about taking that next step as a professional, and we believe John will continue to improve as he gains more experience.”

A native of Bakersfield, California, Pulskamp appeared in four of Sporting’s six exhibition matches during the 2020 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy. He contributed to shutouts against Real Salt Lake, FC Cincinnati and a team of Phoenix Rising FC trialists as Sporting prepared for the 2020 MLS campaign in Arizona.

Pulskamp joins the MLS ranks on the heels of a 2019 USL Championship season in which he led Sporting KC II goalkeepers in starts (14), minutes (1,260), wins (four) and saves (45). He enjoyed several standout performances throughout the year, making five saves in a victory over reigning league champion Louisville City on May 6 and four saves in a defeat of rivals Saint Louis FC on June 30. He later shut out North Carolina FC in a 1-0 win on Sept. 14 and posted six saves in a 3-0 road triumph over Charlotte Independence on Sept. 21

At the youth international level, Pulskamp recently debuted for the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team in a friendly against regional rivals Mexico on Jan. 18 in Bradenton, Florida. He also competed at a U.S. U-18 training camp in June 2018 at Pinnacle, Sporting’s world-class training home in Kansas City, Kansas. That same year, he went on trial with English Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth.

Pulskamp arrived in Kansas City in April 2019 after a two-year stint in the LA Galaxy Academy, where he competed at the U-17 and U-19 levels in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Prior to joining the Galaxy, he represented youth sides Real So Cal and Central California Aztecs.

Pulskamp is one of 29 Sporting players under MLS contract ahead of the 2020 regular season, which will begin Saturday with a visit to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 9:30 p.m.

After meeting Vancouver, Sporting will return to Children’s Mercy Park for the home opener against rivals Houston Dynamo at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. Tickets for Sporting’s first 10 home matches of the 2020 season, as well as multi-game ticket packages, are on sale at SportingKC.com/tickets.

  • Story from Sporting KC

KCKCC women lose late at JCCC; to play Hesston Friday

KCKCC freshman Jada Mayberry needed an acrobatic move to make a shot between Johnson County’s Krystal Rice and LaJahda Boyland (15). Mayberry led KCKCC scoring with 14 points in a 73-59 loss. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
KCKCC’s Aliyah Myers made a determined effort to shoot over Johnson County’s Christen Curry while JCCC’s LaJahda Boyland and KCKCC’s Kamryn Estell trailed the play in the Blue Devils’ 73-59 loss. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
Sophomore Caroline Hoppock took a shot on just one leg in KCKCC’s 73-59 loss at Johnson County Saturday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

One thing has become apparent about this year’s Kansas City Kansas Community College women’s basketball team – the Blue Devils can’t be counted out.

Last Wednesday, the Blue Devils came from 14 points back to overtake No. 7 ranked Highland 69-56. On Saturday, they overcame another 14-point deficit to take a fourth quarter lead before No. 8 ranked Johnson County (25-4) pulled away for a 73-59 win that was a lot closer than the final score would indicate.

Finishing fourth in the Jayhawk Conference at 5-5, the Blue Devils will take a 24-6 record into a first-round Region VI playoff game with Hesston Friday. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. at KCKCC.

KCKCC had to overcome a miserable start to get back into contention at JCCC. Trailing 13-2 in the first seven minutes, the Blue Devils didn’t get their second field goal until the 1:17 mark in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 14 points midway through the second period and 38-30 at that half.

That all changed in the third quarter thanks to an aggressive KCKCC defense that forced seven turnovers. Aliyah Myers had nine points, Brodi Byrd knocked down a pair of threes and Adoreya Williams’ layup gave the Blue Devils a 49-45 lead with 2:28 left in the period.

KCKCC still led 53-52 early in the fourth period before the long journey back took its toll – just 2-of-12 field goals including all nine misses from 3-point the final eight minutes. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, were 6-of-11 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

“We have to stop getting ourselves into a hole,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “While it is enjoyable to see them play hard and come back to take a lead, it puts us in a position where we have to play next to perfect basketball for the remainder of the game and that’s hard to do.”

Jada Mayberry came off the bench to lead KCKCC with 14 points including four treys while Myers added 11 points and Kamryn Estell and Adoreya Williams 10 each. The Blue Devils were guilty of just 10 turnovers (JCCC had 13) but couldn’t overcome chilly shooting. They put up 41 attempts from 3-point, made nine for 22 percent, and were 18-of-60 overall for 30 percent.

“I was pleased with our effort, our girls really played hard,” McKinstry said. “But we have to execute better in many areas and we have to be prepared as a group to make shots from the perimeter.”

K.K. Jackson-Morris had 17 points and Krystal Rice 15 for the Cavaliers, who were 26-of-55 from the field for 47.3 percent. JCCC led the rebounding 33-26 with Byrd grabbing six and Estell and Myers five each to lead KCKCC.

JCCC and Highland tied for second place at 7-3 behind champion Labette (9-1) but the Cavaliers lost the flip for the playoff’s second bye and will play host to Fort Scott in Friday’s other first round playoff game. Friday’s winners will play at Labette (23-4) or Highland (21-3) Tuesday, March 3.