Month: February 2020

Today’s high to be in mid-30s, temperatures to climb into 40s on Saturday and Sunday

Temperatures will reach the mid-30s on Friday, and will climb into the 40s on Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

Although the forecast was calling for a slight chance of snow this morning, Wyandotte County saw cloudy skies this morning, but no noticeable snow flurries. Snow was reported to the south of this area.

A high pressure system is expected to move in behind a cold front tonight, according to the weather service, with low temperatures of about 20.

On Saturday, southerly flow returns to the area, warming temperatures into the 40s. On Sunday, another low pressure system moves through the region, warming temperatures to about 47, according to the weather service. A high pressure system will move in behind the cold front, the weather service said, keeping temperatures near normal early next week.

Today, the high will be near 36 with a calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be partly cloudy with a low of 20 and a light northwest wind, according to the weather service.

Saturday, the high will be near 43 with sunny skies, the weather service said. A calm wind will become south southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday night, it will be increasingly cloudy, with a low of 35 and a south wind of 6 to 9 mph, gusting as high as 20 mph, according to the weather service.

Sunday, the high will be near 47, with a 30 percent chance of rain before noon, the weather service said. A south wind of 6 to 11 mph will become north in the afternoon, with winds gusting as high as 23 mph.

Sunday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 24, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 38, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 28, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 43, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 31, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 30 percent chance of rain and snow, the weather service said. The high will be near 46.

Wednesday night, there will be a 30 percent chance of rain and snow, with a low of 23, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 31, the weather service said.

No. 8 JCCC pulls away late for 71-60 win over Lady Blue Devils

Despite being double-teamed most of the night, KCKCC freshman Kamryn Estell still managed to pull down 13 rebounds and score 20 points – both game highs – in the Blue Devils’ 71-60 loss to Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

For the last six seasons, winning the Jayhawk Conference has been a ticket to a berth in the semifinals of the NJCAA Division II national women’s tournament.

Otherwise, it’s a steady diet of playing nationally ranked teams as Kansas City Kansas Community College’s defending national champions dropped a hard-fought 71-60 decision to Johnson County Wednesday night.

It was the fourth loss in 25 games for the No. 10 ranked Lady Blue Devils and all have been to teams ranked in the Top 10 nationally – No. 2 Kirkwood, No. 3 Highland, No. 7 Labette and now No. 8 JCCC.

“Obviously our four losses have been to really, really good teams but it’s so frustrating when you’re beating yourself as much as the other team is beating you,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry, whose Blue Devils play host to Labette (17-4) Saturday at 2 p.m..

Trailing by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, the Blue Devils rallied to tie the game at 45-45 with two minutes left in the third quarter and were just four back (59-55) with four minutes left before the Cavaliers pulled away.

Rebounding proved to be a big factor despite a valiant effort by 6-1 freshman Kamryn Estell, the lone Blue Devil in the starting lineup standing over 5-foot-6. Estell led all scorers and rebounders with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. Aliyah Myers added 11 points and Tiaira Earnest 10 but no other Blue Devil had more than one field goal.

The Cavaliers’ 42-34 advantage in rebounds included 14 off the offensive boards.

“We forced them into 24 turnovers and held them to 2-of-10 3-pointers the first half but all that was negated by their offensive rebounds,” McKinstry said. “For the third time in three conference losses, we battled, played hard and competed but there’s a lot of things within our control where we’re coming up short. Sometimes its execution or boxing out on rebounds or stepping up and making shots.”

KCKCC trailed 28-13 early in the second quarter before Estell, Myers and Earnest combined to score the last 17 points of the half for the Blue Devils. Estell had 10 points, Myers 7 and Earnest 6 and each had a three as KCKCC closed to 37-36 only to give up three free throws in the final second and trail 40-36 at the half.

“We should have been down by one at the half but we did that to ourselves,” McKinstry said. “It’s a situation we have to do better and learn from it.”

Still, the Blue Devils pulled even 45-45 only to have the Cavaliers counter with three layups in a span of a minute for a 51-45 lead. Closest KCKCC could get in the fourth quarter was 59-55 on an Earnest 3-pointer with 3:47 left but JCCC’s Krystal Rice’s 3-pointer and layup and Dallie Hoskinson’s trey opened the lead to 67-57 with two minutes left.

KCKCC had just six turnovers the first half but finished with 17 and was just 17-of-54 shots for 31.5 percent from the field and .308 from the perimeter.

“We have to be aware and ready to make shots, get in the gym and get the confidence to knock down shots,” McKinstry said.

KCKCC sophomore Caroline Hoppock was thwarted in her attempt at a baseline shot in the Lady Blue Devils’ 71-60 loss to No. 8 ranked Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)