Month: February 2020

30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge returning to KCKCC

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

The KCKCC Wellness and Fitness Center is starting the New Year by helping the campus community develop a healthier lifestyle.

The 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge starts Feb. 10. Its purpose is to encourage students, staff, faculty and community members to complete at least one mile of cardiovascular activity every day for a month. That includes walking, jogging, riding a bike or one mile on an elliptical machine.

“It takes 21 to 30 days to break old habits and create new habits,” said Pam Hall, wellness specialist at the KCKCC Wellness and Fitness Center. “We want to make it personally challenging, have individuals make a real change and re-pattern their fitness routine.”

Upon registering, individuals will receive a Tracking Card, which is what they will turn in at the end of the 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge to show the activity logged. Participants mark the box for each day they complete a mile. When the challenge ends March 14, individuals will submit their completed cards for a chance at winning a prize. The Tracking Card does not include any Sundays.

The 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge is also for those that may already be exercising.

“Make this a personal challenge for yourself,” Hall said. “Say you already do two miles of exercise a day. For one mile, make yourself go faster than you normally would.”

For more information or to register for the challenge, contact Pam Hall at [email protected] or at 913-288-7368. Individuals can also register by calling the Wellness & Fitness Center at 913-288-7610 or visiting the front desk.

Blue Devils crush No. 11 JCCC; take first place in Jayhawk Conference

Jermaine Yarbough’s thunderous dunk off an in-bounds lob pass from DeAngelo Bell helped quell a Johnson County rally in KCKCC’s 82-65 win in Wednesday’s first place clash for the Jayhawk Conference lead. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Guess what team has the undisputed possession of first place in the Jayhawk Conference?

One hint: It’s the same team that started the season 2-8 including eight straight losses, all on the road.

For perhaps the first time ever, the Blue Devils of Kansas City Kansas Community College have the Jayhawk Conference lead thanks to an 82-65 win Wednesday over Johnson County, a team that started the season ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Division II and came into the game ranked No. 11 nationally. Records aren’t immediately available but this may be the first time a Blue Devil team has been alone at the top of the Jayhawk at the halfway point of the season.

And the Blue Devils have a chance Saturday to avenge their only conference loss when they put a five-game winning streak on the line when they host Labette (13-9) in the second half of a 2 and 4 p.m. doubleheader.

“Our goal obviously was to be in good position but being in first is great,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. ”Nothing comes easy. You have to earn it and I think we earned it.”

Indeed after losing 79-71 at Labette, KCKCC has beaten Hesston 88-69 and won at Fort Scott 75-64 and Highland 91-73.

The Blue Devils took command from the very outset against JCCC, exploding to an 18-6 lead in the first 7½ minutes and expanding it to 28-12 with 8:20 left in the half. Their biggest lead was 60-37 with 12 minutes left in the second half.

Five Blue Devils scored in double figures led by 6-7 Park Hill South freshman Robert Rhodes, who had his third double-double of the season – 15 points and a game high 14 rebounds. Jalen Davis led the scoring with 17 points, 14 in the second half; Jermaine Yarbough scored 16 including 4-of-5 from 3-point; Calvin Slaughter had 12 points and DeAngelo Bell 11. Slaughter and Bell led in assists with four apiece and each had a pair of threes.

“Rob (Rhodes) played the best game of the year,” Burgette said. “He was really big on the glass. And Jalen (Davis) played better the second half. We didn’t shoot the ball that well (.449) but we had five in double figures which is great. And 22 assists versus nine turnovers is just amazing.”

Trailing by 16 points with 8:20 left in the half, the Cavaliers twice closed to within eight points. The first time at 32-24 but Rhodes scored from close range and Yarbough knocked down his first trey to make it 37-24. A thunderous dunk by Yarbough off an in-bounds lob from Bell and a basket by Tim Barbieri quelled the second JCCC comeback. Ahead 41-31, Davis opened the second half with a 3-pointer and Bell scored on a layup for a 46-31 lead and it was never close the rest of the way.

“We played well in spurts, some ugly possessions and some good possessions,” said Burgette, who applied full court defensive pressure much of the game. “We kept the tempo high. We wanted to make them play fast and us play fast. And we did a real good job of sharing the ball. Not everything is perfect but I’m a perfectionist and I want them to do everything right. We have to keep pushing. You cannot overlook anyone.”

“They (KCKCC) came to play and we didn’t,” said JCCC coach Mike Jeffers, whose Cavaliers helped the KCKCC cause by missing 15 of their first 17 free throws and shot 39.7 percent from the field. It was Burgette’s first game against Jeffers, for whom Burgette was an assistant for three years, and the last for Jeffers at KCKCC. Elected this spring to the NJCAA Hall of Fame, Jeffers is retiring after a 29-year career at JCCC which included two national championships.

Calvin Slaughter attempted to maneuver between a tree of arms to get off a shot in KCKCC’s 82-65 win over Johnson County Wednesday. Slaughter had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
JCCC head coach Mike Jeffers, left, and KCKCC’s Brandon Burgette exchanged post-game handshakes after the Blue Devils’ 82-65 win Wednesday. A three-year assistant to Jeffers, Burgette coached his first game against Jeffers, an NJCAA Division II Hall of Fame inductee this spring who is retiring after 29 years at JCCC. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

Police notes

Aggravated battery on state trooper reported

According to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, a suspect passed a Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle at a high rate of speed at 1:05 a.m. Feb. 6 .

The trooper conducted a traffic stop near the 100 block of North 57th and suspected driving under intoxication, according to the social media report. When the suspect exited the vehicle, a physical altercation ensued, the reported stated.

During the altercation, the suspect allegedly spit at the trooper and broke the trooper’s hand, the report stated. The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department is handling the reports.

Aggravated domestic assault reported

A victim stated that a suspect swung at the victim with a knife, around 12:31, according to a social media report from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

Other residents were able to wrestle the knife away from the suspect, according to the report. The suspect then fled before police arrived.

Aggravated assault reported
 Aggravated assault was reported about 12:35 in the 300 block of North 20th Street, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The victim stated he found a suspect searching through his vehicle without permission, according to the post. When he approached the suspect, the suspect pulled a gun on the victim, according to the report. The suspect then fled.

Shot fired at vehicle in 3200 block of Tauromee
 A victim has reported that a shot was fired by a suspect at the victim’s vehicle in the 3200 block of Tauromee Avenue, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The incident happened about 2:17 p.m. According to the report, the victims were being followed by the suspects and were trying to get away from them when one of the suspects shot at the victim’s vehicle.

Aggravated burglary reported
 Aggravated burglary was reported at 5:20 p.m. in the 1700 block of Muncie Drive, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

A victim stated that two individuals burglarized a business, taking cash, while an employee was on the premises, according to the report. Tips were received that the suspects were in custody on unrelated drug charges, the report stated.