Month: October 2020

Sporting KC travels to Houston for tonight’s match

Sporting Kansas City (6-5-2, 20 points) and the Houston Dynamo (3-4-7, 16 points) will launch into the pivotal home stretch of the 2020 MLS regular season on Saturday night when they renew their longtime Western Conference rivalry at BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The fourth meeting of the year between the clubs will kick off at 7 p.m., with FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports GO providing three hours of live coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. Supporters can also catch the action locally on ESPN 94.5 FM and La Grande 1340 AM, while viewers beyond the FOX Sports Midwest can stream the contest on ESPN Plus.
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Under the direction of 12th-year manager Peter Vermes — who will look to become the fifth MLS head coach to hit 150 regular season wins on Saturday — Sporting enters the weekend on full rest after last Sunday’s road tilt against the Colorado Rapids was postponed to Oct. 21.

The schedule rearrangement means Sporting will play nine regular season matches in a 30-day period for the first time in club history, a challenging stretch that will begin in earnest at BBVA Stadium.

Both sides will view Saturday’s showdown as an opportunity to get back on track at a critical juncture of the campaign.

Sporting has gone 1-4-2 in their previous seven matches but remains in third place, four points behind co-leaders Seattle and Portland in the congested Western Conference table.

The Dynamo, meanwhile, sit a point below the eighth and final playoff spot and will be seeking their first victory since defeating Sporting by a 2-1 scoreline on Sept. 5. Head coach Tab Ramos’ men have collected three draws and two losses since then, including a 1-1 road draw versus Nashville SC in their most recent fixture last Saturday.

The unpredictable and ultra-competitive West currently sees just nine points separating first place Seattle and ninth-place Houston. Following the conclusion of the 23-game regular season, the conference’s top eight teams will advance to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, which will once again feature a single-elimination format with the higher seed playing host through MLS Cup on Dec. 12.

Sporting winger Johnny Russell made an undeniable impact in 2018 and 2019, landing Offensive Player of the Year honors for the club as one of the league’s most dynamic attackers. The Scottish international has carried that form into the fall of 2020, as he has scored each of Sporting’s last four goals dating back to Sept. 13 to take his team-leading tally to six on the season. Russell has become the fourth player in Sporting history to bag four consecutive regular season goals, and his three-game scoring streak is tied for the second-longest in MLS this year.

On the Houston sideline, playmaker Darwin Quintero has built one of the best attacking resumes in MLS. He is one of two players with at least five goals and seven assists, an impressive haul that includes two goals and four assists in his previous two appearances against Sporting on Aug. 25 and Sept. 5 — both of which resulted in Dynamo victories.

However, Houston faced a recent personnel setback when star winger Alberth Elis was transferred to Portuguese club Boavista last month. His absence will likely be filled by fellow winger Niko Hansen and striker Mauro Manotas, who notably has eight goals in his last 11 appearances versus Sporting across all competitions.

Saturday will serve up the fourth and final regular season meeting between Sporting and Houston in 2020. Vermes’ side claimed an emphatic 4-0 triumph way back on March 7 in the Children’s Mercy Park home opener, receiving goals from Alan Pulido, Roger Espinoza, Gadi Kinda and Khiry Shelton in a rampant, wire-to-wire performance.

The Dynamo have since punched back with two wins of their own, including an eye-opening 5-2 decision at Children’s Mercy Park on Aug. 25 and a 2-1 home triumph on Sept. 5.

With a crowded schedule on the horizon and multiple players unavailable — defenders Matt Besler and Luis Martins are out injured, while Kinda will serve a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation — Vermes will leverage his squad’s depth against a Houston outfit that boasts a strong bill of health.

After battling Houston, Sporting will return to Kansas City for a pair of home matches against Eastern Conference opponents next week at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting will play host to Chicago Fire FC at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday before welcoming expansion side Nashville SC at 6:30 p.m. next Sunday, Oct. 11. Tickets for both games are available at SeatGeek.com.

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Faddis, Winkelbauer win WyCo senior golf championships

Chris Faddis, left, fired a par 72 to win the 2020 WyCo Senior men’s championship while Doug Winkelbauer’s 79 (net 63) took low net honors in the tourney at Sunflower Hills. (Photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins

Chris Faddis and Doug Winkelbauer picked a whale of a time for their best ever rounds of competitive golf.

Faddis fired an even par round of 72 to take low gross honors in the 37th annual Wyandotte County Senior Championship; Winkelbauer took low net honors with a net 63 in the tournament that drew 116 golfers to sun-filled Sunflower Hills Friday.

Faddis credited his recent retirement after 27 years with the city of Shawnee for his first competitive par round.

“I’ve been playing a lot more and it’s lowered my handicap,” said the 57-year-old Faddis. “I’ve been two or three over par although I had an 84 in this year’s WyCo Open.”

Faddis offset his only two bogeys with birdies on the second and sixth holes, reaching both of the par holes in two shots.

“I started on No. 2 and lipped out an eagle putt,” recalled Faddis, who finished just two shots back in his first WyCo Open two years ago.

For the most part, it was a stress free round.

“I kept the ball in the play and was never in any real trouble,” Faddis said. “And I had no three putt greens which was really big. The pins were in tough positions and the greens were the fastest I’ve seen. The ball really rolled out.”

Winkelbauer had to overcome triple and double bogeys for his round of 78.

“I hit the wrong ball and had to take a penalty stroke and made 7 on No. 3,” Winkelbauer said. However, he birdied the par 5 No. 2 and tough par 3 No. 16 for his best competitive round.

“Heck, I’ve probably broken 80 only three or four times in my life,” said the 70-year-old Winklebauer. “I just played steady and got a lot of encouragement and support from my playing group, Ron Medley, Carl Roach and Jerry Burdette.”

Semi-retired from a career of building and remodeling homes and other structures, Winkelbauer has been a member at Sunflower Hills for more than 25 years, been a regular in the Senior Open and currently is a volunteer on the maintenance crew.

The tourney featured six flights determined by age. Gross honors went to Brad Burton, Mike Moore, Rick Egnatic, Ray Giesler, Steve Burke and Clinton Long while low net winners were Jeff Manning, Steve Schuman, Rick McCombs, Mike Romine, Don Dilley and Dave Klein. Richard Johnson took shooting closest to his age honors with an 85.

37th WyCo Senior Championship

Flight Results (* Scorecard Playoff)

Overall low gross – Chris Faddis, 72; overall low net – Doug Winkelbauer

Kids (age 55-60) – 1. Brad Burton, 74; 2. Todd Milberger, 78; 3. Mike McNellis, 79; Roger Dill 86. NET – 1. Jeff Manning, 64; 2. Danny Burgess, 69; 3. Phil Hoffman, 73; 4. Bob McNellis, 73.

Freshmen (61-64) – 1. Mike Moore, 77; 2. Bill Campbell, 69; 3. Ray Loya, 69; 4. Danny Woolworth, 87. NET – 1. Steve Schuman 71; 2. Mike Yadrich, 71; 3. Mike Sharp, 71; Jim Long, 74.

Sophomores (65-67) – 1. Rick Egnatic, 73; 2. Ed McFadden, 74; 3. Randy Kancel*, 83’ 4. Dave Vanderwell, 83. NET – 1. Rick McCombs, 67; 2. Dave Pierce, 69; 3. Dave Dover, 70; 4. John Jaklevic, 71.

Juniors (68-70) – 1. Ray Giesler, 76; 2. Bob Chatterton, 78; 3. Rick Richardson, 78; 4. Jim Christoph, 80. NET – 1. Mike Romine, 67; 2. Don McCann, 68; 3. Keith Johnson, 70; 4. Matt Matson, 70.

Adults (71-73) – 1. Steve Burke, 79; 2. Jerry Reid, 80; 3. Bill Toepfer, 82; 4. Roger DeLong, 88.
NET – 1. Don Dilley*, 70; 2. Gary Burgess, 70; 3. Dick Davis, 70; 4. Jim Williams, 70.

Seniors (74 & over) – 1. Clinton Long, 82; 2. Phil Stines, 83; 3. Richard Johnson, 85; 4. Jorge Prieto, 88. NET – 1. Dave Klein*, 69; 2. Ron Favrow, 69; 3. John Stewart, 70; 4. Everett Marmon, 72.

Proximity prizes – Closest to pin – Phil Stines, No. 4; Ray Giesler, No. 8; Dave Vanderwell, No. 13; John Hooser, No. 16. Longest putt No. 9 – Dave Duckers. Closest on second shot – Ray Loya, No.10; Don Dilley, No. 18.

Coronavirus can infect ‘anyone, anytime,’ doctors say

The Unified Government COVID-19 webpage reported 7,045 positive COVID-19 cases on Friday afternoon, an increase of 72 cases since Thursday in Wyandotte County. There were no additional deaths, with the same number as Thursday, at a total 134. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)

Coronavirus can infect anybody at any time, doctors at the University of Kansas Health System said during a news conference Friday morning.

The COVID-19 positive test of President Trump and Melania Trump on Thursday was the subject of comments on Friday morning from doctors at the University of Kansas Health System’s COVID-19 news conference.

Dr. Stites said their thoughts and prayers were with the president and everyone struck by the coronavirus. With the news of the positive COVID-19 test results, officials from all over the nation expressed their thoughts and prayers for the family’s recovery, including Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.

“The pillars of infection control follow you wherever you go,” Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, said at the news conference. “If you follow those pillars, you can really work to stay safe, and the most important pillars of that are to wear a mask and social distance.”

“Coronavirus does not care,” Dr. Stites said at the news conference. Coronavirus is a virus and spreads like any other, he said. “We care, people care, we care for each other.

“I don’t think we’re going to learn anything new from this, except that we are all vulnerable and susceptible to this virus that doesn’t care,” Dr. Stites said.

While they did not know the plans for the president’s treatment, the timing for medications such as remdesivir, antibodies and anticoagulants is very important, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said.

Dr. Hawkinson said it was not a given that the president would get very sick. Dr. Stites said that with treatments, the chances are that the president and first lady would be all right.

The president went to Walter Reed Hospital late Friday afternoon.

Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement at KU Health System, said the president was tested daily, but test results are only good for a moment in time. It’s common to test negative one day and positive the next, he said.

Dr. Wild reported that COVID-19 hospitalizations at KU Health System since March 1 have totaled 773.

More people were hospitalized within the past few months than at the start of the pandemic, but the length of stays now is shorter, Dr. Wild said. Patients now have fewer chronic medical conditions, the patients also are younger now, and the death rate is lower, he said.

Dr. Hawkinson said there were 32 COVID-19 patients in the acute phase in the hospital on Friday morning, down from 34 on Thursday. There were nine patients in the intensive care unit, the same as Thursday, and seven patients on ventilators, an increase of one since Thursday. They were concerned that 80 percent of the patients in the ICU were on ventilators. There were another 26 patients who are now out of the acute phase and in recovery, but are still in the hospital, he said. At HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, there were 12 inpatients with one in the non-infectious but recovering phase.

On Friday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an additional 1,362 positive COVID-19 cases in Kansas, with an additional 20 deaths statewide.

The Unified Government COVID-19 webpage reported 7,045 positive COVID-19 cases on Friday afternoon, an increase of 72 cases since Thursday in Wyandotte County. There were no additional deaths, with the same number as Thursday, at a total 134.

Free testing continues Saturday

Free tests are available from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 3, at La Fe en Jesucristo, 1500 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

The tests are available through the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force and Vibrant Health.

The tests now are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule because of the weather or for other reasons.

More information about testing is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19,


The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/939349696542415.

The KDHE news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/KDHEnews/videos/341030597193783.

The Health Department has released its testing schedule for October, and it is online at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.

The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

The Unified Government COVID-19 hub outbreak map at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

To see an NEA list of schools that have had COVID-19 cases, visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aa3f2ede7cb2415db943fdaf45866d2f.

The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.

The Unified Government Health Department is collecting information on people’s experiences getting tested for COVID-19 in Wyandotte County. The survey is on the UG website at https://us.openforms.com/Form/ea97a450-3d74-4d86-8d1f-6e340d55cf7c.

The UG Health Department school and sports guidance is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/09042020fallsportsrecommendations.pdf.

A previous UG sports order is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/08132020localhealthofficerorderregardingsports.pdf.

The Wyandotte County school start order is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask order and is in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan. For more information, residents may visit the UG COVID-19 website at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information or call 311 for more information.

The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.