Month: March 2021

Lady Braves earn state tourney berth, fall at Lansing

Sophomore forward Mariyah Noel drove inside for a layup during Bonner Springs’ state tournament quarterfinals match against Lansing. Lansing won the game 64-51 to advance to the semifinals in Emporia. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

The Bonner Springs girls basketball team lost to Lansing 64-51 in the quarterfinals of the KSHSAA 5A state tournament played Monday evening in Lansing.

The Lady Braves reached the state tournament in the first year under head coach Peyton Leslie. Leslie credited the players being “more disciplined and consistent with our system” for getting this far in the season. Although the team held only a 4-11 record going into the substate tournament, the Braves defeated higher-seeded teams Schlagle and Sumner to win the substate bracket.

Bonner opened the game with a slight advantage, getting a couple turnovers from its defense and an early three-pointer from Corrie Hassett. However, by midway through the first quarter, Lansing started to push ahead, powered by forward Mackenzie Manth’s drives from the right baseline.

Lansing continued to stretch its lead in the second half. Despite being harried by the Lansing defense, Hassett picked up two more baskets from behind the arc, but they were matched at the other end by two three-pointers from Lady Lions sharpshooter Caitlin Bishop. The Lady Braves trailed 36-23 at the break.

In the third quarter, Bonner relied on drives from forward Mariyah Noel to keep the game within sight. Noel earned three baskets and a pair of free throws in the quarter by pushing fearlessly into the Lansing defense.

Bonner Springs surged in the fourth quarter, bringing the margin from 17 down to 9 with Noel continuing her strong inside presence, but Lansing hit 6 of 9 free throws and got a key three-pointer from McKenzie Moburg to put an end to the comeback.

Noel led Bonner Springs in scoring with 24, including 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Hassett scored 12 points, all from behind the arc.

The Lady Braves will lose senior guards Maggie Myers and Jazmin Graham to graduation, but they’ll return a young core of the team with a lot of height and game experience.

Coach Leslie said after the game, “The sky is the limit for our team next year. Although we came up short this evening, our girls gained valuable experience, and they understand a bit more of what it takes to win in March.”

Junior guard Corrie Hassett took a three-point shot from the left corner. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore Wren VanCleave put up a three-point shot. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior guard Jazmin Graham drove in from the right corner. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Pirsten Leslie put up a shot inside. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior point guard Maggie Myers pushed the ball up the court in the first quarter. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Myers got a hug from teammate Hassett as she left the court for the last time for Bonner Springs. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Leslie put up a three-point shot from the right wing. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Mercedes Madlock set up the perimeter defense. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
The Bonner Springs cheerleaders performed some tumbling runs during a break in the action. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Head coach Peyton Leslie gave some pointers to his team during a fourth quarter timeout. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)

KCK school district looks to new permanent leader

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Opinion column

by Murrel Bland

The Kansas City, Kansas, School Board is searching for a new superintendent after the abrupt departure of Dr. Charles Foust late last summer. Dr. Foust left when he still had about a year left on his three-year contract.

When Dr. Foust came, he was touted as a turn-around specialist — someone who could come from the outside and help an ailing district. The Kansas City, Kansas, district has, over its long history, had reasonably stable administrations. The main reason for that had been strong leadership from the elected school boards. But more recently, changing demographics, including the exit of many members of a strong middle class, have taken a tremendous toll on the school district.

Dr. Valdenia Winn, a school board member who was instrumental in bringing Dr. Foust here, often clashed with him at school board meetings. Dr. Foust had been a school administrator, but never a superintendent before he came here. He left to become superintendent in New Hanover County, North Carolina.

The school board here conducted a national search and has several candidates to consider including Dr. Alicia Miguel, who is the interim superintendent here.

Whoever becomes the permanent superintendent will face some serious challenges in a district that has about 22,000 students. One of the most severe challenges is academic achievement. The district has a graduation rate of only about 69 percent.

My advice to the new superintendent would be to build support groups, both inside the school district and in the community. That is something Dr. Foust did not do.

People who work and live in the district, who invest heavily in schools, will support those things that they help create. The overwhelming yes vote for a recent bond issue showed that.


About one-third of a typical property tax bill in Wyandotte County goes to schools. Those taxpayers deserve better than what they are receiving from the Kansas City, Kansas, School District.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is executive director of Business West. Opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of this publication.

Development projects on Planning Commission agenda tonight

Development projects are on the City Planning Commission agenda tonight.

The Board of Zoning Appeals meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Zoom, followed by the City Planning Commission meeting.

On the agenda for the CPC meeting is the final plat for the Homefield multifamily apartment project at 1111 N. 98th St. This project will have 274 units on property that formerly was occupied by Schlitterbahn water park. A final plan review for this development also is on the agenda.

A final plat for the Village West III apartments, from NorthPoint Development, at 1921 N. 118th St. is on the agenda. There will be 223 multi-family units in the plat, and a final plan for the apartment complex, with 326 units, is also on the agenda.

Also on the agenda is the final plan review for façade repair for Great Wolf Lodge, 10401 Bass Pro Drive, Kansas City, Kansas.

A change of zone from heavy industrial district to traditional neighborhood design district for a mixed use residential and commercial development at 200 S. James St. is on the agenda. KC the Yards 2 is the applicant, and there also is a preliminary plat from the project on the agenda.

KCKCC student housing final plan review, 7250 State Ave., is on the agenda.

A final plat for the Villas of Piper Valley subdivision, for 24 lots at 2951 N. 115th St., is on the agenda.

Also on the agenda is a change of zone from single family district to commercial district for the sale of appliances at 837 Central Ave., and a master plan amendment from urban density to commercial, from Enrique Gomez Chairez.

A special use permit for a transitional group home at 933 Quindaro Blvd. is also on the agenda.

Renewal of a special use permit for an automotive repair business at 4439 Shawnee Drive is on the agenda.

A special use permit for auto sales, repair and body work at 927 Kansas Ave. is on the agenda.

On the Board of Zoning Appeals agenda is a request to operate an automotive repair, auto body and used car sales business at 927 Kansas Ave.

Also on the agenda is an appeal to allow a second accessory structure at 3016 Brown Ave.

An appeal has been filed for a carport to be constructed in back of a single-family residence at 3069 N. 22nd St, and there is already one accessory building there.

There is also an appeal for an accessory structure that exceeds the maximum space allowed at 11139 Hollingsworth Road.

Another appeal requests a variance from the minimum setback requirements for a residence at 1841 N. 94th St., and also for a variance on the maximum accessory buildings allowed.

A business at 837 Central Ave. is appealed to have a variance from parking rules.

Also, KCKCC’s student housing project is appealing for a variance from the maximum height allowance. The rules state the maximum building height is 35 feet, and the request is for 60 feet.

For directions on connecting to the Zoom meeting, visit https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/Urban-Planning-Land-Use/COVID-19%20Public%20Meeting%20Letters/NOTICE-REGARDING-MARCH-8-2021-BOZA_CPC-MTG_signed.pdf.

The meeting agendas are at http://public.wycokck.org/sites/planning-agendas-minutes-staffreports.