Month: May 2021

In memoriam

Flags honoring veterans lined gravesites at Leavenworth National Cemetery.
(File photo from 2016 by Steve Rupert)

Injury crash closes part of State Avenue

A crash around 4 a.m. Monday sent six persons to the hospital on State Avenue between 73rd and 75th streets. Some of the occupants were teens. Debris was scattered through a wide area. (Photo from Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department)

Update: Five of the six victims have been upgraded to stable condition, with one remaining in critical condition, according to police. Also, police now have confirmed that some of the occupants were teens. No one was under 16.

East and westbound lanes of State Avenue between 73rd and 75th streets, were closed and expected to remain closed for several hours due to a two-vehicle crash that occurred around 4 a.m. Monday, a police spokesman stated.

All occupants of both vehicles were taken to area hospitals – five in serious and one in critical condition. Several occupants were teens, and two of the victims had to be extricated, the Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman stated.

The cause of the accident has not been determined, but based on the debris field it is likely that speed was a contributing factor, the police spokesman stated.

Utility crews repaired street lights and traffic lights on Monday morning near 75th Place and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, after a wreck that happened about 4 a.m. A tire and part of a street light, left, debris from the wreck, was on the front of the McDonald’s restaurant property. (Staff photo)
Utility crews repaired street lights and traffic lights on Monday morning near 75th Place and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, after a wreck that happened about 4 a.m. A tow truck hauled away parts of a vehicle involved in the wreck. (Staff photo)
Traffic at 75th and State Avenue was closed while cleanup and repairs were taking place Monday morning. (Staff photo)
Utility crews replaced a light pole on State Avenue near 75th Place after a wreck that happened at 4 p.m. Monday. (Staff photo)
Utility crews repaired street lights and traffic lights on Monday morning near 75th Place and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, after a wreck that happened about 4 a.m. (Staff photo)

KC NWSL drops close decision in Orlando

Kansas City NWSL concluded its stretch of three games in eight days as the expansion side battled against the league-leading Orlando Pride in Florida.

Orlando took the early lead with a controversial goal that just barely crossed the goal line in the 16th minute. Kansas City played the Pride even in nearly every category the rest of the way, but was unable to find the equalizer as they fell 1-0 on the road.

Kansas City came out with six lineup changes from its recent match against Chicago on Wednesday.

“It’s very important for us to be making sure that we give opportunities to everybody in a squad,” head coach Huw Williams said. “This league is so competitive and has so many tough games that we have to give experiences to all the players.”

Although Kansas City held the advantage in possession, a 16th-minute Orlando goal off a header from Alex Morgan, that the assistant referee judged to be tapped over the goal line by Marta, decided the game.

“It’s just frustrating,” Kansas City goalkeeper Abby Smith said. “But at the end of the day the referee is going to make the call and we don’t have VAR (Video Assistant Referee) to go back and check so they stuck with their call and that’s all we can do. We just go back home, keep training and look forward to next Sunday against Houston.”

Kansas City had its best chance in the 51st minute of the second half when defender Kristen Edmonds crossed a beautiful ball to forward Mallory Weber who headed it just wide of Orlando Pride’s net.

An unfortunate error from Kansas City defender Katie Bowen in the penalty box gave the Pride and Morgan a penalty kick in the 66th minute. Morgan’s shot pinged off the left post of the goal, keeping Kansas City within one score.

Kansas City was dominant in the second half in maintaining possession over Orlando. The team continued to search for the equalizer even as the game went into added time.

Midfielder Gaby Vincent nearly played the hero role for Kansas City with a breakaway that was just blocked at the last moment.

Kansas City returns home with a week to prepare for its next game on Sunday, June 6, against the Houston Dash. This will be the third match for the two teams since the Challenge Cup and the first since Kansas City scored in the final minutes to secure a draw on May 23.

The June 6 match against Houston at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas, kicks off at 1 p.m. Tickets and group packages are available at KCWoso.com/tickets.

  • Story from KC NWSL