Month: March 2022

Walter’s solo goal wins Sporting KC home opener

Midfielder Remi Walter knocked in a rebounded shot for the game-winning goal in Sporting Kansas City’s home opener against the Houston Dynamo. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City delighted a full crowd of fans at their home opener, winning 1-0 over the Houston Dynamo. Midfielder Remi Walter scored the game winner in the 60th minute, his second MLS goal.

Sporting had the better of the first half, holding the ball 64 percent of the time and recovering quickly after any change in possession. Content to play back, Houston got off only one shot in the period and didn’t test Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia.

After the break, Kansas City continued to press forward. Walter, playing as a defensive midfielder due to the injury to Uri Rosell, earned a shot in the 48th minute but hit it wide.

He got a redemptive opportunity in the 60th minute when a close-range Daniel Salloi was blocked by defender Zarek Valentin. The rebound came to Walter, charging up the center at the edge of the 18-yard box. His strike slipped low and just inside the left post.

With the change on the scoreboard, the roles on the field reversed — Kansas City now content to play lower while Houston pressed forward.

The Dynamo had an opportunity for an equalizer on a giveaway on a distribution from Melia in the 80th minute, but Darwin Quintero’s shot sailed wide and into the seats.

Marinos Tzionis made his Children’s Mercy Park debut, coming on late for Khiry Shelton. He showcased his speed on a couple of breakaways and earned Kansas City a free kick just outside the penalty area.

Johnny Russell and Salloi nearly doubled the advantage in the 86th minute, but Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark knocked away Salloi’s effort.

After the game, defender Graham Zusi analyzed the team’s performance.

“We lacked maybe a little bit of the final pass movements or finish,” the 14-year Sporting veteran said, “but I think that possession made them a bit tired and opened up things in the second half. I thought we continued to be patient in the second half. When you do that, eventually spaces are going to open and they did.”

Kansas City’s next game will be on the road against the Colorado Rapids next Saturday at 8 p.m. The next home match is March 26 against Real Salt Lake.

Forward Johnny Russell made a valiant effort to salvage a ball on the Houston endline. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Midfielder Roger Espinoza slid in to slip the ball past the Houston back line. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Midfielder Felipe Hernandez headed the ball near the Houston goal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Midfielder Logan Ndenbe found space for a run up the middle. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Midfielder Felipe Hernandez got to the ball just after Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Forward Daniel Salloi’s shot sailed into the stands. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

A sliding tackle from Houston defender Adam Lundkvist dispossessed forward Johnny Russell. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Forward Johnny Russell outleaped Houston defender Adam Lundkvist for a header. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Forward Daniel Salloi took a shot from the right side of the Houston goal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Faith news

Note: Please contact the church or check its social media pages to see if it is having services or making schedule changes in the event of inclement weather or high COVID numbers.

Blessed Sacrament and Christ the King Catholic churches have information about Masses at the churches’ websites or Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/Christ-the-King-Parish-KCKS-1392808997677579 and www.facebook.com/BlessedSacramentkck. Masses at Christ the King are at 4 p.m. Saturday, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday. Masses at Blessed Sacrament are at 6 p.m. Saturday, and at 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday.


Casa – Worship House Christian Church, 5217 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas, has regularly scheduled Sunday services at 11 a.m. Jesus’ words from the cross will be the theme of the sermon. See more details for this Sunday at www.facebook.com/casadealabanzaKCKS. For more information, visit Facebook @casadealabanzaKCKS.

A Lent retreat is planned from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, at the Keeler Women’s Center, 759 Vermont Ave., Suite 100-B, Kansas City, Kansas. Sister Suzanne Fitzmaurice will lead the retreat. The meeting is planned for in-person or Zoom. Registration for the free program is required to 913-689-9375 or visit www.keelerwomenscenter.org. Keeler also will hold the Holy Woman Series from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10. Rigoberta Menchu Tum will be the topic. Registration for the free class is required to 913-689-9375 or visit www.keelerwomenscenter.org.

Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, will have information about livestreamed services, and registration, at https://www.facebook.com/ORMBCKC or http://ormbc.org/church-online/.

Open Door Baptist Church, 3033 N. 103rd Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas, will have services at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 6, and livestreamed at https://www.opendoorkc.com/livestream. For more information see https://www.facebook.com/opendoorkc/ and https://www.opendoorkc.com/.


Our Lady and St. Rose Catholic Church, 2300 N. 8th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will hold Mass at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 6. For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/ourladyandsaintrose.


Stony Point Christian Church, 149 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will have a worship service at 10:15 a.m. Sunday, March 6. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. See more information at https://www.facebook.com/StonyPointChristianChurch. The quarterly business meeting will be held after the service on Sunday, March 6.


St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas, has information about Masses, and livestreamed Masses, at https://www.facebook.com/StPatrickKCK. St. Patrick’s Mass times are at 5 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The 12:45 p.m. Mass is in Spanish, and the 2:30 p.m. Mass is in Burmese. St. Patrick will be the host of a Community Blood Center blood drive from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the parish center. The blood drive will be a memorial for Grace Cresswell. To make a donor appointment, visit www.savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040. St. Patrick Church will hold a fish fry starting at 4:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent, in the parish center. Drive-up service will be available. Adult meals are $12 and kids meals are $6. The family meal is $35 and will serve two adults and two or more children under 12. Each meal comes with mac and cheese or French fries, green beans, cole slaw, a roll, a drink and dessert.


St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will have services at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 6. “God and Us: A Spiritual Exploration” will be held after the service. See more information at https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsKCK/ or https://www.stpaulskck.org/.

Sunset Hills Christian Church, 6347 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas, has regularly scheduled Sunday services at 9:30 a.m., with Sunday School following service at 10:45 a.m. The Wednesday Night Bible Study will be held at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Livestream services here at https://www.facebook.com/sunsethills.christianchurch/. For more information visit [email protected] or email [email protected].


Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, has regularly scheduled services at 10 a.m. Sunday, with Sunday School at 9 a.m. A Lenten study group will meet from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in the Fellowship Hall. For more information, including information about livestreamed services, see https://www.facebook.com/Wyandotteumc.

Information about other church services in Wyandotte County may be available from the church’s social media page.
To send in items for the Faith News, email information to [email protected]. Please include your name and contact information.


U.S. senator, state political leaders torn by school shooting at Olathe high school

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — State and federal officials and the Olathe schools superintendent responded to shootings Friday at Olathe East High School with a mixture of shock at reality of the armed incursion and a sense of relief a school resource officer was present to intervene.

The Olathe Police Department said an 18-year-old male student wounded by school resource Officer Erik Clark had been taken into custody on the high school campus. Clark and an Olathe East administrator were wounded in a melee in the school’s office. The police department said there were no reports of other injured students.

“It saddens me, of course, that this happened in Kansas. We’re not immune,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican visiting Topeka with FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We have law enforcement and educators who have responded in a way that is protecting other people, which makes us proud of their love, care and compassion for other Kansans.”

Moran said the incident demonstrated Kansas schools, cities and counties needed additional financial resources to provide mental health services capable of improving the potential of intervening with counseling before a crisis erupted.

House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe, said he was grateful to the student resource officer at Olathe East who acted to protect children from harm. He urged people to keep in prayers the officer and other individuals touched by Olathe schools.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, of Topeka, said her office had been in contact with local law enforcement and monitored events that unfolded after reports that shots were fired at 10:30 a.m. in the school building.

“Our thoughts are with the entire Olathe East High School community today,” Kelly said.

The three individuals wounded by gunfire at the high school were taken to Overland Park Regional Medical Center, KCUR reported. Two of the patients had been discharged by afternoon. One individual was in critical condition at the hospital, KCUR said.

In a video presentation, Olathe Superintendent Brent Yeager expressed appreciation to first responders, students, staff and families in wake of the shooting.

“The past few hours have brought to reality a situation that we have prepared for but hoped we would never have to face,” Yeager said. “I want to thank our incredible staff members at Olathe East for their strength, their bravery and their calming presence as they support students and one another.”

Colleen Cunningham, a volunteer with the Kansas chapter of Moms Demand Action, said that during an average year 434 people died and 878 were wounded by gunfire in Kansas.

“Kids should not have to grow up in fear of gun violence in their schools, or in their communities. We need tangible solutions to gun violence, and will keep working to keep Kansans safe,” she said.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Democrat from Lenexa, said she was “so sad for our students, families and staff impacted by this horrific event” and that her “heart is hurting” for people connected to Olathe East High School.

The injured and their families will need time to heal as will the Olathe school community shaken by the violence, said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer of Wichita.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/04/u-s-senator-state-political-leaders-torn-by-school-shooting-at-olathe-high-school/