Category: KCKCC

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s defending national basketball champions got their 10th win in 11 starts Wednesday but it took a lot longer than might be expected.

In fact, the Lady Blue Devils were deadlocked 32-32 early in the second half before pulling away for a 75-50 win over Washburn University’s junior varsity.

The last home game before the holiday break, the Blue Devils will finish December with four straight road games starting with the Southeast Classic in Beatrice, Nebraska. KCKCC will play Central Nebraska Friday at 2 p.m. and will play host to Southeast Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Blue Devils had too much balance for Washburn in the second half. Coach Joe McKinstry used 10 players and all but one scored and all 10 had rebounds, eight had at least one assist and seven had one or more steals.

Equally impressive, seven Blue Devils had 3-point goals and 19 of KCKCC’s 26 field goals were assisted led by Aliyah Myers’ half-dozen.

Brodi Byrd and Tiaira Earnest each had 13 points and Alieyya Jones 12 to lead the scoring.

Byrd had three 3-pointers including two to start the game and four assists; Earnest added five rebounds and Jones four steals. Destiny Zamudio chipped in with nine points, Anija Frazier eight points and Mercer Roberts six points and six rebounds. It was Frazier’s first game after coming off concussion protocol.

Kamryn Estell led KCKCC to a 46-41 rebounding edge with eight, seven of which came in the second half. Myers added seven rebounds to her six assists.

The Blue Devils broke the 32-32 deadlock with eight straight points. Zamudio ignited it with a 3-point play, Byrd made a pair of free throws and Jones a layup and free throw.

Closest the Ichabods could get was 44-38 but back-to-back 3-pointers by Estell and Jones helped open a 53-32 three-quarter lead and the Blue Devils put the game out of reach with a 22-8 fourth quarter.

“We’re still not shooting the ball well but I liked our aggressiveness in going to the basket in the second half,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “We did a much better job of attacking the basket. We also made 13-of-15 free throws the second half and had only six turnovers after 14 the first half.”

KCKCC led by as many as 13 points in the first half only to have the Ichabods close back to 30-28 at the half and tie it twice to start the third quarter.

“The first half was awful although we did show some glimpses we would get going,” McKinstry said. “For some reason, we just couldn’t sustain it. We know our offense is going to come and go so we’re going to need our defense to help us win games until the offense figures things out.”

Defensively, the Blue Devils had 15 steals in forcing 27 Washburn turnovers. The Ichabods were limited to 29 percent shooting and outrebounded 28-19 in the second half after winning the first half 22-18.

“The bottom line, this is a good team,” McKinstry said. “We’re going to have close games, make mistakes. Obviously, we don’t shoot the ball that well (.393) so we’re going to have to grind them out.”

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Arguably the best team in the Jayhawk Conference not ranked in the Top 20 nationally, an 18-15 record belies the success of volleyball at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2019.

Of the 15 losses, 14 were teams ranked in the Top 20 NJCAA Division II teams in the nation including teams ranked No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 when the Blue Devils played them.

The six teams that finished ahead of KCKCC in the Jayhawk Conference all finished in the Top 20 including four in the Top 10. The Blue Devils also played eight of the 16 teams in the national tournament and defeated three of them, Kirkwood, Illinois Central and Waubonsee.

“We had an excellent season although our record may not reflect on how good a team this was,” KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou said. “We played a tough schedule and were never blown out of a match; a couple of games but never a match. I’m very proud of this team. It worked very hard and competed with everyone we played.”

Now Bruno-Ballou faces the task of replacing eight sophomores who contributed so heavily this past season. They are:

Tara Mattingly, outside hitter from Wichita Northwest – Honorable mention All-Jayhawk and second team All-District A, Mattingly led the Blue Devils in total kills with 368, an average of nearly 3.5 kills a set.

“When we needed a point, we’d give it to Tara,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Gracie Golay, setter from Wichita Trinity Academy – “The glue that kept the team together,” Bruno-Ballou said. Playing in every match and every set, Golay had 902 assists while running either a 5-1 or 6-2 offense,

Malaysia StClair, middle blocker from Beaumont, Texas – Raw but very athletic, played little as a freshman.

“Malaysia trained hard in the spring and summer and ended up one of starting middles averaging nearly a block a set,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Lauren Leavendusky, right side from Holton – A redshirt sophomore after suffering a knee injury in the spring of 2018, Leavendusky rebounded from surgery to be a big contributor in 2019.

“She worked hard rehabbing and came back and was a great addition,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Allayah Stillwell, right side from Summit Christian – A team co-captain, Stillwell was switched from middle to right side to take advantage of her blocking ability and averaged almost a block a set.

“Just a great team leader,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Natalia Vega Aponte, libero from Bayamon, Puerto Rico – Team leader in digs with nearly 500 and service aces.

“Always competitive, she averaged 4.5 digs per set and led the team in passing average with 2.3 average,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Madison Wright, right side from Piper – “A valuable versatile utility player,” Bruno-Ballou said. “She could go in and play any position we asked of her except the middle. A great team player, always positive.”

Amilex Lopez, right side from Aguirre, Puerto Rico – Team co-captain and first team All-District A selection. After an outstanding freshman season, Lopez suffered severe ankle sprain in pre-season workouts and played back row averaging three digs per set.

“Amilex was a force to be reckoned with when she got back to the front row,” Bruno-Ballou said. “One of the most competitive players I’ve known.”

The cupboard won’t be completely bare for 2020, however, with the return of seven freshmen headed by outside hitter Cassidy Crist of DeSoto and middle blocker Michelle Dvorak of Park Hill South.

Crist was the Blue Devils’ second leading scorer with 311 kills while Dvorak came back from a sprained ankle to average two kills per game.

Also returning is Justice Davis, a right side from Albuquerque, N.M., who was the starting right side before suffering a knee injury in mid-season.

Freshman blocked from playing time because of playing behind sophomores include 6-0 McKenna Johnson of Christ Prep Academy, who will be groomed as a setter and attacker in the spring; and three players from Puerto Rico, setter Adriana Velez and defensive specialists Nicole Almestica and Julianie Laboy.