Category: KCKCC

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Easily over its opening hurdle Friday, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s young women’s basketball team gets a much tougher test Saturday when the No. 1 ranked Lady Blue Devils play host to St. Louis Community College at 4 p.m.

Roaring to a 29-12 first quarter lead, the Blue Devils overwhelmed Graceland University’s junior varsity 93-49, using speed and quickness to offset less that spectacular shooting.

Shooting just 36.7 percent from the field and 22.9 percent from 3-point, the Blue Devil defense forced the Yellowjackets into 37 turnovers that were converted into 42 points.

“We were awful,” said a disappointed KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “The biggest message I have out of this game is that ‘I told you so.’ We have to do a better job of scoring the basketball; it’s going to be a challenge. We’ve been telling our players they need to work on their games away from practice, shooting, ball-handling, things we’ve done so well the last few years. We got all the shots we wanted tonight, open shots that we didn’t knock down. If we don’t do better tomorrow, we’re in a world of trouble.”

The Blue Devils entered the game with just 10 healthy players and McKinstry gave all extended playing time. All 10 scored and all but one had at least one rebound.

Five KCKCC players scored in double figures, none of whom stood taller than 5-foot-6. A pair of 5-5 guards led the way, sophomore transfer Destiny Zamudio from Malcolm X in Chicago scoring a game high 16 points and freshman Adoreya Williams of Detroit 14.

Truman sophomore Brodi Byrd and freshman Tiaira Earnest of Detroit added 11 points each and Jada Mayberry of Kapaun Mt. Carmel 10. Kamryn Estell, the one 6-footer on the Blue Devil roster, chipped in with nine points and six rebounds.

Alieyya Jones, a 5-9 freshman from Lincoln, Nebraska, led in rebounds with 11 along with eight points while Earnest and 5-11 Mercer Roberts of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, each added nine rebounds and 5-7 Aliyah Myers eight rebounds. Myers also led in assists with six with Byrd and Earnest adding four each.

KCKCC had 63 rebounds including 33 off the offensive boards.

“The 33 offensive rebounds are a little misleading being we missed 62 shots and had so many chances at rebouds,” McKinstry said. “I did like the 23 assists on 36 baskets and considering we had 98 shot attempts, theoretically just 15 turnovers is pretty good. Our ability to handle and share the ball are positive points, things we can build on.”

The Blue Devils were 12 of 23 shots from the field for 52.2 percent the first quarter but were under 30 percent in the second and third. They were also just 11 of 48 from 3-point with Zamudio and Byrd the leaders with four and three.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The best women’s soccer season in Kansas City Kansas Community College history has come to an end.

Avenging two regular season losses, Johnson County eliminated the Lady Blue Devils from the Region VI playoffs with a 2-0 win Friday. The loss was just the fourth in 17 games for the Blue Devils (13-4), the first winning season in the 8-year history of the sport at KCKCC.

A 2-1 upset winner over No. 1 seeded Cloud County in the opening round of playoffs, the win was the fifth in a row for the No. 8 seeded Cavaliers (13-6-1) and sends them into the Plains District semifinals in Wichita Wednesday.

“It’s disappointing but an unbelievable season,” KCKCC coach Shawn Uhlenhake said. “We knew Johnson had a good team and it’s tough to beat a good team three times. We had a hard time matching their intensity. We had trouble connecting with our forwards and that was unusual because of all the goals we scored this season.”

The Cavaliers jumped in front when Audrey Peterson lofted in a goal from outside the box at the 15:11 mark of the first half and then clinched the win when Morgan Carranza converted a penalty kick with 16:59 remaining in the game.

The shutout was the sixth of the season for Cavaliers, who have given up only 20 goals in 20 games this season. The Blue Devils launched 12 kicks and 10 corner kicks on JCCC goalkeeper Oliva Ways, who had seven saves in recording the shutout.

Jaidyn Takaishi had nine saves in goal for the Blue Devils as the Cavaliers had a 19-12 advantage in shots.

Coffeyville next; all three Blue Devil fall teams reach playoffs for first time

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The Kansas City Kansas Community College volleyball team is headed to the NJCAA DII Region VI playoffs.

A 3-1 win over Hesston Wednesday night coupled with Allen County’s five-set 3-2 loss at Fort Scott vaulted the Lady Blue Devils into the regional playoffs Saturday, Nov. 9. It is the first time KCKCC has had all three of its fall sports teams – volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer – advance to the playoffs in the same season.

The Blue Devils 3-1 win over Hesston vaulted KCKCC into a tie with Allen County for the final Jayhawk Conference playoff berth at 4-6 with the Blue Devils advancing by virtue of a 3-1 win over Allen Sept. 18.

KCKCC will open district play as the No. 8 seed at Coffeyville Nov. 9 against the defending national champions and No 2 ranked team in NJCAA Division II. No. 3 ranked Fort Scott will play host to the other four-team district which will determine the Jayhawk Conference’s two representatives in the NJCAA DII national tournament.

KCKCC’s meeting with Coffeyville will be the third this season and while the Blue Devils were beaten 3-0 each time, four of the six sets have been by a total of 10 points – three 25-23 and one 25-21 decisions.

“We have played two very close games already and have the pieces and ability to beat Coffeyville,” KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou said. “We need to make sure on our side of the net we are not making the unforced errors that made our game with Hesston and others so close. But we’ve battled and fought to put ourselves in position to get to the nationals.”

Just a year ago, the underdog Blue Devils stunned No. 3 ranked Highland 3-2 at Highland in the first playoff round.

Eight Blue Devil sophomores played their final home game in withstanding a determined challenge by Hesston, which was 14-17 overall but only 1-9 in the Jayhawk. A 25-22 winner in the opening set, the Blue Devils dropped the second 25-23 before pulling away late for 25-19 and 25-23 decisions.

“In a must game, we came through led by sophomore Amilex Lopez with a match high 19 kills, the sophomore leadership of Gracie Golay and Allayah Stillwell and the defensive prowess of Natalia Vega Aponte,” Bruno-Ballou said. “Lopex was amazing. She injured her ankle earlier and just now is getting her vertical back.”

Down by as many as four points in the opening set, two kills each by freshman Cassidy Crist and Lopez broke a 20-20 tie in the 25-22 win. The Blue Devils trailed 19-14 in the second set before a 7-1 run pushed them into a 21-20 lead. They still led 23-22 before the Larks scored the final three points in the 25-23 win.

KCKCC opened a 10-3 lead in the third set but had to hold off a Hesston rally that closed to 21-18 before two returns by Crist, one by Lopez and block by Crist and Stillwell closed out the 25-19 win. The Blue Devils trailed 23-20 in a see-saw fourth set that was tied 10 times. After a kill by Stillwell, the Larks uncharacteristically committed three straight unforced errors before Gracie Golay’s chip shot completed the rally 25-23.

Sophomores honored following the win were Tara Mattingly, Gracie Golay, Malaysia StClair, Lauren Leavendusky, Allayah Stillwell, Natalia Vega Aponte and Amilex Lopez.

“It was great to honor our sophomores for all the hard work and dedication they’ve given to our program the last two years,” Bruno-Ballou said.