Category: KCKCC

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College got the 2019 Jayhawk Conference soccer season off in workmanlike fashion Saturday, posting a 2-1 win over Neosho County in Chanute.

The win boosted the Blue Devils’ record to 2-1-1 heading into the home conference opener against unbeaten Cowley College Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. KCKCC’s women will open the evening with a 5 p.m. kickoff against Cowley.

Copenhagen sophomore Alejandro Maillet, who scored the winning goal in a 2-1 win over Iowa Central, got the Blue Devils in front 1-0 27 minutes into the game.

“There was a bit of a scramble in front of the goal and Marcus Kawah was able to direct the ball back to Alejandro, who finished at the goal,” KCKCC Assistant Coach Burke Slusher said.

Samba Gnokane, a freshman forward from Verona, Italy, then scored what would prove to be the winning goal on a free kick from 23 yards out nine minutes into the second half.

“Samba curved it over the wall of defenders into the left corner of the net,” Slusher said.

Meanwhile, the KCKCC defense held Neosho scoreless until the final nine minutes.

“Our defense played well,” Slusher said. “Bosco Pery had a very good game in goal, making a couple of key saves in the first half. Neosho’s best chances came on counter attacks but our defense stayed solid:”

A freshman from Madrid, Spain, Pery had four saves in goal while the Blue Devils were launching seven shots.

Cowley College will come into Wednesday’s contest with a 4-0 record including a 7-1 thumping of Allen County in the Tigers’ conference opener .

“A tough conference battle,” Slusher said. Other wins have come at Rose State 5-1 and 3-1 home wins over Northeast Oklahoma A&M and Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Just how good is the volleyball in the Jayhawk Conference? Based on Kansas City Kansas Community College’s 3-1 loss to Cloud County in Concordia Wednesday night, it may be at an all-time best.

“We’ve played some great competition this year but Cloud is by far the most athletic team we’ve seen,” KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou said.

And Cloud is only ranked No. 14 in the latest NJCAA rankings. Five Jayhawk teams are ranked in the top eight in the poll and the Blue Devils with wins over two nationally ranked teams are No. 20.

Defending national champion Coffeyville, KCKCC’s next opponent Monday night in Coffeyville, is No. 2 followed by No. 3 Johnson County, No. 4 Highland, No. 7 Cowley and No. 8 Fort Scott.

Off to a 9-0 start this season, Cloud is powered by four lanky standouts from the nation of Columbia.

“Four power hitters, all 6-foot or taller, with great vertical ability,” Bruno-Ballou said. “We did not play badly. We had some unforced errors down the stretch in critical solutions.”

Capitalizing on an 11-0 run, Cloud took a 25-12 decision in the opening set but the Blue Devils bounced back for a 25-22 second set win only to have the Thunderbirds close out the match with 25-19, 25-22 decisions

“We responded very well in the second set and led 13-11 in the third set only to be outscored 8-1 and fell behind 19-14,” Bruno-Ballou said. “When we go out of rotation like, it becomes a completely different set.”

The Blue Devils also took an early lead in the fourth set but in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, the T-Birds rode three big blocks to hold on for the 25-22 win.

KCKCC will take a 6-4 record to Coffeyville Monday at 6:30 p.m. despite not playing a home match. The six victories include wins over No. 4 Kirkwood and No. 17 Illinois Central and a loss to No. 1 Parkland.

“Sophomore Allayah Stillwell and freshman Adriana Velez have been instrumental in our positive energy and team chemistry on and off the court,” Bruno-Ballou said.

The Blue Devils will finally return after 13 contests on the road next Wednesday when they play host to Johnson County at 6:30 p.m. They’ll also entertain Allen County Tuesday, Sept, 17, and then be the host of the 8-team KCKCC Tournament Sept. 20-21.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Less than three months on the job, one month from the first official practice and two months from the season opener, new Kansas City Kansas Community College men’s basketball coach Brandon Burgette is chomping at the bit.

“I can’t wait to get to Oct. 1 and neither can our players,” Burgette said. “I like the pieces we have, pieces at each position with a lot of talent and experience.”

Right now, NJCAA rules limit Burgette to conditioning, workouts with an eight-hour-a-week time restriction.

“We’re using the eight hours to get the guys into shape, to get them to know each other, to find out what we’re going to do and able to do and establish an identity,” he said.

Five sophomores return from last year’s 14-17 team and all five finished among the top eight scorers. To that group, Burgette has added three transfers and eight freshmen since his hiring June 5.

With all five of his returning veterans playing the guard position, emphasis was put on size and netted six players ranging from 6-6 to 6-8 in height.

The five returning guards combined to score 49.2 percent of the Blue Devils’ 2,102 points in 2018-2019.

Calvin Slaughter of Macon, Georgia, led the way with a 9.8-point average followed by Jalen Davis of Houston (8.1) and assist leader Kelyn Bolton of Shawnee Mission East (6.3 points and 3.6 assists).

The team’s top two three-point shooters round out the quintet. Taylor Turner of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who had 10 three-pointers in a single game last year, had 48 treys for the season while averaging 6.2 points; Cody Dortch of Paragould, Arkansas, averaged 5.5 points while notching 46 three-pointers.

Added experience will come from a pair of 6-8 transfers, Sevon Witt of Raytown South who averaged 7.1 points and 3.2 rebounds at Washburn University; and Caleb McCray Jones of Raytown South, who averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds at Colby Community College.

A third transfer, 6-1 guard Ezekiel Lopes of Bishop Miege, was a redshirt freshman at Coffeyville and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Two Kansas City, Kansas, prospects are among the eight freshmen, 5-9 guard Deangelo Bell from Harmon and 6-6 forward Tyione Gilmore of Schlagle, along with Missouri area grads 6-8 forward Jermaine Yarbough of Grandview, 6-7 Robert Rhodes of Park Hill South and 6-0 guard Deron McDaniel of Next Level Prep in Wichita, Kansas.

They are joined by Marquise Walker, a 6-0 guard from Chicago; 6-6 forward Timothy Barbieri of Abilene and 6-5 Jaemaal Newson of Bradenton, Florida.

“A good foundation with experience from our returners and transfers,” Burgette said. “We’re obviously deep at the guard position but with the new recruits, we’ve added some big, long athletes who can not only protect the rim but finish above it. We’ve also got a lot of versatility, multiple guys who can play multiple positions.”

Burgette said fans can expect fast-paced Blue Devil basketball.

“We want to push the tempo and play fast but under control,” he said. “We’ll also press for 40 minutes to try to make teams turn the ball over which gives us opportunities to score off transition in the half court. Depth will be a strength. We have a lot of depth 1 through 15 and any one of several players who can lead us in scoring any given night.”