Category: KCKCC

No. 7-ranked KCKCC women sweep No. 17 North Central, Metro

The smallest player on the floor proved to be the biggest for Kansas City Kansas Community College’s nationally ranked Lady Blue Devils Friday night.

Just 5-foo-5, third year sophomore Tiara Earnest not only paced all scorers with 20 points but led all rebounders with a dozen and added a game high four assists as the No. 7 ranked Blue Devils turned back No. 17 ranked North Central Missouri 67-60 in their toughest early season test.

The win came in the first round of the annual KCKCC Classic and the Blue Devils followed up with a 76-54 win over longtime rival Metropolitan Saturday night. The win was the fifth in a row for the unbeaten Blue Devils, who are right back in action Monday when they play host to Haskell junior varsity at 6 p.m.

De’Taria Guillroy added 11 points, Aysia Arrowood 10 and Mercer Roberts and Faith Putz 8 each for KCKCC. Arrowood also had five rebounds and Roberts and Guillroy four apiece as KCKCC had a 39-38 edge on the boards. More critical were free throws where the Blue Devils converted 19 of 27 (.704) to just 13 of 27 (.481) for North Central.

KCKCC trailed by as many as nine points late in the first quarter and still trailed 35-31 at the half. But the Pirates had no second half answer for Earnest, who scored 18 points including a trio of 3-pointers and seven of eight free throws.

The Blue Devils opened the second half with a 9-2 run to lead 40-37. The Pirates got back even at 46-46 before two Earnest 3-pointers and two Lacy Whitcomb free throws opened a 55-48 three-quarter lead. North Central went back ahead 56-55 but two field goals by Arrowood put KCKCC back in front 60-56 with a pair of layups and the Blue Devil defense took it from there, giving up only one field goal and two free throws in the final 4 ½ minutes. The Pirates did close to 60-59 before a rebound goal by Guillroy and four Earnest free throws sealed the win.

Four Blue Devils scored in double figures in the 76-54 win over Metro. Arrowood led with 15 points while Piper freshman Jennifer Guilbeaux added 12, Earnest and Putz 11 and Guillroy 8. Lacy Whitcomb led in rebounds with six although Metro dominated the boards 44-30.

KCKCC rushed to a 20-11 first quarter on 50 percent shooting and led the rest of the way. Metro was still within nine points 55-46 after three quarters before the Blue Devils finished with a 21-8 fourth quarter.

SPARK Taskforce committee to hear testimony Monday in KCK

The state’s SPARK Taskforce Executive Committee will meet at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 15, at the Dr. Burke Technical Education Center, Kansas City Kansas Community College, 6565 State Ave., Room A101.

The committee will gather information and feedback from residents.

SPARK will use the input to prepare proposals for the most effective statewide distribution of federal coronavirus relief funds allocated to Kansas through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of March 2021.

Members of the public may attend. If Kansans would like to submit written testimony to the SPARK Executive Committee, they may send a copy of their testimony to [email protected]. Written testimony will be limited to 500 words maximum.

If attendees would like to provide verbal, in-person testimony, sign-up sheets will be available at the meeting on Monday, Nov. 15. Testimony will be limited to two minutes to allow for as many voices to be heard as possible.

A virtual livestream of the meeting will be shown at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axBUp4SwnbQ.

KCKCC receives donation from Spencer C. Duncan Make It Count Foundation

Kansas City Kansas Community College has announced a $10,000 contribution from the Spencer C. Duncan Make It Count Foundation to be used to help veteran students purchase tool kits for their technical programs.

More than 50 percent of KCKCC’s technical programs require the purchase of a toolkit. The toolkits have the necessary tools for each specific program and are the students to keep after they graduate and enter their career field. Currently, the college has approximately 80 military-affiliated students in certificate programs. The scholarship will help more than 40 students with the purchase of these toolkits.

“The ‘Make it Count’ donation will put our veterans attending KCKCC in position to produce and contribute on their first day of work,” said Rich Piper, director of technical programs at KCKCC. “Having the tools to build homes, repair vehicles, install heating and cooling units and design and fabricate parts (plus so much more) will give our veterans a sense of pride and purpose as they are developing into the best skilled person in the business or organization. With the goal of making a self-sustaining wage for themselves and providing for their families, the dollars invested through donations will make a significant impact on our students, their families and our community.”

KCKCC has been designated a military-friendly institution and offers a variety of veteran and military-affiliated services for students through the Military and Veterans Center.

The Spencer C. Duncan Make It Count Foundation was founded in honor of Army Specialist Spencer C. Duncan who was killed in action in 2011. It is the foundation’s desire to honor that spirit of sacrifice and give back to veterans and their families. Donations are used for scholarships, entrepreneurship programs, seminars and meeting the physical needs of veterans. The foundation continues to be generous to colleges and other organizations in the Kansas City area that are focused on helping veterans with the cost of attending college.