Category: KCKCC

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Unbeaten Eastern Florida State College scored in the first 54 seconds and it didn’t get any better for Kansas City Kansas Community College Thursday.

Ranked No. 3 in the nation, the Titans scored early and often in a 9-1 win in opening round play of the NJCAA Division I national women’s soccer tournament at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Georgia.

The loss dropped the No. 10 Blue Devils to 12-3-1 heading into a second round game Friday against Laramie, Wyoming, at 4 p.m., a game that will be streamed on the NJCAA website.

Boasting a roster of 15 international players, Eastern Florida is playing in the national tournament for the 10th straight season. The Titans improved to 10-0-1 in a game played in 88-degree temperatures and high humidity.

“It was a lesson learned by everyone,” KCKCC coach Shawn Uhlenhake said. “We’re not going to hang our heads; we’re going to try to win one tomorrow.”

KCKCC’s one bright moment came with six minutes remaining when sophomore Melissa Siegel drilled a 15-yard free kick just over the head of goalkeeper Marcella Thedings. It was only the second goal allowed by the Titans this spring.

“Our highlight, to score only the second goal allowed by that team all season but beyond that it was a tough draw,” Uhlenhake said. “That’s a very good team, very good. They had really athletic players come off the bench that would have been all-region in our conference.”

Eastern Florida spent most of the game in KCKCC territory, peppering goalkeeper Susie Lopez with 32 shots including 19 on goal. The Blue Devils were outshot 20-2 in a 6-0 first half before getting off seven second half shots. The Titans also had 15 corner kicks to three for KCKCC.

Paula Garrido of Spain scored three goals and Australians Courtney Jade Butlion and Lydia Carroll two each for Eastern Florida. Jade Butlion scored the first goal 54 seconds into the game on an assist from Garrido, who followed with a pair of goals for a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes,

The other two Titan goals were scored by Kurumi Arakawa of Japan and Cara Young, a transfer from Alabama from Memphis, Tennessee.

Uhlenhake said the fast start put the Blue Devils on their heels.

“We really wanted to score the first goal but unfortunately, we had a misplayed ball and they scored right away,” he said. “We didn’t give up but then the next two came and we kind of unraveled, especially with the heat and injuries. But we’re probably not the only team to have it happen in their first national tournament.”

With just three veterans returning, 10 recruits signed for 2021-2022

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

You will need a program when Kansas City Kansas Community College opens the men’s basketball season this fall.

Only three Blue Devils return from the COVID-ravished team that finished 10-8 in 2021. And the new faces won’t be the only change.

“We will change the offense,” said third year coach Brandon Burgette. “It will be totally different. We won’t be as big as we were but we’ll have bigger guards with more athleticism and more speed. It will be totally different, a different style of play – guards who can play faster, who can guard, press and play together.”

The defending Jayhawk and Region VI champion, the Blue Devils played in only half of their conference games this past spring, finishing 3-2.

“Looking back, we underachieved,” Burgette said. “It was a very disappointing season, especially with the COVID. We missed 18 days of practice and five games in which we could not be around each other because of the quarantine. We had social distancing and wore masks during practice – just less interaction with the team, less bonding.”

Burgette’s task for 2021-2022 will be to replace 95 percent of the scoring and 94 percent of the rebounding from this past season.

Gone are six of the top seven scorers and rebounders headed by third team All-American guard Deron McDaniel and 6-7 rebound leader Caleb Jones, both of whom were first team All-Jayhawk and All-Region VI. McDaniel led in scoring (15.2) and 3-point goals (56); Jones averaged 14.3 points and led in rebounds with 9.1 per game.

Also gone are guards DeAngelo Bell, who averaged 10.3 points and 1.8 assists; and Trey Bates III, the leader in assists (4.0) while averaging 8.6 points; and forwards 6-8 Jermaine Yarbrough, who averaged 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds; and 6-7 Robert Rhodes, the Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman who averaged 8.1 rebounds and 6.4 points. Together, Jones, Rhodes and Yarbrough hauled in 359 rebounds, more than half the team’s 727.

The three returnees are headed by 6-5 forward Shayon Janloo, the lone returning starter who averaged 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16 starts. The other returners are 6-6 forward Bryce Johnson, who averaged 5.6 points and 2.9 rebounds; and 6-0 Zach Nelson, who was second in assists (3.2) while averaging 2.2 points.

“A big energy guy, Shaylon will give us more scoring and leadership,” Burgette said. “Zach was a solid backup point guard who will allow us to play at a faster past; Bryce Johnson should be a big piece for us. Extremely athletic, he has a lot of maturing to do on and off the floor but we expect big things.”

So how do you replace nearly 1,200 points and 610 rebounds? For Burgette, it has meant recruiting from coast to coast (Los Angeles to Florida and the Bahamas) and the Midwest (Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis) thanks to the countless relationships built by Burgette in basketball circles.

Ten recruits have already been inked for 2021-2022.

“We’re not done; we have three more to get,” Burgette said.

The new recruits include four transfers, 6-5 Josh Butler, a wing from Lee’s Summit who transferred from cross-town Metropolitan Community College; 6-7 forward Keondre Brown, who transferred from Compton College in Los Angeles; Tomas Teklegergis, a 6-0 point guard from Chicago who is transferring from Jackson College in Detroit; and 6-4 Joshua Dumas, a wing guard from Nassau in the Bahamas, who was at Midland College in Texas last year but was injured most of the year. All four will have two years of eligibility.

Butler averaged 10 points and 6.1 rebounds at Metro.

“Long, athletic with big time motor,” Burgette said. “Brown is very skilled with experience; a finisher around the rim. Teklegergis has a great basketball IQ and leadership while Dames is a shooter and scorer.”

New guards include Cortez Hawlett, a 6-1 point guard from Raytown High School; 6-1 Nyk Bryant of Park Hill; and 6-2 Gavin Russell from Belton.

“Hawlett is a quick, fast, shifty playmaker,” Burgette said. “Bryant is a slasher and big time energy guy while Russell is a shooter.”

New forwards/wings include 6-7 Jerry Maxinaud from Fort Lauderdale, Florida; 6-5 Dane Foster from Sedalia; and 6-3 Caleb Jones from St. Louis Vashon.

“Maxinaud is a rim protector who can score around the rim and is great from 17 feet out,” Burgette said. “Foster is skilled and a very good playmaker for his size; Jones is an athletic wing who can put the ball on the floor and finish around the basket.”

In the coming academic year, Burgette and assistant Brady Morningstar are looking forward to a return to a normal season.

“I’ve never had a full year,” Burgette said. “Two years ago I didn’t get to pick my own team and then we missed out on a chance to play in the national tournament and this season, we did not get to work out the whole summer. We couldn’t even play five-on-five until January.”