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No. 5 KCKCC nips No. 4 JCCC in 19-17 fifth game thriller

While Blair Russell (7) was mobbed for her game-winning kill by teammates, from left, Kimberly Martinez, Andrea Aparicio, Junelie Irizarry, Peyton Pender and Lily Thornberg, foreground, fans also celebrated KCKCC’s 19-17 win over No. 4 JCCC Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)

by Alan Hoskins

Billed as a Jayhawk Conference volleyball classic, the showdown between No. 4 ranked Johnson County and No. 5 Kansas City Kansas Community College was even better than advertised.

Battling back from four consecutive match points, coach Mary Bruno’s Lady Blue Devils rallied for a 19-17 in the fifth and deciding match played before a boisterous crowd of 200 in the KCKCC Field House Wednesday night.

The win boosted KCKCC’s overall record to 16-3 and Jayhawk mark to 3-0 heading into home games against Southeast Nebraska Friday at 6 p.m. and Monday against Jayhawk rival Highland at 6:30 p.m. before another big conference showdown at Cowley County (5-0) on Wednesday. JCCC, meanwhile, fell to 12-5 and 3-1.

Calling it the biggest kill of her career, sophomore co-captain Blair Russell slammed home the decisive 19th point before being mobbed by jubilant Blue Devil teammates.

“I’m so happy; it was so exciting,” said Russell, a 5-10 outside hitter from Marysville, Kan.

The win was made even more gratifying by the Lady Blue Devils refusal to fold under adverse situations. Deadlocked 13 times, neither team had led by more than two points in the decisive fifth set but JCCC was twice within a point of winning with a 14-12 lead on a kill by Kayla Dewey.

However, a block by Kailee Dudley and a service ace by Russell got the Blue Devils even at 14-14. Two more times JCCC took the lead at 15-14 and 16-15 but each time the Blue Devils battled back to even and then went ahead 17-16 before absorbing what could have been a devastating knockout blow.

Called for serving out of rotation, the Blue Devils were penalized a point that made it 17-17.

“I think we got caught up in the emotion of everything,” Bruno said. But instead of folding, the Blue Devils took the next two points capped by Russell’s game-winner.
“They didn’t fold under adversity,” Bruno said. “Johnson County is a great team and it was really a hard fought game with a lot of pressure. The Blue Crew and the fans were fantastic; a huge factor in our being able to win.”

KCKCC led all the way in taking a 25-22 opening win but fell behind 13-5 in the second, rallied to within a point before the Lady Cavaliers pulled away for a 25-18 decision. The Blue Devils again took early leads of 13-8 and 18-11 in the third set before hanging on for a 25-21 win but couldn’t prevent JCCC from a 25-19 fourth game win.

Depth was critical in the win. In addition to Russell and Dudley, the Blue Devils got solid frontline help from sophomores Lily Thornberg, Jasdel Gonzalez, Junelie Irizarry, Peyton Pender and freshman Allyssa Lutgen and great defense and sets from sophomores Lily Cullers, Andrea Aparicio, Thornberg and freshman Kimberly Martinez.

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.

Jasdel Gonzalez delivered the game-winning kill in KCKCC’s 25-22 first game win over Johnson County that set up the Lady Blue Devils’ 3-2 win Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)

Sophomore co-captain Blair Russell (7) got a No. 1 salute from co-captain Lily Thornberg, foreground, while being mobbed by teammates Andrea Aparacio (5), Junelie Irizarry (15) and Peyton Pender after her kill gave KCKCC a 19-17 win over Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)

KCKCC student Bruce Ortiz was head over heels in celebrating the No. 5 ranked Blue Devils 19-17 win over Johnson County in the decisive fifth set Wednesday. (KCKCC Photo by Rodney Christensen)

Gala to raise funds for KCKCC Endowment Association

by Kelly Rogge
With only a month to go before the Kansas City Kansas Community College Endowment Association’s first-ever 4.0 Gala, final preparations are being made to make sure it is an event to remember.

“Response for the 4.0 Gala has been great,” said Patrick McCartney, executive director of the KCKCC Endowment Association. “We decided to do the 4.0 Gala to create a major fundraising event for KCKCC. The 4.0 Gala will be our biggest fundraiser, and we hope to continue growing it each year.”

The 4.0 Gala is Oct. 25 at Lake Quivira. The evening begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m. During the program, two awards will be given.

Former Unified Government Mayor Joe Reardon will receive the Wyandotte Countian of the Year, and Karen Orr, Chief Nursing Officer for Providence Medical Center will receive the KCKCC Distinguished Alumni Award. Individual tickets are $100, and the gala is black tie optional.

“We hope people will attend the 4.0 Gala for a couple reasons,” McCartney said. “First, and most importantly, the dollars raised from the gala will go to fund much needed scholarships for KCKCC students. Second, it will be a fun evening including a live and silent along with honoring former mayor Joe Reardon as the first Wyandotte Countian of the Year and Karen Orr, Chief Nursing Officer at Providence Medical Center, as the first KCKCC Distinguished Alumni.”

The purpose of the Wyandotte Countian of the Year Award is to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the Wyandotte community. To qualify for the Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award, nominees must have either attended or graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College. Nominations were made earlier this year for both awards, and the honorees were selected by a committee.

AT&T has committed to be the presenting sponsor at the 4.0 Gala. In addition to AT&T, Capitol Federal and Bank of Blue Valley have signed on as major sponsors of the event. McCartney said the gala will serve as a “major fundraising effort” for the college. He said not only will the funds raised support the college, but will directly support students through scholarship opportunities.

“The 4.0 Gala will benefit KCKCC by raising funds for much needed scholarships for our students,” McCartney said. “Over 90 percent of KCKCC students require some form of financial aid, and our scholarships help a lot of non-traditional students who probably wouldn’t be able to attend KCKCC without the Endowment’s help.”

In addition to the program and dinner, there will be a live auction with the Nigro Brothers as hosts as well as a silent auction. Among the live auction items include dinner with Kansas City Royal Hall of Famer and current T-Bones coach Frank White; a Playa del Carmen, Mexico Condo Getaway, a Proformance Golf Package and many other unique items. Silent auction items include a variety of shopping, dining and spa packages.

For more information on sponsorships, contact McCartney at 913-288-7166. For information on purchasing tickets, contact Dawanna Fangohr at 913-288-7675.

Blue Devil golfers win Evangel Tourney by 26 strokes

by Alan Hoskins

Kansas City Kansas Community College made shambles of the 2014 Evangel Fall Golf Invitational, winning the 54-hole tournament by a whopping 26 strokes.

Five Blue Devils finished among the top nine players in the medalist competition in the tourney played at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo., Monday and Tuesday.

Recording rounds of 300, 287 and 307, the Blue Devils finished with an 894 total or an average of 74.5 per round for the top four scorers. Host Evangel was second at 920 followed by Missouri Valley, 923; Culver-Stockton, 931; Baker, 945; Culver-Stockton B, 960; Allen County Community College, 967; Central Methodist, 969; Hannibal-LaGrange, 977; and Baker B, 1,016.

Newton sophomore Lane Pauls led the Blue Devils, finishing second with a 72-72-78-222 that was four shots back of medalist A.J. Borges of Missouri Valley. Sophomores Alex Forristal of Olathe North and Seve Sites of Shawnee Mission West tied for third at 224. Forristal sandwiched rounds of 79 and 75 around a 2-under par 70 while Sites put together rounds of 76, 73 and 75.

Piper sophomore Charlie Rinehart was alone in seventh with a 73-75-79-227 with freshman Jeremy Dunham of Derby ninth at 79-73-77-229.

The Blue Devils are now idle until Oct. 7-8 when they compete in the William Woods Fall Invitational in Fulton, Mo.
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.