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New KCKCC campus site planned in Lansing

Dr. Greg Mosier, president of KCKCC, met with Lansing Mayor Tony McNeill recently about opening a campus in Lansing. (Photo from KCKCC)

Dr. Greg Mosier, president of KCKCC, presented plans for a new campus in Lansing to the Lansing City Council recently. (Photo from KCKCC)

Kansas City Kansas Community College is purchasing 12 acres on K-7 to build a new site in Leavenworth County, according to a spokesman.

The college simultaneously is working on a plan to build a new $62 million campus in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, with a hope of starting construction in the spring.

KCKCC is celebrating its centennial in 2023, and it also has been serving Leavenworth County for the past 35 years, according to a spokesman. The Leavenworth School District allowed KCKCC to use the former Leavenworth West Middle School to offer both academic and technical education programs to the Leavenworth region.

“The College Board of Trustees and the administration truly appreciate the support Leavenworth School District has provided the college and students attending classes at the KCKCC Pioneer Career Center,” Dr. Greg Mosier, KCKCC president, said in a news release.

The site, located in the southern 12 acres of the Lansing Towne Center, will hold an advanced educational facility, according to a college spokesman. It is parallel to K-7 and just north of Country Club Bank in Lansing.

Fall 2027 is the anticipated opening date for the site. Until the new site is constructed, programs and services will continue at the KCKCC Pioneer Career Center, the news release stated. KCKCC-PCC offers more than 30 academic classes for dual-enrolled high school students and adult students in general education, construction technology, culinary arts, electrical technology, health professions, HVAC, criminal justice and early childhood education.

Lansing Mayor Tony McNeill and the Lansing City Council approved the project on Nov. 17.

“Through the generosity of the Leavenworth School District and Dr. Mike Roth, the college has been able to increase its level of service through the Pioneer Career Center. The purchase of this land is the next step in expanding services to Leavenworth County,” Dr. Mosier said in the news release. “As new businesses continue to invest capital to build facilities in Leavenworth County, a primary concern is access to an educated and well-trained workforce. KCKCC is establishing its position in Leavenworth County to be these companies’ workforce provider of choice.”

With the land purchase, a new facility will be designed to provide modern classrooms, labs and technical training spaces that will offer greater capacity and new programs in Leavenworth County, according to a spokesman.

Kelly Rogge, public information manager for KCKCC, stated that no money from the Wyandotte County mill levy will be used for the purchase of the land or the new building in Lansing. KCKCC will work with Leavenworth County to create the necessary construction and ongoing revenue streams.

Enrollment at KCKCC is slightly up compared to last year, although most other institutions across the state and in Kansas City, Missouri, are down in enrollment, Rogge stated.

High school playoff round-up

Bonner Springs defeated Sumner Academy in the 5A baseball regional semi-final, but lost in the final to Shawnee Heights. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Late May is a busy season in high school sports, with state playoffs taking place simultaneously in baseball, softball and girls’ soccer. All three sports will finish their season with state championships on May 27 and 28.

Here’s how local teams have fared in the playoffs so far.

Baseball

Bishop Ward defeated Easton-Pleasant Ridge in the 3A regional quarter-final 4-3. The Cyclones will play Perry-Lecompton in the Wellsville regional semi-final. The game has been postponed from Wednesday to Thursday due to expected inclement weather. The game will follow the other semi-final and start at approximately 4 p.m.

Bonner Springs defeated Sumner Academy 6-5 in a regional semi-final played at Legends Field. The Braves lost the final to Shawnee Heights 3-0.

In other regional action:

Mill Valley 3, Piper 1
Olathe West 14, Wyandotte 0
Pittsburg 13, Turner 4
Blue Valley Southwest 15, Washington 0

Softball

Piper defeated Leavenworth 14-9 in the 5A regional semi-final at Basehor, but lost to the Basehor-Linwood Lady Bobcats 7-5 in the final.

Bishop Ward defeated Osage City 1-0 in the 3A regional quarter-final, but lost to Wellsville 10-6.

In other regional action:

Spring Hill 15, Turner 0
Saint Thomas Aquinas 7, Bonner Springs 3

Girls’ soccer

Sumner Academy defeated Bonner Springs 8-2 in the 5A regional semi-final. The Sabres will play Spring Hill in the final on Thursday, starting at 6 p.m. at Schlagle stadium.

In other regional action:

Spring Hill 11, Turner 0
Seaman 6, Piper 2
Bishop Miege 10, Bishop Ward 0
Pittsburg 6, Washington 0 (play-in)
Highland Park 1, Schlagle 0 (play-in)

Piper defeated Leavenworth in the 5A softball regional semi-final, but lost to Basehor-Linwood in the final. (Photo credit Derek Wiley, Leavenworth Times)

Bonner Springs girls wrestling at Leavenworth Inaugural tourney

Bonner Springs sophomore Olivia Stean dragged Leavenworth’s Kennedie Miller to the mat in championship match of the 170-pound class at the Leavenworth Inaugural Girls Challenger tournament. Stean won the match by fall in the first round and went 4-0 in the tournament. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

The Bonner Springs girls’ wrestling team competed Saturday in the Leavenworth Inaugural Girls Challenger tournament. The team took 3rd place of 17 teams competing in the tournament.

Since KSHSAA voted in 2019 to sanction girls’ wrestling, Bonner Springs has rapidly built up its program.

Longtime youth club coach Dale Taylor is now the head coach of the Lady Braves team and has already recruited a roster with wrestlers in 10 of 12 weight classes. Taylor has a mix of successful club team veterans and rookies getting their first experience with competitive wrestling.

Nationally ranked sophomore Olivia Stean took 1st place in the 170-pound weight class in impressive style, winning all four of her matches by fall (that is, pinning her opponent) and averaging less than 36 seconds to do it.

Multi-sport athlete Jenna Knight placed 2nd in the 120-pound weight class. Kylie Enriquez placed 3rd in the 109-pound class. Sisters Haylie and Chloie Knapp took 3rd place in the 132- and 155-pound classes.

The Bonner Springs girls will face off in a dual meet against Manhattan on Thursday in Bonner Springs.

Turner High School also entered the meet, with a limited roster. Arianna Ortiz took 2nd place in the 101-pound class, and Daisy Chavez placed 7th in the 155-pound class. Turner placed 12th in the team competition.