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.
Turner’s Arianna Ortiz defeated Raymore-Peculiar’s Courtney Stevens by fall in the first round of their 101-pound match. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
The referee signalled Jenna Knight’s win over Olathe South’s Meriel Brady. Knight won by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs sophomore Chloie Knapp wrestled St. Joseph Lafayette’s Mati Womeldorff. Knapp won by decision 6-0. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Olivia Stean posed with her mom Laura after the awards ceremony. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Turner’s Arianna Ortiz, left, posed with 101-pound class winner Isa-Bella Mendoza of St. Joseph-Lafayette. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Turner’s Daisy Chavez wrestled against Leavenworth’s Jacqueline Goodman. Goodman won the match by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Jaycee Millison tried to pin Kendall Reid of Washburn Rural. Reid won the match by major decision (14-2). (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Jaycee Millison got some encouragement from coach Dale Taylor after a match. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs senior Haylie Knapp threw Lawrence Free State’s Ryan Turk in their 132-pound match. Knapp won by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Gina Acevedo defeated Mission Valley’s Jenna Grame by fall in the third round of their 191-pound match. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs freshman Kylie Enriquez dropped Raymore-Peculiar’s Ashland Kudron. Kudron won the match on a 9-7 decision. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Jaron Briggs made a dunk off a fast break in the second half of Piper’s season-opening win over Ottawa. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Piper Pirates basketball team won its home opener Friday against Ottawa 73-53.
Jaron Briggs hit two three-pointers in the first quarter to establish his presence outside, but the Cyclones were able to keep pace, and finished the quarter tied at 14.
Piper started to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring the Cyclones by 10. Ottawa had only two made baskets in the quarter, but made 8 of 12 free throw attempts. Piper made three 3-pointers, one each from Colin Vigil, Gannon Roth, and Alex Ivanuska.
The third quarter was a slugfest of defense. There were 25 combined shots from the free throw line, and the frequent whistles slowed the game. The atmosphere on the court was becoming chippy, and the referees dispensed offsetting technical fouls at one point to get the teams’ attention.
The Pirates got the better of the third-quarter scrap, thanks in part to two 3-pointers from Roth, and they ended the quarter with a 56-40 advantage.
Vigil and Roth both struck again from the outside in the fourth quarter, and the Pirates extended the lead to 20 at the final whistle.
Jaron Briggs led the Pirates with 26 points, including 10 of 13 from the free throw line. Gannon Roth added 17 points off the bench, including four 3-pointers. Alex Ivanuska scored 11.
Now 1-0, the Pirates will play next week in the Huhtamaki Hardwood Classic, held by De Soto High School. The opening game will be against Olathe Northwest at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Jaron Briggs, who goes by the nickname “Day Day,” brought a large and enthusiastic cheering section in matching T-shirts. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Head coach Steve Wallace talked to his team during a timeout in the second half. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Colin Vigil went up for a shot. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Alex Ivanuska split two Ottawa defenders to get to the basket. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Lantz Walton came into the game late in the fourth quarter. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Ottawa junior Jake Titus stripped the ball from Piper senior Blake Porter. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper dance team performed at halftime. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Jaron Briggs took a short jumper in the lane. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Jaron Briggs was swarmed by the Ottawa defense. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore Gannon Roth took a three-point shot. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper cheerleaders celebrated at the end of the game. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Colin Vigil cut to the basket. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore Sage Grann tried to turn the corner on an Ottawa defender. Grann scored 17 points in Piper’s 45-35 loss to Ottawa. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
After losing five starters from last year’s team, the Piper girls’ basketball team begins the 2021-2022 season with a fresh start and a roster light on experience. The young team lost their season opener to the Ottawa Lady Cyclones 45-35 on Friday.
The Lady Pirates got off to a slow start, picking up only one basket in the first quarter. Piper’s tightly packed zone defense also limited Ottawa’s output, and the first half finished 20-10 in Ottawa’s favor.
The game opened up in the second half, and Ottawa stayed patient to stretch the Piper defense. Abbie Roth and Tatum Vallejo hit three-point shots for Piper in the fourth quarter, and Sage Grann got two three-point opportunities on drives to the basket.
The Lady Pirates pulled within 6 points midway through the fourth quarter, but Ottawa made timely baskets to hold the final margin at 10.
Grann made an impact on both ends of the court, leading the team with 17 points and also finding a knack for snagging errant passes to start a fast break. She also shared ball-handling duties with freshman point guard Avary Vallejo.
Marissa Covington scored 10 points in the game and also secured multiple defensive rebounds.
The Piper Lady Pirates will participate starting Monday in the Huhtamaki Hardwood Classic held by De Soto High School.
Senior Marissa Covington challenged Ottawa sophomore Emery Keebaugh. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman guard Avary Vallejo picked up the defense in the back court. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Fans applauded the singing of the national anthem. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Abbie Roth launched an outside shot in the fourth quarter. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore Sage Grann was met by the Ottawa defense as she drove into the lane. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Senior Marissa Covington’s shot inside was blocked by Ottawa sophomore Emery Keebaugh. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Avary Vallejo fought for a loose ball. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Evelyn Collins looked for an entry pass to the basket. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Tatum Vallejo pushed the ball up the right side. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Abbie Roth drove along the left baseline. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
