Category: Sports

T-Bones announce schedule for 2015

The Kansas City T-Bones have announced their 100-game schedule for the 2015 season.

The biggest change in 2015 is that the season will start and end one week later than it did in 2014. Last season the club opened on May 15, which was the earliest opening day in T-Bones history.

“I am glad for next year’s later Memorial Day,” said T-Bones president Adam Ehlert. “That is typically a great opening weekend, but as our hearty fans will attest, starting earlier like we did last year made for chilly baseball in May.”
The T-Bones open the season with a three-game series at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan., against rival Lincoln on Memorial Day weekend, May 22. That series, which is part of a six-game homestand, concludes with fireworks following Sunday night’s game. After having Memorial Day off, the T-Bones will finish their opening homestand with three games against Sioux City.

As has become a tradition for the T-Bones, the team will be at home on July 4 as it plays host to Gary SouthShore as part of a seven-game homestand.

“Memorial Day and Fourth of July are two traditional baseball holidays,” T-Bones vice president-general manager Chris Browne said. “We’re thrilled to host games on these weekends with our award-winning fireworks. It’s a great way to show off America’s national pastime.”

The T-Bones will have two eight-game homestands, their longest in 2015. The first is July 19-26 against Gary SouthShore and Winnipeg. The second is the home finale, Aug. 27-Sept. 3, against St. Paul and Laredo. Although the T-Bones don’t travel to every city in the league, all 12 American Association teams will visit CommunityAmerica Ballpark, including the newest addition, Joplin, which is one of three teams — including Amarillo and Fargo-Moorhead — that will come to Kansas City twice. The Blasters are scheduled to be at CommunityAmerica Ballpark for three games during Aug. 5-7 and three during Aug. 21-23.

The T-Bones will not be the host of any interleague games with the Can-Am League, but Kansas City will travel to the northeast for 10 games against Can-Am teams from July 22-Aug. 1. The American Association will announce at a later date the T-Bones’ opponents for those games.

The month-by-month breakdown of the 50 home games: May (6), June (9), July (15), August (17) and September (3).

Full season and nightly promotions will be announced this winter.

Full and half-season ticket packages, as well as mini-plans are on sale now. Group ticket packages will be available later this year. Single-game tickets will go on sale to Wyandotte County residents on March 24, 2015, and to the public on March 26. Parking for T-Bones games will remain free in 2015.

For more information or to order season tickets for next season, call 913-328-5640.

The complete 100-game schedule can be seen at www.tbonesbaseball.com/schedule.

Piper graduate named to MIAA honorable mention soccer list

Megan Woolley
Megan Woolley

Megan Woolley, a 2014 graduate of Piper High School, has been named to the Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association honorable mention list for women’s soccer.

Woolley is a freshman at the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg. Woolley is the daughter of Donald and Theresa Woolley, and is majoring in chemistry.

She is a midfielder on the soccer team, starting in 18 games, scoring a goal and adding three assists.

UCM, the No. 1 seed, will be the host of eighth-seeded Northeastern State at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 in the opening of the MIAA Tournament.

As a Piper student, Woolley was captain of the soccer team for three years and earned all-Kaw Valley League honors each year. She was named to the All-Northeast Region and was named an all-state player.

Woolley also played several sports. In track and field, she set school records in the 800 meters and 1600 meters. She received a letter in basketball four years, and was named all-KVL. She lettered in volleyball two years, was on the regional championship team, and was voted into the Missouri-Kansas all-star game.

Newcomers lead way in Lady Blue Devils opening 96-38 win

by Alan Hoskins

With seven returnees from last year’s 24-win team, veterans were expected to carry most of Kansas City Kansas Community College’s offensive load in 2014-2015.

Instead, it was bevy of newcomers who led the way in an opening 96-38 win over outmanned Missouri Valley’s junior varsity in the Lady Blue Devils’ season opener Tuesday night.

Five Blue Devils scored in double figures, four of them newcomers. Freshman Sierra Roberts, a 5-8 guard from Shawnee Mission South, led the scoring with 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting while 5-11 forward Cheyenne North of Gallatin, Tenn., had a double double in her college debut, a game high 12 rebounds and 10 points.

Sophomore transfers Cierra Gaines and Erin Anderson who were high school teammates at Edwardsville High outside St. Louis, added 16 and 11 points, while veterans Cassidy Harbert of Wichita Northwest added 10 points and five assists and Janai Mitchell of Salina South 8 points. Harbert and Anderson also had eight rebounds each and Gaines six as KCKCC controlled the boards 52-32.

Eleven players scored for the Blue Devils, who knocked down 11 threes including three each by Roberts and Gaines and two by freshman Janay Jacobs of Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel.

Defensively, the lightning quick Blue Devils forced 35 turnovers with Harbert and Roberts leading with six and five steals. KCKCC raced to a 26-2 lead before the Vikings scored only their second field goal with 6:15 left in the half.

KCKCC returns to action at North Central Missouri Saturday at 2 p.m. before playing host to Ellsworth and Penn Valley in the annual Keith Lindsey Classic Nov. 14-15.

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.