Category: Sports

Sporting KC season finale Sunday at Dallas

Sporting Kansas City will close out the club’s 2022 campaign this Sunday on the road against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

All seven Western Conference clashes will kick off at 4:18 p.m. on the final day of the regular season – preceded by seven Eastern Conference match-ups starting at 1:55 p.m. – and MLSsoccer.com will hold a live watchalong show to capture all of the Decision Day drama on the league’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

Sporting’s showdown with FC Dallas will air live on 38 The Spot with three hours of coverage beginning at 4 p.m. The telecast will mark the end of an era for local television broadcasts in MLS as the league has partnered with Apple to stream matches through the Apple TV app from 2023 through 2032.

Sunday’s match will also stream live on SportingKC.com and in the Sporting KC app for viewers in Kansas and Missouri (excluding the St. Louis area per MLS policy), as well as ESPN+ for out-of-market subscribers, in addition to radio coverage on ESPN KC 94.5 FM and La Grande 1340 AM. Sporting KC Pub Partners across the Midwest will show the match, including an enhanced watch party at Blind Box Barbecue (1601 Village West Parkway) in Kansas City, Kansas.

While Sporting KC has been eliminated from postseason contention, FC Dallas have secured a berth in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs under first-year head coach Nico Estevez. A draw or win on Sunday would clinch a home playoff match and the club’s first top-three finish in the West since winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2016, whereas a loss could see FC Dallas slip to fifth in the standings. Based on Decision Day results, Sporting can finish as high as 17th or as low as 24th in the overall table which will determine the club’s position in a variety of MLS roster mechanisms.

Sporting enters Sunday’s season finale on a strong run of form with wins in each of the team’s past three matches and riding a seven-game unbeaten run (5-0-2) which stands as the longest active streak in MLS. A road result at FC Dallas would see Sporting conclude the campaign with the best finish to a regular season in team history.

Defensively, Sporting KC has four shutouts in the last six matches including a 1-0 victory over Seattle last Sunday. Willy Agada scored the game-winning goal and now has eight goals in his last eight starts, moving the 23-year-old into a tie with club captain Johnny Russell for the team’s Golden Boot.

Fellow forward Daniel Salloi – who assisted Agada’s goal last week and leads the team with 12 goal contributions — sits one behind with seven regular season goals to go along with five assists. Salloi and Russell each have six regular season goals in their careers against FC Dallas, which is tied with Preki for most of any KC player in the all-time series.

In addition to the Golden Boot, Agada is also in contention to break a club record that has stood for more than 20 years since Miklos Molnar scored 12 times in 17 regular season appearances in 2000 to set the bar for the best goals per game ratio in a single season by a KC player. Currently, Agada’s eight goals in 12 regular season matches has him atop the chart with 0.73 goals per game – narrowly ahead of Molnar’s mark of 0.71 goals per game.

One other Sporting KC player could also write his name into the record books on Sunday. Since Major League Soccer expanded the regular season to 34 matches in 2011, only two SKC field players have started in all 34 matches in a single season: Ilie Sanchez and Graham Zusi in 2018. Midfielder Remi Walter is poised to accomplish the feat as the Frenchman ranks second in MLS in distance covered (220.4 miles) and third among field players in recoveries (246).

After going winless in the club’s first seven regular season finales away from home between 1996 and 2006, Sporting Kansas City has won five of the team’s last seven regular season finales on the road dating back to 2007 when KC defeated FC Dallas. Sporting prevailed in each of its two visits to Toyota Stadium in 2021 — against an FC Dallas side that hasn’t lost more than one regular season game to any other opponent at home over the last five seasons — and in the most recent meeting, SKC eliminated FC Dallas from this year’s U.S. Open Cup with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory in extra time in May.

While Sporting is unbeaten in seven straight matches, FC Dallas enters with a six-game home unbeaten run and the best defense in the Western Conference with only 36 goals conceded on the year. Maarten Paes has the second best goals against average among MLS starting goalkeepers and has helped the club to its greatest year-over-year improvement, going from 33 points in 2021 (7-15-12) to 50 points to date in 2022 (13-9-11).

FC Dallas forward Jesus Ferreira has tied the club record with 18 goals this season and is the top scoring American in Major League Soccer. Fellow Designated Player Alan Velasco has contributed six goals and six assists in his debut season — including goals in back-to-back matches before missing the team’s last three games due to injury — and the FC Dallas midfield features U.S. Men’s National Team member Paul Arriola and summer signing Sebastian Lletget.

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Bonner’s Kline, Ashford move on to state tennis tourney

Bonner Springs junior Penelope Kline lined up a backhand return in the championship match of the 5A regional girls’ tennis tournament at Mill Valley High School. Kline lost the match but her second-place finish earned her a berth in the state tournament. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Two Bonner Springs tennis players are headed to the KSHSAA 5A state tournament in Andover next weekend after placing in the regional tournament at Mill Valley High School this Saturday.

Penelope Kline took second place at the regional, nearly knocking off top-seeded Heidi Baillos of Mill Valley. Kline took the first set of the championship 6-3, with the tremendous pace on her forehand and serve forcing Baillos onto the defensive.

Baillos lacked Kline’s sheer pace, but countered with an uncanny ability to drop her shots just inside the endline no matter what was hit her way. Kline won a few points by mixing in drop shots, but Baillos won the second set 6-2.

An extended break before the decisive third set seemed to refresh the Bonner junior, who immediately broke serve and took a 2-0 advantage. However, the accuracy of her ground strokes and serve was on the wane, and Baillos, looking fresh as ever, broke two consecutive Kline serves to take the match (6-4) and regional title.

Autumn Ashford placed fifth in the regional, defeating St. James’ Abby Coker decisively (6-0, 6-1) in their consolation match. Ashford’s only loss was in the second round to tourney champ Baillos.

Bonner Springs also qualified two doubles teams, Newson/Smith and Leslie/Profeta, but both lost their first-round elimination match-ups.

After the match Bonner Springs head coach Matt Dow talked about his team’s showing at the tournament.

“It was a great performance,” said Dow. “I’m so happy with how hard Penelope worked — how hard Autumn Ashford worked. Great tennis, hard work, gutsy tennis — a lot of grit and determination today.”

Sumner Academy qualified two singles players and two doubles teams for the regional. Sofia Mercado was seeded 13th in singles and lost in the first round to St. Thomas Aquinas’s Megan Law. Melissa Ortega was seeded 15th and lost to Kline in the first round.

Sumner’s doubles teams, Fileto/Garcia and Vang/Tial, were both eliminated in the first round.

Piper High School’s Avery Roellchen also qualified for the tournament in singles. Despite an early lead, she narrowly lost 9-8 to Leavenworth’s Riley White in the abbreviated nine-game play-in format.

Bonner Springs junior Penelope Kline and coach Matt Dow posed together after Kline received her medal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Bonner Springs junior Autumn Ashford went 3-1 at the tournament, placing fifth and advancing to the state tournament. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Sumner Academy senior Seydi Garcia played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Bonner Springs junior Pirsten Leslie played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Bonner Springs junior Luci Smith played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Sumner Academy senior Sofia Mercado returned a shot in her first-round match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Piper junior Avery Roellchen played in a first-round singles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Sumner Academy senior Maria Fileto played a forehand return in her first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Bonner Springs junior Sofia Profeta played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

 

Sumner Academy senior Pajah Vang played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Faddis, Super win WyCo Senior Golf championships

Overall champion Chris Faddis, left, and low net champion Mike Super displayed their championship trophies won in the 39th Wyandotte County golf tournament at Sunflower Hills Friday. (Photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins

Nothing like hitting a birdie on the final two holes to win the 39th annual Wyandotte County Senior Open – which is what Chris Faddis did Friday at Sunflower Hills.

The 2020 senior champion, Faddis ran in a 4-foot putt on the par 5 17th hole and a 12-footer on the par finishing hole to close with a one over par 73, one shot in front of Ritch Nigh, a perennial WyCo Open and WyCo Senior contender.

Only two other players broke 80. Ray Loya had a 78, Ed McFadden 79, on a day when play got started in 40-degree weather and never got much warmer.

Low net honors went to Mike Super, whose 86 turned into a net 69, the only player under 70 in the handicap competition.

Faddis’ round was highlighted by four birdies and perfection off the tee.

“I hit every fairway; my partner told me ‘you hit 14 fairways,’ “ said Faddis, 59. In addition to the final two birdies, Faddis was also one under on No. 2 and 11, both par 5s. His 12-footer on 18 was the longest of his four birdie putts.

While the last two putts were the margin of victory, Faddis was equally happy with his start.

“A good start. No. 1 was into the wind and I never par No. 1 and I did and then the birdie on No. 2,” he said.

Retired after a lengthy career as supervisor of public works in Shawnee, Faddis said the 73 was his best in the last couple of years. His all-time best is a 2-under 70.

While Faddis got off to a fast start, Super’s start was anything but. He started his round with a triple bogey 7 on the 12th hole and was nine over par at the turn. However, he was just 3-over-par on the front nine highlighted by birdies on No. 4 and No. 9. He finished 39-47-86.

“A rough start but then my tempo got better. And I warmed up. It was cold,” Super said. Employed at the Liberty Park Mental Lab, Super, 65, was playing in just his second senior tourney. “Best I played in about a year,” he added.

Flight winners were Nigh, McFadden, Greg Loethen, Rick Richardson, Jerry Reid and Phil Stines while Fred Kropf, Craig McKinley, Randall Foster, Moe Kancel, Gary Hudgens and Everett Marmon were net flight leaders. Dave Klein and Phil Stines had the lowest scores compared to age.

39th Annual WyCo Senior Championship

Overall champion – Chris Faddis. Low net champion – Mike Super

Kids flight (ages 55-63) – 1. Ritch Nigh, 74; 2. Ray Loya, 78; 3. Jim Yoakum, 83; 4. Danny Burgess, 84. NET – 1. Fred Kropf, 70’ 2. Jeff Manning, 3. Greg Schmidt, 73; 4. Bob McNellis.

Freshmen (64-67) – 1. Ed McFadden, 79; 2. (tie) Rick Friederich, Scott Ramsey, 83; 4. Jim Padelli, 87. NET – 1. Craig McKinley, 73; 2. Keith Brown, 76; 3. Mike Sharp, 78; 4. Dave VanDerwell, 79.

Sophomores (68-69) – 1. Greg Loethen (won scorecard playoff), 85; 2. Randy Kancel, 85; 3. Marcus Allen, 93; 4. Tony Kovach, 98. NET – 1. Randall Foster, 70; 2. (tie), Dave Pierce, Jolene Christopherson, 76; 4. (tie) Steve Lacky, Dave Dover 79.

Juniors (70-72) – 1. Rick Richardson, 81; 2. Keith Johnson, 85; 3. (tie) Les Darrio, Ray Giesler, 91. NET – 1. Moe Kancel, 70; 2. Phil Morris, 74; 3. Dan Ksiazek, 75; 4. Dennis Murphy, 76.

Seniors (73-75) – 1. Jerry Reid, 81; 2. Roger DeLong, 75; 3. Bob Janesko. 86; 4. Steve Burke, 87. NET – 1. Gary Hudgens, 73; 2. Gary Burgess, 76; 3. Robert Ulmer, 78; 4. Don Clayton, 83.

Senior seniors (76 and over) – 1. Pat Stines, 84; 2. Dave Klein, 86; 3. Jorge Prieto, 88; 4. Tom Butler, 90. NET – 1. Everett Marmon, 70; 2. Bob Stephan, 72; 3. Burt Cavin, 74; 4. Dennis Manis, 77.

Proximity prizes – Closest to pin: Bob McIntosh, No. 4; Steve Bock, No. 8; Dave Pierce, No. 13; Don Dawson. No. 16. Jim Padelli, longest putt No. 9. Ed McFadden, closest second shot, No.10.