Category: Sports

Playoff berth in sight with win Friday night at Sporting Park

Sporting Kansas City controls their own playoff destiny on Friday night as they play host to Eastern Conference rivals, the Chicago Fire at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.

With a victory over Chicago, Sporting KC will clinch a spot in the 2014 MLS Cup playoffs. Kickoff at Sporting Park is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and a limited number of tickets still remain for Friday’s match. Fans can purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.com or the Sporting Park box offices on gameday.

Sporting Kansas City enters the weekend in third place in the Eastern Conference, just two points behind the New England Revolution and six points behind D.C. United. The Chicago Fire visit Sporting Park in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with only 33 points from 31 matches. Chicago has the fewest wins (five) and second fewest losses (eight) in MLS this year, but was eliminated from playoff contention after last weekend’s 0-0 draw at home to the Montreal Impact.

Sporting KC and the Chicago Fire are both coming off scoreless draws. Sporting KC secured a point on the road against Eastern Conference leaders D.C. United at RFK Stadium last weekend. Meanwhile, the Chicago Fire set an MLS record with their 18th draw of the season last weekend vs. Montreal.

Chicago has lost just once in five trips to Sporting Park since 2011, holding a 25-12-11 advantage in the all-time series but has secured just two wins in 15 road games this season. Sporting KC is undefeated in 11 straight regular season games played during the month of October dating back to 2011 (6-0-5).

Friday marks the third meeting between Sporting KC and the Chicago Fire this season. The Fire defeated Sporting KC 2-1 on May 18 at Toyota Park, while the two teams drew 1-1 on July 6 at Sporting Park. Third-year forward Dom Dwyer has scored both of Sporting KC’s goals against the Fire this season and is second in the League for goals scored in 2014 with 20 behind only New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips (24).

Sporting Kansas City will be without defender Seth Sinovic as he serves his mandatory one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation and midfielder Jorge Claros who’s with Honduras for a pair of international friendlies. Chicago will be without Benji Joya who is with the United States U-23 national team, 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee who suffered a season ending injury in August and defender Gonzalo Segares who will miss Friday’s game due to yellow card accumulation.
– Story from Sporting KC

Piper results

Piper High School – cross country at Louisburg

– Piper varsity girls (1st place)

– medalists: Natalie Moon, Taylor Beashore, Cailin O’Mara, Mallory Holt, Jalen Zwart, Madi Droppelmann, Chris Schneider, Corey Williams, Milly Ayers, Ma’Rai McCallop, and Daniel Rovenstine

Piper High School– volleyball at Maranatha

– Piper varsity won 3-0 (18, 22, and 22)

Piper High School– soccer at Shawnee Heights (canceled due to weather, no make-up date)

– from Doug Key, Piper activities director

No. 7 KCKCC rallies critical for 3-1 volleyball win over Fort Scott

As teammate Lily Cullers (8) looks on, KCKCC outside hitter Blair Russell goes high to deliver a kill over two Fort Scott defenders in the Blue Devils’ come-from-behind 3-1 win Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)
As teammate Lily Cullers (8) looks on, KCKCC outside hitter Blair Russell goes high to deliver a kill over two Fort Scott defenders in the Blue Devils’ come-from-behind 3-1 win Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)

by Alan Hoskins

An old-fashioned ice cream social proved even sweeter for the Lady Blue Devils of Kansas City Kansas Community College after their come-from-behind 3-1 volleyball win over Fort Scott Wednesday night.

The win kept the No. 7 ranked Blue Devils (5-1) tied for second in the Jayhawk Conference with No. 9 ranked Johnson County while Fort Scott (4-2) fell into fourth place. A 3-2 home court winner over KCKCC last Wednesday, No. 5 ranked Cowley leads the league at 7-0 but still must play at JCCC Oct. 29.

The Lady Blue Devils (21-6) still have three remaining conference contests, at Labette next Wednesday and at Coffeyville Oct. 22 before playing host to Independence Oct. 29. On the road for four matches in the Central Nebraska Tournament this weekend, KCKCC is not home again until Monday, Oct. 20, when the Blue Devils try to avenge an earlier loss to Missouri State.

The Blue Devils were led by sophomore co-captains Blair Russell of Marysville and Lily Thornberg of Junction City, who provided the decisive points in the final two matches. Stung by Fort Scott’s come-from-behind 25-23 win in the opener, KCKCC looked to have gained momentum with a 25-15 win. As it turned out, it set up a pair of down-to the-wire thrillers before a vocal crowd of more than 100 who were treated after the match to free ice cream and sundaes by CrossRoads Family Church at 8822 Parallel Parkway.

Trailing 21-18 in the third set, the Blue Devils rallied with six straight points for a 24-21 lead and then escaped when Thornberg with a deft southpaw flick returned a serve to an open area, a maneuver practiced earlier in the day.

KCKCC built leads of 22-18 and 24-21 in the fourth set behind four kills by Russell and one by Kailee Dudley only to have Fort Scott go ahead with a chance to win at 25-24 lead. However, the Blue Devils got it even and then won it 27-25 on a block by Peyton Pender of Junction City and a game-ending kill by Jasdel Gonzalez.

The win came after back-to-back 3-0 losses to Iowa Western and Central Nebraska in the tough Central Nebraska Tournament in Columbus Saturday. KCKCC had opened tournament play Friday with wins over Iowa Central 3-1 and Iowa Lakes 3-0.

KCKCC suffered its first conference loss last Wednesday at Cowley, which escaped with a 3-2 win. After losing the opening set 25-18, the Blue Devils won 25-21, 25-22 only to lose 25-14 and 19-17. The win was the 36th Jayhawk Conference win in a row and 65th straight home court win for Cowley.

A game-winning kill by Jasdel Gonzalez (4) gave KCKCC a 3-1 win over Fort Scott Wednesday and set off a joyful celebration by teammates Peyton Pender (3), Lily Thornberg (11), Andrea Aparicio (5), Blair Russell (7) and coach Mary Bruno (upper right). (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)
A game-winning kill by Jasdel Gonzalez (4) gave KCKCC a 3-1 win over Fort Scott Wednesday and set off a joyful celebration by teammates Peyton Pender (3), Lily Thornberg (11), Andrea Aparicio (5), Blair Russell (7) and coach Mary Bruno (upper right). (KCKCC photo by Rodney Christensen)