The Kansas State Board of Education voted in favor of the KSHSAA classification proposal on Wednesday with a 6-4 vote. The favorable vote moves the proposal to the Kansas State Legislature for consideration.
A process that began in 2019 with an independent survey given to member schools showed that a multiplying factor for private schools was the most desirable factor regarding a change in classification, according to a news release from the KSHSAA. With that direction, a classification work group was constructed of representatives from both public and private schools tasked to develop a proposal centered on the directive.
Throughout the 2021-2022 school year the proposal was discussed and deliberated among member schools at various meetings, including regional administrative meetings, governing board meetings and special meetings with other stakeholders.
During the April KSHSAA Board of Directors meeting in 2022, the members voted in favor. 43-21 to move the proposal on to a whole member school vote eventually passing the proposal to the Kansas State Board of Education for their consideration.
With the proposal passing the Kansas Board of Education, the KSHSAA will work with state lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session to amend Kansas Statute, K.S.A. 2014 SUPP. 72-711, according to the proposal.
Nick Belzer of the Kansas City Monarchs delivered a pitch in the Monarchs’ 8-5 loss to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Wednesday night, Sept. 14, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by John Ellis, Kansas City Monarchs)Ryan Grotjohn of the Kansas City Monarchs hit a single to left in the Monarchs’ 8-5 loss to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Wednesday night, Sept. 14, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by John Ellis, Kansas City Monarchs)
by Adam Cook, Monarchs
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (3-2) won a back-and-forth battle with the Kansas City Monarchs (3-1) on Wednesday night in Kansas City, Kansas.
The roller coaster of a ballgame featured four lead changes, but Fargo came out on top 8-5 in the tug-of-war match after going ahead in the eighth and never looking back.
Monarchs starting pitcher Nick Belzer led the game off with a two-strike hit-by-pitch to leadoff batter Peter Maris. Belzer retired the next three batters, but Maris scored in the process, having the Monarchs bats enter the bottom half of the inning down 1-0.
However, the Monarchs offense saw their first baserunner in the second inning after Jan Hernandez drew a one-out walk.
Casey Gillaspie followed Hernandez up with a single up the middle that just got past the sliding glove of shortstop Sam Dexter, putting runners at first and third. J.C. Escarra, the hero of game one in Fargo, delivered again with a fielder’s choice that scored Hernandez, evening the score at one. Pete Kozma then made it three straight productive at-bats when he hit a ground ball, scoring Escarra and giving the Monarchs a 2-1 lead.
In the third, the RedHawks threatened with runners on second and third with only one away, but Belzer didn’t allow it to get any worse for Kansas City as he struck out Drew Ward and then got Leobaldo Piña to ground out, stranding both.
The Monarchs also threatened in their half-inning when they got runners at the corners with one away. After a Jacob Robson strikeout, Hernandez came to the plate and smacked a line drive off the left field home run patio, extending the Kansas City lead to two.
An intentional walk to Gillaspie loaded the bases, but Escarra flew out to end the inning with the score 3-1.
The RedHawks again threatened in the fourth, this time loading the bases with one away, but a ground ball right to Santa at the second base bag was cause for an inning-ending double play, again stranding the RedHawks scoreless. The Monarchs also loaded the bases in the bottom half, but a long line drive to deep center field off the bat of Ryan Grotjohn was caught by center fielder Evan Alexander just before the warning track, retiring the inning without a score from either side despite both bases-loaded jams.
After a quiet fifth inning, Manuel Boscan woke Legends Field up in the top of the sixth with a two-run blast to left field, tying the game at threes.
The RedHawks then caught a break in the seventh when Brandon Koch came on and allow two walks, putting runners at first and second with two outs. Then, a ground ball to Monarchs first baseman Gillapsie was mishandled, loading the bases for John Silviano, who delivered with a two-RBI single, making the score 5-3 Fargo-Moorhead.
The bottom of the seventh also proved fruitful for the home nine, however. Grotjohn stepped to the plate with one out and put a charge into one, sending an absolute blast to the top of the right field home run hill, cutting the deficit to one. Then, Robson walked and stole second base, putting himself in scoring position when Gillaspie stepped in with two outs. Gillaspie made up for his earlier mistake and came through with an RBI double to the left field corner, tying the game once again, this time at five apiece.
Monarchs relief pitcher Jeremy Rhoades began the eighth inning on the bump, and promptly walked Alec Olund. Olund was moved to second by way of a sacrifice bunt, and then scored with an RBI single up the middle by Sam Dexter, once again giving the RedHawks a lead, 6-5.
After a relatively quiet eighth, Alex Valdez came on for the Monarchs to attempt to shut down the top of the ninth. His inning uncharacteristically got off to a shaky start, allowing a walk and then a single.
Silviano then made it three straight baserunners when he sliced an RBI single to left field, adding one to the lead but also getting himself thrown out at second as he tried for the double. Olund then drove the nail deeper with another RBI single, bringing the score to 8-5 RedHawks.
In the bottom half, the Monarchs showed little signs of life, going down in four batters and sending the West Division Championship Series to a decisive game three.
The Monarchs are back in action for the winner-takes-all rubber match at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6 p.m. and the video stream airing on aa baseball.tv.
Tickets to Monarchs games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com.
The Kansas City Current (9-4-5, 32 points, 1st place) is set to play its second game in just four days when the club travels to play the Chicago Red Stars (7-5-6, 27 points, 6th place) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14.
The match will be broadcast locally on KMCI, 38 the Spot and nationally on Paramount+.
The Current ascended to the top of the table after defeating NJ-NY Gotham 1-0 Sunday. After playing an even match through the first half, Kansas City started to put on the pressure in the second half. Late in the match, forward Claire Lavogez drove towards the goal, then was taken down inside the penalty box.
With NWSL leading penalty scorer Lo’eau LaBonta already subbed out of the match, defender Hailie Mace stepped to the spot in the 78th minute and slotted her shot into the left of the goal for the score, and the win.
The Red Stars were last in action on Sept. 9 at the OL Reign. In a back-and-forth affair, Chicago was able to salvage a point and remain in playoff position with a 2-2 draw.
After falling behind 1-0 in the 28th minute, and nearly allowing a second goal ten minutes later, forward Ella Stevens recovered a shot off the post and tied the score for the visitors. Chicago took the lead on a Danielle Colaprico penalty kick in the 67th minute, but it was unable to secure the win after Reign forward Rose Lavelle gathered the ball at midfield and sprinted towards goal and found the equalizer.
Top of the table
For the first time in club history, the Current sit in first place in the NWSL standings, an accomplishment that may seem hard to believe after the team’s opening season in 2021. With a turnaround of only a few months between the team being awarded to Kansas City and the first match, the club struggled through its debut season and finished in 10th place out of 10 teams.
The team’s turnaround this season has been nearly unprecedented. In 24 games last season, Kansas City earned 16 points and scored 14 goals. In 18 games this season, the club has already earned 32 points and the top three goal-scorers (LaBonta, Kristen Hamilton and Cece Kizer) have combined to score 18 goals and the team has scored 25 goals altogether.
Franch notes 40th shutout win
Sunday’s 1-0 victory was goalkeeper A.D. Franch’s 40th career shutout win. Picking up her first clean sheet with the Western New York Flash on June 8, 2013, Franch is only the second goalkeeper ever to reach 40.
The career shutout milestone is just another in a long history of success for the veteran goalkeeper. Franch already owns the record for most clean sheets in a regular season with 11 in 2017. She owns a career 1.04 goals against average and has over 10,000 minutes played in 117 regular season games.
Season ticket effort launched for stadium
The Kansas City Current officially launched season ticket deposits for the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional soccer team Tuesday morning. Fans can place a deposit and learn more at KCCurrentStadium.com. Fans can reserve a seat at the stadium in 2024 is with a new stadium membership. A new stadium membership provides access to preseason, regular season and NWSL Challenge Cup matches played by KC Current at the new stadium (beginning in the 2024 NWSL season), as well as exclusive year-round member-only events and benefits that will be announced later. Deposits are open for seats in the supporter’s section, general reserve, club seating and premium suites, and are fully refundable.
Seat selection will be subject to availability.
Players to watch
Kansas City Current forward Hailie Mace — Mace’s hard work and consistent effort has brought her several accolades in the 2022 season, including her first appearance in USWNT camp since 2019. She scored her third goal of the season in the match against NJ-NY Gotham FC on Sunday off a penalty kick, after logging four total shots and two shots on goal.
Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Pugh – Pugh, a regular on the USWNT, has eight goals and five assists in through 11 appearances in league play for the Chicago Red Stars. Internationally, she has six goals and seven assists in her 12 USWNT appearances in 2022.
