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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Kansas State High School Activities Association is currently in the midst of its 50 for 50 project, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which opened the door for female athletes across the United States. As part of that project TopSports.news contributor Rick Peterson wrote the following story on the late Janell (Smith) Carson, a United States Olympian and trailblazer for female athletes.
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The late Janell (Smith) Carson of Fredonia, who passed away in 2020 after a battle with cancer, was one of the greatest girls track and field athletes in Kansas history despite never getting the opportunity to run a single high school race.
But Carson, who passed away at the age of 73, was one of many outstanding female athletes in the pre-Title IX era who accentuated the need for the legislation that has changed the lives of countless athletes over the last 50 years.
The late Janell (Smith) Carson in her familiar place atop the podium during her outstanding track and field career.
Carson still owns the all-time state record of 52.3 seconds in the 400-meter dash and also recorded a best of nearly 20 feet in the long jump, but was an athlete ahead of her time, with the first Kansas State High School Activities Association state girls meet not held until 1972, seven years after Carson graduated from Fredonia High School.
"Probably what was most unique about my track career was that it took place before Title IX was passed into law,'' Carson said in her Kansas Sports Hall of Fame induction speech in 2009. "The thing I really missed the most about my competition was not having other girls to train with and having a team to run on. I was always announced as, 'Janell Smith, running unattached.' ''
But despite missing out on high school and college athletics, Carson was one of the best known track athletes in the world in the 1960s.
Carson qualified for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games as a 17-year-old, set several Junior Olympic national records; was a two-time AAU national champion in the 400, competed in the 1963 Pan American
Games in Brazil and was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1965.
"All we started out to do was have a good time," the late Meade Smith, Janell's father and coach, said in the Sports Illustrated story. "I was coaching our boy Sonny at the time, and Janell came out every day to watch. She was 10. It is easy to coach a girl at 10 because she will do anything you tell her. Later there was another girl who worked with us, but she worried about how she looked running. Janell has never let that worry her."
Carson said in her 2009 speech that being a female athlete in the '60s certainly had its challenges.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Senior Washburn University second baseman Tyler-Clark Chiapparelli has seen the world differenly than most collegiate athletes throughout the years.
Clark-Chiapparelli began his collegiate career at Texas State University. He signed on with the Bobcats as a two-way player.
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli
At the end of his time in Texas State, they wanted the 6-foot-2 athlete to become just a pitcher but Clark-Chiapparelli wasn’t ready to give up the bat.
After one year at Texas State, Clark-Chiapparelli transferred to San Jacinto Community College in Pasadena, Texas. San Jacinto is known for bringing in a high amount of baseball players and Clark-Chiapparelli realized that if he wanted to get important playing time, he’d have to hit the road again.
With just one semester at San Jacinto, Clark-Chiapparelli transferred to McCook Community College in McCook, Nebraska. Clark-Chiapparelli was recruited by notable pitching guru, Pat Robles, whose current position is with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The weekend he was recruited at McCook, Clark-Chiapparelli and his father drove 18 hours to the college from Houston, Texas to see the opportunities he could potentially have. Clark-Chiapparelli loved everything about the college.
Clark-Chiapparelli looks at McCook as the savior of his baseball career with that move a stepping stone to his time at Washburn.
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli has been a key cog in Washburn baseball's hot start to the 2022 season. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]
“I had 32 offers out of McCook,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “Washburn was one of my top choices at the time. I visited Washburn and love it. I loved coach (Connor) Crimmins, Lane (Harvey), and (Harley) Douglas. I originally committed to Middle Tennessee State University out of McCook. Middle Tennessee had some coaching changes and I felt that coach (Harley) Douglas connected on many levels, so I texted him to let him know that Middle Tennessee wasn’t meant for me and I’d like to come to Washburn.
“Coach Douglas said he would take me in a heartbeat, so from there that started my journey as a baseball player at Washburn.”
In a condensed COVID-19 ridden 2020 season, Clark-Chiapparelli had a .282 batting average, drove in 14 runs and had 20 hits in a minimal 71 at-bats before the season was taken away from the Washburn baseball team.
Clark-Chiapparelli would come back stronger in 2021, slashing a .292 batting average, collecting 30 hits, seven doubles, 16 runs batted in and only striking out 17 times in 102 plate appearances.
In 2022, Clark-Chiapparelli is on pace to shatter his personal-best numbers at Washburn by a hefty amount.
Clark-Chiapparelli has been a consistent leadoff man for Washburn (15-4, 7-0) this season for a reason.
“I do believe that I have progressed quite a bit from last year to this year,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “There have been a lot of small things I’ve needed to fix in my swing and I feel more comfortable with the corrections along the way. Seeing my swing on video in slow-motion has been a big help for me. The coaches that know my swing really well are the people that have helped me fine-tune my swing.
“There is never truly a break for baseball players, so having a correct mindset and approach has been a key to my personal growth and the team’s growth.”
Clark-Chiapparelli’s slick glove in the infield followed by his red-hot bat in the batter’s box is a catalyst for Washburn’s 2022 success.
The Ichabods currently sit on top of the MIAA due to a bond that the clubhouse has.
“From last year to this year, Crimmins and Douglas did a great job recruiting great pitchers for the team,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “We brought back so many bats. Everyone, one through nine, approaches the game like a veteran should. So many of us have embraced a leadership role this year. The culture has changed and we expect everyone to be ‘Bod-in.
“The ultimate goal for me personally is to leave this university in better shape than it was when I got here.”
At this point last year, Washburn had a 7-12 record. They endured a few losing streaks in the 2021 season and they’re well aware of that. Washburn wants to have a better year than their 20-22 season.
“Our goal this year is to win the conference championship,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “Our coaching staff has helped us put us in winning situations. The guys who don’t get a ton of playing time are guys who can start on any team in our conference. When you have 15 guys that can swing the bat, a bullpen full of good arms and a coaching staff that believes in you, the ceiling will always be high.
“We have a solid chance of winning a championship this year.”
Clark-Chiapparelli has no regrets for any stops or bumps on his long journey. The senior believes that this journey has been exactly the way it should’ve gone.
“Washburn has been the best decision and life-changing opportunity that I could have ever asked for,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “No matter where you go to school, whatever division, there is talent everywhere and I am so grateful for everyone here who has helped me become a better ballplayer and person.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Bo Aldridge
BO ALDRIDGE, Highland Park
The Highland Park junior basketball standout scored 54 points in two games last week as the Scots advanced to the Class 5A boys state tournament for the second time in three seasons. Aldridge scored 27 points in a 78-65 sub-state semifinal victory over St. Thomas Aquinas last Tuesday and followed that up with another 27-point performance in Friday's 89-52 romp past Piper in the sub-state championship game.
Malachi Berg
MALACHI BERG, Topeka West
A junior, Berg turned in a pair of big performances as Topeka West advanced to the Class 5A boys state basketball tournament for the second straight season. Berg scored 16 points in last Tuesday's 78-46 sub-state semifinal win over Goddard Eisenhower and then followed that up with a career-high 23-point game in Friday's 73-59 victory over Andover in the sub-state final as the Chargers improved to 21-1 with their 20th straight victory.
Ethan Burns
ETHAN BURNS, Seaman
A junior bowler, Burns rolled a three-game series of 668 in last Friday's Class 5A-1A state bowling tournament at Wichita's Northrock Lanes, tying for ninth place and finishing 10th on a tiebreaker as Seaman captured the state 5A-1A team championship by a 3,483-3,472 margin over Goddard Eisenhower. Burns, who finished 13th at state as a sophomore, bowled a high game of 257 in his first game at state.
Kaitlyn Doyal
KAITLYN DOYAL, Washburn Rural
Doyal capped her high school career with a fourth-place finish in last Thursday's Class 6A state bowling tournament at Wichita's Northrock Lanes, helping lead the Junior Blues to a third-placer team finish. Doyal bowled a 616 series with a high game of 235 to crack the top five after finishing seventh individually as a junior. Doyal helped Washburn Rural finish third in the 6A state meet for the second straight season.
Makenzie Millard
MAKENZIE MILLARD, Seaman
Millard, a senior bowler, earned her third Class 5A-1A girls state medal last Friday at Wichita's Northrock Lanes, posting a career-best second-place finish while leading Seaman to the state team championship. Millard bowled a 697 three-game series, including a first-game 279, after finishing fifth at the state meet as a sophomore and fourth as a junior. Millard led the Vikings to the team championship by a 3,173-3,144 margin over Bishop Carroll.
Kiki Smith
KIKI SMITH, Topeka High
A junior guard, Smith scored 33 points with three 3-pointers as Topeka High's girls advanced to the Class 6A state basketball tournament for the fourth straight season with a 67-46 victory over Liberal last Friday at Topeka High. Smith will be playing in her third straight state tournament, helping the Trojans post a runner-up state finish last season and helping lead High to a perfect 23-0 record as a sophomore before the tourney was cut short due to COVID-19.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
In mid-February the goal for Hayden's boys basketball team was a modest one -- to just get into the Class 4A postseason playoffs.
But after five straight wins and six over its last seven games, Hayden, one of Kansas' storied 4A programs, is headed to Saliina for the state tournament.
"We were talking about just getting in (to the top 16 in the 4A East) and then it all ended up falling how we needed it to fall and we won some games and got on a roll,'' first-year Hayden coach Dwayne Paul said. "It's like I told my guys the other day, I wanted them to win in December and January, but at the end of the day late February going into March is when you want to play your best ball and we have some tweaking to do, but we're getting there. We're playing our best.''
Dwayne Paul's Hayden boys basketball team caught fire late in the year to earn a berth in this week's Class 4A state tournament at Salina. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Joe Otting scored 18 points to pace four double-figure scorers in Hayden's win over Wamego in Saturday's sub-state final. [File photo/TSN]
The No. 12-seeded Wildcats punched their ticket to state with a 52-37 road win at No. 4 seed Wamego on Saturday and will put their 9-13 record on the line at 6 p.m. Thursday against top seed Eudora (18-3) at the Tony's Pizza Events Center.
The Wildcats' only loss over their current hot streak was a 51-48 overtime loss at Topeka West, which is headed to its second straight 5A state tournament, and six of the Wildcats' losses came against teams in the 5A field. Hayden has a pair of wins over Manhattan, which advanced to the 6A tournament.
Junior Joe Otting led four Hayden players in double figures against Wamego with 18 points while junior Jake Muller and senior Peyton Bartlett added 12 points apiece and senior Trent Duffey had 10 points. Bartlett scored his 12 points on four first-half 3-pointers.
Hayden is an obvious underdog entering the state tournament, but that doesn't bother Paul, who is counting on the Wildcats' battles in the Centennial League to prepare them for state.
"Like I tell everybody, there's a reason why we have five teams from the Centennial going to compete at state,'' Paul said. "We're playing the best teams night in and night out and that doesn't mean we're going to win (Thursday's) game but we play hard and we don't fear anyone that we're going to go play.''
The Hayden-Eudora winner will advance to an 8 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 4 Abilene and defending champion Bishop Miege, both 16-6.
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Buhler (18-4) will face McPherson (13-9) and No. 3 Andale (16-6) will take on Paola (15-7).
The state championship game will be played at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Here's a look at the other six Shawnee County teams in state tournaments:
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By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For a second straight season Washburn men’s basketball’s faced off with Northwest Missouri State in Sunday MIAA conference tournament finals.
This time there was no 73-foot game-winning shot as the Ichabods came out on the other end, dropping an 84-76 decision.
A win would have guaranteed the 21-10 Ichabods a spot in the NCAA Tournament but the Ichabods still ended the day with a big reason to celebrate, claiming the final at-large bid to enter the tournament as the No. 7 seed in the Central Region.
Washburn's Tyler Geiman (left) and Jonny Clausing will get a chance to play at least one more game this season after earning an at-large bid for the NCAA Division II Tournament. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Jalen Lewis led Washburn with 17 points in the Ichabods' 84-76 loss to Northwest Missouri in Sunday's MIAA Tournament Final. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Before the selections were made Washburn coach Brett Ballard made his pitch for Washburn to continue playing.
“Our strength of schedule out of 42 teams in our region going into this tournament I think was fourth or fifth best, so I am pleading our case that we should be in,” Ballard said. “The way these guys have played the last two months I would say we are certainly one of the best teams in the country right now.”
Even before the decision was made Ballard expressed his disagreement with the way Division II selections are made but understands the reasons for it.
“The Division II system isn’t a fair system, it’s the system we have cause of finances and everything, and I understand that, but we are clearly one of the best eight teams in this region,” Ballard said.
“I get it, we will accept whatever happens, we are not an excuse-making program. Whoever gets in deserves to get in. But, these last two months, the teams we have beaten, the way we have been playing, you can't look at this team and tell me we are not one of the top eight in our division.”
All Ballard was hoping for was an opportunity to continue coaching the team and group of departing players, headlined by senior Tyler Geiman and junior Jalen Lewis.
“To not have a bad day over the course of four years with either one of these guys, it says a lot about the type of people they are,” Ballard said. “These guys embody everything that you want in a student-athlete, their character, their heart, their toughness.”
“I am really fortunate to be able to play here, play in this program for the past four years,” Lewis said.
Both were also named to the MIAA All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the game.
“Definitely feel blessed to be in this situation, a lot of good teams in this league, but I think that is kind of a team award … the team has a lot to do with that,” Geiman said.
Even after the championship loss, Washburn will move on and face No. 2 Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Tournament beginning Mar. 12 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
