Louisburg senior Jared Drew gets kicked and punched by Kansas players on Friday during the Barnstorming game at Louisburg High School after Drew entered the game with a Kansas State jersey on. (Photo by Andy Brown)
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Rock Chalk Louisburg
Jayhawk seniors put on show in front of near sellout crowd
By Andy Brown, andybrown@miconews.com
When Jared Drew walked back on the floor on Saturday toward the end of the Louisburg All-Stars’ game with the Kansas Barnstormers, he felt the piercing eyes of five Kansas Jayhawk seniors glaring at him.
Of course, it never helps to wear a Kansas State jersey in front of them and about 2,500 Jayhawk fans.
So Drew, a Louisburg senior, was promptly wrestled to the ground, punched and kicked by the Kansas players and carried off by Kansas’ Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun. He was then handcuffed by Louisburg officer Chuck Bond and led out of the Louisburg High School gymnasium.
But it was all in good fun.
The Kansas Barnstormers made their third appearance in Louisburg, but this time, they are coming off a national title. Jackson and Kaun, along with fellow Jayhawk seniors Russell Robinson, Jeremy Case, Rodrick Stewart and Brad Witherspoon all provided the Louisburg crowd with plenty of memorable moments — even for Drew.
“I am kind of divided when it comes to KU and K-State, because I am really a K-State fan,” Drew said. “I root for KU when they are not playing K-State, so it was really cool to play these guys. We got to play against the national champions so it was a great experience. I knew I wanted to wear the (K-State) jersey at some time, and people were telling me not to do it, but I did it anyway.”
The group of Louisburg All-Stars, which also featured players from Paola, Osawatomie and Spring Hill, lost to the Kansas players 85-55, but left a lot of lasting memories for the high school players.
Whether it was getting dunked on, or having their shot rejected into the third row, the all-stars were all smiles afterward. Case in point, Louisburg senior Brittany Dailey.
Dailey put up one of the first shots of the game only to have it blocked by the 6-foot-11-inch Kaun.
“It was pretty intimidating playing against them,” Dailey said. “When I had my shot blocked I just stood there and thought, ‘Wow.’ It really was everything I expected it to be and it was definitely a lot of fun.”
Fellow senior Brian Bacchus may have had the best experience of all. Sure, he was embarrassed by the Jayhawk seniors just like the rest of his teammates, but he got a reward for making those Jayhawks look good.
Case gave Bacchus his game jersey that he wore on Friday and left the Louisburg senior speechless.
“This was a great experience and I have never had one like it,” Bacchus said, who is also a big Kansas fan. “It was cool because after the game Jeremy Case told me just to keep the jersey for being such a good sport with everything. It was exactly what I thought it would be.”
The Kansas players didn’t just interact with the players, but the fans as well, including several young kids from the crowd. Autographed items were also auctioned off at halftime.
Before the game, the players signed autographs for nearly an hour-and-a-half before taking the floor.
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Of course, it never helps to wear a Kansas State jersey in front of them and about 2,500 Jayhawk fans.
So Drew, a Louisburg senior, was promptly wrestled to the ground, punched and kicked by the Kansas players and carried off by Kansas’ Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun. He was then handcuffed by Louisburg officer Chuck Bond and led out of the Louisburg High School gymnasium.
But it was all in good fun.
The Kansas Barnstormers made their third appearance in Louisburg, but this time, they are coming off a national title. Jackson and Kaun, along with fellow Jayhawk seniors Russell Robinson, Jeremy Case, Rodrick Stewart and Brad Witherspoon all provided the Louisburg crowd with plenty of memorable moments — even for Drew.
“I am kind of divided when it comes to KU and K-State, because I am really a K-State fan,” Drew said. “I root for KU when they are not playing K-State, so it was really cool to play these guys. We got to play against the national champions so it was a great experience. I knew I wanted to wear the (K-State) jersey at some time, and people were telling me not to do it, but I did it anyway.”
The group of Louisburg All-Stars, which also featured players from Paola, Osawatomie and Spring Hill, lost to the Kansas players 85-55, but left a lot of lasting memories for the high school players.
Whether it was getting dunked on, or having their shot rejected into the third row, the all-stars were all smiles afterward. Case in point, Louisburg senior Brittany Dailey.
Dailey put up one of the first shots of the game only to have it blocked by the 6-foot-11-inch Kaun.
“It was pretty intimidating playing against them,” Dailey said. “When I had my shot blocked I just stood there and thought, ‘Wow.’ It really was everything I expected it to be and it was definitely a lot of fun.”
Fellow senior Brian Bacchus may have had the best experience of all. Sure, he was embarrassed by the Jayhawk seniors just like the rest of his teammates, but he got a reward for making those Jayhawks look good.
Case gave Bacchus his game jersey that he wore on Friday and left the Louisburg senior speechless.
“This was a great experience and I have never had one like it,” Bacchus said, who is also a big Kansas fan. “It was cool because after the game Jeremy Case told me just to keep the jersey for being such a good sport with everything. It was exactly what I thought it would be.”
The Kansas players didn’t just interact with the players, but the fans as well, including several young kids from the crowd. Autographed items were also auctioned off at halftime.
Before the game, the players signed autographs for nearly an hour-and-a-half before taking the floor.