Kansas players storm LHS gym to face local high school stars

By Catherine Odson, catherineodson@miconews.com

Mitchell Caldwell, 11, of Louisburg dribbles the floor for a layup, wearing an oversized, for him, jersey, after being recruited by the Jayhawks to play during the Kansas Barnstormers game against the Louisburg all-stars. (Gene Morris / gmorris@miconews.com)

Lavonne Chase had just one question for Kansas senior Russell Robinson.

Just how much gum can one man chew?

The answer? Not much, but getting to ask was enough for Chase.

Friday night’s game and its festivities drew Chase and her friends to Louisburg from Centerville.

“I’ve been out to two KU games, but it’s going to be neat to see them play in our hometown area,” she said.

Fans began lining up at 2 p.m. for seats and autographs from the Kansas players.

Laura and Dennis Scott were the first to plant lawn chairs near the doors in the autograph line. Their daughters, Lilly and Jaden, joined them after school.

“I think it’s just exciting that there are national champions coming to Louisburg,” Laura said.

Right behind them was Matt Meier, a Kansas graduate, who made the trip from his home in Columbia, Mo., for his first barnstorming game since 1988, the last time Kansas won the national title.

The early arrivals brought chairs, blankets and entertainment to pass the time until the doors opened.

“This is just like tailgating,” one person said.

Once inside, fans took a winding path to the tables where the six players sat anticipating the posters, newspapers and other memorabilia awaiting their autographs.

Corey Hoehn, 17, and Michael Bryson, 17, both of Paola, stood in line for “a long time” to get magazines autographed by the national champions.

Both were looking forward to seeing their friends take on the Jayhawks later that evening.

“They pretty much showboat the whole time,” Hoehn said, “It’s pretty cool, though.”

The Jayhawks did their best to give a number of youngsters their college basketball debuts during the game in front of a crowd of nearly 2,500.

State champion free-throw shooter Erica Gartner, 9, came to the game with her family from Parsons. She sank one of her two free throws when she took the court in the shirt she had autographed earlier in the night.

Two-year-old Jackson Kush made his mark in the game with a little help from Kansas forward Darnell Jackson.

“It was fun,” the shorter Jackson said with some prompting from his mother, Jennifer, both of Louisburg. “I made two.”