Sun Country declares spring high school league champions

BY: Charles Redfield, Associate Sports Editor
credfield@sunpublications.com

The spring high school sports season is almost over.

The league champions have been crowned and all that is left on the plate are regional and state competition.

The boys tennis and girls swimming titles were decided earlier in the spring.

Here is a look at the league champions:

Baseball

East Kansas League

First-year coach Matt Ortman led the Tigers to the league title with an 8-2 record. The Tigers won the title when second-place BV North split a doubleheader with St. Thomas Aquinas May 8.

“I think our league is one of the toughest in the state, so winning it is a great accomplishment for our team,” Ortman said. “The boys have worked very hard this year and hopefully we can ride this into a strong post-season.”

Sunflower League

Lawrence Free State captured the title with an undefeated league record.

Boys golf

East Kansas League

Blue Valley West became the first school to score below 900 for the three-tournament league championship series. The Jaguars had a score of 897 to win over second-place St. Thomas Aquinas by 44 strokes.

Junior Curtis Yonke claimed medalist honors with a three-round score of 221. Senior Korbin Kuehn finished third, junior Mitch Carlson sixth and senior Alex Hoffman seventh to round out the four scoring golfers for the Jaguars.

Sunflower League

Shawnee Mission East captured the two-tournament league championship series with a score of 612, topping second-place Olathe East by 18 strokes.

Leading the Lancers were senior Tommy Kennedy, who took third with 150; and senior Scott Willman, who garnered fourth at 151.

Girls soccer

East Kansas League

St. Thomas Aquinas scored with 11 seconds left in its match with Blue Valley West May 8 to give the Saints a 2-1 win and the EKL title in a matchup of schools undefeated in league play.

For the Saints, the win secured their fourth consecutive EKL championship and 12th overall.

“To have been fortunate enough to win in such dramatic fashion over such great competition really made this 12th title a special one,” Coach Craig Ewing said.

Sunflower League

Olathe East rolled through the league schedule with a perfect 11-0 record.

Softball

East Kansas League

Blue Valley West swept a doubleheader from Aquinas on May 6 to give the Jaguars their second EKL title and third in the last four years.

The Jaguars ended the league season with a 9-1 record.

“This has been a great season for a bunch of young kids,” Coach John Orlowski said, “They have worked hard, blended their talents together and have played solid defense for most of the season. The winning has built confidence in these young kids.”

Sunflower League

There were three winners with Olathe East, Olathe North and Olathe Northwest tying for the coveted league title. Each managed a 10-1 record.

Track

Boys

East Kansas League

Blue Valley West won nine of 18 events at the league meet to score 216 points and outscore second-place St. Thomas Aquinas by 95.5 points.

Senior Richard McCoy won the 100 and 200 meters and the long jump.

Sunflower League

Shawnee Mission South captured the title with 137 points. SM East came in second at 118. Raiders senior Scott Gillespie won the 800 and 1,600 meters.

Girls

East Kansas League

St. Thomas Aquinas won its third consecutive title scoring, 158 points. BV West managed second with 129.

BV Northwest senior Laura Roxberg won the 800 and 3,200 meter runs.

Sunflower League

Leavenworth won the title with 116 points. Olathe East had 111 for second place.

Senior Kristen Gillespie of SM South captured the 400 and 800-meter races.