The Great American Rivalry Series will feature this Friday’s football game between the Junction City Blue Jays and Manhattan Indians. The Indians enter the contest at the Al Simpler Stadium Friday night with a 5-0 record while the Blue Jays are 2-3.

Entering its 15th season, the Great American Rivalry Series has covered more than 700 games in 44 states.

The winning team earns year-long bragging rights and will take home the Great American Rivalry Series Champions trophy, presented by the Marines. The game’s Most Valuable Player will be recognized after the game as part of the Series and an alumnus from each school will be inducted into the 15th class of the Great American Rivalry Series Hall of Fame. A college scholarship will be awarded to the senior Scholar Athlete on each team with the highest GPA.

Led by a sixth place finish by Juan Tovar, the Junction City Blue Jay boys cross country team finished sixth out of eight teams in the Bob Schmoeckel at Milford State Park on Saturday.

On a chilly day with some light rain the runners covered the course with Manhattan finishing first with the low team score of 41 points. They were followed by Great Bend 49, Maize 76, Clay Center 123, Salina South 125, Junction City 161, Salina Central 163 and Hays 193. Runners from Hutchinson and St. Xavier also competed but there was not a full team from those schools.

Tovar turned in a time of 17:01. Also for Junction City Dain Yale finished second in 18:43, Alex Seelye third in 18:48, Carlos Lozano fourth 19:19.3 and Adrian Robles 20:03.1  The total individual time in the meet for the boys varsity race was 16:22.4 by Daniel Harkin of Manhattan.

In the girls varsity race Manhattan finished first with the low score of 27 points. They were followed by Maize at 61, Clay Center 95, Hays 111, Salina Central 116, Salina South 132, and Hutchinson 159. Junction City and Great Bend did not have full teams entered.

For the Lady Jays Stephany Lechuga turned in a time of 21:02.2 followed by Kaydra Baer 22.18.8 and Cassidy Eschliman 23:04.1.

The meet used to be called the JCHS Invitational, but was changed this year to honor the former longtime Junction City High School cross country and track coach who recently retired from coaching.

The Junction City Blue Jays scored on a one-yard touchdown run by Devin Sharpsteen on their opening series of the game and then moved on to a 55-0 victory over the Highland Park Scots in Topeka Friday night.

Junction City got a 41-yard rushing touchdown from Rooster Adams, a 6-yard rushing touchdown by Russell Wilkey, and an Andrew Khoury to Rooster Adams touchdown pass all in the first quarter. The Blue Jays led 48-0 at halftime, and there was a running clock throughout the second half.

Blue Jay coach Randall Zimmerman noted his team did some good things, and everyone got to play a lot of snaps in the contest. Highland Park fell to 0-5 while the Blue Jays improved to 3-2.

Junction City will host Manhattan next Friday night.

The Junction City Lady Jay volleyball team went 1-2 in a quadrangular at Wichita Heights on Thursday.

Junction City defeated Wichita Heights 25-20, 25-23 but lost to Garden City 25-15, 25-10. The Lady Jays also fell to Maize South 25-15, 25-13.

 

Rolling Meadows Golf Course was the site of the Centennial League Girls Golf Tournament Monday.

Manhattan won the team championship with the score of 349 while Washburn Rural finished second but also with a score of 349. Hayden finished at 360, Seaman 411 and Emporia 445.

Junction City did not field a full team but Nicole Strande shot a round of 128 and Jordan Seelye a 136. Caroline Setter of Hayden captured the individual title by winning a playoff with Andi Siebert of Manhattan. Both golfers shot a round of 79.

Coach Basil Neville said the Junction City Lady Jay volleyball team went 2-3 in a volleyball tournament Saturday in Tonganoxie. Junction City defeated Kansas City Schlagle and Eudora but lost to Tonganoxie, Gardner Edgerton and in the fifth place consolation match to Ottawa 25-12, 25-23.

Junction City is 10-10 on the season.

Oh what could have been.

Junction City ( 2-2 ) moved the ball well in the first half against an extremely talented Topeka High Trojan and had a chance to go in ahead at the halftime break, but mistakes in the form of penalties and fumbles proved costly. The Trojans ( 3-1 ) grabbed a 21-14 first half lead before Junction City tied it 21-21 all in the third quarter. From that point on the Trojans took control of the game to win 56-28.

Junction City had two fumbles including on a punt return, and a costly penalty that resulted in a touchdown pass play being called back.  Blue Jay coach Randall Zimmerman referred to a punt return where Junction City had the ball near the 50-yard line with a 7-0 lead but fumbled and lost the football. “That was a tough one. That was a great effort on our returner and they just got it out. We had a lot of momentum right there, moving the ball offensively, getting stops defensively. ”

Zimmerman referred to another key stretch where it was 14-14 and the Blue Jays had driven near the Trojans 20-yard line before fumbling. “They hadn’t stopped us in the first half and we fumble the football.
A short time later the Trojans had two big plays and went up 21-14 at the intermission.

It was Tribute to the Troops night at Al Simpler Stadium. The 97th Military Police were represented and supported the Blue Jays during the game.

 

 

Junction City Lady Jays volleyball has partnered with the Side Out Foundation to raise and donate $500 for breast cancer research.

The Lady Jays will host their Dig Pink Triangular vs. Topeka High and Seaman on October 2nd at the Shenk Gym beginning at 5 p.m.

To access their campaign go to https://giving.side-out.org/campaigns/14525#/

 

The Junction City Lady Jays went 5-1 on the day and finished second in the William Chrisman tournament in Independence, Missouri on Saturday.

According to head coach Basil Nevill the Lady Jays went 3-0 in pool play, defeating Harrisonville, Belton and Raytown South. In bracket play Junction City defeated Van Horn and Belton before losing to St. Joseph Central in the championship match.

Junction City is now 8-7 on the season.

The Junction City Blue Jays scored three first quarter touchdowns and were never seriously threatened enroute to a 60-21 football victory over the Topeka West Chargers  0-3 )  in high school football Thursday night in the capitol city.

Rooster Adams got Junction City on the board first with a 9-yard touchdown run with 8:23 remaining in the first quarter. The Blue Jays led Topeka West 27-6 at halftime and then scored the first two times they touched the ball in the third quarter. Javontez Brime returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown and Chris Garland scored on a one yard run for Junction City.

The Blue Jays (  2-1) led 60-14 after three quarters and a running clock was used in the fourth quarter of the contest at Hummer Sports Park.

Blue Jay coach Randall Zimmerman said it was a big improvement for his team over their loss to Washburn Rural one week ago. “We still had our share of mistakes, but our kids came out and played hard and responded real well.

Junction City will host Topeka High next Friday night