The Junction City Blue Jay wrestling team finished sixth out of 19 teams at the Shawnee Mission Northwest Invitational on Saturday.
Blue Jay coach Bob Laster reported that Junction City scored 150 team points. Individual highlights for the Blue Jays included a second place finish by Aryus Jones at 182 pounds, first place for John Clark at 152, third place for Max Bazan at 126 pounds, and Terrance Adelege finished fourth at 170 pounds.
The Blue Jays compete in the Emporia Classic next Saturday.
The Junction City Blue Jays ( 2-1 ) nine three-point shots enroute to a 67-54 win over the Great Bend Panthers ( 1-3 ) in Great Bend Friday night.
Sophomore A.J. Dickerson hit four three’s and led the team with 23 points. Head coach Nate Schmitt said Dickerson did an excellent job. “His teammates were finding him, making some shots, just started playing with more and more confidence as the game went on.”
Another sophomore, Aaron Hamilton turned in a big game with 14 points, and down the stretch Blue Jay post player A.J. Range scored eight points in the fourth quarter, and accumulated a number of important rebounds. Defensively the coach cited DeAndre Eaves for his defense on Great Bend guard Konnor Ireland.
Junction City jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Panthers cut the lead to one on two occasions and kept the game close until the fourth quarter when the Blue Jays gradually pulled away. Post player Kody Crosby scored 15 points to lead Great Bend in scoring.
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The Junction City Lady Jays struggled in the first quarter and fell behind by ten points at the end of the period, 18-1, in their matchup with Great Bend. Junction City had held the lead in the early moments of the contest but never regained it as they fell 57-42.
Carley Brack scored 19 points and Camryn Dunekack 17 for Great Bend. None of the Lady Jays scored in double figures, but Rylee Zimmerman did score nine points.
The Junction City Blue Jays finished 10th out of 20 teams in the Gardner – Edgerton Wrestling Tournament on Saturday.
The Blue Jays scored 95 team points.
For Junction City individual results included three wrestlers who medaled. They were Aryus Jones who finished second at 182 pounds, Max Bazan fourth at 126, and Terrance Adelege fourth at 171.
South Polk Catholic from Iowa won the team title.
Only three Class 6A teams in Kansas finished ahead of Junction City in the tournament. The Manhattan Indians finished third, Olathe North eighth and Dodge City ninth.
The Junction City Blue Jays and Lady Jays turned in good efforts on defense enroute to season opening wins over Dodge City Friday night at Shenk Gym.
In the girls game Junction City jumped out to an 11-point first half lead and then held off a Red Demon rally in the the fourth quarter which brought Dodge City back to within one point at 44-43. Junction City tacked on two more points and Dodge City was unable to get a final shot off in the last eight seconds of the ballgame as the Lady Jays picked up the victory.
For Junction City, who went 3-18 last season, this was a big win. Blue Jay coach Derek Petty said it felt good to get the win. “I feel so good for the girls. They put in the work to get to this point and I’m so proud of them. They did a great job hanging in there through adversity.”
The Lady Jays were led in scoring by Alana Kramer with 12 points and Da’shawn Battiste with 10 points.
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In the boys varsity contest Junction City by six points early in the first quarter but then surged ahead to take the lead. They pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 48-32.
It was the first win for the Blue Jays and the first for head coach Nate Schmitt after taking over the Blue Jay program. “It’s definitely special. It wasn’t pretty but that may be the way they go for awhile until we figure exactly how it is we want to play. Me inside I’m happy for the boys that they got their first win.”
Lonnie Autry and AJ Range both had 12 points for Junction City, while AJ Dickerson scored 11 points. Strong defense and rebounding helped carry the Blue Jays to the win.
The Junction City Blue Jays swept Clay Center and Chapman in a double dual Thursday evening at the Shenk Gym.
The Blue Jays defeated Clay Center 42-29 and Chapman 58-24.
Junction City coach Bob Laster stated Clay Center and Chapman are good teams. “Clay Center is ranked in the top five in 4A so we beat a good team, and so hopefully that means good things down the road.”
Blue Jays who went 2-0 in the double dual included Max Bazan at 126 pounds, Tanner Bogenhagen 132, Logan Roether 138, and Aryus Jones at 182 pounds. Hunter Bogenhagen went 1-0 at 145 pounds.
For years Junction City has opened the season with Chapman and Clay center in a double dual that rotates between the three schools. Laster noted this was the final time the Blue Jays will compete against the other two schools in that arrangement. “Hopefully next year we can try to get something that we can host and have it stay in Junction City.”
The Junction City Blue Jay boys swimming team opened their season this week.
The Blue Jays finished 10th out of 11 teams in the Topeka West Invitational.
Ganion Paige of Junction City finished 19th in the 100 yard freestyle in 1:04.63 and was a member of the Blue Jay 200 yard medley relay team that finished in 15th in 2:20.22. Other members of that relay team included Isaiah Poulson, Ja’Quan Aird, and Samuel Osenga. Logan Post of Junction City finished 20th in the 100 yard freestyle in 1:08.31.
Paige finished 19th in the 50 yard freestyle in 28.04 and teammate Ja’quan Aird was 20th in that event in 28.52.
In the team scoring Seaman finished first out of 12 teams with 447 points. Junction City scored 25 points.
There will be free pizza for 150 Junction City High School students who attend the Friday night basketball games between the JCHS teams and Dodge City at the Shenk Gym.
It’s an idea from Blue Jay boys head basketball coach Nate Schmitt. “I want to create an atmosphere here, similar if you come to a pep rally on the day of the game this place ( Shenk Gym ) is rocking. It’s full. It is just an energy in here that I would like to eventually see at home basketball games.”
Schmitt wants the students to be involved in cheering on the Blue Jays. “All kids like pizza. I love pizza. That would get me to a basketball game. We’re buying pizza for the first 150 students that come to the game on Friday. Jays basketball ( youth basketball ) is helping out with that. ”
This will be the first game for Schmitt as head coach of the Blue Jays.
The Junction City Blue Jay boys basketball team was unveiled to the public during the Blue – White scrimmage Tuesday evening.
Head Coach Nate Schmitt felt the squad accomplished what they needed to. “I think for the most part. After the scrimmage he said, “There were a few other things we wanted to practice, but Dodge City has a couple of people here watching so we were kind of conservative on what we did. I really like our effort.
Schmitt noted point guard Lonnie Autry shot the ball well, the bigs were physical in rebounding, DeAndre Eaves and Elijah Gardner were aggressive, and Aaron Hamilton played well.
There are a couple of injury notes. Senior Xavier Cason has a knee issue and is being held until he recovers. Schmitt estimated Cason could be out a couple more weeks and Kenson Henderson was wearing a cast on a wrist and hand following an injury during the football season.
The Blue Jays open the season by hosting Dodge City this Friday night.
Challenge matches highlighted the Junction City Blue Jay wrestling Blue – White scrimmage at the Shenk Gym Monday night.
Coach Bob Laster listed the winners who now wrestle varsity at the beginning of the season. They included Aryus Jones at 182 pounds, Matt Whitton 106, Steven Sicard 113, Liam Post 120, Max Bazan 126 pounds, Tanner Bogenhagen 132, Logan Roether 138, Albert Caba 145, John Clark 152, Elisa Robinson 160, Terrance Adelege at 170 pounds, Jawonnis Hinton 195, Jeff Walters 220 and Marc Wells at 275 pounds.
The Blue Jays host Chapman and Clay Center in a double dual Thursday evening at the Shenk Gym.
Junction City Blue Jay basketball will hold a Future Jay Day on Saturday, December 10 at the Shenk Gym at JCHS.
This is for boys and girls in grades K -6.
There is no cost to attend.
You can meet the JCHS boys basketball team, work on fundamentals, play games, and get autographs.
