Junction City Blue Jay quarterback Ryan Henington has been selected as the 2016 Centennial League Offensive Player of the Year.

The list of all league selections was released on Monday.

That list included Dalton Cowan of Seaman as 1st team quarterback, Henington and Ian Trapp of Manhattan as second team all conference quarterbacks.

Blue Jays receiving first team all league recognition included: Jovon Baldwin at receiver and returner, Bradley Breckenridge as a defensive lineman, and Davante King as a defensive back.

Blue Jays receiving second team recognition in addition to Henington included Cody Magee at center, Zach Terry at offensive tackle, and Kenson Henderson at linebacker.

Receiving honorable mention from Junction City were offensive guard Nate Johnson, defensive lineman Sadonte Person, and defensive backs Javontez Brime and Aryus Jones.

Wyatt Hubert of Shawnee Heights was named the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, and Glenn O’Neil of Seaman 2016 Coach of the Year.

The Junction City Blue Jays wrapped up their 2016 football season with the team awards assembly Sunday night at the senior high.

Head Coach Randall Zimmerman said coming out of their freshman year this group of seniors was challenged to do something special. “They got very, very close. They did many things very special, but they got very close out on the field as well. A couple of plays I believe, just a couple of plays away from being undefeated this year and continuing on down the road and those kind of things. We ran into a very, very tough west side.” Zimmerman referring to the playoffs on the west side of the Class 6A bracket.

A number of individual awards were presented.

–Quarterback Ryan Henington named Offensive Player of the Year

–Kicker Wayne Shirley Special Teams Player of the Year

–Safety Aryus Jones Defensive Player of the Year

–Jordan Bailey, Aryus Jones were Al Simpler Award winners. That honor remembers the former longtime Blue jay coach and recognizes players who unselfishly made a significant contribution to the team.

–The Black Lion Award recipients were Ryan Henington and Zach Terry. That award recognizes players who personify team play.

–The Joseph Sinegal Award, named in memory of the late Blue Jay defensive lineman, was presented to Ryan Henington and Jalen Brooks

–The Malcom Tibbets Award for most inspirational players to Jovon Baldwin and Tim Bell

–Scout Offense Player of the Year recipients were Logan Roether and Corbin Sanner

–Scout Defense Player of the Year was Victor Brooks

Lady Jay Senior Kaileigh Solis, earned a spot on the 2016 Centennial League All-League Honorable Mention team.

Coach of the Year was awarded to Laura Curry of Shawnee Heights, while Senior Jazz Sweet of Shawnee Heights was awarded player of the year.

First Team

• Carly Bachelor, Washburn Rural
• Brooklyn Clink, Manhattan
• Megan Cooney, Shawnee Heights
• Amanda Desch, Hayden
• Kelsey Gordon, Emporia
• Faith Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights
• Jazz Sweet, Shawnee Heights
• Amaya Tillman, Shawnee Heights

Second Team

• Dani Dodge, Washburn Rural
• Val Golder, Shawnee Heights
• Brooklyn Hunter, Hayden
• Lexie Longbine, Emporia
• Mady Myers, Hayden
• Kayla Neigenfind, Seaman
• Mikayla Simons, Emporia
• Kenzie Smith, Manhattan

Honorable Mention (local)

• Kaileigh Solis, Junction City
• Jaylie Thorton, Manhattan
• Gigi McAtee, Manhattan
• Kenzie Pease, Manhattan

The 2016-17 Centennial League All-League Boys Soccer Selections included three Junction City athletes, with the highest selection in 2nd Team All-League Honors.

Cross town rival, Manhattan High had 2 athletes to make 1st Team honors.

1st Team All League

• Conall Root, Manhattan
• Ben Choi, Manhattan

2nd Team All League

• Dylan Thomas, Manhattan
• Modou Faburay, Manhattan
• Jimmy Lechuga, Junction City

Honorable Mention All-League

• Nate Awbry, Manhattan
• Adam Campbell, Junction City
• Elijah Jepsen, Manhattan
• Ford Harter, Junction City
• Ethan Englehorn, Manhattan

Coach of the Year – Craig Rocastle, Seaman HS

It all came down to one final play in Hutchinson Friday night.

The Junction City Blue Jays and Hutchinson Salthawks went to overtime tied at 35-35 in the 6A playoffs. The Salthawks scored to go ahead 42-35 but the Blue Jays countered with a touchdown rush by Baylor Wilkey to cut the margin to one point. Junction City opted to try a two-point conversion after the touchdown to win the game. but Wilkey was stopped on a rush just outside the end zone. Final Score….Salthawks 42 Blue Jays 41.

Blue Jay coach Randall Zimmerman noted his team had major momentum moving the ball on the plays just ahead of the two-point conversion, “we were really getting a good push on them, and they ( Hutchinson ) made a good play.”

The Blue Jays lost their standout receiver and running back Jovon Baldwin in the third quarter with an injury, and he did not return to the ballgame.  Two times in the ballgame Junction City had the ball inside the ten yard line of the Salthawks but did not score….losing it once on a fumble, and there was an incomplete pass attempt on fourth and goal from the Hutchinson nine yard line.

The loss left Junction City with a final record of 8-2. Hutchinson ( 9-1 ) will advance to play at Derby ( 10-0 ) next Friday.

The Junction City Blue Jays ( 8-1 ) play the Hutchinson Salthawks ( 8-1 ) in the Class 6A postseason playoffs regional round Friday night in Hutchinson. The game will be played at Gowans Stadium on the campus of Hutchinson Community College. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. You can hear the contest on 1420 KJCK, The Talk of JC, with the broadcast beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Ticket prices are $6 for adults and $5 for students ( K-12 ). Passes will not be accepted for tonight’s contest.

The address for Hutchinson Community College and Gowans Stadium is 1300 North Plum in Hutchinson.

 

 

Junction City High School sophomore Hope Stephens finished 22nd in the Class 6A Girls State Cross Country race at Rimrock Farms near Lawrence on Saturday. Her time was 20:24.4. JCHS junior Kailey Koomen finished 95th in 22:35.5.

In the Class 6A boys race Jacob Lovell finished 18:17.0.

The Junction City Blue Jays will play the Hutchinson Salthawks in the Class 6A regional round of the postseason playoffs Friday night in Hutchinson. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

Both teams are 8-1 on the season.

In other Class 6A playoff games Friday:

–Derby ( 9-0 ) will host Wichita Northwest ( 6-3 )

–Manhattan ( 9-0 ) will host Washburn Rural ( 6-3 )

–Garden City ( 9-0 ) will host Lawrence-Free State ( 7-2 )

–Olathe South ( 4-5 ) will play at Blue Valley ( 9-0 )

–Blue Valley North ( 6-3 ) will host Shawnee Mission West ( 6-3 )

–Shawnee Mission East ( 8-1 ) will host Gardner-Edgerton ( 4-5 )

–and Shawnee Mission North ( 5-4 ) will go to Lawrence High School ( 6-3 ).

 

The Junction City Blue Jays turned on the offense enroute to a 54-28 victory over the Wichita West Pioneers Friday night at Al Simpler Stadium.

Junction City trailed 15-14 in the second quarter but then scored two touchdowns on a 3-yard run by Tim Bell and and a 12 yard pass play from Ryan Hennington to Jovon Baldwin to go up 27-15 at halftime. In the second half the Pioneers scored on a 40-yard touchdown run by Nijah Metcalf, but on the ensuing kickoff Johnnie Jones of Junction City returned it 99-yards for a touchdown to put the Blue Jays back up 41-38. Junction City would add two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

For Junction City, Jovon Baldwin rushed for 122 yard and a touchdown, and caught five passes for 126 yards and two more touchdowns. Tim Bell rushed 11 times for 94 yards and four touchdowns, and Ryan Hennington completed 14 of 22 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

The Blue Jays ( 8-1 ) advance into the Class 6A postseason playoffs against Hutchinson ( 8-1 ). They will play next Friday night in Hutchinson. Wichita West ended their season with a final record of 3-6.

The winter sports informational meeting has been scheduled for Monday, November 7 at the JCHS Main Campus, at 6:30 p.m.

All students must complete all paperwork prior to the first day of practice or tryouts, and physicals for the current school year must be dated after May 1st.

Winter sports include boys and girls basketball, boys swimming, wrestling and boys and girls bowling.