The Junction City Blue Jays opened practice for the 2016 football season on Monday at Al Simpler Stadium.

Head coach Randall Zimmerman estimated there were 120 to 130 out for the first practice, which is down from more than 160 a year ago. Some players still need to complete paperwork before reporting for practice.

There’s a strong nucleus of about 40 seniors on this squad, but Zimmerman noted there are a lot of returning players who did not come out. “Concerns me a little bit for them. We’re going to have a season. The kids that we have are going to do great things, going to work very hard, going to care about each other. But we are missing a lot of our returners from a year ago. We’re just going to move on.”

The low numbers are showing up in the sophomore class where less than 15 were out for practice on Monday. Also there have been a number of military related transfers out of the school district.

The Blue Jay varsity plays their first game at Emporia on September 2. The home opener is September 9 against Topeka High.

High school fall sports teams can begin practice Monday ( Aug. 15 ).

At Junction City High School, Blue Jay football coach Randall Zimmerman, expects strong senior class numbers out for practice. “We had 43 juniors out a year ago. We’re going to be close to 40 seniors this year….this class did get pretty hard with transfer outs.”

The Blue Jays practice after school. Their first football game is September 2.

The boys and girls cross country teams, volleyball, girls tennis, boys soccer, and girls golf can begin practice Monday.

The fall sports information meeting at Junction City High School is Monday night, Aug. 1.   It will begin at 6 p.m. at the JCHS Main Campus ( 900 North Eisenhower ).

This is for students, parents and guardians. Information on the different fall sports programs at JCHS will be reviewed.

The East capitalized on West team turnovers to win the Shrine Bowl football game in Emporia Saturday night 48-27.

The head coach of the West squad, Randall Zimmerman of Junction City, said it came down to turnovers. “We turned the football over, I think they had two defensive touchdowns.”A third touchdown came off a drive that began after a West turnover.

The East jumped out to a 19-0 lead in the first quarter but the West rallied in the first half to lead for a time in the second quarter 20-19.  In the fourth quarter the West trailed 40-27 but appeared to have held on a third-and-12 play deep in East territory before a penalty was called on the West. After that the East team put together a long drive that ended in the final touchdown of the game.

Mike McCoy, formerly of Topeka High, had a huge game. He scored four touchdowns and was named the MVP of the East team. Ian Rudzik of Ulysses, was the West MVP.

Two former Junction City Blue Jays turned in solid performances for the West team. Raye Wilson ran for one touchdown and caught another pass and ran for a second touchdown.  Christien Ozores had nine tackles and intercepted a pass from his safety position.

The Shrine Bowl matches the top high school senior football players from the previous season in the annual contest. The event also raises funds to support Shriner’s Childrens Hospitals.

 

A former standout defensive back for the Junction City Blue Jay football team. Christian Ozores, will play for the West team in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Ozores learned this week he had been added to the squad, and was set to join the team on Saturday at their practice location in Salina. “Coach  Z said I was one of the top replacements so if anybody got hurt that I would be called up there and have the opportunity to go play at Emporia State in the Shrine Bowl.” Ozores talked to JC Post after he umpired Babe Ruth State Baseball Tournament games in Junction City this week.

Ozores said he was happy upon learning he would get to play in the game, which is Saturday, July 30 at Emporia State University. “I was really ecstatic, because that’s really always been one of my goals to just wear that JC helmet one more time, and just to do it for the kids, for the Shriners. ”

Ozores will play football for Fort Hays State this fall. He will join former Blue Jay teammate Raye Wilson on the West team in the game. Blue Jay head coach Randall Zimmerman is the head coach for the West team, while Blue Jay assistant football coach John Davis is an assistant for the West team.

From JCHS Athletic Director Matt Westerhaus

The fall sports season is quickly approaching and the Junction City High School Athletic Department would like to remind you of a few important dates/items as we begin to start the 2016-17 school year.

 

• Fall Sports Informational Meeting – Monday, August 1, 2016 – JCHS – Main Campus (900 N. Eisenhower) – 6PM – information attached
• JCHS Athletic Packet – All students must complete all paperwork prior to first day of practice/tryout – packet attached
• JCHS Student Athlete Handbook – Athletic Department guidelines – handbook attached
• Physical Form – physicals for the 16-17 school year must be dated after May 1, 2016. –form is part of athletic packet but separate forms are attached.

 

UPDATE:

Kim Milleson posted on her Facebook page Sunday that her son, Nick Heath departed for Arizona for orientation and will then report to Idaho Falls, Idaho  to play for the Idaho Falls Chukars.

Nick was drafted by the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

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Nick Heath, a center fielder from Northwestern State University and Junction City, was selected by the Royals on Saturday June 11. Heath heard the announcement online that he had been drafted by the Royals. “I probably haven’t teared up in awhile, but man it’s been such a long time coming. Just been working at this my whole life. For it to actually happen it made me so happy.”

Heath spent the past four years playing at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Last week he participated in a pre-draft workout for the Royals at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.  “When up there ran pretty good, and I think I hit pretty good to. It was fun to go up there and work out with guys who also have the opportunity to get drafted. For my first time being in Kaufman Stadium it was just so much fun.”

Nick’s mother, Kim Milleson of Junction City, said they were sitting and waiting for a draft announcement to occur. “They announced it and I think there was this moment of silence, and then everybody just screamed. All the weight was just lifted off our shoulders.”  Milleson said family members are “extremely happy and proud of Nick. “He’s worked really hard for this.”

Heath will now wait to find out where he plays Rookie ball in the Royals minor league system.

During years playing at Rathert Field for the Blue Jays Nick was a center fielder.

Junction City High School Senior Ta’marche Mason has won the Class 6A 100-meter state championship.  He ran an 11.36 in defeating the field of sprinters at the State Championship Track and Field Meet in its second day on Saturday at Cessna Stadium, Wichita State University.

Chapman High School also had a gold medal winner in the 100 meters. Ninti Little turned in a 12.47 time to win the Class 4A girls competition in that event.

Junction City
Saturday

100 meters – Ta’Marche Mason, 1st, 11.36 (State Champion)

Discus – Hannah Reynolds, 15th, 100″ 6.6″

4 x 400 relay – Lyric Holman, Deisjambro Bisio, Alana Kramer, Myrissa Humphreys, 5th, 4:05.62

4 x 800 relay – Myrissa Humphreys, Shamya Banks, Briona Jensen, Deisjambro Bisio, 7th, 9:58.98

4 x 100 relay –  Jacqui Moran, Lyric Holman, Amaya Booker, Keiana Newman, 3rd, 49.34

100 meter hurdles –  Keiana Newman, 4th, 15.44

400 meters – Juwan Bush, 4th, 49.68

800 meters – Myrissa Humphreys, 11th, 2:24.98

4 x 100 relay – Dai-Jon Lopez, Charles Winchester, Ian Sanchez, Ta’marche Mason, 5th, 43.05

300 meter hurdles – Alana Kramer, 5th, 46.64

200 meter dash – Ta’ Marche Mason, 8th, 23.14

shotput – Stephon Starks – foul, no place

Pole vault – Traecy Freeman, 10th, 12’6

The Blue Jays finished 14th in the 6A boys team competition with 23 points. Shawnee Mission North won the team title with 57. In the 6A girls competition the Lady Jays scored 21 points to finish 19th. The team champion was Olathe East with 61 points.

 

Chapman

100 meters – Ninta Little, 1st, 12.47 (State Champion)

200 meters – Ninta Little, 2nd, 26.05

Wakefield

100 meters – Sara Casaus, 11th, 13.33

800 meters – Brock Barrett, 5th, 2:02.85

4 x 800 relay – Brock Barrett, Jeffrey Thompson, Kirk Iseli, Andrew Rothfuss, 13th, 9:00.95

4 x 100 relay –  Andrew Rothfuss, Sammy Finnegan, Nathan Jackson, Chris Hardin, zone violation DQ

White City

High Jump – Austin Stroede, 5th, 6′ 2″

Friday
Junction City

Girls Shotput — Hannah Reynolds, 11th, 34’3

100 meter high hurdles — Keiana Newman 4th, 15.81, qualified for finals

Girls 4 x 100 relay — Jacqui Moran, Lyric Holman, Amaya Booker, Ayi-lissa Dotson, 5th, 49,14, qualified for finals

Boys 4 x 100 relay — Charles Winchester, Ta’ Marche Mason, Dai-Jon Lopez, Ian Sanchez, 6th, 43,31, qualified for finals

Girls 400 meter dash prelims — Lyric Holman, 9th, 1:01.37, did not qualify finals

Girls 400 meter dash prelims — Amaya Booker, 16th, 1:04.63, did not qualify finals

Boys 400m dash prelims — Juwan Bush, 2nd 49.98, qualified for finals

Girls 300m Hurdles prelims — Alana Kramer, 7th, 47.49, qualified for finals

Girls 200m dash prelims –Ayi-lissa Dotson, 15th, 30.87, did not qualifiy for finals

Boys 200m dash prelims –Ta’Marche Mason, 5th, 22.40, qualified for finals

Boys Triple Jump Finals –Jaylen Brime, 6th, 44’4”

Girls High Jump Finals — Ayi-lissa Dotson, 14th, 4’10”

Chapman

3200 meter run — Amber Hahn, 14th, 12:52.96

Boys Javelin — Robert Steck, 5th, 172′

Boys Javelin — Tanner Hettenbach, 12th, 148’7