The Junction City Blue Jays will host Garden City in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Rathert Field.
Blue Jay coachDrew Biery is optimistic about this team. “We’ve got a lot of guys returning back from last year.We’ve got a good core group that can really hit the baseball.”
Some of those players range from Tre McDaniel and Chip Ozores to Bobby Khoury, Charlie Peyla and Tim Bell.
Junction City finished the 2015 season 12-11 with a first round loss to Shawnee Mission East in the Class 6A State Baseball Tournament.
Game times Friday are one and three p.m. Both games can be heard on KJCK AM, The Talk of JC.
The All-League boys basketball selections for the Centennial League have been released by school officials.
Two Junction City Blue Jays, Tyrone Pool and Ricardo Erans, were second team All-League selections.
League champion Manhattan placed Trevor Hudgins and Gabe Awbrey on the first team, and Hudgins was named Player of the Year. Manhattan head coach Benjamin George was named Coach of the Year.
The first team All-League selection in addition to Hudgins and Awbrey, included Poncho Freeman of Shawnee Heights, Malik Keith, Highland Park; Jordan Newby, Topeka West; and Ryan Zeferjahn, Seaman.
The second team in addition to Erans and Poole, included Trey Brown, Shawnee Heights; Jeff Canfield, Hayden; Jenner Hickel, Washburn Rural; and Tanyon Schafer, Seaman.
Honorable mention selections were Max Brown, Emporia; Tommy Ekart, Manhattan; Harold Emmanuel and Daishoun Fox, Highland Park; Carson Engroff and DeShawn Hanika, Hayden; Josiah Hazim, Seaman, and Mario King, John Madden, TC Smith III, Topeka High.
This statement was issued by Geary USD 475 Monday afternoon.
Blue Jay coach Pat Battle in a postgame radio interview on the Talk of JC.
Junction City, KS – Junction City High School Athletic Director Matthew Westerhaus announced that Coach Patrick Battle has resigned from his position as the Blue Jays varsity head basketball coach.
“Coach Battle is a man of high character, he has spent countless hours devoted to developing basketball and life skills with the basketball players in his program. Junction City High School thanks Coach for his time and dedication to the program,” says Athletic Director Matt Westerhaus. An immediate search will take place to find a replacement for the boys head coaching position at Junction City High School.
Coach Battle has served for 5 years as the varsity head coach for the Blue Jays.
End of News Release
During the five-year period Battle’s Blue Jay varsity teams compiled a combined record of 33-72. The 2015-16 team turned in the best record during the five-year period at 9-12.
Chrision Wilborn of Lawrence Free State’s rebound and ensuing stick back for two points at the final buzzer lifted the Firebirds to a 54-52 Class 6A Substate Basketball Tournament win over the Junction City Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays had rallied from a 16-4 deficit in the first quarter to tie the game a number of times, but it all came down to the final five seconds. After a timeout the Firebirds got the ball to their leading scorer Hunter Gudde, who drove the left baseline and put up a shot that bounced off the rim to Wilborn, who then made his followup shot just as time expired.
Blue Jay coach Pat Battle said he was proud of his players. “I’m proud of the way they battled. Falling down 16-4, especially early, they just kept battling. They (Lawrence Free State ) just made a play there at the end.”
Junction City ( 9-12 ) was led by Nick Arneson with 16 points while TJ Poole had 13. The loss ends the season for Junction City. Lawrence Free State ( 15-6 ) will advance to play Wichita Southeast in the tournament championship game Saturday night in Wichita.
The Junction City Lady Jays ( 3-18 ) lost to Washburn Rural ( 16-5 ) in the first round of the Class 6A Substate Tournament 60-38. The game was played on the Junior Blues court.
Junction City fell behind in the first quarter 17-7 and never claimed the lead over the final three quarters.
Lady Jay coach Derek Petty felt Rural was a strong team that executed their season and played well. Freshman post player Carly Bachelor scored 20 points in the win for Washburn Rural while Junction City had two players in double figures. A’Kia Fain scored 12 points and Ally McKenzie 11 for the Lady Jays.
The loss ended the season for Junction City, while Washburn Rural advances to the tournament championship game Friday night against Lawrence Free State.
#160 – Aryus Jones, JCHS Junior (17-0), wins via fall in :30 seconds over Trent Miles, Washburn Rural Senior (22-10). Aryus Jones is the Class 6A #160 State Champion.
5th Place Match
#113 – Max Bazan, JCHS Sophomore, defeats Jose Andrade, Wichita SE Sophomore, in a 11-10 decision. Max places 5th place and finishes his season with a 33-11 record.
Consolation Semifinals
#113 – Max Bazan, JCHS Sophomore (32-11), lost in 3-2 in three overtimes to Joe Braun, Manhattan Junior (33-3). Bazan will now wrestle for 5th place.
Consolation Quarterfinals
#152 – Kamari Smith, JCHS Junior (25-21), lost via 4-0 decision to Zephry Killham, Manhattan Junior (32-9).
Consolation Cross Bracketing
#145 John Clark, JCHS Sophomore (19-11), lost by 18-7 decision to Michael Aldrich, Shawnee Mission East Senior (31-13). Clark finishes his season with a 19-12 record.
#152 Kamari Smith, JCHS Junior (24-21), wins by injury default over Garrett Xanders, Derby Senior (9-4).
#220 Jefferey Walters, JCHS Junior (11-23), lost by fall to Brandon Huntley, Olathe North Senior (22-14). Walters finishes his season with a final record of 11-24.
The Junction City High School basketball teams know their first round opponents in the Class 6A Substate Tournament.
JCHS Athletic Director Matt Westerhaus confirmed via Twitter that the Lady Jays will play at Washburn Rural at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and the Blue Jays will play their first round tournament game at Lawrence Free State at 7 p.m. Thursday.
In the girls matchup Washburn Rural finished the regular season 15-5 while Junction City was 3-17. In the boys contest Lawrence Free State was 14-6 while Junction City was 9-11.
The Blue Jays have already played Lawrence Free State once earlier this season, in the semifinal round of the McPherson Invitational in January. Lawrence Free State won that game 61-53.
2016 JCHS State Qualifiers (Not Pictured: Aryus Jones)
Five Blue Jay Wrestlers have moved on to Day Two of the Class 6A State Wrestling Tournament Saturday at Hartman Arena in Park City. The following results will be updated throughout the day.
Championship Finals
#160 – Aryus Jones, JCHS Junior (17-0), wins via fall in :30 seconds over Trent Miles, Washburn Rural Senior (22-10). Aryus Jones is the Class 6A #160 State Champion.
5th Place Match
#113 – Max Bazan, JCHS Sophomore, defeats Jose Andrade, Wichita SE Sophomore, in a 11-10 decision. Max places 5th place and finishes his season with a 33-11 record.
Consolation Semifinals
#113 – Max Bazan, JCHS Sophomore (32-11), lost in 3-2 in three overtimes to Joe Braun, Manhattan Junior (33-3). Bazan will now wrestle for 5th place.
Consolation Quarterfinals
#152 – Kamari Smith, JCHS Junior (25-21), lost via 4-0 decision to Zephry Killham, Manhattan Junior (32-9).
Consolation Cross Bracketing
#145 John Clark, JCHS Sophomore (19-11), lost by 18-7 decision to Michael Aldrich, Shawnee Mission East Senior (31-13). Clark finishes his season with a 19-12 record.
#152 Kamari Smith, JCHS Junior (24-21), wins by injury default over Garrett Xanders, Derby Senior (9-4).
#220 Jefferey Walters, JCHS Junior (11-23), lost by fall to Brandon Huntley, Olathe North Senior (22-14). Walters finishes his season with a final record of 11-24.
The Junction City Blue Jay basketball team got 28 points from Ricardo Erans and rolled to a 63-48 victory over the Topeka West Charge in the capitol city Friday night.
Blue Jay coach Pat Battle felt his team did a solid job of taking care of the basketball in the final five minutes of the game. “I thought we did a pretty good job of defending out on the perimeter, kind of slowing them down. And then we went 12 of 14 from the line in the fourth quarter. That’s what wins basketball games.”
As for Erans he hit six 3-point shots in helping the Blue Jays earn their ninth victory of the season.
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In girls action the Lady Jays playing without their head coach Derek Petty, defeated Topeka West in overtime 64-59.
It appeared the Lady Jays would win in regulation but a late 3-point basket by Addison Donohue for Topeka West helped force a tie score and push the game into overtime. But A’kia Fain of Junction City was too much. She hit two key three point baskets and six free throws down the stretch to help seal the win. Fain finished the game with 27 points.
Derek Petty was not on the bench for the Lady Jays Friday because of an administrative decision barring him from coaching in the contest. That was confirmed by JCHS Athletic Director Matt Westerhaus, who also noted that Petty will be back coaching the team in their Class 6A Substate Tournament game next week. That opponent is expected to be Washburn Rural.
In Petty’s abscence assistant coach G.G. Booth guided the Lady Jays.
The Junction City Blue Jays will host Garden City in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Rathert Field.
