Since Monday, Clint Meitler has found himself smack-dab in the middle of a game of tug-of-war.
After accepting the Washburn Rural (Topeka) head boys basketball coaching position earlier this week, Meitler has had to perform a balancing act between wrapping up his coaching and teaching duties at Douglass and preparing to build the Blues into an annual winner.
With about a 140-mile commute between Douglass and Topeka staring him down, Meitler has yet to make the trip to be introduced to his new basketball team. But that phase of his transition is right around the corner.
"Right now I’m in the middle of getting my assistants hired," Meitler said by phone Wednesday. "Next I’ll be meeting with my players and the parents and then I’ll get imbedded in the school. I’m excited to get there so I can get a feel for the school and what goes on around there.
"Then I have to get busy planning the summer and figuring out who might play where. We’ll be all right, but we’ll have to rush to get the summer put together."
Following a 20-3 campaign with the Bulldogs, the 29-year old Meitler thought he’d put some feelers out for new coaching opportunities. When he discovered the Washburn Rural position was open, Meitler applied, interviewed and accepted.
Meitler replaces Blues interim head coach Jim Wagner, who filled in for former head coach Craig Cox after he stepped down last preseason. Before contemplating what his 2010-11 basketball team may look like, Meitler said that he first had to assess what the team’s strengths and weaknesses are.
"We’re going to play tough, hard-nosed defense and we’re going to rebound," Meitler said of future Blues teams. "If you want to play for Washburn Rural, those are the things that we’re going to emphasize that you do.
"We need to find out what our strengths are offensively. If we have guys that can get up and down the floor then we’ll run. That’s how I’d prefer to do it. If we can get easy baskets, then we’ll get them as fast as we can."
After guiding the Class 3A Bulldogs the past six seasons, Meitler realizes he is taking a step up in competition. But he is ready for the challenge.
"It’s still high school basketball," he said. "The 6A level is harder, no doubt. But it’s five high school kids playing against five high school kids. We’ll just go out and play hard and see what happens."
Kansas sweeps Missouri
The table was set for the Missouri boys all-stars to make a statement against their rivals from the Kansas side of the Kansas City Metro Saturday at the HyVee/Pepsi High School Challenge at the Independence Events Center.
Hogan Prep’s Dawon Cummings won the slam-dunk contest – held at halftime of the boys game – and Northeast’s Daylen Robinson took the DiRenna Award, which is handed out annually to the top boys and girls basketball players in Kansas City, and the boys Show-Me all-stars carried what was thought to be an eight-game winning streak into the latest border battle.
Kansas, however, pulled away 115-104, snapping the skid that dated back to 2002. 
Trevor Releford, Bishop Miege
File photo by Dean Backes
"We had to win," Bishop Miege point guard and Alabama recruit Trevor Releford told the Kansas City Star after scoring 18 points. "We couldn’t let them get everything."
The Sunflower State squad was led by Shawnee Mission South point guard Will Spradling’s 21 points. Cummings paced Missouri with 19 points. Lee’s Summit North’s B.J. Dunbar and Rockhurst’s Dexter McDonald added 15 points apiece.
The 11-point triumph paired with the Kansas girls 93-90 victory over Missouri gave Kansas the sweep.
Shawnee Mission East standout Janna Graf paced all scorers with 25 points and connected inside late to give Kansas an 86-85 advantage after Missouri momentarily took the lead. Lawrence guard Haley Parker then scored on a mid-range jumper in transition following a miss by Hickman Mills' Polly Harrington.
Raytown South guard Tanchelle Hollingsworth led Missouri with 20 points, while Truman center Kassidy Ritchel added 13 points.
Boys basketball: Stepping aside
After taking a few weeks to think about his future, Emporia boys basketball coach Rick Bloomquist realized his gut feeling was right all along. Then the 21-year coach stepped down as the leader of the Spartan boys basketball program.
Emporia’s one-point sub-state loss to Great Bend dealt Bloomquist a 6-15 record in his final season with the Spartans.
"Everything piled on top of everything in that game," Bloomquist told the Emporia Gazette of the Great Bend loss. "And I said, ‘You’ve gotta give yourself time.' "
Boys golf: Making a statement
Wichita Collegiate withstood a talented field featuring defending team champions from three different classes in winning Monday’s Andover Central Invitational with a team score of 298. Ben Hatfield and Brett LeMaster earned individual medals for Collegiate after they fired third- and sixth-place scores of 72 and 73, respectively. Harrison Morris and Tyler Vincent shot rounds of 75 and 78 for the defending Class 3A champions.
Augusta’s Trey Hayden earned individual honors after managing a 70, edging Maize’s Kramer Howell in a playoff. Defending Class 5A champion Andover Central finished third behind Maize (299) with a 311. Defending Class 4A king Andover finished seventh with a score of 332.
Kansas track and field leaders
Boys
100 Meters – Shawn Smith, Olathe East, 10.50. 200 Meters – Joe Fisher, Valley Center, 21.70. 400 Meters – Miles Ukaoma, Maize, 48.80. 800 Meters – Brendan Soucie, Osawatomie, 1:57.10. 1600 Meters: Josh Munsch, Hays, 4:19.71. 3200 Meters – Neil Metler, Derby, 9:31.51. 110 Hurdles – Andrew Etheridge, Wichita Northwest, 14.26. 300 Hurdles – Briar Snyder, Jayhawk-Linn, 40.0. 400 Relay – Topeka Highland Park, 43.20. 1600 Relay – Maize, 3:25.36. 3200 Relay – Lawrence, 8:12.30. Discus – Jeff Conner, Wichita Southeast, 165-10. High Jump – Griffin Knopp, Fort Scott, 6-8; Spencer Amerin, Ashland, 6-8. Javelin – Johannes Swanepoel, Shawnee Mission South, 213-9. Long Jump – Stephen Mann, Jayhawk-Linn, 23-7 1/4. Pole Vault – Kyle Wait, Gardner-Edgerton, 15-3. Shot Put – Luke Wilson, Paola, 56-8 1/2. Triple Jump – Stephen Mann, Jayhawk-Linn, 46-8 3/4.
Girls
100 Meters – Macahla Wesley, Topeka West, 11.8. 200 Meters – Lauren Pickens, Peabody-Burns, 25.32. 400 Meters – Lauren Pickens, Peabody-Burns, 57.66. 800 Meters – Danielle Walker, Maize, 2:21.90. 1600 Meters – Gabby Embry, Blue Valley North, 5:17.00. 3200 Meters – Avery Clifton, Topeka Washburn Rural, 11:02.05. 100 Hurdles – Breeana Coleman, Olathe East, 14.50. 300 Hurdles – Natalie Morerod, Gardner-Edgerton, 47.20. 400 Relay – Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights, 49.10. 1600 Relay – Shawnee Mission East, 4:05.02. 3200 Relay – Shawnee Mission East, 9:48.70. Discus – Erica Brand, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 149-7. High Jump – Cassie Wiley, Wellington, 5-5; Taylor Goodness, Salina South, 5-5. Javelin – Lindsey Curtis, Manhattan, 142-6. Long Jump – Abreanna Parker, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights, 19-2 1/4. Pole Vault – Drue Davis, Lawrence Free State, 11-6; Cara Detmer, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 11-6; Jaimie House, El Dorado, 11-6. Shot Put – Kearsten Peoples, Ottawa, 49-11. Triple Jump – Jamillah Bonner, Wichita Southeast, 40-3.
