By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Following a girls basketball coaching career that has spanned over three decades, Larry Zientara is stepping down as the head coach at Topeka High School.
“I still love teaching and I still love coaching,” Zientara told the Topeka Capital Journal. “My passion for those have not changed, but it’s all the other stuff surrounding teaching, all the other stuff surrounding coaching.
“You get so involved doing other things other than those which you love to do – teaching and coaching – and maybe it’s time (to retire).”
Zientara, who began his career in 1972, posted a 77-73 record with the Trojans and made one appearance in the Kansas 6A state tournament in 2001-02. His last winning season at Topeka High was in 2005-06 when the Trojans went 13-9.
Zientara was successful wherever he coached. Before taking over at Topeka in 2001-02, Zientara won a state championship with a Lawrence team that went 24-0 in 1983-84. In 1990-91, Zientara guided Jenks, Okla., to a state title with a team that won 18 games in 29 tries. Between those two stints, Zientara was a combined 192-85. He finished his career with a 269-158 mark.
Topeka finished the 2007-08 season with a 6-15 record. Whoever takes over the program will have plenty of weapons to work with. The Trojans lose just one senior and return Jessica Blake, who averaged 18 points per game as a freshman this past season.
Barcus Steps Down at Parsons
When Rob Barcus took over the girls basketball coaching position at Parsons 10 years ago, he wasn’t planning on sticking around very long.
Now after posting a 103-92 record with the Lady Vikings over the past decade, Barcus is stepping down following a 5-15 season in 2007-08.
“When I was chosen for the job 10 years ago I honestly thought I would coach girls for a couple of years and then get a job coaching boys basketball here or somewhere else,” Barcus told the Parsons Sun. “Instead I fell in love with the program and passed up several opportunities to coach in other places or programs.”
Barcus, who teaches social studies at Parsons Middle School, coached his final contest in February when Parsons lost 52-43 to eventual 4A sub-state champion Labette County.
Although he is walking away from the girls basketball program, Barcus intends to continue coaching the Parsons Middle School football team, as the head coach, and will remain as an assistant coach with the track team.
Parsons has not found Barcus’ replacement, yet, but Viking athletic director Bob Homer hopes to fill the position by the time summer programs begin.
American and National Teams Split All-Star Classic
Wichita North’s Beth Troutt and Haviland’s Ashley Binford combined to score the American team’s first 17 points in an 87-53 win over the National team in Saturday’s 28th Annual Boot Hill All-Star Classic basketball game at the Dodge City Civic Center.
The American team never trailed in the 34-point rout after jumping out to a 10-2 start over the first 5-minutes of the contest. The winners scored 15 first half points from beyond the arc, led by Little River’s Kaycee McGill’s six long-range points.
The roles were reversed in the boys’ game with the National team knocking off their American counterparts 112-82. Augusta’s Jake Sims and Josh Knoll of Holcomb led the way for the winners in the first half by knocking down three 3-pointers apiece.
In all, the National team connected on 13 shots from beyond the arc.
Wrestling: Blue Knocks Off Red in East Kansas Classic
The Blue team’s 32-22 win over the Red at the East Kansas Senior Wrestling Classic at Landon Arena in Topeka was highlighted by three pins by the victors.
Gardner-Edgerton’s Aldon Isenberg, Lansing’s Nick Flynn and Shawnee Heights’ Matt Calovich all won by fall over their opponents in the middleweight classes to spearhead the Blue to the 10-point win.
The Red team won the first two matches. But the Blue team took over the match by winning the next six weight classes.
Blue 32, Red 22
Provencher, Rossville (Red), pinned Parks, Gardner-Edgerton (Blue); Hase, Silver Lake (Red), maj. Dec. Seifert, Olathe North (Blue), 9-0; Delich, Mill Valley (Blue) dec. Callahan, Baldwin (Red), 9-6; Andrews, Topeka Highland Park (Blue) maj. Dec. Rockhold, Baldwin (Red), 14-0; Isenberg, Gardner-Edgerton (Blue) pinned Smith, Topeka Seaman (Red); Flynn, Lansing (Blue) pinned Arb, Labette County (Red); Ewing, Santa Fe Trail (Blue) dec. Deere, Washburn Rural (Red), 11-4; Calovich, Shawnee Heights (Blue) pinned Bosworth, Sabetha (Red); Newson, Atchison (Red) dec. Sharp, Sumner Academy (Blue), 4-2; Cox, Sumner Academy (Blue) maj. Dec. Moore, Topeka Highland Park (Red), 11-3; Hackathorn, Perry-Lecompton (Red) pinned Lee, Topeka Seaman (Blue); Zlatnick, Rossville (Red) dec. Langford, KC-Harmon (Blue), 3-0.
