By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Metro Academy’s Taber Spani recently turned down an opportunity to reunite with her sister Shalin at Kansas State so she could play for the best, with the best and against the best at the University of Tennessee.
Following a weekend tour of the campus, Spani called Volunteer head coach Pat Summitt and verbally committed to the legendary mentor and to the Southeastern Conference power.
“I love how driven she is for excellence, and it shows with how much success she’s had,” Spani said of Summitt to the Kansas City Star. “As amazing and successful as she is on the court, she is off the court, as well.
“She is so honest and straightforward and she sincerely cares about her players. I know when I go there, she’ll challenge me and make me better, and that’s what I’m looking for.”
Spani led the Mavericks to the title game of the Girls National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships a year ago where Spani and company lost to the THESA Riders (Texas), 74-62.
The Mavericks won the national championship in 2006 when Spani was a freshman.
Spani, last season’s DiRenna Award winner, which is handed out to the top boys and girls basketball player in the Kansas City Metro area, was also considering the Wildcats and the University of Connecticut.
The Maverick guard averaged 29.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.4 assists, three blocks and 2.4 steals a game a season ago.
Football: Finally A Win
Most of the fans standing or sitting on the Bluestem sideline following Friday’s 15-12 win over Belle Plaine may well have had one word on their minds.
FINALLY
After 69 straight losses, the longest streak of futility in Kansas high school history came to an end.
Lion coach George Stewart was on an emotional roller coaster ride following Bluestem’s conquest of the Dragons. For the first time in a long time, a Bluestem quarterback was able to kneel down for the final three plays.
“I’m feeling pretty mellow right now,” Stewart told the Wichita Eagle. “It’s one of those things where we’ve struggled and struggled.
“Finally, once you get it done, you’re just kind of numb. You just kind of bask in it.”
Senior quarterback Wade McHone scored a pair of touchdowns and added a two-point conversion in leading the Lions to the historic win. McHone scored the decisive touchdown in the fourth quarter. William Wedman rushed for 71 yards in the game.
Other Streaks of Note - Wichita West and Haven have turned around losing streaks of 15 and 30, respectively. Hutchinson and Andale, on the other hand, saw winning streaks of 36 and 29 games come to a close during the 2008 season.
Miscellaneous: Summer Rule Changes
The Kansas State High School Activities Association’s board of directors is loosening its reigns on coaches and athletes during the summer months.
In response to a proposal put forth by the Centennial League, the board voted 42-26 to loosen restrictions on the Sunflower State’s prep coaches in football, basketball and volleyball.
During an eight week period, from late May until mid-July, coaches may work with their athletes. Coaches may also hold individual sessions and workouts for the last two weeks of July. A dead period will be enforced during the first two weeks of August.
The decision overturns a rule that forbade coaches from working with athletes during the summer months.
Dodge City head volleyball coach Kate Szymczak is all for the changes.
“We’re absolutely going to use the time to do some more conditioning and to get the girls some earlier touches on balls,” she told the Dodge City Daily Globe. “It’s going to allow the girls to have a firmer grasp on where they’re at so that by the time the season starts, we should have all the basic skills down.”
Boys Soccer: Pendleton Nets Win No. 100
Beside defeating Spring Hill on the soccer field last week, Lawrence Free State boys soccer coach Jason Pendleton had another reason to celebrate.
He had just earned his 100th victory as a head coach.
The Firebirds took all of the suspense out of the game by posting an 8-0 shutout of the Broncos.
Diego Gonzalez and Daniel Chance scored two goals apiece for the Firebirds. The trio of Dale Shillington, Parker Liebl and Tyler Hatesohl accounted for one goal each.
