Sports
AREA FOOTBALL: GRIZZLIES HIT THE FIELD
The Labette County High School football team is now preparing for the 2012 season. ABOVE: Chandler Carson throws a pass while under pressure on Friday afternoon during the LCHS football practice. LEFT: LCHS Head Coach Jesse Ybarra talks to his Grizzlies during a break in practice. Labette County went 1-8 last year, but has 19 seniors back this season. Ybarra said he’s been impressed with how hard his team has been working. Look for more on...
full story
AREA FOOTBALL: CHETOPA HORNETS
The Chetopa High School football team is now preparing for the 2012 season. This is the first week of practice for high school teams in Kansas. Thursday was the first day teams can work out in full pads. Above, Chetopa quarterback Dylan Price passes to Austen Sanders during Thursday morning’s practice. Price threw for more than 1,900 yards last year for the Hornets. Hornets Coach Sean Price said the goals are set high for his team this year. ...
full story
Jordan looks to rebuild LCC volleyball program
By Jason Peake jpeake@parsonssun.com Marisa Jordan knows the Jayhawk Conference extremely well. Entering her first season as head coach of the Labette Community College volleyball team, Jordan played in the conference herself. She’s also been an assistant coach in the conference, too. Now, Jordan’s leading the LCC program with hopes of turning things around. “I’m very excited about rebuilding the program,” Jordan said. “I want to start a v...
full story
AREA FOOTBALL: OSWEGO INDIANS
The Oswego High School football team is now preparing for the 2012 season. This is the first week of practice for high school teams in Kansas. LEFT: New Oswego Head Football Coach Travis Burk gives his players instructions during a drill on Wednesday afternoon at the school’s practice field. Burk said this year’s team motto is B.I.G. — “Believe in Greatness.” BELOW: Oswego senior Ethan Spore passes to a teammate during Wednesday’s practic...
full story
Vikings QB Beachner doesn't mind underdog role
By Jason Peake jpeake@parsonssun.com Craig Beachner doesn’t mind being the underdog. It’s nothing new to him or his team. The returning quarterback of the Parsons High School football team, Beachner is one of only three returning starters for the Vikings this season. After losing a solid senior class to graduation, Parsons didn’t get much respect from the rest of the league’s coaches. In the SEK League preseason poll, the Vikings were picked ...
full story
Indians hope to avoid injuries this year
By Jason Peake jpeake@parsonssun.com ST. PAUL — All they could do was stand and watch. During the last game of the 2011 football season, five St. Paul athletes, all of whom had started earlier in the season, were forced to stand on the sidelines. They were not in uniform. They were now spectators. Simply put, injuries decimated the St. Paul lineup last season. “The injury bug just kept hitting us,” Coach Doug Tuck said Tuesday morning. The In...
full story
AREA FOOTBALL: ERIE RED DEVILS
Erie senior Justin Hartzell passes to a teammate during a drill during the team’s football practice on Tuesday afternoon. Despite constant rain, the Red Devils hit the field for practice under the direction of new coach Rick Horton. Hartzell is expected to be a key performer for the Red Devils this season. Look for more on the Erie football team later this month in our football preview special section. Jason Peake/Sun photo
full story
Parsons football hits the field
Football season is here! The Parsons High School football team hit the field on Monday for the first day of practice. ABOVE: Parsons Head Coach David Pitts gives his Vikings instructions during Monday’s afternoon practice. Pitts said there were approximately 45 athletes out for football this year. The team practiced on Monday morning, as well, with cooler temperatures greeting the team. LEFT: Craig Beachner (7) looks to avoid a tackle ...
full story
Area football notes: Ybarra back in charge of LCHS football program
By Jason Peake jpeake@parsonssun.com Jesse Ybarra is no stranger to Labette County football. Yes, it’s been nearly two decades since he last led the LCHS football program, but the new head coach of the Grizzlies has been close by all along. A longtime fixture at the school, Ybarra is taking over the football program after Shane Holtzman resigned following a disappointing 2011 season that saw the Grizzlies go 1-8. Ybarra’s first stint as the G...
full story
Vikings, Grizzlies picked at bottom of preseason football coaches poll
By Jason Peake Parsons Sun PITTSBURG — Parsons and Labette County occupied the bottom two spots in the 2012 Southeast Kansas League preseason football coaches poll. The poll was released on Thursday at the eighth annual SEK High School Football Media Day at Watco Cos. Defending league champ Pittsburg was picked first with 32 points. There was tie for second, with Coffeyville and Fort Scott both receiving 29 points. The league's coaches picked ...
full story
LCHS to have fall sports parents meeting Thursday
Labette County High School will have a fall sports parents meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the LCHS cafeteria. The meeting will be for parents of students participating in cross country, golf, tennis, volleyball and football. The parents meeting for cheerleading was last week, and the meeting for the dance team will be scheduled later. After the meeting, there will be breakout sessions for each sport.
full story
Shultz wins title at John Daley tourney
The annual John Daley Tennis Championships Saturday and Sunday featured several competitive matches. Chris Shultz won the men's Open A division, getting two of his three victories by tie-breaker. Kent Merritt won the men's Open B division with two wins. Payton Hays won the 18-year-old boys division and Hays and Connor Phillips combined to win the doubles division over Chris Shultz and Kevin Debald. Lindsay Ong won the women's Open division and...
full story
Ladies golf
Katy Ladies Golf Association July 26-27 Low scratch score - Debbie LaForge 39; fewest putts - Jane Posch 12. Low net flight scores: A Flight - Jane Posch and Debbie LaForge 34; B Flight - Mary O'Neal 35; C Flight - Teresa Gabhart 30; D Flight - Molly Manners 27. Team Standings: Par-Tee-Five 25.5; Blum's Bombers 23; Tee Time Ladies 20; Grass Rats 17.5; Duffettes 17.5; BaDaBaBaBa 15.5; CC Ladies 4.
full story
Parsons 11s set out for Minnesota
By Anthony Cook acook@parsonssun.com Just 10 hours separated the Parsons 11-year-old Cal Ripken League team from its destination Thursday morning when it set out for Waite Park, Minn. Well, maybe 11 hours — a dozen 11-year-olds get restless and need breaks along the way. Once in Waite Park, the Parsons 11s will have plenty to keep them busy. Parsons will represent Kansas as its state champion at the 11-and-under Midwest Plains Regional Invitat...
full story
District 58 welcomes airmen
American Bass Anglers Southeast Kansas District 58 hosted its annual Take an Airman Fishing event as part of Operation Rod and Reel last weekend on Big Hill Lake. While welcoming 29 active military men and women from Wichita’s McConnell Air Force Base, the district also had its final one-day tournament of the year. In all, 28 anglers participated in the event, with each being assigned a member of our nation’s military as a co-angler for the d...
full story
Courtesy photo The Labette County 12-year-old Cal Ripken League poses for a picture just inside the North Dakota state line. The Labette 12s will represent Kansas as its state champion in North Dakota at the Midwest Plains regional this weekend. Labette will face Canada Thursday in Grand Forks, N.D. to kick off the tournament.
Labette County 12s arrive in North Dakota

full story
Parsons 15s go 1-2 at state tournament
The Parsons 15-year-old Babe Ruth League team kicked off the 15-year-old Babe Ruth Tournament of Champions in Coffeyville with a 12-4 win over Southwest on Friday. Parsons scored five of its runs in the first inning and matched the effort in the second on the way to an 11-0 lead through 2 1/2 innings. Southwest scored one run in the third and two in the fifth but fell behind too early and by too much on the way to the Parsons victory. For Pars...
full story
Parsons 11s accepting donations for trip to Minnesota
The Parsons 11-year-old Cal Ripken League team will be at Wal-Mart this afternoon accepting donations for the team’s trip to Waite Park, Minn., later this week for the 11-and-under Midwest Plains Regional Invitational. Parsons qualified for the region tournament when by defeating Cimarron River 4-0 in the finals of the Kansas Tournament of Champions Monday evening at Sonny Johnson Field in Winway Park in Parsons. The Parsons 11s earned the ri...
full story
OHS physicals
Seventh- through 12th-grade students at Oswego High School and Middle School in the 2012-13 school year will have the opportunity to take their physicals at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at Oswego High School. All Oswego Middle School and Oswego High School students who will participate in athletics this year may attend.
full story
LCHS physicals
Labette Health and local community physicians will be on hand from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Labette County High School cafeteria for physicals. The examinations will be free to all USD 506 students entering the 2012-13 school year. All physical forms, school insurance and release forms and KSHSAA concussion forms will be available at the screenings.
full story