THS boys’ basketball gets exciting start to season
The Tonganoxie boys’ basketball team didn’t disappoint in its season opening game Friday night.
Well, maybe a little bit.
The Chieftains, playing against Immaculata in Leavenworth, stormed to a 14-2 lead but couldn’t hold off a Raider surge that started in the second quarter.
Still, Tonganoxie was crisp in its first game and fought back in the second half.
Joe Calovich’s three-point shot as time expired in the third quarter was the most exciting play of the night. With the in-bounds play at the other end of the court and 3.8 seconds on the clock, Tonganoxie used a quick series of cross-court passes and found Calovich in the right corner for a three-pointer.
THS coach David Walker continuously rotates his five players on the floor. Depth will come in handy as the season progresses.
Tonganoxie’s effort Friday should be a preview of a successful season.
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Wrestling statistics aren’t always as prevalent as basketball or football in daily newspapers and magazines, but fans can keep up with Tonganoxie wrestling easily. The team’s Web site, www.chieftainwrestling.com, has information and results from meets. THS coach Bill DeWitt said the site is financed through a team fund.
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If you can’t beat ’em, hire one of their coaches.
Kansas football finally has a coach, and he’s been at Oklahoma for the last three years. Mark Mangino was announced as the Jayhawks’ new coach this week after being the Sooners’ assistant head coach and offensive coordinator the past three seasons.
Mangino went to Oklahoma when Bob Stoops was hired as head coach. He left Kansas State, where he was a coach from 1991-98. Mangino lost to Kansas once in 1992 the last time the Jayhawks defeated K-State.
Perhaps Mangino can return the favor while wearing crimson or blue on the Memorial Stadium sideline.
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Kansas State had a solid win against Gardner on Saturday in Manhattan. No, not Gardner-Edgerton, Gardner-Webb. Actually, the North Carolina school is an NCAA Division-1 school. The Bulldogs also defeated Colorado State before losing to the Wildcats, 75-57.
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The Big 12 Football Championship was a Battle of the Bovine as the Colorado Buffaloes squeaked past the Texas Longhorns 39-37.
Nothing says college football like Ralphie the buffalo and Bevo the longhorn chewing on some grass before they mosey across the Texas Stadium turf in Dallas.
One more piece of useless information Texas and Colorado open their fight songs in the same way. Texas’ fight song is to the tune of “I’ve been Workin’ on the Railroad,” while Colorado’s is taken from “Glory, Glory Allelujah.”
Back to the game, it was one of the more enjoyable Big 12 Championship contests. If only Texas quarterback Major Applewhite would have relieved Chris Simms one or two turnovers earlier, Texas might be talking about a national championship instead of Nebraska or Tennessee.
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Martin and Bill Gramatica, NFL place-kickers, became the first brothers in the league’s history to kick game-winning field goals in overtime on the same day Sunday. The brothers deserve accolades for their feats, but they should be known as Dramaticas for their excessive celebrations after extra points and field goals. They’re like present-day Nick Lowerys.