Back in the saddle
By LARRY MORITZ Salina Journal

You don’t walk into Gowans Stadium lacking in confidence and expect to walk out with a win against perennial power Hutchinson.

Salina Central had its confidence shaken only two weeks ago when the Mustangs lost a game in an unlikely fashion. The 7-6 defeat at the hands of Andover Central marked the first time in 24 years Salina Central lost a game when it held an opponent to less than 10 points.

But Mustang coach Mike Hall believes his team is back where it needs to be both physically and mentally, coming off a 56-20 victory over Campus last week to raise its record to 2-1 heading into today’s 7 p.m. showdown with No. 1-ranked Hutchinson.

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Near-sweep for Lincoln siblings
By LARRY MORITZ Salina Journal

GYPSUM — The Farris family isn’t perfect anymore, but they certainly aren’t far from it.

Jenna Farris, a sophomore at Lincoln High School, won her fourth meet in as many tries this season when she raced to a record-setting victory Tuesday at the Southeast of Saline Invitational cross country meet.

Her brother James, a senior at Lincoln, fell just short of making it another family sweep, finishing second to Hillsboro’s Joel Allen in the boys varsity race. It marked the first time in four meets this season that James was not the individual champion.

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Where are they now? Saline County edition
By the Salina Journal

An update on some of the former Saline County athletes now competing at NCAA Division I and II schools:

Nick Hardesty

Hardesty, a senior quarterback at Henderson State College, was named Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 521 yards and five touchdowns Saturday in his team’s 45-21 victory over Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark.

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SE-Saline goes to 3-0
By the Salina Journal

GYPSUM — Southeast of Saline won for the third time in as many games this season, but not before Republic County caused the Trojans some anxious moments in Friday’s game at Southeast High School.

The Trojans did not take their first lead until the fourth quarter, eventually pulling away for a 21-7 victory in the North Central Activities Association matchup.

After trailing 7-0 at halftime, Southeast got within a single point on Brock Long’s 47-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The two-point conversion run failed, leaving the Trojans one-point down as the final period began.

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Knights’ Donley runs to Clay Center title
By the Salina Journal

CLAY CENTER — Sacred Heart sophomore Cory Donley raced to a first-place finish Thursday at the Clay Center Invitational cross country meet.

Donley won the boys varsity race by completing the 5,000-meter course in 16:45, giving him a 14-second cushion over runner-up Riley Woodward of Wamego. Garrett Daugherty of Minneapolis was third in 17:06.

Sacred Heart had two top 10 finishes in the girls race, including senior Ally Balderston taking third in the 4,000-meter race. Balderston finished in 16:28, trailing only Clay Center’s Alex Nelson (15:59) and Concordia’s Courtney Monzon (16:25).

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Knight Stalker
By LARRY MORITZ Salina Journal

Their rivalry on the football field has been lacking in late-game dramatics in recent years, but Southeast of Saline and Sacred Heart made up for that in a big way on Friday.

The two unbeatens needed an overtime period to decide which was the better team on this night, with Southeast answering the Knights’ touchdown in the extra period, then capping the classic with a two-point conversion run for a 28-27 Trojan victory at Martin Stadium.

None of the last six meetings in this series were closer than 14 points. On this night, the teams were never separated by more than seven.

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Rivals look to build on season-opening wins
By LARRY MORITZ | Salina Journal

The winner of tonight’s football contest between Sacred Heart and Southeast of Saline will be alone atop the North Central Activities Association standings.

The real test will be trying to hold that position the rest of the season.

Both the Knights and Trojans opened 2010 with somewhat surprising league victories last Friday and after one week of play, are the only two unbeaten teams in the NCAA. Only one will remain undefeated after today’s 7 p.m. contest at Martin Stadium.

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Trojans ‘shut up the doubters’ with 18-14 win over Russell
Salina Journal

By HAROLD BECHARD

Salina Journal

GYPSUM — Brock Long and his Southeast of Saline teammates had heard the talk.

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SE-Saline preview: Just like starting over
By ARNE GREEN | Salina Journal

Good thing fresh starts and fresh faces don’t scare Mitch Gebhardt.

At Southeast of Saline he’ll have both.

Gebhardt, a former head coach at Lincoln, takes over a Trojan program that went 8-2 last year, but did so with a senior-laden lineup.

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Broken dreams
By ARNE GREEN | Salina Journal

No sooner had Brock Long begun his varsity football career last year than it came to a screeching halt.

Starting at linebacker on a talented Southeast of Saline team loaded with seniors, he saw his sophomore season end just two games in with a broken leg, forcing him to watch the rest of the way as the Trojans rolled to an 8-2 record.

“It was pretty tough,” said Long, a 5-foot-10, 190-pounder now back for his junior season. “Especially since last year I was playing with my brother, and I only got to play a game and a half.”

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BOYS AREA TRACK AND FIELD HONOR ROLL: 1977-2010

100-METER DASH

Mike Appelhans, Hill City (99) 10.23

Shawn Maxwell, Quinter (96) 10.30

John Moore, Hays (99) 10.30

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AREA GIRLS TRACK HONOR ROLL: 1977-2010

100-METER DASH

Whitney Taylor, Ellis (08) 11.85

Kenyetta Fears, Salina Central (93) 11.90

Brooke Kent, Southeast of Saline (06) 11.90

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Cougars go 1-2
By LARRY MORITZ Salina Journal

WICHITA — As the competition thinned, Danielle Berry’s headache got worse.

The bar in the Class 5A girls high jump at Cessna Stadium had been raised to 5-foot-6, and Berry was one of three competitors remaining. The Salina South junior was already guaranteed a top-three finish Friday at the Kansas State Track and Field Championships, only a week after finishing third at her 5A regional.

“I was very nervous,” Berry said. “I was getting headaches about that time from being so nervous.”

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This Cardinal can fly
By LARRY MORITZ Salina Journal

WICHITA — She’s three years into her high school track and field career, but Mariah Jones still gets nervous before the big meets.

To make matters worse, the Ell-Saline junior is going to have plenty of time to sit around and think about her performances prior to competing at this weekend’s Kansas State Championships at Cessna Stadium.

Jones qualified for the 2A state meet in the maximum four events and could potentially medal in all four — long jump, triple jump, 200 dash and 400 dash. Although the meet gets underway at 7:45 a.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jones is not scheduled to compete before 3:20 p.m. either day.

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Jones, SE-Saline boys shine at regionals

By the Salina Journal

Mariah Jones will be a busy young lady next weekend.

Jones, a junior at Ell-Saline, qualified in four events for the girls’ Class 2A state track meet next weekend in Wichita during regional competition Friday in WaKeeney.

She alone accounted for 36 points by winning the long jump (16 feet, 9 1/4 inches) and triple jump (36-11), and finishing second in the 200 meters (27.08 second) and 400 meters (1 minute, 1.47 seconds).

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