South East of Saline’s Tiernan Ptacek – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Visit Salina
By Blake Chadwick Tiernan Ptacek has grown up around basketball, and now, as a junior at Southeast of Saline, he’s applying that lifelong experience to lead his team on the court. “My biggest strengths are giving effort and staying calm under pressure,” Ptacek said. “For our team, I think our biggest strength is resilience. Even […]
Smoky Valley’s Kristian Ryan – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Galen Shields State Farm
By Hayden Swope Kristian Ryan of Smoky Valley is excited to build strong connections both on and off the court this season, and put his offseason training to use. “I am most excited to build my relationship with my teammates and coaches,” Ryan said. “This offseason I played summer ball with Heart Over Hustle, coached […]
Ell-Saline’s Grace Heil – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Spencer Cleaning
Photo cred Diane Dowell By Blake Chadwick Grace Heil has been a leader for Ell-Saline High School cheer since she joined the team as a freshman, and now, as a senior, her influence is more evident than ever. “I am a senior at Ell-Saline High School,” Heil said. “My biggest strength within cheerleading is my […]
Salina Sacred Heart’s Nicole Richards – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Salina Ortho
By Hayden Swope Nicole Richards of Salina Sacred Heart is looking forward to making her final cheer season a memorable one, cherishing the connections she has built with her teammates over the years. “I am most excited for my final year with my team,” Richards said. “Over the years, we have worked incredibly hard and […]
Little River Boys Basketball – Team of the Month – Presented by Visit Wichita
By Matt Browning As of January 30th, the Little River boys basketball team was 11-1 and ranked No. 3 in Class 1A in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association poll. “We have done a great job of coming to practice with high energy and effort daily,” said head coach Erik Base. “We feel like we are continuously […]
Minneapolis’ Kegen Wheeler – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Scott Ausherman American Family Insurance
By Cooper Chadwick Minneapolis’ senior Kegen Wheeler, a wrestler at 120 pounds made the switch his senior year from 113 pounds and is excited for his final year of high school wrestling. “I am most excited to accomplish my dream of being on the podium at the State tournament with the help of not only […]
Little River’s Jaxson Konen – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Horizon Real Estate
By Blake Chadwick Jaxson Konen has been a driving force for Little River basketball for over a decade, and as a senior, his leadership continues to set the tone for the program. “My biggest strengths are my leadership and ability to create and set up my teammates,” Konen said. “The team’s strength is all the […]
Salina South’s Jennifer Nguyen – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Kelly Kitchener Shelter Insurance
By Hayden Swope Salina South’s Jennifer Nguyen is eager to return to competition, motivated by the journey that shaped her season a year ago and ready to make the most of her final run. “This upcoming season I’m most excited about getting back out on the mat and competing after everything that happened last year, […]
Salina Central’s Macy O’Hara – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Kelly Kitchener Shelter Insurance
By Cooper Chadwick Salina Central’s power forward Macy O’Hara is excited to finish her high school career playing with this group of girls one last time. “We’ve built such a strong bond, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how much we can grow together throughout the season. I think we have a lot of […]
Blue Dragon Spotlight – Gabby Stauffer – Presented by Hutchinson Community College
Photo credit Sammi Carpenter By Matt Browning In just 170 at-bats last season, Hutchinson Community College’s Gabby Stauffer hit five home runs with 62 RBIs, while hitting .400. The Campus High graduate chose Hutch primarily for one reason. “The college was appealing to me because it was close proximity to home and the atmosphere was […]