stjoelive.com | Stories for May 2008

Missouri slips up late against Miami; Tigers play again today

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Yasmani Grandal's tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth lifted top-seeded Miami to a 6-5 victory over Missouri in a winner's bracket game of the NCAA Regional on Saturday. Grandal hit a hard ground ball off Missouri reliever Kyle Gibson (9-3) to bring home Dave DiNatale. DiNatale reached on a one-out walk and advanced to third on pinch-hitter Adan Severino's single.

Taking his lumps

First in series of weekly features pitting News-Press reporter against area's top athletes

A softball-sized welt already is swelling on my shin, the imprint of the laces clearly visible. That mark will turn just about every shade of the rainbow in the coming days and hurt every time it touches something. It's also a mark that proves for at least one swing, I didn't completely miss.

Gailey tries to get Chiefs back to basics

Chan Gailey wouldn't let up. The Chiefs' new offensive coordinator sat down last month with first-round pick Branden Albert and talked about the future and which position the youngster would play. Albert had played guard at Virginia, and Gailey was talking about moving the rookie to tackle - left tackle, one of any NFL team's marquee and highest-pressure positions.

It's a snap: K.C.'s skid ends at 12

Royals bad luck runs out during win against Cleveland

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It took a guy who'd been in the minors all year beating a reigning Cy Young winner for the Kansas City Royals to finally shake loose of their long, demoralizing losing streak. Rookie manager Trey Hillman, disappointed so many times while enduring a 12-game skid, hardly knew what to do when Jhonny Peralta made the final out Saturday night in a 4-2 victory over Cleveland.

Royals' losing streak reaches 12

KANSAS CITY - Grady Sizemore homered twice and made a game-saving catch for the final out, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 5-4 victory over Kansas City on Friday night and handing the Royals their 12th straight loss.

Royals acquire catcher Pena off waivers

KANSAS CITY - The Kansas City Royals claimed catcher Brayan Pena off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on Friday and made room on their 40-man roster by transferring right-hander Luke Hudson to the 60-day disabled list.

Nurski, Garnett eying berth in U.S. Open

Brad Nurski entered last week's local qualifying for the U.S. Open primarily to get familiar with the course at The Golf Club at Creekmore in Raymore, Mo. He wanted some experience on the site of the first qualifying stage for the Missouri Amateur later this summer. Turns out he doesn't need that experience.

Fishing fun can include catching the bait, too

Some of my fondest fishing memories from childhood come not so much from the actual time spent with a rod and reel in my hand but in the hours spent gathering our bait. Let's face it, you don't have to be catching or shooting to have fun in the outdoors. While its great to be able to quickly drop by any local bait and tackle shop and get what you need, gathering your own bait can be a fun way to spend more time outdoors and save a few bucks in the process.

MDC, volunteers teach youths about outdoors

The old African adage "It takes a village to raise a child" seemed to be the theme as conservation agent David Carlisle stood before a group last week whose sole mission is to enhance the lives of area youth. Carlisle had come before the St. Joseph Optimist Club to discuss how the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), with the help of citizens, businesses and civic organizations, can play a vital role in helping the youth of our state.

No match for Mizzou

Tigers crush Mississippi to open regionals

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Aaron Crow remained unbeaten and pitched a complete game three-hitter as Missouri defeated Mississippi 7-0 in the opening game of the Coral Gables Regional on Friday.

Two Men With The Blues

Gussy the blues up too much and it loses some of that earthy, visceral emotion. It's no longer the blues as we've come to know it but something else entirely. Now that in no way means the blues becomes less entertaining. It's just that when you add sax, trumpet and a few jazz chords, it beings to operate in a different area of your musical soul.

The loud outdoors

Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival gets going next week

The hippies are coming! The hippies are coming! That may have been what the Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival initially attracted in its first few years of existence. The four-day festival at Clinton Lake State Park in Lawrence, Kan., prides itself in bringing in plenty of big names from the jam band scene along with premiere acts in alt-country, Southern rock, reggae and bluegrass while raising awareness for environmental issues. For its fifth year, Wakarusa is trying something different.

Laughing at life

Kansas City comedian Skip Clark shares the stage with local comedians in St. Joe tonight

Skip Clark calls his comedy "a slice of life." The thing is, a slice of Clark's life could be a lot to take in. The 47-year-old comic grew up in the Bronx, where he played a lot of basketball and was forced to keep up with his comically sharp friends. He got a degree in criminal justice and worked at a mental hospital for about seven or eight years, where he met Jesus - or at least a guy who thought he was. In the 1990s, Clark got a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of stand-up comedy. He was a bodyguard for comedian Don "D.C." Curry and also worked as a doorman for Earthquake's Uptown Comedy Club in Atlanta, where he studied each performers mannerisms and decided to do some writing of his own.

Blue boy

Roddy Barnes takes the stage at Cafe Acoustic tonight

Blues/jazz performer Roddy Barnes has worked with an uppity blues woman and the Indian of the Village People. But neither will be present at his performance at Cafe Acoustic at 9:30 a.m. tonight. "I much prefer blues and the stuff I do to the pop music," he says. But he had fun helping write music for Felipe Rose's (yep, he's the Indian) album. As for that uppity blues woman? Well, Barnes still works with her. He and Gaye Adegbalola, who was in the group Uppity Blues Women before a name change christened them Saffire, recently returned from a concert tour in Africa. The pair perform classic blues from the 1920s and 1930s. But tonight, it's Roddy, all Roddy.

'Sex and the City' is worth the wait

Movie has all the things fans love about the series

They say the best things come to those who wait. For fans of "Sex and the City" the four-year wait between the TV series' end and the movie release brings a film that's the perfect extension of where the TV series left off. The movie feels a lot like a reunion with the friends from high school that you promised to never lose touch with and now only see once every few years: After a few minutes, it's like no time has passed at all. The girls are still pretty much where we left them. Charlotte and Harry are raising their adopted Chinese daughter. Miranda is still grudgingly toiling in Brooklyn with her family. And Samantha has (gasp) remained faithful to Smith the entire time, moving with him to LA and working as his manager.

On the scene: Powerpop, piano jams and comedy

This weekend, yours truly who tries to be "On the Scene" will find himself in "In the Theater" watching "Sex and the City" with his significant other. Don't get me wrong, I liked the show when it was on HBO and still catch it when I am channel surfing now that it's in syndication. But after the movie, I have a feeling I will have to do something extra manly to balance all the estrogen exposure, like chop wood or wrestle a live bear.

Artist of the week: The F*Bombs

While their name might be offensive to parental figures, the KC powerpop/punk quartet The F*Bombs, with members Mike McCurdy (vocals, guitar), Josh Fields (guitar), Britton Fields (bass) and Matt "Fatty" Kreisel (drums), deliver catchy melodies and sing-along choruses with just the right amount of edge and energy. They try to separate themselves from other bands with live shows, but they're not afraid to write a classic kiss-off song to some chick that broke their hearts. They will perform at The Rendezvous at 10 p.m. tonight. To hear their music, go to www.myspace.com/fbombs.

What's up for May 30, 2008

Guillen blasts his teammates

KANSAS CITY - Jose Guillen's profanity-filled tirade moments after the Kansas City Royals squandered a five-run lead and lost their 10th game in a row earned the outspoken outfielder a big thumbs-up from his frustrated bosses.

Royals lose again; 11-game skid is worst in majors this season

KANSAS CITY - Minnesota right-hander Kevin Slowey threw his first major league complete game and Carlos Gomez had four hits and two RBIs, leading the Twins to a 5-1 victory over lethargic Kansas City on Thursday night that stretched the Royals' losing streak to 11 straight.

It's just a scarf!

Flap over Rachel Ray's "hate couture" accessory is unnecessary, and annoying

Is Rachel Ray supporting "hate couture" and terrorism with her accessory? No, it's just a scarf!

Line it up

Crowd fills the Buffalo Bar for line-dancing lessons on Thursday nights

It's 10 minutes to 7 on a Thursday night at the Buffalo Bar, and people are already on the dance floor. They are the experienced line dancers, the dancers who have been coming regularly to the line dancing classes here every Thursday. They're the ones who automatically know which steps to take as soon as a song comes on. Connie Link, a first-time dancer, is out there with them. She doesn't know what she's doing, but she figures she may as well try and keep up.

Cardinals ground Houston

ST. LOUIS - Adam Wainwright shackled the Houston Astros for eight innings and Yadier Molina had two hits and two RBIs to help spoil Wandy Rodriguez's first start in more than a month in the St. Louis Cardinals' 6-1 victory on Wednesday night.

Double-digit despair for Kansas City

Slide reaches 10 after Wednesday's collapse

KANSAS CITY - Justin Morneau hit a leadoff homer in the 10th inning and the Minnesota Twins, after rallying for five runs in the ninth, beat Kansas City 9-8 Wednesday night to stun the reeling Royals with their 10th straight loss.

Coy works out again for Kansas City Royals

Benton senior Johnny Coy travelled to Olathe, Kan., for his second private workout with the Kansas City Royals.

Northwest basketball announces 2 signings

MARYVILLE, Mo. - With six seniors graduating from his 2007-08 NCAA Tournament team - and huge questions surrounding the availability of another player - Northwest Missouri State basketball coach Steve Tappmeyer has plenty of holes to fill before he unveils his 2008-09 version of the Bearcats. At least with the announcement of two more commitments Wednesday, he's more than halfway finished with the job.

Central's Weston retires from baseball

Stan Weston doesn't know how many years he coached high school baseball in St. Joseph or how many wins he accrued. "This is sports. What do numbers mean?" he said. But the longtime coach - a veteran of 30 years, by the way - knows he's done with coaching baseball, for good this time.

Twins escalate Royals' plunge

Michael Cuddyer singled home Joe Mauer in the 12th inning, giving the Minnesota Twins a 4-3 victory Tuesday night and sending the Kansas City Royals to their ninth straight defeat. Jesse Crain (2-2) picked up the victory, and Matt Guerrier worked the 12th to earn his first save and third of his career.

Tuesday's prep sports 05-27-08

Tourney time for the Tigers

Missouri baseball earns a No. 2 seed

Miami was selected as the top seed for the 64-team Division I college baseball tournament Monday, while two-time defending champion Oregon State was left out of the field. Missouri, which finished fourth in the Big 12 this season, is the No. 2 seed in Miami's regional and faces third-seeded Ole Miss at 11 a.m. on Friday in Coral Gables, Fla.

Royals' slide reaches 8

TORONTO - These days, the Kansas City Royals can't even keep track of the outs. Shaun Marcum won for the first time in four starts, Gregg Zaun hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Kansas City, 7-2, Sunday to complete their first four-game sweep of the Royals.

Royals' ineptness continues as they drop 7th straight

TORONTO - Whether at the plate or on the bases, the Kansas City Royals can't seem to catch a break. Shannon Stewart drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice, Dustin McGowan won for the first time in four starts and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Kansas City 3-1 on Sunday, extending the Royals' losing streak to a season-high seven games. "These are tough, hard times," first-year manager Trey Hillman said. "These guys are frustrated - we're all frustrated. I'm trying everything I know to try."

So you know you can dance?

Martel Stewart's dance moves are taking him to Los Angeles

As he pop-n-locks, spins and smiles to the music of Chris Brown's hit single "Kiss Kiss," Martel Stewart's dance moves have got him moving to the West Coast - and towards a big opportunity. The 16-year-old Benton High School sophomore was recently selected to receive a $500 scholarship to be a part of a hip-hop training program in Los Angeles to work with famed choreographer Shane Sparks from the reality TV show "So You Think You Can Dance."

Royals drop 6th straight

TORONTO - Just like Roy Halladay the previous night, Jesse Litsch threw a complete game to beat the Kansas City Royals. Making his 29th career start, Litsch pitched a seven-hitter for his first complete game, Brad Wilkerson hit a grand slam and the Toronto Blue Jays blanked Kansas City 6-0 Saturday to extend the Royals' losing streak to a season-high six. "It's good to be able to go out and finish one and get that first complete game under my belt," said Litsch, whose longest previous start was an 8 2/3 innings effort in his major league debut against Baltimore on May 15 last year.

Northeast Kansas students make big mark on field events

WICHITA, Kan. - Northeast Kansas athletes had a field day Saturday at Cessna Stadium on the final day of competition for the Kansas Track and Field Championships. Troy's Ethan Robinson and Sabetha's Elizabeth Stover - both juniors - captured state titles in the javelin, while Wathena senior Colby Rohde finished as runner-up in the triple jump. In all, five area athletes earned medals in field events. Robinson trailed Baileyville B&B's Troy Lierz to open the Class 1A javelin competition after Lierz threw 169 feet, 10 inches on his first attempt. But Robinson took the lead on his final preliminary throw, vaulting from fourth to first with a 171-4.

Semifinal stumbles stop local tennis players

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The second day of the Missouri Class 1 Tennis Championships was unkind to Benton senior Luke Talbot and Chillicothe's doubles team of Morgan Saunders and Cody Greenlaw. Talbot and the Hornets' tandem dropped both of their matches Saturday at Cooper Tennis Complex, slipping from the semifinals to fourth-place finishes. In a battle of unbeatens, Talbot faced MICDS' Andrew Mellow in the morning semifinal and quickly found out why the Rams senior won state in singles last year. Tied 2-2 in the first set, Talbot earned a game point with a chance to establish a lead. Instead, Mellow broke serve and started a wave of momentum.

Maryville athletes finish 2nd day of track championships with strong performances

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - For a few exuberant moments, John Farmer allowed his steely demeanor to crack wide open. The compact Maryville junior leapt and pumped his fists as he ran along the runway at Dwight T. Reed Stadium. A 22-foot long jump will do that. His personal best vaulted him ahead of the competition and landed him a second-place finish at Saturday's Missouri Track and Field Championships.

Benton runner makes strides in 2-mile run

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Taylor Woodruff had nowhere to go but up. During her last trip to Dwight T. Reed Stadium, the Benton runner struggled to a last-place finish in the two-mile run and wasn't eager to repeat the feat. "Nothing can get worse than that," she said. Although she finished short of an all-state medal, Woodruff placed 10th this time around at the Missouri State Track and Field Championships and broke the 12-minute mark for the first time of her career.

Friday's Prep Sports

Royals skid into 5th straight setback

Kansas City manages just 1 run as futility continues

TORONTO - Roy Halladay won for the third time in four starts, Marco Scutaro matched a career high with four RBIs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Friday night, handing the Royals their fifth straight loss. Halladay (5-5) threw his major league-leading fifth complete game and his first since a run of four straight ended April 29 at Boston. He is 8-3 in 13 career starts against the Royals.

Atchison jumper leaps to 2nd place

WICHITA - Atchison's Paige Peltzer knew that medalling in the high jump at the Kansas Track and Field Championships on Friday wasn't going to come easy. But after she cruised over the 5-foot-2 and 5-4 marks handily, it seemed like maybe she was wrong. Then they measured for 5-foot-6. "I wish I could just make 5-6. It's just so close," said Peltzer, who has hit 5-6 at practice. "My approach felt good today. I think I just needed to hold my arch more. That's it."

Cardinals' Talbot leads local qualifiers in opening day of tennis finals

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Benton senior Luke Talbot knows he has a medal. Now it's a question of how high on the podium he goes. Talbot won his first round and quarterfinal matches Friday afternoon at Cooper Tennis Complex, advancing him to the semifinals of the Class 1 State Tennis Championships. Awaiting Talbot (24-0) this morning is undefeated defending state champion Andrew Mellow (22-0) of team state champion MICDS.

City athletes struggle in prelims

Benton 4x400 relay squad sets a school record

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - With so much hugging and squealing, you wouldn't know Benton's 4x400-meter relay team had just run its last race of the year. Although it didn't reach the finals, the Cardinals' youthful squad broke its own school record at the Missouri State Track and Field Championships on Friday. The underclassmen-heavy squad finished 10th in 4 minutes, 8.64 seconds at Dwight T. Reed Stadium after entering the Class 3 preliminaries with the second-slowest time.

Cameron, Chillicothe individuals earn medals

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Jenny Zweifel stayed rooted to her spot in the sand, contemplating the final jump of her career. Her head hanging, she finally lifted one foot. Then the other. Zweifel's downtrodden reaction quickly changed when she discovered she'd leapfrogged two girls for a second-place finish in the Class 3 long jump at Friday's Missouri State Track and Field Championships at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

Doniphan County stopped short

MANHATTAN, Kan.-A strong opening and finish was enough for the No. 3 seeded Richmond-Central Heights Vikings to edge out Doniphan County 4-2 in the first round of the Class 3A Kansas baseball tournament held at Norvell Field in Manhattan. A late rally saw the Wildcats in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth with runners on base to tie. But, as the Viking's senior ace pitcher Tyler Burkdoll did all night, strikes won out.

The New Kids are coming, the New Kids are coming!

New Kids on the Block tour is making a stop in Kansas City

It was exciting enough to hear that the New Kids on the Block were reuniting and going on tour. It's even better now that they've added a Kansas City date.

Moving music

The lives of musical artists continue to hit the multiplexes

Everybody wants to be a rock star these days. As it turns out, plenty of people want to watch them, too. Some want to see them in concert. Others want to learn their back story. Either way, an easy way to see both is by heading to your local movie theater. Whether it's watching the hard-lived life of country legend Johnny Cash or the enigmatic existence of Bob Dylan, this decade, music icons have caught audiences' attention in a big way. But the 21st century isn't the only decade to prominently feature films on iconic musicians. Biopics have been around almost as long as cinema itself. Stars like Jimmy Stewart have portrayed big band leader Glenn Miller in 1953's "The Glenn Miller Story," and Motown diva Diana Ross took the stage as Billie Holiday in 1972's "Lady Sings the Blues" just to name a few.

Singing a different tune

Garrett Nordstrom Situation returns to play Magoon's tonight

Sometimes, a little lineup change can be the best thing for a band. When the Garrett Nordstrom Situation's backing vocalist left the band, they replaced her with Meshell Nelson in early 2008. A key element to the group's music is their three-part, Motown-inspired harmonies. With Nelson and fellow backing vocalist Jen Johnson both having church backgrounds, honing in on those harmonies has come a lot easier.

Art in Atchison

Riverbend Art Fair takes place this Saturday and Sunday

Attention art lovers: You will be able to fulfill your need for fine art this weekend. Atchison, Kan., will host the 43rd Riverbend Art Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the 200 block of Commercial Street. The fair will feature about 50 artists from six states, bringing with them a variety of mediums. They include paintings, sculptures, ceramics, photography and jewelry, as well as fiber, glass, metal, wood and paper art.

On the scene: Party buses and rock alternatives

Review: Welcome back, old friend

Harrison Ford still thrills as 'Indiana Jones'

It could arguably be called the movie everyone is rooting for this summer. After a 19-year hiatus, people are anxious to see if "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" lives up to the fond memories they have of Indy and his first three adventures.

Artist of the week: Deviator

Maryville progressive/hard rock trio Deviator may not like to give a straight answer (see Q and A below), but what they will give you is some heavy riffs, tempo changes within songs and a few interesting titles. The group will be performing (either at full volume or unplugged) at 9 p.m. tonight at Cafe Acoustic.

What's up for May 23, 2008

Thursday's Prep Sports

Rob Calloway wins 13th straight fight

ST. LOUIS - St. Joseph boxer Rob Calloway scored a second-round knockout in his return to the ring Thursday night. Calloway knocked out David Robinson in the second round at the Viking Hotel.

For Red Sox, it's as easy as 1-2-3-4

Kansas City swept away at Fenway Park

BOSTON - The Red Sox made winning look easy at Fenway Park the past few days. A no-hitter, two grand slams in a game and two pitchers coming up from Triple-A to get wins - it couldn't have gone much better in a four-game sweep of Kansas City.

Vote now for News-Press prep athletes of the year

Voting starts today for the boys and girls News-Press athlete of the year, a first-time honor decided by an online vote of fans. Members of the News-Press sports department selected three boys and three girls as finalists. The online voting will remain up for a full week, and the winners will be announced on Page 2 of the Sunday, June 1 News-Press sports section.

Longtime Benton coach Jim Modis dies at age of 82

For the second time this year, St. Joseph and Benton High School lost a coaching legend. Longtime basketball, track and cross country coach Jim Modis died Thursday morning at Heartland Regional Medical Center. He was 82.

Maryville's Walker set for big stage

Two years ago, Megan Walker left Dwight T. Reed Stadium a two-time medalist and helped Worth County to its second straight state track title. She returns to today's Missouri State Track and Field Championships for the first time since as the same solid thrower. The pond just got a little bigger.

Ellis' switch to singles propels Central

Central senior Andrew Ellis knew coach Jason Simpson's decision would affect more than just his final chance to qualify for state. So the Indians' No. 1 player let his coach have the decision to himself. The choice? Simpson moved Ellis out of doubles and into singles for the district tournament.

The Felix Street experience

Three-block stretch is becoming St. Joe's bar district

It's the weekend and you want to go to a place that offers drinks, music and dancing. What's that - you also want somewhere with pool, karaoke, more drinks and dancing and maybe even a drag show? It sounds like a tall order, but there is one way you can have it all: the Felix Street Experience. Technically the Felix Street Experience, as it's being advertised, is on Thursday nights, when all of the bars feature the same drink special. But the phrase could be extended to any night out on Felix Street.

Colon's return a success against Royals

Bartolo Colon made a solid return to the majors after recovering from an elbow injury, posting his first win since last June as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 Wednesday night. The 2005 Cy Young award winner allowed two runs in five innings in his first game since Sept. 29, when he pitched one scoreless relief inning for the Los Angeles Angels. He became a free agent after the season then signed a minor league contract with Boston on Feb. 25.

Wednesday's prep sports 05-21-08

Royals' offense barely better futile in 2nd loss to Boston

BOSTON - Rookie Justin Masterson pitched 6 1/3 strong innings one day after Jon Lester's no-hitter against Kansas City and the Boston Red Sox silenced the Royals bats again in a 2-1 victory Tuesday night. The 23-year-old Masterson (1-0) allowed one run on three hits in his second major league start. Jonathan Papelbon ended a bases-loaded threat in the eighth by striking out Billy Butler and pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 15 opportunities.

Bearcat volleyball looks ahead

With all seven starters and all but one player returning from the 2007 campaign, Anna Tool and the Northwest Missouri State volleyball team are ready to take their show on the road. The Bearcats will play in the state of New York for the first time in program history when they compete in a Sept. 12 and 13 tournament at Dowling College. The host Golden Lions were 39-8 last season. Northwest will also play Bentley and Adelphi in that tournament. Northwest begins its season Aug. 29 and 30 with four matches at a tournament at new MIAA member Nebraska-Omaha. The Bearcats won't face the host Mavericks in that event. Instead, they will host Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 5.

Royals take a look at Benton's Coy

A Kansas City Royals scout traveled to St. Joseph on Tuesday afternoon for a private workout with Benton senior Johnny Coy. The results? "They're definitely interested," Coy said. In the first of two scheduled workouts with Major League Baseball teams, Coy took grounders and fly balls and displayed his hitting abilities to K.C. scout Karl Carswell. He also was timed in runs from home plate to first base at Hyde Park.

Tuesday's Prep Sports

Platte County overwhelms LeBlond soccer

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. - Arms dangling at her sides, Lindsey Prawitz sighed deeply and enjoyed her short-lived break. Moments later, she was yanked back into action. The LeBlond goalkeeper didn't get much down time Tuesday at Memorial Stadium. Platte County's blitzkrieg offense peppered the Golden Eagles to the tune of a 9-0 blowout in Class 1 sectional play.

Savages stopped by Harrisonville in baseball sectional

Travis Smither watched the final strike buzz past him and tossed his helmet toward the home dugout. Savannah's No. 9 hitter might have been the final out Tuesday, but he wasn't the only Savage who left Phil Welch Stadium frustrated. The Savages put their lead-off hitter on base in five of seven innings but couldn't find a clutch hit to start a big frame. Harrisonville soundly defeated Savannah 8-2 in their Class 3 sectional, riding a three-run top of the first inning to victory. The Savages' season ends at 15-11 after using two straight upset wins to capture their first district title since 1999.

Has the internet really taken over?

There are few headlines that make me turn my head anymore. This one however was a little different.

Royals count Soria as a building block

MIAMI - The curve from Joakim Soria lacked its usual bite and stayed a little higher than he wanted, which is why it came to rest beyond the center-field wall. Jeremy Hermida's two-run homer cut the Kansas City Royals' lead over Florida to 7-6. The runs were the first allowed by Soria this season. "It was coming someday," the young closer said later Friday night. "Someday someone was going to hit me. It's OK. It's no big deal."

Royals get no-hit in Boston

BOSTON - Jon Lester can now add pitching a no-hitter to his already amazing list of accomplishments. The 24-year-old lefty, who survived cancer to pitch the World Series clincher for the Boston Red Sox last fall, shut down Kansas City 7-0 Monday night for the first no-hitter in the majors this season. "Really, words can't describe it right now," Lester said.

Schumaker caps Cardinals' rally

The St. Louis Cardinals honored Stan Musial in a pre-game ceremony, attaching his name to the street in front of the stadium. Then they made Stan the Man proud on the field. "It sounds corny, but we talked about it," manager Tony La Russa said after a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

McCrary prevails in St. Joe return

Donny McCrary returned to a local boxing ring on Saturday night for first time in 21 months. McCrary (24-7-2), the former contestant on ESPN's "The Contender" and St. Joseph native, traded the glamor of television for a smoke-filled American Legion Post and gained a unanimous decision over Terrance Smith Jr. (5-6-1).

Greinke's strong start more than enough for the Royals' offense against Florida

MIAMI - The temperature is on the rise, and so is Jose Guillen's average. Relishing summer-like afternoon conditions, Guillen homered and drove in four runs Sunday to help the Kansas City Royals take the rubber game of their series against the Florida Marlins, 9-3.

Ludwick lifts Cards against Rays

ST. LOUIS - A blustery day at Busch Stadium made the ballpark seem a whole lot smaller. In the end, the wind was blowing the St. Louis Cardinals' way. Ryan Ludwick got plenty of carry on his game-winning drive off Dan Wheeler in the 10th inning of the St. Louis Cardinals' 9-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

Marlins snap Royals' win streak

MIAMI - Wes Helms hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer and Mike Jacobs added a two-run shot in the seventh inning Saturday night, helping the Florida Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 and snap a season-high four-game losing streak. The Marlins also denied Kansas City its first six-game winning streak since beginning the 2003 season with nine straight victories.

Royals, Soria agree to deal

MIAMI - Joakim Soria and the Kansas City Royals agreed to an $8.75 million, three-year contract extension Saturday, a deal that includes three club options that could raise the value to about $32.75 million. "It's a big deal for me, for my career and my family," said Soria, who turns 24 on Sunday. "It's a lot of security for me and my family."

Worth County barely edged out of Class 1 team championship

Kyler Hiatt swept through the hurdle events and brought home three state medals. But during the final event of the Class 1 Track and Field Championships, the Worth County junior could do nothing but root against his team's competition. Saxony Lutheran won the 4x400-meter relay Saturday at Dwight T. Reed Stadium, and in the process vaulted to the school's first state championship. The Crusaders totalled 52 points and edged Worth County by a mere three, after trailing by seven entering the 4x400.

Trenton tops Class 2 track field

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Trenton wrapped up the Class 2 state title with plenty of time to celebrate. But instead of enjoying it and coasting to the finish, the Bulldogs' 4x400-meter relay ended it with a flurry. The team of Brett Lawson, Scott Mayfield, Colten McGinness and Dylan Robinson ran to a final victory in the final event, breaking their school record set last week in sectionals with a time of 3 minutes, 25.79 seconds. It shattered their previous mark by nearly two seconds and put the exclamation on Trenton's second straight trophy-winning performance.

Surprise leap lifts Rock Port to state championship

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Rock Port knew a few unexpected performances could earn the school its fifth state track title. A 4x800-meter relay title in the morning and an unforeseeable high jump victory for senior Laura Graybill in the afternoon made the difference. By a margin of just five points, Rock Port topped Meadville for the Class 1 state title Saturday at Dwight T. Reed Stadium. Lacking a point-scoring superstar, the Blue Jays spread their points across a lot of events, and - like coach Jan Burke kept reminding them - every one of them mattered.

Benton track team earns berth to state

KEARNEY, Mo. - Hannah Moore wasn't running for herself anymore - not after advancing to state earlier in the day. But the Benton sophomore knew the other three underclassmen on the 4x400-meter relay wouldn't get to see the track in Jefferson City without her. "That's what motivated me - for the other three to make it to state," Moore said. "I knew I had to do it for my girls."

Hamilton enjoys record trip to Class 2 championships

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Lindsay Vollmer bounded out of the long jump pit and bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. A youthful grin creased the face of the Hamilton senior as she waited for the measurement. A state record of 18 feet, 7 1/4 inches made it official, and Vollmer celebrated her second state title of the weekend's Class 2 Track and Field Championships. It turned out to be just the start of a remarkable Saturday for Vollmer at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

Concert Review: The Police at the Sprint Center May 13

A reunion tour always makes you ask an uncomfortable question: "How did I get so old?" Looking around at my fellow Gen-Xers, and often equal numbers of Boomers, I wonder, am I, and what I'm about to see, tragically unhip? But if a band is still at the top of its game, when the lights go out, the doubts dissipate and you're transported back in time. Last night, The Police took me, and he rest of the crowd at the Sprint Center, back to 1983.

THE BELL LAP Day 1 Wrap-up

Every point counts. That might sound head-smackingly obvious and a bit cliche, but that doesn't make it any less true. State track championships are just as much a product of the first-place phenoms as they are the eighth-place overachievers. Need an example? See Worth County's 2007 girls' squad, which won its third straight title by a point over Norborne. With enough events, those sixth- and seventh-place winners start stacking up in a hurry.

Friday's prep sports 05-16-08

Online hunter education gives prospective hunters another option

Like it or not, technology is changing the way we live our lives. Many of us now enjoy and even rely on our computers, GPS units, cell phones, fish finders and the like. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is keeping step with these changes and in a little over a month will kick off its first Online Hunter Education Course.

Cold weather fails to derail Crappie Festival

MAYSVILLE, Mo. - Cold winds and overcast skies may not be the best ingredients for a day at the lake catching crappie, but that didn't stop the huge crowd of anglers who lined the shores of Pony Express Lake during the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Crappie Festival last weekend.

Harris propels Atchison with trio of 1st-place finishes

WAMEGO, Kan. - Atchison's Andre Harris thinks three first-place medals is enough. He even said so as he came in fourth in the 400-meter dash at the Class 4A regional track and field tournament on Friday.

Albany's McGinley grabs 1st gold medal of meet

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Melissa McGinley didn't need much time to regain her state-winning status. Just a leap of 16 feet, 9 1/4 inches.

Vandevender leaps his way to 2 titles

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - De'Andre Vandevender wrapped up his state titles early in the high jump and the long jump on the first day of the Class 2 Track and Field Championships. From there, the Trenton senior took aim at the record books.

Vollmer leaves mark on 1st day of Class 2 competition

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Lindsay Vollmer's first race at the Class 2 Track and Field Championships produced a state meet record. The Hamilton freshman could only enjoy it momentarily. Vollmer finished in 14.71 seconds during the first preliminary heat for the 100-meter hurdles Friday afternoon at Dwight T. Reed Stadium, topping Precious Selmon's 2006 time of 15.04.

Concert Review: Radiohead in St. Louis May 14

I thought I knew what to expect out of Radiohead on Wednesday night. After all, I had seen the band play the same venue in 2003. Message boards let me know what to expect from the setlist. And every self-respecting music blog around had praised the epic light show. But no review prepared me for 50-foot rope ladders, extra songs, or a suspiciously large pair of women's undergarments.

Nurski, Garnett finish 1-2 at regional qualifier

Former Missouri Western golfers Brad Nurski and Brice Garnett finished first and second, respectively, at Wednesday's U.S. Open regional qualifer at The Golf Club at Creekmore in Raymore, Mo.

Hot, hot, hot

Classic artists and newer faces mark this summer concert season

It appears that this year's concert season may have peaked a little early. Bon Jovi has come and gone. Reunited rockers The Police whipped out their classic catalogue earlier this week. Looking ahead, the acts aren't nearly as wide-reaching. "We're missing the blockbuster," says Gregg Lynn, programming director for KJO 105.5. "I think the summer series is a little lighter than in earlier years." So for those itching for some live concerts this summer, what does that leave you to go see in Kansas City?

Structurally sound

The Life and Times makes rare St. Joseph appearance at The Rendezvous tonight

The Kansas City alternative rock trio The Life and Times use noise and melody like bricks and mortar to construct surprisingly large walls of sound. But guitarist/vocalist Allen Eppley humbly suggests that it's more a result of the toys than the players. "It's more effects pedals," he says. "Just turn all the effects pedals on and just let them do their stuff." It's not quite that simple.

Thursday's Prep Sports, May 15

Color and texture

Artist John Vanderpool exhibits his work at the Muchnic Gallery

A little girl dressed in white holds a small American flag in her dainty hand. Ruffles touch her elbows, and the hem of her dress falls to her knees, She is the "4th of July Girl' and is one of artist John Vanderpool's favorite paintings. She was one of several people in an old photo, circa 1912, but it was her face that captured Vanderpool's attention. "I look at a photo and see something there," he says. Visitors to the Muchnic Gallery in Atchison, Kan., can take a look of Vanderpool's paintings and see what they see there because the gallery is showcasing an exhibit of his work through June 29.

On the scene: Revved up with reviews and weekend rock

Let's face it. Yours truly can't see (or afford to purchase tickets to) every show he wants to see. Luckily, this week I got by with a little help from my friends. News-Press reporter Clinton Thomas managed to make the trek to St. Louis on Wednesday to catch Radiohead. And lifestyles editor, a.k.a. my boss, Jess DeHaven got to jet down to Kansas City to see The Police and Elvis Costello at the Sprint Center on Tuesday. The good news is they both have contributed reviews of those shows to "Sound, Scene, Delivered." As for me, I got to review the new release from big-time indie rockers Death Cab for Cutie on "B-Sides." You can read about all of these things on www.stjoenews.net. Pick your poison.

Artist of the week: John Henry and the Engine

If the St. Louis-quartet John Henry and the Engine had a fuel, it would be the timeless sounds of rock 'n' roll, R&B, soul and blues. These young guys with old souls throw it all together with raucous, contagious energy and John Henry's raspy vocals in the driver's seat. The group recently released its new album "Under the Yellow Moon" and will have a CD release party at The Rendezvous at 10 p.m. May 17.

Napoli's Italian Restaurant

It's not often you hear authentic Italian accents in northwest Missouri. But that's what you'll hear at Napoli's Italian Restaurant in Maryville, Mo. Bujar (B. J.) Rexha, a native of Venice, opened the restaurant with his cousin in early 2008 and runs it with the help of his extended family. The family has been in the restaurant business for 20 years, Rexha says. Napoli's is one of a chain of restaurants the family owns

What's up for May 16, 2008

CD Review: Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs."

Ben Gibbard and the boys pull the sound in for eccentric and daring new album

This decade's most heralded Seattle band Death Cab For Cutie have built their following on two foundations: There's singer/songwriter Ben Gibbard, with his fragile, boyish tenor and his tales of dishevled love and nostalgiac longing. Then there's the rest of the band, with Chris Walla providing clashing guitar nirvana with bass and guitar shading in the lines.

TRACK AND FIELD LEADERBOARD

Top Area Performers Through May 15

The News-Press track and field leaderboard is compiled by Andy Meyer through coaches submissions and meet results. If there is an inaccurate or missing time/distance, please e-mail Andy at andymeyer@npgco.com or fax it in to the News-Press at (816) 271-8692.

Royals break out the brooms

Kansas City sweeps last-place Tigers out of town

KANSAS CITY - Neither the Detroit Tigers nor the Kansas City Royals saw this sweep coming. Jose Guillen homered and drove in three runs, Gil Meche pitched seven solid innings and the Royals beat Detroit 8-4 Thursday to complete another three-game sweep of the Tigers.

McGinley takes team approach to state

Albany senior could rake in 4 medals

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - When Albany's Claire Youngclaus put the baton in Melissa McGinley's hand, the Warriors were in first place. Youngclaus knew what that meant for their 4x400-meter relay in last Saturday's Class 1 sectional.

A good idea, about 10 years too late

R.L. Stine's Goosebump series coming to the big screen

Growing up, I loved reading R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books. So I'm a little peeved they're just getting around to making the movies now.

Hochevar, Gathright lead Royals

KANSAS CITY - Luke Hochevar pitched six strong innings and Joey Gathright drove in the only runs, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Wednesday night and handing Justin Verlander his AL-leading seventh loss. Hochevar (3-2), the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, limited the Tigers to four singles while striking out five and walking three. He lowered his earned run average to 3.94 in five starts since being called up from Triple-A Omaha on April 20.

Northwest tennis out at D-II Nationals

HOUSTON - Northwest Missouri State's No. 1 singles player didn't get a full chance to show what she could do against the nation's eighth-ranked player. Barry (Fla.) University's three quick victories in doubles play and two more in singles didn't even allow Kristina Vucenov to finish her match against Ildiko Csordas, as the No. 8 Buccaneers already had assured themselves a first-round 5-0 victory over the Bearcats in the Round of 16 at the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championships in Houston.

Talbot heading to Naval Academy

Benton graduate to walk on for Midshipmen tennis

Luke Talbot accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy and made his decision official Wednesday afternoon at Benton High School. Although he hopes to continue his career as a walk-on tennis player, the Benton senior's decision to leave St. Joseph for Annapolis, Md., goes way beyond athletics.

LeBlond rolls to district soccer championship

Title especially sweet for Kim, Ken Girard

Of all the hugs shared Wednesday night at Alumni Stadium, none contained more feeling than the embrace between Kim and Ken Girard. Bishop LeBlond's injured senior shared a tearful hug moments after the Golden Eagles' 4-0 victory against Benton was official. Kim Girard only tred on the field during pre-game introductions, thanks to a season-ending ACL tear last week. No amount of pain in her knee kept her from enjoying the result of the Class 1 District 16 title game.

Partridge, Savannah hold off Kearney for district title

Savannah coach Erich Bodenhausen turned to his catcher, Lee McFadden, and asked if he should stick with pitcher Travis Partridge for the seventh inning of the Class 3 District 16 championship game. "Coach just asked me if he still had it, if he was too tired," McFadden said. "I knew how much (Partridge) wanted it, and that he'd do whatever he could to finish it. So I said yeah."

Tigers tame LeBlond bats

Plattsburg's Davis, Hicks allow just 4 hits as they advance to sectionals

DEARBORN, Mo. - Plattsburg's Korbin Hicks sat front and center, watching Bishop LeBlond's freight train offense steamroll its first two district games by a combined 38 runs. He tempered his team's chances of beating the Golden Eagles accordingly. "We knew if we could hold them under 10 runs, we had a chance to win," Hicks said.

Thursday's prep boxes

They have how many kids?

Shows about large familes are my new fascination

For this raised-as-only-child girl, watching shows about families of 15 is facsinating. And a bit overwhelming.

Guillen lifts Royals over Tigers

KANSAS CITY - Jose Guillen drove in a pair of runs to help the Kansas City Royals rally to beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Tuesday night. With the game tied 2-2 in the eighth inning, Guillen doubled with two outs off Francisco Cruceta (0-1). Esteban German ran for Guillen. After Billy Butler walked, Mark Teahen had an infield single, but Edgar Renteria committed a throwing error on a backhanded flip to second base, allowing German to score an unearned run.

Tuesday's Prep Sports

Central's momentum ends in district play

Riding a recent streak of hot hitting, Central steamed into districts with a fresh batch of confidence in its bats. Park Hill left-hander Albert Minnis doused that enthusiasm and ended the Indians' season with a dominant performance during the Trojans' 3-0 victory on Monday in Kansas City. "I was not surprised it was low-scoring. I was surprised that we got shut out," Central coach Stan Weston said. "Still, it's probably one of the better hitting teams I've had."

Bearcat tennis open play at nationals today

With three Missouri teams in the Round of 16 in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championships, Northwest Missouri State's Bearcats and coach Mark Rosewell will have a few familiar faces around in Houston. Northwest, Drury and Southwest Baptist are all still alive and kicking at the NCAA's Sports Festival. But for any head-to-head matchups to occur, Rosewell's team will have to advance farther than it has in school history.

Cameron golf can't pull off 2nd-day comeback at state

As course conditions deteriorated at Deer Lake Golf Course, so did Cameron's chance at a second-day comeback. But the Dragons' top four shot as well or better than they did Monday to fuel a comeback that landed them in second place at the conclusion of the Class 2 Golf Championships in Springfield, Mo. "We were a little disappointed in yesterday, but I'm proud of this group and how they kept battling," Cameron coach Kevin Nichols said. "That's how this team's been all year."

Benton tennis advances to sectional play

The score remained the same. Benton just removed the dramatics during its rematch with Bishop LeBlond. The Cardinals won Tuesday's Class 1 regional 5-4 at Noyes Tennis Complex, just as they did during the regular season. But Benton wrapped up the win after just six matches, only to watch LeBlond win the last three after the outcome was decided. After going 2-1 in doubles matches, junior Ryan Miller clinched Benton's third singles victory and the dual with a 6-0, 6-3 win against Seth VanVickle at No. 6.

Northwest basketball player arrested

Northwest Missouri State guard Lance Sullivan has been indefinitely suspended from the basketball team following his Friday arrest on a charge of distributing a controlled substance to a minor. Sullivan, a 21-year-old junior from Columbus, Ohio, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, according to the Nodaway County Sheriff's Department, where he was held until posting a $15,000 bond on Tuesday.

LeBlond overcomes 5 errors in semifinal victory against Lathrop

DEARBORN, Mo. - Bishop LeBlond overcame five errors and scored in double figures for the 13th time this season during a 19-8 five-inning win against Lathrop during Monday night's Class 2 District 16 semifinals at North Platte High School.

LeBlond remains in Class 2 state golf title hunt

A defending state champion stumbled, a local Class 1 golfer is in the hunt and Bishop LeBlond's team surged toward the top after the first day of the Boys Golf Championships.

All-MIAA Baseball Team 05-12-08

Smither shines in win

After providing Benton with a glimmer of hope, Travis Smither didn't miss a chance to help his own cause.

Monday's prep sports 05-12-08

Ivory towers over 'Hounds

Benton forward Ivory Baldwin didn't look that imposing as she streaked up the right sideline at Alumni Stadium. Then she got her feet on the ball. The pint-sized Cardinal blasted in three consecutive goals, each one harder than the next, and led her team to a 4-2 victory against Maryville in the Class 1 District 16 semifinals. Benton will take on city rival Bishop LeBlond in Wednesday's final.

Brewers hold on against Cardinals

MILWAUKEE - The ninth inning for the Milwaukee Brewers' new closer by committee was as adventurous as some of Eric Gagne's recent outings. There was one difference, though: the Brewers held on for the win. With Gagne yanked from the closer's role Sunday after faltering in back-to-back outings, relievers Salomon Torres and Brian Shouse helped make Jeff Suppan's seven solid innings stand up by holding on for a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. "I feel good about every reliever I've got down there," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "These guys make their money by being ready."

Royals end 12-game losing streak vs. Orioles

KANSAS CITY - Twelve straight losses to the Baltimore Orioles was a dirty dozen for Kansas City Royals. Brian Bannister allowed two singles in eight innings and the Royals beat Baltimore 4-0 Sunday to end their skid against the Orioles. It was Kansas City's first victory over Baltimore since July 25, 2006.

St. Joseph boxer returns to local ring after stint on ESPN

When Donny McCrary first returned to St. Joseph after appearing on ESPN's "The Contender," his stint on the cable television show was a hot topic. Five months later, things have returned to normal for the super middleweight, and he is again ready to give fans something to talk about.

La Russa removes Isringhausen as St. Louis' closer

MILWAUKEE - Jason Isringhausen got his wish. After blowing his major league-leading fifth save on Friday night in a 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals' embattled reliever will no longer close games, manager Tony La Russa said Saturday. "He's still prepared to pitch important innings, but for a while we'll try to keep him out of the ninth inning," La Russa said. "If we're playing well, there's still going to be games where you can't cherry pick his situations because if we're playing well, you need your bullpen."

Cardinals take advantage of Gagne

MILWAUKEE - Eric Gagne no longer wants to be called the Brewers' closer. He's pitching his way out of that role, anyway. The former NL Cy Young Award winner gave up a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning to Ryan Ludwick, and St. Louis held on for a 5-3 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday that snapped a season-long three-game skid. "I don't deserve that ninth inning right now. It's pretty simple," Gagne said.

Saturday's prep sports 05-10-08

Trenton boys team dominates sectional

CLEVELAND, Mo. - Trenton's boys and Hamilton's girls dominated Saturday's Class 2 sectional meet at Cass-Midway High School, solidifying their status as team state title contenders. Hamilton takes 10 individual qualifiers and two relays to next week's Track and Field Championships, in defense of their state championship. Freshman Lindsay Vollmer and senior Jordan Esry each qualified in four events, while Ashley Flook will compete at state in the 1,600 and 800.

Fort Hays eliminates Western baseball

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A month-long rally to close out the regular season allowed the Missouri Western baseball team to qualify for the four-team MIAA Tournament. But Saturday against Fort Hays State, the Griffons couldn't complete the comeback they needed to keep their season alive. Fort Hays State pushed Western into a four-run hole with some power hitting before the Griffons pulled to within one late. But thanks to a stellar defensive play at the plate, the Tigers came away with a 4-3 victory at CommunityAmerica Ballpark to eliminate the Griffons, ending their season.

Cardinals baseball hangs tough after early challenge from Smithville

Saturday proved to be stocked with pressure-filled situations for Benton's Austin Garton. First, Garton got called in from the field as a relief pitcher - with the bases loaded and his Cardinals down 4-2 in the top of the fourth inning of their Class 3 District 16 tournament game against Smithville. Garton got the Cardinals out of the jam by giving up just one run and then pitching three more scoreless innings to close out the game. Then Garton found himself at the plate in the bottom of the seventh with the scored tied at 5. The Cardinals had runners on first and third with one out.

Rock Port makes strides toward another state title

ALBANY, Mo. - Rock Port's girls continued their state qualification parade at Saturday's Class 1 sectional. The Blue Jays became a little more comfortable with second-, third- and fourth-place finishes at E.C. Smith Field, but it doesn't change their overall goal. With 10 individual state qualifiers and three relays, Rock Port looks a good bet to bring home a first state trophy since 2005. And a large amount of point-earning finishes next week could mean a fifth state championship for the Blue Jays.

State just a leap away for Irish athletes

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. - Kyle Williams didn't want to watch, but he couldn't look away. The Lafayette senior sat helplessly in fourth place, forced to watch three long jumpers attempt to take his spot at sectionals. With each measurement, he peeked out from under his black hooded sweatshirt, afraid of what he might hear. His anxiety disappeared a short time later when Kearney's Austin Stephens scratched his final attempt at the Class 3 District 8 meet to send Williams to his first sectional appearance.

Current trout season allows anglers to keep a good haul of trout

Warmer weather has finally returned and along with it water temperatures have started to rise. For anglers, spring usually clouds our thoughts with the craving for a big mess of crappie, but there's one other species who's time has come. For those who may have forgotten, the Everyday Pond on the campus of Missouri Western State University was stocked with more than 800 rainbow trout ranging in size from 10 inches to a whopping 24 inches.

Deer hunting rules get tweaked

This year's deer season will see a few changes - including a second youth-only season and the expansion of antler restrictions to more areas of the state - after a recent meeting and vote by the Missouri Conservation Commission. These changes came after the Missouri Department of Conservation gathered input from more than 4,000 people through a series of 16 public meetings held throughout the state, including St. Joseph. Public input from the meetings, along with comments received online, by mail and telephone, were summarized and coupled with biological considerations to form the department's recommendations for the upcoming season.

Northwest women make tennis nationals

MARYVILLE, Mo. - As Jordan Lipira continued to battle Emporia State's Amanda Morris at No. 3 singles, a crowd of teammates began to gather on the adjacent court to watch the Northwest Missouri State junior. Even Lisa Pendrak stole a few glances despite being in the second set of her No. 6 singles match on the next court over. With a hard overhand smash, Lipira gave her teammates what they were looking for. The winner gave Lipira a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3 6-3 win, and helped Northwest tp a 5-2 team victory over the Hornets and assured them all of a trip to the NCAA Division II national tournament in Houston. "I enjoy it," Lipira said of the attention. "I don't usually get too nervous when I play."

Mistakes prove costly for Griffon baseball

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - This time Central Missouri didn't need any late-inning heroics to defeat Missouri Western. The No. 23 Mules did most of their damage in a five-run first inning that propelled them to a 6-4 victory in the first round of the MIAA baseball tournament at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Western faces Fort Hays State in an elimination game today at 11 a.m. In their season series, the Mules used two late-inning home runs to rally for wins against Western, but the Griffons got to play catchup Friday.

Benton claims first district tennis title since 1993

Mike Weil and Tyler Deatherage weren't adjusting well to the consolation bracket. The Benton duo committed error after error, both shouting in frustration as they rapidly fell into a 6-2 hole against Grain Valley. They certainly didn't look like comeback candidates. "We were kind of getting down on ourselves. One mistake turned into another and another," Weil said. "Once we got rolling, we couldn't really stop after that."

W. Nodaway golfer, mother share success

Terri Carver just can't stay away, when her body allows. At last week's Class 1 District 8 meet, she found a golf cart and headed out on the links to find her son, Garrett. Terri followed every shot for the final nine holes and watched as Garrett won his first district championship. That same day, Terri found herself back in Kansas City at the University of Kansas Medical Center, an expected bout in her battle with cancer.

Orioles tag Royals with another loss

KANSAS CITY - Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora homered, Steve Trachsel earned his first victory since April 4 and the Baltimore Orioles beat Kansas City 7-4 Friday night for their 11th straight victory over the Royals.

MIAA baseball tournament box from Friday

MIAA baseball tournament box from Frday

Prep boxes from Friday

A promising selection

Blockbusters and variety mark this summer's movie season

As far as cinema is concerned, 2008 has been lackluster at best. That was until "Iron Man," starring Robert Downey Jr. as the metal-clad superhero, came along last week grossing more than $100 million in its opening weekend, kicking the summer movie season off with a bang. "More importantly, this has been the first really good quality mass film that's been out there," says Bob Shultz, KQ2 movie critic.

Unexpected gifts

St. Joseph Community Chorus to present concert on Mother's Day

Treat mom and yourself to an "unexpected gift" Sunday evening when the St. Joseph Community Chorus presents its last concert of the season at the Missouri Western State University Fulkerson Center. "It will be the end of a great Mother's Day," says SJCC artistic director, Frank Thomas. This is the 26th season for Thomas and the 28th season for the 90-member chorus. The concert, "Unexpected Gifts - Songs from the Heart," should have something for everyone.

It's been a good year

Injected Element goes from unknown band to metal champions

St. Joseph band Injected Element has only been around for a little over a year, but they've already managed to accomplish some pretty big things. The band won first place at Metal Wars 2008 in Kansas City, beating out more than 30 of the Midwest's best metal groups for the title. They also were nominated as one of the best new bands of 2007 by the Kansas City-based Heavy Frequency Magazine. Yeah, the past year's been pretty good for Injected Element.

On the scene: Local entertainment and events worth the gas

After driving back to Kentucky last weekend, I realized that the price of gas will quickly lead me to overcome my fear of needles. I hear plasma can make you a quick buck. Now that I'm back, I am happy to report that with the exception of driving an hour south for a few events, the people of St. Joe can stay put and get a good show one way or another. To hear an interesting bi-lingual blend of indie rock, power pop and Latin music, I suggest you go to see Making Movies when they perform with Oddbender at 10 p.m. tonight at The Rendezvous. Cover is $3. Then again, if you want to hear some hard-lived-but-danceable blues and a few kickin' guitar licks, check out Fast Johnny Ricker when he plays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. tonight at Magoon's. Cover is $6.

Artist of the week: Mary Davis

Mary Davis is trying to give back in plenty of ways. Whether it's her numerous art projects, her self-published book "Bartering with God" (available at Lulu.com) or the self-made tokens she sells, she aims to give back to the community with her talent.

What's up for May 9, 2008

Orioles stymie Royals

KANSAS CITY - Daniel Cabrera threw a three-hitter to remain perfect against Kansas City, Nick Markakis backed him with a three-run homer, and the Baltimore Orioles snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory against the Royals on Thursday night.

Northwest softball stays alive

EMPORIA, Kan. - Southwest Minnesota State rallied from a run down and topped Northwest Missouri State 3-2 in eight innings Thursday in the first round of the NCAA North Central Region Championships, held on the campus of Emporia State. The Bearcats (32-21) rebounded to defeat Central Missouri 1-0 in 11 innings in an elimination game to remain alive in the tournament.

Forecasted rain forces changes to district baseball tournament

Weather already has disrupted the local high school baseball playoffs - but this time the teams are getting ahead of the problems. The Class 3 District 8 tournament will be condensed to get all games in by morning and afternoon on Saturday. The changes were made because rain is predicted in the evening, and the organizers hope to avoid any rainouts that could give a competitive advantage to some teams.

Atchison's Ross calling it quits after 8 hoops seasons

ATCHISON, Kan. - George Ross, Jr. announced he would not return for a ninth season as boys basketball coach at Atchison earlier this week. The announcement comes following an 8-12 season for the Redmen, moving Ross's career record at Atchison to 125-63.

Northwest tennis reaches regional finals

After piling up victories quickly on the men's and women's sides, several of Northwest Missouri State's singles matches were unnecessary or went unfinished Thursday during the NCAA Division II North Central Regional Tennis Championships in Maryville, Mo. That was just fine with Northwest coach Mark Rosewell.

LeBlond responds to coach's pep talk with 15-run output

FAUCETT, Mo. - As Max Montag's single fell in down the right-field line, his Bishop LeBlond teammates already were razzing him. "Hey, your first hit of the year," Chris Schultz shouted. Although Schultz was a little off on the number, it showed how good LeBlond's offense was Thursday against Mid-Buchanan. Montag's two-run single out of the No. 9 hole highlighted the Golden Eagles' seven-run top of the first inning during a 15-1, five-inning victory.

GAME BLOG: Cardinal Relays

This much drama is hard to find outside of daytime television. *Cue Don LaFontaine, the epic-sounding movie trailer guy* In a meet...where two conference champions will decide the team title, only one can be victorious.

Royals erupt for 14 hits

KANSAS CITY - David DeJesus and Alex Gordon both homered and the Kansas City Royals, the lowest-scoring team in the AL, banged out 14 hits in a 9-4 victory Wednesday night over Jered Weaver and the Los Angeles Angels.

Northwest hosts tennis regional

National tournament hopes are on the line today when Northwest Missouri State's men's and women's tennis teams host North Central Regional tennis play at Frank Grube Courts.

Argonauts sign Northwest DE Flynn

TORONTO - The Toronto Argonauts signed former Northwest Missouri State football student-athlete Dallas Flynn to a free agent contract.

Prep Notebook: Injury fails to keep Madison out of sectional

This time last year, Brad Madison thought he'd be launching toward the Class 2 state discus record.

Lisenbee wins golf regional, but doesn't qualify for national

Win or go home. Missouri Western's Aaron Lisenbee did both at the NCAA's Central Region Men's Tournament at Red Hawk Run Golf Course in Findlay, Ohio.

NCAA Division II Golf Central/Great Lakes Super Regional

Wednesday's Prep Sports

Tuesday's Prep Sports

Anderson has five RBIs, Angels beat Royals

KANSAS CITY - Garret Anderson homered for the second straight game and drove in five runs to lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Griffon Notebook: Western salvages its baseball hopes with late-season run

On the evening of April 9, it appeared the best way for the Missouri Western baseball team to get to CommunityAmerica Ballpark this year would by purchasing Kansas City T-Bones tickets this summer.

Lisenbee ties course record, vaults to top of regional leader board

FINDLAY, Ohio - Four holes into the NCAA Division II Central Regional golf tournament, Aaron Lisenbee's month-long slump showed no signs of abating.

Monday's prep sports 05-05-08

Bearcat baseball finishes on high note but still misses tourney

Northwest Missouri State nearly did enough to sneak into the MIAA Baseball Tournament this weekend at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. But not quite enough. Missouri Western performed well enough to leapfrog over Fort Hays State and into the No. 3 seed in the four-team tournament.

Northwest track makes strides

MARYVILLE, Mo. - With 23 All-MIAA performers coming out of the weekend's MIAA Outdoor Championships and the conference's Multi-Events Championships the weekend before, Northwest Missouri State track and field coaches Richard Alsup and Scott Lorek are smiling. No matter that the teams finished far off the team championship pace. "I think we upped our position one place from indoors," said men's coach Richard Alsup, whose team took seventh in the winter meet.

Kansas City pitcher apologizes for injuring hand

KANSAS CITY - Appearing embarrassed and uncomfortable, John Bale apologized Monday for punching a door and breaking his pitching hand. "I'd like to apologize first of all to the Royals organization, my teammates, my coaching staff, for my action. It was uncalled for," the left-hander said. "It was, you know, a moment of frustration and I wish I could do anything I could to take it back. But I can't." Exactly why Bale slammed his hand into a door in his hotel room in Cleveland on Friday remained a mystery. After issuing a brief statement in front of his locker Monday, he walked away without taking questions. Royals manager Trey Hillman later said "no comment" when asked if he knew what had been bugging the pitcher, who was probably headed to the bullpen after coming back from the disabled list for shoulder fatigue.

Angels shut down Royals

KANSAS CITY - Ervin Santana extended his outstanding start by pitching a four-hitter, and Garret Anderson and Brandon Wood hit consecutive homers in a four-run ninth inning to lead the Los Angeles Angels past the Kansas City Royals 4-0 on Monday night. Santana joined teammate Joe Saunders at 6-0, becoming the third and fourth Angels pitchers to open a season 6-0 or better. Saunders and Santana are just the eighth pair of teammates to start a season 6-0 since 1920.

Royals' Meche throws best game of season

CLEVELAND - A little over a month into the season and Cleveland manager Eric Wedge is searching for answers as the Indians struggle to score runs. Sunday's 2-0 loss to Kansas City provided even more frustration for Wedge. Gil Meche pitched seven shutout innings and a throwing error by third baseman Casey Blake broke a scoreless tie in the fifth. Cleveland, which was held to four hits, didn't advance a runner to third base and got only one runner to second. Following the game, Wedge hinted some roster changes might be ahead. The Indians have scored three runs or less 16 times in 31 games.

City Council set to vote on plan to return summer team to Phil Welch

The newest player on St. Joseph's amateur baseball scene could officially enter the lineup tonight when the St. Joseph City Council considers a Phil Welch Stadium user agreement with Wood Bat Baseball. Under the agreement, Kansas City restaurateur Dan Gerson's Wood Bat Baseball would take over management and maintenance of the stadium on Sept. 1. City councilman Gary Roach said the lease agreement is for one year, with options for multiple extensions.

Sunday's prep sports 05-04-08

Northwest track 05-04-08

Maryville claims MEC

PLATTE CITY, Mo. - Jenny Zweifel's comeback couldn't have come at a better time for Maryville's track team. Without star sprinter Taylor Gadbois, the Spoofhounds' senior filled the void and picked up just enough points to propel her team to a 3 1/2-point win over Chillicothe during Saturday's Midland Empire Conference meet at Platte County.

Rock Port dethrones Worth Co.

Rock Port's girls rolled over the rest of their district field in Grant City, including host Worth County - the defending three-time state champs. One-two showings in all three distance events helped the Blue Jays score 153 points. Leslie Alitz claimed wins in both the mile and two-mile runs, while Elyssa Ellison turned in runner-up finishes in the 800 and mile. Those two also made up part of the victorious 4x800-meter relay team.

Saturday's prep track and field and baseball

Royals rally to top Tribe

CLEVELAND - Billy Butler's single broke a tie game and keyed Kansas City's four-run seventh inning, leading the Royals to a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Indians and C.C. Sabathia on Saturday night.

Bills hope Omon's production carries over

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Having scored 98 touchdowns - that's right, two short of 100 - in four years at college, Xavier Omon has a knack for finding the end zone. "Let's hope it stays that way," the running back said, cracking a smile. The Buffalo Bills hope so, too, after getting their first glimpse of the sixth-round draft pick out of Northwest Missouri State during a three-day rookie minicamp this weekend.

Shot put title a long time coming for Winston's Curtis

Ryan Curtis didn't know the specifications of the shot put pit at St. Joseph Christian. But Winston's bespectacled senior watched his first two efforts during Saturday's Class 1 District 7 meet bound just in front of the wood board marking the boundary between the chat pit and the plush grass at Christian Field. Each one set a school record and helped Curtis capture his first district title.

Vollmer dominates District 8

Without looking back, Lindsay Vollmer picked herself up out of the long jump pit, brushed herself off and jogged to her starting blocks for the the 100-meter hurdle finals. She had another event to dominate. There was no rest for the victor of four events at Saturday's Class 2 District 8 track meet at Bishop LeBlond, where the lanky Hamilton freshman swept her events by significant margins.

Friday's prep sports 05-02-08

Schumaker's walk-off homer propels Cards

ST. LOUIS - Skip Schumaker hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning, taking struggling closer Jason Isringhausen off the hook in the St. Louis Cardinals' 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

Weather disrupts youth turkey season

Although youth hunters were allowed to hunt nearly twice as long as they have in the past seven years, this year's Missouri youth turkey season ended with the second-lowest harvest on record. The Missouri Department of Conservation released the telecheck numbers from the April 12 and 13 weekend, which showed a harvest of only 2,898 turkeys.

Despite protests, hunting helps conservation

In every state across the country there is a small but persistent group of activists who are doing everything possible to disrupt the actions of state and federal wildlife agencies. Time and time again, these groups go against sound, scientifically based management principles that have proven to be effective for many decades.

Western outlines plans for athletic facilities' upgrades

When Dave Williams discussed the future of Missouri Western's athletic facilities earlier this week, he drifted toward hyperbole like "Taj Mahal" and "the envy of all of Division II." But before the Griffons can dream of having the best facilities in the country, or even the MIAA, they need to at least catch up with the rest of the conference. Last week, the Missouri Western Board of Governors made that possible - at least for baseball and football. It authorized a bond issue to fund upgrades and additions to the Griffons' athletics facilities, using the Max Experience money raised annually by student fees.

World of Outlaws Series event postponed

OSBORN, Mo. - The severe weather which plagued Northwest Missouri from Thursday night into Friday morning forced the postponement of Friday's World of Outlaws race scheduled for U.S. 36 Raceway.

West Nodaway golfer honors lost friend at district tournament

Garrett Carver had more on his mind Thursday than 18 holes of golf at Mozingo Golf Course. On a day his friend and former classmate Jesse Davison was laid to rest, West Nodaway's senior No. 1 player wanted to honor Davison's memory. Carver did just that, capturing medalist honors at the Class 1 District 8 tournament in Maryville. Carver made four birdies on his way to a 1-over 73 and topped defending champion Derek Hawkins of Tarkio by two strokes.

Trenton track athlete ready for his new challenge

With six state medals to his name, De'Andre Vandevender has made a name for himself in the jumping pits. But for the first time in his accomplished track-and-field career, the Trenton senior will lace up his spikes for a running event at today's Class 2 District 8 meet at Bishop LeBlond. Never quite quick enough to crack the top four until this year, Vandevender's rigorous workout regimen landed him on the 4x100-meter relay team.

How do you like them apples?

The Apple Blossom Festival begins in St. Joe this weekend

This weekend, it's all about family. Not only will families be encouraged to come out to participate in the Apple Blossom Festival, but the event itself will have a family focus. Sure, the Apple Blossom Parade, St. Joe's oldest parade, will have the usual attractions. The Shriners will be there, along with the antique automobiles, decorated cars, horses and walking units. And don't worry kids, there's still plenty of candy that will be tossed out on the popular parade route towards downtown. But this year's theme, "A Tribute to St. Joe Families: The Heart of Our City," will give the estimated 90 parade floats the opportunity to honor prominent St. Joseph families of past and present while giving others a chance to celebrate their own. "It can be family activities, St. Joe families... they can be creative with it," says Michelle Wolfe, executive director for the Apple Blossom Festival.

Habit forming

'Nunsense 2' opens at Robidoux Landing Playhouse

You know a director is having fun with his latest production when he breaks into song while on his cell phone. "It's time to put on makeup, it's time to light the lights," Mike Swymeler, director of "Nunsense 2: The Second Coming," sings, referencing "The Muppet Show" theme. "Nunsense 2" opens tonight at Robidoux Landing Playhouse. No doubt, Kermit and the Muppets would approve. But the veteran director's songbite isn't meant to honor a beloved old show. It's a nod to the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who stole audiences' hearts by ticking their funnybones in the original "Nunsense." And now, those rollicking, righteous ladies of the habit are back for another song-filled frolic.

Beyond the barbershop

Voices of America holds annual spring concert this Saturday

When people think of barbershop music, they may conjure up images old-timey and classic. The Voices of America would like you to go ahead and get that image out of your head. "There's certainly misconceptions about barbershop, thinking it's four guys in straw hats singing songs," says Scott Johnson, vice president of marketing and P.R. and a Voices of America bass singer.

Movie review: 'Iron Man' sets the precedent for blockbusters this summer

Robert Downey Jr. says it himself: "I'm just not the hero type, clearly." Actually, he says it as billionaire arms dealer Tony Stark, the alter ego of the title character in the new comic-to-screen blockbuster "Iron Man." But the fact that Downey Jr. doesn't fit the Hollywood archetype of a superhero is one of many reasons why "Iron Man" is easily one of the best comic book movies of the decade. Downey Jr. brings his usual crackling electricity and humor to the role of Stark and gets the film off the ground from the opening frames.

On the scene: Stuff to do (besides seeing 'Iron Man')

What's up for May 2

Thursday's Prep Sports

Benton belts Chillicothe in T-Bones' stadium

Colton Garton held his tongue as the rest of his Benton teammates mobbed his twin brother, Austin, at the plate. After all, he has a sibling rivalry to maintain. "I knew he was going to start saying stuff whenever he came up and hit one," Colton said of Austin's second-inning home run. But Colton one-upped his brother - both in distance and run production - with a grand slam that capped Benton's offensive explosion Thursday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Four Cardinal hitters homered during the Cardinals' 18-6 victory against Chillicothe.

World of Outlaws set to hit Osborn track

OSBORN, Mo. - Mike Franks can't slow down this week with the World of Outlaws headed to his track. Even as the premier sprint car series returns to U.S. 36 Raceway for a third straight year, the track's owner and promoter has had plenty to do this week. Cold and rainy weather has kept racing off Franks' track until this week, and he's worked as hard as ever to have the track ready for today's Missouri High-Banked Nationals. "We've been hitting her hard, and I've got the track in pretty good shape," Franks said. "It's been bigger every year, so I wouldn't expect it to be any different."

Benton proves strong at MEC Tournament

Luke Talbot just wanted to get on the court. So after cramps forced Maryville's Anthony Groumoutis to forfeit the MEC Tournament singles final, Talbot and his older brother, Ben, playfully hit balls back and forth. It wasn't the way Benton's senior envisioned winning his second straight MEC singles championship. But Talbot enjoyed the chance to play with his brother, himself a former No. 1 player at Benton.

Royals' offense stalls in Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas - When Sidney Ponson got released by Minnesota last May, the big right-hander knew he wasn't physically or mentally ready to keep pitching. So he went home and was out of the major leagues until last week. Now his pitches are sinking again, and his confidence is soaring. Ponson went eight innings to earn his first victory in exactly a year and the Texas Rangers finished off a successful homestand with Ron Washington still their manager, beating the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Thursday.

Is it art, or taking advantage of a teen star?

The debate rages over Miley Cyrus photos

Some say the pictures are tasteful and beautiful, others say Miley Cyrus is on her way to becoming the next Britney Spears. Are the 'Vanity Fair' photos really that bad?

Liz McComb - Spirit of New Orleans

If the south had a soundtrack it would be a mix of jazz, blues and holy rolling church music. Both "Devil's Music" and "God's Music," as some called it, and the twain should never meet. Of course what was played on Saturday night would oftimes spill over into the pews on Sunday morning.

Fiesta fun

No, it's not Mexican Independence Day, but Cinco de Mayo is still reason to celebrate

Cinco de Mayo is almost here, and whether you're planning on celebrating this weekend or on the actual Cinco de Mayo, it's likely that a fiesta is in your future. Your fiesta menu is one of the first things you'll want to figure out. Rick Palma, owner of Palma's Authentic Mexican Restaurant, says tacos and enchiladas are always popular Mexican dishes. He also suggests pork chili, which is cubed pork cooked in a spicy red chili sauce.

Stories for May 2008

Saturday, May 31

First in series of weekly features pitting News-Press reporter against area's top athletes

Royals bad luck runs out during win against Cleveland

Friday, May 30

Tigers crush Mississippi to open regionals

Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival gets going next week

Kansas City comedian Skip Clark shares the stage with local comedians in St. Joe tonight

Roddy Barnes takes the stage at Cafe Acoustic tonight

Movie has all the things fans love about the series

Thursday, May 29

Flap over Rachel Ray's "hate couture" accessory is unnecessary, and annoying

Crowd fills the Buffalo Bar for line-dancing lessons on Thursday nights

Wednesday, May 28

Slide reaches 10 after Wednesday's collapse

Tuesday, May 27

Monday, May 26

Missouri baseball earns a No. 2 seed

Sunday, May 25

Martel Stewart's dance moves are taking him to Los Angeles

Saturday, May 24

Friday, May 23

Kansas City manages just 1 run as futility continues

Benton 4x400 relay squad sets a school record

New Kids on the Block tour is making a stop in Kansas City

The lives of musical artists continue to hit the multiplexes

Garrett Nordstrom Situation returns to play Magoon's tonight

Riverbend Art Fair takes place this Saturday and Sunday

Harrison Ford still thrills as 'Indiana Jones'

Thursday, May 22

Kansas City swept away at Fenway Park

Three-block stretch is becoming St. Joe's bar district

Wednesday, May 21

Tuesday, May 20

Monday, May 19

Sunday, May 18

Saturday, May 17

Friday, May 16

Classic artists and newer faces mark this summer concert season

The Life and Times makes rare St. Joseph appearance at The Rendezvous tonight

Artist John Vanderpool exhibits his work at the Muchnic Gallery

Ben Gibbard and the boys pull the sound in for eccentric and daring new album

Thursday, May 15

Top Area Performers Through May 15