stjoelive.com | Stories for January 2009

South Harrison leans on Butler in Hamilton title game

HAMILTON, Mo. - With South Harrison's advantage slipping away, Kelsey Butler had a simple message for her teammates as they emerged from a crucial timeout. "Keep your heads up," Butler shouted, barely audible over the thunderous crowd noise. "Let's go." With Butler leading the way, South Harrison followed in her footsteps and clinched the Hamilton Tournament championship with a 53-42 win over the host Hornets. The win gave the Bulldogs their second tournament title this season.

DeMarr fires on all cylinders while powering Central girls

CAMERON, Mo. - Some athletes enjoy a point in their careers where seemingly nothing goes wrong and every aspect of their game fires on all cylinders. Anissa DeMarr enjoyed such a highlight this week, culminating in her Central team's 43-36 victory against Kearney in the championship game of the Cameron Invitational Tournament on Saturday in Cameron.

Time runs out on Western men

TOPEKA, Kan. - Tom Smith didn't believe in calling a timeout to set up a final possession before Saturday's game, and he remained firm in the stance afterward. The Missouri Western men's coach thinks that tactic gives opponents a chance to organize or switch up their defense. He prefers to roll with the status quo. And against Washburn, the status quo favored the defense. Washburn defended Missouri Western's final possession superbly, forcing Griffon point guard Leonard Parker to throw up a contested 3-pointer to beat the shot clock. Parker's attempt fell short of the rim, and the Ichabods survived Western 79-78 at Lee Arena.

Bearcat men get chances but can't stop Tigers

HAYS, Kan. - The Bearcats hit them to lead the game. The Tigers hit them to win the game. In a game that saw 52 fouls, 72 foul shots and 140 points, Fort Hays State literally fought off Northwest Missouri State for a 72-68 win in MIAA play Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. After Northwest led by as many as eight in the second half, Fort Hays clawed back in to take a one-point lead with just over 3 minutes to play. The Tigers ended up hitting 9 of 10 foul shots in the final 32 seconds, all but erasing an abysmal night from the free-throw line.

Local College Box Scores

Saturday's Prep Sports

Bearcat women's losing skid hits 7

HAYS, Kan. - The Tigers knew it. The Bearcats knew it. Heck - even the popcorn guy knew it. Everybody knew that Fort Hays State sharpshooter Naomi Bancroft was going to see in-your-face defense in Saturday night's game against Northwest Missouri. But Fort Hays guard Audra Binford made the Bearcats pay for focusing on Bancroft. Binford scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds - both her best efforts in a Tiger uniform - to help Fort Hays pull away in the second half for a 75-60 MIAA victory in Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Western women not yet up to Washburn's level

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Missouri Western women just never looked up to the upset. Constantly lurking but unable to find that elusive run, the Griffons fell 77-64 to No. 11 Washburn at Lee Arena on Saturday. Since winning two of three, the Griffons (2-17, 2-11 MIAA) now have dropped three in a row.

Chiefs' Derrick Thomas finally makes Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY - When Air Force jets roared over Arrowhead Stadium in patriotic pregame ceremonies, it used to mean big trouble for visiting quarterbacks. Derrick Thomas, the son of a pilot lost in Vietnam during Operation Linebacker II, always seemed quicker, bolder and even more punishing on those days. That's when Kansas City's great pass-rushing linebacker would summon every ounce of his talent. Those skills carried Thomas, who died in 2000, into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Friday's Prep Sports

Central's Love puts finishing touch on Indians' homecoming victory

Even without his crown, Justin Love reigned supreme as the king of this court. On the night he presided as Snowfrost royalty, Love's ferocious, one-handed tomahawk slam sent the frenzied crowd into hysterics and punctuated Central's statement victory Friday night against Blue Springs South 62-44. "That was my aim all night," said Love, who selected a climactic moment for his first dunk during regulation at Central High School. "It felt real good, but I was just happy to get it done."

GAME BLOG: South Nodaway girls 44, Jefferson 32

Two main things I took from this game. First, South Nodaway is starting to look like a very, very scary team. The 'Horns go seven deep right now, and they are still minus two starters. When those players return -- likely next week -- this team becomes my favorite to represent Northwest Missouri at state.

Western selects new volleyball coach

Missouri Western landed a proven winner for its struggling women's volleyball program. The university on Friday announced that Cory Frederick has been named the sixth head volleyball coach in school history. He replaces Tiffany Mastin, who resigned in November after a 14-56 record over her two seasons at the helm. During that span, the Griffons were just 3-30 in MIAA play. Frederick's fortunes were much better during a five-year stint at Park University. Frederick, himself a former Western assistant from 2001-03 under then-coach Cindy Brauck, led the Park men's team to an overall record of 105-16, the NAIA championship in 2008 and a runner-up finish in 2007. Frederick's teams qualified for the NAIA national tournament each of the five seasons.

South Nodaway edges Jefferson girls

CONCEPTION JUNCTION, Mo. - South Nodaway continues to set a dangerous precedent. Not for themselves but for all future opponents. The Longhorns have made the fourth quarter "Jackson Time" during a recent stretch of games against ranked opponents. On Friday night against Jefferson, Sami and Lindsi Jackson combined for 35 points - including 15 of the team's 16 during a decisive fourth quarter - helping No. 4 South Nodaway to a 44-32 win at Jefferson High School. The game featured five ties, and neither team led by more than six until South Nodaway broke it open in the fourth. Jefferson trailed by one at halftime and after three quarters.

National Wild Turkey Federation banquet will fund projects

Ellen Benitz, regional director of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), has a special night planned for Valentine's Day. She, along with other members of the Platte Purchase Chapter, will host their 12th annual Hunting Heritage Super Fund Banquet featuring some special activities just for the ladies. "Of course when I first mention that our banquet is set for Valentine's Day, most folks groan, but really, when I ask them 'Do you go out on Valentines Day?' most admit they do not," Benitz said.

Anglers put on ice at Mozingo Lake

In all fairness to those who read the outdoors page regularly, I feel I must confess. I have officially violated a city ordinance pertaining to fishing in one of the area's top public lakes. This wasn't a one-time deal either. I've done it multiple times over the past two years. Unfortunately, many of you have unknowingly done it, too. Anyone who enjoys pulling a fresh catch of bluegills and crappie through the ice knows Mozingo Lake is one of the top destinations for ice fishing enthusiasts in the Midwest. That was until recently when it was discovered the city of Maryville, which owns the lake, has an ordinance specifically prohibiting it.

Northwest Missouri State scouting report

Northwest Missouri State at Fort Hays State.

Missouri Western scouting report

Missouri Western at Washburn

Identity crisis at the Academy!

I thought the Academy was progressing...

DUAL BLOG: City Wrestling Meet

Let's just get right to this. We're going awards style for a run down of Thursday's four-hour event. BEST MATCH Bobby Nachtrab, Central vs. Jake Chellew, Benton In the second match wrestled, these two put on a show.

You said it

Bars, grub, tunes and awkward answers comprise our inaugural St. Joe Live Awards

Towards the end of 2008, St. Joe Live decided to create the first-ever St. Joe Live Awards, awards recognizing what you, the reader, thought was the best in Joetown restaurants, bars, bands and other social activities. We thought the answers were going to go a certain way - and we were wrong.

And from the 'some people just don't get it' file

"John Hancock? It's Herbie Hancock." -Chris Farley, "Tommy Boy" That is what we call a fail, ladies and gentlemen. Herbie Hancock was not one of the Framers of The Constitution despite the answer that Farley's character filled in the blank on his history exam. He epically failed to write the correct answer.

Don't be a fool

'Fool For Love' offers a unique theater outing

If you've never been to Missouri Western's Black Box Theatre, you're in for a treat. The little room sits audience members on both sides of the set. It's like a theater with a sports view, and it makes for a cozy, almost penetrating experience.

Screwing around

Tapes 'n Tapes experiment with alternative sound

The Minneapolis-based band Tapes 'n Tapes pull off something that few can. The group's music is elegant at times and aggressive at others, but always catchy. Some bands work tirelessly to achieve such a feat. But for Tapes 'n Tapes, it's not a big deal.

From souls to feet

Show recreates the history of tap dancing

How much do you know about the history of modern tap dancing in America? Unless you're a dancer, probably not much. But there's an easy way to learn.

The shuffle: The music and the man in charge

In the past two years, our new commander-in-chief, President Barack Obama, campaigned tirelessly to acquire his new job. And on the campaign trail, he had an unprecedented number of musical artists come to his aid.

That game we play: Searching for places to search

When it comes to meeting people, we've all heard the old standards: Take a class. Volunteer. Go to church.

This is: "New Landscape" by Armin MÃ¼hsam

Eats: This garden is worth finding

The Garden of Eaten is a vegetarian restaurant/bakery near Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. Although the rustic log cabin exterior is quite visible standing high on the hill overlooking Riverside Road, the owners, LeWand and Booker Burton, say the number one comment they hear is, "I didn't know you were here!"

What's in that?: Bloody Mary at Hap's Place

Briefs for Jan. 30, 2009

Prep Girls Basketball Leaders, Jan. 30

Top performers in points, rebounds, assists and steals

Entertainment calendar for Jan. 30, 2009

Prep Boys Basketball Leaders, Jan. 30

Top performers in points, rebounds, assists and steals

News-Press Girls Fab 5, Jan. 30

The teams in the News-Press Fab 5 are done before Thursday games and are based on who we believe has the best chance to play for a state title.

News-Press Boys Fab 5, Jan. 30

The teams in the News-Press Fab 5 are done before Thursday games and are based on who we believe has the best chance to play for a state title.

Prep Basketball Standings, Jan. 30

Boys and girls standings for area teams

Christian's depth helps Lions run past Rock Port

Nicole Critchfield isn't accustomed to spending much time on the bench. In years past, the St. Joseph Christian guard never left the court because of a shortage of depth on the Lions' bench. But that's where she spent most of the final quarter during her team's 61-38 victory Thursday against Rock Port at St. Joseph Christian School. "It's kind of nice," Critchfield said. "And our fourth quarter is one of our strongest points because we have fresh legs in there to keep it going."

Cardinals claim City Wrestling Meet championship

Tanner Murphy looked exhausted and dejected leaving the mat Thursday night at Lafayette High School. After losing a 5-1 decision to Central's Lane Swan, Murphy missed out on a chance at the 125-pound city title, but the Benton junior's effort couldn't have proved more vital for the Cardinals during the City Wrestling Meet. Benton led Central by 30 points entering the third and final round after going 7-2 in the first nine head-to-head matches. Central still could have tied the dual with five straight pins. Murphy's loss by decision allowed Benton to outlast Central, 39-36, and lead the Cardinals to their first team city championship since 2005. Benton dominated Lafayette, 57-18.

South Harrison establishes itself in Class 3

South Harrison must be used to the drama by now. Buzzer beaters and nail-biting victories have been the norm for the Bulldogs, who handled the pressure down the stretch once again Wednesday night. The Bulldogs blitzed past Gallatin and avenged their only loss of the season Wednesday in the semifinals of the Hamilton Tournament. Trailing by five points with 2 minutes remaining, South Harrison (14-1) staged a comeback in the final two minutes and prevailed 47-44.

Grammy predictions: Hard rock, Metal and Hip-Hop

If it rocks, thumps or bumps, I'm calling it

People may think that putting rap and rock together was a turn-of-millenium fad, but you don't have to look to Lil Wayne's upcoming rock album to see it's making a comeback. You can look at my predictions for hard rock, metal and hip-hop categories at this year's Grammy Awards coming up on two weeks.

Fun with Legos

Guess the Lego movie star, watch the Lego inauguration

Legos are always fun, especially when they look like movie stars and our 44th president.

GAME BLOG: Emporia 89, Western women 70

There has been some banter in the comments section of our Web site that this Western team had the talent to be a really good MIAA team, just not the right combination. I would hold up Wednesday's game as a shining example of the true disparity between the best and the rest in this conference. The Griffons have some nice players and solid pieces in place to be successful in the future. But after watching a player as athletic and aggressive as Ida Edwards dominate the post or a point guard as smooth and dangerous as Cassondra Boston or a shooter as lethal as Andrea Leiker, I think it's clear these players are just on a different level than anyone Western has.

Out of the ring, onto the dance floor

Rob Calloway prepares for Dancing with the Stars, St. Joseph

Rob Calloway is practicing at his Team Calloway gym. But he's not practicing punches and jabs or sparring with an opponent. Mr. Calloway, known for his boxing, is out of the ring, practicing his footwork. His dance footwork, that is. He and his coach, Judy Clark, are practicing the mambo, a dance Mrs. Clark classifies as high energy and full of fun. The duo added a bit of hip-hop, including spins and half splits, to the dance, an idea of Mr. Calloway's. "A lot of people that never thought they'd see me do something like this," he says, "I think they're interested to watch me do this." Mr. Calloway is one of six local celebrities competing in the Performing Arts Association's second annual Dancing with the Stars, St. Joseph. The show will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Missouri Theater.

GAME BLOG: Western men 73, Emporia 58

Combine the intensity and passion with which the Griffons currently are playing especially on defense with Lonnel Johnson and Dominique Thuston finding their range, and Western will be a tough team to beat down the stretch. While beating Southwest Baptist last week would've helped the Griffons tremendously in the MIAA standings (and the regional rankings if they make a run in the next few weeks), that loss might be one of the better things that happened to them this season.

Wednesday's Prep Sports

Bearcat men stumble again

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Washburn opened the door for Northwest Missouri State with its miscues Wednesday night, but the Bearcats stumbled at the threshold, suffering a 71-65 setback in their MIAA men's basketball game at Bearcat Arena. "They turned the ball over 24 times, and that ought to breathe enough life into you," Northwest coach Steve Tappmeyer said.

Griffon men 'dazzle' Hornets

Dominique Thuston called it "razzle dazzle." The Missouri Western men can call it a sign their leading scorer found his form once again. The sophomore hit 10 of 13 attempts, including a circus shot in the second half of the Griffons' 75-58 victory against Emporia State on Wednesday at MWSU Fieldhouse. With the shot clock winding down and the ball bouncing off numerous hands in the lane, Thuston jumped across the lane to grab the ball in mid-air, spun and tossed in a reverse layup - all in one motion.

Western women start strong but ultimately can't measure up to Emporia

The Missouri Western women met their ideal prototype Wednesday - a tough, aggressive, fast-break team. And Emporia State showed the Griffons just how far they have to go. The fifth-ranked Hornets rolled through the Griffons 89-70 at MWSU Fieldhouse. It's Emporia's sixth straight win against Western. "They did a great job. That's the intensity and tempo we want to play with," Western coach Lynn Plett said. "We're just not physically capable yet."

Bearcat women's losing skid reaches six

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Call it a six-pack of disappointments. Miscues on Wednesday night brewed up Northwest Missouri State's sixth straight defeat, a 66-57 loss to No. 11 Washburn at Bearcat Arena. Washburn (16-3, 9-3 MIAA) scored 20 points off turnovers and outscored Northwest 15-2 in fast-break points to finally get a second-half cushion against the Bearcats (6-13, 2-10 MIAA).

Off the mat

Lafayette wrestling coach battles through disease

In an easily forgettable span of time, Vince Crowley went from a healthy and vibrant 27-year-old to an unexpected confrontation with mortality. Lafayette's assistant wrestling coach thought he contracted the flu in December. But three weeks later, Crowley finally realized there was a more sinister condition to blame. Crowley experienced complete renal failure Christmas Day. When he arrived at Heartland Regional Medical Center, Crowley had rashes and lesions on his body, feet and legs severely swollen. His kidneys were functioning at 5 percent with a depleted level of hemoglobin and an abundance of creatinine - a by-product created in the muscles, usually filtered by the kidneys.

Unpublished wrestling results

Tuesday's prep results

Central wrestlers get ready for districts

While Central turned in a respectable performance at this past weekend's Winnetonka Invitational, the weekend could have gone better for the Indians. In a tournament loaded with talent, Central finished eighth as a team, but minus an injury to Josh Phillips, the Indians likely would have been seventh. Now, Central must see how Phillips' knee injury heals as the postseason nears. "We might just sit him out; we're not sure," Central coach Brett Swope said of Phillips' immediate availability. "It's just really tender right now. Hopefully, it's not torn or anything like that, knock on wood."

Northwest men get chance to show growth

Northwest Missouri State men's basketball coach Steve Tappmeyer needed only five words to sum up the last meeting between his Bearcats and Washburn: "We got dominated pretty good." But Tappmeyer has reason to be a little more optimistic than he was after 80-59 loss on Dec. 6 in Topeka, Kan. For one thing, the Bearcats have won four of their last five, losing only to No. 5 Southwest Baptist in that stretch.

Bearcats find unexpected gem in freshman guard

MARYVILLE, Mo. - It's impossible by looking at a box score to see Melissa Nyquist's value to Northwest Missouri State's basketball team. She's never scored more than four points in a game this season. Her eight rebounds against Central Missouri on Jan. 14 was well above her season average. But almost without anyone noticing, the bubbly freshman has gone from reserve to starter to a vocal leader of the Bearcats' team.

Irish boys get back on track

Lafayette halted its recent skid Tuesday. After losing two of their last three games, the Fighting Irish came out strong on their home court and shut down Maryville's offense in a 57-29 win. Lafayette (14-4, 1-0 MEC) struggled last week in the North Kansas City Invitational, going 1-2 and finishing sixth out of eight teams. Being back in front of a home crowd and with a conference rival sharing the court, the Irish were eager to get their season back on the right track.

Something to whistle about

Seldom do I write about officiating. I figure that even on their worst days those individuals can do a better job than I. On Saturday night, however, I watched officials ruin a perfectly good college women's basketball game. And I've got to get it off my chest.

Weighty benefits

St. Joseph woman shows age doesn't have to discourage exercise

When are you too old to work out? What if you've reached middle age or older and have never so much as set foot near a weight machine? It's too late, right? Anyone who knows Dorothy May Wenz knows this couldn't be more wrong. The St. Joseph woman pumps iron an hour a day, two days a week at Body Image Personal Training in St. Joseph - and has for almost 15 years. She is 81.

Griffon Notebook: Western men leave loss to SW Baptist behind

The Missouri Western men left their controversial loss to No. 6 Southwest Baptist in the locker room Wednesday night. Coach Tom Smith didn't return messages from Ron Zetcher, the MIAA's supervisor of basketball officials, after referees ruled Dominique Thuston touched a pass before coming inbounds with Western leading in the final minute Wednesday. The turnover gave Baptist possession, which the Bearcats turned into a 79-78 victory.

Monday's prep sports 01-26-09

Griffon men get sudden boost from bench

Southwest Baptist coach Jeff Guiot had to wonder who the kid in the headband was. Marcus Jones, Missouri Western's 6-foot-6 junior, certainly didn't show up on any scouting reports heading into the Griffons' matchup with No. 6 Baptist last Wednesday. The forward had just six points in 30 minutes of play through 16 games.

Royals, Greinke agree to 4-year deal

KANSAS CITY - The Kansas City Royals stood by Zack Greinke. Now, Greinke is standing by them. Delaying a chance to make even more money as a free agent, the right-hander agreed Monday to a $38 million, four-year contract that avoided a salary arbitration hearing.

MIAA set to vote on Lincoln's admission Thursday

After a decade in exile, Lincoln University will learn the status of its application for re-admittance to the MIAA in two days. The university presidents of the MIAA's member institutions will vote on Lincoln's application to join the conference Thursday. Eight of the 11 presidents have to approve the measure for the Jefferson City, Mo., school to re-enter the MIAA, starting in 2010-11.

Best and the rest: Week of Jan. 25

My story about the presidents' impending vote on whether to let Lincoln in the conference took precedent today over the power rankings. So you'll have to make due with a comment-less entry this week, though there wasn't much change in the standings anyway.

Concert review: Slipknot at the Sprint Center with Coheed & Cambria and Trivium

Shoving was mandatory, bodysurfing was recommended, and the smell of a certain illegal substance was in the air. One thing is for sure: The Sprint Center had yet to see a show as insane as Slipknot's.

GAME BLOG: Pittsburg 72, Western women 67

There is nothing too complicated about this game. The Griffons don't know how to win close games just yet and can't handle sustained defensive pressure. Whether it was Washburn, Southern, Northwest, Central or Pittsburg, Western had its chances in the latter stages of the game and came up empty in critical moments. The Truman game and Jessica Koch's driving layup stand as the exception this year.

GAME BLOG: Western men 79, Pittsburg 68

With apologies to Jim Boeheim, there is no better defense in basketball than a relentless man-to-man approach. Watching Western play the Gorillas straight up and harass them into defeat was an impressive sight Saturday for an impartial hoops fan. I think I will hear Western coach Tom Smith and his assistants shouting, "stay down!," "get in the stance!" and "stay in front of him!" in my dreams tonight. The coaching staff emphasized its defense from the opening tip, and that messages resonated with the Griffons.

Saturday's prep results

Saturday's area college results

Griffon men find their touch in Pittsburg

PITTSBURG, Kan. - Tom Smith drew up the play with the intention of freeing up Quentin Noblin to shoot a 3-pointer. The intended result happened, though not quite in the manner the Missouri Western men imagined. Noblin banked in the trey with less than a second remaining in the first half, sending the Griffons to halftime tied, and they never trailed again. "As we all know in basketball, it doesn't matter when the ball goes in," said Smith, whose team topped Pittsburg State 79-68 on Saturday at John Lance Arena.

Hornets roll by Bearcat women

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The MIAA-leading Emporia State women broke open a close game with a huge outburst early in the second half to defeat Northwest Missouri State 104-86 Saturday afternoon in a game marred by 50 fouls. The Bearcats (6-12, 2-9 MIAA) trailed by just five points at halftime and scored four of the first six points of the second half to trail 48-51 with 18 minutes, 47 seconds remaining.

Griffon women build early lead but falter again in 2nd half

PITTSBURG, Kan. - Brianna Buchanan has contributed as much to Lane Lord's success as a coach as just about any other player. And the senior only needed one shot to help her coach reach 100 career victories Saturday night. Buchanan hit a turn-around jumper from the right wing with 25 seconds left - an off-balance, contested attempt that beat the shot clock - to break a sixth and final tie with Missouri Western.

Bearcat men deliver knockout blow

MARYVILLE, Mo. - This one was like a prize fight. And luckily for Northwest Missouri State, it was able to deal a late knockout blow to Emporia State for a 67-56 MIAA men's basketball victory Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Arena. The victory was the fourth in the last five games for Northwest (9-9, 4-7 MIAA), which lost only to No. 5 Southwest Baptist in that stretch.

Benton wrestlers dominate at inaugural MEC Tournament

Matt Brown wasn't ready for his match with Lafayette's J.J. Flint to end. Benton's senior 145-pounder knows he needs the extra work, but when Flint decide to injury default during the first period Saturday afternoon, Brown took the win and a Midland Empire Conference championship at Lafayette High School. Brown twice broke his right tibia in a span of about six months, costing him his junior season and threatening his final high school season. Since returning to practice in late December, Brown improved to 13-0 after winning all five of his matches at the MEC Tournament.

Chiefs fire Herm Edwards

KANSAS CITY - Herm Edwards has been fired as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Edwards led the team during its worst two-year span in team history, has been fired, going 6-26. He goes out with a three-year regular-season record of 15-33 and with one year remaining on a four-year, $12 million contract.

Friday's Prep Sports

Sharp-shooting Cameron downs Bishop LeBlond boys

CAMERON, Mo. - Time and again, Cameron zipped the ball around the perimeter, struggling to work the ball inside the 3-point line against Bishop LeBlond's signature zone defense. Not that they needed to. Under a consistent hail of treys, the Dragons bombarded LeBlond into submission Friday on the way to a 49-42 victory. Cameron hit nearly 50 percent of its long-distance shots - including its first five - and led from wire to wire in the conference win.

Hunters need to take responsibility

Killing of rare trumpeter swans shows need for outdoorsmen to be informed

With all the media coverage centering around the presidential inauguration this week, many might not have noticed the article circulating throughout the nation about several men in Boone County, Mo., who apparently killed not one but five rare trumpeter swans. According to a Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) press release, eight trumpeter swans arrived at the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area in southern Boone County (near Columbia) on the night of Dec. 29.

Archers boast a banner year

It may far from a record setting season for firearms hunters, but the ever-growing number of bowhunters in Missouri let their arrows do the talking this past season by taking the largest amount of whitetails ever. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently released the 2008-2009 archery season statistics revealing hunters arrowed a record-breaking 44,434 deer during the 111-day season, according to the conservation department. To put this in perspective, this equates to about 400 deer per day.

South Nodaway stays cool, earns upset of North Platte

BARNARD, Mo. - Sami Jackson absorbed the contact from North Platte's Dakota Hellyer and slid on her knees into the visiting bench. After Jackson suffered a head injury earlier in the second half, there was just a pang of concern for South Nodaway's senior guard in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. But Jackson stood up and strode to the free-throw line with nary a second thought about her health.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes honors Tjeerdsma

MARYVILLE, Mo. - His third American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year honor made headlines. But Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma finds the award he picked up at the following morning's breakfast just as satisfying. Tjeerdsma earned the Grant Teaff Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, at its breakfast last week during the AFCA Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Notes from the 'New Moon' casting couch

Take a look at a few suggestions for the 'Twilight' sequel

While we anxiously await the next 'Twilight' movie, let's discuss some of the casting.

You can't make up this stuff

The Oscars offer their own Hollywood scripts

Last year's Academy Awards were the lowest-rated of all time, but there are plenty of storylines to intrigue viewers this year. If the 81st Annual Academy Awards were a movie studio, these are the films that would be in production.

Say what?!

'Dark Knight,' Eastwood, Springsteen may have been snubbed

Eight Oscar nominations aren't bad. At all. However, many are disheartened that "The Dark Knight," the highly praised Batman blast that generated the highest box office of the decade, received only one major nomination of those eight. While Heath Ledger earned a nod in the Best Supporting Actor category, "The Dark Knight" was shut out in Best Picture, and Christopher Nolan did not earn a nomination for Best Director.

Benedictine women upset HAAC frontrunner

ATCHISON, Kan. - Benedictine College women's head coach Chad Folsom knew his team would have its hands full Thursday night againstHeart of America Athletic Conference frontrunner Avila.

Rolling with uncertainty

Coheed & Cambria take the unusual in stride

Behind Claudio Sanchez's howling vocals, outstanding guitar riffs and legions of die-hard fans, Coheed & Cambria has predicated itself as a major player in alternative rock. Surely, the band has encountered wild crowds.

A different road

The Belt Highway will have its first St. Joe show at The Rendezvous tonight

The Belt Highway is more than just a street where people can go to eat, drink, shop, bowl and purchase tattoos, tires and adult videos. It's also the name of St. Joe's newest indie rock band, one that was born out of frustration and a desire for musical expansion.

Allen, Burnsides earn D2 honors

Missouri Western offensive lineman Roger Allen and Northwest Missouri State safety Myles Burnsides earned first-team honors in the D2Football.com All-America Team released Thursday.

Handsome goodness

Haygoods bring high-energy show to St. Joe this weekend

David Sandy remembers only one complaint when the Haygoods put on shows at his theater in Branson, Mo. - the screaming girls.

Melancholy sweetness

Singer/songwriter Lenka provides an upbeat for her down times

Australian chanteuse Lenka, like our newly inaugurated president, is a person who focuses on optimism in tumultuous times.

Girls basketball notebook: South Nodaway playing shorthanded

Suddenly thrust into prominent positions, a handful of former South Nodaway backups are proving to be much more than mere role players. The Longhorns bounced back from their first loss of the season on Tuesday as Shelby Jewett and Brooke Wolf led the way. After seeing limited minutes off the bench for most of the season, each scored 10 against Northeast Nodaway, the No. 8 team in Class 1, and moved their team to 12-1.

Boys Basketball Notebook: East Buchanan survives 4 overtimes

East Buchanan coach Kevin Jermain struggled to recall all of the key moments of his team's thrilling victory last week. Four overtimes can do that.

The Shuffle: Calling it quits?

Last week, in my mandatory and obsessive need to keep up-to-date on any news that's music-related, I learned about one of my favorite artists calling it quits.

News-Press Girls Fab 5, Jan. 23

The teams in the News-Press Fab 5 are done before Thursday games and are based on who we believe has the best chance to play for a state title.

That game we play: Lessons from online

It's been over a year since I tried online dating. I still debate trying it again from time to time, but the memories of those awkward blind dates still haunt me a little. I did, however, learn a lot about what I was looking for in a guy. Before, I thought I already knew exactly which qualities I was looking for, but some of them surprised me.

Arbuckle unsure he'd draft Coy again

Mike Arbuckle helped draft Johnny Coy once. The Royals senior advisor to the general manager isn't sure he would do it again.

This is: Ben Green

News-Press Boys Fab 5, Jan. 23

The teams in the News-Press Fab 5 are done before Thursday games and are based on who we believe has the best chance to play for a state title.

What's in that?: Tootsie Roll shot at the Rendezvous

Eats: Brighten up at Las Palmas

Going to Las Palmas would be good therapy for those suffering from winter depression. The bright, festive colors, lively Mexican music and friendly servers are an instant pick-me-up.

Prep Basketball Standings, Jan. 23

Boys and girls conference standings

Style watch: Mantyhose

Trenton native plays new role for K.C.

These barnstorming sessions have been a part of Mike Arbuckle's winters for 17 years now.

Entertainment briefs for Jan. 23, 2009

Girls basketball leaderboard, Jan. 23

Area leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks

Rosier propels Mound City

ELWOOD, Kan. - Through the ebbs and flows, Cole Rosier was there for Mound City. The Panthers' senior guard scored in every quarter - the only player to do so for Mound City - including five in a decisive fourth-quarter run against Wathena. Rosier's timely scoring sent Mound City into the finals of the Elwood Invitational with a 64-49 win Thursday night at Elwood High School.

Calendars for Jan. 23, 2009

Boys basketball leaderboard, Jan. 23

Top area performers in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks

No. 8 Benton upsets No. 2 Platte Co. in thriller

BASEHOR, Kan. - Holly Switzer remembered the losing sting all too well.

Thursday's Prep Sports

CD Review: Ryan Adams and the Cardinals "Cardinology"

Prolific and singer/songwriter tight backing band finds great balance of looseness and restraint

Equal parts creative, prolific and erratic, singer/songwriter Ryan Adams recently announced he's retiring from music indefinitely. But considering his work with seminal alt-country act Whiskeytown and his 11 releases in nine years, it's not like he didn't leave behind his fair share of material. Thankfully, if his newest release with his capable backing band The Cardinals entitled "Cardinology" is his last album, it's good to know that he left listeners on a high note.

GAME BLOG: Western women 84, Baptist 66

While this game rightfully should signify that rock bottom is solidly behind the Griffons, it's amusing that this wasn't even a stellar all-around performance. Western fell back into some bad habits standing around instead of blocking out and letting defensive pressure fluster them. Yet it's amazing what 58-percent shooting can sweep away into footnotes. Coach Lynn Plett has been harping on the same points most of the season when it comes to the Griffons' offense, and with every game the past couple of weeks, the players and coach seem to be reaching a better understanding, finally.

Shatto Milk appears on Law & Order

How did a local business wind up on Law & Order? No one is quite sure, but the business is happy about it.

GAME BLOG: No. 6 Baptist 79, Western men 78

Pull up a chair, make some popcorn and settle in because there is plenty to write about this contest. Let's start with what was the biggest officiating failure of the night not the call on Dominique Thuston's turnover with 34 seconds left or Lonnel Johnson's foul of Baptist's D'Ante Harris with 3 seconds to go. Nope, I'm talking about what happened with 52 seconds left in the first half when there was a scramble under the basket for a loose ball that Colby Smith came out with. While play was still going, Baptist coach Jeff Guiot came charging out on the floor at an official, swinging his fists in the air. The official actually had to move to avoid getting hit.

Happy Chinese New Year

The year of the ox starts next Monday

The end of January is the end of the first month of the year for us, but for those celebrating Chinese New Year, it's just the beginning. Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the lunar year - Jan. 26 this year - and lasts for 15 days. While New Year's Eve as Americans know it is little more than an excuse to get together with friends and drink some bubbly, the Chinese New Year is a much more important holiday, comparable to Christmas.

Lions shut down Bearcat women

MARYVILLE, Mo. - India Wood hit back-to-back 3-pointers to break open a close game, and Missouri Southern ran away with a 64-47 MIAA victory Wednesday night against struggling Northwest Missouri State. Wood finished with 15 and Myosha Barnes poured in a game-high 20 as Southern (13-4, 7-2 MIAA) got seven of its 3-pointers from that pair.

Timely play propels Northwest men

MARYVILLE, Mo. - One glance told Mike Larsen all he needed to know: Hunter Henry was headed for the basket. Henry got behind two defenders to receive Larsen's lob pass and drew a foul with 2.5 seconds left. He then hit both free throws to give Northwest Missouri State a 72-70 victory against Missouri Southern on Wednesday night at Bearcat Arena. With just 24 seconds left and the score tied, the Bearcats were able to get the ball past the time line against Southern's ever-present press. Larsen began looking for a last-second shot.

Atchison finds new home in KCKL

TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas State High School Activities Association administrators voted unanimously to place Atchison High School into the Kansas City Kansas League at a hearing Wednesday morning.

Griffon women find a rhythm against Southwest Baptist

Call it a flip of the light switch, a light-bulb moment or just a plain, old lights-out performance. Just about any brightly themed analogy would fit following the Missouri Western's women's 84-66 thrashing of Southwest Baptist on Wednesday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Five Griffons reached double figures with Jessica Koch's 21 points, five steals and nine assists leading the way during Western's most balanced and prolific scoring output of the season. For a team that started the season 0-13, Wednesday was about as good as it's gotten for the Griffons (2-14, 2-8 MIAA).

Last-second call costs Griffons' their upset bid of Baptist

In a postgame session of "he said, he said," one of the few certainties is another Missouri Western loss. No. 6 Southwest Baptist edged the Griffons, 79-78, on Wednesday at MWSU Fieldhouse thanks to a free throw by D'Ante Harris with 3 seconds left. Harris missed the second foul shot on purpose. Western (7-10, 4-6 MIAA) got the rebound and called timeout with 2 seconds left. Having to go the entire length of the floor, Western's Andrew Mead hit Dominique Thuston just over halfcourt. The Griffon sophomore took a couple of dribbles, but time ran out before he could hoist a 35-foot shot, sealing Western's sixth loss on its past seven games.

Local College Box Scores

Wednesday's Prep Sports

Tuesday's Prep Sports

Wathena's size too much for Elwood

ELWOOD, Kan. - Elwood and Wathena kicked off the Elwood Invitational on Tuesday with an opening-round contest. But both teams fought with the passion of a championship game even as Wathena bested its rival 65-49. The Wildcats' height advantage and senior leadership helped them pull away in the fourth quarter for the comfortable win.

Knee injury sidelines Bearcat starting forward

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Shawn Carter's troublesome right knee is causing more problems for Northwest Missouri State's fledgling Bearcats. In fact, coach Steve Tappmeyer said Tuesday he is considering sitting the starter down for an extended period of time. Carter injured his knee Dec. 17 in a game against William Woods and missed the next four contests. He played against Missouri Western, Truman and Central Missouri but came out limping during Saturday's game at Southwest Baptist.

Health problem doesn't sidetrack Northwest's McElroy

Sophomore Rickeya McElroy sat quietly Tuesday afternoon, staring at the empty place setting in front of her during a sports luncheon on campus. McElroy wasn't hungry, especially not for the hot links being served that day. When you have an ulcer - even at the tender age of 21 - your appetite leaves you.

Central standout commits to Wyoming

When an official visit to Missouri didn't yield a scholarship offer, Ghaali Muhammad saddled up and made his decision on where to play college football. Central's 6-foot, 210-pound senior verbally committed to play for the Division I Wyoming Cowboys over the weekend. Muhammad hoped to play for Missouri after producing an ACT score that qualified him to participate in college's top level in December.

Central wrestlers come up short in dual

Kaelin Brennan dominated his 135-pound match Tuesday night against Lee's Summit North. Yet the Central senior left the mat at Central High School disgusted. Needing a pin against Lee's Summit North freshman Chad Homan, Brennan ended with a 13-4 major decision. The result left Central two points shy in Lee's Summit North's 39-37 dual victory. A pin would have sent the dual into tiebreaker criteria to decide the winner.

Maryville shows its toughness against Mid-Buchanan

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Weaker teams collapse at times like this. Maryville's enormous lead had vanished, and its most reliable scorers forced to the bench with foul trouble. But as they have on most occasions this season, the Spoofhounds found a way. After leading by as many as 23, Maryville outlasted a textbook Mid-Buchanan surge and held on for a 68-61 victory on its home floor Tuesday night. A pair of acrobatic layups from senior guard John Farmer gave his team a much-needed second wind down the stretch.

Best and the Rest: Week of Jan. 18

At this point in the season, the conference standings on the men's side are just a mishmash, and sifting through the chaos to find an acceptable way to separate the teams - especially after Baptist's loss to Omaha and Central's loss to Northwest - is like trying to rate the U.S. presidents after Lincoln and before Teddy Roosevelt. I'm sure each has his own merits, but they all just kind of blur together. But for the sake of habit, I tried to sort them all out anyway. I think Central Missouri is Grover Cleveland in this analogy, but I'm not sure.

Volleyball coaching finalists visit Western

Missouri Western narrowed its search for a new volleyball coach to three finalists - Cory Frederick, Chen Feng and Bruce Atkinson.

Griffon men face big challenge against Baptist

After a 28-point win against Central Missouri and a 40-point victory against Missouri Southern, Southwest Baptist looked pretty much unbeatable. But the No. 5 Bearcats come to St. Joseph on Wednesday having lost each of the past two weeks, leaving a small measure of hope for the Griffon men. Western (7-9, 4-5 MIAA) has lost five of six, and the Griffons' offense continues to sputter. Without a scoring boost from the perimeter, coach Tom Smith said his team has to win the rebounding, free-throw and turnover battles Wednesday to have a chance.

MIAA considers adding Rockhurst, Lincoln

The MIAA's university presidents are close to voting on whether to add Lincoln and Rockhurst to the conference. MIAA commissioner Jim Johnson said that vote could happen by the end of the week. Lincoln, which is in Jefferson City, Mo., was part of the MIAA from 1970 until 1999. The Blue Tigers forfeited their membership in the conference when they couldn't put the football program back together.

Inauguration inundation

It's everything Obama for Inauguration Day

Inauguration Day is tomorrow, and Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president! If you want to completely immerse yourself in all things inauguration, check out some of these links.

Jefferson girls score upset

STANBERRY, Mo. - Chelsey Merrigan doesn't mind doing Jefferson's dirty work. If anything, she prefers it. The sophomore's big third quarter kept the Eagles afloat during an offensive lull and helped lift the team to a 39-32 upset Saturday of South Nodaway, the No. 1 ranked team in Class 1. "A lot of our shots weren't falling," Merrigan said. "So I had to put them back."

Familiar problems lead to Western men's loss against Central

The new year brought old troubles back for Missouri Western. After beating Washburn on Dec. 29, the Griffons sat in second place in the MIAA and looked to be on the mend one year after suffering through the worst season in coach Tom Smith's two decades in St. Joseph. But after Saturday's 76-66 loss to Central Missouri at MWSU Fieldhouse, Western's men have lost five of six and fallen into a tie for seventh in the conference - just one spot removed from missing the MIAA tournament altogether.

Saturday's area college results

Henry dominates but Bearcat men still fall at Baptist

BOLIVAR, Mo. - In the match-up of the MIAA's premier big men, Northwest Missouri State's Hunter Henry dominated the statistics against Southwest Baptist's Matt Rogers. But Henry remain dissatisfied. "We were playing physical, and we took him out of the way he wanted to play," Hunter said. "But he's got the most important stat. He's going home with the win." The hosts poured in 13 3-pointers - six of them in a 24-point performance by Wendell Mardis - in an 82-61 victory against Northwest on Saturday night.

Saturday's area prep results

Credit must be given for making Chiefs' camp dream a reality

The last 20 years offered this community a series of brutal beatings. Historically devastating floods. A mass economic exodus, from the community's foundation of meatpacking (Seitz and Armour's, among them) and manufacturing (Mead's and Quaker Oats) to iconic institutions such as Lee's Apparel and Stetson Hats and too many more to name. It's in this light that state Sen. Charlie Shields calls it a "transformational moment" as the Kansas City Chiefs move their summer training camp to Missouri Western State University. For about a month each year starting in 2010, the city expects at least 5,000 people a day to visit, watch the NFL team work out on the Griffons' campus and interact with the community. They will spend money, learn more about St. Joseph and hopefully find reasons to come back.

Northwest women can't close out Baptist

BOLIVAR, Mo. - A flurry of 3-pointers put Southwest Baptist in good position, but it was the free-throw line that put the hosts over the top on Saturday night in an 82-79 women's basketball victory over Northwest Missouri State. The purple-clad Bearcats, who lead the MIAA in 3-point field goal percentage, drained 10 of 25 shots from beyond the arc but also made seven free throws down the stretch to hold Northwest at bay. Rachel Graves' trey from the left corner gave Baptist (7-9, 4-5 MIAA) a 75-72 lead with 3 minutes, 56 seconds remaining in the seesaw contest. It was an advantage it would not relinquish.

Griffon women let Mules slip away

Dave Slifer didn't stick around to reminisce about the good ole days Saturday night. After nine years and two MIAA regular-season and a pair of tournament titles at Missouri Western, Slifer left in 2004 to coach Central Missouri but still owned a house in St. Joseph, at which he stayed during his annual trip back here. Prior to Saturday, the visits didn't end pleasantly for Slifer, who went 0-4 against his former school, losing by a combined 58 points. But he finally sold his house in August. Five months later, he picked up a win in the building where he was so successful for nearly a decade as the Jennies beat the Griffons, 74-66, on Saturday at MWSU Fieldhouse.

Friday's Prep Sports

Fairfax outside shooting helps Bulldogs claim own tourney title

FAIRFAX, Mo. Tarkio's zone defense kept leaving shooters open. Fairfax obliged the Indians and kept firing from the outside. Tarkio hoped the Bulldogs would be off target. But in Friday night's Fairfax Invitational, the host school found a rhythm and kept hitting and hitting and hitting.

Northwest Missouri State scouting report

Here's a capsule look at tonight's matchup between Northwest Missouri State and Southwest Baptist.

Missouri Western scouting report

Here's a capsule look at tonight's matchup between Missouri Western and Central Missouri.

LeBlond girls manufacture turnovers, run the court against Atchison

With 1 minute, 28 seconds left in the second quarter Friday night, Bishop LeBlond senior Haley Logan caught a break on a free throw. After leaving it a little short, the ball caught just enough of the front of the rim to bounce nearly straight up and drop through the hoop. The favorable ricochet extended LeBlond's lead over Atchison to a comfortable 32. It just showed the Golden Eagles were firing on all cylinders the entire night as they cruised to an 80-23 victory at Grace Gymnasium. LeBlond assumed control almost immediately, as it opened a 26-5 lead by the end of the first quarter.

GAME BLOG: Stanberry Invitational

Let's just throw some thoughts out there after three exciting games. -- Jefferson's boys struggled out of the gate against rival Stanberry, committing five first-quarter turnovers. The lackluster performance prompted me to send a text message to Andy Meyer saying the Eagles looked sluggish.

Words & weavings

The artistic collaboration of Dobree Adams and Jonathan Greene is on display this weekend at the Albrecht-Kemper

When you lay your eyes on a piece of artwork, it can inspire you to think particular thoughts or words. And sometimes when you read literature, certain imagery comes to mind. At the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art this weekend, you'll get a chance to experience both at the same time with the new exhibit by weaver/photographer Dobree Adams and author/book designer Jonathan Greene in "Segues: Works in Wool/Works on Paper, A Collaboration of Vision and Voice." The exhibit will run from Jan. 17 through April 11 with an opening reception from 4 to 7 p.m. today.

Awake from the slumber

The Act preps for its much-anticipated second show

The Act made its debut as a group at Cafe Acoustic in 2007. The performance was considered a success, and it seemed as if there would be many more shows to come. However, it has been its only live show to date.

Girls basketball leaderboard, Jan. 16

Top performers in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks

Still flying high

Cheech and Chong discuss their tour and the future

The innovators of stoner comedy, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, are together again. And their "Light Up America" tour is making a stop at the Music Hall in Kansas City for two shows on Saturday, Jan. 17. This week, I talked with Cheech and Chong about their reunion, the tour and the future. I tried to keep the conversation serious, but it didn't work out so well. Here is the entire phone conversation:

Comedy and Catholicism

'Late Night Catechism' shows the funny side of religion

If you're Catholic, there's a good chance you either went to Catholic school, taught by nuns, or you spent every Wednesday at Catechism, or CCD, classes.

Boys basketball leaderboard, Jan. 16

Top performers in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks

A deep green

Pat Green delivers insight to country music

With a little wit and what he calls a "regular Joe" voice, Pat Green is bringing depth back to country music. Not to mention, he's drawing some lofty comparisons.

The Shuffle: Hiatus or hustle?

The new year is only a few weeks old, and thanks to the release of "Notorious," the biopic on the slain MC The Notorious B.I.G., the hip-hop community is abuzz. But 2009 is also a year that will keep hip-hop in focus for a few more reasons. Two to be exact.

That game we play: The hardest part

There are lots of good things about dating. The thrill of the first date, the first phone call, the first kiss. Meeting someone you actually click and connect with and can talk to for hours. Then there are the things about dating that aren't so good, that can actually be pretty freakin' depressing, when you get right down to it.

Review: 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop'

Kevin James can't save this one

From 1998 to 2007, Kevin James guided "The King of Queens" to prominence. The TV sitcom was critically acclaimed and wildly funny. The good news is that James is just as funny in his new film, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." The bad news is that his supporting cast isn't.

Eats: Hungry for meat? Try First Ward

Built in 1878, the First Ward House claims to be the oldest saloon west of the Mississippi, a former brothel, and a hangout for the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. You can also add home of Pinzino's Smokehouse, since Chad Pinzino took over ownership a little more than a year ago.

This is: The Roadhouse Review

What's in that?: The Paint Can at Snakebite Club

Jacobs sees job with Royals as move up baseball hierarchy

The Kansas City Royals exist firmly in the small-market realm of professional baseball, but Mike Jacobs feels as if he landed with a big-market team.

News-Press Girls Fab 5, Jan. 16

The teams in the News-Press Fab 5 are done before Thursday games and are based on who we believe has the best chance to play for a state title.

Calendars for Jan. 16, 2009

From small-town star to big-school sub

Reid Brown thought she was prepared for life beyond the rural boundaries of the tiny town in which she grew up. Then she walked through the doors at Central High School.

News-Press Boys Fab 5, Jan. 16

The teams in the News-Press Fab 5 are done before Thursday games and are based on who we believe has the best chance to play for a state title.

Kern lifts foul-plagued South Harrison girls

BETHANY, Mo. - Kelly Kern's tunnel vision kicked in when it mattered most.

Prep Basketball Standings, Jan. 16

Standings for area basketball conferences

Thursday's Prep Sports

Christian girls yet to topple ranked foes

Danny Maggart is still working on putting the pieces together, but his puzzle includes some interesting fits. His inexperienced St. Joseph Christian team has six freshmen and four seniors. In between, there are only two sophomores. Yet, Maggart - in his 13th season with the Lions - has Christian out to a 4-3 start with all of the losses to state-ranked Class 1 foes.

Jefferson girls use defense to stop Mound City

STANBERRY, Mo. - Jefferson smothered Mound City with pressure defense in the early going, harassing the Panthers at every step.

Mid-Buchanan point guard out indefinitely

Mid-Buchanan uses its bench as much as any small-school team in the area. Coach Bryce Kemper will be looking even farther down the pine for the foreseeable future.

Game blog: Western women 68, Truman 64

In honor of the Griffons' first win in more than 10 months, we'll start out with the positives before getting into the truly troubling thing about this game.

Game blog: Truman 69, Western men 67

This season didn't start with lofty projections just the expectation that this team would make some modest progress toward being relevant again. That certainly means beating Truman. I have been generally forgiving of the Griffons' stumbles this year because it was clear they were progressing toward respectability and improving over last year's dismal season. This is the first sign that maybe things might not be that much better from 2007-08.

Revised predictions for the 81st Annual Academy Awards

Here are the nominees...

Area college sports 01-14-09

Additional prep results not included in print 01-14-09

Lost your marbles?

The Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs can hook you up

Brian Heikes concentrates intently on the shining orb in front of him. The flame from his blowtorch glows bright blue as he slowly turns and shapes the clear, glass ball. The marble he's making is in one of its first stages of creation, and it's time to add the color. "We're just going to use it like a hot crayon," Mr. Heikes says as he takes a rod of colored glass and begins "drawing" on the clear marble.

Northwest: Martin makes a point

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- Rarely had Shelly Martin been in this position. But with no other options, Martin volunteered -- more or less -- to play point guard for the heavily depleted Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team on Wednesday night.

Wednesday's prep sports 01-14-09

Central boys hold off Winnetonka

Central found itself unexpectedly fighting for a win late into the fourth quarter Wednesday night. The Indians led by double digits much of the way against Winnetonka. However, the Griffins put the pressure on the Indians with a huge run to open the fourth quarter. But, with a balanced scoring attack and clutch free-throw shooting, Central hung on for a 65-59 win at Central High School.

Northwest women fall short against Central

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State's patchwork starting lineup gave Central Missouri more than it bargained for, but the Jennies had just enough firepower to sew up a 63-60 MIAA victory against the Bearcats on Wednesday night. The Bearcats (6-9, 2-6 MIAA) were out of options at point guard, with Amber Vandevender already out with an ankle injury and backup Abby Henry nursing a hamstring injury. Beyond that, freshman guard Kate Dekker was out with mononucleosis, and senior forward Jessica Burton was out with a knee injury.

Buzzer-beater kills Western men

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Sixty-two feet shorter but even more devastating, Patrick Fandja became the latest Truman State Bulldog to exhort a little buzzer-beater magic over Missouri Western. With 3.1 seconds left and the game tied Wednesday night, Truman State inbounded the ball from half court, and the pass went to the top of the key. When Western's Quentin Noblin tried for the steal and missed, Fandja caught the pass, spun and sank an 18-foot jumper as time expired, sending the Bulldogs bench leaping toward center court to mob their teammate.

Benton graduate Coy settles on transfer to Wichita State

Going through the recruiting wringer once was enough for Johnny Coy. But family health issues forced the former Benton standout closer to home and back into the familiar grind. On Wednesday morning, the 6-foot-8 Benton graduate gave his verbal commitment to Wichita State, where he will have the opportunity to play both basketball and baseball. He chose the Shockers over Missouri Valley Conference-rival Drake and put an end to a whirlwind month that began with his decision to leave Arizona State after one semester.

Sample ignites Benton romp

KEARNEY, Mo. - Karli Sample isn't accustomed to living life outside the 3-point stripe. But if she keeps up her recent long-range performance, she just might get used to the perimeter. The Benton junior forward knocked down a pair of treys Wednesday night and fueled a 58-24 rout of Odessa in the semifinals of the Bulldog Classic.

Bearcat men upset Mules

MARYVILLE, Mo. - After having just missed three of four free-throw attempts down the line, the pressure was on Northwest Missouri State guard Mike Larsen as he stepped to the line with 5.8 seconds remaining. "You've got to have a short memory in basketball," Larsen said. "It's kind of the key to everything." Fatigue was setting in, and both of his calves were cramping. But Larsen drained both attempts, assuring the Bearcats of their 61-57 upset of No. 19 Central Missouri on Wednesday night.

Chiefs' new GM offers little insight into coaching staff's status

KANSAS CITY - If Herm Edwards is on his way out as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, his new boss isn't saying. In his first news conference since being hired as the final authority on all Chiefs football operations, new general manager Scott Pioli would go no further Wednesday than to say he intends to visit with Edwards. "I have a lot of respect for Herm. I had a chance to visit with Herm today," said Pioli, who spent the last nine years helping Bill Belichick build a dynasty in New England.

Griffon women put end to record losing streak

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - There were no shrieking celebrations or ecstatic embraces, just some strained smiles and clapping. Missouri Western ended its longest losing streak in the program's 34-year history Wednesday night with a 68-64 win over Truman State. The Griffons' first victory since March 1, 2007, brought a sweeping sense of relief, but not necessarily euphoria as a 14-game skid became a thing of the past. "I don't think we know how to celebrate yet," Western coach Lynn Plett quipped. "We haven't been in this boat enough yet."

Tuesday's Prep Sports Results, Jan. 13

Basketball and wrestling boxes

Northwest Missouri State scouting report

Here's a look at tonight's matchups between Northwest Missouri State and Central Missouri.

Missouri Western scouting report

Here's a capsule look at tonight's matchup between Missouri Western and Truman State.

Bearcat point guard leaves program

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State will utilize the "point guard by committee" approach for the remainder of the season after the departure of sophomore Ben Haarman. Coach Steve Tappmeyer on Tuesday confirmed that Haarman left the team in what was a "mutual decision" by the player and coach.

Tjeerdsma earns national coach of year award

A national championship wasn't even necessary this time to vault Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma into the American Football Coaches Association's highest coaching honor. Tjeerdsma on Tuesday afternoon was announced as the AFCA National Coach of the Year, as selected by his fellow coaches. The announcement was made at the AFCA National Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Bearcat men look to build on 1st MIAA win

After being able to breathe a sigh of relief with their first MIAA victory on Saturday at Truman State, Northwest Missouri State's men will hold their breath tonight against a strong Central Missouri team. After all, the Mules (12-2) are among the MIAA's best. "There haven't been a lot of blowouts in the league, except when you look at Southwest Baptist and Central," said Northwest coach Steve Tappmeyer said. "There have been a lot of nights when they've gotten on some people and broken them. They're just pretty darned good."

Western's Bush fights through with his work ethic, toughness

Six inches shorter and two feet farther from the basket, Missouri Western's James Bush remains undeterred by Hunter Henry's apparent advantage. Bush battles through the Northwest Missouri State forward, grabbing his own rebound and putting up another shot. When that doesn't go, the 6-foot-3 Bush beats the 6-foot-9 Henry to the board again, drawing the foul and earning a pair of free throws. Each night in the MIAA, Bush faces a starting post player who is, on average, 4 1/2 inches taller. Bush doesn't have a great vertical. He isn't a polished post player, doesn't shoot prolifically and isn't overwhelmingly athletic.

Chiefs nab Patriots' Pioli to replace Peterson

KANSAS CITY - Scott Pioli, who helped build and lead a dynasty in New England, is now in charge of a Kansas City franchise which hasn't won a playoff game in 14 years. The 43-year-old Pioli will be introduced on Wednesday as Chiefs general manager, replacing Carl Peterson. "He will have complete charge of football operations," Ryan Petkoff, a spokesman for Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, told The Associated Press. "He will report only to Clark."

'Gerrymander all of those crazy libs right out'

Former U.S. attorney from region gets unflattering mentions in new report

When a scandal arose a couple of years ago about the U.S. Justice Department hiring career attorneys based on their political allegiances, some saw little surprising in the ideological discrimination, professional irresponsibility and general immaturity evident in the revelations. A report released Tuesday also shows this area of Missouri to be a breeding ground for the mischief.

Area College Results

Monday's Prep Sports

Best and the Rest: Week of Jan. 11

Last week saw the top-ranked MIAA teams on the women's and men's portion of the standings lose, and those losses indicate something quite different about the talent on each side of the MIAA's hoops. On the men's side, I think the quality of play has improved significantly over last season. Baptist, Emporia, Central, Western and Washburn are better than last season - starkly so in the case of the Griffons and Hornets. Southern is still pretty salty, and Northwest is the only team that is significantly worse than last season.

Griffon men tripped up on delayed road swing

QUINCY, Ill. - Procrastination felt great back in December when Missouri Western postponed its game at Quincy because of snow. That week, the Griffons flew out to Las Vegas for a holiday competition, and the postponement took the rush out of their travel plans. But when the makeup game rolled around Monday night, Western wasn't all that thrilled to head east this time either, falling 91-84 to the Hawks at Pepsi Arena.

Broadcaster shares Griffon women's pain

Bob Orf suffers right along with the Missouri Western women. Orf, the Griffons' play-by-play radio announcer since 1990, stopped shaving after Western fell to Northeastern Oklahoma State on Dec. 20, dropping the Griffons to 0-9 this season. And the KFEQ 680 AM broadcaster doesn't plan to do so again until Western - one of six Division II women's teams without a win thus far - ends its longest losing streak in the program's history. "It feels like poison ivy," said Orf, sports a mustache but hasn't grown a beard since college. "Immediately when they win, I'm going to shave that sucker."

Bearcats savor 1st conference win

Whether it was shock or relief is uncertain, but there was little outward celebration when Northwest Missouri State's men finally got their first MIAA victory on Saturday night against equally conference-challenged Truman State. In fact, coach Steve Tappmeyer had to give his troops a little bit of a pep talk in the locker room after the 72-63 victory in Kirksville, Mo.

Local College Sports

Saturday's Prep Sports

Bearcat men make MIAA stride

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Quantity won out over quality at the free-throw line Saturday night. Northwest Missouri State shot only 67 percent from the line, but still outscored Truman State by 15 points from the stripe in a 72-63 victory against the Bulldogs. By working inside, Northwest got 31 free-throw chances, hitting 21 of them, while Truman went just 6-for-12 at the line in suffering its 10th straight defeat.

Truman women get first win at expense of Northwest

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Malorie Kiecker scored two crucial buckets in the last minute of overtime Saturday night, and Truman State went on to its first MIAA victory of the season at Northwest Missouri State's expense. The Bulldogs overcame an early second-half run by the Bearcats to fashion a 72-68 victory in Pershing Arena, snapping a five-game losing streak. "The toughest thing is that we didn't get shots from the big-time players," Northwest coach Gene Steinmeyer said. "Kids we count on to get big shots for us didn't produce."

GAME BLOG: South Holt boys 69, Mound City 66

OREGON, Mo. - Seasons hinge on wins like this. In a noisy, crowded, sweltering gymnasium, South Holt exorcised some serious demons against Mound City by staging an emotional comeback in the final quarter. Even bigger, the victory gave the Knights the biggest win to date in their conference slate.

Friday's Prep Sports

South Holt muscles its way past Mound City

OREGON, Mo. - South Holt's Tyler Costello was tired of this doormat treatment. Outmuscled by Mound City all year, the Knights picked the best time to dig their heels in and shove back. An early fourth-quarter burst fueled South Holt to an intense, mile-a-minute victory against their biggest rival, 69-66. Friday's win gave the Knights (7-1, 3-0 Hwy. 275) the inside track in the conference race. "We really wanted to get revenge," Costello said. "We just had to keep our intensity and keep pushing it on them, but we knew we had what it takes to pull it off."

Modern efficiency puts damper on outdoors memories

During a recent foray into the annals of my personal hunting and fishing history, I noticed that my outdoor scrapbooks were looking a little neglected. For around 30 years I've collected all my expired hunting and fishing permits and other special tags. Many were neatly arranged in my scrapbook, but the pages from the past 10 years or so had been largely ignored. It wasn't that I had stopped collecting the permits. They were all there, although the more recent ones were just laying loosely in a pile in a Rubbermaid container and not proudly displayed in the memory book. So what changed?

Young hunter makes most of special season

At 4 in the morning it's difficult to get any kid up and around, but for Ryan Seger it wasn't a problem. The 7-year-old hunter had a goal in mind and a little early morning grogginess wasn't about to deter him from it. Within an hour, he had eaten breakfast and headed out with his father, Mike, and his .223 Remington Model 7 in search of his first whitetail.

Calloway's son makes noise in amateur boxing ranks

My dad can beat your dad up. If seventh-grader Chase Calloway of Bode Middle School were to use that phrase, there would be little argument as to who would win. Chase's father is local professional boxer Rob Calloway. And the apple apparently didn't fall far from the tree.

Central boys nearly pull off upset of No. 6 Liberty

One prolonged scoreless drought. That was the only difference between Central scoring an upset against state-ranked Liberty. Instead, the Indians dug a double-digit hole in the first half, then fought - unsuccessfully - to make it up in the second half. Central came tantalizingly close but eventually succumbed to taller, deeper Liberty, losing 74-61 on Friday night in front of a boisterous crowd at Central High School.

GAME BLOG: Liberty boys 74, Central 61

Central's home court always provides a challenging atmosphere. Unlike most high school gymnasiums, fans can sit behind the baskets on both ends. The "Central Crazies" occupy one end and constantly pester opposing players - especially as they attempt free throws.

A few books to add to your personal library

One's already a classic, one's already a best-seller and one is ... interesting

If you're looking for new stuff to read this year, think about adding these to your list.

A sin to miss

'Nunsense' comes to St. Joe starring Sally Struthers

Maybe playwrights around the world should go to Hallmark stores to find inspiration. After all, the transition from greeting cards to musicals was a successful venture for Dan Goggin. Goggin's cards featured a nun with a sharp wit. The cards were so funny that Goggin thought he would bring the character to life. In the mid-1980s, he used the nun concept to create a cabaret show for Manhattan's Duplex, where the show would have a four-day run. It stayed at the Duplex for 38 weeks.

Professors on parade

Northwest Missouri State University to host annual Department of Art Faculty Exhibit

It's that time again when the art professors at Northwest Missouri State University get to strut their stuff. The once-a-year event allows students to see what all the instruction is all about and gives the community an opportunity to view work that normally is shipped off to exhibits around the country.

The bold and the behemoth

WWE brings the pain to the Civic Arena

For a non-televised show, it certainly seems as if WWE will be pulling out all the stops when it comes to St. Joe. Maybe it's because of the impression this body slam-loving town left on them in September 2007.

Learning to develop

Soul singer/songwriter Marc Broussard aims for artistic maturity

Even though he spends the majority of his time exercising his musical chops in the studio and through constant touring, when he steps away from that, singer/songwriter Marc Broussard can't help but belt out the music he loves. "When I open my mouth and sing in the morning, chances are I'm going to sing some sort of bluesy, soulful kind of lick," Broussard says. "Pop tunes don't typically come out of my head in the morning."

The Shuffle: In search of the tough guy

Even though it has been in limited release, today marks the nationwide opening of the new Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino." And the film already has buzz for a few reasons. First off, critics have claimed that it's a throwback to vintage Eastwood performances in old Westerns and the "Dirty Harry" movies. Secondly, Eastwood has hinted that at 78, it would be his last performance in front of the camera.

That game we play: The phases of dating

When you're single, you go through a lot of dating phases. There's the actively seeking phase, the not-looking-but-interested phase, the desperate-to-meet-someone phase. And then there are the phases that make you dating seem very... unappealing. There's the dating rut, where you go to the same places and meet the same types of people. Eventually you get so bored you wonder why you're trying at all.

This is: 90 Minutes

What's in that?: Vodka blaster at the Hi-Ho

Entertainment briefs for Jan. 9, 2009

Calendars for Jan. 9, 2009

Evans, other rookies dive into prep competition

As the pool deck fell silent, MacKenzie Evans grappled with an unfamiliar apprehension.

Thursday's Prep Sports

Benton stands 'Taul' in duals

Nick Taul wasn't thinking about rankings when he pinned Grandview's Xavier Williams.

Boys Basketball Notebook: Central finally gets to strut its stuff before home crowd

Central's rabid student section finally will have a chance to unleash its Craziness.

Zeppelin reunion takes stairway to heaven

Jimmy Page's manager says the group will not reunite with new singer or Robert Plant

In news that is either optimistic, devastating or inconsequential depending on how big a fan you are of Led Zeppelin, it was announced Thursday that there will be no plans for a Led Zeppelin reunion in any capacity.

IHOP under construction

pancakes! Or patty-cakes, as my daughter calls them at grandma's house. Weather has probably been one of the biggest culprits keeping St. Joseph from having mounds and mounds of the sweet smelling hot cakes on our plates from one of the newest restaurant to locate in build here.

GAME BLOG: Northwest women 56, Western 52

In a matchup of the league's Nos. 9- and 10-ranked offenses, this had plenty of potential to offend anyone who likes seeing made baskets. And sure enough, watching the shooting percentages on stat monitor Wednesday night was much like watching a thermometer during the cold winter months. This combined shooting performance might make James Naismith reconsider his invention, and I have concluded it's not about rotation, Xs and Os, or matchups. Simply, neither one of these teams is very gifted offensively, and that's probably not going to change this season.

Griffon men tough it out against Bearcats

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State fight song serenaded the Missouri Western men yet again as they exited Bearcat Arena. But on Wednesday night, one could barely hear the recording over the PA speakers as a cluster of Griffon fans finally had reason to drown it out with a standing ovation. Western snapped a six-game losing streak in Maryville, dating back to 2002, holding off the resilient Bearcats 66-63.

Indian wrestlers downed in dual

Before Central's dual with Lee's Summit on Wednesday night, Central coach Brett Swope said he expected it to be a good matchup and a close contest. Less than two hours later, the Indians proved their coach's prediction correct. The Indians just didn't get the result they wanted.

Little excitement at Bearcat Arena

Some people say basketball especially the NBA -- isn't worth watching until the playoffs. Even then, most of the excitement seems to come in the final minute. Sometimes, even college games aren't all that exciting until the final minutes, either. At Northwest Missouri State on Wednesday night, that was certainly the case.

Former Chiefs GM Peterson doesn't expect to join Dolphins

KANSAS CITY - Former Kansas City Chiefs boss Carl Peterson says he is not taking a job with Miami, ending speculation that began when he was seen at the Dolphins' playoff loss last Sunday. "It's not going to happen," Peterson told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I have a lot of good friends there, but I need to get away for a while. It's been 20 years of making decisions every day and I need a rest."

Royals show off stadium progress

KANSAS CITY - Standing in mud and dust, often straining to be heard above the rat-a-tat-tat of concrete drills, Kansas City Royals officials said Wednesday they're confident that Kauffman Stadium will be ready for opening day. Whenever the massive $250 million renovation project does get finished, fans will hardly recognize the place.

Bearcat women earn 'ugly' victory against Griffons

MARYVILLE, Mo. - It wasn't pretty. Northwest Missouri State coach Gene Steinmeyer said that description might even be too flattering. But in all the ugliness, the Bearcats were able to fashion a 56-52 women's basketball victory over winless Missouri Western on Wednesday night. Meghan Brue scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, figuring heavily in a late, game-defining 8-0 run.

Graves finds aviation rule proposal excessive

The National Business Aviation Association believes proposed security guidelines would prove "unduly burdensome" on private fliers. Rep. Sam Graves, a pilot himself and a go-to congressman when it comes to aviation issues, tends to agree.

Lafayette's defense too much for Savannah

Early on in Thursday night's game, Lafayette and Savannah looked ready to put on an offensive show. After only a couple possessions for each team, the game was tied 4. But for the rest of that opening frame, Savannah was only able to muster two more points while Lafayette rode its tight defensive pressure to multiple turnovers and 11 more points. After that early tie, Lafayette left little doubt who was in control the rest of the way.

Cardinals scratch past No. 9 Storm

Benton coach Brett Goodwin couldn't have been happier to see his team eke out a victory. Well, maybe that's a little strong. Mired in the tough three-game stretch, Benton needed its worst performance of the lot to scratch back into the win column. The Cardinals used three fourth-quarter 3-pointers to overcome a tough Tuesday night at Springer Gymnasium, knocking off Notre Dame de Sion 33-30 in a battle of state-ranked teams.

LeBlond boys knock down Falls City again

The new year yielded the same result for Ben Baker and his high-flying Bishop LeBlond teammates. Six days after staving off Falls City in the final of their own tournament, the Golden Eagles slammed the door on the Tigers and ran away with a 59-34 victory Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.

Bearcat men trying to get healthy for Western game

Northwest Missouri State had hoped to use a break in the schedule to get in some quality practices before tonight's 7:30 game against rival Missouri Western. Because of injuries and illness, it didn't work out that way. Tuesday was the first day the Bearcat men (5-7, 0-5 MIAA) were able to field a full roster of players.

Bearcat Martin transitions from shooter to stopper

MARYVILLE, Mo. - A lineup move designed to bring more punch to Northwest Missouri State's offense has yielded defensive rewards instead. Shelly Martin has started the past three games for the Bearcat women, who were languishing offensively at 4-5 after a loss against Nebraska-Omaha. After that game, coach Gene Steinmeyer told the Omaha freshman she would begin starting. After all, she had scored 17 off the bench in the season opener at South Dakota.

Chiefs boss Peterson bids farewell after 20 years

KANSAS CITY - If Carl Peterson plans to go straight from Kansas City to the Miami Dolphins, he isn't tipping his hand. Ending a 20-year run as president, general manager and chief executive of the Chiefs, Peterson delivered a 40-minute farewell speech Tuesday to friends and staff. In brief remarks later with reporters, he said talk of his possibly going to work for the new ownership of the Dolphins was "pure speculation."

GAME BLOG: Benton girls 33, Notre Dame de Sion 30

When you look up at the scoreboard and it reads 5-4 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half, you know it's a long day for coaches, players, fans, scorekeepers, et al. Yet, the home team led by that score Tuesday night before falling behind 13-10 at the half after a "hot stretch" for both teams. The difference in the first 16 minutes? Free throws.

Tuesday's prep sports 01-06-09

Lafayette, Williams turn up pressure on North Kansas City

Lafayette's Bryston Williams enjoys draining clutch shots, dunking on opposing defenders and long walks in the park. He enjoyed two of the three Monday. After trailing three consecutive quarters, Williams stole a pass from North Kansas City's Gary Ross with 5 minutes, 6 seconds remaining Monday night, putting the Fighting Irish ahead for good. The one-handed slam gave Lafayette (7-2) the energy it needed to preserve a 56-53 win at Lafayette High School.

Monday's prep results

Central avenges loss to Lee's Summit North

Kaitlin Siela didn't want to take the credit for her breakout game or the attention that comes with it. Central's junior reserve guard was just glad to help the team avenge an earlier loss to Lee's Summit North. Siela capped a hot first quarter for the Indians with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, then added back-to-back treys during the third quarter to help put Lee's Summit North away. Central's 40-31 win Monday night at Central High School countered a five-point December loss to the Broncos at Lee's Summit North High School.

GAME BLOG: Central girls 40, Lee's Summit North 31

Central's win Monday night marked the middle tilt in a string of three games in four days. But the way coach Kevin Kelley's thinking, that's fine. He'll play 10 -- players. The veteran coach appears ready to deploy all 10 of the players on his varsity rostor, a trend that started in earnest during the second day of the Hillyard City Basketball Showcase last month.

Practice sets tone for Griffon men

Coach Tom Smith remained more concerned about the Missouri Western men's upcoming Monday practice than the Griffons impending three straight road games. Last season, Western's poor practice habits continually played out on game day during a 3-15 conference campaign. By most accounts, the Griffons came out with a different attitude this season and were 3-1 in the MIAA heading into Wednesday's game at Missouri Southern. But Southern blew out Western, 81-58, and the Griffons responded with a sub-par practice Friday and a flop Saturday against Nebraska-Omaha. With road contests coming up at Northwest Missouri State, Quincy (Ill.) and Truman State, more poor practices could be a harbinger for a prolonged losing slide.

Not-so-golden Griffon women's era

They provide reminders that the golden era of Griffon basketball wasn't near as long ago as it now seems with Missouri Western's mounting losses. Jill Johnson and Ashleigh Curry, still looking fit enough to play, attended the Griffons' latest defeat - 73-62 to Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Together, that duo helped Western to a 20-0 start and a No. 2 national ranking in 2006-07. Two years later, they watched as the current Western team remained one of six winless women's basketball teams among Division II's 275 programs.

Best and the Rest: Week of Jan. 4

After a two-week hiatus, we're back with another batch of power rankings. I ranked all the teams after the holiday trips, and of the 22 teams, only two swapped places. Then I opted to wait until after the three-game week of conference games to take another run at this. Not much has changed on the men's side since mid-December except the superlatives to describe Southwest Baptist.

Dead reunited, prolific Prince and Radiohead and Jay-Z collide

Happy New Year indeed for anyone who are fans of psychedelic icons, the Purple One and mix tapes.

Brownback forms gubernatorial campaign committee

U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback stuck to his term-limit pledge, one that would end his congressional stay two years from now. So, what happens next for former presidential candidate from Kansas? On Monday, the Republican lawmaker filed paperwork to set up a campaign committee in preparation for a run for Kansas governor in 2010.

GAME BLOG WESTERN MEN: Omaha 76, Western men 65

The Griffons went from resurgent and tied for second in the conference to mediocre and all the way back in seventh in a mere five days. But I don't think the Griffons' two-game losing slide is anything overly troubling. Let's face it, Western's goal this season is to make the MIAA tournament. The Griffons simply aren't as talented or experienced as schools like Missouri Southern and Nebraska-Omaha.

GAME BLOG WESTERN WOMEN: Omaha 73, Western women 62

This Western team is schizophrenic lately. But the Griffons still have a tendency to stagnate in prolonged half-court sets and handle ball pressure about as well as Rod Blagojevich legally appoints a senator. I guess you can blame it on youthfulness and inexperience, but at some point, sophomores and juniors in college have no excuse for that lack of composure under defensive pressure. And until the Griffons solve perimeter pressure, their best offense lies in transition.

Saturday's College Sports

Saturday's Prep Sports

Griffon men's comeback attempt falls short

A lack of toughness concerned coach Tom Smith all season, but Missouri Western appeared to have put that weakness behind it with a hard-fought win over Washburn on Monday. Five days later, it's very much an issue for the Griffons, who dropped their second straight - 76-65 against Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Mavericks (9-3, 3-2 MIAA) broke a 50-all tie with 10 minutes, 39 seconds left, using an 11-3 run to put away the pesky Griffons (6-6, 3-3). Western battled back to tie the game four times in the second half, but a turnover or wasted possession kept the Griffons from grabbing their first lead since the 16-minute mark of the first half.

Offensive dry spell dooms Western women

Sporadically good just isn't good enough for winless Missouri Western. Facing a beatable opponent at home, the Griffons suffered through a pair of crippling offensive lulls - one in each half - and fell short of Nebraska-Omaha, 73-62, on Saturday night at MWSU Fieldhouse. After starting out both periods pushing the pace and scoring in transition, Western (0-12, 0-6 MIAA) lost its way for a 12-minute span of the first half and five minutes midway through the second half, effectively squandering a lead and comeback, respectively.

Friday's Prep Sports

La Palmas

3830 King Hill Avenue

tease

Late senator's influence reached to Northwest Missouri

Claiborne Pell died on Thursday. It's hard to know if the 90-year-old former U.S. senator from Rhode Island ever stepped foot on Northwest Missouri soil. But he had an impact here.

Pixel power

In a struggling music industry, are video games the future?

In many ways, the music industry is struggling to survive. CD sales are decreasing every year. Artists who used to sell more than a million copies in their first week are only managing to sell a few hundred thousand. And major labels and radio are losing their influence in music's digital revolution.

Have a laugh

Legends debuts Funny First Friday tonight

While the St. Joseph entertainment scene offers plenty in the way of live music, the same can't be said for comedy. There are the occasional comedy nights featuring local comedians and the rare big star appearing at the Missouri Theater. But as far as regular comedy, St. Joe doesn't have much to offer.

Killing the stigma, starting the party

The Heat Machine brings a Midwest-born ska sound to St. Joseph tonight

While ska music was conceived in the late 1950s, most music fans recall its late '90s resurgence, when bands like No Doubt, Sublime, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish reintroduced the genre to a new generation.

A state of evolution

Gym Class Heroes are building on big hit

In 2006, the world was introduced to Gym Class Heroes when the popularity of its single "Cupid's Chokehold" exploded. With the arrival of 2009, however, the hip-hop/indie pop band is trying to move past its mega-hit and establish itself as one of the biggest names in music. "Commercially, it was a huge hit for any band... but we wanted to do something different," admits drummer Matt McGinley. "Our music is constantly in a state of evolution."

The Shuffle: Wishful thinking

After having a crazy few days of holiday travel and enjoying Christmas gifts that will ultimately hinder my social life (Nintendo Wii, repeat viewings of "The Dark Knight," Chuck Palahniuk's "Choke," etc.), I will now devote countless words and thoughts to a single entertainment issue. Actually, today is my friggin' birthday, so screw all that madness.

That game we play: Dating resolutions

It's New Year's Day, which means there's a good chance you'll be sleeping in until noon and then spending the rest of the day in your pajamas watching TV. It also means there's a good chance you're making your list of New Year's resolutions for 2009. And if you're single, it's highly likely that at least one of those resolutions involves making a change in your dating life.

This is: Untitled by Steve Burns

What's in that?: Southern Punch at Applebee's

Entertainment briefs for Jan. 2, 2009

Calendars for Jan. 2, 2009

WESTERN WOMEN at Missouri Southern: Lions 58, Griffons 57

My prediction for the past three weeks has been that the Western women's season-long losing streak would end Jan. 21 when Southwest Baptist comes to St. Joseph. But after watching the Griffons come oh so close to a pair of upsets this week, the 21st might be too far away. For a team without a dominant player, much quickness or a lot of athleticism, Western continues to scrap and hang with more talented opponents. Wednesday at Missouri Southern, Western's defense once again made shooting awfully difficult on its opposition, and the youthful Griffons continue to show plenty of promise not just for the next couple of years, but the remainder of this season as well.

GAME BLOG: Missouri Western men at Missouri Southern

Welcome to the MIAA, where teams don't just lose because of poor performances, they get blown out. Missouri Southern coach Robert Corn told me his team couldn't have beaten any school in the conference in the No. 10 Lions' 105-65 blowout loss to No. 3 Southwest Baptist on Monday. Southern turned the tables two days later with a whipping of Western that was worse than the final score indicates. The Griffons couldn't have beaten too many MIAA teams with Wednesday's sloppy performance.

Stories for January 2009

Saturday, January 31

Friday, January 30

Bars, grub, tunes and awkward answers comprise our inaugural St. Joe Live Awards

'Fool For Love' offers a unique theater outing

Tapes 'n Tapes experiment with alternative sound

Show recreates the history of tap dancing

Thursday, January 29

If it rocks, thumps or bumps, I'm calling it

Guess the Lego movie star, watch the Lego inauguration

Rob Calloway prepares for Dancing with the Stars, St. Joseph

Wednesday, January 28

Lafayette wrestling coach battles through disease

Tuesday, January 27

St. Joseph woman shows age doesn't have to discourage exercise

Monday, January 26

Sunday, January 25

Saturday, January 24

Friday, January 23

Killing of rare trumpeter swans shows need for outdoorsmen to be informed

Take a look at a few suggestions for the 'Twilight' sequel

The Oscars offer their own Hollywood scripts

'Dark Knight,' Eastwood, Springsteen may have been snubbed

Coheed & Cambria take the unusual in stride

The Belt Highway will have its first St. Joe show at The Rendezvous tonight

Haygoods bring high-energy show to St. Joe this weekend

Singer/songwriter Lenka provides an upbeat for her down times

Thursday, January 22

Prolific and singer/songwriter tight backing band finds great balance of looseness and restraint

The year of the ox starts next Monday

Wednesday, January 21