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by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News Veteran girls tennis coach Randy Draper noticeably had on a unique shirt Monday at his team’s Senior Night match against Blue Springs. He wore a Hawaiian style shirt with cut-out headshots of his three senior players on it along with some head shots of himself in a hat and sunglasses. It was a gift from senior seniors that was given to him before the match. ““Oh they were so proud of themselves!” Draper exclaimed with a smile. That wasn’t the only thing Draper received from his players. They also delivered a dominant 9-0 win over the Wildcats at home. Two of his three seniors, Courtney Hicks and Delaney Thurn cruised to a No. 1 doubles victory over Genevieve Melton and Tamera Reed 8-1. Hicks noted the duo came into the match with a lot of confidence after defeating Platte County’s No. 1 doubles team last week. “After playing Platte County and beating them in doubles, Delaney and I have our chemistry down,” Hicks said. “I thought we played great today, and we backed each other up. Added Thurn: Courtney is really good at the net because she is really good at overhangs and volleys. I am a good back person.” Thurn had a much tougher time in her singles match against Melton, which she won 8-6. “I had to stay resilient and think about the next point,” Thurn said. Draper gave Thurn high praise while he was looking at pictures of Thurn on her Senior Night display board. “This was back when the racquet was as big as she was,” Draper said while pointing to a picture of a younger Thurn. “Delaney has become a really good No. 1 player, which is not easy to do.” Hicks dispatched Reed in the No. 2 singles match 8-0. “I just had to stay consistent and make sure I kept the ball in play,” Hicks said. Grain Valley’s other varsity senior, Kaelynn Clausen, won the No. 3 singles match against Lucy Johnson 8-2 and teammate up with sophomore Avery Lunn to beat Johnson and Eliana Barrios 8-1. Lunn took down Barrios 8-2 in No. 4 singles. In No. 3 doubles Grain Valley junior Lily Lunn and sophomore Peyton Hazlett defeated Harlee Carrio and Briana Buck 8-1. Lily Lunn took down Carrio 8-1 at No. 5 singles and Hazlett won her No. 6 singles match against Buck 8-1.  Grain Valley seniors Delaney Thurn, left, and Courtney Hicks dominated their doubles match 8-1 and both won their respective singles matches during a 9-0 victory over Blue Springs Monday at home on Senior Night. Photo credit: Michael Smith  by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News The offense didn’t look pretty at times for Grain Valley. It especially struggled with penalties as the Eagles committed 14 for 95 yards in Friday’s football contest against Raytown South. One of those penalties was a holding call that wiped out a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Chase Neer to senior tight end Landon Marriott. However, led by junior running back Sjoeren Aumua’s 285-yard, four touchdown night, the Eagles overcame those mistakes en route to a 44-6 victory at Moody Murray Memorial Field. On one drive in the first half, Grain Valley (4-1) committed three consecutive false start penalties. In addition to the flags they received, the Eagles had some issues with some snaps to Neer and backup quarterback Cohen Morris as some were too short and some went too high out of the pistol formation. Those are the kind of things veteran head coach David Allie said his team will need to clean up before next week’s matchup with Class 4, No. 1-ranked Kearney on the road. “You can’t beat yourself,” Allie said. Those types of things will get you beat in tight games. Kearney has some really good kids coming back. We’re going to have to play a complete ball game. We can’t have 2,000 yards in penalties against them and try to come out with a victory.” Despite the mistakes, the ground game was working for Grain Valley as it totaled 321 yards. Aumua scored on a 9-yard run which was set up by an interception of South quarterback Leo Buie by senior Bordy Jones, who also had a blocked punt and blocked extra point attempt, at the 8:36 mark in the first. The pick came on a pass that went through the hands of a Cardinal receiver, which Jones returned to the South 24-yard line. “We’re in a groove right now,” Jones said of an Eagles’ defense that has only given up 13.4 points per game through five games. “We have a lot to prove right now, but we have stepped up from last year.” Another pick from junior Owen Hames on an awry pass from Buie set up the Eagles at the South 16. The Eagles couldn’t get it in the end zone on this possession as they had to settle for a 28-yard field goal from Colton Clyman to make it 10-0. On a third-and-long play at the 10:44 mark in the second quarter, Aumua caught a screen pass and was sprung by a big block from senior tackle Will Page, and the junior ran 69 yards to pay dirt. “We were second guessing ourselves in the first half,” Aumua said. “It was just too much overthinking, we just have to hit our plays. “I did what I was supposed to do and my O line gave me some big holes and I took them. They did great today.” South scored its only touchdown with 2:12 left when Buie connected with senior wide receiver Jordan Wright for a 64-yard TD pass. The Eagles then took over in the second half while getting their offense going and shutting down the South offense. Aumua finished his big day with a 42-yard TD on a run to the right side and 49-yard trek to the end zone on a run up the middle in which he broke two tackles. “He hits the holes and has good vision to get down field,” Allie said of Aumua. “He has great balance. We talked about yards after contact and he broke a couple of those that Raytown South didn’t wrap up on. He’s slippery and is a great player.” Sophomore running back Dawson Head added 92 yards on the ground on nine carries and he broke a pair of tackles for a 61-yard TD run up the gut in the third period. Grain Valley capped the scoring in the fourth period on an 18-yard TD pass from Morris to Marriott. The game marked the Eagles third consecutive victory by 35 or more points. However, that streak will be difficult to extend next week against Kearney, the favorite to win the Class 4 title this season. Jones, however, said his team is up for the challenge against an elite Bulldog team. “I think we match up really well with them,” Jones said. “I think we are going to prove everyone wrong.”  by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News The Grain Valley volleyball team had a tougher challenge on its hands. In its season opener against Truman earlier in the month, the team had little trouble dispatching the Patriots in a 25-4, 25-7, 25-16 victory. In Thursday’s Suburban White Conference rematch, Truman put up more resistance. The Patriots kept pace with the Eagles early in the first set and were at an 8-8 tie at one point, and in the third set, they had a chance to win it after a kill from senior Lillian Nolte pulled her team within 24-23. However, Grain Valley met Truman’s challenge and were led by seniors Kyleigh Casey and Chesnie King as they combined for 23 kills in a 25-18, 25-13, 25-23 victory at Truman High School. “The first time we played them, we were a little more consistent on our serve receive,” Casey said. “We need to work on that, but I think we worked well together overall.” Grain Valley head coach Tori Squiers said she was not surprised that Truman put up a tougher fight in the second match. “Truman came out way stronger this match,” Squiers said. “We knew that. They were our very first match. They had four weeks to improve, and they came out and showed they did. They have a tough defense to score against.” In the second matchup with Truman, more hits and bumps went out of bounds than the first one. The Eagles also committed more errors. But Grain Valley overcame those things due to the strong presence at the net with King and Casey putting away opportunities to score. “Kyleigh is our most consistent player,” Squiers said. “She leads us in kills, aces and serve receives. She’s a strong all-around player. Her work ethic outside of games is outstanding, too. Chesnie is so strong on the right side. Having her there is one of our strengths. King served as a hybrid hitter and setter as she led the team with 12 kills and was second on the team with 11 assists. Sophomore Bromlee Cook had a team-high 15 assists, and she had multiple quick sets that allowed King and Casey to catch the Truman defense off guard. “They did really well with our serve being off today,” Casey said of the setters. “They put up a lot of great balls.” Grain Valley (13-6, 8-0 White Conference) rotated in some junior varsity players including sophomores Annabelle Stewart and Keighann West and freshman Kira Freeman, whom the team sang “Happy Birthday” to after the game. Squiers said the junior varsity trio has played well in the past few weeks as the Eagles still have some varsity players out with an injury like sophomore Lucy King and senior Chloe Hernandez. “It’s awesome to see how girls at Grain Valley successfully step into new roles constantly,” Squiers said. “They do what’s best for the team. Everyone is so welcoming for who we need at the time.” Both teams were tied at 8-8 in the first set before Grain Valley went on a 15-5 run to take control. During that run Casey and King had three and two kills, respectively, and junior Amayah Richburg contributed with a block and a kill. King tacked on four kills in a second set the Eagles dominated from start to finish. In the third set, Grain Valley led by as many as five points, but freshman Aleah Ulberg helped keep her team in it by getting four of her team-high six kills. Despite a late run from the Patriots (3-7, 0-6), Grain Valley was able to hang on to sweep in three sets.  Local Teacher Turns Storyteller: Grain Valley’s Mendi Spencer Releases Fourth Children’s Book9/25/2025
Grain Valley News caught up with Grain Valley High School (GVHS) science teacher and local children's book author Mendi Spencer this week to discuss her newest book, A Tale of Two Swifties. Spencer, known at school for guiding students through the complexities of biology, added author to her résumé a few years ago — and her newest children’s book, A Tale of Two Swifties, is now available for readers of all ages. A Tale of Two Swifties tells the story of a football-loving dad who plans to teach his daughter about the game — only to find himself sharing in her passion in unexpected ways. Spencer's first book, The Adventures of a Robot Vacuum: The Ransom, was the result of a real-life ransom caper involving another GVHS teacher's runaway Roomba vacuum providing inspiration. Additional books quickly followed, including The Sleep Squad, and When A Snore is Something More, which brings awareness of improper tongue placement with children in an engaging way. The book has been lauded by dentists, speech therapists, and other professionals working with children with snoring and other issues related to tongue placement. Spencer plans to release her next book, The Teachers Lounge, this fall. Spencer shared that the experience of watching children engage with her books as the most rewarding part of being a writer. Spencer's books can be found locally at Owl Creek Market in Odessa and Tami Sue’s in Buckner. All of Spencer's titles can also be found on Amazon at Amazon.com: Mendi Spencer: books, biography, latest update.  GVHS teacher and local children's book author Mendi Spencer has released her fourth book, A Tale of Two Swifties, which tells the story of a football-loving dad who plans to teach his daughter about the game — only to find himself sharing in her passion in unexpected ways. Photo credit: Grain Valley News staff  The Community Services League Grain Valley office is in desperate need of food donations to serve those in need in the community. The Grain Valley Assistance Council transitioned control of the center to Community Services League (CSL) at the end of 2024 (prior reporting: Quick News - Grain Valley News). While CSL provide staffing support and access to commodities for their satellite locations, each location must depend on local support to stock their pantries. Grain Valley site volunteer and former Grain Valley Assistance Council board member Kim Compton is working to spread the word that they need the community's support to stock their shelves. Donations may be dropped off at collection bins located at the Grain Valley Price Chopper and Grain Valley Community Center, as well as delivered to the Grain Valley CSL Office on Wednesdays. The Grain Valley CSL office is located at 513 Gregg ST in Grain Valley. Businesses, schools, and community groups are also encouraged to host food drives to support the local pantry. Compton said that the Grain Valley office is also working to communicate they remain open to serve Grain Valley residents in need through their food pantry and clothes closet. A fund from the former Grain Valley Assistance Council also exists to assist residents with utility assistance and other emergency assistance needs. The pantry, 513 Gregg ST, is open from 9:00am - Noon and 1:00pm - 4:00pm on Wednesdays. For more information, call 816-355-0328.  The Grain Valley Community Services League location is in desperate need of food donations to stock its pantry shelves. Donations may be dropped off at collection bins located at the Grain Valley Price Chopper and Grain Valley Community Center, as well as delivered to the Grain Valley CSL Office on Wednesdays. The Grain Valley CSL office is located at 513 Gregg ST in Grain Valley.  The Board of Aldermen met Monday, September 22nd approving the tax levy for 2025. The meeting began with a public hearing regarding the proposed tax levy for 2025. No citizens requested the opportunity to speak, and the public meeting was closed. The levy was presented for a vote later in the meeting and the first and second readings of the bill were approved unanimously. The levy will decrease, with a total tax levy of $.9605, broken down as follows:
The Board then approved three ordinances. The first ordinance authorizes the City Administrator to renew the annual software and hardware maintenance and support agreement with Neptune Technology. The second ordinances authorizes the City Administrator to execute an agreement with Gades Sales Co. Inc. for a traffic signal camera upgrade. The final ordinance authorizes the City Administrator to enter into an agreement with Heartland Traffic Services, Inc. for pavement markings. This is the last phase of the pavement maintenance program to stripe the remaining roads this year. During staff reports, Parks & Recreation Director Shannon Davies reported that Armstrong Park improvements are taking place to include milling and repaving and striping the parking lots. Next week, the department will begin demolition of shelters 1, 2, & 3. New structures will be erected following demolition. In other business, Park Board member Norm Combs was recognized on the occasion of his 90th birthday and thanked for his continued service to the city. The next Board of Aldermen meeting will be held on Monday, October 13th at City Hall. by Cole Arndorfer, Grain Valley News The Grain Valley Schools Board of Education met on Thursday, September 18th for its monthly business meeting. Prior to the meeting, the board held the public tax rate hearing, providing an opportunity for the public to hear the presentation of the proposed tax rate. The proposal for this year’s operating levy is set at $3.4396, an increase of $0.0014 compared to last year. Last year’s debt service levy was $1.30, with no proposed change this upcoming year. This means that the proposed total operating levy for this year is $4.7396, compared to last year’s $4.7382. The meeting proceeded with an approval for the district to purchase land near Matthews Elementary. This land will cost the district $2,465,000 and will allow the district to begin improvements to Matthews, including additional classrooms, restrooms, and parking. The board then approved a resolution for the sale of series 2025 lease certificates of participation with L.J. Hart & Company. The board also heard a presentation breaking down the requirements of this agreement including the payment schedule and maturity dates. Superintendent Dr. Brad Welle delivered the highlights of his report for the month, including information about the district’s year-to-date expenses, a positive report on attendance numbers to begin the school year, as well as some information regarding how board members can gain access to key cards after the board passed a measure at the last meeting allowing such access. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Amanda Allen provided the board with a report over the district’s standardized test results from this past year as well as ways that the district can better help students. Following this, the board moved into unfinished business with an update on the superintendent search. The official job posting was put out on September 5th, and there has been a community forum set up on October 7th. A Parents & Community Forum has been scheduled on October 7th from 6:00pm - 7:00pm at the Leadership Center. The board also discussed some possible solutions in order to get to know the candidates better during the interview process. Next, the board officially approved the annual CSIP priorities for the school year. The board then officially approved the proposed tax levy for 2025 and set it at $4.7396. The next Board of Education meeting will take place at 6:00pm on October 16 at the Leadership Center.  by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society As I continue struggling to find a topic for the weekly “looking back” article, the file for 2000 provided me with no real inspiration. Instead, I found pages of newspaper stories like the police blotter, the potholes, the water and sewer problems, roads closed for repair, and a survey asking citizens if Grain Valley should grow! Any of these topics could have been in the news this year. History tells us that some things never change. In addition to repairs on the sewer lift system, approving in-home daycare, and drug arrests at the Cozy Inn, a small hotel that once existed behind the old Pilot Truck Stop, there were also several highlights for Grain Valley.
 On August 1, 2000, Grain Valley officials celebrated groundbreaking of the $ 4.5 million city hall, community center and swimming pool project.  by Phil Hanson, President and CEO, Truman Heartland Community Foundation The Truman Heartland Community Foundation is pleased to support the group of Independence community leaders leading the initiative to redevelop the Englewood Theater, which has been closed for 18 years. Our Board of Directors agreed to the Foundation serving as a fiscal sponsor for this project in September 2024, while the newly formed Friends of Englewood Theater obtained its 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS. Brent Schondelmeyer is leading the charge on this project. Brent and his wife, Lee Williams, were recognized at our 2020 Toast to Our Towns Gala as Humanitarians of the Year and have continued their community service through this project and numerous other initiatives. Great progress has been made. The property is now under contract, and they will soon close on a loan to purchase the theater for $600,000. A feasibility study paid for by the City of Independence estimates that the renovation costs will be $3.5 million, bringing the total cost to $4.1 million. The process for obtaining historic tax credits is well underway, which could provide $1.4 million of the renovation costs. The Friends of Englewood Theater are making plans to launch a capital campaign to raise the $2.7 million in community support needed to make this dream a reality. This campaign will require a lot of effort, but I have no doubt that it will be successful. The community is very excited about this project, and I anticipate that a significant number of the Foundation's Fundholders will be interested in making a grant from their donor-advised fund to support this project. Brent Schondelmeyer and the Board have been extremely transparent with the community regarding this project. Their website, www.englewoodtheater.org, provides all the information about the project, their plans, and the history of the theater, which was the home of the Kansas City Opry for over a decade. You can sign up on the website to receive their newsletter and stay updated. The reopening of the Englewood Theater will be another boost for this community, adding to the energy and excitement brought by the Englewood Arts Center. The Friends of Englewood Theater is a separate nonprofit organization from Englewood Arts; however, the two organizations work closely together to support each other's missions. The Truman Heartland Community Foundation is pleased to be playing a supporting role assisting the Friends of Englewood Theater in making the dream of reopening this historic theater a reality. I hope you also will consider supporting the Friends of Englewood Theater.  Re.Use.Full will host their 14th Un-Dumpster Day to help people rehome their still-good stuff to benefit participating nonprofit organizations on Saturday, September 27, from 9:00am - 1:00pm at St. Sabina Parish, 700 Trevis Ave, Belton, MO. Some of the items to be accepted include gently used working appliances, bikes, books, clothing, linens, toys, games and puzzles, stain-free mattresses, furniture, pet supplies and other household goods that will be distributed to help people and pets in the Kansas City area. In addition to the donation collection, Re.Use.Full will also offer free paper-shredding services and electronics and tire recycling. There is no residency requirement for any of the services. Participating organizations include:
For a full list of the items, guidelines for giving and recycling information, visit reusefull.org/un-dumpster-day-belton-september-2025/. Re.Use.Full is a sustainability-focused nonprofit organization that has been connecting people with still-good stuff with the nonprofit organizations, schools and churches that can put it to good use since 2020. They began hosting Un-Dumpster Day events in 2022 to provide convenient, one-stop drop donation collections and recycling services and Repair Cafés in 2024 to help people repair instead of replace their household items to keep them out of the landfill.  Re.Use.Full will host their 14th Un-Dumpster Day to help people rehome their still-good stuff to benefit participating nonprofit organizations on Saturday, September 27, from 9:00am - 1:00pm at St. Sabina Parish, 700 Trevis Ave, Belton, MO. Photo credit: Re.Use.Full.  Missouri House property tax committee weighs options for tax reliefby Cameron Smith and Jack Schouten, Missouri Independent Members of a special House committee talked Tuesday through a multitude of potential solutions to relieve the tax burden facing Missourians. “The committee’s goal is to find common sense reforms and solutions that will protect homeowners, promote economic stability and share capability,” said Rep. Tim Taylor, R-Bunceton, chair of the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform. The committee conducted six hearings in five separate cities across the state this past summer. In the 25 hours of testimony, they heard complaints from residents and local officials related to property tax evaluation and assessment. Republican members of the committee agreed that there is no “one size fits all” option when it comes to deciding the allocation of taxation at the county level. Taylor noted that 72% of property taxes fund public schools. In response, Rep. Del Taylor, D-St. Louis, said he wants the state to get involved because it is the buffer when local districts fall short on funding for schools in particular. Multiple potential solutions were mentioned at the meeting. Among the proposals was the committee chair’s idea of expanding the ability of districts to institute a sales tax instead of a property tax to fund public schools. Others raised concerns of possible double dipping under that model. “I would be opposed to anything that allowed any level of governance to double collect taxes,” said Rep. Darin Chappell, R-Rogersville. “I would be absolutely opposed for the opportunity to exist for both methodologies to be active at the same time.” The committee is faced with navigating 40-year-old bill language to deal with modern assessment and taxation issues. Rep. Rodger Reedy, R-Windsor, laid out the term plainly: “We as legislators have failed to keep up with the times.” Further complicating the potential for solutions is the Hancock Amendment, enacted in 1980 to limit the amount of money that can be extracted through taxation. A provision in the amendment states that property tax rates have to be adjusted to avoid windfall revenue increases as a result of rapid increases in values. The amendment is one of the many challenges the committee faces. Members agreed that they had no appetite for attempting to change the Missouri Constitution by seeking to adjust the Hancock Amendment. “The more I’ve been in this committee, the more I’ve felt that we have got a large sandbox we can play in when it comes to statute. Can we try to play in that sandbox and stay away from the constitution for now?” said Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, D-Columbia. Both Steinhoff, and Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, R-Savannah, said they felt that the discussion went well and that progress towards a potential bill was made. Both said they anticipate further meetings and discussions that could continue into the start of the legislative session in January. This article was originally published in the Columbia Missourian and is republished with permission. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of September 17-23, 2025.
September 17, 2025 1100 BLK BUSH DR Security Check NW SNI-A-BAR PKWY @ NW SNI-A-BAR BLVD Traffic Enforcement 1800 BLK NW HEDGEWOOD DR Open Door-Structure 3300 BLK NE OUTER BELT RD Citizen Contact 100 BLK SUNNY LN Public Service 31600 BLK E PINKHILL RD Motorist Assist PHQ Administrative 100 BLK E ROCK CREEK LN Citizen Contact 1000 BLK NW HIGH VIEW DR Area Check EB 40 / AIRPORT Area Check PHQ Public Service 200 BLK NW PARKER DR Fraud 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol PHQ Public Service MAIN / EAGLES PKWY Suspicious Person 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 1200 BLK R D MIZE RD Citizen Contact PHQ Public Service September 18, 2025 WOODBURY Citizen Contact 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 100 BLK ROCK CREEK DR Agency Assist EMS 1100 BLK BUSH DR Alarm-Commercial BUCKNER TARSNEY / JEFFERSON Area Check 500 BLK MAIN Vehicle Check 400 BLK W FRONT ST Disturbance-Verbal 100 BLK E ROCK CREEK LN Follow Up Investigation 600 BLK NW YENNIE AVE / 307 Stealing Vehicle 100 BLK SUNNY LN Public Service PHQ Administrative 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Agency Assist EMS 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Follow Up Investigation 100 BLK SUNNY LN Follow Up Investigation 1100 BLK NE MCQUERRY RD Suspicious Person 1200 BLK NW BURR OAK LN Alarm-Residential 1600 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Harassment 100 BLK SUNNY LN Public Service 1000 BLK NW HILLTOP LN Public Service 100 BLK SNI-A-BAR BLVD Meeting 1200 BLK NW PHELPS DR Standby to Prevent 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol September 19, 2025 1100 BLK NW PAMELA BLVD Citizen Contact 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 1500 BLK NE ERIN CT Parking Complaint/Viol MAIN ST / 40 HWY Motorist Assist 200 BLK YOUNG ST Crash Left Scene 31600 BLK NE PINK HILL RD Liquor Violation 32000 BLK E MAJOR RD Citizen Contact 1400 BLK NW CEDAR CT Follow Up Investigation PHQ Walk In Report MAIN ST AND 70 Area Check S BUCKNER TARSNEY RD / GREYSTONE Area Check 600 BLK YENNIE AVE Stealing Vehicle 1200 BLK NW PHELPS DR Agency Assist DFS 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment SW SNI-A-BAR BLVD / AA Check Well Being 100 BLK SW CROSS CREEK DR Disturbance-Verbal 35000 BLK E OLD HWY 40 Area Check September 20, 2025 600 BLK YENNIE Area Check ON RAMP TO E70 Suspicious Vehicle 1200 BLK NW PHELPS DR Agency Assist DFS 600 BLK YENNIE Disturbance-Physical 600 BLK YENNIE AVE Disturbance-Physical 1400 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Security Check 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Security Check 1100 BLK BUSH DR Security Check 1400 BLK SW CROSS CREEK DR Stealing Vehicle 28600 BLK E OLD 40 HWY Off Duty Assignment 100 BLK SW CROSS CREEK DR Disturbance-Physical PHQ Warrant Arrest 28600 BLK E OLD 40 HWY Suspicious Person 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment PHQ Public Service NW BURR OAK LN / NW CEDAR LN Area Check 1000 BLK NW EAGLE RIDGE DR Agency Assist LE PHQ Public Service September 21, 2025 600 BLK YENNIE AVE Area Check 1300 BLK SW CROSS CREEK DR Open Door-Structure 300 BLK W WALNUT ST DWI 700 BLK SW HARVEST CIR Agency Assist EMS 1800 BLK NW BROADWAY ST Agency Assist LE 100 BLK SUNNY LN Citizen Contact SW NELSON AND SW LEEANN Area Check 900 BLK NE DEER CREEK RD Suspicious Person BB AND HOOT OWL Crash Non-Injury 500 BLK NW WOODBURY DR Animal Bite SNI A BAR / EAGLES PARKWAY Area Check E US 40 HWY / N MAIN ST Crash Unknown PHQ Walk In Report PHQ Walk In Report 800 BLK SW MEADOW GLEN Disturbance-Physical September 22, 2025 1300 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Agency Assist LE DILLINGHAM / POND Traffic Enforcement 700 BLK N MAIN ST Suspicious Person PHQ Administrative PHQ Stealing Under; Walk In Report PHQ Public Service PHQ Public Service 1300 BLK NW BRENTWOOD DR Check Well Being PHQ Public Service 700 BLK NW ALBATROSS DR Animal Control 700 BLK NW PAR DR Animal Control 600 BLK NW ALBATROSS DR Animal Control 700 BLK PAR DR Animal Control 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Property Damage 1100 BLK S BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Crash Non-Injury 200 BLK NE CYPRESS ST UNIT B Public Service 1100 BLK N BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Crash Non-Injury PHQ Public Service 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 40 / SNI A BAR Area Check 1100 BLK GOLFVIEW DR Agency Assist EMS 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol September 23, 2025 200 BLK BARR Agency Assist EMS 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 1400 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Security Check PHQ Training BONNER SPRINGS KS Meeting OUT OF CITY Misc-All Other Offences 700 BLK N MAIN ST Court PHQ Walk In Report 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol Additional calls for service: Suicidal Subject: 3 CIT/Mental Health Welfare Check: 3 by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News The Grain Valley boys soccer team has changed its identity in the 2025 season. The past few seasons, the Eagles were more of a defensive oriented team. They averaged just 2.18 goals and gave up 1.26 scores per game in 2024. This season is much different. The Grain Valley has shifted more toward an offensive focus and that was apparent in Monday’s Suburban White Conference contest against Truman. The Eagles bumped their season average up to 2.66 goals per game as they scored a season-high five times in a 5-3 victory over the Patriots at Truman High School. “It’s a little bit of a change in strategy,” Grain Valley boys soccer coach Brett Lewis said. “We have some guys who can score goals and create havoc up top. We are trying to create as many chances as we can while preventing as many counter attacks as we can.” The recent emergence of sophomore Xavi Neri-Hernandez has been a big part of that as he’s scored four goals in his last three games. He had two against Truman to lead the Eagles (3-3, 1-2 conference) “He’s been on a tear,” Lewis said of Xavi Neri-Hernandez. “He keeps creating opportunities and keeps finishing them. He’s becoming a play maker for us.” Grain Valley controlled possession throughout and Neri-Hernandez was a big part of that as he had possession frequently when his team had the ball in the final third of the field. “I think we did really well on keeping the pace,” Neri-Hernandez said. “Because when we were attacking, we would hold the ball and switch it around. We had a lot of good opportunities that could have been goals.” Added Xavi’s twin brother Fredy Neri-Hernandez: “We have switched our formation to be more of an attacking mindset. We played our wingers up to create more chances.” Despite the Eagles controlling possession, Truman (6-2, 4-2) struck first as senior forward Cameron Patton beat Eagles senior defender Gavyn Sunderman one-on-one and he pushed a breakaway inside the left post for a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute. Grain Valley immediately responded in the 37th minute as senior Cohen Hackworth sent in a long pass from the left sideline. The pass found junior midfielder Alvi Miguel, who sent a short backward pass to Xavi Neri-Hernandez who tapped a shot in for the equalizer. With 1 minute and 27 seconds left in the first half, sophomore defender Brett Bieri deked a Truman defender with a crossover dribble and from the top of the box, blasted a shot into the upper 90 of Truman’s goal and out of the reach of goalkeeper Amimu Shabani for a 2-1 advantage. “When (the Neri-Hernandez brothers) can finish, they make themselves so valuable on the field,” Lewis said. “I think tonight we had close to 25 shots and we just have to put the ball in the back of the net. When they are doing that, it just puts a gap between them and some others vying for some minutes.” The Patriots got the equalizer in the 59th minute when Patton blasted a shot that bounced off the hands of Grain Valley goalkeeper Luke Crawford and senior Noel Recarte put in a short rebound. Fredy then put his team up for good when junior Cooper Bousselot sent a through ball inside Truman’s penalty box. It bounced over the head of Hackworth and Fredy cut it back and slotted the ball inside the far post to make it 3-2 in the 60th minute. “That was a good clinical finish,” Lewis said of Fredy’s goal. “We need more of that.” Xavi put his team up 4-2 after a ball bounced off a Grain Valley player. He then hit a header on a rebound off the bottom of the crossbar, the ball bounced around and crossed the goal line with 8:43 left. Truman junior Sam Melton made a penalty kick after the Eagles committed a foul inside their penalty box to make it 4-3 with 7:46 left. Both teams had a player receive a red card, so they were playing 10-on-10. Crawford was one of the players to receive a red card as the lead official deemed he collected a ball outside the penalty box. Backup goalkeeper Charlie Bergantine made two critical saves in the last five minutes to help the Eagles preserve their one goal lead. Miguel scored off a counter attack as time expired to put it away. “Charlie came in and had a good save on a free kick,” Lewis said of Bergantine. “He also made a couple of saves he should make. He held it down.”  Grain Valley twin brothers Xavier, left, and Freddy Neri-Hernandez powered the offense of the boys soccer team as they combined for three goals in a 5-3 win over Truman Monday on the road. Photo credit: Michael Smith, Grain Valley News by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News The Grain Valley Eagles accomplished such a rare feat, they are believed to be the only high school softball team to hit for the home run cycle in one inning. So, strike up the band. Plan a parade. Give the Grain Valley High School softball team the key to the city, because coach Flip Courter's Eagles accomplished a feat so rare, they are the first-ever prep team to hit for a home-run cycle in one inning (according to AI Overview). Morgan Hart started the remarkable accomplishment with a 3-run home. Sydnee Wagner followed with a grand slam, Abe Scott drilled a two-run homer and Addie Wright capped the unheard-of feat with an inside the park home run. That is one of the coolest things I've ever seen as a coach," Courter said. "And it's crazy to think that it was a 0-0 game going into the bottom of the fourth. We needed for runs, but none of us could ever imagine the girls hitting for a home run cycle." Morgan said all she wanted to do was hit the ball hard when she came up with two Eagles on base. "I have never tried to hit a home run, although, I want to hit the ball hard - especially with runners on base. It was 0-0 going into that inning, and we never thought about hitting four home runs, let alone four home runs for the cycle. It was pretty cool." Wagner said this season has been extra special, because many of her Eagles teammates have played on the same team since T-Ball days. "I'm a senior, and I love the girls on the team, and to be a part of something like the home run cycle in one inning is unbelievable," Wagner said. "I never try to hit a home run, but even after Morgan hit the three-run homer, I wasn't thinking about a home run. I just wanted to drive my girls home. When Coach Courter told us what we'd done after the game, well, we couldn't believe it. "It still doesn't seem real." Scott admitted, "I didn't know we hit for the home run cycle, I just knew we hit a lot of home runs. It's so cool, it's so crazy and I think today we're finally realizing what we did. A 13-0 win and hitting the cycle. It doesn't get much cooler than that." And to add some spice to the conversation, Wright's solo shot was an inside-the-park blast. "When I hit it, I just kept running because their right fielder dove for the ball, and it went past her," Wright said. "What a crazy, amazing inning. When Coach told us what we'd done after the game, we were all in shock. I'm still kind of in shock." Courter admitted he had no idea the Eagles were a solo home run away from the cycle when he waved Wright home. "She's fast, the ball got past the right fielder, and I just knew she could beat the throw home," Courter said. "So, was I thinking, 'Wave her home to complete the cycle. That was the farthest thing from my mind."  The Grain Valley softball team had an inning to remember in a 13-0 victory over Fort Osage. Eagles players, from left, Sydnee Wagner, Abe Scott, Addie Wright and Morgan Hart hit four runs, including a solo short, two run homer, three-run homer and grand slam. That's right, they hit a home run cycle in one inning. Photo credit: Bill Althaus  The Grain Valley Marching Eagles placed 1st in the Kansas City Championships on Saturday, September 20th at Blue Springs South High School. The band received a score of 80.1 to achieve first place, and also received awards in the Outstanding Visual, Outstanding Music, and Outstanding General Effect categories. |
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