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by Michael Smith The goal all season long for the Grain Valley boys cross country team was to qualify for the Missouri State High School Cross Country Championships. They had a chance to do that in Saturday’s Class 5 District 4 meet at Staley High School. The Eagles faced some stiff competition and came close to qualifying for state, but finished fifth with 132 points. Blue Springs South took the fourth and final spot with 114 points. Rockhurst won with 40. The top four teams in each district advanced as did the top 30 individual performers. Seniors Rylan Smith and juniors David Roberson and Landon Barnes all punched their tickets to state. Smith led the boys with a 14th place finish at 16:39.53. Barnes was right behind him in 15th with a time of 16:40.73. “We weren’t really focused on individual accomplishments, we wanted to qualify as a team,” Barnes said. Smith was able to finish in the top 30 despite an accident he had near the end of the race. “When I came around the turn, I actually fell,” he said. “I think I actually did a little bit better because of that. When I got up, I ran a little bit faster because I knew I had to make up some time.” Barnes and Smith along with the rest of the competitors had to battle frigid temperatures. “Our muscles are super tight from it,” Smith said. Both of them are making their second trip to state, while Roberson will compete on Nov. 4 at the Gans Creek Golf Course for the first time. He took 28th with a time of 17:04.08. Right after the race, Roberson had to leave immediately to travel to Columbia to play in a district soccer match. “That kid is crazy,” head coach Nick Small said. “His battery just keeps going. Sometimes he will get up and run in the morning then go to soccer practice later in the day. He makes me so proud.” Rounding out the top five for the Eagles boys were Adrian Bobzien (32nd, 17:16.73) and Landon Blew (43rd, 17:32.15). Girls Junior Jordan Gossage was just six places away from the state meet. She led the Eagles girls team by placing 36th with a time of 21:21.74. The girls team finished 10th overall with 255 points. “She finished way ahead of where she was projected,” Small said of Gossage. “She really got after it.” Rounding out the top five for the girls were Amyah Graybill (39th, 21:32.74), Kayley Bell (43rd, 21:39.49), Clara DeMoro (65th, 22:39.50) and Lillian Snyder (73rd, 23:36.22).  Senior Rylan Smith, right, and Landon Barnes finished 14th and 15th at the Class 5 District 4 meet at Staley High School to qualify for state. Photo credit: Michael Smith  by Cole Arndorfer The Board of Aldermen briefly met for their second regularly scheduled meeting for the month on Monday, October 23. The meeting consisted of two resolutions and the first read of one ordinance. With no public comments and the consent agenda approved, the board moved directly to resolutions. In this section, the board discussed two new resolutions. The first, introduced by Alderman Knox, would appoint Robert Headley to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for a four-year term. Headley would be filling a position vacated by a member stepping down. The resolution was passed unanimously. The second resolution, introduced by Alderman Mills, called for the reappointment of four members, Debbie Saffell, Craig Shelton, Elijah Greeene, and Chriss Bamman, to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a four-year term. All four of these members terms were up and all have stated that they would like another term on the commission. This resolution was also approved unanimously. Next up was the first read of one ordinance, calling for an election in the City of Grain Valley on April 2, 2024. City Administrator Ken Murphy explained this is the official administrative step the city must take in order to hold its general municipal election. This election would entail voting for alderman positions in Wards I, II, and III as Alderman Arnold, Alderman Knox, and Alderman Skinner’s terms are expiring. Mayor Todd’s term is expiring, so the April 2024 election will also include a mayoral race. The first read of this ordinance was approved and it will be brought back, by title only, during the next scheduled meeting. During city staff reports Community Development Director Mark Trosen noted that on Tuesday, November 7th from 5:30-7:30pm, the city will host an open house in order to share the design of the shared trail from Blue Branch to Nelson. The open house will be held at the new library off of Buckner Tarsney. Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Davies reminded board members that the city’s Downtown Spooktacular is being held on Friday, October 27 from 6:15-8:30 pm. The event kicks off in Armstrong Park at 6:15pm with the Witches and Wizards Walk. Once the walk hits downtown, the event officially opens up. As of now, 34 local vendors have signed up to pass out treats and other goodies. A fireworks display will close out the event. Main Street will be shut down during this time. The next Board of Aldermen’s meeting will take place at 7:00pm on November 13 at City Hall.  by Cole Arndorfer On Thursday, October 19th, the Grain Valley Board of Education met for their monthly meeting. The meeting included a report over the district’s audit, a comparison in pay across the metro, the superintendent’s report, and an item of unfinished business. Under reports, the board heard an audit presentation from Brian Eckhoff of Westbrook & Co. Eckhoff led the school district’s audit over last year’s financials and he came to give a brief overview of the financial statements. Eckhoff said overall, the district had a good financial year minus some project expenditures. Eckhoff described the audit as, “as clean as you can get.” He added that there were no recommendations for improvement by the firm. Following the report, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Nick Gooch presented a comparison in teacher pay. In this comparison, Gooch broke down where Grain Valley ranked against other metro area districts. For teacher pay, the district ranked 11th in the metro in base salary, up three spots from the previous year. Grain Valley added $1,500 to their standard base pay in order to move up. For master’s degree level teacher pay, the district stayed at 13th even after adding to that salary. Gooch said that they have looked at the stats and have outlined ways that the district can improve on these numbers in order to become more competitive, not only in teacher pay, but across all positions. Superintendent Dr. Brad Welle said that their goal is to come back to the next meeting with a solid idea of what it will take to improve on the competitiveness of the pay schedule. Gooch said his hope is to be able to present the board with a new salary schedule by the end of the calendar year. In his superintendent report, Welle first outlined a $10,000 grant the district received from the Grow Your Own program. The purpose of these funds is to work with students who are interested in becoming teachers. The district can use these funds for dual-credit courses, paying college scholarships, and for paying students internship stipends for summer school internships working in the classroom. Welle said that the high school has a course underway this year that is gauged toward teaching students how to be teachers. Welle also reported the district’s community survey is underway. He also reminded the Board of the Bright Futures Luncheon which will take place on November 14, at noon, at the Grain Valley Community Center. He said that this year is Bright Future’s 10-year anniversary and he is looking forward to celebrating that. In unfinished business, the board discussed the Scott Belcher Scholarship nominee. This scholarship comes from the MSBA. Participating school boards may submit a nominee for a regional award and an opportunity receive consideration at the state level. The board went over the applications and after discussion, they chose Mia Simmons as this year’s nominee. The next school board meeting will take place on November 16th, at 6 pm, in the Leadership Center.  Residents may safely dispose of unused/unwanted/expired drugs during a Drug Take Back event hosted by Grain Valley Police Department (GVPD) from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, October 28th! Residents can drop off items at a station set up in the City Hall/police department parking lot at 711 Main ST. Please note that liquids, syringes/sharps, illegal drugs, and inhalers will not be accepted. In addition to the drug take back event, GVPD will also be hosting a shredding event for Grain Valley residents. This allows residents to dispose of any unwanted/invalid confidential documents. All materials must be boxed/bagged and free from items such as staples of bindings.  MODOT crews will continue bridge replacement work along Interstate 70 at MO Route AA/BB in Grain Valley. This work will require the following traffic changes. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and be vigilant of work in the area. All work is weather permitting. Friday, Oct. 27 until Saturday, Oct. 28
This project will be constructed over the course of three phases in the next year. Phase 1 included bridge work and work within the median. Phase 2 will address the westbound side of the project and Phase 3 will address the eastbound side. The project is anticipated to be complete by winter 2023. Motorists are reminded to slow down and pay attention while driving in work zones. Not all work zones look alike. Work zones can be moving operations, such as striping, patching or mowing. They can also be short term, temporary lane closures to make quick repairs or remove debris from the roadway.  Americans throw away nearly one-third of the food they buy every year, costing the average household about $1,800 annually. Food waste also has an enormous negative impact on our community, economy and the environment. Kansas City Food Wise is a new regional effort to reduce food waste, increase access to healthy food, and build a sustainable food system that benefits us, our community and the planet. It is the result of a two-year Sustainable Materials Management Grant provided by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, to the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC). The project website, KCFoodWise.org, provides the following food waste reduction strategies and resources:
“Kansas City Food Wise not only helps individuals reduce food waste and save money,” Matt Riggs, MARC Solid Waste Management District outreach coordinator said. “It helps everyone access healthy food and provides opportunities for each of us to help grow a sustainable food system that benefits us, our economy and environment long term.”  The October page in the Grain Valley Historical Society 2023 Calendar featured a photograph of Charlie Johnson and some customers in his barbershop. You may recall an article about the barbershop in the Valley News (May 21, 2020). Mr. Johnson was a WWI veteran who returned home to Grain Valley, married Ruby Huff and ran a barbershop for 16 years. In 1935 he began a career with the post office serving as acting postmaster, postmaster and finally as rural carrier for thirteen years before his retirement. Unfortunately, I have no idea where this barbershop was located. Old photographs show barber poles on both sides of Main Street, as well as one on Walnut just west of the old Royal Playhouse. While the 1881 Grain Valley Directory does not list a barbershop, family records indicate that John T. O’Connell was operating a tonsorial and bath house when he married Creole Warren in 1906. The shop burned in 1920. The 1910 United State Census tells us that August O. Thieme was operating a barbershop in Grain Valley. Imagine that; our little town had two barbers at the same time! The 1920, the United States Census indicated that the Thieme family he had moved on to Cass County. Robert McQuerry had a barbershop “somewhere in town” during the 1940s. His wife, Mary was a school teacher and later Grain Valley Elementary School principal. During the 1950s and 1960s Claude Batman was our barber and also the resident painter. Dale Riffle came along in the 1970s. He moved his shop to a new location further south on Main Street near Broadway. I’m sure there have been many others in our town in recent years. I really haven’t kept up so I Googled barbershops near me. I learned we have at least three, Great Clips on McQuerry Road near the movie theater, Michael$ Custom Cut$, just down the road in Hoot Owl Estates, and the Grain Valley Chop Shop on Eagles Parkway. I’m thinking they no longer offer baths, however you can probably get a perm ,a dye job and maybe highlights! If you are a frequent reader of this column, you may know that I left out the September calendar page because it was a photograph of the 1923 football team and it has been in several publications this fall. After all, GVHS football has been around for 100 years and we have been celebrating! Check out the Fall issue of Eagles’ View when it arrives via mail sometime in November. You will find other pictures and stories about Grain Valley football. Hopefully, we will be celebrating all the way to a State Championship! Wouldn’t that be an exciting way to celebrate 100 years! Go EAGLES!  Charlie Johnson’s Barbershop. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society 
Get ready to embrace the Oktoberfit spirit by enjoying more frightfully delicious foods without scary ingredients. Whether it's a cozy family movie night or a lively Halloween gathering, charcuterie boards are all the craze. Opt for effortlessly enjoyable and kid-friendly recipes, capturing the essence of the spooky season. Involve your kiddos in creating and preparing your board! Kids who help in the kitchen are more likely to try new foods and have a greater acceptance of different flavors and textures. Give them age-appropriate tasks they can complete on their own to boost confidence and a sense of accomplishment, whether that be helping you grocery shop, reading the recipes, washing fruit, slicing cheese or helping with cleanup. Cooking together helps create healthier habits as a family and offers an opportunity to have fun in the kitchen while learning along the way! I have created a spooktacular char-boo-terie board lineup that the whole family will enjoy – and even incorporated some more nutrient-dense options along the way! I recommend including protein- and fiber-filled options and balancing your board with sweet treats. Incorporating sweets regularly at meal times can help a child learn that food is not a reward and that sweets are not “bad” but rather foods to be enjoyed in moderation and not a treat they only receive to reward their behavior or for finishing their plate. Try including a balance of protein- and fiber-filled options along with a few sweet treats. I recommend starting with fresh slices of BelGioioso Parmesan to provide calcium to support your goblins and ghouls growing bones! Pair BelGioioso Parmesan slices with a favorite Di Lusso deli meat to provide extra protein and keep everyone full longer. Next: Satisfy crunchy cravings with Simple Mills Pop Mmms Veggie Flour Baked Snack Crackers. These cheesy, light and airy baked snack crackers are something the whole family can enjoy. And – best of all – they are made with wholesome veggies featuring ½ cup of vegetables in every serving. Incorporate fiber from veggie slices and pair with your child’s favorite dip – not only will you pack in extra vitamins and minerals from the veggies, but fiber helps fill up your goblins’ and ghouls’ tummies for all your Halloween festivities! I recommend rounding out your board with a variety of spooky, family-friend recipes everyone can be involved in creating! Try adding a few creepy crawlies to your board with delicious Apple Spiders. Get ready for the whole family to fly away on your Witches Broom Breadsticks and satisfy their sweet tooth with Monster Munch. Last but certainly not least: Enjoy carving a jack-o’-lantern indoors without the mess from traditional pumpkins with this recipe for Jack-O’-Lantern Fruit Cups. Jack-O’-Lantern Fruit Cups Serves 5 All you need: 5 navel oranges 1cup fresh blueberries 1cup fresh blackberries 1cup fresh raspberries Sugar snap peas, for stems, if desired All you do:
Nutrition Facts per serving: 40 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 10g total carbohydrates, 4g dietary fiber, 5g total sugar, 1g protein Recipe source: https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/jack-o-lantern-fruit-cups For more tips, connect with your local Hy-Vee dietitian today by visiting https://www.hy-vee.com/healthnew/dietitians. The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.  The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of October 16-23, 2023. October 16, 2023 400 Blk 7Th Agency assist October 17, 2023 200 Blk Parker Welfare check 200 Cross Creek Ln Agency assist 1400 Blk Broadway Parking complaint Wolf Creek Subdivision Area check I-70 Agency assist October 18, 2023 PHQ Citizen contact 500 Blk NW Willow Property damage PHQ Citizen contact 1200 Blk SW Dean Suspicious activity 1300 Blk NW Jefferson Rd Alarm 400 Blk SW Cross Creek Suspicious vehicle Main Rd/Walnut Parking complaint 500 Blk N Main St Property damage 700 Blk N Main St Verbal disturbance 800 Blk SW Woodland Dr Parking complaint October 19, 2023 Buckner Tarsney Trespass 900 Blk NW Eagle Ridge Dr Disturbance NW Valley Cir Welfare check 3300 Blk S Outer Business license 2300 Blk NW Hedgewood Alarm Movie Theater Parkinglot Ped check 200 Blk N Main St Area check PHQ Citizen contact October 20, 2023 West City Limits Agency assist 1400 Blk Eagles K9 request 100 Blk Main St Suspicious activity 1500 Blk NW Nolan Dr Loud noise complaint 800 Blk San Karr Standby 1100 Blk Blue Branch Suspicious vehicle 40 Hwy/Main St Motor vehicle accident October 21, 2023 1400 Blk NW Willow Dr Animal control 1000 Blk Stoney Point Dr Agency assist 1000 Blk NW Valley Ridge Dr Suspicious person Buckner Tarsney South City Limits Area check 800 Blk San Karr Agency assist Duncan/Tyler Agency assist Graystone/Buckner Tarsney Welfare check 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Welfare check 600 Blk Crestivew Rd Disturbance 400 Blk SW Eagles Pkwy Physical disturbance 1100 Blk Ephraim Disturbance 500 Blk Walnut Area check 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Disturbance NW Scenic/Meadow Rd Area check 1400 Blk NE Mary Ct Suspicious vehicle NW Sycamore Ct/NW Hedgewood Area check 600 Blk NW Jefferson Alarm 1200 Blk Foxtail Suspicious person 1600 Blk NW Nolan Dr Welfare check 100 Blk W Walnut Agency assist 200 Blk Cross Creek Verbal disturbance October 22, 2023 100 Blk SW Eagles Pkwy Property damage PHQ Public service 800 Blk Highland Dr Area check 1100 Blk Scenic Animal control PHQ Citizen contact 700 Blk N Main St Suspicious person PHQ Citizen contact 500 Blk Main St Property damage October 23, 2023 700 Blk SW Shorthorn Dr Property damage 400 Blk S Main St Harassment 200 Blk Concord Cir Stealing 700 Blk SW Shorthorn Dr Stealing 1300 Blk NW Whitney Stealing 1100 Blk NW Willow Stealing 1300 Blk NW Crestwood Runaway juvenile PHQ Citizen contact Jackson County Jail Prisoner transport 700 Blk N Main St Citizen contact 1100 Blk BB Welfare check Tyler/RD Mize Rd Suspicious vehicle 1200 Blk SW Dakota Starr Ct Burglary 1100 Blk SW Ephraim Alarm 1300 Blk SW Blue Branch Residence check Additional calls for service: Domestic Violence: 1 Order of Protection: 1 CIT/Mental Health Welfare Check: 1  by Michael Smith Grain Valley sophomore Cohen Hackworth has had to make some major adjustments midway through the season. That’s because starting striker Ethan Galvan is out with a season-ending injury to his shoulder, so head boys soccer coach Brett Lewis needed someone to step into that role. He choose Hackworth, who converted from a defender to a forward, which are two completely different roles on the pitch. The sophomore is starting to get more and more comfortable up top and it showed in Monday’s Suburban White Conference matchup with Raytown. He scored both of Grain Valley’s goals, leading the team to a 2-1 win at Ted Chitwood Stadium in Raytown, helping his team snap a four-game losing streak. “He’s been a utility guy,” Lewis said of Hackworth. “We have used him at center back, we have used him as a winger and now a striker. I feel like the last several weeks I have tried to work with him to be that really strong target we can play off of in the final third.” “He’s really responded well to what we were able to do in practice. When we were able to find his feet, we were dangerous in the final third.” Hackworth didn’t waste any time getting the Eagles (5-12, 3-4) on the scoreboard as he got a through ball from junior Alexander Luna and blasted on inside the left post for a 1-0 lead. Just three minutes later, Raytown got the equalizer when senior Freanchesko Usuriaga Castro scored off an assist from Owen Pacheco. Hackworth then scored the would-be game winner in the seventh minute when he fired an unassisted near the top of the box and put a perfectly-placed ball into the net. Playing the new position was a steep learning curve for the sophomore but he is starting to grow into it. It also helped that Galvan gave him some good pointers. “I look at how defenders beat me in the back and I take that with me when I went up top,” Hackworth said. “It’s been hard for me, but I have adapted to it. “Ethan told me how to press, when to press and how to dribble. He has helped a lot.” Lewis said that Hackworth’s physical attributes made him a perfect fit at forward. “His touch and strength is really good and he has the ability to turn and hold off defenders,” Lewis said. “I think he’s gotten better at turning and using the inside and outside of his foot to get around defenders on his back.” While Hackworth powered the offense, the Eagles controlled possession as a team. In the second half, Grain Valley limited Raytown to just one shot for the final 40 minutes. “We were able to control the game and we were able to stop any counter attacks in the mid field,” Lewis said. “Our back four was organized and made sure their player who was at (striker) was marked.” Grain Valley will play its final regular season game at Belton Thursday before taking on Blue Springs in the first round of the Class 4 District 7 Tournament at noon Saturday at Columbia Hickman High School.  Grain Valley sophomore Cohen Hackworth scored both of Grain Valley's goals in his team's 2-1 win over Raytown Monday on the road. Photo credit: Michael Smith by Michael Smith The Grain Valley volleyball team looked like it was on its way to a Class 5 District 5 berth. The Eagles handily won the first two sets against Columbia Rock Bridge in the district semifinals and led the third set 10-8. However, from there, Rock Bridge mounted a comeback with a big-third set run and the Eagles dropped tightly-contested fourth and fifth games to lose their two-set lead and fall 25-18, 25-18, 18-25, 24-26, 13-15 in Saturday’s season ending loss at Truman High School. “The other team started using our block and we had to adjust,” said Grain Valley head coach Tori Squiers, who was referring to multiple blocks from the Eagles that went out of bounds. “The other team started taking advantage of our weaknesses.” Grain Valley (17-9) broke a 9-9 tie in the first game with a 16-11 run to take a one set-lead. Senior Megan Davies led the way in that one with three kills and an ace that bounced off the top of the net and found a spot on Rock Bridge’s side of the floor. Senior libero won it with an ace. In the second set junior outside hitter Kayla Gallagher went off with six kills. She had three consecutive kills that highlighted a 5-0 spurt that allowed the Eagles to build a cushion and eventually take a two-set lead. They led the third game 10-8, but the Bruins countered with a 17-8 run led by senior Addyson Avlis, who had three of her team-high 14 kills. In the game, Grain Valley didn’t appear as organized as it did in the first two, which led to some errors and strikes that went out of bounds. In the fourth, the Eagles had its largest lead at 11-7 but couldn’t hang onto it as the Bruins game back to tie it at 14-all and eventually take the advantage. Grain Valley fought back to take a 23-20 edge following a 9-6 spurt that was aided by a Davies block and kill. Moments later, Grain Valley was one point away from taking the match with a 24-22 lead, but the Bruins swung the pendulum of momentum the other way. They got some big- time kills from Avlis, junior Addison Adams and senior Mya Clapp, whose strike at the end gave Rock Bridge the 26-24 win to force a fifth and deciding set. “We have to make sure we aren’t playing it safe and continue to be aggressive,” Squiers said. “We tried to make fewer errors and that unfortunately led to more errors.” Rock Bridge jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth, but Grain Valley went on a 5-0 run of its own to go up by one point, highlighted by kills from Gallagher, senior Isabella West and sophomore Kyleigh Casey. It was a see-saw battle from there until Rock Bridge took the lead for good on a kill from Avlis to go up 8-7. The Eagles kept it close from there but a deciding back row kill from Clapp ended Grain Valley’s season as her Bruins won the final set by two points. The Eagles will lose eight seniors to graduation, including seven who saw significant playing time in 2023. “We were in a unique scenario where we had eight seniors,” Squiers said. “It’s funny when you tell other coaches that. Sometimes they are like, ‘That could be bad or that could be good.’ We were in a fortunate scenario where it was a good thing. We had eight seniors who were leaders.” Gallagher led the Eagles with a team-high 18 kills and five aces. The Eagles girls tennis team capped off a stellar season Friday in Springfield, placing second at State competition - the highest placement in program history. Following a 5-1 quarterfinal win on October 9th vs. Springfield Catholic, the team made quick work of Thomas Jefferson Independent with a 5-0 win in the first round of State competition. The second round versus returning State champions Ladue Horton Watkins would prove more difficult. Ladue would go on to win 5-1 against the Eagles, with the Eagles finishing second at State. Reflecting on the team and their season, head coach Randy Draper was proud of his team, which includes four seniors (Kylee Bragaw, Finley LaForge, Emma Thiessen, Kate Unrein). "I was really proud of the way they played. I have no complaints. Everybody played well. Everyone came ready. They took advantage of their opportunity down here." "The kids were sad after the last match, and I told them, 'You're sad if it's special.' And it was. The goal is always to get here, and then hope it happens. We beat a team with one loss to win the district. We beat an undefeated team in the quarterfinal and we beat an undefeated team in the semifinals. I'm really proud of them, and they were fun to be around."  The girls tennis team poses with their 2nd place trophy at State competition Friday evening. Photo credit: Valley News staff by Michael Smith Grain Valley senior running back Ty Williams couldn’t have imagined having a breakout season like this. In fact, he said he didn’t know what his main focus was going to be for the 2023 season. “Going into the season, I was just happy to play my role,” William said. “I didn’t know that role was going to be whether it was blocking or scoring five touchdowns.” The 6-foot, 210-pound running back is having the kind of year that will likely have him in the running for the Simone Award, given to the best player in the Kansas City metro area. On Friday, he continued his torrid pace toward a rare milestone as he rushed for 217 yards on 13 carries and scored four touchdowns. Williams brought his total rushing yards to 1,905 for the season following his team’s 43-6 rout of Raytown on the road, which clinched the Eagles second consecutive Suburban White Conference championship. According to MSHSAA.org, only 24 players in the history of Missouri high school football have rushed for 2,000 or more yards in a season. Williams could become the 25th if he gains 95 or more in the Eagles Class 5 District 8 semifinal game in two weeks. Grain Valley clinched a first-round bye after earning the No. 1 seed in the district. As he has done all season, Williams deferred the credit to his offensive line, which opened up big holes for the senior, who scored on runs of 49, 17, 37 and 43 against the Blue Jays. He hit pay dirt untouched on all four carries. “They make me look better than I really am,” Williams said. “Anyone could have run through those holes. I think they are the best offensive line in the state of Missouri.” The success of the ground game for the Eagles has been a collective effort. The blocking from the offensive line, tight ends and the wide receivers has opened up some things for Williams. But his success also wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for his efforts. Williams' advanced-level agility has allowed him to evade tackles at a high rate, his well above average speed has allowed him to run away from defenses when he gets to the second level and he has upper tier strength, which has allowed him to break tackles all year long. “What a great kid,” Allie said of Williams. “He’s obviously big, strong and fast. But he understands it’s not all him. He gives credit where credit is due. If he keeps going like he is, he could break the school record (for rushing yards in a season).” Williams is part of the reason the Eagles won’t have another game until Nov. 3. It will be important for the team as it has some players on the mend from injuries. Allie said senior wide receiver Noah Olah could make his return from a broken clavicle in the district championship game should Grain Valley win the district semifinal contest. Other players like offensive lineman Korbyn Goodwin and Logan Bennett could make their returns some time in the playoffs and senior cornerback Braylon Harden left Friday’s game with a tweaked knee, but could be back in time for the district semifinals. “We’re starting to get healthy and the bye week will help even more,” Allie said. “Tribute to our guys working hard and getting that bye. We need it.” On Friday, the Grain Valley defense continued its success as it held Raytown to just 146 yards of total offense. That unit has now held opponents to just 15.1 points per game since week four. That defense allowed Grain Valley to go into halftime with a 35-0 lead following the four TDs from Williams and a 29-yard scoring pass from senior Sal Caldarella to wide receiver Anthony Greco. Raytown scored its only TD on a 1-yard run from Travon Johnson in the third quarter, but Caldarella helped the turbo clock turn back on at the 1:05 mark in the third when he hit tight end Peyton Woodrome for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Late in the third and early in the fourth, allowed some of his backups to get some reps in before the playoff start. Even junior DJ Harris got to tote the football again as he carried the ball four times for 30 yards. Harris was a committee of running backs for his freshman and sophomore years, but in 2023, he was converted to a linebacker while Williams became the bell cow. Even while playing mostly defense this season, Harris said it felt good to play on offense again. “It felt good being back for sure,” Harris said. “I am starting to get comfortable again. I have been down on myself lately and have been hard on myself. Having a chance to go out there, I had to give everything I got.”  On Friday, running back Ty Williams continued his torrid pace toward a rare milestone as he rushed for 217 yards on 13 carries and scored four touchdowns. Williams brought his total rushing yards to 1,905 for the season following his team’s 43-6 rout of Raytown on the road, which clinched the Eagles second consecutive Suburban White Conference championship. Photo credit: Clara Jaques Photo credit: Clara Jaques by Michael Smith Before the season started, Grain Valley junior Kayla Gallagher had a goal in mine. It was regarding a milestone she wanted to reach. Coming into Thursday’s Class 5 District 5 Volleyball Tournament first-round game against Fort Osage, the Eagle outside hitter knew she was close to it. After she got a kill late in the first set, the Grain Valley crowd gave her a lengthy applause. Her parents held up a sign in the crowd, which displayed what she had accomplished. Gallagher had broken the school record for kills in a season with her 290th of 2023. She led the Eagles with 11 kills as her team rolled to a 25-7, 25-11, 25-23 victory against the Indians at Truman High School. Grain Valley (17-8) will take on the winner of Columbia Rock Bridge and Truman in the semifinals at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Before Gallagher broke the record, Jordan Morrison held the record that was set in 2014. “I knew about the record before the game, but I didn’t know I was that close,” Gallagher said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the setters. They have really stepped up this year.” It has been my goal to break that record every year, but this year, I really felt like it was doable. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of my teammates.” Gallagher is not just someone who racks up kills for the Eagles either. She is a great all-around player who is well above average at serves and playing defense. On Thursday, she totaled three aces. “She has a very quick arm swing,” Grain Valley head coach Tori Squiers said of Gallagher. “Defensively, she can see the court and she plays all six rotations. Her being able to play defense leads into her offense.” Gallagher wasn’t the only Eagle to break a school record this season, as senior Megan Davies broke the school record for blocks in a career. The previous record was 151, she currently has 167. “It’s pretty awesome to see both of those girls break records in the same season,” Squiers said. Joining the party at the net was sophomore Kyleigh Casey, who was just behind Gallagher with 10 kills against Fort Osage. She’s one of many girls on Grain Valley who have the ability to rack up kills at the net. “Kayleigh played mostly right side (hitter) for us earlier in the season, but she has transitioned into being an outside hitter,” Squiers said. “She’s a beast up there at the net.” Added Gallagher: “She’s filled in her role really well as a sophomore. Even as a freshman last year, she stepped up as a leader and a good scorer on our team. It’s been really nice to have her.” The Eagles trailed 4-0 in the second set but came storming back to outscore Fort Osage 25-7 the rest of the way led by the trio of Davies, Gallagher and Casey, who combined for eight kills. They were in a battle with the Indians in the third set as neither team led by more than three points. Fort Osage led 9-6 at one point, but Grain Valley slowly chipped away. With the set tied at 23-all, a ball hit out of bounds by the Indians and a smashing kill from Casey ended it.  Grain Valley junior Kayla Gallagher, left, broke the school record for kills in a season with her 290th of 2023. She also led the team with 11 kills, while sophomore Kayleigh Casey, right, added 10 during Grain Valley's 25-7, 25-11, 25-23 victory over Fort Osage in the first round of the Class 5 District 5 Tournament. Photo credit: Michael Smith On Monday, October 9, the Grain Valley Board of Aldermen briefly met for their regularly scheduled meeting. This meeting consisted of a community survey presentation and two new resolutions. Under presentations, Assistant Director of Community Research for ETC Institute, Ryan Murray, gave the board an overview of data that was collected through a recent survey of community members. Through the survey, it was found that 80% of respondents said that they were either very satisfied or satisfied with Grain Valley as a place to live and a place to raise children. Murray said that throughout the survey, they saw many satisfied and very satisfied answers from residents. ETC Institute highlighted some areas for improvement within the city based on the responses of those surveyed. Those areas include: maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure, enforcement of city codes and ordinances, effectiveness of communication with the public, parks and recreation programs and facilities, and police services. Looking at trends from past surveys to this year, Murray said that the overall value of taxes and fees, as well as the quality of the education system within the city has gone down in terms of overall satisfied and very satisfied responses. “Across the country, we’re seeing sharp downturns in those perceptions of government that are related primarily to public trust,” Murray said. “We’re seeing those types of responses or perception shifts right in our results from year-over-year.” A trend that has seen a sharp increase in satisfied or very satisfied responses is appearance of neighborhoods and appearance of commercial properties in the city. Moving on to resolutions, the board discussed and took action on two resolutions. The first resolution was introduced by Alderman Bray. This resolution would authorize the city administrator to renew the city’s annual software and hardware maintenance and support agreement with Neptune Technology. City Administrator, Ken Murphy, said that Neptune Technology is who the city uses for their water meters and water meter reading symptoms. Murphy said that the city has been very happy with the work they have done and would like to continue it. The resolution was put to a vote and passed unanimously. The other resolution was introduced by Alderman Cleaver. This resolution would approve the city’s contract with Tandem Paving Co. to do repairs at Butterfly Trail. Murphy said that the original budget only accounted for filling cracks at Butterfly Trail but the city has decided to use savings from the Ryan Road project to also add a seal coat in order to extend the lifespan of the trail. The resolution was passed unanimously. In Alderman Arnold’s comments, he recognized the Grain Valley Band as they were Grand Champions at the recent Blue Springs band competition. The band scored top honors in all categories. Arnold said that he looks forward to their continued success as they continue to compete. Arnold also noted the upcoming Downtown Spooktacular, asking about how donations were coming for that event. Mayor Todd said that there have not been any donations as of yet and Arnold presented him with a $500 check as a personal donation to the event. Arnold challenged the rest of the board to also donate to the event and said that the donations would help show the public that they are committed to saving taxpayer’s dollars. The next Board of Aldermen’s meeting will take place at City Hall on October 23 at 7:00pm. |
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