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With 100% of precincts reporting, Mayor Michael Todd won re-election, defeating Dale Arnold with 58.92% of the vote. Reached for comment, Mayor Todd said, "I want to thank all the residents who have placed their faith in me for another two years. We have some great things coming with expansions of sidewalks, trails, road improvements, and improvements to our parks that I’m excited to continue to work with city staff on." In the only contested alderman race, first-time candidate Kyle Sole defeated former mayor Chuck Johnston in Ward I with 55.81% of the vote. Rick Knox in Ward 2 and Ryan Skinner in Ward 3 won their uncontested seats. Voters also overwhelmingly passed the proposed school board levy (Question 1) which will be used to increase teacher and staff pay in the district. The measure passed with 58.86% of the vote. Reached for comment, Grain Valley Schools Superintendent Brad Welle shared the following statement: "We wish to thank our school community for supporting our schools, teachers, and staff with the passage of the levy ballot measure. Our people tell us they love working here and this vote reinforces why - because this community is willing to do hard things to keep our schools the best they can be. We see the challenges many in our community face to keep up with increased costs and we do not take your support for granted. We will continue to be good stewards of our financial resources. I wish to thank our school board for setting the tone for our district. Under the Board’s leadership, our focus is on attracting and retaining a high-quality workforce. We also appreciate the efforts of parents and other community volunteers who stepped forward to get the word out about the importance of this ballot measure. Improved pay for our teachers and staff will take effect with the start of the new budget year on July 1." Incumbent Jared English was re-elected to another term on the Grain Valley school board, while first-time candidate Aaron Scully won the second open seat, defeating incumbent candidate Eddie Saffell and first-time candidate Paul Trusler. Unofficial results: Jackson County Election Board (9:50pm 4/2/2024)
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by Michael Smith Grain Valley baseball coach Brian Driskell said he was hoping to get starting pitcher Aaron Barr through all seven innings. Barr went up against Smithville at home and he had good command of his pitches. However, his pitch count elevated as his defense committed a season-high four errors. Because of that, the junior ended up having to throw more pitches, but he still got through six innings as he only gave up three unearned runs to help his team capture a 4-3 win Wednesday at home. “I wish I could have thrown him out there in the seventh,” Driskell said of Barr, who tossed 93 pitches. We probably could have and been OK. We didn’t do a good enough job defensively. We made him pitch another 25-30 pitches that he shouldn’t have had to.” “Both teams didn’t play great. There’s some things we have to clean up.” Not only did Barr have a quality start, but he also allowed only four hits, walked one and struck out six in a stellar effort. The key for him was keeping his slurve pitch under control and he did just that as he pounded the strike zone with it and got hitters to chase it out of the zone, too. “We all make mistakes, so I am not going to hold that against anyone,” Barr said of the errors. “You just have to go out there and pitch your game and trust the guys behind you." “The slurve along with the changeup was on today. I was able to mess up their timing with those two pitches while mixing in the fastball.” Added Driskell: “The depth on his breaking pitchers were great. Where he started them and where they ended up is where the difference was.” The right hander’s first unearned run came in the top of the first. An error in the infield on a ground ball from third baseman Brady Speer allowed Ben Murawski to score from second base to put the Warriors up 1-0. The Eagles immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning. First baseman Logan Bennett crushed a fastball over the right-field fence with junior Brek Sloan on first base for his first varsity home run, giving his team a 2-1 edge. “I was looking to get a pitch that I could hit well,” Bennett said. “I got a hold of it.” Errors plagued the Eagles once again during the third as Smithville’s Max McKenzie and Muraawski reached base both reached base on infield errors by Grain Valley (5-5). McKenzie scored on Speer’s line drive double to center field, but Muraski was thrown out at home, which helped keep the game tied at 2 as Barr struck out Drake Odneal to end the inning. A dropped pop fly by the Eagles in the fourth set the table for another Smithville run in the fourth. That error allowed Mason Jones to reach first and two batters later, he scored on a two out single from Roman Roske to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead. Grain Valley (5-5) battled back in the bottom half of the inning and got an assist from Smithville starting pitcher Jake Kruse. The Smithville right hander lost his command and allowed the Eagles to score two runs without them getting a single hit. After getting two outs, he walked Max Snyder and John Malicoat and hit Ian Kamstra to load the bases. Kruse was pulled from the game after he hit Luke Arndorfer with a pitch, which knotted the game at 3. Warriors’ right hander Kade Thurston came in to relieve Kruse but had the task of getting out of a bases loaded jam. However, he hit Carter Harmsen with a pitch. That allowed Kamstra to score what ended up being the winning run. Barr only allowed one base runner in his final two innings and Malicoat came in get the save as he worked around a leadoff walk. Sloan, the catcher, ended the game after throwing a dart to Bennett, who tagged out Roske on the pick off. Grain Valley junior pitcher Aaron Barr allowed three unearned runs on four hits, walked one and struck out six to help Grain Valley pick up a 4-3 win over Smithville Wednesday at home. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley senior Ian Kamstra takes a pitch high and out of the strike zone. Photo credit: Michael Smith
As the April 2nd municipal election draws close, Valley News reached out to the candidates running for the Grain Valley School Board to answer a series of questions to learn more about their background and priorities.
Four candidates have filed for two open seats on the Grain Valley Board of Education. Current board members Jared English and Eddie Saffell have filed for re-election. Aaron Scully and Paul Trusler have also filed. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, and other than minor spelling or grammatical corrections, the candidates' responses are provided as written. Jared English Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I’ve been a resident of Grain Valley for roughly 20 years. My wife and I have two elementary-age children in the district. My work background is risk management. I was on Grain Valley Park Board for roughly 9 years. I also served as the treasurer for the Pathways of Honor, which is a Veterans group in Grain Valley. I’ve been on the School Board in Grain Valley for 12 years. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? I think that we have a great district, focused on the education of our children. As an experienced board member with strong ties to the community, I think I’m well-suited to partner with leaders in our district to ensure we continue to keep education our focus. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? In a word: Culture. Employees, regardless of industry, typically stay with an employer because the culture of the organization aligns with their values. I think the administration in Grain Valley has done an excellent job creating a culture that our staff value. We may never pay more than some of our neighbors, even with the levy. I think the key to successfully retaining employees (teachers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, facilities workers, etc.) is to maintain a culture of respect that employees value. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? The district has several methods of gauging success of our students. MAP tests are a good indicator of how the district performs compared to other Missouri schools. As I reviewed the data provided to the board, one area that jumped out at me was the “Class of 2027 Math” results. While there are several reasons for why the scores look low, this is area I’m concerned with and watching closely. Other tests provide additional insight as to how our overall school population is performing academically. I think its also important to identify those who are falling behind. Our board motto is, “every student, every day.” We mean that. We have a small percentage of students who struggle every day. We need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to support those kids and give them the education they deserve. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? Education should remain our number one priority over the next 3-5 years. The board approves a comprehensive plan every year. That plan also includes other key initiatives, such as facilities, security and communications with our patrons. I think all of these issues are important. The board receives regular updates from the administration on progress in these key areas. Another big issue is the continued growth of our community. Grain Valley continues to expand. This puts a great deal of stress on our district. Continuing to monitor growth and ensure we’re allocating resources to accommodate growth across the district is key to a good education. Eddie Saffell Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I spent 40 years in the fire service, 10 as a volunteer in Harrisonville and the last 30 with the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District (CJC), retiring as a deputy chief. During that time, I have served as the president of the Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce and a Grain Valley / Blue Springs advisory board member to Truman Heartland Community Foundation. I have also served on numerous community project committees such as the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast (Blue Springs) and the Truman Heartland Scholarship Committee. I am completing my 12th year as a member of the Grain Valley Board of Education. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? My commitment to the school board comes from two points: my belief that education is critical to our community's success. A strong school system brings families, which in turn brings business which strengthens our community and allows for better resources and programs for our families and business owners. I received my graduate degree later in life, so my belief that education is key doesn't stop at high school, but continues throughout life. To instill that mindset in our children, we have to give them the best education we can from the beginning and I believe I have, and will continue to help Grain Valley Schools to build that success. Second is my dedication to public service. I have been in some form of public service my entire adult life and I have been interested in local government special districts (school, fire, library) the entire time. I currently work for the City of Grain Valley so, even in retirement, I remained in community service in a different form. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? Finances are always the easiest to blame and sometimes the hardest to fix. The levy will allow us to make a large impact on the teacher salary and benefit issue, but we also have to think out of the box and find ways to entice teachers to come to Grain Valley and then stay. Ensuring a positive culture of respect and trust has little financial impact in comparison to other components, but can keep a teacher, or any other staff member, in our system. Wanting to go to work and enjoying where you work are critical to our success. If we give our staff members the support and resources they need daily, such as monitoring and maintaining class sizes, it can make their work less stressful. Open and honest 360 degree communication can improve morale. This starts at the top and moves through all levels of the organization. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? In general, our students perform well at all levels. When we look at high school graduations, scholarships, college applications and so on, Grain Valley continues to perform at a very high level. In all elementary and middle school grades, Grain Valley continues to perform above others, especially across the state. My main concerns will always be in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) components because these are the keys to today's business world. We have identified, through standardized testing, some areas we could improve on and are always working on programming and instruction to address those areas. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? As always finances will be a topic of concern. As Grain Valley grows and our student population increases, we will need additional, or expanded, facilities and staff to continue to offer programs to continue to provide our students and families the best educational experience we can. School safety and security is a priority. The world we live in dictates we continually adjust our security for buildings and events to ensure everyone's safety. This has many levels and requires open-minded and forward thinking to accomplish. Staff recruitment and retention is key. As mentioned, finding ways to not only compensate our staff, but also give them a work environment they can be happy to be a part of and proud of. Aaron Scully Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I am an RN and work full time at the Kansas City VA. I am also a member of the Missouri Air National Guard as a critical care air transport team nurse. I have not held any elected positions. My wife and I volunteer within our church in a variety of areas: medical team, security team, and membership class. We also have 5 children, and currently have foster children in our home. We have been foster parents for almost 4 years. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? I want to serve on the school board, because I have a vested interest in the education of my children. I desire to see the overall success of children, to see them succeed in whatever path they choose, and to see them become productive members of this community and our society. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? I got an opportunity to hear a presentation at a board meeting from a couple of teachers, and during their presentation, another point was mentioned which was their days off (sick days, personal days). They would like to see a PTO (paid time off) time of leave system in place, and I could see the benefit of moving to that type of system, if it were to be a desired benefit of the educators and staff. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? I believe the district is tracking the academic success levels to a degree, and I recall seeing some of the results at a board meeting several months ago. I would reiterate that the goal of the district should be to see each child succeed in whatever chosen path, and become productive members of our community. An upcoming concern that I have will be the use of AI (artificial intelligence), and how it will impact education. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? Top issues for the next 3-5 years: continued improvement of safety for staff and students; budget deficits and finding a way to eliminate them; that the district continues to maintain the priority of school is, an education; and that teachers will want to stay in the district. Paul Trusler Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I'm a devoted husband to I believe the most beautiful, loving and intelligent women I know. I'm a father of 7 kids (4 boys, 3 girls.) Grandfather to one boy. All of which are either currently in or have graduated from GVSD. I've been a member of the ironworker local union 10 for over 25 yrs. I'm a member of First Baptist Church of Grain Valley where I've served in many aspects of the church and have served as property chair for over 5 yrs. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? To be more active in my community. To better serve in the school system in which my children and grandchild attend. To be a voice for teachers and students. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? Pay may be one of the leading factors for teachers leaving, but they are also one of the highest stressed professions. One way to help this would be for the schools to be consistent in the rules and punishment they have. Another way is to recognize teachers constant struggles. Teachers are the backbone of the school system. We should empower them to do their job to the best of their abilities. I've found most teachers are self-driven individuals. We need more people like them. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? For the most part I believe the district to be doing well academically. I would like to explore better ways of instructing kids who learn with their hands (kinesthetic learners) or who are visual learners. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? The board should focus on safety and success of the children and teachers. by Michael Smith The Grain Valley girls soccer team appeared to be in a dire situation. The Eagles had a 2-0 lead and were in good shape until the seventh minute of their non-conference home contest with Lee’s Summit Monday at home. A Lee’s Summit ball handler got past Grain Valley goalkeeper Alayna Maybell on a breakaway attempt, but the two players collided. The officials ruled Maybell obstructed the path of the Tigers have an opportunity to score and was issued a red card. That meant Grain Valley was going to have to play the rest of the game while being down a player. Not only that, but head coach Brett Lewis also had to find a replacement for Maybell in the net. That player ended up being senior forward Emma Thiessen, who had seven saves including a stop during a shootout period as the Eagles took a 3-2 thriller after making six penalty kicks to the Tigers’ five. Thiessen is a known offensive threat for Grain Valley as she is a well above average passer and goal scorer at the striker position. Because of the red card to Maybell, Lewis said he needed her to play goalie. She happily obliged. During the shootout, Lee’s Summit junior Lillie Whistance had to make a penalty kick to keep her team’s hopes alive. Her shot went well above the net as the Eagles stormed the field and yelled in jubilation as Thiessen impacted the game in an unlikely way. She yelled, ‘Let’s go!’ as she was surrounded by her teammates. After the game, she had an ice pack around her left shin as she attempted to stop a shot with her foot on a PK from Lee’s Summit. “Coach asked who should go in, and I said, ‘I will do it.’ The team needed it but I could not have done it without the backs playing their game and Mia (Cole) being tough in the middle.” “I played goalie a couple of times in club, but this is definitely not normal.” Somehow, her team won even with the odds stacked against them while playing one of the best teams in the state. “All of our players are mentally tough and didn’t let anything get in their head,” Thiessen said. “I had an amazing back line that stuck it out. This was an amazing win.” Thiessen said she couldn’t remember the last time she played as a goalie, but she borrowed a yellow goalkeeper jersey and ran out to replace backup Catherine Barnes after head coach Brett Lewis asked her to fill in. Despite playing out of position, Thiessen allowed just two scores. She had seven saves and one stop during the shootout as she knocked away an attempt from junior Tatum Bresette. Lewis said he was impressed with how Thiessen did in the net and noted she was the best option for replacing Maybell among those left who were eligible to play. “She is the most athletic and she’s a good basketball,” Lewis said. “And I was thinking, ‘You know what? I am going to put Emma in goal. She played out of her mind and played well on set pieces.” Sophomore defender Taylor Nicholson had similar thoughts to Lewis. “I feel confident in what she was doing,” Nicholson said. “She looked like a natural out there. I had all my faith in her.” While Thiessen stood on her head, six Eagles made penalty kicks, with Nicholson scoring the game winning PK on a shot she snuck inside the left post and past Lee’s Summit goalie Avery Rausch. Thiessen, Meghan Knust, Sophia Giuliano, Ally Gilbert and Mia Cole were the other Grain Valley players to make shots during the shootout. “I just knew if I looked at one corner, (Rausch) would dive the other way,” Nicholson said. The Eagles scored two goals in the first six minutes of game. Thiessen chipped a shot over Rausch and into the net and junior Ally Gilbert scored near the back post following a cross from Thiessen. The Eagles led 2-0 until Lee’s Summit junior Alli Snow beat Thiessen to the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and lobbed a shot over the senior and into the net to make it 2-1. Grain Valley was able to hold the Tigers at bay and it appeared they were going to get a win in regulation. However, Tigers senior Keira Love caught Thiessen coming off her line and she punched the ball into an empty net with 30 seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime. That was a moment that could have been a backbreaker for the Eagles, but as Lewis said after the game, his team showed mental toughness. “That was pretty special,” Lewis said. “We showed how tough we are. I told the girls before the game, I don’t care who (Lee’s Summit) has or where they are going to college, that doesn’t phase me and that shouldn’t bother us.” “I don’t want people coming here to our home field and laughing and giggling and having a good time. I want our opponents to think, ‘Man! Grain Valley is tough! I thought we outplayed them for most of the game.” Grain Valley sophomore Taylor Nicholson scores the winning penalty kick, while Thiessen made seven saves during Grain Valley's 3-2 win over Lee's Summit Monday at home. Thiessen filled in as goalkeeper after sophomore Alayna Maybell received a red card from the officials. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith
The Grain Valley boys tennis team had a golden opportunity to win a big match early in the season. The Eagles hosted Lee’s Summit, a team that had a 3-0 record coming into the contest. The Tigers led Grain Valley 4-3 with two matches remaining, but the Eagles needed their final two singles players to come away with wins. Senior Carter Williams, the No. 2 player, and junior John Cassidy, No. 4, led both of their respective singles matches 6-5 and just needed to win two more sets to help claim the team win. However, both fell in close matches as Cassidy fell 8-6 and Williams dropped his game 8-7 (7-4 tiebreaker) as Grain Vally fell 6-3 Thursday. While it was a tough loss, Grain Valley head coach Randy Draper and his players came away with some positives. “I was pleased for the most part,” Draper said. “We are learning a lot about our lineup. Our guys lost in some really good matches. I think John learned today that he needs to make his opponent play the match on his terms. “Our No. 3 doubles team only lost two sets. There’s a lot to feel good about, now we just have to get better.” No. 5 singles player Blake Galvan and No. 6 Aiden Wilson had similar sentiments as their head coach. “It’s a really good feeling (to play Lee’s Summit close),” Wilson said. “Last year, we lost to them 9-0. So, it may be a good sign for the rest of our season.” Galvan and Wilson only played in singles matches and both won by a score of 8-3. Wilson said he felt better getting a win after he lost a match against his opponent on the road at Staley High School Tuesday. “It was a breath of fresh air for sure,” Wilson said. “My last match against Staley was not the best. I needed a win today. “My serve was really working today, and I was going a good job at playing my game.” Added Galvan: “I want out there and played with confidence. I was also placing the ball well.” Because of Grain Valley’s depth, Draper was able to play eight players in Thursday’s match. Galvan and Wilson were able to concentrate just on singles matches while the duo of senior Campbell Childers and sophomore Riley Spencer focused on doubles. That twosome come up with the Eagles only doubles win at No. 3 by an 8-1 margin. “Our No. 3 doubles team has only lost one set in two matches,” Draper said. “I think our five, six, seven, eight, nine guys are not that far apart. Some people play better doubles than they do singles. That team with Spencer and Childers seem to have good communication and the ball is in play all the time.” by Cole Arndorfer
The Grain Valley Schools Board of Education met on Thursday, March 14th for its monthly business meeting. To start the meeting, the board recognized boys and girls wrestling state qualifiers. Ten qualifiers were recognized as well as coach Donald Horner. Girls swim and dive state qualifiers were then recognized. 11 qualifiers and head coach Julie Reilly were honored by the board. Following recognitions, the board moved into reports starting with the teacher salary and benefits report from Kourtney Michael and Michelle Kennedy of the Salary and Benefits Committee. Kennedy told the board that the committee is proposing reclassifying leave and increasing payout for leave. Currently, staff members are given nine sick days and three personal days each year. By reclassifying leave, the committee would like to drop the designation of “sick days” or “personal days,” leaving staff members with 12 days of paid leave each year. Kennedy emphasized that the committee is not asking the board for more days off, rather just dropping the classifications of the existing days. As for the increased payout for leave, the current payout is $60 per day. Michael said that the committee is proposing an increase in that payout to $180. The goal of this is to make those saved leave days a financial benefit to teachers rather than it being more of a benefit to use all of them, thus creating a strain on the substitute needs in buildings. Following this, Superintendent Dr. Brad Welle gave his monthly report to the board. Welle opened by highlighting the fact that the April 2 election including the district’s tax levy measure is quickly approaching. Welle said that the feedback they have received from the public so far has been positive in nature. Welle also reported the high school is looking forward to taking possession of the new weight room in April. When the high school moves into the new weight room, the current temporary weight room will be updated into the new varsity locker room. Welle also raised school lunch debt for discussion. The board as well as Dr. Gooch will be brainstorming ideas to help lower the debt in this area. Finally, Welle highlighted the safety audit. Certain findings were highlighted and at a future meeting the board will attempt to have a representative present to go over the findings in depth and answer questions from the board. Next, the board moved into unfinished business with an action item on the board scholarships for this year. After reading through 48 applications, 16 winners were chosen and the board approved 16 awards of $1,000 scholarships. The winners will be announced in a ceremony in the spring. Then the board moved into new business. The first item in this section was the intent resolution of $3 million. Dr. Welle explained that with the passage of this item, the board is essentially giving consent to administration to continue paying for the projects around the district with the understanding that they will issue $10 million in bonds in April. The next item in new business was the setting of the preliminary non-binding tax rate. Welle explained that this is something that is required of the board by Jackson County and it will not necessarily be the binding tax rate that will be set in the fall. The board set this initial rate at the 2023 tax rate with the understanding that it will likely change by the time they are required to set it in the fall. The third item under new business was an action item to commission a demographic study by Business Information Services LLC. This item was approved. The final item under new business was a discussion over the 2024-2025 budget projection. The board was presented with an outline of expenses the district knew they were going to incur such as the need for a new custodian at the high school, increases to teacher salaries, and the addition of various safety upgrades. Some of these items the district is unsure of the dollar amount at this time, but the goal is for the board to receive a solid idea of the budget proposal as soon as April before the final vote at the end of June. Following new business, the board moved into the board policies section. In this section, the board heard the third read on a series of policies recommended by the Missouri School Boards’ Association. The main updates in these policies are to reflect the changes in laws regarding medical marijuana. The general theme for these policies is that whether one is a staff member, student, or visitor, they are not to be in possession or under the influence of drugs. This series of policies was approved. Following this, the board moved into executive session. The next Board of Education meeting will be held on Thursday, April 18, at 6 pm in the Leadership Center. by Michael Smith The inaugural season of the Grain Valley boys volleyball team could not have gone much better. Tuesday’s game against St. Joseph Central was the Eagles first Missouri State High School Activities Association sanctioned contest in program history. Before, Grain Valley had just a club team. The Eagles showed their experience as they swept the Eagles 25-21, 25-13,25-19 victory over the Indians at Grain Valley North Middle School. The team appeared to have good chemistry as setters Jordan Jackson and Lane Olivarez set up Eagles’ hitters well throughout the contest. “I think the consistency (from the setters) worked really well for us tonight,” Grain Valley head coach Tori Squiers said. “All of the sets were high enough for our hitters to get to. Each setter is a hitter, too. They did a great job leading the court and keeping everyone organized.” While Grain Valley had a dominant performance, senior Maddox Dressler admitted there were some growing pains early on. “At the beginning, our energy was a little bit off. We didn’t feel like we were playing together,” Dressler said. “We started out slower than we would have liked. I think we should have one by a little bit more,” Dressler said, “but it’s nice to get the first win Grain Valley has ever had.” “But in the second and third game, we started playing with each other like we have been doing this for a long time.” Jackson echoed similar sentiments. “Between the first and the third sets, we learned we could play together, and we can be successful,” Jackson said. “We are all good friends, so the communication factor is there.” The Eagles trailed early in the first game and trailed 11-8 early on, but the Eagles outscored Central 17-10 the rest of the way as aces from Nathan Morgester. Josiah Oehlke highlighted the comeback as they took the first set. Dressler rattled off six kills in the second game which led to his team cruising to a 25-13 win there. Then he and Jackson combined for six kills in the third game as the team rolled to closing out the third set. “Jordan and I are probably going to go to the same college for volleyball,” Dressler said. “It’s so fun playing with him.” Dressler led the Eagles with 12 kills and five digs. Jackson added six kills and two aces. Olivarez chipped in with a team-high 22 assists. “Those two have been some key players for us in the past,” Squiers said of Dressler and Jackson. “They are continuing to grow. They hit the ball really hard, and they do a great job of seeing the other side of the floor really well and hitting the holes.” Grain Valley senior Josiah Oehlke prepares to serve the ball. Photo credit: Michael Smith Sophomore Nathan Morgester gets down on one knee to bump the ball during a 25-21, 25-13, 25-19 victory over St. Joseph Central in Grain Valley's first MSHSAA sanctioned high school match. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith The Grain Valley boys’ tennis team came close to winning a district championship last season. The Eagles made it to the finals of the Class 2 District 8 Tournament in 2023 after defeating Kansas City East and Kearney in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. However, they fell to Platte County 5-1 in the championship as they were going for their second consecutive district championship. This season, Grain Valley may have a good chance of winning districts as it returns four of its six starters from last year’s squad. Leading the way will be the No. 1 singles player, Ben Drinkwater, who finished with a 9-9 record in 2023. The other returns joining him are senior Carter Williams and juniors John Cassidy and Trace Compton. Those are four players who are expected to crack the starting lineup and help the Eagles with the varsity experience factor. “It helps with our confidence, especially since a team like Platte County only returned two guys and they graduated a lot of their (junior varsity) guys, as well,” Drinkwater said. “We definitely feel like we can make a run this year.” And that will start with Drinkwater as he will play against the other team’s best player every match as the No. 1. He said he’s been working on his serve and backhand in the offseason. “My second serve is something I have struggled with in the past,” Drinkwater said. “I used to not have one. If I have a stronger second serve, I have more control over the point from the beginning.” “I have also been working on being more consistent with my backhand. I think both of those aspects of my game I have improved.” As the No. 2 singles player, Williams hopes to take a leap and elevate his performance from 2023. Drinkwater noted a big strength for Williams is his aggressiveness. “He will go after volleys,” Drinkwater said. “He’s not passive, which is nice. He is not afraid to make a mistake, which makes him a good player. You see a lot of JV players and even some varsity players who are afraid to make a mistake. Carter isn’t.” Williams added he has been working on his serves and being confident on the court. “It’s about going out there and doing what you practice,” Williams said. “I have struggled with that in the past, but I have gotten better with that to a point.” While Drinkwater and Williams will lead the team as the top two players, the Eagles have a big strength with their depth. There are six players who could fill the remaining four spots on the singles and doubles teams. Some of those expected to compete for those spots include Cassidy, Compton, seniors Campbell Childers and Dominic Lunn and juniors Blake Galvan and Aidan Wilson. Those who will fill No. 3, 4, 5 and 6 spots have yet to be determined. “I am very confident in this team,” Drinkwater said. “We have so many guys who can play at the varsity level and two of them will have to play on the JV team. Any of those guys can play at the four spots.” Grain Valley head coach Randy Draper said the depth is an advantage for his Eagles, but he said the team wins and losses will come down to who ends up in the No. 3 spot. He said if he can find players capable of winning the No. 3 and 4 matchups, his team will be a good shape in 2024. “It all comes down to if we have a lot of three and fours or do we have fives and sixes,” Draper said. “We will find out what we have when we start playing.” The depth part of the reason Drinkwater and Williams said they are confident the Eagles can win the district tournament this season. “We can easily beat them this year,” Williams said of potentially playing Platte County in the tournament this year. “Everyone has gotten better, and everyone is growing in their own ways. Grain Valley will play in its season opener at 4 p.m. March 19 at Staley High School. Seniors Carter Williams, left, and Ben Drinkwater will be the No. 2 and 1 singles players for the Grain Valley boys tennis team, respectively as they will aim for a team district title in 2024. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith For the past two seasons, the Grain Valley boys golf team has been put on the map. The Eagles made the Missouri State High School Boys Golf Championships in 2022 and 2023 and finished seventh and sixth respectively. Those were the only times in the history of the program in which Grain Valley got to compete at the event. Now, the team is hoping to make it back for a third time this time with some new players entering the fold. “We used to have a lot of first-year golfers stumble in here who were athletes that we turned into golfers,” head coach Andy Herbert said. “Now we have some kids coming in as golfers and are ready to play.” Grain Valley is returning senior Charles Aldred and sophomore Eli Herbert are returning to the squad after getting to compete at state in 2023. Senior Jack Hileman likely will be promoted from junior varsity to the varsity squad. Sophomore Mason Smith and freshman Jacob Gorden are also expected to be a part of the lineup, as well. “I think we are going to be able to pick up right where we left off, just with different names,” Aldred said. The Eagles lost two-time, all-state placer Owen Hebert, who graduated in May 2023, along with Jaiden Wilson, who also got to compete at state. The Eagles will still have a seasoned golfer in Aldred, who got to compete at the state tournament the past two seasons. In 2023, he finished just five strokes off the score needed to be named an all-state selection, which is awarded to the top 15 finishers. He took 29th last season with a total score of 155. In 2022, he was 68th with a score of 173. Last season, he admitted he sometimes struggled handling bigger tournaments and dealing with the pressure of playing in them. He said he’s gotten better in those situations and it showed with his stark improvement at state. “I want to keep the momentum going that I had last year. When it came down to state, a little bit of the pressure got to me. I could have played a little better. “I feel like I am getting better in those big moments. Playing more golf helps and staying as locked in as I can.” Herbert, whose primary sport is basketball, had an impressive freshman season in 2023. At state, he finished tied two other golfers in 49th place with a 162. At the Class 4 District 4 tournament, he was a huge part of the team success as he took fifth by shooting a 76 (+4). He admitted he didn’t pick up a golf club during basketball season but is starting to get back into the swing of things now that the spring sports season is here. For him, the key is having a strong mentality. “You are not going to have your best every day,” Herbert said. “My main goal is to be a competitor and just win the hole and win the swing and grit out my rounds. “I don’t want to let one bad hole lead to two or three. I want to keep that laser focus and not getting too high or too low.” As far as the newcomers go, Hileman said he’s stoked to get his first varsity season started and will aim to strike the ball better and more accurately with his iron clubs. “I am just ready to be a part of the ride,” Hileman said. “There are no pictures in the scorecard.” So are Gorden and Smith, whom Andy Herbert said will be some key contributors. “Jacob was our next door neighbor for a few years, and he really got into golf at that time,” Andy Herbert said. “I think he was in the fifth or sixth grade when he started. He played a lot of competitive golf. He’s going to be a good player.” Grain Valley will kick off the season in the Oak Grove Invitational at 8:30 a.m. today at Adams Pointe Golf Club. From left, Eli Herbert, Charlie Alfred, Jack Hileman and Jacob Gordon will be a part of the Grain Valley boys golf team which will aim for a third consecutive state tournament appearance in 2024. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith For the past two years, Grain Valley High School has had a boys volleyball club team, and it has been successful. The Eagles have travelled to other cities outside of Missouri and teams in the area to compete at the club level. During the last two seasons, the Eagles have made it to the national tournament. This year, the team has a new opportunity. In 2024, for the first time, the Missouri State High School Association adopted boys volleyball as a high school sport, and the Eagles will be one of a few teams in the Kansas City metro area to have a team in the association. “We had so many boys this year that were interested,” Grain Valley head coach Tori Squiers said. “I was pumped when I heard the news because a lot of these boys want to go and play at a higher level, so this gives them more experience.” The Eagles currently have a roster of 23 players with some having experience. Those who could see playing time include seniors Lane Olivarez, William Lindley and Josiah Oehlke, all of whom have had experience playing for the club team; sophomore Jordan Jackson and junior Maddox Dresslaer are returning players, as well; and sophomore Nathan Morgester could also see time on the court. Oliverez said that his family has a history of playing volleyball and he started playing for the club team two years ago. This season, he will play at middle hitter. Oehlke said he noticed his friends were playing in 2022 and decided to give it a shot. He didn’t regret it. “I had a blast; I had a ton of fun,” Oehlke said. “It’s been fun to growing at a couple of different positions like libero and right side (hitter).” Squiers and her players also recruited underclassmen to join the team, which led to Grain Valley having a roster of 23. They encouraged those who were not playing a spring sport to try it out. The Eagles got enough players to join to have a varsity and junior varsity squad. “We have just been asking people in class if they want to play,” Olivarez said. “We have been helping everyone out since they have joined, helping with basic skills.” The Eagles have been practicing for nearly two weeks, working building chemistry. It also helps that a few of the players have already played with each other during the club season. Because of that, the Eagles are confident that they can have a strong inaugural season. “I think people are going to want to keep an eye out on us,” Squiers said. “I think it’s going to be a really good season and we will have a chance to be successful.” Added Olivarez: “We just want to destroy anyone who gets in our way. We want to win as many games as possible. We want to put Grain Valley boys volleyball on the map.” Grain Valley will participate in a preseason jamboree Friday at Guadalupe Centers High School. Seniors Lane Olivarez, left, and Josiah Oehlke played together on the Grain Valley boys volleyball club team and now will be a part of the official high school team this season. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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