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by Michael Smith Grain Valley graduate Nick Hooper doesn’t tend to show much emotion when he’s on the baseball diamond. He doesn’t seem to get angry, sad or overly emotional as he has a calm, and mild-mannered demeanor whether he’s at the plate hitting, at first base in the field or occasionally on the mound as a pitcher. “His approach is really calm,” said Milgram Mustangs manager Jackson Williams. “He’s kind of hard to read in the box. He’s perfectly calm. He’s in attack mode. As a coach, I value that.” Hooper played baseball at Grain Valley High school and has moved on to play for East Central College in Union, Mo. and for the Milgram Mustangs of the Ban Johnson collegiate summer baseball league. His mild mannered and calm demeanor has helped him find success both on his college and summer league teams as he’s excelled as both a hitter and a first baseman. He earned second-team, All-16 Region honors and earned a spot on the region’s all-defensive team at East Central College. Last spring, he hit .319 with a .897 on-base-plus slugging percentage. Hooper added one home run, 22 runs-batted in and scored 33 runs as his team went on to win the Region 16 Tournament. For the Mustangs .273 and had a .859 OPS with two home runs, 16 RBIs and 12 runs scored in just 55 at bats. He helped his summer league team reach the semifinals in the Ban Johnson postseason tournament. For Hooper, it was all about having the right mindset, which has led to his success at the collegiate level. “I am just trying to make sure I stay consistent and not fall into a slump,” Hooper said. “A lot of kids have jobs and it gets tiring to do that and come out here and play. You just have to stay consistent and stick with your approach and get lackadaisical. You just have to stay focused and locked in.” Added Williams: “He’s super chill. We got two like him on this team. He’s a contact hitter. His approach is what helps his mechanics out. But I think his bat path with his pitch recognition is on point.” At the next level, Hooper said the biggest adjustment has been anticipating off speed pitches no matter what the ball and strikes count is. At the high school level, when he had a favorable account at the dish, he could often sit on a fastball. In college, that’s not the case. “Just because you are in a 2-0 count, doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to get a fastball,” Hooper said. “You have to learn to deal with that. That’s the biggest thing for me is getting those off speeds in plus counts like that. I have gotten better at doing that since high school.” Hooper transferred from Iowa Western Community College to East Central College as a freshman and ended up converting from a third baseman to playing first for the Falcons. It’s been a welcome change for Hooper, who earned all-defensive honors at the position. “I have had to put on some size and muscle to play first base and had to get a first baseman’s glove,” Hooper said. “I like playing first a lot better because it’s less stressful. Now I just have to catch rockets every once in a while instead of all the time.” Even though he’s earned some awards and honors with the Falcons, it’s not something he aims for. He likes to focus on maintaining his calm and steady demeanor on the field and staying consistent. That is one of the reasons he was recruited to play for the Missouri S&T team by coach Todd DeGraffenried. Once he received the offer to play for the Miners, Hooper jumped on it. “S&T is a really good school and fits with my degree,” Hooper said. “It’s relatively close to home, so I figured I would take it while it was there. I am going to try my hardest to be an every day player.” Playing for the Miners may also give him the opportunity to play against former Grain Valley teammate Avery Garmon, who plays for Rockhurst University. Since both of their college teams are in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, they will have a chance to face off against each other in the spring of 2025. “He’s been giving me a lot of crap about that,” Hooper said of Garmon. “We might send some texts and talk some crap before the games. I am sure he will be blowing up my phone about some stuff and I will be brushing it off.” Grain Valley graduate Nick Hooper excelled for the East Central College baseball team in Union, Mo. He earned All-Region 16, second-team honors and was named to the all-defensive team for his freshman season in the spring of 2024. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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by Michael Smith The Grain Valley football team will be making a big transition going into the 2024 season, especially on offense. Not only will the Eagles have a quarterback starting their first season at the varsity level, they will have a new look at running back, too. Last season, they featured arguably the best running back to ever come through the program, Ty Williams. He was a Simone Award finalist (an honor given to the best large class football player in the Kansas City metro area), who broke the school record for yards in a season with 2,485 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns. He was also a threat in the passing game as he caught 12 passes for 385 yards and five more scores. This season, Grain Valley doesn’t have big shoes to fill, they are gigantic following a rare standout season Williams had. However, head coach David Allie has a talented group of running backs ready to step up this season as the Eagles look to turn to a running-back-by-committee approach rather than having a bell cow like Williams. That group will be led by senior DJ Harris who was a varsity running back his freshman and sophomore seasons before playing as a full-time outside linebacker as a junior to fill a need on defense and make room for Williams to be the primary running back. As a sophomore, Harris was the No. 2 behind Jaxon Wyatt as he ran the ball 69 times for 344 yards and seven TDs. As a sophomore, he was a part of a three-player running back committee with Williams and Christian Lanear. That season, he ran the ball 69 times for 459 yards and seven scores. So he has similar production in both seasons. He will bring a steady presence to the Eagles and will serve as a vocal leader for some of the younger running backs playing varsity full time for the first time. “His physicality is out of the roof and he brings everyone up with his energy,” sophomore Zach said. “He’s been a mentor for us. He taught us the importance of ball security and when to make our cuts.” Harris is eager to return to his natural position of running back after totaling 20 tackles and .5 sacks as a linebacker in 2023. He noted he doesn’t think it will be an issue to transition back to being a full-time running back. His goal is to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the season. “I think I will pick it right back up,” Harris said. “During (organized team activities) and the Pittsburg State (camp), I felt like a freshman and sophomore DJ again. It feels so good to go back to what I love again.” Allie described Harris as a thicker running back which makes him a good candidate to be a physical presence during runs between the tackles. He is also good at catching the ball out of the backfield and has enough speed to get the edge on outside running plays when needed. Those are similar traits to senior Robert Palmer, a transfer from North Scott High School in Iowa. Last season, he averaged 9.4 yards per carry for the Lancers, carrying the ball 33 times for 309 touchdowns and four scores. He also caught three passes for 23 yards and a TD through the air. Allie expects Palmer to be in the mix for some carries as he comes in with varsity football experience with Class 4 North Scott. “He’s like DJ and Ty, he’s a big powerful kid and he can run around people, too,” Allie said. “He’s done a great job of taking advantage of reps he’s had over the summer.” The Eagles also bring in a trio of backs who could receive consistent varsity carries for the first time in their careers. Sophomores Alby Negrete, Zach Dowhower and Sjoeren Aumua all could be in the mix to be a part of the Eagles’ committee, and each had a few varsity carries last season in games in which the Eagles held a large lead late in games. Dowhower is a running back who has some good size for the position and has the ability to run for both speed and power. He’s some Allie said doesn’t go down easily when opponents try to tackle him. We call Dowhower ‘Crazy Legs’ because he’s got those big ol’ long, powerful legs,” Allie said. “Once he gets going, he can churn down that field. He got a little bit of speed and has some power behind it. He makes up some yards by running through tacklers.” Dowhower had a similar assessment of his abilities as he said he hopes to earn playing time in 2024. “Even if there are two defenders there, I can make something happen,” Dowhower said. “And even if there is no space to run, I can make space.” Aumua is a smaller running back at around 144 pounds. He’s not someone who will break a lot of tackles or try to run through people. He likes to use his speed to get behind the defense in the open field and use his agility to evade tacklers. “I am not as big and heavy as these other running backs,” Aumua said. “I am going to try and work on that.” Added Allie on Aumua: “He has great quickness and vision. He is able to get through those holes inside that may not be as big as you would like. Once he gets to that second level, he has another gear and he can turn it on.” Negrete is a physical running back who Allie said he can use in two-back formations and use him as a blocker from the full back position. “For me, it’s how hard I run the ball,” Negrete said. “Even when I get hit, I will keep my feet moving.” Even though Grain Valley will be tasked with replacing perhaps the most talented running back in their program’s history, Allie and his players are confident they can have a successful season in the running game. “With what we have back there, we will be just fine,” Harris said. “I think we are good at being powerful running backs and being physical. Everyone is physical and knows how to get it done.” From left, Grain Valley sophomores Sjoeren Aumua, Alby Negrete and Zach Dowhower will look to earn playing time at the running back position for the football team in 2024. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley senior Robert Palmer is a transfer from North Scott High School in Iowa and I'm will be in the mix for some carries at running back for the football team. He ran the ball 33 times for 309 yards and four touchdowns for North Scott in 2023. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith Late spring and this summer, athletes at Grain Valley High School got to enjoy some of the benefits of a $32 million bond issue voter approved on April 4, 2023. The bond issue, which primarily aimed to fund the high school gymnasium and fieldhouse addition, included an addition of a new weight room and turf field for the baseball and softball teams to use, both of which have been completed and used this year. The additions have created buzz among the students and coaches as they have enjoyed using both facilities. The new weight room, on the southwest side of the school, will affect all 20 sports programs for the high school. It has two brand new weight racks and new weights athletes can use to improve their strength and conditioning. The equipment came from some of the best companies for designing weightlifting equipment like Sorinex and Intek. There are also spots where students can use jammer arms and have areas to work on medicine ball exercises along with some plyometric boxes used for step up and jumping exercises. “It’s state of the art,” Grain Valley head football coach David Allie said of the new weight room. “The district made a huge investment in the Grain Valley athletes and it’s going to help improve athletic performances. There is nothing we can’t do in that room.” “When the weight room opened, it was like Christmas in May for the kids. The first couple of weeks were awe inspiring. The kids were excited to just look at it. We now have one of the best weight rooms not only in the metro, but possibly the state.” Head softball coach Flip Courter shared the same excitement for the weight room as Allie. “It’s definitely a step up from what we had and it’s a much more organized space,” Courter said. “All the equipment is top notch. The admin and everyone involved in putting this together spared no expense. The things we are able to do in this weight room we would have never been able to do in our old weight room.” All of the new equipment allows each individual athletic program to tailor the workouts based on what will benefit the athletes for their specific sport. “It’s probably the most used room in the entire school district,” Grain Valley activities director Brandon Hart said. “If you don’t have a strong conditioning program, then your athletics are going to suffer. We’ve built a program to meet the diverse needs of each individual. There are attachments to the racks that will allow kids to customize their workouts to be tailored to the sport they are participating in.” As for the turf field, the baseball team broke it in during a jamboree against Lee’s Summit West and Truman on March 9. The new field, which will be used for both the baseball and softball teams, is beneficial for coaches and players as it requires a minimum amount of maintenance and will prevent it from being unplayable after rain or thunderstorms. The dimensions are 305 feet to right field, 375 to center and 300 to left. For softball games, the school has fencing panels the team can use to shorten the distance needed for a hitter to earn a home run. When both teams had their old grass fields, it was difficult to play games after rain. “On the old field, you could find crawdads in the outfield,” Hart said. “Our outfields were probably one of the worst in the city prior to this renovation. “The turf field has been a game changer for our programs. You can play on turf 365 days a year.” Courter agreed. “We had one of the lower end softball facilities in the Suburban Conference and possibly in the entire (Kansas City) metro and now we have one of the best,” Courter said. “I got a message from a mom that said her daughter was excited to get out there on the new field.” “We can now practice after it has been raining.” Courter said it will be an adjustment for some of his players to go from playing on a dirt infield and grass outfield, to a full turf field, but the change for him and his players has been a big positive. The addition of the new field likely will make Grain Valley High School one of the primary options to host a future district tournament. “The field is going to be a little more bouncy than they are used to,” Courter said. “A lot of these girls play year-round and have familiarity with playing on turf. We play quite a few teams that are already on turf.” “We will work on keeping our throws low and let the turf help get the ball where it needs to go.” In addition to the turf field, there is a facility next to it that Courter has dubbed “The Barn.” It is an outhouse that is equipped with two full size batting cages, a turf area and lockers. It will be used when there is inclement weather outside. Courter said his team can field ground balls, take batting practice and participate in bullpen sessions in The Barn. The leftover turf from the field was used for The Barn. It will function as a locker room and clubhouse,” Courter said. “I talked to other coaches and they are jealous of the new field and they are really jealous of the new facility.” “We couldn’t have done this without the support of the community. There is going to be a huge percentage of the student population that is going to use at least one of these new facilities.” Freshman Ellarae Hay fields a ground ball on the new turf field. Photo credit: Michael Smith Senior Izzy Salsman uses the new weight equipment during her routine. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley sophomore Molly Jones leaps on top of a plyometric box in the new high school weight room. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith Grain Valley graduate Avery Garmon remembers how stressful his freshman season was at Rockhurst University. He admitted when he came on to the team, he was pressing to try and prove himself. At first, playing Division II baseball was a struggle. Fast forward one year later, Garmon has found his confidence and has been one of the strongest hitters not only the Hawks; he’s been a standout for his Ban Johnson summer league team – Building Champions. For Rockhurst, Garmon started in 26 games and played in 40. He was an extremely productive hitter, having a .345 batting average with a .970 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, two home runs and 25 runs batted in. In the Ban Johnson, he was named an all-star and played at Kauffman Stadium last Wednesday as a part of the National Division Team. He had a breakout season, hitting .40, having a gaudy 1.124 OPS with two home runs, 18 RBIs, 17 runs scored and six doubles. Having the support of his head coach at Rockhurst, Garry Burns, helped him have a successful sophomore season. “Coach Burns had faith in me at Rockhurst,” Garmon said. “That helped me gain confidence. I had the freshman jitters at first, but at the end of the year, I was rolling and everything felt like normal baseball. I am relaxed and confident.” At Rockhurst, Garmon had hit anywhere from third in the batting order to seventh. He has played at third base, second, first, and even the outfield once. He knew his strength was going to be his hitting and he’s proven to be a reliable bat for both Rockhurst and Building Champions. “The key to success was knowing that I didn’t have to do a lot. I just needed to hit the ball hard like normal,” Garmon said. “If you put too much pressure on yourself, it makes things a lot harder. At the end of the day, it’s just baseball.” Going into Rockhurst, Garmon didn’t know what position he was going to play. Coach Burns asked what position I am going to win and I said, whatever position my bat gets me. I have always been a good hitter and have always hit for average.” Added Building Champions manager Jim Hernandez: “He can hit for average and he has a little bit of pop. He’s hit a couple of home runs for us. He takes what they give him. He sprays the baseball all around the field. He grinds.” Garmon credits his father, Rob, for much of his success at hitting. “I worked with him a lot on my hitting,” Garmon said of his father. “He would take me to hit at the batting cages whenever he could. He threw me a lot of batting practice pitches. My friends looked at him as the hitting guru.” “He was my hitting coach off the field.” As a left-handed hitter, one of the bigger challenges of his career has been hitting left-handed pitching. In baseball, it is common for left-handed hitters to struggle against left-handed pitches, but Garmon said he feels like he’s handled it pretty well overall. In high school, lefties would maybe have three pitches. In college, the average pitchers have three pitches and sometimes four,” Garmon said. “Some of the pitchers throw fastballs in the 92-93 range and have four pitches (in college). As the spring went on, the more comfortable he got hitting left-handed pitching. “The hardest pitch to hit is a curveball that comes in level with your front shoulder. It looks like it’s about to hit you and that it’s not a strike, but then it falls right in the strike zone then you look kind of uncomfortable.” Currently, Garmon is on pace to have a successful baseball career in college. He said he is enjoying the game that he has been playing since he was 4 years old. He said his goal is to help Rockhurst make it back to the Great Lakes Valley Conference, a feat his team accomplished this spring. He also wants to move up in the lineup and earn all-conference and all-Midwest region honors. If his season in the Ban Johnson League this summer is any indication, he has a good chance at accomplishing those goals. “No one thought we were going to make the conference tournament this year,” Garmon said. “With the way the schedule is lined up next year, we have a good chance to do it again. “I also want to be an everyday player and be the best guy for this team.” Grain Valley graduate Avery Garmon is having a breakout season with the Building Champions team of the Ban Johnson baseball league over the summer. He was named an all-star of the league. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith Grain Valley head boys soccer coach Brett Lewis wanted to make a change to his annual soccer camp he holds in the summer. In previous years, there were three sessions – one for high school boys, one for high school girls, and one for all players in Kindergarten through eight grade. In 2024, Lewis decided to have the seventh and eighth graders join the high school sessions for the boys and girls, respectively, while having the one for kindergartners through sixth graders. The change had a positive impact on numbers for the high school camps, especially on the boys side as the Eagles have seen 65-70 athletes attend every day this week. Not only have the numbers increased, the change has helped Lewis prepare middle-school aged children to play at the high school level early. The seventh and eighth grade players got to scrimmage and practice with the junior varsity and varsity players and learn from them. It’s something that Lewis and his varsity players agreed was a benefit to the high school team. “I just knew there were several good players at those levels (seventh and eighth grade),” Lewis said. “I thought they would benefit from getting to play with some of the guys at the upper level. They have something to look forward to. When we had kindergarten through eighth grade players together the last few years. There have been some players held back by the level when they were paired with players who weren’t quite as experienced.” “We wanted to get the seventh and eighth graders plugged into being a Grain Valley Eagle earlier. It helps them stay committed and know what they have in front of them.” And the high school players have served as mentors and coaches on the field for the middle schoolers. “The told some of our high school guys, ‘Hey, you’re going to have some seventh and eighth graders with you at this camp,’” Lewis said. “Make sure you guys are on your best behavior and show them what it means to work hard and compete and what it means to be a Grain Valley Eagle. The high school guys have been great influences.” Sophomore Cooper Bousselot agreed. “I think everyone on the high school team helps fill that role (of being a mentor),” Bousselot said. “The seventh and eighth graders look up to everyone and are like, ‘I want to be like him!’ I think everyone is doing a good job of helping them.” Lewis has even had some alumni come back and participate in the camps including recent graduates like Isaiah Johnson, Chase Simpson and Campbell Childers. “Those guys show the progression of going from a freshman to a senior and a graduate,” Lewis said of his former players who graduated this year. “They still love coming out here and playing.” The camps not only benefit the middle school players, but it helps the high schoolers prepare for the upcoming fall season and gets them into shape for tryouts, which happen in early August. The camps are especially important for the Eagles this year as Lewis anticipates seniors who didn’t get a lot of varsity playing time in year’s past, will likely see minutes in regular season games this fall. The Eagles also will welcome about 13 freshmen, with some of them expected to crack the varsity lineup. On Monday and Tuesday this week, the Eagles worked on dribbling and one-on-one situations; on Wednesday, the campers work on passing and receiving passes; and on Thursday and Friday, Lewis has his players play in 6-on-6 and 7-on-7 scrimmages that he calls the World Cup Tournament. Each team picks a country to represent, and they play each team in a round-robin style format. The nets are set up on the east and west sides of the field at Moody Murry Memorial Field. The winning team earns doughnuts as the prize. “We have quite a few people showing up of all ages. I say my favorite part is scrimmaging so I can get more touches on the ball,” senior Brayden Warren said. “And it helps you get used to play with everyone and allows you to get to know everyone batter.” Added Bousselot: “I like the atmosphere, but I also like he competition. We have good competition when we are playing.” Grain Valley sophomore Cooper Bousselot, left, and Brayden Warren are two returning varsity players on the boys soccer team that are helping mentor the seventh and eight graders who are now participating in the high school camps this summer. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith The Grain Valley defense has been a big part of the success in recent years for the football team. The Eagles have won four consecutive district championships and have advanced to the Class 5 state quarterfinals each of those seasons as well. In 2023, the Eagles defense was solid, allowing 20.5 points per game. The linebacker group was a big part of that as players had to step up in the absence of then-senior Brody Baker, a middle linebacker who missed the entire season due to a torn ACL, MCL, and a partially torn PCL and meniscus. Two of those guys were seniors Toby Inman and Aiden Woodrome, who split time at middle linebacker last year and will return to the 2024 squad that features and experienced linebacker corps. Junior Brett Boyle will likely see time at linebacker this coming fall, as well, as he got some varsity playing time in 2023. Lucas Jurgensmeyer, a junior, likely would have received playing time last season if not for a knee injury that kept him out. Junior Cayden King is also someone who could see playing time at the position, too. The group will be led by Woodrome and Inman. Inman has emerged as one of the leaders of the team and the defense, head coach David Allie said. He had a strong 2023 campaign as he had 35 tackles, seven of which were for a loss. He was also tied with three teammates for the team lead in sacks with three. Inman noted his biggest strength is coming off the edge and getting sacks, which is one of his favorite things to do. For 2024, he has set some high goals for himself. “I am trying to get all-state this year for sure,” said Inman, who missed four games in 2023 due to a bruised femur. “That’s been my goal since sophomore year. I want to get 100 tackles.” In the offseason, Inman said he has been working on getting stronger so he can put bigger hits on opposing ball carriers. Woodrome, on the other hand, is working on getting out of his stance faster and developing his tackling form. Allie said the senior has a high football IQ and has a strong understanding of defensive coordinator Matt Curts’ defensive schemes. That is part of the reason he is set to be a middle linebacker in 2024, while Inman will play on the outside. “I am pretty good at getting the defense set and getting downhill and reading my keys and making plays,” said Woodrome, who has a goal of getting 85 tackles and getting first-team honors in the Suburban White Conference. Added Allie: “He is working hard to improve to put hit on opposing ball carriers. He has had room to grow since last year and has been growing all summer for us.” Boyle will also be playing on the outside along with Inman. He had nine tackles, one for a loss and a half sack in 2023. “(Boyle) is a strong kid,” Allie said. “He’s got great courage. He’s not afraid. He’ll keep that outside arm free like he’s supposed to and come up on a block and go through it. He’s not as long as some outside linebackers that you may see. He makes up for it with his technique and intelligence. He’s a smart kid who knows where the ball is going to be.” As a group, Allie said the linebackers have a strong understanding of the schemes and collectively have a high football IQ, but of course there are areas in which they can improve, he said. “We are still working on stopping the run,” Allie said. “They will also have to work on stopping teams like Platte County by dropping into pass coverage and getting pressure on the quarterback in the backfield. They can handle the schematics thanks to the playing time they had last year.” Because of experience the Eagles are bringing back at linebacker, this could be another year the defense has a strong overall performance as it has in recent years. “We always bring it,” Inman said. “Our opponents don’t like playing our defense because of how our intensity is on the field and how we hit. I think we are going to do just as good or better than last year.” Seniors Toby Inman, left, and Aiden Woodrome will lead an experienced linebacker group for the Grain Valley football team. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith Every year in the summer, the Grain Valley softball team gets a head start in preparing for the fall season. This year, the Eagles held open field sessions every Tuesday and Thursday from May 28 until Aug. 1, with a 9-day long dead week in late June and early July. These sessions are beneficial for both the coaches and the players, especially for second-year head coach Flip Courter, who gets to evaluate some of the incoming freshmen talent. Last summer, Courter saw a few freshmen show off advanced level talent, which eventually led to them cracking the varsity lineup. Players such as Molly Jones and Madison Rust impressed during the open sessions and were a big part of Grain Valley’s 24-7 varsity season. “We have quite a few freshmen coming in and I’ve only seen a couple of them play before,” Courter said. “We can bring in some older players, but we have seen them enough. It’s an opportunity for them to make a statement saying this is who I am, and this is what I can do. “Last year Molly Jones and Addison Rust made the varsity lineup as freshmen. Are we going to have another one of those this year? I don’t know. We’ve seen some girls that I would have never known their names and now they come out, and I find out they are good.” It also helps that some of the older players get to know some of the freshmen and build chemistry with them as some members of the team work on hitting, fielding, and pitching drills during the summer. “Open field is good because we get to know the freshmen and we get better during the drills,” Jones said. “High school is all about building relationships and getting to know the freshmen just adds to the chemistry.” That’s not the only benefit, either. The sessions allow Courter to try out new drills and activities, which then can be done during practices in the fall. “We put in two new drills today that we haven’t run before,” Courter said last Tuesday. “We called one the chaos drill and we ran what’s called a triangle drill. We have done variations of it before. Now, when August comes around, we will be able to say, ‘Hey, get set up for the drill.’ And we’ll have that familiarity.” So far during the summer, Courter said he’s seen an average of about 18 players attend the open field sessions and has seen as many as 20. Many of the older, more seasoned players play with their travel teams in the summer, so the majority of those who participate are underclassmen. This year’s freshmen class is the first to be able to practice on the new turf field, which the team will play on during the regular season for the first time in 2024. “It’s really nice to have this field because it adds excitement because everything is new,” Jones said. “This is the first year we are having this stuff. Everything is exciting and new for the incoming freshmen. We don’t have to worry about the dirt or anything like that.” The Eagles also now have a nice, new facility that Courter calls “The Barn.” It’s a building just outside of the softball field to allow the players to practice indoors. In The Barn, there are two full-length batting cages where the team can hook up pitching machines. The facility is also big enough to allow the team to pull the batting cages nets back toward the outer walls, so the players can practice fielding ground balls or allow them to get in bullpen sessions. The Barn has been beneficial, especially on days when it’s raining, or the temperatures are high. “We have fans in there and we can open up the garage door which creates a nice wind tunnel,” Courter said of The Barn. “It’s stays cool for the most part. I have had other coaches tell us they are jealous of our new facility. We also have lockers in there where the girls can put their stuff in, and we can have team meetings in there.” Correction: Name correction for Ellarae Hay. 6/27/2024 1:29pm Freshman Ellarae Hay fields a ground ball while Faithlyn George runs toward home plate during a fielding drill during the Grain Valley softball team's open field session last Tuesday. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith The Grain Valley football team will have some big shoes to fill coming into the 2024 season. One of the most important ones will be the cleats of quarterback Sal Caldarella, who came in as a transfer from Blue Springs High School, who already had two years of varsity experience. Caldarella, who will play at Southwest Baptist University next fall, had a strong and accurate arm, and gave the Eagles a passing threat that it hadn’t had in a few years prior to 2023. He helped the Eagles finish 10-2 and win their fourth consecutive district championship completing 112 of his 185 passing attempts for 1,949 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 62 times for 447 yards and five TDs. Now that he has graduated, head coach David Allie and his coaching staff will look for a replacement for the 2024 campaign, and so far there are three candidates. Juniors Chase Neer and Anthony Juarez along with sophomore Ethan Page are competing for the starting signal caller spot and are showing what they can do in scrimmages, organized team activities, and camps over the summer. Neer was the varsity backup to Caldarella last season and he ran the scout team offense during practices to help the Eagles first-team defense prepare for each opponent. His job was to mimic how the upcoming opposing quarterback would play so the defense could be prepared. “He played the part by running option offenses to running the spread,” Allie said of Neer. “That helps quarterbacks develop their overall ability.” Of the three competing, Neer has the best understanding of the offense Allie likes to run and knows how to get everyone else in the proper position to run plays effectively. The junior had a high football IQ and can also run with the football effectively when needed. “I am good at making the right reads in the run-pass option,” Neer said. “I also like to run the ball. I like to get hit and hit people.” Neer said he’s been working on building his arm strength and throwing the ball accurately. He noted that he wanted to get better at things aside from managing the game. “There is always room for improvement, but in terms of knowing what I am doing and doing the right things, I feel like I am doing a good job,” said Neer, who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds on Hudl.com. “Now I have to work on making the ‘Wow!’ plays and not just the handoffs and check downs and all that.” Juarez, on the other hand, is working on getting better at reading defenses and understanding the Eagles’ offensive schemes. The junior, who played for the junior varsity team in 2023, has raw talent as he’s a 6-foot-2 athletic quarterback who has a strong arm. During the summer, Juarez has split time with Neer during scrimmages at a Pittsburg State University football camp earlier in the month. “I feel like I have improved a lot since last year,” said Juarez, who has also played at wide receiver and cornerback in the past. “I am 10 times better." “The biggest thing I have gotten better at is reading the field in the passing game and run game. It came to me finally and my eyes have been opened. I’ve gotten a lot faster than last year when I run the ball. I am better on the run. I throw better on the run. I am not saying I am good as him, but I get compared to Josh Allen. I am a tall quarterback who can run and see the field.” Added Allie: “(Juarez) throws a good ball. He played a lot of 7-on-7 scrimmages this spring. He got some experience there and played with some other wide receivers and honed his craft.” In addition to getting better at running the offense and making reads, Juarez said his biggest goal is to develop as a leader. “I want to grow my relationship with the coaches and be the guy the team comes around when everything is going good or bad,” Juarez said. “I want to be a captain of the team.” Page, who was a quarterback on the freshman team last season, can run and throw the ball well, Allie said. The veteran coach said he’s giving Page an equal chance to earn the spot as Neer and Juarez. “He’s the second tallest of three,” Allie said. “He played in a lot of games. He played a little bit at Pitt State. He did a pretty good job. He has the desire to be good.” Whoever ends up being the quarterback will have a solid supporting cast, Allie said. The Eagles have a strong group of running backs led by senior DJ Harris, who was a linebacker last season and was a starting running back as a freshman and sophomore. The Eagles also have a senior transfer from Iowa Robert Palmer, who has looked impressive over the summer. Grain Valley also returns three out of its five starting offensive lineman last season including Korbyn Goodwin, Chase Kitsmiller and Logan Bennett. The team also returns a two-year starter at tight end in Eli Monrian, who will anchor a pass catching group that will feature some first-year starters at wide receiver. The goal for Allie is to tailor his offense around the abilities of whomever the starting quarterback is and adjust to the opponent his Eagles are playing on any given week. “We try to take advantage of our kids abilities,” Allie said “We are trying some things with previous quarterbacks that we have not with those in the past. We are going to build our offense to stay within the abilities of our quarterbacks and not try to make them carry the weight on their back like we did with (Caleb) Larson, sometimes, and (Cole) Keller, both.” Grain Valley junior Anthony Juarez is one of these players competing for the starting quarterback spot in 2024. He was a quarterback for the junior varsity team last year and is a 6-foot-2 athlete who is solid at running and throwing the football. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley junior Chase Neer is competing for the starting quarterback spot in 2024 for the football team. He was the backup signal caller to Sal Caldarella for the varsity squad. He has a strong knowledge of the team's offensive schemes and was the scout team quarterback last season. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Kansas might use STAR bonds to lure Chiefs and Royals. Here’s how they worked on other projectsby Blaise Mesa, Beacon: Kansas Takeaways
Kansas could finance up to 70% of a Chiefs or Royals stadium under a new proposal to lure professional sports teams to the state. Kansas lawmakers have returned to Topeka for a special tax-cutting session and are expected to vote on a STAR bond proposal to finance a new stadium. STAR bonds, or sales tax and revenue bonds, pay for tourist attractions and then use the sales taxes collected at those attractions to pay off the construction debt. For stadiums, that means sales taxes on food, tickets or merchandise in that area are used to pay off the bulk of the debt instead of taxpayer dollars in the state general fund. That also means that sales tax dollars that might have otherwise paid for public services — including entertainment spending that shifts from an existing business to whatever a STAR bond financed — go to the project that’s financed with state help. Cities can opt out of offering their sales tax under the proposed bill. A Chiefs or Royals relocation from Missouri is marketed as a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican, said the new stadiums and surrounding entertainment districts would pay for themselves. “(Kansans are) not going to pay a dime unless they visit the district,” Tarwater said. But Kansas has a mixed record on STAR bond projects, and the state has never used them to subsidize an NFL or MLB team before. How often does Kansas fail to pay off STAR bonds?A 2021 audit of the state’s STAR bond system found that some projects may need over 100 years to pay off their debt. But the Kansas Department of Commerce said almost 80% of STAR bonds projects are expected to pay off early — often in a few decades. The audit and a 2019 Kansas CIty Star article paint a bleak picture of STAR bonds, though, saying they are risky and used too often. The Prairiefire development in Overland Park — which has a museum, restaurants and shopping — defaulted on its bond just months ago. Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka closed down and is up for auction. The Schlitterbahn Water Park never recovered from the death of a then-legislator’s son on a waterslide and is another closed-down STAR bond project. “When everybody is talking about pie-in-the-sky dreams and all the different possibilities, you have to have an economist say, ‘Here’s what actually happens. Here are the facts.’ ... STAR bonds … simply do not work,” economist Michael Austin told lawmakers. The Kansas Speedway, opened in 2001, was the state’s first STAR bonds project. The original bond was for $24.3 million and has $10.6 million in outstanding debt, a 2023 report from the Department of Commerce said. Kansas has successfully funded some stadium projects through STAR bonds. Children’s Mercy Park, opened in 2011 and home of Sporting KC, was originally issued $150 million in bonds and paid off its debt early. Do any current STAR bonds projects compare to a Chiefs or Royals stadium district?In 2023, the Royals sold 1.3 million tickets and the Chiefs sold another 638,000. The Royals were a last-place team that year and poor play scared off some fans. The team sold 2.7 million regular-season tickets during its 2015 World Series run. A STAR bond district bringing in 2.7 million visitors is comparable to the Wichita River District, which had around 3 million visitors in 2018 and 2019. The river district is paying back a $55.3 million bond, while a Chiefs or Royals district could cost substantially more. The cost of any stadium is purely speculative, but the new Las Vegas Raiders stadium cost $1.9 billion when it opened in 2020. The new Texas Rangers stadium was $1.2 billion when it opened in 2020. That could mean around $1 billion or more for just a new Chiefs or Royals stadium. When the Royals asked Jackson County, Missouri, taxpayers to extend a sales tax to pay for a new downtown stadium earlier this year, that would have eaten up about $2 billion over 40 years to pay the principal and interest on construction costs. Half of that sales tax money would have gone to the Chiefs. Tarwater, the Stilwell Republican, said he expects the stadium districts to draw far more than the river district. For starters, the stadiums could host concerts, college football playoff games or even March Madness Final Four visits. Tarwater said the Arizona Diamondbacks draw millions more people who aren’t at the game because of a district around the stadium. “You’re talking 70-80,000 people coming to a region several times a year,” he said. “That generates a lot of commerce.” Some STAR bonds districts also went under because the attraction closed. It’s been decades since a major American sports team went out of business. How much power does the secretary of commerce have on these projects?The Legislature is expected to vote on a STAR bonds proposal on Tuesday. But the Legislature doesn’t have the final say on how much is spent. That falls to the secretary for the Department of Commerce. Bob North, chief counsel for the Department of Commerce, said STAR bonds usually only fund 30% of the proposed projects. The department could authorize financing for 50% of the bonds, but it determines how much bond funding to use by looking at expected revenue. Kansas is one of few states using STAR bonds to fund projects. North said that gives the state an edge in economic development. Not only does it create new tourist attractions, he said, but it improves the economic well-being of the state. “We believe STAR bonds work,” he said. “Over time, that’s going to continue to be proven to be true.” This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. by Michael Smith Grain Valley head football coach David Allie has always been a team-first guy. Even when he was recognized for the outstanding job he’s done coaching Grain Valley, he would give credit to his assistant coaches, players, and his family. That’s exactly what he did when he reflected on his lengthy coaching career following his induction to the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, which was announced at halftime of Friday’s BEYOUnion.com Kansas vs. Missouri All-Star Game at DeSoto (Kan.) High School. Allie was one of 11 people inducted in the 2024 class as part of a selection process conducted by for inductees and association presidents. When speaking on his feelings about joining the GKCFCA Hall of Fame, one word came to mind -- “humbled.” “It’s an honor,” Allie said. “It’s a great award but this is also a team award – this is for all the coaches I have worked with and all the teams we’ve had. This is an award that everyone should share in.” “To be associated with everyone else who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s very humbling. I can’t explain the joy, happiness, and gratefulness that goes into receiving that honor. As a class, they have an amazing number of championships won and lives coached.” Allie began his coaching career at Kirksville as a high school boys track and field and middle school basketball coach for the Kirksville School District in 1991. He also made stops as an assistant coach at Holden and Warrensburg before he got hired as an assistant at Raytown South in 1997. After then head coach Kelly Donohoe, a four-time state champion high school football coach, left to take the head coaching opening at Blue Springs, Allie was promoted to the head coaching position at South in 2000. As a Cardinal, Allie had 11 winning seasons in 14 years and helped lead his team to the state championship game in 2008 and to the state semifinals in 2009. Allie then took over a Grain Valley team that hadn’t had a winning season in four years when he was named the head coach in 2014. After losing seasons during his first two seasons at the helm, Allie has experienced nothing but success. He has a sparkling 76-40 record as head coach and has helped lead the Eagles to five Suburban White Conference championships, district championships and state quarterfinal appearances. For his entire 28-year career as head coach, Allie has compiled a 159-114 career record and has been the Kansas City Chiefs Missouri Coach of the Year twice – once with South and once with Grain Valley. He’s also spent more than 15 years as a member of the GKCFCA board of directors and was the president in 2021 and 2022. Multiple moments came to mind for Allie when thinking of some of the best during his time as an Eagle. “I got memories from everybody,” Allie said. “There was (Ethan) Macoubrie’s big catch to beat Harrisonville here in the last second of a game. Seth Schibler had a pick six against Oak Grove to help us get our first win against them in a while. I could sit here and fill the whole column with memories.” Allie has built a special bond with his players and his assistant coaches. He is known as a player’s coach, someone who relates well to those on the team. There was a special moment that highlights that fact after Grain Valley defeated Raytown 43-0 in the Class 5 District 7 Championship game. The Eagles players dumped a water cooler full of ice on top of Allie following the win, and after a locker room meeting, the players carried Allie outside in a manner that resembled crowd surfing at a concert. “That was an all-time moment,” Grain Valley graduate Ty Williams said. “He deserves it. He puts in so many hours. We couldn’t have asked for a better coach.” Not is the veteran coach supportive of his players, he’s a brilliant offensive mind, who has drawn up plays that have caught multiple opposing teams off guard. William Chrisman head football coach Michael Rose-Ivey has said he wants to model his program to be like Allie’s at Grain Valley. Oak Park head coach Kenneth Clemens said Allie was great at drawing up plays to create mismatches and getting his defense misaligned, which led to big plays. “A lot of things he has drawn up required some out-of-the-box thinking,” Williams said of Allie. “No one on our team can even think of it.” When looking back at his coaching career, Allie thought of many people to thank for having an impact on his coaching career, such as his best friend and former assistant coach Pete Carpino, who was an assistant at Grain Valley with Allie for eight years and Allie’s best man at his wedding. The veteran coach also thought of John Culp, who was mentor to Allie during their time at Warrensburg High School. “He was a huge influence,” Allie said of Culp. “Just the way he treats people and the respect he commands because he’s such a great guy.” And that’s the way Allie’s players see him, as well. Recent Grain Valley graduate, Stylz Blackmon, had nothing but high praise and admiration for his coach. “You really can’t speak enough about that man,” Blackmon said. “Not only was he an amazing coach, he was very personable. He made coming to practice amazing. He was going to get onto your butt about things when he needed to, but he was going to love you 10 times harder. “He believed in us. There wasn’t a moment where he doubted us. You wouldn’t see a change in demeanor with him. You would see the same buoyancy and energy and the same drive and focus.” That’s just one of many reasons Allie is in the GKCFCA Hall of Fame. The veteran coach has built a foundation of success everywhere he’s gone for the past 33 years as coach. And there’s one person he wanted to thank the most for his coaching career, his wife Cathy, who has been his biggest supporter throughout all of it. “It’s not easy being the wife of a football coach because of the way it can disrupt the family vibe,” Allie said. “Even in the offseason, there’s so much professional development that goes on. There should be a Hall of Fame for Wives and Cathy would be No. 1 on that list.” Grain Valley head football coach David Allie, middle, celebrates his induction into the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame alongside his wife Cathy, left, and his daughter Harper during halftime of the BEYOUnion.com Kansas vs. Missouri All-Star game Friday at DeSoto (Kan.) High School. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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