As the calendar turns to 2009, the Kansas City Kansan looks back at the Top 10 sports stories in Wyandotte County.
This year, a Kansas City, Kan., team won a league championship, professional soccer arrived in Wyandotte County and NASCAR turned the heat up in a busy 2008.
1. Kansas City T-Bones win Northern League Championship.
With the T-Bones’ record below .500 as the regular season ended, a championship run seemed unlikely.
However, the team got hot in the Northern League playoffs and never looked back.
Going 6-1 in the playoffs, the T-Bones swept the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, who had the Northern League’s best record in 2008 after going 62-34. From there, the T-Bones defeated the defending champions – the Gary SouthShore RailCats – in four games.
In Kansas City’s seven playoff games, 13 home runs were hit by the T-Bones. Former Kansas City Royal Ken Harvey hit four of them, including a crucial home run in Game 3 of the Northern League Championship Series.
Even with Harvey’s heroics, Jim Fasano may have had the biggest hit of the season for Kansas City. Fasano drilled a three-run homer in Game 4, giving the team a 4-0 lead, which they never surrendered.
“Thank you fans for your support and patience as we have together built the Kansas City T-Bones into a dynamic element in the Kansas City community that delivers ‘fun well done and now, a championship,” said T-Bones Owner John Ehlert, in a message to fans on the team’s Web site. “Please join me in congratulating Andy McCauley, his coaches and this great group of dedicated ballplayers who refuse to quit. Further thanks and congratulations are overdue to Rick Muntean, Chris Browne and the entire staff that promises and produces great customer service as we strive for ‘fun well done.”
Fasano led the club in round trippers last season, as he slugged 20, while driving in 84 runs. Harvey and Craig Hurba each hit 12 to tie for second on the team.
In pitching, Kenny Durost led the team with eight victories, while Anthony Boughner and Anthony Show each tallied six victories.
The T-Bones have planned a weekend of celebration for the club’s first home stand in KCK in 2009. McCauley will return to manage the team.
The series ended after three games in Gary, Ind., were postponed due to rain.
2. Kansas City Wizards “move” to Wyandotte County.
While the Wizards will eventually have their new facility in Kansas City, Mo., they will play at least two seasons in Wyandotte County before moving there.
The Wizards played most of their home games this season in KCK as the franchise is in transition between locations.
They played at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, home of the T-Bones.
"The Wizards are very excited to play in Kansas," Robb Heineman, Wizards President said after the announcement. "It has been great working with the Unified Government, and we believe the combination of soccer and the entertainment of Village West is a winner. We're very pleased and appreciative of the fact that John and Adam Ehlert and the Kansas City T-Bones were willing to be our partner in this interim stadium solution."
Unified Government Mayor-CEO Joe Reardon said the team was a welcomed addition to KCK.
"The Wizards soccer team is a great attraction for Kansas City. So are Village West, The Legends and CommunityAmerica Ballpark,” he said. Combining these world-class attractions is a win for soccer fans and all Kansas City residents.”
In the team’s first season in Wyandotte County, the Wizards made the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they were defeated by the Columbus Crew.
Shortly after the playoff loss, the Wizards’ new home as approved the Missouri Development Finance Board.
3. Johnson wins thriller at Kansas Speedway
In perhaps the greatest finish in Kansas Speedway history, Jimmie Johnson edged out Columbia, Mo., native Carl Edwards to win the Camping World RV 400.
Johnson, who started the race in first position, held off a daring rally from Edwards, who again finished in the top five at Kansas Speedway.
Edwards passed Johnson on the final lap when he shot past Johnson. He slid up the track, bouncing off the wall as Johnson retook the lead for the final time before winning the race.
"Those last two laps he figured out something and got a bunch of grip,” Johnson told reporters after the race. “I thought he was under control and all of a sudden he was there. Great race, I saw the slide jump coming, dodged it and got a win.”
After the race, Edwards said he was desparate to win at Kansas.
"I just really, really wanted to win this race,” Edwards said. “I wasn't going to pass him on the bottom and I didn't want to do a slide job and hit him. ...That's as hard as I can go.”
Edwards would also finish in second-place to Johnson in the final Sprint Cup Series standings, as Johnson won his third-straight title this season.
4. Bishop Ward wins sixth straight state championship
The Bishop Ward Cyclones continued their baseball dynasty by winning its sixth consecutive state championship.
In a season where the Cyclones extended its winning streak to 45 games, Ward finished the season with a 22-4 record. Three of Ward’s losses came in one-run games, including two 1-0 games.
The Cyclones defeated Eudora, Piper and Spring Hill in Sub-State play. They defeated Ottawa, Andale and Hayden to win the state tournament.
5. Turner football recovers from miserable start, makes semifinals
Starting off 1-5, the Turner Golden Bears football team appeared to be done.
But after four straight wins, the Golden Bears advanced to the second round of the Kansas 5A state playoff game.
The Bears’ playoff victory came against the Lansing Lions. However, the team lost against the top-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas Saints.
Head coach Alan Terrell said the team never gave up.
“A lot of other kids would have folded,” Terrell said. “They never got down about things and it happened everyday. Our kids didn’t want to lose.”
6. Near misses by Edwards, Bowyer at Kansas Speedway
In 2008, both (Carl) Edwards and Clint Bowyer had second place finishes at Kansas Speedway.
The border rivals, who each claim Kansas as their backyard, have never won at their home track. But in 2008, each came close.
Edwards finished second in the Camping World RV 400, while Bowyer finished second in the Kansas Lottery 300.
7. Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools amends athletic participation policy
The Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education spent a few months of 2008 crafting a new and stricter participation policy for students to take part in extracurricular activities.
No high school and middle school student will be allowed to flunk a class under the new guidelines. Students in the middle school and high school level must also maintain a grade point average of 2.0 in order to participate in sports or interscholastic competition.
The vote was passed unanimously by board members at this week’s Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education meeting.
8. KCK Public Schools hire full-time trainers
After an appeal by coaches and players, the school district approved the hire of full-time trainers for the district’s student athletes.
Athletic directors and coaches within the school district said the trainers have helped with preventing injuries and treating current injuries well
9. Sumner Academy wins KCK League in football
The Sabres made it the Kansas 4A state playoffs, where they lost in the first round.
10. Harmon basketball rebuilding
The Harmon Hawks basketball team won its first tournament in at least 20 seasons after defeating Eudora in the Paola Invitational.
