Lenexa to reward home facelifts
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
Lenexa again will reward residents for sprucing up their homes.
The city’s exterior grant program reimburses property owners for investments they make in their property.
Started this year with a $34,000 budget, the program awarded $2,000 grants to accepted applicants who spent at least $5,000 improving the outside appearances of their homes.
The city began accepting applications March 15. By June 22, all $34,000 had been distributed to 17 projects — totaling $140,000 in reinvestment.
“It’s a very proactive program, a proactive approach by the governing body to look at what things we can do to help this mature part of our community continue to thrive,” Assistant City Administrator Molly Deckert said.
Based on the positive response, Deckert and city staff went back to the council at its Oct. 2 meeting with a slightly revised plan.
Under the new plan, the minimum investment would remain at $5,000, but grants would be scaled at 20 percent of the investment. For example, a $5,000 investment would warrant a $1,000 grant. The maximum grant would be $2,500.
For 2008, the council approved $60,000 for the program, meaning if each grant recipient spent only the $5,000 minimum on their homes, the Lenexa Revitalization District would see $300,000 in improvement expenditures.
Eligibility requirements remain the same. Applicants must prove with receipts that they’ve invested in the projects. The property must be within the district outlined by the city, which includes a significant chunk of eastern Lenexa. Residents can find out whether their property is in the district at www.ci.lenexa.ks.us/Planning/NeighborhoodRevitalization.html.
Additionally, applicants must be current on all real estate taxes and have adequate property insurance. Improvements must conform to all municipal codes, and only one grant per property or investor is allowed every 10 years.
Resident Chad Allen took advantage of this year’s plan to help replace his driveway and the windows on the front of his house.
“Everyone was more than friendly about it,” he said. “I think I was the guinea pig for them.”
Allen said that his experience was a positive one, and that he would recommend the program.

PD down 7 officers
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
Lt. Dawn Layman has seen things change since she became an officer in the Lenexa Police Department.
“When I got hired here 14 years ago, there were 800 applicants for four positions here in the Police Department,” she said. “And now, we’ll get 60 to 75 applicants. That’s kind of the trend we’re seeing, and other areas in Johnson County are seeing the same kind of thing.”
Faced with a smaller applicant pool from which to draw and increased competition from the other departments, the Lenexa Police Department finds itself in an unprecedented situation. Seven officer positions are unfilled — the most in the department’s history.
The perception had been that Lenexa hired only experienced officers, and while Layman said that wasn’t always the case, it did often work out that way.
“We’ve given some young people — 21 and right out of school — the opportunity to come here and do well, and several of them have,” she said. “We’re not just looking for one type of person. We’re trying to get a diverse group, I think.”
And anticipating the need for officers to continue into the future, the department decided to get more creative with its recruiting practices and reach a younger crowd.
Are you an Everest cable subscriber? You’ve probably seen the department’s 30-second commercial. Been to the movies lately? The commercials are there as well, before the previews.
The department hired a company to produce a recruiting video, from which the footage for the commercials was drawn. Layman said that the video would be shown at schools and career fairs around the state, and that the department was trying to encourage high school seniors to become officers when they turn 21.
“What do you do with somebody for three years?” Layman asked. “How do you attract those people during that three-year period?”
One big factor is continued education. Every year, the department hosts a “police academy” for residents to better understand the hows and whys of the department’s daily operations and policies. Layman indicated that a similar program for youth was on the horizon.
Underlying everything, however, was the ever-present issue of quality.
“We don’t want to lessen our standards,” Layman said. “We have people who apply, but we want the best people for the position. We’re not going to accept just anybody.”
The application deadline for the current hiring process is 5 p.m. Oct. 11. For more information, visit www.ci.lenexa.ks.us/police/index.html, or call 913-477-7300.

City seeks nominees for hall of fame
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
OK, so maybe it’s not Canton or Cooperstown. It’s important to Lenexa all the same.
The Volunteer Hall of Fame has been a mainstay at City Hall since 1985, when the inaugural group of 22 residents was announced.
Today, the series of plaques bear hundreds of names, all individuals honored at a City Council meeting for their service to the Lenexa community.
The city once again is calling for nominations.
Do you know someone who has had a significant, positive impact on the Lenexa community through their efforts? Are you willing to tell people about it?
If so, City Hall will listen.
“Basically, it’s someone who stands head and shoulders above others in their volunteer work through their time and effort,” city spokeswoman Susanne Neely said of the ideal nominee.
A nominee must work or live in Lenexa city limits and have served the community for at least five years. Nominations must be submitted in writing to City Hall, containing details about the individual’s service, how long they’ve served and the “quantity or diversity of volunteer activities,” according to the city’s Web site.
Individuals who already are Hall of Famers may not be nominated a second time.
Those chosen will be recognized at the Nov. 20 council meeting and receive a framed community service award.
“It’s all over the board,” Neely said of the type of volunteer work the city has seen in the past. “It’s wonderful every year to see the different things that people do.”
Nominations are due by Oct. 15. They may be mailed to City of Lenexa, 12350 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66215, attention David Bryant, or e-mailed to dbryant@ci.lenexa.ks.us. For more information, visit www.ci.lenexa.ks.us.

Local adoption agency places about 45 children a year
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
Lately, adoption seems like the “it” thing to do if you’re a celebrity.
During the last couple of years, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have received nearly as much publicity for adopting children from foreign countries as they have for their films.
So has Madonna.
Tom Cruise and ex-wife Nicole Kidman’s first children were adopted.
Jennifer Agee, executive director of ABC Adoption Agency in Lenexa, sees the attention as a good thing, helping shine a light on children in foreign countries who need the care a family can provide.
“Nobody was adopting from Ethiopia until Angelina Jolie went over there,” Agee said. “And so whatever faults you may think she has, she really has done a lot to get some humanitarian aid in that country and improve the quality of life for those children.”
ABC Adoption places about 45 children a year with adoptive families through the combined efforts of its domestic and international programs.
Agee, who initially wanted to be a therapist, started the program when she took over as the nonprofit group’s director in 1998. Just like her work with adoption in general, however, expanding ABC’s reach wasn’t part of the plan.
“I actually had no desire to have international programs, but one of my social workers had adopted from Russia and had great contact with the adoption facilitator they had used,” Agee said.
ABC works with China, Guatemala and South Korea, too, but the domestic program is a primary focus of its work.
Catherine Welch is the adoptive parent coordinator for ABC’s domestic program, helping provide homes to about 25 children a year. Upon completing her graduate work at KU and an internship with ABC, she opted to stay with the agency when a position opened. She said her job provides unique challenges to go along with the obvious rewards.
“If a family is matched with an expectant mother, and they’ve had an opportunity to meet and get to know one another and she decides to parent, relaying that information to the adoptive family is very difficult,” she said.
Agee and Welch cited the satisfaction of seeing children happy with their adoptive families and helping create those relationships as what they enjoy the most.
ABC had a picnic Oct. 7 for the families it has helped — an event Agee and Welch said allowed everyone to come full circle.
“That’s the one thing every year that just completely rejuvenates my spirit,” Agee said.

Medical center offers free depression assessments
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
Because of the widespread impact of mental illness, Shawnee Mission Medical Center emphasizes depression education and treatment.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 9.5 percent of Americans 18 and older suffer from a mood disorder, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. And chances are most people have had contact with or been otherwise affected by individuals afflicted with mental illness.
Rennie Shuler-McKinney, manager of the Behavioral Health Assessment Center at the medical center, said a significant negative stigma still is attached to depression, despite the reality that so many Americans are familiar with it. That stigma can be a major roadblock to seeking treatment, she said.
“I think many times people feel like they’re crazy, or that maybe they should be able to snap out of it,” Shuler-McKinney said. “When in actuality, often there’s a biological piece to it because of brain chemistry, and individuals can’t just pop out of it.”
The BHAC is one of 2,500 screening sites nationwide that will offer free, confidential depression screenings on Oct. 11 as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. Participants must be registered by 10 a.m.
Shuler-McKinney said the BHAC has done the screenings for at least a decade. The screenings, she said, are a springboard for further education and care if it is needed. The BHAC provides services to individuals of all ages 24 hours a day.
For those who couldn’t register for the screenings Oct. 11, the BHAC offers free assessments, which are more in-depth versions of the screenings, all year long. An appointment must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
After a patient is assessed, specialists recommend treatment if it’s needed.
Additionally, if an individual isn’t comfortable with a face-to-face conversation but wants more information, he or she can call 913-789-3218 and ask questions confidentially.
Shuler-McKinney said patient response to the BHAC’s services was always positive.
“Many times we’ll hear, ‘Thank you for giving me my life back,’ and let me tell you, that’s a motivator,” Shuler-McKinney said. “That makes you want to come to work.”

Band members become homecoming royalty at SM South
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
Band members once had as much of a shot at making the homecoming court as the school lunch did at being considered delicious.
But the times? Well, they are a-changin’.
“Here, it’s common,” said Steve Adams, band director at Shawnee Mission South High School. “I wish I could tell you exactly how many years this has gone on, but it’s so long that I can’t tell you when it started. Easily 15 years.”
Band students at SM South, Adams said, have long been shattering the image of the “band nerd,” which he acknowledged existed when he was a member of the Rompin’ Stompin’ Raider Band.
In fact, this year three band members were in the homecoming court. Justin Holmes, the homecoming king, is the band president. Andrew Meschke plays the trombone, and Bart Johnson is the field captain.
Things get even more interesting.
The simple label of “band nerds” just doesn’t apply anymore. Not only are they part of the band, but they’re stars on the basketball and football teams and in track and field. They’re members of National Honor Society and top-flight musicians. Essentially, they’re overstepping every social boundary that traditional high school social politics might put in a teenager’s way.
“I think that’s kind of the thing that’s gone on here,” Adams said. “It’s not that these guys are ‘band people;’ it’s that they’re really strong representatives of the school in general.”
This isn’t to say that Holmes, Meschke and Johnson don’t catch a little bit of flak here and there. They all said they were teased to a small degree, be it from fellow classmates or members of an opposing fanbase prior to a basketball game.
The social climate at SM South, Meschke said, made things quite a bit easier from the start.
“I was worried about it when I first came here,” he said of the social stigma. “But at South, I think, so many people are in band. A couple of the varsity basketball players were in band when I was a freshman, and that kind of motivated me to stick with it.”
Holmes said he didn’t take the option to drop out of band.
“It seems like high school wouldn’t be the same without it,” Holmes said. “My daily schedule would change, and I wouldn’t be able to just play my trumpet and have fun.”
Johnson, who set a goal early to obtain the drum major’s cape, said that being in the band gave him opportunities that he wouldn’t have had — such as the chance to travel the world. During these students’ time at SM South, the band has traveled to Europe and Florida.
Holmes agreed with Meschke that social labels at SM South didn’t mean as much as they might elsewhere.
“I mean, we don’t really have jocks at this school who are just jerks to everybody,” Johnson said. “Both Justin and Andrew are on both sides, so they see that music and sports are equally important.”
When Adams began working at his alma mater 22 years ago, he said, he wanted to make it one of his goals to open up the band to the larger student body. It appears that mission, while he is reluctant to take any credit, has been a success.
“We’ve had a really terrific reputation in this school for decades now — not just outside of the school at competitions and the like, but within the school itself,” Adams said. “I think our student body and our community is really proud of the band, and they’re enthusiastic about supporting us.”

Rotary offers head start on reading
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
It started simply.
Guest speakers at the Johnson County Rotary Club used to walk away from the engagement with a pen or a coffee mug — something small, as a token of appreciation for taking the time to address the Rotarians that day.
“We discovered last year that Head Start programs all over the country had been cut back funding-wise because a lot of the kids programs and educational programs have taken a back seat in federal funding,” said Larry Williams, a member of the Rotary. “We found out that there was a big shortage.”
So what had been a pen or a coffee mug became a book signed by the speaker and donated to the Kansas City Head Start program on behalf of the individual. In the Kansas City area alone, Head Start, a federal program created in 1965 to help children of low-income families, provides aid to more than 3,000 children.
Williams and the Rotary saw the potential for bigger things. Combining efforts with 12 other Rotary clubs in the area, the target would be books for children ages 3 to 7 years old. Dubbing the project “Books for Kids,” the Rotarians soon were bringing in books by the hundreds. An early goal of 2,000 books was met in only a couple of months, and the ante was upped in response. The new goal would be to obtain one book for each child in the Head Start program in the Kansas City area.
Still, things were about to get even bigger. The University of Missouri-Kansas City wanted to get involved. The Rotary’s efforts for the year then concluded at the Jan. 5 UMKC men’s basketball game, at which attendees were given $3 off a ticket with the donation of a book.
“We ended up with 7,000 books,” Williams said. “The Head Start people were just thrilled to death.”
With the success of the first book drive, Williams said various Rotary clubs are back for the second round. Every Rotary club wishing to become part of the project is asked to collect 100 to 200 books — or more — and deliver them to assigned Head Start programs in the area.
The project will culminate again with a UMKC basketball game — this time the Dec. 3 contest.
Williams said Rotary clubs try to meet goals on a yearly basis. For the last two years, increased literacy has been one of those goals, he said.
“(‘Books for Kids’) is a natural fit for the literacy project,” Williams said.

Publicity raises Taser question
Aaron Cedeño | Staff Writer
If you spend much time navigating the digital landscape of the Internet, odds are you’ve seen — or read about — the video.
A University of Florida student steps to the microphone during a question-and-answer session with former Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. After the student delivered an impassioned diatribe, his microphone was unplugged, and security asked him to leave. He refused, a scuffle ensued, and security eventually resorted to using a Taser on the student to gain his compliance.
The event gained such notoriety that one Lenexa resident asked the City Council at its Oct. 2 meeting about the Lenexa Police Department’s Taser policy.
Lt. Rick Roth is one of the many Lenexa officers who are certified to use the Taser X26.
Anytime a Taser is deployed, he said, the incident undergoes an extensive review process that starts with the Taser trainers and works its way up to the watch commander.
“It’s reviewed in there to be sure that everybody is in compliance with policy, that they used good judgment,” he said.
“Were they trained properly? Did they use the right techniques? Everything like that.”
Roth said he could recall only a single incident in the last five to six months in which an officer used force incorrectly, though not inappropriately. In these incidents, officers are retrained.
The Taser has become an invaluable part of any officer’s repertoire, said Sgt. Fred Farris, who trains other officers to use the Taser.
Other weapons, such as pepper spray or a police baton, rely on gaining compliance through pain and can cause significant injury. Additionally, Farris said, someone who is intoxicated or emotionally charged may be able to fight through pain.
The Taser gets around those limitations by, essentially, taking control of an individual’s nervous system for 5 seconds. The electrical impulse, at a power of .0021 amps, still causes pain, but it also forces the muscles to contract involuntarily, taking the individual out of the fight.
Every officer undergoes an eight-hour training session, which includes a presentation, a written test, use of the weapon in controlled scenarios and even being Tasered themselves, so that they can gain personal knowledge of the experience.

Powerhouses prepare for district clash
Garth Sears | Special to the Lenexa Centennial
Old meets new Oct. 12, and a million storylines swirl.
The newly crowned Sunflower League champion, undefeated Shawnee Mission Northwest, will try to continue its magical year by beating cross-town rival and last year’s league champion, 5-1 Shawnee Mission West.
“It’s gonna be our greatest challenge of the year,” SM Northwest coach Aaron Barnett said. “West is a very good football team. Tim Callaghan’s probably the best coach in the league.”
SM Northwest is the only 6-0 team in the league, and including West there are three 5-1 teams — the other two being Olathe East and Olathe North.
Competition at the top of the league is strong, and both teams were undefeated before Free State (now 4-2) stunned SM West last week in a 32-0 surprise blowout.
“I think we had our worst game last week,” SM West coach Tim Callaghan said. “And the way we were playing, it was coming. We needed that to change the direction of the way we’re seeing ourselves. It’s not going to just happen because we’ve got those W’s on our helmet.”
One possible reason for SM West’s surprising flop might have been the loss of senior standout running back JD Steffen. His return against SM Northwest is questionable, but Callaghan said Steffen is doing “better than he was last week.”
Above all, Callaghan expects his team to use their loss as motivation to get better and stop taking wins for granted.
“I have every feeling we’re going to come out and play tough,” he said. “I think our kids are looking forward to the challenge.”
The Vikings’ challenge is somewhat unexpected. SM Northwest has been dominant this year. The Cougars are the top-scoring team in the league and second in the league in scoring defense. But last year the Cougars went 4-5, and those four wins were the result of last-minute comebacks.
Going winless last year wouldn’t have been shocking. Going undefeated this year won’t be surprising.
“It has gone well,” Barnett said. “Our kids have played hard and practiced well throughout the year. Being 6-0, there’s just not too many complaints.”
SM Northwest knows SM West will play like every yard is a critical mission. To keep the undefeated magic alive, the Cougars will have to be willing to return, hit for hit.
“Coming off a loss, they’ll be ready to play us,” Barnett said. “And our kids are going be up for it.”

Ravens send 5 to state meet
Garth Sears | Special to the Lenexa Centennial
Leaning on teamwork in an often-individual sport has worked wonders for Olathe Northwest tennis.
The Ravens (11-3-1) have earned three of the region’s eight entries into the state tournament, sending two doubles teams and one girl for singles.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me is when you load up the van, put five gals in it, it feels like you’re going to state as a team,” coach Jim Hix said. “When almost your whole team is going to state, it’s a great feeling. It has been a team effort.”
Senior Emily Huston, a three-time state qualifier for Northwest, maintained a 16-6 record in singles play.
The two doubles teams have rotated between the team’s first and second spots, meaning each collected experience playing opposing No. 1 teams. One team, senior Layne Anderson and junior Kaylee Thibault, earned a 17-6 record this season.
And juniors Candace and Alexis Boeh — a doubles team of twins — earned an 18-6 mark.
“We don’t have a prima donna player that’s going to just sweep state, but we have a strong team that’s playing together,” Hix said.
“The neat thing about our team this year is that we’re quite a bit better than where we started eight or nine weeks ago. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”
Perhaps more notable than any individual expectations is that so many girls are representing the school.
As Hix said, it is more a team effort than a team of individuals making individual efforts.
“Every day at the end of practice we put our hand in there and we say, ‘team,’” Hix said.
“Our motto is, ‘Together everyone achieves more.’”

Gritty Crowe eyes medal at Class 6A state meet
Tod Palmer | Sports Editor
Sometimes it hurts to watch Alex Crowe play tennis.
It’s not the quality of Crowe’s game that can be painful.
The junior singles star for the Shawnee Mission Northwest squad has established herself among the state’s best this season.
She finished second in singles Oct. 4 during the Class 6A regional at Lawrence, losing only to unbeaten Ally Majercik of Olathe East in the championship.
Now, Crowe will be among the favorites to medal Oct. 12 and 13 at the 6A state tournament at Harmon Park, right behind SM East High School.
She’s legit with a racket in her hand.
But watching her knee buckle — and Crowe wince — periodically as she slides for shots during a match, that can be hard to stomach.
Crowe dislocated her left kneecap last tennis season, and it hasn’t stopped hurting since, she said.
Not much can be done to halt the pain, though.
“It looks like my kneecap is cracked, but there are just three parts to it,” Crowe said. “It’s completely smooth, but it’s just in three parts. It’s kind of weird.”
Planting on the knee when she runs to hit a forehand hurts the most.
Crowe, who started playing tennis at age 5 or 6, is known for her power game. She’s got a dynamite serve and rifles quick, heavy ground strokes from the baseline.
But twisting on that knee when she’s already on the run, creating that torque on the joint to generate her trademark power, is a chore.
“Her knee is always a concern,” Cougars coach Ken Clow said.
Of course, Crowe’s not about to let it spoil her first appearance at state.
“The knee is always sore, but I’ve learned to work through it,” she said. “I’m not going to worry about my knee. I’ll just play through it, and we’ll see what happens. I know it’ll start wearing down by my fourth match, so people will have an advantage on me. But I can’t do much about it.”
And not that many players will gain a substantial advantage.
The top four finishers from state last year are gone.
SM South’s Mary Weatherholt is injured.
Runner-up Megan Matter of Blue Valley North opted not to play this year.
Finally, Washburn Rural’s Sheri Olivier and former Olathe East standout Haley Craig aren’t eligible.
That means Crowe could finish extraordinarily high.
Clow hopes Blue Valley North’s Taylor Fournier, who was fifth last season in 6A, will snag the top seed over Majercik, who has finished sixth, fifth and sixth at state in her high school career. That would open up the draw for Crowe even more, he said.
“A lot depends on the draw, but if we’re the No. 2-seeded regional, Alex can probably get into the top four,” Clow said.
That would suit her just fine.
“I think I can into that elite group, but it’s my first year at state and pretty much everybody else has been before,” Crowe said. “This is kind of my experience year. Hopefully, I can finish pretty high, but by next year I definitely should be up there.”
She won’t be alone at state.
SM Northwest teammates Ashley Burdolski and Mary Brauer, both seniors, will try to make noise in the doubles bracket.
“To make it to state is a pretty big deal for us,” Burdolski said. “It’s the first time for me and my partner, so we want to make the best of it for our senior year.”
By simply qualifying, Burdolski and Brauer already feel like champions.
“I was really excited,” Burdolski said. “It was one of those things I couldn’t really believe at first.”
The pair had been saddled with a regional that included the three-time defending state champion, BV North, and SM West’s Jennifer Dien and Lindy Anderson the last few years.
Moving to a different district pretty much ensured that SM Northwest’s top doubles duo would cruise to state. But it’s not as if Brauer and Burdolski didn’t have to earn a spot.
“There were four really strong doubles teams in our regional, so I hope that prepared the girls for state,” Clow said. “It’s kind of like we’re a No. 1 seed in the third-seeded place.”
That means Burdolski and Brauer will face the second seed from another regional, but it doesn’t matter. The fact that it’s a match is state it what’s important.
“That was my goal last week,” Brauer said. “I just wanted to make it to state. I didn’t care how we’d do at state, but I just wanted to make it because it’s kind of a major accomplishment. I was very proud that we did it.”
Now, the tandem can aim a little higher with that initial goal secure.
“If we can make the top eight, the top half of the state, that would be nice,” Brauer said.

— Contact Tod Palmer at 764-2211, ext. 140, or todpalmer@theolathenews.com.

Witter rides roller coaster at Pitt. State
Andy Marso | Sportswriter
No one needs to tell Jared Witter about the ups and downs of being a college kicker.
Witter, a freshman at Pittsburg State who graduated from Shawnee Mission West, has lived those ups and downs this season — even within a single game.
Last week, Witter ran through the tunnel at Arrowhead Stadium to the roar of 20,000 fans at the annual Fall Classic game between Pittsburg State and rival Northwest Missouri State.
It was an exhilarating atmosphere he’ll never forget. But that exhilaration turned to shock and disappointment when he missed a 31-yard field goal in the closing seconds of regulation with the score tied.
“To be honest with you, I thought it would be just another walk in the park, another chip shot,” Witter said. “That’s what I was trying to focus on. But as soon as it left my foot, I knew it was not good. I’d always pictured myself making that game-winning kick. Then it came down to that point and ... just a little slip-up, and it was over.”
Witter gave his squad another chance, though.
The Gorillas were stuffed on their first possession of overtime and turned to Witter to try a 42-yard field goal. After he missed on the shorter attempt only a few minutes earlier, many in the crowd assumed he’d be too rattled to convert.
But Witter drilled it, putting his team up 37-34 and forcing the Bearcats to go for the touchdown if they wanted to win.
“I was just so pissed off that I let down the guys when I missed that last one,” Witter said. “I went out there with the mindset that I wasn’t going to let that happen again. I just swung through that one like I usually do.”
The Bearcats punched the ball in on fourth down to win the game on the following possession, stealing Witter’s opportunity for ultimate redemption. But Witter said he would use the game as a learning experience and try to build off it.
There’s little doubt that the Pittsburg State coaches are still confident turning to Witter in pressure situations.
He earned that trust in a Sept. 29 victory against Central Missouri when he made a kick in the final seconds to force overtime. Central Missouri used two timeouts to try to “ice” him, but Witter still came through and the Gorillas won 38-31 in overtime.
Witter’s performance in that game earned him conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors, an award he also won after a Sept. 1 victory against East Central Oklahoma.
Witter is 8-14 on field goals and 24-25 on extra points this season. He’s also averaging 40.3 yards per punt after becoming the Gorillas’ starting punter early in the season.
Witter has been able to take over all the kicking duties at an NCAA Division-II powerhouse smoothly as a freshman, which is quite an accomplishment.
He showed that kind of potential at SM West, but the college game is another level. Kickoffs start at the 30-yard line, field goal kickers aren’t allowed to use the 2-inch tee common to high school football, and the defensive rush is always coming faster to block kicks.
“In high school, I was able to kind of mosey on through it,” Witter said. “Now you’ve got this rush coming at you, so all the motions you went through in high school have to be speeded up quite a bit.”
Still, Witter has been able to thrive for the 4-2 Gorillas. He’s also quicker and more athletic than most kickers/punters, which should allow the Pittsburg State coaches to devise some crafty fakes in the future.
For the present, though, Witter is intent on improving his field goal success rate, and waiting eagerly for another shot to make a pressure kick. He wants to put the miss against Northwest Missouri behind him.
“Every night I go to bed and I think about that,” Witter said. “I just want another chance. I’m definitely going to learn from it; no doubt about it.”

— Contact Andy Marso at 764-2211, ext. 138, or amarso@theolathenews.com.

Sophomore returns to state
Garth Sears | Special to the Lenexa Centennial
St. James’ only state tennis qualifier will return to the big show.
Sophomore Sarah Snodgrass heads to Pratt, Kan., on Oct. 12 to push for the Class 4A state championship, trying to improve on her freshman showing of 14th place.
“She’s improved a tremendous amount,” said Rebecca Snodgrass, her coach and mother. “Her fitness level has increased. Her maturity has increased. She knows what to expect now. I think there’s a little more sense of calm. There aren’t as many nerves taking over. She knows how important it really is.”
Fourteenth would be a disappointment this year after the improvements she made in the off-season and so far this year.
Sarah Snodgrass not only won the regional meet in Baldwin, but she dominated the top-seeded player, De Soto senior Hannah Konetzni, by scores of 6-1, 6-1.
“She has her own goals set,” Rebecca Snodgrass said. “She’s pretty determined. When she knocked out the No. 1 seed, you could see that she’s got that determination to place a lot higher. She’s definitely goal oriented.”
The top four teams from each of the four substate meets will comprise the state field of 16 singles players and 16 doubles teams.
One of the competitors will be the two-time defending state champion from Topeka-Hayden, senior Alexandra O’Neal.
Snodgrass seems to be in a favorable position, though, because she’s young and will have several cracks at a state title.
“She’s got three state championships ahead of her,” Rebecca Snodgrass said. “She learned last year and now she knows what she needs to do.”