Rattlers-Brigade on Fri Night

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Junction City Brigade	2	0	0	0	0	0005					7	8	1
Rossville Rattlers	0	0	0	3	0	2200					7	9	1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E Junction City Brigade 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 7 8 1 Rossville Rattlers 0 0 3 0 2 2 0 0 1 8 12 1

    Below commentary is being updated as game is played.  This is the second game of a best of 3 series.  The Junction City Brigade won the first game Thur. night.

    Junction City jumped off to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.  But,  the Rattlers scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 4th to take a 3-2 lead.
    Still 3-2 at the end of five innings.  This could end up being an exciting game.

    The Rattlers picked up 2 more runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to take a 5-2 lead.
    The Rattlers hold in the top of the 7th.  In the bottom of the 7th,  Michael Higgins is walked and then Collin Scribner hits a home run to add to the lead.
    The Rattlers again held the Brigade scoreless in the top of the 8th inning.    The Brigade brought in a new pitcher to start the bottom of the 8th but he threw 7 straight balls,  walking Matthew Nerz and Tim Scheaarman. Jonathan Valenzula-Reece grounded out but advanced the two runners to scoring positions.  However,  they were not able to advance and the scoring opportunity yielded no results.
    In the top of the 9th,  the Brigade scored 5 points to tie the game.  A grand slam home run contributed 4 of the runs.   The Rattlers got men on 1st and 2nd via walks,  but they died there to end the inning.
    On to extra innings.
    The Rattlers held the Brigade scoreless the top of the 10th.  The Rattlers hit 2 singles,  and then a walk loaded the bases.  Michel Higgins hit a single scoring Jeff Christen to end the game.

    The offense was led by Michael Higgins (C) with 3 hits, 3 runs, and 1 RBI and Collin Scribner (1B) with 2 hits, 2 runs and 1 RBI.

    Video of the game can be seen at:
http://ksnt.com/2015/07/24/rattlers-win-in-extras-force-game-three-vs-brigade/

    The teams will play the final game of the match on Sat. night at Junction City's Rathbert Stadium.

Shrine Bowl Sat. Night

    The Kansas Shrine Bowl, a football game that features the best recently-graduated high school football players throughout the Sunflower State, is Saturday night at Fort Hays State University.
    Former Dawg Thatcher Horak will be playing.

JC Paper On Brigade-Rattler Game

From the Junction City Post

      The Junction City Brigade scored 10 runs, had 12 hits, drew two walks, and had two batters hit by a pitch. Despite that they barely held on to defeat the Rossville Rattlers 10-8 Thursday night in game one of their Cowdin Cup Playoffs semifinal round series at Rathert Field in Junction City.  This is the Mid Plains League postseason tournament.
      Brigade pitcher Phillip Muldrow struck out Jonathan Valuenza-Reece of Rossville in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded to end the game.  Two Brigade errors had helped the Rattlers load the bases with two out.
      Seth Wheeler, Junction City coach, said it was the first time this season Junction City has had a game like that. “That’s just a competitive baseball game where offensively both teams were really stubborn, putting pressure on the defense, having competitive A-B’s all day long. It was a lot of fun.  It was a long game, but it was a lot of fun.”
      The game took more than three hours to play.
      Game two of the best two-out-of-three series is Friday night in Rossville at 7 p.m.  The winner of the series will advance to the tournament championship game Sunday.  In the other Cowdin Cup Playoffs semifinal Thursday night the Midwest Athletics defeated the Liberty Monarchs 11-1 in the opening game of a best two-out-of-three series.

Thatcher Horak (15) In Shrine Bowl

By Brent Maycock

brent.maycock@cjonline.com

The thrill of being part of Rossville’s first state championship football team still hasn’t worn off for Thatcher Horak.

“It was just so exciting,” Horak said. “People around town are still talking about it and to be a part of it was just incredible.”

The excitement generated during the championship season was enough to tug at Horak’s heart strings a little. Several of his Bulldawg buddies opted to continue playing in college, many signing with Highland Community College, and the desire to join them was strong.

Instead, Horak signed with Washburn. But not for football, but rather baseball.

“I was excited to keep going, and I grew up loving football to death,” Horak said. “But baseball, I think just has more options for me. It might suit me a little better and that’s what I chose.”

Horak will satisfy his football cravings one last time, suiting up for the East squad in Saturday’s Kansas Shrine Bowl in Hays. He’s the 16th Rossville player to play in the game and first since Gage Steckel in 2012.

Horak was a huge weapon in Rossville’s prolific offensive attack a year ago. As a senior, he ran for 992 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught 32 passes for 542 yards and eight scores. Only younger brother Tucker Horak ran for more yards and only Christian Roduner had better numbers as a receiver.

For his career, Horak rushed for 1,433 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 76 passes for 1,280 yards and 21 scores.

But if he’s to get any touches for the East offense in Saturday’s game, Horak will have to lobby hard. He’s spent the entirety of camp on the other side of the ball, playing cornerback.

It’s not exactly a new spot. Horak was just as valuable to the team at that position last year, making 43 tackles and picking off four passes on his way to All-Class 3A honors. When he got dinged up early in the 3A title game against Scott City, he mostly played defense the rest of the way and helped Rossville stymie the Beavers late in a 21-14 win.

Still, going from a do-it-all type of player to a specialized position has been a different feeling.

“It’s really weird only doing one thing,” Horak said. “Since my sophomore year, I’ve played both ways and hardly ever left the field. It’s a little easier settling down in one spot, focusing on one position and maybe getting a little better at it.”

But don’t be surprised if Horak finds a way to work in a play or two offensively in Saturday’s game.

“The first day I got here, Coach (Walt) Alexander said, ‘I tried to recruit you for offense,’” Horak said. “They haven’t budged yet, but we’ve been bugging them for quite a bit to get me some snaps on offense, too. It’s just a fun experience no matter where I play. It’s for the kids and it’s just a good time to come out and play one more football game before I hang up the cleats.”

Game One Of Semi-Final Match

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Rossville Rattlers	0	0	2	0	5	0	1	0	0		8	12	1
Junction City Brigade	1	0	6	0	2	1	0	0	-		10	14	2

      Through six full innings,  the Brigade leads the Rattlers in Game One of their semi-final match for the Cowdin Cup.

      Through seven full innings,  the Brigade leads by two.
      Neither team could score the last two innings so the Brigade held their 10-8 lead for the win.
      Colton Kooser (CF) only had one hit,  but it was a bases loaded double sending three runs in.  Michael Higgins (DH) and Jeremy Thomas (RF) each had 2 hits and 1 RBI.  
      The teams meet again Friday night at 7 PM at Rossville.

Semi-Final Round Of Cowdin Cup

Thursday 7/23:  Rossville @  Junction City (7:00 PM)

Friday 7/24:  Junction City @  Rossville (7:00 PM)

Saturday 7/25:  Rossville @  Junction City (7:00 PM if necessary

Video Of Wed. Game

    Here is some video from the  Wed night game where the Rattlers defeated the Baldwin City Blues 9-1.
http://ksnt.com/2015/07/22/rattlers-crush-baldwin-city-advance-to-semifinals/

Baldwin City Blues At Rossville

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Baldwin City Blues	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0			1	7	1
Rossville Rattlers	6	0	0	3	0	0	0	0			9	9	0

    The Rattler offense was led by Jeremy Thomas (RF) with 2 hits, 4 RBIs and 1 run.
    Taylor Mah was the starting pitcher and he spent 7 innings on the mound allowing only 5 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts.  
    Jaren Kutzke threw for the last two innings to seal the win allowing 2 hits, no runs, 3 walks, and 5 strike-outs.

Co. Commission To Get Bridge Update

From the Capital-Journal
    The Shawnee County commissioners will hear an update Thursday on the dilapidated Willard Bridge in northwest Shawnee County.
    Tom Vlach, public works director, will present the update when Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer meet at 9 a.m. Thursday in Room B-11 of the county courthouse, 200 S.E. 7th.
    Information about the presentation wasn’t available Tuesday, but Vlach has given frequent updates on the condition of the structurally deficient bridge for months. In March, commissioners called for weekly inspections after multiple holes caused by corrosion were found in the floor beam on the north end of the bridge.
    The Willard Bridge is located along the county’s western edge on N.W. Carlson Road, about 2.7 miles north of Interstate 70. It was built in 1955 and widened in 1983. The bridge is the same type as the Interstate 35 bridge in Minneapolis that collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145.
    The county applied June 5 for a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant. Shawnee County requested $16.7 million of a total $500 million available and should know by the end of September whether those funds will be granted.
Kansas Department of Transportation had agreed in late June to advance Shawnee County between $7 million and $10 million in interest-free loans for replacing the bridge.

RHS Booster Club Gets Dillon's Check

The RHS Booster Club received their first community Dillon’s Rewards check for  $66.00.  It’s not too late to sign up and help.  If you’re shopping at Dillon’s,  please register your card and choose the booster club to receive a % back.  Thanks to everyone that has done so already!

Rattlers at Baldwin City (Updated)

Game tied at the end of 9 innings.
Top of the tenth as the game goes into extra innings.
Rattlers get two on base and score one in the top half of the 10th.
Start of the bottom of the 10th with Rattlers leading 6-5
In the bottom of the tenth, the Blues hit five straight singles scoring two runs for a 7-6 victory.

With the series tied at 1-1,  the two teams come back to Joe Campbell Stadium Wednesday evening for the third game to see which team advances to the semi-final game of the league tournament.

	12	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10		R	H	E
Rossville Rattlers	02	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	1		6	12	1
Baldwin City Blues	04	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2		7	11	0

    The Rattler offense was led by Collin Scribner (1B) with 2 hits, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs and   Michael Higgins (C) with 3 his and 3 runs and 1 RBI.    Cade Bunnell (3B) had 2 hits and 1 RBI.
    Jake Michalski was the starting pitcher,  but he only lasted 1 1/3 inning, giving up 3 hits, 4 earned runs 4 walks, and no strike-outs. Tristin Johnson pitched the next 3 2/3 innings allowing only 1 hit, 1 earned run, 5 walks,and 4 strike-outs.    Jake Hozey pitched the last 4 1/3 innings.   He was doing well his first 4 innings,  but allowed 5 singles in the 10th inning which led to two runs crossing the plate for a Blues victory.  

Rossville Wins First Playoff Game

Baldwin City Blues	0	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0		5	8	1
Rossville Rattlers	0	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	2		6	9	1

    The Rattler offense was led by Michael Higgins (C) with 2 hits, 2 runs, and 2 RBI.   Collin Scribner (1B) had 1 hit and 2 RBIs.  Tim Schaerman (SS) had 2 hits and 1 run scored.  and Colton Kooser went 1 of 2 and scored 2 runs.

     Zach Holmes was the starting pitcher allowing 5 hits (including a home run), 5 earned runs,  2 walks and 2 strike-outs in his three innings on the mound.  Bryan Girder pitched 3 innings of shut-out ball allowing 2 hits, 4 walks, and 4 strike-outs.    Drew Scrimster closed out the game allowing 2 hits, no runs, 3 walks and no strike-outs.
    Rossville will play at Baldwin City Tuesday night for the second game of the best 2 out of 3 games.  They will return to Rossville if a third game is needed.   

Final MPL Standings

 

Midwest Athletics	36	25	11	0	.694	205	128
Junction City Brigade	36	22	14	0	.611	190	111
Rossville Rattlers	32	18	14	0	.563	192	167
Topeka Golden Giants	35	19	16	0	.543	211	196
Liberty Monarchs	29	12	17	0	.414	165	195
Baldwin City Blues	36	14	22	0	.389	196	282
Topeka Senators	34	9	25	0	.265	125	179

Playoffs begin 7 PM Tonight.

    Mid Plain League Post Season Playoffs begin this evening at Rossville at 7 PM with the Rattlers hosting the Baldwin City Blues to begin a best of three games series.    Click on below image to see full bracket.  
     The team pot luck dinner and team awards will take place following the game tonight.