Shawnee Co. Willard Bridge Photos

Shawnee County Public Works has been taking pictures of the Willard Bridge Construction.  For photos,  and also other info about the bridge,  go to:

http://www.snco.us/publicworks/willard_bridge.asp

Oscar McCoy Passes Away At 97 Years

1.     “Oscar” McCoy, age 97, formerly of Delia passed away Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Oakley Place of Rossville.
       Oscar was born June 14, 1919 in El Paso, Texas the son of Allen and Clara Armstrong McCoy.
       Oscar graduated from Perry High School. During World War II he worked at Beechcraft Corperation. Oscar farmed northwest of Perry, Kansas. When Perry Reservoir was constructed, he moved north of Delia and farmed there the rest of his life.  
2.     Inurnment will be in the Oak Ridge Cemetery at Perry, Kansas  

Willard Bridge Under Budget

From the Capital Journal:

Replacing the aged Willard Bridge in rural Shawnee County could be done sooner and for nearly $6 million less than expected.

Tom Flanagan, deputy director of public works, briefed the public and Shawnee County Commissioners on Thursday about the progress of the multi-million dollar project spanning the Kansas River. Crews have been working since early last year and by contract are required to finish by Dec. 1, but Flanagan said it’s likely the project will wrap up sooner. About 70 percent of the total construction is complete, he said.

“I’m going to hold them to (the Dec. 1 deadline) but I’m hoping we can beat that by at least a couple months,” he said.

Commission Shelly Buhler, who lives in Rossville, north of the bridge, said she’s heard from many who are happy with the project. Willard Bridge has been a concern since 2009 when a commission reported said that if one of the bridge’s eight steel pins failed, it would collapse without warning.

“In the coffee shop, they tell me they’re pleased with the progress,” Buhler said.

In June, Carlson Road and the old bridge will close so crews can connect the road to the new bridge. The closure should last no longer than 90 days, Flanagan said. A marked detour, about 25 miles long, will lead people around the bridge to another crossing.

The old bridge, which was constructed in 1955 and has several structural deficiencies, is still open to traffic with a weight limit. Reinforcements were added on the north bank of the river, but Flanagan stressed that the weight limit is 9 tons.

“We still have a lot of violators,” he said.

The commission approved a little more than $24.7 million for the bridge in 2015, but since the beginning it has been under budget. A.M. Cohron & Co returned a bid of about $16.028 million, and with design and other fees of about $2.6 million, Flanagan said he expected the total cost to be between $18 million and $19 million.

“We saved some big bucks,” he said

The update came after Carol Marple inquired during public comment about the bridge’s status.

“The rumor mill was alive and well about closing the bridge,” she said.

Allen Rose Pases Away

Allen Leroy Rose, 86, of Rossville passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at the Colmery-O’Neil V.A. Hospital in Topeka.

He was born May 26, 1930 in Metcalf, Illinois, the son of James and Dorothy Rogers Rose.

Allen attended Charleston High School in Charleston, IL.  He was an Army veteran of the Korean War, and was wounded in combat on February 22, 1951.  Allen was awarded a purple heart and a bronze star for bravery.  He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He was married to Dolores Britt on October 24, 1952.  She survives at the home.  Other survivors are two sons, Steve (Nancy) of Delia and Randy, of Sabetha; his daughter, Sandee (Steve Schnelz) Milwaukee, WI; a sister, Donna Satterfield, Charleston, IL; eight grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Allen was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson; three sisters and three brothers.

Memorial services will be at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys.  Inurnment will be in the Rossville Cemetery with military services conducted by Jimmie Lillard Post No. 31 of the American Legion.  Memorial contributions may be made in Allen’s name and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, Kansas 66536.

Concert Rescheduled For Friday

Monday night's school concert 

has been RESCHEDULED 

for this 

FRIDAY, MARCH 10th at 7:00 PM.

Swans near Rossville

    This is a link to a video of about 120 Trumpeter and Tundra Swans in a field near Rosssville.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJugrYfDGg

Football Team Honored

The Rossville State Champion Bulldawg football team was honored at the Kansas State Capitol.

Moravan Lodge Members In 1924

Here is a picture of the members of the Moravan Lodge in 1924 along with a list of the names.

Images provided by Tom Smatla

Rossville Rattlers 2017 Schedule

The Rossville Rattlers begin play on June 1, 2017.   Here is their schedule for this summer.
https://www.rossvillekansas.us/2017RattlersSchedule.pdf

Article About Boys Silver Lake BB Game

From the Capital Journal:
Silver Lake 66, Rossville 48
After pulling out a pair of single-digit victories over archrival Rossville during the regular season, the last thing Silver Lake coach Linndy Frieden expected in Saturday night’s Class 3A sub-state championship game rematch was a blowout.

So when the Bulldawgs came out with a spirited first five minutes and led Silver Lake 10-8, it wasn’t much of a shock.

The rest of the game, however, was a pleasant surprise for Frieden and the Eagles. After the early deficit, Silver Lake took control and ran away for a 66-48 victory to punch its ticket to next week’s state tournament in Hutchinson.

“I think you have to give the Rossville kids a lot of credit because they went through some adversity last weekend and played well this week,” Frieden said. “It helped us because we knew them beating St. Marys was a wake-up call and we gave them plenty of respect. … I didn’t think we’d be subbing with two minutes to go up 20.”

Frieden and the Eagles found themselves in that position in large part because of how they started the second half. After seeing Rossville shave a 14-point second-quarter lead to eight by halftime, 29-21, Silver Lake came out in the third quarter firing on all cylinders.

In particular, Mason Griffin was unstoppable. After getting hit with a technical late in the first half to help key Rossville’s closing run, the sophomore more than atoned, scoring six straight points to start the period and had 20 of his game-high 25 points in the second half.

His early burst helped Silver Lake push the lead back to double digits and after Rossville closed back within six, Cale Adams scored seven points in an 11-1 run that put Silver Lake up 16.

Adams finished with 19 points.

“Cale is probably the most under-appreciated guy on our team,” Frieden said. “He does all the dirty work and is a great leaper, great athlete and usually guards their best player. Cale gave us great energy tonight.”

Minus three starters removed from the team at the start of the week, Rossville simply couldn’t maintain its emotional run to get to the championship game. Trey Anderson scored 14 to lead the Bulldawgs (12-11) and Sheldon Hulbert added 11.

Article About Girls Riley Co. Game

From The Capital-Journal:

RILEY COUNTY GIRLS 47, ROSSVILLE 41 — When Rossville’s Amanda Hill opened the fourth quarter of Saturday’s girls title game with back-to-back 3-pointers, it could have spelled big trouble for Riley County.

It was a spot where Falcon coach Harold Oliver knew his team’s overall youth had shone through.

“We just lost her a couple times and she’s so good,” Oliver said of Hill, Rosssville’s senior standout. “I think it was more of our youth losing track of her, but give her credit too.”

The shots turned a one-point Falcon lead into a five-point deficit and, given the Falcons’ youth, could have been a spot where they crumbled. Instead, Riley County showed the poise of a veteran team and responded with a 14-3 run to secure a trip to next week’s state tournament in Hutchinson.

As might have been expected, it was a senior who got Riley County regrouped as Bethany Crubel followed Hill’s two treys with a pair of free throws and her own 3-pointer to tie things back up. After Hill gave Rossville back the lead with another 3-pointer, Falcon sophomore Addy Oliver answered with a 3-pointer on the next trip and the Falcons made 7 of 10 free throws in the last 1:40 to seal the win.

“We’ve just been developing when we went through a tough stretch of the season competition-wise,” Oliver said of a late-season spell which saw the Falcons lose six of seven. “We were a little overmatched and the kids grew through that. It may not have looked like we were improving, but we were.”

Hill was sensational in her final prep game, scoring 24 points, including all 11 of Rossville’s points in the fourth quarter before fouling out. Sister Caila Hill added 14 points, but only one other Bulldawg made a field goal and only two others scored.

And when Rossville looked to Hill late, Riley County did a solid job of smothering her, forcing a tough shot or her to pass it away.

Crubel led Riley County (15-8) with 16 points while Emily Earhart added 10 and Sarah Thomson had eight.

Boys Sub-State Championship At St. Marys (Updated)

Championship game on March 4 at St. Marys.

Boys: Silver Lake 66, Rossville 48

Silver Lake  17  12  21  16   =   66
Rossville      10   11 12   15   =   48

Silver Lake (17-6) scoring:
Byrne              1-5          0-0      2
Baird               5-15        1-2     11
Wagner           2-4          3-4      7
Griffin              8-16         8-11  25
Adams            8-10         3-4    19
Heiman           1-1           0-2     2
Cregen            0-2          0-0     0 
Boyd                0-1          0-0     0
Walker             0-0          0-0     0
Snook              0-0          0-0     0
Calderwood     0-0          0-0     0
Koelzer            0-0          0-0     0
Totals             25-54      15-23  66

Rossville (12-11) scoring: 
Musick            4-5          1-4       9
Dyche             3-6          2-3       8
Hulbert            4-11        2-4      11
Morris              2-6         1-2        6
Anderson        5-12        3-3      14
Quiett              0-3         0-0        0
Hudson           0-1         0-0        0
Martinek          0-1         0-0        0
Badura            0-0         0-0        0
Brummer         0-0         0-0        0
Totals            18-45      9-16      48

3-point goals — Silver Lake 1-6 (Griffin 1-2, Byrne 0-2, Wagner 0-1, Boyd 0-1); Rossville 3-21 (Hulbert 1-5, Morris 1-5, Anderson 1-4, Dyche 0-2, Musick 0-1, Quiett 0-3, Martinek 0-1). 
Total fouls — Silver Lake 11, Rossville 16. Fouled out — Rossville: Hulbert, Dyche. Technical — Silver Lake: Griffin.

There is video of the game at:

http://ksnt.com/2017/03/04/many-area-teams-book-their-ticket-to-the-state-tournament/

RHS Girls Lose To Riley Co.

The RHS girls lost the Sub-State Championship game to Riley Co., 41-47.

Riley County     12    6    13    16   =   47
Rossville           13  10      7     11  =   41

Riley County  scoring:

Crubel             4 (3)       5-7     16
Earhart            4            2-4     10
Thomson         1            6-7       8
Allen                2 (1)      1-4       6
Oliver               2 (2)      0-0       6
Vargo               0           1-2       1 
Totals              13 (6)   15-24   47

Rossville scoring:

Hill                    8 (4)      4-5     24
Hill                    3            8-8     14
Anderson         1             0-0      2
Shinn                0            1-2      1
Totals              12 (4)     13-15  41

There is video of the game at:  http://ksnt.com/2017/03/04/many-area-teams-book-their-ticket-to-the-state-tournament/

Football Team Visiting Capitol

The Rossville High football team will be visiting the Capitol building in Topeka at 10:00 Monday, March 6.