Laura Jones Passes Away

Laura Jones has passed away.  When it is available,  her obituary can be viewed at:
https://www.piperfuneralhome.com/obituary/Laura-Jones

Cornelia Brian Passes Away

    Rossville—Cornelia R. Brian, 97, passed away Saturday, August 29, 2020, at the Rossville Health and Rehabilitation Center.

     She was born on October 5, 1922, in rural Beaver, OK., the daughter of Chris H. and Cora Chappell Winfough,  She graduated from Darrouzett High School, Darrouzett, TX. 

     Cornelia Winfough and James M. Brian were united in marriage in Beaver, OK., on October 8, 1941.  She and Jim owned a grocery store at Capital Hill, OK.  After moving to Kansas in 1948, she became a farmer’s wife for several years, helping her husband.  In 1954, they moved their family to Topeka for a short time, then to Meriden in 1959.  They lived in Meriden until moving to Rossville in 1975.  During her life, she worked at Pelletier’s Store in Topeka and then became a cook at Topeka High School.  Later in life, she became a cook at Meriden Grade School.  She retired from there after several years.  In retirement, she and Jim enjoyed traveling in their campers they restored.  They celebrated 59 years of marriage before his death.

     Cornelia was a member of the Rossville United Methodist Church, WSCS, and had been a youth leader at the Methodist church in Meriden.  She was Runner-up for the Jefferson Award for Volunteering at the Rossville Valley Manor for more than ten years.  She also was a United Methodist Church Bible Quiz volunteer.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Calvin, Chester, Wayne, and Otis, her husband James in 2001, and a son-in-law Jim Nettles.

     Survivors include her three children, L. Lanell Nettles, James H. (Grace) Brian and Chris E (Diane) Brian; five grandchildren, Carolyn (Bill) Thompson, Chris (Lesa) Brian, Tom (Linda) Bowen, David (Nicki) Brian and Lori Nettles; 11 great-grandchildren, Jami (Jacob) Auldridge, Briana (Brent) Gould, Zachary Brian, Davik Brian, Elijah Brian, Amilee Brian, Alea Brian, Linnea Brian, Justin Brian Keith, Miranda Bowen, Jeffrey (Megan) Bowen; six great-great-grandchildren, Draven, Harrison, and Oliver Auldridge, Eleanora Gould, Vincent Bowen, George, and Elizabeth Keith.

     Funeral services will be at 2:00 P.M. Friday, September 4, 2020, at the Rossville Christian Church.  Mrs. Brian will lie in state, and the family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Thursday, September 3, 2020, at the church.  Interment will be in the Havensville Cemetery, Havensville.  Memorial contributions may be made to Interim Hospice and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple Street, St. Marys, Kansas 66536

CJ Article On Silver Lake Football

Following link is to a good article about this year's  Silver Lake football team.

https://www.cjonline.com/sports/20200829/silver-lake-success-rsquostarts-up-frontrsquo

Kansas 2A Football for 2020

From CatchItKansas

Class 2A Preseason Standings:

1. Rossville

2. Hoisington

3. Silver Lake

4. Nemaha Central

5. Pittsburg Colgan

6. Norton

7. Cimarron

8. Hillsboro

9. Garden Plain

10. Osage City

Notes: On paper, Rossville is the key clear cut No. 1 in what is expected to be likely the most wide-open class. Rossville was top-8 in 2A in scoring offense and defense and returns virtually its entire team. Last year, Nemaha Central and Norton both were surprise entrants into the title game. Hoisington was the preseason No. 1 team last season and reached the state semifinals for the second consecutive fall. The Cardinals have to replace Top 11 all classes Wyatt Pedigo (5,000-plus career rushing yards), but Hoisington has a great QB in Mason Haxton and plenty of backfield weapons, including Cade Mason and Holt Hanzlick. Pedigo’s biggest loss might come on defense, though Joshua Ball (71 tackles, team-high 12 TFLs) returns. Colgan bumps up from 1A.

Cross-Country Schedule For 2020

Sep
3        Mission Valley Inv.        4:30-6:30
12      Wamego Inv.                  9:00-2:00
17      Onaga Inv.                      4:00-6:00
24      Royal Valley Inv.            4:00-6:00
Oct
1        Horton Inv.                      4:00-6:00
8        Osage City Inv.                4:00-6:00
15      MEL Championship        6:00-6:00
24      2A Regional at Alma       4:00-6:00
31      2A State at Wamego       10:00-2:00         

Rossville Tennis Team Outlook

Sophomore Alivia Sherer and senior Peyton Price are the only members of the Rossville tennis team coached by Jesse Sherer.

After playing the regular season in a co-op with Hayden, Sherer became Rossville’s first-ever state qualifier last year when she finished sixth at the Class 3-2-1A regional as a freshman. Sherer went 0-2 at the state tournament, dropping a 7-5, 7-5 first-round decision to eventual fourth-place finisher Hannah Pearce, of Kingman, and finished the season 16-10 overall.

Rossville Girls Golf Outlook for 2020

From the Capital-Journal:

Coach: Eric Anderson

Top returners: Kayla Davis, sr.; Hailey Steele, sr.; Jessica Thompson, so.; Jenna Thompson, so.; Abigail Broughton, so.

Outlook: Dawgs have just five players out.

Rossville Football Outlook For 2020

From the Capital-Journal:

Coach: Derick Hammes (8th year).

Last year’s record: 7-3

Postseason: lost in 2A playoffs second round.

Returning starters: Offense (8), Defense (9).

Top returners: Bryson Balch, C/DE, Sr.; Kris Brown, OG, Sr.; Tyree Sowers, RB, Sr.; Kaiden Brown, RB/LB, Sr.; Bo Reeves, WR/CB, Sr.; Torrey Horak, QB/CB, Jr.; Woodrow Rezac, SB, Sr.; Joe McGrath, OL, Sr.; Jacob Carver, OL, So.; Corey Catron, LB, Jr.; Brody Lietz, DL, Jr.; Layne Hurla, DB, Sr.; Austin Klesath, DB, Sr.; Mshewe Hale, DL, Jr.

Outlook: After reaching 2A quarterfinals in 2018, Bulldawgs were bounced in the second round by eventual state champion Nemaha Central 29-21 in overtime. ... Only other losses came to 2A semifinalist Riley County and arch rival Silver Lake. ... Graduation only claimed handful of seniors, but replacing All-2A lineman Kody Davoren will be challenge. ... Bulk of skill players return led by Horak, who threw for 1,007 yards and 17 TDs and ran for 1,214 yards and 16 TDs as sophomore starting QB. ... Rezac added 828 yards and 10 TDs rushing and Sowers had 636 yards and 7 TDs. ... Reeves led receivers with 26 catches for 512 yards and 8 TDs and Sowers and Kaiden Brown combined for seven TD catches. ... Hurla led team in tackles with 90, while Brown added 77 and Catron had 71. ... Hammes is one win from 100 in his career.

Dawgs Ready For Run At 2A Title

From the Capital-Journal:
Like many young kids in Rossville, Bo Reeves vividly remembers looking up to the Bulldawg football teams that captured three straight Class 3A state championships from 2014-16.

“Those guys were our idols,” Reeves said of a group that included not only Reeves’ older brother, Jackson, but also the likes to two-time All-State quarterback Tucker Horak, Cole Schjmacher, Jacob Bradshaw and Dawson Hammes. “We always talked about how it was something to look forward to when we got up there and it would be our turn. We watched them so closely so that we could do exactly what they did.”

The production and level of success those championship teams enjoyed were staggering. The Horak-led undefeated title teams in 2014 and 2015 averaged 447 and 520 yards per game, respectively, while also putting up 48.4 and 53.1 points a contest.

When Bradshaw took over for Horak at quarterback in 2016, the production hardly diminished with the Bulldawgs averaged 42.9 points and 462 yards per game on a way to a third straight crown. While in the three years since the title run ended, it’s been tough to duplicate those gaudy numbers, this year’s edition of the Bulldawgs could very well come the closest to matching the skill set displayed by the title teams.

Rossville returns every key weapon from last year’s 7-3 team that averaged 37.8 points and 417 yards per game. That makes the prospects for the Bulldawgs’ potential in 2020 very tantalizing.

“I think we definitely have what it takes this year,” Reeves said. “We’ve got all the pieces to the puzzle. We’ve just got great chemistry out there. The sky’s the limit for us.”

Rossville coach Derick Hammes agrees with the assessment of his senior standout receiver.

“The similarities we have with some of those teams we had is we have multiple guys that can get things done and the focus of the defense can’t be to take one person away,” Hammes said. “There are some differences. We’ve got a little bit of speed in this group and a little size with what Bo brings to the table. Weve got depth and we’re somewhat interchangeable in some of our spots. That’s what excites me.”

The basis of Rossville’s successful offenses have revolved first and foremost around a playmaker at quarterback and returning starter Torrey Horak showed he was ready to fill that role a year ago. The younger brother of Tucker — who is the only player in state history to rush and throw for 2,000 yards in the same season — expectations have been high for Torrey since Day One and he’s answered the call.

Stepping in as starting quarterback as a sophomore and ran for 1,214 yards and 16 touchdowns and threw for 1,0007 yards and 17 touchdowns.

What the title teams had that its successors have somewhat lacked, however, was playmakers to surround the quarterback and Rossville has those as well.

In rushing for 316 yards per gam last year, Rossville got 828 yards and 10 touchdowns from Woodrow Rezac and another 636 yards and seven TDs from Tyree Sowers. As seniors this year, both are strong backfield complements to Horak.

Reeves, a four-year starter, led the receiving corps with 512 yards and eight touchdowns grabs, but Rezac, Sowers and Kaiden Brown each added more than 100 yards and combined for eight touchdowns as well.

“We just have to get them in position to do what they do well,” Hammes said. “When we have a quarterback in the system for multiple years, there’s so much decision-making that goes into that position for us that it’s more of a mental thing than physical thing. I think that experience bodes well for us to use the strengths we’ve got around him.”

The key to Rossville’s success likely hinges on the development of the guys clearing the way for the many playmakers. Graduation claimed All-2A lineman Kody Davoren, but three starters do return led by seniors Joe McGrath and Kris Brown.

In going 7-3 last year, Rossville opened the season with a 28-8 win over eventual Class 1A state champion Centralia, which didn’t lose again after the loss. After suffering Mid-East League setbacks to rival Silver Lake (14-13) and Riley County (34-15), the Bulldawgs ran off five straight wins before falling 29-21 in overtime in the playoffs to Nemaha Central.

Central went on to win the Class 2A state championship, leaving Rossville with the knowledge it was right on the cusp of perhaps doing the same.

“We were disappointed obviously, not that we were a young team but with a lot of these guys being juniors last year, I saw us getting better as we played,” Hammes said. “That’s what stings the most is I know we were going to get better the longer we went.”

Nemaha Central graduated several key players off its title team, as did runner-up Norton and many of last year’s top Class 2A teams. It’s been a revolving door of title teams in the classification since Rossville’s run and this year appears to be as wide open as any.

With its pieces in place, Rossville feels it has as good of a chance as any.

“When I look back the past few years, the teams that have made the run, at least on our side of the bracket were senior-dominated,” Hammes said. “They had a lot of upperclassmen on their team and that was a strength they had that we didn’t. That’s not an excuse for us any more. We’ve got kids that have playing experience and hopefully the 17-, 18-year-old in their senior year brings the intangible we didn’t have the past few years.”

A Look At The 2020 Bulldawgs

Coach — Derick Hammes, 8th year.

Last year’s record — 7-3

Top offensive returners: OG Kris Brown, sr.; RB Tyree Sowers, sr.; RB Kaiden Brown, sr.; WR Bo Reeves, sr.; QB Torrey Horak, jr.; SB Woodrow Rezac, sr.; OL Joe McGrath, sr.; OL Jacob Carver, so.

Top defensive returners: DE Bryson Balch, sr.; LB Kaiden Brown, Sr.; CB Bo Reeves, sr.; CB Torrey Horak, jr.; LB Corey Catron, jr.; DL Brody Lietz, jr.; DB Layne Hurla, sr.; DB Austin Klesath, sr.; DL Mshewe Hale, jr.

2020 Rossville High Girls Golf Roster

Kayla Davis             12
Hailey Steele           12
Taylor Williams        12
Abigail Broughton    10
Jenna Thompson     10
Jessica Thompson   10

Rossville High 2020 Volleyball Roster

2020 Rossville High Football Roster

Duane Melvin Among Top 125

Duane "Blackie" Melvin,  former Rossville High coach in the late 50s and early 60s and later coach at Seaman High is among the 125 best athletes in Shawnee County per the Capital-Journal.

70. DUANE MELVIN, Seaman

All-around athlete in the 1940s lettered multiple times in three sports at Washburn and played minor league baseball.