This blog is for posting all news of Rossville residents and Rossville High alumni. Bookmark this page and send any appropriate news (births, deaths, engagements, marriages, anniversaries, job changes, honors, etc.) items to: Frank.Ruff@juno.com .
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Rossville had four wrestlers competing at the 321A State Championships on Feb. 25 and 26. The team finished eighth of the 30 teams competing which is a fine showing considering they were outmanned by the other top teams that had as many as 8 wrestlers competing.
Colby Hurla (138) went 2-1 on Friday and moved to the consolation semifinals on Sat.
Colby faced Jarrett Mader (36-14) of Ellis whom he defeated in his first match.
Colby defeated him again with a 7-1 decision.
Colby then defeated Ethan Elliott (27-7) of Wellington with at fall at 2:17 for Third.
Sam Twombly (160) went 1-1 on Friday and will face Wichita County's Tristen Porter on Saturday.
Sam defeated Tristen Porter (26-10) of Leoti by fall at 2:08. Sam defeated Mac Chambers (31-6) of SE of Saline by 4-1 decision.
Sam defeated Bryce Eck (33-4) of Union by fall at 2:54. Sam defeated Dalton Hilyard (36-12) of Douglas by fall at 0:53 for Third Place.
Barrett Lietz (220) went 1-1 on Friday and will face Larned's Carter Atteberry (33-12) on Saturday. Barrett lost to Atteberrry by fall at 2:42
Jacob Carver (285) went 3-0 on Friday defeating Mason Hogan (15-14) of PLainville, Andrew Watts (26-6) of Humbolt, and Corbin Ruga 36-12 of Noco. He faced Douglass' Joe Martin (25-12) in the state title match on Saturday. Jacob lost the match to Martin with a fall at 2:32 for a Second Place finish.
On Thursday at the KSHSAA 4-1A girls state wrestling championships, Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla had one of her few full matches of the season in the 120-pound weight class title match.
Hurla won her second straight state wrestling title at the girls state wrestling tournament at Salina's Tony's Pizza Events Center by a 3-0 decision over Pratt's Jadyn Thompson.
Hurla was ranked the No. 1 wrestler in the 120-poind class in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association heading into the state tournament and had to battle through the second-ranked wrestler in the state in a championship contest that went the distance. The difference was a takedown in the first period and escape in the second after choosing the down position.
In addition, Hurla becomes the first girl in the Rossville girls wrestling program to be a two-time champion. That means something because the girls program at Rossville is only in its second year. Two for two for Hurla.
"It feels nice to stand back up on that podium," Hurla said. "I don't have any words for it. It's nice because that match I definitely worked for it."
Rossville wrestling coach Courtney Horgan said he and Hurla had talked about the pressure of repeating as a state champion. Last year, Hurla went 26-2 on her way to winning a state title as a freshman. From her journey as a manager in middle school to her finally joining and starting to wrestle, Horgan had high praise for the youngster.
"She's the best in the business, man," Horgan said. "I think there was some pressure on her that she put on herself, and that's part of the game. We talked a little bit about that pressure and how you handle that pressure, and she's done well with it. She really has."
Hurla finished the season with another medal around her neck and a perfect 42-0 record in her sophomore season along with 36 pins. She made the state tournament look easy too with takedowns in all three of her matches leading up the eventual to-the-distance championship bout.
"I'm so proud, man," Horgan said. "That girl works harder than anybody. We put her through the ringer in our rooms. She eats up every minute of it. This is well-deserved right here. She hasn't been through many six-minute matches this year, but I had no doubts that she was going to be fine gas-tank-wise because she works so hard. Nobody deserves more than that girl.
The biggest theme for the Rossville wrestling program is family. Hurla said a lot of people know the term is used all the time in sports but don't know the full meaning behind it when it comes to sports until they experience it.
"I'd say my team is the best family you can have, besides blood-related," Hurla said. "There in that room, you know that no one is getting out of work. So, no one is skipping around, and I think that really helps us grow together."
Horgan said when he asked his wrestlers what their favorite and least-favorite thing was about this season, he said the response for favorite was the family culture.
"We've got something pretty special in Rossville," Horgan said. "These guys love each other, they work hard for each other. They beat each other up in the room, but when practice is over, they're back to family."
Kansas Wesleyan U. advanced to the semi-final game of the KCAC tournament on Feb. 23 with a 76-66 win over Friends U. The semi-final game will be Friday, Feb. 15. Caila Hill had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Amanda Hill had 11 points, 13 rebounds, 1 block, 1steal, and 1 assist.
First round of the 4531A Girls wrestling started the morning of Feb. 23 at the Tony's Pizza Event Center in Salina and continued through the day and resumed Feb. 24.
The first day results were as follows:
Kendra Hurla (36-0) defeated Ranie Paulson (13-15) with a fall at 1:27. Kendra next defeated Caxton Smyth of Plainville with a fall at 1:58. She then defeated Cadence Williams with a fall in 1:47
Keera Lacock lost her first match to Emily Lowett (28-7) of Hoisington in a 10-4 decision. She then defeated Brenn Holden (13-11) of Eureka with a fall at .41.
Reagan Wonnell (28-9) defeated Emmaline Primrose (12-10) of Pratt with a fall at 1:37. Reagan then lost to Brooklyn Lima (24-9) MD 11-1.
Second Day Results:
Kendra defeated Jadyn Thompson (37-2) of Pratt by 3-0 decision for First Place.
Keera lost to Wendy Candia (17-13) of Pratt by 11-6 decision
Amanda Hill(SR/Rossville, Kan.)'s presumed final game inside Mabee Arena was like so many others she played there during her magnificent five-year career.
Hill, Kansas Wesleyan's career leader in points and games played, scored 21 and grabbed six rebounds as the Coyotes routed York 81-58 in a first-round contest of the Kansas Conference Tournament on Monday night.
KWU, the fifth seed, advances to the quarterfinals and will return to Wichita for a game against fourth-seeded Friends at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Garvey Center. The Falcons (22-9) downed the Coyotes 59-54 in the regular season finale Saturday in Wichita.
Amanda's sister, Caila, had 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 4 assists.
Born January 29,1941 in Holton, Kansas to Anna (Thompson) and Emmet Kidney passed away quietly on February 7, 2022 in Tampa Fl at the age 81. He was active in the First Christian Church of Holton. Forrest was a Mason. He graduated from HHS in 1959 and went to Washburn University where he earned a Bachelor degree in Business. After college he worked for Goodyear for a few years before starting his own Insurance Agency which he ran for years in St Marys and Rossville. He enjoyed Kansas State University Football and donated to the football program and went to as many games as he was able to attend. He was to married Susan (Reiman)Drury for 35 years and they loved traveling the US and going on Cruises. His favorite place to visit was San Francisco. He loved watching the Chiefs and Royals. He was preceded by his parents, brothers and sister and son Mike Kidney. He is survived by his wife and best friend Susan Kidney his children James Kidney (LeAnn), Tina Schindler (Robert), Bryan Kidney (Jodi), and stepchildren Todd Drury and Heather Hendron (Mark). Seventeen grandchildren and Six great grandchildren. Thank you to the Suncoast Hospice for the wonderful care given. Forrest will be greatly missed by all. Forrest will be cremated and Funeral arrangements TBD per the Family
Charles E. Dugan, 88, of Delia, Kansas passed away February 15, 2022 at Stormont Vail Hospital. He was born March 10, 1933 in Circleville, Kansas. He is survived by JoAnn, his wife of 64 years; by three daughters, Christine (Alan) Stanton of Topeka, Edy (Tony) Prescott of Delia, and Jeri Walter of Topeka; one son, Scott (Mary) Dugan of Wakarusa, Kansas; 11 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, David and daughter-in-law (Cheryl) Dugan of Hoyt. He retired from Goodyear Tire and Rubber in 1996 after 41 years of service. He was a proud veteran of the United States Army, having served during the Korean War. He was a member of the Third Kansas Battery B Civil War Reenactor Group, the WWII Rolling Thunder Military Group, a past member of the Topeka Camera Club, and a past board member of the Delia Fire Department. A Celebration of Life will be held February 26th from 1:00-4:00pm at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, Forbes Field. Graveside services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made to the Kansas Army National Guard Museum, 125 SE Airport Dr, Topeka, KS 66619, or the Delia Fire Department in care of Chris Gordon, 4410 102 Rd, Delia, KS 66418. A full obituary is available at the Angels Above website https://angelsabovecs.com/obituaries.
Ernestine Lee
Humphrey Caffrey, 95, of Harrisburg, North Carolina, passed away on February
20, 2022. She was born on November 28, 1926, in Rossville, KS, to the late Jewell
Farley Day and Ernest Schantz.
Lee
grew up on a farm in Rossville, KS where she became an expert horseman and
showman. She passed that love on to both her children. She loved being on the
water, boating, skiing, and traveling. She always enjoyed any time she could
spend with her family and her friends. She was very deeply loved and will be
greatly missed.
She
is survived by her husband, Clifford Caffrey; children, Randy Humphrey and
Sandra Walker (Wayne); grandchildren, Blake, Hayden, Jodie, Justin and Jessica,
6 great-grandchildren; and brother, Donnie Shantz.
Private
services will be held.
In
lieu of flowers and in honor of Lee, memorial contributions can be made to St.
James Lutheran Church, 104 Union St S, Concord, NC 28025.
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home
& Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Caffrey family. Condolences may be
made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.