Willard Bridge Photos

Photos by George Brown

Phyllis Graves Passes Away

Phyllis M. Graves Phyllis M. Graves, 84, formerly of Rossville, passed away Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at Rolling Hills Care Home in Topeka. Memorial services are pending at Piper Funeral Home St. Marys, Kansas.

321A Wrestling Rankings

MEL Basketball Standings

Mid-East League standings as of Feb. 15, 2017 

Boys          League … Overall

Rock Creek    6-2          15-3
Silver Lake    5-2 …      12-5
St. Marys       5-3           12-5
Wabaunsee   5-3           14-3
Rossville        2-6            7-10
Riley County  0-7           3-14

Girls          League … Overall

Wabaunsee    7-1           15-2
Rossville         6-2          15-2
Riley County   5-2           10-7
Silver Lake      3-4          10-7
St. Marys         2-6          10-7
Rock Creek      0-8          4-14

Wabaunsee Wins In Boys BB

Rossville          14     14     4    16    =   48
Wabaunsee      12    16    20    14    =   62

Rossville scoring:
Hulbert           4 (1)    1-1    10
Morris             2 (2)    3-4      9
Musick            4         1-2      9
Hammes         3         1-1      7
Anderson        3 (1)    0-2     7
Schumacher   2          0-0     4
Dyche             1          0-0     2Totals            19 (4)    6-12  48.

RHS Girls Get Big Win

    Thew RHS girls knocked off league leading Wabaunsee on the opponents home court on Tuesday night.  The Chargers have recently been ranked #3 in 2A with a 15-1 (7-0 in MEL).
With the win,  the bulldawgs are 15.2 overall,  the same as the Chargers, and only one game behind in the MEL at 6-2.                 

Rossville             9    12    15     9   =   45
Wabaunsee       15    10      7   10   =   42

Rossville scoring:

Hill            8 (1)   1-1    18
Buhler       3 (3)   0-0     9
Hill            3         2-2     8
Shinn        3         0-0     6
Shinn        1         0-2     2
Anderson  1         0-0     2 

Totals      19 (4)   3-5    45.

Additional Article About Arica Ahlvers

From KSNT Web Site:

EMPORIA, Kan. – Emporia State Athletics mourns the passing of three-time All-American volleyball player and former Athletic Marketing Director Arica Shepherd Ahlvers who passed away on February 9.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cole, Collins and the rest of Arica’s family. It’s a tragedy to lose someone so young,” said Emporia State Athletic Director Kent Weiser. “Arica was an outstanding student-athlete and her positive personality was evident on the volleyball court and again when she worked with us as our marketing director.”

Alvers was a four-time All-MIAA performer for the Hornet volleyball team from 2006-09 and a three-time first-team selection. She was a three-time AVCA All-American and holds ESU single season and career records in kills, kills per set, double figure kills matches and 20+ kill matches. She led the Hornets to the MIAA Championship and the NCAA Regional Championship match in 2009.

After graduation she spent a year as a marketing and sales consultant for Country Legends 106.9 before returning to Emporia State as the Director of Athletic Marketing in 2011. Her primary duties at ESU revolved around generating sponsorships and advertising revenue for the athletic department as well as marketing and promotional efforts for the Hornets. She oversaw Emporia State’s game day atmosphere and assisted with all phases of event management and operations. After two and a half years in that position she left to take a position as an account manager for hibu in January of 2014.

A native of Rossville, Kan., Ahlvers graduated from Emporia State in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She married Cole Ahlvers, a former football player at Benedictine College, in August of 2011. They are the parents of a daughter Collins.

There will be a Memorial Service for Arica at 11 a.m. Friday at Christ the King Church, 25th and Wanamaker. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Collins Ray Ahlvers Fund at any Capital City Bank in Topeka or Lawrence. Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

ESU Mourning Arica's Death

From CJ Online

Emporia State athletics is mourning the recent death of Arica Shepard Ahlvers, a three-time All-American volleyball player and former director of athletic marketing for ESU.

Ahlvers, 28, died unexpectedly this past Thursday according to an ESU news release and Ahlvers’ obituary.

The Rossville native played at ESU from 2006-2009, putting together one of the better careers in program history.

Ahlvers was a three-time AVCA All-American and four-time All-MIAA selection for the Hornets. She holds ESU’s single season and career records in kills, kills per set, double-figure kill matches and 20-plus kill matches.

Ahlvers led the Hornets to an MIAA championship and the NCAA regional championship match in 2009.

Her twin sister, Ashley Shepard Spahn, played volleyball at Washburn.

Ahlvers returned to ESU as director of athletics marketing in September of 2011 and remained at ESU until December of 2013.

She married Cole Ahlvers, a former football player at Benedictine College, in August of 2011. They have a daughter, Collins.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cole, Collins and the rest of Arica’s family. It’s a tragedy to lose someone so young,” Emporia State athletic director Kent Weiser said. “Arica was an outstanding student-athlete and her positive personality was evident on the volleyball court and again when she worked with us as our marketing director.”

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Christ the King Church, 25th and Wanamaker.

Arica (Shepard) (06) Ahlvers Passes Away

Arica Noel Ahlvers, 28, Topeka, passed away Thursday, February 9, 2017.

Arica was born May 1, 1988, in Chanute, Kansas, the daughter of Todd and Beth Cooper Shepard. The family moved to the Rossville area when Arica was in second grade. She graduated from Rossville High School in 2006. Arica had a love for all sports and was a three time All-American in volleyball at Emporia State University. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with an emphasis in Marketing and was an account manager for hibu. 

Arica and Cole Michael Ahlvers were united in marriage on August 20, 2011, and are the proud parents of Collins Ray Ahlvers. Arica was a wonderful wife, daughter, sister and friend, but most of all a loving and devoted mother.

Arica loved life and wanted to have fun but she also wanted everyone around her to have fun as well. It was always about the people around her. Arica was carefree and confident, had a heartfelt, contagious laugh and a beautiful smile made even more so when she lookied at Collins.

Grateful to have shared Arica’s life are her husband, Cole and daughter, Collins; her parents, Todd and Beth Shepard; twin sister, Ashley Spahn; brother, Justin Shepard; grandmother, Ada Bishop; father-in-law and mother-in-law Keith and Patricia Ahlvers; Cole’s grandparents, Dianne Ahlvers and Grant and Barbara Speaks; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Jamie, Whitney and Wade Ahlvers and Matthew Spahn; and many other family and friends. Arica was preceded in death by her grandparents, James and Marilynn Shepard, Floyd Bishop and Raymond Ahlvers.

There will be a Memorial Service for Arica at 11 a.m. Friday at Christ the King Church, 25th and Wanamaker. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Collins Ray Ahlvers Fund at any Capital City Bank in Topeka or Lawrence. 

3A Girls BB Ranking By CJ & KBCA

    Team                Record

1. Hugoton (1) … 16-0

2. TMP-Marian (2) … 15-1

3. Council Grove (3) … 16-1

4. Nemaha Central (4) … 14-2

5. Kingman (5) … 14-2

Others — Caney Valley 15-2, Cheney 14-3, Cimarron 13-4, Halstead 13-4, Hesston 13-4, Humboldt 15-2, Remington 14-3, Rossville 14-2, Russell 14-3, Wellsville 12-3.


Kansas Basketball Coaches Assn. rankings.
 3A Girls

1. Hugoton
2. Thomas More Prep
3. Kingman
4. Council Grove
5. Nemaha Central
6. Cheney
7. Caney Valley
8. Hesston
9. Cimarron
10. Rossville

Wabausee is ranked #2 in 2A.

KWCA Wrestling Rankings for 321A

Rossville maiintained their number 10 ranking for the week of Feb. 7.  Click on image to enlarge.

Mid-East League Wrestling Tournament

Mid East League Duals Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Silver Lake
2nd Place - Riley County
3rd Place - Rossville
4th Place - St. Marys
5th Place - Rock Creek
6th Place - Wabaunsee

Round 1
Riley County defeated Rock Creek 63-12.
Silver Lake defeated Rossville 46-24.
St. Marys defeated Wabaunsee 42-24.

Round 2
Riley County defeated Wabaunsee 51-28.
Rossville defeated St. Marys 39-20.
Silver Lake defeated Rock Creek 72-6.

Round 3
Riley County defeated St. Marys 48-24.
Rossville defeated Rock Creek 45-30.
Silver Lake defeated Wabaunsee 64-9.

Round 4
Silver Lake defeated Riley County 50-21.
Rossville defeated Wabaunsee 34-12.
St. Marys defeated Rock Creek 37-36.

Round 5
Riley County defeated Rossville 45-30.
Silver Lake defeated St. Marys 60-24.
Rock Creek defeated Wabaunsee 42-28

Recent Willard Bridge Photos

 Photos by George Brown

Mid-East League BB Standings

Mid-East League standings as of Feb. 11, 2017 

Boys          League … Overall

Rock Creek    6-2          14-3
Silver Lake    5-2 …      11-5
St. Marys       5-3           11-5
Wabaunsee   4-3           13-3
Rossville        2-5            7-9
Riley County  0-7           3-13

Girls          League … Overall

Wabaunsee    7-0           15-1
Riley County   5-2           10-6
Rossville         5-2          14-2
Silver Lake      3-4          10-6
St. Marys         2-6           9-7
Rock Creek      0-8          3-14