The Kansas State High School Activities Association will not delay the start of practices or games for upcoming fall sports. Board Member Jason Herman says it is in the best interests of the students mental health to return to sports.

There was a motion made to delay the start of the football, volleyball and boys soccer seasons to no early than the 8^th of September but that motion failed in a 5 to 4 vote. Last week KSHSAA did release health guidelines for their fall sports which can be found here.

A project to replace the turf field at Pittsburg State University’s Carnie Smith Stadium will wrap up soon and the stadium will re-open to the public. The project began on June 22.

The project is led by Mammoth Sports Construction, a company based in Meriden, Kansas. The company’s recent projects include the turf at Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg, the football field at Girard High School, and Wagner Field in Bill Snyder Stadium at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. The field going in at Pitt State is an elite FieldTurf system also used by the Universities of Oregon and Alabama. The current turf was installed in the summer of 2012 and was nearing the end of its life from a safety standpoint.

The stadium will reopen to the public by the end of the month.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting back-to-school plans, the Kansas High School Sports and Activities Association (KSHSAA) has released a list of general considerations for fall sports. These considerations are designed to maximize any potential social distancing.

KSHSAA declined to make a decision on delaying the start of the fall sports season, claiming it wanted to gather more information. A final decision is expected sometime next week.

The full list of football considerations can be read below. A document with considerations for all fall sports can be read by following this link.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• Before, during and after a practice or contest, players, coaches, game officials, team personnel and game administration officials should wash and sanitize their hands as often as possible.
• Always maintain social distancing guidelines while on the sideline, the practice field, and the field of play, when possible.
• Everyone should have their own beverage container (identifiable water bottle) that is not shared. Disposable cups are a consideration, if not handled by too many people.
• Face coverings are permissible and recommended for all coaches and team and game administration officials. School district policy should be followed.
• Gloves are permissible for all coaches, team staff, and game administration officials.
• Keep non-essential personnel off the sidelines and practice fields throughout a contest and practice.
• If available, dressing facilities for game officials and teams should be large enough for them to use social distancing guidelines and should be properly cleaned and sanitized prior to their arrival each day. Schools should consider using staggering locker room guidelines to minimize the number of athletes entering, dressing, and leaving the locker room at one time.
• The schools should establish a protocol on cleaning and sanitizing of all player equipment (helmets, shoulder pads, etc.), and locker room on a routine basis to mitigate risk. Participants can be required to clean their own equipment daily, as the protocol from the school.
• Encourage, educate, and stress the importance of behavioral patterns that mitigate the spread, so each athlete has an opportunity to start and finish the 2020 season.
• The line-to-gain crew (chain crew) should always wear face coverings.
• Huddle formations should be modified. Huddles should not be formed in a circle, but in rows. Not huddling helps a great deal with social distancing.
• For 2020, Jamborees are discouraged. Not having a jamboree will limit one exposure to help with the season ahead. If you choose to compete in a Jamboree, then we will permit them to be two teams, three teams or four teams for 2020 only.
•  

Montgomery County finished its season on a down note as the Cardinals dropped two games to the Bartlesville Indians, 6-2 and 11-2.

The Cardinals just couldn't seem to find an awful lot of offense. Mason Siegel drove in an RBI on a single to open the scoring in the first game, but other than another RBI single for Ryan Leiker in the third inning, that would be it. Meanwhile, Bartlesville would break a 2-2 tie with 4 runs in the fifth inning to bring the game to its eventual final score. 

The second game saw Montgomery County again tie the game at 2-2 after the third inning, but things would go south once again as the Indians would score seven runs off of starting pitcher Aaron Rutherford and relief pitcher Easton Ewing. Two more runs in the fifth inning would see the Cardinals be run-ruled for the first time since June 30.

Leiker took the loss on the mound in the first game, while Rutherford took the loss for game two. With the two losses, Montgomery County ends its season at 20-13.

It was a good run, but Montgomery County saw its winning streak end at 9 games on Tuesday. The Cardinals defeated Iola 4-2 in the first game of its doubleheader, but the Indians got the last laugh winning the second game 4-3.

Montgomery County would come out of the gate quickly in the first game, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding another run in the second. However, that would be all of the offense the Cardinals could gather throughout the course of the game. That would mean the road to victory would be carried through the team's pitching. Ryan Powell started the game, pitched five of six innings and struck out four. Ryan Leiker would finish off the game, holding the team's two-run lead by striking out three batters in a row in the sixth and final inning. Ian Oliver went 1-2 at the plate, picking up a 2 RBI double in the first inning.

The second game saw Montgomery County earn another lead, with a steady offense that picked up a singular run in each of the first three innings. However, much like the first game, the offense would taper off and leave the rest of the game to the defense. Unlike the first game, though, a solid pitching effort from Davis Merrick was not enough to keep the Indians at bay. Iola would break through for three runs in the fourth inning, taking a 4-3 lead that would hold steady until the end of the game.

With the split doubleheader, Montgomery County's winning streak officially comes to an end at 9 games, putting the team's record at 20-11 on the season. The Cardinals will wrap up their season on Thursday with a matchup against Bartlesville. First pitch is scheduled for 6 pm, and can be heard on Sonshine 98.9, KQQF. 

The Kansas State Board of Education will vote tomorrow morning on the governor's executive order to delay the opening of school. This will have some possible implications on high school athletics. Governor Laura Kelly says there's been different discussions on what to do with fall sports.

If the school reopening is delayed, it will likely cause the fall sports seasons to be pushed back. The decision on athletics will come down to KSHSAA, which was originally prepared to outline the start of fall athletics in mid-August prior to Kelly’s executive order.

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced Monday that all sports will be postponed due to the current global health crisis. No official practice will be allowed to begin prior to Aug. 31^st and no official competition will be allowed prior to Sept. 28^th.

There will also not be a shifting of the 2020 fall football schedule, rather the season will pick up on Oct. 3^rd which would have been Week 5 of the MIAA football schedule. The MIAA announced games scheduled prior to that date can be made up later in the fall semester or in the spring if possible.

The postponement also affects cross country, men's and women's golf, and women's tennis.

The wins just keep coming for Montgomery County. The Cardinals picked up two more on Sunday, defeating the Salina Hawks in a come-from-behind effort 5-4 and defeating the Ottawa A's for the fourth time this season 10-0.

Montgomery County, as they often have, struck first in Game 1, picking up 1 run after Shaun Sutton scored on a pop-out in foul territory. However, that would be all of the offense the Cardinals could muster for awhile, with Salina scoring the next 4 runs in the third inning. Montgomery County slowly chipped back at that lead, picking up 1 run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to finally tie it up. Neither team could get a decisive lead in the seventh, so the game would go to extras. After relief pitcher Jon Dutton held the Hawks scoreless in the top of the eighth, Hudson Baker would play the hero for the Cardinals. With runners on first and second, baker would put a ball over the left-center field fence for a ground rule double, scoring Seth Martinez and winning the game. Dutton, in his first appearance for Montgomery County, picked up the win on the mound.

The second game was a much less intense affair, with Montgomery County once again manhandling the Ottawa A's. Three runs would come in the first, and although the Cardinals were held scoreless in the second, the team would find 2 in the third and 5 more in the fourth to put the game out of reach quickly. Sutton, would started Game 2 on the mound, would throw all four innings and did not allow a hit, completing a no-hitter in the run-ruled game.

With their 8-game winning streak intact, Montgomery County now sits at 19-10 on the season. On Tuesday, the Cardinals will have a chance at revenge as they face the Iola Indians. The Indians took both games the last time the two teams met. Broadcast time is set for 6 pm on Sonshine 98.9, KQQF.

The Montgomery County Cardinals easily dispatched the Ottawa A's Saturday, taking two run-rule victories 10-2 (5 innings) and 16-3 (4 innings). 

Montgomery County's offense was seemingly unstoppable, with the Cardinals taking 5-0 leads after the first inning in both games. Errors by Ottawa were punished with follow-up hits, and although Ottawa would find a run here and there, those leads were never in any danger. Shawn Sutton picked up 6 RBIs on 3-3 hitting in the second game, including an officially scored inside-the-park home run that gave the Cardinals a 9-0 lead after two innings.

Aaron Rutherford took the win in the first game, while Matthew Redden was the winning pitcher for the second game. Montgomery County and Ottawa will play two more games on Sunday in Ottawa. The series will start at 6 pm, with the broadcast being held as always on Sonshine 98.9, KQQF. 

With the NJCAA's decision to move most fall sports to the spring, the are a quite a few uncertainties about what's to come for Coffeyville Community College football. CCC Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Jeff Leiker said the first step will be to make sure all incoming players are healthy.

After school begins this fall, the team will be allowed to practice for a short period of time between September and November. The team will be allowed to workout the players during this 60-day period.

As for scheduling, CCC and all other teams in the Jayhawk Conference will play a reduced schedule this year of 8 games. All Jayhawk teams will play each other once, and will play a special out-of-conference game against an Iowa opponent. Leiker said the only thing left to be decided is how the teams will decide who will play who.

The Montgomery County Cardinals extended their winning streak to four games Tuesday, defeating the Garnett Muddogs 9-1 and 6-4.

The first contest was really closer than the final score indicated. Although Montgomery County would find 2 runs within three batters to begin the game, Garnett starting pitcher Dalton Kellerman would stifle the Cardinals offense for the next four innings. Fortunately, Cardinals starting pitcher Ryan Leiker was even more dominant. Leiker would go the distance, recording a complete game and striking out 10 batters. Offensively, the Cardinals helped their own cause with 2 runs in the sixth and 5 more in the seventh, with Mason Siegel leading the way. He went 1-3 at the plate, but brought 3 runners home to assist the scoring effort.

The second game was just as competitive, with the two teams trading blows and trading the lead back and forth. One run for Montgomery County in the first inning was met by 2 runs for Garnett, and two runs for the Cardinals in the third were once again met by two more for the Muddogs. However, it was a 3-run inning for Montgomery County in the fourth inning that put the game away, as Davis Merrick brought the team home from the mound to take the victory.

Montgomery County is now 15-10 on the season. The Cardinals will stay at home on Thursday, playing host to the SEK Drillers out of Elk County. Game time is at 6 pm and both games can be heard on Sonshine 98.9, KQQF.

With the NJCAA moving football to the spring, there are a lot of questions and unknowns for coaches. Independence Community College Head Coach Kiyoshi Harris says the first thing that comes up is recruiting.

Coach Harris says they have a lot of players struggling with it right now because there are a lot of what ifs.  As of right now the football season would begin in early March and end in May with an eight game schedule for the teams.

The NJCAA Presidential Advisory Council, along with the NJCAA President and NJCAA Board Chair have recommended that a majority of competition move to the spring semester of 2021. The organization is finalizing the plans that provide safety and support the student-athletes during the fall and spring semesters.

Individual Regions will discuss the recommended changes prior to the NJCAA Board of Regents meeting on Monday, where an official plan of action will be decided. President Dr. Christopher Parker says they must adjust accordingly to support and sustain NJCAA programs. They are working to provide the best opportunities to be successful on and off the field for the student-athletes.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the annual CCC Athletic Golf Classic scheduled for July 25 has been canceled.

Sponsors that have paid for this year are eligible to receive refunds or move their sponsorships to 2021 and 2022. Hole sponsors that have paid for 2019 and 2020 will have their sponsorships moved to 2021.

The Montgomery County Cardinals took two games off of Chanute on Tuesday, improving to 13-10 on the season and gaining momentum into Thursday.

The first contest saw the Cardinals go down early, with Chanute scoring 6 runs in the first two innings and taking a 6-1 lead. However, Montgomery County would quickly start its comeback bid in the top of the third, picking up 4 runs and getting back in the game. The Cardinals would tie the game in the sixth, but that game state wouldn't last long as Israel Rodriguez picked up an RBI single to drive-in the go-ahead run. Two more runs in the seventh would only further secure the victory. Hudson Baker showed a good performance, going 3-3 while Ian Oliver picked up 2 RBIs on 2-3 hitting. Rodriguez, who also started the game on the mound for Montgomery County, was pulled early for Mason Siegel. He went the rest of the distance to pick up the win.

The second game was a much less tense affair, with Montgomery County immediately jumping on Chanute. The first five batters would all come around to score in the first inning, and although Chanute would add a run here and there, the Cardinals would add runs in every inning of the game. The game was decided by run-rule at 13-3 after four innings, with starting pitcher Ryan Powell earning the win. Easton O'Kane went 2-2 at the plate, while Kyle Jackson batted in two runs. Seven different Cardinals accounted for the 8 RBIs.

Montgomery County improves their record to 13-10 with the two wins. The Cardinals and Chanute will meet once again on Thursday, this time from Walter Johnson Park in Coffeyville. Game time is scheduled for 6 pm.

Montgomery County split its doubleheader with the Fredonia Yellow Jackets on Thursday, taking the first game 6-4 but dropping the second game 7-5. 

Ryan Leiker went the distance for the Cardinals in the first game, pitching all seven innings and throwing 114 pitches. Leiker threw 84 strikes and picked up 7 strikeouts.  Montgomery County played well around Leiker, keeping the Yellow Jackets in check despite giving up 11 hits. Offensively, Mason Siegel led the way with a 2-3 game and 2 RBIs. 

Game 2 saw the Cardinals start out hot, jumping to a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second. However, Fredonia would find four runs of their own in the top of the third, immediately tying things up. Those runs would be joined by three more in the top of the fourth. Five Cardinal errors allowed Fredonia to add to their total despite only picking up four hits. 

Davis Merrick took the loss in the second game, while Ryan Leiker took the victory for his complete game effort. The Cardinals now sit at 11-10 on the season, and will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Chanute.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association is continuing with plans to hold the fall sports season.

Despite social media rumors that the season would be cancelled, the KSHSAA reaffirmed its committment to ensuring a safe start to the fall sports campaign during a Zoom meeting Wednesday. KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick attributed the rumors to irresponsible use of social media and said the organization is doing everything in its power to ensure the start of the fall sports season.

The official start of the season is August 17th, which is seven weeks away. Other high school activities associations around the country have considered swapping the spring and fall sports seasons. Faflick said that this move was considered, but as of now is not the direction the association is moving toward.