Year In Review: November 2009

January 26, 2011

By Tom Witherspoon of VYPE MAGAZINE - Central Kansas



Super Sophs

Perry Ellis led a contingent of talented City League sophomores into the 2009-10 basketball season

It's 2012 and 7-foot senior Perry Ellis is leading Wichita Heights to its fourth consecutive Class 6A basketball title.

Ellis scores 33 points in the title game at Koch Arena, edging out Southeast, led by senior Gavin Thurman, who tallies 28 points and grabs 10 rebounds.

While seniors Nathan Jackson and Jalen Love also led East to state, the Blue Aces fell to Southeast in the semifinals. Northwest lost in the first round, but seniors Spencer Gaels, June Johnson and Craig Nicholson are all headed for college ball, as well.

While seniors are known to win City League titles, it's hard not to talk about the city's sophomores going into the 2009-10 season. It's unclear where some of them can take their teams this year, but the possibilities of where they'll be in two seasons are limitless. -Jeff Lutz


The Point Man

Blake Jablonski led Wichita Collegiate to an undefeated football season as quarterback, months after leading the basketball season to its own undefeated season

Jablonski and LeMaster's hook-up to start the half for the second consecutive time iced the game early against a program which had lost three games in the past four seasons, but more shocking was their legacy still taking shape. Between football and basketball, Jablonksi, LeMaster and their senior classmates were about to win their 36th consecutive game, and their 45th in the past 46.

Jablonski, the general of Spartan football's spread offense, compiling 2,448 passing yards and 31 TDs in the regular season, both new school records, also led the Collegiate charge last winter to an undefeated 26-0 basketball season and a Class 3A state title, draining long-range, quick-release three-pointers to average 17 points per game. When Collegiate's football season ends, he and his classmates will return to the hardwood, clear to us now not the only surface on which they can be unbeatable. -Tom Witherspoon


State Volleyball

Wichita Collegiate one its first state volleyball title in school history, compiling a 40-1 record

Three In A Row

The Mulvane boys won their third consecutive state cross country title, while the Carroll and Berean boys also won state cross country titles. Independent's Caroline Lincoln (singles), Collegiate's Grace LeMaster and Jillian Johnson and Hesston's Stephanie Shogren and Madelyn Weaver also won state tennis titles