High School Winter Sports Begin
High school winter sports practice began on Monday, November 17. The date, as regulated by the Kansas State High School Activities Association, was the first date that Kansas schools could have practice for the winter sports seasons. Practice is now in full swing for wrestling and basketball at St. Francis High School.
This year's wrestling team will be coached by Dylan Loyd and Kyle Buffington. Twelve athletes have reported for wrestling including: Seniors: Shakotah Blanka and Kyler Zweygardt; Juniors: Garrett Brunk, Clay DeWaal, Justin Pacheco, and Philip White; Sophomores: Ryan Grover and Trinity Weers; and Freshman Coy DeWaal, Trayton Doyle, Luke Lampe, and Luin Norris.
The high school girls basketball team has nineteen players. The team will be coach by Susan DInkel and Matt Bandel. Girls participating in basketball are: Seniors: Kyla Bandel, Mariah Beikman, and Valerie Wurm; Juniors: Emily Elfers, Journey Lee, Rachael Lee-Hopper, Kayla Reed, and Kylie Sherlock and Sydney Sundstrom; Sophomores: Jenna Confer and Makayla Rogers; Freshmen: Reagan Beims, Hanna Bracelin, Emily Dinkel, Jylian Laten, Mallory Mills (manager), Zoe Sundstrom, Madison Tice, and Matthisen Witzel. The boys high school basketball team will be coached by Jeff Beims and Nick O'Loughlin. Sixteen student-athletes have reported for boys basketball. Boys participating in basketball include: Seniors: Cade Bracelin and Jon Hoard; Juniors: Payton Beims, Jakob Church, Carl Fabre, Jude Faulkender, Francisco Fernandez, and Travis Rogers; Sophomores: Mark Coon, Quinton Cravens, Jeremiah Neitzel, and Taylor Rogers; Freshman: Tate Busse, Jake Faulkender, Dennis Potter, and Dalton Straub.
Competition for the basketball teams will begin on Friday, December 5, when the teams travel to Oberlin to play against Decatur Community. The first competition for the wrestling team will be on Saturday, December 6, when the varsity team will compete in the St. Francis Invitational Wrestling Tournament and the junior varsity wrestlers will compete at the Goodland Novice Tournament.
