Author: Glen Grunwald
(Replay) 2017 Eagle Media Patriot’s Parade
Family Community Theatre’s ‘The Lion King Jr.’ is at the Flag Theatre June 15-18
Live Sports Stream: 6A State Baseball Salthawks vs. Manhattan Thursday at 11:00 am
Lawrence, Kan. — The Hutchinson Salthawks draw the No. 1 seed Manhattan Indians in the first round of 6A State baseball at Lawrence on Thursday. KWBW Sports will be there! Join Glen Grunwald and Rob Dreher for all the action at 10:50 a.m. with the first pitch coming at 11:00 a.m. All the Salthawk state games will be broadcast on KWBW 1450 am and 98.5 fm, plus you can stream the games live by clicking on the links provided below. You can also call the KWBW Audio Now number on you smart phone or home phone at (563) 999-3295 and catch all the action without using up any of your data.
If you are attending the game today, make note of construction around the KU campus. You will have to take an alternate route to Hogland Stadium.
HUTCHPOST The Cube Audio Stream
 
Radio Gals Is Back! Today only in Sterling at 3 PM!
Returns Today in Sterling!
If you mssed Radio Gals back in January, here is your chance to chatch it again as it returns for two shows only at Sterling High School Tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow afternoon at 3:00pm!
The Sterling Community Theatre Troupe is returning home to Sterling when it presents the musical “Radio Gals” on April 22nd at 7:30 p.m. and April 23rd at 3:00 p.m. at Sterling High School at 308 E. Washington in Sterling.
“Radio Gals” is a musical comedy that is wholesome, entertaining, and perfect for all ages. It has been called “a rollicking riff on small-town Americana and the innocent fun of old time music.” The book, music, and lyrics for the show were written by Mike Carver and Mike Hardwick.
The year is 1927, and in the Cedar Ridge, Arkansas, parlor of retired music teacher Hazel Hunt, there is a nonstop radio broadcast and musical celebration in progress.
When she retires as the town’s music teacher, Hazel’s grateful students present her with a brand new radio transmitter. Following the fashion of the “Mom and Pop” radio stations of the day, Hazel sets up her own station, WGAL, to broadcast to the folks of Cedar Ridge Hutchinson resident Terri Torres will play the role of Hazel, the spunky hostess.
Hazel’s regular ensemble of local ladies, dubbed “The Hazelnuts,” performing on the air include Rennabelle, played by Piper Harding of Sterling, America, played by Chelsey Juenemann of Arlington, and spiritualist Gladys Fritts, played by Amy Brownlee of Sterling. The Swindle sisters, Azilee and Mabel, will be played by Sterling resident Larry Brownlee and Hutchinson resident Glen Grunwald. Seth Svaty of Sterling plays O.B. Abbott, a federal agent who stirs up trouble when he is sent to investigate the radio station.
Special thank you goes out to Eagle Radio for helping underwrite this great show!
Meet the Cast:
Seth Svaty (Abbott) – Seth finds freedom on stage. He has enjoyed participating in shows at FCT and with the Sterling Theatre Troupe. Some of his favorites include The Drowsy Chaperone (Aldolpho), White Christmas (Phil Davis), Shrek (Lord Farquaad), and now Radio Gals. Seth works on the family farm near Ellsworth and lives with his wife and three kids in Sterling.
Amy Brownlee (Gladys) – Amy is a librarian & reading teacher for Sterling public schools and is enjoying letting her inner drama queen and diva shine in this role. She was last seen as Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense at Stage 9. Prior to that, she played Rona Lisa Peretti, realtor and hostess of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Favorite roles include The Music Man (Marian the librarian), White Christmas (Betty Haynes), and Shrek (Princess Fiona).
Piper Harding (Rennabelle) – Holy Cats ! Piper is thrilled to be performing again in one of her favorite musicals. The first time around she played Gladys and can now add the role of Rennabelle to her list of favorites. Others include Nunsense (Sister Amnesia), White Christmas (Martha.) Church Basement Ladies (Mavis), and Mame (Agnes Gooch).
Terri Torres (Hazel) – This is Terri’s first show with the Sterling troupe, but she has been performing with FCT for nearly 25 years. She is a retired speech/language pathologist and enjoys having free time to read, bike, jog, and be in plays.
Glen Grunwald (Mabel) – Glen is a retired phar-maceutical sales executive who is enjoying a second career in radio broadcasting. He is the voice of Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon athletics on Eagle Radio and also co-hosts a morning show and three weekly sports talk shows on KWBW. His favorite theatre experiences have included sharing the stage with his granddaughter Sarah in The Music Man, Shrek, and Mary Poppins.
Larry Brownlee (Azilee) – Larry is the band director and cross country coach for the Sterling school system. In his spare time he loves photography, travel, and mountain climbing. He has taken treks in Alaska, Australia, New Zealand and Nepal. He has acted in over 30 shows in Sterling and Hutchinson. Favorites include: White Christmas, Spelling Bee, Man of LaMancha, and this production of Radio Gals.
Chelsey Juenemann (America) – Chelsey, a language arts and theatre teacher for Fairfield Schools, has enjoyed becoming America, a down-home country girl. Chelsey was last seen on stage at FCT as Mary Hatch Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life and Signe in Church Basement Ladies.
Brett Ballard Named Washburn University Head Basketball Coach
(Washburn University Sports Info)Apr. 06, 2017 Men’s Basketball
TOPEKA, Kan. – Former Hutch High Salthawk, HCC Bluedragon and KU Jayhawk has been named the 15th head coach at Washburn.
Washburn University men’s basketball will have a new head coach on the sidelines for the first time since the 1979-80 season as Brett Ballard has been announced as the 15th head coach in Ichabod program history by athletic director Loren Ferré on Thursday. An introductory press conference will be held on Monday, April 10 in the McPherson Booster Room at 11 a.m. with a meet and greet to follow in Lee Arena.
“This is an exciting time for Washburn basketball,” Ferré said. “Brett has progressed up the coaching ranks playing for a Hall of Fame coach in Roy Williams at the University of Kansas and working on the coaching staff of another Hall of Fame coach in Bill Self. Add to that spending five seasons under Danny Manning earning two NCAA tournament berths, I believe our program has a bright future under Brett’s leadership.”
Ballard has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Wake Forest basketball program after working under head coach Danny Manning for the last five combined after spending the previous two seasons at the University of Tulsa. This past season, Ballard helped Wake Forest to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2009-10 season.
“This is an incredible opportunity and I am excited to come home and coach at a University with an elite basketball program,” Ballard said. “Washburn is a place that has very high standards and also places a value on developing student athletes both on and off the court, and those were very important factors to me coming. We have the leadership, facilities and support we need to be successful. My goal will be to build on the great tradition that has been established here and help my players compete at the highest level on the court, but more importantly help prepare them to win at the game of life.”
Prior to joining the staff at Wake Forest, Ballard was instrumental to the Golden Hurricane winning the 2013-14 Conference USA regular season and tournament championships–the program’s first league title since 2003.
Tulsa went 38-29 overall and 21-11 in C-USA play during Ballard’s two seasons on staff. The Golden Hurricane played in the postseason both years, including earning a No. 13 seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Tulsa also participated in the 2013 CBI, finishing that season with a winning record of 17-16 overall.
The Golden Hurricane went 21-13 overall and 13-3 in C-USA in 2013-14, earning a share of the 2013-14 regular season title, its first since winning the WAC in 2002. Tulsa captured the C-USA tournament title over Louisiana Tech, securing its first NCAA Tournament berth in 11 seasons. Tulsa earned a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament and fell 76-59 to No. 4 seed UCLA in the second round.
“I am very excited for Brett and his family and I think this is a perfect fit,” Manning said. “The Washburn University community is getting a home run of a person and a coach. I have known Brett for a very long time. We started out together on Coach Self’s staff, sharing a cabinet, and we have come a long way. Having him on the staff at Tulsa and here at Wake Forest has been invaluable because of the knowledge he had of being a head coach. That journey has led us to today where he has a great opportunity to be the next coach at Washburn. We are going to miss him, Kelly and their children, but we are happy for them and look forward to following his teams.”
Before joining Manning at Tulsa, Ballard spent two seasons as the head basketball coach at Baker University.
“I want to thank Coach Manning for everything he has done for me and how he has treated my family,” Ballard said. “I’ve learned so much from him and I’m grateful for our time together. Wake Forest is a special place and I will miss the people and especially our players. The future of Wake basketball is bright and I’m excited to watch those guys continue to grow and develop.”
In two seasons at Baker, Ballard went 33-30 overall, including a 21-12 mark in his final season at the helm in 2011-12. The Wildcats advanced to the school’s first Heart of America Athletic Conference championship game in 15 years in 2012 and capped that with an NAIA national tournament berth, the program’s first since 1996.
Prior to taking over the head coaching position at Baker, Ballard spent seven years on Bill Self’s staff at the University of Kansas, his alma mater. He was the director of basketball operations for his final two seasons on staff, and prior to that, he served as the administrative assistant/video coordinator for four years and a volunteer student assistant for one year.
“I’m so excited for Brett and Kelly and their family getting to return to Kansas.” Self said. “Washburn is a terrific job and few people could follow coach (Bob) Chipman and be comfortable with it. He’s a great recruiter, coach and administrator and Washburn could not have hired a more complete person to be its next basketball coach.”
Ballard oversaw the academic progress of the Jayhawks, worked closely with the off-season strength and conditioning program and assisted with on-campus recruiting, team travel and team video. Ballard was also the camp director for the Bill Self Basketball Camps. Ballard organized and directed over 2,500 campers and also coordinated and directed the Coaches Clinic, the Winter Clinic and the Wilt Chamberlain Special Olympics Clinic while at KU.
Kansas basketball was highly successful during Ballard’s time on the Jayhawks staff. Kansas won the 2008 national championship, advanced to three NCAA Tournament Elite Eights, won or tied for the Big 12 regular season championship four times and claimed three conference tournaments. During his coaching career, Ballard has worked with 18 student-athletes who have gone on to play professional basketball.
Ballard played two years for the Jayhawks under head coach Roy Williams from 2000-02 after transferring from Hutchinson Community College in his hometown of Hutchinson, Kan. Ballard, a guard, played in 56 career games, scoring 59 points and dishing out 32 assists. KU went a combined 59-11 (.843) in his two seasons as a Jayhawk, including a 2001 NCAA?Sweet Sixteen appearance and a berth in the 2002 NCAA Final Four in Atlanta.
Ballard earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Kansas in 2003. He was named an Academic All-Big 12 selection as a senior for his efforts in the classroom.
Ballard and his wife, Kelly, have three children — sons Kaden and Brooks and daughter Breagan.
Ballard replaces Bob Chipman, who spent 38 seasons on the Ichabod bench as head coach who retired at the end of the 2016-17 season after recording an 806-353 record at Washburn.
Kansas Legislature Honors Blue Dragon Champions
By Steve Carperter-HCC Sports Information
Thursday, March 30, 2017
The NJCAA National Champion Hutchinson Community College Men’s Basketball team was in Topeka on Thursday to be honored by the Kansas State Legislature.
State Representative Steve Becker and State Senator Ed Berger made congratulatory speeches to honor the Blue Dragons after the won the 2017 national championship on Saturday at the Sports Arena with an 84-58 victory over Eastern Florida State in the title game.
The 2017 national championship is the third in program history. Hutchinson also won men’s basketball national titles in 1988 and 1994. The 2017 Blue Dragons finished with a record of 35-2.
The Blue Dragons started the morning in the state House of Representatives where Becker, a proud HutchCC alumnus, along with Rep. Patsy Terrell, introduced the team and travel party and gave head coach Steve Eck a Certificate of Recognition by the State House of Representatives.
A few minutes later, the Dragons moved through the rotunda to the State Senate chamber where Berger, the former President of Hutchinson Community College, offered a similar congratulatory speech and brought a resolution to the Senate floor to honor the national champion Blue Dragons.
Several members of the team weren’t present on Thursday because of spring break at the college. James “Papi” Conley, Trent Webster and Tiylar Cotton were players who were present as well as Coach Eck, assistant coaches Jay Cyriac and Cortland Carney and team manager Cody Baker. Also with the team were Hutchinson Community College president Dr. Carter File, HutchCC Director of Marketing Denny Stoecklein, Blue Dragon Athletic Director Josh Gooch, and assistant athletic directors Steve Kappenman and Scott Brooks.
The celebration of the 2017 national champions isn’t over yet. The Blue Dragon Championship Celebration will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.
Blue Dragon Championship Celebration Set For April 5th
By Steve Carpenter-HCC Sports Information
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Fans will get their chance to congratulate the Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team’s NJCAA national championship city-wide celebrate on Wednesday, April 5 at the Sports Arena.
This past Saturday, the Blue Dragons won their third NJCAA men’s basketball National Championship with an 84-58 victory over Eastern Florida State in the title game in front of a packed house.
The Blue Dragons also won national championships in 1988 and 1994.
The celebration will be from 6 to 7 p.m.
After the ceremony, fans will have their opportunity to get autographs from the players on Sam Butterfield Court.
Blue Dragons Win! Hutchinson Dominates Eastern Florida to Win 1st Title in 23 Years!
By Steve Carpenter-HCC Sports Information
Saturday, March 25, 2017
The Hutchinson Blue Dragons are National Champions.
The Hutchinson Community College won the program’s third men’s basketball national championship on Saturday night with an 84-58 victory over Eastern Florida State in the NJCAA Tournament Championship Game at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons have now won national championships in 1988, 1994 and 2017. It’s Hutchinson’s sixth overall national championship in school history.
Hutchinson sophomore Shakur Juiston was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Juiston joins Maurice Brittian (1988) and Roy Hairston (1994) as Blue Dragon national tournament MVPs.
Juiston finished with tournament highs of 88 points and 56 rebounds. He also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.
Joining Juiston on the all-tournament team are sophomore Samajae Haynes-Jones and freshman J.J. Rhymes.
Head coach Steve Eck was named the Coach of the Tournament. This is Eck’s first Division I national championship after winning won in Division I with Redlands Community College. This was Eck’s first Divisoin I national title game victory in three tries – one at Redlands and two at Hutchinson.
To get to the 2017 national championship, the Blue Dragons had to defeat three Florida teams. Hutch defeated St. Petersburg (95-78) in the second round, Northwest Florida State (88-79) in the semifinals and Eastern Florida State in the championship game.
The Blue Dragons got off to a tremendous start, especially on the defensive end. Hutchinson held Eastern Florida State to four points over the first 12 minutes of the game in building a 21-4 lead with 8:38 to go in the first half.
Hutchinson held Eastern Florida State to 7 of 33 shooting in the first half (21.2 percent) as the Blue Dragons led 39-16 at intermission.
Devonte Bandoo led the Blue Dragons with 22 points on 10 of 17 shooting, including two 3-point goals. Rhymes had 11 points.
The Blue Dragons were 34 of 69 from the field (49.3 percent), hitting 5 of 16 from 3-point range and 11 of 16 from the foul line. The Blue Dragons were out-rebounded 49-45, but had only had only 10 turnovers to 29 assist.
Defensively, Hutchinson limited Eastern Florida State to 29.3 percent from the field (22 of 75). The Titans hit 6 of 22 from 3-point range and were 8 of 11 from the foul line. Eastern Florida State turned the ball over times.
Shaq Carter had 14 points, while Ahmed Ali and Michael Nuga had 12 points.
Juiston posted his fourth double-double of the tournament and led Hutchinson on Saturday with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Hutchinson’s career rebound leader ends with 742 rebounds.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 3-3 in national championship games. Hutch improves to 48-24 all-time in 20 tournament apperances. … Shakur Juiston moves up to No. 14 on the career scoring list with 1,042 points and up to fifth in career blocked shots with 117 rejections.
