Final AVL year was a dandy
By STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor

McPherson High recently closed out its final season in the Ark Valley League with a bang.

Bullpup teams captured seven AVL titles among the 17 sports they competed in, better than 40 percent.

McPherson, of course, will be joining the new super league next year -- the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League. Even though it's not among the six-biggest schools, MHS will be in the highest echelon, along with Salina Central, Salina South, Derby, Hutchinson and Maize. MHS had been in the AVL under its current format since the 1978-79 school year.

There will be three other divisions in the AVCTL, each including six teams.

The winter season was especially outstanding for MHS' teams, as they were the dominant school. Both the boys and girls won AVL basketball championships, combining for a 27-1 league record, the only loss being by the girls in the final game of the regular season to Hutchinson.

The Bullpup girls went on to finish second in the state, losing to Bishop Carroll in the finals. The Bullpup boys won 21 straight games before losing in the sub-state finals to Salina South on the Cougars' home court. MHS' Jordan Fithian did earn Kansas' Mr. Basketball award, the fifth Bullpup to be honored by the KBCA, following Steve Henson, Brian Henson, Ryan Herrs and Aubrey Bruner.

Also in the winter, the Bullpups captured their first-ever AVL wrestling championship, as almost every year they were in the league the title went to either Arkansas City or Derby. The Bullpups finished in the middle of the pack at state, though Sam Archer and Levi Sides did make it to the medal round by placing fourth and fifth in their respective weight classes.

It was an especially good year for the MHS tennis teams, as both won league championships in their final season. The boys went on to finish second in the state, and had state champions in Jamie Crist and Dale Snell. The girls' top state performance came from the doubles team of Audrie Miller and Jenna Rader, who took eighth.

The MHS girls track and field team, which has been virtually automatic the last 20 years, came through as usual, as their AVL championship last month was their 19th in the last 21 years. MHS went on to take third in the state after taking second last year. The Bullpups also came up with three state champions in Misty Petersen, Rachael Stevens and Abbey Stockstill.

The other AVL championship for McPherson came from the girls volleyball team, which ran the table with 14 straight league wins. MHS, with a junior-dominated team, went on to finish fourth at state and is expected to be one of the Class 5A favorites in 2004.

While the MHS boys soccer team didn't win the league -- it finished second to Derby after losing its final game -- the Bullpups went on to claim their second 5A state championship in the past three years with a thrilling 1-0 double-overtime victory over Liberal.

Here are some other highlights:
-- The MHS baseball team, supposedly in a rebuilding mode, took second in the AVL and ended a long losing streak against league champion Hutchinson by winning the second game of a twinbill. MHS came within one bad inning of making state, losing by a run to Great Bend.
-- The MHS boys cross country team didn't have great depth to contend for a team title, but it did have Nick Nowak, who took third place in the state meet.
-- The girls swimming team had one of its best years ever, including some meet wins. Katie Roane, Kelly Roane, Kimberly Julian and Renee Morgan were busy at state, though they didn't advance to the medal round.
-- The MHS football team had a 5-4 record, its first winning season since 1997. The Bullpups had one of the state's top backs in Tyler Hovis, who went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark with 1,195.

McPherson Unified School District 418
514 N. Main
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-9400
It is the policy of McPherson USD 418 not to discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race,
religion, color, age, or national origin in its educational programs and/or activities, nor in its employment practices.

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