Free State volleyball players sign letters

Today, at 10:30 a.m. in the Free State High commons area, five Firebirds volleyball players will sign national letters of intent to play college volleyball.

Setter Kelsey Allen (Baker University), outside hitter Melanie Chaussee (University of Mary, North Dakota), middle blocker Ali McDermott (Avila College), libero Alyx Glover (Coffeyville Community College) and middle blocker Brooke Carter (Missouri Western) all will sign with their respective schools at a joint ceremony creating a rarity for the FSHS program.

Never before has a volleyball senior class this large signed to continue their careers in college.

Callahan finishes 2-2 at national tournament

Baldwin High senior Kevin Callahan finished 2-2 in the 72-man, 130-pound weight division at the NHSCA Senior National Wrestling Tournament last week in Virginia Beach, Va.

After picking up victories over wrestlers from Georgia and Montana in his first two matches, Callahan fell in his next two matches to finish just shy of reaching all-American status.

Callahan is the second Baldwin wrestler to compete in this tournament.

Luke Lang, who placed second and third at state for BHS in 1999 and 2000, went 3-2 in this tournament at 189 pounds.

Callahan finished his high school career with a state record 171 wins. He became the first four-time state placer in Bulldogs history and leaves Baldwin with seven school records and four state records.

He was the Class 4A, 130-pound state champion this season and was named the 4A wrestler of the year, as well as the Journal-World’s all-area wrestler of the year.

All-Area oversight

Because of an oversight during the nomination process, Wellsville High senior Colin Wright was inadvertently left off of this year’s all-area boys basketball team.

With the inclusion, Wright becomes a three-time member of the squad, as he garnered honorable mention recognition as a sophomore and first team honors as a junior.

This year, Wright averaged 17 points and six rebounds per game and was the leading scorer in the Pioneer League and among the top five in rebounding.

The rest of the all-area boys basketball team was:

First Team: Weston Wiebe and Kris Wilson, Free State High; John Schneider and Dorian Green, Lawrence High; Andre Linzy, De Soto High; Drew Berg and Dustin Schiller, Baldwin High; Shane Gimzo and Kyle Morgison, Perry-Lecompton High; Brock McGinnis, Oskaloosa High and Coach Jeff Dickson, Perry-Lecompton High.

Honorable Mention: Brandon Tommer, Baldwin High; Gabe Belobrajdic, Tonganoxie High; Dylan Rust, Eudora High; Justin Ballock, Eudora High; Chase Tenpenny, Oskaloosa High; J.T. Thurston, Oskaloosa High; Joel Gantz, Perry-Lecompton High; Craig Rosenstengle, Free State High; Jake Miller, Free State High; Lance Kilburn, Lawrence High.