Benton Smith / LJWorld.com

Staff

Benton Smith

Benton Smith is a sports writer for the Journal-World.

Recent stories

Second chance: FSHS girls run to runner-up at state: By Benton Smith; May 27, 2012; Sophomore Bailey Sullivan crossed the finish line for the Free State High girls’ 4x400 relay team Saturday evening at Cessna Stadium, making it official. The Firebirds didn’t have enough points to surpass Class 6A state track champion Olathe East, but the sixth-place medal for FSHS in the final race of a long, successful day sealed Free State’s spot as the No. 2 program in the state.
Finley sisters spark Lawrence High: By Benton Smith; May 27, 2012; After an uneventful first day at the Class 6A state track meet for the Lawrence High girls, freshmen sisters Matia and Rebecca Finley helped the Lions pick up some points and medals Saturday at Cessna Stadium.
Hard-luck loss: Blue Valley West walk-off sends Lawrence High baseball home in pitchers’ duel: By Benton Smith; May 26, 2012; In the midst of as fervent a pitchers’ duel as they likely ever will be a part of, the entire Lawrence High baseball team held its collective breath Friday evening at Hoglund Ballpark.
Lions baseball at state: ‘We’re not gonna lose again’: By Benton Smith; May 25, 2012; You can’t make it to state without confidence. Six other teams have a better seed than Lawrence High baseball for the Class 6A tournament, but as the No. 7 seed hometown Lions see it, they are as capable as anyone else of winning three games and a championship this weekend at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark.
Down & dirty: Lions’ 2B Trevor Champagne ‘always in right place’: By Benton Smith; May 23, 2012; He is the type of baseball player who gets dirt on his uniform every time he laces up his cleats and runs out on the diamond — even while playing his home games on an all-turf infield.
Unbeaten Olathe East overpowers Free State soccer, 4-0, in state quarterfinals: By Benton Smith; May 23, 2012; Free State High’s girls soccer team rarely has been outmatched on the field this season, the most successful in program history.
Mighty Hawks await FSHS soccer: By Benton Smith; May 22, 2012; After Free State High’s girls soccer team lost to Olathe East, 5-0, on May 1, the players began discussing the Hawks and trying to figure out exactly what made them so good.
Lions’ coach Kent McDonald nabs award: By Benton Smith; May 22, 2012; In the minutes following the conclusion of the Class 6A girls swimming championships Saturday at Topeka, Lawrence High coach Kent McDonald received what he considered to be quite a surprise.
Seahawks medal, team fifth in state swimming debut: By Benton Smith; May 20, 2012; Prior to this season, Bishop Seabury Academy didn’t have a girls swimming program. The Seahawks picked a good time to start one.
Feeling gold: Individual champions celebrate as Firebirds finish sixth, Lions seventh at state swimming: By Benton Smith; May 20, 2012; Straight-faced, almost somber upon winning Class 6A state championships in two races Saturday afternoon at Capitol Federal Natatorium, Free State High freshman swimmer Courtney Caldwell finally allowed herself to relax and enjoy herself once she completed the final event of the meet.

Recent photos

Seabury Academy seniors Guangwei Fu, boys tennis; Jesse May, golf; and Alyson Oliver, girls soccer; are some of the team leaders for the Seahawks this spring.

MCLouth’s Kendall Patterson waits to bat against Atchison in this April 3 photo. Patterson broke the state record for hits on Tuesday night at Holton.

Jeremy Elliot finished first in the javelin on Thursday at the Tonganoxie Invitational with a throw of 142 feet, 8 inches. Elliott’s dad, Rex Elliott, is in the background. Jeremy died in his sleep Thursday night from a heart condition.

Baker kicker Derek Doerfler set a school record with a 57-yard boot earlier this season. The junior hopes to break that mark before his Wildcat career is over.

Denise Desilet, left, of Wichita and Penny Hickman, of Council Grove, were the overall gross winners of the KWGA Tee-Fore-Two tournament. The three-day event concluded Thursday at Lawrence Country Club.

Full photo list