Junior high Wildcats square off to open season

MS VB: Marmaton Valley and Yates Center

Marmaton Valley Junior High and Yates Center Middle School volleyball opened their seasons against each other in Moran on Thursday. Yates Center walked away with all three wins.

The Yates Center A-Team beat the Marmaton Valley A-Team in two sets, 25-18 and 25-14.

Emma Schmidt led Marmaton Valley with six points off of her serves while Roslyn Houk and Raveyn Kegler followed with two points off of serves. Janae Granere and Bailey LaRue each had one point.

The B-team lost in three sets, 18-25, 25-18 and 14-16.

LaRue led with 11 points followed by Gracie Yoho with eight points, Brooklyn Adams with five, Mallory Heim and Kaitlyn Drake with three apiece and Na’Sha Gregory with one.

The C-teams played one set to 25 and Yates Center won 25-16.

Kaleigh Thompson and Zoe Sneed led with two points each followed by Drake who had one point.

Stats for Yates Center were unavailable.

The Wildcats host Northeast-Arma next Thursday while Yates Center will host Cherokee-Southeast.

Eighth-grade Ponies open season with sweep

Middle School Volleyball: Iola Ponies

The Iola Pony eighth grade volleyball A-team came away with a sweep Thursday over Anderson County. The B-Team fell in five sets.

The A-team won 25-23, 25-16 and 25-18.

“This was a great way to start the season,” head coach Terri Carlin said. “The girls really worked well together. Each player did what they needed to do for us to win. I was so proud of how they kept focus during the entire match. We had a great serving night, only missing a few.”

Aysha Houk led the Ponies in both aces and kills with seven and three respectively.

“Aysha is playing her first year of volleyball and is developing some great control on her serves,” Carlin said. “She is aggressive at the net.”

Cali Riley also had a strong showing at both the serving line and the net, delivering four aces, two kills and an assist.

“(Riley) has been working very hard in practice to get better at the net and she also has been working to improve her overhand serve,” Carlin said. “That really paid off for us tonight as she made some great plays.”

Louise Caron had an ace, Dallyn McGraw and Celina Caron each had a kill with Caron adding an assist. Khloeigh Shafer added an assist and Carly Dreher came off the bench and made eight straight serves including an ace.

The B-team fell in a close five-set match 17-25, 12-25, 25-21, 25-23 and 8-15.

Dreher was a highlight, especially from the serving line. She had 11 aces including a period of seven serves in a row in the fourth set. An ace from Dreher gave Iola the set win in a very close set four.

“(Dreher) is a very consistent server, which is so important in close sets,” Carlin said. “When Carly is back there serving, you just know it is going to be over and in.”

Dreher also had a kill.

Abigail Hirt and Emma McCormack each had four aces and Macie Hoag and Jadyn Kaufman had three aces. Elise Fleming and McCormack each had a kill. Madison Robertson added two assists.

Pony assistant coach Aubrey Westhoff was impressed with the play of both Kaufman and Fleming.

“Jadyn was a leader on the floor,” Westhoff said. “She gave it her all on each play. If the ball is near her, it doesn’t hit the floor. Jadyn does a great job encouraging her teammates.

“(Fleming) had a great first match. She is becoming more aggressive at the net and had a few good hits, including a kill.”

The Ponies will host Wellsville on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

O’Hearn, Merrifield back Keller as Royals beat Orioles

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brad Keller kept up his recent pitching surge with another strong outing.

Keller gave up a home run to the first batter of the game — Cedric Mullins — but quickly settled in to pitch eight strong innings in the Kansas City Royals’ 9-2 win over the Baltimore Royals in a matchup of the teams with the worst records in the majors.

‘Every time he takes the mound, you expect him to keep you in the ballgame,’ Royals manager Ned Yost said. ‘He just did what he does so well. He keeps the ball on the ground and did a nice job doing that.’

Keller (7-5) gave up two runs and four hits with two walks and four strikeouts to improve to 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA in his last four starts.

‘I was just trying to get in a groove and throw strikes,’ he said. ‘I just made a mistake (to Mullins). You’ve got a long game after that. You’ve got to flush it and lock it back in.

Ryan O’Hearn homered among his three hits and drove in four runs, Whit Merrifield scored three runs, and Hunter Dozier and Cam Gallagher also went deep to help the Royals win for the fifth time in six games on their current homestand.

‘They’re not exactly household names yet, O’Hearn, Dozier and Gallagher,’ Yost said. ‘But they’re doing okay. You watch Dozier who looks totally comfortable now. O’Hearn has always been a guy with a lot of confidence that he can hit. It’s nice to see Cam get off to a good start too.’

With the scored tied 1-1 in the fourth, Andrew Cashner (4-13) gave up a sacrifice fly to Merrifield after loading the bases on two walks and a single. Dozier led off the fifth inning with a 423-foot home run to left field to make it 3-1.

‘(Cashner) was having trouble gripping his breaking ball,’ Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. ‘He never really got a feel for it. He’d throw a couple and it’s just hard to go through that many hitters, especially lefthanders, without a feel for a breaking ball. I think the last home run is the one that’s going to stick with him. He could have come out of that with three runs, not being able to do the things he normally does.’

The Orioles pulled within a run in the sixth when Mullins led off with a double just beyond the reach of Dozier at third, advanced to third on a fly ball and scored on Trey Mancini’s sacrifice fly to the wall in right.

The Royals answered in the bottom of the inning as Gallagher hit his first home run of the season, ending Cashner’s night.

‘I think he was trying to get it out over the plate but it backed up on him,’ said Gallagher, who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha Friday after the Royals traded catcher Drew Butera to the Colorado Rockies. ‘He just left it middle-in and I was able to get a good swing on it.’

Cashner, who has given up a career-high 21 homers, allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out one.

‘That was probably some of the worst stuff I’ve carried into a game,’ Cashner said. ‘My sinker was not there tonight. (My) offspeed pitches were not there. (I) didn’t really command anything for a strike.’

O’Hearn added a two-run single off Ye-fry Ramirez later in the sixth to push Kansas City’s lead to 6-2. Dozier’s RBI single in the eighth drove in Merrifield for his third run scored of the game, and O’Hearn added a two-run homer off Ryan Meisinger to cap the scoring.

UP NEXT

Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy (7-13, 5.37 ERA) will face another Royals rookie pitcher as RHP Heath Fillmyer (2-1, 4.21) takes the mound for Kansas City. Fillmyer will make his first career start against the Orioles. Bundy is 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA all-time against Kansas City, including one start this year May 8 in Baltimore, in which he gave up seven earned runs without recording an out.

Chiefs, Cowboys finalize swap of OL Ehinger for CB Ward

National Football League: Kansas City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs had been searching for help at cornerback and had a surplus of talented offensive lineman, while the Dallas Cowboys were in precisely the opposite situation.

So they decided to make a deal.

The Chiefs sent backup offensive lineman Parker Ehinger, who had lost his starting job in training camp, to the Cowboys for undrafted but promising cornerback Charvarius Ward. The deal was struck Thursday night but became official Friday, one day before teams are required to trim their rosters.

“I’ve had a chance to look at Charvarius and he’s a big kid that’s really had a pretty good training camp for them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said on a conference call. “He’s somebody that will come in and work into that mix there. He’s young, so we’re not bringing him in to be the starter or any of that, but he sure is a nice addition to that group.”

The Chiefs have been chasing help at cornerback ever since trading Marcus Peters, a standout but malcontent, to the Rams earlier this season. They acquired Kendall Fuller in a trade with Washington for quarterback Alex Smith, signed David Amerson in free agency, chose Tremon Smith in the draft, and picked up a couple more prospects that went undrafted in April.

So far, Fuller has been the only one to distinguish himself during the preseason.

He’s poised to start alongside Steven Nelson, who missed part of camp with a concussion, but the depth beyond that gets thin. Amerson has been burned in preseason games, while Smith was a sixth-round pick from Central Arkansas who is trying to adapt to a major upgrade in competition.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach evidently thought enough of Ward that he didn’t want to risk someone else grabbing him on Saturday, assuming he was cut by the Cowboys. So he made the deal to send them Ehinger, a fourth-round pick in 2016 who earned the starting job as a rookie.

Ehinger tore his ACL later that season, though, and with the exception of a start in Week 17 of last year, he’s been unable to earn back the starting job. Cam Erving beat him out in camp.

The Cowboys were searching for interior depth after losing backup Marcus Martin to a torn ligament in his toe this preseason. They also have a rookie, Connor Williams, poised to start at guard.

“They needed offensive linemen,” Reid said. “They’ve been checking on our group there and Parker will go in and do a nice job for them, and we appreciate everything he did here and how he fought back from his injury to get himself back to where he is now. He did a nice job.

“They wanted him and we wanted Charvarius, so it all worked out well.”

Court report

DISTRICT COURT Judge Daniel Creitz Civil cases filed:

Tessa Morris vs. Jesse Morris, divorce

Marriage licenses issued:

David C. Bowman and Ashley R. Barnes Jeffrey Yocham and Lynda L. Beth

MAGISTRATE COURT Judge Tod Davis Convicted of no seat belt and fined $30:

Jacob C. Barker, LaHarpe

Convicted of speeding:

Jermaine M. Burkhalter, Tulsa, Okla., $189 Jason B. Sotkin, Tulsa, Okla., 81/65, $249 Caressa E. Lowell Vaughn, Iola, 89/65, $207 Jeremy R. Hill, Humboldt, 75/55, $213 Issac M. Tadlock, Lexington, Mo., 75/65, $153 Tyreece D. Jeter, Shawnee, 86/65, $222 Simone Bigelow, Skiatook, Okla., 75/65, $153

Convicted as follows:

Jose E. Pino Perez, Houston, Texas, failure to yield, $303 James M. Lawson Jr., Inola, Okla., failure to yield, $228 Adam T. Eisenbart, Iola, DUI, $613, 90 days jail, 85 days suspended, 12 months probation Cody S. Sims, Parsons, passing on left, $183 Heather J. Weiland, Iola, no registration, $210 Mark. R. Wade, Iola, over weight on wheels and axles, $514 Howard W. Wilcox, Louisburg, over weight limits on wheels and axles, $978 Winter E. Snyder, Els-more, failure to wear seatbelt, age 14-17, $60

Cases deferred with fines assessed:

Darious T. Orr, Iola, domestic battery, $653

Criminal cases filed:

Melissa F. D. Clay-Hunsperger, Iola, domestic battery

Contract cases filed:

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Sarah Regan Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Debra Francis Cavalry SPV I LLC vs. Candise L. Ranabargar

Small Claims filed:

Jack Franklin vs. Dustin Galloway

IOLA MUNICIPAL COURT Judge Patti Boyd Convicted of speeding:

Justin D. Betts, Broken Arrow, Okla., 34/25, $155 Caleb M. Carpenter-Solenberger, Bartlesville, Okla., 35/25, $155 Catherine B. Glock, Bixby, Okla., 35/25, $155 Shane E. Haupt, Iola, 34/25, $155 Victoria L. Koch, Home, 45/35, $155 Kaylie C. Lakey, Bartlesville, Okla., 34/25, $155 Shelby R. Reno, Iola, $155 Blaine E. Wallace, Iola, 47/25, $233 Braden R. Westervelt, Iola, $34/25, $160

Convicted as follows with fines assessed:

Carolyn E. Appleton, Iola, failure to yield, $195 Dustin W. Jones, Iola, criminal damage, $465 Aaron L. Kinzle, Iola, speeding, no seatbelt, $185 Tyler S. Powelson, Iola, inattentive driving, $195 Makayla L. Robb, Iola, no registration, $195 David E. Rowlands, Iola, criminal damage, $315 Patricia A. Snow, dog running at large, $135 Justin R. Westerman, Iola, disorderly conduct, $195

Archdiocese hires law firm to study abuse allegations

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has hired a law firm to examine its handling of allegations of sexual abuse by its priests going back nearly seven decades.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann wrote in a column published Friday in the archdiocese’s newspaper, The Leaven, that the firm was hired to review priest personnel files back to the 1950s “to ensure that we have an accurate historical knowledge of how the archdiocese has responded to allegations of misconduct.” He did not name the law firm or provide any details about how it would operate. A spokesman for the archdiocese said Naumann would not comment beyond his column.

Carlyle news

Carlyle Presbyterian Church

Myrna Wildschuetz played “He Was There All the Time” on piano for the morning prelude Sunday and Rita Sanders played “Amazing Grace” on organ. Maria Burton gave her testimony and sang.

Pastor Steve Traw’s message, “Bird Watching,” was taken from Luke 12:1-12.

Maurijo Kallinen and Linda Guenther celebrated a birthday Sunday. Betty Kallinen’s was Friday. Gary and Beverly Hawk celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary Wednesday.

Twenty-one observed the baptismal service of Maria Burton at the Jensen Lake at 1 p.m. Refreshments were served afterward.

Pastor Traw leads Bible study at 3 p.m. Tuesday on the book of Philippians.

Around town

Trent Lambert, Isle of Man, U.K., and his parents, Glenn and Jane Lambert, were recent visitors in the home of David and Phyllis Loomis. While here, they visited Trent’s grandmother, Greta Ladd, at Windsor Place in Iola. They also visited Bonnie Ladd and Matt, Michelle and Maegan Loomis at a family dinner at Opie’s in Humboldt. Trent was in the United States for two weeks to assist with work at the Lambert family farm.

Visiting Gene and Naomi Chambers this week was Naomi’s sister Betty (Menzie) Elliott from Branson, Mo.

NASA anxious to hear from Mars rover as dust storm clears

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA is anxious to hear from its dust-silenced Mars rover, Opportunity, as the planet’s red skies clear.

Flight controllers have been on the alert for a message from Opportunity ever since a dust storm enveloped Mars in June and contact was lost. The storm has finally diminished. That means the sky is now clear enough for Opportunity’s solar panels to receive sunlight and fire back up.

But NASA this week warned it may never hear from Opportunity again. If there’s no word back in the next couple of months, NASA said it will cut back on its listening effort. Even if a message does get through, that may be the most the rover — mute since June 10 — can muster.

Even before the dust storm, the 15-year-old rover was exhibiting signs of old age. Its front steering and flash memory are shot.

“We are pulling for our tenacious rover to pull her feet from the fire one more time,” project manager John Callas said in a statement from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Opportunity’s twin, Spirit, got stuck in soft Martian dirt in 2009, and NASA eventually gave up trying to free it. Both rovers were designed to operate for just 90 days, however, and exceeded expectations. They were launched separately in 2003 and landed on Mars in 2004.

NASA’s younger Curiosity rover was unaffected by the dust storm; it relies on nuclear, versus solar, power.

Another NASA spacecraft, meanwhile, is on its way to Mars and should land in November. Named InSight, this robotic explorer has solar panels.

Child welfare agency failed to meet 16 standards

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ child welfare agency failed to meet more than half of 30 federal and state performance standards last year, according to a report that used the agency’s data.

The Department for Children and Families released the report this week that showed it didn’t meet 16 standards from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018. The report comes after a year when the agency changed its leaders amid severe criticism of its performance, The Wichita Eagle reported.

Child welfare advocates said the report shows the depth of the department’s problems. DCF officials said they have responded with several new efforts to improve performance.

Among other things, the report found children had 8.9 homes for every 1,000 days they were in foster care — more than double the standard of 4.12 homes.

Southern Kansas has rash of quakes

HARPER, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey says four earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 3.0 to 3.8 were registered in Harper County in less than 24 hours.

KWCH reports the agency reported a 3.0 magnitude earthquake just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, about 9.5 miles east of Harper. About 15 minutes later, a second quake registered near the same location, with a magnitude of 3.1.

A third earthquake with a magnitude of 3.2 registered just before 10 p.m. Wednesday in the same area.

The fourth quake was recorded about 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the same spot as the first quake.

The USGS recorded the last quake with a magnitude of about 3.8, not strong enough to cause major damage but significantly stronger than the three previous quakes.