Kanyon Beasley of Iola and Zach Buchanan of Chanute played a key role in The Joplin Crusaders’ victory July 9 for the Central Midwest Football League semi-pro championship title.
From here the Crusaders face the Omaha Stockmen for the national title on Sept. 30 at the Minnesota Vikings stadium.
Buchanan, 32, has been playing at the semi-pro level for about eight years with one year of arena football sprinkled in while Beasley, 23, began playing semi-pro ball this year. Buchanan helped recruit Beasley after the pair met in the Iola area last year.
Beasley met Buchanan at a charity basketball event and found a common connection in football. That’s when Buchanan asked Beasley if he wanted to play football again and he brought him on.
“Football is one of those sports that the brotherhood thing always seems to stick around,” Buchanan said. “Especially in this league, a lot of guys will check up on you and make sure you’re good and try to find common ground.”
The semi-pro experience has allowed Buchanan and Beasley to play alongside former Division I and even some NFL practice squad players.
“Semi-pro is another opportunity to play football at a different level,” Buchanan said. “Perhaps they played in college and it didn’t pan out for them. This gives them another opportunity for more exposure. I’ve seen a lot of guys from semi-pro ball go play arena football, Canadian League Football and even make some NFL practice squads.”
Buchanan plays as a slot receiver while Beasley lines up at center, right guard, defensive tackle and defensive end as well as inside linebacker this season. The team emphasizes versatility.
At Iola High School, Beasley participated in track and field, basketball and football.
“There’s one tackle I remember when I went straight through the line and swallowed up the running back and drove him back 10 yards,” Beasley recalled of a recent encounter. 
Buchanan became aware of the semi-pro world in 2015 when he first played on a team out of Coffeyville. He still has friendships from that team. From there, he joined the Kansas City Ravens, which won a championship.
In 2019, Buchanan played for the Northern Oklahoma Redhawks of the Arena Football League.
In 2020, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament.
This season was a big bounce back season for Buchanan, his second year playing for the Joplin Crusaders.
The local duo helped Joplin to a 6-2 record before running the table in the playoffs and defeating the Tulsa Gators for the league championship game.
