The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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It’s time for some random thoughts on a Thursday while anxiously anticipating Friday’s State playoff football games.

Here’s what’s on my mind from the world of sports, in case you wanted to know.

• Congratulations to the Emporia State women’s basketball team after its win over Kansas State on Sunday. Exhibition game or not, a victory over a Division I school on its home court — a home court where it rarely loses — is something special. With the boost of confidence that game should provide, the Lady Hornets might parlay that victory into ... well, I’ll let you figure that one out.

• Methinks that the Emporia State men’s team might have been a little underrated by the MIAA coaches. The league’s coaches picked the Hornets to finish ninth, but after some spirited games against Division I powers Wichita State and Kansas, the ESU men could climb the ladder a few spots by season’s end.

• Sticking with basketball, new Kansas State coach Bob Huggins nearly saw his squad lose in its first exhibition game to Washburn in three overtimes. A little embarassing to say the least. But you can bet he has his team’s attention now.

• If Huggins has the Wildcats Dancing in March, no one will care that it took three extra periods to defeat the Ichabods.

• I have to gloat about the fact that Kansas State signed the No. 1 basketball recruiting class in the nation on Wednesday according to Rivals.com, SCOUT.com, and CNNSI.com. That’s right, the little ol’ Wildcats signed a better class of players than North Carolina, Duke, Syracuse, Kentucky and ... ahem ... Kansas. The class is led by the top-ranked player in the 2007 class, Michael Beasley.

• I ran into Emporia High’s Taylor Euler — EHS’s quarterback and point guard — this past week up at the high school, and he asked me if I was ready for basketball season. I simply told him “No,” but what I should have said was, “I’m still trying to survive football season.”

• Props to all the area teams that made the State playoffs this year, including Burlington, Lyndon, Madison, Olpe and Waverly — teams that are still alive in their hunt for a State title.

• I have the feeling I’ll be adding Emporia High to that list in the years to come.

• Is there a bigger high school football game in the state this weekend besides the Waverly at Madison 8-Man Division I game Friday night in Madison? I don’t think so.

• I’m putting the over-under on that game at 120 points. Any takers?

• It’s just a shame that two teams have to see their seasons end with the Waverly-Madison and Olpe-Lyndon games this Friday. Such are the ways of the playoffs.

• Speaking of big football games, there happens to be one in Manhattan on Saturday. Apparently, Kansas State’s game against Texas is so big, ABC decided to show it to rest of the country in primetime.

• I just hope my Cats can keep it respectable.

For more sports commentary from Michael and Gazette sports reporter Jesse Newell, listen to the Emporia Sports Buzz online at www.emporiagazette.com.