Sports

Bedford throws no-no; Glaspy tosses one-hitter

1 year ago By Dustin Danner

Kaelan Bedford quieted opposing bats when his summer baseball team asked him to pitch recently in the Perfect Game Midwest Regional World Series. Bedford, who’ll be a junior this fall at Excelsior Springs High School, tossed a no-hitter to lead Competitive Edge Black 2026 to a 5-0 victory over Wisconsin-based GRB STIKS Teal June 20 at Prospect Meadows Sports Complex in Marion, Iowa.

KAELAN BEDFORD delivers a strike en route to tossing a no-hitter for his summer baseball team June 20 at the Perfect Game World Series in Marion, Iowa. SHANNONO BEDFORD | Submitted

Knuckleheadz take fifth at Youth World Series

1 year ago By Dustin Danner

An Excelsior Springs-based baseball club recently brought home a fifth-place finish from the Lake of the Ozarks. The Knuckleheadz, coached by Stephen Crowley, received the honor in the 15/16-and-under division at the 2024 Youth World Series.

There’s more to coaching than knowing X’s and O’s

1 year ago By Commentary

There’s more to coaching than teaching an athlete about the finer points of a sport. Alas, not enough people outside of coaching realize that, particularly the parents of young athletes.

’Cats focus on ‘D’ at team camp

1 year ago By Shawn Roney

Orrick varsity 8-man football coach Kirk Thacker and his Bearcats are defense-oriented for this week’s team camp. The Bearcats are installing a new defense during camp, slated to conclude Friday, according to Thacker.

ASSISTANT COACH Chase Sims (right) explains defensive assignments and techniques during varsity 8-man football camp Monday at Orrick. SHAWN RONEY | Staff

Vols, Aggies square off for MCWS title

1 year ago By Dustin Danner Sports Writer

Two SEC schools will soon slug it out for the national title in NCAA Division I baseball.

The University of Tennessee and Texas A & M University are slated to begin play in the best-of-three Men’s College World Series final Saturday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. Game 2 is slated for Sunday. Game 3, if needed, is scheduled for June 24.

Year-round commitment is a necessity for students, schools

1 year ago By Commentary

The youth sports scene is nothing like it was a few decades ago. In Excelsior Springs and other American communities, we’ve reached the point where kids playing sports yearround is the norm, not the exception.

JAXTON GLASPY, shown pitching for his summer club team, the Old School Ducks, is among many Excelsior Springs High School athletes who are honing their skills during the high school offseason. DUSTIN DANNER | Correspondent

Harbison sees rapid improvement in ’Cats during summer training

1 year ago By Shawn Roney

Orrick varsity boys basketball coach Chris Harbison is seeing progress in his Bearcats’ basketball chops during their afternoon skill sessions in the Orrick High School gym. “We’re improving pretty quickly,” Harbison said after the program’s June 13 session.

Royals go 2-8; sit at third in division

1 year ago By Dustin Danner Sports Writer

Kansas City is slipping in the American League Central Division race.

After running a close second to Cleveland for a stretch of the Major League Baseball regular season, the Royals were third in the division entering Thursday’s interdivisional road meeting with Oakland. They also had gone 2-8 in their last 10 ballgames.

Softballers hone their skills at team camp

1 year ago By News Staff

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BELLA LOEFFERT follows a ground ball into her glove while taking reps at shortstop during the Excelsior Springs softball camp for grades 7-12 Tuesday at Miracle Field. The camp was scheduled to conclude Thursday. SHAWN RONEY | Staff

ESPRCC offers slate of summer activities

1 year ago By Dustin Danner

Like previous years, the Excelsior Springs Parks, Recreation and Community Center Department is offering a slate of lessons, leagues and camps this summer. Some of those activities are being offered with some help from Excelsior Springs High School coaches and teachers.

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