Hulk Hogan and Griffon Football

I compare the Missouri Western football teams season to a hero of mine growing up. That hero would be professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. It seemed every match the Hulkster had he would get put in a choke hold and his arm would fall to the mat two times. Right before his arm was getting ready to hit the canvas for a sure defeat, he would stop his arm and bust out of the move for a victory.

The Griffons football season could be categorized the same way. After starting 1-4 the Griffons have bounced back to finish the season 6-5 and secure a Mineral Water Bowl berth. Watching the Griffons this season certainly has been interesting. This team could legitimately be 9-2 and just as easy be 4-7. It certainly has been a roller coaster ride of a season.

After the fourth quarter of the Nebraska-Omaha game, the likelihood of the Griffons making the post season was bleak. To the credit of head coach Jerry Partridge and his coaching staff the team did not give up. The players also deserve credit for not giving up, even though the ultimate goal of making the playoffs was shot.

What a difference a year makes, last year making the Mineral Water Bowl was a let down from an otherwise great season. This year it seems like the prize for a hard fought season. It was a hard path, but the Griffons did it in style.

Senior kicker Dustin Strickler kicked two game winning field goals or the Mineral Water Bowl would have never been a possibility for the Griffons. Thomas Hodges has also been a big spark for the Griffons, as he has racked up yards in key situations. Inspired play by the whole team is what has brought the Griffons to the bowl game.

The Mineral Water Bowl means the seniors get one more collegiate game before starting the next phase of their lives. It will be worth the trip to Excelsior Springs to see Roger Allen, Jarrett Morris, Jamie Hanson, Soane Etu, Dustin Strickler, Martin Lane, Zach Walker and the rest of the seniors suit up one last time.

We might as well rename the Mineral Water Bowl the Missouri Western Bowl. We have been to the bowl game six times and five times in the last eight years. I know the Mineral Water Bowl is not what Missouri Western strives to get to each year, that would be a playoff berth. The Griffons can build off this and hopefully next season we will be hosting a playoff game and not heading back to Excelisor Springs.

The group of seniors that have been on the team the last four years will be leaving the Western program as the group with the most all time victories. They were a part of the first playoff apperance and have a chance to capture their third Mineral Water Bowl victory. A bowl victory would be a nice way for these seniors to end their Western careers.

Seniors looking to go out on top

When seniors leave and graduate from a program it’s always hard, but for Missouri Western football fans it may a be little harder watching these seniors leave.

This class of seniors has racked up many accolades. They are going to leave with the most wins in a four-year period with 33 victories. The seniors can add one more to that tally with a third Mineral Water Bowl victory for this group of seniors. Head coach Jerry Partridge knows he is losing a special group.

“There are some guys whose losses will be huge,” Partridge said. “We are not only losing good athletes, but great character guys who do everything the right way.”

This group of seniors has been a key part to many amazing things here at Missouri Western. They were a part of the first Griffon football team to qualify for the Division II playoffs in 2006. They also provided the first victory in “The Jungle” against the Pittsburg State Gorillas since 1984, with the 2007 victory over the Gorillas by a score of 39-32. Senior defensive lineman Martin Lane feels it’s an honor to be a part of this special class.

“It feels amazing to be a part of this special senior class,” Lane said. “I feel like I am home here at Western, and have felt that way, since day one here on campus.”

The seniors on this season’s team are: Zach Walker, Dustin Strickler, Zach Sharp, Jarrett Morris, Anthony Morgan, Cory Elmendorf, Gary Williams, Sylvester Gibson, Justin Richmond, Lance Neal, Roger Allen, Jamie Hanson, Alvaro Prado, Soane Etu and Martin Lane. All of the seniors have different dreams now that their collegiate careers have come to an end. Hanson and Allen have pro-aspirations and others have the abilities to play semi-pro football. For others, organized football is over for them and they will begin their real lives with their Missouri Western degrees.

This proud senior class was worried their legacy might be ruined by a bad season, but the Griffons rallied with a four game winning streak at the end of the season to catapult them into the Mineral Water Bowl. Senior kicker Dustin Strickler couldn’t be more excited to have one more game in his Griffon career.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the whole team,” Strickler said. “We have now made the post-season all four years and that’s something I will be able to tell my grandchildren someday.”

The last few years have been an incredible journey for the seniors. They have experienced extreme highs and lows on the football field. For Lane it seems just like yesterday he was enrolling to be a Griffon.

“I look at the freshmen on this team and they are incredibly talented and it seems like just yesterday that was me,” Lane said. “It’s amazing how fast time goes, but I wouldn’t change anything.”

Lane echoes the sentiments of many of his fellow seniors; many of them wouldn’t change anything. The decision they made to become a Griffon was one they would make again if they had to do it over. Defensive back Jarrett Morris knows were his heart will always be.

“I am proud to be able to say that I am a Griffon,” Morris said. “I have been here for five years and they have been the best years of my life.”

These seniors certainly have stamped their legacy. The icing on the cake to their brilliant careers would be a Mineral Water Bowl victory over Augustana. The ride has been long and sometimes challenging, but knowing this talented group of athletes, they will go out with a bang.

Baseball off to slow start

The Missouri Western men’s baseball team hasn’t exactly got out to the start they planned this season, with many of their first games getting cancelled, thier record now stands at 8-14 and (5-6) in conference.

There have been bright spots for the Griffons this season. Their offense has been exceptionally well, so far. Ben Toedebusch and Adam Carolan have been two of the better hitters for the Griffons. Toedebusch leads the team in batting average at an impressive 407. He is also tied for the team lead in triples with two, and also adds two home runs and 14 run batted in. Carolan leads the team in home runs and runs batted in, with four and 16 respectively.

The Griffons pitching staff has also been a bright spot for the team. The Griffons have a team earned run average of 5.93. The leaders of the pitching staff, so far have been Chris Jackson and Chris Rusler. Jackson has the Griffons lone shutout this season and Rusler leads the Griffons in earned run average, with a 2.08.

The Griffons still have time to turn it around this season. Their goal is to make the conference tournament and try to win that to get to the playoffs. The Griffons are looking for their seventh straight winning season.

Another key player for the Griffons, so far this season has been Troy Landi. Landi has been a table setter for the baseball team. He leads the team in runs scored with 23 and he also leads the team in stolen bases with ten.

The Griffons are currently sitting at sixth in the MIAA conference. The conference is top loaded with Emporia State, who is ranked tenth in the nation, and Central Missouri, who is currently 21st in the nation. The Griffons are currently only a game out of third place.

The Griffons have set off on a long trip. They won their first game on Friday against Truman State by the score of 13-3. Then on Saturday in a doubleheader they won their first game against Truman State by the score of 7-4, and in the second game they lost by the score of 5-2. The Griffons will be back home on April 8 and will have a total of ten home games, through April 20.

Chiefs to visit Western

Missouri Western and the Kansas City Chiefs have announced that Western will host an off season practice for the Chiefs on June 12 at Spratt Stadium.

The practice will be a passing practice featuring some of the Kansas City Chief players. The players will not be in full pads, but rather helmets and shorts. The Chiefs cheerleaders and KC Wolf will also be in attendance for fans to enjoy.

After the practice is over Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards will address the crowd with a brief message, then some of the players will be available for autographs. The workout is scheduled for approxi­mately 90 minutes.

This visit is not related to the Chiefs thinking about moving training camp to Missouri Western campus. This is going to become an annual event at different locations around the Kansas City area. Western was the first location that was picked by the Chiefs for this off-season workout.

This event is not only for the Western family, but also for the St. Joseph community as well. St. Joseph is full of Chief fans and this will be a fun way for them to interact with their favorite team. Dan Nicoson believes this is a way for people to see their favorite team.

“It’s not just for Western, but for the whole community,” Nicoson said. “It gives people a chance who normally don’t get to see the Chiefs, a chance to see them.”

Not all of the details have been released for the event. Western is not out to make money, but it is unsure whether there will be a cost. If there is a cost it will be a minor charge.

This will be a great opportunity for the campus to be shown off for the community, as they can come cheer on the Chiefs and see the beauty that is Spratt Stadium.

Western student bowls perfect game

Missouri Western Junior Jennifer Myers did something historic when she bowled in her Monday night mixed league in Atchison, Kansas, she bowled a perfect game.

There has been many perfect games bowled in bowling, but the feat had never been achieved by a women in the history of the town of Atchison. Myers fought through the nervousness when she went up there in the last frame to achieve this score.

“When I went up there for the tenth frame my legs were shaking really bad, honestly I felt like I was going to throw up,” Myers said.

The last ball Myers threw in the game was extremely dramatic. Her last ball came up a little high and the seven pin stood wobbling. The pin swayed and finally fell over to give Myers her perfect game. Bob Myers the owner of West Lanes and Jennifer’s father thought the pin was never going to fall over.

“That pin took forever to fall over and a lot of the guys standing around had tears in their eyes, it was pretty emotional,” Myers said.

Myers doesn’t have a major amount of bowling experience. She began bowling in second grade and continued until the fifth grade. She then stopped bowling until her senior year, when she got back into the sport.

For West Lanes Bowling Center this was a big event. Women have came close to bowling a perfect game and finally it happened. For Bob this was a significant event for his bowling center.

“I think it would have been exciting if any women was going to bowl a 300, but since it was my daughter it made it a little more exciting,” Myers said.

Myers achieved every bowlers dream that Monday night. She believes the achievement of bowling a perfect game is enough. The fact that she is the first women is just an added bonus. It’s a night Myers certainly will not forget anytime soon.

Men's basketball ends season; miss MIAA Tourney

The Missouri Western Men's basketball team ended their season in defeat by losing to the Missouri Southern Lions by the score of 87-80.

Before the game the Griffons saluted the seniors on the team. The three seniors that were honored were Kyle Kirschner, Jay McFarland and Keion Kindred as they played their last home game. The Griffons were led in scoring by Reggie Bunch. Bunch had a big night as he scored a career high 38 points, to go along with 16 rebounds. It was his ninth double-double of the season. The only other Griffon in double figures was McFarland who added 14 points.

The Griffons ended this season on a six game losing streak. They failed to reach the conference tournament for the second straight year. They ended their season with a 9-18 record and dead last in the MIAA with a 3-15 conference record. The Griffons will look for better success next season and hopefully end the drought of missing the conference tournament.

Women's Golf ready for season

The Missouri Western's women's golf team maybe young but they are ready to make an impact in the Spring season.

The Griffons were up and down in their Fall season. The highs being finishing fourth at the William Jewell tournament and finishing fifth at the NWMSU Fall Invitational. The lows being finishing eighteenth at the Drury Invitational and thirteenth at the SW Minnesota State University Invite. Head coach Cathy Habermehl believes the Griffons are close to being a successful team.

The team is young and small in numbers. The team is made up of only four players. The team consists of two freshman, a junior and a senior. The two freshman are Lexi Webb and Jessica Rawdon. The lone junior is Central graduate Deidra Twombly. The only senior is Kimberly Evans.

The Griffons will have their home tournament on March 17 and 18. The MWSU Invitational will be at Fairview Golf Club in St. Joseph, MO. The Griffons will play in six tournaments this Spring.