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Kevin Haskin's Mid-month musings for August

By KEVIN HASKIN

TopSports.news

Musings at the mid-month:

• Just finished a trip to the D.C. area to visit our month-old grandaughter.

• Took in an Orioles victory, killed no one at Top Golf, walked the National Mall, saw the Eisenhower Memorial, marveled at the mountainous landscape of a Virginia winery, and didn’t seem to infuriate my in-laws.

• Quite the vacation.

• The highlight? Well, I did mention baby Gwyneth, right? Good. I didn’t bury the lead.

• Small world, though.

• As usual when visiting Baltimore, I ate the crab cakes at Faidley’s Seafood in Lexington Market, which will soon move across the street after being in the same downtown location since 1793.

• When I noticed a sign for raccoon (in season), I asked how many customers consumed that critter.

• Turns out that more patrons find muskrat appealing. “Tastes like beef; better than beef,” said a long-time employee. So there’s that.

• While speaking with Damie, the fourth-generation family member who now manages Faidley’s, I learned that her father’s hometown is Parsons.

• While stationed in the Navy, Bill Devine met his bride, Nancy, and eventually married into the Faidley family.

• Bill is in his 90s and going strong. Both he and Nancy still work at Faidley’s, a business that will soon have to take down, but hopefully re-hang, aged pictures of Brooks Robinson and Johnny Unitas.

• Thanks for indulging me just now. A reporter’s hat may fade, but it never gets discarded.

• Happened to drive back east, roughly 1,300 miles one way, to retrieve my wife Kris, who couldn’t contain her grandmotherly instincts and flew out earlier.

• Driving the 1,300 miles back home, Louisville was a reasonable halfway stop.

• Why look, the Arlington Million moved to Churchill Downs for a special race card. Let’s go!

• It marked just the fifth time in the track’s history for August racing.

• My first visit to Churchill and I found it to be a stately venue that continues to grow.

• New suites and grandstands are going up between turns one and two … or what would be one of the end zones if a football game broke out among thoroughbreds.

• Won a few wagers, but chalk ruled the day, so the payouts were nominal.

• Receiving exact change on a winning ticket was a new experience and rather silly, it seemed, in the year 2022.

• Coins are more a nuisance than a necessity anymore.

• We found a limb dangling from our power line when we returned home. Kris convinced me not to touch it, so we called Evergy.

• A technician arrived and did what I would have done, nudging the branch over the pole.

• The next bill will reveal the price of exercising caution over daring to DIY.

• Didn’t make it to Heartland Motorsports Park for the recent NHRA event, but I still marveled at one constant.

• At 73, John Force still thrives on nitro. The ageless legend climbed into his Funny Car and finished second.

• The drags aren’t for everyone and have perhaps run their course in Topeka, but Force and his family do everything possible to accommodate fans.

• Same goes for most of the NHRA pros.

• Football will soon be here and I am eager to track two ambitious projections I keep seeing:

• KU will win more than three games, including more than one in Big 12 play.

• Wearing a K-State uniform, transfer Adrian Martinez will forget he ever fumbled.•

• Now let’s apply the smelling salts:

• You must go back to 2008 to find the last time the Jayhawks won more than a single Big 12 game.

• Martinez’s inability to value the ball while quarterbacking Nebraska inspires little confidence.

• But hey, the beauty of the preseason is that confidence abounds.

• Key September game for K-State: at Oklahoma on Sept. 24.

• Yes, I know Missouri visits Manhattan for a Sept. 10 sellout, but if the Wildcats are to fulfill the role of Big 12 sleeper, a strong showing at OU affirms those hopes.

• Key September game for KU: against West Virginia on Sept. 10.

• If the Jayhawks are to serve notice to the Big 12, it might as well come early at home against the Mountaineers, who stand 44-45 in league play since joining in 2012.

• Developments worth tracking:

• At K-State, the promotion of Collin Klein to offensive coordinator and the changes he implements.

• At KU, a complete offseason for Lance Leipold and what that does to solidify his systematic approach.

• The payoff: K-State should improve in the passing game; KU should be more physical.

•Friday night lights beam for real on Sept. 2 for the season-openers.

• Hayden at Silver Lake on Sept. 9 intrigues me.

• So too does sports wagering in Kansas.

• Amazingly, auto-correct did not erase that last sentence.

TopSports.news' 2022 Shawnee County volleyball players to watch

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Lexis Berndt

Lexis Berndt, Silver Lake

A senior, Berndt earned second-team All-Shawnee County selection last fall, helping Silver Lake win the Mid-East League championship and posting a 28-9 overall record. Berndt will switch to libero this fall after being credited with 231 digs a year ago.

Laynee Brown

Laynee Brown, Seaman

A senior, Brown was an All-Centennial League first-team selection for the second straight season after the Vikings posted a 27-13 record and finished fourth in the 5A state tournament. Brown finished with 338 digs on the season to go with 109 assists. She also served 95 percent with 27 aces.

Zoe Canfield

Zoe Canfield, Washburn Rural

Canfield, a junior, was a second-team All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League pick as a junior after helping Rural post a 41-2 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, recording 439 assists and 53 service aces. Canfield earned All-City and all-league honors as a freshman and was named the city newcomer of the year. Canfield also helped lead Rural to the 6A state basketball title this past season.

Leah Cook

Leah Cook, Silver Lake

A senior, Cook earned second-team All-Shawnee County recognition last season for the 28-9 Eagles, who won the Mid-East League championship. Cook was a unanimous All-Mid-East League first-team selection, registering 193 kills while being credited with 27 blocks a year ago.

Brooklyn DeLeye

Brooklyn DeLeye, Washburn Rural

DeLeye, a senior, was named the Shawnee County, Centennial League and Class 6A player of the year last season after helping lead the Junior Blues to a fourth-place finish in the 6A state tournament. A three-time all-league and All-6A State Tournament selection, DeLeye finished the season with 586 kills on .438 kill efficiency, while also contributing 26 block kills, 259 digs and a 2.56 serve receive grade. DeLeye, who has orally committed to Kentucky, had 133 serving aces. DeLeye was also a standout on Rural's 6A state championship basketball team last season.