Northtown Sports: To some it may be all about the games won and the games lost, but to the seniors, it’s all about the friendships and the memories made with those friends.
It’s the memories you created on the buses while traveling to away games, or the memories you made just by simply being at practice. It’s the memories you made at state or other tournaments while you stayed in hotels, and lastly it could be the memory you made while spending countless hours running laps around a track while listening to Ricky Sanchez yell, “Beach Body!”
So now let’s go back & remember what North Kansas City athletics have achieved over the last four years. The Hornets have taken Conference and District Championships, had records broken, and sent multiple athletes to state, but that isn’t all. Northtown has also had numerous All-Conference, All-District, All-Northland, and All-State athletes named.
In 2007, freshman year, the boys’ soccer team went 19-7, which is the best record they’ve had since we’ve been at Northtown. And in 2008 of our freshman year, the girls swim team sent six girls to state: Emma Shankland, Allison Grimwade, Ruth McQuerry, Taylor Shipman, and alternates Breonna Thomas, Katie McQuerry and Morgan Zink. This was the best state turn out that the lady AquaHornets have ever had.
Our sophomore year in 2008, our Volleyball girls beat Truman to win Districts, which earned them a fresh white letter. The first two games ended with a tie causing Northtown and Truman to play a tie breaking game where NKC beat Truman 31-29 for the District title, but that’s not all. Also our sophomore year, the Baseball team won the Northland Tournament which was a huge deal. Teams like Kearney, Platte County, Excelsior Springs, Park Hill, and Oak Park play in this tournament. In 2010 Wrestling sent three to state: Travis Greenwood, Zak Ballard and Kevin Rupp.
Junior year was a successful year. At the beginning of the year in 2009, Coach McCullough sent the entire girls Cross Country team to sectionals, and three boys: Martin Estrada, Art Vollbrecht, and Andrew Matheney. Sectionals qualified seniors Dannika West, Charlene Browne, and Art Vollbrecht for the state meet. Also in the fall season of our junior year, the girls’ tennis team won Conference and had an undefeated season. In 2010 of our junior year, the girls’ Basketball team became Conference Champions when Starr Santee took the game winning shot with one second left to beat Raytown by one point. Also in 2010, Wrestling sent two to state, and swimming sent one. In the spring season of 2010, the girls’ track team placed fifth at state, which was quite an accomplishment..
This year, basketball stud Brandon Shively averaged 26 points per game, and Brock St.Louis won the state title for wrestling. Our football team won three games this season, beating Ruskin, Truman, and Winnetonka. The Hornets beat Tonka 38-7, which was a good way to close out a senior year football season.
Throughout these four years, many athletes have gone to state including Emma Shankland, Bud Stracker, Allison Grimwade, Michael Grimwade, Travis Greenwood, Billy Anderson, Zak Ballard, Art Vollbrecht, Charlene Browne, Dannika West, Ruth McQuerry, Jacob Goade, Kevin Rupp, Morgan Reid, Ja’Kyra Shelton, BJ Smith, Taylor Shipman, Kaly Shively, Andre Moseley, Hannah DeVries, Kyaunna Robinson, Jasmin McCoy, and Kevin Gutierrez.
