PITTSBURG, Kan. – (WATCH) The Colgan Panthers enter the season with high expectations and a talented group of returning players.
Check out more from the Colgan Panthers in our 2022 KOAM Pigskin Preview.
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The Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches has released its All-State teams for the 2022 season. 22 local players have earned All-State honors from the KABC, with two local coaches earning Coach of the Year awards.
5A All-State
3B Tyler Sutton (Pittsburg) – Honorable Mention
4A All-State
3B Jarrett Herrmann (Iola) – 1st team
OF Brandon McKarnin (Iola) – 1st team
DH Ryker Curry (Iola) – 1st team
P Korbin Cloud (Iola) – 2nd team
DH Lars Koester (Chanute) – Honorable Mention
3A All-State
Coach of the Year – Mick Tedlock (Columbus)
INF Kameron Williamson (Baxter Springs) – 1st team
OF Wyatt Foley (Girard) – 1st team
P Seth Stover (Columbus) – 2nd team
1B Mario Menghini (Frontenac) – 2nd team
INF Drake Brooks (Girard) – 2nd team
UT Landin Midgett (Columbus) – 2nd team
P Trevor Amershek (Girard) – Honorable Mention
INF Kyler Harper (Riverton) – Honorable Mention
OF Jeremy Raio (Frontenac) – Honorable Mention
2-1A All-State
Coach of the Year – Roland Weir (Crest)
INF Stetson Setter (Crest) – 1st team
DH Holden Barker (Crest) – 1st team
P Kysen Bennett (Colgan) – 2nd team
P Trevor Church (Crest) – 2nd team
1B Jack White (Crest) – 2nd team
OF Easton Renn (Southeast) – Honorable Mention
OF Trevor Church (Crest) – Honorable Mention
You can check out the complete KABC All-State awards HERE.
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PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Colgan Panthers hit the road to Great Bend on Wednesday for the 2A state baseball tournament.
Colgan is the #8 seed in the bracket with a 10-12 overall record. They’ll face undefeated #1 seed Crest (23-0) in the first round of the tournament on Thursday morning.
“Energy is high and we’re just really excited to get back to the state tournament,” says Colgan senior Brooks Badart, “We’re right where we want to be. We just have a few games to go. It’s a business trip all the way up there.”
The Panthers have been on a roll toward the end of the season.
After going 0-6 in their first six games of the season, Colgan has gained momentum with six wins in their last eight games heading into state.
“We’re very young. We start five or six sophomores and a freshman sometimes. We knew we were going to have to deal with a lot of adversity because we were so young,” says head coach Mike Watt on the team’s progress through the season, “Our league is very good and our non-conference games were veteran teams. It takes you a while when you’re young to learn how to play against those older, more experienced kids.”
Colgan has won 16 state championships under Watt – with their last coming in 2016.
The Panthers are aiming to return to the top of 2A baseball in Kansas – and bring home another state championship.
“The history part of it is something to be respected, but we haven’t done anything this year. It’s this year that matters,” Watt says on continuing the program’s history of competing for state championships, “These guys have had brothers who have played and some relatives who have played, but this is their turn. They have to create their own history.”
“We’re going to play a very good Colony-Crest team, but we’ve faced some good teams and we just have to do what we can do,” Watt adds, “We have to be confident in the skills we’ve worked on and the mental approach that we’ve been dealing with and working on. I think overall, we’re rising to the occasion at the right time.”
Colgan and Crest will square off at 11 AM on Thursday in Great Bend in the first round of the 2A tournament.
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PITTSBURG, Kan. – KSHSAA has released brackets for state baseball and softball tournaments next week. There are six coverage-area teams competing in state tournaments.
BASEBALL
2A – #8 St. Mary’s Colgan (9-12) vs. #1 Crest (23-0) – May 26th, 11 AM in Great Bend, KS (FULL BRACKET)
3A – #6 Sabetha (15-7) vs. #3 Columbus (20-2) – May 26th, 5:45 PM in Manhattan, KS (FULL BRACKET)
3A – #5 TMP-Marian (14-5) vs. #4 Girard (20-3) – May 6th, 1:15 PM in Manhattan, KS (FULL BRACKET)
4A – #5 Ottawa (15-6) vs. #4 Iola (16-4) – May 26th, 1:15 PM in Salina, KS (FULL BRACKET)
SOFTBALL
2A – #8 St. Mary’s Colgan (11-12) vs. #1 Ell-Saline (23-0) – May 26th, 5 PM in Pratt, KS (FULL BRACKET)
3A – #5 Frontenac (20-3) vs. #4 Kingman/Norwich (21-2) – May 26th, 7 PM in Manhattan, KS (FULL BRACKET)
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PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Colgan Panthers are once again headed to the 2A state softball tournament – and will have a chance to earn their third consecutive state title.
The Panthers claimed a regional championship on Tuesday as the #5 seed in the bracket. Colgan beat #1 Northeast in the regional semifinals, before beating #2 Uniontown in the championship game to earn their spot in the state bracket in Pratt.
This group of Colgan seniors has watched the last few graduating classes finish their careers with a ring, and they’re ready to take their shot at doing the same next week.
“I definitely want to bring home a white banner to end my senior season. It’s motivating me a lot,” says senior infielder Lauren Yaghmour, “As a senior it’s on my shoulders this year, so it means even more.”
“This senior class has participated in all of our past state championships. They have the experience on the field and they’ve been there,” says Colgan head coach Annie Dellasega, “Their leadership for our younger girls has been wonderful this year.”
Colgan heads to state with an 11-12 overall record – but that record is a bit deceiving.
Playing as the smallest school in the CNC, Colgan faced powerhouse teams Girard, Columbus and Frontenac in the regular season.
Their tough regular season schedule, like every year, has prepared this team for their post-season run.
“Our league this year really prepared us for our regional. We knew we would have a couple hard teams we had to get through. We had a job to get done and we did it,” Yaghmour says, “Every team this year in our league was good and was good competition for us. I’d rather get beat a couple times during the regular season and then go compete at state.”
“The post-season is always exciting and it’s always something that we look forward to,” Dellasega finishes, “This week is always so fun, to just hone our skills and work on the little things we know we’re going to need when we get there.”
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PITTSBURG, Kan. – (WATCH) Colgan claims a 2A regional title Wednesday night in Pittsburg.
The Panthers beat Southeast 14-4 in the regional semifinals, before beating St. Paul 19-4 in the championship game to earn their spot in the 2A state tournament in Great Bend.
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PITTSBURG, Kan. – (WATCH) Colgan sweeps a double-header from Baxter Springs Monday night, winning game one 3-2 and game two 7-6.
In game one, Kysen Bennett collects 6 strikeouts on the mound for Colgan and gets the walk-off hit in the 8th inning.
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PITTSBURG, Kan. – St. Mary’s Colgan’s Wayne Cichon announced his decision to step down from his coaching positions with the school on Thursday.
Cichon has spent the last 39 years as the head coach of the Colgan boys basketball program. In those 39 years his teams won 655 games, 26 sub-state titles and 5 state championships.
“39 years went by really fast, especially the last 20 when we were having a lot of success,” Cichon says, “Throughout the season this year the night activities, the games and the late practices were really starting to wear on me. The late nights and not being able to have energy like I usually have…I felt like it was the right time.”
You can check out our full interview with Cichon below, on the decision to step down, his favorite memories, what he’ll do with his free time now and more.
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FRONTENAC, Kan. – (WATCH) Frontenac sweeps a double-header from Colgan Thursday night in their CNC league opener, moving to 5-0 this season.
The Raiders won game one 12-8, with Mario Menghini collecting 4 RBI’s and Alex Williams driving in 4.
Frontenac rolled in game two 15-0 in 4 innings. Williams added 4 more RBI’s, while Logan Myers drove in 3.
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FRONTENAC, Kan. – (WATCH) Frontenac sweeps a CNC double-header from Colgan Thursday night to get to 5-0 on the season.
The Raiders won game one 7-0. Mia Brown threw a complete game shutout, collecting 8 strikeouts along the way.
The Frontenac bats got hot in game two, rolling by the Panthers 13-1. Hattie Pyle and Abi Beaman each hit home runs in game two. Pyle collects 5 RBI’s on the day.
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