Western Kansas Broadcast Center Sports Top 5 Stories for 2012

Garden City, KS (www.westernkansasnews.com) – Here is a look at the Western Kansas Broadcast Center Sports Department’s top 5 sports stories for 2012.

Coming in at #5 is the Garden City Community College Football team with a fantastic turnaround season in 2012, as the Busters produced a 6-4 record and a trip to a Bowl Game for the first time in 8 years, their 20th in school history. Not only did they make it to a bowl game, but the #20 Garden City Busters won the 2012 Mississippi Bowl 31-29, with a game winning 32 yard field goal over #7 Copiah-Lincoln, at Biloxi Mississippi on December 2nd and it was the first time the Mississippi Bowl Trophy has left the state. In his 2nd year as the Head Coach for the Busters, Jeff Tatum was named the Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year and his sophomore quarterback Nick Marshall was the offensive player of the year and the Mississippi Bowl Game MVP.

Number 4 features a very young and talented Garden City High School Cross Country team for 2012, that included juniors Kayla and Katie Doll, Chelsea Jackson, Maria Rodriguez and area Athlete of Year junior Alex Miller and seniors Nessa Harmon and Savanah Peters. Alex Miller helped lead the Lady Buff Harriers on the season with several individual wins and guided them to their 2nd consecutive Western Athletic Conference Championship and the highest state finish for a Buffalo Cross Country team in school history. The Lady Buffs finished 2nd at the 6A State Meet at Rim Rock near Lawrence to Shawnee Mission West and Miller was the individual state runner-up.

Greeley County girls and boys Cross Country teams are at #3, after having another banner season in 2012. Both teams claimed 1A State Championships, for the girls it was their 4th title in the last five seasons and for the boys, it was their 3rd in the last four years, as both teams finished runner-up in 2011.

Our #2 pick is the Scott City Football team and their undefeated season winning the 3A State Football Championship for the first time since their 4A title back in 1991. The Beavers run to the Championship included lopsided victories over Cimarron, Sacred Heart, Garden Plain, Beloit and a come from behind 28-21 win over #1 Silver Lake in the title game.

Finally, at #1 in 2012, its the Scott City boys Basketball team, after claiming their 2nd straight 3A Championship last March at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, with their 61-47 victory over Nemaha Valley. It was their second consecutive 25-1 season, after having beat Minneapolis by three to win the title in 2011. The Beavers are currently undefeated and ranked #1 in 3A and have a great chance at running the table for a three peat in 2013.

That’s our look at 2012 and our sports staff at the Western Kansas Broadcast Center, wishes everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!!!