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November 3, 2006 - Volume 35, Issue 4
Former Student Walks
on to KU Basketball Team
By Michaela Myer
Sports Editor
On Oct. 16, Brad Witherspoon, 2004 graduate and a former Humboldt
High School basketball player, received a phone call that literally made his
dreams come true. He was told that he was accepted as a walk-on for the University
of Kansas basketball team.
After Witherspoon graduated, he went to Lawrence to try out for the KU basketball
team but did not make the team. His sophomore year, he was accepted to practice
with the team but would not suit up for an actual game. This year, his junior
year, he tried again and was chosen to be a walk-on for the Jayhawks.
“I was not shocked at all [when I heard about Brad making the team],”
said Trenton Zartman, former teammate. “I knew if he put his mind to
it he could do great things. He has the ability and brains for the game. I’m
grateful for Brad’s efforts to keep going after not making it the last
two years. I wish him luck.”
Witherspoon knew what he wanted to do since he was young; he always dreamed
of playing for KU.
“[This opportunity] is really good not only because it’s KU, but
because it is what he wanted to do,” said Craig Smith, Witherspoon’s
high school basketball coach. “When I came [to Humboldt] he was in seventh
grade. That year he told me he wanted to be a KU basketball player. He stuck
with it and met his goal.”
When “Spoon,” as he was and still is called by his fans and teammates,
announced he was attending the University of Kansas after high school, many
people doubted him and said he would never make it.
“It’s awesome when a small town kid from Kansas walks on to an
NCAA powerhouse basketball team,” said Trey Zartman, former teammate.
“Everybody always questioned why ‘Spoon’ would try to walk
on at KU, but he wouldn’t hear it. They said that there was no way he
could do it. He proved to everybody that they were wrong, and now he is living
a dream.”
Photo Courtesy of 2003-2004 Archives
Look at those ups.
Brad Witherspoon, 2004 graduate, jumps over a
defender to try for a
basket his senior year. After the season, Witherspoon was fourth leading
scorer in school history with 1,212 points. This year, he was accepted as
a walk on for the University of Kansas. Although recognized by the number
three on his Humboldt jersey, he will be number 40 for the Jayhawks
Witherspoon never let the criticism slow him down.
“I really used it as motivation,” said Witherspoon. “The
people that didn’t believe in me pushed me just as hard, if not harder,
than the people that did.”
While in high school, Witherspoon became the fourth all-time leading scorer
in school history with 1,212 points.
“He is a hard worker,” said Smith. “He is very humble for
his athletic ability. He showed good leadership skills for his team. When
he was a freshman and sophomore, he was just a member of a team. His senior
year, he really stepped forward and became a leader and a team player.”
His teammates agreed with their former coach.
“He was the type of player that when something went wrong, he wouldn’t
give up,” said Tory Thomas, former teammate. “He would dig deeper
to succeed. He was a great leader.”
Witherspoon is carrying on that same dedication at Kansas.
“We were impressed with Brad last year during tryouts,” said Bill
Self, KU head coach. “Our coaching staff thought he had a very good
tryout Sunday evening [Oct. 15]. I wanted to personally be able to watch him
play and must admit that I was very impressed with his attitude, effort and
knowledge of the game during Monday’s workout. He will continue to practice
with our team if he continues with the same attitude and intensity.”
Witherspoon says his high school coaches prepared him for this opportunity.
“Coach Smith did a great job by starting me my freshman year. That gave
me some great opportunities. Coach [K.B.] Criss really helped by pushing me
to play football and lift weights. They both taught me self-discipline. I
would not be where I am today without them,” said Witherspoon.
As Witherspoon looks at where he came from and where he is now, he realizes
this opportunity will benefit him in the future.
“It’s a good experience and a great opportunity,” said Witherspoon.
“I think it will open a lot of doors for me because I want to be a coach
later on. I think I will learn a lot.”
When asked what he would say to current high school players, Witherspoon said,
“I would tell them to keep working hard and don’t listen to the
people that are telling them what they can and can’t do. Hard work really
does pay off; I’m living proof.”
Witherspoon has been an inspiration to many people.
Photo Courtesy of 2003-2004 Archives
Extension.
Brad Witherspoon, 2004 graduate, goes for a lay
up in a
game his senior year.
“He has inspired me in the way that nothing is out of
reach no matter what the goal is,” said Marc Dewey, former teammate.
Teammates and fans of Witherspoon wish him luck at KU.
“He showed that even a kid from Humboldt can have big dreams,”
said Trenton Zartman. “I hope [he] contribute[s] to the team and make[s]
big things happen. We all will be watching.”
Scholars Set Sights High
By Deron Owens, So.
Photographer/ Reporter
Scholars’ Bowl has started once again with 14 members
this year. The team’s first meet will be on Monday at Burlington.
“I feel really prepared. We have a lot of returning starters and new
varsity members that give our team depth,” said Hailey Schoendaller,
Scholars’ Bowl coach.
The team has set their goals high this year.
“We want to go to State because we missed it last year by one round,”
said Schoendaller.
Returning from last year’s team are Katie Hauser, sr., Emily Hauser,
jr., Daniel Weilert, jr., and Todd Hauser, so. Ten new members joined this
year also.
“Our team last year did really well,” said K. Hauser. “Hopefully
we can continue to do well since most of the team from last year is back again,
and we have new players that should be able to contribute to the team.”
Enough people are involved in Scholars’ Bowl this year to make both
varsity and junior varsity teams.
“I hope to be our leader on JV Scholars’ Bowl so I can teach and
lead our ‘rookies’ in the upcoming meets, since I am the only
returning sophomore,” said T. Hauser.
Participants enjoy Scholars’ Bowl for different reasons. Some like the
challenge that competitions provide and the opportunity to learn new information.
“I like that Scholars’ Bowl challenges what we know
as students. We test the knowledge that we have, and we also learn many things
that we didn’t know before,” said Phillip Vernon, jr.
Others members see teamwork and spending time with others as benefits of Scholars’
Bowl.
“Scholars’ Bowl provides me with lots of random facts that sometimes
comes in useful in class,” said E. Hauser. “We have to work together
because sometimes one person knows part of the answer and someone else knows
the second half , and the food provided at the meets is really good. I enjoy
being able to eat with my teammates before every meet and during breaks between
rounds.”
Still others like the difference between Scholars’ Bowl and other high
school competitions.
“It is a competition for how wise you are instead of how athletic you
are,” said Malachi Melton, so.
Regional and State competitions for Scholars’ Bowl are held in February.
FFA competes in Indiana
By Daniel Weilert, jr.
News Editor
Eight FFA members traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, from Oct.
24 to Oct. 27 to participate in the National FFA Convention.
FFA members in attendance at the National FFA Convention were Sarah Works,
Jenell Baker, Adrienne Gutierrez, Dalton Shannon, Katie Manbeck, and Britany
Sellman, jrs., Shelley Herder, so., and Josh Gillespie, sr.
The agronomy team placed seventh in the nation. Members of the team were Gillespie,
Manbeck, Sellman, and Herder.
Individually, Gillespie was twentieth in the nation, Sellman was thirty-fourth,
Herder was forty-seventh, and Manbeck was fifty-fourth.
Photo by Sarah Works
I feel surrounded.
Dalton Shannon, jr., Shelley Herder, so., stand
in a crowd of
participants from across the nation at the National FFA Convention.
The agronomy event lasted two days, the first day being the
team activity and the second day was the individual activities. The competition
included plant and weed identification of live plants, insect identification,
soil analysis, forage production analysis, developing solutions for problematic
scenarios, identification of equipment, management practices, and a team activity.
“I was very pleased with how the students competed and did,” said
Matt Kerr, FFA sponsor. “They may not admit it, but I think they may
have learned something; really though, they tried their hardest, and I am
proud of them.”
More than 50,000 FFA members were in Indianapolis; the convention consisted
of motivational speakers, national FFA officers’ speeches, workshops,
and a career and exhibit fair.
“Overall, it was a good experience for the students, and we are looking
forward to attending next year,” said Kerr.
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