Th e Ti l l e r & To i l e r Sp o r t s Th u r s d a y , Fe b r u a r y 20, 2020 7 Corner Charlie’s Skelton’s game-winner YOUR CHEATING HEART

In 1953 the legendary Hank Williams released his song titled, “YOUR CHEATING HEART”. rescues Indians It is still a classic today. The first verse lyrics go Inside BY BUDDY TABLER like this: It was a game of runs and the Larned boys had the last Your cheatin’ heart, will make you weep, Friday evening as Brock Skelton’s last-second layup beat the You’ll cry and cry, and try to sleep. buzzer for a heart-stopping 51-50 win over Hillsboro. Larned led 43-35, but Hillsboro’s 15-2 run had the Trojans Ol’ Hank was singing the tune for the Houston up 50-45 lead with two minutes left. The Indians stole a victory Astros team. So the Astros got caught with a game-ending 6-0 run, highlighted by a dramatic final two cheating. They won a World . They cheat- points by Brock Skelton. ed during that time. Did it get them their title? Trailing 50-49, with only 13 ticks left, Larned fouled Dil- Hard to say. I do know this; cheating has been lon Boldt to stop the clock. Boldt a one-and-one free throw and going on a long time in baseball. History , and all Larned’s Chance Sanger grabbed the rebound. With 4.5 seconds of us, have given cheating a wink and a nod. “It’s remaining Larned coach Jerrod Smith called timeout. Chance part of the game”, they say. Until it isn’t. Sanger drove to the free throw line, but was -teamed. Sanger spotted Skelton streaking to the basket and his layup Stealing signs sounds like something a bunch of beat the buzzer and the Indians’ fans erupted. hooligans would do on Halloween night but, ap- Larned (13-3, 4-2 CKL) plays at Hesston (15-1, 5-1 CKL) plied to baseball it refers to intercepting the op- Tuesday. posing team’s body language signals and using “Oh my. We were fortunate to win that one,” said Larned this information to counter what you do. Cheat- coach Jerrod Smith. “Our guys executed that final play well, but ing? Yes. Looked down on? No. Stealing signs, it broke down and Sanger had to make a play. Fortunately he pine-tarring bats, letting the grass grow too long found Skelton under the basket. Hillsboro is young but excellent in the , putting the fences deeper team. We needed this game to remain in the hunt for a league for a team with lots of speed, “doctoring” the ball championship and for substate seedings.” Larned led 19-16 after with smudges and knicks, not touching the bag, a well played first quarter but fell behind 29-27 at halftime on but coming close on double plays, all of these 60% shooting by the Trojans who buried 5 threepoint baskets in things have gone on for years in baseball and, in the first half. fact, are considered “badges of honor” amongst Hillsboro shot a hot 19 of 31 from the field for 60% and con- the veterans of the game. verted 4 of 8 free throws. They were led in scoring by freshman Brekyn Ratzlaff with 16 points. Boldt and Matthew Potucek So, we are left with, is what the Houston Astros added 12 apiece. Larned’s Jack Stelter pulls down an offensive rebound did actually that reprehensible? The moguls of Larned made 19 of 44 from the field , including 6 three point against hillsboro on Friday night. (courtesy photo by are acting like it as they baskets. The Indians converted 7 of 17 free throws. Sanger led Janet Fleske) hand penalties to players, coches and own- the Indians with 23. Mason Perez added six and Andreus Tucker ers. Stiff penalties too. Yet, we grin and wink and and Dillan Smith had five apiece. LARNED (13-3, 4-2) - Sanger 8 2-2 23, Perez 2 2-4 6, Smith nod at other cheating because, “it’s part of the Hillsboro 18 11 6 15 - 50 Larned 19 8 16 8 - 51 2 1-3 5, Tucker 2 0-0 5, Stelter 1 2-3 4, Skelton 2 0-4 4, Crosby game.” HILLSBORO (9-8, 3-3)-Ratzlaff 6 2-2 16, Boldt 4 0-1 12, 2 0-1 4, Totals 19 7-17 50. Potucek 1-3 12, Harris 3 0-0 6, Diener 0 0-2 0, Kaufman 1 0-0 3-pointers-- H 7 (Boldt 4, Ratzlaff 2, Potucek 1), L 6 (Sanger The famous basketball player, Kareem Abdul- 2, Duell 1 0-0 2, Totals 20 3-9 50. 5, Tucker 1). Jabbar might have said it best: “In athletics there’s always been a willingness to cheat if it looks like you’re not cheating. I think that’s just a quirk of human nature.” hillsboro races past Lady Indians I like another quote by Stephen Covey: “The more HILLSBORO RACES PAST LADY INDIANS people rationalize cheating, the more it becomes By: Bu d d y Ta b l e r a culture of dishonesty. And that can become a A close first quarter didn’t last as the Larned Indians fell vicious, downward cycle. Because suddenly, if 55-23 to Hillsboro, behind the terrific all-around play of Teegan everyone else is cheating, you feel a need to cheat Werth. too.” Larned held Hillsboro to a 7-5 lead after one quarter but the Lady Trojans extended that to 28-10 at halftime behind 20 first- Some of baseball’s most colorful stories involve half points by Werth. The lead grew to 40-16 after three quarters the practice of cheating. Every - as the cold0shooting Indians couldn’t keep up the scoring pace. er in the game has been accused of throwing a Larned had 32 turnovers in the game, enabling the Lady “spitball”. Actually, most of them have been idol- Trojans toattempt twice as many field goals as the Indians. The ized for having done so but, mostly, escaped any game was played with a running clock in the fourth quarter as retribution. both teams inserted reserves into the lineups. “Hillsboro started five juniors they will all be back,” said It is a real tight line we are walking as to what Larned coach Ashley Crosby. “Werth is a terrific player and we cheating is acceptable and what is not. Obvious- had no answer for her. We had too many turnovers to compete, ly, the cheating the Astros did IS NOT accept- but my girls played hard. We didn’t shoot it very well.” able. Is Major League baseball saying that it is Hillsboro (10-7, 3-3 CKL) made 19 of 50 field goal attempts acceptable to cheat in old fashioned ways but it for 38% and converted 8 of 12 free throws. Werth scored 25 IS NOT acceptable to cheat using technology? Is points. She received support from Kinsey Kleiner with 7 and that like slaying it is acceptable to cheat playing TuesdayWeisbeck with six. poker but it IS NOT acceptable to cheat if we are Larned made 10 of 29 shots for 31% and 5 of 13 free throw playing poker using computers? attempts. Eden Evers led the Indians with 8 points and Julie Tapia had 6. Larned remained winless at 0-16. They will travel I must admit that I am confused. I see baseball to Hesston for a CKL game on Tuesday. Julie Tapia scores on an offensive rebound. (courtesy banning Pete Rose, for life, for betting on base- Hillsboro 7 28 12 15 - 55 photo by Janet Fleske) ball games. Betting on his own team to win, not Larned 5 10 6 7 - 23 the opponent and now this rush to burn at the HILLSBORO (10-7, 3-3)-Werth 9 5-5 25, Tankersley 1 0-0 2, LARNED (0-16, 0-5)--Evers 3 1-2 7, Tapia 2 2-4 6, Myrick stake the Houston Astros for doing something Funk 2 1-2 5, Kleiner 3 0-0 7, Saunder 1 0-0 2, Saunders 1 0-0 1 0-1 2, Smith 1 0-0 2, Lovesee 1 0-0 2, Meyer 1 0-0 2, Mead 0 that teams have been doing for years, albeit it 2, Berens 0 1-2 1, Hefley 2 1-3 5, Weisbeck 3 0-0 6, Totals 22 0-2 0, Hagerman 0 1-2 1, Herrera 0 1-2 1, Totals 9 5-13 23. without technology, well, it confuses me. 8-12 55. 3-pointers-- H 3 (Werth 2, Kleiner 1).

For me, if you are going to cheat me the old fashioned way or the new, technological way, it matters not. I don’t understand making one a hu- morous part of the lore and the other a dastardly deed but, then, I’ve always been confused by the #1 rated Hesston nips Indians leadership of Major League baseball! In a tough defensive battle and deliberately ran the clock between two of the top-ten down until 22.5 seconds rated 3A teams in Kansas, remained when Cason Rich- Hesston slipped by Larned ardson was fouled while at- 46-45 here Tuesday evening. tempting a shot from the free It was a close game throw line. Richardson made throughout as the two teams one of two for the 46-45 lead battled back and forth, ex- and Larned moved downcourt. changing leads until the very After nearly turning the ball end. Hesston jumped out to over with just 2.5 seconds a 13-9 first quarter lead only remaining the Indians called to have Larned grab a 24-22 time out and on the ensuing halftime edge. Both teams inbounds play the Indians’ struggled with their shooting Skelton broke to the rim and from long range in the first by the narrowest of margins half. missed the winning layup. BRANDON CENICEROS SIGNS WITH BETHEL - The third quarter ended in Larned coach Jerrod Smith Larned Indian football player Brandon Ceniceros re- a 36-36 stalemate, setting up said, “It was a high-level cently signed his letter of intent to play football at the race to the finish line and game between two really good Bethel. The Threshers are expected to contend for the this game would not be settled basketball teams. Last week KCAC football crown in 2020. Former Larned Head until the final buzzer when we won on a last-second play Coach A.B. Stokes is offensive coordinator and assistant Larned’s Brock Skelton saw by Skelton and this week we head coach for Bethel. Pictured, (back row): LHS Asst. his drive to the bucket bounce almost did the same thing but football coach, Charles MacNeil; Bethel College foot- twice on the rim before falling it rolled off. Winning is better ball coach, Ab Stokes; LHS Asst. football coach, Carl off, leaving Hesston with a but , still, it doesn’t detract Brock Skelton drives and scores. (courtesy photo by Janet Nolan; Manny Ceniceros, Brandon’s father; LHS Head one point edge. from how good a game this Fleske) football coach, Tad Remy; LHS Asst. football coach, With the game tied at 45, was by both teams.” Mike Hensley; (front row): Brandon Ceniceros and his Hesston gained possession Hesston, the top-ranked mother, Amanda. (photo by Janet Fleske) with 50 seconds remaining see HESSTON page 8