Out on any high school softball field there is a group of talented ladies who represent their school, but for Aquinas this team is more than the base requirements. 

The team features power hitters, fast runners and a pitcher in Kellie White, who has been athlete-of-the-week. They are led by a dedicated and vocal senior line-up that features two future college athletes in centerfielder Janessa Swinney and Ashley Dobbie at second base. That team is the kind that goes undefeated to win EKL in an 18-2 season, so far.

You can tell this team's excitement in every cheer and in every celebratory Facebook status.  I went to a game recently and the energy was incredible.  The crowd was filled with parents, and unfortunately no student section.  These girls are underappreciated, period.

It was that kind of day yesterday for the Saint Classic track and field meet held at the Blue Valley District Activities Center.  My valiant companion, yearbook reporter Rachel and I stayed almost the entire 5 1/2 hour event.  We were cold and hungry but did not give up because we got good pictures, I could write for you and we watched her boyfriend. 

The races seemed to go well. Only two people wiped out over the hurdles and there seemed to be no other events like that.  We stayed mostly on the track side, while two other reporters covered the field events.

Between some of the races, Rachel and I would walk around and talk to the athletes or just talk.  We walked by a couple girls who must have been exhausted and that is where the title came about.  We turned our heads in a "confused beagle look" as anyone who owns a beagle would understand and decided to write the quote down and use it many times in the future. 

Hey guys, it has been forever since I was on.  I miss it.  Senior year is wrapping up and Spring sports have gotten a couple weeks in.  I am planning on hitting a couple baseball and tennis games before I graduate!  For now however, I get to cover the final basketball game.  It will be a great game with some really impressive athletes that I have watched all year. 

The game will be hosted by the NJCAA National Champion JCCC Cavaliers.  So it will be at JCCC at 6:30 on Saturday.  Be there!

Aquinas will be most likely be represented by the Bourquin brothers, Zach and Beau.  There is some question as to whether or not they will be available for the game.

Tonight the boys team played the Highland Park Scots in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.  The boys lost 54-41 after a hard fought final game.

The score was tied at eight after the first quarter, but the Scots broke out their 3-point shooters scoring 20 points in the second quarter to the Saints' six.  Through the second half the lead fluctuated between 16 and nine before Highland Park pulled it out to 13 and won.

Over-all it was a good game for the Saints, The worked hard and had a lot of great plays.  The high-light reel would feature one play in particular.  Zach Bourquin blocks shot on the defensive end, baseball pass down the court to his twin brother Beau, the pass goes long and Beau flies after it.  While air born he passes behind-the-back to Kevin Sweeney for two points.

Aquinas was matched up with Wyandotte in their sub state final today hosted by Gardner Edgerton.  The Saints pulled off a 55-51 victory over the Bulldogs.  They join the Aquinas girls team who qualified for state after defeating Gardner Edgerton last night. (Check out that blog too if you are interested.)

The game was hard fought with long scoring runs by each team.  Wyandotte led most of the first half by five points or so leading by only one at the half.  The Bulldog attack was led by 11 3-pointers in the game.  My dad always says, "It's hard to beat a three with a two." That was a problem for Saints during the first half, but they got the Bulldogs under control holding them for only five points in the third.  That allowed the Saints to take the lead which they kept for most of the second half.

In the fourth quarter the Saints' lead vacillated from nine points to two.  The last minutes of the game were the most interesting as it came down to free-throws which the Bourquins took a hold of hitting seven between the two of them.

Despite some distracting Rule 52 violations from the Gardner crowd and one of their team members getting asked to Prom by a fan, Aquinas was able to pull off a 27-24 win at Gardner-Edgerton for the Substate Championship.

After the Trailblazers hit the first shot, the Saints tied it up and took the lead.  They were ahead at least one posession for the remainder of the game.  The Saints had their highest lead at nine before the Trailblazers cut the lead down to two.

Sophomore DaShawn Harden it clutch shots all game despite the fans continuing to scream "airball" for the rest of the game after one bad shot in the 1st quarter.  After being fouled, she finished the game with a freethrow to extend the lead to three before Aquinas won.

The Aquinas game tonight was quite a trek.  It was nearly two hours from Overland Park to Pittsburgh on a school night, but I made it for you.  Aquinas won by 24 with a final score of 41-17.

The Bourquins were kind enough to invite me into the team parent caravan as the team photographer and reporter.  Five other students showed up.  This was the first round of Sub-state which the boys have passed setting them up against Wyandotte on Saturday at Gardner-Edgerton.

The most interesting and controversial play of the game came in the first quarter when senior Zach Bourquin took the ball on a fast break and finished with a powerful two-handed dunk.  The play was re-called and Zach received a technical because he hung on the hoop after the play.  He said the "T" was worth it though.  That marks two games in a row in which he has dunked. 

Tonight Saint Thomas Aquinas and Bishop Miege played in a rare four game set-up with JV and Varsity boys and girls basketball games at Aquinas in one night.  The teams split the record with Aquinas winning both JV games and Miege taking both the varsity games.

For the boys team it was Senior Night.  The line-up features eight seniors in Zach Bourquin, Alex Keith, Beau Bourquin, Adam Coatney, Mike Etzkorn, Jake Darnell, Mike Rzeszut and Kevin Sweeney. 

The boys started on a 7-2 run and led for the whole first quarter.  They fell behind in the second before trading leads in the second half.  The game had many incredible event such as an awesome dunk from Zach, an inbounds play thrown off the defender's back into play by Beau who led the team with 19 points, a coast-to-coast run by Trevor Releford and most of all, the ending was fascinating. 

The Dance Team sparkled on senior night while the boys fought back for a hard earned victory over the Huskies.  Though the Saints trailed by as many as 9, they were able to take the lead in the 3rd before trading off baskets and eventually drawing the lead to 12 for a 50-38 win in the third match of the year between these two teams.

I can't say that the start was surprising when the Huskies' sophomore star Brett Comer hit a shot on the first possession.  It was not shocking either that the entire team was on fire behind the arch.  But the Saints were able to overcome the talented huskies with a couple forced turnover which resulted in easy baskets.

Once again, the Saints were led by their seniors: Zach and Beau Bourquin, Kevin Sweeney and Alex Keith.  The Saints played together well and piled up the assists making the extra pass when it was beneficial for a basket.  The Saints also played one of the best transition games that I have seen; from steals and lay-ups to getting set for their press after a made basket. 

How is it that there are only articles on games in which Aquinas loses.  The team is 7-8, but it is odd.  They are not necessarily big games in which the team is losing, but the depressing article streak continued last night.

The Saints were locked in battle with the BVW Jags.  It was their senior night and the gym was pretty packed.  Their star 6-9 Senior Brandon Ubel led all scorers with 12 points in the contest as Aquinas fell 31-29.

The most fascinating thing about the game was the pace.  BVW was able to slow the game down leading at the half 15-11.  While the pace was slowed down the game went by quickly.  With all the senior night traditions the first half only took a half hour.  After a cheerleader debacle at half-time where the wrong music was repeatedly played leaving the four senior cheerleaders baffled at mid court, the teams came back for the second half.