Break's half over

Alas, Christmas is over, but the new year still looms. There are no more presents to be had (I made out quite nicely), but New Year's get-togethers are better than presents, anyhow. I will be in Houston on New Year's Eve at a reunion with old friends. I can hardly wait.

I don't make New Year's resolutions, so I won't offer any in this setting. I will list some dates to look forward to as the second half of the winter preps season approaches.

It all starts with Wichita Northwest at Bishop Carroll, a great matchup in any sport, but there's more on the line in this particular edition of the Tyler Road Rivalry. On January 3, Northwest travels the mile to Carroll for a wrestling dual meet. Get this (if you don't already know) - Carroll has won 92 straight dual matches, giving them no losses since 2001. Crosstown Carroll rival Kapaun Mount Carmel holds the state record for consecutive dual match wins with 123. Wichita Northwest is a program on the rise with a sixth-place finish at 6A state last February. I know from talking with wrestlers at Northwest that it is one of this team's goals to end Carroll's streak - maybe not this year, but before their stellar sophomore class graduates. I'll be there watching this match. Match starts at 7 p.m.

Mark January 4 and 5 on your schedules. Set this Friday and Saturday aside for City League basketball at Koch Arena. Starting game times are from 4:00-8:00 on Friday and 12:00-7:00 on Saturday. The feature matchup is 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 5, between Wichita Southeast and East. These are the two marquee teams in the city, state title contenders in 6A. Players on these two teams have this matchup marked on the schedules when Coach hands out the first hard copy. All of them will be up for the game. It will be an intense and full-court, in every sense of the phrase. I can't wait. Earlier in the day on Saturday, Northwest meets Kapaun - another very interesting game. Both teams are solid; both could make the state tournament.

Here are my top teams in each class from the area - boys first, then girls
6A: Wichita Southeast, Wichita Heights
5A: Kapaun, Bishop Carroll (Carroll lost at Kapaun before break, but the Eagles will return the favor at home in convincing fashion, I predict); Bishop Carroll
4A: Andover; Andover Central
3A: Collegiate; Garden Plain

Here are a few more games I am anxiously anticipating:

January 11 - Girls Basketball
Bishop Carroll at Wichita Heights

February 9 - Boys Basketball
Collegiate at Kapaun

February 22 - Boys Basketball
Collegiate at Hesston (Hesston is a team to keep an eye on as they return several starters after the Christmas break, players who were injured in the final football game of the season at Garden Plain.)

February 1 - Boys Basketball
Andover at Andover Central

Note: My segment on the Sports Daily radio show (KFH 98.7 FM/1240 AM) has moved from Thursday to Friday at the top of the second hour - that's 10:00 a.m. every Friday with Bruce and Bob.

Tomorrow I'll comment more on the Chris Harper situation. The Wichita Northwest quarterback has backed out of his commitment to Kansas State.

The January magazine will be on stands on January 4.

Here's to Houston - and my return to Wichita on January 1 to watch the preps back in full force.