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Class 4 District 15 Preview

There’s been something about the gymnasium at Staley High School.

In the two seasons the school has been open, the Kearney boys basketball team has yet to win in Falcon Fieldhouse. Last year, Staley was the site of a late-season blowout, one of the team’s worst performances of the season. A month ago, a second-half meltdown led to the team’s first loss of the season, albeit the Bulldogs played much better than their first showing.

Kearney’s next crack at its first victory at Staley comes tonight, Thursday, Feb. 25, in the Class 4 District 15 tournament. The top-seeded Bulldogs (22-3) were scheduled to meet the first-round winner between No. 4 Kansas City East and No. 5 Westport at 7 p.m. in the semifinals.

"We all know we haven’t fared that well there, but it’s 10 feet everywhere we play at," senior Nathan Bitner said. "There shouldn’t be that much difference. We just have to get over it."

Indeed, if the Bulldogs expect to make it back to the Show-Me Showdown for the second year in a row, they will need to win there twice: tonight and then at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, in the championship game, possibly against host and No. 2-seeded Staley.

"That’s a tough gym to play in," senior Austin Thomas added. "It’s a really tough gym to play in. It’s big, and they have one of the best student sections across Missouri. They don’t make it easy on you."

It’s not going to be easy. Coming into the season as the defending state runner-up with four returning starters, the Bulldogs have had a bull’s-eye on their back since day one. Currently ranked No. 2 in the state polls, that target becomes that much bigger.

Seniors Dillon Starzl (6-foot-9) and Grant Cozad (6-foot-7) give Kearney an imposing front line. Starzl is averaging better than 14 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots per game. Cozad is right behind at 12.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per.

Kearney’s guard play has been a revolving door of opportunistic contributors. Five different players, including Bitner and Thomas, have had big nights throughout the course of the season. Senior Alex Klonowki, the team’s top long-distance threat, has knocked down a team-high 37 percent of his 3-pointers thanks to hot shooting in recent weeks.

Led by the seniors, the Bulldogs look to claim their fourth district championship in as many seasons. Considering Kearney won the district two times (1991 and 2004) in the 40-plus years previous, it would be quite an accomplishment to say the least.

"That’s big. It’s something I’m sure all of us have thought about," Thomas said. "Winning three straight was amazing. It doesn’t happen very often. Winning four straight would be unreal.

"We want to get back to Columbia this year. That’s our first step to Columbia, winning districts."

In three regular-season tournaments, Kearney has walked off with the championship trophy each time. But the Bulldogs know full well this tournament means more than the rest.

It’s either win this one and make a trip back to the playoffs or go home.

"We’ve done a lot of special things this year, winning three tournaments," Bitner said. "We’re etching our name in Kearney history. We just want to put our best foot forward and try to win one more tournament. That’s all that matters right now."

Sports writer Chris Geinosky can be reached at 389-6654 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .