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3-27-08 | R.I.P. RAY GIFFIN

Legendary Idaho Statesman Sportswriter
Was a Friend of the BK Knights

Ray Giffin, a fixture on the BK sideline during the 1960s and 70s while covering the Knights for the Idaho Statesman, passed away on March 13, in Boise. He was 84. Giffin handled the BK sports beat for many years, beginning in 1964. Tim Woodward's recent column on Giffin is available here.

"Ray was old school, the classic sports reporter of the era, and he was our friend," said Tim Donahue '79. "He was serious about his job, but had a great sense of humor. I think he had fun covering our team because we laughed a lot and won a lot of games and spent time visiting with him about other topics besides football."

The BK players dubbed Giffin "Sugar Ray," teased him about his bowling column "Kegler's Korner," and invited him to participate in their golf tournament, the Puckett-Tiller Thriller. Giffin mentioned the event in his column "The 19th Hole" and his 5th place finish behind Dick Hamill, Ron Troy, Chester Grey, and Joe Pape.

Giffin returned to the sidelines at BK for one last time in August of 2003 when he participated as a special guest at "Ken Krahn Day." He was introduced at halftime of the Knight's game that day and received a stirring ovation from those in attendance.

A sample of Giffin's writing, a brief preview of Bishop Kelly's new football program published in August of 1964, is available here.

3-6-08 | SPRING SPORTS ALUMKNIGHTS

Baseball, Lacrosse, Golf, Softball....and Nick Symmonds

BASEBALL: Steve Gray ’05 is starting at 1st Base for the Missouri Tigers (Columbia, MO.)...T.J. Macy ’05 is a relief pitcher for the Penn State Nittany Lions (State College, PA.)...Gavin Gamboa '07 is starting at catcher for College of Idaho Yotes (Caldwell)...Kyle Cefalo '07 is a reliever at CofI...Josh Osich '07 has gotten a little action in short relief at Oregon State Beavers (Corvallis, OR.)...Three former BK Knights are playing for the Wenatchee Valley College Knights (Wenatchee, WA.). Pitcher Kyle Wuestenfeld '06, Catcher Dominic Bouvier '06, and 1st Baseman Seth Anderson '05 are all starting or seeing lots of playing time...Scott Hayes '07 is starting at 1st Base for Olympic College Rangers (Bremerton, WA.)...Brian Berry '07 is starting in rightfield for Anna Maria College Amcats (Paxton, MA.)...Nick Bratney '05 is the top righthanded pitcher this season at George Fox University (Newburg, OR) and is leading the Bruins' staff in strikeouts.

LACROSSE: Jeff Brunelle '04 is starting defenseman for the Oregon Ducks (Eugene)...Rob McQuade '04 is playing at the University of Idaho (Moscow)...Tom Powers '05 plays for the Montana Grizz (Missoula)...Emmett Faricy '07 is an attackman at Dominican College Penguins (San Raefel, CA)...Brian Hosefras '06 and Kameron Ogle '06 are at College of Idaho...Chani Taggert '07 is playing attack for the Regis University Rangers (Denver, CO)...Marie Vermaas '05 is a middie for the Seattle University Redhawks...Alex Maffucio '07 and Emily Murphy '07 are playing for the Creighton Bluejays (Omaha, NE)...Andrea Schmidt '06 is playing middie for the Gonzaga Bulldogs (Spokane).

GOLF: Jake Skinner '06 is in his second season with the Princeton Tigers (Princeton, New Jersey)...Kacey Valla '07 is golfing for the Montana Grizz (Missoula).

SOFTBALL: Britney Croner '07 is pitching for the Towson Tigers (Towson, MD)...College of Idaho has three of Wes Worrell's former players in its lineup: Amaia Enrico '06, Kalie Kurdy '07, and Nicole Antonoplos '06 (transferred from Idaho State).

WORLD CLASS ATHLETES: Nick Symmonds '02 is competing in the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain this week. He finished second (by :001) in the 800m at the United States Indoor Championships in Boston on Feb. 24. Best way to track Symmonds (who lives and trains in Eugene, Oregon) is at www.nicksymmonds.com.

2-25-08 | WRESTLING
Dan Schaffeld Places 5th at State
       Senior Danny Schaffeld placed 5th in the 285-pound class at the State Wrestling tournament. Younger brother Josh fared well in his own right, making it to the final eight in his weight.
      Danny collected four wins against two losses in the three-day event. His victory in the medal round came over Skyview's Afa Vasi on Saturday afternoon. Josh finished 2-2 in the tourney and was the the only sophomore amongst juniors and seniors in the top 8 of the 16-person 171-pound division.

2-21-08 | WRESTLING
Schaffeld Brothers Both Win Opening Matches; Quarterfinals on Friday
     Senior Danny Schaffeld (285) and sophomore Josh Schaffeld (171) were both winners in the opening round of the State Wrestling tournament. Both wrestlers advance to the quarterfinals which begin Friday morning at 9 a.m.  More details, including brackets, are available at http://www.idahowrestlingnews.com/

2-20-08 | WRESTLING
Schaffeld Brothers Represent Knights at State Wrestling Tournament
   Bishop Kelly's wrestling team will be represented by two athletes at this year's 4A IHSAA State Wrestling Tournament, which begins today and runs through Saturday at the Idaho Center.  Senior Danny Schaffeld and sophomore Josh Schaffeld, both players in the BK football program, qualified for the prestigious event with strong performances at district.   Sixteen wrestlers compete in each weight class, so four straight victories yield an individual championship. The Schaffeld brothers are confident but realize the challenge that lies ahead.     

Danny (6-5 overall) competes in the 285-pound weight class and opens against Austin Possey from Sandpoint. He has had a shortened season due to an injury suffered early in the football season, but is completely healed and has performed better each week. He finished 3rd at the district tournament.
     "This is the last time I will get to wrestle in high school and probably ever," said Danny, who plans to play football at the college level next fall.  "My injury hasn't affected my work ethic.  I knew I would have to work twice as hard and prove myself to college coaches."

 



Photo by Brent Keeth, Flexphotography

 Josh (19-10) wrestles at 171-pounds and will meet Clayson Spackman of Kuna in the opening round. Described as an outstanding leg wrestler, Josh finished 4th in the Weiser tournament and 4th at district.                                                                                                  Photo by Brent Keeth, Flexphotography
      
     The Knights are coached by Sean Impomeni with assistance from Chad Blue. Other coaches include Jeff Redding, Derik Mestrevich, Kyle, Bart and Coy. In fact, Blue has played a large role in making Danny "smaller" as his personal trainer nearly 24/7.
      "When I returned to wrestling this season I was very worried about losing weight," said Danny, who put on weight while immobilized by his leg injury. "After the first day of practice Coach Blue asked me if I would like him to help me lose weight and keep it off. I started with him that night and after our third week together I had lost 33 pounds and still have kept it off."
      The Schaffeld Boys come from a grappling clan, including their father, Butch '79, who was an outstanding wrestler at BK and regularly picked on the basketball players after practice.

2-18-08  | LADY KNIGHTS BASKETBALL

State Championship Game at Idaho Center Caps 20-Win Season


                                                                                                          Photo by Brent Keeth, Flexphotography

 The Bishop Kelly girl’s basketball team filled a highlight reel with clutch plays and wide smiles during its frenetic three-day sprint in the 2008 state tournament.  BK fans will never forget the amazing back-to-back victories in the opening rounds, where one shining moment was followed by another. The gripping wins were both settled in the final seconds and propelled the Lady Knights to the State Championship game at the Idaho Center. In the opening round, BK defeated one of Jerome High's best teams ever in a 46-45 overtime thriller. The semi-final win over Pocatello 44-41 was physical and intense and set off a courtside celebration between players, coaches and students and fans.

                                                                                                            Photo by Brent Keeth, Flexphotography

On Saturday evening, the Lady Knights led briefly in the second half of the State Championship game, but a strong Middleton club took control in the 4th quarter and won the finale. Though disappointed, the BK girls were too exhausted and dehydrated to shed a tear. The 46-hour odyssey -- from an 8 p.m. Thursday tip-off to the buzzer ending the State Championship game -- included three competitive battles of maximum intensity, a school day starting at  8 a.m. on Friday, and a rollercoaster ride of emotion and athleticism.  Head Coach Derek McCormick said it best to the thousands of fans gathered at the Idaho Center following his team's game. "We had a great season, these girls can hold their heads up high knowing they left it all on the floor," McCormick said into the microphone before thanking BK administrators, parents, students and supporters and presenting IHSAA awards to the players.
     The 2008 team, which returned just one full time starter and one part time starter, had a roster with 6 of the 12 players in their first year on varsity.  McCormick BK'96 and his assistant coach Bobby Sutcliffe were both first year coaches in the girls program, as was Head JV Coach Dani McCormick BK'03.
     The BK Lady Knights finished the season with an overall record of 20-6, the highest winning percentage (.769) in school history. The previous highest winning percentage (.750) was in 1993, when the squad posted a 21-7 mark. The 20 wins are the second most in a season, second only to the 1993 team and just ahead of 1981 (19-6) and 1988 (19-8).
     The 4A Southern Idaho Conference Championship was the second for BK girls since 2003. The Regular Season records of 16-4 (.800) and 13-1 (.929) were tops winning percentages in school history.  Regarding the four teams that beat BK in regular season, here are their Regular Season records: 5A Centennial 20-0; 5A Eagle15-5; 4A Middleton 17-3; 4A Jerome 19-1; 71-9 overall (.888).  The Regular Season included a number of "quality wins' including victories over eventual state champ Middleton, Jerome, Skyview (twice) and wins over two 5A teams, Borah and Meridian.
     The Post Season marked the first time BK won in First Round at State since 2003. It also was the first time for BK to reach the State Championship since 2002, a loss to Post Falls. Members of that team included Dani McCormick, Angie Gribble, Dana Beechie, Daunielle Williams, and Alicia Lachiondo. The post-season tournament records of the teams that beat BK in post-season tournament play this season: Skyview 5-1 (.833) and Middleton 6-1 (.857).  The District III teams finished 1-2-3 in state for the first time ever, indicative of the strength of schedule all teams in the conference faced this season. The Knights were runners-up in the District III tournament after claiming the SIC Crown.
     Seniors on the team were Bailey Lowery, Bryanne Gribble, Meghan Hughes, and Jordan Huttash. Returning to next year's squad will be Cassie Brunelle, Chelsea Bokan, Elise Talboy, Emily Raimondi, Julie Muguira, Lindsey Teitjen, Mariah Adcox, and Sarah Hassell.

2-11-08 |  BASKETBALL NOTES : Lady Knights "On To State!";
Violette an NBADL All-Star; AlumKnight Update


Students Support the Lady Knights!

Head Coach Derek McCormick (’96) and the players encourage you to come support the team Thursday night at Timberline!

State Tournament action begins for the BK Lady Knights at 8 p.m. Thursday against Jerome at Timberline High. The Knights (18-5) qualified for state last week with a big win over Mtn. Home before a spirited crowd of black-and-gold clad students at the Carley Center. Jerome, ranked #1 in state with just one loss, split its two games with BK this season.




Cory Violette '00 has been selected to the NBA Development League All-Star Game, which will be played during NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. The 6-10  forward has put together an outstanding first half season for the Idaho Stampede, the best owned-and-operated franchise in professional basketball outside the NBA.

 
Cory is Headed to NBA All-Star Weekend

Those "Alumknights of the Hardwood" are having varying degrees of success this winter in terms of team win-loss records. Here's a quick update:  Lindsay Brady '06 and the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders are 14-6, 7-4.  Nicole Bruce '07 and the College of Idaho squad is 16-7, 13-3. Max Adcox '07 and the Whitman Missionaries are 4-16, 0-12. Ryan Bokan '07 and the Case Western Spartans are 7-13, 0-9.  Fruitland High Head Coach Beth Brady Holt '84 is taking her team into the state tournament with an 18-2 record.

 2-6-08 | Bronco Coaches Love that Franklin Road Football Pipeline

BK KNIGHT SPENCER GERKE SIGNS L.O.I. WITH BOISE STATE TODAY


Boise State coaches can call the BK football program "the gift that keeps on giving" as Spencer Gerke becomes the latest Knight to head for Bronco Stadium. The Bishop Kelly lineman will sign his official Letter of Intent to become a Boise State Bronco today.  The 6-3, 245-pound senior will be joined by his parents, Bill and Lisa Gerke, and Head Coach Jack Parker as he signs.

Bill, Spencer, and Lisa Gerke. (Spencer is 6-3; yes, his dad is a tall dude.)
Photo by Brent Keeth, Flexphotography.com

Gerke, 17, is the youngest of three siblings. His sisters Abby and Genny were both outstanding student-athletes at BK, participating in basketball, cross country and track. Genny attends College of Idaho and Abby is a student at Boise State.

Spencer was an All-SIC and All-State lineman for Bishop Kelly during his senior year with the Knights in the fall of 2007. He committed to BSU in August -- immediately and without hesitation -- when Head Coach Chris Peterson offered a scholarship.  

Gerke is the latest of many Knights to be lured to BSU by the persuasive  recruiters of Bronco Nation and joins fellow BK football alums Cedric Febis ('06), Andy Silsby ('05), and Tim Brady ('04) on the current Bronco roster.  Tad Miller ('03) and Colt Brooks ('02) recently completed stellar careers at Boise State. Other notable Knights who spent their Saturdays playing for the blue-and-orange include Sky Dumont ('97), Erik Helgeson ('86), Terry Heffner ('86), and Mike Brady ('76). [Note: Although video tape was yet to be invented, there is some grainy, black-and-white film to confirm Mike Brady did play at Boise State.]

1.28.08 | Girls Basketball

LADY KNIGHTS NOW 16-4: A BRIGHT LIGHT IN THE B.K. SPORTS SCENE

The BK girls basketball team finished the regular season winning 16 out of 20 games. That's a winning percentage of .800, which ranks among the best Regular Season basketball marks in school history. Head Coach Derek McCormick's first-year effort is grouped with the top Regular Seasons of Blas Telleria, Neil McCarthy, Joel Bate, and Kellie Lewis-Jay.

The team opens District Tournament play Wednesday night at home against Columbia. If they win, the Lady Knights host the Mtn. Home-Nampa winner on Friday night at BK -- and the winner of that one is On-To-State.

Coach McCormick and his assistant Bobby Sutcliffe led the team to a 13-1 SIC mark.  They both give credit for the team's success to the players, and note that getting to the state tournament is the primary focus at this point. Squad members are Jordan Huttash, Meghan Hughes, Bailey Lowery, Bryanne Gribble, Cassie Brunelle, Chelsea Bokan, Mariah Adcox, Emily Raimondi, Elise Talboy, Lindsey Teitjen, Julie Muguira and Sarah Hassell.


 

1.17.08 | 2008 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

BK to Host Central Catholic (Oregon) in Home Opener (click here for story and entire schedule)

1.10.08 | TAD MILLER SHARES HIS GOALS FOR 2008

Former BK Knight Hires Agent, Prepares for NFL Pro Day Workout

Tad Miller (’03) has hired an agent and is in Westlake, California, preparing for his audition with the National Football League. If his Pro Day performance goes according to plan he will be in an NFL team training camp following his July 5 wedding. The dependable warrior, who started 50 consecutive games at left guard for Boise State, is taking it in typical Tad style: calm, confident, and quietly optimistic of what’s ahead.

“I am thankful to God for the opportunities I’ve had in football at BK and Boise State, and I hope to have more chances in the future,” said Miller, who was recently named second-team All-Western Athletic Conference and selected for the Denny Erickson Award, which is given to BSU’s most inspirational player. “I’ve been lucky. It’s been a lot of work, but I have been lucky and am thankful.”

Miller has retained the services of Eric Weisel, an attorney and sports agent based in Sacramento. Weisel, a partner in the firm Matheny Sears Linkert & Jaime, was attracted to Tad’s blue collar work ethic and believes he can help him reach the next level. “It’s a good fit,” says Miller. “He’s focused on a handful of clients he believes in.”

Photo by Steve Conner, SteveConnerPhotography.com

With Weisel’s help Tad is moving to Westlake for the remainder of January and all of February to prepare for the BSU Pro Day to be held in Boise in early March. Pro Day workouts are events held on campus to give scouts and NFL personnel managers an opportunity to review prospective draft prospects in a setting other than the NFL Combine. Tad’s “home away from home” in California will be the state of the art Proactive Sports Performance Center, where he’ll be in the NFL Combine Training Program under the guidance of accomplished strength and conditioning mentor Ryan Capretta.

“It will involve speed, agility and strength plus nutrition and flexibility, the works. It’s all about performing on team day and this is the place to get ready,” said Tad, who recently had arthroscopic surgery to remove meniscus from his right knee, which was injured in the Hawaii game. The medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments did not require surgical repair, according to Tad.

The 6-foot 4-inch Miller, who has a goal weight of 305 pounds, hopes to get his 40-yard dash time down “to the 5.3 or 5.4 range” and is shooting for 30 reps on the 225-pound bench press. “If I do well it gives me a better chance to be drafted, that’s the goal,” said Miller, who will return to California to train leading up to the NFL Draft on April 26-27. He is projected by various websites as a 5th or 6th round pick.

Another date circled on the calendar is Saturday, July 5, when Tad will marry longtime girlfriend Gloria Ho. Originally from Portland, Gloria is a graduate of Baker City High and currently a student at BSU. Tad’s best man is longtime friend and former BK (and Vandal!) linebacker Matt Whipps (’03), and his lead usher is BSU teammate Andrew Woodruff.
“I proposed to her this summer when we were in Puerto Vallarta. I did it at a restaurant. And no, there weren’t any TV cameras,” said Tad.

Gloria and Tad in Mexico last summer - Photo courtesy of the Miller family

The cameras were everywhere when Tad lined up for the two point conversion in overtime against Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. His responsibility on the now famous “statue left” was to eliminate the biggest Oklahoma Sooner threat – the defensive tackle on Tad’s outside shoulder. Watch #66 at left guard (link to You Tube video). While all eyes followed the ball, Tad quickly maneuvered his man out of the play, shielding him to the inside and creating an easy run into the end zone for the ball carrier. “I was just thinking ‘don’t mess up, don’t be the chump.’ Once I had him walled off I knew we won,” said Tad. “The atmosphere was absolutely amazing and no one will ever forget that game. It was incredible to be part of that.”

Other top memories for Miller include the TD pass reception and end zone celebration of fellow lineman Ryan Clady, “even though it was called back it was awesome.” He also cherishes the battles against rival Idaho and all the bowl games. “BSU was a great experience and I am thankful I got to play as much as I did,” he said. “Everything was first class, from the team and coaches to trainers and Idaho Sports Medicine Institute that kept us playing.” Miller, who will soon earn his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, mentioned his exercise physiologist, Jim Moore, as one of the keys to his streak of 50 straight starts for the Broncos.

“I love the game within the game, the man to man battle in the trenches,” says Miller. “It’s the hand to hand combat deep inside the overall game with things going on all around you and the arena full of fans. I think that is the most fun you can have in football is being part of the front line in the trench.”

Tad committed to BSU during his senior year at BK after giving strong consideration to the Air Force Academy. Then head coach Dan Hawkins agreed to forego a grayshirt year in exchange for Miller’s commitment, and Tad responded by hitting the weight room. Hard. With added weight and strength, Miller grabbed the starting left guard position in August of 2004 and never let go.

Current BK Head Coach Jack Parker was the O-Line and D-Line coach at Bishop Kelly during Tad’s time in the program. Miller points to Parker as one of the reasons he was ready for his college career.

“Coach Parker is immensely knowledgeable about technique and preparation and taught me the tenacity needed to be successful. He’s a great teacher and never made it easy,” said Miller, adding that his father, Dan Miller, and former BK Head Coach Tim Brennan also were major influences. “They are intense people and only accept striving for the best. That helped a lot.”
When asked about prep football memories, Miller recalled a game from his sophomore season against Centennial. “We weren’t supposed to even be in it, they were a great team but we fought them in the rain and almost pulled it off,” he recalls of the 28-14 loss. He also remembers his final game, a one point playoff loss to Madison. In three years on the BK varsity, Miller was part of 25 victories – so why recall the losses?

Tad with his father Dan Miller on Senior Day  (photo by Doug Shaver, ShaverGraphics)

“I think the losses definitely burn into you a lot longer and stronger, especially at Bishop Kelly and Boise State when you win all the time,” said Miller, who was 25-8 at BK and 43-8 at BSU. “That’s why you remember them, because they were not common or normal at all.”

To Tad Miller, uncommon success has become his normal. That does not surprise Parker.

“Tad has always had that quiet intensity, a calm exterior but boiling desire inside that is needed to push yourself to the highest level,” said Parker, who coached dozens of former collegiate linemen as well as past NFL players Ron Hadley (49ers) and Steve Hoyem (Bills). “Once Tad sets a goal I would never bet against him.”

--John Brunelle

1.7.08 | ALUMKNIGHTS ON THE HARDWOOD
BK GRADS PLAYING AT THE COLLEGIATE & PROFESSIONAL LEVEL



Lindsay Brady ('06) is playing a key role for the Northwest Nazarene Lady Crusaders. The sophomore guard is among team leaders in nearly every category and had 22 points in a recent win. NNU (8-3) plays in the NCAA D-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference....Max Adcox ('07) broke into the starting lineup of the Whitman Missionaries (3-4) at the forward position. The frosh is getting 27 minutes per game for the Walla Walla-based team which competes in the NCAA D-3 Northwest Conference....Nicole Bruce ('07) recorded 2 blocked shots and 3 boards in a recent game for the NAIA College of Idaho Coyotes (7-5)....Ryan Bokan ('07) is playing point guard for the NCAA D-3 Case Western Spartans in Cleveland, Ohio. Case is 7-4 following a holiday tournament in Florida and opens University Athletic Association play this week against Emory University and the University of Chicago....Cory Violette ('00) is in the starting lineup of the red hot Idaho Stampede. The team has won seven straight and Cory is emerging as one of top forwards in the NBA D-League....Jim Potter ('91) is in his 13th season of professional basketball, most with current team Dexia Mons-Hainaut in the top division of the Belgium Professional League. Be sure to checkout the buzzer beater video we have provided of “le Jeem Pohttearh”….BK alums are also involved as head coaches at the prep varsity level, including Larry Crump (’82) in this 4th season with the BK boys… Derek McCormick (‘96) is in his first season as head coach of the BK girls…Beth Brady Holt (’84) is head coach of the Fruitland Lady Griz, where she also serves as athletic director.

1.2.08 | THIRY LEADS CARROLL TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The Carroll College Fighting Saints won the NAIA National Football Championship with a 17-9 triumph over the University of Sioux Falls. And, as predicted on this site, punter Zach Thiry (’04) was the key player in the victory.

This write up from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle says it all:

But the unsung hero of Carroll's 17-9 championship win was junior punter Zach Thiry, whose 42-yard average in the game enabled the Saints to win the all-important field-position battle.

"Zach kept us in the game," coach Mike Van Diest said. "We had field position the whole first half. They didn't have good scoring chances. That was huge on a day like today."

Carroll teammates had nothing but praise for their punter.

"Zach really won nearly all of our games this year," junior nose tackle Mike Paffhausen said. "He's been perfect. Everything was perfect today."

Two of Thiry's seven punts loomed particularly important in the game. His first, a 49-yard boomer, was fumbled and recovered by the Saints to set up their first field goal. His last, a 27-yard floater, was downed at the Sioux Falls’ 5-yard line with less than two minutes to play.

The magical 15-0 season was memorialized with a photo of the Saints celebration in the mud on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Zach plans to play his final season at Helena next Fall and complete his Finance degree by Winter of '08.


HAWKINS THROWS FOR 3 TD’S AND 322 YARDS VS. CRIMSON TIDE

One of the bowl seasons best performances came from Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins (’06) in the Buffs loss to Alabama. His 24-for-39 passing for 322 yards and three scores included 220 yards in the second half. Cody nearly led the Buffs to a come-from-behind win.

Cody’s timing was uncanny during the 4th quarter, leading receivers perfectly and mixing in stop patterns to keep defenders off balance. His passes were thrown to locations only the receiver could get to, and his placement was flawless. (Hawkins was playing at such a high level in the game that confused color man Bob Davie incorrectly called a pass ‘underthrown’ and astounded viewers later by saying another touchdown throw was ‘to the wrong side.’ Perhaps he is still in shock from that 2001 Fiesta Bowl.)

Looking ahead to autumn of 2008, Cody and the Buffs will host West Virginia and travel to Florida State for non-conference games, then deal with the Big 12 Conference minefield of Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and others.

12.14.07 | BRANDON ALDECOA AND JEFF BRUNELLE HANDICAP THE BOWL GAMES

The bowl season includes three teams featuring five former teammates of Brandon Aldecoa and Jeff Brunelle, 2004 BK grads and seniors at U of Idaho and U of Oregon respectively.  In addition to cable and satellite viewing they have attended many Pac 10 and WAC games in the past four years, and also spent the Fall of ’06 as roommates at the University of Alabama, watching lots of semi-pro (Alabama high schools) and SEC football. They even road tripped to Athens for the Colorado vs. Georgia. Here are their predictions:

NAIA Championship Game -- Carroll College vs. U of Sioux Falls – Zach Thiry (’04) continues a great career with the Fighting Saints in this one as their punter and handling kickoffs. He has also kicked extra points, and field goals during his time at the Helena school. BRANDON: Sioux Falls is the defending champ and beat Carroll last time they played. I like Carroll to win because they have a bunch of guys from Idaho on their roster, their coach is obsessed with winning the title, and because they have Zach. JEFF: Zach is averaging 44.3 yards per punt, which would rank toward the top in D-I. I think Carroll wins because of field position due to Zach’s punting.

Hawaii Bowl – Boise State vs. East Carolina – Tad Miller (’03), Tim Brady (’04), and Andy Silsby (’05) lead the Broncs back to Aloha Stadium. Miller is supposedly scheduled for knee surgery and is not listed on the BSU 2-deep.  BRANDON: I hope Tad sneaks onto the field and scores a TD. I hope Timmy picks one off and scores a TD. I hope Silsby sticks someone on a kickoff, grabs the ball, and runs for a TD. And I hope BSU loses. JEFF: You, Brandon, are a hard core Vandal -- which is also the reason Coach Hawkins didn't get us sideline passes for the Georgia game. At Hawaii I think Tad will be on the field for the first play of the game so he officially starts every game of his career. I also think it's time for BSU to throw the ball to Silsby out of the backfield. And if Timmy plays as well as Brittany (his wife) did for our coed team in the Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot game I think he’ll be Defensive POG.

Independence Bowl – Colorado vs. Alabama – Cody Hawkins (’06) takes the resurgent Buffs into the Deep South to face the Crimson Tide. BRANDON: Tough one. I have reasons for wanting both teams to win, and they’re both 6-6 so it’s not like anything is at stake. I’ll go with Colorado because they have had two months to put in a bunch of trick plays and they will go for it on all their 4th downs. Jeff, remember when we played intramural football at Bama? JEFF: This ain’t intramurals, brutha. Anyway, Cody in black and gold at QB in a bowl game on national TV, love it. But twelve (12!) National Titles, Roll Tide Roll, Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, love that too. I think Cody chucks 6 t.d. passes and Saban's head explodes. Buffs win in OT.

 Brandon and Jeff researching SEC football during their semester in Tuscaloosa. Roll Tide!

12.10.07 | CORY VIOLETTE HIGHLIGHTS “B.K. KNIGHT NIGHT” AT STAMPEDE

Join the fun at "Bishop Kelly Knight Night" featuring Cory Violette at the Idaho Stampede.  Friday night, December 28th, at Qwest Arena is BK Night, with a special BK section and prices, and a chance to meet BK alum and Stampede star Cory Violette after the game. Call the Stampede at 388-HOOP (388-4667) for tickets.

12.06.07  | Taylor Black Honored with Goitiandia Award

Senior Taylor Black has been selected as the recipient of the Iker Goitiandia Award, the only individual honor given by the coaches at the annual football team banquet.  The event was held last week in the cafeteria.

The award was established in the name the former BK footballer who played from 1990-1993. He lost his life in an accident shortly after graduating from BK. The special recognition is given to the player that exemplifies the characteristics of hard work, loyalty to coaches and team mates, love of football, and unselfishness for the good of the team, according to Head Coach Jack Parker.

Photo by Brent Keeth, FlexPhotography.com

"Taylor is all of those things and deserving of this important honor," said Parker. "He definitely displayed the attributes to earn the Goitiandia Award."
Past winners are: 1995-Ben Wickham, 1996-Jeff Nelson, 1997-Chris Horras, 1998-John Krakau, 1999-Mario Borgna, 2000-Aaron Vance, 2001-Josh Martin, 2002-Marshall Rule, 2003-Brandon Aldecoa, 2004-Ryan Brennan, 2005-Austin Gorringe, and 2006-Ryan Bokan. 
 

ELF COACHES DANCE!



Want to watch the full video of the BK Football "Elf" Coaches dance?  Click here!
 

12-3-07 | ALUMKNIGHTS HIGHLIGHT COLLEGE BOWL LINEUP
 
Zach Thiry and Carroll College (14-0) are in the NAIA National Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 15, against the University of Sioux Falls.  The game will be played at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee, and broadcast live on CSTV at 11 a.m. MST.

Tad Miller, Tim Brady, Andy Silsby and the BSU Broncos (10-2) face East Carolina (7-5) in the Hawaii Bowl.  Tad may be injured, but they better hide his helmet if they want to keep him off the field. The game will be played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Sunday, Dec. 23, and broadcast live on ESPN at 6 p.m. MST

Cody Hawkins and Colorado (6-6) face the Alabama Crimson Tide (6-6) in the Independence Bowl. The game will be played at Independence Stadium in  Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday, Dec. 30, and broadcast live on ESPN at 6 p.m. MST.

 
Coming Soon: College football aficionados Jeff Brunelle and Brandon Aldecoa, former teammates of all these players (high school football, not beer pong), will analyze the BK-related football bowl games next week.

11.27.07

THIRY AND SAINTS MARCH INTO NAIA SEMI-FINALS
The Carroll College Fighting Saints (13-0) are in the final four of NAIA football following Saturday's 27-16 win over Morningside (Iowa).  Punter Zach Thiry and squad host St. Francis (Indiana) in Helena on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the National Championship. More information at http://carroll.edu/athletics/football/.

BRONCS & BUFFS AWAIT BOWL ASSIGNMENTS
Cody Hawkins quarterbacked the Colorado Buffaloes to a big win over Nebraska last week, and now his squad is bowl eligible at 6-6. Colorado is a leading contender for Insight.com Bowl in Tempe.
Boise State may have lost to Hawaii, but at 10-2 and sporting a reputation for high entertainment value, the Broncos are bowl bound. Senior Tad Miller was injured early in the Hawaii game and is questionable for the bowl. Tim Brady and Andy Silsby will be on the field, wherever the BSU squad ends up playing.

 ST. JOHN’S END SEASON 10-2
The St. John’s University Johnnies ended its season with a loss to Central (Iowa) in the second round of the NCAA D3 playoffs. Sophomore LB Ryan Kettner is expected to the return to the squad next fall.

 MADDIE SHEILS SIGNS WITH NEBRASKA
BK senior golf sensation Maddie Sheils has signed a letter of intent to play at Nebraska. The Huskers website states: "One of the most highly ranked recruits in Nebraska women's golf history, Maddie Sheils is ranked 29th in the Polo Golf rankings for the Class of 2008.”  More at www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&KEY=&SPID=36&SPSID=128
Sheils will be the second BK women’s sports alum having a positive impact at the Lincoln school. Former Knight head basketball coach Kellie Lewis-Jay is currently an assistant hoop coach for the Huskers.

11.20.07 | CATCHING UP WITH TIM BRENNAN

Remember the Titans coach? We’re talking about the head coach of the West Mifflin (PA) Titans, Tim Brennan ('77), who recently concluded his first season in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. Brennan, who was head man at BK from 1992-2006, was offered the WM job about 3 minutes after his plane landed in Pittsburgh last December. A .788 winning percentage and 25 game winning
streak will do that. He inherited a young squad coming off a bumpy 3-6 season.

There are 1100 students in grades 9-12 at West Mifflin. They compete in the Big Seven Conference of Class AAA, the second highest level of Pennsylvania prep football. Brennan's team finished with a 3-6 record overall, 2-4 in conference, just one win from qualifying for the playoffs. The top team in the conference was Thomas Jefferson, which has advanced to the state semifinals at this time. We caught up with Tim recently and asked him a few questions...

TO READ THE INTERVIEW WITH TIM BRENNAN
AND VIEW MORE PHOTOS CLICK HERE!
 

11.19.07 | FOOTBALL

EAST-WEST ALL STAR SHRINE GAME
Seniors Nate Gier, Spencer Gerke, and Michael Thomas will play in the East-West All Star Shrine Game, Friday, Nov 23 at 2:30 at Eagle High School.   Coach Parker and two of his assistants, Scott Criner and JT Taylor will be participating as coaches for the East Team.



4A SIC ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS ANNOUNCED
Offense:
1st Team - Spencer Gerke - Lineman
2nd Team - Matt Dickinson- Wide Receiver and  Justice Mariscal - Running Back
Honorable Mention - Ben Schile - LIneman and  Dan Schaffeld - Lineman

Defense:
1st Team - Adam Weissbeck - Linebacker and  Michael Thomas - Defensive Back
2nd Team - Derek Daly - Linebacker and    Spencer Gerke - Lineman
Honorable Mention - Nate Gier- Lineman,  Dan Horne - Lineman, and  Jeff Janis - Lineman

Special Teams:
1st Team - Tony Casiano - Punter

11.11.07 | FOOTBALL

ACADEMIC AWARDS TO 13 BK FOOTBALL PLAYERS
Congratulations to  SIC Academic Award Winners for Fall 2007.  These players maintained a 3.5 GPA throughout the season:
             Matt Dickinson*            Keegan Geis                Colin Clovis             Dom Chumich                   Eric Nicola                    Brock Hyder             Matt Sato                      Cam Kosydor               Nate Geir
            Kyle Brasil                    Ryan Schmidt                Cory Miller                Justin Reiner.
* 4.0 for entire BK career.

"TENACIOUS D" KEPT KNIGHTS IN THE BLACK
A winning record during regular season (5-4) was the result of a strong willed defensive unit under the guidance of veteran coach George Gamber, according to a review of statistical data. The defense gave up just 13 points per game against SIC opponents (this excludes impressive Minico and Centennial teams), and kept the Knights in every ballgame.  The defensive masterpiece against Nampa in the first round of the 4A State Playoffs, a 3-0 loss, included a phenomenal 4th quarter goal line stand.

14 SENIORS DEPART;
26 LETTERMEN WILL RETURN IN 2008
Head Coach Jack Parker bids adieu to 14 seniors off this year's squad:

Michael Thomas    Taylor Black       Tony Casiano   Zach Forster          Matt Dickinson   Patrick Ryan   Derek Daly            Dan Horne         Jeff Janis          Nate Geir               Kyle Brasil         Spencer Gerke  Ben Schile            Dan Schaffeld.

Photo by Brent Keeth, FlexPhotography.com

OTHER LOW SCORING GAMES
Here is a selection of other low scoring games, where the combined point totals are similar to soccer or hockey:
1965     BK 6 MH 0
1970     BK 0 Meridian 6
1971     BK 6 Vale 0
1971     BK 6 Weiser 0
1971     BK 0 Burns 6
1971     BK 0 Vallivue 6
1973     BK 9 MH 0
1981     BK 7 Weiser 0
1986     BK 9 VV 0
1987     BK 6 VV 5
1990     BK 6 Kuna 0
1993     BK 8 Emmett 0
2001     BK 7 Timberline 6
2007     BK 0 Nampa 3

SATURDAY KNIGHT UPDATES
Boise State continues to roll, with BK boys in leading roles. The Broncos are ranked #15 nationally with Idaho and Hawaii remaining on the schedule. Senior guard Tad Miller and junior LB Tim Brady have started the entire season and gained acclaim for their performances. Tim recently earned Academic All-District honors from ESPN the Magazine. FB Andy Silsby contributes consistently in his role on offense and special teams.

Tommy Bleymaier had 4 catches for 28 yards in the Cornell's win over Columbia. The Big Red is 5-4 and closes out the 2007 season against Penn on Saturday.

Carroll finished the season 11-0 and enters the NAIA playoffs on Saturday. They struggled in their win against Montana Tech, but again punter Zach Thiry played a big role:  "Every time we'd get a big play we'd get a penalty and that hurt us more than anything," Head Coach Van Diest said. "Zach Thiry's punting kept us in the game."  The junior punter would have a big game, punting nine times for 438 yards. He averaged 48.7 per punt.

St. Johns Johnnies and Ryan Kettner suffered a rare loss but start the NCAA DIII playoffs on Saturday against Redlands (Calif) in Minnesota.

Cody Hawkins finished 23 of 40 for 262 yards and two TDs and had three passes dropped in Colorado's strange loss at Iowa State. He also scored a touchdown. The Buffs are 5-6 and need to beat Nebraska on Friday, Nov. 23,  to be bowl eligible. Cody has thrown for nearly 2500 yards with 17 TDs this season.

Eastern Oregon had a tough season, ending 1-10 with a 17-14 loss. Freshman O-lineman Javier Galindo did not have the opportunity to introduce the Immaculate Deception to the Frontier Conference....wait til next year.

10.29.07 | FOOTBALL

NINE STRAIGHT YEARS OF PLAYOFF FOOTBALL
Bishop Kelly enters the state playoffs for the 9th straight season with Friday’s win at Middleton.  Jack Parker is the third BK head coach to take the Knights into the IHSAA state playoffs during his first year at the helm. He joins Wil Overgaard and Kevan O'Hara in that category. The team's 5-2 SIC record gives it the #3 seed and a rematch with #1 Nampa at Bulldog Bowl on Nov. 2 at 7 PM.

POST-SEASON PLAY FOR KNIGHT ALUMS. 
Carroll College Fighting Saints are 9-0 as well and have secured a postseason berth in the NAIA playoffs. Punter Zach Thiry ('04) was given huge props following their win over MSU-Northern [http://carroll.edu/athletics/newsitemview.php?id=8060].  His 75-yard punt from his own end zone was one highlight, with teammate quoted as saying, "That's Thiry for you. He's awesome. He's got a leg on him." Thiry was named Frontier Conference Player of the Week earlier in the season.

The St. John's Johnnies enter the NCAA DIII playoffs with a perfect 9-0 record.  Ryan Kettner's ('06) team plays Bethel on Nov. 10th in Collegeville, Minnesota. Kettner plays in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. It's in the same league as the University of St. Thomas, where alum Dave Bieter ('78) played a little fullback.



Other football-playing AlumKnights are bowl eligible (Boise State), nearly bowl eligible (Colorado) or subject to the Ivy League's continued ban on postseason football (Cornell).

MORE GYM DECORATIONS
No ban on banners at BK. The girl's soccer team picked up the 2007 State Championship in Pocatello last month, and then the girl's cross country team claimed the State Championship in Idaho Falls last week. Nice job, athletes!

10.20.07 | FOOTBALL

Tommy Bleymaier’s Touchdown run helps Cornell to Overtime Win
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell Big Red overcame a 17-point second half deficit and pulled out a 38-31 victory over a high-powered Brown offense on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. Sophomore tailback Randy Barbour rushed for a career-high 159 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in the extra session to help Cornell improve to 4-2 (1-2 Ivy). Brown slipped to 2-4 (1-2 Ivy) with the loss. An 8 yard touchdown run by BK alum Tommy Bleymaier helped key the win. Bleymaier, a junior, also caught a pass in the victory. .

KNIGHTS ON TELEVISION
Friday, Oct. 5th Bishop Kelly vs. Columbia homecoming battle is the CableONE "Game of the Week," and will be aired on Channel 17. The game will be aired on Saturday, Oct. 6th, at 3 p.m., and again on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m.

RADIO BROADCAST ON KGEM AND BKFOOTBALL.COM
It's back to the future for BK's veteran broadcast team of Dave Skinner '71, Ben Ysursa '67, and Dennis Kirk '69. The terrific troika move to KGEM 1140 AM this fall for all BK football games after many years at another station. Broadcast time is 6:50. In addition to the 50000 watts of power, the games can he heard live and on demand at BKfootball.com. BK football games were carried on KGEM in the 1970's and were sponsored by The Frostop, Intermountain Billards, and Crestline Cleaners. A change in ownership and format at KFXD caused the move.


SATURDAY KNIGHTS

• Tad Miller '03 is in his final season as a Boise State Bronco, starting at offensive guard for the third straight season. Miller has been a standout performer for the Broncos and a key to the team's success in recent years. Tad's "Tip of the Sword" t-shirts were popular among BK's O-Line back in his day. He still wears #66.
  
  
• Tim Brady '04 is starting at LB for BSU. A junior, Tim continues to take full advantage of his well-earned opportunity after seeing spot duty last season along with outstanding play on special teams. He's a speedy #24, just like his Uncle Mike was at Boise State back in the old days.
  
  
• Zach Thiry '04 is handling punting duties and helping with PATs for the nationally ranked Carroll College Fighting Saints. The senior is averaging 47.3 yards per punt for the undefeated Saints.
  
  
• Former FB/LB Andy Silsby '05 is seeing action on special teams and at fullback for the BSU Broncos.
  
  
• Tommy Bleymaier '05 returns at wide receiver for the Cornell Redmen this fall, his third season at the Ivy League school. All Cornell games can be viewed live on the internet at www.ibnsports.com.
  
  
• Cody Hawkins '06 is starting at QB for Colorado and, surprise surprise, is helping his team win games. Cody and the black-and-gold clad Buffs recently knocked off No. 3 Oklahoma. Sooners no longer want to face teams with BK alums on the roster.
  
  
• CB Cedric Febis '06 is redshirting for BSU.
  
  
• Ryan Kettner '06 is now a sophomore linebacker and special teams player at St. John's University in Collegeville , Minnesota , playing under college football's all-time winningest coach, John Gagliardi. The undefeated Johnnies are the winningest football program all-time in NCAA Division III history with a 540-219-24 (.705) record in 97 seasons.
  
  
• Javier Galindo '07, the o-lineman made famous on YouTube for his Immaculate Deception TD, is playing for Eastern Oregon . Note: The Mounties host Carroll on Oct. 20th.

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