BonnerSprings.com / Benton Smith

Benton Smith covers sports and news for The Mirror. Although he hails from the state of North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina, he assures you that neither that place nor the men's basketball team at said university have much or anything to do with him. Benton was a sports writer for the Lawrence Journal-World before coming to Tonganoxie. He is an avid basketball fan and football devotee but finds himself of late enjoying baseball more than he ever thought possible — he is 99 percent certain that is because the Kansas City Royals are actually competitive. Since joining The Mirror staff in February of 2008, Benton has learned that all high school sports, their athletes and coaches are pretty much a blast to cover.

Recent stories

Rocketeers launch 4-H fair projects skyward: By Benton Smith; August 17, 2010; With nothing on the line except pride, four local 4-H’ers gathered Friday morning at the Leavenworth County Fair to shoot a few of their fair projects into the air.
Hot temps can’t make seniors pass on day at Leavenworth County Fair: By Benton Smith; August 17, 2010; For many attending the Leavenworth County Fair Friday morning, the thought of a little discomfort wasn’t going to keep them from a shot at nostalgia.
Jaguars reign again as KVL’s top sports school: By Benton Smith; July 22, 2010; The results have been tabulated, the points distributed and it should come as no surprise that — once again — Mill Valley is king of the Kaw Valley League.
THS introduces new girls soccer coach: By Benton Smith; July 8, 2010; The Tonganoxie High School girls soccer team may be getting a familiar face as its new head coach, but that doesn’t mean the Chieftains should expect the same old status quo.
Chieftains rally to beat Braves in BFMBC: 6-run 6th inning leads to Tonganoxie’s 2nd ‘W’; By Benton Smith; April 30, 2010; The Tonganoxie High baseball team put together a one-out, six-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning against Bonner Springs on Friday night to salvage what looked like yet another loss.
Braves defeat Tonganoxie, 10-7: By Benton Smith; March 31, 2010; A seventh-inning rally came up short for Tonganoxie High’s baseball team in its season opener. The Chieftains scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh but fell to visiting Bonner Springs.
BLHS boys rally past Tonganoxie: By Benton Smith; February 4, 2010; It wasn’t easy, but the Basehor-Linwood boys basketball team remained undefeated in the Kaw Valley League with a 61-52 win Tuesday at Tonganoxie.
Surprise lineup gives Braves first soccer victory: By Benton Smith; September 1, 2009; When the Bonner Springs High boys soccer team arrived at Chieftain Park on Tuesday for its season opener, the Braves players didn’t know what the evening would have in store.
Mill Valley Returns to top of KVL standings: By Benton Smith; July 23, 2009; Lansing High may have won more league titles, but Mill Valley returned to its place on the Kaw Valley League throne for the 2008-2009 school year, earning The World Company Newspapers’ annual KVL Athletics Department of the Year award for the fifth time in the six years of the award’s existence.
Tonganoxie sweeps BSHS softball: By Benton Smith; April 29, 2009; The Chieftains didn’t look like a winless team on Thursday when Bonner Springs came to visit, and by the end of the evening, that adjective no longer fit.

Full story list

Recent photos

Emmett Keene watches with anticipation a moment before his rocket launches Friday at the Leavenworth County Fair. Keene, of Happy Helpers 4-H Club, won a purple ribbon for his rocket at the fair.

Braves shortstop Dalton Vitt prepares to throw after fielding a grounder in his team's 7-4 loss to Tonganoxie in the consolation semifinals of the Butch Foster Memorial Baseball Classic on Friday in Kansas City, Kan.

Tonganoxie High junior Jeremy Wagner slides in safely under the tag of Bonner Springs third baseman Luke Porras in the third inning of the Chieftains' 7-4 victory at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday.

Bonner Springs leadoff hitter Shawn Jones makes contact against Tonganoxie in the Braves' 10-7 win at Leavenworth County Fairgrounds on Wednesday.

Bonner Springs High batter Ryan Marris watches an inside delivery from Tonganoxie pitcher Dylan Puhr on Wednesday at Leavenworth County Fairgrounds. The Braves defeated the Chieftains, 10-7.

Full photo list