DCHS Sports

TOC Turns 80!

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The longest running high school invitational boys basketball tournament west of the Mississippi is turning 80! The Tournament of Champions has aged well – from the first champion in 1944 (Dodge City), to the defending champion (Wichita Heights), there has been a lot of great basketball played in Dodge City over the past eighty years.

This year’s tournament will follow the normal Thursday through Saturday format. Games will begin on Thursday with Dodge City tipping off against Derby at 7p. On Saturday, the Championship game will tip off at 5p. All games will be played at the United Wireless Arena.

Another T.O.C. tradition that will return this year is the FCA Breakfast – held on Saturday morning at 8:30am at the UWA Conference Center. This year’s speaker is Dan Meers – aka – KC Wolf. Tickets will be available at the door the morning of the event.

The Dodge City Pep Band, Drill Team, and Cheerleaders will perform at all Dodge City games with special performances throughout the tournament. The National Anthem will be performed by DCHS students before each session.

Centura St. Catherine Hospital of Dodge City is the new Official Tournament Sponsor and will participate in the Championship Trophy presentation on Saturday night.

Other awards include: medals presented to the top three teams, Sportsmanship medals – presented by the Lions Club, All-Tournament Basketball Team – presented by DCHS Alumni Association, Most Inspirational Player – presented by DCHS, and All-Academic Awards – presented by the Rotary Club.

  • All tournament games will be live streamed on the NFHS Network.
  • Reserved seating tickets are on sale now at the United Wireless Arena Box Office.
  • DCHS Student Tickets will go on sale Tuesday in the DCHS Athletic Office.

Friday Night with the Wolf!

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Due to scheduling issues with the Kansas City Chiefs playoff game this weekend, the FCA Breakfast is now… “Friday Night with the Wolf” – sponsored by FCA and Sunflower Bank.

The event will take place at 9:45pm at the DCHS Auditorium. Pizza will be provided in the DCHS Commons before the event.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door the night of the event!

Dodge City High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the Tournament of Champions are excited to announce Dan Meers as the 42nd Annual FCA Breakfast speaker for the 80th Annual TOC.

Dan Meers has been KC Wolf, the mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs, for more than 30 years.

In 2006 he was selected as the first NFL mascot inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Dan travels throughout the United States and the world entertaining thousands of people both in and out of costume. He has performed in over 40 states and 12 different countries. He is in high demand not only as a mascot but also as a humorous and motivational speaker to audiences of all ages. His enthusiasm, optimism and love for life are contagious and make Dan an inspiration to all those he meets. Be it young or old, executive or blue collar, his audiences walk away with a smile and a renewed spirit to live life to the fullest.

Whether you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan or not, you’ll enjoy Dan Meers as he shares his unique wit and wisdom about life.

In his own words: “God didn’t put us on earth to make a living. He put us here to make an impact. Every day we have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. Life gets exciting when you begin using your life story to positively impact and influence the life stories of those around you.”

Dan lives in Kansas City, MO with his wife, Cam and their 3 children, Mycah, Aaron, and Mallory. Meers is the first ever FCA speaker to return to Dodge City for a second time – with his first appearance being at the 2001 TOC!

The Boot Hill FCA exists solely to help provide an inspirational program and breakfast for the teams competing in the Tournament of Champions. For over 40 years, the FCA Breakfast has been part of the tradition of the TOC. On top of the generous support of Sunflower Bank, this organization relies on donations from local businesses and individuals to keep the breakfast free of charge for the teams competing in the tournament each year. Anyone interested in donating to the Boot Hill FCA can contact Jay Gifford at Dodge City High School for details. FCA is an EFCA accredited ministry.

What a Year for Red Demon Nation! – 2022 in Review

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Traditions take time to establish.  

Usually.  

The Dodge City High School Athletic Department is no stranger to tradition. State Championships in seven sports, forty-five trips to the state basketball tournament, eight straight trips to the state soccer tournament, and individual state wrestling champions on a consistent basis.  

Year 150 at Dodge City High School not only added to those traditions, it very well may have been the start of some new ones.  

One did not have to flip very many calendar pages before 2022 became a special one for Demon Nation. In only the second year for the program, the Lady Demon Wrestling team claimed the 5A-6A State Championship. The WAC champions not only claimed just the third KSHSAA Girls Wrestling title, but they are currently ranked number one in the state heading into 2023.

The Girls Wrestling State Championship was followed up a week later by a pair of Red Demon State Championship performances by senior Damian Mendez and junior Luke Barker. Barker is also currently ranked number one.

March Madness struck Dodge City Basketball in a big way in 2022. After a third-place finish at the Tournament of Champions, the Red Demons defeated Topeka Washburn Rural in the Sub-State Championship to clinch the 45th State Tournament appearance for the Red Demons. Not to be outdone, the Lady Red Demons won the Newton Tournament on their way to a Sub-State Championship game against Wichita Heights. Heights featured a Division 1 point guard and home court advantage. However, the senior-laden Lady Demons would not be denied their second straight trip to the State Tournament as they dominated the Lady Falcons on their way to a second straight State Tournament.

The spring season was highlighted by a freshman. Jasmine Ruiz set the school record for goals scored on her way to being named the All-WAC Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

The Lady Demons finished 13-4 losing to Wichita Northwest 1-nil in the Regional Finals.

Emanuel Aguilar became the 33rd Red Demon to represent the Red Demons in the Kansas Shrine Bowl to highlight the summer.

Fall welcomed fans back to The Palace on the Plains as Memorial Stadium hosted the Ring of Honor ceremony where legendary Red Demon Football coach Dick Masters and Demon Historian Doral Grose were inducted. History was made when the annual Hatchet Game was played at Riverfront Stadium in Wichita. The Demons came up short, but the Red Demons faithful showed up and showed out with outstanding performances for the Pride of Southwest Kansas, DCHS Drill Team, and even a coin flip appearance from Miss Kansas, DCHS Graduate Ayanna Hensley.

The Red Demon Soccer program continued its dominance on the pitch with their third-place finish at the 6A State Soccer Tournament. The Red Demons have finished in the top three of class 6A three of the past four seasons. The Red Demons finished the season as undefeated WAC Champs (8-0), Regional Champions (eight straight years), and with an outstanding 20-1 final record.

What a year for Red Demon Athletics. Can 2023 compete? It appears the Girls Wrestling program is primed to compete for another state title. Western Athletic Conference play begins for most winter programs after the Christmas break and spring sports are just under two months away.  

The final phase of Memorial Stadium has already began with completion of the three year renovation project set for August 2023.  

Old traditions. New traditions. One consistent theme. Red Demon Nation had a great 2022 – and the future is bright.

Happy New Year!

Pilldilly turns 90!

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DCHS mascot created in 1932 to be featured at Cowboy Capital Classic.

The Red Demon basketball programs host the Cowboy Capital Classic at the Dodge City Civic Center – and will be wearing shooting shirts unique to the history of Dodge City High School. The shirts will feature a Jayhawk looking bird called a “Pilldilly” – a mascot born out of what has become a century long discussion regarding the mascot for the high school athletic programs in Dodge City. The Pilldilly will be making an appearance this weekend ninety years after it first appeared on the front of the new jerseys of the 1932 Dodge City Senior High School basketball team.

What the heck is a Pilldilly? Even the most dedicated Dodge City High School fan would have a difficult time answering that question. A quick history lesson is required for the complete answer.

In 1927, a newspaper writer for the Dodge City Globe mistakenly began referring to the school’s teams as the “Demons” due to the nickname of “D-Men” for the letter-jackets worn by the Dodge men’s varsity teams. The name stuck until 1932 when the controversial mascot was replaced by the Pilldilly – a Jayhawk looking bird made up of the letters D-C-H-S (see below). However, in 1940 the Demon returned and became the official mascot of Dodge City Senior High School.

Players will wear the Pilldilly shooting shirts on Friday (versus Manhattan) and Saturday (versus Junction City). Replica Pilldilly shirts will be available at the event, as well.

“To incorporate our basketball history into this weekend will make this a memorable event for our players and fans. The Pilldilly is a quirky piece of Red Demon lore and I think fans will enjoy the design and the story behind the apparel.” – Jay Gifford, DCHS Athletic Director

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