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Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis traded their defensive line responsibilities for a different kind of "line" work when they served as line judges at a recent Shawnee Mission East volleyball match against rival Shawnee Mission South.
Jones said he was happy to support the event's cause despite not being aware of his line-judging duties.
“I didn't know I was gonna be a line judge, so that was a curveball," Jones joked. "But it's pretty exciting.”
The event also benefited the Matthew Karlaftis Foundation, which honors George Karlaftis' late father.
“I was fortunate enough to be a part of it [last year] with Trent and his foundation, the Trent McDuffie Foundation. So with him not being here, I wanted to continue it,” Karlaftis said.
Karlaftis described his father as someone who valued both sports and academics. He said the foundation aims to help people in many ways.
“He was a guy who was really interested in sports and academics,” Karlaftis said. “One of the emphases that the foundation is going to take, very broad, helping wherever we can and with anything we can.”
Four other Chiefs defensive players served as line judges, too.
“She (the organizer) told me Chiefs players, and so I'm thinking like just anybody. I probably won't know who it is,” said Shawnee Mission East volleyball coach Jordyn Thompson. “And then she told me it was going to be George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie the first year, and I was like, okay, this is going to be a big deal.”
This year's group also included Ashton Gillotte, whose wife, Cara Cresse-Gillotte, is a middle blocker for the Indy Ignite professional volleyball team.
“I would say they're doing pretty good so far,” Cresse said. “I may be biased. I think Ashton's doing a good job.”
The football players' officiating skills received tongue-in-cheek reviews from the volleyball players.
“Definitely wasn't the best line judging I've ever seen, but they were trying their best,” joked Shawnee Mission East senior outside hitter Ava Murray.
Shawnee Mission East senior middle hitter Ellie Scarborough offered a better review.
“I thought they did a really good job,” Scarborough said. “None of us argued with them.”
The match offered the girls a new perspective on the guys they see on Sundays.
“Kind of cool,” Murray said. “I met this person, and they're out there playing a professional sport. Out there playing with Patrick Mahomes.”
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