Beyond the Degree
By Genevieve Timler
Over the years, many Kapaun Mt. Carmel (KMC) alumni have encountered success in their careers. Two of the most recent include Ben Powers, a 2015 graduate who is entering his seventh season in the National Football League (NFL) as a starting guard for the Denver Broncos. As well as Sam Stevens, a 2014 graduate who earned his Professional Golfers Association, PGA, tour card in 2022 and has since become one of golf’s rising stars.
Powers played football at KMC all four years and by his junior season, he was the team’s top offensive linemen. His junior year, he joined the wrestling team two weeks before KMC’s first varsity meet at Arkansas City High School, a dominant wrestling program at the time, according to the Athletic. He told the Wichita Eagle in 2019 that he credits much of his toughness to wrestling.
“I had no idea how to score, so I was basing what I did off the crowd cheering,” Powers told the Eagle, “When I won, the crowd went crazy. The floor was shaking. It was so cool. It was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Even with Powers' success at KMC, he didn’t have any offers from any NCAA Div. 1 out of high school, according to the Denver Broncos official website. Powers committed to Butler Community College, then later got an offer from Oklahoma University, or OU. Powers garnered the attention of multiple Big 12 schools after his freshman season, according to the Eagle, where he was named to the Jayhawk Conference All Conference team and ranked 36th among junior college players nationally by ESPN. After only one semester at Butler, he transferred to OU for the second half of his freshman year.
Powers had to jump right into the role as he blocked for two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks. After a successful tenure at OU, he earned a spot on the First All-Big 12 team in 2018. A year later, he was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Powers spent several years as a backup before earning a starting role in 2022, where he allowed one sack and was listed as Pro Football Focus (PFF) second overall guard. In 2023, after his contract with Baltimore expired, he was signed by the Denver Broncos for a four-year $52- million contract according to the NFL’s official website. His high school offensive line coach was Chris Bloomer, Bloomer saw him as a hard worker who strove to be his best, and he thought that it was his work off the field that gave him an opportunity to play at a higher level on the field.
“I don't know that Ben set out to be a professional athlete,” Bloomer said “But I do think that he set out to be the best that he could be at every level of football that he played, and I think it was that drive and willingness to work outside of the frame of the sport that has allowed him to become a professional athlete.”
Powers was not alone in leaving a legacy for KMC athletics. Stevens, a third generation professional golfer, participated in golf all four years. Both his grandfather, Johnny Stevens, and father, Charlie Stevens appeared in professional and amateur tournaments. Johnny Stevens, made 30 PGA tour starts in the 1960s, as well as an appearance in the US Open in 1969. Charlie Stevens made two Korn Ferry tournament starts in 1992. All three of them have won the Kansas Amateur tournament; his grandfather in 1960 and 1961, his father in 2010, and Sam Stevens won it in 2015 according to Golf Monthly.
While at KMC, Sam Stevens won three consecutive state titles from 2012-2014. He was also a four time All-State and All-City selection. During his senior season at KMC, he set a state record at Auburn Hills course, by shooting a 62 as reported by Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) official website. His high school coach, Corey Novascone, said that he was a quiet yet confident leader who always put the teams’ success first.
“His senior year, he had to make par on the last hole to win the individual title - all he was worried about was if the team won, or where the team stood.” Novascone said “ The team aspect was very important to Sam. He never thought about himself. I told him that we had it wrapped up - he had one of the best up and downs for par that I've seen a high school kid make, and he won the individual title.”
After high school Stevens received a scholarship to OSU and had a successful tenure there. His sophomore year, Stevens tied for 66th at the NCAA tournament. Stevens was named a First Team Academic All Big-12 team his junior year, and during his senior season, he was a part of the NCAA title team in 2018, contributing to OSU’s win, according to the team website.
Stevens graduated from OSU with a degree in finance, although he immediately turned professional in golf, and has participated in multiple tournaments. His first professional win was in the PGA tour Latin America in 2021, it eventually led to a PGA tour card reception in 2022. Although he has not won a PGA tournament yet, he has had 12 Top 10 performances, with the most recent being the Farmers Insurance Tournament in January 2025 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California, where he placed second, falling short by one stroke.