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By Todd Fertig

TopSports.news

Local teams experimented with different lineups at the Topeka High School Invitational girls swim meet at Capitol Federal Natatorium Thursday as they focused on development.

Washburn Rural senior Genevieve Miranda was a double individual winner in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]

The Washburn Rural girls finished the highest of the local teams in the 13-team field, placing third.

Early-season meets give young swimmers an opportunity to try different events, and they afford coaches a chance to find best fits to help the team, Washburn Rural coach Bob Burdick said.

“If we wanted to win this meet, we would have put swimmers in different races than we did,” Burdick said. “Tonight, we tried a lot of people in a lot of new spots to see what they could do. That’s what we’ve got to do to build it.”

Leading the Junior Blues was senior Genevieve Miranda, a veteran who was willing to swim events she wouldn’t normally be in. No matter. She placed first in two events, an unusual combination of a sprint and a distance race. She was victorious in the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.

“I’ve been training a lot to work up to this level, so I’m really excited,” Miranda said. “Even if I’m in an event that’s not my best race, I’m doing my best for the team.”

Washburn Rural junior Audrey Appuhn posted a win in the 100 breaststroke in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational.

The Junior Blues’ Audrey Appuhn, a junior, added a first in the 100-yard breaststroke.

“Since we lost a lot of swimmers to graduation, what we’re doing is trying to figure out where our best placement is for our swimmers,” Burdick said. “But then we have all these new swimmers. So, we’re shuffling them around, building their confidence and seeing where the puzzle fits.

“When we get to the end of the season, we’ve got a small team, but it only takes 14 or 15 kids to win a championship meet. We’ve just got to have them in the right spots.”

“We’re down by like 10 people or so from last year, but so far everybody’s been doing great at doing everything together and having team unity,” Miranda added. “It’s important that we hype ourselves up as a team and don’t let each other get nervous. Nerves are a big thing when it comes to racing.”

Topeka High's Hara Del Castillo was an individual winner in the 200 IM in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High junior Hara Del Castillo placed first in the 200 individual medley. But she pointed out that she is racing against herself more than she is the field.

“I like winning even if the time wasn’t what I wanted it to be,” Del Castillo said. “I’m not doing as well as I would like to be. My times haven’t been hitting where I usually would be. I’m hoping it will be better later in the season. This was a chance to scope out how I’m doing and see what I can work on.”

Seaman senior Joslynn Grace won the 100 butterfly in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]

Claiming Seaman’s lone gold medal was senior Joslynn Grace, who came in first in the 100-yard butterfly.

 

TOPEKA HIGH INVITATIONAL 

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By NICHOLAS GAINEY

Special to TopSports.news

The Seaman Vikings softball team split its home-opening doubleheader on Thursday night at Seaman High, defeating United Kansas Conference rival Basehor-Linwood 8-0 in the first game before falling to the Bobcats 13-4 in the nightcap.

Seaman senior pitcher Kaelyn O'Rourke twirled a four-hit shutout in Thursday's 8-0 UKC win over Basehor-Linwood. [File photo/TSN]

In Game 1, the Vikings took advantage of a strong pitching performance from Utah-commit Kaelyn O’Rourke.

The senior struck out the first two Bobcats in the top of the first before allowing a two-out double to third baseman Trinity Deters. O’Rourke stranded Deters at second base by striking out catcher Adelyn Thom to end the half-inning.

The Viking offense went to work in the bottom of the first, with Anna McLaughlin and Raegan McConnell drawing walks to put traffic on the bases. Following a single from O’Rourke, sophomore Natalee Simpson singled to left field to drive in McLaughlin and give Seaman an early advantage.

After McConnell scored on a wild pitch, first baseman Lauren Glasgow put the finishing touches on the inning with a two-out, two-run double to put the hosts up 4-0 after an inning of play.

O’Rourke went back to work in the second inning, striking out the side, but the Vikings were unable to add on to the lead in their half of the inning.

The Vikings exploded again in the bottom of the third, with O’Rourke scoring from third base on a wild pitch.

A few batters later, third baseman Kayleigh Neill launched a towering three-run home run to left field, giving Seaman an 8-0 lead.

The hosts’ bats went cold from the fourth inning on, but O’Rourke continued to dominate in the circle, throwing a complete-game shutout with 16 strikeouts and allowing only four hits.

While his star pitcher’s talent is widely known, Seaman coach Dan Ruda praised O’Rourke’s mentality in the circle.

“The best thing about (O’Rourke) is her mindset,” Ruda said. “She believes in herself and has that attitude of, ‘I’m going to go right after you.’ ”

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

It's very rare to see a track athlete double up in the 400-meter dash and the 3,200-meter run. 

Seaman junior track star Ryin Miller won a sprint, a distance race and a relay in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

But it's also rare to see an athlete like Seaman junior star Ryin Miller, who pulled off the improbable feat in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational at Washburn Rural before ending her day with a come-from-behind anchor leg to give the Vikings a win in the 4x400 relay.

Miller regularly runs the 4x4 for the Vikings, but decided that she wanted to try the open 400 for the first time in Thursday's meet with an eye on the school record

"I have a lot of fun in the 4x4, I just really enjoy that race,'' Miller said. "In the open 4 our school record is 56.6 and in our relay I have a split of 56.3, so I kind of just wanted to try for it just for fun and see what I could do with (starting) blocks.''

Miller came up just short in her record bid, but still won by right at two seconds in a time of 57.65 seconds.

"It was pretty good,'' Miller said. "I think I'll get (the record) at some point in the season but it was just kind of for fun.''

Later in the meet Miller switched back to distance mode to post a 53-second win in the 3,200 in 10 minutes, 26.65 seconds before going back to sprint mindset to team with senior teammates Taylie Heston, Jaida Stallbaumer and Ally Steiner to win the 4x400 relay in 4:08.24.

"I've just got to remember to switch my brain as far as the speed goes,'' Miller said about her diverse schedule. "Just running the 400 and then I've got to lock in for 3,200 obviously it's way different. But I kind of like mixing it up. It kind of keeps things interesting I guess.''

Seaman senior Jaida Stallbaumer won the 3oo hurdles and ran on the Vikings' winning 4x400 relay in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Seaman senior Grace Jowers cleared 10-6 to win the pole vault in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Seaman's girls also got wins from Stallbaumer in the 300 hurdles (48.6 hand-timed) and senior Grace Jowers in the pole vault (10 feet, 6 inches) while the foursome of Heston, Stella Appelhanz, Kinley Robinson and Hannah Wempe won the 4x800 relay (10:44.06).

Seaman junior Brody Anderson won the 800 meters in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

The Viking boys got a win from junior Brody Anderson in the 800 (1:58.48) while senior Blake Toyne won the high jump (6-foot-4) and junior Brogen Brown won the shot put (49 feet, 6 inches).

Washburn Rural senior Rylee Ismert won the 1,600 and 800 in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson//TSN] 

Ismert opens '25 with pair of wins

After ending last fall's cross country season with the most successful stretch of her high school career, Washburn Rural senior Rylee Ismert couldn't wait to get back in action.

Ismert, who won Centennial League and regional titles in cross country and finished third in Class 6A, finally got that opportunity in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational, posting victories in the 1,600 (5:17.72) and the 800 (2:23.09).

"I kind of had that feeling of like, 'I just want to get back out there and race again,' but I just kept doing what I was doing and working really hard and training with my teammates over the offseason,'' Ismert said.

"I was very excited to be out there.''

Washburn Rural's girls also got wins from junior Kelcie Schneider in the 100 hurdles (18.31), sophomore Kailyn Petersen in the shot put (34-9) and junior Morgan Ray in the javelin (124-1).

Washburn Rural senior Isaiah Terry won the 400 dash and ran on Rural's 4x400 relay in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson//TSN]

Terry paces Rural boys

Washburn Rural senior Isaiah Terry was a double gold medalist in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational, winning the 400-meter dash and running on the Junior Blues' winning 4x400 relay.

Terry sped to a win in the 400 in 48.68 seconds and teamed with Matt Houser, Jackson Svaty and Liam Morrison to win the 4x400 relay in 3:25.46.

The Junior Blues also got a win from freshman Henry Laubach in the 3,200 (9:55.41).

Scots' Pollard wins long jump

Highland Park junior Rayshon Pollard won the long jump in Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational with a winning jump of 20 feet, 9 inches.

JERRY BEARDSLEE INVITATIONAL

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