- Details
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Two solid pitching efforts helped Washburn Rural sweep Hayden on the softball diamond Tuesday at Rural to improve to 8-2 under first-year coach Joy Marie Galliart.
“Anybody who watched us in our first game on March 22 and came back and watched us now, I think they would see tremendous growth and improvement,” said Galliart, a longtime coach in Oklahoma who took over the Washburn Rural program during the offseason. “We’ve made huge strides in the three and a half weeks since then.
“Change is hard for kids when they’re trying to do it under a new coach with some new philosophies. So it’s taken some time for them to adjust to those changes, but we’re really starting to move in the right direction.”
Freshman Olivia Koch limited Hayden to two runs in the first game of the afternoon, leading to a 10-2 Junior Blues victory.
“I think Olivia’s been doing a great job as a freshman,” Galliart said. “She comes in and does everything we ask her to do both offensively and in the circle. We’re trying to work on getting her to trust her pitches and rely on her defense. But she’s doing some great things for us.”
“I knew she was a great athlete, and I knew that she was a pitcher. But I think we’ve been equally impressed with her defensive skills (in the outfield) when she’s not in the circle. She loves to run bases, so having her at the top of our lineup with her speed also gives us an added bonus.”
Koch benefitted from 14 hits by the Junior Blues, including home runs by Avery Rapp and Layla Collins. Washburn Rural will not rely on home runs, however, according to Galliart.
- Details
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Silver Lake's softball team swept defending Class 3A state champion Rossville in convincing fashion on the Bulldawgs' home turf Monday night, winning 12-1 and 14-0.
The Eagles combined dominant pitching with outbursts of offense to roll over their rival and improve to 8-0.
“I don’t know if there is any guarantee of how to predict what’s going to happen in (matchups between Rossville and Silver Lake),” said the Eagles coach Nick Hamilton. “I’ve been around this my whole life, and I know that on any given night either team could win. It’s that much of a rivalry.
“It’s good for both of us. I think that’s why there is such success on both sides. We both compete and push each other.”
In the first game of the doubleheader, pitcher Kendra Cook held the Bulldawgs down until the Silver Lake offense kicked in. The Eagles exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to blow the game open.
“Kendra has been solid in the ring for us,” Hamilton said. “She did a good job working in the offseason to improve on what she needed to improve.”
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There's no doubt that Hayden's girls soccer team has been up against a brutal schedule over its first five games of the 2024 season, with three of those teams advancing to the state quarterfinals a year ago, including seven-time Class 4A-1A state champ Bishop Miege.
But Hayden coach Klaus Kreutzer, who team suffered a tough 1-0 loss to McPherson Monday at Hayden, also knows his Wildcats need to be able to beat teams like that if they're going to make another late-season run after finishing third in 4A-1A last spring.
"That's what I said to them, 'If you want to be the best you have to beat the best,' '' Kreutzer said.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news will compile a weekly girls swimming and diving honor roll for Topeka high schools throughout the 2024 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY
Seaman 1:58.69
Washburn Rural 2:07.69
Shawnee Heights 2:13.20
Hayden 2:19.71
Topeka High 2:18.14
200-YARD FREESTYLE
Avery Walz, Seaman 2:03.60
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 2:11.03
Madeline O'Brien, Washburn Rural 2:20.24
Bailee Heincker, Seaman 2:22.64
Ava Von Lintel, Washburn Rural 2:27.72
200-YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Avery Walz, Seaman 2:11.82
Joslynn Grace, Seaman 2:15.94
Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural 2:18.98
Jella Belgardt, Washburn Rural 2:29.07
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 2:29.65
50-YARD FREESTYLE
Tauren Walz, Seaman 26.11
Hara Del Castillo, Topeka High 26.93
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 27.26
Jella Belgardt, Washburn Rural 28.04
Molly Didde, Washburn Rural 28.61
ONE-METER DIVING
Rhiannon Good, Washburn Rural 207.70
Kaylee Gregg, Hayden 202.30
Natalee Grauberger, Washburn Rural 177.05
Giselle Soto, Washburn Rural 130.55
Mackenzie Caryl, Topeka High 128.75
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
AUDREY APPUHN, Washburn Rural
Appuhn, a sophomore swimming standout for the Junior Blues, earned three gold medals in last Thursday's Emporia Invitational as Washburn Rural won the team championship by a 527-374 margin over De Soto. Appuhn won the 500-yard freestyle by nearly 17 seconds in 5 minutes, 32.79 seconds and also swam on Rural's winning 200 medley relay (2:10.57) and 200 free relay (1:54.69).
ERIN BOLES, Washburn University
A sophomore right-fielder out of Lubbock, Texas, Boles went 7 for 11 with five runs scored and three runs batted in at the plate last Thursday and Friday as Washburn's softball team earned MIAA road sweeps at Nebraska-Kearney (8-0 and 3-0) and Fort Hays State (13-6 and 2-0). The Ichabods improved to 34-10 on the season while stretching their winning streak to 11 games.
JACKSON ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights
A senior who has won Class 5A state championships in track and cross country, Esquibel captured three gold medals in last Friday's Lansing Invitational track and field meet. Esquibel, a Kansas State signee, won the boys 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 28.20 seconds and the 3,200 in 9:31.57 while also teaming with Mason Haas, Charles Hanson and Evan Carter to win the 4x800 relay in 8:38.00.