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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Most any team in the country would be envious of Washburn University's 22-2 start to the 2024-2025 season.
But after suffering back-to-back road losses that snapped the Ichabods' 22-game winning streak, WU was looking for a bounce back Thursday night in Lee Arena.
And the No. 4-ranked Ichabods got just that, shooting a blistering 64 percent from the field in the second half in a 93-72 MIAA win over Central Oklahoma.
Washburn sophomore Brayden Shorter (20) led all scorers with 25 points in Thursday's 93-72 home MIAA win over Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Jacob Hanna scored 22 points for Washburn in Thursday's 93-72 win over Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"It's kind of funny how quickly expectations can change,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "And if I would have told anybody associated with our program that we were going to be 22-2 coming into this game everybody would have been like, 'Holy cow, you're having the most amazing year.'
"But with what happened last week, sometimes outside of our bubble people thought a certain thing. I think our guys were disappointed by it, but we came back and had three really good practices this week. I was really proud of the intent and I thought we learned from that and it doesn't mean you're going to come out and play well, but I did think we had a great intensity and a want to and a compete to us tonight.''
Sophomore Brayden Shorter, who led Washburn with a game-high 25 points, agreed that Thursday was a good bounce-back performance.
"We emphasized that all week in practice,'' Shorter said. "I feel like our practices have been a lot more turned up, with a lot more energy in practices. Not that we weren't having good practices, we were just on a 22-game win streak and sometimes you just let off the gas a little bit and I think we did a good job coming out tonight of getting back to what we do.''
Washburn (23-2 overall, 14-2 MIAA) trailed for only 26 seconds in the game as UCO (14-11, 8-8) jumped out to a 5-2 lead after the Ichabods scored the first two points of the game.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Cair Paravel Latin girls basketball team came up short in its bid for a Senior Night victory Thursday. A 48-37 loss to Atchison County closed the Lions’ regular season at 4-15.
Junior KellyAnn Chada led Cair Paravel with 16 points in Thursday's 48-37 loss to Atchison County. [File photo/TSN]
The Lions and Tigers traded leads in a game full of runs. But the Tigers got the momentum when it counted. They turned a 33-26 third-quarter deficit around by reeling off 12 straight points, going up 38-33 midway through the fourth period. In the end, they outscored Cair Paravel 20-4 in the final period.
“In the fourth quarter, (Atchison County) pushed more, they were just fighting, they were being aggressive, and we just didn’t have the execution and the drive,” said Cair Paravel coach Jaley Barkley. “Finishing those last 10 minutes is always hard, but I’m still proud of them. I could see the heart they had.”
Trailing 19-16 at halftime, the Lions got hot in the third period, outscoring the visitors 17-9. Freshman London Backman was the catalyst, scoring nine points in the third. But Backman picked up her fifth foul at a crucial moment early in the final period, depriving the Lions of one of their two primary offensive threats.
Junior KellyAnn Chada scored 16 for the Lions, followed by Backman with 14. Those two combined for 30 of the Lions’ 37 points.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel Latin's boys celebrated Senior Night and set itself up for the postseason in style Thursday. The Lions raced passed Atchison County 76-30 to finish the regular season with a 9-10 record.
Ben Roeder led Cair Paravel with 21 points in Thursday's 76-30 Senior Night win over Atchison County. [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
The outcome was not in doubt from the time Cair Paravel reeled off 12 straight points to start the game. The Lions hit 32-62 from the field and got points from eight different players.
Senior Jase Pavlik scored 15 points as Cair Paravel's boys finished their regular season with a 76-30 win over Atchison County. [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
Junior Lucas Marichal scored 14 points Thursday as 9-10 capped its regular season with a 76-30 rout over Atchison County. [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
Ben Roeder led the Lions with 21 points in his final regular-season game, while fellow senior Jase Pavlik added 15. Junior Lucas Marichal chipped in 14.
“It’s awesome having this group of people here to support us,” Roeder said. “I love this community and I’m grateful for my senior buddies. We’re looking to let Christ’s light shine through us to our teammates and to the other schools we play.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women outscored Central Oklahoma by 16 points in the middle two quarters and led by as much as 26 points early in the fourth quarter en route to a 75-60 MIAA win Thursday night in Lee Arena.
Junior Payton Sterk led Washburn with 20 points in a 75-60 MIAA home win over Central Oklahoma Thursday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn junior YIbari Nwidadah scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Thursday's 75-60 home MIAA win over Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn, which improved to 15-11 overall and 9-7 in the MIAA, got a game-high 20 points from junior Payton Sterk while junior Yibari Nwidadah added 13 points with a team-high seven boards and junior Gabi Giovannetti 12 points.
The Ichabods have now won four of their last five games while surpassing last season's win total by two games with a minimum of four games remaining.
"For the first three quarters it was about our defensive effort and I was proud and I was really proud of how few points (Central Oklahoma) scored,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "And we were able to control the glass pretty convincingly.
"I think we're trending in the right direction and I think what's great about this group is that we still have so much we're getting better at every day. We're still having a lot of fun at practice and getting better every week and we love that.''
In the first five minutes of the opening quarter both teams traded baskets, with five ties. Three straight points from Nwidadah sparked a 7-0 run for Washburn that would put it in front by five. Central Oklahoma (7-18, 6-10) ended the quarter with a jumper to make it 20-17 after one.
A 3-pointer by Sterk at the 9:39 mark in the second quarter was the only basket for either team in the first four minutes of play. After a layup from the Bronchos with 5:40 to play the Ichabods went on a 12-0 run that began and ended with layups by freshman Brooke Gomez. Central Oklahoma shot just 2-10 in the quarter and got its second field goal at the buzzer on a last second 3-pointer to cut the WU lead down to 35-23 going into halftime.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hall of Fame basketball coach Ken Darting has never paid much attention to numbers, apart from his five state championships.
With a win Friday night over KC-Turner Shawnee Heights boys basketball coach Ken Darting will reach the 600-win milestone for his Hall of Fame coaching career. [File photo/TSN]
In fact, the venerable 75-year-old Shawnee Heights coach has had to be reminded on several occasions over the years of how many victories he actually did have.
But reaching 600 career wins, which Darting can accomplish Friday night with a home United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner, is one milestone he can't ignore.
"It means the world, and let me tell you why it means the world,'' said Darting, who enters Friday's game with a 599-276 career record. "It means that I've spent however many many years and coached 12, 15, 20 kids every year for 600 wins and every one of them is different and every one of them went through the heartbreaks that came along the way of building programs and the stuff you have to do with kids to get them to believe.
"That means everything to me for that reason. It's a tribute to kids for staying with me for 600 wins. You saw one that graduated three years ago come up and hug me right there. Hank Harris (former Highland Park star) was here from Kansas City two games ago. It doesn't matter to me if not one more person knows about this. I don't care. The kids is what it means. That's what it's about.''
Darting, who will turn 76 next month, won a Class 3A state title at Silver Lake in 1981, led Highland Park to four Class 5A state championships after a stint at Allen County Community College and is currently 95-53 (15-3 this season) at Shawnee Heights after coming out of retirement to coach the T-Birds.
Two of Darting's most notable alums, Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite, were quick to acknowledge his contributions to them and the sport of basketball.
Former Highland Park state champ Kyle Weems visits with his high school coach, Ken Darting, and Karen Darting during a Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [File photo/TSN]
"Coach D is the epitome of a leader of young men,'' said Weems, who helped lead Highland Park to a perfect 25-0 season in 2007 before earning All-America honors at Missouri State and embarking on a long and continuing 13-year pro career overseas. "If you look in the dictionary for the word coach it should have his name and picture.
"The way he pushed me, loved me and held me accountable during my four years at Highland Park is something I am forever grateful for. He, along with obviously my parents, was one that saw the potenial I had when maybe at that time I couldn't see. I'm super happy for him and Mrs. (Karen) Darting because this is for sure an accomplishment for him, but I know he will say for her as well. They have touched so many lives along the way and this is just another huge milestone for them to be celebrated. I love them both.''
Denver Broncos linebackers coach Wilhoite, who played for Darting before a standout football career at Washburn and seven seasons in the NFL, said that Darting and his family have also had a big impact on his career.
"Coach D and his family is my family,'' Wilhoite said. "Not a word I can use to describe the impact coach had on my life. I went to Washburn on his advice. I coach the way I do because he is my all-time favorite coach.
"I am blessed to have crossed paths with the Dartings.''
