The Ichabods are 1-5 this season and looking for their first conference win of the season after falling 34-10 to No. 15-ranked Pittsburg State last time out.
The Mules are 3-3 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play after falling 49-32 to Northwest Missouri.
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By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
JUNCTION CITY -- Centennial League title implications were on the line Friday night as the Washburn Rural Junior Blues traveled west to take on the Junction City Blue Jays, who posted a 35-20 win.
Jadyn Baum, Washburn Rural
Junction City (5-2 overall, 3-0 in the league) took the opening kickoff and methodically drove the ball down the field with a mixture of the run and pass. In the wildcat formation, junior linebacker Khaliel Walker took the snap and handed off to senior wide receiver Lovell Autry who ran it in for a 4-yard touchdown, giving the Blue Jays a 7-0 lead with 6:20 left in the opening quarter.
While Junction City’s drive took almost six minutes, the Junior Blues (5-2, 2-1) answered in a little over a minute when Jadyn Baum scored on a 51-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7.
The Blue Jays' next possession was a little over five minutes and on the first play of the second quarter, senior Conrad Gomez threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Autry, giving Junction City a 14-7 lead.
The Junior Blues were able to drive the ball into Blue Jay territory, but Ryan Austin’s 37-yard field goal attempt was wide left. Rural’s defense stiffened and forced a Junction City punt about halfway through the second quarter.
Washburn Rural’s next possession changed the complexion of the game. On a third down play, senior quarterback John Hoytal wasn’t able to maintain a high snap from center, fumbled and Junction City recovered the fumble at midfield. Hoytal was injured on the play, requiring him to be placed on a stretcher and taken off the field on a cart.
The teams traded possessions to complete the second quarter and Junction City took a 14-7 lead to the locker room.
Washburn Rural had the first possession of the second half and junior Gavin Vantuyl took over at quarterback, led the Junior Blues down the field and tied the game at 14-14 on a 31-yard touchdown run.
The game remained tied for only 14 seconds as senior Kingston Timms took the ensuing kickoff down the left sideline, cut across the field and scored on a 95-yard return, giving the Blue Jays a 21-14 lead.
Rural’s next possession ended in a failed fake punt, giving Junction City excellent field position with a little over six minutes left in the third quarter. The Blue Jays capitalized on the turnover and scored another touchdown on a 19-yard pass from Gomez to junior Brody Boeckman, extending their lead to 28-14.
In the final twelve seconds of the third quarter, Junction City scored their third touchdown of the stanza. From the wildcat formation, Walker took the snap and scored on a 5-yard run. The Blue Jay lead was now 35-14, heading into the fourth quarter.
Washburn Rural had the only score of the final quarter on a 10-yard pass from Vantuyl to senior Nate Selm. The extra point was blocked, accounting for the final score of 35-20.
With the win, Junction City will claim the Centennial League title and will host Emporia next Friday night to finish the regular season.
Washburn Rural will return home to face Manhattan on Friday night.
JUNCTION CITY 35, WASHBURN RURAL 20
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn soccer continued its hot streak Friday night in Yager Stadium, stretching its unbeaten streak to eight games with a 4-0 shutout MIAA victory over Northeastern State.
Freshman Kate Hinck scored the only goal Washburn would need 10 minutes into Friday's 4-0 home win over Northeastern State. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods improved to 8-2-2 overall and 5-0-1 in the MIAA, while Northeastern State fell to 6-5-1, 1-4-1.
"The ladies did an amazing job executing our game plan tonight,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "I'm so proud of the fight and intentionality of the team tonight. We were organized defensively and had a few really good finishes.
"I feel growth in every game, and we have to look forward to a tough test on Sunday vs. Rogers State.''
Washburn opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a goal from freshman Kate Hinck, with the former Washburn Rural star finding the bottom left corner for her fourth goal of the season.
Rilyn Snyder would take a free kick in the 21st minute, which found the back of the net for her first career goal.
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Silver Lake is known as a team that throws the ball all over the yard, putting up points in flashy style. But when a game with immense playoff implications was on the line, the Eagle defense was the star. The Eagles turned back an Osage City drive to win 28-21 Friday at CJ Hamilton Field.
Freshman Kip Kruger passed for 200 yards and three touchdowns in Silver Lake's 28-21 district win over Osage City. [File photo/TSN]
Osage City took possession of the ball with 7:17 remining, trailing by one score. The Indians mounted an 11-play drive that chewed up nearly six minutes. With 1:20 remaining in the game, the Indians faced fourth and two at the Eagle seven-yard line.
Reed Silver, the Indians’ quarterback, had already carried eight times on the drive. He crashed over the right tackle on his ninth carry and was stopped cold by junior Myles Fisher and sophomore Dom Monhollon, effectively ending the contest.
“We figured they would try to run it outside because they got us on a few plays before,” said senior Grady Bergmann. “Our D-line made a great play, our linebackers made a great play, and our safety came up and tackled him. It was a great play all around.”
“People think we’re an offensive school, but to go out in the red zone and stop them…(Osage City is) a good team, they’re big. So proud of those kids,” said Silver Lake coach Logan Pegram “We got up 14 and it kind of got the momentum back on their side. To see our kids respond with the goal-line stop was something that, as a coach that’s focused on offense, it was awesome to see.”
Bergmann was the star of the first half, hauling in two touchdown passes and intercepting a pass to squelch an Osage City drive.
“Last year, (Osage City) beat us down there, and with them coming up here, we felt like we had to make a statement against an undefeated team, and we did that tonight on Senior Night,” Bergmann said.
Bergmann’s two first half-touchdowns were matched by the Indians, sending the teams to halftime tied, 14-14. Silver Lake grabbed the lead early in the third period on a long pass from Kip Kruger to Owen Rottinghaus. The Eagles then went up 28-14 late in the third period on a 31-yard dash by Monhollon.
Osage City quickly took back the momentum, however. A long catch-and-run by the Indians cut the lead to 28-21 early in the fourth period. Silver Lake was unable to respond, leaving plenty of time for Osage City to finish the comeback. Only the heroic stop on fourth down saved the Eagles.
Monhollon provided 152 yards rushing on just eight carries. Rottinghaus exploded for long receptions of 78 and 42. Bergmann and Dayne Johnson produced 58 and 52 yards receiving from quarterback Kruger, who completed 18 of 22 throws for 200 yards.
Silver, one of the Indians’ leading receivers this season, was forced to step into the quarterback position in place of injured starter Kasen Parsons. Silver passed for 183 yards and rushed for 84 yards. The Indians put the ball in his hands when the game was on the line.
“We looked him up and saw (Silver) was going to have to play (quarterback) and I was very impressed,” Pegram said. “He’s a heck of an athlete. He’s a junior so we’ll get to play him again next year in district.”
For this year, Silver Lake is now in command of Class 2A District 3.
“It gives us the driver’s seat without knowing what happened around the state,” Pegram said. “We don’t measure success by district championships, but it’s always nice when you’re the one seed and you get to hopefully keep playing at home.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With a pair of dominating victories Friday at Kossover Tennis Center, Seaman junior Emma Sweeney, the No. 2 seed, assured herself of a top-four Class 5A state singles finish for the second straight season.
Seaman junior Emma Sweeney advanced to the Class 5A singles semifinals for the second straight season with a pair of dominant victories Friday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But after finishing fourth as a sophomore, the Seaman star has her sights on bigger things Saturday.
"Last year I wasn't really expected to make it, so I didn't really know what was going on and not winning my semifinal match, it was OK and it was a learning moment,'' Sweeney said. "But this year I'm really looking forward to taking that step and competing and trying to make it to the championship.''
Now 29-1 on the season, Sweeney dropped just one game on Friday, posting a 6-0, 6-0 win over St. James Academy's Jenna Peltzer and a 6-1, 6-0 quarterfinal victory over Kapaun Mt. Carmel's Clara Hocker to advance to Saturday's 9 a.m. semifinal.
Sweeney said she felt relaxed for the most part during Friday's matches.
"I had a talk with my mental performance coach the other day and we talked about winning over my nerves and I think after I won them over it helps me play a lot more confident and loose,'' Sweeney said.
Sweeney will face No. 3 seed Allison Munhall of Valley Center in one semifinal while top seed Mia Jaramillo of Andover will face No. 5 seed Kali Keough of Emporia in the other semifinal.
Seaman senior singles player Molly Gorman and the Viking doubles team of senior Peyton Henry and junior Camryn Lux also assured themselves of state medals while advancing to Saturday's place matches.
Gorman, who lost 6-0, 6-2 to Jaramillo in the singles quarterfinals, can still finish as high as fifth, as can Henry and Lux, who also lost in the doubles quarterfinals.
Viking juniors Kaylyn Hiebsch and Cadence Speer were eliminated Friday, just one win away from advancing to the place rounds.
Seaman coach Jamie Robinson said he was pleased overall with the Vikings' first-day state performance as the team tries to earn a top-three state finish for the second straight season.
"We won the matches we were supposed to win,'' Robinson said. "So far, so good. It could have been a little better, it could have been a lot worse.''
Cair Paravel junior Madilyn Poole advanced to Saturday's Class 3A-1A singles semifinals with a pair of Friday wins. [File photo/TSN]
Lions' Poole advances to 3A-1A semis
Cair Paravel Latin junior Madilyn Poole, making her second straight Class 3A-1A state appearance, has assured herself of a top-four finish and her first state medal after advancing to Saturday's singles semifinals at the Salina Tennis Center.
Poole, the No. 3 seed, posted a 6-0, 6-1 win in her first match of the day before rallying for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 6 seed Lauren Sleder of Larned in the quarterfinals.
Poole will face No. 2 seed Karli Haase of Ellsworth in a 9 a.m. semifinal Saturday.
Silver Lake junior Evelynn Thompson came within one win of advancing to Saturday's place matches.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Like most football players, Washburn University junior Ty Weber has battled his share of injuries over his career.
Washburn tight end Ty Weber, who will wear No. 0 this fall, missed the Ichabods' first five games of the season while battling a rare illness. [File photo/TSN]
But nothing prepared the 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end and former Washburn Rural star for what he's been forced to deal with this fall, a condition that forced the Ichabod captain to miss Washburn's first five games of the season.
"I developed something called amyloidosis,'' Weber said. "To put it in laymen's terms, it's like your body loses proteins and eats away your muscles a little bit, and it just came from dehydration as well as probably something underlying, like an illness or what not.
"It's something that took me by shock. You're weren't expecting it at all. It was crazy, something I never experienced before because it was just cramps everywhere, all over my body. I've been through a lot of injuries before and that was by far the worst ever.''
The illness put Weber in the hospital before he began a frustratingly slow process to get back to 100 percent.
"I was there for probably a day and a half and stayed overnight and they probably pumped 10 bags of fluids into me to get me back to where I was before,'' Weber said.
The initual prognosis was that Weber, who developed his condition well into fall camp, might only miss a game or two but then he got the news that his return would be delayed.
"The trainers did a great job with my return to play program and I practiced and went and got a blood test and the blood test wasn't very positive,'' he said. "There were a lot of issues with my kidneys and liver and they wanted to give me a couple of options and said we could go through another four weeks and see if by that point I'd be able to play, and if I was I could play out the remainder of the season, so I decided to do that.
"My cutoff was (Pittsburg State last Saturday) because everything before that's when you have the option of a medical redshirt and at Pitt I got to play and probably played 12 snaps, which was awesome to be back out there. It was a great environment, just not the result we wanted obviously (a 34-10 loss).''
Weber has steadily gotten closer and closer to being back to full speed and expects to be 100 percent for Saturday's 2 p.m. Hall of Fame game against Central Missouri.
This fall's battle has made Weber appreciate the opportunity he's been given to play college football even more.
"I can't even emphasize how blessed I am and I give all the glory to God because he gave me the perspective of, 'This is your life without football,' and it totally just changed my perspective on leadership and the ability to play the game I love,'' Weber said. "Without him it wouldn't be possible for me.''
Ichabods set to host Mules
Washburn returns to Yager Stadium for the first time since Sept. 27 to host Central Missouri on Saturday at 2 p.m. as part of Washburn Athletics Hall of Fame Day.
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