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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
With the madness of March looming, it was only appropriate that No. 10-ranked (Class4A) Hayden and No. 3 (4A) Eudora got to square off in a state-tournament rematch to end the 2022-2023 regular season on Thursday night.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Eudora avenged its state-tournament loss from last year with a 54-50 over Hayden on the Wildcats' Senior Night.
Hayden coach Dwayne Paul and his Wildcats will be looking for another strong stretch run to make it back to the Class 4A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
While Eudora held a lead from the early part of the first quarter, Hayden cut the Cardinals' lead to a point on a few different occasions but couldn’t get over that hump, especially in the fourth quarter.
On paper, last year’s state tournament matchup, where bottom seed Hayden overpowered No. 1 seed Eudora, might have looked like an upset, but not many teams in 4A faced the type of competition the Wildcats faced last season and this year.
Thursday’s matchup felt more dramatic down the stretch than last year’s state tournament contest, as the Wildcats wanted to win the contest more due to seeding and getting above the .500 line.
It was a playoff-type atmosphere at Hayden High School, and the loss stung the Wildcats more than a typical regular-season loss.
“I thought we battled, but this is playoff basketball,” Hayden coach Dwayne Paul said. “Everyone is good. There are no more scrub teams; there are no more gimmees. Every possession matters. When you go away from possessions with bad shot selection, guys aren’t playing to their strengths, guys are not playing on both ends of the floor… you can’t get those back. So when guys say, ‘My bad, coach, I’ll get them back,’ it is impossible. You can’t get it back; you can’t.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman boys basketball coach Craig Cox recorded his 300th career victory Thursday night as the Vikings rolled to a 72-55 United Kansas Conference victory at Turner to complete a 13-7 regular season.
Seaman boys basketball coach Craig Cox notched career victory No. 300 Thursday night in the Vikings' 72-55 UKC romp at Turner. [File photo/TSN]
Cox has coached five state championship teams in two sports, including leading Seaman to the first boys state basketball championship in school history last season.
Cox has led Shawnee Heights, Washburn Rural and Seaman to state tournament berths, with the T-Birds winning 5A titles in 2000 and 2002. Cox also coached Heights to two state baseball titles.
Cox said that reaching win No. 300 was a satisfying accomplishment.
"There's legendary coaches like coach (Ken) Darting and coach (Rick) Bloomquist that have a lot more wins, but when I look at the three programs I took over and the position they were in at the time, we had to build from the bottom up all three times, so that causes you to have some losing seasons along the way and it's hard to build numbers,'' Cox said. "But I'm real proud of what we've done here and I'm excited.''
Seaman, which has won six straight games, trailed Turner 15-12 at the end of the opening quarter but took control with a 24-6 second quarter, opening up a 36-21 halftime advantage.
Seaman, which used 11 players in the game, outscored the Bears 36-34 in the second half en route to the 17-point win.
Seniors Kaeden Bonner and Aron Davis tied for game-high scoring honors with 20 points apiece.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- As a freshman, Seaman sophomore Koti Best made a splash with a fourth-place finish in the Class 6A-5A state tournament.
On Thursday Best took the next step in her progression, reaching the 130-pound final and posting a runnner-up finish at Hartman Arena.
Seaman sophomore 130-pounder Koti Best (right) exchanges a hug with Olathe South junior Nicole Redmond after Best dropped a 4-0 decision in the Class 6A-5A state championship match Thursday at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights sophomore Madison Freeland finished second in the Class 6A-5A state tournament at 135 pounds Thursday at Hartman Arena. [File photo/TSN]
Like Best, Shawnee Heights sophomore Madison Freeland advanced to the state tournament as a freshman in 2022, but Freeland made an early exit, going 0-2 in her two state matches.
Freeland stuck around until the end, reaching the 135-pound championship match and earning her first state medal with her second-place finish while leading Shawnee Heights to a fourth-place team finish, the top finish by a 5A school.
Best dropped a 4-0 decision in the final to Olathe South junior star Nicole Redmond, but that was also a step in the right direction.
"I'm happy with how I performed,'' Best said. "I didn't get pinned this time. All the other times I've wrestled her I got pinned, so I think it's a little bit of growth.''
And before she even walked out of the arena, Best was already looking forward to next season.
"I'm excited for my junior year because I feel like that's the year you get to showcase because everybody's looking at you and watching you,'' said Best, who finished her season 35-6 record. "I'm really excited.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural's powerhouse girls wrestling team took a few lumps in Day 1 of the Class 6A-5A state tournament at Hartman Arena, but none like the Junior Blues dished out on Thursday.
The Junior Blues experienced some tough losses on Wednesday, particularly in the quarterfinals, and did not advance a single wrestler to the championship round.
Washburn Rural wrestling coach Damon Parker hoists senior Addi Broxterman in the air after Broxterman's pin in the third-place match clinched the Class 6A-5A state title for the Junior Blues. [Photo by Brian Turrel/Wyandotte Daily]
Washburn Rural's girls wrestling team, parents and coaches pose for a team picture after the Junior Blues won their third state title in four seasons Thursday at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Damon Parker's team had the comfiest seats in the house for the finals, having already wrapped up its third state title in four seasons with a dominating performance while cruising through its backside matches on the way to nine state medals and a 153-141 win over runner-up Garden City.
"It's amazing that more people don't understand that you can score more points on the backside of a tournament than you can on the frontside of a tournament,'' Parker said. "We had a team meeting in the hotel last night and I told them, 'Everything that you want is on the table.' ''
As fate would have it, four-time state medalist and two-time state finalist Addi Broxterman clinched the championship for the Junior Blues after having her shot at her first individual state title ended by Great Bend junior Daizy Gomez in the quarterinals on a first-period pin (1 minute, 52 seconds).
But the Rural senior bounced back with four straight wins to post a third-place finish, ending her final state tournament by avenging her earlier loss to Gomez with a 4:24 pin.
"It was my last high school match and I knew I had to give it everything I've got,'' Broxterman said. "I knew the girl was good because that was the girl that upset me yesterday, so I had a lot of built up emotion about it. Afterwards, I'm not a crier but I was bawling my eyes out and I was giving so many hugs and I'm not a hugger either.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University men's basketball team will finish off its home slate at 7:30 p.m. Thursday as it hosts a Senior Night contest against Missouri Southern in Lee Arena.
Seniors Tyler Nelson and Connor Deffebaugh will be honored Thursday night as part of Washburn's Senior Night festivities. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athle
Seniors Tyler Nelson and Connor Deffebaugh will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
The Ichabods are 13-13 overall and 10-10 in the MIAA after a 65-53 win over Central Missouri last Saturday.
Missouri Southern (16-10, 12-8) is coming off an 84-70 loss at Fort Hays State in their home finale last Saturday.
The Lions won the first meeting of the season against the Ichabods on Jan. 12 in Joplin, taking a 70-50 win.
Sophomore Andrew Orr leads the Ichabods with a 13.7 scoring average while averaging 14.3 points in MIAA contests. He is third on the team in rebounds at 5.6 per game, is third in the MIAA in field goal percentage at 60 percent and has hit double-figure scoring in nine of his last 10 games.
Nelson is averaging 11.6 points and has reached double digits in his 10 of his last 13 games, averaging 14.3 points.
Levi Braun is scoring 9.3 points per game and has hit 58 of 132 3-pointers (44 percent). Of his 78 field goals this season, 58 have been from 3-point range.
Freshman Brady Christiansen is averaging 5.4 points while adding 6.8 rebounds per game, which leads the team.
The Lions have three players averaging double figures, led by Winston Dessesow at 12 points per game. Vinson Sigmon Jr. averages 12.1 points and Avery Taggart 12.0.
Washburn will end the regular season at Emporia State on Saturday.
WU women set to host Lions
Washburn women's basketball embarks on the final week of the regular season, starting with Thursday's Senior Night contest against Missouri Southern in Lee Arena.
Washburn women's basketball will honor seniors Abby Oliver, Emma Chapman and Macy Doebele during Senior Night festivities Thursday night in Lee Arena. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics}
The Ichabods will honor seniors Emma Chapman, Macy Doebele and Abby Oliver prior to the 5:30 p.m. contest.
Washburn is 11-15 overall and 7-13 in the MIAA after a 78-54 loss at No. 12-ranked Central Missouri last Saturday.
Missouri Southern is 22-6, 14-6 MIAA after a 61-58 win at Fort Hays State.
Missouri Southern defeated Washburn in Joplin earlier this season, 61-45.
In that game, the Ichabods led for 13 minutes of the first half and went into the break with the score tied, but the Ichabod offense made just five field goals in the second half while Missouri Southern made 16 baskets en route to the win.
The Ichabods are tied for ninth in the MIAA standings and the Lions have clinched a place in the MIAA Tournament at fifth in the standings. The top 10 teams in the conference standings at the end of the week will advance to the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. March 1-5.
Junior point guard Aubree Dewey leads the Ichabods in scoring (10.5 points per game), assists (3.6), steals (1.3), and minutes played (33.9).
Dewey notched her 13th double-figure scoring game last Saturday with 10 points against the Jennies.
Freshman Natalia Figueroa did not play in either of WU's two games last week due to injury. In 24 games Figueroa has averaged 8.6 points and 3.0 rebounds and has made a team-best 41 3-pointers.
Doebele averages 7.8 points to go with 4.6 erbounds per game. She leads the squad in free throws, making 82 of 104 for a 78.8 percentage.
Chapman averages 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds while freshman cente Yibari Nwidadah leads the Ichabods with 5.9 rebounds and averages 6.9 points with a 54.4 field goal percentage.
Freshman Gabi Artis led Washburn in scoring in both games last week, scoring 16 at Lincoln and 14 at Central Missouri. For the season, Artis averages 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Missouri Southern got back in the win column last time out after consecutive losses to Pittsburg State and then-ranked No. 10 Nebraska-Kearney.
The 2021-22 MIAA freshman and player of the year Lacy Stokes has continued to lead Missouri Southern in her second collegiate season, averaging 16.0 points with 76 steals while leading the league in assists (149).
Kryslyn Jones averages 10.4 points and leads the Southern with 48-pointers.
Washburn is set for the regular season finale at Emporia State on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
