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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball shot 84.6 percent and scored 25 points in the first quarter and held on the rest of the way for a 71-60 MIAA road win over Northwest Missouri State on Wednesday night.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah scored a game-high 25 points in Wednesday's 71-60 MIAA road win at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Gabi Giovannetti scored 14 points and went 8 of 9 at the free throw line in WU's 71-60 win over Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Wednesday's win was Washburn's third straight, dating back to a 66-61 overtime loss to the Bearcats on Jan. 11 in Lee Arena.
After the first two points of the game went to the Bearcats (9-10 overall, 2-7 MIAA) the Ichabod (11-8, 5-4) offense began to churn, pushing the lead to double digits after a Yibari Nwidadah basket that made it 17-6.
They continued on what would be a 10-0 run after Gabi Giovannetti got a layup to go to make the score 21-6 at the 2:36 mark in the quarter.
Amaya Davison ended the opening frame with a driving basket to give Washburn a 25-10 advantage.
Northwest Missouri was able to chip away at the lead at the free throw line to start the second quarter. They shot 6-7 from the line in the 10-minute period and brought the deficit back to single digits after a make at the line.
The Ichabods continued shooting efficiently, going 6-13 in the quarter. On the other end the Bearcats were able to hang around because of extra opportunities, grabbing seven offensive boards in the first half.
The Washburn lead got as low as six before Nia McKenzie made it 41-33 heading to the break with a last second basket.
Washburn was able to boost its lead to 13 at the 3:25 mark of the third quarter after layups from Nwidadah and Madelyn Amekporfor.
The Ichabods again shot 50.0 percent in the quarter, and after a 5-2 push by the Bearcats in the final two minutes, led by 10 going into the fourth.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team rallied from a 3-point halftime deficit, closing the game with an 8-0 run over the final 3:59 of the contest for an 80-69 win over Northwest Missouri on Wednesday in Bearcat Arena.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter recorded his first collegiate double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 80-69 MIAA road win at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Sophomore Jack Bachelor scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half as undefeated and top-ranked Washburn rallied for an 80-69 MIAA win at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Improving to 18-0 on the season and 9-0 in the MIAA, Washburn swept the regular-season series over the Bearcats for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
The Ichabods trailed at the half (40-37) for only the second time this season and not since a 36-32 deficit against Texas Permian Basin in San Antonio on Dec. 18 in a game they rallied to win by 14 after trailing by as many as nine in the game.
Washburn shot 43 percent in the opening frame, trailing until taking an 18-17 lead over the Bearcats. A 10-1 run by the Ichabods pushed Washburn's lead to 28-20, but the two teams traded leads seven times in the opening half and Northwest took a 40-37 lead into the break on a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Emorie Knox.
Starting the second half the Bearcats stretched their lead to seven at 44-37 with 18:51 to go before Washburn chipped away at the lead and pulled within one at 46-45 after a 3-pointer by Jack Bachelor with 16:04 left.
Washburn tied the score at 52 with 13:46 to go on a jumper by Dillon Claussen and would take a 54-52 lead on a Brayden Shorter dunk.
The lead was short-lived as the Bearcats came back with a 3-pointer of their own to take a 55-54 lead on their next possession, but Washburn came right back with a jumper by Bachelor as the Ichabods regained the lead at 56-55 with 11:58 to play.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights junior Henry Schattilly bowled a perfect 300 game in Tuesday's high school bowling meet at Lawrence, earning the individual title while leading the T-Birds to the team crown.
Shawnee Heights junior Henry Schattilly bowled a 300 game Tuesday in Lawrence, winning the individual title with a 693 series. [File photo/TSN]
Schattilly bowled his 300 in his second game after a first-game 182 and finished his series with a 212 to take individual honors by two pins over Ottawa's Shane Circle with a 693 series.
The T-Birds also got a fourth-place individual finish from Caden Cochrane (680) and a fifth-place showing from Trey Donath (662) en route to the team championship by a 2,703-2,342 margin over Free State.
Chevy Stallbaumer added a 634 series for Shawnee Heights while Donovan Davis had a 597 and Cooper Brown a 552.
Shawnee Heights also won the girls team title in Tuesday's event by a 2,068-2,020 margin over Lawrence Free State.
Reese Bell posted a fourth-place individual finish for the T-Birds with a 533 series.
T-Birds sweep titles in home quadrangular
Shawnee Heights swept the individual and team titles in Wednesday's home quadrangular at Gage Bowl.
Junior Henry Schattilly won his second individual championship in as many days, rolling a 643 three-game series to claim top honors by five pins over teammate Chevy Stallbaumer (638).
Trey Donath also posted a top-five finish, placing fourth with a 591 series, as the T-Birds finished first as a team by a 2,479-2,306 margin over Piper. Topeka West finished fourth as a team with a 2,197 team score.
Shawnee Heights sophomore Addison VanMetre won the girls individual title with a 540 series as the T-Birds edged Piper by a 1,953-1,942 margin in the team standings. Topeka West was fourth with a 1,417 total.
Heights' Sophie Scheve finished fifth individually with a 482 series.
Manhattan wins titles in Topeka High bowling quad
Manhattan dominated Tuesday's Topeka High bowling quadrangular at Gage Bowl, sweeping both the girls individual and team championships.
Manhattan's boys swept the top five individual spots on the way to a 2,603-2,212 margin over Highland Park, while Topeka West (2,109) was third and Topeka High (2,030).
Cristian Reyes led Highland Park with a 579 series while Allen McCracken had a 572 series and Aaron Poe a 565 for the Scots.
Alec Rutschmann led Topeka West with a 556 series while Austin Mitchell paced Topeka High with a 551.
Manhattan went one-two individually in the girls division on the way to a 1,997-1,469 margin over Topeka West in the team standings. Highland Park finished third with a 1,336 team score while Topeka High was fourth at 1,297.
West's Kaitlyn Leeburg finished third with a 459 series while Highland Park was led by Thalia Villanueva, who finished fifth with a 434.
Lilly Krohe led Topeka High with a 380 series.
Lady Scots bounce back with 23-point Meadowlark Conference win
Highland Park girls basketball, which suffered its first loss on Tuesday to USD 501 rival Topeka High, bounced back with a 61-38 Meadowlark Conference victory over Atchison Wednesday night.
Sophomores Zayah Kincade and Pearmella Carter scored 15 points apiece to lead Highland Park, which Carter also grabbed 15 rebounds with five steals and Kincade connected on four 3-pointers.
Highland Park improved to 7-1 with a perfect 5-0 record in the Meadowlark Conference.
Malakyah Duncan led the way with 18 points in Tuesday's 50-49 Topeka West UKC win over Basehor-Linwood, the Chargers' fourth straight. [File photo/TSN]
West boys tune up for tourney with 50-49 UKC win over Bobcats
Juniors Malakyah Duncan and Keimani Paul combined for 30 points Tuesday night as No. 7-ranked Topeka West held on for a 50-49 United Kansas Conference win over Basehor-Linwood.
Duncan scored 18 points to lead the Chargers while Paul added 12 points as West improved to 6-2 overall and in the UKC with its fourth straight win.
West led 10-9 at the end of the first quarter and used a 16-10 second quarter to take a 26-19 halftime advantage.
West went up 42-33 after three quarters and held on for the win after Basehor-Linwood closed with a 16-8 fourth quarter.
Topeka West is competing Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Topeka Invitational Tournament at Topeka High.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
A celebration of life gathering for TopSports.news founder and longtime local broadaster Bill Griffin will be held from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8th, at the Miller’s Glen Village Hall/Clubhouse, 2234 SW Village Hall Rd., Topeka.
Bill Griffin
Griffin passed away Monday at the age of 69 after a 10-month battle with esophageal cancer.
BILLY “BILL” W. GRIFFIN JR.
March 14, 1955 – January 20, 2025
Bill Griffin, 69, of Topeka passed away Monday, January 20, 2025, after a 10-month battle with esophageal cancer.
He was born March 14, 1955, in Moberly, Missouri. The son of Billy W. Griffin, Sr. and Wilma “Chris” (Curtis) Griffin. He was a 1973 graduate of Oak Park High School, Gladstone, Missouri; graduated from the University of Kansas, Bachelor of Liberal Arts, 1977.
Griffin came to Topeka in 1988. He worked for Coca-Cola Bottling Company, State of Kansas, Heartland Park Topeka, 30+ yrs. as a sports broadcaster for KMAJ radio, and in 2021 founded and launched TopSports.News, a website dedicated to Topeka/Shawnee County high school and Washburn University sports.
Griffin married Nancy Tudor of Topeka on July 9, 1983. They were married 41 yrs. He is also survived by cousins, Bob Curtis and Cathy (Curtis) Witt.
At Oak Park HS, Bill was a three year letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. He received a scholarship to KU, where he played both football and baseball, 1973-1977. Bill was an avid fishman and enjoyed “excursions” to the craps tables in Las Vegas.
Cremation is planned. Celebration of Life will be held 10am-Noon, Saturday, February 8th at Miller’s Glen Village Hall/Clubhouse, 2234 SW Village Hall Rd., Topeka. Dove Cremations and Funerals Southwest Chapel is assisting the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to KU Endowment, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Mail Stop 3012, Kansas City, KS 66160, to benefit Cancer Research at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. Online contributions may be made at www.kuendowment.org/give Please indicate that donations are in memory of Billy W. Griffin, Jr.
To share a memory of Bill or leave a special message for his family, visit the guestbook below.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 1-ranked Washburn University Ichabods will hit the road for a pair of games this week, starting with Northwest Missouri on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m.) in Maryville, Mo., WU's second game with the Bearcats in 11 days.
Senior Jacob Hanna and the No. 1-ranked Washburn men will put their 17-0 record on the line in Wednesday's MIAA contest at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods moved to 17-0 overall and 8-0 in the MIAA with a Newman 121-73 win over Newman last Saturday in Lee Arena.
Northwest is 4-13 and 2-6 in the MIAA after falling 72-65 at Fort Hays State on Saturday, the Bearcats third straight loss.
The Ichabods won the last meeting with the Bearcats 96-66 on Jan. 11 in Lee Arena.
Washburn is off to its best start to begin a season since starting the 2003-04 season 16-0 en route to the MIAA regular-season championship.
The Ichabod record for the most wins to start the season is 19, coming in the 1992-93 season.
Washburn is now one of two undefeated teams remaining in the NCAA Division II ranks, joining No. 2 Daemen (14-0).
