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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Elijah Brooks
ELIJAH BROOKS, Topeka West
A 6-foot-4 senior, Brooks had 43 and 33-point games in boys basketball victories over Junction City (67-66 in overtime) and Seaman (74-58) last week as 12-1 Topeka West, ranked second in Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, pushed its winning streak to 11 games. In Friday night's Centennial League victory over Seaman Brooks became Topeka West's career scoring leader, moving past 2000 graduate Luke Dwyer, who scored 1,235 points. Brooks, who has scored 30 or more points in five straight games, has now scored 1,250 points at West.
Emma Krueger
EMMA KRUEGER, Washburn Rural
Krueger, a 5-11 senior, was named the most valuable player in the Lady Firebirds Winter Classic at Lawrence Free State after helping lead sixth-ranked Washburn Rural to the tournament championship. Krueger turned in an outstanding defensive effort in Rural's 3-0 week as the Junior Blues posted a 57-30 win over Leavenworth before knocking off No. 3-ranked Derby (54-37) and No. 1 Shawnee Mission East (47-38). Krueger scored 26 points in the tournament, including 10 in the championship game as Rural improved to 12-1 while pushing its winning streak to seven games.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's two-time defending state-champion girls wrestling team officially starts its stretch run in Saturday's Centennial League tournament.
And the Junior Blues probably couldn't have picked a better way to tune up than with an impressive performance in the largest girls wresting tournament in the state, Saturday's Washburn Rural Invitational.
With individual champions Alexis Fredrickson and JaliahJohnson leading the way and six Junior Blues posting top-four finishes, Washburn Rural won the team championship by a 293-175.5 margin over Burlington in a tournament that included 32 schools, approximately 280 competitors, seven state-ranked teams, 46 individually-ranked wrestlers and a Rural gym full of fans.
Washburn Rural senior Jaliah Johnson (left) won the 155-pound championship in Saturday's Washburn Rural Invitational, helping lead the Junior Blues to the team title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Alexis Fredrickson stands atop the medal stand after winning the 132-pound title in Saturday's Washburn Rural Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I'm not even claustrophobic, but when everybody came in I was like, 'I feel a bit claustrophobic,' '' Johnson said. "I was just like, 'Dang, there's a lot of people here.' ''
But Frederickson said the atmosphere made for an extremely enjoyable experience.
"Oh my gosh, the energy and just all of the people and everyone on the team being able to wrestle, the combination of it all was insane,'' Fredrickson said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rossville's girls topped host Jefferson County North 57-41 on Saturday to win the tournament championship in the Jefferson County North Invitational.
Rossville's girls basketball team posed for a team picture after winning the tournament championship in the Jefferson County North Invitational Saturday. [Twitter]
The Bulldawgs jumped out to a 14-8 advantage in the first quarter and took a nine-point (26-17) lead at the half.
Jefferson County North used a 16-15 third quarter to cut the Bulldawgs' lead to 41-33 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Rossville closed with a 16-8 scoring edge over the final eight minutes to take the 16-point victory.
Senior Caylee Douglas led the Bulldawgs with 14 points while sophomore Kinley Porter added 13 points with three 3-pointers and sophomore Kinsey Perine had 12 points with a pair of 3s.
Sophomore Emma Mitchell scored eight points Saturday and was named to the all-tournament team along with Perine.
SPRING HILL GIRLS 55, HAYDEN 47 -- Hayden put itself in position to win the Top Gun Invitational championship on Saturday in Wellsville before foul problems and a strong fourth quarter by Spring Hill foiled the Wildcats' title bid.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
The Washburn Rural Junior Blues topped themselves yet again.
Friday night Washburn Rural 's girls earned a big win over previously-undefeated and Class 6A No. 3-ranked Derby and on Saturday Rural defeated 6A's No. 1-ranked team, previously undefeated, Shawnee Mission West, 47-38.
“I stayed up a little late last night,” said Lady Blues coach Kevin Bordewick. “We never played a team like (Shawnee Mission West). They are really good. They run their offense a little unique, what they did on offense was new to us, and we haven’t run into a zone that lengthy.”
Washburn Rural’s continuous hot starts in the tournament were a big key to the Junior Blues becoming the champions. Rural never trailed in the scoring column in any quarter of any game in the tournament.
Washburn Rural poses for a team picture after winning the championship in the Lady Firebirds Winter Classic at Lawrence Free State. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Lady Blues senior guard Emma Krueger had an unforgettable weekend in Lawrence.
Krueger’s defense against the best players in the state of Kansas boosted the Lady Blues past Leavenworth, Derby and Shawnee Mission West and Krueger’s efforts earned her the Lady Firebirds Winter Classic Most Valuable Player honor.
Senior Emma Krueger was named the most valuable player in the Lady Firebirds Winter Classic after helping lead Washburn Rural to the tournament championship. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
“This MVP award means a lot to me,” Krueger stated. “It means I’m doing my job well and doing all of the little things for (Rural). I think it’s important to make other people look good. If I do my job, work my butt off on defense, get boards, it helps everyone else.”
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By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
Winners of six of the last seven games, Washburn men’s basketball wrapped up its four-game homestand Saturday with a matchup against No. 9-ranked University of Central Oklahoma.
The Ichabods did not let up as they took control early and led for 38:20 en route to a 96-86 MIAA victory, the highest point total for the team this season.
“We got some confidence right now which is great to see, and we are playing as well as we have played all year so we are going in the right direction,” Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. “All of our goals are still ahead of us, everything we wanted to accomplish is still there.”
The win moved Washburn to 13-7 on the season and 10-4 in MIAA play and Saturday was the team's seventh win in the last eight games.
The Ichabods began the game shooting 11 of 19 from the field in the first 10 minutes.
Sophomore Connor Deffebaugh scored seven early points, the last of which coming off a steal gave Washburn a 26-16 lead at the 10:20 mark in the first half.
The Bronchos were making baskets but the Ichabods kept responding, with 3-pointers from senior Jeremy Harrell and junior Jalen Lewis helping WU maintaining a three-possession lead.
Jalen Lewis scored a team-high 23 points as Washburn knocked off No. 9-ranked Central Oklahoma 96-86 on Saturday at Lee Arena. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Lewis continued to roll, knocking down two jumpers in the final five minutes until the lead grew to double digits at the 1:06 mark after junior forward Jonny Clausing converted a three-point play. A late three by Harrell made it a 48-33 game at halftime.
“I thought we were great in the first half especially, our defensive effort was really good, that is a hard team to guard,” Ballard said. “That was as good defensively as we have been all year and then offensively the thing that’s good for us now is we can just come at you with so many guys.”
