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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The mantra for Washburn University's volleyball team all season has been one at a time.
After Friday's 3-1 national semifinal win over No. 2 seed Western Washington, it's down to one more.
The third-seeded Ichabods earned their first-ever shot at a national championship with a 25-23, 25-21, 27-29, 25-11 win over the No. 2 seeded Vikings and will now face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between top seed Tampa and No. 5 Gannon Saturday at Tampa's Bob Martinez Athletics Center.
"I think what it amounts to is we stay true to ourselves,'' senior Kelsey Gordon, an Emporia native, said of Washburn's postseason run. "We stay true to our teammates, we stay true to what Washburn is and we try to play the best match possible within outselves.
"We rely on our teammates, we rely on our bench, we rely on the coaches to give us a good game plan and we just want to go out and play good, fun volleyball.''
Washburn's volleyball team celebrates during its 3-1 NCAA semifinal win Friday in Tampa, Fla. [Photo courtesy of Joy Smith/Washburn Athletics]
Washburn, now 31-5, set the stage for the semifinal when it took a tight two-point win in the first set.
The Ichabods took a 20-17 lead on an ace from senior Faith Rottinghaus and then went in front 22-19 on a kill from freshman Jalyn Stevenson.
Western Washington got within a point at 22-21, 23-22 and 24-23 before Sydney Fitzgibbons ended the set with a kill.
Washburn jumped out in front 13-5 and 22-9 in the second set but had to sweat out a Western Washington rally before holding on for the four-point win.
The Ichabods fought back from 23-20 and 24-21 deficits in the third set to put themselves in position for a sweep, but the Vikings survived three match points to force a fourth set with a 29-27 win.
Washburn left no doubt in the fourth set, however, going in front 19-8 on the way to a dominating 25-11 victory.
"They fought,'' senior Allison Maxwell said of the Vikings. "They definitely gave us a run for our money and I think that does help prepare us, especially mentally, for the match (Saturday).
"We are mentally tougher now. We know we can come back from a little setback.''
The Ichabods spread the wealth in the win, with four WU players finishing with between 11 and 15 kills on the day.
Washburn senior Kelsey Gordon delivers a kill in the Ichabods' 3-1 win over Western Washington on Friday in Tampa, Fla. [Photo courtesy of Joy Smith/Washburn Athletics]
Maxwell led the way with 15 kills, followed by Gordon with 14, senior Genna Berg with 12 kills and Stevenson with 11.
Senior Allison Sadler was rock solid as the Ichabods' setter, finishing with 50 assists, while Rottinghaus compiled 26 digs from her libero position.
Taylor Antonowich had four service aces in the match while Berg had three assists.
Now the Ichabods take aim on history after after reaching the semifinals in two previous national tournaments.
"We're going to go into it obviously with the mindset that whoever we play we're going to beat them,'' Washburn coach Chris Herron said. "Both of those teams are outstanding from what we saw yesterday and so it should be a heck of a match.''
MATCH RESULTS
Washburn def. Western Washington, 25-23, 25-21, 27-29, 25-11.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's men's basketball team rallied from a 15-point deficit to send Thursday night's game at Central Oklahoma to overtime, but the Ichabods were outshot at the free throw line 42 to 15 on the night in a 97-87 loss to the Bronchos.
The Ichabods (4-5, 1-2 MIAA) trailed 44-33 at the halftime break behind some hot shooting from the Bronchso as UCO hit eight of 17 shots from 3-point range for a 47- percent mark and was 15 of 27 overall from the field. The Ichabods were 6 of 21 on 3s and 13 of 33 overall.
Starting the second half the Ichabods went on a 9-0 run after UCO scored the first points of the frame, cutting the lead to four at 46-52 after a 3-pointer by Hayden product Levi Braun, forcing UCO (6-2, 2-1 MIAA) into a timeout.
Jalen Lewis tied his career-high with 30 points in Washburn's overtime loss at Central Oklahoma Thursday night. [File photo/TSN]
A 3-pointer by Jalen Lewis pulled the Ichabods within three at 50-47 with 14:19 to play in the game and a traditional 3-point play pulled the Ichabods within two after the made free throw with 13:16 to go.
UCO then pushed the lead back to six at 56-50 with over 11 minutes to play but Washburn railed to cut the lead to three at 57-54 with 10:14 to go.
UCO stretched its lead to seven at 63-56, but back to back 3's by Braun cut the lead to one at 63-62 with 8:17 to play. Washburn tied the score at 66 with 6:48 to play on a free throw by Connor Deffebaugh and then took its first lead since the 18-minute mark of the first half on a lay up by Michael Keegan.
The Ichabods pushed their lead to 73-68 after Braun's fifth 3-pointer of the game, but UCO cut the lead back to one at 73-72 with 3:37 to play after coming up empty on their next three possessions.
A jumper by Lewis put Washburn up 75-74, but a free throw by UCO tied the score at 75 with 2:45 to play and then Braun connected on a 3-pointer with 2:30 to go stretching the Ichabod advantage to 78-75.
UCO was fouled on the next drive but went one of two from the line as the Ichabods led 78-76 with 1:54 to play.
The teams traded misses from 3-point range and the Ichabods came up empty on their next possession, but a foul on the Ichabods and two free throws tied the score at 78 with 1:31 to play in the game.
The tie lasted 10 seconds as a floater by Lewis put the Ichabods right back up two with 1:21 remaining. UCO hit two more free throws to tie the score again with 66 seconds to play.
Lewis put the Ichabods back up by two at 82-80 with 40 seconds left, but an Ichabod foul sent UCO to the line where they hit both free throws tying the score at 82. UCO's final possession was a turnover and Tyler Geiman's halfcourt heave hit the rim as the game went to overtime.
In the extra frame, the Ichabods led 85-84 after a 3-pointer by Lewis and then after a UCO score, Isaiah Thorne's layup with 3:08 put the Ichabods up, 87-86. UCO hit back to back layups to go up 90-87. UCO then scored its final eight points from the free throw line.
Lewis tied a career-high 30 points and Braun had 18 hitting six 3-pointers. Lewis was 11 of 17 from the field. Geiman had eight assists in his first action since the season-opener.
UCO was led by Cameron Givens' 40 points.
WU finished 9 of 15 from the free throw line while UCO was 36 of 42.
UCO WOMEN 69, WASHBURN 58
The Washburn women's basketball team fell 69-58 on the road to Central Oklahoma, falling to 1-7 on the year with its sixth straight loss.
Washburn (1-7, 0-3 MIAA) jumped out to a 22-19 advantage at the end of the first quarter after shooting four of five beyond the 3-point arc.
Washburn looked to continue their success from three in the second quarter when Mackenzie Gamble hit her third trep of the game. The Bronchos (6-3, 2-1 MIAA) responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead at five minutes remaining in the half and Central Oklahoma didn't slow down, holding a 39-32 lead at the break.
Both teams started the third quarter cold as neither team scored for the first three and a half minutes of the quarter. The Bronchos ended the drought with a layup.
Hunter Bentley ended the quarter with a three for Washburn, but the Bronchos kept the seven-point lead going into the final frame.
Bentley got the first Ichabod points in the fourth quarter off a layup and Aubree Dewey drained a 3-pointer to pull the Ichabods with four, 58-54, with 5:21 remaining in the game. However, Bronchos ended the game with a 7-0 run for the win.
Washburn had a 36.1 field goal percentage on the night while Central Oklahoma shot 40 percent. The Ichabods made eight triples and the Bronchos hit 7-of-15 attempts from deep. A difference in the game was the Bronchos scoring 30 points in the paint compared to the Ichabods' 18. Washburn had 41 rebounds including 14 offensive boards and eight blocks.
Bentley scored 16 points, shooting 6 for 14 from the floor with two 3-pointers. Lauren Cassaday led the Ichabods with eight rebounds, including six offensive boards. Cassaday also chipped in 10 points.
Four Bronchos finished in double-figures, led by Kelsey Johnson's 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Washburn will play an MIAA women's/men's doubleheader at Newman on Saturday
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seventy-two year-old Hall of Fame coach Ken Darting was bouncing around like a coach half his age Wednesday night after Shawnee Heights' 62-54 non-league boys basketball road victory over Topeka High and was quick to credit his T-Birds for the hop in his step.
"I'm having more fun than I have had in 10 years,'' Darting said after Heights improved to 2-0 on the young season. "I can't wait to go to practice every day.''
Ken Darting gives instructions to his players during Shawnee Heights' 62-54 win at Topeka High Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Darting, who came out of retirement to take the Shawnee Heights job in 2018, has coached five teams to state championships in his legendary career, including four titles at Highland Park with a perfect 25-0 campaign in 2007.
And while it would be unfair to compare this year's T-Birds to any of those teams, Darting said he is thrilled with the Heights players' attitude and the way they listen and try to learn every day they are in the gym.
Shawnee Heights didn't have a great night Wednesday, particularly shooting the ball, but a host of players, including multiple underclassmen, contributed as the T-Birds rallied from behind early and then withstood rally after rally by the Trojans.
Shawnee Heights hit just two of 16 3-point attempts on the night and were out-rebounded, 30-23, but the T-Birds got at least eight points from five different players and key contributions off the bench from sophomores Jayden Holly (12 points) and Jayden Moore (a huge fourth-quarter 3-pointer) and freshman Jaret Sanchez (four points).
Sophomore Brennon Dodge scored a game-high 15 points to lead the T-Birds while senior Carter Olson had nine points and nine rebounds after missing his entire junior season with a football injury and seniors Nathan Pewe and Jarin Sanders scored eight points apiece.
"Their character is great and they're having so much fun,'' Darting said. "Some of our primary players didn't play well (Wednesday), but they're in here (in the locker room) jumping on Holly and congratulating him and things like that. That's what makes it so much fun.''
Darting led Shawnee Heights to back-to-back winning records in his first two years at the school before Heights slumped to 6-11 a year ago in a COVID-ravaged season.
Darting admits that this year's T-Birds have some limitations, particularly on the offensive end, but the T-Bird coach said his team is doing the things it needs to do to give itself a chance to win.
"We're not great shooters, it's that simple,'' Darting said. "So we've got to stop you, we've got to rebound over our size, we've got to have people come off the bench and pick us up.''
Shawnee Heights will travel to Ottawa on Friday before closing out its pre-Christmas schedule with a home game against Topeka West, last year's Class 5A runner-up, next Tuesday.
Then it will be back to the gym as Shawnee Heights tries to continue making strides before starting competition in the United Kansas Conference.
"I think it's really important to us to have a good first semester, just to get started,'' Darting said.
A look at Friday's Shawnee County games:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior Jaley Barkley scored 21 points to lead the way as Cair Paravel Latin's girls basketball team picked up its first victory of the 2021-2022 season, a 49-34 win over Maur Hill-Mt Scholastic Thursday night on the Lions' home court.
Jaley Barkley
Cair Paravel opened the season with four straight losses, including three straight single-digit defeats, before breaking through on Thursday.
Barkley scored 19 points in the first half, with three 3-pointers.
As a team Cair Paravel scored 33 points in the opening half, including 18 in the second quarter.
Barkley was the only double-figure scorer for the Lions, but eight players cracked the scoring column, with senior Lauren Drum scoring seven of her nine points in the second half.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University senior volleyball All-American Faith Rottinghaus was the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2021 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship.
Rottinghaus, majoring in kinesiology, currently carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average and becomes the first Washburn student-athlete to win the prestigious award. Rottinghaus, a Shawnee Heights graduate, was presented with the award prior toWashburn's win in Thursday's national quarterfinal match in Tampa, Fla.
"I think it means a lot,'' Rottinghaus said. "I'm very proud of it just because I work really hard in the classroom and on the court.
"I would stress to everybody, don't let your lives become too much of a distraction and really focus on what you want to have.''
Washburn volleyball All-American Faith Rottinghaus, a Shawnee Heights graduate, received a prestigious academic honor Thursday during the NCAA Volleyball Championships. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The libero from Berryton has had an incredible career that includes two CoSIDA Academic All-America awards, an AVCA All-America second team selection, a D2CCA All-America first team selection, three all-MIAA first team honors, and a five-time MIAA Academic Excellence award winner. She is also the program's all-time career leader in digs with 2,607.
The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.
The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.
Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed. For more information on the Elite 90 award winners, log on to https://www.ncaa.com/elite-90.
