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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls tennis team claimed 12 of the first 14 Centennial League championships after the league expanded to 10 schools in 2004, including an eight-year title run.
But Manhattan had reigned supreme the past three seasons before Rural re-claimed the top spot Monday with a solid team effort at Kossover Tennis Center.
Manhattan junior Jill Harkin won the singles title and Seaman senior Grace Unruh and junior Lauren Sweeney continued their perfect season in doubles, but the Junior Blues rode their balance to the team win, with Rural placing all four entries in the top five places.
Washburn Rural's doubles teams of Kate Fritz and Meredith Kucera and Hailey Beck and Shelby Schmutzler posted second and third-place league finishes while Rural's Sheriden Wichman placed third and Mena DiMarzio fifth as the Junior Blues won the team title by an 86-79 margin over Manhattan.
"It's just a real solid team overall and it was a good team effort,'' Rural coach Kevin Hedberg said. "I'm really, really pleased with them. It was a good day.
"We know there are some much tougher situations coming, but we're going to enjoy tonight. Winning the league is a nice thing to do.''
Washburn Rural's girls tennis team poses with the Centennial League championship trophy after Monday's win at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman's Unruh and Sweeney won their second straight league doubles championship, rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the final to improve to 29-0 on the season with an 8-3 win over Fritz and Kucera.
"I think there were some nerves, feeling a little pressure,'' Unruh said of Seaman's slow start against Rural. "They hit some good shots that we couldn't do anything about, but we're always talking and always trying to bring that energy and I think those first two games we weren't bringing the energy, but then we kind of turned it around.''
Sweeney admitted that there's a certain amount of pressure that comes with every tournament, but said that she and Unruh try to put those thoughts aside.
"There's alway pressure no matter what,'' Sweeney said. "It's just we've got to do what we have to do. I tell Grace all the time, 'Let's just play our game.' ''
Seaman's Grace Unruh (left) and Lauren Sweeney went 5-0 in Monday's Centennial League tennis tournament to capture their second straight league doubles title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The singles final pitted the reigning league champion, Harkin, against Hayden freshman Ainzley Zulueta, the city singles champ, and Zulueta held her own early before Harkin pulled away for an 8-3 win.
Hayden freshman Ainzley Zulueta finished second in singles in her first Centennial League tournament Monday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman finished third as a team with 75 points, with Nina Del-Zio adding a fourth-place finish in singles. Del-Zio dropped an 8-1 decision to Wichman in the third-place match.
Beck and Schmutzler lost to Rural teammates Fritz and Kucera in the semifinals before bouncing back to to finish third with an 8-3 win over Topeka High's Adisyn Caryl and Haley Carpenter.
City schools will compete in regional tournaments this weekend, vying for state tournament berths, with Class 6A and 4A regionals at Kossover and Seaman hosting a 5A regional.
The 6A tournament will be held on Friday and Saturday while the 5A and 4A regionals will be contested on Saturday.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS TENNIS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tylan Alejos
TYLAN ALEJOS, Topeka High
Alejos, a senior running back, ran for 400 yards and eight touchdowns on 27 carries in Topeka High's 70-42 Centennial League victory over Highland Park last Friday at Hummer Sports Park. Alejos scored on runs of 32, 21, 4, 6, 71, 51, 31 and 21 yards as the Trojans improved to 2-3 on the season.
Carter Brian
CARTER BRIAN, Cair Paravel Latin
A senior quarterback, Brian completed 14 of 19 passes for 236 yards and six touchdowns as Cair Paravel improved to 5-0 with a 54-8 victory over previously-unbeaten St. Mary's Academy last Friday at Highland Park. Brian completed TD passes of 17, 54, 16, 27, 10 and 8 yards to four different receivers in the win.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake's volleyball team left nothing to chance in its home tournament on Saturday, posting a perfect 5-0 record with five straight-set victories to claim the tournament championship.
Silver Lake's volleyball team poses for a team picture after posting a perfect 5-0 record on Saturday to win its Silver Lake Invitational tournament. [Twitter]
The Eagles, now 22-7 on the season defeated St. Marys (25-21, 25-17), Jefferson West (25-13, 25-13) and Sabetha (28-26, 25-16) before knocking off Perry-Lecompton, 25-18, 25-15, in the semifinals and taking the championship with a 25-12, 25-20 win over rival Rossville, which is now 18-4 on the season.
Taylor Ross, Camilla Ossola and Leah Cook dominated things at the net for the Eagles, combining for 96 kills on the day.
Ross registered 35 kills with a .444 hitting percentage and seven blocks, while Ossola had 31 kills with a .391 hitting percentage and 10 blocks and Cook had 30 kills and six blocks while hitting at a .364 clip.
Taylor Ross
Setter McKinley Kruger had 59 assists and 18 digs while Sarah Wehrli had 58 assists and 13 digs.
Taryn Burkhardt compiled a 2.43 serve efficiency rating in the tournament with 40 digs while Lexis Berndt had 2.42 serve receive efficiency with 42 digs.
Kruger and Wehrli both registered six aces and Ossola four aces.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rossville's football team, which has not lost since 2019, rolled to its fifth straight win this fall and its 18th overall Friday night, taking a 62-0 Class 2A district victory over Oskaloosa.
The Bulldawgs put their latest win away by the end of the opening quarter, putting 56 points on the board.
Rossville emptied its bench the rest of the way, adding its final touchdown in the final quarter to account for the final margin.
Torrey Horak
Corey Catron
The Bulldawgs scored the only points they would need at the 10:22 mark of the opening quarter, with senior quarterback Torrey Horak finding senior Tagen Kippes for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Pedro Arantes added the extra point.
Horak scored on an 11-yard run at the 8:35 mark and the Bulldawgs also got first-quarter touchowns on a 10-yard run from Corey Catron, a 1-yard run from Raphael Cooney, a 32-yard interception return from Kippes, a 26-yard interception return from Cooney, a 10-yard run from C. Catron and a 7-yard run from Seth Catron.
Arantes kicked all eight extra points in the quarter.
Camden Horak scored Rossville's final points on a 1-yard run with 3:54 left.
Rossville will be at home Friday for a district matchup with Pleasant Ridge.
WASHBURN RURAL 45, EMPORIA 9 -- Washburn Rural bounced back from a tough overtime loss to Junction City, improving to 4-1 on the season with Friday's home Centennial League romp past Emporia (1-4).
Sophomore quarterback Branton DeWeese had a big game foir the Junior Blues, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another score as Rural opened up a 45-0 advantage.
DeWeese threw for touchdowns to Robby Bolin (16 yards), Ma'Kenttis Adams (9 yards) and Lukas Hanks (5 yards) and ran for a 3-yard TD.
In addition to his touchdown reception Adams ran for 24 and 16-yard touchdowns.
Washburn Rural kicker Giles Frederickson kicked a 25-yard field goal and converted all six of his extra point attempts.
Emporia scored its lone touchdown on a 77-yard fourth-quarter pass from Cam Geitz to Parker Lane and the Spartans also scored a late safety.
Rural goes on the road Friday to face unbeaten Manhattan.
HAYDEN 38, OSAWATOMIE 0 -- Hayden improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in 3A district play with a 38-0 romp at Osawatomie.
The Wildcats put the game on ice early, getting a pair of first-quarter touchdown runs from TL Thompson and a touchdown pass from Gavin Arnold to Kaelin Rice.
Jack Chisham added a scoring run to put the Wildcats in front 32-0 at the half and Curtis Morrisey scored Hayden's final TD in the second half.
Hayden's offense converted 2-point conversions after its first four touchdowns while the Wildcat defense extended its shutout streak to 11 straight quarters.
The Wildcats will play a district game at Santa Fe Trail on Friday.
BASEHOR-LINWOOD 42, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 7 -- Basehor-Linwood improved to a perfect 5-0 with Friday's 42-7 home United Kansas Conference victory over Shawnee Heights.
Bobcat quarterback Brady Garrison threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score while Zach Sizemore scored a pair of TDs.
Shawnee Heights (1-4) scored its lone touchdown on a 32-yard pass from quarterback Callan Carver to Jayden Moore.
Carver completed 15 of 29 passes for 135 yards (one interception) while Moore had four catches for 71 yards.
Jarin Sanders carried the ball 25 times for 95 yards for the T-Birds.
Shawnee Heights will play at De Soto on Friday.
MANHATTAN 48, SEAMAN 21 -- Centennial League-leading Manhattan improved to 5-0 with a decisive 48-21 win over Seaman.
The Indians were never threatened after opening up a commanding 34-14 halftime advantage.
Seaman, which fell to 3-2 on the season, will be at home Friday for a league matchup with Emporia.
JUNCTION CITY 54, TOPEKA WEST 16 -- Junction City (4-1) opened up a 20-0 halftime lead over the 1-4 Chargers en route to the Centennial League victory.
The Blue Jays went in front 41-0 before Topeka West was able to find the end zone for a couple of scores.
Junction City got a big night from quarterback Xavion Felton, who ran for two scores and threw for three TDs as the Blue Jays opened up their 41-0 lead.
Topeka West will play Highland Park on Friday at Hummer Sports Park.
SILVER LAKE 63, MISSION VALLEY 0 -- Silver Lake improved to 4-1 with its second straight 2A district victory.
The Eagles jumped on Mission Valley early to build a 21-0 first-quarter lead and led 35-0 at the half.
Silver Lake boosted its lead to 49-0 in the third quarter before adding a pair of TDs in the fourth.
Silver Lake will host McLouth in a district game Friday.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- Washburn University put together a spirited comeback late in Saturday's rainy MIAA football game against rival Emporia State, but the Ichabods dug themselves a huge hole earlier in the day that was just too deep to escape.
Five Washburn turnovers helped Emporia State build a 35-10 second-half lead and the Hornets were able to hold on for 35-30 victory at Welch Stadium.
"The way the weather was in the first half the turnovers just crush you and then you feel like you're playing uphill,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said.
Washburn receiver/returner James Letcher Jr. had a big game Saturday in a losing cause against Emporia State, catching 10 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. [Photo by Phil Anderson/Special to TSN]
The Ichabods (3-2, 3-2 MIAA) took an early 3-0 lead on a 32-yard Trenton Brehm field goal, but the Hornets answered with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Braden Gleason to former Topeka High standout Corey Thomas as Emporia State (3-2, 3-2) took advantage of an Ichabod fumble at WU's 10-yard-line.
Washburn took one more lead, with Mitch Schurig hitting Peter Afful for an 11-yard TD pass with 32 seconds left in the opening quarter, but Emporia State would score 28 straight points to take control
The Hornets took the lead for good at 14-10 with 12:39 to play in the first half when Gleason found Seaman product Dalton Cowan for a 5-yard touchdown..
The Hornets came up with a huge play later in the second when Jace McDown picked off a Schurig pass and rambled 56 yards for a TD to put Emporia State in front 21-10 at the half.
"Part of our DNA is turnovers and we really haven't got that this season -- I think we've only got one a game -- so we knew it was going to be rainy and we knew (turnovers) were going to be a possibility today and that was the difference in the game,'' McDown said. "That's what we built on and I'm glad we could do that today.''
Things got worse for Washburn when ESU scored on its first drive of the second half and another Ichabod turnover set the Hornets at the WU 12 and Emporia State scored four plays later to go in front 35-10 with 12:35 to play.
Washburn would end the game with 20 unanswered points to make things interesting.
Schurig connected on a 58-yard touchdown pass to James Letcher with 10:21 to go and Schurig found Jace Williams for an 11-yard TD with 6:22 remaining and connected with Williams for a 21-yard score with 29 second left.
After missing a two-point conversion attempt Washburn tried an onside kick, but the Hornets recovered to clinch the victory.
"We didn't give up,'' Craig Schurig said. "We made some big plays, scramble plays the receivers made, and the O-line was blocking well and we got back to where we made it something exciting at the end.''
Letcher caught 10 passes for 132 yards and also had a touchdown on a punt return wiped out by penalty, while Williams had six catches for 88 yards and the two TDs.
Schurig threw for a career-high 410 yards and four touchdowns, completing 34 of 53 passes.
Zach Willis had 10 carries for 86 yards for the Ichabods.
Peyton Lane led the Ichabods with eight tackles while Jacob Anderson and Landen Urban both had six stops, with Urban registering 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
Letcher finished with 233 all purpose yards and went over the 100-reception mark for his career as an Ichabod. Schurig threw his 50th touchdown pass on the pass to Afful and finished the day with 53 career TDs.
Gleason was 18 of 25 on the day passing for 183 yards and four touchdowns.
"We were just trying to get the ball in playmakers' hands early and let them do their thing,'' Gleason said.
Cowan and Thomas both had three catches while Rossville product Cole Schumacher had two grabs for the Hornets and former Bulldawg Dawson Hammes was in on six tackles (five solo).
The Ichabods will return to action on Oct. 9 hosting Fort Hays State at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium as part of Hall of Fame Saturday.
