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By Kyle Manthe
The Washburn Review
After a sweep the night before, the No. 1-ranked Washburn volleyball team looked to complete a third straight perfect match in an afternoon matchup Saturday against the streaking Bronchos of Central Oklahoma, who entered second in the MIAA behind only the Ichabods.
The match was one that the Ichabods were excited about heading into the week.
“They were coming off of a big win over Nebraska-Kearney also, I mean we were kind of geared up for it to be honest with you, we knew that they were going to be a really good team,” said Washburn coach Chris Herron.
Washburn was able to buck the Bronchos, defeating them in three sets, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16, building its lead in the MIAA standings with a perfect 6-0 conference record.
Senior setter Allison Sadler had a big match Saturday afternoon as No. 1-ranked Washburn volleyball swept Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]
The first set started slow by the Ichabods' high standards, as they trailed 10-9 nearly halfway through. Ultimately efficient attacking and all-around play from senior setter Allison Sadler was enough to secure a set win. Sadler notched 12 assists and six digs in the first set alone on her way to a career-high 20 digs in the match for the fifth-year senior.
“I don’t know, it was just working and clicking, when we are on we are on and so everything just felt good,” said Sadler.
Washburn started slow again in the second set but would once again storm back in the back half, winning 10 of the last 15 points to take the set. That time it was freshman outside hitter Jalyn Stevenson who led the way with six kills in another standout performance.
By the third set the Ichabods had begun to wear down Central Okahoma, and the team's persistent attacking forced the Bronchos into six attack errors in the set. The balanced offense of Washburn kept it in control for the entirety of the set as they completed the sweep.
“Well, we were pretty good, I can’t say that every time we play, but we were pretty good tonight,” said Herron. “We were able to beat them in transition, they didn’t handle us in transition, so I think that was the difference in the game.”
In addition to her career high 20 digs Sadler recorded 45 assists, her third highest total of the year. Behind her senior libero Faith Rottinghaus finished with 17 digs.
Washburn volleyball celebrates a kill from freshman Jalyn Stevenson (10) during Saturday's 3-0 sweep over Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Up front Stevenson led the way with 13 kills while seniors Kelsey Gordon and Genna Berg were in double digits with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, as the Ichabods moved to 14-1 on the season.
MATCH RESULTS
Washburn def. Central Oklahoma, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16.

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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights junior cross country standout Kory Sutton hadn't been particularly pleased with his last couple of races, but Sutton was back on top of his game in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Community Park, leading a 1-2 T-Bird finish in the boys race.
Shawnee Heights junior Kory Sutton and T-Bird sophomore Jackson Esquibel lead the pack in Saturday's Seaman Invitational boys cross country race. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sutton clocked a five-kilometer time of 16 minutes, 15.31 seconds while his sophomore teammate, Jackson Esquibel finished second 16:22.72.
"Last week I felt like I started off good and didn't quite finish how I wanted to and didn't keep it going,'' Sutton said. "I've had a rough couple of weeks and didn't perform how I wanted, but coming back here definitely helped me build back up my confidence and get back in my groove.
"I was feeling good at the end of the race and I felt like kept it up throughout the whole thing and stayed out of my head. I just ran like I knew I could.''
Sutton said that was important entering the biggest meets of the season.
"It's time for the big meets and it's getting down to the nitty gritty,'' he said.
Sutton and Esquibel have been one of the area's best 1-2 punches and showed that again in Saturday's race.
"It's really fun,'' Sutton said. "We can always work together in workouts and then when we come out here we know we can pace off each other and know where we should be.''
While Shawnee Heights stole the show individually, Washburn Rural was the star of the show as a team, winning the team championship by a 49-63 margin over Seaman and Shawnee Heights.
Senior Alex Holmes paced the Junior Blues with a fourth-place finish in 16:32.74 while the Junior Blues also got a sixth-place finish from sophomore Hayden Keller (17:01.05).
Junior Grayson Fink (17:54.53), junior Easton Dial (17:56.60) and junior Davin Johnson (18:03.93) went 13-14-15 to round out Washburn Rural's top five runners.
Senior Jace Moore finished fifth individually (16:53.42) to lead Seaman to a second-place team finish by virtue of a higher finishing No. 6 runner.
Shawnee Heights also got a ninth-place finish from junior Andrew Emerson (17:37.17) while Topeka West got a 10th-place finish from senior Louis Wilson (17:41.48).
Next up for city runners is Saturday's city meet at the Kanza Park Course. The boys varsity race will start at approximately 9:40 a.m.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY
Boys
Team scores
Washburn Rural 49, Seaman 63, Shawnee Heights 63, Lawrence 86, Leavenworth 123, Topeka High 140.
Individual results
1. Sutton, Shawnee Heights, 16:15.31; 2. Esquibel, Shawnee Heights, 16:22.72; 3. Ryan, Lawrence, 16:25.92; 4. Holmes, Washburn Rural, 16:32.74; 5. Moore, Seaman, 16:53.42; 6. Keller, Washburn Rural, 17:01.05; 7. Purvis, Leavenworth, 17:09.95; 8. Sullivan, Leavenworth, 17:29.23; 9. Emerson, Shawnee Heights, 17:37.17; 10. Wilson, Topeka West, 17:41.48.
Other Washburn Rural -- 13. Fink, 17:54.53; 14. Dial, 17:56.60; 15. Johnson, 18:03.93; 22. Cain, 18:23.11; 24. Olsen, 18:31.75; 29. Ishaan, 18:58.04.
Other Seaman -- 11. Appelhanz, 17:46.30; 12. Stuke, 17:52.57; 19. Swaim, 18:13.07; 20. Jowers, 18:15.04; 21. Newell, 18:15.04; 26. Buckley, 18:48.89; 35. Joseph, 19:47.03; 36. Lady, 19:47.14.
Other Shawnee Heights -- 23. Carter, 18:24.91; 32. Deitcher, 19:15.41; 38. Song, 19:57.16.
Other Topeka West -- 30. Phelps, 18:58.48; 39. Maag, 19:59.71.
Topeka High -- 17. Christopher, 18:06.64; 27. Storrer, 18:49.12; 37. Cowdin, 19:54.24; 40. Campbell, 20:32.99; 42. Solis Carlos, 20:59.20.
Cair Paravel -- 34. Eckert, 19:40.44; 41. Clark, 20:36.82; 47. Bowling, 22:16.56; 49. Keys, 27:14.80.

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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Individual champion Madeline Carter led a 1-2-3 Washburn Rural finish Saturday morning at Shawnee North Community Park as the Junior Blues edged host Seaman for the team championship in the Seaman Invitational.
A junior, Carter posted a winning five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 07.65 seconds, while Rural senior Khloi Bird was second in 19:28.03 and freshman Payton Fink placed third in 19:42.32 while sophomore Sydney Laster was 10th in 20:42.53 and freshman Rylee Ismert was 13th in 21:31.48 to round out the Junior Blues' top five.
"We work hard during practice and we just use that hard work and it pays off in a race, so it's really fun to see it work,'' Carter said.
Washburn Rural's Madeline Carter, Khloi Bird and Payton Fink went 1-2-3 in Saturday's Seaman Invitational to lead the Junior Blues to the team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Carter, who notched her second individual win this fall, said Saturday's meet was good preparation for the upcoming stretch of city, Centennial League, regional and state competition.
"I was really using this meet to see how I would match up in city, so it's great to see that I'm doing good and our team's doing good as well,'' she said.
Junior Bethany Druse paced Seaman with a fourth-place individual finish (20:14.94) while the Vikings also got top-10 finishes from freshman Joslyn Grace (sixth in 20:17.86), freshman Anna Becker (seventh in 20:29.30) and senior Emma Schultz (ninth in 20:31.93).
Seaman coach Rick Brading said he was pleased with the Vikings' performance on Saturday.
"We're trying to figure out a way to race the middle of the race and they did for the most part today, so I thought it was a good day,'' Brading said.
Cair Paravel Latin finished fifth as a team, led by Katherine Keys' 28th-place finish (23:19.20).
The city meet is on tap on Saturday at the Kanza Park Course, with varsity competition getting under way at 9 a.m.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY
Girls
Team scores
Washburn Rural 29, Seaman 37, Lawrence 65, Leavenworth 110, Cair Paravel 140.
Individual results
1. Carter, Washburn Rural, 19:07.65; 2. Bird, Washburn Rural, 19:28.03; 3. Fink, Washburn Rural, 19:42.32; 4. Druse, Seaman, 20:14.94; 5. Hardy, Lawrence, 20:16.67; 6. J. Grace, Seaman, 20:17.86; 7. Becker, Seaman, 20:29.30; 8. Kennedy, Lawrence, 20:30.78; 9. Schultz, Seaman, 20:31.93; 10. Laster, Washburn Rural, 20:42.53.
Other Washburn Rural -- 13. Ismert, 21:31.48; 15. Gutierrez, 21:37.68; 21. Nolte, 22:18.29.
Other Seaman -- 14. Sampson, 21:32.34; 17. Polter, 21:44.33; 22. Spencer 22:19.19; 23. G. Grace, 22:53.34.
Cair Paravel -- 28. Keys, 23:19.20; 31. Barkley, 23:50.00; 35. Lewis, 24:29.34; 42. Bowling, 32:56.97; 43. Richards, 34:41.68.
Topeka High -- 32. Zuniga, 23:58.94; 40. Cabral, 26:59.33; 41. Ludlum, 27:55.55.
Shawnee Heights -- 37. Liedtke, 24:33.64; 38. Marney, 24:46.51.

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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Friday's battle between two football unbeatens had a lot at stake.
The chatter before the game from Cair Paravel Latin fans was that Friday's match would determine how the remainder of the 2021 season would look for the Lions and things are indeed looking bright after CPLS rolled to a 54-8 victory over St. Mary's Academy at Highland Park.
Cair Paravel Latin sophomore Ian Brian pulls down the St. Mary's Academy ball-carrier in Friday's 54-8 Lions win. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
In the previous six meetings between St. Mary's Academy and Cair Paravel the Crusaders had won convincingly, but Cair Paravel made a statement with Friday's romp past a St. Mary's team that had posted a won-loss record of 46-2 since 2016.
“St. Mary’s is a tough opponent every year,Cair Paravel coach Doug Bonura said. "You can never count them out or under-estimate them in any way. They’ve had our number for a lot of years and I am proud of what our team achieved tonight.
“Our team is hungrier than ever before. We have our goals in mind and so far we are doing a good job.”
Cair Paravel Latin senior quarterback Carter Brian threw for six touchdowns in Friday's 54-8 win over previously-unbeaten St. Mary's Academy. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior quarterback Carter Brian had a terrific night for the Lions, throwing six touchdown passes to four different receivers. Brian spread the ball down the field and it wore down the Crusaders all night long.
But Brian wasn’t the only one who had a stellar night for the Lions, with Jachin Bonura, Noah Hastert and Max Colombo having individual outbursts as well.
Cair Paravel Latin junior Jachin Bonura carries the ball in Friday's 54-8 win over St. Mary's Academy. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Bonura and Colombo had a combined 230 total yards with two touchdowns while Hastert had four receptions for 68 yards and three touchdowns in the romp over St. Mary’s.
In the first half, it was all Lions.
The heavy defensive sets were too much for the Crusaders to handle early and heavy blitzes by the Lions forced the Crusaders to throw the ball uncomfortably in some situations.
Offensively, the Lions were just as hot early. Brian was a thorn in St. Mary’s side, throwing three touchdowns against the Crusaders to Je. Bonura, Ja. Bonura, and Hastert.
Half number two wasn’t much different for the rivals.
Cair Paravel, which improved to 5-0, took the ball first to begin the second half and dual-sport star Max Colombo took the ball 49 yards to the house with a ton of Crusaders behind him attempting to chase him down. That stopped any momentum St. Mary’s was trying to achieve.
St. Mary’s (4-1) was able to put up one touchdown against the bruising Cair Paravel defense in the second half, with senior quarterback Silvio Riccomini running for a 3-yard touchdown.
St. Mary’s will take on St. Joseph Christian in St. Joseph, Mo. next Friday while Cair Paravel will host Northland Christian.
CAIR PARAVEL LATING 54, ST. MARY'S 8
Cair Paravel (5-0) 14 10 24 6 -- 54
St. Mary’s (4-1) 0 2 6 0 -- 8
First Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Bonura 17 pass from Brian (failed extra point)
Cair Paravel -- Bonura 54 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Second Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Hastert 16 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Third Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Colombo 49 run (2 point good)
St. Mary’s -- Riccomini 3 run (failed extra point)
Cair Paravel -- Everhart 27 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Cair Paravel -- Hastert 10 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Fourth Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Hastert 8 pass from Brian
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Passing -- Cair Paravel: Brian, 14-19 236 yards.
Rushing -- Cair Paravel: Brian, 8-(minus) 26 yards, Colombo, 7-100, Ja. Bonura, 3-16, Will, 1-2.
Receiving -- Cair Paravel: Ja. Bonura, 5-122, Hastert, 4-68, Everhart, 2-41, Colombo, 2-2, Je. Bonura, 1-13.
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By Kyle Manthe
The Washburn Review
Coming into its second week at the top of the NCAA Division II rankings Washburn University volleyball once again had a target on its back as the Ichabods faced Newman University Friday night at Lee Arena.
Ever since the team took control of the top spot Washburn coach Chris Herron has made sure the focus is always on the next match.
“What’s the difference between one and two or four or six, you’re still going to have that target on your back,” said Herron on the team's ability to keep a high energy level.
The Ichabods defeated the Jets in three sets, 25-12, 25,19, 25-12, moving to 13-1 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in MIAA play. While the team ran into some turbulence in the second set, they were able to keep the Jets grounded for the night.
Washburn senior Allison Maxwell celebrates a kill in Friday's 3-0 MIAA sweep of Newman at Lee Arena. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]
The first set began back and forth before Washburn was able to break away in the middle of the set and ultimately bring it to a close, getting contributions from all around the front line with five players recording at least two kills in the first set.
“We have a lot of offensive weapons, so our setter has some easy choices sometimes,” said Herron.
The second set was where Newman presented the biggest challenge for the Ichabods. Errors on the part of Washburn and opportunistic play from the Jets allowed the set to remain close before the Ichabods took three of the last four points.
“I thought that they (Newman) started to dig more balls in the second set, even though we won the rallies just the fact that sometimes you hit a ball and it's not going down sometimes kids get into their own heads,” said Herron.
The focus was readjusted and paid off as the Ichabods came out strong in the second set, winning the first seven points on its way to a 22-7 advantage before closing out the set and match.
Washburn celebrates a point during Friday's 3-0 MIAA win over Newman at Lee Arena. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]
“I think we had known that we were making a lot of mistakes in the first and second sets so we were like, 'Let's try to minimize those and really focus,' ” said senior middle hitter Allison Maxwell.
Freshman outside hitter Jalyn Stevenson led Washburn with nine kills while recording a .474 hitting percentage. Maxwell and senior Sydney Fitzgibbons each added eight kills in a balanced offensive effort that featured five attackers with at least seven kills.
Senior setter Allison Sadler finished the night with 34 assists while senior libero Faith Rottinghaus paced the team with 14 digs, showcasing the strong defensive play in the front row.
Former Washburn Rural standout Abby Borough finished the match with three kills and two digs and former Highland Park Scot Imani Jones recorded two kills.
MATCH RESULTS
Washburn def. Newman, 25-12, 25-18, 25-12.