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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the second straight week the Washburn University football team took a top-10 team down to the wire with a chance to tie the game on its final drive of the contest, but the Ichabods came up short in a 39-31 MIAA decision to No. 10 Pittsburg State Saturday at Yager Stadium.
"We played unbelievably hard,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said. "I'm very proud of our guys. That's as hard as I've seen our team play in a long time.''
Washburn's Tre Richardson (middle) is congratulated by Tyce Brown (17) and Keller Hurla (right) after a 60-yard touchdown reception in Saturday's 39-31 loss to Pittsburg State. Brown, Richardson and Hurla all scored TDs for the Ichabods. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn, now 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the MIAA, battled back from a 16-point deficit 5:18 into the game to briefly take a 28-26 third-quarter advantage and drove deep into Gorillas territory late in the contest with an opportunity to force overtime before turning the ball over on downs.
"We couldn't have started any worse,'' Schurig said. "Everything that could go wrong did go wrong and credit to Pitt for being aggressive, but then our guys bounced back and played their rearends off. It was a great effort by our guys.''
The Ichabods were hurt by 113 yards in penalties, including having a potential go-ahead touchdown from Tre Richardson wiped out and a costly personal foul late in the game, and WU was also stung by an over-ruled call that would have given the hosts the ball after a fourth-down defensive stop.
"Unbelievable,'' Schurig said of WU's defensive effort. "They stuffed the run and gave us every opportunity and stuffed them on fourth down and we would have had the ball at the 50-yard-line. They played hard and I'm proud of them.''
The game opened in wild fashion as 37 points were scored between the two teams in the first quarter, with 30 points coming in the first 5:18 of the game.
After the Ichabods fumbled the opening kickoff, the Gorillas (3-1, 2-1 MIAA) scored three plays later to take a 7-0 lead on a pass from Chad Dodson, Jr. to Jack Roberts for a 17-yard connection.
The Gorillas tried an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but Shawnee Heights product Tyce Brown, a senior, picked it up and ran 47 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 7-7 with 13:29 to play in the first quarter.
Pittsburg State went up 14-7 when Dodson threw his second touchdown pass of the day on a 78-yard reception by Christian Carter and the Gorillas made it a 16-7 game when they blocked a Washburn punt through the back of the end zone for a safety.
On the free kick from the Ichabods, Pittsburg State added another score when Jaylen Fuksa returned the kickoff 85 yards for a score to put the Gorillas up 23-7 with 9:42 to play in the first quarter.
Highland Park product Tre Richardson scores on a 60-yard pass reception in Saturday's 39-31 MIAA loss to No. 10-ranked Pittsburg State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics[
Neither team scored again until the Ichabods cut the lead to 23-14 when redshirt freshman quarterback Keller Hurla hit Highland Park product Richardson for a 60-yard touchdown pass.
The Gorillas stretched the lead to 26-14 on a 31-yard field goal by Hayden Koscicki with 9:43 to play in the opening half but Washburn scored another special teams TD when Dodson pooch punted from the Ichabod 38 and Jacquez White returned it for a 92-yard score, trimming the Ichabod deficit to 26-21 with 6:20 left in the half.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park pushed its consecutive game shutout streak to three games on Friday, with the Scots improving to 3-0 overall and in the Meadowlark Conference with a 32-0 road win over Kansas City-Schlagle.
Highland Park senior Jamon Wilson scored two touchdowns, including an 80-yard kickoff return, in the Scots' 32-0 win over KC-Schlagle Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park has now outscored its three Meadowlark Conference opponents by a 126-0 margin, with Friday's game its closest outcome of the season.
Scot senior Jamon Wilson continued his red hot start to the 2024 season with a pair of touchdowns, including an 80-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
Highland Park will be back at Hummer Sports Park on Friday for a Meadowlark Conference game against KC-Harmon, which is 1-2 on the season.
Topeka High junior quarterback Zane Smith helped the Trojans improve to 3-0 with a 26-0 win over Wichita Southeast Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH 26, WICHITA SOUTHEAST 0 -- Topeka High improved to a perfect 3-0 on the season with Friday's weather-shortened 26-0 non-league road win over Wichita Southeast.
The Trojans have now posted three straight wins over members of the Wichita City League.
Topeka High led 13-0 when the game was delayed for approximately an hour due to lightning.
High then added to its advantage with a 45-yard TD pass from Zane Smith to Saron Carter and led 26-0 at the half when the game was called due to the inclement weather conditions in the area.
Carter led the Trojans' attack with three TDs on the night.
Topeka High will open Centennial League play next Friday at Emporia's Welch Stadium.
Junior Dayne Johnson caught a pair of touchdown passes in Friday's 18-12 win over Perry-Lecompton. [File photo/TSN]
SILVER LAKE 18, PERRY-LECOMPTON 12 -- Silver Lake bounced back from its loss to two-time defending Class 2A state champion Nemaha Central with Friday's 18-12 road win over Perry-Lecompton.
Junior Dayne Johnson had a big night for the 2-1 Eagles, catching a pair of touchdown passes from senior quarterback Dysen Schooler.
Silver Lake held a 7-6 lead at the half and led 15-12 at the start of the fourth quarter before adding a field goal in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles will be back on the road Friday to face Big East League foe St. Marys.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman junior Ryin Miller had plans to celebrate her 17th birthday with family and friends later on Saturday.
But the Viking star gave herself a present to start off her day, winning the girls individual title in Washburn Rural's Shufelberger Top City Classic by just over a minute, 15 seconds in a five-kilometer time of 17 minutes, 00.8 seconds.
Seaman junior Ryin Miller posted her third straight individual victory on Saturday, winning the Shufelberger Top City Classic by 1 minute, 15 seconds. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Miller, who set the state five-kilometer record in her previous race, fell behind Washburn Rural senior star Payton Fink early in Saturday's event, but Miller quickly took over the lead and pulled away for the decisive win.
Miller wasn't surprised when Fink, the Class 6A state runnerup last fall, gave her a battle early on.
"I knew she would,'' Miller said. "They go out hard in the mile with me so I was prepared for that. I knew she was going to be there, but she went out faster than I thought she would, though. I was trying not to go with her because I didn't want to wear myself out, but I wanted to stick close enough to where I didn't give her a confidence boost, but Payton ran a really good race.
"She's a great runner and it's fun running against her.''
Washburn Rural senior Payton Fink, the Class 6A state runnerup in 2023, finished second in Saturday's Shufelberger Top City Classic. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
And Fink, a three-time state medalist, had nothing put praise for her friendly rival.
"She's been killing it all season,'' Fink said. "It's been insane. It's been so fun watching her, but going into today I just wanted to go out and put down a decent time and use it as a good workout.''
Washburn Rural also got a fourth-place finish from senior Rylee Ismert (18:52.3) while Seaman sophomore Brynn Spencer and Hayden senior Elliot Wrench posted top-15 finishes and Washburn Rural senior Brooklyn Nolte, Seaman senior Stella Appelhanz and Hayden sophomore Sofia Harper finished in the top 20.
Spencer posted an 11th-place showing (19:45.9) while Wrench finished 13th (19:50.5), Nolte 16th (20:08.5), Appelhanz 17th (20:27.1) and Harper 18th (20.31.7).
Mill Valley won the girls team title by a 49-57 margin over St. James Academy while Seaman finished third with 81 points.
Seaman junior Brody Anderson finished third in Saturday's Shufelberger Top City Classic at Washburn Rural. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman posted a fourth-place finish in Saturday's Shufelberger Top City Classic. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Seaman junior Brody Anderson paced the city boys contingent with a third-place finish in 15:46.3, just ahead of Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman, who finished fourth in 15:58.0.
Washburn Rural freshman Henry Laubach posted a seventh-place finish (16:22.3) while Hayden junior Connor Baldwin finished 11th (16:53.5).
Rural finished third in the team standings, with senior Chris Quarles (16:59.1) placing 13th (16:59.1), senior Bodie King 15th (17:02.6), freshman Clayton Fink 16th (17:03.0) and junior Brooks Kehoe 19th (17:15.5).
Saturday's meet is named in honor of former longtime Washburn Rural cross country coach Scott Shufelberger.
Up next for Hayden, Seaman, Topeka West and Washburn Rural in next Saturday's multi-state Rim Rock Classic north of Lawrence.
SHUFELBERGER TOP CITY CLASSIC
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University volleyball picked up its seventh sweep of the 2024 season with a 3-0 win over Henderson State on Saturday morning to wrap up the PSU Regional Challenge.
The Ichabods will begin conference play next as they head to Maryville to face Northwest Missouri State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.
Washburn sophomore Natalie Hedlund had nine kills and hit .450 in Saturday's 3-0 Washburn win over Henderson State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn (9-1) picked up its third straight sweep with 25-21, 25-15 and 25-19 set victories over the Reddies (8-5).
Henderson State won the first three points of the match and jumped ahead to a 7-2 lead.
A kill from sophomore Natalie Hedlund sparked a 6-0 run for Washburn to take a 10-9 lead in the set.
There was only one lead change the rest of the set with a 4-1 burst for the Ichabods creating separation. Henderson State pulled within three but Washburn put the set away with a Jalyn Stevenson kill to win 25-21.
Both sides split the first eight points of the second set before the Ichabods reeled off four in a row as Sydney Conner picked up three assists in the burst. A 5-1 run capped off by another kill from Stevenson pushed the lead to six points.
Washburn hit .306 as a team in the set with a kill from Hedlund finishing off the set on a pass from Corinna McMullen.
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By NICHOLAS GAINEY
Special to TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights Thunderbirds dropped their home opener, 42-35, to Basehor-Linwood on Friday night at Wetter Field in a game that included multipe lead changes and high-powered offensive performances for both teams.
The visiting Bobcats wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, with Nate Martin taking the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
Shawnee Heights junior quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 244 yards and three TDs in Friday's 42-35 UKC loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
The T-Birds would answer almost as quickly, with junior quarterback Aiden Scott finding classmate Tyren Parker for a 69-yard score on Shawnee Heights’ first play from scrimmage.
A few minutes later, the Bobcats would get a hand on a Thunderbird punt, setting up a short drive that would end with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Carson Dixon to Austin Adair to put the visitors back in front.
Shawnee Heights Sa'javeion Ward celebrates his pick six in Friday's 42-35 UKC loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Shawnee Heights Sa'javeion Ward (2) celebrates his pick six with teammate Tyren Parker (1) in Friday's 42-35 UKC loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
The Bobcat lead would only last about two minutes, when Shawnee Heights’ Sa’javeion Ward intercepted a Dixon screen pass and returned it 16 yards for a score. The defensive touchdown would give the Thunderbirds a 14-13 lead that they would take to the end of the first quarter.
The Bobcats nearly broke the game open in the second quarter, taking a 27-14 lead as Nick Doering found the end zone twice, courtesy of a 3-yard run and a 68-yard reception.
Basehor-Linwood had an opportunity to stretch the lead even further, but Cayden Lindsay snagged a tipped pass to force the second Shawnee Heights takeaway of the night.
Shawnee Heights' AJ Gallegos celebrates a touchdown with teammate Leyton Ullery in Friday's 42-35 T-Bird loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Shawnee Heights would cut the Bobcat lead to six just before halftime after Scott found AJ Gallegos for a 10-yard touchdown.
