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By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
LEAVENWORTH -- On the warmest day of the 2025 track season, Leavenworth High School hosted the United Kansas Conference track meet on Thursday.
Seaman junior Ryin Miller was a double UKC individual champion in Thursday's conference meet at Leavenworth. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman junior Ryin Miller continued her winning ways this season with a sweep of the 1,600-meter (4:47.54) and 800- meter (2:22.53) races.
“I was happy with the 1,600 and the main goal was to secure the points for our team,'' Miller said. "In the 800, once I noticed that Kelsie (Kudzia of Leavenworth) wasn’t running, I decided to run a smarter race and get the 10 points for the team.”
Seaman junior Brody Anderson (1) won the 800 meters in Thursday's UKC meet at Leavenworth. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman junior Brody Anderson came back after a fourth-place finish in the 1600 meters to win the 800-meter championship in a time of 1:57.70.
He commented on his comeback after the 1,600 meter race:
“I wasn’t mad, I just gotta come back strong, can’t give up and have to have a positive mindset,'' Anderson said. "It was a great competition and I'm thankful to race these other guys. I’m looking forward to getting a little more out of myself over the next couple of weeks.”
Seaman senior Bryce Cochran won the 400-meter title with a time of 48.43 seconds.
Cochran commented on his preparation not only during the season but last offseason:
“The race went well,'' Cochran said. "I like running against tough competition like Austin Lindsay (De Soto). I’ve worked really hard this past offseason and the hard work is paying off.”
He came back later in the evening to finish second in the 200 dash with a time of 22.10 seconds.
Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman won the 1,600 UKC title in Thursday's conference meet at Leavenworth. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman followed up on his exciting victories in the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters at last week’s city meet by winning the 1,600-meter race in a time of 4:20.77. He also placed fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:59.08.
Other local highlights
- Seaman senior Ally Steiner finished third in both the 100-meter (13.00) and 200-meter (26.29) races.
- Seaman sophomore Brynn Spencer finished second in the 3,200 meters with a time of 11:50.86.
- Seaman senior Stella Applehanz finished third in the 3,200 meters in a time of 11:52.89.
- Seaman senior Jaida Stallbaumer placed second in the 100-meter hurdles (16.28) and third in the 300-meter hurdles (48.89).
- The Seaman girls 4x100 meter relay team finished third in 50.93 seconds.
- The Seaman girls 4x400 meter relay team finished second in 4:01.58.
- Seaman senior Grace Jowers placed third in the pole vault with a height of 9-6.
- Seaman junior Peyton Henry finished third the javelin with a throw of 109-6.
- Senior Peyton Holmes of Seaman finished second in the 100 meters in 10.92 seconds. He also finished third in the long jump with a jump of 21-1.
- Senior Liam Benz of Shawnee Heights finished third in the 400 meters with a time of 49.63.
- Senior Mark Wilkie of Topeka West finished second in the 800 meters with a time of 1:58.39 and second in the 1,600 meters in 4:21.37.
- Junior Kellan Parcaro of Seaman finished third in the 300-meter hurdles in 41.86 seconds.
- Senior Kaden Whitehurst of Seaman finished second in the triple jump with a jump of 41-6.
- Freshman De’drian Keeling of Topeka West finished third in the triple jump with a jump of 39-8.
- Junior Brogen Brown of Seaman finished third in the shot put with a put of 47-9.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Audrey Appuhn was extremely busy Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium ... and that's just the way the Washburn Rural junior swimming star likes it.
Washburn Rural junior Audrey Appuhn reacts after setting a personal record in the 200-yard freestyle in Thursday's Centennial League meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Appuhn kicked off the Centennial League meet with a flawless rendition of the National Anthem before jumping in the pool and winning four gold medals for the runnerup Junior Blues.
It was just another day for Appuhn, who routinely combines her love for swimming with her love for music.
"I love singing the National Anthem,'' Appuhn said. "I think it's so fun and I just love to sing.''
Appuhn also loves to swim, something she's done as long as she can remember.
"My mom put me in lessons as soon as I could walk and talk,'' said Appuhn, a multi-event Class 6A state medalist the past two seasons. "And I joined the team when I was probably seven or eight and I've just been doing it for the rest of my life.
"It's definitely something I've grown up with. It's taught me a lot about excelling and not only physically but mentally and learning how to overcome challenges and I can apply that to school and relationships with my friends. I think it's definitely helped me grow as an entire person and not just an athlete.''
Appuhn also fell in love with music at a relatively young age.
"I've always been kind of a Chatty Cathy so music came pretty naturally to me because it's a pretty way that people can hear my voice,'' Appuhn said. "I started in musical theater when I was in elementary school and I joined choir in middle school.
"I'm actually the choir president at Washburn for next year, so I'm super excited about that, and I just love singing and getting to be a part of something. It's kind of like a team when you're in a choir as well so it's a really great environment. I decided for my senior year I'm also going to join marching band because why not? I'm going to play piano (keyboard) in marching band.''
And Appuhn's list of activities doesn't end there.
"I'm in National Honor Society and every weekend I go to a nursing home and I sing for like retired folk in our community,'' she said. "I just love to get involved in everything I can to really spread the love because I think everyone needs some love.''
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Any doubt the Hayden baseball team would finish the regular season undefeated was removed in decisive fashion Thursday. The reigning Class 3A state champions cruised to a sweep of the Junior Blues at Washburn Rural, winning 5-1 and 14-1.
Hayden senior Cooper Grace twirled a complete-game one-hitter in Thursday's 5-1 Game 1 win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
While running the table on the regular season and collecting a Centennial League title are not insignificant, Hayden coach Bill Arnold made sure the focus was on the future.
“We haven’t even talked about being undefeated, and all of us could care less,” Arnold said. “The undefeated part comes from going 1-0. We’ve got a very mature group in the dugout here and they buy into it. They understand there’s bigger things on the mountain we’re trying to get to.”
The headliner of the matchup was Hayden pitcher Cooper Grace, a University of Nebraska commit. Grace dominated in the first game of the doubleheader, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning. He surrendered a walk in the fifth, but – with a 3-0 lead – still had the no-hitter intact.
Grace wavered a bit in the bottom of the sixth. After striking out the first two batters, he surrendered back-to-back walks and a couple of wild pitches that allowed the runners to advance. Grace then lost the no-hit bid on a slow dribbler the Wildcats’ shortstop was unable to field in time for a play on the batter.
Grace regained his stride in the bottom of the seventh, ringing up all three Junior Blues batters.
“I was just focused on getting one out after another. I wasn’t even thinking about the no-hitter,” said Grace, who said he has thrown no-hitters in the past, but prefers to keep track of wins rather than personal achievements. “It was a complete team effort. (The Junior Blues) are a good team, so we’re happy to get the win.”
Hayden junior Connor Hanika gave up just two hits and an unearned run in four innings in the Wildcats' 15-1 Game 2 win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
As dominant as Grace was in the first game, fellow Hayden pitcher Connor Hanika was equally effective in the second game. The junior gave up just two hits and permitted just one unearned run over four innings. With the offense racking up 14 runs in the nightcap, Arnold lifted Hanika for senior Jett Wahlmeier to finish off the final inning.
“I’m really pleased,” Arnold said of the pitchers. “We didn’t even get to (Liam) Annand tonight. We’ve got four quality starters. I like what each one of them can bring to the plate.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural swimming coach Bob Burdick would have loved it if his Junior Blues could have stretched their Centennial League winning streak to five straight titles Thursday.
But even though Rural fell just short of that goal with a narrow 465-441 loss to Manhattan, Burdick still walked out of Capitol Federal Natatorium proud of what his team did accomplish in its final tuneup for next weeked's Class 6A state meet.
Washburn Rural junior Audrey Appuhn won four gold medals in Thursday's Centennial League swimming and diving championships for the runnerup Junior Blues. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Genevieve Miranda captured four gold medals Thursday in her final Centennial League meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Audrey Appuhn and senior Genevieve Miranda both earned four gold medals -- two individual events, two relays -- on the day for the Junior Blues, who posted top-three finishes in nine of 12 events.
"We had a great meet,'' Burdick said. "We had gone four years in keeping the league title and that's the longest we've ever done it at Washburn Rural, which is great. Manhattan had waited five for this and congratutations to them.
"We've had a good year, we rebuilt the team this year and we've got it to where we want it to be. It wasn't quite strong enough to beat Manhattan. I projected it to be about a 12-point difference and it was 24 and I think our girls should be proud of themselves. Second at league is awesome.''
Appuhn won the 200-yard freestyle (1 minute, 55.60 seconds) and the 100 breastroke (1:06.95) and Miranda took the 50 freestyle (25.43) and the 100 butterfly (1:01.66) to account for Washburn Rural's four individual league titles.
Appuhn and Miranda also teamed with Sophie Heinen and Ava Von Lintel to win the 200 medley (2:02.16) and 400 free (4:02.90) relays.
Rural's Rhiannon Good finished second in one-meter diving (436.70) while Heinen was the runnerup in the 500 freestyle (6:19.61).
Topeka High junior Hara Del Castillo was a double Centennial League champion Thursday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High junior Hara Del Castillo was also a double individual champion, winning the 200 individual medley (2:25.04) and the 100 backstroke (1:06.01) and High junior Caroline Toland finished second in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.90).
Hayden's Esa Herrera, Lilly Charvat, Kaelyn Gerdel and Kaylee Gregg finished second in the 200 medley relay (2:07.79) and the 200 free relay (1:54.28).
The Class 6A and 5A-1A state meets will be contested May 22-24 at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE SWIMMING/DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After Micah Williams had a 23-goal breakout soccer season as a freshman in 2024, it's no surprise that opposing teams have concentrated their defensive efforts on the Highland Park star this season.
Highland Park sophomore Micah Williams scored seven goals in Tuesday's 8-0 win over KC-Harmon, giving her 36 goals on the season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But that game plan hasn't exactly been successful, with Williams scoring at an even more prolific pace this spring, including seven goals in Tuesday's 8-0 Senior Night win over Meadowlark Conference foe Kansas City-Harmon at Hummer Sports Park.
"I feel like coming into the season all the other teams already know of me, so every single team that we've played this year has already adjusted their back line to me,'' Williams said. "They already knew that they had to put double on me, they already knew all that, so I just came in and adjusted back.
"I made sure I could get around them and played to my team and they played back and we could still get past them.''
Williams' seven-goal explosion against the Hawks came on the heels of a six-goal performance a night earlier in a 6-3 Highland Park win over Ottawa.
Williams now has 36 goals on the season for the 5-9-1 Scots and 59 goals in her two high school campaigns.
The Scot star was quick to give her teammates credit for doing everything they can to create scoring opportunities for her.
"We've been practicing it in practice,'' Williams said. "We've been talking about it in games. We've been talking about it before games, in halftimes, after games. We've really been working on it.
"We've been doing through balls and give-and-gos. We've been watching other teams do it on us and we just take it back and do it on them, too.''
Williams is closing in on the goal for 2025 she set before the season.
"Last season I had 23 goals and this season I'm aiming for 40 goals,'' she said.
