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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University 6-foot-8 senior standout Andrew Orr knows there's nothing he can do about the fact that his outstanding college basketball career will come to an end this week in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight championships in Evansville, Ind.
Washburn senior star Andrew Orr hoists the NCAA Central Regional trophy after scoring 17 points in his final home game. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the one thing that Orr has done is make sure he cherishes each and every moment he has left with his beloved Ichabods.
"I've been trying to think about it since we were told we were going to host the region,'' Orr said. "That's when I kind of came to terms with the fact that this is my last go around. (I knew) these were going to be my last couple of practices in Lee, these were going to be our last games in Lee, so it made me not only appreciate what I've done but appreciate what there was still to come.
''These last three (Central Regional) games were the most attended games that I've ever played in in Lee, so to do that and to really take it all in and soak it all in before the games I feel like I've had that opportunity and I feel super blessed to have seen that ahead of time and not look back in the future and be like, 'I should have taken it in.' ''
Orr plans to continue to take everything in as the No. 4-seeded Ichabods begin what they hope will begin a three-game run in the Elite Eight, beginning with Tuesday night's 8:30 p.m. quarterfinal against No. 5 Lenoir-Rhyne (29-5).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There's no doubt that Washburn University's historic 2024-2025 basketball season, which will end with an appearance in this week's NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Evansville, Ind., has meant a lot to each and every Ichabod.
Washburn sophomore Jack Bachelor cuts down the nets after last Tuesday's 93-65 regional win over MSU-Moorhead. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But WU's amazing ride, which included last Tuesday's Central Region championship in front of a sellout crowd in Lee Arena, might mean just a little bit extra to a Topeka kid, 6-foot-2 sophomore point guard Jack Bachelor, who grew up dreaming about just such a moment.
"Both my parents (Angela and Aaron) played basketball here, so I went to all the basketball games and all the camps,'' Bachelor said. "I've grown up watching a ton of these players, so it's just great seeing Lee Arena bringing everybody here. It's been awesome.
"It was spring break so some of my friends were able to come back and come to the games and I had a ton of family and friends here, so I felt the love a lot over the weekend and it was just an awesome experience. It was really fun to play in front of everybody and just see the community kind of come together.''
The fact that Bachelor ended up at Washburn following a standout career at Washburn Rural probably wasn't a big surprise given his family's WU legacy.
But even Bachelor, who had 16 points (4 of 6 3-pointers) and also dished out 10 assists in last Tuesday's 93-65 win over Minnesota State-Minnesota in the regional final, admits to being surprised by the success he's had in his first two collegiate seasons.
Bachelor initially thought he might redshirt his first year at Washburn, but made an immediate impact for the 19-11 Ichabods as a freshman before earning All-MIAA and All-Central Region first-team honors this season.
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BY ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball avoided a series sweep against Missouri Western by earning a much-needed 19-18 MIAA win on Sunday afternoon at Falley Field.
Washburn baseball snapped a four-game losing streak with Sunday's 19-18 win over Missouri Western. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods are headed back in the right direction after snapping its four-game losing streak.
In Friday’s game against the Griffons, Washburn was taken down 17-5 in seven innings of play. On Saturday, the Ichabods took a 5-4 loss after giving up a run in the top of the 12th inning to Missouri Western.
Although the team hasn’t been pleased with its latest performances on the field, Washburn can finally breathe a bit easier after surviving a back-and-forth marathon on Sunday.
“We’re fighting ourselves right now,” Washburn coach Harley Douglas said. “It’s really disheartening … This is a team that went out and won 30-plus games last year. You know, we felt like we bolstered up and got our pitching staff where we wanted it to be and we’re just not performing.
“We start putting the pressure on other people and your defense starts to weaken and you’re thinking too much and they might be thinking about hitting because they have to go out there and score 15, 17 runs… We’re making the game too hard.”
Offensive production has not been lacking for Washburn. The Ichabods scored 19 runs just to stay alive on Sunday. Leading the way at the plate were Darian Duhon and Jett Buck, who drove in 10 of the team’s 19 runs.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman junior Brody Anderson won city and UKC cross country titles last fall and is a returning All-Shawnee County pick in track. [File photo/TSN]
BRODY ANDERSON, Seaman
A junior distance standout, Anderson was an All-Shawnee County first-team pick in track last spring and in cross country in the fall. Anderson won city and United Kansas Conference individual titles in cross country before posting a ninth-place finish in the Class 5A state meet. Anderson finished his sophomore track season ranked No. 2 in Shawnee County in the 800 (1:57.78) and the 1,600 (4:27.60).
PAYTON BERRY-BRIGGS, Shawnee Heights
Berry-Briggs, a senior sprinter, was a first-team All-Shawnee County honoree last season, placing third in the Class 5A 200-meter dash (22.27). Berry ranked No. 2 in the county in the 200 (21.79), third in the 100 (10.80) and third in the 400 (49.95).
DRADEN CHOONCHAROEN, Washburn Rural
Chooncharoen, a junior, is a returning Class 6A state champion, running on the Junior Blues' winning 4x400 relay team (3:19.56) and earning a spot on the 2024 All-Shawnee County first team.
BRYCE COCHRAN, Seaman
A senior, Cochran earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition for the second straight season in 2024 after a solid spring for the Vikings in the sprints and jumps. Cochran ran on Seaman's 4x100-meter relay team that finished second in the Class 5A state meet in a time of 42.50 seconds. He also ranked fourth in the county last season in the triple jump (40-9).
PEYTON HOLMES, Seaman
Holmes, a senior, earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition in 2023 and 2024 and ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County in the long jump with a season-best of 23 feet, 4.50 inches. Holmes placed sixth in Class 5A in the long jump and also ran on Seaman's 4x100-meter relay team that finished second in the Class 5A state meet in a time of 42.50 seconds.
Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman is a standout distance runner, placing seventh in Class 5A cross country last fall. [File photo/TSN]
ADRIAN LEHMAN, Topeka West
Lehman, a senior, is a standout distance runner for Topeka West and coming off a breakout cross country season this past fall. Lehman posted a city-best seventh-place finish in the Class 5A boys state meet after finishing second in the city meet and third in the United Kansas Conference. Last track season Lehman ranked third in the county in the 3,200 (10:02.36) and fifth in the 1,600 (4:34.21).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
ELLA BOLAN, Silver Lake
A senior, Bolan was a member of Silver Lake's Class 3A state championship 4x400 relay team in the 2024 state meet, with the Eagles posting a winning time of 4:06.64. Bolan also ranked No. 4 in Shawnee County last season in the 400-meter dash (61.69 seconds).
Washburn Rural senior Payton Fink (1666) is a multiple Class 6A state placer in both track and cross country. [File photo/TSN]
PAYTON FINK, Washburn Rural
A senior, Fink, a multiple time first-team All-Shawnee County pick, is one of Class 6A's premier distance runners. Fink finished fifth in 6A in the 3,200 (11:14.85) and seventh in the 1,600 (5:17.66) last season. A four-time state cross country medalist, Fink finished fifth in 6A last fall as the Junior Blues tied for first place in the team standings and finished second on a tiebreaker.
ALI GERBER, Silver Lake
Gerber, a sophomore, was a member of Silver Lake's Class 3A state championship 4x400 relay team in the 2024 state meet, with the Eagles posting a winning time of 4:06.64. Gerber ranked fifth in Shawnee County last season in the 400 (62.18) and fourth in the triple jump (34-0) and was also a state qualifier in cross country.
EMILY GRAF, Washburn Rural
A junior, Graf ran on Washburn Rural's 4x800 relay team that finished sixth in the Class 6A state meet last spring (9:47.16) and finished seventh in the 3,200 (11:20.57), earning All-Shawnee County first-team recognition. Graf is also a multi-time state placer in cross country, finishing in 14th place at state as the Junior Blues tied for the 6A team title and finished second on a tiebreaker.
Seaman senior Taylie Heston was a Class 5A state medalist and an All-Shawnee County first-team pick last season. [File photo/TSN]
TAYLIE HESTON, Seaman
A senior, Heston earned first-team All-Shawnee County recognition the past two seasons, earning a Class 5A state medal as a member of Seaman's second-place 4x800 relay team (4:02.39). A 5A state runnerup in wrestling, ranked No. 5 in Shawnee County last season in the 800 meters (2:28.82).
Washburn Rural senior Rylee Ismert was a multi-event Class 6A state medalist last spring, earning first-team All-Shawnee County honors. [File photo/TSN]
RYLEE ISMERT, Washburn Rural
A senior distance runner, Ismert helped Washburn Rural post a sixth-place finish in Class 6A in the 4x800 relay (9:47.16) in the 2024 state meet and also placed sixth in the 1,600 (5:17.31). Ismert, a two-time first-team All-Shawnee County team pick, ranked among the county leaders in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters last spring. Ismert placed second individually in the 6A cross country meet last fall as Rural tied for the team title and finished second on a tiebreaker.
Topeka High junior Keimara Marshall was a Class 6A state medalist in the last spring. [File photo/TSN]
KEIMARA MARSHALL, Topeka High
A junior, Marshall has established herself as one of the area's top sprinters, earning first-team all-county honors. Marshall ranked No. 1 in the county in the 100 (12.41) and 200 (26.25) in 2024 and capped her season with a 6A state medal in the 100, finishing seventh in 12.41.
Seaman junior Ryin MIller has been named Gatorade Kansas Athlete of the Year in both track last spring and in cross country this past fall. [File photo/TSN]
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
Miller, a junior, won a pair of Class 5A state titles last spring, winning the 1,600 (4:51.58) and the 800 (2:10.80), and also finished second in the 3,200 (10:13.97) and anchored Seaman's second-place 4x400 relay (4:02.39. Miller is also the Kansas state record-holder in cross country and was the 5A runnerup this past fall
BROOKLYN NOLTE, Washburn Rural
A senior, Nolte earned All-Shawnee County first-team honors last spring after running on Washburn Rural's 4x800 relay team that finished sixth in Class 6A (9:47.16). Nolte is also a three-time all-county pick in cross country and ran on the Junior Blues' cross country team that tied for first and finished second in the 6A state meet last fall, posting a 1st-place state finish.
Topeka High freshman Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton was a two-time Class 6A medalist as a freshman in 2024. [File photo/TSN]
AHSIEYRHUAJH RAYTON, Topeka High
A sophomore, Rayton had a big freshman season for Topeka High, earning first-team All-Shawnee County recognition after placing second in the Class 6A triple jump (38-5.25) and fourth in the long jump (17-5.75). Rayton was the Shawnee County leader in both jumps and also ranked No. 5 in the 200 (26.78).
Senior Jaida Stallbaumer ran on Seaman's second-place 4x400 relay in the Class 5A state meet last spring and also led Shawnee County in the 100-meter hurdles. [File photo/TSN]
JAIDA STALLBAUMER, Seaman
Stallbaumer, a senior, was a first-team All-Shawnee County pick in 2023 and 2024 and ran on the Vikings' second-place 4x400 relay (4:02.39). Stallbaumer ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County last season in the 100 hurldes (15.85).
ALLY STEINER, Seaman
A senior sprinter, Steiner ran on the Vikings' second-place 4x400 relay (4:02.39) in last spring's Class 5A state meet, earning All-Shawnee County first-team honors. Steiner ranked No. 3 in Shawnee County in the 100 (12.86) and the 400 (60.92).
ELLIOT WRENCH, Hayden
A senior, was a Class 3A state qualifier in the 1,600 and 4x400 relay last season and is coming off a big cross country season last fall. Wrench set a school five-kilometer record with a time of 19 minutes, 20 seconds, surpassing last year’s record of 20:01 and finished sixth in the 4A state meet after finishing sixth in the city meet, seventh in the Centennial League and fourth at regionals.
