By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After coming up just short of a Class 3A state championship in a runnerup finish last season Silver Lake softball will take another shot at the title in Thursday and Friday's state tournament at the Envista Softball Complex at Lake Shawnee.
Senior pitcher Kendra Cook and Silver Lake softball are back in the Class 3A state tournament after a runnerup finish a year ago. [File photo/TSN]
The Eagles punched their ticket to this year's state tournament with a hard-earned 4-3 win over Southeast Saline in its regional final at Osage City and 23-6 Silver Lake is the No. 7 seed in a loaded 3A field.
Silver Lake will begin its title bid with Thursday's 3 p.m. first-round game against No. 2 seed Wichita Trinity (24-3).
With a win Thursday Silver Lake will advance to an 1 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner between No. 3 seed Burlington (25-4) and No. 6 Jefferson West (22-5).
On the other side of the bracket No. 1 Frontenac (27-1) will face No. 8 Colby (17-6) in the first round and No. 4 Riverside (21-4) will take on No. 5 Minneapolis (21-4).
The 3A title game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, following the 3 p.m. third-place game.
Washburn Rural softball celebrates its 8-6 win over Campus in last Thursday's Class 6A regional final. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Rural, Topeka High earn 6A state tournament bids
Washburn Rural will be making its seventh straight trip to the Class 6A state tournament this week while Topeka High is back in the 6A field after winning back-to-back state championships in 2021 and 2022.
Topeka High, 19-9 on the season, is the No. 8 seed and will open its state bid at 11 a.m. Thursday at Arrocha Ball Park in Lawrence against top seed Olathe West (25-1).
The Trojans advanced to state with a 15-9 win over Maize in a regional final at Hummer Sports Park.
With a first-round win, Topeka High will move on to an 11 a.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner between No. 4 Blue Valley North (21-6) and No. 5 Derby (21-7).
Rural (20-7) is the No. 6 state seed and will face off with No. 3 Garden City (19-5) at 5 p.m. Thursday in the final first-round game.
The Junior Blues topped Campus 8-6 in last Thursday's regional final.
With a win Thursday Rural will advance to an 1 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner between No. 2 Olathe North (24-4) and No. 7 Mill Valley (19-8).
The 6A title game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, following the 3 p.m. third-place game.
Kaelyn O'Rourke and Seaman softball advanced to the Class 5A state softball tournament with a 7-6 win over Great Bend. [File photo/TSN]
Cianna Graves and Shawnee Heights softball are back in the Class 5A state field after a brief one-year absence. [File photo/TSN]
Perennial contenders Seaman, Heights back in 5A field
City powers Seaman and Shawnee Heights will make their familiar trek to Wichita this week for the Class 5A state tournament.
Seaman is back in the 5A field for the second straight season while Shawnee Heights is back at state after a one-year absence. The T-Birds finished third in 5A in 2023.
Seaman is the No. 8 seed at 20-8 and will open Thursday's state event at Wichita State's Wilkins Stadium at 11 a.m. against top seed Maize South (28-0).
Maize South and Seaman will be playing in the first round for the second straight season, with South taking a 3-2 win a year ago.
With a win Thursday the Vikings will move on to an 11 a.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 4 Spring Hill (24-4) and No. 5 Bishop Carroll (24-4).
On the other side of the bracket, Shawnee Heights (20-6) is the No. 6 seed and will square off against No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas (24-2) at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The Shawnee Heights-Aquinas winner will advance to a 1 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the first-round winner between No. 2 Pittsburg (25-2) and No. 7 Salina Central (21-7).
The 5A title game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, following the 3 p.m. third-place game.
