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Divers pace city schools in season-opening Topeka West Invitational
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five city swimming and diving teams opened the 2026 season in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational, with a sweep of the top three places in one-meter diving pacing the local contingent.
Hayden's Avery Rosenow won the diving event with a score of 173.75, while Topeka High's Mackenzie Caryl placed second at 138.75 and Seaman's Madiylyn Typer was third at 105.40.
Shawnee Heights' Clara Sobba posted a third-place finish in the 100 freestyle in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Another city highlight was turned in by Shawnee Heights' Clara Sobba, who posted a third-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 1:01.71, while Topeka High's Hara Del Castillo was fifth in 1:04.50.
Seaman's Riley Strother helped the Vikings finish fifth in the 200 medley relay in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman's Riley Strother, Lizzie Gould, Jenna Zimmerman and Ava Carlson finished fifth in the 200 medley relay in 2:18.32.
Hayden's Kaelyn Gerdel posted a pair of top-five individual finishes in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden's Kaelyn Gerdel placed fifth in the 200 freestyle (2:15.92) while Seaman's Strother was fifth (2:51.05) and Topeka High's Avery Skinner sixth (2:51.97) in the 200 individual medley.
Topeka High's Hara Del Castillo swims to a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
High's Del Castillo added a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke (1:11.58) while Hayden's Gerdel placed fourth in the 100 breastroke (1:19.41) and the Wildcats' Lilly Charvat was sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:23.55).
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
Trojans' Rayton named Centennial League girls player of the year
By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
City schools swept All-Centennial League girls basketball individual honors, led by Topeka High junior player of the year Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton.
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High
Brynn Anderson, Washburn Rural
Washburn Rural freshman Brynn Anderson was picked by league coaches as the Centennial League's top newcomer and also earned first-team recognition while Hayden's Carvel Reynoldson was tapped as the league coach of the year after leading the Wildcats to the Class 4A state championship.
Rayton, who helped Topeka High win the Centennial League championship, is joined on the all-league first team by sophomore teammate Hailey Caryl while Hayden is represented by sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein.
Manhattan's Kat Ball and Delaney Larson round out the all-league first team.
Topeka High senior Keimara Marshall, Hayden sophomore Blakely Walter and Washburn Rural seniors Ella Hirschi and Josie Carlgren were all named to the All-Centennial second team while Hayden senior Ella Foster and Washburn Rural senior Hallie Walker received honorable mention.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL
Seaman softball opens season with UKC routs over Topeka West
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Seaman softball opened its 2026 season with two convincing run-rule United Kansas Conference wins over city rival Topeka West Thursday at Hummer Sports Complex.
From start to finish Thursday the Vikings came out swinging early and often, taking the first game 14-1 and the nightcap 16-1 in three innings.
Seaman began the first game up 2-0 and the Vikings started a rally with no outs in the top of the second.
Senior Addison Sibley had a run-scoring single, senior Kinsley Smith had a two RBI triple and then the Vikings would score another run on a fielder’s choice from junior Acey Thompson, with the Vikings leading 6-0 after two.
Seaman would score another four runs in the top of the third, thanks to a two RBI double from junior Natalee Simpson, followed by an RBI double by senior Claire Watkins. Seaman led 10-0 at that point.
Topeka West couldn’t get much going against sophomore Kynnedi Kitzman in the circle. The Chargers did get runners at second and third, but Kitzman got out of the jam. Kitzman finished with six strikeouts on 88 pitches.
The Chargers would get on the board after a bases loaded walk to senior Samantha Stegman, but that would be it for Topeka West.
In the top of the fifth Seaman would score four more runs on five hits, ending the game by way of the mercy rule.
“I knew we brought back a lot of a lot of kids in the lineup from last year’s team and so I kind of knew what we could do, but you always have those first-game jitters and what are we going to be like and how are we going to fit together and are we where we need to be in the lineup,'' Seaman coach Daniel Ruda said.
"Tonight hopefully answered some questions but it was the best I could ask for, for a start to the season.''
In game two the Vikings put up six runs in the first inning. Seaman got five walks, two hit-by-pitches and a two-RBI triple from Kitzman that started the scoring and the rout was on.
Seaman scored seven more runs in the second inning on a variety of hits, including a sac fly, leading 13-0.
The Vikings combining for 29 runs and allowed just one run in eight combined innings.
