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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Shawnee Heights entered Friday's Capital City Classic semifinal against Topeka West having already taken 17 and 28-point wins over the Chargers this season.

Sophomore KK Emmot scored a game-high 25 points as Shawnee Heights advanced to the Capital City Classic title game with a 65-32 semifinal win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

But T-Bird coach Bob Wells wanted to make sure his team took nothing for granted against West, which was coming off a big overtime win over Highland Park in the opening round.

"That's what I told them, that this needed to be all business,'' Wells said. "There couldn't be any messing around, we had to be focused and we had to have good energy and we needed to get right after it from the beginning and do a good job of taking care of the ball, no unforced errors and things like that and just work on improving.''

Heights then went out and heeded Wells' message, rolling to Saturday's 11:30 a.m. championship game with a 65-32 win.

The 8-4 T-Birds put the 2-9 Chargers away with a 19-4 start and were in control by 20 points (37-17) at the halftime break.

Heights then hit West with a 24-7 lick in the third quarter, forcing a running clock throughout the fourth quarter.

Senior Haley Bowers scored 13 points in Shawnee Heights' 65-32 semifinal win over Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Senior Kaydence Torrez (20) had 10 points and 11 rebounds in Shawnee Heights' 65-32 win over Topeka West on Friday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN[]

Sophomore standout KK Emmot powered the T-Birds with a game-high 25 points while senior Haley Bowers added 13 points and Kaydence Torrez and Reianna Vega 10 apiece. Torrez also grabbed 11 rebounds.

Junior Imani McGlory led Topeka West with 12 points.

With the win the T-Birds earned a shot at city rival Washburn Rural in Saturday's title game, with the Junior Blues advancing with a 75-48 semifinal win over Lawrence.

Topeka West will take on Lawrence in the 10 a.m. third-place game.

SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 65, TOPEKA WEST 32

Shawnee Heights 19 18 24 4  -- 65

Topeka West           4 13 7 8 -- 32

Shawnee Heights (8-4) – Emmot 7-11 8-10 25, T. Brees 0-2 0-0 0, Bowers 5-12 1-2 13, Torrez 5-7 0-1 10, Vega 4-9 1-1 10, Hanshaw 1-7 0-0 3, Akins 0-0 0-0 0, L. Brees 0-3 0-0 0, Scherer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-54 12-16 65.

Topeka West (2-9) – I. McGlory 4-12 2-2 12, VanDyke 2-7 0-4 4, Keeling 0-1 0-0 0, Hall 2-9 2-4 6, Gonzales 1-9 1-2 3, A. McGlory 2-6 0-0 5, Allen 0-3 0-0 0, Kutina 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 12-48 5-12 32.

3-point goals – Shawnee Heights 7 (Emmot 3, Bowers 2, Hanshaw, Vega), Topeka West 3 (I. McGlory 2, A. McGlory). Total fouls – Shawnee Heights 7, Topeka West 15. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none.

Sophomore Maddie Vickery scored a game-high 33 points in Washburn Rural's 75-48 semifinal win over Lawrence Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Vickery has 33-point night as Rural romps to 75-48 win

Lawrence got No. 5-ranked (Class 6A) Washburn Rural's attention when it took a 30-27 lead with three minutes left in the first half of Friday's second Capital City Classic semifinal.

But the Junior Blues responded wih a 48-point scoring onslaught the rest of the night, rolling to a championship game berth with a 75-48 win over the Lions.

Lawrence rode a barrage of early 3-pointers to its 3-point lead, but Washburn Rural (7-3) ended the first half with a 10-0 run to open up a 37-30 advantage and never looked back.

"I thought we were a lot more focused on both ends of the floor and we were just patient and had good spacing with our offense to kind of make that little break at the break,'' Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. "And then I thought the start of the third quarter we had an intention about getting the ball inside a little bit more and then Madison Lemke stepped up and took two charges and I think it took them out of their rhythm a little bit.''

Rural tacked on six more unanswered points to take a 43-30 lead 49 seconds into the second half, took a 58-42 lead at the end of the quarter and went on to lead by as many as 29 points late in the contest.

Maddie Vickery, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, led all scorers with 33 points, going 15 of 19 at the free throw line as Rural took advantage of a decided height advantage.

"We were really trying to get paint touches,'' Vickery said. "That's one of the big things we strive for as a team because even in practice when we get a paint touch everything good happens.''

Vickery was the only player in double figures for the Junior Blues, but Rural had nine players crack the scoring column, including seven with five or more points.

Senior Brynnae Johnson led Lawrence (6-5) with 13 points.

Washburn Rural will face city rival Shawnee Heights in Saturday's 11:30 a.m. championship game.

WASHBURN RURAL 75, LAWRENCE 48

Washburn Rural 20 17 21 17 -- 75

Lawrence             18 12 12 6 -- 48

Washburn Rural (7-3) – Hinck 4-8 0-0 8, Rutherford 2-5 0-0 6, Vickery 8-19 15-19 33, Lemke 3-7 2-3 8, Bunck 2-5 1-2 5, Hirschi 0-3 0-0 0, Moore 1-1 2-2 5, Hayes 2-3 0-0 6, Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Simpson 0-0 0-0 0, Carlgren 1-3 0-0 2, Petersen 1-2 0-2 2. Totals 24-57 20-28 75. 

Lawrence (6-5) – Glover 0-2 0-0 0, Baars 3-6 0-0 9, Barnes 2-2 0-0 5, Johnson 4-12 4-5 13, Ramos 2-3 0-0 6, Barber 4-9 0-0 9, Juelsgaard 2-9 1-3 6, Urish 0-0 0-0 0, Koehn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-43 5-8 48. 

3-point goals – Washburn Rural 7 (Vickery 2, Hayes 2, Rutherford 2, Moore), Lawrence 9 (Baars 3, Ramos 2, Barnes, Johnson, Juelsgaard). Total fouls – Washburn Rural 13, Lawrence 22. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none.

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Topeka West's girls basketball team has suffered its lumps while facing a United Kansas Conference schedule that includes three of Class 5A's seven top-ranked schools.

Topeka West celebrates Thursday's 52-45 overtime win over Highland Park Thursday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

But the Chargers put their lessons learned to good use Thursday night, picking up their second win of the season while handing USD 501 rival Highland Park only its second loss in a 52-45 overtime decision in the opening round of the Capital City Classic on West's home court.

"At the beginning of the season it's hard to keep those girls focused, but it's like, 'Hey, we're playing the top teams in the state,' '' West coach Angie Ketterman said. "But this helps a lot. It's good to see them happy and it was a good, hard fought win.''

West, now 2-8, and Highland Park, 7-2, locked up in a nail-biter from start to finish, with the Chargers' final margin the biggest lead by either team on the night.

With the victory Topeka West advanced to a 6:30 p.m. Friday semifinal to face Shawnee Heights, a 54-47 overtime winner over Blue Valley. Washburn Rural, a 76-25 winner over Free State, will take on Lawrence in the 8 o'clock semifinal, with the Lions advancing with a 54-36 win over Shawnee Mission West.

Topeka West junior Addaline Hall sent Thursday's game against Highland Park to overtime with a layup at the end of regulation. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Topeka West junior Addaline Hall reacts after sending Thursday's game against Highland Park to overtime with a layup at the end of regulation. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Topeka West forced the extra session when junior Addaline Hall came out of a scrum to convert a breakaway layup with two seconds left to tie the game at 39.

"I just saw a loose ball, hustled to get it and made the layup and that's about it,'' Hall said. "I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw the clock and I was like, 'Four seconds, I've got to make this.' ''

Highland Park led for much of the overtime, including a 45-42 advantage after two Pearmella Carter free throws with 1:51 remaining, before West scored the final 8 points of the game, all by junior Imani McGlory.

McGlory went an amazing 17 of 18 from the free throw line on the way to a game-high 28 points while the Chargers also took advantage of a 10 of 32 showing at the line from Highland Park.

"We practice a lot on our free throws,'' McGlory said. "I feel like as the season goes on we get better and are more like a team together. We got our second win of the season and it feels good.

"I feel like we really stayed composed this game and really played as a team and didn't give up.''

Hall added 11 points for West.

Carter, a sophomore, paced Highland Park with 21 points while senior Tahtionna Broils added 11 points and senior De'Asia Sanders 9 points with a pair of 3-pointers.

TOPEKA WEST 52, HIGHLAND PARK 45 (OT)

Highland Park 5 12 11 11 6  -- 45

Topeka West    9 6 14 10 13 -- 52

Highland Park (7-2) – Kincade 0-5 0-0 0, Broils 4-14 4-7 12. Harts 1-8 0-6, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 7-20 8-13 22, Paredes 0-0 0-0 0, Rice 0-1 0-0 0, Sanders 3-11 1-6 9. Totals 15-54 13-32 45.

Topeka West (2-8) – I. McGlory 5-19 17-18 28, VanDyke 0-2 0-0 0, Keeling 0-3 0-4 0, Gonzales 2-8 0-0 4, A. McGlory 2-5 0-0 4, Allen 1-2 2-2 5, Hall 4-11 2-4 11, Kutina 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-40 21-28 52.

3-point goals – Highland Park 2 (Sanders 2), Topeka West 3 (Allen, I. McGlory, Hall). Total fouls – Highland Park 25, Topeka West 20. Fouled out – Allen, VanDyke, Gonzales, Jones. Technical fouls – none.

Junior Reianna Vega led Shawnee Heights with 19 points in Thursday's 52-45 OT win over Blue Valley. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

T-Birds advance to semis with 54-47 OT win

Shawnee Heights was forced to play the entire overtime without leading scorer KK Emmot after the sophomore standout fouled out with 6.8 seconds remaining in regulation.

But Emmot's teammates quickly picked up the slack, with the T-Birds holding a 9-2 advantage over Blue Valley in the four-minute extra session to take a 54-47 first-round win and move on to Friday's 6:30 p.m. Capital City Classic semifinals to face Topeka West.

"It was something that we've been trying to get through in practice and make sure that there's times when we get (KK) out and play for an extended period of time just in case something silly happens,'' Heights coach Bob Wells said. "And I thought the girls responded well.''

Heights senior Kaydence Torrez opened the overtime with a hoop to put the 7-4 T-Birds ahead to stay and junior Reianna Vega hit two free throws to put Heights up 49-45 with 2:28 left in the OT.

After Blue Valley (3-8) scored its only basket of the OT, the T-Birds scored the final 5 points, including the final four from senior Haley Bowers.

Vega led the T-Birds with 19 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds while Emmot finished with 14 points and Torrez had 9 points and 14 rebounds.

"I felt very proud of us,'' Vega said. "I think on the court we show that we're a very capable team.''

Freshman Devin Splittorff tied Vega for game-high scoring honors with 19 points.

SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 54, BLUE VALLEY 47 (OT)

Blue Valley            11 14 7 13 2 -- 47

Shawnee Heights 13 14 8 10 9 -- 54

Blue Valley (3-8) – Goldstein 2-7 0-0 5, Forgy 0-1 0-0 0, Splittorff 6-16 4-4 19, Ashley Bergeson 1-1 0-0 3, Barnes 4-6 2-4 10, Wombolt 1-12 3-6 6, Lund 1-5 0-0 2, Suhr 1-2 0-0 2, Tenpenny 0-3 0-0 0, Faulkner 0-0 0-0 0, Avery Bergeson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-53 9-14 47.

Shawnee Heights (7-4) – Emmot 4-14 5-6 14, Brees 0-3 0-2 0, Euwer 1-7 0-0 2, Torrez 2-10 5-8 9, Vega 6-13 7-8 19, Hanshaw 0-1 0-0 0, Hamilton 0-1 3-4 3, Bowers 2-8 2-2 7. Totals 15-57 22-30 54.

3-point goals – Blue Valley 6 (Splittorff 3, Wombolt, Goldstein, Ashley Bergeson), Shawneee Heights 2 (Emmot, Bowers). Total fouls – Blue Valley 27, Shawnee Heights 12. Fouled out – Emmot, Ashley Bergeson, Barnes. Technical fouls – none.

Sophomore Maddie Vickery scored a game-high 21 points in Washburn Rural's 76-25 win over Free State Thursday night in the Capital City Classic. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Rural rolls to 51-point first-round win over Firebirds

On paper, No. 5-ranked (Class 6A) Washburn Rural looked to be a heavy favorite over Free State in final first-round game of the Capital City Classic.

And the Junior Blues lived up to that billing and then some, rolling to a 76-25 win over the Firebirds.

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By Todd Fertig

TopSports.news

As has become tradition, Washburn Rural finished first in the Topeka City Boys Swimming Championships Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.

Andres Morao-Jaspe captured four gold medals to help lead Washburn Rural to the city team title Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

But the gap was narrower than in many previous years, with other city schools claiming higher point totals.

Sophomore Andres Morao-Jaspe had the only perfect day, finishing first in two individual events and helping two Washburn Rural relay teams to firsts as well. Morao-Jaspe won the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle.

“I feel like a great sense of satisfaction coming out of this with the whole team,” Morao-Jaspe said. “I've been working a lot for this, for these moments.”

Seaman's Peyton Holmes won three gold medals in Thursday's city meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Seaman’s Peyton Holmes claimed first in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle events and was part of two relay teams that placed first and second. He did it despite sinus surgery a week ago, having practiced little since the procedure.

“It was hard to come back into it, but I believed I could win both my events,” Holmes said. “Competing in this city meet is really fun because my whole family could come, and just being in Hummer is fun.”

Washburn Rural placed first with 532 points while Topeka High’s 418.5 points edged Seaman and was cause for celebration for the Trojans.

“I’m really proud of my boys and feel like we had a great day,” Trojan coach Ken Bennett said.

He said Topeka High’s strong upper classes are bolstered this year by a group of freshmen who are contributing to varsity success.

“They came in raw, so to speak, and they stepped up,” Bennett said. “The older swimmers are bonding with the freshmen and showing them the way.”

Topeka High senior Jaxon Cowdin won his fourth city diving title on Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High's Dawson Blankenship helped lead the Trojans to a second-place team finish in Thursday's city swimming championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

One of the most impressive performances of the day was turned in by Topeka High senior swimmer/diver Jaxon Cowdin.

Cowdin won the city dive competition for the fourth consecutive year. But he also took fifth in the 50 freestyle and helped two Trojan relay teams to second and third-place finishes.

“Jaxon came in as a freshman and wanted to swim and dive,” Bennett said. “We told him to focus more on diving. As a senior he came out and was like, ‘I’m going to swim.’ It’s rare for someone to be able to do both because you have to practice so much to be a good diver.”

For the second year in a row, Washburn Rural won the city meet behind a first-year head coach. Bob Burdick replaced Janson Garman and had to rebuild the Washburn Rural roster.

“Last year, we lost a whole lot of really fast guys. We took third at state last year and we graduated a whole bunch,” Burdick said. “When I took over, we had about 18 guys.

“We had seven guys who couldn't swim before they got to us, and we made them into swimmers. We had a couple of guys who just popped out of the woodwork and they had a little bit of swim background. They came back and they're just hammering it, and so we're building well. Success breeds success.”

2025 TOPEKA CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS

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