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By JUSTIN BURKHARDT

TopSports.news

The postseason is officially under way, and while Topeka High has been one of the hottest girls basketball teams in the state, the playoffs bring a new level of intensity where anything can happen.

Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored 26 points to lead Topeka High to a 69-45 Class 6A sub-state win over Maize Tuesday. [File photo/TSN]

Sophomore Hailey Caryl scored 19 points for Topeka High in a Class 6A 69-45 sub-state win over Maize Tuesday. [File photo/TSN]

Ron Slaymaker's Trojans hosted Maize Tuesday in a Class 6A sub-state semifinal, and after a slow start, Topeka High took care of business, taking a 69-45 win.

Topeka High got off to a promising start when junior Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton knocked down a 3-pointer to open the scoring.

But the Eagles quickly responded with an 11-0 run to take an 11-3 lead, holding High scoreless for four minutes as the Trojans’ offense stalled.

Rayton helped spark life back into her squad by attacking the rim, drawing contact, and converting both free throws. She then forced a turnover and finished at the basket to cut the deficit to 11-7.

Despite the push, Maize held a 16-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Trojan senior Keimara Marshall made sure the momentum didn’t stay with the Eagles for long. She opened the second quarter with back-to-back steals, igniting an 11-0 High run.

Her first steal led to a breakaway layup, and the second turned into an assist to sophomore Hailey Caryl.

“Coach knew that we could play better than we were playing,” Caryl said. “But at the end of the the quarter, he just talked to us about how we just need to get our stuff together. Like, there's no reason we should be playing like this when this game is make it or break it. He just wanted to motivate us to get going.”

Marshall’s defensive energy fueled the comeback, giving the Trojans a 17-16 lead.

They kept building from there, finding Caryl for a layup before Rayton closed the half with five more points -- part of her game-high 26 -- to give High a 28-21 advantage at halftime.

“We changed our defense to be a little more aggressive and then things just started to roll,” Slaymaker said. “We got some loose balls and it was from the runouts and shots that go in -- and bingo. That’s why basketball is a really interesting game.”

The Trojans carried that momentum into the third quarter.

Senior Sasha Gotru got involved offensively, and Rayton went on a personal 7-0 run to stretch the lead to 37-21. Sophomore Sophia Brown made a big impact inside, scoring four straight points to push the lead to 47-31.

High maintained control throughout the third quarter, taking a 53-38 lead into the fourth quarter.

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By JUSTIN BURKHARDT

TopSports.news

No. 2 East girls seed Shawnee Heights opened postseason play in dominant fashion Wednesday night at home, defeating No. 15 seed Kansas City-Sumner 89-15 in the first round of the Class 5A sub-state playoffs.

Shawnee Heights senior Imani McGlory scored 35 points in Wednesday's 89-15 sub-state win over KC_Sumner. [File photo/TSN]

Shawnee Heights set the tone early with suffocating defense, forcing 18 turnovers in the first half and holding Sumner to just one point in the opening quarter.

The T-Birds came out firing offensively, jumping out to a 19-1 lead in the first quarter. Sumner’s first basket came with 1:28 left in the quarter on a free throw from Mila Sims.

Heights kept the momentum rolling in the second quarter as junior Pearmella Carter and junior KK Emmot continued the offensive push. Emmot was perfect from the field in the first half, shooting 5 for 5.

Senior Reianna Vega and Carter combined for a quick 10-0 run, with Vega scoring four points and Carter adding six. Senior Imani McGlory then knocked down a 3-pointer -- part of her game-high 35 points -- to stretch the lead to 36-1. Sumner managed back-to-back baskets before Vega answered with a 3-pointer to make it 39-5.

McGlory then connected on back-to-back threes to give her 15 points before halftime as Shawnee Heights entered the break leading 45–5.

“That was something we really wanted to emphasize -- playing solid defense, not giving up drives, moving our feet, and playing without our hands,” said Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells. “I thought they did a good job of it for the most part.”

McGlory caught fire in the third quarter. After scoring on a layup to start the half, she followed with three consecutive 3-pointers and scored 18 straight points to extend the T-Birds’ lead to 63-5.

“When she starts shooting the ball and it goes in, it barely even touches the net,” Wells said. “There was a lot of that tonight. She was shooting the ball great and feeling great. Her teammates wanted to get her the ball, and that was a lot of fun to see.”

McGlory, who entered the night needing 42 points to reach 1,000 for her career, said her teammates encouraged her to stay aggressive.

“I try to get locked in in the locker room before the game,” McGlory said. “My teammates kept telling me to shoot, especially coming out of halftime. My goal was to try to get at least 30 points tonight so hopefully it’ll be easier next game.

"I feel like the feeling will be way better if I get my 1,000 and we win sub-state on the same night.”

Shawnee Heights led 77-9 after the third quarter, triggering a running clock in the fourth.

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By JUSTIN BURKHARDT

TopSports.news

Rossville boys basketball hosted the McLouth Bulldogs in the first round of Class 2A postseason action Friday night with a 90-28 statement win.

Senior Jack Donovan scored 47 points with nine 3-pointers in Rossville's 90-28 Class 2A sub-state win over McLouth. [File photo/TSN]

The Bulldawgs entered the playoffs having won four of their last five games and were looking to regain their momentum following a six-point loss to St. Marys.

“We can't sit in that adversity for too long,” said Rossville coach Brandon McDonnell. “We lost to a good St. Marys team, but we also knew our season wasn't done yet. We could be mad about it for a second, but we had to come back and get ready for this game right here. The boys came out dialed in and ready to go.”

Rossville, the No. 3 seed, wasted no time asserting control, opening the game on a 19-0 run, fueled by senior Jack Donovan, who scored 12 straight points during the surge on his way to a game-high 47 points with nine 3-pointers.

McLouth finally got on the board when Beau Harsh found the basket to stop the run.

Donovan continued his hot start, knocking down another 3-pointer for his 15th point of the quarter to make it 22-2.

Senior Cam Miller added a 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter to stretch the lead to 27-7.

“You know, my team was setting me up and putting me in good spots to get open,” Donovan said. “I was able to let it go, and it was going in.”

McLouth scored first in the second quarter, but Rossville responded with an 8–0 run to push the lead to 35-9.

Miller caught fire, hitting a 3-pointer and following it with a layup for five quick points to extend the margin to 40-11.

“It definitely helps that I’m so tall,'' Miller said. "I can jump up, grab a board, kick it out to Jacoby, and he can push it up to whoever’s running down the court.

"Jakoby and Jack make a lot of stuff easier for me to be able to play my game.”

With the score at 49-17, Rossville closed the half on an 11–0 run, including seven straight points from Donovan, to take a commanding 60-17 lead into halftime.

The Dawgs continued their dominance in the third quarter, opening with a 15–0 run.

Miller scored eight of those points to make it 73-17. McLouth briefly halted the run, but Donovan answered with back-to-back 3-pointers. Rossville carried an 85-21 lead into the fourth quarter.

McLouth was led in scoring by Harsh with 23 points.

“It’s always good to get a win,” Donovan said. “We had to get a win, and it’s good to win like this. It helps our confidence going into the next round.

"We’re playing strong together. We cherish every moment because any day could be our last, and we’re trying to enjoy everything.”

With the victory, Rossville advances to face Maur Hill-Mt. Academy on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Rossville.

ROSSVILLE 90, MCLOUTH 28

McLouth 7 10 4 7 -- 28

Rossville 27 33 25 5 -- 90

McLouth (5-19) -- B.Harsh 11-21 0-0 23, Sheehan 2-3 1-2 5, Forsberg 0-5 0-0 0, C.Harsh 0-6 0-0 0, Holloway 0-4 0-0 0, Desoto 0-1 0-0 0, Ray 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-41 1-2 28.

Rossville (15-7) -- Donovan 17-28 4-4 47, Miller 9-15 1-1 21, Johnson 3-6 0-0 6, McDonnell 1-3 0-2 2, Bush 1-2 0-0 2, Horgan 2-2 1-1 2, Horak 2-5 1-2 5, Martinek 1-2 0-1 2, Dick 0-3 0-0 0, Wuensch 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 36-68 7-11 90.

3-point goals -- McLouth 1 (B.Harsh), Rossville 11 (Donovan 9, Miller 2). Total fouls -- McLouth 8, Rossville 4. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.