By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
SINCERE AUSTIN, Topeka West
The Chargers' junior point guard scored a total of 46 points in two Centennial League boys basketball wins as West improved to 15-1 overall and extended its winning streak to 14 games. Austin scored a career-high 25 points with five 3-pointers in Topeka West's 77-48 win over Manhattan on Tuesday and led the Chargers with 21 points in Friday's 65-62 road victory at Junction City. West enters the week tied for the Centennial League lead with Highland Park.
HUNTER BENTLEY, Washburn University
A 5-9 senior guard, Bentley scored 60 points on the week as Washburn's women's basketball team won two of three games to top the .500 mark for the first time on the season at 12-11. Bentley, who became WU's career leader for game's played (now 137), scored 28 points with six 3-pointers in a 55-54 loss at Rogers State, had 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 67-55 win over Lincoln and had 19 points with four 3-pointers and five assists in Saturday's 72-71 home win over Central Missouri.
KENDRA HURLA, Rossville
A returning state champion, the Bulldawgs' star sophomore 120-pound wrestler, improved to a perfect 35-0 record on the 2021-2022 season en route to an individual championship in last Saturday's Class 4A-1A girls regional tournament at Baldwin. After a first-round bye, Hurla recorded three straight wins by pin -- in 1 minute, 51 seconds, 31 seconds and 1:28 over Holton's Macey Gross in the championship match to punch her ticket to the state tournament at Salina.
JACK MIRANDA, Washburn Rural
Miranda won four gold medals in last Thursday's boys Centennial League swimming and diving championships, helping lead the Junior Blues to their third straight team title by a 413-396 margin over Seaman. Miranda, who also won four golds in the city meet, won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.41 and the 500 free in 4:54.93 and swam on Washburn Rural's winning 200 free (1:33.25) and 400 free relays (3:23.92).
TAE THOMAS, Topeka High
A senior guard, Thomas scored 33 points in two Topeka High Centennial League victories on the week as the Trojans improved to 16-0 overall and a 13-0 in the Centennial League. Thomas scored 22 points with five 3-pointers in the Trojans' 61-38 win over Highland Park on Tuesday night and then fought through a shoulder injury to score 11 points Friday, including seven in the final 2:56, as No. 2-ranked Topeka High rallied late to take a 46-42 win over No. 3 Washburn Rural on Friday.
NATHEN TRACHTA, Washburn Rural
A senior, Trachta won four gold medals in last Thursday's boys Centennial League swimming and diving championships, as the Junior Blues won their third straight league team title by a 413-396 margin over Seaman. Trachta won the 100-yard butterfly in 54.19 and the 100 backstroke in 57.18 and also swam on Washburn Rural's winning 200 free (1:33.25) and 400 free relays (3:23.92).