By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls basketball team went on the road Wednesday night and took a decisive 46-34 non-league battle over Shawnee Mission Northwest in a matchup between the two most recent Class 6A state champions.
Washburn Rural won the 2019 6A state title and Shawnee Mission Northwest won the championship last March after the 2020 state tournament was canceled after the first round due to COVID-19.
The Junior Blues, No. 7-ranked in 6A, led the sixth-ranked Cougars 10-7 at the end of the first quarter and then used a 13-5 second quarter to take a 23-12 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Rural, now 8-1, outscored Northwest by a slight 23-22 margin in the second half to close out the win.
Washburn Rural rode its balance to the victory, with five Junior Blues scoring at least six points.
Senior Emma Krueger scored a game-high 13 points in Washburn Rural's 46-34 non-league win at Shawnee Mission Northwest Wednesday night. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Brooklyn DeLeye scored 12 points for Washburn Rural in Wednesday's 46-34 non-league win at Shawnee Mission Northwest. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Emma Krueger led Washburn Rural with a game-high 13 points while junior Brooklyn DeLeye joined Krueger in double figures with 12 points.
Junior MaRyah Lutz added seven points while senior Campbell Bagshaw and sophomore Zoe Canfield scored six apiece, with Canfield draining a pair of 3-pointers.
Shawnee Mission Northwest, which fell to 5-2, was led by senior Saige Grampsas with 11 points.
Washburn Rural will face another tough test on Friday, traveling to 7-2 Emporia for a Centennial League contest.
The Junior Blues took a 52-41 over the Spartans, No. 6-ranked in 5A, in the second game of the season.
