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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 2 West seed Topeka High faced supreme challenges in both of its games in Tuesday's Class 6A baseball regional at Hummer Sports Park.
But after ending a state tournament drought of more than seven decades in 2023, the Trojans weren't going to be denied in their bid for a return trip to state, rallying for a 9-6 win over No. 15 seed Wichita East in the semifinals and eeking out a 2-1 victory over No. 10 Derby in the championship game.
Topeka High baseball poses for a team picture after capturing its second straight Class 6A state berth with a 2-1 win over Derby Tuesday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High baseball coach Cody Miller accepts the Class 6A regional championship trophy from High principal Dustin Dick Tuesday night at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"This team plays with a lot of heart and they don't quit, ever, so I think that was pretty much on display in that first game because we didn't have it early on and we didn't play very well at all, but we turned it on and that was a great effort,'' Topeka High coach Cody Miller said.
Topeka High fell behind 6-0 against Wichita East, who the Trojans had just swept in a twinbill last Thursday, before scoring nine straight runs to advance to the final.
"It's so difficult to beat a team three times in one season and we had just shown them our two arms four days before,'' Miller said. "We knew they were going to be ready to go and they were going to try and knock us off and they played great, too, so hats off to them.''
And fired up by that come-from-behind win Topeka High never trailed in the championship game, getting the only two runs it would need on a two-run double in the bottom of the third from sophomore Drayden Acosta and then riding the pitching of senior ace Nate Plankinton with last-out help from first-game starter Hank Stamper to close out the victory and punch its ticket to next week's 6A state tournament at Hoglund Stadium on the campus of the University of Kansas.
"I was telling the guys, it might not seem like it, but it's so rare to go back to back years and I hope they enjoy it because it's a really special thing for us to do and I'm so proud of those guys,'' Miller said.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Seaman softball team’s white-knuckle ride Tuesday ended with a trip to the Class 5A state tournament next week.
The hosts of the regional playoffs dispatched Salina Central in the regional semifinal 7-1. Then the Vikings had to outlast Salina South in the final.
Seaman pitcher Kaelyn O'Rourke picked up the pitching win in both games as the Vikings won a Class 5A regional title at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Vikings risked their 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh by intentionally walking Salina South’s star hitter, which pushed the tying run to second base with two outs.
“We just wanted to make sure that somebody else beat us,” Seaman coach Jay Monhollon said of walking Salina South sophomore Paityn Fritz, who homered in the Cougars' 12-1 win in their semifinal game. “We decided that was best for our team.”
Seaman junior pitcher Kaelyn O’Rourke rose to the occasion, striking out the next batter to lock up the trip to state.
O’Rourke was the winning pitcher in both games. She threw four scoreless innings in the first game, striking out eight and surrendering just one hit.
O’Rourke gave up eight hits in the second contest but limited the Cougars to just one run in a scary fifth inning.
The junior gave up back-to-back doubles – both of which nearly left the yard – which tied the game at 1-1. But she settled down to escape the jam.
“In that situation, I just take a deep breath and reset and focus on the next pitch,” O’Rourke said. “There’s a lot of pressure, but I know that my defense has got my back.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite will be back in Topeka June 21 to host the third annual Big Kev Give Back Camp, a dual basketball/football camp on the campus of Washburn University.
Both Weems and Wilhoite graduated from Highland Park and Wilhoite was a football standout at Washburn and Weems a basketball star at Missouri State before both players went on to long-time professional careers.
Weems and Wilhoite, who were inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021, will be joined by many other special guests to host the camp, in conjunction with Washburn, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The June 21 camp, open to athletes 9 through 17, is named in honor of Kyle's late father, Kevin, a former Washburn University basketball player, who had a big impact on the athletic careers of both Weems and Wilhoite.
Athletes will have the option between all-day basketball or football camps or can split their time between half-day basketball and football camps. Athletes wishing to split their time between football and basketball are encouraged to attend the football camp in the morning session.
The cost of the camp is $20 and athletes are encouraged to register online at www.wusports.com.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Myles Alonzo
MYLES ALONZO, Topeka West
Alonzo, a senior golf standout, set a Topeka West school record with a 4-under-par 66 in Monday's Class 5A regional tournament at Cypress Ridge, winning the individual title by five strokes. A two-time 5A state placer, Alonzo has now won city, United Kansas Conference and regional titles entering next week's 5A state meet at Newton.
Audrey Appuhn
AUDREY APPUHN, Washburn Rural
The Washburn Rural sophomore swimming star posted individual victories in the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 12.08 seconds and the 500 freestyle in 5:18.23 and also swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 medley relay (2:00.94) and 400 free relay (3:58.46) to lead the Junior Blues to their fourth straight Centennial League championship last Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Drew Fay
DREW FAY, Cair Paravel Latin
A sophomore, Fay posted a city-high fourth-place singles finish in Saturday's Class 3A-1A state tennis tournament in Prairie Village. A two-time state qualifier, Fay won his first two state matches on Friday before losing to two-time state singles champ Caleb Bartels of Kansas City Christian in the semifinals and to Charlie Gentile of Wichita Collegiate in the third-place match.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Hayden girls soccer coach Klaus Kreutzer wasn't pleased with his team's play in the first half of Monday's Class 4A-1A regional opener against underdog Mulvane.
"Needless to say, I wasn't very happy,'' Kreutzer said of the scoreless opening half. "We spent I thought 80, 90 percent in their half and had one good shot.''
Hayden sophomore Carsyn Broxterman (4) scored a pair of goals in the Wildcats' 4-0 regional win over Mulvane Monday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden senior Jill Lenherr (10) scored a goal Monday as the Wildcats improved to 10-6-1 with a 4-0 regional win over Mulvane. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the host Wildcats did what they could to improve their coach's mood in the second half, dominating things over the final 40 minutes to advance with a 4-0 win.
"They did a little better the second half, but still not to my satisfaction, but better than they had been,'' Kreutzer said.
The No. 7 seed in the West, Hayden failed to find the back of the net in a somewhat lackluster first 40 minutes, but it took the Wildcats only 2:23 of the second half to score the only goal they would need and Hayden cruised the rest of the way.
