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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Playing a highly-regarded Free State team in Tuesday night's Class 6A regional soccer final, it was important for Washburn Rural to get out of the gate quick.
Washburn Rural celebrates its Class 6A regional soccer championship after Tuesday's 4-1 win over Free State. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural's soccer team poses for a team picture after winning a Class 6A regional championship with a 4-1 win over Free State. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues did exactly that, scoring two goals over the opening 13:21 of the game and three in the first half on the way to a decisive 4-1 win over the Firebirds at McElroy Field.
"We knew Free State was going to be solid,'' Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "They had a great season and beat some of the better teams in Kansas City, so this was a tough draw.
"We talked about getting off to a quick start and obviously you get an early goal, then you get a second goal and you make the other team play from behind the whole time and we were able to control the game.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural junior cross country standout Payton Fink and Seaman junior football wide receiver Bryer Finley have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2023-2024 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Fink and Finley over the past week:
Washburn Rural junior Payton Fink, a two-time Class 6A cross country state medalist, is coming off a regional title last Saturday. [File photo/TSN]
PAYTON FINK, Washburn Rural
Fink followed up her Centennial League individual cross country title with a 10-second win last Saturday in a Class 6A regional meet at Wichita.
A two-time 6A state medalist, Fink clocked a winning five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 01.20 seconds in the regional meet.
Fink, who placed fifth at state as a sophomore, helped the Junior Blues finish a sweep of city, Centennial League and regional girls team championships.
Seaman junior Bryer Finley had 11 catches for 132 yards and three TDs in the Vikings' 28-21 UKC win over Piper last Friday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
BRYER FINLEY, Seaman
Finley, a 6-foot-4, 182-pound wide receiver, caught 11 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns in Seaman's 28-21 United Kansas Conference win over Piper last Friday at Seaman.
Finley hooked up with quarterback Max Huston for 10-yard, 53-yard and 11-yard touchdowns on the night, including the game-winner with 36 seconds remaining.
Finley helped Seaman even its record at 4-4 on the season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(Games at 7 p.m., unless noted)
CLASS 6A
Washburn Rural senior quarterback Branton DeWeese (right) ran for two touchdowns and threw for two TDs in Rural's 55-8 win over Topeka West last Thursday. [File photo/TSN]
WICHITA NORTH (0-8) at WASHBURN RURAL (8-0)
Washburn Rural, the No. 1 West seed, wrapped up a perfect regular season with a 55-8 non-league romp past Topeka West last Thursday at Hummer Sports Park and the Junior Blues will be a big favorite again Friday against winless Wichita North. Senior quarterback Branton DeWeese threw for two touchdowns and ran for two TDs in Rural's win over Topeka West while junior Lafayette Thompson scored a pair of TDs, including a 90-yard kickoff return. The winner of Friday's game will advance in the 6A playoffs to face the winner of Friday's game between Junction City (5-3) and Wichita Heights (5-3). As long as they keep winning, the Junior Blues will be at Bowen-Glaze Stadium through the first four rounds of the playoffs. Wichita North is coming off a 52-0 loss ot Pittsburg.
TOPEKA HIGH (1-7) at DERBY (7-1)
Topeka High is the No. 14 West seed and will be on the road for the second straight season to face perennial Class 6A power Derby, the No. 3 West seed and the winner of five state titles since 2015. Topeka High dropped a 62-33 road non-league decision against Hays last Friday while Derby took a 55-7 win over Newton. The Panthers' lone loss was a 33-19 decision to reigning 6A state champion Manhattan in the season-opener. The Topeka High-Derby winner advances to face the winner of the first-round game between Lawrence (6-2) and Dodge City (3-5).
CLASS 5A
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The 2023 All Shawnee County girls golf team -- From left: Klara Kleinig, Silver Lake; Taylor Zordel, Silver Lake; Avery Samuelson, Seaman; Avery Zimmerman, Topeka High; Olivia Smith, Washburn Rural; Raegan Petersen, Washburn Rural; Hannah Reynoldson, Hayden; Lauren Borjon, Hayden; Izzy Glotzbach, Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five state placers who helped their schools win state team championships headline the 2023 All-Shawnee County girls golf team.
Hayden senior Hannah Reynoldson and sophomores Lauren Borjon and Izzy Glotzbach all earned all-county first-team recognition after helping lead the Wildcats to a 37-stroke victory in the Class 4A state tournament while Silver Lake senior Klara Kleinig and junior Taylor Zordel are first-team picks after leading Silver Lake to a 22-stroke team championship in 3A-1A.
Glotzbach tied for ninth, Reynoldson 14th and Borjon 15th in 4A while Kleinig tied for second and Zordel took fourth in 3A-1A.
Also earning all-county first-team honors were Washburn Rural seniors Raegan Petersen and Olivia Smith, Topeka High senior Avery Zimmerman and Seaman senior Avery Samuelson.
Petersen and Samuelson earned state medals while Smith finished 22nd in 6A and city champion Zimmerman was a three-time state qualifier.
Petersen, Zimmerman and Zordel are All-Shawnee County first-team repeaters while Glotzbach, Reynoldson and Samuelson all move up to the first team after being second-team picks in 2022.
Named to this year's second team were Washburn Rural juniors Natalie Peterson, Reece Randall and Colbey Stead along with Hayden senior Avery Grunert and Seaman sophomore Makenna Stuke and junior Jaycee Zimmerman.
All-Shawnee County first-team capsules:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Even though it may result in a few losses along the way, Silver Lake volleyball coach Sarah Johnson has never shied away from a tough schedule, banking on the tough tests to make the Eagles a better team in the long run.
Sarah Johnson's Silver Lake volleyball team will take a 28-11 record into this weekend's Class 3A state tournament at Hutchinson. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake, 28-11 on the season, suffered four of its 11 losses on the year in the big-school Seaman Invitational, but three of those four losses came against teams that are in the state tournament (Seaman and Spring HIll in 5A, Bishop MIege in 4A) and the fourth defeat came against 5A Bishop Carroll, which went 26-11 and lost to the top seed in 5A.
The Eagles also beat 6A state qualifier Manhattan in a quad while losing to Seaman and 5A Shawnee Heights.
And, as has been the case in the past, the earlier tests have paid off for the perennial state contender in crunch time, with nine-time state champion Silver Lake back in the Class 3A state field Friday and Saturday at Hutchinson after a three-year absence.
"I feel that losing to great teams during the season only puts us at an advantage when we get to postseason,'' Johnson said. "My girls know how to be in tough/tight situations and make adjustments accordingly. For as long as I've been here, these Silver Lake female athletes crave that tough competition.
"Because we see that caliber of teams, we're not in shock come postseason. One amazing kill from a stud athlete on the other side of the net won't get us rattled, but it will push us to learn and adapt.''
Silver Lake's volleyball team poses for a team picture after winning the Class 3A sub-state tournament last Saturday at St. Marys. [Silver Lake volleyball]
Silver Lake garnered its latest state berth by wading through a tough St. Marys sub-state with a senior-led team that includes a group of athletes who have been successful in multi-sports for the Eagles.
