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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights T-Birds agonized over letting their Homecoming game slip away Friday in a wild shootout. De Soto made up a 14-point deficit in the final eight minutes to win 50-48, leaving the T-Birds lingering on the field dazed and disappointed afterward.
Shawnee Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 607 yards and three touchdowns in Friday's 50-48 loss to De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior AJ Gallegos caught 14 passes for 218 yards and a TD in Friday's 50-48 loss to De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The contrasting styles of the teams produced a frenetic outburst of offense. Shawnee Heights filled the air with passes that covered 607 yards, while De Soto pounded its way to 333 yards rushing.
The T-Birds held a 48-34 advantage with 7:55 remaining, but let the Wildcats regain the momentum on an 80-yard scoring pass on the very next play. De Soto scored a game-tying touchdown with 1:53 remaining and rushed for a two-point conversion to take the lead.
Shawnee Heights’ last chance was thwarted by a Wildcat interception with 1:00 left.
Following the game, T-Bird coach Jason Swift stood at midfield, hands on his head, trying to express his pride in his team, and the disappointment he shared with them.
“I don’t think I could be prouder of the kids,” Swift said. “They left it all out on the field tonight. One play on either side of the ball, or on special teams, could have been the difference in the game.
“So, it’s hard. (De Soto is) a good football team. But I thought we played our best football tonight.”
The T-Birds dipped to 1-4 on the season with the loss. Swift said the team feels it let a big opportunity slip away against an opponent who is contending for a United Kansas Conference title.
“I’m heartbroken for them,” Swift said. “We had a chance. We had the kids in the position to win, but we didn’t finish them. Our kids never quit for one second, and that’s what you’ve got to love about them. It’s their resiliency, and they’re going to come back next week and we’re going to go on.”
The offensive numbers produced by both teams are staggering.
Shawnee Heights quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 607 yards on 31 completions. A.J. Gallegos, crowned Homecoming king prior to the game, caught 14 passes for 218 yards. Tyren Parker hauled in six passes for 171 yards. Kicker Camden Granado nailed field goals of 30 and 29 yards and blasted several kickoffs out of the back of the end zone.
Swift said it’s hard to celebrate the outstanding performances in defeat, but said they should not be overlooked.
“Some of the plays we make, they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives,” Swift said. “Just phenomenal. It’s not routine plays. It’s plays where their heart and determination makes the great catch, makes the great run, or makes that great stop. That’s something they need to be proud of.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Rural special teams were really special Friday night at Bowen-Glaze Stadium, powering the Junior Blues to a 35-6 Homecoming win over Centennial League and city rival Topeka High.
The Junior Blues, who improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the league, were in front 14-0 before the Rural offense ever touched the ball as senior Elijah Gaines got the Junior Blues on the board when he returned a blocked punt 33 yards for a touchdown at the 6:09 mark of the opening quarter and then added a second TD with 45 seconds left in the quarter when he scooped up a blocked field goal attempt and rambled 74 yards to the end zone.
Washburn Rural blocked a first-quarter Topeka High field goal, resulting in an Elijah Gaines touchdown. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Elijah Gaines returns a blocked field goal for a touchdown in Rural's 35-7 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"We watched a lot of film on them and we felt like the line up front was a little soft, so we just wanted to rush through there and try to get blocks as soon as possible,'' said Gaines, who now has three defensive/special team TDs in his career.
"I feel like we take pride in all three levels -- offense, defense and special teams -- and we just want to be the best in eveything we do.''
The Junior Blue special teams struck again on the ensuing kickoff after Gaines' second TD when Rural recovered an onsides kick at the Trojan 48-yard-line.
Finally getting a chance to get on the field, the Junior Blues' offense drove the remaining 48 yards in eight plays, with a 20-yard pass play from senior quarterback John Hoytal to senior Nate Selm setting up a 13-yard touchdown run by junior Jadyn Baum that put Rural in command 21-0 with 9:50 left in the first half.
"The special teams were huge for the defense and for us,'' Hoytal said. "We didn't get the ball until 32 seconds left (in the first quarter) and we're up 14-0, so it was kind of a relief.
"It also kind of threw off our momentum, but I'm super happy, super glad for the guys.''
It took Topeka High (3-2, 1-1) just two plays to find the end zone on its ensuing possession, with Trojan senior quarterback Zane Smith hooking up with junior Courtney Sanders for a 76-yard TD strike with 8:41 left in the half (kick blocked).
Washburn Rural added to its 21-6 lead late in the half when Hoytal broke loose for a 53-yard QB keeper and hit junior Peyton Glaze for a 32-yard pass play to set up a 4-yard Baum touchdown that put Rural up 28-6 with with 38 seconds left before halftime.
The Junior Blues and Trojans continued to move the ball in the second half, but the scoring pace slowed drastically, with Baum's third TD of the night on a 6-yard run with four seconds remaining in the third quarter the only score of the half.
Senior John Hoytal (10) rushed for 144 yards and passed for 131 yards in Washburn Rural's 35-7 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Junior Jadyn Baum rushed for 101 yards and three TDs in Washburn Rural's 35-7 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hoytal finished the night with 144 rushing yards on just eight attempts while Baum added 101 yards on17 carries.
Hoytal also passed for 131 yards on a 12 of 17 night.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake freshman football quarterback Kipton Kruger and Seaman junior tennis star Emma Sweeney 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 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the accomplishments of Kruger and Sweeney over the past week.
Kipton Kruger, Silver Lake
KIPTON KRUGER, Silver Lake
The only starting freshman quarterback at any of the 10 Shawnee County high schools, Kruger has helped lead Silver Lake to back-to-back victories, including a 21-6 Big East League win over St. Marys last Friday.
On the season Kruger has completed 73 of 107 pass attempts (68.2 percent completions) for 753 yards and five touchdowns over the 2-2 Eagles' first four games.
Kruger has also carried the ball 15 times for 81 yards entering Friday's home game against Baldwin.
Emma Sweeney, Seaman
EMMA SWEENEY, Seaman
Sweeney captured the No. 1 singles title in last Thursday's city championships at Kossover Tennis Center while leading Seaman to the team championship.
Sweeney went 3-0 in the city meet without dropping a game, posting three straight 8-0 wins to help the Vikings win the team title by a 32-28 margin over Washburn Rural.
Sweeney, fourth in Class 5A last season, followed up her city title with a championship in Tuesday's 11-school Topeka West Invitational, helping Seaman win the team crown.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
John Hoytal, Washburn Rural [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH (3-1, 1-0 Centennial) at WASHBURN RURAL (3-1, 0-0 Centennial)
Both Topeka High and Washburn Rural are coming off victories, with the Trojans opening Centennial League play wih a 13-12 home win over Emporia while the Junior Blues rolled to a 31-7 non-league road win at Blue Valley Northwest. Friday is Rural's Centennial League opener. Junior Blues senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for three touchdowns against Northwest while junior Jadyn Baum caught a touchdown pass and ran for a TD and senior Brody Haas picked off two passes, returning one for a TD. Topeka High's defense came up big in last week's win over Emporia, including stuffing the Spartans' two-point conversion attempt to preserve the Trojans' one-point lead.
Aiden Scott, Shawnee Heights [File photo/TSN]
DE SOTO (3-1, 3-1 UKC) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-3, 1-2 UKC)
Both teams are coming off United Kansas Conference losses, with De Soto dropping a 42-38 nailbiter to undefeated Basehor-Linwood while Shawnee Heights fell 43-29 on the road at Leavenworth. Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott has completed 95 of 153 passes for 1,330 yards and 12 touchdowns while senior AJ Gallegos has a team-high 28 catches for 391 yards and a pair of TDs and junior Dallas Owens has 27 receptions for 312 yards and two TDs. Senior David Wakes has 281 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 60 attemps. Senior Dayton Vanderpool leads Heights with 36 tackles, including 23 solo stops.
Jackson McGivern, Hayden [File photo/TSN]
HAYDEN (4-0, 0-0 Class 3A District 4) at HIAWATHA (1-3, 0-1 Class 3A District 4)
Hayden is coming of a 42-7 home win over Wamego, with the Wildcats avenging one of their two defeats in the 2024 season, while Hiawatha opened Class 3A District 4 play with a 12-7 loss to Jefferson West. Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika hit Jackson McGivern, Xander Blasing and Kade Mitchell for touchdowns and Hanika also ran for a TD in the Wildcats' win. Junior Mason Becker returned a pass interception for a touchdown and also went 6 for 6 on extra-point kicks.
Quentin Moravec, Seaman [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN (2-2, 2-1 UKC) at LANSING (2-2, 2-1 UKC)
Seaman won its second straight game last Friday, a 56-6 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner, while Lansing took a 36-20 conference win over Topeka West. Seaman sophomore running back Quentin Moravec has carried the ball 70 times for 510 yards and nine touchdowns while junior quarterback Cale Ketter has completed 68 of 102 passes for 892 yards and 11 TDs. Junior Josh Brown has 20 pass receptions for 266 yards and six TDs. Senior Cameron Brian leads the Vikings with 54 tackles, including 28 solo stops and five tackles for loss.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 10-ranked Washburn Ichabod volleyball bounced back from its first loss of the season to post a three-set MIAA road sweep over Pittsburg State on Thursday.
Senior Austin Broadie led Washburn with 13 kills in Thursday's 3-0 MIAA road sweep at Pittsburg State. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus registered 14 digs in Thursday's 3-0 MIAA Washburn road sweep at Pittsburg State. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods will stay on the road facing Newman at 6 p.m. on Friday in Wichita.
In all three sets Washburn (13-1 overall, 2-1 MIAA) hit over .300 as a team, beginning with a commanding 25-12 first-set win followed by 25-17 and 25-19 victories over the Gorillas (7-6, 1-2).
After Pittsburg State went up 4-1 to open the match, the Ichabods responded with a 7-1 run started by a kill from Bella Limback. The score stayed within four until nine straight points for Washburn, beginning with Corinna McMullen setting up Austin Broadie for a kill. The offense hit .379 as a team while holding the Gorillas to a below zero hitting percentage to take the set by 13 points.
In the second set Washburn jumped out to a 3-0 lead with an ace from McMullen beginning the set. The lead continued to grow slowly until the Ichabods broke the set open with five straight points, capped off by two straight kills by Emery Keebaugh to make it 17-8. After a kill by Broadie made it set point at 24-13, Pittsburg State scored four more until Broadie slashed another kill to end the second set.
