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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights senior Jackson Esquibel has put together an outstanding distance career for the T-Birds, winning a pair of state medals in cross country and posting a state title and a runnerup finish in track.
Shawnee Heights senior Jackson Esquibel won his first city individual cross country title Saturday at Kanza Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Esquibel added something new in Saturday's city boys championship at Kanza Park, winning his first city individual title.
Washburn Rural's Brooks Kehoe (740), Max Gutierrez (763) and Hayden Keller (765) helped the Junior Blues win their 17th straight city cross country title Saturday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Washburn Rural, which rolled to its 17th straight city boys team title by a 35-63 margin over Seaman.
Esquibel clocked a winning five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 16.7 seconds en route to winning by more than 33 seconds over Seaman sophomore standout Brody Anderson.
"It's my last time at Hummer and I've ran this course since freshman year so I just wanted to see what time I was capable of here and give it my all for myself and build confidence going into the big meets,'' Esquibel said.
"You have goals when you start the season and this is a big meet for me, running a 12-second (personal record), I believe it was. That really just kind of set the tone for the type of shape I'm in and the type of confidence that I have in myself.
:"My supporting cast is just great. They always push me to my limits.''
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Big plays by senior Callen Barta helped Seaman snap a three-game losing streak Friday.
The Vikings blew past Leavenworth 56-0 on Homecoming night to improve to 3-2 in the United Kansas Conference standings and 3-3 overall.
Seaman senior Callen Barta hauls in a touchdown pass from Max Huston in the Vikings' 56-0 UKC win over Leavenworth Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman senior Callen Barta (6) is congratualted after scoring one of his four touchdowns in Friday's 56-0 UKC win over Leavenworth. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman quickly rolled up a 21-0 advantage in the first seven minutes of the contest. The Vikings clamped down on the visiting Pioneers and tacked on a fourth touchdown in the second period. The Vikings totally dominated the third period, scoring four more times before a running clock quickly ended the fourth quarter.
“It feels good to get back on the winning track,” said Seaman coach Jared Swafford. “It’s been a rough stretch with a couple of close games in there and some wake-up calls.
“The practices this week and the response of our kids showed leadership. And that’s all the kids. They continue to believe in what we’re doing. So, it was nice to come out here and get a victory and try to set the train in the right direction.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a string of tough tests, including back to back games against perennial Class 6A powers Manhattan and Junction City, Washburn Rural entered Friday's Senior Night game against Topeka High as a big favorite.
And the Junior Blues lived up to that billing, opening up a 41-0 lead on the way to a 48-15 Centennial League victory at Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
Washburn Rural junior King Leonard returns a pass interception 47 yards for a touchdown in the Junior Blues' 48-15 Centennial League win over Topeka High Friday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Titan Osburn (10) celebrates his touchdown catch with junior teammate Blake Recinos in Friday's 48-15 Centennial League win over Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
With Friday's victory Washburn Rural improved to a perfect 6-0 on the season while clinching at least a share of the Centennial title with its third straight league win.
"I was happy with the effort and the focus from the week coming into the game,'' Washburn Rural coach Steve Buhler said. "I was a little nervous about a little hangover from the last two weeks but I thought our guys did a really nice job of preparing this week.
"The coaches gave them a good game plan and they came out and played well.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Punter is one of those rare positions on a football team where you hope you're not needed.
Jake Zeller
"I didn't punt at all against Lincoln and I'm OK with that,'' said Washburn University sophomore punter Jake Zeller, a Holton product, "There's games where I'm like, 'You know what, if I don't have to punt that's A-OK with me.'
"You've just got to be ready at all times.''
And when WU does need to punt, the Ichabods are confident Zeller's going to deliver.
Zeller won Washburn's punting job as a true freshman and averaged a respectable 41.9 yards on 41 attempts, with 10 punts of 50 or more yards and 14 inside the 20-yard-line.
Washburn punter Jake Zeller leads the MIAA with a 47.1-yard average and booted an 81-yard punt last Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But Zeller has taken a big step forward this fall, leading the MIAA with a 47.1-yard average after a monster game in last Saturday's 27-21 loss at Nebraska-Kearney.
Against the Lopers, Zeller averaged 52 yards on three punts, including an 81-yard effort that ranks third all-time at Washburn behind a pair of 87-yarders.
"When I hit it I was kind of like, 'It's not a good hit,' '' Zeller said. "I watched it and I counted it out and I think it was 42 yards where it landed. Then it rolled the rest of the way. When it landed I was like, 'It's not a bad hit, not a terrible hit,' but when it hit and started rolling I was like, 'Please, just keep going, just keep going, just keep going.'
"Granted, I had some wind at my back, but a punt's a punt and they don't put whether it rolled or was in the air.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' boys soccer team scored a pair of goals in both halves Thursday night at Hummer Sports Park, rolling to 4-0 United Kansas Conference shutout over Topeka West.
Shawnee Heights freshman Mason Haas (26), advancing the ball Thursday at Hummer Sports Park, scored a pair of goals in the T-Birds' 4-0 UKC win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Roscoe Poyner (1), who had a goal and an assist, battles Topeka West's Brendan Komma for the ball in Thursday's UKC soccer match at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The T-Birds, who improved to 6-6-0, scored the only goal they would need early in the match and were never seriously threatened.
Shawnee Heights got a pair of goals from freshman Mason Haas while the T-Birds also got goals from sophomore Jason Slay and senior Roscoe Poyner.
Poyner and senior Jack Phillips were credited with assists while junior Carter Freeman picked up the shutout in goal for the T-Birds.
