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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High's volleyball team had its ups and downs, but the homestanding Trojans were at their best when it counted the most Wednesday night, pulling away down the stretch to take a three-set win over Topeka West and claim bragging rights in the annual USD 501 triangular.
Topeka High volleyball celebrates at the end of the Trojans' 26-24, 22-25, 25-18 win over Topeka West Wednesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High junior Jo'Mhara Benning reacts to a big Trojan point in Wednesday's USD 501 triangular at Topeka High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans, who improved to 8-9 on the season, opened the night with a 25-8, 25-16 win over Highland Park and then avenged an earlier loss to Topeka West with a 26-24, 22-25, 25-18 win.
Topeka West, now 17-7 on the season, rolled to a 25-4, 25-15 win over Highland Park before the tough loss to Topeka High, the Chargers' first loss to the Trojans in four years.
"I think the difference was definitely how hard we tried and how we worked together as a team,'' said Topeka High junior Jo'Mhara Benning, who excelled as a setter and hitter while also having considerable success serving the ball for the Trojans. "We just tried our best to keep each other up.
"We have been playing really well as a team. We have our moments, but I think overall we're playing pretty good.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All games at 7 p.m.)
THURSDAY'S GAME
LANSING (2-2, 2-2 United Kansas Conferance) vs. TOPEKA WEST (0-4, 0-4 United Kansas Conference)
At Hummer Sports Park
Topeka West fell to 0-4 last week with a 34-0 United Kansas Conference loss to Piper, while Lansing evened its record at 2-2 with a 28-21 UKC win over Seaman. Topeka West has been outscored 217-12 over its first four games, but the Charger defense allowed a season-low 34 points last Friday against Piper.
FRIDAY GAMES
Rossville quarterback Camden Horak has passed for 882 yards and nine touchdowns for the 2-2 Bulldawgs. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake's Tanner Martin is one of the top returning quarterbacks in the Class 2A ranks, leading the Eagles to a 3-1 start to the 2023 season. [File photo/TSN]
SILVER LAKE (3-1, 0-0 Class 2A District 3) at ROSSVILLE (2-2, 1-0 Class 2A District 3)
Both the Eagles and Bulldawgs tuned up for the storied War on 24 rivalry with big wins last Friday. Silver Lake outlasted Mid-East League foe Rock Creek, 38-35, while Rossville opened Class 2A District 3 play with a 70-0 rout at Atchison County. Friday will be Silver Lake's district opener. Rossville quarterback Camden Horak has completed 61 of 98 passes for 882 yards and nine touchdowns while Tayson Horak has caught 21 passes for 312 yards and two TDs and rushed for 179 yards and a TD on 16 attempts. Top players for Silver Lake include quarterback Tanner Martin, running back Blake Redmond and receiver Eli Barnes.
Hayden senior Finn Dunshee has rushed for 630 yards and 10 touchdowns on 28 carries for the 4-0 Wildcats. [File photo/TSN]
PERRY-LECOMPTON (1-3, 0-1 Class 3A District 4) at HAYDEN (4-0, 1-0 Class 3A District 4)
Hayden, which has outscored its opposition by a 210-37 margin, stayed red hot with a 64-0 rout win at Jefferson West last Friday to open Class 3A District 4 play. Senior Finn Dunshee has rushed for 630 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 28 carries while junior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has completed 27 of 47 passes for 474 yards and five TDs and junior Jensen Schrickel has 11 catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns. Perry-Lecompton is coming off a 32-12 loss to Holton.
BURLINGAME (4-0, 1-0 Eight-Man-I District 2) vs. CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (2-2, 0-1 Eight-Man-I District 2)
At Highland Park
Cair Paravel opened Eight-Man Division I District 2 play last week with a 58-30 loss to undefeated Lyndon and the Lions face an undefeated team for the second straight game Friday night. Burlingame is coming off a 53-0 rout over Chase County in the Bearcats' district opener. This will be Cair Paravel's final season in Eight-Man football before the Lions switch to the 11-man ranks next fall.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Seaman girls claimed the United Kansas Conference golf championship at Village Greens by dominating the top of the leader board.
Seaman's girls golf team poses for a team picture after running away with its second straight United Kansas Conference championship Tuesday at Village Greens Golf Course. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The top two finishers Tuesday were in familiar territory.
Seaman junior Jaycee Zimmerman shot a 79 to post a two-shot individual victory in Tuesday's United Kansas Conference girls golf tournament. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Jaycee Zimmerman, a junior from Seaman who finished second at the tournament a year ago, claimed the top prize and conference Golfer of the Year honors by improving her score by six strokes.
Zimmerman’s 79 was two strokes better than Topeka West junior Alex Baxter, who finished third last year.
The Vikings placed five golfers in the top seven of the conference tournament. Makenna Stuke, Avery Samuelson and Kaitlynn Frye finished third through fifth, respectively, and Riley Adams finished in seventh place.
Seaman ran away from second place Shawnee Heights by 48 strokes en route to a second league title in as many years in the league.
“This is pretty special,” said Seaman coach Julie McLaughlin. “Last year we had Lois Deeter, a player who is now playing in college and that was pretty exciting. But these girls really stepped up their game this year. I mean, they have had a phenomenal season. I am really proud of the work that they’ve put in. They have come so far in the last two or three seasons. This is well deserved.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Andrew and Austin Davids were one of the top doubles teams in Kansas high school tennis while playing for their father, Kurt, at Topeka West.
Brothers Andrew (left) and Austin (right) Davids, along with their father, Kurt, were on hand Tuesday at Kossover Tennis Center for the Topeka West Invitational girls tennis tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And although their competitive playing days are behind them, the Davids brothers are still a fixture on tennis courts around the state and they are still a team, with Andrew Davids the head coach at Olathe South and younger brother Austin serving as his assistant..
On Tuesday the Davids were back in their old stomping gounds at Kossover Tennis Center for a family reunion of sorts, with the Falcons competing in the 11-school Topeka West Invitational, hosted by Kurt Davids and West.
Kurt Davids said he's appreciative of the fact that his two sons are not only getting the opportunity to coach the sport they've spent most of their life in, but arengetting to do it together.
"They've always been such a dynamic pair, teasing each other, playing doubles together in high school and even some in college (at Emporia State) and as adults once in a while playing tennis, they're so close,'' Kurt Davids said. "To see them coaching together, those girls on their team are pretty lucky.''
Kurt said tennis continues to be a major topic in family conversations.
"A lot of times it's more just commiserating, I guess,'' Davids said. "We all have the same issues, 'Kids aren't doing this or they're not doing that,' or telling funny stories. We get a lot of kick out of that.
"It's kind of weird because my dad and my older brother were electrical engineers and they always talked shop and it used to drive me crazy. Now here we are, we're at family gatherings and we're talking shop -- it's just a different kind of shop.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden veteran boys soccer coach Klaus Kreutzer knew his Wildcats had plenty of opportunities to end Tuesday's home non-league game against St. Mary's Academy in regulation.
But having endured a stretch of six straight games without a win, Kreutzer and his Wildcats were happy with putting in a little overtime if it meant getting back on track.
Hayden senior Lane Neuman (1), who scored the game's first goal, chases down a loose ball in the Wildcats' 2-1 overtime soccer win over St. Mary's Academy Tuesday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And that's exactly what happened, with Hayden and St. Mary's Academy going to overtime tied at 1-1 before senior Easton Blosser scored the game-winning goal at the 8:03 mark of the extra session off an assist from junior Tagen Rodriguez as the Wildcats improved to 4-5-1 on the season with the 2-1 victory.
"I thought offensively we created things and it was a good win,'' Kreutzer said. "We should have finished during the second half. I think we had plenty of opportunities and for me it's creating the opportunities. That's important, but we're getting towards the end of the season. We have to figure out how to finish.''
Hayden junior Victor Rodriguez (12), who had an assist in the game, beats St. Mary's Academy's Xavier Konkel to the ball in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime Wildcat soccer win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden junior Tagen Rodriguez (10), who had the game-winning assist in the Wildcats' 2-1 overtime win over St. Mary's Academy, battles Crusager Bob Awerkamp for a loose ball. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden drew first blood with 5:11 remaining in the first half off an assist from junior Victor Rodriguez and the Wildcats' 1-0 advantage held up through haftime and well into the second half before junior Placid Maradona scored at the 27:13 mark to tie the game for the Crusaders (6-5-0).
Neither team was able to find the back of the net over the remainder of regulation but it only took the Wildcats only 1:57 of the 10-minute first overtime period to end the contest.
"I think it's good for their morale and a win's a win, even if it's ugly sometimes,'' Kreutzer said.
Hayden will be on the road Thursday for a 6:15 p.m. non-league contest at city rival Seaman.
HAYDEN 2, ST. MARY'S ACADEMY 1 (OT)
St. Mary's Academy 0 1 0 -- 1
Hayden 1 0 1 -- 2
St. Mary's Academy -- Goal: Placid Maradona.
Hayden -- Goals: Lane Neuman, Easton Blosser. Assists: Victor Rodriguez, Tagen Rodriguez.
