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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University softball player Hailey Neira knows what it's like to win a national championship.
Former national champion Hailey Neira is hoping to help Washburn softball make a strong late-season run. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
And the senior outfielder can't think of anything better than to be able to share that feeling with her Ichabod teammates.
"My freshman year I was at West Texas A&M and I started there as a freshman and we ended up winning the whole thing, the national champions,'' Neira said. "So I know what that feeling is and I would love for everyone to experience that because it really is a crazy feeling.
"It feels unreal and to be able to experience that with this team, we would have so much fun.''
After helping the Buffaloes win the 2021 NCAA Division II national championship, the San Antonio native made the decision to enter the transfer portal, ending up with Brenda Holaday's Ichabods for the 2022 season.
"I finished my freshman year on a high and went to WT the fall semester and then entered the transfer portal and had to tranfer at the semester,'' Neira said. "That was kind of scary because who's looking for a player at semester because the season's starting in a couple of weeks. It was stressful but I found Holaday and I flew out here on a visit.
"I was meeting with other coaches but the experience I had here wasn't like what I had at any of the other schools I had went and visited. I'm definitely happy here.''
Senior Hailey Neira is hitting .403 for the No. 24-ranked Ichabods, who are 26-10 on the season. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn senior outfielder Hailey Neira raised her batting average 37 points last weekend with a 7 of 12 performance in MIAA twinbills against Central Missouri and Lincoln. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Now in her third season with the Ichabods, Neira is off to the best start of her Washburn career, hitting .403 in 33 starts while compiling a .468 slugging percentage and an .483 on-base percentage.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After taking an 8-0 first-game loss to Washburn Rural on Wednesday at Rural, the pressure was on Topeka High's baseball team and senior ace Nate Plankinton to get the Trojans back on track in the nightcap.
Plankinton welcomed the challenge and responded with a three-hit shutout as Topeka High improved to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the Centennial League with a 2-0 win.
Nate Plankinton threw a complete-game three-hitter with 10 strikeouts in Topeka High's 2-0 second-game win at Washburn Rural Wednesday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I love being a team captain and leading these guys and getting them amped up after a loss like that, telling them to shake it off and it's a completely new game,'' Plankinton said. "You've got to have a short memory in baseball. That's what it's all about.
"Now we just want to build off of this and keep working. I love this team so much. I love the team chemistry that we have and I have to give all credit to my coach, Cody Miller. He's a big part of why we can succeed like this and bounce back just like that.''
Plankinton normally pitches the first game for the Trojans but on Wednesday the plan was for him to be available as a closer in both ends of the doubleheader.
"The plan of attack today was first game to start Hank (Stamper) and if we got a lead by the fourth I was going to go in and close it out,'' Plankinton said. "That's what we did last year against them and it worked. I close out both games last year against Washburn Rural and we got the sweep.''
But after Washburn Rural (2-3, 1-1) took control in the opener with two runs in the second and three in the third on the way to a one-hit shutout, Miller had confidence that Plankinton was the man to right the High ship.
"We absolutely believe that,'' Miller said. "That's why he's pitching that second game. He's a fail safe basically and being able to put the game in his hands we know that we don't have to do that much offensively. We did play very well defensively that game, but Nate's big time.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It probably doesn't come as a big surprise to anyone who has followed local sports over the past several years, but a long and growing list of athletes who starred at Topeka/Shawnee County schools have continued to make a big impact at the college level over the winter and spring seasons.
Here's a look at just some of the stars who continue to make their high school alma maters and fans proud:
Campbell Bagshaw
CAMPBELL BAGSHAW, Washburn Rural/Kansas -- After seeing spot for Kansas softball in 2023 as a freshman, Bagshaw has fueled a breakout season for the No. 18-ranked Jayhawks (22-8-1) while putting together a big sophomore season. An infielder, Bagshaw leads the Jayhawks with a .317 batting average while compiling a .500 slugging percentage and a .380 on-base percentage. The former Washburn Rural multi-sport standout has five doubles, two triples and two home runs on the season while also compiling a .995 fielding percentage.
Olivia Bruno
OLIVIA BRUNO, Washburn Rural/Kansas -- A junior, Bruno has teamed with former Washburn Rural teammates Bagshaw and Kasey Hamilton to help No. 18-ranked Kansas get off to a 22-8-1 start on the season. Bruno, who earned All-Big 12 second-team honors as a freshman, has made 23 starts this season for the Jayhawks with a home run and nine runs batted in while compiling a .338 on-base percentage. Bruno is 1-1 in the pitching circle in 2024 with a 1.95 earned run average and 12 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.
NiJaree Canady
NiJAREE CANADY, Topeka High/Stanford -- After being named the NCAA Division I National Freshman of the Year in 2023, the former Topeka High star has continued to establish herself as arguably the most dominant pitcher in college softball as a sophomore this spring. Canady is currenty 10-2 on the season for the No. 9-ranked Cardinal (25-5) while compiling an 0.59 earned run average with 152 strikeouts in 95.1 innings pitched. In 18 appearances Canady has thrown eight complete games while also earning three saves and holding opponents to a .126 batting average. As a freshman Canady helped lead Stanford to the College World Series with a 17-3 record and led the nation with an 0.57 ERA and 11.3 strikeouts for every seven innings pitched.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news will compile a weekly girls swimming and diving honor roll for Topeka high schools throughout the 2024 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY
Seaman 1:58.69
Washburn Rural 2:07.69
Shawnee Heights 2:13.79
Hayden 2:19.71
Topeka High 2:35.89
Avery Walz, Seaman
200-YARD FREESTYLE
Avery Walz, Seaman 2:03.60
Madeline O'Brien, Washburn Rural 2:21.80
Bailee Heincker, Seaman 2:23.56
Ella Bombardier, Washburn Rural 2:30.35
Ava Von Lintel, Washburn Rural 2:30.97
Joslynn Grace, Seaman
200-YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Joslynn Grace, Seaman 2:15.94
Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural 2:21.88
Presley Green, Hayden 2:37.76
Lizzie Gould, Seaman 2:41.95
Georgia Cole, Shawnee Heights 2:46.59
Tauren Walz, Seaman
50-YARD FREESTYLE
Tauren Walz, Seaman 26.11
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 27.26
Jella Belgardt, Washburn Rural 28.04
Kaylee Gregg, Hayden 29.03
Caroline Toland, Topeka High 29.24
Kaylee Gregg, Hayden
ONE-METER DIVING
Kaylee Gregg, Hayden 202.30
Rhiannon Good, Washburn Rural 183.05
Natalee Grauberger, Washburn Rural 171.90
Giselle Soto, Washburn Rural 130.55
Maddie Gregg, Hayden 113.90
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After being held scoreless for the first 151 minutes of the 2024 girls soccer season, a brief two-goal scoring flurry was enough to push Hayden to a 2-1 non-league victory over Free State Monday at Hayden.
Hayden senior Lauren Sandstrom (right) chasing Free State's Kate Foust for the ball, scored the Wildcats' first goal of the season in Monday's 2-1 home non-league win over Free State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Jill Lenherr scored the game-winning goal in Hayden's 2-1 win over Free State Monday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden was held scoreless in a 0-0 double-overtime stalemate against Cair Paravel Latin on Friday and fell behind Free State 1-0 in Monday's home-opener before turning the tables with two second-half goals in a span of 1 minute, 46 seconds.
Senior Kate Foust scored at the 28:46 mark of the first half to put Free State up 1-0, a lead that held up through the first half and 11 minutes into the second half, before Hayden senior Lauren Sandstrom connected on a long shot to tie the game at 1-1 with 28:33 remaining.
Wildcat senior Jill Lenherr then broke the tie at the 26:47 mark off an assist from sophomore Reese Huscher.
