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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Washburn Rural volleyball coach Kevin Bordewick knew that the defending Class 6A champions, who graduated an ultra-talented senior class, were going to face growing pains in the early going this fall, particularly with senior standout Zoe Canfield still sidelined with an injury.
And that has proven to be the case, with the Junior Blues off to a 1-2 start on the year after home losses Tuesday night to Shawnee Mission East and perennial state contender St. James Academy.
Washburn Rural senior standout Jada Ingram spikes the ball during Tuesday's home triangular. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But Bordewick, who has coached Rural to eight state championships, said the Junior Blues' longtime goals won't change and that it's up to Rural as a team to take the steps it needs to take to right the ship..
"This is a group where we have a lot of new parts,'' Bordewick said. "Even the parts that were back from last year, Zoe can't play yet and Jada (Ingram) is in a different position, and as good as she is, she stil has to learn how to play that position.
"But it's on us. We still need to pass, we still need to set and we're not doing those things very well, but we had spurts. We knew it was probably going to be a learning process and it's a day to day thing. We'll just have to get better.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Both Washburn Rural soccer coach Brian Hensyel and Shawnee Heights coach Nic Simons got at least some if not all of what they wanted to accomplish inTuesday night's non-league city showdown at McElroy Field.
Hensyel's Junior Blues got the biggest prize, a 3-1 victory, but Simons' T-Birds got a stiff early-season test that he thinks will benefit his team over the rest of the 2023 campaign.
Benett Hallauer scored a pair of goals for Washburn Rural in Tuesday's 3-1 soccer win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural, which improved to 2-0, never trailed after a Benett Hallauer goal just 53 seconds into the game and went up 3-0 before Shawnee Heights got on the scoreboard in the final five minutes.
Hallauer's early goal held up for a 1-0 halftime advantage and Rural made it a 2-0 game on a penalty kick from sophomore Dylan Willingham with 22:48 remaining before Hallauer, a senior, recorded his second goal of the night off an assist from senior Devon Rutschmann to cap the Junior Blues' scoring.
Senior Brayden Lehnherr picked up the victory in goal for Washburn Rural's in Tuesday's 3-1 soccer win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Senior Brayden Lehnherr, filling in for injured starter Ethan Uhlrig, picked up the victory in goal for the Junior Blues.
"We like playing games against teams like this because when you have somebody that's a city rival they obviously want to beat us,'' Hensyel said. "It's going to be a good intense game and that gets you prepared for the season.
"Even though they're not in our league anymore, it's a fun game for us to play.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After spending most of his life as a multi-sport athlete, former Shawnee Heights standout Tyce Brown became a full-time football player prior to the 2022 season for Washburn University.
Former Shawnee Heights multi-sport standout Tyce Brown is looking forward to moving into a starting role for Washburn at receiver this fall. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
It's a decision the 6-foot, 185-pound wide receiver feels has, and will continue, to pay dividends this fall and beyond.
"For sure,'' said Brown, who began his college career in baseball at Xaver before briefly playing both baseball and football at WU. "Having a spring this year, it was huge. I got to get a lot of time with Kellen (Simoncic, Washburn quarterback) and just get to know the receivers more, get to know the whole room more because you've got a lot of new faces and just get with the coaches and hash out those details and those things I need to clean up this year.''
In his second year with the Washburn football team Brown was a solid backup, playing in 10 games and recording 23 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 10.9 yards per catch.
Brown had a career-high 68 receiving yards and seven catches against Central Oklahoma.
"I'm always eager for more, there's always room for improvement, but I was happy I was able to get on the field and get that experience in front of the crowd,'' said Brown, who has 30 career catches for 347 yards. "It was awesome playing in my hometown in Topeka, but I'm always looking to get better.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news has finished its tour of preseason football practices at all 10 Shawnee County high schools and will post preview stories over the coming days leading into the opening games of the 2023 season Sept. 1.
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As a former college football standout at Washburn University and an assistant high school coach, Trey Parker earned the reputation as being enthusastic and fiercely positive.
Topeka West football coach Trey Parker demonstrates a drill during a Charger preseason practice. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Trey Parker takes over as Topeka West's head football coach this season after serving as interim coach over the final three games of the 2022 season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
As Topeka West's third head football coach in three seasons, Parker knows he'll need to use those skills this fall.
"We're ready to get this thing started and positivity is the word of the day,'' Parker said. "I'm just happy to be here. "I'm just happy to be alive and happy to be out here helping to try and change lives.
"We know this thing is going to take awhile to get it turned around and we knew that from the get go so that's not a shock to anyone. We want to be positive day-in and day-out.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden High's soccer boys team improved to 2-0 on the young 2023 season with its second non-league win in four days, blanking Ottawa 2-0 Monday at Hayden.
The Wildcats, who opened their season with a win over Topeka West last Friday, scored a goal in each half to take the win over Ottawa.
Hayden sophomore J.P. Ayella scored the game-winning goal in Monday's 2-0 non-league soccer win over Ottawal [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden sophomore J.P. Ayella (left) is congratulated by his teammates after scoring the first goal in Monday's 2-0 non-league soccer win over Ottawal [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sophomore forward J.P. Ayella scored the only goal Hayden would need at the 8:53 mark of the first half to give the Wildcats a 1-0 halftime edge.
