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By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
WICHITA -- On a rain soaked Saturday morning, four local teams (Topeka High, Washburn Rural, Seaman, Topeka West) headed to Wichita’s L.W. Clapp Park to run in the Class 5A and 6A regional cross country championships.
In 6A, both the girls and boys teams from Washburn Rural qualified for the state meet and will run next Saturday at Rim Rock Farm north of Lawrence.
Washburn Rural senior Emily Graf finished fifth in Saturday's Class 6A regional at Wichita, leading Rural to a runnerup team finish. [File photo/TSN]
The second-place Washburn Rural girls were led by a fifth-place finish from senior Emily Graf, who finished in a time of 20:19.10. Two freshmen teammates also finished in the top ten -- Alyson Hinck in eighth with a time of 20:34.75 and
Morgan Munson had a ninth place finish in 20:41.04.
The Washburn Rural boys tied Manhattan with 62 points, but Manhattan finished in first due to the tiebreaker of their sixth runner finishing four places ahead of Washburn Rural’s sixth-place runner.
Rural sophomore Duke Graf finished in second place in a time of 17:38.44 and was joined in the top 10 by fellow sophomore Clayton Fink with a time of 17:51.16.
Topeka High sophomore Easton Davis qualified for state individually based on his 14th-place finish in 18:09.80.
In Class 5A, the Seaman girls and boys will send one runner each to the state meet next Saturday.
Seaman junior Brynn Spencer was sixth in Saturday's Class 5A regional at Wichita, earning a state berth. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Brynn Spencer finished in sixth place with a time of 20:06.18 and commented on running in the rainy conditions,
“Knowing that everyone would be running in the same conditions, I wanted to go out and push the pace as much as I could,'' Spencer said. "All the puddles were fun to run through and I’m just really glad with how I did.”
In looking forward to next week’s state meet, Spencer said, “I’m kind of sad that the whole team didn’t qualify and I’ll have to run by myself, but it’s been a great season with all of them. My main goal for next week is to get a better time and place than last year at state. Coach (Rick) Brading wants me to push for the top 10 and into the elite runners group in our school.”
Seaman senior Brody Anderson finished second individually in Saturday's Class 5A cross country regional at Wichita. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior Brody Anderson finished the boys race in 16:55.76, just 0.07 seconds behind regional champion Daniel Enriquez of Kapaun-Mt. Carmel.
Anderson talked about running the rain-soaked course, “It was a fun day to get out and race, but the conditions never produce fast times and that wasn’t the goal today. Coach (Luke) Wiens and I planned all week to go out today and qualify and put up either one or two points for the team.”
He is aware of what will happen next week, “State will be more strategic and I’ll be fighting for the win.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football did a lot of good things, particularly in the first half, in Saturday's Homecoming game against Fort Hays State in Yager Stadium.
Senior Ky Thomas had 95 rushing yards and Washburn's lone touchdown in Saturday's 13-10 overtime loss to Fort Hays State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But in the end, WU coach Zach Watkins felt like the Ichabods let a win get away, with Fort Hays State scoring the final 13 points to escape with a 13-10 overtime MIAA victory.
"We did a great job in the first half, but it's a two-half game, a four-quarter game and we didn't finish,'' Watkins said.
"The mark of a really good team in the MIAA is how you finish and we didn't finish today.''
The Ichabods (2-6 overall, 1-5 MIAA) struck first when Ky Thomas scored on a 3-yard run (Aidan Battle kick) midway through the first quarter after Braiden Lagafuaina's interception return to the Fort Hays State 20-yard-line.
Washburn extended its lead when Battle drilled a 32-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 12:37 to go before halftime and ending the first-half scoring.
Fort Hays (5-4, 4-3) finally broke through in the third quarter, taking advantage of a Washburn turnover on an interception to score on an 18-yard keeper from Tiger quarterback Caleb Heavner.
The Tigers tied the game later in the period with a 25-yard field goal by Zane Hall.
Neither team managed points in the fourth quarter as both defenses forced turnovers and traded punts in increasingly wet conditions.
Washburn got the ball first in overtime and reached the red zone, but missed a 41-yard field goal attempt in overtime before the Tigers' Michael Polley connected from 34 yards out to seal the win.
"You're not defined by one game, but those are the type of games that you have to win to make the leaps in this conference that we want to make and know we can make and are capable of making,'' Watkins said. "But that's a game you have to win to take the next step.
"We'll get back to work tomorrow and we'll improve and get better from there.''
Former Topeka High star Thomas, a senior, powered the Ichabods' ground game with 95 yards on 16 carries, averaging 5.9 per attempt, and added 16 receiving yards.
Washburn freshman quarterback Logan Madden had 101 passing yards in Saturday's 13-10 overtime loss to Fort Hays State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman quarterback Logan Madden went 16 for 29 for 101 yards, with redhirt freshman Henry Mohrmann catching three passes for 26 yards and Jaden Abongo Jr. adding 21 yards receiving and 38 on kickoff returns.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake topped Council Grove 17-8 Friday night to capture the Class 2A District 3 championship while stretching its win streak to six games.
The Eagles improved to 6-2 overall while wrapping up a perfect 4-0 run to the district title.
Silver Lake has been installed as the No. 4 East seed in 2A and will open its postseason bid with a Friday night home game against No. 13 seed St. Marys (3-5).
The Eagles topped the Bears 21-6 on Sept. 26.
The winner of next Friday's game will advance to the second round of the playoffs to face the winner of the game between No. 5 seed Sabetha (7-1) and No. 12 Humboldt (3-5).
Rossville caps 8-1 regular season
Rossville wrapped up its Class 1A District 2 championship and a 7-1 regular season with a 49-6 Homecoming win over Wabaunsee Friday night.
The Bulldawgs took control of the game with a 21-0 first quarter, getting a 12-yard touchdown run from Conner Bush, an 8-yard TD from Canann Mitchell and a 49-yard TD pass from Mitchell to Cameron Miller.
Rossville tacked on a 9-yard Mitchell run and a 9-yard Jack Donovan run to take a 35-0 halftime advantage.
Bush scored his second TD of the game on an 18-yard run and Landen Lewis scored on a 4-yard to end Rossville's scoring with 4:02 left in the third quarter.
Wabaunsee scored its lone TD with 6:49 left in the game on a 28-yard pass.
Rossville is the No. 4 East seed and will host No. 13 Mission Valley (4-4) at 7 p.m. next Friday.
The Rossville-Mission Valley winner will advance to take on the winner between No. 5 seed Jefferson County North (7-1) and No. 12 McLouth (3-5). With a win over Mission Valley, the Bulldawgs will host the second-round game.
Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika threw for three touchdowns to three different receivers Friday night as the Wildcats improved to 8-0 with a 42-0 district win over Jefferson West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden improves to 8-0 with 42-0 district shutout
Hayden continued to roll Friday night in a 42-0 home win over Jefferson West, with the Wildcats improving to 8-0 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Class 3A District 4.
Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika threw for three touchdowns, hitting three different receivers for TDs, while senior Jude Krentz ran for a pair of TDs and helped spearhead a defense that blanked the Tigers (6-2 overall, 3-1 in the district).
Hayden senior Jude Krentz ran for a pair of touchdowns and helped the Wildcat defense post a shutout in Friday's 42-0 district win over Jefferson West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Wildcats are the No. 1 East seed in 3A and will host No. 16 seed Columbus (2-6) next Friday night (7 p.m. start).
With a win over Columbus, Hayden will advance to a second-round playoff game to host the winner of the game between No. 8 seed Parsons (3-5) and No. 9 Wellsville (5-3).
Washburn Rural to open Class 6A playoff bid at hom
Washburn Rural, 5-3 on the season, earned a first-round home Class 6A playoff game as the No. 7 West seed.
Rural, which dropped a 43-0 Centennial League decision to Manhattan in its regular-season finale, will host No. 10 Wichita South (3-5) next Friday.
The winner of the Washburn Rural-Wichita South game will move on to face the winner of the game between No. 2 seed Wichita Northwest (7-1) and No. 15 Campus (0-8).
Scots earn share of Meadowlark Conference crown, No. 8 5A East seed
Highland Park remained unbeaten on the field Friday night on the way to earning a share of the Meadowlark Conference championship with a 42-30 road win at previously-unbeaten Kansas City-Washington.
The Scots, 6-2 overall, built a big lead over the Wildcats and held on down the stretch for the win over Washingon, 7-1 on the year.
Highland Park was installed as the No. 8 Class 5A East seed and will be at Hummer Sports Park next Friday to host No. 9 East seed De Soto (6-2).
The Hi Park-De Soto winner will advance to second round of postseason to face the winner of next Friday's game between top seed Basehor-Linwood (8-0) and No. 16 Blue Valley Southwest (0-8).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 2-ranked Washburn volleyball extended its consecutive set winning streak to 24 with a sweep Friday night in Whiting Fieldhouse. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]Washburn (20-1 overall, 9-1 MIAA) took control early in the first two sets, winning 25-17 and 25-15, but would need to battle back from a deficit in the third set to earn the sweep over the Hornets (17-4, 8-2) with a 25-23 win.
The first three points of the match all went to the Ichabods on kills set up by Corinna McMullen. A kill by Alex Dvorak sparked an 8-0 run, culminated with an ace from McMullen to put Washburn up 16-6.
Emporia State battled back to bring the score within six but were held to just a .100 hitting percentage as a team.
The final two points of the set came on kills by WU's Keilah Rivers.
The Ichabods got out to an early lead in the second set with the Hornets staying close, pulling within one at 10-9 after a three-point burst.
Dvorak started a 7-2 rally with a kill, putting Washburn up 17-11 after a Sydney Conner ace.
After hitting just .194 in the first set, the Ichabod offense hit .407 in the second, pulling away down the stretch with Dvorak ending the set on a kill.
Emporia State started the third set quicker, leading 9-6 after two straight points.
A four-point rally for Washburn put them in front 11-10 after two aces by Taylor Rottinghaus, but the visitors quickly flipped it back with three in a row of their own.
The Ichabods were able to come back for good and create some separation with a 6-1 run, capped by a kill by Austin Broadie to lead 22-18.
Washburn reached match point at 24-21 and twice the Hornets held firm until a kill by Sydney Buscher ended the match.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University soccer team posted a statement MIAA win Friday night in Yager Stadium, topping No. 12-ranked Central Missouri 1-0 on a late goal from junior Mackinly Rohn.
Junior Mackinly Rohn scored the game's only goal in the 85th minute in Friday's 1-0 Washburn soccer win over No. 12-ranked Central Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
"I'm so proud of the team for their effort and ability to compete against a really good team in UCM,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "They executed things we talked about throughout the week at a really high level.
"Sunday will provide another really tough test that we will need to be our best for, but tonight is a really good night for our team."
In the 85th minute, Rohn, a former Washburn Rural star, found the bottom right corner of the net for what would be the game's only score.
It was a back-and-forth opening 45 minutes, with both teams having two shots each. Washburn forced the UCM goalie to make a save. The Ichabods had five corners to the Jennies' two.
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