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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls swimming team won six events and posted top-three finishes in eight of 12 events in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational on the way to winning the team championship in the 15-school meet by a 458.5-299 margin over Bishop Miege at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Washburn Rural's Makenna Pritchard captured a pair of individual wins and was also part of two winning relays in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural's Audrey Appuhn posted two individual wins and added a relay victory in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman was third with 222 points while Shawnee Heights tied for fourth with 199 points, Hayden was seventh with 131 points, Topeka High ninth with 112.5 points and Topeka West 13th with 17 points..
Washburn Rural's Audrey Appuhn picked up individual victories in the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes, 15.01 seconds) and the 500 freestyle (5:22.08) while Makenna Pritchard added individual wins in the 50 freestyle (25.21) and the 100 freestyle (55.60).
Appuhn and Pritchard teamed with Genevieve Miranda and Sophie Heinen to win the 400 free relay (3:56.10) while Pritchard teamed with Kiersten Harris, Ella Bombardier and Mara Bare to win the 200 free relay (1:47.96).
Seaman's Avery Walz won the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 breaststroke in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman got wins from Avery Walz in the 200 freestyle (1:59.99) and the 100 breaststroke (1:08.98) while Tauren Walz picked up a win in the 100 butterfly (1:02.58).
Topeka High's Brianna Devlin won the one-meter diving title with a score of 269.65 points.
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel sophomore girls soccer standout Zahra Friess and Seaman junior boys track and field standout Aaron Merritt have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2022-2023 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Friess and Merritt over the past week:
Cair Paravel Latin sophomore Zahra Friess (3) scored four goals and had four assists in the Lions' 10-0 win over Kansas City Christian. [File photo/TSN]
ZAHRA FRIESS, Cair Paravel Latin
Friess scored four goals and was also credited with four assists in the Lions' 10-0 win over Kaw Valley Conference foe Kansas City Christian last week.
Cair Paravel added a 10-0 league win over Kansas City-Bishop Ward, improving to 9-1-1 with its eighth straight victory.
As a freshman Friess was a TopSports.news All-City pick and earned All-Class 4A-1A first-team honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.
Seaman junior track and field standout Aaron Merritt captured a pair of gold medals in last Friday's Free State Barrier Breaker Invitational at Lawrence. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
AARON MERRITT, Seaman
Merritt won a pair of gold medals in last Friday's Free State Barrier Breaker Invitational track and field meet at Lawrence.
Merritt won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.13 seconds and won the 100 dash in 11.26 seconds.
Merritt ranks No. 1 in Shawnee County in the 110 hurdles and was a TSN All-Shawnee County selection as a sophomore.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
SILVER LAKE – The Class 3A No. 1-ranked Eagles saw their undefeated softball season come to a close Tuesday after losing 3-0 and 6-2 decisions to undefeated Class 4A No. 1-ranked Wamego.
Silver Lake's Kaibryn Kruger puts down a bunt in Tuesday's 3-0, 6-2 losses to Wamego. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Silver Lake's Taylor Zordel slides into second for a double Tuesday against Wamego. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Silver Lake’s 12-game win streak and undefeated season were going to be tested with a scorching hot Wamego team rolling into town.
However, the Red Raiders earned bragging rights in the heavyweight battle after a tight Game 1 victory over the Eagles and a more decisive win in the second contest.
The matchup felt like a state tournament matchup as both teams fought to keep their undefeated seasons alive.
“I think several of the girls continued to compete and made plays,” Silver Lake coach Nick Hamilton said. “When we got the opportunities to make the plays, they did it. I think probably tomorrow, Thursday or Friday, I’ll be impressed with what they want to come back and do.”
The first game featured two of the top pitchers in all classes. Silver Lake junior Avery Wende led 3A in strikeouts a season ago, and on the other side was the defending 4A pitcher of the year from Wamego, Peyton Hardenburger.
Wende pitched well in the circle. The junior went seven complete innings giving up three runs, five hits, a walk and struck out seven Red Raiders. One run came from a solo home run by Creighton signee Ashten Pierson in the third inning, and the other two runs were given up at the top of the seventh.
For Wamego, Hardenburger shut out Silver Lake by fanning 16 batters while giving up three hits and a walk. Hardenburger has not allowed a single run to any team in the 2023 campaign.
“They did very well, in my opinion,” Hamilton said. “Wamego is a pretty good hitting team. It comes down to one play here and one play there. I’ve talked to girls all year long about mastering your skill, your trade and what you do for this team. They’re getting close, and this hopefully will leave them hungry to go fix it.”
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By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
Seaman softball did not let getting outscored 24-4 in a doubleheader loss to Class 6A No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural last Friday rattle them.
Aspen Burgardt picked up a complete-game pitching victory in Seaman's 11-1 Senior Day win over Topeka High Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Instead, four days later the Vikings (7-6) responded with an 11-1 romp past Topeka High (3-7) on Tuesday night, completing a season sweep of the Trojans.
“Just very proud of our kids, that shows character, having a short memory, we talk about that all the time asking, ‘What’s our next best action?’ and they did a nice job tonight doing that,” said Seaman coach Jay Monhollon
Senior Aspen Burgardt tossed all five innings for the Vikings, allowing only one run on four hits and was recognized after the game as the only senior on Seaman’s 12-player varsity roster.
“Not only is she a great athlete but she’s a great person,” Monhollon said. “It’s easy to support her and encourage her to be successful. And she’s going to be successful in life just because she’s got high character.”
Burgardt had a strong showing of run support to pick up her Senior Day victory with the Vikings scoring nine runs in the third and fourth innings.
To get things started though Seaman scored two runs in the second inning on doubles from juniors Jersey Jellison and Paige Glasgow, the second scoring a run. Gracie Moe singled to score Glasgow.
Sophomore Kaelyn O'Rourke hit a two-run home run in Seaman's 11-1 win over Topeka High Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
The Vikings picked up six hits in the third inning, five singles and a two-run home run from sophomore Kaelyn O’Rourke to complete the five-run inning.
Sophomore Montgomerie Freel hit a home run to lead Topeka High in an 11-1 loss at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Topeka High got its only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run by sophomore Montgomerie Freel over the left field wall. The other three hits for the Trojans were all singles.
Seaman scored its final four runs on three hits and one error in the field in the top of the fourth inning. Burgardt retired Topeka High in the fifth to complete the run rule in 75 minutes and give the Vikings a winning record once again.
“We’re just trying to be consistent. If we can just build on what we did today on Friday and then take that into next week,” Monhollon said. “The season is getting close to the end and getting close to the postseason, so we need to fine-tune some things and just be a little more consistent as we move forward.”
No Trojans reached base more than one time as Topeka High falls after returning from a layoff. Seaman picked up 12 hits to score its 11 runs. Junior Josie Hefner joined Moe, O’Rourke, Glasgow and Jellison in having two-hit games.
SEAMAN 9, TOPEKA HIGH 5
Topeka High (3-7) 000 10 -- 1 4 1
Seaman (7-6) 025 4X -- 11 12 2
W – Burgardt. L - Scheaffer. 2B – Seaman: Burgardt, Jellison, Glasgow. HR – Seaman: O’Rourke. Topeka High: Freel.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MAYETTA -- Shawnee Heights senior golf standout Alex Valdivia carded a 1-under-par 71 in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open to finish second among 64 players.
And if Valdivia had made a few more putts, an outstanding day could have been even better.
Shawnee Heights senior Alex Valdivia shot a 1-under-par 71 to finish second in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I couldn't putt, I wasn't putting well at all,'' Valdivia said. "I missed four putts that were about like three, three and a half feet. I was hitting it really well, I just couldn't putt.''
Topeka West junior Myles Alonzo also turned in a solid round on Tuesday, making birdie on his final hole to finish sixth with a 73.
opeka West junior Myles Alonzo shot a 73 Tuesday to place sixth in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I feel like the more I go on I'm getting way more consistent as far as hitting the fairway and hitting the green,'' Alonzo said. "I'm doing a lot more things way better than last year.''
Washburn Rural placed a city-high third as a team with a 302 total, led by senior Bryan Tyrell, who shot a career-best 74 to tie for seventh.
"I was hitting greens, I hit 15,'' Tyrell said. "I had a few three-putts, but hit my birdie putts. I'm feeling good. I was in a little slump a couple of weeks ago but I'm back to normal now and I've got the hot stick right now so it feels good.''
