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IBy RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Maddie Gragg was forced to sit and watch from the sidelines when the Vikings dropped a six-point decision at Shawnee Heights last Feb. 20, which just so happened to be Seaman's most recent loss.
Junior Maddie Gragg scored 23 points with five 3-pointers in Seaman's 64-54 UKC win over Shawnee Heights. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Anna Becker scored 21 points with three 3-pointers in Seaman's 64-54 UKC win over Shawnee Heights. [File photo/TSN]
But the 5-foot-10 junior made up for lost time in a hurry in Tuesday's rematch against the T-Birds, riding a monster first half to a game-high 23 points as the defending Class 5A state champions ran their winning streak to 22 games with a 64-54 home United Kansas Conference victory.
Gragg scored 17 points in the first half with five 3-pointers and formed a dynamic one-two punch with senior Anna Becker, who had 14 first-half points with a pair of 3s on the way to a 21-point night as the Vikings took control in the opening two quarters while improving to 16-0 overall and 11-0 in the conference.
Gragg said Tuesday's win was a welcome bounce back for her and the team after last year's Heights loss.
"I had a concussion, so I didn't play that game,'' Gragg said. "I was there sitting on the bench and I remember that game. The first half was good (tonight). It was high percentage shots and we kept going for like the one more pass. It was just a good half all around. You always want to beat a rival.''
Shawnee Heights (11-5 overall, 8-4) actually outscored Seaman 30-23 in the second half, but the T-Birds were unable to overcome a dismal first half that saw the Vikings lead by as many as 20 points on the way to a 41-24 halftime bulge.
"Obviously we knew what happened last year, it was in the back of our minds,'' Becker said. "We didn't forget.''
Gragg and Becker combined for 12 of Seaman's 16 first-half field goals, including the seven treys, as the Vikings shot 53.3 percent from the field in the half.
"It felt like we were shooting the ball great,'' Becker said. "Shoot, I think Maddie went 5 for 5 (on 3s) and we were passing it around well, so you can't ask for much more than that. It was a great team win and I just love that we got to play another inter-city school. It's always a fun rivalry and a game to look forward to.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It was evident from Monday's opening minutes that Highland Park's Meadowlark Conference home game against Kansas City-Schlagle was going to be a blowout.
Sophomore Pearmella Carter scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Highland Park's 79-11 win over KC-Schlagle. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But even though the Scots cruised to a 79-11 rout after scoring the first 21 points, Highland Park coach Rob Brown said his team (12-3 overall, 8-0 in the conference) got what it needed to get out of Monday's game.
"The main thing we came into tonight talking about was just getting the ball moving side to side better, sharing the ball and just trying to stay engaged the whole game and being able to finish games the right away and just keep growing as a team,'' Brown said.
"I felt like we grew as a team tonight.''
KC-Schlagle (1-7, 1-7) did not get on the scorboard until the Stallions connected on a 3-pointer with 1:12 left in the first quarter and Highland Park led 25-3 at the start of the second quarter.
Things only got worse for the Stallions from that point on, with Highland Park using a 20-6 second quarter to go up 45-9 at the half.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The top-ranked and undefeated Highland Park boys got off to a slow start in Monday's home Meadowlark Conference game against Kansas City-Schagle, which didn't come as a big shock to Scots coach Mike Williams.
Highland Park coach Mike Williams talks to his team during Monday's 63-25 win over KC-Schlagle. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
After all, Highland Park was playing the first varsity game of the night, about two hours earlier than normal, in front of a small crowd with zero pre-game fanfare.
But after scoring just eight first quarter points and trailing by a point, Highland Park got things cranked up in the second quarter and never looked back, improving to 16-0 overall and 8-0 in the conference with a 63-25 romp past the Stallions.
"It's an early game, a different environment,'' Williams said. "We're used to everybody being in it and the band around, but it's the type of game you've got to figure out how to play. There will be a 3 o'clock game at state, a 5 o'clock game at state and there's no energy and then you're complaining about why you didn't play well and who knows what happens in that environment and that situation.
"So I thought our guys did a good job. It's unfortunate that some games are a little bit harder to get up for. Every game aint like playing Topeka High or Topeka West, where everybody's in the gym and we're also dealing with teenagers, but I thought we did a good job of answering the call.''
After trailing 9-8 at the start of the second period, the Scots held a 23-6 scoring margin in the quarter, including the first 12 points, to open up a commanding 31-15 halftime advantage.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Kayla Duncan
KAYLA DUNCAN, Seaman
A freshman, Duncan captured the girls individual championship in Friday's second annual Topeka City Bowling Championships, bowling a 623 three-game series to help lead the Vikings to their second straight city team title by a 3,000-2,949 margin over Washburn Rural. Duncan bowled games of 203, 235 and 185.
Logan Glinka
LOGAN GLINKA, Washburn Rural
Glinka, a senior bowler, won his second straight city boys title on Friday at Gage Bowl with a 734 three-game series while leading Washburn Rural to the team championship by a 3,505-3,398 margin over runnerup Shawnee Heights. A former Class 6A state medalist, Glinka rolled games of 278, 232 and 224 in the city meet.
Ja'Corey Robinson
JACOREY ROBINSON, Highland Park
A 6-foot-6 senior basketball standout, Robinson scored 68 points on the week as undefeated and top-ranked (Class 5A) Highland Park posted three wins. Robinson had 17 points in a 54-30 Meadowlark Conference win over Kansas City-Washington, 32 points in a 67-50 win over city rival Topeka West and 19 points in an 81-14 conference win over KC-Wyandotte.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' girls wrestling team entered Saturday's United Kansas Conference Championships looking for a sixth straight UKC team title.
But even though Basehor-Linwood ended the T-Birds' bid by a 209.5-184 margin, Heights coach Chad Parks praised his team's effort and was already looking forward to upcoming regional and state competition.
"We actually wrestled lights out today,'' Parks said. "We didn't lose very many matches at all. Basehor's just tough, we're tough and it's just going to be a battle.''
Shawnee Heights senior Madison Freeland won the 140-pound United Kansas Conference title Saturday at Topeka West. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Cianna Graves improved to 31-2 on the season while winning the 150-pound United Kansas Conference title for Shawnee Heights Saturday. [File photo/TSN]
The T-Birds earned four individual championships and added four runnerup finishes, a third and a fourth but Basehor-Linwood countered with five individual golds, four seconds, two thirds and a fourth.
"When you get a little bigger tournament sometimes it's a little different than a small tournament,'' Parks said. "We've won almost tournament this year and we just keep doing what we do.''
Shawnee Heights got girls individual titles from senior 125-pounder Reece Taylor, senior 130-pounder Isabel Reyes, senior 140-pounder Madison Freeland and junior 150-pounder Cianna Graves while freshman Ava Gutierrez (100), junior Olivia Stevens (145), sophomore Brooklyn Binkley (170) and junior Shelby Watson (190) all posted runnerup conference finishes.
Taylor improved to 30-3 on the season, posting a 1:46 pin in the championship match, while Reyes improved to 32-1 with a 44-second pin over Seaman junior Makenna Stuke.
Freeland won the 140 title with a 1:54 pin to improve to 26-6 while Graves is now 31-2 after a pin in 2:46.
Seaman senior Taylie Heston won the 120-pound title in Saturday's UKC tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman, which was without injured standout Koti Best, finished fourth as a team with 85 points, led by senior 120-pound champion Taylie Heston, while the Vikings also got second-place finishes from senior Natalie Smith (110), freshman Avery Villines (115) and Stuke (130).
Heston (27-6) capped her title run with a 9-0 major decision.
Topeka West finished eighth in the girls standings with 11 points, led by fourth-place sophomore Monica Stewart (235).
On the boys side, Basehord-Linwood won the UKC championship by a 242-171.5 margin over Lansing while Seaman (145.5) finished third.
Seaman senior Samson Tootle won the 175-pound UKC title Saturday, helping lead the Vikings to a third-place team finish. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
Senior Samson Tootle won the 175-pound championship to lead the Vikings, one of four Seaman wrestlers to reach the championship round.
Tootle improved to 28-11 on the season with a 10-1 major decision over Lansing's Xavier Harmon.
The Eagles also got runnerup finishes from sophomore Ross Shipley (144), senior Gabe Brannick (165) and senior Deyton Mentzer (215).
"The kids are figuring it out later in the season and we're starting to peak at the right time,'' Seaman coach Tony Pena said. "I'm real young. I've got a lot of first and second-year wrestlers on my varsity right now and they're learning.
"I'm seeing progress every week, which is great.''
Shawnee Heights finished seventh with 52.5 points, led by third-place sophomore Dallas Owens (132).
Topeka West finished ninth (26), getting a fourth-place showing from junior Cortez McCutcheon (285).
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE WRESTLING
