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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's soccer team pulled away in the second half for a 3-0 home MIAA win over visiting Missouri Southern on Friday night at Yager Stadium.
Washburn junior Belle Kennedy scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in Friday's 3-0 MIAA soccer win over Missouri Southern. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will close out their two-game homestand at 1 p.m. on Sunday against Pittsburg State.
Both WU and Southern traded possession and scoring opportunities in the early stages of Friday's game.
The Lions (1-6-4 overall, 0-3-2 MIAA) nearly got on the board first, but Washburn sophomore goalkeeper Hailey Beck made a difficult save in the top left corner of the goal off a shot from Missouri Southern's Presley Whitmire in the 12th minute.
Beck, a Washburn Rural product, made another impressive save in the 30th minute, knocking a long-range attempt from Whitmire over the crossbar to keep the game scoreless.
The first half would end in a 0-0 defensive deadlock, despite the Ichabods (6-2-2, 3-0-1) holding an 11-3 advantage in shot attempts.
Much like last Friday's contest at Nebraska-Kearney, the Washburn offense came alive in the second half.
In the 58th minute, a pass from Khloe Schuckman split the Lion defense and found an open Belle Kennedy, who found the back of the net for the second game in a row.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University volleyball posted its fourth straight win and ninth sweep of the season on Friday, dispatching Fort Hays State in three sets on Friday night.
Junior Bella Limback led Washburn with 12 kills in Friday's 3-0 MIAA sweep over Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will face their first ranked opponent of the season on Saturday, taking on No. 3-ranked Nebraska Kearney on the road.
After taking Friday's first set, 25-22, Washburn (13-3 overall, 4-2 MIAA) worked quicker in each of the next two sets, winning 25-21 in the second and 25-15 to close out the night.
Austin Broadie led off the match with a kill and five points later a slam from Keilah Rivers made it a 5-1 set.
The Ichabods doubled up the Tigers (9-6, 1-5 MIAA) at 14-7 after an ace from Seaman product Maddie Steiner.
Fort Hays State began to make up ground, pulling within one on two occasions before finally tying the set at 20 after a 4-0 run.
After the set was tied at 22 Washburn took advantage of an attacking error and won the final three points as Emma Williams wrapped up the set with an ace.
In the second set a string of five points in a row for the Ichabods put them up 6-2 early, capped off by a block from Rivers and Bella Limback.
The Tigers pulled within one before another Washburn run, this time of six in a row featuring two kills each for Jalyn Stevenson and and Alex Dvorak.
The Ichabods hit .257 as a team in the set with 16 kills as the offense held off a late run down the stretch with Limback ending the set on a kill.
Back-to-back aces from Stevenson put Washburn up 7-3 to start the third set.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in Class 3A District 4 with a dominating 31-7 road romp at Holton Friday night.
Hayden senior Jett Wahlmeier threw for three touchdowns in Friday's 31-7 district win over Holton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden senior Jensen Schrickel caught a pair of touchdown passes in Friday's 31-7 district win over Holton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden was in control throughout the game, with Holton (3-3, 2-1) held without a first down and not crossing midfield until the third quarter.
Hayden jumped out in front 21-0 with three first-half touchdowns.
Hayden junior Kade Mitchell rushed for 73 yards and also had a TD reception Friday at Holton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Broderick Desch scored Hayden's final touchdown in Friday's 31-7 district win at Holton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Wildcats drove 57 yards in 11 plays on its opening possession, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from senior Jett Wahlmeier to junior Kade Mitchell (Mason Becker extra point).
Hayden added a pair of TDs in the second quarter, with Wahlmeier hitting senior Jensen Schrickel for a 37-yard TD pass (Becker kick) and Wahlmeier hitting Schrickel for a 12-yard score (Becker kick).
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The matchup of high-octane offenses from Shawnee Heights and Seaman didn’t disappoint Friday night.
A wild shootout ended in favor of the visiting Vikings 59-34 at Shawnee Heights.
Seaman junior running Kaden McKinney (9) ran for 204 yards and senior quarterback Max Huston (7) had 341 all-purpose yards in the Vikings' 59-34 UKC win over Shawne Heights. [File photo/TSN]
The T-Birds filled the sky with footballs, with junior quarterback Aiden Scott throwing for 339 yards and five touchdowns, while the Vikings hit for big plays on the ground and through the air.
Seaman junior running back Kaden McKinney made a statement out of the blocks. With the Vikings pinned at their 3-yard-line, he took a handoff up the middle and, after breaking through the line, found daylight. He raced 97 yards to set the tone. In the second period, he struck again, taking the first play of a Viking drive 55 yards for another score.
“We prepared all week knowing we were going to run the ball,” said the junior, who finished with 204 yards on 20 carries. “Taking the first play to the house gets everybody amped up. Getting that momentum goes a long way in the game of football.”
“Kaden is a very talented young man,” said Seaman coach Jared Swafford. “What he’s able to do with the ball in his hands, and the way our O-line is blocking right now, being able to run the ball is a really nice thing to have.”
The Vikings jumped out to what appeared to be a commanding 21-point advantage in the first 14 minutes of the game, holding the T-Birds scoreless on their first four possessions.
But Shawnee Heights began chipping away, getting two quick strikes from Scott to hotly recruited junior receiver Tyren Parker. The home team narrowed the deficit to 35-20 at the half.
“Defensively, we started out great,” Swafford said. “We held them for a goose egg for a quarter, plus. We know what they’re capable of. They put up points on everybody, so we knew some of those things were going to happen. We had the mentality ‘Bend but don’t break.’
“Yeah, we’ve got things to work on, but what they’re capable of, with that receiving corps and the way Aiden spins the ball, they’re tough.”
Scott continued the aerial assault in the second half, but the margin never was closer than 15 points.
Senior quarterback Max Huston triggered the Viking offense with 175 yards passing, 166 yards rushing, and five total touchdowns. He hit senior receiver Bryer Finley eight times for 173 yards.
“Max is a heck of a player,” Swafford said. “He’s able to do stuff on the run. They got some good pressure on him, but he’s able to just make magic with the ball.”
For the T-Birds, Scott completed 21 of 34 attempts for 339 yards. He spread the ball around, connecting at least four times with five different receivers.
While the defenses scrambled to keep up with offensive firepower, senior defensive back Marioano Collins put his stamp on the game. Covering Parker on deep throws, Collins high-pointed two passes from Scott for drive-killing interceptions. He also recovered a fumble late in the game.
“I like to make game changers. I like to impact the course of the game,” Collins said. “If I get the chance to, I’m going to take it. Facing (someone like Scott), it’s fun, but it’s challenging. He’s a good quarterback. Our secondary stepped up. We worked hard in practice for this.”
“Marioano has been playing hurt, but you would never know it by the way he just keeps working his tail off,” Swafford said. “I’m very proud of him for going against a phenomenal player in Parker, doing a great job going up to compete for those balls.”
The Vikings improved to 5-1, with a spotless 5-0 mark in the United Kansas Conference. Remaining on their schedule are games with undefeated Basehor-Linwood and De Soto, two teams still in the running for the league title.
“We knew we had a good plan tonight,” Swafford said. “We believe in our kids. We believe in what we’ve been doing. This process continues to build upon itself.”
SEAMAN 59, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 34
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Nothing came easy for Topeka West in Friday night's home United Kansas Conference matchup with Kansas City-Turner, but Charger coach Trey Parker wouldn't have expected anything different.
Topeka West celebrates its first win of the 2024 season, a 32-20 decision over Kansas City-Turner Friday night at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson]
And although the game between two teams who were looking for their first win of the season was still in doubt until the final two and a half minutes, Parker's Chargers found a way to crack into the victory column, riding a big night from sophomore running back Damon Webb to take a 32-20 victory at Hummer Sports Park.
Now 1-5 overall and in the UKC, Topeka West had to overcome some missteps along the way, including having a touchdown called back and just under 100 yards in penalties, but the Chargers persevered for the breakthrough win.
"We're just grateful for it, but I was just saying a minute ago, it's the epitome of Topeka West,'' Parker said. "We've got good stuff going and then we take five steps back.
"And that's on and off the field, but I hope this is a precursor of what's to come for us down the road, that we fight through adversity and we know how to fight and finish and win.''
Parker said it made him feel good to be able to see the Chargers celebrate after a win.
"Like I said before, this is what we do it for,'' he said. "Obviously you want to win, but when these guys put in so much work I'm just happy that they get to see the fruits of their labor at the end of the day.
"It's been a rough season to this point and we know it's not over, but this brings that joy back to get us through the rest of the year.''
Topeka West coach Trey Parker congratulates Damon Webb (left) and Emmanuel Newman after Friday's 32-20 UKC win over KC-Turner. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Webb was catalyst for the Chargers, finishing his career-best night with 192 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries while freshman quarterback Josiah Wilke threw for 107 yards and a touchdown.
Both teams moved the ball in the first half, but the score remained scoreless until Wilke found senior Alesecio Batson for a 28-yard touchdown strike at the 1:33 mark of the second quarter.
The Chargers were pushed back 15 yards for their extra-point attempt after being whistled for a dead-ball personal foul after the score and missed the extra point, but West went to halftime with the 6-0 advantage.
West had a 24-yard Treyvion Barr touchdown run wiped out by a penalty early in the thrid quarter and ended up turning the ball over on downs.
But the Chargers forced a turnover by Turner (0-6, 0-5) off a sack by senior Eadrian Cooper and returned the ball to the Bears' 32-yard-line, setting up Webb's first TD of the night on a 4-yard run with 3:53 left in the third quarter (run failed) to give West a 12-0 advantage.
"I was trying to get (Webb) to play football last year and he finally came out this year and I told him, 'Kid, you're a stud,' and he's finally starting to come into his own,'' Parker said. "We're just proud of the progression he's making in his first year playing high school football and we don't know what's to come for him.''
Parker also had praise for Wilke, who has taken over as West's full-time quarterback.
"That's the thing we love about him, he keeps his composure under any circumstances,'' Parker said. "When guys in the huddle are saying this is going on and that they look to him and he's 15 years old and he tells them, 'Hey, calm down, relax.' ''
Turner fought back to get within 12-6, 18-14 and 24-20 with 5:03 remaining but Topeka West finally put the Bears away with a 17-yard Webb run and Barr 2-point conversion with just 2:37 remaining.
Turner senior George Erickson rushed for 114 yards on 11 carries, including a 62-yard touchdown run.
Topeka West will return to action next Friday with a UKC road game at Leavenworth.
TOPEKA WEST 32, KC-TURNER 20
