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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- There were a lot of positives for Hayden's boys basketball team in Tuesday's opening round game in the Paul Terry Classic, with the Wildcats building a 17-point lead over Basehor-Linwood late in the first half and leading by seven points with just a minute remaining.
Senior Connor Hanika (3) scored 17 points to tie for team-high scoring honors in Tuesday's 63-62 Hayden loss to Basehor-Linwood in the first round of the Paul Terry Classic. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Carter Compton (12) scored 17 points with three 3-pointers in Hayden's 63-62 loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the way the game ended left a sour taste in Hayden's mouth, with the Bobcats storming back to take a 63-62 win over the Wildcats on a pair of free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining.
Hayden junior Mason Becker raced downcourt to get up a potential game-winning shot, but his attempt bounced off the rim as time ran out, dropping the Wildcats to 2-2 on the season.
Hayden didn't get its entire team together until just days before its first game due to the Wildcats' run to the Class 3A state football championship game, leaving Dwayne Anthony's team with precious little practice time.
But Anthony refused to use that as an excuse for Hayden's late-game problems Tuesday.
"I don't think we can blame that on practice time,'' Anthony said. "I think we've got to blame that on abandoning the things that got us to those leads.''
But Anthony was quick to say that the Wildcats will use Tuesday loss as a learning experience and will move on.
"I like my guys, and if that's the challenge that we have is not being hard-headed and sticking the course, then we'll be just fine,'' Anthony said. "We're going to learn, because this hurts.''
Hayden took a 32-15 lead with 1:33 left in the first half on a three-point play from junior Carter Compton, but the Bobcats (1-1) scored the final six points of the half to gain some momentum.
Basehor-Linwood, which got a huge 28-point night from junior Elliott Brown, continued to rally in the third quarter, getting as close as a point and trailing 43-40 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Hayden held off the Bobcats through most of the final stanza and led 60-53 with a minute left before Basehor-Linwood ended the game with a 10-2 run, getting the game-winning charities from senior Chase Young.
Senior Connor Hanika and Compton scored 17 points apiece to lead Hayden while Becker added 11 points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- The Hayden girls continued their busy start to the 2025-2026 basketball season with a fourth straight win Tuesday in the opening round of the Paul Terry Classic, with the Wildcats rolling past Basehor-Linwood, 61-37.
Sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein (2) scored a game-high 22 points with three 3-pointers in Tuesday's 61-37 Hayden win over Basehor-Linwood in the opening round of the Paul Terry Classic. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden sophomore Blakely Walter (1) scored 16 points Tuesday as the Wildcats improved to 4-0 with a 61-37 win over Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And while playing six games in the opening two weeks of the season doesn't leave much time for practice, Wildcat coach Carvel Reynoldson is happy with the progress his team has made in the early going.
"After our first game (at Pittsburg Colgan last week) I know I wished that we had more practices, but we had to play two more,'' Reynoldson said. "We kind of worked things out during those games and I think I like (the busy stretch). You learn a lot about your team.''
Reynoldson thought his Wildcat took another step forward in Tuesday's win.
"What we always talk about is that energy and effort are the things you can control all the time and I thought our energy and effort were great, so I'm satisfied,'' Reynoldson said.
"I think we've taken some steps with moving the ball on offense and getting ourselves some pretty good looks.''
Hayden, ranked No. 3 in Class 4A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, went wire to wire Tuesday against the Bobcats, scoring the opening five points of the game and opening up a commanding 22-9 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats went on to take a 33-16 cushion to the locker room at halftime and put the game out of reach with a 16-9 third quarter before both teams scored 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore standouts Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter combined for 38 points to power Hayden, with Schmidtlein scoring a game-high 22 points with three 3-pointers while Walter added 16 points with a pair of 3s.
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By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls began their 2025-2026 basketball season Monday in the De Soto Hardwood Classic, taking a 46-36 win over Shawnee Mission East.
The start of a new season always brings new faces and new challenges. For the Junior Blues, this season is definitely the case with five freshmen seeing the court on opening night. Along with the five freshmen, there are two juniors and three seniors who provide experience to the young roster. One noticeable absence on opening night was All-State junior Maddie Vickery, who suffered a knee injury over the summer and hopes to return later this season.
Washburn Rural started the game with an 8-0 run, led by junior Brooklyn Rutherford’s five points and senior Ella Hirschi’s 3-pointer. SM East was overwhelmed by Rural’s pressure defense, leading to seven turnovers in the first quarter alone.
SM East was finally able to get on the board with a free throw by junior Lauren Mercer almost five minutes into the game. Rural continued to pressure the Lancers and led 13-5 at the end of the first quarter.
As the second quarter began, SM East was able to adjust to the defensive pressure and outscored the Junior Blues 6-2 over the first five minutes of the second stanza. Both teams traded baskets and Washburn Rural went to the locker room with a 17-13 lead.
The start of the second half mimicked the start of the game, where Rural doubled their lead over the first four minutes of the third quarter, leading 23-15 on buckets by Rutherford, senior Josie Carlgren and freshman Brynn Anderson. The Junior Blues maintained the eight point lead going into the final quarter, leading the Lancers 28-20.
Another 8-0 run to begin the fourth quarter gave Rural their largest lead of the game, 36-20. Carlgren and Hirschi both knocked down 3-pointers and Anderson scored on a pretty spin move in the lane. Both teams had their highest point totals in the fourth quarter with the Junior Blues outscoring the Lancers, 18-16, accounting for the final score of 46-36.
Washburn Rural was led Anderson’s 13 points and five rebounds. Carlgren had eight points and four steals, Rutherford scored seven and senior Hallie Walker scored two points, grabbed six rebounds and had three assists.
SM East was led by senior Talia Augustine’s seven points and five rebounds. Senior Fina Kessler dropped in six points and fellow senior Paige Stanfield also scored six along with eight rebounds.
Washburn Rural advances to the semifinal round on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. where it will face the host school, De Soto, a 55-35 first-round winner over Olathe Northwest.
WASHBURN RURAL 46, SM EAST 36
SM East 5 8 7 16 -- 36
Washburn Rural 13 4 11 18 -- 46
SM East 36 (0-2) -- Kessler 2-5 0-0 6, Eck 1-3 0-0 2, Stanfield 3-13 0-0 6, Kroening 2-4 0-0 5, Reiser 1-4 0-4 2, Beltrame 1-1 0-0 3, Mercer 0-1 3-4 3, Tilgner 0-0 2-4 2, Augustine 1-1 5-8 7, Zahner 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 11-33 10-20 36.
Washburn Rural 46 (1-0) -- Rutherford 3-5 0-0 7, Hirschi 4-6 0-0 11, Walker 0-1 2-2 2, Anderson 5-18 2-2 13, Carlgren 3-11 0-0 8, Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Frost 0-0 0-2 0, Hinck 0-4, 0-2 0, Munson 0-2 1-2 1, Petersen 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 17-51 5-10 46.
3-point goals -- SM East 4 (Kessler 2, Beltrame, Kroening), Washburn Rural 7 (Hirschi 3, Carlgren 2, Rutherford, Anderson). Total Fouls -- SM East 11, Washburn Rural 21. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
Trojans fall to Northwest in OT, 64-60
Topeka High opened the De Soto Hardwood Classic with a Monday contest against Shawnee Mission Northwest, dropping a 64-60 decision in overtime.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Twenty-nine Washburn Rural and Topeka High football players have received All-Centennial League recognition, including 10 first-team selections.
Jadyn Baum, Washburn Rural
John Hoytal, Washburn Rural
Rural is represented on the first team by senior offensive line Jayden Cooper, senior quarterback John Hoytal, junior running back Jadyn Baum, senior wide receiver Nate Selm, junior defensive lineman Steven Cantrell, senior linebacker Jordy Heim, senior defensive back Brody Haas, junior kicker Ryan Austin and junior punter Gavin Vantuyl.
Topeka High is represented on the first team by senior Malichi Murph, a repeat pick at defensive back.
Rural second-team selections include junior offensive lineman Nick Loughney, senior running back TJ Minikwu, senior defensive linemen Sammy Brumley and Ayden Crosswhite, senior linebacker Elijah Gaines and senior defensive back Austin Ditch.
High second-team honorees include senior offensive lineman Jeremiah Lopez Arreola, sophomore running back Ricardo Dowd, junior wide receiver Courtney Sanders, senior defensive lineman Adam Humphrey and senior linebacker Rock Williamson.
2025 ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE FOOTBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Daniel Allen
DANIEL ALLEN, Washburn Rural
Allen, a junior, returned to high school swimming after a year away with three wins and a second-place finish in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational last Wednesday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. Allen won the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly individually and swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 free relay and runnerup 400 free relay.
KaeVon Bonner
KAEVON BONNER, Seaman
A senior basketball standout, Bonner opened the 2025-2026 season with a 37-point performance in last Tuesday's 83-75 home United Kansas Conference victory over No. 2-ranked (Class 5A) Piper. Bonner hit 10 of 18 shots from the field with three 3-pointers while connecting on 14 of 17 free throws.
Malakyah Duncan
MALAKYAH DUNCAN, Topeka West
Duncan, a senior basketball standout, scored a game-high 26 points Friday as Topeka West opened the season with an 81-54 United Kansas Conference home romp past De Soto. Duncan hit 9 of 13 shots from the floor with three 3-pointers for the No. 7-ranked (Class 5A) Chargers.
