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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Class 6A state champion Washburn Rural dominated balloting for the 2022 All-Centennial League volleyball team, with the Junior Blues claiming five of eight first-team berths while Rural's Brooklyn DeLeye was named the league player of the year and Rural coach Kevin Bordewick was named the coach of the year.
Brooklyn DeLeye was named the Centennial League volleyball player of the year after helping lead Washburn Rural to a 45-1 record and the Class 6A state title. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Veteran Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick was named the Centennial League volleyball coach of the year after leading the Junior Blues to their eighth Class 6A state title. [File photo/TSN]
DeLeye, a 6-foot-2 senior who compiled more than 2,000 kills in her career, is joined on the All-Centennial League first team by senior teammates Katie Borough and Taylor Russell and junior teammates Zoe Canfield and Jada Ingram.
Bordewick was named the league coach of the year after leading the Junior Blues to a 45-1 record and their eighth 6A state title.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn men's basketball will continue its non-conference slate at Oklahoma Baptist at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Shawnee, Okla.
Connor Deffebaugh is averaging a team-high 13.3 points for Washburn entering Tuesday's game at Oklahoma Baptist. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Ichabods are 2-2 this season after a 79-70 loss at Rockhurst last Saturday while Oklahoma Baptist is 1-2 this season with its lone win coming in a 78-67 win over MIAA member Missouri Western.
The Bison are coming off a 98-86 loss at Oral Roberts in an exhibition game.
Oklahoma Baptist topped the Ichabods last season in Lee Arena, 69-63.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Easton Bradstreet
EASTON BRADSTREET, Washburn Rural
The Washburn Rural senior forward received Class 6A All-State first-team honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association after scoring 29 goals and leading the Junior Blues to a 16-5 record and a fourth-place finish in the 6A state tournament. Bradstreet finished his senior year with a share of Rural's career scoring record with 57 goals.
Brady Christiansen
BRADY CHRISTIANSEN, Washburn University
A 6-foot-7 forward out of Lincoln, Neb., Christiansen scored 9 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards, in Washburn's 70-63 men's basketball win over William Jewell last Wednesday. Christiansen's 19 boards were the most by an Ichabod since former WU star Brady Skeens had a pair of 22-rebound games in 2017.
Aubree Dewey
AUBREE DEWEY, Washburn University
A 5-7 junior guard out of Plainville, Dewey scored a game and career-high 20 points in Washburn's 65-63 women's basketball win over Southern Nazarene last Friday in the Washburn Classic. Dewey hit a pair of 3-pointers and also dished out three assists for the Ichabods.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
JENNA BEST, Seaman
A junior, Best was a Class 6A-5A state qualifier last season, posting third-place finishes in the Centennial League tournament and in 6A-5A regional competition. Best, who received All-Shawnee County second-team honors last season, is ranked fifth at 125 pounds in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association's first preseason state rankings.
KOTI BEST, Seaman
Best, a sophomore, placed fourth in the 6A-5A state tournament as a freshman and was named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year. Best posted top-three finishes in every tournament she competed in last season, including runner-up finishes in the Centennial League meet and at regionals. Best is ranked No. 4 at 130 pounds in the KWCA's first preseason state rankings.
Washburn Rural senior Addison Broxterman is a returning Centennial League and Class 6A-5A regional champion and has finished second in the state tournament the past two seasons. [File photo/TSN]
ADDISON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural
A senior, Broxterman advanced to the 6A-5A 120-pound state championship match the last two seasons while earning first-team All-Shawnee County honors. Broxterman went 42-3 as a junior and is a three-time state qualifier, helping Rural win a pair of state team titles as well as a runner-up team finish. A Centennial League and regional champ in 2021-2022, Broxterman is ranked No. 1 in the KWCA's first preseason state rankings.
CONNIE BURNS, Shawnee Heights
The T-Birds are counting on Burns to make an immediate impact as a freshman in the 2022-2023 season at 100 pounds. Burns starts her high school career with significant kid wrestling experience, placing in multiple Kansas Kid Wrestling state tournaments while also competing at the national level.
Shawnee Heights senior Molly Busenitz was a United Kansas Conference and Class 6A-5A regional champion and placed fourth in the state tournament last season. [File photo/TSN]
MOLLY BUSENITZ, Shawnee Heights
Busenitz, a 115-pound senior, posted a 27-3 record last season, earning a fourth-place medal in the 6A-5A state tournament. Busenitz was a United Kansas Conference and 6A-5A regional champion as a junior, earning first-team All-Shawnee County recognition. Busenitz is ranked No. 3 in the KWCA's first 6A-5A preseason state rankings.
LAIKEN CLARK, Washburn Rural
A junior 140-pounder, Clark posted a 23-9 record last season and was a 6A-5A state qualifier for Washburn Rural, which finished second as a team. Clark was a Centennial League champion and finished second at regionals. A first-team All-Shawnee County pick as a sophomore, Clark is ranked sixth in the KWCA's first preseason state rankings.
Washburn Rural senior Alexis Fredrickson is a two-time state placer in Class 6A-5A, including a third-place finish last season. [File photo/TSN]
ALEXIS FREDRICKSON, Washburn Rural
A senior 130-pounder, Frederickson is a two-time state medalist for the Junior Blues, placing third last season after finishing fifth as a sophomore. Frederickson posted a 43-5 record last season, helping lead Rural to a second-place team finish. Fredrickson was a Centennial League and regional champ and earned first-team All-Shawnee County recognition. Fredrickson is ranked No. 3 in the KWCA's first 6A-5A preseason state rankings.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a disappointing 52-47 non-conference loss to Rockhurst in the final game of the Washburn Classic on Saturday at Lee Arena, the good news for the Washburn University women's basketbal team is that the Ichabods won't have to wait too long to have a chance to wipe that bad taste out of their mouths.
Washburn's Emma Chapman scored nine points to tie for team-high scoring honors and grabbed a game and career-high 13 rebounds in Saturday's 52-47 loss to Rockhurst. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn held a 41-34 lead entering the fourth quarter, but made just 1 of 12 shots from the field in the final 10 minutes as Rockhurst outscored Washburn 18-6 in the period to rally for the victory.
Now 2-2 on the season, Washburn will wrap up its five-game homestand on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. non-conference contest against Central Christian College.
"Nobody wants to go into Thanksgiving dinner with this in their mouth,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "And that's what we talked about in the locker room, we're just not there yet and we've got a lot of work to do.
"We've got to grow up and we've got to continue to chip away. We get a chance to get back on the floor Monday and get better and we'll see what we can do on Wednesday.''
Washburn led for the entire first quarter after jumping in front on a hoop from Macy Doebele and going on to take a 16-12 advantage into the second period.
Rockhurst (2-3) used a 7-2 run to knot the score at 22 with 2:06 left in the second quarter, but Aubree Dewey made a jump shot to give the Ichabods a 24-22 halftime advantage.
The Hawks scored the first four points of the second half to take their first lead of the game, 26-24, at the 6:34 mark.
Trailing 28-26, Natalie Figueroa drained a 3-pointer to put the Ichabods back up by a point and spark a 10-2 scoring run.
Emma Chapman made a pair of free throws to extend the Washburn lead to 41-34 at the end of the third quarter, which included six points and four rebounds by Yibari Nwidadah in her college debut.
"Yibari did a great job in her minutes and was a great spark for us off the bench,'' Westling said. "She's just coming off thumb surgery not too long ago and she just got back this week and we've just got to get her back in condition so she can play a little bit longer stretch. She's going to be great for us as she continues to grow.''
