- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Mid-East League volleyball powers Rossville and Silver Lake combined to earn four of six spots on the all-league first team.
Kinsey Perine
Brinley Dyche
Lexis Berndt
Taylor Ross
Rossville, which won the 2022 league title, is represented on the first team by senior Brinley Dyche and junior Kinsey Perine while Mid-East runner-up Silver Lake put senior Lexis Berndt and senior Taylor Ross on the first team.
Berndt, Dyche, Perine and Ross were all unanimous first-team selections by the league coaches.
Rock Creek's Ayla Klingenberg was also a unanimous first-team pick while St. Marys' Brenna Smith rounded out the first team.
Silver Lake senior Leah Cook and Rossville junior Kinley Porter were named to the second team while Silver Lake junior Sarah Wehrli received honorable mention.
ALL-MID-EAST LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A pair of tight one-goal losses resulted in a fourth-place finish for Washburn Rural in the Class 6A state soccer tournament at the Stryker Complex in Wichita.
Junior Benett Hallauer scored Washburn Rural's lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Dodge City in Saturday's Class 6A third-place game at Wichita. [File photo/TSN]
After a 1-0 loss to eventual state champion Mill Valley in Friday night's second semifinal, Rural and Dodge City were tied 1-1 in the closing minutes of Saturday's third-place game before Dodge City took a 2-1 win on a goal from Irwin Macias with just 1:06 remaining off an assist from Francisco Hernandez.
Dodge City, which finished off a 20-1-0 season, drew first blood at the 32:22 mark of the opening half on a goal from Mario Olivares.
The score remained 1-0 through the first half and well into the second half before Washburn Rural (16-5-0) evened the match on a goal from junior Benett Hallauer with 9:18 remaining.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No matter what Hayden's football team did Friday night at Wellsville, it probably wasn't going to be real pretty.
After all, the Wildcats and Eagles were playing their second-round Class 3A playoff game in cold, windy, rainy, slippery conditions on a natural grass field.
Hayden senior JC Cummings (38) had a big night on both sides of the ball as the Wildcats rallied for a 22-19 Class 3A playoff win over Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Finn Dunshee jumpstarted Hayden with an 80-yard kickoff return as the Wildcats rallied for a 22-19 Class 3A playoff win at Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
And although 9-1 Hayden had several first-half misplays that gave the Eagles short fields, the Wildcats did what they had to in order to extend their 2022 season, rallying for a 22-19 win while handing Wellsville its first loss of the year.
"We talked about it before the game ever got started that there's going to be ups and downs in this thing and don't get too high, don't get too low,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said in a phone interview. "You tip your hat off to our kids, they kept fighting and did whatever it took to get a win. It's all about survive and advance right now.''
Wellsville opened up a 13-0 advantage late in the opening quarter on Nash Money's second touchdown, but junior Finn Dunshee gave the Wildcats the spark they needed with a kickoff return of approximately 80 yards to get Hayden on the board.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's defense set the tone for the night when it scored the game's first touchdown on a JC Heim recovey in the end zone with five minutes left in the opening quarter and the Junior Blues never looked back on the way to a 34-7 road win over Garden City Friday night in a second-round Class 6A playoff game.
Washburn Rural junior JC Heim (25) scored the game's first touchdown on a defensive TD as the Junior Blues rolled to a 34-7 Class 6A playoff win at Garden City. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior quarterback Branton DeWeese (left) and senior Ma'kenttis Adams had big games in Friday's 34-7 Class 6A playoff win at Garden City. [File photo/TSN]
In fact, it there was anything disappointing about Friday's romp to the 6A state quarterfinals it was that the Rural 'D' didn't quite get the shutout it so richly deserved.
"I get all kinds of dirtly looks from them when we have the young guys in on that one,'' Rural coach Steve Buhler joked in a phone interview. "(Garden City) had 137 yards rushing in the game and they got 67 of it on that last touchdown play that they had, so the kids are playing outstanding. They're just playing really well right now and the nice thing about it is they're playing with a lot of discipline.''
After 8-2 Washburn Rural opened up a 34-0 lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Branton DeWeese to Ty Weber with 8:06 remaining, Garden City (7-3) finally got on the scoreboard inside the final two minutes on a long TD run against Junior Blue reserves, but it didn't matter as the game had long been decided.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's soccer team will play for third place in the Class 6A state tournament at 12 p.m. Saturday at Wichita's Stryker Complex after a tight 1-0 semifinal loss to Mill Valley Friday night.
Jaxon Padilla (6), Easton Bradstreet (13) and Cayden Lee (3) are part of a six-member Washburn Rural soccer senior class that will close out their high school career in Saturday's Class 6A third-place game at Wichita. [File photo/TSN]
The Junior Blues, now 16-4, will play previously-unbeaten Dodge City in the third-place match after the Red Demons (19-1-0) dropped a 3-2 semifinal decision to Olathe West in Friday's first semifinal.
Olathe West (18-2-0) will face off with Mill Valley (16-1-1) for the state championship at approximately 2 p.m. Saturday.
Washburn Rural was in the hunt throughout its semifinal contest with Mill Valley, but the Jaguars made a goal with 2:46 remaining in the first half hold up the rest of the game, which was played indoors due to inclement weather.
The Junior Blues are making their third straight appearance in the 6A final four, finishing second in 2021.
Washburn Rural's six-member senior class of Easton Bradstreet, Cayden Lee, Jaxon Padilla, Rishi Sandir, Ty Stead and Aaron Tinajero will close out their high school career in the third-place game.
