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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It was an unfamiliar course, but a very familiar finish for Topeka West senior star Lenny Njoroge in Thursday's United Kansas Conference cross country meet at Shawnee Heights.
Njoroge posted his sixth win in seven races on the year, including five straight, in the UKC meet, clocking a five-kilometer time of 16 minutes, 04.4 seconds to win by just under 21 seconds.
Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge cruises down the home stretch en route to the UKC title Thursday at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I ran this course freshman year but it's so different,'' Njoroge said. "It's like it's been flipped upside down, but I was very comfortable.
:"My goal was to just push the pace and not let anyone go with me because I know they're very good. I just wanted to push the pace so I could break away.''
Njoroge, who is undefeated against Kansas competition and has not finished lower than second, jumped out in front early on and, as has been the case in all of his victories, lengthened his lead over the final half of the race.''
"It all depends on the race, every race is different,'' Njoroge said of his strategy. "In one race you might find a guy who's taking it out fast and then you're comfortable the next mile. The next race you might just cruise the whole race.''
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel (back) tracked down and passed De Soto's Joshua Fullmer at the end of the race to finish second in the UKC cross country meet Thursday at Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel came on strong at the end of the race and overtook De Soto senior Joshua Fullmer for second place, helping the T-Birds finish second as a team behind De Soto (37-65). Esquibel clocked a time of 16:25.1 while Fullmer was third in 16:28.4.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Seaman girls cross country coach Rick Brading has seen enough meets to know that Thursday's United Kanas Conference meet was going to be a nail-biter between his Vikings and De Soto.
And Thursday's league meet at Shawnee Heights was every bit as tight as Brading through it would be, with Seaman taking the league team championship by 31-35 margin over the Wildcats.
Seaman's girls cross country team edged De Soto 31-35 for the United Kansas Conference title, giving Seaman a sweep of the league titles in the four girls sports contested in the fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Freshman Ryin Miller finished second individually in Thursday's UKC meet, helping Seaman win the team championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We thought it could even be a tie,'' Brading said. "We thought it was going to be that tight, so it was pretty exciting.''
Seaman freshman Ryin Miller, who clocked a five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 16.8 seconds and senior Bethany Druse (20:02.5) finished two-three individually to lead the Vikings while sophomore Stella Appelhanz placed seventh (20:37.5), senior Leah Spurlock ninth (20:59.8) and junior Savannah Sampson 15th (21:19.1) to round out Seaman's top five.
"We thought things would shake out different in the (number) four-five area but Bethany kind of trumped that by beating all three of (De Soto's) frontrunners,'' Brading said. "It didn't happen the way I thought it would shake out but man, I'm telling you, we're excited.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Russsell Norton's stint as Topeka West football coach has come to at least a temporary end after just six games into his first season.
West principal John Buckendorff released a statement to football parents earlier this week, stating in part that "Head Football Coach Russell Norton is currently dealing with a personal situation requiring him to step away from his duties. We have requested that everyone respect his privacy at this time.''
Russell Norton has stepped away from his duties as Topeka West's football coach to deal with a personal situation according to a statement released by the school. [File photo/TSN]
The statement went on to state that defensive coordinator Tre Parker will step in as the Chargers' interim coach.
An attempt to reach Norton by text was unsuccessful.
Topeka West will be at Hummer Sports Park on Friday night to host Shawnee Heights in a 7 p.m. United Kansas Conference contest.
Norton coached Topeka West to a 1-5 record this fall, with the Chargers coming off their lone victory, a 26-21 UKC road win at Kansas City-Turner last Friday night.
Norton was named Topeka West's head coach in early June after Charger coach Ryan Kelly stepped down as coach to accept a position on Washburn University's football staff..
Norton previously coached several seasons at the college level before moving over to the high school level, including his most recent stint at Oskaloosa High (1-8) in 2021.
Prior taking the Oskaloosa job Norton coached Southern Valley High School in Oxford, Neb.
Topeka West posted a 3-6 record last fall and is in its first season as a member of the United Kansas Conference this season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3-3, 3-2 UKC) at TOPEKA WEST (1-5, 1-5 UKC)
At Hummer Sports Park
Shawnee Heights junior Allen Baughman (5) is 13 yards away from the 1,000-yard rushing mark entering Friday's game vs. Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
Topeka West picked up its first win of the season last Friday at Kansas City-Turner, with the Chargers taking a 26-21 United Kansas Conference decision over the Bears. Shawnee Heights is coming off a 35-6 loss to undefeated Class 4A power Wamego. T-Bird junior Allen Baughman carried the ball 18 times for 84 yards against Wamego and enters Friday night with 987 yards and 10 touchdowns on 140 attempts.
Hayden sophomore quarterback Jett Wahlmeier passed for 189 yards and four touchdowns in Friday night's 38-0 Class 3A district win over Royal Valley. [File photo/TSN]
HAYDEN (6-0, 3-0 district) at HOLTON (5-1, 2-0 district)
Hayden remained unbeaten with a 38-0 home district romp past Royal Valley last Friday while Holton posted a 48-17 non-district win over Rossville. Hayden sophomore quarterback Jett Wahlmeier completed 10 of 12 passes for 189 yards against Royal Valley, including four touchdowns to sophomore Jensen Schrickel, who had five catches for 147 yards. Wildcat junior Finn Dunshee carried the ball six times for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Seaman senior Bryson Vawter rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings' 56-13 UKC win over Leavenworth last Friday. [File photo/TSN]
BASEHOR-LINWOOD (5-1, 4-1 UKC) at SEAMAN (4-1, 4-1 UKC)
Friday's game is an important one not only in the United Kansas Conference standings but also as far as seedings for the Class 5A East playoffs. Seaman is coming off a 56-13 UKC win over Leavenworth while Basehor-Linwood took a 32-26 league win over Lansing. Viking sophomore quarterback Max Huston completed 18 of 26 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 68 yards and three TDs on nine attempts. Senior Bryson Vawter carried the ball 21 times for 149 yards and two TDs while senior Jaxson Thomas had 14 carries for 140 yards.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden girls tennis coach Christy Sheetz doesn't feel like her sophomore state champ, Ainzley Zulueta, ever displays any real nervousness when she's on the court, a trait that has served her well over the first two seasons of her high school career.
Hayden sophomore Ainzley Zulueta will be shooting for her second straight Class 4A state singles title Friday and Saturday in Prairie Village. [FIle photo/TSN]
"That girl is as cool as a cucumber,'' Sheetz said. "There's something about the way that she is that the more pressure she has the better she does. That's pretty rare. I think she almost thrives in it.''
Zulueta said the truth is that she does get nervous, especially in a big match, but said she is usually able to do a pretty good job of hiding, and controlling, her emotions.
That will certainly be the objective Friday and Saturday when the Hayden star shoots for her second straight Class 4A singles championship at Prairie Village's Harmon Park Tennis Complex.
"I just don't think I show it,'' said Zulueta, who will take a 24-2 record into this year's state meet. "I try to control my emotions whenever I'm out there, but I'm definitely nervous, especially for state this year.''
Zulueta breezed through state as a freshman, but said there's likely to be more pressure this weekend due to last year's success.
"I don't think it was as extreme as it is now because last year no one really knew who I was,'' Zulueta said. "I could kind of play a little bit more freely but this year people are kind of expecting like a repeat so it's more pressure on me to perform even better than I did last year.''
The Hayden star feels like she's up to the task.
"I just try to get over it,'' said Zulueta, whose only two losses this fall came against defending Class 6A state champ Jill Harkin of Manhattan. "I experiennce this whenever I play USTA matches and all that so it's not a new feeling on anything, but it's still a feeling that I have to overcome and it's still tough but I've got to get through it because I realize at the end of the day this is important and I need to just give it my all.''
Zulueta said the easiest way to get rid of the butterflies is to get out on court and pound a few balls.
"The nervousness does disappear after hitting a few balls wiith my opponent or after like two games in,'' she said. "That's when I start to loosen up a little bit more. I think I just need to ease into it.''
Zulueta will have plenty of company in the state tournament, with Hayden sweeping singles, doubles and team championships in last Saturday's regional tournament while qualifying its entire team for state.
Christy Sheetz's Hayden team qualified all six members for the Class 4A state meet, including regional doubles champions Lauren Sandstrom (left) and Emily Sheetz (middle). [File photo/TSN]
The doubles team of junior Lauren Sandstrom and sophomore Emily Sheetz, who placed seventh in 4A last season, are 30-4 on the season while winning city and regional titles.
