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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brad Johnston's first Class 6A girls regional tennis tournament as Washburn Rural's head coach was a great one, with the Junior Blues qualifying their entire team for next week's state tournament while taking home the regional team championship.
Washburn Rural seniors Meredith Kucera (left) and Kate Fritz won a Class 6A regional doubles title Friday at Kossover Tennis Center, leading the Junior Blues to the regional team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural seniors Kate Fritz and Meredith Kucera led the way with the regional doubles title while senior Hailey Beck and junior Claire Ireland added a third-place doubles finish and junior Mena Di Marzio and senior Kayla Peter added third and fourth-place finishes in singles.
"I've got to love first year and we come in and we get all four (entries) in the semifinals and it's the girls, it's not me,'' Johnston said. "It's all what they put the work in doing and it's the time they spend on the court outside of what I do.''
Fritz and Kucera followed up Monday's Centennial League doubles title with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Topeka High seniors Haley Carpenter and Adisyn Caryl in Friday's regional final as the Junior Blues avenged their one-point loss to Manhattan in the league meet with a one-point regional team win over the Indians (21-20).
Beck and Ireland dropped a 6-3, 6-2 semifinal decision to Fritz and Kucera in the semifinals but bounced back to take third with a 6-1, 6-3 decision over Manhattan while DiMarzio and Peter finished third and fourth place in singles after both players dropped semifinal matches to Manhattan.
"Our (No. 2) doubles team, this is the first matches they got to play and No. 1 doubles is rolling right now and everybody feels like they're kind of hitting their peak,'' Johnston said.
Topeka High also had plenty to celebrate Friday, with freshman Madeline Deters and junior McCall Beall finishing fifth and sixth in singles to join Caryl and Carpenter as state qualifiers.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic made it into the Ichabod record book in last Saturday' 42-35 MIAA loss to Emporia State, setting a single-game record with 35 pass completions while going 35 of 48 on the day for 334 yards and four touchdown passes.
Washburn sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic set a single-game school record with 35 pass completions in the Ichabods' 42-35 MIAA loss to Emporia State last Saturday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But while the record is something the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder may appreciate at some point, right now his only focus is on getting the Ichabods back in the victory column, beginning with Saturday night's 7 o'clock road contest at Fort Hays State.
"I'm just worried about wins and losses and that's what's most important,'' Simoncic said. "You worry about wins and losses and the team. The other stuff will come along with that. I just want to win games.''
Washburn is a respectable 3-2 entering Saturday's game, with 7 and 8-point losses, and Simoncic said the Ichabod offense is getting closer to being the unit it needs to be.
"Starting fast and getting that first first down is our biggest thing right now.,'' he said. "Usually when we get that first first down and get things going, then it usually leads to pretty good things and I think we've shown that in previous games.''
In his first season as Washburn's full-time starter, Simoncic said he's becoming more and more comfortable in that role and being a leader for the Ichabods.
Through five games the Smithville, Mo. native has completed 112 of 186 pass attempts for 1,438 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
With Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Topeka West, Shawnee Heights claimed the United Kansas Conference soccer title on its home turf at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
Shawnee Heights, which improved to 7-4-1 overall, went wire to wire for the UKC crown, winning all seven of its matches in the conference.
Shawnee Heights senior Jordan Garvin scored the game's first goal in Thursday's 3-0 UKC win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Jovany Retana scored a goal in Thursday's 3-0 win over Topeka West that clinched the UKC title for the T-Birds. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Jesus Carrillo Cardona (7) battles Topeka West freshman Giancarlo Valenzuela (2) for the ball in the T-Birds' 3-0 UKC win Thursday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Offensively the Thunderbirds have outscored United Kansas Conference opponents by a 20-3 margin. Jordan Garvin, Jovany Retana, Jesus Carrillo-Cardona and company are making it a complex task for the opposition to defend them.
“Sometimes I think I give too much credit to our possession and not enough to what our offense can do,” Shawnee Heights coach Nic Simons said. “There are times where it looks like we can never miss. We do a lot of great things through the midfield which has helped us win some games this year.”
The Shawnee Heights offense has been complimented by its high-flying defense. In its seven-game undefeated conference streak, the Thunderbirds have shutout five of their opponents, including Topeka West.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's volleyball team honored its lone senior, Jenessa Broxterman, in grand style on Senior Night Thursday at the Bueltel Activities Complex.
Broxterman played a key role as the Wildcats outlasted Topeka West in a back-and-forth five-set match, posting a 25-17, 21-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-12 dual victory.
Hayden senior volleyball player Jenessa Broxterman, flanked by her parents Stacy and Justin Broxterman, is honored on Senior Night Thursday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Jenessa Broxterman (right), Hayden volleyball's lone senior, is hugged by Wildcat teammates while her younger sister, Carsyn (left), looks on. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"This was huge,'' Broxterman said. "This gives an undefeated record at home, 2-0, so it feels great and getting another win on the board makes it better for sub-state,'' Broxterman said.
Broxterman said that being able to win on Senior Night was icing on the cake.
"It makes it so much better,'' she said.
Hayden coach Jim Davis also made sure that the Broxterman sisters got the opportunity to play together for the only time this season, which was an added bonus.
Jenessa's freshman sister, Carsyn, suffered a season-ending ACL injury before the season started, but Davis inserted Caryn in the Hayden lineup for the first two points of the fifth set.
"(Davis) really wanted to see us play together and I think that's what he decided to do,'' Broxterman said. "It was awesome. I didn't think I was going to be able to play with her this year because she's a freshman and I'm a senior but it was really nice.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 12-ranked Washburn University volleyball returns home this weekend to host Missouri Western on Friday before wrapping up the week against No. 23-ranked Central Missouri on Saturday.
![Washburn sophomore Jalyn Stevenson (10) is coming off a big performance in Tuesday's five-set win at Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]](/images/aa-images/JalynStevenson4.jpg)
Washburn sophomore Jalyn Stevenson (10) is coming off a big performance in Tuesday's five-set win at Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Friday's match is set for 6 p.m. while Saturday's match will get under way at 2 p.m.
Washburn is coming off a big five-set victory at No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday to improve to 14-3 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA.
Missouri Western (5-12, 2-7 MIAA) and Central Misouri (11-6, 6-2 MIAA) faced each other on Tuesday, with the Jennies coming away with the sweep.
The Griffons have not won a true road match this year and are 0-4.
The conference standings are tightly contested between six teams as Central Oklahoma (8-2 MIAA) leads the way and Pittsburg State (6-4 MIAA) is sixth with four teams sandwiched in between.
Washburn is currently fifth with a 6-3 mark.
Saturday's match will be Washburn's fourth match against a Top-25 ranked team. The Ichabods are 2-1 so far against ranked opponents.
UCM is 3-2 in road matches.
The Ichabods have played only three matches in Lee Arena this fall and are 2-1.
