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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the second straight season Emporia State opened up a big lead over Washburn University and for the second year in a row the Ichabods mounted a furious late-game rally that came up short.
Emporia State, which has now won eight of its past 10 games against Washburn, jumped out to a commanding 42-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter on Saturday before holding on for a 42-35 MIAA victory at Yager Stadium.
Emporia State quarterback Braden Gleason passed for 300 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday's 42-35 win at Washburn. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Former Topeka High standout Corey Thomas (4) tries to get past Washburn defenders Brent Peavler (33) and Christian Clark (25) in Saturday's 42-35 Hornet win over the Ichabods. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn, 3-2 overall and in the MIAA, cut its deficit to seven with 1:54 remaining on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Simoncic to James Letcher Jr., but the Hornets, also 3-2, 3-2, recovered the ensuing onsides kick attempt and were able to run out the clock.
"We fought hard at the end, but we let them get too far ahead,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said. "They're a good team. They can frustrate you and they definitely frustrated us.''
The Hornets took a 7-0 lead with an 11-play, 78-yard scoring drive, capped by a 7-yard Braden Gleason touchdown pass to Tommy Zimmerman with 7:21 left in the first quarter.
Emporia State made the score 14-0 on a 16-yard TD pass from Gleason to Tyler Kahmann with 6:16 remaining before halftime, but Washburn responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive to get on the board with a 1-yard run from Simoncic with 1:06 left in the half.
Washburn received the second-half kickoff but the Ichabods muffed the kickoff and started their drive at the 3-yard-line.
The Hornets forced a three and out and then took advantage of the short field for a 31-yard touchdown drive, getting an 8-yard touchdown run from Billy Ross Jr. with 11:46 left in the third quarter.
Emporia State made the score 28-7 on a 17-yard Gleason pass to Jaylen Varner before Washburn got back in the game with a 77-yard TD pass from Simoncic to Peter Afful.
The Hornets scored back-to-back TDs to open up a 28-point advantage, with Canaan Brooks scoring on a 15-yard run and Gleason connecting with former Topeka High standout Corey Thomas on a 28-yard scoring pass that proved to be the difference with 13:16 left in the fourth quarter.
Thomas, who had four catches for 60 yards, said it felt good to come back to Topeka and help the Hornets get a second straight win over the Ichabods.
"It's a great feeling, honestly,'' Thomas said. "I have a lot of respect for Washburn and they have a great team over there. They're a lot like us in a lot of ways so it's a great win.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls the opened the championship month of the 2022 cross country season with a decisive win in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Community Park.
Individual runner-up Ryin Miller led the way as the Vikings put all of their top five runners in the top 11 spots en route to a 34-59 team victory over city rival Washburn Rural.
Seaman freshman Ryin Miller finished second in Saturday's Seaman Invitational cross country meet, leading the Vikings to the girls team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Madeline Carter finished third in Saturday's Seaman Invitational, pacing the Junior Blues to a runner-up team finish. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Miller, a freshman, clocked a five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 02.61 seconds to finish second behind Piper senior Grace Hanson, who won the race in 18:27.88.
Seaman also got a sixth-place finish from senior Bethany Druse (20:26.48) while senior Leah Spurlock (20:38.61), sophomore Stella Appelhanz (20:51.54) and junior Savannah Sampson (20:54.95) finished ninth, 10th and 11th.
Seaman sophomore Anna Becker added a 13th-place finish in 21:25.65.
"We ran well and I'm real happy about that,'' Seaman coach Rick Brading said. "Ryin Miller had a great day Leah Spurlock had a really good day today as our third runner.''
Brading was happy with the balance the Vikings displayed in Saturday's win.
"Our girls understand that as each individual runner runs better our team score's going to be better,'' Brading said. "Plus, kids compete against their own teammates, so that helps us.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With the biggest cross country meets of the year rapidly approaching, Topeka West cross country star Lenny Njoroge is comfortable with every aspect of his career.
And that continues to show in Njororoge's results, with the West senior notching his fourth individual win in five races on the year in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Community Park.
Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge clocked a winning time of 15:45.96 in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Community Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel finished second in the Seaman Invitational, leading the T-Birds to the boys team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Njoroge, who has not finished lower than second this fall, captured Saturday's title in a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 45.96 seconds, leading a one-two-three individual finish by city runners.
"This year I feel so comfortable,'' Njoroge said. "I'm in good shape and during that race I was just trying to cruise and push the pace when I could.''
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Silver Lake snapped it's two-year losing drought against Rossville with Friday night’s 22-21 electrifying War On 24 overtime victory in Silver Lake.
With everything on the line, Silver Lake coach Logan Pegram put all of his chips on the table and went for the 2-point conversion for the win in overtime. Quarterback Tanner Martin connected on a bullet pass with Troy Heiman in the end zone to give Silver Lake the victory.
Silver Lake junior quarterback Tanner Martin threw for a TD and the game-winning 2-point coversion in overtime to give the Eagles a 22-21 win over Rossville Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Silver Lake's Troy Heiman (11) caught a TD pass and the game-winning 2-point converion to give the Eagles a 22-21 overtime win over Rossville. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“When I was in the huddle, I asked, 'Who wants to go win it?' ” Pegram said. “I said, 'Troy Heiman, do you want to go win this game?' He looked at me and said, 'sure.' I said, 'Say yes, bud.' He then said, 'Yes sir.' ”
Silver Lake was trailing by 14 points halfway through the fourth quarter, but the Eagles were able to make the correct adjustments to put themselves in a position to win.
“We put the game in the seniors’ hands,” Pegram said. “Our seniors and team stepped up to make big plays. The win feels great and I love the way the seniors stepped up.”
The Eagles had to scratch and claw against the defending Class 2A state champions. The win wasn’t handed to them, they had to fight until the end.
It wasn’t the prettiest offensive performance in the first half by the Eagles. The first play of the game by Silver Lake was a bobbled snap, coughing up the football 11 seconds into the rivalry contest.
Rossville’s defense forced several fourth-down stops and the Dawgs did a stellar job of keeping Silver Lake’s star players in check.
The Bulldawgs perfected the “bend don’t break'' style of defense in the first half. Rossville prevented Silver Lake from scoring twice in the red zone and had an interception by Trenton Barker.
The Eagles' defense matched Rossville’s intensity and grit. Silver Lake forced a Rossville fumble in the end zone and also had an interception in the end zone by Elijah Bames.
Rossville would overcome the soaring Eagle defense with a 6-yard touchdown by Braiden Hensley to give the Dawgs a 7-point lead with 2:45 to go in the second quarter.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Coming off a big road victory, Washburn University football returns home Saturday to face Emporia State in a 4 p.m. Hall of Fame contest at Yager Stadium.
Washburn sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic has thrown for 11 touchdowns entering Saturday's 4 p.m. MIAA contest against Emporia State at Yager Stadium. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Saturday's meeting will be the 118th all-time between the two teams, with Washburn 3-1 overall and in the MIAA and Emporia State 2-2 and 2-2.
Washburn bounced back from a 21-13 home loss to Nebraska-Kearney in Week 3 with a 38-31 overtime victory at Missouri Western last Saturday while Emporia State is coming off a 14-13 loss to No. 14-ranked Pittsburg State last Saturday in Emporia.
The Washburn-Emporia State series is the second-most played series in NCAA Division II history as South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State have reclassified to NCAA Division II. Those two schools have met 134 times dating back to 1895.
The Hornets lead the all-time series 58-53-6 and have won seven of the last nine meetings dating back to 2012. Prior to that the Ichabods ran off eight straight wins over the Hornets from 2004 to 2011.
Emporia State topped Washburn 35-30 a year ago at Welch Stadium as the Ichabods' late-game comeback rally from a 35-10 deficit coming up short.
