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Created: 14 September 2022

By ISAAC DEER

TopSports.news

Both Topeka West and Seaman’s soccer teams owned the defense in Tuesday night’s United Kansas Conference double overtime 0-0 draw at Seaman.

The goalies claimed their territories in the boxes, defenders were walls and the effort shown by both schools were notable.

Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge (right) tries to advance the ball against a pair of Seaman defenders in Tuesday's 0-0 United Kansas Conference tie. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]

Seaman goalie Ayden Thompson and Topeka West goalie Giann Perez were impossible to score on.

“Ayden (Thompson) is rock solid back there,” Seaman coach Tim Nussbaum said. “He is our anchor defensively and we go where he goes. Ayden is a great communicator and he owns his box. What Ayden does well is exactly what you want in a goalie. He gives it his all and he’s a great leader. I think that showed tonight.

Although Topeka West wasn’t able to net any goals against a tough Seaman backline, the Chargers are making great strides to where they want to be as a program according to West coach Josh Kutter.

“We have to keep working on our focus and growth,” Kutter said. “Lately we have been playing the right way. We didn’t get the finishes we wanted to so far this week, but we are heading in the right direction. I like what I’m seeing in this team.”

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Created: 14 September 2022

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

By her own admission, Seaman volleyball coach Tatiana Dowling wasn't real happy with her team after a disappointing 1-3 performance in last Saturday's Lansing Invitational.

But the Vikings got back on Dowling's good side Tuesday night at Topeka West, posting a pair of straight-set sweeps over West and Shawnee Heights in their first-ever United Kansas Conference matches.

Seaman's volleyball team celebrates a point in Tuesday's straight-set win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peteron/TSN]

Seaman, now 8-4 on the season, opened the night with a 25-20, 25-15 win over Heights before knocking off host West in its final match, 25-17, 25-16.

"We came back and we had a really tough practice on Monday,'' Dowling said. "They worked hard, we worked them hard, and I felt like it was a good step in the right direction for us to get to where we wanted to be today.''

And overall, Dowling liked what she saw out of her team Tuesday night.

"For the most part, I felt pretty good,'' Dowling said. "I think that we still had a couple of times where we had lulls in the middle, where we kind of let up, but getting two wins was a good way to start off league.''

The Vikings, who have played all season thus far without injured junior standout Taylin Stallbaumer, jumped out to a 6-1 first-set advantage over Shawnee Heights and went up 12-5 on a kill from sophomore Kinley Wilhelm and later went in front 19-9 and 20-12 on a kill from sophomore Meagan Mills.

Shawnee Heights rallied late in the set and was within 23-19 after a kill from senior Emily Loy before Seaman closed out the win on a Mills kill.

Seaman also took control early in the second set with the T-Birds, taking leads of 4-0, 14-2 and 18-5 on a kill from junior Brooklyn Gormley.

Heights battled back to within 22-15 on a Loy kill before Seaman ran off the final three points of the match, including a kill from Gormley and an ace from sophomore Jaida Stallbaumer.

Seaman jumped out to a big early lead over Topeka West in the first set behind a long service run from senior Laynee Brown and went on to build a 15-3 cushion before weathering a late West run in its eight-point win.

West jumped out early in the second set on a kill from senior Makinsey Jones and led as late as 12-11 after a Jones kill before Seaman scored five straight points, capped by back-to-back service aces from freshman Ava Huston to go up, 16-12.

The Chargers cut their deficit to 16-14 before Seaman got a kill from Gormley, two aces from J. Stallbaumer and a kill from sophomore Ava Esser to take a 20-14 lead.

Seaman closed out the win on a pair of kills from Esser.

Shawnee Heights senior Peyton Hack (right) goes up for a kill in Tuesday's win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Shawnee Heights, now 4-3, went 1-1 on the night, outlasting Topeka West in three sets in the T-Birds' opening match.

The T-Birds built leads of 15-3 and 21-7 over the Chargers in the first set before closing out the 10-point win on a block from sophomore Kaydence Torrez and senior Haylee Coffman.

Topeka West bounced back in the second set to force a third set, riding a big set from Jones to take the 25-23 decision.

West was within a point in the third set at 22-21 before the T-Birds ran off the final three points of the match. 

Shawnee Heights coach Sami Kearney said she saw multiple bright spots Tuesday night, but said the T-Birds spotted Seaman too big of leads in both sets.

"We got stuck in some rotations and couldn't fight our way out of it and mentally weren't there,'' Kearney said. "Something to improve on obviously is to make sure we can find a way to get out of those rotations and not get down those points.'' 

MATCH RESULTS

Shawnee Heights def. Topeka West, 25-15, 23-25, 25-21; Seaman def. Shawnee Heights, 25-20, 25-15; Seaman def. Topeka West, 25-17, 25-16.

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Created: 13 September 2022

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

For as long as she can remember, Makinsey Jones has been a Kansas State fan.

Now the Topeka West senior volleyball star is set to become a member of the Wildcat family.

Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones (10), celebrating a kill earlier this season, has made an oral commitment to Kansas State's volleyball program. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Jones, a star 6-foot-1 hitter, confirmed to TopSports.news Tuesday night that she has made an oral commitment to Suzie Fritz's K-State program and plans to sign with the Wildcats during the NCAA signing period.

"My family went there so I've always liked K-State and I feel like it's a really good family there and everybody there, they're so welcoming,'' Jones said. "When I'm at West and I'm playing, that's how I feel like it is at K-State.''

Kansas State made an offer in July for Jones to join the program as a walk-on before recently upgrading that to a scholarship offer.

"I went there on a visit last week and I committed last Friday,'' Jones said.

Jones said she had also been considering NCAA Division II power Washburn University as well as Hutchinson Community College, but when Kansas State offered a scholarship that sealed the deal.

"I had some other options, but I feel like that (a scholarship) is what really helped,'' Jones said.

Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones, a returning All-Shawnee County first-team volleyball pick, has orally committed to Kansas State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

As a junior, Jones earned first-team All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League recognition after helping lead the Chargers to a breakthrough 27-10 season.

Jones registered 246 kills on the season for Topeka West while also finishing with 51 solo blocks as the Chargers put together what is believed to be the best season in school history.

With her college choice out of the way Jones said she's now looking forward to making the most of her senior year at Topeka West.

"It's a relief,'' she said. "It feels like now I can breathe and I can relax a little more.

"I want to make first team again and since we're in a new league (United Kansas Conference) it might be a little more challenging.''

Jones, also a Class 5A state medalist in track and field as a junior, said she also wants to continue to make improvements in her game as she prepares for college volleyball.

"I just want to be more aware on the court and with my placement,'' Jones said..

 

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Created: 12 September 2022

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

There was no shortage of scoring opportunities for Topeka High's soccer team Monday night against Topeka West, beginning early in the contest.

But it took a while for the Trojans to find the back of the net before turning the tide with three second-half goals in a 4-2 non-league victory over the Chargers at Hummer Sports Park.

Topeka West's Lenny Njoroge (left) and Topeka High' Chris Gomez race for the ball Monday night at Hummer Sports Park. Both players scored goals in the Trojans' 4-2 win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Topeka High's Alexis Salas-Garcia (left) advances the ball against Topeka West's Harrison Lane in Monday's 4-2 Trojan win over the Chargers. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Topeka High, which improved to 3-2 on the year, trailed twice in the game, including a 2-1 halftime deficit, before dominating the second half.

"We did find a way,'' Topeka High coach Derek Snook said. "I went ahead and threw out a new formation at them because these boys kept saying they wanted to attack, wanted to attack, wanted to attack and quite honestly we haven't hit the back of the net with much regularity.

"We've had our chances, just like early on when we missed a couple of point-blanks, missed a couple of passes here and there and then just go spun out defensively. Topeka West always has runners up front and they did a great job of counter-attacking.''  

Topeka West (0-6) drew first blood at the 29:05 mark of the first half on a shot from junior Isaac Gonzalez-Talavera off an assist from junior Brendan Komma, but Topeka High squared the match with 21:13 left in the half on a goal from junior Chris Gomez.

Senior Lenny Njoroge made the score 2-1 West with 16:39 left in the half and the Chargers maintained that advantage through the remainder of the half.

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