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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural’s gruesome schedule this week didn’t stop the Junior Blues from shutting out Junction City on Friday night to cap a wire-to-wire Centennial League championship softball run.
The Junior Blues, 19-1, were able to tally 31 runs on the board by the end of the day at Lake Shawnee on Rural’s Senior Night.
Washburn Rural's softball team listens to coach Liz Stover after wrapping up an 18-2 regular season with a twinbill sweep over Junction City. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Washburn Rural scored 16 runs in game one and 15 runs in game two. The barrage of runs forced each game to end in three innings by the way of the run rule.
Washburn Rural playe seven games on the week, creating many challenges for the Junior Blues before the Class 6A regionals next week.
Washburn Rural accepted this week’s challenge and ended it in a loud way.
“They showed a lot of grit today after a long week,” Washburn Rural coach Liz Stover said. “Our games on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday were tough, but they pulled through. If they can keep up this rhythm going into next week, that will be good for all of us heading into regionals.”
One of the biggest stars in Friday night’s blowout sweep was junior pitcher Emmerson Cope. Cope got the win and the no-hitter in the circle in Game 1. Cope pitched all three innings and fanned four batters.
“This game meant a lot for me going into regionals,” Cope said. “I felt good going out there and taking care of business. I think today will help us going into next week. If we can carry over what we did today, we will be good.”
In both games combined, Cope had five runs batted in including a double and a three-run opposite-field home run giving her another stellar outing.
Cope wasn’t the only Junior Blue that crushed a ball past the fence on Friday night. Mckenna Schuler and Mikaila Herring both hit three-run home runs. Schuler and Herring, who are both seniors, were able to crush home runs in their last regular-season game.
“It was my first home run and it felt great,” Herring said. “Having that big home run today has me really hyped up and excited for next week. Our hitting has been great for us this year. If the offense keeps playing this well, regionals will be fun.”
In Game 1, the Washburn Rural offense started off the day in a good way.
In the first inning, Rural put up two runs on three hits. After Cope and Baylee Dial got on base, Emily Louderback plated one run while an error scored another.
Five runs would come home in the bottom of the second inning thanks to quality hitting and four Junction City errors. Cope and Trenna Whitmore drove in two runs with their hits while the errors took care of the rest as the Junior Blues took a seven-run lead in just two innings.
Washburn Rural’s offense nearly doubled its incredible run total from the second inning into the bottom of the third inning. Luckily for Rural, Junction City would commit four more errors assisting the Junior Blues. In Rural’s nine-run third inning, they collected just three hits.
After five runs came in off of Junction City’s struggling defense, Schuler would hit a three-run home run.
Rural’s nine-run inning would end the contest with a 16-0 victory.
Seniors Campbell Bagshaw, Baylee Dial, Whitmore, Schuler, Emily Louderback, Ryanne Rapp and Herring were honored in between the doubleheader.
Game 2 was nearly identical to the opener. While Junction City played much better, Washburn Rural’s offense was stellar.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A year ago, Topeka West's Ian and Miles Cusick made their Class 5A state tennis debut, with a tough quartefinal loss derailing the Cusicks' state championship hopes on the way to a ninth-place doubles finish.
Back in the state field Friday, the Cusicks rolled past that quarterinal stumbling block and into Saturday's 9 a.m. state doubles semifinals at Kossover Tennis Center.
Topeka West doubles players Miles Cusick (center) and Ian Cusick (right) talk to West coach Kurt Davids during Friday's Class 5A state quarterinal match. The Cusicks advanced to the semiinals with a 6-0, 6-1 win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Now 35-4 on the season, the Topeka West juniors opened this year's state bid with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel's Gavin Bhargava and Johnathan McIlvain and then followed that up with a 6-0, 6-1 quartefinal victory over Maize South's Hudson Grizzell and Noah Rodriguez
The Cusicks said that with a year of state tournament experience under their belts they felt a lot more comfortable on Friday.
"I think I was 10 times more comfortable,'' Ian Cusick said. "Improving as a player makes you feel more comfortable on the court and then just knowing how its going to go and seeing all these really great players, I know what to expect.''
Miles Cusick agreed.
"We're just a lot more comfortable and it helps that we're at home,'' Miles said. "It's really cool to have a lot of people here to support us and we're excited to play tomorrow.''
The Cusicks said that getting past the quarterfinals was a big confidence-builder.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
City athletes won 20 events in Thursday's Centennial League track and field championships at Emporia's Welch Stadium, including double gold medalists Taylin Stallbaumer and Bethany Druse of Seaman, Zach Sulzen-Watson of Washburn Rural, Tanner Newkirk and Jake Muller of Hayden and Tre Richardson of Highland Park.
Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman
Bethany Druse, Seaman
Tanner Newkirk, Hayden
Jake Muller, Hayden
Zach Sulzen-Watson, Washburn Rural
Tre Richardson, Highland Park
Stallbaumer swept the girls league titles in the 100-meter and 300 hurdles, clocking a time of 15.86 seconds in the 100s and 51.02 in the 300s, while Druse won the 800 meters in 2 minutes, 17.38 seconds and ran on the Vikings' winning 4 x 800 relay (10:38.26) with Anna Becker, Savannah Sampson and Taylie Heston as Seaman finished second in the girls team standings.
Newkirk won the 1,600 in 4:13.86 and the 800 in 1:55.74 while Muller won the 300 hurdles in 39.80 and ran on Hayden's winning 4 x 400 relay (3:27.63) along with Ethan Florence, Ryan Rochford and Jensen Schrickel, helping the Wildcats post a second-place boys team finish.
Z. Sulzen-Watson won the shot put at 51-11.50 and the discus at 166-1 while Richardson won the long jump at 23-2.25 and the triple jump at 46-5.
Other city girls league champions included Seaman's Maggie Lesmeister in the javelin (112-5), Topeka West's MaKinsey Jones in the high jump (5-0), Washburn Rural's Rylee Ismert in the 1,600 (5:32.18), Rural's Madeline Carter in the 3,200 (11:38.17) and Highland Park's Victoria Reed in the 400 (59.76).
Other city boys league champions included Washburn Rural's Josh Sulzen-Watson in the javelin (160-4), Highland Park's KeiJuan Johnson in the 110 hurdles (14.57) and Seaman's Jace Moore in the 3,200 (10:13.34).
Centennial League Track and Field Championships
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Tae Thomas ended her senior regular season the way she thought she was going to with her three goals in Topeka High’s 7-1 Senior Night soccer win over Emporia at Hummer Sports Park.
“I told myself before the game that it would be nice to get a hat trick in my last (regular-season) game,” Thomas said. “These past four years now have been great. Being on this team is a different environment compared to the other sports that I have played. I wouldn't be where I am today without all of the great teammates helping me get all of these wonderful opportunities in soccer and in life.
“Soccer holds a special place in my heart and it’s going to hurt when it’s all said and done.”
Tae Thomas scored a three-goal hat trick on Senior Night as Topeka High rolled to a 7-1 win over Emporia Thursday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
High’s Senior Night was a special night for everyone involved, as four out of five Trojan seniors were able to score a goal to help cap off their time as a member of the Topeka High soccer team.
“Tonight was just so special for our senior group,” Topeka High coach Derek Snook said. “We were looking to our seniors to score goals for us from the get-go. Tae’s night was huge and everyone else played great. This was a great way to end Senior Night and I am proud of what they have done for us.”
The Trojans finished the regular season with an 11-5 record.
“The seniors that are leaving are my best friends, so the day has been emotional for us,” Cierra Carranza said. “Seeing them about to go is just a shock. We’ve had so much chemistry over the last few years. The seniors are going to go succeed wherever they go next. I want to go see them grow up more and succeed, but I will miss them every day.”
High couldn’t have pictured a better send-off for their seniors and a segue into regionals after taking a couple of tough losses against Seaman and Washburn Rural.
“We did some great things today,” Snook said. “Hopefully, we found ourselves again. We were rolling and winning a lot before those two losses and I think after tonight our girls put us in a great spot again. We are playing for each other again instead of playing individually.
“This should get us on track and ready to go for regionals.”
After scoring two goals in the previous two games, High was able to dominate Emporia with seven in one night.
The Trojans' defense also stepped up in a big way against the Spartans. The defense allowed nine combined goals in their previous small losing streak, but only gave up one on Thursday night.
High’s career night started 1:15 into the first half when Luxanna Sands would set up Thomas for a quick goal.
Sands would drive in a goal for herself 6:22 later. She would score by a way of a header. At this point, it seemed like Topeka High was back.
Topeka High would add on one more goal before the halftime break. Maribelle Belaire-Serna would get an assist from Carranza and the Trojans would have an overwhelming three-goal lead going into the locker room at the half.
Similar to Thomas, Adrianne “Ace” Caracioni would score a goal right when the first whistle blew. 1:48 in the second half, Caracioni would increase the lead to four when she knocked in a penalty kick.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Coming off of a city championship last week, Washburn Rural added the Centennial League swimming dhampionship on Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
While Washburn Rural couldn’t secure any individual first-place finishes, the Junior Blues were able to finish in the top five a dozen times, boosting the Junior Blues to a 418-401 win over Manhattan in the team race.
Washburn Rural's swim team celebrates in the Capitol Federal Natatorium pool on Thursday after winning the Centennial League championship. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Washburn Rural's swim coaches dive into the pool Thursday to celebrate the Centennial League title with their team. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
“They met all of our expectations today,” Washburn Rural coach Bob Burdick said. “They swam well today and dropped times. The girls raced well today. We missed a few first places by a smidge of a second. Manhattan gave us a heck of a meet. They were competing with us side by side. Manhattan was close, but we prevailed and I’m happy we did.”
A total of seven Washburn Rural swimmers’ earned either first-team or second-team all-league recognition.
Seaman finished in third place and posted six first-place finishes to gear up for city competition. Vikings Gabby Grace, Tauren Walz, Joslynn Grace and Avery Walz’s efforts earned them first-team all-league berths.
“All of the good competition motivated the team and me today,” Gabby Grace said. “That motivation will carry us into state and hopefully we can go do our best. Personally, I want to try and place in the top five in my events at state. As a team, we want to place in the top three at state.
“Individually and as a team we still have goals we want to accomplish.”
Four-time Topeka West state title winner Kadence Jeffries continued to be one of the most dominant swimmers in the state with a first-team all-league spot and two league titles in the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.38) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:03.76).
“I feel incredibly proud of myself,” Jeffries said. “Going into today, I was just trying to get as close to the times I had set last week as close as possible. The fact that I was able to cut off some time today just feels incredible. I’d like to cut off a second of each of my times going into state. I’m still trying to give it my all and do the best I can.”
Class 6A’s No. 1-ranked diver, Brianna Devlin of Topeka High, kept rolling with her stellar season.
Devlin won the Centennial League diving championship with her diving score of 461.95. Devlin wasn’t satisfied with her league championship win, but she’ll take it.
“Today wasn’t my best day, but it wasn’t my worst day,” Devlin said. “This year has been a long journey of events. When I started the season, I didn’t expect to end up as a league champion. I’m taking each day at a time and whatever happens, happens.”
The Class 6A and 5A-1A state championships will take place at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center on May 19-21.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
