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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn baseball is moving on in the MIAA Tournament after defeating Central Oklahoma, 6-2, in Game 2 of the MIAA best-of-three quarterfinal series.
The rest of the conference tournament will be a double elimination bracket hosted by Central Oklahoma Thursday through Sunday.
Washburn will play Central Missouri at 12 p.m. Thursday.
Former Washburn Rural standout Dalton Huggins set Washburn's career save record as the Ichabods advanced in the MIAA Tournament. [File photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Washburn Rural product Dalton Huggins made Washburn program history in Saturday's win, becoming the all-time career saves leader for the Ichabods as he recorded his 11th save since joining the Ichabods in 2020.
After the Bronchos (29-21) went down in order in the first inning, they benefited from some free passes in the second inning and loaded up the bases with a walk and back-to-back hit by pitches. A third hit batter of the inning brought in the first run of the game. Braden Babcock took over on the mound and got out of the inning with a strikeout and fielder's choice to mitigate any more damage.
The script flipped in the third inning as it was 31-18 Washburn's turn to capitalize on free bases.
After Connor Scott hit a one-out triple, Cal Watkins was hit by the pitch and Brett Ingram was walked on four pitches to load the bases. Quinn Waterbury followed with a walk and picked up an RBI that evened the score. With two outs, Parker Dunn sent the first pitch of his at bat through the right side to drive in two runs and give the Ichabods a 3-1 advantage.
Washburn went up 4-1 in the fourth frame as Easton Bruce hit a leadoff single and moved to third on a groundout and fly out before scoring on Watkins' single that dropped into left field.
The Bronchos cut the deficit in half after they scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth.
Central Oklahoma threatened again in the seventh and had the bases loaded with two outs, but John Cross left all three runners stranded as the inning ended on a groundout.
Washburn went down quietly in the top of the eighth still in front, 4-2. Huggins worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth and struck out two in the process.
The Ichabods tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth to go up, 6-2. Scott legged out an infield single and advanced to second on Watkins' sacrifice bunt. Ingram drove in a run with a single to left field and moved up to second on a groundout. Zion Bowlin reached on a throwing error that allowed Ingram to score Washburn's sixth run of the afternoon.
Huggins returned to the bump to close out the game and ended the game on seven pitches to clinch the series win for Washburn.
Washburn landed nine hits in the game and limited Central Oklahoma to four. Scott went 2-4 with two runs scored. Watkins was 2-3 at the dish and scored once and drove in one run. Ingram had a hit, two runs, an RBI, and two walks in the game.
Babcock earned the win and threw four and 2/3 innings in relief and allowed one unearned run on three hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Huggins tossed two clean innings to close out the game and received his fourth save of the season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Even after former Silver Lake football star Logan Pegram entered the coaching profession following his college career at Northern Illinois, he never really thought about the possibility of coaching at his high school alma mater.
Logan Pegram
But all that changed when C.J. Hamilton, the winningest coach in Kansas history, announced his retirement at Silver Lake in mid-April after 47 seasons.
"It definitely came out of nowhere,'' said the 32-year-old Pegram, who was announced as Silver Lake's new head coach last week. " I think there was initial surprise for all of us that have played in the program and been a part of that community. First you kind of analyze it as the former player and community member.
"You kind of process it as that and then you look at it as a coach and you're like, 'Well, who wouldn't want to be in a situation like Silver Lake?' You have great community buy-in, you've got great administration, great schools, success. It's everything that as an aspiring head coach you look at as a great possibility.''
A 2008 Silver Lake graduate, Pegram was a part of four Eagle teams that advanced to the Class 3A state championship game, including a 14-0 record and a state title his junior season in 2006.
A first-team All-Stater as a senior, Pegram knows that taking over for Hamilton, who led the Eagles to a 447-98 record, 18 title games and eight state championships, is a daunting task.
But its one that Pegram, who served as an assistant and head coach at Anderson County and as an assistant at Class 6A Free State, embraces.
"There's no doubt it's going to be a challenge,'' Pegram said. "Talking to other people and talking about first-year expectations or this or that I think you just need to go into it with the idea that, 'Hey, we need to get better every single day.'
"And I know that can kind of be coach-talk or cliche, but there's no hiding from the fact of what the level of expectation is at Silver Lake and that's something that I think as a coach you embrace and you say that if you're willing to work and get better every day then we'll put ourselves in a position to be where we want to be at the end of the year.''
In returning to the community where he grew up, Pegram is following in the footsteps of Hamilton, who is also a Silver Lake native.
"I've heard people say that you never want to go back home but I look at it kind of I guess the way (C.J.) did, as an opportunity to give back to the community that gave so much to me,'' Pegram said. "It's a great community, great people and it's a way for me to finally give back and say, 'What can I do to help these kids that I was in the same shoes as them?' ''
Obviously Pegram will want to put his own stamp on the Silver Lake program, but he said he also wants to make sure to emphasize the qualities that have made the Eagles a premier program.
"I think any coach who would go into a situation like this would be naive to go in there and try to build a new house or rip it down to the studs,'' Pegram said. "I think the No. 1 thing is you embrace the things that have made us so successful over the years.
"Then maybe you tweak a couple of things in a couple of different ways, from summer workouts and maybe just a little bit of scheme, but at the end of the day I think Silver Lake's always going to be Silver Lake if we can keep the main things the main things and focus on what's made us so successful.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Taylin Stallbaumer tries to be a good big sister.
But when it comes time for Taylin, a sophomore, to compete against her freshman sister in the 100-meter high hurdles, Jaida is pretty much on her own.
"It's pretty friendly, but it's just one of those family competitions where you can't let your younger sister beat you,'' Taylin Stallbaumer said.
Sisters Jaida (left) and Taylin Stallbaumer pose for a picture last Friday night after helping Seaman capture the girls team championship in the Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TS
Jaida still hasn't beaten Taylin this spring, but she did the next best thing in last Friday's Joe Schrag Invitational track and field championships at Hummer Sports Park, with the Stallbaumer sisters finishing 1-2 in the highs.
Taylin, who swept the city titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles for the second straight season, won the 100 highs in 16.25 seconds while Jaida was a strong second in 17.03.
Seaman's Taylin Stallbaumer (front) and Jaida Stallbaumer finish 1-2 in the 100-meter high hurdles in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Although the sisters ended up in the same event, Taylin, who won the 300s in 49..21, said she had nothing to do with Jaida taking up the hurdles.
"She did it herself, she hurdled in middle school,'' Taylin said.
And Taylin, a two-time Class 5A state medalist as a freshman, also gives Jaida the credit for the steady progress she has made in her freshman season.
"Most of the time I'm at soccer practice so I don't even get to practice with her,'' Taylin Stallbaumer said. "I'll try to help her when it comes down to, it but of course I'm not going to try to lose to her ... ever.''
"I just like to be my own girl but I pick up some things from her,'' Jaida said.
Taylin did help her sister with a change in technique earlier this season.
"This year is her first year three-stepping,'' Taylin said. "She used to four-step for the past two years but this year I kind of helped her with that.''
The Stallbaumers currently rank one-two in the 100 highs and Jaida is happy with the progress she's made this spring.
"I'm getting better each week,'' Jaida said.
Taylin and Jaida both had plenty to celebrate in last Friday's city meet, playing a key role as Seaman claimed its first girls city team title since 2016, ending Washburn Rural's string of four straight team titles.
Taylin claimed three gold medals on the night while Jaida posted a pair of second-place finishes and earned her first city title in the meet-ending 4 x 400-meter relay, with the Stallbaumers teaming with Taylie Heston and Bethany Druse to win the event in 4:15.31, wrapping up a 146-134 victory over the Junior Blues.
"It feels good because we haven't won in quite a while,'' Taylin said. "It's been a long time.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Bethany Druse
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
A junior, Druse won three gold medals in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships, helping Seaman win the girls team championship by a 146-134 margin over Washburn Rural. Druse won the 1,600 meters in 5:23.31, the 800 in 2:19.96 and anchored the Vikings' 4 x 400 relay to a win in 4:15.31.
Kadence Jeffries
KADENCE JEFFRIES, Topeka West
Jeffries, a senior, posted a pair of individual wins in last Friday's city swimming and diving championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, remaining undefeated in individual events on the season. A four-time state champion, Jeffries won the 200-yard freestyle by nearly seven seconds in 1:54.55 and won the 500 free by 14 seconds in 5:04.85.
Tanner Newkirk
TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden
Newkirk, a senior, set three boys city meet records in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships at Hummer Sports Park, winning the 1,600 meters in 4:10.88, the 800 in 1:55.69 and the 3,200 in 9:18.89 to lead the Wildcats to a second-place team finish behind Washburn Rural.
Makenna Pritchard
MAKENNA PRITCHARD, Washburn Rural
A junior, Pritchard won two individual titles and swam on two second-place relays as Washburn Rural won its 19th straight city swimming and diving team title last Friday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. Pritchard won the 50-yard freestyle in 24.98 seconds and the 100 free in 54.06 while also swimming on the runner-up 200 medley and 400 free relays as Rural won the title by a 601-440 margin over Seaman.
TAYLIN STALLBAUMER, Seaman
Stallbaumer, a sophomore, captured three gold medals in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships, helping lead Seaman to the girls team title by a 146-134 margin over Washburn Rural. Stallbaumer won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.25 seconds, the 300 hurdles in 49.21 seconds and ran a leg on the Vikings' 4 x 400 relay team, which won in 4:15.31.
Zach Sulzen-Watson
ZACH SULZEN-WATSON, Washburn Rural
Sulzen-Watson, a senior, won a pair of individual titles in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships at Hummer Sports Park, helping lead Washburn Rural's boys team to its fifth straight city team title. Sulzen-Watson won the shot put with a throw of 51 feet, 7.50 inches and the discus with a best of 163 feet as Rural won by a 138.5-126 margin over Hayden.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
GIRLS
100 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 12.33 (12.2)
Reed, Highand Park 12.49
Brooks, Topeka West 12.85
Rezac, Rossville 12.96
Worley, Washburn Rural 13.01
200 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 25.78
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 26.11
Reed, Highland Park 26.37
Brooks, Topeka West 26.41
Rezac, Rossville 26.79
400 METERS
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 58.18
Reed, Highland Park 58.72
Hillebert, Hayden 61.78
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 62.61
Becker, Seaman 63.37
Seaman junior Bethany Druse is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 800 and 1,600 meters. [File photo/TSN]
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:15.19
Carter, Washburn Rural 2:29.28
Bird, Washburn Rural 2:30.33
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:30.47
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:31.86
