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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High boys basketball coach and athletic director Ty Baumgardner confirmed Tuesday that he is leaving High to accept a coaching position at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga., where he coached earlier in his career.
Baumgardner has served as Topeka High's athletic director for two years and coached the Trojans' basketball team last season. Baumgartner's position at Collins Hill is pending approval by the district school board.
Topeka High boys basketball coach and athletic director Ty Baumgardner confirmed Tuesday that he has accepted a coaching position at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga. [File photo/TSN]
"My wife still lives in Georgia and has a really good job in the same school district, loves who she works for and we just couldn't, this last couple of years, find anything close to that here that we felt she should come here for,'' Baumgartner said. "I wasn't looking for a job. We were going to make it work here, but the the coach (at Collins Hill) that took my place when I left ended up leaving and going back to where he came from and they reached out to me to gauge my interest in possibly coming back.
"And it was just kind of one of those deals where it was like, 'Maybe this is a little bit of fate,' because quite honestly it's the only job I would have gone back to Georgia for. I had already been there before, so you have the familiarity of it, a lot of the same people are still there at the school and then it's only about 15 minutes from where we live. And at the end of the day the family needed to be back together.''
Topeka High posted a 4-17 record this past season, but made improvement over the 2020-2021 campaign and Baumgartner felt that improvement would continue.
"It's hard to leave because I've got a good group coming back here and I felt like we really laid the foundation for the future this year, but family's got to come first,'' Baumgardner said.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Topeka High midfielder Haley Carpenter had an unforgettable night in Monday’s 2-1 victory over the Class 5A No. 8-ranked Shawnee Heights.
Coming into Monday night’s frigid cold game at Hummer Sports Park, Shawnee Heights had only allowed two goals the entire 2022 campaign (one to Seaman and one to De Soto), but Carpenter accepted the challenge and scored as many goals as the T-Birds had allowed all season with both of the Trojans' goals as High snapped Heights' six-game win streak
Haley Carpenter
“It was a big moment for me,” Carpenter said. “It was a really big deal scoring in those tonight. We have great team chemistry and believe in each other. We always lift each other up, even when we are doing bad. I couldn’t have done what I did tonight without those girls.
“I’m glad I didn’t miss those goals because of how hard we worked to get down there.”
Both of Carpenter’s eye-opening goals came in the second half against the T-Birds.
“Her goals were huge,” Topeka High coach Derek Snook said. “Shawnee Heights is an incredible team that is well-coached. Haley was where she was supposed to be. She crashed the goal on shots near the goal very well. Her goals weren’t necessarily by design, but she got the job done.”
Topeka High (9-3) came in with a three-game win streak, gaining momentum towards the tail end of the season. The journey hasn’t been easy for the Trojans, who have dealt with adversity most of the year.
“I have to puff out my chest when I talk about how hard these girls work,” Snook said. “They are some of the smartest and most talented group of girls I’ve ever coached. They never give up on anything. They don’t give up in the classroom, when they have an injury or when the weather is bad.
“They never stop fighting and I’m so proud of them.”
Topeka High had to fight extra hard on Monday night. A win wasn’t going to be easy with a terrific T-Bird defense, wind gusts nearing 20 miles per hour and heavy rainfall.
The first half was a 0-0 stalemate. While Topeka High had eight different chances to score, Shawnee Heights had a difficult time getting the ball into High’s territory. That left the T-Birds with a slim amount of opportunities to score.
Topeka High’s high-flying defenders and mid-fielders blanked Shawnee Heights.
Faith Shields, Tae Thomas, Avery Zimmerman, Luxanna Sands and others were in the face of Shawnee Heights' players before they could even turn around.
On the flip side, Shawnee Heights also played terrific under pressure. While the ball was in their territory more often than not, they were able to make the Lady Trojans uncomfortable. Topeka High was just inches away from scoring on multiple occasions, but Shawnee Heights’ defense was strong.
Goalkeepers Keira Trupp of Topeka High and Tatum Hoge were fantastic.
While Trupp didn’t have to sweat as much as Hoge, she capitalized on every opportunity to get a save.
While the teams were in their locker rooms, the heavy rain started to pour. With the heavy rain, it was going to be even harder to score.
Four minutes into the second half, Topeka High had another close scoring opportunity, but couldn’t quite put it in.
Sands was left in open territory one-on-one with Hoge. Sands tried to fake-out Hoge, but Hoge made an incredible save.
Thomas would have that same opportunity moments later, but Hoge prevailed again, making a spectacular jump at the top of the goal getting the save.
With Hoge’s ownership of the goalie box for the entirety of the game, Topeka High needed to try a bit harder.
The Trojans once again found themselves in T-Bird territory where Carpenter would sneak a goal for Topeka High in the crowded box. Topeka High would take a 1-0 lead 8:05 into the second half.
Eleven minutes later, Zimmerman would set up Carpenter beautifully for her second goal while Hoge was on the ground in the slippery rain after defending a shot, allowing Topeka High to go up by two goals.
With 4:09 left in the contest, T-Bird midfielder Lily Marten would decrease the deficit by one goal with a goal from a penalty kick.
Shawnee Heights was able to get into Topeka High’s territory one more time, but Trupp denied the T-Birds' opportunity to tie the game.
Topeka High’s defense would hang on for the last remaining minute and defeat Shawnee Heights, 2-1.
Topeka High (9-3) will collide with Centennial League foe Topeka West Tuesday night at Hummer Sports Park. Shawnee Heights (10-2) will take on Blue Valley Southwest on Thursday night.
TOPEKA HIGH 2, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 1
Shawnee Heights (10-2) 0 1 – 1
Topeka High (9-3) 0 2 – 2
Goals -- Shawnee Heights:Martin. Topeka High: Carpenter 2. Assists – Topeka High: Zimmerman.
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By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
Washburn baseball’s regular season didn't end the way it wanted it to after a 13-2 loss to Pittsburg State Sunday in the series rubber match.
A combined 14 walks and hit batters did the Ichabods in as they only managed five hits and dropped to 19-14 in MIAA play.
Washburn honored its 14 seniors before Sunday's game against Pittsburg State. The Gorillas took a 13-2 win over the Ichabods in the regular-season finale. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
“I think today summed up exactly what we have been struggling with in the last 14 or 15 games,” said WU coach Harley Douglas. “We don’t know what team is going to show up hitting-wise and we don’t know who is going to pitch and throw strikes out of the bullpen and compete for us.”
The game also served as Senior Day for the team's 13 departing players who were recognized prior to the game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports greats Aaron Crow, Kaylee Manns and Dani (McHenry) Schmidt will join the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on June 22, the 16th induction class into the local shrine.
TopSports.news, in conjunction with University of Kansas Health Systems St Francis Campus, A-1 Lock and Key and Washburn University, will host the induction and Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards ceremonies at the Washburn University Memorial Union.
Former Washburn Rural star and Royals All-Star Aaron Crow is a member of the 2022 Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame class. [Twitter]
Former Washburn Rural multi-sport star and Iowa State All-American Kaylee Manns will be inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on June 22. [Cyclones.com]
Shawnee Heights product and Washburn All-American volleyball player Dani (McHenry) Schmidt will be inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on June 22. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Crow is a Washburn Rural High School graduate who went on to become the NCAA Division I college pitcher of the year at Missouri and an American League All-Star for the Kansas City Royals.
Manns, a Rural graduate, was a standout for Washburn Rural in volleyball, basketball and soccer before earning All-America volleyball honors at Iowa State and embarking on a long professional career.
A Shawnee Heights graduate, (McHenry) Schmidt was a volleyball and basketball star for the T-Birds and earned All-American volleyball honors at Washburn University while also playing on WU's national championship basketball team.
Shawnee County's top senior high school student-athletes will be honored for the 16th time on June 22nd.
Shawnee County high schools Cair Paravel Latin, Hayden, Highland Park, Rossville, Seaman, Shawnee Heights, Silver Lake, Topeka High, Topeka West and Washburn Rural have been asked to nominate one female and male candidate with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average as outstanding student-athlete nominees for the fall, winter and spring seasons. County high schools have also been asked to nominate a female and male candidate for most inspirational athlete.
A committee of local media members will select the 2022 winners, including the selection of overall female and male athletes of the year.
Hayden's Desmond Purnell and Silver Lake's Ellington Hogle were named the overall athletes of the year in 2021
The nominees for this year's high school awards will be announced in early June after the conclusion of the spring high school season.
Hall of Fame class of 2022 capsules:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
TopSports.news will honor All-America volleyball player Faith Rottinghaus and All-America football player James Letcher Jr. as Washburn University's outstanding female and male athletes for 2021-2022 at the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on June 22 at Washburn's Memorial Union.
Shawnee Heights product Rottinghaus, who led the nation in digs, helped the Ichabods reach the NCAA Division II national championship match while Letcher earned five All-America awards last fall after leading Washburn to a 9-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II football playoffs.
Former Shawnee Heights multi-sport standout Faith Rottinghaus will be honored by TSN as Washburn's outstanding female athlete for the 2021-2022 school year on June 22 at the Topeka Shawnee County sports awards banquet. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn All-American receiver/returner James Letcher Jr. will be honored on June 22 as WU's male outstanding athlete for 2021-2022. [Photo by Phil Anderson/Special to TSN]
TopSports.news will honor outstanding Washburn athletes for the second time in conjunction with the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
In 2021 Andrew Beckler and Tyler Geiman were named Washburn co-outstanding male athletes and Virgi Scardanzan was honored as female athlete of the year.
Washburn Athlete of the Year capsules:
JAMES LETCHER JR.
Letcher earned five All-America awards after a monster 2021 season for the Ichabods, who posted a 9-3 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Letcher earned first-team All-America honors on the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America squad, the Associated Press and the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association. All-American teams and was a second-team D2Football.com Elite 100 selection and a second-team pick on the American Football Coaches Association team. Letcher has received six All-America awards overall, earning honorable mention on the Football Gazette All-American team in 2019.
Last fall, Letcher led the team with 68 receptions, 927 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 starts. Letcher also rushed 19 times for 106 yards. He had a single-game high 10 receptions for 132 yards against Emporia State and earned All-MIAA first-team recognition as a wide receiver and a returner and was named the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year after taking 24 kickoffs for 685 yards and two touchdowns.
Letcher has appeared in 37 games overall, compiling 148 receptions for 1,916 yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging 12.9 yards per catch. Letcher has scored three kickoff-return touchdowns, the most in program history and has averaged 27.2 yards per kickoff return, which is second all-time at Washburn for a career.
A Piper High School graduate, Letcher starred in football for the Pirates and also played basketball and ran track. As a senior Letcher earned all-league football recognition at running back, defensive back and kickoff returner. Letcher earned All-State recognition at running back and defensive back as a senior, recording 10 interceptions and rushing for 1,562 yards and scoring 27 touchdowns. Letcher was also a standout for the East in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.
FAITH ROTTINGHAUS
A Shawnee Heights graduate, Rottinghaus helped lead the Ichabods to a second-place finish in the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, leading the nation with 833 total digs and earning second-team All-America honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association and the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association.
Rottinghaus earned All-MIAA first-team honors for the third straight season and earned the NCAA Elite 90 Award, becoming the first Washburn student-athlete and MIAA volleyball player to receive the prestigious academic honor. She was named the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American Volleyball Team Member of the Year and received her third consecutive Academic All-America first-team honor.
Rottinghaus was voted to the all-tournament team in all five tournaments Washburn competed in and played in all 127 sets for the Ichabods. Rottinghaus became Washburn's all-time digs leader in the regular-season finale against Northwest Missouri. Rottinghaus scooped up 51 digs in a 3-1 victory at then-ranked No. 7 Central Missouri, tying Washburn's single-match record and setting the program record for most digs in a four set match. She had 24 matches with 20 or more digs and successfully received 394 service attempts, committing just eight errors for a .980 reception percentage. Rottinghaus led the team with 33 service aces and tallied 88 assists. A kinesiology major, Rottinghaus was named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and also received MIAA Scholar Athlete and MIAA Academic Excellence honors, closing out her career with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
A rour-year letter-winner in volleyball, basketball and softball at Shawnee Heights, Rottinghaus helped lead the T-Birds to three Class 5A volleyball tournament berths, including the 2016 state championship her senior year. Rottinghaus was a two-time All-State first-team selection as an outfielder in softball, helping the T-Birds win the school's state softball title in 2017.
