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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The expectations couldn't have been a whole lot higher when Josh Hogan took over the vaunted Washburn Rural wrestling program last spring.
After all, Rural was coming off its first Class 6A state wrestling championship and returned two state champions and a state finalist from that team.
But the former Washburn Rural star, who had cut his coaching teeth with the Topeka Blue Thunder Wrestling Club the previous nine years, said he really didn't feel any pressure when he took over for coach Damon Parker.
"No, there really was no pressure,'' Hogan said Saturday night affter Washburn Rural wrapped up its second straight title by a 151-142.5 margin over Derby. "I've been coaching wrestling for a long time, I've been wrestling for a long time and as far as I'm concerned wrestling is a way to raise young men and young women up. I don't put much more on it than that.
"It's nice to win, it sucks to lose, but there's also a greater picture that we're after.''
Washburn Rural wrestling coach Josh Hogan watches the action during the Class 6A state tournament at Park City's Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior star Austin Fager flips Rural coach Josh Hogan to the mat in celebration Saturday after winning the Class 6A 182-pound state title. [Photo by Jeff Jacobsen/Action Images Photography]
Hogan said he felt all season that the Junior Blues were the premier team in 6A, but it wasn't all smooth sailing.
"When we lost out 220-pounder and then we lost our 138, both to shoulder injuries for the season, there was a little worry that may have crept in there because that's a lot of points that we lost,'' Hogan said. "But I knew that our backups were strong across the board.
"The way that we've done this the last 10 years is just by having so many kids wrestle, so there's a plethora of kids to pick from and some of our second guys would be first guys a lot of other places. So we step up when we need to.''
Senior Austin Fager, the 6A 182-pound state champ said that even though Rural changed coaches and graduated a great senior class, including three-time state champ Bishop Murray and state finalist David Huckstep, the Junior Blues were capable of doing exactly what they did Friday and Saturday at Park City's Hartman Arena.
"We just proved ourselves as a program,'' Fager said. "That's what we just did. Here yesterday and today we proved ourselves as a program and our coach proved that he can come out here and coach us and losing guys doesn't mean anything. We can still come out here and win.''
Senior Aidan Boline, the 160-pound state champ, agreed.
"There's nobody in the state that deserves it more than this squad,'' Boline said. "We've worked harder than anybody for the last 268 days, not just the last 100 days of the season.
"These guys are in the room in the offseason busting their butts. I couldn't have asked for a better team to be a part of.''
RUNNER-UP CARVER LEADS FIVE COUNTY 3A-1A STATE PLACERS
Rossville junior 285-pounder Jacob Carver advanced to the Class 3A-1A state championship match Saturday at Hays before finishing second, pacing five Shawnee County wrestlers who earned state medals.
Rossville 285-pounder Jacob Carver (top) battles Douglass' Joe Martin in the Class 3A-1A state championship match Saturday at Hays. Carver finished second. [Submitted]
Carver was pinned in the second period by Douglass' Joe Martin in the finals.
Rossville also got third-place finishes from senior 138-pounder Colby Hurla and senior 160-pounder Sam Twombly.
Silver Lake senior Triston Vande Velde finished third at 182 pounds while senior Daigan Kruger placed fourth at 170 pounds.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn men's basketball team won its sixth game in a row Saturday, wrapping up a 19-9 regular season with an 85-59 MIAA win over Emporia State in White Auditorium.
The Ichabods have earned the No. 4 seed in the MIAA Citizens Bank and Trust Postseason Tournament and will face the same Hornet squad at 6 p.m. Friday in Kansas City, Mo. in the tournament quarterfinals.
The Ichabods jumped out a an 8-3 lead behind four straight buckets by Jonny Clausing to start the game, but back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers by Tray Buchanan with a 3 from Jalen Lewis sandwiched in between a layup from Lewis and a layup by ESU's Jumah'Ri Turner gave ESU (19-9, 16-6 MIAA) its last lead of the game at 14-13,
But the Ichabods hit 4 of 6 3-pointers over a six-minute stretch to take a 27-21 lead midway through the opening half.
Jalen Lewis led Washburn with 23 points in Saturday's 85-59 road victory at Emporia State. [File photo/TSN]
ESU cut the lead to four at 30-26 with 5:38 to play in the half, but back to back 3-pointers by Tyler Nelson and a layup by Kevaughn Ellis and a layup by Tyler Geiman sent the Ichabods to the halftime break with a 40-33 lead.
Starting the second half, the Ichabods came out with a 10-0 run, hitting their first four shots of the half, to push out to a 17-point lead at 50-33.
ESU eventually cut the lead down to 10 with 6:55 to play, but a 15-0 Ichabod run put the game out of reach and Washburn led by as many as 26 points as the Ichabods swept the regular-season series.
Lewis led the Ichabods with 23 points, hitting five 3-pointers in 10 attempts, and pacing three other Ichabods in double figures.
Clausing had 17 points while hitting 8 of 9 shots in the game. Michael Keegan scored 14 and Geiman finished with 12 points, recording a double-double with 11 assists giving him 696 assists in his career.
Buchanan scored 16 points in 16 minutes before leaving the game and Turner had 11.
Washburn finished the game shooting 50 percent (33 of 66) from the field while Emporia State was held to 38 percent shooting (24 of 64).
Washburn outrebounded the Hornets 38-33 in the game.
WU WOMEN DROP 79-77 HEARTBREAKER
The Washburn women's basketball team rallied from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter and took its first lead of the game with 90 seconds left in regulation, but a late foul call helped set up the game-winning jump shot to give Emporia State the 79-77 victory in Saturday's regular-season finale.
The Ichabods (13-15, 11-11 MIAA) now turn their attention to next week's MIAA Championship Tournament as the No. 9 seed. Washburn will take on the No. 8 seed Pittsburg State in the first round at noon on March 3 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Hunter Bentley
Abby Oliver
Emporia State (15-13, 10-12 MIAA) jumped out to a 14-1 lead in the first 4:34 of the game and held a 21-11 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
A 6-0 run by Washburn trimmed Emporia State's lead to 29-23 with 3:58 in the first half, but the Lady Hornets extended their lead with three triples and made a jump shot right before the buzzer to go up 44-31 at halftime.
Emporia State took its largest lead of the game at 52-35 with 7:06 on the clock in the third frame when Washburn started its comeback with an 11-0 burst.
After the Lady Hornets stopped the run with a 3-pointer, Washburn started another scoring tear with six unanswered points to make it a 55-52 game at the 3:06 mark. The teams traded baskets in the final two minutes and Emporia State led 63-57 heading to the fourth quarter.
Trailing 75-69 with 3:53 to go, Abby Oliver made a layup to start an 8-0 run to give Washburn its first lead of the game at 77-75 with 1:30 remaining. Oliver scored six of the eight points during that run.
ESU went 1 of 2 at the free throw line at the 38 second mark to put the score at 77-76 and on Washburn's ensuing possession, a jump ball was the official call and the arrow pointed in ESU's direction.
A technical foul was issued to Washburn's head coach Ron McHenry after the jump ball decision and the Lady Hornets' Tre'Zure Jobe went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe again to level the score at 77.
ESU got its final possession started with 33 seconds remaining and Jobe hit the go-ahead jumper with three seconds left and Washburn's half court heave was off line as the buzzer sounded.
The Ichabods finished the game shooting just under 50 percent, making 29-of-59 from the floor, while the Lady Hornets had a 46.8 field goal percentage (29-of-62).
WU outrebounded ESU, 37-27.
Hunter Bentley played all 40 minutes and led the Ichabods with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Oliver also scored 20 points to set a new career-high.
Nuria Barrientos was 8 of 14 from the field for a season-best 18 points.
All seven Lady Hornets who played scored at least three points, led by Ehlaina Hartman's 21 points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Parirings were released Saturday for next week's sub-state high school basketball tournaments, with five Shawnee County teams earning home court advantage through Class 6A and 5A sub-states.
Topeka High and Washburn Rural earned home court in the 6A girls ranks while the Topeka West and Highland Park boys and Seaman girls could stay at home through 5A sub-state competition.
The top-ranked Silver Lake girls will be at home to host a 3A sub-state.
Here's a sub-state look at tournaments involving Shawnee County teams:
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith and the Trojan girls will open Class 6A sub-state play at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home against Centennial League rival Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
CLASS 6A GIRLS
West sub-state No. 2 -- Topeka High, which will be shooting for a fourth straight state tournment berth, will open postseason at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with the 18-2 Trojans hosting Centennial League rival Junction City (2-17) in a semifinal.
With a win the No. 2-seeded Trojans, the state runner-up last season, will advance to a Friday championship game to face the winner of the semifinal between No. 7 West seed Liberal (14-6) and No. 10 Wichita South (8-12).
West sub-state No. 3 -- Washburn Rural, the No. 3 seed in the West with an 18-2 record, will host No. 14 Garden City (3-17) in a 6 p.m. semifinal Tuesday.
The winner of that game will advance to a Friday sub-state championship game to face the winner of the semifinal contest between No. 6 seed Hutchinson (16-4) and No. 11 Manhattan (8-12).
Washburn Rural won the 6A state championship in 2019.
CLASS 6A BOYS
West sub-state No. 3 -- Topeka High, the No. 14 seed at 4-16, will go on the road Wednesday for a 6 p.m. sub-state semifinal against No. 3 Dodge City (17-3).
The winner of that game will advance to a Saturday final to meet the winner of the semifinal between No. 6 Wichita Southeast (12-8) and No. 11 Washburn Rural (8-12).
West sub-state No. 3 -- Washburn Rural, the No. 11 seed in the west at 8-12, will open its postseason bid at 6 p.m. Wednesday on the road at No. 6 Wichita Southeast (12-8).
The winner of that semifinal will advance to a Saturday sub-state championship game to take on the winner of the semifinal between No. 3 Dodge City (17-3) and No. 14 Topeka High (4-16).
CLASS 5A GIRLS
East sub-state No. 2 -- Shawnee Heights, the No. 7 seed at 10-10, will be at home for a 7 p.m. Wednesday semifinal to face No. 10 Mill Valley (6-12).
The winner of that game will advance to a Saturday final to face the winner of the semifinal between No. 2 seed Lansing (17-3) and No. 15 Piper (3-16).
With a semifinal win Lansing will host the sub-state final.
East sub-state No. 3 -- Highland Park (4-16) is the No. 14 seed and will travel to Spring Hill to face No. 3 seed Spring Hill (14-6) in a 7 p.m. semifinal on Wednesday.
The winner of that game will move on to a Saturday championship game to face the winner of the semifinal between No. 6 Sumner Academy (10-10) and No. 11 Leavenworth (7-13).
Seaman freshman Anna Becker (23) and the 15-5 Vikings will open Class 5A sub-state play at home Wednesday in a 6 p.m. semiinal against Salina South. [File photo/TSN]
West sub-state No. 4 -- Seaman is the No. 4 seed at 15-5 and will be looking for its third straight 5A state tournament berth. The Vikings will be at home Wednesday for a 6 p.m. semifinal against No. 13 Salina South (7-13).
The winner will advance to Saturday's sub-state final to face the winner of the semifinal between No. 5 Andover Central (15-5) and No. 12 Eisenhower (7-13).
CLASS 5A BOYS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- When Washburn Rural senior wrestler Aidan Boline got the news that his Class 6A 160-pound championship match would be the first final of the day he knew that was his chance to put the Junior Blues in the driver's seat for a second straight 6A state team championship.
Boline, who capped a 34-6 season, did just that, taking a 5-0 decision over Olathe East senior Nick Carlson.
Two matches later Rural senior Austin Fager followed Boline to the mat and dominated his 182-pound title match, pinning Campus senior Aidan Williams in just 1 minute, 13 seconds, and the title belonged to the Junior Blues ... again.
Washburn Rural senior Austin Fager flips Junior Blues coach Josh Hogan to the mat in celebration after winning the 182-pound Class 6A state championship to clinch Rural's second straight state team title. [Photo by Jeff Jacobsen/Action Images Photography]
Washburn Rural senior Aidan Boline won the Class 6A 160-pound state championship Saturday at Hartman Arena, helping the Junior Blues repeat as state team champs. [Photo by Jeff Jacobsen/Action Images Photography]
"As soon I got here coach (Chase) Prester showed me the KSHSAA Twitter that 160 was up first and I couldn't have been more excited,'' Boline said. "I was ready to become a state champ as soon as possible. "I had an odd feeling going to sleep last night that I was going to be the draw. I felt it in my gut and then I get here and it comes true, so I knew that I was just ready do go.''
Washburn Rural started the final round with a slim 4.5-point lead but Boline knew that he and Fager could seal the deal.
"Coach (Damon) Parker is here today and he's the math wiz behind of it so while he's been here he's been counting up points mathematically deciding what we needed and before I went out he told me that I just had to go out there and win and Fager had to go out there and win and we mathematically sealed it,'' Boline said. "I couldn't have asked for a better ending.''
Fager, who finished his season 43-2, agreed.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls bowling team punched its ticket to next week's Class 6A state tournament with a third-place finish in Friday's 6A regional at West Ridge Lanes while Rural junior Josh Hammons qualified for the boys state meet as an individual.
Washburn Rural’s girls placed third with a team score of 2,768, finishing behind team champion Olathe Northwest (2,829) and Junction City (2,806).
Sophomore Claire Ireland paced the Rural girls, shooting a three-game series of 539 to finish fifth individually while junior Amaya Buchanan was a pin behind Ireland in sixth with a 538 and senior Kaitlyn Doyal and sophomore Taylin Sakers also placed in the top 15 overall.
Doyal finished 11th with a 508 series while Sakers was 13th with a 495.
Topeka High girls’ finished the day in eighth place with a score of 2,272.
Washburn Rural's Josh Hammons finished fifth individually in Friday's Class 6A bowling regional at West Ridge Lanes, earning a berth in next week's state tournament at Wichita. {File photo]
Out of the 66 boys’ bowlers that competed on Friday, Hammons earned a fifth-place finish with 664 series.
Washburn Rural finished fifth as a team at 3,168, while Junction City won the team championship with a 3,524 total and Lawrence (3,307) and Olathe Northwest (3,289) claimed the other two team berths for state.
Topeka High’s boys finished seventh with a 3,011 total.
CLASS 6A BOWLING REGIONAL
