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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Dave Carson took command of the Topeka Golf Association Bill McDonald Champions Stroke Play Tournament with an opening-round 67 on Sunday and held on for title No. 6 Monday at Lake Shawnee.
Dave Carson captured his sixth Bill McDonald TGA Champions title Monday at Lake Shawnee, posting a three-stroke win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Carson carded a final-round 70 in the city event for players aged 40 and over, finishing with a 36-hole total of 137 to top Dennis Switzky by three strokes. Switzky shot an opening-round 71 before carding a 69 on Monday, the low round of the day.
"The first day was a great start and I was able to hang on the second day,'' Carson said. "It was nothing special. I had a double bogey mixed in there with some other birdies but the first day was a great start.''
Carson and Switzky played in separate groups on Monday so Carson didn't exactly know how the battle for the top spot stood during the match.
"He was keeping track but I was just trying to keep my head down and play,'' Carson said. "I didn't play 16 very well and he played it one shot worse than I did and I think he kind of figured that was kind of the end of the deal there.''
Scot Duddy (71-70) finished third at 141 while Patrick Golden (74-76), Chae Yi (77-73) and Don Jacobs (78-72) tied for fourth place at 150.
Awards were presented Monday in multiple age divisions for low gross and net (including handicap) scores.
The Champions event is named in honor of Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Famer Bill McDonald.
TGA BILL McDONALD CITY CHAMPIONS STROKE PLAY TOURNAMENT
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Antonio Aguirre
ANTONIO AGUIRRE, Topeka High
Aguirre, a senior, scored five goals and added an assist in two Topeka High soccer wins on the week as the Trojans improved to 3-1. Aguirre scored four goals in last Monday's 9-1 win over USD 501 rival Highland Park at Hummer Sports Park and had a goal and an assist in Thursday's 2-1 win over city rival Shawnee Heights at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
Brody Anderson
BRODY ANDERSON, Seaman
A junior who is only in his second year of high school cross country, Anderson has opened his 2024 season with back-to-back individual titles. Seaman's five-kilometer school record-holder, Anderson won at Manhattan in his season-opener before following that up with a 21-second win in Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational at Kanza Park, clocking a winning time of 15 minutes, 17.05 seconds.
Izzy Glotzbach
IZZY GLOTZBACH, Hayden
A two-sport fall athlete in golf and tennis, the Hayden junior won championships in both sports last week. Glotzbach teamed with senior Emily Sheetz to win the No. 1 doubles championship in last Tuesday's Hayden Invitational tennis tournament at Kossover Tennis Center with a 9-7 win over Marysville and she shared the individual title in Thursday's Seaman Invitational golf tournament on Thursday at Village Greens Golf Course with a 76, leading the Wildcats to a second-place team finish.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WAYNE, Neb. – Former Washburn Rural stars Belle Kennedy and Hailey Beck played a big role as the Washburn Ichabod soccer team earned its second straight road win with a 1-0 victory over the Wayne State College Wildcats on Sunday afternoon.
Washburn junior midfielder Belle Kennedy scored the lone goal in Sunday's 1-0 soccer win over Wayne State. [File photo/TSN]
Former Washburn Rural soccer standout Hailey Beck posted her second straight shutout in goal for Washburn University on Sunday. [File photo/TSN]
Kennedy, a junior midfielder, scored the game-winning goal for the 2-2 Ichabods, her first of the season, while sophomore goalkeeper Beck posted her second straight shutout.
Despite a scoreless first half, Washburn had several opportunities to get on the board. Early in the half, Rural product Mackinly Rohn found Lakin Rold in the center of the box, but Rold's shot attempt was saved by the Wildcat goalkeeper.
The Ichabods continued the offensive pressure, with Khloe Schuckman nearly adding a goal in the 19th minute on a shot attempt that went just wide. Washburn took seven shots in the half while holding the host Wildcats to one.
The Ichabods started the second half quickly, after Kennedy took the ball away from a Wildcat player and found an opening in the top left corner of the goal, giving Washburn the lead for good.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University golf star Andrew Beckler is now a professional champion after wrapping up the title in the 33rd Wells Fargo Nebraska Open Sunday in Columbus, Neb.
Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University golf star Andrew Beckler captured his first professional championship on Sunday in Columbus, Neb., posting a six-stroke victory in the Wells Fargo Nebraska Open. [Photo by Nebraska Open]
Topekan Andrew Beckler earned $13,200 for his victory on Sunday in the Wells Fargo Nebraska Open. [Photo by Nebraska Open]
Beckler shot a sizzling final-round 62 to finish at a tournament-record 19-under-par for the 54-hole event, posting a six-stroke victory over Zach Burry (Appleton, Wisc.), Luke Kluver (Norfolk, Neb.) and Robert Bell (Minneapolis, Minn.), who tied for second place at 13 under.
"Getting this win means I never gave up on myself,'' Beckler said. "I've had a lot of close calls and wondered if it would happen and today it did. To hoist a trophy and win in that fashion is quite satisfying.''
Beckler's 62 on Sunday came after an opening-round 65 and a second-round 67 in the event, sponsored by the Nebraska Section of the PGA.
"I have been hitting the ball well all season but the putter was a little cold,'' Beckler said. "My dad saw something in my stroke and I decided to switch the way I grip the putter for the first time ever this week, the day before the tournament.
"I made a few putts early in the round Friday and just kept building on that the rest of the tournament. Turned out I had the best putting week I've had all year.''
Ironically, Beckler's dominant performance came while he was battling a physical issue.
"I wasn't feeling the best physically,'' he said. "I was battling an eye infection this week. My left eye was almost swollen shut the morning of the final round. Fortunately, I'm right-eye dominant and found a way.''
Beckler won Class 6A individual and team state championships for Jared Goehring's Washburn Rural team, and after beginning his college career at Kansas State, transferred to Washburn, where he finished second in the NCAA Championship as a senior and was the recipient of the 2021 Jack Nicklaus Division II National Player of the Year Award.
Beckler qualified for the U.S. Open in 2022.
Beckler has been competing on the ATP All Pro Tour this summer and ranks second in earnings at $38,243.75 while posting a tour-best five top-10 finishes in nine starts.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
GUNNISON, Colo. -- Washburn University volleyball split its final two matches on Saturday in the Mountaineer Volleyball Classic, winning 3-1 over Western New Mexico before falling 3-2 to Texas A&M Kingsville in the nightcap.
Washburn senior Jalyn Stevenson (right) registered 29 kills on Saturday as the Ichabods split their final two matches in the Mountaineer Classic. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods head to Pittsburg next week for the PSU Regional Challenge.
In Saturday's first match of the day Washburn extended its set winning streak to 17 before falling in set three to the Mustangs.
In match two, the Ichabods fell for the first time this season in a five-set affair to the Javelinas.
Match one: Washburn 3, Western New Mexico 1
Washburn got off to a quick start in the first set with kills from Brynne Topolski and Alex Dvorak putting the Ichabods up, 9-3.
Both sides traded points until a 7-0 run for the Ichabods, starting with another kill from Dvorak, pushed the lead to double figures at 21-9.
Washburn held the Mustangs (2-5) to just six kills and an even zero hitting percentage in the first set to take it 25-12.
In the next set it was Western New Mexico that jumped ahead early, leading 7-4.
WU answered with a 3-0 run from the Ichabods that put them back in front on a block from Dvorak and Jalyn Stevenson.
The burst began what would be a 9-2 run to go in front 15-10. Washburn was outkilled 19 to 13 in the second set but were able to work a 25-19 win with four blocks and only two hitting errors in the set from the team in navy.
The Mustangs began the third set with a slight advantage until a 6-1 run put them in command up, 16-10.
A few errors from Western New Mexico let the Ichabods back into the set at 17-16, and a few points later they took the lead as Stevenson and Dvorak came up with a block again.
After hitting under .150 as a team the first two sets the Mustangs hit .324 in the third set, winning the next three points and claiming its first set, 25-23.
Both teams traded the first 20 points of the fourth set. Washburn created some separation with a three-point rally but it was quickly erased with three in a row from Western New Mexico.
After trailing by two at 17-15, the Ichabods won six straight points with the final three coming on kills assisted by Sydney Conner to go up, 21-17. The run kept the Ichabods ahead the rest of the way to hold on for a 25-21 win.
Washburn hit .313 as a team with 61 kills in the match. The Mustangs hit .160 with 48 kills and 23 errors across four sets. The Ichabods held a 58-42 advantage in assists and led in digs 62-55.
Stevenson led all players with 14 kills while hitting .343 and adding four blocks. Dvorak had seven blocks to go along with nine kills and a .474 hitting percentage. Corinna McMullen had 23 assists to go with nine digs while Taylor Rottinghaus had a team-high 12 digs.
Jazmyne Walker finished with 11 kills and 10 digs for Western New Mexico.
Match two: Texas A&M University Kingsville 3, Washburn 2
After trading points early on Washburn (6-1) used a service error to reel off four straight points and go up by three in the first set.
Another flurry of four points in a row, beginning with a kill from Stevenson put the first set out of reach as the Ichabods hit .344 as a team en route to a 25-?? win.
The Javelinas (6-2) responded with a 7-4 lead to open the second set before Washburn quickly rallied to tie it.
Three kills in a row put the Ichabods ahead and shortly after a four-point rally capped off by a kill from Austin Broadie put them ahead 18-14. The lead grew to as many as seven points before Texas A&M Kingsville reeled off seven of eight to pull within one.
Washburn reached set point at 24-22 but the next points went the other direction as the Javelinas took the second set, 26-24.
An ace from Stevenson put the Ichabods up 6-2 early in the third as they bounced back.
They extended the lead to six points on a block from Broadie before the Javelinas netted a few points to pull within three.
A three-point burst from Washburn that began with Stevenson and Bella Limback teaming up for a block gave them a cushion to finish off the set 25-17 and go up 2-1.
Through the first 18 points of the fourth set Texas A&M Kingsville remained in front but never by more than two points.
After a kill from Dvorak the Javelinas won six of the next seven points to build a five-point lead.
Kingsville hit just .029 as a team in the third set and raised it by almost 200 points, hitting .216 in the fourth with 16 kills.
The Ichabods came on strong late, winning three straight to pull within one. Down the stretch the Javelinas' offense forced a fifth set with a 25-22 victory.
Washburn began the fifth set with a 3-0 lead, and was in front 9-4 after a kill from Emery Keebaugh. Then Texas A&M Kingsville reeled off six straight, five coming on errors or blocks, to take the lead.
An ace from WU's Maddie Steiner tied things up at 13 and both sides split the next six points before the Javelinas knocked down two kills in a row to take the match.
The Ichabods outkilled TAMUK 60-59 and had one less error in the match. The Javelinas had a slight advantage with a .159 attack percentage to .147 for Washburn. Assists were close, going 54-52 to Texas A&M Kingsville, which also had a 72-58 advantage in digs.
Three players from the Ichabods finished with double-digit kills.
Stevenson had 15 while Limback and Dvorak had 12 and 11, respectively. McMullen had a 24-assist and 12-dig double-double.
Ayanna Jackson had 12 kills for the Javelinas while hitting .320.
