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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls basketball team has back-to-back games against a pair of state-ranked teams coming up over the next four nights.
But Junior Blues coach Kevin Bordewick stressed to his team that all of its attention needed to be on visiting Junction City in Monday's Centennial League makeup game.
Rural carried out Bordewick's wishes in impressive fashion, with the third-ranked (Class 6A) Junior Blues opening up a huge 20-point lead by the end of the opening quarter on the way to a 69-26 romp.
"That's one thing we talked about, is we're not worried about tomorrow against Seaman (at Rural Tuesday) or Friday (at Topeka High), but let's have a mentality about us and how we approach the start of these games and how we start after halftime and play all the way through,'' Bordewick said. "And I liked our intensity and I thought we were locked in OK.''
Twelve players saw action for the Junior Blues and 11 cracked the scoring column, including three in double figures, as Washburn Rural improved to 14-1 overall and 10-1 in the league.
Washburn Rural sophomore Zoe Canfield was one of three players in double figures with 10 points as the Junior Blues improved to 14-1 with Monday's 69-26 win over Junction City. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye takes the ball to the basket in Monday night's 69-26 Centennial League win over Junction City, the Junior Blues' ninth straight win. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural built a 28-8 in the first quarter and took a 39-13 lead at the half and a 60-17 advantage after three quarters, forcing a running clock over the final eight minutes.
Senior Katelynn Brogan came off the bench to lead Washburn Rural with 15 points while sophomores Zoe Canfield and Jada Ingram added 10 apiece.
With Brogan leading the way, Washburn Rural got 30 points from its bench.
"They come to practice and they don't get the playing time that a lot of them do, but they are there trying to make us better in some form or fashion, so when they do get a chance to go in there, their hard work is paying off so it is fun to watch, and the other kids like that, too,'' Bordewick said.
Junction City (2-12, 2-9) was led by junior Sophia Holloway with 11 points, the only Blue Jay with more than six points.
Seaman, No. 9-ranked in 5A, is 10-4 overall and 8-3 in the league entering Tuesday night's game against Rural. On Friday the Junior Blues will travel to High to face the No. 2 (6A) Trojans, who started the week 14-0 and 11-0 in the league.
WASHBURN RURAL GIRLS 69, JUNCTION CITY 26
Junction City 8 5 4 9 -- 26
Washburn Rural 28 11 21 9 -- 69
Junction City (2-12, 2-9) – DeGuzman 2-6 0-0 4, Nabus 0-2 0-0 0, Harris 0-2 0-0 0, Holloway 4-5 3-5 11, Rexrode 3-6 0-0 6, Hatcher 2-4 0-0 5, Exantus 0-0 0-0 0, O'Neal 0-3 0-0 0, Thomas 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-29 3-5 26.
Washburn Rural (14-1, 10-1) – Lutz 2-6 0-0 5, Krueger 3-3 1-2 8, Canfield 4-8 0-0 10, Ingram 5-9 0-0 10, DeLeye 3-7 0-0 6, Bagshaw 1-3 0-1 2, Whitmore 1-3 0-0 2, Carlgren 1-1 0-0 3, Ochs 1-2 0-0 2, Brogan 4-6 7-10 15, Schuler 3-5 0-0 6, Bunck 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-55 8-13 69.
3-point goals – Junction City 1 (Hatcher), Washburn Rural 5 (Canfield 2, Lutz, Krueger Carlgren). Total fouls – Junction City 9, Washburn Rural 9. Fouled out – none.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Anna Becker
ANNA BECKER, Seaman
Becker, a 5-foot-9 guard, continued her outstanding freshman season in two Seaman girls basketball wins last week. Becker scored a career-high 26 points on Tuesday in the Vikings' 49-46 Centennial League victory over Manhattan and followed that up with a 22-point effort Friday night as Seaman improved to 10-4 on the season with a 67-35 win over Highland Park. Becker went 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 12 from the free throw line against Manhattan and went 7 of 7 from the free throw line againt Highland Park.
Hunter Bentley
HUNTER BENTLEY, Washburn University
A 5-9 senior guard, Bentley scored 24 points in Saturday's 61-50 MIAA road win at Northeastern State while becoming the Washburn women's basketball all-time leader in minutes played with 3,982. Bentley, a former Bishop Miege star, connected on 10 of 14 shots from the field against the RiverHawks and hit four 3-pointers as the Ichabods improved to 10-10 on the season overall and 8-6 in the MIAA.
Addison Broxterman
ADDISON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural
Broxterman, a junior, won her second straight Centennial League girls wrestling individual championship on Saturday at Highland Park while helping lead Washburn Rural to its second straight league team title. Now 35-2 on the season, Broxterman, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A-5A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, won the 120-pound title with a win by pin at the 3:10 mark of the championship match over Junction City's Charly Goodwin, helping the Junior Blues win the team crown by a 190-149 margin over Emporia.
Trent Duffey
TRENT DUFFEY, Hayden
A 6-2 senior, Duffey tied for game-high scoring honors with 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, as Hayden's boys basketball team broke through with a 54-42 Centennial League road victory Friday night at Washburn Rural. Duffey led the way as Hayden notched its third win of the 2021-2022 season, improving to 3-10 overall and 2-8 in the Centennial League standings.
Austin Fager
AUSTIN FAGER, Washburn Rural
A 182-pound senior, Fager earned his fourth straight Centennial League individual wrestling championship Saturday at Highland Park while helping lead Washburn Rural to its third straight league team title by a 202.5-174.5 margin over Manhattan. Top-ranked in 6A by the KWCA, Fager clinched league title No. 4 with a 46-second pin over Emporia's Davian White in the championship match. Fager was a state runner-up last season and is currently 33-2 as a senior.
Caden Walker
CADEN WALKER, Shawnee Heights
Walker, a senior, received the award as the Most Outstanding Wrestler in Saturday's United Kansas Conference boys tournament at Leavenworth after winning the 160-pound individual title and leading Shawnee Heights to its fourth straight league team title by a 242-160 margin over Basehor-Linwood. Walker went 5-0 on the day with five pins, recording pins in 13, 20 and 22 seconds, 1:05 and 2:12. Ranked No. 3 in 5A by the KWCA, Walker is a two-time state medalist.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Shawnee Heights state tennis champ and Washburn University standout Chance Joost returned to where it all started Sunday, bringing his William Woods men's and women's tennis teams to Topeka to face his alma mater in a dual match at the Genesis Health Club.
William Woods is an NAIA school of about 800 students located in Fulton, Mo.and Joost is his third season as head coach of the Owls, taking both the men's and women's teams to the NAIA National Tournament last season.
William Woods tennis coach Chance Joost, a native Topekan, talks to one of his players during Sunday's dual against Washburn at the Genesis Health Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn, an NCAA Division II power, took a 7-0 win over the Williams Woods women while the Ichabods took a 5-2 win in the men's match.
But Joost said the main objective Sunday was getting his Owls some top-notch early-season competition.
The fact that he got a chance to do that in his home town was a bonus.
"I was super excited to come home and show what my program can do and show my home town what my stamp is, what my program looks like and go compete against the Ichabods,'' Joost said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' girls wrestling team earned its third straight United Kansas Conference team championship Saturday at Leavenworth, taking the title by a 156-63.5 margin over runner-up Leavenworth.
Seven T-Birds captured individual league titles en route to Shawnee Heights' decisive title run.
Senior Maranda Bell won the 191-pound United Kansas Conference title on Saturday, helping Shawnee Heights win their third straight league title. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights got titles from 109-pound senior Odessa Schmidt (17-8), 115-pound junior Molly Busenitz (22-1), 120-pound senior Alexandria Buce (17-8), 126-pound freshman Reece Taylor (14-11), 132-pound senior Haley Haltom (18-7), 138-pound freshman Madison Freeland (16-7) and 191-pound senior Maranda Bell (20-1).
Haltom had one of the T-Birds' most competitive routes to the title, posting pins in 1 minute, 15 seconds, 5:17 and 1:44, while Taylor recorded a pair of pins.
Bell and Busenitz are both state-ranked in Class 6A-5A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, with Bell currently second-ranked at 191 pounds while Busenitz is fifth-ranked at 115.
Bell placed third in the Division I state tournament last season and posted a 31-5 record on the season while Busenitz posted a 22-8 record last season and qualified for the state meet.
Shawnee Heights will compete in a Class 6A-5A regional tournament Saturday at Seaman, vying for state tournament berths.
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE GIRLS WRESTLING
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' boys wrestling team continued its stranglehold on the United Kansas Conference championship Saturday at Leavenworth, with the T-Birds rolling to their fourth straight title by a 242-160 margin over Basehor-Linwood.
Shawnee Heights, the No. 6-ranked team in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association's All-Class Rankings and No. 7 in Class 5A, had a whopping nine wrestlers earn individual championships on the way to the lopsided team win, led by by senior 160-pounder Caden Walker, who was named the UKC Outstanding Wrestler.
Shawnee Heights senior Caden Walker was named the Outstanding Wrestler in Saturday's United Kansas Conference tournament after helping lead the T-Birds to their fourth straight league team title. [Submitted]
Walker, ranked No. 3 in 5A and No. 7 in the all-class rankings, turned in a dominating performance, posting wins by pin in 13, 20 and 22 seconds, 1 minute, 5 seconds and 2:12.
Junior 195-pound champion Sean Wunder, ranked No. 5 by the KWCA, had a bye and registered four pins, in 45 and 49 seconds and 1:08 and 1:26.
The T-Birds also got individual championships from fourth-ranked 120-pound senior Brock Ferguson, 132-pound sophomore Anthony Bonebrake, 138-pound senior Ty Lewis, 145-pound senior Joey HIlton, 152-pound junior Nick Freeland, 220-pound junior Garrett Peery and 285-pound sophomore Rykan Carver.
Shawnee Heights will compete in a 5A regional tournament on Feb. 18-19 at Blue Valley Southwest, vying for berths in the state tournament.
