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By NICHOLAS GAINEY
Special to TopSports.news
EUDORA -- The Hayden Wildcats opened their 2024 football campaign on Friday with a 35-7 win over the Eudora Cardinals at the Eudora District Stadium.
Junior Kade Mitchell rushed for 81 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in Hayden's 35-7 non-league win at Eudora Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier threw for 277 yards and a TD in the Wildcats' 35-7 win at Eudora Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
After winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half, the Wildcats came away with the football after a botched snap on the Cardinals’ first offensive play. However, the Cardinal defense held firm and forced a turnover on downs to keep Hayden off the scoreboard.
Hayden and Eudora would remain scoreless after the first quarter, but the Wildcats would break the deadlock with a 5-yard touchdown run from Kade Mitchell in the second quarter.
Hayden would add another score before halftime courtesy of a 1-yard touchdown run from Broderick Desch.
The Wildcats would open up a 21-0 lead early in the third quarter after a 6-yard run from Jackson McGivern. The Cardinals would show some signs of life when Errol Siemon broke free for a 14-yard touchdown, but Hayden would answer with a 26-yard run from Mitchell, his second touchdown of the night.
The Wildcats would put the finishing touches on their opening-night win in the fourth quarter with a one-handed grab from junior Connor Hanika.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Another classic was added to the annals of the storied War on 24 rivalry Friday night, with host Silver Lake coming from behind to win 33-26 in overtime over rival Rossville.
Silver Lake senior quarterback Dysen Schooler passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles' 33-36 overtime win over Rossville. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Allen Lees scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime in Silver Lake's 33-26 overtime win over Rossville Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rossville shocked the Silver Lake faithful by grabbing a 10-0 advantage early and leading for most of the contest. When Bulldawg quarterback Tayson Horak bowled his way into the end zone to put Rossville ahead 26-23 with just 35 seconds remaining, the upset appeared all but complete.
But Silver Lake wasn’t done yet.
The Eagles’ senior quarterback Dysen Schooler, making his first start, calmly managed the clock and guided Silver Lake the length of the field. When the offense stalled at the 5-yard line with just 1.4 seconds remaining, Schooler banged home a 22-yard field goal to send the game to overtime, in which each team would begin an offensive series from the 10-yard line.
Possessing the ball first, Silver Lake went up 33-26 on a 2-yard score by Allen Lees.
Rossville advanced to the 5-yard line on two running plays before an incompletion forced fourth down. Horak was stopped short of the goal line on a desperate run into heavy traffic, ending the Bulldawgs’ upset bid.
“For our kids to step up like they did, I couldn’t be happier,” said Silver Lake coach Logan Pegram. “To see them respond the way they did in week one shows a lot of character. It was a team effort.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior John Hoytal made the most of his first start as Washburn Rural's quarterback Friday night, throwing for 234 yards and four touchdowns as the Junior Blues opened their 2024 season with a 42-21 non-league win over city rival Shawnee Heights at Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
Junior quarterback John Hoytal threw for four touchdowns in his first start as Washburn Rural's quarterback Friday night, leading the Junior Blues to a 42-21 win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural's Lafayette Thompson (6), Kellan Roth (7) and Brody Schwinn (11) celebrate a Junior Blues touchdown in Friday's 42-21 win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hoytal and junior Kellan Roth hooked up for 2, 42 and 17-yard touchdowns while Hoytal also hit sophomore Brady Schwinn for a 16-yard score while completing 14 of 21 attempts on the night
"You know I was a little nervous before the game, but you can't tell the difference between nerves and excitement, so I got excited and after that first play it was all just on from there,'' Hoytal said. "I felt like I played good, but it's only up from here.
"We went through a little valley in the game but we've got to get to the top of that peak and get back on the peak.''
Junior TJ Minikwu (24) finds running room against Shawnee Heights in Friday's 42-21 Washburn Rural win at Bowen-Glaze Stadium. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Sophomore Jadyn Baum celebrates a touchdown with his Washburn Rural teammates in Friday's 42-21 win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Rural also had a big night on the ground, with junior TJ Minikwu and sophomore Jadyn Baum both topping the 100-yard mark in rushing yards.
Minikwu finished with 131 yards on 24 attempts while Baum had 115 yards on 16 carries.
The Junior Blues drove 80 yards in nine plays for a TD on its opening drive, getting a 2-yard score from Hoytal to Roth (Ryan Austin kick) at the 9:06 mark of the opening quarter.
After missing out on some scoring opportunities Washburn Rural made it a 14-0 game early in the second quarter when Hoytal found Roth for a 42-yard scoring strike (Austin) kick.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washburn volleyball took the first four points of the match on Friday and never looked back, sweeping Winona State to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Corinna McMullen led Washburn with 19 assists and 11 digs in Friday's sweep over Winona State in the Kansas City Classic. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will wrap up the Kansas City Classic on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Liberty, Mo. against William Jewell.
Washburn never trailed on the day as the Ichabods hit .407 as a team en route to 25-10, 25-12 and 25-16 set victories over the Warriors (1-1) in the second match of the season.
After taking the first four points of the match the Ichabods kept their foot on the gas.
An ace from Taylor Rottinghaus put Washburn up 8-2 and the lead grew to double digits at 18-8 after a block from Jalyn Stevenson and Alex Dvorak, which was part of a six-point burst for Washburn to go up by 14.
A kill by Brynne Topolski would wrap up the first set and a 15-point victory.
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By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
Defending Class 5A state volleyball champion Seaman opened the home portion of its 2024 schedule on Thursday night against Free State, rallying from a slow start to take a 3-1 dual decision over the 6A Firebirds.
Seaman senior Ava Esser spikes the ball in Thursday's 3-1 dual volleyball win over Free State. [Photo by Travis Brown/Seaman Athletics]
After dropping the first set 26-24, Seaman reeled off 25-18, 25-21 and and 25-21 wins to close out the match.
“I was proud of the way we fought back after being down one game at the beginning,'' Seaman coach Tatiana Dowling. "However, we had far too many unforced errors and we need to work to be more consistent.
"Our serve receive and defense looked great tonight. I love a scrappy team and I felt like we did that tonight.”
The Lady Vikes were led in serve receive by seniors Kinley Wilhelm and Maegan Mills along with junior Kinsley Smith. Seniors Ava Esser, Maggie Moulden and Mills led the team in kills. Senior Campbell Chabot and junior Harper Hafenstine led the Lady Vikes in assists while Wilhelm, Chabot and Smith led in digs.
