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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
And then there were two!
Washburn Rural's soccer team came from behind to earn a berth in Saturday's Class 6A state championship game with a 2-1 semifinal win over Blue Valley Northwest Friday at Olathe's College Boulevard Activity Center.
Next up for the 19-0-0 Junior Blues is the 2 p.m. final against Olathe West (12-7-1), which took a 2-1 win over Wichita North (17-2-1) in Friday's second semifinal.
Kaden Hill (7), in action earlier this season, scored the game-winning goal in Washburn Rural's 2-1 semifinal win over Blue Valley Northwest in the Class 6A state tournament. [File photo by Doug Walker/TSN]
Blue Valley Northwest (8-11-1) drew first blood against Washburn Rural and took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but the Junior Blues pulled even on Easton Bradstreet's goal midway through the second half and scored the game-winning goal eight minutes later on a shot from senior Kaden Hill.
Olathe West also trailed 1-0 in its semifinal, but scored the final two goals to take the victory.
Blue Valley Northwest will face Wichita North in the 12 p.m. third-place game.
CLASS 6A STATE SOCCER
At College Boulevard Activity Center, Olathe
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Washburn Rural 2, Blue Valley Northwest 1
Olathe West 2, Wichita North 1
SATURDAY'S GAMES
12 p.m. -- Third place: Blue Valley Northwest (8-11-1) vs. Wichita North (17-2-1) .
2 -- Championship: Washburn Rural (19-0-0) vs. Olathe West (12-7-10.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Now in his 20th season as Washburn University's head football coach, it's probably hard for local fans to remember Craig Schurig being anywhere else.
But if not for a nine-year stint as an assistant at Pittsburg State, Washburn may have never happened.
"Probably nobody remember that any more because I've been here so long, but that's kind of where I got my football knowledge, under Chuck Broyles,'' said Schurig, whose 7-2 Ichabods will go on the road to face the 7-2 Gorillas in a 1 p.m. MIAA game Saturday at Carnie Smith Stadium.
After serving as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater, Colorado School of Mines, in 1992, Schurig went to Pitt State, where he coached tight ends, defensive backs and the punt team during a stint from 1993-2001 before landing the head coaching position at Washburn.
And although he wants to beat Pittsburg State as badly as any other team on the Ichabods' schedule, Schurig still has fond memories of his time in Pittsburg.
"You want your team to play well because you remember your time there,'' he said. "My three kids, Samantha, Mitchell and Michael, were all born there and that's where I really started my coaching career, so any time you go back you want to play well and show that you've kind of taken what you learned and done well.''
Craig Schurig's Washburn football team will take a 7-2 record and four-game winning streak into Saturday's game at Pittsburg State. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
While on Chuck Broyles staff at Pitt State Schurig was part of Gorilla teams that played for the national championship in 1995, won four MIAA championships and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs eight times.
"I learned a lot from just how they ran the program,'' said Schurig, who is 9-8 against Pittsburg State. "Chuck did such a great job with just the total program, how your recruited, how you trained, putting a system in place on offense and defense and special teams.
"His philosophy was to have a physical team that was sound in what you did and to try to beat people and not try to trick people and that if you hit it that way you could be successful in this conference.''
Schurig was named Washburn's coach on Dec.. 28, 2001 and the rest, as they say, is history.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four Topeka volleyball standouts have earned All-State Tournament honors for 2021.
Washburn Rural senior Katelynn Brogan and junior Brooklyn DeLeye were named to the All-Class 6A All-State Tournament team while Seaman senior Drew Baxter and sophomore Brooklyn Gormley were named to the 5A team.
Brooklyn DeLeye
Katelynn Brogan
Drew Baxter
Brooklyn Gormley
Brogan, a 5-foot-10 setter/rightside hitter, and DeLeye, a 6-2 outside hitter, helped lead Washburn Rural to a 41-2 record on the season and a fourth-place finish in the 6A state tournament.
DeLeye was named to the 6A All-State Tournament team for the third straight season.
Baxter, a 5-9 outside hitter/setter, and Gormley, a 5-11 middle blocker, helped lead Seaman to a 27-13 record and a fourth-place finish in the 5A state tournament.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Six Washburn University players have earned recognition on the All-MIAA women's soccer team, including second-team picks Emily Michaelis and Tera Lynch, while former Cair Paravel Latin standout Hannah Woolery earned first-team honors for Emporia State.
Woolery, a sophomore midfielder, moved up to the All-MIAA first team after earning honorable mention last season.
Woolery is tied for second in the MIAA with seven assists, fourth in points scored with 23 and sixth with eight goals scored this year.
Emporia State sophomore Hannah Woolery, a Cair Paravel product, has been named to the All-MIAA soccer first-team. [Photo courtesy of ESU Photography]
She was the MIAA offensive player of the week on September 21 following her two-goal effort against Washburn.
Tera Lynch
Emily Michaelis
Second-teamers Lynch, a senior midfielder, and Michaelis, a sophomore defender, lead Washburn's all-conference contingent while sophomore goalkeeper Raegan Wells and freshman forward Khloe Schuckman earned third-team honors and defender Mattie Miano and midfielder Charlie Taylor received honorable mention.
Central Missouri’s Kassie Newsom was selected as the MIAA’s offensive player of the year for the 2021 season. Newsom led the league with 43 points to help UCM win its second consecutive MIAA regular-season championship.
Her 13 assists led the MIAA while her 15 goals ranked second. Four of Newsom’s 15 goals were game-winning scores. The Jennies junior also ranked second in the league with 69 shots and 36 shots on goal. Newsom’s 13 assists are currently tied for first in Division II while her 43 total points rank second in the nation. This is Newsom’s second consecutive season earning All-MIAA honors.
Central Oklahoma’s Taryn Kedzior was tabbed the 2021 MIAA defensive player of the Year. Kedzior anchored the Bronchos' backline that finished regular-season competition with a league-high 10 shutouts.
Kedzior and the UCO defense allowed just 75 shots on goal and 17 goals, the second-fewest in the league. The Broncho junior accounted for a team-high 1,507 minutes on the field with 18 starts. This is Kedzior’s third consecutive All-MIAA honor
Voting for the MIAA goalkeeper of the year award ended in a tie between UCM’s Lindsey Johnson and UCO’s Kaitlyn Asher.
Asher started all 18 games in the net for the Bronchos for a total of 1,4030 minutes played. She ranked second in the league with just 15 goals allowed for a .944 goals against average. The Bronchos senior also ranked second in the MIAA with six shoutouts while her .805 save percentage ranked fourth. This is Asher’s second All-MIAA recognition.
Senior keeper Johnson helped the Jennies to their second consecutive regular-season championship with a total of 74 saves in 16 games for a .779 save percentage. In 1,458 minutes of action, Johnson allowed 21 goals and secured four shutouts. This is Johnson’s second consecutive season tabbing the association’ goalkeeper of the year honor.
The 2021 MIAA freshman of the year award went to Central Missouri’s Caroline Cole. Cole has started 17 games and totaled 1,324 minutes of play. She ranks third on the UCM squad with 15 points, six goals and three assists. She’s taken 49 shots this season with 23 falling on goal. Cole shares the team-high game-winning goals with Newsom at four.
Central Missouri's Lewis Theobald and Northwest Missouri’s Marc Gordon were selected as the MIAA’s co-coaches of the year by conference coaches.
The 2021 regular-season championship is the 12th of Theobald’s career as the Jennies have claimed 12 of the last 15 regular-season titles. This is Gordon’s first coach of the year honor since taking over the Northwest program in 2018. After being voted seventh in the MIAA preseason coaches poll, Gordon led the Bearcats to a third-place finish in the MIAA and set a program record with 12 wins on the season.
The MIAA tournament begins Sunday at campus sites with the semifinal and championship rounds to be played at the highest remaining seed after the quarterfinals.
ALL-MIAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Seven Shawnee County high school football teams will continue their 2021 seasons on Friday with playoff contests.
Washburn Rural will host Free State in Class 6A, while Seaman will host Blue Valley Southwest and Shawnee Heights will travel to Mill Valley in 5A
Hayden will host Rock Creek in a 3A contest while Rossville will host Nemaha Central and Silver Lake will travel to St. Marys in 2A.
Cair Paravel will host Wichita Home School in a KCAA playoff game.
Here's a look at all seven games involving county schools:
Sophomore quarterback Branton DeWeese has helped lead Washburn Rural to an 8-1 record this fall. [File photo/TSN]
CLASS 6A
FREE STATE (7-2) at WASHBURN RURAL (8-1)
FREE STATE -- This Free State offense has been a stellar unit under the leadership of coach Kevin Steward. The Firebirds have averaged 33.4 points a game this season. The Firebirds most notably defeated Mill Valley, 41-20, handing the Jaguars their only loss of the year. The last meeting between the Junior Blues and Firebirds was in 2016, with Free State taking a 17-14 victory.
WASHBURN RURAL -- The Junior Blues have one of the most complete teams in the area. The defense has allowed 20 or more points only once this season (Seaman). The offense is led by sophomore Branton DeWeese, who has excelled in his first season as the Junior Blues' quarterback. Sophomore JC Heim has been impressive at running back while senior Robby Bolin is a top-notch receiver for Rural, which earned a share of the Centennial League championship.
Senior quarterback Camden Barta and Seaman will host Blue Valley Southwest Friday night in a Class 5A playoff game. [Photo by Shelly Prengel/Special to TSN]
CLASS 5A
