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Created: 14 October 2021

THE PENNANT PLAYER PROFILE

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Freshman Trenton Brehm came to Washburn University to play baseball, but almost on a lark decided he might as well try to double up in football.

The Ichabods are sure glad he did.

"I wanted to play baseball in college, that's what I wanted to do,'' said Brehm, a native of Papillion, Neb. "But then I was like, 'Maybe I should just try kicking in college, too.' I asked the baseball coach (Harley Douglas) if I could get the football coach's number and see if I could come play for the team. I texted coach (Zach) Watkins (WU assistant) and I came down on a visit and this is where I ended up.''

Trenton Brehm

A second baseman in baseball, Brehm had impressive kicking credentials in high school for Papillion La Vista South, making nine of 12 field goal attempts as a senior, including a long of 52 yards.

But with the Ichabods returning standout Kameron Lake, the plan was for Brehm to redshirt this season and then most likely serve as Lake's backup.

That all changed when Lake started experiencing problems with his leg early in the season.

Despite the pain Lake handled Washburn's kickoff and placement duties through the first two weeks of the season, but in Week 3 Brehm was installed as the Ichabods' kickoff man for the road game at Nebraska-Kearney.

"About midway through the week of preparation for Kearney, coach (Craig) Schurig came up to me and asked I would be OK with traveling to Kearney and doing kickoffs,'' Brehm said.

The move caught about everybody by surprise, including Brehm's family.

"My dad didn't believe me the first week when I said I going to go play,'' Brehm said. "I was a little nervous getting thrown out there. It was in my home state that first game, so that was kind of cool, but I was definitely pretty nervous going out there for my first college game.''

The next week, against Missouri Western, Brehm handled all of Washburn's place-kicking duties, a role he has filled the past three games for the 4-2 Ichabods.

"When I started doing everything, that's when the real nerves kind of kicked in,'' Brehm said.

True freshman Trenton Brehm has turned in a solid performance as Washburn's place-kicker after taking over for injured starter Kameron Lake. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

Brehm has connected on two of three field goal attempts and 10 of 12 extra-point tries and is coming off his best game in last Saturday's 23-20 overtime win over Fort Hays State, kicking a 35-yard field goal and going two 2 of 2 on extra points.

"I feel like I'm doing pretty good,'' Brehm said. "I feel like I've gained a lot of confidence over the weeks and everyone's been super supportive of me getting thrown in there. I feel like I've definitely gotten a lot better and have continued to progress throughout this year.

"I feel a little more confident going out there each and every time.''

Schurig is quick to praise Brehm for how he's handled a challenging situation.

"He's just handled it beautifully,'' Schurig said. "I think that whole (kicking) unit has handled it well, and Kam has been very supportive. (Brehm's) done a tremendous job and we're thankful.''

"It's fun,'' Brehm said. "It's really fun.''

 

 

 

 

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Created: 14 October 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Seaman's Grace Unruh and Lauren Sweeney turned in an outstanding 2020 high school tennis season, sweeping city, Centennial League and regional championships before advancing to the Class 5A state semifinals.

But it's the two losses that the Viking stars took to end the year that has helped drive Unruh and Sweeney to a perfect 32-0 record this fall entering Friday and Saturday's state tournament at Emporia High School.

"We wanted to get first last year obviously, like who doesn't?'' said Unruh, a senior. "But we kind of settled with where we were at and this year there's no settling.''

Sweeney, a junior, agreed.

"I think we were just happy that we made it to that day last year,'' Sweeney said. "Now first is what we're shooting for.''

Seaman junior Lauren Sweeney (left) and senior Grace Unruh are 32-0 in doubles entering this weekend's Class 5A state tournament at Emporia. [File photo/TSN]

In the 2020 state meet Unruh and Sweeney dropped a 6-2, 6-4 semifinal decision to eventual state champs Emma and Sarah Sinclair of Andover before falling to Iliana Armbrust and Alexxa Nunemaker of Salina South in the third-place match, 6-3, 6-2, to finish fourth.

As painful as those losses were, Sweeney and Unruh think they were good training for this weekend.

"I think we are where we are supposed to be,'' Sweeney said. "I think knowing what is there at state and what to expect this year helps and we know we can compete.''

Added Unruh:

"Last year we knew what we were capable of and we didn't quite meet that goal but to know that we were so close last year and all the work that we've put in the past year, we're rolling, we're ready for it.''

The Vikings are coming off a banner regional performance, with Seaman sweeping the singles, doubles and team championships on its home courts.

Seaman junior Nina Del-Zio (25-9) and sophomore Katie Krumins (24-11) finished 1-2 in singles in the regional tournament to punch their tickets to state, which will get under way at 10:30 a.m. Friday and continue at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Shawnee Heights finished second as a team at regionals, qualifying senior Laura El-Koubysi (16-10) in singles and the doubles teams of seniors Paige Devena and Bella LeJuerne (20-10) and sophomore Ariah Durkes and senior Shelby Elskamp (11-16) for state.

El Koubysi finished fifth in the Seaman regional while Devena and LeJuerne were third and Durkes and Elskamp sixth.

Topeka West will be represented in the state tournament by senior singles player Anna Newcome (15-16), who placed third in the Seaman regional.

CLASS 6A

Washburn Rural, which has not lost a competition this season, captured the team championship in last weekend's 6A regional at Kossover Tennis Center while qualifying its entire team for the state tournament at Wichita's Riverside Tennis Center.

Washburn Rural juniors Meredith Kucera (left) and Kate Fritz are coming off a doubles championship in last Saturday's Class 6A regional tournament. [File photo/TSN]

Juniors Kate Fritz and Meredith Kucera (22-4) won the regional doubles title with a win over Rural teammates Hailey Beck, a junior, and senior Shelby Schmutzler (24-2) in the championship match.

The city, Centennial League and regional team champs also got a runner-up regional finish in singles from senior four-time state qualifier Sheriden Wichman and a third-place finish from sophomore Mena DiMarzio. Wichman is 25-4 on the season while DeMarzio is 16-5.

Topeka High will take both its doubles teams to state, with juniors Adisyn Caryl and Haley Carpenter (22-7) posting a fourth-place finish in the regional tournament while senior Mary Dietrick and sophomore McCall Beall (12-4) took sixth.

CLASS 4A

Hayden will be well-represented in the 4A state meet at the T.H. Vaughan Tennis Center in Winfield, with the Wildcats qualifying five competitors for state.

Freshman Ainzley Zulueta rolled to the singles title in last Saturday's regional at Kossover Tennis Center while sophomore Lauren Sandstrom and freshman Emily Sheetz took the doubles championship. 

Hayden freshman singles standout Ainzley Zulueta will take a 31-5 record into her first Class 4A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Winfield. [File photo/TSN]

Zulueta will take a 31-5 record to the state meet while Sandstrom and Sheetz are 22-6 on the year.

The Wildcats also qualified the third-place doubles team of juniors Briahna Barnett and Sloane Sims, who are 20-13 this fall.

CLASS 3A-1A

Junior Alivia Sherer will represent Rossville in the 3A-1A state tournament at Maize South after posting a third-place singles finish in last weekend's Hillsboro regional.

Alivia Sherer

Sherer, who played as a co-op player for Hayden during the regular season, has 21-6 record this season.

SHAWNEE COUNTY STATE QUALIFIERS

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Created: 12 October 2021

By KYLE MANTHE

The Washburn Review

Starting off a fourth consecutive week at No. 1, Washburn University volleyball was faced with a matchup against No. 15 Nebraska-Kearney Tuesday night.

The match ended a five-game homestand as the Ichabods are hitting their stride while entering the thick of conference play.

“Just be humble, play, and enjoy the dadgum year. It's been a good year, so lets just keep enjoying it,” said coach Chris Herron.

The Ichabods did keep having fun Tuesday on the way to completing a sweep over the Lopers in three sets, all ending 25-22.

Washburn senior Allison Maxwell (8) goes up for a kill during Tuesday's 3-0 MIAA sweep over Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

The win continued Washburn’s undefeated march through MIAA play, as well as completed a regular-season sweep for the Ichabods over their previously top-ranked conference rivals.

“Our class, we want to win everywhere we go at this point, so beating them on our floor one last time was really good, you know I hope we get them in the postseason again, beating a team three times is really hard, but I’m so excited for that opportunity as well,” senior setter Allison Sadler said.

The match looked murkey to start, with the Ichabods in a 4-0 hole from the jump. That is when Washburn’s offense came alive to the tune of 16 kills and a .314 attack percentage in the set. The attack came from the middle as the trio of Kelsey Gordon, Allison Maxwell and Sydney Fitzgibbons combined for 14 kills.

“I think Syd and Kelsey came through for us and did a tremendous job and that was the difference in the match,” Herron said.

The second set started with Washburn out in front 3-0 and they would have Kearney on its heels the entire set before closing the door on another 25-22 set. The set was nearly spotless for the Ichabods, as they committed only two errors compared to nine from the Lopers.

There was no separation early on in the third set as the two sides split the first 12 points before Washburn broke it open. The offensive attack was balanced, with five players recording at least three kills, and it was all orchestrated by Sadler who notched 17 assists in the set.

Washburn senior Allison Sadler sets the ball during the Ichabods' 3-0 sweep over Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

“They just make my job so easy and that’s incredible to say. I mean we have two All-Americans, and they just make my job so easy,” Sadler said.

Maxwell led the way for the Ichabods with 12 kills while Gordon and Fitzgibbons added nine and 10 kills, respectively, with an attack percentage above .550 for both.

In the back row, senior libero Faith Rottinghaus had 22 digs, while Sadler had 40 assists at a .400 assist rate to go along with nine digs.

No. 1-ranked Washburn celebrates a point against Nebraska-Kearney Tuesday night. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

The win moved the team to 17-1 on the year, with nine wins in a row led by fifth-year seniors all-around.

“I’m the one that’s benefiting from this more than anything,” said Herron on all of the seniors who returned for a fifth year. “I like them so dang much that I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do without them next year.”  

Next up for Washburn is a road trip to take on No. 9-ranked Northwest Missouri State on Oct. 15.

MATCH RESULTS

Washburn def. Nebraska-Kearney, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22

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Created: 13 October 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The juggernaut that is Washburn Rural volleyball continued to roll Tuesday night, with the Junior Blues improving to 30-0 on the season with three straight-set wins in Hayden's quadrangular.

But as good as the Junior Blues have been all season, veteran Rural coach Kevin Bordewick firmly believes that his team can still get better with postseason rapidly approaching.

"I think we're in a good spot, but man there's a lot of things that we can sure work on,'' Bordewick said. "You see film every day and you see something new that maybe we can get a little bit better at.''

Washburn Rural's volleyball team, celebrating a point, improved to 30-0 Tuesday night with a 3-0 night in the Hayden quadrangular. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

The Junior Blues opened Tuesday's quad with a 25-10, 25-10 romp past host Hayden before dispatching Lawrence, 25-10, 25-6, and ending their night with a 25-15, 25-12 win over Manhattan.

Rural got a solid performance from every player it put on the floor, including a dominating performance at the net from juniors Brooklyn DeLeye and Taylor Russell and sophomore Jada Ingram and a solid night from sophomore Zoe Canfield as the Junior Blues' setter.

Washburn Rural's Taylor Russell (1) and Jada Ingram (6) team up for a block Tuesday night against Hayden. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Rural's win streak has now reached 31 straight matches, dating back to the third-place match at state last fall, but Bordewick said he doesn't worry about his team feeling the pressure of the unbeaten streak.

"No, because we don't talk about it and we just approach it as the next thing is tomorrow's practice,'' Bordewick said. "We're going to get some stuff done and work and then we'll see what happens Thursday (triangular at Olathe West, with Topeka High).''

Lawrence went 2-1 on the night, taking a 25-15, 23-25, 25-7 win over Manhattan and ending the night with another three-set win over Hayden, 25-17, 20-25, 25-16.

Manhattan's lone win was a 25-19, 25-22 win over Hayden while the Wildcats went 0-3 against their three Class 6A opponents.

MATCH RESULTS

Washburn Rural def. Hayden, 25-10, 25-10; Lawrence def. Manhattan, 25-15, 23-25, 25-7; Washburn Rural def. Lawrence, 25-10, 25-6; Manhattan def. Hayden, 25-19, 25-22; Washburn Rural def. Manhattan, 25-15, 25-12; Lawrence def. Hayden, 25-17, 20-25, 25-16.