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Created: 04 October 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural's girls tennis team claimed 12 of the first 14 Centennial League championships after the league expanded to 10 schools in 2004, including an eight-year title run.

But Manhattan had reigned supreme the past three seasons before Rural re-claimed the top spot Monday with a solid team effort at Kossover Tennis Center.

Manhattan junior Jill Harkin won the singles title and Seaman senior Grace Unruh and junior Lauren Sweeney continued their perfect season in doubles, but the Junior Blues rode their  balance to the team win, with Rural placing all four entries in the top five places.

Washburn Rural's doubles teams of Kate Fritz and Meredith Kucera and Hailey Beck and Shelby Schmutzler posted second and third-place league finishes while Rural's Sheriden Wichman placed third and Mena DiMarzio fifth as the Junior Blues won the team title by an 86-79 margin over Manhattan.

"It's just a real solid team overall and it was a good team effort,'' Rural coach Kevin Hedberg said. "I'm really, really pleased with them. It was a good day.

"We know there are some much tougher situations coming, but we're going to enjoy tonight. Winning the league is a nice thing to do.''

Washburn Rural's girls tennis team poses with the Centennial League championship trophy after Monday's win at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Seaman's Unruh and Sweeney won their second straight league doubles championship, rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the final to improve to 29-0 on the season with an 8-3 win over Fritz and Kucera.

 

"I think there were some nerves, feeling a little pressure,'' Unruh said of Seaman's slow start against Rural. "They hit some good shots that we couldn't do anything about, but we're always talking and always trying to bring that energy and I think those first two games we weren't bringing the energy, but then we kind of turned it around.''

Sweeney admitted that there's a certain amount of pressure that comes with every tournament, but said that she and Unruh try to put those thoughts aside.

"There's alway pressure no matter what,'' Sweeney said. "It's just we've got to do what we have to do. I tell Grace all the time, 'Let's just play our game.' ''

Seaman's Grace Unruh (left) and Lauren Sweeney went 5-0 in Monday's Centennial League tennis tournament to capture their second straight league doubles title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

The singles final pitted the reigning league champion, Harkin, against Hayden freshman Ainzley Zulueta, the city singles champ, and Zulueta held her own early before Harkin pulled away for an 8-3 win.

Hayden freshman Ainzley Zulueta finished second in singles in her first Centennial League tournament Monday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Seaman finished third as a team with 75 points, with Nina Del-Zio adding a fourth-place finish in singles. Del-Zio dropped an 8-1 decision to Wichman in the third-place match.

Beck and Schmutzler lost to Rural teammates Fritz and Kucera in the semifinals before bouncing back to to finish third with an 8-3 win over Topeka High's Adisyn Caryl and Haley Carpenter.

City schools will compete in regional tournaments this weekend, vying for state tournament berths, with Class 6A and 4A regionals at Kossover and Seaman hosting a 5A regional.

The 6A tournament will be held on Friday and Saturday while the 5A and 4A regionals will be contested on Saturday.

CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS TENNIS

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Created: 05 October 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Tylan Alejos

TYLAN ALEJOS, Topeka High

Alejos, a senior running back, ran for 400 yards and eight touchdowns on 27 carries in Topeka High's 70-42 Centennial League victory over Highland Park last Friday at Hummer Sports Park. Alejos scored on runs of 32, 21, 4, 6, 71, 51, 31 and 21 yards as the Trojans improved to 2-3 on the season.

Carter Brian

CARTER BRIAN, Cair Paravel Latin

A senior quarterback, Brian completed 14 of 19 passes for 236 yards and six touchdowns as Cair Paravel improved to 5-0 with a 54-8 victory over previously-unbeaten St. Mary's Academy last Friday at Highland Park. Brian completed TD passes of 17, 54, 16, 27, 10 and 8 yards to four different receivers in the win.

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Created: 03 October 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Silver Lake's volleyball team left nothing to chance in its home tournament on Saturday, posting a perfect 5-0 record with five straight-set victories to claim the tournament championship.

Silver Lake's volleyball team poses for a team picture after posting a perfect 5-0 record on Saturday to win its Silver Lake Invitational tournament. [Twitter]

The Eagles, now 22-7 on the season defeated St. Marys (25-21, 25-17), Jefferson West (25-13, 25-13) and Sabetha (28-26, 25-16) before knocking off Perry-Lecompton, 25-18, 25-15, in the semifinals and taking the championship with a 25-12, 25-20 win over rival Rossville, which is now 18-4 on the season.

Taylor Ross, Camilla Ossola and Leah Cook dominated things at the net for the Eagles, combining for 96 kills on the day.

Ross registered  35 kills with a .444 hitting percentage and seven blocks, while Ossola had 31 kills with a .391 hitting percentage and 10 blocks and Cook had 30 kills and six blocks while hitting at a .364 clip.

Taylor Ross

Setter McKinley Kruger had 59 assists and 18 digs while Sarah Wehrli had 58 assists and 13 digs.

Taryn Burkhardt compiled a 2.43 serve efficiency rating in the tournament with 40 digs while Lexis Berndt had 2.42 serve receive efficiency with 42 digs.

Kruger and Wehrli both registered six aces and Ossola four aces.

 

 

 

Details

Created: 03 October 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Rossville's football team, which has not lost since 2019, rolled to its fifth straight win this fall and its 18th overall Friday night, taking a 62-0 Class 2A district victory over Oskaloosa.

The Bulldawgs put their latest win away by the end of the opening quarter, putting 56 points on the board.

Rossville emptied its bench the rest of the way, adding its final touchdown in the final quarter to account for the final margin.

Torrey Horak

Corey Catron

The Bulldawgs scored the only points they would need at the 10:22 mark of the opening quarter, with senior quarterback Torrey Horak finding senior Tagen Kippes for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Pedro Arantes added the extra point.

Horak scored on an 11-yard run at the 8:35 mark and the Bulldawgs also got first-quarter touchowns on a 10-yard run from Corey Catron, a 1-yard run from Raphael Cooney, a 32-yard interception return from Kippes, a 26-yard interception return from Cooney, a 10-yard run from C. Catron and a 7-yard run from Seth Catron.

Arantes kicked all eight extra points in the quarter.

Camden Horak scored Rossville's final points on a 1-yard run with 3:54 left.

Rossville will be at home Friday for a district matchup with Pleasant Ridge.

WASHBURN RURAL 45, EMPORIA 9 -- Washburn Rural bounced back from a tough overtime loss to Junction City, improving to 4-1 on the season with Friday's home Centennial League romp past Emporia (1-4).

Sophomore quarterback Branton DeWeese had a big game foir the Junior Blues, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another score as Rural opened up a 45-0 advantage.

DeWeese threw for touchdowns to Robby Bolin (16 yards), Ma'Kenttis Adams (9 yards) and Lukas Hanks (5 yards) and ran for a 3-yard TD.

In addition to his touchdown reception Adams ran for 24 and 16-yard touchdowns.

Washburn Rural kicker Giles Frederickson kicked a 25-yard field goal and converted all six of his extra point attempts.

Emporia scored its lone touchdown on a 77-yard fourth-quarter pass from Cam Geitz to Parker Lane and the Spartans also scored a late safety.

Rural goes on the road Friday to face unbeaten Manhattan. 

HAYDEN 38, OSAWATOMIE 0 -- Hayden improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in 3A district play with a 38-0 romp at Osawatomie.

The Wildcats put the game on ice early, getting a pair of first-quarter touchdown runs from TL Thompson and a touchdown pass from Gavin Arnold to Kaelin Rice.

Jack Chisham added a scoring run to put the Wildcats in front 32-0 at the half and Curtis Morrisey scored Hayden's final TD in the second half.

Hayden's offense converted 2-point conversions after its first four touchdowns while the Wildcat defense extended its shutout streak to 11 straight quarters.

The Wildcats will play a district game at Santa Fe Trail on Friday.

BASEHOR-LINWOOD 42, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 7 -- Basehor-Linwood improved to a perfect 5-0 with Friday's 42-7 home United Kansas Conference victory over Shawnee Heights.

Bobcat quarterback Brady Garrison threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score while Zach Sizemore scored a pair of TDs.

Shawnee Heights (1-4) scored its lone touchdown on a 32-yard pass from quarterback Callan Carver to Jayden Moore.

Carver completed 15 of 29 passes for 135 yards (one interception) while Moore had four catches for 71 yards.

Jarin Sanders carried the ball 25 times for 95 yards for the T-Birds.

Shawnee Heights will play at De Soto on Friday.

MANHATTAN 48, SEAMAN 21 -- Centennial League-leading Manhattan improved to 5-0 with a decisive 48-21 win over Seaman.

The Indians were never threatened after opening up a commanding 34-14 halftime advantage.

Seaman, which fell to 3-2 on the season, will be at home Friday for a league matchup with Emporia.

JUNCTION CITY 54, TOPEKA WEST 16 -- Junction City (4-1) opened up a 20-0 halftime lead over the 1-4 Chargers en route to the Centennial League victory.

The Blue Jays went in front 41-0 before Topeka West was able to find the end zone for a couple of scores.

Junction City got a big night from quarterback Xavion Felton, who ran for two scores and threw for three TDs as the Blue Jays opened up their 41-0 lead. 

Topeka West will play Highland Park on Friday at Hummer Sports Park.

SILVER LAKE 63, MISSION VALLEY 0 -- Silver Lake improved to 4-1 with its second straight 2A district victory.

The Eagles jumped on Mission Valley early to build a 21-0 first-quarter lead and led 35-0 at the half.

Silver Lake boosted its lead to 49-0 in the third quarter before adding a pair of TDs in the fourth.

Silver Lake will host McLouth in a district game Friday.