- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- Washburn University put together a spirited comeback late in Saturday's rainy MIAA football game against rival Emporia State, but the Ichabods dug themselves a huge hole earlier in the day that was just too deep to escape.
Five Washburn turnovers helped Emporia State build a 35-10 second-half lead and the Hornets were able to hold on for 35-30 victory at Welch Stadium.
"The way the weather was in the first half the turnovers just crush you and then you feel like you're playing uphill,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said.
The Ichabods (3-2, 3-2 MIAA) took an early 3-0 lead on a 32-yard Trenton Brehm field goal, but the Hornets answered with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Braden Gleason to former Topeka High standout Corey Thomas as Emporia State (3-2, 3-2) took advantage of an Ichabod fumble at WU's 10-yard-line.
Washburn took one more lead, with Mitch Schurig hitting Peter Afful for an 11-yard TD pass with 32 seconds left in the opening quarter, but Emporia State would score 28 straight points to take control
The Hornets took the lead for good at 14-10 with 12:39 to play in the first half when Gleason found Seaman product Dalton Cowan for a 5-yard touchdown..
The Hornets came up with a huge play later in the second when Jace McDown picked off a Schurig pass and rambled 56 yards for a TD to put Emporia State in front 21-10 at the half.
"Part of our DNA is turnovers and we really haven't got that this season -- I think we've only got one a game -- so we knew it was going to be rainy and we knew (turnovers) were going to be a possibility today and that was the difference in the game,'' McDown said. "That's what we built on and I'm glad we could do that today.''
Things got worse for Washburn when ESU scored on its first drive of the second half and another Ichabod turnover set the Hornets at the WU 12 and Emporia State scored four plays later to go in front 35-10 with 12:35 to play.
Washburn would end the game with 20 unanswered points to make things interesting.
Schurig connected on a 58-yard touchdown pass to James Letcher with 10:21 to go and Schurig found Jace Williams for an 11-yard TD with 6:22 remaining and connected with Williams for a 21-yard score with 29 second left.
After missing a two-point conversion attempt Washburn tried an onside kick, but the Hornets recovered to clinch the victory.
"We didn't give up,'' Craig Schurig said. "We made some big plays, scramble plays the receivers made, and the O-line was blocking well and we got back to where we made it something exciting at the end.''
Letcher caught 10 passes for 132 yards and also had a touchdown on a punt return wiped out by penalty, while Williams had six catches for 88 yards and the two TDs.
Schurig threw for a career-high 410 yards and four touchdowns, completing 34 of 53 passes.
Zach Willis had 10 carries for 86 yards for the Ichabods.
Peyton Lane led the Ichabods with eight tackles while Jacob Anderson and Landen Urban both had six stops, with Urban registering 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
Letcher finished with 233 all purpose yards and went over the 100-reception mark for his career as an Ichabod. Schurig threw his 50th touchdown pass on the pass to Afful and finished the day with 53 career TDs.
Gleason was 18 of 25 on the day passing for 183 yards and four touchdowns.
"We were just trying to get the ball in playmakers' hands early and let them do their thing,'' Gleason said.
Cowan and Thomas both had three catches while Rossville product Cole Schumacher had two grabs for the Hornets and former Bulldawg Dawson Hammes was in on six tackles (five solo).
The Ichabods will return to action on Oct. 9 hosting Fort Hays State at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium as part of Hall of Fame Saturday.
- Details
By Kyle Manthe
The Washburn Review
After a sweep the night before, the No. 1-ranked Washburn volleyball team looked to complete a third straight perfect match in an afternoon matchup Saturday against the streaking Bronchos of Central Oklahoma, who entered second in the MIAA behind only the Ichabods.
The match was one that the Ichabods were excited about heading into the week.
“They were coming off of a big win over Nebraska-Kearney also, I mean we were kind of geared up for it to be honest with you, we knew that they were going to be a really good team,” said Washburn coach Chris Herron.
Washburn was able to buck the Bronchos, defeating them in three sets, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16, building its lead in the MIAA standings with a perfect 6-0 conference record.
The first set started slow by the Ichabods' high standards, as they trailed 10-9 nearly halfway through. Ultimately efficient attacking and all-around play from senior setter Allison Sadler was enough to secure a set win. Sadler notched 12 assists and six digs in the first set alone on her way to a career-high 20 digs in the match for the fifth-year senior.
“I don’t know, it was just working and clicking, when we are on we are on and so everything just felt good,” said Sadler.
Washburn started slow again in the second set but would once again storm back in the back half, winning 10 of the last 15 points to take the set. That time it was freshman outside hitter Jalyn Stevenson who led the way with six kills in another standout performance.
By the third set the Ichabods had begun to wear down Central Okahoma, and the team's persistent attacking forced the Bronchos into six attack errors in the set. The balanced offense of Washburn kept it in control for the entirety of the set as they completed the sweep.
“Well, we were pretty good, I can’t say that every time we play, but we were pretty good tonight,” said Herron. “We were able to beat them in transition, they didn’t handle us in transition, so I think that was the difference in the game.”
In addition to her career high 20 digs Sadler recorded 45 assists, her third highest total of the year. Behind her senior libero Faith Rottinghaus finished with 17 digs.
Up front Stevenson led the way with 13 kills while seniors Kelsey Gordon and Genna Berg were in double digits with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, as the Ichabods moved to 14-1 on the season.
MATCH RESULTS
Washburn def. Central Oklahoma, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights junior cross country standout Kory Sutton hadn't been particularly pleased with his last couple of races, but Sutton was back on top of his game in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Community Park, leading a 1-2 T-Bird finish in the boys race.
Sutton clocked a five-kilometer time of 16 minutes, 15.31 seconds while his sophomore teammate, Jackson Esquibel finished second 16:22.72.
"Last week I felt like I started off good and didn't quite finish how I wanted to and didn't keep it going,'' Sutton said. "I've had a rough couple of weeks and didn't perform how I wanted, but coming back here definitely helped me build back up my confidence and get back in my groove.
"I was feeling good at the end of the race and I felt like kept it up throughout the whole thing and stayed out of my head. I just ran like I knew I could.''
Sutton said that was important entering the biggest meets of the season.
"It's time for the big meets and it's getting down to the nitty gritty,'' he said.
Sutton and Esquibel have been one of the area's best 1-2 punches and showed that again in Saturday's race.
"It's really fun,'' Sutton said. "We can always work together in workouts and then when we come out here we know we can pace off each other and know where we should be.''
While Shawnee Heights stole the show individually, Washburn Rural was the star of the show as a team, winning the team championship by a 49-63 margin over Seaman and Shawnee Heights.
Senior Alex Holmes paced the Junior Blues with a fourth-place finish in 16:32.74 while the Junior Blues also got a sixth-place finish from sophomore Hayden Keller (17:01.05).
Junior Grayson Fink (17:54.53), junior Easton Dial (17:56.60) and junior Davin Johnson (18:03.93) went 13-14-15 to round out Washburn Rural's top five runners.
Senior Jace Moore finished fifth individually (16:53.42) to lead Seaman to a second-place team finish by virtue of a higher finishing No. 6 runner.
Shawnee Heights also got a ninth-place finish from junior Andrew Emerson (17:37.17) while Topeka West got a 10th-place finish from senior Louis Wilson (17:41.48).
Next up for city runners is Saturday's city meet at the Kanza Park Course. The boys varsity race will start at approximately 9:40 a.m.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY
Boys
Team scores
Washburn Rural 49, Seaman 63, Shawnee Heights 63, Lawrence 86, Leavenworth 123, Topeka High 140.
Individual results
1. Sutton, Shawnee Heights, 16:15.31; 2. Esquibel, Shawnee Heights, 16:22.72; 3. Ryan, Lawrence, 16:25.92; 4. Holmes, Washburn Rural, 16:32.74; 5. Moore, Seaman, 16:53.42; 6. Keller, Washburn Rural, 17:01.05; 7. Purvis, Leavenworth, 17:09.95; 8. Sullivan, Leavenworth, 17:29.23; 9. Emerson, Shawnee Heights, 17:37.17; 10. Wilson, Topeka West, 17:41.48.
Other Washburn Rural -- 13. Fink, 17:54.53; 14. Dial, 17:56.60; 15. Johnson, 18:03.93; 22. Cain, 18:23.11; 24. Olsen, 18:31.75; 29. Ishaan, 18:58.04.
Other Seaman -- 11. Appelhanz, 17:46.30; 12. Stuke, 17:52.57; 19. Swaim, 18:13.07; 20. Jowers, 18:15.04; 21. Newell, 18:15.04; 26. Buckley, 18:48.89; 35. Joseph, 19:47.03; 36. Lady, 19:47.14.
Other Shawnee Heights -- 23. Carter, 18:24.91; 32. Deitcher, 19:15.41; 38. Song, 19:57.16.
Other Topeka West -- 30. Phelps, 18:58.48; 39. Maag, 19:59.71.
Topeka High -- 17. Christopher, 18:06.64; 27. Storrer, 18:49.12; 37. Cowdin, 19:54.24; 40. Campbell, 20:32.99; 42. Solis Carlos, 20:59.20.
Cair Paravel -- 34. Eckert, 19:40.44; 41. Clark, 20:36.82; 47. Bowling, 22:16.56; 49. Keys, 27:14.80.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Individual champion Madeline Carter led a 1-2-3 Washburn Rural finish Saturday morning at Shawnee North Community Park as the Junior Blues edged host Seaman for the team championship in the Seaman Invitational.
A junior, Carter posted a winning five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 07.65 seconds, while Rural senior Khloi Bird was second in 19:28.03 and freshman Payton Fink placed third in 19:42.32 while sophomore Sydney Laster was 10th in 20:42.53 and freshman Rylee Ismert was 13th in 21:31.48 to round out the Junior Blues' top five.
"We work hard during practice and we just use that hard work and it pays off in a race, so it's really fun to see it work,'' Carter said.
Carter, who notched her second individual win this fall, said Saturday's meet was good preparation for the upcoming stretch of city, Centennial League, regional and state competition.
"I was really using this meet to see how I would match up in city, so it's great to see that I'm doing good and our team's doing good as well,'' she said.
Junior Bethany Druse paced Seaman with a fourth-place individual finish (20:14.94) while the Vikings also got top-10 finishes from freshman Joslyn Grace (sixth in 20:17.86), freshman Anna Becker (seventh in 20:29.30) and senior Emma Schultz (ninth in 20:31.93).
Seaman coach Rick Brading said he was pleased with the Vikings' performance on Saturday.
"We're trying to figure out a way to race the middle of the race and they did for the most part today, so I thought it was a good day,'' Brading said.
Cair Paravel Latin finished fifth as a team, led by Katherine Keys' 28th-place finish (23:19.20).
The city meet is on tap on Saturday at the Kanza Park Course, with varsity competition getting under way at 9 a.m.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY
Girls
Team scores
Washburn Rural 29, Seaman 37, Lawrence 65, Leavenworth 110, Cair Paravel 140.
Individual results
1. Carter, Washburn Rural, 19:07.65; 2. Bird, Washburn Rural, 19:28.03; 3. Fink, Washburn Rural, 19:42.32; 4. Druse, Seaman, 20:14.94; 5. Hardy, Lawrence, 20:16.67; 6. J. Grace, Seaman, 20:17.86; 7. Becker, Seaman, 20:29.30; 8. Kennedy, Lawrence, 20:30.78; 9. Schultz, Seaman, 20:31.93; 10. Laster, Washburn Rural, 20:42.53.
Other Washburn Rural -- 13. Ismert, 21:31.48; 15. Gutierrez, 21:37.68; 21. Nolte, 22:18.29.
Other Seaman -- 14. Sampson, 21:32.34; 17. Polter, 21:44.33; 22. Spencer 22:19.19; 23. G. Grace, 22:53.34.
Cair Paravel -- 28. Keys, 23:19.20; 31. Barkley, 23:50.00; 35. Lewis, 24:29.34; 42. Bowling, 32:56.97; 43. Richards, 34:41.68.
Topeka High -- 32. Zuniga, 23:58.94; 40. Cabral, 26:59.33; 41. Ludlum, 27:55.55.
Shawnee Heights -- 37. Liedtke, 24:33.64; 38. Marney, 24:46.51.
- Details
By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Friday's battle between two football unbeatens had a lot at stake.
The chatter before the game from Cair Paravel Latin fans was that Friday's match would determine how the remainder of the 2021 season would look for the Lions and things are indeed looking bright after CPLS rolled to a 54-8 victory over St. Mary's Academy at Highland Park.
In the previous six meetings between St. Mary's Academy and Cair Paravel the Crusaders had won convincingly, but Cair Paravel made a statement with Friday's romp past a St. Mary's team that had posted a won-loss record of 46-2 since 2016.
“St. Mary’s is a tough opponent every year,Cair Paravel coach Doug Bonura said. "You can never count them out or under-estimate them in any way. They’ve had our number for a lot of years and I am proud of what our team achieved tonight.
“Our team is hungrier than ever before. We have our goals in mind and so far we are doing a good job.”
Senior quarterback Carter Brian had a terrific night for the Lions, throwing six touchdown passes to four different receivers. Brian spread the ball down the field and it wore down the Crusaders all night long.
But Brian wasn’t the only one who had a stellar night for the Lions, with Jachin Bonura, Noah Hastert and Max Colombo having individual outbursts as well.
Bonura and Colombo had a combined 230 total yards with two touchdowns while Hastert had four receptions for 68 yards and three touchdowns in the romp over St. Mary’s.
In the first half, it was all Lions.
The heavy defensive sets were too much for the Crusaders to handle early and heavy blitzes by the Lions forced the Crusaders to throw the ball uncomfortably in some situations.
Offensively, the Lions were just as hot early. Brian was a thorn in St. Mary’s side, throwing three touchdowns against the Crusaders to Je. Bonura, Ja. Bonura, and Hastert.
Half number two wasn’t much different for the rivals.
Cair Paravel, which improved to 5-0, took the ball first to begin the second half and dual-sport star Max Colombo took the ball 49 yards to the house with a ton of Crusaders behind him attempting to chase him down. That stopped any momentum St. Mary’s was trying to achieve.
St. Mary’s (4-1) was able to put up one touchdown against the bruising Cair Paravel defense in the second half, with senior quarterback Silvio Riccomini running for a 3-yard touchdown.
St. Mary’s will take on St. Joseph Christian in St. Joseph, Mo. next Friday while Cair Paravel will host Northland Christian.
CAIR PARAVEL LATING 54, ST. MARY'S 8
Cair Paravel (5-0) 14 10 24 6 -- 54
St. Mary’s (4-1) 0 2 6 0 -- 8
First Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Bonura 17 pass from Brian (failed extra point)
Cair Paravel -- Bonura 54 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Second Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Hastert 16 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Third Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Colombo 49 run (2 point good)
St. Mary’s -- Riccomini 3 run (failed extra point)
Cair Paravel -- Everhart 27 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Cair Paravel -- Hastert 10 pass from Brian (2 point good)
Fourth Quarter
Cair Paravel -- Hastert 8 pass from Brian
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Passing -- Cair Paravel: Brian, 14-19 236 yards.
Rushing -- Cair Paravel: Brian, 8-(minus) 26 yards, Colombo, 7-100, Ja. Bonura, 3-16, Will, 1-2.
Receiving -- Cair Paravel: Ja. Bonura, 5-122, Hastert, 4-68, Everhart, 2-41, Colombo, 2-2, Je. Bonura, 1-13.