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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Shawnee Heights' three-year Class 5A sotball title reign came to an end Thursday night with a tough 3-1 quarterfinal loss to Eisenhower at Wilkins Stadium.
But after virtually starting over with a new cast of varsity players this spring after the cancellation of the 2020 season, T-Bird coach Tara Griffith had nothing but praise for her team after it wrapped up an 18-5 campaign.
"I'm so proud of this team," Griffith said. "I don't even know if I can put it into words how proud I am. No one expected anything of us and these girls came together as a team and were just amazing."
Shawnee Heights senior pitcher Mykala Johnico pitched a five-hitter with 11 strikeouts in Heights' 3-1 Class 5A state quarterfinal loss to Eisenhower. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights missed out on an opportunity to jump in front in the top of the first after loading the bases with no outs.
But Eisenhower pitcher Allyson Montgomery struck out three straight batters to keep Heights off the scoreboard and the Tigers capitalized with two runs in the bottom of the second.
But Griffith said her T-Birds remained confident throughout the game.
"These girls always keep their energy up,'' Griffith said. "Even during the seventh inning, we're down two runs and not one person doubted we could score two right there. That's this team, they're team first the whole way."
Shawnee Heights cut Eisenhower's lead to 2-1 when junior Ariah Durkes doubled to open the third and came home on junior Abby Schulte's single.
Shawnee Heights senior Abby Schulte knocked in the T-Birds' run in a tough 3-1 Class 5A state quarterfinal loss to Eisenhower. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Heights junior Taryn Dial led off the T-Bird fourth with a double and reached third base with one out, but was stranded there.
Montgomery struck out 11 batters in the game and limited Shawnee Heights to four hits.
"I think we hit the ball hard, but we hit it right at people," Griffith said. "I felt we timed her up and handled her, maybe not the best, but had hard hits off her, but right at somebody."
Heights senior Mykala Johnico also turned in an outstanding pitching performance, limiting Eisenhower to five hits while recording 11 strikeouts, but Eisenhower scratched out just enough offense to get the win.
The Tigers scored a run in the second on a bloop single from Carsyn McCue and scored a second run on a hit batsman.
Eisenhower, which improved to 19-4, got its final run on a blooper from Grace Sykora.
"The ball just fell for them today and maybe not so much for us," Griffith said. "That's going to happen sometimes."
Montgomery was impressive in the late innings, retiring the T-Birds in order in the fifth and sixth and working around a one-out walk in the seventh.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Seaman's baseball team dug itself an early hole in Thursday's Class 5A quarterfinal and couldn't escape it, dropping a 6-2 decision to Hays at Eck Stadium.
The nine-time state-champion Vikings spotted the Indians five runs over the first two innings en route to a 5-1 deficit and struggled to solve Hays ace Dylan Dreiling.
“We weren’t very clean at the very beginning and obviously spotted them too many runs there," Seaman coach Trent Oliva said. "We gave ourselves opportunities but just couldn’t come through with that clutch hit that we needed.’’
eaman senior pitcher Brady Stuewe (left) turned in a solid relief performance in Thursday's Class 5A state quarterfinal, but Hays scored five runs in the first two innings en route to a 6-2 win. [File photo/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Shawnee Heights sophomore star Jeremiah Smith established himself as one of the state's premier track performers right out of the gate this spring and, except for being forced to nurse a midseason injury, never looked back.
Still, the T-Bird star sprinter/hurdler wasn't necessarily expecting the kind of day he had Thursday in the Class 5A state track and field championships at Cessna Stadium.
Smith started his big day with a win in the 110-meter high hurdles and then edged Hays standout Jaren Kanak in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes to go three for three in his state track debut.
"I'm a bit surprised," said Smith, who returned to action the final two weeks of the 2021 season after recovering from a slight groin injury. "It does mean a lot, especially going against the best in the state.''
Shawnee Heights sophomore Jeremiah Smith cools off after one of his six race wins (preliminaries and finals) in Thursday's Class 5A state meet at Wichita. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Seaman senior shot-putter JahnAsia Anderson had been solid in her first and only track and field season, including a fourth-place finish in the city meet and a runner-up showing in Class 5A regional competition.
But the thought of winning a state championship was probably a pipe dream ... until Thursday that is.
Anderson surpassed her previous career-best by more than a foot and a half with a throw of 37 feet, 7 inches, taking the 5A title by nearly a foot over Great Bend junior Taryn Warren (36-8.25).
![Seaman senior JahnAsia Anderson won the Class 5A girls shot put championship with a personal-record throw of 37 feet, 7 inches. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]](/images/aa-images/E2e7Pe2XEAE3KNk.jpg)
Seaman senior JahnAsia Anderson won the Class 5A girls shot put championship with a personal-record throw of 37 feet, 7 inches. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I didn't expect this at all, but I'm just really happy that this is the outcome,'' Anderson said.
"My coach (Jayce Brack) was really enthusiastic throughout the whole process and he made me stay calm because I was really nervous, but for my first year, not too bad.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- As a freshman back in 2018, Washburn Rural hurdler Marquel Russell flashed his potential, placing second in Class 6A in the 110-meter hurdles.
Russell delivered on that potential Thursday at Cessna Stadium in his final state meet, claiming a state championship in the 110s in 14.79 seconts.
And although it might not have shown on the outside, Russell was thriilled to finally claim a state title.
"I felt the excitement inside me, but I know it's kind of rude to like go, 'Yeah,' or something like that, so I've always kept my excitement inside me,'' Russell said.
Washburn Rural's Marquel Russell finished off his senior season with a Class 6A state championship in the 110-meter hurdles Thursday at Wichita's Cessna Stadium. [File photo/TSN]
Russell had burst on the state scene when he claimed the state runner-up position his freshman season in 14.91 and viewed Thursday's race as a chance to show how much he's improved since then.
Russell finished fourth in the 110s as a sophomore (15.22) and posted a personal-best Thursday while Hutchinson's Stephon Hunter was second in 15.00
"I knew I've come a long ways from my freshman year and I've always felt it's better to go against fast competitors,'' Russell said. "That pushes me to get better.''
Russell was one of two Junior Blues to celebrate a state title Thursday, with junior Zsamar Sipple winning the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 0 inches, as Washburn Rural finished fourth as a team with 40.50 points.
Washburn Rural junior Zsamar Sipple won the Class 6A long jump title Thursday at Wichita's Cessna Stadium.. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sipple notched what proved to be his state-winning jump on his first attempt and then held on to get the win by a mere one and one-half inches over Centennial League rival Chales Jones of Manhattan, who jumped 21-10.50.
