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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's no secret among local high school football coaches that there's an abundance of athletic talent in the Topeka area.
The major objective of Tuesday's Topeka Area Football Coaches Association Junior Day Combine was about making sure that knowledge is no secret to college coaches either.
Seventy-four prep players, most from the class of 2022, were on hand Tuesday at Shawnee Heights to show off their talents while representives from 18 area Division II, NAIA and junior college football programs were in attendance to take a first-hand look.
"We've done this 14 out of the last 15 years,'' said camp organizer Jason Swift, head coach at Shawnee Heights. "Last year was the only year we didn't do it, because of COVID.
"This was a good number (of participants). We've got good football players in Northeast Kansas and this is a chance to promote it.''
Topeka West junior Mikael Glenn goes through an agility drill at Tuesday's Junior Combine at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's baseball team had to work out of numerous jams against Shawnee Heights Tuesday night, starting with an eventful first inning and going down to the final pitch of the night.
But the Vikings had an answer for each and every situation, riding strong pitching and key defensive plays to a 2-0 rivalry win over the T-Birds on Heights' Senior Night at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
"When you play guys that you know, that you've grown up with, you can throw the records out because they want to beat you,'' Seaman coach Trent Oliva said. "That's a good ballclub over there and we're going to get their best shot just like we're going to try to give them our best shot.''
Seaman, which improved to 14-3, scored what proved to be the game-winning run when junior Maclane Finley singled and scored in the top of the first inning, but Shawnee Heights loaded the bases in the bottom of the first, setting the tone for the night.
Seaman pitcher Brady Stuewe is congratulated by catcher Andrew Kirmer after the final out in Tuesday's 2-0 Viking win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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Perry Schmiedeler will put on a specialists camp at WU on June 10, along with Ichabods special teams coordinator Zach Watkins. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics}.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Perry Schmiedeler has long had a passion for special teams, parlaying that dedication into outstanding punting and place-kicking careers at both Washburn Rural and Washburn University.
On June 10 the WU record-setter, along with Washburn special teams coordinator Zach Wakins, will try to lay the groundwork for the success of future specialists in a one-day camp at Yager Stadium and the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility.
Perry Schmiedeler
Zach Watkins
"I've kind of been doing private lessons the last several years, since I graduated, and I thought it would just be really cool to get a bunch of kids and work with all of them together at the same time,'' said Schmiedeler, who completed his college career in 2018 as the Ichabods' all-time leading kick scorer and No. 2 all-time for punting average.
Schmiedeler said he wants to emphasize the importance of the kicking game to athletes at the middle school and high school level as well as those who aspire to compete at the college level.
"To my knowledge Topeka hasn't really had a kicking camp like this,'' Schmiedeler said. "I do know other universities and colleges around Kansas have them, but never something this local, so I think this will be really cool to get a bunch of local kids together to kick together, but also kids from around the region. We've already had kids from Nebraska and Missouri sign up, so we're looking forward to having a bunch of different kids from around the Midwest really.
"The camp is over for seventh through 12th graders and we've had some middle-schoolers sign up already but we've also have kids in high school going to their junior and senior year who are looking at Division II and Division I colleges.''
Schmiedeler said he thinks it will be an advantage to have athletes at different stages in their careers involved.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Individual champion Luke Leonetti led the way as Washburn Rural's boys golf team posted an 11-stroke win (312-323) over Emporia in Monday's Centennial League tournament at Village Greens Golf Course.
Leonetti, the city champ, took league medalist honors with a 74, topping Topeka West freshman Myles Alonzo by two strokes.
"I am proud of the way Luke responded to some early adversity and finished strong to get the win,'' Washburn Rural coach Jared Goehring said.
Washburn Rural junior Luke Leonetti captured the Centennial League individual title Monday with a 74, leading the Junior Blues to the team championship. [File photo/TSN]
Leonetti was one of three Washburn Rural players to crack the top 10 individually, with junior Joe Morse tying for third and finishing fourth in a scorecard playoff with a 78 while junior Turner Depperschmidt finished sixth with a 79.
Rural junior Giles Frederickson narrowly missed a top-10 finish, placing 11th with an 81.
Washburn Rural's golf team poses with its championship trophy after winning the Centennial League championship Monday at Village Greens Golf Course. [Submitted]
"We managed our games well enough today to get the job done,'' Goehring said. "I would like for our approach and toughness to continue to improve as we move closer to postseason play.''
Seaman's Gavin Wilhelm tied for sixth and finished seventh with a 79 while the Vikings' Jake Moss tied for eighth and finished ninth.
Team runner-up Emporia topped third-place Manhattan by five strokes while Seaman was fourth.
The Spartans put Caden Massey and Dylan Smith in the top 10, with Massey finishing third with a 78 and Smith eighth with an 80.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West tennis standouts Ian and Miles Cusick faced off against a familiar foe in Monday's Centennial League doubles final, taking on Emporia's Brenden Kienholz and Taylor Moorman for the second time in three days.
But the Cusick twins were.up to the challenge, surviving a Spartan rally to claim the league title with an 8-6 victory to lead city-champion West to a second-place team finish behind Manhattan, which won its sixth straight championship.
Topeka West sophomores Miles Cusick (left) and Ian Cusick followed up their city doubles title with the Centennial League championship Monday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Ian and Miles Cusick, who had taken an 8-4 win over Emporia on Saturday in the finals of the Emporia tournament, jumped in front 4-1 Monday but Keinholz and Moorman were down just 7-6 before the Chargers closed out the win.
"I think (Emporia) played extremely well today,'' Miles Cusick said. "It was a tough match, especially seeing them two days ago. I think we both tried not to take that for granted that we beat them last time.''
"(Emporia) really stepped it up in the second half (of the match),'' Ian Cusick added. "Those close matches are hard and it's really good that we can win close matches going forward.''
