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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rylee Murray had little to no interest in girls wrestling a year ago when the Kansas State High School Activities Association made it an official sport.
Now Murray can’t imagine not wrestling.
Seaman ended up with zero girls wrestlers for the 2019-20 season, but as Viking coach Patrick Kelly, his staff and athletic director Steve Bushnell continued their recruiting efforts, there was a gradual change of heart, with 21 Vikings making up the girls roster this winter.
Murray is one of those that took the plunge and is sure glad she did, particularly after a history-making performance in Friday’s Centennial League meet at Seaman.
“The coaches just pushed us girls to do it and just the people I’d be with, I knew it would be fun, so that’s why I decided to go out,’’ Murray said. “The coaches and girls have made it so fun.’’
Seaman junior 115-pounder Rylee Murray stands on top of the victory stand after winning a Centennial League wrestling title last Friday at Seaman. [Photograph by Rick Peterson]
And as Murray, who also plays softball, waded into her new sport, she discovered she was pretty good at it.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University guard Levi Braun is a walking, talking, shooting testament to how valuable a redshirt year can be for a college athlete.
And while it was probably hard at times for the former Hayden basketball star to sit and watch last season while his Washburn teammates played games, Braun knows that year helped prepare him to make the major contribution he has for the 10-1 No. 8-ranked Ichabods this winter.
"It helped a ton,'' said the 6-foot-4 guard, who helped Hayden win a state championship in 2018. "I dedicated my time to the weight room, to class and just practice and learning and developing.
"I would suggest that to more incoming freshman, not just for basketball, for any sport, just because college is hard, especially at a program like this. You’ve got to be special to come in and make a difference right away. It takes time.''
Hayden product Levi Braun has hit 26 3-pointers and is shooting 54.2 percent from outside the arc for 10-1 Washburn. [Photograph courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
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The No. 8-ranked Washburn men outscored visiting Pittsburg State 51-31 in the second half to pull away for an 84-62 MIAA victory over Pittsburg State Saturday at Lee Arena.
Washburn, which improved to 10-1 overall and in the MIAA, led by just a 33-31 margin at halftime before dominating things after the break.
“Basketball’s funny sometimes,’’ Washburn coach Brett Ballard told KTPK radio. “I don’t know that we played all that much different in the second half. Obviously, we played better.
“I thought we got some really good looks in the first half that didn’t go. Offensively, (the second half) I think we kind of got in a flow and I just love that our guys are staying aggressive.''
Tyler Geiman
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Washburn’s women’s basketball team forced an overtime with a bucket in the closing seconds of regulation, but couldn’t keep pace with Pittsburg State in the extra session, with the Gorillas taking a 69-61 MIAA win at Lee Arena.
Pittsburg State outscored Washburn 11-3 in overtime to improve to 8-3 overall and in the conference with its seventh straight victory while Washburn fell to 4-5, 4-5
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the season with an impressive performance 24 hours later, rolling to a 72-32 Centennial League victory Friday night at Junction City.
The Junior Blues, who dropped a tough 4-point decision at unbeaten Topeka High Thursday night, led by just a 17-14 margin at the end of the first quarter, but used a 24-4 second quarter to take control, leading 41-18 at the half.
Brooklyn DeLeye
Rural, 6-1 overall and in the league, outscored the Blue Jays 31-14 in the second half, forcing a running clock in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Brooklyn DeLeye scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Junior Blues while freshman Zoe Canfield added 14 points with 3 3-pointers and junior Emma Krueger had 12 points.
Mellana Davis led Junction City (2-6, 1-5) with 12 points.
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS 61, JUNCTION CITY 42
Senior Joe Berry scored a season- and game-high 29 points, 21 in the first half, and sophomore Jack Bachelor added 11 points and 3 3rd-quarter 3-pointers, as Washburn Rural pulled away in the second half for a 61-42 Centennial League victory at Junction City.
Joe Berry
The Junior Blues, 5-1 overall and in the Centennial League, led by only a 30-25 margin at halftime despite Berry's huge half, but Bachelor helped Rural put the Blue Jays away with a 21-10 third quarter and the visitors outscored Junction City 10-7 in the fourth.
