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By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
For the third year in a row, the Seaman Lady Vikings found themselves in the same position -- the sub-state final with a berth in the Class 5A state championships on the line.
Seaman is headed back to the Class 5A state tournament for the third straight season after winning Friday's sub-state championship with a 55-47 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman poses for a team picture after capturing a 55-47 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel in a Class 5A sub-state final Friday night at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And for the third year in a row -- and six times in eight years -- the Vikings will be heading to Emporia for the state tournament after a hard fought 55-47 victory over Kapaun Mt. Carmel Friday night at Seaman.
"This is always a tough game,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "There’s so much on the line -- win and you go to state. Our mindset was to attack and take the game, not just to get through the game. That’s a good team and we knew they were a good team, but the girls stepped up to the challenge.”
The first quarter began with the Crusaders taking their only lead of the game in the first 20 seconds, but the Lady Vikes immediately went on an 8-1 run over the next two minutes to take an 8-3 lead. The Crusaders were able to cut the lead to one on two different occasions, but the Lady Vikes built the lead back to five, 16-11, at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter remained close for the first seven minutes, but the final minute saw Seaman hit two 3-pointers -- from seniors Kinley Wilhelm and Jaida Stallbaumer -- to extend the lead to 30-20 as the teams headed to the locker room.
In the third quarter, senior Anna Becker made her first field goal of the game with 2:30 left in the quarter and followed it up with a 3-pointer just 40 seconds later.
Those ended up being the only two field goals she made in the game. Yet, the strength of this Viking team is their togetherness and how the players will step up for one another.
“That’s the sign of a good team, it’s always been we over me and they are a tight knit group and competitors,” Tinsley said.
The Crusaders were able to out-score the Lady Vikes 16-11 and cut the lead in half heading into the final quarter, 41-36.
The first four minutes of the fourth quarter saw Kapaun cut the lead down to three on four different occasions. But with 3:46 remaining in the game, senior Ava Esser scored on a brilliant pass from junior Maddie Gragg to extend the lead back to five, 49-44.
Kapaun would get no closer as Seaman made 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch to win by eight.
The Lady Vikes' starting five all played a part in last year’s trip to state and commented on what this year means to them and the team.
“It’s an amazing feeling to play my last home game and get to play again in Emporia and with my teammates,” Stallbaumer said.
“I’m really proud of our team,'' Becker said. "It shows our hard work and commitment. We will take it one practice at a time and get ready for the state tournament.”
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The three seniors on the Washburn Rural team are finally making a trip to the state tournament, two years after suffering a crushing quadruple-overtime loss in the sub-state final.
Washburn Rural celebrates Friday's 54-49 win over Junction City in a Class 6A sub-state championship game at Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural seniors King Leonard, Amare Jones and Kaden Ballard are presented the Class 6A sub-state championship trophy Friday night at Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues qualified for the Class 6A state tournament for the first time since 2019 by holding off Centennial League rival Junction City 54-49 at Washburn Rural Friday.
Having defeated the Bluejays twice in the regular season, the Junior Blues found themselves in a fight to do it again. They trailed throughout much of the third period, only tying it at 41-41 on a bucket by King Leonard at the buzzer.
Washburn Rural outscored the Bluejays 13-8 in the final period to claim the substate championship.
“There’s no feeling like this,” Leonard said. “We’ve been working hard all season for this. We put our heart into it.”
Leonard did not attempt a shot in the first half. But when Junction City made its move in the third quarter, Leonard scored nine points to keep the Junior Blues within striking distance.
“That’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing basketball. We knew the regular season didn’t matter. It was winner take all,” Leonard said. “Normally I’m a facilitator, but I can step up and get buckets when the team needs it.”
The Junior Blues' trio of senior guards, who experienced the disappointment of the sub-state loss to Derby two years ago, combined for 35 points. Kaden Ballard led with 16, followed by Leonard with 11 and Amare Jones with eight. Junior John Hoytal added 12 points.
Junction City trailed by just two points with 2:00 remaining but failed to score again.
“That’s a really tough Junction City squad. We knew it was going to take everything tonight,” said Washburn Rural coach Alex Hutchins. “I’m proud of the guys for sticking to it and persevering.
“Sometimes in these big moments with the lights bright and the crowd going crazy, it’s easy to kind of lose focus. I thought our guys did a really good job of staying focused and doing all the little things.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Juinior state wrestling champions Makayla Cadet of Highland Park and Landen Kocher-Munoz of Washburn Rural have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2024-2025 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Cadet and Kocher-Munoz over the past week:
Makayla Cadet has been selected as the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency female Rising Star of the Week after becoming Highland Park's first-ever girls state wrestling champion last Saturday in Park City. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN].
MAKAYLA CADET, Highland Park
Cadet, a junior, became Highland Park's first-ever girls state wrestling champion on her 17th birthday last Saturday in Park City, registering a first-period pin over Basehor-Linwood junior Izzy Renfro in 1 minute, 36 seconds to win the Class 5A 190-pound title.
Cadet, who finished 23-4 on the season, went 4-0 at state with four pins.
Cadet's pin over Renfro avenged a loss on a 1:37 pin in a regional final.
Washburn Rural junior wrestler Landen Kocher-Munoz has been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency male Rising Star of the Week after winning his second Class 6A state title last Saturday in Overland Park. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN].
LANDEN KOCHER-MUNOZ, Washburn Rural
Kocher-Munoz, a 138-pound junior, captured his second Class 6A state wrestling championship Saturday in Overland Park, posting a 16-9 decision over Garden City junior Roman Clouse in the state title match, Kocher-Munoz's third straight trip to the state finals.
Kocher-Munoz, 34-3 on the season, went 4-0 at state, including a pin and two major decisions.
Kocher-Munoz helped Washburn Rural finish third as a team.
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BY RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- The ultimate aim is always to win a state championship, but although Washburn Rural's girls bowling team fell a couple of rungs short of that goal Friday at Bowlero Northrock, the Junior Blues still had plenty to celebrate.
Washburn Rural girls bowling posted a third-place team finish in Friday's Class 6A state tournament at Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Rural took home the third-place trophy with a team score of 3,081 while senior Elizabeth Poling and junior Kenzie Lawson earned state individual medals.
"We're happy with having a trophy, obviously,'' Washburn Rural coach Jo Ricard said. "It was a struggle in Baker for us today. We just couldn't get some of the things to fall the way that we had to, so we had to hold on and come through.
"Those last two frames of that fourth game of Baker we had to have what we had to get third place.''
Senior Elizabeth Poling posted a fifth-place finish in Friday's Class 6A state tournament at Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Poling posted a fifth-place finish with a 644 series, rolling games of 197, 225, 222 to cap her high school career with her first state medal.
"I shot really good at regionals and that was my first 600 and this is my second 600 in high school, so I'm very glad that I could come out and do it again and one-up myself from regionals,'' Poling said. "I'm very, very surprised and happy with myself. ''
"Elizabeth did a great job for us, stepped up and has really come along here in the last few weeks with what needed to be done and that was truly appreciated,'' Ricard said.
Washburn Rural junior Kenzie Lawson earned a 10th-place medal in Friday's Class 6A state tournament at Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues also got a 10th-place finish from junior Kenzie Lawson with a 621 series (188-231-202) while sophomore Megan Glinka added a 554 series, junior Camrynn Ahrens had a 536, senior Ashley Billips a 504 and junior Stella Gordon a 495.
"Kenzie stepped up and did a fantastic job for us as well and stayed consistent with doing that,'' Ricard said.
Perennial state champion Campus won the team championship by a 150-pin margin over Wichita Northwest while Gardner-Edgerton senior Myranda Rogers captured the individual title with a 696 series.
Medalists Faurot, Glinka pace Rural boys
Struggles in the Baker format games ended Washburn Rural's bid for a boys team trophy, but seniors Tyler Faurot and Logan Glinka both posted top-eight individual finishes to lead the fifth-place Junior Blues.
Washburn Rural senior Tyler Faurot, who finished sixth in Class 6A Friday, reacts to a strike. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Faurot paced Rural with a sixth-place individual finish, rolling a 689 series with games of 215, 234 and 240.
"My second and third games I definitely did really well,'' Faurot said. "I missed some spares that I should have picked up. I probably would have been top four if I had picked up some good spares but I felt pretty good.''
Washburn Rural senior Logan Glinka finished eighth in the Class 6A state tournament Friday in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Glinka was just two spots behind his teammate in eighth place with a 679 series (244-219-216), earning the second individual medal of his career.
"This is my second state and I medaled both times,'' Glinka said. "I thought I bowled great. The lanes were pretty tough today so I can't be mad at all and I'm really proud of Tyler.''
The Junior Blues also got a 587 series from Andrew Faurot, a 572 from Jackson Keller, a 563 from junior Cody Spangler and a 532 from Conner Ahrens.
Derby ran away with the team championship by 253 pins (3,763-3,510) over Shawnee Mission East while Olathe Northwest finished third (3,441).
Rural finished fifth at 3,365.
CLASS 6A STATE BOWLING
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BY RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Not everything went Hayden's way in the hours leading up to Thursday's Class 4A-1A state bowling tournament, with the Wildcats forced to switch hotels late in the night due to a bed bug infestation.
Hayden's boys celebrate after being announced as the Class 4A-1A state bowling champion. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Hayden's boys bowling team poses for a picture after winning the Class 4A state championship Thursday in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
But once the Wildcats got on the lanes at Bowlero Northrock, a nightmare of a night transformed into a dream day, with Hayden's boys claiming the school's first state bowling championship by a 95-pin margin (3,666-,3571) over Mulvane as four Wildcats earned individual state medals.
Hayden, which had finished fifth as a team in the 2024 state event, got their state bid off to a good start with a solid 931 opening game, taking a three-pin lead over Mulvane and then followed that up with a school-record 1,026 second game, including a 279 from sophomore Reece Renyer and a 277 from senior John Strickland, stretching its advantage to 181 pins.
"The momentum in the first game was just absolutely just monumental for us,'' said Hayden senior Trevor Christy, who led the Wildcats with a third-place individual finish. "Having the energy going the first game and bowling those high 200s (four games between 203 and 258) it just kept us alive.
"Without the energy today I don't think we would have won.''
Mulvane cut 88 pins off its deficit in the final game of American 10-pin and cut another 27 pins through the first three games of Baker before Hayden closed out its title with a spectacular 276 game in the fourth and final Baker game.
Senior Trevor Christy paced state-champion Hayden with a third-place individual finish Thursday in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
"We didn't think we had the win (going into Baker), we were scared out of our minds,'' Christy said. "We knew Mulvane was right there on us and we knew that if we kept slipping up it was over for us. So that final game we just had to focus in and just really bowl the best we've ever bowled.''
"When we put it together as a team it all comes together, and it all clicked today,'' Strickland said. "Whoever thought that we would put this all together in our last year? Hayden had never had a team go to state and we went to state last year, then it was incredible this year to take (the title) home.''
Mulvane senior Joseph Cervantes earned the individual title with a 713 series while Andale's Konnor Bretthauer was second with a 704, but Hayden claimed three of the next five individual spots.
Christy finished third with a 698 (244-239-215) while Strickland was fifth at 685 (226-277-182) and senior Chase Blaser seventh with a 676 (258-222-196).
"Fifth place last year definitely drove our energy this year because we brought everyone back,'' Blaser said. "We were I think one of two teams in the field to return all six members from last year's state team and that experience really gave us the edge.''
Renyer finished 16th with a 636 series while sophomore Kelton Meier narrowly missed an individual medal with a 21st-place finish (604) while senior Caston Meier placed 32nd (565) to round out the Hayden lineup.
Hayden's girls finished sixth as a team with a 2,454 team score while Wildcat senior twin sisters Emily and Ashley Lee earned individual state medals.
Senior Emily Lee posted a fourth-place individual finish in Thursday's Class 4A state bowling tournament in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Regional champion Emily Lee paced Hayden with a fourth-place individual finish, recording a 551 series (188-203-160).
"I thought I could have done better,'' said Lee, a two-time state medalist. "It all came down to picking up spares. I felt like my strike number was what it normally is, it just came down to picking up spares. But my goal was to go top 10 and I did.
''I was actually really proud of our team. We had a rough night last night (with the hotel switch), so we were all pretty tired -- we got like four hours of sleep -- so I was proud of what we did.''
Ashley Lee had a 509 series to finish 11th, with a high game of 181.
CLASS 4A-1A STATE BOWLING
