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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team went 2-0 on Saturday's final day of the Midwest College Classic in Shawnee, taking a 5-1 win over Southwest Baptist and a 6-5 win over Minnesota State.
Pitcher Jenna Sprague picked up the save in both Washburn wins on Saturday as the Ichabods improved to 21-4 on the season. [File photo/TSN]
With the two wins and a 4-1 record on the weekend Washburn improved to 21-4 on the season and will return to action with four games at the Grand Slam Classic in Branson, Mo. Friday and Saturday.
The Ichabods topped former MIAA foe Southwest Baptist in their first game on Saturday, winning their eighth game in a row over the Bearcats.
Washburn struck early and never trailed, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Makenzie Sais ignited the offense with a single, stole second, and scored on Taylor Brees' run-scoring single to center. Brees later came home on Dalaney Anderson run-scoring single to left, giving the Ichabods a 2-0 advantage.
After SBU trimmed its deficit to 2-1 in the third, Washburn responded with a big fourth inning putting some distance between the two schools.
Following a leadoff error, pinch runner Ashlyn Gaughan moved into scoring position before Aspen Burgardt delivered the biggest swing of the game -- a two-run home run to left field to extend the Washburn lead to 4-1.
The Ichabods added an insurance run in the fifth when Maddie McGee singled up the middle and later scored when Sais ripped a double down the leftfield line, pushing the margin to 5-1.
Sais paced Washburn's eight-hit attack, going 2 for 3 with a double, RBI, run scored and a stolen base. Brees also collected two hits and drove in a run, while Anderson finished 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Sadie Walker earned the pitching win to improve to 10-2, tossing 6.2 innings while allowing just one run on nine hits with seven strikeouts. Jenna Sprague closed the door, striking out the only batter she faced to record her second save of the season.
Washburn jumped on Minnesota State immediately, scoring four times in the opening inning.
Sais led off with a single, stole second and third, and scored on Anderson's groundout to short.
Brees walked and later scored when Madi Moore doubled into the left-center gap.
Kierra Coos followed with a two-run homer to right center, giving the Ichabods a 4–0 advantage.
Minnesota State answered with a run in the second on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, then added two more in the third when a single to left center brought in a pair, trimming Washburn's lead to 4-3.
In the fifth Burgardt lifted a sacrifice fly to score Brees, and in the sixth, Danielle Schlager added another sac fly, scoring Kate Ediger to make it 6–3.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior Payton Sterk, playing defense, tied for game-high scoring honors with 19 points as Washburn improved to 21-7 with an 83-64 Senior Day win over Missouri Southern. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]Before the game Washburn recognized seniors Gabi Giovannetti, Payton Sterk, Aniah Wayne and Yibari Nwidadah along with student assistant Karly Neufeld. The senior class has helped lead Washburn to its first 20-win season since 2019.
After a 5-0 run early in the first quarter to lead 10-5 Washburn, 14-5 in the MIAA, never trailed the rest of the way. The Ichabods shot 8-8 at the free throw line in the opening quarter to help build an 18-14 lead.
The Lions (19-9, 13-6) cut the deficit down to one point early in the second quarter but the third 3-pointer of the game by junior Madelyn Amekporfor stopped the run.
The Ichabods were able to push the lead to 10 points at 35-25 on a Giovannetti 3-pointer with 1:44 remaining in the first half. Washburn ended the half on a 5-0 run in the final 17 seconds to go into halftime leading 40-27.
A personal 5-0 run by Sterk pushed the lead to 15 points at the 6:40 mark of the third quarter.
Missouri Southern answered with six points in a row to reduce the WU lead to single digits, but Wayne hit a pair of 3-pointers inside the final minutes of the quarter as the Ichabods took a 62-50 advantage into the fourth stanza.
Sterk opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, but the Lions continued to chip away, bringing the lead back down to nine points with 5:29 remaining.
Over the next 2:13 Washburn answered with a 10-2 run, with the final six points coming at the free throw line. That pushed the lead to 17 and it was all Ichabods from there as they eased into the 19-point victory.
Washburn shot 42.9 percent from the field for the game and was an efficient 9 of 23 from deep. The Ichabods got to the line 32 times and converted 26 opportunities.
On the other end Missouri Southern was held to 33.9 percent shooting and the Lions went just 1-12 from behind the 3-point arc. Southern shot 21-31 at the charity stripe.
Five players cracked double figures for Washburn, led by Sterk with 19 ponts on 5-9 shooting.
Sterk said she tried to avoid getting too emotional for Senior Day.
"I was a little bit, but we still have a long way to go before you get emotional,'' Sterk said. "I thought (today) was good. I think we were locked in and kind of followed our game plan. It was a little messy, a lot of fouls, but I think we did a good job of sticking together and finishing the game.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior Jack Bachelor led Washburn with a career-high 26 points, with nine assists and three steals, in Saturday's 84-74 win over Missouri Southern. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Brady Christiansen scored 18 points with four 3-pointers in Saturday's 84-74 win over Missouri Southern. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
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By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
Rossville boys basketball hosted the McLouth Bulldogs in the first round of Class 2A postseason action Friday night with a 90-28 statement win.
Senior Jack Donovan scored 47 points with nine 3-pointers in Rossville's 90-28 Class 2A sub-state win over McLouth. [File photo/TSN]
The Bulldawgs entered the playoffs having won four of their last five games and were looking to regain their momentum following a six-point loss to St. Marys.
“We can't sit in that adversity for too long,” said Rossville coach Brandon McDonnell. “We lost to a good St. Marys team, but we also knew our season wasn't done yet. We could be mad about it for a second, but we had to come back and get ready for this game right here. The boys came out dialed in and ready to go.”
Rossville, the No. 3 seed, wasted no time asserting control, opening the game on a 19-0 run, fueled by senior Jack Donovan, who scored 12 straight points during the surge on his way to a game-high 47 points with nine 3-pointers.
McLouth finally got on the board when Beau Harsh found the basket to stop the run.
Donovan continued his hot start, knocking down another 3-pointer for his 15th point of the quarter to make it 22-2.
Senior Cam Miller added a 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter to stretch the lead to 27-7.
“You know, my team was setting me up and putting me in good spots to get open,” Donovan said. “I was able to let it go, and it was going in.”
McLouth scored first in the second quarter, but Rossville responded with an 8–0 run to push the lead to 35-9.
Miller caught fire, hitting a 3-pointer and following it with a layup for five quick points to extend the margin to 40-11.
“It definitely helps that I’m so tall,'' Miller said. "I can jump up, grab a board, kick it out to Jacoby, and he can push it up to whoever’s running down the court.
"Jakoby and Jack make a lot of stuff easier for me to be able to play my game.”
With the score at 49-17, Rossville closed the half on an 11–0 run, including seven straight points from Donovan, to take a commanding 60-17 lead into halftime.
The Dawgs continued their dominance in the third quarter, opening with a 15–0 run.
Miller scored eight of those points to make it 73-17. McLouth briefly halted the run, but Donovan answered with back-to-back 3-pointers. Rossville carried an 85-21 lead into the fourth quarter.
McLouth was led in scoring by Harsh with 23 points.
“It’s always good to get a win,” Donovan said. “We had to get a win, and it’s good to win like this. It helps our confidence going into the next round.
"We’re playing strong together. We cherish every moment because any day could be our last, and we’re trying to enjoy everything.”
With the victory, Rossville advances to face Maur Hill-Mt. Academy on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Rossville.
ROSSVILLE 90, MCLOUTH 28
McLouth 7 10 4 7 -- 28
Rossville 27 33 25 5 -- 90
McLouth (5-19) -- B.Harsh 11-21 0-0 23, Sheehan 2-3 1-2 5, Forsberg 0-5 0-0 0, C.Harsh 0-6 0-0 0, Holloway 0-4 0-0 0, Desoto 0-1 0-0 0, Ray 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-41 1-2 28.
Rossville (15-7) -- Donovan 17-28 4-4 47, Miller 9-15 1-1 21, Johnson 3-6 0-0 6, McDonnell 1-3 0-2 2, Bush 1-2 0-0 2, Horgan 2-2 1-1 2, Horak 2-5 1-2 5, Martinek 1-2 0-1 2, Dick 0-3 0-0 0, Wuensch 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 36-68 7-11 90.
3-point goals -- McLouth 1 (B.Harsh), Rossville 11 (Donovan 9, Miller 2). Total fouls -- McLouth 8, Rossville 4. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
OVERLAND PARK -- The Washburn Rural girls wrestling team added yet another state trophy to the school’s increasingly crowded case Saturday, placing third at the Class 6A state meet for the second year in a row.
Washburn Rural girls wrestling coach Damon Parker cheers on his team during Saturday's Class 6A state tournament in Overland Park. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
Winners of state titles in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, Washburn Rural remains the standard in girls wrestling.
“There’s nobody outside of the people that were sitting up in (the Junior Blues’ cheering) section that thought we had a chance to bring home a trophy. And we came in here and we won a third-place finish at state,” said Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker. “I could not be more proud of this team.
“People have a recency bias. People forget that we are the most decorated program in Kansas girls wrestling history. We’ve never had a state tournament where we haven’t brought home a trophy. I think everybody else thought that this was the year, but we showed up with the youngest team in Kansas and still won third.”
The Junior Blues failed to take a gold medal in any weight class at AdventHealth Sports Park in Overland Park on Saturday. Still, they amassed 175 points, good for third behind Garden City with 226.5 and Gardner Edgerton with 197.
Three Junior Blues – all seniors – placed second in their respective weight classes.
Washburn Rural senior 125-pounder Lacey Middleton posted a runnerup Class 6A state finish for third-place Washburn Rural. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior 145-pounder Emme Blanco finished second in Class 6A Saturday in Overland Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Elia Smith, the 170-pound runnerup, talks to coach Damon Parker during Saturday's Class 6A state meet in Overland Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Lacey Middleton took the silver in the 125-pound class after she finished fourth at 120 a year ago. Emme Blanco took second in the 145-pound class after placing third at 140 last year and Elia Smith took second in the 170-pound class, the class in which she placed sixth a year ago.
Blanco nearly pulled off a big upset against Audrey Lennard, defending champ in the 145-pound class and the 6A East Regional Wrestler of the Year. Blanco led 11-3 and had battered her opponent when the reigning champ mustered the strength for one decisive pin.
“That girl is, what, 46-0, and then Emme put her on her back twice,” Parker said. “Nobody’s done that to her all year, right? She hasn’t given up a single back point until today. Emme was that close to winning that one.”
Middleton agreed with Parker’s belief that the Junior Blues surprised the rest of the 6A class on Saturday.
“I think we outperformed ourselves because we have grown so much as a team and just our culture together,” Middleton said. “We’re just a family and it really shows out on the mat.”
