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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the second time this season Washburn University sophomore Taylor Rottinghaus has been named the MIAA Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week by the conference.
Washburn sophomore Taylor Rottinghaus has been named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after helping the Ichabods post a pair of 3-0 MIAA sweeps. [File photo/TSN]
The former Shawnee Heights multi-sport standout recorded two 20-plus dig matches to help Washburn post home sweeps over Northwest Missouri State and No. 23-ranked Missouri Western last week.
The Ichabods held both opponents to hitting percentages of under .140.
In the three-set victory over the Griffons she registered 26 digs across three sets while serving an ace and holding the nationally-ranked opponent to a .103 hitting percentage in the match.
For the week she tallied 46 digs across six sets (7.66 per set).
Washburn will round out its home schedule this week with matches against Nebraska Kearney on Friday for Alumni Day and against Fort Hays State on Saturday for Senior Day. First serve for both matches is set for 6 p.m.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Playing on its home field, Washburn Rural's boys soccer team wanted to establish itself early in Monday's Class 6A state quarterfinal against Liberal.
Junior Dylan Willingham made that happen just 5 minutes, 21 seconds into the match, giving the Junior Blues a lead that that they would not relinquish on the way to a 4-2 win over the Redskins that propelled Washburn Rural into Wednesday's state semifinals.
Washburn Rural celebrates Monday's 4-2 Class 6A quarterfinal soccer win over Liberal. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural juniors Draden Chooncharoen (23) and Dylan Willingham (19) celebrate Willingham's second goal in Monday's 4-2 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Liberal. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural, whch will be making its fifth straight Final Four appearance, will face Shawnee Mission East (17-1-1) in a 6 p.m. semifinal contest at the Shawnee Mission Soccer Complex.
Willingham put the ball into the net after an outstanding individual effort to give Rural an early boost as the Junior Blues improved to 14-2-3 on the season.
"The play was put it in the back of the net, honestly,'' Willingham said. "The ball just popped up and it was just going to be a shot and it went in luckily. I tried to rip it and it went in, thankfully.''
Junor Drew Moore gave Rural a 2-0 halftime advantage with 20:21 left in the half and Willingham struck again at the 14:48 mark of the second half to put the Junior Blues in front, 3-0.
"I'm always taught to run through the ball, so I did, and luckily I caught them off guard and had a free ticket to the goal and that was sweet,'' Willingham said. "We just want to win and move on, we want to be in the top four.
"We're at state and that's what we always want to do.''
Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said that getting off to a quick start Monday was a big advantage.
"We knew (Liberal) was going to be a tough opponent and they had some talented offensive players,'' Hensyel said. "So to get off to a good start again -- and that's kind of been the theme of the playoffs so far -- when you take control of the game it kind of settles everybody down and then the second goal did the same thing.
"I just thought throughout the night we created chances. Some are going to go in, some didn't. We had two or three others really close so I'm just proud of the whole performance.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Conner Bush
CONNER BUSH, Rossville
A 5-foot-11, 176-pound junior running back, Bush scored three touchdowns Friday night as Rossville advanced to the second round of the Class 1A football playoffs with a 47-13 win over Wabaunsee. Bush scored TDs on runs of 51, 9 and 25 yards as the Bulldawgs improved to 6-3 on the 2024 season while posting their sixth straight victory.
Rylee Ismert
RYLEE ISMERT, Washburn Rural
Ismert, a senior cross country standout, earned her second straight Class 6A state medal in Saturday's state meet at Rim Rock Farm, posting a career-best third-place individual finish in a five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 41.30 seconds as the Junior Blues tied Olathe West for the team championship, with the Owls winning their fifth straight state title on a tiebreaker. Ismert won Centennial League and regional titles this fall.
Adrian Lehman
ADRIAN LEHMAN, Topeka West
The Topeka West senior cross country standout posted a Shawnee County-best boys finish of seventh place in Saturday's Class 5A state meet at Rim Rock Farm. Lehman, a two-time state qualifier in his only two seasons of high school cross country, clocked a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 49.59 seconds after qualifying for the state meet as an individual.
Seaman volleyball's Mills UKC repeat pick as offensive player of the year, Dowling coach of the year
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman senior Maegan Mills has been named the United Kansas Conference volleyball offensive player of the year for the second straight season while Viking coach Tatiana Dowling was a repeat pick as the UKC coach of the year.
Seaman senior Maegan Mills (23) has been named the United Kansas Conference offensive player of the year for the second straight season. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Seaman volleyball coach Tatiana Dowling has been named the United Kansas Conference volleyball coach of the year for the second straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Mills was joined on All-United Kansas Conference first team by senior teammate Campbell Chabot, who moved up from the second team.
Shawnee Heights senior Kaydence Torrez was a first-team selection for the second straight season while T-Bird senior Taylor Brees moved up to the first team after being a second-team pick in 2023.
Seaman seniors Ava Esser and Kinley Wilhelm were second-team All-UKC honorees along with Topeka West sophomor Sydney VanDyke.
Lansing junior Avery Sands was named the UKC defensive player of the year and also was a first-team pick, along with De Soto junior Chloe Kmiecik, Lansing sophomore Halle Laincz and Piper senior Abbie Roth.
ALL-UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
OK, so it may have lacked the overall drama of Babe Ruth's legendary called shot in the 1932 World Series, but Josie Boyle did a pretty good imitation for Washburn University soccer in Sunday's 1-0 Senior Day win by the No. 20-ranked Ichabods over No. 15-ranked and previously-unbeaten Missouri Western at Yager Stadium.
Washburn senior Josie Boyle (middle) is mobbed by her Ichabod teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in Sunday's 1-0 win over No. 15 Missouri Western. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Josie Boyle (left) exchanges a hug with Aubrey Tanksley (9) and Jordan Tenpas after scoring Sunday's game-winning goal off a Tanksley corner kick. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Boyle, a senior defender, gathered in a corner kick from junior Aubrey Tanksley and buried it in the net with 11:19 remaining for the game's only goal as the Ichabods improved 12-3-2 overall and 9-1-1 in the MIAA while dropping the Griffons to 14-1-3 and 9-1-2 in the conference.
Washburn's win prevented Missouri Western from clinching the MIAA title while opening the door for the Ichabods to repeat as the conference champ. WU will close out its regular season at Emporia State on Wednesday (1 p.m.) and can earn the conference outright wth a win or take a share of the championship with a tie.
Boyle's second goal of the season and the third of her Washburn career made that possible.
"She noticed that no one was marking her and she said, 'I'm going to score,' and told Belle (Kennedy), 'I'm going to score here, nobody's marking me,' and sure enough she scored,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "It was incredible.''
"I called Belle off,'' said Boyle, a Baldwin native. "Usually Belle and I kind of go to the same spot and I noticed no one was marking me so I said, 'Belle, if it comes near us let me have it because no one's on me,' so I kind of called it.''
The fact that her game-winner came against a ranked opponent and on Senior Day made the goal even more special.
"It was a big game,'' Boyle said. "They're ranked in the nation, so are we, so we knew this was the biggest game of the season so far and it feels really good.''
"Senior Night is always special,'' Phillips said. "I don't get it, I don't understand it, but seniors always find big moments on Senior Night. I'm really happy for Josie. She's been dangerous on corners all year and she was really good on that one.''
