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By KYLE MANTHE
TopSports.news
No. 9-ranked Class 5A Shawnee Heights was challenged early, but over the final three quarters was able to secure a non-league 67-55 home victory over a Hayden team beginning to return to full strength.
Shawnee Heights junior Jaret Sanchez (23) scored 22 points to lead the T-Birds in Friday's 67-55 win over Hayden. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
After knocking off No. 4-ranked De Soto on the road earlier in the week, coach Ken Darting knew that getting focus from the start could be a challenge, but was glad to be on the winning end.
“We’ve talked about it all week, you play a team that has lost seven or eight in a row and you just came off of beating a fourth-ranked team … so we are all full of ourselves and we have some injuries and sickness, but the bottom line is we just didn't play (well),” Darting said.
After cracking the rankings for the first time this season and winning nine of the last 10 games Darting wants his team to continue building.
“There’s steps of every year, you’ve just had success in a tournament, we’ve just gotten ranked … so now are you going to feel good about yourself the rest of the year and get knocked off by somebody or are you going to say ‘wow’ we’ve really got a chance and go, so that’s the next step to find out,” Darting said.
Hayden coach Trey Brown gives instructions to his Wildcats during Friday's 67-55 loss at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
On the other sideline, Hayden coach Trey Brown’s return home, where he led the T-Birds to a 5A state title in 2017, was spoiled by a high-scoring balanced offensive outing from Shawnee Heights.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
After scoring four points in Washburn Rural's 67-27 runaway over Lawrence in Thursday's opening round of the Capital City Classic, Maddie Vickery knew that her team would need more from her in Friday's semifinal matchup with No. 2-ranked and previously-undefeated Wichita Heights.
Washburn Rural freshman Maddie Vickery scored 25 points in Friday's 50-43 Capital City Classic semifinal win over Wichita Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Vickery, a 6-foot-1 freshman, responded with the best game of her young high school career, scoring a game-high 25 points as the ninth-ranked Junior Blues advanced to the tournament championship game with a 50-43 win over the Falcons at Seaman.
Vickery went six of 12 from the field, with three of her makes coming from 3-point range, and was a clutch 10 of 12 at the free throw line as Rural improved to 8-2 on the season.
"I definitely had a chip on my shoulder I would say,'' Vickery said. "It's part of playing. You've just got to play, you've got to run with it. Last night all of my teammates were hitting so I just keep feeding them and that was what was working.
"This game it was more me driving and others kicking it out to me or us getting in motion. We were constantly pushing and we secured on defense and we played excellent offense, I think. It was great to get a team win for sure.''
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Highland Park's girls basketball team rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 71-39 romp past Class 6A school Free State in Thursday's opening round of the Glacier's Edge Invitational at Emporia.
Freshman Pearmella Carter scored 22 points, with nine rebounds and six steals in Highland Park's 71-39 win over Free State on Thursday. [Highland Park girls basketball]
After dropping a 55-47 non-league decision at Eudora on Tuesday, Rob Brown's Scots rolled to the Glacier's Edge semifinals with Thursday's 32-point win over the Firebirds.
Freshman Pearmella Carter paced the Scots with 22 points (9 of 13 from the field) and added nine rebounds and six steals.
Angelique Gowan-Britt added 18 points and also grabbed a game-high 14 points while recording three assists and three steals.
DeAsia Sanders had six assists and five steals in the win.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West sophomore Imani McGlory and Highland Park junior Ja'Corey Robinson 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 2023-2024 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of McGlory and Robinson over the past week:
Topeka West sophomore Imani McGlory has been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency girls Rising Star of the week after a 29-point performance last Friday in a win over Leavenworth. [File photo/TSN]
IMANI McGLORY, Topeka West
A 5-foot-6 sophomore, McGlory turned in a career night last Friday, leading Topeka West girls basketball to a 55-36 home United Kansas Conference win over Leavenworth.
McGlory paced the Chargers with a game-high 29 points and seven 3-pointers as the Chargers recorded their fourth win of the 2023-2024 season.
McGlory also played limited minutes in the junior varsity game against the Pioneers, hitting three 3-pointers in that game to give her 10 on the day.
Highland Park junior Ja'Corey Robinson is the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency boys Rising Star of the Week after recording three double-doubles in last Week's Topeka Invitational Tournament. [File photo/TSN]
JA'COREY ROBINSON, Highland Park
A 6-foot-5 junior, Robinson recorded three straight double-doubles in the Topeka Invitational Tournament, helping lead third-ranked (Class 5A) Highland Park to a runnerup team finish.
Robinson scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 77-44 first-round win over Lawrence, scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 67-52 semifinal victory over Shawnee Mission North and had 16 points with 15 rebounds in Saturday's 64-61 championship-game loss to Wichita Northwest.
Robinson followed up his tournament performance with 19 points in Tuesday's 66-46 win over Eudora and had 14 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday's 58-19 Meadowlark Conference win over Kansas City-Schlagle as the Scots improved to 8-1 on the season.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's boys swimming team dominated the Topeka City Championships at Capitol Federal Natatorium Thursday, winning its fifth straight team title by almost 200 points and claiming nearly all the spots on the All-City team.
The Junior Blues racked up 612 points, far outdistancing the 417 scored by Seaman and 408 by Topeka High.
Washburn Rural claimed eight of the 12 spots on the All-City first team, which is determined by individual points scored in the meet.
Washburn Rural senior Brogan Meier won four gold medals Thursday as the Junior Blues ran away with the city team title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Junior Blues also saw four swimmers – Brogan Meier, Will Powell, Daniel Allen and Jack Miranda – win all four of their races.
In his first season as coach at Washburn Rural after coming over from Topeka West, and as a former swimmer at Seaman, Janson Garman understands the importance of the city meet.
"It’s a big meet. It’s fun to go out there and see how our boys compete,” Garman said. “We swam well, got a lot of best times. We’re excited for (the Centennial League meet).”
