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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabods will be on the road this week with a two-game trip through the Show-Me State, beginning with a Wednesday night game at Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
Washburn (9-4 overall, 5-2 MIAA) has won its last four games, including a 92-83 win over Newman on last Saturday. The Mules (6-6, 1-5) are coming off a 76-73 win at Nebraska-Kearney last time out, rallying from a 16-point deficit just before halftime.
The Ichabods received votes in the latest NABC Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The Ichabods lead the all-time series with Central Missouri 58-52, winning the last seven games in the series and nine of the last 10 overall. WU has won the last three games played in Warrensburg.
During Washburn's four-game winning streak, the Ichabods have averaged 83.5 points while allowing 69.0 points per game.
Freshman Jack Bachelor, a Washburn Rural product, has led the Ichabods in scoring during the streak, averaging 17.5 points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn hits the road for the first time in 2024 on Wednesday, facing No. 17-ranked Central Missouri at 5:30 p.m. in Warrensburg.
Washburn is coming off an 84-58 home MIAA victory over Newman on Saturday, the Ichabods' third straight win.
WU is now 10-3 overall on the year and 5-2 in the MIAA while No. 17 Central Missouri is 10-3 overall and 4-3 in the MIAA after falling 79-74 in overtime to Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
Senior Aubree Dewey leads the Ichabod scoring attack with a 14.1 average on 43.9 percent shooting from the floor. Dewey dishes out a team-high 5.8 assists per game and pulls down 5.8 rebounds per game from the point guard position, second most on the team. She plays 32.5 minutes per game and averages 1.8 steals.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Mackenzie Gamble's Washburn University women's basketbll career has been a pain ... literally.
But after battling through a series of knee injuries, the 5-foot-7 senior guard and the Ichabods are experiencing the gain this winter.
"I've had three knee surgeries throughout my four years here and I've been battling those (injuries) this year still, but hopefully no more surgeries, knock on wood,'' said Gamble, who hails from Highlands Ranch, Colo. "I tore my meniscus and there's a 60 percent chance of a re-tear so it's kind of always going to be there as a concern.
"It's something that I'm just always working through, but my surgeon that's been helping me has been awesome, so I'm giving credit to him.''
Gamble is having the time of her life on the court, turning in a solid start to the 2023-2024 season while helping Washburn get off to a 10-3 start.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's been a tough season physically for Damon Parker's vaunted Washburn Rural's girls wrestling program, with multiple returning state placers out for the season and other top Junior Blues missing significant mat time.
Junior Blues 2023 Class 6A-5A state medalists Madison Davison (fourth at 145), Ashley Schwarz (fourth at 155) and Sophia Ross (fifth at 235) are all out for the season while Annie Gallegos (fourth at 120) just wrestled her first meet of the season at Seaman and Laiken Clark (fifth at 130) missed the the Seaman meet with an ankle injury.
But despite their injury woes, the three-time state champions, who have never finished lower than second at state, continue to win, including their third team championship of the season in last Friday's Lady Vikes Invitational at Seaman (274-247 over Hays).
And Rural's expectations remain the same, to be a factor in next month's state tournament at Park City.
"The margin of error in wrestling is so slim,'' Parker said. "If you look at last year's results, we placed first by 12 points. That's one sixth-place finisher. Then you lose Addison Broxterman and Alexis Fredrickson (to graduation), two of the best to ever do it, and then four other placers on top of that and it's like, 'OK, we've got some points to make up there.'
"We knew we had our work cut out for us coming into this year, but we won't leave any bullets left in the chamber. We'll come out swinging and give the best we've got.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EASTON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural
A junior returning Class 6A state champion wrestler, 132-pounder Broxterman posted a perfect 5-0 record with five pins on Saturday as Washburn Rural claimed the team championship in the Seaman Duals with a 5-0 record. Broxterman recorded four of his five pins in the first period, including three between 24 and 42 seconds.
AUBREE DEWEY, Washburn University
A 5-foot-7 senior point guard out of Plainville, Dewey scored the game-winning basket with two seconds left in Thursday's 64-62 MIAA women's basketball win over Central Oklahoma, scoring 10 of her 16 points over the final 9:35. Dewey followed that up with 14 points and seven rebounds in Saturday's 85-58 conference win over Newman as Washburn improved to 10-3 with its third straight win.
BRENNON DODGE, Shawnee Heights
A 6-foot-1 senior guard, Dodge scored a game high 25 points Friday night as Shawnee Heights' boys basketball team notched its fourth straight win in a 76-51 home United Kansas Conference romp past Lansing. Dodge scored the T-Birds' first 12 points of the game and 19 in the first half as 4-2 Heights took control. Dodge went 10 of 12 from the field with three 3-pointers and hit both his free throw attempts.