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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West's boys did a lot of good things in Thursday's non-league basketball game against unbeaten Junction City.
But a five-minute dry spell at the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth foiled the Chargers in a 64-56 loss at West.
Topeka West, which fell to 3-2 on the season, jumped out in front 17-12 in the first quarter and took a 30-26 halftime lead before 5-0 Junction City turned the tables in the second half.
Sophomore Malakyah Duncan (12) came off the bench to lead Topeka West with 16 points in Thursday's 64-56 non-league loss to Junction City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We were there, we were playing well,'' Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist said. "We played a great first half. Junction City's a very good basketball team, very quick, very athletic and we knew that.
"They caught us with our pants down a couple of times but I think what I'm really disappointed in is we weren't persistent enough. We took time off in transition a couple of times and they got an extended lead and then we had some turnover woes again and missed some easy shots. It's a work in progress and if they keep staying with it they're going to be a pretty good basketball team.''
West was still within a point with two minutes left in the third quarter, but the Blue Jays ended the quarter with five straight points and opened the fourth with a 9-4 run to open up an 11-point advantage.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's likely to be a weary, but happy bunch of Topeka West Lady Chargers that head to Kansas City-Turner Friday.
Angie Ketterman's Chargers will be playing their third game in four days on Friday, but West will take a two-game winning streak into the game after a 54-35 home non-league win over Junction City Thursday night.
Topeka West sophomore Imani McGlory (5) led the Chargers with 16 points in Thursday's 54-35 win over Junction City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West senior Zoe Clark (35) scored 13 points in Thursday's 54-35 win over Junction City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"They're going to be tired, but I think they can do it,'' Ketterman said of Friday's United Kansas Conference game. "I think they're pumped about the two-game winning streak right now and hopefully that will pull us through.''
The 2-3 Chargers, who were coming off a 20-point UKC win over Lansing on Tuesday, rallied from an early 11-4 deficit against Junction City to take a 14-12 first-quarter advantage and took the lead for good when sophomore Imani McGlory scored to break a 17-17 tie with about six minutes left in the first half.
West went on to build a 25-20 halftime advantage and steadily pulled away in the second half.
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By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
DeShawn Hanika has had quite the journey since graduating in 2018 from Hayden, where he won a state title in basketball and posted over 1,000 receiving yards his senior year in football.
After stops at Butler County Community College and Iowa State, where he posted 17 catches for 244 yards and four touchdowns his junior season, the 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end is coming home to Kansas to finish out his collegiate career.
DeShawn Hanika has commited to Kansas to play his final season of college football. [X photo]
“My journey has been one of a kind,'' Hanika said. "It has been full of challenges and blessings and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.
“I am grateful to have had some of the best coaches along my journey and I’ve learned so much from each one and made relationships with those coaches that will last forever.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It had been three seasons since Hayden's wrestling team had been able to perform in front of its home fans, and the Wildcats took full advantage of that opportunity Wednesday night, sweeping a dual with city rival Topeka West at the Bueltel Activity Center.
Hayden's student section cheers on Wildcat junior 285-pounder Hunter Diederich in Wednesday's home dual against Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"It was huge,'' Hayden coach Jacob Torrez said of the home competition. "Since they saw it on the schedule they've been looking forward to it.
"They were excited, they were pumped and they've put in a ton of work.''
Wednesday's dual drew a big crowd, especially from Hayden students, and Torrez said his Wildcats had been working hard in the days leading into the meet to make sure that happened.
"The kids have been hyping it up,'' Torrez said. "They've been talking to everybody they could, and we've made some announcements here and there, but they've been trying to get as many people as they could to come out and support us.
"They really wanted to show off what they've been working on these last few years in the time they haven't been able to have something here.''
Hayden senior Elaina Wolff (right) battles Topeka West senior Nephtali Lenth in an exhibition match during Wednesday's Hayden-West wrestling dual at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Both Hayden and West were extremely short-handed for the girls dual, with the Wildcats taking a 30-6 victory, while the Hayden boys rolled to a 60-0 win over the Chargers.
Wildcat junior 126-pounder Matt Samich opened a string of eight wins by fall for the home team, with freshman Caleb Menke (144), sophomore Jacob Waldy (150), junior Tyler Hopper (157), sophomore Jude Krentz (165), senior Drew Crady (190), junior Broderick Desch (215) and junior Hunter Diederich (285) also pinning their opponents.
"We have a good base for the boys program and we're trying to grow the girls program,'' Torrez said. "We want to generate interest at Hayden, but also for the sport itself.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn completed a 14-point second-half comeback on the road Wednesday night, knocking off No. 23-ranked Northwest Missouri State, 66-64.
Senior Aubrey Dewey scored 18 points to lead the way as Washburn rallied for a 66-64 road win at Northwest Missouri State. [File photo/TSN]
The Bearcats (8-2 overall, 3-2 MIAA) led from the jump of the game although Washburn (7-2, 2-1) was right behind, tying the game three times in the first quarter alone, but never breaking through.
Five different Ichabods scored in the opening quarter to keep the squad down just 16-14.
Washburn took its first lead of the game with 9:08 left in the second quarter after a 3-pointer by freshman Madelyn Amekporfor. Northwest Missouri quickly took the lead back, but the Ichabods were able to keep the game close.
After Northwest extended its lead to seven points, sophomore Yibari Nwidadah scored the final two points of the half to make it a 33-28 game heading into the break.
The Ichabods kept it close out of halftime but a 9-0 run for the Bearcats put the game into double figures before sophomore Amaya Davison ended the WU cold spell with a layup.
Washburn was able to go on a 7-0 run, with senior Aubree Dewey knocking down a jumper and converting a three-point play. Washburn's offense led the way in cutting into the lead with the Ichabods hitting eight of 14 shots in the third quarter to trail by just seven going into the fourth period.
Washburn wasted no time continuing to cut into the lead, starting the quarter on an 8-1 run to tie the game.
Northwest Missouri quickly went back in the lead, but by no more than three points the rest of the way.
With 1:08 left in the game Nwidadah converted a three-point play to tie the game at 62.
The lead would finally flip back to Washburn's favor with 18 seconds to play on a 3-pointer by Dewey from just behind the top of the key to go up by three.
Dewey was able to put on the finishing touch with one more free throw to secure the 66-64 road victory.
