By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls soccer team, which has played in the last two Class 6A state championship games, got its postseason bid off to a good start Tuesday with a 5-0 regional win over Free State at McElroy Field.
The Firebirds trailed Rural by just a 2-0 margin at the half before the Junior Blues tacked on three goals after the break.
Washburn Rural got goals from juniors Belle Kennedy, Sheriden Wichman, Emma Krueger and Reagan Allen and sophomore Karsyn McMaster while Allen, Wichman, junior Hunter McWilliams, sophomore Maya Hoge and sophomore Hailey Beck were credited with assists.
Beck and freshman Mackenzie Flood combined for the shutout in goal for the Junior Blues, who improved to 14-2-1.
Washburn Rural will host Liberal (8-8-1) at 6 p.m. Thursday in a regional championship game. Liberal advanced with a 6-0 win over Junction City on Monday.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 4, BASEHOR-LINWOOD 2
Shawnee Heights opened 5A postseason competition with a 4-2 win over United Kansas Conference rival Basehor-Linwood, with the T-Birds beating the Bobcats for the first time in three games this spring.
Heights had tied Basehor-Linwood 1-1 and dropped a 2-1 decision to the Bobcats in earlier meetings.
The T-Birds, 10-6-1, got a pair of first-half goals from sophomore Kalyn Walter and Heights broke a 2-2 tie with two second-half goals.
Shawnee Heights advanced to a 6:30 p.m. regional final Thusday at Blue Valley Southwest. Southwest (11-1-3) advanced with a 10-0 win over Lansing Monday night.
After Walter put Heights in front 2-0, Basehor-Linwood cut its deficit to 2-1 late in the first half and tied the game with 28 minutes left in regulation.
T-Bird senior Kyler Bowman broke the tie with a goal and then Walter added her third goal of the night late in the match.
Bowman was credited with assists on both of Walter's first-half goals.
SEAMAN 10, KANSAS CITY-SUMNER 0
Seaman ended its Class 5A postseason debut early, rolling to a 10-0 home win over Kansas City-Sumner Tuesday night.
The Vikings (11-5-1), who led 7-0 at the half, got two goals apiece from sophomore Brooklyn Yingling, senior Riley Cowan and freshman Marin Schuler while sophomore Kolbi Zurmely, sophomore Ella Foxhoven, junior Avary Polter and junior Haylee Williams all scored one goal each.
Freshman Makena Schuler posted the shutout in goal for the Vikings.
Seaman will travel to Spring Hill (14-2-0) for a 6 p.m. regional championship game on Thursday. The Broncos beat Highland Park 11-0 Tuesday.