By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
SHAWNEE MISSION – Topeka High reigned as the state’s champion once again after its second consecutive state title win with a 2-1 victory over Centennial League foe Washburn Rural.
Topeka High’s last two softball seasons have been historic for the Trojans program.
Topeka High softball celebrates its second straight Class 6A state title after Friday's 2-1 win over city rival Washburn Rural. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Topeka High poses for a team picture Friday after winning its second straight Class 6A state softball title. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
In 2022 High’s goal was to hoist the state trophy over its heads for the second straight time, and on Friday the goal was accomplished against a rival team which beat them twice this year.
“This is tremendous for our program,” Topeka High coach Shane Miles said. “Our seniors go out with back-to-back state championships under their belt. We have some freshmen and sophomores that have this experience now. We want to be back here next year. We are building a program that wants to be noticed.”
One of the anchors for Topeka High’s astounding success was Stanford signee, Nija Canady.
Canady had dealt with injuries and some setbacks in 2022 but despite dealing with all that adversity, Canady was able to go 3-0 in the state tournament and help the Trojans bring the title back home.
“This is incredible,” Canady said. “It’s hard winning a state title once, but to win it twice is even better. Softball is a physical game, but it’s even tougher mentally. This past season we had to fight.”
The right-hander had to go to another level in the circle on Friday afternoon.
Canady was dealing with a case of dehydration and it was affecting the star pitcher. Canady was able to pitch all seven innings in the state final and her performance will go down in history in a special way.
“I told her just to give me three outs,” Miles said. “She gutted it out today. She didn’t feel the best today. She probably didn’t have her best stuff today, but I told her all we need is three outs. She battled and got through it today.”
The marquee matchup had a lot of significance for the City of Topeka. Washburn Rural and Topeka High met for a doubleheader at Hummer Sports Park back on April 12th. Washburn Rural would prevail and swept the twin bill with a 1-0 victory and an 8-1 decision.
“We knew it was going to be us and Washburn (Rural) for the title game,” Canady said. “We wanted Washburn Rural in the title game. It feels great that we were finally able to get our revenge.”
Washburn Rural and Topeka High both had a murderous row of opponents they had to go through in the state tournament to get to the title game.
On Thursday morning, Washburn Rural defeated Blue Valley to get to the semifinal. In the semifinal game, the Junior Blues took on an explosive Derby team.
Similar to the state championship game, the semifinal against Derby was a pitcher’s duel that ended in a 2-0 decision.
Junior Blue pitcher Emmerson Cope was nearly perfect against Derby. Cope pitched a complete seven-inning shutout along with 11 strikeouts and gave up just four hits.
Kansas commit Campbell Bagshaw was responsible for both runs plated in the 2-0 decision. Bagshaw’s two runs batted in was the only offense the Junior Blues were able to collect.
Cope’s lights-out pitching and Bagshaw’s bat earned them a spot in the state championship game.
For the state title game to be an all-Topeka title game, Topeka High would have to go through Wichita Northwest. Fortunately for Topeka High, that wouldn’t be an issue.
Topeka High would rout Wichita Northwest in a 10-0 decision in five innings of work.
Jo’Mhara Benning and Canady would pitch a combined no-hitter. The duo would fan eight batters, giving up two walks, six groundouts and two flyouts.
Canady would have a memorable day at the plate in the semifinal game as well. Canady would go 2 for 3 with a double, home run and five runs batted in.
Alesia Alvarez, Elycia Joyce and Quincy Smith would drive in the remaining five runners.
It would be official, Topeka High and Washburn Rural would be clashing in the state championship.
It was a pitcher’s duel from the beginning. Cope and Canady had a repetitive performance from their previous matchup back in April.
In the top of the first inning, Cope struck out the entire top of the Topeka High order. Quincy Smith, Adisyn Caryl and Canady all went down swinging.
Canady would strike out two Rural batters in the bottom of the first while giving up her first hit of the day to Cope.
Cope would get three straight flyouts from High batters in the top of the second inning while Canady would fan three Rural batters in the bottom part of the inning.
It would be a hitless result from both sides in the third inning of play with Canady and Cope asserting their dominant pitches from the circle.
The top of the fourth inning was critical for Topeka High’s offense. The Trojan offense would be hitless against Cope until the High’s efforts in the mid-point of the game.
Caryl’s perfect field awareness allowed Topeka High to get its first run on the board. Alesia Alvarez would hit a blooper past the Rural’s third baseman. When the ball landed, Caryl would break for third. The throw would be late to third base and Alvarez would take off for second. Alvarez would be safe at second and Caryl would take advantage of the distraction and break for home safely.
“I didn’t care where I hit the ball as long as I got on base,” Alvarez said. “It was the perfect blooper right over third base. That hit put us in a great position and we knew this game was going to be the toughest game we had all year. Our bats were hot all year and we just needed one run for Nija to help us get the win.”
Alvarez also admitted that Caryl was going home no matter where the ball was put. Caryl was willing to risk it all in a do-or-die scenario.
“I knew that I was going to have to jump it right to get that run on the board,” Caryl said. “You have to take the right risks in order to win games. It was good timing and I’m glad that I was able to do that.”
Dominant defenses from both sides would return to their peak form in the fifth inning. Canady would punch out two and Cope would punch out one. They left both teams hitless.
Elycia Joyce would rattle Cope as she brought in a runner hope with a smoked line drive out into deep right field in the sixth. High had three straight hits with Joyce, Canady and Alvarez all drilling singles.
“The adrenaline was insane,” Joyce said. “We needed to hit the ball at that time. It was late into the game and Cope was pitching her butt off. We have all of the confidence and faith in the world in our defense. We just needed one run. I couldn’t believe that I was the one that had the game-winning run. It’s truly unbelievable.”
As things were looking bleak for the Junior Blues, Cope would give the Rural faithful a jolt of energy. Cope would deliver a one-run single, bringing home Bagshaw after she got on base with a single in the sixth inning.
Topeka High would have to get three more outs left before they were etched in history. Canady got through the first two batters of the order with no problem.
Kaci Bath would make things interesting with a double out into deep left field. Bagshaw would be up with a runner in scoring position. Bagshaw would hit Canady’s fastball out into deep right field, but it would end up in a flyout.
Topeka High would win the 6A state title with a 2-1 win.
“We had a lot of people that doubted us,” Caryl said. “People didn’t think we would make it back here and win. We weren’t going to listen to them. We proved them wrong. That is who we are with our character. We are champions again.”
Class 6A State Championship
Topeka High 2. Washburn Rural 1
Topeka High (22-3) 000 101 0 – 2 5 0
Washburn Rural (23-2) 000 001 0 – 1 4 0
W – Canady. L – Cope. 2B: Washburn Rural – Bath.
Class 6A State Semifinal
Topeka High 9, Wichita Northwest 0
Wichita Northwest (18-6) 000 000 0 – 0 0 2
Topeka High (21-3) 324 000 0 – 9 10 0
W – Canady. L – Stucky. 2B: Topeka High – Canady, Alvarez, Caryl. HR: Topeka High – Canady.
Class 6A State Semifinal
Washburn Rural 2, Derby 0
Derby (20-4) 000 000 0 – 0 4 1
Washburn Rural (23-1) 001 010 0 – 2 5 1
W – Cope. L– Haupt. 2B: Washburn Rural – Bagshaw, Bath, Whitmore. Derby – Jackson.
