By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After tough season-opening road losses at Basehor-Linwood last Friday, Shawnee Heights' girls and boys basketball teams bounced back with a home United Kansas Conference sweep over Piper Tuesday night.
The Heights girls took a 54-32 win over the Pirates before the T-Bird boys took a 61-46 win over Piper.
Shawnee Heights senior Taylor Rottinghaus scored a career-high 18 points in Tuesday night's 54-32 UKC win over Piper. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Taylor Rottinghaus paced the Shawnee Heights girls with a career-high 18 points while senior Emari Doby was right behind with 16 points for the T-Birds in the 22-point rout..
Shawnee Heights' boys jumped out to a 14-8 first-quarter lead and led 30-19 at the half and 47-32 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Q Stovall and Deacon Pomeroy paced the T-Birds with 12 points apiece while Jaret Sanchez added 11 points and Brennon Dodge nine.
Shawnee Heights' girls and boys will be on the road Friday night at Topeka West for the first United Kansas Conference matchups between the two longtime city rivals.
The girls game is scheduled for a 5:45 p.m. tipoff, followed by the boys game at approximately 7:15.
Topeka High senior Kiki Smith (right) had 22 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday's 48-30 win over Blue Valley Northwest. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 48, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST 30 -- Brittney Redmond's Topeka High girls picked up their second straight double-digit win in Tuesday's opening round of the De Soto Hardwood Classic, rolling to a 48-30 victory over Blue Valley Northwest.
Senior standout Kiki Smith had a double-double for the Trojans with 22 points and 10 rebounds while junior Ayana Leesman had a career-high 19 points while hitting 5 of 6 shots from the field and 5 of 5 free throws.
Topeka High led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter and used a 10-3 second quarter to open up a 22-12 halftime advantage. The Trojans outscored Northwest 26-18 to win going away.
Topeka High will face Olathe Northwest in a 6:30 p.m. semifinal Thursday night in De Soto.
ST. JAMES ACADEMY BOYS 67, WASHBURN RURAL 62 -- Washburn Rural took state-ranked St. James Academy down to the wire in the Junior Blues' debut under new coach Alex Hutchins, but the Thunder held on for the 67-62 victory in the first round of the Championship Showdown at Shawnee Mission East.
ROSSVILLE GIRLS 58, KC-BISHOP WARD 7 -- Rossville pitched a first-half shutout on the way to a 58-7 rout in the opening round of the Irish Classic Tuesday night at Rossville.
The 2-0 Lady Bulldawgs went up 29-0 at the end of the first quarter and outscored the Cyclones 20-0 in the second quarter for a 49-0 halftime advantage.
Junior Emma Mitchell led Rossville with 16 points, followed by sophomore Shyanne Haehn with 11 points and freshman Rylee Dick with nine points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
The Bulldawgs will face Sacred Heart on Friday in Chapman in the second round of the Irish Classic.
KC-BISHOP WARD BOYS 65, ROSSVILLE 54 -- Freshman Jack Donavan scored 22 points, with three 3-pointers, for Rossville, but Bishop Ward used a 21-13 second quarter to build a nine-point halftime lead (39-30) and held off the Bulldawgs (0-2) in the second half.
Senior Kade Perine added nine points and sophomore Brock Bush 8 for the Bulldawgs.
The Bulldawgs will face Sacred Heart on Friday in Chapman in the second round of the Irish Classic.
SILVER LAKE GIRLS 73, COUNCIL GROVE 23 -- Silver Lake rolled to its second victory of the season, taking a 50-point decision over Council Grove.
The Eagles, who were third in the Class 3A state tournament last season, are currently ranked No. 2 in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association 3A state rankings.
Silver Lake will play at Riley County Friday night.
COUNCIL GROVE BOYS 59, SILVER LAKE 48 -- After digging itself an early hole, Silver Lake put itself back in the hunt with a 21-point third quarter but Council Grove pulled away down the stretch for the 59-48 win.
Council Grove led 19-10 af the end of the first quarter and 33-23 at the half but the Eagles cut their deficit to three points at the start of the fourth quarter before Council Grove outscored Silver Lake 12-4 in the fourth period.
Seniors Dylan Vande Velde and Ian Stichem led Silver Lake with 13 and eight points, respectively, as nine Eagles cracked the scoring column.
Silver Lake will play at Riley County Friday night.
CENTRALIA BOYS 59, CAIR PARAVEL LATIN 34 -- Cair Paravel Latin dropped a 59-34 road decision at Centralia, with the Lions dropping to 1-3 on the season.
