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By TODD FERTIG

TopSports.news

Topeka High shot the lights out for three quarters, then held on desperately to upset Emporia, ranked seventh in Class 5A, 73-69 Friday.

Senior Bryson McComas led a balanced Topeka High attack with 19 points in Friday's 73-69 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Topeka High scorched the nets for 16 three-pointers in the first three periods to build a 60-46 lead. The Spartans mounted a furious rally, outscoring the Trojans 23-13 in the final period, but couldn’t overcome the Trojans’ sharpshooting.

“This was a very, very big win for us,” said Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders. “We were on a four-game losing streak, and just needed to win desperately. So, I’m just happy for the guys.

“We’ve got to clean up our late-game execution. I dang near had a heart attack over there. But, like I told the guys, I don’t complain about winning.”

Sanders admitted the Emporia rally might have done in previous iterations of the Topeka High team.

“I see a lot of growth,” Sanders said. “Emporia is a tough bunch of kids. They’re strong, they’re physical and they’re well-coached. We knew they would make a run. I was just glad we were able to make enough plays to hold on.

“I just want our guys to believe that we can beat anybody. We’ve got a competitive bunch of guys that can play ball, and we can play with some of the best teams in the state.”

Senior Jalen Aldridge scored 16 points with four 3-pointers in Friday's 73-69 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Senior Ajalon Ross scored 14 points with four 3-pointers in Friday's 73-69 Topeka High win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

The Trojans took turns displaying the hot hand. Seniors Jalen Aldridge and Ajalon Ross hit crucial 3-pointers in the first half. Bryson McComas tossed in 12 points in the first half.

Senior Octavian McFadden scored 18 points with four 3-pointers in Topeka High's 73-69 Centennial League win over Emporia Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Then, after intermission, Octavian McFadden – crowned Homecoming King prior to the game – caught fire. The senior hit six shots in a row, four of them 3-pointers, to tally 16 points in the third period.

“Every shot I took was catch-and-shoot, so all credit goes to my teammates who were finding me open,” McFadden said. “Every day at practice, every game, I’m ready for that opportunity.”

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Through the first half of Thursday's non-league game at Seaman, Washburn Rural star Maddie Vickery looked a lot like a player who hadn't played a basketball game in more than six months.

But slowly but surely, the 6-foot-2 junior Kansas State commit started to look more and more like the player local fans have been accustomed to seeing, coming alive in the second half to help Washburn Rural overcome a 19-point deficit in a 50-47 win over the Vikings.

Washburn Rural junior Maddie Vickery (left) made her season debut Thursday at Seaman, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds in a 50-47 win. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Vickery, who suffered a torn ACL late in the summer season, went 0 of 6 from the field in the first half but scored all 11 of her points in the second half, including three 3-pointers, while also grabbing seven rebounds and registering two blocks as the Junior Blues improved to 14-6 overall.

"We talked about that and she's not nervous about the knee, but this was her first game in a long time, so I felt like it was going to take a little while,'' Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. "I think if the first one may have gone in maybe not as long, but in the second half she looked really good.

"It was kind of like the old Maddie. She really looked good. She was energetic, she was moving well and her shot looked a lot better the second half. We look up to her and we're excited to have her back.''

Vickery came off the bench for the first time with 5:19 left in the opening quarter and was in and out the rest of the night, playing 19 minutes, 45 seconds.

After her slow shooting start Vickery hit a 3-pointer for her first basket of the night at the 3:23 mark of the third quarter and hit another 3 with 4:17 remaining to put Rural up 43-41 and canned another trey with 2:13 left to break a 45-all deadlock, putting the Junior Blues ahead to stay.

"I wouldn't say it was really nerves because I've put in a lot of work and I've trusted the process,'' Vickery said. "And I know I'm going to be fine because I know God's got me,

"I mean, a little bit of pressure, but other than that I don't think it was really nerves. I haven't played a game in about six and a half months, so it was a little bit different to adjust to. Practice is different than a game. But once I got to the second half ... I kind of settled in and got out of my head and stuff like that.''

And once she got her first shot to fall, Vickery knew she was really back.

"It was kind of a big weight off my shoulders that I was putting on myself,'' she said. "I'm glad the shots kept falling. I'm happy that I'm able to do this and that I was blessed to be given this opportunity and all my hard work is paying off.''  

Seaman (9-11) put together a 20-0 run at the end of the first quarter and start of the second stanza to take a 24-5 lead before Rural senior Ella Hirschi hit a 3-pointer with 5:06 left in the half to help stem the tide. 

Seaman was still in front 29-13 at the break, but Washburn Rural responded with a 22-8 third quarter to get within 37-35 at the start of the fourth.

Freshman Kamryn Smith came off the bench to lead Washburn Rural with 12 points on four 3-pointers in Thursday's 50-47 win at Seaman. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Freshman Kamryn Smith hit her fourth 3-pointer of a 12-point night with 4:53 left to give Rural its first lead since an early 5-4 advantage.

"I told her in the first half, 'I'm sorry, I can't play you because you're not playing hard enough and that's the standard that we have,' '' Bordewick said. "And then she woke up and she was playing hard on the defensive end. Yeah, her shot was really helping us tremendously, but it's because she's in the flow, she's engaged and she got after it. That's what we asked her to do and she did a great job.''

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By TODD FERTIG

TopSports.news

The Cair Paravel girls’ three-game winning streak was snapped in a 35-30 home loss to Jefferson County North in the final regular season game Thursday. The Lions finished the schedule with an 11-11 record and now await their postseason assignment.

Becca Gateley led CPLS with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in Thursday's 35-30 loss to Jefferson County North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

The Lions stayed in lockstep with the visiting Chargers right to the end. Neither team led by more than four points until the final seconds, and Cair Paravel led by one point, 30-29, with 3:40 left.

It was at that point that the foul disparity became too much for the Lions to overcome. Cair Paravel committed 20 fouls to the Chargers’ 10. The Chargers hit 14-20 free throws to the Lions’ 2-4. Cair Paravel’s two seniors – Karsyn Hastert and KellyAnn Chada – both fouled out in the final minutes.

“Obviously, fouls were a big part of the game, and it was hard because three of my girls were playing with four fouls,” said Cair Paravel coach Jaley Barkley.

The Lions got just three points from their leading scorer, London Backman, and none from Chada.

“You could definitely tell Jefferson County North had scouted us. They were all over Karsyn and they really shut down KellyAnn and London,” said Barkley. “I’m proud of the girls that stepped up. They hit some shots.”

Karsyn Hastert had 10 points in Thursday's 35-30 Cair Paravel loss to Jefferson County North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Junior Becca Gateley got hot in the second half, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers to keep the Lions in it. She finished with 11 points, followed by Hastert with 10.

Though the loss dropped the Lions to .500, Barkley said the three-game win streak injected a sense of pride in the team.

“The girls have really enjoyed having that winning record,” Barkley said. “It’s kind of brought a different fuel and energy to the team that wasn’t there last year. Being .500 puts us kind of in the middle of the pack (for sub-state) as opposed to some of the years before.”

The Lions are 5-2 in February and hope to be peaking at the right time.

“From our first game of the season ‘til now, we’ve improved in all areas,” Barkley said. “I’m just proud of the girls for everything they’ve learned throughout this season in every individual game. They’ve been very coachable and have grown so much.”

JEFFERSON COUNTY NORTH GIRLS 35, CAIR PARAVEL 30

Jefferson County North 10 4 11 10 -- 35

Cair Paravel                       7 8 8 7 -- 30

Jefferson County North (13-9) – Blattner 2-7 3-4 8, Johnson 1-9 2-2 4, Thompson 2-7 4-8 8, Porter 2-6 0-0 4, L. Noll 0-6 2-2 2, Schrick 1-4 0-0 2, R. Noll 1-6 1-2 3, Hernandez 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 10-47 14-20 35.

Cair Paravel (11-11) – Hastert 5-8 0-0 10, Donaldson 0-5 0-0 0, Gateley 4-11 0-0 11, K. Chada 0-7 2-2 2, Backman 1-9 0-2 3, Rosenow 2-5 0-0 4, M. Chada 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-45 2-4 30.

3-point goals – Jefferson County North 1 (Blattner), Cair Paravel 4 (Gateley 3, Backman). Total fouls – Jefferson County North 10, Cair Paravel 20. Fouled out – Hastert, Chada. Technical fouls – none.