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TopSports.news' 2025 Shawnee County boys tennis players to watch
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden senior Chase Blaser (left) finished fifth in doubles in the Class 3A-1A state tournament last spring. [File photo/TSN]
CHASE BLASER, Hayden
A senior, Blaser teamed with then-senior Joseph Luke to post a 24-10 record and a fifth-place finish in Class 3A-1A state doubles last spring. An All-City honoree, Blaser and Luke posted a third-place finish in No 1 doubles in the city meet as well as a third in the Centennial League and a fifth-place showing at regionals. A three-sport standout, Blaser helped lead the Wildcats to the 4A-1A state bowling championship this past winter.
Washburn Rural junior Cale Deutscher and doubles partner Brayden Kohls qualified for the Class 6A state tournament last season. [File photo/TSN]
CALE DEUTSCHER, Washburn Rural
Deutscher, a junior, was a 2024 All-City honoree after teaming with Brayden Kohls to win the city title in No. 2 doubles. Deutscher and Kohls finished fourth in Centennial League doubles and third in Class 6A regional competition to earn a state tournament berth. Deutscher and Kohls went 1-2 at state to cap an 18-10 season.
A two-time state qualifier, Cair Paravel junior Drew Fay finished fourth in Class 3A-1A state singles last spring. [File photo/TSN]
DREW FAY, Cair Paravel Latin
Fay, a junior, is coming off a fourth-place singles finish in the Class 3A-1A state tournament a year ago, his second straight state tournament appearance. Fay, who posted a 23-11 record on the season, was an All-City honoree after finishing as the No. 1 singles runnerup in the city tournament and also finished second in 3A-1A regional competition.
TopSports.news' 2025 Shawnee County boys golfers to watch
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural senior Tadd Armstrong was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection last season. [File photo/TSN]
TADD ARMSTRONG, Washburn Rural
Armstrong, a senior returning All-Shawnee County first-teamer, helped Washburn Rural capture its 14th straight city team title and a team berth in the Class 6A state meet with a runnerup regional finish last season. Armstrong finished fourth in the city meet (126 for 27 holes), tied for fifth in the Centennial League (79) and tied for 11th at regionals (86).
CALEB CLEVERDON, Topeka High/Cair Paravel Latin
A junior, Cleverdon helped Cair Paravel earn the third-place team trophy in the Class 2A state tournament with a tie for 32nd place with a 36-hole score of 176 after competing for Topeka High in the regular season. A second-team All-Shawnee County pick last season, Cleverdon placed ninth at regionals (84) and placed 15th in the Centennial League (86).
JACK DONOVAN, Rossville
A junior, Donovan earned an individual medal in the Class 3A state tournament, placing 20th with a 36-hole score of 162. A first-team All-Shawnee County pick as a sophomore, Donovan finished third individually in the Mid-East League tournament with an 86 and placed fourth in 3A regional competition with a 74 to earn a state tournament berth.
Hayden senior James Kuta was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection last season after helping the Wildcats finish fourth in Class 3A. [File photo/TSN]
JAMES KUTA, Hayden
A senior, Kuta tied for 14th in the Class 3A state tournament with a 36-hole score of 159 (73-86), helping Hayden finish fourth as a team. A first-team All-Shawnee County selection in 2024, Kuta tied for eighth in the Centennial League meet (82), placed 10th in the city tournament (132 for 27 holes) and tied for 11th in 3A regional competition (83) as the Wildcats finished second as a team.
Washburn Rural senior Tagan Monasmith was a second-team All-Shawnee County pick in 2024. [File photo/TSN]
TAGAN MONASMITH, Washburn Rural
A senior, Monasmith was a second-team All-Shawnee County selection last season. Monasmith finished fifth individually in the city tournament (126 for 27 holes), was eighth at regionals as Washburn Rural qualified for the Class 6A state tournament as a team with a runnerup finish and finished 18th in the Centennial League (88).
No. 2-ranked Washburn men roll up 105 points in 28-point road romp past rival Hornets
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA – Washburn University men's basketball christened the new year in style as the No. 2-ranked Ichabods led for 39:33 of the 40-minute contest and by as many as 33 points, cruising to a 105-77 MIAA road win over Emporia State on Saturday in White Auditorium.
Sophomore Jack Bachelor led six double-figure scorers for Washburn with 19 points as the No. 2-ranked Ichabods rolled to a 105-77 road win over Emporia State. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn improved to 13-0 overall and 4-0 in MIAA play and will return to Lee Arena for the first time since Nov. 30 next Wednesday as the Ichabods will host Missouri Western at 7:30 p.m.
Washburn jumped out to a 13-3 lead 3:49 into the game behind Jack Bachelor's 11 points, including three-straight 3-pointers.
The Hornets (4-8, 1-3) trimmed the lead back to five at 17-12, but the Ichabods used another 13 to 3 run, doubling up Emporia State with 9:13 to play in the half.
ESU cut the lead to 11 but that margin was the closest the Hornets would get the rest of the game as the Ichabods finished the frame 9 of 11 from the field over the final 7:01 of the half, taking a 56-39 lead into the break.
Washburn shot 61 percent in the opening half, paced by 17 points from Washburn Rural product Bachelor and 10 points and eight assists from Jacob Hanna as the Ichabods reached at least 50 points in a half since scoring 52 against William Jewell on Nov. 23, 2024 in Lee Arena.
A 12-1 run over a three-minute stretch followed by a 16-7 Ichabod run stretched the Ichabod lead to a game-high 33 with 9:28 to play as Washburn snapped a four-game slide to the Hornets.
Bachelor finished with a game-high 19 points and added eight assists, leading six Ichabods in double figures.
Birthday boy Andrew Orr had 16 points as did Hanna, who also had eight assists and six rebounds.
Dillon Claussen had a career-high 15 points on 7 of 7 shooting while Brayden Shorter hit three 3-pointers en route to 11 points with six boards and Brady Christiansen had 11 points as well.
Malik Edwards scored 13 points to lead the Hornets.
After shooting 61 percent in the first half, the Ichabods improved to 67 percent in the second half, hitting 20 of 30 shots overall to close the game at a season-high 63 percent on 43 of 68 shooting.
Washburn outrebounded the Hornets 34 to 25 in the game and tallied 26 assists on 43 baskets in the game. Washburn also outscored the Hornets 58 to 22 in the paint and forced 22 turnovers, leading to 27 points for the Ichabods.
The 105 points scored by the Ichabods was the second time Washburn reached the century mark in the 222 previous meetings in the series, topping the old record of 103 set against ESU on Jan. 7, 2004 in Topeka.
The Ichabods just missed setting the largest margin of victory in the series as the Hornets hit a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left avoiding the record mark of 31 in a 73-42 Ichabod win on Jan. 16, 2010.
