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Washburn football drops 13-10 overtime heartbreaker to Tigers
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football did a lot of good things, particularly in the first half, in Saturday's Homecoming game against Fort Hays State in Yager Stadium.
Senior Ky Thomas had 95 rushing yards and Washburn's lone touchdown in Saturday's 13-10 overtime loss to Fort Hays State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But in the end, WU coach Zach Watkins felt like the Ichabods let a win get away, with Fort Hays State scoring the final 13 points to escape with a 13-10 overtime MIAA victory.
"We did a great job in the first half, but it's a two-half game, a four-quarter game and we didn't finish,'' Watkins said.
"The mark of a really good team in the MIAA is how you finish and we didn't finish today.''
The Ichabods (2-6 overall, 1-5 MIAA) struck first when Ky Thomas scored on a 3-yard run (Aidan Battle kick) midway through the first quarter after Braiden Lagafuaina's interception return to the Fort Hays State 20-yard-line.
Washburn extended its lead when Battle drilled a 32-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 12:37 to go before halftime and ending the first-half scoring.
Fort Hays (5-4, 4-3) finally broke through in the third quarter, taking advantage of a Washburn turnover on an interception to score on an 18-yard keeper from Tiger quarterback Caleb Heavner.
The Tigers tied the game later in the period with a 25-yard field goal by Zane Hall.
Neither team managed points in the fourth quarter as both defenses forced turnovers and traded punts in increasingly wet conditions.
Washburn got the ball first in overtime and reached the red zone, but missed a 41-yard field goal attempt in overtime before the Tigers' Michael Polley connected from 34 yards out to seal the win.
"You're not defined by one game, but those are the type of games that you have to win to make the leaps in this conference that we want to make and know we can make and are capable of making,'' Watkins said. "But that's a game you have to win to take the next step.
"We'll get back to work tomorrow and we'll improve and get better from there.''
Former Topeka High star Thomas, a senior, powered the Ichabods' ground game with 95 yards on 16 carries, averaging 5.9 per attempt, and added 16 receiving yards.
Washburn freshman quarterback Logan Madden had 101 passing yards in Saturday's 13-10 overtime loss to Fort Hays State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman quarterback Logan Madden went 16 for 29 for 101 yards, with redhirt freshman Henry Mohrmann catching three passes for 26 yards and Jaden Abongo Jr. adding 21 yards receiving and 38 on kickoff returns.
Sub-State VB: Rural, Hayden, Silver Lake, Rossville earn state tournament berths
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural will make its traditional trip to the Class 6A state volleyball tournament next week after a dominating performance in Saturday's sub-state tourney on the Junior Blues' home court.
Washburn Rural earned its ninth straight trip to the Class 6A state volleyball tournament with a pair of straight-set wins Saturday at Rural. [Washburn Rural Athletics]
Rural, the No. 1 6A West seed, punched its ticket to the state tournament at Salina's Tony's Pizza Event Center with a 25-11, 25-4 semifinal win over No. 16 Wichita West and a 25-11, 25-21 win over No. 8 seed Maize in the championship match.
Now 30-6 on the season, the Junior Blues will be making their ninth straight state tournament appearance and their 27th in 31 seasons under coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led Rural to eight state titles and ranks No. 2 on Kansas' all-time career victory list.
Washburn Rural was ranked No. 5 in the final Kansas Volleyball Association 6A state rankings.
Hayden volleyball poses for a team picture after capturing a Class 4A sub-state title Saturday at Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Wildcats survive three-set final to earn return trip to Class 4A state
Hayden, the No. 4 Class 4A East seed, was pushed to three sets by No. 5 seed Eudora but outlasted the Cardinals, 25-23, 24-26, 25-20 Saturday at the Bueltel Activity Center to earn a return trip to next week's state tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Hayden senior Reese Huscher spikes the ball during Saturday's Class 4A sub-state at Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden senior Ella Foster sets the ball during Saturday's Class 4A sub-state tournament at Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden reached the championship match with a 25-7, 25-10 semifinal win over No. 13 Labette County while Eudora survived a three set semifinal with No. 12 seed Ottawa, taking a 20-25, 25-10, 25-19 win over the Cyclones.
Now 29-9 on the season, Hayden finished third in last year's state tournament and was ranked No. 3 in the final KVA state rankings.
Silver Lake volleyball celebrates its Class 3A sub-state title Saturday at Silver Lake. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Top-ranked Eagles top Riley County to take 3A sub-state crown
Silver Lake, the No. 1 Class 3A East seed and ranked No. 1 by the KVA for seven straight weeks, fought off Riley County in Saturday's sub-state final on the Eagles' home court to advance to next week's state tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Silver Lake volleyball celebrates a point during Saturday's Class 3A sub-state tournament at Silver Lake. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Now 41-1 on the season, Silver Lake dropped the first set to No. 3 sub-state seed Riley County, 25-23, but rallied to take 25-21 and 25-15 wins in the next two sets to garner the title.
Silver Lake took a 25-12, 25-9 semifinal win over No. 4 Perry-Lecompton while Riley County needed three sets to knock off No. 2 Nemaha Central, 21-25, 25-19, 25-18.
Rossville volleyball poses for a team picture after earning a Class 2A state tournament berth Saturday at Rossville. [Rossville volleyball]
Bulldawgs advance to 2A state with back-to-back thrillers
Tournament host and top sub-state seed Rossville was pushed to three sets in both its semifinal and championship matches, but the Bulldawgs survived both sets to advance to next week's Class 2A state tournament in Dodge City.
Rossville volleyball celebrates a point during Saturday's Class 2A sub-state tournament at Rossville. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Rossville junior Nora Burdiek spikes the ball during Saturday's Class 2A sub-state tournament at Rossville. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Rossville, ranked No. 7 in the final KVA 2A state rankings, outlasted No. 4 Cair Paravel Latin, 27-25, 19-25, 25-20 in the semifinals before rallying from a first-set loss against No. 2 Maur Hill-Mt. Academy in the sub-state final to take a 22-25, 25-23, 25-12 win.
Maur Hill-Mt. Academy advanced to the final with a 25-16, 27-25 semifinal win over Kansas City Christian.
The Bulldawgs will take a 28-13 record into the state tournament.
Mason Becker, Madilyn Poole the Dan Key Farmers Agency Rising Stars of the Week
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden junior football standout Mason Becker and Cair Paravel Latin junior state tennis medalist Madilyn Poole have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the recent accomplishments of Becker and Poole.
Mason Becker, Hayden [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
MASON BECKER, Hayden
A junior multi-sport standout for the Wildcats, Becker has helped Hayden's football team post a perfect 7-0 record this fall, with no game closer than 22 points.
Becker, 6-foot, 160 pounds, plays offense, defense and on special teams for the Wildcats, scoring touchdowns in all three phases of the game.
Becker has established himself as one of the state's top kickers, going 37 of 37 on extra-point attempts while also booting a 40-yard field goal and kicking the vast majority of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. Becker has carried the ball nine times for 150 yards and two TDs and caught seven passes for 187 yards and two TDs.
Madilyn Poole, Cair Paravel Latin
MADILYN POOLE, Cair Paravel Latin
A junior two-time Class 3A-1A state tennis qualifier in singles, Poole became the first-ever Cair Paravel girls player to earn a state medal last Saturday in Salina.
After winning a regional singles championship at Kossover Tennis Center, Poole won her first two matches in the state tournament to advance to the state semifinals.
After falling in the semis, Poole, an All-City honoree, bounced back to finish third at state with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Wichita Classical's Ani Doom to cap a 19-3 season.
