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Rick Peterson, Top Sports News Writer — Rick Peterson

Details: Created: 13 February 2025

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Sophomore Maddie Vickery scored a game-high 27 points in Washburn Rural's 58-28 win over Manhattan Tuesday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

WASHBURN RURAL at JUNCTION CITY

Washburn Rural, ranked No. 6 in Class 6A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, is 11-4 overall and 4-1 in the Centennial League after a 58-28 home league win over Manhattan on Tuesday. Sophomore Maddie Vickery led Washburn Rural with 27 points, going 9 of 10 at the free throw line, while senior Kate Hinck had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Junction City dropped a 61-14 decision to league-leading Hayden last Friday. Game time: 6 p.m.

Sophomore Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored 19 points in Topeka High's 55-49 loss at Hayden Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]

MANHATTAN at TOPEKA HIGH

Topeka High, 9-7 overall, 2-4 in the Centennial League, is coming off a 55-49 league loss at top-ranked (Class 4A) and league-leading Hayden on Tuesday, the Trojans' third straight loss, while Manhattan (10-5, 3-2) dropped a 58-28 league game at Washburn Rural. Sophomore Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton led Topeka High with 19 points while freshman Hailey Caryl added 10 points against Hayden. Game time: 6 p.m.

Shawnee Heights sophomore KK Emmot (1) scored 18 points in Tuesday's 64-54 loss to unbeaten Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

DE SOTO at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS

Shawnee Heights is 11-5 overall and 8-4 in the United Kansas Conference after a 64-54 UKC road loss to undefeated and top-ranked (Class 5A) Seaman on Tuesday. Sophomore KK Emmot led Shawnee Heights with 18 points against Seaman while senior Kaydence Torrez added 13 points and junior Reianna Vega 12. De Soto is 11-4 overall and 7-4 after a 46-43 loss to Basehor-Linwood. Game time: 5:45 p.m.

Freshman Hailey Schmidtlein (2) scored 19 points in Hayden's 55-49 Centennial League win over Topeka High Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]

EMPORIA at HAYDEN

Hayden, top-ranked in Class 4A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, improved to 14-1 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the Centennial League on Tuesday with a 55-49 league win over Topeka High. Freshman Hailey Schmidtlein led the Wildcats with 19 points against the Trojans while senior Millie Ramsey added 17 points and senior Brylee Meier 10. Emporia dropped a 62-29 league decision to Manhattan last Friday. Game time: 6:15 p.m.

By Todd Fertig

TopSports.news

The rebuilding of the Washburn Rural boys swim team took another step Thursday as it placed second in the Centennial League Championship at Capitol Federal Natatorium.

A loaded Manhattan team ran away with all three relays and eight of nine individual events to rack up 500 points. Washburn Rural finished second with 425.

Topeka High senior Jaxon Cowdin won his third straight Centennial League diving title Thursday, the lone city champion. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]

The lone gold medal claimed by anyone not from Manhattan came in the one-meter diving competition, won by Topeka High senior Jaxon Cowdin.

Cowdin dominated Thursday's competition en route to a 428.75-299.50 victory over teammate Roland Weaver, with the Topeka High standout adding a third straight Centennial League title to his four city championships.

"I think it's a cool thing for Topeka High School history,'' Cowdin said of Thursday's accomplishment. "I think I've done something that very few people can say they've done, so I have a lot of pride in that.''

Last year’s Washburn Rural team, which placed third in in Class 6A, was dominated by seniors. The team is rebuilding this season, with a number of freshmen and sophomores swimming in key positions.

“We put people into events they’d never been in before, hoping to find some slots where we could beat (Manhattan),” Washburn Rural coach Bob Burdick said. “But they had a really good night tonight, and (Manhattan coach Alex Brown) had some time drops that even he didn’t expect. So, they took away some of those points. They ended up beating us by 75, which is sort of like a touchdown and a field goal.

“But I’m OK with this, second place this year. It was good experience, and we had an opportunity to build for next year.”

Washburn Rural senior Luke Lemke finished second in four events in Thursday's Centennial League swimming meet, helping Rural post a runnerup team finish. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Sophomore Andres Morao-Jaspe helped lead Washburn Rural to a runnerup team finish in the Centennial League meet. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Castle Wallace finished second in the 100 breaststroke for Centennial League runnerup Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

While no Washburn Rural swimmers took home gold medals, they claimed several silvers. Luke Lemke led the Junior Blues by taking second in the 200 yard individual medley and the 100 yard backstroke. He also anchored two Washburn Rural relay teams that took second. Andres Morao-Jaspe took second in the 500 yard freestyle. Castle Wallace placed second in the 100 yard breaststroke.

Topeka High's Dawson Blankenship posted a second-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly in Thursday's Centennial League meet. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Topeka High’s Dawson Blankenship took second in the 100 yard butterfly.

Washburn Rural has qualified just one senior – Lemke – for individual events at the state meet. It has also qualified sophomore Morao-Jaspe and freshmen Wallace and Thomas Appuhn. Additionally, several seniors will swim on the relay teams that Washburn Rural sends to state.

“This was really powerful that we’ve come so far as a team,” Lemke said. “I was quite scared going into this year because we lost all of our heavy hitters. We pulled through and I’m extremely proud of all my men.”

CENTENNIAL LEAGUE SWIMMING/DIVING