Welcome to Top Sports News
Seaman celebrates Senior Night, Cox's coaching legacy with 78-53 romp past T-Birds
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a painfully slow start, Seaman's boys basketball team took care of business on the court with a 78-53 Senior Night romp past United Kansas Conference and city rival Shawnee Heights Friday night at Seaman.
Seaman senior star KaeVon Bonner scored 38 points Friday night as the Vikings wrapped up a 19-4 regular season with a 78-53 Senior Night win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman coach Craig Cox was honored Friday night for his outstanding coaching career after the Vikings' 78-53 UKC win over city rival Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Then, after that emotional win, the Vikings and the Seaman community made sure that they gave retiring Seaman coach Craig Cox a fitting farewell in the final regular-season game of his outstanding coaching career.
The night got off to an inauspicious beginning for Seaman when Shawnee Heights roared to a 13-point lead and an 11-point advantage at the start of the second stanza.
But Seaman, which improved to 19-4 overall and 14-2 in the UKC, responded in front of a huge home crowd to bury the T-Birds with a 25-3 second quarter, opening up a 40-29 halftime advantage and cruising to the big win.
"I told our guys at the end of the first quarter, I said, 'You know they're running on high and I don't think it's going to stay there. Let's try to change the tempo and see if we can slow down their momentum,' '' Cox said.
"We went to the zone and they had good looks and fortunately for us they didn't make them and then we rebounded really well in our zone and that turned things around. Then I thought we did a better job in the second quarter on the offensive end.''
Shawnee Heights (15-8, 10-6) was still within 12 points (56-44) at the end of the third quarter before senior KaeVan Bonner and the Vikings turned the game into a rout with a 22-9 scoring edge over the final eight minutes.
Bonner had a huge 38-point night, with 14 field goals, a pair of 3-pointers and an 8 of 9 performance at the free throw line, while fellow senior Griffin Zuniga added 10 points.
Junior Cam Ross led Shawnee Heights with 16 points in Friday's 78-53 UKC loss at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Quincy Dixon had 14 points in Friday's 78-53 Shawnee Heights loss at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Cam Ross led Shawnee Heights with 16 points while freshman Quincy Dixon added 14 points and senior JaiMarion Cook 11 for the T-Birds.
Retiring Seaman basketball coach Craig Cox poses with his five seniors during a post-game recognition ceremony. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After the game the spotlight turned to Cox, who has turned in an outstanding coaching career at Shawnee Heights, Washburn Rural and now Seaman, leading all three teams to state tournament appearances and coaching Heights to Class 5A state titles in 2000 and 2002 and Seaman to the state crown in 2022.
Cox also coached Heights to a pair of state baseball championships before turning his attention to basketball.
A post-game video was played featuring messages from a host of Cox's former players, including PGA star and U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland and current Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn, as well as tributes from many of Cox's coaching counterparts, co-workers and family members.
"It was amazing to see so many people contribute to (that video) and the memories that pop into your head as you see each face and hear their comments,'' Cox said. "I'm really overwhelmed by the whole event.''
Cox had made the decision to retire after the current season months ago and said he feels good about the fact that he's stepping away at the right time.
"Bob Chipman (Washburn University coaching legend) made the comment after he retired, he said, 'You'll know when you know,' '' Cox said. "And I just felt like 39 years had been amazing. Being a (physical education) teacher is phenomenal, but now I have an opportunity to go look at some other things.
"I just kind of had that feeling that the timing (was right). This year's been great as far as the regular season. I couldn't even of thought of it going this well and that's even with a couple of ugly ones that we had along the way.''
Cox had kept the news of his retirement under wraps as much as possible over the season, wanting the focus to remain on his team.
"I wanted it to be for these guys,'' Cox said. "It's their senior year and that's why I'm so happy that my wife, with Travis Brown (Seaman athletic director), made the decision to do my part afterwards so they had their Senior Night and the focus was on them.
"They had the phenomenal game and were able to celebrate a big win over a quality team.''
State champs Kocher-Munoz, Baum power Rural boys to third-place Class 6A team trophy
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
OVERLAND PARK -- Two Washburn Rural boys wrestlers brought home gold medals at the Class 6A State Championship at AdventHealth Sports Park in Overland Park Saturday, leading the squad to a third-place team trophy.
Washburn Rural senior star Landen Kocher-Munoz jumps into the arms of coach Josh Hogan after capturing his third Class 6A state championship Saturday in Overland Park. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
Washburn Rural junior 215-pound state champion Jadyn Baum helped the Junior Blues post a third-place team finish Saturday in Overland Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural scored 180 points, which trailed Maize with 235 and Manhattan with 192.5.
“I thought it was going to be a tall order to beat Maize. They are probably one of the deeper teams that Kansas has ever seen in the history of the state tournament,” said Washburn Rural coach Josh Hogan. “It would have been nice to beat Manhattan, but you know, you can’t win them all. It just came down to a couple of matches.”
Senior Landen Kocher-Munoz won gold in the 144-pound weight class and junior Jadyn Baum took first in the 215-pound class.
Three other Junior Blues made the final round, placing second -- freshman 113-pounder Andrew Peterson, senior 120-pounder Ryder Harrison and senior 138-pounder Cooper Stivers.
“I’m happy for the guys to be able to bring a trophy home, especially our seniors,” Hogan said. “They worked so hard, some of them from the time they were six years old until now to get where we’re at.
“I really attribute this to our commitment to togetherness and our commitment to believing in each other and trusting each other and forming the bonds that let us go through the highs and the lows together.”
Kocher-Munoz claimed his third gold medal in four final-round appearances at state. He won first in the 120-pound class as a freshman. He took second wrestling in the 138-pound class as a sophomore. He returned to win that weight class as a junior.
“Last year was my revenge tour,” Kocher-Munoz said. “This year, it’s all about being with my guys, being with my team, being with the family. I am so grateful for everyone that’s been in my life that’s trained me for this moment.
“It’s very sentimental. I told each and every one of my coaches, like an hour ago, I was like, ‘No matter what happens out here tonight, I’m so grateful that you guys trust me enough to come put on a Rural singlet.’ And I’m just so happy right now.”
Rural girls ride trio of runnerup finishes to third-place Class 6A team finish
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
OVERLAND PARK -- The Washburn Rural girls wrestling team added yet another state trophy to the school’s increasingly crowded case Saturday, placing third at the Class 6A state meet for the second year in a row.
Washburn Rural girls wrestling coach Damon Parker cheers on his team during Saturday's Class 6A state tournament in Overland Park. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
Winners of state titles in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, Washburn Rural remains the standard in girls wrestling.
“There’s nobody outside of the people that were sitting up in (the Junior Blues’ cheering) section that thought we had a chance to bring home a trophy. And we came in here and we won a third-place finish at state,” said Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker. “I could not be more proud of this team.
“People have a recency bias. People forget that we are the most decorated program in Kansas girls wrestling history. We’ve never had a state tournament where we haven’t brought home a trophy. I think everybody else thought that this was the year, but we showed up with the youngest team in Kansas and still won third.”
The Junior Blues failed to take a gold medal in any weight class at AdventHealth Sports Park in Overland Park on Saturday. Still, they amassed 175 points, good for third behind Garden City with 226.5 and Gardner Edgerton with 197.
Three Junior Blues – all seniors – placed second in their respective weight classes.
Washburn Rural senior 125-pounder Lacey Middleton posted a runnerup Class 6A state finish for third-place Washburn Rural. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior 145-pounder Emme Blanco finished second in Class 6A Saturday in Overland Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Elia Smith, the 170-pound runnerup, talks to coach Damon Parker during Saturday's Class 6A state meet in Overland Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Lacey Middleton took the silver in the 125-pound class after she finished fourth at 120 a year ago. Emme Blanco took second in the 145-pound class after placing third at 140 last year and Elia Smith took second in the 170-pound class, the class in which she placed sixth a year ago.
Blanco nearly pulled off a big upset against Audrey Lennard, defending champ in the 145-pound class and the 6A East Regional Wrestler of the Year. Blanco led 11-3 and had battered her opponent when the reigning champ mustered the strength for one decisive pin.
“That girl is, what, 46-0, and then Emme put her on her back twice,” Parker said. “Nobody’s done that to her all year, right? She hasn’t given up a single back point until today. Emme was that close to winning that one.”
Middleton agreed with Parker’s belief that the Junior Blues surprised the rest of the 6A class on Saturday.
“I think we outperformed ourselves because we have grown so much as a team and just our culture together,” Middleton said. “We’re just a family and it really shows out on the mat.”
