Highland Park football determined to turn short-term negative into long-term positive
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The renaissance of Highland Park football has been the Capital City’s feel-good story of the past three years.
The Scots ended an eight-year, 65 game losing streak at the beginning of the 2022 school year and have been one of the most entertaining teams in Shawnee County ever since. Highland Park followed up that 6-3 season – which produced college standout Tre Richardson, currently at Vanderbilt – with seasons of 7-3 and 6-3.
Highland Park interim athletic director Brad Snyder said he has no doubt that Scots football coach Jermaine Monroe (pictured) and his team will be able to turn recent negative events into a long-term positive for the program. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park began the 2025 campaign with two blowout wins and were in the midst of a third when things went awry. In the third period of a game with Kansas City-Schlagle at Hummer Sports Park on Sept. 19, a fight between a few players escalated, with members of both teams leaving the bench. Game officials and police struggled to restore order. Play was not resumed.
The Kansas State High School Activities Association determined that Highland Park would receive the victory against Schlagle, but both teams would be required to forfeit their next game. The Scots were scheduled to visit KC-Harmon on Sept. 26.
Highland Park athletic director Brad Snyder and his staff have been working hard since that night to turn a negative into a positive.
A longtime teacher and activities director at Jardine Middle School, Snyder was asked to take over the Scots’ athletic department on an interim basis at the start of the school year. He was tasked with fostering a culture within the department that emphasized character development as well as competitiveness.
The recent incident, while disappointing, is a chance to further that mission, Snyder said.
“We are taking this very serious,” Snyder said. “We are going to move forward and project a good image. We are going to be better for it. I believe in these kids and believe they are going to show the community how well we’re doing.”
The Scots will have to wait another week to demonstrate their efforts. Not only did they forfeit the Harmon game, but they decided to forego this week’s game – a Friday night home game against Wichita East – due to the number of players serving suspensions or otherwise restricted in their participation.
“As a school, we dealt out consequences that have left us not at full strength,” Snyder said. “Not making any excuses, we could have played Friday. I think we could be competitive with Wichita East, but we also need to understand that our actions cause a rippling effect. I hope these two games have given us time to think about it.”
The forfeitures to Harmon and Wichita East went into the record books as 13-0 losses.
Highland Park has built a program under fifth-year head coach Jermaine Monroe that challenges for titles in the Meadowlark Conference and victories in the postseason. That turnaround has meant a lot to the Highland Park community, Snyder said.
“You see it in the pride of the school. You see it in how the kids feel about themselves,” Snyder said. “Now that they have that taste of success, they want to take the next step.”
Snyder emphasized that the football program is in the right hands.
Topeka High soccer scores late to top rival Topeka West, 2-1
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Having led city rival Topeka West 1-0 for more than 60 minutes of game time, the Topeka High soccer team could have been devastated when it allowed the Chargers to tie the score with 9:18 remaining. But the Trojans didn’t wilt. They struck back.
Topeka High freshman Emyr Vargas scored the game's first goal in Thursday's 2-1 win over rival Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Barely a minute after surrendering the lead, Trojan senior Neri Diaz-Mayorga raced downfield with a pass from fellow senior Santiago Ovalle and crossed up the Topeka West goalkeeper to reclaim the advantage.
Topeka High senior goalkeeper Billy Lutz (right) and Topeka West senior Morris Blick battle for the ball in Thursday's 2-1 Trojan win over the Chargers. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka High then played keep away and blasted the ball deep into the Charger end to run out the clock and take a 2-1 win.
Diaz-Mayorga said it was important for the Trojans to respond right away to the Topeka West goal.
“I could see how the defense was looking crumbled,” Diaz-Mayorga said. “So, I just thought we, the attackers, had to step up. We started pressing hard, attacking.
“I saw (the Topeka West defender) coming at me … I took a big touch. I knew I was going to beat the other guy on pace. I saw the short post and I just tapped it by him. It feels amazing. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
Topeka High coach Derek Snook said while the Charger’s game-tying goal was deflating, it wasn’t surprising. He was proud that his team didn’t surrender all the momentum.
“Those are the most intense, the two or three minutes after the other team, or you score a goal,” Snook said. “It could be a little bit of a letdown. But the mentality of these guys has been fantastic. This year, if we go down or maybe aren’t finishing the way we should, they just keep after it and keep after it.”
Snook said it was key that his team regain the lead quickly.
“If it goes any longer, I think they have the run of play at that point,” Snook said. “They were taking it to us, and we knew they would in the second half. West has a really good team. We were lucky to get out of here (with a win.)”
Ichabod volleyball hits road for pair of MIAA road matchups
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the first time this season No. 10-ranked Washburn volleyball will be looking to bounce back from a loss, going on the road to face MIAA foes Pittsburg State on Thursday and Newman on Friday, with both matches at 6 p.m.
No. 10-ranked Washburn volleyball will be on the road for a pair of MIAA matches Thursday and Friday. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods enter the week with a 12-1 record overall and 1-1 in the MIAA after falling for the first time this season, 3-1 to No. 24 Missouri Western last Saturday.
Pittsburg State enters Thursday's match with a 7-5 (1-1 MIAA) record while Newman is 2-11 (0-2 MIAA) on the year.
Senior Austin Broadie leads the Washburn offense with 154 kills (3.50 per set) while hitting .384, third best on the team. She has started all 13 matches and also has logged 27 blocks with 32 digs.
Broadie has seven double-digit kill matches and ranks 26th nationally in hitting percentage and third in the MIAA. She is third amlong conference players in kills per set.
Alex Dvorak leads the Ichabods with 46 blocks on the season while starting all 13 matches. Offensively she has made 83 kills along with hitting .422, second best on the team. She has recorded five or more blocks in six matches. The senior ranks 11th in the nation and second in the MIAA in hitting percentage. Dvorak is also sixth in the MIAA in blocks per set.
Corinna McMullen has started all 13 matches this season to lead Washburn with 277 assists. She has also chipped in 14 service aces while ranking second on the team with 105 digs. The senior has seven matches of 20-plus assists and five double-doubles. She ranks sixth in the conference in assists per set.
Junior libero Taylor Rottinghaus leads the Ichabods with 177 digs and has also chipped in 53 assists while serving 15 aces, tied for a team best. Rottinghaus has two matches with at least 20 digs.
Bella Limbackis slashing a team-high .579 with 87 kills while starting all 13 matches. She has also added 43 blocks, second most on the team and served six aces. She has hit over .400 in all but one match this season with two double-digit kill efforts. She leads the nation in hitting percentage and is ninth in the MIAA in total blocks and blocks per set.
Washburn is third in the nation and leads the MIAA with a .307 team hitting percentage.
On the defensive side Washburn is limiting opponents to a .125 hitting percentage, good for 13th nationally.
The Ichabods are dishing out 13.84 assists per set on offense, good for third in the nation and second in the MIAA.
