By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
TOPEKA HIGH (3-14, 0-7) at WASHBURN RURAL (13-4, 6-1)
Washburn Rural maintained its lead in the Centennial League race with a 43-39 home overtime win over Hayden last Friday while Topeka High dropped a 67-51 league decision to Emporia. Washburn Rural, which has won six straight games, got a game-high 14 points from senior Jack Bachelor against Hayden, including a seven of eight performance at the free throw line. Washburn Rural took a 54-42 win over Topeka High in an earlier meeting this season at High.
ATCHISON (15-1, 7-1) at HIGHLAND PARK (15-0, 7-0)
Tuesday's game matches Highland Park, the top-ranked team in Class 5A, against Atchison, No. 1-ranked in 4A. Highland Park is coming off an 87-73 non-league victory at Kansas City-Central, Mo. last Friday while Atchison is coming off a 74-33 Meadowlark Conference decision over KC-Harmon. Highland Park handed Atchison its only loss of the season in an earlier conference game, with the Scots taking a 66-47 road win.
JUNCTION CITY (10-7, 4-3) at HAYDEN (8-8, 2-5)
After dropping back-to-back Centennial League heartbreakers last week to Emporia and Washburn Rural, Hayden got back on track with a 49-35 non-league win at Tonganoxie Monday night. Senior Joe Otting and sophomore Jacob Deister scored nine-points apiece for the Wildcats, with Deister hitting three 3-pointers, while senior Jake Muller added eight points. Junction City dropped two and one-point league games to Washburn Rural and Manhattan last week. The Blue Jays took a 44-42 decision over Hayden earlier in the season.
LANSING (1-15, 1-11) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (12-4, 9-3)
Shawnee Heights was off Friday after taking a home 67-48 United Kansas Conference win over Topeka West last Tuesday. Sophomore Jaret Sanchez scored a game-high 20 points for the T-Birds against West with four 3-pointers while junior Brennon Dodge had 18 points and senior Q Stovall 11. Lansing is coming off a 62-33 UKC loss to De Soto. Shawnee Heights took a 76-50 win over the Lions earlier in the season.
DE SOTO (15-2, 13-1) at TOPEKA WEST (12-5, 9-4)
Topeka West is coming off back-to-back United Kansas Conference losses, including a 48-40 home loss to Seaman last Friday, while De Soto is the UKC league leader, with the Wildcats' lone league loss a 51-50 decision against the Chargers earlier in the season. Seniors Malachi Berg, Sincere Austin and Xavier Alexander scored eight points apiece for Topeka West against Seaman. De Soto is coming off a 62-33 league win over Lansing last Friday.
SEAMAN (9-7, 6-6) at LEAVENWORTH (5-11, 3-9)
Seaman has won two straight United Kansas Conference contests, including a 48-40 road win at Topeka West last Friday. Senior Aron Davis scored 14 points to lead the Vikings against Topeka West while senior Kaeden Bonner added 13 points with three 3-pointers. Leavenworth is coming off a 59-53 UKC win over Basehor-Linwood. Seaman took a 60-45 win over Leavenworth in an earlier meeting between the Vikings and Pioneers.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (7-10, 2-5) at MARANATHA ACADEMY (1-13, 0-7)
Cair Paravel Latin is coming off a 70-50 Kaw Valley Conference loss to Bishop Seabury last Friday while Maranatha Academy dropped a 70-45 league loss to Heritage Christian Academy. Ty Gossard led the Lions with 11 points in Friday's loss while Simon Everhart added nine points and Jase Pavlik eight. Cair Paravel took a 63-50 win over Maranatha Academy earlier in the season.
ROSSVILLE (6-11, 2-5) at WABAUNSEE (11-5, 3-3)
Rossville dropped a 58-41 Mid-East League decision to Silver Lake last Friday while Wabaunsee is coming off a 52-37 league victory over Riley County. Sophomore Tayson Horak scored 14 points and hit four 3-pointers for Rossville against Silver Lake while Saint Mildren added seven points. Wabaunsee took a 47-33 league win over the Bulldawgs in an earlier game.