By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WASHBURN RURAL (4-2, 1-0) at HAYDEN (3-2, 0-1)
Washburn Rural opened Centennial League play on Tuesday night with a 64-58 win over Junction City while Hayden dropped a 59-52 league decision at Emporia. Senior Jack Bachelor led the Junior Blues with 21 points while junior Griffin Durst and sophomore Max Bettis scored eight points apiece. Sophomore Jacob Deister led Hayden with 18 points on six 3-pointers against Emporia while senior Joe Otting added 14 points and nine rebounds and Jacob Padilla had 12 points on four 3-pointers.
EMPORIA (6-1, 1-0) at TOPEKA HIGH (1-5, 0-1)
Emporia opened its Centennial League schedule with a hard-earned home 59-52 win over Hayden Tuesday night while Topeka High is coming off an 88-40 non-league loss to perennial Class 6A power Blue Valley Northwest Wednesday night at Topeka High. Senior Jalyn King scored a game-high 20 points for Emporia in the Spartans' win over Hayden while Cooper Rech added 10 points. Junior Isaiah Lyons led Topeka High with 14 points, including three 3-pointers, in the Trojans' loss to Blue Valley Northwest.
TOPEKA WEST (5-1, 4-1) at DE SOTO (6-1, 4-0)
Topeka West, which has posted five straight victories, ended the 2022 portion of its schedule with a home 89-43 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner while De Soto returned to action on Tuesday with a 66-43 UKC victory over Lansing. Senior Xavier Alexander leads Topeka West with a 20.3 scoring average and a city-high 19 3-pointers while senior Malachi Berg averages 16 points and 7.3 rebounds and senior Sincere Austin 11.3 points and 5.3 assists. DeSoto is ranked No. 6 and West No. 7 in Class 5A by the KBCA.
HIGHLAND PARK (3-0, 1-0) at ATCHISON (5-0, 1-0)
Highland Park, second-ranked in Class 5A by the KBCA, finished off 2022 with a 95-43 win over Kansas City-Wyandotte in the Scots' Meadowlark Conference debut while Atchison remained unbeaten with a 74-59 Meadowlark decision over KC-Sumner Academy. Senior Bo Aldridge leads the city of Topeka with a 20.7 scoring average and 8.0 rebounds per game while senior Tre Richardson averages 17.3 points and senior Jahmir Kingcannon 11.7 points. Aldridge and Richardson average 4.3 steals apiece while Aldridge also averages six assists.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3-2, 3-2) at LANSING (1-4, 1-4)
Shawnee Heights ended its pre-holiday slate with a 61-40 United Kansas Conference romp past Leavenworth while Lansing returned to action on Tuesday, dropping a 66-43 UKC decision to De Soto. Sophomore Jaret Sanchez led Shawnee Heights with 22 points against Leavenworth while junior Brennon Dodge added 17 points. Sanchez leads the T-Birds with an 13.2 scoring average while Dodge averages 11 points and junior Jayden Holly leads Heights with a 6.4 rebounding average.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (1-4, 0-0) at KANSAS CITY CHRISTIAN (1-4, 0-1)
Cair Paravel Latin will be playing its first game since a 58-36 non-league loss to Mission Valley on Dec. 8 while Kansas City Christian is coming off a 69-41 Kaw Valley Conference defeat at the hands of Olathe Heritage Christian Academy. Cair Paravel will be playing its Kaw Valley Conference opener, with the Lions looking to snap a four-game losing streak.
SILVER LAKE (2-3, 2-1) at ROCK CREEK (4-2, 2-1)
Silver Lake dropped a 50-43 Mid-East League decision to rival Rossville on Tuesday, with the Bulldawgs snapping the Eagles' two-game win streak. Senior Troy Heiman paced Silver Lake with 12 points against Rossville. Rock Creek is coming off a 63-37 Mid-East League victory over Riley County.
ROSSVILLE (2-4, 1-0) at RILEY COUNTY (2-4, 0-2)
Rossville opened Mid-East League play with a home 50-43 decision over Silver Lake, the Bulldawgs' second straight win after an 0-4 start to the season. Sophomore Saint Mildren led Rossville with 17 points while sophomore Brock Bush added 10 points for the Bulldawgs. Riley County is coming off a 63-37 Mid-East League loss to Rock Creek.