By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the season with a decisive Centennial League road victory, taking a 57-27 decision at Manhattan.
The Junior Blues, who improved to 6-1 overall and in the league, took control with a 15-6 opening quarter and then hit the host Indians with an 18-8 second quarter to open up a commanding 33-14 halftime advantage.
Washburn Rural, which was coming off a 45-39 loss to unbeaten Topeka High the previous Tuesday, closed out the win with a 24-13 scoring edge over the second half.
Senior Emma Krueger scored a game-high 16 points in Washburn Rural's 57-27 Centennial League road win at Manhattan Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Emma Krueger paced the Junior Blues with a game-high 16 points while sophomore Zoe Canfield added 11 points, junior MaRyah Lutz nine and junior Brooklyn DeLeye eight points.
Manhattan, which fell to 3-5 overall, 3-4 in the league, was led by sophomoe Maxine Doering with 11 points.
Washburn Rural will be back at home Friday, hosting Junction City.
SILVER LAKE GIRLS 55, WABAUNSEE 23 -- Silver Lake rolled to its seventh straight victory Tuesday night, a 55-23 decision over Wabaunsee, as four Eagles scored eight or more points.
Sophomore Makenzie McDaniel led 7-0 with a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Sophomore McKinley Kruger added 11 points while sophomore Kaylee Deiter had eight points and 12 rebounds and junior Taylor Ross contributed eight points and nine boards.
JUNCTION CITY GIRLS 43, HIGHLAND PARK 41 -- Highland Park's bid for its second win of the season came up just short Tuesday night, with Junction City rallying for a 43-41 Centennial League decision.
Highland Park (1-7, 0-7) led Junction City 20-18 at the half and took a 32-25 advantage to the the fourth quarter, but the Blue Jays outscored the Scots 18-9 over the final eight minutes to pull out the win, improving to 2-7 overall and 2-5 in the league.
Freshman Amelia Ramsey led Highland Park with 14 points, including a five of five performance at the free throw line, while sophomore Victoria Reed added 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and freshman Mariah Parker-Brown scored 10 points while connecting on three 3-pointers and convering a 4-point play.
Ramsey also grabbed 13 rebounds.
The Scots will travel to Topeka West on Friday.
EMPORIA GIRLS 55, TOPEKA WEST 26 -- Emporia kept Topeka West winless on the season, romping to a 55-26 home Centennial League victory.
The Spartans, who improved to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the league, put the game away with a 24-7 opening quarter and led 34-13 at the half and 51-20 after three quarters.
Standout guard Gracie Gilpin led Emporia with a game-high 17 points for the Spartans, who also got 12 points from Rebecca Snyder and 10 from Rylee Peak.
Junior Jazmyn Ford led Topeka West with 10 points while sophomore Zoe Clark added seven.
The Chargers, who will host Highland Park on Friday, fell to 0-8 overall and 0-7 in the league.
ROCK CREEK GIRLS 51, ROSSVILLE 45 -- Rossville was unable to completely climb out of a 30-18 halftime hole, dropping a 51-45 decision to the Mustangs.
Rock Creek jumped out to a 12-6 first-quarter advantage over the Bulldawgs and then outscored Rossville 18-12 in the second quarter to push its halftime lead to 12 points.
The Bulldawgs got back in the hunt with a 14-7 third quarter but Rock Creek (7-1, 4-1) held on down the stretch, outscoring Rossville 14-13 over the final eight minutes.
Senior Caylee Douglas and sophomore Emma Mitchell scored 12 points each for Rossville (4-4), with both Douglas and Mitchell going five of six from the free throw line.
Sophomore Kinsey Perine added 10 points for the Bulldawgs.
