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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural went toe-to-toe with the top seed in the Class 6A State Baseball Tournament, but the run came to a close with a 4-1 loss to Free State in the quarterfinal round Thursday.
The Junior Blues advanced to the tournament at Hoglund Stadium on the campus of Kansas University by knocking off the Campus Colts, the second seed in the West Regional, the previous Thursday in a dramatic 1-0 regional final.
Austin Ditch and Washburn Rural baseball dropped a 4-1 decision to top seed Free State in Thursday's Class 6A state tournament opener. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN] budtt
By reaching state with a mark of just 15-11, the Junior Blues were shouldered with the eighth seed, forcing them to play the top-ranked Firebirds in the opening game of the tournament.
The teams dodged raindrops while battling through two scoreless innings. In the third inning, the Junior Blues struck first. They drew three straight walks off Central Missouri commit Blaine Larkin to start the inning. When the Firebirds’ first baseman mishandled a smash off the bat of Drew Moore, the Junior Blues plated the game’s first run.
But with the bases loaded and still no outs, Larkin escaped any further damage. The Junior Blues knew they had missed an opportunity.
The Firebirds immediately tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Wesley Cupps’ triple drove in a run. The top seed took the lead in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Finn Moore.
“We had opportunities early on with runners in scoring position that we’d have liked to get in, but it was still a 1-1 game halfway through,” said Washburn Rural coach Jay Mastin. “If we get a couple of those hits with guys on base we’re playing with the lead for a little bit, but obviously that didn’t happen today.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Wamego won its third straight Class 4A team championship Wednesday at Newton's Sand Creek Station.
But it took a strong finish for the Red Raiders to survive a second-day rally from Hayden, with Wamego finishing with a three-stroke victory over the Wildcats (621-624) after starting the day with a seven-stroke advantage.
Hayden senior James Kuta finished fourth in the Class 4A state golf tournament, leading the Wildcats to a second-place team finish. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
"Early in the round, it did not look good,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson told KSHSAA Covered. "We got down pretty big. But the fact that we stormed back and took the lead there on the second nine was fun.
"Credit Wamego. We didn't blow it. They stepped up."
Despite the fact that the Wildcats' title bid came up short, Reynoldson said he was extremely proud of his team.
"What I love about this group is it's hard to get them to go home before dark,'' Reynoldson said. "It's 6 o'clock and I'm heading home and they're still working. They really wanted this and to come up short hurts."
Senior James Kuta led Hayden with a fourth-place individual finish at 152 (77-75) while senior Tagen Rodriguez finished ninth at 156 (81-75).
Lions finish fourth in Class 2A
Cair Paravel Latin finished fourth as a team in the Class 2A state tournament at the Turkey Creek Golf Course in McPherson.
Cair Paravel junior Caleb Cleverdon for sixth individually at 155 (76-79).
Rossville junior Jack Donovan tied Cleverdon for sixth place at 155 (76-79) Bulldawg senior Jonathan Hart tied for 15th at 162 (78-84) to earn a state medal.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden girls soccer posted a 2-0 road win at Louisburg in Wednesday's Class 4A-1A semifinal, earning a spot in the state championship game.
Now 13-7-0 on the season, Hayden will play at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Wichita's Stryker Sports Complex against eight-time defending state champion Bishop Miege (15-5-0), which advanced to the state final with a 2-1 win at Rose Hill.
Hayden junior Carsyn Broxterman (4) scored a goal on a penalty kick in Wednesday's 2-0 Class 4A-1A semifinal win at Louisburg. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden is the last school other than Miege to win the 4A-1A title, with the Wildcats capturing the 2015 crown. The Wildcats took a 1-0 double-overtime semifinal win over the Stags in 2015 en route to the title.
Bishop Miege and Hayden played earlier this season, with Miege taking a 4-0 victory at Hayden.
Katie Uhl scored the only goal the Wildcats would need against Louisburg off an assist from Reese Huscher before Hayden added an insurance goal on a penalty kick from Carsyn Broxterman.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
From the very first day of practice this spring Washburn Rural soccer coach Brian Hensyel believed that this was a Junior Blue team that could make a Class 6A title run.
And on Saturday's final day of the 2025 season, the Junior Blues will have that opportunty, facing Mill Valley in the 4:30 title game at Wichita's Stryker Sports Complex.
Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel celebrates with his Junior Blues after Wednesday's 4-1 Class 6A semifinal win over Blue Valley. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural, which will be shooting for the first girls state soccer championship in school history, advanced to the championship game with a 4-1 win over Blue Valley Wednesday night at McElroy Field, with the Junior Blues pulling away with three second-half goals.
"The goal was to play a semifinal here because we felt like the girls would perform at their best and it took us awhile but in the second half you saw it on full display,'' Hensyel said.
"To get to the final, that was our goal all year. We've been to the final before. We're not satisfied, we want to win Saturday.''
Rural improved to 18-2-0 with its 11th straight victory as senior stars Kate Hinck and Zahra Friess scored two goals apiece.
"I feel like at the beginning of the season our chemistry just took off and from then to where we are right now I think we're better than any team in Kansas right now,'' Hinck said.
Friess transferred to Washburn Rural this season after helping lead Cair Paravel Latin to a runnerup finish in 4A-1A last spring and is thrilled to get an opportunity to play in her second straight state final.
"I'm super thankful and this is my first time playing with this team so it's been a bit of an adaptation, but it's a great group of girls and they are all wanting to work together and wanting to win so that's what's really helped the drive for us,'' Friess said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After coming up just short of a Class 3A state championship in a runnerup finish last season Silver Lake softball will take another shot at the title in Thursday and Friday's state tournament at the Envista Softball Complex at Lake Shawnee.
Senior pitcher Kendra Cook and Silver Lake softball are back in the Class 3A state tournament after a runnerup finish a year ago. [File photo/TSN]
The Eagles punched their ticket to this year's state tournament with a hard-earned 4-3 win over Southeast Saline in its regional final at Osage City and 23-6 Silver Lake is the No. 7 seed in a loaded 3A field.
Silver Lake will begin its title bid with Thursday's 3 p.m. first-round game against No. 2 seed Wichita Trinity (24-3).
With a win Thursday Silver Lake will advance to an 1 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner between No. 3 seed Burlington (25-4) and No. 6 Jefferson West (22-5).
On the other side of the bracket No. 1 Frontenac (27-1) will face No. 8 Colby (17-6) in the first round and No. 4 Riverside (21-4) will take on No. 5 Minneapolis (21-4).
The 3A title game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, following the 3 p.m. third-place game.
Washburn Rural softball celebrates its 8-6 win over Campus in last Thursday's Class 6A regional final. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Rural, Topeka High earn 6A state tournament bids
Washburn Rural will be making its seventh straight trip to the Class 6A state tournament this week while Topeka High is back in the 6A field after winning back-to-back state championships in 2021 and 2022.
Topeka High, 19-9 on the season, is the No. 8 seed and will open its state bid at 11 a.m. Thursday at Arrocha Ball Park in Lawrence against top seed Olathe West (25-1).
The Trojans advanced to state with a 15-9 win over Maize in a regional final at Hummer Sports Park.
With a first-round win, Topeka High will move on to an 11 a.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner between No. 4 Blue Valley North (21-6) and No. 5 Derby (21-7).
Rural (20-7) is the No. 6 state seed and will face off with No. 3 Garden City (19-5) at 5 p.m. Thursday in the final first-round game.
