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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights girls soccer team made a first-half goal stand up, preserving the lead to win at Seaman 1-0 Thursday.
Shawnee Heights freshman Morgan Robinson (9) scored the game's only goal in the T-Birds' 1-0 UKC soccer win over Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Taking a pass from Shawnee Heights junior Isabelle Van Fleet, freshman Morgan Robinson dribbled into the heart of the Seaman defense and punched a shot to the left post with 6:26 remaining in the first half.
Taking a first half lead didn’t immediately affect the T-Birds strategy in the United Kansas Conference.
“It changes things a little bit, but (the goal) came so early that it was still, ‘Ok, we need to still do what we need to do, play our game,’” said Shawnee Heights coach Kellen Griffin. “Then when it gets toward the end it’s like, ‘Now we need to shore up some things defensively to make sure we’re not giving up a late goal.’ ”
T-Bird goalkeeper MacKenzie Mertel headed the effort to hold the lead.
“It felt like a lot of pressure, but I know that we have a good team this year and I felt confident we could (preserve the shutout),” Mertel said.
Numerous yellow cards and spirited play marked the contest. Griffin said that intensity comes with the rivalry.
“The game with Seaman is always close,” Griffin said. “It doesn’t matter if one team is really up or the other one is really down. The game is always going to be close. So many of these girls play together in the offseason. They are all friends, and they want to get one over on their friends.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Topeka Tennis Association will induct its 2024 Hall of Fame class on Saturday, April 13, at the Bettis Family Sports Complex in the meeting pavilion, welcoming 10 inductees into the hall.
Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the event to get under way at 7 o'clock.
Mary Brownback and Kent Lammers, former college players and longtime supporters of Topeka tennis, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with eight former city high school stars who all won state championships during their prep careers.
That group includes Cory Buck, Drew Hanson, Trevor Hedberg, Shane Johnston, Branden Joost, Sean McManus, Sumeet Patel and Alex (O'Neal) Trobough.
Hall of Fame capsules:
Mary Brownback
MARY BROWNBACK
Brownback lettered three years in high school tennis (1973-1976), placing second in state doubles 1974-1975 and placing fourth in state singles 1975-1976.
Brownback lettered four years at the University of Kansas (1976-1980), winning the Big 8 No. 3 singles title in 1977 and 1979. Brownback helped Kansas win the Big 8 team title in 1979 (team was made up of all Kansas residents).
Played on the Missouri Valley circuit as a junior and played 4.0 USTA team tennis several years.
Cory Buck
CORY BUCK
Buck was a member of Topeka West's varsity tennis team for three years.
Buck teamed with Shane Johnston to win the Class 5A state doubles championship as a junior in 2005, with Buck and Johnston posting a 34-4 record.
Buck placed 10th in 5A singles as a freshman and fourth as a sophomore.
Drew Hanson
DREW HANSON
Hanson teamed with Sumeet Patel to finish second in Class 6A doubles his freshman year and won the Class 6A state singles championship his senior season.
Hanson was inducted into the Washburn Rural Hall of Fame in 2022.
Hanson was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2005-2006 and was named Washburn's most valuable player in 2006-2007. Hanson was a three-time MIAA team champion and posted 56 singles wins and 60 doubles wins.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's boys tennis team hasn't quite achieved perfection over its first three tennis meets of the 2024 season.
But Brad Johnston's Junior Blues have been darn close, going undefeated as a team while dropping just one match.
Rural continued its hot start in Wednesday's Topeka West quadrangular at Kossover Tennis Center, rolling to 4-0 victories over Seaman, Topeka West and Lawrence.
"I love the talent and the depth that we have, having a couple of seniors but being able to fill out the lineup with sophomores and I still have other guys,'' Johnston said. "They're playing hard and they're buying into the team mentality that we have.''
Washburn Rural senior Dylan Dodge went a perfect 3-0 in No. 1 singles in Wednesday's Topeka West quadrangular. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sophomore Keegan Knudtson went 3-0 in No. 2 singles in Wednesday's Topeka West quadrangular, helping Washburn Rural post three 4-0 dual victories. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural senior Dylan Dodge posted 8-2, 8-0 and 8-1 wins in No. 1 singles while sophomore Keegan Knudtson recorded two 8-0 decisions and an 8-1 victory in No. 2 singles.
Washburn Rural sophomore Dylan Willingham (left) and senior Lawsen Lobatos celebrate a point during Wednesday's Topeka West quadrangular at Kossover Tennis Center, with the Rural duo going 3-0 on the day. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural's No. 2 doubles team of Brayden Kohls (left) and Cale Duetscher went undefeated in Wednesday's Topeka West quadrangular, helping the Junior Blues post three 4-0 victories. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural's No. 1 doubles team of senior Lawsen Lobatos and sophomore Dylan Willingham didn't drop a game on the day, winning three straight 8-0 decisions while the Junior Blues' No. 2 doubles team of sophomores Cale Duetscher and Brayden Kohls posted 8-2, 8-4 and 8-5 victories.
"I feel like this season and the seasons going forward that we're going in the right direction and team first is our mentality,'' Johnston said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman girls soccer coach Kyle Seevers is still looking for his Vikings to put more shots in the back of the net as the season moves on.
But the Vikings are making progress in that area, including a season-high six goals Tuesday night in Seaman's 6-0 United Kansas Conference romp past Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park.
Seaman sophomore Ryin Miller (8), who scored two goals, battles Topeka West freshman Brynlee Best for the ball in Tuesday's 6-0 Seaman win at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Freshman Julia Molleker scored a pair of goals in Seaman's 6-0 UKC soccer win over Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I think we're going to keep making progress,'' Seevers said. "We're going to pick up the intensity at practice and training.
"We're going to pick it up a hair each training session so that we can get balls in the back of the net. We can create (opportunities). Unfortunately, sometimes we can't put them in the back of the net so those creations don't count for anything but a pat on the back.''
Sophomore Ryin Miller and freshman Julia Molleker scored two goals apiece for the Vikings while Seaman also got goals from senior Marin Schuler and sophomore Maya Martin.
Miller, Marin Schuler and sophomore Elle LaBin were credited with assists and senior Makena Schuler recorded the shutout in goal as Seaman improved to 3-0-1 overall and 1-0 in the UKC with its third straight shutout.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sadie Walker turned in a solid freshman campaign in the pitcher's circle for Washburn University's softball team last season, posting an 8-4 record with a 3.11 earned run average and 97 strikeouts.
Washburn sophomore Sadie Walker received MIAA Pitcher of the Week recognition for the second time this season after posting a 2-0 record, including a no-hitter, last weekend. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But those numbers pale in comparison to the numbers the left-hander has put up in Year 2, with the former Holton standout helping lead the 24th-ranked Ichabods to a 30-10 record with seven straight wins.
Walker currently leads the nation with 17 wins and ranks fifth in the nation with six shutouts and 10th with a sparkling 0.88 earned run average.
Walker is 17-5 overall with two saves while recording 118 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .210 batting average.
"I felt like my freshman year I spent most of the year worrying about trying to prove myself and this year I feel like I'm just trying to stand on my name and make sure that everybody knows that they have a tough weekend when they're facing me,'' Walker said.
Sadie Walker is 17-5 on the season for 30-10 Washburn softball with an 0.88 earned run average. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Walker is coming off an outstanding week for the Ichabods, including WU's first seven-inning complete-game no-hitter since 2021 in a 1-0 win over Missouri Western last Saturday as Walker struck out 10 while facing just one above the minimum batters in the win, her second no-hitter of the season.
