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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University soccer heads to Ashland, Ohio for Friday's 2 p.m. (Central time) round three NCAA Tournament game against rival Emporia State.
Washburn junior Khloe Schuckman (11) leads the Ichabods with nine goals entering Friday's third round of the NCAA tournaent against Emporia State. [File photo/TSN]
Friday's game will be the fourth meeting of the season between the No. 1 seeded (Central Region) Ichabods and No. 2 Hornets.
All three previous WU-ESU games have been decided by a single goal, with the Hornets holding a 2-1 edge.
Washburn advanced to the third round with a 3-2 overtime win over Central Missouri while Emporia State with a 2-1 win No. 6 seed Bemidji State.
After hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Topeka the Ichabods are in Ashland, Ohio, the site of No. 1 seed Ashland University from the Midwest Region, where the third and fourth rounds will be played.
From the Midwest Region Ashland and No. 3 Grand Valley State are on the other side of the bracket and will play at 5 p.m. on Friday following the Washburn-Emporia State game.
The two winners will face each other on Sunday at 2 p.m.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's only been a few short years ago that Janson Garman did everything he could to beat Washburn Rural's swimming team
Now, as the Junior Blues' first-year head coach, Garman is doing everything he can to help Rural win.
Washburn Rural's swimming team celebrates after being announced as the team champion in Wednesday's 13-school Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
When Garman starred at Seaman, helping the Vikings win the 2018 Class 5A-1A state team title, Washburn Rural was the Vikings' biggest city rival.
But when Garman, who coached Topeka West last season, got the opportunity to take over the Junior Blues' boys program this season, he realized it was too good of a chance to pass up, rival or not.
Washburn Rural's swimming team rallied late to give Jason Garman a team championship in his debut as the Junior Blues' coach Wednesday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"Let's just say I never thought I'd be coaching at Washburn Rural,'' Garman said. "If you would have asked me when I was in high school I would have said, 'Heck no,' but I'm very grateful. This is a great team, great guys that work hard and I'm happy to be in the position I am right now.
"I thought it was a great opportunity. I'd still be able to coach and do what I love to do, swimming, and still be able to finish my schooling up (in physical therapy). Rural has a great swim culture and I hope we can continue to grow and build on it.''
Garman made his debut as Rural's coach on Wednesday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium and his Junior Blues made it a happy occasion with a late rally, pulling out the team championship by a 405-396 margin over Centennial League rival Manhattan.
Manhattan got individual wins from freshman Daniel Allen in the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes, 04.56 seconds) and from senior Brogan Meier in the 100 backstroke (56.98) and the Washburn Rural foursome of Will Powell, Allen, Luke Lemke and Jack Miranda won the meet-ending 400 free relay (3:22.72).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden, which advanced to the Class 3A state championship game, and 6A semifinalist Washburn Rural combined for 11 Top 22 spots on TopSports.news' 2023 All-Shawnee County football team while Seaman's Max Huston and Rural's JC Heim garnered the top individual honors.
Washburn Rural senior linebacker JC Heim has been named the TopSports.news All-Shawnee County defensive player of the year after registering 173 tackles for the 11-1 Junior Blues. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman junior quarterback Max Huston has been tapped as the TopSports.news Shawnee County offensive player of the year after passing for 3,257 yards and 39 touchdowns. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, which posted a 12-1 record this fall, is represented on the Top 22 by seniors Carter Charvat, Finn Dunshee and Jude Konrade and junior Jensen Schrickel while Washburn Rural, 11-1 on the year, put seniors Packson Bettis, Jaren Heim, JC Heim, Branton DeWeese, Jamond Lane and Titan Osburn and junior King Leonard on the Top 22.
'Seaman quarterback Huston, who led the Vikings to a 6-5 season and the third round of the 5A playoffs, was named the Shawnee County offensive player of the year while Heim, a linebacker, was named the county defensive player of the year.
Huston, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior, completed 230 of 379 passes for 3,257 yards and 39 touchdowns, with just two interceptions. Huston also carried the ball 134 times for 706 yards and eight TDs.
Heim, a 6-3, 225-pounder, was in on 173 tackles (102 solos) with 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles (one for a touchdown), two blocked extra points and a blocked punt. Offensively, Heim rushed for 530 yards and 10 TDs on 90 carries.
Hayden coach Bill Arnold (right) has been named the TopSports.news 2023 Shawnee County coach of the year while sophomore quarterback Connor Hanika (3) was tapped as the co-offensive newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden's Bill Arnold, now 211-66 as a head coach, was named the Shawnee County coach of the year.
Hayden sophomore Kade Mitchell (25) is the TSN Shawnee County co-offensive newcomer of the year after rushing for 764 yards and scoring 15 total touchdowns. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior cornerback Wilson Miller (2) has been named the Shawnee County defensive newcomer of the year after helping the Junior Blues post an 11-1 record this fall. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden sophomores Connor Hanika and Kade Mitchell were named the county co-offensive newcomers of the year while Washburn Rural junior Wilson Miller was named the defensive newcomer of the year.
Hanika, 6-3, 165, took over as the Wildcats' quarterback after an injury to starter Jett Wahlmeier and completed 38 of 60 passes for 470 yards and seven touchdowns while MItchell, a 5-9, 165 running back, rushed for 764 yards on 79 attempts, caught 13 passes for 209 yards, had five kickoff returns for 174 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns.
Miller, a 6-0, 190 cornerback, was in on 48 tackles (40 solos) with five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Miller also handled the Junior Blues' place-kicking duties for much of the season.
Shawnee Heights put seniors Allen Baughman, Rykan Carver and Christian Gonzales on the All-Shawnee County Top 22, while Seaman is represented by Huston and senior Callen Barta, Silver Lake by seniors Tanner Martin and Blake Redmond, Cair Paravel Latin by senior Jesiah Bonura, Highland Park by junior Adrian Burney, Rossville by senior Barrett Lietz and Topeka West by senior Kyrece Robinson.
Hayden's Dunshee and Schrickel, Rural's Bettis, DeWeese, JC Heim and Osburn, Shawnee Heights' Baughman, Rossville's Lietz and Silver Lake's Martin are All-Shawnee County Top 22 repeat picks.
All 10 Shawnee County high schools have representatives on either the Top 22 or Second 22 teams. Eight county teams posted winning records this fall, with seven winning at least one playoff contest.
TopSports.news selected the 2023 All-Shawnee County team after receiving input from all 10 county head coaches.
All-Shawnee County Top 22 capsules:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After losing a talented senior class, led by Shawnee County player of the year Brooklyn DeLeye, from last year's team that made a run to the Class 6A state championship game, Washburn Rural's girls basketball team might experience some growing pains early in the 2023-2024 season.
Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led Rural to two straight Class 6A championship games, talks to his Junior Blues during a preseason practice. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But by March, veteran Junior Blues coach Kevin Bordewick is hopeful Washburn Rural can play itself into position for another late-season run after capturing two state titles since 2019.
"People forget that last year we started off 1-2,'' said Bordewick, whose team went 18-6 a year ago after winning the championship in 2022. "We understand that we want to end up somewhere up there (in 6A), but it doesn't matter where you start. It's where you end up.''
In addition to graduating DeLeye off last year's team, the Junior Blues also lost All-Shawnee County Top 10 pick Chloe Carlgren and Second 10 pick MaRyah Lutz, but Washburn Rural will be looking to Kansas signee Zoe Canfield and several other players with varsity experience to help the Junior Blues become a title contender in 6A and the Centennial League.
"You lose an athlete like Brooklyn, who was a three-sport stud, and you lose that leadership, it just takes a while to find your bearings and the leadership that has to come through and shine through,'' said Bordewick, 253-76 at Rural. "But we do have a lot of parts that know what it takes and know what it was like getting there.
"They understand it's a process. You don't win a state championship in December. You build on that, but those girls last year really embraced the idea that every day you come to practice and you try to get better. It's just one day at a time and I think this is a group that's going to understand that, too.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ten Highland Park football players have received All-Meadowlark Conference recognition, including junior Adrian Burney, who was a first-team selection on both offense and defense.
Adrian Burney
Burney, a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder, was named to the first team as an offensive and defensive lineman while junior linebacker Ricky Crawford and sophomore defensive back Tremaine Savage also received first-team recognition after helping lead the Scots to a 7-3 record and the second round of the Class 5A playoffs this fall.
Scot senior running back Amari Taylor, junior receivers Jamon Wilson and Mikey Williams and freshman lineman Tayseaun Rouser were all named to the All-Meadowlark second team.
Sophomore Andres Ochoa-Perez, junior Jamelle Williams-Sanders, senior Jerome Toussaint and Wilson all received honorable mention.
ALL-MEADOWLARK CONFERENCE FOOTBALL
