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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's 2023 football season hasn't gone anywhere close to what the injury-ravaged Ichabods envisioned at the start of the year.
But the Ichabods will get the opportunity to send their 17 seniors out with a victory when 1-9 Washburn hosts 1-9 Northeastern State in Saturday's 1 p.m. Senior Day contest at Yager Stadium.
Offensive lineman Andrew Funk (72) is one of 17 Washburn seniors who will be honored Saturday on Senior Day at Yager Stadium. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The fact that 10 of Washburn's 17 seniors are sidelined with injuries says a lot about what the Ichabods have endured this fall, but WU coach Craig Schurig said it would be important to the program for WU to end the challenging season with a positive outcome.
"This year has been tough and they've hung in there,'' Schurig said of the senior class. "I feel bad for the ones that can't play. Some of their years were cut pretty short, but they've done a lot for this program and they've had really good careers, so you'd like to play well on Senior Day and give them something that they could be like, 'Hey, that was a fun game.' ''
Ichabod senior offensive lineman Andrew Funk agreed.
"It's very important to us,'' said the 6-foot-3, 298-pounder out of St. Charles, Mo. "Obviously, it's not the season we wanted but to end on a high note, not only for the seniors but to roll into next season with all these younger guys would be great.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Centennial League soccer champion Washburn Rural, which won its 29th straight league title (outright or shared) and went on to a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, put five players on the all-league first team, including senior player of the year Devon Rutschmann.
Washburn Rural senior Devon Rutschmann has been named the Centennial League soccer player of the year after helping lead the Junior Blues to a 19-2-0 record and the league title. [File photo/TSN]
Veteran Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel was named the Centennial League soccer coach of the year after Rural captured a 29th straight league title and finished third in Class 6A. [File photo/TSN]
Rural coach Brian Hensyel was named the Centennial League coach of the year aftr leading the Junior Blues to a 19-2-0 record and a perfect 5-0-0 record in league play.
Rutschmann was joined on the first team by Rural seniors Griffin Heinen, Cohen Nimz and Ethan Uhlrig and junior Ryder Nikkel.
Topeka High is represented on the all-league first team by senior Chris Gomez and junior Jaime Alvarado.
Rural put senior Hayden Shriver and sophomores Dylan Willingham, Brandon Hamilton and Draden Chooncharoen on the All-Centennial second team while Hayden senior Josh Wolf also earned second-team recognition.
Eight city players received all-league honorable mention.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE SOCCER
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's football team is in the midst of a dream 2023 season, and the Junior Blues aren't ready to wake up yet.
Steve Buhler's Junior Blues outscored Wichita East 21-0 in the second half to pull away for a 35-14 Class 6A quarterfinal win Friday night at Bowen-Glaze Stadium, improving to 11-0 on the year while advancing to a home sub-state matchup next Friday with Derby, a 23-21 winner over Manhattan.
JC Heim (25), who scored three touchdowns, and Washburn Rural celebrate Friday night's 35-14 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Wichita East. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural celebrates after being presented with the Class 6A sectional trophy after Friday night's 35-14 win over Wichita East. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"We've just got to keep playing,'' Washburn Rural coach Steve Buhler said. "These guys have been talking about this for a long time. We made a run to this game last year and felt like we could have played a little bit better against Derby last year and these guys just took it and ran. They knew this is where they wanted to be and they've worked hard to get here.''
Washburn Rural, which edged Wichita East 26-25 in the season-opener, was locked in a 14-all halftime deaclock with the Blue Aces Friday night before the Rural defense came up with defensive stands at the end of the first half and a pair of stops in the second half and pulled away down the stretch on three JC Heim touchdown runs.
"We just keep building and every time we go back to work that next Monday we have to stay disciplined and keep going,'' Heim said. "We just need to keep this train going.''
Washburn Rural junior Lafayette Thompson scored Friday's first touchdown on a 70-yard reception from Branton DeWeese. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rural drew first blood midway through the opening quarter after forcing a Wichita East fumble, with senior Branton DeWeese connecting with junior Lafayette Thompson for a 70-yard touchdown on the Junor Blues' second play from scrimmage (Wilson Miller kick).
Wichita East, which finished its season 8-3, tied the game on a 29-yard run from senior Rayvelle Leak with 2:33 left in the first quarter (Cohen Richardson kick) but Washburn Rural regained the lead on a 6-yard TD pass from DeWeese to senior Titan Osburn with 11:30 left in the first half (Miller kick).
East pulled even for a second time when senior quarterback Daeonte' Mitchell scored from a yard out (Richardson kick) at the 3:56 mark of the second quarter and the Aces reached the Rural 1-yard-line late in the first half before senior Jaren Heim threw Mitchell for a 5-yard loss to end the threat.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball evened its record on the year with win No. 1 of the 2023-24 season on Saturday night, defeating Oklahoma Baptist 69-54 in the final game of the Central Region Crossover in Shawnee, Okla.
Washburn senior guard Aubree Dewey led the way with 20 points as the Ichabods improved to 1-1 with a win over Oklahoma Baptist Saturday night. [Oklahoma Baptist Athletic Communications]
The Ichabods return to action next Friday against McKendree University in the first game of the Quincy Classic in Quincy Ill.
Washburn (1-1) rode a hot start to Saturday's win, with the host Bison (0-2) leading 5-4 with 4:43 to go in the first quarter before the Ichabods finished the quarter on a 13-4 run, fueled by two 3-pointers from senior Mackenzie Gamble and one trey from senior Aubree Dewey, to take the lead for good.
Amaya Davison got the first bucket of the second quarter to push the lead into double digits at the 9:17 mark.
The Washburn lead stayed at 10 or more for the remainder of the half, with the Washburn defense locking in and holding the Bison to 3 of 8 shooting in the second quarter and forcing eight turnovers in the second.
Liz Boyd put in a layup just before halftime to make the score 29-17 in favor of the Ichabods.
Washburn shot a blistering 71.4 percent in the third quarter (10 of 14 shooting), opening the quarter with seven straight points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Jesiah Bonura
JESIAH BONURA, Cair Paravel Latin
Bonura, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior, carried the ball 31 times for 159 yards last Friday as Cair Paravel Latin advanced to the state Eight-Man Division I football semifinals with a 48-23 road victory at Chase County. Bonura scored on a 5-yard run in the game as the Lions improved to 9-2 on the season.
Branton DeWeese
BRANTON DeWEESE, Washburn Rural
A 6-0, 190 senior quarterback, DeWeese completed 12 of 22 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns as Washburn Rural improved to 11-0 with a 35-14 win over Wichita East in the quarterfinal round of the Class 6A state football playoffs. DeWeese, who also rushed for 38 yards on eight attempts, completed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Lafayette Thompson and a 6-yard TD to Titan Osburn.
JC Heim
JC HEIM, Washburn Rural
Heim a 6-2, 225-pound running back/linebacker, helped lead Washburn Rural to a 35-14 lwin over Wichita East in last Friday's Class 6A state football quarterfinal. Heim rushed for 178 yards and three touchdown on 12 carries, scoring on runs or 12, 95 and 6 yards as the Junior Blues improved to 11-0 on the season.
