News - Top Sports News - The top sports news from Topeka & Shawnee County.

Details: Created: 27 September 2023

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Andrew and Austin Davids were one of the top doubles teams in Kansas high school tennis while playing for their father, Kurt, at Topeka West.

Brothers Andrew (left) and Austin (right) Davids, along with their father, Kurt, were on hand Tuesday at Kossover Tennis Center for the Topeka West Invitational girls tennis tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And although their competitive playing days are behind them, the Davids brothers are still a fixture on tennis courts around the state and they are still a team, with Andrew Davids the head coach at Olathe South and younger brother Austin serving as his assistant..

On Tuesday the Davids were back in their old stomping gounds at Kossover Tennis Center for a family reunion of sorts, with the Falcons competing in the 11-school Topeka West Invitational, hosted by Kurt Davids and West.

Kurt Davids said he's appreciative of the fact that his two sons are not only getting the opportunity to coach the sport they've spent most of their life in, but arengetting to do it together.

"They've always been such a dynamic pair, teasing each other, playing doubles together in high school and even some in college (at Emporia State) and as adults once in a while playing tennis, they're so close,'' Kurt Davids said. "To see them coaching together, those girls on their team are pretty lucky.''

Kurt said tennis continues to be a major topic in family conversations.

"A lot of times it's more just commiserating, I guess,'' Davids said. "We all have the same issues, 'Kids aren't doing this or they're not doing that,' or telling funny stories. We get a lot of kick out of that.

"It's kind of weird because my dad and my older brother were electrical engineers and they always talked shop and it used to drive me crazy. Now here we are, we're at family gatherings and we're talking shop -- it's just a different kind of shop.''

Details: Created: 26 September 2023

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Hayden veteran boys soccer coach Klaus Kreutzer knew his Wildcats had plenty of opportunities to end Tuesday's home non-league game against St. Mary's Academy in regulation.

But having endured a stretch of six straight games without a win, Kreutzer and his Wildcats were happy with putting in a little overtime if it meant getting back on track.

Hayden senior Lane Neuman (1), who scored the game's first goal, chases down a loose ball in the Wildcats' 2-1 overtime soccer win over St. Mary's Academy Tuesday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And that's exactly what happened, with Hayden and St. Mary's Academy going to overtime tied at 1-1 before senior Easton Blosser scored the game-winning goal at the 8:03 mark of the extra session off an assist from junior Tagen Rodriguez as the Wildcats improved to 4-5-1 on the season with the 2-1 victory.

"I thought offensively we created things and it was a good win,'' Kreutzer said. "We should have finished during the second half. I think we had plenty of opportunities and for me it's creating the opportunities. That's important, but we're getting towards the end of the season. We have to figure out how to finish.''

Hayden junior Victor Rodriguez (12), who had an assist in the game, beats St. Mary's Academy's Xavier Konkel to the ball in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime Wildcat soccer win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Hayden junior Tagen Rodriguez (10), who had the game-winning assist in the Wildcats' 2-1 overtime win over St. Mary's Academy, battles Crusager Bob Awerkamp for a loose ball. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Hayden drew first blood with 5:11 remaining in the first half off an assist from junior Victor Rodriguez and the Wildcats' 1-0 advantage held up through haftime and well into the second half before junior Placid Maradona scored at the 27:13 mark to tie the game for the Crusaders (6-5-0).

Neither team was able to find the back of the net over the remainder of regulation but it only took the Wildcats only 1:57 of the 10-minute first overtime period to end the contest.

"I think it's good for their morale and a win's a win, even if it's ugly sometimes,'' Kreutzer said.

Hayden will be on the road Thursday for a 6:15 p.m. non-league contest at city rival Seaman.

HAYDEN 2, ST. MARY'S ACADEMY 1 (OT)

St. Mary's Academy 0 1 0 -- 1

Hayden 1 0 1 -- 2

St. Mary's Academy -- Goal: Placid Maradona.

Hayden -- Goals: Lane Neuman, Easton Blosser. Assists: Victor Rodriguez, Tagen Rodriguez.

Details: Created: 26 September 2023

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Manhattan dominated the Centennial League girls golf tournament Monday at Emporia Golf Course, with the Indians sweeping the team and individual titles.

Manhattan freshman Maddie Myers shot a 77 to take individual medalist honors and the Indians swept the top three places and tied for fourth on the way to a 317-338 win over Washburn Rural in the team standings.

Washburn Rural finished second as a team in Mondays Centennial League girls golf tournament at Emporia. [Rural golf]

Washburn Rural put two players in the top six places and their top four in the top 13.

Details: Created: 25 September 2023

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural's depth was the difference in Monday's completion of the Topeka City Girls Tennis Championships at Kossover Tennis Center, with the Junior Blues winning the team championship by a 31-28 margin over Seaman.

Rural got a city title in No. 2 singles from senior Mena DiMarzio and the No. 2 doubles championship from juniors Izzy Haggard and Emerie Catlin and added a second-place finish in No. 1 singles from junior Carolina Chedzoy and a third in No. 1 doubles from seniors Claire Ireland and Gabby Martinez.

Washburn Rural poses for a team picture after winning the team championship by a 31-28 margin over Seaman in the City Girls Tennis Championship Monday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"We showed our depth throughout the tournament and that we're just a pretty strong team, one through six,'' Washburn Rural coach Brad Johnston said.

"I love where the girls are at right now. We've got some little kinks that we can fix but the girls are in prime form and we'll just see how the rest of the year plays out.''

Shawnee Heights junior Jette Glasenapp won the city title in No. 1 singles Monday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Shawnee Heights junior Jette Glasenapp, a foreign exchange student from Berlin, captured the No. 1 singles championship with a 6-4, 6-1 decision over Rural's Chedzoy while Seaman senior Katie Krumins and sophomore Molly Gorman outlasted Hayden senior Lauren Sandstrom and junior Emily Sheetz in the No. 1 doubles final, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7.

Details: Created: 25 September 2023

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Hayden High, already a Class 3A school in football, will also compete in the 3A ranks in most other sports after the Kansas State High School Activities Association released its 2023-2024 classiciations Monday.

A longstanding 4A school, Hayden is the second largest school in 3A with 322 students, just two under Iola.

Hayden, which has won 12 Class 4A state basketball championships, including a perfect 25-0 boys season in 1982-83, will compete in 3A in the upcoming 2023-2024 season. [Submitted photo]

Hayden will continue to compete in 4A in girls tennis later this fall and is also expected to compete in 4A in girls golf.

Rossville football, which has won five state championships in Class 3A and 2A, including the 2021 2A title (above), will compete in 1A in in 2024 and 2025. [File photo/TSN]