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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's boys soccer team stared elimination in the face Tuesday night and lived to play another day.
Now the Junior Blues want to take advantage of surviving that 2-1 overtime nailbiter with Garden City in a Class 6A quarterfinal and take aim on the fourth boys state title in Washburn Rural history Friday and Saturday at Hummer Sports Park.
Veteran Washburn Rural soccer coach Brian Hensyel talks to his team after Tuesday's 2-1 overtime win over Garden City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural's soccer team dogpiles Draden Chooncharoen after his game-winning goal in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime win over Garden City. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"We're glad to get past (that) one, we're glad to survive,'' Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "We're going to have to be awesome this weekend. It's maybe going to be as loaded of a final four as we've ever had.''
The Junior Blues will take a sparkling 18-1-0 record into Friday's 6:30 p.m. semifinal against Shawnee Mission West (14-3-2) while Dodge City (18-1-0) will face Olathe East (15-4-0) in the opening semifinal at 4 p.m.
The semifinal winners will play for the state championship at 3 p.m. Saturday, following a 12 p.m. third-place game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural sophomore soccer player Draden Chooncharoen and Seaman junior volleyball star Maegan Mills have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2023-2024 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Chooncharoen and Mills over the past week:
Sophomore Draden Chooncharoen (23) scored the game-winning goal in Washburn Rural's 2-1 overtime win over Garden City in Tuesday's Class 6A state quarterfinal. [File photo/TSN]
DRADEN CHOONCHAROEN, Washburn Rural
A sophomore forward/midfielder, Chooncharoen scored the game-winning goal in overtime Tuesday night as Washburn Rural advanced to the Class 6A state semifinals with a 2-1 win over Garden City at McElroy Field.
Chooncharoen's goal, off an assist from senior Devon Rutschmann, came with 3:10 remaining in the first overtime period.
Chooncharoen helped Rural remain unbeaten against Kansas competition while improving to 18-1-0 on the season and earning the Junior Blues' fourth straight trip to the 6A final four.
Seaman junior Maegan Mills (13) earned All-State Tournament honors for the second time and was named the UKC offensive player of the year after helping the Vikings capture their first Class 5A state volleyball title. [File photo/TSN]
MAEGAN MILLS, Seaman
Mills, a 6-foot-1 junior outside hitter, helped lead Seaman to its first-ever Class 5A state volleyball championship last Saturday in Salina, with the Vikings capping a 38-6 season with a 25-19, 25-22 win over 2022 state champ St. Thomas Aquinas in the final at Tony's Pizza Events Center.
Mills was named to the All-State Tournament team for the second straight season was selected as the All-United Kansas Conference offensive player of the year.
Seaman won the state title after posting back-to-back fourth-place state finishes in 2021 and 2022.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(Games at 7 p.m., unless noted)
THURSDAY'S GAME
Class 5A
Shawnee Heights senior Ryeki Tuley has passed for 1,861 yards and 19 touchdowns for the 7-2 T-Birds. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park junior Jamon Wilson (5) has rushed for 368 yards and three touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 474 yards and six TDs. [File photo/TSN]
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (7-2) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (7-2)
At Hummer Sports Park
Highland Park won its first playoff game since 1991 and only its third in school history last Friday, rolling to a 55-7 win over Meadowlark Conference foe Kansas City-Harmon, while Shawnee Heights advanced with a 68-0 first-round playoff win over KC-Sumner Academy. The two city rivals will be meeting for the first time since the 2017 season. Highland Park senior Amari Taylor has rushed for 568 yards and seven touchdowns on 63 attempts while junior Jamon Wilson has rushed for 368 yards and three touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 474 yards and six TDs. Shawnee Heights senior Allen Baughman has carried the ball 141 times for 690 yards and 12 TDs while T-Bird senior quarterback Ryeki Tuley has passed for 1,861 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 343 yards and six scores on 79 attempts. Senior Jayden Moore has caught 50 passes for 620 yards and five TDs. Heights senior Alex Dawkins has been in on 60.5 tackles with 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. The winner of Thursday night's game will advance to a state quarterfinal to take on the winner of Friday's game between Blue Valley Southwest (8-1) and Lansing (5-4).
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Class 6A
Washburn Rural senior Jaren Heim (27) scored a pair of touchdowns in the Junior Blues' 28-7 Centennial League win at Junction City earlier in the season. [File photo/TSN]
JUNCTION CITY (6-2) at WASHBURN RURAL (9-0)
Washburn Rural, the No. 1 West seed, opened its playoff quest with a 48-7 win over winless Wichita North last Friday while Junction City advanced with a 27-18 win over Wichita Heights. Rural and Junction City will be playing for the second time this season, with the Junior Blues taking a 28-7 Centennial League win over the Blue Jays earlier this fall. Washburn Rural has already won nine straight games for the first time since a perfect 12-0 season in 1989 and is within a win of winning 10 games for the first time since 1992. The winner of Friday's game will advance to the 6A quarterfinals to face the winner of Friday's game between Wichita Northwest (7-2) and Wichita East (7-2). With a win Friday Rural would also be at home for the quarterfinals.
Class 5A
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[Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 8-ranked Washburn University soccer put a program-record nine players on the 2023 All-MIAA team released by the conference Wednesday.
The Ichabods took home four individual honors, with coach Davy Phillips winning his first coach of the year award, senior Raegan Wells named goalkeeper of the year, junior Jordan Tenpas tapped as the MIAA defensive player of the year and Washburn Rural product Mackinly Rohn honored as co-freshman of the year.
Washburn had at least one player on all three teams along with two honorable mentions.
The Ichabods were most represented on the first team with four selections -- Wells, Tenpas, junior Khloe Schuckman and sophomore Washburn Rural product Belle Kennedy.
Cair Paravel Latin product Hannah Woolery (10) was named to the All-MIAA soccer first team [Photo courtesy of Emporia State Athletics]
Emporia State graduate student Hannah Woolery, a former Cair Paravel Latin star, earned first-team All-MIAA recognition while the Hornets' Mackenzie Dimarco, a senior, was unanimously picked as the conference offensive player of the year.
Phillips wins coach of the year for the first time at Washburn after winning his first and the program's second MIAA regular-season championship with a 9-1-1 record in conference play. With a win last week at Fort Hays State Washburn won its 15th game, tying a program record, and is 15-2-1 on the year.
Wells was a first-team selection for the first time in her career and also took home goalkeeper of the year honors for the first time.
It's the fourth time overall that Wells has been an All-MIAA selection. Wells started and played in all 18 games for a total of 1,575 minutes, the most on the team. Wells set a career-best with just .51 goals per match and had a .820 save percentage. She recorded 10 solo shutouts and combined for an eleventh.
Tenpas was named the defensive player of the year and a first team All-MIAA selection in her first season as an Ichabod. Tenpas played 1,190 minutes on the year and played in 14 matches, starting all 14. She was part of nine shutouts in the matches she played and also recorded one point with an assist.
Rohn was named the MIAA co-freshman of the year for 2023 and earned second-team honors after tying for the conference lead with seven assists. She added three goals with one game-winner for 13 points on the year, third on the squad. Rohn played all 18 matches, making 16 starts, and played 1,037 minutes. Her seven assists are the second-most in a season by a Washburn freshman in program history.
Schuckman earned first team All-MIAA honors for a second straight season as a forward and earns all-conference honors for a third straight season. Schuckman played and started in all 18 matches, playing 1,195 minutes overall. She was second on the team in goals and assists with six goals and a career-high four assists on the year for 16 points. She led the Ichabods with 38 shots and had four match winning goals.
Kennedy joins the first team as a midfielder after playing and starting all 18 matches and playing 1,090 total minutes. She earns all-conference recognition for the second straight season to begin her career. Kennedy scored five total points with two goals and one assist. One of her two goals was a match-winner. She also helped the Ichabods to 11 shutouts on the year and was third in shots with 23.
Viviana Soto-Herrera earns second-team recognition and is a member of the all-conference team for a second straight season as a midfielder. She played in 17 matches and started in all 17, playing 1,060 minutes. She was third on the team with five goals and added two assists for a career high 12 points on the season. She finished second on the Ichabods with 24 total shots. Her five points against Newman on Oct. 22 are the most by a player in a single match for Washburn this season.
Taylor Bockover is a third team All-MIAA selection and earns all-conference honors for the first time in her career as a defender. Bockover played and started in all 18 matches for a total of 1,193 minutes, fourth most on the team and second among defenders. She helped the Ichabods ring up 11 shutouts on the year.
Ana Muruzabal received All-MIAA honorable mention as a forward in her second season at Washburn. Muruzabal played in 17 matches, all off the bench, but led the Ichabods in goals with seven and in points with 17 as she added three assists. She netted one game-winning goal in her 599 total minutes on the field. Her seven goals are tied for the fourth most by a junior in program history.
Josie Boyle also received All-MIAA honorable mention on defense. Boyle started and played in 13 matches, logging 1,154 minutes, only sitting out 16 minutes in the matches she played in. She earns all-conference honors for the first time in her career. She was a part of eight shutouts in 2023 and helped out offensively with one goal.
Cair Paravel product Woolery recorded three goals and four assists for 10 points on the season. Woolery also recorded 39 shots and 23 shots on goal. Across her 17 matches played, Woolery played 1353 minutes, the third most for the Hornets this season.
Woolery's four assists this season have increased her Emporia State career record total to 25, which also is tied for fifth-most in MIAA history. In addition to her career assist total, Woolery ranks second in shots and shots on goal and third in points and goals in program history. In her career, she has played and started 81 matches for the Hornets.
Washburn begins the MIAA Championship Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will face No. 8 Missouri Western at 6 p.m. Friday in Yager Stadium.
2023 ALL-MIAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
By coach Brian Hensyel's own admission, Washburn Rural wasn't at its best in Tuesday's Class 6A soccer quarterfinal against Garden City.
But the Junior Blues were good enough.
Washburn Rural sophomore Drayden Chooncharoen (middle) scored the game-winning goal in overtime off an assist from Devon Rutschmann (10) in the Junior Blues' 2-1 win over Garden City Tuesday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural's soccer team dogpiles Draden Chooncharoen after his game-winning goal in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime win over Garden City. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural was pushed to overtime by Garden City, but sophomore Draden Chooncharoen scored the game-winning goal at the 3:10 mark of the first overtime period off an assist from senior Devon Rutschmann to give the Junior Blues a 2-1 victory over the Buffaloes at McElroy Field.
"We did not have our best performance tonight,'' Hensyel said. "Hats off to Garden City. They had a good game plan -- they kind of jammed the middle on us -- but every (playoff) run we've made in the past there's always kind of been one ugly game. That's also sometimes the sport of soccer, it's hard to finish. We had our chances in the first half to break it open and we couldn't do it.
"We let them hang around and we let them hang around and they found a goal. To our credit, we kept telling the guys, we've got to get the ball to certain people's feet and let them go to work. We did that with Devon and all year we've been preaching if we attack the end line and put balls across the box it's just hustling to get near the box and the guy that hustles more than anybody on this team is Draden Chooncharoen, and as soon as that ball came across, he was beating everybody to that ball.''
With Tuesday's win Washburn Rural improved to 18-1-0 on the season entering Friday's 6:30 p.m. state semifinal against Shawnee Mission West (14-3-2) at Hummer Sports Park.
