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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
One of the best seasons in Washburn Rural football history came to a heartbreaking end Friday night, with perennial state power Derby roaring back from a 15-point deficit to take a 29-28 victory on senior Grady Jesseph's walk-off 25-yard field at Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
Derby, which has won six Class 6A state titles since 2013, advanced to next Saturday's state final at Emporia with an 11-1 record while Washburn Rural finished 11-1.
Washburn Rural senior Packson Bettis (56) and junior Conner Danielson (40) put pressure on Derby senior quarterback Braxton Clark, who threw for 274 yards and four TDs in the Panthers' 29-28 win Friday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior quarterback Branton DeWeese scrambles for yardage in Friday's 29-28 loss to Derby in a Class 6A state semifinal. [Photo by Doug Walker/TSN]
"Like we're talking about with the kids right now, nobody likes the ending,'' Washburn Rural coach Steve Buhler said. "We felt like we let one get away and they're going to remember that part, but in the long run, as you get older, you start to remember the good times and it's a team that's won 11 games, and looking back in the history books, they're only the second team at this school to win 11 games.
"That's something to be very proud of, and I want them to understand that, that their effort and the things they accomplished this year are things to be proud of. Yeah, we don't make it to the last weekend of the season, but when you look back at all this team and this group of seniors has accomplished in this program, you couldn't ask for anything better over the last four years for these guys and the effort and what they've given this program means an awful lot.''
Rural's season has been ended by the Panthers in back-to-back seasons, with Derby's only lead of the night coming on the final play as the game hinged on a handful of plays down the stretch.
"That's how semifinals of state playoffs are,'' Buhler said. "You're usually playing equal teams and it's whoever is going to make a play and whichever way the ball bounces every once in a while.
"They made some great plays down at the end to finish it off.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Zoe Canfield and Jada Ingram have been side by side for the bulk of their sports careers, so it really wasn't a surprise that the two Washburn Rural stars were together for one of the biggest days of their lives Thursday at Rural.
With a large group of friends and family on hand, Canfield signed her ceremonial letter of intent with the University of Kansas women's basketball program while Ingram signed to play volleyball at the University of Nevada Las Vegas after the duo helped Washburn Rural win Class 6A state championships in basketball and volleyball during their prep careers.
Washburn Rural's Jada Ingram (left) and Zoe Canfield sign their Division I letters of intent Thursday in the Washburn Rural cafeteria. Ingram signed to play volleyball at UNLV and Canfield signed to play basketball at Kansas. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural stars Jada Ingram (left) and Zoe Canfield beam Thursday after signing their Division I letters of intent. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Canfield said that she had decided long ago that she wanted to share her signing with Ingram.
"We've been friends for like eight years and we played sports together that whole time, so this was definitely something we always dreamed of doing together and it's awesome that if finally happened,'' Canfield said.
Ingram agreed.
"It's so cool,'' Ingram said. "That's my best friend for life and I'm so proud of her and all of her accomplishments. Going to KU, that's amazing. I know we're going to stay best friends.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which captured its 29th straight Centennial League boys championship (outright or shared) and finished third in the Class 6A state tournament, leads the 2023 Topeka All-City boys soccer team with four first-team picks.
Griffin Heinen, Washburn Rural
Cohen Nimz, Washburn Rural
Devon Rutschmann, Washburn Rural
Ethan Uhlrig, Washburn Rural
The Junior Blues are represented on the 13-member first team, selected by city coaches, by seniors Griffin Heinen (midfielder), Cohen Nimz (defender), Devon Rutschmann (forward) and Ethan Uhlrig (goalkeeper) while Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel was named the city co-coach of the year with Topeka West's Josh Kutter.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When Washburn University freshman tight end Ty Weber dropped to a knee in the Yager Stadium north end zone and then thrust his index finger towards the sky in last Saturday's MIAA game against Northeastern State, it probably just looked to the average football fan like a player celebrating his first collegiate touchdown.
Washburn tight end Ty Weber (34) points to the sky in honor of his late father, Billy, after catching a 4-yard touchdown pass in last Saturday's 45-14 MIAA win over Northeastern State. [Photo by Sarah Cavallaro/Washburn Student Media]
It was so much more than that.
On Sept. 30, Weber and his Ichabod teammates were in Kearney, Neb. getting ready to play Nebraska-Kearney later that day when the former Washburn Rural football and baseball star got the life-altering news that his father, 55-year-old Billy Weber, had passed away suddenly in the early morning hours while visiting family in Seneca, Kan.
"My mom and my uncle and aunt, they drove up to Kearney to tell me and then our whole family spread out because they didn't want any of the (five) kids to find out over the phone,'' Weber said. "It's a terrible thing to find out, so they moved all around and my grandma and grandpa, they went and told my brother in Kansas City, and my sister's mom went and told her at her house in Topeka.''
Washburn coach Craig Schurig immediately gave Weber the option of sitting out that day's game against the Lopers, but the 6-foot-3, 225-pounder made the decision to play, beginning what will be a lifelong quest to honor his father.
"I talked to my mom to make sure she was in a good enough place that if I did play she would be alright,'' Weber said. "Then I thought about it and I said, 'The way my dad was and how he raised me, I think he would raise from the dead and come get me if I didn't play in that game.'
"I think it was something that I needed to do in that moment, in his honor.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball begins the 2023-24 season and the second year of the Lora Westling era this weekend in Shawnee, Okla. at the Central Region Crossover against Southwestern Oklahoma State and tournament host Oklahoma Baptist.
The Ichabods open their season at 1 p.m. Friday against Southwestern Oklahoma State before facing and Oklahoma Baptist at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Senior Aubree Dewey (3) returns to lead Washburn women's basketball after earning All-MIAA honorable mention a year ago. [File photo/TSN]
Former Washburn standout Lora Westling opens her second season as the Ichabods' head coach on Friday in the Central Region Crossover. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn posted an 11-17 overall record and 7-15 MIAA mark a year ago and will be looking to take a big step forward this season.
"We had a lot of freshmen that played heavy minutes last year and now they're returning with some more experience and that will be great,'' WU senior Lakyn Schieferecke said. "We really just have to put together three or four really good quarters instead of one good quarter, two good quarters.
"Overall, just winning each quarter is kind of our mindset when we step on the floor.''
Washburn, which is opening its 55th season of women's basketball, returns six players from last season's roster, including three players -- seniors Aubree Dewey and Schieferecke and sophomore Gabi Giovannetti -- who started in at least 50 percent of games.
Dewey, who earned All-MIAA honorable mention last season, leads Washburn's returners after starting in all 28 contests and leading the Ichabods in scoring at 10.4 points per game and assists with 3.4 per game.
