- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football proved again on Saturday that it can compete with the top teams in the nation.
But the end result was another heartbreaking loss on Senior Day at Yager Stadium, with the No. 8-ranked Bronchos escaping with a 28-27 win to clinch at least a share of the MIAA championship.
Tre Richardson (6) had 228 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in Washburn's 28-27 loss to Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn quarterback Sam Van Dyne threw for 406 yards and four TDs in the Ichabods' 28-27 loss to Central Oklahoma. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The loss was the second straight one-point loss for the Ichabods and the third straight by a total of five points.
Washburn, which fell to 2-8 overall and 2-7 in the MIAA, has now dropped five one-possession games on the year.
"I'm really proud of the guys, they played hard,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said. "It was a very good football game. UCO's one of the top teams in the conference and we played really good. I thought that was our best defensive game we've had by far and offensively we did a lot of good things and gave ourselves a shot.
"We went toe to toe with one of the top teams in the country and it was anyone's game. We had a touchdown taken off the board and that's tough but the guys played hard and it was a good game.''
Getting another outstanding day from Highland Park product Tre Richardson, Washburn rallied from an early 6-0 deficit and a 13-7 deficit at the half to take 21-13 lead at the 12:27 mark of the third quarter after back-to-back touhdowns from Richardson, a sophomore receiver.
Richardson scored on 80 and 48-yard touchdown passes from sophomore Sam Van Dyne to give the Ichabods their eight-point lead and had another long TD run wiped out by a WU holding penalty that would have given the Ichabods a two-possession lead.
Richardson caught eight passes for 193 yards on the day and added 35 rushing yards on five attempts, while Van Dyne completed 26 of 43 passes for 406 yards and all four Washburn touchdowns.
Central Oklahoma (9-1, 7-1) tied the game with 12:47 left on a 19-yard TD pass from Dawson Herl to Ashton Schumann and a two-point conversion pass from Herl to Jacob Delso.
The Bronchos took a 28-21 lead with 6:17 remaining of a 15-yard pass from Herl to Terrill Davis (Nicky Quevedo kick) but the Ichabods answered with a 3-yard TD pass from Van Dyne to Connor Searcy at the 3:00-minute mark. Trenton Brehm's extra-point try was ruled wide, allowing UCO to maintain the lead.
After forcing a Central Oklahoma punt, Washburn drove quickly downfield but Brehm's 43-yard field goal attempt was blocked, the Bronchos' second block of the day.
Washburn will close out its season at Northeastern State next Saturday.
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 28, WASHBURN 27
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's soccer team begins its postseason journey with a 1 p.m. home quarterfinal match Sunday at Yager Stadium against Fort Hays State in the MIAA Tournament.
Three-time All-MIAA first-team pick Khloe Shuckman and the Washburn soccer team will open the MIAA Tournament at 1 p.m.. Sunday against Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
No. 16-ranked Washburn, the top tournament seed, is 13-3-2 on the season while Fort Hays State, the No. 8 seed, is 7-7-4.
The Tigers handed the Ichabods their lone conference loss, a 2-1 defeat at Hays on Oct. 27.
Washburn defeated Emporia State 2-0 in the Turnpike Tussle on Wednesday afternoon in Emporia, clinching its second straight MIAA title.
Viviana Soto-Herrera scored for Washburn in the first half while Mackinsly Rohn extended the Ichabod lead in the second half to secure the victory over the Hornets.
Senior Alli Harrington, the reigning MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week, made four saves to post her third consecutive shutout.
Senior defender Josie Boyle joined Harrington in receiving an MIAA weekly award, with Boyle earning her second Defender of the Week selection of the season.
Freshman Taylor Hill leads FHSU with five goals scored this season while Gracen Chaney and Sullivan Kelly hold the team lead with three assists each.
Mackenzie Caldwell has played 17 games in goal for the Tigers, recording 79 saves and a 0.823 save percentage. Caldwell has a goals against average of 1.04.
If the Ichabods defeat the Tigers, Washburn will advance to the MIAA semifinals held on Thursday, Nov. 14 at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita. The MIAA championship will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16.
The NCAA Tournament begins on Thursday, Nov. 21 and concludes with the National Championship game on Saturday, Dec. 14.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rossville rolled to its seventh straight win Friday night while advancing to the Class 1A quarterfinals with a 42-0 home shutout over McLouth.
Rossville senior quarterback Tayson Horak (12) scored three touchdowns Friday night as the Bulldawgs advanced to the Class 1A quarterfinals with a 42-0 win over McLouth. [File photo/TSN]
Now 7-3 on the season, the Bulldawgs scored the only points they would need on a 3-yard run from senior quarterback Tayson Horak with 4:13 left in the opening quarter (Vincent Daniel kick).
The Bulldawgs added a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to build a 20-0 halftime advantage, with Horak scoring on a 55-yard run (Daniel kick) and a 5-yard run from junior Conner Bush (extra point failed).
Senior Seth Catron scored on third-quarter runs of 61 and 19 yards, with Canann Mitchell connecting on a 2-point conversion and Daniel kicking an extra point.
Horak completed Rossville's scoring with his third TD of the night early in the fourth quarter on a 28-yard run (Daniel kick), while the Bulldawg defense picked up its third shutout of the season.
With Friday's win the Bulldawgs advanced to a 1A quarterfinal next Friday, traveling to undefeated Jackson Heights to face the 10-0 Cobras, the No. 1 seed in the East.
COUNCIL GROVE 30, SILVER LAKE 8 -- Council Grove avenged an earlier 17-point district loss to Silver Lake with a 30-8 road win over the Eagles in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Council Grove, the No. 13 East seed, improved to 7-3 on the season while advancing to next Friday's state quarterfinals while Silver Lake ended its season 7-3.
Council Grove will be back on the road next week, facing No. 1 East seed Humboldt (10-0).
The Cubs advanced with a 64-7 win over Riverton.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball led after three quarters in its 2024-25 regular-season opener at St. Cloud, Minn. but a 23-9 fourth quarter gave Southwest Minnesota State an 82-72 victory in the Central Region Crossover.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah scored a career-high 22 points in Washburn's 82-72 season-opening loss to Southwest Minnesota State. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods return to action against the host, St. Cloud State at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Yibari Nwidadah opened the game with the first basket of the season for WU to go up 30 seconds into the game. With 6:08 left in the quarter Aniah Wayne sunk the first 3-pointer of the season as the Ichabods went up 9-6, but the next seven points all went to the Mustangs (1-0). A strong shooting first quarter at 46.15 percent led Southwest Minnesota State to a 20-14 lead.
The first five points of the second quarter came from the Ichabods (0-1), and a 3-pointer from Payton Sterk closed the gap to one point at the 9:02 mark.
Finally, Washburn was able to tie the game at 29 on Brooke Gomez's first collegiate points with 4:19 left to go in the half.
The Ichabod offense kept churning, shooting 9-15 in the quarter, but the Mustangs remained ahead thanks to shooting 10-12 at the line in the period. Heading into the break it was 39-35 in favor of Southwest Minnesota State.
After a layup with 4:55 to play in the third pushed the Mustang lead to seven points, Washburn went on a 10-2 run to take the lead on a jumper by Sterk at the 2:08 mark. Five points in the final minute of the quarter, coming on another triple from Wayne and a driving layup by Sterk made it 63-59 for the Ichabods after three.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University mounted a furious comeback in the fifth set against No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney Friday night but was turned away at the last moment as the Lopers won in five sets.
Taylor Rottinghaus had 40 digs in Washburn's five-set loss to Nebraska-Kearney Friday night. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will wrap up their home schedule on Saturday in Lee Arena against Fort Hays State on Senior Day, with first serve at 6 p.m.
After Washburn (18-5 overall, 9-5 MIAA) took the first set 25-23, Nebraska Kearney (25-1, 12-1) battled back to take the next two sets, 25-21 and 25-23. The Ichabods had the largest margin of victory for either team in the fourth set, winning 25-19, before falling 15-12 in the fifth.
The Lopers won the first point of the match before the next four went to Washburn beginning with two kills by Bella Limback.
The Ichabods stayed in front until a 3-0 run by Nebraska Kearney put them on top, 14-13. Both sides traded from there until it was 23-22 with the visitors in front.
A service error and an attack error brought it to set point for Washburn and Alex Dvorak and Taryn Pridgett wasted no time putting the win away with a block for a 25-23 win.
In the second set it was the Lopers that jumped ahead early, leading 7-2.
Two straight kills by Jalyn Stevenson sparked a 5-0 run that would pull Washburn within one at 11-10.
Just like the first set both sides created little separation through the middle of the set. The second time around both teams hit under .100 as a team while slashing over .200 in the first. Stevenson tied the set at 21 with a kill but from there it was all Lopers with four straight points to take it.
