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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Making the move from Pamplona, Spain to Lamoni, Iowa to Topeka represented a series of major transitions for Washburn University soccer midfielder Ana Muruzabal.
Junior Ana Muruzabal (10) leads the 9-1-0 Washburn soccer team with five goals. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But after a season to get used to a new home, both on and off the soccer pitch, the 5-foot-10 junior is in the midst of a breakout campaign for the 9-1-0 Ichabods, ranked 25th in the national rankings after winning a program-record eight straight games.
"I wasn't sure what I wanted to study when I was back home and then I was told I could come to the U.S. and play soccer and study so I was interested in that.'' Muruzabal said of her circuitous journey to WU. "I was in contact with different coaches and decided to go to Graceland.
"There were a lot of people leaving the soccer program at Graceland and the coach was leaving, too, so I didn't like how things were looking there so I decided to go for something new.''
It definitely took time for Muruzabal to adjust to a new team and a new level of soccer, with Muruzabal seeing action in just five games and playing just 53 minutes in 2022.
"It was a harder year and I had to transition a lot,'' she said. "I feel NAIA (at Graceland) was really different from D-II. The game was really different and I was used to playing as a defender and I was playing as a midfielder here so that was real different and it took me awhile.
"I worked really hard last year and during the summer. I knew what I had to do.''
Junior Ana Muruzabal (10) has had a breakout season for the 9-1-0 Washburn soccer team. [File photo/TSN]
The results have been dramatic, with Muruzabal leading the Ichabods with five goals while also adding three assists.
"I am surprised but I feel like the hard work is showing,'' Muruzabal said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All games at 7 p.m.)
THURSDAY'S GAME
ATCHISON (5-0, 4-0 Meadowlark Conferance) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (4-1, 4-0 Meadowlark Conference)
At Hummer Sports Park
Atchison, the defending Meadowlark Conference champion, enters Thursday night's game tied for the conference lead with Highland Park. Atchison is coming off a 63-18 Meadowlark win over Kansas City-Washington while Highland Park dropped a 57-6 non-league decision at Kansas City, Mo.-Lincoln Prep last Friday. HIghland Park junior quarterback Craig Sipple has thrown for more than 500 yards while senior Amari Taylor is the Scots' leading rusher.
FRIDAY GAMES
Washburn Rural senior Jaren Heim (27) scored a pair of touchdowns in last Friday's 28-0 Centennial League win at Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH (1-4, 1-1 Centennial League) at WASHBURN RURAL (5-0, 2-0 Centennial League)
Topeka High dropped a 70-7 non-league decision to Wichita Northwest last Friday while Washburn Rural remained unbeaten with a 28-7 Centennial League road win at Junction City. Rural scored three of its four touchdowns on defense/special teams as seniors Jaren and JC Heim had big nights for the Junior Blues. Sophomore Malichi Murph scored Topeka High's lone TD against Wichita Northwest on a fumble return. Washburn Rural can clinch a share of the Centennial League title with a win.
Topeka West senior Josh Nitschke rushed for 174 yards and scored on 72 and 91-yard runs last week against Lansing. [File photo/TSN]
KC-TURNER (0-5, 0-4 United Kansas Conference) vs. TOPEKA WEST (0-5, 0-5 United Kansas Conference)
At Hummer Sports Park
Both the Bears and Chargers will be looking for their first victories of the season. Turner is coming off a 56-7 United Kansas Conference loss to Piper while Topeka West dropped an 84-14 non-conference decision to Lansing last Thursday. Senior Josh Nitschke rushed for 174 yards and scored both of Topeka West's touchdowns against Lansing, on 72 and 91-yard runs. Topeka West notched its lone win of the 2022 season over Turner, with the Chargers taking a 26-21 decision.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel Latin junior quarterback Jase Pavlik and Silver Lake junior golf standout Taylor Zordel 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 Pavlik and Zordel over the past week:
Cair Paravel junior quarterback Jase Pavlik had a hand in seven touchdowns in the Lions' 62-28 district win over previously-unbeaten Burlingame last Friday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
JASE PAVLIK, Cair Paravel Latin
Pavlik had a hand in seven touchdowns as Cair Paravel Latin rolled to a 62-28 Eight-Man I District 2 victory over previously-unbeaten Burlingame last Friday night.
The Lion quarterback completed 19 of 26 passes for 273 yards and five touchdowns and carried the ball six times for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
Pavlik also had a pass interception on defense as Cair Paravel improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in district play.
Silver Lake junior Taylor Zordel, who tied for seventh in Class 3A-1A last fall (above), won Monday's Silver Lake Invitational by five strokes. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
TAYLOR ZORDEL, Silver Lake
A multi-sport standout for the Eagles, Zordel won the individual title in Monday's Silver Lake Invitational girls golf tournament at Lake Shawnee by five strrokes, shooting a 78.
Zordel led the way as the host Eagles won the team championship by a 344-374 margin over Jefferson West.
Zordel was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection in 2022 and is a two-time Class 3A-1A state medalist, tying for seventh last season.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Freeman twins made the big plays at both ends of the soccer field to lead Shawnee Heights to a 1-0 non-league win over Topeka High at Hummer Sports Park Tuesday.
Shawnee Heights junior Carter Freeman posted a shutout in goal for the T-Birds in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Topeka High at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior goalkeeper Carter Freeman defended the Shawnee Heights net all night, preserving the shutout.
After a scoreless first half, his twin brother, Jackson Freeman, chased down a pass up the middle of the field from senior Levi Longstaff, beating the lunging Topeka High keeper to the ball. He punched it past the arms of the keeper before tumbling over him. The ball bounded into the net for the game’s only score.
“Jackson got quality minutes as a sophomore, but this year with a ton of injuries, he’s become our go-to,” Shawnee Heights coach Nic Simons said. “He has so much speed, and when we need a goal, we say ‘Jackson, find one.’ That’s what we told him at halftime, and he managed to do it.”
“At the beginning of the game, it was hard, I was getting really tired,” Jackson Freeman said. “But we finally came through with that goal. It’s a momentum shift. You can be kind of down, but when you get that goal, everyone gets excited.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Two seasons, two United Kansas Conference championships for the Seaman girls tennis team.
Seaman girls tennis poses for a team picture after winning its second straight United Kansas Conference championship Tuesday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After winning the UKC title in their first season in the conference a year ago, the Vikings defended their title by a 69-61 margin over De Soto on Tuesday at Kossover Tennis Center, with Seaman placing all four of its entries in the top five places in the eight-school meet..
"It was a very good day,'' Seaman coach Jamie Robinson said. "I think we're peaking as a team.''
Seaman sophomore Molly Gorman teamed with Katie Krumins to win a second straight UKC doubles championship Tuesday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman senior Katie Krumins won a second straight UKC doubles title Tuesday at Kossover Tennis Center, with the Vikings winning their second straight UKC team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Katie Krumins and sophomore Molly Gorman won the UKC doubles title for the second straight year, taking an 8-2 win over De Soto to cap a 5-0 day while winning 40 of 42 games.
"You feel like you have to defend your title and it's like, 'We've really got to do this,' '' Krumins said. "Especially because it's a new team and that doesn't guarantee you the same thing every year, so you keep trying to do your best. We've all had some tough losses and I think that has really helped our mentality, knowing that we know what to do when we're under pressure.''
Gorman agreed with Krumins that it was very important for the duo to be at their best Tuesday.
"Personally, for me, it was like, 'We've got to keep it up,' '' Gorman said. "I want to win this all throughout high school. I'm already halfway there so might as well keep it going. We were just on our 'A' game today, compared to previous tournaments.''
