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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After running the Kanza Park cross country course a week earlier, Washburn Rural junior girls standout Payton Fink knew what to expect when she lined up for Saturday's Centennial League meet.
Junior Payton Fink posted a 31-second win in Saturday's Centennial League cross country meet, leading Washburn Rural to the girls team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And what Fink expected was to take care of business from the outset, and she did exactly that, winning her second straight individual league title in a five-kilometer time of 17 minutes, 33.3 seconds as the Junior Blues repeated as team champs by a 39-52 margin over Manhattan.
"I decided to take off and just try to get a gap early at the beginning,'' Fink said. "My mile time wasn't as fast as last week, so that scared me a ittle, but it ended up being OK.''
Fink had finished second to Seaman's Ryin Miller in the city meet, but said that just having the experience of running the Kanza course was a benefit in Saturday's race.
"Last week I came out without having run here since my freshman year and on this courst you've got to know where the cuts are on the course and you've got to know to stay inside so it definitely helped coming back the second week and knowing where all of those were,'' Fink said.
As planned, Fink jumped out to an early lead and held it throughout, winning by a 31-second margin over Junction City senior Lorna Rae Pierce.
"I kind of just came out and decided that I was going to run best for me and just try and get a good time, not worry about anyone else and run my own race,'' Fink said.
Rural sophomore Emily Graf and junior Rylee Ismert backed Fink up front, with Graf finishing third in 18:28.7 and Ismert taking fourth in 18:39.7.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Entering the Class 4A state tennis tournament, Hayden senior Lauren Sandstrom and junior Emily Sheetz talked about ending their highly-successful three-year doubles partnership with a bang.
Hayden junior Emily Sheetz (left) and senior Lauren Sandstrom won a second straight Class 4A state doubles championship Saturday in Winfield. [Photo by Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered]
The Wildcat stars accomplished that goal on Saturday at Winfield's T.H. Vaughan Tennis Center, topping McPherson's Riggs Kuhn and Brodie Kuhn 6-1, 6-4 to win their second straight state title and their third state medal overall.
Sandstrom, who plans to play basketball in college, told TopSports.news earlier in the week that her biggest emotion came from the fact that she knew that the 2023 state meet was going to be her final tennis meet and her final tournament with Sheetz.
"It's been in back of my mind all season and these past two weeks it's been kind of sad,'' Sandstrom said. "I don't want to stop playing tennis but I'm just hoping that we get to go out with a bang.''
Sheetz, who teamed with Sandstrom to finish seventh at state in 2021, said it was important to her to send Sandstrom out in style.
."I'm a little nervous because it's Lauren's senior year and I just don't want to disappoint her,'' Sheetz told TSN. "It's our last time playing together this weekend, so I think I'm a little nervous about that but I'm pretty confident in both of us that we'll have a good weekend and end strong.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden improved to 7-0 with Friday night's 24-7 home win over Holton while wrapping up the Class 3A District 4 championship.
Hayden's Jensen Schrickel (9), who rushed for 57 yards on seven attempts, takes a handoff from Wildcat quarterback Jett Wahlmeier (7) in Friday's 24-7 Class 3A district win over Holton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden junior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier threw for 101 yards and ran for two TDs in the Wildcats' 24-7 district win over Holton Friday night at Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Wildcats will try to close out a perfect regular season with next Friday's home non-league Senior Night game against Hiawatha.
Hayden never trailed after driving 65 yards in 13 plays on its opening drive for a 9-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier.
The score remained 7-0 for the bulk od the half, as both teams had scoring threats come up empty, before freshman Mason Becker kicked a 39-yard field goal with 3.3 seconds left in the half to give Holton a 10-0 halftime advantage.
Holton, which fell to 3-4 on the season, took the second-half kickoff and drove to the Hayden 9-yard-line before coughing up a fumble that sophomore Xander Blasing recovered for Hayden, ending a six-minute-plus Holton drive.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel took another step Friday night in establishing itself as a competitor in the KSHSAA football ranks.
The Lions blitzed Chase County 52-16 on the Seaman High School field in a game loaded with playoff implications.
Cair Paravel junior quarterback Jase Pavlik ran for three touchdowns and threw for two TDs in the Lions' 52-16 win over Chase County Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Cair Paravel senior Jesiah Bonura rushed for 131 yards and scored two TDs, including a 60-yard kickoff return, in the Lions' 52-16 win over Chase County. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
A year ago, the Lions just missed out on qualifying for the Eight-Man Division I playoffs in their first season of football as a KSHSAA member.
The Lions went into Friday’s game against Chase County knowing they were in the playoffs at 4-2 and 2-1 in their district. But with seeding and a chance to host a home playoff game at stake, they took care of business against the visiting Bulldogs.
The Lions trailed once, momentarily, early in the contest. After junior quarterback Jace Pavlik put the Lions up 6-0 with a short run, Cair Paravel watched Chase County’s Tucker Groh race 70 yards with the ensuing kickoff, putting the Bulldogs up 8-6.
Not to be outdone, Cair Paravel’s Jesiah Bonura returned the favor, taking the next kickoff back 60 yards to put the Lions back on top.
From that point on, the Lions’ defense ensured the score was never close again. Cair Paravel limited the Bulldogs to zero yards passing and negative-19 yards rushing in the first half. The visitors did not earn a first down until the fourth quarter.
“Our defense was amazing,” Pavlik said. “Look at the scoreboard. Sixteen points, and one of those scores was on a kickoff return. Our defense did an incredible job stepping up this game. Our offense, we made some plays, but our defense was just awesome tonight.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Underdog Topeka West got Shawnee Heights' attention early in Friday's United Kansas Conference game, with the Chargers taking a 6-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.
Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift talks to his T-Birds after Friday's 62-12 Homecoming win over UKC foe Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Shawnee Heights responded just like T-Bird coach Jason Swift hoped it would, scoring 62 straight points and stiffening defensively on the way to a 62-12 Homecoming win over West.
"Creidit to Topeka West,'' Swift said. "That just shows how much heart they have, and determination. We told the kids before the game that (the Chargers) were going to play their hearts out, but we responded. We had a great second quarter and then opened up with two quick scores in the third quarter and was able to put it away for us.''
With Friday's victory Shawnee Heights improved to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the UKC while strengthening its hold on a home playoff berth. Topeka West fell to 1-6 overall and in the UKC.
"We have a great senior class and this is a class that we don't want to walk off this home field yet and luckily I think we're going to get at least one more based on the seedings right now,'' Swift said.
