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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Seaman middle distance star Bethany Druse wasn't quite able to re-set her school 800 meters record in her final Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Invitational appearance Friday night.
Seaman senior Bethany Druse (middle) takes control early in Friday's 800 meters en route to a win in 2:16.51. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the future Kansas Jayhawk had zero complaints about how her day went after claiming three gold medals and helping the Vikings finish third in 24-school meet.
The defending Class 5A state champ posted a season-best time of 2 minutes, 16.51 seconds to win her specialty by nearly seven seconds and also ran on the Vikings' winning 4x800 and 4x400 relay teams.
After warming up with the leadoff leg on the 4x800 in the first event of the finals Druse had to endure a long break on a cold, windy night before returning in the 800.
"I'm not going to lie, before my race I didn't feel the best,'' Druse said. "I don't know, I was just tired. I think I stayed out in the wind too much and that kind of made me tired. But once I was running, I was fine.''
Druse then had a quick turnaround for the 4x400 and helped Seaman post its second relay win of the night.
Druse teamed with Savannah Sampson, Taylie Heston and freshman Ryin Miller to win the 4x800 in 10:06.22 and anchored the 4x400 relay, teaming with Anna Becker, Miller and Taylin Stallbaumer to win in 4:08.95.
"It's a big meet and it's a big deal to get first at the Seaman Relays, so it was just great to win,'' she said.
With the biggest meets of the 2023 schedule coming up, Druse feels good about where she is in her preparation as she gears up for another run at a state title.
"Even though I wasn't as fast (tonight) as I was last year at this time I still feel like I have more left in the tank,'' Druse said. "So I just want to improve and get my PR.''
Washburn Rural sophomore Riley Ismert (3) used a strong stretch run to win the girls 1,600 in Friday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Invitational while senior Madeline Carter (right) finished a close second. [Photo by Rick Peterson//TSN]
Ismert bounces back from freak accident for 1,600 win
Wearing a battle wound from the previous week, Friday night's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Invitational was a lot smoother sailing for Washburn Rural sophomore distance runner Rylee Ismert.
Ismert won the girls 1,600 in dramatic fashion at Seaman, coming from behind on the final lap to nip senior teammate Madeline Carter for the win in 5:21.39.
"I usually just try to stay up with the leaders because you know you'll always get a good time if you run with the leaders, and then just give it my all at the end,'' Ismert said.
The win helped Ismert put a scary accident from the Barier Breaker meet at Lawrence behind her.
Washburn Rural sophomore Rylee Ismert (3), Friday's 1,600-meter champ, is still healing from a racing injury (left shoulder) that required nine stitches. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
At Free State Ismert got tangled up early in the 3,200 and fell to the track, where she was spiked by another runner on the front of her left shoulder.
Ismert was able to get to her feet and finish her race, but realized later in the race that she was injured.
"I actually didn't feel it at first and then a couple of laps in I was like, 'What is that on my shoulder?' '' Ismert said. "I looked and I was like, 'Oh oh, that's not good.'
"I didn't really feel it for the rest of the race and then when I finished I felt all the emotions and it started hurting again.and my legs were in pain. It was kind of bad.''
The result of the mishap?
"I got nine stitches,'' she said.''
But Ismert was back at 100 percent Friday.
"I felt really good today,'' she said. "It was probably one of my best races this year, definitely.''
Other girls meet highlights:
• Topeka West senior Ala'Jah Brooks won the 400-meter dash in 59.47 seconds.
Bishop Carroll senior Evan Nordhus finished second in 60.63.
Brooks also posted a fourth-place finish in the long jump at 16 feet, 8 inches.
• Seaman senior Ally Trier and Silver Lake junior Ava Rottinghaus finished one-two in the javelin, separated by just three inches.
Trier, an Emporia State signee, won with a throw of 126 feet, 3 inches while Rottinghaus was second at 126-0.
• Seaman's Anna Domann finished third in the shot put at 35 feet, 11.50 inches.
• Seaman sophomore Jaida Stallbaumer posted a third-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.33.
BOB CAMIEN/CLAUDIA WELCH INVITATIONAL
At Seaman
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Hayden and Topeka High left Friday's Centennial League softball twinbill with a victory, with the Wildcats taking an opening 5-1 win and Topeka High securing the nightcap with a 7-4 victory at Hummer Sports Park.
Hayden senior Alyssa Droge turned in a complete-game pitching win in Friday's 5-1 first-game victory over Topeka High. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Hayden's Alyssa Droge hit a solo home run in the Wildcats' 5-1 Game 1 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
It’s been an up-and-down season for the Trojans and Wildcats facing different challenges this spring. But luckily both Centennial League squads saw some bright spots from their teams on Friday
In Hayden’s 5-1 first-game victory, senior pitcher Alyssa Droge had an enormous game that helped lead the Wildcats to victory. Droge earned the win in the circle tossing seven complete innings while punching out eight batters and giving up just one run on six hits.
Droge also went 2-2 at the plate, including a solo home run launched over centerfield to break a scoreless tie in the top of the third.
“Alyssa is amazing,” Hayden coach Cody Reynolds said. “I’m not sure where she is at in terms of strikeouts in the city, but she has to be close to the top. She’s been on fire for us. I’ve been really happy with the way that she’s played this year. Overall, I was glad with the amount of runs that we put up tonight.”
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team will finish off its regular season at 1 p.m. Saturday, hosting rival Emporia State in a doubleheader at Gahnstrom Field.
Washburn's Kimi Patterson, Paige Robbins, Jenna Moore and Hadley Kerschen will be honored on Senior Day Saturday against Emporia State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
It will also be the final home games for four Ichabod seniors -- Washburn Rural graduate Jenna Moore, Paige Robbins, Hadley Kerschen and Kimi Patterson.
The Ichabods (35-13 overall, 14-10 in the MIAA) went 2-2 last weekend after splitting doubleheaders at Northeastern State and Rogers State.
With her 213 wins at Washburn, Ichabod coach Brenda Holaday has passed Kim Newbern for second on the WU all-time wins chart. Lisa Carey is the school's all-time winningest coach by victories at 256.
The Ichabods have recorded their 19th 30-win season in program history and their third under Holaday.
Santa Fe Trail product Marrit Mead is 25th in the nation in hits with 65 while her hit total is second in the MIAA and her batting average of .414 is fourth and her 26 stolen bases is fourth in the conference.
Former Shawnee Heights star Jaycee Ginter is fifth in the nation with 23 wins in the pitcher' circle while leading the MIAA in victories. She is fifth in the nation in strikeouts with 230.
Ginter leads the nation in pitching appearances with 40.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
The No. 18-ranked Washburn University men's tennis team will begin its NCAA postseason bid at home Saturday with a 1 p.m. match against No. 24 Ouachita Baptist in the first round of the NCAA Central Region Championship.
Washburn will open NCAA tournament play at 1 p.m. Saturday at WU after winning the MIAA/GAC Conference championship. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The winner will advance to the NCAA National Championships in Orlando, Fla. on May 11.
The Ichabods qualified for the NCAA tournament for the 17th time in program history after winning their fourth MIAA/GAC Championship with a 4-0 win over Northwest Missouri State.
Washburn enters the tournament at 16-7 overall, winning its last six matches while Ouachita Baptist is 12-10 on the year
Washburn had seven players named to All-MIAA/GAC conference team last week.Washburn enters the tournament with a 16-7 record after winning the conference championship tournament
The Ichabods are the No. 2 seed in the Central Region and will host the first round of postseason play. The Ichabods are 6-1 at home this season
In singles, Tim Hammes is ranked No. 15 in the nation with a 14-7 record at No. 1 in duals
Sebastian Pjontek moved up to No. 37 this season and is 13-6 overall and 10-5 at No. 2 singles.
Santiago Rendon leads Washburn with a 21-8 singles record while Daniel Bird has a 19-7 singles record and has gone 9-2 in the No. 4 spot.
Pjontek and Miquel Perez are ranked No. 7 nationally in doubles. They are 8-3 together this season at No. 1 and are 4-1 against ranked opponents
Washburn has won 65.1 percent of its doubles matches, going 56-30 this season.
Kirby Ronning is in his third year as head coach of the Ichabod men's and women's tennis team and has led both teams to the NCAA tournament in both seasons at the helm.
Ouachita Baptist is coming off a 4-2 loss to Northwest Missouri State in the MIAA/GAC Tournament semifinals
The Tigers are the No. 3 seed in the Central Region.
Phil Exner is ranked No. 3 nationally or the Tigers in singles with a 25-5 overall this season and 13-2 at No. 2.
Alex Blanchar is ranked No. 16 in singles. He is 19-7 on the year with a 12-3 mark at No. 1.
WU women to host Tuesday regional match
The No. 25-ranked Washburn women's tennis team was selected as the second seed for the NCAA Central Region Tournament.
The Ichabods (16-6) will face off against the winner of No. 3 Augustana (20-3) and No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State (9-19) at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
It is the fourth straight tournament appearance for Washburn, and as the second highest seed in the Central Region the match will be held in Topeka.
The two teams faced off last season in the second round of the Central Region Championships and the Ichabods came out on top to advance to the National Championships.
The winning team of the second round match will advance to the NCAA National Championships in Orlando, Fla. beginning on May 11.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Hayden's soccer team had a perfect Thursday night against Baldwin, shutting out the Bulldogs in a complete 4-0 team victory at Hayden.
Hayden freshman Reese Huscher (15) advances the ball against Baldwin in the Wildcats' 4-0 non-league soccer win. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Hayden freshman Reese Huscher (15) is congratulated by teammate Elaina Wolff (2) after scoring one of her two goals in Thursday's 4-0 non-league soccer win over Baldwin. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Hayden junior Jill Jenherr moves past a fallen Baldwin defender in Thursday's 4-0 non-league soccer win. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Freshman Carsyn Broxterman (4) scored the first goal in Hayden's 4-0 non-league win over Baldwin Thursday night. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
It's been a busy week for the Wildcats. Hayden's contest against the Bulldogs was its second out of three this week. And for the second time in the past three days, the Wildcats were victorious.
"I thought offensively we performed better," Hayden coach Klause Kreutzer said. "I thought we did an excellent job with our passing combinations. We were looking for each other tonight. We've had some games in the past where we play to the other team. Our possession was a little bit better, and we were more composed in front of the goal.
"You can't be a good coach without good players."
