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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Seaman Vikings softball team received an “incomplete” grade Tuesday in an early-season test against nemesis Basehor-Linwood.
The last time Seaman faced Basehor-Linwood, the Vikings fell to the Bobcats 4-3 in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament. Basehor-Linwood went on to finish second in the tournament.
Seaman junior Jersey Jellison doubled for the Vikings in Tuesday's 9-7 first-game loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Seaman senior Aspen Burgardt pitched the first game and contributed a double as the Vikings dropped a tight 9-7 UKC decision to Basehor-Linwood Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Seaman junior Rosalie Schneider delivered a double in the Vikings' 9-7 first-game softball loss to Basehor-Linwood Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
The Bobcats returned nearly everyone from that teamand are expected to contend for the title again this season.
The Vikings measured themselves against the Bobcats Tuesday at Seaman, losing the first game of the doubleheader, 9-7.
The second contest was halted due to lightning with the Vikings trailing 3-0. The two schools will have to find a date to finish the contest, which was stopped in the bottom of the fourth inning, just two outs shy of an official game.
Basehor-Linwood's Taylor Cruse, an Ohio State commit, ripped the Vikings with a home run, a double, a single and a walk in the first game.
Pitching the opener, Cruse rolled through the Vikings for four innings, but the Vikings battled back, scratching out three runs to cut the Bobcat lead to 8-5.
It was then that lightning in the area forced a 40-minute delay.
“They got on a fast start,” said Seaman coach Jay Monhollon. “We always tell our kids when they’re facing someone who is as elite as (Cruse), you just gotta keep battling, keep battling and don’t get discouraged. Because she’s going to get the best of us sometimes, but hopefully we will have an opportunity to get a ball hit hard. So, we just kept our kids up, believing something good would happen.”
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
In between a season-opening doubleheader sweep over two-time defending Class 6A state champion Topeka High and Tuesday's Centennial League twinbill against Emporia, Washburn Rural's softball team had a full 10 days off.
But there was not a hint of rustiness displayed by the Junior Blues, who rolled to a 14-0, 15-0 sweep over the Spartans on Rural's home field.
Washburn Rural senior star Emmerson Cope had two home runs, eight RBI and combined for a no-hitter in Tuesday's 14-0, 15-0 Centennial League sweep over Emporia. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Senior Kaci Bath rounds the bases for an inside-the-park home run in Washburn Rural's 15-0 second-game win over Emporia. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Piper Titsworth pitched a no-hitter in a 15-0 second-game win over Emporia and also had a pair of doubles and two RBI. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Rural coach Liz Stover said she didn't necessarily welcome the long layoff, but was happy with how the Junior Blues handled it.
"It would be nice to kind of get started with the season and just get on a roll, but I think the girls did a good job working hard at practice and staying ready,'' Stover said. "We just tried to keep (practice) light, keep it fun but also tried to focus on little things
"I think we were focused and ready to go. We came out and did our job and I was real happy with it.''
Washburn Rural, 4-0 overall and in the league, set the tone for the day in the bottom of the first in the opener, when Rural's second hitter, senior Emmerson Cope, hit a two-run homer, part of a six-run inning for the Junior Blues.
Rural also got run-scoring singles from senior Piper Titsworth and freshman Henley Rapp and a RBI sacrifice fly from senior Alyssa Mastin.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural volleyball star Brooklyn DeLeye is one of 20 athletes selected by USA Volleyball for the 2023 Girls U19 NORCECA Pan American Cup roster.
Washburn Rural volleyball star Booklyn DeLeye has been named the USA Volleyball U19 team for the Pan Am Cup. [File photo/TSN]
Twelve players from the 20-player roster will be chosen to compete at the Pan American Cup on May 7-15 in Ciudad de Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico.
The team will train April 30-May 6 at the Anaheim (Calif.) National Team Training Center.
Minnesota women’s head coach Keegan Cook will serve as the U19 team’s head coach.
A 6-foot-2 outside hitter, DeLeye was named the Gatorade Kansas Volleyball Player of the Year for the second straight season last fall after leading the Junior Blues to a 45-1 record and the Class 6A state championship.
Washburn Rural advanced to the state volleyball tournament four straight seasons during DeLeye's career, posting first, second, third and fourth-place finishes.
As a senior DeLeye amassed 457 kills and 324 digs while posting a .503 kill percentage and a .341 hitting percentage. She also recorded 81 assists, 64 service aces and 21 blocks.
A MaxPreps.com first-team All-American, DeLeye, who will play collegiately at Kentucky, concluded her prep volleyball career with 2,090 kills.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Lailah Benz
LAILAH BENZ, Shawnee Heights
Benz, a sophomore midfielder, recorded a three-goal hat track for Shawnee Heights in last Tuesday's 5-0 non-league girls soccer victory over Ottawa at the Bettis Family Sports Complex. Benz helped lead the T-Birds to a 2-1 start to the 2023 season with their second straight win.
Bethany Druse
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
A senior, Druse, the defending Class 5A 800 meters champion, posted individual wins in the 1,600 and 800 in last Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational track and field meet at Washburn Rural and also anchored the Vikings' 4x400 relay team to a come-from-behind victory. Druse won the 1,600 by more than nine seconds in 5 minutes, 37.00 , won the 800 by more than 10 seconds in 2:25.28 and helped Seaman win the 4x400 relay in 4:20.01.
Alexis Fredrickson
ALEXIS FREDRICKSON, Washburn Rural
Fredrickson, a senior, opened her senior track and field season with two wins and two runnerup finishes in last Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational at Washburn Rural. Fredrickson won the 100-meter dash in 14.00 seconds and the 200 in 28.26 while also finishing second in the 400 (62.0) and the pole vault (8 feet, 6 inches). Fredrickson was a three-time Class 6A-5A state medalist and two-time state team champion for Rural's wrestling team.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news will compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2023 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
GIRLS
100 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 12.37
Marshall, Topeka High 13.17
Ross, Silver Lake 13.49
Steiner, Seaman 13.62
Randa, Hayden 13.81
200 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 25.88
Brooks, Topeka West 26.00
Rezac, Rossiville 27.63
Marshall, Topeka High 27.65
Wise, Silver Lake 27.76
400 METERS
Brooks, Topeka High 59.74
Hillebert, Hayden 60.74
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 62.00
Rezac, Rossville 63.08
Foster, Rossville 63.89
Returning senior state champion Bethany Druse of Seaman is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 800 and 1,600. [File photo/TSN]
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:25.28
Foster, Rossville 2:33.78
Farmer, Silver Lake 2:34.46
Heston, Seaman 2:39.07
Liedtke, Shawnee Heights 2:44.95
