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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The top-ranked Seaman girls left nothing to chance Friday in their bid to play in the Class 5A state tournament in Emporia, running away from visiting Piper 57-25 to improve to 21-1 on the season.
Seaman's girls basketball team poses with its Class 5A sub-state championship trophy after Friday night's 57-25 win over Piper. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The Vikings weren’t about to let happen what they experienced last year when they fell in the sub-state final to Andover Central. That defeat snapped a three-year string of state appearances.
“What is delayed is not denied,” said Seaman coach Matt Tinsley while his team posed with the tournament trophy. “These girls wanted this game.
“Our thought before the game was that we’ve been here before. We know what it takes. We said, ‘Players play, but tough players win.’ We have got some tough kids on this team.”
Leading the way for the was freshman Maddie Gragg, who tallied 19 points on nine of 14 shooting.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- A year ago, Josh Hammons was Washburn Rural's lone representative in the Class 6A state bowling tournament after qualftying as an individual.
Washburn Rural reacts to the news that it had won the Class 6A state bowling championship Friday at Northrock Lanes in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Josh Hammons hoists the state championship trophy Friday at Northrock Lanes in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Hammons was back at state Friday with the full Rural team in tow and the Junior Blues brought home a state championship after one of the most dominating performances in state history.
"It's 100 percent better,'' Hammons said.
The Junior Blues built a precarious 11-pin advantage through the three American Ten-Pin games and then buried the field with a crazy-good performance in the four Baker format games, finishing with a 135-pin victory over runner-up Olathe Northwest.
It was the comeback of the year for a Washburn Rural team which didn't make it to state a year ago after a disappointing performance at regionals.
Rural's winning 3,711 pin total was the most ever scored by a 6A team in the state tournament. Only Kapaun Mt. Carmel in 2021 finished with a higher total, winning 5-1A that season by 355 pins with a 3,769 total.
“We’ve stressed all year long what it was going to take,” Washburn Rural coach Jo Ricard said. “All week long, it’s been to the boys, ‘Do what you’re capable of doing and let’s let it all fall together from there.’ ”
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
PERRY – Despite a closely contested opening quarter, Rossville crushed Jefferson West for the next three quarters in its Class 3A sub-state semifinal, resulting in a 60-32 romp on Thursday night.
Rossville junior Kinsey Perine led the Bulldawgs with a game-high 15 points in a 60-32 sub-state semifinal rout over Jefferson West Thursday. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville (16-6) is playing its best basketball at the right time. In the opening round of the 3A sub-state, the Dawgs outmatched Perry-Lecompton 61-14 three days ago. After Thursday's win, Rossville has outscored the first two opponents in the postseason, 121-46.
Rossville was tenacious on defense, explosive on offense, and easily flew around against Jefferson West (6-16) at Perry-Lecompton. The Dawgs are on a streak of executing each phase of the game and are ready for the challenges ahead.
"We are happy for the win," Rossville coach Michael Bell said. "Jeff West is a gritty team, and they played us hard. Overall, it was a great win. The first quarter was close, but we kept building a lead after that. I thought our girls played hard. I didn't think we shot it very well, and I don't think we did a great job rebounding or blocking out well. It's one game at a time, but I'm happy we won."
Rossville had four double-digit scorers against Jefferson West. Junior Kinsey Perine had a game-high 15 points, while junior Katie Spielman had 14. Junior Emma Mitchell and freshman Rylee Dick each had 12-point nights.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
PERRY – It was a swift, easy night for the Silver Lake girls basketball team in the Class 3A sub-state semifinal round against Maur Hill-Mt. Academy on Thursday night, with the Eagles crushing the Ravens, 63-28.
Junior McKinley Kruger was one of three Silver Lake players with 14 points in Thursday's Class 3A 63-28 sub-state semifinal win over Maur Hill-Mt. Academy. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake is one game away from returning to the 3A state tournament in Hutchinson after its 35-point win over Maur-Hill Mt. Academy and the Eagles will face its rival, Rossville, on Saturday for the sub-state championship.
"All in all, proud of our effort, and we will turn our efforts to (Rossville)," Silver Lake coach Kyle Porter said. "I just think us playing our game and playing at our tempo is going to be big (on Saturday) and taking advantage of (Rossville's) pressure in the backcourt. Once you get past their initial pressure, that will be big for us.
"All of our kids need to play their specific role. We are a balanced team. We are dangerous because you can't take away just one player. If we show up and play our game, I like our chances."
Silver Lake didn't know they were playing Rossville quite yet, due to Silver Lake playing before the Dawgs. The Eagles had to beat Maur-Hill Mt. Academy before they could focus on its game this Saturday.
The sub-state semifinal game was over before it was over. Silver Lake couldn't be stopped on its way to routing the Ravens. The starting five and second group for the Eagles torched the Ravens on both sides of the ball.
"I thought we came and did what we needed to do tonight," Porter said. "I was especially proud of our bench. Our bench picked us up bigtime. I think it's special when you can have a second group like what we have. To be able to come in and increase the tempo while wearing a team down speaks to what a great job our bench did tonight."
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Under normal circumstances Seaman's high-powered boys bowling team probably wouldn't be satisfied with a third-place team finish.
But Thursday wasn't normal circumstances.
Seaman's bowlers react to the news that the Vikings finished third as a team in Thursday's Class 5A-1A state tournament at Wichita's Northrock Lanes. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Seaman senior Ethan Burns, who rolled a team-high 643 series, celebrates the Vikings' third-place team finish in Thursday's Class 5A-1A state tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Seaman's boys bowling team poses for a team picture after rallying to finish third in Thursday's Class 5A-1A state tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
After digging itself a big hole, Bob Benoit's Vikings came storming back from eighth place in the four Baker format games to claim the third-place team trophy by three pins over United Kansas Conference rival De Soto (3,397-3,394), setting off a celebration normally reserved for titles.
"It feels real good,'' Benoit said. "We were down most of the day. When I went in to check, going into Baker we were 35 pins out of fifth and 102 out of third. I just told the boys, 'Don't give up. You don't know what's going to happen but give it all you've got and we'll see where it is when the last pin falls.'
"To come back that far to get third, that's like winning it. I'm really, really happy.''
