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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
SILVER LAKE – The Class 3A No. 1-ranked Eagles saw their undefeated softball season come to a close Tuesday after losing 3-0 and 6-2 decisions to undefeated Class 4A No. 1-ranked Wamego.
Silver Lake's Kaibryn Kruger puts down a bunt in Tuesday's 3-0, 6-2 losses to Wamego. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Silver Lake's Taylor Zordel slides into second for a double Tuesday against Wamego. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Silver Lake’s 12-game win streak and undefeated season were going to be tested with a scorching hot Wamego team rolling into town.
However, the Red Raiders earned bragging rights in the heavyweight battle after a tight Game 1 victory over the Eagles and a more decisive win in the second contest.
The matchup felt like a state tournament matchup as both teams fought to keep their undefeated seasons alive.
“I think several of the girls continued to compete and made plays,” Silver Lake coach Nick Hamilton said. “When we got the opportunities to make the plays, they did it. I think probably tomorrow, Thursday or Friday, I’ll be impressed with what they want to come back and do.”
The first game featured two of the top pitchers in all classes. Silver Lake junior Avery Wende led 3A in strikeouts a season ago, and on the other side was the defending 4A pitcher of the year from Wamego, Peyton Hardenburger.
Wende pitched well in the circle. The junior went seven complete innings giving up three runs, five hits, a walk and struck out seven Red Raiders. One run came from a solo home run by Creighton signee Ashten Pierson in the third inning, and the other two runs were given up at the top of the seventh.
For Wamego, Hardenburger shut out Silver Lake by fanning 16 batters while giving up three hits and a walk. Hardenburger has not allowed a single run to any team in the 2023 campaign.
“They did very well, in my opinion,” Hamilton said. “Wamego is a pretty good hitting team. It comes down to one play here and one play there. I’ve talked to girls all year long about mastering your skill, your trade and what you do for this team. They’re getting close, and this hopefully will leave them hungry to go fix it.”
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By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
Seaman softball did not let getting outscored 24-4 in a doubleheader loss to Class 6A No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural last Friday rattle them.
Aspen Burgardt picked up a complete-game pitching victory in Seaman's 11-1 Senior Day win over Topeka High Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Instead, four days later the Vikings (7-6) responded with an 11-1 romp past Topeka High (3-7) on Tuesday night, completing a season sweep of the Trojans.
“Just very proud of our kids, that shows character, having a short memory, we talk about that all the time asking, ‘What’s our next best action?’ and they did a nice job tonight doing that,” said Seaman coach Jay Monhollon
Senior Aspen Burgardt tossed all five innings for the Vikings, allowing only one run on four hits and was recognized after the game as the only senior on Seaman’s 12-player varsity roster.
“Not only is she a great athlete but she’s a great person,” Monhollon said. “It’s easy to support her and encourage her to be successful. And she’s going to be successful in life just because she’s got high character.”
Burgardt had a strong showing of run support to pick up her Senior Day victory with the Vikings scoring nine runs in the third and fourth innings.
To get things started though Seaman scored two runs in the second inning on doubles from juniors Jersey Jellison and Paige Glasgow, the second scoring a run. Gracie Moe singled to score Glasgow.
Sophomore Kaelyn O'Rourke hit a two-run home run in Seaman's 11-1 win over Topeka High Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
The Vikings picked up six hits in the third inning, five singles and a two-run home run from sophomore Kaelyn O’Rourke to complete the five-run inning.
Sophomore Montgomerie Freel hit a home run to lead Topeka High in an 11-1 loss at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Topeka High got its only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run by sophomore Montgomerie Freel over the left field wall. The other three hits for the Trojans were all singles.
Seaman scored its final four runs on three hits and one error in the field in the top of the fourth inning. Burgardt retired Topeka High in the fifth to complete the run rule in 75 minutes and give the Vikings a winning record once again.
“We’re just trying to be consistent. If we can just build on what we did today on Friday and then take that into next week,” Monhollon said. “The season is getting close to the end and getting close to the postseason, so we need to fine-tune some things and just be a little more consistent as we move forward.”
No Trojans reached base more than one time as Topeka High falls after returning from a layoff. Seaman picked up 12 hits to score its 11 runs. Junior Josie Hefner joined Moe, O’Rourke, Glasgow and Jellison in having two-hit games.
SEAMAN 9, TOPEKA HIGH 5
Topeka High (3-7) 000 10 -- 1 4 1
Seaman (7-6) 025 4X -- 11 12 2
W – Burgardt. L - Scheaffer. 2B – Seaman: Burgardt, Jellison, Glasgow. HR – Seaman: O’Rourke. Topeka High: Freel.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MAYETTA -- Shawnee Heights senior golf standout Alex Valdivia carded a 1-under-par 71 in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open to finish second among 64 players.
And if Valdivia had made a few more putts, an outstanding day could have been even better.
Shawnee Heights senior Alex Valdivia shot a 1-under-par 71 to finish second in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I couldn't putt, I wasn't putting well at all,'' Valdivia said. "I missed four putts that were about like three, three and a half feet. I was hitting it really well, I just couldn't putt.''
Topeka West junior Myles Alonzo also turned in a solid round on Tuesday, making birdie on his final hole to finish sixth with a 73.
opeka West junior Myles Alonzo shot a 73 Tuesday to place sixth in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I feel like the more I go on I'm getting way more consistent as far as hitting the fairway and hitting the green,'' Alonzo said. "I'm doing a lot more things way better than last year.''
Washburn Rural placed a city-high third as a team with a 302 total, led by senior Bryan Tyrell, who shot a career-best 74 to tie for seventh.
"I was hitting greens, I hit 15,'' Tyrell said. "I had a few three-putts, but hit my birdie putts. I'm feeling good. I was in a little slump a couple of weeks ago but I'm back to normal now and I've got the hot stick right now so it feels good.''
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Monday night’s Centennial League soccer matchup between Hayden and Topeka High was a defensive battle for 71:15 at Hummer Sports Park before junior Jill Lenherr knocked in the game-winning goal to give the Wildcats a 1-0 victory.
Hayden junior Jill Lenherr scored the game-winning goal in the second half Monday night, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 Centennial League decision over Topeka High. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Freshman goalkeeper Lauren Borjon (right) picked up the shutout in goal Monday as Hayden took a 1-0 Centennial League win over Topeka High. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Both backlines provided tremendous resistance against the opposition. Still, in the end, freshman Carsyn Broxterman made a stellar pass to Lenherr for the goal, which spoiled Topeka High’s night late in the second half and gave Hayden the win.
“I was happy with the win even though I thought we struggled at times,” Hayden coach Klaus Kreutzer said. “Topeka High is a good team, and I thought we were able to create some good opportunities against them. We didn’t do well in taking care of those opportunities but having said that, (we) stayed with it and persevered in the end. We need to keep working.
“I think with Carsyn (Broxterman) passing the ball; it was a great look on her part and a great run on Jill’s part. Jill finished it well. A lot of times, you can get there and give it up to the goalkeeper, so the goal was satisfying.”
Freshman Lauren Borjon, who has split time between the pipes with freshman Kadence Watts this year, recorded the fourth shutout for the Wildcats this season. Borjon didn’t face immense pressure on Monday night but capitalized on the opportunities to help Hayden get the victory.
The Wildcats, who improved to 5-3-1 overall and 2-1-0 in the Centennial League, are a young squad that is learning on the fly quickly. Two out of its three losses were by a 1-0 margin, and the team hopes to continue building on the success they’ve experienced this season.
“Hopefully, we continue to build on the things that we’ve done well,” Kreutzer said. “We had a couple of tough games last week, and I hope we remember the good things we’ve done. Then, we’ll keep going from there.”
Topeka High (5-5-0, 0-2-0) has been plagued with injuries in the last two weeks. But, even with the lack of numbers, the Trojans are battling every time they step on the field, which is something Topeka High coach Derek Snook knows his team will do on a nightly basis.
“I’m pleased with the all-around effort despite having very few subs,” Snook said. “Hayden did what they needed to. They had opportunities, and we had very few. So I’m satisfied with the effort, just not some of the things that come with the effort. We’re missing passes, getting behind the defense and not following through on balls.
“The effort in the defensive third, the middle of the field and the attack were a little lacking. But the girls went out there and busted their tails. I’m hoping that getting people back will help us out. Unfortunately, we had another centerback banged up tonight. We will see if we can get healthy in the next couple of days and get after it again on Thursday.”
Hayden’s next contest will be a home match against non-league opponent Baldwin City on Thursday. Topeka High will get a home match on Thursday as well as they will host Centennial League rival Junction City.
HAYDEN 1, TOPEKA HIGH 0
Hayden (5-3-1, 2-1-0) 0 1 – 1
Topeka High (5-5-0, 0-2-0) 0 0 – 0
Goal – Hayden: Lenherr. Shutout – Hayden: Borjon.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights girls soccer team hung with one of the state’s top Class 5A teams for more than a half Monday, but in the end, the T-Birds fell to St. James Academy 4-0 at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
Abby Fleischer and a veteran Shawnee Heights soccer team will be looking to build off a tough schedule to mount a late-season charge this spring. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights permitted just one goal for the first 45 minutes of the contest, hanging with the 9-2 Thunder. But the T-Birds struggled to get anything going at the offensive end. In fact, they failed to record a shot on goal throughout the contest, while the visiting Thunder hammered away with 10 shots on the Shawnee Heights goal.
Early in the second half, St. James added an insurance goal. Then midway through the second half, the visitors tacked on two quick strikes to create the final margin.
“Obviously, St. James is a really good team and they’re going to be one of the best teams in 5A,” said Shawnee Heights coach Kellen Griffin. “But eventually you’re going to have to go through one of them in the postseason. You might as well get used to playing them in the regular season, too.”
