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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
The Hayden and Rossville softball teams took turns with dominating games Monday on Senior Day at Hayden as the Wildcats and Bulldawgs battled to a non-league doubleheader split.
Hayden senior Alyssa Droge pitched a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the Wildcats' 8-1 first-game win over Rossville. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden sophomore Keira Carswell celebrates her grand slam home run in Monday's 8-1 first-game win over Rossville. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden rolled to an 8-1 first-game victory behind senior pitcher Alyssa Droge's four-hitter and 10 strikeouts and sophomore catcher Keira Carswell's grand slam home run before Rossville junior Katie Spielman went the distance for an 8-0 shutout in the second game as sophomore Shyanne Haehn sparked the Bulldawg offense with three doubles, a single and three runs batted in.
Hayden is now 5-9 on the season and Rossville 11-3, with both teams winning three of their last four games.
Hayden was coming off a Centennial League sweep over Junction City and Wildcat coach Cody Reynolds thought his team could pull off a sweep Monday, particularly after the first-game win.
"I really thought we could come in here and win two games today, but I knew (Rossville) would be tough'' Reynolds said. "I was really, really happy to take that first game and I would have loved to take that second game but you can't win a ballgame if you don't score any runs.''
Monday was also a tale of two games for Rossville and coach John Nitsch was happy with how his Bulldawgs bounced back in the second game.
"Katie threw real well for us and we got some key hits when we needed it,'' Nitsch said. "We didn't get that the first game and it makes a little difference when you get the momentum going.
"They came out and took it to us the first game and we just didn't hit it very good the first game. You can't have that many strikeouts and expect to win games. You have to be able to put the ball in play and put the pressure on them a little bit to be able to make a defensive play. Hats off to their pitcher. She threw a heck of a game that first game.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Alesecio Batson
ALESECIO BATSON, Topeka West
Batson, a sophomore track and field standout, posted a victory in the boys triple jump in last Friday's Free State Barrier Breaker Invitational at Lawrence, jumping a winning distance of 46 feet, 8.25 inches for the Chargers.
Emmerson Cope
EMMERSON COPE, Washburn Rural
A senior softball standout, Cope piicked up the pitching victory and also had a home run and a double in Washburn Rural's 14-4 first-game victory over Seaman last Friday. The Nebraska signee also helped the 12-2 Junior Blues complete the sweep with a 10-0 shutout in the second game.
Zahra Friess
ZAHRA FRIESS, Cair Paravel Latin
A sophomore, Friess scored four goals and was also credited with four assists in the Lions' 10-0 win over Kaw Valley Conference foe Kansas City Christian last Monday. Cair Paravel added a 10-0 league win over Kansas City-Bishop Ward on Thursday, improving to 9-1-1 with its eighth straight victory.
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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
BOYS
100 METERS
Dunshee, Hayden 10.89
Rollenhagen, Silver Lake 11.08
Heim, Washburn Rural 11.10
Thompson, Washburn Rural 11.15
Peoples, Topeka High 11.18
200 METERS
Peoples, Topeka High 22.60
Murph, Topeka High 22.64
Cochran, Seaman 22.70
Rollenhagen, Silver Lake 22.79
Schrickel, Hayden 22.91
Hayden sophomore Jensen Schrickel is the Shawnee County leader in the 400-meter dash. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
400 METERS
Schrickel, Hayden 50.52
Roeder, Topeka High 51.60
Terry, Washburn Rural 52.02
Benz, Shawnee Heights 52.51
Roney, Washburn Rural 52.84
800 METERS
Moore, Seaman 2:01.89
Esquibel, Shawnee Heights 2:05.09
Dial, Washburn Rural 2:05.41
Anderson, Seaman 2:05.59
Sutton, Shawnee Heights 2:05.91
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel (right) and Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge are the Shawnee County leaders in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
1,600 METERS
Esquibel, Shawnee Heights 4:23.37
Njoroge, Topeka West 4:24.12
Dial, Washburn Rural 4:33.13
Johnson, Washburn Rural 4:33.46
Jowers, Seaman 4:43.66
3,200 METERS
Njoroge, Topeka West 9:23.22
Esquibel, Shawnee Heights 9:25.23
Johnson, Washburn Rural 10:02.87
Fink, Washburn Rual 10:17.98
Jowers, Seaman 10:19.72
- 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 12.36
Torres-Hill, Topeka High 13.07
Marshall, Topeka High 13.17
Estudillo, Washburn Rural 13.30
Ross, Silver Lake 13.36
Steiner, Seaman 13.36
200 METERS
Brooks, Topeka West 25.76
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 25.88
Hillebert, Hayden 26.53
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 26.98
Marshall, Topeka High 26.98
400 METERS
Hillebert, Hayden 58.65
Brooks, Topeka West 58.98
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 60.01
Miller, Seaman 61.85
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 61.91
Returning senior state champion Bethany Druse of Seaman is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 800. [File photo/TSN]
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:17.32
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:27.51
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:28.92
Carter, Washburn Rural 2:29.51
Foster, Rossville 2:33.78
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 2:33.97
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball junior Andrew Schmidtlein doesn't necessarily fit the mold for an ideal leadoff hitter.
Former Hayden multi-sport star Andrew Schmidtlein has had a breakout season for Washburn. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But over the last four games, since Ichabod coach Harley Douglas inserted the former Hayden star football lineman into that role, it's impossible to argue with the results.
"We were on the road and Trevor McCollum got hurt last weekend and really we just didn't have a true leadoff guy that we felt comfortable with,'' Douglas said. "But we knew that (Andrew's) a guy that will take pitches but also attack and he fits pretty well into that role.
"He's been really good all week for us and it was just one of those things that we knew he was going to give us the best chance and I took a shot with it and it worked. It's been good. He's done a really good job for us.''
As an offensive and defensive lineman, Schmidtlein helped Hayden's football team reach a state championship game as well as a pair of state semifinals while earning All-Class 3A honors and being selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl after his senior year.
But these days, a slimmed down Schmidtlein is much more suited to the diamond than the gridiron.
"I was roughly 240 pounds and now I'm about 190,'' Schmidtlein said. "I wanted to be a little more mobile and get a little faster. It definitely helps.''
During his first two seasons with the Ichabods Schmidtlein had trouble finding playing time, playing in eight games with three starts in 2021 and seeing action in 13 games with three starts last season.
But Schmidtlein has reversed his fortunes in a big way for the 27-19 Ichabods this spring.
