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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
It had been so long since Topeka High took a baseball game from Washburn Rural, no one in attendance at Hummer Sports Park Tuesday night could remember for sure when it last happened.
The Trojans didn’t just win a game on Tuesday, they swept a doubleheader over the Junior Blues in dramatic fashion.
Topeka High's baseball team huddles up after Tuesday's Centennial League doubleheader sweep over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Topeka High junior Nate Plankinton turned in clutch relief pitching performances in both games in the Trojans' twinbill sweep over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural jumped out to early leads in both games, only to see the scrappy Trojans roar back with big innings and gutsy pitching from junior Nate Plankinton to win both.
Topeka High claimed the first game 6-5, then won a wild 11-10 marathon that included a 20-minute delay for a light outage.
“This was a really tough test for us,” said Topeka High coach Cody Miller. “They placed third in state last year and they’re a really good team. For us to not fold and keep our heads up and keep chipping away at them ... we didn’t really do anything spectacular. We did basic things and kept making basic plays.
"Then we handed it over to Nate at the end because we had a chance to go get it. He’s our guy. He did a great job of closing it out for us.”
Plankinton, scheduled to pitch the second game of the doubleheader, came in in relief in the fourth inning of the first game when the Trojans bats came alive.
He entered the first game in the top of the fifth inning after the Trojans rallied back from a 5-1 deficit to lead 6-5. The junior struck out six batters and surrendered just one single and one walk over the next three frames for the win.
“I don’t even focus on how many runs we’re up,” Plankinton said. “I just focus on getting the guys out at the plate. That’s all we need.”
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Seaman’s girls soccer team is off to an undefeated 3-0-0 start, with two of its early regular-season wins coming from teams that were in state tournaments a year ago.
Seaman junior Marin Schuler (22) scored two goals Tuesday as the Vikings improved to 3-0 with a 3-2 non-league win over Cair Paravel Latin. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Seaman's soccer team celebrates a goal by Viking junior Marin Schuler in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Cair Paravel at the Sunflower Soccer Complex. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
In Seaman’s home opener last Tuesday, the Lady Vikings knocked off Class 6A Manhattan. 3-1. Manhattan finished fourth in the state last year. Then on Thursday, Seaman defeated former Centennial League foe Emporia, 6-0.
Seaman started the second week of the season on the right foot Tuesday with a 3-2 city defeat over Cair Paravel Latin.
The Lions return a nearly identical team from last season after their fourth-place finish in the 4A-1A state tournament.
It hasn’t been the most leisurely start to the season with Seaman’s high-quality opponents, but the Vikings are happy with how they have found a way to handle the challenges.
“It’s been a great start,” Seaman coach Tim Nussbaum said. “We just want to keep getting better every day, and we want to keep this thing going.”
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Tuesday was the continuation of a longstanding baseball rivalry between perennial Class 5A contenders Seaman and Shawnee Heights ... with a new twist.
After several seasons in different leagues, the Vikings and T-Birds are both in the United Kansas Conference this spring, with Tuesday's game at the Bettis Family Sports Complex was the first of two league games this season.
And although the defending UKC-champion T-Birds will get another shot at the Vikings late in the season, Seaman, which earned a share of the Centennial League title a year ago, drew first blood with a decisive 13-3 victory.
Sophomore Max Huston watches the flight of his three-run home run in Seaman's 13-3 UKC win over Shawnee Heights Tuesday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman sophomore Max Huston is congratulated by his teammates after his third-inning home run in the Vikings' 13-3 win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"It's our crosstowns rivals and we're always excited to come play them,'' said Seaman sophomore standout Max Huston, who had three hits, including a home run, and four runs batted in. "We were looking forward to the game.''
Seaman, which improved to 3-0 overall and in the UKC, never trailed after scoring three runs in the top of the first.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's Brooklyn DeLeye and Silver Lake's Makenzie McDaniel have received first-team all-state recognition from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.
Washburn Rural senior Brooklyn DeLeye has been named to the All-Class 6A girls first team by the KBCA. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake junior Makenzie McDaniel has received first-team All-Class 3A recognition from the KBCA. [File photo/TSN]
DeLeye, a 6-foot-2 senior, received All-Class 6A first-team honors after earlier being named the Shawnee County and Centennial League player of the year. DeLeye led the Junior Blues to the Centennial League title and a runnerup finish in the 6A state tournament.
McDaniel, a 6-1 junior, was named to the All-3A first team after helping lead Silver Lake to the Mid-East League championship and a fourth-place finish in 3A. McDaniel was a first-team all-county and All-Mid-East League selection.
DeLeye and McDaniel were two of 10 county players to receive all-state recognition.
Topeka High senior Kiki Smith was a second-team All-Class 6A pick while Washburn Rural senior Chloe Carlgren received All-6A honorable mention.
Seaman sophomore Anna Becker and Highland Park senior Amelia Ramsey were named to the All-5A second team while Highland Park sophomore Tahtionna Broils and Seaman freshman Maddie Gragg received All-5A honorable mention.
Hayden junior Lauren Sandstrom earned honorable mention in 4A while and Silver Lake junior McKinley Kruger received honorable mention in 3A..
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park's Bo Aldridge, a 6-foot-4 senior, and Washburn Rural 6-2 senior Jack Bachelor have earned all-class first-team honors from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.
Highland Park senior Bo Aldridge has been named to the KBCA All-Class 5A first team. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Jack Bachelor has been named to the KBCA All-Class 6A first team. [File photo/TSN]
Aldridge was named to the All-Class 5A first team after helping lead the Scots to a 24-1 record and a third-place state finish while Bachelor earned first-team honors in 6A after leading Washburn Rural to a 15-6 record.
Aldridge was named the player of the year in the Meadowlark Conference while Bachelor earned player of the year honors in the Centennial League.
Aldridge and Bachelor were two of seven Shawnee County boys players to receive all-state recognition from the KBCA, including five players in 5A.
Highland Park senior Tre Richardson and Topeka West senior Xavier Alexander earned second-team All-5A recognition while Seaman senior Aron Davis and Shawnee Heights junior Brennon Dodge received honorable mention.
Hayden junior Joe Otting earned second-team All-4A honors for the second straight season.
