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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There's no doubt that Washburn Rural senior tennis star Mason Thieu has the ability to play college tennis.
But after devoting most of his life to the sport, including a stint at a Florida tennis academy, he decided that probably wasn't for him.
Now he's content to play tennis simply for the love of the sport and is enjoying it as much -- maybe more -- than he ever has.
Thieu was an immediate standout for Kevin Hedberg's Junior Blues as a freshman in 2019, earning a Class 6A state medal with a ninth-place state singles finish.
But after losing his sophomore season to COVID-19, Thieu eventually made the decision to to attend the Celsius Tennis Academy in Sarasota, Fla. with the hopes of improving his game and garnering interest from Division I schools.
That approach paid off to a point, but also resulted in a revision of Thieu's priorities.
"I thought it went pretty good,'' Thieu said. "I trained a lot more than I did in Kansas so I got a lot better down there and I kind of grew up more as a person, too, because I was my own for a good amount of time. I did end up getting all the contact from colleges I was wanting but I was just playing so much and I honestly was a little burnt out before I even went down there.
"When I went down there it kind of helped because I was just so focused on playing it was cool, but then I came back here (last May) and I couldn't find the love of the sport as much as I used to.''
But once Thieu took a step back from the sport and decided -- at least for now -- against pursuing a college career, he ended up regaining that love.
"I'm feeling good now,'' said Thieu, who is still undefeated on the season after claiming the singles championship in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center with an 8-3 win over Kansas City Christian's Caleb Bartels. "When I came back (to Topeka) I was still planning to play college, but then a few months into school I just didn't feel that that's what I wanted to do anymore.
"I'm enjoying it a lot more because I have so many good teammates that I'm really good friends with outside of tennis and I've been playing some of the best tennis I've played since I came back from Florida because I have no fear. I used to play really nervous but now I know it's my last season and I'm just trying to have a good time so I just play loose.''
Thieu said Hedberg, one of the most successful coaches in state history, has helped in that regard.
"He does a really good job of leading me in the direction of where I should go with the match but he doesn't control me to tell me what I have to specifically do,'' Thieu said. "He gives me control of what I need to do but helps guide me.''
Thieu also appreciates Hedberg's laid back coaching style.
Theiu fell behind 3-2 early against Bartels but neither Thieu or Hedberg showed any signs of panic and Thieu won six straight games to close out the win.
"In the really intense part of the match we were laughing and stuff because I missed such a bad ball,'' Thieu said. "It was kind of fun. I'm having a great time.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake senior pitcher Daigan Kruger threw his first career no-hitter Monday night in a 6-0 Mid-East League first-game win over Riley County.
The Eagles added an 8-5 victory in the second game to complete the sweep.
Kruger went seven innings with five strikeouts while issuing two walks in the Game 1 win and also went 2 for 4 at the plate with a run scored.
Matt Barnes went 2 for 3 with a home run and three runs batted in for the Eagles in the opener while Luke Womack was 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBI and Kaden Walker was 1 of 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Eli Barnes picked up the pitching win in the second game, throwing a complete game while allowing nine hits and three earned runs. Barnes stuck out three batters.
Walker went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBI while E. Barnes was 2 for 4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored, Kruger 2 for 3 with a run scored and Womack 1 for 4 with an RBI.
With the sweep the Eagles improved to 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the Mid-East League.
Lions' Clark signs with McPherson College
Cair Paravel Latin senior basketball standout Zach Clark signed a college letter of intent with McPherson College on Monday.
Clark, a 6-foot-4 guard, earned second-team TopSports.news All-Shawnee County honors this past season and was also a first-team All-Kaw Valley League pick.
Clark helped lead the Lions to a 14-5 record.
Hayden improves to 7-0-1 with 4-1 win over Blue Jays
Senior Macy Smith scored two goals to lead the way as Hayden posted a 4-1 Centennial League girls soccer victory at Junction City Monday night.
Junior Jenessa Broxterman and sophomore Jill Lenherr also scored goals for the Wildcats, now 7-0-1 on the season.
Senior Kate Roeder and junior Elaina Wolff were credited with assists.
HAYDEN 4, JUNCTION CITY 1
Hayden 2 2 -- 4
Junction City 1 0 -- 1
Hayden -- Goals: Smith 2, Broxterman, Lenherr. Assists: Roeder, Wolff.
Keys powers Cair Paravel to 7-0 soccer win
Sophomore Katherine Keys scored three goals and also recorded an assist as Cair Paravel Latin improved to 7-3-0 on the season with a 7-0 girls soccer romp past Kansas City Christian Monday.
Junior Sage Schwartz added two goals and two assists for the Lions, who also got goals from freshmen Zahra Lewis and Alexis Gonzalez.
Lewis was also credited with two assists while Sawyer Schwartz had an assist and picked up the shutout in goal for Cair Paravel.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN 7, KANSAS CITY CHRISTIAN 0
Cair Paravel 5 2 -- 7
KC Christian 0 0 -- 0
Cair Paravel -- Goals: Keys 3, Sage Schwartz 2, Lewis, Gonzalez. Assists: Sage Schwartz 2, Lewis 2, Keys, Sawyer Schwartz. Shutout: Sawyer Schwartz.
Seaman golf runner-up in Hays tournament
Seaman's golf team finished second as a team in Monday's Bob Blazer/Hays Invitational on Monday while three city golfers posted top-five finishes.
Viking senior Gavin Wilhelm finished fourth individually with a 78 while Seaman's Tim Biggs and Topeka West's Myles Alonzo tied for fifth with 80s.
Garden City won the team championship by a 312-334 margin over Seaman, with the Buffaloes placing three players in the top seven individually, led by individual medalist Theo Juhl (67).
BOB BLAZER/HAYS INVITATIONAL
Team scores
Garden City 312, Seaman 334, Salina Sacred Heart 340, Dodge City 351, Hays 368, Salina South 371, Liberal 390, Junction City 398, Great Bend 405.
Individual results
1. Juhl, Garden City, 67; 2. Scheck, Dodge City, 76; 3. Koskal, Garden City, 77; 4. Gavin Wilhelm, Seaman, 78; 5. (tie) Tim Biggs, Seaman, and Myles Alonzo, Topeka West, 80; 7. Shook, Garden City, 82; 8. (tie) Elmore, Salina Sacred Heart, and Maddox Xaysongkham, Salina South, 83; 10. Robinson, Dodge City, 84.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Seaman and De Soto's soccer teams turned in terrific defensive efforts on Monday night at Seaman, battling to a 1-1 draw.
Offensively, it was a fairly quiet night for both schools.
Seaman’s Brooklyn Yingling kicked in a goal with 35:11 in the first half for the Vikings' only goal of the night.
“I thought our team was lucky to hold on long enough for the tie,” Seaman coach Tim Nussbaum said. “We didn’t play nearly as well as we are capable of and I hope we are able to bring more intensity into the next game.”
Nussbaum emphasized the word intensity during the breaks between the overtime periods.
“We need to bring more intensity into the next game,” Nussbaum said. “We had three players bring it tonight, but we need more. We need all 18 of our girls to bring the same energy our leaders had into the next game. If we can do that, we will win more.
“Short-term memory, tomorrow we will play better.”
Freshman goalkeeper Maegan Mills was one of those leaders mentioned by Nussbaum.
Mills was a brick wall and prevented a high-flying De Soto offense from causing some serious damage.
“She’s been terrific for us all season,” Nussbaum said. “She pushes everyone to be better. The battle for our goalkeepers has been intense, but she has been amazing for us. She makes the team better.”
While Mills had a remarkable night, De Soto was able to kick in one goal that looked nearly impossible to convert.
Gracie Smith tied the game 1-1 on a crossed kick that hit the back post to knock the ball in. Smith’s goal took place with 24:00 to go in the second half.
Seaman and De Soto’s defense was superb after that. Notably, Taylin Stallbaumer and Carstyn Anderson were able to kick out the ball multiple times when De Soto was near the goal.
In overtime, the ball only got into De Soto’s goal territory a total of three times. De Soto’s hounding defense made it difficult for Seaman to beat them to the goal.
Seaman’s defense was just as tough and physical. Physical defense from Anna Becker and Kinley Wilhelm forced De Soto to take a lot of uncomfortable shots.
In the end, Seaman and De Soto wouldn’t be able to break the tie.
Seaman will hit the road Tuesday as the Vikings look for a Centennial League victory against Emporia.
SEAMAN 1, DE SOTO 1
Seaman 1 0 0 0 – 1
De Soto 0 1 0 0 – 1
Seaman – Goal: Yingling. De Soto – Goal: Smith.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The celebration may be a lot more low key, but the Kansas Jayhawks aren't the only ones in the Sunflower State basking in the glow of a recent national championship.
Washburn Rural senior debaters Jiyoon Park and Zach Willingham recently made some history of their own, winning the National Debate Coaches Association national championship on April 11.
"We're the first fully public and Kansas school to win this one, which was good,'' said Park.
Park and Willingham, who previously won a state championship, still have two other national debate tournaments coming up, but before that the Rural duo will turn its attention back to its other love, playing No. 2 doubles for Kevin Hedberg's Junior Blues' tennis team.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Legendary Silver Lake coach CJ Hamilton has announced his retirement as a teacher and the Eagles' head football coach, ending a 47-year career as the winningest coach in Kansas high school football history.
Hamilton's retirement was announcted in a statement by the Silver Lake school district on Monday.
Hamilton started his coaching career in 1973, spent the 1977-78 seasons at Washburn University and returned to his alma mater in 1979.
Hamilton is continuing to recover from a leg injury that occurred during a farming accident two years ago and an injury that hampered his ability to fully engage in the Eagles' football program during the 2021 season.
“Coach Hamilton has impacted the lives of countless students and athletes over his tenure at Silver Lake,” Silver Lake superintendent Brad Womack said in Monday's statement. “He embodies everything it means to be a Silver Lake Eagle and the commitment he has made to our district and our community will be felt for generations to come.
:To say we are thankful for the time, effort and love coach Hamilton has given to our students and our community, doesn’t even begin to express the gratitude we have for him.”
Hamilton finishes his career at Silver Lake as the all-time winningest coach in school and state history with a 447-98 record.
Under Hamilton’s leadership, the Silver Lake football program has played for the state title 18 times, winning eight of those games.
The Eagles have played in the post season 40 of his 47 years and won the Mid-East League championship 39 times.
During his tenure, Hamilton also served as the baseball coach, first-ever softball coach in 1989 and the assistant coach to many different sports.
In addition to the many accomplishments on the field, Coach Hamilton also received the Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter of the National Football Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award this past summer.
Hamilton is a member of the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.