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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
After losing three straight games to state-ranked teams by a total of 10 points, Shawnee Heights' girls basketball team just wanted to get back on the winning side of the ledger in Friday's Thunderbird Classic consolation game against Shawnee Mission North.
Shawnee Heights seniors Taylor Rottinghaus (1) and Taylor Rantz defend Shawnee Mission North's Lidia Mojica in Thursday's 50-34 T-Bird win in the Thunderbird Classic. Rottinghaus scored a game-high 13 points to lead Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The ninth-ranked (Class 5A) T-Birds accomplished that goal in decisive fashion, going wire to wire for a 50-34 win over the Bison on Heights' home floor.
"It was nice to just get out and play and share the load, instead of one person trying to take it all on their back,'' Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells said. "We just wanted to play as a group instead of having individual play now and then.
"That was our thing tonight, 'Let's go out and improve these next two games. Lets not take a step backwards.' ''
Shawnee Heights, which improved to 8-4, never trailed after jumping out to 6-0 and 11-1 leads over the first 5:13 of the opening quarter.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High rolled to a 69-34 first-round win over Wichita Northwest Thursday night at Free State, advancing to a Friday semifinal in the Firebird Classic.
Senior Kiki Smith scored 21 points in Topeka High's 69-34 win over Wichita Northwest Thursday in the first round of the Firebird Classic. [File photo/TSN]
The seventh-ranked (Class 6A) Trojans, who improved to 9-3, put the game away with a 24-8 first quarter and opened up a 39-17 halftime advantage over Northwest (5-7).
Topeka High used a 24-10 third quarter to take a 63-26 lead and force a running clock throughout the fourth quarter.
Trojan senior star Kiki Smith scored a game-high 21 points for the Trojans while sophomore Jo'Mhara Benning added 13 points and junior Ladaysha Baird 11.
Topeka High will face 8-2 Eisenhower in a 7:30 p.m. Friday semifinal, with the Tigers advancing with a 54-14 first-round win over Free State.
HAYDEN GIRLS 47, NEMAHA CENTRAL 40 -- No. 10-ranked (Class 4A) Hayden posted its third straight victory Thursday night in the Wellsville Top Gun Tournament, taking a 47-40 win over No. 3-ranked (3A) and previously-unbeaten Nemaha Central.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn bench came through with 31 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, as the Ichabod women defeated Rogers State on Thursday evening at Lee Arena, 60-53, to snap a four-game losing streak.
Nine of the 10 Ichabods who saw action Thursday night cracked the scoring column.
Freshman Yibari Nwidadah recorded a double-double in Washburn's 60-53 MIAA win over State Thursday night. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Freshman Yibari Nwidadah came off the bench to notch her second double-double of the season with a career-high 13 points and tied a career-best with 13 rebounds.
Macy Doebele came off the bench to hit four of six shots from the field and four for five from the free throw line to add 12 points.
Both teams got off to a sluggish start as Rogers State (4-16 overall, 2-12 MIAA) scored the first points of the evening on a free throw at the 6:28 mark. Washburn (7-10, 3-8 MIAA) answered with a 5-0 run before Rogers State reclaimed the lead with a 7-0 scoring stretch.
Emma Chapman went two for two at the free throw line with 19 seconds to go in the period to level the score at 8-all.
The Hillcats made a layup early in the second quarter to go back in front, but the Ichabods put together an 8-2 run over the course of three and a half minutes to lead to take a 16-12 advantage.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University men won their fourth game in a row Thursday night at Lee Arena, defeating Rogers State, 78-67, to avenge a loss to the Hillcats earlier in the season.
Rogers State scored the first points of the game but a 7-2 run by the Ichabods took the lead back for good as the Ichabods took a 38-25 lead into the break after hitting 13 of 26 shots and 5 of 12 from 3-point range while holding Rogers State (11-9, 7-7 MIAA) to 8 of 31 shooting in the first 20 minutes. Washburn (9-9, 6-6 MIAA) led by as many as 16 in the opening half.
Sophomore Andrew Orr scored a game-high 20 points in Washburn's win over Rogers State Thursday night. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Starting the second half, the teams traded baskets but the Hillcats cut the Washburn advantage to eight at 43-35 with 16:12 to go.
Washburn stretched the lead back to 14 at 51-37 on back-to-back buckets by sophomore Andrew Orr, who scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the second half.
The Hillcats then used a 14-2 run over the next 4:07 to cut Washburn's lead to 53-51 with 9:39 to play, but on the Ichabods' next possession, Brady Christiansen connected on the first of his three second half 3-pointers pushing the lead back to five.
The Hillcats cut the lead back to two but then Orr scored his 15th and 16th points of the night. The Hillcats scored again, but Orr connected on a hook shot to push the margin back to four at 61-57.
For the third time the Hillcats cut the lead back to two at 61-59 with 6:23 to play, but Orr's final points of the night on a jumper pushed the lead back to four and Christiansen hit a 3-pointer with 4:07 to play as the lead moved to seven.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural secured its fourth consecutive city swimming title with a 15-point victory over Seaman.
Washburn Rural has been one of the city's best programs for an extended period of time and on Thursday night at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, the Junior Blues proved why they could finish the 2023 campaign strong.
Washburn Rural's Brogan Meier celebrates his win in the 100 freestyle with Hayden's Dylan Gregg during Thursday's city swimming championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural's Jack Miranda swims to victory in the 200-yard freestyle in Thursday's swimming championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Junior Blues had four swimmers selected first-team All-City while two earned second-team honors.
"I'm proud of the boys," Washburn Rural coach Nathan Traver said. "A couple of swimmers had (personal records), especially with the backstroke and breaststroke. Our next big meet is (Centennial) League. We need to focus now on beating Manhattan. We've been just behind (Manhattan) all year long. Getting a victory over Manhattan would be pretty sweet."
One of the most intriguing events of the night was the 100-yard freestyle.
Brogan Meier of Washburn Rural and Shawnee Heights' Riccardo Corazza provided a spectacular finish, with Meier edging Corrazza 49.56 seconds to 49.58. Meier also took a first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke.
"I'm really happy about it," Meier said. "Individually, one of the best meets in the last year. I think everyone did their part. We had the scores, and we were probably 15 points up, but everyone was telling each other we are still four points down. Having the mentality that the meet isn't over and knowing we still have to go out there and win was huge. It was a great meet."
Meier's teammate Jack Miranda had a stellar championship day as well. Miranda took two individual victories, winning the 200-yard freestyle and won comfortably in the 500-yard freestyle.
