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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University senior soccer standout Jaedyn Johnson loves to be in the middle of the action and WU has given the Elkhorn, Neb. native the opportunity to experience that both on and off the field.
Washburn senior forward Jaedyn Johnson has scored a team-high five goals, helping lead the Ichabod soccer team to a 6-1-1 start this season. [Photo courtesy of Wasburn Athletics]
Johnson, a 5-foot-7 forward, transferred to Washburn from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the 2021 season and said the transfer has worked out well from both an athletic and academic standpoint as a major in forensic science.
"When I was getting recruited in high school Washburn was one of my top choices and the coach at the time ended up moving down to Texas A&M at Corpus Christi so that was how I had the connection down there and how I got down there,'' Johnson said. "My third year there was the year of COVID so there were a lot of issues that were already going on.
"Our season was moved from the fall to the spring and during that time I was struggling with trying out a new position that I had really never played before and I was just having issues communicating with my coaches and not getting the feedback that I wanted to get so that was ultimately why I decided to transfer. When I knew that I wanted to transfer, Washburn was actually my No. 1 choice because I remember when I visited I loved the campus and I study in the field of forensics so obviously Washburn's a perfect choice for me.''
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Highland Park's football team made school history in Thursday night’s 74-0 victory over Kansas City-Harmon at Hummer Sports Park.
According to data tracing back to 1950, 74 points is the most points Highland Park has ever recorded in a single game as the Scots were able to have an unforgettable night on Senior Night in front of their community.
Highland Park star Tre Richardson (6) receives congratulations from Kei'Juan Johnson after a touchdown in the Scots' 74-0 romp past KC-Harmon Thursday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park senior Mackey James runs for a touchdown on a fumble recovery in Thursday's 74-0 rout of KC-Harmon. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
For a program that’s had its struggles in the past, those negative thoughts about the program have disappeared.
The 2022 Highland Park football team looked like a powerhouse against Harmon in its fourth straight victory of the 2022 campaign.
It’s been since 2004 since Highland Park’s defense had recorded a shutout. The 2004 season was also the last year that Highland Park had at least four wins in a season.
The Scots put up a whopping 50 points on the board in the first quarter alone. For Highland Park coach Jermaine Monroe, it was all a part of the plan.
“I told the boys before the game we need to get into that 40 or 50-point range in the opening quarter,” Monroe said. “We needed our defense to make plays earlier in the game instead of later in games. Today our defense did a great job and started off the game with a bang.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Research is ongoing to determine if Hayden's girls had ever won a city tennis team title before Thursday's thrilling 26-25 win over Seaman at the Kossover Tennis Center.
Hayden sophomore Ainzley Zulueta returns a shot on the way to her second straight city No. 1 singles title Thursday at the Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden tennis coach Christy Sheetz (right) talks to Wildcat No. 1 doubles players Lauren Sandstrom (left) and Emily Sheetz during Thursday's city tournament. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden's tennis poses for a team picture after winning the city team title Thursday at Kossover Tennis Center by 26-25 margin over Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But it's a sure thing that if Hayden had ever won the championship it was a long, long time ago, probably before any of the current Wildcats were even born.
And that made Thursday's victory extra special.
Christy Sheetz's Hayden team got city titles in No. 1 singles from sophomore Ainzley Zulueta and in No. 1 doubles from junior Lauren Sandstrom and sophomore Emily Sheetz to lead the way as the Wildcats topped runner-up Seamann by the narrowest of margins
"That means so much to us, not only the team but it's our coach's first city win,'' Sandstrom said. "And it's huge for the team. Going forward it will be a big part of getting us motivated for our future meets.''
Emily Sheetz, daughter of the Hayden coach, said the city meet had been a major topic of conversation leading into Thursday.
"She talked about it a lot and we had to go in with a really positive mindset,'' Sheetz said. "Staying really positive helped the team.''
Zulueta, the defending Class 4A singles champ, captured her second straight city title with a 6-4, 6-3 win in the finals over Seaman senior Lauren Sweeney, a 5A state champion in doubles a year ago.
It was Zulueta's second hard-fought win over Sweeney in five days, with Zulueta taking an 8-6 win at Olathe last Saturday.
"At the last meet we had played like five matches beforehand,'' Zulueta said. "It was a long day and I'm glad I got to play her when she was like at her best so I could also give my best.''
After winning the city title as a freshman Zulueta said it was obviously a goal to repeat on Thursday.
"It does become a goal and I was really excited for this meet and I'm glad it ended the way I wanted it to,'' Zulueta said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For some athletes it might seem strange to have a family member coaching them.
For Washburn University freshman volleyball player Sydney Conner, anything else would be the strange part.
Washburn University assistant volleyball coach Shayla Conner (left) is coaching younger sister Sydney, a freshman setter, this fall with the Ichabods. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Sydney Conner, a 5-foot-11 setter, starred for her mother, Kris, at Kearney (Neb.) Catholic High School and is now working alongside older sister Shayla Conner, an assistant coach at Washburn after earning All-America honors as a setter for the Ichabods.
"I always get a lot of questions, 'Is it weird having your sister as your coach?' '' Sydney Conner said. "I always say no because I'm just kind of used to it in the sense that family always comes first but we all grew up together in the gym, so it works great.''
Shayla Conner said that when she went into coaching she knew the odds were pretty good that she'd get the chance to coach her little sister in college.
"I honestly don't think we ever talked about it, but in a way I've kind of coached her her whole life and she's always watched me play as she grew up, so it just kind of worked out that way,'' Shayla said. "She wanted to play for me and obviously I wanted to coach her.''
After finishing her playing career at Washburn (2014-2018), Shayla was a student assistant at Missouri-Kansas City for the 2019-20 school year and then served as a graduate assistant at Nebraska-Kearney before being named the assistant coach at Missouri Western in January of 2021.
Sydney originally planned to join Shayla at Missouri Western, but when Shayla was named assistant coach to Chris Herron at Washburn in the summer of 2021, Sydney soon followed.
"Obviously Washburn has an incredible volleyball program and of course Shay playing volleyball here I always got to watch games and got to associate with the team and coach Herron, so as soon as she came over it was a no-brainer for sure,'' Sydney said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Gavin Wilhelm played five different sports at Seaman, but didn't discover football until his senior year.
It's a decision that's paid immediate dividends for both Wilhelm and now the Washburn University football team.
Former Seaman multi-sport standout Gavin Wilhelm has earned playing time for Washburn football as a true freshman. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Wilhelm played soccer througout his high school career, earning All-City recognition, before also becoming the Vikings' place-kicker last fall at the urging of a teammate.
"I never played football in my life,'' Wilhelm said. "One of my best friends (Camden Barta) was the quarterback for Seaman and he knew I had a boot on me and I could kick a ball pretty far so he was like, 'Come out and see if you can kick an extra point.'
"The first day of practice I remember making consecutive extra points and actually made a 54 (yarder) in practice and from then on it was a breeze. Kicking a soccer ball and kicking a football is kind of the same for me, as I didn't use a kicking tee. I just kicked off the floor so everything was just kind of simple. It was never an intention of mine but I'm super glad that I did it.''
Wilhelm liked kicking so much that he decided to accept an offer from Washburn to kick and play golf for the Ichabods.
"After playing football I was like, 'This is maybe what I want to do,' but I also wanted to play golf,'' Wilhelm said. "Once this school gave me that opportunity I knew it was a no-brainer to come here.''
