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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden and Silver Lake's football teams hadn't squared off in 78 years, long before any of the Wildcat players, or their parents, were born.
But Hayden senior JC Cummings said his team was well aware of Silver Lake's proud tradition and knew the Wildcats would need to be at their best to take care of the Eagles in a showddown between the two perennial state powers.
Hayden senior JC Cummings (38) celebrates a big defensive play in Friday's 43-10 win at Silver Lake. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden was up to the task and then some, improving to 2-0 with a 43-10 romp at Silver Lake's CJ Hamilton Field.
"We were very worried and we came very prepared and felt like we have a bunch of tradition on both sides of the ball and we felt like we needed to come out and play the best we can and I think we did that,'' said Cummings, who starred on both sides of the ball. "
Silver Lake (1-1) actually drew first blood on a 31-yard Dysen Schooler field goal set up by a 64-yard pass play from Tanner Martin to Trenton Rollenhagen at the 9:48 mark of the first half.
But the rest of the half belonged to Hayden, which scored on offense, defense and special teams to open up a 21-3 halftime advantage.
Hayden's first offensive posssession ended with a turnover deep in Silver Lake territory after the Wildcats had a 52-yard Finn Dunshee touchdown run wiped out by a penalty.
But a Jensen Schrickel interception in the end zone prevented Silver Lake from adding to its lead and two plays later Dunshee, who replaced injured senior Ethan Florence in the Hayden backfield, rambled 76 yards to put the Wildcats ahead to stay at the 4:08 mark of the opening quarter. Schrickel tacked on the extra point to put Hayden in front, 7-3.
Hayden junior Finn Dunshee rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown and also had a pick-six on defense in the Wildcats' 43-10 wn at Silver Lake Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden sophomore Jensen Schrickel is congratulated after returning a punt for a touchdown in Friday's 43-10 win over Silver Lake. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden boosted its margin to 14-3 when Schrickel returned a Silver Lake punt 48 yards for a touchdown with 8:25 left in the half and the Wildcats scored again on the Eagles' next possession, with Dunshee picking off a pass and returning it 33 yards for a TD. Schrickel kicked both extra points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Washburn University fell behind early and then ripped off 28 straight points en route to a 40-32 MIAA victory at Central Missouri Thursday night, winning for the first time in Warrensburg since 2006.
Washburn senior Grant Bruner had 23 tackles and two pass interceptions in the Ichabods' 40-32 win at Central Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic tied a school record with six touchdown passes in the Ichabods' 40-32 MIAA win at Central Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Mules (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards on eight plays to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Ichabods (2-0, 2-0) responded with a seven-play, 63-yard drive, but the drive stalled at the UCM 5-yard line and the field goal attempt was tipped, coming up short.
Washburn forced a Mules punt on their next possession and after a 51-yard punt return by James Letcher Jr. the Ichabods scored on a 5-yard Kellen Simoncic touchdown pass to Washburn Rural product Collin Wilson, but the extra point was missed as the Mules continued to lead, 7-6.
The Mules went up 14-6 after an eight-play, 75-yard drive just before the end of the first quarter.
The Ichabods turned the ball over on their second play of the insuing possession setting up a 41-yard field goal by the Mules, who boosted their lead to 17-6.
After the teams traded punts, Washburn trimmed the Mule lead to 17-12 when Simoncic hit Letcher on a 32-yard pass play with 6:58 to go in the opening half. The Ichabod went for two and the pass attempt failed.
The Mules needed only two plays to score again and double up the Ichabods at 24-12, capped by a 78-yard pass play. But the Ichabods came back with a 46-yard pass play from Simoncic to Peter Afful for 46 yards to pull Washburn within five at 24-19, which was the score at halftime.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There's still plenty work to be done according to veteran Washburn Rural volleyball coach Kevin Bordewick, but he also felt like his team took a step forward in a pair of straight-set home wins over Blue Valley Northwest and Free State Thursday night.
Washburn Rural, which improved to 5-1, opened the night with a 25-11, 25-20 win over Northwest and then routed Free State in its final match of the night, 25-12, 25-10.
Washburn Rural volleyball coach Kevin Bordewick talks to his team during a break in Thursday's home triangular. The Junior Blues took straight-set wins over Blue Valley Northwest and Free State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We're here every day to try to get better at something and I do think that they got better tonight,'' Bordewick said. "I guarantee you we've got a lot that we can work on and we've got a higher ceiling to get to, but I thought we did pretty well against Free State.
"Both of those teams tonight are really good.''
Blue Valley Northwest jumped out to 3-0, 4-1 and 9-8 leads over Rural in the first set, but Junior Blue senior star Brooklyn DeLeye tied the set with a kill and Rural dominated the rest of the set.
Junior Zoe Canfield served 10 straight points as Washburn Rural opened up a 19-9 advantage and DeLeye recorded back-to-back kills to put Rural in front 21-10 and the Junior Blues outscored the Huskies 4-1 to close out the win.
Rural never trailed in the second set againt Northwest after a DeLeye kill put the Junior Blues in front 10-4, but the Huskies were still down just 22-20 late in the set before Rural kills from sophomore Layla Collins, junior Jada Ingram and DeLeye ended the match.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural senior Easton Bradstreet entered the 2022 soccer season with lofty goals.
But even Bradstreet admits that he's been surprised by his red-hot start to the year.
Washburn Rural senior Easton Bradstreet, splitting two De Soto defenders, scored four goals for the second time this season in the Junior Blues' 5-0 non-league win over De Soto Thursday night at McElroy Field. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Bradstreet recorded his second four-goal game of the young season in Washburn Rural's 5-0 non-league win over De Soto Thursday night at McElroy Field, raising his goal total to 11 in just four games for the 4-0 Junior Blues.
Bradstreet has scored at least one goal in every game with multiple goals in three of Rural's four games.
"Honestly, yes I am (surprised),'' Bradstreet said. "Some goals these past few games have been just ridiculous and I couldn't even imagine having 11 right now.
"Teammates are finding me with the ball and they're doing everything they can to get it to me and I'm finding the right place at the right time.''
Former Rural star Austin Halsey is the school single-season regular-holder with 30 goals and Bradstreet would love to take a run at that mark.
"Obviously I want to set the record, that's the goal, but I'm just trying to get as many as I can get,'' he said. "It's a lot more fun when you're scoring.''
Freshman Brandon Hamilton (right) celebrates his first-half goal in Thursday's 5-0 Washburn Rural soccer win over De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural freshman Brandon Hamilton gave the Junior Blues the only goal they would need at the 33:42 mark of the first half off an assist from junior Griffin Heinen and Bradstreet did the rest.
Bradstreet gave Rural a 2-0 halftime lead with a goal at the 5:07 mark off an assist from Ty Stead and he scored all three Junior Blue goals in the second half, leaving the game after his fourth goal with 8:31 remaining.
Hamilton was credited with two assists while juniors Ethan Uhlrig and Brayden Lehnherr combined for the shutout in goal.
Rural had been forced to double overtime in its previous game against Wichita Northwest (4-3 Junior Blue win) and Rural coach Brian Hensyel thought his team took a big step forward in Thursday's win.
"We've got a lot of new people, a lot of new faces on the team and the first three games were kind of a perfect example of what a season can look like -- one great game, one average game and then maybe a not great performance,'' Hensyel said. "We just want to be the most consistent team we can be. Northwest gave us all we can handle and it was probably good for us to maybe get knocked down a peg and have to get back to working hard, which we did this week, and tonight was our best performance so far this season.''
WASHBURN RURAL 5, DE SOTO 0
De Soto (0-3-1) 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (4-0-0) 2 3 -- 5
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Easton Bradstreet 4, Brandon Hamilton. Assists: Brandon Hamilton 2, Griffin Heinen, Ty Stead.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shortly after arriving on Washburn University's campus in 2019, Raegan Wells earned the job as the Ichabods' soccer goalkeeper and has never looked back.
Raegan Wells
Wells has started all 40 matches of her college career entering Friday's 6 p.m. home MIAA match against Emporia State at Yager Stadium and continues to move up WU's all-time list in multiple categories.
"Every since I've been here since Day 1 my teammates have put trust in me and I put trust in them,'' said the 6-foot Wells, a Lincoln, Neb. native. "My defense has been there for me so it was like a fast transition (to college), but an easy one because me teammates were so good.''
Wells, who also plays basketball for the Ichabods, said that with each passing season she gets more comfortable in the net, which has translated to more and more success.
"My teammates give me a lot of confidence, too, because when I know they're doing their job I can do my job.''
Raegan Wells has posted three shutouts this season, helping lead Washburn soccer to a 3-0-1 start. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Wells helped lead Washburn to a solid 9-7-2 season a year ago while earning third-team All-MIAA recognition and the Ichabods are off to a 3-0-1 start this season, with Wells already earning three shutouts.
"Coach (Davy Phillips) and I were actually just talking and the vibe of our team is so good,'' Wells said. "We show up to practice with energy and we are all on the same page and its been really good. Obviously it shows on the field.''
Wells, who will finish her college career in 2023, is well on her way to ending up as one of the most successful goalkeepers in Washburn history, although she said she really doesn't pay much attention to all-time lists and the like.
"I haven't looked at them, I just take the games day by day,'' said Wells, a communications major.
Wells is currently WU's all-time leader in career save percentage, third in saves per game, fourth in most career shutouts and wins and fifth in total saves.
And statistics aside, Wells said her Washburn career has been everything she thought it could be.
"I got to play right away, I met a bunch of amazing people and we've been pretty successful,'' Wells said. "This season seems different than last season because it's just like everyone's finally on the same page and we're going to do really well.''
Adding icing on the cake has been the opportunity to play with her younger sister, Riley, a sophomore for the Ichabods.
"Me and my sister played in high school together, basketball and soccer, so it's kind of the same but it' s just so fun,'' Raegan Wells said. "She scored her first career goal and I got to see that playing with her on the field.
"That's another reason I'm going to stay (for her COVID year in 2023) is because I get to play one more year with her.''
