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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
SHAWNEE MISSION – Topeka High reigned as the state’s champion once again after its second consecutive state title win with a 2-1 victory over Centennial League foe Washburn Rural.
Topeka High’s last two softball seasons have been historic for the Trojans program.
Topeka High softball celebrates its second straight Class 6A state title after Friday's 2-1 win over city rival Washburn Rural. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Topeka High poses for a team picture Friday after winning its second straight Class 6A state softball title. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
In 2022 High’s goal was to hoist the state trophy over its heads for the second straight time, and on Friday the goal was accomplished against a rival team which beat them twice this year.
“This is tremendous for our program,” Topeka High coach Shane Miles said. “Our seniors go out with back-to-back state championships under their belt. We have some freshmen and sophomores that have this experience now. We want to be back here next year. We are building a program that wants to be noticed.”
One of the anchors for Topeka High’s astounding success was Stanford signee, Nija Canady.
Canady had dealt with injuries and some setbacks in 2022 but despite dealing with all that adversity, Canady was able to go 3-0 in the state tournament and help the Trojans bring the title back home.
“This is incredible,” Canady said. “It’s hard winning a state title once, but to win it twice is even better. Softball is a physical game, but it’s even tougher mentally. This past season we had to fight.”
The right-hander had to go to another level in the circle on Friday afternoon.
Canady was dealing with a case of dehydration and it was affecting the star pitcher. Canady was able to pitch all seven innings in the state final and her performance will go down in history in a special way.
“I told her just to give me three outs,” Miles said. “She gutted it out today. She didn’t feel the best today. She probably didn’t have her best stuff today, but I told her all we need is three outs. She battled and got through it today.”
The marquee matchup had a lot of significance for the City of Topeka. Washburn Rural and Topeka High met for a doubleheader at Hummer Sports Park back on April 12th. Washburn Rural would prevail and swept the twin bill with a 1-0 victory and an 8-1 decision.
“We knew it was going to be us and Washburn (Rural) for the title game,” Canady said. “We wanted Washburn Rural in the title game. It feels great that we were finally able to get our revenge.”
Washburn Rural and Topeka High both had a murderous row of opponents they had to go through in the state tournament to get to the title game.
On Thursday morning, Washburn Rural defeated Blue Valley to get to the semifinal. In the semifinal game, the Junior Blues took on an explosive Derby team.
Similar to the state championship game, the semifinal against Derby was a pitcher’s duel that ended in a 2-0 decision.
Junior Blue pitcher Emmerson Cope was nearly perfect against Derby. Cope pitched a complete seven-inning shutout along with 11 strikeouts and gave up just four hits.
Kansas commit Campbell Bagshaw was responsible for both runs plated in the 2-0 decision. Bagshaw’s two runs batted in was the only offense the Junior Blues were able to collect.
Cope’s lights-out pitching and Bagshaw’s bat earned them a spot in the state championship game.
For the state title game to be an all-Topeka title game, Topeka High would have to go through Wichita Northwest. Fortunately for Topeka High, that wouldn’t be an issue.
Topeka High would rout Wichita Northwest in a 10-0 decision in five innings of work.
Jo’Mhara Benning and Canady would pitch a combined no-hitter. The duo would fan eight batters, giving up two walks, six groundouts and two flyouts.
Canady would have a memorable day at the plate in the semifinal game as well. Canady would go 2 for 3 with a double, home run and five runs batted in.
Alesia Alvarez, Elycia Joyce and Quincy Smith would drive in the remaining five runners.
It would be official, Topeka High and Washburn Rural would be clashing in the state championship.
It was a pitcher’s duel from the beginning. Cope and Canady had a repetitive performance from their previous matchup back in April.
In the top of the first inning, Cope struck out the entire top of the Topeka High order. Quincy Smith, Adisyn Caryl and Canady all went down swinging.
Canady would strike out two Rural batters in the bottom of the first while giving up her first hit of the day to Cope.
Cope would get three straight flyouts from High batters in the top of the second inning while Canady would fan three Rural batters in the bottom part of the inning.
It would be a hitless result from both sides in the third inning of play with Canady and Cope asserting their dominant pitches from the circle.
The top of the fourth inning was critical for Topeka High’s offense. The Trojan offense would be hitless against Cope until the High’s efforts in the mid-point of the game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls soccer team advanced to the Class 6A state championship game for the fourth time in school history, taking a 3-2 semiinal decision over Olathe Northwest on Friday at the College Boulevard Activity Center.
The Junior Blues, who improved to 17-2-1, got goals from Belle Kennedy, Reagan Allen and Hunter McWilliams while Kennedy also picked up an assist.
Washburn Rural will play for the state championship at 2 p.m. Saturday against four-time defending 6A champion Blue Valley West (15-3-1), a 5-1 win over Manhattan.
Manhattan (15-4-1) will face Olathe Northwest (14-5-1) in the third-place game at 12 p.m.
Cair Paravel Latin celebrates its goal in Friday's 2-1 Class 4A-1A semifinal loss to Buhler on Friday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Cair Paravel freshman Zahra Lewis attempts a shot in Friday's Class 4A-1A state soccer semifinal against Buhler. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
LIONS TO PLAY FOR THIRD
Cair Paravel Latin, making the first final four appearance in school history, dropped a tough 2-1 semifinal decision to Buhler in Friday's Class 4A-1A state tournament at Hummer Sports Park.
The Lions, 15-4-0, will now play play McPherson (15-4-1) in the 12 p.m. third-place game Saturday.
Buhler (12-7-1) will play state power Bishop Miege (14-5-1) for the 4A-1A championship at 2 p.m.
Bishop Miege advance with a 2-1 semifinal win over McPherson, taking a 5-3 decision in penalty kicks.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Tanner Newkirk didn't have to wait long to run his first race in the 2022 Class 4A state track meet, with the Hayden senior star stepping on the track for the 3,200 meters at Cessna Stadium at about 8 a.m. Friday morning.
But then again Newkirk had been waiting for that race for a long, long time.
Tanner Newkirk became only the fifth runner in Kansas history to eclipse the nine-minute mark in Friday's Class 5A Class 4A 3,200 meters, winning in 8:58.88. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden senior Tanner Newkirk on top of the awards stand after winning the 4A 3,200 meters Friday morning at Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After running at state and earning a pair of medals as a freshman, Newkirk missed his sophomore track season due to COVID-19 and missed his junior state meet with an injury.
The Kansas signee made up lost time in a big way, winning by nearly 35 seconds in 8 minutes, 58.88 seconds while shattering the previous 4A state meet record by nearly 27 seconds and running the fifth-fastest 3,200 time in Kansas history by becoming only the fith runner all-time to break nine minutes in the race.
"In my mind I've been racing this race a thousand times before I even stepped up there so it was really good just to be out there,'' Newkirk said. "I couldn't sleep the past couple of days. It's really caused a lot of anxiety so it was really good to finally start the meet and start off on a really, really amazing note.''
With Friday's win Newkirk captured his first state track championship to go with the 4A cross country title he won as a junior.
Newkirk ran with last fall's 4A cross country champ, Sawyer Schmidt of Augusta, for the early portion of the race before steadily increasing his lead over the next several laps and running alone at the end. Schmidt was second in 9:33.14, while Buhler's Hayden Keller was third in 9:40.23.
"I just wanted to make it hurt quick and see who could hold on,'' he said.
And although there may be no such thing as a perfect race, Newkirk doesn't think Friday's race could have gone any better than it did.
"I don't think so,'' Newkirk said. "That was excactly what I needed to do. That was a really good race and I think I ran it almost perfectly.''
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Emmerson Cope’s no-hitter led the Washburn Rural to a 10-0 victory over Blue Valley in Thursday's Class 6A state quarterfinal softball game.
Everything was clicking for Washburn Rural on Thursday at the Shawnee Mission District Softball Complex. The defense was nearly perfect and the offense took care of its business in just five innings of work.
Junior Emmerson Cope pitched a no-hitter with eight strikeouts as Washburn Rural opened the Class 6A state tournament with a 10-0 win. [File photo/TSN]
“We came out and made a statement,” Washburn Rural coach Liz Stover said. “Our girls have been working to get to this tournament the entire season. I’m proud of the way they came out and showed everyone what kind of team we are. It was an important win for us and we are shifting our focus to tomorrow’s game.”
Cope cruised through Blue Valley’s lineup on Thursday morning. Cope fanned eight Tiger batters, didn’t allow a hit, didn’t give up any free passes and boosted the Junior Blues' momentum in the quest for a state title.
Cope worked her way through several full counts and high-pressure scenarios by throwing devastating strikeout pitches and letting her defense take care of business.
“I just needed to keep my composure today,” Cope said. “Blue Valley came out right away really energetic and hyped. I knew I just needed to settle down and let the defense do the work. Last year we didn’t make it past quarterfinals, so today I needed to do my best to make sure that we weren’t going home today.”
At one point in the contest, Cope was trying to pitch her way out of a full count against Blue Valley's first baseman Ava Bloyd. In the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Washburn Rural catcher Ryanne Rapp called a crucial timeout. Rapp’s intelligent timeout and Cope’s arm sat down Bloyd and that would set the tone for the remainder of the day.
“Emmerson (Cope) is always impressive,” Stover said. “For someone like her to go out there and step up the way she did, it means the world to this team. Her performances over the year and today make it easier for our offense to relax at the plate. We can relax because we know we have stellar pitching behind us.”
Washburn Rural had a pair of four-run innings that provided serious insurance for its defense. Cope, Campbell Bagshaw and Mikaila Herring each plated two runs. Baylee Dial, Kaci Bath and Emily Louderback each brought in a run as well
“I was really proud of how well our team hit today,” Bagshaw said. “We are well aware that we are facing the best pitchers in the state this week and we need to play our best. To come out and hit like we did today gave us confidence for the rest of this week.”
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
SHAWNEE MISSION – Nija Canady’s 14-strikeout performance boosted Topeka High passed Olathe North 6-0 in a Class 6A softball state quarterfinal on Thursday.
Topeka High wasn’t complete offensively until the midpoint of the contest at the Shawnee Mission District Softball Complex. It took the offense a while to click, but the defense was able to hold a previously red hot Olathe North team.
Topeka High senior NiJaree Canady pitched the Trojans to a 6-0 Class 6A state tournament win on Thursday, striking out 14 batters. [File photo/TSN]
Leading the Trojans' defensive pack was Canady. Canady pitched a complete-game shutout in Thursday night’s blistering cold game. Canady pitched seven innings, allowing three hits, not giving up any free passes and fanning 14 Eagle batters.
“I want to thank my team for today,” Canady said. “When you can get six runs as quickly as the offense did today, it helps me out a lot as a pitcher. I pitched with a lot of confidence. Even if I had a bad pitch or a bad inning, I knew my teammates were going to be there to back me up. We don’t play tomorrow if my teammates didn’t show up the way they did today. I’m excited to get back out there tomorrow with everyone.”
At one point of the shutout, Canady struck out seven batters in a row. Olathe North appeared to grow frustrated with each Canady strikeout.
“(Nija) was dominant today,” Topeka High coach Shane Miles said. “She hadn’t pitched in two weeks before today’s game. To come out and pitch the way she did today was a blessing. She will be ready to go tomorrow to pitch for us, too.”
Topeka High’s battery duo of Canady and Alesia Alvarez has been a noticeably good connection all season long. Alvarez was able to help guide Canady to her shutout and has been an integral part of High’s rotational success in the 2022 campaign.
“I think we pretty much have a flawless defense,” Alvarez said. “We had one error in the first inning, but we were able to bounce back from that relatively quickly. There was a lot of pressure put on us to win this game. I feel like we are sometimes tense at the beginning of our games, but once we settle in our defense and offense are amazing. I’m happy to get back out there with Nija and the team tomorrow.”
As Alvarez stated, the bats were tense at the beginning of the state quarterfinal contest. It took four innings for Topeka High to plate in runs and even get a hit.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Topeka High was able to gain some momentum from the bats of Alvarez and McCall Beall. Alvarez and Beall were able to bring two runners home and Topeka High looked terrific from that point on.
In the next inning, High lit up the scoreboard in dramatic fashion.
