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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Tae Thomas ended her senior regular season the way she thought she was going to with her three goals in Topeka High’s 7-1 Senior Night soccer win over Emporia at Hummer Sports Park.
“I told myself before the game that it would be nice to get a hat trick in my last (regular-season) game,” Thomas said. “These past four years now have been great. Being on this team is a different environment compared to the other sports that I have played. I wouldn't be where I am today without all of the great teammates helping me get all of these wonderful opportunities in soccer and in life.
“Soccer holds a special place in my heart and it’s going to hurt when it’s all said and done.”
Tae Thomas scored a three-goal hat trick on Senior Night as Topeka High rolled to a 7-1 win over Emporia Thursday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
High’s Senior Night was a special night for everyone involved, as four out of five Trojan seniors were able to score a goal to help cap off their time as a member of the Topeka High soccer team.
“Tonight was just so special for our senior group,” Topeka High coach Derek Snook said. “We were looking to our seniors to score goals for us from the get-go. Tae’s night was huge and everyone else played great. This was a great way to end Senior Night and I am proud of what they have done for us.”
The Trojans finished the regular season with an 11-5 record.
“The seniors that are leaving are my best friends, so the day has been emotional for us,” Cierra Carranza said. “Seeing them about to go is just a shock. We’ve had so much chemistry over the last few years. The seniors are going to go succeed wherever they go next. I want to go see them grow up more and succeed, but I will miss them every day.”
High couldn’t have pictured a better send-off for their seniors and a segue into regionals after taking a couple of tough losses against Seaman and Washburn Rural.
“We did some great things today,” Snook said. “Hopefully, we found ourselves again. We were rolling and winning a lot before those two losses and I think after tonight our girls put us in a great spot again. We are playing for each other again instead of playing individually.
“This should get us on track and ready to go for regionals.”
After scoring two goals in the previous two games, High was able to dominate Emporia with seven in one night.
The Trojans' defense also stepped up in a big way against the Spartans. The defense allowed nine combined goals in their previous small losing streak, but only gave up one on Thursday night.
High’s career night started 1:15 into the first half when Luxanna Sands would set up Thomas for a quick goal.
Sands would drive in a goal for herself 6:22 later. She would score by a way of a header. At this point, it seemed like Topeka High was back.
Topeka High would add on one more goal before the halftime break. Maribelle Belaire-Serna would get an assist from Carranza and the Trojans would have an overwhelming three-goal lead going into the locker room at the half.
Similar to Thomas, Adrianne “Ace” Caracioni would score a goal right when the first whistle blew. 1:48 in the second half, Caracioni would increase the lead to four when she knocked in a penalty kick.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Coming off of a city championship last week, Washburn Rural added the Centennial League swimming dhampionship on Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
While Washburn Rural couldn’t secure any individual first-place finishes, the Junior Blues were able to finish in the top five a dozen times, boosting the Junior Blues to a 418-401 win over Manhattan in the team race.
Washburn Rural's swim team celebrates in the Capitol Federal Natatorium pool on Thursday after winning the Centennial League championship. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Washburn Rural's swim coaches dive into the pool Thursday to celebrate the Centennial League title with their team. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
“They met all of our expectations today,” Washburn Rural coach Bob Burdick said. “They swam well today and dropped times. The girls raced well today. We missed a few first places by a smidge of a second. Manhattan gave us a heck of a meet. They were competing with us side by side. Manhattan was close, but we prevailed and I’m happy we did.”
A total of seven Washburn Rural swimmers’ earned either first-team or second-team all-league recognition.
Seaman finished in third place and posted six first-place finishes to gear up for city competition. Vikings Gabby Grace, Tauren Walz, Joslynn Grace and Avery Walz’s efforts earned them first-team all-league berths.
“All of the good competition motivated the team and me today,” Gabby Grace said. “That motivation will carry us into state and hopefully we can go do our best. Personally, I want to try and place in the top five in my events at state. As a team, we want to place in the top three at state.
“Individually and as a team we still have goals we want to accomplish.”
Four-time Topeka West state title winner Kadence Jeffries continued to be one of the most dominant swimmers in the state with a first-team all-league spot and two league titles in the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.38) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:03.76).
“I feel incredibly proud of myself,” Jeffries said. “Going into today, I was just trying to get as close to the times I had set last week as close as possible. The fact that I was able to cut off some time today just feels incredible. I’d like to cut off a second of each of my times going into state. I’m still trying to give it my all and do the best I can.”
Class 6A’s No. 1-ranked diver, Brianna Devlin of Topeka High, kept rolling with her stellar season.
Devlin won the Centennial League diving championship with her diving score of 461.95. Devlin wasn’t satisfied with her league championship win, but she’ll take it.
“Today wasn’t my best day, but it wasn’t my worst day,” Devlin said. “This year has been a long journey of events. When I started the season, I didn’t expect to end up as a league champion. I’m taking each day at a time and whatever happens, happens.”
The Class 6A and 5A-1A state championships will take place at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center on May 19-21.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Another outstanding regular season put Washburn Rural's girls soccer team in the best possible position for the upcoming Class 6A postseason.
Washburn Rural capped a 13-2-1 regular season Thursday with a 3-0 Centennial League win over Hayden on Senior Night at McElroy Field, clinching the outright league title while earning the top West seed for the playoffs.
Hayden sophomore Lauren Sandstrom (12) and Washburn Rural senior Emma Krueger (15) chase after a loose ball in Thursday's regular-season finale. Krueger scored Rural's final goal in a 3-0 win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Belle Kennedy tries to catch up to a loose ball in Thursday's 3-0 Senior Night win over Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Now Brian Hensyel's Junior Blues wil try to take advantage of that enviable spot, beginning with next Tuesday's regional opener.
"I'm proud of the body of work during our regular season,'' Hensyel said. "You can win league, you can get the top seed and we have an in-season tournament and we did all those things, so obviously the regular season has been phenomenal.
"But most of these girls were on the team last year when we took third and were disappointed not getting to the end so that's what we're shooting for, to play our best soccer in the next couple of weeks.''
The Junior Blues scored the onlly goal they would need at the 15:10 mark of the first half, with junior Mackinly Rohn scoring off a pass from senior Belle Kennedy.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural tennis coach Kevin Hedberg will bring down the curtain on a legendary coaching career in Friday and Saturday's Class 6A state tournament at College Boulevard Activity Center, but Hedberg is doing his best to put the significance of the weekend aside and concentrate on his team and the task at hand.
"I don't really think about that,'' Hedberg said of his impending retirement after 43 years. "I just hope we play well. If you survive to Saturday you've had a good run.
"It's been a terrific year. The girls season was terrific and the boys season has matched it. The city tie with West and the (Centennial) League championship and the regional championship were great and we played our best last Friday as a team and that's always a good thing.''
Longtime Washburn Rural tennis coach Kevin Hedberg (left) will close out his legendary coaching career in this weeken's Class 6A boys state tennis tournament. [File photo/TSN]L
Hedberg just wants to relish one last weekend with his beloved Junior Blues.
"The boys are really excited (about state),'' Hedberg said. "It's been a wonderful group, really diverse, different interests and really good, successful kids in a lot of different areas.''
Undefeated senior singles player Mason Thieu said the Junior Blues want to do everything they can to send Hedberg off with one last memorable performance.
"It's definitely tough,'' Thieu said. "I feel a little more pressure to do well for him for his last year. We're just trying to enjoy every minute of it.
"We're just trying to take every step of the way and enjoy every step. Winning everything so far has been nice because we're sending him off on a good note.''
Senior Nick Luetje, who teamed with senior Kyler Knudtson to win the regional doubles title, agreed.
"It kind of is (sad), but considering the postseason run that we've had so far, it's really special that he's going to go out with a senior class and a team like we have right now,'' Luetje said. "We've obviously got one more meet and we've just got to go do what we've done all year, which is hopefully to come back with a KSHSAA trophy so he can leave on a high note.''
Hedberg has coached five state championship teams at Rural (four boys and one girls), as well as singles and doubles champions in both boys and girls tennis and a long list of city and Centennial League title teams.
Rural qualfied its entire team for state, with Thieu (24-0) and junior Mason Casebeer (23-5) finishing one-two at singles while Luetje and Knudtson improved to 18-4 with their regional title and seniors Jiyoon Park and Zach Willingham (19-6) finished third.
Luetje, a returning state placer, said that Rural is extremely close knit as a team, largely because of the 70-year-old Hedberg, who is finishing his 32nd season at Rural after 11 years at Seaman.
"I think what really makes him special for us as a team is that he has really made us buy into the team mentality,'' Luetje said. "At regionals we played a really tough match against a really good team from Manhattan and all of our guys are cheering for us and we come off the court and we cheer along with Hedberg for our guys that are still out on the court along. I think buying into the team itself has really helped us and has really helped our top six jell together really well. I think we're all considered family at this point because we've been around each other so long and are around each other so much.
"We love each other's company and it's obviously going to be sad when he leaves but I think it will be a great sendoff for such a great coach.''
State competition will get under way at 10:30 a.m. Friday and will continue at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
CLASS 5A AT KOSSOVER TENNIS CENTER
Ten city players earned berths for Friday and Saturday's 5A state tournament at Kossover Tennis Center, led by regional team champion Topeka West, which qualified its entire team.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Seaman standout Dalton Cowan, Rossville product Dawson Hammes and Topeka High grad Corey Thomas has been selected as Emporia State football team captains for the 2022 season.
Former Seaman star Dalton Cowan earned second-team All-MIAA honors at stinger back for Emporia State last fall. [Photo courtesy of Emporia State Athletics]
Former Rossville star Dawson Hammes will serve as a team captain for Emporia State's football team for the second straight season this fall. [Photo courtesy of ESU Athletics]
Former Topeka High standout Corey Thomas earned All-MIAA honorable mention for Emporia State last season as a receiver. [Photo courtesy of ESU Athletics]
Cowan, an S-back, linebacker Hammes and receiver Thomas also served as captains for the Hornets last season.
Also selected as captains were safety Jaedon Pool, quarterback Braden Gleason and offensive lineman Conner Lierz.
The captains are selected from the group of Iron Hornet Officers and voted on by the entire team.
Gleason and Lierz are in their first year as team captains while Pool joined Cowan, Hammes and Thomas as a captain in 2021.
