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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For as long as she can remember, Makinsey Jones has been a Kansas State fan.
Now the Topeka West senior volleyball star is set to become a member of the Wildcat family.
Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones (10), celebrating a kill earlier this season, has made an oral commitment to Kansas State's volleyball program. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Jones, a star 6-foot-1 hitter, confirmed to TopSports.news Tuesday night that she has made an oral commitment to Suzie Fritz's K-State program and plans to sign with the Wildcats during the NCAA signing period.
"My family went there so I've always liked K-State and I feel like it's a really good family there and everybody there, they're so welcoming,'' Jones said. "When I'm at West and I'm playing, that's how I feel like it is at K-State.''
Kansas State made an offer in July for Jones to join the program as a walk-on before recently upgrading that to a scholarship offer.
"I went there on a visit last week and I committed last Friday,'' Jones said.
Jones said she had also been considering NCAA Division II power Washburn University as well as Hutchinson Community College, but when Kansas State offered a scholarship that sealed the deal.
"I had some other options, but I feel like that (a scholarship) is what really helped,'' Jones said.
Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones, a returning All-Shawnee County first-team volleyball pick, has orally committed to Kansas State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
As a junior, Jones earned first-team All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League recognition after helping lead the Chargers to a breakthrough 27-10 season.
Jones registered 246 kills on the season for Topeka West while also finishing with 51 solo blocks as the Chargers put together what is believed to be the best season in school history.
With her college choice out of the way Jones said she's now looking forward to making the most of her senior year at Topeka West.
"It's a relief,'' she said. "It feels like now I can breathe and I can relax a little more.
"I want to make first team again and since we're in a new league (United Kansas Conference) it might be a little more challenging.''
Jones, also a Class 5A state medalist in track and field as a junior, said she also wants to continue to make improvements in her game as she prepares for college volleyball.
"I just want to be more aware on the court and with my placement,'' Jones said..
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There was no shortage of scoring opportunities for Topeka High's soccer team Monday night against Topeka West, beginning early in the contest.
But it took a while for the Trojans to find the back of the net before turning the tide with three second-half goals in a 4-2 non-league victory over the Chargers at Hummer Sports Park.
Topeka West's Lenny Njoroge (left) and Topeka High' Chris Gomez race for the ball Monday night at Hummer Sports Park. Both players scored goals in the Trojans' 4-2 win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High's Alexis Salas-Garcia (left) advances the ball against Topeka West's Harrison Lane in Monday's 4-2 Trojan win over the Chargers. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High, which improved to 3-2 on the year, trailed twice in the game, including a 2-1 halftime deficit, before dominating the second half.
"We did find a way,'' Topeka High coach Derek Snook said. "I went ahead and threw out a new formation at them because these boys kept saying they wanted to attack, wanted to attack, wanted to attack and quite honestly we haven't hit the back of the net with much regularity.
"We've had our chances, just like early on when we missed a couple of point-blanks, missed a couple of passes here and there and then just go spun out defensively. Topeka West always has runners up front and they did a great job of counter-attacking.''
Topeka West (0-6) drew first blood at the 29:05 mark of the first half on a shot from junior Isaac Gonzalez-Talavera off an assist from junior Brendan Komma, but Topeka High squared the match with 21:13 left in the half on a goal from junior Chris Gomez.
Senior Lenny Njoroge made the score 2-1 West with 16:39 left in the half and the Chargers maintained that advantage through the remainder of the half.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman senior golf star Lois Deeter broke 70 in last Thursday's Seaman Invitational at Village Greens, shooting a 69 to take medalist honors.
Lois Deeter posted her second individual title of the seasson in last Thursday's Seaman Invitatinoal, shooting a 69. [File photo/TSN]
Thursday's win was Deeter's second on the season and helped the Vikings finish second to Emporia (321-332) as a team.
Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman finished fourth individually with a 79 while Hayden freshman Izzy Glotzbach tied for fifth with an 82.
Seaman's Jaycee Zimmerman tied for seventh with an 83 while Hayden's Avery Grunert and Seaman's Avery Samuelson tied or ninth place with 84s.
Hayden finished third as a team at 347 while Shawnee Heights finished fifth at 389.
The T-Birds were led by Karlyn Bowman with a 94 and Rachel Donaldson with a 95.
FINK PACES RURAL HARRIERS
Washburn Rural sophomore Payton Fink placed sixth out of 210 runners to lead the Junior Blue girls cross country team in Saturday's Olathe North Twilight Invitational at the Olathe District Athletic Complex.
Payton Fink
Fink clocked a five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 29.40 seconds to lead Rural to a fifth-place team finish.
Sophomore Rylee Ismert also posted a top-20 finish for the Junior Blues, finishing 19th in 19:16.20.
Seniors Davin Johnson (16:21.20) and Grayson Fink (16:35.80) finished 46th and 55th in the boys race for Rural, which finishe 13th as a team.
WRENCH POSTS TOP-20 SHOWING AT WAMEGO
Hayden sophomore girls standout Elliot Wrench finished 20th individually in last Saturday's Wamego Invitational at Wamego Country Club.
Wrench clocked a time of 22:09.50 to lead the Wildcats.
Hayden's boys finished seventh as a team, with junior Aiden Amis finishing 21st (17:48.80) and senior Jake Muller 23rd (17:51.00) out of 119 runners.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Allen Baughman
ALLEN BAUGHMAN, Shawnee Heights
Baughman, a junior running back, turned in a career-best performance in Shawnee Heights' 46-23 United Kansas Conference football win over Lansing last Friday. Baughman, a 5-foot-8, 180-pounder, carried the ball 22 times for 222 yards and five touchdowns for the T-Birds, who evened their record at 1-1 overall and in the UKC.
Easton Bradstreet
EASTON BRADSTREET, Washburn Rural
A senior, Bradstreet scored four goals in a game for the second time in four games, leading the Junior Blues to a 5-0 non-league soccer victory over De Soto last Thursday at McElroy Field. Bradstreet has now scored at least one goal in every game this season and has 11 goals on the year.
Grant Bruner
GRANT BRUNER, Washburn University
Bruner, a 6-foot, 220-pound senior linebacker, had a career-high 23 tackles (11 solo) with two interceptions for 10 return yards in Washburn University's 40-32 road win at Central Missouri last Thursday, including 17 total tackles in the second half. The 23 tackles by Bruner were the most by an Ichabod since Casey Curran had 22 against Missouri Western in 2009.
Ryin Miller
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
A freshman, Miller claimed her first individual championship in last Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational cross country meet while helping lead the Vikings to the team title by 27-45 margin over Lee's Summit West, Mo. Miller clocked a winning five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 01.22 seconds, knocking 90 seconds off her time from the previous week. .
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Highland Park
Richardson, a senior, scored eight touchdowns Friday night as Highland Park ran its record to 2-0 with a 48-29 Meadowlark Conference road victory at Kansas City-Schlagle. Richardson has now had a hand in 14 touchdowns in the first two weeks of the season for the Scots.
Ty Weber
TY WEBER, Washburn Rural
A senior linebacker, Weber was in on 24 tackles last Friday night as Washburn Rural improved to 2-0 with a come-from-behind 28-21 non-league road victory at De Soto. Weber was the TopSports.news Shawnee County defensive player of the year in 2021.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Washburn Rural star Belle Kennedy scored a pair of goals Sunday at Yager Stadium as Washburn University soccer improved to 5-0-1 on the season with a 2-1 MIAA victory over Nebraska-Kearney.
Kennedy, the Class 6A midfielder of the year in 2021 and 2022, scored the first two goals of the game to put the Ichabods up 2-0 before the Lopers (0-5-1) got on the scoreboard late.
Washburn freshman Belle Kennedy scored a pair of goals in the Ichabods' 2-1 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday at Yager Stadium. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn remains unbeaten through six games for the first time since 2006.
After a slow start offensively for both teams, the Ichabods increased their offensive tempo in the final 20 minutes of the first half, recording seven total shots in the first 45 minutes.
In the 27th minute, Riley Wells maneuvered down the right sideline before delivering a ball to Kennedy in the middle of the field, which was deposited in the top right corner of the net for the first goal.
