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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No matter what Hayden's football team did Friday night at Wellsville, it probably wasn't going to be real pretty.
After all, the Wildcats and Eagles were playing their second-round Class 3A playoff game in cold, windy, rainy, slippery conditions on a natural grass field.
Hayden senior JC Cummings (38) had a big night on both sides of the ball as the Wildcats rallied for a 22-19 Class 3A playoff win over Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Finn Dunshee jumpstarted Hayden with an 80-yard kickoff return as the Wildcats rallied for a 22-19 Class 3A playoff win at Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
And although 9-1 Hayden had several first-half misplays that gave the Eagles short fields, the Wildcats did what they had to in order to extend their 2022 season, rallying for a 22-19 win while handing Wellsville its first loss of the year.
"We talked about it before the game ever got started that there's going to be ups and downs in this thing and don't get too high, don't get too low,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said in a phone interview. "You tip your hat off to our kids, they kept fighting and did whatever it took to get a win. It's all about survive and advance right now.''
Wellsville opened up a 13-0 advantage late in the opening quarter on Nash Money's second touchdown, but junior Finn Dunshee gave the Wildcats the spark they needed with a kickoff return of approximately 80 yards to get Hayden on the board.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's defense set the tone for the night when it scored the game's first touchdown on a JC Heim recovey in the end zone with five minutes left in the opening quarter and the Junior Blues never looked back on the way to a 34-7 road win over Garden City Friday night in a second-round Class 6A playoff game.
Washburn Rural junior JC Heim (25) scored the game's first touchdown on a defensive TD as the Junior Blues rolled to a 34-7 Class 6A playoff win at Garden City. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior quarterback Branton DeWeese (left) and senior Ma'kenttis Adams had big games in Friday's 34-7 Class 6A playoff win at Garden City. [File photo/TSN]
In fact, it there was anything disappointing about Friday's romp to the 6A state quarterfinals it was that the Rural 'D' didn't quite get the shutout it so richly deserved.
"I get all kinds of dirtly looks from them when we have the young guys in on that one,'' Rural coach Steve Buhler joked in a phone interview. "(Garden City) had 137 yards rushing in the game and they got 67 of it on that last touchdown play that they had, so the kids are playing outstanding. They're just playing really well right now and the nice thing about it is they're playing with a lot of discipline.''
After 8-2 Washburn Rural opened up a 34-0 lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Branton DeWeese to Ty Weber with 8:06 remaining, Garden City (7-3) finally got on the scoreboard inside the final two minutes on a long TD run against Junior Blue reserves, but it didn't matter as the game had long been decided.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's soccer team will play for third place in the Class 6A state tournament at 12 p.m. Saturday at Wichita's Stryker Complex after a tight 1-0 semifinal loss to Mill Valley Friday night.
Jaxon Padilla (6), Easton Bradstreet (13) and Cayden Lee (3) are part of a six-member Washburn Rural soccer senior class that will close out their high school career in Saturday's Class 6A third-place game at Wichita. [File photo/TSN]
The Junior Blues, now 16-4, will play previously-unbeaten Dodge City in the third-place match after the Red Demons (19-1-0) dropped a 3-2 semifinal decision to Olathe West in Friday's first semifinal.
Olathe West (18-2-0) will face off with Mill Valley (16-1-1) for the state championship at approximately 2 p.m. Saturday.
Washburn Rural was in the hunt throughout its semifinal contest with Mill Valley, but the Jaguars made a goal with 2:46 remaining in the first half hold up the rest of the game, which was played indoors due to inclement weather.
The Junior Blues are making their third straight appearance in the 6A final four, finishing second in 2021.
Washburn Rural's six-member senior class of Easton Bradstreet, Cayden Lee, Jaxon Padilla, Rishi Sandir, Ty Stead and Aaron Tinajero will close out their high school career in the third-place game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's football team will close out its 2022 home season against undefeated and No. 5-ranked Pittsburg State in Saturday's 1 p.m. Senior Day game at Yager Stadium, with the Ichabods set to honor 21 seniors.
Former Shawnee Heights standout Christian Clark (25) is one of 21 seniors who will be recognized on Washburn's Senior Day Saturday at Yager Stadium. [File photo/TSN]
Former Washburn Rural standout Hunter Browning will be honored during Saturday's Senior Day festivities at Yager Stadium. [File photo/TSN]
Among the honorees are WU record-holder James Letcher Jr. and national tackles leader Grant Bruner as well as former Topeka prep standouts Hunter Browning (Washburn Rural), Christian Clark (Shawnee Heights), Jack Hamilton (Washburn Rural) and Collin Wilson (Washburn Rural) and Peter Afful, Kevin Neal Jr., Derrick McClendon, Nicholas Wright, Jamison Phelps, Micah Skebo, Channon Ross, Brendan Harden, Jared Taylor, Peyton Lane, Alex Thomas, Landen Urban, Braden Rose, Je'Shon Edwards and Daniel Piburn.
Many of this year's seniors have been a part of the Washburn program for at least four years, including the canceled 2020 season due to COVID, an NCAA Playoffs appearance in 2021 and its third straight winning season this fall.
"This group is a special group,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said. "Because of COVID you went through that together and a lot of them have been around for five, six falls. You've gotten to know them really well and the ups and downs and you've been through a year that didn't exist football-wise and you had to battle through that.
"It's such a great group. A lot of them have graduated and they're going to be on to their careers after we're done this season so it's a very close-knit group.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural seniors Avery Scott and Mallory Nelson and Hayden junior Hannah Reynoldson earned first-team spots on the 2022 All-Centennial League girls golf team, based on performances in the league tournament.
Avery Scott
Mallory Nelson
Hannah Reynoldson
League champion Emporia put Avary Eckert, Olivia Eckert and Elise Eckert on the all-league firt team, with A. Eckert being named the league player of the year after winning the indiviual championship and Spartan coach Rick Eckert being named the Centennial coach o the year.
Washburn Rural, the runner-up in the league meet, put Raegan Petersen and Natalie Peterson on the all-league second team while Hayden put Avery Grunert and Izzy Glotzbach on the second team.
Rural's Lauren Cox was named the league newcomer of the year.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GOLF
First team
Avary Eckert, Emporia; Olivia Eckert, Emporia; Avery Scott, Washburn Rural; Mallory Nelson, Washburn Rural; Hannah Reynoldson, Hayden; Elise Eckert, Emporia.
Second team
Raegan Petersen, Washburn Rural; Avery Grunert, Hayden; Izzy Glotzbach, Hayden; Lily Bahr, Manhattan; Natalie Peterson, Washburn Rural; Kaitlyn Lagabed, Manhattan.
Player of the Year -- Avary Eckert, Emporia
Newcomer of the Year -- Lauren Cox, Washburn Rural
Coach of the Year -- Rick Eckert, Emporia
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