- Details
THE PENNANT PLAYER PROFILE
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Zach Willis will go down in history as one of Washburn University's all-time best running backs, currently ranking 11th all-time in career rushing yards.
It turns out that the 5-foot-8, 210-pound senior is just as talented in an art studio.
And although football-toting art majors may be a rarity, the Belton, Mo. native has an equal appreciation and love for both.
"When I was in elementary school I was already thinking critically about art and what people might like,'' Willis said. "Throughout the years I kind of got away from it and then when I got into college I started thinking, 'Get back to your roots and what really made you who you are,' and here I am today.''
A lot of Willis' Ichabod teammates may not understand his attraction to art, but Willis, the second-leading rusher for the 7-2 Ichabods, feels like his two passions are a perfect complement for each other.
"It's really cool how they both relate because I'm always thinking critcally on, 'What could I have done better with this or that?' '' said Willis, who will graduate in December. "They go hand in hand for me, just making sure I'm always creating my best work. I'm always trying to be creative on the football field and in the classroom.''
Willis' art is currently on display on campus in his "Layout to Super Structure'' exhibition and Willis said it's been a thrill for him to see how his teammates and coaches have reacted to seeing his art -- both prints and sculptures -- for the first time.
"No one really understood why I was in art, so when they came in here and got to see things that I created and seeing what kind of career paths you can get into with art, they were like, 'Oh wow! You can do a lot with that,' '' said Willis, who wants to be an architectural illustrator and drafter. "It's funny to see how people don't really think that much of art until they're actually in here.
"Just seeing how big their eyes got and how they gained a whole new appreciation for art was really cool to me.''
Willis was particularly pleased with how his football coach, Craig Schurig, reacted to seeing Willis' work off the gridiron.
"When he walked in it kind of looked like Christmas morning to him,'' Willis said with a big smile. "He was not expecting there to be that many pieces and he was really supportive. When he saw it he was just telling everybody about it afterwards.''
Willis' exhibit contains a wide variety of works, but he said they all also have a common theme.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Emporia State linebacker, a former Rossville standout, has earned MIAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors for his play in the Hornets' 15-12 come-from-behind win at Fort Hays State last Saturday.
Hammes led Emporia State's defense with 12 tackles against Fort Hays State, with two of his tackles coming on the Tigers' final drive while they were driving for a potential game- tying or winning score.
Hammes had a touchdown-saving tackle after a 29-yard gain on second down with under a minute left and then was in on the third down stop with 25 seconds left.
As a team the Hornets held the Tigers, the second-ranked passing team in the MIAA, to under 150 passing yards.
Northwest Missouri’s Mike Hohensee was named the offensive athlete of the week and Pittsburg State’s Cross Holmes was named the special teams athlete of the week.
Hohensee passed for 270 yards (14 of-18, three touchdowns) and rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown as he led Northwest to a 66-13 Homecoming win over No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney.
Holmes tied the Pittsburg State single-game record for the second time this season by booting four field goals in Pitt State’s 26-20 victory over Central Oklahoma. The freshman kicker matched his season long kick by connecting on a 54-yard field goal with 2:24 to play in the first quarter. He converted four of five field goals on the day, also making kicks from 25, 35 and 49 yards in the game.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural and Hayden will be out to turn good 2021 boys soccer seasons into great ones Tuesday night.
Unbeaten Rural (17-0-0) will host Derby (15-1-2) in a 6 p.m. Class 6A state quarterfinal at McElroy Field, while Hayden (13-6-0) will go on the road for a 6 p.m. 4A-1A quarterfinal at Augusta (16-2-0).
With wins the Junior Blues and Wildcats will advance to the final four in their respective state tournaments Friday and Saturday at Olathe's College Boulevard Activity Center (6A) and Hummer Sports Park (4A-1A) and assure themselves of top-four state finishes.
Coming off an uncharacteristic 5-11-0 season a year ago, Klaus Kreutzer's Wildcats have bounced back this season to earn a berth in the state quarters with a 4-0 win over Independence last Thursday at the Sunflower Soccer Complex.
"It's a tribute to (the team),'' Kreutzer said. "We had a really tough year last year and I think they've worked hard and have been aggressive about it. Hopefully we can go make it count.''
Junior Chris Hayes scored a pair of goals in Hayden's win over Independence, while the Wildcats also got goals from juniors Jake Muller and Nick Padilla and senior Gabe Rankey recorded the shutout in goal.
Other 4A-1A state quarterfinals include Wichita Trinity (13-5-0) at Coffeyville (14-4-0), Bishop Miege (10-8-0) at Kansas City Christian (13-4-1) and Tonganoxie (11-6-1) at Eudora (13-4-1).
Washburn Rural is in familiar territory after finishing fourth at state last season.
The Junior Blues got a tough battle from Wichita East in their regional final, but advanced on an own goal and a dominating defensive effort. Senior Wyatt Arnold recorded the shutout in goal.
Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel was not surprised that Thursday's game was a nail-biter.
"Once you get past the first round the games are going to be tight and everybody who's left has found ways to win games,'' Hensyel said after Thursday's win. "We expected a tough game (Thursday) and we're just glad to advance. We didn't play our best but we played good enough to win.''
Senior Porter Schafersman leads the Junior Blues with 23 goals and 13 assists while Arnold has posted nine shutouts.
Other 6A quarterfinal matchups include Blue Valley Northwest (7-10-1) at Olathe Northwest (14-3-1), Olathe West (10-7-1) at Shawnee Mission West (11-4-3) and Wichita North (16-1-1) at Dodge City (17-0-1).
State tournament semifinals will be played at 5 and 7 p.m. Friday followed by the third-place and championship games at 12 and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five Shawnee Heights volleyball players have earned All-United Kansas Conference recognition for the 2021 season, led by junior first-team selection Emily Loy.
Shawnee Heights seniors Kali Henry and Taryn Dial were named to the All-UKC second team and juniors Ellie Curry and Taylor Rottinghaus earned honorable mention.
Class 5A state champion Lansing put three players on the first team, including UKC player of the year Caitlin Bishop, a senior.
Lansing's Lindsay Zych was named the coach of the year.
ALL-UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
CAMDEN BARTA, Seaman
Barta, a senior quarterback, scored the game's first touchdown on a 77-yard run and went on to a huge night in Seaman's 57-6 Class 5A home playoff win over Emporia Friday night. Barta finished the game with 318 passing yards and four touchdown passes on an 18 of 22 performance and added 87 rushing yards on just four carries as Seaman improved to 6-3 on the season.
CARTER BRIAN, Cair Paravel Latin
A senior quarterback, Brian completed 16 of 24 passes for 235 yards and six touchdowns as Cair Paravel moved to 9-0 on the season with Friday's 50-0 win over the Manhattan Eagles. Brian has now passed for 1,758 yards and 42 touchdowns on the season while completing 98 of 139 attempts without an interception.
MADELINE CARTER, Washburn Rural
Carter completed an outstanding junior season with a seventh-place individual finish in Saturday's Class 6A state cross country meet in a five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 35.2 seconds. A two-time state medalist, Carter led the Junior Blues to a fourth-place team finish.
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
A two-time Class 5A state medalist, Druse completed her junior season with a sixth-place finish in the Class 5A state cross country meet in a time of 19:10.4. Druse, who led Seaman to a fourth-place team finish on Saturday, finished ninth at state as a sophomore.
GILES FREDERICKSON, Washburn Rural
A senior place-kicker, Frederickson went 7 of 7 on extra-point kicks in Rural's 52-7 Class 6A playoff victory over Wichita West Friday night. After suffering a bite from a copperhead snake four weeks ago, Frederickson has returned to kick 13 of 13 PATs the past two weeks and is 89 of 91 in his career.
TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden
Newkirk, a senior, earned his fourth Class 4A state medal with his third top-three finish in Saturday's state cross country meet, taking third place individually in 16:24.3. Newkirk, who captured city, Centennial League and regional titles this fall, previously posted state finishes of 12th as a freshman, second as a sophomore and first as a junior.