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Created: 18 April 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Emmerson Cope

EMMERSON COPE, Washburn Rural

Cope, a junior, had a big day last Tuesday as Washburn Rural took a 1-0, 8-1 Centennial League softball sweep over defending Class 6A state champion Topeka High. Cope posted a pair of complete-game pitching victories while recording a total of 15 strikeouts. At the plate Cope hit a pair of home runs and two doubles and knocked in four runs in the second game.

Jaycee Ginter

JAYCEE GINTER, Washburn University

Ginter, a sophomore pitcher/outfielder, helped the Ichabod softball team boost its winning streak to 16 straight games with weekend MIAA sweeps over Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State as the Ichabods improved to 36-11. Ginter boosted her pitching record to 23-3 with a pair of wins, including a 5-0 shutout victory over Pittsburg State.  At the plate the former Shawnee Heights star and multi-time state champ had eight hits in the four games with five runs batted in.

Makinsey Jones

MAKINSEY JONES, Topeka West

A junior, Jones posted individual wins in the girls high jump and the triple jump in last Friday's Manhattan Invitational track and field meet. Jones won the high jump with a clearance of 5 foot, 4 inches and won the triple jump at 34-7. Jones is the Shawnee County leader in both events this spring.

Tanner Newkirk

TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden

A senior, Newkirk broke the Hayden school record in the boys 1,600-meter run in last Wednesday's Little KU track and field meet at Lawrence, clocking a winning time of 4 minutes, 14.43 seconds. Newkirk also posted a second-place finish in the 800 meters, running a Shawnee County-best time of 1:57.99. Newkirk is the boys Shawnee County leader in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs.

Kinsey Perine

KINSEY PERINE, Rossville

Perine, a sophomore, hit three home runs in last Monday's 10-1, 9-8 doubleheader softball sweep over rival Silver Lake. Perine accounted for three of the Bulldawgs' six total homers on the day and also added a double for Rossville. The Bulldawgs finished the week with a sweep over St. Marys, improving to 12-0 on the season. 

 Alex Valdivia

ALEX VALDIVIA, Shawnee Heights

A junior, Valdivia captured the individual championship in last Monday's United Kansas Conference tournament at Lake Shawnee, carding an 18-hole score of 69. Valdivia led the way as Shawnee Heights won the team championship by a 18-stroke margin over runner-up De Soto. Valdivia is a returning All-Shawnee County pick and Class 5A individual state medalist.

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Created: 16 April 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University baseball hit a pair of doubles in the top of the ninth to take its first lead of Saturday's game and then closed it out with a double play to capture the come-from-behind 2-1 MIAA win at Emporia State. 
 
The Ichabods (27-14, 17-10 MIAA) have now won six of their nine MIAA series this season.

Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli delivered a game-winning double in Washburn's 2-1 win at Emporia State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
 
The Hornets (16-25, 10-17 MIAA) made some noise in their first at bat and had runners on second and third, but Washburn starter John Cross escaped the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. 
 
ESU threatened again in the bottom of the third as the first three batters reached base with two singles and a hit by pitch. Cross struck out the next two batters on three straight pitches and got out of the inning unscathed with a third  consecutive strikeout. 
 
The first run of the game was scored in the fifth by the Hornets. ESU hit a one-out triple and then loaded the bases with a hit by pitch and walk and plated a run on a sacrifice fly.

Washburn Rural product Dalton Huggins took over on the mound and on the first pitch ended the inning with a flyout. 
 
After retiring the Hornets in order in the bottom of the sixth, the Ichabods got things going in the seventh.

Brett Ingram recorded Washburn's first hit of the day with a single to left field and then advanced to second on an error.

With two outs, Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli drew a walk and Easton Brucehit a bloop single that dropped in shallow left field, allowing Ingram to score the tying run. 
 
The Washburn defense turned its second double play of the afternoon with a 3-6-3 double play and Huggins wrapped up the seventh with a strikeout. 
 
With the game still knotted up at one run apiece, Huggins kept it there in the bottom of the eighth with a 1-2-3 inning that included two strikeouts.
 
In the top of the ninth, Ingram ripped a one-out double down the left field line to get a runner in scoring position.

After recording the second out of the frame, Emporia State's starter, Noah Geekie, was pulled to face Clark-Chiapparelli. On the seventh pitch of his at bat, Clark-Chiapparelli hit a double of his own to left center to drive in the go-ahead run.
 
Rane Pfeifer was called on to close the game and got a groundout for the first out. The Hornets got a man on with a bunt single, but it was quickly erased with a game-ending 4-6-3 double play, Washburn's third double play of the afternoon.
 
Emporia State out hit Washburn, 8-4, as the Ichabods did not get a hit until the seventh. Ingram went 2 for 4 and scored both of Washburn's runs. Clark-Chiapparelli had a double, walk and RBI.
 
Cross received a no-decision in his first start of the year as he went 42/3 innings and allowed one run on six hits with two walks and a season-high seven strikeouts.

Huggins (3-0) earned the win as he worked 31/3 scoreless innings and surrendered only one single while striking out four. Pfeifer threw nine pitches in the ninth and received his first save of the year.

The Ichabods are scheduled to play at Northwest Missouri for a non-conference game on Tuesday afternoon before heading to Rogers State next weekend, April 22-24.
 

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Created: 16 April 2022

By RICK PETERSON                                                                                                              

TopSports.news

Earning induction into a hall of fame, any all of fame, is an honor in itself.

But the opporunity to enter The Topeka Tennis Association Hall of Fame class along with their late fathers was a special honor for 2022 inductees Greg Kossover and Charles Stearns.

Greg Kossover was inducted Saturday night at the Bettis Family Sports Complex along with his father, Harold, while Stearns was inducted along with his father, Gary.

 Bob Keeshan (left), Charles Stearns (center) and Greg Kossover pose for a picture Saturday night before being inducted into the Topeka Tennis Hall of Fame at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.

"It is more than a cherry on top,'' Greg Kossover said about sharing his HOF honor with his father. "That is the best part of the whole thing. How many sons would love to be doing something like this with their father?''

Greg Kossover was the top varsity player for Topeka West from 1979 to 1981, finishing his career with the most match victories in West history, including 30 wins as a senior for the Chargers. He went on to play for Emporia State from 1981 to 1985, playing No.1 one singles and doubles for the Hornets..

Kossover, who now lives in the Wichita area, was a CSIC singles and doubles champion.

Harold Kossover served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and helped forge growth in Topeka tennis in the 1960s. For 25 years, Kossover competed in every TTA adult tournament age, winning numerous titles.

Harold Kossover is the namesake for the Kossover Tennis Center in Topeka.

Stearns, who now lives in Boise, Idaho, echoed Kossover's thoughts about sharing the hall of fame honor with his father.

"It's why I'm here,'' Stearns said. "It's not about me.''

Stearns said that his father and numerous others played a big role in cementing Topeka as a tennis town over the years.

"I wrote a tiny speech because I'm not really good at speeches, but as I'm writing it, it was all about who I call the originals,'' said Stearns, who was a top player for Topeka High and a four-year varsity player at Kansas, where he served as team captain for three years. "For me, it's about making sure we don't forget the history that got us here today and learn from what they taught us.''

Also inducted Saturday as part of the class of 2022 were Bob Keeshan, the late Jim Clark and the late Gail Johnson.

"It means a lot, and I really appreciate it.'' Keeshan said of his HOF induction.

A former standout player, Keeshan has spent 41 straight years on the Topeka Tennis Association board and is a four-time past president while also serving as vice-president, secretary and treasurer.

Like Stearns, Keeshan said he is proud of Topeka tennis' legacy and said the local hall of fame is a good way to honor past players while encouraging younger tennis players.

"It's good to let the next generation see what we've done and maybe pave the way,'' Keeshan said.

Hall of Fame capsules:

Read more …

Details

Created: 16 April 2022

By KYLE MANTHE

The Washburn Review

Washburn softball’s weekend of play had it all, from a walkoff to a complete game,with the one commonality in all four that the Ichabods finished each game on top.

The perfect 4-0 weekend only accounts for a fourth of the team’s current 16-game winning streak, with the active streak the second-longest of the season for Washburn, which rattled off 17 in a row earlier.

“I see that stuff on social media and people ask but at least for me as a coach it really doesn’t mean anything to me,” said WU coach Brenda Holaday. “It’s nice to be towards the end of the season and realize that you are playing for something.”

Jaden LaBarge knocked in 10 runs on the weekend as Washburn prolonged its winning streak to 16 games. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

Washburn star sophomore pitcher Jaycee Ginter improved to 23-3 with a pair of weekend victories. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

Prior to the weekend games the Ichabods (36-11) received votes in the NFCA top-25 poll, landing at 33. Holaday is happy about the recognition but wants to focus on conference and regional rankings.

“I think it’s respect,” Holaday said. “I think our kids have earned that respect so I am happy for them. I don’t spend a lot of time on it but I do think it’s a message of respect for your team,”

The pair of sweeps moved Washburn to 18-2 in MIAA play and up to second in the conference, passing Rogers State which lost three straight.

“I knew we were good but it kind of surprised me,” said freshman Jaden LaBarge who had 10 runs batted in on the weekend. “I figured every team would have their ups and downs, I mean we have had ups and downs, but so far we have been pretty good at keeping it {going}.”

The Ichabods finished the weekend with a perfect 22-0 record at home after entering the weekend with one of the five longest home winning streaks in all of Division II.

Washburn was scoreless for six innings in Game 1 of the weekend Friday against Missouri Southern and former Shawnee Heights standout Jaycee Ginter allowed four runs in her seven innings of work.

A home run from Ashton Friend drove home Ginter to begin the comeback.

LaBarge started her big weekend with a two-run single to tie the game and Sante Fe Trail product Marrit Mead delivered the game-winning walk-off double to take the 5-4 win.

“We are a team that doesn’t give up until the end,” Mead said. “I was just trying to get it on the right side so that our runners could move and score.”

“I just let them play,” Holaday said. “As a coach I was sort of curious to see how they would respond with that much pressure on them in the last inning and they did really well.”

Ginter, who leads Division II with 23 wins, earned number 22 after the comeback.

The Ichabods jumped ahead and never looked back in Game 2 against Southern, getting third inning RBI from Paige Robbins, Ginter and Friend.

LaBarge knocked in four runs in the game, two in the fifth and two in the sixth, Ginter and Friend each added one more and Patterson plated one in the fifth and sixth, the second one to finish the game after six innings with an 11-3 victory.

Washburn got a strong start from Ashlie Thissen, who threw 5.1 innings and allowed just three runs, improving her record to 4-0 on the year.

“I think that second game might be as well as we have played all year … we still had a couple of miscues on defense but I thought we were really tough at the plate,” Holaday said. “Ashlie was huge … I thought she was really a difference maker for us”

Washburn's softball team celebrates a weekend victory at Gahnstrom Field. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]

On day two against Pittsburg State Saturday Ginter was strong in the circle, going all seven innings and allowing just five hits in a shutout win, and she also had three hits at the plate.

LaBarge had a sac fly and bases loaded walk to drive in two. Friend walked twice with the bases loaded and Mead completed the scoring with a fourth inning single in the 5-0 victory.

“I thought we played a really clean first game, I didn’t think it was our best game but I thought Jaycee handled it really well on the mound,” Holaday said.

The Gorillas led 2-0 in Game 2 Saturday before the Ichabods scored the next seven. Friend drove in one in the first and Hadley Kerschen tied the game in the second. Mead followed with an RBI single to take the lead.

Robbins knocked in three with a bases-loaded triple and Ginter brought her home with a sac fly to lead, 7-2.

The two runs against Thissen were unearned after two errors and she exited in the second inning, with Raegen Hamm replacing her.

Hamm allowed three runs in the third, two coming on a home run, cutting the deficit to two runs.

Kimi Patterson got one back for Washburn with a solo shot to right field. LaBarge drove in the next two with a double and single in the fourth and fifth inning, respectively.

“I kind of changed my mental approach this weekend compared to last weekend. Just trying to stay within myself and relaxing at the plate instead of trying to do too much,” LaBarge said.

The Gorillas plated one unearned run in the sixth to pull within four. Ginter got it back and more with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the inning, making it 12-6. Hamm finished the game in the seventh and earned the win after 5.1 innings of work.

“I also was proud of Raegen Hamm,” Holaday said. “Her and Ashlie gave us great innings the last two days which, this time of the season when people are tired, that’s important.”

“I thought we hit the ball a lot better the second game. We got hits up and down our lineup and I was proud of that.”

That home record will be put to the test next weekend with a pair of doubleheaders, first against Northeastern State University Friday, then with Rogers State Saturday, April 23.