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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Thanks in part to NiJaree Canady’s 23 combined strikeouts and a fifth-inning rally in the second game, Topeka High was able to sweep Monday's home Centennial League doubleheader against Manhattan at Hummer Sports Park.
With Monday's 2-1, 9-5 wins Topeka High extended its winning streak to 31 games.
“I’m pretty happy with the way things went, for the most part,” Manhattan coach Connie Miller said. “I was really pleased with the way things were going until the fifth inning in the second game. Our defense broke down in the second game, but we need to take the positives from tonight.”
Game 1 was a pitcher's duel between Manhattan's Kierra Goos and High's Canady.
“We knew this pitcher's duel was going to be a tough one,” Topeka High coach Shane Miles said. “When you have two of the best pitchers in the league, possibly the state, the game is going to be tight.”
Goos gave up four hits and two runs while fanning 12 batters.
“I just wanted to do everything I could to help my team win,” Goos said. “I knew I had to pitch as hard as I could because of who was on the other side. Nija is an incredible pitcher. She is someone special. I knew that I needed to come out and play my best.
“I am always going to try my best to put my teammates in the best position to win as many games as we can.”
While Goos was on another level in the opener, so was Canady. The Stanford commit pitched seven complete innings allowing just one hit, one run and recording 16 strikeouts.
“I felt pretty confident coming into today,” Canady said. “I knew we were going to have our work cut out for us against Manhattan. When your defense is as good as the one I have behind me, it gives me a lot of room to play my game. I am happy with the way things went today in the first game.”
The offense was slim until the latter portion of the game and it was the defense that made statements for both teams.
Goos no-hit the Trojans through three innings before Adisyn Caryl hit a line drive up the middle for Topeka High’s first base hit.
Topeka High got on the board when Carter Johnson laid down a sacrifice bunt that would score Quincy Smith.
Hitters didn’t have an answer for Goos and Canady as the 1-0 lead remained on the scoreboard until the seventh inning.
With one out to go Goos got the job done on offense, crushing a solo home run. The solo home run ended Canady’s no-hit bid and it gave Manhattan a chance to defeat the defending Class 6A state champions.
In the bottom of the seventh, Caryl got herself on base with an intentional walk, her second of the game.
Elycia Joyce then drove Caryl home with the game-winning run.
Canady took the circle again in the second game and this time she took on another solid pitcher, Jaden McGee.
McGee and Canady would hold each team to one run heading into the fourth inning. Before the fourth inning, Canady was able to leave seven runners in scoring position throughout the game, hanging on by a thread.
After seeing Canady for 11 innings, Manhattan was able to pick up on Canady’s pitches and was able to give her trouble in the top of the fourth.
Kaitlyn Gregoire would nail a two-run single giving Manhattan a 3-1 lead, putting Topeka High in a deficit for the first time this year.
After Gregoire’s single, Raegan Neitzel drove in two runs with a double. In a blink of an eye, Manhattan had a 5-1 lead.
When things were looking bleak, Topeka High didn’t fold.
Topeka High left-fielder Carter Johnson made a play that drastically changed the outcome of Monday night’s contest.
With the bases loaded, Gregoire hit a deep ball to the furthest corner of left field and Johnson was able to chase it down and make a catch that retired the side.
“It means a lot to me that I was able to make that catch and potentially save the game for my team,” Johnson said. “Being on a team that never gives up and always has faith in you is why I love being here.
“This game meant a lot to me.”
A defensive error by Manhattan in the bottom of the fifth gave Topeka High a run on the board and gave High a spark.
JoMhara Benning hit a two-run single and Johnson would follow that up by plating a run off a line drive single.
“We had a lot of girls who didn’t get playing time last year with the varsity team we had,” Miles said. “Some of the girls that don’t get to play very often, play a little more loose with less pressure.
“I’m proud of how this team competes.”
With Canady’s fourth-inning departure, Montgomerie Freel would come in to relieve Canady. Freel was able to hold Manhattan off and give Topeka High enough time to score some runs.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Caryl hit a two-run inside-the-park home run that gave Topeka High a 3-run lead.
A run-scoring double by Joyce in the bottom of the sixth would give Topeka High its four-run lead.
“A lot of teams being down by four runs would have just folded,” Miles said. “Our team took it one pitch at a time and one bat at a time, which was big for us.”
Manhattan wasn’t able to come back from the deficit and lost 9-5.
“We have a tough matchup with Washburn Rural on Friday,” Miller said. “We need to take some of the positives of this game and bring it into Friday.”
Manhattan (3-4) will host Washburn Rural on Friday, while Topeka High (6-0) will visit Seaman.
First game
TOPEKA HIGH 2, MANHATTAN 1
W – Canady (3-0). L – Goos (1-2). 2B – Topeka High: Smith. HR – Manhattan: Goos.
Second game
TOPEKA HIGH 9, MANHATTAN 5
W – Freel (1-0). L – McGee (1-1). 2B – Topeka High: Canady, Caryl, Joyce. Manhattan: Neitzel. HR: Caryl.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After hitting six home runs and scoring 27 runs in last Thursday's doubleheader sweep over Perry-Lecompton, Silver Lake's softball team picked up where it left off Monday at Hayden, lashing out 32 hits, including five more round-trippers, in an 11-1, 14-3 doubleheader sweep.
Silver Lake senior Taryn Burkhardt slides into third base for a triple in the Eagles 11-1, 14-3 doubleheader sweep at Hayden. Burkhardt went 8 of 8 on the day with a triple and two doubles. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN.
Silver Lake waits to congratulate Eagle sophomore Kaibryn Kruger (9) after one of her two home runs in Monday's doubleheader sweep over Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Taryn Burkhardt had a huge day for the 4-0 Eagles, going 8 of 8 at the plate with four runs scored and three runs batted in. Burkhardt had a first-game triple and stroked a pair of doubles in the second game.
The Eagles also continued their power surge, getting homers in both games from sophomore Kaibryn Kruger while freshman Kira Lowrey, senior Lauren Rollenhagen and sophomore Hailey Horton also homered for Silver Lake.
"There's a lot of confidence in these girls at the plate and I trust any of them to bat with two strikes,'' Silver Lake coach Nick Hamilton said. "They can get the job done if they need to.
"I think our girls came out today with confidence and I told them, 'Don't worry about the scoreboard, just do the little things,' and I think it took care of itself.''
Rollenhagen had five hits in the twinbill, while Horton and sophomore Makenzie McDaniel contributed four hits apiece and Lowrey, K. Kruger and Taylor Zordel three hits apiece.
Horton knocked in five runs in the second game while Rollenhagen and K. Kruger had four RBI apiece in the twinbill.
Sophomore pitcher Avery Wende went the distance for Silver Lake in the six-inning first-game win, allowing four hits while striking out two Hayden batters.
"Avery was the only pitcher we had last year on the varsity squad and she put the time in over the offseason and for her to get so much better as a sophomore than she was a freshman is just awesome,'' Hamilton said.
Eagles freshman Kendra Cook pitched the first 4.1 innings in the second game, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out four. Lowrey came on and got the final two outs of the game while allowing one run.
Hayden senior Carly Stuke circles the bases after hitting a second-game home run Monday against Silver Lake. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Keira Carswell doubled in the first game for Hayden while senior Carly Stuke hit a two-run home run in the second game.
Hayden fell to 4-0 on the season, dropping its season-opening twinbill against Class 6A state qualifier Washburn Rural and Monday's games against Silver Lake, which was the 3A runner-up last spring.
"We knew it was going to be tough but we need to try to take care of the little things that we can control,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said. "We're really young and have an injury that has put about six different people in different spots.
"We just need to do some things better, like running the bases better and throwing strikes.''
First game
SILVER LAKE 11, HAYDEN 1
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High baseball rolled to a 10-0, 24-1 doubleheader sweep over USD 501 rival Topeka West on Friday at Hummer Sports Park.
In the first game the Trojans took an early 2-0 lead over the Chargers and went up 4-0 with two runs in the top of the third.
Topeka High added six runs in the top of the sixth and shut down West in the bottom of the inning to end the game by way of the 10-run spread rule.
Dillon Mitchell and Nathan Plankinton combined for a two-hit shutout in the opener while combining for nine strikeouts.
Third baseman Elijah Kincade had two hits and two runs batted in for the Trojans while second baseman Max Ambrose had a double and knocked in two runs and center-fielder Isaiah Kincade had a triple and two RBI.
Topeka High scored two runs in the first, seven runs in the second and 15 in the third to take a 23-run win in the nightcap in just three innings.
I. Kincade went 3 for 3 with three runs scored while Aiden Feldhausen went 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBI, E. Kincade 2 for 2 with three RBI and Mitchell 2 for 2 with two RBI.
Max Colombo picked up the pitching win, pitching two innings of no-hit ball with four strikeouts before Feldhausen pitched the third to finish off the no-hitter for the Trojans.
KENNEDY LEADS RURAL SOCCER TO TOURNEY SWEEP
Perennial Class 6A state soccer power Washburn Rural went a perfect 3-0 to claim the championship in the Olathe Northwest Invitational, capping its three-game sweep with a 2-0 shutout victory over Olathe Northwest on Saturday.
Washburn Rural senior standout Belle Kennedy (left) scored both goals in the Junior Blues' 2-0 win over Olathe Northwest Saturday as Rural improved to 4-0 on the season. [File photo/TSN]
Senior All-Stater Belle Kennedy, a Washburn University signee, accounted for both of the goals in the game, with both coming in the second half, as the Junior Blues improved to 4-0 on the season.
Senior All-Stater Hunter McWilliams, who has also signed with WU, was credited with an assist while Hailey Beck picked up the shutout in goal for Rural.
Washburn Rural allowed just one goal on the week whille scoring seven goals.
The Junior Blues are scheduled to face Highland Park at Hummer Sports Park on Tuesday.
WEST'S NJOROGE ROUNDING BACK INTO FORM
Topeka West junior distance star Lenny Njoroge ran his first high school races in 11 months on Friday, turning in a strong performance in the ESU High School Relays at Emporia State.
Topeka West junior Lenny Njoroge was back on the track for the first time in 11 months last Friday at Emporia, returning from a serious leg injury. [FIle photo/TSN]
Njoroge, a two-time Class 5A state medalist in cross country, won the 3,200 meters championship in the the city meet last spring, but suffered a broken leg the next day in a club soccer match.
That injury not only sidelined Njoroge for the remainder of the 2021 track season but forced him to miss all of his junior cross country season last fall.
Njoroge finally returned to action on Friday and flirted with personal records in both the 1,600 and 3,200.
Njoroge finished second in the 3,200 in 9:53.68 and took sixth in the 1,600 in 4:40.95, with both times about five seconds off his personal-bests.
BULLDAWG SOFTBALL IMPROVES TO 4-0
Rossville's softball team took a Friday twinbill from Santa Fe Trail, 6-4 and 8-3, to move to 4-0 on the young 2022 season.
Brinley Dyche and Vanesa Quinones picked up the pitching wins for the Bulldags while Kinsey Perine had four hits and a home run, Kinley Porter four hits and Emma Mitchell three hits in the twinbill.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
GIRLS
100 METERS
Reed, Highand Park 12.6
Brooks, Topeka West 13.23
Estudillo, Washburn Rural 13.2
Benz, Shawnee Heights 13.63
Hillebert, Hayden 13.93
Highland Park sophomore Victoria Reed is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
200 METERS
Reed, Highland Park 26.5
Benz, Shawnee Heights 27.44
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 27.64
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 27.4
Brooks, Topeka West 27.66
400 METERS
Reed, Highland Park 60.4
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 61.43
Foster, Rossville 63.89
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 64.0
Wonnell, Rossville 66.13
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:21.5
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:32.5
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:32.6
Farmer, Silver Lake 2:37.29
Heston, Seaman 2:38.4
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news plans to compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2022 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
BOYS
100 METERS
Reed, Highland Park 10.5
Richardson, Highland Park 10.5
Peoples, Topeka High 10.6
Lee, Topeka West 11.21
Renfro, Silver Lake 11.21
Highland Park's Tyrell Reed (left) and Tre Richardson (middle) rank one-two in Shawnee County in the boys 100-meter dash and Richardson ranks No. 1 in the 200. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
200 METERS
Richardson, Highland Park 21.6
Renfro, Silver Lake 22.67
Santiago, Washburn Rural 23.1
Matlock, Topeka High 23.4
Arantes, Rossville 23.94
