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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman junior Kaeden Bonner and Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye have been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency Athletes of the Week for last week.
Bonner helped lead Seaman to its first-ever Class 5A boys state basketball championship last Saturday at Emporia's White Auditorium while DeLeye helped lead Washburn Rural's girls to their second 6A state championship since 2019.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Bonner and DeLeye last week:
Junior Kaeden Bonner helped lead Seaman to its first-ever boys state basketball championship last Saturday in Emporia. The Vikings took a 66-47 win over De Soto in the state final. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
KAEDEN BONNER, Seaman
Bonner, a junior, scored a total of 43 points in the Class 5A state tournament, helping lead 18-7 Seaman to the first boys state basketball championship in school history.
Bonner scored 10 points with 4 assists and 3 steals in the No. 8-seeded Vikings' 54-43 first-round win over top seed Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
He followed that up with 18 points on six 3-pointers in the Vikings' 66-54 semifinal win over 2021 champion Maize with 5 assists and 2 steals and scored 15 points and hit 3 of 3 3-point attempts in Seaman's 66-47 win over De Soto in Saturday's state championship game.
Bonner hit long 3-pointers to end the first half in both the state semifinals and state championship games, giving the Vikings double-digit halftime leads in both games.
Junior Brooklyn DeLeye helped lead Washburn Rural to its second Class 6A girls state title since 2019, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the Junior Blues' 40-23 win over Derby in the state championship game. [File photo/TSN]
BROOKLYN DELEYE, Washburn Rural
DeLeye, a junior, scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Saturday's Class 6A state championship game as Washburn Rural won its second state championship since 2019 with a 40-23 victory over Derby at Wichita State's Koch Arena.
DeLeye scored 11 points with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in Rural's 66-43 first-round win over Dodge City and had 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in the Junior Blues' 44-43 semifinal victory over previously-unbeaten Olathe North.
DeLeye bounced back from a knee injury suffered in Rura's sub-state win over Manhattan to help the Junior Blues cap a 23-2 season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seven Rossville and Silver Lake basketball players have earned first-team All-Mid-East League recognition.
Silver Lake senior Troy Heiman and junior Kamryn Kaniper and Rossville junior Kade Perine were named to the All-Mid-East boys first team, with Perine a unanimouse first-team pick.
Also named to the all-league boys first team were Fred Criqui, Jaxson Hurla and Keller Hurla of Class 2A state runner-up St. Marys, Brayden Meseke, Cade Oliver and Ed Oliver of Wabaunsee and Trey Harmison and Korin Koenig of Riley County.
McKinley Kruger
Emma Mitchell
Kinsey Perine
Silver Lake, which finished third in the 3A state tournament, is represented on the girls first team by sophomores McKinley Kruger and Makenzie McDaniel while Rossville put sophomores Emma Mitchell and Kinsey Perine on the first team.
All four Silver Lake and Rossville picks were unanimous selections and Kruger, Mitchell and Perine were all first-team all-league selections for the second straight season.
Also named to the all-league girls first team were Lexi DeWeese, Grace Gehl and Brooklyn Goehring of Rock Creek, CJ Rignell and Haily Sharp of Riley County and Katelyn Hurla of St. Marys.
ALL-MID-EAST LEAGUE BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith has been named the Centennial League girls basketball player of the year while city players garnered five of the six spots on the all-league first team in balloting by the league coaches.
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith has been selected as the Centennial League girls basketball player of the year by league coaches. [File photo/TSN]
Smith, who helped lead Topeka High to the league title and a berth in the Class 6A state tournament, is joined on the first team by senior teammate Tae Thomas as well as junior Brooklyn DeLeye and senior Emma Krueger of 6A state champion Washburn Rural, Seaman freshman Anna Becker and Emporia senior Gracie Gilpin.
Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye has been named to the All-Centennial League first team after helping lead the Junior Blues to the Class 6A state championship. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Emma Krueger was named to the All-Centennial League first team by league coaches after helping lead Rural to its second Class 6A state title since 2019. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka High senior Tae Thomas earned a spot on the All-Centennial League girls basketball first team. [File photo/TSN]
Becker was also named the Centennial League newcomer of the year while Washburn Rural's Kevin Bordewick and Seaman's Matt Tinsley were named the league's co-coaches of the year.
Seaman freshman Anna Becker was named the Centennial League newcomer of the year in addition to earning a spot on the all-league first team. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomores Zoe Canfield and Jada Ingram were named to the all-league second team along with Manhattan junior Avery Larson, Hayden senior Macy Smith, Emporia junior Rebecca Snyder and Seaman sophomore Taylin Stallbaumer.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After back-to-back road slugfests the previous two days, Washburn University's baseball team was happy to see some zeroes show up on the opponents' side of the scoreboard Tuesday afternoon.
And the Ichabods were even happier to be back in their happy place -- Falley Field.
After dropping a 24-23 10-inning decision at Northeastern State (Okla.) on Sunday and rallying for a 19-15 win Monday the Ichabods never trailed on Tuesday en route to a 10-1 MIAA victory over Northwest Missouri.
Washburn's Charlie Kiefer was the starting and winning pitcher in Tuesday's 10-1 MIAA win over Northwest Missouri at Falley Field. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
The Washburn Ichabods congratulate each other after Tuesday's 10-1 home MIAA win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Washburn, which improved to 17-6 overall and 8-2 in the conference, blanked Northwest in eight of the Bearcats' nine at-bats as starting and winning pitcher Charlie Kiefer led a solid performance by the four pitchers the Ichabods used in the game.
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
- Count me among those who agree Kansas received a favorable draw as a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- And, count me among those who contend it does not matter if an opponent happens to play out of its gourd and the Jayhawks look sluggish.
- Lots of KU firepower has come together at the right time.
- Namely Jalen Wilson throughout Big 12 play, Remy Martin in the Big 12 tournament and Mitch Lightfoot on the right mix of Metamucil and Aspercreme.
- Anyone know when Lightfoot will start collecting his state pension?
- I kid, but Lightfoot could be a factor in the NCAAs based on David McCormack’s sore foot.
- I’ve got Kentucky to win it all. Can’t get the Wildcats’ convincing performance in Allen Fieldhouse out of my gourd.
- Would much prefer to see KU win it. I’m holding a future bet on the Jayhawks at 18:1 odds.
- Get ready to hear a familiar excuse regarding how it’s all about matchups this time of year.
- For those who desire context, it’s all about how players and coaches capitalize on favorable matchups and negate unfavorable matchups.
- As I settle in to watch the dance card, I’ll continually bark at the screen about what constitutes a block/charge and/or traveling.
- If my wife is nearby, she’ll inform me, “I’m going to go craft.”
- Oh, the collection of beautiful wreaths I’ve inspired her to create.
- She ‘s among the fortunate souls who do not recognize Doug Sirmons.
- The odds of watching him ruin a game diminish in the NCAAs but I’m sure he’ll be whistling around some tourney site(s).
- March Madness is the best thing about college sports, yet the NCAA is heavily involved. Go figure.
- Nothing, it seems, could ever enable Bruce Weber to get KU and in particular Bill Self out of his head.
- Not even the extra insulation provided by a full head of hair Bruce is waiting to cut once any fallout strikes KU stemming from NCAA allegations.
- Doesn’t it seem like the FBI probe happened during the Eisenhower administration?
- If K-State’s next basketball coach focuses on what he can control, that will be a measure of progress.
- I would encourage K-State athletics to look into the parting shots Weber fired.
- Realize, though, that K-State gave Weber all the time he needed to get the program righted at the end.
- It was high time to make a move and try to unify the fan base.
- And yes, I fall into the camp that wonders if the next coach will fare better overall than Bruce.
- I agree with Brett Ballard that Tyler Geiman’s fine run at Washburn deserves his jersey be hung in the rafters.
- Another strong season too for Ballard and his Bods as they keep threatening for MIAA superiority.
- Ron McHenry, you did it the right way. Relish retirement.
- Thoroughly enjoyed watching Craig Cox expertly coach Seaman to its first state boys basketball championship.
- The Vikings played with crisp execution on offense and shredded each state opponent as an eighth seed.
- Their run included a decisive first-round win over Wichita Kapaun and someone I consider in the upper echelon among state coaches, Steve Eck.
- Also, the Washburn Rural girls showed hearty resolve in claiming the 6A crown.
- State hoops tournaments always elicit the old cries of too many classes, too many sites, the need for a shot clock, and the need for different classification standards for private schools.
- My refrain to lower the goal universally for women’s basketball will, I’m afraid, never be enacted.
- Yet no one can adequately tell me why women are prevented from showing off the athleticism, power, grace and glory that comes from playing above the rim.
- I’ve had college volleyball coaches tell me that hoops limitations help them recruit prospects into a sport that allows women to play above the net.
- Landon Arena and its 7,000-plus capacity sure sounds like a decent place to stage a state tourney.
- How about it Shawnee County? Want to get in the game and show off that Stormont Vail Events Center upgrade?
- Too bad the facility got yanked from the KSHSAA rotation a few years ago. Bad look.
- Cool move by the KSHSAA to bring back all-time women’s greats for state basketball trophy presentations in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
- If state politicians essentially agree the food tax in Kansas is outrageous, then do something about it already.
- Quit wasting time denying credit to a rival political party when people need credit to afford groceries.
- While you’re at it, legislators, assuming you’re at it at all, pass sports wagering.
- Began the futile exercise of garage clean-up the other day.
- Set out a tackle box and a tennis ball retriever that two sets of folks enjoyed getting for free.
- I happened to be in my driveway and found the conversation to be just as enjoyable.
