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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Juan’Tario Roberts and Bo Aldridge’s combined 51 points were exactly what Highland Park's boys needed to earn a 78-65 Class 5A sub-state semifinal decision over St. Thomas Aquinas Tuesday night at Hi Park.
Aldridge’s 27-point night and Roberts’ 24 points helped the 17-4 Scots post the double-digit win over the Saints.
Highland Park will be back at home Friday for a 7 p.m. sub-state championship game against Piper.
Junior Bo Aldridge scored a game-high 27 points in Highland Park's 78-65 Class 5A sub-state semifinal win over Aquinas. [File photo/TSN]
Aldridge averaged 19 points during the regular season but believes his production on Tuesday night was more about his mental state rather than his physical state.
“My mindset was just really making sure our seniors' season doesn’t come to an end quickly,” Aldridge said. “That has been my mindset outside of winning state. We’ve experienced state before and it’s a great place to be, but we need to prepare and take every step towards winning and making it to state.
“Coach Mike (Williams) has also prepared us for anything and everything that comes our way and I definitely plan to be making it to state.”
Williams knows what steps to take towards winning. Williams and the Scots’ had an 80-percent winning percentage this year. Now the Scots want to have a perfect record from here on out.
“(Aquinas) has amazing size and they come from an amazing league,” Williams said. “We knew we were going to have our hands full with them. We have always played against size and we’ve been the smaller team more times than not.
“We have created a tenacity and grit over the course of the year to get us over those situations where we are smaller.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball standouts Hunter Bentley and Abby Oliver earned All-MIAA honors on Tuesday afternoon, with senior Bentley earning a spot on the all-conference third team and sophomore Oliver receiving honorable mention.
Hunter Bentley
Abby Oliver
In her fifth season at WU, Bentley is now a four-time All-MIAA selection after receiving honorable mention in 2019 and 2020 and landing on the second team last season.
The former Bishop Miege standout has turned in another impressive season as she leads the Ichabods in scoring (14.5 points per game/eighth in the MIAA), field goal percentage (44.6 percent/sixth in the MIAA), assists (2.6 average), steals (1.3 average), 3-pointers made (48/ninth in MIAA) and minutes played (32.8 average/eighth in MIAA).
Bentley has led Washburn in scoring in 19 games and has had seven games with 20 or more points.
Bentley has played in every game since her freshman season for a program-record 142 games played and 113 starts.
Her name is etched all over Washburn's record book as she ranks sixth in scoring with 1,607 career points as well as fourth in steals (201), fifth in rebounds (752), fifth in free throws made (317), fifth in 3-pointers made (172) and is first in career minutes played logging 4,278).
Off the court, Bentley is a four-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll member, a three-time MIAA Scholar Athlete, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, and was a finalist for the 2020-21 MIAA Female Winter Student-Athlete of the Year award.
Oliver, a former Wabaunsee standout, is making her debut on the All-MIAA list.
This season, she is second on the team in scoring with 9.2 points per game and adds 4.6 rebounds per game.
Out of her 128 total rebounds, she has grabbed a team-leading 55 offensive boards.
She is also sixth in the league in total blocks with 29.
Oliver has recorded 14 double-figure games and scored a career-high 20 points at Emporia State in the regular-season finale. Oliver has been named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll twice.
The Ichabods will begin MIAA postseason play on Wednesday at noon as the No. 9 seed taking on No. 8 seed Pittsburg State at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
2022 All-MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West's boys basketball team entered Tuesday's Class 5A sub-state semifinal against Eisenhower as a huge favorite.
After all, the Chargers were playing on their home court, entered the game with a 13-win advantage over their opponents and started the night with a gaudy 18-game win streak.
But none of that did anything to calm veteran Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist's nerves.
"This game scared me,'' Bloomquist said after the Chargers advanced with a 78-46 romp past Eisenhower. "I've been doing this long enough that I've been on the other end.
"I've been part of upsets both ways. We don't know these people, they don't know us and they're coming up here with everything to gain and nothing to lose and that's the way they played. I was nervous about this game because the first game of sub-state is always a tough game. You always want to get this one out of the way.''
Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks scored 27 points, 20 in the first half, and had three dunks as the Chargers rolled to a 78-46 sub-state semifinal win over Eisenhower Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Malachi Berg scored 16 points in Topeka West's 78-46 Class 5A sub-state victory over Eisenhower Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Chargers, now 20-1 with 19 straight victories, helped put Bloomquist's mind at least a littie bit at ease with a 27-point opening quarter to take a 14-point advantage over the Tigers and led 46-31 at the half, 64-42 after three quarters and forced a a running clock over the final five minutes.
With the victory Topeka West, the 5A state runner-up a year ago, advanced to Friday's 6 p.m. sub-state final to host Andover, a 59-48 semifinal winner over Bishop Carroll.
Eisenhower, which finished its season 6-15, led just once in the game, at 3-2, and the Chargers used a 9-0 run to take a 27-11 advantage on a hoop from senior star Elijah Brooks late in the opening quarter before junior Jaden Roth scored at the buzzer to cut Eisenhower's deficit to 27-13.
Topeka West led by 18 points (46-28) late in the half and took a 15-point lead to the locker room at the break as Brooks scored 20 first-half points and junior Sincere Austin added 14.
West outscored the Tigers 18-11 in the third quarter to push its advantage to 22 points at the start of the fourth quarter and cruised the rest of the way.
Brooks finished with a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds while junior Malachi Berg added 16 points, Austin 14 and senior Zander Putthoff with 12 points, including three 3-pointers.
Senior Owen Rush led Eisenhower with 13 points (three 3-pointers), but was the lone Tiger with more than seven points.
TOPEKA WEST BOYS 78, EISENHOWER 46
Eisenhower 13 18 11 4 -- 46
Topeka West 27 19 18 14 -- 78
Eisenhower (6-15) -- Roy 1-3 0-0 3, Libel 3-9 0-0 6, Rush 5-12 0-2 13, Friend 1-6 0-0 3, Omli 1-2 1-2 3, Dexter 1-3 0-0 3, Roth 2-2 0-0 4, Conyers 2-3 0-0 4, Rackley 0-2 0-0 0, Purkey 3-7 0-0 7, George 0-0 0-0 0, Blue 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-49 1-4 46.
Topeka West (20-1) -- Austin 5-10 2-4 14, Brooks 12-16 3-4 27, Alexander 1-7 0-0 2, Berg 6-7 4-7 16, Putthoff 4-11 1-2 12, Robinson 3-3 0-2 6, C. Foy 0-1 0-0 0, Sowell 0-2 0-0 0, J. Foy 0-1 0--0 0, Noonoo 0-0 1-2 1, Reimer 0-0 0-0 0, Bearman 0-0 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-58 11-20 78.
3-point goals -- Eisenhower 7 (Rush 3, Dexter, Roy, Friend, Purkey), Topeka West 5 (Putthoff 3, Austin 2). Total fouls -- Eisenhower 14, Topeka West 8. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- Aiustin, Conyer.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights advanced to a Class 5A boys sub-state championship game with a 64-47 home semifinal victory over Mill Valley Tuesday night.
Heights will go on the road Friday to face United Kansas Conference rival De Soto in a 7 p.m. sub-championship game. The T-Birds will be playing the Wildcats for the third time this season, including a two-point loss at De Soto the final week of the regular season.
The T-Birds, who improved to 14-7, had four players crack double figures, led by senior Nate Pewe with 21 points.
Senior Nate Pewe (1) led Shawnee Heights with 21 points in the T-Birds' 64-47 Class 5A sub-state semifinal win over Mill Valley Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]
Pewe hit 8 of 13 shots from the field, including 2 of 2 3-point attempts, and went 3 of 4 at the free throw line.
Freshman Jaret Sanchez and sophomore Jayden Holly added 13 points apiece for Shawnee Heights while sophomore Brennon Dodge had 11.
Sanchez canned three 3-pointers while Holly grabbed eight rebounds and Dodge came up with four steals.
Heights senior point guard Jarin Sanders dished out seven assists and came up with three steals.
Shawnee Heights jumped out in front 15-6 in the first quarter and led 31-21 at the half.
The T-Birds put together a big third quarter to take a 49-31 lead into the fourth quarter and was in control the rest of the way, ending Mill Valley's season at 10-11.
De Soto, a 5A semifinalist a year ago, advanced to the sub-state final with a 55-38 win over UKC member Leavenworth.
Junior Kaeden Bonner scored 18 points with five 3-pointers in Seaman's 73-65 Class 5A sub-state win at Maize South Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN BOYS 73, MAIZE SOUTH 65 -- Seaman continued its late-season hot streak, extending its winning streak to seven games with Tuesday's 73-65 road win at Maize South in a 5A boys sub-state semifinal.
Now 14-7 on the season, the Vikings rode outstanding balance to the win, with five Seaman players cracking double figures.
Junior Kaeden Bonner scored 18 points and hit five 3-pointers while Viking senior Ty Henry also scored 18 points.
Junior Aron Davis added 11 points while senior Gavin Wilhelm scored 10 points with three 3-pointers and senior Mateo Hyman also had 10 points.
Maize South, which ended its season 15-6, led by a point (17-16) at the end of the first quarter and was in still in front by a point at the half, 33-32.
Seaman used a 20-12 third quarter to take a 52-45 lead into the fourth quarter and the Vikings outscored Maize South 21-20 over the final eight minutes.
With Tuesday's win Seaman advanced to Friday's 6 p.m. sub-state championship game to face off with 20-1 Hays, the top 5A West seed, at Hays.
The Indians advanced with a 48-35 win over Arkansas City in a Tuesday semifinal.
Hayden senior Macy Smith scored 21 points as the Wildcats advanced to a Class 4A sub-state final with a 67-51 win at Parsons. [File photo/TSN]
HAYDEN GIRLS 67, PARSONS 51 -- Hayden broke open a close game with a huge third quarter, taking a 67-51 road win at Parsons in a 4A girls sub-state semifinal.
Hayden led by just a 32-29 advantage over Parsons at halftime, but the Wildcats outscored the Vikings 20-5 in the third quarter to take control of the game.
Parsons outscored Hayden by a slight 17-15 edge in the fourth period, but it wasn't near enough to overcome its 52-34 deficit at the start of the quarter.
Senior Macy Smith paced Hayden (11-10) with 21 points while senior Carly Stuke added 13 points.
Riley Schmidtlein chipped in with eight points and Lauren Sandstrom seven for the Wildcats.
Hayden will play for a sub-state title at 7 p.m. Friday at Bishop Miege, the two-time defending 4A state champion.
The Stags improved to 19-2 with a 70-37 semiinal win over Louisburg.
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 72, JUNCTION CITY 17 -- Topeka High is a win away from a fourth straight 6A state tournament berth after a 72-17 home semifinal romp past Centennial League rival Junction City Tuesday night.
Tuesday's win was the Trojans third win of the season over the Blue Jays, all by at least 30 points.
Topeka High, which improved to 19-2, advanced to a 6 p.m. sub-state championship game on Friday to host Liberal, a 54-31 semifinal winner over Wichita South.
Junior Faith Shields led Topeka High, second in the 6A state tournament a year ago, with a game-high 24 points while Ladaysha Baird added 13 points and Adisyn Caryl 10.
SILVER LAKE GIRLS 56, ROYAL VALLEY 35 -- The top-ranked Silver Lake girls took a home 56-35 win over Royal Valley in a 3A sub-state quarterfinal Tuesday night.
With the victory the 20-1 Eagles advanced to a 7:30 p.m. semifinal on Friday at Silver Lake to face Jefferson West, a 49-41 quarterfinal winner over Rossville.
The sub-state championship game will be played on Saturday.
Silver Lake advanced to the 3A quarterfinals a year ago.
JEFFERSON WEST GIRLS 49, ROSSVILLE 41 -- The second and third quarters were Rossville's undoing Tuesday night as Jefferson West advanced to Friday's semifinals in the Silver Lake 3A sub-state with a 49-41 victory over the Bulldawgs.
Rossville led 15-10 at the end of the first quarter, but Jeff West outscored the Bulldawgs 14-5 in the second quarter to take a 24-20 advantage and the 15-6 Tigers used a 9-6 avantage in the third quarter to open up a 33-26 edge. Jeff West outscored Rossville 16-15 over the final eight minutes to take the eight-point win.
Sophomore Kinsey Perine led Rossville, which finished the season 11-10, with 12 points while Emma Mitchell added 11 points and Kinley Porter eight.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake and Rossville's boys basketball teams saw their 2021-2022 seasons come to an end Monday night with Class 3A sub-state road losses.
Silver Lake, which finished the year 7-14, dropped a 47-35 decision at Sabetha while Rossville (3-18) fell at Nemaha Central, 61-41.
Silver Lake trailed the Bluejays by just an 18-14 margin at the end of the first quarter and was within eight points (28-20) at the half.
The Eagles cut their deficit to 39-32 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Sabetha (17-4) put the game away with an 8-3 fourth quarter.
"We battled and competed, just missed some shots,'' Silver Lake coach Johnny Roberts said in a text. "(We) had a good look to cut it to four in the fourth and it just rimmed out. Credit to Sabetha, they are a disciplined ball team that executes.''
Kamryn Kaniper paced Silver Lake with 13 points while Carson Johnson added seven points and Dylan Vande Velde six.
Nemaha Central (18-3) took control of Monday's game against Rossville with an 18-8 first quarter and the Thunder took a 27-16 lead to the locker room at haltime.
Nemaha Central put the game away with a 21-11 third quarter and cruised the rest of the way.
Francesco Patrizi scored 10 points to lead Rossville while while Tayson Horak and Brock Bush scored eight points apiece.
Here's a look at Tuesday night's sub-state games involving Shawnee County teams:
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith and the Trojan girls will open Class 6A sub-state play at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home against Centennial League rival Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
CLASS 6A GIRLS
West sub-state No. 2 -- Topeka High, which will be shooting for a fourth straight state tournment berth, will open postseason at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with the 18-2 Trojans hosting Centennial League rival Junction City (2-17) in a semifinal.
With a win the No. 2-seeded Trojans, the state runner-up last season, will advance to a Friday championship game to face the winner of the semifinal between No. 7 West seed Liberal (14-6) and No. 10 Wichita South (8-12).
West sub-state No. 3 -- Washburn Rural, the No. 3 seed in the West with an 18-2 record, will host No. 14 Garden City (3-17) in a 6 p.m. semifinal Tuesday.
The winner of that game will advance to a Friday sub-state championship game to face the winner of the semifinal contest between No. 6 seed Hutchinson (16-4) and No. 11 Manhattan (8-12).
Washburn Rural won the 6A state championship in 2019.
CLASS 5A BOYS
