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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Thursday's Centennial League swimming and diving championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium still went down to the final event to decide the team champ.
But after winning the city title by a mere four points over Seaman, Washburn Rural ended up with just a little more breathing room in the league meet, using a win in the meet-ending 400-yard free relay to take the title by a 413-396 margin over the Vikings.
Washburn Rural entered the final event of the day with just a nine-point advantage over Seaman, but the foursome of Jack Miranda, Will Powell, Brogan Meier and Nathen Trachta took a dominating eight-second win over Manhattan in 3 minutes, 23.92 seconds to close out the chqmpionship.
"I was a little nervous when I heard that one of our swimmers got (disqualified in an event), but I had faith that we could pull it off,'' said Trachta, a senior.
Thursday's win gave the Junior Blues a three-peat in both the city and Centennial League meets.
"It feels really good, I'm proud of the team,'' Trachta said.
Senior Nathen Trachta won four gold medals on the day, helping lead Washburn Rural to its third straight Centennial League team title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural's Jack Miranda followed up his four gold-medal performance in the city meet with four more golds in Thursday's Centennial League swimming and diving championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural posted wins in six of 12 events on the day, with Miranda and Trachta both earning four gold medals.
Miranda won the 200 freestyle (1:49.41) and the 500 freestyle (4:54.93) while Trachta took wins in the 100 butterfly (54.19) and the 100 backstroke (57.18).
In addition to the 400 freestyle relay Miranda and Trachta teamed with Jalen Eilert and Luke Lemke to win the 200 free relay in 1:33.25.
Washburn Rural coach Jordan Metz knew that Thursday's meet had the potential to be just as close as the city meet was, but she said she had confidence in her team.
"I still just had to put my faith in the guys,'' Metz said. "I knew they did it at city and I was like, 'They can get it again today at league.'
"They did and I couldn't be prouder of them.''
In her second season as the Junior Blues' coach, Metz has never lost a city or league meet with Rural.
"It's a great feeling,'' Metz said. "As this is my second season, going back to back in both meets it's a very fun feeling and I know the guys are super excited and that just makes me excited.''
Seaman's Colin O'Rourke was the Centennial League champion in the 200 individual medley, helping the Vikings finish second as a team. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman's Adin Florence finished a close second in the 100 freestyle (above) and won the league title in the 100 breast. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Runner-up Seaman got wins from Colin O'Rourke in the 200 individual medley (2:06.58) and Adin Florence in the 100 breaststoke (1:04.20) and the Vikings posted top-three finishes in eight of 12 events.
Manhattan finished third in the team standings, picking up a win in the meet-opening 200 medley relay (1:42.82), while Topeka High finished fourth as a team, followed by Junction City, Hayden, Emporia and Topeka West.
Junction City's Gabriel Lamb was a double individual winner, taking victories in the 50 freestyle (22.71) and the 100 freestyle (51.65).
Emporia's Braxton Higgins won the one-meter diving event with a score of 455.00.
The boys state swimming and diving championships will be held Feb. 17-19 at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
TOPEKA CITY SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS At Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High senior Tae Thomas is coming off a 22-point game with five 3-pointers in a 61-38 win at Highland Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
![Junior Brooklyn DeLeye leads a balanced offensive attack for No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural. [FIle photo/TSN]](/images/aa-images/BrooklynDeLeyeaction.jpeg)
Junior Brooklyn DeLeye leads a balanced offensive attack for No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural. [FIle photo/TSN]
WASHBURN RURAL (15-1, 11-1) at TOPEKA HIGH (15-0, 12-0)
Two of the top teams in the state, No. 2-ranked Topeka High and No. 3 Rural, will do battle for the second time this season. The Trojans took a 45-39 win over the Junior Blues in the first game back on Jan. 4 at Rural. Topeka High is coming off a 61-38 Centennial League win at Highland Park, with senior Tae Thomas scoring 22 points with five 3-pointers and junior Kiki Smith adding 16 points. Rural is already 2-0 on the week, beating Junction City on Monday and taking a 42-20 decision over No. 8-ranked (Class 5A) Seaman on Tuesday. Sophomore Jada Ingram scored 11 points and senior Emma Krueger added nine for Rural.
SEAMAN (10-5, 8-4) at HAYDEN (8-6, 6-5)
Seaman is coming off Tueday's 42-20 Centennial League loss to Washburn Rural, but the Viking have turned in a solid season with a very young team. Freshman Maegan Mills led the Vikings with six points against Rural while freshman Anna Becker scored a total of 48 points in two Seaman wins last week and sophomore Taylin Stallbaumer has been a team leader throughout the season. Hayden is coming off a 36-25 league win at Junction City, with seniors Sandy Anguiano and Macy Smith scoring eight points apiece for the Wildcats.
SILVER LAKE (15-1) at ROSSVILLE (9-7)
Rossville is coming off a 59-47 win over Osage City, with sophomore Kinsey Perine scoring 31 points and sophomore Emma Mitchell adding 14 points. The Bulldawgs face a tough challenge Friday against the No. 1-ranked (3A) Eagles. After a 75-36 win over Pleasant Ridge on Monday Silver Lake took a 44-32 decision over Silver Lake on Thursday.
TOPEKA WEST (1-14, 1-10) at JUNCTION CITY (2-13, 2-10)
Topeka West dropped a 53-34 Centennial League decision to Manhattan on Tuesday and stepped outside the league to play Lawrence on Wednesday, dropping a 55-25 game to the Lions. Azaryah Duncan led the Chargers with 12 points in the loss to Manhattan. Junction City will be playing its third game of the week, losing to No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural on Monday and dropping a 35-26 Centennial League decission to Hayden on Tuesday.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (7-7, 2-3) at LANSING (13-2, 6-0)
Shawnee Heights dropped a 51-43 United Kansas Conference decision to Basehor-Linwood on Tuesday, with junior Emari Doby scoring 13 points and senior Abby Schulte 12 for the T-Birds. UKC leader Lansing rolled to a 74-4 league victory over Turner on Tuesday.
BISHOP SEABURY (0-8) at CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (9-6)
Cair Paravel continued its recent surge with a 34-26 victory over Olathe Heritage Christian on Tuesday, with senior Jaley Barkley leading the way for the Lions with a 21-point game, including three 3-pointers. Bishop Seabury is still looking for its first win of the season and is coming off a 48-19 loss to Ward.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural senior Quincey Kidd has scored 33 points in two games on the week, including 20 points in Tuesday's loss to Seaman. [File photo/TSN]
WASHBURN RURAL (7-9, 6-6) at TOPEKA HIGH (4-12, 4-8)
Washburn Rural will be playing its third game of the week, taking a 54-51 Centennial League win over Junction City on Monday before dropping a 60-50 league decision to Seaman on Tuesday. Topeka High is coming off a 71-45 loss to league-leading and No. 4-ranked (Class 5A) Highland Park on Tuesday. Washburn Rural got 20 points from senior Quincey Kidd and 16 from junior Jack Bachelor in the Junior Blues' loss to Seaman while Topeka High got 15 points from sophomore BJ Canady and 12 from Germane Mays against Highland Park.
Seaman senior Gavin Wilhelm scored 21 points on seven 3-pointers in the Vikings' 60-50 Centennial League win over Washburn Rural on Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN (8-7, 7-5) at HAYDEN (3-11, 2-9)
Seaman beat Washburn Rural 60-50 Tuesday night in a Centennial League contest to snap a three-game losing skid while Hayden dropped a 49-43 league decision at Junction City. Senior Gavin Wilhelm scored 21 points on seven 3-pointers to lead Seaman against Washburn Rural while juniors Kaeden Bonner and Aron Davis added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Hayden, which beat Rural last Friday, gave Junction City a battle Tueday night before the 10th-ranked (Class 6A) Blue Jays took control late.
SILVER LAKE (6-10) at ROSSVILLE (2-13)
Silver Lake will be playing its third game of the week, falling to Pleasant Ridge on Monday and taking a 64-54 win over Riley County Thursday night. Kamryn Kaniper scored 18 points to lead the Eagles against Riley County while Luke Womack scored 12 points and Brogan Renfro 11. Rossville is coming off of a 73-60 loss to state-ranked (3A) Osage City Tuesday night. Junior Francesco Patrizi led the Bulldawgs with 21 points while junior Kade Perine scored 20 points.
Topeka West junior Sincere Austin is coming off of a career-high 25-point performance in Tuesday's win over Manhattan. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA WEST (14-1, 10-1) at JUNCTION CITY (11-5, 8-4)
Topeka West rolled to its 13th straight win, a 77-48 Centennial League win over Manhattan on Tuesday, as senior Elijah Brooks scored 28 points and junior Sincere Austin had a career-high 25 points. The Chargers remain tied with Highland Park for the league lead in the loss column. Junction City will be playing its third game of the week, dropping a 54-51 decision at Washburn Rural on Monday before taking a 49-43 home win over Hayden on Tuesday.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (10-4, 3-2) at LANSING (7-8, 2-4)
Playing without 6-foot-6 senior Carter Olson, who is expected to be out for the season with a knee injury, Shawnee Heights dropped a 53-31 United Kansas Conference decision to state-ranked Basehor-Linwood Tuesday night. Sophomore Brennon Dodge led the T-Birds with nine points. Shawnee Heights has lost three straight games, all to state-ranked teams.
BISHOP SEABURY (2-13) at CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (11-4)
Cair Paravel cracked the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 1A Division I state rankings this week at No. 8, but the Lions are coming off a tough 72-69 loss to Olathe Heritage Christian Tuesday night. Senior Zach Clark led Cair Paravel with 19 points while Levi Will added 16 points with three 3-pointers, Noah Hastert had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Simon Everhart 13 points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washbuurn University men's basketball will wrap up a three-game road trip at Lincoln Thursday night in Jefferson City, Mo (7:30 p.m. tipoff), with the Ichabods looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak since the final three games of the 2019-20 season.
The Ichabods, 13-9 overall and 10-6 in the MIAA, are coming off a 77-60 loss at Rogers State Monday while Lincoln (2-17, 1-13) dropped a 63-62 heartbreaker to Missouri Southern, with the Lions scoring the game-winning basket with 0.2 seconds remaining..
The Ichabods lead the all-time series with Lincoln 32-4 and have won the last four overall.
Washburn senior point guard Tyler Geiman, a former Blue Valley star, leads the Ichabods in scoring with a 14.4 average, in rebounding with 6.1 boards per game and in assists with a 6.6 average in 15 games this season.
Senior star Tyler Geiman and the Ichabod men will play at Lincoln Thursday night, looking to bounce back after two straight losses. [File photo/TSN]
Over his last seven games Geiman is scoring 17.4 points per game with 7.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists.
Junior Jalen Lewis averages 13.3 points while hitting 47 of 123 3-pointers. Lewis became the 27th member of the Ichabod 1,000-point club and is currently 12th on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart with 1,308 career points in 110 career games.
Lewis has 244 career 3-pointers, which passed Shannon Kruger for the most in school history against Rogers State.
Freshman Michael Keegan is scoring 9.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, ranking fourth in the MIAA in blocked shots, 11th in rebounds and 10th in steals.
Lincoln is led by Derrick Woods, who averages 9.3 points, while Destan Williams is scoring 8.9 points per game and Ni'Sean Rigmaiden 8.4.
Washburn will return home on Saturday to host Central Missouri.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women's basketball team will close out its three-game road swing on Thursday (5:30 p.m. start) when the Ichabods take on Lincoln in Jefferson City, Mo.
Washburn is 10-11 overall and 8-7 in the MIAA while Lincoln is 5-17, 1-15.
The Ichabods' second-half comeback fell short at Rogers State on Monday, with WU dropping a 55-54 decision, while Lincoln has dropped seven straight games.
Washburn has won all 32 games it has played against Lincoln.
Hunter Bentley and Washburn will play at Lincoln Thursday night, with the Ichabods looking to climb back to the .500 mark on the season. [File photo/TSN]
Ichabod senior Hunter Bentley has turned in back-to-back 20-point-plus games to move up to 10th in the MIAA in scoring with a 13.9-point average.
Bentley scored 28 points against Rogers State Monday while making a career-high six 3-pointers.
In her past three games Bentley is averaging 20.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Bentley passed former teammate Reagan Phelan on Washburn's all-time scorers list to move up to No. 7 with 1,493 career points. She needs 66 more to become No. 6 all-time.
After becoming the all-time Washburn record-holder for minutes played last Saturday, Bentley is currently tied with April Roadhouse (2002-06) for the most games played in a Washburn uniform with 165 games in their careers.
Abby Oliver ranks second for the Ichabods in scoring with an 8.4 scoring average and averages 4.3 rebounds. Oliver has tallied double-digit points in 10 games this season, including six of the last eight contests.
Macy Doebele contributes 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and ranks fifth in the MIAA with an 82.1 free throw percentage.
Nuria Barrientos leads the Ichabods with a 5.1 rebounding average and averages 6.4 points.
Niyah Jackson leads Lincoln with 8.0 points per game to go with a team-best 2.5 assists per game.
Washburn returns home Saturday to host Central Missouri.
