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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 4-ranked Washburn volleyball captured its 14th sweep of the season in a 3-0 win at rival Emporia State on Tuesday evening, with senior outside hitter Genna Berg becoming the 10th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career digs and 1,000 career kills.
Washburn took a 25-16, 25-16, 25-21 win over the Hornets to improve to 20-3 overall and 12-2 in the MIAA.
The Ichabods got off to a slow start and trailed 3-0 in the first set before responding with three consecutive points of their own to even the match.
The Hornets (4-17, 2-12 MIAA) knotted the score at four when a kill by Kelsey Gordon, a former Emporia High standout, ignited an 8-1 scoring run to give Washburn the lead for good. Emporia State pulled within five points at 20-15, but the Ichabods won five of the next six points to claim the opening set.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural continued its perfect 2021 season Tuesday night, opening postseason with a 7-0 Class 6A regional romp past Wichita Northwest.
The Junior Blues, now 16-0-0 on the year, got two goals apiece from junior Easton Bradstreet and senior Porter Schafersman while junior Ty Stead, senior Mason Grogan and senior Jonah Molina added a goal apiece.
Schafersman also contrbuted a pair of assists for Rural, while sophomore Devon Rutschmann, junior Jaxon Padilla and junior Cayden Lee were also credited with assists.
Senior Wyatt Arnold and sophomore Ethan Uhlrig combined for the shutout in goal for the Junior Blues against Northwest, which ended its season 6-12-0.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's men's basketball team was tabbed No. 11 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches 2021-22 Preseason Poll announced Tuesday.
The Ichabods, who finished No. 17 in the final NCAA Division II poll last season, will open the year in Kansas City, Mo. on Nov. 12, facing off against No. 15 Northern State at 12:45 p.m. in Municipal Auditorium. The Ichabods will then take on Augustana (S.D.), which received votes in the poll, at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13 as part of the Central Region Tipoff Challenge.
Washburn was picked second behind defending national champion Northwest Missouri in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media Polls that were released at the 2021 Basketball Media Day earlier this month.
The Ichabods return four starters from last season's 20-7 team that finished second in the MIAA in the regular season and won the MIAA Tournament Championship before reaching the second round of the NCAA Regional.
The Ichabods will be led by senior guard Tyler Geiman, who was a third-team D2CCA All-American and first-team all-MIAA pick after averaging 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while starting all 27 contests.
The Ichabods also return honorable mention All-MIAA selection and MIAA Tournament Most Valuable Player Jalen Lewis, a junior who averaged 13.4 points a year ago. Jonny Clausing was an honorable mention all-MIAA pick after averagin 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the field.
This season the Ichabods return 85 percent of their scoring, 67 percent of their rebounds, 84 percent of their field goals, 93 percent of their 3-pointers, 83 percent of their free throws and 89 percent of their minutes played from a season ago.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Things got a little crazier at the end than Topeka High soccer coach Derek Snook probably would have preferred, but the Trojans achieved their only objective Monday night, advancing to a Class 6A regional final with a 2-1 win over Wichita Southeast at Hummer Sports Park.
With the win, Topeka High improved to 9-6-2 and earned a spot in Thursday's regional championship game at Dodge City against the winner of Tuesday's game between defending 6A state champ Dodge City and Wichita West.
"I was proud of the effort for sure,'' Snook said. "I'm pretty proud of these boys, the way they've fought and the effort they've put out. A win's a win and we keep moving.''
After a scoreless first half, Topeka High got second-half goals from junior Aiden Morrison and sophomore Victor Mesta to take control, but Southeast (8-8-1) certainly didn't go quietly.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When Monday's Class 4A-1A regional opener between Hayden and Cair Paravel Latin went to penalty kicks after 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, Hayden standout senior goalkeeper Gabe Rankey knew he was going to end the day either feeling really good or really, really bad.
As it turned out Rankey was wearing a big smile after the Wildcats outscored the Lions 4-1 in PKs to escape with a 1-0 victory at Hayden.
"It was pretty fun that we won,'' Rankey said. "If we lost it would have been probably the worst experience of my life.''
With the victory Hayden, now 12-5-0 on the season, advanced to Thursday's regional final to host the winner of Tuesday's game between Independence and Berean Academy while Cair Paravel ended its season 4-10-1.
Hayden had numerous scoring opportunities throughout the contest, but Cair Paravel goalkeeper Jacob Hershberger turned in an oustanding performance to give his team a chance, keeping the Wildcats off the scoreboard through 80 minutes of regulation, plus two 10-minute overtime periods and two five-minute OT sessions to send the game to PKs.