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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It isn't much of a chore to handle winning, but what has made veteran Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift so proud is how his suddenly-hot T-Birds handled losing.
Coming off an injury-ravaged 1-8 campaign in 2020, Heights was looking for a turnaround this fall, only to start the current season with three heartbreaking losses by a total of 11 points, including a 1-point double-overtime loss to Bonner Springs and a 3-point loss to Lansing.
Having lost 10 straight games at that point, it would have been easy for the T-Birds to give up. Instead, they learned how to win.
"What I'm the most proud about is the makeup of this team, specifically the seniors,'' said Swift, whose T-Birds will take a 3-4 record into Friday night's Homecoming game against Turner. "They had a tough year last year and we went into this year not knowing who we were. As coaches we believed in them and we were excited for the season and we kept telling them, 'We're going to have a good year,' but it didn't happen at the start.
"The first three games were really close losses. We were making mistakes and they were mistakes you make when you hope to win a game and not believe you'll win a game.''
Shawnee Heights' shot at a successful season was hanging by a thread at that point, but the T-Birds have responded with their best football of the year, including back-to-back wins over highly-respected De Soto (21-20) and Blue Valley Southwest (23-7).
"We as coaches were looking at each other and were like, "These kids can do it, we just can't lose these kids,' '' Swift said. "While the assistant coaches have just been outstanding in letting the kids know that we believe in them, you've just got to believe in yourself and it really came down to 16, 17 and 18-year-old kids making up their minds to do it.
"The way they practiced every day after a loss was exceptional. They practiced harder than most teams I've been a part of, and the grit of this team is incredible. The kids never wavered. Never once did we have to re-sell them, 'Hey, we can be a good team.' It's all been them. They never got on each other but they just continuously pushed each other and practices got more and more competitive. We made plays and we made stops and got it done against De Soto and then the week going into Southwest was our best week of practice. When we got on the bus to go to Southwest we knew we were going to be good.''
With a win Friday over the 1-6 Bears Shawnee Heights can not only post a .500 regular-season record, but depending on what happens in other Class 5A contests, the T-Birds have a good shot to earn a homefield advantage for their first game in the playoffs.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls golf team put itself in position to challenge for the sixth Class 6A state championship in girls program history on Monday, turning in a strong first-round performance at Emporia Municipal Golf Course.
Senior Aliyah North shot a 77 to lead the way as the Junior Blues built a seven-stroke advantage over Blue Valley West halfway through the 36-hole event.
The final 18 holes will get under way Tuesday at 10 a.m.
North will start Tuesday in fourth place, five shots behind leader Tess Roman of Shawnee Mission East.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MADELINE CARTER, Washburn Rural
Carter, a junior, captured the individual girls title in Saturday's Centennial League cross country championships at Milford State Park, clocking a five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 43.3 seconds. Carter led a 1-2-3 finish by the Junior Blues for the third straight meet, with Rural winning the league team championship by a 50-52 margin over Manhattan.
COREY CATRON, Rossville
A senior running back/linebacker, Catron was pressed into duty at quarterback after an injury to Torrey Horak and sparked undefeated Rossville to a 24-19 come-from-behind win over rival Silver Lake. Catron rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and passed for 33 yards and a TD.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman state doubles champions Grace Unruh and Lauren Sweeney and Hayden singles champ Ainzley Zulueta headline the 2021 All-Shawnee County girls tennis team, which includes nine state medalists.
Unruh, a senior, and junior Sweeney capped a perfect 36-0 season with the Class 5A state doubles championship Saturday at Emporia while freshman Zulueta finished off a 35-5 season with a 4A state singles title at Winfield.
Washburn Rural placed all six of its varsity players on the All-Shawnee County team after sweeping team championships in the city, Centennial League and 6A regional tournaments.
The Junior Blues got ninth-place finishes in the 6A state tournament from senior singles player Sheriden Wichman and the junior doubles team of Kate Fritz and Meredith Kucera while senior Shelby Schmutzler and junior Hailey Beck made it to state in doubles and sophomore Mena DiMarzio advanced in singles.
Hayden's doubles team of sophomore Lauren Sandstrom and freshman Emily Sheetz placed seventh in the 4A state tournament, helping the Wildcats win the third-place team trophy, while Seaman junior Nina Del-Zio earned a 5A state medal with an 11th-place finish in singles.
Topeka High juniors Haley Carpenter and Adisyn Caryl made the All-City team after advancing to the 6A state tournament for the second straight season as doubles partners. Caryl has made it to state three straight years in doubles.
All-Shawnee County capsules:
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Cair Paravel Latin continued its perfect 2021 football season Friday night, improving to 7-0 with a 54-12 romp past Cornerstone Family.
The Lions took control with a 24-point first quarter and led 24-0 at the half before taking a 32-0 lead in the third quarter.
Cair Paravel scored its final 22 points in the fourth quarter while Cornerstone scored all 12 of its points in the final period.
Cair Paravel senior quarterback Carter Brian completed 12 of 17 passes for 198 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for 33 yards and two TDs.
Sophomore Simon Everhart caught two passes for 65 yards and two TDs while senior Noah Hastert caught six passes for 34 yards and a score and sophomore Evan Will caught three passes for 51 yards and a TD.
Sophomore Ian Brian led the Lions with 11 tackles while sophomore Noah Collins was in on 10 stops.
Cair Paravel will travel to Wichita Life Prep on friday.
HAYDEN 46, PERRY-LECOMPTON 18 -- Hayden improved to 6-1 on the season, avenging a playoff loss to Perry-Lecompton in 2020 with a 46-18 Class 3A district road win over the Kaws Friday night.