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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
DE SOTO -- Centennial League rivals Washburn Rural and Topeka High squared off Thursday in the first of what will be a minimum of three times this season and the Junior Blues drew first blood, rolling to a 68-44 win over the Trojans in a De Soto Hardwood Classic semifinal.
Sophomore Maddie Vickery scored a game-high 27 points in Washburn Rural's 68-44 win over Topeka High Thursday night in the De Soto Hardwood Classic. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
With Thursday's win the 3-0 Junior Blues will play for the tournament championship at 3 p.m Saturday while the 1-2 Trojans will play for third place at 12 p.m.
Maddie Vickery, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, continued her red-hot start to the season for Washburn Rural with a game-high 27 points, including four 3-pointers and a 5 of 6 performance at the free throw line.
Vickery was one of three double-figure scorers for the Junior Blues, with senior Kate Hinck and junior Ella Hirschi adding 11 points each.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Wednesday's nine-school Hayden Invitational swimming meet didn't end the way Washburn Rural wanted it to, with the Junior Blues 'A' team being disqualified in the meet-ending 400-yard free relay after posting an apparent victory by a big margin.
Washburn Rural senior Luke Lemke posted individual and relay wins in Wedneday's Hayden Invitational as Rural won th team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But fortunately for Rural, the Junior Blues had done enough earlier in the day to take the team championship by a decisive 488-367 margin over Piper at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
"It happens,'' Rural coach Bob Burdick said of the DQ. "It's a learning experience and I'd rather do it here than city, league or state.''
Andres Morao-Jaspe helped lead Washburn Rural to the team title in Wednesday's Hayden Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural got a one-two-three finish from Luke Lemke, Andres Morao-Jaspe and Thomas Appuhn in the 200-yard individul medley, with Lemke winning in 2 minutes, 11.91 seconds, and a one-two finish in the 500 freestyle from Morao-Jaspe and Appuhn in the 500 free, with Morao-Jaspe winning in 5:27.65.
And the Junior Blues' foursome of Lemke, Castle Wallace, Morao-Jaspe and Appuhn won the 200 medley relay 1:50.19.
Overall, Washburn Rural posted top-three finishes in 10 of 11 events that were contested, including a second-place finish by Rural's 'B' entry in the 400 free relay.
"They had a tough workout yesterday so they came in with burning legs, that's the best way to put it,'' Burdick said. "I didn't expect best times or people to drop a lot of whole lot of time because we're at the endurance building phase of the season.
"Time drops should probably start happening in January, but we had a few kids that dropped some time, which was great and overall they did great. They swam well and they're starting to get their heads in the right place.''
Hayden finished fifth as a team, getting a fourth-place finish from Palmer Heskett in the 500 freestyle, a fifth from Heskett in the 200 individual medley and a fifth from Ryan Carson in the 100 butterfly.
The Wildcat foursome of Liam Stegman, Brek Wahlmeier, Carson and Heskett finished fourth in the 400 free relay.
Topeka West finished eighth as a team, getting a seventh-place individual finish from Brady Clark in the 100 freestyle.
HAYDEN INVITATIONAL
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Local coaching legends CJ Hamilton of Silver Lake and Steve Bushnell of Seaman are part of a five-member class of individuals who have been selected for induction into the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame in 2025.
Silver Lake coaching legend CJ Hamilton will be inducted into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame in 2025. [KSHSAA Covered]
Former Seaman baseball coach and athletic director Steve Bushnell is part of a five-member class that will be inducted into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame in 2025. [File photo/TSN]
Hamilton is Kansas’ all-time winningest football coach with a 447-98 record. At the conclusion of the 2021 season Hamilton retired after teaching and coaching at Silver Lake for 47 years.
A Silver Lake native, Hamilton began his coaching career in 1973. After a brief departure to coach at Washburn for the 1977-78 seasons, Hamilton firmly entrenched himself as coach in 1979.
In his 47 seasons as head coach of the Eagles, Silver Lake made the playoffs 40 times. The Eagles won 39 Mid-East League titles and advanced to the state championship 18 times, including seven straight from 2002-08 and 11 times in a 12-year stretch from 2002-13.
Silver Lake won the Class 3A state title in 2013 to cap that remarkable stretch -- the eighth state championship for the Eagles under Hamilton. The 18 state championship game appearances are a state record.
In addition to football, Hamilton was the head coach for the Silver Lake baseball team that won state championships in 1975, 1977 and 1982.
Bushnell guided one of Kansas’ most dominant baseball programs at Seaman, leading the Vikings to 18 state tournament appearances, nine Class 5A state championships and four runner-up finishes in 21 seasons.
In his 21years at the helm for the Vikings, Bushnell culminated a 401-103 record (.796) which included a record of 42-9 in the state tournament. Seaman won at least 20 games for 10 consecutive years during the Bushnell era.
Bushnell served as athletic director at Seaman HS for three years before retiring this past spring.
Awards will be presented during 2025 in conjunction with a KSHSAA-sponsored state function/championship, or locally at the inductee's request. The time and location of each induction ceremony will be announced at a later date at www.kshsaa.org.
The Hall of Fame is housed in the Kansas State High School Activities Association offices, 601 SW Commerce Place in Topeka and is open Monday–Friday during business hours (directions at www.kshsaa.org). The Hall of Fame is also available via the KSHSAA “Gallery of Champions” at http://www.kshsaachamps.org/.
The honorees were chosen from nominations reviewed by a selection committee. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, an individual must have made an unusually outstanding contribution in interschool activities, either as a student with exceptional talent, or as an adult working with youth (such as an activity coach, director or sponsor, an administrator, an official or a contributor). Hall of Fame inductees may no longer be active in the field for which they are nominated (exception: contributor with over 30 years of outstanding service).
Each year schools and communities throughout Kansas submit nominations of individuals who have made tremendous contributions in the field of interschool activities. Hall of Fame information is available on the KSHSAA website at www.kshsaa.org. Nomination forms are available by contacting the KSHSAA. Any nominations to be considered for induction in 2026 must be submitted prior to November 1, 2025.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Highland Park's boys basketball team, third in Class 5A the past two seasons, opened its 2024-2025 campaign with a 77-44 romp past Kansas City-Pembroke, Mo. in Tuesday's opening round of the Championship Showdown at Shawnee Mission East.
Mike Williams' Highland Park Scots opened their 2024-2025 season with a 31-point win in the Shawnee Mission East tournament. [File photo/TSN]
The Scots jumped out to a 16-11 first-quarter advantage and then turned the game into a rout with a 49-27 scoring advantage over the middle two quarters.
Isaiah Kelley, a 6-foot-6 senior, paced Highland Park with 20 points, one of four double-figure scorers for the Scots.
Senior Ja'Corey Robinson was right behind Kelley with 19 points while seniors Mikey Williams and Jamon Wilson added 12 apiece.
Highland Park advanced to Thursday's semifinal to face Class 6A power Blue Valley North.
Kansas coaching legend Ron Slaymaker picked up his first victory as Topeka High's girls basketball coach on Tuesday, a 49-34 win over Olathe Northwest. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Trojans give Slaymaker first win at Topeka High coach
Kansas coaching legend Ron Slaymaker picked up his first victory as Topeka High's girls basketball coach on Tueday in the first round of the De Soto Hardwood Classic, with the Trojans taking a 49-34 win over Olathe Northwest.
Sophomore Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored 21 points and junior Keimara Marshall had 18 as Topeka High improved to 1-1 on the season.
With the win Topeka High advances to a 6:30 p.m. semifinal on Thursday to face city and Centennial League rival Washburn Rural.
Freshman Hailey Caryl led High with 13 rebounds and also scored four points and had four assists while senior Jo'Mhara Benning grabbed 10 boards.
Marshall added seven rebounds and three steals for the Trojans.
Rural girls improve to 2-0 with 45-42 win over Liberty
Washburn Rural's girls improved to 2-0 Tuesday with a 45-42 win over Liberty, Mo. in the opening round of the De Soto Hardwood Classic.
The Junior Blues' 3-point win over Liberty came after a one-point decision over Blue Valley Northwest last Friday in Rural's season-opener.
Tuesday's game was tight throughout, with the game tied at 10-10 after the first quarter and 21-all at halftime.
Washburn Rural took a 34-31 lead at the end of the third stanza and was able to hold on for the win.
Sophomore Maddie Vickery paced the Junior Blues with 17 points while junior Ella Hirschi scored nine points on three 3-pointers and senior Madison Lemke also scored nine points.
Washburn Rural will play a 6:30 p.m. tournament semifinal on Thursday to face Topeka High before closing out tournament play on Saturday.
Rural boys advance to Championship Showdown semis
Washburn Rural improved to 2-0 on the season Tuesday with a 52-44 win over Raytown South, Mo. in the first round of the Championship Showdown at Shawnee Mission East.
Junior Simon Rowley led Washburn Rural with 14 points and also grabbed six rebounds while senior Kaden Ballard had 12 points and senior Amare Jones contributed 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals.
With the win Rural moved on to an 8 p.m. semifinal on Thursday against St. James Academy.
Rossville boys basketball coach Brandon McDonnell talks to his team during Tuesday's 77-69 win over KC-Ward. [Rossville boys basketball]
Bulldawg boys ride Donovan's 35-point night to win over KC-Ward
Junior Jack Donovan scored a career-high 35 points Tuesday as Rossville opened its season with a 77-69 home victory over Kansas City-Bishop Ward in the first round of the Chapman Irish Classic.
Jakoby McDaniel added 17 points for the Bulldawgs, who are coming off a 15-7 season.
The tournament now switches to Chapman for games on Friday and Saturday.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Piper overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to claim a matchup of two of the state’s top Class 5A boys teams at Shawnee Heights, 59-56.
The game turned into an experiment to see which team would win despite a six-point quarter. Piper was limited to just six points in the second period. Shawnee Heights managed just six in the third period.
Senior Jaret Sanchez scored 13 points for Shawnee Heights in Tuesday's 59-56 UKC loss to Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The T-Birds watched their lead dwindle during a nearly three-minute scoreless stretch to start the third period. By the end of the quarter, their 34-20 advantage had been whittled to 40-37.
The Pirates claimed the lead for the first time since the first period with 4:40 remaining on a dunk by junior Cooper Crawford. Back-to-back 3-pointers by T-Bird sophomore Camron Ross seemed to stem the bleeding, but Piper junior Derrick Jackson took over the final minute of the game. His bucket with four seconds remaining put Piper in front for good. He scored seven of his 12 points in the final 52 seconds.
“We’re not more talented, but we’re a better team than they are, and we let it get away,” Shawnee Heights coach Ken Darting said. “We had three or four or five opportunities every quarter that, if you make one of those, you win the game. If you don’t, you lose the game.”
Senior Deacon Pomeroy puts up a shot in Shawnee Heights' 59-56 UKC home loss to Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Darting found plenty to like from individual players, but said the T-Birds need to play better as a unit.
“We are not talented enough individually to beat great teams,” Darting said. “We can do that against every-day teams, but to beat great teams, we have to play together. We have to get shots for each other. We have to rebound.”
Shawnee Heights senior Jaret Sanchez scored 11 points in the first half, but was held to just one field goal attempt in the second half.
“We were getting Jaret picks, and if you get Jaret a little room, he’s dangerous,” Darting said, noting Piper took many of those opportunities away after halftime.
Lee led the T-Birds with 15 points. Sanchez finished with 13.
