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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Friday night's game against Highland Park may not have been a must-win situation for Topeka West's boys basketball team, but if the Chargers want to remain in the hunt for a second straight Centennial League title, it was pretty darn close
And Rick Bloomquist's No. 5-ranked Chargers certainly played with the sense of urgency that the situation called for in front of a packed house at Topeka West, with all five West starters cracking double figures on the way to a 79-67 league victory over the No. 2-ranked and previously-unbeaten Scots.
Topeka West only trailed once on the night, at 2-0, and answered every Highland Park run with a run of its own, lead by as many as 13 points in the first half, 12 in the third quarter and by as many as 19 down the stretch while improving to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the league. With Friday's win the Chargers pulled even in the league race in the loss column with both Highland Park and Junction City.
"The key is the Centennial League championship,'' Bloomquist said. "We want it. We want the last one (before West joins the United Kansas Conference) and (the players) know there's a little pride in that.
"They know they can do it and to get that we have to win these games, without a doubt.''
Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Friday's 79-67 win over Highland Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Elijah Brooks led Topeka West with 26 points and 14 rebounds, but the Charger senior star had plenty of help from his teammates, with senior Zander Putthoff adding 17 points with three 3-pointers while juniors Sincere Austin and Xavier Alexander had 13 points apiece and junior Malachi Berg 10.
"If we're going to be the team that we want to be, that's the way we've got to play,'' Bloomquist said. "I've got kids that can play. I've got kids that can pass, catch and make baskets.''
Highland Park senior Juan'Tario Roberts (right) drives to the hoop Friday night as Topeka West senior Zander Putthoff defends. Roberts scored a game-high 35 points and Putthoff scored 17 in West's 79-67 victory. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West also withstood a career night from Highland Park senior standout Juan'Tario Roberts, who kept the Scots (8-1, 7-1) in the game with 19 first-half points and finished with a career-high 35 points and seven 3-pointers.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Here's a look at last week's Emporia Invitational and Topeka West Invitational boys swimming meets at the Capitol Federal Natorium:
• Seaman and Topeka High went one-two in Thursday's eight-school Emporia Invitational, with city swimmers combining for wins in six events.
Seaman, which won the team championship by a 559-438.5 margin over Topeka High, got wins from Colin O'Rourke in the 200-yard individual medley, Bradyn Crowell in the 100 butterfly and Daniel Ramirerz in the 100 backstroke while the Viking foursome of Tim Biggs, Jake Moss, O'Rourke and Marcus Greig picked up a win in the 200 medley relay and O'Rourke, Blaize Appelhanz, Moss and Greig won the 400 free relay.
Topeka High's team of Perry Payne, Oskar Fraenza, Thomas Schmidt and Trip Carter won the 200 free relay while the Trojans posted top-three finishes in five events.
Shawnee Heights' Luke Perkins won four gold medals, including a pair of individual wins in last Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural's Nathen Trachta won the 100-yard backstroke title in last Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational swim meet. [File photo/TSN]
• City schools combined to win seven events in last Tuesday's 14-school Topeka West Invitational while Seaman finished a city-high second in the team standings.
Shawnee Heights, which finished fifth in the West meet as a team, won five events on the day, with Luke Perkins earning four gold medals.
Perkins won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:06.06 and the 100 butterfly in 54.07.
Perkins teamed with Truman Brede, Guillaume Humblet and Tanner Zerger to win the 200 medley relay (1:46.33) and teamed with Humblet, Evan Hoobler and Zerger to win the 200 free relay (1:37.29).
Humblet picked up a third gold medal in the 100 breaststroke, winning in 1:02.24.
Washburn Rural, which was fourth as a team, got a win from Will Powell in the 500 freestyle in 5:15.32 and a victory from Nathan Trachta in the 100 backstroke in 58.08.
Seaman finished second to Blue Valley West in the team standings by a 353-315 margin, with the Vikings getting a pair of third-place individul finishes from Colin O'Rourke as well as a third-place finish in the 400 free relay.
EMPORIA INVITATIONAL
Thursday at Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
Seaman 559, Topeka High 438.5, Junction City 341, Hayden 282, Independence 133, Circle 81, Wichita Trinity 72.5, Emporia 20.
Individual results
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights girls basketball continued its busy week Thursday night, dropping a tough 47-42 non-league overtime decision to Blue Valley Northwest.
The T-Birds were coming off a 50-38 United Kansas Conference win over Leavenworth on Tuesday and play at Turner Friday night.
Junior Emari Doby led Shawnee Heights with 12 points in Thursday's 47-42 overtime loss to Blue Valley Northwest. [File photo/TSN]
Thursday's Heights-Northwest game was close throughout, with the T-Birds holding a 7-5 advantage at the end of the first quarter, a 14-13 edge at the half and a 28-26 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.
Northwest outscored Heights 14-12 in the fourth quarter to forge a 40-all tie and force an overtime.
Northwest, which improved to 7-1, proceeded to outscore the T-Birds 7-2 in the four-minute extra session to take the win.
Junior Emari Doby led Shawnee Heights with 12 points while senior Zoe Oczko added 10 points.
Northwest, coached by former Heights boys assistant Matt Shulman, got a game-high 19 points from senior Hayley Numrich.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Rossville boys basketball extended its losing streak to six games after falling to Twin Valley Conference member Valley Heights, 56-53.
Both Valley Heights and Rossville had a lot on the line heading into Thursday night’s contest, bith both schools in search for a big win.
Rossville, which entered the game winning one out of its first seven games, got off to a cold shooting start in the first half, scoring nine points in the first quarter and nine in the second quarter as Valley Heights took a 21-18 halftime advantage.
Rossville, huddling up around coach Eammon Bradley during a time out Thursday night, dropped a 56-53 nail-biter to Valley Heights' boys at Rossville. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Fortuantely for Rossville, their opponent had struggles shooting from the field as well. An eight-point quarter from the Mustangs kept the game in reach for the Dawgs.
Thursday night’s game, in the end, was determined by free throws and a jump ball that ended in the favor of Valley Heights.
With the game in grasp for Rossville only being down by a three-point bucket with 1:23 to go, Rossville’s Franceso Patrizi hit a clutch bucket to tie the game up at 53-53.
The Mustangs were looking to get on top and hush the roaring Rossville faithful.
On a fastbreak, Valley Heights heaved a ball down to the painted area to freshman Logan Gray. Gray, in no contention, missed the layup with 22.9 left in the game. Trayton Claycamp charged under the basket, secured the rebound, and proceeded to get fouled. Claycamp would then hit both of his free throws.
Rossville came down the court hard, found the open Brock Bush in the deep three corner, and he barely missed it with 11.2 second to go. The Dawgs had to foul trailing 55-53. Unfortuantely for Rossville, they fouled one of Valley Heights best free throw shooter’s, Claycamp.
Claycamp hit the loudest shot of the night from the charity stripe to give the Mustanges the lead. All the Dawgs would need is a three-point shot.
In crunch time teams want their best shooter with the ball to determine the game. Rossville’s shooter is Kade Perine.
Perine took the ball with 2.5 seconds left to go, charged down the court, shot the ball from the halfcourt Dawg logo, and missed the bucket.
Heartbreak in Rossville left the fans, players, and coaches feeling empty. Valley Heights would win the tightly contested game, 56-53.
Rossville’s team shooting on the night was cold, but two players stood out on the night. That would be Aiden Garcia and Patrizi. Garcia led the Bulldawgs with 17 points and Patrizi was not far behind him with 14 points of his own.
Rossville will host St. Marys on Friday night.
VALLEY HEIGHTS BOYS 56, ROSSViLLE 53
Rossville 9 9 13 22 – 53
Valley Heights 13 8 16 19 – 56
Rossville (1-7) – Garcia 6 3-5 17, Patrizi 6 1-4 14, Bush 3 3-4 10, Perine 3 1-2 7, Horak 2 0-0 5.
Valley Heights (2-7) – L’Ecuyer 9 2-3, 20, Claycamp 3 3-4, 11, Parker 5 0-2, 10, Ekstrum 4 1-2, 9, Gray 3 0-1, 6.
3 Point Goals – Rossville 5, Valley Heights 2. Fouls – Rossville 19, Valley Heights 20.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
No. 3 ranked in Class 2A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, Valley Heights' girls basketball team continued its nine-game winning streak Thursday night by topping Rossville, 66-46, on the Bulldawgs' home floor.
After starting the season with a promising 4-1 record, Rossville has lost four straight games dropping its record to 4-5.
Undefeated Valley Heights came into Rossville outscoring non-district opponents, 431-231. The Lady Mustangs have yet to allow any opposing offense more than 43 points this season and the Lady Mustangs continued their impressive run Thursday night
“I thought in whole we played pretty well,” Rossville coach Michael Bell said.
Rossville sophomore Kinley Porter, shooting a free throw against Valley Heights, scored 13 points in Thursday's 66-46 loss. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
The Lady Dawgs brought the fire to a brutal Valley Heights team early.
Sophomore guard Kinsey Perine scored seven out of her team’s first 13 points in the first quarter.
Lady Mustangs senior guard Catherine Toerber and key bench contributor Brooke Porter helped put up 12 out of the first 18 in the opening quarter of play.
With the slim lead of five points to end the first quarter, the Lady Dawgs gained some momentum knowing that they were going to be competitive.
In the second quarter, both of the squads were able to spread the ball out to their teammates and score more effectively. Lady Dawg sophomore forward Kinley Porter was able to tally eight points in the quarter, keeping the Bulldawgs in range.
“I thought in the first half we came out and established our press. We were able to push the ball out and get some easy buckets. I just thought we were a bit fresher at that point in time,” said Bell.
At the half, Rossville would trail, 37-27.
To begin the third quarter, Valley Heights would take over. The Lady Mustangs jumped out to a 9-2 run before Rossville took a time out. Intimidating Heights 6-foot post presence, Emma Yungeberg, made Rossville’s drives to the paint difficult and the Lady Dawgs struggled shooting the ball in the third quarter, only mustering six points.
Ultimately, the Dawgs couldn’t catch up to Valley Heights, which went on to take the 20-point decision.
“That is a great team,'' Bell said of Valley Heights. "They press well, they shoot well, they do it all. That team is ranked in the top three in the state of Kansas for good reason.''
The Lady Dawgs will be right back in Rossville on Friday as they host district rival, St. Marys.
“I’d like to make sure our effort is the same. We played hard and I am proud of them for that. I’d like for us to repeat our efforts tonight heading into tomorrow. I also wish we could get some rest, this will be our third game this week,” said Bell.
VALLEY HEIGHTS GIRLS 66, ROSSVILLE 46
Valley Heights 18 19 16 13 – 66
Rossville 13 14 6 13 – 46
Valley Heights (9-0) – C. Toerber 6 2-2 21, Porter 5 3-5 13, Yungeberg 4 3-6 11, Vermetten 3 2-3 8, M. Toerber 3 1-2 7, Steinfort 2 0-0 4, Skalla 1 0-0 2.
Rossville (4-5) – Perine 5 2-7 14, Porter 5 3-6 13, Gillum 3 2-2 8, Mitchell 3 1-2 7, Douglas 1 0-1 3, Haehn 0 1-2 1.
3-point goals – Valley Heights 5, Rossville 3. Total fouls – Valley Heights 19, Rossville 19. Fouled out – Perine.
