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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 22-ranked Washburn University volleyball moved to 4-0 on the year and completed an undefeated opening weekend at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Davenport and a 3-0 sweep of Valdosta State on Saturday.
Washburn volleyball celebrates a point in Saturday's Oredigger Classic. [Photo by Zach Greer/Colorado School of Mines]
The Ichabods will host the Washburn Invitational next Friday and Saturday.
After the first set against Davenport Washburn found itself trailing for the first time this season, but the Ichabods rallied to win the next three sets and take the match, 20-25, 25-17, 25-14 and 25-15.
Washburn fell behind early in the first set 9-5 and the Davenport lead grew to as high as eight points at 21-13 as the Ichabods were unable to make up ground.
The second set went back-and-forth at the start, with four ties in the first 14 points.
But Washburn was able to create some separation, leading 13-9 after a 4-point run. The Ichabod offense rebounded from the first set, hitting .348 as a team in the second.
Bella Limback knocked down a kill to secure the 8-point second-set win and tie the match.
In the third set the Ichabods built an early lead.
Back-to-back kills from Brynne Topoliski pushed the lead to five at 17-12.
A kill from Keilah Rivers made it 19-14 and started a 7-0 run for Washburn to end the set at 25-20 on an ace from Taylor Rottinghaus.
The fourth set was another quick start for the Ichabods, with WU going in front 6-1 after consecutive kills from Natalie Hedlund.
The Panthers rallied to keep it close before a 4-0 Washburn run put it in front 14-6 after two kills by Austin Broadie. The Ichabod offense had its most efficient hitting set of the match, hitting .414 in the fourth set to clinch the match with a 10-point victory.
Offensive production was big in Washburn's favor, with the Ichabods hitting .328 to just .132 for Davenport with a 53-41 advantage in kills. The Ichabods led in assists, 51-39, as well as digs, 57-42, and 8-5 in blocks.
Broadie led the offensive attack with 13 kills while hitting .526. Corinna McMullen led the passing attack with 23 assists and added 11 digs for a double-double. Sydney Conner also had a double-double with 21 assists and 11 digs.
Abby Alan led Davenport with 15 kills and Madison Berry had 37 assists.
Washburn earned its third sweep of the weekend in decisive fashion over Valdosta State. The Ichabods won all three sets by 10 or more points, 25-13, 25-12 and 25-15.
The Ichabods pulled away in set one with a 9-1 run, capped off by a kill from Broadie to go up 17-10. The Blazers managed just three more points the rest of the set as they were held to a -.138 attacking percentage by the Washburn defense.
In the second set, a 5-0 run in the middle of the action created separation once again.
Limback started the run with a kill and Rivers capped off the run with an ace to put Washburn up 17-9. The burst turned into a larger 11-1 run to provide a double digit lead.
Josie Cleveringa came off the bench to end the 13-point win with a kill.
After starting the third set tied 3-3, Emery Keebaugh slashed two straight kills to kick off a 9-1 run. The offensive attack continued as Washburn knocked down 18 kills in the set while hitting .419 as a team as the Ichabods went on to win the set and match, 25-15.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Northwest Missouri State controlled the tempo from the outset Saturday at Yager Stadium, handing Washburn a 34-7 loss in the MIAA opener for both schools.
Washburn junior D.J. Bell scored the Ichabods' lone touchdown Saturday on a 69-yard pass from Justin Lewis. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn junior D.J. Bell (10) celebrates Saturday's 69-yard TD pass from Justin Lewis with teammate Teondre Carter. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Bearcats struck quickly in the first quarter with a pair of touchdown passes, building a 13-0 lead.
The Ichabod defense held strong in the second quarter, keeping Northwest off the board, but the visitors extended their advantage in the second half behind a balanced offensive attack that finished with nearly 500 total yards.
"It's a humbling loss, especially against a really good MIAA team,'' Washburn coach Zach Watkins said. "That's our entire season are games like that against quality opponents like that. We'll watch the film and we'll get better.
"This game does not define us. We'll be ready to go next week.''
Washburn's lone score came early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Justin Lewis connected with wide receiver D.J. Bell for a 69-yard touchdown strike down the sideline.
Aidan Battle tacked on the extra point to pull Washburn within 27-7.
The Ichabods finished with 143 yards of total offense, including 162 through the air as Lewis completed 14 of 30 passes.
Lewis was sacked five times, which contributed to Washburn's negative rushing total of minus-19 yards.
"We struggled the ball last week and again this week,'' Watkins said. "We've addressed it and we'll address it again. Coaching's never done, the improvements are never done and we've got to improve in a big way from Week 2 to Week 3 to be a good (Colorado School of Mines) team.''
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Just when it seemed the War on 24 couldn’t possibly get any better, the rivalry turned in yet another classic. The battle between Rossville and Silver Lake ended in overtime for the second year in row, this time in favor of the Bulldawgs, 28-27 in Rossville.
Senior Cameron Miller scored a pair of touchdowns Friday night, helping Rossville outlast Silver Lake 28-27 in overtime. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior quarterback Canann Mitchell (14) scored Rossville's touchdown in overtime as the Bulldawgs took a 28-27 win over Silver Lake. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Silver Lake scored a touchdown with six seconds remaining in regulation, at which point the Eagles opted to kick the extra point to send the game to overtime rather than attempt a two-point conversion.
The visitors then took the ball first in overtime and scored on a 10-yard pass from freshman quarterback Kipton Kruger to senior Dayne Johnson. But Rossville collapsed the wall protecting the Silver Lake kicker and tipped the extra point, sending it sailing wide right.
The Bulldawgs sensed the opportunity to avenge last year’s 33-26 overtime loss at Silver Lake. On the second play of the ensuing possession, senior quarterback Canann Mitchell bulled his way into the end zone to tie the score at 27-27. For the win, junior kicker Austin Dohrman booted the ball through the uprights and was mobbed by his teammates.
“It was so much pressure. So much pressure,” Dohrman said. “I was just thinking ‘I gotta’ make it.’ ”
“We were in the same situation last year and we were a yard short. We got in there on this one,” Rossville coach Derick Hammes said. “We’ve been close the last couple of years, so I’m glad that they just had some toughness and some resiliency and they showed some strength down the end.”
Hammes recalled the manner in which Silver Lake sent last year’s game into overtime with a late field goal.
“It’s kind of the same scenario as how last year’s game played out, so I’m glad that we didn’t let that creep into our minds and we just kept playing the football game,” Hammes said. “Gritty effort by the kids. We had plenty of mistakes. They probably could say the same. But this is a heck of a start. (Silver Lake is) a good football team and I’m proud of my kids for their effort.”
Rossville shocked the Eagles early in the contest when sophomore Landen Lewis snatched a fumbled Silver Lake snap and dashed 45 yards for the game’s first score.
After the opening series, Silver Lake subbed in the freshman Kruger at quarterback and went to the air. The Eagles drove the length of field to tie the game on a two-yard run by Paxton Willett.
In the middle of the second period, Kruger completed a 51-yard catch-and-run by Johnson. But then Kruger tried a long pass into the end zone which was intercepted by Rossville’s Connor Bush, preserving the 7-7 tie.
The Eagles missed another golden opportunity at the close of the first half. Silver Lake drove quickly into the red zone as the time ticked down. But after advancing ball to the one-yard line, the Eagles attempted a run into the middle of the line on what could have been the final play of the half. The exchange was fumbled in the backfield and recovered by Rossville.
That’s when Rossville senior Cameron Miller took center stage. He hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell on the third play after halftime to put Rossville up 14-7.
After the Eagles responded to tie the score, Miller came up big again. Forced to punt deep in its own end, Silver Lake watched the snap sail over the punter’s head. The Eagle punter chased down the ball and rushed a punt that cleared the line of scrimmage by just seven yards, far from where Miller had lined up to return the kick. From out of nowhere, Miller raced up to catch the ball in the air and scramble 36 yards to paydirt.
“For a second, (Cameron) was going to let the ball hit the ground and then he (came up to make the catch),” Hammes said. “It was clutch for us. That was a momentum changer for us at that point in the game.”
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By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
Before Friday night the last time the Hayden Wildcats were on the football field was Nov. 30th in the Class 3A championship game against Andale.
Fast forward to Friday and Hayden began its mission to get back to the title game and win it.
Hayden senior Kade Mitchell scored two touchdowns and set up another TD in Friday's 28-6 win over Eudora. [File photo/TSN]
Connor Hanika opened his senior season with three touchdown passes in Hayden's 28-6 win over Eudora. [File photo/TSN]
The Wildcats would host the Cardinals from Eudora for the season-opener and things would get off to a big start for the Wildcats as senior Kade Mitchell would return the opening kickoff 70 yards all the way to the 10-yard-line.
That would allow senior quarterback Connor Hanika to throw the first of his three touchdowns as he would hit senior Makhi Kidd for the first touchdown of the night.
Eudora would get the ball and use up all the clock in the first quarter on its first drive and score at the start of the second quarter and Hayden would block the extra point.
Hayden would fumble on the next drive and force Eudora into punting and that would set up a Mitchell 55-yard punt return touchdown to put the Wildcats up 14-6 with eight minutes left in the half.
Hayden would force another Cardinal turnover and force the Cards to pay as Hanika would find junior Mason Becker in the air for a 52 yard pass to go up 21-6 with 605 left in the quarter. The Cats would force another turnover and Hanika would air it out again and find Mitchell for the 22-yard touchdown pass, giving the Wildcats the 28-6 lead going into halftime.
“I thought we executed some good things early, a little disappointed in the way we came out In the second half.” Arnold said. “They did a really good job slowing down our running game, they jammed the box and have some really physical kids on their D-line. And Hanika did a good job throwing the ball.”
“We had a great game plan going into the game and coach called some really good plays,” Hanika said.
“I ran my routes and found ways to get open for Hanika to get me the ball to make some plays,'' Becker said.
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By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Seaman football was unable to overcome a slow start in Friday's season-opener at Don Pierce Field, dropping a 33-22 United Kansas Conference decision to Piper.
Jared Swafford's Seaman Vikings rallied late but dropped a 33-22 UKC decision to Piper Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Friday was the first time the Vikings didn’t feature guys like Max Huston, Bryer Finley and Kaden Jordan, just to name a few, over the last couple of years and in the post-game huddle Seaman coach Jared Swafford said Friday's loss was on him and said he loved his team’s fight in the end and that they didn’t fold. He knows he’s got a young group but he said that’s not going to stop them.
“Anytime you lose, it’s easy to look at all the issues or what you think is an issue,'' Swafford said. "I’m really proud of our team. It could’ve gotten ugly. We kept fighting back. We gave ourselves chances to go out and still be in a ballgame. It’s one of those things, give credit to Piper, they have a good squad, a running back that is unbelievable and they did stuff to put us in a bind and it’s on me.
“Our team is only going to get better and I’m really excited about it… we’re going to continue to build… we have a lot of great pieces, the coaches worked their tails off, but obviously just not the result we were hoping for on Week 1.''
It was a sluggish start for the Vikings to begin the game, as penalties hurt them both on offense and defense in the first half. Piper booted a field goal in the first quarter to make it 3-0 with one minute left in the quarter.
Piper would get the game's first touchdown in the second quarter after Kole Schaunaman picked up a sack on third down to give the ball back to the Pirates. About three minutes later, Piper running back Roman Byers punched it right up the gut for a 1-yard TD to make it 10-0 with six minutes left until halftime.
Right after the Piper score, Seaman immediately marched down the field, finished off by a Quentin Moravec 2-yard rushing touchdown to make it 10-7 with 4:13 left in the half.
The Pirates would not back down and respond with their own score, Byers ripped off 59-yard rushing touchdown straight up the middle of the field to make it a 16-7 game after a muffed snap for the point-after attempt. The junior running back finished with 29 carries and 206 yards on the ground.
“That’s a very talented young man (Byers). He runs really hard, he’s got great vision, he makes cuts where you think you got him and then he’s gone,” Swafford said. “He’s a really good player, but we won’t be the last defense who has to stress spending all week about how to slow him down. They’re going to be a really tough team. That’s what I said in the handshake line, ‘You guys got a great team and keep grinding.’ ”
