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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden, which has advanced to the past two Class 3A state championship games, took the first step towards a third straight title shot with a 70-7 rout over Columbus Friday night at Hayden.
Senior Kade Mitchell (25) rushed for 190 yards on just five attempts and scored four touchdowns in Hayden's 70-7 Class 3A playoff win over Columbus Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, the No. 1 3A East seed, improved to 9-0 on the season and will host No. 9 Wellsville (6-3), a 50-0 winner over Parsons, next Friday at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 42-7 first-quarter cushion over 2-7 Columbus, the No. 16 East seed, and led 63-7 at the half.
Senior Kade Mitchell had a big night for Hayden, rushing for 190 yards unofficially on just five attempts, including touchdown runs of 51, 42 and 75 yards while also hauling in a 45-yard touchdown pass from Wildcat senior quarterback Connor Hanika.
Senior Xander Blassing had 30 and 35-yard interception returns for TDs as six Wildcats scored touchdowns on the night.
HAYDEN 70, COLUMBUS 7
Columbus (2-7) 7 0 0 0 -- 7
Hayden (9-0) 42 21 7 0 -- 70
Hayden -- Mitchell 51 run (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Blasing 30 interception return (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Mitchell 45 pass from Hanika (Becker kick)
Hayden -- McGivern 4 run (Becker kick)
Columbus -- Dohle 96 kickoff return (Gray kick)
Hayden -- Becker 34 pass from Hanika (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Blasing 35 interception return (Becker kick)
Hayden - Mitchell 42 run (Becker kick)
Hayden - Mitchell 75 run (Becker kick)
Hayden - Branson 39 run (Becker kick)
Hayden - Todwong 14 run (Becker kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING -- Columbus: Jayden Rodriguez 3-8, Jett Tanner 7-4, Jayden Dohle 4-3, Braun Stone 5-1, Jonas Stover 1-(minus)-5. Hayden: Kade Mitchell 5-190, Kyden Lichtenhauer 5-84, Mason Branson 1-39, Jairus Todwong 3-28, Jackson McGivern 5-24, Evan Huntley 4-15, Callen Powers 3-8, Alex Lopez 1-5, Conner Hanika 1-4, Mason Becker 1-4, Elijah Torrez 1-1.
PASSING -- Columbus: Jett Turner 7-20-5, 72 yards. Hayden -- Conner Hanika 4-6-0, 98 yards.
RECEIVING -- Columbus: Jonas Stover 3-26, Braun Stone 1-20, Jayden Rodriguez 1-15, Cole Howard 1-8, Lemmie Stone 1-3. Hayden: Kade Mitchell 1-45, Mason Becker 1-34, Mahki Kidd 1-13, Xander Blasing 1-6.
PUNTING -- Columbus: Jonas Stover 4-22.25.
Eagles takes 29-8 win over St. Marys in 2A rematch
Silver Lake stretched its win streak to seven games Friday night, opening Class 2A postseason with a 29-8 home win over St. Marys.
The Eagles, who improved to 7-2 overall, beat the Bears for the second time this fall, taking a 21-6 District 3 win on Sept. 26
Silver Lake, the No. 4 East seed in 2A, advances to the second round of the playoffs to face No. 5 seed Sabetha (8-1), a 48-0 winner over No. 12 Humboldt (3-6).
Rossville routs Mission Valley 71-0 in 1A playoff opener
Class 1A District 2 champion Rossville, the No. 4 East seed and a state semifinalist last fall, opened its 2025 playoff bid with a 71-0 home win over Mission Valley Friday night.
The Bulldawgs took control of the game with a 21-0 first quarter and scored 35 points in the second quarter to open up a 56-0 halftime lead before adding a pair of scores in the third stanza.
Senior quarterback Canann Mitchell scored on a 41-yard run and threw for a 30-yard TD to Jack Donovan and a 15-yard TD pass to Cameron Miller.
Donovan opened the scoring with a 55-yard run while Landen Lewis scored on 10 and 40-yard runs, Andre Johnson scored on a 6-yard run and Conner Bush scored on a 2-yard run.
The Bulldawgs also got interception returns for touchdowns from Cale Horak and Dalen Dick while Austin Dohrman kicked nine extra points and Cole Graves scored on a 2-point conversion run.
Rossville advances to host No. 5 seed Jefferson County North (8-1), a 30-14 winner over McLouth, next Friday.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 2-ranked Washburn University volleyball had its eight-match winning streak snapped on Friday night in a 3-2 road loss to No. 23 Missouri Western.
Senior Austin Broadie had 12 kills for Washburn in Friday's five-set MIAA road loss at Missouri Western. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods will look to bounce back on Saturday in Maryville, Mo. against Northwest Missouri, with first serve set for 3 p.m.
Friday's match marked the first time in conference play that Washburn (20-2 overall, 9-2 MIAA) played five sets.
After the Griffons (17-5, 9-2) took the first set 25-21 it snapped a 24-set winning streak for the Ichabods going back to the Sept. 27 meeting with Missouri Western, which has handed Washburn both its losses this season.
Set two went in the Ichabods favor, 25-19, with the next two split each way 25-13 for Western and 25-17 for Washburn. The decisive fifth set was won by Missouri Western 15-12 to take the match.
The first set was taken control of by the Griffons as they went on a 6-1 run to lead 9-6. Washburn battled back, tying the match at 13 on a kill by Keilah Rivers and going ahead briefly at 15-14. Another 6-1 burst by Missouri Western pushed them in front 22-18 and the Ichabods were unable to overcome the late deficit, falling by four points.
In the second Washburn got out to an early 6-3 lead, capped off by a Sydney Conner ace. Both teams traded 5-0 runs in the middle of the set, ending with a 15-13 Ichabod lead on an Austin Broadie kill. Washburn finished the set with three straight points and the final two coming on aces by Bella Limback to even up the match.
Missouri Western responded quickly, leading 13-4 in the third set after an 8-0 rally. The Ichabods won four points in a row, two coming on kills by freshman former Washburn Rural standout Layla Collins before the Griffons went on another 8-0 run pushing the lead into double figures. The Griffons would go on to take the set by 12 points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University soccer posted a 2-0 road win over Northwest Missouri State Friday to protect its lead in the MIAA title race.
Junior Mackinly Rohn scored her second goal of the season in Friday's 2-0 Washburn soccer win over Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
."It was a total team effort today,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "I thought we did a really good job establishing the tempo of the game early and staying committed to it until the goals came.
"I loved the competitive energy from our team today.''
No. 19-ranked Washburn improved to 11-2-3 overall and 8-0-2 in the MIAA while extending its unbeaten streak to 12 games (10 games, two ties).
Washburn came up empty in the first 45 minutes despite multiple chances before finally getting on the scoreboard in the 66th minute on a goal from freshman Jules Wardlaw after the ball bounced around in the box.
Washburn would record a crucial second goal in the 77th minute on a shot from junior Mackinly Rohn, a former Washburn Rural star.
With the win the Ichabods stayed atop the MIAA Conference standings with 26 points with two matches to play.
Washburn outshot Northwest Missouri 14-2 and held the Bearcats to zero shots in the second half.
Wardlaw and Rohn both scored their second goals of the season.
Washburn will be back on the road Sunday to face Missouri Western in a 1 p.m. contest.
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
A 2025 football season full of disappointments, challenges and triumphs for Highland Park came to a close Friday.
The Scots fought from start to finish, but were ultimately defeated by De Soto 49-16 at Hummer Sports Park in the opening round of the Class 5A East playoffs.
Junior G'Honi Montgomery returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and also rushed for 76 yards in Highland Park's 49-16 Class 5A playoff loss to De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Scots’ only two losses in the regular season were contests forfeited as the fallout of a fight in the third game of the year. But they bounced back to vanquish rival Atchison, then to knock off undefeated Kansas City-Washington to claim the Meadowlark Conference title.
For a program on the rise, there was plenty to be proud of. The lopsided defeat to De Soto didn’t define the Scots’ season, coach Jermaine Monroe said.
“When you plan a whole summer, you don’t expect or plan for those things to happen. But that adversity, I think it just made us stronger,” Monroe said. “We became a stronger team during that break. We put way more focus on our sportsmanship. And we knew that, together, we were going to stand together as a family throughout any situation.”
Highland Park was the higher seed, but faced a team with an identical 6-2 record and which features a no-frills, straightforward attack. The Wildcats bolted to a 14-0 lead in the first period before the Scots could get their offense in gear. The home team began moving the ball late in the first period, but failed to reach the end zone and fell into a 28-0 hole.
Junior G’Honi Montgomery electrified the crowd when he took a pitch on a reverse on a kickoff and raced 90 yards for the Scots’ first score. Highland Park trailed 28-8 at halftime, but showed it was still in the fight by stopping De Soto on back-to-back possessions.
Late in the fourth period, Rayshon Pollard produced another Highland Park highlight on a 78-yard scoop-and-score.
But in the end, the Wildcats pounded out 316 yards on the ground to just 45 in the air.
“We haven’t faced a lot of opponents who run a smashmouth offense like that,” Monroe said. “They stay true to like six plays. We knew exactly everything they were going to run. Our boys knew it, but just to be able to stay on the field with a team that could sustain that for the whole game, it’s just a different grind that we’ve got to get used to.”
Montgomery led the Scots with 76 yards on 14 rugged carries. The Scots mustered just 45 yards passing and 88 yards rushing. But Monroe was pleased with the effort.
“Our boys fought to the end,” Monroe said. “The playmakers who we expect to make plays made plays. Our line did a great job, opened up some holes for our running backs. And our defense, the heart they left on the field, they gave everything they had. The boys never gave up. And the sportsmanship of both teams … that’s the type of stuff that I’m going to remember.”
DE SOTO 49, HIGHLAND PARK 16
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Coming off back-to-back losses and playing its second straight game without injured senior quarterback John Hoytal, Washburn Rural was looking to get back on track in Friday's Class 6A West playoff opener against Wichita South in Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
And a quick start on both sides of the ball was just what the doctor ordered as the No. 7-seeded Junior Blues rode a 21-0 first-quarter lead to a 37-0 shutout over the visiting Titans.
Washburn Rural junior Jadyn Baum rushed for just under 200 yards and three touchdowns in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Jadyn Baum (right) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Peyton Goehring in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"We knew coming into it that we were going to have to rely offensively on the run game and we knew the defense was going to have to set the tone and kind of shorten the field for us,'' Washburn Rural coach Steve Buhler said. "Offensively, I think the kids did a really nice job of doing what we've been working on as far as the game preparation.
"Win and advance. We didn't get a chance to do this last year, to move on in the playoffs, so the kids were excited about what they're doing and we get that feeling we had two years ago and three years ago and we get that hunger back about trying to go deeper into the playoffs.''
With Friday's win Washburn Rural improved to 6-3 and advanced to a second-round 6A matchup at No. 2 seed Wichita Northwest, 8-1 on the season.
Offensively, Rural junior running back Jadyn Baum soared past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season with 182 yards on 15 attempts while the Junior Blues' defense pitched the shutout while limiting the 3-6 Titans to 53 total yards.
Junior Ryker Petersen intercepted a pass to set up Washburn Rural's first touchdown in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
An interception by Rural junior Ryker Petersen ended Wichita South's game-opening drive and led to an 8-yard Baum touchdown run with 8:30 left in the first quarter (Ryan Austin kick).
The Junior Blues recovered a South fumble on the Titans' ensuing possession and Rural found the end zone four plays later on Baum's second 8-yard TD of the night (Austin kick) to put the hosts up 14-0 at the 6:47 mark of the first.
Senior TJ Minikwu (right) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Kellan Roth in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
With just 12 seconds remaining in the quarter Washburn Rural senior TJ Minikwu scored on a 5-yard run (Austin kick) to hike the Junior Blues' lead to 21-0.
The pace slowed in the second quarter but the Junior Blues took a 27-0 lead midway through the quarter on a 17-yard TD strike from junior Gavin Vantuyl to senior Nate Selm (kick failed).
Baum scored his third touchdown of the night on a 46-yard gallop (Austin kick) with 2:05 left in the third quarter and Austin capped Rural's scoring early in the fourth stanza with a 25-yard field goal.
Next up for the Junior Blues is next week's road test at Wichita Northwest, which advanced with a 57-14 win over Campus Friday night.
"They're exceptional,'' Buhler said of the Grizzlies. "You get to this round and everybody on the West side is so good and so well-rounded everything's going to be a dogfight and you have to be willing to play four full quarters and keep your nose in it the whole time.''
WASHBURN RURAL 37, WICHITA SOUTH 0
