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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Topeka Area Football Coaches Association along with Rebound Sports Performance will host the annual Junior Day Combine on May 7 at Shawnee Heights for next year's seniors interested in playing football at the collegiate level.
The combine, scheduled for 4 to 5:30 p.m., will be an opportunity for area high school athletes to get exposure in front of college coaches.
There will be representatives from NCAA Division II, NAIA and junior college programs in Kansas and the Midwest area at the combine and prospect information and combine results will be available to every college that recruits the Topeka area.
Players need to bring running shoes, cleats and water.
The cost for attending the combine is $10 and can be paid the day of the combine (cash, Venmo or check to TAFCA) .
If you are planning to attend the combine, please scan the completed registration form and email the information to Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift at
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings around the mid-month:
• Sending this column later than usual, but it’s only once Rick Peterson turns 70.
• Celebrating that milestone in Las Vegas last week left me woozy.
• Maybe it was Rick Jr.’s foray on the Strip with pretend law ladies. I won’t divulge pictures, though they exist.
• Good to catch up with what is becoming America’s sports mecca, especially with the widespread legalization of sports wagering.
• Only fitting, I suppose, that the NHRA drag races were in Vegas the same time we were, considering how often all three of us covered the event at now-shuttered Heartland Park.
• Attended a AAA game hosted by the Las Vegas Aviators …courtesy of Topeka’s own Allen Leiker, sports editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
• As you might expect, the Aviators are a flawed ballclub considering they're an affiliate of the Oakland A’s.
• After they suffered another defeat, a team usher said, “Come on back, folks. We’ll win one sometime.”
• For anyone who frequents Vegas, we all live by the same principle.
• Not sure why there’s any angst over Caitlin Clark, her achievements and her transition into the WNBA.
• She’s a transcendent figure in a sport that longs for growth and acceptance.
• Clark paved that path, yet many (including some past greats) seem eager to disrespect her.
• Sure, she’ll have to adjust to pro ball, same as anyone. But I think she’s got the tools, the skills and the charisma to boost her stardom.
• I am sure she can scorch WNBA opponents, too, by connecting from center-court logos.
• And for once, the WNBA is getting a rookie everyone knows and many follow. Clark elevated the college game. To do so at the pro level would be even more remarkable.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's boys golf team put five players in the top eight spots individually on the way to a dominating 24-stroke team victory in Wednesday's Santa Fe Trail Invitational at Lamont Hills.
Junior Nick Gorman finished third individually with a 73 while senior Jacob Padilla placed fourth with a 76, juniors James Kuta and Colin Scott tied for fifth with 77s and junior Tagen Rodriguez tied for eighth place with an 82.
Sophomore Austin Bean rounded out the Wildcats' lineup with a 94.
Hayden finished with a four-person team score of 303, while Council Grove was second with a 327 total and tournament host Santa Fe Trail third at 330.
Silver Lake finished sixth as a team at 363, led by sophomore Grady Bergmann, who tied for 11th place with an 85.
Council Grove's Drew Buchman and Santa Fe Trail's Lane Workman tied for first place individually with 71s.
SANTA FE TRAIL INVITATIONAL
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Topeka High freshman Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton won three events and added a second-place finish to lead the way as city athletes turned in a strong performance in Wednesday's Washburn Rural Invitational track and field meet.
All seven city schools competed in Wednesday's meet, along with Emporia, while city athletes who have qualified for this weekend's Kansas Relays bypassed the meet.
City schools won 17 of 18 events in the boys division while city athletes won 12 of 18 girls events.
Rayton won the girls 100-meter dash in 13.51 seconds and won the long jump with a best effort of 16 feet, 7 inches and was the triple jump champ at 35-3.50. Rayton finished second in the 200 in 27.52.
Washburn Rural won six girls events on the day, including a sweep of the throws, with Raegan Petersen winning the discus (119-0), Kailyn Petersen the shot put (33-10) and Morgan Ray the javelin (116-8).
The Junior Blues also got a win from Kenzie Maddox in the 1,600 and from Alexis Burns in the high jump (4-10) while Rural won the 4x100 relay in 60.18.
Seaman's Harper Hafenstine won the pole vault title at 7-6 while Highland Park's Miluv Cosey won the 200 (27.04) and Seaman won the 4x400 relay in 4:45.48.
Topeka West's Jayden Lindsey was a double individual winner on the boys side, taking the 200 dash in 23.25 and the 400 in 53.38, while Washburn Rural dominated the boys division with eight wins.
The Junior Blues got individual wins from Nate Recob in the 100 (11.91), Wyatt Shorb in the 1,600 (4:57.67), Hayden Keller in the 3,200 (10:35.50), Christian Hartman-Robb in the 110 hurdles (17.11), Quentin Hill in the high jump (6-0) and Jacob Hawks in the shot put (46-9.50) while Rural also won the 4x400 relay (3:42.24) and the 4x800 relay (8:59.69).
Seaman got individual victories from Logan Townsend in the 800 (2:06.25), Kaden Whitehurst in the triple jump (38-7.50) and Connor Warren in the javelin (148-8) and the Vikings won the 4x100 relay in 45.43.
Shawnee Heights got wins from Isaac Song in the 300 hurdles (42.24) and Ethan Fisher in the discus (140-6) while Song finished second in the 110 hurdles (17.44).
Highland Park's Rayson Pollard won the long jump at 19-8.50.
WASHBURN RURAL INVITATIONAL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Micah Williams continued her prolific freshman soccer season for Highland Park on Tuesday to lead the way as the Scots improved to 4-5 on the season with a 6-2 win over Meadowlark Conference foe Kansas City-Washington.
Williams scored four of Highland Park's six goals, raising her season total to 19, and was also credited with an assist in the win.
The Scots also got goals from Jazmin Bermudez-Morales and Melany Noj-Hernandez.
Cleverdon, host Trojans post wins in Topeka High Invitational
Host Topeka High/Cair Paravel Latin posted a 17-stroke victory in Monday's Topeka High Invitational golf tournament at Western Hills while sophomore Caleb Cleverdon shot a 78 to take individual honors.
Cleverdon posted a three-shot win over Shawnee Heights' Dylan Packard (81), while Heights' Evan Jones, Topeka High/CPLS's Rich Helmbold and Seaman's Hunter Gerhardt tied for third place with 82s.
Topeka High/CPLS also got an 84 from Jase Pavlik and a 93 from Luke Budden to round out its top four.
Shawnee Heights (354), Seaman (370) and Hayden (384), who all played split squads in the event, finished second, third and fourth in the six-school event.