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Rossville celebrates its second straight undefeated state title and its fifth overall after Saturday's 35-12 win over Beloit in Salina. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
SALINA -- Rossville's first four state football championship wins all went down to the wire, with the Bulldawgs winning by a total of 21 points including one-point and overtime decisions.
But after opening up a commanding 35-6 lead on the way to a 35-12 romp past Beloit, Rossville was able to breathe a little easier in Saturday's Class 2A title game at Salina Stadium.
Than again, not so much according to coach Derick Hammes, who led Rossville to its second straight state undefeated crown (13-0) and its fifth overall title overall (four undefeated) as the Bulldawgs won their 26th consecutive game.
"I never felt comfortable until there were zeros,'' Hammes said. "That's the way it is, and some of that's respect for (the opponent) as well.''
Rossville's potent ground game was slowed much of the day by a staunch Beloit defense, but it didn't really matter much as the Bulldawgs cranked up their passing to the tune of 225 yards and three touchdowns while Rossville's defense came up with multiple big plays in the red zone to help hold the 9-4 Trojans at bay.
Rossville senior quarterback Torrey Horak threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldawgs' 35-12 win over Beloit Saturday at Salina. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rossville senior quarterback Torrey Horak completed 10 of 14 pass attempts for all 225 yards, including touchdown passes to junior Braiden Hensley, senior Tagen Kippes and senior Raphael Cooney to break the game open.
"That was a lot of fun,'' Horak said. "Credit to them, they shut down our running game a little bit and we had to find some things that worked and coach Hammes found a few little loopholes in their defense and we were able to exploit them a little bit and score a few touchdowns.''
"It was there,'' Hammes said of the passing attack. "They put eight in the box and we felt like that they paid a little more attention to the run game than our slot and the pass and we had that play in three different formations and we used two of the three and that was pretty important for us.''
Rossville never trailed after a six-play, 51-yard scoring drive on its first possession of the game, capped by a 4-yard TD run by Horak (Pedro Arantes kick) with 8:42 left in the opening quarter.
The Bulldawgs set up the TD with 18 and 25-yard passes from Horak to junior Kade Perine.
Rossville junior Kade Perine hauls in a pass early in Saturday's 35-12 win over Beloit in the Class 2A state championship game.''
After forcing Beloit's second straight punt to open the game, Rossville drove 54 yards in just four plays for a 43-yard touchdown strike from Horak to Hensley (Arantes kick) with 6:32 left in the opening quarter to put the Bulldawgs in front, 14-0.
A 46-yard run from Beloit junior Logan Arasmith set up a 1-yard touchdown from senior quarterback Owen Eilert (run failed) at the 1:43 mark of the first and the Trojans recovered the ensuing kickoff at the Rossville 35, but the Bulldawgs took over on downs at their 17.
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By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
After a crushing loss to Benedictine College the week before, Washburn women’s basketball looked to get back on track Friday in the Washburn Thanksgiving Classic against Winona State University.
But a second-half shooting slump sunk the Ichabods chances, with Winona State taking a 56-45 loss at Lee Arena.
“I think defensively we fought hard but when you make what is it 12 field goals its probably a hard game to win,” Washburn coach Ron McHenry said.
The loss moved Washburn to 1-3 on the season and was the lowest point total for the Ichabods on the year.
Offense was hard to come by for both sides early on, but two 3s by freshman Mackenzie Gamble propelled Washburn to a 14-10 lead after ten minutes in a quarter where the Ichabods shot only 25 percent.
Macy Doebele led Washburn with 11 points in Friday's 56-45 loss to Winona State. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn found more balance on offense in the second quarter, shooting over 50 percent as a team. Senior Hunter Bentley got going, scoring two baskets while sophomore Macy Doebele knocked down a triple for three of her seven first half points.
Defense and rebounding stayed consistent, with the Ichabods leading 24-14 on the boards and 29-20 on the scoreboard at halftime.
“We had a great first half but we basically didn’t shoot it great, just out-toughed them on the boards and got some stuff there,” McHenry said.
Warriors guard Caitlin Riley came out of the break firing, knocking down jumpers on three straight possessions to pull Winona within two. Washburn’s offense was equally as stagnant, scoring only six points in the quarter as Winona State pulled ahead.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It was early in 2013 and Derick Hammes was facing a crossroads in his coaching career.
Hammes had resigned after seven seasons as the head football coach at Class 6A Washburn Rural and was trying to decide what his next move was going to be.
Rossville, meanwhile, was looking for a new head coach after longtime coach Steve Buhler had accepted the job at Rural as Hammes' replacement.
Fortunately for both Hammes and the Bulldawgs, they found each other.
"It's been a great fit and I appreciate the community and their passion for this,'' Hammes said. "There's never been one thing that I've asked -- whether it's a morning practice or whatever it is -- there's just never been anything that's too much for our kids and community and I think that's what's rare and what I appreciate the most.''
Derick Hammes' Rossville Bulldawgs will be shooting for a fifth state title in Saturday's Class 2A championship game. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hammes, who had a stint early in his career as the head coach at Center High School in Kansas City, Mo. and served as an assistant coach for Hayden's undefeated Class 4A state championship team in 2004, took over at Rossville prior to the 2013 season after former Bulldawg All-Stater Jason Broaddus, the school's initial pick to replace Buhler, stepped down shortly after accepting the job due to a health concern.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's men's basketball team will close out its non-conference schedule at 5 p.m. Saturday against Benedictine College in Lee Arena.
The Ichabods are 2-3 on the season after a 69-63 home loss to Oklahoma Baptist on Tuesday and will be facing a Benedictine team that is 6-3 after a 75-67 loss at John Brown. Saturday's game will count as an exhibition for the Ravens.
After Saturday's game Washburn will begin MIAA competition next Wednesday against Fort Hays State before hosting Nebraska-Kearney on Dec. 4.
Jalen Lewis is averaging a team-high 15.8 points for Washburn after scoring a career-high 30 points in a 69-63 loss to Oklahoma Baptist. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Ichabod junior guard Jalen Lewis is coming off a career-high 30-point performance against Olahoma Baptist and leads WU with a 15.8 scoring average.
Lewis is currently 18th on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart with 1,095 career points in 93 career games. Lewis is fourth on Washburn's career list for made 3-pointers with 208.
Freshman Michael Keegan averages 10.2 points for the Ichabods.
Matt Austin averages 15.4 points, Eric Krus 12.3 points and Jaiden Bristol 12.1 for the Ravens.
The Ichabods have won 24 straight games against Benedictine, with the Ravens' last win over Washburn a 79-63 decision on Dec. 8, 1977.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women's basketball team will host the two-day Thanksgiving Classic Friday and Saturday, taking on Winona State Friday and Rockhurst on Saturday at Lee Arena.
The 1-2 Ichabods will face 2-0 Winona State at 3 p.m. Friday and will close out the Classic at 3 o'clock Saturday against 1-0 Rockhurst.
This weekend's games will be the Ichabods' final tuneups before opening MIAA play next week.
MIAA member Northwest Missouri will also take part in the tournament, playing Rockhurst on Friday and Winona State on Saturday.
Hunter Bentley leads Washburn with an 11-point scoring average entering back-to-back games Friday and Saturday in the Thanksgiving Classic. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn will be looking to bounce back from a 64-61 loss to Benedictine in its home-opener last Wednesday.
Friday's opponents, Winona State, won two preseason exhibition games and is 3-0 in the regular season after a 73-69 win over Upper Iowa on Tuesday.
Rockhurst has played just one game so far this season and defeated Upper Iowa, 78-64.
Hunter Bentley is averaging a team-high 11 points for Washburn whiile Mackenzie Gamble is averging 10 points and has connected on eight 3-pointers.
Bentley needs 66 more points to hit 1,300 in her career and is 77 away from moving up to No. 11 on Washburn's all-time scoring list.
Macy Doebele tied a career-high with 14 points against Benedictine and was 6 of 11 from the field. She averages 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds.
Taylor Hustad received all-NSIC second-team honors last year and led Winona State in points, rebounds and minutes played as the Warriors played just 12 games in 2020-2021.
Warriors coach Scott Ballard holds a record of 287-195 at the school and has taken Winona State to the NCAA Tournament three times.
Washburn will face a Rockhurst team that went 8-12 a year ago and returns four starters.
In the Hawks' season-opener, Keegan Sullivan had a double-double with 23 points and 10 boards to go with three assists.
Washburn continues its homestand and begins MIAA action next week against Fort Hays State on Wednesday and against Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
