- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High's girls basketball team went from a 12-0 lead three minutes into Tuesday night's game at Washburn Rural to staring at an eight-point halftime deficit.
But the sixth-ranked (Class 6A) Trojans used a dominating third quarter to regain the lead and held off the second-ranked Junior Blues the rest of the way for a 45-39 Centennial League victory, improving to 6-0 overall and in the league.
Senior Tae Thomas, who scored a game-high 17 points to lead Topeka High, said the Trojans maintained a positive attitude at the half despite being outscored 18-2 in the second quarter to fall into an eight-point hole..
"It was more about realizing what we could do better ourselves in that game, what we needed to fix and what we needed to adjust,'' Thomas said. "I think that really helped us out a lot going into the second half.
"The motivation was defnitely there and coming together as a team helped us out a lot.''
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith takes the ball downcourt Tuesday night against Washburn Rural. Smith scored 11 points to help the Trojans improve to 6-0 with a 45-39 win. [Submitted]
High junior Kiki Smith and Thomas opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers and then junior Faith Shields hit a 3 and converted a four-point play to put the Trojans up 10-0 just 2:50 into the contest and Thomas scored again to give High a 12-0 advantage at the 4:42 mark.
Rural pulled within 15-7 at the end of the quarter and then held the Trojans to just two points in the second quarter to open up a 25-17 halftime advantage.
The Junior Blues appeared to be in control at that point, but Topeka High ran off the first 10 points of the third quarter to take a 27-25 lead on a Smith hoop before junior Brooklyn DeLeye scored Rural's first points of the second half at the 1:43 mark to tie the game at 27-all.
Thomas canned her second 3-pointer of the night to put High in front 30-27 at the start of the fourth quarter and Washburn Rural got no closer than three the rest of the way.
Junior Adisyn Caryl, Thomas, Shields and senior DayShauna Wiley combined to hit seven three throws over the final 53.3 seconds to protect the Trojans' lead as High went 13 of 18 from the line, helping offset a 26-percent shooting night from the floor.
Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander was also extremely pleased with the Trojans' defense from start to finish.
"That's what we've kind of been saying this whole Christmas break, that we've got to tighten up our defense because we saw we were kind of letting teams score a little too much on us,'' Alexander said.
Smith joined Thomas in double figures for Topeka High with 11 points while Shields had eight points and Caryl six.
Washburn Rural shot 34.1 percent from the field and also hurt itself with a nine of 20 performance at the free throw line and 20 turnovers.
Junior Brooklyn DeLeye scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to pace Washburn Rural in Tuesday's 45-39 loss to Topeka High. [Submitted]
DeLeye led Washburn Rural with 14 points and 13 rebounds while sophomore Zoe Canfield was next in line for the Junior Blues with seven points and senior Campbell Bagshaw had six off the bench.
"I'm disappointed in how we competed,'' Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. "I can't even imagine how many turnovers we had. I can't imagine how many two-foot shots or layups we had and I just saw we were nine out of 20 from the free throw line and you're going to try and beat a team like THigh. That just won't work.''
Washburn Rural beat Topeka High to win the 2019 Class 6A state championship but with Tuesday's win the Trojans have now won the last six meetings with the Junior Blues.
"Every time we've played Rural the last few years it's been so exciting,'' Alexander said.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football star James Letcher Jr. has been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 as a second-team selection as an all-purpose back.
Letcher, a wide receiver/all-purpose back/return specialist, has now earned four national awards for his play this past fall and five overall.
In addition to his Elite 100 selection, Letcher was a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press, a first-team All-America pick as a kick returner by the D2CCA and a second-team All-America selection by the AFCA as a return specialist.
Letcher received honorable mention in 2019 from the Football Gazette.
Washburn star James Letcher Jr. has received another national award, his fourth following the 2021 season and the fifth of his career. [File photo/TSN]
Letcher led the 2021 team with 68 receptions for 927 yards and 10 touchdowns. He earned All-MIAA first-team honors as a wide receiver and a returner and was named the All-MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 24 kickoffs for 685 yards and two touchdowns, tying an Ichabod single season record.
Letcher also averaged 13.18 yards per punt return with 11 attempts gaining 145 yards. Letcher is second on the Ichabod career punt return chart with 1,467 yards and his 54 returns is fifth.
Letcher has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in his career, which sits atop the Ichabod chart and his 27.17 yards per return ranks second in school history behind Fletcher Terrell's 27.32 yards per return mark.
Letcher helped lead the Ichabods to a 9-3 record in 2021 as Washburn finished second in the MIAA final standings with their most wins since posting a 10-3 record in 2011. The Ichabods advanced to the NCAA playoffs before falling in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.
Washburn was ranked No. 21 in the final D2Football.com poll and No. 25 in the final AFCA D2 Coaches Poll.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior Quincey Kidd leads Washburn Rural with a 12-point scoring average and is shooting 88.9 percent from the free throw line. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Matt Flenoy is the leading scorer for Topeka High, averaging 10.8 points for the Trojans. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH (1-5, 1-4) at WASHBURN RURAL (2-3, 2-3)
Both teams ended the 2021 portion of their schedule with losses, with Topeka High dropping a 62-50 decision to Highland Park and Washburn Rural falling to Seaman, 58-50. Senior Quincey Kidd leads Washburn Rural with a 12.0 scoring average while junior Jack Bachelor averages 10.8 points. Kidd leads the city with an 88.9-percent free throw percentage (24 of 27) while sophomore JC Heim averages 5.7 rebounds. Matt Flenoy leads Topeka High with a 10.8 scoring average while sophomore BJ Canady averages 9.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks and sophomore Mister Cameron averages 4.7 assists.
Seaman senior Mateo Hyman averages 18.6 points and a city-high 5.2 assists for the Vikings. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
HAYDEN (1-3, 1-3) at SEAMAN (3-2, 3-2)
Seaman ended its pre-holiday schedule with a 58-50 win over Washburn Rural while Hayden is coming off of a 66-49 league loss to unbeaten Junction City. Senior Mateo Hyman averages a team-high 18.6 points for Seaman while senior Ty Henry averages 17 points and junior Kaeden Bonner 14.8 points. Hyman leads the city with 5.2 assists per game and leads Seaman with a 4.6 rebounding average. Senior Trent Duffey leads Hayden with a 10.2 scoring average while junior Jake Muller averages 10.1 points and junior Joe Otting 9.9 points and 4.5 rebounds.
ROSSVILLE (1-4) at SILVER LAKE (2-2)
Both teams will be out to bounce back from losses that ended their pre-holiday schedules, with Rossville dropping a 49-40 decision to Atchison and Silver Lake falling to St. Marys, 62-30. Junior Kade Perine led the Bulldawgs with 12 points against Atchison while junior Francesco Patrizi and senior Brody Leitz added seven points apiece. Senior Troy Heiman averages 9.0 points to lead Silver Lake while junior Kamryn Kaniper averages 8.0 points and 8.8 rebounds.
JUNCTION CITY (5-0, ) at TOPEKA WEST (4-1, 3-1)
Tuesday's game has been postponed to Jan. 25 due to delays in the resurfacing project in Topeka West's main gym. The Chargers' first game of 2022 will now be at Hayden on Friday.
Senior Juan'Tario Roberts (23) averages a team-high 22 points for 5-0 Highland Park and has hit 12 3-pointers. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
HIGHLAND PARK (5-0) at ATCHISON (4-2)
Highland Park will be looking to continue its undefeated season when the Scots take a break from Centennial League competition to travel to Atchison. The Scots wrapped up their pre-holiday schedule with a 62-50 win over Topeka High while Atchison is coming off a 49-40 win over Rossville. Highland Park senior Juan'Tario Roberts ranks No. 3 among city scorers with a 22.0 average while junior Ketraleus Aldridge is averaging 17.6 points and leads the city in rebounding with a 10.0 average and in blocks with 2.8 per game. Aldridge leads the Scots in assists with 4.6 per game while Roberts, Jahmir Kingcannon and Aldridge have combinued for 26 3-pointers.
Shawnee Heights sophomore Brennon Dodge ranks No. 2 in the city in scoring with a 22.3 average and has connected on 16 3-pointers. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3-1) at BONNER SPRINGS (3-2)
Shawnee Heights is coming off a tough 57-55 loss to Topeka West to end the 2021 portion of its schedule, while Bonner Springs dropped a 56-49 decision to De Soto in its final game before the holiday break. Shawnee Heights sophomore Brennon Dodge ranks No. 2 in the city with a 22.3 scoring average and has hit 16 3-pointers. T-Bird senior Jarin Sanders leads the city in steals with 3.0 per game while Dodge is averaging 2.5 steals. Shawnee Heights senior Carter Olson ranks No. 2 in the city in rebounding with an 8.3 average.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith (right) leads city schools in scoring, assists and steals, helping pace the Trojans to a 5-0 start in the 2021-2022 season. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye averages a team-high 13.5 points, ranking No. 3 in the city, to lead the 5-0 Junior Blues. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH (5-0, 5-0) at WASHBURN RURAL (5-0, 5-0)
Washburn Rural was ranked No. 2 and Topeka High No. 6 in the most recent Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 6A rankings and the winner of Tuesday night's game will get an early leg up in the Centennial League race. Junior Kiki Smith leads the city in scoring (21.6 average), assists (7.0) and steals (5.0) while senior Tae Thomas ranks No. 2 in the city in scoring (15.4) and second in assists (3.4). Junior Brooklyn DeLeye leads a balanced Washburn Rural attack with a 13.5 scoring average while senior Emma Krueger averages 10 points and sophomore Zoe Canfield 9.6 points. Sophomore Jada Ingram averages 2.8 assists and 1.8 blocked shots for the Junior Blues.
Freshman Anna Becker (23) leads Seaman with a 13.2 scoring average. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Brylee Meier (25) leads Hayden with averages of 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds this season. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
HAYDEN (3-1, 3-1) at SEAMAN (3-2, 3-2)
Both the Wildcats and Vikings are off to solid starts, with Hayden's lone loss coming against undefeated Washburn Rural and Seaman's losses coming against Rural and state-ranked Emporia. Freshman Anna Becker leads Seaman with a 13.2 scoring average while freshman Brylee Meier averages a team-high 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds for Hayden, ranked No. 10 in Class 4A by the KBCA. Sophomore Taylin Stallbaumer averages 9.6 points and 4.0 steals for the Vikings while seniors Macy Smith and Carly Stuke average 9.5 points for the Wildcats. Sophomore Lauren Sandstrom averages 6.3 rebounds for Hayden and sophomore Brooklyn Gormley 5.6 boards per game for Seaman.
ROSSVILLE (4-1) at SILVER LAKE (4-0)
Tuesday could be the first of three meetings this season between the Bulldawgs and the Eagles. Silver Lake has rolled to a perfect start while Rossville's lone loss came against undefeated Wamego. Silver Lake, ranked fifth in Class 3A by the KBCA, has had four different leading scorers in four games. The Eagles are coming off a 56-46 win over St. Marys to close out their pre-holiday slate, with sophomore McKinley Kruger scoring 20 points, sophomore MaKenzie McDaniel scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds and junior Taylor Ross scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Senior Caylee Douglass averages 11 points for Rossville, while sophomore Kinsey Perine averages 10.6 points and 2.9 assists, sophomore Emma Mitchell 10 points and senior Briar Gillum 9.6 points and 12.6 rebounds.
JUNCTION CITY (0-6, 0-4 ) at TOPEKA WEST (0-5, 0-4)
Either the Chargers or the Blue Jays will pick up a much-needed victory Tuesday night. Due to complications with re-finishing the floor at Topeka West, Tuesday's game will be played in West's auxiliary gym, tipping off at approximately 6:30 p.m. Sophomore Rebecca Bearman is Topeka West's leading scorer at 7.6 points per game while sophomore Siani Sanchez averages 6.4 points and junior Jazmyn Ford 5.8 points. Bearman ranks third in the city with a 7.6 rebounding average while senior Whitley Benson is tied for third in assists with a 2.8 average per game.
SUMNER ACADEMY (1-5) at HIGHLAND PARK (0-5)
Highland Park will be looking for its first win since the 2019-2020 campaign, while Sumner's lone win this season was a 58-13 romp past Kansas City East, Mo. Senior Aisya Taylor averages a team-high 7.4 points for Highland Park and has hit seven of 15 3-point attempts while freshman Amelia Ramsey is averaging a city-high 10 rebounds per game for the Scots. Beginning next season Highland Park and Sumner will both compete in the Kansas City Atchison League.
Junior Emari Doby averages a team-high 11.3 points for 2-1 Shawnee Heights. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (2-1) at BONNER SPRINGS (3-2)
Shawnee Heights wrapped up the 2021 portion of its schedule with a come-from-behind 64-55 home non-league win over Topeka West. Junior Emari Doby leads the T-Birds with an 11.3 scoring average while sophomore Breezy Canady averages 8.3 points and senior Abby Schulte averages 8.0 points. Heights senior Zoe Oczko ranks No. 2 in the city in rebounding, averaging 8.7 per game. Canady averages 4.7 rebounds for Shawnee Heights while Doby averages 2.7 steals and Schulte 2.3 steals and 2.3 assists.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
One of the first items on Ty Baumgardner's agenda when he took the Topeka High boys basketball job in May was to put together a coaching staff.
Baumgardner tapped former Atchison head coach George Ross Jr., as well as former Trojan standout Nate Wallace, who was previously an assistant at Highland Park.
And Baumgardner's pick for a third assistant was a no-brainer for him -- his father, Jerry.
Jerry Baumgardner coached Atchison, led by Kansas legend Chic Downing, to an undefeated Class 3A state championship in 1969 and he also coached at Emporia before going into administration and becoming Emporia's prinicipal. Jerry, who still lives in Emporia, journeyed to North Carolina to serve as Ty's assistant for his first two years as a head coach and was on the bench when Ty won a Class 4A state championship (North Carolina's largest class) with Charlotte's Olympic High in 2013.
"Coaching's all I've ever done and I got it from him,'' Ty Baumgardner said.
State championship coaches Ty Baumgardner (left) and his father, Jerry, are teaming up on Topeka High's boys basketball staff this winter. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
It took a little coaxing to get the 83-year-old Jerry to come on board at Topeka High, but he eventually took the plunge.
"It was Ty's idea and when he first approached me I said, 'Nah, I'm too old, see if you can't get a younger guy,' '' Jerry said. "But he just kind of kept after me and kept after me and I guess in a weak moment I said, 'OK, I'll do it, I'll try it.' ''
Jerry's decision to join Ty at Topeka High gives the Trojans three generations of Baumgardners in the program.
"He wanted to make sure that he could physically do it and I think having his grandson, Tyson, in the program as a freshman probably helped with that decision, too,'' Ty Baumgardner said.
"It's been fun, I've enjoyed it,'' Jerry said. "I do get a little tired during practice, but so far, so good. I hope I'm some help.''
Ty Baumgarder, who is also Topeka High's athletic director, took over a Trojan program that produced just four total wins last season (three at the varsity level) and Ty said his dad has had an impact on him and the rest of the staff as a steadying, calming influence.
"There's no question about it,'' said Ty Baumgardner, 371-159 as a high school coach. "That's exactly what he is and what I envisioned is him being that calming influence. When I or coach Ross or coach Wallace really gets into a kid he can kind of go behind us and pull them aside and say, 'Hey, here's what they're trying to get you to understand.' ''
"I think I'm more of a sounding board,'' Jerry said. "(Ty) runs things by me and if I have a comment or if I have some suggestion I'll make it. Obviously he makes the final decision on it.
"That's kind of been my role. I try to stay as low key as possible. He's got a couple of good assistants. Nate and George are doing an excellent job and I really appreciate them.''
But Ty said Jerry, who coached Ross' father at Atchison on the state championship team, can still get fired up when the situation calls for it.
"I'll tell you what now, there's been some days in these last few weeks, he's gotten into (the players),'' Baumgardner said. "He's voiced his concerns and opinions on some things that need to be corrected, so don't let the age fool you. (The fire) is still there. There's no question about it.''
Topeka High, which opens 2022 at Washburn Rural Tuesday night, has posted a 1-5 record thus far and, as fate would have it, the Trojans' lone victory came at Emporia, where Ty played and Jerry coached and retired as principal in 1997.
"That was an emotional evening for me, going back there after 25 years with the school district,'' said Jerry, who hired current Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist at Emporia. "I had a lot of feelings heading into that game about whether I wanted to be on the bench or not, but as it turned out, it was nice. Beau Welch does a great job there and his kids were just wonderful. They all came over and shook my hand and that sort of thing and I really appreciated that.
"It was a nice evening and it was nice to get a victory.''
Ty Baumgardner said it's also been nice being able to share the last few weeks with a man who has had such a profound impact on his life and career.
"We're coaches, so it's been great,'' Ty said. "It's really been a blessing.''
