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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University volleyball coach Chris Herron will never forget the three-day run his fifth-seeded Ichabods put together last week en route to the Central Region championship in Warrensburg, Mo.
Herron's only regret is that the Ichabods didn't have more time to savor -- and recover from -- that tournament before taking aim on an even bigger prize in the 2021 NCAA Division II National Tournament Thursday through Saturday in Tampla, Fla.
Washburn, which is making its third appearance in the Elite Eight and looking for its first national championship, returned to Topeka late Saturday night after claiming the regional title with a 25-22, 25-20, 25-19 win over Concordia-St. Paul and, after just a couple of days back on campus, the Ichabods departed for Tampa before daybreak Tuesday morning.
"It's very hectic,'' Herron said. "The turnaround is just crazy, trying to get everything done in two days and really just one day.''
Washburn, the No. 3 seed in the Eite Eight, will take a 29-5 record into Thursday's 11 a.m. quarterfinal match (Topeka time) against No. 6 seed West Texas A&M (26-4) at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center on the campus of the University of Tampa.
Washburn's volleyball celebrates its NCAA Division II Central Region championship last Saturday in Warrensburg, Mo. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn benefitted from a week off between the MIAA Tournament and the Central Regional, but won't have that luxury this week, playing the very first match in the Elite Eight.
"It did us so much good,'' Herron said of the earlier break. "Our bodies got to recup and so on and so forth. Now it's just a battle of attrition -- who can stay the most not hurt. That's what it amounts do.''
West Texas A&M earned a trip to the NCAA national tournament with wins over No. 8-ranked Colorado School of Mines, No. 22 Texas-Tyler and No. 3 Metropolitan State-Denver. In the regional championship match, the Lady Buffs dropped the first two sets before bouncing back to take an 18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18 and 15-8 victory.
Washburn is 2-2 all-time in the national tournament and advanced to the semifinals in 2007 and 2018.
All four national quarterfinals will be played on Thursday, followed by the semifinals on Friday and the championship match on Saturday.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Rural and Topeka High girls are ranked second and eighth in Class 6A in the first Kansas Basketball Coaches Association state rankings of the regular season.
Both the Junior Blues and Trojans are 1-0 on the season entering Tuesday night's games, with Rural taking a 54-14 win over Topeka West and Topeka High beating Manhattan, 63-41, in last Friday's season-openers.
Senior Emma Krueger (11) and the Washburn Rural girls are currently ranked No. 2 in Class 6A in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association state rankings. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN'
Defending 6A champion Shawnee Mission Northwest is ranked No. 1 in 6A while other top-ranked teams in the KBCA rankings include St. Thomas Aquinas (5A), Bishop Miege (4A), Hugoton (3A), Sterling (2A), Little River (1A-Division I) and Central Plains (1A-Division II).
No Shawnee County boys teams are ranked in this week's KBCA rankings.
Top-ranked boys teams include Free State (6A), Maize (5A), Bishop Miege (4A), Hesston (3A), Hillsboro (2A), Olpe (1A-Division I) and Hanover (1A-Division II).
KANSAS BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE RANKINGS
GIRLS
Class 6A
1. Shawnee Mission Northwest; 2. Washburn Rural; 3. Olathe North; 4. Shawnee Mission West; 5. Blue Valley North; 6. Derby; 7. Dodge City; 8. Topeka High; 9. Wichita Heights; 10. Olathe Northwest.
Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas; 2. Andover Central; 3. Salina Central; 4. Lansing; 5. Maize; 6. St. James Academy; 7. Maize South; 8. Emporia; 9. Bishop Carroll; 10. Goddard Eisenhower.
Class 4A
1. Bishop Miege; 2. Louisburg; 3. Andale; 4. Paola; 5. Clearwater; 6. McPherson; 7. Labette County; 8. Wellington; 9. Eudora; 10. Wamego.
Class 3A
1. Hugoton; 2. Cheney; 3. Nickerson; 4. Goodland; 5. Phillipsburg; 6. Eureka; 7. Nemaha Central; 8. Haven; 9. Southeast-Saline; 10. Hesston.
Class 2A
1. Sterling; 2. St. Mary's Colgan; 3. Garden Plain; 4. Smith Center; 5. Valley Heights; 6. Hillsboro; 7. Trego Community; 8. Wabaunsee; 9. Atchison County; 10. Moundridge.
Class 1A-Division I
1. Little River; 2. Burlingame; 3. St. John-Hudson; 4. Pretty Prairie; 5. Centralia; 6. South Central; 7. Doniphan West; 8. Spearville; 9. Osborne; 10. St. Paul.
Class 1A-Division II
1. Central Plains; 2. Hanover; 3. Lebo; 4. Golden Plains; 5. Hutchinson Central Christian; 6. Wheatland-Grinnell; 7. St. John's-Beloit; 8. Attica; 9. Dighton; 10. South Haven..
BOYS
Class 6A
1. Free State; 2. Shawnee Mission Northwest; 3. Wichita Heights; 4. Blue Valley Northwest; 5. Blue Valley West; 6. Blue Valley North; 7. Lawrence; 8. Olathe South; 9. Blue Valley; 10. Dodge City.
Class 5A
1. Maize; 2. Basehor-Linwood; 3. Andover; 4. Blue Valley Southwest; 5. Kapaun Mt. Carmel; 6. Bishop Carroll; 7. Maize South; 8. Hays; 9. St. James Academy; 10. Andover Central.
Class 4A
1. Bishop Miege; 2. Tonganoxie; 3. Louisburg; 4. Rose Hill; 5. McPherson; 6. Abilene; 7. Buhler; 8. Wamego; 9. Parsons; 10. Holton.
Class 3A
1. Hesston; 2. Galena; 3. Royal Valley; 4. Wichita Collegiate; 5. Cheney; 6. Nemaha Central; 7. TMP-Marian; 8. Wichita Trinity; 9. Hugoton; 10. Holcomb.
Class 2A
1. Hillsboro; 2. St. Mary's; 3. Wabaunsee; 4. Lyndon; 5. Inman; 6. Valley Falls; 7. Ellinwood; 8. Jefferson County North; 9. Erie; 10. Trego Community.
Class 1A-Division I
1. Olpe; 2. South Gray; 3. Troy; 4. Little River; 5. Meade; 6. Centralia; 7. Wichita Classical School; 8. Solomon; 9. Frankfort; 10. Osborne.
Class 1A-Division II
1. Hanover; 2. Northern Valley; 3. Axtell; 4. Wheatland-Grinnell; 5. Logan-Palco; 6. Pawnee Heihgts; 7. Attica; 8. Elyria Christian; 9. Wavelry; 10. St. John's-Beloit.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University will put the capper on an amazing 2021 season this week in the mecca of college volleyball -- the NCAA Division II tournament in Tampa, Fla.
And the importance of the moment is not lost on veteran Ichabod coach Chris Herron, whose team earned its third-ever Elite Eight appearance with an impressive run through last week's Central Region tournament as the fifth seed, knocking off three straight ranked teams, including No. 1 Central Missouri.
"I told them before the start of the (championship) match Saturday, 'This is where legends are made and stories are written and stories are told and stories get better as the years go on about teams that win tonight,' '' Herron said.
Now the 29-5 Ichabods will be shooting for their first-ever national championship, beginning with Thursday morning's 11 a.m. national quarterfinal against 26-4 West Texas A & M at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center on the campus of the University of Tampa.
Washburn will begin its quest for a national volleyball championship at 11 a.m. Thursday against West Texas A & M in Tampa, Fla. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn enters the national tournament as the No. 3 seed and Herron said no matter what happens this week he couldn't be prouder of this year's team, particularly the super senior class which includes All-Americans Allison Maxwell, Faith Rottinghaus, Genna Berg and Kelsey Gordon and star All-MIAA setter Allison Sadler.
"This makes two out of their four years that they've gone to the Elite Eight, so obviously I'm extemely proud of them, but I'm proud of them for a lot of reasons,'' Herron said. "They're such good people and they're ridiculously good academically and they're just the most competitive bunch of women ever.
"This three days has nothing to do with the love I have for them. It's got nothing to do with it.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Elijah Brooks has been a standout for Topeka West's boys basketball team from the time he stepped on campus, averaging more than 10 points as a freshman and averaging 14.8 points for his career while helping the Chargers post a 42-26 record, including a 36-11 mark (.766 percentage) over the past two-plus seasons.
But while the 6-foot-4 senior has been 'A' leader for West over the previous three seasons, he's taking on a new role this season as 'THE' leader for Rick Bloomquist's Chargers.
Brooks, who opened 2021-2022 season with a 32-point performance in a 69-57 win over Washburn Rural, has plenty of talented players around him, but he and Bloomquist both know that Brooks has to set the tone for West.
After learning from the seniors before him, including Shawnee County co-players of the year Trevion Alexander and Marque Wilkerson last season, Brooks is happy to take on the leadership mantle..
"I actually love that role,'' Brooks said. "Watching (last year's seniors) and especially Tre prepared me to take on this big role for my team,'' Brooks said. "Whatever I can do to help my team win, that's honestly what I'm going to do at the end of the day.''
Brooks and the Chargers got off to a impressive start in last Friday's win, with Brooks slamming home four first-half dunks as West opened up a commanding 24-8 lead and held off Rural, which played for the Class 6A title in 2019, the rest of the way.
Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks slams down one of his four first-half dunks on the way to a 32-point performance in Friday's 69-57 win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"I think it gets the whole crowd involved and it gets my team hyped,'' Brooks said of the dunks. "I think we were all ready for this (first) game,'' Brooks said. "In practice and stuff we were just anxious for the game and the coaches could tell.''
After going 21-3 a season ago and making it to the 5A boys title game for only the third time in school history, the goal this winter is an obvious one, to make another run at what would be the Chargers' first state crown.
"Everybody on our team, we're like hungry pitbulls because we want to get back to the state tournament and get the same type of feeling and everything,'' Brooks said. "I think we're all just dogs, to be honest.''
One thing Brooks doesn't have to worry about is resting on his laurels, not as long as Bloomquist is around.
"When you've got a kid like Elijah you've got to go through him, you want to use him and make the best of his abilities,'' said Bloomquist, who has posted more than 500 career wins and has taken Emporia and West to state championship games
"He's got to learn to play more without the ball. There's a lot he's got to learn, because he's a focal point for this basketball team and he's got to make everybody else better besides himself.''
Brooks understands and accept those expectations.
"(Bloomquist) looks at me to set the example and when I don't he really gets on me and makes an example of me to everybody,'' Brooks said. "I'll take it though. I love it.''
A look at Tuesday's Shawnee County games:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Fresh off its inaugural induction ceremonies last Saturday night, Hayden Catholic High School is accepting nominations for the 2022 Hayden Hall of Fame.
Hayden will recognize individuals in four categories -- alumni achievement, student athletic/activity achievement, staff achievement and contributor achievement.
These individuals will serve as role models and examples of achievement for future students, staff and supporters.
Hayden Catholic High School and the Hayden Catholic High School Foundation serve as the sponsoring organizations of the Hayden Hall of Fame.
Nominations for the 2022 will be accepted through July 15, 2022 and may be submitted by anyone.
Nominee notifications and announcements for the 2022 Hayden Hall of Fame will take place in September, 2022.
A Hall of Fame dinner will take place on Saturday, December 3, 2022.
Requests for a nomination form can be sent to
Ken McGarity, Ben Meseke, Rick Strecker, Mark Turgeon and the late Ken Bueltel became the first members of the Hayden Hall of Fame last Saturday.
