News - Top Sports News - The top sports news from Topeka & Shawnee County.

Details: Created: 12 January 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Hayden star wrestlers Jude Krentz and Caleb Menke will face a lot of tough opponents over the 2025-2026 season, but very few any tougher than they see every day in practice when the two Wildcats square off against each other.

Hayden senior Jude Krentz (top) captured the 190-pound title in Saturday's Shawnee Heights Invitational while improving to 15-0 on the season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Hayden senior Caleb Menke (top) captured the 175-pound title in Saturday's Shawnee Heights Invitational while improving to 16-0 on the season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And both Krentz, a senior 190-pounder, and Menke, a junior 175-pounder, feel like that regular competition in practice has helped them post a combined 31-0 record this season after both Hayden wrestlers claimed championships in Saturday's Shawnee Heights Invitational.

"It's awesome because we both push each other all the time, all the time,'' said Krentz, who posted a fourth-place finish in Class 4A as a junior.

Menke, a returning state qualifier, agrees.

"Jude, honestly, is probably one of the best training partners that I could ever ask for,'' Menke said. "We push each other every day in practice, sometimes even getting to the point where we get after each other a little bit and get into a couple of scuffles, but at the end of the day it makes us better and we love each other for it.''

Both Krentz and Menke, who helped Hayden's football team advance to the 3A state football championship game for the third straight season, said it takes them awhile to transition from the gridiron into football mode.

But now both Wildcat standouts said they feel like they're ready to make a run at state titles later this winter.

"Normally it probably takes me probably about three weeks because in football you're trying to maintain all your weight and you're trying to stay in shape to where you can go really hard for a short period of time where wrestling you've got to go hard for a long period of time,'' Menke said. "So typically it takes me about three weeks to a month to get ready, but normally after Christmas break I'm good and ready to rock and roll.''

"I'd say it's about one to two, maybe even a three-week progress of just constantly drilling hard, and it's more of a constant movement in wrestling where you always get a few seconds between plays in football,'' said Krentz, named the Shawnee County defensive player of the year in football. "Wrestling is contant, it's in-fighting and you're always pushing the pace.''

And after suffering both of his losses at state in a 42-2 season a year ago, Krentz feels like a state crown is in reach this season.

"It was in reach last year,'' Krentz said. "There were some mental mistakes, little mistakes that can easily be fixed. It's just a matter of pushing through and keep pushing every day instead of getting complacent.''

Both Hayden wrestlers were in top form in Saturday's Shawnee Heights meet, with Menke going 5-0 with four pins en route to improving to 16-0 on the season while Krentz, after receiving a first-round bye, posted two straight wins by fall and a 17-1 technical fall to improve to 15-0.

Details: Created: 11 January 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

This past weekend is one that Shawnee Heights senior girls wrestling star Cianna Graves will never forget.

It started Friday night when Graves was selected as Heights' Queen of Courts, not exactly a common occurence for someone in her sport.

Shawnee Heights star senior wrestler Cianna Graves was named Queen of Courts Friday night. [Submitted photo]

And then on Saturday Graves went back to what she knows best, going 4-0 with four pins to win the 155-pound championship in the Shawnee Heights Invitatational while helping lead the T-Birds to the team title.

Graves, also a softball standout for the T-Birds, was nominated by the Shawnee Heights wrestling team as the program's Queen of Courts candidate and then was tapped as one of five finalists in an all-school vote before being named the queen between the Heights' girls and boys basketball games against Leavenworth.

"I was (surprised),'' Graves said. "There were a lot of good girls up this year, so it was an honor and a blessing to be able to be the queen.

"I wasn't even thinking about (winning). I was just happy that I was nominated and excited to do all the Winter Royalty things.''

Used to being in the limelight in both wrestling and softball, Graves said she wasn't rattled by Friday's festitivies.

"I really wasn't nervous, I was just there to have fun,'' Graves said.

But Graves admitted that putting on an evening dress was something new.

"It definitely was, but I think that's why I enjoyed it so much, getting to dress up and be in something a little bit more fun than maybe a singlet,'' she said.

Still dressed in her evening gown after being named Queen of Courts earlier in the night, Ciarra Graves helped set up the wrestling mats for Saturday's Shawnee Heights Invitational. [Submitted photo]

As soon as the boys basketball game was over Graves had to quickly go back into wrestling mode, joining her teammates to help set up the mats for Saturday's Shawnee Heights Invitational while still in her formal attire.

CiannaGraves2026SHInv 4 Shawnee Heights senior Cianna Graves went 4-0 with four pins to win the 155-pound title in the Shawnee Heights Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And when Saturday rolled around, Graves, third in Class 5A as a junior, put on another performance fit for a queen, going 4-0 with four pins to claim the 155-pound title and improve to 18-0 on the season.

"I love it so much,'' said Graves, a three-time state placer. "The people, the adrenalin that you get, it's all amazing.''

And now Graves will turn her attention on trying to cap what has already been a memorable senior season with a state title.

"It's the goal,'' she said. "I'm hoping that my hard work that I put in over the summer and continue to put in through this season really pays off in the end.''

Graves was one of seven individual champions in Saturday's Shawnee Heights Invitational as the T-Birds captured the team title by a 262-164 margin over Wichita South.

In addition to Graves, Shawnee Heights got individual titles from freshman 110-pound sophomore Bianca Juarez (15-6 on the season), 115-pound freshman Brinnley Morris (12-2), 125-pound junior Audrey Hinkly (15-6), 135-pound sophomore Olive Jones (21-1), 145-pound senior Olivia Stevens (16-3) and 190-pound junior Brooklyn Binkley (12-6).

Morris went 5-0 with five pins between 16 seconds and 1 minute, 51 seconds while Jones went 3-0 with 27, 49 and 46-second pins.

Details: Created: 11 January 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Seaman senior star KaeVon Bonner scored 42 points Friday night as the No. 5-ranked Vikings rolled to a 65-46 United Kansas Conference road victory over Lansing.

Senior KaeVon Bonner scored a career-high 42 points in Friday's 65-46 UKC win over Lansing. [File photo/TSN]

Bonner, who recently surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career, scored 15 points in the first quarter, followed by seven points in the second quarter, 11 in the third and nine points in the fourth quarter as Seaman improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the UKC.

Seaman jumped out to an 18-8 first-quarter advantage and led 30-16 at the half. The Vikings were still in front by 14 points (48-34) at the end of the third quarter and outscored the Lions 17-12 over the final eight minutes to close out the 19-point win.

The Vikings got 10 points from senior Landon Wiltz and 9 from senior Griffin Zuniga.

Seaman will play a UKC game at Topeka West on Tuesday. The Chargers handed the Vikings their only loss on Dec. 12.

Lady Vikes bounce back with 54-12 UKC rout

After having their four-game winning streak snapped by St. James Academy on Wednesday, Seaman's girls got back on the winning track with a 54-12 United Kansas Conference win at Lansing Friday night.

Now 5-2 overall and 5-1 in the conference, Seaman got 15 points from junior Brynn Spencer, 10 points apiece from sophomore Lydia Dreher and freshman Baylee Ayres and 7 from senior Maddie Gragg, who had 20 points in Wednesday's game against St. James.

The Vikings will play a UKC game at Topeka West on Tuesday. Seaman took a home win over the Chargers on Dec. 12.

Gad Munganga, Topeka West

West boys take 11-point road win over Bobcats

Topeka West ended its three-game week with a 56-45 road United Kansas Conference road victory at Basehor-Linwood Friday night.

After suffering its first loss of the season Monday night at Free State (53-49), the Chargers beat Leavenworth 74-47 on Tuesday before Friday's win that improved West to 7-1 on the season and a perfect 6-0 in the UKC.

Senior Gad Munganga paced Topeka West with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, while senior Keimani Paul added 12 points and junior Prince Lassiter 10 points. Seniors Jay'Veon Traylor and Malakyah Duncan added 9 points apiece for the Chargers.

West led 16-12 after one quarter and 33-24 at the half before the Bobcats cut their deficit to 40-37 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Chargers closed out the win by doubling up the hosts 16-8 in the fourth stanza.

The Chargers will be back at home Tuesday to host city and UKC rival Seaman.

Lucas Marichal, Cair Paravel

Lion boys improve to 6-2 with 50-45 Flint Hills League victory

Cair Paravel Latin's boys improved to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the Flint Hills League Friday night with a 50-45 league road win over Mission Valley.

Cair Paravel, which has posted three straight wins, got 16 points from senior Lucas Marichal, 15 from senior Drew Fay and 9 points from sophomore Chase Hastert.

Mission Valley (3-6, 1-4) rallied from a 29-22 halftime deficit to take a 37-35 lead into the fourth quarter and the game was tied late before the Lions pulled out the win.

Keegan Hoelting led Mission Valley with 16 points.

Cair Paravel will host Osage City in a Flint Hills League game on Tuesday.

Details: Created: 10 January 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The top-ranked Washburn Ichabods men's basketball team continued its perfect start to the 2025-2026 season Saturday in Maryville, Mo, pulling away in the second half for a 76-53 MIAA road win over Northwest Missouri State.

Senior Bryson Smith led Washburn with 16 points Saturday as the Ichabods improved to 16-0 on the season. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods improved to 16–0 overall and 6–0 in MIAA play, going wire-to-wire for the victory.

Washburn jumped out quickly, scoring the first 10 points of the game and holding the Bearcats without a field goal for nearly three minutes.

The Ichabods went on to build a 21-2 lead at the 12:38 mark of the opening half, but the Bearcats clawed back into the game, trimming the Ichabod advantage to two at 29-27 with 1:33 to play in the first half before the Ichabods closed the half on a 7-0 run to take a 36–27 lead into break.

Washburn dominated the paint early, outscoring the Bearcats 24 to 2 while the Bearcats finished the first 20 minutes with seven 3-pointers out of their nine first-half field goals.

Washburn pushed its lead to 11 at 41-30 with 19:02 to play in the game before the Bearcats (9-8, 2-4) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Ichabod lead back to three with 16:19 to play.

After a free throw by WU senior Bryson Smith, a basket from Northwest's Jack Ratigan cut the lead down to two with 14:47 remaining.

But Washburn outscored the Bearcats 22-7 to open up a 64-47 lead with 7:41 to play.

Northwest scored the next two points of the game, and then another 9-0 spurt by Washburn stretched the lead to 73-49.

For the game, Washburn hit 30 of 59 shots from the field (50.8 percent), including a strong 26-of-39 (66.7) on two-point attempts, leading to a 50 to 14 advantage in points in the paint.

The Ichabods went 4 of 20 from 3-point range (20.0%) and 12 of 16 at the free throw line (75.0%).

Details: Created: 10 January 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

For the first time since Jan. 5, 2019 Washburn University women's basketball went to double overtime on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 65-61 decision at Northwest Missouri.

Senior Gabi Giovannetti scored a game-high 19 points in Saturday's 65-61 Washburn double-overtime loss at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]

After rallying late in regulation to force overtime the Ichabods came up short in the second OT, dropping a four-point decision to the Bearcats.

In the opening minutes Washburn, 10-5 overall, 3-3 MIAA, was in control, leading 8-3 at the 5:27 mark after senior Gabi Giovannetti scored her second basket of the game.

The lead stayed at six inside the final two minutes of the quarter as the Bearcats were held to 1 of 12 shooting to begin the game. The home team finished on a 4-0 run and it was a 10-8 lead for the Ichabods after one.

Offense was hard to come by for both teams in the second quarter.

Washburn was held scoreless until a hoop by junior Britany Kogbara at the 4:34 mark. Both teams managed just one field goal as they combined for nine points in the quarter. The Ichabods went into the break still in front, leading 14-13.

With 7:50 remaining in the third quarter, Washburn junior Madelyn Amekporfor hit the first 3-pointer in the game for either team.

A pair of free throws by sophomore Brooke Gomez pushed the WU lead up to six points, but in the final minutes of the quarter Northwest Missouri flipped a three-point deficit into a five-point lead, going in front 33-28 after three.

After the opening minutes of the fourth quarter the Bearcats pushed the lead to nine points with 5:15 remaining.

Washburn answered with a 12-0 run across the next four minutes, with half of the points coming from Giovannetti.

Northwest Missouri scored four in a row to go in front by one. Giovannetti got a free throw to go in the final 10 seconds of regulation to tie the game back up and send it to overtime.

In the first extra period the Ichabods built the largest lead by either side at four points after senior Payton Sterk got a layup to go with 3:26 remaining.

The Washburn offense went cold over the last three minutes of overtime as the Bearcats scored four to tie it back up. Both sides had multiple stops inside the final minute to send the game to a second overtime tied at 53.

The lead continued to trade hands in the opening minutes of the second overtime.

Giovannetti hit a layup to put the Ichabods in front 59-58 with 1:12 remaining.

Northwest Missouri answered right back with a 3-pointer in the final minute that would put it in front for good. The home team went 4-4 at the free throw line to hold off the Ichabods.

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