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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Oklahoma Baptist survived a big night from Washburn University junior guard Jalen Lewis and a late Ichabod comeback to take a 69-63 non-conference win Tuesday at Lee Arena.
But Lewis, who scored a career-high 30 points, is convinced that better days are just around the corner for the short-handed Ichabods, who fell to 2-3 on the season.
"We've just got to make sacrifices, come in every single day and work our hardest and that's all we're focused on,'' Lewis said. "We know everything else is going to come if we just come in every day and compete in practice like we've been doing.
"We're doing the right things. We've just got to amp it up a little bit and just stay the course.''
Washburn junior guard Jalen Lewis scored a career-high 30 points in the Ichabods' 69-63 loss to Oklahoma Baptist Tuesday night. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Lewis hit 13 of 20 shots overall and went 4 of 8 from 3-point range, but Washburn struggled through a tough shooting night as a team as Oklahoma Baptist opened up double-digit leads in both halves and survived numerous Ichabod rallies to hang on for the win.
Washburn shot 39.4 percent on the night (26 of 66) and was just 8 of 36 from 3-point range (22.2 percent) while Oklahoma Baptist countered with 52.1 percent shooting from the field (25 of 48) and went 6 of 12 from 3-point range (50 percent) while also canning 13 of 15 free throw attempts to help hold the Ichabods at bay.
The Ichabods cut a 12-point deficit with 5:24 left in the first half to five at halftime (35-30) and after the Bison built their lead back to 11, Washburn battled back to within 4 points on multiple occasions but could never get over the hump.
Washburn continues to play without All-America guard Tyler Geiman, standout frontlner Jonny Clausing and guard Tyler Nelson, but Washburn coach Brett Ballard said the Ichabods are making strides.
"I thought our effort was good and I thouught our compete was really good,'' Ballard said. "I don't think we're that far off from being a really, really good team.
"But like I told them, you don't come to Washburn for moral victories so I don't think we're that far off but we've still got to take some steps obviously.''
Freshman Michael Keegan joined Lewis in double figures for Washburn with 10 points, while Jeremy Harrell added eight points, including a couple of big 3-pointers in the second half.
Blake Putnam led Oklahoma Baptist with 22 points and nine rebounds while Jaquan Simms added 17 points and hit five of nine 3-point attempts.
Washburn will be back at Lee Arena Saturday to host Benedictine in a 5 p.m. non-conference contest.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Eleven city soccer standouts have received All-State recognition from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association, led by Class 6A goalkeeper of the year Wyatt Arnold and 6A forward of the year Porter Schafersman of Washburn Rural.
Washburn Rural senior Wyatt Arnold has been named the Class 6A goalkeeper of the year by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Porter Schafersman has been named the Class 6A forward of the year by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Arnold and Schafersman, both seniors, were joined on the All-6A first team by senior Washburn Rural teammate Joe Morse while Junior Blues coach Brian Hensyel was named the 6A coach of the year.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which posted a runner-up finish in the Class 6A state tournament, put a city-high four players on the 2021 All-City boys soccer team, selected by city coaches.
Rural is represented by seniors Wyatt Arnold (goalkeeper), Mason Grogan (defense), Joe Morse (midfield) and Porter Schafersman (forward), while Junior Blues coach Brian Hensyel was named the city coach of the year.
Wyatt Arnold
Mason Grogan
Joe Morse
Porter Schafersman
Hayden, a quarterfinalist in 4A-1A, put junior Jake Muller (forward) and senior Nick Padilla (midfield) on the All-City team while Seaman is represented by seniors Kyson Evans (midfield/defense) and Gavin Wilhelm (midfield/defense) and Shawnee Heights by senior David Skinner (defense) and junior Isaac Wilson (midfield).
Jake Muller
Kyson Evans
David Skinner
Senior Ethan Everhart (forward/midfield) earned first-team honors for Cair Paravel Latin while Highland Park is represented by junior Vellamy Diaz (forward), Topeka High by senior Sergio Ramirez (midfield) and Topeka West by junior Jack Snyder (defense).
Sergio Ramirez
Arnold and Padilla are both All-City first-team repeat picks while Everhart, Muller, Evans, Skinner, Ramirez and Schafersman moved up to the first team after earning honorable mention a year ago.
Hensyel was selected as the city coach of the year after leading the Junior Blues to a 19-1 record, including a 27th straight Centennial League championship (outright or shared).
ALL-CITY SOCCER
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
The 11th-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team will host No. 17 Oklahoma Baptist Tuesday at Lee Arena (7 p.m. tipoff), with the Ichabods looking to keep their momentum going after Saturday's 90-47 non-league win over Baker.
Washburn will take a 2-2 record into Tuesday's game while Oklahoma Baptist is 2-1 on the season.
Washburn won its 32nd consecutive home-opener on Saturday against Baker, with former Hayden standout Levi Braun scoring a career-high 21 points while Jalen Lewis contributed 14 points as the Ichabods hit nine 3-pointers.
Levi Braun
Defensively, the Ichabods forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over 26 times, with Isaiah Thorne, Azeem Ross and Kevaughn Ellis recording three steals apiece. Thirty-one percent of the points scored for the Ichabods were off turnovers.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After waiting a full two years, the fact that Monday's NCAA Division II selection show was a half hour late starting was little more than an annoyance to Washburn University's volleyball team.
And there were no surprises for the Ichabods when the pairings were announced, with 26-5 Washburn earning the No. 5 seed for the Central Region tournament, which will be played in Warrensburg, Mo. beginning on Thursday, Dec. 2.
Washburn volleyball earned a place in the NCAA Tournament for the 16th time in program history and will face No. 4 seed Winona State (28-4) in the quarterfinal match. A starting time had not been determined at the time the pairings were announced.
"It's always kind of that waiting game and thank goodness this year we were the second region to be announced, so that was nice that we didn't have to wait so long,'' Washburn senior Faith Rottinghaus said. "Even though we had a feeling we were in, it's always the uncertain that can bite you in the butt.''
Washburn's volleyball team reacts to the announcement that the Ichabods earned the No. 5 seed for this week's NCAA Central Region tournament at Warrensburg, Mo. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn is in the NCAA field for the third straight season, making the tourney in 2018 and 2019 before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.
The No. 6-ranked Ichabods will take on No. 10-ranked Winona State in the opening round on Thursday.
"That's the seed I thought we'd get, that was not a surprise to me at all,'' said Herron, who has coached the Ichabods to all 16 of their NCAA appearances. "And that's the team I thought we would play.
"I think it's kind of exciting that we're playing somebody we haven't played. That's really cool for us and I know our kids will be excited about not playing somebody for the third or fourth time. Our preparation will be good and we'll be excited to see the tape (of the opponent) and we're really looking forward to this.''
