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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Ottawa High School football job appealed to former Topeka High coach Walt Alexander for several reasons.
For one thing, Ottawa is a convenient commute for Alexander from his home in Lawrence.
Ottawa, which approved Alexander as its new head coach Monday night, also gives the former highly-successful Trojan coach the opportunity to return to the role he's grown accustomed to over more than three decades -- running his own program.
"I like to set my own schedule, I like doing everything I like to do and when the Ottawa job came open, it was awesome,'' Alexander, 59, told TopSports.news Tuesday. "It's like 20 miles from Lawrence and Shawn Phillips is the (activities director) and Kelly Whittaker's the principal and they were great.
"They've got nice facilities, it's a one-school town and everybody's pulling for one team, which is kind of nice. There's just so many things I liked about it.''
Former highly-successful Topeka High football coach Walt Alexander has accepted the head coaching position at Ottawa High School. [Submitted]
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TopSports.news
Junior Aubrie Kerscht and Salina Central's girls basketball team ended Seaman's season Monday night in the Class 5A state quarterfinals, with the Mustangs rolling to a 66-38 home victory.
Kierscht scored a career-high 34 points with six 3-pointers as Salina Central improved to 19-4 while Seaman ended its season 8-15.
Brooklyn Gormley came off the bench to lead Seaman with 11 points in Monday's 66-38 loss to Salina Central in Monday's 5A quarterfinal. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High's girls cleared a major hurdle with a 72-52 win over Washburn Rural in Saturday's Class 6A sub-state championship game at Topeka High.
But Trojan coach Hannah Alexander knows there's still major challenges ahead for her 21-1 team, beginning with Tuesday's 6 p.m. 6A quarterrfinal against 16-6 Wichita Heights at High.
The Falcons and Trojans were both in the 6A state tournament a year ago, with Heights dropping a 49-48 decision to Olathe East while Topeka High rolled to the semifinals with a 79-55 win over Olathe North before the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Three of Heights' losses this season have come against teams that advanced to the 6A or 5A quarterfinals and Alexander said the Falcons have the Trojans' complete attention.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West's boys basketball team faces a tough challenge in Tuesday night's Class 5A boys quarterfinal contest, with the Chargers going on the road to face 22-0 Hays, which ended the season top-ranked in the KBCA 5A rankings.
But West coach Rick Bloomquist started preparing his team for just such a challenge months ago.
Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist talks to his team during Saturday's Class 5A sub-state final against Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Apparently, Brett Ballard's Washburn Ichabods played so well in last week's MIAA Tournament that the NCAA powers that be wanted to see it all over again.
After topping Missouri Western in the semifinals and Northwest Missouri in a thrilling championship game, Washburn faces the prospect of seeing both teams again in the NCAA Central Regional at Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Washburn, which will be making its 15th NCAA postseason appearance, was announced late Sunday night as the No. 3 regional seed and will play No. 6 Missouri Western for the fourth time this season in an 8:45 p.m. regional contest Saturday night at the Wachs Arena.
![Brett Ballard's Washburn Ichabods are in the NCAA tournament for the third tim in his fourth year at WU and will compete in Aberdeen, S.D. later this week. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]](/images/aa-images/BrettBallard.jpg)
Brett Ballard's Washburn Ichabods are in the NCAA tournament for the third time in his four years at WU and will compete in Aberdeen, S.D. later this week. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn will take a 19-6 record into Saturday's game while Missouri Western is 14-10.
The winner of that game will move on to face No. 2 seed Northwest Missouri (23-2) in the semifinals. The Ichabods have also faced the Bearcarts three times, including WU's dramatic 69-68 win in Saturday's MIAA championship game.
“It's interesting they put all three conference schools on the same side of the bracket,'' Ballard said in a Zoom conference Sunday night. "You know, that is what it is. It’s probably not ideal, but you’ve got to go play good teams no matter what region you’re in and no matter where you’re at in the bracket.
"We’re excited about getting in. We know it’s going to be a brutal region to try to get through, just with the players and the coaching and how good everybody is, but we're familiar obviously with our side of it and we'll do some more homework on the other side of it, but out of the gates we'll have a very tough game against Missouri Western.''
