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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Since suffering an early-season loss to Centennial League foe Manhattan, Seaman is looking more and more like the program that has won nine Class 5A state championships and made 16 consecutive state appearances.
And Viking coach Trent Oliva said that defeat may have been good for team, which ran its win streak to to seven games with an 11-0, 18-0 league sweep over Topeka West Thursday at Hummer Sports Park, improving to 8-1 on the season.
"It may have gotten our attention a little bit more, it maybe helped us focus a little bit more,'' Oliva said of the Manhattan loss. "We did a good job responding that night, winning the second game of the night and then we've been able now to keep that ball rolling.''
![Seaman baseball coach Trent Oliva (center) talks to his team after the Vikings swept Topeka West Thursday night to improve to 8-1 and increase their win streak to seven games. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]](/images/aa-images/Seamanbaseballgroup.jpg)
Seaman baseball coach Trent Oliva (center) talks to his team after the Vikings swept Topeka West Thursday night to improve to 8-1 and increase their win streak to seven games. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
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Seaman's Gabby Grace won the 100-yard backstroke and the 100 freestyle in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural and Hayden rode their depth to a one-two team finish in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational swimming meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, while Seaman and West combined for seven individual victories.
Washburn Rural's Ellie Armstrong won the one-meter diving event with a score of 208.50 points and the Junior Blues' Mara Bare, Aubrey Fritsch, Jeisscafaith Ndungu and Makenna Pritchard won the 200-yard free relay in 1 minute, 50.96 seconds, but it was depth that paved the way for a 473-392 team victory over Hayden, with Rural posting top-three finishes in eight of 12 events.
Makenna Pritchard anchored Washburn Rural's 200-yard freestyle relay to a win in the Topeka West Invitational and finished second in the 100 and 200 freestyle. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden, meanwhile, did not post a win, but the Wildcats finished in the top three places in five events, including a second-place finish in diving by Tatum Trent and thirds from Audrey Kuta in the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly, Olivia Kerr in the 200 individual medley and the 400 freestyle relay team of Kuta, Kerr, Alexis Vu and Ainslee Oliver.
Seaman finished fourth as a team, but won a meet-high five events, including a pair of individual wins from both Avery Walz and Gabby Grace and a win from Tauren Walz.
Avery Walz won the 50 freestyle in (25.80) and the 100 breaststroke (1:09.04) while Grace won the 100 free (56.60) and the 100 backstroke (1:03.69) and Tauren Walz won the 200 individual medley (2:17.73).
Topeka West's Kadence Jeffries won the 200-yard freestyle and 500 freestyle in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West's Kadence Jeffries was also a double-event winner, taking victories in the 200 free (1:59.07) and the 500 free (5:21.45).
Topeka High was led by Abigail Price's sixth-place finish in the 100 backstroke while Makayla Geil finished seventh in the 50 free and the team of Aubery Zimmerman, Price, Elaine Bunten and Geil finished seventh in the 400 free relay.
Alexis Vu helped Hayden post a third-place finish in the 400-yard free relay and a second-place team finish in the Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
Team scores
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By ANDREW GILL
TopSports.news
Seaman junior Justin Kruse captured the No. 1 singles title on Wednesday in the Vikings' home boys tennis invitational to lead his team to a second-place team finish.
Kruse dropped just two games in his first three matches of the round-robin tournament before capping the tournament off with an 8-4 victory over Junction City’s Hayden Diestelkamp.
“I feel like my first three matches were pretty clean,'' Kruse said. "In my last match, I hit a wall. I just wasn’t hitting my shots right.''
Kruse was looking forward to playing Shawnee Heights’ usual No. 1 singles player, John Lysaught, but didn't get the chance Wednesday as Lysaught did not compete at the tournament.
“I got one (Class) 5A win over Shawnee Heights, which is a good regional win, but they didn’t bring their true number one player,'' Kruse said. "I’m looking forward to that matchup before regionals.''
Despite being without Lysaught, Shawnee Heights managed to squeak out a 1-point team win over Seaman, 22-21.
The T-Birds got first-place finishes from both No. 2 singles player Paul Quidu and their No. 1 doubles team of Christian Johnson and Garrison Johnson.
Seaman got a title in No. 2 doubles from the team of juniors Landon DiLeonardo and Theo Wagnon.
Highland Park finished third as a team, led by senior Eliseo Barreno, who finished second in No. 2 singles. The Scots also posted a third-place finish in No. 2 doubles.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL TENNIS
Team scores
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Wednesday's Junior Blues Invitational at Hummer Sports Park was the third track and field meet of the season for most of Arrik White's Washburn Rural teammates, while White was making a belated season debut.
But the Rural senior, an All-City pick in cross country, was just happy to be back on the track, and even happier to be winning.
Coming off a stress fracture in his left leg that sidelined him for about two months, White won the boys 1,600 meters by nearly 20 seconds in a time of 4 minutes, 48.3 seconds and also ran a leg on the Junior Blues' winning 4 x 400 relay (3:48.5).
"Leading up to (the 1,600) I was super nervous because my first (track) race in two years, I was like, 'It's going to be intense,' '' White said. "But then in the middle of it I kind of got into a groove and felt like I was where I wanted to be for the amount of training I've had.''
Coming off a stress fracture, Washburn Rural senior Arrik White made his season debut Wednesday with a win in the 1,600-meter run in the Junior Blues Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
White still isn't quite 100 percent physically, but the Rural senior has also felt a sense of urgency to return to action.
"I saw last week at Olathe a few of the guys I'd be racing with at regionals, they were doing pretty well, so I know I have to get to that spot pretty quick,'' White said. "I have faith in myself, but it will definitely be mentally challenging.''
White thought Wednesday was a good start in the right direction.
"I'll take it,'' said White, who has signed to run collegiately at Allen Community College. "It's always going to be in the back of my mind where I could have been if I hadn't gotten hurt, but after seven, eight weeks off, for me to be at a 4:48, I'll definitely take it.''
Washburn Rural used Wednesday's meet as a varsity competition while several other schools in the field used the meet as a combined varsity/junior varsity meet.
Other highlights:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news plans to compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2021 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
GIRLS
100 METERS
Reed, Topeka West 12.2
Hillebert, Hayden 12.6
Brooks, Topeka West 12.6
200 METERS
Reed, Topeka West 26.78
Hillebert, Hayden 26.82
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 26.82
Brooks, Topeka West 27.41
400 METERS
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 59.55
Reed, Topeka West 62.61
Bray, Washburn Rural 63.97
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:21.0
Wagner, Washburn Rural 2:31.07
Rezac, Washburn Rural 2:31.58
