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By ANDREW GILL
TopSports.news
The De Soto Wildcats, who improved to 15-3 overall and 6-2 in the United Kansas Conference, etched out a 55-45 league boys basketball road win over the Shawnee Heights T-Birds (6-9, 4-4) in a physical Thursday night matchup.
The Wildcats had beaten Ken Darting’s T-Birds at home 60-55 just two days prior and will host the T-Birds for a third time in a Class 5A sub-state game next Wednesday.
De Soto head coach Matt Rice said keeping Shawnee Heights’ star guard Isiah Johnson from scoring was vital to their game plan.
“Defense was the key for us tonight, especially Isiah (Johnson). When he gets going, they all seem to get going,” Rice said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural's girls wrestling team doubled its fun Thursday en route to a dominating performance in the Division I state wrestling tournament at Hartman Arena.
Rural, which captured the championship in the inaugural girls state tournament in 2020, made it team title No. 2 Thursday while the Junior Blues got a pair of individual titles, from seniors Rebekah Smith at 155 pounds and Dajia Anderson at 191, and Anderson won her 2nd state championship in two different weight classes.
Rural sophomore Addison Broxterman also made it to the finals, finishing second at 120, and the Junior Blues had six medalists overall.
And while Damon Parker's Junior Blues had needed Anderson's win to pull out a 4-point decision in the '20 state meet, there was no such drama Thursday, with Rural clinching the championship before the final round even began on the way to a decisive 100-74 margin over Wichita North.
![Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker hoists Rebekah Smith in the air after Smith won the 155-pound state title Thursday night. [Submitted]](/images/aa-images/BekaSmith.jpg)
Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker hoists Rebekah Smith in the air after Smith won the 155-pound state title Thursday night. [Submitted]
Washburn Rural senior Rebekah Smith (right) captured the 155-pound state title Thursday night, helping lead the Junior Blues to their second straight state team championship. [Submitted]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team will be in action for the first time in three weeks and for the first time in Topeka since nearly a year when the Ichabods host the Washburn Invitational presented by the Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel Friday through Sunday.
The Ichabods will play five games in an event that will include 12 other schools -- four from the MIAA, four from the Great Lakes Valley Conference and four from the NCIC.
Games are scheduled to be played at Gahnstrom Field on the Washburn campus as well as Hummer Sports Park. The Lake Shawnee Complex could also be used if wet weather comes into play.
Washburn is scheduled to play one game on Friday and two on Saturday and Sunday, with all of the Ichabods game at Gahnstrom Field.
Washburn, which has not played at home since March 7, 2020, enters the weekend 2-2 after its first action of the season at the Lubbock Christian Invitational Feb. 5-6.
Pitcher Raegen Hamm and the Ichabod softball team will host the Washburn Invitational Friday through Sunday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University’s men’s and women’s track and field teams will be back in action Saturday and Sunday, hosting the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility.
Twelve MIAA teams will compete in the women’s division while 11 men’s teams will compete.
Washburn’s women are coming off a strong performance in the Ichabod Invitational, recording 12 personal bests, its first NCAA automatic qualifier of the season, a school record and three more NCAA provisional qualifiers.
Washburn Rural product Zac Chandler will compete for Washburn in this weekend's MIAA indoor track and field championships after setting a pole vault school record in his most recent meet. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athleticcs]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Caden Walker has been a top wrestler for Shawnee Heights since he stepped on the mat for the T-Birds.
But after making it to the Class 5A state tournament as a freshman and earning a state medal with a sixth-place finish last season as a sophomore, the T-Bird star 160-pounder has stepped up his game a few notches this season, taking a perfect 35-0 record into Friday's 5A state tournament at Park City's Hartman Arena (12 p.m. start).
"Last year I tried getting some more mat time while I was out there, working on some other stuff, but this year I've just gone out there and tried to pin everybody as fast as I could,'' said Walker, who has won 29 matches by fall and pinned his way through the T-Birds' regional sub-state tournaments.
"I didn't want to be on the mat for very long -- just get off the mat and get rested and be ready for the next match.''
Shawnee Heights junior 160-pounder Caden Walker (left), will take a perfect 35-0 record into Friday's Class 5A state wrestling tournament at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
