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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]
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By ANDREW GILL
TopSports.news
Despite having their 41-game win streak snapped the night before, it was business as usual for the Topeka High Lady Trojans Wednesday night in their 69-34 home Centennial League romp past Seaman.
Seaman jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, but Topeka High’s full court press quickly turned things around.
The Trojans, who improved to 18-1 overall and 15-0 in the league, found themselves up 14-8 at the end of the first quarter and led 28-20 at the half before Topeka High turned the game into a rout in the second half..
“I think we were still just a little hurt from last night (a 70-52 road loss to Class 4A power Bishop Miege) and it just took us a little bit to get in a rhythm,” Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander said. “I was proud of our second half effort.''
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TopSports.news
Juniors Ty Henry and Caden Stallbaumer led the way as Seaman posted its fourth straight victory Tuesday night at Seaman, taking a 65-50 Centennial League decision over Manhattan.
Henry scored a game-high 22 points and Stallbaumer added 16 with 4 3pointers as Seaman avenged a 15-point loss to the Indians earlier in the season while improving to 10-8 overall and 8-6 in the league.
Ty Henry
Manhattan led 11-8 at the end of the opening quarter but Seaman rallied for a 25-20 halftime lead and outscored the Indians (8-10, 6-9) by a 40-30 margin in the second half.
Sophomore Kaeden Bonner, returning from an injury, added 11 points for Seaman.
Senior Owen Braxmeyer led Manhattan with15 points.
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS 49, JUNCTION CITY 46
Washburn Rural trailed by a point (35-34) at the end of the third quarter before riding a big fourth quarter from senior Joe Berry to a 49-46 home Centennial League win over Junction City.
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Perennial state title contender Bishop Miege jumped on Topeka High early Tuesday night on the Stags’ home floor, ending the Trojans’ 41-game winning streak with a 70-52 romp.
Miege, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, led Topeka High, top-ranked in 6A, by a commanding 23-11 margin at the end of the first quarter and was never seriously threatened.
NiJaree Canady
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights star junior wrestler Maranda Bell, currently ranked No. 2 in the Division I girls state rankings, has suffered tough losses the past two weeks in matches that went down to the wire against top-ranked Washburn Rural senior Dajia Anderson.
But Bell thinks those defeats -- 4-2 on a last-second takedown at regionals and 8-7 last week at sub-state -- has actually raised her confidence level entering Thursday's Division I state tournament at Park City's Hartman Arena (12 p.m. start).
"I have gained confidence from them,'' said Bell, who will take a 28-4 record into the state meet. "I know what I can do and I know what I'm capable of and I think I can use that.''
Shawnee Heights' Maranda Bell (left) and Washburn Rural's Dajia Anderson could go head to head for a third straight week if both make it to the finals of the Division I state tournament at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
