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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Dagen Clouse and Nathen Trachta both earned four gold medals to lead the way as Washburn Rural successfully defended its Centennial League swimming and diving championship Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Clouse won individual titles in the 50 freestyle (22.08 seconds) and the 100 free (49.76) while Trachta was the individual champion in the 100 butterfly (54.47) and the 100 backstroke (56.54).
Both Clouse and Trachta also swam on Washburn Rural's winning 200 freestyle (1:31.48) and 400 free (3:22.39) relays along with Keats Larson and Yeager Larson, with the Junior Blues setting a league record in the 200 free relay.
Washburn Rural won the team title by a 386-353 margin over Manhattan while Seaman was third with 350 points.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The 2020-21 high school wrestling season will be remembered for all the COVID-19-related obstacles teams have had to overcome and the adjustment they've had to make just to have the opportunity to compete.
But Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker and Shawnee Heights coach Chad Parks will also remember the year for the way their teams have handled every challenge they've faced while putting together outstanding seasons.
Damon Parker's Washburn Rural boys and girls wrestling teams are both top-ranked in the state heading into postseason.
Parker's Junior Blues swept the girls and boys Centennial League team titles and both teams are currently ranked No. 1 in Class 6A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association while Parks' T-Birds swept the United Kansas Conference crowns and Heights' girls are ranked No. 6 in Division I and the boys No. 7 in 5A.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls basketball team continues to show improvement, a point the Vikings drove home Wednesday night in a 40-29 Centennial League win over Junction City.
The Vikings had dropped a 41-37 decision to the Blue Jays eight days earlier, but took control early in the rematch, building a double-digit advantage by halftime.
Seaman, which improved to 5-9 overall and 5-6 in the league, took a 12-5 first-quarter lead and were in control by a 24-11 margin at the half.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High boys basketball coach Eric King was thrilled with the fight his Trojans showed in rallying from a 22-point deficit to give themselves a chance late in Wednesday's Centennial League makeup game against Manhattan.
But the fact that Topeka High got down 22 in the first place was the problem, with the Trojans' comeback falling just short in a 59-56 loss to the Indians at High.
Manhattan, which improved to 7-7 overall and 5-6 in the league, opened the night with a 24-9 first quarter and the Indians went up 34-12 midway through the second quarter, forcing Topeka High to play catch up the rest of the game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's probably a given that Topeka High's girls basketball team has been thinking about Friday's showdown with Washburn Rural for a while now.
After all, the Junior Blues were the last team to beat the Trojans, in the 2019 Class 6A state championship game, and is the only team to play High closer than 16 points this season.
But High coach Hannah Alexander wanted to make sure that all of her team's attention Wednesday night was on Manhattan, which visited top-ranked Topeka High for a Centennial League makeup game, and that seemed to be the case as the Trojans rolled to a 66-33 win over the Indians to stretch their winning streak to 38 games.
"We always talk about executing and make sure we handle business right away and not get caught and not overlook any opponent,'' Alexander said after the Trojans improved to 15-0 overall and 12-0 in the league. "I thought they did a really good job executing that tonight.
"Control what you can control, that's what we say, and take care of business and make sure we get good at what we do.''
NiJaree Canady
