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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights and Seaman will be well-represented in next Thursday's Class 5A state track and field championship at Wichita, combining to qualify for state in 29 of 36 events.
Shawnee Heights qualified in nine boys events in the Mill Valley regional, including a pair of victories from sophomore Jeremiah Smith and a win senior Aidan Hicks, while Seaman advanced in five events, led by a win from senior Cadin Worcester.
Sophomore Bethany Druse was a double regional champion for Seaman's girls, who qualified for state in nine events, while Heights' girls qualified in six events, getting a win from sophomore Taylor Rottinghaus.
Shawnee Heights sophomore Jeremiah Smith won the 110-meter hurdles and the 100 dash in 5A regional competition. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Smith, who had been sidelined with an injury, returned to action with wins in the boys 100-meter dash (10.90 seconds) and the 110-meter hurdles (14.92) and added a runner-up finish in the 200 (22.08) while Hicks won the javelin title with a throw of 180 feet, 8 inches.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Most anybody who follows high school soccer in Kansas knew that Washburn Rural was a huge favorite in Thursday's Class 6A girls regional final at McElroy Field.
And it only took a matter of minutes for the Junior Blues to make sure visiting Liberal knew that as well, with Rural scoring twice in the first 7 minutes, 14 seconds and five times in the first 19:07 on the way to a 9-0 rout.
"The whole talk for the last three or four weeks is we've got a lot of talent, we're a very good team and we've got advantages being here at home and being the higher seed and all that stuff, so you want to put the pressure on (teams) early ,'' Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "And with our girls, as soon as they score a couple of goals they just relax because they feel confident in our defense, which has only given up 10 goals in 18 games or something like that.
"So if we get to two early on you feel like, "This is going to be hard for anybody to come back.' And as you saw with the quality of some of the goals that we scored, they they just relax and we start making plays, so it's all about the start for us.''
![Washburn Rural celebrates after being presented with a Class 6A regional championship trophy Thursday night at McElroy Field. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]](/images/aa-images/Ruraljuberegional.jpeg)
Washburn Rural celebrates after being presented with a Class 6A regional championship trophy Thursday night at McElroy Field. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University senior Andrew Beckler tied for second among 84 competitors in the NCAA Division II National Golf Championships in Palm Beach Springs, Fla., the highest national tournament finish by an Ichabod in program history.
Washburn finished 12th as a team, falling short of advancing to the eight-team match play bracket.
Beckler shot a 3-over-par 75 at the PGA National Resort in Wednesday's final round to finish the tournament with a three-day total of 6-over-par.
Washburn senior Andrew Beckler tied for second place in the NCAA Division II Golf Championships, putting together rounds of 73, 74 and 75. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
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By KYLE MANTHE
TopSports.news
With a trip to the Class 6A regional championship game on the line Wednesday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex, Washburn Rural’s baseball team combined a stellar pitching performance with surging bats in the middle innings to advance with an 8-0 win over Wichita Heights.
With the win, Rural earned a berth against Dodge City in the final, which was delayed due to inclement weather in the third inning and postponed until 4 p.m. Friday at Bettis.
Hunter Jones led the way on the mound for the Junior Blues in the semifinal game, striking out 13 Wichita Heights hitters while only giving up four hits and allowing a walk and no runs in six-plus innings.
“The curveball was working a lot today, they only had one hit I think all day off of the curveball, so I just wanted to attack that in the zone,” said Jones.
The senior right-hander threw six and a third scoreless innings before being relieved to manage his pitch count. Jones was replaced by fellow senior Alex Blum, who recorded allowed a single but recorded two straight strikeouts to finish the game.
Most of the game was played in a steady drizzle, but Jones had no problems from his perch on the mound.
“I am perfectly fine in anything, just give me the ball and I will throw it,” Jones said.
Washburn Rural senior Hunter Jones delivers a pitch in the Junior Blues' 8-0 6A regional win over Wichita Heights Wednesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Washburn Rural Coach Jay Mastin agreed.
“I don’t think it did (have any impact), and we have been able to get on to a little bit of turf to practice the last couple of days,” Mastin said.
The Junior Blues' bats were quiet the first two innings, with Rural being held scoreless, and Mastin credited Jones for holding the Falcons in check early on.
“We got off to a slow start offensively, and him throwing up those zeros early and continuing on was key to allowing our offense to have some time to get settled in,” said Mastin.
In the third Rural got on the board, with senior Brady Patterson, driving in senior Davan Brady, who tripled to begin the inning. Rural added another run to make it a 2-0 game through the third.
“Brady Patterson had a few nice hits today to start things off and Davan got a couple of doubles and swung the bat real well,” said Mastin.
Washburn Rural senior Hunter Vondemkamp (10) celebrates after scoring a run in Rural's 8-0 regional win over Wichita Heights. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/TSN]
Rural blew the game open in the fourth inning, scoring five runs. The Junior Blues got a two-run triple from senior Hunter Vondemkamp, who scored himself on a throwing error.
The Junior Blues added another run in the fifth inning to extend their lead to their final eight-run advantage.
The win added to Rural’s 10-game winning streak to finish off the regular season, with the last loss coming on April 24 to Olathe West.
The championship game got underway between the Junior Blues and Dodge City but was cut short after less than three complete innings due to rain.
CLASS 6A REGIONAL BASEBALL
Semifinal
WASHBURN RURAL 8, WICHITA HEIGHTS 0
Wichita Heights (6-15) 000 000 0 -- 0 5 3
Washburn Rural (16-5) 002 510 x -- 8 11 0
W – Jones. L – Kelly. 2B – Washburn Rural: Brady 2, Taggart. 3B -- Washburn Rural: Vondemkamp.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: TopSports.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 12.69 (12.6)
Brooks, Topeka West 12.6
200 METERS
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 25.98
Reed, Topeka West 25.99
Brooks, Topeka West 26.53
Hillebert, Hayden 26.82
Ingram, Washburn Rural 27.1
400 METERS
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 57.87
Reed, Topeka West 57.94
Foster, Rossville 59.91
Bray, Washburn Rural 62.82
Rottinghaus, Silver Lake 63.59
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:19.20
Carter, Washburn Rural 2:23.64
Wagner, Washburn Rural 2:24.63
Foster, Rossville 2:24.94
Bird, Washburn Rural 2:29.23
Seaman sophomore Bethany Druse (right) leads Shawnee County girls in the 800 meters and ranks No. 2 in the 1,600. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
