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Trojan's #5 Lilly Smith drives to the basket against Washburn Rural (photo by Rex Wolf/TopSportsNews
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High's girls basketball team stared the end of its long winning streak in the face Thursday night and found a way to keep it alive.
The top-ranked Trojans trailed No. 4 Washburn Rural, which handed High its last loss in the 2019 Class 6A state championship game, by a 49-46 margin after a Emma Krueger basket with 1:53 remaining, but Topeka High ran off the final 7 points of the game over the final 1:34 to escape with a 53-49 Centennial League win at High.
The Trojans' vaunted defense turned the tide in the late going, forcing multiple turnovers that led to points en route to their 6th straight victory this season and 29th overall.
High junior NiJaree Canady scored back-to-back hoops to put the Trojans up 49-48 and then senior Lilly Smith scored the final 3 points of the game after coming up with two straight steals.
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TopSports.news
Washburn Rural’s boys swimmers topped a 13-school field in the Topeka West Invitational, which was contested Tuesday and Wednesday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, posting seven wins en route to a 434-336 margin over Blue Southwest.
Junior Dagen Clouse captured four gold medals while junior Nathen Trachta won three golds.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural dominated Wednesday’s Topeka High bowling quadrangular at Gage Bowl, sweeping both the boys and girls team and individual titles.
Rural senior Hannah Casto won the girls individual title with a event-best 695 three-game series, including a second-game 299, as the Junior Blues won the girls team championship by 428 pins over runner-up Shawnee Heights (2,403-1975).
Kaitlyn Doyal posted a second-place individual finish for Rural’s girls with a 594 series, while Shawnee Heights’ Brylee Prockish was third with a 555 series to lead the runner-up T-Birds.
Doyal had a high game of 209, the second-highest game in the girls division on the day.
Rural sophomore Josh Hammons rolled a 669 series to take the boys individual crown, leading the Junior Blues to a 90-pin win over Shawnee Heights (2,542-2,452).
Hammons put together three straight 200 games to win the boys title by 23 pins over Junction City’s Torrey Lindsay, who had a 646 series.
Hammons opened with a 238 game, followed by 205 and 226 games.
Runner-up Shawnee Heights was led by Aidan VanMetre (636) and Josh Egly (627), who finished fourth and fifth individually.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West junior basketball standout Elijah Brooks certainly didn't want to have to fight through an injury earlier this season.
But after going down early in the Chargers’ game against Shawnee Heights with an injury to his left foot and missing West’s final game before the holiday break against Manhattan, the 6-foot-3 Brooks is quickly making up for lost time.
“I rolled it when I tried to stop too quick and I dislocated a bone,’’ Brooks said.
Elijah Brooks
Brooks had to stay off the foot for a couple of weeks, but said that time made him appreciate how much he loves the game.
“It makes you anxious and it makes you look at the game better and see you need to cherish every moment that you play,’’ Brooks said.
Brooks has been outstanding since returning to action, scoring 28 points in West’ 78-60 Centennial League win over Hayden last Friday and following that up with a 29-point performance in Tuesday’s 76-50 win over Emporia.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the first time all season, the Washburn men’s basketball team will be in bounce-back mode when the Ichabods host Missouri Southern in an MIAA contest Thursday night at Lee Arena.
The No. 8-ranked Ichabods, 8-1 overall and in the MIAA, will host Missouri Southern (4-4, 4-4) in a 7:30 p.m. contest, following a 5:30 women’s game between Washburn (3-4, 3-4) and Southern (4-4, 4-4).
Washburn’s men will be looking to rebound from their first loss of the season, a 74-67 loss at then 22nd-ranked Missouri Western last Saturday.
Brett Ballard’s Ichabods will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak against Jeff Boschee’s Lions, who have dropped their last two games and four of their last five, including an 83-67 loss at Pittsburg State last Saturday.
Overall the Lions have won 9 of their last 10 contests against WU, including the last four games played in Lee Arena.
Senior Tyler Geiman, the MIAA player of the week, leads Washburn in scoring (18.6 average), assists (5.9), rebounds (7.3) and steals (1.9).
Junior Jonny Clausing is averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while junior Jalen Lewis averages 11.6 points and senior Drew Maschoff 10 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
Geiman, who leads the MIAA and ranks fifth in the nation in assists, became the 26th player in Washburn history to reach the 1,000-point mark for career points (1,012).
