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By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's boys basketball team opened the 2025-2026 campaign at home Friday against Blue Valley Southwest with the student section decked out in their Christmas Spirit, coming out with a win, 64-45.
Senior Simon Rowley led Washburn Rural with 17 points in Friday's 64-45 win over Blue Valley Southwest. [File photo/TSN]
Both teams took a little bit to get some points on the board. The game was tied at 7-7 after the Wolves took a 10-7 lead off a triple. They would push their lead to four but Washburn Rural closed the gap to 13-12 after one quarter.
In that first quarter, Rural finished a couple of steals, but you could tell they were a little sped up at times. Something that lacked in that first half and really all game was Washburn Rural knocking down its free throws.
“I thought it looked like the first game,” Washburn Rural coach Alex Hutchins said. “Pretty sloppy at points. I thought we played with a lot of energy early. I would’ve loved to finish some plays in transition, some of the free throws, too.
"I thought we were a little frantic on defense early and then settled in as the first half went on. We’re going to have to make more shots early and I think it was good the defense was good in the second and third quarter to weather some of that.”
To open the second quarter, Brooks Ballard hit a shot from distance to make it 15-13 off an inbounds play. John Hoytal was making plays happen down low, grabbing rebounds and finishing at the rim and drawing fouls.
Rural would jump out to a 20-13 lead after Draden Chooncharoen nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner pocket and senior Simon Rowley put some distance between the teams with a couple of buckets in the winding ticks of the first half as the Junior Blues took the 27-19 lead into the break.
Washburn Rural only allowed six points in the second quarter.
The Junior Blues came out at halftime with good energy and pace and eventually pulled away from the Wolves.
Hoytal put Rural up 36-23 from distance and finished with 13 points on the night but Rowley scored seven points late in that third quarter, including banking in a three.
“Coach just says keep going, keep pounding and finding a way,” Rowley said. “I just tried to get the guys in a good positive mindset. I know I started off slow. I set the tone for the team so I had to have a better mindset when I was out there and encourage my teammates more and they all feeded off me and we were just eating.”
But after that Rural went up 19 after back-to-back buckets from Rowley, who finished with 17 points. Chooncharoen hit two more 3-pointers down the stretch to finish with nine and put the nail in the coffin.
“I thought our execution was decent, we just didn’t finish the opportunities. Hopefully that’s just the first game jitter stuff and we can shake that off. A good first night, but more to build on,” Hutchins said.
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS 64, BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST 45
Blue Valley Southwest 13 6 10 16 -- 45
Washburn Rural 12 15 18 19 -- 64
Blue Valley Southwest (0-1) - Taylor 1-1 0-0 3, Bonczynski 1-3 1-2 4, William Abraham 1-2 0-0 2, Putzier 2-3 1-1 5, Steele 1-1 0-0 2, Geisler 1-1 0-0, 3, Ferguson 2-2 0-0 6, Wesley Abraham 4-8 3-4, 12, Carlisle 3-3 0-0 8.
Washburn Rural (1-0) -- Rowley 7-15 2-8 17, Nimz 0-2 0-2 0, Ballard 3-3 0-0 8, Wright 2-5 1-3 3, Hoytal 3-9 6-6 13, O’Conner 1-3 1-2 3, Chooncharoen 3-5 0-2 9, Bradley 2-2 0-0 4, Schmidt 2-4 1-2 5. Totals 23-48 11-25 64.
3-point field goals -- Washburn Rural 7 (Chooncharoen 3, Ballard 2, Rowley, Hoytal). BVSW 8 (Ferguson 2, Carlisle 2, Bonczynski, Taylor, Giesler, Wesley Abraham). Total fouls -- Washburn Rural 14, Blue Valley Southwest 23. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn's volleyball season came to an end Friday night with a 3-0 loss to No. 6 Concordia-St. Paul in the NCAA Central Region semifinals.
The Ichabods end the season with a 27-5 record after going 13-3 in the MIAA and winning a share of the MIAA regular-season championship.
Washburn's outstanding 2025 volleyball season ended Friday with a 3-0 loss to Concordia-St. Paul in an NCAA Central Region semifinal. [File photo/TSN]
The Golden Bears (28-5), the No. 2 seed in the region, took control late in the first set and went up 1-0 in the match with a 25-21 win. Sixth-seeded Washburn (27-5) led early in the second set before falling by the same score, 25-21. The Ichabods led deep into the third set but were unable to extend the match, falling 26-24.
Early in the first set it was back-and-forth with eight ties in the first 16 points.
Concordia-St. Paul created some space with three straight points to lead 15-12.
Shortly after Keilah Rivers knocked down a kill that pulled the Ichabods within one point at 17-16. Washburn stayed within two points until the Golden Bears secured the final two points of the set to win 25-21. Both teams hit over .270 in the set to open the match.
After CSP got the first point in the second, Washburn's Brooklyn Morrisey slashed a kill that started a 6-0 run.
Washburn held the lead until the Golden Bears won five straight points to go in front by one, 13-12. The deficit grew to as many as four points but the Ichabods hung around, pulling back within two at 23-21 on a Brynne Topolski kill off an assist from Sydney Conner.
Once again the final two points went to Concordia-St. Paul to win the set.
Washburn jumped in front 7-4 in the third after Austin Broadie connected on a kill. The lead grew to seven points at 14-7 after a six-point burst that began with Morrisey taking a pass from Corinna McMullen to the floor for a kill.
The Golden Bears won six of the next eight points to pull within three at 16-13. The Ichabods recovered, going on a 6-4 run to lead 22-17 after Broadie and Bella Limback combined for a block.
CSP won four straight points, forcing two Washburn timeouts. The Ichabods still were able to reach match point at 24-23 after an attacking error, but the next three points went to the Golden Bears as they closed out the match.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University soccer team will be in St. Louis Saturday for a 1 p.m. Elite Eight matchup against Missouri-St. Louis.
Aubrey Tanksley, Washburn
"We are all looking forward to (Saturday) and another chance we get to continue to grow together as a group,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "Our ladies have been really good about leaning into our core values, and I'm expecting that to inspire another really positive performance for us.
"UMSL is well coached and a good team. (Saturday) should offer everything that an Elite 8 matchup should offer."
Washburn, 13-3-6, is coming off a 1-0 win over No. 4-seed St. Cloud State on Sunday to become Central Region champions for the second time in program history.
Washburn has 13 clean sheets this year, which is third most in program history.
Aubrey Tanksley scored the game-winning goal from a corner taken by Bricelyn Betts, which Tanksley headed home in the 75th minute.
Washburn goalkeeper Lili Everley has the second-most shutouts in a season in Washburn history, with 11.
The Tritons(15-4-2) are the No. 7 seed from the Midwest Region, beating crosstown rival and No. 4-seeded Maryville, 2-1 to advance to the Elite Eight.
UMSL leads the all-time series with Washburn, 3-1.
The two teams met earlier this season, with the Tritons taking a 3-0 decision in St. Louis.
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
An ice-cold fourth period doomed the Topeka High girls’ first effort of the season Thursday. A five-minute scoreless stretch let the visiting Wamego Lady Raiders get away with a 67-46 opening-night victory.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton led Topeka High with 26 points in Thursday's 67-46 season-opening loss to Wamego. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]Caption Text
The Trojans trailed essentially they entire game, but they kept the deficit around five points most of the night. They trailed 41-36 to begin the fourth period. But Wamego reeled off a 16-0 run that was not broken until the 3:00 mark, at which point the game was out of reach for Topeka High.
Having finished 14-8 a year ago and returning a number of key veterans, it was not the start the Trojans hoped for.
“We’re not making excuses,” Trojan coach Ron Slaymaker said about the debut performance. “Wamego was pretty good. They’ve got good depth and they shot really well. So, you’ve got to give them some credit.”
Topeka High senior Keimara Marshall scored 12 points in Thursday's season-opening 67-46 loss to Wamego. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans were led by junior Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton’s 26 and senior Keimara Marshall’s 12. But they struggled to get production beyond the two starting guards.
Sophomore forward Hailey Caryl, a returning starter who is an important rebounder and defender in the paint, spent the game on the sideline wearing a boot.
“Without Hailey in there, we have to put some people in spots where they don’t belong,” Slaymaker said. “We get past one or two people and we get pretty short. For 32 minutes, that catches up with you. But they know that with Hailey being out, that’s only an excuse. In sports, you’ve got to play without somebody sometimes. Everybody else has to pick up their slack. I don’t think we did that.”
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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Topeka High graduate Robbie Sanders, a longtime assistant at Topeka High and Shawnee Heights, recorded his first victory as a head coach Thursday as his alma mater ran away from guest Wamego, 82-54.
Former Topeka High star Robbie Sanders notched his first win as a head coach Thursday night, with the Trojans rolling to an 82-54 win over Wamego. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans demonstrated some firepower they didn’t have a year ago when they won just one game against 19 losses. Thursday, Topeka High exploded out of the gate for 26 first-quarter points, then put up another 26 in the second period to lead 52-29 at the half.
“I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment. I’m just so happy and proud to lead these guys in this program,” Sanders said. “I was emotional. I feel like I put a lot of work in over the years, and I’ve prepared for this moment. But my emotions… I struggled. I saw my dad. I saw my mom up there, and I almost lost it. I had to go back in the office and sit down for a little while.
“But I knew the guys were ready. I knew we would play pretty well, but they surprised the heck out of me by how hard they competed tonight.”
In the locker room, Sanders was presented the game ball by Topeka High administrators in recognition of his first victory. And he had some familiar faces – the Shawnee Heights team – in the stands behind him. Sanders even paused at halftime to shake the hands of the T-Birds in attendance and thank them for being there.
“That’s my family. I love those guys at Shawnee Heights, coach (Ken) Darting and all the players, and I was really happy to see them,” Sanders said. “It feels a little weird not coaching them anymore. But I love the guys that I got right now.”
Senior Bryson McComas scored a game-high 24 points Thursday as Topeka High opened its season with an 82-54 win over Wamego. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sanders started five seniors who combined for 69 of the Trojans’ 82 points. Bryson McComas led the team with 24 points, with Elisha Guest and Jalen Aldridge tossing in 16 and 15, respectively.
“These seniors believed. They never gave up,” Sanders said. “Any of them could have tried to quit, transfer, go somewhere else and see greener pastures. They believed in each other. They believed in me.”
