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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
K-State just played its worst game in the Chris Klieman era.
I watched a few performances under Bill Snyder that could be deemed poor, but the loss to Arizona State reminded me of teams coached by Stan Parrish, Ellis Rainsberger and Doug Weaver.
A few other K-State coaches probably belong on that inglorious list, which brings us to this PSA: Ron Prince has not resurfaced since allegations of player abuse led to his 2019 dismissal at Howard.
Avery Johnson is going to go through a lean stretch as a first-year starter. The nature of the game is to undergo growing pains, especially at quarterback.
However, it seems coaching and play-calling could be contributing to Johnson’s dropoff.
But then K-State was horrible in all three phases last weekend as the Wildcats took themselves out of Big 12 title contention with a home defeat to Arizona State.
What’s that? They still could reach the Big 12’s big show in the Big D?
It would take a mighty rebirth for K-State to win its last two games. The Cats cannot even hike the ball assuredly.
Throwing this in: the last K-State receivers to crack the program’s all-time top 10 were Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles in 2018 (pre-Klieman).
The lack of an all-conference-caliber receiver is a perpetual issue for K-State, and one that should not exist with a quarterback as promising as Johnson.
I sympathize with Klieman for whatever he is going through personally. I believe, still, that he’s a great fit for K-State.
However, in this era when fans legally assist with financial compensation for players and when big bucks for a few players can lead to locker room resentment, scrutiny has somehow intensified.
Careful what you wish for in heated moments.
KU suddenly looks like a Big 12 frontrunner in football, along with its Saturday opponent, Colorado.
Too many fourth-quarter funks clearly removed the Jayhawks from the title picture. Just rebounding to get a bowl bid would be astounding considering their difficult late-season schedule.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University announced Monday afternoon that longtime Ichabod football coach will not return in 2025.
Schurig wrapped up his 22nd season as Washburn's head coach on Saturday with a 35-28 road win over Northeastern State, putting the capper on a 3-8 season.
Five of Washburn's eight losses were one-possession games, including four losses by three or fewer points and two one-point defeats.
Craig Schurig, the winningest football coach in Washburn University history, has been relieved of his coaching duties after a 22-year tenure.
The team posted a 2-9 record in 2023 season after a 7-4 mark in 2022 and a trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2021 (9-3).
Schurig, who has been at WU for 23 years, with the 2020 season being cancelled due to COVID, is the all-time winningest coach in program history with a record of 142-109 (.566). As the sixth-longest tenured football coach in MIAA history, he went 122-91 (.603) against MIAA opponents and won the MIAA regular-season championship outright in 2005.
Also that year, the program recorded its first 10-win season.
"We are grateful to Coach Schurig and his family for their long-time commitment to this university," said Washburn Athletics Director Loren Ferre. "He has built a solid program at Washburn, recruiting talented players and coaches during his two decades here.
"His commitment to excellence has laid a foundation for the future, and we appreciate all that Craig has done to advance our program, both on and off the field."
Washburn has named associate head coach Zach Watkins as interim head football coach, effective immediately.
Watkins has been on the Ichabod coaching staff for 11 seasons, serving as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator.
Prior to his coaching career, Watkins was a standout linebacker for Washburn from 2006 to 2009.
Long-term plans for the head coaching position are still being determined.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 10-ranked Washburn University men's basketball will be back in Lee Arena at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night, hosting MIAA rival Pittsburg State in a non-conference contest.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter leads a balanced Washburn offensive attack with a 15.8 scoring average and 12 3-pointers. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are 4-0 on the season after a 77-55 win over Rockhurst in Kansas City, Mo. last Friday.
Washburn had four players reach double figures against the Hawks as WU improved recorded its fourth straight double-digit victory.
Jacob Hanna scored a game-high 19 points and added five rebounds for Washburn while Brayden Shorter scored 16 points with four 3-pointers and Michael Keegan had 15 points with nine rebounds and five assists. Jack Bachelor scored 11 points with six rebounds and four assists for the Ichabods.
The win over the Hawks snapped a four-game Washburn losing streak to Rockhurst in Mason-Halpin Fieldhosue
All five WU starters are averaging in double figures, with Shorter leading the way with a 15.8-point average with 12 3-pointers.
Andrew Orr is averaging 15.5 points, followed by Hanna at 14.8, Bachelor at 11.3 and Keegan at 11.0 points a game.
Bachelor leads the Ichabods with 22 assists while Keegan has 12 steals.
Brady Christiansen is averaging a team-high 8.3 rebounds for Washburn.
Pittsburg is 2-2 this season after topping William Jewell, 61-60. Washburn leads the all-time series with the Gorillas, 110-78. The Ichabods have won the last 23 of the last 27 meetings, including the last eight overall.
The Ichabods are 34-3 in Lee Arena against PSU and 38-16 against the Gorillas in MIAA play.
All four of the Gorilla games this season have been played in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Former Missouri Southern standout Avery Taggart leads four Gorillas averaging in double-figure, scoring at 14.3 points a game while hitting a team-high 11 3-pointers. R.J. Forney Jr. is averaging 13.0 points, Darrell Washington 10.5 and Tanner Mans 10.3 points a game.
Pittsburg State is averaging 69.25 points a game while allowing 73.3 points per contest.
The Ichabods will host William Jewell on Saturday and Peru State on Nov. 30 before opening MIAA play at Nebraska-Kearney on Dec. 5.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tayson Horak
TAYSON HORAK, Rossville
A senior quarterback, Horak had a hand in five Rossville touchdowns as the Bulldawgs rallied from a 17-point deficit with 5:30 remaining to advance to the Class 1A state football sub-state round with a 42-38 win over top seed and previously-unbeaten Jackson Heights on the road Friday night. Horak threw for touchdown passes of 17, 39, 35 and 25 yards and scored the game-winning TD on a 6-yard run as the Bulldawgs improved to 8-3 on the season with their eighth straight victory.
L.J. Minner Jr.
LJ MINNER Jr., Washburn University
A 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore linebacker out of Ferguson, Mo., Minner registered 14 tackles as Washburn ended its season with a 35-28 win at Northeastern State. Minner finished his season with 103 total tackles (59 solo), 8.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for the Ichabods.
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Washburn University
A 5-foot-10, 175-pound sophomore receiver, the former Highland Park multi-sport star scored the game-winning touchdown with 48 seconds remaining in Washburn's season-ending 35-28 road win at Northeastern State, hauling in a 10-yard pass from Sam Van Dyne. Richardson also set up an Ichabod touchdown with an 84-yard kickoff return. Richardson caught five passes for 52 yards and had 166 all-purpose yards in the win.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
State tournament teams Seaman, Washburn Rural and Hayden combined to put 10 players on the TopSports.news 2024 All-Shawnee County volleyball first team, led by Seaman two-time player of the year Maegan Mills.
Seaman senior Maegan Mills (23) has been named the TSN Shawnee County volleyball player of the year for the second straight season. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Seaman's Tatiana Dowling has been named the Shawnee County coach of the year for the second straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman, which finished second in Class 5A this fall after winning the state title in 2023, put a county-high four players on the all-county first team, with Mills joined by fellow Viking seniors Campbell Chabot, Ava Esser and Kinley Wilhelm while Viking coach Tatiana Dowling, a Seaman grad, was named the coach of the year for the second straight season after leading her team to a county-best 41-3 record and a county-best state tournament finish.
Hayden freshman Hailey Schmidtlein has been named the Shawnee County co-newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter has been named the Shawnee County volleyball co-newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, which placed third in the 4A state tournament, is represented on the first team by senior Reagan McGivern and freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter, who were named co-Shawnee County newcomers of the year. McGivern is a first-team all-county repeat pick after earning first-team honors at Seaman as a junior.
Washburn Rural is represented on the all-county first team by seniors Layla Collins and Kate Hinck and junior Karsyn Horyna after helping the Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and advance to the 6A state tournament.
Collins is a first-team All-Shawnee County repeat pick after being a second-team pick as a sophomore.
Shawnee Heights put seniors Kaydence Torrez and Taylor Brees on the first team while Silver Lake is represented by senior Ella Bolan, Rossville by sophomore Nora Burdiek and Topeka High by senior Jo'Mhara Benning.
Torrez and Bolan are first-team repeat picks while Burdiek was named the county newcomer of the year as a freshman.
All-Shawnee County first-team capsules:
