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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Two years, two United Kansas Conference titles for Topeka West tennis.
The Chargers, who won the 2023 UKC crown in their first year in the league on the way to the Class 5A championship, swept the singles and doubles titles in Tuesday's meet at Kossover Tennis Center on the way to a title repeat by a 65-61 margin over Piper.
"Today was a little bit tighter of a tournament than last year was,'' Topeka West coach Kurt Davids said. "Hats off to Piper, their first year of having a program and placing second in league and pushing us right to the end.''
Topeka West tennis poses for a team picture after winning its second straight United Kansas Conference team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West seniors Caden McGee (left) and James Maag both reached the 100-win miletone in Tuesday's UKC tennis meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West's senior trio of doubles players Caden McGee and Caleb Weybrew and singles player James Maag keyed the Chargers' title run, with McGee and Weybrew taking an 8-1 win over Piper in the doubles final while Maag took an 8-0 win over Piper's John Vogel.
Both McGee and Weybrew and Maag entered Tuesday's tournament as favorites and came through for the Chargers.
"They kind of did was expected of them,'' Davids said of McGee, Weybrew and Maag, all returning 5A state placers.
The Chargers also got a fifth-place finish from the doubles team of seniors Alex Engel and Cori Bidwell.
"My (No.) 2 doubles, players of the day guess,'' Davids said. "They were seeded 10th coming in and they finished fifth and their only loss on the day was to the team that finished second, so they really stepped up and come through for us. Without that we wouldn't have done it.''
McGee and Maag also reached career milestones on Tuesday, with both Charger standouts reaching the 100-win mark.
"It's a good milestone, and I didn't even know it was happening,'' Davids said. "I'm just kind of accustomed to those guys being successful and congrats to them and hopefully we'll add a few more than that.''
Seaman finished third as a team in Tuesday's meet while Shawnee Heights tied for fifth.
West, Seaman and Shawnee Heights are also scheduled to compete in the city championship at Kossover on Wednesday before competing in a 5A regional Friday at Emporia.
"I think we're picking at the right time and we're moving in the right direction,'' Davids said.
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE TENNIS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sophomore Allie Schroeder, freshman Erika Bovell and junior Delaney Hill all scored two goals apiece Monday at Bettis Sports Complex as Washburn Rural's girls soccer team rolled to a 6-0 non-league decision over Shawnee Heights.
Sophomore Allie Schroeder (14) had two goals and two assists in Washburn Rural's 6-0 non-league win over Shawnee Heights at Bettis Family Sports Complex. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Erika Bovell (10) scored a pair of goals and added an assist in Washburn Rural's 6-0 non-league soccer win over Shawnee Heights Monday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Trinity Schattilly (18) advances the ball as Washburn Rural junior Kate Hinck (9) defends in the Junior Blues' 6-0 non-league win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural, the No. 1 Class 6A West seed, improved to 9-2-0 on the season while extending its win streak to six games.
In addition to her two goals, Schroeder was credited with two assists while Bovell, senior Hayley Legg and junior Kate Hinck also had assists.
Senior Mackenzie Flood and junior Madison Lemke combined for the shutout in goal against the 7-5-0 T-Birds, the sixth straight shutout for the Junior Blues.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Aaron Merritt missed a fourth gold medal in Monday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays by an eyelash, but that did nothing to detract from a spectacular day for the Seaman senior.
Seaman senior Aaron Merritt and Topeka High junior Jaxon Cowdin finished one-two in the boys 110-meter high hurdles Monday at Seaman. [Photo by Charles Spurlock/Special to TSN]
Seaman senior Aaron Merritt (left) and Hayden senior Finn Dunshee (second from left) went one-two in the boys 100-meter dash Monday at Seaman. [Photo by Charles Spurlock/Special to TSN]
Merritt posted individual victories in the boys 100-meter dash in 10.48 seconds and in the 110 high hurdles in 14.31 seconds and also teamed with Peyton Holmes, Bryce Cochran and Jacob Anderson to give Seaman a win in the 4x100 relay in 42.62 seconds.
Merritt posted personal records in both of his individual wins while the Viking relay also improved its best time.
"It was a very good day,'' he said.
Merritt capped his performance with a nailbiting loss in the 200 dash, with Olathe North's Joseph Ouellette, running in another heat, taking the win in 22.13 seconds, with Merritt second in 22.20.
"I talked to (Ouellette) and he hadn't ran it for awhile and I'm happy for him,'' Merritt said. "He ran a big (personal record) and good for him. I wish I could have raced against him.''
After fighting through an ankle injury earlier in the season, Merritt said he's ready for the end-of-the-year grind of city, United Kansas Conference, Class 5A regional and state competition.
"I'm all the way back now,'' Merritt said. "I just need to get some reps in and I'll be back to where I was. I'm pretty confident in where I am and where I need to be.
"Today showed me that my 200 needs some work, some speed and endurance work, but I'm very happy with my 110, 100 and 4x1. Those were all great.''
Other meet highlights:
Seaman sophomore Brody Anderson was the boys 1,600 meters champion in Monday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Seaman also got a win from sophomore Brody Anderson in the boys 1,600 meters in 4:31.11 while Silver Lake senior Eli Ferguson finished third in 4:33.55 while setting a school record.
• Topeka West senior Alesecio Batson, the defending 5A state champion, won the boys triple jump at 44-7.
Seaman junior Jaida Stallbaumer (middle) won the girls 100-meter hurdles in Monday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
• Seaman junior Jaida Stallbaumer won the girls 100 hurdles in 16.06.
• Hayden's boys won the 4x400 relay in 3:26.00 and finished second in the 4x100 relay in 43.02 while senior Finn Dunshee finished second in the 100 in 10.73 and third in the 200 in 22.25 and junior Jensen Schrickel was fourth in the 400 in 49.31.
• Washburn Rural's team of Payton Fink, Emily Graf, Brooklyn Nolte and Rylee Ismert won the 4x800 relay in 9:38.21.
• Topeka High junior Jaxon Cowdin finished a strong second in both the boys 110 and 300 hurdles, clocking a time of 15.35 in the 110 highs and 41.59 in the 300s.
• Topeka High finished second in the girls 4x100 relay in 50.86 while sophomore Keimara Marshall was third in the 100 (12.42) and fourth in the 200 (26.54) and freshman Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton was second in the triple jump (37-7.50) and third in the long jump (17-8).
Hayden senior Natalie Hillebert finished second in the girls 400-meter dash Monday at Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Hayden senior Natalie Hillebert was the runnerup in the 400 dash in 59.59.
Silver Lake senior Ava Rottinghaus finished second in the girls javelin in Monday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Silver Lake senior Ava Rottinghaus finished second in the girls javelin with a best throw of 128 feet.
• Silver Lake senior Blake Redmond topped the 22-foot in the boys long jump, finishing fourth at 22-3.50.
BOB CAMIEN/CLAUDIA WELCH SEAMAN RELAYS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MAYETTA -- Washburn Rural finished third in Monday's Centennial League golf tournament at Firekeeper Golf Course behind Manhattan and Emporia in a league race that saw the top three teams all within seven strokes.
Manhattan won the league title, held in conjunction with the Firekeeper Open, with a four-person score of 322 strokes, followed by Emporia at 328 and Washburn Rural at 329.
Tadd Armstrong, Washburn Rural
Tagen Rodriguez, Hayden
Hayden finished fourth as a team (344) while Topeka High/Cair Paravel Latin (364) finished fifth.
Emporia's Hudson Sauder won the Centennial League individual championship with a 72.
Washburn Rural was led by Michael Wilson, competing as an individual, who finished third with a 76, while Rural's Tadd Armstrong tied Hayden's Tagen Rodriguez for fifth with a 79.
Rich Helmbold finished seventh with an 81 to lead Topeka High/CPLS.
Blue Valley won the 15-school Firekeeper Open with a four-man score of 296, led by individual champion James Ackerman, who shot a 70.
Seaman competed in the Firekeeper Open, finishing 12th (338) as Timothy Lister paced the Vikings with a 79.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After coming up a single point short to Manhattan in the 2023 Centennial League boys tennis tournament, Brad Johnston's Washburn Rural team got the job done Monday at Junction City, taking the league crown by a two-point margin over the Indians.
Washburn Rural's boys tennis team poses for a team picture after winning Monday's Centennial League team championship at Junction City. [Washburn Rural tennis]
Washburn Rural senior Lawsen Lobatos (left) and sophomore Dylan Willingham won the doubles championship to lead Rural to team championship in Monday's Centennial League tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Led by league doubles champions Lawsen Lobatos, a senior, and sophomore Dylan Willingham, the Junior Blues topped Manhattan 42-40 to win the title.
Washburn Rural also got second and third-place finishes in singles from Kaleb Nelson and Ben Tryhus and a fourth-place doubles showing from Brayden Kohls and Cale Duetscher.
Monday's league title opened a busy week for Washburn Rural.
The city championships, postponed from last Thursday, is on tap at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Kossover Tennis Center, followed by Class 6A regional competition on Friday at Junction City.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE TENNIS
