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By NICHOLAS GAINEY
Special to TopSports.news
The Topeka High boys soccer team earned its seventh win in a row with a 3-0 Centennial League victory over visiting Emporia on Thursday night at Hummer Sports Park.
Topeka High senior Ian Martinez scored his 12th and 13th goals and also had an assist in Thursday's 3-0 Centennial League win over Emporia. [File photo/TSN]
The Trojans controlled possession for most of the first 10 minutes, but nearly fell behind when the Spartans made a run down the left wing. A cross into the box led to a close-range shot attempt, but the offside flag went up to put an end to the threat.
Topeka would get on the board in the 17th minute, when senior Antonio Aguirre found the back of the Spartan net off a corner kick from classmate Ian Martinez.
The Trojans would keep up the offensive pressure, with Martinez scoring his team-leading 12th goal of the season in the 29th minute, giving Topeka a 2-0 advantage at halftime.
The Trojans would continue to get most of the ball to begin the second half, and earned an opportunity to extend their lead when Martinez was taken down on the left side of the box for a penalty kick in the 59th minute.
Martinez converted the attempt for his second goal of the match and 13th of the season, giving Topeka a 3-0 lead that it would not relinquish.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden girls tennis coach Christy Sheetz had very little doubt that Thursday's race for the city championship would go down to the wire.
Hayden poses for a picture after winning the city girls team tennis championship Thursday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And that's exactly what happened, with the come-from-behind win from the Wildcats' No. 2 doubles team of Izzy Glotzbach and Avery O'Bray in the final match of the night clinching Hayden's second city team title in three seasons by a 32-29 margin over Seaman. Washburn Rural finished third with 26 points.
"It always that way,'' Sheetz said of the close battle. "It's the way the scoring is, so you have to anticipate that it's going to be really, really tight and especially with Seaman and Washburn Rural. We're the little guy coming in.''
Hayden took a one-point margin into the No. 2 doubles final, but the Wildcats needed a win by Glotzbach and O'Bray to hold off the Vikings and got down early before rallying for an 8-4 win over Seaman's Kaylyn Hiebsch and Camryn Lux.
Hayden also got a city title from senior star Ainzley Zulueta in No. 1 singles while senior Emily Sheetz and freshman Sophia Wichman posted a second-place finish in No. 1 doubles and junior Grace Funk finished second in No. 2 singles.
"I feel really good about where the girls are right now,'' Christy Sheetz said. "We have three dual-sport athletes on our top six. We've got a volleyball player (Wichman), we've got a golfer in Izzy Glotzbach and Grace Funk also does debate so it's kind of a chess match sometimes putting partners together and figuring out where things are.
"Having Ainzley Zulueta back (after missing her junior season) is a huge part of it, Emily Sheetz coming on with a new partner who's a freshman, that was really, really important and Grace Funk doing what she did in the No. 2 singles spot but this last match (the No. 2 doubles final) was pretty amazing.''
Hayden senior Ainzley Zulueta won the city title in No. 1 singles on Thursday, helping the Wildcats capture the team championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Zulueta, a two-time Class 4A state singles champion, took an 8-0 win over Seaman sophomore Emma Sweeney in the No. 1 singles final, capping a dominating day.
Zulueta had to sit out her junior high school season due to an eligibility issue after attending an out-of-state tennis academy but returned to win the third city title of her career.
"I'm glad to be back,'' Zulueta said. "It's nice to be with the team again, traveling and all of that. I kind of missed it. That was the thing I missed most.''
Washburn Rural seniors Izzy Haggard (right) and Emerie Catlin won the city No. 1 doubles title Thursday at Kossover Tennis Center after winning the No. 2 crown in 2023. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural seniors Emerie Catlin and Izzy Haggard, who won the city No. 2 doubles title in 2023, won the No. 1 doubles championship on Thursday with an 8-6 win over E. Sheetz and Wichman.
Catlin and Haggard trailed 3-0 at the start of the match before rallying to claim the championship.
"We just weren't being aggressive at the net and then we clicked and started being aggressive,' Catlin said.
"We got down a little bit and she (Catlin) helped pick us up,'' Haggard said.
Haggard and Catlin have been doubles partners throughout their high school careers and Haggard said it felt good to win the No. 1 title in the duo's final city meet.
"It's a good feeling,'' she said. "I think it's the best we've ever played together.''
Seaman junior Molly Gorman won the city title in No. 2 singles Thursday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Molly Gorman won the No. 2 singles title for Seaman, taking an 8-4 win over Funk, while the Vikings also got a third-place finish in No. 1 doubles from Sidney Chinn and Peyton Henry.
CITY GIRLS TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden moves back to Class 4A for the 2024-2025 school year in all sports except football in the latest classifications released by the Kansas State High school Activities Association on Thursday while Rossville will move down to 2A.
Hayden is back in its accustomed spot in 4A after a brief stint in 3A while longtime 3A school Rossville moves down to 2A in all sports except football. Hayden is a 3A school in football while Rossville is in its first season in 1A on the gridiron.
Hayden, with 333 students is the third smallest 4A school in the state while Rossville is the fourth largest 2A school with 170 students.
The other eight Shawnee County high schools remained in the same classifications -- Washburn Rural and Topeka High in 6A, Seaman, Shawnee Heights, Topeka West and Highland Park in 5A, Silver Lake in 3A and Cair Paravel Latin in 2A.
KSHSAA 2024-2025 CLASSIFICATIONS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High junior tennis standout Madeline Deters and Washburn Rural junior soccer standout Dylan Willingham have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2024-2025 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Deters and Willingham over the past week:
Topeka High junior Madeline Deters has been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency female Rising Star of the Week after winning the No. 1 singles title in the Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
MADELINE DETERS, Topeka High
A junior tennis standout, Deters won the No. 1 singles championship in last Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center.
Deters posted a perfect 4-0 record in the tournament, capped by a 6-3, 6-1 win over Olathe East's Mia Huttenmueller in the title match.
A former Class 6A state qualifier, Deters improved to 14-2 on the season.
Washburn Rural junior soccer standout Dylan Willingham (right) is the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency male Rising Star of the Week. [File photo/TSN]
DYLAN WILLINGHAM, Washburn Rural
Willingham, a junior soccer standout, registered three goals and two assists on the week as Washburn Rural improved to 6-1-0 on the season with a pair of Centennial League wins.
Willingham had a goal in last Tuesday's 8-0 win over Junction City and he followed that up with two goals and two assists in last Thursday's 7-0 romp past Hayden.
Willingham was also a Class 6A state tennis medalist in doubles last spring.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
Washburn Rural junior quarterback John Hoytal and the Junior Blues will try to snap a two-game losing streak in Friday's non-league home game against Blue Valley Northwest. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST (3-0) at WASHBURN RURAL (1-2)
Washburn Rural, which has dropped two straight road games, faces another tough non-league test Friday night against undefeated Blye Valley Northwest. The Junior Blues are coming off a 49-20 loss at Platte County, Mo. while the Huskies took a 27-24 decision over St. James Academy. Northwest senior quarterbacks Ford Bevins and Nathan Baxter have combined to go 25 of 38 passing for 428 yards and six touchdowns while junior L.J. Bowen has carried the ball 53 times for 329 yards and two TDs. Senior Trevor Garlington has 11 pass receptions for 257 yards and two TDs. Washburn Rural got defensive touchdowns from juniors Jordy Heim and Elijah Gaines against Platte County and a 76-yard TD pass from junior John Hoytal to senior Blake Recinos, but the Junior Blues couldn't keep pace with the undefeated Pirates.
Senior Jamon Wilson has helped lead Highland Park to a perfect 3-0 record to open the 2024 season. [File photo/TSN]
KC-HARMON (1-2, 0-2 Meadowlark) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (3-0, 3-0 Meadowlark)
At Hummer Sports Park
Two streaks will be on the line for Highland Park in Friday's Meadowlark Conference game against Harmon. The Scots will be looking for their fourth straight win while also trying to extend their shutout streak after outscoring their first three conference opponents by a 126-0 margin. Highland Park is coming off a 32-0 win over KC-Schlagle while Harmon dropped a 45-0 decision to KC-Washington last Friday. Harmon senior quarterback Mikey Hammer has completed 13 of 39 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown while sophomore Adrian Fernandez has carred the ball 25 times for 167 yards and two TDs. Highland Park junior quarterback Dontrail Fox has completed 17 of 38 passes for 276 yards and five TDs while senior Jamon Wilson has carried the ball 22 times for 275 yards and compiled 605 all-purpose yards and scored seven total TDs. Sophomore G'Honi Montgomery has 247 rushing yards and a TD on 35 attempts.
Topeka High junior quarterback Zane Smith has helped the Trojans get off to a 3-0 start this fall. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH (3-0, 0-0 Centennial) at EMPORIA (0-3, 0-0 Centennial)
At Welch Stadium
Topeka High and Emporia will open Centennial League play Friday night. Topeka High improved to a perfect 3-0 on the season in last Friday's weather-shortened 26-0 non-league road win over Wichita Southeast, the Trojans' third straight win over members of the Wichita City League. Topeka High led 13-0 when the game was delayed for approximately an hour due to lightning and added to its advantage with a 45-yard TD pass from junior Zane Smith to senior Saron Carter and led 26-0 at the half when the game was called due to the inclement weather. Carter led the Trojans' attack with three TDs on the night. Emporia is coming off a 30-20 non-league loss to Coffeyville and the Spartans have been outscored 126-45 on the year. Topeka High has outscored its first three foes by a 105-33 margin.
Shawnee Heights junior David Wakes has rushed for 275 yards and two touchdowns this fall. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
LEAVENWORTH (1-2, 1-2 UKC) at Shawnee Heights (1-2, 1-1 UKC)
Shawnee Heights is coming off a tough 42-35 home United Kansas Conference loss to Basehor-Linwood last Friday while Leavenworth picked up its first win of the season, a 51-6 UKC romp past KC-Turner. Shawnee Heights junior quarterback Aiden Scott has completed 61 of 105 passes for 918 yards and eight touchdowns while junior AJ Gallegos has caught 20 passes for 249 yards and three TDs and Tyren Parker has 15 catches for 265 yards and three TDs. Junior David Wakes has 275 rushing yards and two TDs on 52 carries while junior Royce Daniels leads the Shawnee Heights defense with 36 tackles, including 17 solo stops.
