- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Broderick Desch
BRODERICK DESCH, Hayden
Desch, a senior fullback, put Hayden ahead to stay with a 12-yard touchdown run to open the scoring and added a 1-yard TD later in the game as the 11-1 Wildcats advanced to their second straight Class 3A state football championship game with a 35-7 sub-state road win over No. 1 East seed Wellsville. Unofficially, Desch finished with 58 yards on 14 carries.
Jacob Hanna
JACOB HANNA, Washburn University
Hanna, a 6-foot-3 senior out of Maize, scored 39 points in two games on the week as No. 5 nationally-ranked Washburn men's basketball improved to 6-0. Hanna scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in an 89-71 home win Tuesday over Pittsburg State and had 19 points with eight rebounds, six assists and 9 of 10 free throws in Saturday's 81-73 home win over William Jewell.
Kade Mitchell
KADE MITCHELL, Hayden
Mitchell, a junior running back, scored touchdowns on runs of 5 and 18 yards and unofficially had 72 rushing yards on 11 attempts as Hayden earned a second straight trip to the Class 3A state football championship game with a 35-7 road win over No. East seed and previously-unbeaten Wellsville Friday night.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 5-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team never trailed in Saturday's home non-conference game against William Jewell, with just one tie on the afternoon.
Washburn senior Jacob Hanna scored a game-high 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists in the Ichabods' 81-73 win over William Jewell. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the 6-0 Ichabods had to withstand several Cardinal threats before taking control late in an 81-73 win in Lee Arena, the Ichabods first game that was closer than 17 points.
"It was ugly and we probably needed that,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "We haven't had many of those where there were a lot of meaningful possessions in the second half, so it was good for us in a way, but a lot of self-inflicted wounds today.''
After trailing by 12 points (24-12) William Jewell used a 12-0 run over a 5:37 span to forge a 24-all deadlock with three minutes left in the first half and trailed by just a 29-26 margin at the break.
The Cardinals got within a point twice early in the second half and were still within three points midway through the half (49-46) before a William Jewell technical foul seemed to ignite the Ichabods.
A Jack Bachelor free throw on the technical followed by a Jacob Hanna 3-pointer on the same possession put WU up by seven and Brady Christiansen scored 30 seconds later to put the Ichabods back in front by nine (55-46).
Hanna added a pair of free throws to put Washburn up by double-digits at 57-46 and the Ichabods went on to lead by 15 points on four different occasions and cruised in for the win, avenging a 15-point road loss to the Cardinals last seaon.
"We got the job done and that's a good team,'' Ballard said. "And they're missing some guys. They're going to get better and are well-coached and they make you earn it.
"I was happy with how we responded at times in the second half, but we've definitely got to learn from this and get better.''
Washburn put 52 points on the board in the second half while shooting 71 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from 3-point range.
Hanna, a senior, led the Ichabods with 19 points and added eight rebounds and six assists while finishing nine of 10 from the free throw line and doing most of his damage in the decisive second half.
"It was tough in the first half with two fouls and kind of being limited minutes-wise, but I just tried to give the team whatever we needed to win the game,'' Hanna said.
Washburn sophomore Brayden Shorter scored 18 points with four 3-pointers in Saturday's 81-73 win over William Jewell. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hanna paced five Ichabods in double-digits as starters Brayden Shorter had 18 points, Bachelor 14 and Andrew Orr 12 while Christiansen gave the Ichabods a big lift off the bench with 12 points (6 of 7 from the field) and seven rebounds.
"Brady was good,'' Ballard said. "He got some baskets and defensively he's so solid and you can rely on him to be in the right spots defensively and can guard multiple guys and he's a great rebounder. He does all those things and definitely gave us that spark and I thought Jacob Hanna was really good in the second half as well.''
Washburn junior Brady Christiansen (1), guarding William Jewell's Kanukayi Gudza, had 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench in Saturday's 81-73 home win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
A junior, Christiansen started 28 of 30 games as a sophomore before coming off the bench this season, but he said his role hasn't really changed.
"At the end of the day it's just what's best for the team,'' Christiansen said. "And it's really the same role as last year, just being a man on the glass and doing what's best for my teammates and then making the right plays when I'm open.
"That's just what my role is and if everyone does their role we're going to win pretty much all the games. Not many teams will beat us.''
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
CENTRALIA -- It appeared as if Rossville might have another playoff comeback in it Friday night when the Bulldawgs clawed within five points of Centralia with 7:15 remaining.
Rossville senior quarterback Tayson Horak (12) and the Bulldawgs had their eight-game winning streak snapped by Centralia in Friday's 22-9 sub-state loss. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Rossville junior Conner Bush (5) brings down a Centralia ball-carrier in Friday's 22-9 Class 1A sub-state loss to the Panthers. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
But No. 3 East seed Centralia was able to answer with a touchdown to put the game out of reach in a 22-9 home Class 1A sub-state win over the Bulldawgs.
The Panthers, who improved to 11-1, advanced to Saturday's 5 p.m. 1A state championship game at Hutchinson Community College's Gowans Stadium to take on No. 1 West seed Conway Springs (12-0) while Rossville ended its season 8-4, with Friday's loss ending the Bulldawgs' eight-game winning streak.
After Centralia scored with 24.8 seconds remaining in the first half and connected on a two-point conversion pass to take a 14-3 advantage, Rossville cut into the Panthers' lead when senior quarterback Tayson Horak connected with junior Jack Donovan for a 39-yard touchdown pass. Rossville's attempt for a two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the Bulldawgs behind 14-9.
Rossville, which had rallied from 17 points down to stun Jackson Heights in the quarterfinals, looked to be in position to launch another come-from-behind win at that point, but Centralia drove for the game-clinching TD with 3:38 remaining and tacked on the two-point conversion to account for the final score.
Rossville accepts the Class 1A sub-state runnerup plaque Friday night at Centralia. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Centralia jumped out to a 6-0 lead with 11:06 left in the first half (two-point conversion failed), but Rossville got a 26-yard field goal from Vincent Daniel with 1:40 remaining in the half to cut its deficit to 6-3.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WELLSVILLE -- With a repeat trip to the Class 3A state championship game on the line, No. 3 East seed Hayden turned in a dominating performance Friday night at Wellsville, rolling to a 35-7 victory over the previously-unbeaten Eagles, the top East seed.
The 11-1 Wildcats, who built a commanding 35-0 lead before the Eagles scored a late touchdown, advanced to next Saturday's 12 p.m. 3A state championship game at Hutchinson Community College's Gowans Stadium to face 12-0 Andale, a 55-14 semifinal winner over Holcomb.
Senior fullback Broderick Desch scored a pair of TDs Friday as Hayden advanced to the Class 3A title game with a 35-7 win over Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
Unofficially, Kade Mitchell carried the ball 11 times for 72 yards and two scores Friday as Hayden advanced to the Class 3A title game. [File photo/TSN]
"I felt like our kids did a really good job on both sides of the ball,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. "The field was treacherous. It was so wet and the grass was so tall, but I thought our kids handled it really well.
"I was proud of the kids. I thought they did a good job of executing the game plan and I thought the coaches did a good job of getting people in the right spots defensively and it was just an all-around good opportunity to execute some good football.''
Hayden took a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard touchdown run from senior Broderick Desch in the opening quarter and added a huge TD just 20 seconds before halftime on a 5-yard Kade Mitchell run.
After a scoreless third quarter the Wildcats turned the game into a rout in the fourth stanza.
Mitchell, a junior, scored his second TD of the night with 10:36 left to play from 18 yards out and sophomore Mason Becker tacked on his third extra point of the night to put Hayden in command, 21-0.
Senior Jensen Schrickel made it a 28-0 game on an 8-yard run (Becker kick) and then Hayden recovered Becker's ensuing kickoff deep in Wellsville territory when the Eagles failed to cover the kick.
Desch scored his second TD of the game (Becker kick) to put the Wildcats in command 35-0 before Wellsville star junior running back Armond Graves broke loose for a 68-yard run to finally get the Eagles on the scoreboard.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's soccer team saw its season come to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon in Warrensburg, Mo., with thee Ichabods suffering a penalty-kick shootout loss to Central Oklahoma.
Washburn's soccer season came to a close in a Friday penalty-kick loss to Central Oklahoma in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn finished the 2024 season with a record of 14-4-3.
The Ichabods started off the contest strong, taking three shots in the first eight minutes of play, including two shots on goal from Khloe Schuckman.
The Bronchos (12-6-4) almost jumped out to an early lead after quickly moving the ball down the field, but Washburn goalkeeper Alli Harrington made a save in the bottom right corner of the goal to prevent Central Oklahoma from getting a goal.
Washburn earned its first penalty kick of the season in the 39th minute, but Schuckman's attempt was saved by Broncho goalkeeper Avery Bass to keep the game scoreless. The Ichabods finished the half with seven shot attempts, with four coming on goal.
The Washburn offense picked up in the second half, taking seven shots in the first 14 minutes of the period. Despite the increased output, the Broncho defense held strong, sending the contest to overtime after a scoreless 90 minutes of play.
