By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Serving as a head coach at the high school level is something different for new Highland Park girls basketball coach Kristy Euwer-Ideker.
But it's about the only thing Euwer-Ideker hasn't done in a long coaching career and she's excited about what the future holds with the Scots.
Euwer-Ideker was approved by the USD 501 school board Thursday night as the Highland Park head coach, taking over for Rob Brown, who resigned earlier this month after a five-year stint at the school.
"I've coached four seasons at Shawnee Heights Middle School and I've coached AAU basketball as the head coach and I've been coaching for over 20 years,'' Euwer-Ideker said. "I've always worked with high school kids. I love high school kids because I can be a little bit more aggressive with them.''
And Euwer-Ideker feels like she's a good fit with Highland Park's philosophy.
"With my coaching style I always coach with the attitude that there's nothing that's impossible and I love what Highland Park offers their students,'' she said. "No matter what challenges they're faced with they always put their students first and that is how I coach.
"I put my players first. I want to make sure that they learn. I've only been in Topeka 11 years, but I know (Highland Park's) history and I admire the richness that they put into their students.''
Highland Park is coming off an 8-15 season in 2025-2026, but the Scots return several players that saw a lot of varsity time this past season and Euwer-Ideker is confident about what lies ahead.
"There might be a challenge but the challenges I accept,'' she said. "Let's go back to where we were and don't overlook where we've been, but take it where we're going to go.''
"It's a privilege to be able to step into a school district that puts that kind of effort into their students. And you'll see, I'm pretty passionate about the game and about the kids.''
Brown compiled a 62-47 record at Highland Park and took the Scots to the Class 5A state tournament in 2023, the school's first appearance at state in more than a decade.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When Ron Slaymaker stepped down as Topeka High girls basketball coach in March after leading the Trojans to the Centennial League championship and the Class 6A state quarterfinals, assistant coach Pat Denney had every intention of following Slaymaker's lead.
Pat Denney, Topeka High
But the more he thought about it, Denney eventually decided that he wasn't quite ready to step away from a Trojan program that has made dramatic progress over the past two seasons.
And on Thursday night the USD 501 school board approved Denney to take over as Topeka High's head coach, adding another chapter to his long coaching legacy at the school.
"When Slay resigned I was gone,'' Denney told TopSports.news. "But it seemed like the farther I got away from the season, and then when I started thinking about it, I was like, 'I'm going to miss summer workouts once we start heading into May and to June and I'm going to miss the opportunity to get in there and get some work in.'
"Eventually those same old feelings just started coming back and I started missing it.''
Denney also considered the possibility of working with current Trojan boys coach Robbie Sanders, who served as an assistant under Denney, but after conversations with Topeka High principal and district athletic director Dustin Dick, he made the decision to try to continue the progress the High girls made under the legendary Slaymaker.
The Trojans posted a nine-win improvement in a 14-8 2024-2025 season and followed that up with a 17-9 campaign this past winter, capped by the league and sub-state titles.
"We were very proud,'' Denney said. "We had a lot of success, we had a lot of good players on the floor and I know Slay took a lot of pride in the job that he did here and what he instilled over two years. And obviously being a part of that was awesome and we both have a lot of pride in how that went down.
''You always ask yourself, 'Could we have done more?' But I think overall we were pretty happy with the results.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden girls soccer is only one game into Centennial League play, but the Wildcats took a huge step toward a league championship Wednesday with a 2-0 win over reigning Class 6A state champ Washburn Rural at McElroy Field.
Hayden senior Grace Funk (right) is congratulated by her teammates after scoring the game's first goal in Wednesday's Centennial League win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I couldn't be more proud of the effort they put forth and we played a very good team,'' Hayden coach Klaus Kreutzer said. "I think they held their own and we didn't play error free but the work was up there (very high) and they were outstanding as far as I'm concerned.''
Hayden senior Grace Funk scored the only goal the Wildcats, now 7-0 overall and 1-0 in the league, would need at the 13:05 mark of the opening half.
"I just kind of did what we practice,'' Funk said. "You go for the run, you see an empty spot and you try to be there and fill just in case it comes there.''
Funk added her second goal with 6:05 left in the half off a free kick.
"The second goal I was putting it up for my teammates' heads,'' Funk said. "I knew they would be there and the wind helped and it just worked out.''
Funk said the Wildcats knew how important Wednesday's game was.
"I feel like we really came together today,'' Funk said. "We knew it would be a hard game and we came out expecting good competition and we got good competition, but I think it was a team effort.
"Every single person did their job and we just came together and finished it.''
Washburn Rural put itself in position for numerous scoring opportunities in the second half, but the Hayden defense and senior goalkeeper Lauren Borjon kept the Junior Blues (4-4-0, 2-1-0) out of the net.
"I think the defense and the back four were outstanding,'' Kreutzer said. "They were motivated. I think they remember the last game (against Rural) and I can't say enough good things about them.''
Hayden senior goalkeeper Lauren Borjon and senior Reese Huscher (14) come up with a save in Wednesday's 2-0 Centennial League win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hayden senior Kadence Watts (21) teamed with Lauren Borjon for the shutout in goal in Wednesday's 2-0 Centennial League win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Borjon and senior Kadence Watts, who played the first half, combined for the shutout in goal for the Wildcats, who have six shutouts on the season, including five straight.
"Give credit to Hayden,'' Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "They played great defense. They've got two really good goalkeepers, it doesn't matter which one is in. They make it hard to score and they haven't given up many goals this year (two), so we knew that was going to be the case.
"All credit to them. They've got a really good team. That's one of the best Hayden teams I've seen in awhile for sure.''
HAYDEN 2, WASHBURN RURAL 0
Hayden (7-0-0, 1-0-0) 2 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (4-4-0, 2-1-0) 0 0 -- 0
Hayden -- Goals: Grace Funk 2. Shutout: Kadence Watts, Lauren Borjon.
By RICK PETERSON
Junior Levi Risenhoover hit a pair of home runs with four RBI in Washburn's 13-5 road win at Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]The Ichabods stay on the road to face Rogers State for three games beginning Friday at 3 p.m.
The Tigers (12-27 overall, 9-20 MIAA) got on the board first, scoring a run on two hits in the first inning.
Washburn (17-23, 13-13) was able to even the game at one after Owen Laessig lifted a leadoff home run in the third inning.
Ichabod pitcher Fidel Hatch quieted the Fort Hays State bats after the first inning with three straight scoreless innings to wrap up his start.
In the Washburn fifth Trenton Barry and Ian Luce both reached on singles after Laessig was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
A throwing error allowed two runs to score for the Ichabods to take the lead.
With one out Jackson Mervosh slashed a single into left, scoring another run to make it 4-1.
Griffin Huiatt took over on the mound after the fourth, tossing two scoreless innings to begin his day.
Washburn continued to add on to its lead, with Luce, Levi Risenhoover and Jack Borgmann delivering back-to-back-to-back homers to lead off the seventh.
The Tigers got one run back on two hits in the bottom of the seventh.
Next time up Barry and Luce both reached before Risenhoover went yard for a second straight at-bat to put Washburn up, 10-2. Two batters later Easton Wasinger blasted a solo shot to right field, adding another run.
The Ichabods continued to add on in the ninth with Brandt Beeby pinch hitting and slamming a two-run homer down the left field line.
Fort Hays State scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth but Washburn held on to win 13-5.
Hits went in favor of the Ichabods 14-9 while the Tigers led 6-4 in walks and had the only error in the game.
Three pitchers completed the game for Washburn, with Hatch tossing four innings to begin the game, striking out five and allowing one run on three hits.
Huiatt earned the win, throwing 4.0 innings with four strikeouts and allowing one run.
Risenhoover led the offensive charge, going 2-6 with two home runs, the first multi-homer game for the Ichabods this season. He drove in four runs.
Luce went 3-6 with a home run while Wasinger and Borgmann both had multiple hits with homers. Beeby and Laessig also both also went yard.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
A thrilling walk-off win for the Washburn Rural softball team in the first game of a doubleheader proved to prime the Junior Blues’ bats for a second-game romp over Hayden.
Washburn Rural softball celebrates during Tuesday's 5-4, 12-1 Centennial League sweep over Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Junior Blues improved to 8-0 on the season with wins of 5-4 and 12-1 Tuesday at Washburn Rural. Hayden entered the day with a 7-1 mark but couldn’t keep pace after leading most of the early contest.
In the first game, Washburn Rural junior Justice McBurney launched two high-arching blasts through a gusting wind and over the left-field fence.
“I was trying to just lay off the high pitches and waiting for my pitch,” McBurney said. “Before the game, when we were doing pregame hitting, I had probably my best round of front-toss ever. My coach was like, ‘Today’s your day.’ And it just felt like it. I was just fired up this morning when I woke up, ready for this.”
Both of McBurney’s homers were solo shots, however, and the Junior Blues trailed 4-3 entering the final frame. The home team lined the dugout fence cheering for a rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Junior Olivia Koch, who tripled and scored to start the first game, struck a one-out double to breathe life into the Junior Blues in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After a flyout had Washburn Rural down to its final out, senior Henley Rapp singled to center to drive home the tying run. With Rapp at second base, sophomore Zoie Duran slapped another single to center, sending Rapp scampering around the bases for the victory.
“The resilience that I felt like they showed, to not panic when we were down, to have the fight and the confidence in the seventh inning… We were able to string some stuff together when we had struggled early in the game” Washburn Rural coach Joy Marie Galliart said. “We had some kids step up in what is, obviously, a rivalry game.”
“I’m really excited. They were talking a lot of smack before this, so we were pretty fired up,” McBurney said of the rivalry with Hayden. “I was really proud of (the hitters who produced the final two runs) for the way they came through. We work for this every single day. When we need big hits, we can definitely put them together.”
They certainly did just that in the nightcap.
Two Washburn Rural errors spotted Hayden a run in the first inning. But Koch, the Junior Blues’ pitcher in the second game, held Hayden hitless until the fourth inning. She gave up just three hits and dealt the big blow that ended the game, a bases loaded triple that put Washburn Rural up by 11 in the sixth.
