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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There's no doubt that Seaman's earlier boys basketball game against Topeka West was a low point of the Vikings' 2025-2026 season, really the only low point in what has been an outstanding start.
Playing in front of their home fans on Dec. 12, the Vikings gave up 30 points to West in the opening eight minutes and trailed by 31 points after three quarters en route to a 71-57 loss to the Chargers.
Seaman senior KaeVon Bonner (33) scored a game-high 28 points in Tuesday's 57-52 UKC road win at Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
No. 5-ranked Seaman evened the score in Tuesday's rematch at No. 2 West, leading for most of the opening three quarters before rallying from a four-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to take a 57-52 United Kansas Conference victory.
"We gutted it out,'' Seaman coach Craig Cox said. "I told our players that was probably the thing that stuck out to me the most was getting behind in that fourth quarter and being able to regroup, maintain some composure and find a way to get it done.''
Seaman, now 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the UKC, fell behind 6-0 early in the game, but the Vikings fought back behind senior star KaeVon Bonner to take a 13-12 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
The Vikings led by as many as eight points in the second stanza and took a 29-24 lead to the locker room at halftime, but Topeka West (7-2, 6-1) doubled up Seaman 14-7 in the third quarter to take a 38-36 advantage and scored the first bucket of the fourth quarter to go up by four points at 40-36.
Seaman answered with four straight points to knot things at 40-all and the game was close the rest of the way
West went up 52-50 on a hoop from junior Jasper Phillips with 1:52 remaining, but Seaman ended the game with the final seven points.
After Bonner tied the game at 52, senior Griffin Zuniga put the Vikings ahead to stay with 1:08 left and Bonner, senior Landon Wiltz and senior Matthew McConnaughey hit one of two free throws (Seaman was 11 of 22 on the night) down the the stretch.
Seaman senior Landon Wiltz reacts to a big play in Tuesday's 57-52 UKC win at Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Several players came up big down the stretch on both end of the floor, including Wiltz, who had 6 points, 8 rebounds and a pair of 3-pointers on the night.
"That's what we're going to need,'' Cox said. "As great as KaeVon is, we know those other guys are going to have to take advantage of their opportunities when those opportunites arise and they can help us. I think their confidence is growing and they're feeling real good about their team.''
Bonner, who was coming off a 42-point game at Lansing, scored 28 points Tuesday night while Zuniga added 15.
Bonner said Tuesday's win was huge for the Vikings, especially considering how the earlier game with West went.
"We definitely just wanted it a lot more this game,'' Bonner said. "We knew they beat us that first game and it was pretty embarrassing that first quarter. We just knew we had to get out on them because they shot really well against us, so we got out on them and we just wanted it a lot more (this game).
"We knew they were ranked higher than us and we just wanted this one really bad. I know I made a couple of dumb turnovers and I was getting a little exhausted, but we had people on our team that stepped up and really helped us out toward the end.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman senior standout Maddie Gragg reached the 1,000-point scoring milestone early in Tuesday night's United Kansas Conference game at Topeka West and the Vikings took control in the second half en route to a 49-26 win.
Seaman senior Maddie Gragg (32) eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone for her career in Tuesday's 49-26 UKC road win at Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Gragg entered Tuesday's game needing just three points to reach 1,000 points and scored the first four points of the game to reach the milestone a minute into the contest on the way to a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
"She's so unselfish and her role this year is a lot different than it was the last few years,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "She's taken on that leadership role well and I like that she's bringing the young kids along with her.
"She really doesn't like the attention, but this was a good accomplishment for Maddie and the girls are happy for her, too.''
It took Seaman a lot longer to reach its top form as a team, with the No. 9-ranked (Class 5A) Vikings leading by just four points at the end of the opening quarter (16-12) and by just three points (19-16) at halftime before pulling away after halftime with a dominating performance.
The Vikings, now 6-2 overall and 6-1 in the UKC, scored the first eight points of the second half, building a 27-16 advantage with 6:18 left in the third stanza on a 3-pointer from junior Brynn Spencer.
Seaman led 38-26 at the start of the fourth quarter and pitched a shutout over the final eight minutes, outscoring the Chargers 11-0 to stretch its final advantage to 23 points.
"I had to get into them a little bit at halftime,'' Tinsley said. "And that's just kind of been our thing this year, teams being a little tougher than we are and someone gets in our face and we don't take it right back to them, so I challenged them at halftime pretty good and I'm so proud of how they came back and responded.
"I told them, 'There's no secred to this game. You just have to be stronger than they are and when someone gets in your face you need to accept the challenge because that's what being a competitor is.' ''
Seaman junior Brynn Spencer (top), battling for a loose ball, scored 10 points with a pair of 3-pointers in Tuesday's 49-26 UKC win at Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman freshman Baylee Ayres (23) scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Tuesday's 49-26 UKC win at Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
In addition to Gragg's double-double, Spencer and freshman Baylee Ayres also scored 10 points apiece while junior Jaydin Frickey added 9 points. Ayres also grabbed nine rebounds and sophomore Lydia Dreher had eight boards.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
CAMRYNN AHRENS, Washburn Rural
A senior, Ahrens earned second-team All-City recognition for the second straight season in 2025 after helping the Junior Blues post a third-place team finish in the Class 6A state tournament. Ahrens shot a 536 three-game series at state after finishing third in 6A regional competition with a 616 series as the Junior Blues won the regional team crown by 341 pins. Ahrens finished fourth in the Centennial League meet for the team-champion Junior Blues with a 534 series.
Leah Crowford, Seaman [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
LEAH CRAWFORD, Seaman -- Crawford, a sophomore, placed 22nd individually in her first Class 5A state tournament with a 532 series last season, helping Seaman finish third in the team standings. Crawford, who averaged 182 on the season, won a 5A regional individual championship with a 630 series as Seaman captured the team crown by 514 pins, finished eighth in the United Kansas Conference with a 568 series as the Vikings won the team title by 334 pins and shot a 522 series in the city tournament to finish 12th individually for the team-champion Vikings.
Megan Glinka, Washburn Rural [Photo by Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered]
MEGAN GLINKA, Washburn Rural -- A junior, Glinka earned first-team All-City honors for the second straight season after placing 26th at state with a 554 series to help Washburn Rural finish third as a team in the 2025 Class 6A state tournament. Glinka recorded a 561 series to place 12th in regional competition for team-champion Rural. Glinka garnered the Centennial League individual championship with a 597 series as the Junior Blues won the team title and shot a 525 in the city tournament to place 11th as Rural finished second as a team. Glinka averaged 191 on the season with a high game of 276 and a high series of 713.
Claire LaDuke, Seaman [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
CLAIRE LADUKE, Seaman -- LaDuke, a senior, placed eighth in the 2025 Class 5A state tournament with a 582 three-game series, helping lead the Vikings to the third-place team trophy. LaDuke was third at regionals with a 581 series as Seaman won the championship by 514 pins. LaDuke finished ninth in the United Kansas Conference with a 558 series as the Vikings won the team title by 334 pins and rolled a 569 series in the city tournament to place fourth as Seaman won the city team title. LaDuke earned first-team All-State honors in Class 5A from the Kansas Bowling Coaches Association, averaging 201 on the season with a high series of 673 and a high game of 257.
Kenzie Lawson, Washburn Rural [Photo by Scott Paske/KSHSAA Covered]
KENZIE LAWSON, Washburn Rural -- Lawson, a senior, earned first-team All-City honors for the first time in 2025 after helping the Junior Blues post a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament. Lawson posted a 10th-place individual finish in the state meet with a 621 three-game series. Lawson rolled a 597 series to place sixth at regionals for team-champion Rural and finished eighth with a 503 series in the Centennial League for team-champion Rural. Lawson shot a 545 series in the city tournament to place ninth as Rural finished second as a team. Lawson averaged 180 on the season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
TUESDAY'S GAMES
Connor Hanika, Hayden
Bryson McComas, Topeka High
TOPEKA HIGH (4-4, 0-1) at HAYDEN (3-7, 0-2)
Both the Trojans and Wildcats will be looking to bounce back from Friday night losses, with Topeka High dropping a 70-63 home Centennial League decision to Manhattan and Hayden dropping its second straight league game, a 79-62 decision at Washburn Rural. Mar'saun Redmond led Topeka High with 16 points against Manhattan while Jalen Aldridge and Bryson McComas added 14 points apiece. Carter Compton scored 20 points for Hayden against Washburn Rural while Connor Hanika added 15 points.
KaeVon Bonner, Seaman
Gad Munganga, Topeka West
SEAMAN (6-1, 5-1) at TOPEKA WEST (7-1, 6-0)
No. 2-ranked (Class 5A) Topeka West will host No. 5 Seaman in a key United Kansas Conference matchup. Seaman senior star KaeVon Bonner is coming off a 42-point performance in Friday's 65-46 UKC win at Lansing while Landon Wiltz added 10 points and Griffin Zuniga 9. West is coming off a 56-45 conference win at Basehor-Linwood, with senior guard Gad Munganga pacing the Chargers with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Senior Keimani Paul added 12 points and junior Prince Lassiter 10.
JoJo Kingcannon, Highland Park
KANSAS CITY-SUMNER (4-5, 2-2) at HIGHLAND PARK (2-5, 2-1)
Highland Park played No. 2-ranked (Class 4A) Atchison tough in a 57-51 Meadowlark Conference home loss Friday night. Junior JoJo Kingcannon led the Scots with 18 points. Highland Park will be facing a KC-Sumner team that is coming off a 59-40 Meadowlark loss to KC-Wyandotte, a team Highland Park beat earlier in the season.
PIPER (5-3, 3-2) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (4-4, 3-3)
Shawnee Heights jumped out to a 35-5 halftime lead on the way to a 60-24 home United Kansas Conference win last Friday while Piper is coming off a non-league loss to Lincon Prep, Mo. Freshman Quincy Dixon led the T-Birds with 19 points while junior Cam Ross added 18 points and senior Ja'Veon Alston 13.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
TUESDAY'S GAMES
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High
Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden
TOPEKA HIGH (3-5, 0-1 Centennial) at HAYDEN (8-2, 2-0 Centennial)
Hayden is coming off a 38-35 Centennial League win at Washburn Rural last Friday while Topeka High had its three-game winning streak snapped by league foe Manhattan, 67-55. Sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein led Hayden with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, against Rural while senior Lauren Borjon added 8 points with a pair of 3s. Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton led Topeka High with 21 points against Manhattan while sophomore Hailey Caryl added 17 points with three 3-pointers.
SEAMAN (5-2, 5-1 Centennial) at TOPEKA WEST (1-7, 0-6 Centennial)
Seaman is coming off a 54-12 United Kansas Conference win over Lansing last Friday while Topeka West dropped a 69-36 conference decision at Basehor-Linwood. Junior Brynn Spencer led Seaman with 15 points against Lansing while Baylee Ayres and Lydia Dreher added 10 points. Seaman took a 45-26 win over Topeka West on Dec. 12. The Chargers will be looking to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Koralee Jones, Highland Park
KANSAS CITY-SUMNER (2-6, 2-4 Meadowlark) at HIGHLAND PARK (2-5, 1-2 Meadowlark)
Highland Park dropped a 66-42 Meadowlark Conference decision to Atchison last Friday while KC-Sumner is coming off a 76-7 loss to KC-Wyandotte. Koralee Jones and Zayah Kincaid paced Highland Park with 14 points apiece against Atchison, with Kincaid draining three 3-pointers.
PIPER (6-2, 5-0 UKC) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (6-3, 5-1 UKC)
Shawnee Heights rolled to a 53-22 United Kansas Conference win over Leavenworth last Friday while league-leading Piper is coming off a 69-34 non-league loss to Blue Valley Northwest. T-Bird senior Imani McGlory scored 18 points with four 3-pointers against Leavenworth while juniors Pearmella Carter and KK Emmot scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. Piper handed Shawnee Heights its lone UKC loss on Dec. 9, 50-45.
