By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights senior Taylor Rottinghaus is one of the state's top sprinters, notching a pair of runner-up finishes in last spring's Class 5A state track meet.
The T-Bird three-sport standout flashed that speed on the basketball court Friday night at Topeka West, jumping the passing lanes for steals time and time again and out-racing the Chargers to the other end for easy layups on the way to a game-high 17 points in the T-Birds' 42-33 United Kansas Conference win.
Shawnee Heights senior Taylor Rottinghaus (1) comes up with a steal in Friday's 42-33 UKC win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Taylor Rottinghaus, who had a game-high 17 points, drives in for a layup as Topeka West senior Azaryah Duncan gives chase in the T-Birds' 42-33 win. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rottinghaus, a 5-foot-7 guard, said she has learned to put her speed and quickness to good use in basketball.
"One hundred percent,'' said Rottinghaus, who has signed a volleyball letter of intent with Washburn University. "I definitely think with all my track workouts I get in shape and stay in shape for awhile, and then just being a three-sport athlete, I'm constantly pushing myself and working hard and I feel that really helps me move across the court more swiftly.''
Rottinghaus said the biggest lesson she's had to learn is when to go for steals and win to hold back.
"I had a few talks with my coaches this last week and they kept talking about how my role has changed on the court and I feel like as I'm growing up I need to know my limits on the court and know I can't get every single ball,'' she said. "I definitely have been working on that in practice which has been paying off in the games.''
Shawnee Heights, which improved to 2-1 with its second straight UKC win, trailed 9-7 at the end of the opening quarter and fell behind by four points early in the second quarter before the T-Birds rallied for an 18-15 halftime advantage as Rottinghaus led the way with six first-half points.
Rottinghaus scored off three steals in the opening four minutes of the second half to stake Heights to a 26-17 advantage and the T-Birds went on to lead by as many as 11 points while West (0-3, 0-3) got no closer than six the rest of the way.
"I think our girls did a good job, especially after they got settled down a little bit,'' Heights coach Bob Wells said. "I think we kind of went from being afraid to miss shots to zoning in and trying to make shots.''
Rottinghaus was the game's only double-figure scorer while junior Breezy Canady addded seven points and senior Emari Doby six points for the T-Birds.
Senior Jazmyn Ford led Topeka West with nine points while senior Azaryah Duncan had seven points and freshman Imani McGlory six for the Chargers.
Shawnee Heights will be at home Tuesday to host Basehor-Linwood in a UKC contest while West will travel to Lansing.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS GIRLS 42, TOPEKA WEST 33
Shawnee Heights 7 11 9 15 -- 42
Topeka West 9 6 6 12 -- 33
Shawnee Heights (2-1, 2-1) -- Rottinhaus 8-13 1-5 17, Showalter 1-7 0-0 3, Doby 0-9 6-8 6, Canady 2-6 3-7 7, Fleischer 1-6 2-2 4, Hill 1-3 0-0 2, Rantz 0-2 1-2 1, Schulte 0-0 0-0 0, Torrez 0-0 0-0 0, Brees 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 13-46 15-26 42.
Topeka West (0-3, 0-3) -- Duncan 3-9 1-2 7, Clark 0-3 0-0 0, Ford 4-4 1-2 9, Bearman 2-2 0-0 4, Brooks 2-4 1-4 5, Alexander 0-6 2-8 2, Gonzales 0-3 0-0 0, Short 0-0 0-0 0, McGlory 2-3 1-2 6, Hall 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 13-34 6-19 33.
3-point goals -- Shawnee Heights 1 (Showalter), Topeka West 1 (McGlory) Total fouls -- Shawnee Heights 14, Topeka West 22. Fouled out – Brooks, Clark.
