Cair Paravel Lions

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Highland Park's girls and boys basketball teams continued their dominating start to Meadowlark Conference competition Friday night, with the Scots winning their two conference games against Kansas City-Harmon by a total of 140 points. 

Senior Bo Aldridge (1) scored 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had five assists in Friday's 91-29 win at KC-Harmon. [File photo/TSN]

Highland Park sophomore standout Amelia Ramsey scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Scots' 96-18 Meadowlark Conference win over KC-Harmon. [File photo/TSN]

The top-ranked (Class 5A) Highland Park boys rolled to a 91-29 Meadowlark Conference road win over Harmon while the Scot girls romped to a 96-18 home victory over Harmon.

Highland Park's boys improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference as senior Bo Aldridge scored 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had five assists for the Scots.

Sophomore Amelia Ramsey scored 30 points and grabbed 13 points to lead four Scots in double figures as Highland Park's girls improved to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the conference.

Highland Park's boys will compete in the Topeka Invitational Tournament next week while the Scot girls will travel to Salina for the Salina Invvitational.

PIPER BOYS 71, TOPEKA WEST 56 --No. 10-ranked (Class 5A) Piper topped No. 6 Topeka West 71-56 in Friday's United Kansas Conference game at West, with the Pirates snapping the Chargers' six-game winning streak.

Topeka West fell to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the UKC while Piper improved to 6-3 overall and 6-2 in the conference.

West will be at home next week to host the Topeka Invitational Tournament.

'By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

SEAMAN (6-1, 5-1) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (7-1, 7-1)
Senior Emari Doby led Shawnee Heights with 13 points in Thursday's 41-32 UKC victory over De Soto. [File photo/TSN]

Seaman, which is top-ranked in Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, is coming off its first loss of the season, a 74-71 double-overtime United Kansas Conference decision at Basehor-Linwood Tuesday night, while No. 9-ranked Shawnee Heights will be playing its third game of the week after taking a 43-7 UKC home win over Kansas City-Turner on Tuesday and a 41-32 win at No. 8-ranked De Soto Thursday night. Shawnee Heights has now won seven straight games dating back to a four-point loss to De Soto in the T-Birds' season-opener. Seniors Emari Doby and Taylor Rottinghaus led the T-Birds with 13 and 12 points, repectively.

TOPEKA HIGH (7-3, 1-2) at HAYDEN (4-3, 1-2)

No. 8-ranked (Class 6A) Topeka High is coming off its second straight Centennial League loss, a 47-46 home loss to No. 5-ranked Washburn Rural Tuesday night, while Hayden snapped a two-game losing streak with a 37-27 league win at Junction City. Senior Kiki Smith led Topeka High with 16 points against Washburn Rural while junior Lauren Sandstrom and sophomore Brylee Meier scored 13 points apiece for Hayden in the win over Junction City. 

Senior Brooklyn DeLeye had game-high totals of 17 points and 11 rebounds as Washburn Rural ended its seven-game losing streak against the Trojans with a 47-46 win Tuesday night at Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

MANHATTAN (3-5, 1-1) at WASHBURN RURAL (6-2, 3-0)

No. 5-ranked (Class 6A) Washburn Rural held on for a 47-46 Centennial League victory over No. 8-ranked Topeka High Tuesday night, with the Junior Blues snapping a seven-game losing streak against the Trojans with their fourth straight win. Senior Brooklyn DeLeye led the Junior Blues with 17 points and 11 rebounds while senior MaRyah Lutz added 11 points and seven rebounds. Manhattan was off Tuesday after a 47-25 Centennial League win over Junction City last Friday.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

SEAMAN (3-3, 3-3) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (5-2, 5-2)

Senior Kaeden Bonner and the Seaman boys posted their second straight win on Tuesday, a 48-39 UKC decision over Basehor-Linwood. [File photo/TSN]

Shawnee Heights posted its fourth straight win Tuesday, a 67-41 United Kansas Conference home decision over Kansas City-Turner, while Seaman posted its second straight victory, a 48-39 UKC road win at Basehor-Linwood. Sophomore Jaret Sanchez led Shawnee Heights with 12 points against Turner while Q Stovall added 10 points and Dylan Sanchez nine.

 Senior Joe Otting and the Hayden boys will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak Friday night against Topeka High. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]

TOPEKA HIGH (1-7, 0-3) at HAYDEN (3-4, 0-3)

Topeka High dropped a 54-42 home Centennial League decision to No. 10-ranked (Class 6A) Washburn Rural on Tuesday while No. 6 (4A) Hayden lost a tight 44-42 league game at Junction City. Junior Bryson Thrasher led Topeka High with 16 points, including three 3-pointers, against Washburn Rural while junior Isaiah Lyons added nine points on three 3s.

Senior Jack Bachelor scored a game-high 17 points as Washburn Rural improved to 6-2 with a 54-42 win at Topeka High Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]

 MANHATTAN (5-3, 1-1) at WASHBURN RURAL (6-2, 3-0)

Washburn Rural has won four straight games, including a 54-42 Centennial League road win at Topeka High Tuesday night. Senior Jack Bachelor paced the Junior Blues with 17 points while senior Jacob Hirschi added 11. Manhattan was off Tuesday after dropping a 53-46 Centennial League decision to Junction City last Friday.

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Highland Park's boys basketball team celebrated its rise to the No. 1 spot in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A state rankings with a 107-64 romp past Meadowlark Conference foe Kansas City-Sumner Academy Tuesday at Sumner.

Senior Bo Aldridge (1) and the top-ranked Highland Park boys are coming off a 107-64 Meadowlark Conference win over KC-Sumner Academy on Tuesday. [File photo/TSN]

With the win the Scots improved to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference.

Highland Park will travel to KC-Harmon for a Meadowlark Conference game on Friday before competing in the Topeka Invitational Tournament next week at Topeka West.

HIGHLAND PARK GIRLS 64, KC SUMNER ACADEMY 20 --Highland Park improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Meadowlark Conference with a 64-20 conference road win over KC-Sumner, ranked No. 7 in Class 5A by the KBCA.

Sophomore DeAsia Sanders scored 20 points on eight of 12 shooting from the field for the Scots against the Sabres while sophomore Amelia Ramsey added 14 points.

Highland Park will be at home Friday to host KC-Harmon in a Meadowlark Conference contest before competing in the Salina Invitational Tournament next week. The Scots will play Salina South in a first-round game on Thursday, Jan. 19, at Salina South.

HAYDEN GIRLS 37, JUNCTION CITY 27 --Hayden snapped a two-game losing streak with the Wildcats' first Centennial League victory, a 37-27 road decision at Junction City.

Hayden improved to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the Centennial League after dropping games to state-ranked Emporia and Washburn Rural to open league play.

Junior Lauren Sandstrom and sophomore Brylee Meier led Hayden with 13 points apiece.

Hayden will be back in action Friday, hosting No. 8-ranked (Class 6A) Topeka High in a Centennial League game.

'By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

WASHBURN RURAL (5-2, 2-0) at TOPEKA HIGH (7-2, 1-1)

Senior Brooklyn DeLeye scored a game-high 17 points Friday night as Washburn Rural improved to 2-0 in the Centennial League with a 56-32 win over Hayden. [File photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]

Washburn Rural posted its fourth straight win on Friday night, a 56-32 Centennial League win over Hayden. Senior Brooklyn DeLeye led the Junior Blues with 17 points while junior Zoe Canfield added 15 points and sophomore Kate Hinck 11 points with three 3-pointers. Topeka High is coming off a 51-40 league loss to Emporia, which ended the Trojans' seven-game winning streak. Senior Kiki Smith led High with 13 points while junior Ayana Leesman added 11 points.

Senior Emari Doby led Shawnee Heights with 15 points in last Friday's 49-23 UKC road romp at Lansing. [File photo/TSN]

KC-TURNER (0-6, 0-5) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (5-1, 5-1)

Shawnee Heights ran its winning streak to five games in last Friday's 49-23 United Kansas Conference win at Lansing. Senior Emari Doby paced the T-Birds with 15 points while senior Taylor Rottinghaus added 13 points. Shawnee Heights is a game behind unbeaten Seaman in the UKC race. Turner is coming off a 47-12 UKC loss to Basehor-Linwood, remaining winless on the season.

Silver Lake junior Makenzie McDaniel scored 34 points and grabbed 2 rebounds on the week as the Eagles posted a pair of Mid-East League wins to improve to 6-0 on the season. [File photo/TSN]

WABAUNSEE (1-4, 0-2) at SILVER LAKE (6-0, 4-0)

Silver Lake is coming off a 59-30 Mid-East League victory over previously-unbeaten Rock Creek last Friday after knocking off previously-unbeaten Rossville on Tuesday. Junior McKinley Kruger scored 18 points and grabbed four rebounds for the Eagles against Rock Creek while junior Makenzie McDaniel had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Wabaunsee is coming off of a 42-22 Mid-East League loss to St. Marys.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

WASHBURN RURAL (5-2, 2-0) at TOPEKA HIGH (1-6, 0-2)

Senior Jack Bachelor led Washburn Rural with 15 points and went eight of eight from the free throw line in Friday's 46-36 Centennial League win over Hayden. [File photo/TSN]

 Washburn Rural remained unbeaten in the Centennial League with a 46-36 road win at Hayden last Friday while Topeka High dropped a 69-59 league decision to Emporia. Senior Jack Bachelor scored 15 points, including an eight of eight performance at the free throw line, in the Junior Blues' win over the Wildcats. Junior Isaiah Lyons scored 21 points with five 3-pointers for Topeka High against Emporia while senior Mason Gomez added 13 points with three 3-pointers.

Junior Brennon Dodge led Shawnee Heights with 17 points in Friday night's 76-50 UKC win at Lansing. [File photo/TSN]

KC-TURNER (0-6, 0-5) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (4-2, 4-2)

Shawnee Heights posted its third straight win on Friday, rolling to a 76-50 United Kansas Conference win at Lansing. Kansas City-Turner remained winless on the season after dropping a 60-41 UKC decision to Basehor-Linwood. Junior Brennon Dodge led the T-Birds with 17 points while senior Jeremyah Kendrick added 13 points, senior Q Stovall and sophomore Deacon Pomeroy 11 points each and sophomore Jaret Sanchez 10.

WABAUNSEE (2-3, 0-2) at SILVER LAKE (2-4, 2-2)

Both teams will be looking to bounce back from Mid-East League defeats, with Silver Laking dropping a 52-33 decision to Rock Creek Friday night and Wabaunsee falling to St. Marys, 67-64. Sophomore Jared Johnson led Silver Lake with 13 points while senior Troy Heiman added eight points.

Senior Bo Aldridge (1) led Highland Park with 18 points in Friday's 66-44 Meadowlark Conference win at Atchison. [File photo/TSN]

HIGHLAND PARK (4-0, 2-0) at KC-SUMNER ACADEMY (3-4, 2-2)

Highland Park remained undefeated with a 66-47 Meadowlark Conference road victory at previously-undefeated Atchison Friday night, with senior Bo Aldridge leading the Scots with 18 points. Kansas City-Sumner is coming off an 80-61 Meadowlark win over KC-Wyandotte. Senior Tre Richardson added 14 points and sophomore Jacorey Robinson 13 points for the Scots against Atchison.

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

Topeka West tightened an already tight United Kansas Conference boys basketball race on Friday night, with the Chargers rallying for a 51-50 road win at De Soto, handing the Wildcats their first league loss.

Topeka West, which improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the UKC, trailed De Soto (6-2. 4-1) 44-36 at the start of the fourth quarter but fought back for the victory, getting the game-winning free throw from senior Malachi Berg with 1.6 seconds remaining.

Topeka West senior Sincere Austin helped lead the Chargers to their sixth straight win Friday night, a 51-50 UKC decision at De Soto. [File photo/TSN]

Senior Sincere Austin led the Chargers to their sixth straight victory with 21 points.

West and De Soto were tied at 26-26 at the half.

With Friday's win Topeka West is now part of a three-way tie for the league lead in the loss column with De Soto and Piper while Shawnee Heights and Basehor-Linwood are a game back.

DE SOTO GIRLS 58, TOPEKA WEST 38 -- Topeka West, which picked up its first win of the season in its final game before the holiday break, played state-ranked De Soto tough through three quarters before the Wildcats put the game away with a 19-7 fourth quarter.

De Soto, 6-2 overall, 4-1 in the United Kansas Conference, led 13-10 at the end of the first quarter and by just two points at the half (22-20) before opening up a 39-31 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

With Friday's loss Topeka West fell to 1-6, 1-5.

Shawnee Heights senior Emari Doby lead the T-Birds with 15 points in Friday's UKC win at Lansing. [File photo/TSN]

SHAWNEE HEIGHTS GIRLS 49, LANSING 23 -- Shawnee Heights continued its hot streak in Friday night's United Kansas Conference road win at Lansing, with the T-Birds improving to 5-1 overall and in the UKC with their fifth straight victory.

Senior Emari Doby led the T-Birds with 15 points while senior Taylor Rottinghaus added 13 points.

Shawnee Heights has not lost since a four-point decision against De Soto in its season-opener and the T-Birds are tied for second with De Soto in the UKC race, a game behind undefeated Seaman.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

WASHBURN RURAL (4-2, 1-0) at HAYDEN (3-2, 0-1)

Senior Brooklyn DeLeye scored a game-high 17 points Tuesday night as Washburn Rural opened Centennial League play with a 50-9 romp past Junction City. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]

Washburn Rural opened Centennial League play Tuesday with its third straight win, a 50-9 romp past Junction City. Senior Brooklyn DeLeye led the No. 7-ranked (Class 6A) Junior Blues with 17 points while junior Zoe Canfield added 13 points and three 3-pointers. Hayden dropped a 43-34 decision at No. 3-ranked (5A) Emporia on Tuesday in the Wildcats' Centennial League opener. Sophomore Brylee Meier led Hayden with 17 points while sophomore Norma Greco added nine points. Both Meier and Greco hit two 3-pointers.

Topeka High senior Kiki Smith is coming off a 25-point, 11-rebound effort Wednesday night in the Trojans' 56-36 non-league win over Blue Valley Northwest. [File photo/TSN]

EMPORIA (7-0, 1-0) at TOPEKA HIGH (7-1, 1-0)

Topeka High, ranked No. 6 in Class 6A by the KBCA, opened the 2023 portion of its schedule with a 56-36 non-league win over Blue Valley Northwest Wednesday night in the Trojans' home opener. Senior Kiki Smith led Topeka High with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Emporia, No. 3-ranked in 5A, remained unbeaten with a 43-34 win in the Spartans' Centennial League opener. Senior Rebecca Snyder led Emporia with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Senior Taylor Rottinghaus (left) scored 17 points to lead Shawnee Heights in a 48-36 UKC win over Leavenworth in the T-Birds' final game before the holiday break. [File photo/TSN]

SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (4-1, 4-1) at LANSING (2-3, 2-3)

Shawnee Heights will be making its 2023 debut with a United Kansas Conference road contest at Lansing. The T-Birds wrapped up '22 with a 48-36 UKC win over Leavenworth. Senior Taylor Rottinghaus led Shawnee Heights with 17 points while senior Emari Doby added a double-double with 13 points an 13 rebounds. Lansing returned to action on Tuesday, with the Lions dropping a 54-23 UKC decision to Lansing.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

WASHBURN RURAL (4-2, 1-0) at HAYDEN (3-2, 0-1)

Senior Jack Bachelor led Washburn Rural with 21 points in Tuesday's 64-58 Centennial League win over Junction City. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn Rural opened Centennial League play on Tuesday night with a 64-58 win over Junction City while Hayden dropped a 59-52 league decision at Emporia. Senior Jack Bachelor led the Junior Blues with 21 points while junior Griffin Durst and sophomore Max Bettis scored eight points apiece. Sophomore Jacob Deister led Hayden with 18 points on six 3-pointers against Emporia while senior Joe Otting added 14 points and nine rebounds and Jacob Padilla had 12 points on four 3-pointers.

EMPORIA (6-1, 1-0) at TOPEKA HIGH (1-5, 0-1)

Emporia opened its Centennial League schedule with a hard-earned home 59-52 win over Hayden Tuesday night while Topeka High is coming off an 88-40 non-league loss to perennial Class 6A power Blue Valley Northwest Wednesday night at Topeka High. Senior Jalyn King scored a game-high 20 points for Emporia in the Spartans' win over Hayden while Cooper Rech added 10 points. Junior Isaiah Lyons led Topeka High with 14 points, including three 3-pointers, in the Trojans' loss to Blue Valley Northwest. 

Senior Xavier Alexander is averaging 20.3 points with a city-high 19 3-pointers for 5-1 Topeka West. [File photo/TSN]

TOPEKA WEST (5-1, 4-1) at DE SOTO (6-1, 4-0)

Topeka West, which has posted five straight victories, ended the 2022 portion of its schedule with a home 89-43 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner while De Soto returned to action on Tuesday with a 66-43 UKC victory over Lansing. Senior Xavier Alexander leads Topeka West with a 20.3 scoring average and a city-high 19 3-pointers while senior Malachi Berg averages 16 points and 7.3 rebounds and senior Sincere Austin 11.3 points and 5.3 assists. DeSoto is ranked No. 6 and West No. 7 in Class 5A by the KBCA.

By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news

At some point in the past there may have been a better overall year for Shawnee County girls high school sports than 2022.

Then again, maybe not.

County schools captured state team championships in five different sports in three different classifications while county athletes combined to win 10 individual state titles.

That depth of talent made it nearly impossible to narrow down TopSports.news' list of the top Shawnee County girls stories to just 10, and even harder to decide which accomplishments deserve to be at the top of the list, but here goes.

Topeka High's softball team celebrates its 2022 Class 6A state title after a 2-1 win over city rival Washburn Rural. [File photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]

1. CHAMPIONSHIP RE-RUN -- After posting a perfect 25-0 record and winning the school's first state softball title in 2021, Topeka High had a tougher path to a second straight Class 6A championship in 2022, but Stanford signee NiJaree Canady and the Trojans got the job done, taking a nail-biting 2-1 win over Washburn Rural in an all-city final to cap a 22-3 season. Canady ended her high school career with a second straight Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year award while then-senior Elycia Joyce and then-juniors Adisyn Caryl and Alesia Alvarez earned All-6A first-team honors.

Washburn Rural's volleyball team dogpiles on the court after winning the 2022 Class 6A state title, the eighth in school history. [Photo by Jeff Jacobsen/Action Images Photography]

2. BUMP, SET, DOMINATE -- Perennial state volleyball power Washburn Rural was 1-1 two matches into the 2022 season before going on a 44-match tear to win its eighth Class 6A title under Kevin Bordewick, capped by a 25-21, 26-24 win over Blue Valley. Bordewick surpassed the 1,000-victory mark for his career during the season while Junior Blue star Brooklyn DeLeye, a multi-time Class 6A player of the year and Kentucky signee, went over the 2,000 mark for career kills.

Former Topeka West swimming star Kadence Jeffries finished her high school career six for six at state in her individual events. [File photo/TSN]

3. STREAK COMPLETE --Topeka West swimming star Kadence Jefferies kept her incredible streak intact of never losing an individual race in the Class 5A-1A state meet. Jeffries swept the 200 and 500-yard freestyle state titles as a freshman in 2019. Then, after the '20 season was canceled due to COVID-19 Jeffries swept the same two events in '21 and '22, winning the 200 as a senior in 1 minutes, 53.29 seconds and the 500 in 5:03.66. Jeffries is now swimming for NCAA Division I Nebraska Omaha. Joining Jeffries as a 5A-1A state champion was Seaman sophomore Avery Walz, who won the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.03, helping the Vikings finish fourth in 5A-1A as a team.

Washburn Rural poses for a team picture after winning the Class 6A basketball title last March in Wichita. [Submitted photo]

4. SAME SONG, DIFFERENT VERSE --  Washburn Rural set the table for this fall's Class 6A volleyball championship with a run to the 6A basketball title last spring. The Junior Blues went 23-2 on the season, capped by a dominating 40-23 win over Derby in the state final. Brooklyn DeLeye, Zoe Canfield, Jada Ingram, Chloe Carlgren and Destiny Ochs were members of both the basketball and volleyball championship teams, along with coach Kevin Bordewick, who won his 10th 6A title as a head coach (eight volleyball, two basketball). Bordewick was also a part of three state championship teams in basketball as an assistant to Bill Annan.