Topeka High Trojans
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior Brecken Garrett shot a 739 three-game series to capture the individual championship in Tuesday's Class 6A bowling regional at Lawrence's Royal Crest Lanes, leading Washburn Rural to the team championship by a 3,614-3,341 margin over Mill Valley.
Washburn Rural's boys bowling team won the team title in Wednesday's Class 6A regional in Lawrence. [Washburn Rural Athletics]
Garrett shot games of 216, 258 and 265 to take the individual crown by 26 pins over Olathe Northwest junior Carter Bloomcamp (713).
The Junior Blues also got a sixth-place finish from junior Andrew Faurot (674), an eighth-place showing from senior Cody Spangler (648), a 12th from senior Parker Dixson (636) and a 13th-place finish from sophomore Zachary Hancock (626), while senior Jackson Keller shot a 576 to round out Washburn Rural's lineup.
Topeka High finished 11th as a team, led by senior Jayden Wilson's 562 series.
Washburn Rural's girls also earned a team berth for next week's state tournament in Wichita, placing third behind Mill Valley (3,416) and Centennial League rival Junction City (3,099) with a score of 3,011.
Rural junior Megan Glinka tied for seventh and placed eighth on a tiebreaker with a 633 series, including games of 221 and 222.
The Junior Blues also got a 12th-place finish from Kenzie Lawson (591) while senior Camrynn Ahrens (556), freshman Peyton Lawson (503), senior Stella Gordon (487) and senior Ellen Austin (447) rounded out Rural's lineup.
Topeka High finished 12th as a team.
The 6A state tournament will be held next Friday, March 4, at Wichita's Bowlero Northrock.
Boys competition will get under way at 8:50 a.m., followed by the girls at 1:40 p.m.
CLASS 6A REGIONAL BOWLING
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
By his own admission, Topeka High's Elisha Guest has been struggling with his 3-point shooting recently, and the 5-foot-7 senior guard got off to another tough start Tuesday night at Washburn Rural.
Topeka High celebrates Tuesday's 56-55 win at Washburn Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/TSN]
But after that game-opening miss, Guest caught fire, scoring a game-high 25 points with seven 3s to lead Topeka High to a 56-55 win over the Junior Blues while High was able to clinch a winning regular-season record.
"My first shot was an air ball as everybody saw, but then I think I hit two or three in a row and I got rolling after that,'' Guest said.
"It's great to get it back. I've been struggling from the 3-point line but the rest of the team, they've kept my head up so I was able to hit a lot this evening.''
Topeka High's win was not secure until Rural senior John Hoytal's potential game-winning shot at the buzzer bounced around and out, but all that mattered to first-year High coach Robbie Sanders was that the Trojans found a way to pull out the victory after a five-point home loss to city rival Topeka West a night earlier.
"I told these boys that just look at my face and look at me from the beginning of the season until now, I've got a lot more gray hair and a lot less hair, but I'm happy we were able to find a way,'' Sanders said. "I think last night, even though we lost there were a lot more positives than negatives and just competing the way we did against Topeka West gave us a lot of confidence going into today.
"We started off strong and we had some lapses, but we were able to make enough plays in the end.''
Topeka High, now 12-11 overall and 5-5 in the league after winning just one game last season, led much of Tuesday's game, including an 18-9 advantage at the end of the first quarter and a 21-11 edge early in the second stanza.
But Washburn Rural (11-10, 4-5) battled back to take a 30-29 lead on a Brooks Ballard 3-pointer to end the first half and the game was tied 43-all at the start of the fourth.
Rural led 49-46 with five minutes remaining after a Zach Wright basket, but Topeka High scored seven straight points to go up 53-49 on a Jalen Aldridge trey and went in front 56-52 on a Guest 3.
Hoytal hit a 3-pointer to pull Rural within a point with 43.2 seconds left and Dominic Nimz came up with a steal with 20 seconds remaining to give the Junior Blues a change to pull out the win.
Washburn Rural missed a shot with 2.7 seconds on the clock, but Topeka High turned the ball over with two ticks left and Hoytal got a good look on his last-second miss.
Topeka High senior Bryson McComas backed Guest with 15 points while Aldridge had nine.
"It was a must win and 'E' really stepped up today, Bryson made some plays, Ajalon (Ross) got us started off hot after not being able to play yesterday because of illness,'' Sanders said. "I'm just happy with the guys.''
Washburn Rural senior John Hoytal scored 20 points in Tuesday's 56-55 loss to Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hoytal led Rural with 20 points while Ballard added 11.
Washburn Rural will close out its regular season Friday at home against Manhattan while Topeka High will await the postseason pairings.
"We could potentially have a home game if things shake our way tonight and Friday,'' Sanders said. "If not we could potentially go to Wichita, but I think all the games and the teams that we could face will be pretty good competition but winnable games for us.''
TOPEKA HIGH BOYS 56, WASHBURN RURAL 55
Topeka High 18 11 14 13 -- 56
Washburn Rural 9 21 13 12 -- 55
Topeka High (12-11, 5-5) – Aldridge 2-6 3-4 9, Guest 9-14 0-0 25, McComas 5-12 3-4 15, Ross 2-4 0-0 5, McFadden 0-2 0-0 0, Carter 0-0 0-0 0, Wilkerson 0-0 0-0 0, Redmond 1-1 0-0 0, Luarks 0-1 0-0 0, Campbell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-40 6-8 56.
Washburn Rural (?-?, ?-?) – Nimz 1-1 2-2 4, Ballard 5-11 0-0 11, Hoytal 7-11 4-5 20, Chooncharoen 1-3 0-0 2, Schmidt 2-5 0-0 4, Wright 3-5 0-1 6, O'Connor 3-6 1-1 8, Bradley 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-44 7-9 55.
3-point goals – Topeka High 12 (Guest 7, Aldridge 2, McComas 2, Ross), Washburn Rural 4 (Hoytal, Ballard O'Connor). Total fouls – Topeka High 10, Washburn Rural 10. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With Topeka High's girls trailing Washburn Rural by eight points with six remaining Tuesday night, the Trojans' chance at a victory and any shot at a Centennial League championship looked pretty bleak.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, shooting over Washburn Rural's Maddie Vickery (5), came up big down the stretch in Tuesday's 59-55 Topeka High win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
But a 15-3 game-ending run, including the final seven points, turned things around in a hurry, with the Trojans rallying for a 59-55 win to earn at least a share of the league title while stretching their winning streak to nine games.
"Defense,'' Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker said. "We got a couple of interceptions there at a crucial time and we got the ball back and made the free throws and wow!
"From the get go we have emphasized defense. Defense is your offense and I think it maybe finally kicked in that we can score a lot of points if we're playing really good defense and the nine in a row here that's what's kicked in, that they've really bought in. We've been shooting high percentages, but a lot of it's been interceptions and layups and stuff like that.''
With Tuesday's come-from-behind victory, the Trojans, 15-8 overall and 8-2 in the Centennial League, now have a chance to win the league title if outright if Washburn Rural beats Manhattan Friday night at Rural.
"How about that?'' Slaymaker said. "This is not your chump change league and now we're yelling for Washburn Rural on Friday and that should be a good game.''
Tuesday's Rural-Topeka High game was close throughout, with Washburn Rural (15-7, 5-4) leading by two points after each of the first three quarters.
The Junior Blues opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run, taking a 52-44 lead with 6:23 remaining on a hoop from senior Hallie Walker.
But the Trojans fought back to tie the game at 52 on a Trish Short free throw with 4:23 left.
Then, after a 3-pointer from Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn Rutherford, Topeka High answered with a huge 3-pointer from junior star Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton to knot the game at 55 before senior Sasha Gotru put the Trojans ahead to stay with 1:29 left and Rayton clinched the win with two free throws.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After leading by as many as 12 points late in the first half, Topeka West had to withstand threat after threat from USD 501 rival Topeka High the rest of the way Monday night.
Topeka West junior Prince Lassiter had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds in Monday's 78-73 win at Topeka High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the Chargers had an answer for everything the Trojans threw at them, holding on for a 78-73 win in the Dungeon.
"I felt we were getting high percentage shots and we were doing everything we could to stop those streaks, but they were lights out,'' Topeka West coach Christian Ulsaker said of the Trojans. "And it was a playoff atmosphere, and that's what you want. I love to see it.''
Topeka High got a career-high 30-point game, including six 3-pointers, from Trojan senior Jalen Aldridge and canned 14 3-pointers as a team, but the Chargers exhibited plenty of firepower themselves, with 6-foot-6 junior Prince Lassiter recording a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead four West players in double figures.
"We always have to deal with adversity, so it's really nothing new for us and we always battle through it,'' Lassister said. "There's definitely going to be a lot of teams that are able to shoot that three-ball really good and T-High, they're a good team that can shoot the 3, so that's a good look for what we're going to come up against in sub-state and state.''
Lassiter got West off to a fast start with 11 points in the first quarter and also came up big late, scoring six points in the fourth quarter, including a hoop inside the final minute that put the Chargers up by eight points.
"I appreciate that my teammates are always feeding me the ball so I can go to work,'' Lassiter said.
Topeka West also got 20 points from senior Malakyah Duncan, 17 from senior Keimani Paul and 10 from senior Jay'Veon Traylor en route to improving to 18-3 on the season.
Monday's win was the Chargers' second of the season over the rival Trojans, with Topeka West also topping High in the championship game of the Topeka Invitational Tournament in mid-January.
Topeka High senior Jalen Aldridge (1), battling Topeka West senior Malakyah Duncan for a loose ball, scored a game-high 30 points with six 3-pointers Monday night, while Duncan had 20 points. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
In addition to Aldridge's big night, Topeka High, now 11-11, got 21 points and four 3-pointers from senior Bryson McComas and 10 points and a pair of 3s from senior Octavian McFadden.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Playing its first of two back-to-back games, Topeka High girls basketball did exactly what Trojans coach Ron Slaymaker wanted to see Monday night, tuning up for Tuesday's Centennial League road game at Washburn Rural with a 74-35 win over USD 501 rival Topeka West on Senior Night at High.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points Mondsay night in Topeka High's 74-35 win over Topeka West [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High, which improved to 14-8 on the season, took control early which allowed the Trojans to work on different aspects of their game while Slaymaker was able to empty his bench, playing 14 different players.
"We've got a pretty big game tomorrow night and we tried do some different things tonight that we would have done in practice and we got to do that in game conditions and that's kind of what we wanted,'' Slaymaker said.
Slaymaker said he's not worried by the fact that the Trojans are playing on back-to-back nights.
"The conditioning factor, most kids this time of year, they can play two games in a row,'' Slaymaker said. "Three, that's a stretch, but two in a row I've never worried about.''
The Trojans, who have now won eight straight games, jumped out to 20-8 first-quarter lead and were in command 41-14 at the half.
Topeka High led by as many as 42 points (65-23) late in the third quarter and took a 65-26 advantage into the fourth quarter, forcing a running clock.
The Trojans started all five of their seniors Monday night, with High junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton coming off the bench to score a game-high 22 points and lead four Trojans in double figures.
Seniors Keimara Marshall and Sasha Gotru backed Rayton with 14 and 12 points while sophomore Hailey Caryl had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Topeka West was short-handed for Monday's game, playing without injured senior Addaline Hall and lost junior Aveah McGlory to an injury in the second half.
Junior Sydney VanDyke paced the Chargers (5-16) with 10 points while junior Patience Allen added eight points.
Topeka West will also play back-to-back nights, hosting Turner in a United Kansas Conference contest on Tuesday.
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 74, TOPEKA WEST 35
Topeka West 8 6 12 9 -- 35
Topeka High 20 21 24 9 -- 74
Topeka West (5-16) – Allen 4-9 0-0 8, Gonzales 0-7 0-0 0, VanDyke 3-9 4-6 10, Kutina 0-3 0-0 0, McGlory 2-4 0-0 4, Ogles 3-6 2-4 8, Perkins 1-2 3-4 5, Robinson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-48 6-10 50.
Topeka High (14-8) – Short 1-3 0-0 2, Triplett 1-2 0-0 2, Whayne 0-0 0-0 0, Marshall 6-12 2-2 14, Gotru 5-6 1-1 12, Hartz 2-4 0-0 4, Rayton 10-19 0-0 22, Caryl 5-10 1-2 11, Brown 1-1 0-0 2, Marshall 0-0 0-0 0, Martin 1-3 0-0 3, Conley 1-3 0-0 2, Robbins 0-1 0-0 0, Cortez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-64 4-5 74.
3-point goals – Topeka High 4 (Rayton 2, Gotru, Martin). Total fouls – Topeka West 4, Topeka High 8. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural led the way with 12 state qualifiers for the Class 6A state wrestling tournament as all nine Shawnee County teams qualified at least one competitor for state, with 11 individual regional champions.
Leading Rural to a third-place 6A regional team finish were regional champions Landen Kocher-Munoz, a senior 144-pounder, and junior 215-pounder Jadyn Baum.
Silver Lake led the Shawnee County contingent with a county-high five regional champions and a county-best runnerup regional team finish in 3A-1A, with the Eagles getting regional titles from senior 120-pounder Bryce Cormier, senior 138-pounder Garret Holmes, senior 157-pounder Jayden Waterer, senior 190-pounder Paxton Willett and sophomore 285-pounder Carter Spreer.
Shawnee Heights qualified 10 wrestlers for the 5A state tournament, led by freshman 113-pound regional champion Jacob Bonebrake and 150-pound junior champ Brody Brown while Hayden got 4A regional titles from junior 175-pounder Caleb Menke and senior 190-pounder Jude Krentz.
Here's a look at Saturday's regional tournaments involving Shawnee County high schools:
Washburn Rural senior 144-pounder Landen Kocher-Munoz, a two-time Class 6A state champion and a three-time state finalist, won a regional title Saturday at Wichita North. [File photo/TSN]
Kocher-Munoz, Baum power Rural to third-place regional showing
Regional champions Landen Kocher-Munoz and Jadyn Baum led 12 Class 6A qualifiers for perennial state contender Washburn Rural, which finished third as a team in the 6A West regional at Wichita North.
Kocher-Munoz, a senior two-time state champion and three-time state finalist, won the regional title at 144 pounds to improve to 35-4 on the season.
Kocher-Munoz, a defending state champion, capped his regional title run with a 13-5 major decision over Manhattan senior Cameron Coonrod (42-5).
Baum, a junior 215-pounder, improved to 25-4 on the season with a 16-1 technical fall over Wichita South senior Jayden Kirk (28-5). Baum posted a third-place state finish in 2025 as a sophomore.
Washburn Rural got runnerup regional finishes from 113-pound freshman Andrew Peterson (23-10), 120-pound senior Ryder Harrison (25-6), 138-pound senior Cooper Stivers (31-6) and junior Brodye Kocher-Munoz (27-7) while Rural senior Brenner Beninga (175) qualified fourth for state, freshman Hayden Broxterman (106), junior Gavin Homeyer (190) and sophomore Kaiden Marshall (285) placed fifth, sophomore Owen Dowell (132) was sixth at regionals and sophomore Caleb Schwartz (165) seventh.
Topeka High will be represented at state by senior 157-pounder Jordan Stiner and junior 175-pounder Landon Snyder, who both posted eighth-place regional finishes.
Maize won the team title in the 6A West Regional with 272.5 points, followed by Manhattan with 251 points and Rural with 223.5 points. Topeka High placed 16th as a team with 29 points.
The 6A state meet will be contested Friday and Saturday at the Advent Health Sports Park in Overland Park.
T-Birds qualify 10 for 5A state meet
Shawnee Heights placed fourth as a team in Saturday's Class 5A East regional at Lansing while qualifying 10 wrestlers for this weekend's state tournament in Park City.
The T-Birds got regional championships from 113-pound freshman Jacob Bonebrake and 150-pound junior Brody Brown.
Bonebrake improved to 17-1 with a 3 minute, 37-second pin over Blue Valley Southwest junior Caden Magdefran (19-8) in the 113-pound regional final while Brown improved to 33-6 with a 5:27 win by fall over De Soto junior Eli Anderson (27-15).
Evan Johnson, a 175-pound senior (32-8) posted a runnerup regional finish while sophomore Mason Moore (126), freshman Markis Owens (157) and junior Jaiden Converse (165) qualified for state with sixth-place regional finishes, junior Dallas Owens (138) and sophomore Carter Kamanda (144) placed seventh and sophomore Reid Niedfeldt (132) and junior Landyn Bafford (285) qualified eighth.
Highland Park will be represented at state by senior 175-pounder Philiciono Rice (14-19) and junior 165-pounder Joshua Hernandez-Torres (15-15), with Rice placing seventh and Hernandez-Torres eighth at regionals.
Basehor-Linwood won the 5A East regional team crown with 266 points while Heights was fourth with 156.5 points and Highland Park 16th with 17 points.
The 5A state tournament will be held Friday and Saturday in Park City.
yBy TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Topeka High girls shook off a sluggish start Friday to defeat Emporia 58-40 and remain in the Centennial League race with two games remaining in the regular season.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton led Topeka High with 20 points in Friday's 58-40 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Emporia, with just one league win to its credit, led the Trojans three minutes into the second period, 15-14. Topeka High responded with a 10-0 run and went to the locker room leading 27-21 at the half. But when the Trojans returned for the second half, their faces showed the effect of a Ron Slaymaker halftime lecture.
“I get pretty fired up. I try to be positive, but I wasn’t real positive about halftime. And they deserved it,” Slaymaker said. “But we played really well for seven games in a row. And hey, somewhere down the line in sports, you take a little dip. You know you don’t want to. Don’t plan on it. But you do. And we did.
“They got gnawed on a little bit a halftime. As a coach, you can’t do that very often. And I hope I don’t have to again.”
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, the city’s leading scorer at about 23 points per game, scored just three points in the first half. But the junior went to work, racking up 14 points in the third period. The Trojans blitzed the Spartans 22-9 in the third quarter and ran away with their eighth straight win.
Topeka High senior Trish Short scored 13 points Friday, helping the Trojans take a 58-40 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“I feel like we started out slow because we didn’t know Emporia would run as much as they did,” senior Trish Short said. “The first game we played against them (a 63-38 win at Emporia), they weren’t running as much. In the past few games, we’ve been winning. So, this game we’re thinking ‘Ok, we’re gonna go in, win easily.’ But no, Emporia came out with a good fight. We had to really step it up in the second half.”
Rayton finished with 20 points, followed by Short’s 13 and Sasha Gotru’s 11.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Topeka High shot the lights out for three quarters, then held on desperately to upset Emporia, ranked seventh in Class 5A, 73-69 Friday.
Senior Bryson McComas led a balanced Topeka High attack with 19 points in Friday's 73-69 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka High scorched the nets for 16 three-pointers in the first three periods to build a 60-46 lead. The Spartans mounted a furious rally, outscoring the Trojans 23-13 in the final period, but couldn’t overcome the Trojans’ sharpshooting.
“This was a very, very big win for us,” said Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders. “We were on a four-game losing streak, and just needed to win desperately. So, I’m just happy for the guys.
“We’ve got to clean up our late-game execution. I dang near had a heart attack over there. But, like I told the guys, I don’t complain about winning.”
Sanders admitted the Emporia rally might have done in previous iterations of the Topeka High team.
“I see a lot of growth,” Sanders said. “Emporia is a tough bunch of kids. They’re strong, they’re physical and they’re well-coached. We knew they would make a run. I was just glad we were able to make enough plays to hold on.
“I just want our guys to believe that we can beat anybody. We’ve got a competitive bunch of guys that can play ball, and we can play with some of the best teams in the state.”
Senior Jalen Aldridge scored 16 points with four 3-pointers in Friday's 73-69 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Ajalon Ross scored 14 points with four 3-pointers in Friday's 73-69 Topeka High win over Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans took turns displaying the hot hand. Seniors Jalen Aldridge and Ajalon Ross hit crucial 3-pointers in the first half. Bryson McComas tossed in 12 points in the first half.
Senior Octavian McFadden scored 18 points with four 3-pointers in Topeka High's 73-69 Centennial League win over Emporia Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Then, after intermission, Octavian McFadden – crowned Homecoming King prior to the game – caught fire. The senior hit six shots in a row, four of them 3-pointers, to tally 16 points in the third period.
“Every shot I took was catch-and-shoot, so all credit goes to my teammates who were finding me open,” McFadden said. “Every day at practice, every game, I’m ready for that opportunity.”
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural junior Daniel Allen, a multiple event city and Centennial League individual and relay gold medalist. leads the city contingent for the state swimming championships Friday and Saturday at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatics Center.
Washburn Rural junior Daniel Allen is the top Class 6A seed for the 100 butterfly and the No. 2 seed for the 100 backstroke. [File photo/TSN]
Allen, a multiple Class 6A medalist as a freshman in 2024 before sitting out the '25 high school season, is the No. 1 seed for the 100-yard butterfly (51.39 seconds) and the No. 2 seed in the 100 backstroke (52.82).
City and Centennial League team champion Washburn Rural will be well-represented in the 6A state meet, with sophomore Thomas Appuhn (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke), junior Andres Morao-Jaspe (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke) and freshman Braeden Montgomery (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle) all qualifying in two individual events while sophomore Castle Wallace is qualified in the 100 breaststroke, sophomore Quenten Jessop is qualified in the 50 freestyle and freshman Benjamin Allen is qualified in the 100 butterfly.
Washburn Rural sophomore Thomas Appuhn is the No. 4 seed in Class 6A for the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 backstroke. [File photo/TSN]
Appuhn is the No. 4 seed in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.27) and the No. 4 seed in the 100 backstroke (55.50).
The Junior Blues are also qualified in the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay.
Topeka High senior Will Stewart is qualified in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle.
Seaman junior Kinser Barbosa is the No. 5 Class 5A-1A seed in the 100 freestyle and the No. 7 seed in the 50 freestyle. [File photo/TSN]
In 5A-1A Seaman junior Kinser Barbosa is the No. 5 seed in the 100 freestyle (49.23) and the No. 7 seed in the 50 free (22.41).
Hayden sophomore Patrick Luke is an individual qualifier in the 50 free while Seaman is qualified in the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relays and Hayden is qualified in the 400 free relay.
The three-day state meet will get under way with Thursday's diving prelims and semis, with the 5A-1A event at 10 a.m. and 6A at 4:30 p.m., but the city does not have a qualifier in either of those events.
The 5A-1A swimming preliminaries will start at 10 a.m. on Friday, with the 6A prelims following at 4 p.m.
Championship 5A-1A finals will get under way at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by the 6A finals at 4 o'clock.
STATE SWIMMING/DIVING SCHEDULE
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' girls wrestling team turned in a strong performance in Saturday's Class 5A East regional at Bonner Springs, posting a runnerup team finish while advancing all 14 competitors to the state tournament Feb. 27-28 at Park City.
Shawnee Heights sophomore Olive Jones (top) won the 135-pound championship in Saturday's Class 5A East regional. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Cianna Graves won the 155-pound championship in Saturday's Class 5A East regional. [File photo/TSN]
The T-Birds, ranked No. 3 in 5A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, got individual regional championships from 135-pound sophomore Olive Jones and 155-pound senior Cianna Graves and put four other wrestlers in the finals, finishing second to top-ranked Basehor-Linwood by a 275-212.5 margin.
Jones improved to 35-1 on the season with a 1 minute, 25-second win by pin over Basehor-Linwood sophomore Willow Rademacher (30-10) in the 135 final while Graves improved to 31-2 with a 5-1 decision over Bonner Springs senior Addison Vogel (25-3) at 155.
The T-Birds got second-place finishes from freshman 120-pounder Brinnley Morris (17-3), junior 125-pounder Audrey Hinkly (25-12), senior 145-pounder Olivia Stevens (29-5) and junior 190-pounder Brooklyn Binkley (20-11) while sophomore Bianca Juarez (110 pounds) posted a third-place finish.
Freshmen Makynzie Allen (100) and Stella Engel (235) qualified with fourth-place regional finishes while freshman Raelyn Kelly (130) finished fifth, senior Shelby Watson (170) sixth, sophomores Halle Hill (115) and Evelyn Ruby (140) seventh and freshman Carmarra Smith (105) eighth.
Highland Park senior Makayla Cadet, the defending 5A state champion at 190 pounds, earned a shot to defend her title with a third-place regional finish. Cadet is 20-2 on the season.
Washburn Rural senior Emme Blanco won the Class 6A West 145-pound regional title Saturday at Wichita South, helping Rural finish third as a team. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Elia Smith won the 170-pound title in Saturday's Class 6A West regional at Wichita South for the third-place Junior Blues. [File photo/TSN]
Rural regional champs Blanco, Smith lead 13 Junior Blues 6A qualifiers
Washburn Rural seniors Emme Blanco and Elia Smith captured individual regional championships in the Class 6A West regional Saturday at Wichita South, powering the Junior Blues to a third-place team finish with 13 state qualifiers.
Blanco, now 37-3 on the season, won the 145-pound title with a 5:35 pin in the finals over Garden City freshman Aria Cordes while Smith, 32-3, earned a 4-1 decision over Derby senior Chloe Spears (36-6) in the 170-pound regional final.
The Junior Blues got third-place regional finishes from 125-pound senior Lacey Middleton (36-6), 140-pound senior Madi Blanco (35-4) and freshman 155-pounder Raella Ebanez (31-8) while freshman 105-pounder Aliyah Tangpricha (25-5), freshman 135-pounder Alea Estep (21-16), 190-pound junior Lily Davis (33-10) and sophomore Emma Mehl (24-14) placed fourth.
Junior Dixie Day (120) qualified for state with a sixth-place regional finish while freshman Ashlyn Johnson (110) finished seventh and freshman Hadley Rosenbaum (100) and junior Rylee-Jade Ebanez (130) placed eighth.
Topeka High freshman 235-pounder Kya Dawkins qualified for state with a seventh-place regional finish while senior 170-pounder Taniza Huggins advanced with an eighth-place finish.
The 6A state tournament will be contested Feb. 27-28 at the AdventHealth Sports Park in Overland Park.
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
The turnovers the Topeka High girls create night in and night out to create points on the offensive end have been a huge part in their success this year, and that was the story again Tuesday night, as the Trojans knocked off Centennial League rival Junction City, 66-33.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored a game-high 30 points Tuesday night in Topeka High's 66-33 win over Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
“No question the defense turned into offense,'' Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker said. "We had 50 something points at the half? That’s a lot on any level. We’re not interested in how badly we can beat somebody, that’s not what this is all about. At halftime, I really tried to slow us down and that’s so hard.
"Any coach will tell you it just doesn’t work from going to go, go, go and then woah woah woah… I was so proud of that first half.''
With this seven-game winning streak the 12-8 Trojans are on, Slaymaker said it’s a great time to start doing this and he’s hoping that continues on as they’ve shot the ball very well and are playing good defense.
The Trojans started the game up 6-2 after junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton drilled a triple and then pushed it to a 12-4 lead after another three from Rayton.
It just kept raining from the floor for T-High, as sophomore Hailey Caryl had herself another stellar performance, going coast-to-coast off a turnover to put the Trojans up 21-5 and Topeka High would lead 32-5 at the end of one.
The clinic continued as Rayton started the second quarter with another tray to give High a 35-5 lead and the Trojans stretched their lead to 43-7. After senior Trish Short and Rayton scored a quick five points, it was 50-12. The Trojans took a commanding halftime lead of 56-18.
From then on, Topeka High would not relinquish the advantage. Slaymaker emptied his bench with 1:35 left in the third quarter and the starters sat the rest of the game.
Rayton led all scorers with 30 points.
Sophomore Hailey Caryl set Topeka High's single-season assist record Tuesday night in the Trojans' 66-33 win over Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
Caryl accomplished a milestone feat, setting the Topeka High single-season assist record at 115 and counting.
“There’s no question she has a really good basketball IQ,'' Slaymaker said. "We’re constantly talking about what’s next… where’s the next pass going, the next dribble, is there going to be a shot and she’s really good at seeing that. She’s a really good all-around player and that's her value. She plays smarter than a lot of other players.''
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Topeka High boys basktball dropped a 61-59 Centennial League heartbreaker to Junction City Tuesday night on a buzzer-beater.
Senior Bryson McComas scored 26 points Tuesday night but Topeka High dropped a 61-59 Centennial League heartbreaker to Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
The Trojans led by six points (57-51) with about two minutes left in the game, but the Blue Jays pulled to within two (57-55) with 55.6 seconds left.
Senior Lovell Autry, who had a team-high 26 points, put his team on his back in the final ticks of the game, scored four straight to put the Blue Jays up 59-57 with 9.5 seconds left, forcing Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders into a timeout.
T-High inbounded and called another timeout to advance the ball with six seconds.
Trojan senior Bryson McComas, who had a stellar 26-point performance, drove to the bucket for a layup, but a Blue Jays player smacked the backboard, prompting the referees to call a goaltend, tying the game at 59-all.
With just 1.5 seconds left on the clock in regulation, Autry got open down the sideline, a hail mary pass fell right in his arms and he scored the game-winning lay-up, stunning Topeka High, 61-59.
A dejected Sanders in the locker room took a few seconds to gather his thoughts on what happened.
“In the month of January we found ways to win and this month we’ve consistently found ways to lose,” he said. “We’ve been in every game. Four game losing streak. We haven’t been able to step up and make the necessary plays to get some victories.
"I think it’s a little bit of nerves, a little bit of coaching mistakes and possibly having the wrong people in the game. This one is on me. I have to make adjustments. I have to figure out some ways to get another win.”
It was a back and forth contest between the league rivals and the Blue Jays had the last answer. Sanders said the last player he wanted the ball in the hands of was Autry.
“I don’t understand how we allowed that to happen but things happen,'' Sanders said. "What I said to them in the locker room is, 'I’m trusting you guys to make plays but sometimes you have to be able to step up and make that play.'
"Trust is a two-way street and me placing my trust and belief in them, you got to give me something to trust and believe in. We’ll get back to work and we’ll fight and scrap and try to get a win on Friday.''
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Topeka High girls basketball coach Ron Slaymaker told his players said before the season started that defense had to be a big identity of this team, leading to points in transition and the fastbreak.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored a game-high 26 points in Thursday's 61-36 Topeka High win at Seaman. [File photo/TSN]
That was the case Thursday night as the Trojans stayed hot, avenging an earlier double-digit loss to Seaman with a 61-36 romp on the Vikings' home floor.
“I’ll tell you what we were hot on and that’s defense,” Slaymaker said. “Our defense created so much of our offense. That’s what we needed to win this game because they (Seaman) are a good team.”
Slaymaker said one big adjustment Topeka High made Thursday was how to break the zone, something they did not do against Seaman the last time these two teams met. And Slaymaker said he faults himself for not having them prepared, but did for Thursday night’s slate.
Topeka High started the game up 8-2 and started the game in a 2-3 zone, giving the Lady Vikings problems finding easy baskets. Seaman junior Jaydin Frickey hit a three to make it an 8-6 game, but that’s the closest Seaman would get the rest of the evening.
After a 7-0 run, Topeka High senior Keimara Marshall finished off a layup in transition, forcing a Seaman timeout at 15-6. Topeka High led 19-6 after one quarter.
In the second quarter, it was no different as junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton used her speed in transition and the fastbreak to get easy baskets off Seaman turnovers, scoring 18 first-half points. She helped the Trojans to a 13-0 run, dating back to the first quarter at 21-6.
“A driving force in this game was Coach Slay said at practice to look up the court and that’s what we did in this game and make that extra pass, looking inside and out and that’s what Slay harps on a lot,” Topeka High sophomore Hailey Caryl said.
Seaman senior Maddie Gragg converted an and-one and knocked down a three to cut the Viking deficit to 24-12 with 6:05 left in the half, but the Trojans just kept scoring after a three from senior Trish Short.
Seaman called another timeout a minute later, down 18, 30-12, and the Lady Trojans took a 20-point lead into halftime, 38-18.
In the second half, the third quarter saw both teams combine for 11 points, but the fourth quarter was nothing but the clinic the Trojans put on in the first two quarters. Topeka High had its biggest lead of 28 in the game thanks to Caryl’s big quarter and continuing to force those turnovers.
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Seaman boys basketball, ranked No. 6 in Class 5A, has won seven of its last eight games after taking down city rival Topeka High on Thursday night at Seaman, 62-55.
Senior KaeVon Bonner scored a game-high 24 points in Thursday's 62-55 Seaman win over Topeka High. [File photo/TSN]
“I thought our defense was outstanding in the first half to hold them to 19 points,'' Seaman coach Craig Cox said. "They’re a team that’s capable of getting hot and getting on a run. Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough offensively to take advantage of that and build a bigger margin other than the six points … knowing they would respond, and they did. I knew it was going to be a battle and this was a good win for our guys.''
“One thing about this team this year is we have pretty good chemistry,” Viking senior Matthew McConnaughey said after finishing with 10 points.
The Trojans began the game with a 4-2 lead but then Seaman went on an 8-0 run to regain the lead and force a timeout for Topeka with 2:47 left in the first quarter, as the Vikings led 12-5.
It took a while for Topeka High to score its first field goal in the second quarter, scoring just three points on free throws as the Trojans trailed by eight, 16-8. They slowly crept their way back off a couple of 3-pointers from senior Bryson McComas and Elisha Guest, making it a 23-19 game.
But then Seaman senior Kae’Von Bonner converted a floater off the window as time expired for halftime, as the Vikings took a six-point lead, 25-19.
Bonner had a game-high 24 points, with 11 of them coming in the fourth quarter.
In the third quarter, Topeka High would re-take the lead for the first time since 4-2 thanks to a 9-2 run to begin the half, led by McComas, Guest (who had a team-high 19 points) and senior Jalen Aldridge as the Trojans went in front, 28-27.
Both teams would trade buckets but then Seaman built a little cushion off a Griffin Zuniga triple, making it 34-30, and the Vikings led 40-35 heading into the fourth.
The Vikings led by eight at one point, but the Trojans trimmed the deficit to two after Octavian McFadden drilled a three making it 47-45.
Seaman built a six point lead again off a Bonner bucket, but then McComas brought High within three (54-51).
But then Seaman got in the bonus early and made crucial free throws when needed.
Zuniga iced the game off a Trojans turnover with under 20 seconds remaining, putting home a layup as Seaman nabbed its 16th win on the year. Zuniga had 14 points for the Vikings.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
After a year’s absence, the Centennial League boys swimming championship trophy will return to the Washburn Rural trophy case. The Junior Blues took revenge on last year’s champion, Manhattan, in the league meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium Thursday.
Washburn Rural poses for a team picture after winning the 2026 Centennial League swimming championship Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Manhattan and Washburn Rural have taken turns with the trophy since 2022, and this year was the Junior Blues’ year to take the title, scoring 511 points to Manhattan’s 421.
The Junior Blues demonstrated their depth by winning all three of the meet’s relay races. Washburn Rural and Manhattan also displayed their dominance on the all-league teams. Of the 24 swimmers and divers to receive first- or second-team All-Centennial League recognition, 12 were from Washburn Rural and eight were from Manhattan.
“It means a lot to the boys for (the trophy) to be in our trophy cabinet, for them to be able to walk by every day and see it and know that they earned it back,” Washburn Rural coach Bob Burdick said. “It leaves kind of a hollow spot when it goes away. But Manhattan’s a great competitor. Great team, great coach. So, it makes it special when you earn it.”
Junior Daniel Allen won four gold medals for team-champion Washburn Rural in Thursday's Centennial League swimming meet. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Leading the Junior Blues was junior Daniel Allen, who placed first in two individual events and was part of two first-place relays. Other top scorers included freshman Braeden Montgomery and sophomore Thomas Appuhn, both of whom were part of two winning relays and took home a first and a second in individual events.
Sophomore Thomas Appuhn was part of three victories for team-champion Washburn Rural in Thursday's Centennial League swimming meet. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Braeden Montgomery helped lead Washburn Rural to the Centennial League swimming title Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“Winning the league trophy feels great,” Appuhn said. “The team is doing really good this year and it was a team effort to get the trophy back. Getting it back was one of the key ambitions this year, so we made sure we had a diverse team that was able to swim all the events that we needed in order to get it.
“We had a developmental season last season, just trying to get more swimmers to practice and swim year round instead of just during the high school season. So this feels great.”
The only Topeka school to take home a medal was Topeka High, whose senior Will Stewart placed third in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High girls basketball took control early Tuesday night and never looked back, avenging an earlier 11-point Centennial League loss to Hayden with a 59-47 league romp past the Wildcats at The Dungeon.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored a game-high 23 points in Tuesday's 59-47 Topeka High win over Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans, who topped the .500 mark for the first time this season, only trailed once on the night, at 3-2, and there was just one tie, at 6-6, before Topeka High, now 9-8 overall and 4-2 in the league, scored the final eight points of the opening quarter to go up 14-6.
Topeka High went on to open up a 14-point advantage (27-13) before Hayden (13-5, 4-2) scored the final seven points of the half to cut its deficit to 27-20.
But the Trojans scored the first four points of the third quarter to go back in front by double-digits and led by 14 twice before taking an 11-point (45-34) advantage at the end of the third quarter and led by as many as 17 early in the fourth.
"It's always nice to get a good start,'' Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker said. "Every coach would say that, but if you don't you don't fold your tent, but it's nice to get it and I thought we played with energy and all the things you want to play with in any game.
"And we just kept it going, pretty much through the whole game.''
Sophomore Hailey Caryl (40) scored 15 points Tuesday as Topeka High improved to 9-8 with a 59-47 win over Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton paced the Trojans with a game-high 23 points while sophomore Hailey Caryl added 15 points and all seven Topeka High players that saw action cracked the scoring column as High won its third straight game.
"They're playing really well right now,'' Slaymaker said.
Sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein led Hayden with 14 points in Tuesday's 59-47 loss at Topeka High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein overcame a slow start to lead the Wildcats with 14 points while senior Ella Foster and sophomore Blakely Walter added 11 each.
Foster helped keep the Wildcats in the hunt with three 3-pointers while Schmidtlein and Walter both connected on two treys.
Topeka High will go on the road Thursday for a non-league game against Seaman, which handed the Trojans a 75-60 loss in the final round of the Capital City Classic on Jan. 31.
Hayden will return to action Friday with a Centennial League game at Emporia.
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 59, HAYDEN 47
Hayden 6 14 14 13 -- 47
Topeka High 14 13 18 14 -- 59
Hayden (13-5, 4-2) – Walter 4-9 1-2 11, Schmidtlein 5-12 2-2 14, Foster 3-5 2-2 11, Huscher 0-2 0-0 0, Watts 0-1 0-0 0, Wichman 1-1 0-0 2, Mitchell 0-4 1-2 1, Borjon 1-3 0-0 3, Connell 2-7 1-2 5. Totals 16-44 7-10 47.
Topeka High (9-8, 4-2) – Short 3-4 0-0 6, Marshall 1-3 0-0 2, Rayton 8-21 6-7 23, Caryl 6-7 2-4 15, Gotru 2-3 2-2 6, Triplett 1-2 1-1 3, Whayne 1-2 1-2 4. Totals 22-42 12-16 59.
3-point goals – Hayden 8 (Foster 3, Walter 2, Schmidtlein 2, Borjon), Topeka High 4 (Rayton 2, Marshall, Short). Total fouls – Hayden 6, Topeka High 9. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For three quarters Tuesday night at Topeka High, Hayden's boys basketball team played as well as it has in Dwayne Anthony's two seasons at the school.
Senior Connor Hanika scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Hayden's 64-59 Centennial League win at Topeka High Tuesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And over the final seven minutes or so, the Wildcats gave their coach plenty of things to address when they return to practice.
But after letting a 21-point advantage early in the fourth quarter get down to a one-possession game in the closing seconds, Hayden escaped with a 64-59 Centennial League sweep over Topeka High, with the Wildcats completing a season sweep over the Trojans.
"It got crazy, thank God for timeouts,'' Anthony said. "My guys are just learning how to play basketball, and I mean at a level that we want to play. And it doesn't always look pretty.
"We did good for the first three quarters and then that fourth quarter we get a little shaky, then the intensity comes up, and we've got to go back and talk about it tomorrow and just to continue to level up.''
Hayden, which had taken a 16-point win over High earlier in the season, took it to the Trojans again in the rematch, with the Wildcats never trailing en route to improving to 9-9 overall and 2-4 in the league.
But after using a 20-9 second quarter to open up a 29-17 halftime behind a big 14-point, eight-rebound first half from senior Connor Hanika, Hayden boosted its lead to 21 points late in the third quarter and led 48-29 at the start of the final period.
"The guys came out and executed what we planned,'' Anthony said. "I tell the guys that it's a simple game, and when they embrace that and give their energy, it's a lot of fun for us.
"But sometimes the energy wanes or the thought process wanes and that's where we have to get better.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Leah Crawford
LEAH CRAWFORD, Seaman
A sophomore bowler, Crawford shot a 661 three-game series to capture the girls individual title in Friday's city championships at Gage Bowl. Crawford rolled games of 224, 211 and 226 to take individual honors by 36 pins as Seaman rolled to its third straight city team championship by a 3,293-2,970 margin over Washburn Rural.
Cianna Graves
CIANNA GRAVES, Shawnee Heights
Graves, a senior girls wrestling star, won the United Kansas Conference championship at 155 pounds while also recording the 100th pin of her career on Saturday at Piper as No. 3-ranked (Class 5A) Shawnee Heights claimed the team championship by a 179.5-163 margin over top-ranked Basehor-Linwood. Now 28-2 on the season, Graves went 3-0 on the day with three pins.
Caleb Menke
CALEB MENKE, Hayden
Menke, a 175-pound junior wrestling standout, reached the 100-win milestone on Thursday at Royal Valley, a rare accomplishment for an underclassmen, and followed that up with the 175-pound championship in Saturday's Centennial League tournament at Washburn Rural, posting a 5-0 record on the day, including a 55-second pin and a 15-0 technical fall.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls and boys wrestling teams were unable to keep pace with Manhattan in Saturday's Centennial League tournament at Rural, with the Indians sweeping the team championships.
But both Junior Blues teams had plenty to celebrate, and Rural girls coach Damon Parker and girls coach Josh Hogan plan to use the league meet as a primer to get ready for upcoming Class 6A regional competition.
Washburn Rural's girls, ranked No. 5 in Class 6A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rolled to wins in its first three duals of the day -- 66-16 over Emporia, 45-33 over Junction City and 84-0 over Topeka High -- before the No. 3 Indians built a huge early lead and held off the Junior Blues down the stretch for a 45-32 win.
"Manhattan's loaded for bear,'' Parker said. "(Shawn) Bammes and those guys have done a great job over there. We knew going into that one that there were going to be a couple of key swing matches and we'd have to pull an upset. We had a couple of opportunities and they didn't go our way.''
Washburn Rural freshman Aliyah Tangpricha (right) won the 105-pound Centennial League girls wrestling title and was named the league girls newcomer of the year. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Emme Blanco won the Centennial League girls 145-pound title with four straight pins Saturday at Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Elia Smith won the 170-pound Centennial League championship and reached the 100-win milestone Saturday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Lily Davis won the 190-pound title in Saturday's Centennial League tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural got league individual titles from 105-pound freshman Aliyah Tangpricha, 145-pound senior Emme Blanco, 170-pound senior Elia Smith and junior 190-pounder Lily Davis, who all went 4-0 on the day.
E. Blanco posted four straight pins while Smith recorded three pins and a 16-1 technical fall and Davis recorded three straight pins after receiving a first-round forfeit.
Smith, 125-pound senior runnerup Lacey Middleton and 140-pound senior runnerup Madi Blanco were all recognized Saturday for reaching the 100-win milestone for their careers while Tangpricha was voted the Centennial League girls newcomer of the year.
Now the Junior Blues will turn their sights on Saturday's 6A regional tournament at Wichita South.
"We got film and we're ready to game plan,'' Parker said. "We don't learn a lot if we come out and thump everybody. The best opportunity to learn is when somebody takes it to you and (Manhattan) took to us today. Tip of the top hat to them.''
The No. 3-ranked Rural boys went 4-0 to open the tournament -- 44-36 over Emporia, 40-38 over Junction City, 52-27 over Topeka High and 46-33 over Hayden -- before the No. 2-ranked Indians took a 58-18 win over the short-handed Junior Blues, who were missing four starters.
Despite the loss to the Indians, Hogan was proud of the way his Junior Blues wrestled Saturday.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High boys basketball was faced with two tests in Friday night's Centennial League home matchup with city rival Washburn Rural.
Senior Elisha Guest scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as Topeka High edged Washburn Rural, 68-67. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans' first test was finding a way to rally from a double-digit deficit late in the first half to get back in the hunt.
Then, after battling all the way back to lead by six points late in the game, the task facing the Trojans was holding off the Junior Blues down the stretch.
Robbie Sanders' Topeka High team passed both those tests, holding on for a hard-fought 68-67 win at "The Dungeon.''
"It's a resilient bunch of guys,'' Sanders said. "Like I told them in the locker room, I'm just so proud of them. We had every opportunity to quit when things weren't going our way. I wasn't happy with the body language or the effort in the first half. I challenged them at halftime and they really responded.
"These kids are starting to believe they can beat anybody. And that's all I've been waiting on because I believe in their talent, I believe in the work we've put in, and we have good players so if they just keep believing and keep trusting each other we can keep this streak going.''
Now 10-6 overall and 3-2 in the league, Topeka High trailed by 11 points (29-18) late in the first half and eight points (29-21) at the break and still faced an eight-point deficit (38-30) with two and a half minutes left in the third stanza and by six (46-40) in the fourth before rallying to take a 64-58 advantage inside the final two minutes.
But the game still went down to the final seconds, with the Junior Blues, trailing by three points, forcing a Topeka High turnover to give themselves an opportunity to force overtime, but Rural ran out of time as the Trojans were able to run out the clock after a Simon Rowley driving layup that cut the Blues' deficit to the final margin.
Senior Bryson McComas (4) scored a game-high 22 points Friday as Topeka High edged Washburn Rural, 68-67. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seniors Bryson McComas, Jalen Aldridge and Elisha Guest combined for 59 of the Trojans 68 points, with McComas scoring a game-high 22 points, Aldridge 19 and Guest 18 for High.
Guest came up huge in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his 18 points in the final 7:41 of the game, including three 3-pointers and a five of five performance at the free throw line.
"I've been battling a sickness for awhile,'' Guest said. "I've been coughing and my coughing's messing with me, so I just had to push through it.
"My teammates believed in me, so I was able to help us come in clutch and win the game.''
Senior Simon Rowley led Washburn Rural with 19 points in Friday's 68-67 loss to Topeka High. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Rowley, who returned for the Junior Blues after missing multiple games with an injury, led Rural (9-7, 2-2) with 19 points off the bench while 6-foot-10 junior Cooper Schmidt had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, sophomore Brooks Ballard 12 points and senior Kieffer O'Connor and junior Zach Wright 10 apiece.
Washburn Rural suffered its second one-point heartbreaker in three nights, dropping a 55-54 home loss to Blue Valley on Wednesday.
The Junior Blues will travel to Manhattan on Tuesday while Topeka High will be back at home to face Hayden.
TOPEKA BOYS 68, WASHBURN RURAL 67
Washburn Rural 15 14 11 27 -- 67
Topeka High 12 9 17 30 -- 68
Washburn Rural (9-7, 2-2) – Ballard 3-7 5-7 12, Wright 5-8 0-0 10, O'Connor 3-6 4-4 10, Chooncharoen 0-2 0-0 0, Schmidt 7-11 0-0 14, Rowley 7-15 4-4 19, Nimz 1-2 0-0 2, Bradley 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 13-15 67.
Topeka High (10-6, 3-2) -- Aldridge 6-10 5-8 19, Guest 5-12 5-5 18, McComas 9-17 2-2 22, Ross 2-3 2-2 7, McFadden 0-3 0-0 0, Carter 1-3 0-0 2, Redmond 0-0 0-0 0, Luarks 0-2 0-0 0, Campbell 0-4 0-0 0, Villegas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-54 14-16 68.
3-point goals – Washburn Rural 2 (Ballard, Rowley), Topeka High 8 (Guest 3, Aldridge 2, McComas 2, Ross). Total fouls – Washburn Rural 14, Topeka High 15. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- McComas.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After dropping a disappointing 16-point decision to Seaman on its home floor in the final round of the Capital City Classic Topeka High girls basketball bounced back with a solid win at Emporia on Tuesday and followed that up with its best performance of the season Friday night, going wire to wire for a 45-26 Centennial League win over Washburn Rural.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored a game-high 19 points for Topeka High in Friday's 45-26 victory over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"No question that we played really well from beginning to end, that's what was nice,'' Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker said. "That's what I just told them, 'It wasn't the win, the win was wonderful, but the way you got the win was pretty good because it was good defense from beginning to end.' ''
The Trojans jumped out to a 9-2 first-quarter lead over the No. 10-ranked (Class 6A) Junior Blues and pushed their advantage to 15 points (19-4) late in the first half before taking a 12-point (19-7) cushion to the locker room at halftime.
Topeka High continued to roll in the second half, opening up a 34-15 advantage and led by as many as 22 points down the stretch en route to the decisive 19-point victory.
Sophomore Hailey Caryl scored 12 points for Topeka High in Friday's 45-26 victory over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton led the Trojans with a game-high 19 points while sophomore Hailey Caryl added 12 points and senior Keimara Marshall nine for Topeka High.
Washburn Rural freshman Brynn Anderson scored all seven of the Junior Blues' points in the first half and finished with 10 points while senior Hallie Walker added six points and not other Rural players scored more than four.
NOTE: Statistics for city girls basketball teams were compiled by Seaman girls coach Matt Tinsley. The following stats are the second of three statistical reports which will be released during the 2025-2026 season, capped by the season-ending stats. Topeka West statistics were not available.
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High
SCORING
Name, school Gms. Pts. Avg
Rayton, Topeka High 13 307 23.6
Schmidtlein, Hayden 13 230 17.7
Emmot, Shawnee Heights 16 275 17.2
Caryl, Topeka High 10 152 15.2
Anderson, Washburn Rural 13 190 14.6
McGlory, Shawnee Heights 15 194 12.9
Gragg, Seaman 13 163 12.5
Marshall, Topeka High 14 158 11.3
Carter, Shawnee Heights 15 163 10.9
Kincade, Highland Park 13 137 10.5
Beaton, Seaman 11 114 10.4
Jones, Highland Park 13 134 10.3
Carlgren, Washburn Rural 14 143 10.2
Hirschi, Washburn Rural 14 130 9.3
Backman, CPLS 13 115 8.8
REBOUNDING
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
Caryl, Topeka High 10 116 11.6
Walker, Washburn Rural 14 124 8.9
Gragg, Seaman 13 105 8.1
Schmidtlein, Hayden 13 92 7.1
Carter, Shawnee Heights 12 84 7.0
Jones, Highland Park 13 88 6.8
Dreher, Seaman 13 83 6.4
Vega, Shawnee Heights 13 74 5.7
Gotru, Topeka High 13 72 5.5
Anderson, Washburn Rural 13 71 5.5
Marshall, Topeka High 14 76 5.4
Watts, Hayden 13 70 5.4
Carlgren, Washburn Rural 14 74 5.3
Barnett, Highland Park 12 60 5.0
Walter, Hayden 13 60 4.6
Baum, Shawnee Heights 13 60 4.6
Hailey Caryl, Topeka High
ASSISTS
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
Caryl, Topeka High 10 69 6.9
Jones, Highland Park 13 42 3.2
Beaton, Seaman 11 35 3.2
Gragg, Seaman 13 41 3.2
Marshall, Topeka High 14 42 4.0
Emmot, Shawnee Heights 13 35 2.7
Baum, Shawnee Heights 13 34 2.6
Foster, Hayden 13 30 2.3
Cosey, Highland Park 13 30 2.3
Anderson, Washburn Rural 13 29 2.2
Schmidtlein, Hayden 13 28 2.2
Vega, Shawnee Heights 13 28 2.2
Rayton, Topeka High 13 28 2.2
Rutherford, Washburn Rural 13 28 2.2
Watts, Hayden 13 26 2.0
Kincade, Highland Park 13 26 2.0
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior individual champion Megan Glinka led the way Thursday as Washburn Rural's girls captured the team title in the Centennial League bowling tournament at Manhattan's Little Apple Lanes.
The Junior Blues also got a 499 series from Kenzie Lawson, a 471 from Ellen Austin, a 463 from Camrynn Ahrens and a 359 from Peyton Lawson.
Washburn Rural's boys finished second as a team to Junction City, with the Blue Jays winning by a 3,276-3,236 margin over the Junior Blues.
Rural was led by Andrew Faurot's 598 series, followed by Zachary Hancock (592), Cody Spangler (565), Jackson Keller (564), Parker Dixson (540) and Brecken Garrett (529).
Hayden's Reece Renyer led the city boys contingent with a 624 series, placing third individually.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE BOWLING
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls and Washburn Rural's boys earned bragging rights in Friday's third annual Topeka Shawnee County Bowling Championships at Gage Bowl, with the Vikings winning their third straight girls team championship and Rural repeating as the boys champion.
Seaman girls bowling won its third straight city title Friday at Gage Bowl, putting four bowlers in the top six places individually. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural won its second straight city bowling team title Friday at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Individually, Seaman sophomore Leah Crawford shot a 661 three-game series to win the girls title by 36 pins while Topeka High junior Adrian Meraz Jara shocked the boys field with a 700 to win by 16 pins.
Seaman's girls won the team title by a 3,293-2,970 margin over Washburn Rural, including the four Baker format games, as the Vikings put four bowlers in the top six.
"The girls have really been pretty solid all year,'' Seaman coach Bob Benoit said. "When they get to striking they seem to feed off of each other. I'm really pleased with where they're at. We've just got to clean up the spares.
"Their morale's really good. There's no drama with the girls. It's a real pleasure to coach them.''
Washburn Rural junior Megan Glinka and Seaman junior Paige Snyder tied for second with 625 series, with Glinka taking second on a tiebreaker with a 256 high game while Snyder had a high game of 235.
Seaman's Claire LaDuke finished fourth with a 613 series while the Vikings' Ava Carlson finished sixth with a 559 series.
Seaman sophomore Leah Crawford won the city girls individual bowling title Friday at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
Crawford bowled games of 224, 211 and 226 as she broke through for the title in her second city meet.
"Last year at the city meet I placed 12th and it was not my best day,'' Crawford said. "I was very surprised with how I did today.
"Normally when I come to Gage I get very nervous because it's not my favorite place to bowl. So I was pretty impressed with how I did and I was trying to keep my head up the whole entire day.''
Washburn Rural took its second straight boys team title by a 3,517-3,474 margin over Shawnee Heights, including the Baker games, as Matthew Richard led the Junior Blues with a runnerup individual finish with a 684 series.
The Junior Blues also got a seventh-place finish from Jackson Keller (644), a ninth from Andrew Faurot (633) and a 10th-place showing from Cody Spangler (631).
"The titles are nice to have, but we're always looking for improvement each time out as we get closer and closer to the end of the season,'' Washburn Rural coach Jo Ricard said. "We know that there's definitely the potential there for them, and it's a matter of staying focused the whole way through the whole time.
"It's not just only about strikes, but also when that spare piece is there you've got to hit your spares and stay focused on that. And that includes Baker. If you're rolling through the first five frames and we're hot and on, we've got to stay focused. That's something obviously we continue to work on constantly because looking ahead we know how tough our regional is going to look like.''
Boys runnerup Shawnee Heights put four bowlers in the top six, with Trey Donath third (683), Chevy Stallbaumer fourth (669), Evan Jones fifth (664) and Henry Schattilly sixth (645). Kelton Meier finished eighth (638) for third-place Hayden.
Topeka High's Adrian Meraz Jara won the city boys bowling title with a 700 series. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
But the star of the day was Merez Jara, who shattered his previous personal best by about 170 pins with games of 212, 255 and 233.
"I hadn't been close to that at all,'' Merez Jara said. "The closest I got was like 530. I didn't think I was ever going to get this high.''
In fact, Friday was the first time Merez Jara had placed in a meet.
"I have never placed, ever,'' he said. "I'm just shocked because I would have never expected to be up there.''
TOPEKA SHAWNEE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High will induct 12 individuals and two Trojan teams into the Sports Hall of Honor at 7 p.m. Thursday in Hoehner Auditorium.
Thursday's honorees will be inducted in four categories -- Athletes-Trojan Award, Post-Graduate Achievement-Black and Gold Award, Support Staff-Three Cheers Award and Team-Spirit Award.
Trojan Award inductees include 1956 Topeka High graduate John "JB'' Littlejohn (football), 1974 graduate Dan Wieser (football, basketball, baseball), 1975 graduate Nannette Lee Hicks (track and field), 1982 graduate Rosemary Burnett (basketball), 1986 graduate David Proctor (baseball, basketball) and 1995 graduate Beau Vest (wrestling).
Black and Gold Award honorees include 1946 graduate Joe Douglas (softball), 1972 graduate Ted Evans (basketball), 1997 graduate Carmen Wright Rojas (track and field) and 2000 graduate Anjanae Wilson Toney (track and field).
Three Cheers Award inductees include 1958 graduate Davd Fisher (statistition) and 1972 graduate Jim Riggert (athletic trainer) while Spirit Award honorees will be the 1969-70 boys gymnastics team and the 1986 boys basketball team.
Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Thursday (South main doors and Western Street doors).
On Friday the inductees will be recognized at halftime of the boys varsity Centennial League basketball game against Washburn Rural.
NOTE: Statistics for city boys basketball teams were compiled by Seaman girls coach Matt Tinsley. The following stats are the second of three statistical reports which will be released during the 2025-2026 season, capped by the season-ending stats.
KaeVon Bonner, Seaman
SCORING
Name, school Gms. Pts. Avg
Bonner, Seaman 14 345 24.6
Kingcannon, Highland Park 14 274 19.6
Ross, Shawnee Heights 13 249 19.2
Compton, Hayden 15 239 15.9
Hanika, Hayden 15 230 15.3
Paul, Topeka West 14 202 14.4
Rowley, Washburn Rural 10 144 14.4
Duncan, Topeka West 14 196 14.0
McComas, Topeka High 14 196 14.0
Durbin, Cair Paravel 13 181 13.9
Lassiter, Topeka West 14 191 13.6
Marichal, Cair Paravel 13 177 13.6
Aldridge, Topeka High 14 172 12.3
Hastert, Cair Paravel 13 158 12.2
Ballard, Washburn Rural 12 145 12.1
Bryson McComas, Topeka High
REBOUNDING
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
McComas, Topeka High 14 111 7.9
Durbin, Cair Paravel 13 100 7.7
Fay, Cair Paravel 13 90 6.9
Hanika, Hayden 15 101 6.7
Hoytal, Washburn Rural 12 74 6.2
Hastert, Cair Paravel 13 78 6.0
Lassiter, Topeka West 14 83 5.9
Zuniga, Seaman 14 76 5.4
Schmidt, Washburn Rural 12 63 5.3
Scott, Shawnee Heights 13 66 5.1
Kidd, Hayden 15 76 5.1
Paul, Topeka West 14 64 4.6
Dixon, Shawnee Heights 12 45 4.5
Tourtillott, Hayden 15 60 4.0
Bonner, Seaman 14 56 4.0
Chase Hastert, Cair Paravel [Photo by Barry Benteman/Special to TSN]
ASSISTS
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
Hastert, Cair Paravel 13 75 5.8
Bonner, Seaman 14 73 5.2
Fay, Cair Paravel 13 59 4.5
Hoytal, Washburn Rural 12 47 3.9
Guest, Topeka High 14 52 3.7
Duncan, Topeka West 14 49 3.5
Traylor, Topeka West 14 49 3.5
Paul, Topeka West 14 48 3.4
Mitchell, Hayden 15 47 3.1
Marichal, Cair Paravel 13 38 2.9
McComas, Topeka High 14 40 2.9
Cook, Shawnee Heights 13 34 2.6
Scott, Shawnee Heights 13 33 2.5
Nimz, Washburn Rural 12 30 2.5
Luarks, Topeka High 14 34 2.4
Hanika, Hayden 15 36 2.4
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel Latin sophomore boys basketball standout Blaine Durbin and Topeka High junior girls basketball standout Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the recent accomplishments of Durbin and Rayton.
Blaine Durbin, Cair Paravel Latin [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
BLAINE DURBIN, Cair Paravel Latin
Durbin scored a total of 60 points in three wins last week week as No. 7-ranked (Class 2A) Cair Paravel won the championship in the Flint Hills League Tournament at Emporia. Durbin scored 17 points in a 64-30 win over West Franklin, had 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 60-45 win over Lyndon and scored 13 points in the Lions' 64-47 win over Osage City.
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High [File photo/TSN]
ASHIEYRHUAJH RAYTON, Topeka High
Rayton scored 33 points in Tuesday's 71-33 non-league win over Atchison and followed that up with a 37-point performance in Thursday's 65-57 loss to state-ranked Derby in the opening round of the Capital City Classic, surpassing the 1,000-point milestone for her career. Rayton connected on three 3-pointers against Atchison and four against Derby.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After jumping out to an early 17-4 lead in Thursday's final first-round game in the Capital City Classic, Shawnee Heights girls hit a temporary road block, with Lawrence battling all the way back to tie the game at the end of the first quarter and take a four-point lead midway through the second quarter.
Junior star KK Emmot scored 29 points with seven 3-pointers in Shawnee Heights' 74-61 Capital City Classic win over Lawrence. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But after a somewhat stern talking to from veteran T-Bird coach Bob Wells, Shawnee Heights righted its ship en route to a 74-61 victory over the Lions at Topeka High.
"They did (respond),'' Wells said. "It's kind of one of those deals where it is what it is because they're like everybody else in town, fighting the flu and fighting different kinds of stuff and we just had to battle through it.
"And you could tell that sometimes our shots were point-blank misses and I just told them to slow down and be stronger, understand where you're at right now with everything and just be strong and take it up with a little more force and finish, and thank goodness we started doing that.''
Now 11-3 with 10 straight wins, Shawnee Heights advanced to a 7:30 p.m. semifinal Friday to face Derby, a 65-57 first-round winner over tournament host Topeka High.
T-Bird junior KK Emmot had a big night, scoring a game-high 29 points with seven 3-pointers to key the Shawnee Heights victory.
"After we kind of got pretty much like punched in the mouth, as we would say, we realized we had to step it up and start hitting shots and start playing defense,'' Emmot said.
"We just had to adjust. That's the game of basketball, adjusting to it.''
Shawnee Heights rallied to take a 37-34 halftime lead and never trailed in the second half even though the 6-6 Lions got within three midway through the third quarter, with the T-Birds opening up a 15-point advantage down the stretch.
Shawnee Heights senior Imani McGlory scored 15 points with three 3-pointers in Thursday's 74-61 win over Lawrence. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Imani McGlory backed Emmot with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, while junior Sami Baum added 11 points and senior Reianna Vega 10.
Junior post Cami Nauholz led Lawrence with 20 points and 14 rebounds while sophomore Macyn Ramsay added 17 points with five treys and senior Jada Baars-Turner scored 13 points.
Lawrence will play a 4:30 p.m. consolation game on Friday against Topeka High, a 65-57 first-round loser to Derby.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 74, LAWRENCE 61
Lawrence 17 17 15 12 -- 61
Shawnee Heights 17 20 20 17 -- 74
Lawrence (6-6) – Juelsgaard 2-7 0-0 5, Doleman 3-8 0-0 4, Nauholz 7-16 6-6 20, Ramsay 6-8 0-0 17, Baars-Turner 5-8 1-1 13, Barber 0-2 0-0 0, Simmons 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-49 7-7 61.
Shawnee Heights (11-3) – Emmot 10-21 2-3 29, McGlory 6-14 0-0 15, Carter 2-10 2-4 7, Baum 5-11 0-0 11, Vega 4-9 1-1 10, Brees 0-0 0-0 0, Hamilton 0-1 0-0 0, Schmidt 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 27-65 7-9 74.
3-point goals – Lawrence 8 (Ramsay 5, Baars-Turner 2, Juelsgaard), Shawnee Heights 13 (Emmot 7, McGlory 3, Carter, Baum, Vega). Total fouls – Lawrence 11, Shawnee Heights 10. Fouled out – Juelsgaard. Technical fouls -- none.
Topeka High junior star Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored 37 points and reached the 1,000-point scoring milestone in Thursday's 65-57 loss to Derby. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rayton scores 37, reaches 1,000-point milestone in Trojan loss
Thursday was a bittersweet night for Topeka High junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton and the Trojans.
Rayton scored 37 points and surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone for Topeka High, but the Trojans were unable to get over the hump against No. 3-ranked (Class 6A) Derby, dropping a 65-57 first-round decision to the Panthers.
"We started off slow, but we fought,'' Rayton said. "We fought our way back in and it might have been a loss, but it was a good loss because we fought our hardest.''
"They were going on runs and we'd come right back, several times,'' Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker said. "I was very proud of that because it's very easy to fold your tent and go home.''
Rayton, who scored 33 points in a Tuesday night win over Atchison, surpassed that total with Thursday's 37-point explosion, hitting four 3-pointers among her 14 field goals while hitting five of eight free throws.
Rayton said reaching 1,000 points was a goal she's had since early in her career.
"It was a goal since freshman year, to get my 1,000 points before I'm a senior and I did it my junior year,'' she said.
"She's an athlete, she's got a lot of skills and she's got a great future ahead of her,'' Slaymaker said.
Topeka High sophomore Hailey Caryl scored 13 points in Thursday's 65-57 Capital City Classic first-round loss to Derby. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Freshman Hailey Caryl added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Topeka High, but no other Trojan had more than three points.
Derby (12-2) rode a balanced attack to Thursday's win, with junior Ahsia Fox scoring 13 points, sophomore Alex Dinsmore 11 points and senior Macayla Askew and junior Maya Harris 10 apiece.
The Panthers never trailed, with just two ties in the opening quarter, and led 18-11 at the end of the first, 29-24 and 46-40 at the start of the final stanza.
Topeka High made numerous runs at the Panthers, getting within a point in the third quarter, but the Trojans were hampered by 20 turnovers on the night.
Topeka High will play a 4:30 p.m. consolation game on Friday against Lawrence, which dropped a 74-61 first-round decision to Shawnee Heights.
The Trojans beat the Lions 65-47 on Jan. 6.
DERBY 65, TOPEKA HIGH 57
Derby 18 11 17 19 -- 65
Topeka High 11 13 16 17 -- 57
Derby (12-2) – Demel 2-5 2-2 7, Fox 6-16 1-2 13, Dinsmore 5-9 0-0 11, Graham 2-7 1-1 6, Askew 5-11 0-0 10, Watie 0-1 0-0 0, Clingan 0-2 0-0 0, Gutzmer 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 4-6 0-0 8, Harris 3-9 1-2 10. Totals 27-66 6-7 65.
Topeka High (5-7) – Short 0-1 1-2 1, Marshall 0-6 1-2 1, Rayton 14-27 5-8 37, Caryl 2-5 9-12 13, Gotru 1-2 0-0 2, Triplett 1-1 0-0 3, Whayne 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-42 16-24 57.
3-point goals – Derby 11 (Harris 3, Damel, Dinsmore, Graham), Topeka High 5 (Rayton 4, Triplett). Total fouls – Derby 23, Topeka High 14. Fouled out – Short. Technical fouls -- none.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Derby bested Shawnee Heights in every way, shape and form in Friday night's Capital City Classic semifinal at Topeka High, with the Panthers ending the T-Birds' 10-game winning streak with a dominating 80-44 victory.
Junior KK Emmot led Shawnee Heights with 11 points in Friday's 80-44 semifinal loss to Derby in the Capital City Classic. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Now the T-Birds want to flush that disappointing performance as quickly as possible with Shawnee Heights now set to face Garden City in Saturday's 1 p.m. third-place game.
"We've got to let it go and we've got to learn from it,'' Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells said. "They just came out and they were more physically prepared and more mentally prepared than we were. Kudos to them. They gave it to us every which way they could and there wasn't a lot we could do about it for awhile.''
Wells said the key for the T-Birds now is to make sure they return to the form that has allowed them to post a glossy 11-4 record on the season.
"We can't turn one loss into two and tomorrow's an important game,'' Wells said. "There's a lot of big games coming towards the end of the season in this last month and it starts tomorrow.''
No. 3-ranked (Class 6A) Derby, now 13-2 on the season, ended the first quarter with a commanding 24-8 record and went to the locker room at the half with a 50-20 cushion after a 26-12 second quarter onslaught by the Panthers.
Derby led 68-36 at the end of the third quarter to force a running clock the rest of the way.
Senior Macayla Askew led Derby with a game-high 22 points while senior Karlie Demel had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds and sophomore Sarai Graham also scored 11 points.
Junior KK Emmot led Shawnee Heights with 11 points while junior Pearmella Carter added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Derby will face Wichita Heights, a 57-42 semifinal winner over Garden City, in Saturday's 2:30 p.m. championship game.
DERBY 80, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 44
Shawnee Heights 8 12 16 8 -- 44
Derby 24 26 18 12 -- 80
Shawnee Heights (11-4) – Emmot 3-11 4-5 11, McGlory 2-6 4-4 9, Carter 5-9 0-0 10, Baum 0-2 1-2 1, Vega 1-6 1-4 3, Brees 0-1 0-0 0, Aubrey Hamilton 0-0 2-2 2, Schmidt 1-2 0-2 3, Allie Hamilton 1-2 0-0 3, Karylye 1-2 0-2 2. Totals 14-41 12-21 44.
Derby (13-2) – Demel 4-6 2-2 11, Fox 3-6 2-3 8, Dinsmore 3-5 0-0 6, Graham 3-9 3-4 11, Askew 9-17 4-4 22, Watie 0-1 0-0 0, Clingan 0-2 0-0 0, Gutzmer 0-2 0-0 0, Brownlee 0-0 1-2 1, Carter 1-4 0-0 2, Harris 4-7 0-0 9, Vanmeter 3-3 0-1 8, Bohaty 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 30-62 14-19 80.
3-point goals – Shawnee Heights 4 (Emmot, McGlory, Schmidt, Allie Hamilton), Derby 6 (Graham 2, NA 2, Harris, Demel). Total fouls – Derby 22, Shawnee Heights 16. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
Trojans hold off Lions for 75-72 Capital City Classic win
Topeka High girls basketball posted an 18-point road win over Lawrence on Jan. 6, but Trojan coach Ron Slaymaker fully expected Friday's rematch with the Lions in the Capital City Classic on High's home floor to be much tougher.
And it was, with the Lions leading at some point in each of the first three quarters, but the Trojans survived the test to advance to Saturday's 11:30 a.m. fifth-place game with a 75-72 win.
"They played (Shawnee) Heights yesterday and played them well until late,'' Slaymaker said. "They got beat late and I was like, 'Gosh, those girls are better.' We knew it wasn't going to be easy.
"We tried to make it easy and then we tried to make it hard. I wasn't sure what team was out there, but we found a way.''
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton led 6-7 Topeka High with 30 points, including five 3-pointers, while senior Keimara Marshall had 17 points and senior Sasha Gotru 12 points.
Junior post player Cami Nauholz registered a double-double for 6-7 Lawrence with 29 points and 15 rebounds while freshman Marley Doleman and sophomore Macyn Ramsay both added 19 points with five 3s apiece.
Topeka High will now face city rival Seaman at 11:30 a.m. in the fifth-place game.
TOPEKA HIGH 75, LAWRENCE 72
Lawrence 20 15 21 16 -- 72
Topeka High 22 18 21 14 -- 75
Lawrence (6-7) -- Juelsgaard 0-7 0-0 0, Doleman 7-9 0-0 19, Barber 2-5 0-2 5, Nauholz 10-24 8-9 29, Ramsay 7-13 0-1 19, Simmons 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-58 8-12 72
Topeka High (6-7) – Short 2-5 1-1 5, Marshall 8-14 0-0 17, Rayton 10-21 5-6 30, Caryl 3-5 1-2 7, Gotru 4-6 4-4 12, Triplett 0-1 0-0 0, Whayne 1-2 2-4 4. Totals 28-54 13-17 75.
3-point goals – Lawrence 12 (Doleman 5, Ramsay 5, Nauholz, Barber), Topeka High 6 (Rayton 5, Marshall). Total fouls – Lawrence 14, Topeka High 13. Fouled out – Barber. Technical fouls -- none.
Seaman gets back on track with 30-point win over Scots
Seaman snapped a three-game losing streak Friday in a 62-32 Capital Classic romp past city rival Highland Park.
"It was good to smile again,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "For a number of reasons we needed to win this game. It's been a tough week for us, so it was good to see the girls out having fun and smiling.
"We've just got to stick with what we're doing. We're still growing and the girls are still learning through it. It's going to be like that through this season, but I'm proud of them for coming back today.''
Now 7-5 on the season, Seaman jumped out in from 21-6 by the end of the first quarter and then hit the Scots (4-10) with a 17-3 second quarter to take a commanding 38-9 advantage at the half.
Seaman held a 52-21 lead after three quarters to force a running clock over the final eight minutes.
Junior Brynn Spencer, who was celebrating her birthday, led Seaman with 12 points on four first-quarter 3-pointers.
Spencer was the only double-figure scorer for the Vikings, but all 11 Seaman players who saw action cracked the scoring column.
Senior Koralee Jones scored a game-high 15 points for Highland Park (4-10).
Highland Park will play Lawrence at 10 a.m. Saturday in the seventh-place game of the Capital City Classic while Seaman will play Topeka High in the fifth-place game at 11:30 a.m.
SEAMAN 62, HIGHLAND PARK 32
Highland Park 6 3 12 11 -- 32
Seaman 21 17 14 10 -- 62
Highland Park (4-10) -- Cosey 3-14 0-0 8, Kincade 2-15 0-2 6, Barnett 1-5 1-2 3, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Atkins 6-12 3-8 15, Cameron 0-1 0-0 0, Inyard 0-3 0-0 0, Jones 6-12 3-8 15. Totals 12-53 4-12 32.
Seaman (7-5) – Dreher 3-5 0-0 6, Spencer 4-11 0-0 12, Beaton 3-9 0-1 7, Ayres 2-3 0-0 4, Gragg 3-6 0-0 7, Frickey 2-4 1-1 6, Ketron 2-3 0-0 4, Bruns 2-4 0-0 4, Alfen 0-2 0-0 0, Puvogel 4-9 0-0 10, Zurmely 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 17-49 7-12 48.
3-point goals – Highland Park 4 (Cosey 2, Kincade 2), Seaman 7 (Spencer 4, Gragg, Frickey, Beaton). Total fouls – Highland Park 9, Seaman 11. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC
Friday's scores
Seaman 62, Highland Park 32
Topeka High 75, Lawrence 72
Wichita Heights 57, Garden City 42
Derby 80, Shawnee Heights 44
Saturday's games
10 a.m. -- Highland Park vs. Lawrence (seventh place)
11:30 -- Seaman vs. Topeka High (fifth place)
1 p.m. -- Garden City vs. Shawnee Heights (third place)
2:30 -- Wichita Heights vs. Derby (championship)
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural swimming ran its string of Topeka City Boys Championships to seven Thursday, running away with the city meet at Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Washburn Rural boys swimming celebrates in the Capitol Federal Natatorium pool Thursday after winning its seventh straight city team title. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The Junior Blues were so dominant they claimed all but two of the 11 All-City first-team slots. They racked up 609 points, topping Seaman with 371.
The performance prompted second-year coach Bob Burdick to say that the rebuild from a Class 6A State third-place finish in 2024 is ahead of schedule.
“We lost a lot of seniors (from 2024), and they were really fast seniors. So, we had a rebuild year last year,” Burdick said. “That rebuild went way faster than expected because we got a lot of great swimmers. We’re going to lose 12 seniors this year, but we’re still looking just as solid next year because of all the new freshmen and sophomores coming in as well as the team that will return.
“They’ve got a great attitude and they’ve meshed totally as a team. We don’t have anybody with ego problems or anything like that. So that’s carrying the whole team.”
Daniel Allen won two individual events and swam on two winning relays as Washburn Rural dominated Thursday's city championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Braeden Montgomery was a double individual champion Thursday and swam on a winning relay as Washburn Rural won its seventh straight city team title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Daniel Allen and Braeden Montgomery led the Junior Blues by taking first in two individual events while Thomas Appuhn, Castle Wallace and Davin Potts each collected one win.
Seaman's Kinser Barbosa won the 50 and 100-yard freestyle in Thursday's city swimming meet. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Kinser Barbosa highlighted the Seaman performance by taking first in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races.
“I was able to push past my limits and break those benchmarks in my individuals and was able to maintain it in both relays too. So, I feel great,” Barbosa said. “This is a special meet where you get to compete with your friends, but also where everyone has that great mindset to push past your limits. Each race is a great race because they all have the same mindset.”
Will Stewart was named to the All-City first team for placing second in two events and for also helping lead Topeka High relay teams to two third-place finishes.
Allen returned to the Junior Blues for his junior year after devoting last season solely to club competition. Burdick knew what he was getting in Allen because, as a freshman, he placed seventh at the state meet in the 500-yard freestyle and also contributed to a relay team that placed third at state.
“Adding Daniel is the anchor for the relays, so we know we’re going to be strong there, but we also have a lot of good swimmers supporting him,” Burdick said. “His attitude is really great for the team. That helps motivate a lot of people and gives us a great role model in the pool.”
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' bowling team celebrated its Senior Day with a sweep of all four championships in Wednesday's five-school competition at Gage Bowl.
Senior Chevy Stallbaumer captured the boys individual title in Wednesday's five-school Shawnee Heights meet at Gage Bowl with a 688 series as the T-Birds also won the team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Chevy Stallbaumer, who rolled a perfect 300 game last week, followed that up with a 688 three-game series on Wednesday to take boys individual honors by 40 pins as the T-Birds took the team title by 145 pins (2,545-2,400) over United Kansas Conference foe Basehor-Linwood.
Shawnee Heights sophomore Emma Wederski reacts to a strike during her final-game 257 Wednesday at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TopSports.news]
It was also a big day for Shawnee Heights sophomore Emma Wederski, who took top honors in the girls division with a 587 series as the T-Birds took the team championship by 113 pins (2,245-2,132) over Basehor-Linwood.
Stallbaumer's 688 series topped the 676 series he recorded in last Thursday's meet in Lawrence when he rolled his 300, with the T-Bird standout on target from the outset on Wednesday, bowling a 222 in his opening game before following that up with a 209 and finishing with his best game of the day, a 257.
"I felt great today,'' Stallbaumer said. "Everything kind of clicked. I missed a spare my first frame, but I kind of just shrugged it off my shoulder. There's nothing you can do. When you miss a spare you miss a spare and you get back up and you keep on pushing.''
Stallbaumer said his perfect game has just served as motivation for the remainder of the 2026 season.
"It definitely motivated me a lot,'' Stallbaumer said of his 300 game. "That's just going to keep me motivated throughout the whole season.''
Stallbaumer wasn't on the top six when Heights won the Class 5A state title in 2024 but played a major role last season as the T-Birds advanced to state and he feels like the team can contend to be among the state's elite again this season.
"I feel like we can definitely progress as a team and just see how this season plays out,'' he said. "I feel like we can (contend). There's no doubt in my mind we can.''
Heights' Kaden Evans finished third individually in Wednesday's meet with a 621 series (203-214-204) while Evan Jones also topped the 600 mark with a 611, including a high game of 231.
Wederski began her day with games of 168 and 162 before catching fire in the third game with eight straight strikes out of the gate on the way to a 257.
Wederski said her team and a big crowd at Gage kept her going.
"My team was hyping me up, along with the crowd and that really helped, and I was pretty proud of myself,'' Wederski said. "No one gets to see what we do in practices. We hype each other up during practices and having a crowd adds to the joy of it.
"Today was packed. I think this was the most packed we've seen it this season so far.''
And now Wederski just wants to build off Wednesday's success as the season goes along.
"This is my first season on varsity, so it's a whatever happens happens kind of thing and I'm just taking one meet, one day at a time,'' she said.
Shawnee Heights put three bowlers in the girls top five, with Addison VanMetre finishing third with a 577, just one pin out of second and 10 pins behind Wederski, while Reese Bell placed fourth with a 547.
Bell had a high game of 228 while VanMetre had three games between 184 and 204.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS INVITATIONAL
At Gage Bowl
Girls
Team scores
Shawnee Heights 2,245, Basehor-Linwood 2,132, Lawrence Free State 1,903, Leavenworth 1,752, Lawrence 1,751.
Individual results
1. Emma Wederski, Shawnee Heights, 587;2. Elly Findley, Basehor-Linwood, 587; 3. Addison VanMetre, Shawnee Heights, 577; 4. Reese Bell, Shawnee Heights, 547;5. Kayleigh Ussery, Basehor-Linwood, 525.
Other Shawnee Heights -- Lauryn Valdivia 510, Tatum Simpson 484, Bailey Liby 434.
Boys
Team scores
Shawnee Heights 2,545, Basehor-Linwood 2,400, Lawrence 2,386, Lawrence Free State 2,304, Leavenworth 2,196.
Individual results
1. Chevy Stallbaumer, Shawnee Heights, 688; 2. Graesyn Hoss, 648; 3. Kaden Evans, Shawnee Heights, 621; 4. Liyam Southammavong, Lawrence, 617; 5. Thomas Futtrell, Lawrence Free State, 616.
Other Shawnee Heights --Evan Jones 611, Henry Schattilly 586, Trey Donath 531, Nathan Burnett 520.
Rural girls roll to quadrangular win
Led by individual runnerup Megan Glinka, Washburn Rural's girls took the team championship in Tuesday's Rural quadrangular at West Ridge Lanes.
Glinka, a junior, led the Junior Blues with a 637 series as Rural won the team title by a 2,194-2,068 margin over Centennial League rival Emporia, while Manhattan was third at 2,046 and Junction City fourth at 1,963.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West had to deal with adversity for much of Monday night's Topeka Invitational Tournament championship game against USD 501 rival Topeka High, fighting through foul trouble and missing shots the Chargers normally make, both from the field and the free throw line.
Topeka Invitational Tournament MVP Prince Lassiter hoists the championship trophy after Monday's 71-57 win over Topeka High at Highland Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But thanks in part to some key contributions off the bench, the third-ranked (Class 5A) Chargers were able to keep their head above water through three quarters before closing with a 24-11 burst over the final eight minutes to take a 71-57 win over the Trojans before a nearly packed house at Highland Park.
"These guys have played together for three or four years, so they kind of understand that if one guy's maybe having an off night or in foul trouble they understand who needs to step up and make the big shots,'' West coach Christian Ulsaker said.
"Hats off to coach (Robbie) Sanders and Topeka High. They did play a very physical, tough game. Their guys were here ready and prepared to play against us. It's not an easy task, I'll say that. Watching our (junior varsity) guys go against our varsity, our varsity guys are pretty good and Topeka High held their own for three and a half, four quarters basically.''
Now 12-2 on the season, Topeka West had to play much of the first half without tournament Most Valuable player Prince Lassister and fellow starters Jay'Veon Traylor and Malakyah Duncan, who all got in early foul trouble.
But reserves Jasper Phillips, Corde Fox, Trey Ware and JJ Doby helped West stem the tide and help the Chargers take a 30-27 lead into the locker room at halftime.
"Our guys that might not get a ton of minutes finally got some and they proved to us that they're able to take over that if they need to,'' Ulsaker said.
Topeka High (8-6) continued to keep the heat on West throughout the third quarter, trailing by just a point at the start of the fourth stanza after a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Octavian McFadden.
The Trojans were still within two points (53-51) with six minutes remaining before the Chargers outscored Topeka High 18-6 down the stretch.
The end result was West's first Topeka Invitational title since 2022 and fifth title overall.
Senior Gad Munganga led Topeka West with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, in Monday's 71-57 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"If we're winning by 30, losing by 30 or it's a tie game, we still keep the same composure,'' said Topeka West senior guard Gad Munganga, who led Topeka West with 17 points, including three 3-pointers.
Topeka West junior Prince Lassiter scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Monday's 71-57 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Lassiter, a 6-foot-6 junior, was named MVP after scoring 16 points (7 of 8 from the field) and grabbing eight rebounds.
"It's always frustrating,'' Lassister said about his first-half foul problems. "But I've just got to keep my composure and when I keep my composure I can continue to play and I don't get in foul trouble any more and I have fun with the game.''
Seniors Keimani Paul and Duncan added 12 and 10 points, respectively, with Paul and Traylor both named to the all-tournament team.
"We went in at halftime knowing that second half we had to come out and stay composed and not them get under our skin and that's what happened,'' Paul said.
Senior Jalen Aldridge led Topeka High with 17 points in Monday's 71-57 Topeka Invitational Tournament loss to Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka High senior Jalen Aldridge tied Munganga for game-high scoring laurels with 17 points while senior Elisha Guest added 12 points.
Guest and Trojan senior Bryson McComas were both named to the all-tournament team along with Lansing junior Deacon Manthe, who helped lead the Lions to a third-place tournament finish.
TOPEKA WEST 71, TOPEKA HIGH 57
Topeka High 15 12 19 11 -- 57
Topeka West 15 15 17 24 -- 71
Topeka High (8-6) – Aldridge 6-12 4-7 17, Guest 3-9 3-4 12, McComas 3-10 0-0 6, McFadden 3-5 0-0 8, Redmond 1-5 3-6 5, Carter 0-0 0-0 0, Villegas 0-0 0-0 0, Wilkerson 0-0 1-2 1, Luarks 0-3 0-0 0, Campbell 2-6 4-4 8. Totals 18-50 15-23 57.
Topeka West (12-2) – Munganga 5-9 4-6 17, Traylor 1-1 3-4 5, Duncan 4-10 2-7 10, Paul 3-7 4-4 12, Lassiter 7-8 2-5 16, Phillips 1-2 3-5 5, Fox 1-2 0-0 2, Ware 0-1 0-0 0, Doby 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 23-41 20-33 71.
3-point goals – Topeka High 6 (Guest 3, McFadden 2, Aldridge), Topeka West 5 (Munganga 3, Paul 2). Total fouls – Topeka High 21, Topeka West 21. Fouled out – Redmond. Technical fouls – Duncan, Guest, McComas.
By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Topeka High will host the 2026 Capital City Classic girls basketball tournament Thursday through Saturday, with Highland Park, Seaman and Shawnee Heights joining the Trojans in the event.
Shawnee Heights junior KK Emmot returns for the T-Birds, who captured the Capital City Classic championship in 2025 at Topeka West. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman (6-4 on the season) will open the tournament at 3 p.m. Thursday against Garden City (7-5).
Highland Park (4-7) and No. 2-ranked (Class 6A) Wichita Heights (12-0) are on the same side of the bracket with Seaman and Garden City and will play a first-round game at 4:30 p.m.
The Seaman-Garden City and Highland Park-Wichita Heights winners will play a 6 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
On the other side of the bracket, Topeka High (4-6) will take on No. 3-ranked (6A) Derby (11-2) in a 6 p.m. first-round game while No. 6 (5A) Shawnee Heights (10-3) will face Lawrence (6-5) at 7:30.
The Topeka High-Derby winner will face the Shawnee Heights-Lawrence winner in a 7:30 Friday night semifinal.
The tournament will conclude on Saturday, starting with the seventh-place game at 10 a.m., followed by the fifth-place game at 11:30, the third-place contest at 1 p.m. and the championship tilt at 2:30 p.m. in separate gyms.
CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC
At Topeka High
Thursday
3 p.m. -- Seaman vs. Garden City.
4:30 -- Highland Park vs. Wichita Heights.
6 -- Topeka High vs. Derby.
7:30 -- Shawnee Heights vs. Lawrence.
Friday
3 p.m. -- Seaman-Garden City loser vs. Highland Park-Wichita Heights loser.
4:30 -- Topeka High-Derby loser vs. Shawnee Heights-Lawence loser.
6 -- Seaman-Garden City winner vs. Highland Park-Wichita Heights winner.
7:30 -- Topeka High-Derby winner vs. Shawnee Heights-Lawrence winner.
Saturday
10 a.m. -- Seventh place.
11:30 -- Fifth place.
1 p.m. -- Third place.
2:30 -- Championship.
Carvel Reynoldson's Hayden girls basketball team will compete in this week's Lady Cat Classic at El Dorado. [File photo/TSN}
Hayden to compete in El Dorado
Hayden, 10-3 on the season, is the No. 2 seed for the 33rd annual Lady Cat Classic in El Dorado Thursday through Saturday.
Hayden, No. 9-ranked in Class 4A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, will open its tournament bid at 6 p.m. Thursday against Gardner-Edgerton (3-7).
With a win the Wildcats will advance to a 6 o'clock semifinal on Friday to face the first-round winner between Mill Valley (9-4) and host El Dorado (5-6).
On the other side of the bracket No. 4 (5A) Maize South (11-2) will play a first-round game against Augusta (3-9) while No. 8 (5A) Kapaun Mt. Carmel (8-4) will face Goddard (5-5). Those two winners will play a 7:45 semifinal on Friday.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West entered the 2026 Topeka Invitational Tournament at Highland Park as the pre-tourney favorite, and over the opening two days, the Chargers have certainly lived up to that top billing.
West, ranked No. 3 in Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, opened its tournament bid on Thursday with a 20-point win over St. Thomas Aquinas and followed that up with an 86-64 win over Wichita Northwest on Friday afternoon, punching its ticket to a second straight Topeka Invitational championship game.
Topeka West senior Malakyah Duncan led Topeka West with a game-high 19 points in Friday's 86-64 Topeka Invitational semifinal win over Wichita Northwest. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"We turned up the heat in the third quarter and I think really stretched the game to where it was a little bit unattainable for Northwest to get there,'' Topeka West coach Christian Ulsaker said.
Due to expected inclement weather over the weekend, the 11-2 Chargers, who lost to Highland Park in the 2025 championship game, will have two days off before facing off with USD 501 rival Topeka High at 7 p.m. Monday in the championship game at Highland Park. The 8-5 Trojans advanced to the title game with a 69-62 semifinal win over Lansing.
Because of the weather-related schedule changes Topeka West played its semifinal at 3:30 p.m., a time slot normally reserved for consolation games, but the Chargers trailed for less than a minute (21-20) against Wichita Northwest and outscored the Grizzlies 49-29 over the middle two quarters to turn the game into a rout.
"We started a little slow, but it was a 3:30 game with no crowd,'' Ulsaker said. "The guys did what they needed to do for the most part, high intensity. I think Northwest was trying to match what we were doing as well, but we just did it just a notch above and that's about it.''
All five Charger starters cracked double figures against 6-7 Wichita Northwest, led by senior Malakyah Duncan with 19 points.
Junior Prince Lassiter scored 18 points in Friday's 86-64 Topeka West win over Wichita Northwest. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Jay'Veon Traylor had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in Topeka West's 86-64 win over Wichita Northwest. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Prince Lassiter added 18 points, senior Jay'Veon Traylor recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, senior Keimani Paul had 13 points and senior Gad Munganga 12 points on four 3-pointers.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
As a four-year member of the Topeka High boys basketball program, senior Jalen Aldridge has had an up-close look at the Trojans' recent struggles, including a 1-19 record a year ago and nine total victories over the previous three seasons.
Senior Jalen Aldridge led Topeka High with 15 points in Friday's 69-62 Topeka Invitational Tournament win over Lansing. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And Aldridge and his Trojan teammates are savoring every moment of what has been a dramatic turnaround this season, including a 69-62 win over Lansing on Friday at Highland Park that put High in the Topeka Invitational championship game for the first time since 2019.
"We had a hard time during the years and it's a blessing to be going to the championship,'' Aldridge said. "It comes in practice. You've got to work hard and you've got to get everybody involved and nobody's left out over here.
"We do our best and work hard to get to where we need to be.''
The 8-5 Trojans have already posted their highest win total since the 2019-2020 season and will be looking for their first Topeka Invitational title since 1998 when they square off with USD 501 rival Topeka West at 7 p.m. Monday in the tournament championship game. West earned its second straight trip to the Topeka Invitational final with an 86-64 win over Wichita Northwest in the first semifinal.
"We wanted to hold up our part of the bargain,'' first-year Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders said of the all-city matchup. "This is the Topeka Invitational Tournament and usually its an out-of-town team, so when we had the opportunity to face off against Topeka West in the championship we had to hold up our end of the bargain.''
After knocking off Shawnee Mission East in overtime in the opening round of the tournament on Thursday, Topeka High played another nailbiter against Lansing in a game that included 23 lead changes and 11 ties.
Topeka High led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter, trailed the 4-6 Lions 26-25 at the half and led 50-48 at the end of the third quarter.
Freshman Jaxon Luarks scored 11 points, including the go-ahead basket in the closing seconds as Topeka High took a 69-62 victory over Lansing Friday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The game continued to go back and forth through the bulk of the fourth quarter, with Topeka High trailing 62-61 with less than a minute remaining before freshman Jaxon Luarks converted a follow shot with 42 seconds left to put the Trojans ahead to stay as High scored the final eight points.
Senior Bryson McComas (4) celebrates a big play in Topeka High's 69-62 Topeka Invitational win over Lansing. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Aldridge led the Trojans with 15 points while fellow seniors Elisha Guest and Bryson McComas added 12 apiece and Luarks scored 11.
"We're growing up, and we're getting contributions off the bench from the young players,'' Sanders said. "First of all, hats off to Lansing. That's a well-coached team and that was a tough game, but I'm just proud of the guys.''
Junior Mekhi Stephens led Lansing with a game-high 23 points (four 3-pointers) while junior Deacon Manthe added 13 for the Lions.
TOPEKA HIGH 69, LANSING 62
Topeka High 13 12 25 19 -- 69
Lansing 11 15 22 14 -- 62
Topeka High (8-5) – Aldridge 4-7 5-6 15, Guest 5-14 0-0 12, McComas 4-16 3-5 12, McFadden 3-7 1-1 9, Redmond 1-3 4-4 6, Ross 1-5 0-0 2, Carter 0-0 0-0 0, Luarks 5-8 1-1 11, Campbell 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-62 14-17 69.
Lansing (4-7) – Mehki Stephens 7-13 5-8 23, Heim 0-1 0-0 0, Manthe 6-8 1-2 13, Anderson 2-3 0-0 4, Wilson 4-8 1-1 9, Mattingly 0-0 1-2 1, Mason Stephens 1-2 0-0 3, Bolden 4-9 0-0 9. Totals 24-44 8-13 62.
3-point goals – Topeka High 7 (Aldridge 2, Guest 2, McFadden 2, McComas), Lansing 6 (Mehki Stephens 4, Mason Stephens, Bolden). Total fouls – Topeka High 17, Lansing 16. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none.
TOPEKA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
RESULTS FRIDAY
Topeka West 86, Wichita Northwest 64
Topeka High 69, Lansing 62
St. Thomas Aquinas 68, Highland Park 47
SM East 60, SM North 52
GAMES MONDAY
(All games in Ken Darting Gym)
3:30 p.m. -- Third place: Wichita NW vs. Lansing.
5 -- Seventh place: Highland Park vs. SM North.
7 -- Championship: Topeka West vs. Topeka High.
Note: St. Thomas Aquinas and SM East will play the fifth-place game Monday at SM East.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Due to a clock malfunction, Topeka High got a late start to Thursday's opening game in the Topeka Invitational Tournament at Highland Park.
And the Trojans also had to endure a late finish, being forced to overtime by Shawnee Mission East before the Trojans took command in the four-minute extra session to advance to the semifinals with a 49-43 win over the Lancers.
Topeka High basketball coach Robbie Sanders talks to his Trojans during Thursday's 49-43 overtime win over Shawnee Mission East. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I feel like I keep repeating it, but these guys have been through so much,'' Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders said. "They've experienced a lot of losing and a lot of bad times and one of the things that we tend to do is when things go bad we start to pout and hang our heads and I'm just trying to speak that life into them and let them know that they are good enough to beat anybody if we show up to play.''
The Trojans, now 7-5, will take on Lansing, a 59-57 winner over Shawnee Mission North, in Friday's 5 p.m. semifinal. The tournament schedule has been revamped due to the forecast of inclement weather, with the place games scheduled for Saturday now being pushed back to Monday.
Topeka High will be joined in the semifinals by top tournament seed Topeka West, a 70-50 winner over St. Thomas Aquinas. The Chargers will play Friday's first semifinal at 3:30 p.m. against Wichita Northwest, a 62-49 first-round winner over Highland Park.
After taking a 14-11 first-quarter lead over SM East (6-6), Topeka High trailed 25-19 at the half, 30-27 at the start of the fourth quarter and 41-39 in the final minute of regulation before 5-foot-7 senior Elisha Guest tied the game with a hoop with 14 seconds remaining and the Lancers missed a late shot to send the game to OT.
Guest then nailed a 3-pointer to open the four-minute overtime period and the Trojans led the rest of the way as High outscored East 8-2 to take the six-point victory.
"Elisha, small in stature, heart of a lion,'' Sanders said. "I just love that kid and I grow more appreciation and more fondness for his game every time I see him play.''
Senior Bryson McComas, who also scored in the overtime, led Topeka High with 12 points while Guest added 11 and sophomore Mar'saun Redmond 10 for the Trojans.
Senior Stephen Hloblik scored a game-high 19 points for SM East while senior Quentin Ochs added 10.
In the semifinals Topeka High will face a Lansing team which won its third straight game to improve to 4-6 with a hard-earned 59-57 win over Shawnee Mission North (6-4).
Deacon Manthe, a 6-foot-7 junior, led Lansing with 16 points, all in the second half, while junior Mehki Stephens added 11 points.
TOPEKA HIGH 49, SM EAST 43 (OT)
SM East 11 14 5 11 2 -- 43
Topeka High 14 5 8 14 8 -- 49
SM East (6-6) – Lucas 0-4 0-0 0, P. Ochs 3-9 0-0 8, Dillon 1-7 0-0 3, Hlobik 6-9 7-8 19, Konold 1-13 0-0 3, Zubeck 0-1 0-0 0, Q. Ochs 5-7 0-0 10. Totals 16-40 7-8 43.
Topeka High (7-5) – Aldridge 1-5 1-2 3, Guest 3-10 3-4 11, McComas 6-12 0-3 12, Ross 2-4 1-2 5, McFadden 0-1 0-0 0, Redmond 4-4 0-2 10, Luarks 0-1 1-4 1, Humphrey 3-5 0-1 7. Totals 19-42 6-18 49.
3-point goals – SM East 4 (P. Ochs 2, Dillon, Konold), Topeka High 5 (Guest 2, Redmond 2, Humphrey). Total fouls – SM East 12, Topeka High 11. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none.
Junior Prince Lassiter scored 15points in Thursday's 70-50 Topeka West win over Aquinas in the Topeka Invitational Tournament. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Chargers pull away in second half for 20-point win
On paper, Thursday's first-round game in the Topeka Invitational between third-ranked (Class 5A) Topeka West and three-win St. Thomas Aquinas looked like a mis-match.
But West coach Christian Ulsaker was well aware of Aquinas' tradition and the fact that the Saints had played one of the state's toughest schedules, and he knew the Chargers would get tested.
"We talked about it, that that record goes out the window when you play St. Thomas Aquinas,'' Ulsaker said. "They're a very well-coached team and very fundamentally sound and it was a battle for three and a half, four quarters.
"So hats off to them, making it a tough game.''
After jumping out to a 22-13 first-quarter lead, Topeka West, now 10-2, got that test in the second quarter, with Aquinas rallying to take a 35-31 advantage in the second stanza and leading 36-34 inside the final minute of the half before senior Keimani Paul hit a 3-pointer and junior Prince Lassiter converted a traditional three-point play to put the Chargers up 40-36 at the half.
Topeka West then showed its dominance after the break, outscoring the Saints 30-14, including a 17-5 advantage over the final eight minutes to pull away for the 20-point victory.
Lassiter, a 6-6 junior, led a balanced West attack with a game-high 15 points as all five Charger starters cracked double figures.
"Prince, he's a workhorse, and it's not easy to guard him for 32 minutes, I'll tell you that,'' Ulsaker said.
Jay'Veon Traylor added 14 points while Paul had 13 and Gad Munganga and Malakyah Duncan 11 apiece.
The Chargers did a lot of their damage from outside the 3-point line, hitting 10 3s on the night, while Lassiter dominated things on the inside.
Senior Nic Sabers led Aquinas with 12 points, including three treys.
West will now play a Wichita Northwest team which advanced with a 62-49 win over host Highland Park in Thursday's final first-round game.
TOPEKA WEST 70, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 50
Aquinas 13 23 9 5 -- 50
Topeka West 22 18 13 17 -- 70
Aquinas (3-9) – Renze 2-6 0-2 5, Gavin 2-5 2-3 6, Wayland 0-0 2-2 2, Browne 5-6 0-0 10, Sabers 3-7 3-4 12, Merfen 2-3 0-0 6, Bertholf 1-5 0-0 2, McCullough 2-4 1-1 5, NA 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 18-37 8-10 50.
Topeka West (10-2) – Munganga 3-9 2-2 11, Traylor 3-10 6-8 14, Duncan 4-9 1-2 11, Paul 5-8 0-0 13, Lassiter 7-13 1-1 15, Phillips 2-3 2-4 6, Fox 0-0 0-0 0, Ware 0-0 0-0 0, Doby 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 24-53 12-17 70.
3-point goals – Aquinas 6 (Sabers 3, Merfen 2, Renze), Topeka West 10 (Munganga 3, Paul 3, Traylor 2, Duncan 2). Total fouls – Aquinas 20, Topeka West 12. Fouled out – Browne. Technical fouls – none.
By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
The Rossville girls and Cair Paravel Latin boys basketball teams got tournament week off to a rousing start with a pair of big wins on Monday.
Rossville opened its girls title bid in the Jefferson County North Invitational with a 60-22 first-round win over the tournament hosts while Cair Paravel's boys rolled to a 64-30 first-round win over West Franklin in the Flint Hills League tournament at Emporia's White Auditorium.
Senior Rylee Dick scored 27 points Monday against JCN to move into the No. 3 spot on Rossville's all-time scoring list. [File photo/TSN]
Lady Bulldawg senior Rylee Dick scored 27 points in Rossville's win over JCN, moving into the No. 3 spot on Rossville's career scoring list with 1,281 points.
Rossville junior Nora Burdiek added 23 points as the Bulldawgs advanced to a 6 p.m. semifinal on Wednesday.
Cair Paravel's boys, playing West Franklin for the second straight game, took control early with a 19-7 first quarter before opening up a 39-16 halftime advantage.
Blaine Durbin led Cair Paravel with 17 points while Lucas Marichal added 14 points and Caleb Cleverson 13 with three 3-pointers.
Now 9-2 on the season, CPLS will play a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Lyndon.
Other area tournament pairings:
TOPEKA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
BOYS
At Highland Park
Thursday
3:30 p.m. -- Topeka High vs. Shawnee Mission East.
5 -- Lansing vs. Shawnee Mission North.
6:30 -- Topeka West vs. St. Thomas Aquinas.
8 -- Highland Park vs. Wichita Northwest.
Friday
3:30 p.m. -- Topeka High-SM East loser vs. Lansing-SM North loser.
5 -- Topeka West-St. Thomas Aquinas loser vs. High-Wichita Northwest loser.
6:30 -- Topeka High-East winner vs. Lansing-SM North winner.
8 -- Topeka West-St. Thomas Aquinas winner vs. Highland Park-Wichita Northwest winner.
Saturday
10 a.m. -- Fifth place (main gym); Seventh place (South gym).
11:30 -- Third place.
1 p.m. -- Championship.
By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Christian Ulsaker's Topeka West Chargers are the No. 1 city seed for this week's Topeka Invitational Tournament at Highland Park. [File photo/TSN]Lansing (3-6) and Shawnee Mission North (6-3) are on the same side of the bracket with Topeka High and SM North and will play a first-round game at 5 p.m.
The Topeka High- SM East winner will face the Lansing-SM North winner in a 6:30 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
Topeka West, 8-2 entering a Tuesday United Kansas Conference home game against Basehor-Linwood, will open its tournament bid at 6:30 p.m. Thursday against St. Thomas Aquinas (3-8).
Host Highland Park (3-7) will close out the first round at 8 p.m. Thursday against Wichita Northwest (5-6), with the Highland Park-Northwest winner advancing to an 8 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the Topeka West-Aquinas winner.
The tournament will conclude on Saturday, starting with the seventh and fifth-place games at 10 a.m. in separate gyms, followed by the third-place game at 11:30 and the championship contest at 1 p.m.
TOPEKA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
At Highland Park
Thursday
3:30 p.m. -- Topeka High vs. Shawnee Mission East.
5 -- Lansing vs. Shawnee Mission North.
6:30 -- Topeka West vs. St. Thomas Aquinas.
8 -- Highland Park vs. Wichita Northwest.
Friday
3:30 p.m. -- Topeka High-SM East loser vs. Lansing-SM North loser.
5 -- Topeka West-St. Thomas Aquinas loser vs. High-Wichita Northwest loser.
6:30 -- Topeka High-East winner vs. Lansing-SM North winner.
8 -- Topeka West-St. Thomas Aquinas winner vs. Highland Park-Wichita Northwest winner.
Saturday
10 a.m. -- Fifth place (main gym); Seventh place (South gym).
11:30 -- Third place.
1 p.m. -- Championship.
Hayden boys to compete at Baldwin
Hayden, 4-8 on the season, will compete in the four-school Baldwin Invitational round-robin event this week, opening its tournament bid at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday against Wellsville (5-5).
The Wildcats will play Bishop Seabury (7-2) at 5:30 Friday and will wrap things up 2:30 p.m. Saturday against host Baldwin (9-2).
BALDWIN INVITATIONAL
Tuesday
5:30 p.m. -- Hayden vs. Wellsville.
7 -- Baldwin vs. Bishop Seabury.
Friday
5:30 p.m. -- Hayden vs. Bishop Seabury.
7 -- Baldwin vs. Wellsville.
Saturday
1 p.m. -- Wellsville vs. Bishop Seabury.
2:30 p.m. -- Hayden vs. Baldwin.
Rural boys headed to Pittsburg
Washburn Rural (7-3) will compete this week in the Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament at Pittsburg, opening with a 4 p.m. first-round game on Thursday against Branson, Mo. in Pittsburg's secondary gym.
Also on Rural's side of the tournament bracket are Olathe North and Willard, Mo., who will play at 7 p.m. Thursday.
On the other side of the bracket Webster Groves, Mo. will face Joplin, Mo. and host Pittsburg will take on Wichita West.
The Rural-Branson winner will play the Olathe North-Willard winner in a 4:30 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
The place games will be played on Saturday, capped by the championship game at 2:30 p.m.
BILL HANSON MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
At Pittsburg
Thursday
4 p.m. -- Washburn Rural vs. Branson, Mo. (Mallatt gym).
5:30 -- Webster Groves, Mo. vs. Joplin, Mo. (main gym).
7 -- Olathe North vs. Willard, Mo. (Mallatt gym).
8:30 -- Pittsburg. vs. Wichita West (main gym).
Friday
3 -- Consolation semifinal (Mallatt gym).
4:30 p.m. -- Washburn Rural-Branson winner vs. Olathe North-Willard winner (main gym);
6 -- Consolation semifinal (Mallatt gym).
7:30 -- Pittsburg-Wichita West winner vs. Webster Grove-Joplin winner (main gym).
Saturday
10 a.m. -- Seventh place (Mallatt gym).
11:30 -- Third place (main gym)
1 p.m. -- Fifth place (Mallatt gym).
2:30 p.m. -- Championship game (main gym).
T-Bird boys to compete in Viking Classic
Shawnee Heights, now 7-4, will open competition in the Shawnee Mission West Viking Classic with a 7:30 p.m. Thursday quarterfinal against Blue Valley North (4-4).
Shawnee Heights is coming off a 70-62 non-league road win at Gardner-Edgerton on Saturday.
The T-Birds trailed 35-33 at the half against the Trailblazers but took control with a 20-10 third quarter.
The Shawnee Heights-BV North winner will advance to a 7:30 semifinal on Friday to take on the first-round winner between Glendale, Mo. and Shawnee Mission West.
On the other side of the bracket Andover Central will play Louisburg in the first round and Raymore-Peculiar, Mo. will play Aurora, Mo.
The place games will be played on Saturday, with the title game set for 3 p.m.
SHAWNEE MISSION WEST VIKING CLASSIC
Thursday
3 p.m. -- Andover Central vs. Louisburg, 3 p.m.
4:30 -- Raymore-Peculiar, Mo. vs. Aurora, Mo.
6 -- Glendale, Mo. vs. SM West.
7:30 -- Blue Valley North. vs. Shawnee Heights.
Friday
3 p.m. -- Andover Central-Louisburg loser vs. Raymore-Peculiar, Mo.-Aurora, Mo. loser.
4:30 -- Glendale, Mo.-SM West loser vs Blue Valley North-Shawnee Heights loser.
6 -- Andover Central-Louisburg winner vs. Raymore-Peculiar, Mo.-Aurora, Mo. winner.
7:30 -- Glendale, Mo.-SM West winner vs. Blue Valley North-Shawnee Heights winner.
Saturday
10 a.m. -- Seventh place.
11:30 -- Fifth place.
1 p.m. -- Third place.
2:30 -- Championship game.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Led by junior individual runnerups Brodye Kocher-Munoz and Jadyn Baum, Washburn Rural boys wrestling captured the team championship Saturday in the 34-school Newton Tournament of Champions by two points over the host Railers, 167.5-165.5.
Washburn Rural boys wrestling won the team championship in the 34-school Newton Tournament of Champions on Saturday. [Photo by Washburn Rural Athletics]
B. Kocher-Munoz, now 20-7 on the season, placed second at 150 pounds, dropping a 7-2 decision to Andale's Tristen Cox in the championship match while Baum, 18-4, finished second at 215 pounds, falling 4-0 to undefeated Cooper Reves in the final.
Rural's Josh Hogan was named the coach of the year.
Washburn Rural had six wrestlers place in the top five, with senior 138-pounder Cooper Stivers (26-6) finishing third, , senior 120-pounder Ryder Harrison (16-5) and senior Landen Kocher-Munoz (23-4) both posting fourth-place finishes and sophomore 285-pounder Kaiden Marshall (6-7) finishing fifth.
Seaman placed 21st as a team with 59.5 points, led by seventh-place 157-pounder Brennen Bowers and eighth-place finishers Deegan Frazier at 150 pounds and Henry Reichart at 285 pounds.
Host Trojans win Topeka Invitational championship
Topeka High won the team title in Saturday's 12-school home tournament, out-distancing Summit Christian Academy by a 171-147 margin as five Trojans earned individual titles.
High got titles from freshman 106-pounder Royal Newman (10-1), junior 113-pounder Jose Gomez (11-3), senior 120-pounder Luis Morones (12-2), senior 157-pounder Jordan Stiner (14-3) and senior 165-pounder Rehabiah Williamson (16-3).
The Trojans got a second-place finish from junior 132-pounder Asher Filbeck (13-6) while senior 144-pounder Michael Weatherly and senior 150-pounder Brandon Blancas (15-4) posted third-place finishes.
Highland Park got a third-place finish from senior 132-pounder Samuel Portlock (10-3) while Topeka West got a third-place finish from senior 215-pounder Cortez McCutcheon (20-2).
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman senior Claire LaDuke captured the girls individual championship while the Vikings rallied in the Baker format games to claim the team title in Thursday's Free State Invitational bowling tournament at Lawrence's Royal Crest Lanes.
Claire LaDuke (right) won the individual title in the Free State Invitational with a 677 series, helping lead Seaman to the team championship. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
LaDuke won the individual title with a 677 three-game series, rolling games of 214, 210 and 253 while Seaman took control in the Baker games to win the team championship by a 3,171-3,039 margin over Mill Valley after trailing the Jaguars 2,359-2,315 after the three American Ten Pin games.
Seaman posted a four-game total of 856 in Baker (225, 211, 254, 166), which was 126 pins higher than any other team in the 19-school field.
Backing LaDuke for the Vikings were Kayla Duncan with a 554, Paige Snyder with a 546, Leah Crawford with a 525, Laci Cole with a 512 and Ava Carlson with a 464.
Washburn Rural junior Megan Glinka finished fifth in the Free State Invitational with a 628 series. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Shawnee Heights junior Addison VanMetre finished eighth in the Free State Invitational with a 609 series. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural finished fourth as a team at 2,991, led by junior Megan Glinka, who placed fifth with a 628 series while Shawnee Heights finished seventh, led by junior Addison VanMetre, who placed ninth with a 609 series.
Results from Friday's boys tournament were not immediately available and will be posted on TopSports.news as soon as they become available.
FREE STATE INVITATIONAL
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After Topeka High boys basketball posted just one victory last season, first-year coach Robbie Sanders' Trojans continued their resurgence on Friday, improving to 6-5 with a 72-69 overtime Centennial League road victory at Junction City.
Robbie Sanders' Topeka High team improved to 6-5 with a 72-69 OT win at Junction City Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
The Trojans' win was their second in as many nights, with High topping St. Marys Academy 62-32 on Thursday.
Topeka High posted its first Centennial League win to improve to 1-2 while Junction City fell to 5-5 overall and 0-3 in the league.
Topeka High junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton scored 25 points in Friday's Centennial League road win at Junction City. [File photo/TSN]
Trojan girls roll to 63-29 Centennial win
Topeka High posted its first Centennial League victory of the season Friday night at Junction City, romping to a 63-29 win over the Blue Jays.
Junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton paced the Trojans, now 4-6 overall and 1-2 in the league, with 25 points while senior Keimara Marshall added 15 points and sophomore Hailey Caryl had a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds.
Junction City fell to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in the Centennial League.
Washburn Rural girls top Spartans, 45-34
Washburn Rural's girls improved to 6-3 overall and 2-1 in the Centennial League with a 45-34 road victory at Emporia Friday night.
Emporia dropped to 5-7 overall and 0-2 in the league.
Spartans snap Rural boys' six-game win streak
Emporia boys basketball snapped Washburn Rural's six-game winning streak on Friday, taking a 52-46 home Centennial League win.
Emporia, now 11-1 overall and 2-0 in the Centennial League, led 13-12 at the end of the first quarter and 30-23 at the half before Washburn Rural (7-3, 2-1) cut its deficit to three points (37-34) at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Spartans were able to close out the win with a 15-12 advantage over the final eight minutes.
Sophomore Brooks Ballard and senior John Hoytal led Washburn Rural with 13 points apiece while Hoytal registered a double-double with 11 rebounds.
West girls pick up first UKC victory
Topeka West's girls basketball snapped an eight-game losing streak while picking up its first United Kansas Conference win of the season Friday night in a 66-21 road rout at Kansas City-Turner.
The Chargers are now 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the UKC while Turner fell to 2-8 and 0-6.
Chargers get back on track with 20-point road win
The No. 2-ranked (Class 5A) Topeka West boys bounced back from a five-point home loss to No. 3 Seaman on Tuesday with a 60-40 United Kansas Conference road win at Kansas City-Turner Friday night.
Topeka West improved to 8-2 overall and 7-1 in the UKC while Turner fell to 3-7 overall and 0-6 in the league.
Lions protect Flint Hills lead with 27-point road win
Cair Paravel Latin's boys improved to 8-2 overall and remained undefeated in the Flint Hills League at 6-0 with an 86-59 road win at West Franklin Friday night.
The Lions opened up a 20-15 lead at the end of the first quarter and used a 27-17 second quarter to boost its advantage to 47-32 at the half.
Cair Paravel put the game out of reach with a 23-9 third quarter and cruised the rest of the way.
Senior Lucas Marichal and sophomore Chase Hastert led the Lions with 19 points apiece while Blaine Durbin added 18 points, Drew Fay 11 and Caleb Cleverdon 10.
West Franklin, now 1-8 overall and 1-5 in the league, got 22 points from Landon Ohlde and 21 from Zeek Dowd.
By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
No. 7-ranked Hayden girls basketball hosted city and Centennial League rival Topeka High Tuesday night, remaining undefeated in league play with a 51-40 home win over the Trojans.
Sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein scored a game-high 16 points Tuesday in Hayden's 51-40 Centennial League win over Topeka High. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka High would score first with senior Trish Short scoring the first basket, but Hayden would answer with sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein finding the basket to tie it up at two.
Hayden would go on a 8-2 run to end the first quarter up 10-4.
“In the first half, we only turned the ball over three times,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said. "So when you only turn the ball over three times, you know you're going to start hitting stuff. I was actually happy when it was 10-4, I know we only had 10 points, but we were playing good defense.''
Both teams would wake up in the second quarter and would start finding the basket, as Topeka High junior Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton would score 4 of her 7 points in the quarter and the Trojans would go into halftime trailing the Wildcats, 23-15.
Both teams would come out of the locker room hoping for a spark and Hayden would get off to a hot start with a 9-5 run to get the third started and the Wildcats would stretch its lead to 32-18.
The Trojans would get a little spark but Hayden’s Alana Mitchell would get a steal at halfcourt and drive to the basket and force another turnover on the very next possession and grab another basket to kill the Trojans' rally as the third quarter would come to an end with the Wildcats up 38-26.
Topeka High sophomore Hailey Caryl would try to give her team a spark in the fourth as she would score the first two baskets in the quarter and would score 7 of her team-high 15 in the fourth quarter.
It wouldn’t be enough because Hayden’s Schmidtlein would score 6 more of her game-high 16 in the fourth to solidify the win for her team.
“Honestly, a big thing is I focus on my defense and my defensive effort and my attitude on defense can carry over and it will carry over,'' Schmidtlein said. "If we just keep playing as a team on defense, we were bound to start making shots.”
By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
Hayden senior Connor Hanika led the way with a 25-point night Tuesday as the Hayden boys picked up their first Centennial League win of the season with a 72-56 home romp past Topeka High.
Senior Connor Hanika scored a game-high 26 points in Tuesday's 72-56 Hayden win over Topeka High. [File photo/TSN]
Tuesday's game would be a good one early as both teams would attack early and often with a combined 37 points being scored in the first quarter, while producing the only four lead changes in the game.
Hanika hit 10 of 15 shots from the field and five of seven attempts from the free throw line. He was 6 of 7 from the field at halftime.
“That was deliberate,'' Hayden coach Dwayne Anthony said. "I mean, he had to go do the work, but Connor explained to the team he needs more touches, We can run the offense through Connor.
He has a very high basketball IQ. I’m not surprised at all. And I'm thankful that he responded to the call like the leader he is.”
“The biggest thing we've talked about this week is staying together and being a family, and that's what we were tonight,'' Hanika said. "And then my teammates found me and they did a really good job. I got in a groove, my teammates found me, and I just started going and it was fun.”
The Wildcats would take a 39-27 halftime lead and come out of the locker room and go on a 9-0 run before the Trojans would find the basket.
By that point the Trojans were down twenty points, 50-30.
The Trojans would then go on a 13-0 run of their own to get back in the hunt. Led by senior Bryson McComas, who would score 8 of his team-high 18 on that run to end the third quarter.
“Calm down -- that's usually my message to them,'' Anthony said. "My guys were just competing for a state title in football, you know. So sometimes changing gears is a little different for us. But they're doing it. And sometimes it's being calm and not just letting the pace control them. Controlling the pace is just something that we're learning how to do. Everybody goes on runs.''
The Wildcats would out-score the Trojans 20-13 in the fourth quarter to take the 16-point win.
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.
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.
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Topeka High girls basketball dropped a 67-55 home Centennial League contest Friday night after a hot shooting night from Manhattan.
The first half had 75 combined points as both teams were trading basket after basket, but Manhattan pulled away down the stretch in the second half for the win.
“When you get in that desperation mode, you have to do something almost every trip down the court,” Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker said. “I thought the first half was one hell of a basketball game, wow.
"They have a nice team, they shoot well. We played pretty good defense and they still shot well. I’m disappointed that we lost, but I’m not disappointed with the way we played.”
Topeka High senior Keimara Marshall started the scoring for both teams with a 3-pointer and sophomore Hailey Caryl would convert an and-one opportunity making it 6-2 early on.
Junior Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton earned an and-one opportunity but before her free throw, the Indians called a timeout with 4:51 left in the quarter. Rayton missed the free throw, but .
would put the Trojans back up 13-7 the very next possession with a triple after a MHS and-one.
After MHS started pressing to create turnovers from Topeka High, Slaymaker called a timeout to draw up a play on the inbounds. It worked as Rayton found space down the floor and kissed it off the glass for two, and Topeka High led 20-18 after one quarter.
The game would change leads several times in the second stanza, as one team would hit a three, and the other would hit a three.
Trojan sophomore Hailey Caryl knotted the game at 28-28, knocking down three threes in the quarter.
Topeka High would push its lead back to six, but Manhattan kept scoring. Evie Banks was hot from downtown in the game, making it 34-31, but Caryl hit another from distance, as the Trojans went back up six, 37-31.
Manhattan would take the lead into halftime after Ansley Beckett hit two free throws with 50 seconds left, 38-37.
Out of halftime MHS would go up six after another three and then eventually went up nine at 47-38, forcing Topeka High into a timeout with 5:13 left in the third quarter.
Topeka High struggled to find a rhythm in the third quarter until Rayton scored four straight points.
Manhattan would end the third quarter up five (53-48) after Jelena Depusoir scored in the paint.
In the fourth quarter, Manhattan played keep away most of the quarter as the shot clock wasn’t functional for the night.
Manhattan would push its advantage to 59-52, forcing Slaymaker to call a timeout at the 4:44 mark to try to find some momentum, but MHS wasn’t having any of that
.
Bailey Busch got fouled for Manhattan, missed the and-one chance but MHS got the rebound and then Busch nailed a trey to make it 64-53, ending any chance for the Trojans.
“We only get better from that,” Slaymaker said. “We played 32 minutes with great effort, but you have to put that with some execution. The first half the execution was there for both teams but power to them. They had the edge on us, we couldn’t get back in the third quarter to gain control like we did, they had it all.”
Kat Ball led Manhattan (6-2 overall, 1-0 Centennial) with 13 points while Busch and Banks added 12 apiece.
Rayton scored a game-high 21 points for High, while Caryl added 17.
MANHATTAN 67, TOPEKA HIGH 55
Manhattan 18 20 15 14 -- 67
Topeka High 20 17 11 7 -- 55
Manhattan (6-2) – Larson 3 0-0 6, Becket 2 2-2 4, Depusior 5 0-0 10, Hall 1 0-0 2, Ingram 1 0-0 3, Ball 2 8-9 13, Busch 5 3-4 12, Banks 4 1-2 12.
Topeka High (3-5) – Triplett 1 0-0 2, Marshall 3 0-0 7, Rayton 8 3-5 21, Caryl 5 4-5 17, Gotru 3 2-2 8.
3-point goals – Manhattan 7 (Ingram 1, Ball 1, Busch 2, Banks 3), Topeka High 6 (Marshall 1, Rayton 2, Caryl 3,). Total fouls – Manhattan 13, Topeka High 16. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Topeka High boys basketball was unable to overcome a big third-quarter run from Manhattan Friday night, dropping a 70-63 home decision to the Indians in the Centennial League opener for both teams.
The Trojans found themselves in an early hole but managed to climb back and lead for several minutes but then strugged in the third quarter as Manhattan took control.
“I’m proud of the guys, I think we grew up a little bit today,” Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders said. “We saw how we have to compete to beat some of the best teams in the state and we didn’t quit. We made a lot of mistakes, the players did, I did as a coach. We didn’t lay down and didn’t quit.”
The Indians got off to a 7-2 lead as Will Carpenter hit a three and that lead would expand to 12-2 after Easton Duff backed his way down in the post and banked it off the window.
But Topeka High caught some momentum bringing it to 12-10 after senior Jalen Aldridge got an and-one opportunity but missed the free throw.
After Manhattan hit a three, Aldridge responded with one of his own, and the Indians led after one quarter. 18-15.
In the second quarter, Alridge kept it going, earning an and-one opportunity, falling to the baseline but missed the free throw, MHS still led by one, 18-17.
Aldridge would put the Trojans ahead for the first time since the opening minute of the first quarter with a triple and the Trojans took a four-point lead into the locker room, 34-30.
The Indians were red hot coming out of halftime, going on a 14-2 run as Tim Washington scored eight points in the quarter and Carpenter had seven himself, as part of a 24-point quarter for Manhattan.
McComas would trim the deficit to 51-44 after converting an and-one but then Carpenter pushed it back to 10 points as he too converted an and-one.
But then a scene Trojan fans didn’t want to see, Alridge went to drive to the cup from the left wing but fell awkwardly and immediately grabbed for his right knee and had to be helped off the court.
No word on his condition after the game but TopSports.news did see Alridge walking on his own gingerly without any assistance.
“I’ve been in that situation as a player here at Topeka High that sustained a major knee injury and hopefully it’s nothing serious,'' Sanders said. "I’m really worried about Jalen because he’s a great kid, he’s working hard, he's trying to do everything that I ask of him, he’s taking on extra responsibilities, he’s been coachable and he’s willing to change the narrative about himself.''
The rest of that fourth quarter, it was all MHS to a certain point, Topeka High with the help of Mar’saun Redmond, McComas and Ross, they were able to cut the deficit down to seven and then five at one point.
The Trojans did have an opportunity to bring it within two or three when it was 68-63 MHS. Redmond had a look from distance but it was blocked by Manhattan with about 10 seconds to go and Manhattan would pick up its seventh win of the season.
Redmond led Topeka High with 16 points, followed by McComas and Alridge who both had 14. Manhattan’s Sawyer Newton had a game-high 22 points.
“They’ve been through a lot. Everybody knows where this program and these guys have been. I’m very proud of the growth they’re showing and the direction that we’re headed,” Sanders said. “These kids are starting to believe, they think we’re good. I don’t know if they think they’re as good as I think we can become but I think there is a belief amongst the core group of guys and if that can trickle down to the rest of the group, I think we can be dangerous in the last stretch of the season.''
MANHATTAN 70, TOPEKA HIGH 63
Manhattan 18 12 24 16 -- 70
Topeka High 15 19 10 19 -- 63
Manhattan (7-1, 1-0) – Carpenter 6 1-2 15, Newton 0 1-2 1, Doering 4, 1-6 9, Newton 10 2-4 22, Witt 0 6-8 6, Washington 6 0-1 12, Duff 1 0-0 2.
Topeka High (4-4, 0-1) – Aldridge 6 0-2 14, Guest 1 0-0 2, McComas 5 3-5 14, Ross 4 0-0 11, McFadden 1 0-0 2, Carter 1 0-2 2, Redmond 5 5-6 16, Lucrks 0 2-2 2.
3-point goals – Manhattan 5 (Carpenter 3, Doering 2,), Topeka High 7 (Redmond 1, McComas 1, Alridge 2, Ross 3). Total fouls – Manhattan 18, Topeka High 18. Fouled out – none. Technical foul -- none.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural sophomore boys basketball standout Brooks Ballard and Topeka High girls basketball standout Hailey Caryl have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the recent accomplishments of Ballard and Caryl over the past week.
Brooks Ballard, Washburn Rural
BROOKS BALLARD, Washburn Rural
A 6-foot-2 sophomore, Ballard scored 21 points in last Saturday's 68-53 non-league road victory at Olathe West as the Junior Blues opened the 2026 portion of their schedule.
Ballard hit 7 of 11 field goal attempts overall, 6 of 10 3-pointers and connected on his lone free throw in the Rural win.
Ballard added 7 points on Tuesday as the defending Centennial League champions opened league play with a 50-45 road win at Junction City, improving to 6-2 on the season.
Hailey Caryl, Topeka High
HAILEY CARYL, Topeka High
After missing the first four games of the 2025-2026 season with an injury, Caryl, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, has returned to help lead Topeka High to three straight victories.
Caryl scored a career-high 26 points in last Friday's 86-31 road win over USD 501 rival Highland Park, hitting 10 of 16 shots from the floor and 6 of 7 free throw attempts.
Caryl added 8 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists on Tuesday as the Trojans posted a 65-41 non-league road win at Lawrence.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY'S GAMES
HAYDEN (7-2, 1-0 Centennial) at WASHBURN RURAL (5-2, 1-0 Centennial)
Both defending champion Hayden and perennial Class 6A contender Washburn Rural won their Centennial League openers on Tuesday. The Wildcats took a 53-37 home win over Emporia as sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein scored 14 points and sophomore Blakely Walter 10. The Junior Blues went on the road to beat Junction City, 68-32. Hayden is ranked No. 7 in Class 4A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association and Rural is No. 10 in 6A. Washburn Rural will be playing its third game of the week, dropping a 50-35 non-league decision to Olathe North on Monday.
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High
MANHATTAN (5-2, 0-0 Centennial) at TOPEKA HIGH (3-4, 0-0 Centennial)
Topeka High picked up its third straight win on Tuesday, taking a 65-41 non-league road win at Lawrence as junior Ahysieyrhuajh Rayton scored 29 points, senior Keimara Marshall 15 and senior Trish Short 13. High sophomore Hailey Caryl contributed 8 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists against the Lions. Manhattan is coming off its second loss of the season, dropping a 58-45 non-league decision to Hays.
ATCHISON (3-6, 3-0 Meadowlark) at HIGHLAND PARK (2-4, 1-1 Meadowlark)
Highland Park picked up a Meadowlark Conference forfeit win over Kansas City-Schlagle on Tuesday while Atchison edged KC-Wyandotte in a conference contest, 42-41. Highland Park played Wyandotte earlier in the season, with the Bulldogs taking a 68-52 victory over the Scots.
Pearmella Carter, Shawnee Heights
LEAVENWORTH (4-2, 1-2 UKC) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (5-3, 4-1 UKC)
Shawnee Heights stretched its winning streak to four games on Tuesday, with the T-Birds taking a 64-46 home United Kansas Conference win over De Soto. Junior Pearmella Carter led Heights with 19 points while juniors Sami Baum and Imani McGlory scoring 15 and 13 points, respectively. Leavenworth is coming off a 49-35 home UKC win over Topeka West.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Connor Hanika, Hayden
HAYDEN (3-6, 0-1) at WASHBURN RURAL (6-2, 1-0)
Washburn Rural opened defense of its Centennial League championship Tuesday with a 50-45 road win over Junction City, imporoving to 6-2 on the season. Senior Kieffer O'Connor led the Junior Blues with 16 points while senior Simon Rowley added 11. Hayden will be looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking 59-56 home Centennial League loss to Emporia. Senior Connor Hanika scored a game-high 22 points for the Wildcats while junior Carter Compton added 12 points.
Bryson McComas, Topeka High
MANHATTAN (6-1, 0-0) at TOPEKA HIGH (4-3, 0-0)
Topeka High climbed above the .500 level with a 66-65 nailbiter on the road Tuesday night at Lawrence. Friday's game will be the Centennial League opener for both Topeka High and Manhattan. The Indians are coming off a 62-59 overtime win over Hays, stretching its winning streak to six games.
ATCHISON (8-0, 3-0) at HIGHLAND PARK (2-4, 2-0)
Atchison and Highland Park will square off in a game that could go a long ways to deciding the Meadowlark Conference championship. The Scots improved to 2-0 in league play with a 60-32 home win over Kansas City-Schlagle Tuesday night as junior JoJo Kingcannon scored 21 points, going 8 of 11 from the floor with three 3-pointers. Atchison is coming off an 87-32 Meadowlark win over KC-Wyandotte.
LEAVENWORTH (2-4, 1-3) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3-4, 2-3)
Shawnee Heights will be looking to bounce back from a tough 51-50 United Kansas Conference home loss to De Soto Tuesday night. Junior Cam Ross led the T-Birds with 12 points. Leavenworth is coming off a 74-47 UKC home loss to Topeka West on Tuesday.
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
HOLTON (1-7, 1-5) at SILVER LAKE (6-2, 4-0)
Silver Lake posted a 73-61 Big East League victory at St. Marys on Tuesday while Holton picked up its first win of the season, a 57-53 league decision over Riley County. Holton is coached by former Topeka West assistant coach Marco Hunter. Silver Lake is ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.
