By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights baseball has a new coach in Jason Brown but the T-Birds' legacy of winning and state tournament appearances remains intact.
Shawnee Heights baseball celebrates its Class 5A regional championship last Tuesday night at the Bettis Family Sports Complex. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Longtime T-Bird coach Ryan Schmidt, who led Heights to two Class 5A state titles, retired after appearance in last year's state tournament, but the T-Birds haven't missed a beat in Brown's first season at the helm and will take a 21-7 record into Thursday and Friday's state event at Wichita State's Eck Stadium.
Shawnee Heights, which won United Kansas Conference and regional titles, will the state tournament as the No. 4 seed at will open its state bid at 1:15 p.m. Thursday against No. 5 seed Hays (18-8).
Heights punched its latest ticket to state with a 5-2 regional win over United Kansas Conference rival De Soto last Tuesday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
With a win Thursday Shawnee Heights will advance to an 11 a.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 1 seed St. Thomas Aquinas (24-4) and No. 8 Valley Center (17-11).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Great Bend (23-5) will face No. 7 Piper (17-10) and No. 3 seed Blue Valley Southwest (21-6) will face No. 6 Eisenhower (18-10).
The 5A state championship game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Friday, following the 3:30 third-place game.
Rural back in 6A field
Washburn Rural is headed to the Class 6A state tournament for the first time since a third-place finish in 2022.
The Junior Blues earned their state bid with a 1-0 win over Campus in last Thursday's regional final at Campus.
Washburn Rural, the No. 8 seed for state, is now 15-11 on the season and will face top seed Free State (25-2) at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hoglund Stadium in Lawrence.
With a win Thursday Rural will advance to an 11 a.m. Friday semifinal to take on the first-round winner between No. 4 seed Manhattan (20-6) and No. 5 Maize (20-6).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Olathe West (25-2) will face No. 7 Shawnee Mission West (17-11) and No. 3 seed Mill Valley (22-5) will take on No. 6 Blue Valley (19-9).
The 6A state championship game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Friday, following the 3:30 third-place game.
Silver Lake No. 4 seed in 3A
Silver Lake has been installed as the No. 4 seed for Thursday and Friday's Class 3A state tournament at Manhattan.
Silver Lake punched its ticket to state with a 3-0 win over Council Grove in a 3A regional final.
The Eagles (21-7) will open their state bid at 1:15 p.m. Thursday at Tointon Family Stadium against No. 5 Hesston (16-6).
With a win Thursday Silver Lake will advance to an 11 a.m. Friday semifinal to take on the first-round winner between No. 1 Jefferson West (26-2) and No. 8 Sabetha (16-12).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Humboldt (23-4) will face No. 7 Russell (17-11) and No. 3 seed Wichita Trinity (24-5) will take on No. 6 Columbus (17-10).
The 3A state championship game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Friday, following the 3:30 third-place game.
Dawgs No. 4 seed for 2A-1A state
Rossville, 18-7 on the season, is the No. 4 seed for the Class 2A-1A state tournament Thursday and Friday in Great Bend.
The Bulldawgs, who advanced to state with a 10-1 win over Frankfort at Rossville last Tuesday, will play its first-round game at 1:15 p.m. Thursday against No. 5 Whitewater-Remington (16-8).
With a win Thursday Rossville will move on to an 11 a.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 1 Valley Falls (22-4) and No. 8 Medicine Lodge (11-10).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Central Heights (21-4) will face No. 7 Douglass (14-10) and No. 3 seed TMP-Marian (24-5) will take on No. 6 St. Marys Colgan (16-9).
The 2A-1A state championship game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Friday, following the 3:30 third-place game.
