By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka High girls cruised to a 65-29 home Centennial League win over Emporia Tuesday in what will be a tune-up for a rugged stretch of games.
Junior Trish Short scored 10 points to help Topeka High take a 65-29 Centennial League win over Emporia Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans don’t have long to relish the blowout of the Spartans. They hit the road Wednesday for a makeup game at Manhattan, then they face Washburn Rural, the seventh-ranked team in Class 6A class, followed by Hayden, the top-ranked team in 4A.
But for one night, they can enjoy it.
The Trojans ripped off an 18-0 run to open the game, holding the Spartans scoreless for nearly six minutes. Leading Topeka High in scoring was junior Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton with 20 points. Freshman Hailey Caryl added 12 points and junior Trish Short 10.
“We played hard, and we played together,” said Short. “Usually when we blow teams out, we let off the gas a little bit. But today we played hard throughout the whole four quarters. We know that no matter who we play, we have to play to our level. We can’t lower to other people’s level.”
Topeka High held Emporia to just 8-43 shooting from the field. The Trojan full-court pressure stifled the Spartans and led to numerous fast break opportunities.
“We play very good defense, and we get up and down the court really well and we’re working like the dickens to get all the other things better,” Trojan coach Ron Slaymaker said.
Slaymaker recognized the difficulty of the road ahead, but said he thinks his team is prepared for the challenge.
“We have had very minimal games, or even quarters, where we have laid an egg,” Slaymaker said. “They just seem to come ready to play. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect. I keep telling them there’s room to get a little better. And if we want to continue our season, we’ve got to get a little better.”
Short said she believes the team is peaking at the right time.
“As we’re getting more games together, we’re starting to mold together and work together as a team,” Short said. “We know we have more to work on and we’re going to get it done.”
TOPEKA HIGH GIRLS 65, EMPORIA 29
Emporia 6 6 13 4 -- 29
Topeka High 18 17 22 8 -- 65
Emporia (2-11 0-3) – Howe 1-4 0-0 2, Aguirre 2-11 0-0 5, Wiltz 0-4 2-3 2, Davis 2-10 4-6 9, B’Hymer 0-1 2-2 2, Moreno 1-1 2-2 4, Cunningham 0-2 0-0 0, Farrell 1-6 0-0 2, Heffner 1-3 1-4 3, Scobee 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 8-43 11-17 29.
Topeka High (9-4 2-1) – Short 5-7 0-2 10, Marshall 4-10 0-0 8, Rayton 9-17 2-2 20, Caryl 6-9 0-1 12, Benning 2-3 0-0 4, Gotru 2-5 0-0 4, Triplett 2-2 1-1 5, Conley 0-0 0-0 0, Mathews 0-1 2-2 2, Simpson 0-0 0-0 0, Munoz 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-2 0. Totals: 30-54 5-10 65.
3-point goals – Emporia 2 (Aguirre 1, Davis 1), Topeka High 0. Total fouls – Emporia 9, Topeka High 12. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.
