By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With the eight Topeka high schools now spread out over four different leagues, traditional city rivals don't get as many opportunities to play each other.
Robbie Sanders' Topeka High team got that chance Friday night at Highland Park and the Trojans took full advantage, riding a hot start to a 74-55 non-league win over the Scots.
Topeka High senior Bryson McComas had a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Trojans' 74-55 win at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High senior Elisha Guest scored 15 points with three 3-pointers in Friday's 74-55 win over Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I'm proud of these guys,'' said Sanders, a former Topeka High star. "This game means a lot to them and it means a lot to the community and it means a lot to the alumni of both schools and it means a lot to me and it means a lot to Nate (Wallace, Highland Park coach).
"I'm just really, really happy to get a win.''
Topeka High, now 3-3 on the season, blasted out of the gate for a 23-10 first-quarter advantage and never looked back.
The Trojans built a 42-23 halftime advantate and led 64-35 after three quarters before Highland Park (1-4) cut into its deficit with a 20-10 fourth quarter.
Senior Bryson McComas registered a double-double for the Trojans with 22 points and 10 rebounds while senior Elisha Guest added 15 points with three 3-pointers and freshman Jaxon Luarks chipped in with 10 points.
"I think we're making progress every day,'' Sanders said. "As long as we just keep chopping wood and we keep believing in each other and trusting each other, the sky's the limit for this team.
"We've got some talent, we've got some hungry guys and we're shooting the ball a lot better than I thought we would at this point. People had their eyes on this game and they wanted to see what we could do and they wanted to see what Highland Park could do. I'm just glad we played well.''
Junior JoJo Kingcannon paced Highland Park with 17 points while sophomore Davion Anderson added 10 points with three 3-pointers.
TOPEKA HIGH BOYS 74, HIGHLAND PARK 55
Topeka High 23 19 22 10 -- 74
Highland Park 10 13 12 20 -- 55
Topeka High (3-3) – Aldridge 3-11 0-1 8, Guest 4-8 4-4 15, McComas 9-14 4-4 22, McFadden 3 0-1 7, Ross 1-4 0-0 2, Arnold 0-1 0-0 0, Luarks 4-6 1-1 10, Villegas 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 4-6 0-0 8, Redmond 0-3 2-2 2, Ramirez 0-1 0-0 0, Humphrey 0-1 0-0 0, Harris 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-64 11-13 74.
Highland Park (1-4) – Montgomery 1-6 0-0 3, Drew 3-8 1-2 8, Kingcannon 6-8 5-9 17, Anderson 3-12 1-4 10, Mitchell 1-3 0-0 2, L. McMillon 1-4 0-0 2, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Z. McMillon 6-6 1-2 13. Totals 21-47 8-17 55.
3-point goals – Topeka High 7 (Guest 3, Aldridge 2, McFadden, Luarks), Highland Park 5 (Anderson 3, Montgomery, Drew). Total fouls – Topeka High 18, Highland Park 16. Fouled out – Villegas.
