By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Since being swept by fellow city softball power Washburn Rural in its second doubleheader of the season, Topeka High has been on roll, reeling off 10 straight wins to improve to 12-2.
Junior Kenslee Young picked up a pitching win and hit two home runs Thursday as Topeka High ran its winning streak to 10 games with wins over Olathe West and Olathe Northwest. [File photo/TSN]
And Shane Miles' Trojans posted their most impressive wins to date on Thursday in the Sunflower Festival in Olathe, posting wins over the two schools who have combined to win the last three Class 6A state championships.
Topeka High junior Campbell Dawson struck out six and allowed just one walk in Thursday's 6-3 win over defending Class 6A champ Olathe West. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka High, which captured back-to-back state titles in 2021 and 2022, took a 6-3 win over defending 6A champ Olathe West, which also won in 2023, and rolled to a 13-4 win over 2024 champ Olathe Northwest.
"I think those (Rural) games helped us see where pieces would fall together and we tried some girls at different spots and just tried to find that team chemistry that was going to work for us,'' Miles said. "Going into the Sunflower Fest we knew we were going to face some quality teams -- Olathe West ranked No. 1 in the state in all classes and Olathe Northwest being traditionally a very good team.
"Our girls were confident about it and they knew if they played the way they could, they could play with anybody.''
Senior third baseman Taimane Isaia slammed three home runs on the day for the Trojans while juniors Kenslee Young and Campbell Dawson both hit two homers and picked up complete-game pitching victories.
Dawson struck out six batters and only issued one walk against Olathe West and also went 2 of 3 at the plate while Isaia was 3 for 4 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and two RBI.
Trojan junior center-fielder Madilyn Poole was 4 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI while Gateley was 3 for 3 and freshman catcher Harper Robbins 2 for 3 as High had 16 hits in the game.
In addition to picking up the pitching win against Northwest, Young homered twice, drove in three runs and scored two.
Isaia went 3 for 5 with two homers, two RBI and three runs while Dawson went 3 for 4 with a homer, two doubles and five RBI.
Junior catcher Becca Gateley went 3 for 4 against Northwest with a triple and three runs scored and sophomore second baseman Adrianna Adame was 2 of 4 with two runs scored.
Miles said the key now for the Trojans is to build off the momentum they've established.
"You're never satisfied and that's what I told the girls (Thursday),'' he said. "They beat Olathe West the first game, but I told them, 'Don't be satisfied with that, go get the other one, too,' and that's what they did.
"It was very, very fun to be a coach yesterday and watch the girls have fun and play the way they can.''
