By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After eking out a pair of one-point regular-season wins over city and Centennial League rival Washburn Rural, Topeka High coach Robbie Sanders knew his Trojans faced a tough task against the Junior Blues in Wednesday's Class 6A sub-state semifinal in The Dungeon.
Senior Bryson McComas shared team-high honors for Topeka High with 14 points in Wednesday's 57-50 sub-state win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka High senior Elisha Guest had 13 points with four 3-pointers in Wednesday's 57-50 sub-state victory over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But for the third time this season High was good enough to get the job done, taking a 57-50 victory to give the Trojans a three-game sweep over the Junior Blues by a total of just nine points.
"We gutted it out,'' Sanders said. "It was tough to beat those guys once, let alone three times.
"They're always so well-prepared and (John) Hoytal's such a physical presence and Cooper (Schmidt). It's just an interesting challenge that they give us, but I'm really proud of the way the guys handled it tonight.''
With the win No. 8 seed West seed Topeka High, now 13-11, is headed to a sub-state championship game Saturday at No. 1 seed Maize after winning only one game and failing to make into the 6A sub-state field in 2024-2025.
Washburn Rural, which finished the season 11-12, jumped out to a 5-0 advantage Wednesday, but Topeka High rallied to lead 18-13 by the end of the opening quarter.
The Trojans continued to fight off Washburn Rural in the second quarter en route to a 29-24 halftime advantage and led 40-35 at the end of the third stanza, ending the quarter with a 3-pointer from senior Ajalon Ross.
Topeka High got 13 points from senior Ajalon Ross in Wednesday's 57-50 Class 6A sub-state semifinal win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Ross's trey began a 9-0 run as the Trojans opened up their biggest lead of the night, 46-35, on two free throws from senior Jalen Aldridge with 5:31 remaining.
Topeka High eventually went up by 12 points (54-42) at the 2:03 mark on a free throw from junior Dae'Veon Campbell and the Junior Blues got no closer than the final margin the rest of the way.
Senior Bryson McComas led Topeka High with 14 points while senior Elisha Guest had 13 points with four 3-pointers and Ross also had 13 points, including a pair of traditional three-point plays and his 3-point basket.
"I didn't want my final game to be tonight,'' Ross said. "I wanted to go to practice tomorrow.''
"Ajalon's been through everything,'' Sanders said. "He had to wait his turn at Topeka West and he transferred over here. He started off really hot and he had some trials and tribulations but he never gave up.
"He shows up to work every day and he showed up when we needed it the most tonight.''
Senior John Hoytal scored a game-high 24 points in Wednesday's 57-50 Washburn Rural loss to Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hoytal, a senior, kept Washburn Rural in the hunt with a game-high 24 points, including a seven of eight performance at the free throw line.
Sophomore Brooks Ballard added 11 points for the Junior Blues with three 3-pointers, but no other Rural players scored more than six.
Maize improved to 19-5 with an 88-37 win over Wichita West and will host Topeka High at 5 p.m. Saturday.
"That's all we wanted going into this game was another opportunity to play, so we've got practice tomorrow and we'll prepare for Maize,'' Sanders said. "I know they're a talented bunch and they're very well-coached.''
TOPEKA HIGH BOYS 57, WASHBURN RURAL 50
Washburn Rural 13 11 11 15 -- 50
Topeka High 18 11 11 17 -- 57
Washburn Rural (11-12) – Ballard 4-10 0-0 11, John Hoytal 8-17 7-8 24, O'Connor 2-8 0-2 6, Chooncharoen 1-4 0-0 3, Schmidt 1-3 2-2 4, Nimz 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 1-3 0-0 2, Wright 0-1 0-0 2, Graf 0-0 0-0 0, Vogel 0-0 0-0 0, Bradley 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Hoytal 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-47 9-12 50.
Topeka High (13-11) – Aldridge 3-9 2-2 8, Guest 4-8 1-2 13, McComas 5-13 2-8 14, Ross 5-7 2-2 13, McFadden 1-4 0-0 2, Carter 1-1 0-0 2, Wilkerson 0-0 0-0 0, Redmond 0-2 0-0 0, Luarks 0-2 2-2 2, Campbell 0-0 3-4 3. Totals 19-46 12-20 57.
3-point goals – Washburn Rural 7 (Ballard 3, O'Connor 2, Hoytal, Chooncharoen), Topeka High 7 (Guest 4, McComas 2, Ross). Total fouls – Washburn Rural 15, Topeka High 14. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls -- none.
