By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
After winning team championships in meets in Salina and Arkansas City, the Topeka West boys tennis team dominated the John Markham Spring Classic at Goddard Saturday, taking first as a team for the third straight meet.
Topeka West seniors Miles Cusick (back) and Ian Cusick rolled to the doubles championship Saturday at Goddard as the Chargers won their third straight team championship. [Submitted photo by Kami Cusick]
Seniors Ian and Miles Cusick, the defending Class 5A state doubles champions, shut out opponents from Wichita Southeast and Goddard Eisenhower in their first two matches. They went on to beat the team from McPherson 8-5 before taking an 8-4 decision over junior teammates Caden McGee and Caleb Weybrew to reach the finals.
The Cusicks then defeated Derby's Isaak Bowman and Hayden Carrillo 8-1 to take the top spot in doubles. McGee and Weybrew finished fourth.
Topeka West senior singles player Carter Cool finished fourth Saturday at Goddard, helping West win the team championship. [Submitted photo by Kami Cusick]
In singles, senior Carter Cool rolled past Jayden Phrakonkham from Wichita Southeast and Cair Paravel Latin freshman Drew Fay by 8-0 counts to open his tournament bid.
After beating Jack Ring from Maize High School, Cool fell in the semifinals to Independence's Kale Groff 8-1 and took fourth place in singles.
Junior James Maag won 8-1 in his first two matches against Goddard's Arce Gross and Independence's Owen Clapp before coming up short in the quarterinals, losing 8-3 to Goddard Eisenhower's Kyle King. Maag went on to finish fifth.
The Chargers will host the Topeka West Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center on Tuesday, April 18.
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel (right) and Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge finished first and second in the 1,600 last Friday's Lansing Invitational. [Submitted photo by Amy Esquibel]
Esquibel, Njoroge shine at Lansing
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel set Shawnee Heights school records in a pair of events in Friday's Lansing Invitational track and field meet while Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge registered a pair of personal records.
Esquibel and Njoroge went one-two in the 1,600, with Esquibel setting the Heights school record in 4 minutes, 23.37 seconds and Njororge finihing second in 4:24.12.
Njoroge came back later in the night to win the 3,200 9:26.36, with Esquibel second in a school-record time of 9:31.56.
Silver Lake softball takes twinbill sweep over 5A power Bobcats
Silver Lake's softball team posted a pair of statement wins last Thursday, going on the road to take 3-2 and 4-2 non-league wins over Basehor-Linwood, the Class 5A state runnerup a year ago.
In the first game, Basehor-Linwood scored a run in the bottom of the first but the Eagles answered with two runs in the top of the second.
Basehor-Linwood tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth but Silver Lake scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh.
Junior Avery Wende picked up the pitching win in the opener as the Eagles limited the Bobcats to one hit.
Freshman Kailyn Hanni had three hits for the Eagles while sophomore Kira Lowrey had two hits.
The nightcap was tied 1-1 at the end of the second inning and Basehor-Linwood took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third but Silver Lake went ahead to stay with two runs in the top of the fourth and added a run in the sixth.
Sophomore Taylor Zordel and junior Makenzie McDaniel both had two hits apiece for the 4-0 Eagles while Lowrey and McDaniel both knocked in runs.
Sophomore Kendra Cook turned in a complete-game pitching performance for Silver Lake in the second game, allowing five hits.
Rossville softball improves to 4-0 with twinbill sweep over Wabaunsee
Rossville's softball team posted 12-6 and 12-2 home Mid-East League wins over Wabaunsee last Thursday to improve to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Mid-East League..
The Bulldawgs will travel to Silver Lake Monday for a 4 p.m. Mid-East League doubleheader matching two unbeaten teams.
Topeka West soccer tops KC-Turner for first UKC win
Topeka West girls soccer picked up its first United Kansas Conference victory in its first season in the league last Thursday at Hummer Sports Park, with the Chargers earning a 2-1 overtime decision over Kansas City-Turner.
The game was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation before senior Ela Martinez converted a penalty kick to give the Chargers the victory.
West, which improved to 2-4, got its first goal on a shot from freshman Taryn Gilbert.
Topeka West will travel to Lansing for a UKC game on Tuesday.
Rural paces city swim teams with runnerup finish in Topeka High Invitational
Washburn Rural's girls swimming team rolled up 495 points to post a runnerup finish to Free State (604) in last Wednesday's 10-school Topeka High Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Makenna Pritchard posted a win in the 100-yard freestyle in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational, helping Washburn Rural finish second as a team. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman's Avery Walz won the 500 freestyle in last Wednesday's 10-school Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman's Tauren Walz won the 200 individual medley in last Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational as the Vikings finished third as a team. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman was third with 281 points while Shawnee Heights was fourth with 232 points, Hayden sixth with 155, Topeka High seventh 153 points and Topeka West 10th with nine points.
Washburn Rural picked up an individual victory from Makenna Pritchard in the 100-yard freestyle (57.42 seconds) while Mara Bare took second in the 200 freestyle (2:04.93), Audrey Appuhn second in the 200 individual medley (2:16.31) and the 500 free (5:23.73) and Pritchard third in the 50 free (25.38)
The Junior Blue foursome of Genevieve Miranda, Ruby Knutson, Appuhn and Pritchard finished second in the 200 medley relay (2:03.47) while Bare, Knutson, Miranda and Pritchard took second in the 200 free relay (1:49.67) and Bare, Sophie Heinen, Ava Von Lintel and Appuhn second in the 400 free relay (4:05.89).
Seaman got wins from Tauren Walz in the 200 individual medley (2:16.17) and Avery Walz in the 500 freestyle (5:20.06), a second-place finish from A. Walz in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.23) and from T. Walz in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.23) and thirds from Joslynn Grace in the 500 free (5:37.55) and the 100 breaststroke (1:13.61) while the foursome of Reagan Greig, A. Walz, Grace and T. Walz placed third in the the 200 medley relay (2:05.23).
Topeka High's Brianna Delvin won the one-meter diving title with a score of 241.45 points while Hayden's Kaylee Gregg was second (194.95) and Washburn Rural's Natalee Grauberger third (187.45).
TOPEKA HIGH INVITATIONAL
Team scores
Free State 604, Washburn Rural 495, Seaman 281, Shawnee Heights 232, Junction City 156, Hayden 155, Topeka High 153, Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg 107, Hays 93, Topeka West 9.
Individual results
200 medley relay -- 1. Free State (Hindman, McCullough, Packard, Wilson), 1:55.75; 2. Washburn Rural (Miranda, Knutson, Appuhn, Pritchard), 2:03.47; 3. Seaman (Greig, A. Walz, Grace, T. Walz), 2:05.23.
200 freestyle -- 1. Engelbrecht, Free State, 2:01.89; 2. Bare, Washburn Rural, 2:04.03; 3. Gao, Free State, 2:07.75.
200 individual medley -- 1. T. Walz, Seaman, 2:16.17; 2. Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 2:16.31; 3. Wilson, Free State, 2:23.66.
50 freestyle -- 1. Schmidt, Hays, 24.73; 2. Packard, Free State, 25.11; 3. Pritchard, Washburn Rural, 25.38.
One meter diving -- 1. Delvin, Topeka High, 241.45; 2. Gregg, Hayden, 194.95; 3. Grauberger, Washburn Rural, 187.45.
100 butterfly -- 1. Engelbrecht, Free State, 1:01.03; 2. McCullough, Free State, 1:02.33; 3. Hindman, Free State, 1:04.34.
100 freestyle -- 1. Pritchard, Washburn Rural, 57.42; 2. Liu, Free State, 1:00.36; 3. Guy, Free State, 1:00.41.
500 freestyle -- 1. A. Walz, Seaman, 5:20.06; 2. Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 5:23.73; Grace, Seaman, 5:37.55.
200 freestyle relay -- 1. Free State (Engelbrecht, Packard, Gao, Ward), 1:42.66; 2. Washburn Rural (Bare, Knutson, Miranda, Pritchard), 1:49.67; 3. Free State (Liu, Fowle, Masterson, Romero), 1:54.58.
100 backstroke -- 1. McCullough, Free State, 1:00.71; 2. A. Walz, Seaman, 1:00.95; 3. Wilson, Free State, 1:03.75.
100 breaststroke -- 1. Packard, Free State, 1:08.80; 2. T. Walz, Seaman, 1:10.23; 3. Grace, Seaman, 1:13.61.
400 free relay -- 1. Free State (Egelbrecht, McCullough, Wilson, Ward), 3:48.96; 2. Washburn Rural (Bare, Heinen, Von Lintel, Appuhn), 4:05.89; 3. Free State (Gao, Guy, Hasiuk, Hindman), 4:07.09.
