See the top high school sports performances from the Topeka-area for Dec. 9-14
Shawnee Heights’ Ken Darting speaks after close defeat to Piper basketball
Shawnee Heights suffered a 59-56 loss to Piper at home on Tuesday. Head coach Ken Darting spoke after the close defeat.
TOPEKA — The first full week of winter of sports is in the books and it was a busy one. Basketball teams from across the city competed in many tournaments in the surround area. Wrestling teams found success on the mat and swimming meets are taking shape, too.
Here are the top performances from the Topeka area from Dec. 9-14.
If there is a player from the area who has made an impact this week, send nominees, with stats, to Liam Keating at lkeating@gannett.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter), @liamkeating7
Boys
Tuesday, Dec. 10
Jack Donovan, Rossville basketball: The sharp-shooting guard had a night to remember. He scored a game-high 35 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the 3-point line in a 77-69 win over Bishop Ward.
Connor Hanika, Hayden basketball: Hanika led the team with 14 points in Hayden’s 62-47 win over Wichita Trinity in the Paul Terry Classic. The win marked the first victory for first-year head coach Dwayne Anthony.
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake basketball: The combo guard had a game-high 29 points in Silver Lake’s 67-58 victory against Holton. Johnson went 11 for 14 from the free-throw line, too.
Isaiah Kelley, Highland Park basketball: The lengthy forward led the Scots with 20 points as they defeated Missouri’s Pembroke Hill 77-44 in the first round of the SME Championship Showdown.
Jase Pavlik, Cair Paravel basketball: The senior had 20 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the Lions’ 54-36 win over Lyndon.
Simon Rowley, Washburn Rural basketball: The junior led the team in scoring with 14 points in the Junior Blues’ 52-44 win over Missouri’s Raytown South in the first round of the SME Championship Showdown.
Wednesday, Dec. 11
Luke Lemke, Washburn Rural swimming: Lemke won the 200-yard IM with a 2:11.91 in the Hayden Invitational. He also swam the lead-off leg of the 200-yard medley which the Junior Blues won. Washburn Rural also won the team title by over 120 points.
Highland Park’s Mike Williams speaks after Blue Valley North win
Highland Park defeated Blue Valley North in the semifinals of the Shawnee Mission East Championship Showdown on Thursday. Head coach Mike Williams discussed the win.
Thursday, Dec. 12
Da’Mykel Hales, Highland Park basketball: The senior nailed four 3-pointers as he finished with 14 points in the Scots’ 56-49 win over Blue Valley North in the SME Championship Showdown semifinal.
John Hoytal, Washburn Rural basketball: The junior forward finished with 15 points to lift his team over St. James Academy in the semifinals of the SME Championship Showdown.
Friday, Dec. 13
KaeVon Bonner, Seaman basketball: The junior led the team with 17 points in the Vikings’ 60-57 road win over Topeka West.
Jacorey Robinson, Highland Park basketball: The Austin Peay signee had a team-high 19 points in the championship game of the SME Championship Showdown. He helped the Scots to a 65-49 win over city rival Washburn Rural.
Ben Roeder, Cair Paravel basketball: Roeder had 13 points in the 60-50 win over Missouri’s Northland Christian. Roeder scored seven of his points in the second quarter alone.
Coach Dwayne Anthony speaks after Hayden basketball’s loss to Emporia High
First-year head coach Dwayne Anthony spoke after Hayden’s 60-44 loss to Emporia High in the Paul Terry Classic on Saturday.
Saturday, Dec. 14
Easton Broxterman, Washburn Rural wrestling: The senior took second place in the highly competitive Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic. Broxterman went 6-1 in the 144-pound division with his lone loss coming in the championship bout in which he was defeated in a 7-5 decision.
Adrian Burney, Highland Park wrestling: Burney defended his home mat by winning the 175-pound division in the Highland Park hosted Melvin Douglas Invitational.
Nick Davis, Topeka High wrestling: Davis is undefeated with an 11-0 record to begin the new year. He won the 165-pound weight class in the Melvin Douglas Invitational.
Garrett Holmes, Silver Lake wrestling: Holmes went undefeated in five 132-pound matches as he helped the Eagles win the Sabetha Duel Tournament.
Jude Krentz, Hayden wrestling: Krentz took the 175-pound title in the Onaga Invitational. Three of his four victories were by pin.
Caleb Menke, Hayden wrestling: Menke faced three competitors in the 157-pound division of the Onaga Invitational. He defeated all three by pin, claiming the individual title.
Mason Moore, Shawnee Heights wrestling: Moore won the Onaga Invitational’s 126-pound division by going 3-0 with all victories coming via pin.
Jordan Stiner, Topeka High wrestling: Stiner won first place in the 157-pound division of the Melvin Douglas Invitational. He holds a 9-2 record so far this year.
Girls
Tuesday, Dec. 10
Anna Becker, Seaman basketball: The senior scored 17 points for a game-high performance. She led the Vikings to a 70-22 win over Lansing.
Rylee Dick, Rossville basketball: The junior helped the Bulldawgs cruise by Bishop Ward in a 89-9 victory. Dick scored 26-points in the win.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake basketball: The junior was on the mark with 24 points in the Eagles’ 65-33 win over Holton.
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High basketball: The sophomore poured in 21 points to give Topeka High a 49-34 win over Olathe Northwest in the first round of the De Soto Hardwood Classic. It marked the first win as a Trojan for legendary head coach Ron Slaymaker.
Maddie Vickery, Washburn Rural basketball: The sophomore scored a team-high 17 points to give the Junior Blues a 45-52 over Missouri’s Liberty in the first round of the De Soto Hardwood Classic.
Thursday, Dec. 12
Maddie Vickery, Washburn Rural basketball: The sophomore had another big game for the Junior Blues. She scored 27 points to lead all scores in their 68-44 win over city rival Topeka High in the semifinal of the De Soto Hardwood Classic.
Hear from head coach Matt Tinsley after Seaman girls basketball’s win
Seaman girls basketball went on the road and defeated Topeka West 80-33. Head coach Matt Tinsley spoke after the win on Friday.
Friday, Dec. 13
Eriana Donaldson, Cair Paravel basketball: Donaldson led the team with 14 points to help Cair Paravel secure a 44-37 win over Northland Christian. It was the first victory for first-year head coach Jaley Barkley.
Maddie Gragg, Seaman basketball: The junior was the leading scoring with 19 points as Seaman knocked off Topeka West 80-33.
Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden basketball: The freshman scored 13 points in Hayden’s 59-36 win over Spring Hill in the Paul Terry Classic.
Saturday, Dec. 14
Jenea Bratton, Topeka High wrestling: Bratton won each match with a pin as she won the Melvin Douglas Invitational title at140 pounds.
Makayla Cadet, Highland Park wrestling: Cadet won her home tournament by securing three pins in the 190-pound division of the Melvin Douglass Invitational. Cadet holds an 8-1 record on the year.
Taylie Heston, Seaman wrestling: Heston won the 120-pound title in the RavenMania tournament hosted by Olathe Northwest. She went 5-0 with three pins.
Katie Mead, Hayden wrestling: Mead won the 120-pound title of the Onaga Invitational. She holds a 5-1 record so far this season.
Nora Mitchell, Rossville wrestling: Mitchell had three pins to win the 100-pound weight class of the Clay Center Invite.
Millie Ramsey, Hayden basketball: The senior scored 16 points in the Wildcats’ 54-13 win over Emporia. The victory clinched the Paul Terry Classic Championship for Hayden.
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High basketball: The sophomore scored a team-high 29 points on 11-for-17 shooting to help Topeka High defeat Missouri’s Notre Dame de Sion 58-40 in the De Soto Hardwood Classic third-place game.
Isabel Reyes, Shawnee Heights wrestling: Reyes won the 130-pound division of the Clay Center Invite. She went undefeated with a 5-0 record with each victory coming via pin. She was one of six Thunderbirds to win their weight class as Shawnee Heights won the team title.
Molly Spader, Washburn Rural wrestling: The senior took second place in the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic. The 105-pound wrestler went 5-1 in the extremely difficult Iowa tournament that saw the Junior Blues win the team title by 8.5 points.
Monica Stewart, Topeka West wrestling: Stewart went 3-0 in the Melvin Douglas Invitational. She won the 235-pound weight class by defeating each opponent with a pin.
Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com
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