Senior quarterback Logan Ladish outraced the Seaman defense on a 34-yard touchdown run. Ladish ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in Piper’s 31-13 win over the Seaman High School Vikings. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Piper Pirates beat Topeka’s Seaman Vikings 31-13 Friday evening in their last regular season game of 2022. Hundreds of fans packed Piper Stadium on a breezy and warm mid-October evening.
Senior quarterback Logan Ladish led the scoring with two long touchdown runs of 34 and 48 yards. He also connected with receiver Che’ Clemons for a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Senior receiver Colin Vigil scored on a 9-yard run in the first quarter, and kicker Zane Busick converted a 26-yard field goal.
Defensive back Tannar McDaniel made an impact on the defensive side, grabbing an interception at the end of the first half that led to a scoring drive. He also made some hard-hitting open field tackles on Seaman’s receivers over the middle.
Piper finished the regular season with a 5-3 record and are seeded 8th in the east bracket of the KSHSAA 4A playoffs. The Pirates will play at home next Friday against the Tonganoxie Chieftains in their first round match, starting at 7 p.m.
Senior receiver Colin Vigil fended off a tackler on a fourth quarter run. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore defensive back Tannar McDaniel brought down Seaman junior receiver Callen Barta before he could turn up field after a catch. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior running back Miguel Martin made a run around the right end. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior receiver Mason L’Heureux leaped high to bring down a pass on the right sideline. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior offensive lineman Camden Beebe led the team in thanking the fans after the game. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior kicker Zane Busick converted 4 extra points and a 26-yard field goal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper Pearls dance team performed a cops-and-robbers themed dance number at halftime. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper cheerleading team posed with their senior members before halftime. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore lineman Maddix Davis burst through to sack Seaman sophomore quarterback Max Huston. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore receiver Che’ Clemons snared a 25-yard touchdown pass. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Penelope Kline lined up a backhand return in the championship match of the 5A regional girls’ tennis tournament at Mill Valley High School. Kline lost the match but her second-place finish earned her a berth in the state tournament. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
Two Bonner Springs tennis players are headed to the KSHSAA 5A state tournament in Andover next weekend after placing in the regional tournament at Mill Valley High School this Saturday.
Penelope Kline took second place at the regional, nearly knocking off top-seeded Heidi Baillos of Mill Valley. Kline took the first set of the championship 6-3, with the tremendous pace on her forehand and serve forcing Baillos onto the defensive.
Baillos lacked Kline’s sheer pace, but countered with an uncanny ability to drop her shots just inside the endline no matter what was hit her way. Kline won a few points by mixing in drop shots, but Baillos won the second set 6-2.
An extended break before the decisive third set seemed to refresh the Bonner junior, who immediately broke serve and took a 2-0 advantage. However, the accuracy of her ground strokes and serve was on the wane, and Baillos, looking fresh as ever, broke two consecutive Kline serves to take the match (6-4) and regional title.
Autumn Ashford placed fifth in the regional, defeating St. James’ Abby Coker decisively (6-0, 6-1) in their consolation match. Ashford’s only loss was in the second round to tourney champ Baillos.
Bonner Springs also qualified two doubles teams, Newson/Smith and Leslie/Profeta, but both lost their first-round elimination match-ups.
After the match Bonner Springs head coach Matt Dow talked about his team’s showing at the tournament.
“It was a great performance,” said Dow. “I’m so happy with how hard Penelope worked — how hard Autumn Ashford worked. Great tennis, hard work, gutsy tennis — a lot of grit and determination today.”
Sumner Academy qualified two singles players and two doubles teams for the regional. Sofia Mercado was seeded 13th in singles and lost in the first round to St. Thomas Aquinas’s Megan Law. Melissa Ortega was seeded 15th and lost to Kline in the first round.
Sumner’s doubles teams, Fileto/Garcia and Vang/Tial, were both eliminated in the first round.
Piper High School’s Avery Roellchen also qualified for the tournament in singles. Despite an early lead, she narrowly lost 9-8 to Leavenworth’s Riley White in the abbreviated nine-game play-in format.
Bonner Springs junior Penelope Kline and coach Matt Dow posed together after Kline received her medal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Autumn Ashford went 3-1 at the tournament, placing fifth and advancing to the state tournament. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner Academy senior Seydi Garcia played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Pirsten Leslie played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Luci Smith played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner Academy senior Sofia Mercado returned a shot in her first-round match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Piper junior Avery Roellchen played in a first-round singles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner Academy senior Maria Fileto played a forehand return in her first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Sofia Profeta played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner Academy senior Pajah Vang played in a first-round doubles match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore running back Skyler Little sprinted toward the end zone, scoring the 7th and final touchdown in Piper’s 49-0 win over Topeka West. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Piper Pirates traveled to Topeka for a rare Saturday daytime game, facing off against the Topeka West Chargers at Hummer Sports Park and powering their way to a 49-0 win. Piper scored all its points in the first half, and head coach John Black used the second half to get experience for his reserve players.
The Chargers, despite coming into the game with an 0-3 record, looked formidable on their opening drive, featuring an option offense led by quarterback Malachi Berg. The Chargers moved the ball all the way to the Piper 9-yard line then gave up a fumble, ending their best scoring threat of the game.
Piper started deep in its own end, but runs from running back Zane Pudenz and quarterback Logan Ladish brought the ball out near midfield. Running back Miguel Martin then broke a 58-yard touchdown run to start the scoring.
Collin Ketter recovered another Chargers fumble on the next possession to give Piper a short field from the Topeka West 28-yard line. Zane Pudenz scored on the ground to put the Pirates up by 14.
With two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Zane Pudenz scored again, this time on defense, scooping a Topeka West fumble and running it back for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
J.J. Jarrett opened the second quarter scoring with a 67-yard run, making great use of the downfield blocking from Lamar Lynch and Camden Beebe.
On the next possession, Piper took over at the Topeka West 29-yard line after another fumble. On the next play, Ladish hit receiver Mason L’Heureux in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown and 35-0 lead.
Topeka West pinned the Pirates deep on the next possession by punting to the Piper 12-yard line, but Ladish responded with an 88-yard touchdown run, finding a crease in the defensive front and then taking off up the left sideline.
On the next possession, Piper drove the ball down to the Chargers 25-yard line, and running back Skyler Little ran the ball around the left side for a touchdown and the final 49-0 margin.
Zane Busick and Kaleb Kirgan split duties on the PAT attempts, converting all seven.
Quarterback Gannon Roth led the Pirates onto the field in the second half. After two yardage-losing plays from scrimmage, Black called a timeout to get the squad together.
Due to the size of the lead, there were no clock stoppages in the second half, and with both teams in a run-heavy offense, the time slipped away quickly to the end of the game.
After the game, Black talked with his team about their goal of returning to Hummer Sports Park at the end of the season, when the KSHSAA Class 4A state championship is played there.
Thursday and Saturday games are being scheduled more frequently this year due to a shortage of available officials. The state activities association has made an appeal for new officials to register at https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Official/NewOfficials.cfm. KSHSAA touts the benefits of staying involved in sports and earning some extra income.
The Piper Pirates are now 2-2 for the season. They will play at home against the Turner Golden Bears next Friday starting at 7:00 P.M.
Junior running back Zane Pudenz powered across the goal line in the first quarter. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior lineman Declan Waters led the team onto the field before the game. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper cheerleaders practiced some stunts during halftime. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Junior defensive back Zane Pudenz secured a Topeka West fumble and ran it in for a touchdown. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore running back Skyler Little ran for a touchdown, with some blocking from senior lineman Camden Beebe (70). (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior receiver Mason L’Heureux caught a 29-yard touchdown pass. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior kicker Zane Busick converted four extra points. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior quarterback Logan Ladish joked with teammates after his 88-yard touchdown run. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior quarterback Logan Ladish threw down field. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior running back Miguel Martin broke out for a 58-yard touchdown. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Topeka West marching band halftime show involved props, backdrops, and a grand piano. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
