Subway Sports Spotlight, Oct. 16

Check out a few noteworthy stories from recent Kansas high school cross country, football and volleyball action, and head to Subway for pre- or post-game meals, catering or Footlong Faves starting at $4.99. Order online at Subway.com.

Riverton’s Jacy Thomasson
 
Riverton improved to 27-2 after a Uniontown tournament championship this past weekend. Coach Becky Lipasek, who coached for many years in Missouri, has delivered a big turnaround. In ’16, Riverton won only a few matches. Lipasek took over the following season and posted records of 36-4 and 28-11. This year, Riverton has four seniors in key roles – Camryn Compton, Danielle Weaver, Zoey Mitchell and Madison Strup – and has had a great year from freshman Jacy Thomasson.
 
She has 234 kills (3.8 per set) with a .387 hitting percentage. She also leads the team with 66 blocks, 32 more than any other teammate. Thomasson has committed errors on just 9.5 percent of swings. Thomasson paces all Kansas freshmen in hitting, according to MaxPreps statistical lists. Free State freshman Aubrey Duncan is second at .359. No other player is above .284.
 
Additionally, Thomasson also paces all freshmen in kills per set. Olathe West standout Ava Testrake is second at 3.3 kills per set. Thomasson is second in total blocks, though is tied for first in blocks per set (1.1) with West Elk’s Katy Beeman.
 
Riverton is ranked eighth in Class 3A and dropped a tough dual Tuesday night with Pittsburg Colgan (22-25, 25-19, 24-26, 21-25), currently ranked second in 2A.
 
Conor Nicholl
 
Cimarron’s Payton Marshall
 
Cimarron coach Mike Schartz called Marshall the best player in western Kansas after the Bluejays’ 17-14 home victory against Lakin. Cimarron made a 32-yard field goal with just under two minutes left, and Lakin missed a 37-yard field goal on the game’s final play.
 
Marshall delivered seven carries for 64 yards, and also caught five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. He delivered a huge defensive play when he tackled Lakin standout running back Kayden Christiansen at the goal line after a 74-yard run. Cimarron held Lakin without points on the drive.
 
Marshall has been a highly explosive playmaker in Cimarron’s 6-0 start. He has 50 offensive touches for 729 yards and a team-high 10 offensive scores. Defensively, he has an interception and two passes defended. Marshall has 154 return yards.
 
Last year, Marshall was exclusively used as a returner. He had 22 rushing yards and 603 return yards. He delivered a rushing score, along with a punt and kick return touchdown apiece.
 
Conor Nicholl
 
Eilert, Sprecker photo finish at Riley County
 
Beloit St. John’s/Tipton’ Caleb Eilert and Southeast of Saline’s Dylan Sprecker both deserved gold medals at Saturday’s Riley County Invitational, but only Eilert walked away as the champion.
 
The boys varsity race meet was a two-person race as Eilert and Sprecker finished .05 seconds apart in a photo finish that Riley County High School caught on camera.

 
For perspective, third-place finisher Justin Hodge of Hiawatha was 25 seconds behind the duo at 17:13.37. 
 
Sprecker finished at 16:48.43, while Eilert won the invite at 16:48.38.
 
It is not all bad for Sprecker, who finished 18th at the 3A State Meet last year as a freshman. His Trojans not only won the boys invite as a team, but the SES girls won as well due in large part to sophomore Jentrie Alderson winning individually by nearly two minutes. 
 
To cap it off, the SES boys and girls junior varsity teams also captured first place.

 
The Southeast of Saline boys, the defending 3A State Champions, are still ranked first according to the latest coaches’ poll. The SES girls are ranked second behind Norton Community.
 
Gallagher Martin
 
South Central’s Chayde Snyder
 
Coldwater-South Central, ranked third in Eight-Man, Division I, delivered another impressive defensive victory in a 52-6 win versus Caldwell. Senior Chayde Snyder, who has started since his freshman year, had another big game. He completed nine of 11 passes for 143 yards with three touchdowns. Sophomore Owen Hurd collected nine tackles, 4.5 for loss.
 
Earlier this year, Snyder passed for 182 yards with four scores in a marquee 48-14 victory versus Hodgeman County. Overall, Snyder has 3,367 passing yards and a 59/15 TD/INT ratio and 199 tackles in his career. SC is 33-6 in his career. South Central also owns a win versus Spearville. This season, Caldwell and Spearville are both 4-2, and Hodgeman County stands at 5-1.

Kpreps named Hodgeman County's Jennifer Shiew the winner of their weekly photo contest for this incredible photo of Snyder leaping over a Hodgeman County defender in the win.

 
Conor Nicholl
 
St. James the favorite in 5A, but Aquinas lurking
 
St. James Academy - ranked 13th in USA Today Super 25 national rankings - has seven state volleyball titles this decade and nine since 2008. The Thunder are expected to add more state-championship hardware to the trophy shelf this fall, but rival St. Thomas Aquinas appears to have as good a shot as any in 5A of taking down the back-to-back state champs.
 
As of Monday, St. James is 24-1 and top-ranked in 5A. Aquinas is responsible for the only blemish on St. James’ record, but the Thunder did beat the Saints two days prior.
 
St. James defeated St. Thomas Aquinas on Oct. 3 by a score of 25-17, 25-21. On Oct. 5, the Saints returned the favor with a 26-24, 25-22 victory.
 
Both teams have been outstanding and have picked up signature wins.
 
St. James has only been to three sets three times this year, and all three times were against out-of-state competition. The Thunder won all three against Cedar Falls (Iowa), St. Teressa’s Academy and Nixa, both from Missouri.
 
St. Thomas Aquinas is coming off an undefeated championship performance at a tournament in Omaha over the weekend. The Saints also won the Olathe East Invite on Sept. 28.
 
The two teams played a thrilling final in last year’s 5A Championship with St. James winning set one 26-24, dropping set two to the Saints 20-25, and rallying to win the third set 34-32 in a match for the ages.

Sub-state volleyball begins Oct. 26. If both teams advance, 5A state is at Tony’s Pizza Event Center in Salina.
 
Gallagher Martin
 
Arland Bruce IV goes off in 77-49 win over SM East
 
In one of this season’s craziest games Olathe North downed Shawnee Mission East 77-49 - you read that right - but the final score doesn’t tell just how close this game was early. The two teams were tied 42-all at the half, but the North defense heard the alarm at halftime and rose from their slumber to record three interceptions and help the Eagles outscore the Lancers 35-7 in the final two periods.
 
Olathe North star Arland Bruce IV, who splits time as quarterback and running back in Chris McCartney’s offense, had an amazing game rushing for 318 yards and five touchdowns on 33 carries. He also completed his three pass attempts for 35 yards and another score.
 
Bruce is well on his way to going down as one of the all-time greats in one of the all-time great programs. Through six games of his junior season he has 1,234 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns. Last season as a sophomore he rushed for 1,379 yards and 19 TDs in 12 games but he also carried the majority of the load in the passing game where he added 1,209 yards and 16 more scores through the air. This year he has just 60 yards passing as Caleb Nelson and Jackson Sarver have handled the majority of the passing duties.
 
Through 27 games dating back to his freshman year Bruce now has 3,432 yards rushing with 45 touchdowns with a 6.8 yard per carry average. Add in passing, receiving and kick return yardage and Bruce has produced over 4,800 total yards in just over two-and-a-half seasons of high school football.
 
The Eagles will need more of the same from Bruce this week as they face off against a rebuilt and unbeaten Lawrence program under veteran coach Steve Rampy.

Check out Bruce's highlights on MaxPreps.
 
John Baetz
 
Explosive Red Raiders off to 5-1 start ahead of monster matchup with Sabetha
 
With the emergence of senior running back Isiah Childs, a Manhattan High transfer, and the return of explosive return man and utility player Taybor Vetter - himself a former Rock Creek player - Wamego had high expectations entering this season.
 
Minus a three-point loss to Marysville two weeks ago, the Red Raiders are meeting those expectations and could be on track for a deep playoff run if they can survive two more tough tests against Sabetha and Holton.
 
Sabetha, the back-to-back 3A State Champions, are 5-1 this season led by one of the best athletes in Kansas in Gabe Garber. Holton, a perennial power, is 4-2 after a rare 3-6 finish a year ago.
 
Wamego’s final two games will be a good indication of whether or not the Red Raiders are legitimate threats in 3A. But for now, Wamego is focusing on securing a top-four spot in a loaded District 4. With Marysville at the top, Wamego, Sabetha, and Holton are all fighting for second through fourth.
 
“Our guys have competed really well thus far,” second-year head coach Weston Moody said. “We know we have one of the toughest districts in the state and know it will prepare us for playoffs.”
 
If Wamego does slip to a third or fourth seed, they will be a dangerous threat in the early stages of the playoffs. The Red Raiders boast a three-headed rushing attack as good as any team in 3A.
Childs, an Akron-commit, has 830 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Vetter has 4.5 speed, which he has used to gain 605 yards and eight total touchdowns. To put the cherry on top, 6-3, 200 pound senior quarterback Brad Sackrider has 540 yards and 10 TDs. 
 
With all the weapons the Red Raiders can turn to, it’s hard to contain this offense. Second-ranked and undefeated Marysville is the only team to keep Wamego under 20 points this season. 
 
Wamego has been stout on defense as well. No team has scored more than 20 on the Red Raiders this season.
 
Riley Eveland has 71 total tackles and six tackles for loss, while Adler Pierson has 58 total tackles and three forced fumbles.
 
“The great thing about this team is our leadership,” Moody said. “We have a lot of playmakers, but not a single guy on this team cares who gets the stat. They are playing for each other and playing to win.”
 
Wamego hosts Sabetha this Friday in what will certainly be one of the top games in the state. 
 
John Baetz & Gallagher Martin
 
Osborne boys cross country wins at Lincoln
 
Lincoln High School was set to host an invitational last Thursday, but inclement weather pushed the race to Monday.
 
The Osborne boys cross country team had no problem with that, as the Bulldogs finished first and took the top three places in the varsity race.
 
Reagan Bales won by over a minute, finishing with a time of 18:09.13. Teammates Cameron Delaney and Graham Bales were second and third with times of 19:19.39 and 19:50.22. 
 
For good measure, Nick Hartsock finished eighth in 21:11.06.
 
The Osborne boys are currently ranked fifth in the latest 1A rankings.
 
In the girls race, two of the top three finishers came from host Lincoln High School. 
 
Defending 1A State Champion Jaycee Vath dominated with the only sub-20 minute time (19:56.63). Bennington’s Ashlyn Harbaugh finished second with a time of 21:17.82, and Lincoln’s Raegen Stewart was third with a time of 23:21.04.
 
The Lincoln girls are currently ranked third in 1A while Bennington is the top-ranked team in 2A.

Check out photos from Monday's meet by Shannon Meier:

 
Gallagher Martin

Coaches, athletes, fans and parents, are you aware of an interesting story about your favorite high school team? Email us details for future releases of the Subway Sports Spotlight, and head to Subway for pre- or post-game meals, catering or Footlong Faves starting at $4.99. Order online at Subway.com.