By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Bill Murray's appearance at Manhattan's boys basketball game against Class 4A's top ranked Topeka Hayden won't be the only topic of conversation around the Little Apple during the next few weeks.
Fans will also be discussing their memories of Manhattan's 64-62 conquest of the previously undefeated Wildcats.
Especially memorable in the contest was the play of point guard Sam Kenney and center Jackie Carmichael, who scored 21 points a piece in leading the Indians to the win. Carmichael drilled nine of 17 shots from the field, while Kenney was hot from the 3-point line, making four of seven shots from there. Carmichael was also credited with five blocked shots in the contest.
Despite Jeff Reid's five 3-pointers and 29 points, Hayden came up just short on the scoreboard. T. J. McGreevy added 16 points to the box score for Hayden. The Wildcats did take a 51-47 lead into the final period after closing out the third period with an 11-1 run.
The contest started out as a high scoring affair with the Indians taking a 23-21 lead after the opening period of play. Manhattan (5-0) led 38-36 at intermission as well.
"We had every opportunity to win the game," Hayden coach Ted Schuler told the Topeka Capital Journal. "We let it slip away."
Murray arrived in the Little Apple for the induction of his friend and mentor Del Close into the Manhattan High School Wall of Honor. Close was a Manhattan High School graduate.
Olathe Northwest, Lawrence Combine for 19 Threes
Olathe Northwest couldn't cash in on torrid outside shooting Friday in a 72-64 loss to Lawrence High School. The Ravens connected on 12 of 24 3-pointers for the game, but fell to the inside-outside game of Lawrence.
The Lions made seven of 13 treys themselves, but also took advantage of a 24-point effort from 6-foot-7 senior John Schneider.
"John is very unselfish," Lawrence coach Chris Davis told the Lawrence Journal World. "Sometimes too unselfish. We need him to score for us, and tonight he really stepped up and was terrific."
The Ravens were led by Raymond Jarrett's game-high 30-points.
Highland Park Runs Win Streak to 30
Defending 5A champion Topeka Highland Park continued its winning ways Friday with a 63-40 triumph over 1-4 Washburn Rural, and ran its winning streak to 30 straight games going back to the start of last season.
Rico Richardson led the way for the Scots by conjuring up 19 points. Adrian Herrera and Ty Modupe contributed 17 and 13 points respectively in the 23-point win.
Boys Top Scoring Performances
37 Patrick Schulte, Nemaha Valley vs. Jefferson West
31 Trent McGee, Wakefield vs. Solomon
31 Tom Shirley, Jefferson West vs. Nemaha Valley
Girls Basketball: Andover Central Wins Battle of Unbeatens
Bailey Gee scored 21 points for Andover Central in a key win over Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League foe Clearwater. Also scoring in double figures for Central were Brit Chamberlin and Tiffany Bias with 12 and 11 points respectively.
With the 49-34 triumph, the 6-0 Jaguars take over sole possession of first place in the conference's Division IV lead.
A key factor in the Jaguar 15-point win was tough, hard-nosed defense.
"The Girls thrive on that (defense) and sometimes it gets them in foul trouble, but we have talked about playing solid half court defense and staying out of trouble," Central coach Stana Jefferson told the Wichita Eagle.
The Central win handed the Indians (5-1) their first loss of the season, while keeping Andover Central's (6-0) slate clean.
Girls Top Scoring Performances
37 Stevie Schultz, Neodesha vs. Eureka
31 Megan Patrick, Hutchinson Central Christian vs. Pretty Prairie
Wrestling: Wichita Carroll Wins 93rd Straight Dual
After spotting Wichita Northwest a 6-0 lead early in its dual with the Grizzlies, Wichita Carroll rolled to its 93rd straight dual win.
Dylan Penka, who didn't make weight at 103 pounds, started the ball rolling when he stuck Vincent Gaulden to the mat just 36-seconds into his 112-pound match. His pin started a run of 10-straight wins for Carroll, the nations 15th-ranked team by Amateur Wrestling News, as the Golden Bears built an insurmountable 52-6 advantage.
Northwest won the final three matches to pull within 52-17 at the end of the match.
"I'm so proud of how our team wrestled tonight," Carroll coach Darian Eshelman told the Wichita Eagle. "Northwest has a very good team and I was ready to have some very good matches.
"I was proud first and foremost of how we came out and were really aggressive."
Boys Swimming: Cramer Establishes New 100-Meter Backstroke Standard
If Bryson Cramer wasn't already on pace to contend for a state title in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2008 Kansas Boys Swimming and Diving championships, he is now.
The Olathe East senior set a new pool standard of 53.99-seconds in the event as he out swam the rest of the field by nearly six seconds at Blue Valley Northwest in a 106-80 Hawk win. His new mark was nearly 1.5 seconds faster than the old record. Cramer also won the 200-meter individual medley, led off the winning 200 medley relay and swam anchor for the triumphant 200 freestyle relay.
Joining Cramer on the medley relay were Sean Ahn, Joe Knight and Brett Palmer. Palmer, Knight and Cris Smith also swam a leg on the freestyle relay in the 26-point win.