WAMEGO — Tanner Hecht was only seconds removed from throwing down a breakaway dunk, which sent the Wamego gym into hysteria Friday night, when he got back on defense and swatted away what seemed like his thousandth shot of the game against Rossville.

WAMEGO — Brian McIntosh will be the first to tell you he’s got lofty expectations for his Wamego High girls basketball team, but he isn’t naive.

The Manhattan High boys basketball team and head coach Benji George are off to an electric start this season.

The Manhattan High boys and girls basketball teams secured wins in the Hays Shootout Thursday evening to open their respective seasons.

Robert Gonzales and the Manhattan High wrestling team opened the season with a 47-24 loss at Great Bend on Thursday.

The Manhattan High boys swim and dive team placed third in its first meet of the season at Topeka West on Wednesday. Head coach Alex Brown’s team secured the top-three spot with 429 points, trailing only Washburn Rural (438) and Olathe Northwest (491).

Scott Mall doesn’t have much time to figure out what kind of squad he has with the Manhattan High girls basketball team this season.

Benji George had high praise for his Manhattan High boys basketball team before the season even started. There’s eight seniors, the most he’s had in his 12 years coaching at the school, and a plethora of depth at nearly every position.

Three points. Three.

Alex Brown can hear the members of his Manhattan High boys swim and dive team talking, even when they don’t know it.

RAMONA — Tanner Brunner isn’t ready to move to Canada, but he had some serious success north of the border.

The Manhattan High football team stacked the All-Centennial League honors in the 2019 season. Manhattan (9-2) received 18 awards, with 17 players honored, including Damian Ilalio, who was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and also won the defensive player of the year.

SENECA — Riley County’s first drive against Nemaha Central started so well. The Falcons were moving the ball. Quarterback Garrett Harmison was firing quick-hitter screens, which were turning into long gains.

Steve Wagner is all too familiar with the challenges facing his Riley County club ahead of its Class 2A state semifinal matchup with Nemaha Central Friday night.

Hunter French was struggling while sitting in the car with his father, Scott in the fall of 2016. Hunter hadn’t played his best soccer as of late. He’d had a bad game the day before and was headed to Kansas City for even tougher competition.

Jillian Harkin added to her growing list of accomplishments as a tennis player at Manhattan High. The freshman sensation made the Kansas Tennis Coaches Association (KCTA) All State tennis team for Class 6A.

RILEY — Avrey Brokenicky hoisted the 2A sectional championship plaque his Riley County club had just earned, the reward for toppling previously unbeaten Silver Lake 14-7 Friday night. He took off, sprinting toward the locker room, leading the Falcons on the happiest parade the city of 950 ha…

DERBY — Manhattan High’s football season ended Friday night in a familiar setting. The Indians romped through their competition for eight consecutive weeks. Then they ran into the brick wall that is Derby.

Manhattan High players usually go into the locker room at Bishop Stadium to put on their gear before practice. On Tuesday, there was more bundling up to do. At a crisp 35 degrees, it was the warmest it was going to be for the remainder of the afternoon and evening

The team that stands between Joe Schartz and Manhattan High (9-1) continuing a successful football season is Derby (10-0). The 6A playoffs have shaken out that way for any team with title hopes since 2013.

Steve Wagner and Riley County (8-2) got a huge 14-8 win over Southeast of Saline (7-3) Friday night.

Junction City opened its second-round playoff game against Dodge City with two touchdowns in the first 24 seconds of play. It was a preview of things to come.

BJ Young, Tyce Hoover and Sam Shields had their hands locked together as they exited the Manhattan locker room at Bishop Stadium and walked onto the field Friday night. The Indians (9-1) were fresh off a 49-28 regional championship win over Lawrence-Free State (8-2) in the Class 6A playoffs.

Manhattan High star javelin thrower Sam Hankins finally has a college destination.

Manhattan was an underdog in the playoffs last season when it played Lawrence-Free State. The Indians were No. 3, and the Firebirds, who were undefeated at the time, were No. 2.

Joe Schartz and Manhattan High already have defeated Lawrence Free State in the last year. The Indians handled business against the Firebirds in a 41-19 win on Nov. 11, 2018, but Free State is better now, Schartz said.

LAWRENCE — Daniel Harkin was only a mile and a half into his Class 6A state cross country race Saturday afternoon at Rim Rock Farm when he realized he likely would take home the individual state championship.

JUNCTION CITY — A contentious game Friday night found two players ejected. But Junction City emerged unscathed — as a team, at least — to end Wichita Southeast’s season in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

RILEY — On its first drive Friday night against Pleasant Ridge, Riley County went three-and-out. The Falcons, hosting the Rams to open the 2A playoffs, tried three passes on their first series. The only one quarterback Garrett Harmison completed went for no gain.

Manhattan High commanded much of its 48-21 win over Hutchinson Thursday night, but the Indians showed poise in the moments where the pressure was the most intense.

WICHITA — The Manhattan High soccer players embraced each other, holding back tears on an otherwise silent sideline. The Indians (12-6) lost 2-1 to the host, No. 1 seed Wichita East (16-1), in the Class 6A state tournament on Thursday.

Just like it on so many Friday nights during the fall, Manhattan High’s football team took the field at Bishop Stadium last week. The lights were on, music was blaring, and the Indians were playing.

Tony Ingram likes to pull pranks, though his Manhattan High varsity tennis team would argue his skills are lackluster. He’s tried and tried to fool them before, but senior Kira Schartz even said in her speech at the team’s banquet ceremony Wednesday night he rarely has had success.

September was a good month for Manhattan High’s Austin Parker. The senior wide receiver was sidelined for half the football season with heart-related problems and doctors didn’t want him playing until they knew it was safe.

The Blue Valley Randolph High football team won’t get to play its final game of the season.

On a brisk Tuesday night at Bishop Stadium, Manhattan High senior Hunter French jogged over to fellow senior Cartier Wiens, who was about to attempt a free kick in a 6A playoff matchup with Haysville Campus.