Centennial League weekend standouts
<p>The Centennial League is a jumbled mess. And it just got a jolt when Junction City rose up to upset Washburn Rural. At 5-2, Rural still sits atop the league, technically, due to a fifth win. But four other teams – Manhattan, Highland Park, Topeka West and Topeka High – are nipping at their heels with 4-2 records. The next month should be very interesting.</p>
<p>Here are some highlight performances from the dramatic week that was:</p>
<p><strong>Howard Johnson, sophomore, Junction City:</strong></p>
<p>The performance of the weekend was turned in by the Blue Jays, who had five players score in double figures in the 78-69 overtime win over Washburn Rural. The 6-foot sophomore Johnson’s 20 points led the way to the upset. His previous high on the season was 17 against McPherson.</p>
<p><strong>Elijah Brooks, sophomore, Topeka West:</strong></p>
<p>The Chargers continue to blow the doors off their 6-15 record of a year ago. And Brooks continues to lead the charge. His scoring average had dropped to 16.9 before the weekend, but he popped for 20 against Olathe Northwest, including 12 in the final period to put the game away.</p>
<p><strong>Dre Durall, senior, Topeka West:</strong></p>
<p>The 6-foot-3 senior has been coming off the Charger bench of late, but he seems to be settling into the role. He tossed in 12 in the win over Manhattan, then scored another 12 against Olathe Northwest.</p>
<p><strong>Vacarrio Triplett, junior, Hayden:</strong></p>
<p>It’s been tough sledding for the Wildcats of late. They were upset by Cair Paravel on Thursday, then had to travel to the home of the top ranked team in 4A. They were no match for the Pirates’ <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tamar-bates/">Tamar Bates</a></strong>, who had a game-high 23. But Triplett notched 14 to follow up his 19 against Cair Paravel.</p>
<p><strong>CJ Powell, junior, Highland Park:</strong></p>
<p>No surprise that the 6-foot-7 Powell continues to be a nightmare to opponents. He scored 21 points in Friday’s win against Shawnee Heights. That followed a remarkably consistent performance in the Topeka Invitational Tournament – 21 against KC-Washington, 22 against Lawrence, and 22 against Wichita Northwest.</p>
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