On the mend

After missing the last two games because of a hamstring injury, Free State senior Sarah Craft is expected to return to action Thursday when the Firebirds take on Hutchinson in Rd. 1 of the Firebird Winter Classic.

Free State was 0-2 without Craft, who injured the hamstring less than a minute into the Firebirds’ loss to Shawnee Mission East on Jan. 11.

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Balanced attack

When Lawrence High boys basketball guard Preston Scheibler scored 13 points in the opening round of the Topeka Invitational on Thursday, he became the sixth Lions player to reach double-digit scoring totals in a game this season. The others, with their highest scoring game so far: John Schneider (28), Dorian Green (23), Lance Kilburn (17), Bobby Davis (11) and Baba Diallo (10).

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Perfection isn’t easy

One of Lawrence High’s top bowlers, Tiffany Demaline, is used to high expectations. As a freshman three years ago, she won a state title.

But at last week’s Free State Invitational, the senior nearly entered the rarest of bowling territory, taking a perfect score into the eighth frame of her second game.

She finished with a 234 and was asked afterward if the thought of a perfect game weighed any on her mind.

Her answer? “Not at all.”

Turns out, she bowled a perfect score once before – during her freshman season.

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Trouble without Tiegreen

The Veritas Christian girls basketball team is still adjusting to life without leading scorer Kristie Tiegreen, who is out with a wrist injury.

“It’s tough for them,” coach Kevin Shelton said. “It’s a learning process. I don’t think we can just flip a switch and say ‘We can do it without her.’ “It’s something we’re going to have to learn.”

Senior Marteka Carlton, who scored 18 and grabbed nine rebounds Saturday against Topeka Cornerstone, seems the most likely candidate for leading offensive option in Tiegreen’s absence.

“She’s the senior since we’re missing the leading scorer on the team,” Shelton said. “So we’re going to rely on her to do that a lot.”

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Back on the mat

The Free State wrestling team recently got two key grapplers back from injury.

Junior Jack Caywood, 140 pounds, had been out with a fractured hand for six weeks before returning last week. Sophomore Joey Cunningham, 215 pounds, had his appendix removed in December and also returned to action last week.

Both wrestlers scored victories in their first home dual against SM Northwest last week.