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Shawnee County 2025-2026 Senior Sports Awards: Winter Girls Finalists
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will take a look at all of the senior finalists for the 2025-2026 Shawnee County High School Sports Awards from the fall, winter and spring seasons, followed by the athletes of the year for all three seasons and the overall outstanding girls and boys athletes of the year.
Emme Blanco, Washburn Rural
EMME BLANCO | Washburn Rural
SPORT: Wrestling
Blanco posted a runnerup finish at 145 pounds in the 2026 Class 6A state tournament, helping lead Washburn Rural to a second straight third-place state team finish. Blanco, who captured Centennial League and regional championships, posted a 40-4 record on the season en route to earning a first-team berth on the All-Shawnee County team for the second straight season.
Makayla Cadet, Highland Park
MAKAYLA CADET | Highland Park
SPORT: Wrestling
A two-time All-Shawnee County first-team selection, Cadet advanced to the 190-pound Class 5A state championship match as a junior and senior, winning the 5A state title as a junior and finishing second as a senior while posting a 23-3 record on the season. Cadet also received all-county honorable mention in softball.
Rylee Dick, Rossville
RYLEE DICK | Rossville
SPORT: Basketball
Dick put together an outstanding four-year career for the Bulldawgs, leading Rossville to a Class 2A state tournament berth as a senior, the Bulldawgs' first state appearance in 20 seasons. Dick averaged 20.6 points over the 2025-2026 season, finishing her career with 1,578 points to rank No. 2 on Rossville's all-time scoring list. She received first-team All-Big East League and All-Shawnee County honors.
Maddie Gragg, Seaman
MADDIE GRAGG | Seaman
SPORT: Basketball
Gragg was a four-time All-Shawnee County and All-United Kansas Conference first-team pick for Seaman, helping the Vikings win the Class 5A state championship her sophomore season and post a runnerup state finish as a junior. Gragg averaged 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds over the 2025-2026 campaign while hitting 32 3-pointers.
Cianna Graves, Shawnee Heights
CIANNA GRAVES | Shawnee Heights
SPORT: Wrestling
A four-time Class 5A state medalist and repeat All-Shawnee County pick, Graves saved her best for last, winning the 155-pound state championship as a senior to cap a 35-2 season. Also a United Kansas Conference and 5A regional champion, Graves helped lead Shawnee Heights to a third-place 5A team finish for the second straight season. Graves was also a standout catcher in softball, earning all-county first-team honors.
Big Kev Give Back Camp continues to grow entering year five
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Now in its fifth year, the Big Kev Give Back Camp, a dual basketball/football camp on the campus of Washburn University, has grown by leaps and bounds.
And Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite, who launched the camp in 2021, feel like they're still just getting started.
Topeka sports legends Michael Wilhoite and Kyle Weems will co-host the fifth annual Big Kev Give Back Camp June 25-26 at Washburn University. [Photo courtesy of BKgiveback.com]
"Each year we've gotten more volunteers, we've gotten a few more signups,'' Weems said. "And it definitely has room to grow. I'm a firm believer that there's always room to improve, so I'm just excited for yet another year of the Big Kev Give Back.''
"I agree wholeheartedly,'' Wilhoite said. "I just think that more and more people and organizations and entities are going to continue to get involved as they see that this is legit and they see that this isn't a one-hit wonder. I think we continue to move forward and continue to show that this is something that we want to do for the rest of our lifetimes and give back to our hometown and our city.''
Weems and Wilhoite are both Highland Park graduates, who went on to highly successful college and professional careers.
Weems earned All-America and Missouri Valley Player of the Year basketball honors for Missouri State before embarking on a pro career overseas that spanned more than a decade.
Wilhoite put together a seven-year NFL career as a linebacker with San Francisco and Seattle, including a Super Bowl appearance, before coaching in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.
The camp was inspired by the wishes of Kyle's father, the late Kevin Weems, a former Drury and Washburn University player who envisioned the two local stars returning to the community that helped raise them to help inspire the youth of Topeka about the potential path sports can provide for them.
The 2026 camp, held in conjunction with Washburn University, will kick off on Thursday, June 25, with a brand new event from 6 to 8:30 p.m., followed by the traditional basketball/football camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, June 26.
The first Mental Performance And Wellness Night, open to student-athletes 12 and over, parents, coaches and athletic staff, will be held in Washburn's Petro Allied Health Center (above Lee Arena) and will focus on confidence, resilience, stress management and life beyond sports.
"Over my past year being out of work and being out of sport I spent a lot of time on myself and therapy and on mental performance and just growing and learning and gaining new tools for myself to help me stay confident in those times of lapses, those times of insecurity, those times of questioning,'' Wilhoite said.
"I've been able to find different tools to help me to continue to move forward in a positive manner and I'm just excited to share that with this city because I think something that gets overlooked so much in sport is the mind and the heart and where our soul set is.''
Shawnee County 2025-2026 Senior Sports Awards: Fall Boys Finalists
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will take a look at all of the senior finalists for the 2025-2026 Shawnee County High School Sports Awards from the fall, winter and spring seasons, followed by the athletes of the year for all three seasons and the overall outstanding girls and boys athletes of the year.
Brody Anderson, Seaman
BRODY ANDERSON | Seaman
SPORT: Cross Country
A first-team All-Shawnee County pick in all three years he ran cross country, Anderson won his second straight city and United Kansas Conference individual titles last fall and was a Class 5A regional runnerup. He also won the prestigious Olathe Twilight Invitational, finishing ahead of runners from over 50 schools from multiple states. Anderson won the 5A 800 meters title in track while finishing second in the 3,200 and 1,600 meters.
Camden Granado, Shawnee Heights
CAMDEN GRANADO | Shawnee Heights
SPORT: Soccer/Football
Granado, a forward, was named the United Kansas Conference soccer player of the year last fall while also earning All-City first-team honors. A second-team All-State selection, Granado finished his career as Shawnee Heights soccer's all-time leading goal scorer. The T-Bird standout doubled up in football, handling place-kicking duties for Heights and earning All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Connor Hanika, Hayden
CONNOR HANIKA | Hayden
SPORT: Football
Hanika, a quarterback, helped lead the 12-1 Wildcats to their third straight Class 3A state championship game. Hanika completed 116 of 192 passing attempts on the season for 1,810 yards and 24 touchdowns and added 138 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Hanika was also a standout for Hayden's basketball team and helped lead the Wildcats to a runnerup finish in the Class 4A state baseball tournament.
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
DAYNE JOHNSON | Silver Lake
SPORT: Football
Johnson, a wide receiver/defensive back, was an All-Shawnee County Top 22 repeat selection in 2025 after catching 75 passes for 1,053 yards and eight touchdowns and registering 59 tackles with two pass interceptions. Johnson, who earned first-team All-Big East League recognition on offense and second-team honors on defense in football, also helped lead the Eagles to a third-place Class 3A state finish in basketball and a runnerup finish in 3A baseball.
Brooks Kehoe, Washburn Rural
BROOKS KEHOE | Washburn Rural
SPORT: Cross Country
A three-time All-Shawnee County first-team honoree, Kehoe helped lead Washburn Rural to the Class 6A state team championship by a single point. Kehoe was the Centennial League champion, placed second in the city meet, 19th in Class 6A regional competition and 25th at state. Kehoe, who helped the Junior Blues win city and league titles and finish second in a tiebreaker at regionals, finished as the 6A runnerup in the 1,600-meter run in track.
