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Washburn Rural's Cope repeat pick as Centennial League player of the year

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Senior Emmerson Cope, who helped lead Washburn Rural to a second straight runnerup finish in the Class 6A state softball tournament, has been named the Centennial League player of the year for the second straight season by league coaches.

Washburn Rural senior Emmerson Cope has been named the Centennial League softball player of the year for the second straight season after helping lead the Junior Blues to a second straight Class 6A championship game. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn Rural freshman Reagan Chapman has been named the Centennial League newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]

Cope is joined on the first team by Rural senior Piper Titsworth and freshman Reagan Chapman, who was also named the Centennial League newcomer of the year after helping the Junior Blues post a 21-4 record this spring.

Topeka High seniors Alesia Alvarez and Adisyn Caryl were both repeat picks on the all-league first team, as was Hayden senior Alyssa Droge.

Hayden junior Ava Delgado also earned a spot on the all-league first team, along with Manhattan's Kierra Goos, Reagan Neitzel and Avery Hafliger and Junction City's Ava Deguzman.

ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE SOFTBALL

Four city players earn All-Centennial League first-team baseball honors

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Four city players earned first-team recognition on the All-Centennial League baseball team, including three players from Class 6A state qualifier Topeka High..

Topeka High junior pitcher Nate Plankinton was named to the All-Centennial League first team after helping lead the Trojans to a Class 6A state tournament berth. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High junior Isaiah Kincade (21) earned All-Centennial League first team honors for the 16-7 Trojans. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High senior Elijah Kincade (32) has been named to the All-Centennial League first team after helping the Trojans reach the Class 6A state tournament. [File photo//TSN]

Hayden sophomore Cooper Grace earned a berth on the All-Centennial League first team. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High put juniors Nate Plankinton and Isaiah Kincade and senior Elijah Kincade on the the 11-member first team, selected by league coaches, after the Trojans posted a 16-7 record and earned their first trip to state in more than seven decades.

Hayden, which went 11-6 on the season, is represented on the first team by sophomore Cooper Grace.

Topeka High is represented on the second team by junior Matt Genrich while Hayden put seniors Konnor Becker and Jackson Summers on the second team and Washburn Rural put junior Kyle Walker, senior Zach Sharshel, sophomore Sam Bettis and senior Ty Weber on the second 11.

Hayden senior Braydn Rose and Washburn Rural seniors Dayten Smoot, Aiden Rea and Kaleb Wellshear earned all-league honorable mention.

Centennial League champion Manhattan, which put a league-high five players on the first team, swept the individual awards.

Manhattan senior Kyler Horsman was named the league player of the year while junior Jake Wolcott was named the newcomer of the year and Don Hess the coach of the year.

ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE BASEBALL

A1 Lock & Key Performers May 29, 2023

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Alesecio Batson

ALESECIO BATSON, Topeka West

After advancing to the Class 5A state track and field championships as a freshman, the Topeka West sophomore captured a Class 5A state championship in the triple jump Friday at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium. Batson took the event lead on his first jump and went wire to wire for the title, jumping a best of 48 feet, 4.25 inches.

Finn Dunshee

FINN DUNSHEE, Hayden

The Wildcat sophomore won three Class 4A gold medals Saturday at Cessna Stadium, helping Hayden finish fifth as a team. Dunshee won the 100-meter dash in 10.84 seconds and also ran on the Wildcats' winning 4x100-meter and 4x400 relay teams. Hayden won the 4x100 relay in 42.65 seconds and the 4x400 in a 4A state meet-record time of 3:20.99.

Brinley Dyche

BRINLEY DYCHE, Rossville

A senior, Dyche picked up the pitching win in all three games as Rossvillle won its first Class 3A state softball title since 2000, capped by Friday's 2-0 win over Santa Fe Trail in the championship game. Dyche was credited with the victory in a 19-7 first-round win over Columbus, pitched the Bulldawgs to a come-from-behind 6-4 win over Southeast-Saline in the semifinals and twirled a complete-game two-hitter In the title game while striking out 10 and not allowing a walk.