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Derick Hammes named East assistant coach for 2026 Kansas Shrine Bowl
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rossville head football coach Derick Hammes has been named an East assistant coach for the the 2026 Kansas Shrine Bowl, which will be played in Emporia.
Rossville football coach Derick Hammes has been selected to coach in his fourth Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2026. [File photo/TSN]
Hammes, who led Rossville to an 11-2 record and a runnerup finish in Class 1A this past season, will be coaching in his fourth Shrine Bowl, serving as the East head coach in 2017 and as an assistant in 2016 and 2022.
Hammes, who has a career coaching record of 154-85, also played in the game in 1989.
“I'm excited to get to coach the "best of the best" as I have another opportunity to be involved in the Kansas Shrine Bowl,'' Hammes said in a Shrine Bowl release. "Most importantly, I'm honored to get the chance to help the Shrine Bowl achieve its mission of helping children in need.”
The East team will be led by Mike Berg (Wellsville), who was announced earlier this summer as the 2026 head coach.
In addition to Hammes, other East assistants include Kurt Webster (Shawnee Mission Northwest), Rod Stallbaumer (Basehor-Linwood), Bradley Argabright (Labette County), Greg Slade (Santa Fe Trail) and Andrew Gantenbein (Osage City).
The West team will be led by head coach Daniel Myears (Mulvane) and his staff will include Randall Zimmerman (Junction City), Erin Beck (Great Bend), Dawson Elliott (Augusta), Brent Hoelting (Pratt), Todd Rice (Garden Plain) and Brent Schneider (Sterling).
“We’re always grateful for the sacrifice these coaches make by taking time away from their own programs and their families to be a part of the Kansas Shrine Bowl experience,” said Brice Kesler, executive director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “We certainly couldn’t have the quality of football game that we get without this outstanding coaching talent, but these men also provide tremendous leadership to the players and serve as great ambassadors for the mission of the Kansas Shrine Bowl.”
The 53rd Kansas Shrine Bowl will be played at Welch Stadium on the campus of Emporia State University at 7 p.m. on June 27.
The initial rosters for the game will be announced during the annual Kansas Shrine Bowl Player Selection Show, which is set to air at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11th, 2026.
A1 Lock & Key Performers Dec. 15, 2025
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Austin Broadie
AUSTIN BROADIE, Washburn University
A 6-foot senior rightside hitter, Broadie was named a first-team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association after helping lead the Ichabods to a share of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association regular-season title and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The MIAA Player of the Year, Broadie registered 348 kills on the year with a .302 hitting percentage, 72 blocks and 72 digs.
Dillon Claussen
DILLON CLAUSSEN, Washburn University
Claussen, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, scored 21 points with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocked shots Saturday as No. 2-ranked Washburn men's basketball improved to 11-0 on the season with a 78-72 double-overtime Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association victory over Central Missouri in Lee Arena.
Malakyah Duncan
MALAKYAH DUNCAN, Topeka West
Duncan, a senior basketball standout, scored 23 points Friday, hitting 8 of 11 shots from the floor and 7 of 11 free throws, as No. 4-ranked (Class 5A) Topeka West remained unbeaten with a 71-57 United Kansas Conference road romp past No. 2-ranked Seaman. Duncan scored 17 points earlier in the week as the Chargers posted a 79-44 non-league win over Shawnee Mission West.
Heights girls drop 77-74 OT heartbreaker to Manhattan despite Emmot's 37 points
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights girls basketball coach Bob Wells knows that his team is making strides, but he also knows that the T-Birds let an opportunity get away Monday night in a 77-74 home non-conference overtime loss to Manhattan.
Junior KK Emmot scored 37 points Monday in Shawnee Heights' 77-74 overtime loss to Manhattan. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Now 1-3 on the season, Heights led for the bulk of Monday's game, including an 11-point lead in the opening minutes, a nine-point advantage at the half, a 14-point cushion in the third stanza and a 12-point lead early in the fourth period.
But the 5-1 Indians came storming back, including scoring the final six points of regulation to force overtime at 67-67, and Manhattan came from behind again in the extra session to lead by as many as five points before holding off the T-Birds in the closing seconds.
"We knew Manhattan wasn't going to quit and it was a fight to the end and we just have to learn to keep our composure in those situations and take care of the basketball at opportune times and finish,'' Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells said.
"But I think we're making progress. We're making progress, I feel like, by leaps and bounds''
Senior Imani McGlory scored 14 points with four 3-pointers in Shawnee Heights' 77-74 overtime loss to Manhattan Monday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The T-Birds lost despite a game-high 37-point night from junior star KK Emmot and 14 points from senior newcomer Imani McGlory, with Emmot (six) and McGlory (four) combining for 10 of Heights 12 3-pointers on the night.
Senior Reianna Vega also hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with eight points along with junior Pearmella Carter.
