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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

EMPORIA -- The West put together several scoring threats in Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl, out-gaining the East 277 yards to 218 and reaching East territory six times.

But the East defense had an answer for each and every test it faced, posting a 14-7 win in front of 6,035 fans at Welch Stadium while not allowing a West offensive score.

Washburn Rural product Brody Haas (42) celebrates a big defensive play in the East's 14-7 Shrine Bowl win Saturday in Emporia. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Former Washburn Rural star Brody Haas and Rossville product Andre Johnson both played key roles in the East's defensive effort, combining for 10 tackles (eight solo) and three pass breakups while Haas also registered a sack.

"We had a lot of good scout from the offense throughout the week and it felt like every formation was something we had already kind of seen so nothing really surprised us,'' Haas said. "We dominated the line of scrimmage and were able to cover our spaces very well, so they really couldn't do anything about it because everyone was doing their job and that's how you play good football.''

The West scored its lone touchdown when Houston Bowlin (Derby) recovered a first-quarter East fumble in the end zone while the East got touchdown passes from former Shawnee Heights star Aiden Scott and Kansas City-Washington product Savion Stone, which proved to be enough for the East to cut its deficit in the series to 30-19-2.

Former Rossville star Andre Johnson (24) registered five tackles for the East in Saturday's 14-7 Shrine Bowl victory over the West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN] 

"We were locked in the whole week,'' Johnson said. "We were ready for this West offense all week and we proved it today and made it a goose egg. It was fun.''

The East drew first blood at the 7:03 mark of the opening quarter when Scott connected with Alec Jett (St. James Academy) for a 24-yard touchdown pass (conversion failed) after Osage City product Quenten Stark picked off a pass deep in East territory and returned it 33 yards to the West 49-yard-line.

The West took its only lead of the night on Bowlin's fumble recovery in the end zone and an extra-point kick from Brody Haskell (Augusta) with 2:54 left in the opening quarter and the West reached the 4-yard-line after recovering a fumble before Hayden Heller (Mill Valley) recorded the East's second interception of the night on the third play of the second quarter to thwart the threat.

The East scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 1:13 left in the opening half on a 27-yard pass from Stone to Blake Jay (Mill Valley) after Austin Zeller (Jackson Heights) recoverd a West fumble.

Stone, who was named the East Most Valuable Player, then ran for the two-point conversion to account for what proved to be the final margin after a scoreless second half.

"During halftime our coach was saying how we were doing such a good job with if we let a bad play happen we wouldn't let two happen right in a row and we didn't stack bad plays one after the other,'' said Haas, who is headed to Benedictine.

Shawnee Heights product Aiden Scott (20) was named the East's Most Inspirational Player after Saturday's 14-7 Shrine Bowl win. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Scott, who was voted the East's Most Inspirational Player, split time with Stone throughout the game, with Scott, a Washburn signee, completing 5 of 7 passes for 62 yards and Stone going 6 of 7 for 54 yards.

"The team had confidence in both of us back there in the backfield,'' Scott said. "The bond that we have definitely helps out. We helped each other and would could come to the sidelines and see what the other person sees and just go to work out there.

"We've both got talent, we both work hard, so it works out.'' 

Former Nemaha Central star Carter Hajek, who will play at Emporia State, led the East with 59 rushing yards on 13 attempts.

Salina Central product Cooper Reves was named the West MVP after rushing for a game-high 91 yards on 14 carries.

Rossville's Johnson plans to enlist in the Marines in the near future and said Saturday night's win was the perfect way to cap his football career.

"A great way to go out,'' he said. "I wanted to end it on a win. I ended on a win at the All-America Game and it's way better to go 2-0 to end my career after losing at state. It's way better.''      

EAST 14, WEST 7  

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Carsyn Broxterman, who helped lead Hayden to a perfect 21-0 record and the Class 4A-1A state soccer championship has been selected as TopSports.news' Shawnee County spring girls senior athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 season.

Carsyn Broxterman, Hayden 

A forward, Broxterman was named the city and Centennial League player of the year as a senior and was also named the forward of the year in 4A-1A by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Broxterman scored the game-winning goal in the Wildcats' 1-0 victory over Rose Hill in the state championship game.

Broxterman will play collegiately at Kansas City Kansas Community College. 

Other springs girls athlete of the year finalists 

Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural 

AUDREY APPUHN | Washburn Rural

SPORT: Swimming

Appuhn won four gold medals (two individual, two relays) to lead Washburn Rural to its 23rd straight city team title and earned three golds (two individual, one relay) in the Centennial League meet. Appuhn went 8 for 8 in individual events over her career in the city and league meets and earned multiple Class 6A state medals as a freshman, sophomore and junior. 

Ella Foster, Hayden

ELLA FOSTER | Hayden

SPORT: Soccer

A midfielder, Foster helped Hayden go wire to wire with 21 straight victories for the 2026 Class 4A-1A state championship, capped by a 1-0 win over Rose Hill in the state final. A Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State first-team pick, Foster was also a second-team All-Centennial League and All-City honoree. As a senior Foster also helped the Wildcats win the 4A championship in basketball and post a runnerup state finish in volleyball. 

Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake

KAILYN HANNI | Silver Lake

SPORT: Softball/Track and Field

A four-sport standout, Hanni helped lead Silver Lake to the Class 3A state softball championship and also doubled up in track and field, placing third in the 3A javelin hours after the Eagles' 4-0 win over Southeast of Saline in the state softball final. Hanni, who was also a state medalist in golf and led Silver Lake to its second state basketball championship in three seasons, was a first-team All-Shawnee County pick in both softball and track and earned All-Class 3A first-team honors in softball.

Reese Huscher, Hayden 

REESE HUSCHER | Hayden

SPORT: Soccer

Huscher was named the Class 4A-1A midfielder of the year by the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association and also earned first-team All-City and All-Centennial League honors after helping lead the Wildcats to a perfect 21-0 record and the 4A-1A state title this past spring. Huscher also helped Hayden win the 4A championship in basketball and post a runnerup state finish in volleyball.

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The Big Kev Give Back Camp took another step forward in Year 5, drawing more than 100 participants while hosting a two-day event for the first time Thursday and Friday at Washburn University.

Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite co-hosted the camp while numerous other current and former local players and coaches were also on hand to serve as instructors.

Kyle Weems interacts with a young camper during Friday's Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Michael Wilhoite instructs campers during Friday's Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"We were well over 100,'' Weems said. "At the beginning of this week we were like in the 60 range and we had people signing up at 3 in the morning, we had people signing up at 9. We get a lot of walkups and we hit it head on.

"You don't realize how much goes into something like this until you actually do it, but it's been great.''

The 2026 camp kicked off on Thursday night with the first Mental Performance And Wellness Night, followed by the traditional basketball/football camp on Friday.

The Big Kev Give Back camp is named in honor of Kyle's father, the late Kevin Weems, a former Drury and Washburn University basketball player who envisioned the local stars returning to Topeka to help inspire the youth of Topeka.

Weems and Wilhoite are both Highland Park graduates, who went on to highly successful college and pro careers.

Weems earned All-America and Missouri Valley Player of the Year basketball honors for Missouri State before embarking on a 13-year pro career overseas while Washburn product 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.

Wilhoite said he felt it was very important to add the Mental Performance And Wellness Night to the Big Kev Give Back lineup after devoting much of his past year to concentrating on the mental side of sports.

"I'm out of football for a year and that was tough,'' Wilhoite said. "That had essentially become my identity and that had become who I was -- football coaching -- and that being taken away it kind of stripped me of that with it.

"It got tough, so I went and sought out help and it changed my life. It gave me perspective that I hadn't had before in my life. And when I learned this side, it was like, 'I want to give this back. This should be given to everybody.' Everybody should know the importance of the mind and mental health and mental performance.''

Weems agreed.  

"I want to give credit to my brother Mike for coming up with this idea and I was all for it,'' Weems said. "It was good to be able to get it out there and let people understand what it is, what it's about, that it's a safe place.

"Mike and I have been blessed, to be about to live out our dreams, but at the same we're not perfect and everybody needs help. This is something that's positive and something that we wanted to bring to our city.''