By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NiJaree Canady
NIJAREE CANADY, Topeka High
Canady, the reigning Kansas Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, opened her senior season last Thursday with an outstanding performance in the pitching circle and at the plate in Topeka High's 11-1, 6-1 doubleheader sweep over Topeka West. Canady, who has committed to Stanford, picked up the pitching wins in both games, striking out a total of 28 batters while allowing just two hits and two runs on the day. Canady hit a homer and doubled in the Trojans' first-game win.
Emmerson Cope
EMMERSON COPE, Washburn Rural
A junior, Cope pitched a five-inning perfect game and hit a three-run walkoff home run in Washburn Rural's 10-0 first-game softball win over Hayden last Tuesday, finishing with 11 strikeouts and four runs batted in. Cope, an All-Class 6A first-teamer last season, added a double in the Junior Blues' 8-1 win over the Wildcats in the second game.
Parker Dunn
PARKER DUNN, Washburn University
Dunn, a senior right-fielder, went 4 for 4 with 4 runs scored and 5 runs batted in for Washburn's baseball team last Saturday as the Ichabods took a 15-4 victory over No. 4-ranked Central Missouri at Falley Field. Dunn hit a pair of home runs for Washburn, which handed Central Missouri its first MIAA loss of the season and ended the Mules' 19-game winning streak while snapping a three-game losing streak.
Victoria Reed
VICTORIA REED, Highland Park
A sophomore sprinter, Reed made her debut for Highland Park with three individual wins in last Friday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational track and field meet at Washburn Rural. Reed won the 100-meter dash in 12.6 seconds, the 200 in 26.5 and the 400 in 60.4 seconds.
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Highland Park
Richardson, a junior, made his 2022 track and field debut in last Friday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational with three wins and a second-place finish. Richardson won the long jump with a best of 22 feet, 2 inches, took the triple jump win at 43-6 and won the 200-meter dash in 21.6 seconds. Richardson added a second-place finish in the 100 in 10.5.
Zach Sulzen-Watson
ZACH SULZEN-WATSON, Washburn Rural
A senior thrower, Sulzen-Watson opened his 2022 track and field season with a pair of wins in last Friday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational at Rural. Sulzen-Watson recorded a personal best with a throw of 52 feet, 5 inches in the shot put and added a win in the discus with a winning throw of 161-1 in the discus. Sulzen-Watson placed fifth in the Class 6A discus as a junior.
