By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NiJAREE CANADY, Topeka High
Canady starred in the pitching circle and at the plate in the Class 6A state softball tournament, ending her high school career with a second straight state championship. The Stanford signee pitched in all three games for the 22-3 Trojans, including a complete-game four-hitter in the Trojans' 2-1 victory over city rival Washburn Rural in last Friday's state championship game. Canady had a home run and a double in the Trojans' 9-0 semifinal win over Wichita Northwest.
Adisyn Caryl
ADISYN CARYL, Topeka High
A junior, Caryl helped lead Topeka High to its second straight Class 6A state softball championship. Caryl had six hits in the state tournament, including two doubles and a home run, as the Trojans capped a 22-3 season with a 2-1 victory over Washburn Rural in last Friday's championship game. Caryl advanced to state in three sports -- tennis, basketball and softball -- for the second straight year and is a three-time state qualifier in tennis and basketball.
Bethany Druse
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
Druse, a junior, raised her Class 5A state medal total to five in track and field and seven overall with three medals and a state title in last Friday and Saturday's track championships at Wichita. A two-time 5A state cross country medalist, Druse won the 5A title in the 800 meters in 2:19.00 and also helped the Vikings finish seventh in the 4 x 800-meter relay (10:13.95) and eighth in the 4 x 400 relay (4:16.23).
Briar Gillum
BRIAR GILLUM, Rossville
Gillum, a senior, capped her high school career with a Class 3A state championship in the girls discus last Friday in Wichita after finishing second in the shot put earlier in the day. Gillum won the discus title with a personal-record and school-record throw of 135 feet, 11 inches after taking second in the shot put at 41-6, just 4.5 inches out of first. Gillum was a state medalist in both the shot put and discus as a junior and a senior for the Bulldawgs.
Tanner Newkirk
TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden
A senior, Newkirk swept the 800 (1:55.00), 1,600 (4:12.25) and 3,200-meter (8:58.88) state titles in the Class 4A state track and field championships at Wichita, setting a pair of 4A state meet records. A Kansas signee, Newkirk added a fourth state medal in the 4 x 800-meter relay, leading the Wildcats to a fifth place finish (8:30.60). Newkirk finished his high school career with four state titles, three in track and field to go with a state cross country crown.
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Highland Park
Richardson, a junior, was a triple state medalist in last Friday and Saturday's Class 5A state track and field meet at Wichita, including a state championship in the 200-meter dash (22.32). Richardson also posted a second-place finish in the triple jump (46-9) and a fifth-place finish in the long jump (21-4). Richardson is now a five-time state medalist in his two state track appearances.
