By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Payton Fink
PAYTON FINK, Washburn Rural
A sophomore, Fink followed up her city title with an individual win in last Saturday's Centennial League girls cross country meet at Manhattan's Warner Park. Fink led the Junior Blues to a one-two-three individual finish and the team championship by a 27-62 margin over Junction City. Fink clocked a winning five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 53.9 seconds.
James Letcher Jr.
JAMES LETCHER JR., Washburn University
A 5-oot-8, 175-pound senior, Letcher became Washburn's all-time leader in receptions in last Saturday's 32-30 MIAA loss at Northwest Missouri. Letcher had eight catches for 129 yards to raise his career total to 197 receptions, passing Ichabod Hall of Famer Sam Sissom, who had 191 in his Washburn career. Letcher also passed the 5,000-yard mark in all-purpose yards, moving his total to 5,023 yards, and now trails Washburn's all-time leader, Hall of Famer Troy Slusser, who had 5,210 yards.
Lenny Njoroge
LENNY NJOROGE, Topeka West
The Topeka West senior posted his fifth straight individual win and sixth on the season in last Thursday's United Kansas Conference cross country meet at Shawnee Heights. Njoroge clocked a five-kilometer time of 16 minutes, 04.4 seconds to win by just under 21 seconds while remaining unbeaten against Kansas competition this fall.
Lauren Sandstrom
LAUREN SANDSTROM, Hayden
Sandstrom, a junior, teamed with sophomore Emily Sheetz to win the Class 4A state doubles championship last Saturday at Harmon Park in Prairie Village, helping lead Hayden to its first-ever state girls team title in tennis. Sandstrom and Sheetz, two-time state medalists, took a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Wichita Trinity's Darcy Dunne and Sophia Majors in the championship match.
Emily Sheetz
EMILY SHEETZ, Hayden
A sophomore, Sheetz and junior Lauren Sandstrom won the Class 4A state doubles championship last Saturday at Harmon Park in Prairie Village, helping lead Hayden to its first-ever state girls team title in tennis. Sheetz and Sandstrom, two-time state medalists, took a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Wichita Trinity's Darcy Dunne and Sophia Majors in the championship match.
Ainzley Zulueta
AINZLEY ZULUETA, Hayden
A sophomore, Zulueta captured her second straight Class 4A state singles championship last Saturday at Harmon Park in Prairie Village, capping a 28-2 record on the season. Zulueta wrapped up her second state title with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Chapman's Elyssa Frieze in the final, helping the Wildcats win their first-ever state girls team tennis title.
