By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Allen Baughman
ALLEN BAUGHMAN, Shawnee Heights
Shawnee Heights' star senior running back carried the ball 34 times for 164 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns as the T-Birds opened their 2023 season with a 42-0 United Kansas Conference home victory over Piper last Friday night, avenging an 11-point loss to the Pirates in '22. Baughman also caught two passes for 38 yards.
Jackson Esquibel
JACKSON ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights
The T-Bird senior, a state champion in track and multi-time state placer in cross country, opened his 2023 cross country season with the individual championship in last Thursday's Basehor-Linwood Bobcat Invitational at Wyandotte County Park, posting a five-kilometer time of 16:06.1 to best a field of 176 runners by 17 seconds.
JC Heim
JC HEIM, Washburn Rural
A senior running back/linebacker, Heim stood out on offense, defense and special teams as Washburn Rural held on for a 26-25 non-league victory over Wichita East last Friday night at Bowen-Glaze Stadium. Heim had a pass interception on defense, rushed for 39 yards on seven carries and blocked a Blue Aces extra point attempt late in the game to preserve Rural's one-point advantage.
Ryin Miller
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
Miller, who placed fifth in the Class 5A state cross country meet as a freshman, kicked off her sophomore season last Saturday with a second-place individual finish in the Manhattan Invitational at Warner Park. Miller clocked a five-kilometer time of 19:29.1 to finish second among 46 runners to help Seaman finish fourth as a team.
Blake Redmond
BLAKE REDMOND, Silver Lake
The Silver Lake senior scored four touchdowns in the Eagles' 40-24 season-opening home win over Riley County, which avenged a loss to the Falcons in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs last fall. Redmond returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a TD and also scored on 7 and 38-yard runs and a 13-yard pass reception from Tanner Martin.
Devon Rutschmann
DEVON RUTSCHMANN, Washburn Rural
A senior soccer standout, Rutschmann has scored seven goals and recorded two assists in three games for the 3-0 Junior Blues. Rutschmann recorded a three-goal hat trick in a season-opening 7-2 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel, registered an assist in Rural's 3-1 win over Shawnee Heights and had three goals and an assist in last Thursday's 6-0 win at Wichita Northwest.
