Shawnee Heights sophomore Jeremiah Smith headlines the 2021 All-Shawnee County boys track and field team after winning three events in the Class 5A state meet. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Triple gold medalist Jeremiah Smith is one of five state champions on the TopSports.news 2021 All-Shawnee County boys track and field team.
Smith, a Shawnee Heights sophomore, turned in a dominating performance in his first Class 5A state meet at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium, going three for three with wins in the 110-meter high hurdles and the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
And while Smith was undoubtedly the biggest star of Shawnee County's large state boys contingent, he certainly wasn't the only star, with four other county athletes making it to the top of the podium and 17 members of the All-Shawnee County team earning state medals.
Joining Smith as state champions were 6A state champions Marquel Russell and Zsamar Sipple of Washburn Rural, 4A champ Jake Muller of Hayden and 3A titlist Woodrow Rezac of Rossville.
Sipple won the 6A long jump while his Junior Blue teammate, Russell, won the championship in the 110-meter hurdles.
Washburn Rural senior Marquel Russell won the Class 6A title in the 110-meter hurdles. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Zsamar Sipple won the Class 6A state long jump championship. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Muller became the third Shawnee County hurdler to win a state title when he won the 4A 300-meter event while Rezac added a 3A crown in the 200.
Rezac also posted a runner-up finish in the 100 while Muller picked up second state medal when he helped the Wildcats to a fifth-place finish in the meet-ending 4x400 relay while Sipple finished seventh in the triple jump.
Rossville's Woodrow Rezac (3249) won the Class 3A 200-meter dash and finished second in the 100 while Silver Lake's Brogan Renfro earned four state medals. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Silver Lake junior Brogan Renfro captured four 3A state medals, placing second in the triple jump, fourth in the 200 (22.27), fifth in the 100 and eighth as part of the Eagles' 4x100 relay.
Renfro's Eagles teammate, junior Carson Johnson, took home three 3A medals, finishing third in the 300 hurdles, seventh in the 110 hurdles and ran on Silver Lake's 4x400 relay as the Eagles finished fourth as a team while junior Cameron TenEyck placed seventh in the boys 3,200 and he ran on the Eagles' 4x800 relay team that finished third.
Highland Park sophomore Tre Richardson earned a pair of 5A state medals, finishing third in the triple jump and fourth in the 200 while Seaman senior Cadin Worcester tied for third in the 5A high jump and helped the Vikings place sixth in the 4x100 relay.
Rural senior Joel Goering placed fourth in the 6A pole vault while his Junior Blue teammate, senior Sam Shonka, tied for third in the high jump, and Rural junior Zach Sulzen Watson took fifth in the discus.
Topeka West sophomore Tyrell Reed finished third in the 5A 100 while Shawnee Heights senior Aidan Hicks placed fourth in the javelin (167-10), T-Bird freshman Jackson Esquibel seventh in the 3,200 and Hayden senior Jack Konrade third in the 4A long jump.
Star distance runners Tanner Newkirk of Hayden and Lenny Njoroge of Topeka West were unable to compete in the state meet due to injuries.
Newkirk, the 4A state cross country champion last fall, ranked No. 1 in the county in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs while Njoroge, a two-time 5A state placer in cross country, was the city champion in the 3,200
Hayden sophomore Jake Muller won the Class 4A state title in the boys 300 hurdles. [File photo/TSN]
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Name, school Class Events
Jackson Esquibel, Shawnee Heights Fr. Distance
Joel Goering, Washburn Rural Sr. Pole vault
Aidan Hicks, Shawnee Heights Sr. Throws
Carson Johnson, Silver Lake Jr. Hurdles, sprints
Jack Konrade, Hayden Sr. Jumps
Jake Muller, Hayden So. Hurdles, Sprints
Tanner Newkirk, Hayden Jr. Distance
Lenny Njoroge, Topeka West So. Distance
Tyrell Reed, Topeka West So. Sprints
Brogan Renfro, Silver Lake Jr. Sprints, jumps
Woodrow Rezac, Rossville Sr. Sprints
Tre Richardson, Highland Park So. Sprints, jumps
Marquel Russell, Washburn Rural Sr. Hurdles
Zsamar Sipple, Washburn Rural Jr. Jumps
Sam Shonka, Washburn Rural Sr. Jumps
Jeremiah Smith, Shawnee Heights So. Sprints, Hurdles
Zach Sulzen Watson, Washburn Rural Jr. Throws
Cameron TenEyck, Silver Lake Jr. Distance
Cadin Worcester, Seaman Sr. Jumps
