By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights sophomore soccer player Lailah Benz and Topeka West sophomore track and field standout Alesecio Batson have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2022-2023 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Benz and Batson over the past week:
Shawnee Heights sophomore Lailah Benz (2) has scored a total of seven goals over her past two games in T-Bird wins over Ottawa and Kansas City-Turner. [File photo/TSN]
LAILAH BENZ, Shawnee Heights
Benz, a sophomore midfielder, recorded a three-goal hat track for Shawnee Heights in last Tuesday's 5-0 non-league girls soccer victory over Ottawa and followed up that performance with a four-goal game in Tuesday's 11-1 United Kansas Conference win at Kansas City-Turner.
Benz has helped lead the T-Birds to a 3-1 start to the 2023 season, including three straight wins.
Benz earned first-team All-City honors as a freshman for the T-Birds and was also a first-team All-United Kansas Conference selection. Benz earned All-Class 5A honorable mention from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last season.
Topeka West sophomore Alesecio Batson posted top-five finishes in three events in last Friday's ESU High School Relays. [File photo/TSN]
ALESECIO BATSON, Topeka West
A sophomore, Batson turned in a banner performance in last Friday's Emporia State University High School Relays at Welch Stadium, posting a win in the boys triple jump, a runnerup finish in the high jump and a fifth-place finish in the long jump.
Batson won the triple jump with a best of 44 feet, 11.50 inches, finished second in the high jump at 6-2 and took fifth in the long jump at 20-9.
Batson currently ranks No. 1 on the Shawnee County Track and Field Honor Roll in the high jump and the triple jump.
