By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/DMB1UK5F. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
-------------------------------------------------------
Deciding who gets your vote as the best men's track and field athlete in Shawnee County history may come down to what events you prefer.
If you're a fan of the sprints, the county has produced some of the state's all-time bests, including Marcel Carter (Shawnee Heights), Mark Pickens (Topeka West), Joe Reagan (Seaman), Duke Tibbs (Topeka High), Ryan Irvin (Seaman) and 2021 three-time state champ Jeremiah Smith (Shawnee Heights) while the Kansas all-time state list is also dotted with local products, including Jared Huske (Highland Park), Antoine Dulan (Washburn Rural) and Rasheed McAlpin (Shawnee Heights).
Marcel Carter [Submitted]
If you lean more to the distance races, Clardy Vinson was a star at Topeka High and went on to become a member of a relay team that set a world record, while Topeka West's Winston Tidwell ranks No. 4 on the all-time state list in the 800 meters.
Preston Carrington [Submitted]
Mikey Hoffer [Nebraska Athletics]
The county has also produced a long list of stars in the field events, including Topeka High grads Preston Carrington (now Syed Abdul Mutfi), Mark Hanson and Richard Barber, Seaman's R.D. Cogswell, Topeka West's Harun and Sherrieff Hazim, Hayden's Kevin Sloan and Shawnee Heights' Mikey Hoffer in the jumps, Washburn's Ryan Koontz in multi-events and Dan O'Mara (Hayden), Jason Stuke (Seaman) and Shawnee Heights' Iain Trimble, Jesse Vaughn and Troy Wilson in the throws.
Candidates are listed at https://linkto.run/p/DMB1UK5F while readers are encouraged to write in the names of their favorites.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or attended one of the county's 10 high schools.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 31 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in August.
NEXT UP: Women's volleyball.
