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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
OTTAWA -- A lot of high school athletes can't wait to spread their wings and leave their home state for their college careers.
Former Washburn Rural star Ty Weber (42), a freshman-to-be at Washburn University, will play for the East in Saturday night's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Hays. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Former Washburn Rural star linebacker Ty Weber opted to stay closer to home -- a lot closer -- signing with Craig Schurig's Washburn University program to play his college football.
"It's about 12 minutes,'' said Weber, who will play for the East in Saturday night's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Hays before reporting to the Ichabods.
Weber, the Shawnee County defensive player of the year as a junior and senior, said Washburn was always at the top of his list of prospective colleges.
"It's the community,'' Weber said. "It's an honor to be able to suit up in my hometown of Topeka and to stay and play in front of all the fans and all the people who have supported me along the way. It's really a great honor.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time best teams in 21 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. The project continues with girls golf and readers will have the opportunity to vote for teams in that sport through July 27, with the top teams in all categories announced in late July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4871448xAa4145c1-151 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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It shouldn't be a big surprise that longtime state powers Washburn Rural and Hayden headline the list of contenders for TopSports.news' Best of the Best Top 10 in girls golf.
After all, the Junior Blues and Wildcats are the only Shawnee County schools to win state team championships in the sport, with both Washburn Rural and Hayden winning five titles apiece.
Washburn Rural won the Class 6A-5A girls golf state title in 2005, the Junior Blues' first of five state championships. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Hayden's girls golf team swept the Class 4A individual and team championships in 2008, with Lauren Falley taking individual honors and the Wildcats winning the team title by 18 strokes. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
But picking the top spot out of the state championship teams promises to be a much tougher task.
Washburn Rural won its first state championship in Class 6A-5A under Jeff Stromgren in 2005 while the Junior Blues have captured four 6A titles under current Rural coach Jared Goehring, including back-to-back titles in 2013 and '14 and in '16 and '17.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
OTTAWA -- Playing next to Notre Dame freshman to be Joe Otting throughout his Hayden football career, Ben Evans might have been overlooked by some college recruiters.
Former Hayden standout lineman Ben Evans (72) talks with his high school coach, Bill Arnold, during an East practice session for Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Hays. Arnold is coaching the defensive line for the East. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the 6-foot-2, 275-pound lineman said he wouldn't have traded the opportunity to play alongside Otting for anything.
"I loved being next to Joe on the offensive line and on defense,'' Evans said. "We're brothers. We've been playing together since sixth grade and I'm happy for him. That's awesome. I mean, he's living the dream.''
But now Evans, an All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick, is looking forward to showing what he can do, beginning with Saturday night's 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl at Hays and continuing this fall at Coffeyville Community College.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time best teams in 21 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. The project continues with football and readers will have the opportunity to vote for teams in that sport through July 26, with the top teams in all categories announced in late July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4869619x1e314Fa6-151 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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Shawnee County high schools first started fielding football teams in the early 1900s, with seven county schools posting undefeated seasons in the early days of Kansas prep football.
But the modern era of the sport began in 1969 with the advent of playoff football in Kansas and Shawnee County schools have continued that enviable record of success, posting 19 state tiles in four classes.
Silver Lake went a perfect 13-0 en route to the 1989 Class 3A state championship, its first of three undefeated state titles and eight overall under CJ Hamilton. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Ron Bowen's Washburn Rural team went a perfect 12-0 to win the 1989 Class 5A state championship, the Junior Blues' third state title in the '80s. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
With over 110 years of teams to pick from, narrowing down TopSports.news Best of the Best teams to a top 10 is a daunting task, but the list of contenders has to start with the 10 county teams that have posted wire-to-wire undefeated campaigns in the playoff era.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn senior-to-be right-handed pitcher Casey Steward was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday in the 19th round with the 583rd overall pick in the Major League Draft.
Washburn star pitcher Casey Steward was drafted Tuesday by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 19th round. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Steward was the first MIAA player to be picked in the draft this year.
"Casey Steward has been an impact player for Washburn baseball since the first day he stepped on campus," Ichabod head baseball coach Harley Douglas said in a Washburn Athletics release. "I am so happy for him and his family today!
"His commitment and dedication to his craft and being an Ichabod will be hard to replace. He was determined to make his mark in Washburn baseball history and it is safe to say he did it in a big way. What a tremendous day for Casey Steward, his family and all of Ichabod nation!"
