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Created: 08 May 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural rode its dominance in the distance events and superior depth to a sweep of the team titles in Friday's Joe Schrag City Championship at Hummer Sports Park.

Rural posted a total of 16 event wins on the night (eight girls, eight boys) and had top-three finishes in 25 events (13 girls,12 boys) en route to a 216-135.5 win over Silver Lake for the Junior Blue girls and a 200-131 victory over the Eagle boys in the team standings.

Washburn Rural track had eight individual wins and 12 top-three finishes en route to the boys city championship Friday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Washburn Rural track and field had eight individual wins and 12 top-three finishes en route to the boys city championship Friday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"This is definitely the beginning of postseason and we want to perform well here at the city meet,'' Rural coach Keith Wetzel said. "We like to keep the city trophies in our case and use that to propel us into league and regional and state.

"We put an emphasis on this meet. We want to be the best in the city and we make it a goal that we want to continue to have success at this meet.''

Highlights for the Rural boys included a sweep of all three relays, along with wins in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters and second and third-place finishes in the 800.

Washburn Rural senior Brooks Kehoe won two gold medals and also posted a third-place finish in Friday's city meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Rural senior Brooks Kehoe won the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 26.64 seconds, teamed with Jackson Svaty, Everett Un and Christian Hartman-Babb to win the 4x400 relay (3:23.02) and posted a third-place finish in the 800 (2:00.51).

Hartman-Babb, a junior, won the 100-meter dash in 10.55 seconds before teaming with Paxton Johnson, Caleb Schwartz and Carter Frost to win the 4x100 (43.17) and ending the meet with the 4x400 victory.

Sophomore Henry Laubach won the city title in the 3,200 meters for team-champion Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN] 

Sophomore Henry Laubach turned in a dominating win in the 3,200 (9:32.10) while the Junior Blues also got wins from Luke Deering in the pole vault (11 feet, 6 inches), Zachary Hancock in the discus (153-0) and the team of Everett Un, Wesley Meek, Julius Wood-Nichols and Eli Replogle in the 4x800 (8:36.89).

Senior Emily Graf won the 1,600 and 800-meter runs in Friday's city track and field meet as Washburn Rural's girls won the team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]  

On the girls side, Rural got a pair of individual wins from senior Emily Graf and junior Kailyn Petersen, with Graf winning the 1,600 (5:13.49) and the 800 (2:25.28) and Petersen winning the shot put (34-2) and discus (123-8) titles.

Rural's girls swept the throws and the distance races, with senior Morgan Ray winning the javelin title with a throw of 142-8 and senior Kenzie Maddox winning the 3,200 in 11:26.03.

The Junior Blues also picked up a win in the 4x800 relay (10:32.31) from the foursome of Quinn Nolte, Payton Rice, Morgan Munson and Clara Dillon while Natalie Ferguson finished first in the pole vault (8-0).

"It has been a solid day,'' Wetzel said. "We have some injuries so we've asked some people to step in, to fill in, to step up and we've been fortunate that they've done that for the most part and some young kids, both boys and girls have stepped in and given us a boost.''

Other top performances: 

• Silver Lake, the smallest school in the field, turned in solid runnerup team finishes in both the girls and boys divisions.

The Eagle girls picked up three event wins and 11 top-three finishes while the Lake boys won a pair of events and placed top three in 13 of 18 events.

Silver Lake's Ali Gerber crosses the finish line for the win in the girls 4x400-meter relay in Friday's city meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Ali Gerber won the girls triple jump for the second straight season (34-10.25) and teamed with Kinley Weber, Jaiden Wise and Jaylie Whitehead for a win in the 4x400 relay (4:09.56), with Gerber running the anchor leg.

Addy Just notched the third win of the day for the Silver Lake girls in the long jump (16-9.25) while the boys got wins from Joel Miller in the 200 (22.65) and Bryson Burgos in the triple jump (40-7.50).

 • Keimari Marshall and Marchayla White were both double individual champions for Topeka High's girls while Marshall also added a relay victory in her final city meet.

Marshall won the 100 (12.57) and 400 (59.07) and also ran on the Trojans' winning 4x100 relay (49.60) along with Kaeanna Copeland, Jayana Washington and Ciera Hartz.

White swept the girls hurdles titles, winning the 100-meter event in 17.74 seconds and the 300s in 51.34.

Seaman freshman Baylee Ayres cleared a personal-record 5-foot-5 to win the girls high jump in Friday's city meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

• Seaman freshman Baylee Ayres made an impressive city meet debut, winning the girls high jump with a personal-record jump of 5 feet, 5 inches, winning the event by five inches.

Seaman senior Brody Anderson won the city title in the boys 800 meters by six seconds in 1:53.65 Friday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

• Brody Anderson continued his outstanding senior season for the Seaman boys, winning the 800 by more than six seconds in 1:53.65.

The Vikings also got victories from Kellan Parcaro in the 300 hurdles (43.14) and Jack Esser in the high jump (6-4).

• Other individual winners included Highland Park's Jurnee Cole in the girls 200 (26.32) and Rayshon Pollard in the boys long jump (20-5.25), Shawnee Heights' Jason Slay in the boys 400 (49.89), Heights' Amir Bass in the boys shot put (47-11), Hayden's Kelton Meier in the boys javelin (186-8) and Topeka High's De'sean Lunkins in the boys 110 hurdles (15.85).

JOE SCHRAG CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

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Details

Created: 11 May 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Audrey Appuhn remains very secure in her decision to step away from swimming after the current season to concentrate on music.

Washburn Rural senior swimmer Audrey Appuhn said she has cherished her final season with the Junior Blues before stepping away from the sport. [Photo by Rick Peterdson/TSN]

But the Washburn Rural senior great still had one major goal on her mind before she steps out of the pool following Thursday's Centennial League meet -- to enjoy every minute of her final year with the Junior Blues.       

"I honestly stepped back from swim a little bit this year and focused on music,'' Appuhn said. "So this year with swimming I really just wanted to be a part of the team because I haven't really been able to get to know the girls as well as we would have liked and get to be at all the practices, all the dinners, because I had so much with club swimming that I really had to stay involved with both and it was hard to balance it.

"But this year I was able to go to almost every girls practice and get to work with all the girls and be with them. We do a question of the day every day, like if the person next to you was a color, what color would they be and why? And just those funny things, it was really the best season I've had yet.''

Appuhn will go down in history as one of Washburn Rural's all-time greats and cemented that legacy with four gold medals in Friday's city meet as the Junior Blues won their 23rd straight city championship.

Washburn Rural swimmer Audrey Appuhn (left) exchanges congratulations with Shawnee Heights' Clara Sobba after winning her eighth city individual title in eight career tries. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

With her individual wins in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 freestyle Appuhn finished her final city meet with eight career individual titles in eight starts and she finished with 15 wins in 16 city races overall 

A four-time All-City honoree, Appuhn placed in multiple events in her three Class 6A state meets, taking third in the 100-yard breaststroke and sixth in the 200 freestyle as a junior, earning second-team All-State honors.

And although she's swimming less after stepping away from club following the 2025 campaign, she reiterated that she's enjoying it more.

"I honestly don't care what time I go,'' Appuhn said. "I know I'm going slower than I was going the last three years but it wasn't like, 'Oh no, I'm going to be slower.' It was like, 'Oh yay, I get to have better memories with the team.' I get to go eat pasta with them the night before a meet and that has made it much more fun.

"In the past years I would be so upset if I added a second and now I'm adding 10 seconds or whatever, but I don't even care because I'm just so much happier with the team and I'm enjoying it so much more by taking this step back. It's been so much more fun.''

Appuhn has an opportunity in Thursday's Centennial League meet to equal her 8 for 8 city accomplishment in individual wins and will then turn her focus on the future, majoring in music at UMKC.

"I'll miss the girls for sure, but I know Topeka's always my home and I'll be back and I'll see them, so it's not goodbye. It's just a farewell and I'll see you again.'' 

 

Details

Created: 09 May 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

 Washburn Rural senior star Audrey Appuhn reached a career milestone in Friday's Topeka girls city swimming/diving championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium as the Junior Blues stretched their city title streak to 23 straight seasons.

Appuhn was a double individual winner and four-event gold medalist to lead the way as Washburn Rural took the city crown by a 588-468 margin over Seaman.

Washburn Rural's girls swimming team celebrates in the Capitol Federal Natatorium pool Friday after Rural won its 23rd straight city team championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And while the two biggest meets of the year -- Centennial League and Class 6A state -- are next up for Rural, coach Bob Burdick said the city championship will always be one that the Junior Blues circle on the schedule.     

"Especially here in Topeka, we're all here in this together and the best part about this meet is not only the meet, the championship, but also that all these girls in the city all know each other, so they all get to compete with each other, cheer each other and it's just an amazing event,'' Burdick said.

Washburn Rural senior Audrey Appuhn won four gold medals in Friday's city meet as the Junior Blues captured their 23rd straight city team championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Competing in her final city meet, Appuhn won the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 22.00 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 57.28 while teaming with Sophie Heinen, Resego Mackenzie and Kaci Hodgson to win the 200 medley relay (2:13.84) and with Heinen, Ava Von Lintel and Stella Berry to win the 400 free relay (4:20.97).

With her two individual wins Appuhn finished her four-year city career with eight individual victories in as many tries. 

"It never really was a goal,'' Appuhn said. "I just realized, 'Oh, it happened.' ''

Appuhn also added seven career relay victories in eight starts to finish her city career with 15 gold medals.

Senior Rhiannon Good won the one-meter diving event with a score of 239.85 to account for Washburn Rural's fifth victory of the day while the Junior Blues posted top-three finishes in 11 of 12 events and had multiple top-three finishes in four events.

Rural began the season with several question marks, but Burdick said he's been very pleased with the Junior Blues' performance this spring.  

"They've made the progress we need,'' he said. "We picked up 12 new swimmers this year that had never swam and moved them all along and they all contributed tonight, so that was great.''

Appuhn, Good, Heinen and Von Lintel all earned spots on the All-City first team while Mackenzie, Hodgson and Sophie Reffett were second-teamers.

Other highlights: 

Hayden junior Kaelyn Gerdel won a pair of individual titles in Friday's city swimming meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

• Hayden junior Kaelyn Gerdel joined Appuhn as a double individual city champion, winning the 200-yard freestyle in 2:16.81 and the 100 backstroke in 1:19.12.

Gerdel was a first-team All-City pick while Hayden's Lilly Charvat finished second in the 100 breaststroke (1:21.11) and was a second-team All-City pick.

Shawnee Heights' Kaitlyn Aldridge (left) won the 100-yard butterfly and finished second in the 200 individual medley in Friday's city championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

• Shawnee Heights got victories from Clara Sobba in the 50-yard freestyle (26.94) and Kaitlyn Aldridge in the 100 butterfly (1:10.52) while Aldridge finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:34.61) and Sobba was second in the 100 free (58.49).

Aldridge and Sobba also teamed with Jade Kinsch and Lainey Herrera in the 200 medley relay (2:14.60).

Aldridge and Sobba were All-City first-team honorees while Kinsch was a second-team pick.

Topeka High senior Hara Del Castillo won the 100-yard backstroke in Friday's city championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

• Topeka High got city titles from Avery Skinner and Hara Del Castillo, with Skinner winning the 500 freestyle (6:01.47) and Del Castillo winning the 100 backstroke (1:10.55).

Skinner finished second in the 100 back (1:12.70) while Del Castillo was third in the 50 free (27.78) as both Trojans were first-team All-City selections.

• Team runnerup Seaman got a city title from the foursome of Ava Carlson, Gracie Scott, Isabelle Hahn and Riley Strother in the 200 free relay in 1:57.02 while the Vikings posted top-three finishes in five other events. 

Seaman's Strother, Carlson, Scott and Megan Strobel finished second in the 400 free relay (4:26.64).

Strobel and Strother were both All-City first-team honorees while Jenna Zimmerman, Manuela Diaz, Marleigh Frazier, Jurnee Jessepe and Tenley Wessel made the second team.

• Cair Paravel Latin's Avery Rosenow finished second in diving to earn a spot on the All-City second team while Topeka West's Makenna Russell was also a second-team selection.

TOPEKA GIRLS CITY SWIMMING/DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Created: 08 May 2026

By VINCE LOVERGINE

TopSports.news

Hayden soccer fought back from a 3-1 halftime deficit to remain undefeated with a 5-3 win over Seaman on the Wildcats' Senior Night.

 

The Wildcats and Vikings were both undefeated entering Friday's match and Hayden was able to move to 14-0-0 while celebrating the 10 seniors on their roster.

Hayden senior Carsyn Broxterman (4), who registered a three-goal hat trick, celebrates Friday's 5-3 Senior Night win over Seaman. [Photo by Vince Lovergine/TSN]

Hayden had allowed just four goals through its first 13 matches with 10 shutouts, but gave up three goals in the first half to the Vikings.

After Sawyer Wrench scored Hayden's lone goal in the half off a Grace Funk corner kick, the Wildcats scored three goals in a span of 9:05 to lead 4-3, two of them coming from senior Carsyn Broxterman.

Broxterman would add the hat trick deep inside the box after Seaman missed a clearing attempt and Broxterman was right there to tap it in with 24:04 left in the match.

“She's just amazing,'' Hayden coach Klaus Kreutzer said of Broxterman. "Her work ethic starts with practice and she does the same thing at practice and she elevates her teammates and when she gets the ball.

 

"She kind of sets things in motion and then she puts pressure on the other team and sometimes they have to react.''

Freshman Emma Slyter got the assist on Broxterman's first goal and Slyter also scored a goal off a Funk assist to tie the game at 3-3 with 34:17 remaining.

Seaman certainly had its chances on the offensive side to trim the deficit but could not get anything else past senior goalkeeper Lauren Borjon, who played the second half for the Wildcats.

“We started out slowly, we kind of got in a hole and I think we collected our wits at halftime and to give them credit, they came back. I mean we played a good team, but we're a good team, too, I'm surprised.''

 A dog fight was the perfect way to describe Friday's match in Kreutzer’s eyes.

“They're kind of our rivals in other sports as well and not having lost a game was a little motivation for us as well,” he said.

 

Seaman dropped to 11-1-2 on the campaign.

The Vikings will play at home on Tuesday against Leavenworth while Hayden will play at Emporia.