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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman sophomore girls cross country standout Ryin Miller and Hayden junior football quarterback Jett Wahlmeier 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 2023-2024 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Miller and Wahlmeier over the past week:
Seaman sophomore Ryin Miller was named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency Female Rising Star of the Week after finishing second in the season-opening Manhattan Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
Miller posted a second-place individual finish among 46 runners in last Saturday's season-opening Manhattan Invitational cross country meet at Warner Park.
Miller clocked a five-kilometer time of 19 minutes. 29.1 seconds, leading the Vikings to a fourth-place team finish..
As a freshman Miller was a TopSports.news All-Shawnee County pick and finished fifth in the Class 5A state meet..
Hayden junior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency Male Rising Star of the Week after throwing for 188 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 win over Olpe. [File photo/TSN]
JETT WAHLMEIER, Hayden
Wahlmeier opened his junior season with a big performance for the Wildcats in a 41-7 non-league win at Olpe.
Wahlmeier completed 12 of 20 pass attempts for 188 yards and three touchdowns against Olpe.
Wahlmeier threw touchdown passes of 29 and 14 yards to Jensen Schrickel and 18 yards to Treyton Tetuan.
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka West boys soccer team shook off an early deficit to defeat USD 501 rival Highland Park 5-2 at Hummer Sports Park Tuesday.
Before the Chargers could even break a sweat, they found themselves in a hole when Highland Park freshman David Colon followed up a diving deflection by the Charger goalkeeper and punched the ball home. With just 53 seconds played, Topeka West faced adversity.
Topeka West senior Daniel Rich (12) celebrates his first-half goal with Charger senior teammate Isaac Gonzalez-Talavera in Tuesday's 5-2 soccer win over Highland Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Jaden Patterson and his Topeka West teammates made a young Charger fan's birthday wish come true with a 5-2 win over Highland Park Tuesday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“He was fast and a finisher, so we can’t take anything for granted. He was ready to go,” Topeka West coach Josh Kutter said of the Scots’ early score. “I’m very proud of how our guys responded. They kept their cool and they stuck to the game plan and played like they know how to play.”
“It was a little surprising. It was kind of like a wakeup call,” Charger senior Isaac Gonzalez-Talavera said of the early deficit. “I was a little nervous, but I know our team’s well put together and we can come back from stuff like that. We’ve done it before.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After posting fourth-place finishes in the Class 5A state tournament the past two seasons, Tatiana Dowling's Seaman volleybll team is setting its sights even higher this fall.
Seaman senior Maegan Mills (13) puts away a kill in Tuesday's dual volleyball sweep over Baldwin. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Maegan Mills (13) is congratulated by her Seaman teammates after a kill against Baldwin. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And the Vikings have taken four steps in the right direction to open the 2023 season, with Tuesday's 25-15, 24-19, 25-21 home dual sweep over Baldwin boosting Seaman's record to 4-0 on the season.
"I think any time that you come away with three wins in a five-set match, that's great,'' Dowling said. "I do think we need to work on our consistency and staying (at a high level) the whole entire time.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WAMEGO -- Perennial Class 6A state girls golf power Washburn Rural isn't where it wants to be by fhe end of the 2023 season, but the Junior Blues are getting closer.
Washburn Rural senior Olivia Smith carded an 80 to tie for fourth place in Tuesday's Washburn Rural Invitational at Wamego Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Natalie Peterson helped lead the Junior Blues to a second-place team finish in Tuesday's tournament at Wamego Country Club, tying for fourth place individually with an 80. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Jared Goehring's team shot a season-low 335 on Tuesday at Wamego Country Club to finish second to Centennial League rival Manhattan, which carded a 332 four-person score.
"There's definitely improvement,'' Goehring said. "We've got a long ways to go still, but I like the makeup of this team. I like the leadership on this team so far and we know we've got work to do but there's no doubt that these girls will contine to get better each day.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
If it seems like it's been forever since Collin Wilson ended his high school days at Washburn Rural and embarked on his college football career at Washburn University, Wilson can relate.
"I just turned 25 July 8th,'' Wilson said. "It's crazy, it goes by fast.''
Former Washburn Rural standout Collin Wilson is back for his final season with Washburn University's football team. [File photo/TSN]
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound wide receiver played his final high school season for Rural in 2016 and has played 24 games with five starts for Washburn in three seasons over a seven-year span (including a redshirt year) with 67 catches for 947 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Wilson had his best year for the Ichabods in 2019 with 37 catches for 543 yards while averaging a team-best 14.7 yards per catch and tying for the team lead with seven touchdown receptions while earning All-MIAA honorable mention.
But Wilson was then inactive for two straight seasons due to the Covid-cancelled season in '20 and temporarily transferring out of the WU program during the '21 campaign before returning to the Ichabods in '22.
Having already earned his nursing degree and working in that field, Wilson could have walked away from football and waded full speed into his profession, but he opted instead for a final go-around with the Ichabods.
"It was a couple of things,'' Wilson said about his decision to return. "I wanted to be a leader for some of the young guys on the team, guys who want to get the most our of their career, and just show them how they can do that. And then really I just felt like I didn't accomplish everything I was capable of throughout high school and college.
"I feel like I've always been capable of more and I felt like this is a good opportunity to show that, so I came back. Work's always there. that's not going anywhere. I've been able to work all summer so I haven't really missed out on that too much. It's football. You've only got so long to play it.''
