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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High all-state catcher Alesia Alvarez (front, second from left) celebrates the Trojans' 2022 Class 6A state softball title, High's second straight. [File photo/TSN]
ALESIA ALVAREZ, Topeka High
A senior catcher, Alvarez received first-team All-Class 6A honors from the Kansas Softball Coaches Association last season after helping Topeka High win a second straight Class 6A state title. Alvarez was also named to the All-Centennial League and TopSports.news All-Shawnee County first team last season.
ASPEN BURGARDT, Seaman
Burgardt, a senior, helped Seaman advance to the Class 5A state tournament last season while earning second-team All-Centennial League recognition. Burgardt also earned a second-team spot on the 2022 All-Shawnee County team and received All-Class 5A honorable mention as an infielder from the Kansas Softball Coaches Associaiton.
Topeka High senior shortstop Adisyn Caryl helped lead the Trojans to the Class 6A state championship for the second straight season in 2022. [File photo/TSN]
ADISYN CARYL, Topeka High
A senior shortstop, Caryl earned All-Class 6A first-team recognition from the Kansas Softball Coaches Association for the second straight season last spring after helping lead the Trojans to a second straight Class 6A state championship. Caryl was also named to the All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County first team last spring.
Washburn Rural junior Emmerson Cope was named the Centennial League softball player of the year in 2022 after helping lead the Junior Blues to the undefeated league title. [File photo/TSN]
EMMERSON COPE, Washburn Rural
A senior pitcher/first baseman, Cope was named the TSN Shawnee County co-player of the year and the Centennial League player of the year after leading Washburn Rural to an undefeated Centennial League championship and a runnerup finish in the Class 6A state tournament last spring. A first-team Kansas Softball Coaches Association All-Class 6A pick in 2021 and 2022, Cope has signed a letter of intent with Nebraska.
Hayden senior pitcher Alyssa Droge is a top returner for the Wildcat softball team, earning second-team All-Shawnee County honors in 2022. [File photo/TSN]
ALYSSA DROGE, Hayden
Droge, a senior pitcher and outfielder, was a first-team All-Centennial League pick last season and also earned second-team All-Shawnee County recognition. Droge is expected to be at full strength this season after recovering from a serious knee injury.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
CAMDEN HORAK, Rossville
A junior, Horak was a second-team TopSports.news All-Shawnee County selection in 2022 as an infielder and pitcher and also received All-Mid-East League honorable mention. Horak helped the 19-2 Bulldawgs win the Mid-East League championship last season.
MAX HUSTON, Seaman
Huston, a sophomore, earned second-team All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League recognition as an infielder last season. Huston helped the 20-3 Vikings earn a share of the Centennial League championship and advance to the Class 5A state tournament.
ELIJAH KINCADE, Topeka High
Kingcade, a senior, earned second-team All-Shawnee County honors last season as a designated hitter and also was a second-team All-Centennial League selection last season for the Trojans.
Shawnee Heights junior Jacob Malcom (5) earned second-team All-Shawnee County and All-UKC honors in 2022. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
JACOB MALCOM, Shawnee Heights
A junior outfielder, Malcom was a second-team All-Shawnee County and second-team All-United Kansas Conference selection last season after helping the T-Birds post a 13-10 record, earn the UKC championship and advance to the Class 5A state tournament.
NIC PEREZ, Shawnee Heights
Perez, a senior pitcher, was a TSN second-team All-Shawnee County pick last season and also earned second-team All-United Kansas Conference honors after helping 13-10 Shawnee Heights win the UKC title and earn a Class 5A state tournament berth.
DEACON POMEROY, Shawnee Heights
Pomeroy, a sophomore infielder, turned in a big freshman season for Shawnee Heights in 2022, earning first-team All-Shawnee County and first-team All-United Kansas Conference recognition. Pomeroy helped the 13-10 T-Birds win the UKC championship and earn a berth in the Class 5A state tournament.
COLIN REDEKER, Washburn Rural
A junior outfielder, Redeker earned All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League recognition last season after helping Washburn Rural post a 19-6 record, earn a share of the Centennial League championship and post a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Topeka High girls soccer coach Derek Snook pretty know what he has in his nine-member senior class and two-time All-City pick Avery Zimmerman, a junior.
But the Trojans still entered Monday's 2023 season-opener with some question marks and took a big step towards answering those questions in a 9-0 non-league romp past rival Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park.
Junior Avery Zimmerman (2) had four goals and an assist in Monday's 9-0 Topeka High season-opening win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High freshman Raelee Shipley (10), controlling the ball off her body, scored two goals and had an assist in her high school debut Monday, a 9-0 win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Zimmerman powered the Trojans with four goals and an assist and the Trojans also got a goal and two assists from senior Cierra Carranza and a goal and an assist from senior Haley Carpenter and a shutout in goal from senior Keira Trupp.
But Topeka High also got a pair of goals and an assist from freshman Raelee Shipley and a goal from sophomore Alexa Aguirre.
It all added up to an impressive opener for Snook's Trojans.
"Obviously it's really good to get a win and come back out in our first competition of the year and seeing where we are,'' Snook said. "Playing against each other (in practice) we were a little bit unsure. We kind of know, because we have so many seniors, what they can do, but how are we going to step up and replace the seniors we lost from last year.
"I thought we did a really good job, especially the younger ones, coming through. It was good to get everybody in the game and to see kind of what we have to work with.''
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
League champion Highland Park dominated balloting for the 2023 All-Meadowlark Conference boys basketball team, led by player of the year Bo Aldridge.
Aldridge, a 6-foot-4 senior, helped lead the Scots to a 24-1 record and a third-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament.
Highland Park senior Bo Aldridge has been named the Meadowlark Conference player of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park senior Tre Richardson was named the Meadowlark Conference defensive player of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park coach Mike Williams has been named the Meadowlark Conference coach of the year after leading the Scots to a 24-1 record and a third-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Joining Aldridge on the All-Meadowlark first team is teammate Tre Richardson, who was also named the league defensive player of the year.
Aldridge averaged 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists while Richardson averaged 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Highland Park coach Mike Williams was selected as the Meadowlark Conference coach of the year after leading the Scots to a second staight state tournament berth.
Senior Jahmir Kingcannon and sophomore Jacorey Robinson were named to the all-conference team while senior Quentin Adams received honorable mention.
ALL-MEADOWLARK CONFERENCE BOYS BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Mara Bare
MARA BARE, Washburn Rural
A senior, Bare placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle and sixth in the 500 free in the 2022 Class 6A state meet, earning second-team All-State honors. Bare helped lead Washburn Rural to its 19th straight city team title last season, placing second in the 200 freestyle and the 500 free and swimming on Rural's runner-up 200 medley and 400 free relays. Bare also helped the Junior Blues win the Centennial League team championship, taking second in the 200 free and 500 free and earning first-team all-league honors.
Breann Devlin
BREANNA DEVLIN, Topeka High
Devlin, a senior, turned in an outstanding season for Topeka High in her first year as a high school one-meter diver last spring, placing fourth in the Class 6A state meet. Devlin swept the city and Centennial League diving championships in 2022 while setting Topeka High school records for the six-dive and 11-dive events.
Joslynn Grace
JOSLYNN GRACE, Seaman
Grace, a sophomore, earned three Class 5A-1A state medals last season, helping the Vikings finish fourth as a team in 5A-1A. Grace finished fifth in the 200-yard individual medley and swam on Seaman's third-place 200 medley and 400 free relays. Grace finished second in the city meet in the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly and swam on the Vikings' winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. Grace placed third in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly in the Centennial League meet and swam on Seaman's winning 200 medley and 400 free relays, earning first-team all-league recognition.
Kiersten Harris
KIERSTEN HARRIS, Washburn Rural
Harris, a senior, helped Washburn Rural stretch its city-meet winning streak to 19 years in 2022, placing second in the 100 breastsroke and third in the 200 individual medley and swimming on the Junior Blues' second-place 200 medley and 400 free relays. Harris finished 16th in the 100 breastroke in the Class 6A state meet.
