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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Recent Washburn Rural graduate Addi Broxterman, who helped the Junior Blues' wrestling team capture three state team championships in four seasons, was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Winter Female Athlete of the Year Wednesday at Washburn University during the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Former Washburn Rural star Addi Broxterman was named the Topeka Shawnee County Fall Female Athlete of the Year after helping the Junior Blues win their third state wrestling team championship in 2023. [File photo/TSN]
Broxterman ended her record-setting four-year career by helping Washburn Rural capture the 2023 Class 6A-5A team title and her 146 career victories made her the winningest wrestler in Kansas history.
Broxterman's 132 career wins by fall and 34 3-point nearfalls are also state records and she holds the Washburn Rural school record with 45 single-season wins.
Broxterman was a three-time state medalist, a two-time state finalist and a four-time Centennial League champion.
"Addison Broxterman has set the gold standard for women's wrestling, not just at Washburn Rural, but across the state of Kansas,'' Rural coach Damon Parker said.
Broxterman was also a standout for the powerhouse Junior Blue soccer program, helping Rural to a third-place Class 6A state finish this past season.
Broxterman will wrestle collegiately at Fort Hays State.
The daughter of Justin and Marla Broxterman, Addi compiled a 4.019 grade point average at Rural.
Other candidates:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Hayden star Joe Otting, who will play his college football at Notre Dame, was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Fall Male Athlete of the Year during Wednesday's awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Washburn University.
Recent Hayden graduate Joe Otting, a freshman at Notre Dame, has been named the TSN Topeka Shawnee County Fall Male Athlete of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year. [File photo/TSN]
Otting, a three-sport standout for the Wildcats, was a consensus All-State Top 11 selection as a senior, starring as an offensive and defensive lineman as Hayden posted a 10-2 record and advanced to the Class 3A state football semfiinals.
Otting led an offense that rushed for 3,032 yards and averaged 8.54 yards per carry.
Defensively, Otting was in on 81 tackles (42 solo) with three tackles for loss.
"Joe was a great example of a student-athlete,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. "He participated in three sports and was an honor roll student.
"He was a great role model to the younger kids and never passed up an opportunity to make them feel special.''
Otting also received numerous postseason honors in basketball and was a state medalist in track and field.
Otting, the son of Eric and Debbie Otting, compiled a 3.625 grade point average in high school.
Other candidates:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural volleyball All-American and two-sport Class 6A state champion Brooklyn DeLeye was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Fall Female Athlete of the Year during Wednesday's awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Washburn University.
Former Washburn Rural multi-sport star Brooklyn DeLeye was selected as the Shawnee County Fall Female Athlete of the Year Wednesday night at Washburn. [File photo/TSN]
DeLeye was a two-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and two-time Class 6A player of the year in volleyball while being named to the all-state first team four straight years.
DeLeye led Washburn Rural to the 6A state championship last fall and finished her high school career as Rural's career leader in kills (2,090), most hit attempts (4,086), most hits completed (3,496) and ace serves (277).
"Brooklyn is one of the most dominant game changers that has ever graced the volleyball courts in Kansas,'' Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. "People came to our matches to watch her, and little kids idolize her.
"With all of that she is very humble. A better role model for our younger kids cannot be found. A truly once in a coaching lifetime player for us.''
DeLeye also helped the Junior Blues win a 6A state basketball title and was a standout in soccer.
DeLeye will play volleyball at Kentucky.
The daughter of John and Janel DeLeye, Brooklyn compiled a 4.167 cumulative grade point average.
Other candidates:
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
After spending two years at Barton County Community College, Washburn Rural product Shawn Marquis settled nicely into MIAA competition with Newman University’s baseball program in the 2022-2023 campaign.
Shawn Marquis
For Marquis, experiencing a new city and culture in the Sunflower State intrigued him. With the junior being raised in Topeka and spending two years in Great Bend, he liked the idea of spending the rest of his collegiate career in Wichita.
With a stellar supporting cast around him, a comfortable situation in Wichita and helpful coaching, Marquis achieved a milestone by hitting over 300 for the first time in his collegiate career.
“Newman was always a nice option for me, and with Wichita not being too far from home was great,” Marquis said. “It was also another area I’ve never been to a lot before, and I wanted that new experience. In terms of comfort, the coaches were great and really helpful every step of the way. Moving in was awesome.”
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
It took just one season for Topeka High product and current Hutchison Community College defensive lineman Danny Saili to draw Power Five interest, and it also didn't take too much time for Saili to decide to commit to the Oklahoma Sooners to finish his college career.
Topeka High grad Danny Saili will head to Oklahoma after a final season at Hutchinson Community College. [Twitter photo]
It's been a dream for Saili to play Division I football and the 6-foot-2, 389-pound defensive tackle joined recently acquired defensive linemen Davon Sears, Jacob Lacey and Da'Jon Terry from the transfer portal to boost Brent Venables' defense after Saili plays his final season for Hutch this fall..
The visit to Oklahoma was eye-opening for Saili. Being a Sooner was a dream come true, and when he stepped on campus, he realized he could make it happen.
"I had to wait a couple of months to be recruited because that's the way things work with juco," Saili said. "Around the spring time, colleges started to hit me up and talk to me. When I went to Oklahoma, I had never seen anything like that anywhere else.
"All that money put into such a great program was cool to see. I met all of the coaches, and defensive line coach Todd Bates is a legend. So I just fell in love when I went down there."
