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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Playing two sports at the NCAA Division II level leaves Gavin Wilhelm with very few off days.
But the hectic schedule of being a member of Washburn's golf team and punting and place-kicking for the Ichabod football team suits the former Seaman multi-sport standout just fine.
Washburn University golfer Gavin Wilhelm reacts to his championship-winning putt in Sunday's TGA City Match Play tournament at Western Hills. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Gavin Wilhelm saw action for Washburn's football team as a true freshman, averaging 47.7 yards on seven punts and kicking off 13 times. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Wilhelm, coming off his first Topeka Golf Association City Match Play championship Sunday at Western Hills, is playing a lot of golf this summer while also working on his kicking skills and will turn his focus more towards football when WU opens fall practice in early August.
Wilhelm credits Ichabod golf coach Ronnie McHenry and WU football coach Craig Schurig with making the hectic schedule work for him and both teams.
"It's very time consuming but the coaches at Washburn do a really good job with me, allowing me to compete in both sports,'' Wilhelm said. "Whether I have to go to football and then golf or golf and then football they do a really good job of finding time and allowing me to compete in both sports.''
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Former Topeka High standout and University of Kansas running back Tylan Alejos recently returned home, signing with backyard school Washburn University's football program for the next four years, allowing the redshirt freshman to perform at a high level in his hometown.
Former Topeka High football star Tylan Alejos (7) has set high goals for himself at Washburn after transferring from Kansas. [File photo/TSN]
Immediately after graduating from Topeka High, Alejos felt the best opportunity to grow was to walk on and make a name for himself at KU.
According to the former Trojan, it was a great decision.
“At the time, it was my best decision,” Alejos said. “KU gave me the best possibility to put my name out there. I got exposed and showed that I could play at any level. I knew I could play at the next level, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could.”
It took a lot of confidence for Alejos to take a route with no guarantees of walking on at the Division I level. But that edge and belief have been with him since his high school days at Topeka High.
“I’ve always been good at sports, and I know that I’ve had that confidence since little league,” Alejos said. “I felt like I got shook when I first got to KU because there were so many talented backs. Eventually, as the year (went by), I started to get my confidence back; I got more reps and things like that. I started to get more comfortable in the offense.
“I felt like I had a very good spring at KU. I got the most reps I ever had there. I thought it was the perfect time to try and look for another program for some playing time.”
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which went undefeated in Centennial League competition, put a ;league high five players on the all-league girls soccer first team, led by senior co-player of the year Mackinly Rohn.
Washburn Rural senior Mackinly Rohn (left) has been named the co-player of the year in the Centennial League. [File photo/TSN]
Rohn, who helped lead Washburn Rural (15-5-1) to a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, is joined on the first team seniors Hailey Beck and Addi Broxterman and sophomores Destiny Higgs and Kate Hinck.
Washburn Rural senior Hailey Beck was a first-team All-Centennial League pick at goalkeeper. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Addi Broxterman (middle) has been named to the All-Centennial League soccer first team. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Kate Hinck (9) has been named to the All-Centennial League first team afte helping the Junior Blues finish third in Class 6A. [File photo/TSN]
Sophomore Destiny Higgs (left) is one of five Washburn Rural players named to the All-Centennial League soccer first team. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Blue freshman Emma Wong was named the Centennial League newcomer of the year while Rural's Brian Hensyel was selected as the league coach of the year.
Hayden senior Noelia Cruz (right) has been named to the All-Centennial League girls soccer first team after helping the Wildcats finish third in Class 4A-1A. [Submitted photo]
Hayden junior Jill Lenherr (left) earned a first-team berth on the All-Centennial League soccer first team for the 2023 season. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman (2) earned first-team All-Centennial League girls soccer honors. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, which finished third in the Class 4A-1A state tournament, put senior Noelia Cruz and junior Jill Lenherr on the first team after the Wildcats went 12-6-2 on the season while Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman represents the Trojans on the all-league first team.
Manhattan, which finished fourth in 6A, put three players on the first team, led by junior co-player of the year Reese Snowden. Also representing the Indians on the all-league team are junior Emery Ruliffson and sophomore Jada Dibbini.
Junction City senior Sophia Holloway and Emporia junior Emeil Bennett round out the first team.
2023 ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS SOCCER
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When high school football practice begins in August, linemen will go back to laboring in relative obscurity.
Shawnee Heights senior Christian Gonzales completes the obstacle course in Monday's Battle of the Bigs lineman challenge at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Jacob Hawks pushes the weighted sled during Monday's Battle of the Bigs at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Monday's Battle of the Bigs lineman challenge at Shawnee Heights was all about the men in the trenches.
Appoximately 85 linemen representing seven city and area high schools took part in the Battle of the Bigs, competing in a variety of drills/activities while vying for individual and team prizes.
"We do it because the skill guys get to have fun all summer and the linemen, all they do is push sleds and work in the weight room, so we see this as kind of a way to reward the linemen and kind of create that unity in their unit,'' Shawnee Heights coach Jason Swift said. "They always say they have a great time.
"We wanted to do something fun for the linemen. Linemen are always like, 'How come we don't get to do 7 on 7, how come we don't get to do stuff?' So that's why we put this together: 'Let's make it a fun day, non-contact, but competitive. More importantly, we want to help build that brotherhood inside the trenches.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
By his own admission, Gavin Wilhelm didn't have his best putting performance in the 2023 Topeka Golf Association City Match Play tournament at Western Hills Golf Course.
Washburn University golfer Gavin Wilhelm reacts to his championship-winning putt in Sunday's TGA City Match Play tournament at Western Hills. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman product and current Washburn University golfer Gavin Wilhelm captured his first City Match Play championship Sunday at Western Hills, taking a 1-up decision over Bryan Tyrell. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN
But the former Seaman standout and current Washburn University golfer made his biggest putt of the week, draining a clutch 8-footer on the 18th hole Sunday to claim a 1-up victory over recent Washburn Rural graduate Bryan Tyrell.
Wilhelm, who plays football and golf for the Ichabods, also drained big putts on the 15th and 16th holes to protect his slim lead over Tyrell but the 2022 Seaman graduate also missed a relatively short putt on No. 17 to open the door for Tyrell, a Class 6A state qualifier this spring.
Wilhelm, the No. 8 tournament seed, also had to punch the ball back into the fairway after getting too far left on his final drive, but he executed his punchout perfectly and then hit his approach close before sinking the championship-winnning par putt.
"I felt like I hadn't made too many putts throughout this tournament so being able to capitalize on those in the very end of the match was really cool,'' Wilhelm said.
