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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Lexis Berndt, Silver Lake
A senior, Berndt earned second-team All-Shawnee County selection last fall, helping Silver Lake win the Mid-East League championship and posting a 28-9 overall record. Berndt will switch to libero this fall after being credited with 231 digs a year ago.
Laynee Brown, Seaman
A senior, Brown was an All-Centennial League first-team selection for the second straight season after the Vikings posted a 27-13 record and finished fourth in the 5A state tournament. Brown finished with 338 digs on the season to go with 109 assists. She also served 95 percent with 27 aces.
Zoe Canfield, Washburn Rural
Canfield, a junior, was a second-team All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League pick as a junior after helping Rural post a 41-2 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, recording 439 assists and 53 service aces. Canfield earned All-City and all-league honors as a freshman and was named the city newcomer of the year. Canfield also helped lead Rural to the 6A state basketball title this past season.
Leah Cook, Silver Lake
A senior, Cook earned second-team All-Shawnee County recognition last season for the 28-9 Eagles, who won the Mid-East League championship. Cook was a unanimous All-Mid-East League first-team selection, registering 193 kills while being credited with 27 blocks a year ago.
Brooklyn DeLeye, Washburn Rural
DeLeye, a senior, was named the Shawnee County, Centennial League and Class 6A player of the year last season after helping lead the Junior Blues to a fourth-place finish in the 6A state tournament. A three-time all-league and All-6A State Tournament selection, DeLeye finished the season with 586 kills on .438 kill efficiency, while also contributing 26 block kills, 259 digs and a 2.56 serve receive grade. DeLeye, who has orally committed to Kentucky, had 133 serving aces. DeLeye was also a standout on Rural's 6A state championship basketball team last season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
As Hayden's football team got ready for Day 2 of fall preseason practice on Tuesday, star senior lineman Joe Otting was the picture of contentment, wearing a big smile while interacting with his teammates.
Part of Otting's happiness comes from the simple fact that the 6-foot-4, 275-pounder is thrilled to be back on the football field for one last high school season with his Wildcats.
But Otting, who made an oral commitment to Notre Dame in early June, admitted that already having his future plans set with one of college football's most storied programs has also taken a big weight off his shoulders.
"It helps me a lot,'' Otting said. "I get to be a kid again and not worry about a bunch of texts and calls from all these different coaches and just focus on my team and be with my buddies for one more year.
"Once I made (my commitment) and it was all said and done, that's when I found my comfortability again.''
Otting is coming off an outstanding junior season in three sports for the Wildcats, earning first-team All-Shawnee County honors in football and basketball while also advancing to the Class 4A state track and field championships as a thrower.
Otting helped lead Hayden to the second round of the 3A football playoffs and an 8-2 record last fall and helped the Wildcats finish fourth in the 4A state basketball tournament.
The Hayden star would have the option of graduating at the end of the first semester and joining the Irish for spring practice, but Otting opted to soak up every last minute of his high school experience before heading off to South Bend, Ind.
"I'll be playing basketball and doing track,'' Otting said. "It's your senior year and you only get your senior year once in your life so you've just got to make the most of it.
"We have Senior Prom and things like that and I've just got to be with my buddies one more year.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hailey Beck, Washburn Rural
Beck, a senior, teamed with graduated senior Shelby Schmutzler to earn a Class 6A state doubles berth with a second-place regional finish. Beck and Schmutzler were the city champions in No. 2 doubles last fall and finished third in doubles in the Centennial League meet. Beck is also a standout goalkeeper for the Junior Blues' girls soccer team, which finished second in 6A this past spring.
Haley Carpenter, Topeka High
A senior, Carpenter and Adisyn Caryl made it to the Class 6A state tournament for the second straight season as doubles partners, finishing fourth in 6A regional competition. Carpenter and Caryl also finished fourth in the city in No. 1 doubles and fourth in the Centennial League.
Adisyn Caryl, Topeka High
Caryl, a senior, and Haley Carpenter qualified for the 6A state tournament for the second straight season, finishing fourth in 6A regional competition. Caryl, a three-time state qualifier, and Carpenter finished fourth in the city in No. 1 doubles and fourth in the Centennial League in doubles. Caryl also plays basketball and softball for High, helping the Trojans win two straight 6A softball state titles.
Nina Del-Zio, Seaman
In her first season at Seaman, Del-Zio, a senior, earned a 5A state medal with an 11th-place singles finish, helping the Vikings finish fifth as a team. Del-Zio won a regional title in singles, placed third in the city meet in No. 1 singles and fourth in the Centennial League in singles.
Mena DiMarzio, Washburn Rural
A junior, DiMarzio avanced to the Class 6A state tournament last fall in her first season on Washburn Rural's varsity with a fifth-place regional finsh in singles. DiMarzio won the city championship in No. 2 singles and placed fourth in the Centennial League in singles.
Kate Fritz, Washburn Rural
Fritz, a senior, teamed with Meredith Kucera to win a Class 6A regional doubles championship last fall and placed ninth in the 6A state tournament. Fritz and Kucera finished second in the city meet in No. 1 doubles and second in the Centennial League in doubles. Fritz is a two-time regional champion and a three-time state qualifier for the Junior Blues.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A year ago Washburn Rural linebacker Ty Weber was named the TopSports.news Shawnee County defensive player of the year, recording more than 100 tackles while helping lead the Junior Blues to a breakout 8-2 season.
But the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Weber begins the 2022 football season with one thing he hasn't had in a while -- a clean bill of health.
Also an All-Shawnee County pick in baseball, Weber missed virtually his entire sophomore baseball season in 2021 after suffering a serious ankle injury in the Junior Blues' season-opener against Seaman while chasing a foul ball.
"I just ran into the fence, got my foot stuck and it just kind of snapped it,'' Weber said.
It took Weber all of the spring and summer of 2021 and a few games into the football season before the Junior Blue standout felt like he was at full speed.
"The first couple of games I played a half, I didn't get to play the full game,'' he said. "I don't like to be on the sideline, I'd rather be on the field, but it was more of a marathon that a sprint to get back into it.''
After registering 106 tackles (63 solo) and seven tackles for loss in football, Weber followed that up with a spectacular start to the '22 baseball season before aggravating the injury he suffered as a sophomore while trying to snag a high throw -- again against Seaman -- which necessitated more surgery.
"It was bothering me a couple of weeks before that and I knew something was kind of messed up,'' Weber said. "I landed wrong and I just knew something was wrong. They told me it was from the last time, it just never healed.''
Another long rehabilitation followed, which Weber admitted was tough to swallow.
"It was almost like deja vu,'' Weber said. "It was frustrating, being in a position where I was doing well and the team's succeeding, I didn't want to sit out. Unfortunately it was a decision we had to make so I could play football this fall.
"It was heartbreaking. but it was kind of necessary.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Lois Deeter, Seaman
Deeter returns for her senior season this fall after tying for fifth place in the Class 5A state tournament as a junior. Deeter won the city title with a 70, placed second at regionals and had a season-low round of 66, earning All-Shawnee County first-team honors. As a freshman for the Vikings in '19, Deeter tied for fifth individually in the 5A state meet and won the Centennial League championship.
Avery Grunert, Hayden
Grunert, a junior, earned All-Shawnee County second-team honors as a sophomore. Grunert helped Hayden finish third as a team in the Class 4A state tournament last fall, tying for 23rd place individually. Grunert tied for 13th place in the Centennial League tournament.
Mallory Nelson, Washburn Rural
A senior, Nelson was an All-Shawnee County second-team selection last season after helping Washburn Rural earn a second-place team finish in the Class 6A state tournament. Nelson tied for 39th at state after tying for fourth in the city tournament and tying for seventh place in the Centennial League meet.