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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Belle Kennedy will go down as one of the top players in Washburn Rural girls soccer history, and the senior remembers most every second of her prep career ... both the good and the bad.
Now the Junior Blues' star midfielder wants to do everything she possibly can to end her career with the best memories yet.
"I think the thing that really struck me was COVID (in 2020) because we had like a whole season just taken from us, but I can remember games perfectly back to freshman year,'' Kennedy said. "Like I can tell you the game I broke my hip; I can tell you about all of that.''
Kennedy, who has already scored six goals in six games this season, made an immediate impact for Washburn Rural as a freshman after moving to Topeka from California, helping the Junior Blues post a runner-up finish in the Class 6A state tournament.
And last season as a junior Kennedy helped lead Rural to a third-place state finish, scoring 17 goals and 12 assists and being named the 6A midfielder of the year.
But Kennedy has also had to work her way through disappointment, missing a chunk of her freshman year with the broken hip she suffered in a game against Seaman and missing all of her sophomore year when COVID-19 wiped out the entire season.
"My friend, Hunter McWilliams, was at my house and the second we heard it -- it was on the news that Governor (Laura) Kelly was shutting down all the school districts -- Hunter and I cried,'' Kennedy said. "We were heart-broken because we were so excited for our season.
"We had lost some strong players but we were still a really good team so we have all this faith and then it was just stripped from us.''
Kennedy and the Junior Blues bounced back with a banner 17-3-1 campaign a year ago and the fourth-ranked Junior Blues are off to a perfect 6-0 start this spring entering Monday's 6:30 p.m. home opener against four-time deending 6A state champion Blue Valley West.
"Every game I try to remember the little things,'' Kennedy said. "It's different than club because high school is where you make more memories with your friends and your teammates because you're with them all day because you see them at school. So I try to remember every game to the best of my ability.
"You want to play as hard as you can every game because literally every game you play in league is going to be the last time you play that team, at least until playoffs start. People I know from other teams, I'll talk to them after games and it's nice to chat and be able to stand on our field or on their field and just be like, 'This is my last year, I'm going to give it all I've got.' ''
A team captain, Kennedy has set the bar high for the 2022 campaign, including trying to help the Junior Blues to win the program's first-ever state championship.
"Right now the biggest thing, my biggest goal, is to win state,'' Kennedy said. "That's my No. 1 goal because I promised coach (Brian) Hensyel my freshman year that we would do it, or at least try to the best of my ability to do it,'' she said. "A personal goal is just to try to get midfielder of the year again. I got it junior year so if I got it junior year why can't I do it again?''
While all of Kennedy's current focus is on helping the Junior Blues mount a title bid, she is also excited about her future after signing a letter of intent with hometown Washburn University.
"I looked at Washburn and it was not my first choice location-wise, but the second I went in and toured that place I fell in love,'' Kennedy said. "When you were on campus it didn't feel like you were in Topeka. The coach (Davy Phillips), the players, the dorms are great and the athletic facilities are off the charts.''
Kennedy got an added bonus when teammate and fellow All-Stater McWilliams made the decision to join her in the Ichabod fold.
"I think that honestly was like a cherry on top,'' Kennedy said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
DAGEN BREWER, Seaman
A senior catcher/infielder, Brewer had a big day in last Friday's 14-1, 12-1 Centennial League doubleheader baseball sweep over Topeka High at Hummer Sports Park. Brewer homered in both games and went 4 of 4 at the plate with two doubles and five runs batted in for the Vikings in the nightcap as Seaman improved to 6-1 on the season.
TARYN BURKHARDT, Silver Lake
Burkhardt, a senior, went 8 for 8 at the plate in last Monday's 11-1, 14-2 non-league doubleheader softball sweep at Hayden. Burkhardt contributed a triple and a pair of doubles while scoring four runs and knocking in three runs on the day for the Eagles, who finished second in the Class 3A state tournament last spring.
ADISYN CARYL, Topeka High
A junior infielder, Caryl helped Topeka High remain unbeaten with a 2-1, 9-5 Centennial League softball sweep over Manhattan last Monday at Hummer Sports Park. Caryl was credited with a double and an inside-the-park home run in the second game as the defending Class 6A state champions pushed their winning streak to 31 straight games dating back to last season.
JAYCEE GINTER, Washburn University
Ginter, a sophomore pitcher/outfielder, helped the Ichabod softball team boost its winning streak to 12 straight games with weekend MIAA sweeps at Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney. Ginter boosted her pitching record to 21-3 with a pair of wins, including a 1-hitter and a 4-hitter, and also recorded a save while recording 23 strikeouts in her three appearances. At the plate the former Shawnee Heights star hit two-run home runs against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.
ZACH SULZEN-WATSON, Washburn Rural
A senior thrower, Sulzen-Watson continues his hot start to the 2022 track and field season with two more individual wins in last Friday's Olathe Invitational. Sulzen-Watson recorded personal-bests in both the shot put and discus en route to decisive wins in both events. Sulzen-Watson won the discus title by more than 14 feet with a throw of 172 feet, 10 inches and took the win in the shot put by more than two feet with a winning effort of 54-5.50.
AVERY WALZ, Seaman
Walz, a sophomore swimming standout, won three gold medals in last Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, including a pair of individual victories. Walz won the 100-yard freestyle in 54.52 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 1:02.48 and also swam on the Vikings' winning 400 free relay (2:45.29).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
GIRLS
100 METERS
Reed, Highand Park 12.6
Benz, Shawnee Heights 13.06
Anderson, Shawnee Heights 13.15
Brooks, Topeka West 13.23
Schuman, Seaman 13.44
Estudillo, Washburn Rural 13.2
200 METERS
Reed, Highland Park 26.5
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 27.29
Benz, Shawnee Heights 27.44
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 27.49
Brooks, Topeka West 27.66
400 METERS
Reed, Highland Park 60.4
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 61.43
Foster, Rossville 63.89
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 64.0
Zuniga, Topeka High 66.06
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:21.5
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:32.5
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:32.6
Farmer, Silver Lake 2:37.29
Heston, Seaman 2:38.4
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news plans to compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2022 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
BOYS
100 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 10.27
Reed, Highland Park 10.5
Richardson, Highland Park 10.5
Peoples, Topeka High 10.6
Lee, Topeka West 10.94
200 METERS
Richardson, Highland Park 21.6
Renfro, Silver Lake 22.67
Schrickel, Hayden 23.21
Santiago, Washburn Rural 23.31 (23.1)
Matlock, Topeka High 23.4
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn softball won its 11th and 12th games in a row Saturday, improving to 32-11 on the season and 14-2 in the MIAA with a 7-0, 4-3 doubleheader sweep at Nebraska-Kearney.
The Washburn Ichabods opened the twinbill with a 7-0 shutout win over the Lopers (19-18, 9-6 MIAA) as sophomore Jaycee Ginter moved to 21-3 on the season while striking out 10 and Kimi Patterson led a 12-hit Ichabod attack with a career-high four hits.