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WINTER SPORTS: OUTSTANDING FEMALE NOMINEES
JALEY BARKLEY | Cair Paravel Latin
PARENTS: Shane and Valerie Barkley
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 4.53
"Jaley is a fantastic leader and worker,'' Cair Paravel coach Brian Ewing said. "She knew my expectations for her senior year and led the team through her dedication and desire. Jaley has always been a hard worker during the season but out of season as well. She put up tens of thousands of shots during COVID, which showed up in her stats this past season. Jaley loves to interact with, and encourage, the younger kids, especially the girls. She knows that eyes are on her for not only how she plays on the court but how she leads throughour her school day and practice.'' Barkey will play college basketball next season for Sterling College.
CELESTE GONZALEZ | Highland Park
PARENTS: Raul Gonzalez and Clara Caro
SPORT: Wrestling | GPA: 4.2
Gonzalez posted a 17-7 record as a senior and was a two-year letter-winner for Highland Park's girls wrestling team. Gonzalez won the Centennial League indiviual championship at 191 pounds her senior season, qualified for the Class 6A-5A state meet with a runner-up regional finish and earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention. "She had a desire to demonstrate dominance on the mat but was friendly to everyone off the mat,'' Highland Park coach Shannon Keller said. Gonzalez, who also earned All-City honorable mention in soccer, plans to attend college at Washburn University.
EMMA KRUEGER | Washburn Rural
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University softball stars Jaycee Ginter and Marrit Mead have a lot in common.
In fact, the pair probably has more in common than not.
Shawnee Heights product Ginter and Santa Fe Trail grad Mead have played club softball together since middle school, are roommates, take most of the same classes at WU as nursing majors and even have the same part-time job.
"I wouldn't say we were as close as ever from the start, but when you start playing sports together and are always on the field together you build a connection,’’ Mead said. “Obviously from eighth grade till now that's a lot of years and that's a lot of time spent together, on the softball field, on the volleyball court and just hanging out.
”All those things you just build so many connections and I think (our closeness) has just built up over time.''
Ginter agreed.
"I think we started playing club softball together in seventh or eighth grade and then we also joined the same volleyball team, so we also played volleyball together and kind of just were always hanging out,’’ Ginter said.
Recently the two added one more element to their unbreakable bond – sharing the title of NCAA Division II All-American as sophomores – after helping lead Brenda Holaday’s Ichabods to the MIAA regular-season championship, an NCAA Tournament berth and a 45-15 overall record.
A pitcher/outfielder, Ginter earned first-team All-America accolades from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association while Mead, a third baseman, earned All-America honors for the second straight season, earning third-team recognition from the NFCA and honorable mention from D2CCA.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which went undefeated against city competition en route to a Centennial League championship and a runner-up finish in the Class 6A state tournament, put a city-high five players on the 2022 All-City girls soccer team, selected by city coaches.
The Junior Blues, who went 17-3-1 on the season, are represented on the first team by seniors Reagan Allen, Belle Kennedy, McKenna Merrick and Hunter McWilliams and freshman Kate Hinck while Junior Blues coach Brian Hensyel was named the city coach of the year.
Cair Paravel Latin, which posted a fourth-place finish in the 4A-1A state tournament, put sophomore Katherine Keys and freshman Zahra Lewis on the first team after the Lions posted a 15-5-0 record and earned their first final four berth.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports icons Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite will be back in Topeka July 7 to host the Darting Basketball Academy Youth Foundation's one of a kind Big Kev's Community Give Back Dual Basketball/Football camp at Shawnee Heights.
The two Highland Park graduates and longtime professional athletes will be on hand with other special guests to host the camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Athletes will have the option between all-day basketball or football camps or can split their time between half-day basketball and football camps. Athletes can register online at dartingbasketball.com.
One hundred percent of the camp profits will be donated to Topeka non-profit organizations.
Weems and Wilhoite played together at Highland Park before Weems went on to earn Missouri Valley Player of the Year basketball honors at Missouri State and Wilhoite became a football standout for Washburn University.
Wilhoite put together a seven-year NFL career as a linebacker with San Francisco and Seattle and is currently the linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Weems continues to play professional basketball overseas and is currently playing in Bologna, Italy.
The July 7 camp is named in honor of Kyle's late father, Kevin, a former Washburn University basketball player, who had a big impact on the athletic careers of both Weems and Wilhoite, who were inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
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Editor's note: Over the next few days, TopSports.news will take a look at all of the nominees for the 2022 Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards. All nominees will be recognized at the June 22 awards banquet, which will be held in conjunction with the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame induction at Washburn University's Memorial Union.
FALL SPORTS: OUTSTANDING MALE NOMINEES
TYLAN ALEJOS | Topeka High
PARENTS: Evan and Tia Alejos
SPORT: Football | GPA: 3.10
A 5-foot-9, 190-pound running back/defensive back, Alejos was an All-Shawnee County Top 22 and All-Centennial League first-team selection after rushing for 1,327 yards on 202 carries and scoring 18 total touchdowns lat fall. Defensively Alejos recorded 40 tackles (16 solo) and had a pass interception. Alejos rushed for 400 yards and scored eight touchdowns in a Centennial League victory over Highland Park. Alejos will play his college football at the University of Kansas after accepting a preferred walk-on offer from the Jayhawks.
JAQ'SON BIRDWHISTLE-BUSH | Topeka West
PARENTS Dr. Christopher and AliShia Bush
SPORT: Football | GPA: 3.415
"Jaq'Son has been an excellent example of character, leadership and work ethic as a student-athlete at Topeka West,'' said Ryan Kelley, who coached Birdwhistle-Bush at West. "In four years of being his football coach, Jaq'Son never missed a workout or practice, summer or fall. Even through tough times where the program struggled to experience success in terms of wins and losses Jaq'Son remained positive and worked hard every day. We at Topeka West are extremely proud of Jaq'son.'' Birdwhistle-Bush caught 12 passes for149 yards and a touchdown as a senior. Birdwhistle-Bush will attend Kansas State University.
CARTER BRIAN | Cair Paravel Latin
PARENTS: Tom and Susan Brian
SPORT: Football | GPA: 4.27
Brian was the Lions' quarterback as a junior and senior, leading Cair Paravel to a perfect season and the Kansas Christian Athletic Association state title last fall. "He is a determined individual who is not afraid of difficult possibilities and that effort created the building blocks for a very successful senior season,'' Cair Paravel coach Doug Bonura said. "Carter's leadership at the quarterback position helped secure his team's undefeated season. Brian earned TopSports.news All-Shawnee County honors, throwing for 2,515 yards and 51 touchdowns. Brian plans to play football at Ohio Northern University.