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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Washburn Rural state champ and Washburn University Division II golfer of the year Andrew Beckler plans to enjoy every minute of next week's United States Open experience in Brookline, Mass.
But Beckler also knows that first and foremost he has a job to do next week after qualifying for his first Open earlier this week.
"It's going to be a great experience and I'm gong to soak it in,'' Beckler said. "My family's coming so it's going to be a great experience for me, but it's still a golf tournament for me so I have a game plan going in for how I'm going to approach practice rounds and things like that and what I'm going to do to prepare for it.
"Then I'm just going to swing away and see what happens. My game's in good shape and I think I can compete out there.''
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Editor's note: Over the next eight 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 FEMALE NOMINEES
KHLOI BIRD | Washburn Rural
PARENTS: Ricky Cole and Lezlie Oetting
SPORT: Cross country | GPA: 4.12
Bird transferred to Washburn Rural as a sophomore and has been a three-time All-City/All-Shawnee County selection in cross country while helping the Junior Blues win three straight city team titles, a Centennial Leaue championship and a Class 6A regional team title. Bird posted a 14th-place individual finish in the 6A state meet last fall. In track Bird was a state qualifier as a junior and senior, earning a state medal in the 4 x 800 relay as a junior. "Khloi has been an important part of our cross country and track programs the past three years,'' Rural cross country coach Matt Swedlund said. "Her consistent high-level performances were key contributions to our team's success.'' Bird plans to run cross country and track at Butler Community College.
ANNA NEWCOME | Topeka West
PARENTS: Scott and Patricia Newcome
SPORT: Tennis | GPA: 4.36
Newcome qualified for the Class 5A state tournament as a senior, posting a third-place finish in 5A regional singles competition. "Anna has an excellent work ethic,'' Topeka West coach Kurt Davids said. "She shows up to her commitments on time, every time with a positive attitude and an open mind. Anna was an accomplished leader as well, setting an impeccable example in the classroom as well as on the court. Anna's junior season was cut short by COVID restrictions. Beyond the initial disappointment, Anna became even more focused and determined to not be denied a trip to the state tournament.'' Newcome plans to attend the University of Nebraska.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Nine Shawnee County softball standouts have received first-team All-State honors from the Kansas Softball Coaches Association, including seven players in Class 6A
Two-time 6A state champion Topeka High put seniors NiJaree Canady and Elycia Joyce and juniors Alesia Alvarez and Adisyn Caryl on the All-6A first team while state runner-up Washburn Rural put seniors Campbell Bagshaw and Mikaila Herring and junior Emmerson Cope on the All-6A team.
Canady, Caryl and Cope area All-6A first-team repeat selections.
Rossville, which finished fourth in 6A, is represented on the All-3A first team by junior Brinley Dyche and sophomore Kinsey Perine.
Washburn Rural's Baylee Dial received second-team All-6A recognition while Topeka High's Quincy Smith received honorable mention.
Seaman, a 5A state qualifier, put seniors Skylar Duncan and Emma Smith and sophomore Rosalie Schneider on the All-5A second team while Shawnee Heights is represented by senior Ariah Durkes.
Seaman's Aspen Burgardt was a second-team selection.
Hayden's Carly Stuke received All-4A honorable mention.
Rossville's Vanesa Quinones and Emma Mitchell were second-team All-3A picks while Rossville's Caylee Douglas and Silver Lake's Taryn Burkhardt received honorable mention.
KANSAS SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE TEAMS
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Class 6A state champion Topeka High and Centennial League champ and 6A runner-up headline the 2022 TopSports.news All-Shawnee County softball team.
Trojan senior star NiJaree Canady and Junior Blues junior star Emmerson Cope were named the Shawnee County co-players of the year while Silver Lake freshman Taylor Zordel got the nod as newcomer of the year and Topeka High coach Shane Miles was named the county coach of the year ater leading the Trojans to back-to-back 6A state softball championships.
Canady, a Stanford signee, is joined on the all-county first team by High senior Elycia Joyce and juniors Alecia Alvarez and Adisyn Caryl, while Cope is one of four Washburn Rural players on the first team, along with seniors Campbell Bagshaw, Baylee Dial and Mikaila Herring.
Seaman, a 5A state qualifier, put seniors Skylar Duncan and Emma Smith on the first team while Rossville, which finished fourth in 3A, is represented by senior Vanesa Quinones and sophomore Kinsey Perine.
Shawnee Heights put senior Ariah Durkes and freshman Grace Proctor on the all-county first team while Hayden is represented by senior Carly Stuke and Silver Lake by senior Taryn Burkhardt.
2022 ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY SOFTBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Notre Dame became the frontrunner to land Joe Otting from the time the Irish made an official offer to the Hayden star junior lineman back on May 4.
"Especially growing up in the catholic community at Hayden, just wearing the blue and gold has always been a dream of mine,'' Otting said.
But his college choice still wasn't a slam dunk, with the 6-foot-4, 275-pound Otting seriously weighing several other offers, including Kansas State and Iowa, before making an oral commitment to the Irish on Tuesday after a pair of visits to the school.
Otting's commitment came after he participated in Notre Dame’s lineman’s challenge camp last week. Otting also attended Notre Dame’s 55-0 win over Georgia Tech last Nov. 20.
"It was pretty tough, just because of the relationships I've built over time, especially with K-State,'' Otting said. "They've been with me from the start. It was a tough decision, no doubt, and saying no to Iowa as well and all the other schools.''