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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The idea for Ken Berry's recently-released novel, GOOD COP -- BAD COP, was easy for the Topeka baseball legend to come up with.
But the former American League All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner hit some pratfalls along the way before closing strong to finish his fourth novel and 11th book overall.
Ken Berry's fourth novel, GOOD COP -- BAD COP, is available now. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
GOOD COP -- BAD COP chronicles the life of Stan Lundy, who inherited $2 million dollars at the age of 12, narrowly avoided service in Viet Nam due to a freak injury at 18 while unknowingly taking part in a $3 million dollar armored car robbery and being targeted for a murder attempt at the age of 21 while serving as a police officer in a small town in Iowa.
"This idea is old,'' Berry said. "I thought I had the whole thing figured out from start to finish but I kept running into roadblocks in the middle where I couldn't get past it. It didn't work for me, it didn't feel right.''
Former American League All-Star Ken Berry appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with former Yankees star Mickey Mantle in 1967. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Berry, who played 11 years in the Major Leagues for the White Sox, Angels, Brewers and Indians, eventually got the boost he needed after going to a buddy for help.
"I sat down with a banker friend of mine because there's a bank involved and I said, 'Here's the story, here's what has gotten us up to here and how can I get past this?' '' Berry said. "He said, 'Oh, just kill those two guys and move on.' I said, 'You're right!' And that was it.''
"They were guys that you would probably visualize needing to be knocked off eventually, just based on what transpired up to that point, so it was easy once he gave me that. I was off and rolling.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Getting set to begin his second season on the Pittsburg State University football staff, former Topeka High standout Tyrell Everett got the 2023 campaign off to a good start with a preseason pomotion.
Gorillas head coach Brian Wright announced Friday that Everett, a 2011 High graduate, has been promoted to the role of assistant head coach and defensive run game coordinator for Pitt State.
Topeka native Tyrell Everett has been promoted to assistant head coach and defensive run game coordinator for Pittsburg State University's football program. [File photo/TSN]
Everett, an All-City and Kansas Shrine Bowl pick for the Trojans, joined the Pitt State staff as defensive line coach in 2022. He will continue to coach the Gorillas' defensive linemen. "Tyrell is a very driven young coach and a passionate teacher of the game of football,'' Wright said in a Pitt State release. "Our players respond at a high level to his mentorship, and he will thrive in his additional duties for the Gorillas."
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time best teams in 21 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. The project continues with volleyball and readers will have the opportunity to vote for teams in that sport through August 6, with the top teams in all categories announced in late July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4881663x7A8C40E8-151 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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Twenty-five. That single number sums up Shawnee County's proud volleyball history.
It took 27 years for county schools to notch their first state championship in the sport, but once Angie Bittner's Silver Lake team broke the ice with a Class 3A championship in 1998 the flood gates opened, with four county schools combining for 25 tiles over the past 24 seasons.
Silver Lake's volleyball team won the first of its nine Class 3A state titles in 1998. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Silver Lake and Washburn Rural have combined for an amazing 17 championships while Hayden and Shawnee Heights have combined for another eight titles.
Washburn Rural's volleyball team went 45-1 to capture the school's eighth Class 6A state title last fall. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Kevin Bordewick's powerhouse Washburn Rural program won the county's most recent state crown, with the Junior Blues winning their eighth state championship in 6A, the state's largest class, last fall.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
The name Elijah Brooks is familiar to basketball fans around Topeka, and after departing from Topeka West to play Division 1 basketball at North Dakota, the Charger product is continuing to build a solid on-the-court resume after having a strong freshman season.
Elijah Brooks
The high school record for Brooks speaks for itself.
He was named Mr. Basketball in Kansas for the 2021-22 season, finished as the all-time leading scorer in Topeka West history with 1,450 points and holds the single-game scoring record with 43 points.
It didn't take long for Brooks to earn a spot in the starting five for the Fighting Hawks. Brooks turned heads and impressed the North Dakota basketball staff enough to play in 27 games in the 2022-2023 campaign.
Brooks credits the teaching from Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist for setting him up for Division I success.
According to Brooks, how practices, weights and conditioning developmental plans at North Dakota are set is similar to how Bloomquist runs his practices at Topeka West.
"I'm sure he pulled bits and pieces out of college practices because it's similar to what we do in North Dakota," Brooks said. "He's a great coach and knows what he's talking about. He trusted me with everything. The weight room aspect of his coaching got me prepared for the next level.
"I was stronger than most of the incoming freshmen and was one of the top five strongest dudes on the team. He pushed me in the weight room, was big on my development throughout high school, and got me ready for college."
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Topeka Junior Golf Association wrapped up its 2023 City Tournament Tuesday at Cypress Ridge, crowning nine champions.
Raegan Petersen (middle) won girls 15-17-year-old championship in Tuesday's TJGA City Tournament at Western Hills, while Reese Randall (left) finished second and Avery Grunert third. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Cam Zimlich (middle) won the 15-17 boys division of the TJGA City Tournament Tuesday at Western Hills, while Lane Workman (right) finished second and Bryan Tyrell third. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
On the girls side, Washburn Rural senior Raegan Petersen won the 15-17-year-old title while Peyton Wright won the 13-14 division, Avenley Head was the champ in the 11-12 division and Kolby Simoneau was the 9-10 champ.
Nikhil Rao (third from right) finished with a 18-hole score of 66 to win the TJGA 8-and-under boys division Tuesday at Western Hills. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Arjun Rao (middle) won the TJGA City Tournament in the 9-10 boys division Tuesday at Western Hills, with Parker Borjon second and Keaton Cox third. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Easton Moulin (middle) won the 11-12 boys division in the TJGA City Tournament Tuesday at Western Hills while Landon Lentz (right) finished second and Jase Head third. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Brody Buessing (middle) won the 13-14 boys division of the TJGA City Tournament Tuesday at Western Hills, while Evan Jones (left) finished second and Camden Ismert third. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Cam Zimlich was the champion in the boys 15-17 division while Brody Buessing was the 13-14 champ, Easton Moulin won the 11-12 division, Arjun Rao was the 9-10 champ and Nikhil Rao won the 8 and under title.
Kolby Simoneau and Rowan Martinek finished one-two in the 9-10 girls division of the TJGA City Tournament Tuesday at Western Hills. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Avenley Head (center) was crowned the 11-12 girls champion in Tuesday's TJGA City Tournament at Western Hills, while Madison Fechter (right) finished second and Jessie Vogt third. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Peyton Wright (right) and Kaitlynn Frye went one-two in the 13-14 girls division of Tuesday's TJGA City Tournament at Western Hills. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Petersen recorded a 36-hole score of 151, while Wright had a winning 18-hole total of 89, Head shot an 18-hole score of 96 and Kolby Simoneau carded an 18-hole 108 to win the 8-and-under championship.
Zimlich shot a 70 on Tuesday to win the 36-hole 15-17 boys division at 146 while Buessing posted a 36-hole win at 167, Moulin won with an 18-hole score of 73, A. Rao won the 9-10 division with an 18-hole total of 88 and N. Rao shot an outstanding 18-hole score of 66 to win the 8-and-under division by a 26-stroke margin, including a nine-hole score of 29 on Tuesday.
Eighty players competed in the City Tournament.
TJGA CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT
