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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news has finished its tour of preseason football practices at all 10 Shawnee County high schools and will post preview stories over the coming days leading into the opening games of the 2022 season Sept. 1-3.
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For the first time since 1929 Hayden will not have a city school on its football schedule this fall.
But there's plenty of marquee matchups that are sure to pique fans' interest, including three straight to open the 2022 season.
Bill Arnold, who is beginning his 16th season at Hayden, is counting on a new-look schedule to get the Wildcats ready to make a deep run in the Class 3A playoffs this fall. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, coming off an 8-2 campaign, will host two-time defending Class 1A champion Olpe in its season-opener on Sept. 2 before traveling to eight-time 3A champ Silver Lake on Sept. 9 and hosting two-time defending 2A champ Rossville on Sept. 16.
Hayden will be facing Olpe for the first time in school history and while the Wildcats have faced Rossville and Silver Lake on multiple occasions, Hayden hasn't played Rossville since 1937 and Silver Lake since 1944.
"Those are going to be very good games and very good competition and I think it's a great opportunity,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. "No. 1, it's a little bit closer to our classification and No. 2, those are storied programs in recent times.
"Those teams know how to win, they know how to compete and that's what you want.''
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news finished its tour of preseason football practice at all 10 Shawnee County high schools on Friday and will post preview stories over the coming days leading into the opening games of the 2022 season Sept. 1-3.
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Cair Paravel Latin football coach Doug Bonura knows his team faces a big challenge in its first season as a full member of the Kansas State High School Athletics Association.
But its a challenge that Bonura and his Lions are excited to face.
Cair Paravel Latin football coach Doug Bonura talks to his team, 11-0 last season, during Thursday's practice session. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Cair Paravel, which is coming off a perfect 11-0 record and a Kansas Christian Athletic Association state championship, make the jump to KSHSAA this fall and will compete in the Eight-Man Division I ranks in District 2.
"We're going up against some really good programs and it's going to be a great test to see where we are, if we have been able to move in the direction we want to be able to compete,'' Bonura said. "In our district we have Madison-Hamilton, Burlingame, Chase County, and then Lyndon, which has come down out of 11-man, and all those teams have been deep in the playoffs over the years, so we're going against solid programs and we play (defending Eight-Man Division II state champion) Axtell out of the gate.
"We recognize that there's no gimme here and our boys are excited. We really don't know what to expect fully but we know it's going to be a lot of hard work and it's going to be competition.''
Cair Paravel graduated star quarterback Carter Brian and star tight end/defensive end Noah Hastert, who have moved on to play college football after earning TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors last fall.
The Cair Paravel Lions go through a drill at Thursday's practice session. The Lions are coming off an 11-0 season entering their first season competing in KSHSAA Eight-Man Division I. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the Lions' cupboard is far from bare.
"We lost a lot of athleticism and leadership from last year, but the nice thing was that it was a small (senior) class, so we're returning 11 starters,'' Bonura said. "Really, for all these guys it's just another year for them after playing last year.
"The big question for us this year is going to be quarterback -- who is going to step up and take that position -- but then as far as our backs I think we're just reloading this year.''
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
• Just finished a trip to the D.C. area to visit our month-old grandaughter.
• Took in an Orioles victory, killed no one at Top Golf, walked the National Mall, saw the Eisenhower Memorial, marveled at the mountainous landscape of a Virginia winery, and didn’t seem to infuriate my in-laws.
• Quite the vacation.
• The highlight? Well, I did mention baby Gwyneth, right? Good. I didn’t bury the lead.
• Small world, though.
• As usual when visiting Baltimore, I ate the crab cakes at Faidley’s Seafood in Lexington Market, which will soon move across the street after being in the same downtown location since 1793.
• When I noticed a sign for raccoon (in season), I asked how many customers consumed that critter.
• Turns out that more patrons find muskrat appealing. “Tastes like beef; better than beef,” said a long-time employee. So there’s that.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Lexis Berndt
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
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
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
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
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.
Notre Dame commit Joe Otting (65) applies pressure on the quarterback during last season's Hayden game against Seaman. [File photo/TSN]
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.''
