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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Taylin Stallbaumer tries to be a good big sister.
But when it comes time for Taylin, a sophomore, to compete against her freshman sister in the 100-meter high hurdles, Jaida is pretty much on her own.
"It's pretty friendly, but it's just one of those family competitions where you can't let your younger sister beat you,'' Taylin Stallbaumer said.
Sisters Jaida (left) and Taylin Stallbaumer pose for a picture last Friday night after helping Seaman capture the girls team championship in the Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TS
Jaida still hasn't beaten Taylin this spring, but she did the next best thing in last Friday's Joe Schrag Invitational track and field championships at Hummer Sports Park, with the Stallbaumer sisters finishing 1-2 in the highs.
Taylin, who swept the city titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles for the second straight season, won the 100 highs in 16.25 seconds while Jaida was a strong second in 17.03.
Seaman's Taylin Stallbaumer (front) and Jaida Stallbaumer finish 1-2 in the 100-meter high hurdles in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Although the sisters ended up in the same event, Taylin, who won the 300s in 49..21, said she had nothing to do with Jaida taking up the hurdles.
"She did it herself, she hurdled in middle school,'' Taylin said.
And Taylin, a two-time Class 5A state medalist as a freshman, also gives Jaida the credit for the steady progress she has made in her freshman season.
"Most of the time I'm at soccer practice so I don't even get to practice with her,'' Taylin Stallbaumer said. "I'll try to help her when it comes down to, it but of course I'm not going to try to lose to her ... ever.''
"I just like to be my own girl but I pick up some things from her,'' Jaida said.
Taylin did help her sister with a change in technique earlier this season.
"This year is her first year three-stepping,'' Taylin said. "She used to four-step for the past two years but this year I kind of helped her with that.''
The Stallbaumers currently rank one-two in the 100 highs and Jaida is happy with the progress she's made this spring.
"I'm getting better each week,'' Jaida said.
Taylin and Jaida both had plenty to celebrate in last Friday's city meet, playing a key role as Seaman claimed its first girls city team title since 2016, ending Washburn Rural's string of four straight team titles.
Taylin claimed three gold medals on the night while Jaida posted a pair of second-place finishes and earned her first city title in the meet-ending 4 x 400-meter relay, with the Stallbaumers teaming with Taylie Heston and Bethany Druse to win the event in 4:15.31, wrapping up a 146-134 victory over the Junior Blues.
"It feels good because we haven't won in quite a while,'' Taylin said. "It's been a long time.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Bethany Druse
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
A junior, Druse won three gold medals in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships, helping Seaman win the girls team championship by a 146-134 margin over Washburn Rural. Druse won the 1,600 meters in 5:23.31, the 800 in 2:19.96 and anchored the Vikings' 4 x 400 relay to a win in 4:15.31.
Kadence Jeffries
KADENCE JEFFRIES, Topeka West
Jeffries, a senior, posted a pair of individual wins in last Friday's city swimming and diving championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, remaining undefeated in individual events on the season. A four-time state champion, Jeffries won the 200-yard freestyle by nearly seven seconds in 1:54.55 and won the 500 free by 14 seconds in 5:04.85.
Tanner Newkirk
TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden
Newkirk, a senior, set three boys city meet records in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships at Hummer Sports Park, winning the 1,600 meters in 4:10.88, the 800 in 1:55.69 and the 3,200 in 9:18.89 to lead the Wildcats to a second-place team finish behind Washburn Rural.
Makenna Pritchard
MAKENNA PRITCHARD, Washburn Rural
A junior, Pritchard won two individual titles and swam on two second-place relays as Washburn Rural won its 19th straight city swimming and diving team title last Friday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. Pritchard won the 50-yard freestyle in 24.98 seconds and the 100 free in 54.06 while also swimming on the runner-up 200 medley and 400 free relays as Rural won the title by a 601-440 margin over Seaman.
TAYLIN STALLBAUMER, Seaman
Stallbaumer, a sophomore, captured three gold medals in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships, helping lead Seaman to the girls team title by a 146-134 margin over Washburn Rural. Stallbaumer won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.25 seconds, the 300 hurdles in 49.21 seconds and ran a leg on the Vikings' 4 x 400 relay team, which won in 4:15.31.
Zach Sulzen-Watson
ZACH SULZEN-WATSON, Washburn Rural
Sulzen-Watson, a senior, won a pair of individual titles in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field championships at Hummer Sports Park, helping lead Washburn Rural's boys team to its fifth straight city team title. Sulzen-Watson won the shot put with a throw of 51 feet, 7.50 inches and the discus with a best of 163 feet as Rural won by a 138.5-126 margin over Hayden.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
GIRLS
100 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 12.33 (12.2)
Reed, Highand Park 12.49
Brooks, Topeka West 12.85
Rezac, Rossville 12.96
Worley, Washburn Rural 13.01
200 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 25.78
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 26.11
Reed, Highland Park 26.37
Brooks, Topeka West 26.41
Rezac, Rossville 26.79
400 METERS
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 58.18
Reed, Highland Park 58.72
Hillebert, Hayden 61.78
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 62.61
Becker, Seaman 63.37
Seaman junior Bethany Druse is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 800 and 1,600 meters. [File photo/TSN]
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:15.19
Carter, Washburn Rural 2:29.28
Bird, Washburn Rural 2:30.33
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:30.47
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:31.86
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news compiles 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 9.8 (10.27)
January, Shawnee Heights 10.5
Reed, Highland Park 10.5
Richardson, Highland Park 10.5
Peoples, Topeka High 10.6
Shawnee Heights junior Jeremiah Smith is the Shawnee County leader in the 100-meter dash, the 200 (FAT), 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
200 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 21.82
Richardson, Highland Park 21.6
Renfro, Silver Lake 22.40
January, Shawnee Heights 22.4
Schrickel, Hayden 22.72
400 METERS
Richardson, Highland Park 50.54
Schrickel, Hayden 51.05
Blankenship, Topeka High 52.03
Wilkerson, Topeka West 52.58
Scheid, Seaman 53.05
800 METERS
Newkirk, Hayden 1:55.69
B. Moore, Seaman 2:00.72
Wilson, Topeka West 2:03.17
Brokaw, Silver Lake 2:05.02
Benz, Shawnee Heights 2:05.13
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tanner Newkirk's record-setting performance in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field meet cemented the Hayden senior star's place among the all-time city best.
But Newkirk's city meet records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters also rekindled memories of just how good Topeka track has been over the years.
Newkirk became only the fifth city athlete to crack the city meet list since 2010 and the first since former Washburn Rural and current Washburn University pole-vaulter Zac Chandler set the boys pole vault record with a clearance of 15 feet, 6 inches in 2018.
Hayden senior Tanner Newkirk recovers after setting one of his three city meet records in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Tanner Newkirk is congratulated by his father, former Emporia state champ Kevin Newkirk, after his record-setting performance in the 1,600 meters in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Newkirk's 1,600 time of 4:10.88 eclipsed the record of 4:19.1 set by Topeka West's Bill Myers 47 years ago (1975) and his 9:18.89 clocking in the 3,200 bettered the record of 9:32.6, also set in 1975, by Topeka West's David Foltz.
Newkirk's 1:55.69 time in the 800 bettered the previous city-meet record of 1:57.3 by Topeka High's David Faulkner in 1991.
Newkirk joins a list of city-meet record-holders that includes the likes of all-time Kansas greats Marcel Carter, Troy Wilson and Iain Trimble (Shawnee Heights), Jared Huske (Highland Park), Sharrieff Hazim (Topeka West) and Dan O'Mara (Hayden).
On the girls side, the city meet list includes city greats Jocelyn Bentley (Highland Park), Rita Graves and Janell Wright (Topeka High), Macahla Wesley (Topeka West), Deana Alexander (Shawnee Heights) and Marge Eddy (Seaman).
Listed below is the updated list of record-holders in the city meet, previously known as the City Track Carnival.
TOPEKA CITY TRACK AND FIELD MEET RECORDS
