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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/6KQ59I2T. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Most any conversation about the rich history of men's wrestling in Shawnee County starts with former Highland Park great Melvin Douglas, a three-time state high school champ for the Scots, a two-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma, a former world champ and a two-time Olympian.
But Douglas is just one of many local grapplers who carved out their own outstanding legacy in the sport.
Melvin Douglas [Facebook]
Tanner Gardner [Stanford Athletics]
Tagen Lambotte [USD321.com]
There's former Shawnee Heights two-time state champ Tanner Gardner, who went on to become a three-time All-American at Stanford, while Tagen Lambotte was a four-time state champ for Rossville before wrestling for Iowa.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/4XB1UK5F. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Shawnee County has been a hotbed for outstanding women's volleyball, with county high schools combining for 24 state championships while a long list of local products have gone on to achieve success at the collegiate level.
That makes picking the top player in county history a formidable task.
Shawnee Heights products Jazz Sweet, Megan Cooney and Faith Rottinghaus teamed up to help lead the T-Birds to a Class 5A state championship before Sweet went on to help Nebraska win a NCAA national championship, Cooney made it to the NCAA Final Four for Illninos and Rottinghaus has earned All-MIAA honors for Division II power Washburn.
Jazz Sweet [Huskers.com]
Dani McHenry [Washburn Athletics]
Kaylee Manns [Iowa State Daily.com]
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/DMB1UK5F. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Deciding who gets your vote as the best men's track and field athlete in Shawnee County history may come down to what events you prefer.
If you're a fan of the sprints, the county has produced some of the state's all-time bests, including Marcel Carter (Shawnee Heights), Mark Pickens (Topeka West), Joe Reagan (Seaman), Duke Tibbs (Topeka High), Ryan Irvin (Seaman) and 2021 three-time state champ Jeremiah Smith (Shawnee Heights) while the Kansas all-time state list is also dotted with local products, including Jared Huske (Highland Park), Antoine Dulan (Washburn Rural) and Rasheed McAlpin (Shawnee Heights).
Marcel Carter [Submitted]
If you lean more to the distance races, Clardy Vinson was a star at Topeka High and went on to become a member of a relay team that set a world record, while Topeka West's Winston Tidwell ranks No. 4 on the all-time state list in the 800 meters.
Preston Carrington [Submitted]
Mikey Hoffer [Nebraska Athletics]
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/1L492R3G. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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The race to be named the best women's track and field athlete in Shawnee County history should be a great one.
Topeka High product Judy Dyer was an Olympic hurdler while Topeka West's Sarah Heeb is a former American record-holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and former Shawnee Heights star Trisa Nickoley was one of the most decorated athletes in Kansas history, winning 13 state track gold medals without ever losing a state individual race and setting the all-time best in the 800 meters (2 minutes, 06.67 seconds).
Judy Dyer
Trisa Nickoley [MIssouri Athletics]
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/4PBM2JDD. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Candidates to be named the best all-time men's tennis history include a host of multi-time state champs to college Hall of Famers to longtime stars on the amateur circuit.
The hard part is deciding who gets the nod.
Tommy Hunter [Washburn Athletics]
John Grantham [Submitted]
