- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The names should probably already be familiar to anyone who follows local sports, but a long and growing list of athletes who call Topeka/Shawnee County home have made a big-time mark at a big-time level in just the past few weeks.
Here's a look at just some of the stars who continue to make their hometown proud:
Carly Bachelor
CARLY BACHELOR, Washburn Rural/Creighton -- Bachelor earned All-State recognition in basketball, volleyball and soccer at Washburn Rural, leading the Junior Blues to the Class 6A state basketball title and a runner-up state finish in soccer in 2019. A 6-foot guard/forward, Bachelor is coming off the best game of her college career for 6-2 Creighton, scoring a game and career-high 23 points in the Bluejays' 69-62 win over Arizona State on Sunday. Bachelor hit nine of 11 shots, including two of two 3-pointers, and went three of four from the free throw line while also grabbing five rebounds and recording two steals.
Megan Cooney
MEGAN COONEY, Shawnee Heights/Illinois -- Cooney helped Shawnee Heights win a Class 5A state volleyball title as a senior in 2016 and helped Illinois reach the Final Four in 2018. Cooney, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter who competed as a graduate student this fall, was an All-Big 10 first-team selection, helping the lead the Illini to the third round of the NCAA Tournament and a 22-12 record. Cooney had 376 kills this season and over 1,500 in her career and finished her career at Illinois' all-time leader for sets played with 546. Cooney had 83 blocks, 282 digs and 29 service aces this season.
Teven Jenkins
TEVEN JENKINS, Topeka High/Chicago Bears -- After starring at Topeka High and earning All-Big 12 honors at Oklahoma State as an offensive lineman, Jenkins, 6-foot-6, 320 pounds, was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bears. In preseason Jenkins was forced to undergo back surgery which sidelined him for a big chunk of his rookie season, but he has returned to play in the past two games and saw his most extensive action in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, throwing the lead block on a Chicago touchdown.
Faith Rottinghaus
FAITH ROTTINGHAUS, Shawnee Heights/Washburn -- A former state champ at Shawnee Heights in volleyball and softball, Rottinhaus capped a record-setting volleyball career at Washburn University last Saturday in the NCAA Division II championship match, helping lead the Ichabods to a program-best national runner-up finish and a 31-6 record. Rottinghaus, who set the Washburn record for career digs, earned first and second-team All-America honors, was named to the Elite Eight all-tournament team and received the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 academic award at the national tournament for having a 4.0 cumulative grade point average as a kinesiology major.
Mitch Schurig
MITCH SCHURIG, Washburn Rural/Washburn -- Schurig received All-MIAA first-team honors at quarterback as a senior this fall, helping lead the Ichabods to a 9-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II national football playoffs. Schurig finished his career as Washburn's career leader in completion percentage (63.8 percent) and he finished his career No. 3 on the Ichabods all-time list with 6,825 passing yards and No. 2 with 63 career touchdown passes. As a senior Schurig completed 191 of 288 attempts for 2,602 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Ky Thomas
KY THOMAS, Topeka High/Minnesota -- After ending his football career at Topeka High as the second-leading rusher in Kansas high school history, Thomas has continued to shine as a redshirt freshman at Minnesota. Getting his chance to play after injuries to other Minnesota running backs, Thomas leads the 8-4 Gophers in rushing with 680 yards and five touchdowns on 145 carries (4.7 yards per carry) in just eight games. Thomas has surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark four times. Minnesota is currently preparing to play West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
Camryn Turner
CAMRYN TURNER, Seaman/Kansas -- A 5-foot-8 true freshman setter, Turner helped the Kansas Jayhawks volleyball team reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for only the third time in program history. Turner played in 27 of 30 matches for the 18-12 Jayhawks and the former city and Centennial League multi-time player of the year registered 602 assists and 217 digs. Turner, who finished her high school career as Seaman's all-time leader in kills and assists, also had 39 kills and 10 service aces this past season.
Ty Zentner
TY ZENTNER, Shawnee Heights/Kansas State -- Zentner was a basketball state champion for Shawnee Heights in 2017 as well as a standout in soccer and football before excelling for Kansas State as a punter and kickoff specialist. Zentner earned All-Big 12 honorable mention as a punter this fall for the 7-5 Wildcats, who will face LSU in the Textas Bowl, averaging 44.3 yards on 39 punts, with a long of 63 yards and 15 punts inside the 20-yard-line. Zentner also recorded 33 touchbacks on 58 kickoffs for the Wildcats.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When NiJaree Canady, a 1,000-point scorer in just three high school basketball seasons, decided to bypass her senior season to concentrate on her future in softball, Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander knew her Trojans were going to need to make some changes, both in terms of personnel and style of play.
As a result, Topeka High, 68-5 over the past three seasons, is forcing the pace more offensively without the 6-foot Canady, a Stanford softball commit, in the middle while also trying to turn up the heat even more on the defensive end.
And while Alexander knows there's still plenty of work to be done, she's excited about the Trojans' 3-0 start and the way this year's team is creating its own identity heading into Tuesday's 6 p.m. Centennial League game at 2-1 Emporia.
"I think our true test is definitely going to be Tuesday against Emporia to see what we do against them, but I think that the guards know we're that fast-paced kind of team and we want to push it to the max,'' Alexander said. "We've got to do just a little better job or rebounding and things like that, but I think our leadership is key out there and they know when to push it and when to pull back a little bit.''
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith, who had 32 points, puts up a shot against Topeka West in the Trojans' 85-31 win last Friday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Tae Thomas (center) is coming off a 23-point performance in Topeka High's 85-31 win over Topeka West last Friday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans have outscored their first three opponents by a 228-96 margin and are coming off an 85-31 league win at Topeka West last Friday night.
High got off to a little bit of a slow start offensively against the Chargers and Alexander credited the Trojans' effort on the defensive end for getting them up to speed.
"Things kind of started flowing once they got some easy touches underneath the basket,'' Alexander said. "Defensively we just tried different things against (West) -- zones, halfcourt traps, presses, just to work on a few things.''
Alexander also got the opportunity to play 13 players against West, which she feels will help the Trjojans' depth moving forward.
"It was good for us to see and get all those different people in and get them some touches,'' Alexander said.
Not surprisingly, Topeka High's most experienced players, senior Tae Thomas and junior Kiki Smith, have set the tone for the Trojans and combined for 55 points against West.
"Those guards have been playing ball their whole life, so when we found out about NiJa it was heartbreaking, but we knew we had to move forward because had too much talent to waste this season,'' Alexander said. "We're just excited for the season and want to keep going.''
A look at Tuesday's Shawnee County games:
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Elijah Brooks
ELIJAH BROOKS, Topeka West
Brooks scored a game-high 29 points with five dunks as Topeka West's boys basketball team took a 68-41 Centennial League victory over rival Topeka High last Friday night at West. Brooks is averaging 27.7 points for the 2-1 Chargers.
Brennon Dodge
BRENNON DODGE, Shawnee Heights
A sophomore guard, Dodge scored 29 points to outscore Ottawa by himself as Shawnee Heights improved to 3-0 with a 62-27 non-league road win last Friday. Dodge, who had a 33-point outing in Heights' season-opener, had seven 3-pointers on the night, including four in the first half.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After graduating individual state champions Dasia Anderson and Rebekah Smith off of last year's team, Washburn Rural girls wrestling coach Damon Parker knows that capturing a third straight state team crown will be a tall chore.
But the Junior Blues are off to an impressive start this winter after a big week last week.
And although the subject won't be broached during the season, there's no doubt that winning another title will be on the Junior Blues' minds when February rolls around.
"At our preseason team meeting we talk about winning the state championship and then that topic is off limits until we get to Hartman Arena in Wichita,'' Parker said.
"We never talk about it in the (wrestling) room. It's just always about getting better today and what we can do to prepare for our next opponent, our next tournament.''
After claiming a 62-12 dual win over Chanute in its home opener on Thursday, Washburn Rural went on the road to Iowa and dominated Saturday's 26-school Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic, winning the team championsip by a 191-101 margin over Lewis Central.
Washburn Rural's girls wrestling team poses for a team picture after winning the championship in the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic last Saturday in Iowa. [Twitter}
Senior Jaliah Johnson won the 165-pound title and sophomore Kristen Rezac won at 100 pounds at Council Bluffs, while the Junior Blues placed a total of nine wrestlers in the top four.
Juniors Addison Broxterman (120) and Alexis Fredrickson (132) both posted runner-up finishes in Iowa while Rural got third-place finishes from senior Kendall Reid (114), sophomore Laiken Clark (145) and sophomore Sophia Ross (235) as well as fourths from junior Carmen Alston (138) and sophomore Fatima Escobar (185).
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Nine city wrestlers earned individual boys and girls championships in Saturday's Melvin Douglas Invitational at Highland Park, while Topeka High's girls finished first and Topeka West's boys second in the team standings.
Topeka High's girls got individual championships from Ingrid Cabrera (101 pounds), Alesia Alvarez (155) and Brantaija Loggins (191) on the way to winning the team championship by a 103-70.5 margin over Lansing, while Highland Park finished third. Topeka West finished fifth in the girls team standings, with the Chargers getting the 235-pound championship from Tristyn Johnson.
Topeka West's boys came up just short in its bid for a second straight tournament championship, with Blue Valley West edging the Chargers by a 134-126 margin. Topeka High also challenged for the team title, finishing third with 119 points.
Malachi Kuebler
Dillon Jay
Morgan Dean
West got individual wins from Dillon Jay (106), Malachi Kuebler (126), Mason Vickers (138) and Kyren Padilla (152) while Highland Park got a win from Morgan Dean in the 285-pound weight class.
MELVIN DOUGLAS INVITATIONAL at Highland Park
