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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The 2020-21 high school sports year began last fall with a great deal of uncertainty due to COVID-19 and ended late last month with general optimism about the future.
In between there were a lot of frustrating times as administrators, coaches, athletes and fans were forced to deal with a school year like none other, but '20-'21 also produced moments that all 10 Shawnee County high schools can be proud of, particularly in light of the circumstances.
Shawnee County schools combined to claim four state team championships while 15 county standouts, including eight underclassmen, claimed 18 individual titles.
And while a case could be made for any number of stories to sit at the top of the list, here's one opinion on the Top 10 Shawnee County stories of '20-'21:
Washburn Rural's boys wrestling Coach Damon Parker delivered the news that the Junior Blues had clinched their first-ever state team title during the Class 6A state tournament in February. [Photo by Jeff Jacobson/Action Images Photography]
1. RURAL RULES -- Washburn Rural became the first school in Kansas to win girls and boys state wrestling championships in the same season while producing five state individual champs. The Junior Blue girls won their second straight Division I championship by a 100-74 margin over Wichita North while Rural win its first-ever Class 6A boys title in a 159.5-112 margin over Olathe North after finishing second two of the previous three seasons.
Rossville junior quarterback Torrey Horak helped lead the Bulldawgs to the Class 2A state championship, the school’s fourth state title since 2014. [File photo/TSN]
2. DAWG DOMINANCE -- Derick Hammes’ Rossville Bulldawgs captured their fourth state football title since 2014, capping a perfect 13-0 season with a 27-20 win over previously-unbeaten Hoisington in the Class 2A state championship game. Rossville had earlier won three straight state championships in '14, '15 and '16.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
National NCAA Division II player of the year Andrew Beckler and his high school coach, Jared Goehring of Washburn Rural, will host a series of golf clinics at Pure Golf Topeka for young players.
Clinics for boys and girls 12 and under will begin on Thursday, June 17, with clinics also set for June 24 and July 8, running from 6 to 7:15 p.m. each night.
Washburn Rural golf coach Jared Goehring and NCAA Division II player of the year Andrew Beckler, a former Junior Blues state champ, will host a series of clinics for young golfers this summer at Pure Golf Topeka. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
National player of the year Andrew Beckler will team with his high school coach, Jared Goehring, to hold a series of summer clinics for young golfers. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
All three clinics will be held at Pure Golf Topeka, located at 7523 SW 21st Street, and sponsored by Pure Golf Topeka and Topeka Junior Golf.
The cost for attending a clinic is $40 or $100 to participate in all three clinics.
A pair of clinics for boys and girls aged 13 and over will follow on July 15 and 22 from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Pure Golf Topeka.
The clinics will focus on the fundamentals of golf, including short game, full swing, vocabulary and rules/etiquette of the game.
Players can register for the clinics at https://goehringgolfclinics.weebly.com/ or by email at
Beckler, who was recently named the winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award as the NCAA Division II player of the year, won Class 6A team and individual state championships under Goehring at Washburn Rural.
Goehring, who also runs the Topeka Junior Golf program, has coached Rural to a total of five state team championships and has coached individual boys and girls champs.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's been a good week for recent Topeka High graduate Jalen Smith.
Smith, who was named to TopSports.news' second-team All-Shawnee County boys basketball team as a senior, made an oral commitment Wednesday to play next season at Cloud County Community College and he has also been selected to play in a Kansas City-area all-star game on Saturday.
Jalen Smith
Smith is scheduled to take part in the Cascade Sports Wave Of The Future Kansas City Metro Black Lives Matter Classic at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lee's Summit North High School in Lee's Summit, Mo.
Smith averaged 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals as a senior.
Smith will play in the Class of 2021 game while all-star contests are also on tap for the class of '25 (11 a.m.), class of '24 (12 p.m.), class of '23 (1 p.m.) and class of '22 (2 p.m.).
Former Topeka High coach Eric King, who coached Smith as a junior and senior, will serve as a coach in the Classic.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural announced Thursday that Elizabeth Stover has been selected as the Junior Blues' head softball coach for the 2022 season.
Stover takes over for Tricia Vogel, who stepped down following the 2021 season. Vogel had been Rural's head coach since the 2018 season and led the Junior Blues to three Class 6A state tournament berths.
Elizabeth Stover
Stover has served an an assistant softball coach at Washburn Rural the past four years and currently teaches in the social science department at Rural and is an assistant powerlifting coach.
“We look forward to the excellent leadership that Coach Stover will provide,'' Washburn Rural athletic director Penny Lane said in a release. "We are confident that she will continue the tradition of excellence of the Rural softball program.”
Stover is a graduate of Baker University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and history and is currently working on a Master's Degree in school leadership.
She was team captain of the 2017 Baker softball team and was named a 2016 All-American by the National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.
Vogel coached the Junior Blues to a third-place 6A finish in 2018 and a runner-up state finish in '19.
The Junior Blues posted a 20-3 record this spring, dropping a 5-2 decision to Olathe North in the opening round of the state tournament.
"It was a very difficult decision to leave Washburn Rural,'' Vogel said. "I will forever be thankful to Penny Lane and Ed Raines (Rural principal) for giving me the opportunity to coach here. I will miss the girls and my coaching staff greatly. While I have so many great memories from the last six years, the last memory I left the Washburn Rural field with was getting engaged, which is the reason for my departure. I will forever be a supporter and fan of Washburn Rural softball.
"Elizabeth Stover has been my assistant for the last four years. She brings a lot of knowledge and passion to the game. I know that she will do well in this role. I look forward to seeing and hearing about how the team does next year. I wish her, the girls, and the rest of the coaching staff nothing but the best and I am happy to be 'passing the bat' to Liz.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sixteen Shawnee County players have received All-State recognition from the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.
Undefeated Class 6A state champion Topeka High put four players on All-Class 6A first team while state quarterfinalist Washburn Rural had two first-team picks.
Topeka High junior NiJaree Canady was one of four Trojans named to the All-Class 6A first team by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association after High went 25-0 and won the 6A state title. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Olivia Bruno earned a spot on the All-Class 6A All-State softball team after helping lead the Junior Blues to a 6A state tournament berth. [File photo/TSN]
The 25-0 Trojans are represented by junior pitcher NiJaree Canady, senior catcher Zoe Caryl, freshman infielder Adisyn Caryl and senior outfielder Mia Kelly while Washburn Rural is represented by senior pitcher Olivia Bruno and sophomore utility/designated player Emmerson Cope.
Seaman senior Raigan Kramer has been named to the All-Class 5A all-state softball first team. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake senior Ellington Hogle (15) has been named to the All-Class 3A softball first team after helping lead the Eagles to a second-place finish in the 3A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior infielder Raigan Kramer was a first-team All-5A pick while Silver Lake senior infielder Ellington Hogle, who helped lead the Eagles to a runner-up state finish, received first-team honors in 3A.
