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By RICK PETERSON                                                                                                  

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time coaching greats in 14 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July 15, with the Top 10 in all categories announced in July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best cross country coach click on http://poll-maker.com/poll4392753x29f689d3-138 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Some of the most recognizable names in Shawnee Country sports history -- Meseke, Schrag, Strecker, Camien, Brading, Shufelberger -- coached cross country in Topeka, making it extremely tough to decide which one belongs at the top of TopSports.news Best of the Best Coaches list.

Kathy Strecker coached six state championship cross country teams at Hayden and is the current coach at Rockhurst University. [Twitter]

Topeka West legend Joe Schrag coached eight state championship teams in cross country and track and field. [Submitted]

Ben Meseke

Matt Swedlund

Hayden's Ben Meseke and Kathy Strecker combined for an amazing 12 state team cross country championships while Topeka West's Joe Schrag won four titles over a span of three decades and former Seaman coaches Bob Karr and Bob Camien and current Viking coach Rick Brading made Seaman a perennnial city and Class 5A state contender.

Former Washburn Rural coach Scott Shufelberger made the Junior Blues a state power before turning the reins over to one of Rural's all-time greats, Matt Swedlund, who led the Blues to the first boys team championship in school history in 2019.

Fred Wiens was the longtime coach at Shawnee Heights, coaching the likes of four-time state champion Trisa Nickoley.

There are 11 candidates to pick from at http://poll-maker.com/poll4392753x29f689d3-138 while readers also have the option of writing in a name.

Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have served as a head or assistant coach at a Shawnee County high school.

Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.   

Votes will be accepted through July 15 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in July and August.

NEXT UP: Football (Ballot will be posted July 2).

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