By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The most recent of Shawnee County's 25 state championship volleyball teams garnered the No. 1 spot on the TopSports.news Best of the Best list.
Kevin Bordewick's 2022 Washburn Rural team, his eighth state championship team, leads the Top 10 after a 45-1 season, including 44 straight victories to end the year.
Washburn Rural's 2022 Class 6A 45-1 state championship team is ranked No. 1 on the TSN Best of the Best volleyball list. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
All-American and Kentucky signee Brooklyn DeLeye, who had more than 2,000 kills in her career, was the ringleader for the Junior Blues while other top players for Washburn Rural included Taylor Russell, Chloe Carlgren, Zoe Canfield and Jada Ingram.
Bordewick, who was inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame in June, surpassed the 1,000 win mark for his volleyball coaching career midway through the season.
Shawnee Heights' talent-laden 2016 Class 5A state championship team is ranked No. 2 on the Best of the Best volleyball list. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Kevin Bordewick's 2009 Washburn Rural volleyball team captured its fourth straight Class 6A state championship. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Shawnee Heights' 2016 Class 5A championship team, led by future college stars Jazz Sweet (Nebraska), Megan Cooney (Illinois), Amaya Tillman (Louisville) and Faith Rottinghaus (Washburn) was tapped for the No. 2 spot on the Best of the Best Top 10, followed by Washburn Rural's '09 team that won its fourth straight 6A championship.
Shawnee Heights' 2000 volleyball team won its second straight Class 5A state championship. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Silver Lake's 2003 volleyball team went 38-1 on the way to the Class 3A state title. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Heights' '00 5A title team is ranked No. 4 while Silver Lake's '03 3A championship team rounds out the top five.
The T-Birds' '99 team is No. 6 on the Top 10, while Rural's '04 team, Hayden's '17 and '07 squads and Silver Lake's '13 and '18 tjtle teams complete the list.
Silver Lake's '13 3A title team was the winner in the Reader's Choice balloting, followed by Rural's '22 team, Silver Lake's '18 squad, Heights' '16 team and Silver Lake's '03 team to round out the top five.
TSN TOP 10 BEST OF THE BEST VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
1. Washburn Rural (2022) -- Kevin Bordewick coached the Junior Blues to their eighth Class 6A state volleyball championship, with 45-1 Washburn Rural ending its season with 44 straight victories, capped by a 25-21, 26-24 win over Blue Valley. The Junior Blues lost just four sets on the season while All-American Brooklyn DeLeye (Kentucky) surpassed 2,000 kills for her career and Bordewick went over 1,000 wins for his volleyball coaching career.
2. Shawnee Heights (2016) -- Laura Curry's T-Birds posted a 38-6 record on the way to the Class 5A state title, including a 25-18, 25-27, 25-22 win over St. James Academy in the state final. Heights standouts Jazz Sweet (Nebraska), Megan Cooney (Illnois) and Amaya Tillman (Louisville) all played in the Division I Final Four while Faith Rottinghaus (Washburn) played in the Division II title match.
3. Washburn Rural (2009) -- Kevin Bordewick's Junior Blues garnered their fourth straight Class 6A state championship, posting a 41-4 record on the season. The Junior Blues finished off their championship season with a 17-25, 25-18, 25-18 win over Blue Valley West in the state final.
4. Shawnee Heights (2000) -- Kerry Kapfer's T-Birds won their second straight Class 5A state title as Shawnee Heights finished a 40-2 season with a 13-15, 15-7, 15-4 win over Bishop Carroll in the state championship match. Dani (McHenry) Schmidt, who went on to earn All-America and Hall of Fame honors for Washburn, starred for the T-Birds.
5. Silver Lake (2003) -- Angie Bittner's Eagles posted a 38-1 record on the season en route to their first of two straight Class 3A state championships. Silver Lake finished off its second state title in school history with a 31-29, 22-25, 22-20 win over Lakin.
6. Shawnee Heights (1999) -- Kerry Kapfer's Shawnee Heights team lost just once in 43 matches on the season en route to the school's first of three Class 5A state titles. The T-Birds clinched the state championship with a 15-6, 15-3 win over Goddard as Dani (McHenry) Schmidt starred for Shawnee Heights.
7. Washburn Rural (2004) -- Washburn Rural won its first of eight Class 6A state championships, compiling a 41-3 record on the season. Kevin Bordewick's Junior Blues beat Lawrence 25-8, 25-15 to clinch the title.
8. Hayden (2017) -- Jesica Farmer-Walter's Wildcats captured their third straight Class 4A Division II state championship, finishing off a 32-14 record on the season. Hayden took a 25-18, 25-23 decision over Nickerson in the state final.
9. Hayden (2007) -- Jesica Farmer-Walter's team won the first of the five state titles in school history, with the Cats posting a 39-5 mark on the season. The Cats took a 25-23, 23-25, 25-15 win over St. James in the state final.
10. (tie) Silver Lake (2013) -- Silver Lake won the first of its four Class 3A titles with Sarah Johnson as coach, with the Eagles going 38-6 on the year. Silver Lake beat Cheney, 29-27, 24-26, 25-19.
10. (tie) Silver Lake (2018) -- Silver Lake won its most recent Class 3A title, with the Eagles going 37-6 on the year. Silver Lake beat Burlington, 25-19, 25-20..
READER'S CHOICE VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
1. Silver Lake (2013) -- Tie No. 10 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
2. Washburn Rural (2022) -- No. 1 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
3. Silver Lake (2018) -- Tie No. 10 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
4. Shawnee Heights (2016) -- No. 2 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
5. Silver Lake (2003) -- No. 5 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
6. (tie) Hayden (2017) -- No. 8 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).6. (tie) Shawnee Heights (2000) -- No. 4 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
8. Washburn Rural (2009) -- No. 3 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).9. (tie) Hayden (2007) -- No. 9 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
9. (tie) Silver Lake (1998) -- The Eagles won the first of their nine state titles, posting a 35-4 mark on the year
Next up: Wrestling Best of the Best Top 10 teams and Reader's Choice awards.
