Cair Paravel Lions

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Recent Seaman graduate Jaxson Thomas, a Class 5A state wrestling champion as a senior, was named the Topeka Shawnee County Winter Male Athlete of the Year Wednesday night at Washburn.

Seaman state wrestling champion Jaxson Thomas was named the Topeka Shawnee County Winter Male Athlete of the Year Wednesday night. [File photo/TSN] 

Thomas won the 5A 285-pound state wrestling championship in Febuary after jumping up two weight divisions for his final high school season.

 Thomas posted a 46-5 record on the 2023 season and avenged a regional loss in the state championship match, pinning Blue Valley Southwest senior Tarin Forsyth in the second period.

Thomas recorded a pin in the final match of the United Kansas Conference tournament to give Seaman the UKC team championship in Seaman's first season in the conference.

As a junior Thomas was a Centennial League champion and a 5A state qualifier. Thomas was also a standout for Seaman's football team, receiving All-Shawnee County honorable mention as a senior.

Thomas, the son of Richard Thomas and Karen Olson-Thomas, compiled a 3.57 grade point average at Seaman.

Other candidates:

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Seven city schools have representation on the 2023 All-City girls soccer team, led by Washburn Rural with four first-team picks.

Washburn Rural (15-5-1), which won the Centennial League championship on the way to a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, put seniors Hailey Beck, Addi Broxterman and Mackinly Rohn and sophomore Kate Hinck on the first team, selected by city coaches.

Washburn Rural senior Hailey Beck was a first-team All-City pick at goalkeeper. [File photo/TSN]

Senior Mackinly Rohn is one of four Washburn Rural players on the All-City soccer first team. [File photo/TSN]

Cair Paravel junior Katherine Keys (left) and sophomore Zahra Friess (3) have been named to the All-City soccer first team. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman (2) earned first-team All-City girls soccer honors for the third straight season. [File photo/TSN]

Seaman is represented on the All-City first team by junior repeat pick Elinore Stallbaumer, senior Jaycee Schumann and freshman Ava Huston while Viking coach Tim Nussbaum was named the city coach of the year after leading Seaman to a 14-2-2 record in 2023.

Hayden, which finished third in the Class 4A-1A state tournament, put seniors Briahna Barnett and Noelia Cruz on the first team after the Wildcats went 12-6-2 on the season.

Cair Paravel Latin, which posted a 16-2-1 record, put junior Katherine Keys and sophomore Zahra Friess on the first team for the second straight season while Shawnee Heights sophomore Lailah Benz is also a first-team repeat pick and is joined on the first team by senior teammate Lily Martin.

Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman made the All-City first team for the third straight season while Topeka West senior Noelia Valezuela Alvarado rounds out the first team.

2023 ALL-CITY GIRLS SOCCER

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Thirteen city girls soccer standouts have earned All-State recognition from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association, led by Cair Paravel Latin Class 4A-1A co-forward of the year Katherine Keys.

Cair Paravel junior Katherine Keys and sophomore Zahra Friess (3) have been named to the All-Class 4A-1A soccer first team, with Keys named the co-forward of the year in 4A-1A. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn Rural senior Mackinly Rohn (left) has been named to the All-4A-1A soccer first team. [File photo/TSN]

Keys, a junior, was one of four Lions named to the All-4A-1A first team along with Zahra Friess, KellyAnn Chada and Trinity Childs while CPLS coach Doug Woolery was named the 4A-1A co-coach of the year.

Washburn Rural senior midfielder Mackinly Rohn earned first-team honors in 6A after earning honorable mention as a junior.

Rural senior Addi Broxterman earned All-6A second-team recognition while Kate Hinck, Destiny Higgs and Hailey Beck earned honorable mention.

Shawnee Heights sophomore Isabell Van Fleet was a second-team pick in 5A while Heights' Lailah Benz earned honorable mention.

Cair Paravel's Veronica Ignato and Sawyer Schwartz received All-4A-1A honorable mention.

Coaches have to be members of the KHSSCA to have players nominated and selected.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Chip Kueffer may be brand new to being a head basketball coach, but the new Cair Paravel Latin coach has spent most of his life around the sport, including more than four years with Hall of Fame coach Bill Self and the storied University of Kansas program.

Chip Kueffer

Now the Baldwin native is looking forward to putting all of that experience to good use in his new position with the Lions.

Kueffer takes over at Cair Paravel from Trey Brown, who recently resigned to accept the head coaching job at Hayden.

"The game has done so much for me and given me countless opportunities, memories and relationships, so this is a phenomenal opportunity for me to give back and pay forward for what's been done for me,'' Kueffer said. "I had so many selfless leaders and mentors pour into my life when there was nothing for them to gain out of it,

"So for me this is just a great opportunity for me to be able to pass on those same lessons and values and morals and everything. It's my passion for sure.''

One of the biggest influences in Kueffer's basketball career have been Self and the Jayhawk basketball progam.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Seven athletes who had a hand in eight state titles, including five multiple-event state champs, headline the 2023 All-Shawnee County boys track and field team.

Hayden senior Jake Muller (right) won his second Class 4A 300-meter hurdles state title last Saturday, one of his three state gold medals on the day. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Hayden junior Finn Dunshee (left) was the 4A 100-meter dash champ and also won state titles in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays last weekend. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Hayden senior Jake Muller and junior Finn Dunshee took home three gold medals apiece, posting individual wins to go with two relay victories, while Wildcat sophomores Jensen Schrickel and Liam Stegman teamed with Muller and Dunshee for the two relay titles, including a Class 4A state meet record.

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson (middle) won the Class 5A boys 100-meter dash last Saturday at Cessna Stadium, the first of his two state titles on the day. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson won the Class 5A long jump, finished second in the triple jump and scored 33 total points in the state meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson turned in a monster individual 5A state performance, winning a pair of state titles and posting a runnerup finish while scoring 33 points by himself to outscore 22 other 5A schools.

Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel won the Class 5A state title in the 3,200 meters and finished second in the 1,600 last weekend. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]

Topeka West sophomore Alesecio Batson won the Class 5A triple jump championship last weekend in Wichita. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel and Topeka West sophomore Alesecio Batson also won 5A state titles, with Esquibel also recording a second-place finish as 16 members of the All-Shawnee County team earning state medals.

Hayden's Liam Stegman, Jake Muller, Jensen Schrickel and Finn Dunshee won Class 4A state titles in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays last Saturday in Wichita. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Muller won the second 300-meter intermediate hurdles state title of his career in 38.41 seconds while Dunshee won the 4A 100-meter dash in 10.84 and Muller and Dunshee teamed with Schrickel and Stegman to win the 4x100 (42.65) and 4x400 relay championships while setting the 4A meet record in the 4X400 relay (3:20.99).  Schrickel also finished third in the 400 (49.63).

Richardson won the 5A 100-meter dash in 10.73 seconds and the long jump at 23 feet, 4.50 inches, finished second in the triple jump (46-5.75) and fourth in the 200 dash (22.49).

Esquibel won the 5A 3,200-meter run in 9 minutes, 18.67 seconds and added a runnerup finish in the 1,600 (4:15.26) while Batson won the 5A triple jump at 48-4.25.

Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge finished second in the 5A 3,200 (9:21.24) and added a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 (4:22.45) while Shawnee Heights senior Jordan Garvin finished second in the 5A 300 hurdles (39.68) and Washburn Rural junior Jamond Lane was second in the 6A discus (167-6).

Washburn Rural junior Josh Sulzen-Watson finished fourth in the 6A discus (157-4) and fifth in the javelin (168-6). 

Cair Paravel Latin sophomore Ben Roeder, who competed for Topeka High during the regular season and CPLS in the postseason finished fourth in the 2A 200-meter dash (23.43) and fifth in the 400 (50.70).

Shawnee Heights senior Jeremiah Smith, a former state champ, posted a fifth-place finish in the 5A 100 (10.95) while T-Bird junior Alex Dittman took fifth in the 5A javelin (165-9) while Hayden senior Joe Otting earned a 4A state medal with an eighth-place finish in the discus (142-11) and Washburn Rural freshman Liam Morrison took eighth in the 6A 300 hurdles (46.39).

Also earning berths on the All-Shawee County boys first team were Seaman senior Branen Moore, junior Aaron Merritt, sophomore Bryce Cochran and Peyton Holmes, Washburn Rural seniors Easton Dial and Davin Johnson and junior Colin Rausch, Highland Park senior Keijuan Johnson and Topeka High senior V'Ante Peoples, juniors Jaziah Mack, Logan Murray,and Travis Shyne and freshman Malachi Murph.

All-Shawnee County picks were based on meeting minimum performance standards as well as coaches' recommendation and postseason performances.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Three-time first-team selections Myles Alonzo of Topeka West, Bryce Badsky of Silver Lake and Alex Valdivia of Shawnee Heights headline the 2023 All-Shawnee County boys golf team. 

The 2023 All-Shawnee County boys golf team: Front left -- Myles Alonzo, Topeka West; Tyler Lincoln, Shawnee Heights; Alex Valdivia, Shawnee Heights; Jonathan Hart, Rossville; Hayden Glynn, Washburn Rural; Andrew Burdett, Washburn Rural; Bryan Tyrell, Washburn Rural. Not pictured: Bryce Badsky, Silver Lake. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Bryce Badsky, Silver Lake

Valdivia, a senior, and Alonzo, a junior, earned individual medals in the Class 5A state tournament while Badsky, a junior, earned his third straight individual medal in the 3A state meet.

Washburn Rural, which won its 13th straight city team championship, is represented on the All-Shawnee County team by seniors Andrew Burdett and Bryan Tyrell and junior Hayden Glynn while Shawnee Heights senior Tyler Lincoln and Rossville sophomore Jonathan Hart round out the eight-member first team.

Lincoln was the 2023 city individual champion while Hart placed fifth individually in the 3A state tournament and led the Bulldawgs to a fifth-place team finish.

All-Shawnee County capsules:

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Hayden's Lauren Sandstrom and Shawnee Heights' Jackson Esquibel, who both recently completed their junior years of high school, were selected Thursday night at The Foundry as the Dan Key Farmers Agency girls and boys 2023 Rising Stars of the year.

Hayden's Lauren Sandstrom (left) and Shawnee Heights' Jackson Esquibel (right) pose with Dan Key Thursday night after being named the 2023 Dan Key Farmers Agency Rising Stars of the Year. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Sandstrom and Esquibel were picked from seven girls and boys finalists chosen from weekly Rising Stars who were selected through the 2022-2023 school year.

Sandstrom was a three-sport standout for Hayden, earning a Class 4A state doubles championship with Emily Sheetz last fall and helped lead the Wildcats to a state tournament berth in basketball and a third-place state finish in soccer.

Esquibel capped a big year as a distance runner for Shawnee Heights last weekend at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium with a Class 5A state track championship in the 3,200-meter run and a second-place finish in the 1,600. Last fall Esquibel was a state medalist in the 5A cross country meet, finishing eighth.

Other girls finalists included Rossville three-time state wrestling champion Kendra Hurla, Silver Lake three-sport stars Makenzie McDaniel and McKinley Kruger, Seaman four-sport standout Anna Becker, Washburn Rural 2022 volleyball and basketball state champ Zoe Canfield and Highland Park basketball star Amelia Ramsey.

Hurla, McDaniel, Kruger and Canfield recently completed their junior years of high school while Becker and Ramsey recently finished their sophomore years.

Other boys finalists included Washburn Rural state wrestling champion Easton Broxterman, Topeka West state triple jump champion Alesecio Batson, Seaman football and baseball standout Max Huston, Washburn Rural star quarterback Branton DeWeese, Shawnee Heights football and wrestling standout Allen Baughman and Hayden football star and track and field state champion Jensen Schrickel.

DeWeese and Baughman recently completed their junior years of high school while Broxterman, Batson, Huston and Schrickel completed their sophomore years.

The Dan Key Famers Agency also recognized Shawnee County state team champions from the the 2022-2023 school year.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

BOYS

100 METERS

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson (middle) won the Class 5A state title in the 100-meter dash, one of his two gold medals and four top-four finishes at state. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Richardson, Highland Park            10.49

Smith, Shawnee Heights               10.74

Dunshee, Hayden                          10.76

Peoples, Topeka High                    10.96

Merritt, Seaman                             10.99

200 METERS

Richardson, Highland Park          21.5

Murph, Topeka High                     22.16

Cochran, Seaman                        22.34

Smith, Shawnee Heights              22.35

Peoples, Topeka High                  22.53

400 METERS

Schrickel, Hayden                         49.63

Roeder, Cair Paravel                     50.70

Roney, Washburn Rural                51.72

Benz, Shawnee Heights                51.89

Chooncharoen, Washburn Rural   51.96

800 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights           1:59.55

Moore, Seaman                             2:00.12

Johnson, Washburn Rural             2:00.55

Anderson, Seaman                        2:01.30

Stuke, Seaman                               2:01.5

1,600 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights            4:15.26

Njoroge, Topeka West                     4:17.71

Dial, Washburn Rural                      4:33.13

Johnson, Washburn Rural               4:33.46

Walker, Seaman                              4:39.05

Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel was the state champion in the Class 5A 3,200 and the runnerup in the 1,600 while Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroe (right) was second in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

3,200 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights           9:18.67

Njoroge, Topeka West                    9:20.08

Johnson, Washburn Rural             9:51.59

Dial, Washburn Rural                     9:51.97

Jowers, Seaman                          10:05.32

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

WICHITA -- Saturday was a special day all the way through for Hayden's boys track team at Cessna Stadium, but the Wildcats saved their best for last, setting a meet record in their final event of the day.

Hayden junior Finn Dunshee (left) crosses the finish line with the Class 4A state championship in the 100-meter dash. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

 Hayden's Jake Muller (right) and Eudora's Conor Dunback run virtually even late in the Class 4A 300-meter hurdles event Saturday at Cessna Stadium. Muller won the state title in 38.41 seconds. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Hayden sophomore Jensen Schrickel celebrates the Wildcats' victory at the end of Saturday night's Class 4x400 relay at Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

The Wildcats got individual Class 4A state championships from senior Jake Muller and junior Finn Dunshee, who also teamed with sophomores Jensen Schrickel and Liam Stegman to add a pair of relay wins as Hayden posted a top-five team finish.

Dunshee set the tone for the day when he was the top qualifier in the 4A 100-meter dash and followed that up with his first state championship in a time of 10.84 seconds.

"Based off my first run in our prelims I felt pretty good,'' Dunshee said. "I knew if I went out there and ran my race -- just didn't fall out of the blocks or false start -- I had an OK chance but it was my first time in the finals of the 100 so anything can happen.''

Dunshee was competing in his second state meet, making it to state as a freshman before spending his sophomore year at St. Martin's Academy in Fort Scott to play rugby.

"I'm definitely a lot faster than I was so I knew I had a better chance of doing something good,'' Dunshee said. "I think I was a lot more confident. This felt great.''

By Todd Fertig 

TopSports.news

A year ago, Cair Paravel Latin made history as the smallest school in the state with a girls soccer team reached the Class 4-1A Final Four.  

Due in part to an unfortunate draw, the Lions came one game short of matching that feat Tuesday, losing to defending state champion Bishop Miege 6-1 at Bettis Sports Complex. 

Cair Paravel junior Katherine Keys (left) celebrates the Lions' lone goal with teammate Zahra Friess in Tuesday's 6-1 Class 4A-1A quarterfinal soccer loss to Biship Miege. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Cair Paravel sophomore Zahra Friess (3) races towards the ball in Tuesday's 6-1 Class 4A-1A state quarterfinal loss to Bishop Miege. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Bishop Miege towers over the 4-1A classification, winning every state championship since Hayden claimed the title in 2015. For Cair Paravel, finishing with the best record in the East Regional turned out to be a curse. It gave the Lions the top seed but forced them to face Miege in the quarterfinals.  

Miege entered the playoffs with a record of just 9-7. But those losses were to 5A powerhouses St. James Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas and four 6A schools. Due to the number of losses they took during the regular season, the Stags entered the playoffs as the sixth seed.  

“We were really hoping that we wouldn’t have to play them until state,” said Katherine Keys, who recorded the Lions’ lone goal 10 minutes into the second half. “But that’s how the cookie crumbled, I guess. We knew that was going to be a tough opponent and they proved themselves to be so. 

“We were hopeful going into the game. We knew we were a good team, and we knew we had a chance. (Coach Doug) Woolery kept telling us that we’re the strongest team he’s ever coached, so we were hopeful.” 

“Credit goes to them. Their level of play is pretty advanced,” Woolery said. “It makes sense when you have the toughest schedule in the state.”