Cair Paravel Lions
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
As we get closer to the top of the women's selections for TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 list, the list of achievements get more and more impressive.
The latest group of picks (No. 31 through 40) include an individual national champion, six All-Americans, a four-time state high school champ, a two-sport Division I standout, a multi-event state high school record-holder and a three-sport prep All-Stater.
Former Miss Kansas Basketball Carly Bachelor of Washburn Rural led the Junior Blues to a state basketball title and also earned All-State recognition in volleyball and soccer while fellow Rural alum Madeline Hill won a national tennis title for Washburn University and Junior Blues Kelsey Chipman and Jayme Gergen established themselves as two of the school's all-time volleyball greats.
Rossville's Kendra Hurla, the second youngest Top 100 pick, captured four state titles and a team championship as a high school wrestler while former Seaman star Camryn Turner has earned All-Big 12 honors and helped Kansas advance to three straight NCAA volleyball tournaments with a season remaining for the Jayhawks.
Topeka West alum Emily Dicus made her mark as one of Kansas' all-time best swimmers before going on to earn college All-America honors while Shawnee Heights grad Deana Alexander was a Dvision I athlete in both basketball and track and field for Wichita State, winning four javelin Missouri Valley javelin titles, former Topeka High star Kristie Bahner was a 1,000-point scorer for Kansas State basketball, and three-time state softball champ Jaycee Ginter of Shawnee Heights ended her college career as Washburn's all-time leader in multiple categories.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The latest men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 range from a player who competed at the top level of professional tennis to a Major League baseball player who was teammates with legends "Shoeless Joe'' Jackson and Cy Young to local stars who made their mark in various other sports.
TSN's latest group of 10 Top 100 honorees is headed by former Topeka High tennis star Joel Hoffman, who won a pair of state titles for the Trojans before competing at the Division I level for Houston and on the International ATP men's circuit.
Picks No. 51 through 60 also includes Art Griggs, who made his big league baseball debut in the early 1900s, as well as storied amateur golfer Bill McDonald, star swimmer Glenn Trammel, pro bowling history maker Bob Benoit, MLB pitcher Jim Golden, track and field stars Dan O'Mara and Jason Stuke and multiple-sport standouts Duane "Blackie'' Melvin and Scott Leon.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local greats who made their mark in six sports at the high school, college and amateur level earned spots No. 51-60 on TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 list.
Shawnee Heights product Faith Rottinghaus, No. 51 on the Top 100 list, helped the T-Birds win Class 5A state titles in volleyball and softball before going on to earn first-team All-America honors for Washburn University, which posted a second-place national finish her senior season.
Rottinghaus is joined on the Top 100 by Washburn Hall of Famers Rhonda Matzke (Silver Lake) and Billie Jean Moore (Highland Park), with the late Moore going down in history as a legendary women's basketball coach.
In addition to hoops star Matzke, the latest group of 10 honorees include prolific Rossville scorer Jennifer Perine and Washburn Rural state champion Jamie Blakely, who both went on to standout careers at Emporia State.
Three of the county's most decorated cross country and track performers -- Washburn Rural's Avery Clifton and Jaybe Shufelberger and Seaman's Sydney Messick -- all earned spots in TSN's fifth installment of Top 100 picks as did former Rural multi-time state golf champions Abby Glynn and Megan Lucas, who both went on to Division I college careers.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A pair of athletes who played in the NFL, a Major League Baseball alum and a United States Olympian are part of the fourth installment of men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
TSN's latest group of 10 Top 100 honorees is headed by former Topeka High star Lamar Mady, who played for the Raiders before putting together a long and continuing career in professional indoor football, while Washburn Rural and Kansas State alum Will Cokeley also got a taste of the NFL with the Buffalo Bills while also playing in the United States Football League and Canadian Football League.
Picks No. 61 through 70 is top heavy with Topeka High products, including U.S. volleyball Olympian Chuck Nelson, Major League pitcher Ken "Hook'' Johnson, Trojan football stars Levi Lee and Troy Slusser and local softball legends Milo Mitchell and Joe Douglas.
Seaman grad and Washburn University baseball star J.P. Wright, a former NAIA Player of the Year, earned a spot in the Top 100 along with Washburn Rural product Luke Yarnell, who played Arena Football League for 10 seasons after starring at Coffeyville Community College and Southwestern Louisiana.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five of the best known names in Shawnee County softball earned spots on TopSports.news' fourth group of Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 honorees while spots No. 61-70 also included three local soccer greats as well as swimming and golf stars.
Silver Lake product Brenda Stolle, who helped Emporia State capture a national softball title, earned the No. 61 spot on the Top 100 while the latest grouping also includes former Washburn Rural and ESU All-American Taylor Zordel, Silver Lake star and Washburn University Hall of Famer Kathy Mohler, Seaman state champ and Division I standout Hailey Reed and Rural multi-sport standout and Kansas pitcher Kasey Hamilton.
The group of honorees also includes former soccer national champion Leea Murphy of Shawnee Heights as well as Washburn Rural stars Kaira Houser and Darby Hirsch while Topeka West product Kadence Jeffries won six state swimming titles in as many tries and Topeka High grad Rachel Stous established herself as one of the area's top women's golfers.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A former world record-holder in track, two of Shawnee County's all-time tennis greats, a Major League Baseball alum, a top MLB draft pick, three Division I athletes in basketball and football and a pair of record-setting quarterbacks comprise the third group of men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
TSN's group of 10 Top 100 honorees in the No. 71 through 80 spots includes former American and world record-holder Clardy Vinson of Topeka High and Topeka West multi-sport star and Kansas Jayhawk C.B. McGrath as well as four-time state tennis champ Tommy Hunter of Hayden and three-time champ John Grantham of Topeka High.
Picks No. 71 through 80 also include former Division I athletes Bennie Simecka of Rossville and Theron Wilson of Highland Park, former MLB pitcher Rick DeHart and top draft pick David Proctor and former Silver Lake and Rossville stars Shannon Kruger and Tucker Horak.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A group of Shawnee County greats that excelled in five different sports earned spots No. 71-80 on the women's TopSports.news Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 list.
The third installment of the TSN women's picks is widely diverse, including college softball All-Americans Susan Punzo (Shawnee Heights) and Chris Torrez (Topeka West), tennis stars Danielle Knipp of Washburn Rural and Meg Griffin of Topeka West, who went on to excel at Division I Oklahoma and Maryland, respectively, as well as Topeka West star swimmer Kelli Dudley, who helped Truman State win three straight national swimming titles.
The group of honorees also includes Shawnee Heights product Stefine Pease, who put together a Hall of Fame volleyball career for Lipscomb, along with former T-Bird basketball standout Lori Roenbaugh, a 1,000-point career scorer for Washburn University, and former city tennis stars Tonna Rieger (Topeka West), Alex O'Neal (Hayden) and Zebbie Roberson (Hayden), who all won three state high school championships.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A national golfer of the year, a pair of baseball All-Americans, two of Shawnee County's all-time wrestling greats, an individual and state team-champion swimmer and multiple athletes who competed in NCAA Championships are included in the second group of men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
TSN's second group of 10 Top 100 honorees (No. 81 through 90) includes former NCAA Division II golfer of the year Andrew Beckler, a Washburn Rural product, as well as former wrestling greats Tagen Lambotte of Rossville and Bishop Murray of Washburn Rural, who combined for seven individual state titles, baseball All-Americans Chris Carlson of Seaman and Shane Wright of Hayden and former Seaman star Zeke Metz, who helped lead the Vikings to the city's first swimming state team championship.
Picks No. 81 through 90 also include former NCAA track and field qualifier Mikey Hoffer of Shawnee Heights, former Highland Park basketball star Lamont Austin, who won high school and national junior college titles and played in the NCAA basketball championships, and multi-sport stars and Division I standouts Rapheal Posey of Highland Park and Duane Zlatnik of Rossville.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seven of Shawnee County's most accomplished athletes in swimming and wrestling are among the second group of 10 women's honorees in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
Picks 81-90, which also includes three local volleyball greats, features five former swimmers who were multi-time state champions, including Hayden's Kristin Strecker, who went on to swim at Nebraska, and Washburn Rural alums Haley Molden and Sammie Schurig, who went on to become standouts at Kansas, as well as former Hayden stars Kristen Carlson and Katie Merriam.
Washburn Rural's Dajia Anderson and Addison Broxterman, who helped Rural establish itself as the state's most dominant girls wrestling program, also earned Top 100 berths along with former county volleyball stars Sandy Werner of Washburn Rural, Seaman's Breanna Lewis and Silver Lake's Alyssa Schultejans.
Both Werner and Schultejans played at Kansas State while Lewis earned All-America honors at Washburn University and is a member of the WU Hall of Fame.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Six former state champs, a pair of baseball All-Americans, a Major League Baseball alum and a current Division I football standout headline the opening men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
TSN's first group of 10 Top 100 honorees includes athletes who participated in seven different sports, including recent stars Tanner Newkirk of Hayden, Tre Richardson of Highland Park and Desmond Purnell of Hayden, who are currently participating at the college level.
The first men's Top 100 selections also include Washburn Rural product Austin Halsey, one of the city's most decorated soccer athletes, as well as former MLB pitcher Larry Miller, college baseball All-Americans Jordan Cooper (Shawnee Heights) and Ben Carlson (Seaman) and NCAA cross country qualifiers Jacob Morgan (Washburn Rural) and Rob Hays (Topeka West).
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A group of nine former Shawnee County standouts and one rising star who represent seven different sports kick off the TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
From gymnastics, which is no longer offered at county high schools, to shooting, which was never a KSHSAA sport, to more traditional sports like volleyball, golf, track and field and cross country and the state's fastest growing sport of girls wrestling, TSN's first group of 10 Top 100 honorees includes seven individual state champions as well as three state champions, including four-time Class 6A team volleyball champ Kelsey Lewis of Washburn Rural.
The first group out of the gate also features the youngest Top 100 honoree, Seaman track and cross country star Ryin Miller, who has already earned her spot as one of Kansas' all-time bests in just two years of high school.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
On Tuesday, July 9, TopSports.news will kick off its three-week project picking its Top 100 greatest women's and men's athletes in Shawnee County history.
After receiving input from current and past media professionals with more than 100 years of combined experience, TSN will kick things off with its No. 91 through 100 picks on its all-time women's list and will continue posting women's and men's picks 10 at a time before culminating with the Women's Top 10 on July 27 and the Men's Top 10 on July 28.
Topeka sports legend Mike Torrez was a world champion with the New York Yankees and won 185 games as a Major League pitcher in an 18-year career. [File photo]
Former Shawnee Heights star Gary Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open and continues to compete on the PGA Tour. [PGA Tour]
Topeka High grad Chris Barnes is a PBA Hall of Famer, who also helped the Trojans win a state basketball title. [PBA Tour]
Topeka West state champion Sheri Norris was an All-American tennis player at Arizona State before playing on the pro tennis tour. [File photo]
Former Topeka High star NiJaree Canady received national pitcher of the year and player of the year honors as a sophomore pitcher for Stanford. [Stanford Athletics]
Former Washburn Rural multi-sport star Brooklyn DeLeye is currently a star for Kentucky's volleyball team and a member of the U.S. Under21 national team. [Kentucky Volleyball]
County athletes have made their mark in a variety of sports at the high school, collegiate, national amateur and professional levels over the years and TSN's goal is to recognize as many of those athletes as possible.
The only Top 100 requirement is that eligible candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or attended one of the county's 10 high schools.
While it's an impossible task to honor all the deserving individuals and not everybody will agree with TSN's selections, we hope that you enjoy this trip down memory lane that recognizes local athletes dating from those born in the 1800s to those just beginning to make their mark.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 ATHLETES TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
July 9 -- Women's No. 91 through 100.
July 10 -- Men's No. 91 through 100.
July 11 -- Women's No. 81 through 90.
July 12 -- Men's No. 81 through 90.
July 13 -- Women's No. 71 through 80.
July 14 -- Men's No. 71 through 80.
July 15 -- Women's No. 61 through 70.
July 16 -- Men's No. 61 through 70.
July 17 -- Women's No. 51 through 60.
July 18 -- Men's No. 51 through 60.
July 19 -- Women's No. 41 through 50.
July 20 -- Men's No. 41 through 50.
July 21 -- Women's No. 31 through 40.
July 22 -- Men's No. 31 through 40.
July 23 -- Women's No. 21 through 30.
July 24 -- Men's No. 21 through 30.
July 25 -- Women's No. 11 through 20.
July 26 -- Men's No. 11 through 20.
July 27 -- Women's No.10 through 1.
July 28 -- Men's No. 10 through 1.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Washburn Rural swimming star Brogan Meier was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Winter Male Athlete of the Year during Wednesday's awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Washburn University.
Former Washburn Rural star Brogan Meier was named the Topeka Shawnee County Winter Male Athlete of the Year Wednesday night at Washburn University. [File photo/TSN]
Meier capped an oustanding high school swimming career with the Class 6A 50-yard freestyle while helping lead Washburn Rural to a third-place team finish.
Meier was a four-time All-City and All-Centennial League honoree, helping the Junior Blues win four city team titles and three league championships.
"Brogan was a fantastic captain for our swim team, demonstrating great leadership and always being an encouraging teammate to all fellow swimmers,'' Rural coach Janson Garman said. "Brogan brought incredible talent, backed by a great work ethic, to our swim team and it really paid off for him in the end.''
Meier, the son of Kirk and Nicole Meier, compiled a grade point average of 4.11 at Washburn Rural.
He plans to attend Missouri State.
WINTER SPORTS: OUTSTANDING MALE NOMINEES
Caleb Annan-Noonoo
CALEB ANNAN-NOONOO | Topeka West
PARENTS: K.O. Noonoo and Anna Annan-Noonoo
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: NA
Annan-Noonoo was a three-year varsity player for the Chargers in basketball while also starring in the classroom, ranking as Topeka West's valedictorian for the class of 2024 and earning numerous academic scholarship offers. Annan-Noonoo turned in a solid senior season for the Chargers, shooting 55.9 percent from the field while ranking seventh in the city with a 5.5 rebounding average and leading the city with 1.4 blocked shots per game. He also averaged 1.6 steals on the season.
Rykan Carver
RYKAN CARVER | Shawnee Heights
PARENTS: Corey and Tricia Carver
SPORT: Wrestling | GPA: 4.53
A standout in football, wrestling and track and field for the T-Birds, Carver ended his high school wrestling career with the Class 5A 285-pound state title. Carver was a four-time letterman in wrestling, winning a pair of United Kansas Conference titles and qualifying for the 5A state tournament three times. "Rykan is a team leader and captain in all three of his sports and also thrives in the classroom, taking honors courses throughout high school and graduating with a 4.53 GPA,'' Shawnee Heights wrestling coach Chad Parks said. "This GPA and workload earned Rykan the distinction of being in the top one percent of GPAs for the entire state of Kansas.'' Carver will attend Kansas State to study engineering.
Cooper Colboch
COOPER COLBOCH | Hayden
PARENTS: Craig and Torri Colboch
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 4.166
Colboch helped lead the Wildcats to a Class 3A state tournament berth as a senior, averaging 8.2 points per games while hitting 39 3-pointers and shooting 81.3 percent from the free throw line. "Cooper had a great senior season,'' former Hayden coach Trey Brown said. "He was the voice of our team all year long and hit countless big shots for us. He is a great kid on and off the court and was a big reason we had success this season. Colboch also played football for Hayden before being sidelined midway through his senior season with an injury.
Simon Everhart
SIMON EVERHART | Cair Paravel Latin
PARENTS: Dave and Rachel Everhart
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 4.17
Everhart was a Top 10 All-Shawnee County selection as a senior, averaging 16.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while scoring 35 percent of the Lions' points. "Simon is consistent in his approach and very reliable to his teammates,'' Cair Parave coach Chip Kueffer said. "A leader by his actions, not just words. The team depended on him heavily to show up and there was never a moment during the year when Simon let a teammate down. Simon demonstrates humility and perseverance. Despite being one of the top players in Topeka, Simon was never 'too big time.' He consistently swept the court before practices started and led as a team captain with a servant's heart.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Forty-seven of Shawnee County's premier high school student-athletes from the class of 2024 will be recognized Wednesday night as part of the 19th annual Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards banquet.
TopSports.news, in partnership with A-1 Lock and Key, Washburn University, Capital Label, Peggy's Tax and Accounting and the Jamie Hornbaker State Farm Insurance Agency, will host the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and honor Washburn's athletes of the year at the Washburn University Memorial Union (6 p.m. start).
Recent Seaman graduate Taylin Stallbaumer has been nominated in two seasons for the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards after helping the Vikings win Class 5A volleyball and basketball titles. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake senior Makenzie McDaniel is a nominee for the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards after helping the Eagles win the Class 3A state basketball title as a senior. [File photo/TSN]
A Class 6A state swimming champion as a senior, Washburn Rural's Brogan Meier is a nominee for the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden's Finn Dunshee (middle) was a three-time state champion in the 2024 state track championships and also helped lead the Wildcats to a Class 3A runnerup finish in football. [File photo/TSN]
TopSports.news will present awards to the top female and male athletes in the fall, winter and spring seasons, as well as overall female and male athletes of the year and the most inspirational female and male. A complete list of nominees is listed below.
To be eligible, an athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Athletes were nominated by their schools' athletic directors and coaches.
In addition to the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards, Khloe Schuckman and Braden Rose will be honored as Washburn University Athletes of the Year and Bob Benoit, Jim Golden, Kelsey (Chipman) Stringer and Nick Stringer will be inducted as the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame class.
A committee of local media members selected the 2024 high school winners, including the selection of overall female and male athletes of the year.
TOPEKA SHAWNEE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AWARDS NOMINEES
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sixteen city girls soccer players have earned All-State honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association, including six first-team selections.
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural
Hayley Legg, Washburn Rural
Washburn Rural, which finished third in Class 6A, is represented on the All-6A first team by junior forward Kate Hinck and senior midfielder Hayley Legg while 4A-1A state runnerup Cair Paravel put senior forward Katherine Keys, sophomore forward KellyAnn Chada, junior forward Zahra Friess and senior defender Trinity Childs on the first team.
Katherine Keys, Cair Paravel Latin
KellyAnn Chada, Cair Paravel Latin
Zahra Friess, Cair Paravel Latin
Trinity Childs, Cair Paravel Latin
Keys was selected as the co-forward of the year in 4A-1A.
Washburn Rural juniors Destiny Higgs and Addyson Kaberline were named to the All-6A second team.
Shawnee Heights junior Isabel Van Fleet and freshman Morgan Robinson were named to the All-5A second team while Hayden sophomore Carsyn Broxterman was a second-team All-4A-1A pick and six city players received All-State honorable mention.
KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE TEAMS
Editor's note: Over the coming days, TopSports.news will take a look at all of the nominees for the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards. All nominees will be recognized at the June 26 awards banquet, which will be held in conjunction with the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame induction at Washburn University's Memorial Union.
SPRING SPORTS: OUTSTANDING FEMALE NOMINEES
Rebecca Bearman
REBECCA BEARMAN | Topeka West
PARENTS: Alan and Shelly Bearman
SPORT: Track and field | GPA: NA
Bearman was a standout in track and field and girls basketball for Topeka West while also excelling in the classroom. Bearman finished fourth in the shot put in Class 5A regional competition as a senior, earning a berth in the state championships at Wichita. Bearman received All-Shawnee County honorable mention in track her senior season, ranking second on the Shawnee County Honor Roll in the shot put. In basketball Bearman received all-county honorable mention and also received honorable mention on the All-United Kansas Conference team. Bearman averaged 10.1 rebounds to finish second in the city and also averaged 7.6 points.
Ava Delgado
AVA DELGADO | Hayden
PARENTS: Richard and Alisha Delgado
SPORT: Softball | GPA: 3.125
Delgado compiled a .400 batting average over her four-year career for the Wildcats with an .800 fielding percentage. "Ava is an exceptional athlete and an outstanding individual as a teammate,'' Hayden softball coach Cody Reynolds said. "I know she will do great things on and off the field as she moves on to her collegiate career at Bethel. I'm lucky to have coached her and will miss her infectious smile. She will be missed on both sides of the ball as well as in the dugout.'' As a senior Delgado received All-Centennial League first-team honors and was a second-team All-Shawnee County pick.
Katherine Keys
KATHERINE KEYS | Cair Paravel Latin
PARENTS: Robert and Bev Keys
SPORT: Soccer | GPA: 4.83
Keys turned in an outstanding soccer career for the Lions, including two trips to the Class 4A-1A state semifinals and a state runnerup finish this spring. A two-time All-City first-team pick, Keys also received All-State recognition and was a three-time all-league honoree, earning league player of the year honors this past season. Keys scored 21 goals with 14 assists as a senior and finished her CPLS career with 100 goals and 52 assists. "Katherine was a team captain and as a leader she helped her teammates be better by encouraging them, challenging them and by continually demonstrating for them what hard work looks like,'' Cair Paravel coach Doug Woolery said. Keys, the CPLS Class of 2024 valedictorian, will play college soccer at John Brown University.
Editor's note: Over the coming days, TopSports.news will take a look at all of the nominees for the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards. All nominees will be recognized at the June 26 awards banquet, which will be held in conjunction with the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame induction at Washburn University's Memorial Union.
WINTER SPORTS: OUTSTANDING MALE NOMINEES
Caleb Annan-Noonoo
CALEB ANNAN-NOONOO | Topeka West
PARENTS: K.O. Noonoo and Anna Annan-Noonoo
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: NA
Annan-Noonoo was a three-year varsity player for the Chargers in basketball while also starring in the classroom, ranking as Topeka West's valedictorian for the class of 2024 and earning numerous academic scholarship offers. Annan-Noonoo turned in a solid senior season for the Chargers, shooting 55.9 percent from the field while ranking seventh in the city with a 5.5 rebounding average and leading the city with 1.4 blocked shots per game. He also averaged 1.6 steals on the season.
Rykan Carver
RYKAN CARVER | Shawnee Heights
PARENTS: Corey and Tricia Carver
SPORT: Wrestling | GPA: 4.53
A standout in football, wrestling and track and field for the T-Birds, Carver ended his high school wrestling career with the Class 5A 285-pound state title. Carver was a four-time letterman in wrestling, winning a pair of United Kansas Conference titles and qualifying for the 5A state tournament three times. "Rykan is a team leader and captain in all three of his sports and also thrives in the classroom, taking honors courses throughout high school and graduating with a 4.53 GPA,'' Shawnee Heights wrestling coach Chad Parks said. "This GPA and workload earned Rykan the distinction of being in the top one percent of GPAs for the entire state of Kansas.'' Carver will attend Kansas State to study engineering.
Cooper Colboch
COOPER COLBOCH | Hayden
PARENTS: Craig and Torri Colboch
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 4.166
Colboch helped lead the Wildcats to a Class 3A state tournament berth as a senior, averaging 8.2 points per games while hitting 39 3-pointers and shooting 81.3 percent from the free throw line. "Cooper had a great senior season,'' former Hayden coach Trey Brown said. "He was the voice of our team all year long and hit countless big shots for us. He is a great kid on and off the court and was a big reason we had success this season. Colboch also played football for Hayden before being sidelined midway through his senior season with an injury.
Simon Everhart
SIMON EVERHART | Cair Paravel Latin
PARENTS: Dave and Rachel Everhart
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 4.17
Everhart was a Top 10 All-Shawnee County selection as a senior, averaging 16.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while scoring 35 percent of the Lions' points. "Simon is consistent in his approach and very reliable to his teammates,'' Cair Parave coach Chip Kueffer said. "A leader by his actions, not just words. The team depended on him heavily to show up and there was never a moment during the year when Simon let a teammate down. Simon demonstrates humility and perseverance. Despite being one of the top players in Topeka, Simon was never 'too big time.' He consistently swept the court before practices started and led as a team captain with a servant's heart.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee County athletes have starred in a variety of sports at the high school, collegiate, national amateur and professional levels over the years, with county high schools producing Super Bowl and World Series champs, national individual and team champions, Olympians, local and national Hall of Famers and even U.S. Open champs.
Topeka sports legend Mike Torrez was a world champion with the New York Yankees and won 185 games as a Major League pitcher in an 18-year career. [File photo]
Former Shawnee Heights star Gary Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open and continues to compete on the PGA Tour. [PGA Tour]
Topeka High grad Chris Barnes is a PBA Hall of Famer, who also helped the Trojans win a state basketball title. [PBA Tour]
Topeka West state champion Sheri Norris was an All-American tennis player at Arizona State before playing on the pro tennis tour. [File photo]
And while some of the county greats are probably household names among local sports fans, there are others who have carved out impressive careers that you may not be as familiar with, including some you've probably never head of.
This summer TopSports.news will try to change that.
Beginning in July and continuing throughout the summer, TopSports.news will post its selections for the Top 100 greatest athletes in Shawnee County.
Former Topeka High star NiJaree Canady has received national pitcher of the year and player of the year as a sophomore pitcher for Stanford. [Stanford Athletics]
Former Washburn Rural multi-sport star Brooklyn DeLeye is currently a star for Kentucky's volleyball team. [Kentucky Volleyball]
Past Top 100 and Top 125 lists, which I had the pleasure of helping select, combined men's and women's athletes, but, quite frankly, that is unfair in 2024, with female athletes very deserving of their own Top 100 list as athletes like NiJaree Canady and Brooklyn DeLeye continue to make their own mark on sports' biggest stages.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's Anna Becker, Silver Lake's Taylor Zordel and Highland Park's Ja'Corey Robinson, who recently completed their junior years of high school, were selected Thursday night at The Foundry as the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency girls and boys 2024 Rising Stars of the year.
![Rising Stars of the Year Taylor Zordel, Ja'Corey Robinson and Anna Becker pose with Dan Key of the Farmers Insurance Agency after being honored Wednesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]](/images/BeckerZordelRobinson-1.jpg)
Rising Stars of the Year Taylor Zordel, Ja'Corey Robinson and Anna Becker pose with Dan Key of the Farmers Insurance Agency after being honored Wednesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Becker and Zordel shared the girls honor and boys winner Robinson were picked from five girls and boys finalists chosen from weekly Rising Stars who were selected through the 2023-2024 school year.
Silver Lake's Taylor Zordel and Seaman's Anna Becker were named the co-girls Rising Stars of the Year Wednesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Becker was a basketball and soccer standout for Seaman, helping lead the Vikings to the Class 5A state basketball championship and the 5A state quarterfinals in soccer while Zordel helped lead Silver Lake to the 3A-1A golf title and was a member of the Eagles' 3A state championship basketball team and state runnerup softball team.
Ja'Corey Robinson of Highland Park was named the 2024 boys Rising Star of the Year Wednesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Robinson helped lead Highland Park to a second straight third-place finish in the 5A state basketball tournament and also helped the Scots' football team advance to the second round of the 5A football playoffs.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which finished third in the Class 6A state tournament, and Cair Paravel Latin, the 4A-1A state runnerup, combined to put eight players on the 17-member 2024 All-City girls soccer first team.
The All-City team was based on recommendations and votes from city coaches.
Mackenzie Flood, Washburn Rural
Hayley Legg, Washburn Rural
Destiny Higgs, Washburn Rural
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural
Addyson Kaberline, Washburn Rural
Washburn Rural is represented on the All-City first team by seniors Mackenzie Flood and Hayley Legg and juniors Destiny Higgs, Kate Hinck and Addyson Kaberline after the Junior Blues posted a 17-4-0 record on the season, capped by a 3-0 win over Maize in the third-place game after a 1-0 double overtime loss to Blue Valley Northwest in the semifinals.
