Hayden High School Wildcats
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tayson Horak
TAYSON HORAK, Rossville
A senior quarterback, Horak had a hand in five Rossville touchdowns as the Bulldawgs rallied from a 17-point deficit with 5:30 remaining to advance to the Class 1A state football sub-state round with a 42-38 win over top seed and previously-unbeaten Jackson Heights on the road Friday night. Horak threw for touchdown passes of 17, 39, 35 and 25 yards and scored the game-winning TD on a 6-yard run as the Bulldawgs improved to 8-3 on the season with their eighth straight victory.
L.J. Minner Jr.
LJ MINNER Jr., Washburn University
A 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore linebacker out of Ferguson, Mo., Minner registered 14 tackles as Washburn ended its season with a 35-28 win at Northeastern State. Minner finished his season with 103 total tackles (59 solo), 8.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for the Ichabods.
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Washburn University
A 5-foot-10, 175-pound sophomore receiver, the former Highland Park multi-sport star scored the game-winning touchdown with 48 seconds remaining in Washburn's season-ending 35-28 road win at Northeastern State, hauling in a 10-yard pass from Sam Van Dyne. Richardson also set up an Ichabod touchdown with an 84-yard kickoff return. Richardson caught five passes for 52 yards and had 166 all-purpose yards in the win.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
State tournament teams Seaman, Washburn Rural and Hayden combined to put 10 players on the TopSports.news 2024 All-Shawnee County volleyball first team, led by Seaman two-time player of the year Maegan Mills.
Seaman senior Maegan Mills (23) has been named the TSN Shawnee County volleyball player of the year for the second straight season. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Seaman's Tatiana Dowling has been named the Shawnee County coach of the year for the second straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman, which finished second in Class 5A this fall after winning the state title in 2023, put a county-high four players on the all-county first team, with Mills joined by fellow Viking seniors Campbell Chabot, Ava Esser and Kinley Wilhelm while Viking coach Tatiana Dowling, a Seaman grad, was named the coach of the year for the second straight season after leading her team to a county-best 41-3 record and a county-best state tournament finish.
Hayden freshman Hailey Schmidtlein has been named the Shawnee County co-newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter has been named the Shawnee County volleyball co-newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, which placed third in the 4A state tournament, is represented on the first team by senior Reagan McGivern and freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter, who were named co-Shawnee County newcomers of the year. McGivern is a first-team all-county repeat pick after earning first-team honors at Seaman as a junior.
Washburn Rural is represented on the all-county first team by seniors Layla Collins and Kate Hinck and junior Karsyn Horyna after helping the Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and advance to the 6A state tournament.
Collins is a first-team All-Shawnee County repeat pick after being a second-team pick as a sophomore.
Shawnee Heights put seniors Kaydence Torrez and Taylor Brees on the first team while Silver Lake is represented by senior Ella Bolan, Rossville by sophomore Nora Burdiek and Topeka High by senior Jo'Mhara Benning.
Torrez and Bolan are first-team repeat picks while Burdiek was named the county newcomer of the year as a freshman.
All-Shawnee County first-team capsules:
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Thirteen Shawnee County players have earned Kansas Volleyball Association All-State recognition, including four first-team picks.
Seaman senior Campbell Chabot earned KVA All-State first-team honors in Class 5A after helping the Vikings finish second in Class 5A this fall. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Seaman senior Maegan Mills earned first-team KVA All-State honors in Class 5A for the second straight season after helping lead the Vikings to a runnerup state finish. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Hayden senior Reagan McGivern earned a spot on the KVA Class 4A All-State first team after helping the Wildcats finish third in 4A. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Rossville sophomore Nora Burdiek was named to the KVA All-Class 2A All-State team. [Submitted photo]
Seniors Campbell Chabot and Meagan Mills, who helped lead Seaman to a runnerup finish in Class 5A, were named to the All-5A first team while Hayden senior Reagan McGivern earned first-team honors in 4A after helping the Wildcats post a third-place state finish and Rossville sophomore Nora Burdiek was a first-team pick in 2A after helping the Bulldawgs win a regional championship this fall.
Washburn Rural senior Layla Collins received second-team all-state recognition in 6A while Seaman senior Ava Esser was a second-team All-5A pick, freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter were second-team selections in 4A and Silver Lake senior Ella Bolan was a second-team honoree in 3A.
Rural senior Kate Hinck received All-6A honorable mention while Seaman seniors Maggie Moulden and Kinley Wilhelm received honorable mention in 5A and Hayden junior Ella Foster received honorable mention in 4A.
KANSAS VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION 2024 ALL-STATE
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior star Jensen Schrickel had an OK game the first time Hayden played Perry-Lecompton, compiling 113 rushing/receiving yards and scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the Wildcats' 34-point Class 3A district romp.
Hayden senior Jensen Schrickel scored seven touchdowns as the Wildcats advanced to the Class 3A sub-state round with a 56-6 win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Jensen Schrickel (9) celebrates with his Hayden teammates after scoring one of his seven TDs in Friday's 56-6 win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But that performance paled in comparison to Friday night as Schrickel turned in a game for the ages as Hayden advanced to next Friday's 3A sub-state round at Wellsville with a 56-6 rout in the Wildcats' rematch with the Kaws.
Schrickel, a 5-foot-10, 160-pounder, caught five passes for 192 yards and rushed for 124 yards on just five attempts while scoring seven touchdowns, six in the first half, as Hayden improved to 10-1 on the season.
"It was awesome,'' Schrickel said. "I couldn't have done it without people blocking and some great passes from my quarterback Jett (Wahlmeier). Everthing clicked, so it worked out really well.
"We started off a little bit slow, but we took control pretty early on and we kept putting pressure on after that.''
Schrickel set the tone for his huge night when he caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from senior Wahlmeier on a 4th-and-11 play to cap Hayden's game-opening drive.
He and Wahlmeier hooked up for a 65-yard TD on Hayden's one-play second drive and made it a 20-0 Wildcat lead when he and Wahlmeier made connections again, this time on a 24-yard strike.
After Perry-Lecompton (5-6) scored its only TD of the night on a 78-yard TD pass from Garrett Metcalfe to Tristan Gorden, Schrickel tacked on three second-quarter scores -- a 24-yard run, a 33-yard pass from Wahlmeier and a 5-yard run -- as Hayden took a commanding 42-6 lead to the locker room at halftime.
The multi-event state track and field champion scored his seventh and final touchdown on a 79-yard run with 5:13 left in the third quarter before Wildcat junior Kade Mitchell capped Hayden scoring with a 9-yard TD run to force a running clock for the final 4:08.
Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier passed for 263 yards and four TDs in Friday's 56-6 Class 3A playoff win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
While Schrickel's seven TDs stole the show, Wahlmeier had a big night in his own right, completing 12 of 18 passes for 263 yards and four scores.
Hayden coach Bill Arnold said Friday's game showed off the Wildcats' variety of weapons.
"We didn't play clean all the way across the board but our kids played hard and obviously took advantage of some situational plays out there,'' Arnold said. "Kade's had his games, Schrickel's had his games, Jett's had his games and (Broderick) Desch is pretty solid on the inside there.
"You have an opportunity to take advantage of some mis-matches out there and it's kind of hard to take all of those guys away.''
With Friday's win Hayden set up next Friday's sub-state matchup with 11-0 and top East seed Wellsville, which took a 35-14 home win over Prairie View.
HAYDEN 56, PERRY-LECOMPTON 6
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
Seaman junior Kaden McKinney (9) has rushed for 932 yards and 12 TDs on 153 attempts for the 8-2 Vikings. [File photo/TSN]
Class 5A
SEAMAN (No. 3 West: 8-2) at EISENHOWER (No. 2 West: 8-2)
Seaman advanced to the Class 5A quarterfinals with a 43-15 win over Valley Center last Friday while Eisenhower moved on with a 37-26 win over Maize South. Seaman senior Max Huston has completed 138 of 219 passes for 2,352 yards and 27 touchdowns and has rushed for 740 yards and 13 TDs on 103 attempts. Senior Bryer Finley has 72 receptions for 1,499 yards and 21 TDs while junior Kaden McKinney has carried the ball 153 times for 932 yards and 12 TDs. Junior Cameron Brian leads the Vikings with 108 tackles (60 solo) with 10 tackles for loss. Eisenhower senior Derek Morgan has completed 129 of 189 passes for 2416 yards and 34 TDs. Senior Carter Pabst has caught 63 passes for 1,522 yards and 26 TDs. Junior Brayden Pappas has carried the ball 177 times for 1,082 yards and four TDs. The Seaman-Eisenhower winner will advance to the sub-state round to face the winner of Friday's game between No. 9 West seed Hays (6-4) at No. 4 seed Hutchinson (8-2).
Hayden senior Jensen Schrickel has 489 receiving yards, 398 rushing yards and has scored 14 touchdowns for the 9-1 Wildcats. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Class 3A
PERRY-LECOMPTON (No. 10 East: 5-5) at HAYDEN (No. 3 East: 9-1)
Hayden, second in Class 3A last fall, advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 3A playoffs with a 49-0 rout over Girard last Friday, while Perry-Lecompton upset No. 2 seed Frontenac on the road, 28-22. Hayden took a 50-16 district win over Perry-Lecompton on Oct. 18. Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has completed 102 of 149 passes for 1,531 yards and 17 touchdowns while junior Kade Mitchell has carried the ball 83 times for 689 yards, caught 24 passes for 408 yards and scored 23 total touchdowns. Senior Jensen Schrickel has caught 32 passes for 489 yards, rushed for 398 yards on 31 attempts and scored 14 total TDs. Junior Jude Krentz
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
City schools Washburn Rural, Topeka High and Hayden combined to earn 10 of 12 first-team spots on the 2024 All-Centennial League boys soccer team.
Junior Dylan Willingham (19) has been named the Centennial League soccer player of the year after helping lead Washburn Rural to the league title and a third-place finish in Class 6A. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
Washburn Rural, which won its 30th straight league championship (outright or shared) and finished third in the Class 6A state tournament, put five players on the all-league team, led by junior Dylan Willingham, who was named the Centennial player of the year.
Washburn Rural sophomore Brodye Kocher-Munoz has been named the Centennial League soccer co-newcomer of the year for 2024. [File photo/TSN]
Rural coach Brian Hensyel was named the league coach of the year while sophomore Brodye Kocher-Munoz was selected as the co-newcomer of the year
Willingham is joined on the first team by senior Ryder Nikkel and juniors Liam Morrison, Brandon Hamilton and Draden Chooncharoen.
Centennial League runnerup Topeka High put four players on the all-league first team -- seniors Ian Martinez, Antonio Aguirre and Jaime Alvarado and junior Billy Lutz -- while Hayden is represented by senior Cooper Grace.
Rural's Kocher-Munoz and juniors Drew Moore and Miles Cook received second-team honors along with Topeka High sophomore Carlos Acosta-Martinez.
Eight city players received honorable mention.
Manhattan's Ibrahim Alali and Junction City's Ethan Hileman round out the all-league first team while Junction City's Bruno Puche-Ferre was named the league's co-newcomer of the year.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE SOCCER
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior Layla Collins, who led Washburn Rural to the league championship and a Class 6A state tournament berth, was voted the Centennial League 2024 volleyball player of the year as city schools garnered six of first-team spots.
Washburn Rural senior Layla Collins was voted the Centennial League volleyball player of the year by league coaches. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Collins is joined on the first team by senior teammate Kate Hinck while Topeka High senior Jo'Mhara Benning also earned first-team all-league honors.
Hayden, which placed third in the Class 4A state tournament, put a league high three players on the first team -- senior Reagan McGivern and freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter.
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter was named the newcomer of the year by Centennial League volleyball coaches. [File photo/TSN]
Walter was also voted the Centennial League newcomer of the year while Washburn Rural's Kevin Bordewick and Hayden's Corrinne McGreevy were named the league co-coaches of the year.
Rounding out the first team were Manhattan's Bailey Busch and Emporia's Jade Xu.
City schools also dominated the all-league second team, with Topeka High's Campbell Dawson, Washburn Rural's Kasyn Horyna, Stella Kelly and Dayne Shriver and Hayden's Ella Foster earning second-team spots.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tayson Horak
TAYSON HORAK, Rossville
A senior quarterback, Horak scored three touchdowns as Rossville's football team advanced to the Class 1A state quarterfinals with a 42-0 win over McLouth Friday night. Horak scored on runs of 3, 55 and 28 yards as the Bulldawgs improved to 7-3 on the season with their seventh straight victory.
Max Huston
MAX HUSTON, Seaman
Huston, a senior quarterback, had a hand in five touchdowns Friday night as 8-2 Seaman advanced to the Class 5A football quarterfinals with a 43-16 home win over Valley Center. Huston rushed for 117 yards on 14 carries against the Hornets, scoring touchdowns on runs of 1, 51, 4 and 8 yards and completed 16 of 25 passes for 272 yards, including a 39-yard TD pass.
Andrew Orr
ANDREW ORR, Washburn University
A senior frontliner, Orr scored a total of 40 points as Washburn men's basketball opened the season with a pair of double-digit wins. Orr scored 21 points (9 of 11 shooting from the field) in the Ichabods' 89-71 win over Sioux Falls on Friday and scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds on Saturday as WU knocked off defending Division II national champion Minnesota State, 85-68.
The 2024 All-Shawnee County boys cross country team: Front row, from left -- Evan Carter, Shawnee Heights; Bodie King, Washburn Rural; Henry Laubach, Washburn Rural; Clayton Fink, Washburn Rural; Brooks Kehoe, Washburn Rural; Brody Anderson, Seaman. Back row, from left -- coach Matt Swedlund, Washburn Rural; Connor Olsen, Washburn Rural; Connor Baldwin, Hayden; Max Esquibel, Shawnee Heights; Adrian Lehman, Topeka West; Mark Wilkie, Topeka West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Three state medalists and five first-team repeat picks headline the 2024 All-Shawnee County boys cross country team.
Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman and Seaman junior Brody Anderson finished seventh and ninth individually in the Class 5A state meet while Washburn Rural freshman Henry Laubach finished 14th in 6A in his first state meet.
Lehman and Anderson are both all-county first-team repeat selections along with Shawnee Heights senior Evan Carter, Washburn Rural junior Brooks Kehoe and Rural senior Conner Olsen.
Washburn Rural, which won the city team championship, is also represented on the all-county team by senior Bodie King and freshman Clayton Fink, who helped the Junior Blues qualify for the 6A state meet as a team, while Rural coach Matt Swedlund was named the city boys coach of the year.
Topeka West's senior Mark Wilkie, Hayden junior Connor Baldwin and Shawnee Heights junior Max Esquibel were named to the all-county team for the first time.
All-Shawnee County boys capsules:
The 2024 All-Shawnee County girls cross country team: Front row, from left -- Stella Appelhanz, Seaman; Kinley Robinson, Seaman; Ryin Miller, Seaman; Brynn Spencer, Seaman; Sofia Harper, Hayden; Elliot Wrench, Hayden. Back row, from left -- coach Matt Swedlund, Washburn Rural; Emily Graf, Washburn Rural; Rylee Ismert, Washburn Rural; Kenzie Maddox, Washburn Rural; Payton Fink, Washburn Rural; Brooklyn Nolte, Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A whopping nine first-team repeat selections and seven state medalists headline the 2024 All-Shawnee County girls cross country team.
Leading the way are top-five individual state finishers Ryin Miller of Seaman and Rylee Ismert and Payton Fink of Washburn Rural, with Miller, a junior, the Class 5A runnerup and seniors Ismert and Fink finishing third and fifth in 6A.
Hayden senior Elliot Wrench posted a sixth-place finish in 4A while junior Emily Graf placed 14th in 6A and Seaman senior Stella Appelhanz and sophomore Brynn Spencer finished 17th and 18th in 5A.
Miller, Ismert, Fink, Wrench, Graf, Appelhanz and Spencer are all first-team All-Shawnee County repeat picks along with Washburn Rural senior Brooklyn Nolte and Hayden sophomore Sofia Harper.
Earning first-team all-county honors for the first time are Washburn Rural junior Kenzie Maddox and Seaman sophomore Kinley Robinson.
Washburn Rural coach Matt Swedlund was named the girls Shawnee County coach of the year after his Junior Blues swept city, Centennial League and Class 6A regional team titles and tied for the 6A team championship, finishing second to five-time champion Olathe West on a tiebreaker.
All-Shawnee County girls capsules:
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Hayden coach Bill Arnold had just one admonishment for his team Friday night.
“No more sliding on the field! We have to play another game on it!” the coach said, putting a halt to the scrum in the end zone following Hayden’s 49-0 washout of visiting Girard.
Junior Kade Mitchell rushed for 95 yards and scored two touchdowns in Hayden's 49-0 Class 3A playoff win over Girard. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Jensen Schrickel (9) rushed for 108 yards and scored three touchdowns in Friday's 49-0 Hayden playoff win over Girard. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
With the announcement over the public address system that Perry-Lecompton had defeated Frontenac, the Wildcats knew they would play at home again next Friday against the Kaws.
A steady rain increased in intensity throughout the night, but it didn’t slow the Wildcats, who outrushed their opponent 328 yards to 95.
“We don’t really think about the weather. We just come out and play,” said junior running back Kade Mitchell, who bookended the scoring for the Wildcats. He opened the game with a 22-yard touchdown run and finished the romp with a 20-yard run in the fourth period.
The Wildcats, seeded third in the East side of the Class 3A bracket, didn’t give an inch to Girard, which came to Topeka as the sixth seed. Besides shutting down the Trojans’ run game, Hayden held Girard to just 25 yards passing and intercepted two of the Trojans’ passes.
“I thought our kids came out and executed early,” Arnold said. “I thought we did a good job of bottling them up defensively. We did a much better job tackling.”
Senior Broderick Desch scored a TD for Hayden in the Wildcats' 49-0 Class 3A playoff win over Girard. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier (7) ran for a touchdown and threw for a TD in Friday's 49-0 win over Girard. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Multi-purpose star Jensen Schrickel rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Jett Wahlmeier. Mitchell added 95 yards rushing. Fullback Broderick Desch contributed 44 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Wahlmeier scampered 25 yards for another score.
Winning so handily left Arnold without a lot to complain about.
“When we get back and watch film, trust me, I know we made some mistakes out there,” Arnold said. “But if you get a 49-0 win in a playoff game, it feels good.”
Perry-Lecompton, the 10th seed in the East, upset second-seeded Frontenac 28-22, setting up a rematch with the Wildcats. Hayden handled the Kaws 50-16 on Oct. 18.
“Perry has gotten better,” Arnold said. “They’ve played two really good games back-to-back now. And we’ve got a long, outstanding history against them.”
The Wildcats are on a mission to return to the 3A state championship game, where they fell to Cheney 34-7 in a blizzard last season.
“We want to get back to the state championship,” Mitchell said. “We came up short last year, but nothing is going to get in our way this year. We’ve got everything that it takes. We’ve just got to trust each other, and everything is going to fall in line.”
HAYDEN 49, GIRARD 0
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
Seaman senior Max Huston has passed for 2,078 yards and 26 TDs and rushed for 627 yards and nine TDs for the 7-2 Vikings. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior Bryer Finley (1) has caught 67 passes for 1,404 yards and 21 TDs this fall for the 7-2 Vikings. [File photo/TSN]
Class 5A
VALLEY CENTER (No. 11 West: 3-6) at SEAMAN (No. 3 West: 7-2)
Seaman advanced to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs with a 65-7 win over Topeka West last Friday while Valley Center upset No. 6 West seed Goddard, 7-6. The winner of Friday's game will advance to play the winner of Friday's game between No. 2 West seed Eisenhower (7-2) and No. 7 Maize South (6-3). Seaman senior Max Huston has completed 122 of 194 passes for 2,078 yards and 26 touchdowns and has rushed for 627 yards and nine TDs on 96 attempts. Senior Bryer Finley has 67 receptions for 1,404 yards and 21 TDs while junior Kaden McKinney has carried the ball 126 times for 823 yards and 11 TDs. Junior Cameron Brian leads the Vikings with 100 tackles (56 solo) with eight tackles for loss. Valley Center senior Connor Brian has completed 63 of 166 passes for 655 yards and eight TDs. Junior Rylan Bailey has 401 rushing yards and three TDs on 173 attempts while sophomore Ray J Logan has caught 33 passes for 424 yards and five TDs. Senior Steel Schomaker leads Valley Center with 93 tackles.
Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has passed for 1,448 yards and 16 TDs for the 8-1 Wildcats. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Hayden senior Jensen Schrickel has 426 receiving yards, 288 rushing yards and has scored 11 touchdowns for the 8-1 Wildcats. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Class 3A
GIRARD (No. 6 East: 6-3) at HAYDEN (No. 3 East: 8-1)
Hayden, which played for the Class 3A state championship last fall, advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 56-6 win over Hiawatha last Friday, while Girard is coming off a 43-15 first-round win ovr Kansas City-Bishop Ward. The winner of Friday's game will play the winner of Friday's game between No. 2 East seed Frontenac (9-0) and No. 10 Perry-Lecompton (4-5). Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has completed 96 of 139 passes for 1,448 yards and 16 touchdowns while junior Kade Mitchell has carried the ball 78 times for 696 yards, caught 23 passes for 398 yards and scored 21 total touchdowns. Senior Jensen Schrickel has caught 28 passes for 426 yards, rushed for 288 yards on 23 attempts and scored 11 total TDs. Junior Jude Krentz leads Hayden with 87 total tackles.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seven city volleyball standouts received All-State Tournament recognition from the Kansas Volleyball Association in their respective classifications.
Seaman senior Maegan Mills (right) was named to the All-State Tournament team in Class 5A after helping the Vikings finish second in the state tournament. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Seaman senior Campbell Chabot (3) was named to the All-State Tournament team in Class 5A. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior Ava Esser earned a spot on the Class 5A All-State Tournament team for the runnerup Vikings. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Class 5A runnerup Seaman put seniors Campbell Chabot, Ava Esser and Maegan Mills on the 5A team after the Vikings capped a 41-3 season with a three-set loss to St. Thomas Aquinas in the state championship match.
Seaman posted a top-four state finish for the fourth straight season, including a state title in 2023.
Hayden senior Reagan McGivern earned a spot on the Class 4A All-State Tournament team for the third-place Wildcats. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter (10) earned a spot on the Class 4A All-State Tournament team after helping the Wildcats post a third-place finish. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Hayden freshman Hailey Schmidtlein was named to the Class 4A All-State Tournament team for the third-place Wildcats. [Photo by Selena Favela/TSN]
Hayden, which finished third in Class 4A, is represented on the All-4A state tournament team by senior Reagan McGivern and freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter. After dropping a three-set decision to Rock Creek in the semifinals, Hayden bounced back to take a three-set win over McPherson in the third-place match.
The Wildcats, who were making their first state tournament appearance since 2019, finished the season 32-12.
Washburn Rural senior Layla Collins was named to the Class 6A All-State Tournament team. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Layla Collins was named to the all-state tournament team in 6A after the Junior Blues went 1-2 at state. The Junior Blues finished the season 31-8.
CLASS 6A
Bailey Busch, so., OH, Manhattan; Layla Collins, sr., OH, Washburn Rural; Ryann Daggett, so., MH, Wichita North; Ella Florez, jr., S, Mill Valley; Brookelyn Hatton, sr., L, Blue Valley West; Peyton Kubik, so., OH, Blue Valley West; Leilah Perry, jr., MB, Mill Valley; Riley Riggs, so., OH, Mill Valley; Cami Sher, jr., MH, Olathe West; Ella Stowell, jr., OH, Olathe West; Logan Parks, sr., S/RS, Blue Valley North; Lily Wedman, sr., S, Blue Valley West.
CLASS 5A
Campbell Chabot, sr., S/RS, Seaman; Ava Esser, sr., OH, Seaman; Alea Goolsby, sr., OH, St. Thomas Aquinas; Mya Lee, fr., OH, St. James Academy; Grace Martin, jr., OH, St. Thomas Aquinas; Reese Messer, sr., S/MB, St. James Academy; Maegan Mills, sr., OH, Seaman; Mason Palace, jr., MB, Kapaun Mt. Carmel; McCoy Phister, jr., RS/S, Kapaun Mt. Carmel; Taylor Stanley, jr., OPP, Blue Valley Southwest; Kaylee Tingey, sr., L, Blue Valley Southwest; Kate Wells, jr., MH, St. Thomas Aquinas.
CLASS 4A
Brooke Doile, jr., MH/OH, McPherson; Ayla Klingenberg, sr., MH, Rock Creek; Raimee Lipker, so., OH, Clay Center; Lauren Lopez, sr., OH, Bishop Miege; Kenzy McArtor, sr., OH, Clearwater; Reagan McGivern, sr., MB, Hayden; Delaney Morrison, sr., L, Bishop Miege; Hailey Schmidtlein, fr., MB/RS, Hayden; Olivia Stevens, so., OH, Bishop Miege; Trinniti Stevens, sr., MB, Bishop Miege; Blakely Walter, fr., S, Hayden; Brynna Zoeller, jr., S, Rock Creek.
CLASS 3A
Bailey Bernal, so., OH, Halstead; Addison Budke, sr., OH, Beloit; Katharine Engel, jr., OH, Halstead; Hallie Holthaus, sr., S, Nemaha Central; Cali Honeyman, sr., OH, Nemaha Central; Samantha Klotz, sr., OH, Royal Valley; Prayer Roebuck, sr., RS/S, Neodesha; Piper Schroeder, so., L, Halstead; Dalaina Schutte, sr., S, Halstead; Sofia Simic, so., OH, Hoisington; Zoey Sudbeck, sr., MH, Nemaha Central; Sophia Thompson, sr., MH, Beloit.
CLASS 2A
Kennedy Behnke, sr., MH, Ellinwood; Taylor Froese, so., S/RS, Inman; Suttyn Harris, jr., OH, Inman; Katie Johnson, sr., MH, Doniphan West; Macy Karlin, so., L, Maranatha; Kyndal Moore, jr., MH, Ellinwood; Kalyn Sampson, jr., S/OH, Sedgwick; Tate Sher, sr., OH, Maranatha; Ava Smith, jr., OH, Valley Heights; Mia Vermetten, jr., OH, Valley Heights; Regan Widener, jr., RS, Ellinwood; Kenna Woods, jr., OH, Inman.
CLASS 1A DIVISION I
Oen Deters, sr., L, Centralia; Arika Feldman, jr., MH/OPP/S, Little River; Hayden Kramer, so., OH, Centralia; Avery Jensen, jr., OH, St. Francis; Mia Meyer, jr., MB, St. John; Havana Olander, jr., OH/MH, Little River; Saelyn Raleigh, jr., OH/MH, Little River; Harlee Randall, sr., MH, Flinthills; Allie Reed, sr., OH, South Gray; Lillian Steinbrock, sr., OH, Clifton-Clyde; Adelynne Strecker, jr., L, Little River; Sevy Wurtz, jr., OH/S, Clifton-Clyde.
CLASS 1A DIVISION II
Gretchen Bott, so., S, Linn; Drew Bruna, so., MH, Hanover; Autumn Coleman, jr., OH, Argonia; Lindsay Coleman, fr., OH, Argonia; Siara Crouch, sr., OH, Lebo; Saige Hadley, sr., OH, Lebo; Katie Holle, jr., S, Hanover; Abi Jones, sr., S, Lebo; Anna Jueneman, sr., OH, Hanover; Ally Scheele, jr., L, Hanover; Jill Schmeeckle, jr., S, Ingalls; Olivia Stein, jr., OH, Ingalls.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden Catholic High School is pleased to announce its 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, with the five-member class to be inducted in a Dec. 7 ceremony at Hayden.
Scheduled to be inducted are Mark Burghart, the late Jessica Mae Carpenter, Shannon (Suddarth) Wisne, Judy Cucciniello and Jack McGivern.
Hall of Fame capsules:
Hayden Alumni Achievement
MARK BURGHART
Burghart began his career as a research analyst in the Kansas Legislative Research Department before becoming General Counsel for the Kansas Department of Revenue, where he served for seven years.
During that time, he was responsible for litigating state and use tax cases for local, multi-state, and international businesses. Mark played a key role in developing important tax incentive programs, such as the Job Expansion and Investment Credit Act and the Enterprise Zone Act, and won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. He also chaired the Attorney's Section of the Federation of Tax Administrators from 1989-1990.
Burghart's professional career has been centered around helping those in need. He has coached student-athletes, served on the Hayden Catholic High School Board and is currently an usher at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, he is a member of the Church Restoration Committee and has contributed to various parish initiatives as a lifelong member of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph’s Parish.
Hayden Alumni Achievement
JESSICA MAE CARPENTER
The late Carpenter dedicated her life to education and was honored as the namesake of the Jessica Carpenter Elementary School in Pflugerville, Texas.
Born in Topeka, Jessica attended St. Matthew Catholic Grade School, Hayden Catholic High School and earned her degree in Elementary Education from Kansas State University in 2001.
Her 20-year teaching career spanned from St. Matthew Catholic grade school in Topeka to Brookhollow Elementary in Texas, where she was a Special Education Resource Teacher and a district leader. Carpenter's dedication to her students, even through her four-year battle with cancer, earned her the respect of her community. In 2011-2012, she was recognized as Teacher of the Year by the Pflugerville Independent School District (ISD) and was instrumental in bringing innovative teaching methods into the classroom. Her passion for helping students with special needs, her involvement in school activities, and her commitment to education left a lasting impact on countless lives.
In 2020, after her passing, the Pflugerville ISD Board of Trustees honored her legacy by naming a new elementary school after her, following an overwhelming community vote.
Hayden Student Athletic/Activity Achievement
SHANNON (SUDDARTH) WISNE
During her career at Hayden, Suddarth was a six-time state swimming champion and went on to become a nine-time All-American at the University of Notre Dame. During her time at Hayden, Suddarth dominated the 100-yard breaststroke, winning three consecutive state titles and setting state records, one of which stood for eight years.
In addition to her swimming achievements, Suddarth was an integral member of three state championship cross country teams and the individual state runnerup in cross country. At Notre Dame, she continued her success, earning first-team All-American honors in 1998 with an eighth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke at the NCAA Division I national championships. She set Big East records in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, which remained unbroken for 11 years.
Shannon’s dedication to her faith, family and community, along with her excellence in athletics, has earned her a well-deserved place in Topeka’s rich history of outstanding athletes. She ranks 66th on the Topeka Capital-Journal’s Top 100 Topeka High School Athletes list.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Conner Bush
CONNER BUSH, Rossville
A 5-foot-11, 176-pound junior running back, Bush scored three touchdowns Friday night as Rossville advanced to the second round of the Class 1A football playoffs with a 47-13 win over Wabaunsee. Bush scored TDs on runs of 51, 9 and 25 yards as the Bulldawgs improved to 6-3 on the 2024 season while posting their sixth straight victory.
Rylee Ismert
RYLEE ISMERT, Washburn Rural
Ismert, a senior cross country standout, earned her second straight Class 6A state medal in Saturday's state meet at Rim Rock Farm, posting a career-best third-place individual finish in a five-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 41.30 seconds as the Junior Blues tied Olathe West for the team championship, with the Owls winning their fifth straight state title on a tiebreaker. Ismert won Centennial League and regional titles this fall.
Adrian Lehman
ADRIAN LEHMAN, Topeka West
The Topeka West senior cross country standout posted a Shawnee County-best boys finish of seventh place in Saturday's Class 5A state meet at Rim Rock Farm. Lehman, a two-time state qualifier in his only two seasons of high school cross country, clocked a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 49.59 seconds after qualifying for the state meet as an individual.
By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
HUTCHINSON -- The Hayden volleyball team shook off a disappointing loss in Saturday's Class 4A state semifinals, bouncing back with a win over McPherson to finish third in state at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Hayden senior Bella Reid (12) celebrates a point with her teammates during Saturday's Class 4A state volleyball tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Hayden senior Reagan McGivern spikes the ball during Saturday's Class 4A state tournament at Hutchinson. [Photo by Selena Favela/TSN]
Hayden was back in the state field for the first time since it won the 4A title in 2019.
The Wildcats were knocked out of the running for the title by Rock Creek. Hayden evened the semifinal match at one set apiece but couldn’t keep pace in the third set, falling 25-20.
Hayden dropped the first set of the consolation round against McPherson 21-25. But the Wildcats regrouped to win the next two sets 25-15, 25-16.
Hayden's volleyball team poses for a team picture after taking third place in the Class 4A state tournament. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Hayden seniors Bella Reid (left) and Reagan McGivern accept the Class 4A third-place trophy Saturday in Hutchinson. [Photo by Todd Fertig/Special to TSN]
“I’m so proud of the girls,” said Wildcat coach Corrinne McGreevy. “It’s mentally so hard to play that consolation game because you put your heart and soul in the semifinal game and then you feel so defeated. But it’s a game of heart and mental toughness. We said ‘Hey, let’s go home in third place, because third is way better than fourth.’ ”
"There’s always that disappointment of losing in a semifinal, but overall I’m so proud of these girls,” said senior Reagan McGivern. “We’re young. We’re inexperienced. So, I’m glad with the way they showed up and were able to bounce back. That consolation game is hard to play mentally, so I’m glad we took care of it. There’s only two teams that can end their season with a win, so I’m glad it was us.”
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural sophomore soccer standout Brodye Kocher-Munoz and Hayden freshman volleyball standout Hailey Schmidtlein have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2024-2025 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Kocher-Munoz and Schmidtlein over the past week:
Washburn Rural sophomore Brodye Kocher-Munoz (8) is the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency male Rising Star of the Week after helping the Junior Blues reach the Class 6A state soccer quarterfinals. [File photo/TSN]
BRODYE KOCHER-MUNOZ, Washburn Rural
A sophomore forward for the Washburn Rural soccer team, Kocher-Munoz contributed a pair of assists Thursday night as the Junior Blues advanced to the Class 6A state quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Free State in a regional final at McElroy Field.
Kocher-Munoz was also credited with a pair of assists in Monday's 8-0 Washburn Rural regional win over Maize.
Hayden freshman volleyball player Hailey Schmidtlein has been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency female Rising Star of the Week after helping the Wildcats qualify for the Class 4A state tournament for the first time in five years. [File photo/TSN]
HAILEY SCHMIDTLEIN, Hayden
A freshman rightside hitter/middle blocker, Schmidtlein had a big day at the net last Saturday as Hayden won a Class 4A sub-state championship at the Bueltel Activity Center.
Schmidtlein helped Hayden defeat Baldwin, 25-19, 25-13, in the sub-state semifinals and earn the Wildcats' first state berth in five seasons with a 25-16, 25-14 win over Paola in the championship match. Hayden improved to 29-10 with the sub-state title.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ryin Miller's biggest and toughest cross country meet of the season is on tap Saturday at Rim Rock Farm, but the undefeated Seaman junior star just wants to run her best and will accept the outcome.
Seaman junior cross country star Ryin Miller remained undefeated in last Saturday's Class 5A regional and will take aim on her first state cross country title Saturday at Rim Rock Farm. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Miller finished third in last year's state meet and the two runners who beat her in 2023, Salina Central senior two-time state champ Katelyn Rupe and sophomore Kaylie Shultz are both in the field for Saturday's 10 a.m. 5A race.
Miller, a two-time state champ in track, beat both Central standouts earlier this fall on the same course in the Rim Rock Classic.
"Honestly, I'm just going to go out there with full confidence in myself,'' Miller said about state. "I'm just going to run the best race that I have on that day and if (a title) happens, amazing. Obviously that's what everybody wants to happen for themselves, but if it doesn't happen I'm still going to be incredibly proud of my season regardless.''
Miller said she enjoys the challenge of racing against Rupe and Shultz.
"It's great racing against them,'' Miller said. "They're obviously great competition. It's fun running against them, it's fun to finally kind of have somebody there with you. Always fun, but always hard, too, so it really could be anybody's race. It's just whoever has the best race on the day.''
Seaman qualified its entire team for state with a second-place regional finish behind defending 5A team champ St. James Academy, with Viking sophomore Brynn Spencer and senior Stella Appelhanz finishing eighth and ninth while sophomore Kinley Robinson placed 16th and freshman Avery Villines was 22nd (21:16.6) to round out Seaman's top five.
Seaman's boys also turned in a solid regional performance, earning a state team berth with a third-place team finish and will compete in Saturday's 11:30 a.m. state race.
Seaman junior Brody Anderson finished second in Saturday's Class 5A regional cross county meet as the Vikings qualified as a team with a third-place finish. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Brody Anderson led the Vikings with a runnerup individual finish while Seaman also got an 18th-place showing from senior Alex Newell, a 20th-place finish from sophomore Conner Bloom, a 23rd from senior Corbin Murrow and a 25th-place finish from junior Drake Spurlock.
Topeka West senior Adrian Lehman qualified for the Class 5A state cross country meet with a third-place finish in Saturday's 5A regional at Kanza Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West qualified seniors Adrian Lehman and Mark Wilkie for state as individuals, with Lehman finishing third while Wilkie placed 12th.
The 5A girls race is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start Saturday while the boys race is set for 11:45 a.m.
CLASS 6A
Senior Rylee Ismert followed up her Centennial League individual cross country title with a Class 6A regional win last week while leading Washburn Rural to the team championship in the Junior Blues' tuneup for Saturday's state meet at Rim Rock Farm.
Washburn Rural senior Rylee Ismert enters Saturday's Class 6A state meet on a two-race win streak with Centennial League and regional titles . [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Ismert took individual honors in last Saturday's 6A regional, one of four Junior Blues in the top eight spots as Rural took the team title by a 45-55 margin over Lawrence Free State.
Washburn Rural senior Payton Fink, the Class 6A runnerup in the 2023 state meet, finished third in Saturday's Class 6A regional, helping the Junior Blues win the team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural senior Payton Fink finished third in the regional meet while junior Emily Graf was fifth, senior Brooklyn Nolte eighth and junior Kenzie Maddox 29th to round out the Junior Blues' top five.
Rural's girls have now swept city, league and regional team titles and are on the short list of state title contenders Saturday.
"That's where we want to be, that's the plan,'' Washburn Rural coach Matt Swedlund said at regionals. "We have a few things to figure out. We'll work on tweaking some stuff this week and want to be competing for that title (on) Saturday.''
The Junior Blue boys tied Manhattan for second place with 86 points and finished third on a tiebreaker to garner the final team berth for state.
Washburn Rural freshman Henry Laubach (1935) posted a third-place individual finish in last Saturday's Class 6A regional cross country meet, helping the Junior Blues earn a Class 6A state berth. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Freshman Henry Laubach finished third to pace Washburn Rural at regionals while junior Brooks Kehoe finished eighth, senior Bodie King 15th, freshman Clayton Fink 28th and senior Chris Quarles 32nd.
The 6A girls race is scheduled for an 11 a.m. Saturday while the boys race is the final race of the day at 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Hayden's boys earned a team berth for Saturday's Class 4A state meet at Wamego Country Club with a third-place regional finish, one point behind second-place Baldwin.
Junior Connor Baldwin led the Wildcats with a fifth-place regional finish, while freshman Nick Newkirk finished seventh, senior Jonah Stewart 13th, junior Luke Franklin 22nd and senior Derek Ahlstedt 31st to complete Hayden's scoring runners.
Hayden senior girls standout Elliot Wrench qualified for state as an individual, posting a fourth-place regional finish.
The 4A girls race is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday while the boys race is set for a 12:30 p.m. start.
CLASS 3A
Silver Lake will have a pair of runners in both the boys and girls Class 3A state events Saturday at Rim Rock Farm.
The Eagle boys will be represented by senior Aemon Coffman and sophomore Hunter Rooks in the 10:30 a.m. boys race, with Coffman finishing sixth at regionals while Rooks qualified 15th.
Silver Lake sophomore Alessandra Gerber and senior Tessa Gerber will compete in the 3A girls race at 12 p.m.
Alessandra Gerber posted a sixth-place individual finish at regionals while Tessa Gerber placed 13th to earn a state berth.
CLASS 2A
Rossville's boys posted a second-place regional team finish to punch its ticket for Saturday's Class 2A state meet at Wamego Country Club while Bulldawg sophomore Madelyn Wonnell qualified for the girls state meet as an individual.
Rossville's boys posted a regional team score of 70 points to finish nine points behind Solomon.
Junior Dalton Verschelden led the Bulldawgs with a 16th-place regional showing, while junior Torin Culbertson was 22nd and senior Logan Kufahl 27th to lead Rossville.
Wonnell qualified for state with a 14th-place regional finish.
The 2A girls race is set to start at 10 a.m., with the boys race scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
SHAWNEE COUNTY STATE QUALIFIERS
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After placing fourth in Class 5A in both 2021 and 2022, Seaman's volleyball team broke through last fall to claim the school's first state title.
Now the Vikings' focus is on winning a second straight crown Friday and Saturday at the Tony's Pizza Events in Saturday, earning the top 5A seed with a glossy 37-2 record.
Seaman volleyball celebrates its Class 5A sub-state championship last Saturday at Seaman. [Photo by Charles Spurlock/Special to TSN]
After rolling through last Saturday's home sub-state with straight-set wins over Topeka West (25-10, 25-11) and Maize South (25-15, 25-20), the Vikings will open this year's state title bid with Friday pool play.
Seaman will open its day with a 4:30 p.m. Pool I match against United Kansas Conference foe De Soto, the No. 8 seed at 17-19, followed by a 6:30 match against No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas (30-5) and an 8:30 match against No. 4 seed Blue Valley Southwest (32-5).
The top two finishers in both pools will advance to Saturday's 1 p.m. semifinals, followed by the championship and third-place matches.
Maggie Moulden, one of six seniors on the Seaman roster, said she feels like the Vikings are up to the challenge of repeating.
“(We're) definitely wanting to go back and win state again,'' Moulden said. "We know we’re going to see very good competition, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Senior Kinley Wilhelm agreed.
“We just have a connection like no other and this is our fourth straight trip as seniors and I think it is a great opportunity to have one last ride together,'' she said. "I’m super-excited with how we played (in sub-state) and hoping we can transfer that to the tournament (this weekend).”
On the other side of the 5A bracket are No. 2 seed Great Bend (35-2), No. 3 Andover (31-4), No. 6 St. James Academy (28-6) and No. 7 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (30-7).
CLASS 5A VOLLEYBALL
At Tony's Pizza Events Center, Salina
FRIDAY'S POOL PLAY
Pool I
3:30 p.m. -- Blue Valley Southwest (4: 32-5) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (5: 30-5).
4:30 -- Seaman (1: 37-2) vs. De Soto (8: 17-19).
5:30 -- Blue Valley Southwest vs. De Soto.
6:30 -- Seaman vs. St. Thomas Aquinas.
7:30 -- St. Thomas Aquinas vs. De Soto.
8:30 -- Seaman vs. Blue Valley Southwest.
Pool II
3:30 p.m. -- Andover (3: 31-4) vs. St. James Academy (6: 28-6).
4:30 -- Great Bend (2: 35-2) vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (7: 30-7).
5:30 -- Andover vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
6:30 -- Great Bend vs. St. James Academy.
7:30 -- St. James Academy vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
8:30 -- Great Bend vs. Blue Valley Southwest.
SATURDAY
1 p.m -- Semifinals.
(Championship and third-place matches 25 minutes after conclusion of last semifinal).
Eight-time champ Rural No. 4 seed in Class 6A
Washburn Rural has flown under the radar a little bit this fall, earning the No. 5 ranking in Class 6A through the regular season, but Kevin Bordewick's Junior Blues are back in their familiar spot as a state contender, earning the No. 4 state seed with a 30-6 record entering Friday and Saturdays state tournament at the Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Washburn Rural celebrates a kill from senior Layla Collins (3) in Saturday's Class 6A sub-state volleyball tournament at Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Junior Blues dominated last Saturday's sub-state at Rural, taking a 25-11, 25-8 semifinal win over Liberal before earning its state berth with a 25-14, 25-19 win over Lawrence Free State in the championship match.
Rural, which has won eight state titles under Bordewick, most recently in 2022, will open this season's state bid with three Friday pool matches, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
The Junior Blues will open the state tourney with an 8:30 match against No. 5 seed Wichita North (30-8), followed by a 10:30 match against No. 8 Manhattan (20-15) and closing out pool play against top seed Blue Valley West (33-4) at 1:30 p.m.
Bordewick, No. 2 on the all-time Kansas wins list, said seeds don't matter a lot at state and that his team will approach things the way it always has.
"We've been the low seed, we've been middle, we've been the top seed and everybody's got an even record,'' Bordewick said. "We're just going to play as hard as we possibly can.
"The pressure's what you make of it and we're just going to go in and just see what we can do.''
The 2024 All Shawnee County girls golf team -- From left: Addyson Baer, Hayden; Izzy Glotzbach, Hayden; Lauren Borjon, Hayden; Taylor Zordel, Silver Lake; Lauren Cox, Washburn Rural; Reece Randall, Washburn Rural. Not pictured: Natalie Peterson, Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Six state medalists, including three first-team repeat picks, headline the 2024 All-Shawnee County girls golf team.
Hayden juniors Lauren Borjon and Izzy Glotzbach are both first-team repeaters after helping lead the Wildcats to their second straight Class 4A state team championship while Silver Lake Taylor Zordel is a three-time all-county selection after earning her fourth straight state medal and leading the Eagles to first and second-place team finishes as a junior and senior.
Washburn Rural senior Natalie Peterson won the individual title in the city tournament and helped the Junior Blues post a third-place team finish in the Class 6A state tournament. [Washburn Rural golf]
Hayden, which won the 2024 4A crown by 15 strokes, also put senior state medalist Addyson Baer on the seven-member first team while city champion Washburn Rural, which finished third in Class 6A, is represented by seniors Reece Randall and Natalie Peterson and junior Lauren Cox. Randall and Peterson moved up to the All-Shawnee County first team this fall after being second-team picks in 2023.
Borjon placed third, Glotzbach 12th and Baer tied for 16th in 4A while Zordel finished fourth in 3A-1A as both a junior and a senior.
Randall tied for 10th and Peterson tied for 12th in 6A while Cox narrowly missed a state medal, tying for 22nd place.
Named to this year's second team were Washburn Rural senior Colbey Stead and sophomore Kailyn Petersen, Seaman senior Jaycee Zimmerman and Makenna Stuke, Topeka West senior Alex Baxter, Silver Lake junior Kailyn Hanni and Hayden >>Brooke Johnson.
All-Shawnee County first-team capsules:
