Rossville Bulldawgs

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural senior standout Brooklyn DeLeye was tapped as the TopSports.news 2023 All-Shawnee County girls basketball player of the year after helping lead the Junior Blues to a second straight appearance in the Class 6A state title game.

A three-time All-Shawnee County first-team pick, the 6-foot-2 DeLeye helped the Centennial League champions post an 18-6 record and come within an eyelash of winning a second straight 6A state championship, with the Junior Blues dropping a 35-34 heartbreaker to Blue Valley North in the title game.

DeLeye is joined on the all-county Top 10 by 6-foot senior teammate Chloe Carlgren while Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led the Junior Blues to a pair of state titles and a runner-up finish since 2019, was named the county coach of the year.

Washburn Rural senior Brooklyn DeLeye has been named the TSN Shawnee County girls player of the year after helping lead the Junior Blues to a second straight appearance in the Class 6A title game. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn Rural senior Chloe Carlgren has been named to the All-Shawnee County first team after helping the Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and finish second in Class 6A. [File photo/TSN]

Veteran Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led Rural to two Class 6A state basketball titles and 10 state crowns overall, has been named the TSN Shawnee County girls basketball coach of the year. [File photo/TSN]

DeLeye averaged 16 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals, shot 59.7 percent from 2-point range and 38.5 percent on 3-point attempts as a senior while Carlgren averaged  9.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, shot 35 percent from 3-point range and was the Junior Blues' defensive stopper.

Like DeLeye. Topeka High senior star Kiki Smith earned TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 honors for the third straight season after leading the Trojans to a 16-6  record this past season.

Topeka High senior star Kiki Smith (23) earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition for the third straight season. [File photo/TSN]

Smith, a 5-8 senior, helped the Trojans reach the Class 6A state tournament her first three high schools seasons, including a state runnerup finish in 2021.

As a senior Smith averaged a city-high 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.1 steals while connecting on 50 3-pointers.

Seaman, which posted a 21-2 record and won the United Kansas Conference title, is represented on the first team by 5-10 sophomore Anna Becker and 5-9 freshman Maddie Gragg, who was also named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year. Becker is a Top 10 repeat pick and was named the United Kansas Conference player of the year.

Seaman sophomore Anna Becker has been named to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after helping lead the Vikings to a 21-2 record. [File photo/TSN]

Seaman's Maddie Gragg earned All-Shawnee County Top 10 honors as a freshman while also being named the county newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]

Becker averaged 12 points, 3.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals this past season while Gragg averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 60.2 percent from the field on 2-point attempts and 75 percent from the free throw line.

Silver Lake junior Makenzie McDaniel earned a spot on the TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 after helping lead the Eagles to a 23-3 record and a third straight trip to the Class 3A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]

Silver Lake junior McKinley Kruger (12) is a repeat pick on the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after helping lead the Eagles to a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament this past season. [File photo]

Silver Lake, which went 23-3 on the season en route to a fourth-place finish in the 3A state tournament, put sophomores McKinley Kruger (5-7) and Makenzie McDaniel (6-1) on the All-Shawnee County first team for the second straight season.

Shawnee Heights senior Emari Doby moved up to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 this season after earning Second 10 recognition as a junior. [File photo/TSN]

Rossville junior Kinsey Perine was tapped for the 2023 TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10, moving up from the Second 10 as a sophomore. [File photo/TSN]

Highland Park sophomore Amelia Ramsey earned a berth on the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after leading the Scots to a 19-4 record and their first berth in the Class 5A state tournamet in 11 seasons. [File photo/TSN]

Shawnee Heights senior Emari Doby (5-9) and Rossville junior Kinsey Perine (5-8) move up to the Top 10 this season after earning Second 10 honors last season while Highland Park sophomore Amelia Ramsey (6-0) earned first-team recognition this season after receiving honorable mention a year ago.

Doby averaged 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior while Perine averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 5.8 steals and Ramsey averaged 19.8 points and 15.8 rebounds while shooting 65.2 percent from two-point range.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Highland Park senior Bo Aldridge headlines the 2023 TopSports.news' All-Shawnee County boys basketball team after helping lead the Scots to a 24-1 record and a third-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament.

BO ALDRIDGE

Aldridge was tapped as the Shawnee County player of the year after leading Highland Park to a second straight state tournament berth while averaging 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. 

The Scots, whose only loss was a heartbreaking one-point semifinal decision to eventual state champion Andover, also put seniors Tre Richardson and Jahmir Kingcannon on the TSN Shawnee County Top 10.

TRE RICHARDSON

JAHMIR KINGCANNON

Richardson averaged 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Scots while Kingcannon averaged 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots per game.

Highland Park's Mike Williams was named the county coach of the year after the Scots posted a county-high victory total by nine wins.

The Highland Park trio of Aldridge, Richardson and Kingcannon are part of an outstanding group of county seniors that earned nine of 10 spots on the TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10, with Aldridge, Washburn Rural's Jack Bachelor, Seaman's Kaeden Bonner and Hayden's Joe Otting all first-team repeaters.

JACK BACHELOR

Bachelor was named the Centennial League player of the year after averaging 17.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists while hitting 32 3-pointers and shooting 82 percent from the free throw line for the 15-6 Junior Blues, who shared the league title.

KAEDEN BONNER

Bonner, who helped Seaman win its first-ever boys 5A state title as a junior, fought through an injury plagued senior season but still averaged 15.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while hitting 24 3-pointers and shooting 81 percent from the free throw line for the 13-8 Vikings.

JOE OTTING

Otting, a Notre Dame football signee, earned first-team all-county honors in both football and basketball for the second straight season while putting together a string of double-double performances for the 11-11 Wildcats.

 Shawnee Heights junior Brennon Dodge, the lone underclassmen on the all-county Top 10, and Seaman senior Aron Davis both moved up to the Top 10 after being Second 10 picks a year ago.

BRENNON DODGE

ARON DAVIS

Dodge was the floor leader and a top 3-point threat for a Shawnee Heights team that posted a 15-7 record this past season while Davis averaged 16.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists for Seaman.

Topeka West seniors Xavier Alexander and Malachi Berg also garnered Top 10 spots after helping the Chargers post a 14-8 record this past season. 

XAVIER ALEXANDER

MALACHI BERG

Alexander, a first-team All-United Kansas Confererence pick, averaged 15.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists with 53 3-pointers while Berg averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals..

Rossville freshman Jack Donovan and Seaman freshman KaeVon Bonner were named Shawnee County co-newcomers of the year.

Donovan averaged 10.4 points and connected on 49 3-pointers for the Bulldawgs while Bonner averaged 8.4 points and 2.3 rebounds while hitting 32 3-pointers.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Three-time state individual champion Kendra Hurla of Rossville and three-time team champ and four-time state medalist Addi Broxterman of Washburn Rural headine the TopSports.news 2023 All-Shawnee County girls wrestling team.

ADDISON BROXTERMAN and DAMON PARKER

KENDRA HURLA

Broxterman and Hurla were named the Shawnee County co-wrestlers of the year after Broxterman, a senior, helped Rural win its third Class 6A-5A state championship in four seasons while junior Hurla won her third straight Class 4A-1A 120-pound championship. 

Broxterman, 45-4, placed third at state this past season ater back-to-back second-place finishes while Hurla won her third state title with a 9-5 decision over Columbus' Addison Saporito, capping a 27-1 season for the Bulldawgs, who finished second in the 4A-1A team standings.

The TopSports.news all-county team is based in part on selections made by the seven Topeka head coaches as well as at large selections for county schools Rossville and Silver Lake.

Washburn Rural, which won the 6A-5A team title by a 153-141 margin over Garden City, put a county-high eight wrestlers on the first team.

In addition to Broxterman, Washburn Rural is represented by sophomore 100-pounder Molly Spader (36-7), junior 105-pounder Kristen Rezac (36-6), sophomore 115-pounder Maddy Blow (29-14), sophomore 120-pounder Annie Gallegos (36-14), sophomore 145-pounder Madison Davison (26-14), sophomore 155-pounder Ashley Schwarz (32-12) and junior 170-pounder TaAni Rhoten (23-9).

Rezac placed third at state while Gallegos, Davison and Schwarz posted fourth-place finishes and Spader finished fifth.

Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker, who has led the Junior Blues to three state titles and a runnerup finish in the four years since girls wrestling became an official Kansas State High School Activities Association sport, was selected as the Shawnee County coach of the year while Schwarz was named the county newcomer of the year.

Hurla is one of three Rossville wrestlers on the TSN All-Shawnee County first team after the Bulldawgs placed second in the 4A-1A team standings.

KEERA LACOCK

Junior Keera Lacock (33-2) advanced to the 4A-1A championship match at 115 pounds en route to a runnerup finish while junior Hailey Horton (32-7) finished third at 155 pounds.

KOTI BEST

Seaman also put three wrestlers on the all-county first team, led by sophomore Koti Best, who finished second at state in the 130-pound division to finish off a 36-6 season.

Joining Best on the first team for the Vikings are sophomore 110-pounder Taylie Heston (29-7) and senior 140-pounder Kaidence Heston (28-12). K. Heston finished sixth at state. 

Shawnee Heights, which was the highest placing 5A school in the 6A-5A state tournament for the second straight season with a fourth-place finish, is represented on the first team by sophomore 135-pounder Madison Freeland (32-7) and senior 190-pounder Lilly Blair (20-11).

MADISON FREELAND

Freeland was the 6A-5A runnerup in the 135-pound division.

Topeka West junior Tristyn Johnson made the first team at 235 pounds for the second straight season after posting a third-place state finish in 6A-5A. Johnson placed fifth at state as a sophomore.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS WRESTLING

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

State champions Easton Broxterman, Landen Kocher-Munoz and Jaxson Thomas headline the TopSports.news 2023 All-Shawnee County boys wrestling team.

EASTON BROXTERMAN

LANDEN KOCHER-MUNOZ

JAXSON THOMAS

TONY PENA

Washburn Rural sophomore Broxterman, a two-time state finalist, won the Class 6A 113-pound state title while his freshman teammate, Kocher-Munoz, won the 120-pound crown in his first state tournament and Seaman senior Thomas won the 5A 285-pound championship after jumping up two weight divisions for his final high school season.

Washburn Rural put a county-high six wrestlers on the all-county first team, with Broxterman selected as the wrestler of the year and Kocher-Munoz named newcomer of the year.

Seaman coach Tony Pena was named the TSN Shawnee County coach of the year after leading the Vikings to the United Kansas Conference team title in his first season as Seaman's head coach.

Broxterman, 49-3 on the season, won his first individual state championship after finishing second at 106 pounds as a freshman, taking the title with a 12-4 major decision over Junction City junior Ezekiel Witt in the finals. Witt defeated Broxterman in the 106-pound title match in 2022.

Kocher-Munoz capped a 37-5 freshman season with an 11-4 decision over Olathe East sophomore Aiden Stewart in the 120-pound final while Thomas, 46-5 on the season, avenged a regional loss in the championship match, pinning Blue Valley Southwest senior Tarin Forsyth in the second period.

The TopSports.news all-county team is based in part on selections made by the seven Topeka head coaches as well as at large selections for county schools Rossville and Silver Lake.

Also earning All-Shawnee County first-team honors for Rural were senior 126-pounder Henri McGivern (19-5), junior 138-pounder Blaine Baird (37-19), junior 157-pounder Brody Byrne (39-13) and junior 190-pounder Chase Calhoon (14-11).

Shawnee Heights put six wrestlers on the All-Shawnee County first team, led by senior multi-time 5A state placer Sean Wunder.

Wunder, who posted a 43-4 record on the season, finished third at 215 pounds after posting a fourth-place finish at 195 pounds as a junior.

Also named to the all-county first team for the T-Birds were freshman 106-pounder Tristan Buce (22-18), junior 132-pounder Andrew Bonebrake (37-12), senior 150-pounder Nick Freeland (41-10) and junior 175-pounder Allen Baughman (40-14). 

Rossville is represented on the first team by Class 3A-1A state placers Paxton Willett and Jacob Carver while Topeka West's Mason Vickers and Topeka High's Jaxson Johnson also earned first-team spots.

Willett, a freshman, finished third at 157 pounds to finish his season 30-9 while senior Carver (24-5) finished fourth at 285 pounds after a runnerup state finish as a junior.

Rossville senior Jacob Carver posted a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A-1A state tournament at 285 pounds after a second-place finish as a junior. [Submitted]

Vickers, a senior, earned first-team recognition at 144 pounds while Johnson, a senior, was the first-team pick at 165 pounds. Vickers went 27-6 on the season while Johnson posted a 17-12 record.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS WRESTLING

By Rick Peterson

TopSports.news

Silver Lake's Troy Heiman, a 6-foot-3 senior, has been named to the All-Mid-East League basketball first team by league coaches.

Silver Lake senior Troy Heiman has been named to the All-Mid-East League first team by league coaches. [File photo/TSN]

Rossville freshman Jack Donovan (6-1) was named to the All-Mid-East second team while Silver Lake sophomore Jared Johnson (6-1) and Rossville senior Kade Perine (5-7) both received honorable mention.

Silver Lake posted an 8-14 record on the season while Rossville went 7-14 on the year.

Joining Heiman on the all-league first team are St. Marys' Brady Hurla (5-11 sophomore) and Keller Hurla (6-2 senior) and Wabaunsee seniors Eli Oliver (6-2) and Ryan Schutter (6-4). 

ALL-MID-EAST LEAUE BOYS BASKETBALL

By Rick Peterson

TopSports.news

Eight Silver Lake and Rossville players earned All-Mid-East League girls basketball recognition from league coaches, including first-team picks McKinley Kruger and Makenzie McDaniel of Silver Lake and Kinsey Perine of Rossville.

Silver Lake junior McKinley Kruger (right) has been named to the All-Mid-East League first team after helping the Eagles post a 23-3 record in 2022-2023. [File photo/TSN]

Silver Lake junior Makenzie McDaniel earned first-team All-Mid-East Leaue honors after helping lead the Eagles to a fourth-place Class 3A state finish. [File photo/TSN]

Rossville junior Kinsey Perine has been named to the All-Mid-East League first team after helping lead the Bulldawgs to a 16-7 record in 2022-2023. [File photo/TSN]

Kruger, a 5-foot-6 junior, and McDaniel, a 6-1 junior, helped lead Silver Lake to a 23-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament while Perine, a 5-8 junior, helped lead Rossville to a 16-7 record and a berth in a sub-state final.

Rossville junior Emma Mitchell (5-11) and Silver Lake senior Taylor Ross (6-0) earned second-team All-Mid-East recognition.

Rossville freshman Rylee Dick (5-5) and Silver Lake senior Mariah Farmer (5-6) and junior Kaibryn Kruger (5-7) received honorable mention.

St. Marys sophomore Hayden Heim (6-1) and Riley County senior CJ Rignell (5-7) joined M. Kruger, McDaniel and Perine on the All-Mid-East first team.

ALL-MID-EAST LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL

By ISAAC DEER

TopSports.news

PERRY – In the 2022 Class 3A state tournament, the Silver Lake girls' basketball team left the arena feeling empty, sad and hungry for the gold.

A year later, Silver Lake is heading back to Hutchinson and will look to avenge its state tournament loss after a 46-26 3A sub-state championship victory over its deepest rival, Rossville.

Silver Lake is presented its Class 3A sub-state championship trophy Saturday night at Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]

Silver Lake celebrates Saturday's 46-26 Class 3A sub-state championship game win over Rossville at Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]

With Silver Lake's win, the Eagles have won their sub-state bracket three times in a row. For the second straight year, the same starting lineup will try and win the Eagles' first state championship since 2016.

"This feeling never gets old," Silver Lake junior McKinley Kruger said. "For this being our third time in a row doing this, it still feels as great as the last two. There are a lot of great teams in 3A, and everyone is out to get us based on our success last year and this year. We need to keep staying together and playing as a team. We are unstoppable if we play at our best, and nobody can beat us."

By RICK PETERSON                                                                                                           

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural sophomore wrestling standout Easton Broxterman and Rossville junior wrestling star Kendra Hurla 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 2022-2023 school year.

Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Broxterman and Hurla over the past week:

 Washburn Rural sophomore Easton Broxterman, a two-time state finalist, won the 113-pound Class 6A state title last Saturday at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

EASTON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural

Broxterman, a sophomore who was making his second straight appearance in the Class 6A state finals, won the 113-pound state championship with a 12-4 major decision over Junction City junior Ezekiel Witt.

Broxterman finished off his sophomore season with a 49-3 record while avenging his loss to Witt in the 106-pound title match in 2022.

None of Broxterman's four state tournament matches were close, with Broxterman taking a 15-0 technical fall, a first-period pin and 10-0 and 12-4 major decisions.

Rossville junior Kendra Hurla won her third straight Class 4A-1A state wrestling title last Thursday in Salina. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]

KENDRA HURLA, Rossville 

Hurla won her third straight Class 4A-1A title with a 9-5 decision over Columbus senior Addison Saporito in last Thursday's 120-pound state final at the Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina while helping Rossville's four-girl team finish second in the team standings.

Hurla finished her season with a 27-1 record and is now 89-3 in her career. 

The Rossville star opened the tournament with three straight pins -- 1 minute, 11 seconds, 2:39 and 3:08 -- before battling back from an early deficit and a tie later in the match to take the win over Saporito.

By ISAAC DEER

TopSports.news

PERRY – Despite a closely contested opening quarter, Rossville crushed Jefferson West for the next three quarters in its Class 3A sub-state semifinal, resulting in a 60-32 romp on Thursday night.

Rossville junior Kinsey Perine led the Bulldawgs with a game-high 15 points in a 60-32 sub-state semifinal rout over Jefferson West Thursday. [File photo/TSN]

Rossville (16-6) is playing its best basketball at the right time. In the opening round of the 3A sub-state, the Dawgs outmatched Perry-Lecompton 61-14 three days ago. After Thursday's win, Rossville has outscored the first two opponents in the postseason, 121-46.

Rossville was tenacious on defense, explosive on offense, and easily flew around against Jefferson West (6-16) at Perry-Lecompton. The Dawgs are on a streak of executing each phase of the game and are ready for the challenges ahead.

"We are happy for the win," Rossville coach Michael Bell said. "Jeff West is a gritty team, and they played us hard. Overall, it was a great win. The first quarter was close, but we kept building a lead after that. I thought our girls played hard. I didn't think we shot it very well, and I don't think we did a great job rebounding or blocking out well. It's one game at a time, but I'm happy we won."

Rossville had four double-digit scorers against Jefferson West. Junior Kinsey Perine had a game-high 15 points, while junior Katie Spielman had 14. Junior Emma Mitchell and freshman Rylee Dick each had 12-point nights.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Hayden's boys basketball team was ice cold in the first quarter of Tuesday's Class 4A sub-state semifinal at Parsons, but the Wildcats warmed up quickly on the way to a 62-41 victory.

Junior Cooper Colboch jump-started Hayden with four 3-pointers in the second quarter as the Wildcats posted a 62-41 Class 4A sub-state win at Parsons Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]

With the win No. 9 seed Hayden advanced to a 7 p.m. sub-state final on Friday at top seed Atchison, an 81-45 winner over Coffeyville on Tuesday.

Parsons led 8-5 at the end of the opening quarter but Hayden hit the host Vikings with a 28-12 second quarter and cruised the rest of the way.

Junior Cooper Colboch hit four 3-pointers in the second quarter to power Hayden (11-10) to a 33-20 halftime advantage while Dominic Ridley also hit two 3s in the quarter.

Hayden boosted its lead to 49-30 by the end of the third quarter and held a 13-11 advantage over the final eight minutes.

Senior Jake Muller led Hayden with 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while Colboch added 14.

Hayden will be looking to get back to the 4A state tournament after finishing fourth a year ago.

Senior Troy Heiman scored 10 points to lead a balanced Silver Lake attack in Tuesday's 37-24 Class 3A sub-state win over Maur Hill. [File photo/TSN]

SILVER LAKE BOYS 37, MAUR HILL-MT. ACADEMY 24 --No. 6 seed Silver Lake rode a stifling defensive effort to Tuesday's 37-24 win at No. 3 seed Maur Hill in a Class 3A sub-state quarterfinal.

The Eagles, who improved to 8-13, advanced to a 7:30 p.m. sub-state semifinal Friday at tournament host Perry-Lecompton (17-4).