Silver Lake Eagles

 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

HUTCHINSON – Silver Lake’s outstanding 2023 campaign ended on Saturday morning when the Eagles dropped the Class 3A third-place game to Phillipsburg in a 58-45 loss at the Hutchison Sports Arena.

Silver Lake's girls finished fourth in Saturday's Class 3A state tournament, finishing the season with a 23-3 record. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]

With the loss to Phillipsburg (24-1), the Eagles finished their season with a 23-3 record. Their three losses were all to teams (Riley County, Goodland and Phillipsburg) that were in the 3A state tournament.

In Silver Lake’s 23 wins, 21 contests were won by double-digits. In the last three years Silver Lake made the 3A state tournament, the Eagles have had a combined record of 47-5.

Silver Lake coach Kyle Porter’s teams have created a powerhouse and are knocking on the doorstep of making history.

Porter is well-aware his team will have a great chance of being back in the mix of things next year.

The Eagles return several contributors, including three starters who have had their hand in the success. Juniors Makenzie McDaniel, McKinley Kruger and Kaibryn Kruger will return in the starting five next year.

The trio had a great all-around tournament. M. Kruger had a 20-point night in the opening round win against Santa Fe Trail, K. Kruger made a series of clutch shots in the postseason that elevated the Eagles to a higher level and McDaniel walked away from the Phillipsburg game with a 22-point, 14 rebound double-double.

Seniors Mariah Farmer, Taylor Ross and Juliya Seele played their final game for the Eagles on Saturday.

“With our players, anything less than a state championship seems like a disappointment,” Porter said. “But it hasn’t, and it has been a very rewarding season. The growth that each player has made throughout the year, the way they play together, and the way they care about each other is something special.”

By ISAAC DEER

TopSports.news

HUTCHINSON – Three-seeded Silver Lake’s hopes of bringing home its first state title since 2016 were denied by second-seeded Goodland for the second straight year in a 54-51 3A state semifinal loss Friday night.

Silver Lake senior Taylor Ross, shooting a free throw, led the Eagles with 15 points in Friday's 54-51 semifinal loss to Goodland. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]

There wasn’t a runaway favorite for the duration of the game.

Several lead changes, adversity with foul trouble and shortened runs for both squads made it difficult to see who would come out on top.

Although losing to the defending state champions in the 3A state semifinal may seem identical to last year, it was far from it. This tournament felt different for Silver Lake (23-2).

Last year’s youthful starting five brought a battle-tested veteran-led group to this tournament run.

The moment wasn’t too big, and the lights weren’t too bright for a Silver Lake team that has been to the 3A state tournament three years in a row. Participating in the tournament is an annual tradition for the sophomores and juniors.

Three Eagle players were able to hit double-digit scoring in the loss. Senior Taylor Ross had a game-high 15 points, junior Kaibryn Kruger had 13 points, and Makenzie McDaniel finished the night with 10 points despite only playing 19 minutes.

Goodland (25-0) made the free throws with minimal time remaining and kept Silver Lake from hitting a 3-point buzzer-beater which would have sent the game into overtime. However, the Eagles were an eyelash away from another chance to dethrone the defending 3A state champions.

“Goodland is a really good team, and you have to play your best to beat them,” Silver Lake coach Kyle Porter said. “Both teams were in foul trouble in the first half, and I felt like we played well through it. It’s a challenging loss. I hurt for our seniors, and they played their hearts out. Goodland was the better team tonight.

“In games like this, sometimes the shots fall, and sometimes they don’t. But I never once questioned this team’s effort and attitude throughout the entire year. I’m proud of how they competed for Silver Lake.”

By Rick Peterson

TopSports.news

Silver Lake's girls basketball team took its first step towards a Class 3A state championship with a 72-41 opening-round win over Santa Fe Trail in Wednesday night's final game of the night.

Now the Eagles get another shot at the team that ended that quest a year ago.

Junior McKinley Kruger scored a game-high 20 points and hit four 3-pointers as Silver Lake advanced to the Class 3A state semifinals with a 72-41 win over Santa Fe Trail. [File photo]

Goodland took a 59-53 semifinal win over Silver Lake last season on its way to its first state championship since the 1980 while the Eagles bounced back to post a third-place finish. Goodland will take a perfect 24-0 record into Friday's 6 p.m. semifinal while Silver Lake is 23-1.

While Silver Lake rolled to a 31-point win in its second meeting of the year with Santa Fe Trail, Goodland fought off a serious upset bid from Frontenac to take a 53-48 victory, its 37th straight victory.

After losing by 19 points to Silver Lake in late January, Santa Fe Trail jumped out to a 13-9 first-quarter lead after holding the Eagles to just 20 percent shooting in the first quarter (three of 15).

But Silver Lake took control in the second quarter, exploding for 32 points and hitting 13 of 18 shots from the field in a 32-8 quarter to open up a 41-21 halftime lead.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

It's already been a special season for Highland Park's boys basketball team, which will enter Thursday's Class 5A state tournament as one of only two undefeated boys teams in Kansas (along with 3A Galena) while not having a game closer than 11 points all season.

Highland Park senior Jahmir Kingcannon cuts down the nets after last Saturday's 80-52 win over St. James Academy. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Highland Park poses for a team picture after earning a second straight trip to state with an 80-52 win over St. James Academy Saturday night at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

But although Mike Williams and his 22-0 top-seeded Scots are proud of what they have accomplished after earning a second straight state berth, they also know there is still work to do, beginning with Thursday's 2 p.m. first-round game against No. 8 seed Basehor-Linwood (9-13) at Emporia's White Auditorium.

"We want to polish, clean up and make sure we're on point,'' Williams said. "We're not putting new stuff in, we're not changing the system, but we are challenging ourselves though.

"We've been to this tournament twice in the last three years and kind of laid an egg in the opening round, so we're challenging ourselves to take the opening-round matchup seriously and make sure we're doing something to set us up to make sure we're around Friday and Saturday night.''