By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman standouts Camden Barta and Casen Stallbaumer and Rossville's Brody Lietz were part of Emporia State's 22-member signing class announced Wednesday by Hornet coach Garin Higgins.
Barta, Lietz and Stallbaumer were part of a big group of Shawnee County seniors who signed letters of intent on Wednesday, national signing day for football.
In addition to football, athletes in other sports have recently signed letters of intent or will sign in the near future.
If you have a student-athlete that plans to sign or has signed a letter of intent, email that information to
Seaman senior quarterback/defensive back Camden Barta has signed a letter of intent with Emporia State after passing for 2,224 yards and registering 50 tackles. [File photo/TSN]
Barta, signed as an athlete, is a 6-foot-3, 190-pounder who played at quarterback and defensive back for the Vikings.
Barta completed 138 of 222 passes as a senior for 2,224 yards and 23 touchdowns while defensively he was in on 50 tackles with an interception, earning TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors.
He is the son of Jeni Sloan and Jerry Barta and is undecided on a major.
Lietz, a 6-2, 250 offensive lineman, helped lead Rossville to back-to-back Class 2A state championships, with the Bulldawgs going undefeated both seasons.
Lietz earned numerous potseason awards, including All-State recognition in 2A as well as All-Shawnee County Top 22 and All-Mid-East League honors.
He is the son of Eric and Kelly Lietz and plans to major in accounting at ESU.
Stallbaumer, a 6-2, 200-pounder, was signed as an athletes after a standout two-way career for Seaman.
Stallbaumer earned first-team All-Centennial League and TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 recognition and was selected to play in the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl.
He is the son of Todd and Tonya Stallbaumer and plans to major in business/sports medicine at ESU. Stallbaumer is a cousin of fellow ESU signee Camden Barta.
Torrey Horak, who helped lead Rossville to back-to-back Class 2A state championships, has signed a national letter of intent with Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
MULES SIGN BULLDAWGS' HORAK
Rossville star quarterback/defensive back Torrey Horak signed Wednesday with Central Missouri as a defensive back after helping lead the Bulldawgs to back-to-back undefeated 2A state championships.
Horak passed for 3,801 yards and 54 touchdowns in his Rossville career and rushed for 3,893 yards and 61 TDs. Defensively Horak registered 124 tackles with eight interceptions.
As a senior Horak was named the TopSports.news All-Shawnee County co-offensive player of the year as well as earning numerous other all-league and all-state honors. Horak was selected to play in the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl.
Horak is the son of Terry and Wendi Horak and plans to major in construction management.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE SIGNS GORMLEY
A 6-6 receiver/defensive end, Seaman standout Brody Gormley signed a national letter of intent with South Dakota State.
As a senior Gormley caught 30 passes for 735 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to earning All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors from TopSports.news. Defensively, Gormley registered 10 sacks during the 2021 campaign.
He plans to major in sports management.
Cair Paravel Latin standout Noah Hastert, flanked by his parents, signed a football letter of intent with Pittsburg State on Thursday. [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
PITT STATE LANDS LIONS' HASTERT
A tight end/defensive end, Hastert was a first-team KCAA All-State performer at Cair Paravel High School after helping lead the Lions to a perfect 12-0 season and a state championship.
Hastert caught 46 passes for 921 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior and also caught 12 2-point conversion passes. Hastert earned Top 22 honors from TopSports.news.
Hastert is the son of Steven and Jennifer Hastert and is undecided on his major.
Washburn Rural senior Belle Kennedy has signed a soccer letter of intent with Washburn University. Kennedy was named the Class 6A midfielder of the year last spring. [File photo/TSN]
RURAL'S KENNEDY, WILLIAMS SIGN SOCCER LETTERS WITH WU
Washburn Rural standouts Belle Kennedy and Hunter McWilliams have signed national soccer letters of intent with Washburn University after helping lead the Junior Blues to multiple Centennial League championships and a third-place 6A state finish last spring.
Kennedy earned first-team All-City, All-Centennial League and All-State honors as a junior and was named the 6A midfielder of the year.
Kennedy is an honor roll student with a 4.3 GPA. Kennedy is the daughter of Dave and Ashley Cooney and plans to major in biology or medicine.
McWilliams earned first-team All-City, All-Centennial League, All-Shawnee County and All-State recognition last spring as a junior
McWilliams is an honor roll student with a GPA of 4.1. McWilliams is the daughter of Scott and Heather McWilliams and plans to major in nursing.
Washburn Rural tennis standout Sheriden Wichman, a multi-time Class 6A state medalist, has signed a letter of intent with Emporia State. [File photo/TSN]
WICHMAN SIGNS TENNIS LETTER WITH EMPORIA STATE
Wichman was a four-year standout for the Junior Blues, helping Rural win city and Centennial League championships her freshman year, city titles her sophomore and junior years and city, league and regional championships her senior season.
Wichman was a state medalist in doubles as a freshman and placed ninth in singles as a senior in the 6A state tournament. She was the city champion in No. 1 singles her sophomore and junior years and was the runner up her senior year.
Wichman is on the WRHS High Honor Roll with a GPA of 4.604. She is the daughter of Shelley Wichman and Scott Wichman and plans to major in nursing.
Shawnee Heights senior Brock Ferguson (center) signed a wrestling letter of intent with Cowley College last week. [Submitted]
FERGUSON SIGNS WITH COWLEY COLLEGE
Shawnee Heights senior wrestler Brock Ferguson has signed a letter of intent with Cowley College.
Ferguson posted a 39-5 record last season and earned a fourth-place state medal in Class 5A at 120 pounds for Shawnee Heights.
Ferguson is currently ranked No. 4 in 5A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association.
Other known commitments/signings include:
Rossville: Corey Catron, Bethel, football.
Seaman: Makenzie Millard, Peru State, bowling.
Washburn Rural: Mikaila Herring, Barton County Community College, softball; Landon MacEwan, Baker, football; Ryanne Rapp, Highland Community College, softball.
