By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman junior Anna Becker and Silver Lake senior Makenzie McDaniel have been tapped as the TopSports.news 2024 All-Shawnee County co-girls basketball players of the year after helping lead their teams to state championships.
Seaman junior Anna Becker, a three-time All-Shawnee County Top 10 pick, has been named the county co-player of the year after helping lead the Vikings to the Class 5A state title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Makenzie McDaniel, who helped lead Silver Lake to a 26-0 record and the Class 3A state title, has been named the Shawnee County co-player of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Becker helped Seaman post a 23-2 record on the way to the Class 5A state title while McDaniel helped lead Silver Lake to a perfect 26-0 record and the 3A crown.
The four Shawnee County teams that posted top-four state finishes in three different classes, including 6A state runnerup Washburn Rural and third-place Hayden in 3A, combined to earn every spot on the All-Shawnee County Top 10 while Seaman, Silver Lake and Washburn Rural combined to sweep the individual awards.
Matt Tinsley has been named the Shawnee County co-coach of the year after leading Seaman to the Class 5A state championship. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake coach Kyle Porter has been named the Shawnee County co-coach of the year after the Eagles went 26-0 and won the Class 3A state title. [File photo/TSN]
In addition to co-players of the year Becker and McDaniel, Seaman's Matt Tinsley and Silver Lake's Kyle Porter share the Shawnee County coach of the year award while Washburn Rural freshman Maddie Vickery has been named the county newcomer of the year.
Freshman Maddie Vickery has been named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year after helping lead Washburn Rural to a runnerup finish in the Class 6A state tournament. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Becker is joined on the All-Shawnee County Top 10 by Seaman senior teammate Taylin Stallbaumer and Viking sophomore Maddie Gragg after Seaman captured its first girls state championship since 1991 with a 54-41 win over Maize South Saturday night in Emporia.
Silver Lake also earned three Top 10 all-county spots with senior McKinley Kruger and sophomore Kailyn Hanni joining McDaniel on the team after the Eagles finished off their perfect run to the 3A title with a 66-61 win over Hesston.
Washburn Rural senior Zoe Canfield and Vickery were both named to the Top 10 along with Hayden senior Lauren Sandstrom and Wildcat junior Amelia Ramsey.
Canfield and Vickery helped lead the Junior Blues to their third straight 6A state final, where the Junior Blues dropped a 47-37 decision to Shawnee Mission South, while Ramsey and Sandstrom helped Hayden bounce back from a semifinal loss to Silver Lake to finish third with a 50-39 win over Goodland.
Becker, McDaniel and Kruger all earned Top 10 honors for the third straight season while Gragg and Ramsey are repeat picks.
Canfield and Stallbaumer also made the Top 10 for the second time, with both players also earning that honor in 2022.
All-Shawnee County capsules:
Anna Becker, Seaman
ANNA BECKER, Seaman -- A 5-foot-11 junior, Becker has been named the All-Shawnee County co-player of the year after helping lead Seaman to the Class 5A state championship last Saturday in Emporia. Becker scored 15 points with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and two steals in the Vikings' 54-41 win over Maize South in the state final as Seaman capped a 23-2 season. A Drake commit, Becker is a three-time All-Shawnee County Top 10 pick and has been named the United Kansas Conference player of the year the past two seasons.
Zoe Canfield, Washburn Rural
ZOE CANFIELD, Washburn Rural -- Canfield, a 5-11 senior, bounced back from an ACL injury midway through her junior season to help lead Washburn Rural to its third straight berth in the Class 6A state championship game. Canfield earned All-Shawnee County Top 10 recognition for the second time, also earning that honor in 2022 after helping lead the Junior Blues to the 6A state title. Canfield was also named to the All-Centennial League first team. Canfield, who also helped Rural win a 6A title in volleyball, has signed a basketball letter of intent with Kansas.
Maddie Gragg, Seaman
MADDIE GRAGG, Seaman -- A 5-10 sophomore, Gragg is an All-Shawnee County Top 10 selection for the second straight season after helping lead Seaman to a 23-2 record and its first girls state championship since 1991. Gragg, also a two-time All-United Kansas Conference first-team pick, registered a double-double in last Saturday's Class 5A state final at Emporia, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the Vikings' 54-41 win over Maize South.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake
KAILYN HANNI, Silver Lake -- Hanni, a 5-7 sophomore, had a breakout season for Silver Lake, helping the Eagles cap a perfect 26-0 season with a 66-61 win over Hesston in last Saturday's 3A state championship game at Hutchinson. Hanni, a first-team All-Mid-East League pick, scored 26 points for Silver Lake in the title game while connecting on 14 of 15 free throw attempts, with many of her charities coming in crunch time. Hanni scored a total of 50 points at state, with three double-figure games.
McKinley Kruger, Silver Lake
McKINLEY KRUGER, Silver Lake -- A 5-6 senior, Kruger earned All-Shawnee County Top 10 recognition for the third straight season after helping Silver Lake cap a 26-0 season with a 66-61 win over Hesston in last Saturday's Class 3A state championship game at Hutchinson. An All-Mid-East League selection, Kruger scored 40 points with three double-figure games in the state tournament, including 18 points on six 3-pointers in Silver Lake's 75-38 first-round win over Haven.
Makenzie McDaniel, Silver Lake
MAKENZIE McDANIEL, Silver Lake -- McDaniel, a 6-1 senior, was named the co-Shawnee County player of the year after helping lead Silver Lake to a perfect 26-0 record and the Class 3A state championship. A three-time all-county pick, McDaniel scored 63 points in last week's state tournament at Hutchinson, with three games between 18 and 25 points. The Emporia State signee scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Saturday's 66-61 win over Hesston in the state final. McDaniel was also a multi-time All-Mid-East League selection.
Amelia Ramsey, Hayden
AMELIA RAMSEY, Hayden -- A 6-0 junior, Ramsey is an All-Shawnee County Top 10 pick for the second straight season after helping Hayden post a 21-5 record and a third-place finish in the 3A state tournament at Hutchinson. Ramsey scored a total of 47 points in the Wildcats' three state tournament games, including 20 points in a first-round win over Heritage Christian and 20 points in Hayden's semifinal loss to eventual 3A state champion Silver Lake. Ramsey was a second-team All-Centennial League pick.
Lauren Sandstrom, Hayden
LAUREN SANDSTROM, Hayden -- Sandstrom, a 6-0 senior, helped Hayden finish third in last week's 3A state tournament at Hutchinson, with the Wildcats capping a 21-5 season. Sandstrom moves up to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after earning all-county Second 10 recognition in 2023 and has earned first-team All-Centennial League honors as a junior and senior. A Rockhurst signee, Sandstrom is also a two-time state doubles champion in tennis and helped the Wildcats finish third in 4A-1A last spring in soccer.
Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman
TAYLIN STALLBAUMER, Seaman -- A 5-7 senior, Stallbaumer earns All-Shawnee County Top 10 recognition for the second time in her career after helping lead Seaman to a 23-2 record and the school's first state basketball title since 1991. A first-team All-United Kansas Conference pick, Stallbaumer scored 27 points in last week's 5A state tournament, including 14 points and four crucial late-game free throws in the Vikings' 49-45 semifinal win over previously-unbeaten Andover. Stallbaumer helped Seaman win the 5A state volleyball title last fall.
Maddie Vickery, Washburn Rural
MADDIE VICKERY, Washburn Rural -- Vickery, a 6-1 frontliner, capped an outstanding freshman season with an outstanding performance in her first state tournament, helping Wasburn Rural post a runnerup finish in 6A. Vickery averaged 19.7 points and 11 rebounds at state, including a pair of 24-point outings for the Junior Blues. In addition to being named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year, Vickery also received that honor for the Centennial League in addition to earning first-team all-league recognition.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL
TOP 10
Player, school Ht. Gr.
Anna Becker, Seaman 5-11 Jr.
Zoe Canfield, Washburn Rural 5-11 Sr.
Maddie Gragg, Seaman 5-10 So.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake 5-7 So.
McKinley Kruger, Silver Lake 5-6 Sr.
Makenzie McDaniel, Silver Lake 6-1 Sr.
Amelia Ramsey, Hayden 6-0 Jr.
Lauren Sandstrom, Hayden 6-0 Sr.
Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman 5-7 Sr.
Maddie Vickery, Washburn Rural 6-1 Fr.
SECOND 10
Player, school Ht. Gr.
Nora Burdiek, Rossville 5-10 Fr.
Pearmella Carter, Highland Park 5-10 Fr.
Zoe Clark, Topeka West 5-9 Sr.
Rylee Dick, Rossville 5-6 So.
KK Emmot, Shawnee Heights 5-7 Fr.
Ava Esser, Seaman 6-1 Jr.
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural 5-4 Jr.
Brylee Meier, Hayden 6-0 Jr.
Kinsey Perine, Rossville 5-9 Sr.
Jaida Stallbaumer, Seaman 5-8 Sr.
Honorable mention
Cair Paravel: Becca Gateley, fr.; Karsyn Hastert, so.; Allison Schwarz, sr. Hayden: Norma Greco, jr. Highland Park: Tahtionna Broils, jr.; Angelique Gowan-Britt, sr.; Ke'Ahjahnae Rice, jr. Rossville: Emma Mitchell, sr. Shawnee Heights: Breezy Canady, sr.; Reianna Vega, so. Silver Lake: Kaylee Deiter, sr.; Kaibryn Kruger, sr. Topeka High: Keimara Marshall, so.; Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, fr. Topeka West: Rebecca Bearman, sr.; Imani McGlory, so. Washburn Rural: Tenly Bunck, jr.; Destiny Ochs, sr.
Co-players of the year -- Anna Becker, Seaman, and Makenzie McDaniel, Silver Lake.
Newcomer of the year -- Maddie Vickery, Washburn Rural.
Co-coaches of the year -- Matt Tinsley, Seaman, and Kyle Porter, Silver Lake.
