By RICK PETERSON 
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time coaching greats in 14 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July 15, with the Top 10 in all categories announced in July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best softball coach click on https://poll-maker.com/poll4394141xa696cF21-138 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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It was easy to come up with deserving softball candidates for TopSports.news' Best of the Best Coaches project.
In fact, cutting down the list of suggested candidates to just 11 was the hard part.
Topeka High softball coach Shane Miles has led the Trojans to back-to-back Class 6A state championships. [File photo/TSN]
Tara Griffith coached Shawnee Heights to back-to-back Class 5A state softball championships in 2018 and 2019 and a state berth in 2021. [File photo/TSN]
Brenda Holaday coached Washburn Rural to multiple Class 6A state softball championships before moving on to a successful career at Washburn University. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
After all, Shawnee County softball teams have captured an amazing 25 state championships, including at least one title in the past nine seasons.
Perennial state power Silver Lake has won a county-high 12 state titles, with Bob Craig, Mark Workman, Dave Boxberger and Brad Womack all leading the Eagles to multiple state championships.
Four other county high schools have won multiple state titles, with Hayden, Shawnee Heights and Washburn Rural all winning three championships and Topeka High capturing the past two Class 6A titles.
Former Hayden coach Lee Schmidt, former Washburn Rural and current Washburn University coach Brenda Holaday, current Shawnee Heights coach Tara Griffith and current Topeka High coach Shane Miles have all won multiple state titles, while former Shawnee Heights coach Steve Gidddens and current Seaman coach Jay Monhollon have also won state championships.
Former Seaman coach Kevin Hoffmans established the Vikings as a state power while several other former coaches made their mark at Shawnee County high schools, including former Rossville state champ Wendi Horak and former Washburn Rural state champ Carolyn Altman.
Eleven candidates are listed at https://poll-maker.com/poll4394141xa696cF21-138 while readers also have the option of writing in a name of other deserving coaches.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have served as a head coach or assistant at one of the county's high schools.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 15 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in July and August.
NEXT UP: Swimming/diving (Ballot will be posted on July 6).
