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By RICK PETERSON                                                                                                 

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Shawnee Heights' star trio of Marcel Carter, Troy Wilson and Todd Allen combined for an amazing six individual victories as Miike Nash's T-Birds rolled up 86 points on the way to the 1989 Class 5A team championship by an 18-point margin over Liberal.

Shawnee Heights, the 1989 Class 5A state champ, is No. 1 on the TSN Best of the Best boys track and field Top 10. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]

That performance earned the T-Birds the No. 1 spot on the TopSports.news Best of the Best boys track and field Top 10.

Carter, who went on to earn All-American honors at Florida, swept the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes, while former NFL player Wilson swept the shot put and discus titles and Allen won the 3,200 to key Shawnee Heights' championship run.

Joe Schrag's Topeka West team garnered its second straight Class 6A state title in 1984, earning the No. 2 spot on the Best of the Best list. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]

Hall of Fame coach Joe Schrag's '84 and '83 teams, which won back-to-back 6A state titles, hold down the No. 2 and 3 positions on the Best of the Best Top 10 while Jerry Beardslee's '84 5A title team and Brad Nicks' '15 5A championship team round out the top five.

Jerry Beardslee's Washburn Rural won its first Class 5A boys track and field championship in 1984. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]

Shawnee Heights' boys track and field team won the 2015 Class 5A state title by 1.5 points. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]

Rural's '87 title team is listed No. 6, followed by Topeka High's '13 team, Seaman's '06 squad, Heights' '07 team and a tie for the 10th position between Topeka High's '63 and '73 championship teams.

Topeka West's '84 team was the winner in the Reader's Choice balloting, followed by Shawnee Heights' '15 team, Washburn Rural's '84 squad, Heights' '89 team and West's '83 team to round out the top five.

TSN TOP 10 BEST OF THE BEST BOYS TRACK TEAMS

1. Shawnee Heights (1989) -- Marcel Carter and Troy Wilson turned in monster state performances and Todd Allen added another individual state title as Mike Nash's T-Birds rolled to the Class 5A team title by a decisive 86-68 margin over perennial state power Liberal. Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Famer Marcel Carter swept the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes while Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Famer and former NFL player Troy Wilson swept the shot put and the discus and Akin won the 3,200 meters.

2. Topeka West (1984) -- Topeka West captured its second straight Class 6A state title by a 59-52 margin over Wichita South as Mark Pickens won the 100-meter dash, Jeff Shelar the 1,600 and Robbie Hays the 3,200.

3. Topeka West (1983) -- Hall of Fame coach Joe Schrag coached Topeka West to a 66-56 win over Kansas City-Wyandotte in the Class 6A team race as star jumper Sharrieff Hazim won the high jump and long jump and Mark Pickens added a state title in the 100-meter dash.

3. Topeka West (1984) -- Topeka West captured its second straight Class 6A state title by a 59-52 margin over Wichita South as Mark Pickens won the 100-meter dash, Jeff Shelar the 1,600 and Robbie Hays the 3,200.

4. Washburn Rural (1984) -- Jerry Beardslee's Junior Blues garnered the Class 5A team championship by a 63-58 margin over Kapaun Mt. Carmel as Brett Davis was the state 400 meters champion, Anthoy Dulan won the long jump & Washburn Rural won the 4x800 & 4x400 relays.
5. Shawnee Heights (2015) -- Shawnee Heights won the meet-ending 4x400 relay to close out a 76.50-75 victory over Leavenworth in the Class 5A team race. Rasheed McAlpin won the 300-meter hurdles and the T-Birds placed in 13 of 18 events. 

6. Washburn Rural (1987) -- Jerry Beardslee's Washburn Rural team captured its second Class 5A state championship in four seasons by a 62-50 win over powerhouse Liberal as the Junior Blues starred in the field events with wins from Jeff Muselman (high jump), Alan Hug (long jump) and Todd Myer (pole vault).

7. Topeka High (2013) -- Duke Tibbs, who went on to earn All-American honors at Emporia Statte, won the Class 6A 400 meters title and posted three top-three finishes as Rod Hasenbank's Trojans won the 6A team championship by a 70-61 margin over Olathe South.

8. Seaman (2006) -- Bob Camien's Vikings edged Blue Valley West by a scant 58-56 margin to claim the Class 5A team title as Clay Schneider won the 1,600 meters and Brandon Wenger won the triple jump.

9. Shawnee Heights (2007) -- Brad Nicks' T-Birds' won the Class 5A state championship as multi-time state champ Iain Trimble, Johnathan Owens and Tim Bell were top performers for the T-Birds.  

10. (tie) Topeka High (1963) -- Heavy Erwin's Trojans won the Class AA title by a 30-16 margin over Wichita East and Kansas City-Wyandotte, who tied for second. Andy Williams was a double gold medalist for Topeka High while Trojan football legend Levi Lee was a member of High's winning 880-yard relay team. 

10. (tie) Topeka High (1973) -- Don Bliss' Topeka High team won the Class 5A state title by a 36-34 margin over Wichita West. Stan Vernon won the two-mile title and Kent Kayhill was the shot put champ.

READER'S CHOICE BOYS TRACK AWARDS

1. Topeka West (1984) -- No. 3 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).

2. Shawnee Heights (2015) -- No. 5 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).

3. Washburn Rural (1984) -- No. 4 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).

4. Shawnee Heights (1989) -- No. 1 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above). 

5. Topeka West (1983) -- No. 2 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
6. Topeka High (2013) -- No. 7 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).7. Washburn Rural (1987) -- No. 6 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
8. (tie) Seaman (2006) -- No. 8 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).8. (tie) Topeka High (1963) -- No. 2 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).

10. Shawnee Heights (2007) -- No. 9 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).

Next up: Volleyball Best of the Best Top 10 teams and Reader's Choice awards.