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 wrestling coach click on https://poll-maker.com/poll4401341x415B428E-138 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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Three-time state championship coach Damon Parker of Washburn Rural headlines the list of contenders for the No.1 spot on the TopSports.news Shawnee County Best of the Best Coaches wrestling list.
Damon Parker has led Washburn Rural to three state wrestling team championships, including a pair of girls crowns. [File photo/TSN]
Josh Hogan led Washburn Rural's boys to the 2022 Class 6A wrestling title in his first season as Rural's head coach. [File photo/TSN]
Chad Parks, with 2022 state champ Maranda Bell, has had a highly-successful run as Shawnee Heights' wrestling coach. [File photo/TSN]
Parker led Rural to a pair of state tiitles and a runner-up finish in the first three years of girls wrestling in Kansas and led the Junior Blue boys to the school's first state championship in 2021 before turning the boys reins over to Josh Hogan, who is also a top Best of the Best contender after coaching Rural to a second straight Class 6A crown this past season.
The list of 12 suggested candidates also includes current Shawnee Heights coach Chad Parks and former T-Bird coach Bob Gonzales as well as the late Ray Glaze of Washburn Rural, former Silver Lake coach Harry LaMar, former Rossville coach Curt Brecheisen, former Seaman coaches Dennis Switzky and Pat Kelly, current Highland Park coach Freddy Maisberger, former Topeka High coach Beau Vest and former High coach and current Heights assistant Erich Singer.
Candidates are listed at https://poll-maker.com/poll4401341x415B428E-138 while readers also have the option of writing in a name.
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 Shawnee 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: Votes will be accepted in all sports through July 15 before TSN begins publishing its Top 10 lists.
