By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Dajia Anderson
DAJIA ANDERSON, Washburn Rural
A senior, Anderson won the 191-pound championship in the Division I Girls Wrestling Regional Saturday at Emporia, recording a takedown in the closing seconds to post a 4-2 decision over top-ranked Maranda Bell of Shawnee Heights in the final. Anderson, who entered the tournament No. 3 in the KWCA rankings, also took a 4-0 semifinal victory over No. 2 Trinity Ervin of Emporia to help lead the Junior Blues to the team title. Anderson, the 235-pound state champ as a junior, improved to 24-4 on the season.
NiJaree Canady
NiJAREE CANADY, Topeka High
Canady, a 6-foot junior, scored 19 points and grabbed 22 rebounds, both game-highs, as Topeka High's girls basketball team improved to 16-0 with a come-from-behind 59-53 overtime Centennial League victory Friday at Washburn Rural, the Trojans' 39th straight victory. Earlier in the week Canady scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in limited minutes in the Trojans' 66-33 home league win over Manhattan.
Kaitlyn Evans
KAITLYN EVANS, Seaman
Still recovering from injuries suffered in a recent car accident, the Seaman junior picked up two straight individual bowling titles last week, winning the Manhattan Triangular with a 614 series last Monday before winning with a 623 series in Wednesday's Washburn Rural Triangular at West Ridge Lanes. Evans bowled games of 215, 204 and 204 as Seaman's girls remained unbeaten with a 2,323,-2,222 victory over city rival Washburn Rural.
David Huckstep
DAVID HUCKSTEP, Washburn Rural
A senior, Huckstep was named co-outstanding wrestler in the Class 6A Boys Wrestling Regional Friday at Wichita Southeast after winning the 285-pound championship and improving to 23-3 on the season. Huckstep, who entered the tournament No. 2-ranked by the KWCA, took a 7-4 decision over top-ranked Damian Ilalio of Manhattan in the championship match after taking a 14-7 semifinal win over No. 3 Tai Newhouse of Free State.
Bishop Murray
BISHOP MURRAY, Washburn Rural
A senior, Murray was named co-outstanding wrestler in the Class 6A Boys Wrestling Regional at Wichita Southeast after winning the regional title in the 120-pound division and improving to 23-1 on the season. Murray, a two-time 6A state champion, is currently ranked No. 1 in 6A at 120 and took a 3-0 win over No. 2 Darius Shields of Free State, a 2020 3A-1A state champ, in the championship match, helping Washburn Rural win the team title.
Caden Walker
CADEN WALKER, Shawnee Heights
Walker, a junior, won the 160-pound championship in Friday's Class 5A Boys Wrestling Regional at Leavenworth to help lead Shawnee Heights, which qualified all 14 wrestlers for sub-state, to the team title. Walker, ranked No. 2 in 5A in last week's KWCA 5A rankings at 160, finished off his regional championship run with a third-period pin of Leavenworth's Tristan Mercado, with Walker improving to a perfect 32-0 on the season.
