By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Stella Appelhanz
STELLA APPELHANZ, Seaman
A junior, Appelhanz is a two-time All-Shawnee County selection. Appelhanz turned in a very consistent second half of the 2022 season, placing in the top 10 in the Seaman Invitational as well as the city, United Kansas Conference and Class 5A regional meets. Appelhanz placed 20th in the 5A state meet, earning All-State honors.
Payton Fink
PAYTON FINK, Washburn Rural
Fink continued to star as a sophomore following an outstanding freshman season, never finishing lower than seventh place. Fink was the individual champion in the city, Centennial League and Class 6A regional meets and earned All State honors with her fifth-place finish at the Class 6A state meet, leading the Junior Blues to a third-place team finish.
Tessa Gerber
TESSA GERBER, Silver Lake
A junior, Gerber earned a first-team spot on the All-Shawnee County team last season on the strength of a strong performance in the Class 3A state meet. Gerber posted a 21st-place finish at state in a personal-record time of 20:46.81. Gerber posted a seventh-place finish in 3A regional competition and placed seventh in the Mid-East League meet.
Rylee Ismert
RYLEE ISMERT, Washburn Rural
After a freshman season hampered by health issues, Ismert was healthy and strong for her sophomore season, with her consistency helping Washburn Rural secure its fourth straight city title, its second straight Centennial League championship and its first 6A podium finish (third place) in 25 years. Ismert finished third in the city and Centennial League meets.
Ryin Miller
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
From the start of her freshman season last fall, Miller was Seaman's No. 1 runner. Miller was a top-three finisher in six of her races, placing second in the city, United Kansas Conference and Class 5A regional championships. Miller was the first freshman across the finish line in the Class 5A state meet, placing fifth. Miller set a new Seaman five-kilometer record.
Brooklyn Nolte
BROOKLYN NOLTE, Washburn Rural
A junior, Nolte finished 10th in the city meet and eighth in the Centennial League. Nolte helped the Junior Blues qualify for state as a team at regionals and was Rural's fourth runner en route to a third-place team finish in the Class 6A state championships.
Payton Rice
PAYTON RICE, Topka West
Rice, a sophomore, burst on the city scene with a strong freshman campaign, qualifying for the Class 5A state meet with a 13th-place regional finish and earning All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Rice finished 18th in the city meet and 25th in the United Kansas Conference meet
Elliot Wrench
ELLIOT WRENCH, Hayden
A junior, Wrench received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall as a sophomore. Wrench qualified for the Class 4A state meet with a 10th-place regional finish and placed 12th in the city meet and 17th in the Centennial League.
