By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman senior Stella Appelhanz is a three-time All-Shawnee County pick for the Vikings. [File photo/TSN]
STELLA APPELHANZ, Seaman
A senior, Appelhanz is a three-time All-Shawnee County selection. Appelhanz placed seventh in the city meet, posted a third-place finish in the United Kansas Conference meet and was 13th in Class 5A regional competition. Appelhanz placed 36th in the Class 5A state meet and had a personal-best time five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 37 seconds.
A three-time All-Shawnee County pick, Washburn Rural senior Payton Fink finished second in Class 6A last fall. [File photo/TSN]
PAYTON FINK, Washburn Rural
A senior, Fink posted top-two individual finishes in all four of the championship meet as a junior. Fink was the individual champion in the Centennial League and Class 6A regional meets and was the runnerup in the city and 6A state meets. Fink earned her third straight state medal and had a personal-best time of 17:33. Fink led Rural to city, league and regional team titles and a fourth-place finish at state.
Silver Lake sophomore Ali Gerber was a Class 3A state qualifier for the Eagles as a freshman. [Submitted photo]
ALI GERBER, Silver Lake
Gerber, a sophomore, medaled in seven meets as a freshman with six top-10 finishes en route to earning All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Gerber was a state qualifer for the Eagles in cross country and was a member of Silver Lake's Class 3A state championship 4x400-meter relay team in track this past spring.
Silver Lake sophomore Tessa Gerber is a returning Class 3A state qualifier for the Eagles. [Submitted photo]
TESSA GERBER, Silver Lake
A senior, Gerber earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall after being a first-team pick as a sophomore on the strength of a strong performance in the Class 3A state meet when she posted a 21st-place finish in a personal-record time of 20:46.81. Gerber medaled in the top 10 in seven meets last fall and qualified for state in both cross country and track.
Washburn Rural junior Emily Graf was a Class 6A state medalist last fall. [File photo/TSN]
EMILY GRAF, Washburn Rural
Graf, a junior, posted third-place individual finishes in the city and Centennial League meets and was fifth in the Class 6A regional meet as Washburn Rural won team championships in all three of those meets. Graf earned a 6A state medal with a 19th-place finish as Rural took fourth as a team. Graf posted a season-best time of 18:28.
Hayden sophomore Sofia Harper earned All-Shawnee County recognition as a freshman for the Wildcats. [File photo/TSN]
SOFIA HARPER, Hayden
A sophomore, Harper posted a season-best five-kilometer time of 20:01 en route to earning All-Shawnee County honors. Harper earned a ninth-place finish in the city meet, posted a second-place finish in Class 3A regional competition as Hayden qualified for state as a team and finished 32nd at the 3A state meet. Harper medaled in four meets last fall and set Hayden's five-kilometer school record.
Washburn Rural senior Rylee Ismert was a Class 6A state medalist last fall for the Junior Blues. [File photo/TSN]
RYLEE ISMERT, Washburn Rural
Ismert, a senior, was a repeat pick on the 2023 All-Shawnee County team after helping Washburn Rural sweep the team titles in the city, Centennial League and Class 6A regional meets. Ismert finished fourth individually in the city and Centennial League meets and was sixth at regionals and posted a 16th-place finish at state. Ismert had a best time of 18:39.
Seaman junior Ryin Miller swept city, UKC and Class 5A regional individual titles last fall before finishing third at state. [File photo/TSN]
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
A junior, Miller swept city, United Kansas Conference and Class 5A regional individual championships before posting a third-place finish at state. A two-time state placer, Miller broke the Seaman school record at city with a time of 17:24, which is also the Kanza course record. Miller was the Gatorade Kansas Runner of the Year in track, winning the 800 and 1,600 meters and finishing second in the 3,200.
Brooklyn Nolte is a two-time All-Shawnee County honoree for Washburn Rural. [File photo/TSN]
BROOKLYN NOLTE, Washburn Rural
A senior, Nolte is a repeat first-team pick on the All-Shawnee County team. Nolte finished sixth in the city meet, eighth in the Centennial League and ninth in Class 6A regional competition as the Junior Blues swept team titles in all three meets. Nolte was 41st at state for fourth-place Rural and had a personal-best time of 19:28.
Topeka West junior Payton Rice is a two-time Class 5A state qualifier for the Chargers. [File photo/TSN]
PAYTON RICE, Topeka West
A junior, Rice was Topeka West's top girls runner last fall, posting a best five-kilometer time of 20:36 and earning a berth on the All-Shawnee County first team. Rice came back from a midseason injury to finish 12th in the city meet and 10th in Class 5A regional competition to qualify for her second straight berth in the state meet. Rice ran her best time on the Rim Rock course, clocking a 21:05.
Juliahnna Savago is coming off a big freshman season for Topeka High, earning All-Shawnee County honors. [File photo/TSN]
JULIAHNNA SAVAGO, Topeka High
Savago earned a first-team All-Shawnee County berth as a freshman after a strong season for the Trojans. Savago recorded a personal-best five-kilometer time of 20:10. Savago posted a 10th-place finish in the city championships, placed 18th in the Centennial League and 21st in Class 6A regional competition.
Seaman sophomore Brynn Spencer was an All-Shawnee County pick as a freshman for the Vikings. [File photo/TSN]
BRYNN SPENCER, Seaman
Spencer was a top runner for Seaman last season as a freshman, posting a season-best five-kilometer time of 19:22. Spencer was fifth in the city meet, fifth in the United Kansas Conference meet and seventh at regionals as Seaman earned a team berth for state with a third-place finish. Spencer placed 32nd at state and was the fourth freshman acoss the line.
Hayden senior Elliot Wrench was a state qualifier and an All-Shawnee County pick last fall. [File photo/TSN]
ELLIOT WRENCH, Hayden
A senior, Wrench posted a personal-record five-kilometer time of 20:06 last fall. Wrench placed eighth in the city meet, 19th in the Centennial League and fifth in Class 3A regional competition as Hayden earned a team berth for state. Wrench posted a 30th-place finish in the 3A state meet and medaled in five meets on the season.
