By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MADELINE CARTER, Washburn Rural
Carter, a senior, finished eighth in the Class 6A 3,200-meter run in the 2022 state track meet after earning three state medals (one individual, two relays) in '21. Carter, a multi-time TopSports.news All-Shawnee County pick in track and cross country, earned three 6A state medals in cross country, including an 11th-place finish last fall to help the Junior Blues finish third as a team. Carter has commited to Kansas.
Seaman senior Bethany Druse is the defending Class 5A state champion in the 800 meters. [File photo/TSN]
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
Druse, a senior, is the reigning Class 5A 800 meters champion and earned three Class 5A state medals in the 2022 meet, including a seventh-place finish in the 4x800 relay and an eighth in the 4x400 relay. Druse was a three-time 5A state medalist in cross country and is a mult-time TSN All-Shawnee County selection in both track and cross country. Druse, who will run collegiately at Kansas, has a best of 2:15.19 in the 800.
Washburn Rural sophomore Payton Fink ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County in the 3,200 meters as a freshman and placed fifth in Class 6A last fall in cross country. [File photo/TSN]
PAYTON FINK, Washburn Rural
Fink, a sophomore distance runner, earned TSN All-Shawnee County honors as a freshman and placed fifth in the Class 6A cross country meet last fall to lead Washburn Rural to a third-place team finish. Fink ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County in the 3,200 meters last season with a best of 11:37.61.
AMELIA FOSTER, Rossville
Foster, a senior, has earned state medals in Class 3A in back-to-back state meets, including a seventh-place finish in 2022 in the 800 meters. Foster is a two-time All-Shawnee County selection in track.
NATALIE HILLEBERT, Hayden
A junior, Hillebert placed third in the Class 4A 400-meter dash in the 2022 state track meet. Hillebert also picked up a state medal in the 4 x 400 relay as part of the Wildcats' eighth-place finish. Hillebert earned All-Shawnee County recognition as a freshman and sophomore.
Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones led Shawnee County with a 5-4 high jump last spring. [File photo/TSN]
MAKINSEY JONES, TOPEKA WEST
Jones, a senior, placed fourth in the Class 5A triple jump last season and is also a standout high-jumper. Jones is a two-time All-Shawnee County selection. Jones ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County as a junior with a 5-4 high jump and ranked second with a 34-11.50 triple jump.
KAIBRYN KRUGER, Silver Lake
Kruger, a junior, earned All-Shawnee County honors after earning an eighth-place finish in the Class 3A triple jump in the 2022 state meet. Kruger ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County in the triple jump with a best of 36-0.
TA'MIJHA NICHOLS, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Nichols posted a second-place finish in the Class 5A 100-meter dash while earning TSN All-Shawnee County recognition. Nichols was also a part of Shawnee Heights' 4x100 relay team that finished second in 5A. Nichols ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County in the 100 in 11.98 and the 200 in 25.78. Nichols has made an oral commitment to run at Washburn University.
RAEGAN PETERSEN, Washburn Rural
A junior, Petersen earned a Class 6A state medal with a seventh-place finish in the discus last spring. Petersen is a two-time All-Shawnee County honoree. Petersen ranked No. 2 in Shawnee County last season in the discus with a best of 124-1.
TAYLOR ROTTINGHAUS, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Rottinghaus finished second in the Class 5A 400-meter dash in the 2022 state meet and also ran on Shawnee Heights' second-place 4x400 relay team. Rottinghaus is a multi-time All-Shawnee County pick and was the county leader in the 400 with a best of 58.18 and had a best of 25.90 in the 200.
Seaman juniorTaylin Stallbaumer placed fifth in the Class 5A 100-meter high hurdles last spring. [File photo/TSN]
TAYLIN STALLBAUMER, Seaman
Stallbaumer, a junior, placed fifth in the Class 5A 100-meter high hurdles in the 2022 state meet. Stallbaumer also ran on the Vikings' 4x400 relay team that finished eighth at state. A two-time All-Shawnee County pick, Stallbaumer ranked No. 1 in Shawnee County with a 15.47 time in the 100 hurdles and a 48.25 in the 300 hurdles.
ALLY TRIER, Seaman
Trier earned TSN All-Shawnee County recognition last season as a junior thrower. An Emporia State signee, Trier posted a second-place finish in a Class 5A regional meet in 2022 to qualify for state.Trier was the city champion in the javelin with a personal-record throw of 132 feet, 10 inches.
