By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The latest men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 are not only a testament to some of the county's all-time greats in six different sports but also provide a bit of a history test for even the most seasoned of local sports fans.
TSN's latest group of 10 Top 100 honorees (picks No. 41-50) includes athletes who achieved the bulk of their athletic greatness in seven different decades covering more than 100 years.
Included are "Dink'' Mothell, who made his professional baseball debut in 1914, while Highland Park's Ed Delk excelled in the 1950s, Seaman and Washburn star Dode Lesser and Washburn Rural grad Tom Bunger made their mark in the '60s, Silver Lake and Shawnee Heights legends Tony Leiker and Marcel Carter ruled the '80s and Seaman's Justin Glasgow was a multi-sport state champ in the 1990s.
Highland Park's Jared Huske was one of the nation's best hurdlers in the opening decade of the 21st century while Hayden's Nick Stringer celebrated an undefeated state football title before going on to an All-Big 12 career at Kansas State.
For fans that prefer more contemporary achievements, Seaman and Kansas star pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn is still blazing his path, currently pitching at the AAA level for the Boston Red Sox.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
Dode Lesser was a four-sport standout at Seaman and a football All-American for Washburn University. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
41. “DODE” LESSER, Seaman
Lesser starred in football, basketball, baseball and track at Seaman, setting the school single-game scoring record of 45 points and averaging 22.3 points as a senior in basketball. In track, Lesser set the school pole vault record at 12 feet, 10¾ inches and placed second in the state indoor and outdoor meets. Lesser graduated in 1962 and went on to earn Associated Press Little All-American football honors at Washburn in 1964 as an offensive tackle and defensive end while also garnering first-team All-Central Intercollegiate Conference recognition. Lesser played three professional seasons for the Wheeling Ironmen of the Continental Football League. Lesser was named to Washburn’s All-Century team and was inducted into the WU hall of fame in 1985. He is also a member of the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame. Lesser passed away in 2013 after a battle with cancer at the age of 69.
Ed Delk was an All-Stater in football and basketball at Highland Park and an All-American in both sports at McPherson College before embarking on a long coaching career. [Submitted photo]
42. ED DELK, Highland Park
A 1953 graduate of Highland Park, Delk starred in both basketball and football. He was first-team All-State in basketball and second-team All-State in football as a senior. Delk played one semester of basketball at Kansas State and served two years in the Army before playing football and basketball three years at McPherson College. Delk was a three-time All-Kansas Conference pick in basketball and football. He was a 1959 NAIA first-team All-American in basketball and a ’58-'59 first-team All-American in football. Delk coached at Wamego, Shawnee Heights and Hayden. His ’65-'66 Shawnee Heights boys basketball team was the state runnerup in Class A. Delk is a member of the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame, the McPherson Athletic Hall of Fame and the Highland Park Sports Wall of Honor.
Silver Lake product Tony Leiker starred at Stanford before being drafted by the Green Bay Packers. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
43. TONY LEIKER, Silver Lake
After graduating from Silver Lake in 1983, Leiker began his college football career at Coffeyville Community College in 1983 and '84, with the Red Ravens posting a 21-3 record over those two seasons. From Coffeyville Leiker transferred to Division I Stanford, earning first-team All-Pac 10 honors as a defensive lineman in 1986 and earning All-America honorable mention the same year. A defensive end, Leiker was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 1987 NFL draft. He was released during training camp, but then was brought back during the 1987 players’ strike.
Tom Bunger carved out a career as one of the world's best shooters after helping Washburn Rural win a pair of state baseball titles. [Submitted photo]
44. TOM BUNGER, Washburn Rural
A deadeye marksman, Bunger captured three world shooting titles, eight All-America honors and 11 consecutive state championships in Kansas. He received the first AAA rating awarded to a shooter when he captured the World Skeet title in 1968. During one streak he broke 1,050 straight targets. He resumed shooting in 1990 after a 15-year layoff. Bunger competed in shooting events on five continents, traveling to Japan, England, Brazil and Australia, in addition to the United States. He set or tied five world records. Bunger played on Class B state high school championship baseball teams for Washburn Rural in 1950 and ’52 as a catcher and third baseman and in the early 1960s, he was a successful speed boat racer.
Shawnee Heights graduate Marcel Carter was one of the greatest sprinters in Kansas history before also starring at Florida. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
45. MARCEL CARTER, Shawnee Heights
Carter was undeniably one of the best high school sprinters in Kansas, becoming the first athlete to win state titles in the boys 200-meter dash four straight years (1986-1989). In addition, he added two gold medals in both the 100 and 400, plus the 4×100 relay. He helped the T-Birds win the Class 5A team track championship in 1989. After graduating from Shawnee Heights Carter attended track powerhouse Florida, receiving numerous conference and All-American honors. He competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000. Carter is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame.
Dink Mothell put together an outstanding 15-year baseball career in the Negro Leagues and is a member of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame. [Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame]
46. CARROLL RAY “DINK” MOTHELL
A 15-year Negro Leagues veteran, Mothell was known as the “Super Substitute” because he played at least one game at every position. Mothell was born Aug. 16, 1897, and began his pro career with the Topeka Giants in 1914 at the age of 16. He played in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs and Cleveland from 1920-1934. Mothell died in 1980 in Topeka. Mothell helped the Monarchs win four Negro National League pennants and a win in the 1924 Colored World Series. Mothell is a member of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame.
Nick Stringer was a state football champion at Hayden before earning All-Big 12 recognition for Kansas State. [Kansas State Athletics]
47. NICK STRINGER, Hayden
Stringer was a multi-sport athlete for Hayden, including an undefeated Class 4A state football championship as a senior in 2004 while playing for his father, Tom. Stringer was rated as the top offensive lineman in the state. As a senior Stringer played primarily at tight end on offense and defensive end on defense. Stringer caught 22 passes for 348 yards and five touchdowns during his senior season and posted 104 tackles, three sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Stringer was a two-time All-Centennial League and All-City performer during his prep career. After earning first-team All-State honors at Hayden, Nick signed with Kansas State and appeared in 43 games for the Wildcats from 2006-09, earning first-team All-Big 12 accolades as a senior and All-Big 12 honorable mention as a junior. After completing his collegiate career, Stringer signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals.
Ryan Zeferjahn was a baseball and basketball standout at Seaman and starred for Kansas baseball before being drafted by the Boston Red Sox. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
48. RYAN ZEFERJAHN, Seaman
Seaman product Zeferjahn is best known as a pitching star in baseball, but he was also the city co-basketball player of the year as a senior for the Vikings. Zeferjahn was drafted in the 37th round by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016, but opted to go to Kansas, where he had a standout three-year career. In his final season for the Jayhawks Zeferjahn was 5-2 with a 3.97 earned run average and 107 strikeouts in 88⅓ innings. Opponents hit just .193 against him. Zeferjahn was a third-round draft pick of Boston and is currently pitching at the AAA level for the Red Sox.
Seaman graduate Justin Glasgow was a three-sport star for the Vikings, including state titles in wrestling and track, before becoming a three-year football starter for Kansas. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
49. JUSTIN GLASGOW, Seaman
A three-sport star for Seaman, Glasgow was an All-City and All-Class 5A selection in football as a junior before missing his senior season with a broken leg. Glasgow captured Class 5A state championships in wrestling and track and field in 1995. Glasgow was a football walk-on at Kansas, but he earned a scholarship before the Jayhawks’ first game his freshman year and went on to become a three-year starter on the offensive line, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. Glasgow signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins out of KU.
Highland Park graduate Jared Huske was one of Kansas' top all-time best high school hurdlers, sweeping the hurdles titles as a senior before competing for Oregon. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
50. JARED HUSKE, Highland Park
One of Kansas' all-time great high school hurdlers, Huske set the all-time state mark in the 110-meter high hurdles with a 13.4 clocking in 2005. He ranked fifth all-time in the 300 hurdles with a best of 36.93, also coming in 2005 when he swept the Class 5A state titles. During his senior year, Huske won the national indoor title in the 60-meter hurdles at the Nike Championships with a time of 7.78. Huske competed collegiately at Oregon, where he earned All-Pac 10 honors. He ranked ninth all-time on the school’s 110 hurdles chart.
51. JOEL HOFFMAN, Topeka High
52. DAN O’MARA, Hayden
53. GLENN TRAMMEL, Topeka High
54. BOB BENOIT, Topeka West
55. ART GRIGGS, TOPEKA HIGH
56. DUANE "BLACKIE'' MELVIN, Seaman
57. SCOTT LEON, Shawnee Heights
58. BILL McDONALD, Topeka West
59. JIM GOLDEN, Silver Lake
60. JASON STUKE, Seaman
61. LAMAR MADY, Topeka High
62. WILL COKELEY, Washburn Rural
63. LEVI LEE, Topeka High
64. J.P. WRIGHT, Seaman
65. CHUCK NELSON, Topeka High
66. TROY SLUSSER, Topeka High
67. LUKE YARNELL, Washburn Rural
68. KEN “HOOK” JOHNSON, Topeka High
69. MILO MITCHELL, Topeka High
70. JOE DOUGLAS, Topeka High
71. CLARDY VINSON, Topeka High
72. C.B. MCGRATH, Topeka West
73. TOMMY HUNTER, Hayden
74. JOHN GRANTHAM, Topeka High
75. BENNIE SIMECKA, Rossville
76. THERON WILSON, Highland Park
77. DAVID PROCTOR, Topeka High
78. RICK DEHART, Seaman
79. SHANNON KRUGER, Silver Lake
80. TUCKER HORAK, Rossville
81. ANDREW BECKLER, Washburn Rural
82. TAGEN LAMBOTTE, Rossville
83. BISHOP MURRAY, Washburn Rural
84. MICHAEL HOFFER, Shawnee Heights
85. RAPHEAL POSEY, Highland Park
86. ZEKE METZ, Seaman
87. LAMONT AUSTIN, Highland Park
88. CHRIS CARLSON, Seaman
89. SHANE WRIGHT, Hayden
90. DUANE ZLATNIK, Rossville
91. AUSTIN HALSEY, Washburn Rural
92. JACOB MORGAN, Washburn Rural
93. LARRY MILLER, Topeka High
94. TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden
95. TRE RICHARDSON, Highland Park
96. DESMOND PURNELL, Hayden
97. JORDAN COOPER, Shawnee Heights
98. ROB HAYS, Topeka West
99. BEN CARLSON, Seaman
100. JACK L. BYBEE, Washburn Rural
UPCOMING TOP 100 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
July 21 -- Women's No. 31 through 40.
July 22 -- Men's No. 31 through 40.
July 23 -- Women's No. 21 through 30.
July 24 -- Men's No. 21 through 30.
July 25 -- Women's No. 11 through 20.
July 26 -- Men's No. 11 through 20.
July 27 -- Women's No.10 through 1.
July 28 -- Men's No. 10 through 1.
