By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A former world record-holder in track, two of Shawnee County's all-time tennis greats, a Major League Baseball alum, a top MLB draft pick, three Division I athletes in basketball and football and a pair of record-setting quarterbacks comprise the third group of men's picks in TopSports.news' Shawnee County All-Time Top 100 project.
TSN's group of 10 Top 100 honorees in the No. 71 through 80 spots includes former American and world record-holder Clardy Vinson of Topeka High and Topeka West multi-sport star and Kansas Jayhawk C.B. McGrath as well as four-time state tennis champ Tommy Hunter of Hayden and three-time champ John Grantham of Topeka High.
Picks No. 71 through 80 also include former Division I athletes Bennie Simecka of Rossville and Theron Wilson of Highland Park, former MLB pitcher Rick DeHart and top draft pick David Proctor and former Silver Lake and Rossville stars Shannon Kruger and Tucker Horak.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 MEN’S ATHLETES
Topeka High product Clardy Vinson went on to become a track star at Kansas State, helping the Wildcats set a world record. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
71. CLARDY VINSON, Topeka High
A three-sport letterman at Topeka High, Vinson was a three-time state champion in track (half-mile and mile) and set school records in the half-mile (now 800 meters), mile and as a member of sprint medley and two-mile relays. Vinson won national championships at Butler County in the half and mile relay. Vinson was a two-time All-American and won a Big Eight championship at Kansas State in the half-mile and also ran the leadoff leg on a distance medley relay team that established American and world records. A former coach and Topeka High principal, Vinson is a member of the KSHSAA and Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.
Former Topeka West multi-sport star C.B. McGrath went on to play basketball at Kansas followed by a long college coaching career. [KU Athletics]
72. C.B. MCGRATH, Topeka West
McGrath was a four-sport prep star for Topeka West, earning 13 varsity letters and being named All-State and Mr. Kansas Basketball as a senior. McGrath went on to play in 112 career games at Kansas, helping the Jayhwks win four conference championships, before embarking on a long coaching career.
Former Hayden star Tommy Hunter became the first city tennis player to win four state singles championships. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
73. TOMMY HUNTER, Hayden
Hunter became the first boys player in city history to win four straight state singles tennis championships. After completing his high school career, Hunter went on to play at Washburn.
Topeka High product John Grantham won three state titles for the Trojans before becoming a standout at Kansas. [File photo]
74. JOHN GRANTHAM, Topeka High
Grantham won three state tennis singles titles and led the Trojans to multiple team championships before winning a conference title at Kansas.
Bennie Simecka was a high school All-American at Rossville before playing at Kansas. [KU Athletics]
75. BENNIE SIMECKA, Rossville
Simecka was a Prep All-American and All-Stater at Rossville before becoming a three-year starting lineman and honorable mention All-Big Eight player for Kansas.
Theron Wilson was a basketball star at Highland Park and Bradley and was also an All-State soccer goalkeeper for the Scots. [Bradley Athletics]
76. THERON WILSON, Highland Park
A multi-sport star for Highland Park, Wilson was an All-State soccer goalkeeper and played on the Scots' Class 5A state championship basketball team as a junior. Wilson starred for Seward County's basketball team before earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for Bradley. Wilson went on to play professionally overseas.
Topeka High graduate David Proctor pitched four seasons in the minor leagues after being drafted in the first round by the New York Mets. [Topps]
77. DAVID PROCTOR, Topeka High
A pitcher, Proctor was an All-American at Allen County and spent four years in the New York Mets organization after being a first-round draft pick (21st overall) in 1988. Proctor made it to the AA level, posting a 17-18 overall record with a 3.18 earned run average.
Seaman grad and former Washburn University star Rick DeHart pitched in the Major Leagues for the Expos and Royals.
78. RICK DEHART, Seaman
An NAIA baseball All-American for Washburn, DeHart played 16 years professionally, including four seasons in the Major Leagues for the Montreal Expos and Kansas City Royals. DeHart won 62 games in the minor leagues and is a member of the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame.
Shannon Kruger, a multi-sport star at Silver Lake, went on to a Hall of Fame basketball career at Washburn. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
79. SHANNON KRUGER, Silver Lake
A prolific prep quarterback for Silver Lake, Kruger became one of Washburn’s top all-time basketball guards, ranking top-three in 3-pointers, assists and steals. Kruger is a member of the Washburn Hall of Fame.
Former Rossville star Tucker Horak (middle) went on to earn All-MIAA recognition for Pittsburg State. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
80. TUCKER HORAK, Rossville
Horak, who led Rossville to multiple state football championships, became the state’s first quarterback to rush and throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season before becoming a standout at Pittsburg State.
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 15 -- Women's No. 61 through 70.
July 16 -- Men's No. 61 through 70.
July 17 -- Women's No. 51 through 60.
July 18 -- Men's No. 51 through 60.
July 19 -- Women's No. 41 through 50.
July 20 -- Men's No. 41 through 50.
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.
