The 2022 All-Shawnee County boys cross country team: Front row, from left -- Jackson Esquibel, Shawnee Heights; Hayden Keller, Washburn Rural; Lenny Njoroge, Topeka West; Zach Jowers, Seaman. Back row, from left -- coach Donnie Palmer, Topeka West; Andrew Emerson, Shawnee Heights; Grayson Fink, Washburn Rural; Davin Johnsson, Washburn Rural; Branen Moore, Seaman; Michael Christopher, Topeka High. Not pictured: coach John Oshel, Sawnee Heights; Kory Sutton, Shawnee Heights; Easton Dial, Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After missing his entire junior season with a serious leg injury, Topeka West star Lenny Njoroge bounced back with a dominant 2022 cross county campaign, sweeping Topeka city, United Kansas Conference and regional individual championships before posting a career-best fourth-place finish in the Class 5A state meet.
Njoroge, whose only loss to a Kansas runner came in the state meet, headlines the 2022 All-Shawnee County boys cross country team along with Shawnee Heights state medalists Jackson Esquibel, a junior, and senior Kory Sutton.
Shawnee Heights senior Kory Sutton was a repeat All-Shawnee County boys cross country pick after winning his third Class 5A state medal. [File photo/TSN]
Heights senior Andrew Emerson was also named to the All-Shawnee County first team after teaming with Equibel and Sutton to lead the T-Birds to a 5A regional team championship.
Washburn Rural senior Easton Dial was one of four Junior Blues to earn first-team spots on the All-Shawnee County boys cross country team. [Submitted]
Washburn Rural, which won city and Centennial League team titles, is represented on the all-county team by seniors Easton Dial, Grayson Fink and Davin Johnson and junior Hayden Keller.
Seaman is represented on the first team by seniors Zach Jowers and Branen Moore while Topeka High senior Michael Christopher also earned a first-team berth.
Shawnee Heights coach John Oshel and Topeka West coach Donnie Palmer were named the boys co-coaches of the year for 2022.
All-Shawnee County boys capsules:
MICHAEL CHRISTOPER, Topeka High -- Christoper, a senior, posted a 13th-place finish in the Class 6A regional meet at Manhattan to earn an individual berth for the 6A state meet for the third time. Christopher finished ninth in the Centennial League meet and was 11th in the city meet. Prior to earning first-team All-Shawnee County honors this fall, Christopher received honorable mention two years in addition to being a two-time All-Centennial League second-team selection.
EASTON DIAL, Washburn Rural -- Dial was one of three senior leaders for Washburn Rural's cross country team after showing significant improvement throughout his high school career. The 2022 season was a breakout season of sorts for Dial, who bettered his previous personal best by 75 seconds. Dial placed fifth in the city meet as Rural won its 16th straight team title and he finished fourth in the Centennial League and second at regionals to help Rural qualify for state as a team.
ANDREW EMERSON, Shawnee Heights -- Emerson has been a significant part of Shawnee Heights' cross country and track teams for the past four years. Emerson posted three top 10 finishes in cross country this fall, ending his season with a third straight state appearance. Emerson helped Shawnee Heights win a team championship in 5A regional competition and is in the top one percent of his class. Emerson plans to attend the Air Force Academy.
JACKSON ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights -- A junior, Esquibel has been a member of Shawnee Heights' varsity cross country and track teams three straight years. Esquibel has been a parf ot the T-Birds' state cross country team the past two years and placed eighth individually in the Class 5A state meet this fall and earned medals in every meet he competed in, including runner-up finishes in the United Kansas Conference and regional meets. Esquibel helped lead Heights to the regional team championship.
GRAYSON FINK, Washburn Rural -- Fink was an important senior leader for Washburn Rural this past season, providing leadership on and off the course. Joining fellow seniors Easton Dial and Davin Johnson, Fink finished in the top three for the Junior Blues in every race this fall. Fink posted top-10 finishes in the city, Centennial League and Class 6A regional meets as Rural won city and league team titles and earned a state team berth. Fink ran a season-bet 16:35 in the Olathe Twilight Meet.
DAVIN JOHNSON, Washburn Rural -- Johnson was a team leader for Washburn Rural as a senior, leading Rural's pack of three runners six out of eight races this season as the Junior Blues qualified for the Class 6A state meet as a team. Johnson's fastest time of the season came at the city meet where he posted a 16:01 to finish fourth and lead the Junior Blues to a 16th straight city team championship. Johnson also helped lead Rural to its first Centennial League title since 2019.
ZACH JOWERS, Seaman -- Jowers gave up his childhood dream of playing high school football to take a chance on cross country and it paid off as he led Seaman in each race as a senior. Jowers finished 26th in the Class 5A state meet after a fourth-place individual finish at regionals, clocking a time of 16:18 which ranks seventh all-time at Seaman. Jowers was first-team All-United Kansas Conference with a seventh-place finish, took seventh at city, and fifth in the Seaman Invitational. He plans to attend the Air Force Academy.
HAYDEN KELLER, Washburn Rural -- A junior, Keller was a consistent scorer for Washburn Rural's cross country team all season. Despite not feeling fully healthy much of the season, Keller showed grit and toughness as he contributed to the team’s success. A highlight for Keller was his ninth-place finish at the city meet, which helped secure the Junior Blues' 16th straight city team title. Keller also helped Washburn Rural earn a team berth for the Class 6A state meet.
BRANEN MOORE, Seaman -- Moore came back from a junior season marred by an eye and balace issue to re-emerge as a top runner and senior leader for the Vikings this fall. Moore medaled in 10th place in Class 5A regional competition in a season-best time of 17:05 to earn an individual berth in the state championships. Moore earned second-team All-United Kansas Conference honors with a 13th-place finish.
LENNY NJOROGE, Topeka West -- After he missed the 2021 season as he recovered from a broken leg, Njoroge returned to cross country with a force as a senior this fall, winning seven races and earning a Class 5A state medal for the third time. Njoroge captured individual titles in the city, the United Kansas Conference and regional meets and he finished a career-best fourth at the 5A state meet. Njoroge's best time was 15:17 in regional competition. Njoroge was named the UKC runner of the year.
KORY SUTTON, Shawnee Heights -- Sutton, a senior, continued to show his leadership by helping lead the T-Birds to their third straight state meet. Sutton placed in all eight meets this fall and placed 19th at the state meet. Sutton was a three-time Class 5A state medalst and placed third in 5A regional competition to help Shawnee Heights win the regional team title and he was sixth individually in the United Kansas Conference championships.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
First team
Name, school Class
Michael Christopher, Topeka High Sr.
Easton Dial, Washburn Rural Sr.
Andrew Emerson, Shawnee Heights Sr.
Jackson Esquibel, Shawnee Heights Jr.
Grayson Fink, Washburn Rural Sr.
Davin Johnson, Washburn Rural Sr.
Zach Jowers, Seaman Sr
Hayden Keller, Washburn Rural Jr
Branen Moore, Seaman Sr.
Lenny Njoroge, Topeka West Sr.
Kory Sutton, Shawnee Heights Sr.
Honorable mention
Hayden: Aiden Amis, Jake Muller. Seaman: Landon Stuke. Shawnee Heights: Evan Carter. Silver Lake: Jared Johnson, Aemon Coffman. Washburn Rural: Trevor Cain.
Co-coaches of the year -- John Oshel, Shawnee Heights, and Donnie Palmer, Topeka West.
