Welcome to Top Sports News
Ichabod football set to kick off Zach Watkins era with start of fall camp
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Zach Watkins era in Washburn University football will officially get under way on Monday when the Ichabods report to begin preseason preparations for the 2025 season.
First-year head coach Zach Watkins will welcome his Washburn Ichabod football team on Monday for the start of fall camp. [File photo/TSN]
And that start can't come too soon for Watkins, a former Ichabod All-America linebacker and longtime assistant coach.
"The summer flew by, but the last couple of weeks have kind of inched by because you're getting so close to camp and so close to everything else,'' Watkins said. "As those things kind of inch along together it just feels like it's taking forever, but Monday we report and we'll be ready to go.''
Although Monday is the official start of fall camp, Washburn's players have spent all summer on campus getting ready for this moment as the Ichabods look to improve on last season't 3-8 record (2-7 MIAA).
"We had our entire team here this summer,'' Watkins said. "The new strength coach (Clint Dominick) made it a priority and those guys knew what it took to win in the MIAA and we told them since January that they have to do these things to have a great summer, which hopefully leads into success in the fall.''
The Ichabods return 60 lettermen from the 2024 team, including six starters on offense and eight on defense.
Junior L.J. Minner Jr. (6-foot, 205 pounds) was a second-team All-MIAA defensive pick last fall after leading the Ichabods with 103 tackles (59 solo) while senior safety Jordan Finnesy (6-1, 210), who had 89 stops (44 solo), was a third-team all-conference selection on defense and junior offensive lineman Jakobe Harmon (6-3, 305) was a third-team pick on offense.
TopSports.news' 2025 Shawnee County boys cross country runners to watch
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brody Anderson, Seaman
BRODY ANDERSON, Seaman
Anderson, a senior, earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition for the second straight season after winning city and United Kansas Conference individual titles and finishing second in Class 5A regional competition and ninth in the 5A state meet. Anderson broke his own school record with a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 17 seconds. Anderson was also an all-county pick in track, finishing third in the 5A 800 meters in the 2025 state meet.
Connor Baldwin, Hayden
CONNOR BALDWIN, Hayden
A senior, Baldwin was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection last fall after posting a ninth-place individual finish in the city meet, a 13th-place showing in the Centennial League and a fifth-place finish in Class 4A regional competition. Baldwin capped his junior season with a 28th-place finish in the 4A state championships.
CONNER BLOOM, Seaman
A junior, Bloom received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall. Bloom finished 19th in the city meet, 15th in the United Kansas Conference and 20th in a Class 5A regional as the Vikings earned a team berth for the 5A state meet. Bloom finished 62nd at state.
EASTON DAVIS, Topeka High
Davis, a sophomore, received All-Shawnee County honorable mention as a freshman. Davis finished 15th in the city meet, 22nd in the Centennial League and 31st in Class 6A regional competition.
MAX ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Esquibel was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection last fall after finishing 11th in the city meet and 11th in the United Kansas Conference. Esquibel posted a 28th-place finish in Class 5A regional competition.
Georgia native Jakobe Harmon finds a home in Topeka with Ichabod football
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University junior football standout Jakobe Harmon is a long ways from home ... 741 miles to be exact.
But after three-plus years with the Ichabods, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive center now feels like he has two homes -- Lithonia, Ga. (a suburb of Atlanta) and Topeka.
Junior Jakobe Harmon (63) returns to anchor Washburn's offensive line this fall after earning third-team All-MIAA honors in 2024. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Obviously, Harmon could have picked a school in or near Georgia to launch his college career, but Harmon, a third-team All-MIAA pick last season, said coming to Washburn was a pretty easy choice.
"It was honestly the atmosphere and the people that talked to me when they first recruited me here,'' said Harmon, one of 20 Georgia natives on the WU roster. "Between the players that talked to me on my visit and the coaches that talked to me, they made it feel like a family and just home.
"Topeka is a home and it's always going to be a home for me at this point. I've been here for four years now and I love it.''
After a redshirt season in 2022, Harmon has become a stalwart on the offensive line for the Ichabods over the past two seasons, seeing action in 18 games with 16 starts. Harmon started eight straight games for WU last season before missing the final three games due to injury.
