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TopSports.news' 2026 Shawnee County baseball players to watch
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
DRAYDEN ACCOSTA, Topeka High
A senior, Accosta earned second-team TopSports.news All-Shawnee County recognition for the second straight season and was named to the All-Centennial League second team as a utility player.
Isaac Ansley, Washburn Rural
ISAAC ANSLEY, Washburn Rural
A senior pitcher, Ansley earned first-team TSN All-Shawnee County recognition last season and was a second-team All-Centennial League pick after helping lead Washburn Rural to a 15-12 record and a Class 6A state tournament berth.
Mason Becker, Hayden
MASON BECKER, Hayden
Becker, a junior, earned second-team TSN All-Shawnee County and Centennial League recognition last season after helping the Wildcat post a 23-1 record.
Axton Brewer, Seaman
AXTON BREWER, Seaman
A junior, Brewer was a TSN All-Shawnee County first-team pick, earned All-United Kansas Conference first-team recognition as a pitcher and designated hitter and was a Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches All-Class 5A first-team honoree at designated hitter and a second-team pitcher.
BRADY DEUTSCH, Hayden
Deutsch, a senior catcher, was a second-team All-Centennial League pick for the league-champion Wildcats, who went 23-1 last season. Deutsch receive All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Austin Ditch, Washburn Rural
AUSTIN DITCH, Washburn Rural
A senior infielder, Ditch was a first-team TSN All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League pick last spring after helping Washburn Rural post a 15-12 record and advance to the Class 6A state tournament.
TYLER EDMISTON, Washburn Rural
Edmiston, a junior pitcher, was a second-team All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County selection last season for the 15-12 Junior Blues, who earned a berth in the Class 6A state tournament.
Cambren Floberg, Shawnee Heights
CAMBREN FLOBERG, Shawnee Heights
Floberg, a senior, was named the United Kansas Conference pitcher of the year last season after helping the 21-8 T-Birds advance to the Class 5A state tournament. Floberg received second-team All-Class 5A honors from the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches.
CAEL HORGAN, Rossville
A junior, Horgan was a first-team All-Big East pick last spring after helping Rossville advance to the Class 2A-1A state tournament in 2025.
Commentary: Woodland's win an inspiration for a world that needs it
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When I first covered Gary Woodland back in 1998, it sometimes seemed like success came easy for the Shawnee Heights multi-sport star.
I saw Woodland lead the T-Birds to Class 5A state basketball championships in 2000 and 2002 while he also captured three city boys golf titles.
Woodland also turned in an impressive basketball season for Washburn before opting to concentrate on golf and prior to high school Woodland was also a baseball star, which his father, Dan, told me might have been Gary's best sport.
Of course, it wasn't easy then -- with Woodland's success a combination of talent and an incredible work ethic and support system -- and it certainly isn't easy now, with Woodland batting through brain surgery and an ongoing battle with post-traumatic stress disorder that would have ended the careers of most athletes long ago.
But Woodland proved in Sunday's Houston Open that he still has what it takes to win, coming through with an emotional five-stroke victory -- his fifth tour win and first since his three-stroke 2019 U.S. Open triumph.
It was a victory for the ages, and should provide inspiration for those inside and out of sports in a time that good news seems to be increasingly harder to come by.
The 41-year-old Woodland's emotions bubbled over after he sank his final putt and especially when he engaged in a long, tearful hug with Gabby, his wife and mother of the couple's three children.
“We play an individual sport out here, but I wasn’t alone today,” Woodland told NBC after his win at 21-under-par. “I got a lot of people behind me, my team, my family and this golf world.
"Anybody that’s struggling with something, I hope they see me and don’t give up. Just keep fighting.”
Woodland received his brain tumor diagnosis in May of 2023 and underwent brain surgery later in the year to remove part of the tumor.
And just recently Woodland went public to discuss his battle with PTSD, which is related to his brain surgery. Woodland received the PGA Tour Courage Award last month.
Sunday's victory moved Woodland to No. 51 in the world, his highest ranking in five years, and punched his ticket to the upcoming Masters.
“Today was a good day, but I’m going to keep fighting,” Woodland told NBC after setting the tournament scoring record. “I’ve got a big fight ahead of me, and I’m going to keep going. But I’m proud of myself right now.”
The rest of the world, and particularly his hometown of Topeka, should be proud, too.
TopSports.news' 2026 Shawnee County softball players to watch
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
London Backman, Topeka High
LONDON BACKMAN, Topeka High
A sophomore infielder who attends Cair Paravel Latin and plays for the Trojans through a co-op agreement, Backman received TopSports.news All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League first-team recognition and was named the co-county and co-Centennial League newcomer of the year last season after helping 19-10 Topeka High advance to the Class 6A state tournament before dropping an 8-1 quarterfinal decisiont to 6A champ Olathe West. Backman received All-Class 6A honorable mention by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.
Adda Boleski, Washburn Rural
ADDA BOLESKI, Washburn Rural
Boleski, a sophomore infielder, was an All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League second-team pick a year ago as a freshman after helping the Junior Blues post a 22-8 record and a second-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, with Washburn Rural dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the championship game.
Reagan Chapman, Washburn Rural
REAGAN CHAPMAN, Washburn Rural
A senior pitcher/third baseman, Chapman was named to the TSN All-Shawnee County first team for the third straight season after helping lead the Junior Blues to a 22-8 record and a runnerup finish in Class 6A last spring, with Rural dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the championship game. Chapman was a first-team All-Centennial League honoree.
JOSIE CARLGREN, Washburn Rural
Carlgren, a senior outfielder, is a top returner for Washburn Rural, which posted a 22-8 record and finished second in the Class 6A state tournament last season, dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the title game. Carlgren received All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League honorable mention in 2025.
Falyn Clurman, Rossville
FALYN CLURMAN, Rossville
Clurman, a sophomore pitcher, was a second-team All-Shawnee County honoree last season as a freshman for the Bulldawgs, who posted a 17-12 record in 2025. The Bulldawgs were a Class 2A-1A regional runnerup to state champion Oskaloosa.
ADDISON COOPER, Shawnee Heights
Cooper, a senior outfielder, was a first-team All-United Kansas Conference selection and a second-team All-Shawnee County pick last spring after helping Shawnee Heights post a 20-7 record and advance to the Class 5A state tournament in 2025. The T-Birds dropped a 3-2 state quarterfinal decision to eventual state champion St. Thomas Aquinas.
Campbell Dawson, Topeka High
CAMPBELL DAWSON, Topeka High
A junior pitcher/outfielder, was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and second-team All-Shawnee County pick last spring after helping the 19-10 Trojans advance to the Class 6A state tournament before dropping an 8-1 quarterfinal decision to 6A state champ Olathe West. Dawson received All-Class 6A honorable mention by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.
LYDIA DREHER, Seaman
Dreher, a sophomore pitcher, was a second-team All-Shawnee County selection and a second-team All-United Kansas Conference pick as a freshman last season after helping the Vikings earn a berth in the Class 5A state tournament. Dreher helped Seaman post a 20-9 record last spring, with the Vikings dropping a 3-2 17-inning decision to Maize South in the state quarterfinals.
Cianna Graves, Shawnee Heights
CIANNA GRAVES, Shawnee Heights
A senior catcher, Graves received second-team All-Shawnee County recognition in 2025 after helping Shawnee Heights post a 20-7 record and advance to the Class 5A state tournament before the T-Birds dropped a 3-2 state quarterfinal decision to eventual 5A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas. Graves is also a 2026 5A state wrestling champion.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake
KAILYN HANNI, Silver Lake
Hanni, a senior left-fielder, earned first-team All-Shawnee County and first-team All-Big East League recognition last spring for the second straight season after helping Silver Lake post a 25-7 record and a runnerup finish in the Class 3A state tournament for the second straight season, with the Eagle falling 2-1 to Frontenac in nine innings. Hanni was named to the All-Class 3A first team by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association. Hanni also led Silver Lake to the 3A state basketball title this past season.
Oliva Koch, Washburn Rural
OLIVIA KOCH, Washburn Rural
A junior pitcher/outfielder, Koch was named to the TSN All-Shawnee County first team and was named the Centennial League player of the year last season after helping lead Washburn Rural to a 22-8 record and a runnerup finish in the Class 6A state tournament, with the Junior Blues dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the state title game. Koch was named to the All-Class 6A first team by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.
Carly McAllister, Hayden
CARLEY McALLISTER, Hayden
McCallister, a sophomore, received second-team TSN All-Shawnee County recognition a year ago as a freshman while also receiving All-Centennial League second-team honors.
