By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four-time state individual champion Kendra Hurla of Rossville headines the TopSports.news 2024 All-Shawnee County girls wrestling team while state team champs Washburn Rural and Rossville combined for 10 spots on the first team.
Rossville senior Kendra Hurla celebrates her fourth straight 120-pound Class 4A-1A state wrestling championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
Washburn Rural state finalist Molly Spader (with trophy) celebrates with her teammates after the Junior Blues won their second straight Class 6A-5A state championship. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
The TopSports.news all-county team is based in part on selections made by the seven Topeka head coaches as well as at large selections for county schools Rossville and Silver Lake.
Hurla was named the Shawnee County wrestler of the year after winning her fourth straight Class 4A-1A 120-pound championship while capping a perfect 38-0 senior season.
Rossville senior Hailey Horton gains the upper hand on the way to a 4-3 win in the Class 4A-1A 155-pound championship match. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
Hurla and her senior Bulldawg teammate, 155-pound state champ Hailey Horton (37-4), led Rossville to the school's first-ever team title by a half point over Oakley (82.5-82.0) as senior 115-pound fourth-place finisher Keera Lacock (37-3) also earned a first-team All-Shawnee County spot for the Bulldawgs. Hurla, Horton and Lacock are all first-team All-Shawnee County repeat picks.
Washburn Rural junior Molly Spader gains the upper hand on Derby senior Amara Ehsa during the 105-pound state final. Spader dropped a tough 6-4 decision but Rural won its fourth state team title. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural, meanwhile, continued to rack up state crowns, winning its second straight title and fourth in five years by a 118-96 margin over Garden City as state 105-pound finalist Molly Spader (35-3) was one of seven Junior Blues to earn all-county honors.
In addition to Spader, Washburn Rural is represented by junior 115-pounder Maddy Blow (22-12), sophomore 130-pounder Madison Blanco (28-9), senior 135-pounder Laiken Clark (31-5), senior 145-pounder Fatima Escobar (35-7), senior 170-pounder TaAni Rhoten (36-2) and sophomore 190-pounder Elia Smith (25-14).
Clark and Rhoten placed third at state while Escobar posted a fourth-place finish and Blanco finished sixth.
Spader, Blow and Rhoten are all first-team all-county repeat selections.
Washburn Rural girls wrestling coach Damon Parker congratulates 105-pound junior star Molly Spader after her state semifinal win. Parker coached Rural to its fourth state team title in five seasons. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Bryce Gfeller, a two-time individual state champ for Rossville as a high school wrestler, coached the Bulldawg girls to the school's first state team title to cap the 2023-2024 season. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]
Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker, who has led the Junior Blues to four state titles and a runnerup finish in the five years since girls wrestling became an official Kansas State High School Activities Association sport, was selected as the Co-Shawnee County coach of the year with Rossville state-champion coach Bryce Gfeller.
Parker and Gfeller both won a pair of state individual titles as high school wrestlers before embarking on their coaching careers.
Rural sophomore Lacey Middleton, who placed sixth in 6A-5A at 120 pounds and went 32-10 on the season, was named the county newcomer of the year.
Shawnee Heights put five wrestlers on the all-county first team, led by junior Reece Taylor and sophomore Cianna Graves.
Taylor (25-10) finished fourth at 125 pounds while Graves (32-8) placed fifth at 155.
Also earning first-team berths for the T-Birds were senior 110-pounder Odessa Schmidt (25-9), sophomore 140-pounder Olivia Stevens (29-9) and sophomore 235-pounder Theo Ofusia (16-12).
Seaman put senior 100-pounder Ellie Ayres and junior 120-pounder Taylie Huston (30-10) on the All-Shawnee County first team, with both wrestlers earning 6A-5A state medals.
Heston, a repeat all-county pick, finished fourth at state while Ayres was sixth.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS WRESTLING
First team
Name, school Class Wt.
Ellie Ayres, Seaman Sr. 100
Madison Blanco, Washburn Rural So. 130
Maddy Blow, Washburn Rural Jr. 115
Laiken Clark, Washburn Rural Sr. 135
Fatima Escobar, Washburn Rural Sr. 145
Cianna Graves, Shawnee Heights So. 155
Taylie Heston, Seaman Jr. 120
Hailey Horton, Rossville Sr. 155
Kendra Hurla, Rossville Sr. 120
Keera Lacock, Rossville Sr. 115
Theo Ofusia, Shawnee Heights So. 235
TaAni Rhoten, Washburn Rural Sr. 170
Odessa Schmidt, Shawnee Heights Sr. 110
Elia Smith, Washburn Rural So. 190
Molly Spader, Washburn Rural Jr. 105
Oliva Stevens, Shawnee Heights So. 140
Reece Taylor, Shawnee Heights Jr. 125
Second team
Name, school Class Wt.
Emme Blanco, Washburn Rural So. 140
Connie Burns, Shawnee Heights So. 105
Kamiryn Clark, Washburn Rural Fr. 100
Kyley Ehmpke, Topeka High Fr. 110
Madison Freeland, Shawnee Heights Sr. 135
Emily Funk, Washburn Rural Sr. 155
Annie Gallegos, Washburn Rural Jr. 125
McKenna Haltom, Shawnee Heights Sr. 145
Kylisha James, Highland Park Jr. 170
Lacey Middleton, Washburn Rural So. 120
Isabel Reyes, Shawnee Heights Jr. 130
Vanessa Scott, Seaman Fr. 115
Abagail Soppe, Seaman Jr. 190
Nacola Williams, Topeka West Jr. 235
Honorable mention
Hayden: Natalie Hooper, sr.; Katie Mead, so.; Elaina Wolff, sr. Highland Park: Makayla Cadet, so.; Mercedes Garcia, sr.; Kim Rodriguez, jr.; Zi'Aonna Williams, fr. Rossville: Madelyn Wonnell, fr. Seaman: Jenna Best, sr.; Koti Best, jr.; Natalie Smith, jr. Shawnee Heights: Addison Cooper, so.; McKenzie Cooper, fr.; Audrey Hinkly, fr. Silver Lake: Karley Holmes, jr. Topeka High: Ingrid Cabrera, jr.; Zoe Dawkins, so.; Addison Pinto, so. Topeka West: Dadriona Anderson, sr.; Ziona Jackson, sr.; Nephtail Lenth, sr. Washburn Rural: Gabby Collins, jr.; Raya Eilert, sr.; Gabby Littrell, sr.; Ella Miller, jr.; Maddie O'Brien, sr.; Jayden Reynolds, sr.; Kristen Rezac, sr.; Autumn Sanchez, sr.; Jolie Workman, fr.
Wrestler of the year -- Kendra Hurla, Rossville.
Newcomer of the year -- Lacey Middleton, Washburn Rural.
Co-coaches of the year -- Bryce Gfeller, Rossville, and Damon Parker, Washburn Rural.
