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Created: 25 March 2025

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Natalie Barnes, Topeka High

NATALIE BARNES, Topeka High

A senior forward, Barnes returns for Topeka High, a Class 6A quarterfinalist last season, after earning first-team All-City and All-Centennial League recognition in 2025.

Nina Bolanos, Shawnee Heights

NINA BOLANOS, Shawnee Heights

Bolanos, a junior midfielder, was a first-team All-United Kansas Conference honoree for Shawnee Heights last spring while also earning All-City honorable mention. Bolanos is a top returner for a young T-Bird team. 

Carsyn Broxterman, Hayden

CARSYN BROXTERMAN, Hayden

Broxterman, a senior forward, is a returning two-time first-team All-City and All-Centennial League honoree for the Wildcats, who finished second in Class 4A-1A last spring, dropping a double-overtime decision to Bishop Miege in the state title game. Broxterman also received first-team All-4A-1A All-State recognition last spring from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Kelly Ann Chada, Cair Paravel

KELLY ANN CHADA, Cair Paravel Latin 

Chada, a senior striker, received All-City honorable mention last season after helping lead Cair Paravel to a runnerup finish in the 2024 Class 4A-1A state tournament, earning All-City first-team recognition as well as first-team All-4A-1A All-State honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Hemi Duehring, Cair Paravel Latin

HEMI DUEHRING, Cair Paravel Latin

A senior defender, Duehring is a top returner for a Cair Paravel Latin team that has established itself as a consistent Class 4A-1A state contender. Duehring received All-City honorable mention last season after helping the Lions post a runnerup finish in the 2024 Class 4A-1A state tournament.

Brylee Garner, Shawnee Heights

BRYLEE GARNER, Shawnee Heights

Garner, a junior, will be counted on to lead the defensive effort for a young Shawnee Heights team in 2026 after earning All-United Kansas Conference honorable mention last season.

Ava Golightley, Seaman   

AVA GOLIGHTLEY, Seaman

A senior forward, Golightley was a first-team All-City and All-United Kansas Conference selection last spring after helping the Vikings reach the Class 5A quarterfinals. Golightley scored four goals in an 11-0 regional victory over Highland Park last season. 

Emery Hall, Washburn Rural

EMERY HALL, Washburn Rural

A junior, Hall was named the Centennial League newcomer of the year last season after helping Washburn Rural win its first-ever Class 6A state championship last season, with the Junior Blues taking a 1-0 win over Mill Valley in penalty kicks in the title game.

Reese Huscher, Hayden

REESE HUSCHER, Hayden

Huscher, a senior midfielder, is a two-time All-Centennial League first-team selection and received second-team All-Class 4A-1A honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last spring after helping the Wildcats finish second in Class 4A-1A to Bishop Miege. Huscher received All-City honorable mention in 2025.

Maya Martin, Seaman

MAYA MARTIN, Seaman

A senior midfielder, Martin earned second-team All-United Kansas Conference recognition last season after helping the Vikings reach the Class 5A state quarterfinals while posting a 13-6-0 record.

Peyton Merrick, Washburn Rural 

PEYTON MERRICK, Washburn Rural

Merrick, a senior sweeper, earned second-team All-Centennial League recognition last season after helping the Junior Blues capture their first-ever Class 6A girls state championship. Merrick helped Washburn Rural post a 19-2 record, capped by a 1-0 win over Mill Valley in penalty kicks in the state title game. 

Julia Molleker, Seaman 

JULIA MOLLEKER, Seaman

A junior, Molleker will be counted on to be a leader for the Vikings this season after Seaman advanced to the Class 5A quarterfinals and posted a 13-6-0 record in 2025. Molleker earned second-team All-United Kansas Conference recognition as a freshman in 2024.

Morgan Robinson, Shawnee Heights 

MORGAN ROBINSON, Shawnee Heights

Robinson was a breakout star as a freshman forward in 2024, earning first-team All-City and All-United Kansas Conference honors and earning second-team All-Class 5A recognition from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association. Robinson sat out the 2025 high school season to concentrate on club soccer before returning to the T-Birds this spring.

Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden 

HAILEY SCHMIDTLEIN, Hayden

A sophomore three-sport star, Schmidtlein earned All-Centennial League honorable mention last spring after helping Hayden finish as the state runnerup in Class 4A-1A, with the Wildcats dropping a double-overtime decision to Bishop Miege in the state title game. Schmidtlein helped lead Hayden to a 4A state championship in basketball this past season as well as a runnerup 4A finish in volleyball.

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Created: 23 March 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Topeka West girls soccer is looking to make major strides forward this spring after a 4-12-0 season a year ago.

Junior newcomer Micah Williams (7) scored her first goal in a Topeka West uniform Monday, helping the Chargers take a 3-0 season-opening win over Kansas City-Washington. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And the Chargers took the first step towards that goal Monday at Hummer Sports Park, opening the 2026 season with a 3-0 non-league victory over Kansas City-Washington.

"We're definitely still getting to know each other,'' West coach Josh Kutter said. "We've got some new faces along with some returning players.

"I thought we moved the ball pretty well and we connected some passes. We've got to work on that finishing third and getting the ball in the back of the net.''

Senior Cecylia Boyd (10) scores Topeka West's first goal in Monday's 3-0 non-league win over Kansas City-Washington. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Senior Cecylia Boyd scored the only goal the Chargers would need at the 23:26 mark of the first half and junior Highland Park transfer Micah Williams scored her first goal in a West uniform to put the hosts in command 2-0 at the half.

West junior Brynlee Best connected on a long shot with 29:49 remaining in the second half to account for the final margin.

Sophomore Sydney Baxter and junior Gabrielle Lopez combined for the shutout in goal for Topeka West.

"It's just one of those things where it's early in the season and once players start getting the hang of each other and getting to know each other then it will start clicking a little bit better and we're looking forward to it,'' Kutter said. "Nothing negative in the first game.''

The Chargers are scheduled to face city rival Highland Park on Thursday at Hummer Sports Park.  

TOPEKA WEST 3, KC-WASHINGTON 0

KC-Washington (0-1) 0 0 -- 0

Topeka West (1-0)      2 1 -- 3

Topeka West -- Goals: Cecylia Boyd, Micah Williams, Brynlee Best. Shutout: Sydney Baxter, Gabrielle Lopez. 

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Created: 21 March 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn University baseball battled back from a 7-1 deficit to take a 10-9 MIAA win on Saturday afternoon, evening the series with Northwest Missouri State at one game each.

 Griffin Huiatt picked up the win in Washburn's 10-9 victory over Northwest Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

The rubber match is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.  

The Bearcats (18-8 overall, 8-4 MIAA) put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning scoring two on a one-out double after a hit and an error led off the game.

Washburn's Jackson Mervosh led off the second inning with a single, moving to second on an error. He moved to third and scored on an RBI groundout by Chase Littrell to pull the Ichabods within one run.  

Northwest Missouri put two runners on in the third before smashing back-to-back home runs to go up 6-1.

The Bearcats went yard again in the next inning, hitting a solo home run. 

Washburn (10-16, 7-7) started the fourth inning with a pair of walks. With two outs Owen Laessig hit a single deep in the left side of the infield to score one and make it 7-2 after four.  

In the sixth inning Mervosh led off with a double and after a single by Jack Borgmann and Littrell was hit by a pitch the bases were loaded. Brooks Richardson was hit by a pitch, and Laessig followed with a single, each scoring a run.

Trenton Barry delivered a sacrifice fly, scoring another run, and Ian Luce doubled down the left-field line to pull WU within one at 7-6.  

After a second straight scoreless inning by pitcher Fidel Hatch the Ichabods got back to work at the plate.

Doubles from Easton Wasinger and then Borgmann tied the game at seven.

Littrell slashed a single down the right-field line, scoring Borgmann to put Washburn in front 8-7.  

The next half inning Northwest Missouri strung together four straight baserunners, scoring two on a one-out single into left to go back in front.

However, the lead was short lived, with Barry working a leadoff walk in the eighth and Luce slashing a double to left-center, tying the game at nine.

With two outs Borgmann slashed another double into the outfield, scoring Luce to put Washburn in front.  

After entering in the eighth and recording the final two outs, Washburn's Griffin Huiatt stayed on the mound in the ninth and sat down the Bearcats in order to secure the 10-9 win.  

Northwest Missouri State out-hit the Ichabods 13-12 while walks went in favor of Washburn, 7-5. Each team committed one error in the contest.  

Three pitchers combined to throw all nine innings for the Ichabods. Hatch took over for Caleb Lunnon after three innings, he tossed 4.1 with three runs allowed an a strikeout. 

Huiatt secured the win with 1.2 scoreless and a pair of punchouts.  

At the plate Borgmann went 3-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. Laessig went 3-4 while driving in three and Luce went 2-3 with two RBI and two walks. Mervosh also reached four times with two hits and a pair of walks.  

Details

Created: 23 March 2026

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Kaitlyn Aldridge, Shawnee Heights

KAITLYN ALDRIDGE, Shawnee Heights

A junior, Aldridge earned All-City first-team honors for the second straight season in 2025, winning the city title in the 500-yard freestyle, placing second in the 100 butterfly and helping Shawnee Heights win the 200 free relay and finish third in the 400 free relay. Aldridge placed fourth in the United Kansas Conference in the 100 fly and fifth in the 500 free and swam on the T-Birds' fourth-place 400 free relay. Aldridge competed in the Class 5A-1A state meet.

Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural

AUDREY APPUHN, Washburn Rural

Appuhn, a senior three-time All-City honoree, placed in multiple events in the Class 6A state meet for the third straight season last spring, taking third in the 100-yard breaststroke and sixth in the 200 freestyle to lead Rural to an 11th-place team finish. Appuhn won four golds in the city meet (200 free, 100 breast, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay) as Rural won its 22nd straight team title and four golds in the Centennial League meet (200 free, 100 breast, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay). Appuhn was a second-team All-State honoree in 6A in 2025.

Hara Del Castillo, Topeka High

HARA DEL CASTILLO, Topeka High

A senior, Del Castillo earned All-City honors for the third straight season in 2025 as the Trojan junior finished second in the city meet in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 100 freestyle. Del Castillo won Centennial League titles in the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke and swam on the Trojans' fourth-place 200 medley relay. Del Castillo competed in the 6A state meet last season.

KAILYN GERDEL, Hayden

Gerdel, a junior was an All-City second-team pick last season after placing third in the city meet in the 200-yard freestyle and swimming on the Wildcats' runnerup 200 medley and 200 free relays. Gerdel finished third in the Centennial League in the 200 freestyle and swam on Hayden's second-place 200 medley and 200 free relays.

Sophie Heinen, Washburn Rural

SOPHIE HEINEN, Washburn Rural

Heinen, a senior, finished second in the 500-yard freestyle in the city meet and also swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. Heinen finished second in the Centennial League in the 500 freestyle and swam on Rural's winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. Heinen swam on the Junior Blues' 11th-place 200 medley and 400 free relays at state.

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