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Created: 17 June 2025

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

The college recruiting process can be hectic and a bit daunting for high school athletes.

But that wasn't the case for former Washburn Rural standout Caden Estrada, who basically needed just one visit to the Emporia State campus to know where he was headed.

Former Washburn Rural standout Caden Estrada (75) will play for the East in Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Dodge City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"I just love the culture there, so I had to do it,'' said Estrada, a 6-foot-2, 270-pound offensive lineman. "I went down there on my visit and really liked the coach (Garin Higgins), really liked the staff and it just felt like home.''

Estrada, who will play for the East in Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Dodge City, got a jump start on his college career with the other Hornet recruits last week.

"I went down there last week for freshman camp and it was great,'' said Estrada, an All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick last fall and a three-time All-Centennial League selection for Rural. "I did the workouts, did some conditioning and got to hang out with my teammates, so it was a good time.''

Estrada, who helped Rural advance to the Class 6A state semifinals as a junior, said the Shrine Bowl experience will also help prepare him for what's ahead.

"I think it totally will,'' he said. "Obviously we're getting better athletically, but also leadership-wise and playing for something bigger than ourselves, playing for the kids and all that, puts the game to the side and helps you mentally.''

Estrada expects to redshirt this fall, which he also thinks will benefit him in the future. 

"Most freshmen do redshirt and I think that will help in understanding the playbook and stuff like that,'' Estrada said. "I think that will help tremendously because college is a whole different game. I'm super excited.''

Estrada is one of four city players on the East roster, along with Seaman quarterback Max Huston, wide receiver Bryer Finley (6-5, 195) and defensive lineman Kaden Jordan (6-2, 305).

Seaman coach Jared Swafford is an an East assistant coach.

 

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Created: 16 June 2025

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural, which captured its first-ever Class 6A girls state championship this spring, put a city-high six players on the 15-member 2025 All-City girls soccer first team.

The All-City team is based on recommendations and voting from city coaches.

Rural is represented on the All-City first team by seniors Destiny Higgs, Kate Hinck, Addyson Kaberline, Zahra Friess and Madison Lemke and junior Dayne Shriver while Junior Blues coach Brian Hensyel was named the city coach of the year

Higgs, Hinck and Kaberline are all first-team repeat picks after helping Washburn Rural post a 19-2 rcord, capped by a 1-0 win over Mill Valley in penalty kicks (4-1). 

Destiny Higgs, Washburn Rural

Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural

Addyson Kaberline, Washburn Rural

Zahra Friess, Washburn Rural

Madison Lemke, Washburn Rural

Dayne Shriver, Washburn Rural

Seaman, which advanced to the 5A state quarterfinals, is represented on the All-City team by seniors Anna Becker and Maegan Mills and junior Ava Golightley, with Becker a repeat pick and Mills receiving honorable mention in 2024.

Anna Becker, Seaman

Ava Golightley, Seaman 

Hayden, which advanced to the 4A-1A championship game before losing in double overtime to Bishop Miege, put junior Carsyn Broxterman and senior Camryn McDonald on the All-City first team, with Broxterman a repeat selection and McDonald moving up to the first team after receiving honorable mention in 2024. 

Carsyn Broxterman, Hayden

Camryn McDonald, Hayden

Shawnee Heights senior Izzy Van Fleet is a repeat first-team selection while T-Bird senior Bayli Benson was voted to the first team after receiving honorable mention a year ago.

Izzy Van Fleet, Shawnee Heights

Bayli Benson, Shawnee Heights

Rounding out the All-City first team are Highland Park sophomore Micah Williams and Topeka High junior Natalie Barnes.

 Micah Williams, Highland Park

 Natalie Barnes, Topeka High

Williams is a two-time All-City pick while Barnes earned All-City recognition for the first time after helping Topeka High reach the 6A quarterfinals.

ALL-CITY GIRLS SOCCER 2025

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Created: 16 June 2025

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

It hasn't been that long ago that it looked like Max Huston's college future would be on a baseball diamond.

But Seaman's former star quarterback is all about the gridiron these days, with the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Huston playing for the East in Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Dodge City before beginning his college career this fall at Coffeyville Community College.

Former Seaman star quarterback Max Huston completes a pass during Sunday's East Kansas Shrine Bowl practice at Ottawa University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"Baseball was it my freshman year and I got a whole bunch of offers freshman year,'' said Huston, who committed to Kansas State in baseball early in his prep career before eventually changing course. "I played baseball my freshman season and played JV football.

"Sophomore year I got brought up to varsity (football) and played and we had an alright season. Junior year we had a pretty good season and did some good stuff and football's just more fun to me. I like it more, it's more enjoyable, so I de-committed, switched my recruitment to football and here we go.''

Huston earned TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 and All-United Kansas Conference first-team honors as a junior and senior and was named the county co-offensive player of the year after helping lead Seaman to the Class 5A state quarterfinals and an 8-3 record last fall while completing 170 of 266 pass attempts for 2,532 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushing for 779 yards and 13 TDs.

After mulling over his college options Finley eventually picked Coffeyville, where he has already begun preseason preparations.

"It (his commitment) was later than most people, just because I was trying to make sure that I went somewhere that fitted me, fitted my play style, fitted where I could go play and that's pretty much when I made that decision,'' Huston said. 

"I've been down there for two weeks now, we went down on June 1st. It's hard. We work hard every day, but it's going pretty good right now.''

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Created: 13 June 2025

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Fourteen city players have earned All-State recognition from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association, including nine first-teamers.

Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural

Madison Lemke, Washburn Rural

Leading the way was Class 6A state champion Washburn Rural with five first-team picks, including senior forward of the year Kate Hinck and senior goalkeeper of the year Madison Lemke.

Zahra Friess, Washburn Rural

Delaney Hill, Washburn Rural

Destiny Higgs, Washburn Rural

Also earning first-team honors for the Junior Blues were senior forward Zahra Friess and senior midfielders Delaney Hill and Destiny Higgs while Rural coach Brian Hensyel was selected as the 6A coach of the year.

Carsyn Broxterman, Hayden

Camryn McDonald, Hayden

Class 4A-1A runnerup Hayden put junior forward Carsyn Broxterman and senior defender Camryn McDonald on the 4A-1A first team while Wildcat coach Klaus Kreutzer was named the coach of the year.

Seaman, a state quarterfinalist, is represented on the All-5A first team by senior midfielder Anna Becker and senior goalkeeper Maegan Mills.

Anna Becker, Seaman

Washburn Rural junior defender Dayne Shriver received second-team All-State honors in 6A while Seaman junior forward Ryin Miller was a second-team pick in 5A and Hayden junior forward Reese Huscher was a second-team selection in 4A-1A.

Highland Park sophomore forward Micah Williams and Seaman junior defender Addyson Shipp received All-5A honorable mention.