- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Kaden Ballard, Washburn Rural
KADEN BALLARD, Washburn Rural
Ballard, a 5-foot-10 senior guard, received Top Sports News All-Shawnee County Second 10 and All-Centennial League second-team recognition last season. A Washburn University signee, Ballard averaged 12.0 points, 3.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while hitting 44 of 127 3-point attempts and 56 of 76 free throws for a 73.7-percent average.
Mason Becker, Hayden
MASON BECKER, Hayden
A sophomore, Becker was named the TSN All-Shawnee County newcomer of the year and received Second 10 all-county recognition last season as a freshman after helping the 8-16 Wildcats advance to the Class 3A state tournament. Becker averaged 5.7 points, hit 17 3-pointers, shot 75.5 percent from the free throw line and registered 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals.
KaeVon Bonner, Seaman
KAEVON BONNER, Seaman
Bonner, a 6-foot-1 junior, moved up to the TSN All-Shawnee County first team last season after being named the Shawnee County co-newcomer of the year and receiving honorable mention as a freshman. A first-team All-United Kansas Conference selection, Bonner averaged 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals this past season for the 9-12 Vikings while hitting 32 3-pointers and shooting 76 percent from the free throw line.
Jack Donovan, Rossville
JACK DONOVAN, Rossville
A 5-foot-11 junior, Donovan made the All-Shawnee County Top 10 for the first time last season after being named the co-newcomer of the year and receiving honorable mention as a freshman. Donovan averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the 15-7 Bulldawgs while setting a school record with 59 3-point baskets. He was a first-team All-Mid-East League pick. Donovan is also a standout in football and golf for the Bulldawgs, earning All-Shawnee County first-team golf honors.
Ontarius Emmot, Shawnee Heights
ONTARIUS EMMOT, Shawnee Heights
Emmot, a junior, received TSN All-Shawnee County honorable mention recognition last season after helping Shawnee Heights post a 19-4 record and advance to the Class 5A state tournament. Emmot shot 49.2 percent from 3-point range last season, draining 31 treys on the season. Emmot also shot 79.7 percent from the free throw line and blocked 15 shots.
Bryer Finley, Seaman
BRYER FINLEY, Seaman
Finley, a 6-foot-5 senior, played in just four games for the Vikings a year ago before missing the remainder of the season with an injury. Before being sidelined Finley averaged 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Finley is coming off an oustanding football season as a wide receiver, being named the United Kansas Conference offensive player of the year after helping Seaman reach the Class 5A quarterfinals.
Kamoni Ford, Topeka West
KAMONI FORD, Topeka West
A 6-foot-7 senior, Ford averaged 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds for the 14-8 Chargers last season. Ford shot 57.5 percent on 2-point field goal attempts, hit 20 3-pointers and shot 70 percent from the free throw line. Ford received TSN All-Shawnee County honorable mention as a junior.
Jalen Foy, Topeka West
JALEN FOY, Topeka West
Foy, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, turned in a breakout junior season for the Chargers, earning TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 and first-team All-United Kansas Conference recognition last season for 14-8 West. Foy averaged 13.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocked shots while hitting 31 3-pointers.
Connor Hanika, Hayden
CONNOR HANIKA, Hayden
Hanika, a junior, received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after helping the 8-16 Wildcats advance to the Class 3A state tournament. Hanika averaged 5.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 2023-2024 while shooting 52.4 percent on 2-point field goals. Hanika is also a football standout for Hayden, helping the Wildcats post back-to-back runnerup finishes in 3A.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden, which advanced to the Class 3A state championship game for the second straight season, and 5A quarterfinalist and United Kansas Conference champion Seaman combined for 10 Top 22 spots to lead the TopSports.news' 2024 All-Shawnee County football team.
Hayden, which posted a 11-2 record this fall, is represented on the Top 22 by senior three-time honoree Jensen Schrickel along with seniors Broderick Desch, Treyton Tetuan and Jett Wahlmeier and juniors Jude Krentz and Kade while Seaman, 8-3 on the year, put seniors Briar Finley, Max Huston and Kaden Jordan and junior Cameron Brian on the Top 22.
Seaman quarterback Huston and wide receiver Finley were named the Shawnee County co-offensive players of the year while Jordan, a nose tackle, was named the county defensive player of the year and Brian was selected as the defensive newcomer of the year.
Hayden's Schrickel was selected as the Shawnee County all-purpose athlete of the year while Wildcat coach Bill Arnold, now 222-68 as a head coach, was named the county coach of the year.
Shawnee Heights junior quarterback Aiden Scott was a Top 22 pick and selected as the county offensive newcomer of the year after throwing for more than 3,100 yards.
Washburn Rural senior safety Kingston Leonard joins Schrickel and Huston as All-Shawnee County Top 22 repeat selections while the Junior Blues are also represented on the Top 22 by senior linemen Caden Estrada and Jacob Hawks.
Shawnee Heights also put junior Tyren Parker on the all-county Top 22, while 1A semifinalist Rossville is represented by senior Tayson Horak and junior Conner Bush, Silver Lake by senior Braden Strausbaugh and junior Dayne Johnson, Highland Park by seniors Ricky Crawford and Jamon Wilson and Topeka High by senior Jayden Norman.
All 10 Shawnee County high schools have representatives on either the Top 22, Second 22 or honorable mention list. Five county teams won at least six games this fall, with four winning at least one playoff contest.
TopSports.news selected the 2024 All-Shawnee County team after receiving input from county head coaches.
All-Shawnee County Top 22 capsules:
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball will make its long-awaited home debut on Monday, with the Ichabods facing Lincoln in a 6 p.m. contest in Lee Arena.
Washburn women's basketball will make its home court debut at 6 p.m. Monday against Lincoln. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Lora Westling's Ichabods opened the 2024-2025 season with six straight road contests but will come home on a two-game winning streak after a pair of 22-point wins last week.
Washburn is 2-4 on the year after an 81-59 win over Truman State on Friday. The Ichabods posted an 80-58 win at William Jewell last Tuesday.
Lincoln will enter Monday's game 1-0 on after defeating Harris Stowe 58-42 in Jefferson City, Mo. on Nov. 13.
The contest between former MIAAs foes WU and Lincoln will be the 38th meeting between the two teams all-time.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah leads the Ichabods offensively with a 16.5 scoring average on 69.4 percent shooting from the field and leads the team with a 7.0 rebounding average.
Junior Payton Sterk is second on the team in scoring at 15.8 points per game while starting all six contests and playing a team-high 30.2 minutes per game. She is shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and a team-high 41.2% from 3-point range while dishing out a team-high 3.2 assists. She has a team-high 14 3-pointers with nine coming over the last two games where she averaged 23.5 points.
Gabi Giovannetti is averaging 12.0 points while shooting 42.0 percent from the floor and 100.0 percent at the free throw line. The junior has started all six games playing 28.5 minutes per game. She is second on the team with 11 made 3-pointers, five in the last two games.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Broderick Desch
BRODERICK DESCH, Hayden
Desch, a senior fullback, put Hayden ahead to stay with a 12-yard touchdown run to open the scoring and added a 1-yard TD later in the game as the 11-1 Wildcats advanced to their second straight Class 3A state football championship game with a 35-7 sub-state road win over No. 1 East seed Wellsville. Unofficially, Desch finished with 58 yards on 14 carries.
Jacob Hanna
JACOB HANNA, Washburn University
Hanna, a 6-foot-3 senior out of Maize, scored 39 points in two games on the week as No. 5 nationally-ranked Washburn men's basketball improved to 6-0. Hanna scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in an 89-71 home win Tuesday over Pittsburg State and had 19 points with eight rebounds, six assists and 9 of 10 free throws in Saturday's 81-73 home win over William Jewell.
Kade Mitchell
KADE MITCHELL, Hayden
Mitchell, a junior running back, scored touchdowns on runs of 5 and 18 yards and unofficially had 72 rushing yards on 11 attempts as Hayden earned a second straight trip to the Class 3A state football championship game with a 35-7 road win over No. East seed and previously-unbeaten Wellsville Friday night.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 5-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team never trailed in Saturday's home non-conference game against William Jewell, with just one tie on the afternoon.
Washburn senior Jacob Hanna scored a game-high 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists in the Ichabods' 81-73 win over William Jewell. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the 6-0 Ichabods had to withstand several Cardinal threats before taking control late in an 81-73 win in Lee Arena, the Ichabods first game that was closer than 17 points.
"It was ugly and we probably needed that,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "We haven't had many of those where there were a lot of meaningful possessions in the second half, so it was good for us in a way, but a lot of self-inflicted wounds today.''
After trailing by 12 points (24-12) William Jewell used a 12-0 run over a 5:37 span to forge a 24-all deadlock with three minutes left in the first half and trailed by just a 29-26 margin at the break.
The Cardinals got within a point twice early in the second half and were still within three points midway through the half (49-46) before a William Jewell technical foul seemed to ignite the Ichabods.
A Jack Bachelor free throw on the technical followed by a Jacob Hanna 3-pointer on the same possession put WU up by seven and Brady Christiansen scored 30 seconds later to put the Ichabods back in front by nine (55-46).
Hanna added a pair of free throws to put Washburn up by double-digits at 57-46 and the Ichabods went on to lead by 15 points on four different occasions and cruised in for the win, avenging a 15-point road loss to the Cardinals last seaon.
"We got the job done and that's a good team,'' Ballard said. "And they're missing some guys. They're going to get better and are well-coached and they make you earn it.
"I was happy with how we responded at times in the second half, but we've definitely got to learn from this and get better.''
Washburn put 52 points on the board in the second half while shooting 71 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from 3-point range.
Hanna, a senior, led the Ichabods with 19 points and added eight rebounds and six assists while finishing nine of 10 from the free throw line and doing most of his damage in the decisive second half.
"It was tough in the first half with two fouls and kind of being limited minutes-wise, but I just tried to give the team whatever we needed to win the game,'' Hanna said.
Washburn sophomore Brayden Shorter scored 18 points with four 3-pointers in Saturday's 81-73 win over William Jewell. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hanna paced five Ichabods in double-digits as starters Brayden Shorter had 18 points, Bachelor 14 and Andrew Orr 12 while Christiansen gave the Ichabods a big lift off the bench with 12 points (6 of 7 from the field) and seven rebounds.
"Brady was good,'' Ballard said. "He got some baskets and defensively he's so solid and you can rely on him to be in the right spots defensively and can guard multiple guys and he's a great rebounder. He does all those things and definitely gave us that spark and I thought Jacob Hanna was really good in the second half as well.''
Washburn junior Brady Christiansen (1), guarding William Jewell's Kanukayi Gudza, had 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench in Saturday's 81-73 home win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
A junior, Christiansen started 28 of 30 games as a sophomore before coming off the bench this season, but he said his role hasn't really changed.
"At the end of the day it's just what's best for the team,'' Christiansen said. "And it's really the same role as last year, just being a man on the glass and doing what's best for my teammates and then making the right plays when I'm open.
"That's just what my role is and if everyone does their role we're going to win pretty much all the games. Not many teams will beat us.''
