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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park senior Tremaine Savage was one of three players who shared Meadowlark Conference defensive player of the year honors while Scots coach Jermaine Monroe was named the conference coach of the year after leading Hi Park to the Meadowlark title.
Tremaine Savage, Highland Park
Jermaine Monroe, Highland Park
Junior G'Honi Montgomery was named to the first team at running back and returner and senior lineman Josh Weeks was a first-teamer on the offensive line.
Defensively, Savage was also named a first-team pick at defensive back while junior defensive lineman Bratton Bennett, junior defensive back Ki'Sioun Drew and senior utility player Genesis Cooper were also named to the first-team defense.
Savage was a second-team selection at wide receiver while senior defensive lineman Philiciono Rice, senior linebacker Aaron Irons and junior defensive back Rayshon Pollard were second-team picks on defense.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After opening the 2025-2026 season with four straight win on the road, No. 2-ranked Washburn University men's basketball will open its home slate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, facing Rockhurst in the newly renovated Lee Arena.
Junior Jack Bachelor (14) is averaging 19.3 points and 5.0 assists for 4-0 Washburn. [File photo/TSN]
Sophomore Dillon Claussen is averaging 18.0 points and 8.8 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles for Washburn. [File photo/TSN]The Ichabods are second in scoring margin in the NCAA D-II ranks at plus-30.8 points, trailing Black Hills State (plus-32.0).
Washburn junior Jack Bachelor is eighth in the nation in assists (20/5.0) and sophomore Dillon Claussen is fourth in the nation in double-doubles with two in four games. Claussen is seventh in the nation in field goal percentage at 81.3 and 10th in total rebounds with 35.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Kamble Haverkamp Haverkamp, a senior safety, was a first-team pick after recording 76 tackles with a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss for 48 yards and a team-best 5.5 sacks for 37 yards. The Centralia product also led the Ichabods with four interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
Picking up second-team defensive honors were sophomore linebacker JC Heim and senior punter Jake Zeller.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's been a long wait, but Washburn University's basketball teams will finally get the opportunity to officially christen the newly-renovated Lee Arena this week as the Ichabods tip off the home portion of the 2025-2026 basketball season.
After seventh months of waiting, Lee Arena will be rocking Wednesday night when Washburn's men's basketball team hosts Rockhurst in a 7 p.m. contest. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabod men will host Rockhurst at 7 p.m. Wednesday while the WU women will host back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday in the Washburn Invitational.
The $8 million dollar, seven-month-long renovation of Lee, which opened in 1984 and is the home for the Ichabod basketball and volleyball teams, necessitated major schedule changes, including the nationally-ranked WU volleyball team playing all of its regular-season matches in Whiting Fieldhouse.
But now its time to reap the rewards the new state of the art facility will provide.
"My office looks into the gym, so for the last six months every day you see it,'' Washburn men's basketball coach Brett Ballard said. "That's good and bad because it just feels like at first nothing's happening and then it's all come together.
"It looks amazing. I've always felt like we had a great atmosphere in Lee Arena, and I think this will just enhance it. I know our guys are really appreciative and excited about it. We're just ready to get that opportunity to play out there.''
Lee, which had not been used since the Washburn men captured the NCAA Division II regional championship in late March, features a new court and scoreboards, a new seating system and updated technology.
Both Washburn basketball teams will make their debuts in the newly-renovated Lee Arena this week. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
"You just walk down there and I don't know if you can feel energy in a place, but you can feel it in there,'' Washburn women's coach Lora Westling said. "It's fresh, it's clean, it's sharp and I just can't imagine a better venue in Division II in the country. We're just dying to get on it because they've done an exceptional job with the renovation.''
"I'm excited, it looks great,'' said Washburn women's senior standout Payton Sterk. "It's really going to be awesome in there.
"It was beautiful before, so it's really been cool to see what they've been doing and I'm really excited to play in it and have my family and friends and everyone be able to be in there and watch, too.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
BRYNN ANDERSON, Washburn Rural
A 5-foot-11 freshman guard/forward, Anderson has yet to take the basketball court for the Junior Blues, but made an immediate impact in volleyball, earning TopSports.news All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League first-team honors while also being named the county and league newcomer of the year as Washburn Rural won the Centennial League title and advanced to the Class 6A state tournament for the ninth straight season.
SAMI BAUM, Shawnee Heights
A 6-1 junior, Baum will make her high school basketball debut in the 2025-2026 season after joining the T-Birds. Baum, who has been home schooled, played for the Shawnee Heights volleyball team this fall and has extensive experience in club basketball, receiving interest from college recruiters.
Nora Burdiek, Rossville
NORA BURDIEK, Rossville
Burdiek, a 6-0 junior forward, missed 11 games of the 2024-2025 season with an injury, but still earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention and was a third-team All-Class 2A and All-Big-East League honoree after averaging 16.5 points and 12 rebounds for 10-12 Rossville. Burdiek was a first-team All-Shawnee County and 2A All-State pick in volleyball, helping lead the Bulldawgs to the state tournament.
Pearmella Carter, Shawnee Heights
PEARMELLA CARTER, Shawnee Heights
A 5-10 junior, Carter starred at Highland Park the past two seasons before transferring to Shawnee Heights for the 2025-2026 season. Carter was a Second 10 All-Shawnee County selection for the Scots last winter after averaging 19.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 2.1 assists and shooting 50 percent from 2-point field goal range while connecting on 14 3-pointers.
Hailey Caryl, Topeka High
HAILEY CARYL, Topeka High
Caryl, a 5-10 sophomore, received All-Shawnee County Second 10 honors as a freshman after helping Topeka High post a 14-8 record and a nine-win improvement over the 2023-2024 season. Caryl averaged 10.5 points and 8.4 rebounds as a freshman while shooting 58 percent on 2-point field attempts and averaging 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals. Caryl is also a tennis and soccer standout for the Trojans.
KARYS DEITER, Silver Lake
A 5-7 sophomore guard, Deiter earned All-Shawnee County Second 10 recognition for the 23-3 Eagles as a freshman starter, averaging 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds as Silver Lake overcame big graduation losses from its 2024 Class 3A state championship team to post a runnerup state finish. Deiter was a first-team all-county pick in volleyball this fall after the Eagles won the state title with a 46-1 record, including 37 straight wins to end the season.
Rylee Dick, Rossville
RYLEE DICK, Rossville
A 5-6 senior guard, Dick was a first-team All-2A and All-Big East League pick last season and was an All-Shawnee County second-team selection after averaging 20.4 points with 68 made 3-pointers and 89-percent shooting from the free throw line for the 10-12 Bulldawgs while eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for her career. Dick, who has received all-league, all-county and All-2A recognition three straight seasons, has signed a letter of intent with Division II Rockhurst.
KK Emmot, Shawnee Heights
KK EMMOT, Shawnee Heights
Emmot, a 5-8 junior, moved up to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 last season after earning second-team honors as a freshman. Emmot, who led the T-Birds to a 14-8 record, also earned first-team All-United Kansas Conference honors this past season after averaging 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 3.2 assists while connecting on 46 3-pointers.
Maddie Gragg, Seaman
MADDIE GRAGG, Seaman
A 5-10 senior, Gragg was an All-Shawnee County Top 10 selection for the third straight season after helping lead Seaman to a 24-1 record and a runnerup finish in Class 5A. Gragg, also a three-time All-United Kansas Conference first-team pick, averaged 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 57 percent on two-point field goal attempts and shooting 83 percent from the free throw line while hitting 39 3-pointers.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake
KAILYN HANNI, Silver Lake
Hanni, a 5-7 senior guard, led Silver Lake to a 23-3 record and a runnerup finish in the Class 3A state tournament this past season after helping the Eagles post a perfect 26-0 record en route to the 3A state championship in 2024. Hanni was a repeat All-Shawnee County Top 10 selection as well as a repeat first-team all-league pick. A Fort Hays State basketball signee, Hanni is a multi-sport standout, earning first-team all-county honors in golf this fall.
