Highland Park Scots

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Class 3A state champion Rossville and 6A runnerup Washburn Rural headline the 2023 TopSports.news All-Shawnee County softball team.

Washburn Rural senior Emmerson Cope has been named the Shawnee County softball player of the year after leading the Junior Blues to a second straight runnerup finish in Class 6A. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn Rural freshman Reagan Chapman has been named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year after helping Rural post a runnerup finish in the Class 6A state softball tournamennt. [File photo/TSN]

Rossville softball coach John Nitsch has been named the Shawnee County softball coach of the year after leading the Bulldawgs to their first state title since 2000. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]

Washburn Rural senior Emmerson Cope was named the Shawnee County player of the year after leading the Junior Blues to a 21-4 record and a second straight berth in the 6A championship game while Rural freshman Reagan Chapman was named the county newcomer of the year.

Rossville coach John Nitsch was named the county coach of the year after his Bulldawgs posted a 20-4 record en route to their first state title since 2000.

Cope, a Nebraska signee, and Chapman are joined on the all-county first team by senior Piper Titsworth.

 Senior Brinley Dyche picked up all three pitching victories for Rossville in the Class 3A state tournament as the Bulldawgs captured their first state title since 2000. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]

Rossville also has three players on the first team -- senior Brinley Dyche and juniors Kinsey Perine and Emma Mitchell.

Shawnee Heights, which finished third in the 5A state tournament, is represented on the first team by sophomore Grace Proctor and junior Ally Millard-Adams while the T-Birds' United Kansas Conference rival, Seaman, is represented by senior Aspen Burghart and sophomore Kaelyn O'Rourke.

Silver Lake, which was top-ranked in Class 3A for most of the 2023 season, put junior Avery Wende and sophomores Kendra Cook and Taylor Zordel on the all-county first team.

Topeka High senior shortstop Adisyn Caryl, an Illinois signee, is a repeat pick on the All-Shawnee County softball team. [File photo/TSN]

Hayden senior Alyssa Droge has been named to the All-Shawnee County softball first team. [File photo/TSN]

Topeka High seniors Alesia Alvarez and Adisyn Caryl are both first-team repeat picks while Hayden senior Alyssa Droge also earned a first-team spot.

2023 ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY SOFTBALL

TopSports.news

Shawnee County high schools have submitted their nominations for senior athletes for the 18th annual Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards, which will be presented on June 28 along with the induction of the 2023 Hall of Fame class.

Washburn Rural graduate and Kentucky signee Brooklyn DeLeye is a nominee for the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards after leading the Junior Blues to the Class 6A state volleyball title as a senior. [File photo/TSN]

Hayden graduate and Notre Dame signee Joe Otting (left) has been nominated for the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards. [File photo/TSN]

Recent Highland Park graduate Tre Richardson was a three-time state track and field champion for the Scots, including two state titles as a senior. [File photo/TSN]

Rossville senior Brinley Dyche is a candidate for the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards after helping lead the Bulldawgs to the Class 3A state softball title this spring. [File photo/TSN]

TopSports.news, in conjunction with the University of Kansas Health Systems St Francis Campus, A-1 Lock and Key and Washburn University, will host the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Washburn University Memorial Union.

TopSports.news will present awards to the top female and male athletes in the fall, winter and spring seasons, as well as overall female and male athletes of the year and the most inspirational female and male. A complete list of nominees is listed below.

To be eligible, an athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Athletes were nominated by their schools' athletic directors and coaches.

In addition to the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards, Grant Bruner and Jaycee Ginter will be honored as Washburn University Athletes of the Year and Chris Barnes, Kevin Bordewick, Crystal Kemp and Rick Peterson will be inducted as the 2023 Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame class.

A  committee of local media members will select the 2023 high school winners, including the selection of overall female and male athletes of the year. 

General admission tickets for the Topeka Shawnee County sports awards banquet are $30 per person and include dinner.

Ticket information is available at topsports.news.

TOPEKA SHAWNEE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AWARDS NOMINEES

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Shawnee County girls track and field athletes came up short of winning a state championship in the 2023 state meet at Wichita, but it was still a noteworthy weekend for the local contingent.

Seaman senior Bethany Druse (1715) was a triple state medalist in Class 5A, including a second-place finish in the 800 and a third in the 4x400 relay. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Shawnee Heights senior Ta'Mijha Nichols looks up at the Cessna Stadium scoreboard after finishing second in the Class 5A girls 100 for the second straight season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Ala'Jah Brooks (1741) finished a very close second in last weekend's Class 5A 400 meters and also finished fourth in the 200. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Hayden junior Natalie Hillebert (left) exchanges congratulations with Andale's Maddie Schrandt after last Saturday's Class 4A girls 400-meter dash in Wichita. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

County athletes finished second in four events while 19 of 24 members of the All-Shwnee County first team went home with state medals in four different classes.

Seaman senior star Bethany Druse was the state runnerup in the Class 5A 800 meters and was a medalist in three events while Shawnee Heights senior Ta'Mijha Nichols and Topeka West senior Ala'Jah Brooks also posted second-place finishes in 5A and Hayden junior Natalie Hillebert was a state runnerup in 4A.

Druse finished second in the 5A 800 in 2 minutes, 17.29 seconds and also helped Seaman post a third-place finish in the 4x400 relay (4:06.07) and a sixth in the 4x800 relay (9:57.46).

Heights' Nichols was the runnerup in the 5A 100-meter dash for the second straight season (12.17) while West's Brooks finished second in the 5A 400 (57.77) and Hayden's Hillebert placed second in the 4A 400 (58.83). Brooks added a fourth-place finish in the 200 (25.66).

Seaman sophomore Jaida Stallbaumer finished fifth in the 5A 100-meter high hurdles (16.04) and teamed with sophomore Ryin Miller, junior Taylin Stallbaumer and Druse for the third-place finish in the 4x400 relay while senior Leah Spurlock and sophomore Taylie Heston teamed with Druse and Miller for the sixth-place showing in the 4x800 relay.

Washburn Rural sophomores Payton Fink, Rylee Ismert and Brooklyn Nolte teamed with senior Madeline Carter for a fifth-place finish in the 4x800 relay (9:52.27).

Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones finished sixth in the 5A high jump (5-0) while Shawnee Heights senior Taylor Rottinghaus took seventh in the 5A 400 (61.65).

Silver Lake junior Ava Rottinghaus placed sixth in the 3A girls javelin (126 feet, 2 inches) and ran on the Eagles' fourth-place 4x400 relay (4:11.98) while Eagle junior Kaibryn Kruger placed sixth in the triple jump (34-10).

Rossville senior Amelia Foster was also a double 3A medalist, finishing sixth in the 800 (2:24.53) and eighth in the 400 (61.37).

Hayden sophomore Rae North earned an eighth-place medal in the 4A 400 meters.

All-Shawnee County selections were picked on the basis of meeting minimum standards established by local coaches as well as coaches' recommendations and performances in postseason competition.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS TRACK

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Seven athletes who had a hand in eight state titles, including five multiple-event state champs, headline the 2023 All-Shawnee County boys track and field team.

Hayden senior Jake Muller (right) won his second Class 4A 300-meter hurdles state title last Saturday, one of his three state gold medals on the day. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Hayden junior Finn Dunshee (left) was the 4A 100-meter dash champ and also won state titles in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays last weekend. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Hayden senior Jake Muller and junior Finn Dunshee took home three gold medals apiece, posting individual wins to go with two relay victories, while Wildcat sophomores Jensen Schrickel and Liam Stegman teamed with Muller and Dunshee for the two relay titles, including a Class 4A state meet record.

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson (middle) won the Class 5A boys 100-meter dash last Saturday at Cessna Stadium, the first of his two state titles on the day. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson won the Class 5A long jump, finished second in the triple jump and scored 33 total points in the state meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson turned in a monster individual 5A state performance, winning a pair of state titles and posting a runnerup finish while scoring 33 points by himself to outscore 22 other 5A schools.

Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel won the Class 5A state title in the 3,200 meters and finished second in the 1,600 last weekend. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]

Topeka West sophomore Alesecio Batson won the Class 5A triple jump championship last weekend in Wichita. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel and Topeka West sophomore Alesecio Batson also won 5A state titles, with Esquibel also recording a second-place finish as 16 members of the All-Shawnee County team earning state medals.

Hayden's Liam Stegman, Jake Muller, Jensen Schrickel and Finn Dunshee won Class 4A state titles in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays last Saturday in Wichita. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]

Muller won the second 300-meter intermediate hurdles state title of his career in 38.41 seconds while Dunshee won the 4A 100-meter dash in 10.84 and Muller and Dunshee teamed with Schrickel and Stegman to win the 4x100 (42.65) and 4x400 relay championships while setting the 4A meet record in the 4X400 relay (3:20.99).  Schrickel also finished third in the 400 (49.63).

Richardson won the 5A 100-meter dash in 10.73 seconds and the long jump at 23 feet, 4.50 inches, finished second in the triple jump (46-5.75) and fourth in the 200 dash (22.49).

Esquibel won the 5A 3,200-meter run in 9 minutes, 18.67 seconds and added a runnerup finish in the 1,600 (4:15.26) while Batson won the 5A triple jump at 48-4.25.

Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge finished second in the 5A 3,200 (9:21.24) and added a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 (4:22.45) while Shawnee Heights senior Jordan Garvin finished second in the 5A 300 hurdles (39.68) and Washburn Rural junior Jamond Lane was second in the 6A discus (167-6).

Washburn Rural junior Josh Sulzen-Watson finished fourth in the 6A discus (157-4) and fifth in the javelin (168-6). 

Cair Paravel Latin sophomore Ben Roeder, who competed for Topeka High during the regular season and CPLS in the postseason finished fourth in the 2A 200-meter dash (23.43) and fifth in the 400 (50.70).

Shawnee Heights senior Jeremiah Smith, a former state champ, posted a fifth-place finish in the 5A 100 (10.95) while T-Bird junior Alex Dittman took fifth in the 5A javelin (165-9) while Hayden senior Joe Otting earned a 4A state medal with an eighth-place finish in the discus (142-11) and Washburn Rural freshman Liam Morrison took eighth in the 6A 300 hurdles (46.39).

Also earning berths on the All-Shawee County boys first team were Seaman senior Branen Moore, junior Aaron Merritt, sophomore Bryce Cochran and Peyton Holmes, Washburn Rural seniors Easton Dial and Davin Johnson and junior Colin Rausch, Highland Park senior Keijuan Johnson and Topeka High senior V'Ante Peoples, juniors Jaziah Mack, Logan Murray,and Travis Shyne and freshman Malachi Murph.

All-Shawnee County picks were based on meeting minimum performance standards as well as coaches' recommendation and postseason performances.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Hayden's Lauren Sandstrom and Shawnee Heights' Jackson Esquibel, who both recently completed their junior years of high school, were selected Thursday night at The Foundry as the Dan Key Farmers Agency girls and boys 2023 Rising Stars of the year.

Hayden's Lauren Sandstrom (left) and Shawnee Heights' Jackson Esquibel (right) pose with Dan Key Thursday night after being named the 2023 Dan Key Farmers Agency Rising Stars of the Year. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Sandstrom and Esquibel were picked from seven girls and boys finalists chosen from weekly Rising Stars who were selected through the 2022-2023 school year.

Sandstrom was a three-sport standout for Hayden, earning a Class 4A state doubles championship with Emily Sheetz last fall and helped lead the Wildcats to a state tournament berth in basketball and a third-place state finish in soccer.

Esquibel capped a big year as a distance runner for Shawnee Heights last weekend at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium with a Class 5A state track championship in the 3,200-meter run and a second-place finish in the 1,600. Last fall Esquibel was a state medalist in the 5A cross country meet, finishing eighth.

Other girls finalists included Rossville three-time state wrestling champion Kendra Hurla, Silver Lake three-sport stars Makenzie McDaniel and McKinley Kruger, Seaman four-sport standout Anna Becker, Washburn Rural 2022 volleyball and basketball state champ Zoe Canfield and Highland Park basketball star Amelia Ramsey.

Hurla, McDaniel, Kruger and Canfield recently completed their junior years of high school while Becker and Ramsey recently finished their sophomore years.

Other boys finalists included Washburn Rural state wrestling champion Easton Broxterman, Topeka West state triple jump champion Alesecio Batson, Seaman football and baseball standout Max Huston, Washburn Rural star quarterback Branton DeWeese, Shawnee Heights football and wrestling standout Allen Baughman and Hayden football star and track and field state champion Jensen Schrickel.

DeWeese and Baughman recently completed their junior years of high school while Broxterman, Batson, Huston and Schrickel completed their sophomore years.

The Dan Key Famers Agency also recognized Shawnee County state team champions from the the 2022-2023 school year.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

BOYS

100 METERS

Highland Park senior Tre Richardson (middle) won the Class 5A state title in the 100-meter dash, one of his two gold medals and four top-four finishes at state. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Richardson, Highland Park            10.49

Smith, Shawnee Heights               10.74

Dunshee, Hayden                          10.76

Peoples, Topeka High                    10.96

Merritt, Seaman                             10.99

200 METERS

Richardson, Highland Park          21.5

Murph, Topeka High                     22.16

Cochran, Seaman                        22.34

Smith, Shawnee Heights              22.35

Peoples, Topeka High                  22.53

400 METERS

Schrickel, Hayden                         49.63

Roeder, Cair Paravel                     50.70

Roney, Washburn Rural                51.72

Benz, Shawnee Heights                51.89

Chooncharoen, Washburn Rural   51.96

800 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights           1:59.55

Moore, Seaman                             2:00.12

Johnson, Washburn Rural             2:00.55

Anderson, Seaman                        2:01.30

Stuke, Seaman                               2:01.5

1,600 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights            4:15.26

Njoroge, Topeka West                     4:17.71

Dial, Washburn Rural                      4:33.13

Johnson, Washburn Rural               4:33.46

Walker, Seaman                              4:39.05

Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel was the state champion in the Class 5A 3,200 and the runnerup in the 1,600 while Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroe (right) was second in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

3,200 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights           9:18.67

Njoroge, Topeka West                    9:20.08

Johnson, Washburn Rural             9:51.59

Dial, Washburn Rural                     9:51.97

Jowers, Seaman                          10:05.32

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

GIRLS

100 METERS

Senior Ta'Mijha Nichols of Shawnee Heights was the Shawnee County leader in the girls 100-meter dash for 2023. [File photo/TSN]

Nichols, Shawnee Heights         11.96

Marshall, Topeka High                12.74

Steiner, Seaman                         12.84

Torres-Hill, Topeka High             13.07

Ross, Silver Lake                        13.22

Topeka West senior Ala'Jah Brooks was the 2023 Shawnee County leader in the girls 200 and 400-meter dashes. [File photo/TSN]

200 METERS

Brooks, Topeka West                  25.38

Nichols, Shawnee Heights          25.88

Hillebert, Hayden                         26.53

Marshall, Topeka High                 26.70

Steiner, Seaman                          26.76

400 METERS

Brooks, Topeka West                    57.26

Hillebert, Hayden                          58.15

Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights    60.00

Fredrickson, Washburn Rural       60.01

Foster, Rossville                           60.27

Returning senior state champion Bethany Druse of Seaman was the Shawnee County leader in the 800 and 1,600-meter runs for the 2023 season. [File photo/TSN]

800 METERS

Druse, Seaman                             2:15.46

Foster, Rossville                            2:24.53

Carter, Washburn Rural                 2:25.99

Fink, Washburn Rural                    2:27.51

Ismert, Washburn Rural                 2:28.92

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Alesecio Batson

ALESECIO BATSON, Topeka West

After advancing to the Class 5A state track and field championships as a freshman, the Topeka West sophomore captured a Class 5A state championship in the triple jump Friday at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium. Batson took the event lead on his first jump and went wire to wire for the title, jumping a best of 48 feet, 4.25 inches.

Finn Dunshee

FINN DUNSHEE, Hayden

The Wildcat sophomore won three Class 4A gold medals Saturday at Cessna Stadium, helping Hayden finish fifth as a team. Dunshee won the 100-meter dash in 10.84 seconds and also ran on the Wildcats' winning 4x100-meter and 4x400 relay teams. Hayden won the 4x100 relay in 42.65 seconds and the 4x400 in a 4A state meet-record time of 3:20.99.

Brinley Dyche

BRINLEY DYCHE, Rossville

A senior, Dyche picked up the pitching win in all three games as Rossvillle won its first Class 3A state softball title since 2000, capped by Friday's 2-0 win over Santa Fe Trail in the championship game. Dyche was credited with the victory in a 19-7 first-round win over Columbus,  pitched the Bulldawgs to a come-from-behind 6-4 win over Southeast-Saline in the semifinals and twirled a complete-game two-hitter In the title game while striking out 10 and not allowing a walk.

 By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Audrey Appuhn

AUDREY APPUHN, Washburn Rural

Appuhn, a freshman swimming standout, posted two individual top-four finishes in her first Class 6A state meet Saturday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, helping lead Washburn Rural to an eighth-place team finish. Appuhn finished third in the the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 10.16 seconds and fourth in the 500 free in 5:14.45. Appuhn also swam on the Junior Blues' 200 medley relay (1:55.03) and 400 free relay (3:45.72), which won 'B' finals..

Jackson Esquibel

JACKSON ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights

A junior track and field star, Esquibel pulled off the distance triple in last Thursday's Class 5A regional at the Olathe District Athletic Complex. A returning state medalist, Esquibel won the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 23.42 seconds and followed that up with a win in the 800 in 1:59.55 and a victory in the 3,200 in 9:42.42 to qualify for Friday and Saturday's 5A state meet at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium.

Grace Proctor

GRACE PROCTOR, Shawnee Heights

Proctor, a sophomore, pitched a complete-game one-hitter and recorded 13 strikeouts last Tuesday as Shawnee Heights earned a berth in Thursday and Friday's Class 5A state softball tournament at Wichita State's Wilkins Stadium with a 3-0 win over United Kansas Conference rival De Soto in a regional final at Piper. Proctor allowed only a sixth-inning double as Shawnee Heights improved to 15-7 with its third win of the season over the Wildcats.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

NOTE: Top.Sports.news will compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2023 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Coaches should designate whether times were fully automatic (FAT) or hand-timed. FAT times for individual sprints are considered .024 of a second faster than hand times. TopSports.news will rank the Top 5 in each event.

BOYS

100 METERS

Richardson, Highland Park            10.49

Smith, Shawnee Heights               10.74

Dunshee, Hayden                          10.76

Peoples, Topeka High                    10.96

Merritt, Seaman                             10.99

200 METERS

Richardson, Highland Park          21.5

Murph, Topeka High                     22.16

Cochran, Seaman                        22.34

Smith, Shawnee Heights              22.35

Peoples, Topeka High                  22.53

Hayden sophomore Jensen Schrickel is the Shawnee County leader in the 400-meter dash. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]

400 METERS

Schrickel, Hayden                         49.83

Roeder, Cair Paravel                     50.70

Roney, Washburn Rural                51.72

Benz, Shawnee Heights                51.89

Chooncharoen, Washburn Rural   51.96

800 METERS

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights           1:59.55

Moore, Seaman                             2:00.12

Johnson, Washburn Rural             2:00.55

Anderson, Seaman                        2:01.30

Stuke, Seaman                               2:01.5

Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge (left) and Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel are the Shawnee County leaders in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]

1,600 METERS

Njoroge, Topeka West                     4:17.71

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights            4:20.46

Dial, Washburn Rural                      4:33.13

Johnson, Washburn Rural               4:33.46

Jowers, Seaman                              4:43.66

3,200 METERS

Njoroge, Topeka West                    9:20.08

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights           9:25.23

Johnson, Washburn Rural             9:51.59

Dial, Washburn Rural                     9:51.97

Jowers, Seaman                          10:05.32