Silver Lake Eagles
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brody Anderson
BRODY ANDERSON, Seaman
Anderson, a senior cross country standout, posted his third individual victory of the season in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at the Shawnee North Community Center. A Class 5A state medalist in cross country and track, Anderson clocked a winning five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 25.07 seconds.
Brynn Anderson
BRYNN ANDERSON, Washburn Rural
A 5-foot-11 freshman, Anderson had a big week for the No. 6-ranked (Class 6A) Washburn Rural volleyball team, helping lead the 16-4 Junior Blues to seven straight victories, including five straight wins in Saturday's Centennial League tournament at Rural as the hosts claimed the league championship while dropping just one set on the day.
Elise Eckert
ELISE ECKERT, Seaman
A senior golf star, Eckert followed up her city championship with the title in last Monday's United Kansas Conference tournament at Shawnee Country Club. A three-time Class 5A state medalist, Eckert shot a 73 to post an eight-stroke victory as Seaman captured its fourth straight UKC title by 52 strokes.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake football took control in the second half to extend its win streak to three games Friday night with a 47-7 non-league home win over Baldwin.
Kipton Kruger, Silver Lake
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
The 3-2 Eagles trailed 7-6 midway through the second quarter before ending the game with 41 unanswered points to turn the game into a rout.
Senior Bryson Burgos scored on a 7-yard run to give Silver Lake a slim 13-7 halftime advantage before the Eagles outscored the 3-2 Bulldogs 20-0 in the third quarter and 14-0 in the fourth.
Junior Owen Rottinghaus began Silver Lake's big second half with an 80-yard kickoff return before freshman quarterback Kipton Kruger and senior receiver Dayne Johnson connected on touchdown passes of 78, 17 and 4 yards.
Sophomore Jake Workman scored Silver Lake's final TD on a 27-yard run.
Now 3-2 overall, the Eagles will return to Class 2A District 4 play next Friday, traveling to Riley County.
Silver Lake is 1-0 in the district while Riley County is 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the district.
Rossville improves to 2-0 in 1A district play with 55-6 romp
Rossville improved to 2-0 in the Class 1A District 2 race Friday night with a 55-6 home romp past Mission Valley.
The Bulldawgs, now 4-1 overall, took control with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, from Landen Lewis on an 8-yard run and from Andre Johnson on a 38-yard run, and scored 29 points in the second quarter to build a huge 43-6 halftime advantage over the Vikings (3-2, 1-1).
Canann Mitchell, Rossville
Conner Bush scored a pair of second-quarter TDs on runs of 52 and 25 yards while quarterback Canann Mitchell completed a 25-yard TD pass to Cameron Miller and a 35-yard scoring strike to Cale Horak.
Mitchell added a 52-yard touchdown run in the third quarter before Ryder Foster finished the Bulldawgs' scoring with a 29-yard pick six.
Mitchell completed 7 of 8 passes for 125 yards and the twoTDs and carried the ball three times for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Bush scored on both of his carries while Johnson carried the ball four times for 55 yards and a TD and Miller had four catcthes for 80 yards and a score.
Rossville will face Cair Paravel Latin Friday night at Washburn's Yager Stadium.
Unbeaten Hayden routs Hiawatha, 51-0
Hayden opened Class 3A District 4 play with a 51-0 road romp past Hiawatha Friday night, improving to 5-0 on the season.
The Wildcats took control with a 22-point opening quarter and led 29-0 at halftime.
Hayden finished off the rout with a 22-point third quarter to build its final margin.
The Wildcats will be at home next Friday to host Holton in a district game. Holton is 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the district after a 27-17 Friday night loss to Jefferson West.
Seaman stretches win streak to three games with 48-8 romp past Lansing
Seaman won its third straight United Kansas Conference game Friday night, rolling to a 48-8 road win at Lansing.
The Vikings are now 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the UKC.
Seaman will be at home Friday to face UKC and city rival Shawnee Heights.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake freshman football quarterback Kipton Kruger and Seaman junior tennis star Emma Sweeney have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the accomplishments of Kruger and Sweeney over the past week.
Kipton Kruger, Silver Lake
KIPTON KRUGER, Silver Lake
The only starting freshman quarterback at any of the 10 Shawnee County high schools, Kruger has helped lead Silver Lake to back-to-back victories, including a 21-6 Big East League win over St. Marys last Friday.
On the season Kruger has completed 73 of 107 pass attempts (68.2 percent completions) for 753 yards and five touchdowns over the 2-2 Eagles' first four games.
Kruger has also carried the ball 15 times for 81 yards entering Friday's home game against Baldwin.
Emma Sweeney, Seaman
EMMA SWEENEY, Seaman
Sweeney captured the No. 1 singles title in last Thursday's city championships at Kossover Tennis Center while leading Seaman to the team championship.
Sweeney went 3-0 in the city meet without dropping a game, posting three straight 8-0 wins to help the Vikings win the team title by a 32-28 margin over Washburn Rural.
Sweeney, fourth in Class 5A last season, followed up her city title with a championship in Tuesday's 11-school Topeka West Invitational, helping Seaman win the team crown.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
(Allkickoffs at 7 p.m.)
John Hoytal, Washburn Rural [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH (3-1, 1-0 Centennial) at WASHBURN RURAL (3-1, 0-0 Centennial)
Both Topeka High and Washburn Rural are coming off victories, with the Trojans opening Centennial League play wih a 13-12 home win over Emporia while the Junior Blues rolled to a 31-7 non-league road win at Blue Valley Northwest. Friday is Rural's Centennial League opener. Junior Blues senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for three touchdowns against Northwest while junior Jadyn Baum caught a touchdown pass and ran for a TD and senior Brody Haas picked off two passes, returning one for a TD. Topeka High's defense came up big in last week's win over Emporia, including stuffing the Spartans' two-point conversion attempt to preserve the Trojans' one-point lead.
Aiden Scott, Shawnee Heights [File photo/TSN]
DE SOTO (3-1, 3-1 UKC) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-3, 1-2 UKC)
Both teams are coming off United Kansas Conference losses, with De Soto dropping a 42-38 nailbiter to undefeated Basehor-Linwood while Shawnee Heights fell 43-29 on the road at Leavenworth. Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott has completed 95 of 153 passes for 1,330 yards and 12 touchdowns while senior AJ Gallegos has a team-high 28 catches for 391 yards and a pair of TDs and junior Dallas Owens has 27 receptions for 312 yards and two TDs. Senior David Wakes has 281 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 60 attemps. Senior Dayton Vanderpool leads Heights with 36 tackles, including 23 solo stops.
Jackson McGivern, Hayden [File photo/TSN]
HAYDEN (4-0, 0-0 Class 3A District 4) at HIAWATHA (1-3, 0-1 Class 3A District 4)
Hayden is coming of a 42-7 home win over Wamego, with the Wildcats avenging one of their two defeats in the 2024 season, while Hiawatha opened Class 3A District 4 play with a 12-7 loss to Jefferson West. Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika hit Jackson McGivern, Xander Blasing and Kade Mitchell for touchdowns and Hanika also ran for a TD in the Wildcats' win. Junior Mason Becker returned a pass interception for a touchdown and also went 6 for 6 on extra-point kicks.
Quentin Moravec, Seaman [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN (2-2, 2-1 UKC) at LANSING (2-2, 2-1 UKC)
Seaman won its second straight game last Friday, a 56-6 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner, while Lansing took a 36-20 conference win over Topeka West. Seaman sophomore running back Quentin Moravec has carried the ball 70 times for 510 yards and nine touchdowns while junior quarterback Cale Ketter has completed 68 of 102 passes for 892 yards and 11 TDs. Junior Josh Brown has 20 pass receptions for 266 yards and six TDs. Senior Cameron Brian leads the Vikings with 54 tackles, including 28 solo stops and five tackles for loss.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four Shawnee County schools continue to earn Top 10 spots in the Kansas Volleyball Association's state rankings released Wednesday, led by Class 3A Silver Lake, which is ranked No. 1 for the fourth straight week.
Silver Lake volleyball is ranked No. 1 in the KVA Class 3A state rankings for the fourth straight week. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake was 22-1 at the time of the rankngs, with the Eagles' lone loss coming against 5A Shawnee Heights.
Hayden (14-5) is ranked No. 3 in 4A while Rossville (14-6) is ranked fifth in 2A while Washburn Rural (9-4) is No. 6-ranked in 6A.
Kansas Volleyball Association State Rankings
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Defending Class 1A District 2 champion Rossville opened defense of its district crown with a 69-0 road romp past Maranatha Christian Academy Friday night.
Rossville senior quarterback Canann Mitchell threw for four touchdowns and ran for a TD in Friday's 69-0 win over Maranatha Academy. [File photo/TSN]
Now 3-1 overall, the Bulldawgs put the game out of reach with a 34-point opening quarter and added 21 points to open up a 55-0 halftime cushion before scoring its final two touchdowns of the night in the third quarter.
Bulldawg senior Jack Donovan set the tone for the night when he returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.
Senior Conner Bush and senior Canann Mitchell followed Donovan's TD with 51 and 47-yard scores and Mitchell completed a 55-yard touchdown strike to Landen Lewis and a 42-yard scoring pass to senior Cameron Miller to close out the first quarter.
Andre Johnson opened the second-quarter scoring with a 31-yard run and Mitchell followed with an 11-yard TD pass to Lewis and a 27-yard scoring pass to Miller.
Dalen Dick scored on a 20-yard run and Ryder Foster scored from 3 yards out for the Bulldawgs' final touchdown.
Rossville will be at home next Friday to host Mission Valley.
Washburn Rural senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for two touchdowns in Thursday's 31-7 road win over Blue Valley Northwest. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Blues roll to 31-7 road win
Washburn Rural improved to 3-1 on the season, equaling its win total from the 2024 campaign, with a wire-to-wire 31-7 non-league road romp past Blue Valley Northwest Thursday night.
The Junior Blues never trailed after getting a 35-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback John Hoytal to junior Jadyn Baum with 1:10 left in the first quarter.
A 36-yard pass play from Hoytal to junior Gavin Vantuyl set up a 4-yard TD run from Baum that put Washburn Rural in front 14-0 midway through the second quarter.
After Northwest cut its deficit to 14-7 junior Ryan Austin connected on a 28-yard field goal to put the Junior Blues in front 17-7 with 50 seconds left in the half.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake junior volleyball standout Kylie Hanni and Seaman sophomore football standout Quentin Moravec have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Hanni and Moravec over the past week:
Kylie Hanni, Silver Lake
KYLIE HANNI, Silver Lake
A 5-foot-3 setter, Hanni has helped lead Silver Lake to a 22-1 record and the No. 1 spot in the Kansas Volleyball Association Class 3A state rankings for the last three weeks.
Hanni, who is among the state's assist leaders for all classes, helped Silver Lake post a perfect 5-0 record last Saturday on the way to the championship in the Rossville Invitational, with wins over Holton, Jefferson West, Ottawa, Valley Falls and Wamego, including straight-set wins in four or its five matches on the day.
Hanni and the Eagles, whose lone loss came against 5A Shawnee Heights, followed up the tourney title with Big East League wins over Jefferson West and Sabetha.
Quentin Moravec, Seaman
QUENTIN MORAVEC, Seaman
Moravec, a 6-foot, 180-pound running back, carried the ball 17 times for 196 yards and two touchdowns last Friday night at Hummer Sports Park as Seaman notched its first victory of the season in a 61-0 United Kansas Conference win over Topeka West.
Moravec, who has given the Vikings a big lift after an opening-game injury to standout Kaden McKinney, scored on runs of 39 and 44 yards as the Vikings improved to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the UKC.
Through four games Moravec has carried the ball 58 times for 426 yards and six touchdowns.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(Allkickoffs at 7 p.m.)
THURSDAY'S GAMES
Josiah Wilkie, Topeka West
LANSING (1-2, 1-1 UKC) vs. TOPEKA WEST (0-3, 0-3 UKC)
At Hummer Sports Park
Topeka West is coming off a 61-0 United Kansas Conference loss to Seaman while Lansing dropped a 40-15 non-league loss to Tonganoxie last week. Junior running back Damon Webb, senior wide receiver Gad Munganga and sophomore quarterback Josiah Wilkie are top players for Topeka West. Lansing junior quarterback Caden Garcia has completed 28 of 60 passes for 403 yards and 3 TDs while junior running back Jaxon Pollard has rushed for 362 yards and 8 TDs 59 attempts.
Kellan Roth, Washburn Rural
WASHBURN RURAL (2-1) at BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST (2-1)
Both Washburn Rural and Blue Valley Northwest suffered their first losses of the season last week, with Rural dropping a 60-28 non-league decision to Missouri state champion Platte County and Blue Valley Northwest falling to St. James Academy, 21-7. Northwest junior quarterback Aidan Ihm has completed 46 of 70 passes for 604 yards and 7 touchdowns while senior running back LJ Bowens has carried the ball 40 times for 268 yards and 3 TDs. Senior quarterback John Hoytal and senior wide receiver Kellan Roth are both off to hot starts this fall for Washburn Rural.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Kade Mitchell, Hayden
WAMEGO (2-1) at HAYDEN (3-0)
Hayden will get the opportunity to avenge one of its two losses in the 2024 season Friday night against the visiting Red Raiders. Wamego is coming off a 34-8 win over Marysville last Friday while Hayden rolled to a 46-7 road win over Kansas-City Bishop Ward and has now outscored its three opponents by a 123-13 margin. Wamego junior quarterback Logan Fulton has completed 32 of 53 passes for 562 yards and 4 TDs. Seniors Connor Hanika and Kade Mitchell and junior Mason Becker have been key offensive threats for the Wildcats.
Ricardo Dowd, Topeka High
EMPORIA (2-1, 0-0 Centennial) vs. TOPEKA HIGH (2-1, 0-0 Centennial)
At Hummer Sports Park
Both Emporia and Topeka High will be opening Centennial League play Friday night. The Spartans have won their last two games by a 102-6 margin, including a 50-0 non-league romp past Coffeyville last week. The Trojans were shut out 6-0 by Wichita Southeast last Thursday. Topeka High will be looking for a big night from senior quarterback Zane Smith, while sophomore running back Ricardo Dowd has also been an offensive threat for the Trojans.
Cale Ketter, Seaman
KANSAS CITY-TURNER (0-3, 0-3 UKC) at SEAMAN (1-2, 1-1 UKC)
Seaman rolled to a 61-0 United Kansas Conference win over Topeka West last Friday while Turner dropped a 56-0 conference decision to Leavenworth. Seaman junior quarterback Cale Ketter has completed 53 of 81 pass attempts for 628 yards and 7 touchdowns, including five against West. Junior running back Quentin Moravec has carried the ball 58 times for 426 yards and 6 TDs while junior Josh Brown has 16 pass receptions for 207 yards and 4 TDs.
Aiden Scott, Shawnee Heights
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-2, 1-1 UKC) at LEAVENWORTH (2-1, 2-1)
Shawnee Heights dropped a 35-22 United Kansas Conference decision to Basehor-Linwood last Friday while Leavenworth rolled to a 56-0 UKC win over KC-Turner. T-Bird senior quarterback Aiden Scott has completed 69 of 116 passes for 921 yards and 9 touchdowns. Senior David Wakes has 217 rushing yards and 3 TDs on 56 attempts while senior AJ Gallegos has caught 19 passes for 234 yards and senior Tyren Parker has 10 catches for 245 yards and 2 touchdows.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four Shawnee County schools continue to earn Top 10 spots in the Kansas Volleyball Association's Week 2 state rankings released Wednesday, led by Class 4A Hayden and 3A Silver Lake, who are ranked No. 1 for the third straight week.
Hayden is a perfect 14-0 on the season while Silver Lake is 20-1.
Undefeated Hayden is top-ranked in Class 4A by the KVA for the third straight week. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake volleyball continues to be No. 1-ranked in Class 3A after winning the Rossville tournament last Saturday. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville (13-5) is ranked fourth in 2A while Washburn Rural (5-2) is No. 6-ranked in 6A.
Current classifications for the rankings are based on enrollments from the 2024-25 school year.
The rankings will be adjusted next week when the updated KSHSAA classifications are released.
Kansas Volleyball Association State Rankings
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Austin Broadie, Washburn University
AUSTIN BROADIE, Washburn University
A 6-foot senior outside hitter, Broadie helped lead No. 9-ranked Washburn volleyball to a perfect 3-0 record in the Central Missouri tournament on Friday and Saturday in Warrensburg, Mo. as the Ichabods improved to 11-0 on the season. Broadie registered a career-high 25 kills in Washburn's final match of the weekend, a five-set thriller over Ouachita Baptist.
Dayne Johnson
DAYNE JOHNSON, Silver Lake
Johnson, a senior standout on both sides of the ball for the Silver Lake football team, helped lead the way Friday night as the Eagles picked up their first win of the season, a 19-6 home Big East League decision over Perry-Lecompton. A multi-sport standout, Johnson caught 17 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown from freshman quarterback Kipton Kruger against the Kaws.
Cale Ketter
CALE KETTER, Seaman
Ketter, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound junior quarterback, completed 12 of 15 passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns Friday night as Seaman picked up its first win of the season, a 61-0 United Kansas Conference romp past Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park. Ketter hit Josh Brown for 18 and 32-yard touchdown, Noah Kobuszewski for a 78-yard score, Jayden Evans for a 39-yard strike and Coy Barta for a 27-yard TD.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Legendary Silver Lake football coach CJ Hamilton was honored prior to the Eagles’ home game Friday for his induction to the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame.
Silver Lake legend CJ Hamilton was officially inducted into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame Friday night by KSHSAA former executive director Gary Musselman (left) and current executive director Bill Faflick. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Standing on the sideline of the field named in his honor, where he guided the Eagles for 47 years, Hamilton was presented a plaque by KSHSAA executive director Bill Faflick and former executive director Gary Musselman.
“I’m deeply honored, primarily because I’m representing my former players who are loyal to our program, and the great assistant coaches, and a community that was committed and sacrificed for those kids,” Hamilton said. “There are a lot of great coaches (in the KSHSAA Hall of Fame) and to be put in the category with all those other great coaches is just a great honor. I’m happy to represent this community and this school in the hall of fame.”
Hamilton was one of five individuals selected for induction to the hall of fame last December. The Eagles took advantage of their first home game of the season to celebrate Hamilton’s induction, with a number of his former players, as well as family and friends, on hand.
“It is special for the Silver Lake community, where many former players are in attendance, to be able to be a part of CJ’s induction into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame,” said Silver Lake Athletic Director David Schooler. “Hosting this event on the field that he coached for so many years is extra special.”
Hamilton’s resume is unmatched. He retired in 2021 with a football coaching record of 447-98. No coach in Kansas history has approached the 400-win mark. He led the Eagles to 39 league titles and 18 appearances in the state championship game, winning eight – the most titles by any coach in Kansas history.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
On a night when CJ Hamilton was honored by the Kansas State High School Activities Association for building Silver Lake into a football powerhouse, the Eagles picked up their first win of the season, defeating Perry-Lecompton 19-6 on the field named for the legendary coach.
Legendary Silver Lake coach CJ Hamilton was welcomed into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame Friday by former KSHSAA executive director Gary Musselman (left) and current executive director Bill Faflick. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Silver Lake spent all night in the red zone, while Perry-Lecompton ran just one play in their opponent’s territory all night. Yet the game remained in doubt until late in the fourth period because the Eagles just couldn’t deliver the knockout punch. The home team saw four drives end on fourth-and-goal situations at the 1, 9, 3 and 6-yard lines.
“I’ve got to be better in the red zone as a play caller, so that’s nothing on the kids,” said Silver Lake coach Logan Pegram. “There’s no reason we should be able to walk down the field and then get inside the red zone and not be able to move them. So that’s on the (offensive) line coach, and that’s me.”
The Silver Lake defense more than made up for the offense’s struggles in the first half. Defensive end Jayden Waterer was a one-man wrecking crew. The senior blocked a Kaw punt at midfield on the first drive of game, recovered the ball and returned it to the Perry-Lecompton 13-yard line. The Eagles took advantage of the short field to punch in a 2-yard touchdown run by Bryson Burgos.
Later in the first period, Waterer sacked the Kaw quarterback in the end zone for a safety.
On the ensuing possession, a long Silver Lake drive culminated with a Dayne Johnson touchdown on a jet sweep. The Eagles led 16-0 early in the second period and appeared on their way to a blowout.
The Kaws punted on their next possession, but were helped by Silver Lake penalties to continue the series at the Eagle 43-yard line. On the only play the Kaws ran in Eagle territory all game, quarterback Garrett Metcalfe connected with Kayden Baker on a bomb that gave the visitors their only score.
The Eagles did not reach the end zone again, but moved the ball freely up and down the field behind freshman quarterback Kip Kruger.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
THURSDAY'S GAME
(Kickoff at 7 p.m.)
Zane Smith, Topeka High
WICHITA SOUTHEAST (1-1) at TOPEKA HIGH (2-0)
Topeka High will be playing its second Thursday night game in the first three weeks of the season and will be looking to start the season 3-0 after beginnning the 2024 season 4-0. The Trojans are coming off a 28-20 come-from-behind road win over Wichita Heights while Wichita Southeast lost 33-6 to Bishop Carroll last week. Senior quarterback Zane Smith is off to a hot start this fall for Topeka High while sophomore running back Ricardo Dowd is in the midst of a breakout season.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
(Highland Park-KC Schlagle kickoff at 4 p.m.)
(All other kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
G'Honi Montgomery, Highland Park
KC-SCHLAGLE (1-1, 1-0) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (2-0, 2-0 Meadowlark)
At Hummer Sports Park
The undefeated Scots will play the first game of a city doubleheader at Hummer Sports Park, kicking off at 4 p.m. Highland Park has yet to be tested thus far, rolling to Meadowlark Conference wins over Kansas City-Wyandotte and last week's 44-16 victory over KC-Sumner. Schlagle is coming off a 44-0 win over Wyandotte last week. Scot junior JoJo Kingcannon has rushed for 247 yards on just nine carries while junior G'Honi Montgomery has rushed for 187 yards on 26 carries. Montgomery scored three touchdowns last week, including a pair of kickoff returns for TDs.
SEAMAN (0-2, 0-1) vs. TOPEKA WEST (0-2, 0-2)
At Hummer Sports Park
Seaman and Topeka West will play the second game of Friday's twinbill at Hummer Sports Park, with the Vikings and Chargers both looking for their first victories in the United Kansas Conference contest. Seaman is coming off a 41-21 non-league loss to Shawnee Mission East while Topeka West dropped a 76-35 UKC decision to Shawneee Heights. Seaman junior quarterback Cale Ketter has completed 41 of 66 passes for 348 yards and two TDs while sophomore Quentin Moravec has carried the ball 40 times for 227 yards and four scores. West sophomore quarterback Josiah Wilkie completed 19 of 46 passes for 323 yards and three TDs against Shawnee Heights. Jayden Lindsay accounted for 155 yards receiving while Gad Munganga added 125 yards receiving.
Kellan Roth, Washburn Rural
PLATTE COUNTY, MO. (3-0) at WASHBURN RURAL (2-0)
Washburn Rural is coming off a thrilling 31-30 come-from-behind non-league win over Blue Valley last Friday while Platte County rolled to a 46-7 win over Fort Osage, Mo. The Pirates went 14-0 and captured a Missouri state title in 2024 and have outscored their first three opponents by a 156-37 margin this season. Rural quarterback John Hoytal threw for four TDs last week, including three to senior Kellan Roth. Junior Ryan Austin kicked a 31-yard field goal and the game-winning extra point against Blue Valley.
Canann Mitchell, Rossville
NEMAHA CENTRAL (2-0, 1-0) at ROSSVILLE (2-0, 2-0)
Rossville pulled out its second straight nail-biting Big East League win last Friday, edging St. Marys, 40-34, while Nemaha Central topped Big East League foe Silver Lake, 42-7. Rossville senior quarterback Canann Mitchell has completed 26 of 45 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns and carried the ball 33 times for 219 yards and three TDs. Senior Cameron Miller has caught 11 passes for 152 yards and two TDs.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four Shawnee County schools continue to earn Top 10 spots in the Kansas Volleyball Association's Week 2 state rankings released Wednesday, led by Class 4A Hayden and 3A Silver Lake, who are ranked No. 1 for the second straight week.
Hayden volleyball is ranked No. 1 in the KVA Week 2 Class 4A state rankings. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake volleyball is ranked No. 1 in the KVA Class 3A state rankings for the second straight week. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden is 12-0 on the season after winning the Baldwin Invitational last weekend while Silver Lake was 11-1 on the season at the time of the rankings, with the Eagles' lone loss coming against 5A Shawnee Heights.
Rossville, 9-0, made a jump from No. 4 to No. 2 in the 2A rankings while Washburn Rural (5-2) is ranked No. 7 in 6A.
Current classifications for the rankings are based on enrollments from the 2024-25 school year.
The rankings will be adjusted when the updated KSHSAA classifications are released at the end of September.
Kansas Volleyball Association Week 2 State Rankings
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports greats Jerad Head, Trey Lewis, Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik and the late Bob Davis were inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on Monday at Washburn University.
Steven Davis (son of the late Bob Davis), Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik, Jerad Head and Trey Lewis pose for a picture after being inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
A Silver Lake native, Stolle was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. Stolle led the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981. Her career pitching record was 66-15, and she picked up six saves during her career.
Former Emporia softball national champion and player of the year Brenda Stolle speaks during Monday's Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame induction ceremony. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
During the 1980 championship season, Stolle compiled an 0.33 earned run average. She received numerous honors, including all-American honors twice, NAIA most valuable player in 1981, and Kansas Female Athlete of the Year from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Brenda Stolle receives her Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame award from Topeka Area Sports Commission executive director Mike Bell. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Stolle was the first female ever inducted into the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor in 1988 and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
"My experience at Emporia State was pretty unique,'' Stolle said. "Some of the things that might surprise you is that every year all of us tried out for the team. There were two weeks and every year all of us tried out and you didn't know for sure if you were on the team or who else was on the team. We all walked on and we were all Kansas girls.
"Before every game we prayed together and we played hard. We worked together as a team and it was about the team and there's something wonderful about working with a group of people where you're working on behalf of the team.''
Head earned All-Class 4A honors in football, basketball and baseball at Hayden and played basketball and baseball at Washburn University before being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 2006.
Former Major Leaguer Jerad Head was inducted into the Topeka Shawnee Sports Hall of Fame Monday at Washburn, where he was a standout in baseball and basketball. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Head was promoted to the majors on August 28, 2011 and played in 10 games as a left fielder and pinch hitter.
Jerad Head receives his Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame award from Topeka Area Sports Commission executive director Mike Bell. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Head also played Minor League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals organizations before ending his playing career in 2013. He was named as manager of the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League in 2016 and managed through 2018.
"Thanks to the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame,'' Head said. "I'm very honored and very humbled. I don't think people realize the amount of people that come out of here. Just right now we have a player in the big leagues (Ryan Zeferjahn), we have the SEC volleyball player of the year (Brooklyn DeLeye) and probably the greatest softball player in Topeka history (NiJaree Canady).''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports greats Jerad Head, Trey Lewis, Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik and the late Bob Davis will be inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on Monday at Washburn University.
The Topeka Area Sports Commission will host the 20th annual Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame induction ceremony from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Washburn's Memorial Union.
Head was a multi-sport star at Hayden and Washburn University before embarking on a long career in professional baseball, including a Major League stint with the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians).
Lewis was a standout at Washburn Rural and earned NCAA Division II All-America honors as a defensive lineman before being drafted by the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons.
Stolle, a Silver Lake graduate, was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. During that time, she guided the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981.
Zlatnik was a star lineman and three-time state wrestling champion at Rossville before becoming a three-year starter in the offensive line for the University of Kansas.
A Topeka West graduate, Davis carved out a legendary broadcasting career, including long stints for the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Royals.
The 2025 Hall of Fame event will feature a luncheon followed by the official program.
Established in 2006, the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame continues its mission to preserve and honor the legacies of those who have significantly advanced athletics in Shawnee County.
Hall of Fame Class of 2025 capsules:
Jerad Head
JERAD HEAD
Head earned All-Class 4A honors in football, basketball and baseball at Hayden and played basketball and baseball at Washburn University before being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 2006.
Head was promoted to the majors on August 28, 2011 and played in 10 games as a left fielder and pinch hitter.
Head also played Minor League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals organizations before ending his playing career in 2013.
He was named as manager of the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League in 2016 and managed through 2018.
Trey Lewis
TREY LEWIS
After graduating from Washburn Rural, Lewis played for the Washburn Ichabod football team from 2003-06 as a defensive lineman and became the first Ichabod to be named to the Associated Press Little All-American team since 1963. Lewis was also named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American team after recording 62 tackles as a senior with 36 solo stops, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Lewis finished his career at Washburn with 156 total tackles, including 68 solo stops, 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Lewis was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 6th round as the 185th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
He played from 2007-11 for the Falcons, appearing in 31 games.
Brenda Stolle
BRENDA STOLLE
A Silver Lake native, Stolle was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. Stolle led the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981. Her career pitching record was 66-15, and she picked up six saves during her career.
During the 1980 championship season, Stolle compiled an 0.33 earned run average. She received numerous honors, including all-American honors twice, NAIA most valuable player in 1981, and Kansas Female Athlete of the Year from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Stolle was the first female ever inducted into the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor in 1988 and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Duane Zlatnik
DUANE ZLATNIK
Zlatnik starred in football and wrestling at Rossville before becoming a three-year starter in the offensive line at Kansas.
Zlatnik was a three-time state wrestling champion for the Bulldawgs and finished his career with a 148-13 record and a school-record 110 pins. He was a two-time All-Stater and Kansas Shrine Bowl pick in football.
Zlatnik was an All-Big 12 honoree for the Jayhawks and made 27 consecutive starts at right and left guard.
He is currently an assistant football and wrestling coach at Washburn Rural.
Bob Davis
BOB DAVIS (Inducted posthumously)
A Topeka West graduate, Davis passed away on March 20 at the age of 80 after a legendary career in sports broadcasting.
Davis was the "Voice of the Jayhawks" for more than 30 years before retiring in 2016. Davis called eight KU trips to the Final Four, six football bowl games, including the 2008 Orange Bowl, and thousands of regular-season basketball and football games. Davis was also on the call for the 1988 and 2008 men's basketball national championship victories. In 1997 Davis joined the Kansas City Royals, calling games for radio and television for the franchise for 16 years.
A 48-year veteran of broadcasting in the state of Kansas, Davis was born in Iola and grew up in Topeka, where he graduated from West in 1962. Davis stayed in Topeka to attend Washburn, where he graduated in 1967 with a degree in history.
Davis is a member of numerous Halls of Fame, including the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for four touchdowns, including three to senior Kellan Roth, capped by the game-tying strike with 7:15 left, as Washburn Rural pulled out a 31-30 non-league win over Blue Valley Friday night at Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
Washburn Rural senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for four touchdowns Friday night as the Junior Blues edged Blue Valley, 31-30. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Senior Kellan Roth caught three touchdown passes in Washburn Rural's 31-30 win over Blue Valley Friday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hoytal connected with Roth for 13 and 9-yard TD strikes before hooking up for the 9-yard score that tied the game at 30-30. Junior Ryan Austin broke the tie with the extra-point kick and the Junior Blues held on the rest of the way to improve to 2-0.
Hoytal also hit junior Gavin Vantuyl for a 15-yard touchdown while Austin kicked a 31-yard field goal in the first half.
Roth's first touchdown of the night put the Junior Blues up 7-0 and Austin's field goal broke a 7-7 tie.
Vantuyl's score at the 1:04 mark of the second quarter put Rural in front 16-14 at the half and Hoytal's 9-yard TD pass to Roth and a subsequent 2-point conversion gave the Junior Blues a 24-22 advantage midway through the third quarter.
Blue Valley regained the lead at 30-24 before the Junior Blues came through with the game-winning points.
Washburn Rural will host Platte County, Mo. next Friday.
Rossville senior quarterback Canann Mitchell ran for two touchdowns and threw for two TDs in Friday's 40-34 win over St. Marys. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville senior Andre Johnson (1) scored the game-winning touchdown in the Bulldawgs' 40-34 win over St. Marys Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Bulldawgs rally for 40-34 win over Bears
Rossville trailed much of the night and the game was tied with a minute left before senior Andre Johnson scored on a 4-yard run with 55 seconds remaining as the Bulldawgs pulled out a 40-34 Big East road win.
Rossville, now 2-0 overall and in the league, trailed 8-0, 16-6, 22-13 at the half and 28-20 after three quarters before pulling out the win with a 20-point fourth quarter.
Bulldawg senior quarterback Canann Mitchell ran for 56 and 3-yard runs and threw for an 11-yard TD to senior Jack Donovan and a 10-yard TD to senior Cameron Miller.
Johnson had a pair of touchdowns on the night, also scoring on a 3-yard run.
Rossville will be at home next Friday to host 2-0 Nemaha Central.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY'S GAMES
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
Shawnee Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns in last Friday's 51-41 loss to Washburn Rural. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka West junior Damon Webb is one of the area's top running backs. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA WEST (0-1, 0-1 UKC) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (0-1, 0-0 UKC)
Topeka West opened its season with a home 47-12 United Kansas Conference loss to De Soto while Shawnee Heights dropped a 51-41 home non-league decision to city rival Washburn Rural. Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott completed 30 of 52 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns against Rural while senior David Wakes carried the ball 21 times for 67 yards, senior Tyren Parker caught seven passes for 172 yards and two TDs and senior AJ Gallegos caught 10 passes for 113 yards. Top players for Topeka West include senior lineman Logan Hunninghake, senior wide receiver Gad Munganga and junior running back Damon Webb.
Junior running back G'Honi Montgomery rushed for 113 yards in Highland Park's 32-6 win at KC-Wyandotte last Friday. [File photo/TSN]
KC-SUMNER (0-1, 0-1 Meadowlark) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (1-0, 1-0 Meadowlark)
At Hummer Sports Park
Highland Park opened its quest for a fourth straight winning season with a 32-6 Meadowlark Conference road win at Kansas City-Wyandotte while KC-Sumner is coming off a 62-20 Meadowlark loss to KC-Washington. Highland Park junior running back G'Honi Montgomery rushed for 113 yards on 12 carries while junior JoJo Kingcannon had 103 yards on just four attempts and senior quarterback Dontrail Fox threw for a TD. Defensively junior Rayshon Pollard had seven tackles with two sacks.
OSAGE CITY (1-0, 0-0 Flint Hills) vs. CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (1-0, 1-0 Flint Hills)
At Yager Stadium, Washburn University
Cair Paravel rolled to a 60-14 Flint Hills League win over West Franklin in its 2025 opener at Washburn's Yager Stadium while Osage City opened with a 41-13 non-league win over Olpe. The Lions opened up a 20-0 first-quarter lead, led 26-8 at halftime and 52-8 at the start of the fourth quarter. Cair Paravel is one win away from equaling its win total in a 2-7 season last fall in its first season in the 11-man ranks.
SM EAST (1-0) at SEAMAN (0-1)
Seaman dropped a 33-22 United Kansas Conference home decision to Piper in its 2025 season-opener and will go outside league play to host Class 6A Shawnee Mission East Friday night. The Lancers are 1-0 after a 31-28 win over Olathe Northwest. Seaman junior quarterback Cale Ketter completed 30 of 42 passes for 192 yards against Piper while sophomore Quentin Moravec rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and junior Josh Brown caught 10 passes for 74 yards.
Junior Jadyn Baum (26) rushed for 84 yards and scored two touchdowns in Washburn Rural's 51-41 season-opening win over Shawnee Heights. [File photo/TSN]
BLUE VALLEY (1-0) at WASHBURN RURAL (1-0)
Washburn Rural outlasted city rival Shawnee Heights 51-41 at Heights last week while Blue Valley opened with a 28-21 win over Blue Valley Southwest. Rural senior quarterback John Hoytal completed 11 of 20 passes for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns while senior TJ Minikwu was 28 for 77 yards rushing and junior Jadyn Baum picked up a game-high 84 yards on 12 attempts. Minikwu and Baum scored two TDs apiece, while senior Nate Selm also had two TDs, including a 47-yard return of an onsides kick attempt.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Silver Lake volleyball coach Sarah Johnson was happy with the way her Class 3A Eagles battled in five of six sets in Thursday's Shawnee Heights quadrangular against the 5A T-Birds, 6A Manhattan and 5A Seaman.
Silver Lake senior Paige Winsor spikes the ball in Thursday's match against Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And Johnson was even happier with the way her Eagles bounced back after hitting their only stumbling block of the night.
After dropping a tight 25-23 decision in its first set of the night against Shawnee Heights, Silver Lake got steamrolled 25-12 by the T-Birds in the match-clinching second set.
But that was the top-ranked (3A) Eagles' only loss, with Silver Lake, now 10-1, rebounding to take a 25-20, 25-23 win over Seaman and a 25-16, 25-19 win over Manhattan, handing the seventh-ranked (6A) Indians their lone loss.
Silver Lake senior Paige Heiman (15) blocks a spike attempt in Thursday's match against Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"Overall, I'm very pleased,'' Johnson said. "There were a couple of moments at the beginning of the night that didn't go our way and we weren't playing like ourselves. We were a completely different team that Shawnee Heights match, especially that second set, than we were against Manhattan.
"I was really happy to see these girls just like level up. They were ready for the competition and they gave it their all and it was all of them on the court. I couldn't find a weakness, a weak girl, and I was really proud of all of them on the court. They didn't get down on themselves and I really see this crew as that kind of team. They're going to have errors, we're okay with it, and then we rally back.''
Junior setter Kylie Hanni was also proud of her team's performance, particularly after the loss to Heights.
"We did a good job of forgetting our mistakes and we just really pushed through it and I'm really happy with how it ended,'' Hanni said.
"This (playing bigger schools) really gives us a challenge and it always makes us better because we learn what we need to work on and just facing good competition is really good for us.''
Shawnee Heights senior Jadyn Euwer makes a return in Thursday's Shawnee Heights volleyball quadrangular. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Host Shawnee Heights also went 2-1 in the quadrangular and came within a third-set Manhattan rally of a perfect night.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rossville volleyball stretched its winning streak to seven matches with a dominating performance in Saturday's Rossville Invitational, with the Bulldawgs posting five straight-set victories to claim the tournament championship.
Rossville volleyball is now 7-0 on the 2025 season after winning its invitational tournament on Saturday with a 5-0 day. [Rossville volleyball]
Rossville, which was ranked No. 10 in the Kansas Volleyball Association Class 2A preseason state rankings, opened its day with a 25-11, 25-21 win over Waverly, followed by a 25-14, 25-23 win over Baldwin, a 25-20, 25-17 victory over Iola and a 25-19, 25-15 win over Iola before winning the tournament title with a 25-19, 25-19 win over Burlington.
Dani Dodge's Bulldawgs got a dominating performance at the net from junior Nora Burdiek, who registered double-digit kills in all five matches.
Burdiek had 11 kills against Waverly, 15 against Baldwin, 14 versus Iola, 12 against Wellsville and 12 kills in the Bulldawgs' final match win over Burlington.
Burdiek now has 90 kills on the season for the 7-0 Bulldawgs after posting 26 kills in a pair of Big East League wins over Sabetha earlier in the week.
Rossville also got a big day from freshman setter Kenna Perine on Saturday, with Perine contributing 117 assists in her five matches.
Perine registered 27 assists against Waverly, 21 against Baldwin, 24 against Iola, 21 against Wellsville and 24 against Burlington.
Perine had a total of 35 assists in her high school debut on Tuesday against Sabetha and now has 152 assists on the year.
Junior G'Honi Montgomery rushed for 113 yards on 12 carries in Friday's 32-6 Highland Park win at KC-Wyandotte. [File photo/TSN]
Scots roll to 32-6 season-opening win over Bulldawgs
Highland Park football began its quest for a fourth straight winning season Friday night with a 32-6 Meadowlark Conference road win over Kansas City-Wyandotte.
Scot junior G'Honi Montgomery rushed for 113 yards on just 12 attempts against Wyandotte while junior JoJo Kingcannon had 103 yards on just four carries.
Senior quarterback Dontrail Fox had 22 passing yards and a touchdown for Hi Park.
Defensively, junior Rayshon Pollard led the Scots with seven tackles while also recording a pair of sacks.
Highland Park will be at Hummer Park Friday to host KC-Sumner Academy in a Meadowlark Conference contest (7 p.m. kickoff).
