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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Washburn Rural wrestling state Landen Kocher-Munoz, a four-time Class 6A state finalist and a three-time state champion, has been named TopSports.news' Shawnee County boys senior athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 season.

Washburn Rural's Landen Kocher-Munoz became the third boys wrestler in Topeka history to win three state championships this past season. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]

Kocher-Munoz was earlier named the Shawnee County wrestler of the year for 2025-2026 after winning the 144-pound 6A title with a 39-4 record on the season while helping lead the Junior Blues to their third straight third-place 6A team finish.

Kocher-Munoz, who swept Centennial League, regional and state individual crowns as a senior, became only the third boys wrestler in Topeka history to capture three individual state championships, joining former NCAA champion and multi-time Olympian Melvin Douglas (1979-1981) and former Washburn Rural teammate Easton Broxterman (2023-2025).

Washburn Rural's Landen Kocher-Munoz ended his high school wrestling career with a 142-17 record and three state titles. [File photo/TSN]

Kocher-Munoz sandwiched the 2023 state title at 120 pounds and the 2025 state title at 138 pounds championship around a runnerup finish at 138 pounds in 2024.

He finished his career with a 142-17 overall record. 

Next up: Washburn University women's athlete of the year finalists.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Shawnee Heights' annual Battle of the Bigs Lineman Challenge, which focuses on football's unsung heroes in the trenches, will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7th, at Shawnee Heights.

Linemen will compete in nine non-contact measured events, including the 40-yard scoop and score, tractor tire flip, pro agility grill, 10-yard sled pull, 185-pound bench press, medicine ball toss, 10-yard sled drive, pursuit drill and the obstacle course.

For a registration fee of $25 per person, participants will get a T-shirt, food and drinks after the competition and will compete to win a team plaque as well as individual medals for top performer (Class 6A, 5A, 4A and lower classes) plus a bucket hat or visor for top five or top in their class.

Checks should be made payable to Shawnee Heights football.

For more information contact Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift at 913-908-7878.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Silver Lake four-sport star Kailyn Hanni has been named TopSports.news' Shawnee County girls senior athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 season.

 Kailyn Hanni, a state champ in basketball and softball and a state medalist in golf and track and field as a senior, has been named the TopSports.news girls athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 school year. [File photo/TSN]

Hanni was named the TSN winter girls senior athlete of the year after leading Silver Lake to its second Class 3A state basketball championship in three seasons and was a finalist for the fall and spring athlete of the year awards.

A 5-foot-7 point guard, Hanni was named Miss Kansas Basketball by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association in 2025-2026 was also named the Shawnee County Player of the Year as a senior after helping lead the Eagles to a 28-1 record and earning all-county first-team honors for the third time.

Hanni finished her high school career with 1,404 points, 585 assists, 563 rebounds and 339 steals, finishing No. 1 on Silver Lake's all-time list in assists and steals and finishing No. 3 in career scoring.

She also set a single-game school scoring record with 39 points and a single-game assist mark with 12, reaching that total on three occasions.

Kailyn Hanni helped Silver Lake win the Class 3A softball title as a senior after back-to-back state runnerup finishes. [File photo/TSN] 

Hanni helped lead Silver Lake to the Class 3A state softball championship this past spring and also doubled up in track and field, placing third in the 3A javelin hours after the Eagles' 4-0 win over Southeast of Saline in the state softball final.

Hanni was a first-team All-Shawnee County pick in both softball and track and earned All-3A first-team honors in softball.

Silver Lake senior Kailyn Hanni, a former state team champion in golf, placed fifth in the Class 3A-1A state tournament as a senior. [Photo by Brent Maycock/KSHSAA Covered]

Hanni earned All-Shawnee County first-team golf honors last fall after finishing fifth in the 2025 3A-1A state tournament with a 36-hole total of 164 (81-83).

She captured regional and Big East League championships en route to earning first-team All-3A-1A honors.

Hanni helped Silver Lake win the state title as a sophomore and post a second-place finish (losing on a tiebreaker) as a junior.

The Silver Lake star will play college basketball at Fort Hays State.

Next up: Boys senior athlete of the year.