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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Tuesday's 2026 Shawnee Heights girl soccer season-opener didn't go the T-Birds' way, with a string of injuries derailing Heights in a 3-0 home non-league loss to Lawrence at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.

Shawnee Heights junior Nina Bolanos (left) battles Lawrence's Maggie Wagner for the ball in Tuesday's 3-0 T-Bird loss to the Lions. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Heights entered its season-opener with a couple of players already nursing minor injuries and the situation got a lot worse Tuesday, with T-Bird junior standouts Morgan Robinson, Nina Bolanos and Brylee Garner all leaving the game with injuries.

But if there was a bright spot for Nic Simons' T-Birds, it was that none of the injuries appeared to be series and that they happened early in the year and not in crunch time at the end of the season.

"If I'm going to get bit by the injury bug I'd rather have it Game 1 then going into the postseason,'' Simons said. "Like I said to the kids, this is 10 out of 10 times not the speech that I'd be having after the game, but you know what, a little adversity to start the season is not necessarily bad for us.'' 

Robinson, one of Heights' top offensive threats, left the game at the 24:08 mark of the opening half and Garner was in and out of the game before calling it a night in the second half and Bolanos left the game late in the game with an ankle injury.

Shawnee Heights was still able to go into halftime locked in a scoreless deadlock before the 1-0 Lions took control in the second half.

Senior Stella Comparato scored the only goal Lawrence would need just 2:32 into the second half and Comparato added a second goal at the 23:59 mark and freshman Layla Simmons scored the Lions' final goal with 18:57 remaining.

Shawnee Heights struggled to mount much offense in the game, finishing with just one shot on goal.

"Obviously, losing Morgan early, that's a killer and losing Nina late obviously didn't help us at all,'' Simons said.

The T-Birds will return to action on Thursday, hosting Lawrence Free State at Bettis, before Heights has a week off to try to get back to full strength.

LAWRENCE 3, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 0

Lawrence (1-0)              0 3 -- 3

Shawnee Heights (0-1) 0 0 -- 0

Lawrence-- Goals: Stella Comparato 2, Layla Simmons. Shutout: Lillian Poteete. Redcard: Sidra Besson. 

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Kaitlyn Aldridge, Shawnee Heights

KAITLYN ALDRIDGE, Shawnee Heights

A junior, Aldridge earned All-City first-team honors for the second straight season in 2025, winning the city title in the 500-yard freestyle, placing second in the 100 butterfly and helping Shawnee Heights win the 200 free relay and finish third in the 400 free relay. Aldridge placed fourth in the United Kansas Conference in the 100 fly and fifth in the 500 free and swam on the T-Birds' fourth-place 400 free relay. Aldridge competed in the Class 5A-1A state meet.

Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural

AUDREY APPUHN, Washburn Rural

Appuhn, a senior three-time All-City honoree, placed in multiple events in the Class 6A state meet for the third straight season last spring, taking third in the 100-yard breaststroke and sixth in the 200 freestyle to lead Rural to an 11th-place team finish. Appuhn won four golds in the city meet (200 free, 100 breast, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay) as Rural won its 22nd straight team title and four golds in the Centennial League meet (200 free, 100 breast, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay). Appuhn was a second-team All-State honoree in 6A in 2025.

Hara Del Castillo, Topeka High

HARA DEL CASTILLO, Topeka High

A senior, Del Castillo earned All-City honors for the third straight season in 2025 as the Trojan junior finished second in the city meet in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 100 freestyle. Del Castillo won Centennial League titles in the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke and swam on the Trojans' fourth-place 200 medley relay. Del Castillo competed in the 6A state meet last season.

KAILYN GERDEL, Hayden

Gerdel, a junior was an All-City second-team pick last season after placing third in the city meet in the 200-yard freestyle and swimming on the Wildcats' runnerup 200 medley and 200 free relays. Gerdel finished third in the Centennial League in the 200 freestyle and swam on Hayden's second-place 200 medley and 200 free relays.

Sophie Heinen, Washburn Rural

SOPHIE HEINEN, Washburn Rural

Heinen, a senior, finished second in the 500-yard freestyle in the city meet and also swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. Heinen finished second in the Centennial League in the 500 freestyle and swam on Rural's winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. Heinen swam on the Junior Blues' 11th-place 200 medley and 400 free relays at state.

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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Topeka West girls soccer is looking to make major strides forward this spring after a 4-12-0 season a year ago.

Junior newcomer Micah Williams (7) scored her first goal in a Topeka West uniform Monday, helping the Chargers take a 3-0 season-opening win over Kansas City-Washington. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

And the Chargers took the first step towards that goal Monday at Hummer Sports Park, opening the 2026 season with a 3-0 non-league victory over Kansas City-Washington.

"We're definitely still getting to know each other,'' West coach Josh Kutter said. "We've got some new faces along with some returning players.

"I thought we moved the ball pretty well and we connected some passes. We've got to work on that finishing third and getting the ball in the back of the net.''

Senior Cecylia Boyd (10) scores Topeka West's first goal in Monday's 3-0 non-league win over Kansas City-Washington. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Senior Cecylia Boyd scored the only goal the Chargers would need at the 23:26 mark of the first half and junior Highland Park transfer Micah Williams scored her first goal in a West uniform to put the hosts in command 2-0 at the half.

West junior Brynlee Best connected on a long shot with 29:49 remaining in the second half to account for the final margin.

Sophomore Sydney Baxter and junior Gabrielle Lopez combined for the shutout in goal for Topeka West.

"It's just one of those things where it's early in the season and once players start getting the hang of each other and getting to know each other then it will start clicking a little bit better and we're looking forward to it,'' Kutter said. "Nothing negative in the first game.''

The Chargers are scheduled to face city rival Highland Park on Thursday at Hummer Sports Park.  

TOPEKA WEST 3, KC-WASHINGTON 0

KC-Washington (0-1) 0 0 -- 0

Topeka West (1-0)      2 1 -- 3

Topeka West -- Goals: Cecylia Boyd, Micah Williams, Brynlee Best. Shutout: Sydney Baxter, Gabrielle Lopez.