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Big Kev Give Back Camp draws more than 100 participants in two-day event
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Big Kev Give Back Camp took another step forward in Year 5, drawing more than 100 participants while hosting a two-day event for the first time Thursday and Friday at Washburn University.
Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite co-hosted the camp while numerous other current and former local players and coaches were also on hand to serve as instructors.
Kyle Weems interacts with a young camper during Friday's Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Michael Wilhoite instructs campers during Friday's Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We were well over 100,'' Weems said. "At the beginning of this week we were like in the 60 range and we had people signing up at 3 in the morning, we had people signing up at 9. We get a lot of walkups and we hit it head on.
"You don't realize how much goes into something like this until you actually do it, but it's been great.''
The 2026 camp kicked off on Thursday night with the first Mental Performance And Wellness Night, followed by the traditional basketball/football camp on Friday.
The Big Kev Give Back camp is named in honor of Kyle's father, the late Kevin Weems, a former Drury and Washburn University basketball player who envisioned the local stars returning to Topeka to help inspire the youth of Topeka.
Weems and Wilhoite are both Highland Park graduates, who went on to highly successful college and pro careers.
Weems earned All-America and Missouri Valley Player of the Year basketball honors for Missouri State before embarking on a 13-year pro career overseas while Washburn product Wilhoite put together a seven-year NFL career as a linebacker with San Francisco and Seattle, including a Super Bowl appearance, before coaching in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.
Wilhoite said he felt it was very important to add the Mental Performance And Wellness Night to the Big Kev Give Back lineup after devoting much of his past year to concentrating on the mental side of sports.
"I'm out of football for a year and that was tough,'' Wilhoite said. "That had essentially become my identity and that had become who I was -- football coaching -- and that being taken away it kind of stripped me of that with it.
"It got tough, so I went and sought out help and it changed my life. It gave me perspective that I hadn't had before in my life. And when I learned this side, it was like, 'I want to give this back. This should be given to everybody.' Everybody should know the importance of the mind and mental health and mental performance.''
Weems agreed.
"I want to give credit to my brother Mike for coming up with this idea and I was all for it,'' Weems said. "It was good to be able to get it out there and let people understand what it is, what it's about, that it's a safe place.
"Mike and I have been blessed, to be about to live out our dreams, but at the same we're not perfect and everybody needs help. This is something that's positive and something that we wanted to bring to our city.''
Three-time state champ Kocher-Munoz TSN's Shawnee County winter boys athlete of the year
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural wrestling star Landen Kocher-Munoz has been selected as TopSports.news' Shawnee County winter boys senior athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 season.
Landen Kocher-Munoz, Washburn Rural
Kocher-Munoz was named the Shawnee County wrestler of the year after winning his third Class 6A state championship in his fourth straight trip to the state finals as a senior.
Kocher-Munoz won the 144-pound title as a senior, posting a 39-4 record on the season while helping lead the Junior Blues to a third-place 6A team finish and sweeping Centennial League, regional and state individual crowns.
Other winter boys athlete of the year finalists
KaeVon Bonner, Seaman
KAEVON BONNER | Seaman
SPORT: Basketball
Bonner was named the Shawnee County co-player of the year as a senior after leading the Vikings to a 23-5 record and a third-place finish in Class 5A. Bonner was named the All-United Kansas Conference player of the year while earning all-county and All-UKC honors for the third straight season. Bonner averaged a city-high 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 2.6 steals for the Vikings while hitting 44 3-pointers.
Jack Donovan, Rossville
JACK DONOVAN | Rossville
SPORT: Basketball
Donovan made the All-Shawnee County Top 10 for the third straight season after being named the co-newcomer of the year as a freshman. Donovan helped lead the Bulldawgs to a 17-8 record and a second straight Class 2A state tournament berth this past season. Donovan finished his prep career No. 2 on Rossville's career scoring list, with a season-high 47 points. Donovan received all-county recognition in football, golf and basketball.
Ryder Harrison, Washburn Rural
RYDER HARRISON | Washburn Rural
SPORT: Wrestling
An All-Shawnee County first-team selection, Harrison finished second in Class 6A at 120 pounds as a senior while posting a 28-7 record on the season and helping lead the Junior Blues to a third-place team finish. Harrison finished second in 6A regional competition after winning a Centennial League championship with a 5-0 record and five straight pins.
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
DAYNE JOHNSON | Silver Lake
SPORT: Basketball
Johnson was named the Shawnee County co-player of the year after finishing his career as Silver Lake's career leading scorer while helping lead the Eagles to a 22-7 record and a second straight third-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament. A two-time All-Shawnee County Top 10 selection and a first-team All-Big East League pick, Johnson was also a two-time All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick in football for the Eagles.
T-Birds' Scott, Dawgs' Bush using Shrine Bowl to help prep for next step at Washburn
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After leading the state in passing yards last fall, former Shawnee Heights star quarterback Aiden Scott weighed some recruiting options before deciding he didn't even need to leave his hometown to find what he was looking for, signing with Washburn University.
Aiden Scott, Shawnee Heights
A two-time All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Scott completed 197 of 319 passes for 2,991 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior and finished his career completing 420 of 691 pass attempts for 6,491 yards and 632 touchdowns.
"I had (interest from) South Dakota and a PWO (preferred walkon) from KU and it came down to a business decision,'' said Scott, who will play quarterback for the East in Saturday's 7 p.m. Kansas Shrine Bowl at Emporia State. "It was like, 'Do I want playing time or do I want to sit for a little bit?'
"And especially when it's at home, friends and family can come watch you play and Washburn's coaching staff and facilities are top notch.''
Scott, a three-sport athlete for the T-Birds, has spent much of his summer at Washburn, getting acclimated to the college game.
"I've been there about three weeks so far and it's been fun,'' Scott said. "The upperclassmen have been really warm to me, welcoming me into the new program and helping me settle in. The freshmen are very talented guys, the whole team's very talented.
"We're growing, we're getting better, so I'm excited how the season's going to turn out.''
The decision will be made later this fall about whether or not Scott will redshirt this season, but he is preparing to play.
"They told me I'll get a shot during fall camp to be the starting guy and if I don't get that job I'll probably end up redshirting and get that extra year of experience,'' Scott said. "But my mindset is to get that starting job.''
Conner Bush, Rossville
Scott will be joined in the East backfield Saturday by another Washburn recruit, former Rossville two-time All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Conner Bush, who helped lead the Bulldawgs to a runnerup finish in Class 1A.
Bush carried the ball 81 times for 717 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a senior and was in on 114 total tackles, with two pass interceptions, two tackles for loss and 10 passes broken up.
Both Scott and Bush were added to the East as replacement players, with Bush getting the call about two weeks before the opening of the East camp at Ottawa University.
"My coach, coach (Derick) Hammes (an East assistant) called me and I was nothing but excited,'' Bush said. "I was just ready to play.''
