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TopSports.news' boys high school swimmers to watch in 2025-2026
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Daniel Allen, Washburn Rural
DANIEL ALLEN, Washburn Rural -- A junior, Allen was a multiple Class 6A state medalist as a freshman in 2024 before taking a year away from high school swimming. Allen finished seventh in the 500-yard freestyle in the 2024 state meet and was part of Washburn Rural's third-place 200 free relay team. Allen won four gold medals in the 2024 city meet (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay) and was second in the 200 IM and part of the winning 400 free relay team in the Centennial League meet.
Thomas Appuhn, Washburn Rural
THOMAS APPUHN, Washburn Rural -- Appuhn, a sophomore, was a first-team All-City honoree last season, swimming on Washburn Rural's winning 200-yard medley and 400 free relays in the city meet while also finishing second in the 200 individual medley and second in the 100 backstroke. Appuhn swam on the Junior Blues' runnerup 200 medley and 400 free relay teams in the Centennial League meet and placed third in the 100 backstroke.
Kinser Barbosa, Seaman
KINSER BARBOSA, Seaman -- A junior, Barbosa was the 2025 city champion in the 200-yard freestyle and as a member of the Vikings' winning 200 free relay last season while finishing second in the 100 butterfly and 200 medley relay. Barbosa finished third in the United Kansas Conference in the 100 butterfly and the 100 breaststroke and swam on the Vikings' second-place 200 medley relay and third-place 200 free relay.
THERON CARLSON, Seaman -- Carlson opened his 2025-2026 season in last Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational, helping the Vikings post a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay and an eighth-place showing in the 400 free relay while finishing sixth in the 50 freestyle and the 100 free.
JOSH HOCHARD, Seaman -- Hochard, a second-team All-City selection in 2025, Hochard opened his season in last Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational, swimming on Seaman's fifth-place 200-yard medley relay.
ALEXANDER JEFFRIES, Washburn Rural -- Jeffries finished fourth in the 200-yard freestyle in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational last Wednesday and added an eighth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke.
JOSEPH JENSEN, Washburn Rural -- A second-team All-City selection last season, Jensen swam on Washburn Rural's winning 200-yard free relay in the season-opening Topeka West Invititional last Wednesday while also posting a seventh-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 freestyle.
QUINTEN JESSOP, Washburn Rural -- Jessop opened the 2025-2026 season with a strong performance in the Topeka West Invitational, swimming on Rural's winning 200-yard medley relay team and second-place 400 free relay. Jessop also finished eighth in the 50 freestyle and the 500 free.
PATRICK LUKE, Hayden -- Luke, a second-team All-City selection last season, anchored the Wildcats' fifth-place team in the 200-yard freestyle relay in last Wednesday's season-opening Topeka West Invitational.
Andres Morao-Jaspe, Washburn Rural
ANDRES MORAO-JASPE, Washburn Rural -- Morao-Jaspe, a junior, was an All-City repeater after winning four gold medals in the 2025 city meet as Rural won its sixth straight city team title. Morao-Jaspe won the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle and swam on the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. Morao-Jaspe finished second in the Centennial League in the 500 free and third in the 200 individual medley and swam on Rural's second-place 200 medley and 400 free relays.
Twenty-nine Junior Blues, Trojans earn All-Centennial football honors, led by 10 first-teamers
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Twenty-nine Washburn Rural and Topeka High football players have received All-Centennial League recognition, including 10 first-team selections.
Jadyn Baum, Washburn Rural
John Hoytal, Washburn Rural
Rural is represented on the first team by senior offensive line Jayden Cooper, senior quarterback John Hoytal, junior running back Jadyn Baum, senior wide receiver Nate Selm, junior defensive lineman Steven Cantrell, senior linebacker Jordy Heim, senior defensive back Brody Haas, junior kicker Ryan Austin and junior punter Gavin Vantuyl.
Topeka High is represented on the first team by senior Malichi Murph, a repeat pick at defensive back.
Rural second-team selections include junior offensive lineman Nick Loughney, senior running back TJ Minikwu, senior defensive linemen Sammy Brumley and Ayden Crosswhite, senior linebacker Elijah Gaines and senior defensive back Austin Ditch.
High second-team honorees include senior offensive lineman Jeremiah Lopez Arreola, sophomore running back Ricardo Dowd, junior wide receiver Courtney Sanders, senior defensive lineman Adam Humphrey and senior linebacker Rock Williamson.
2025 ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE FOOTBALL
Cair Paravel cheer claims fourth state championship in five years
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Cair Paravel cheer squad is back on top!
The Lions cheerleaders claimed their fourth state championship in five years, returning to the top of the Class 2A podium after placing second a year ago. To do so, they had to knock off four-time defending Class 3A champ Rossville, which dropped down to 2A for the first time this year.
Cair Paravel cheer celebrates its fourth KSHSAA state cheer championship in five years Nov. 21 at the Stormont Vail Events Center. [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
Cair Paravel cheer poses for a team picture after winning its fourth KSHSAA state cheer championship in five years Nov. 21. [Photo by Jan Pabitzky/Special to TSN]
Cair Paravel’s elementary students took to the school’s hallways last Friday to celebrate the cheer squad who paraded through the hallways displaying their latest trophy. The school’s upper grades rallied in the gymnasium to celebrate the squad’s fourth state title – still the school’s only trophies since it earned KSHSAA membership in 2020.
Last year, the Lions placed second to Oskaloosa, snapping their string of three wins in as many attempts. At this year’s competition on Nov. 21 at Stormont Vail Events Center, the Lions got by Rossville to reclaim the title.
“When we got second place last year, I think that really sparked a fire in us,” said Cair Paravel coach Courtney Bond. “I had a meeting with Coach Edye (Sack) and our returning seniors, and we talked about what we needed to do so that doesn’t happen again. We talked about song changes, choreography changes, adding different props and those kinds of things. We watched a lot of film. And I think the girls were just hungrier this year than ever before.”
“I think we all kept a pretty good attitude about (finishing second in 2024),” said senior Logan Johnson. “We just came back wanting that win our senior year. We focused on keeping a great mindset that, win or lose, this does not define us. We added some extra practices this year and worked with our choreographer a little bit more to just have some more help.”
Taking second place after a run of championships caused the Lions to reevaluate and adjust their priorities.
“Losing last year sort of made us more easy-going this year,” senior Maddy Freund said. “I think all of us were not as stressed this year.”
“We changed our focus this year,” Bond said. “Instead of a championship being our focus, we focused on bettering our skills competing against ourselves, viewing our abilities as a gift from God and using this performance as a form of praise and thanksgiving to Him.”
Reclaiming the crown got significantly tougher when Rossville moved to 2A. The Bulldawgs were the 3A champs from 2021-2024.
“We’ve always had the utmost respect for Rossville as they are the most dominant program across all the classes in the state,” Bond said. “They were the four-time 3A champs and had literally never lost before in person (Rossville did not win the virtual competition held during the pandemic).”
