By RICK PETERSON
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time coaching greats in 14 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July 15, with the Top 10 in all categories announced in July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best high school golf coach click on https://poll-maker.com/poll4393935xe3a040BD-138 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
-------------------------------------------------------
The list of candidates to be named TopSports.news' Best of the Best high school golf coach in Shawnee County history includes seven coaches who led teams to state team titles, headlined by five-time state champs Jared Goehring of Washburn Rural and former Hayden coach Dan Key.
Key coached the Wildcat boys to the Class 4A state title in 2011 and coached Hayden to state girls crowns in '09, '13, '17 and '18 while Goehring led Washburn Rural's girls to 6A state championships in 2013, '14, '16 and '17 and led Rural to the boys title in in '15.
Jeff Stromgren led Washburn Rural to boys and girls state titles before taking over as Washburn University's men's golf coach while Don Williams also led the Junior Blues to a boys state championship.
Chris Shanks coached Hayden to a boys state title in 2001 while Denis Stanley coached the Wildcats to boys and girls state titles and Jim Roy led Hayden to a state title in 2014.
There are 11 candidates listed to pick from at https://poll-maker.com/poll4393935xe3a040BD-138 while readers also have the option of writing in a name.
Also earning spots on the list of Best of the Best candidates are former Shawnee Heights coaches Lynn Riney and Steve Giddens as well as former Topeka West coach Frank Walton and current Charger coach Richard Mariani.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have served as a head coach or assistant at one of Shawnee County's high schools.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 15 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best Coaching lists in July and August.
NEXT UP: Soccer (Ballot will be posted on July 4).