By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden senior Tanner Newkirk and Topeka West senior Kadence Jeffries have been named the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency Athletes of the Week for last week.
Newkirk opened his track and field season with a 40-second win in the boys 3,200-meter run in the Free State Early Bird Invitational while Jefffries made her 2022 girls swimming debut with a pair of dominating individual wins in the Topeka West Invitational.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Newkirk and Jeffries last week:
Hayden senior Tanner Newkirk posted a win in the boys 3,200 meters in 9:18.14 in last Friday's Free State Early Bird Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden
Newkirk, who has signed a cross country and track and field letter of intent with Kansas, opened his senior track season with a dominating performance in the boys 3,200-meter run in last Friday's Free State Early Bird Invitational in Lawrence.
Newkirk clocked a winning time of 9 minutes, 18.14 seconds in the event, winning by just over 40 seconds.
Newkirk's time in his first race of the season eclipsed his best time of the 2021 campaign, which was the best in Shawnee County, by 20 seconds.
Topeka West four-time state champion swimmer Kadence Jeffries opened her senior season with a pair of dominating wins in last week's Topeka West Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
KADENCE JEFFRIES, Topeka West
Jeffries, who has never lost an individual race in Class 5A-1A state girls swimming competition, opened her senior season with a pair of dominating victories in last Thursday's Topeka West Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
The four-time state champion, who has signed a letter of intent with Nebraska Omaha, picked up decisive victories in the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 56.59 seconds and the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.57.
Jeffries was a double state champ in both 2019 and 2021, with the '20 season canceled due to COVID-19.
