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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Perseverance was the word of the day for Topeka West's Caden McGee and Caleb Weybrew in the seniors' run to the doubles championship in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center.
Topeka West seniors Caden McGee (left) and Caleb Weybrew celebrate a point in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Both McGee and Weybrew had to fight their way through cramping issues from the end of their semifinal match on and were forced to sweat out tiebreakers in both the semifinals and finals before claiming their first title of the season with an 8-7 (7-5 tiebreaker) decision over Blue Valley Southwest.
McGee and Weybrew's win in the championship match came after a hard-earned 8-7 (7-4 tiebreaker) victory over Washburn Rural's Lawsen Lobatos and Dylan Willingham in the semis.
Throw in a two-hour weather delay at the start of the tournament and a short rain interruption late in the final and it was a long but very successful day for the Charger duo, which improved to 17-3 on the season.
"I would say we persevered way more today than we ever have in past tournaments,'' Weybrew said after he and McGee wrapped up a 6-0 day. "Even when we were sore we were like, 'We'll go out and give it a try.' ''
"It (leg cramps) bothered me, when I was jumping especially, but we just pushed through,'' McGee said.
Topeka West's Caden McGee (above) and doubles partner Caleb Weybrew went 6-0 Tuesday to win the doubles title in the Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Weybrew and McGee, who placed ninth in Class 5A doubles a year ago for the team-champion Chargers, are getting the opportunity to lead West this spring after playing No. 2 doubles between two-time state champs Ian and Miles Cusick through their first three high school seasons.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
In many ways, Washburn Rural sophomore swim star Audrey Appuhn and her Junior Blue teammates are in the midst of the toughest stretch of the 2024 season.
Washburn Rural sophomore Audrey Appuhn reacts to a victory in Monday's Topeka High Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Granted, the biggest meets of the year -- city, Centennial League, Class 6A state -- are still to come, but Appuhn and the Junior Blues are currently working their hardest to make sure they're ready for that stretch run.
"I would say my workouts are getting harder, which does in turn causes some time adds, but I'm hoping towards the end of the season all the lifting and harder times at practice will apply and I hope that for everyone on my team because everyone's been working really hard,'' Appuhn said Monday after leading Rural to a strong second-place team finish in the Topeka High Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
"We're at the peak of our hardest training right now and when it tapers down I think everyone's really going to pull through and do amazing.''
Appuhn posted three wins on Monday -- two lopsided individual victories and a relay win -- as Washburn Rural rolled up 485 points, a single point behind team champ Free State.
Washburn Rural sophomore Audrey Appuhn wins the 200 individual medley in Monday's Topeka High Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Appuhn won the 200-yard individual medley by nearly seven seconds in a time of 2 minutes, 12.54 seconds and came back a few events later to win the 500 free by more than 15 seconds in 5:15.37.
Appuhn also teamed with Ava Von Lintel, Ella Bombardier and Madeline O'Brien to win the 400 free relay in 4:18.48 and she swam on Rural's third-place 200 medley relay (2:04.07).
Appuhn established herself as one of the state's top swimmers as a freshman when she finished third in 6A in the 200 individual medley and fourth in the 500 free and is looking to build off that performance this spring.
"It adds a little bit more pressure but the success keeps you going,'' she said. "It's a really hard sport to do as a team because everyone practices by themself but I'm lucky to have such a great team environment because without that environment I wouldn't be able to push my personal and group goals.
"If you're not enjoying it it's not worth it at all so I always to have that mindset and make sure I'm having fun and make sure I'm being there with the team because that makes it all worth it. Club is definitely more individual but when you're in a whole group of girls your age and everyone has a common goal to be great together it makes it a lot more fun and I couldn't do it without my girls.''
Seaman finished third as a team in Monday's meet with 399 points, with the Vikings getting a 1-2-3 finish in the 100 breastroke from Avery Walz (1:08.26), Joslynn Grace (1:11.32) and Lizzie Gould (1:20.19).
Seaman's Tauren Walz finished second in the 100 butterfly and also swam on the Vikings' winning 200 free relay. in Monday's Topeka High Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman's foursome of Tauren Walz, Avery Samuelson, Grace and A. Walz also won the 200 free relay in 1:49.79 and the same foursome finished second in the 200 medley relay (2:00.01).
Hayden's Kaylee Gregg won the one-meter diving title with a score of 222.75, while Bre Sanneman of Manhattan was second at 198.15.
TOPEKA HIGH INVITATIONAL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Jackson Esquibel
JACKSON ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights
A senior distance star, Esquibel won the Class 4A-6A 800 meters in the Shocker Pre-State Challenge at Wichita State in a personal-record time of 1 minute, 58.46 seconds and finished second in the Elite division in the 3,200 in 9:22.37. Esquibel, a Kansas State signee, currently ranks No. 1 in Shawnee County in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.
Kate Hinck
KATE HINCK, Washburn Rural
A junior, Hinck scored a pair of goals for Washburn Rural last Friday in a 3-0 Centennial League soccer win over Hayden in a battle between two schools that had posted third-place state finishes in 2003. Hinck led the way as the Junior Blues improved to 7-2 on the season with their fourth straight victory.
Ryin Miller
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
A sophomore multi-sport standout, Miller broke two school records for the second straight week in Friday's Leitel Legacy Invitational track and field meet at Free State. Miller won the 3,200 meters in 10 minutes, 19.29, bettering her own school record by more than seven seconds, and broke the Seaman record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:10.25.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news will compile a weekly girls swimming and diving honor roll for Topeka high schools throughout the 2024 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY
Seaman 1:58.69
Washburn Rural 2:07.69
Shawnee Heights 2:13.20
Hayden 2:19.71
Topeka High 2:18.14
Avery Walz, Seaman
200-YARD FREESTYLE
Avery Walz, Seaman 2:03.60
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 2:11.03
Bailee Heincker, Seaman 2:19.92
Madeline O'Brien, Washburn Rural 2:20.24
Ava Von Lintel, Washburn Rural 2:27.72
200-YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Avery Walz, Seaman 2:11.82
Joslynn Grace, Seaman 2:15.40
Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural 2:18.98
Jella Belgardt, Washburn Rural 2:29.07
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 2:29.65
Tauren Walz, Seaman
50-YARD FREESTYLE
Tauren Walz, Seaman 26.11
Hara Del Castillo, Topeka High 26.93
Ashtynn Landry, Shawnee Heights 27.26
Jella Belgardt, Washburn Rural 28.04
Molly Didde, Washburn Rural 28.61
ONE-METER DIVING
Kaylee Gregg, Hayden 223.05
Rhiannon Good, Washburn Rural 207.70
Natalee Grauberger, Washburn Rural 177.05
Maddie Gregg, Hayden 145.65
Giselle Soto, Washburn Rural 130.55
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news will compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2024 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
GIRLS
Keimara Marshall, Topeka High
100 METERS
Keimara Marshall, Topeka High 12.77
Alana Mitchell, Hayden 13.13
Elly Sanders, Rossville 13.14
Ally Steiner, Seaman 13.15
Analese Estudillo, Washburn Rural 13.26
200 METERS
Keimara Marshall, Topeka High 26.32
Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, Topeka High 26.88
Shayla Rezac, Rossville 27.12
Ally Steiner, Seaman 27.20
Analese Estudillo, Washburn Rural 27.62
Natalie Hillebert, Hayden
400 METERS
Natalie Hillebert, Hayden 61.64
Ella Bolan, Silver Lake 62.04
Shayla Rezac, Rossville 62.90
Rae North, Hayden 64.21
Connell, Hayden 65.38
800 METERS
Ryin Miller, Seaman 2:10.25
Payton Fink, Washburn Rural 2:25.13
Emily Graf, Washburn Rural 2:28.40
Brooklyn Nolte, Washburn Rural 2:29.09
Sofia Harper, Hayden 2:29.40
Ryin MIller, Seaman
1,600 METERS
Ryin Miller, Seaman 4:53.37
Rylee Ismert, Washburn Rural 5:12.51
Payton Fink, Washburn Rural 5:14.90
Emily Graf, Washburn Rural 5:21.07
Brooklyn Nolte, Washburn Rural 5:34.57
