- Details
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 2023 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
BOYS
100 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 10.74
Dunshee, Hayden 10.76
Peoples, Topeka High 10.96
Richardson, Highland Park 10.97
Merritt, Seaman 10.99
200 METERS
Richardson, Highland Park 21.50
Cochran, Seaman 22.34
Smith, Shawnee Heights 22.35
Peoples, Topeka High 22.53
Murph, Topeka High 22.64
Hayden sophomore Jensen Schrickel is the Shawnee County leader in the 400-meter dash. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
400 METERS
Schrickel, Hayden 50.22
Roeder, Topeka High 50.74
Roney, Washburn Rural 51.72
Benz, Shawnee Heights 51.89
Chooncharoen, Washburn Rural 51.96
800 METERS
Moore, Seaman 2:00.12
Johnson, Washburn Rural 2:00.55
Esquibel, Shawnee Heights 2:00.67
Anderson, Seaman 2:01.30
Brokaw, Silver Lake 2:03.65
Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge (left) and Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel are the Shawnee County leaders in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
1,600 METERS
Njoroge, Topeka West 4:17.71
Esquibel, Shawnee Heights 4:20.46
Dial, Washburn Rural 4:33.13
Johnson, Washburn Rural 4:33.46
Jowers, Seaman 4:43.66
3,200 METERS
Njoroge, Topeka West 9:20.08
Esquibel, Shawnee Heights 9:25.23
Johnson, Washburn Rural 9:51.59
Dial, Washburn Rural 9:51.97
Jowers, Seaman 10:05.32
- Details
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 2023 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
GIRLS
100 METERS
Ta'Mijha Nichols of Shawnee Heights is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 100-meter dash. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 12.19
Marshall, Topeka High 12.74
Steiner, Seaman 12.94
Torres-Hill, Topeka High 13.07
Ross, Silver Lake 13.22
Topeka West senior Ala'Jah Brooks is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 200 and 400-meter dashes. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
200 METERS
Brooks, Topeka West 25.39
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 25.88
Hillebert, Hayden 26.53
Steiner, Seaman 26.76
Marshall, Topeka High 26.83
400 METERS
Brooks, Topeka West 57.26
Hillebert, Hayden 58.40
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 60.01
Miller, Seaman 61.85
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 61.91
Returning senior state champion Bethany Druse of Seaman is the Shawnee County leader in the 800 and 1,600-meter runs. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:16.51
Carter, Washburn Rural 2:25.99
Foster, Rossville 2:27.33
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:27.51
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:28.92
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Audrey Appuhn
AUDREY APPUHN, Washburn Rural
Appuhn, a freshman swimming standout, was a part of four victories in her first Centennial League meet last Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, helping lead Washburn Rural to its third straight league team championship. Appuhn won the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 11.39 seconds and the 500 free in 5:13.53 and also swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 medley relay (1:55.69) and 400 free relay (3:48.77).
Ian Cusick
IAN CUSICK, Topeka West
A senior, Ian and his twin brother, Miles, capped their high school tennis career with a second straight Class 5A state doubles championship Saturday at Arkansas City. The Cusicks, who earned state medals in all three of their state tournament appearances, led the Chargers to their first-ever 5A state boys team title by a 34-28 margin over Blue Valley Southwest. Ian and Miles took a 6-3, 6-4 win over Arkansas City's Oakley and Dawson O'Donnell in the final, avenging three losses earlier in the season.
Miles Cusick
MILES CUSICK, Topeka West
A senior, Miles and his twin brother, Ian, closed out their high school tennis career with a second straight Class 5A state doubles championship Saturday at Arkansas City. The Cusicks, who earned state medals in all three of their state tournament appearances, led the Chargers to their first-ever 5A state boys team title by a 34-28 margin over Blue Valley Southwest. Miles and Ian took a 6-3, 6-4 win over Arkansas City's Oakley and Dawson O'Donnell in the final, avenging three losses earlier in the season.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior Jackson Esquibel claimed two of Shawhee Heights' four wins on the night as the T-Birds captured the United Kansas Conference boys track and field team championship by a 111-105 margin over Basehor-Linwood Friday night at De Soto.
Shawnee Heights junior Jackson Esquibel won UKC titles in the 800 and 1,600 to lead the T-Birds to the team title while Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge won the 3,200 and was second in the 1,600. [File photo/TSN]
Esquibel won the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 20.46 seconds and followed that up with a win in the 800 in 2:00.67, while Shawnee Heights also got a win from junior Alex Dittman in the javelin (160-8) and from sophomore Tyler Wedl in the pole vault (11-6).
T-Bird senior sprint star Jeremiah Smith returned from a leg injury to make his season debut, finishing second in the 100-meter dash in a photo finish in 10.74 seconds and taking second in the 200 in 22.35.
Shawnee Heights also picked up a runnerup finish from senior Jordan Garvin in the 300 hurdles (40.26).
Seaman notched a win in the boys 4x800 relay in 8:21.89 while junior Aaron Merritt was second in the 110-meter hurdles (15.24) and senior Sean Miller finished second in the shot put at 49 feet, 7 inches.
Topeka West senior Lenny Njjoroge won the 3,200 in 9:33.69 after finishing second in the 1,600 in 4:21.51 while Charger sophomore Alesecio Batson won the triple jump in 45 feet, 9.50 inches and senior Zachary Hulse finished secon in the javelin at 154-4.
On the girls side, host De Soto claimed the team title by a 159-128.50 margin over Seaman.
Seaman freshman Ryin Miller won the UKC title in the girls 1,600, helping the Vikings finish second as a team. [File photo/TSN]
Freshman Ryin Miller won the 1,600-meter title in 5:24.05 while defending state champ Bethany Druse won the 800 in 2:19.49.
Seaman also won the 4x800 relay in 10:14.02 and took second in the 4x400 relay in 4:09.14.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West senior doubles stars Ian and Miles Cusick had only lost four times all season, but three of those losses had come against Arkansas City junior Oakley O'Donnell and sophomore Dawson O'Donnell.
Topeka West's Class 5A state championship tennis team -- From left: Shon Daniels (assistant coach), Carter Cool, Caden McGee, Miles Cusick, Ian Cusick, James Maag, Caleb Weybrew, Kurt Davids (head coach). [Submitted photo]
Topeka West senior twin brothers Miles and Ian Cusick exchange a hug Saturday after winning their second straight Class 5A state doubles title and leading the Chargers to the state team championship. [Submitted photo by Scott Ritter]
But when it mattered the most, the Cusick twins were up to the challenge, capturing their second straight Class 5A state championship with a 6-3, 6-4 win on the O'Donnell's home courts while leading the Chargers to their first-ever boys state team title by a decisive 34-28 margin over Blue Valley Southwest.
The Cusicks, who went 4-0 at state to finish off a 38-4 season, advanced to the championship match with a 7-6 (7-5 tiebreaker), 6-2 semifinal win over Newton seniors Otis Musser and Justin Franz Saturday morning.
It was a huge weekend for Kurt Davids' Topeka West team overall, with all six Chargers taking home state medals as West completed a sweep of city, United Kansas Conference, 5A regional and state championhips.
Topeka West, which finished second as a team in the 2022 state meet, got seventh and 11th-place singles finishes from senior Carter Cool and junior James Maag while juniors Caden McGee and Caleb Weybrew added a ninth-place doubles finish.
