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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural softball star Emmerson Cope and Rossville state champ Brinley Dyche were selected as Topeka Shawnee County Co-Spring Female Athletes of the Year Wednesday night at Washburn University.
Washburn Rural product Emmerson Cope has been named the Topeka Shawnee County Co-Female Spring Athlete of the Year. [File photo/TSN]
Brinley Dyche, who helped lead Rossville to the Class 3A state softball championship this spring, was named the Topeka Shawnee County Co-Female Spring Athlete of the Year Wednesday night. [File photo/TSN]
Cope helped lead Rural to back-to-back runnerup finishes in the Class 6A state tournament as a junior and senior while Dyche helped lead Rossville to the 3A state title, the Bulldawgs' first championship in 23 years.
Cope put together one of the top careers in Washburrn Rural history, helping lead the Junior Blues to three state tournaments in her three high school seasons.
Cope batted .588 over the 2023 season (through regionals) with 15 home runs and 41 runs batted in.
Cope posted a 12-2 record in the pitching circle (through regionals) with a 1.5 earned run average and 142 strikeouts in 88.2 innings.
She was named the Centennial League player of the year as a junior and senior and the Shawnee County player of the year as a senior after sharing that honor as a junior.
Cope set Washburn Rural records for single-season and career home runs and will play college softball at Nebraska.
The daughter of Wayne Cope and Laura Parker, Cope compiled a cumulative grade point average of 4.113.
Dyche picked up all three pitching wins in the 3A state tournament as Rossville captured its its first state championship since 2000.
Dyche received first-team All-3A and All-Shawnee County honors as a senior and received All-Mid-East League recognition all three seasons of her high school career.
"She is a great team leader and has been for a couple years,'' Rossville coach John Nitsch said. "She was part of her team getting two regional then a fourth at state last year and a 3A state title this year.
"Not only does she excel on the softball field she does in anything she is involved in, including her academics. She will really be missed at RHS.''
Dyche was 11-3 in 2023 with a 2.386 earned run average.
The daughter of Gid and Kristy Dyche, Brinley compiled a high school grade point average of 4.0.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Recent Seaman graduate Jaxson Thomas, a Class 5A state wrestling champion as a senior, was named the Topeka Shawnee County Winter Male Athlete of the Year Wednesday night at Washburn.
Seaman state wrestling champion Jaxson Thomas was named the Topeka Shawnee County Winter Male Athlete of the Year Wednesday night. [File photo/TSN]
Thomas won the 5A 285-pound state wrestling championship in Febuary after jumping up two weight divisions for his final high school season.
Thomas posted a 46-5 record on the 2023 season and avenged a regional loss in the state championship match, pinning Blue Valley Southwest senior Tarin Forsyth in the second period.
Thomas recorded a pin in the final match of the United Kansas Conference tournament to give Seaman the UKC team championship in Seaman's first season in the conference.
As a junior Thomas was a Centennial League champion and a 5A state qualifier. Thomas was also a standout for Seaman's football team, receiving All-Shawnee County honorable mention as a senior.
Thomas, the son of Richard Thomas and Karen Olson-Thomas, compiled a 3.57 grade point average at Seaman.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Recent Washburn Rural graduate Addi Broxterman, who helped the Junior Blues' wrestling team capture three state team championships in four seasons, was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Winter Female Athlete of the Year Wednesday at Washburn University during the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Former Washburn Rural star Addi Broxterman was named the Topeka Shawnee County Fall Female Athlete of the Year after helping the Junior Blues win their third state wrestling team championship in 2023. [File photo/TSN]
Broxterman ended her record-setting four-year career by helping Washburn Rural capture the 2023 Class 6A-5A team title and her 146 career victories made her the winningest wrestler in Kansas history.
Broxterman's 132 career wins by fall and 34 3-point nearfalls are also state records and she holds the Washburn Rural school record with 45 single-season wins.
Broxterman was a three-time state medalist, a two-time state finalist and a four-time Centennial League champion.
"Addison Broxterman has set the gold standard for women's wrestling, not just at Washburn Rural, but across the state of Kansas,'' Rural coach Damon Parker said.
Broxterman was also a standout for the powerhouse Junior Blue soccer program, helping Rural to a third-place Class 6A state finish this past season.
Broxterman will wrestle collegiately at Fort Hays State.
The daughter of Justin and Marla Broxterman, Addi compiled a 4.019 grade point average at Rural.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Hayden star Joe Otting, who will play his college football at Notre Dame, was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Fall Male Athlete of the Year during Wednesday's awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Washburn University.
Recent Hayden graduate Joe Otting, a freshman at Notre Dame, has been named the TSN Topeka Shawnee County Fall Male Athlete of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year. [File photo/TSN]
Otting, a three-sport standout for the Wildcats, was a consensus All-State Top 11 selection as a senior, starring as an offensive and defensive lineman as Hayden posted a 10-2 record and advanced to the Class 3A state football semfiinals.
Otting led an offense that rushed for 3,032 yards and averaged 8.54 yards per carry.
Defensively, Otting was in on 81 tackles (42 solo) with three tackles for loss.
"Joe was a great example of a student-athlete,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. "He participated in three sports and was an honor roll student.
"He was a great role model to the younger kids and never passed up an opportunity to make them feel special.''
Otting also received numerous postseason honors in basketball and was a state medalist in track and field.
Otting, the son of Eric and Debbie Otting, compiled a 3.625 grade point average in high school.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural volleyball All-American and two-sport Class 6A state champion Brooklyn DeLeye was named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Fall Female Athlete of the Year during Wednesday's awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Washburn University.
Former Washburn Rural multi-sport star Brooklyn DeLeye was selected as the Shawnee County Fall Female Athlete of the Year Wednesday night at Washburn. [File photo/TSN]
DeLeye was a two-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and two-time Class 6A player of the year in volleyball while being named to the all-state first team four straight years.
DeLeye led Washburn Rural to the 6A state championship last fall and finished her high school career as Rural's career leader in kills (2,090), most hit attempts (4,086), most hits completed (3,496) and ace serves (277).
"Brooklyn is one of the most dominant game changers that has ever graced the volleyball courts in Kansas,'' Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. "People came to our matches to watch her, and little kids idolize her.
"With all of that she is very humble. A better role model for our younger kids cannot be found. A truly once in a coaching lifetime player for us.''
DeLeye also helped the Junior Blues win a 6A state basketball title and was a standout in soccer.
DeLeye will play volleyball at Kentucky.
The daughter of John and Janel DeLeye, Brooklyn compiled a 4.167 cumulative grade point average.
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