- Details
SPRING SPORTS: OUTSTANDING MALE NOMINEES
Dagen Brewer
DAGEN BREWER I Seaman
PARENTS: Matt and Heather Brewer
SPORT: Baseball | GPA: NA
Brewer turned in an outstanding senior baseball season, helping lead Seaman to a 20-3 record, a share of the Centennial League championship and an 18th straight berth in the Class 5A state tournament. Brewer was tapped as the Shawnee County and the Centennial League player of the year. He also earned first-team All-Class 5A honors from the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches. Brewer earned first-team All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League honors as a junior and was a second-team KABC All-Class 5A selection. Brewer has committed to Johnson County Community College to play his college baseball.
Torrey Horak
TORREY HORAK | Rossville
PARENTS: Terry and Wendi Horak
SPORT: Baseball | GPA: 3.8
Probably best known as Rossville's star quarterback in football, Horak was a first-team All-Class 3A pick in baseball as a senior after receiving honorable mention his junior year. "His talent was evident this season as a first-team All-State player in both of those sports and he will go down in the top 10 in several single-season baseball categories, including home runs, walks, on-base percentage and runs,'' Rossville baseball coach Eammon Bradley said. "Torrey is one of the best leaders I've ever been around. He commands a presence among his peers and is an example of how to serve his team. He brings energy every day, whether it's at practice or a game.'' Horak will play college football at Division II Central Missouri.
- Details
SPRING SPORTS: OUTSTANDING FEMALE NOMINEES
Campbell Bagshaw
CAMPBELL BAGSHAW | Washburn Rural
PARENTS: Bill and Jenner Bagshaw
SPORT: Softball | GPA: 4.29
Campbell has helped lead the Washburn Rural softball team to a pair of runner-up finishes in the Class 6A state tournament and has also helped the Junior Blues win two state basketball championships. Bagshaw hit .468 this past softball season with 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 17 runs batted in and 38 runs scored. "Campbell Bagshaw is the epitome of sports excellence, whether it is on the softball field, basketball court or in the classroom,'' Rural softball coach Liz Stover said. "Campbell is a player that when the game is on the line, not only does her team want her at the plate, but she wants the bat in her hands. Through it all, Campbell has maintained an air of dignity and grace, finishing in the top 10 percent of her graduating class.'' Bagshaw will play college softball at Kansas.
Taryn Burkhardt
TAYLOR BURKHARDT | Silver Lake
PARENTS: Vince and Nancy Burkhardt
SPORT: Softball | GPA: 3.94
A multi-sport athlete at Silver Lake, Burkhardt was a four-year varsity letter-winner in softball. Burkhardt helped the Eagles post a pair of runner-up finishes in the Class 3A state tournament. She has been an All-State selection in 3A and a two-time All-Mid-East selection and a TopSports.news All-Shawnee County first-team honoree as a senior. Burkhardt hit .479 as a senior with six doubles, 28 runs scored and 15 runs batted in. Burkhardt was also a volleyball standout for the Eagles as well as a member of Silver Lake's dance team. Burkhardt plans to play college softball at Johnson County Community College.
NiJaree Canady
NIJAREE CANADY | Topeka High
PARENTS: Bruce and Katherine Canady
SPORT: Softball | GPA: 4.4
Canady has helped lead Topeka High to back-to-back Class 6A state softball championships, the first two state softball titles in school history, while being named the Gatorade Kansas Softball Player of the Year both seasons. Canady has earned All-City, All-Centennial League and All-State softball honors all three of her high school seasons and also earned All-State honors and played in three state tournaments in basketball, scoring more than 1,000 points, before bypassing her senior season to concentrate on softball. "Nija is the true definition of a student-athlete,'' Topeka High softball coach Shane Miles said. "Any kid who can further their education at Stanford University is doing something right in the classroom and on the field. When Nija chose Stanford she was not looking at the next four years, but the next 40 years.''
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sure, 1998 Topeka High graduate Geo Lyons, who was officially named the Trojans' new boys basketball coach Thursday night, had thought over the years about the possiblity of coaching at his alma mater.
Topeka High graduate Geo Lyons was approved Thursday night as the Trojans' new boys basketball coach after four seasons at Kansas City-Schlagle. [Submitted]
After all, Lyons had played at High and served as a Trojan assistant under former High coach Pat Denney.
But Lyons, who served as head coach at Kansas City-Schlagle the past four seasons, had put those thoughts in the back of his mind until Topeka High coach Ty Baumgardner stepped down in early May after one season to return to Georgia.
And suddenly Topeka High was very much back in the picture.
"I think there's a part in every coach that wants to, at some point in time, coach at their alma mater,'' Lyons told TopSports.news Thursday. "But after landing the job at Schlagle I really didn't see it happening.
"It wasn't on my radar, but it just so happened that it opened up and I got the call.''
- Details
WINTER SPORTS: OUTSTANDING MALE NOMINEES
Elijah Brooks
ELIJAH BROOKS | Topeka West
PARENTS: Peter Brooks and Katesheius Anderson
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 3.75
Brooks was named Mr. Kansas Basketball by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association after a record-setting 2021-2022 season. Brooks averaged 25.3 points on the season after putting together a string of 30-point games with a high of 43 points. Brooks, the TopSports.news Shawnee County and Centennial League Player of the Year, led the Chargers to back-to-back Class 5A state tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2021. Brooks is West's single-season record-holder (581 points) and career leading scorer (1,450 points). "Elijah has shown enthusiasm and work ethic that has been commendable and sincere,'' West coach Rick Bloomquist said. Brooks will play his college basketball at Division I North Dakota.
Richard Carter
RICHARD CARTER | Topeka High
PARENTS: Richard and Margaret Carter
SPORT: Swimming | GPA: NA
Carter was a varsity swimmer all four seasons at Topeka High, earning second-team All-City recognition two times. Carter competed in the Class 6A state tournament as a senior in the 400-yard free relay. Carter scored a total of 582 points during his swimming career for the Trojans. Carter competed primarily in the 50-yard freestyle, the 100 free, the 200 free and and the 100 butterfly. Carter plans to attend Grove City College.
Trent Duffey
TRENT DUFFEY | Hayden
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ten city girls soccer standouts have earned All-State recognition from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association, led by Washburn Rural co-midfielder of the year Belle Kennedy and Junior Blue All-Class 6A first-team midfielder Reagan Allen.
Washburn Rural senior Belle Kennedy has received Class 6A midfielder of the year recognition for the second straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Reagan Allen received first-team All-Class 6A honors from the KHSSCA. [File photo/TSN]
Kennedy, who earned midfielder of the year honors for the second straight season, and Allen, both seniors, helped lead Washburn Rural to a runner-up finish in the 6A state tournament.
Rural seniors Hunter McWilliams and McKenna Merrick both received second-team All-6A honors while Rural junior Mackinly Rohn, Topeka High senior Luxanna Sands and High sophomore Avery Zimmerman earned All-6A honorable mention.
Shawnee Heights senior goalkeeper Tatum Hoge received second-team All-Class 5A recognition while T-Bird freshmen Isabell Van Fleet and Lailah Benz earned All-5A honorable mention.
Cair Paravel Latin freshman Zahra Lewis was named to the All-4A-1A first team after helping lead the Lions to a fourth-place finish in the state tournament.
Coaches have to be members of the KHSSCA to have players nominated and selected.
CLASS 6A
