Details

Created: 17 May 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

GIRLS

100 METERS

Nichols, Shawnee Heights         12.33 (12.2)

Reed, Highand Park                   12.35

Brooks, Topeka West                  12.60

Hillebert, Hayden                         12.96

Rezac, Rossville                         12.96

200 METERS

Nichols, Shawnee Heights          25.78

Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights   25.90

Reed, Highland Park                   26.37

Brooks, Topeka West                   26.41

Rezac, Rossville                          26.79

400 METERS

Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights    58.18

Reed, Highland Park                    58.72

Hillebert, Hayden                          61.78

Fredrickson, Washburn Rural      62.61

Rezac, Rossville                          62.71

Seaman junior Bethany Druse is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 800 and 1,600 meters. [File photo/TSN]

800 METERS

Druse, Seaman                             2:15.19

Carter, Washburn Rural                2:29.28

Bird, Washburn Rural                   2:30.33

Ismert, Washburn Rural                2:30.47

Fink, Washburn Rural                   2:31.86

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Details

Created: 16 May 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Ian Cusick

 IAN CUSICK, Topeka West

A junior, Cusick teamed with his twin brother, Miles, to win the Class 5A state doubles championship last Saturday at Kossover Tennis Center, helping lead the Chargers to a second-place team finish. The Cusicks took a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maize South in the title match, completing a sweep of city, Centennial League, regional and state championships.

Miles Cusick

 MILES CUSICK, Topeka West

Cusick, a junior, teamed with twin brother Ian to win the Class 5A state doubles championship last Saturday at Kossover Tennis Center, helping the Chargers post a second-place team finish. The Cusicks took a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maize South in the title match, completing a sweep of city, Centennial League, regional and state championships.

Gabby Grace

GABBY GRACE, Seaman

A senior leader for the Vikings' swimming team, Grace  was the Centennial League champ in the 100-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke and swam on Seaman's winning 200 medley and 400 free relays in last Thursday's Centennial League meet at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.

Michael Sandstrom

GUS GLOTZBACH, Hayden

Glotzbach, a junior, teamed with Michael Sandstrom to finish second in doubles in last Saturday's Class 4A state tennis tournament at Winfield for the second straight season, helping lead the Wildcats to a third-place team finish. Glotzbach and Sandstrom dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Independence in the state final.

Michael Sandstrom

MICHAEL SANDSTROM, Hayden

A senior three-time state medalist, Sandstrom teamed with Glotzbach to post a state runner-up finish in doubles in last Saturday's Class 4A state tennis tournament at Winfield for the second straight season, helping lead the Wildcats to a third-place team finish. Sandstrom and Glotzbach dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Independence in the state final.

Tae Thomas

TAE THOMAS, Topeka High

Thomas, a senior three-sport standout for the Trojans, recorded a three-goal hat trick in Topeka High's 7-1 Centennial League Senior Nigh soccer romp past Emporia at Hummer Sports Park as High capped an 11-5-0 regular season to earn a home berth for the Class 6A regional playoffs.

Details

Created: 15 May 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Topeka West Class 5A state doubles champions Ian and Miles Cusick headline the 2022 All-City boys tennis team, which includes 12 out of 12 state qualifiers and nine state medalists.

The 2022 All-City boys tennis team -- Front, from left: Carter Cool, Topeka West; James Maag, Topeka West; Mason Casebeer, Washburn Rural; Mason Thieu, Washburn Rural; Gus Glotzbach, Hayden; Michael Sandstrom, Hayden. Back, from left: Gavin Chavez, Topeka West; Miles Cusick, Topeka West; Ian Cusick, Topeka West; Jaden Rodriguez, Shawnee Heights; Kyler Knudtson, Washburn Rural; Nick Luetje, Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

The Cusick twins captured the state championship with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maize South's Grayson Wright and Mitchell Krumm, capping a 37-4 season after sweeping city, Centennial League and 5A regional titles for a second straight season. Ian and Miles finished ninth in the 5A state meet as sophomores before dominating last weekend's state tournament with four straight two-set victories.

Topeka West, which finished second as a team in the state meet, is also represented on the All-City team by sixth-place 5A doubles finishers Gavin Chavez and Carter Cool and sophomore singles player James Maag.

Washburn Rural, which shared the city team title with West before winning Centennial League and regional championships, put city, league and 6A regional champ and state placer Mason Thieu on the All-City team along with state doubles placers Kyler Knudtson and Nick Luetje and state singles qualifier Mason Casebeer.

Hayden's Michael Sandstrom and Gus Glotabach are All-City returners after finishing second in doubles in the 4A state tournament for the second straight season, helping the Wildcats earn a 4A team trophy with a third-place finish. 

 Also earning a spot on the All-City team for the second straight season was Shawnee Heights senior Jaden Rodriguez, a 5A state qualifier in singles.

All-City tennis capsules:

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Details

Created: 14 May 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Topeka West's Ian Cusick woke up Saturday morning with the feeling that it was going to be a great day for himself and twin brother Miles in the final day of the Class 5A boys state tennis tournament at Kossover Tennis Center. 

The Cusicks then went out and delivered on those positive vibes, completing a spectacular 37-4 season with the state doubles championship.

Topeka West juniors Miles Cusick (left) and Ian Cusick celebrate a big point in Saturday's Class 5A state doubles final. [Submitted]

Topeka West's Ian and Miles Cusick jump for joy after finishing off their Class 5A state doubles championship with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maize South. [Photo by Katie Davids/Special to TSN]

"I think we were confident coming in,'' Ian Cusick said. "We've been playing great since regionals, even a little before that. We've been on top of our game and then coming into the second day today we were just looking to blow out everyone.''

The Topeka West juniors opened Saturday with a 6-1, 7-5 semifiunal win over Salina Central seniors Collin and Connor Phelps and then followed that up with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maize South senior Grayson Wright and junior Mitchell Krumm.

Saturday's championship represented a huge step forward for the Cusicks after a ninth-place finish in their first state tournament last season.

"I've thought about getting ninth last year a lot, especially losing in the quarterfinals to Salina Central,'' Ian said. "It's really been at the top of my mind, or at least in my mind, since we lost. I think it motivated us to come out here and do the best that we can, which is win.''

Miles Cusick agreed.

"Every day that we practice, that's what we've thought about, but to come back and win it this year has been really great,'' Miles said.

And Miles said the Cusicks wouldn't have been satisfied with anything less than a title.

"We wouldn't have been satisfied,'' Miles said. "From ninth place to second place, it's not first place.''

Ian said he and his brother even surprised themselves a little bit in the championship match.

The Cusicks jumped out to 3-0 and 5-1 leads in the opening set and never were in any serious trouble.

"I don't think we were personally expecting to perform so well against a team of that caliber,'' Ian said. "They're really great players but we just came out and shocked them in the beginning and they couldn't get back.''

Veteran Topeka West tennis coach Kurt Davids hugs Charger state champions Miles and Ian Cusick Saturday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Katie Davids/Special to TSN]

Topeka West poses with its second-place team trophy after Saturday's Class 5A state tournament. Not pictured is senior Gavin Chavez, who graduated Saturday afternoon after a sixth-place doubles finish. [Photo by Katie Davids/Special to TSN]

Coupled with a sixth-place doubles finish from senior Gavin Chavez and junior Carter Cool, Topeka West finished second to Maize South in the team standings, the highest team finish for the Chargers in Kurt Davids' long tenure as West's coach.

"I've had two third-places for the boys and one for the girls at state, so thi is the highest for me and I'm absolutely very proud of this team,'' Davids said. "The best part is we get five of the six back next year.

"And I don't think these kids are going to have any problem motivating themvelves to improve even more for next year. They'll be easy to rally into a, 'Second place is not a good enough,' mentality.''

Maize South won the team championship by a 33-27 margin over Topeka West, with Blue Valley Southwest third with 25 points.

In addition to the runnerup doubles finish from Wright and Krumm, Maize South got a third-place singles finish from senior Harris Kossover, a member of Topeka's highly-respected Kossover tennis family.

CLASS 5A TENNIS  

Team scores

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