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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
TopSports.News, in conjunction with the University of Kansas Health System St Francis Campus, A-1 Lock and Key and Washburn University, will host the 17th annual Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards/Hall of Fame induction ceremony on June 22, 2022 at Washburn's Memorial Union.
For the second straight year TopSports.news will serve as host for the sports awards/Hall of Fame banquet, a longstanding tradition for the Topeka and Shawnee County sports community.
The ceremony will highlight Shawnee County high school senior student-athletes’ achievements throughout the 2021-2022 school year along with the induction of the 2022 Topeka Shawnee
County Hall of Fame Class.
Schools have been asked to submit nominees with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average for both female and male candidates for the fall, winter and spring seasons as well as nominees for most inspirational athlete. Over-all outstanding male and female athletes for 2021-2022 will also be named.
Also recognized will be an outstanding female and male athlete from Washburn University.
The three-member 2022 Hall of Fame class and the '22 Washburn University Athletes of the Year will be announced on TopSports.news on Monday morning.
The high school nominees for the 10 Shawnee County high schools will be announced in June after the conclusion of the spring sports season. A committee of local media members will select the 2022 winners, including the selection of overall female and male athletes of the year.
This year TopSports.news will also introduce a new award, along with the Topeka Officials Association, spotlighting the dedication and contribution of these men and women that are integral to high school athletics.
The June 22 event kicks off in the Memorial Union with a Hall of Fame reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the presentation of awards.
Each nominee will receive a complimentary ticket. Tickets are $26 per person, prior to June 18, 2022, and are required for admission. Tickets include dinner.
For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.TopSports.news or call 785-633-8448
The 2021 Hall of Fame class included former NFL linebacker and current Chargers assistant coach Michael Wilhoite, former Missouri State and longtime professional basketball player Kyle Weems and Kyle McNorton, a former Kansas star linebacker and NFL player for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wilhoite and Weems are Highland Park graduates and McNorton a Seaman grad.
Silver Lake graduate Ellington Hogle receives her award as 2021 Shawnee County girls athlete of the year last June from 2021 Hall of Fame inductee Michael Wilhoite. [File photo/TSN]
Former Hayden football standout Desmond Purnell is interviewed by Bruce Steinbrock after being named the 2021 Shawnee County male athlete of the year last June. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake's Ellington Hogle and Hayden's Desmond Purnell were named outstanding female and male athletes in 2021.
Hogle is now playing softball at Washburn while Purnell is playing football at Kansas State.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
NOTE: Top.Sports.news plans to compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2022 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at
BOYS
100 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 9.8 (10.27)
January, Shawnee Heights 10.5
Reed, Highland Park 10.5
Richardson, Highland Park 10.5
Peoples, Topeka High 10.6
Shawnee Heights junior Jeremiah Smith is the Shawnee County leader in the 100-meter dash, the 200 (FAT), 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
200 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 21.82
Richardson, Highland Park 21.6
January, Shawnee Heights 22.4
Renfro, Silver Lake 22.67
Schrickel, Hayden 22.72
400 METERS
Richardson, Highland Park 50.54
Blankenship, Topeka High 52.3
Wilkerson, Topeka West 52.95
Mack, Topeka High 53.16
Newkirk, Hayden 53.31
800 METERS
Newkirk, Hayden 1:57.99
B. Moore, Seaman 2:00.72
Wilson, Topeka West 2:04.72
Njoroge, Topeka West 2:06.63
Stuke, Seaman 2:06.76
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
GIRLS
100 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 12.2 (12.33)
Reed, Highand Park 12.6
Brooks, Topeka West 12.85
Rezac, Rossville 12.96
Worley, Washburn Rural 13.01
200 METERS
Nichols, Shawnee Heights 25.85
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 26.33
Brooks, Topeka West 26.57
Reed, Highland Park 26.5
Rezac, Rossville 26.79
400 METERS
Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights 59.76
Reed, Highland Park 59.98
Becker, Seaman 63.37
Foster, Rossville 63.54
Fredrickson, Washburn Rural 63.55
Seaman junior Bethany Druse is the Shawnee County leader in the girls 800 meters with a school-record time of 2:15.19. [File photo/TSN]
800 METERS
Druse, Seaman 2:15.19
Carter, Washburn Rural 2:29.28
Ismert, Washburn Rural 2:30.47
Fink, Washburn Rural 2:31.86
Farmer, Silver Lake 2:32.53
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ian Cusick
IAN CUSICK, Topeka West
A junior, Cusick teamed with his twin brother, Miles, to win the city tennis championship in No. 1 doubles for the second straight season.in last Thursday's city tournament at Kossover Tennis Center. The Cusicks took an 8-1 win over Washburn Rural's Kyler Knudtson and Nick Luetje in the championship match, helping the Chargers win a share of the city team title with Rural.
Miles Cusick
MILES CUSICK, Topeka West
Cusick, a junior, teamed with his twin brother, Ian, to win the city tennis championship in No. 1 doubles for the second straight season.in last Thursday's city tournament at Kossover Tennis Center. Miles and Ian beat Washburn Rural's Kyler Knudtson and Nick Luetje in the championship match, 8-1, helping the Chargers win a share of the city team title with Rural.
Bethany Druse
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
A junior, Druse set the Seaman school record in the girls 800 meters in last Friday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Invitational at Seaman, winning the event in a time of 2 minutes, 15.19 seconds. Druse's time was the best girls 800 meters clocking in the state this spring.
Marrit Mead
MARRIT MEAD, Washburn University
Mead, a sophomore, went 4 for 8 in last Saturday's 5-1, 13-3 doubleheader sweep at Emporia State, helping the Ichabods clinch the MIAA regular-season championship while extending their winning streak to 22 games. Mead, a Santa Fe Trail grad, went 1 for 3 with a run and a run batted in in the first game and went 3 for 5 in the second game with a double and a home run, scoring three runs with five RBI.
Mason Thieu
MASON THIEU, Washburn Rural
Playing his first city tennis tournament since his freshman season, the Washburn Rural senior captured the No. 1 singles championship last Thursday at Kossover Tennis Center with an 8-2 win over Topeka West's James Maag in the final match. Thieu helped lead the Junior Blues to a share of the team title with Topeka West.
Alex Valdivia
ALEX VALDIVIA, Shawnee Heights
Valdivia, a junior, followed up his United Kansas Conference individual golf title with the city championship last Monday at Topeka Country Club. Valdivia, a returning Class 5A state medalist, shot a 27-hole score of 116 to take city medalist honors by two strokes over 2021 city champ Luke Leonetti of Washburn Rural.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn baseball scored seven runs in the first inning and never trailed as the Ichabods evened the series with a 10-8 home victory in Game 2 against Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon.
Washburn (29-17, 19-13 MIAA) will close out the regular season on Senior Day Sunday at 1 p.m.
Former Washburn Rural standout Dalton Huggins was the winning pitcher in Washburn's 10-8 win over Pittsburg State on Saturday, improving to 5-1 on the season. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Pittsburg State (28-18, 21-11 MIAA) drew a leadoff walk to start the game and reached third after a couple of wild pitches, but Ichabod starter John Cross got three consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
Washburn's offense wasted little time getting on the scoreboard and showed its power in the bottom of the first as Brett Ingram hit a one-out solo shot over the fence in left center field.
Parker Dunn drew a five-pitch walk before Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli cleared the bases with a long two-run homer to left field.
Quinn Waterbury singled to right and moved up to second on a fielding error. A wild pitch allowed him to move up to third and then score on Easton Bruce's RBI groundout to put the Ichabods in front, 4-0.
A walk, single, and another walk loaded the bases and forced the Gorillas to change pitchers. With the wind blowing strong, Cal Watkins' hit to the outfield fell for a double that drove in two more runs. Washburn's seventh run of the frame was scored by Otto Jones on a wild pitch.
The Gorillas scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings to make it a 7-4 game.
In the bottom of the fourth with one runner on and two outs, Waterbury hit a monster home run to right field to increase WU's lead to 9-4.
Pittsburg State answered with two runs of its own the following inning, but Washburn Rural product Dalton Huggins took over on the mound and got all three outs to leave the bases loaded and end the inning without further damage.
After both teams were retired in order in the sixth, the scoring got started again in the seventh. The Gorillas scored two runs, one unearned, to pull within one, 9-8.
Washburn added some insurance in the home half of the seventh. With runners on first and second, Jones laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both Ichabods into scoring position. Pittsburg State brought in a new pitcher and the first pitch got away, allowing Scott to score and push Washburn's lead to 10-8.
Huggins got three quick outs in the eighth and returned to close out the ninth. After a leadoff walk, Huggins got a strikeout and then induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play.
The Ichabods out hit the Gorillas, 13-9, and recorded three home runs, a double, and a triple on the afternoon. Ingram was 3 for 5 and notched his 11th homer of the season. Waterbury and Clark-Chiapparelli were both 2-5 with a two-run home run and two runs scored. Scott went 2-3 with a walk at the plate and scored twice.
Huggins earned the win and improved his record to 5-1 after throwing five innings in relief and allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks to go with six strikeouts.
Cross went four innings and surrendered six runs on seven hits with three walks while achieving a season-high nine strikeouts. Additionally, after the leadoff walk, he retired the next six batters on strikeouts.
