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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/0TG9IJG3. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Over the past couple of weeks TopSports.news has published ballots for its Best of the Best project in all of the Kansas State High School Activities Association-sanctioned sports that Shawnee County High Schools currently compete in.
But some of the top athletes in county history performed in athletic endeavors outside that realm.
Hayden product Margaret Thompson Murdock was a silver medalist in the 1976 Olympic Games as a shooter while Tom Bunger (Washburn Rural) and Caitlin Morrisey (Topeka West) also excelled in that sport.
Margaret Murdock
Steve Tilford
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden Catholic High School has announced its plans to launch the Hayden Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame will recognize individuals in four categories -- alumni achievement, student athletic/activity achievement, staff achievement and contributor.
"Individuals will be recognized for achievements that are noteworthy and deserving of recognition,'' Hayden stated in a press release. "These individuals will serve as role models and examples of achievement to future students, staff and supporters.''
Hayden and the Hayden High School Foundation serve as the sponsoring organizations of the Hall of Fame.
Nominations for the 2021 class will be accepted throughJuly 31, 2021, and may be submitted by anyone.
Nominee notifications and announcements for the 2021 inaugural Hall of Fame will take place in mid-September.
A Hall of Fame dinner will take place on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. Requests for a nomination form can be sent to
Related Stories and Videos
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/7NGNFB5L. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Women's wrestling is relatively new in Kansas at the high school and college level, but Shawnee County wrestlers have already made their mark in the sport.
Washburn Rural has won the state team championship both seasons since the Kansas State High School Activities Association made women's wrestling an official sport while Shawnee County competitors have already captured four individual titles.
Recent Rural grad Dajia Anderson won state titles in both her state appearances while her teammate, Rebekah Smith, added her first state crown as a senior after placing third as a junior.
Dajia Anderson
Rebekah Smith
Kendra Hurla
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/6KQ59I2T. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Most any conversation about the rich history of men's wrestling in Shawnee County starts with former Highland Park great Melvin Douglas, a three-time state high school champ for the Scots, a two-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma, a former world champ and a two-time Olympian.
But Douglas is just one of many local grapplers who carved out their own outstanding legacy in the sport.
Melvin Douglas [Facebook]
Tanner Gardner [Stanford Athletics]
Tagen Lambotte [USD321.com]
There's former Shawnee Heights two-time state champ Tanner Gardner, who went on to become a three-time All-American at Stanford, while Tagen Lambotte was a four-time state champ for Rossville before wrestling for Iowa.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/4XB1UK5F. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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Shawnee County has been a hotbed for outstanding women's volleyball, with county high schools combining for 24 state championships while a long list of local products have gone on to achieve success at the collegiate level.
That makes picking the top player in county history a formidable task.
Shawnee Heights products Jazz Sweet, Megan Cooney and Faith Rottinghaus teamed up to help lead the T-Birds to a Class 5A state championship before Sweet went on to help Nebraska win a NCAA national championship, Cooney made it to the NCAA Final Four for Illninos and Rottinghaus has earned All-MIAA honors for Division II power Washburn.
Jazz Sweet [Huskers.com]
Dani McHenry [Washburn Athletics]
Kaylee Manns [Iowa State Daily.com]
