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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee County athletes have long distinguished themselve in a multitude of sports at the high school, collegiate, high amateur and professional levels, with county high schools producing Super Bowl and World Series champs, national individual and team champions, Olympians, local and national Hall of Famers and even U.S. Open champs in a pair of sports.
And while you're familiar with a lot of those local legends, there are others who have carved out impressive careers in their chosen sports that you aren't as familiar with, and some you've probably never head of.
Over the next several weeks, we'll try to change that.
Beginning this week and continuing through the summer, TopSports.news will attempt to honor hundreds of the county's all-time greats in some 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project, and we're counting on a lot of help from our readers to make that happen.
We want to know who you rate as the best athletes in the history of the county and not just in marquee sports like football, basketball and baseball but in a plethora of other sports, including many that don't normally get the same attention.
TopSports.news plans to publish Top 25 Best of the Best lists in all 22 male and female sports offered by the Kansas State High School Activities Association that Shawnee County High Schools participate in as well as an at-large list to cover sports like shooting, handball and any other sport that local athletes past and present have distinguished themselves in as well a list of the county's all-time multi-sport athletes.
The project will conclude with TSN's list of the Top 100 Athletes in Shawnee County history (all sports combined).
Shawnee County Olympians Melvin Douglas (wrestling), Preston Carrington (track and field) and Margaret Murdock (shooting), former Major League Baseball stars Mike Torrez and Ken Berry, U.S. Open golf champion Gary Woodland, PBA Hall of Fame and U.S. Open champion bowler Chris Barnes, Super Bowl participants like Tom Dinkel, Troy Wilson and Michael Wilhoite and Silver Lake and Kansas State basketball star Lon Kruger are likely to receive a lot of support from their fans as are national college champions like Lisa Carey (softball), Tom Meier (basketball) and Fred Slaughter (basketball) and Topeka West tennis great Sheri Norris
But don't forget about the late Steve Tilford, one of the greatest cyclists in United States history, and athletes like boccia champ Austin Hanson, handball star Max Gaither or polo's Jack L. Bybee, Paralympian Dan Cnossen or multi-sport Cair Paravel Latin and K-State star Peyton Williams.
Or ... well, who knows? The possibilities are too numerous to mention, so you tell us.
To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, simply visit TopSports.news and participate in our polls. Nominations/votes will also be accepted by email at
You can vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or attended one of the county's 10 high schools.
Over the coming days/weeks we will post a poll for each of our categories and list some of the top candidates to pick from while also giving readers the option of writing in other names.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TopSports.news contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
We will accept votes through July 31 before publishing our Best of the Best lists in August.
So, who you got?
FIRST UP: Baseball (ballot will be published on TopSports.news on July 6).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No matter what, Wednesday night would have been special for Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite.
After all, it's a very rare occasion when an athlete get the opportunity to be enshrined in their hometown hall of fame.
The fact that the former Highland Park teammates and close friends got the chance to be inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame on the same night added to the excitement ... a lot.
"It doesn't get any better," Weems said. "I said it before and I said it up there tonight, 'That's my brother. He's not a friend, he's my brother.' We've been through so much together and we've seen each other struggle trying to get to the place in our careers that we thought we deserved. To see us do that was awesome."
"It's everything, the world," Wilhoite said. "I say this all the time, 'Me and Kyle are so much better together than we are apart.' To be able to share this moment with him and his family, which is my family, and my family, which is his family, is priceless. There is nothing I can put into words to describe it."
Michael Wilhoite (right) proudly displays his Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame plaque Wednesday night after being introduced by his former teammate and fellow NFL assistant coach Joe Hastings (left). [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Former Highland Park great Kyle Weems gives his induction speech into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Recent Silver Lake graduate Ellington Hogle and Hayden product Desmond Purnell earned the top honors in Wednesday's TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Spors Awards banquet at the Maner Convention Center.
Hogle, a three-sport standout for the Eagles was named the 2021 Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year while former Hayden football star and Division I signee Desmond Purnell was the Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year honoree.
Silver Lake's Ellington Hogle receives her award as 2021 Topeka Shawnee County Female Athlete of the Year from Hall of Fame inductee Michael Wilhoite. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Former Hayden football star Desmond Purnell talks with master of ceremonies Bruce Steinbrock after being named Topeka Shawnee County Male Athlete of the Year Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights product Aidan Hicks was honored as TopSports.news' Topeka Shawnee County Most Inspirational Athlete of the Year Wednesday after bouncing back from major heart surgery early last fall to end his high school career as a state medalist in track and field.
Shawnee Heights product Aidan Hicks does is interviewed by Bruce Steinbrock after being named the Topeka Shawnee County Most Inspirational Male Athlete Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"In September, Aidan found out he had major leakage in two of his four heart valves,'' Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift said. "He had major heart surgery and was told his football career was over, but with tremendous rehab he might be able to throw in track in the spring.
"Aidan took care of his body, worked hard on recovery and rebuilding the 20 pounds he lost and had a great senior year in track.''
Hicks capped his senior season with a fourth-place state finish in the Class 5A boys javelin throw and plans to compete in track and field at Emporia State.
Other Most Inspirational Male nominees:
Dawson Adams
DAWSON ADAMS | Hayden
PARENTS: Ryan and Melissa Adams
SPORT: Cross country and track and field | GPA: 3.46
A two-time All-City pick in cross country, Adams was a Class 4A state placer in both cross country and track and field. "Without Dawson we don't accomplish what we did as a boys team this season,'' Hayden cross country and track coach DeJuan Gardenhire said. "Dawson would be the first one to practice and the last to leave. Dawson would always be there for everybody to cheer them on and made sure everybody had a positive mindset no matter if it was practice or a meet. Many of our newcomers would look up to Dawson and would ask him about race strategy, motivation or anything related.'' Adams plans to run in college at the University of Saint Mary's.
Kaiden Brown
KAIDEN BROWN | Rossville
PARENTS: Christopher and Michelle Brown
SPORT: Football | GPA: 3.3
Brown was an All-Class 2A linebacker for the state-champion Bulldawgs and a two-time state-champion powerlifter while also establishing himself as a leader in his school. "As a new administration took over at Rossville High School, students were sought for their leadership ability to establish a positive culture within our building,'' Brown's nomination form stated. "As a freshman, Kaiden was identified as a student who not only could lead, but would accept the responsibility to lead by example. With Kaiden you get the student who will stand up for what's right even when it isn't popular among his peers.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After advancing to the state tournament in one sport, claiming a state title in another and compiling a 4.11 grade point average, recent Seaman graduate JahnAsia Anderson was honored Wednesday night as TopSports.news' Topeka Shawnee County Most Inspiratonal Female Athlete.
Seaman product JahnAsia Anderson, named the 2021 Topeka Shawnee County Most Inspirational Female Athlete Wednesday night, is interviewed by Bruce Steinbrock. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Anderson went out for track and field for the first time as a senior and became a Class 5A state champion in the shot put and also was a starter for the Vikings' state qualifying basketball team.
"JahnAsia's work ethic is second to none,'' Seaman girls track coach Rick Brading said. "On most days she was the last one to come in from practice. For JahnAsia to win a state championship after being slowed by (an) elbow injury is just amazing.''
Anderson was also a four-year member of a Seaman basketball team that qualified for three straight state tournaments.
"Although undersized as a post player, she wasn't afraid to bang around and do the dirty work,'' Viking baksetball coach Matt Tinsley said.
Other Most Inspirational Female nominees:
JaNeysha Hendricks
JANEYSHA HENDRICKS | Topeka High
PARENTS: Antwaun and Nicole Jones
SPORT: Basketball | GPA: 3.4
The Trojans' point guard, Hendricks helped Topeka High post a pair of second-place finishes in the Class 6A basketball tournament as well as a semifinal berth in 2020 before the state tournament was canceled. "She is a true leader on and off the floor,'' Topeka High coach Hannah Alexander said. "She leads by example and is an amazing floor leader. Her stats are usually overlooked, but this girl makes everyone around her better. She has a knack for making passes that do not look like they should be there or be open.'' Hendricks, who averaged 4.5 assists her senior season, plans to attend Tabor College and play basketball for the Bluejays.
