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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Rossville and Silver Lake were two of the smallest schools in Friday's 20-school Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays, but the Bulldawgs and Eagles made their share of noise, combining for a pair of wins and 10 top-three finishes.
Rossville's Briar Gillum won the girls shot put with a throw of 40 feet, 7 inches and also finished third in the discus at 125-6 while Silver Lake's Carson Johnson took the gold medal in the boys 300-meter hurdles in 41.67 seconds.
Silver Lake's Brogen Renfro wins his heat in the 200-meter dash preliminaries in Friday's Camien/Welch Seaman Relays. Renfro placed second in the 200 and the triple jump and third in the 100. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Silver Lake's Brogen Renfro posted top-three finishes in three events, taking second in the boys triple jump (43-9) and the 200 (22.76) and third in the 100 (10.91), while Rossville's Woodrow Rezac was the runner-up in the boys 100 (10.89).
Rossville's Amelia Foster placed third in the girls 400 (59.91) and third in the 800 (2:24.94) while Silver Lake's Cameron TenEyck was third in the boys 1,600 (4:41.61).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There's no doubt that Bethany Druse's favorite event is the 800 meters.
But the Seaman sophomore distance star knows the only way she's going to reach her true potential in that event is by pushing herself in other events.
So that's why Druse ran 5 kilometers throughout cross county season, pushing herself to a ninth-place state finish, and that's why she put herself through the difficult 1,600 meters/800 double in Friday's Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays.
Continuing an outstanding season in her first high school track and field campaign, Druse won the 1,600 in a personal-best 5 minutes, 19.90 seconds and came back later to take the 800 in 2:22.64.
Seaman sophomore Bethany Druse (right) duels with Olathe North's Shea Johnson during Friday's 1,600-meter run in the Camien/Welch Seaman Relays. Druse won the 1,600 in 5:19.90 and came back to double up in the 800 in 2:22.64. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN].
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With the biggest meets of his track and field season coming up, Washburn Rural senior Sam Shonka was looking to take a step up in the Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Seaman Relays.
But not even Shonka could have predicted what transpired Frday, with the Junior Blue standout destryoing his previous personal record en route to a gold-medal performance.
"I came into this knowing that there was going to be a guy jumping 6-5, so honestly I wasn't even preparing to win,'' Shonka said. "I was just preparing to better myself.''
Washburn Rural senior high-jumper Sam Shonka (left) celebrates after clearing 6 foot, 6 inches to win the event in Friday's Camien/Welch Seaman Relays. [Photo by Rick Peterson]
Entering the meet with a season-best of 6 foot, 1 inches, Shonka cleared six heights from 5-8 to 6-6 on six straight attempts to win the event by two inches over Rowden Paul of Olathe North.
"I found a new mark and it just happened to work brilliantly,'' Shonka said.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High product Teven Jenkins had to wait longer to hear his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft than most draft forescasters thought he would.
But when the Chicago Bears traded up to pick the Oklahoma State star offensive lineman in Friday's second round with the 39th overall selection, Jenkins made history in his hometown, easily becoming the highest-ever NFL draft pick from Topeka or Shawnee County.
Most draft prognosticators had Jenkins going in Thuesday's first around, with some 11 mock drafts predicting that the Bears would pick Jenkins with the 20th overall pick, but his name was not called until early second.
"You know coming into yesterday my agent let me know there's a strong possibility for the first, but he made sure I definitely wouldn't get my hopes up for everything because there was a strong possibility of going second also," Jenkins said in a teleconference.
Topeka High graduate and former Oklahoma State standout Teven Jenkins (73) became Shawnee County's highest-ever NFL Draft selection on Friday when the Chicago Bears picked Jenkins with the No. 39 pick overall. [Photo/okstate.com]
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Kurt Davids has put together an impressive list of accomplishments in his 28 years as Topeka West's boys tennis coach, coaching state champions in both singles and doubles and leading the Chargers to top-three state team finishes.
But one thing had always eluded the veteran coach ... until Thursday that is.
Sweeping the No. 1 singles and doubles titles and adding a pair of runner-up finishes in No. 2 singles and doubles, Topeka West edged perennial city champ Washburn Rural by a single point (28-27) for the team crown.
Topeka West sophomore Carter Cool won the city title in No. 1 singles Thursday at Kossover Tennis Center, helping lead the Chargers to the city team title. [Photo by Rick Pet
"It was our goal coming into the season to get coach a win because he hadn't ever won since he's been here and that was our goal, to get him the win,'' said city No. 1 singles champion Carter Cool, a sophomore. "It was great to come in as a team and do what we wanted to.''
