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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five Shawnee Heights seniors earned first-team honors on the All-United Kansas Conference football team.
Lineman Orrin Busenitz and running back Jarin Sanders were first-team picks on offense while lineman Matthew Etzel, linebacker Rusty Ullery and defensive back Ja'Laveyn January were honored on defense.
Running back Jarin Sanders (4) is one of five Shawnee Heights seniors who earned All-Kansas Conference first-team honors. [File photo/TSN]
T-Birds seniors Diego Ruiz, Garrett Peery and Carter Olson and sophomores Jacob Malcom and Jayden Moore were second-team picks on offense and senior Harlan Watson and sophomore Alex Dittman were second-team defensive picks along with Etzel at kicker and senior Braeden Brown at punter.
Basehor-Linwood senior running back Zack Sisemore was named the UKC offensive player of the year while Lansing senior linebacker Caden Crawford was named the defensive player of the year.
Basehor-Linwood's Rod Stallbaumer was named the UKC coach of the year.
ALL-UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE FOOTBALL
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Line -- Levi Cooley, jr., Basehor-Linwood; Manny Vazquez, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Austin Mills, sr., De Soto; Chayce Chadwick, sr., De Soto; Orrin Busenitz, sr., Shawnee Heights. Tight end -- Chants Nelson, sr., Basehor-Linwood. Receivers -- Brant Wilson, jr., Basehor-Linwood; Ethan Schultze, sr., De Soto. Quarterback -- Tyler Schultze, sr., DeSoto. Backs -- Zach Sisemore, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Jarin Sanders, sr., Shawnee Heights. All-purpose -- Gage Greer, jr., Basehor-Linwood.
Defense
Line -- Dalton Harris, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Drake Courtney, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Zach White, sr., De Soto; Matthew Etzel, sr., Shawnee Heights. Linebackers -- Sam Hicks, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Ben Longren, sr., De Soto; Caden Crawford, sr., Lansing; Rusty Ullery, sr., Shawnee Heights. Backs -- Tommy Lally, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Cole Heitman, so., De Soto; Richie Patrick, sr., Lansing; Ja'Laveyn January, sr., Shawnee Heights.
Returner -- Ethan Schultze, sr., De Soto.
Kicker -- Luke VanBooven, sr., De Soto.
Punter -- Liam Zell, sr., Lansing.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Line -- Pete Best, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Sam Lough, so., Basehor-Linwood; Dylan Murphy, sr., Leavenworth; Diego Ruiz, sr., Shawnee Heights; Garrett Peery, sr., Shawnee Heights. Tight end -- Carter Olson, sr., Shawnee Heights. Receivers -- Jacob Malcom, so., Shawnee Heights; Jayden Moore, so., Shawnee Heights. Quarterback -- Brady Garrison, sr., Basehor-Linwood. Backs -- Tyrone Butler, so., Lansing; Ty Cole, sr., Turner. All-purpose -- Amarion Green, so., De Soto.
Defense
Line -- John Johnson, sr., De Soto; AJ Shields, sr., Lansing; Riley Frederickson, sr., Leavenworth; Harlan Watson, sr., Shawnee Heights. Linebackers -- Aidan Ingram, sr., Basehor-Linwood; Sam Torline, jr., De Soto; Trenton Harper, sr., Leavenworth; Alex Dittman, so., Shawnee Heights. Backs -- Kaleb Scott, so., Basehor-Linwood; Jacob Robinson, jr., Leavenworth; Willie George, sr., Leavenworth; David Taylor, sr., Turner.
Returner -- Brant Wilson, jr., Basehor-Linwood. Kicker -- Matthew Etzel, sr., Shawnee Heights. Punter -- Braeden Brown, sr., Shawnee Heights.
Shawnee Heights Honorable mention
Offense
Line -- Gavin Zuperku, jr. Receiver -- Jayden Holly, so.
Defense
Line -- Christian Gonzales, so. Linebacker -- Dawson Block, sr.; Sean Wunder, jr. Backs -- Jason Ward, sr.; Jaye Jones, jr.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which earned a share of the Centennial League championship and went 8-2 on the season, earned eight first-team spots on the All-Centennial League football team.
Rural sophomore quarterback Branton DeWeese, junior tight end Lukas Hanks, senior receiver Robby Bolin and senior lineman Shane Sexton earned berths on the all-league first-team offense while junior linebacker Ty Weber and senior defensive back Landon MacEwan were first-team selections on defense.
Washburn Rural quarterback Branton DeWeese was the lone sophomore to earn first-team honors on the All-Centennial League football team. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Giles Frederickson was named the all-league kicker while junior Dayton Smoot got the nod as the all-league punter.
Topeka High senior Danny Saili was one of only two players to earn All-Centennial League first-team honors on offense and defense. [File photo/TSN]
A total of 13 city players earned first-team All-Centennial League honors, including Topeka High senior Danny Saili, who earned first-team spots on the offensive and defensive lines.
Senior receiver Brody Gormley and senior defensive back Casen Stallbaumer represent Seaman on the all-league team while Topeka High senior Tylan Alejos earned a first-team berth at running back and Highland Park junior Tre Richardson was named the all-league returner.
Saili was one of only two players who earned first-team honors on offense and defense while DeWeese was the only sophomore to earn all-league first-team recognition,
Manhattan senior Vinny was named the Centennial League offensive player of the year while Junction City senior Keghan McConnell was named the defensive player of the year.
Manhattan's Joe Schartz was named the league coach of the year.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE FOOTBALL
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback -- Branton DeWeese, so., Washburn Rural. Backs -- Vinny Smith, sr., Manhattan; Tylan Alejos, sr., Topeka High; TJ Jones, jr., Junction City. Tight end -- Lukas Hanks, jr., Washburn Rural. Receivers -- Robby Bolin, sr., Washburn Rural; Brody Gormley, sr., Seaman. Line -- Cade McIlvaine, sr., Manhattan; TJ Osa, sr., Junction City; Danny Saili, sr., Topeka High; Shane Sexton, sr., Washburn Rural; Talique Houston, sr., Manhattan.
Defense
Line -- Talique Houston, sr., Manhattan; Danny Saili, sr., Topeka High; Rudy Vargas, sr., Junction City; Elijah Clarke-Boyd, jr., Junction City. Linebackers -- Keghan McConnell, sr., Junction City; Jaxon Vikander, jr., Manhattan; Ty Weber, jr., Washburn Rural; Bobby Trujillo, jr., Emporia. Backs -- Colby Klieman, sr., Manhattan; Casen Stallbaumer, sr., Seaman; Landon McEwan, sr., Washburn Rural; Chaz Ruffin, sr., Junction City.
Returner -- Tre Richardson, jr., Highland Park.
Kicker -- Giles Frederickson, sr., Washburn Rural.
Punter -- Dayton Smoot, jr., Washburn Rural.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Quarterback -- Camden Barta, sr., Seaman. Backs -- MaKenttis Adams, sr., Washburn Rural; Randall Banks, sr., Junction City; JaVion Lee, sr., Topeka West. Tight end -- Elliott Cooper, sr., Topeka West. Receivers -- Tre Richardson, sr., Highland Park; Joe Hall, sr., Manhattan; Casen Stallbaumer, sr., Seaman. Line -- Logan Cox, jr., Seaman; Petren Batolome, fr., Junction City; Zach Franco, jr., Washburn Rural; Kobe Jordan, sr., Seaman; Sean Miller, jr., Seaman.
Defense
Line -- Austin Fager, sr., Washburn Rural; Kelonnie Patterson, jr., Manhattan; Brody Gormley, sr., Seaman; Josh Adeniji, sr., Manhattan. Linebackers -- Braden Colley, sr., Seaman; EJ Whitfield, sr., Manhattan; Connor Conklin, sr., Washburn Rural; Bryson Vawter, jr., Seaman. Backs -- Joe Hall, sr., Manhattan; Robby Bolin, sr., Washburn Rural; Terrence Tedder, sr., Junction City; Camden Barta, sr., Seaman.
Returner -- Vinny Smith, sr., Manhattan. Kicker -- Grant Snowden, sr., Manhattan. Punter -- Brody Gormley, sr., Seaman.
Honorable mention
Offense
Quarterback -- Malachi Berg, jr, Topeka West; Keenan Schartz, jr., Manhattan; Xavion Felton, jr., Junction City; Cam Geitz, sr., Emporia. Backs -- JC Heim, so., Washburn Rural; Xavier Alexander, jr., Topeka West; Tyrell Reed, jr., Highland Park. Tight end -- Jaxon Bowles, jr., Manhattan; Logan Nabus, jr., Junction City. Receivers -- Tyree Holloway, jr., Junction City; JaqSon Bush, sr., Topeka West; Amr Sabarrini, jr., Washburn Rural; Parker Leeds, jr., Emporia; Kyler Hahn, sr., Manhattan. Line -- Jacob Jackson, sr., Topeka High; Jaxson Thomas, jr., Seaman; Nate Thomas, jr., Emporia; Jay Orozco, sr., Emporia; Morgan Dean, sr., Highland Park; Robert Allaman-Wesley, fr., Emporia.
Defense
Line -- Elliott Cooper, sr., Topeka West; BJ Canady, so., Topeka High; Jaxson Thomas, jr., Seaman; Mackey James, jr., Highland Park; Thai Iverson, so., Emporia; Kobe Le, fr., Emporia; Packson Bettis, so., Washburn Rural; Jamal Shahid, sr., Topeka West; Kasen Hasenkamp, jr., Seaman; Rodney Coleman, jr., Junction City; Kyrece Robinson, so., Topeka West. Linebackers -- Jaylen Holloway, sr., Junction City; Logan McDaniel, sr., Topeka High; JC Heim, so., Washburn Rural; Quaveon Gilmore, sr., Junction City; Wyatt Conklin, jr., Washburn Rural; Kyle Obermeyer, Emporia. Backs -- Tylan Alejos, sr., Topeka High; Dante Walters, jr., Manhattan; Zac Hirschev, sr., Manhattan; Kellan Spruce, jr., Highland Park; Isiah Kincade, so., Topeka High; Callen Barta, so., Seaman; Kaden Woydziak, sr., Emporia; Michael Boganowski, so., Junction City; Donque Williams, jr., Junction City; Kason Williams, jr., Washburn Rural; Fred Jackson, jr., Emporia; Kadyn Galbreath, sr., Emporia.
Kicker -- Aiden Field, jr., Junction City; Gavin Wilhelm, sr, Seaman.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There was a lot of back and forth and more than a few tears, but Topeka High star NiJaree Canady has made the decision to bypass her senior basketball season to concentrate on her softball future.
The two-sport All-Stater made an oral commitment to Stanford's softball program earlier this fall and said it was a hard decision to give up basketball after helping the Trojans reach the Class 6A state semifinals three straight seasons, including a pair of runner-up state finishes.
"I told the girls in the locker room like last week and there were a lot of tears,'' Canady told TopSports.news Monday. "I talked to my family a lot and my coaches, of course, and then back to my family and we all decided that Stanford is Power 5 softball and Pac-10 softball is one of the hardest conferences to play in, so we all thought it would be just easier to focus on softball and really zone in.
"The past three years I'd devote myself 100 percent to basketball during the winter and this year especially I can't afford to do that.''
Stanford-bound NiJaree Canady has opted to bypass her senior basketball season at Topeka High to concentrate on her future in softball. [File photo/TSN]
Canady does plan to play for Topeka High's softball team next spring after helping lead the Trojans to a perfect 25-0 record and the school's first 6A softball title as a junior. Canady was named the Gatorade Kansas Softball Player of the Year as a junior
Canady compiled a 21-0 record in the pitching circle with a miniscule 0.26 earned run average while striking out 226 batters in 107.2 innings. Canady hit .478 on the season with 13 home runs and 49 runs batted in.
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
-- Honestly, the scare Kansas put into Oklahoma figured to be the highlight of Lance Leipold’s first season.
-- Criticize me for doing that figuring.
-- Leipold's shrewd decision to trust his team against Texas, account for its physical shortcomings and go for the win in the first overtime, deserves considerable attention.
-- Seeing a kid from Plainville catch the decisive conversion, thrown by a quarterback whose future looks bright, and now, the Jayhawks suddenly see a ray of light.
-- Almost everything Leipold says makes him likable.
-- He took a comparative look at rosters before playing Kansas State and his declaration that Kansas must recruit Kansas better affirmed that he gets it.
-- Walk-ons like Plainville’s Jared Casey make a difference. Their intense pride can rally an entire team, and program.
-- Better yet when you count on them to deliver.
-- Ask Bill Snyder. Chris Klieman probably did.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's football team is headed to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 2011, earning the No. 7 seed in Super Region 3.
Making the playoffs for the fourth time in program history, the 9-2 Ichabods will face off against Harding in Saturday's first round in Searcy, Ark.
Washburn's football players react to Sunday's announcement that they are in the NCAA Division II playoff field. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn, which has won six straight games, was No. 9 in last week's Super Region 3 rankings, but used last Saturday's 38-28 win over Missouri Southern and some key results from other games involving playoff contenders to gain the final berth out of Region 3.
Former Hayden standout Brooks Peavler, a senior linebacker, said the Ichabods felt good about their playoff chances after Saturday.
"We knew what we needed to happen as far as the other teams, and it happened, so we had a good feeling, but you never know,'' Peavler said. "There's a lot of good teams out there so we were nervous, but I feel like we deserved it and they threw us in.
"We were sitting there sweating for sure, but it's a cool opportunity.''
Washburn senior linebacker Garett Barnett-Kruger was also cautiously optimistic about the Ichabods' playoff chances.
"Obviously I was a little worried, because you never know how it can shake out with picking the regions, but I believed in Washburn magic,'' Barnett-Kruger said. "We've had some Washburn magic the last couple of years, so I had a feeling we were going to get in.
"I was here in 2017 when we went to our bowl game and that was a great experience, but you always are hungry for more, hungry for the next level, the next step, so getting up to that upper echelon was really a great feeling.''
Washburn's football team, celebrating its NCAA D-II playoff bid, will be making the 14th postseason appearance in program history. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn assistant coach Zach Watkins said he had a "gut feeling'' the Ichabods were going to get the playoff bid.
"A team like this, they deserve to be in,'' Watkins said. "Going 9-2 in the MIAA is an accomplishment in and of itself and to beat the teams we beat and the close losses we had, we deserved it and I'm excited to be in.''
