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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Zoe Caryl
ZOE CARYL, Topeka High
Caryl, an Illinois signee, got her senior softball season off to a hot start as Topeka High opened the year 4-0. Caryl, a catcher, had seven hits and 11 runs batted in for the Trojans in last Thursday's 19-0, 19-3 doubleheader sweep over Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park. Caryl went 4 for 4 with a double, two triples and four RBI in the first game and was 3 for 4 with a double, a home run and seven RBI in the second game.
Bethany Druse
BETHANY DRUSE, Seaman
A sophomore, Druse won the girls 800-meter run in last Thursday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational track and field meet in a time of 2:23.6, a time that ranked third in the state through last week and was the top time by a Class 5A runner. Druse has won two straight 800-meter races this spring.
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Freshman Avery Zimmerman (2) scored two goals and had two assists as Topeka High's girls soccer team pushed its winning streak to three games with a 10-0 win over Highland Park Monday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Battle-tested by four tough early-season games, Topeka High girls soccer coach Derek Snook knew that Monday's game against Highland Park was one his Trojans should win.
But there were still plenty of things Snook wanted his team to get done against their USD 501 rivals and the High coach was pleased to see that the Trojans were able to check most of the items off that list in a 10-0 win at Hummer Sports Park that ended at halftime due to the 10-goal spread.
"I felt pretty good about the way we were going through the game and they were actually listening to what I asked them to do, regardless of whether we had a one on one or whatever else, we were still looking for the next pass, which was good,'' said Snook, whose team improved to 3-2 overall.
It took just 20 seconds for junior Talayah Thomas to score the only goal Topeka High would need and the Trojans were in control 3-0 five minutes into the game as senior Americka Whetstone and junior Cheyenne Bahadur added rapid-fire scores.
Bahadur would go on to score a three-goal hat track for the Trojans while freshman Avery Zimmerman and junior Luxanna Sands added two goals apiece and sophomore Cierra Carranza also cracked the scoring column.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's men's and women's track teams combined to set 12 school records in the Southwest Baptist Invitational at Bolivar, Mo., with former Shawnee County standouts Zac Chander, Eric Patterson Jr., Wyatt Heiman, Josh Wiltz and Kaylee Snell sharing in the record haul.
Patterson, a Seaman product, teamed with Shawnee Heights grad Josh Wiltz, Silver Lake native Wyatt Heiman and Josh Hopkins to set a school record of 41.85 seconds in the 4x100-meter relay en route to a fourth-place finish in the 16-school men's meet
Former Washburn Rural Class 6A state pole vault champion Zac Chandler and teammate Peyton Lane both cleared 4.80 meters (15 feet, 9 inches) to improve on the previous school men's pole vault record of 4.71.
Seaman grad Kaylee Snell took second place in the women's 3,000 meters in a time of 10:32.26, taking more than 36 seconds off the previous school record of 11:08.67.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Back in the spring of 2019, Hayden's Tanner Newkirk burst on the state track and field scene as a freshman, placing second in his state debut.
Now a junior, Newkirk, the reigning Class 4A state cross country champion, is one of several Shawnee County upperclassmen who appear poised to make noise at the state level later this season along with several newcomers who have already shown promise in their first track and field campaigns.
Other top returners include Seaman boys hurdler Sean Hoffmans, Washburn Rural boys hurdler Marquel Russell, Hayden boys long-jumper/sprinter Jack Konrade and Shawnee Heights girls hurdler/jumper Shelby Butterfield, while a talented group of newcomers includes Shawnee Heights boys hurdler/sprinter Jeremiah Smith, Heights girls sprinter Taylor Rottinghaus, Seaman girls distance runner Bethany Druse and Seaman hurdler Taylin Stallbaumer.
Here's 20 athletes to keep an eye on this spring:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
City swimmers dominated the Topeka High Invitational last Thursday and Friday at the Capitol Federal Natorium, combining for victories in 10 of 12 events.
Washburn Rural used its depth to take the team championship by a 437-326 margin over Seaman while the Vikings won a meet-high six events, followed by Rural and Topeka West with two wins apiece.
Seaman's Avery Walz and Gabby Grace both captured four gold medals, with Walz winning the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 13.79 seconds and the 100 breaststroke (1:08.15) and Grace the 100 freestyle (56.99) and 100 backstroke (1:02.96) while both A. Walz and Grace swam on the Vikings' 200 medley relay (1:59.74) and 400 free relay (3:59.72) along with Tauren Walz and Samantha Shea.
Washburn Rural got wins from Makenna Pritchard in the 50 free (26.54) and from Mara Bare in the 100 butterfly (1:07.56).
Topeka West's Kadence Jefferies was a double individual winner, taking the 200 freestyle in 1:58.20 and the 500 free in 5:12.81.
