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Washburn Rural state track champion Marquel Russell (middle) with his parents, Shanna Bigler, and Jason Russell, who adopted Marquel when he was 3 years old. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
On May 27 in Wichita, recent Washburn Rural graduate Marquel Russell put on a show for the Cessna Stadium crowd, posting an impressive 14.79-second win in the 110-meter hurdles to capture a coveted Class 6A state championship.
It was a huge moment, not only for Russell and his family but for the Washburn Rural and special needs communities as a whole, with the 10 hurdles Russell sailed over that day the latest among the hundreds if not thousands of hurdles he has faced and cleared since the day he was born.
"We got Marquel when he was three and he had been through the foster care system and had a lot of significant trauma,'' said Shanna Bigler, Russell's adopted mother. "He was also born with agenesis of corpus callosum, which means that the right and left hemispheres of his brain don't connect. So everything that comes in, all the processing that comes into his brain has to do both sides and it takes more work for him to process and understand things. Marquel didn't talk until he was three and he's really come through a lot. He's at about a third-grade reading level, but people just wouldn't guess that's how he is.
"We took him for another brain scan at KU a couple of years ago and they said, 'Honestly, we don't know how he's able to do the things he's able to do, but we're not going to put any athletic restrictions on him. Let him be as great as he can be and wants to be.' We were really excited about that because prior to that they had been really concerned about him hitting his head and creating more issues, so we were really proud that not only was he able to play general education athletics, but he surpassed his own expectations.''
Russell's state championship marked his third state medal in the 110-meter hurdles in as many tries, following a second-place finish as a freshman and a fourth-place finish as a sophomore.
"It felt great,'' Russell said of the state title. "I still can't believe I did that.''
"It was a miracle,'' said Jason Russell, Marquel's adopted father. "The chief of neurology told us, 'This kid shouldn't even be able to walk.' It's just amazing.''
Bigler agreed.
"Everybody that was with us for state, we were all standing up there crying because he wasn't supposed to be able to do this.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Generally speaking, football linemen are very rarely in the spotlight.
That will change on Monday, June 21, when Shawnee Heights hosts the "Battle of the Bigs'' lineman challenge (5:30 p.m. start).
Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift said that the event "is a great way for linemen to build unity and compete in a non-contact competitive setting.''
Prizes and plaques will be given to the top five individuals and top five-man team.
Participating athetes will take part in nine measured events:
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University senior golf star Andrew Beckler has been named the 2021 Division II Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year.
Beckler, a Washburn Rural graduate, was announced as the player of the year Sunday morning during The Memorial Tournament at Dublin, Ohio.
Washburn senior golf standout Andrew Beckler has been named the winner of the Division II Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Beckler capped off his collegiate career by earning the highest individual honor in college golf, which was announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
The award, given annually to the nation's top collegiate golfer across Divisions I, II and III, plus the NAIA and NJCAA, is one of college golf's most esteemed honors.
Andrew Beckler
Prior to Beckler, Washburn had never had a finalist for the Nicklaus Award, nor had there ever been a golfer from the MIAA or NCAA Division II Central Region to win it.
The award was first given out to only Division I golfers from 1988-2002 until Divisions II and III were added in 2003. Many notable golfers have won the award, including Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, and Justin Thomas.
"If you look at the records of these recipients, each one put together dominating seasons and are very deserving of this honor," Jack Nicklaus said.
The 2021 MIAA Player of the Year turned in a record season for the Ichabods this spring as he claimed five individual titles in 10 competitions and placed in the top-three at the other five events. He lost to just seven total golfers the entire season.
At the NCAA Golf National Championships, he recorded the highest individual finish in program history as he tied for second place out of 84 total golfers.
Beckler, a former Class 6A individual and team champion for Washburn Rural, finished his career with Washburn's best scoring average with a 72.00 in 67 rounds played and he holds the best season scoring average (70.4).
Beckler joined the team in 2018 after beginning his college career at Kansas State and was named to the all-MIAA team twice and received the conference Men's Golf Athlete of the Week award three times this season.
Off the course, Beckler also excelled in the classroom as he earned a place on the MIAA Academic Roll three times and was an MIAA Scholar Athlete twice.
2021 JACK NICKLAUS AWARD WINNERS
Division I -- John Pak, Florida State.
Division II -- Andrew Beckler, Washburn.
Division III -- James Mishoe, Guilford.
NAIA -- Ruan Pretorius, Point.
NJCAA -- Ben Partridge, Hutchinson Community College.
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Shawnee Heights sophomore Jeremiah Smith headlines the 2021 All-Shawnee County boys track and field team after winning three events in the Class 5A state meet. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Triple gold medalist Jeremiah Smith is one of five state champions on the TopSports.news 2021 All-Shawnee County boys track and field team.
Smith, a Shawnee Heights sophomore, turned in a dominating performance in his first Class 5A state meet at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium, going three for three with wins in the 110-meter high hurdles and the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
And while Smith was undoubtedly the biggest star of Shawnee County's large state boys contingent, he certainly wasn't the only star, with four other county athletes making it to the top of the podium and 17 members of the All-Shawnee County team earning state medals.
Joining Smith as state champions were 6A state champions Marquel Russell and Zsamar Sipple of Washburn Rural, 4A champ Jake Muller of Hayden and 3A titlist Woodrow Rezac of Rossville.
Sipple won the 6A long jump while his Junior Blue teammate, Russell, won the championship in the 110-meter hurdles.
Washburn Rural senior Marquel Russell won the Class 6A title in the 110-meter hurdles. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Zsamar Sipple won the Class 6A state long jump championship. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Muller became the third Shawnee County hurdler to win a state title when he won the 4A 300-meter event while Rezac added a 3A crown in the 200.
Rezac also posted a runner-up finish in the 100 while Muller picked up second state medal when he helped the Wildcats to a fifth-place finish in the meet-ending 4x400 relay while Sipple finished seventh in the triple jump.
Rossville's Woodrow Rezac (3249) won the Class 3A 200-meter dash and finished second in the 100 while Silver Lake's Brogan Renfro earned four state medals. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Silver Lake junior Brogan Renfro captured four 3A state medals, placing second in the triple jump, fourth in the 200 (22.27), fifth in the 100 and eighth as part of the Eagles' 4x100 relay.
Renfro's Eagles teammate, junior Carson Johnson, took home three 3A medals, finishing third in the 300 hurdles, seventh in the 110 hurdles and ran on Silver Lake's 4x400 relay as the Eagles finished fourth as a team while junior Cameron TenEyck placed seventh in the boys 3,200 and he ran on the Eagles' 4x800 relay team that finished third.
Highland Park sophomore Tre Richardson earned a pair of 5A state medals, finishing third in the triple jump and fourth in the 200 while Seaman senior Cadin Worcester tied for third in the 5A high jump and helped the Vikings place sixth in the 4x100 relay.
Rural senior Joel Goering placed fourth in the 6A pole vault while his Junior Blue teammate, senior Sam Shonka, tied for third in the high jump, and Rural junior Zach Sulzen Watson took fifth in the discus.
Topeka West sophomore Tyrell Reed finished third in the 5A 100 while Shawnee Heights senior Aidan Hicks placed fourth in the javelin (167-10), T-Bird freshman Jackson Esquibel seventh in the 3,200 and Hayden senior Jack Konrade third in the 4A long jump.
Star distance runners Tanner Newkirk of Hayden and Lenny Njoroge of Topeka West were unable to compete in the state meet due to injuries.
Newkirk, the 4A state cross country champion last fall, ranked No. 1 in the county in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs while Njoroge, a two-time 5A state placer in cross country, was the city champion in the 3,200
Hayden sophomore Jake Muller won the Class 4A state title in the boys 300 hurdles. [File photo/TSN]
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman senior shot-putter JahnAsia Anderson, the Class 5A state champion, headlines the TopSports.news All-Shawnee County girls track and field team, which includes 17 state medalists.
Anderson completed her first and only track and field season with a 5A gold medal, winning the shot put title by nearly a foot with a personal-best throw of 37 feet, 7 inches.
Seaman senior JahnAsia Anderson, won the Class 5A state shot put title with a throw of 37 feet, 7 inches, headlines the TopSports.news 2021 All-Shawnee County girls track and field team. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Anderson was the only county girls athlete to win a state championship, but Shawnee Heights junior Nadia Emperley posted a second-place finish in the 5A girls javelin and nine county athletes took home multiple state medals.
Washburn Rural sophomore Madeline Carter (left) and senior Keely Wagner both earned spots on the TopSports.news All-Shawnee County girls track and field team after earning Class 6A state medals.. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Madeline Carter earned three 6A medals, posting a sixth-place individual finish in the 800 meters while also running on the Junior Blues' fourth-place 4x400 relay and fifth-place 4x800 relay.
Rural freshman Jada Ingram took fifth in the 6A high jump and ran on the Junior Blues' fourth-place 4x400-meter relay.
Seaman sophomore Bethany Druse picked up a pair of 5A state medals, placing fifth in the 1,600 meters and fifth in the 800, while Viking freshman Taylin Stallbaumer finished seventh in the 5A 100 hurdles and placed eighth in the 300 hurdles.
Shawnee Heights senior Shelby Butterfield also picked up a seventh-place state medal in the 5A javelin and finished fourth in the long jump.
Topeka West freshman Victoria Reed (middle) and Charger sophomore Ala'Jah Brooks (left) were Class 5A regional champions and state medalists. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka West senior Adina Davis placed sixth in the 5A triple jump and freshman Victoria Reed was eighth in the 100-meter dash and both Davis and Reed earned a second state medal as part of the the Chargers' sixth-place 4x100 relay.
Rossville junior Briar Gillum posted a third-place finish in the 3A girls shot put and she added an eighth-place state finish in the discus.
Sophomore Amelia Foster was also a double state medalist for the Bulldawgs, taking sixth in the 3A girls 400 and seventh in the 800.
West freshman Mikayla Wilkerson earned a state medal with a seventh-place finish in the 5A discus while sophomore Ala'Jah Brooks picked up a medal as part of the Chargers' 4x100 relay.
T-Bird sophomore Taylor Rottinghaus placed fourth in the 400 while Hayden freshman Natalie Hillebert placed fourth in the 4A 400, Wildcat junior Jadyn Paige Falley eighth in the girls shot put and Washburn Rural senior Keely Wagner ran on the Junior Blues' fifth-place 4x800 relay.
West sophomore MaKinsey Jones and Rural freshman Raegan Petersen also earned spots on the All-Shawnee County team, with Jones a state qualifier in the 5A high jump and Petersen a 6A state qualifier in the discus.
Peterson was the Centennial League discus champ and also won a 6A regional title while Jones was the Centennial League and city high jump champ.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS TRACK
Name, school Class Events
Jahn'Asia Anderson, Seaman Sr. Throws
Ala'Jah Brooks, Topeka West So. Sprints
Shelby Butterfield, Shawnee Heights Sr. Hurdles, jumps, throws
Madeline Carter, Washburn Rural So. Distance
Adina Davis, Topeka West Sr. Jumps
Bethany Druse, Seaman So. Distance
Nadia Emperley, Shawnee Heights Jr. Throws
Jadyn Paige Falley, Hayden Jr. Throws
Amelia Foster, Rossville So. Sprints, middle distance
Briar Gillum, Rossville Jr. Throws
Natalie Hillebert, Hayden Fr. Sprints
Jada Ingram, Washburn Rural Fr. Jumps
MaKinsey Jones, Topeka West So. Jumps
Reagan Petersen, Washburn Rural Fr. Throws
Victoria Reed, Topeka West Fr. Sprints
Taylor Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights So. Sprints
Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman Fr. Hurdles
Keely Wagner, Washburn Rural Sr. Distance
Makayla Wilkerson, Topeka West Fr. Throws
