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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Topeka Golden Giants are scheduled to open their 2021 season with a home exhibition game at 7 p.m. Tuesday against the Centennial League All-Stars before opening their regular season on Wednesday at home againt the Kansas Cannons (7 p.m.).
The Golden Giants will play their 2021 home games at Rossville's historic Joe Campbell Stadium.
Jacob Kirmer, who played at Hayden and Benedictine College and is an assistant coach at Seaman, returns for his second season as the Golden Giants' head coach while former Giant and Holton native Justin Rieschick will serve as assistant coach.
The Golden Giants' roster is built around a nucleus of Topeka products as well as current and future Washburn University players.
Former Seaman standout Kolby Dougan, a right-handed pitcher, posted an 8-5 record this past season for Cloud County Community College, compiling an earned run average of 3.86 with 100 strikeouts in 70 innings.
Former Hayden and current Washburn University player Andrew Schmidtlein will play for the Topeka Golden Giants this summer. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Hayden product Andrew Schmidlein, a third baseman and pitcher, hit .357 in spot duty for Washburn this past season as a freshman, with two home runs and six runs batted in.
Washburn Rural graduate Shawn Marquis, an outfielder, hit .273 with 33 RBI for Barton County Community College.
The Golden Giants' 35-player roster includes 14 Topekans and seven players with Washburn ties.
TOPEKA GOLDEN GIANTS 2021 ROSTER
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Topeka West junior Kadence Jeffries headlines the 2021 All-Shawnee County girls swimming team after posting a pair of dominating wins in the Class 5A-1A state meet. Jeffries in a four-time state champion and two-time first-team All-State pick. [File photo/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four-time state champion and two-time first-team All-Stater Kadence Jeffries of Topeka West headlines the 2021 All-Shawnee County girls swimming team.
After winning the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle events as a freshman and having her sophomore season canceled due to COVID-19, Jeffries turned in a dominating junior campaign, repeating her championships in the Class 5A-1A state meet after winning three gold medals in city competition and sweeping her individual events in the Centennial League meet.
Jeffries is joined on the All-City team by junior teammate Blanca Espinosa, a second-team All-State pick, while Seaman, which posted a fourth-place 5A-1A team finish at state, is represented by freshman first-team All-State twin sisters Avery and Tauren Walz and second-team junior All-Stater Gabby Grace.
Seaman freshman Avery Walz, a first-team All-Stater, placed second in the 100 breaststroke and third in the 200 individual medley in the Class 5A-1A state meet, helping lead the Vikings to a fifth-place team finish. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman freshman Tauren Walz earned state medals in four events in the Class 5A-1A state meet, earning first-team All-State honors and helping the Vikings finish fourth as a team. [File photo/TSN]
Sophomore Mara Bare, a second-team All-Stater in 6A, is one of three members of Washburn Rural's city and Centennial League championship team on the All-City first team, joined by sophomore teammate Makenna Pritchard and senior city diving champion Ellie Armstrong, while Hayden is represented by seniors Olivia Kerr, Audrey Kuta and Ainslee Oliver.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
JahnAsia Anderson
JAHNASIA ANDERSON, Seaman
In her first year competing in track and field as a senior, Anderson eclipsed her previous personal-best by more than a foot and a half en route to winning the Class 5A state girls shot put championship with a throw of 37 feet, 7 inches last Thursday at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium.
NiJaree Canady
NiJAREE CANADY, Topeka High
Canady, a junior pitcher, turned in a masterful performance in the Class 6A state softball tournament, leading Topeka High to its first-ever state softball title. Canady recorded three complete-game performances, allowing just one unearned run while striking out 48 batters as the Trojans capped a perfect 25-0 season. Canady also hit the game-winning home run in a 1-0 semifinal win over Gardner-Edgerton.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
BOYS
100 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 10.36
Rezac, Rossville 10.68
Reed, Topeka West 10.74
Renfro, Silver Lake 10.90
January, Shawnee Heights 10.92
Shawnee Heights sophomore Jeremiah Smith was a triple gold medalist in the Class 5A state meet, winning the 100 and 200-meter dashes and the 110 hurdles. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville senior Woodrow Rezac (middle) won the Class 3A 200-meter dash title Friday at Cessna Stadium. Rezac won by .01 of a second in 22.15 seconds. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
200 METERS
Smith, Shawnee Heights 21.85
Rezac, Rossville 21.90
Renfro, Silver Lake 22.27
Richardson, Highland Park 22.28
January, Shawnee Heights 23.04
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Centennial League champion Washburn Rural dominates the All-Centennial League boys golf team, led by junior player of the year Luke Leonetti.
Washburn Rural junior golf standout Luke Leonetti has been named the Centennial League player of the year after winning city and league individual titles. [File photo/TSN]
Leonetti, the city and Centennial League individual champion and a regional runner-up, is joined on the all-league first team by junior teammates Joe Morse and Turner Depperschmidt after Rural swept city, league and regional team titles before finishing sixth in the Class 6A state tournament.
