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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Earlier this spring the Kansas State High School Activities Association presented a 60-year service award to an official for the first time in the long history of the organization.
Topekan John "Big Dawg'' Deedrick was honored by the KSHSAA for 60 years of service as an official last month in Manhattan. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Of course there's never been an official quite like the "Big Dawg,'' John Deedrick.
KSHSAA honored Deedrick, who retired at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year, on May 30 in Manhattan during the Class 3A state baseball tournament, recognizing the Topeka legend for his six decades of service as a registered official in baseball, basketball, football and volleyball.
"Sixty sounded like a good number and I was kind of shooting for that after I got my 50 year plaque,'' the 81-year-old Deedrick told TopSports.news. "But I did not know at the time that I would be the only official in the state of Kansas that's ever got a 60-year plaque.
"They've never made one before, so I feel like the Lone Ranger.''
The numbers that Deedrick put together in his high school officiating career are mind-boggling.
• Worked KSHSAA regular-season baseball games for more than 50 seasons, regular-season basketball for just under 50 years and football and volleyball for just under three decades.
• 39 state baseball tournaments.
• 22 state basketball tournaments.
• 7 state football championships.
• 1 state volleyball tournament.
Deedrick, who also officiated at the collegiate level for multiple decades, including 15 years as the MIAA commissioner of officials, has fond memories of his time in each sport.
"I retired from basketball in 2013 and my last state tournament was down in Emporia,'' Deedrick said. "That's kind of a neat story there because the very first state basketbll tournament that I worked was I think in 1977 and it was White Auditorium in Emporia and we dressed upstairs in some little crow's nest, no shower, just a meeting room and we had to walk down a hallway get into some rinkydink shower.
"That was my first state tournament and when I worked my last state tournament I was at White Auditorium in the same locker room upstairs with no shower and all that kind of stuff, so you might say it was like a storybook finish. I worked my first state tournament and my last state tournament in the same building with the same dressing room. Now what kind of a story is that?''
Deedrick also cherishes the memory of working a Class 6A state basketball title game between Danny Manning-led Lawrence and powerhouse Kansas City-Wyandotte and a 6A football championship between powerhouses Manhattan and Lawrence.
Dawg is also proud of the fact that he got the opportunity to work one state volleyball tournament during his career.
"One year I was free of no football playoffs, so I said, 'Hey, why don't I put in for a volleyball state because I could never do that before?'' Deedrick said. "I put in for a state and got a 1A at Fort Hays. I couldn't believe it. I put in for one and got one.''
Although he is a fan of all sports, baseball is probably Deedrick's favorite.
"The reason I like baseball is I get a chance to be with coaches and kids at home plate and you can talk to them during the game,'' he said. "Football and basketball you just work the games and you don't really communicate because the game is so intense. I tell people, 'I'm here for the kids.' I was taught by Dennis Walker, who got me started in college baseball, 'The game is for the kids. We're just part of it.' The coaches are part of it, the fans are part of it. Our job is the kids on the field.
"My goal was to have fun with the kids and I let them know that during the game. I would tell them at home plate what my intentions were, 'We're here to have fun.' And I always said to myself, 'When I can't have fun with the kids I'm walking away.' ''
Deedrick, who will turn 82 on July 30, never reached that point, but does feel like it's time to step back.
"I'm still having fun with the kids,'' Deedrick said. "I love the fans, I like the coaches who have been so respectful to me. I tell the coaches before the game, "I'm here for the kids and I want you coaches to have fun and I want the kids to have fun.'
"Sixty years just seemed like a good time to walk away because every year you get a little bit older. These last few years that I worked I noticed that when I come home from games I just felt like I was a little more tired. But everyone would tell me, 'You're 81.' ''
Deedrick was able to continue his officiating career after surviving a serious car accident while returning home from officiating a game in 1987 and continues to play slow-pitch softball.
In retirement Deedrick wants to help recruit and develop new officials.
"You hear all the time about how we're short on officials in football and basketball and baseball,'' he said. "I still want to work with young kids. I want to help the state and I want to help the supervisors in trying to find young officials. I want to stay in the program. I just didn't want to work a 50-game schedule because I just felt like age was creeping up on me.
"You've got to be lucky, just to survive 60 years. I don't know how I lasted that long. I just thank God for that. I've enjoyed my career and there's just so many nice people out there that have been good to me and I hope I shared a little fun with them and smiled and had a good time. I think that's what sports should be all about.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The official high school track and field season ended on May 31 in Wichita, but Seaman superstar Ryin Miller continues to crank out outstanding performances.
Seaman senior to be Ryin Miller turned in a strong performance in last weekend's Nike Outdoor Nationals, including a Kansas all-time best. [File photo/TSN]
Miller, who will be a senior for the Vikings in 2025-2026, is coming off a big weekend in the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore., including a Kansas all-time best.
Miller finished fifth in the championship division of the Nike Nationals 3,000 meters on Saturday in a time of 9 minutes, 28.52 seconds, Kansas' all-time fastest time in the event.
Miller then came back on Sunday to run the No. 2 all-time Kansas best of 4:42.58 in the one-mile run, placing fourth in the championship division.
Miller's performance in Oregon came after she swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 Class 5A championships in the state meet at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium and Miller now has five career 5A state titles.
The Seaman four-sport standout currently ranks No. 3 all-time in Kansas in the 800 (2:09.28) and No. 3 in the 3,200 (10:13.97).
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Phil Frost has carved out an impressive golf career, starring at Shawnee Heights and Washburn University, where he also had a stint as the Ichabods' head coach, while also playing professionally on the Prairie Golf Tour.
Phil Frost captured his first TGA City Match Play championship Sunday at Cypress Ridge Golf Course. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Phil Frost topped Patrick Golden 4 and 3 in Sunday's TGA City Match Play championship at Cypress Ridge Golf Course. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And on Sunday Frost added another accomplishment to his resume, capturing his first Topeka Golf Association City Match Play championship at Cypress Ridge Golf Course with a 4 and 3 decision over Patrick Golden.
"It's just fun to get out and play a lot of golf,'' Frost said. "I haven't played much competitive golf in the last 20-some years and I just started getting back into it the last three years and it's fun to get out and feel the juices flowing again.''
Sunday's win capped a wire-to-wire run for Frost after he earned the top seed in qualifying last week.
"You know everyone's coming after the No. 1 guy, so it's difficult to go out there and play when that's the situation,'' Frost said. "For the most part I had a lot of good shots and luckily it was match play so we didn't have to keep score and that made it a lot easier.
"If you (hit a bad shot) you can just pick up and go on to the next hole.''
Patrick Golden was the runnerup in Sunday's TGA City Match Play championship at Cypress Ridge Golf Course. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Golden advanced to the championship match as the No. 10 seed after winning the championship in the President's Flight in 2024.
"It was obviously windy, as it has been the last couple of days, and Phil just hits it so solid down the middle,'' Golden said. "I struggled a little bit, we both did, but he was the better player today, so hat's off to Phil.''
And although he came up short in his title bid, Golden was proud of his tournament performance overallk.
"I had a good week,'' he said. "I was actually really happy with my whole week. I made a lot of birdies this week and today I just didn't when it mattered. But overall I had a great week.''
Jerry Kruger, the championship runnerup in 2024, won the President's Flight title with a 3 and 2 decision over Kevin Boyle.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Following Saturday night's Kansas Shrine Bowl in Dodge City, Seaman products Kaden Jordan, Max Huston and Bryer Finley will all go their separate ways to pursue their college athletic careers.
Former Seaman standout Kaden Jordan will close out its high school football career in Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Dodge City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And Jordan said it's very important for the three former Vikings to make the most of their final game together.
Jordan, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive lineman, Finley (6-5, 195 wide receiver) and Huston (6-1, 185 quarterback) will all play for the East in Saturday's 7 p.m. all-star game while their high school coach, Jared Swafford, is an East assistant.
"The Shrine Bowl in general has been a goal for sure, to be able to prove that I was good enough to make it,'' Jordan said. "And playing with Bryer and Max and even coach Swaff is definitley a huge thing.
"I started playing football with Max in the fourth grade and Bryer in fifth, so it's kind of good to end little league and high school sports with them as well.''
Following Saturday's game, Jordan, the Shawnee County defensive player of the year for the 8-3 Vikings last fall, will turn his focus to getting ready for his freshman season at Hutchinson Community College.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
As good as Highland Park boys basketball has been over the past several seasons, there's one goal that has eluded the Scots -- a Class 5A state championship.
Nate Wallace (right), cheering on Highland Park during the 2025 Class 5A state tournament, has been selected as the Scots' new boys basketball coach, pending approval of the USD 501 school board. [File photo/TSN]
And it's that one missing piece that was a major factor in Nate Wallace's decision to apply for the Highland Park head coaching job, which opened up on May 19 when Mike Williams stepped down after a highly-successful seven-year run.
Wallace, a Highland Park assistant the past three seasons, has been tapped to take over for Williams as the Scots' head coach, pending approval from the USD 501 school board.
"We kept saying, 'The job's not finished,' and that's just a mantra that I'm going to stick by,'' Wallace told TopSports.news. "I still have ties to kids who are growing up and coming through the community. My son's going to be coming up here in the next couple of years, several of the kids I currently coach in the youth leagues are coming up and the guys that are here are still invested, so I felt like it was the right time.''
Williams led Highland Park to five Class 5A state tournament appearances, including top-three finishes the past three seasons and a runnerup state finish this past season.
"I had a long conversation with Mike,'' said Wallace, a former Topeka High standout who also served as an assistant at his alma mater. "He really inspired me and pushed me to come and feels like I could do a good job and keep pushing this job forward. Like we kept saying all year, and for the last couple of years, the job's not finished, so that's what we're hanging our hat on and we're going to keep trying to get that state championship.''
Highland Park, 24-1 last season and 71-4 over the past three years, graduated nine seniors off its 2024-2025 state team, but Wallace is confident that the Scots will continue to put a quality team on the floor.
