By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee County high schools have submitted their nominations for senior athletes for the 19th annual Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards, which will be presented on June 26 along with the induction of the 2024 Hall of Fame class.
TopSports.news, in partnership with A-1 Lock and Key, Washburn University, Capital Label, Peggy's Tax and Accounting and the Jamie Hornbaker State Farm Insurance Agency, will host the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Washburn University Memorial Union.
Recent Seaman graduate Taylin Stallbaumer has been nominated in two seasons for the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards after helping the Vikings win Class 5A volleyball and basketball titles. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake senior Makenzie McDaniel is a nominee for the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards after helping the Eagles win the Class 3A state basketball title as a senior. [File photo/TSN]
A Class 6A state swimming champion as a senior, Washburn Rural's Brogan Meier is a nominee for the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden's Finn Dunshee (middle) was a three-time state champion in the 2024 state track championships and also helped lead the Wildcats to a Class 3A runnerup finish in football. [File photo/TSN]
TopSports.news will present awards to the top female and male athletes in the fall, winter and spring seasons, as well as overall female and male athletes of the year and the most inspirational female and male. A complete list of nominees is listed below.
To be eligible, an athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Athletes were nominated by their schools' athletic directors and coaches.
In addition to the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards, Khloe Schuckman and Braden Rose will be honored as Washburn University Athletes of the Year and Bob Benoit, Jim Golden, Kelsey (Chipman) Stringer and Nick Stringer will be inducted as the 2024 Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame class.
A committee of local media members will select the 2024 high school winners, including the selection of overall female and male athletes of the year.
General admission tickets for the Topeka Shawnee County sports awards banquet are $30 per person and include dinner.
Ticket information is available at topsports.news.
TOPEKA SHAWNEE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AWARDS NOMINEES
NOTE: TopSports.news will accept nominees for the Topeka Shawnee County High School Sports Awards through Monday, June 3, from county athletic directors and head coaches.
FALL FEMALE — Avery Grunert, Hayden; Kinley Porter, Rossville; Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman; Madeline Fieger and Sarah Wehrli, Silver Lake; Amirah Gibbs, Topeka High; Addison Brooks, Topeka West; Jada Ingram, Washburn Rural.
FALL MALE — Carter Charvat, Hayden; Callen Barta, Seaman; Christian Gonzales, Shawnee Heights; Isaiah Kincade, Topeka High; Kyrece Robinson, Topeka West; JC Heim, Washburn Rural.
WINTER FEMALE — Lauren Sandstrom, Hayden; Kendra Hurla, Rossville; Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman; Mckenna Haltom, Shawnee Heights; Makenzie McDaniel, Silver Lake; Brenna Rutschmann, Topeka West; Zoe Canfield, Washburn Rural.
WINTER MALE — Simon Everhart, Cair Paravel Latin; Cooper Colboch, Hayden; Barrett Lietz, Rossville; Rykan Carver, Shawnee Heights; Isaiah Lyons, Topeka High; Caleb Annan-Noonoo, Topeka West; Brogan Meier, Washburn Rural.
SPRING FEMALE — Katherine Keys, Cair Paravel Latin; Ava Delgado, Hayden; Kinsey Perine, Rossville; Maggie Lesmeister, Seaman; Kaibryn Kruger, Silver Lake; Avery Zimmerman, Topeka High; Rebecca Bearman, Topeka West; Hayley Legg, Washburn Rural.
SPRING MALE — Finn Dunshee, Hayden; Aaron Merritt, Seaman; Jackson Esquibel, Shawnee Heights; Nate Plankinton, Topeka High; James Maag, Topeka West; Dylan Dodge, Washburn Rural.
MOST INSPIRATIONAL FEMALE — Jill Lenherr, Hayden; Kendra Hurla, Rossville; Raely Sterling, Silver Lake; McCall Beall, Topeka High.
MOST INSPIRATIONAL MALE — Doug Peterson, Hayden; Rykan Carver and Dylan Sanchez, Shawnee Heights; Hank Stamper, Topeka High.
WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- BRADEN ROSE
A Washburn graduate student (biology major), Rose posted a pair of second-place finishes in the recent NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing second in the hammer throw and discus. After placing second in the hammer throw with a school-record performance, Rose picked up his sixth overall career All-American award and his third in the discus with another school record with a throw of 56.93 meters (186 feet, 9 inches). Rose scored 16 points for the Ichabods in the NCAA championships, giving him a school-record 19 during the outdoor season
Rose placed second at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships in the weight throw with a mark of 72 feet, 2.75 inches. Rose also finished second in the MIAA Indoor Championships after throwing the eighth-best mark in NCAA Division II history of 73-6.75 that also set a school record. Rose was also a first-team All-American in the discus in the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships and a second-team All-American at the 2022 outdoor championships prior to earning second-team All-American honors in the hammer in 2023.
Rose completed his football eligibility in the 2022 season, twice earning All-MIAA recognition as a defensive tackle. Rose played in 45 games with 33 starts for the Ichabods, compiling 126 tackles with 25 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks and a touchdown.
He was an MIAA Scholar Athlete for earning a 3.5 or higher grade point average and earning All-MIAA honors.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- KHLOE SCHUCKMAN
Schuckman, a junior marketing major, led the Ichabod offensive attack all the way to a first-ever National Championship match in the 2023 season, with Washburn finishing as the NCAA Division II national runnerup after a 1-0 loss to Point Loma.
The 5-foot-7 forward, a former standout at Wichita Bishop Carroll, scored a team-high 11 goals on the year and dished out five assists for 27 points.
Schuckman earned All-MIAA first-team honors for a second straight year and was a United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region first-team selection and a third-team All-American.
Schuckman was named a USC Scholar All-American while also earning All-MIAA Scholar Athlete recognition for having a 3.5 or higher grade point average and earning All-MIAA honors.
Schuckman, who has scored 25 goals with nine assists over her first three WU seasons, helped lead the Ichabods to a 21-4-1 record last fall.
2024 TOPEKA SHAWNEE COUNTY HALL OF FAME CLASS
BOB BENOIT
Benoit is a former standout on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour and is currently the boys and girls bowling coach at Seaman High School.
Benoit was active on the PBA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s, winning four PBA titles between 1988 and 1993.
Benoit is probably best known for being the first bowler to ever roll a perfect 300 game in a televised title match, as well as the fifth PBA bowler to throw a televised perfect game overall.
He accomplished that feat in a 300-225 win over Mark Roth in the Quaker State Open on January 23, 1988 at the Forum Bowl in Grand Prairie, Texas. Only two other players have rolled 300s in a televised title match since Benoit's feat -- Mike Autry in 1993 and Tommy Jones in 2020.
The 300 game came in Benoit's first-ever title match, as well as his first appearance in a telecast, making him the first bowler in history to score 300 in their very first TV appearance. Benoit would later be on the other end of a televised 300 game, losing 300–236 to Butch Soper in a stepladder match of the Hilton Hotels Classic in July, 1994.
Benoit had 28 career top-five finishes and made it to the final match on eight occasions, winning the Quaker State Open (1988), the Bud Light Classic (1991), the Beaumont PBA Doubles Classic (1991) and the El Paso Open (1993).
In 2018 Benoit became the head coach at Seaman and has led the Vikings to three state team titles (two boys, one girls), highlighted by a boys-girls championship sweep in 2022.
Benoit's boys and girls teams have combined for 10 top-three state finishes in six seasons.
JIM GOLDEN
Jim Golden, a Silver Lake High School graduate, won 11 varsity letters for the Eagles in baseball, football and basketball before going on to pitch in the Major Leagues.
Golden, a right-handed pitcher who batted left-handed, led Silver Lake's baseball team to the state title in his junior year, 1953, and Golden’s performance that season helped cement him as a local legend.
In one game, Golden struck out 31 hitters in 14 innings and in the state title game, he pitched a no-hitter with 17 strikeouts. The next year, he struck out a state-record 185 batters and the Eagles won the state title again.
Golden also excelled in American Legion baseball, where he won two state championships and played against Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson in Legion competition.
After high school Golden signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for $7,000 and pitched five seasons in the minor leagues. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958 as part of a deal for future Major League manager Sparky Anderson.
In 1960 Golden won 20 games and had a 2.32 earned run average for the St. Paul Saints, earning a promotion to the Major Leagues for the Dodgers. Golden made his Major League debut in the final week of the 1960 season against the Chicago Cubs and got the win in his only appearance that season, allowing five runs in seven innings. Hall of Famer Don Drysdale closed out the 7-5 win with two scoreless innings of relief.
Golden spent the entire 1961 season with the Dodgers, posting a 5.79 ERA in 28 relief appearances, before he was selected by the Houston Colt .45s with the 37th pick in the expansion draft prior to the 1962 season. He would make 37 appearances in 1962, including 18 starts, going 7-11 with a 4.07 ERA and two shutouts. A highlight was a three-hitter against the Pittsburg Pirates when he struck out future Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente and Bill Mazeroski twice each. The other shutout was a five-hitter against the Dodgers and Drysdale.
Golden, who was inducted into the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, saw his time in the Major Leagues, shortened by a shoulder injury in 1963
KELSEY (CHIPMAN) STRINGER
Stringer joins her father, legendary Washburn basketball coach Bob Chipman, in the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame after putting together an oustanding career at Washburn Rural High School and Kansas State.
Kelsey was part of Washburn Rural High School's first ever Class 6A volleyball state championship team, playing for Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Famer Kevin Bordewick with the Junior Blues. That Rural team was inducted into the Washburn Rural Hall of Fame in 2017 and (Chipman) Stringer was inducted individually earlier this year.
She was named the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and 6A State Player of the Year at Rural and was a 6A All-State first-team selection in volleyball in 2004 and 2005, with honorable mention recognition in 2003. Stringer was also named to the 6A All-State team in basketball and was part of the 6A state runnerup team in 2003 and received multiple All-City and all-league honors in volleyball and basketball.
Stringer was named Top 5 Best of the Best in Volleyball for Topeka/Shawnee County and a part of the Top 125 athletes in Topeka/Shawnee Country history. She was inducted into the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame in 2022.
Stringer competed for the Kansas State volleyball team in from 2006-2009 seasons and was a four-year starter and voted team captain during her career.
Kelsey holds the K-State record for the most career blocks (518) and also holds the record for solo career blocks (463). She has the most blocks ever in a five-game match (15) as well as the most solo blocks in a three-game match (4). Her 15 blocks against Colorado in 2006 also set a Big 12 Conference record that still stands today.
Stringer ranks in the top three at Kansas State for career hitting percentage efficiency (.329). She was an All-Big 12 Conference selection in 2009 and was named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week and Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week on multiple occasions.
She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Life-Sciences/Pre-Medicine and she continues to stay connected to Kansas State University volleyball today as a play-by-play broadcasting analyst for their televised matches.
NICK STRINGER
Stringer was a multi-sport athlete for Hayden High School, including an undefeated Class 4A state football championship as a senior in 2004 while playing for his father, Tom.
At Hayden, Stringer was rated as the top offensive lineman in the state. As a senior Stringer played primarily at tight end on offense and defensive end on defense.
Stringer caught 22 passes for 348 yards and five touchdowns during his senior season and posted 104 tackles, three sacks and 16 tackles for loss.
Stringer was a two-time All-Centennial League and All-City performer during his prep career.
After earning first-team All-State honors at Hayden, Nick signed with Kansas State out of high school.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2005, Stringer appeared in 43 games for the Wildcats from 2006-09, earning first-team All-Big 12 accolades as a senior and All-Big 12 honorable mention as a junior in 2008.
Stringer played for both Ron Prince and legendary Wildcat coach Bill Snyder at Kansas State.
After completing his collegiate career, Stringer signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals.
