Shawnee Heights Thunderbirds
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights outlasted Topeka West in a wild romp Friday at Heights that saw 16 touchdowns and 111 total points scored. The T-Birds picked up their first victory of the season, 76-35 over the Chargers.
Senior quarterback Aiden Scott threw for three touchdowns and ran for two TDs in Shawnee Heights' 76-35 UKC win over Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Every time Shawnee Heights appeared to gain a commanding lead, the Chargers seemed to hit for a big play that kept the fires burning on both sides. The T-Birds continued to attack, even once reserves were inserted in the lineup. Eight different T-Birds found the end zone in the game.
“The whole sideline was going crazy as some of those guys who don’t get to play got out there,” senior quarterback Aiden Scott said. “Just seeing their faces light up when everyone scores. It’s amazing – our team atmosphere. We’re all for each other.”
David Wakes scored the first two touchdowns of the night in Shawnee Heights' 76-35 UKC win over Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights took a 22-0 lead in the first period. But the Chargers took to the air in the second period and made things interesting. Quarterback Josiah Wilkie directed a touchdown drive to cut the T-Bird lead to 22-8. Later in the quarter, Topeka West took advantage of an interception deep in Shawnee Heights territory to convert a second touchdown drive, making the score 28-14.
Shawnee Heights junior Christian Labrador scored two touchdowns, including a 50-yard interception return, in Shawnee Heights' 76-35 UKC win over Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights responded with 20 unanswered points in the final 3:16 of the period to go up 48-14 at the intermission. But even then, the Chargers didn’t fold. Wilkie hit on two long scoring passes to receiver Jayden Lindsay, and Nas Williams-Brown scored on a 72-yard scamper.
Shawnee Heights coach Jason Swift praised the Chargers for their effort, and said there was plenty for his team to like as well.
“I saw a lot of kids get a chance to play,” Swift said. “We had some injuries coming into tonight. So, a lot of kids were, hey, this is your first night playing Friday night football. And I thought they did well. Did we make some mistakes? Yeah, we did. That’s part of being a kid. On Friday nights, the game goes a lot faster than it does on any other day. But our kids never quit. So, sure, we can improve on some stuff, but, you know, anytime you win a football game, it’s great.”
The T-Birds, who never punted, were only prevented from reaching the end zone on two possessions. Scott threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more.
For the Chargers, Wilkie completed 19 of 46 passes for 323 yards. Lindsay accounted for 155 yards receiving while Gad Munganga added 125 yards receiving.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY'S GAMES
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
Shawnee Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns in last Friday's 51-41 loss to Washburn Rural. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka West junior Damon Webb is one of the area's top running backs. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA WEST (0-1, 0-1 UKC) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (0-1, 0-0 UKC)
Topeka West opened its season with a home 47-12 United Kansas Conference loss to De Soto while Shawnee Heights dropped a 51-41 home non-league decision to city rival Washburn Rural. Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott completed 30 of 52 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns against Rural while senior David Wakes carried the ball 21 times for 67 yards, senior Tyren Parker caught seven passes for 172 yards and two TDs and senior AJ Gallegos caught 10 passes for 113 yards. Top players for Topeka West include senior lineman Logan Hunninghake, senior wide receiver Gad Munganga and junior running back Damon Webb.
Junior running back G'Honi Montgomery rushed for 113 yards in Highland Park's 32-6 win at KC-Wyandotte last Friday. [File photo/TSN]
KC-SUMNER (0-1, 0-1 Meadowlark) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (1-0, 1-0 Meadowlark)
At Hummer Sports Park
Highland Park opened its quest for a fourth straight winning season with a 32-6 Meadowlark Conference road win at Kansas City-Wyandotte while KC-Sumner is coming off a 62-20 Meadowlark loss to KC-Washington. Highland Park junior running back G'Honi Montgomery rushed for 113 yards on 12 carries while junior JoJo Kingcannon had 103 yards on just four attempts and senior quarterback Dontrail Fox threw for a TD. Defensively junior Rayshon Pollard had seven tackles with two sacks.
OSAGE CITY (1-0, 0-0 Flint Hills) vs. CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (1-0, 1-0 Flint Hills)
At Yager Stadium, Washburn University
Cair Paravel rolled to a 60-14 Flint Hills League win over West Franklin in its 2025 opener at Washburn's Yager Stadium while Osage City opened with a 41-13 non-league win over Olpe. The Lions opened up a 20-0 first-quarter lead, led 26-8 at halftime and 52-8 at the start of the fourth quarter. Cair Paravel is one win away from equaling its win total in a 2-7 season last fall in its first season in the 11-man ranks.
SM EAST (1-0) at SEAMAN (0-1)
Seaman dropped a 33-22 United Kansas Conference home decision to Piper in its 2025 season-opener and will go outside league play to host Class 6A Shawnee Mission East Friday night. The Lancers are 1-0 after a 31-28 win over Olathe Northwest. Seaman junior quarterback Cale Ketter completed 30 of 42 passes for 192 yards against Piper while sophomore Quentin Moravec rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and junior Josh Brown caught 10 passes for 74 yards.
Junior Jadyn Baum (26) rushed for 84 yards and scored two touchdowns in Washburn Rural's 51-41 season-opening win over Shawnee Heights. [File photo/TSN]
BLUE VALLEY (1-0) at WASHBURN RURAL (1-0)
Washburn Rural outlasted city rival Shawnee Heights 51-41 at Heights last week while Blue Valley opened with a 28-21 win over Blue Valley Southwest. Rural senior quarterback John Hoytal completed 11 of 20 passes for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns while senior TJ Minikwu was 28 for 77 yards rushing and junior Jadyn Baum picked up a game-high 84 yards on 12 attempts. Minikwu and Baum scored two TDs apiece, while senior Nate Selm also had two TDs, including a 47-yard return of an onsides kick attempt.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Silver Lake volleyball coach Sarah Johnson was happy with the way her Class 3A Eagles battled in five of six sets in Thursday's Shawnee Heights quadrangular against the 5A T-Birds, 6A Manhattan and 5A Seaman.
Silver Lake senior Paige Winsor spikes the ball in Thursday's match against Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And Johnson was even happier with the way her Eagles bounced back after hitting their only stumbling block of the night.
After dropping a tight 25-23 decision in its first set of the night against Shawnee Heights, Silver Lake got steamrolled 25-12 by the T-Birds in the match-clinching second set.
But that was the top-ranked (3A) Eagles' only loss, with Silver Lake, now 10-1, rebounding to take a 25-20, 25-23 win over Seaman and a 25-16, 25-19 win over Manhattan, handing the seventh-ranked (6A) Indians their lone loss.
Silver Lake senior Paige Heiman (15) blocks a spike attempt in Thursday's match against Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"Overall, I'm very pleased,'' Johnson said. "There were a couple of moments at the beginning of the night that didn't go our way and we weren't playing like ourselves. We were a completely different team that Shawnee Heights match, especially that second set, than we were against Manhattan.
"I was really happy to see these girls just like level up. They were ready for the competition and they gave it their all and it was all of them on the court. I couldn't find a weakness, a weak girl, and I was really proud of all of them on the court. They didn't get down on themselves and I really see this crew as that kind of team. They're going to have errors, we're okay with it, and then we rally back.''
Junior setter Kylie Hanni was also proud of her team's performance, particularly after the loss to Heights.
"We did a good job of forgetting our mistakes and we just really pushed through it and I'm really happy with how it ended,'' Hanni said.
"This (playing bigger schools) really gives us a challenge and it always makes us better because we learn what we need to work on and just facing good competition is really good for us.''
Shawnee Heights senior Jadyn Euwer makes a return in Thursday's Shawnee Heights volleyball quadrangular. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Host Shawnee Heights also went 2-1 in the quadrangular and came within a third-set Manhattan rally of a perfect night.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights' soccer teamused its speed and attacking style to post eight scores in the first half against Cair Paravel Latin Monday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex, taking an 8-0 non-league win.
Senior Camden Granado sliced through the Lions’ defense for four goals to lead the T-Birds.
The game gave the T-Birds a boost of confidence going into a match versus Topeka High on Thursday at Hummer Sports Park. For Class 2A Cair Paravel, it was a chance to challenge itself against a much bigger school.
Defeating Cair Paravel was another step in the journey for the T-Birds who bounced back with a win last Thursday over Free State after dropping the season opener at Washburn Rural.
“Opening with Rural, that was a pretty tough way to open the season,” Shawnee Heights coach Nic Simons said. “But we bounced back really well against a great Free State team, and it was great to see us come out tonight and kind of take care of some things and get things where we want going into Thursday against Topeka High.”
The Lions held Shawnee Heights off the board for the first five minutes of the game. But once Granado got rolling, the T-Birds took command. They netted four goals in the next nine minutes, three of them off the foot of the senior captain.
“To score as many goals as we did in the first half just gives us confidence in our offense,” Granado said. “I can’t take the credit because (my teammates) did great getting me the ball. We did great just making passes in order to move the ball up the field.”
“Some of the creativity on the offensive side of the field is kind of what I’ve been wanting to see,” Simons said. “And I think our ability to push the ball up the field is something that we’re going to need to bring on Thursday.
Once the T-Birds were comfortably in the lead, Simons began substituting liberally.
“It’s good for us to get some guys some experience,” Simons said. “We played quite a few sophomores off our bench tonight and it was incredible to see some of those guys step on the field and give us some great minutes.
“We knew coming into the season that we could have a good team. Almost everybody played varsity last year,” Granado said. “It’s just living up to those expectations. Obviously, we have goals that are going to come later in the season, but it’s just working towards them every game and making sure that every game matters.”
Though the score wasn’t what the Lions would have liked, they had several near misses that kept things interesting. Coach Mark Congdon believed trying to match the speed and intensity of the 5A T-Birds was a good learning experience.
“We’ve got more experience than we usually do, but we’re still starting several freshmen and sophomores,” Congdon said. “They were a little bit shell-shocked – this was a pace of play they hadn’t experienced before. They were chasing their tails most of the night.
“We played a team last night that is struggling and having a down year, so we mercy-ruled somebody last night, and tonight we get mercy-ruled. So, it was great to see both sides of the spectrum, to learn things like how to play with class no matter what the score is.”
Congdon said he expects this to be the best team the Lions have fielded in the last several years. Playing a powerful opponent early in the season can be to their benefit.
“That’s great soccer. How can we mimic that?” Congdon said. “I told the guys, 'You learn from your opponent. What made them so difficult to defend? What were the passes that broke our backs? What things can we take into the rest of our season and copy them?’ ”
Congdon noted a goal scored by Cair Paravel senior Nathan Keys that was wiped out by an offside penalty.
“This is the first game Nathan Keys was shut out since 2023,” Congdon said. “He scored in every game last year, and in our first three games this year. That (call) was unfortunate because I thought he might keep his streak going.”
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 8, CAIR PARAVEL 0
Cair Paravel (2-2-0) 0 X — 0
Shawnee Heights (2-1-0) 8 X — 8
Shawnee Heights — Goals: Granado 4, Curvelo-Montenegro 2, Lindecrantz, Retana. Assists: Lilly. Shutout: Arteaga.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Friday's city showdown between Washburn Rural and Shawnee Heights featured enough big plays to fill a couple of highlight reels and more than a few miscues by both teams.
But when the dust finally settled after nearly three hours, the visiting Junior Blues had prevailed in a 51-41 shootout.
Washburn Rural celebrates after Friday night's 51-41 win at Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The tone for the night was set when Rural and Heights traded 64 and 73-yard touchdowns over the opening three minutes and the pace barely slowed the rest of the night in the non-league battle between the two longtime city rivals.
"It was a typical first ballgame,'' Washburn Rural coach Steve Buhler said. "Cramps on cool weather, lots of great plays, great athletes on the field, big plays in big games, guys stepped up. We've been talking about that, who were going to be the guys to step up?''
After trailing 14-7 at the 4:47 mark of the opening quarter, Washburn never trailed after scoring 20 straight points to build a 27-14 advantage with 5:26 left in the first half.
But Shawnee Heights, which trailed by as many as 16 points, clawed back time and time again to get as close as three on multiple occasions and the game wasn't officially decided until Junior Blue senior Nate Selm fielded a T-Bird onsides kick attempt and rambled 47 yards for the night's final TD with 14 seconds remaining.
"Nate Selm, a great baseball player, and he showed it on that last play,'' Buhler said. "He scooped that thing up on that hop and he was gone.
"It was great to see that and one thing we've been preaching already is the idea of being persistent and staying with it and playing through and I was really happy with our kids. There were times where we could of just kind of let off the gas a little bit and been upset about some things, but our guys played through a lot of mistakes and kept playing hard and that's what we've been preaching all fall.''
Selm, who caught a 31-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game, had an idea of what he wanted to do on the onsides attempt, beginning with making he sure he caught the ball.
"You've got to,'' Selm said. "I was just kind of reacting. I saw it come off his foot and I was just like, 'There's no one coming to get me and I might as well take this one to the house.'
"I watch You Tube videos and knew the rule that you can go get it before 10 yards and I saw that little gap and took off.''
Selm said that Rural knew it was going to have to come up with big plays to hold off a talented Shawnee Heights team.
"A crazy game,'' Selm said. "Heights is really good and their offense can score and those dudes are all really good. They can throw the ball and catch the ball. They've got a ton of great athletes. Aiden Scott (Heights' star quarterback), I grew up with him and he can heave the ball, man.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
THURSDAY'S GAME
Jason Filbeck begins his second season at Topeka High Thursday night after leading the Trojans to a 4-5 mark last fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
WICHITA WEST vs. TOPEKA HIGH
At Hummer Sports Park
Jason Filbeck begins his second season as Topeka High's head coach after leading the Trojans to a 4-5 record last fall, including four straight wins to open the season. High returns a solid group of returners to build around this season , returning four starters on offense and eight on defense. Senior defensive back Malachi Murph has received All-Centennial League first-team recognition the past two seasons and was an All-Shawnee County Second 22 honoree last fall while quarterback Zane Smith, linebacker Rock Williamson and defensive lineman Trey Lutz received All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County honorable mention in 2024. Wichita West posted a 2-7 record in 2024, including a 52-19 season-opening loss to Topeka High. The Trojans will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak Thursday night. Two of Topeka High's first three games are Thursday night contests, with the Trojans hosting Wichita Southeast on Sept. 18.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Silver Lake senior Dayne Johnson (11) is a returning All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville senior Conner Bush helped the Bulldawgs advance to the Class 1A semifinals last season. [File photo/TSN]
SILVER LAKE at ROSSVILLE
For the second straight season the Bulldawgs and Eagles will open the 2025 season with one of the state's most storied rivalries. Rossville is coming off an 8-4 record a year ago and advanced to the Class 1A state semifinals while Silver Lake went 7-3. The Eagles took a 33-26 overtime win over the Bulldawgs in last year's opener. Rossville returns TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Conner Bush (senior running back/defensive back) and All-Shawnee County Second 22 honorees Jack Donovan (senior wide receiver/defensive back) and Andre Johnson (senior running back/linebacker) to build around. Silver Lake senior wide receiver/safety Dayne Johnson received TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors a year ago after catching 51 passes for 835 yards and nine touchdowns and picking off six passes on defense. Junior lineman Myles Fisher and sophomore lineman Kendrick Vande Velde received all-county honorable mention last season while senior safety Grady Bergmann received All-Big East honorable mention.
Washburn Rural senior running back TJ Minikwu earned All-Centennial League recognition last fall. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott passed for more than 3,000 yards last fall. [File photo/TSN]
WASHBURN RURAL at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
City rivals Washburn Rural and Shawnee Heights will both be looking to bounce back this fall after tough 2024 campaigns. Rural went 3-6 a year ago, including a 42-21 win over Shawnee Heights, while Heights went 2-7. Washburn Rural senior running back TJ Minikwu received first-team All-Centennial League recognition last season while senior quarterback John Hoytal, senior wide receiver Kellan Roth, senior defensive lineman Ayden Crosswhite and senior linebacker Jordy Heim were second-team all-league picks. Senior offensive lineman Jayden Cooper, junior running back Jadyn Baum, junior linebacker Brody Haas and senior linebacker Elijah Gaines received all-league honorable mention and Minikwu, Cooper, Baum, Hoytal, Roth, Crosswhite, Heim, Haas, Gaines, senior Sammy Brumley and senior Dylan Tajchman all received All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Leading the T-Bird returning cast are senior quarterback Aiden Scott and senior wide receiver/defensive back Tyren Parker, who both were TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 picks a year ago. Scott, who was named the county offensive newcomer of the year last fall, completed 190 of 317 passes for 3,102 yards and 32 touchdowns while Parker caught 50 passes for 946 yards with 11 touchdowns and was in on 48 tackles with a pair of interceptions. Scott has committed to Washburn and Parker to Kansas.
Senior linebacker Jude Krentz led Hayden with 132 tackles last fall, earning All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors. [File photo/TSN]
EUDORA at HAYDEN
Hayden went 11-2 and finished second in Class 3A for the second straight season last fall while Eudora is coming off a 4-5 season, including a 35-7 season-opening loss to the Wildcats. Headlining the list of Hayden returners are senior running back/defensive back Kade Mitchell and senior fullback/linebacker Jude Krentz, who were both TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors last season. Mitchell rushed for 808 yards on 104 carries last fall and scored 26 total touchdowns while Krentz led the Wildcats with 132 tackles (75 solo). Other top senior returners include quarterback Connor Hanika, center/defensive lineman Julian McGivern, running back/linebacker Jackson McGivern, tight end/linebacker Xander Blasing, offensive tackle Jackson Haas, offensive guard Andrew Rohr and linebacker Logan Saenz.
Topeka West junior Damon Webb is one of the area's top returning running backs. [File photo/TSN]
DE SOTO at TOPEKA WEST
At Hummer Sports Park
Trey Parker begins his third full season as head coach at Topeka West after taking over on an interim basis in 2022. The Chargers will be looking to take a step forward this fall after three straight 1-8 seasons. Topeka West faces a tough task Friday night, with De Soto coming off a 7-2 season last fall. De Soto took a 56-6 season-opening win over West last season. Top returners for Topeka West include senior lineman Logan Hunninghake, senior wide receiver Gad Munganga, junior lineman Dorian Rhoten Jr. and junior running back Damon Webb Jr. Webb carried the ball 17 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns in last fall's 32-20 United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner. The Chargers also return sophomore quarterback Josiah Wilke, who took over as West's starter the second half of the 2024 season.
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Washburn Rural boys soccer team, eager to build upon its third-place finish in last year’s Class 6A state tournament, flexed its muscle Tuesday. The Junior Blues handled Shawnee Heights 6-0 at McElroy Field in the season opener for both teams.
Washburn Rural senior Dylan Willingham (19) scored a pair of goals in Tuesday's 6-0 season-opening win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues ambushed the visiting T-Birds out of the gate, putting a goal on the board just six minutes into the season. Liam Morrison headed a free kick from fellow senior Brandon Hamilton inside the right post to get the ball rolling.
Senior Dylan Willingham gave the Junior Blues a commanding 2-0 lead with a free kick off a red-card penalty just before the intermission.
‘Everybody was excited to play our first game,” said Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel. “Playing a city school, a rival school, a lot of kids know each other. So, we knew it would be a high energy game early. Both teams really were playing hard.
“The first goal was a great goal for us just to kind of gain the momentum. It was a pretty even game up until the red card and the second goal.”
With the T-Birds playing short-handed for most of the night – they incurred a second red card early in the second half – Washburn Rural was able to substitute liberally and focus on fundamentals.
“We have a big senior class, a lot of guys who have experience, but we have guys coming off the bench who haven’t played a lot of varsity minutes,” Hensyel said. “So, when you get an opportunity to do that, we want to give them that extra experience.
“Once we got that advantage, we talked about just calming down and, you know, not just smashing the ball forward. ‘Can we pass it a little bit? Can we make them work?’”
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Six Shawnee County schools earned Top 10 spots in the Kansas Volleyball Association's preseason state rankings released Wednesday.
Hayden tops the county contingent with a No. 2 ranking in Class 4A while perennial state contender Washburn Rural holds down the No. 5 spot in 6A.
Hayden, which won a Class 4A sub-state title before posting a third-place state finish, is ranked No. 2 in Class 4A in the KVA Preseason State Rankings. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman and Shawnee Heights are ranked No. 8 and 9, respectively, in 5A while Silver Lake is ranked No. 8 in 3A and Rossville is ranked No. 10 in 2A.
Seaman was the 5A runnerup last season while Hayden finished third in 4A and Washburn Rural was a state qualifier in 6A.
Current classifications for the rankings are based on enrollments from the 2024-25 school year.
The rankings will be adjusted when the updated KSHSAA classifications are released at the end of September.
Kansas Volleyball Association Preseason Rankings
CLASS 6A
1. Mill Valley
2. Blue Valley West
3. Olathe West
4. Blue Valley North
5. Washburn Rural
6. Gardner-Edgerton
7. Manhattan
8. Olathe North
9. Wichita Northwest
10. Olathe South
CLASS 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas
2. Blue Valley Southwest
3. St. James Academy
4. Maize South
5. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
6. Lansing
7. Bishop Carroll
8. Seaman
9. Shawnee Heights
10. Great Bend
CLASS 4A
1. Bishop Miege
2. Hayden
3. Rock Creek
4. Clay Center
5. McPherson
6. Andale
7. Eudora
8. Concordia
9. Holton
10. Buhler
CLASS 3A
1. Halstead
2. Nemaha Central
3. Hoisington
4. Beloit
5. Neodesha
6. Royal Valley
7. Girard
8. Silver Lake
9. Frontenac
10. Riverton
CLASS 2A
1. Ellinwood
2. Valley Heights
3. Inman
4. Sedgwick
5. Maranatha Christian
6. Oakley
7. Wichita-Central Christian Academy
8. Hillsboro
9. Doniphan West
10. Rossville
CLASS 1A Division I
1. Little River
2. Centralia
3. Clifton-Clyde
4. Rock Hills
5. Goessel
6. South Gray
7. Spearville
8. Pretty Prairie
9. Greeley County
10. Rawlins County
CLASS 1A Division II
1. Hanover
2. Ingalls
3. Marais des Cygnes Valley
4. Lebo
5. Wheatland-Grinnell
6. Argonia
7. Attica
8. Cheylin
9. Linn
10. Dighton
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news has finished its tour of preseason football practices at all 10 Shawnee County high schools and will post preview stories over the coming days leading into the opening games of the 2025 season on Sept. 4 and 5.
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After graduating 20 of 22 starters from its 2023 team that went 8-3, Shawnee Heights went through some definite growing pains last fall in a 2-7 campaign.
But one thing veteran T-Bird coach Jason Swift said he never had to worry about, no matter the score, was that he was going to get his team's best effort.
Veteran Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift and the experienced T-Birds will be looking for a big turnaround this fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And with 40 returning lettermen, including nine returning starters on offense, seven on defense and a standout specialist, Swift is counting on that effort to produce dividends this fall.
"I'll give testament to last year's team, they practiced hard every single week and they played hard no matter what adversity that we faced in the season,'' said Swift, who is starting his 23rd season at Heights. "Truthfully, all three aspects of the game -- offense, defense, special teams -- shined. One thing we couldn't do was just put it all together for four quarters, and if we could have, I think the record would have been a little bit different.
"But the thing that's great is that the kids that played so hard last year, the majority of them are back here on the field this year and they've got nine games of experience. So, when the lights go on on Friday nights, they're not going to be as bright this year.''
Leading the T-Bird returning cast are senior quarterback Aiden Scott (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) and senior wide receiver/defensive back Tyren Parker (6-3, 190), who both were TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 picks a year ago.
Senior Aiden Scott returns to quarterback Shawnee Heights after passing for 3,102 yards and 32 touchdowns last fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Scott, who was named the county offensive newcomer of the year last fall, completed 190 of 317 passes for 3,102 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior while Parker caught 50 passes for 946 yards with 11 touchdowns and was in on 48 tackles with a pair of interceptions. Scott has committed to Washburn and Parker to Kansas.
Other top returners on offense include senior running back David Wakes (5-10, 190), senior wide receiver AJ Gallegos (5-10, 160), senior offensive lineman Henry Schattilly (6-3, 300) and junior offensive linemen Amir Bass (5-9, 265), Will Skaggs (6-3, 270) and Jude Haverkamp (6-2, 260).
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four years ago Orrin Busenitz started his college football career on the bottom rung of the Washburn University football ladder after a standout career at Shawnee Heights.
Former Shawnee Heights standout Orrin Busenitz, a former walk-on, has worked his way up the depth chart for Washburn football to become a mainstay on the offensive line. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
But through hard work and perseverance, the 6-foot-2, 295-pound junior right guard has progressed from walk-on status to becoming a mainstay on the Ichabods' offensive line, earning the respect of his coaches and teammates along the way.
"Since his freshman year he came in and earned himself a spot and passed guys up with his work ethic,'' Washburn first-year head coach Zach Watkins said. "He's what our 'Be The Standard' culture is all about because he sets a high standard in everything he does.
"At this level you've got guys who are 6-2 and you've got guys who are 6-7, but when you've got guys that work hard and do everything right and are a great teammate and student, you're eventually going to be on the field doing something.''
Busenitz said that despite challenges along the way he's very proud of what he's been able to accomplish at Washburn.
"The COVID year kind of messed everything up and I'm a little bit undersized, so I had to go the walk-on route,'' said Busenitz, who played in the Kansas Shrine Bowl after his senior season for the T-Birds. "This is always where I wanted to be. It was always a good, successful program and I'm just kind of a homebody.
"My philosophy, even in middle school and high school, has always been just to try and out-work everybody else and eventually good things will happen.''
After redshirting as a true freshman, Busenitz suffered a setback his second season when he broke his hand during fall camp. Busenitz fought back to earn some special team work later in the season before cracking the Ichabods' starting lineup last fall.
"That second year, with the hand and some life stuff, it all kind of got pretty tough and it was all starting to pile up a little bit, but hey, the hungry dogs, they run faster, so it just pushed me even further,'' Busenitz said.
"That third year I got my shot and was a starter and am hoping to keep that spot.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Jadyn Baum, Washburn Rural
JADYN BAUM, Washburn Rural
A junior running back, Baum received All-Centennial League and TopSports.news All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall and has the potential to be one of the top backs in the county this season. Baum was also a first-team all-county pick in wrestling last season, posting a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament at 190 pounds.
GRADY BERGMANN, Silver Lake
A senior, Bergmann will serve as a team captain for the Eagles this season and could be a starter on both sides of the ball for Silver Lake, which is coming off a 7-3 campaign. Bergmann received All-Big East honorable mention as a defensive back in 2024.
Xander Blasing, Hayden
XANDER BLASING, Hayden
A 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior tight end/linebacker, Blasing received All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last season as Hayden posted an 11-2 record and advanced to the Class 3A state championship game for the second straight season. Blasing was in on 67 tackles (39 solo) with nine tackles for loss, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a touchdown.
TOBIAS BONURA, Cair Paravel Latin
Bonura will be looking to provide senior leadership for a Cair Paravel Latin team which is coming off a 2-7 2024 season in the Lions' first season in 11-man football (Class 1A). Bonura received All-Flint Hills second-team recognition at running back last fall and also received All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Cameron Brian, Seaman
CAMERON BRIAN, Seaman
Brian, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior linebacker, was named to the All-Shawnee County Top 22 last season and named the county defensive newcomer of the year. Brian was also a first-team All-United Kansas Conference selection after registering 112 tackles with 10 tackles for loss for the 8-3 Vikings.
BROGEN BROWN, Seaman
A 6-1, 240 senior, Brown is a returning starter at offensive guard for Seaman, earning All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after helping the Vikings go 8-3 and capture the United Kansas Conference title in 2024.
Conner Bush, Rossville
CONNER BUSH, Rossville
A 5-foot-11, 176-pound senior running back/defensive back, Bush received All-Shawnee County Top 22 recognition last fall after helping power the Bulldawgs to an 8-4 record and the Class 1A semifinals. Bush rushed for 690 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and also was in on 120 tackles with nine tackles for loss. Bush received All-Big East honorable mention.
JACK DONOVAN, Rossville
A senior wide receiver/defensive back, Donovan earned second-team All-Shawnee County recognition last season and earned All-Big East honorable mention after helping the Bulldawgs post an 8-4 record and reach the Class 1A semifinals. Donovan is also a standout for the Bulldawgs in both golf and basketball, earning first-team All-Shawnee County recognition in both sports.
MYLES FISHER, Silver Lake
Fisher, a junior, received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after helping Silver Lake post a 7-3 record in the Eagles' first season in the Big East League.
AJ GALLEGOS, Shawnee Heights
A 5-9, 150 senior wide receiver, Gallegos received All-Shawnee County Second 22 and All-United Kansas Conference second-team recognition last fall for the 2-7 T-Birds. Gallegos caught 51 passes for 842 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior.
Connor Hanika, Hayden
CONNOR HANIKA, Hayden
Hanika, a 6-5, 190 senior, is in line to take over as the Wildcats' starting quarterback this fall after backing up Jett Wahlmeier last season. Hanika helped lead Hayden to the Class 3A state final as a sophomore after an injury to Wahlmeier and Hanika, who received all-county honorable mention, caught 24 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns last season as Hayden went 11-2 and returned to the title game.
Jordy Heim, Washburn Rural
JORDY HEIM, Washburn Rural
A senior linebacker, Heim earned second-team All-Centennial League recognition for the 3-6 Junior Blues last season and received All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
John Hoytal, Washburn Rural
JOHN HOYTAL, Washburn Rural
Hoytal, a senior, took over as Washburn Rural's starting quarterback last fall, earning second-team All-Centennial League recognition and All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Hoytal was also a standout for the Rural basketball team, helping the Junior Blues reach the Class 6A state tournament.
ANDRE JOHNSON, Rossville
A 6-0, 211 senior fullback/linebacker, Johnson was a Second 22 All-Shawnee County selection last season after helping lead Rossville to an 8-4 record and the Class 1A state semifinals. Johnson received All-Big East honorable mention.
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
DAYNE JOHNSON, Silver Lake
Johnson, a 6-2, 175 senior wide receiver/defensive back, earned All-Shawnee County Top 22 recognition last season for the 7-3 Eagles and was a first-team All-Big East selection on both offense and defense. Johnson caught 51 passes for 835 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 and also picked off six passes on defense.
Noah Kobuszewski, Seaman
NOAH KOBUSZEWSKI, Seaman
Kobuszewski, a 6-4, 240 senior tight end, received All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last fall for the 8-3 Vikings, who captured the United Kansas Conference championship. Kobuszewski compiled 325 receiving yards and a touchdown as a junior.
Jude Krentz, Hayden
JUDE KRENTZ, Hayden
A 5-foot-8, 180-pound senior linebacker, Krentz was an All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick last season after registering 132 tackles for the 11-2 Wildcats, who advanced to the Class 3A championship game for the second straight season. Krentz also rushed for 128 yards on 21 attempts.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brody Anderson, Seaman
BRODY ANDERSON, Seaman
Anderson, a senior, earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition for the second straight season after winning city and United Kansas Conference individual titles and finishing second in Class 5A regional competition and ninth in the 5A state meet. Anderson broke his own school record with a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 17 seconds. Anderson was also an all-county pick in track, finishing third in the 5A 800 meters in the 2025 state meet.
Connor Baldwin, Hayden
CONNOR BALDWIN, Hayden
A senior, Baldwin was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection last fall after posting a ninth-place individual finish in the city meet, a 13th-place showing in the Centennial League and a fifth-place finish in Class 4A regional competition. Baldwin capped his junior season with a 28th-place finish in the 4A state championships.
CONNER BLOOM, Seaman
A junior, Bloom received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall. Bloom finished 19th in the city meet, 15th in the United Kansas Conference and 20th in a Class 5A regional as the Vikings earned a team berth for the 5A state meet. Bloom finished 62nd at state.
EASTON DAVIS, Topeka High
Davis, a sophomore, received All-Shawnee County honorable mention as a freshman. Davis finished 15th in the city meet, 22nd in the Centennial League and 31st in Class 6A regional competition.
MAX ESQUIBEL, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Esquibel was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection last fall after finishing 11th in the city meet and 11th in the United Kansas Conference. Esquibel posted a 28th-place finish in Class 5A regional competition.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
CARLOS ACOSTA-MARTINEZ, Topeka High
Acosta-Martinez, a junior, was a second-team All-Centennial League selection last season for the Trojans while also earning All-City honorable mention.
Draden Chooncharoen, Washburn Rural
DRADEN CHOONCHAROEN, Washburn Rural
A senior midfielder, Chooncharoen received first-team All-Centennial League honors last fall as the 15-3-3 Junior Blues won their 30th straight league title (outright or shared) on the way to a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament. Chooncharoen also received All-6A and All-City honorable mention and is a two-time 6A state track champion in the 4x400-meter relay.
Miles Cook, Washburn Rural
MILES COOK, Washburn Rural
Cook, a senior goalkeeper, helped 15-3-3 Washburn Rural win its 30th straight Centennial League championship (outright or shared) en route to a third-place finish in Class 6A. Cook received second-team Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association All-6A and All-Centennial recognition as well as All-City honorable mention.
JUDAH CONGDON, Cair Paravel Latin
A junior, Congdon earned All-Class 4A-1A honorable mention from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last season and also received All-City honorable mention.
Valentin Del Real, Topeka West
VALENTIN DEL REAL, Topeka West
Del Real, a sophomore midfielder, had a big freshman season for the Chargers last fall as Topeka West posted a breakout 13-4-1 campaign. Del Real earned first-team All-City recognition and also was a first-team All-United Kansas Conference pick.
NERI DIAZ, Highland Park
Diaz, a senior midfielder, earned first-team All-City recognition for Highland Park in the 2024 season and was one of the top players in the Meadowlark Conference.
Juan Garcia, Shawnee Heights
JUAN GARCIA, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Garcia received All-Class 5A honorable mention from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last season while also receiving All-City honorable mention.
Diego Gonzalez-Talavera, Topeka West
DIEGO GONZALES-TALAVERA, Topeka West
A junior forward, Gonzales-Talavera helped lead the 13-4-1 Chargers to a breakout season in 2024, earning All-City and All-United Kansas Conference first-team recognition.
Camden Granado, Shawnee Heights
CAMDEN GRANADO, Shawnee Heights
Granado, a senior forward, received All-Class 5A honorable mention from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last season while also earning first-team All-City and All-United Kansas Conference recognition. Granado was also a standout kicker for the T-Bird football team last fall.
Mason Haas, Shawnee Heights
MASON HAAS, Shawnee Heights
Haas, a junior midfielder, received All-Class 5A honorable mention from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last season while also earning first-team All-City and All-United Kansas Conference recognition.
Brandon Hamiton, Washburn Rural
BRANDON HAMILTON, Washburn Rural
A senior defender, Hamilton received second-team All-Class 6A honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association while also earning first-team All-City and All-Centennial League recognition for the 15-3-3 Junior Blues, who finished third in 6A after winning their 30th straight league championship (outright or shared).
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Nora Burdiek, Rossville
NORA BURDIEK, Rossville
A junior outside hitter, Burdiek was a first-team TopSports.news All-Shawnee County and first-team Kansas Volleyball Association All-Class 2A selection last fall after recording 491 kills, 368 digs and 22 blocks for the 22-18 Bulldawgs. Burdiek was also an All-Big East second-team selection in as a sophomore after being named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year as a freshman in 2023. Burdiek is also one of 2A's top basketball players, receiving all-county recognition the past two seasons.
Campbell Dawson, Topeka High
CAMPBELL DAWSON, Topeka High
Dawson, a junior, turned in a solid sophomore season for an improving Topeka High program last season, with the Trojans posting a 17-19 record. Dawson, who is entering her third season as a varsity player, earned second-team TSN All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League recognition as a sophomore. Also a standout for Topeka High in softball, Dawson helped the Trojans advance to the Class 6A state tournament.
Ella Foster, Hayden
ELLA FOSTER, Hayden
A senior libero, Foster helped lead the Wildcats to a 32-12 record and a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament last fall. Foster was a second-team TSN All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League selection last season while also receiving All-Class 4A honorable mention from the Kansas Volleyball Association. Foster is a multi-sport athlete for the Wildcats, also playing basketball and soccer.
Harper Hafenstine, Seaman
HARPER HAFENSTINE, Seaman
A senior, Hafenstine is a leading returner for Seaman, which has advanced to the Class 5A state championship match the past two seasons, including the state championship in 2023. Hafenstine received TSN All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after helping the Vikings post a 41-3 record on the year.
KYLIE HANNI, Silver Lake
Hanni is a returning junior standout for traditional Class 3A state power Silver Lake. Hanni was named to the TSN All-Shawnee County second team following the 2024 season while also earning All-Big East League second-team recognition.
KARSYN HASTERT, Cair Paravel Latin
Hastert, a senior, has earned second-team TSN All-Shawnee County honors the past two seasons for the Lions after receiving all-county honorable mention as a freshman. Hastert is also a basketball standout for Cair Paravel Latin, earning all-county recognition.
Karsyn Horyna, Washburn Rural (21)
KARSYN HORYNA, Washburn Rural
Horyna, a senior, earned a first-team berth on the TSN All-Shawnee County team last season after helping the 31-8 Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and advance to the Class 6A state tournament. In addition to receiving her all-county honor Horyna was a second-team All-Centennial selection.
Reese Huscher, Hayden
REESE HUSCHER, Hayden
A senior, Huscher earned TSN All-Shawneee County second-team recognition last fall after helping the Wildcats post a 32-12 record and a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament. Huscher received All-Centennial League honorable mention. Huscher was also a member of Hayden's basketball team that finished third in 4A and the Wildcat soccer team that was the 4A-1A state runnerup.
Stelly Kelly, Washburn Rural
STELLA KELLY, Washburn Rural
Kelly, a senior, earned a second-team berth on the TSN All-Shawnee County team last season after helping the 31-8 Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and advance to the Class 6A state tournament. In addition to receiving her all-county recognition Kelly was a second-team All-Centennial selection.
Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden
HAILEY SCHMIDTLEIN, Hayden
A sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter, Schmidtlein helped lead 32-12 Hayden to a third-place finish in Class 4A last fall, receiving All-State Tournament and second-team Class 4A All-State honors from the Kansas Volleyball Association. Schmidtlein, who registered 440 kills and 242 digs, was a first-team TSN All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League pick and named the county co-newcomer of the year. Schmidtlein also helped Hayden finish third in 4A basketball and second in 4A-1A soccer.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Last month former Shawnee Heights and Washburn University standout Phil Frost was the top qualifier and went wire to wire in the tournament to win his first Topeka Golf Association City Match Play championship.
Phil Frost captured his first TGA City Stroke Play championship Monday at Topeka Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After winning the TGA City Match Play title last month, Phil Frost added the City Stroke Play championship on Monday at Topeka Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
On Monday at Topeka Country Club, Frost proved he could also come from behind, rallying from a two-stroke deficit at the start of the day to win his first TGA City Stroke Play title by a single stroke over first and second-round leader Jeremiah Nelson and 2024 champion Myles Alonzo with a 213 54-hole score.
Jeremiah Nelson tied for second place in the 2025 TGA City Stroke Play tournament with a 54-hole score of 214. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Former Topeka West star Myles Alonzo used a final-round 73 to tie for second place in the 2025 TGA City Stroke Play tournament with a 54-hole score of 214. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Frost carded a final-round 76 while Nelson, also a Washburn golf alum, shot a 79 and finished in a tie for second with 2024 City Stroke Play champ Myles Alonzo, a former Topeka West star, who shot a final-round 73.
Frost took the lead on the seventh hole when he holed a 117-yard approach shot but his victory was not secure until Nelton narrowly missed a birdie putt on the final hole that could have forced a sudden death playoff.
"I was able to finish it off, but it was a struggle'' Frost said. "The back nine was a challenge. After I holed out on seven I told myself, 'Just stay calm and keep playing, don't let this get you out of your rhythm.' Then it became a challenge afterwards, but I was able to hold on.
"That (No. 7) got me the lead and that got me to 1-under-par. Then we both (Frost and Nelson) went back and forth on the way in. I was able to make a putt when I needed to make a putt.''
Washburn Rural and Washburn University alum Hayden Beck shot a tournament-low 72 Monday in the final round of the TGA City Stroke Play championship at Topeka Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural and Washburn University alum Hayden Beck carded a tournament-low 72 on Monday to finish at 216 and tie for fourth place with Adam Head and Brian Walker.
Tyler Baumchen, Blake Buessing and Jason Buessing all tied for seventh at 218 while Zach Vandervoort rounded out the top 10 at 220.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When high school football practice for the 2025 season kicks off across Kansas on August 18, linemen will go back to laboring in relative obscurity.
But Tuesday's eighth annual Battle of the Bigs lineman challenge at Shawnee Heights was all about the men in the trenches.
Approximately 70 linemen representing six city and area high schools took part in the Battle of the Bigs, competing in nine non-contact drills/activities while vying for individual and team prizes.
"I love it,'' Shawnee Heights coach Jason Swift said of the annual event. "The most unappreciated players on a football team are the linemen and we do this solely to celebrate the linemen for everything they do.
"They play a sport that they don't get noticed in unless something bad happens, so tonight we want to make it where we get to watch them do great things. It's good for them for unity and coming together as a team and having fun.''
Washburn Rural senior Ayden Crosswhite won the individual championship with 224 points, while Blue Valley seniors Chase Blandi (212 points) and Samuel Kiles (207) finished second and third and Shawnee Heights seniors Royce Daniels and Blake Coffman tied for fourth place (206 points).
Blue Valley won the team title with 1,015 points while Washburn Rural was second (991) and Shawnee Heights third (987).
Top 10 individuals
1. Ayden Crosswhite, sr., Washburn Rural, 224 points
2. Chase Blandi, sr., Blue Valley, 212 points
3. Samuel Kiles, sr., Blue Valley, 207 points
4. (tie) Royce Daniels, sr., Shawnee Heights, 206 points
4. (tie) Blake Coffman, sr., Shawnee Heights, 206 points
6. Austin Jordan, jr., Eudora, 204 points
7. Marx Marx, sr., Eudora, 203 points
8. Chase Metz, jr., Blue Valley, 202 points
9. Steven Cantrell, jr., Washburn Rural, 201 points
10. Ethan Winter, sr., Eudora, 200 points
Team standings (top three)
1. Blue Valley, 1,015 points
2. Washburn Rural, 991 points
3. Shawnee Heights, 987 points.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Linemen, football's unsung heroes, will be in the spotlight on Tuesday, July 8, when Shawnee Heights hosts its eighth annual "Battle of the Bigs'' lineman challenge (5:30 p.m. start).
Linemen will be able to compete as individuals and as a school in nine different non-contact events. Food and T-shirts will be provided for all participants. Cost is $25 and walk-ups are welcome. Contact Shawnee Heights football coach Jason Swift at
The "Battle of the Bigs'' is billed as an opportunity for offensive and defensive linemen to have fun over the summer in a non-contact competition.
Appoximately 90 linemen representing nine city and area high schools took part in the 2024 Battle of the Bigs.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The top Shawnee County athletes from the class of 2025 are getting ready to embark on their college careers while offseason preparations for the 2025-2026 school year are well under way.
But it's also important to remember the accomplishments that made the '24-'25 campaign a special one for county athletes and teams.
Shawnee County schools claimed three state girls team championships and seven others came up just short over the past school year while three county standouts combined to claim five individual titles in three different sports.
While a case can always be made for any number of stories to sit at the top of the list, here's just one opinion on the Top 10 county girls prep stories of '24-'25.
Washburn Rural soccer celebrates its first Class 6A state championship after a 1-0 win over Mill Valley in PKs. [Photo by KSHSAA Covered]
1. HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH -- Washburn Rural, already well established as one of the state's premier girls soccer programs, added the only missing piece from its impressive resume with its first Class 6A state championship on May 31 in Wichita. Making their 11th straight Final Four appearance, including four runnerup state finishes, the Junior Blues broke through with a 1-0 win over Mill Valley, taking the win with a 4-1 edge in penalty kicks as senior Madison Lemke came up huge in goal for Brian Hensyel's 19-2-0 Rural team.
Seaman junior Ryin Miller won three gold medals in the 2025 Class 5A state track meet at Wichita, giving her five wins in her career. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
2. MILLER TIMES --Seaman superstar runner Ryin Miller capped off her junior track and field season by sweeping Class 5A state championships in her three individual events, taking wins in the 3,200 (10:19.53), 1,600 (4:57.33) and 800-meter (2:11.14) runs at Wichita State. Miller's three wins in 2025 gave her five career titles and came on the heels of a banner cross country season last fall, which included the fastest five-kilometer run in Kansas history (16:32.62) and a runnerup finish in the 5A state meet (17:26.36) by the Viking four-sport athlete.
Hayden senior Ainzley Zulueta earned her third Class 4A singles title last fall, leading the Wildcats to their second team title in three seasons. [File photo/TSN]
3. ZULUETA, WILDCATS BACK ON TOP --After sitting out her junior high shool tennis season due to KSHSAA eligibility guidelines, Zulueta returned to the courts last fall and turned in a dominating postseason performance (eight straight 6-0, 6-0 wins in regional and state competition) en route to her third Class 4A singles championship in as many tries while leading Hayden to its second team title in three seasons by a 40-28 margin over McPherson. In addition to Zulueta's title, Christy Sheetz's Wildcats got a runnerup doubles finish from senior Emily Sheetz and freshman Sophia Wichman, a ninth-place singles finish from junior Grace Funk and an 11th-place doubles showing from juniors Izzy Glotzbach and Avery O'Bray.
Hayden's girls golf team captured its second straight Class 4A state championship last fall by 15 strokes over Wellington. [Submitted photo]
4. REPEAT FEAT --Hayden rolled to its second straight Class 4A girls golf team championship last fall, posting a 698-713 win over Wellington at Hesston as three Wildcats earned individual medals. Junior Lauren Borjon paced Hayden with a third-place state finish (76-81 -- 157) while junior Izzy Glotzbach tied for 12th (89-82 -- 171) and senior Addyson Baer tied for 16th (86-88 -- 174). Glotzbach helped the Wildcats win state titles in tennis and golf three days apart.
Highland Park junior Makayla Cadet has her hand raised as the Class 5A 190-pound state champ last winter. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
5. A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY --Highland Park junior Makayla Cadet celebrated her 17th birthday in one of the best ways you could imagine last winter, with a Class 5A state wrestling championship. Cadet, who went 23-4 on the season, became the first girls wrestler in Highland Park history to win a state championship when she pinned Basehor-Linwood junior Izzy Renfro at the 1:36 mark of the first period in Park City. Cadet's win over Renfro avenged a regional loss to the Bobcat standout.
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.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, which captured its first-ever Class 6A girls state championship this spring, put a city-high six players on the 15-member 2025 All-City girls soccer first team.
The All-City team is based on recommendations and voting from city coaches.
Rural is represented on the All-City first team by seniors Destiny Higgs, Kate Hinck, Addyson Kaberline, Zahra Friess and Madison Lemke and junior Dayne Shriver while Junior Blues coach Brian Hensyel was named the city coach of the year
Higgs, Hinck and Kaberline are all first-team repeat picks after helping Washburn Rural post a 19-2 rcord, capped by a 1-0 win over Mill Valley in penalty kicks (4-1).
Destiny Higgs, Washburn Rural
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural
Addyson Kaberline, Washburn Rural
Zahra Friess, Washburn Rural
Madison Lemke, Washburn Rural
Dayne Shriver, Washburn Rural
Seaman, which advanced to the 5A state quarterfinals, is represented on the All-City team by seniors Anna Becker and Maegan Mills and junior Ava Golightley, with Becker a repeat pick and Mills receiving honorable mention in 2024.
Anna Becker, Seaman
Ava Golightley, Seaman
Hayden, which advanced to the 4A-1A championship game before losing in double overtime to Bishop Miege, put junior Carsyn Broxterman and senior Camryn McDonald on the All-City first team, with Broxterman a repeat selection and McDonald moving up to the first team after receiving honorable mention in 2024.
Carsyn Broxterman, Hayden
Camryn McDonald, Hayden
Shawnee Heights senior Izzy Van Fleet is a repeat first-team selection while T-Bird senior Bayli Benson was voted to the first team after receiving honorable mention a year ago.
Izzy Van Fleet, Shawnee Heights
Bayli Benson, Shawnee Heights
Rounding out the All-City first team are Highland Park sophomore Micah Williams and Topeka High junior Natalie Barnes.
Micah Williams, Highland Park
Natalie Barnes, Topeka High
Williams is a two-time All-City pick while Barnes earned All-City recognition for the first time after helping Topeka High reach the 6A quarterfinals.
ALL-CITY GIRLS SOCCER 2025
