Washburn Rural Junior Blues
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for four touchdowns, including three to senior Kellan Roth, capped by the game-tying strike with 7:15 left, as Washburn Rural pulled out a 31-30 non-league win over Blue Valley Friday night at Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
Washburn Rural senior quarterback John Hoytal threw for four touchdowns Friday night as the Junior Blues edged Blue Valley, 31-30. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Senior Kellan Roth caught three touchdown passes in Washburn Rural's 31-30 win over Blue Valley Friday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hoytal connected with Roth for 13 and 9-yard TD strikes before hooking up for the 9-yard score that tied the game at 30-30. Junior Ryan Austin broke the tie with the extra-point kick and the Junior Blues held on the rest of the way to improve to 2-0.
Hoytal also hit junior Gavin Vantuyl for a 15-yard touchdown while Austin kicked a 31-yard field goal in the first half.
Roth's first touchdown of the night put the Junior Blues up 7-0 and Austin's field goal broke a 7-7 tie.
Vantuyl's score at the 1:04 mark of the second quarter put Rural in front 16-14 at the half and Hoytal's 9-yard TD pass to Roth and a subsequent 2-point conversion gave the Junior Blues a 24-22 advantage midway through the third quarter.
Blue Valley regained the lead at 30-24 before the Junior Blues came through with the game-winning points.
Washburn Rural will host Platte County, Mo. next Friday.
Rossville senior quarterback Canann Mitchell ran for two touchdowns and threw for two TDs in Friday's 40-34 win over St. Marys. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville senior Andre Johnson (1) scored the game-winning touchdown in the Bulldawgs' 40-34 win over St. Marys Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
Bulldawgs rally for 40-34 win over Bears
Rossville trailed much of the night and the game was tied with a minute left before senior Andre Johnson scored on a 4-yard run with 55 seconds remaining as the Bulldawgs pulled out a 40-34 Big East road win.
Rossville, now 2-0 overall and in the league, trailed 8-0, 16-6, 22-13 at the half and 28-20 after three quarters before pulling out the win with a 20-point fourth quarter.
Bulldawg senior quarterback Canann Mitchell ran for 56 and 3-yard runs and threw for an 11-yard TD to senior Jack Donovan and a 10-yard TD to senior Cameron Miller.
Johnson had a pair of touchdowns on the night, also scoring on a 3-yard run.
Rossville will be at home next Friday to host 2-0 Nemaha Central.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural junior football standout Jadyn Baum and Rossville junior volleyball starNora Burdiek have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here’s a brief look at the accomplishments of Baum and Burdiek over the past week:
Jadyn Baum, Washburn Rural
JADYN BAUM, Washburn Rural
A running back, Baum carried the ball 12 times for a game-high 84 yards and two touchdowns in Washburn Rural's season-opening 51-41 non-league road win over city rival Shawnee Heights last Friday.
Baum scored on 12 and 39-yard touchdown runs in the second half and also caught four passes for 60 yards.
Baum is also a standout wrestler for the Junior Blues, placing third in Class 6A as a sophomore.
Nora Burdiek, Rossville
NORA BURDIEK, Rossville
Burdiek turned in a dominating performance at the net last Saturday as the Bulldawgs posted five straight-set wins to capture the championship in the Rossville Invitational.
Burdiek, a multi-sport standout, registered double-digit kills in all five matches, with 11 kills against Waverly, 15 against Baldwin, 14 versus Iola, 12 against Wellsville and 12 kills in the Bulldawgs' final-match win over Burlington.
Burdiek finished the week with 90 kills for the Bulldawgs after posting 26 kills in a pair of Big East League wins over Sabetha last Tuesday.
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
Washburn Rural boys soccer coach Brian Hensyel knew that visiting Blue Valley West would present a tough challenge in Tuesday night's non-league game and that's exactly what he wanted.
Senior Dylan Willingham scored a pair of goals, giving him seven on the season, in Washburn Rural's 3-2 double-overtime loss to Blue Valley West Tuesday at Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And even though the Junior Blues dropped a 3-2 double-overtime heartbreaker at McElroy Field, the veteran coach is counting on the loss to make Rural better as the 2025 season wears on.
"No. 1, we always want to play the best teams we can play,'' Hensyel said. "The only way you're prepared to play people at the end is to play teams like Blue Valley West, we play Blue Valley North later in the year and we take a trip to Iowa and play some good teams. You have to test them and we told our guys before the game, we've won a couple of games and we've been pretty impressive doing it, but we needed to play somebody really good and they're good.
"So from the perspective of the third game of the year, playing a really good team, it's good for us to kind of find out where we were. And what we found out is we can be pretty good and we had a pretty good first half and put in a couple of set piece goals, which is something that we do. I thought we just let off the gas and let off the energy a little bit to start the second half.''
Washburn Rural, now 2-1, jumped out in front 2-0 at halftime on a pair of goals from senior star Dylan Willingham, but Blue Valley West (4-1) battled back with two second-half goals to force overtime and scored the game-winning goal with just 42 seconds remaining in the second OT.
Willingham put Rural up 1-0 when he converted a free kick with 16:10 left in the opening half and added a second goal, his seventh of the season, off an assist from senior Brandon Hamilton with 7:06 remaining in the half.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brody Anderson
BRODY ANDERSON, Seaman
A Class 5A state medalist in cross country and track, Anderson opened his senior cross country season with the boys individual championship in Saturday's Manhattan Invitational at Warner Park. Anderson captured the Manhattan individual title for the second straight season with a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 11.48 seconds.
Nora Burdiek
NORA BURDIEK, Rossville
A junior multi-sport standout, Burdiek helped lead Rossville to the team championship in Saturday's Rossville Invitational volleyball tournament with five straight-set victories. Burdiek registered double-digit kills in all five matches, with highs of 15 and 14 kills and at least 11 kills in all five matches. Burdiek now has 90 kills on the season for the 7-0 Bulldawgs.
John Hoytal
JOHN HOYTAL, Washburn Rural
Hoytal, a senior quarterback, helped lead Washburn Rural football to a thrilling 51-41 non-league season-opening road win at city rival Shawnee Heights on Friday. Hoytal completed 11 of 20 passes for 201 yards against the T-Birds, including a 64-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Vantuyl and a 31-yard TD strike to Nate Selm.
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
Class 4A No. 2-ranked Hayden volleyball fought through plenty of ups and downs in Tuesday's home quadrangular at the Bueltel Activity Center.
Hayden volleyball celebrates a kill from sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein (22) Tuesday as the Wildcats went 3-0 on the night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Corrinne McGreevy's Wildcats were at their best when it counted the most, knocking off 6A foes Shawnee Mission East, Manhattan and perennial city and state power Washburn Rural to improve to 4-0 on the young 2025 season.
"I am so proud of these girls,'' McGreevy said. "I always tell the girls, it's not going to be perfect, but they have to stick together on the court and if you have grit and you stay together and you can stay in control, great things are going to happen.
"Three things you can control -- being a good teammate, your communication and how hard you work -- and if they can do all three of those things great things are going to happen and that's exactly what they did. I believe that my girls can play on any high school volleyball court in the nation because they believe in themselves and they stick together.''
After dispatching SM East 25-16, 25-19 in its opening match of the night, Hayden, third in 4A last season, dropped a 25-21 decision in its first set against Manhatttan and got down early in the second set before rallying to take the match with 25-23 and 25-17 wins.
Hayden senior Ella Foster sets the ball in Tueday's home volleyball quad. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I think something flipped in our mind and we were like, 'This is our game, we came here to win and they're not beating us in our house,' so we came out and showed up that second set and from there on, we pushed through,'' senior Ella Foster said.
Spurred on by the win over the Indians, the Wildcats responded with their best volleyball of the night, closing out their 3-0 night with a 25-23, 25-15 win over the No. 5-ranked (6A) Junior Blues.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After posting an outstanding 27-6 record over a three-year span from 2021-2023, Washburn Rural football struggled to a 3-6 mark last season.
Veteran Washburn Rural football coach Steve Buhler is starting his 13th season at Rural, with the Junior Blues coming off a 3-6 record last fall after going 11-1 and advancing to the Class 6A semifinals in 2023. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
This fall Steve Buhler's Junior Blues will be out to prove that last season was an simply an anomoly and that Rural is ready to get back on track.
"The previous three years were really good for us,'' said Buhler, who is starting his 13th season at the school. "You kind of hope you have something that's going to be continuous, then you hit a road bump.
"Part of that's the schedule, part of it's some other issues, but it wasn't as good as we hoped. But at the same time, you still want to live off the previous three years.''
And with a veteran cast returning, including 26 seniors, Buhler thinks the Junior Blues know what it's going to take to get the job done this season.
"There's enough kids on this team that have been around and that were part of that previous group and the success they had,'' Buhler said. "This year's seniors, they know.
"They had a really good offseason in the weight room and we saw some good senior leadership so far in the summertime, so hopefully they learned from the negative part of last year record-wise and couple that with their knowledge of what it takes to be really successful and they'll put the two together for us.''
Buhler said that the 2024 Junior Blues had their moments where they played very solid football, but were plagued by inconsistency, something they'll need to change moving forward.
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
Four Shawnee County schools earned Top 10 spots in the Kansas Volleyball Association's Week 1 state rankings released Wednesday, led by Class 4A No. 1 Hayden and 3A top-ranked Silver Lake.
Hayden volleyball is ranked No. 1 in the KVA Week 1 Class 4A state rankings. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake volleyball holds down the No. 1 spot in the KVA Class 3A rankings after starting the seaon 7-0. [Photo by Silver Lake volleyball]
Hayden, 4-0 at the time of the rankings, moved up from its preseason No. 2 ranking in 4A while while Silver Lake, 7-0, jumped all the way from No. 8 in preseason to the No. 1 spot in 3A.
Rossville, 7-0, also made a big jump in 2A, moving from 10th in preseason to No. 4.
Washburn Rural, 4-2, remained No. 5 in 6A after also being ranked fifth in preseason.
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 Week 1 State Rankings
Class 6A
1. Mill Valley 2-1
2. Blue Valley West 3-0
3. Olathe West 3-1
4. Olathe Northwest 3-1
5. Washburn Rural 4-2
6. Blue Valley North 2-2
7. Manhattan 3-2
8. Lawrence Free State 6-2
9. Garden City 5-2
10. Wichita Northwest 2-0
Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas 3-1
2. Blue Valley Southwest 3-1
3. St. James Academy 8-1
4. Maize South 12-1
5. Bishop Carroll 7-0
6. Lansing 4-2
7. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4-3
8. De Soto 3-0
9. Salina South 6-1
10. Salina Central 6-1
Class 4A
1. Hayden 4-0
2. Bishop Miege 0-2
3. Clay Center 7-1
4. Andale 7-0
5. Holton 7-1
6. Rock Creek 8-2
7. Concordia 5-3
8. McPherson 4-3
9. Eudora 0-3
10. Mulvane 5-2
Class 3A
1. Silver Lake 7-0
2. Hoisington 7-1
3. Hesston 6-1
4. Halstead 3-3
5. Beloit 5-1
6. Nemaha Central 5-3
7. Neodesha 2-0
8. Riley County 6-2
9. Girard 2-0
10. Jefferson West 7-1
Class 2A
1. Ellinwood 3-0
2. Moundridge 7-0
3. Sedgwick 9-2
4. Rossville 7-0
5. Maranatha Christian 1-0
6. Inman 5-2
7. Oakley 9-0
8. Medicine Lodge 9-1
9. Hillsboro 4-3
10. Valley Heights 5-3
Class 1A Division 1
1. Little River 3-1
2. Rock Hills 4-0
3. South Gray 9-1
4. Centralia 6-1
5. Spearville 4-1
6. Greeley County 5-2
7. Olpe 5-2
8. Clifton-Clyde 1-1
9. Flinthills 3-1
10. Pretty Prairie 4-4
Class 1A Division II
1. Ingalls 7-0
2. Marais des Cygnes Valley 5-1
3. Hanover 0-2
4. Argonia 3-0
5. Cheylin 4-1
6. Lebo 1-1
7. Attica 5-1
8. Linn 2-0
9. Dighton 4-1
10. Victoria 4-0
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Local sports greats Jerad Head, Trey Lewis, Brenda Stolle, Duane Zlatnik and the late Bob Davis will be inducted into the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame on Monday, September 15, at Washburn University.
The Topeka Area Sports Commission will host the 20th annual Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Fame induction ceremony from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Washburn's Memorial Union.
"The Topeka Area Sports Commission is proud to continue the tradition of the Hall of Fame,'' said Mike Bell, executive director of the Topeka Area Sports Commission. "We are very proud to celebrate the achievements of these athletes during their career and look forward to honoring athletes in future years as they are enshrined in this Hall of Fame.''
Head was a multi-sport star at Hayden and Washburn University before embarking on a long career in professional baseball, including a Major League stint with the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians).
Lewis was a standout at Washburn Rural and earned NCAA Division II All-America honors as a defensive lineman before being drafted by the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons.
Stolle, a Silver Lake graduate, was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. During that time, she guided the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981.
Zlatnik was a star lineman and three-time state wrestling champion at Rossville before becoming a three-year starter in the offensive line for the University of Kansas.
A Topeka West graduate, Davis carved out a legendary broadcasting career, including long stints for the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Royals.
The 2025 Hall of Fame event will feature a luncheon followed by the official program.
Established in 2006, the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame continues its mission to preserve and honor the legacies of those who have significantly advanced athletics in Shawnee County.
Community members, sports fans and supporters are invited to attend and celebrate this year's class of inductees. Tickets are available now and can by purchased at https://bit.ly/Top-SNCO-SportsHallOfFame.
Hall of Fame Class of 2025 capsules:
Jerad Head
JERAD HEAD
Head earned All-Class 4A honors in football, basketball and baseball at Hayden and played basketball and baseball at Washburn University before being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 2006.
Head was promoted to the majors on August 28, 2011 and played in 10 games as a left fielder and pinch hitter.
Head also played Minor League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals organizations before ending his playing career in 2013.
He was named as manager of the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League in 2016 and managed through 2018.
Trey Lewis
TREY LEWIS
After graduating from Washburn Rural, Lewis played for the Washburn Ichabod football team from 2003-06 as a defensive lineman and became the first Ichabod to be named to the Associated Press Little All-American team since 1963. Lewis was also named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American team after recording 62 tackles as a senior with 36 solo stops, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Lewis finished his career at Washburn with 156 total tackles, including 68 solo stops, 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Lewis was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 6th round as the 185th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
He played from 2007-11 for the Falcons, appearing in 31 games.
Brenda Stolle
BRENDA STOLLE
A Silver Lake native, Stolle was a standout pitcher for the Emporia State softball team from 1979-81. Stolle led the Hornets to a national championship in 1980 and a second-place finish in 1981. Her career pitching record was 66-15, and she picked up six saves during her career.
During the 1980 championship season, Stolle compiled an 0.33 earned run average. She received numerous honors, including all-American honors twice, NAIA most valuable player in 1981, and Kansas Female Athlete of the Year from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Stolle was the first female ever inducted into the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor in 1988 and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Duane Zlatnik
DUANE ZLATNIK
Zlatnik starred in football and wrestling at Rossville before becoming a three-year starter in the offensive line at Kansas.
Zlatnik was a three-time state wrestling champion for the Bulldawgs and finished his career with a 148-13 record and a school-record 110 pins. He was a two-time All-Stater and Kansas Shrine Bowl pick in football.
Zlatnik was an All-Big 12 honoree for the Jayhawks and made 27 consecutive starts at right and left guard.
He is currently an assistant football and wrestling coach at Washburn Rural.
Bob Davis
BOB DAVIS (Inducted posthumously)
A Topeka West graduate, Davis passed away on March 20 at the age of 80 after a legendary career in sports broadcasting.
Davis was the "Voice of the Jayhawks" for more than 30 years before retiring in 2016. Davis called eight KU trips to the Final Four, six football bowl games, including the 2008 Orange Bowl, and thousands of regular-season basketball and football games. Davis was also on the call for the 1988 and 2008 men's basketball national championship victories. In 1997 Davis joined the Kansas City Royals, calling games for radio and television for the franchise for 16 years.
A 48-year veteran of broadcasting in the state of Kansas, Davis was born in Iola and grew up in Topeka, where he graduated from West in 1962. Davis stayed in Topeka to attend Washburn, where he graduated in 1967 with a degree in history.
Davis is a member of numerous Halls of Fame, including the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Ty Weber loved playing linebacker, where he starred for Washburn Rural.
And even though he's made a successful transition to tight end in his three seasons with the Washburn Ichabods, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior still has a lot of linebacker in him.
Former Washburn Rural star Ty Weber has made a successful transition from defense to offense for Washburn football, entering his third season as a starting tight end. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
After being named the TopSports.news Shawnee County defensive player of the year as a junior and senior and recording 134 tackles as a senior for Rural, Weber made the switch to offense early in his freshman season at WU, taking advantage of an opportunity to play immediately for the Ichabods.
It's a decision that has paid dividends for both Weber and Washburn.
Weber, who has nine career catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, played in nine games with seven starts as a true freshman and appeared in all 11 games with eight starts last fall.
"I feel I graduated to now being a tight end,'' Weber said. "The biggest thing that I've taken from defense now into offense is that darkside mentality that Coach (Kaleb) Koch (defensive coordinator) has for us. It's one of those things where we're going to pop and at the end of the day I'm going to win the majority of the time.
"It's the physicality, the toughness that comes with defense and that you need to play that side of the ball. I try to take that over to the offense and bring it over with as many guys as I can.''
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
JC Heim probably could have benefitted in some areas from redshirting his freshman football season at Washburn University last fall.
Former Washburn Rural star JC Heim is already a veteran for the Washburn University defense after seeing extensive action last fall as a true freshman. [File photo/TSN]
But the Ichabods benefitted a lot more from having the 6-foot-3, 225-pound sophomore inside linebacker on the field.
"Last year he was just too good not to play and we had a big need where he was playing,'' said first-year Washburn head coach Zach Watkins, who was Heim's defensive coordinator last fall. "Now, with a full year of college under his belt and a full summer of development and our new coaching staff getting him in the right position, he's been exactly what we want with our culture and the standard of his position on defense for this team.''
The former Washburn Rural star admitted that he had some self doubt when he first took the field for the Ichabods.
"At first it was tough,'' Heim said. "Personally, I didn't think I was ready even though the coaches and the players around me believed in me for sure. The biggest part is you've got to believe in yourself.
"As I started getting out there, the guys around me, that's what we made me better. That's what made me get this experience. That's what made me get better each day in practice where by the end of the year I was doing a lot better than I did in the first game.''
Heim saw action in all 11 games for the 3-8 Ichabods last season with a pair of starts, finishing the year with 29 tackles (13 solo), two forced fumbles, a 58-yard fumble return and a season-high 10 stops against Central Missouri.
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
Hailey Caryl, Topeka High
HAILEY CARYL, Topeka High
A sophomore, Caryl teamed with Ava Ritter to advance to the Class 6A state tournament in doubles last fall. Caryl and Ritter finished fourth in the city meet in No. 1 doubles, third in the Centennial League meet in doubles and fifth in 6A regional competition to advance to state.
Madeline Deters, Topeka High
MADELINE DETERS, Topeka High
Deters, a senior, earned a Class 6A state medal last season, posting an eighth-place singles finish. Deters placed third in the city meet in No. 1 singles, second in singles in the Centennial Laague tournament and third in 6A regional competition. Deters also qualified for state as a sophomore.
Grace Funk, Hayden
GRACE FUNK, Hayden
A senior, Funk has earned Class 4A state singles medals in three straight seasons for the Wildcats. Funk posted a career-best ninth-place singles finish last fall to help the Wildcats win the 4A team title. Funk finished second in the city meet in No. 2 singles and placed fifth in singles in the Centennial League tournament and third at regionals.
Molly Gorman, Seaman
MOLLY GORMAN, Seaman
Gorman, a senior, switched to singles last fall after earning back-to-back Class 5A doubles state medals as a freshman and sophomore. Gorman helped Seaman win United Kansas Conference and regional team titles with perfect team scores. Gorman was the city champion in No. 2 singles and also placed second in singles in UKC and regional competition before finishing 10th at state as the Vikings finished third as a team.
Peyton Henry, Seaman
PEYTON HENRY, Seaman
Henry, a senior, teamed with graduated senior Sydney Chinn last season to post a 12th-place state finish in Class 5A doubles. Henry and Chinn swept United Kansas Conference and regional doubles titles after finishing third in the city tournament in No. 1 doubles. Henry and Chinn helped thv Vikings record perfect team scores at league and regionals.
KAYLYN HIEBSCH, Seaman
Hiebsch, a junior, teamed with Camryn Lux to finish second in the city meet in No. 2 doubles and Hiebsch and Lux also finished second in doubles in the United Kansas Conference and regional tournaments as the Vikings won team titles in both tournaments with perfect team scores.
Julia Katzer, Washburn Rural
JULIA KATZER, Washburn Rural
Katzer, a junior, qualified for the Class 6A state tournament in singles last season, earning her state berth with a fifth-place regional finish while helping the Junior Blues win a regional team title. Katzer finished third in No. 2 singles in the city meet.
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Lauren Borjon, Hayden
LAUREN BORJON, Hayden
Borjon, a senior, helped Hayden win its second straight Class 4A state title by a 15-stroke margin, finishing third individually with a 36-hole score of 157 (76-81). Borjon, a two-time first-team All-Shawnee County pick, tied for sixth in the city tournament (84), finished second in the Centennial League (75) and finished seventh in regional competition (81). Borjon, who has earned three straight state medals, averaged 80.2 per round on the season.
Lauren Cox, Washburn Rural
LAUREN COX, Washburn Rural
A senior, Cox helped lead Washburn Rural to a third-place team finish in Class 6A. An All-Shawnee County first-team pick, Cox finished seventh in the city tournament (87), tied for 11th in the Centennial League (83) and eighth in a 6A regional (85) before tying for 22nd in the state tournament with a 36-hole score of 165 (82-83). Cox averaged 84.5 per round on the season.
ELISE ECKERT, Seaman
Eckert will play her senior season at Seaman after earning three Class 5A state medals for Emporia, including a fourth-place state finish last fall with a 36-hole score of 150 (77-73). Eckert tied for third in the Centennial League tournament (76) and carded a school-record 71 while playing for the Spartans.
Izzy Glotzbach, Hayden
IZZY GLOTZBACH, Hayden
A senior, Glotzbach carded a 36-hole score of 171 (89-82) in the Class 4A state tournament en route to a 12th-place individual finish as Hayden captured its second straight 4A team championship by a 15-stroke margin. A two-time All-Shawnee County first-team honoree, Glotzbach finished fourth in the city tournament (81), tied for eighth in the Centennial League (80) and finished eighth at regionals (82). Glotzbach averaged 82.3 per round on the season.
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
Ali Gerber, Silver Lake
ALI GERBER, Silver Lake
Gerber, a junior, earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall after posting a sixth-place finish in Class 3A regional competition and narrowly missing a 3A state medal with a 23rd-place finish in the state meet. Gerber medaled in seven meets last season and ranks No. 9 on Silver Lake's all-time list. Gerber was a first-team all-county pick in track this past spring.
Emily Graf, Washburn Rural
EMILY GRAF, Washburn Rural
Graf, a senior, was a first-team All-Shawnee County pick last fall after helping Washburn Rural sweep city, Centennial League and Class 6A regional team championships before Rural tied for the 6A team title and finished second on a tiebreaker. Graf posted a fourth-place finish in the city meet, a fifth-place showing in the Centennial League and 6A regional meets and a 14th-place finish at state, earning her second straight state medal. Graf was a first-team All-Shawnee County pick in track this past spring, running on Rural's second-place 6A 4x800 relay.
Sofia Harper, Hayden
SOFIA HARPER, Hayden
A junior, Harper has a career-best five-kilometer time of 20:01 and received All-Shawnee County honors for the second straight season. Harper earned a fifth-place finish in the Wamego Invitational and placed 10th in the city meet before battling illness late in the season. As a freshman Harper posted a second-place finish in Class 3A regional competition and finished 32nd at the 3A state meet.
Kenzie Maddox, Washburn Rural
KENZIE MADDOX, Washburn Rural
Maddox, a senior, was a first-team All-Shawnee County pick last fall after helping Washburn Rural sweep city, Centennial League and Class 6A regional team championships before Rural tied for the 6A team title and finished second on a tiebreaker. Maddox finished ninth in the city meet, placed 12th in the Centennial League, 29th at regionals and 51st at state. Maddox had a season-best five-kilometer time of 19:41. Maddox was also a first-team all-county pick in track this past spring.
Ryin Miller, Seaman
RYIN MILLER, Seaman
A senior, Miller was named the Gatorade Kansas Cross Country runner of the year after sweeping city, United Kansas Conference and Class 5A regional individual championships and posting a runnerup finish at state. A three-time state placer, Miller ran the fastest five-kilometer time in Kansas history at 16 minutes, 32.62 seconds. Miller, who has orally committed to Arkansas, is the reigning two-time Gatorade Kansas Runner of the Year in track, winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in the 2025 state meet.
