By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The names are probably already well known to anyone who has followed local sports over the past several years, but a long and growing list of athletes who starred at Topeka/Shawnee County schools have made a big impact at the college and/or professional level this fall and winter.
Here's a look at just some of the stars who continue to make their fans proud:
Jack Bachelor
JACK BACHELOR, Washburn Rural -- Bachelor only moved a few miles after a standout prep basketball career at Washburn Rural, but the 6-foot-2 guard has made an immediate impact for Washburn in his freshman season. Bachelor is currently averaging 11 points for the 7-4 Ichabods while shooting 53 percent from the field (44 of 83) and 53.1 percent from 3-point range (17 of 32) in 23.3 minutes per game. Bachelor, coming off a career-high 24-point game in his second career start, is the Ichabods' third-leading scorer and is tied for the team lead with 34 assists and tied for second on the team with six blocked shots.
Corey Ballentine
COREY BALLENTINE, Shawnee Heights/Washburn/Green Bay Packers -- A 5-foot-11, 196-pound cornerback, the former Shawnee Heights and Washburn star has played in 12 games with five starts this season for the 7-8 Packers, recording 38 tackles (24 solo). Ballentine recorded a career-high 10 tackles in a 27-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The fifth-year pro has played in 52 career games for the Giants, Jets, Lions and Packers, recording 89 tackles, including 66 solo stops.
Elijah Brooks
ELIJAH BROOKS, Topeka West/North Dakota -- A 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, a former Mr. Kansas Basketball for Topeka West, has helped the Fighting Hawks open the season 8-5, averaging 5.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while playing an average of 20.9 minutes in 12 games. Brooks is shooting 66.7 percent on his field goal attempts on the year, going 24 of 36. Brooks had a season-high of 12 points against New Orleans. As a freshman Brooks averaged 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds with a career-high of 17 points against Seattle.
Brooklyn DeLeye
BROOKLYN DELEYE, Washburn Rural/Kentucky -- The former three-sport Washburn Rural star, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, made a big splash for the Kentucky volleyball team as a true freshman, being named the SEC Freshman of the Year and earning All-SEC first-team honors after helping lead the Wildcats to their seventh straight conference championship. DeLeye played in all 29 matches with 26 starts for Kentucky, leading the 21-8 Wildcats with 391 kills while also compiling 184 digs and 23 blocks.
Teven Jenkins
TEVEN JENKINS, Topeka High/Chicago Bears -- After starring at Topeka High and earning All-Big 12 honors at Oklahoma State as an offensive lineman, Jenkins, 6-foot-6, 321 pounds, was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bears. Now in his third NFL season, Jenkins has fought back from an early-season injury to see action in 10 games with nine starts for the 6-9 Bears. Jenkins is currently in concussion protocol and missed the Bears' most recent game against Arizona.
Belle Kennedy
BELLE KENNEDY, Washburn Rural/Washburn -- A 5-foot-3 sophomore midfielder, Kennedy helped Washburn University soccer advance to the NCAA Division II national championship game, an MIAA regular-season title and a 21-4-1 record in a record-setting 2023 season. Kennedy earned first-team All-MIAA recognition this fall after receiving third-team honors as a freshman. Kennedy made 25 starts for the Ichabods in '23, registering three goals and an assist.
James Letcher Jr.
JAMES LETCHER JR., Washburn/Montreal Alouettes -- A 5-foot-8, 175-pounder, Letcher played a huge role as a return specialist in the Montreal Alouettes' run to the 2023 Canadian Football League Grey Cup championship after being activated from the Alouettes' practice squad. The former Washburn All-American burst on the CFL scene when he returned a missed field goal 125 yards for a touchdown and Letcher also had a 99-yard punt return for a touchdown and had a 105-yard kickoff return for a TD in the Eastern Conference final that helped the Alouettes reach the Grey Cup championship game.
Desmond Purnell
DESMOND PURNELL, Hayden/Kansas State -- A 5-foot-11, 224 sophomore linebacker, the former Hayden rootball star has played a major role for 8-4 Kansas State, which will face North Carolina State in Thursday's Pop-Tarts Bowl . Purnell is tied for fourth among the Wildcats' tackle leaders with 47 stops (31 solo) and has also recorded 3.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. As a redshirt freshman in 2022 Purnell was in on 21 tackles and also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Highland Park/Hutchinson Community College -- Richardson, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver/return specialist, earned first-team All-NJCAA Division I first-team All-America honors as a return specialist for Hutchinson Community College, which posted a 10-1 record and reached the national semifinals. Richardson ranked No. 2 in the nation with a 27.1-yard average on kickoff returns and No. 2 with a 16.2-yard average on punt returns. Richardson returned one kickoff and two punts for touchdowns. Richardson finished with 1,332 all-purpose yards.
Mackinly Rohn
MACKINLY ROHN, Washburn Rural/Washburn -- Rohn, a 5-foot-7 freshman forward, was named the MIAA Co-Freshman of the Year and earned second-team All-MIAA soccer recognition, playing a major role as Washburn posted a 21-4-1 record and finished second in the NCAA Division II national tournament. Rohn, who had four goals and seven assists on the season, scored the game-winning goal in the Ichabods' 1-0 national semifinal win.
Taylor Rottinghaus
TAYLOR ROTTINGHAUS, Shawnee Heights/Washburn -- Rottinghaus, a 5-foot-6 defensive specialist/libero, cracked Washburn's volleyball lineup as a true freshman on the way to earning All-MIAA second-team honors and a spot on the MIAA All-Tournament team. Rottinghaus finished her season with 408 digs, 78 assists and seven service aces and registered at least 20 digs in five straight matches at the end of the season.
Taylor Russell
TAYLOR RUSSELL, Washburn Rural/Missouri Western -- The former Washburn Rural state volleyball champion, a 6-foot-1 right-side hitter, had a big freshman season for Missouri Western, earning second-team All-MIAA honors and earning a spot on the MIAA All-Tournament team. Russell finished her first collegiate season with 330 kills and 70 blocks.
Danny Saili
DANNY SAILI, Topeka High/Hutchinson Community College -- A 6-foot-2, 355-pound defensive tackle, the former Topeka High football standout earned second-team NJCAA Division I All-America honors after helping Hutchinson post a 10-1 record and reach the national semifinals. Saili registered 21 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 quarterback sacks as Hutchison ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense and No. 2 in rushing defense.
Camryn Turner
CAMRYN TURNER, Seaman/Kansas -- A 5-foot-8 junior setter, Turner received All-America honorable mention recognition from the American Volleyball Coaches Association after helping lead the Kansas volleyball team to a 24-6 record and a third straight berth in the NCAA Tournament. Turner was a first-team All-Big 12 selection and was named the Big 12 Setter of the Year after leading the conference with 10.67 assists per set and averaging 2.95 digs per set with 84 kills and 58 total blocks on the year. With one season remaining Turner ranks eighth all-time at KU with 2,811 assists.
Tyler Zentner
TY ZENTNER, Shawnee Heights/Kansas State/Tennessee Titans -- Zentner is currently the No. 1 punter for the Tennessee Titans after a stint earlier in his rookie season with the Houston Texans. Zentner, the hero of K-State's win in the 2022 Big 12 championship game, Zentner has averaged 43.8 yards on 30 punts this season with a long of 58 yards and seven punts inside the 20-yard-line. Zentner averaged a season-high 48.8 yards on five punts in the Titans' 28-27 upset win over Miami.
