By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Kameron Badura
KAMERON BADURA, Rossville
A senior, Badura received TopSports.news All-Shawnee County and All-Mid-East League honorable mention recognition last fall for the 5-4 Bulldawgs. Badura is a returning starter for Rossville and is expected to play a key role as a skill player on offense and in the defensive secondary.
Alesecio Batson
ALESECIO BATSON, Topeka West
A senior, Batson is best known for his exploits in track and field, winning the Class 5A state triple jump championship at 48 feet, 4.25 inches as a sophomore in 2023. West football coach Trey Parker will try to take advantage of Batson's superb athleticism in a variety of roles this fall, including safety on defense.
Elijah Berg
ELIJAH BERG, Topeka West
Berg, a senior, will be counted on to provide talent and leadership for a Topeka West program that is looking to improve on back-to-back 1-8 seasons. Berg could see action in a variety of roles for the Chargers, including wide receiver, where he is West's top returner.
Tobias Bonura
TOBIAS BONURA, Cair Paravel Latin
As one of only four returning lettermen from last season's 9-3 Cair Paravel team, Bonura, a junior, will be counted on to be a team leader as the Lions make the jump to the 11-man ranks (Class 1A) for the first time in school history. With only 19 players on the roster, Bonura and the other Cair Paravel veterans will rarely leave the field.
Andrew Broughton
ANDREW BROUGHTON, Seaman
A 5-foot-11, 200-pound senior center, Broughton will anchor the offensive line for the Vikings after earning All-United Kansas Conference second-team honors and TopSports.news All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season. Broughton helped the Vikings post a 6-5 record and advance to the third round of the Class 5A state playoffs.
Parker Busenitz
PARKER BUSENITZ, Shawnee Heights
Busenitz, a senior, is a returning starter at safety, one of only two returning defensive starters for Shawnee Heights, which is coming off an 8-3 season last fall. Busenitz received All-Shawnee County honorable mention in 2023 after recording 40 tackles with three pass interceptions and is also expected to be an impact player at wide receiver for the T-Birds.
Brock Bush
BROCK BUSH, Rossville
A senior linebacker, Bush received All-Mid-East League and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall for the 5-4 Bulldawgs after receiving second-team all-league recognition and all-county honorable mention as a sophomore. The three-year starter will be counted on for leadership as Rossville begins its first season in the Big East League and looks to be a Class 1A contender.
Conner Bush
CONNER BUSH, Rossville
A junior, Bush is a top defensive returner for Rossville, which is coming off a 5-4 season, and has also logged multiple offensive starts for the Bulldawgs. Bush, one of 18 returning lettermen, will be a key player as Rossville makes the transition to Class 1A and to the Big East League.
Logan Cathcart
LOGAN CATHCART, Silver Lake
A senior, Cathcart is a returning starter for the Eagles, 8-2 last season, at both wide receiver and safety and will be counted on to provide leadership as Silver Lake makes the transition to the Big East League. Cathcart is also a baseball standout for the Eagles, receiving All-Shawnee County honorable mention last spring.
Seth Catron
SETH CATRON, Rossville
The Bulldawgs, coming off a 5-4 record a year ago, will be looking for Catron, a senior, to be one of Rossville's biggest weapons on offense as the team makes the transition to the Big East League and the Class 1A ranks this season. Catron, who has made multiple starts for the Bulldawgs, is one of 18 returning lettermen.
Ricky Crawford
RICKY CRAWFORD, Highland Park
Crawford, a 6-0, 180 senior linebacker, earned All-Meadowlark Conference first-team and Second 22 All-Shawnee County honors last season after helping lead the Scots to a 7-3 record and their first playoff win since 1991. Crawford led Highland Park with 78 tackles, including 54 solo stops, seven tackles for loss, five sacks and 13 quarterback hurries.
Hayden Cummings
HAYDEN CUMMINGS, Seaman
A 5-10, 205 senior linebacker, Cummings earned second-team All-United Kansas Conference recognition and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after helping the Vikings post a 6-5 record and advance to the third round of the Class 5A state playoffs. Cummings was credited with 103 total tackles, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles for the Vikings.
Broderick Desch
BRODERICK DESCH, Hayden
Desch, a 5-10, 205 senior fullback, earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after playing a key role on offense as the Wildcats posted a 12-1 record and advanced to the Class 3A state championship game. Desch rushed for 511 yards on 102 carries and scored 10 touchdowns in 2023.
Jack Donovan
JACK DONOVAN, Rossville
A junior wide receiver/defensive back, Donovan earned All-Mid-East first-team recognition on defense last season and earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Donovan is also a standout for the Bulldawgs in both golf and basketball, earning first-team All-Shawnee County recognition in both sports.
Caden Estrada
CADEN ESTRADA, Washburn Rural
A 6-2, 270 senior offensive tackle, Estrada has earned first-team All-Centennial League recognition the past two seasons and was a Second 22 All-Shawnee County selection last fall after helping Washburn Rural post an 11-1 record and advance to the Class 6A semifinals.
Tevante Ewing
TEVANTE EWING, Topeka High
Ewing, a senior, is expected to be a key offensive threat at running back for Topeka High this fall as the Trojans look to improve on last season's 1-8 record. Ewing earned All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County honorable mention in 2023 after carrying the ball 100 times for 315 yards and scoring four touchdowns.
Bryer Finley
BRYER FINLEY, Seaman
Finley, a 6-5, 190 senior wide receiver, received All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition and All-United Kansas Conference honorable mention last fall after helping the Vikings post a 6-5 record and advance to the third round of the Class 5A state playoffs. Finley finished the season with 632 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Jacob Hawks
JACOB HAWKS, Washburn Rural
A 6-8, 290 senior offensive offensive tackle, Hawks earned first-team All-Centennial League recognition last season and was a Second 22 All-Shawnee County selection last fall after helping Washburn Rural post an 11-1 record and advance to the Class 6A semifinals.
Brady Heinen
BRADY HEINEN, Hayden
A 5-8, 150 senior defensive back, Heinen earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall after helping the Wildcats post a 12-1 record and a second-place finish in Class 3A. Heinen returned five kickoffs for 88 yards and three punts for 26 yards while also catching four passes for 74 yards.
Tayson Horak
TAYSON HORAK, Rossville
Horak, a senior, received All-Shawnee County Second 22 honors last season for the 5-4 Bulldawgs and was a first-team All-Mid-East League pick on offense at slot receiver. Horak is in the battle to be Rossville's starting quarterback this fall and will also be a key player in the secondary on defense.
John Hoytal
JOHN HOYTAL, Washburn Rural
Hoytal, a junior, is in line to take over as Washburn Rural's starting quarterback this fall after the graduation of three-year starter Branton DeWeese, now at Washburn University. Hoytal saw spot duty last season for the 12-1 junior Blues and also turned in a solid season for the Rural basketball team, averaging 7.9 points per game.
Logan Hunninghake
LOGAN HUNNINGHAKE, Topeka West
A 6-2, 245 junior, Hunninghake was a full-time starter for Topeka West at offensive tackle last season, allowing only three sacks all season with two of those coming against Class 5A state champion Mill Vallley. Hunninghake earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention as a sophomore.
Max Huston
MAX HUSTON, Seaman
Huston, a 6-0, 180 senior quarterback, completed 230 of 379 passes for 3,257 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2023, with just two interceptions. Huston also carried the ball 134 times for 706 yards and eight TDs as the Vikings posted a 6-5 record and advanced to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs. Huston was named the All-United Kansas Conference and Shawnee County offensive player of the year as well as earning first-team honors.
Dayne Johnson
DAYNE JOHNSON, Silver Lake
A junior wide receiver/safety, Johnson earned first-team All-Mid-East League recognition and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season for the 8-2 Eagles. Johnson has led Silver Lake, which transitions to the Big East League this fall, in tackles the last two seasons.
Detrick Johnson
DETRICK JOHNSON, Topeka High
Johnson, a senior linebacker, earned All-Centennial second-team defensive honors and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall for the 1-8 Trojans. Johnson was in on 48 tackles with two sacks and three forced fumbles in 2023. Johnson is also a standout wrestler for Topeka High, earning second-team All-Shawnee County recognition and qualifying for the Class 6A state tournament.
Kaden Jordan
KADEN JORDAN, Seaman
A 6-2, 300 senior nose tackle, Jordan was a first-team All-United Kansas Conference pick last fall and earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition after helping the Vikings post a 6-5 record and advance to the third round of the Class 5A state playoffs. Jordan was in on 42 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles.
Noah Kobuszewski
NOAH KOBUSZEWSKI, Seaman
Kobuszewski, a 6-4, 240 junior tight end, received All-United Kansas Conference second-team offensive honors and All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last fall for the 6-5 Vikings. Kobuszewski had 482 receiving yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore.
King Leonard
KING LEONARD, Washburn Rural
Leonard, a 5-10, 180 senior safety, was a breakout star for Washburn Rural last fall, helping the Junior Blues post an 11-1 record and advance to the Class 6A semifinals. Leonard was among the state leaders with nine interceptions, including one pick six, and was also in on 75 tackles (47 solo), with three tackles for loss, eight pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Trevone Lutz
TREVONE LUTZ, Topeka High
A sophomore, Lutz has the size at 6-foot-3, 355 pounds to develop into one of Shawnee County's top offensive linemen according to first-year Topeka High coach Jason Filbeck. High will be looking for Lutz to have a breakout season as the Trojans look to improve on last season's 1-8 record.
Jackson McGivern
JACKSON McGIVERN, Hayden
A 6-0, 200 junior, McGivern is being counted on to be a solid performer this fall for the Wildcats at linebacker as Hayden gears up for another run at the Class 3A state championship after posting a 12-1 record and finishing second in 3A in the 2023 campaign.
Wilson Miller
WILSON MILLER, Washburn Rural
A 5-11, 180 senior cornerback, Miller was named the Shawnee County defensive newcomer of the year and earned All-Centennial League defensive honors and All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last season after helping Washburn Rural post an 11-1 record and reach the Class 6A state semifinals.
TJ Minikwu
TJ MINIKWU, Washburn Rural
A 6-foot, 210 junior, Minikwu turned in a solid sophomore season for the Junior Blues despite fighting through injuries as Washburn Rural posted an 11-1 record and advanced to the Class 6A state semifinals. Minikwu was an All-Centennial League first-team pick at running back and received All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Canann Mitchell
CANANN MITCHELL, Rossville
A junior, Mitchell is in the thick of the battle to earn the starting quarterback job for the Bulldawgs this season after serving as the backup to Camden Horak last fall. Mitchell is one of several players Rossville coach Derick Hammes is looking for to have a breakout season as the Bulldawgs make the transition to Class 1A and the Big East League.
Kade Mitchell
KADE MITCHELL, Hayden
A 5-10, 175 junior running back, Mitchell was named the co-offensive newcomer of the year in Shawnee County last season after rushing for 764 yards on 79 carries and catching 13 passes for 209 yards. Mitchell also had five kickoff returns for 174 yards and scored 14 touchdowns and 92 total points. Mitchell was an all-county Second 22 pick in 2023.
Makachi Murph
MALACHI MURPH, Topeka High
Murph, a junior defensive back, was in on 61 tackles last season for the 1-8 Trojans while picking off six passes and scoring a pair of defensive touchdowns. Murph received All-Centennial League honorable mention on defense as a sophomore and also received All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Jayden Norman
JAYDEN NORMAN, Topeka High
A 6-foot, 180 senior receiver, Norman received All-Centennial League first-team recognition and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall after catching 31 passes for 479 yards (15.45 average) and scoring four touchdowns. Norman was a second-team All-Centennial League pick as a sophomore and was a Second 22 All-Shawnee County selection, catching 61 passes for 879 yards and five touchdowns.
Thomas Osborne
THOMAS OSBORNE, Seaman
A 5-11, 190 senior linebacker, Osborne registered 59 tackles last season, with three tackles for loss and an interception as the Vikings posted a 6-5 record and advanced to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Tyren Parker
TYREN PARKER, Shawnee Heights
A junior wide receiver/defensive back, Parker has already received offers from Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. Parker is one of two returning defensive starters for the T-Birds, who are coming off an 8-3 record last fall. Also a standout sprinter for the T-Birds, Parker received All-Shawnee County honorable mention in 2023 after recording 44 tackles with three interceptions and catching 10 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns.
Jase Pavlik
JASE PAVLIK, Cair Paravel Latin
Pavlik, a 5-10, 160-pound senior quarterback/defensive back, earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last season after helping lead Cair Paravel Latin to a 9-3 record and the state semifinals in the Lions' final Eight-Man season. Pavlik will be counted on heavily as CPLS begins its transition to 11-man football.
Brett Rantz
BRETT RANTZ, Shawnee Heights
A senior tight end, Rantz is being counted on to step into a major role this fall as Shawnee Heights, 8-3 last season, goes about the task of replacing all 11 offensive starters from the 2023 team that made it to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Ben Roeder
BEN ROEDER, Cair Paravel Latin
Roeder, a senior, is one of just four returning lettermen for Cair Paravel, which went 9-3 and advanced to the Eight-Man Division I state semifinals last fall. Roeder is also a track and field standout, earning a state medal in the 400-meter dash as a sophomore and qualifying for state last spring despite missing most of the season after an emergency appendectomy.
Dorian Rhoten
DORIAN RHOTEN JR., Topeka West
Rhoten is only a sophomore, but earned playing time for Topeka West as a defensive lineman in his freshman season and will be counted on to be a stalwart for the Chargers this fall as West tries to improve on last fall's 1-8 record.
Trent Rollenhagen
TRENT ROLLENHAGEN, Silver Lake
A senior, Rollenhagen is a returning starter as a wide receiver and linebacker for Silver Lake, which is coming off an 8-2 season last fall. Also a standout in track and field for the Eagles, Rollenhagen received All-Shawnee County honorable mention in both sports as a junior.
Tremaine Savage
TREMAINE SAVAGE, Highland Park
A junior defensive back, Savage was a first-team All-Meadowlark Conference selection last season after helping Highland Park post a 7-3 record and earn the school's first playoff victory since 1991. Savage, who received All-Shawnee County honorable mention, was in on 29 tackles in the 2023 season while registering 15 pass breakups and forcing two fumbles.
Jensen Schrickel
JENSEN SCHRICKEL, Hayden
Schrickel, a 5-10, 150 senior wide receiver/defensive back, was a repeat TSN All-Shawnee County Top 22 selection last fall after helping lead Hayden to a 12-1 record and a runnerup finish in Class 3A. A multi-time state champion in track and field, Schrickel caught 40 passes for 683 yards, carried the ball 18 times for 268 yards, had five kickoff returns for 165 yards, had three punt returns for 73 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns and three 2-point conversions.
Aiden Scott
AIDEN SCOTT, Shawnee Heights
A 6-5, 190-pound junior quarterback, Scott could be one of the breakout stars for Shawnee Heights this fall after backing up Ryeki Tuley in 2023. Scott completed 33 of 51 passing attempts a year ago for 397 yards and five touchdowns as Heights posted an 8-3 record.
Craige Sipple
CRAIGE SIPPLE, Highland Park
A senior quarterback/linebacker, Sipple completed 33 of 66 pass attempts for 719 yards and seven touchdowns last season as Highland Park compiled a 7-3 record and earned its first playoff victory since 1991.
Braden Strausbaugh
Strausbaugh, a senior offensive tackle and defensive end, helped Silver Lake post an 8-2 record last season, earning All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition. Strausbaugh also earned first-team All-Mid-East League honors in only his second high school campaign and will be counted on heavily this fall as Silver Lake makes the transition to the Big East League.
Treyton Tetuan
TREYTON TETUAN, Hayden
Tetuan, a 6-1, 205 senior tight end/defensive lineman, is a top returner for the Wildcats, who posted a 12-1 record and advanced to the Class 3A state championship game a year ago. Tetuan earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season, catching five passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns.
Lafayette Thompson
LAFAYETTE THOMPSON, Washburn Rural
Thompson, a 5-7, 145 senior running back/slotback, had a breakout season in 2023, helping Washburn Rural post an 11-1 record and the Centennial League championship while advancing to the Class 6A state semifinals. Thompson earned second-team All-Centennial recognition at running back and returner and was a Second 22 All-Shawnee County selection.
Jett Wahlmeier
JETT WAHLMEIER, Hayden
A 5-10, 190 senior quarterback, Wahlmeier turned in a solid junior season before suffering a season-ending injury in the opening round of the Class 3A state playoffs. Wahlmeier received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall, completing 61 of 113 passing attempts for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns as Hayden posted a 12-1 record and advanced to the 3A championship game.
Damon Webb
DAMON WEBB JR., Topeka West
Just a sophomore, Webb will battle this fall to be the Chargers' feature running back as Topeka West tries to improve on its 1-8 record from the 2023 season. Webb also plays basketball for West, earning varsity playing time as a freshman.
Paxton Willett
PAXTON WILLETT, Silver Lake
A junior, Willett is set for his first season at Silver Lake after transferring from Rossville. Willett is expected to fill a major role for the Eagles on both sides of the ball as a running back and linebacker and could challenge to handle Silver Lake's place-kicking duties. Willett is also a state class wrestler, placing third in Class 3A-1A as a sophomore.
Jamon Wilson
JAMON WILSON, Highland Park
A senior wide receiver/defensive back, Wilson racked up 1,185 all-purpose yards last season for the 7-3 Scots while scoring 63 total points. Wilson received second-team All-Meadowlark Conference honors on offense and honorable mention on defense and also received All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Jamelle Wms-Sanders
JAMELLE WMS-SANDERS JR., Highland Park
Wms-Sanders, a senior tight end/linebacker, received All-Meadowlark Conference honorable mention last fall for the 7-3 Scots, who posted their first playoff victory since the 1991 season. Wms-Sanders was in on 42 tackles (23 solo) with eight tackles for loss and five sacks.
