2023 SOFTBALL PREVIEW
 

 
 
CLASS 6A
 
2022 State Champion: Topeka High
 
2022 State Runner-up: Washburn Rural
 
2022 Review: Centennial League rivals Topeka High and Washburn Rural began the 2022 season squaring off in early April with Rural sweeping the Trojans with 1-0 and 8-1 victories to end their 31-game winning streak. But Topeka High got the ultimate revenge, beating the Junior Blues 2-1 in the Class 6A state championship game to capture the program’s second straight state title. Standout pitcher Nija Canady battled through fatigue in the final game that caused stoppage of the contest three times and she finished with 10 strikeouts. Canady was her dominant self in the state tourney, striking out 32 in 18 innings and allowing just the one run in the championship game, with the Trojans rolling past Olathe North 6-0 in the quarterfinals and Wichita Northwest 10-0 in the semifinals. Topeka finished the season 22-3 while Rural, which rode a pair of Emmerson Cope shutouts of Blue Valley (10-0) and Derby (2-0) to get to the title game, finished 23-2, its only other loss coming to 6A qualifier Gardner-Edgerton. Derby topped Wichita Northwest 6-3 in the third-place game and finished 21-4 while the Grizzlies ended the season 18-7.
 
2023 Contenders: Winners of two straight Class 6A state championships coming into the 2023 season, Topeka High no longer has the services of two-time Gatorade Player of the Year Nija Canady, who is now starring as a freshman for Stanford. Canady was as dominant of a force in the circle as the state has seen in recent years and leaves a monstrous void not only in terms of her pitching but also as one of Topeka’s top hitters the past three seasons. Even without Canady and three other starters from a year ago, the Trojans will still be a factor in the 6A race this year before it’s all said and done. Senior shortstop Adisyn Caryl is a two-time first-team All-Class 6A selection and one of the top hitters in the state while fellow senior Alesia Alvarez was a first-team All-6A catcher last year. Sophomores Jo’Mhara Benning and Montgomerie Freel will have to deliver in the circle for the Trojans if they are to accomplish a state title three-peat. Just as it did a year ago, Washburn Rural already has an early-season sweep of Topeka High. The question now is can the Junior Blues complete the journey having settled for three runner-up finishes since its last state title in 2014. Rural had to replace five players who earned All-Centennial League honors, including first-team All-Class 6A picks Campbell Bagshaw and Mikaila Herring. But ace Emmerson Cope returns as a first-team All-6A pick and teams with Piper Titsworth to give Rural a strong pitching combo. Cope also swings a mighty bat and is a Nebraska signee capable of carrying Rural to its fourth state championship. Third last season, Derby might be poised to dethrone the Centennial League duo and get back to its first state championship game since 2007. The Panthers lost only two players to graduation, though they are key losses – ace pitcher Morgan Haupt and leading hitter Audrey Steinert. Senior first baseman Rylee Frager and sophomore shortstop Reagan Jackson were the team leaders in RBI last year and senior catcher Trinity Kuntz was a second-team All-6A selection, all three earning first-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail I honors. Wichita Northwest was also loaded with underclassmen on its fourth-place finishing roster a year ago, trotting out just one senior. She’s a tough one to replace as well. Caiya Stucky did a little bit of everything for the Grizzlies, leading the pitching staff and offense. Senior shortstop Avery Silsby and senior utility player Nevaeh Lopez helped power a Grizzly offense that hit well over .431 as a team and scored 275 runs and stole more than 100 bases. Eight players return overall who earned All-Greater Wichita Athletic League honors of some kind and finding an ace to go along with a potent offense will hold the key for Northwest. Shawnee Mission North was the revelation of the year in Class 6A, fielding its best team in more than a decade. The Bison went 20-2 and won their first Sunflower League title since 1993. North graduated seven seniors, five of whom are playing college softball, but return ace Kelsey Hoekstra, who was 17-2 and had a 1.00 ERA with more than 200 strikeouts while also hitting nearly .500. Senior third baseman Jessica Brown provided the power with 5 homers last year and North’s only losses came to Olathe West and Wichita Northwest, the latter a 1-0 loss in the state quarterfinals. Olathe North qualified for state for the fifth straight year last season and was runner-up to Topeka High in 2021 after knocking off the tourney’s top-two seeds. Last year, the Eagles fell 6-0 to Topeka in the quarterfinals while starting five freshmen, all of whom hit at least .330 or better. Junior Bailey Dillon earned first-team All-6A honors at second base for the second straight year and has already set the school career stolen base record. The biggest loss to graduation was ace Jordan Reynolds, who accounted for 12 of North’s 18 wins last season. Gardner-Edgerton showed its capabilities as it handed Rural its only regular-season loss a year ago. The Trailblazers finished 19-4 overall last season, falling 11-1 in the quarterfinals to Derby. Graduation claimed eight seniors off that team, including All-6A selections Katie Thompson (first team) and Harley Pruetting (second team). Senior catcher Logan Ringel is the lone returning Trailblazer to earn postseason honors. Blue Valley upset Olathe West in the regional finals to earn its third trip to state in the past five years. The Tigers lost six seniors, including All-6A catcher Libby Hawks, but saw plenty of underclassmen get experience with injuries hampering them all season. Senior Ali Kornfeind and junior Ava Boyd return after earning All-Eastern Kansas League honors last year. Olathe West was 17-5 a year ago after seeing Blue Valley end its season. Losing just one senior, the Owls could take the next step this year. Senior outfielder Emma Veach was a first-team All-Sunflower League pick, while senior catcher Aly Miller and senior third baseman Madison Walker were second-teamers. West handed SM North its lone regular-season loss last year. Manhattan has lurked right behind fellow Centennial League rivals Topeka and Rural the past several seasons and last year suffered four of their seven losses in a 14-7 season to that duo. The Indians are capable of threatening for the league title and more this season, returning much of last year’s team, including first-team All-6A pick Kierra Goos and three others who earned all-league honors of some kind. Olathe Northwest was 13-9 and fell 6-4 to Olathe North in the regional finals. The Ravens had the Sunflower League player of the year in catcher Kendall Yarnell, who returns this season as a junior. The Ravens only graduated three seniors and also return first-team all-leaguer Claire Lopez and three others who garnered honors. A perennial contender and back-to-back state champion in 2018 and 2019, Free State slipped to an 11-11 mark last year with a sophomore dominated roster. Senior Leah Mueller returns as a first-team all-league selection. Garden City went 17-5 last year, getting knocked off by Wichita Northwest in the regional finals. The Buffaloes are led by second-team All-6A pitcher Brie Manwarren, who was the player of the year in the Western Athletic Conference, while sophomore Piper Harris also returns as a first-team all-leaguer.
 

 
 
CLASS 5A
 
2022 State Champion: Valley Center
 
2022 State Runner-up: Basehor-Linwood
 
2022 Review: The end of the 2022 season was a bit of deja-vu for Valley Center. Only with a twist. In the quarterfinals of the 2021 Class 5A state tournament, the Hornets saw their season come to an end when Basehor-Linwood got a walk-off home run to claim a 5-4 win and send the Hornets home. Last season, it was Valley Center turning the tables on the Bobcats. But Maci George’s three-run home run not only lifted the Hornets to a 4-1, eight-inning win, it also came in the state championship game, sending Valley Center to the program’s first-ever state championship. The Hornets finished the season 23-2 with George also hitting a home run in the semifinals to spark a 9-1 win over Eisenhower. The walk-off denied Basehor-Linwood an undefeated season and relegated the Bobcats to a runner-up state finish for the second straight year, finishing with a 24-1 record. Eisenhower rebounded from its semifinal loss to beat Newton 4-0 in eight innings in the third-place game to finish 18-7 while Newton ended with a 21-4 mark.
 
2023 Contenders: Though 5A is littered with plenty of contenders, it’s hard not to picture Valley Center and Basehor-Linwood squaring off in the state championship game again this spring. The defending champion Hornets only lost one player to graduation off last year’s title team, outfielder Heidi Meyer. Everyone else is back, including Ark Valley Chisholm Trail II player of the year Lucy Hooper, pitcher of the year Sykora Smith and fellow first-team All-5A picks Tori Turner and championship game hero Maci George, whose walk-off homer lifted the Hornets to the title. Basehor-Linwood, runner-up the past two seasons, took a little bit bigger hit from graduation with the loss of five seniors, three of whom were first-team All-United Kansas Conference performers. But the Bobcats have arguably the best 1-2 pitching combo in the state in seniors Taylor Cruse and Grace Rose. Cruse is a two-time All-Class 5A first-teamer who has signed with Ohio State and is as strong at the plate as she is in the circle. Last season she went 12-1 and also hit better than .500 with 12 home runs. Seniors Isabella Rollo and Amanda Knutson and junior Kaleigh Small also return as first-team all-leaguers. Eisenhower has finished third each of the past two seasons and last year finished with a 18-7 mark, three of the losses coming to state champion Valley Center. The Lions will look to take the next step this season, returning all but four players off last year’s squad. Sophomore pitcher Karli George was impressive in her debut season, earning second-team All-Class 5A honors after hitting well over .500 and posting double-digit wins. She teams with returning first-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail II pitcher Audry Rumsey to give the Tigers a strong combo in the circle with Rumsey also a force at the plate, hitting better than .500 with 7 home runs. Newton was fourth last year and might have been in the conversation for the state title this year after losing just four seniors off a 21-4 team. But the biggest loss in the offseason came with the transfer of returning Ark Valley Chisholm Trail I player of the year Tegan Livesay, who went 19-2 and set the school’s single-season strikeout record while also belting 11 home runs. That leaves junior outfielder Reese McCord as the lone returning first-team all-leaguer. Bishop Carroll captured the 5A state title in 2021 and was steamrolling toward another title last year, entering the state tournament 22-0. But the Golden Eagles were upset 2-1 by Eisenhower in the quarterfinals to see the repeat bid end prematurely. Carroll will have to reload to get in position for another run as graduation claimed eight seniors, including first-team All-5A selections Kiley Brewster and Eve Morris as well as two other second-team picks as well as a fifth who was a first-team All-Greater Wichita Athletic League selection. Carroll has qualified for state every year since 2006 so reloading is nothing new for the program. Blue Valley Southwest captured the Eastern Kansas League title with its only league losses coming to 6A qualifier Blue Valley and 4A qualifier Bishop Miege. The Timberwolves went 19-4 overall, losing 3-0 to Newton in the state quarterfinals. Five players graduated, leaving Southwest with some holes to fill, but returning junior first baseman Riley Baber led the team in hitting last year and was an honorable mention All-5A selection. Bailey Weber also returns after hitting better than .430 with 15 stolen bases. Finding replacements for departed pitchers Aspen Burgardt and Skylar Duncan will be the key for Seaman as it looks to get back to state for the 21^st time in program history. The Vikings went 17-6 last year, three of the losses coming to eventual runner-up Basehor-Linwood, including a 4-3 loss in the state quarterfinals. Junior third baseman Rosalie Schneider was an impact addition to the lineup last year, leading the team in hitting, home runs and RBI. Seaman must replace seven seniors overall. Spring Hill also faces a bit of a rebuilding job after losing six seniors off last year’s state team that went 19-3 and lost to eventual champion Valley Center in the quarterfinals. Two of the Broncos’ three losses came to state champion last year with one to 4A champ Eudora. Junior Mya January had a team-high 5 home runs last year and hit better than .400 and will be the cornerstone for the Broncos to build around this season. Goddard went 13-7 last year and returns three of its five players who earned Ark Valley Chisholm Trail II honors last year, including second-team pitcher Natalie Klenda. St. Thomas Aquinas has been a perennial state qualifier but was upset in the regional semifinals last year by Bonner Springs and finished with a 12-9 record. The Saints return first-team All-Eastern Kansas League selection Kesley Schenck. Shawnee Heights saw its string of eight straight state tournament appearances come to an end last year with a 5-2 loss to Spring Hill in the regional finals. The T-Birds went 13-9 overall and lost all three first-team All-United Kansas Conference selections from a year ago. Junior Karlyn Bowman returns as second-team all-leaguer and the T-Birds will be young overall with just one senior. Kapaun Mt. Carmel went 13-8 and lost in the regional semifinals to Emporia, but returns first-team All-GWAL picks CJ Wolgamuth and Charlee Hoffmann.
 

 
 
CLASS 4A
 
2022 State Champion: Eudora
 
2022 State Runner-up: Bishop Miege
 
2022 Review: All it took was one. In its three previous class 4A state tournament appearances, all since 2016, Eudora hadn’t been able to come home from Salina with a victory, falling in the quarterfinals each time. Last season, the Cardinals not only returned from Salina with their first state victory, but their first state championship as well. Eudora topped Frontier League rival Ottawa 9-2 in the quarterfinals to snag that elusive first state-tournament win and then rode the momentum to a 6-0 win over Clearwater in the semifinals. On the other side of the bracket, Bishop Miege avenged a 2021 quarterfinal loss to eventual state champion Wamego by ending the Red Raiders’ one-year reign atop 4A with a 6-5 victory. With the championship tied 2-2 through four innings, Eudora got a two-run home run from senior shortstop Emma Durr that proved to be the game-winner in a 4-2 victory for the program’s first state title. Eudora finished its season 23-2 with its only losses coming to state qualifiers Spring Hill (5A) and Ottawa (4A). Miege finished 19-9. Wamego bounced back from having its repeat title dreams dashed in the semifinals to beat Clearwater 6-1 for third to end the season 23-2. Clearwater wound up 22-3.
 
2023 Contenders: After finally getting its first state victories and title, Eudora will have to reload in a hurry to stay in the hunt for a repeat title. The Cardinals graduated five seniors, but they were big losses, namely first-team All-Class 4A pitcher Kira Baker, first-team 4A shortstop Emma Durr, who had the game-winning home run in the 4-2 title game win over Bishop Miege, and first-team 4A outfielder Harper Schreiner. The Cardinals, who were 23-2 last year, do return first-team All-4A catcher Reese Pattison, who was one of five freshmen on the state roster a year ago with fellow frosh Sam Claire and honorable mention All-Frontier League pick in the infield. Juniors Kenzie Yoder and Rylee Griffin also earned honorable mention all-league, giving the Cardinals a nice core to build around. Miege also graduated five seniors off of its 19-4 runner-up team. The Stags do return their potent pitching tandem of senior Cameron Soldner and junior Jada Gilliland with Soldner a first-team All-4A pick after going 9-3 and hitting better than .450 and Gilliland a second-team All-Eastern Kansas League selection who went 8-1 and hit nearly .500 while leading the team in RBI. They will miss departed catcher Adrianna Smith but enough pieces are back around them for Miege to return to Salina for a third straight year and challenge for the title. Disappointed in falling short of winning a second straight state championship, Wamego will be hungry in 2023. What’s scarier is the Red Raiders are also loaded to turn that fuel into another title run. Few teams in the state can match Wamego in the pitching circle where Maya Gallagher has been the team’s ace for the bulk of her career and was a second-team All-4A selection last year after Peyton Hardenberger’s brilliant freshman season in which she didn’t allow an earned run until the state tournament and set school strikeout records trumped her with Hardenberger a first-team 4A pick. The duo is back as a senior and sophomore, respectively, and will make life tough on opposing hitters. Opposing pitchers won’t enjoy facing Wamego either, even with the graduation of six seniors and solid sticks in Delaney Campbell and Paige Donnelly, both first-team All-North Central Kansas League selections. Four-year starter Ashten Pierson returns as a multi-year all-league and All-4A performer, first team the past two years, and Gallagher and Hardenberg both swing it almost as well as they bring it. Clearwater’s only loss prior to the state tourney a year ago came to fellow qualifier Andale/Garden Plain and both programs will likely be in the hunt again. Clearwater took fourth last year, going 22-3 and returns all but four players from that team. The Indians lost first-team All-4A outfielder Hayley Gerberding, who also was co-player of the year in the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail IV, as well as honorable mention All-4A infielder Kayleigh Hardman and standout pitcher Tess Winter. But they return honorable mention All-4A infielder Elizabeth Tjaden, all-leaguer Kaylee Hampton and senior pitcher Brecken Whitney, who was undefeated in the regular season as a complement to Winter. Andale, meanwhile, graduated the other co-player of the year in the AVCTL IV in outfielder/pitcher Alyssa Mude. But three first-team all-leaguers – senior third baseman Madison Nightingale, senior outfielder Addie Ross and senior infielder Kayla Seiler – are back to lead a strong group from a team that went 20-3, falling in the quarterfinals to Miege. Ottawa handed 4A state champion Eudora one of its two regular-season losses before getting bounced by the Cardinals in the quarterfinals last year, the program’s first state trip since 2009. The Cyclones only lost three seniors, but they leave big holes as Alex Powell left her name all over Ottawa’s home run record book, hitting 7 last year while also handling pitching duties, outfielder Kirsten Evans earned second-team All-4A honors and Emma Stottlemire was 9-2 as the team’s ace. Senior Ellie Seaton and junior Kamden Evans are the lone returners to earn All-Frontier League honors last year for the Cyclones, who went 16-6 last year. Rock Creek knocked off No. 3 west seed McPherson to return to state for the second straight year, going in 3A in 2021. The Mustangs lost a strong senior class headed by first-team All-Mid-East League performers Sophia Haverkamp and Lexi DeWeese, and will be led by junior first baseman Eve McComb, who led the team in home runs and batting average last year as a sophomore. Clay Center/Wakefield went 15-6 last year, falling in the quarterfinals to Clearwater in a 7-6 thriller. The Tigers could push Wamego in both the NCKL and postseason, returning all but two players off last year’s team, including All-4A outfielder Jacey Schurle. Dani Carson and Katie Speilman return as first-team all-league picks last year and as the team’s battery with Spielman pitching and Carson catching. McPherson went 18-3 before getting upset by Rock Creek 5-2 in the regional finals and will have to replace co-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail III player of the year Brette Doile and two other first-team all-leaguers. But a pair of all-league first-teamers return in sophomore third baseman Haely Hagemann and pitcher Addison Chapman. Pratt was 15-5 last season and lost in the regional finals to Clay Center 5-4. The Greenbacks return four juniors who were first-team All-Central Kansas League picks last year as sophomores – pitcher Aly James, third baseman Bailey Jackson, outfielder Jaycie Theis and utility player Sage Kohman. After taking third in 2021, Holton missed out on the state tournament last year when the Wildcats were upset 4-3 by Ottawa in the regional finals, ending the season 19-3. The Wildcats lost the standout pitching tandem of Sadie Walker and Gracie Gallagher, but return a pair of top hitters in catcher Timber Wilson, a first-team All-4A selection, and infielder Brooke Flewelling, a second-team All-4A pick. Chanute went 16-6 and return unanimous All-Southeast Kansas League performers Kamri Naff and Brinly Bancroft.
 

 
 
CLASS 3A
 
2022 State Champion: Frontenac
 
2022 State Runner-up: Prairie View
 
2022 Review: Frontenac coach Cassie Rhuems wasn’t bragging when she felt her team was the best one at the Class 3A state tournament despite being just the No. 5 seed in a loaded field in which the No. 8 seed, Santa Fe Trail, was a stellar 19-4. Turns out, Rheums was dead on. In the balanced field, the four lower seeded teams all picked up quarterfinal wins with Trail knocking off top-seeded Hoisington/Central Plains 4-1, No. 7 seed Prairie View beating No. 2 Scott City 10-1, No. 6 Rossville beating No. 3 Council Grove 12-0 and Rhuems’ Raiders beating fourth-seeded Kingman/Norwich 7-3. Frontenac then raced past Trail 10-0 in the semifinals while Prairie View outlasted Rossville 4-3 in eight innings. Frontenac delivered on Rhuems’ belief in the finals, taking a 7-1 victory over Prairie View to cap a 23-3 season and give the program its third state title since 2016. Frontenac rode a four-run first inning in the title game and let freshman ace Avery Johnson take it home from there with Johnson throwing a three-hitter in the finals after holding Trail to one hit in the semifinals. Prairie View enjoyed the best state showing in program history with its runner-up finish, ending with a 21-5 record. Santa Fe Trail and Rossville treated the third-place game like a state championship, battling for 11 innings before the Chargers took a 2-1 win to finish 21-5. Rossville finished 21-5 as well. 
 
2023 Contenders: With only one player graduating off last year’s state championship team, Frontenac comes into the 2023 season as the heavy favorite to repeat as 3A state champions. No question, however, that the one loss is a monstrous one – All-Class 4A first-teamer Heather Arnett, who set the table for the Frontenac offense as the Raiders’ leadoff hitter and set the state record for career stolen bases, getting 62 last year alone. Her departure leaves a big void at shortstop and leadoff for the Raiders, but overall Frontenac was a young team last year with just four juniors on the state roster. Senior Hattie Pyle, junior Abi Beaman and freshman Avery Johnson joined Arnett as first-team All-4A picks with Johnson an impact addition as a freshman last year at pitcher, going 18-1 and spinning a pair of gems in the state semifinals and finals, allowing just four hits in the two games. Beaman hit over .500 as a sophomore last year and Pyle was just under .500 with 7 home runs. Prairie View suffered three of its five losses last year to Frontenac, including the 7-1 loss in the championship game. The Buffaloes graduated first-team All-4A picks Rylee Boone and Braxton Stainbrook and three other seniors, but return standout pitcher Emma Chambers, who also led the team in hitting with a .500 average. Six other returning Buffaloes also hit .300 or better, giving Prairie View a potent offense to compete with anyone. Santa Fe Trail started last season 0-4 with losses to fellow 3A qualifiers Prairie View and Rossville, but then won 20 straight before the semifinal loss to Frontenac. The Chargers posted their best state showing since a third in 1997, avenging its early loss to Rossville in the third-place game. Junior pitcher Kaelee Washington was outstanding as a sophomore, setting school records for wins, strikeouts, hits and run scored in a season, finishing with a 15-2 record and 202 strikeouts while also hitting .542. The Chargers only graduated three seniors, though the departure of shortstop Jaycee Long leaves a big hole in the middle of the infield and at the top of the lineup. Rossville also was extremely young last year in going 21-5, losing just two seniors off that squad. Departed pitcher Vanessa Quinones will be greatly missed after she posted a 1.50 ERA last year. But returning pitcher Brinley Dyche set a school record with 4 shutouts and the offense returns leading hitters Kinsey Perine, Emma Mitchell and Kinley Porter with both Perine and Mitchell hitting over .480. Perine and Dyche were first-team All-3A picks and Mitchell was second team. Hoisington/Central Plains took the No. 1 seed into last year’s state tourney at 22-1 before getting knocked off by Trail. The Cardinals lost four seniors off that team, most notably standout pitcher Kassidy Nixon and catcher Kadence Urban, both of whom earned All-3A honors of some kind with Urban a first-teamer after hitting over .600 with 7 home runs and 43 RBI. Hoisington’s two losses were by a combined four runs. Junior Jordyn Boxberger was a strong pitching complement to Nixon a year ago, going 9-1 with a 1.12 ERA. She’s part of a talented junior class that contributed heavily last year as sophomores. Kingman/Norwich knocked out 2021 state champion Cheney in the regional finals with a 4-3 win to make its third state trip overall. The Eagles will have to replace five seniors from their 21-3 club, including a trio of second-team All-3A picks in Alex Schreiner, Megan Hensley and Aly Hageman, and all five were also starters on Kingman’s 2019 state team. Senior second baseman Marley Munz and junior outfielder Laney Wood each return after hitting better than .400 last year with Wood a first-team All-Central Plains League pick. Council Grove also made just the third state appearance in program history last year and finished 21-3, the best record in program history. The two regular-season losses by a combined three runs including one to 2-1A state champion Mission Valley, whom the Braves split with. Graduation claimed standout outfielder Elle Dragone, who hit better than .600 last year, and three other senior starters. Senior Jessica Filkin and sophomore Kayden Litke both return at pitcher, each posting a sub-1.50 ERA last year. Scott City graduated the most of any of the state qualifying teams from a year ago, losing six seniors off its state squad. The Beavers’ lone loss prior to state came to 6A Liberal in extra innings. Junior pitcher Cheyenne Cramer had a huge season in the circle, throwing three perfect games and four no-hitters overall last year, striking out 165. She leads a strong returning group that includes .400-plus hitters Malorie Cupp, Mackayla Miller, Madison Miller and Hannah Tucker. After winning the 2021 state title, Cheney fell one win shy of getting back to defend its title last year, falling to Kingman in the regional finals. The Cardinals finished 19-4 overall but lost All-3A pitcher Korri Lies and standout infielder Brooklyn Wewe to graduation. Junior Peyton McCormick was a first-team All-Central Plains pick at outfield and is joined as a returnee by senior second-teamer Anna Martin. Haven fell to Cheney in the regional semifinals and went 17-5. The Wildcats are led by standout junior Sadie Estill and senior shortstop BrieAnn Brawner, who were first-team All-Central Kansas League picks last year. It was a rarity to have a 3A state tournament without Silver Lake, but the Eagles couldn’t get past the regional semifinals last year, falling to Nemaha Central to finish a 13-7 season. They return standout MaKenzie McDaniel and fellow first-team All-Mid-East League picks Kaibryn Kruger and Taylor Zordel. Nemaha Central, meanwhile, finished 18-5, falling 9-3 to Rossville in the regional finals. First-team All-Big Seven pick Reagan Gerety returns to lead the Thunder this season. Frontenac emerged from a regional that included the likes of Columbus (18-3), Girard (17-5) and Baxter Springs (14-7), all from the CNC League. Columbus was knocked off in the semifinals by Baxter Springs but returns unanimous all-league pitcher Grace Major and fellow first-team pitcher Aubree Saporito and infielder Jailyn Rodriguez. Girard sophomore Erin Anderson and senior Emmale Shevalt also were unanimous all-leaguers who are back while Galena has been a traditional power but was just 6-14 last year and returns unanimous all-leaguer Blayze McNemar and first-teamer Mia Sarwinski. Baxter Springs didn’t have a first-team all-league selection, but returns junior Kenade Rhinehart and senior Reagan Pitts from the second team. Beloit went 17-4 last year and returns senior pitcher Chloe Odle, who has broken all the school pitching records. The Trojans were pushed in the North Central Activities Association by Southeast of Saline, which went 16-6 and returns a trio of first-team all-leaguers in senior Chase Gilpin and juniors Maddie Harris and Brielle Ptacek. Humboldt went 19-4 and returns half of its first-team All-Tri-Valley League picks in seniors Carsyn Haviland and Emily Ross as well as honorable mention pick Karly Wools. Holcomb was 20-3 last year and Cimarron/Ingalls was 16-6 in the tough Great West Activities League. The Longhorns return three of their top-four hitters from last year in Korryn Johnson, Emma Cornelsen and Rian Rodriguez with Rodriguez belting 7 of the team’s 11 homers. Johnson handled all the pitching duties going 20-3 with a 2.00 ERA and 217 strikeouts. Cimarron returns a trio of All-GWAC first-teamers in Madison Newton, Elly Jo Tancayo and Bailee Buehler.
 

 
 
CLASS 2-1A
 
2022 State Champion: Mission Valley
 
2022 State Runner-up: Troy
 
2022 Review: In a Class 2-1A state tournament field that included two undefeated teams in Ell-Saline and Troy, Mission Valley might have seemed like a bit of an underdog, even coming in with a glossy 20-2 record of its own. But after coming tantalizingly close to playing for the state championship in 2021, a 3-2 loss to eventual champion Pittsburg St. Mary’s Colgan in the semifinals ending that chance, the Vikings weren’t going to be denied in 2022. Mission Valley opened state tourney play with a 9-0 rout of Spearville and then picked off both undefeated teams left in 2-1A, first topping Ell-Saline 5-1 in the semifinals and then fighting off Troy 6-4 in the championship game to win the program’s third state crown overall and first since 2003. Caylie VanMeter starred in the title game, driving in a run and scoring twice on wild pitches as well as making a pair of stellar defensive plays in right field. Mission Valley got out to a 4-0 lead early and then went up 3-0 early and then saw Troy pull within 5-4 in the fifth before Morgan Tomlinson shut the Trojans down the rest of the way. The Vikings finished 23-2 overall while Troy suffered its only loss in a 23-1 season that included state wins over Belle Plaine in the quarterfinals (7-0) and Central Heights in the semifinals (3-2). Central Heights handed Ell-Saline its second straight loss after a 24-0 start with an 11-1 win in the third-place game to cap a 16-8 season. 
 
2023 Contenders: Mission Valley wasn’t going to be going anywhere based on who returned off last year's squad. Sure the Vikings were going to have to replace second-leading hitter Jaycie Calvaruzo and state hero Caylie VanMeter. But the anticipated return of senior pitcher Morgan Tomlinson, a first-team All-2-1A pick who went 19-2 with a 0.72 era and 234 strikeouts in 145 innnings, as well as fellow first-teamer Paige Martin, who led the team with a .407 average, had hopes high. However, Tomlinson tore her ACL last week and is out for the season, leaving the Vikings with a monstrous void in the circle to fill. Mission Valley started three freshmen on its title team and only graduated four. Four of the top six run producers are back. Troy has an ace that can match Mission Valley’s Tomlinson and that will help offset the loss of six senior starters that helped the team to its best season in school history. Last year’s trip to state was the first in program history and the Trojans nearly made the most of it, falling 6-4 to Mission Valley in the title game for their only loss of the season. Senior pitcher Paytin Engemann was almost as dominant at the plate (.540, 7 HRs, 35 RBI) and she was in the circle where she went 13-1 with a 0.73 ERA and 161 strikeouts. She pitched an immaculate perfect game, striking out every batter she faced against Onaga in a six-inning affair. The Trojans will have to replace much of her surrounding cast, including fellow first-team All-2-1A pick Reagen Hill and second-teamer Avery Euler. Ell-Saline should be hungry after seeing its bid for a perfect season also ended by Mission Valley with a 5-1 loss in the semifinals. Like Troy, the Cardinals have some big holes to fill with the loss of four seniors, including standout pitcher Raleigh Kramer, who was 19-0 before losing in the semifinals. It marked the second straight year Mission Valley beat Ell-Saline at state. Ell-Saline had a number of sophomores and freshmen fill key roles last year with Val Vanzant earning first-team All-Heart of America honors and Brin Hecker getting second-team honors. Central Heights made just its second state appearance, buoyed by big regular-season wins over Flint Hills League rivals Osage City and Chase County, which had dominated the Vikings in the past. Heights finished 16-8 overall and graduated just two seniors. Returning senior Erykah Haynes was a first-team All-2-1A selection while seniors Mieka Crump and Jadynn Criqui were second-team and honorable mention, both earning second-team all-league honors as well. Bluestem rode pitcher Delaney Blakesley to a 22-2 mark overall, the Lions falling 12-5 to Central Heights in the quarterfinals. They’ll have to find a different horse this year as Blakesley has graduated, but only one other player was lost off last year’s squad and junior Sophie Reyes was a first-team All-2-1A selection along with Blakesley, who recorded 18 of the Lions’ 22 wins. Reyes, sophomore Samiya Worrell, senior Allie Wesley and sophomore Pillar Cox all hit .350 or better. After taking fourth at state in 2021, Belle Plaine lost in the quarterfinals last season and finished the season 11-9. The Dragons punched their state ticket with an upset of one-loss West Elk in the regional semifinals and were led by six seniors. Junior Delaynie Esterly was a first-team All-Central Plains selection last year as a sophomore, one of two first-teamers for Belle Plaine along with departed infielder Emma George. Pittsburg St. Mary’s Colgan was going to have to go on an upset-filled ride to defend its state title and never got it going at state, falling 5-2 to unbeaten Ell-Saline in the quarterfinals. The Panthers were 11-13 overall, the record a bit deceiving with the Panthers playing in the 3A heavy and loaded CNC, which produced 3A state champion Frontenac. Despite losing four seniors, Colgan should compete for a deep postseason run again this year after having eight freshmen and sophomores on last year’s state roster, including top pitcher Ava Wilson and leading hitter Ava Glover. Spearville boasted a mighty offense all season with 10 players who hit .404 or better and averaging 13.5 runs per game before experiencing a power outage at state in a 9-0 loss to Mission Valley in the quarterfinals. The Lancers only graduated three seniors and return a bulk of that offense including four players who hit better than .500 on the season, seniors Kara Brakey, Kristen Huston, Tawney Krominga and Tessa Kuker. Krominga also went 11-2 in the circle as Spearville finished 21-3 overall. Bucklin/South Central handed the Lancers their only losses on the season and was 20-3 last year, falling in the regional semifinals to Ellis, which went 15-6. Bucklin standout Halie Feikert was a beast at the plate last year, hitting .657 with 18 extra-base hits (5 HRs) and 59 RBI to rank among the state leaders. The Red Aces only lost three seniors and return their top-two hitters with Sydnie Jones right behind Feikert with a .580 average. Ellis returns second-team All-2-1A pick Kaydawn Haag and only lost three seniors off last year’s team as well. West Elk was 19-1 when it was knocked off by Belle Plaine in the regional semifinals. The Patriots had five first-team All-South Central Border League selections and three of them return – seniors Karly Kill, Harlee Town and Shay Toon. Fellow SCBL member Oxford also lost to Belle Plaine in regionals and finished 15-3, returning all-leaguers Emery Commerford and Treva Williams. Burlingame was state runner-up in 2021 and went 16-3 last year, getting upset by Wabaunsee in the regional semifinals. All-2-1A picks Daelyn Winters and Emma Tyson have graduated, but staff ace Alexandra Crook returns after being a second-team All-2-1A pick last year. Wabaunsee wound up losing to Mission Valley in the regional finals to finish 13-9. The Chargers played eight freshmen or sophomores extensively and that will help as they replace All-2-1A picks Kara Hafenstine (first team) and Kaelyn Conrad (second team). Paxton Meyer leads the cast of returnees after hitting .500 last year with 4 home runs and 28 RBI. Moundridge finished the season 16-5, dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker to Bluestem in the regional finals. The Wildcats will be led by senior Aubree Durst, their lone first-team All-Heart of America League selection last year. Northeast-Arma’s Shelby Underwood boasted one of the most impressive stat sheets in the state last year, hitting a state-best .854 with 8 home runs and 45 RBI while also doubling as the Vikings’ ace. She’s back along with fellow unanimous All-Three Rivers League pick Lexi Yarnell as the Vikings look to push for a state berth after seeing a 20-2 season end in the regional semifinals against Colgan. Uniontown reached the regional finals and finished 13-6, but lost standout Camryn Davis, a unanimous all-league selection. Another Three Rivers member, Yates Center, also tumbled as a No. 1 regional seed, losing to Central Heights in the finals to finish 17-4. Like Uniontown, its best player has also graduated, Morgan Collins. McLouth pushed Troy better than anyone until Mission Valley in the state finals, losing 1-0 in the regional finals on a walk-off hit. The Bulldogs went 17-4 overall and return four first-team All-Northeast Kansas League selections in senior Corissa Bandel and sophomores Dani Lee, Calleigh McColley and Corsinda Bandel.