Sports in Kansas has released its annual list of Top Five All-State All-Classes. All-State teams by classification will be out at a later date along with Top 15 all-classes. Top 5 all-state all-classes and Player of the Year/Coach of the Year by class have been released from Sports in Kansas on 3/21/22 and are all available on our website/social media. Below are capsules of the Top 5 Boys and Top 5 Girls in Kansas as selected by a statewide media panel in Kansas and finalized by Sports in Kansas.
Addy Brown, Derby
Addy Brown, Derby’s 6-foot-3 junior, was in the mix for 6A Player of the Year. She repeated as a top-5 first team all-state pick. Brown and junior point guard Maryn Archer helped the Panthers to a state runner-up showing to Washburn Rural. Derby finished 23-2 with both losses to Washburn Rural. Derby has five final fours, including a title, in the last six seasons.
Brown has committed to Iowa State, Archer to Arkansas. Brown’s older sister, Kennedy, was a McDonald’s All-American and is a key player for Oregon State. Derby has reached state seven straight seasons. At state, Brown had back-to-back double-doubles. In the quarterfinals, Derby defeated Shawnee Mission West and Division I recruit S’Mya Nichols, 41-17. Brown recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
In the double-overtime 51-49 semifinal victory versus Blue Valley, Brown finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. In the state championship, Derby had 11 points and eight rebounds. Brown earned AVCTL Division I MVP honors. Archer was AVCTL Division I Defensive Player of the Year. Brown paced Derby with 15 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. Archer led Derby with 4.8 assists and 2.9 steals a game.
Taryn Sides, Phillipsburg
A pair of juniors, Phillipsburg point guard Taryn Sides and Nickerson post Ava Jones, shared 3A player of the year honors in a highly close statewide voting. Both were consensus Top 5 all-classes picks. Sides led Kansas in scoring, Jones was sixth. They finished 1-2 in 3A in scoring. Jones led Kansas in rebounding. Sides was ninth in the state and first in 3A in steals a contest. Both are known for their leadership.
Overall, Sides finished with 27.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, five steals and 3.6 assists a game. As a team, the Panthers had 55 points, 35.5 rebounds and 12.5 steals a game. Sides shot 57.6 percent from the field, including an incredible 66 percent on 2-point shots. She also made 75 treys for 45.5 percent and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. Sides and Salina Central senior Aubrie Kierscht, a Navy commit, were the state’s best shooters.
Nickerson finished 23-3 and took fourth in 3A. The Panthers were ranked first in 3A during the year and had one loss until the state semifinals. In 69 career games, the 6-foot-2 Jones has 1,336 points (19.3 per game), along with 822 rebounds (11.9 a contest). Jones is also a second team all-state volleyball player and won a 4A state title in high jump last spring. This season, Jones finished with 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds a game. She shot 59 percent from the field and 79 percent from the foul line.
Phillipsburg finished 18-5 and shared the Mid-Continent League regular season championship with Smith Center and Thomas More Prep-Marian. SC finished third in 2A. Phillipsburg was second in the MCL midseason tournament. The Panthers lost, 40-33, at Goodland in the sub-state title game. Goodland won the state championship. Nickerson lost to Hugoton in the state semifinals. Hugoton fell to Goodland by one in the state title.
Sides’ older brother, Trey, was a former 3A Player of the Year in basketball. Both brothers, Trey and Ty, were Shrine Bowl selections among many other honors. Sides led a Phillipsburg girl squad that had one senior with significant playing time and had three freshmen in the top-seven. Phillipsburg junior standout Heather Schemper, a first team all-league basketball selection in ’20-21, a first team all-state volleyball pick, and state track titlist did not play this winter because of injury. Sides has committed to Kansas State.
Jones was the 3A state tournament Most Outstanding Player. Jones originally committed to Arizona State, though recently de-committed. Trey Sides was a top-six player for Central Missouri basketball this season. Jones’ older brother, Hunter, helped Pittsburg State finish third at national indoor track. Hunter took fourth nationally in the heptathlon.
Ava Jones, Nickerson
A pair of juniors, Phillipsburg point guard Taryn Sides and Nickerson post Ava Jones, shared 3A player of the year honors in a highly close statewide voting. Both were consensus Top 5 all-classes picks. Sides led Kansas in scoring, Jones was sixth. They finished 1-2 in 3A in scoring. Jones led Kansas in rebounding. Sides was ninth in the state and first in 3A in steals a contest. Both are known for their leadership.
Overall, Sides finished with 27.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, five steals and 3.6 assists a game. As a team, the Panthers had 55 points, 35.5 rebounds and 12.5 steals a game. Sides shot 57.6 percent from the field, including an incredible 66 percent on 2-point shots. She also made 75 treys for 45.5 percent and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. Sides and Salina Central senior Aubrie Kierscht, a Navy commit, were the state’s best shooters.
Nickerson finished 23-3 and took fourth in 3A. The Panthers were ranked first in 3A during the year and had one loss until the state semifinals. In 69 career games, the 6-foot-2 Jones has 1,336 points (19.3 per game), along with 822 rebounds (11.9 a contest). Jones is also a second team all-state volleyball player and won a 4A state title in high jump last spring. This season, Jones finished with 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds a game. She shot 59 percent from the field and 79 percent from the foul line.
Phillipsburg finished 18-5 and shared the Mid-Continent League regular season championship with Smith Center and Thomas More Prep-Marian. SC finished third in 2A. Phillipsburg was second in the MCL midseason tournament. The Panthers lost, 40-33, at Goodland in the sub-state title game. Goodland won the state championship. Nickerson lost to Hugoton in the state semifinals. Hugoton fell to Goodland by one in the state title.
Sides’ older brother, Trey, was a former 3A Player of the Year in basketball. Both brothers, Trey and Ty, were Shrine Bowl selections among many other honors. Sides led a Phillipsburg girl squad that had one senior with significant playing time and had three freshmen in the top-seven. Phillipsburg junior standout Heather Schemper, a first team all-league basketball selection in ’20-21, a first team all-state volleyball pick, and state track titlist did not play this winter because of injury. Sides has committed to Kansas State.
Jones was the 3A state tournament Most Outstanding Player. Jones originally committed to Arizona State, though recently de-committed. Trey Sides was a top-six player for Central Missouri basketball this season. Jones’ older brother, Hunter, helped Pittsburg State finish third at national indoor track. Hunter took fourth nationally in the heptathlon.
Beatrice Culliton, St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas senior post Beatrice Culliton helped Aquinas win its sixth straight state championship and earned the SIK award for the best Kansas girl basketball player this winter. Culliton finished 8 of 19 shooting for 18 points and 17 rebounds in a 52-38 championship game victory against previously undefeated Salina Central. Aquinas finished 23-2 and was plus-23 on the glass in the final. Culliton was SIK Most Outstanding Player of the state tournament.
Culliton repeated as 5A Player of the Year and has signed with Oklahoma. This season, Culliton finished with 14.5 points and 9.9 rebounds a contest, along with 58.3 field goal percentage. She finished fifth in Aquinas history with 1,227 points and first in rebounds at 730.
Culliton set the Aquinas record for career field goal percentage at 60.5 percent (493 of 815). Culliton joins a short list of Aquinas players that have signed with a Division I college, including Lauren Willis (Oklahoma, 2007); Kelsey Hill (Oklahoma, 2007); Carolyn McCullough (Kansas State, 2004); DaShawn Harden (LSU; 2011). Plus, all three Weledjis (Nelly, Tia and Sereena) signed with an Ivy League school.
Jadyn Wooten, Blue Valley
In terms of preseason rankings, Blue Valley has a strong case for the state’s biggest surprise on the girls’ side. Blue Valley finished 16-7 and qualified for the 6A tournament last winter.
The Tigers returned all five starters for coach Bruce Erickson, who has coached multiple decades, including stops at Salina South and University of St. Mary as head coaches and assistant coach stints at University of Missouri-Kansas City and Oklahoma State. The starters were seniors Sophie Deveney and Katie Daniels, along with juniors Aden Bax and Ainsley Lister and sophomore Jadyn Wooten. In her freshman season, Wooten delivered three points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals a contest.
Blue Valley was unranked in the preseason top-10 by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. Blue Valley finished 21-4 and third place in 6A. BV was the lone girls’ team to finish in the top-three in a classification and be unranked in the preseason.
Wooten hit two memorable shots in the state tournament and paced Kansas for all classes with 5.9 assists a game. She also was in the top-five in 6A with 19 points a contest. Wooten earned Top 5 all classes.
In the quarterfinals, Wooten went full court and hit a buzzer-beater to defeat favored Topeka High, 33-32. Topeka High was favored by many to win the state title. In the semifinals, Wooten delivered 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting, including the game-tying 3 in regulation. BV lost, 51-49, in double OT to Derby. In the third-place game, BV beat Olathe North, 48-46, in triple OT. ON had been No. 1 ranked most of the year in 6A.
Wooten played all 44 minutes, went 11 of 13 from the free throw line, and delivered 23 points with five rebounds in the third place contest. Wooten earned SIK Most Outstanding Player of the 6A state tournament. Blue Valley made its fourth final four in school history, after 1976, ’11 and ’12, per Kansas historian Carol Swenson. This marked the third-best finish ever behind the runner-ups in ’11 and ’12.
Wooten headed a very close race for 6A Player of the Year. In the Eastern Kansas League, a conference that featured two state champions, Wooten was second in points, first in assists, third in steals, second in shooting percentage (45.9) and first in total efficiency (18.35).
In three state games, Wooten had 68 points, seven assists, 15 rebounds and four steals. She was a DiRenna semifinalist for the best player in the greater Kansas City area. Wooten has received Division I offers.
The 6A race featured Derby junior Addy Brown, a Top-5 all classes selection, Shawnee Mission West’s S’Mya Nichols, Wichita Heights Zyanna Walker, Topeka High junior Kiki Smith and Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye, among others. Brown has committed to Iowa State. Nichols has multiple Power 5 Division I offers and was Sunflower League Player of the Year. Walker is headed to Louisville and is arguably the states top recruit, Smith was Centennial League Player of the Year. DeLeye was the top player for 6A champion Washburn Rural, was Kansas volleyball player of the year and a Kentucky volleyball commit. Brown, Nichols and Smith were all top-10 all-state selections in 2020-21.
Boys Top 5 Capsules
Grant Stubblefield, Blue Valley Northwest
Blue Valley Northwest junior point guard Grant Stubblefield helped the Huskies to a 6A runner-up finish to Wichita Heights. He averaged 19 points a game. In the fall, Stubblefield enjoyed a big year as the starting running back for the 6A state titlist Huskies with 1,553 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. He is the school rushing yards and single season touchdown record holder.
At state, Stubblefield easily paced 6A in scoring with 60 points. Northwest finished 21-4. Stubblefield helped BVNW defeat Shawnee Mission Northwest, 58-50. In the semifinals, Northwest held off Lawrence Free State, 51-42. FS had been ranked No. 1 all season and was the consensus favorite. Stubblefield played all 32 minutes and finished 9 of 14 from the field, 2 of 4 from the 3-point line and 6 of 9 on free throws. He added four assists. Stubblefield had a highlighted dunk versus Free State.
Stubblefield was Eastern Kansas League MVP in basketball and top-5 all-classes.
Elijah Brooks, Topeka West
Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks was Kansas’ consensus best player and led Kansas with 25.3 points per game. Brooks was honorable mention all-state as a junior for Topeka West’s state runner-up squad. This time, he helped West to one regular season loss, a December defeat to Topeka Seaman, the eventual 5A state champion. Brooks also paced TW with 7.9 rebounds a contest. He finished second with 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals a contest.
Topeka West coach Rick Bloomquist is in his 45th year of coaching and tenth at Topeka West. Brooks and Bloomquist have helped Topeka West enjoy great success for a program with limited tradition. From 2010-17, Topeka West had 23 total wins. Since then, TW is 15-7, 6-15, 14-8, 21-3, 21-2. Brooks shot 62 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Brooks scored 17.5 points a game in his career. He finished with 1,450 points, 508 rebounds, 197 assists, 131 steals and 74 blocks. That included 43 points in a 67-66 win against Junction City on Jan. 25.
Brett Sarwinski, Galena
Galena senior Brett Sarwinski repeated as 3A Player of the Year after averaging 19.5 ppg, 7 rebounds and 4 assists per contest, including 58 total points combined in his last two games as a Bulldog. Perhaps, the most consistent player with one of the highest basketball IQs in the state over the last three seasons, Galena made three straight trips to the state tournament including two Final Fours. In the 3A quarterfinals, the Bulldogs lost to Thomas More Prep-Marian in a double-overtime contest that came down to a buzzer-beating shot down low. Sarwinski is Galena’s all-time leading scorer, while 6-foot-6 teammate Tyler Little is the Bulldogs’ all-time leading rebounder.
Sarwinski comes from an exceptional family of athletes. Dad, Beau, is Galena’s longtime football coach. Brett and his older brothers were all Shrine Bowl picks. Sister Mia was a first team all-league selection. Galena has reached state the last three seasons, including a state runner-up showing. Sarwinski tallied 32 points – the most at any state tournament game on the boys at any level in 2022. He played 39 of a possible 40 minutes and went 10 of 22 from the field, 5 of 8 from the 3-point line and 7 of 10 from the free throw line. Sarwinski delivered seven rebounds and four assists.
Galena went 11-1 in CNC play and won the league for a third straight year. Sarwinski was top-5 all classes and the only one from below 5A named top-5. Sarwinski edged out Royal Valley 3x all-3A pick Nahcs Wahwassuck in one of the closest votes this season by the media panel voting for POY as the two headlined 3A as the classes best players. Wahwassuck, who originally left for prep school but came back to Royal Valley, was outstanding in 2022 as his season didn’t start until January 2022 after missing the 2021 half of the season because of being granted eligibility from KSHSAA after leaving to prep school
Aidan Shaw, Blue Valley
Blue Valley senior Aidan Shaw is Kansas’ top recruit and has recently decommitted from Missouri. Shaw averaged 20.7 points a game, second-best in the classification, and seventh in Kansas. Shaw delivered 11.1 rebounds a game and finished second with 3.5 blocks a contest. Shaw has 20 Power 5 Division I offers.
His sister, freshman Aubrey Shaw, has high-level recruiting, including an Arkansas commit. Aidan Shaw and Damare Smith are the lone Kansans in the running for the Direnna award for the best player in the greater Kansas City area.
Shaw was also an all-state pick from Sports in Kansas last season.
Shaw was edged out for EKL POY by fellow Top 5 all-state all-classes pick Grant Stubblefield in arguably the states best league.
Damar’e Smith, Shawnee Mission Northwest
Shawnee Mission Northwest senior Damar’e Smith earned Sunflower League Player of the Year. He broke the school scoring and assist records. Smith helped take SMNW to back-to-back sub-state titles. Smith earned Viking Classic MVP honors. The 5-foot-10 Smith passed his mentor and coach A.J. Spencer with the records. Smith has enjoyed a terrific career, including the Junior NBA title in Sept. 2018.
Last season, Smith was co-MVP for his team, first team all-league and second team all-state. He entered this winter with 998 points and 195 assists. He needed 227 points and 49 assists this winter to break the school marks. Smith averaged 18.1 points and 4.5 assists a contest. SMNW finished 18-5 and qualified for the 6A state tournament. In a 58-50 quarterfinal loss to Blue Valley Northwest, Smith finished with 12 points.
