Sports in Kansas has released its annual top 5, second 5 and third 5 across the state of Kansas for all-clasifications. In addition to that we also have POY, COY, all-state teams by class available on our website 1A thru 6A. Congrats to all of the players honored. A statewide media panel determines selections for Sports in Kansas and is finalized by Chet Kuplen, Conor Nicholl and Bethany Bowman of Sports in Kansas.
Sports in Kansas Boys All-Classes Top 5
Bo Aldridge, Highland Park, Sr.
Eli Shetlar, Andover, Sr.
Grant Stubblefield, Blue Valley Northwest, Sr.
Jake Proctor, Hesston, Sr.
Jaxson Brandl, Greeley Co., Sr.
Second 5
T.J. Williams, Wichita Heights, Jr.
Landon Boss, Osage City, Sr.
Zaxton King, Lawrence, Jr.
Mason English, Pittsburg, Jr.
Brian Hawthorne, St. James, Jr.
Third 5
Landon Kaufman, Moundridge, Sr.
Logan Churchill, Moundridge, Sr.
Keller Hurla, St. Marys, Sr.
Britt Dutton, Ellinwood, Sr.
Will Anciaux, Kapaun, Sr.
Ryle Riddlesperger, Hugoton, Sr.
Carson Bennett, Hugoton, Sr.
-more than five due to tie in voting.
Sports in Kansas Girls All-Classes Top 5
Addy Brown, Derby, Sr.
Taryn Sides, Phillipsburg, Sr.
Mariyah Noel, Bonner Springs, Sr.
Jadyn Wooten, Blue Valley, Jr.
Talexa Weeter, Goodland, Sr.
S’Mya Nichols, SM West Sr.
-six due to tie in voting
Second 5
Kirston Verhulst, Miege, Soph.
Jordan Sears, McPherson, Sr.
Jaliya Davis, BV North, Soph.
Riley Bruggeman, St. James, Sr.
Brooke Walker, Andover, Sr.
Landon Forbes, Bishop Carroll, Sr.
-six due to tie in voting
Third 5
Lily Brown, Colgan, Jr.
Brooklyn Deleye, Washburn Rural, Sr.
Taylor Weishaar, Riverside, Soph.
Camryn Smith, SM South, Sr.
Kiki Smith, Topeka, Sr.
McKayla Miller, Cimarron, Sr.
-six due to tie in voting
Top Five Capsules from Sports in Kansas
Eli Shetlar, Andover
Andover senior Eli Shetlar, a Division I Indiana State commit, led the Trojans to the first boys’ basketball title in school history. Shetlar paced Andover to a 23-2 mark, including a one-point semifinals comeback win against Topeka Highland Park and a championship victory versus Kapaun Mt. Carmel. Andover won its last 21 games. Additionally, Shetlar was a sophomore standout on Andover’s undefeated COVID Forever Four team two seasons ago. Shetlar plays for his dad, Martin.
Shetlar averaged 17.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, both team-bests. He was third with 2.3 assists a contest. Shetlar has a very strong case for Kansas’ best shooter. He converted 96 percent of his free throws and 48 percent (70 of 146) from 3-point range. Andover shot 51 percent as a team. The 6-foot-5, 170-pound shooting guard scored more than 950 points in the last three seasons and shot at least 47 percent each year. He made more than 175 treys in that span.
Grant Stubblefield, Blue Valley Northwest
Blue Valley Northwest senior Grant Stubblefield repeats as the clear Class 6A player of the Year. Stubblefield was also a multiple first team all-state running back. He has committed to Division I University of Nebraska-Omaha basketball. Stubblefield helped BVNW finish with 13 straight wins, a 21-4 record and a Class 6A state title. He delivered 17.9 points, four assists and 1.9 steals per contest.
Plus, he ranked second with 5.4 rebounds per contest. The state’s No. 1 point guard, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Stubblefield led BVNW to a 55-50 championship win against Wichita Heights. The year prior, Heights bested Northwest in the final. Before the game, Northwest was 0-7 against Heights, a longtime power. Stubblefield repeated as Eastern Kansas League player of the year. He tallied 22 points in the championship game. Stubblefield won state crowns in football and basketball. Stubblefield scored 77 points in the three tournament games.
Bo Aldridge, Topeka Highland Park
Topeka Highland Park’s Bo Aldridge scored 22 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks a game for a 24-1 Scots program that finished third in 5A. Via Massey Ratings, which incorporates strength of schedule, Highland Park had the No. 1 offense for all classes most of the year. Highland Park averaged 76.2 points per game. Aldridge was a top-10 all-classes scorer throughout the year.
Aldridge and Tre Richardson, who is a Division I football recruit and a basketball defensive player of the year finalist, led the Runnin’ Scots offense. Highland Park held off a quality St. James Academy team, 80-52, in the sub-state championship game, and beat Basehor-Linwood, 60-49, in the first round of state. Highland Park reached its first final four since 2016 and 19th overall. The Scots had lost in the state’s first round twice in the last three years. Aldridge led the 5A state tournament with 15.7 points per game.
Jake Proctor, Hesston
Hesston senior Jake Proctor was the lone starter who returned from the Swathers’ back-to-back state championship teams. Proctor was a clear choice for all-classes top-5 and 3A Player of the Year. Hesston lost to Southeast of Saline in the season opener and reeled off 25 straight victories under first-year coach Garrett Roth, a Hesston graduate and former Swather assistant coach under Greg Raleigh.
Roth said Proctor helped Hesston “win us some big games throughout the year and was a dude each and every night.” Proctor averaged 16.7 points a contest at state. He consistently ranked second in 3A in scoring at 21 points a game, along with three steals a contest. Hesston beat undefeated Haven, 47-41, in the sub-state title game. In a matchup of first team all-state players, Hesston beat Colby, 59-46, in the state quarterfinals. Colby featured Hunter Vaughn, the GWAC player of the year. Hesston beat Southeast of Saline, 53-51, in the state semifinals after SES’ last-second shot barely missed.
Jackson Brandl, Tribune-Greeley County
Tribune-Greeley County’s Jaxson Brandl repeated as the Class 1A, Division II Player of the Year. GC won its second straight 1A-II state championship. Brandl completely re-wrote the GC record book. He finished with 2,162 points, 763 made 2-point field goals and 1,247 attempted 2-point shots.
Brandl finished as the No. 16 all-time scorer in Kansas history, per state historian Kyle Taylor.
He also set records for most field goals made (876), attempted (1,569), most free throws made (297), most free throws attempted (441), most rebounds (1,000), most charges (30), steals (317) and fouls (210).
For a season, Brandl set records for points (637), shots made (261) and field goal percentage (66.2). GC set team marks for shooting percentage (57.1), 3-pointers made (173), winning percentage (25-1, 0.962) and fewest points allowed in a single game (16 against St. Francis).
Brandl was a clear-cut choice for a top-5 all-classes selection. He has mainly received junior college and NAIA offers. Brandl led GC with 25.5 points, 61 percent shooting, 10.2 rebounds, 3.7 steals and a block a contest.
Brandl won the award mainly over Pawnee Heights’ Alec Carlson, who finished with 1,856 career points.
Sports in Kansas Girls Top 5 Capsules
Jadyn Wooten, Blue Valley
Blue Valley junior Jadyn Wooten is a repeat top-5 all-classes selection. Wooten also collected 6A Player of the Year last winter and was highly considered for the award this season. Wooten has committed to Oklahoma State and is widely considered the top Kansas recruit for the Class of 2023.
Wooten called the overtime games at the state tournament the last two winters her best moments. Two seasons ago, Blue Valley was unranked in the preseason and finished third. Blue Valley defeated Topeka, 33-32, in the first round at state. Wooten went full court in the final seconds and hit a buzzer-beater to beat the favored Trojans.
In the semifinals, Derby beat BV, 51-49, in double overtime. Wooten made the game-tying 3-pointer in regulation. In the third-place game, BV beat Olathe North, 48-46, in triple overtime. Wooten finished with 19 points, five rebounds, a state-best six assists and two steals per contest.
In the first round this season, Wooten sunk a 3-pointer in the final seconds to force overtime against top-ranked and undefeated Shawnee Mission South. Blue Valley won, 41-34, in overtime and finished fourth with a 16-8 mark. As a junior, Wooten collected 21 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game and earned Eastern Kansas League MVP honors over multiple Division I caliber players. In her career, Wooten has 1,259 points and 5.5 assists per contest.
Congratulations Jadyn for being selected Top Five All-Classes Player in the state of Kansas by SIK for 2023.- Mom, Dad, Morgan and Kenzie are very proud of you!!
S’Mya Nichols, Shawnee Mission West
Shawnee Mission West senior S’Mya Nichols is the state’s top recruit for the Class of 2023 and ranked in the top-30 nationally. Nichols collected Sunflower League Player of the Year and has signed with Kansas. West finished 11-11. The 6-foot wing was one of five Kansans named as a Female DiRenna Award Semifinalist for the best basketball player in the Kansas City Metro area along with Blue Valley North’s Jaliya Davis and Aubrey Shaw, Nichols, Bonner Springs’ Mariyah Noel and Blue Valley’s Jadyn Wooten.
Nichols had multiple huge games, including a 41-39 win against Olathe Northwest in late February. She finished with 22 points, including a huge steal and assist with her team down one with 20 seconds left.
Versus Shawnee Mission Northwest, Nichols delivered 24, including 18 of 18 from the free throw line. Nichols also won a gold medal playing for Team USA. This winter, Nichols finished with 19 points, 3.5 assists and three steals a contest.
Addy Brown, Derby
Three KSHSAA girls have earned McDonald’s All-American honors: Bishop Miege’s Payton Verhulst and the Brown girls from Derby: Kennedy and Addy. Kennedy currently starts for Duke. Addy is headed to Iowa State and is considered a top-30 national recruit. Addy also earned Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and helped the Panthers to second place last winter and third place this season.
Derby finished 22-3 and Brown had a remarkably historic year. She led the Panthers in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage. Brown and S’Mya Nichols are Kansas’ best prospects for the Class of 2023 per Prep Girls Hoops.
By comparison, just five NBA players since 1973-74 have ever led their teams in points, rebounds, blocks, assists and steals in a single season. Brown averaged 20.3 points per game and shot 55 percent from the field. She also finished with 10.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.3 blocks a contest. She is a four-time first team all-state player and three-time conference player of the year.
Brown finished with 1,482 points, second-most in Panther history. Brown finished with 825 rebounds, top-five all season. Plus, Brown’s 305 assists ranked top-two in Panther annals. Brown shot 58 percent in four years.
Brown’s team won AAU nationals last summer. She called Kobe Bryant and her entire family her role models. Brown loves sneakers, along with mac and cheese. She ate mac and cheese before every high school game. Derby was ranked tenth by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association in the preseason and easily finished above outside expectations.
“Even though we didn’t end the way we wanted to, I’m super proud of my team and what we were able to accomplish,” Brown said. “No one thought we would even make it to the state tournament at the beginning of the season and we put our heads down and went to work. This was my most enjoyable season yet!”
Mariyah Noel, Bonner Springs
Bonner Springs’ senior Mariyah Noel finished as the state’s leading scorer with 28 points per game. Noel has committed to Ole Miss and is ranked as the state’s No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2023, per Prep Girls Hoops. Noel also contributed 11 rebounds and 4.4 assists per contest. Noel was a top-10 finalist for the Direnna Award, named to the top player in the Kansas City area. She was first team all-league volleyball and a two-time discus state championship.
Noel won the 5A POY honor in a close race over St. James’ Riley Bruggeman and Andover’s Brooke Walker.
Noel called this season “one to remember” and said hitting 1,000 career points was a “great sports moment.” Noel likes seafood and called her family her role models. Per 247Sports, Ole Miss offered her last spring after watching her just on film. Then, Ole Miss saw Noel at an AAU tournament and then again at the Rebels’ elite camp. Noel didn’t start playing basketball until middle school. Ole Miss was the first Power 5 school to offer Noel. As a junior, Noel averaged 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals per game.
Talexa Weeter. Goodland/Taryn Sides, Phillipsburg (capsules from 3A POY)
Throughout the winter, Goodland and Phillipsburg were undefeated and ranked first and second in 3A. They were led by their stars and record-breaking seniors: Goodland’s Talexa Weeter and Phillipsburg’s Taryn Sides.
Weeter has signed with Fort Hays and paced Goodland to back-to-back 3A state titles, including an undefeated mark this year and the state’s longest current winning streak. Sides has inked with Kansas State and led the Panthers to a 25-1 season and third-place finish in the Class 3A, the best year in Phillipsburg annals. Weeter and Sides were both top-5 all classes and share 3A player of the year. Sides earned top-5 all-classes and co-3A player of the year as a junior.
Goodland has won 39 straight games. In MaxPreps’ final all-statistical rankings, the Cowgirls ranked third for all classes and Phillipsburg seventh. Three 3A teams finished in the top-nine, four in the top-14 and five in the top-21 and seven in the top-25 in the MaxPreps rankings, remarkable depth in a historically great year for the classification.
Weeter and Sides led a complete reshaping of sports in their school. Weeter and her seniors combined for more than 200 career wins in volleyball and basketball, including three straight state trips in the fall. Both sports were generally under .500 for multiple years before the Goodland seniors entered high school. Phillipsburg had three state basketball trips in Sides’ four seasons; the Panther girls had never previously made the state tournament.
The Topside Tipoff tournament is held every December. Weeter set the Topside records for most points in a single game and tournament, including breaking her mom’s mark. Weeter is the Goodland record holder for most points in a single season. She averaged 23.3 points per game and delivered 1,639 points in her career. Weeter finished with 550 rebounds, or 5.7 per game, and 221 steals. In her career, Weeter shot 83 percent from the line, 47 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range.
Weeter’s quotes as “unexplainable” and “grind for greatness.” Weeter called the back-to-back state championships her best career moments. At state, Weeter finished with 83 points in three games, which easily led the field. She made 9 of 19 (47 percent) from 3-point range, along with 20 of 26 from the foul line. Sides delivered 63 points at state, which ranked second. She was 21 of 54 at state. Both Sides and Weeter had at least one 30-point game at state.
Sides averaged 23.5 points a game this season and finished her career with 2,166 points, No. 16 all-time in Kansas history. A four-year first team all-state pick, Sides is one of the best players in state annals. Sides averaged eight rebounds, five assists and five steals a contest.
