Shawnee County Sports Awards highlights local high school athletes, inducts four into Hall of Fame

TOPEKA (KSNT) - The 19th annual Topeka/ Shawnee County Sports Awards ceremony was held on the campus of Washburn University on Wednesday, adding four more members to the Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.

The annual dinner and awards ceremony, put on by TopSports.News, recognized several high school athletes in Topeka and the surrounding areas.

Ben Benoit, known for his accomplishments on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, was one of the Hall of Fame inductees. Benoit currently coaches bowling at Seaman High School. Silver Lake High School graduate Jim Golden was inducted, too. Golden was a standout on the diamond for the Eagles and went on to play in the major leagues. Kelsey (Chipman) Stringer and Nick Stringer became the second husband-wife duo to be inducted into the local hall of fame. Kelsey went to Washburn Rural before playing volleyball at K-State. Nick played football at Hayden and K-State.

In addition to the new hall of fame members being recognized, awards were given out to some of the most impressive high school class of 2024 athletes in and around the capital city received awards. The group of local prep-sports standouts honored was Seaman's Taylin Stallbaumer and Hayden's Finn Dunshee. Stallbaumer won Female Athlete of the Year for her impact on the volleyball and basketball court. Dunshee won Male Athlete of the Year for his role on the football and track teams.

• Seaman's Taylin Stallbaumer was named the Fall Female Athlete of the Year for her accomplishments with Viking volleyball
• Washburn Rural football's JC Heim was named the Fall Male Athlete of the Year
• Rossville wrestling's Kendra Hurla was named a Co-Winter Female Athlete of the Year
• Silver Lake's Makenzie McDaniel was named a Co-Winter Female Athlete of the Year for her accomplishments on the basketball court
• Washburn Rural swimmer Brogan Meier was named the Winter Male Athlete of the Year
• Silver Lake softball's Kaibryn Kruger was named a Co-Spring Female Athlete of the Year
• Rossville softball's Kinsey Perine was named a Co-Spring Female Athlete of the Year
• Seamam track's Aaron Merritt was named Co-Spring Male Athlete of the Year
• Shawnee Heights track's Jackson Esquibel was named was named Co-Spring Male Athlete of the Year

Shawnee Heights three-sport athlete Rykan Carver was named the Most Inspirational Male Athlete. Topeka High's McCall Beall won Most Inspirational Female Athlete.

For Washburn University, track and field athlete Braden Rose won Male Athlete of the Year while soccer's Khloe Schuckman won Female Athlete of the Year.