The Star’s Scholar-Athletes: Kansas school winners
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BASEHOR-LINWOOD
QUINNLYN WALCOTT
Ranks first in a class of 148 with a 4.49 grade-point average. Earned 10 varsity letters – four in cross country, three in track and three in basketball. Three-time state qualifier in cross country and holds school records at the 5- and 4-kilometer distances. Placed 13th at state meet as a senior. Holds five school records in track and qualified for the state meet in three events in 2014. Homecoming queen. National Honor Society.
College: Pittsburg State
Also nominated: Zachary Ferguson, Madison Howard
BISHOP MIEGE
HUNTER FRIESEN
Ranks fourth in a class of 162 with a 4.61 GPA. Earned three varsity letters in wrestling, where he was team captain and state qualifier in 2015. Medalist in nine tournaments, including third-place in East Kansas League. Also lettered two times in football and track. Spirit of Miege Scholarship in 2012. National Honor Society. First Honor Roll all four years of high school. University of Kansas Chancellor Scholarship.
College: Kansas
Also nominated: Hope Bentley, Charles Grunhard
BISHOP WARD
KENDALL NICK
Ranks fourth in a class of 96 with a 4.58 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in volleyball, where she was all-academic Kaw Valley League first team in 2013. Three varsity letters in basketball and was team captain in 2013. Two letters in softball and was honorable mention all-league in 2013. Kansas Honor Scholar. Student Council and class president as a freshman and sophomore. Student assistant coach for freshman girls basketball.
College: Saint Mary
Also nominated: Karina Rodriguez, Evan Sadrakula
BLUE VALLEY
GABBY GUNNERSON
Ranks first in a class of 342 with a 4.0 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in cross country and track and three in basketball. State qualifier in cross country three times. East Kansas League champion at 800 meters in 2013 and state qualifier three times. Qualified for state with basketball team in 2013 and was team captain in 2014 and 2015. Relay for Life committee chair, Science National Honor Society Secretary.
College: Tulsa
Also nominated: Joseph Gorthy, Sarah Olson
BLUE VALLEY NORTH
YUYANG (MICHAEL) CHU
Ranks first in a class of 368 with a 4.66 GPA. Two varsity letters in tennis. Team captain as a senior. Team won East Kansas League when he was a freshman, sophomore and junior. Team finished second at state his sophomore season and third as a junior. Student Council vice president. Class vice president. Future Business Leaders of America President. National Honors Society vice president.
College: Northwestern
Also nominated: Mitch Reinig, Mychal Masterson
BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST
JUSTIN HICKLIN
Ranks third in a class of 253 with a 4.46 GPA. Four letters in soccer, where team was regional champions in 2013 and 2014. Second-team all-conference. Two letters in cross country, where he was a state qualifier and led team to fourth-place finish. Two letters in track, where he placed first in the 3,200-meter run at Louisburg. Hoops for Hope Chairman. Member of school’s ultimate Frisbee team. Member of school’s debate team.
College: Nebraska
Also nominated: Luke Wilmes, Paige Salts
BLUE VALLEY WEST
BLAISE GAMMON
Ranks 73rd in a class of 311 with a 3.85 GPA. Three letters in basketball. First-team East Kansas League and second-team all-state as a junior. Second team all-conference and honorable mention all-state as a sophomore. Also lettered in football. First-team all-conference at tight end. Honorable mention all-state. Second-team all-metro. Principal’s Honor Roll. EKL Scholar-Athlete.
College: Kansas State
Also nominated: Carter Stout, Sam Davis
BONNER SPRINGS
MIKAELA BENNETT
Ranks sixth in a class of 139 with a 3.97 GPA. Earned 10 varsity letters – three each in volleyball and basketball and four in softball. First-team all-Kaw Valley League as a senior in volleyball and team captain. Basketball team was league champions and fourth at state her freshman season. First-team all-league in softball as a junior. Girl Scouts. 20/20 Leadership. Kansas Honor Scholar.
College: Kansas State
Also nominated: Thaddeus Glenn
DE SOTO
TORI MARSHALL
Ranks 12th in a class of 173 with a 4.182 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in basketball. Team captain as a senior. Scholar Athlete of the Month for January 2015. Three letters in track, where she is the school record holder in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. State champion in 200. All-league and all-state. One letter in cross country, where she moved up to varsity after just two meets. Community Service Club.
College: MidAmerica Nazarene
Also nominated: Megan Bonar
EUDORA
JONATHAN ORTIZ
Ranks 19th in a class of 82 with a 3.704 GPA. Four varsity letters in football. All-Frontier League honorable mention offensive lineman in 2014. All-Kaw Valley League honorable mention in 2012, 2013. Three letters in track. State qualifier in the discus in 2014.
College: Northwest Missouri State
Also nominated: Hannah Thevarajoo
GARDNER EDGERTON
KRISTA LONG
Ranks 18th in a class of 315 with a 4.15 GPA. Earned four letters each in tennis and soccer. Finished 10th in Kansas 6A state tennis tournament in 2013, 12th in 2014. Academic all-state by Kansas Tennis Coaches Association. Certificate for Outstanding Achievement-KSHSAA. Honorable mention all-league in soccer. Varsity captain 2014, 2015. National Honors Society, Student Council Class Secretary. DECA Marketing Club.
College: Kansas State
Also nominated: Jacob Haywood, Sydney Clarke
HARMON
JESUS GALVAN
Ranks first in a class of 245 with a 4.28 GPA. Four varsity letters in soccer. Team captain as a senior. Team finished second in the state tournament in 2014. Four years honor roll. 4.0 GPA all four years. Student of the month.
College: Kansas City Kansas Community College
Also nominated: Ana Simental, Juan Tirado-Garcia
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN
ALEX WENDTE
Finished with a grade-score average of 100.87. Earned three varsity letters in basketball and one varsity letter in baseball. President of National Honors Society chapter. Officer for senior class in student government. Putnam Scholarship recipient.
College: Kansas State
Also nominated: none
IMMACULATA
GRACE PARKER
Ranks fourth in a class of 26 with a 4.174 GPA. Four letters in volleyball. First-team all-league four years. All-state honorable mention. Kansas Volleyball Association All-American First-team two years. Team captain. Four letters in basketball. Second-team all-league. Team captain. One letter power lifting. All-state. Squat champion. Immaculata Academic Letter for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
College: Kansas
Also nominated: Mary Kate Wolken, Ellie Wolk
KANSAS CITY CHRISTIAN
JOHNNY GOODWIN
Graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Earned three varsity letters in tennis. Two-time state champion, one-time state runner-up. Led team to state championship in 2014. All-metro player of the year. Two-time state qualifier in Scholars Bowl. Student mentor program.
College: Texas
Also nominated: Savannah Ko, Katelyn Holst
LANSING
SCOTT HATTOK
Ranks 66th in a class of 211 with a 3.65 GPA. Earned three varsity letters in football. First-team all-Kaw Valley League as offensive lineman, honorable mention as a punter. First-team all-state as OL, honorable mention all-state DL. All-metro honorable mention. Two letters in baseball, where team was a two-time regional qualifier. Class vice president. Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Nursing home volunteer.
College: Air Force
Also nominated: Hailey Budke, Kija Cammock
LAWRENCE
JENSEN EDWARDS
Ranks first in class with a 4.0 GPA. Two letters in volleyball. Team captain. Academic all-state. Three letters in track. Part of two-time state champion 1,600-meter relay team. School record holder in 400- and 1,600-meter relays. Habitat for Humanity. Yearbook. Volunteer at Lawrence Art Center. Young Life. LINK Crew (student mentors nominated by staff to help new students at LHS). Volunteer tutoring.
College: Texas
Also nominated: Ellis Springe
LAWRENCE FREE STATE
RYAN LISTON
Ranks first in a class of 351 with a 4.0 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in cross country. All-area cross country team three times. Male runner of the year, 2014. Sunflower League champion. Regional champion. All-state. Three varsity letters in track. All-conference. Regional champion. All-state. Kansas 6A academic all-state. Online editor in chief, Free State Free Press. Jazz band, marching band, wind ensemble.
College: Kansas
Also nominated: Marlee Yost-Wolff
LEAVENWORTH
RACHEL BLACKBURN
Ranks 34th in a class of 321 with a 3.872 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in basketball. McDonald’s All-American nominee in 2015. Gatorade Player of the Year nominee, 2015. ESPN ranked her 17th in the nation for class of 2015. Team captain. Field-goal percentage record for LHS (67.5 percent). One letter in track. Sunflower League champion. State qualifier and school record-holder in javelin. Peer mentor. Special Olympics volunteer.
College: Nebraska
Also nominated: Jasmine Swanagan, Alex Samouce
LOUISBURG
CONNOR MCMULLEN
Ranks 29th in a class of 117 with a 3.768 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in track and field. Placed fifth at state in the discus as a freshman. Second in state as a junior. Holds middle school and high school records in the discus. Two letters in soccer. Two-time all-conference. Honorable mention all-state. Tutors for ACT preparation, all ages in a variety of subjects. Plays guitar.
College: Kansas
Also nominated: Natalie Moore
MARANATHA CHRISTIAN
HELEN ISAAC
Valedictorian of a class of 34 with a 4.18 GPA. Earned four varsity letters in bowling. High series award as a freshman. High game award as a sophomore. High average award as a junior and senior. State qualifier as a senior. National Honors Society. National Society of High School Scholars. National Young Leaders Conference. Choir with superior rating, vocal ensemble. Published in Soul on Paper literary magazine.
College: MidAmerica Nazarene
Also nominated: Emily Francis, Joseph Bryden
McLOUTH
REBECCA BOYD
Ranks 10th in a class of 44 with a 3.98 GPA. Earned two varsity letters in volleyball. Second-team all-league. Team captain. Freshman team finished season undefeated. Also played competitive volleyball with JCVBC and Topeka Flames club teams. Kansas Honors Program. KBOR Kansas Scholars Curriculum Completer. Band. Yearbook. Spanish club.
College: Wichita State
Also nominated: Hannah DePriest, Nicholas Bair
MILL VALLEY
CODY DEAS
Ranks 12th in a class of 278 with a 3.98 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in track and field and three varsity letters in bowling. Placed sixth in state as as a junior in the 300 hurdles. Spent two years on the student leadership team and participated all four years in school musical.
College: Kansas State
Also nominated: Holly Webb, Maddie Butterfield
OLATHE EAST
KELLI KALINOSKI
Ranks 92nd in a class of 479 with a weighted 4.12 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in volleyball. A two-time member of Kansas 6A state championship team. Earned first-team All-Sunflower League. National Honor Society and National Merit finalist. Participated in Olathe YoungLife.
College: Duke
Also nominated: Natalie Kopplin, Thomas Williams
OLATHE NORTH
MADISON MCCRACKEN
Ranks 27th in a class of 534 with a weighted 4.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in softball. NFCA All-American catcher. All-Metro and 6A All-State. Junior Optimist Octagon International Club. Eagle Service Club.
College: Notre Dame
Also nominated: Traci Blue, Nicholas Haug
OLATHE NORTHWEST
LEE FITCHETT
Ranks first in class with a weighted 5.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in tennis. Sunflower League No. 2 singles champion. National Merit finalist. Governor’s Scholar. National Honor Society, National Merit Commended Student.
College: Nebraska
Also nominated: Andrew Buyle, Hannah Stohr
OLATHE SOUTH
BOOKE PRONDZINSKI
Ranks 81st in class of 500 with a weighted 4.04 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in soccer. 2014 Sunflower League forward of the year. Broke freshman school record for most goals scored. Participated in orchestra. Volunteered at reading for kids.
College: Missouri State
Also nominated: Isaiah Campbell, Jordan Morton
OSAWATOMIE
MORGAN SOUCIE
Ranks first in a class of 87 with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in basketball, four varsity letters in track and one varsity letter in football. Three-time team MVP in basketball. League champion in the high jump. Student Council representative for four years, a member of the science club for three years. A member Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
College: Undecided
Also nominated: none
OSKALOOSA
BRIANNA BROOKS
Ranks first in a class of 44 with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in softball, two varsity letters in basketball and one varsity letter in volleyball. Co-captain in softball for three years. DVL All-League catcher for two years. Governor’s Scholar Award. Student Council for one year. Participated in SADD.
College: Kansas Wesleyan
Also nominated: none
PAOLA
NATALIE EPPLER
Ranks first in a class of 123 with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in cross country and three varsity letters in track and field. School record holder in the 4K and 5K in cross country. School-record holder in the 3,200-meter run in track. National Merit finalist. Participated in 4-H for over eight years.
College: Johnson County Community College
Also nominated: Tiana Moala, Jacob Robison
PIPER
COLTON BEEBE
Ranks 10th in a class of 128 with a weighted 4.16 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in football, four varsity letters in basketball and three varsity letters in baseball. Bobby Bell Award winner. Earned league honors as a running back, linebacker and punter. Participated in Key Club.
College: Minnesota
Also nominated: Taylor Beashore
PLEASANT RIDGE
KRISTINA SILVERS
Ranks fifth in a class of 67 with a 3.83 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in cross country and three varsity letters in track. A three-time state qualifier in cross country. Earned Academic All-State honors in cross country. DARE role model. President and vice president of FFA National Merit finalist. Volunteer firefighter and volunteer at the Winchester Public Library.
College: Allen County Community College
Also nominated: Kyle Jones
ST. JAMES ACADEMY
HANNAH SMITH
A 93.3 GPA on a 100 scale. Won four varsity letters in basketball, three varsity letters in soccer and three varsity letters in tennis. Three-time, 5A state qualifier in tennis, Academic All-State tennis team senior year. Academic All-State for four years in basketball. Member of the campus ministry team. Performed 120 hours of community service.
College: Benedictine
Also nominated: Andrew Growney, Connor Moore
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
CARLYLE NUSBAUM
Has a 3.7 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in volleyball and one in track and field. Kansas Volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year. First team all-state. Eastern Kansas League most valuable player. Owns the school record for kills. She led Red squad to victory with 10 kills in the Kansas Volleyball Association All-Star match.
College: Lipscomb
Also nominated: Kyle Bollig, Emily Downey
SM EAST
GUNNAR ENGLUND
Ranks 75th in class with a weighted 4.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in football and two varsity letters in basketball. Earned All-State honors in football. Was a member of the school’s first ever football title in 2014. Worked with Pack of PALS that works with special education population in a class each day and eats lunch with them.
College: Colorado School of Mines
Also nominated: Olivia Myers
SM NORTH
EMILY STAVA
Ranks first in a class of 305 with a weighted 4.83 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in cross country and three varsity letters in track and field. Three-time state qualifier in cross country and a three-time qualifier in track. Part of the 3,200 meter relay team that holds the school record. National Merit finalist. Dance team executive officer. Participated in NJROTC.
College: Washington University-St. Louis
Also nominated: Forest Kinsey, Joseph Roubinek
SM NORTHWEST
TATUM GRAVES
Ranks 32nd in a class of 410 with a weighted 4.56 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in basketball and three varsity letters in volleyball and two varsity letters in soccer. Earned All-Sunflower League honors in volleyball and basketball. Kansas Honor Scholar. National Merit finalist. Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
College: Emporia State
Also nominated: Gabriela Basel, Casey Kelley
SM SOUTH
RYAN DONNELLY
Ranks 16th in a class of 317 with a weighted 4.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won two varsity letters in football and two varsity letters in baseball. A team captain on the football and baseball teams. National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society member. A tutor at Brookridge Elementary School.
College: Arkansas
Also nominated: Taylor Christie, Megan Stollsteimer
SM WEST
MORGAN MAUCK
Ranks 33rd in a class of 402 with a weighted 4.45 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in basketball and three varsity letters in soccer. Sunflower League Midfielder of the year in 2014, and the 23 goals were the second most in school history. National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society member.
College: Middle Tennessee
Also nominated: Jonathan Shull, Jack Snyder
SPRING HILL
MACY BURKE
Ranks first in a class of 163 with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in cross country and three varsity letters in track and field. First team Tri-County in cross country in 2014. Holds the school record in the 3,200. Fellowship of Christian Athletes for four years. Debate team treasurer. Participated in Volunteer Club. Led project to assist at living retirement center.
College: Kansas State
Also nominated: Lilly Smith, Caleb Volkman
SUMNER ACADEMY
BRIAN COBBINS
Ranks 62nd in a class of 121 with a 3.49 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in football and one varsity letter in track. Four year starter. Earned first team All-conference in 2013. Saturday Academy Senior Mentor. Asia Club member. Safe Drivers Club member.
College: Undecided
Also nominated: Nouksapha Phomsouvanh, Helen Venegas
TONGANOXIE
JARED SOMMERS
Ranks first with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in football. Two-time All-Conference defensive back. Team captain and MVP in 2014. Participated in student government. Participated in Student Council parliamentary law officer.
College: Benedictine
Also nominated: Tressa Walker, Emily Williams
TURNER
DANIARELY LOMA-JASSO
Ranks fourth in a class of 225 with a 3.95 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won four varsity letters in cross country and two varsity letters in track and field. Holds school record in 5K. Four-time state qualifier in cross country. Academic All-State in cross country in 2014. Link Crew member. Spanish Club. A member of St. John Evangelist choir. Participated in Student Council for three years.
College: Missouri Science and Technology
Also nominated: none
WASHINGTON
MASON FORTNER
Ranks first in a class of 208 with a 3.96 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won two varsity letters in baseball and two varsity letters in bowling. Earned All-Conference honors in baseball junior season. A Cerner Scholar as a senior. College mentoring for Access and Persistence.
College: Wichita State
Also nominated: Erikka Jones, Donald Metoyer
WYANDOTTE
DONTE WALTERS
Ranks third in a class of 307 with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Won three varsity letters in cross country, three varsity letters in basketball and two varsity letters in track and field. Team captain for two seasons in cross country. Kauffman Scholar. Volunteered at Harvester’s food pantry. Earned perfect attendance award from 2011-14. Math MVP.
College: Kansas
Also nominated: Van Lian, Carolina Sotelo
This story was originally published June 13, 2015 at 2:59 PM with the headline "The Star’s Scholar-Athletes: Kansas school winners."