McPherson’s Carter Melton – Student Spotlight – Presented by Sean Thomas Midwest Land Group
By Matt Browning Carter Melton’s passion for the outdoors started long before he could fully participate in it. “My dad would take me with his friends to the river to hunt ducks,” Melton said. “My cousin and I would explore around and build forts. When I was old enough to bring a gun, I would […]
Southeast of Saline’s Kanyon Douglas – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Salina Ortho
By Blake Chadwick Southeast of Saline senior sprinter Kanyon Douglas has spent the last four years building a reputation defined by effort, consistency and a constant push to improve. As a senior, Douglas competes primarily in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4×100-meter relay, where his mindset has always centered on one thing: getting better every time […]
Minneapolis Softball – Team of the Month – Presented by Visit Wichita
By Matt Browning The Minneapolis softball team went 21-5 last season and qualified for the Class 3A Tournament, but the Lions lost a significant amount of talent from that squad. However, head coach Bryan Weatherman remains optimistic about his team’s chances in 2026. “We are replacing six seniors, but we can be as successful as […]
Minneapolis’ Bladen Johnson – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Scott Ausherman American Family Insurance
By Cooper Chadwick Batting .375 with nine RBIs early in the season, junior Bladen Johnson has been a steady presence at the plate for Minneapolis. Johnson plays first base and pitches for Minneapolis and has high expectations for himself this season. “I want to be able to strike people out when I get on the […]
Little River’s Kal-El Robinson – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Horizon Real Estate
By Blake Chadwick For most athletes, pressure can be overwhelming, but for Little River’s Kal-El Robinson—named after Superman—pressure is part of the process. It’s something he embraces rather than avoids. For Robinson, pressure is earned through preparation, and it’s where he believes his best performances come. “We compete in practice every day and push each […]
Salina South’s Jakub Szyndlar – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Kelly Kitchener Shelter Insurance
By Matt Browning Salina South’s Jakub Szyndlar saw significant progress in his javelin throwing toward the end of his junior season. He hopes that momentum carries into a successful senior campaign. “I want to build on the groundwork that I set at the end of last season,” Szyndlar said. “Improving not only in my form […]
Canton-Galva’s John Erskin – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Advanced Physical Therapy
By Matt Browning John Erskin has spent this track and field season focused on refinement, resilience and running faster in the sprint events for Canton-Galva. This season, he has recorded a 12.32 in the 100-meter dash and a 24.67 in the 200-meter dash while anchoring the 4×100 relay. His personal bests from the 2024 season […]
Salina South’s Jalen Cheeks – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Kelly Kitchener Shelter Insurance
By Matt Browning Last season, Salina South’s Jalen Cheeks made significant strides in his two main events, triple jump and 800 meter. Now the plan is to take last year’s momentum and continue it into the 2026 season. “I want to focus more on my triple jump and 800 meter this season,” Cheeks said. “I felt […]
Blue Dragon Spotlight – Reese Goetz – Presented by Hutchinson Community College
By Matt Browning For softball player Reese Goetz, the decision to continue her athletic and academic career at Hutchinson Community College came down to a combination of strong facilities, supportive coaches and a welcoming team environment. “When I was being recruited, the facilities really stood out to me,” Goetz said. “They have a really nice […]
Southeast of Saline’s Malachi Hopkins – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Nex-Tech
By Matt Browning Senior standout Malachi Hopkins is approaching his final season at Southeast of Saline with a clear mindset: push beyond limits and chase a state title. “My primary focus this year was to give it all I got and even when that’s all I got give more,” Hopkins said. “If I keep working […]