Mallory Richardson

Free State High

Class: Senior

Sport: Cross Country

The week: Richardson wasn’t the Firebirds’ top runner at the Class 6A regional last Saturday in Manhattan, but her third-place finish may have been the most important. She passed one runner in the final 20 yards and nearly caught another, running 12:28 on the two-mile course and ensuring FSHS could edge Lawrence High by three points in the team standings.

Comment: “Last year she was in a similar situation where she felt like she could compete and hold on,” FSHS coach Steve Heffernan said. “This year she was more confident on the course than she had been all season. I was really impressed with her ability to come back and get those runners.”

Andy Struble

Lawrence High

Class: Senior

Sport: Cross country

The week: Struble’s first career cross country victory came after watching two other runners take the lead at last Saturday’s 6A regional in Manhattan, then taking a lead of his own with about 1,200 yards left in the race. He set a personal best 16:00 for 5K and helped the Lions crush the competition in the team standings by nearly 70 points.

Comment: “It really was a pleasant surprise,” LHS coach Dick Reamon said of Struble’s patience and perseverance. “When Hiral (Bhakta, FSHS runner) moved up on him, he had to kind of think his way through that.

“He went up, got Hiral and went past him. He handled it beautifully.”

Justin Walker

Tonganoxie

Class: Junior

Sport: Football

The week: Starting quarterback Troy Morando had 214 yards in the Chieftains’ 66-13 victory against Basehor-Linwood last Friday, but his backup stole the show. Walker had 220 yards on 13 carries and scored five touchdowns on runs of 8, 24, 20, 20 and 87 yards, making Tonganoxie’s future look awfully bright.

Comment: “You always have to look toward the future and we didn’t want the cupboard to be bare,” Chieftains coach Mark Elston said. “He’s deceptively fast, long-legged and a long, slender kid. He doesn’t look like he’s as fast as he is.”

“He did a good job of reading the option last week. He turned it up when he should have turned it up, he pitched it when he should have.”

Caleb Mitchell

Ottawa

Class: Junior

Sport: Soccer

The week: Mitchell opened regional play with a four-goal performance in an 11-1 win against Columbus on Tuesday. An all-state and all-Huron League selection at forward last year after scoring 28 goals, Mitchell has been just as solid this year for the Cyclones. He registered 16 goals and 17 assists during Ottawa’s regular season.

Comment: “The kid’s amazing,” Cyclones coach Glen Cahill said. “He lives to take players one-on-one. His eyes light up when he’s got that. He’s got great speed and he changes direction and changes pace very well.

“But the thing that makes him a complete package is he’s an outstanding defender.”