Class: Senior

Sport: Cross country

The week: McClain led the top-ranked Lions to another victory, winning last Saturday’s Topeka Seaman Invitational. His time of 16:07 for the 5K course was a season-low and good enough for his third individual title in four weeks. Along with teammate Andy Struble (who was third), McClain gives LHS coach Dick Reamon a solid senior that leads by example.

Comment: “Dylan committed himself to being the best he can possibly be. He wants his senior year to be the best that it can,” Reamon said. “I can tell him to follow through with something and it’ll be done right.”

Linsey Morningstar

Free State High

Class: Senior

Sport: Volleyball

The week: It was a rough week for the Firebirds, who went 2-6, but Morningstar still managed to stand out. The senior setter/outside hitter was named to the Topeka Seaman Invitational all-tournament team. After starting the season as Free State’s lone setter, coach Nancy Hopkins made the switch to a 6-2 to take advantage of Morningstar’s hitting abilities.

Comment: “She was probably the most consistent player in that tournament,” Hopkins said. “We had some games where she was putting the ball right where our hitters could drill it.

“She’s just got the ability to do everything.”

Troy Baird

Santa Fe Trail

Class: Senior

Sport: Football

The week: Baird provided the spark for the Chargers last Friday when he returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter of Trail’s 27-7 win against Basehor-Linwood. He also capped the Chargers’ scoring when he added a 2-yard plunge in the third quarter.

Comment: “He’s not blazing fast, but he runs the ball well,” Chargers coach Bob Von Stein said. “He does a great job of picking his spot and following his blockers.”

“He made some big plays on defense also. He was knocking down passes, breaking up passes. He was all over the field.”

Lauren Kracl

Eudora

Class: Junior

Sport: Volleyball

The week: Kracl and Kills. They go together like cookies and milk. Kracl had 32 of them in wins against Frontier League powers Baldwin and Anderson County on Tuesday, as the Cardinals improved to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in league. Kracl, also a standout on the basketball court, provides Eudora with the type of player every volleyball coach dreams of: a tall, athletic hitter who can dominate a game.

Comment: “She knows her role,” Cardinals coach Jill Stutler said. “When we need to put the ball down, she does. I would say through the course of the season she’s been pretty consistent. She’s stepped up when she needs to.”