Free State sophomore Tatum Clopton throws a pitch in a game against Olathe Northwest, March 25.

Although Mother Nature has done its best to mess things up the past few days, nearly every spring sports team was in action this past week.

With that, I’d like to highlight some athletes who did especially well this past week. The goal is for this type of notebook to be more of a routine, especially with how busy spring sports can be, so don’t hesitate to nominate an area athlete after a strong performance via email or on Twitter.

My hope is that this turns into a weekly notebook, but some weeks, it just might not be feasible. The main purpose, though, is to highlight as many area athletes as possible. There are no rules for this notebook, though I’ll try to stick to one athlete per team for the most part.

With that, let’s look at some of the top area athletes from this past week:

photo by: Carter Gaskins

Free State pitcher Ethan Bradford (18) winds up for the pitch on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Ethan Bradford, Free State baseball — Free State (4-2, 2-0) secured a narrow 2-0 victory over Shawnee Mission Northwest Thursday. Bradford’s brilliance on the mound was a big reason why FSHS claimed its fourth win in a row. The Nebraska signee tossed six scoreless frames, allowing three hits to go along with seven strikeouts. When he’s on like that, the Firebirds are going to be a tough team for anyone to beat.

Tatum Clopton, Free State softball — The defending champs sent a message to the rest of Class 6A with a 4-1 win over Olathe Northwest, the team FSHS topped in the state championship game last spring. Clopton, a Oklahoma State commit, began what figures to be a sensational sophomore season with a 17-strikeout performance, in which she surrendered just one hit during a complete-game effort.

LHS center fielder Payton Cummins races to home plate during a home game against Olathe West, March 28, 2019.

Payton Cummins, Lawrence baseball — Lawrence’s senior outfielder continues to have strong at-bats to start the 2019 campaign. Cummins has delivered four RBIs over his last four games for the Lions, who ended a two-game skid with a 4-3 win over Olathe West Thursday. LHS (3-2, 1-1 Sunflower League) swiped seven bases in the victory.

Double trouble for LHS boys tennis — The tandem of senior Cooper Wright and junior Kanak Masten will be one of the better doubles teams at nearly every meet this year. After placing ninth at the 6A state tournament last year, Lawrence’s No. 1 doubles team started 2019 off with a first-place finish at the Emporia Invitational. The two went 3-0 in the first event of the season, and the duo has the potential to do that many more times this spring.

Free State’s Kasey Dunn swims the 100-yard butterfly at the Class 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka.

Kasey Dunn, Free State girls swim — The Firebirds have a pair of runner-up finishes in as many meets to start the season. Dunn is off to a strong start to her junior campaign, winning three individual races. She won the 100 butterfly in the first meet of the year, and then claimed two victories in Manhattan with wins in the 200 individual medley and 100 freestyle.

Kyla Etter, Eudora softball — Coming off an all-state selection last year, Etter started off her senior season with a superb pitching performance. Etter spun a shutout in the season opener to lift Eudora (2-0) to a 9-0 win over Bonner Springs, as she allowed three hits and struck out nine batters. Lydia Brown, Megan Kennedy, Sierra Smith and Holland Harvat provided enough run support on the offensive end for Etter’s dominance in the circle.

Morgan Jones, Lawrence High girls swim — The Lions have won all three of their meets to start the season behind a talented senior class. Jones, a senior, has won five individual races in the first three meets of the year. She posted first in the 200-yard intermediate medley during a dual against Shawnee Mission South on Thursday. She also won the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle during Tuesday’s home meet.