ROSSVILLE 73, JEFF WEST 42
Rossville 18 28 14 13 -- 73
Jeff West 12 8 19 3 -- 42
Rossville scoing
McDonnel l 6 1-2 13
Donovan 7 (2) 0-0 16
Horgan 5 (1) 0-2 11
Bush 0 0-2 0,
Miller 10 (3) 3-6 26,
Lewis 1 0-0 2,
Johnson 2 1-3 5.
Totals 31 (6) 5-17 73.
Silver Lake sophomore Kendrick VandeVelde, senior Dayne Johnson and junior Owen Rottinghaus and Rossville senior Conner Bush received All-Big East League first-team football recognition for the 2025 season.
Conner Bush, Rossville
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
VandeVelde was named to the first-team offensive line, while Johnson was a first-team pick at wide receiver and Rottinghaus the all-league returner after helping lead Silver Lake to a 7-3 record.
Bush was named to the All-Big East first-team defense at defensive back after helping the 11-2 Bulldawgs advance to the Class 1A state championship game.
Silver Lake's Johnson (defensive back) and senior Jayden Waterer (linebacker) were named to the all-league second team as were Rossville junior Charlie Chance (offensive lineman), senior Jack Donovan (defensive back) and senior Andre Johnson (linebacker).
Rossville and Silver Lake combined for 12 honorable mention picks.
2025 ALL-BIG EAST LEAGUE FOOTBALL
First team offense
Line -- Caleb McCrory, sr., Holton; Hendryx Wahl, sr., Nemaha Central; Holden Edelman, jr., Sabetha; Camden Wittwer, jr., Sabetha; Kendrick VandeVelde, so., Silver Lake.
Quarterback -- Carter Hajek, sr., Nemaha Central.
Running back -- Will Voos, sr., Sabetha; Korleone Holz, sr., St. Marys.
Tight end -- Reid Mitchell, sr., Sabetha.
Wide receiver -- Brody Schwinn, jr., Jefferson West; Dayne Johnson, sr., Silver Lake.
First team defense
Line -- Osiris Unruh, sr., Jefferson West; Danny Childress, jr., Nemaha Central; Kyler Ganstrom, sr., Nemaha Central; Holden Edelman, jr., Sabetha; Roger Browning, sr., St. Marys.
Linebacker -- Cael Frazier, sr., Holton; Jack Macke, sr., Nemaha Central; Amos Brakenhoff, sr., Perry-Lecompton.
Defensive back -- Caleb Strathman, sr., Nemaha Central; Conner Bush, sr., Rossville; Griffin Cumpton, sr., Royal Valley; Curtis Fitzgerald, jr., Sabetha.
All-purpose -- Cole Menold, sr., Sabetha.
Kicker -- Jayton Meyer, jr., Sabetha.
Punter -- Jayton Meyer, jr., Sabetha.
Returner -- Owen Rottinghaus, jr., Silver Lake.
Rossville head football coach Derick Hammes has been named an East assistant coach for the the 2026 Kansas Shrine Bowl, which will be played in Emporia.
Rossville football coach Derick Hammes has been selected to coach in his fourth Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2026. [File photo/TSN]
Hammes, who led Rossville to an 11-2 record and a runnerup finish in Class 1A this past season, will be coaching in his fourth Shrine Bowl, serving as the East head coach in 2017 and as an assistant in 2016 and 2022.
Hammes, who has a career coaching record of 154-85, also played in the game in 1989.
“I'm excited to get to coach the "best of the best" as I have another opportunity to be involved in the Kansas Shrine Bowl,'' Hammes said in a Shrine Bowl release. "Most importantly, I'm honored to get the chance to help the Shrine Bowl achieve its mission of helping children in need.”
The East team will be led by Mike Berg (Wellsville), who was announced earlier this summer as the 2026 head coach.
In addition to Hammes, other East assistants include Kurt Webster (Shawnee Mission Northwest), Rod Stallbaumer (Basehor-Linwood), Bradley Argabright (Labette County), Greg Slade (Santa Fe Trail) and Andrew Gantenbein (Osage City).
The 53rd Kansas Shrine Bowl will be played at Welch Stadium on the campus of Emporia State University at 7 p.m. on June 27.
The initial rosters for the game will be announced during the annual Kansas Shrine Bowl Player Selection Show, which is set to air at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11th, 2026.
From TOP SPORTS NEWS Jan.7
ROSSVILLE (3-3, 1-1) at JEFFERSON WEST (3-2, 0-2)
Rossville will be looking for its second straight Big East League victory after closing out its pre-holiday slate with a 66-40 win over Holton. Jefferson West has dropped two straight games, including a 50-31 league loss to Nemaha Central in its most recent game. Rossville senior Rylee Dick and junior Nora Burdiek are two of the top players in Class 2A.
Rossville lost to Jeff West on Tuesday night.
Helen Immenschuh Decker, 98, passed away January 6th, 2026 in Lake City Florida. Helen was born August 1st, 1927 in Rossville Kansas to Philip and Dora Simecka Immenschuh. She was preceded in death by her husband Willis Decker, brothers Marvin and Robert Immenschuh, sister Linda Smithers and granddaughter, Lisa Jones.
Helen graduated from Rossville High School in 1945 and married Willis Decker that fall. They were married 59 years.
Helen had a 30-year career in Kansas City before retiring to Rossville in 1993. In 2020 she moved to North Florida to spend her final years with her daughter Glenda.
She leaves 3 daughters, Sharon Will (Don), Wanda Jones (Rick) and Glenda Guard (Ken) as well as 3 grandchildren Tonya Tidwell (Ray), Laura Bruckman and Will Franklin, and 2 great-grandsons, Jay Bruckman and Rylan Ramsey.
A memorial will be held at a later date where Helen will join her husband Willis to be interred at Rossville Cemetery in Rossville Kansas.
Winners of the Rossville Jr/Sr High School Talent Show 2025!
1st John Henry
Ethel Powers, passed away peacefully with family by her side at 1:43pm on January 3rd, 2026.
Ethel was born on April 6, 1949 in San Diego, California and lived most of her life in Topeka KS until she moved to Rossville, Kansas in 2022.
Ethel was a bright and curious child, always at the top of her class in school. As she grew, she developed a deep love for the outdoors—especially fishing, camping, and spending time with her family. Caring for others came naturally to her, and throughout her life she lovingly took on the role of caregiver for many family members, always putting their needs before her own.
She had a special place in her heart for her dogs—Betsy and Baby, who preceded her in passing, and Ginger, who brought her continued companionship. Ethel found joy in the simple pleasures of life: spending time with family, working on puzzles, and coloring on her iPad.
Summer was her favorite season. She loved being outside, sitting peacefully and watching the birds visit the feeder. She was a devoted fan of her favorite shows, faithfully watching Days of Our Lives, Survivor, The Amazing Race, and other reality programs, as well as true crime and true-story documentaries.
One of her favorite traditions was sitting outside on the Fourth of July, watching the Saturn missiles light up the sky. But above all else, the thing she cherished most was her grandchildren. Nothing could light up a room quite like Ethel when her grandkids were near—her joy was unmistakable, and her love for them knew no bounds.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ethel Anderson and Lee Powers and her great grandson Lane Joseph Green.
Ethel is survived by her siblings, Tom Powers (Barb), Lula Armstrong(Mark), Johnny Powers Sr; her children, Angela Beckwith, Michael Beckwith, Melissa Gerety(Heather) and Chris Hammer(Jason); grandkids- Kimberly, Brian, Samantha, Chelsea, Kayla, Kelsey, Kristin, Austin, Aryon, Cheyenne, and Savannah; and great-grandkids- Alyssa, Heaven, Grace, Faith, Kolbie, Kollyns, Aspen, Oliver, Willow, Hannah, Jordan, Brantley, Hailey, Tatum, Bentley, and Matthew.
A funeral service honoring Ethel’s life will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, January 9, 2026 at Rossville Christian Church; an open visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow in Prairie Home Cemetery. Following the burial, there will be a luncheon prepared at Rossville Christian Church for friends and visitors.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rossville Christian Church and may be sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, KS 66536.
Donald Max Fuller died December 29, 2025 at the Brewster Health Center in Topeka, KS. Born August 1,1939 in Wells, KS the second son of Winifred Aileen Fuller and William Vincent Fuller, Max graduated from Miltonvale High School class of 1957. He married Rachel Motter. They would later divorce. In 1961, Max graduated from Kansas State University in Animal Husbandry.
Max left farming to become a community banker, later to become President of Stockgrowers State Bank with branches in Paxico, Alma, and Silver Lake.
Max was President of Community Bankers Association of Kansas 1999-2000 and also served as chairman of the legislative and educational committees.
An active member of the Kansas Pilots Association, Max owned many airplanes and hosted fly-in events at Fuller Field, his grass strip near Maple Hill.
Max was a lifelong supporter of 4H clubs and was a 40 year member of the Maple Hill volunteer Fire Department.
A member of Maple Hill Community Congregational Church, he served as Trustee.
Max is survived by his wife Nancy Fuller, daughter Dawn Perry and Jane and Monte Cales.
Grandchildren: Bailey (Jason) Ammann, Jessa (Ryan) Perry-Rivas, Ben (Michelle) Perry, Calley (Riley) Crawford, Tucker Cales, and Clay Cales, as well as 9 great grandchildren.
Step children Christina and Terry Haag and Rance and Stacy Schmitthenner.
Step grandchildren; Elle Haag, Robert Haag, Carl (Jaimie) Schmitthenner, Alex Schmitthenner, and Noah (Ali) Schmitthenner.
Max is preceded in death by his parents, brother Bill Fuller, sister Barbara Wilke and grandson Tanner Gail Cales.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 2, 2026 at the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church, 104 4th St, Maple Hill, KS 66507. A second memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 3, 2026 at Miltonvale Wesleyan Church, 520 W Tootle Ave, Miltonvale, KS 67466. A private family burial will take place at a later date.
Memorial contributions to honor Max's memory may be made to the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church and the Maple Hill 4H Hustlers and may be left in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, KS 66536.
Ken was born on April 11, 1933, in Blaine, Kansas, the son of Leo C. and Mary G. (Morris) Bennet. He attended local schools and graduated from Rossville High School.
Ken served his country honorably in the US Air Force and fought in the Korean War.
Ken was married to Norma Reicherter on July 6, 1955, at Assumption Catholic Church in Topeka, KS; she preceded him in death on July 16, 2025.
Ken is survived by his son, Mark Bennett, 7 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, sisters, Mary Homan of St. Marys and Judy Merriman of Lawrence as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife Norma, his parents, sons, Dennis Bennett and Randy Bennett, and his daughter, Yvonne Pollman.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, January 6 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, 703 Main St, Rossville KS 66533 with a visitation at the church one hour prior to the service. Burial in Rossville Cemetery with military honors will take place following the mass.
Memorial contributions in Ken’s memory may be made to the Jimmie Lillard Post No 31 of the American Legion and may be sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, KS 66536.
Madelyn Wonnll has maintained her #2 ranking in the 146# class in the latest rankings. Nora Mitchell is presently #6 in the 105# class
There re no RHS boys ranked in the top six of their claass.
Wilbur Fred Stum, Sr., 88, of Rossville, passed away on Monday, December 22, 2025 at Oakley Place of Rossville surrounded by his family.
Wilbur was born on March 14, 1937 in rural Shawnee county, just west of Rossville, the son of John and Lottie(Besta) Stum. He attended elementary school in Delia and began working at a young age.
Wilbur was married to Sally Porter on July 30, 1955 in Topeka, KS and they were married for over 70 years; she survives of the home.
Wilbur worked for over 40 years at the Goodyear Tire Plant in Topeka. He also spent many years as a volunteer firefighter for the SCFD#3.
Wilbur is survived by his wife Sally, two sons, Wilbur, Jr. (Sis) Stum of Topeka and Charles (Lisa) Stum of Rossville, his sister, Agnes Cox, 7 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Tina Huffmier, and his 2 siblings, Duane Stum and Sara Horak.
Wilbur’s wishes were to be cremated and his remains will be interred in Rossville Cemetery. A memorial service honoring Wilbur's life is pending and will be announced at a later date.
Memorial contributions in Wilbur’s memory may be made to either the Shawnee County Fire District #3 or to the Helping Hands Humane Society and can be left in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, KS 66536.
Rossville 26 25 27 15 -- 93
Holton 11 11 12 8 -- 42
Rossville scoring:
Donovan 9 (5) 5-6 28
Bush 2 (1) 0-0 5,
Miller 4 4-4 12,
Dick 0 2-2 2,
Lewis 4 3-6 11,
Henry 2 1-2 5,
Horak 1 0-0 2,
Johnson 2 1-2 5
Thompson 0 2-2 2.
Totals 33 (9) 18-26 93.
Rossville 18 17 13 18 -- 66
Holton 18 6 12 4 -- 40
Rossville Stats
Bunck 2 0-0 4
E. Sanders 1 0-0 2
Dick 8 (4) 3-3 23
M. Sanders 1 3-4 5
Burdiek 7 (1) 4-8 20,
B. Miller 4 (1) 0-0 12.
Totals 23 (6) 10-15 66.
113#
Brodlyn Price (5-4) placed 6th and 9.0 Pts
120#
Lochlan Cuthbertson won 2 matches placed unknown,
120#
Creighton Vanvleck (6-3) placed unknown and 4.0 Pts
126#
Brady Miller (5-5) placed 7th and 14.0 Pts
132#
Adam Miller (4-7) placed 3rd
132#
Kelton Lacock (2-3) placed 6th and 7.0 points
138#
Lakin Gentry (4-4) placed 6th and 2.0 Pts
144#
Cole Graves (4-4) placed 6th and 9.0 points
1443
Remington Droegemeier placed unkn and 3.0 Pts
175#
Cooper Meyer (6-2) placed 6th and 9.0 Pts
190#
Anderson Chance (2-6) placed 2nd and 14.0
215#
Charlie Chance (3-2) placed 6th and 9..0 Pts
Nora Mitchell went 3-0 with each win being a "fall" in less than 60 seconds to win First Place in the 105# class.
105#
Nora Mitchell 11-2) placed 1st again and 20 team points
110B #
Aliahna Kepner (4-6) placed 6th and 7.0 pts
125 #
Hadley Brown (4-5) placed 6th and 7.0 points
130 #
Junne Paine (3-9) placed 3rd and 9.0 points
135 #
Ariana Moss-Prospere (6-6) Placed 2nd and 14.0 pts
145 #
Madalyn Wonnell (9-2) Placed 6th and 8.0 team points
Per TopSportsNews, Rossville will induct its 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame class on Friday night in conjunction with its Homecoming football game against Wabaunsee. (Note: There will be no football game Friday night)
The Rossville Athletic Hall of Fame is dedicated to the outstanding athletes and coaches who, through their athletic achievements, have brought honor to themselves, their school, and their community.
The class of 2025 includes the late Arica (Shepard) Ahlvers, Mick Keller, Monte Mitchell and the Bulldawgs' 2000 state championship softball team.
Hall of Fame capsules:
ARICA (SHEPARD) AHLVERS
A 2005 Rossville graduate, Ahlvers was a two-time Kansas Volleyball Association All-State volleyball player for Rossville. She helped lead her team to a third-place finish in Class 3A in 2004. Ahlvers holds two records at RHS and continued her volleyball career at Emporia State University. While at ESU, she was a three-time AVCA All-American, four-time All-MIAA honoree and the Hornets' record-holder for single-season and career kills, kills per set, double-figure kill matches and 20-plus kill matches. She was inducted into the ESU Hall of Fame in 2020.
MICK KELLER
Keller was the head baseball coach at Rossville from 1979-2006. He is Rossville’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 336-238. He had 14 state qualifying teams, which included Rossville’s first state baseball championship in 1991. He had three runnerup team finishes in 1985, 1986, and 1997, 49 all-league players and 55 All-State and honorable mention players. He also coached football and basketball during his teaching career at RHS from 1978-2013.
MONTE MITCHELL
A 1997 Rossville graduate, Mitchell was an all-league and All-State catcher in 1997 and 1998. He was a Kansas Baseball Coaches Association All-Star, a top 15 player in all classes and USA Today High School All-American in 1998. He continued his baseball career at Butler Community College from 1999-2000, where he was the team captain and made the All-Jayhawk Conference team in 2000. Next, he took his career to Division I Nicholls State University in 2001-2002. There, he was named to the All-Southland Conference team in 2002 with 101 career starts.
ROSSVILLE 2000 SOFTBALL TEAM
After falling one game short of a championship in 1999, Rossville won the the 2000 Class 2-1A state softball championship. The state champion team members include Erin Catron, Shayla Catron, Lena Cooper, Kayla Copeland, Ashley Dick, Laci Dick (first-team All-Mid-East League), Melissa Ebert, Jennifer Foster, Jamie Gall (first-team All-Mid-East League), Holly Gentry (All-Mid-East League honorable mention), Jozi Lutackes, Emily Napier, Jaime Robb, and Courtney Templer, who pitched all three state games as a freshman. The team was led by head coach Wendi Horak and assistant coaches Nanny Matthias and the late Jess Adams.
