Hot Starts: Ten NE KS Athletes Smokin’ Early

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most prep teams have at least one game under their belt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at 10 athletes from Northeast Kansas who are off to hot starts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Addaline Hall</strong>, 5'10”, PF, Topeka West, '26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Topeka West prospect was quick out of the gate this season. She posted a double-double in the Chargers' season opener. She scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. She shot 4-of-6 from deep and was successful on 8-of-14 shot attempts from the free throw line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='906328' first='Kylie' last='Nelson']</strong>, 5'5”, SG, Hiawatha, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nelson is ranked No. 165 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. The junior guard dropped 21 points in Hiawatha's season-opening 40-38 win over Troy. She has converted on 8-of-10 attempts from the charity stripe.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brynn Shupe</strong>, 5'6”, CG, Jackson Heights, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shupe is an impressive multi-sport prospect. She scored 20 points in the Cobras' season opener. She also finished with an eye-popping seven steals in Jackson Heights' 65-6 win over Atchison County. She shot 50 percent from the field in the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='899475' first='Stella' last='Sacks']</strong>, 5'4”, PG, St. James Academy, ‘29</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Hames has played two games already this season, and Sacks is starting her prep career on a high note. She has averaged 15.5 points per game for the Thunder.  Sacks is currently on the Prep Girls Hoops Kansas 2028 Watch List. In two games, she has also dished out five assists and grabbed three steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='848499' first='Ireland' last='Sullivan']</strong>, 6'0”, PF, St. Hames Academy, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sullivan has started her sophomore season like a true paint monster. In two contests, she has scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. She has converted on 6-of-9 shots from the free throw line and is 1-of-3 from 3-point range.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chesnea Cochren</strong>, 5'9”, SF, Jackson Heights, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cochren filled up her stat sheet in the Cobras' first win. She finished with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1224637' first='Sydney' last='VanDyke']</strong>, 6'0”, PF, Topeka West, '27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>VanDyke is a glass cleaner for the Chargers. She grabbed 14 rebounds in West's 68-45 win over rival Highland Park. She was a stud on the defensive end of the floor in that game as well, collecting five steals and five blocked shots. VanDyke is currently ranked No. 206 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1232145' first='Jai' last='Rogers']</strong>, 5'7”, CG, Chapman, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rogers is ranked No. 141 overall by Prep Girls Hoops in the Class of 2027. In two games for Chapman, she scored 13 points and grabbed 21 rebounds. She finished her sophomore season with 103 rebounds in 21 games, so she is on pace to supersede that total.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1057434' first='Paige' last='Kibbee']</strong>, 5'8”, CG/SF, Santa Fe Trail, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kibbe is a versatile athlete, and it showed in the Chargers' first game of the season. Her stat line included five points, nine rebounds, four steals, and two assists in a 15-point win over St. Marys in the season opener.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lydia Hoover</strong>, 5'4”, CG, Christ Prep Academy, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hoover had a solid game in her first game of the season. Her stat line in a 53-37 win over Faith Christian Academy included 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->