Features
Luke Brock runs laps around the competition
Becoming a state champion did not happen overnight for Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior Luke Brock. Brock started running in sixth grade at St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School while also playing club soccer. This continued until he arrived at KMC, where he made the decision to focus on soccer. He continued playing soccer until his sophomore year when, with help from KMC boy’s long-distance coach Gage Garcia, Brock made the transition to the track.
“I had to completely switch my mindset on how sports were going to work since I played soccer my whole life,” Brock said. “I committed myself to long-distance training, and I felt like the attraction was being the best out of everyone in Wichita,”
Later that summer and fall, Brock was ready to begin training and conditioning for distance running.
“He hardly missed a day of conditioning all year,” Garcia said. “He trained all through the summer, all through the winter and all through the spring, every day working hard. And of course his big thing is his competitive nature at the actual races. He's a hard worker, but man, he's just such a competitor.”
The conditioning paid off in the fall, as Brock would finish eighth at the 5A Cross Country State Championship. Brock led the team to a fifth-place finish and the first team State meet appearance since 2017. Though Brock accomplished much that season, he had not reached his full capacity.
That winter Brock and the team conditioned through the cold temperatures to prepare for the next season. By the time his junior track season arrived, Brock made an impact on the track. He would win the 5A State Track & Field Championship in the 1600-meter race and finish fourth in the 800. Brock became a key point scorer in the boys third-place finish.
“I was on top of the world and I felt really good going into the next season. I felt pure accomplishment after all the training before that,” Brock said.
Brock had achieved his goal on the track, but he never stopped improving and preparing for the following cross-country season.
“[Brock is] one of the most disciplined people when it comes to sleep, dieting and routine, everything about it. Then when it comes to race time and when it's time to show up, he's always there. He gives 100% every race,” senior John Mies, Brock’s teammate, said.
The following season, Brock finished fifth overall in 5A Cross Country with a time of 15 minutes 54.2 seconds. This boosted KMC to third place in 5A.
Brock has also become a positive role model and leader for his younger teammates.
“[Brock] is so motivating and positive every day, always looking on the bright side and even when workouts are tough, or even when we had a rough meet, he is always looking forward to the next one,” freshman Daniel Enriquez said.
After his time at KMC, Brock plans on attending Kansas State University and will be studying engineering. Though he is not running collegiately, he plans on running his entire life and hopes to compete in a marathon this summer.
Twins Win: Thengvall brothers find success as multisport athletes
Having a twin creates a relationship like no other, and seniors Will and Nathan Thengvall have felt that bond since they were young. Since Kindergarten, the two have played basketball together, though Nate also competed in club, swimming and track.
“[Our] mom calls it a twin connection,” Nathan Thengvall said. “On the court and throwing long passes to each other in middle school has really furthered our relationship.”
Starting in middle school, the brothers began playing football together for the Magdalen Mustangs and continued the sport up until the 2023 5A State Championship game. This game marked the last sport the two would share and it was a bittersweet moment for the entire team.
“We're all a bit sad, but we're also happy that we got our goal to be a state championship team. It didn't turn out like we wanted to, but it was good to get there and now we met our goals,” Will Thengvall said.
Throughout the 2023 football season, the brothers were team leaders on and off the field. On offense, they were both a part of the KMC receiving core and then playing the other side of the ball as defensive backs. Following the season, both were named All-City players for the GWAL and Will was named for the All-State team while Nathan was an honorable mention pick. However, their true impact was their shared work ethic.
“They're blue-collar athletes, meaning they do all the little things in the weight room and workouts,” head football coach Weston Schartz said. “They play hard. They practice hard. They don't ask for special treatment. They're not selfish a bit and when it comes to them being twins, they pull for each other.”
This work ethic has also been a key reason why the brothers have been able to thrive in multiple sports. Following the football team’s deep run in the playoffs, both Will and Nathan had to immediately turn around and start practices for basketball (Will) and swimming (Nathan).
“I quickly learned that [Nathan] is an incredibly hard worker and trusted what I had to say,” head swim coach Alec Lebeda said. “From there, I feel that we have created a relationship that values mutual respect and hard work.”
The swim season marks Nathan’s first year of swimming at KMC and an opportunity to do a unique form of training before the track season begins.
“[I started swimming for] the aerobic capacity that swimming brings since I'm running track in college, and I just want to really another breakout year in track. It won't translate all the way over but it'll help me get in shape before track,” Nathan said.
With swimming as a way to build endurance for the 400 and 800 meters in track, Nathan has all eyes set on the spring season.
“I’m looking for some individual championships and we've got a good squad this year. I like a good 4x400 meters and the distance runners are never slept on but it’d be nice to bring the school a championship this year,” Nathan said.
For Will, the KMC boys' basketball team is off to a strong start and he plays a key role in the team’s aspirations of a repeat City League title and a trip to the 5A State Championship game.
“I gotta take it one game at a time and one play at a time. Don't think about the big plays and let them come to you. In basketball, you want to be selfless,” Will said.
Along with winning on the court, Will has helped build up the players around him to add to the winning environment and community.
“I think [Will] really cares about Kapaun and wants to see the development of everyone from seniors to freshmen. He's giving guys tips, helping them out and making [the program] better than it was before he got here,” teammate Corbin Johnson said.
With the regular season end approaching on Will’s senior season at KMC, he and the team are determined to make the postseason count.
“We want to get a ring and we want to win the state championship. Those are our high goals and I mean, anything less than that is not what we want. So we're going for the state championship this year,” Will said.
Following their time at KMC, both brothers are looking to compete in college. Nathan committed to the University of Kansas for Track and Field last autumn while Will is continuing to look at offers for basketball.
Carson Sloan shows her selfless leadership
Coming into Kapaun Mt. Carmel, senior Carson Sloan has always had a selfless attitude toward her team and soccer. Sloan began playing soccer when she was young, continuing it at KMC during her freshman year. In her first season, she was moved out of her usual position into a spot in which she had less experience.
“[Midfield] is not a glorious position by any means,” head girls soccer coach Anthony Cantele said. “It's a position where you don't necessarily score a lot of goals. You're not a center back, and you're not getting recognized for your defense but [Sloan is] getting up and down the field and covering more ground than anyone else on the field.”
Sloan’s determination and love for the sport and her team can be felt by everyone around her.
“When we're down in games, she has a positive attitude about everything and makes us keep wanting to work even when it's tough or even when we're down.” senior captain and friend Sophia Fury said. “If we're ever struggling, she always has a smile on her face and does everything with a good attitude.”
Sloan’s leadership for her team is a goal to change the negative leadership that was before her.
“I wanted to do a different way of leading the team,” Sloan said. “I feel like being a leader, I'm able to include everyone on the team and make it more enjoyable so that everyone feels included.”
Junior soccer player Heide Bartel adds more about Sloan’s leadership.
“[Sloan] has had one of the best personalities and attitudes towards underclassmen of all the upperclassmen that I’ve experienced,” Bartel said.
To create a lasting relationship with her team, Sloan and the team have found opportunities to create relationships off the field.
“Having a relationship off the field as well as on the field is a big aspect of trusting each other,” Sloan said. “When the season comes we’ll want to hang out even more off the field and on the sidelines where we’ll be able to talk and have fun.”
Having a trusting relationship allows for better communication and play. Sloan can trust her teammates and play her role on the field while not focusing on her individual success.
“[Sloan is] a great asset and one of those players that I would call the unsung hero because she plays a lot of different midfield roles that don't get a lot of recognition but they're arguably as important if not more than a lot of the other positions,” Cantele said.
In the past seasons, Sloan has been snubbed from first-team All-City selection while being selected to three honorable mention teams. These selections show Sloan’s consistency and the way she puts her team.
“It is easy to compare myself to other players, but thinking more about the team and the little steps that make the team so successful, it's not as disappointing,” Sloan said.
Although Sloan has not had the individual awards she might want, her selfless determination for her team has allowed her to continue her academic and athletic career at Johnson County Community College after KMC.
Asher Whitaker tees up his final KMC season
Golf and the Whitaker family are synonymous with each other, so when senior Asher Whitaker began his career at Kapaun Mt. Carmel, he had big shoes to fill. From a young age, his older sister Emma helped Asher experience the game for the first time. Whitaker continued to develop in golf but at 12 years old, he appreciated a love for the game and began to take it more seriously.
“I started playing a lot of golf tournaments, falling in love with the game,” Whitaker said. “Once that happened, I knew this was what I wanted to do. This was what was most fun for me and [I had] true passion; I gave it everything I had.”
As Whitaker grew in golf, he continued to be pushed by older players. Their presence forced him to play his best as he saw their games as something to emulate.
“They were making that jump to the college level and that always motivated me. I wanted to play at an elite level and I wanted to be the best player I could be,” Whitaker said.
This motivation to be the best golfer and make it to a higher level continued with Whitaker as he entered high school. The team environment of KMC Golf created a competitive level that Whitaker had thrived at in the past.
“We had coached his sister Emma previously so we had heard about her "little" brother and what he was doing on the course and off the course. [Whitaker] is a natural leader, he leads by example and the younger kids see that and understand that there are no days off if you want to get better,” KMC golf coach Eric Johnsen said.
During his time at KMC, Whitaker has won 5A State Championships in two of the last three seasons, been named to All-State, All-Metro and All-City teams in each year and has finished runner-up in the state championship the last two seasons. With so many accomplishments, one would think that the expectations and pressure might get to Whitaker, but he explained he feels the opposite.
“I love to go and compete, so I never really get nervous. When I'm playing I'm going out there, having fun, competing and trying to be myself and trying to honor and glorify God with my game,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker’s confidence and leadership on the course have inspired his teammates and he’s helped them develop different parts of their game.
“[Whitaker] taught me a lot about confidence, and that when I get over the ball, I shouldn't be worried about anything,” junior golfer Jason Brokaw said. “Ultimately confidence was key and [he] helped me with swings, whether it's chipping, putting, full swings, course management or telling me where to go.”
Not only does Whitaker have a good mindset on the course, but his teammates also complement his character.
“I think what's underrated now is truly how humble [Whitaker] is. He has accomplished so much and he doesn't get a big head,” senior golfer Noah Pirtle said. “We've started talking a lot more about our relationships with God and how it can grow throughout playing golf.”
Whitaker’s impact extends beyond the fairways, leaving a legacy of sportsmanship with his competitors, faith in God and camaraderie among his teammates. Whitaker has signed his letter of intent and will be playing for the University of Oklahoma in the fall.
“We think the University of Oklahoma is getting a great kid to come play golf for them,” Johnsen said.