Atchison High spring athletes earn Meadowlark Conference honors

Atchison High School ended its spring season with a double dose of Meadowlark Conference recognition, and the biggest individual nod went to Casey Purdy. In a live-feed post, the school said members of the AHS baseball team were selected to the Meadowlark Conference All-Conference Baseball teams and congratulated Purdy, who was named Co-Coach of the Year in the conference. The same update also said members of the AHS softball team were selected to the Meadowlark Conference All-Conference Softball teams.

The honors landed in early June, as the school community was shifting from spring competition into summer routines. For Atchison High, located at 1500 West Riley, the recognition carried more than ceremonial weight: USD 409 says its mission is to identify and remove barriers so all students have equal opportunity for success, and athletic honors like these put a public face on that goal. They show that work done in practices, games and long bus rides translated into results other schools and coaches noticed.

What makes the baseball recognition especially meaningful is the broader context behind it. The Meadowlark Conference is a seven-school league in Kansas, so all-conference selections reflect performance against a larger field of opponents and voters than a single local schedule. Atchison’s baseball program also had a statement win this spring, beating Schlagle 18-0 on May 14, 2026, a result that fits the kind of season that produces conference awards. Just as important, the honors suggest the program is not living off one breakout game. They point to sustained strength across the roster and on the bench.

That continuity matters in Atchison because the program has been here before. In 2024, Atchison High’s live feed noted that the AHS baseball team won the Meadowlark Conference baseball title and that several players made the all-conference teams. This spring’s recognition does not replace that benchmark, but it does reinforce it. The baseball program remains among the conference’s most competitive, and Casey Purdy’s coach-of-the-year honor shows that opposing coaches saw the season as one of the league’s best.

Softball’s all-conference recognition adds another layer to the story. With players from both spring programs earning Meadowlark honors, Atchison High left the season with proof that its athletic success was not isolated to one team. It was a schoolwide spring of results, recognition and momentum heading into the summer.