Coaches’ children or not, these high school athletes can play.
Free State High junior Ryne Price has posted the most impressive numbers of the four standouts whose fathers are head coaches at Kansas University — but FSHS freshman Robby Price, LHS senior Tommy Mangino and FSHS senior Stanley Redwine Jr. aren’t far behind.
Redwine, a two-time state qualifier, holds the school triple jump record, leaping 44 feet last season. He finished fourth at the Class 6A state track and field meet last spring. His dad, Stanley Sr., is the track and field coach at KU.
Young Redwine hasn’t matched that jump this season, but Firebirds track and field coach Steve Heffernan said he wouldn’t be surprised if a 45-foot-plus jump was in the talented senior.
“You saw that in football he’d gotten stronger,” Heffernan said. “That’ll help him as the season wears on and in the future.”
Mangino, whose dad Mark is KU’s football coach, leads LHS in nearly every offensive category — batting average (.500), slugging percentage (.833), on-base percentage (.591), hits (18), home runs (2) and RBIs (12).
Young Mangino has started every game for the Lions (8-3) at either catcher or shortstop, though he could play just about anywhere.
“He’s really versatile,” LHS coach David Petry said. “He could play outfield for us, too.”
Robby Price, a second baseman who hits from the left side, promises only to get better. He’s hitting .512 with three doubles, a home run, 10 RBIs, three steals and a .625 on-base percentage, and is just as solid defensively, with only one error in 39 chances.
Yet Ryne, a catcher who also bats left-handed, has started the season with the biggest bang. The middle son of KU baseball coach Ritch Price leads the Firebirds (13-0) in batting average (.535), home runs (three), RBIs (28) and slugging percentage (1.047), along with three triples and seven doubles.
Ryne Price doesn’t shirk any duties because of his start.
“A lot of times, a kid that’s hitting over .600, he’s probably not carrying any equipment,” Free State baseball coach Mike Hill said. “But, as an underclassman, he realizes that’s his responsibility.”
The oldest Price son, Ritchie Jr., is a freshman infielder on KU’s baseball team.
