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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Obviously, undefeated and top-ranked Highland Park's goals are set higher than winning a Class 5A sub-state championship.
But the Scots couldn't even think about mounting a state title run until they took care of business in Saturday's sub-state final against St. James Academy, and Highland Park checked that off its to-do list with an impressive 80-52 romp past the Thunder at Hi Park.
Highland Park senior standouts Tre Richardson (0) and Bo Aldridge cut down the nets after Saturday's 80-52 home win over St. James Academy in a Class 5A sub-state championship game. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Highland Park poses for a team picture after earning a second straight trip to state with an 80-52 win over St. James Academy Saturday night at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"That's paramount because there's no tomorrow, there's no state tournament without tonight,'' Highland Park coach Mike Williams said about the importance of sub-state. "A lot of times in these games you run the risk of getting caught up in the moment or getting away from a game plan or get out of whack just because there's no much at stake.
"I thought our guys did a good job of staying even keel, staying poised and figuring out the game along the way.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's boys basketball team fell short of a second straight Class 4A state tournament berth Friday night, with Atchison scoring the final three points of the game to take a 46-43 win on its home floor.
The game was tied at 43 with 1:20 remaining before the Phoenix scored the last three points, including two Trey Carter free throws with 20 seconds remaining to account for the final margin.
Senior Joe Otting scored a game-high 18 points in Hayden's 46-43 Class 4A sub-state championship game loss at Atchison Friday. [File photo/TSN]
Atchison, which improved to 19-3, hit two of three field goal attempts and nine of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter.
The game was close throughout, with Hayden leading 9-5 at the end of the opening quarter before the game was tied 22-22 at the half and Hayden held a 35-33 advantage at the start of the fourth.
Xiomar Hernandez led the Phoenix in scoring with 14 points, while Simon Rowley had 12 points off the bench and Carter eight points.
Senior Joe Otting led Hayden (11-11) with a game-high 18 points while senior Jake Muller added eight points, including two fourth-quarter 3-pointers.
Atchison will compete in next week's 4A state tournament at the Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina.
PERRY-LECOMPTON BOYS 38, SILVER LAKE 28 -- Silver Lake put itself in position for an upset with a 19-17 lead at the half Friday night at Perry-Lecompton, but the Kaws turned the tide with a 21-9 second half to take the 38-28 Class 3A sub-state semifinal decision.
Silver Lake, which finished its season 8-14, led 11-9 at the end of the opening quarter and still led by a bucket at the break, but the Kaws turned the tide with a 9-0 shutout in the third period to take a 26-19 advantage.
Perry-Lecompton (18-4) then closed out the win with a 12-9 scoring edge over the final eight minutes.
Silver Lake had five players crack the scoring column, but none with more than six points.
Spencer Johnson and Ian Stithem led the Eagles with six points each.
Perry-Lecompton will play Olathe Heritage Christian in Saturday's sub-state final. Heritage Christian took a 54-52 sub-state semifinal win over Kansas City-Bishop Ward.
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By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
No. 4-seeded Washburn Rural boys basketball quite literally experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows in Friday night's sub-state finals matchup against Derby, believing that they would be heading to state for moments at a time that were quickly whisked away.
Senior Jack Bachelor ended his Washburn Rural career with 31 points in Friday's 74-72 four-overtime loss to Derby. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Kaden Ballard looks for operating room in Friday's four-overtime 74-72 sub-state loss to Derby. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
The game was ultimately decided in the fourth overtime on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Derby sophomore Jack Ulwelling to give the Panthers a trip to state with the 74-72 win, and ending Rural’s season in heartbreaking fashion.
“I’m proud of the way we battled, there were times when we weren’t as tough as we needed to be, but we fought through a lot with Jacob (Hirchi) fouling out and Jack (Bachelor) fouling out and with his injury … I’m proud of these guys,” said Washburn Rural coach Alex Hutchins.
With .3 of a second remaining in the second overtime, Washburn Rural was charged with a technical foul for leaving the bench in celebration after a last-second heave by Derby had gone out of bounds. If not called the game would have ended 59-57 in favor of the home team.
“It’s a tough play because there was .3 seconds on the clock, the ball goes out of bounds, the referee throws his arm up and the buzzer goes off, “ said Washburn Rural assistant coach Kyle Fowler. “They called it the way they had to call it but it’s tough for these kids.”
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
There wasn't a message that echoed as loud in the Highland Park girls basketball locker room more than, "trust the process."
Highland Park poses for a team picture after punching its ticket to the Class 5A state tournament with a 51-50 win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sophomore Amelia Ramsey (32) led Highland Park with 16 points and 10 rebounds in Friday's 51-50 sub-state win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
It wasn't long ago when Highland Park could barely fill a roster to suit up to compete.
However, after a winless 2020 season and a four-win 2021 season, the Scots have tallied 19 wins in the 2022-2023 season and clinched a spot in the Class 5A state tournament with a 51-50 nailbiting win over Shawnee Heights Friday night at Highland Park.
"A lot of mixed emotions, this was a long process," second-year Scots coach Rob Brown said. "Some of these girls I've been coaching since they were fifth, fourth grade. I just felt it all day long. I knew this was going to happen. I just had a good feeling. It's just meant to be. Like I've been saying, trust the process, baby.
"They just bought in. They let us do what we got to do with them on the court, off the court. They let us try to teach them how to grow up as young ladies. It's a lot of work. They did a lot of work over here. That's why you see my emotions right now. I'm proud of these girls; I'm proud of all of them."
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By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The top-ranked Seaman girls left nothing to chance Friday in their bid to play in the Class 5A state tournament in Emporia, running away from visiting Piper 57-25 to improve to 21-1 on the season.
Seaman's girls basketball team poses with its Class 5A sub-state championship trophy after Friday night's 57-25 win over Piper. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The Vikings weren’t about to let happen what they experienced last year when they fell in the sub-state final to Andover Central. That defeat snapped a three-year string of state appearances.
“What is delayed is not denied,” said Seaman coach Matt Tinsley while his team posed with the tournament trophy. “These girls wanted this game.
“Our thought before the game was that we’ve been here before. We know what it takes. We said, ‘Players play, but tough players win.’ We have got some tough kids on this team.”
Leading the way for the was freshman Maddie Gragg, who tallied 19 points on nine of 14 shooting.
