By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Taylin Stallbaumer hit a 3-pointer as time ran down, Seaman, top-ranked in Class 5A, the Glaciers Edge Tournament championship with a 46-43 win over tournament host Emporia Saturday at Emporia.
Emporia, ranked No. 4 in 5A, tied the game with a traditional three-point play with 49 seconds remaining, but Stallbaumer, a junior, canned her game-winning shot to cap a 15-point game with her third 3-pointer.
"I told the girls before the game to do the things that are hard to do and the power will come,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "We had some kids step up and be brave tonight.''
Seaman, which improved to 11-1, led 7-5 at the end of the opening quarter before Emporia took a 20-18 advantage at the half.
Seaman got hot in the third quarter en route to opening up a 36-38 advantage over the 12-2 Spartans and Vikings went in front 41-32 in the fourth stanza before Emporia used an 8-0 run to get within a point (41-40) with under two minutes remaining, setting the stage for the exciting finish.
Freshman Maddie Gragg led Seaman with 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while sophomore Anna Becker was named the tournament most valuable player after a solid performance throughout the Vikings' three-game run.
Senior Rebecca Snyder scored a game-high 17 points to lead Emporia.
Saturday's win was Seaman's second straight over a highly-ranked foe, with the Vikings knocking off Derby, No. 4 in 6A and last year's state runner-up in the semifinals, 45-39.
SEAMAN GIRLS 46, EMPORIA 43
Emporia 5 15 8 15 -- 43
Seaman 7 11 18 10 -- 46
Emporia (12-2) -- Peak 0 0-0 0, Kirmer 1 4-4 6, Hamilton 0 0-0 0, Bennett 1 4-4 7, DeWitt 4 1-1 9, Shivley 2 0-0 4, Snyder 6 5-7 17, Pearson 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 14-16 43.
Seaman (11-1) -- Anderson1 0-0 2, Schumann 2 0-2 5, J. Stallbaumer 0 1-2 1, T. Stallbaumer 6 0-0 15, Becker 1 3-4 5, Wilhelm 0 0-0 0, Gragg 5 4-4 16, Gormley 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 8-12 46.
3-point goals -- Emporia 1 (Bennett), Seaman 6 (T. Stallbaumer 3, Gragg 2, Schumann). Total fouls -- Emporia 15, Seaman 16. Fouled out -- DeWitt, Schumann.