By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When high school basketball practice began back in November, it's probably safe to say that very few people outside of the Highland Park girls basketball program thought there was even a chance that the 2022-2023 season would end with the Scots in the Class 5A state tournament.
Highland Park poses for a team picture after punching its ticket to the Class 5A state tournament with a win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But that's exactly where Highland Park will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday when the Scots square off against six-time defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas at Emporia's storied White Auditorium.
"We're going to go down there and have fun and try to shock the world,'' Highland Park coach Rob Brown said. "We have no seniors so it will definitely be a great learning experience for us.''
Highland Park made major strides in Brown's first season as head coach in 2021-2022 but nothing like the progress the Scots made this season.
The Scots went undefeated in their first season in the Meadowlark Conference and went 19-3 overall, earning their first state berth since 2012 with a win over city rival Shawnee Heights in Friday's sub-state championship game.
"I'm extra proud of our girls, our coaches, everybody,'' Brown said. "It's been a day by day process, keeping everybody on track, getting our grades right, staying out of trouble, coming to practice every day with energy, working hard and keeping everybody bought in.''
Highland Park is the No. 5 seed for state while St. Thomas Aquinas, also 19-3, is the No. 4 seed.
The Scots and Saints are on the same side of the bracket with No. 1 seed Seaman (21-1), which will face No. 8 St. James Academy (17-5) in the opening round at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Bishop Carroll (20-2) will face No. 7 Andover Central (17-5) and No. 3 Andover (20-2) will take on No. 6 Emporia (18-3).
The Highland Park-Aquinas and Seaman-St. James winners will play a 2 p.m. semifinal on Friday while the Carroll-Andover Central and Andover-Emporia winners will play the second semifinal at 6 o'clock.
The state championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Here's a look at the other five Shawnee County teams in state tournaments:
Senior MaRyah Lutz and her Washburn Rural teammates celebrate Saturday night's Class 6A sub-state championship at Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
CLASS 6A GIRLS
At Koch Arena, Wichita
Washburn Rural -- Washburn Rural earned a chance to defend its Class 6A state championship with Saturday's third win of the season over city and Centennial League rival Topeka High, with the 16-5 Junior Blues taking a 45-29 win at High.
The Junior Blues, who have won two of the last three state tournaments that were contested, are the No. 5 seed and will open their state bid at 4 p.m. Thursday against No. 4 Lawrence (18-4).
The Rural-Lawrence winner will advance to a 4 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between top seed Shawnee Mission South (22-0) and No. 8 Blue Valley (15-7).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 Derby (20-2) will face No. 7 Olathe Northwest (15-7) and No. 3 Blue Valley North (18-4) will take on No. 6 Wichita Southeast (16-6), with the winners advancing to an 8 p.m. Friday semifinal
The tournament championshilp will be played at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Seaman's girls pose for a team picture after winning a Class 5A sub-state championship Friday night at Seaman. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
CLASS 5A GIRLS
At White Auditorium, Emporia
Seaman -- The Vikings are back in the Class 5A state field after a one year's absence and enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed with a 21-1 record.
Seaman advanced with a 57-25 Friday night win over United Kansas Conference rival Piper, the Vikings' third win of the season over the Pirates.
The Vikings will face No. 8 seed St. James Academy (17-5) in the opening game of the tournament at 2 p.m. Wednesday at White Auditorium.
The winner of that game will advance to a 2 p.m. semifinal on Friday to take on the first-round winner between No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas (19-3) and No. 5 Highland Park (19-3).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Bishop Carroll (20-2) will play a first-round game against No. 7 Andover Central (17-5) and No. 3 Andover (20-2) will face No. 6 Emporia (18-3). The winners of those two games will play a 6 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
The tournament championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
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]
CLASS 5A BOYS
At White Auditorium, Emporia
Highland Park -- The 22-0 Scots will be making their second straight state appearance, advancing with an 80-52 win over St. James Academy in a sub-state final Saturday night.
Highland Park has not lost since a 53-47 first-round defeat against Maize in last year's Class 5A state tournament.
Highland Park is the No. 1 seed and will open its state bid at 2 p.m. Thursday at Emporia's White Auditorium against No 8 Basehor-Linwood (9-13).
The Highland Park-Basehor winner will advance to a 4 p.m. semifinal Friday to face the first-round winner between No. 4 Andover (20-2) and No. 5 Maize South (19-3).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Kapaun Mt. Carmel (21-1) will play a first-round game against No. 7 Blue Valley Southwest (14-8) and No. 3 Hutchinson (21-1) will face No. 6 Pittsburg (17-5).
The tournament championship game will be played at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Junior Avery Grunert (right) is mobbed by her teammates after hitting the game-winning 3-pointer in overtime to give Hayden a 42-40 win over Fort Scot Saturday night. [Twitter/Hayden girls basketball]
CLASS 4A GIRLS
At Tony's Pizza Events Center, Salina
Hayden -- Hayden advanced to the Class 4A state tournament with a 42-40 overtime win at Fort Scott.
Junior Avery Grunert scored the game-winning hoop, banking in a long 3-pointer as time ran out.
Hayden, 15-7 on the season, is the No. 7 state seed and will face perennial state contender McPherson in a 6 p.m. first-round game on Thursday. McPherson is 20-2 and the No. 2 seed.
The Hayden-McPherson winner will advance to an 8 p.m. semifinal Friday to face the first-round winner between No. 3 seed Andale (19-3) and No. 6 Parsons (16-6).
On the other side of the bracket No. 1 seed Wellington (21-1) will play a first-round game against No. 8 Bishop Miege (13-9) and No. 4 Independence (18-4) will face No. 5 Hugoton (17-5). Those two winners will play a 4 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
The tournament championship game will be played at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Silver Lake receives its Class 3A sub-state championship trophy after Saturday night's win over Rossville. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
CLASS 3A GIRLS
At the Sports Arena, Hutchinson
Silver Lake -- The Eagles will be making their third straight appearance in the Class 3A state tournament after finishing third a year ago.
Silver Lake earned this year's state berth with its third win of the season over rival Rossville in Saturday night's sub-state final, 46-26.
The Eagles are the No. 3 seed in a loaded 3A field at 22-1 and will play No. 6 Santa Fe Trail 21-2 in an 8 p.m. first-round game Wednesday.
With a victory Silver Lake will advance to a 6 p.m. Friday semifinal to face the winner of the opening-round game between No. 2 seed Goodland (23-0) and No. 7 Frontenac (17-6).
Goodland is the defending state champion and took a 59-53 semifinal win over Silver Lake last season.
On the other side of the bracket No. 1 seed Phillipsburg (23-0) will play No. 8 Riley County (16-7) and No. 4 Cheney (21-2) will face No. 5 Eureka (21-2) in the first round. Those two winners will play a 2 p.m. semifinal on Friday.
The tournament championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
