By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Softball will definitely be Seaman senior Raigan Kramer's focus in the future, with Kramer already signing a Division I letter of intent with Arkansas.
But Kramer still has work to do on the basketball court before the Viking point guard turns the page on her athletic career.
Kramer is getting ready for her third straight Class 5A state tournament appearance in basketball after helping the Vikings, now 8-14, upset No. 1 sub-state seed Emporia 37-27 on the road last Friday to set up a 6 p.m. quarterfinal game at 18-4 Salina Central Monday night.
"We came out and got it done and we kind of shocked ourselves a little bit I think,'' Kramer said after the win over Emporia.
Seaman senior Raigan Kramer (right) is headed to her third straight Class 5A state basketball tournament before turning her attention to softball at Arkansas. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
In addition to being Seaman's primary ball-handler, Kramer is also regarded as a defensive stopper, which she showed again Friday while limiting Emporia standout guard Gracie Gilpin to 8 points.
"I've always been the defensive player,'' said Kramer, who scored 4 points against the Spartans, including a big 3-pointer.. "That's kind of been my role on the team and I love that role because no matter what night you can always get it done on defense.''
Gilpin did hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to get the Spartans back within 7 points, something Kramer took personally.
"Frankly, I was so mad at myself,'' she said. "I had a bounce pass to my post player for a layup to end the quarter and she got the ball and hit that 3, but softball's my thing and it's a game of failure and taking that to basketball, if you fail once you've got to come back.
"I knew if I held her through the fourth quarter we'd come out with the win and we stepped up and hit some big shots.''
Projected as an infielder for the Razorbacks, Kramer said playing basketball also helps her on the softball diamond.
"The athleticism that basketball takes helps me a ton in softball,'' she said. "Softball is more of a skill set but basketball's more athleticism and getting the athleticism in basketball and taking it over is an advantage.''
Kramer's basketball career will end sometime this week in the state tournament and she said her final season has been a rewarding one despite constant challenges with the COVID-19 situation.
"This year's been a challenge and it's made me appreciate it a lot more, especially with COVID and the quarantines and not knowing what tomorrow's going to bring,'' Kramer said.
"It just makes you enjoy little things more and I'm just so glad that we were able to come out and make it to state again.''
