By Joanna Chadwick
My question for you today — which day is better for fans? Friday’s semifinals or Saturday’s championships?
Class 6A boys
BV Northwest 51, Lawrence Free State 42 — After Free State took a 42-40 lead with 2:51 to go, Blue Valley Northwest controlled the game with point guard Grant Stubblefield, who scored six straight points himself. He finished with 26 points, hitting 9 of 14 shots and also had four assists. Joseph Matteoni had 11 rebounds. Free State’s Jordan Brown scored a team-high 10 points and Cooper Jackson had six rebounds.
Wichita Heights 61, Olathe West 46 — Whatever defense Olathe West threw at Heights, the Falcons mastered it with their offense. They shot 27 of 47 from the field and outrebounded Olathe West 31-23. Chase Harris scored 19 points, hitting 9 of 14 shots, Marcus Zeigler had 12 points, including three threes, and TJ Williams had 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Williams added eight rebounds and five assists, while Amalachi Wilkins had seven rebounds and three blocks. Olathe West’s Brisyn Robinson scored 15 and Harrison Kisling had 11.
Class 6A girls
Derby 51, Blue Valley 49 2OT — Derby struggled from the field offensively, shooting 6 of 32 from the field through the first three quarters and fell behind by eight points with 2:04 to go in the third. The Panthers held Blue Valley scoreless for seven minutes over the third and fourth quarters. Blue Valley’s Jadyn Wooten, who was clutch all game, led her team with 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting — including the game-tying three in regulation. Derby made 7 of 10 free throws in the second overtime, including two by Maryn Archer with 8.1 seconds to go. Addy Brown led Derby with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Archer had 14 points, four steals Hopson eight rebounds and Tatum Boettjer scored her first points on a three-pointer early in the second overtime.
Washburn Rural 44, Olathe North 43 — Washburn Rural stifled multiple chances from Olathe North in the final 15.5 seconds. Trailing 33-25 in the third quarter, Washburn Rural went on a 14-4 run for the 39-37 lead with 4:22 to go. MaRyah Lutz scored 10 points, while Jada Ingram and Brooklyn DeLeye each had eight rebounds. Olathe North’s Sania Copeland and Yiibari Nwidadah each had 10 points.
Class 5A boys
Topeka Seaman 66, Maize 54 — Topeka Seaman’s Mateo Hyman hit all six of his shots and had 17 points, Kaedon Bonner was 6 of 12 from three and had 18 points, Ty Henry 10 points. Maize was led by Jaden Gustafson’s 21 points and eight rebounds, Kyle Grill 15 points and eight rebounds, Avery Johnson 13 points and six assists.
DeSoto 58, St. James 56 — David Cobin scored 32 points, hitting 10 of 16 shots, including 3 of 6 threes, and 9 of 9 free throws. St. James was led by Sam Somerhalder’s 19 points and 12 rebounds. Brian Hawthorne had 13 points and Garrett Lynch 10 rebounds.
Class 5A girls
Salina Central 68, Lansing 37
St. Thomas Aquinas 58, Andover Central 42 — Aquinas was led by Charlotte O’Keefe (17 points, 8 rebounds), Beatrice Culliton (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Kelsey Schenck (12 points). Andover Central’s Brittany Harshaw had a game-high 26 points and five assists.
Class 4A boys
Andale 49, McPherson 42 — Andale’s Wyatt Spexarth had 14 points, Jacksyn Potucek 10. McPherson’s Cory Muehler had a team-high 12 points and Seth Madron had 10.
Topeka Hayden vs. Bishop Miege
Class 4A girls
Eudora 49, Wamego 41 —Eudora’s Harper Schreiner scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds, Sawyer Schreiner 11 points and Makenzie Mayer 10. Wamego’s Paige Donnelly had 13 points, four steals and Ryann Alderson six rebounds.
Bishop Miege 82, Wellington 42 — Miege’s Gabriella Henderson Artis made 9 of 12 shots — including 5 of 7 from three — and had a game-high 24 points. Allie Burns had 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and Kirston Verhulst 13 points, five assists. Wellington’s Ali Zeka scored 17 points and had six rebounds, Airalyn Frame 11 points, seven rebounds.
Class 3A boys
Hesston 45, Thomas More Prep 36 — Cason Richardson scored 12 points, hitting 7 of 8 free throws, and Nick Arnold had 10 in the victory. Kade Harris had 11 points for Thomas More Prep
Royal Valley 60, SE-Saline 52 — Royal Valley’s Brady Kotz had a game-high 21 points and 12 rebounds, Swede Wahwassuck 16, KJ Miller 13, Mason Thomas 10. SE-Saline’s Nkri Morrical-Palmer had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Daniel Kejr 11 points, Luke Gebhardt 10.
Class 3A girls
Hugoton 59, Nickerson 52 — Hugoton’s Summya Adigun had 23 points, six rebounds, five assists, Gianna Vos 19 points, five rebounds, four steals and Mikyn Hamlin had 12 points. Nickerson’s Ava Jones scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds.
Goodland 59, Silver Lake 53 — Goodland’s Talexa Weeter led the team with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Jaxi Mitchek had 12, Olivia Lehman 11, Emma Lehman 10. Silver Lake’s McKinley Kruger had 16, Kaibryn Kruger with 14, Mariah Farmer 11. Makenzie McDaniel had nine rebounds.
Class 2A boys
Hillsboro 37, Lyndon 28 2OT — Hillsboro outscored Lyndon 13-4 in the second overtime after a scoreless first overtime. Hillsboro’s Grayson Ratzlaff had 10 points and five rebounds, and Duncan Duell had five rebounds. Lyndon’s Toby Miller scored 14 points.
St. Marys 80, Valley Falls 69
Class 2A girls
Garden Plain 40, Smith Center 38 — Celia Puetz scored the game-winner for Garden Plain. Sydney Puetz scored 13 points and Celia Puetz had four steals. Smith Center’s AShlyn Long scored 13 points and Tallon Rentschler had 10 points, seven rebounds.
Sterling 42, Berean Academy 35 — Sadie Beagley scored 14 points to lead Sterling and had seven rebounds. Kali Briar had 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and Bennie Horsch 10 points. Sally Wine scored 13 points and had six rebounds to lead Berean.
Class 1A-I boys
Olpe 68, Macksville 38 — Truman Bailey scored 19 points for Olpe, Derek Hoelting had 15 points, 14 rebounds and Blake Redeker 11 points. Lance Lickiss scored 11 for Macksville.
South Gray 79, Solomon 46 — Brade Deges and Jorge Luprecio each scored 21 points, and Brent Penner had 14 for South Gray. Solomon’s Makaen Hastings scored 16 points, Dylan Hynes 15, Spencer Coup 10.
Class 1A-I girls
Centralia 53, Burlingame 45
Pretty Prairie 37, Hodgeman County 32 — Bailey Young and McKenna Vogl each had eight rebounds. Grace Shaw had 13 points and Morgan Ruff 10 for Hodgeman County.
Class 1A-II boys
Hanover 61, Bucklin 54 — Hanover’s Philip Doebele hit 10 of 16 shots and had 23 points, 13 rebounds, Emmitt Jueneman scored 16, Joshua Zarybnicky had 10 rebounds and Keagan Dimler had 11 points. Bucklin was led by Andrew Bowman and Scott Price, who each scored 18 points.
Greeley County 59, Northern Valley 54 — Greeley County’s Jaxon Brandl had 21 points and seven rebounds, while teammates Lincoln Shafer and Titus Sherer each had 14 points and seven rebounds. Sherer added five steals. Northern Valley’s John Brands had 22 points and seven rebounds, Bailey Sides 12 points, eight rebounds. Kenton Thalheim had nine rebounds.
Class 1A-II girls
Central Plains 49, Hanover 44
Golden Plains 33, Hutchinson Central Christian 23 — Golden Plains’ Kassie Miller had nine rebounds and six steals. Hutchinson Central Christian’s Kaylee Kauffman had eight points.
