Big Players, Big Games
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The season is building to a climax. The best teams are separating themselves from the pack. There are lots of big games every week as the season rolls toward the playoffs. Here are a handful of big games from across…
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Continue ReadingThe season is building to a climax. The best teams are separating themselves from the pack. There are lots of big games every week as the season rolls toward the playoffs. Here are a handful of big games from across the state:
Inman defeated #1 Little River 63-45
The #1 team in 1A Div. 1 went down for the first time in a shocker Friday. The Redskins had defeated Inman quite handily earlier in the season and can probably just flush this defeat and move on. But it was quite a feather in the cap for Inman. The Teutons held all-stater Jayden Garrison Jayden Garrison 6'2" | CG Little River | 2021 State KS and talented senior Trey Rolfs to just 6 points apiece. Inman was led by Eli Brunk with 22 points, 13 of which came in the fourth period. Jace Doerksen Jace Doerksen 5'10" | CG Inman | 2022 State KS added 12;
Inman freshman Tanner Heckel is a player to watch. The 5-foot-9 guard has shown ability from deep and the athleticism to be a contributor on the football team as a freshman. He has numerous games in double-figures in his young career.
Wamego and Concordia go to FOUR overtimes:
That’s right, four overtimes! The exhausted Panthers finally fell off the pace and lost 84-78 in the eighth period of the night. Wamego was led by 27 points from Burk Springer, a 5-foot-8 junior who had a career night. Wamego also got 22 from Tanner Hecht Tanner Hecht 6'5" | CG Wamego | 2021 State KS and 17 from Ledjor Rowden.
#3 Maize defeated #2 Salina South 55-41:
Maize claimed a big lead early and never looked back in the battle of 5A elites. The Eagles had balance, with junior Kyle Grill Kyle Grill 6'4" | CG Maize | 2022 State KS leading the way with 15 points. Jacob Hanna Jacob Hanna 6'3" | CG Andover | 2021 State KS and Mason Belcher Mason Belcher 6'4" | PF Maize | 2022 State KS added 13 apiece. Colin Schreiber Colin Schreiber 6'3" | PF Salina South | 2021 State KS led the way for South with 12 points. Josh Jordan Josh Jordan 6'3" | CG Salina South | 2021 State KS added 11.
#3 Lawrence bests #4 Free State:
This one wasn’t particularly close. The Lions won 56-40, showing some real separation between #3 and #4 in 6A. Pearse Long hit five 3-pointers. Zeke Mayo Zeke Mayo 6'4" | CG Lawrence | 2021 State KS was held to just 12 points, but no worries for the Lions. For Free State, Mozae Downing scored 17, but needed 15 attempts to do it.
#10 Jefferson North holds off #9 Valley Center:
In a battle of top 2A clubs, Jefferson North edged the higher-ranked Dragons. There were several good players in this game, but it turned into a duel between the Chargers’ 6-foot-2 senior Emmitt Jobbins and the Dragons’ 6-foot-7 senior Nate Hawk Nate Hawk 6'6" | PF Valley Falls | 2021 State KS . Jobbins finished with 20 points, enough to offset the 25 tallied by Hawk. Jobbins was aided by junior Ryan Feldkamp, a 6-foot-4 junior who added 17 for Jefferson North.
Lyndon gets the best of #7 Madison in OT:
Lyndon is out of the 2A rankings for the time being, but they edged 1A Div. 1 Madison 48-47 in overtime. Luke Detwiler Luke Detwiler 5'11" | PG Lyndon | 2021 State KS led Lyndon in this low-scoring affair with 14 points. Big man Miles Kitselman Miles Kitselman 6'5" | C Lyndon | 2021 State KS added 10. Madison struggled offensively, other than Chase Harrison, who drilled four 3-pointers and led all scorers with 15.
#5 Campus holds off Derby:
It was close until Campus pulled away in the fourth period in the 6A battle. Jameer Clemons Jameer Clemons 5'10" | CG Derby | 2022 State KS (pictured) and Fontaine Williams made it interesting by each scoring 20 for Derby. Stevie Strong, Jr. led the way for Campus with 21, while Sterling Chapman Sterling Chapman 6'4" | CG Campus | 2021 State KS added 16.