KSHSAA Covered
HOISINGTON/CENTRAL PLAINS (15-10) VS. SABETHA (19-5)
COACH Eric Steiner
REGIONAL—beat Russell/Victoria, 12-2; beat Holcomb, 10-4; beat Cimarron/Ingalls, 13-2
KEY PLAYERS—Tony Moore, sr., P/3B; Gratton Dalton, sr., 1B; Lane French, jr., OF; Rhen Galla Mason, jr., 2B; Martin Martin, so., SS/P; Marcus Ingram, so., C; Carson Mason, so., RF
NOTES—For the second time in program history, Cardinals have earned back-to-back state trips. … Last year’s appearance ended with quarterfinal loss to Humboldt. … Trip to state is seventh overall for the program, which is still seeking first state tourney win. … Bulk of losses came in tough Central Kansas League that sent three teams to state tourneys. … Cardinals endured seven-game losing streak in early April before winning 12 of last 14 games. … Moore is hitting .500 with 2 home runs, 6 triples and 25 RBI. … Four other Cardinals are hitting better than .300 with the team hitting .297. … Moore is also team ace with 5-1 mark and 1.85 ERA as well as two saves. … Junior Preston Roat is 5-1 with a 1.33 ERA. … French is 2-1.
SABETHA (19-5) VS. HOISINGTON (15-10)
COACH Curtis Hamilton
REGIONALS—beat Hiawatha, 11-1; beat Jefferson West, 3-2; beat Bishop Ward, 4-1
KEY PLAYERS—Christian McAfee, sr., P/1B; Mitchell Kramer, jr., IF/P; Marcus Bauman, sr., OF/P; Chase Frey, sr., 3B/P; Jacob Grimm, sr., 1B/P; Will Ulrich, OF/P
NOTES—Bluejays making fifth state tournament appearance in program’s seven years of existence. … Trip is third straight with each of last two ending in quarterfinals. … Sabetha won back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019. … McAfee is hitting team-high .434 with 29 RBI and 12 stolen bases. … He’s also 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 36 strikeouts. … Kramer is 4-0 with a 0.98 ERA and 51 strikeouts while also picking up 2 saves. … He’s also hitting .355 with 2 home runs and 22 RBI. … Bauman has 16 stolen bases and is hitting .341. … Grimm has 3 home runs and 24 RBI and is 4-for-4 on save opportunities. … Frey is 2-0 with a 1.30 ERA. … Bluejays won Big Seven League for the second straight year. … Bluejays started the season 0-3 with all three losses coming to state tournament teams Rock Creek (twice) and Burlington. … Three of five losses by 2 runs or less.
TOPEKA HAYDEN (15-12) VS. HESSTON (20-4)
COACH Bill Arnold
REGIONAL-- beat Silver Lake, 10-1; beat Santa Fe Trail, 6-3 (9 innings); beat Osage City/Burlingame 10-7
KEY PLAYERS—Cooper Grace, jr., 1B/3B/P; Aiden Roberts, so., SS/P; Mason Becker, fr., 2B; Brady Heinen, jr., OF
NOTES—Wildcats have six state championships in program history, the last coming in 2015 which was the second in three years for the program with Arnold as head coach. … Other titles came in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2009. … Wildcats also have three runner-up state finishes and six third-place showings. … State trip is 25th overall for the program since first season in 1989. … Wildcats recorded program’s 500th victory in extra-inning regional semifinal win over Santa Fe Trail. … Grace is 7-2 with a 2.18 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 578.2 innings. … He’s also hitting .461 with 3 home runs and 35 RBI. … Roberts and Becker are each hitting .333. … Heinen hitting .284. … Nine Wildcats have double-digit RBI this season including 16 each from Heinen, Kade Mitchell and Evan Lenherr.
HESSTON (20-4) VS. TOPEKA HAYDEN (15-12)
Coach: Aaron Johnson
Regional results: beat Smoky Valley, 10-0; beat Haven, 6-5; beat Cheney, 10-0.
BURLINGTON (19-6) vs. FRONTENAC (17-8)
COACH Charlie Whitworth
REGIONAL—beat Osawatomie, 3-0; beat Wellsville, 9-1; beat Humboldt, 11-5
KEY PLAYERS—Hunter Reiling, sr., 3B; Mickey Carlson, sr., P/OF; Landen Ernst, jr., P/DH; Cole Carlson, jr., OF; Chance Hegg, jr., OF; Eli Ervin, jr., OF; Maddux Cheever, so., OF/P; Kolten Robinson, so., 2B/P; Hunter Cole, so., C; Brody Garland, so., 1B/P; Alex Mautz, so., P/U
NOTES—Wildcats making sixth overall trip to state, the last coming in 2019. … Program still seeking first state-tournament win. … 19 wins are most since 2015 and includes one over fellow 3A qualifier Sabetha. … Improved defense and pitching have been key to this season’s success. … Ernst and Cheever came up with big pitching performances in regionals. … Whitworth won his 350th career game this season in his 30th at Burlington
FRONTENAC (17-8)
COACH Kaleb Terlip
REGIONALS—beat Cherryvale, 5-0; beat Baxter Springs, 8-5; beat Riverton, 7-4.
KEY PLAYERS—Bryant Kitchen, sr., P/OF; Abram Frankenbery, sr., 1B/P; Peyton McDonald, sr., IF/P; Carter Snow, sr., OF/P; Kal Terlip,, sr., C; Korbin Niegsch, jr., DH; Jack Capehart, jr., OF/P; Brock Wiemers, fr., SS; Bergen Souder, sr., IF
NOTES—Raiders making seventh state appearance overall and first since 2021. … Frontenac won 3A state title in 2012 and also has a runner-up and two third-place finishes in program history. … Raiders shared CNC title with 2-1A qualifier St. Mary’s Colgan. … All losses this season have come to either 4A or 2-1A schools with Raiders going unbeaten against 3A foes. … Kitchen, Frankenbery, Wiemers and Capehart are all hitting better than .400. … Team ERA is 2.71. … Terlip led Raiders in batting average and RBI and Niegsch led way with 3 home runs.
MARYSVILLE (10-13) VS. WICHITA TRINITY (20-4)
COACH John Haefele
REGIONAL—beat Beloit, 18-11; beat Nemaha Central, 10-5; beat Ellsworth, 9-4
KEY PLAYERS—Bryant Seimens, sr., OF/P; Dakota Slupianek, jr., P/IF; Alex Scheele, so., 3B; Grant Haefele, so., C/OF; Ty Moser, so., OF; Keagan Warders, so., SS
NOTES—Bulldogs making first state tournament appearance since 2006. … Program is just two years removed from a 1-16 season. … Marysville knocked off the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 seeds at its regional. … Bulk of losses came in tough 4A-dominated North Central Kansas League and Bulldogs are 8-3 against 3A competition. … Scheele is leading hitter with .437 average, 25 RBI and has struck out just 4 times. … Siemens is hitting .417 with 2 home runs and 15 RBI while Haefele is hitting .414 with 4 home runs, 26 RBI and 22 stolen bases. … Moser is hitting .351 with 16 RBI and Warders has 15 RBI. … Siemens has struck out 48 batters and Slupianek has struck out 23.
WICHITA TRINITY (20-4) VS. MARYSVILLE (10-13)
COACH Josh Robertson
REGIONALS—beat Fredonia, 16-0; beat Douglass, 8-0; beat Wichita Collegiate, 10-0
KEY PLAYERS—Jackson Witt, sr., C; Ethan Eberhardt, sr., P/1B; Josiah Sems, jr., P/SS; Joaquin Sancez, sr., P/3B; Matt Bolt, jr., P/LF; Matt Omundsen, sr., P/3B; Bradn Roberts, jr., CF; Jack Cary, sr., P/RF
NOTES—Knights making 10th overall state appearance in program history and first since 2019. … Best state finish is a runner-up showing in 2007 and Knights also took third in 2005 and 2006. … Knights finished as regional runner-up to eventual state champion Wichita Collegiate the past two seasons, but ended the Spartans’ reign with 10-0 win in regional finals this year. … Trinity shut out all three regional foes. … Knights won the Central Plains League for third straight year. … Trinity has wins over 5A qualifier Eisenhower, 4A qualifier Tonganoxie and 2-1A qualifiers Marion and Medicine Lodge (twice). … Two of Knights’ losses came to Douglass and other two came to Haven and Wichita Life Prep. … Knights are hitting .303 as a team and have scored 215 runs while giving up just 48 earned runs. … Trinity has team ERA of 2.16. … Sanchez is 5-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 36 strikeouts while Cary is 4-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 20 Ks. … Omundsen is 3-1 with a 0.95 ERA and 31 strikeouts and Eberhardt is 3-1 and Sems 2-0. … Witt is hitting .395 with 29 RBI. … Sems has 28 RBI and 15 stolen bases, hitting .373. … Cary has 18 RBI and Roberts has 17 and 17 stolen bases. … Seven starters are hitting better than .300.
