BY KSHSAA COVERED
DODGE CITY – Central Plains’ state-record run of eight consecutive girls state basketball championships came to a crashing halt Wednesday as Doniphan West built an early lead and rolled to a 60-40 victory in the Class 1A Division I state tournament quarterfinals at United Wireless Arena.
Senior Kyra Johnson scored 18 points and added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals to help Doniphan West take down the Oilers, whose 55-game postseason winning streak and 25-game state tournament winning streak – also state records – came to an end.
Senior Avery Weathersbee scored 13 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for the Mustangs, , who improved to 19-5 and earned a semifinal matchup with top-seeded Norwich, a 42-34 winner over Canton-Galva, at 2 p.m. Friday.
“It was a great win, no doubt,” Doniphan West coach Perry Smith said. “I believe when the seedings came out, if you pay attention to 1A girls basketball, that was a matchup that would certainly get your attention.
“But our girls understand our goal is to win a state title and that was just the first round and there is still so much to play for. Hopefully we take this momentum into Friday’s game.”
Central Plains embarked on its run of state titles in 2014, winning the first of five straight Class 2A championships. A Class 1A title followed in 2019, and after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 state tournaments, the Oilers won Class 1A Division II title each of the past two years.
That history didn’t take Central Plains far Wednesday, as Doniphan West reeled off 22 first-quarter points to build a double-digit lead, and added to it in each ensuing quarter. After shooting 56% in the first half, Doniphan West finished at 48.9% (23 of 47) for the game.
Central Plains, which earned a state berth by knocking off reigning 1A Division I champion Pretty Prairie in the sub-state semifinals and defeating St. John for the fourth time this season in the finals, got 13 points from sophomore Marilyn Soeken. Seniors Brenna Hammeke and Kyla Metro each added nine.
Doniphan West finished with four players in double figures, as senior Claire Cole and sophomore Brennah Edie each had 10 points.
“The Twin Valley League prepares you for games like this,” Smith said. “Our toughness and pace of play was the determining factor. Our girls were not in awe of playing Central Plains. Our league prepares you so well for these situations."
NORWICH 42, CANTON-GALVA 34 – Junior Brooklyn Sheetz led three Norwich players in double figures with 12 points and the Eagles limited Canton-Galva to 22.2% shooting to win their 22nd game.
Norwich (21-2) never trailed, but never got entirely comfortable either as Canton-Galva (15-9) stayed within single digits the entire game. The Eagles went 9 of 22 from the free-throw line and missed 10 in the second half to prevent them from adding to their advantage.
Sheetz made 6 of 8 shots and grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Junior Braylin Kelly added 11 points and sophomore Kierstin Adams had 10 for Norwich, which won its 12th consecutive game.
Canton-Galva, making its first state appearance since 1986, got 11 points from Adilynn Alcala, including three 3-pointers. Trinity Espinoza added 10 points, but the duo combined to make just 6 of 27 shots.
QUINTER 57, OLPE 47 – Second-seeded Quinter opened the second half with a 12-0 run and rode that momentum to its 20th victory while ending Olpe’s season at 16-8.
The Bulldogs’ burst turned a two-point halftime lead into their largest advantage of the game at 36-22. Quinter had three players in double figures, led by senior guard Cashlyn Kvasnicka’s 16 points. Senior Anna Briggs added 14 points to go with 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots, while sophomore Bryn Gillespie had 11 points.
Olpe had just one player in double figures, with Kadey Robert scoring 13 points. The Eagles forced 18 turnovers, but committed 17 themselves and shot 34% from the field (17 of 50).
Quinter, which won the Class 1A Division II title in 2018, will face Frankfort in Friday’s semifinals.
FRANKFORT 61, SOUTH GRAY 53 – Junior Sydney Wapp scored 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting and Frankfort shot a blistering 58.1% as a team to outduel South Gray. Wapp’s classmates, Emma Hardwick and Hattie Gros, each added 15 points for the Wildcats, who shook off 19 turnovers by making 18 of 31 field goal and 24 of 30 free throws. Frankfort (21-3) scored 41 second-half points after trailing 21-20 at halftime.
Sophomore Kylie Stapleton made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for South Gray (17-7). Junior Vi Helm added 12.
The teams traded the lead seven times before Frankfort gained the upper hand by shooting 65% in the second half. The Wildcats outscored South Gray 34-22 in the paint and came up with 12 steals – five by Gros.
NORWICH 42, CANTON-GALVA 34
Canton-Galva ... 6 ... 8 ... 8 ... 12 ... -- ... 34
Norwich ... 13 ... 10 ... 7 ... 12 … -- ... 42
Canton-Galva (14-9) – M. Hoppes 0-0 0-0 0, T. Espinoza 3-17 3-3 10, Toews 0-4 0-1 0, Pearson 2-5 2-2 7, Alcala 3-10 2-2 11, L. Espinoza 1-6 2-5 4, M. Craig 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 10-45 9-12 34.
Norwich (21-2) – Kelly 3-7 4-10 11, Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Samuelson 0-1 0-0 0, H. Sheetz 1-6 3-8 5, Brewster 1-3 0-0 2, Adams 4-8 2-3 10, B. Sheetz 6-8 0-1 12. Totals 16-35 9-22 42.
3-point goals – Canton-Galva 5-21 (Alcala 3-8, Pearson 1-3, T. Espinoza 1-7, Toews 0-1, L. Espinoza 0-2); Norwich 1-6 (Kelly 1-4, Samuelson 0-1, H. Sheetz 0-1). Rebounds – Canton-Galva 33 (T. Espinoza, Pearson 7); Norwich 31 (B. Sheetz 6). Assists – Canton-Galva 7 (Pearson, L. Espinoza 2); Norwich 12 (Kelly 4). Turnovers – Canton-Galva 12, Norwich 14. Total fouls – Canton-Galva 18, Norwich 13. Fouled out – L. Espinoza.
DONIPHAN WEST 60, CENTRAL PLAINS 40
Doniphan West ... 22 ... 11 ... 12 ... 15 ... -- ... 60
Central Plains ... 12 ... 7 ... 10 ... 11 … -- ... 40
Doniphan West (19-5) – Rawles 0-0 0-0 0, Leatherman 0-0 0-0 0, Ky. Johnson 7-12 4-9 18, Cole 4-11 1-2 10, Foster 0-0 0-0 0, Edie 3-8 3-4 10, E. Whetstine 0-0 0-2 0, Ka. Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Gladhart 0-0 0-0 0, M. Whetstine 3-8 0-0 9, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Weathersbee 6-8 1-3 13. Totals 23-47 9-20 60.
Central Plains (19-5) – Lamatsch 0-2 0-0 0, Hammeke 4-12 1-2 9, Ogle 2-6 0-0 5, Kempke 2-2 0-0 4, Oeser 0-0 0-0 0, Metro 3-7 0-0 9, McGuire 0-4 0-0 0, Hurley 0-0 0-0 0, Donecker 0-0 0-2 0, Foulger 0-0 0-0 0, Soeken 4-12 3-3 13, Sheehy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-45 4-7 40.
3-point goals – DW 5-11 (M. Whetstine 3-6, Cole 1-2, Edie 1-3); CP 6-24 (Metro 3-6, Soeken 2-4, Ogle 1-2, Lamatsch 0-2, McGuire 0-4, Hammeke 0-6). Rebounds – DW 23 (Weathersbee 5); Central Plains 27 (Ogle 11). Assists – DW 18 (M. Whetstine 5); CP 9 (Hammeke 6). Turnovers – DW 12, CP 18. Total fouls – Doniphan West 6, Central Plains 18. Fouled out – Soeken.
QUINTER 57, OLPE 47
Olpe ... 8 ... 14 ... 14 ... 11 ... -- ... 47
Quinter ... 15 ... 9 ... 21 ... 12 … -- ... 57
Olpe (16-8) – Skalsky 3-7 2-2 8, Scheve 0-0 0-0 0, Coughlin 1-3 0-0 2, Smith 1-5 0-0 2, Temeyer 0-0 0-0 0, Bailey 4-10 0-0 9, Garriott 0-0 0-0 0, Robert 4-13 4-8 13, Clark 3-4 0-0 8, Steinke 0-1 0-0 0, Broyles 1-7 3-6 5, Kurzen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-50 9-16 47.
Quinter (20-3) – Betz 2-3 0-0 4, Cay. Kvasnicka 1-2 0-0 2, Briggs 0-0 0-0 0, Gillespie 2-7 7-10 11, Werth 2-7 0-0 4, Selensky 2-5 2-3 6, Briggs 6-12 1-2 14, Cas. Kvasnicka 6-8 0-0 16. Totals 21-44 10-15 57.
3-point goals – Olpe 4-8 (Clark 2-2, Bailey 1-2, Robert 1-4); Quinter 5-16 (Cas. Kvasnicka 4-5, Briggs 1-5, Cay. Kvasnicka 0-1, Gillespie 0-2, Werth 0-3). Rebounds – Olpe 31 (Coughlin 6); Quinter 30 (Briggs 11). Assists – Olpe 13 (Skalsky 4); Quinter 13 (Werth 4). Turnovers – Olpe 17, Quinter 18. Fouls – Olpe 16, Quinter 13. Fouled out – Coughlin.
FRANKFORT 61, SOUTH GRAY 53
South Gray ... 13 ... 8 ... 15 ... 17 ... -- ... 53
Frankfort ... 10 ... 10 ... 21 ... 20 … -- ... 61
South Gray (17-7) – Jantz 0-0 0-0 0, H. Meairs 1-5 2-2 5, Helm 5-14 2-4 12, Deges 0-0 0-0 0, Stapleton 6-11 0-0 17, Huelskamp 1-2 0-0 2, Reed 2-5 4-6 8, Granados 4-5 1-2 9, R. Meairs 0-1 0-0 0, Cervantes 0-0 0-0 0, Foskuhl 0-0 0-0 0, Goossen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-43 9-14 53.
Frankfort (21-3) – Wapp 8-10 6-7 22, As. Dalinghaus 0-1 0-0 0, Keller 0-0 0-0 0, Ebert 2-3 4-4 8, Hardwick 3-5 8-11 15, Stowell 0-0 0-0 0, Parthemer 0-0 1-2 1, Gros 5-12 5-6 15, Al. Dalinghaus 0-0 0-0 0, Studer 0-0 0-0 0, Schreiner 0-0 0-0 0, Combs 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-31 24-30 61.
3-point goals – South Gray 6-16 (Stapleton 5-8, H. Meairs 1-5, Reed 0-1, Helm 0-2); Frankfort 1-5 (Hardwick 1-1, Wapp 0-1, As. Dalinghaus 0-1, Ebert 0-1, Gros 0-1). Rebounds – South Gray 23 (Reed 6); Frankfort 22 (Wapp 5). Assists – South Gray 10 (H. Meairs, Helm 3); Frankfort 11 (Hardwick 6). Turnovers – South Gray 16, Frankfort 19. Total fouls – South Gray 20, Frankfort 16. Fouled out – Helm, R. Meairs.
