Stiles, Oilers build a legacy
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbribune.com
Some day, it might be next year — the Central Plains girls might lose a state tournament basketball game under coach Pat Stiles.
But for the time being, Central Plains coach Pat Stiles is blessed with a perfect 25-0 state tournament record.
It’s one of 18 girls state basketball individual or team records the Oilers hold.
“I feel extremely fortunate to coach this group of girls,” Stiles said.
What’s amazing is during coach Stiles’ incredible 10-year run (247-8), Sterling coach Jill Rowland handed the Oilers their lone postseason loss 58-54 in 2013.
In fact, coach Rowland’s Black Bears have beaten the Central Plains girls four times over the 10-year span. The Black Bears were finally rewarded for their perseverance with back-to-back 2A state basketball championships.
Stiles and assistant coach Jim Ryan are a perfect match. They're extremely positive coaches who emphasize that the harder you work, the luckier you get.
No better example was provided Saturday than sharpshooter Kyla Metro, who had missed more shots than she made in recent games. That’s the life of a shooter. Metro kept working, coming in before school to fire up a couple extra shots.
Metro never lost her confidence.
Metro was the Oilers’ X factor with 15 points in the state championship game 50-38 over Rexford-Golden Plains.
Cunningham transfer Madison McGuire enjoyed the memory of a lifetime. After shedding tears after a 39-34 championship loss to the Oilers last year, McGuire and her sister Reese McGuire transferred to Central Plains. Madison’s championship journey faced adversity when she battled through an ankle injury in the championship game. The Oilers might not have won without her inspired contribution.
Oiler senior all-stater Kassidy Nixon will stay close to home playing volleyball at Barton Community College. Kailynn Depperschmidt also graduates with another state championship medal.
The Oilers feature all-stater Brynna Hammeke (20 ppg), Kyla Metro and Reese McGuire as returning starters. Freshman Marilyn Soeken and sophomores Mollie Steiner and Addyson Ogle made contributions.
If it hadn’t been for Central Plains’ amazing run, we’d all be talking about tiny Golden Plains (enrollment 65) perhaps winning a couple of state basketball championships the past few years.
The Bulldogs’ four-year run of 92-4 is simply amazing under coach Parker Christensen. The Bulldogs had four consecutive 23-0 records ended by Thunder Ridge 47-33, Otis-Bison 51-37, Central Plains 50-39 and Central Plains 50-38.
THUMBS UP — The directors of the KSHSAA have improved virtually everything about activities from earlier state start times, to 36-hole state golf championships to helping publicize all factors of state championships. The KSHSAA has been a shining light of public information by making state meetings available online.
Congratulations. Great job.
THUMBS DOWN — Records are important and should be 100% accurate.
One of the few glitches the KSHSAA could easily fix is stop awarding “fake wins” for Class 1A byes. A bye is not a win. We can count on death, texas and every KSHSAA state program reporting inaccurate 1A records.
It makes no sense.
Every radio announcer and most writers reported the Central Plains girls final record as 25-1. That’s inaccurate. The Oilers were 19-1 in the regular season and 5-0 in postseason. My math reveals that’s 24-1.
Still today, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (which is a great website) inaccurately reports Sublette (1984) and Little River (1997) with false 28-0 records. There were both 27-0. Just like South Gray (2010), South Haven (2007), Ness City (2003) and Centralia (2000).
Just take away the *asterisk and say good-bye to the “bye win.”
PAT STILES OILERS’ RECORD (247-8)
STATE TOURNAMENT RECORD (25-0)
POSTSEASON RECORD (54-1)
2022—CENTRAL PLAINS (24-1, 5-0)—50-38 Golden Plains; 49-44 Hanover; 58-28 Beloit St. John’s; 63-15 Rural Vista; 81-18 Wilson
2021—CENTRAL PLAINS (22-3, 5-0)—39-34 Cunningham; 50-39 Golden Plains; 51-32 St. Paul; 70-18 Hartford; 59-13 Elyria
2020— CENTRAL PLAINS (25-0, 5-0)—93-47 Ingalls; 86-31 Victoria; 64-24 Otis-Bison; 82-22 Wheatland; 89-22 Osborne
2019—CENTRAL PLAINS (27-0, 7-0)—52-34 Hanover; 76-38 Thunder Ridge; 76-28 South Gray; 89-22 Osborne; 82-22 Wheatland; 64-24 Otis-Bison; 86-31 Victoria
2018—CENTRAL PLAINS (26-0, 6-0)—48-32 Valley Heights; 60-35 Hill City; 55-30 Inman; 53-44 Kiowa County; 87-35 Kinsley; 84-21 Ness City
2017—CENTRAL PLAINS (26-0, 6-0)—60-48 Alma-Wabaunsee; 53-41 Valley Falls; 60-30 Chase County; Oilers 68-34 Kinsley; 53-22 St. John; 86-16 Skyline
2016—CENTRAL PLAINS (26-0, 6-0)—62-51 Olpe; 53-47 Hill City; 48-24 Pittsburg Colgan; 70-26 South Central; Oilers def. Skyline; 78-17 Ellinwood
2015—CENTRAL PLAINS (25-1, 6-0)—46-33 Moundridge; 64-51 Meade; 62-52 Alma Wabaunsee; 72-54 Ellinwood; Oilers 63, Plainville 32; 60-18 Ell-Saline
2014—CENTRAL PLAINS (26-0, 6-0)—47-45 Jefferson North; 60-45 Meade; 47-38 Pittsburg Colgan; 60-44 Ellinwood; 56-26 Kinsley; 56-26 Ness City
2013—CENTRAL PLAINS (20-3, 2-1)—Sterling 58-54 Oilers; 56-24 Skyline; 57-28 Medicine Lodge
PAT STILES’ 8 LOSSES
48-36 ST. JOHN — Coach Danny Smith (12/11/2012)
66-56 STERLING — Coach Jill Rowland (1/25/2012)
58-54 STERLING — Coach Jill Rowland (3/2/2013)
66-58 ELLINWOOD — Coach Kyle Kriegh (2/24/2015)
49-44 PHILLIPSBURG _ Coach Rachel Miller (12/11/2020)
59-46 STERLING — Coach Jill Rowland (1/12/2021)
42-36 HESSTON — Coach Matt Richardson (1/26/2021)
51-39 STERLING — Coach Jill Rowland (1/7/2022)
OILER TEAM RECORDS *state record
*138—most consecutive wins (2015-2020)
*52—most consecutive postseason wins (2014-2022)
*25—most consecutive state wins (2014-2022)
*26-2—best state tournament, 92.8%
*8—most consecutive state titles (2013-2022)
*6—most undefeated seasons (2014-2020)
*5—most consecutive unbeaten seasons (2016-2020)
SINGLE SEASON/GAME RECORDS
*276—fewest fouls (2019-2020)
*75.4—free throw % (264-350, 2016-2017)
*74.6—Field goal % game (44-59, Ness City)
*21.2—scoring defense (2019-2020)
*58.7—season FG percentage (2019-2020)
*57.1—average margin of victory (2019-2020)
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
*14-14—Emily Ryan, best FT % (2017)
*73.8—Emily Ryan, career FG % (973-1,317, 2016-2020)
*79.6—Emily Ryan, season FG % (232-290, 2020)
*90.5—Emily Ryan, career FT % (408-451, 2016-2020)
*599—Emily Ryan, career steals (2016-2020)
