In a trying 2011-12 campaign that produced a 3-16 record, one of the constants for the Great Bend High School Lady Panthers was post player Elizabeth Kutina.
A 5-foot-9 senior, Kutina was named as an honorable mention selection to the All-Western Athletic Conference basketball team in a vote by league coaches.
“The girls had to depend on her,” said Great Bend head coach Jason Tatkenhorst of Kutina, who averaged 7.0 points and 7.1 rebounds, leading the team in both offensive categories. “She was a leader for us, a vocal leader in our huddles.
“She got better every year for us. She got a lot of defensive rebounds, and that really helped the team out. She was our low-post option to go to.”
Hays’ Paige Lunsford, who led the Lady Indians to the Class 5A state tournament, was named as Player of the Year and Hays head coach Kirk Maska was named as Coach of the Year.

ALL-WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
             GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM   

First Team
Name                         Yr.    High School
Paige Lunsford            Sr.     Hays
Katelyn Schumacher   Sr.     Hays
Kristen Heiman           Sr.     Garden City
Taryn Tempel              So.    Garden City
Brenna Briggs             Sr.     Dodge City

Honorable Mention
     Elizabeth Kutina, Sr., Great Bend; Kesha Buckner, Sr., Dodge City; Jai Chapman, So., Liberal; Ashley Stephenson, Sr., Dodge City; Hannah Pfannenstiel, Sr., Hays