STERLING — Top-seeded Central Plains High School’s girls’ basketball team earned a rematch with Sterling by beating Pratt-Skyline 56-24 on Friday night in a Class 2A basketball sub-state tournament.
The winner gets a berth in the 2A State Tournament at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
Central Plains (20-2) qualified for the state tournament last year and placed fourth.
Sterling (19-3) beat the Lady Oilers 66-56 when the teams met in the Hilltop Hoops Classic at Barton Community College’s Kirkman Activity Center. Central Plains defeated Sterling to capture the state berth last season.
“The team that wins the sub-state will be competitive at the Class 2A State Tournament,” Central Plains head coach Pat Stiles said. “The first time we lost to, St. John, we beat them the second time so we know we can beat a team the second time.”
The Lady Oilers featured a balanced offensive game against Skyline.  
Freshman Taylor Rolfs scored 15 points. Jennifer Hitschmann scored 14 points, and Janae Hekele added 11.
“Our balance has been our theme this year,” Stiles said. “We get a different girl stepping up every game. This is a team that plays well together.”
The Lady Oilers made 25 of 59 field goals and scored several easy baskets off 30 Lady Thunderbirds turnovers.
“We got into a little more intense and started playing pressuring the ball more,” Stiles said. “We got into our defensive game after the first quarter.”
Skyline (14-8) was paced by point guard Kaitlyn Stark with 13 points, plus a solid ballhandling game. Stark made a trio of 3-pointers and converted 4 of 6 shots. Her teammates made 4 of 23 field goals.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Class 2A Sub-State Tournament

GIRLS

Friday

At Sterling

Semifinal

Central Plains 56, Pratt-Skyline 24
SKYLINE (14-8)
    Kaitlyn Stark 4-6 2-2 13, Alyssa Swonger 0-2 2-2 2, Janessa Davis 1-6 0-0 2, Morgan Flowers 0-2 0-0 0, Mycah Owens 0-0 0-1 0, Kadi Richardson 1-4 0-0 2, Brooke Fisher 0-4 0-0 0, Taylor DeWeese 0-1 0-0 0, Betsy Girls 1-1 0-0 3, Jessica DeWeese 1-3 0-2 2. Totals 8-29 4-7 24.
CENTRAL PLAINS (20-2)
    Taylor Rolfs 5-12 3-6 15, Jennifer Hitschmann 7-11 0-0 14, Janae Hekele 5-9 0-0 11, Breanna Holmes 4-6 0-0 8, Katie Hipp 3-6 0-0 6, Kendra Oberle 1-4 0-0 2, Breanna Schartz 0-2 0-0 0, Sam Stroede 0-2 0-0 0, Reagan Phelan 0-7 0-0 0. Totals 25-59 3-6 56.
Pratt-Skyline  5    8    7    4  —  24
Central Plains 6  23  19    8  —  56
    Three-point goals — Skyline (Stark 3, Girls); Central Plains (Rolfs 2, Hekele); Total fouls — Central Plains 11, Skyline 7.