MANHATTAN – When Central Plains girls basketball coach Pat Stiles turned the second half over to guard Emily Ryan, the Oilers’ fifth consecutive 2A state title was secure.
All-stater Ryan scored 25 points with seven assists to spark the Oilers past Valley Heights High School 48-32 in Saturday’s 2A state championship game.
Ryan had an off shooting night – 6 of 19 shooting – but shut down the Mustangs’ leading scorer Kayla Smith and led the Oilers with eight rebounds. Ryan blocked six shots and Smith converted 1 of 10 shots. Smith scored 27 points in the Mustangs’ 63-59 overtime victory over Olpe.
“Smith is a great scorer. Emily’s defense is vastly underrated,” said Central Plains coach Pat Stiles. “Emily has great length and anticipation. She’s so smart, I let her defend the other’s team’s best scorer. She has the ability to stay out of foul trouble, yet block six shots.”
Ryan contributed 21 second-half points with two assists to personally deliver 25 of the Oilers’ 28 second-half points.
In one memorable second-half stretch, Ryan was everywhere – blocking shots, grabbing rebounds, directing the offense and scoring. She didn’t allow 2 of 11 shooting from 3-point range to lower her confidence.
“My teammates had my back,” Ryan said. “There’s a lot more to the game than scoring. It’s state championship night. You can’t hold anything back. I wanted to play a complete game. I take pride in my defense.”
Oiler Delaney Rugan scored 10 points and Rachel Lamatsch contributed eight points.
The Oilers (26-0) have swept 84 consecutive games and are 129-1 over the past five seasons. The Oilers are 30-0 in postseason play the past five seasons.
Senior Julie Donecker has been part of four consecutive state titles with a 103-1 Oiler record over the past four years. She kicked up her game several notches late in the season. She shed tears when she celebrated as the Oilers’ lone senior.
“It’s been great fun – I’ve enjoyed every minute,” Donecker said. “Late in the season, I told myself this was the last time I’d play in an Oiler uniform. I picked it up.”
The Oilers led 20-12 at halftime as the Mustangs made 2 of 20 field goals with seven turnovers. The Oilers shot 28 percent on 7 of 25 field goals.
“Our defense has carried us all year, but we’ve scored so many points, you don’t always notice it,” Stiles said. “When our offense struggled tonight, we still defended. We’ve played that type of defense all year.”
Stiles said the Oilers achieved their goal of working to improve every day.
“They buy into the fact we try and get better every day in practice and every game,” he said. “These girls are awesome to coach. I feel very fortunate to coach this group of girls.”
The Mustangs (21-6) never rallied against the Oilers’ lead in the second half. Samantha Vermetten led the Mustangs with eight points, but she converted 2 of 11 field goals. The Mustangs made 9 of 21 second-half field goals to finish as 27 percent – 11 of 41 from the field.

CENTRAL PLAINS 48,
VALLEY HEIGHTS 32
VH 3 9 7 13 – 32
CP 8 12 12 16 – 48
VALLEY HEIGHTS (21-6)—Smith 1-10 2-2 4, Manley 1-3 2-2 5, Toerber 2-6 0-2 4, Vermettern 2-11 4-6 8, Woodyard 3-7 0-0 7, Stevenson 0-1 0-0 0, Musil 1-1 0-0 2, hanson 0-1 0-0 0, Borgerding 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 11-41 8-12 32.
CENTRAL PLAINS (26-0)—Emily Ryan 6-19 11-12 25, Lamatsch 3-6 0-0 8, Rugan 4-12 2-4 10, Donecker 1-2 0-0 2, Hurley 1-4 0-0 2, Jeffrey 0-0 1-2 1, Totals 15-43 14-18 48.
3-pointers—VH 2-6 (Woodyard 1-2, Manley 1-2, Smith 0-1, Hanson 0-1), CP 4-20 (Lamatsch 2-5, Ryan 2-11, Hurley 0-1, Rugan 0-3). Rebounds—VH 26 (Toerber 8), CP 31 (Ryan 8). Assists—VH 1 (Smith 1), CP (Ryan 6). Steals—VH 4 (Vermetten 3), CP 4 (Ryan 2). TO—VH 10, CP 9.

CENTRAL PLAINS GIRLS (29-12) 15 TRIPS (7-0 FINALS)
2018—2A—Central Plains 55, Inman 30; Central Plains 60, Hill City 35; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 48, Valley Heights 32; Coach Pat Stiles
2017—2A—Central Plains 60, Chase County 30; Central Plains 53, Valley Falls 41; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 60, Alma-Wabaunsee 48; Coach Pat Stiles
2016—2A—Central Plains 48, Pittsburg Colgan 24; Cen-tral Plains 53, Hill City 47; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 62, Olpe 51; Coach Pat Stiles
2015—2A—Central Plains 62, Alma-Wabaunsee 52; Cen-tral Plains 64, Meade 51; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 46, Moundridge 33; Coach Pat Stiles
2014—2A—Central Plains 47, Pittsburg Colgan 38; Cen-tral Plains 60, Meade 45; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 47, Jefferson North 45; Coach Pat Stiles
2007—1A—Centralia 43, Claflin 30
2006—1A—Claflin 44, Pike Valley 17; Claflin 54, Golden Plains 45; CHAMPIONSHIP—Claflin 47, Greensburg 35; Coach Toby Holmes
2005—1A—Claflin 68, Jetmore 39; Claflin 50, Greensburg 30; CHAMPIONSHIP—Claflin 68, Wetmore 54; Coach To-by Holmes
2004—1A—Claflin 54, Sedan 52; Sublette 65, Claflin 47; THIRD PLACE—Hoxie 65, Claflin 47
1997—1A—Claflin 69, Olpe 44; Centralia 56, Claflin 51; THIRD PLACE—Weskan 104, Claflin 74
1996—1A—Pretty Prairie 78, Claflin 74
1995—1A—Claflin 59, Hope 52; Marais Des Cygnes Val-ley 61, Claflin 48; THIRD PLACE—Logan 79, Claflin 76
1994—1A—Claflin 65, Wetmore 52; Logan 81, Claflin 78; THIRD PLACE—Claflin 62, Hutchinson Trinity 60
1987—1A—Quivira Heights 57, Grainfield-Wheatland 56, OT; Spearville 62, Quivira Heights 59; THIRD PLACE—Quivira Heights 58, Burrton 44
1983—1A—Claflin 46, Centralia 44; Grainfield-Wheatland 62, Claflin 38; THIRD PLACE—Frontenac 46, Claflin 30

2A STATE, MANHATTAN GIRLS
SATURDAY
FIRST—Central Plains 25-0 vs. Valley Heights 21-5
THIRD—Olpe 23-1 vs. Hill City 21-4

FRIDAY
Central Plains 60, Hill City 35
Valley Heights 63, Olpe 59 (OT)

WEDNESDAY
Central Plains 55, Inman 30
Hill City 50, Pittsburg Colgan 49
Olpe 56, Spearville 32
Valley Hts. 50, West Elk 33

CPL GIRLS
CPlains ... 8-0 26-0
St. John.. 7-1 16-7
Otis-Bison 5-3 15-7
LaCrosse 5-3 11-11
Kinsley ... 4-4 11-11
Victoria ... 4-4 7-14
Macksville 2-6 8-13
Ellinwood 1-7 1-20
Ness City 0-8 0-21

CENTRAL PLAINS GIRLS (29-12) 15 TRIPS (7-0 FINALS)
2018—2A—Central Plains 55, Inman 30; Central Plains 60, Hill City 35; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 48, Valley Heights 32; Coach Pat Stiles
2017—2A—Central Plains 60, Chase County 30; Central Plains 53, Valley Falls 41; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 60, Alma-Wabaunsee 48; Coach Pat Stiles
2016—2A—Central Plains 48, Pittsburg Colgan 24; Cen-tral Plains 53, Hill City 47; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 62, Olpe 51; Coach Pat Stiles
2015—2A—Central Plains 62, Alma-Wabaunsee 52; Cen-tral Plains 64, Meade 51; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 46, Moundridge 33; Coach Pat Stiles
2014—2A—Central Plains 47, Pittsburg Colgan 38; Cen-tral Plains 60, Meade 45; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 47, Jefferson North 45; Coach Pat Stiles
2007—1A—Centralia 43, Claflin 30
2006—1A—Claflin 44, Pike Valley 17; Claflin 54, Golden Plains 45; CHAMPIONSHIP—Claflin 47, Greensburg 35; Coach Toby Holmes
2005—1A—Claflin 68, Jetmore 39; Claflin 50, Greensburg 30; CHAMPIONSHIP—Claflin 68, Wetmore 54; Coach To-by Holmes
2004—1A—Claflin 54, Sedan 52; Sublette 65, Claflin 47; THIRD PLACE—Hoxie 65, Claflin 47
1997—1A—Claflin 69, Olpe 44; Centralia 56, Claflin 51; THIRD PLACE—Weskan 104, Claflin 74
1996—1A—Pretty Prairie 78, Claflin 74
1995—1A—Claflin 59, Hope 52; Marais Des Cygnes Val-ley 61, Claflin 48; THIRD PLACE—Logan 79, Claflin 76
1994—1A—Claflin 65, Wetmore 52; Logan 81, Claflin 78; THIRD PLACE—Claflin 62, Hutchinson Trinity 60
1987—1A—Quivira Heights 57, Grainfield-Wheatland 56, OT; Spearville 62, Quivira Heights 59; THIRD PLACE—Quivira Heights 58, Burrton 44
1983—1A—Claflin 46, Centralia 44; Grainfield-Wheatland 62, Claflin 38; THIRD PLACE—Frontenac 46, Claflin 30