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St. John girls advance to Class 1A Division-I state championship game
Lady Tigers handle Waverly in semis
spt mm Jamie Waters entry pass
St. John's Jamie Waters throws an entry pass into the lane during Friday night's Class 1A Division-I state tournament semifinal game against Waverly at White Auditorium in Emporia. - photo by Mack McClure Great Bend Tribune

EMPORIA — Once St. John High School started hitting on all cylinders, Waverly’s girls couldn’t stop the Lady Tigers’ momentum.

In a matchup of 22-2 teams, St. John advanced to today’s Class 1A Division-I state basketball tournament championship game after beating Waverly 54-43 Friday night in a semifinal at White Auditorium.

St. John (23-2), which plays Hoxie (23-1) for all of the marbles at 4 p.m., broke a 19-all deadlock late in the second quarter Friday night, scoring the final five points to seize a 24-19 lead at halftime. The Lady Tigers then opened the third quarter with an 8-2 surge for a 32-21 lead and kept the Bulldogs (22-3) out of arm’s reach the rest of the way.

St. John, making its third state tourney appearance in the last four years, will be gunning for the second state crown in school history. The Lady Tigers won it all in 2009 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, fourth-year head coach Danny Smith’s first season at St. John.

 “When I went into the locker room, the girls were just sitting there completely quiet and treating it like just another game,” said Smith of his team’s mood after the win over Waverly. “I told them if you’re not excited, I am.

“Being there at the state tournament in basketball two of the last three years now and being at state in volleyball the past four years and winning it in three out of the four … they’ve played in big games and they just expect (to win). Anything less, they’re going to be disappointed.”

Senior post player Teresa Wade pumped in a game-high 21 points and junior guard Jamie Waters poured in 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Junior forward Ashley Romig led Waverly with a double-double —15 points and 15 rebounds — to go along with four assists and three steals.

Check out Sunday’s Tribune for a complete game report, along with state championship coverage from Emporia.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Class 1A Division-I
State Tournament

At Emporia
White Auditorium

GIRLS

 Semifinal

Friday

St. John 54, Waverly 43
 ST. JOHN (23-2)
     Morgan Osborne 2-5 1-1 5, Jamie Waters 3-6 7-8 15, Teresa Christie 2-3 2-4 6, Alexis Witt 3-7 0-0 6, Teresa Wade 8-10 5-6 21, Tia Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Jessica Hanson 0-1 0-0 0, Haley Falk 0-0 0-0 0, Rhian Collins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-36 16-21 54.

WAVERLY (22-3)

     Katherine Graham 3-3 0-3 6, Ashley Romig 5-19 5-8 15, Paige Meader 2-9 2-2 7, Erin Zilliox 2-4 0-0 4, Shannon Lee 1-7 0-0 2, Hali Blackbourn 0-0 0-0 0, Lacie Clarkson 0-0 0-0 0, Catherine Chapman 3-5 1-2 8. Totals 16-47 8-15 43.
St. John                       13  11  14  16  —  54

Waverly                  10    9   7   17  —  43
    Three-point goals — Waverly 3-9 (Lee 1-6, Meader 1-2, Chapman 1-1); St. John 2-8 (Waters 2-5, Hanson 0-1, Christie 0-1, Osborne 0-1). Rebounds — Waverly 30 (Romig 15); St. John 26 (Witt 6, Osborne 5). Assists — Waverly 12 (Romig 4, Lee 4); St. John 11 (Waters 5, Osborne 3, Wade 2, Witt 1). Turnovers — Waverly 18, St. John 17.