BY JIM
MISUNAS
Maybe the biggest news was Central Plains Oiler Emily Ryan missed a foul shot (19-20) in the free throw contest.
The No. 1 ranked Oilers roared to their 96th consecutive victory with a dominating 71-34 victory over Larned in Thursday’s Barton Hilltop Classic semifi nals. All-stater Ryan delivered 31 points, eight assists and six steals. Delaney Rugan and Avery Hurley each scored 10 points. Hurley had five steals. The Oilers converted 30 of 43 field goals, 70 percent.
The Oilers (12-0) are 19-1 all-time in the Barton Hilltop Classic with five consecutive championships. The Oilers play St. John (6-6) in Friday’s championship game. Larned (4-6) was paced by Katie Fischer with 10 points. Ivory Muldrow contributed seven points, three steals and three assists. Baylea Perez scored eight points with three steals.
Larned 4 10 12 8–34 Central Plains 14 27 22 8 – 71 LARNED (4-6)—Fischer 5-11 0-0 10, Perez 3-8 0-0 8, Muldrow 3-7 3-4 7, Sanger 1-7 5-6 7, Clark 0-1 0-0 0, Butler 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 12-35 8-10 34 CENTRAL PLAINS (12-0)—Emily Ryan 14-17 1-1 31, Hurley 5-7 0-0 10, Rugan 5-7 0-0 10, Lamatsch 2-5 1-2 7, Jeffrey 0-2 0-0 0, Crites 3-4 2-2 8, Potter 1-1 2-2 5, Totals 30-43 6-7 71 3-pointers—L 2-15 (Perez 2-5, Clark 0-1, Butler 0-1, Muldrow 0-3, Sanger 0-5), CP 5-10 (Ryan 2-3, Lamatsch 2-4, Potter 1-1, Jeffrey 0-2). Rebounds—L 22 (Sanger 5, Fischer 5), CP 14 (Lamatsch 5). Assists—L 7 (Muldrow 3), CP 15 (Ryan 8). Steals—L 11 (Muldrow 3, Perez 3), CP 20 (Ryan 6). TO—L 32, CP 10
ST. JOHN 37, LITTLE RIVER 26
St. John’s Erin Crissman dominated with 16 points and three steals to spark the Tigers past Little River 37-26 in Thursday’s Barton Hilltop semifinal. Kimbra Dowling provided 10 rebounds. Paige Doran scored 10 points.
The Tigers (6-6) lost to five-time defending champion Central Plains 60-36 in last year’s championship game. The Oilers have posted an all-time record of 19-1 at the Barton Hilltop Classic.
Emma Bride led Little River with nine points.
St.John 12 4 11 10—37
Little River 4 8 6 8—26
ST. JOHN (6-6)—Crissman 7-10 2-2 16, Payton Meyer 0-1 2-3 2, Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Bree Meyer 1-3 0-1 3, Dowling 1-3 1-2 4, Rios 0-1 2-6 2, Claussen 0-2 0-0 0, Doran 3-10 4-6 10, Totals 12-32 11-20 37
LITTLE RIVER (9-4)—McBride 4-10 0-0 9, Boughfman 3-4 0-0 6, Bergkamp 2-4 0-0 5, Konen 1-4 0-0 2, Wright 1-4 0-0 2, Renken 1-5 0-0 2, Barta 0-2 0-0 0, Zimmerman 0-5 0-0 0, Gadberry 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 12-39 0-0 26 3-pointers—SJ 2-6 (B. Meyer 1-2, Dowling 1-3, Crissman 0-1), LR 2-12 (Bergkamp 1-1, McBride 1-5, Wright 0-1, Konen 0-1, Zimmerman 0-2, Renken 0-2). Rebounds—SJ 26 (Dowling 10), LR 25 (Konen 7). Assists—SJ 4 (B. Meyer 3), LR 7 (Zimmerman 2, Renken 2). Steals—SJ 8 (Crissman 3), LR 5 (McBride 2)
NESS CITY 54, ELL-SALINE 51
Ness City’s Zoe Seib converted two free throws in overtime to spark a 54-51 consolation victory over winless Ell-Saline.
Tiana Epperson scored 23 points and Taylor Starr added 11 points. Starr scored a basket to send the game to overtime at 50-50.
Ell-Saline 21 7 13 9 1—51
Ness City 15 12 11 12 4 — 54
ELL-SALINE (0-12)—Ditto 6-14 0-0 14, Rowley 4-7 2-3 13, Lange 2-6 1-1 7, Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Kramer 3-8 0-0 7, Hynes 0-1 0-0 0, Short 1-3 0-0 2, Backhus 1-3 0-0 2, Hardesty 1-4 0-0 2, Vogt 1-4 0-0 2, Totals 20-52 3-6 51
NESS CITY (2-9)—Epperson 8-21 2-3 23, Starr 3-5 5-10 11, Pfannenstiel 2-6 3-6 9, Seib 0-2 4-6 4, Morales 1-4 2-4 4, Reinhardt 1-5 1-4 3, Flax 0-4 0-0 0, Liggett 0-1 2-2 2, Totals 15-48 19-35 54 3-pointers—ES 8-15 (Rowley 3, Ditto 2, Lange 2, Kramer 1), NC 5-15 (Epperson 3, Pfannenstiel 2)
BARTON HILLTOP CLASSIC
FIRST ROUND—Larned 46, Macksville 23; Little River 48, Ell-Saline 33; St. John 41, Ness City 32
TUESDAY—Central Plains 82, Macksville 13
THURSDAY—Ness City 54, Ell-Saline 51; St. John 37, Little River 26; Central Plains 71, Larned 34
FRIDAY—1ST—Central Plains 12-0 vs. St. John 6-6, 8 p.m.; 3RD—Larned 4-6 vs. Little River 9-4, 6:15; 5TH—Macksville vs. Ness City
