1A DIVISION 2 WEDNESDAY
GREAT BEND, BARTON COUNTY
2 p.m.—Tribune Greeley County 21-2 vs. Pawnee Heights 12-10
4 p.m.—Northern Valley 20-2 vs. Waverly 13-10
6 p.m. —Hanover 21-1 vs. Central Plains 4-18
8 p.m.—Bucklin 17-5 vs. Caldwell 15-6
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
One year after unlikely postseason runs, the Pawnee Heights and Central Plains boys repeated the script.
The Pawnee Heights Tigers (12-10) and Central Plains Oilers (4-18) will be heavy underdogs when the Class 1A Division 2 boys basketball tournament returns Wednesday to the Kirkman Center at Barton Community College.
PAWNEE HEIGHTS — The Tigers upset No. 1 seed McPherson Elyria 41-39 on Alec Carlson’s 3-point play. They beat Stafford 43-34 with the Trojans seeking their first state tournament trip in 75 years.
Carlson’s coast-to-coast 3-play was followed by the Tigers’ defense forcing a turnover on the final possession against Elyria. Elyria beat the Tigers 55-42 in the 1A state semifinals last year.
“Having Alec drive the basketball was our best bet. Elyria was the first game in a while where we played four full quarters of basketball,” said Pawnee Heights coach Rick Carlson. “Up until substate, we’ll have a few minutes where we go scoreless and the game gets away from us. Against Elyria and Stafford, we put two games together. We played a tough schedule in the Southern Plains Iroquois where most teams have twice as many students to draw from.”
The crafty all-state Carlson (21 ppg, 4 steals, 3 assists) is an accurate 3-pointer shooter with the ballhandling ability to attack the basket. The 6-3 Adam Hands (11 ppg, 7 rpg) and 6-2 Braden Colglazier (11 ppg, 10 rpg) combine for a reliable triple threat. The Tigers qualified for the state basketball tournament for the first time since 1972. The Rozel district captured state basketball titles in 1954 (Burdett), 1959 (Rozel) and 1960 (Rozel).
The Tigers play Tribune-Greeley County (21-2) at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
“Greeley County plays a good man-to-man defense,” Carlson said. “Their guards are quick and shoot the 3-pointer. We’ve got a height advantage inside that we hope will help us.”
CENTRAL PLAINS — The Central Prairie League Oilers (4-18) won one regular-season game 59-43 Feb. 1 over Otis-Bison. But the Oilers hit their stride with postseason wins over Tescott 61-33, Wilson 68-45 and Lost Springs Centre 46-41 to capture the school’s fifth trip to the state basketball tournament.
“The guys were super excited. As a coach, it was fun to see smiling faces after we took our lumps all season,” said Central Plains coach Bryce Steiner. “Our home crowd reaction was big time. Our crowd has supported our guys through ups and downs. With all the success they;ve seen, they appreciate how much the boys have improved. We’ll see a lot of green at the state tournament.”
The Oilers played better in each game.
“Against Tescott, things went really well and they slowly gained confidence,” Steiner said. “The guys played their best basketball of the season in so many phases. Our big key was we rebounded the basketball better. It’s been a team effort. We’ve stolen possessions by getting every loose ball and scrambling for rebounds. The extra possessions made the difference.”
Third-team All-CPL Peyton Ryan (20 ppg, 4 steals, 2 assists) provides a steady ballhandler with improving shooting ability. Ryan achieved a rare triple double this season with double digit points, steals and rebounds.
“Things tend to run smoother with Ryan in the game. He’s watched great basketball in his life and it shows. His knowledge is something you can’t teach.”
Steiner wanted to play a faster pace, but eight available players limit his options. Evan Stratmann (7.5 ppg) and Huntre Klima (5 ppg) provide some offensive punch.”
Steiner realizes the Oilers face a tough matchup against defending champion Hanover which beat McPherson Elyria 52-40.
“We won’t be intimidated, but Hanover is long and athletic, as good as advertised,” Steiner said. “They don’t shoot a whole bunch of 3s. But they pressure some and play a lot of tough zone defense.”
The Oilers got hot in posteason last year when the 6-16 Oilers surprised Centre 72-48 and Peabody 51-47 before losing to state runner-up McPherson Elyria 41-33. The 2021-2022 season misfired when expected standouts Michael Laymon (10 ppg), Cole Lamatsch and Dawson McNeal were unable to participate.
PAWNEE HEIGHTS TIGERS (12-10)
1—Leighton Munk, 5-6, 10
2—Braden Colglazier, 6-2, 12
3—Russel Baier, 6-2, 12
4—Clayton Hammeke, 5-4, 9
5—Adam Hands, 6-3, 12
10—Reed Stedje, 6-2, 10
11—James Gardner, 5-8, 9
12—Davin Hamby, 5-9, 10
14—Dalen Rasmussen, 5-8, 9
15—Alec Carlson, 6-2, 11
23—Brady Carlson, 5-11, 9
30—Dakota Ryan, 6-1, 11; 5, 4
PAWNEE HEIGHTS BOYS HISTORY (10-4)
8 STATE TRIPS (3-0 FINALS)
2022—Pawnee Heights (12-1) vs. Tribune Greeley County (21-2)
2021—Pawnee Heights 48, South Haven 43; McPherson Elyria 55, Pawnee Heights 42
1972—Bogue 61, Pawnee Heights 59
1963—BB—Dwight 51, Rozel 49
1960—B—Rozel 72, McLouth 51; Rozel 61, Chetopa 45; CHAMPIONSHIP—Rozel 65, Americus 57; Coach—Richard Boone
1959—BB—Rozel 82, Portis 55; Rozel 59, Prescott 47; CHAMPIONSHIP—Rozel 57, Ada 56; Coach—Richard Boone
1954—BB—Burdett 70, Kipp 48; Burdett 48, Simpson 44; CHAMPIONSHIP—Burdett 55, Plevna 47; Coach—Jay Frazier
1925—B—Deerfield 18, Burdett 17
CENTRAL PLAINS OILERS (4-18)
2—Aiden Hekele, 5-10, G, 9
5—Hunter Klima, 5-11, F, 10
11—Peyton Ryan, 5-11, PG, 10
21—Joseph Bunch, 5-8, G, 11
22—Joel Schreiber, 6-0, 9
23—Evan Stratmann, 5-8, G, 11
34—Kristopher Frost, 6-1, F, 9
51—Connor Fries, 5-10, 10
CENTRAL PLAINS BOYS (9-3)
5 STATE TRIPS (2-1 FINALS)
2022—1A DIV. 2—Central Plains (4-18) vs. Hanover (21-1)
2019—Central Plains 55, Macksville 30; Central Plains 59, Caldwell 41; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 40, St. John 28; Coach—Brett Rolfs;
2018—2A—Central Plains 58, Inman 42; Central Plains 58, Salina Sacred Heart 36; CHAMPIONSHIP—Central Plains 47, Pittsburg Colgan 34; Coach—Brett Rolfs
2016—2A—Central Plains 77, Lawrence Seabury 56; Salina Sacred Heart 62, Central Plains 52; THIRD PLACE—Central Plains 56, Hill City 25
2015—2A—Central Plains 67, Jackson Heights 42; Central Plains 69, Olpe 44; CHAMPIONSHIP—St. John 49, Central Plains 44
