2022-23 GIRLS BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW
 

 
CLASS 6A
 
2021-22 State champion: Washburn Rural
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Derby
 
2021-22 Season review: Washburn Rural captured its second state championship in four years, but it was far from easy. With seven of the eight state qualifiers boasting records of 18-4 or better, last year’s 6A state tournament had all the makings of being a great one. It was as five of the eight games in Wichita were decided by three points or less. Blue Valley started the drama off with a buzzer-beating win over Topeka High in the quarterfinals and the Tigers lived on the edge the rest of the tourney, falling in double overtime in the semifinals to Derby and winning the third-place game in triple overtime against Olathe North. Derby’s semifinal win – which saw the Panthers overcome a 31-point effort by Blue Valley’s Jadyn Wooten – was just as thrilling as Washburn Rural’s 44-43 win over undefeated Olathe North. The Junior Blues rallied from down 33-25 in the third quarter and a 37-31 deficit in the fourth quarter. Rural carried the momentum over to the title game and clamped down on Derby defensively, holding the Panthers to 21% shooting in a somewhat anti-climactic 40-23 victory. Rural and Derby each finished with 23-2 records with the Junior Blues handing Derby its only losses of the season. Olathe North also finished 23-2, losing its last two games, while Blue Valley ended 21-4.
 
2022-23 Contenders: Even though Washburn Rural graduated do-everything point guard/forward Emma Krueger, the Junior Blues return more than enough firepower to defend their title. Senior Brooklyn DeLeye battled through a late-season knee injury at state a year ago but still scored a team-high 13 points in the title game. Juniors Zoe Canfield, Jada Ingram and Ma’Ryah Lutz give veteran coach Kevin Bordewick a solid cast around DeLeye with Canfield a University of Kansas commit. Derby certainly has a shot at returning to the title game as well with Addy Brown returning as one of the top posts in the state. The Panthers lost a lot to graduation as well as returner Maryn Archer to an early graduation so finding complements to Brown will be the key. Coming off its third-place finish, Blue Valley was on the brink of playing for a title last year and could make that next step this year. Wooten is a dynamic scorer for the Tigers, who return all but two players off last year’s state squad. District rival Blue Valley North could be the team that winds up as Rural’s top challenger. The Mustangs dealt with injuries all last season, but qualified for state before falling to Olathe North in the first round. The Mustangs graduated four seniors off last year’s team but return the twin-tower tandem of Jaliya Davis (6-2) and Aubrey Shaw (6-2) who will be a match-up nightmare for almost everyone. The Mustangs are ranked No. 2 behind Rural in the preseason KBCA poll, while Shawnee Mission West checks in at No. 3. The Vikings should be hungry after Derby stymied them in the quarterfinals last year, holding them to just 17 points. West boasts University of Kansas signee S’Mya Nichols and all but two players off last year’s 18-5 team. Olathe North comes in at No. 5, a spot behind Blue Valley, but must replace a talented senior class that did the bulk of the work in last year’s undefeated regular season. Topeka High has a new coach in former Trojan Brittany Redmond, but has a big-time scorer in senior guard Kiki Smith and a recent run of success that included a runner-up finish to Shawnee Mission Northwest in the 2021 finals. Northwest missed out on defending its title a year ago, but is ranked No. 7 in the preseason while Olathe West is No. 6.

 

 
 
CLASS 5A
 
2021-22 State champion: St. Thomas Aquinas
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Salina Central
 
2021-22 Season review: St. Thomas Aquinas continued its stranglehold on the Class 5A crown, capturing its sixth straight championship last March. The Saints concluded a 23-2 season with three state tournament wins by an average of 17 points per game. The closest of those games was the 52-38 win over Salina Central in the state championship. Central had been dominant in its first two state tourney wins, rolling past De Soto 69-34 in the quarterfinals and then Lansing 68-37 in the semifinals. But the Mustangs and All-State guard Aubrie Kierscht couldn’t find a way to slow down Aquinas All-State center Beatrice Culliton, who finished the title game with 18 points and 17 rebounds, and couldn’t overcome a cold game from 3-point range as Central finished 4 of 19 beyond the arc. The Mustangs finished the season 24-1. Andover Central nipped Lansing 48-46 for third to cap a 19-6 season while Lansing finished 20-5 matching its best state-tournament showing
 
2022-23 Contenders: Can anyone rise up and end Aquinas’ title run, which is the second-longest in state history behind Central Plains’ eight straight from 2014-22? Well, the Saints might appear somewhat vulnerable to having the streak end despite only losing two players to graduation off last year’s title team. But Beatrice Culliton’s departure leaves a big hole in the middle and fellow graduate Charlotte O’Keefe was a valuable do-it-all type. The Saints were young behind those two seniors with Catherine Goodwin the lone junior on last year’s team and veteran coach Rick Hetzel has plenty to keep things going. Helping Aquinas’ cause is that most of last year’s top challengers also suffered big hits to graduation. Salina Central must replace all-time leading scorer Aubrie Kierscht and six-footer Hampton Williams, and in addition to the graduation losses saw leading returning scorer MyKala Cunningham transfer to Ohio. The Mustangs are ranked No. 6 to start the season. Andover Central lost All-Stater Brittany Harshaw  and four others including standout guard Ellie Stearns. The Jaguars have a penchant for reloading as well under Stana Jefferson and will ask for bigger things from Maddie Amekporfor this season. Lansing graduated four seniors including United Kansas Conference player of the year Kamryn Farris, but showed in volleyball its ability to stay the course, returning to state after losing all but one starter off its 2021 title team. The Lions are ranked No. 3, a spot behind Andover, which didn’t make it to state a year ago but has arguably the top returning player in Class 5A in Brooke Walker, who averaged 18 points per game last year. St. James Academy also fell short of reaching state a year ago, falling to Aquinas in the sub-state finals. But the Thunder might have the best 1-2 punch in 5A in sophomore Reese Messser (16.1 ppg) and Riley Bruggeman (20.1 ppg) and are ranked No. 4. Emporia is No. 5 after being a state qualifier last year. The Spartans lost leading scorer Gracie Gilpin and seven seniors overall, but return post Rebecca Snyder. Bishop Carroll and De Soto return key pieces from their state-tourney teams with Landon Forbes (12 ppg) leading Carroll and Makenzie Farmer (9.4 ppg) leading De Soto. Seaman lost to Andover Central in the sub-state finals but returns all five starters led by Anna Becker (14 ppg) and Taylin Stallbaumer (12 ppg) and add a strong freshman class.

 

 
 
CLASS 4A
 
2021-22 State champion: Bishop Miege
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Eudora
 
2021-22 Season review: Though not on the same kind of run as fellow Eastern Kansas League rival St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Miege was even more dominant than the Saints in winning their third straight Class 4A state crown. Miege was untouchable, in fact, winning its three state games by an average of 35 points per game, which included a 40-point win over previously undefeated Wellington in the semifinals before rolling past Eudora 71-45 in the championship game. The title was the 23^rd in program history for the Stags, far and away the most of any program in the state, but the first for Jeff English, who replaced his father Terry, as coach of the Stags last season. Miege finished the season 23-2 overall while Eudora enjoyed the best state finish in program history and ended with a 23-2 mark as well. Wellington couldn’t bounce back from its devastating semifinal loss and fell 68-61 to Wamego in the third-place game to also finish its season 23-2. Wamego finished 22-3, its best showing since winning the 2013 Class 4A Division II crown.
 
2022-23 Contenders: There will be plenty of new faces for the Bishop Miege program this season and plenty of motivation for the Stags as well. With Jeff English stepping down as coach in the offseason, Terry English was primed to return to the bench this season. But English suffered a stroke and died in October. Former assistant Kevin Mulvaney takes over the program and will have to replace five seniors off last year’s title team, including Gabi Henderson-Artis. But the Stags always reload and with Grace McCallop and Kirston Verhulst leading the cast of returners, Miege will once again be the favorite. After taking third a year ago, many project Wamego to not only get back but perhaps challenge the Stags. Wamego lost leading scorer Paige Donnelly to graduation, but pretty much everyone else is back and four players led by seniors Trista Hoobler and Ashten Pierson have helped lead the golf and softball teams to state titles in the past two years. Perennial power McPherson was edged by Wellington in the quarterfinals last year but returns all but three players off last year’s state team. The Bullpups are ranked No. 3, a spot ahead of 4A newcomer Hugoton, which finished runner-up in Class 3A last year. The Eagles have bounced between 4A and 3A the past several years so the move back up to 4A won’t be a shock. And don’t be shocked if the Eagles end up playing for a state title with the key pieces of last year’s runner-up team back. Senior Mikyn Hamlin has been one of the state’s top players since her freshman year and she’s Division I bound while fellow seniors Gianna Vos and Summya Adigun have been bit-time performers as well. Andale always produces a state-caliber team and this year won’t be any different. Multi-sport standout McKenzie Fairchild could be the best all around athlete in the state and Andale returns all but three players from last year’s state team. Can Wellington recapture last year’s magical run that saw the Crusaders go undefeated into the state semifnals? Well, Wellington lost only two seniors off that squad, but they were good ones in Ali Zeka and Airalyn Frame. But Britt Zeka and Valerie Norwood were impact freshmen a year ago ready to lead the team this season. Runner-up a year ago, Eudora must replace All-Stater Harper Schreiner and four other seniors but return Harper’s younger sister, Sawyer, and Kenzie Yoder, who will take on big roles this season. Clay Center was an overtime loss to Eudora in the quarterfinals away from being a final four team last year. The Tigers lost leading scorer Shelby Siebold, but made last year’s run returning just one starter from the previous season. Rock Creek is ranked No. 8 but must replace its leading trio of scorers from a year ago. Clearwater has a strong 1-2 punch in senior Carli Carlson (12 ppg) and junior Elizabeth Tjaden (14.4 ppg).
 
 

 
CLASS 3A
 
2021-22 State champion: Goodland
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Hugoton
 
2021-22 Season review: Even in bringing a 21-2 record into the Class 3A state tournament, Goodland was somewhat of a sleeper to win the state title – something the program hadn’t done since 1980. Instead, the argument could be made that all eyes were on Nickerson and All-State standout Ava Jones. Or Hugoton and its bevy of stars that had fallen short in 2021. Or even top-seeded Silver Lake, which like Nickerson was 22-1 going into state. Whatever role Goodland was in, the Cowboys played it well. Goodland squeaked past Southeast of Saline 38-37 in the quarterfinals and then upset Silver Lake 59-53 in the semifinals. Locked in a tight battle with Hugoton in the finals, Goodland took the lead with 31 seconds left on a Talexa Weeter free throw and then survived Mikyn Hamlin’s last-second shot to hold on for a 48-47 victory. Earlier in the season, Hamlin had beaten Goodland on a last-second shot from nearly the same spot on the floor, but this time Goodland escaped for its first state title in 42 years, capping a 24-2 season. Hugoton also ended 24-2. Silver Lake topped Nickerson 53-51 to finish third and 24-2 as well while Nickerson ended 23-3.
 
2022-23 Contenders: Goodland will have all eyes on it this season as it goes after a repeat, something the program accomplished with back-to-back titles in 1974 and 1975. Graduation claimed only senior post Emma Lehman off last year’s title team, leaving Goodland with a loaded roster to make a repeat happen. Weeter averaged nearly 18 points per game last year and is one of the top players in 3A while three others – seniors Lindsey Cure and Olivia Lehman and junior Jaxi Mitchek – were right around 8 points per game in supporting roles. With Hugoton moving up to 4A this season, Silver Lake should be Goodland’s top challenger after the two teams had a great battle in last year’s semifinals. The Eagles didn’t lose a player off last year’s third-place team and have a big-time post presence in Makenzie McDaniel, who is a double-double machine. McKinley Kruger also was a double-figure scorer last year and there are enough other complements for the Eagles to make a run at their first title since 2016. Nickerson suffered a huge loss in the offseason when Ava Jones was struck by a car and hospitalized for months. The Iowa signee is no longer in the hospital and is back to school, but will miss her senior season recovering from her severe injuries. The Panthers also saw standout guard Josie McLean transfer to Hutchinson for her senior season. Goodland denied Phillipsburg a state berth last year, but the Panthers are in a different sub-state this year and boast the best player in Class 3A in Taryn Sides. The Kansas State signee averaged a state-best 27.8 points per game last year and is poised to join the prestigious 2,000-point club this season. After taking runner-up in 3A in 2021, Sabetha wasn’t able to make it back last year, but start this year ranked No. 4 in 3A behind Goodland, Silver Lake and Phillipsburg, respectively. The Bluejays return the bulk of last year’s team, including leading scorer Mary Lukert. Sabetha’s arch rival, Nemaha Central, is right behind at No. 5 and is coming off a runner-up finish in state volleyball in the fall. The Thunder have a strong senior class led by Addy Holthaus and Ella Larkin. Cheney won the state title in 2021 but like Sabetha couldn’t get back to defend its title last year, blocked by Nickerson. The Cardinals lost leading scorer Brynn McCormick and will be led by senior Campbell Hague. Santa Fe Trail returns leading scorer Kaelee Washington from last year’s state team and only lost three players. Southeast of Saline was a one-point loss in the quarterfinals from making the top four last year and returns all but three players off that squad. Eureka was upset by Frontenac in the sub-state finals last year after losing just once in the regular season. The Tornadoes should be plenty motivated this year and have a big-time scorer in Ashley Singhateh. Frontenac returns Hattie Pyle from its state team, but lost four key players. Cherryvale also was at state last year and has all but one player returning, boasting a solid 1-2 punch in Kelsi Lantz and Jailee Reister. Colby is No. 7 in the preseason poll but must replace leading scorer Brooklyn Jones.
 
 

 
CLASS 2A
 
2021-22 State champion: Sterling
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Garden Plain
 
2021-22 Season review: After a series of near-misses, Sterling broke through with a state title in 2021. Last season, the Black Bears set out to prove it had staying power. Safe to say they accomplished just that. Wearing the bull’s-eye all season, Sterling wore it well and took everyone’s best shot, going 26-0. That included a pair of battles with Berean Academy, the second of those coming in the state semifinals where the Black Bears survived 42-35. That set up a championship game against long-time nemesis Garden Plain – whom Sterling had beaten in the 2021 semifinals to end a string of title-denying losses to the Owls. And while Garden Plain was game, Sterling wasn’t going to be denied the repeat, taking a 47-38 win to complete the perfect season. Garden Plain, which had knocked off previously unbeaten St. Mary’s Colgan 39-26 in the quarterfinals before hitting a buzzer-beater to top Smith Center in the semifinals, finished 19-7. Smith Center bounced back from its heartbreaking semifinal loss to edge Berean Academy for third, 44-37.
 
2022-23 Contenders: Sterling coach Jill Rowland was named KSHSAA Covered’s state coach of the year after last season and if she can direct the Black Bears to a three-peat this year, she would walk away with that honor again. Sterling was senior-dominant last year with the likes of Kali Briar, Bennie Horsch, Sadie Beagley and McKenna Linden among seven on the roster. Only four players return, though sophomore Lily Gray is a huge presence in the post at 6-foot-4. Berean Academy is more than ready to step in and keep the 2A crown in the Heart of America Conference. The Warriors did lose Sally Wine to graduation, but that’s it. Senior Lillie Veer leads a talented squad that went 23-3 last year, two of those losses to Sterling. The Warriors will wear the target this year, ranked No. 1 by the KBCA in its preseason poll. Smith Center comes in at No. 2 despite losing All-2A pick Tallon Rentschler off last year’s 21-5 team. Ashlyn Long also graduated, but Camryn Hutchinson and Dakota Kattenberg return to lead Smith Center this season. Garden Plain also will have a say, per usual. The Owls typically play a tough schedule and then sees it pay dividends in the postseason, much like a year ago when they reached the title game as the No. 7 seed. Standout Brooke Hammond is gone, but a deep senior class led by Celia and Sydney Puetz will keep the Owls among the contenders, starting the season No. 3. Jackson Heights tumbled in the quarterfinals to Smith Center last year, but is coming off a 22-2 season and returns its 1-2 punch of Kanyon Olberding and Kaylee Thompson, each of whom averaged better than 14 points per game last year. St. Mary’s Colgan will be hungry after finishing as state runner-up in 2021 and then seeing last year’s bid for an undefeated season snuffed by Garden Plain. The Panthers lost a trio of starting guards, but have a strong post presence in junior Lily Brown and senior Lauren Torrance, each of whom were double-figure scorers last year. Valley Heights and Mission Valley each were state qualifiers last year, but both suffered heavy graduation losses. Paige Martin will lead Mission Valley, while Maggie Toerber is Heights’ top returner with the Mustangs ranked No. 6. Kaleigh O’Brien’s presence has Remington ranked No. 8 while Hillsboro is No. 9 and Bluestem is No. 10. Hillsboro boasts a number of players that helped the program to the 2A state volleyball title in the fall, including Zaylee Werth.

 

 
CLASS 1A DIVISION I
 
 
2021-22 State champion: Pretty Prairie
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Centralia
 
2021-22 Season review: Roads to a state title don’t get much tougher than the one Pretty Prairie took in claiming the Class 1A Division I state title a year ago. Especially for a team that enters the state tournament with just one loss as the Bulldogs did. But Pretty Prairie was undaunted in its resolve. The Bulldogs first took out one-loss Osborne 52-33 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they upset undefeated Hodgeman County 37-32. Getting another unbeaten in the state championship game in Centralia, Pretty Prairie completed the remarkable title run with a 37-35 victory over the Panthers, surviving when Oen Deters’ 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim for Centralia. The title was the first for Pretty Prairie in its program’s history and was a bit of redemption after the Bulldogs had come up just short of winning a state volleyball title in Dodge City in the fall. Pretty Prairie finished 25-1, while Centralia saw its bid for an undefeated season and the program’s sixth state title fall just short in a 25-1 season as well. Burlingame, meanwhile, enjoyed the best finish in program history, taking third with a 55-45 win over Hodgeman County to complete a 23-3 season, the Bearcats’ shot at a title ending with a 53-45 loss to Centralia in the semifinals.
 
2022-23 Contenders: With graduation hitting Pretty Prairie hard – five seniors from the title team are gone – the Bulldogs begin this season ranked No. 4. Bailey Young is the lone returning starter and averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds per game. Runner-up Centralia is loaded once again with Oen Deters coming back after a sensational freshman year that saw her rank among the leading scorers in 1A a year ago at 18 points per game. The Panthers graduated her older sister, Avery, who averaged 14 a game, and assistant Dusty Thompson takes over as head coach for Roger Holthaus, but just about everyone else is back for the Panthers, who open the season No. 2. Sitting atop the KBCA preseason Division I poll is Little River, which took a 22-1 mark into last year’s state tournament before falling 45-39 to Burlingame in the quarterfinals. Little River will sorely miss the post presence of 6-foot-2 Lily Boughfman, but a talented junior class led by Alaina Eck and Aubrey Olander that played key roles last year as sophomores are ready to take the next step – as they proved in volleyball by capturing the Division I state title in the fall. The field in 1A Division I got even deeper as Central Plains moves up after capturing the Division II title last year. The Oilers enter the 2022-23 season on a string of eight consecutive state titles across three classes – a streak that began in 2014 and was only interrupted by the cancellation of the 2020 state tournament. Central Plains lost standout Kassidy Nixon and post Maddie McGuire but has back one of the top players in 1A in Brynna Hammeke, a first-team All-Division II pick last year. The Oilers are only ranked No. 8 in the preseason, but Pat Stiles’ team can not be counted out one bit. Osborne is No. 3 and returns the bulk of its roster off last year’s 22-2 team. Senior guard Trinity Lutters is a scoring dynamo and averaged 21.2 points per game last season. She’s got a strong running mate in junior Gracie Riner (12.7 ppg). If Burlingame is to repeat last year’s historic season, the Bearcats must replace do-everything guard Daelyn Winters, who was the heart and soul of the team in addition to its leading scorer. Junior Kaylin Noonan has shown her ability to take over games and can score with anyone and a host of underclassmen emerged as last season went along. After seeing its bid for an undefeated season end in the semifinals by Pretty Prairie, Hodgeman County is hungry to finish the job this season. The Longhorns graduated four seniors, but returning senior Malynn Beil was the leading scorer a year ago and fellow senior Jessie Ruff was the leading rebounder. Finding complements to go with Shea Wurtz will be the key to Clifton-Clyde’s success as the Eagles look to get back to state and build on last year’s 16-9 mark. The Eagles lost four seniors to graduation off the state team, the program’s first state team since 2009. Wurtz averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds. Traditional power Olpe took a step backwards last year after the retirement of legendary coach Jesse Nelson and graduation of the bulk of its 2021 state championship roster. But the bumps and bruises could pay dividends this year as the Eagles look to return to their customary position as a state contender. Spearville was a state qualifier last year and lost only two players to graduation, though one of them was leading scorer Anna Stein. The Lancers will be challenged in the SPIAA not only by Hodgeman County, but also South Gray which is ranked No. 9 to start the season.
 

 
CLASS 1A DIVISION II
 
2021-22 State champion: Central Plains
 
2021-22 State runner-up: Golden Plains
 
2021-22 Season review: Turns out, only a pandemic can stop Central Plains from winning state titles. The Oilers began their state championship streak in 2014 with a state title in Class 2A. After winning five straight at that level, Central Plains dropped to 1A and won the unified title in 2019 and were poised to go back-to-back in 2020 before the state tournament was canceled after the quarterfinals. Dropping down to 1A Division II in 2021, Central Plains went back-to-back, taking last year’s crown with a 50-38 win over Golden Plains. It was the only loss for Golden Plains in a 24-1 season, while Central Plains finished with a 25-1 mark. Hanover finished third after beating Hutchinson Central Christian 47-27 in the third place game, the Wildcats coming up just short of ending Central Plains’ streak with a 49-44 loss to the Oilers in the semifinals.
 
2022-23 Contenders: With Central Plains moving back up to Division I, the throne is vacant. Who takes it appears to be a wide-open race. Hanover sits atop the KBCA preseason poll coming off last year’s third-place finish and 21-5 season overall. The Wildcats routinely are one of the top challengers in 1A II and with Ceegan Atkins back for her final season, they have a bonafide star to lead them to a title. There are some big holes to fill with four seniors having graduated off last year’s team, but the next wave of Wildcats are ready to make their mark. Lebo topped Hanover for the state volleyball title in the fall and the two very well could get a rematch for the basketball title in March. The Wolves took a 22-1 mark into the state tournament last year before – yep – Hanover beat them in the quarterfinals 54-47. Unlike Hanover, Lebo returns almost every one of its key players from a year ago, including leading scorer Brooklyn Jones and guard Audrey Peek. Golden Plains would love to finish what it started a year ago, coming one win away from a perfect season. In order to accomplish that, the Bulldogs will have to replace standout Kassie Miller and four other seniors off last year’s one-loss team. Senior Breanna Rath will be charged with leading the way this season. Attica missed out on the state tourney last year, but is ranked No. 3 to start this season. Hutchinson Central Christian is ranked No. 4 after taking fourth last year. The Cougars lost standout Samantha Ramsey, but Kaylee Kauffman was the team’s leading scorer last year from her point guard spot. The Cougars went 21-5 overall a year ago. Ashland has a dynamic scorer in Mackenzie Walker who is capable of putting the team on her back and leading them to a deep run. Walker averaged 16 points per game last year and has the Bluejays ranked No. 5. South Central (No. 7), Ingalls (No. 8), St. Paul (No. 9) and Wheatland-Grinnell (No. 10) all find themselves in the top 10 of the rankings this year after not making it to state last year. Karoline Schroeder was a double-figure scorer for Wheatland-Grinnell last year, while Josie Harris was the leading scorer for St. Paul a year ago. St. Paul drops from Division I where it went 18-3 before falling to Burlingame in the sub-state finals.