In losing senior Trey Rogers off last year’s team, West Franklin lost a major piece that helped the Falcons to just the second winning season in program season since the consolidation of Pomona and Williamsburg in 2007.
 
“Trey was a special athlete that everybody just kind of looked to,” West Franklin coach Kris Hassler said.
 
As much as losing Rogers’ production (15.3 points, 8.1 rebounds per game) hurt, Hassler also felt at times Rogers’ presence – through no fault of his own – became a crutch for the Falcons last season.
 
“Almost to a fault of the younger players, they would look to him and waited for him to make a play,” Hassler said.
 
Thrust into leading roles this year, the returning Falcons – five with starting experience from a year ago – have responded. After capturing the title at the Ike Cearfoss Memorial Tournament in Central Heights last week, West Franklin is 4-0 for the first time in program history.
 
A year ago, West Franklin played in the seventh-place game of the tourney. Last Saturday, the Falcons topped Iola 63-51 for the championship.
 
“We knew we had a strong group coming back even without Trey,” Hassler said. “We’re very heavy on seniors and it’s a big and active group. We knew we had a chance to do something pretty special this year. Obviously, it’s early on but I’m excited about the start we have had.
 
“I’m not surprised that we have a winning record by any means, but maybe a bit surprised that we’ve had the start we’ve had.”
 
Hassler held similar excitement a year ago but injuries hampered the Falcons virtually all season with the team unable to be at full strength until mid February. West Franklin was 5-6 at midseason before winning six of its final nine before bowing out in the Class 3A sub-state quarterfinals to Anderson County.
 
But the injury-riddled season also allowed plenty of younger players to get experience and coming into this season, Hassler had five players who started at some point a year ago. None of those joined Rogers as a double-figure scorer last year, but four of the five averaged at least 6.2 points per game.
 
They’ve all taken it up a level this year. West Franklin has four players averaging double figures – seniors Hunter Criqui, Wade Nichols and Brody Prouty and junior Gunnar McMahan – while a fifth (junior Travell Froggatte) is just under that benchmark.
 
“We’re more balanced this year,” Hassler said. “We’re close to having five guys in double-digit. We’ve got great chemistry and right now we’re forging along. We saw some glimpses of it last year, but getting everybody healthy at the same time was an issue.”
 
West Franklin isn’t 100% right now as well with returning junior starter Gavin Gonzales still on the mend after breaking his arm during football. Prouty has stepped into his starting role and at last week’s tournament he averaged 16.3 points per game, just behind Criqui’s 17 points per game.
 
West Franklin opened the season with a 60-50 win over Flint Hills League rival Council Grove on Dec. 1. The Falcons then showed off their balance and grit in winning the Cearfoss tourney title for the first time ever, getting three wins by a combined 23 points.
 
In the tourney opener, the Falcons got down double figures to Santa Fe Trail before storming back and leading by double figures before settling for a 65-62 win with Prouty and Froggatte each scoring 15 and Criqui adding 14 points and 12 rebounds. In the semifinals, West Franklin trailed Olathe Heritage Christian by six points in the fourth quarter before shutting the Chargers out over the final four minutes to charge back for a 62-54 win, led by 20 points and 10 rebounds from Criqui and 19 points from Prouty.
 
In the finals against Iola, the Falcons faced an early deficit but took control in the first half and fended off the Mustangs. Criqui had 17 points, McMahan and Prouty each had 15 and Nichols added 11 points and 8 reobunds.
 
“These kids just keep fighting and keep playing and it was a matter of working together,” Hassler said. “It was definitely a step in the right direction for us and definitely a confidence-booster for us.”
 
West Franklin returns to league action with games against Northern Heights and Chase County this week. The big test comes on Dec. 18 in the last game before Christmas Break with the Falcons playing host to perennial power Lyndon, which is ranked No. 7 in Class 2A and is coming off a state championship in football.
 
ROSSVILLE GIRLS WIN IRISH CLASSIC TITLE
 
Rossville’s girls are off to a big start as well, sweeping their three foes at the Irish Classic in Chapman to move to 4-0. The Bulldawgs capped the tourney with an 83-40 rout of host Chapman as freshman Nora Burdiek scored 25 and sophomore Rylee Dick added 23.
 
Rossville also picked up wins over Sacred Heart and Bishop Ward, scoring 105 points in the 105-16 win over Ward. Dick scored 23 against Ward while Burdiek had 22 and Emma Mitchell 17.
 
Dick, Burdiek and Mitchell all were named to the all-tournament team with dick named the tournament MVP.
 
LEBO GIRLS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT IKE CEARFOSS TITLE
 
Coming off a 25-1 season a year ago, Lebo got its first big test this season in the finals of the Ike Cearfoss Memorial Tournament at Central Heights from Class 3A No. 6 Santa Fe Trail. Despite only getting point from Audrey Peek in the final quarter, the Wolves fought off Trail for a 40-37 win to move to 4-0 on the season and win the tournament title for the third straight season.
 
Peek scored 7 of her game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter of the title game and finished the tournament with 52 points in three games, averaging 17.3 point per game. Junior teammate Saige Hadley added 17.7 points per game (53 points in 3 games) as Lebo also blew out KC Christian 63-20 and Iola 46-22 on its way to the title and a 4-0 start overall.
 
 
ELYRIA CHRISTIAN BOYS MAKE IT A BLUEBIRD CLASSIC THREE-PEAT
 
In going 3-0 at the Goessel Bluebird Classic, Elyria Christian’s boys captured the tournament title for the third straight season. The Eagles got a bit of a challenge in a 52-39 win over Hutchinson Central Christian in the round-robin opener before easily handling Wheat State League foes Little River (61-25) and Goessel (67-19).
 
Alex Robertson went 18 of 26 from 3-point range at the tourney, averaging 18.7 points per game. Teammate Ty Romero chipped in with 15.3 points, 5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
 
Little River’s girls also finished the tournament 3-0, picking up a big win over defending Class 1A Division II champion Hanover on Saturday with a 49-43 victory.
 
 
HAYDEN GIRLS, EMPORIA BOYS WIN PAUL TERRY CLASSIC
 
In a showdown of ranked teams at Paul Terry Classic, Class 3A No. 2 Hayden edged Class 5A No. 6 Emporia 50-45 on its way to claiming the title at the round-robin tournament in Emporia. Hayden also beat Spring Hill 48-30 to start the tourney and finished with a 57-35 rout of Wichita Trinity Academy to improve to 4-0 overall.
 
Brylee Meier averaged 18.3 points per game at the tournament to pace the Wildcats, who opened the season with a 74-12 rout of KC Washington/Schlagle.
 
Emporia’s boys, meanwhile, won their second straight Paul Terry Classic title, going 3-0 with wins over Spring Hill (47-35), Hayden (50-44) and Wichita Trinity Academy (57-43). River Peters had games of 24, 22 and 17 points to average 21 points per game at the tourney.
 
 
FRANKFORT GIRLS WIN WABAUNSEE TITLE
 
Hattie Gros enjoyed a record-setting tournament in leading Frankfort’s girls to the title at the Wabaunsee Round-Robin Tournament as the Wildcats beat Northern Heights (56-21), Manhattan CHIEF (49-14) and Wabaunsee (48-44 OT). Gros scored 26 points in the win over Wabaunsee to tie the tourney single-game scoring record. Her 61 points in the three tournament games set a new tournament record.
 
 
OLPE SWEEPS YATES CENTER TITLES
 
After dropping their season openers against St. Marys, both Olpe teams rebounded in a big way at the Yates Center Invitational, taking home the tournament titles.
 
Olpe girls fought past Bluestem 55-47 in the opener and then downed South Haven 50-33 in the semifinals before holding off Neodesha 57-52 in the finals to the title. Kadey Robert scored 62 points in the three wins to lead the Eagles.
 
Olpe’s boys, meanwhile, cruised through its first two tourney games, rolling past Bluestem 64-38 and South Haven 68-36. Things were a little tougher in the finals against Sedan, but Olpe claimed a 48-38 win for the crown.
 
 
BISHOP SEABURY DEMOLISHES TOURNEY FIELD

Bishop Seabury's boys outscored their three opponents at the Valley Tip-Off Classic by a combined 150 points en route to a dominating 3-0 start, beatin Hartford 88-19, Veritas Christian 74-18 and Northeast Kansas Homeschool 66-41.

Six different players enjoyed 20-point games at the tournament. Chase Honarvar just missed a triple-double against Hartford with 22 points, 21 rebounds and 8 blocked shots and he finished the tourney averaging 18.7 points, 16.3 rebounds and 6.7 blocks per game. Aidan Page led the Seahawks at 21.3 points per game, including 26 against Veritas. Jace Hoffman averaged 16.7 points at the tourney and Jace Smith averaged 14.3 points and 12.3 rebounds, pulling down 18 boards against Hartford.

 
OTHER BASKETBALL STANDOUTS
 

• Anderson County’s girls survived a challenging week with a pair of big victories. The Bulldogs got 22 points, 15 rebounds and 17 blocks from Kylie Disbrow and a double-double from Caitlyn Foltz (10 points, 10 rebounds) to outlast Baldwin 50-47 in triple overtime last Tuesday. Then battling injury and illness, Anderson County picked up a rare win over Louisburg with a 35-31 victory as Disbrow had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 7 blocks and Foltz added 8 points and 10 rebounds.
• Osawatomie’s boys captured the title at the Linn County Tournament for the first time since 2019, going 3-0. Junior Tucker Fennel came up huge in the championship game victory over Pleasanton, going for 24 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assists.
• Perry-Lecompton’s Macie Corcoran set a school record for steals in a game, coming up with 8 in a 39-13 win over Wellsville on Friday. Perry finished runner-up at its preseason tournament, losing only to 4A Fort Scott.
• Cair Paravel’s Simon Everhart posted back-to-back double-doubles last week. He had 14 points and 11 rebounds in a 48-40 win over Mission Valley last Thursday and then followed it up with 22 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime loss to Northland Christian on Friday.
• Atchison County’s Madison Martin was a stopper in the lane in a pair of games against Jackson Heights and Doniphan West. Martin blocked 7 shots against Heights and then had 11 blocks and 9 rebounds against Doniphan West.
• Picking up the scoring void left by departed All-Stater and cousin Keller Hurla, junior Brady Hurla has gotten off to a hot start for St. Marys, leading the Bears to a 3-0 start. Hurla already has a pair of 30-point games against Olpe and Mission Valley and is averaging 25.3 points per game.
• Highland Park’s girls shut out KC Southeast (Mo.) 63-0 and is 2-0. Amelia Ramsey continued her double-double ways, going for 21 points and 23 rebounds in the season-opening win over Bonner Springs and then adding 17 and 12 against Southeast. The Scots also got double-doubles from Tahtionna Broils with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals and Pearmella Carter who had 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Deasia Sanders nearly missed joining the trio with 11 points and 9 steals.
• Silver Lake’s Makenzie McDaniel eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in her career in the Eagles’ 90-18 win over Council Grove last Tuesday. McKinley Kruger had a big week, scoring 26 in the win over Council Grove and 16 in a 50-34 win over Riley County as Silver Lake improved to 3-0.
• Centralia went 1-1, losing at the buzzer to Hiawatha on Friday after beating Cair Paravel 54-42 on Tuesday. Reese Tanking averaged 17 points in the two games and Paxton Bowers averaged 15.5.
• Wamego’s Spencer Hecht erupted for 25 points in the Red Raiders’ 56-35 win over Tonganoxie on Friday, going 5 of 7 form 3-point range.
• Clifton-Clyde has won three straight since a three-point loss to Sacred Heart to start the season, winning all three games by at least 26 points. Five different Eagles have hit double-digit scoring in the victories with Trent Long averaging 18 points per game in that stretch.
• Clifton-Clyde’s girls are 4-0 after beating Chase County 59-46.
• Washington County’s boys and girls each won the Thunderbird Preseason Invitational, going 3-0. The Tiger boys claimed wins over Pike Valley (54-42), Wakefield (67-9) and Blue Valley-Randolph (53-51), while the girls beat Pike Valley (51-37), Wakefield (37-35) and Blue Valley-Randolph (52-27).