CLASS 3A GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT CAPSULES
 

 
CHENEY
 
Coach: Sarah McCormick
 
Record: 21-2
 
Sub-state results: beat Nickerson, 54-15; beat Halstead, 52-41; beat Hesston, 52-36
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Eureka (21-2), 4 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Campbell Hague, sr., F; Leah Durr, sr., C; Reagan Ayres, jr., G; Elina Bartlett, jr., PG.
 
Worth noting: After missing out on state last year, Cardinals are back for 17^th state trip overall. … Cheney captured 2021 3A state title with undefeated season, the second in program history with the other a 4A title in 2010. … Cardinals also have runner-up state finishes in 2019, 2017 and 2011. … Cheney won Haven Wildcat Tournament, beating Andale on the way to the title. … Only losses this season have come to 4A qualifier Wellington and Garden Plain. … Hague and Durr both average 11 points per game and 7 rebounds a contest. … Hague also adds 2.6 assists and 2.5 steals a game. … Ayres averages 8.5 points per game and Barlett chips in 7 points a game. … Cardinals graduated seven seniors off last year’s roster. … McCormick posted 200^th career win this season.

 

 
 
EUREKA
 
Coach: Shelly Hoyt
 
Record: 21-2
 
Sub-state results: beat Wichita Collegiate, 64-29; beat Fredonia, 67-28; beat Neodesha, 61-46
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Cheney (21-2), 4 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Ashley Singhateh, jr., G; Cadence Ptacek, sr., G; Kate Coulter, sr., F; Brenna Rucker, fr., G; Ali Singhateh, fr., F
 
Worth noting: State berth is just the second for Eureka with the only other appearance coming in 2019. … Tornadoes have won six straight undefeated Tri-Valley League titles since arrival of Hoyt as head coach. … Hoyt built Hoxie into state powerhouse that won four straight state titles and set state record for longest winning streak before it was broken recently by Central Plains. … Ashley Singhateh averages 20.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. … Rucker adds 11.4 points and Ali Signhateh adds 10.5. … Ptacek averages 9 points per game. … Only losses this season have come to 2A qualifier Berean Academy and Hesston by a combined 4 points.

 

 
 
FRONTENAC
 
Coach: Scott Fields
 
Record: 17-6
 
Sub-state results: beat Caney Valley, 57-26; beat Girard, 55-41; beat Cherryvale, 67-48
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Goodland (23-0), 6 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Hattie Pyle, sr.; Kynlee Lakey, sr.; Mia Brown, sr.; Rylee Green, jr.; Abi Beaman, jr.; Annie Lee, jr.; Madison Hamm, jr.; Hattie Hamblin, sr.
 
Worth noting: Raiders making fourth straight trip to state. … Frontenac fell in quarterfinals last year to Nickerson after making semifinals in 2020 and 2021. … Raiders have two state titles in program history, coming in 1979 and 1982. … Two of six losses came to 2A unbeaten Pittsburg Colgan and two came to Nevada (Mo.). … Other two came to 4A schools Louisburg and Fort Scott and Raiders beat 4A qualifier Parsons and 5As Bonner Springs and Blue Valley Southwest and Arkansas power Providence Academy. …  Pyle averages 20 points and 11 rebounds per game. … Lakey adds 11 points and 3 steals a game. … Several players helped lead Raider softball team to state title last spring.

 

 
 
GOODLAND
 
Coach: Bill Biermann
 
Record: 23-0
 
Sub-state results: beat Larned, 74-15; beat Holcomb, 56-20; beat Cimarron, 49-27
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Frontenac (23-0), 6 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Talexa Weeter, sr., G; Jaxi Mitchel, jr., G; Lindsey Cure, sr., F; Olivia Lehman, sr., F; Haley Biermann, jr., G.
 
Worth noting: Goodland is defending 3A state champion, winning the program’s first state title since 1980 last season, beating Hugoton 48-47 in the championship game to cap a 24-2 season. … Title was third overall with other coming in 1975. … State appearance is second straight after ending a 16-year drought last year. … Cowgirls are on 36-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the state, girls or boys. … Goodland returned all but one player off last year’s title team and this year won tourney titles at Top Side Tipoff Classic at home and the Colby Orange and Black Classic. … Closest win of the season was by seven points over Hays. … Goodland averaging 60 points per game and allowing just 30. … Weeter is Fort Hays State signee who averages 22.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. … Mitchek averages 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game. … Lehman averages 8.6 points per game, moving into a starting role vacated by graduated older sister, Emma. … Cure averages 6.6 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals and Biermann adds 3.1 assists a game. 

 

 
 
PHILLIPSBURG
 
Coach: Rachel Miller
 
Record: 23-0
 
Sub-state results: beat Russell, 59-11; beat Norton, 66-47; beat Southeast of Saline, 51-33
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Riley County (16-7), 2 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Taryn Sides, sr., G; Heather Schemper, sr., G; Karissa Keeten, so., G; Kayla Jacobs, so., G; Trinitti Gross, sr., G.
 
Worth noting: Panthers return to state for third time in four years, missing out last year after losing to eventual state champion Goodland in sub-state finals. … Those state trips are only ones in program history. … Panthers have yet to win a state-tourney game, but are one of two unbeatens in the field this season. … Phillipsburg swept Mid-Continent League regular season and tourney titles. … A Kansas State signee and returning All-State Top 5 selection, Sides averages 24 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 5.5 steals per game and went over 2,000 points in her career this season. … Schemper adds 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, coming back from injury that cost her most of junior season. … Keeten averages 5.9 points and 3 assists per game. … Jacobs averages 6.5 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game......Gross averages 4 points per game

 

 
 
RILEY COUNTY
 
Coach: Kelsey Nelson
 
Record: 16-7
 
Sub-state results: beat Sabetha, 26-24; beat Atchison County, 39-36; beat Nemaha Central, 46-41
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Phillipsburg (23-0), 2 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: CJ Rignell, sr., PG; Anna Lambert, so., F; Taryn Shepard, jr., G.
 
Worth noting: Falcons improved by six wins this season after going just 10-12 last year in Nelson’s first as head coach. … She was an All-State performer for the Falcons as a player and is the sister of former Falcon, Kansas State and NFL standout Jordy Nelson, who serves as her assistant coach. … Falcons making first state appearance since 2017. … Trip is 15^th overall and Riley County won state titles in 1999, 2005 and 2008, the last of those with Nelson starring. … Falcons made incredible sub-state run, beating Sabetha in quarterfinals on last-second 3-pointer by Rignell after trailing entire game, and then knocking off top-seeded Atchison County and No. 2 seed and two-loss Nemaha Central 46-41 in title game after trailing by 9 at halftime. … Falcons handed fellow 3A qualifier Silver Lake its only loss with triple-overtime win and also beat 2A qualifier St. Marys. … Falcons have won 11 of last 12 after starting season 5-6. … Lambert averages 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds to lead team and scored 25 in sub-state championship game and 18 in semifinal win. … Rignell averages 12.4 points, 3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3 steals. … Shepard adds 7.4 points and 2.9 assists per game.

 

 
 
SANTA FE TRAIL
 
Coach: Jacee Kramer
 
Record: 20-2
 
Sub-state results: beat Osawatomie, 87-9; beat Osage City, 46-37; beat Anderson County, 64-45
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Silver Lake (22-1), 8 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Kaelee Washington, jr., F; Braegen Buessing, jr., PG; Sydnee Whitaker, sr., G; Abby Clark, jr., G; Whitney Herren, jr., C.
 
Worth noting: Chargers qualified for state for second straight season after ending a xx-year drought last year. … Last year’s trip ended in quarterfinals with loss to Hugoton. … Kramer has led Chargers to state in both seasons as head coach after being a state champion and playing in four state title games as a standout for Jefferson County North. … She is 40-7 in two seasons. … Chargers won state titles in 2014 (4A Division II) and 1998 (4A). … Trail was undefeated Pioneer League champions and won the Royal Valley Panther Classic title. … Lone losses came to fellow 3A qualifier Silver Lake and Osage City with Chargers avenging that loss in sub-state semifinals. … 20-win season is first since 2013-14. … Washington averages 13.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and had double-double in sub-state title game with 24 points and 11 rebounds, going over 500 career rebounds in the game. … Buessing averages 11.5 points and Whitaker 11.1 points per game. … Buessing also adds 4.7 assists and 3.5 steals and Whitaker grabs 3.1 steals per game. … Clark has hit 45 3-pointers and scores 8.1 per game. … Herren adds 5.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
 

   
 
SILVER LAKE
 
Coach: Kyle Porter
 
Record: 21-1
 
Sub-state results: beat Royal Valley, 74-32; beat Maur Hill, 63-28; beat Rossville, 46-26
 
Quarterfinal game: vs. Santa Fe Trail (21-2), 8 p.m. Wednesday
 
Key players: Mariah Farmer, sr., G; Taylor Ross, sr., F; McKinley Kruger, jr., G; Kaibryn Kruger, jr., G; MaKenzie McDaniel, jr., F.
 
Worth noting: Eagles making third straight trip to state tourney and finished third last year, falling to Goodland in semifinals before beating Nickerson for third place. … Porter in third year as Eagles coach and led Royal Valley to 3A title in 2019 and runner-up finish in 2018. … Silver Lake has six state titles overall in program history, the last coming in 2016. … Eagles won Burlington Invitational and were Mid-East League champions, beating arch rival Rossville three times this season, including in the sub-state finals. … Eagles have five wins over state-qualifying teams – 2A qualifier St. Marys (twice), 3A qualifiers Riley County and Santa Fe Trail, 4A qualifier Independence. … Only loss was triple-overtime to Riley County. … All five starters return from last year’s third-place team. … McDaniel leads Eagles with 14.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. … McKinley Kruger is right behind in scoring with 14.1 points per game. … Three other starters average at least 6 points per game – Kaibryn Kruger (7.7 ppg), Ross (6.9 ppg) and Farmer (6.2 ppg). … Ross also adds 5 rebounds per game.