CLASS 2-1A
 
At Green Sports Complex, Pratt
 

 
BLUESTEM
 
Coach: Michelle Womacks
 
Record: 22-1
 
Regional results: beat Central-Burden, 16-0; beat Belle Plaine, 11-0; beat Oxford, 15-6
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Medicine Lodge (9-14), 5 p.m. (Field B)
 
Key Players: Sophia Reyes, jr., C; Pilar Cox, so., P;; Bridget Mohr, fr., U; Allie Wesley, sr., SS.
 
Worth noting: Bluestem has qualified for state six times in the last eight seasons and last year fell in quarterfinals to Central Heights. … Best state finish is a third. … Lions outscored regional foes 40-5. … Only 11 total players in the program and just one senior. … Four freshmen play a lot. … Only loss came to Humboldt, 8-7 in extra innings, and Lions split that doubleheader with 15-10 win in second game. … Lions have scored at least 10 runs in all but five games.
 

 
CENTRAL HEIGHTS
 
Coach: Jenna Catloth
 
Record: 20-1
 
Regional results: beat Southern Lyon County, 17-0; beat Lebo/Waverly, 10-0; beat Yates Center, 12-1
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. St. Marys (18-5), 7 p.m. (Field B)
 
Key Players: Jadynn Criqui, sr., 3B; Mieka Crump, sr., IF-P; Taylor Chrisjohn, sr., C; Erykah Haynes, sr., IF; Bailey Brockus, sr., OF; Emma Bird, jr., OF; Emma Cubit, jr., OF; Abigail Roullett, so., OF; Melaney Chrisjohn, so., IF-P; Sydney Evans, so., OF; Jaley Ferguson, so., OF; Ashley Harkins, fr., OF; Macy Cubit, fr., OF; Aracely Crump, fr., IF-P; Lyla Hamblin, fr., OF.
 
Worth noting: Heights took third at state last year, falling 3-2 to eventual runner-up Troy in the semifinals and then beating Ell-Saline 11-1 for third. … Only loss this year came in split with Osage City and Vikings were Flint Hills League champions. … Trip to state is just third overall for the program. … Heights swept defending 2-1A champion Mission Valley as well as 2022 3A qualifier Council Grove. …. Heights has outscored opponents 280-53 this season. … Three sets of sisters on the team. … Bottom of lineup has been big all season.
 

 
ELL-SALINE
 
Coach: Kris Bell
 
Record: 18-3
 
Regional results: beat Little River, 4-3; beat Bennington, 11-1; beat TMP-Marian, 3-2
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Jayhawk-Linn (16-3), 7 p.m. (Field A)
 
Key Players: Gabby Norris, jr., P; Brin Hecker, jr., IF; Taelor Hardesty, so., IF; Lani Richards, sr., OF; Meryn Came, sr., IF.
 
Worth noting: Cardinals making third straight state appearance and took fourth last year, falling to eventual champion Mission Valley 5-1 in semifinals and to Central Heights in third-place game. … Losses this year came to Remington, Bennington and Canton-Galva. … Cardinals won wild 30-22 shootout with Little River and scored 52 runs in the doubleheader sweep. … Cardinals scored at least 10 runs in all three regular season games, but had big tests from Little River and TMP-Marian in regionals. … Richards leads team with .507 average. … Hardesty has team-high 35 RBI. … Norris has struck out 87.
 

 
HILLSBORO
 
Coach: Alyssa Kroeker
 
Record: 8-13
 
Regional results: beat Remington, 10-8; beat Canton-Galva, 9-0; beat Moundridge, 8-3
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. McLouth (23-0), 5 p.m. (Field A)
 
Key Players: Kori Arnold, sr., P-SS; Keeley Brewer, sr., OF; Kirsten Kluver, sr., 3B; Keitra Edwards, so., C-OF; Cassidy Bernhardt, so., C-OF
 
Worth noting: Trojans are lone state qualifier with losing record and started season 0-7 before winning 8 of last 14. … Trojans were No. 7 seed at regionals and knocked off No. 2 seed Remington, No. 3 Canton-Galva and No. 4 Moundridge. … Trip to state is seventh overall. … Hillsboro won state title in 2012 and took second in 2014 and 2015. … Arnold has a no-hitter this year and 93 strikeouts while also hitting .386. … Bernhardt is hitting .400 with 22 RBI. … Brewer (.368), Edwards (.348) and Kluver (.308) are all over .300. … Just four seniors on roster and handful of players were on state champion volleyball team.
 

 
JAYHAWK-LINN
 
Coach: Kris Holt
 
Record: 16-3
 
Regional results: beat Erie, 5-0; beat Uniontown, 4-1; beat Northeast-Arma, 4-2
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Ell-Saline (18-3), 7 p.m. (Field A)
 
Key Players: Grace Willard, so., P; Kenzley Nation, so., C; Callie Holt, so., SS
 
Worth noting: Jayhawks making second trip to state in three years, taking fourth in 2021. … Trip is fifth overall. …. Best finish is a third-place showing in 2011. … Jayhawks avenged all three regular-season losses in regional play. … Team had split with Uniontown, losing 2-0 and winning 2-0, and was swept by Northeast, 2-1 and 17-2 losses. … Jayhawks have no seniors on roster and lean heavily on junior and sophomore classes.
 

 
MCLOUTH
 
Coach: Ballard Patterson
 
Record: 23-0
 
Regional results: beat Pleasant Ridge, 15-0; beat Valley Falls, 10-0; beat Troy, 2-1
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Hillsboro (8-13), 5 p.m. (Field A)
 
Key Players: Corissa Bandel, sr., P-SS; Dani Lee, so., P-IF; Corsinda Bandel, so., IF-OF; Jillian Holwick, sr., IF; Leighanna Patz, jr., C.
 
Worth noting: Bulldogs are one of two undefeated teams left in the state along with 6A Olathe Northwest. … Bulldogs beat 2022 2-1A runner-up Troy three times this season after losing 1-0 to the Trojans in last year’s regional finals. … Trip to state is first since 2018 and seventh overall. … Bulldogs were Northeast Kansas League champions and also have win over 4A qualifier and defending champion Eudora. … Corisssa Bandel is 13-0 with 144 strikeouts and a 0.33 ERA. … Lee is 10-0 with a 0.15 ERA and also is leading hitter with .623 average, 9 home runs and 55 RBI. … Corsinda Bandel is also hitting .609 with 38 stolen bases. … Holwick is hitting .561 with 40 RBI. … Patz is hitting .516 with 29 RVBI and has 89% caught stealing rate.
 

 
MEDICINE LODGE
 
Coach: Taylor Theis
 
Record: 9-14
 
Regional results: beat Stanton County, 11-0; beat Bucklin/South Central, 8-7 (8 innings); beat Spearville, 4-2
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Bluestem (22-1), 5 p.m. (Field B)
 
Key Players: Jhayla Alojacin, jr., P; Karsyn Jacobson, jr., SS; Avalon Theis, so., 3B; Teresas Collins, jr., C.
 
Worth noting: Indians making first trip to state since 2018 and seventh appearance overall. … Indians knocked off regional top seed Bucklin in semifinals and beat 2022 qualifier Spearville in finals. … Alojacin is hitting .526 and has 15 stolen bases. … Theis is hitting .507 with 16 stolen bases. … Collins is hitting .409 and Jacobson .400. … Only four seniors on team.
 
 

ST. MARYS
 
Coach: Bill Mulligan
 
Record: 18-5
 
Regional results: beat Wabaunsee, 5-1; beat Onaga, 12-0; beat Mission Valley, 4-2
 
State tournament quarterfinal: vs. Central Heights (20-1), 7 p.m. (Field B)
 
Key Players: Lily SinghDhillon, sr., P-1B; Brenna Smith, jr., C; Catherine Moylan, jr., SS; Kaycee SinghDhillon, so., P-1B.
 
Worth noting: Bears back at state for first time since 2019 when they finished third. … Trip is 11^th overall and Bears have eight state championships overall, the last coming in 2009 in 2-1A. … All eight titles came between 1997-2009. … Two losses came to 3A qualifier Rossville and another to 4A qualifier Rock Creek. … Other two came to Mid-East League champion Silver Lake. … Bears knocked out defending 2-1A state champion Mission Valley with 4-2 regional final win. … Lily SinghDhillon is 11-2 with a 1.36 ERA and 148 strikeouts while also hitting .452 with 17 RBI. … Sister Kaycee is hitting .409. … Smith has team-high 22 RBI and is hitting .390. … Moylan is hitting .314 and has 27 runs and 10 stolen bases, both team highs.