2024-25 BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW
 

 
CLASS 6A
 
2023-24 State champion: Shawnee Mission Northwest
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Wichita Heights
 
2023-24 Review: The 2023-24 season was all about uncharted territory and making history for Shawnee Mission Northwest. The program already had established itself among the best in Class 6A with last year’s state berth the fourth straight for the Cougars. But for the first time in program history, Northwest put together an undefeated regular season, running the table in a tough Sunflower League and mixing in wins over a trio of out-of-state programs. There was still plenty left to prove at state with the Cougars making quarterfinal exits each of the previous three trips. Northwest took care of that with a 72-57 win over Wichita East to reach the semifinals – a spot the program had never gone beyond. The Cougars made history there as well, downing league rival Mill Valley 63-51. Not to be denied, Northwest continued its historic season, capping a 25-0 season with a 47-39 win over tradition-rich Wichita Heights in the title game, holding off a late charge from the Falcons that saw them close to 35-34 early in the fourth quarter after trailing by as much as 12 in the second half. Heights had reached the finals by blowing past Campus 86-57 in the quarterfinals and then taking a dominant 74-32 semifinal win over Greater Wichita Athletic League rival Wichita Northwest – which stunned defending champion Blue Valley Northwest 44-43 in the quarterfinals. Heights finished with a 23-2 record and its second straight runner-up finish after capturing the 2022 state championship. Mill Valley (19-6) posted its highest state finish since winning the Class 5A title in 2018 by taking third, beating Wichita Northwest (18-7) 73-58 in the third-place game.
 
2024-25 Contenders: After making history a year ago, Shawnee Mission Northwest will look to somehow try to top that this year, though seemingly impossible given the Cougars finished last year with a 25-0 mark. But as dominant as the Cougars were in capturing the program’s first state championship, they could be even more so this season. All five starters from last year’s title team are back led by first-team All-Class 6A pick Keaton Wagler, who averaged 12 points per game a year ago on a balanced Cougar team. Junior seven-footer Ethan Taylor is the top-ranked prospect in Kansas for the Class of 2026 and averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds per contest. Senior Van Collins was Northwest’s leading scorer last year at 13 points per game. Northwest lost some of its depth with the graduation of four senior reserves, but the power in the starting five is something no other 6A team can seemingly match. … Even in going undefeated a year ago, Northwest didn’t exactly carry the role of favorite going into the state tournament. That mantle fell to a different Northwest, Blue Valley Northwest, which captured the 2023 state title and is the last 6A team to go back-to-back, winning three straight titles from 2017-19. The Huskies have six state titles since 2013 and went into last year’s state tourney with a 20-2 mark with only one of those losses coming to a Kansas team. But Northwest’s title run ended before it began at state as Wichita Northwest pulled off a 44-43 upset to send the Huskies home early with a 20-3 record. Northwest loses Top 5 pick Joey Matteoni, who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game last year and was the Eastern Kansas League MVP. Standout guard Jake Fritz, the second-leading scorer, is also gone, but Northwest has more than enough back to remain a factor in 6A with the likes of senior Trevor Garlington (8.5 ppg) and junior Ayden McGibboney (4.5 ppg) ready to take on starring roles. … Runner-up each of the last two seasons after capturing the 2022 state championship, Wichita Heights likely will be SM Northwest’s biggest challenger after losing 47-39 to the Cougars in the title game a year ago. Heights will have to replace Top 5 selection TJ Williams, a Wichita State signee who averaged 14.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4 assists per game last year. But nearly everyone else is back as only two other reserves graduated. Senior Chase Robinson was only slightly behind Williams in terms of scoring at 12.8 per game and Amalachi Wilkins was the leading rebounder at 7.4 per game while also averaging just under 10 points a contest. The Falcons finished 23-2 last season and have been a consistent contender under longtime coach Joe Auer, who’s led the program to five of their seven state titles. … The Sunflower League will once again be top heavy after putting three teams in last year’s state tourney. Mill Valley finished third after a semifinal loss to Northwest, its first state appearance in 6A after qualifying six times in Class 5A and winning the 2016 state title. The Jaguars have a strong 1-2 punch returning in senior Carter Kaifes (13.3 ppg) and junior Reece Riedel (13.9 ppg). Kaifes also was the leading rebounder at 8.5 per game, and the duo have a third weapon back with them in junior guard JaKhai Carter, who averaged 12 points per game. Mill Valley entered state on a nine-game winning streak after a somewhat slow 8-5 start but should hit the ground running this season. … Mill Valley’s quarterfinal win a year ago came against league foe Olathe North, which finished 18-5 overall. The Eagles tied a school record with their 18 wins and the state appearance was the third straight. Senior guard Jaalan Watson has been the driving force behind those appearances, starting from Day 1 his freshman season. Last year, he averaged 18.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting better than 50% from 3-point range. Juniors Cam Love and Sam Simmons were forces as sophomores last year with Love averaging 12.4 points per game. … Olathe South hopes to join the Sunflower mix for state this year after falling in the sub-state finals to Blue Valley Northwest to end the season 15-7. The Falcons return leading scorer Nic Anderson, who averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds per game, and is on track to break the Falcons’ career scoring record. South must replace four starters around him, but a pair of transfers will help fill those holes. … Wichita Northwest pulled the stunner of last year’s 6A state tourney when the Grizzlies knocked out defending champion Blue Valley Northwest in the quarterfinals, especially with the trip the first since 2011 for the program. Eli Benning keyed the upset and returns after leading the Grizzlies with 14 points per game a year ago. Northwest finished the season 18-7 overall after placing fourth and returns all but three players off last year’s team. … Junction City handed Blue Valley Northwest its only loss to a Kansas school before state and seemed poise to return to the state tournament before getting upset 75-65 in overtime in the sub-state semifinals by five-win Wichita East. That spoiled an 18-3 season for the Blue Jays that saw them capture the Centennial League title. Four starters are back and hungrier than ever, led by senior guard Jackson Austin, who averaged 15.6 points per game and was the Centennial League player of the year. Senior Larkin Turner and junior Lovell Autry each averaged better than 11 points per game and Jatwaan Williams added 7.4 points a game to give Junction City plenty of offensive weapons this season as it looks to finish this year at state. … Blue Valley West went 16-6 last year, knocked off in the sub-state finals by Mill Valley. Only five lettermen return, two of whom – senior Luke Goodale and junior Cade Wysong – were key contributors a year ago. The Jaguars will have to call on young players who have helped the JV to a 34-4 mark the past two seasons. … Campus knocked off Derby to get back to state but the Colts must replace All-6A first-teamer Andrell Burton Jr. from its 14-9 team as well as fellow first-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail I first-teamer Kaason Thomas. Derby finished 14-8 and also lost its top players from a year ago with Jack Ulwelling the top returner for the Panthers. … Olathe West, Olathe Northwest, Shawnee Mission South and Shawnee Mission East all posted winning marks a year ago to speak to the depth of the Sunflower League. West returns second-team all-leaguer Brady Collar (13.5 ppg) while Northwest returns second-teamer JJ Lee and South returns second-teamer Drake Debaun.
 

 
CLASS 5A
 
2023-24 State champion: Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Kansas City Piper
 
2023-24 Review: For the second straight year, Highland Park went into the 5A state tournament arguably as the team to beat. In 2023, the Scots were undefeated and poised to reach the title game before a late collapse against Andover left them stunned with a 55-54 loss. Last year was more heartbreak for Highland Park. The Scots exorcised their 2023 state demon by demolishing Andover 57-32 in the quarterfinals only to have a new demon rise up again in the semifinals. The Scots saw Kapaun Mt. Carmel rally from a double-digit deficit in the third quarter to pull out a 67-64 win in overtime, denying the Scots their title shot. That got Kapaun, which had beaten De Soto 60-53 in the quarterfinals, back to the title game for the second straight year. After falling to Andover in the 2023 championship game, Kapaun finished on top in 2024. Just as they did in the semifinal upset of Highland Park, the Crusaders had to rally, albeit from a smaller deficit, in the title game with Piper, which had knocked off undefeated Maize South 61-55 in the semifinals after rallying from 12 down with 3:16 left to escape United Kansas Conference rival Shawnee Heights 72-71 in the quarterfinals. Piper led by four with 3:20 left in the title game but couldn’t hold the lead. Kapaun tied the game on a 3-pointer by Corbin Johnson with 2:27 left and then took the lead on another Johnson three with 1:13 left. After Piper regained the lead on a pair of DJ Jackson free throws, Will Thengvall scored on a three-point play to put Kapaun up for good and the Crusaders held on for the 62-59 victory to cap a 22-3 season. Piper finished 21-4. Highland Park finished third for the second straight year, beating Maize South 66-50, the Mavericks losing their final two games of the year after a 23-0 start.
 
2024-25 Contenders: State runner-up and state champion the past two seasons, Kapaun Mt. Carmel has things rolling under legendary coach Steve Eck, for whom last year’s state championship was his seventh overall – the previous six at Wichita South. The Crusaders finished last season 22-3 and though some key seniors must be replaced – most notably All-State Top 5 selection Will Thengvall, who averaged 18.1 points and 7.4 rebounds a game last year – Eck is putting his footprint on the program and longevity is a part of that. Senior Corbin Johnson had a big state title game, backing Thengvall’s 29 points with 18 on 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. He’ll take over as the lead player this season. … Is this the year things turn in Highland Park’s favor at state? The Scots have met with disappointment their three previous trips, losing in the quarterfinals in 2022 before suffering their semifinal heartbreak each of the past two trips. The Scots have lost just three games the past two years combined, two of those at state. The high-flying Scots, who averaged better than 70 points per game last year, have more than enough firepower to make it happen. JaCorey Robinson returns as one of the top players in the state with the Meadowlark Conference MVP averaging 24 points per game last year. Fellow senior Mikey Williams added 17 points per game. Robinson also grabbed 14 rebounds per game and is a highlight reel kind of player. … One team that can certainly match the Scots’ athleticism is Piper, which finished 21-4 and as last year’s state runner-up after a 62-59 loss to Kapaun in the title game – one in which the Pirates held the lead late in the fourth quarter. The loss of Devin Kerr, who averaged a double-double with 13.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, is a big blow, but senior PJ Moore and junior DJ Jackson are a dynamic duo along the lines of Highland Park’s Robinson-Williams combo. Moore led the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game while Jackson averaged 12.3 points a game. Throw in senior Lantz Walton at 12.5 points per game and Piper might have the best three-player combo in 5A. … Getting some unexpected free time ahead of basketball season could pay off for Great Bend, which made its first state appearance since 2010 a year ago. The Panthers were rolling undefeated in football before getting upset in the second round of the playoffs by Western Athletic Conference rival Hays, ending that season prematurely from where expectations had gotten. But that allowed the Panthers’ key returners in basketball to start practice on Day 1. Junior Ian Premer is one of the top overall athletes in the state and led the Panthers with 21.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last year. Sophomore Cooper Ohnmacht isn’t far behind Premer on the athleticism chart, winning a state track triple jump title as a freshman, and he’ll take on a bigger role this season after being a reserve a year ago. Great Bend only lost three players off last year’s 17-6 team that lost to undefeated Maize South in the quarterfinals. … Maize South’s bid for perfection ended with a disappointing finish as the Mavericks were knocked off in the semifinals by Piper and then lost in the third-place game to Highland Park, finishing 23-2. It will be an entirely new look for the Mavericks this year as veteran coach Joe Jackson will need to work his magic after graduation claimed eight seniors that accounted for nearly all of their production a year ago. Junior Cy Stucky is the lone returner from last year’s state rotation and leads a strong junior class looking to keep things going this season. … State champion in 2023, Andover lost its rematch state game with Highland Park in last year’s quarterfinals after stunning the Scots the previous season in the semifinals on its way to the state title. The Trojans returned only two starters a year ago from the title team but still fashioned an 18-5 record. All five starters were scheduled to return this year, but only three will after transfers claimed the other two. Senior guard Josh Kim led the team with 15.2 points and 4.9 assists per game but will miss fellow senior Quenci Bradford, who added 12.2 points and 6.3 rebounds a contest but has moved to Arkansas. Kim was the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail II MVP last year. … Shawnee Heights was in great position to reach the state semifinals a year ago, leading Piper by 12 with 3:16 to play in their quarterfinal contest. But the T-Birds saw Piper mount a furious rally and stun them with a 72-71 victory, ending a 19-4 season. Heights shared the United Kansas Conference title with the Pirates last year and returns all but four players off last year’s state team. Senior Jaret Sanchez had a breakout junior season, averaging 18.7 points and 9 rebounds per game. Graduation claimed second-leading scorer Brennon Dodge, but Deacon Pomeroy chipped in 11 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and head coach Ken Darting is one of the best in the business with five state titles on his coaching resume. … The UKC had three teams at the state tourney last year with De Soto also back after a year’s hiatus following a runner-up showing in 2022. The Wildcats no longer have the services of David Cobin, an All-State Top 5 pick who re-wrote the school’s record books in most categories and averaged 20.1 points per game last year. The load will fall to senior guards Jayden Lang, who averaged 11.5 points per game, and Max Johnson, who added 10 points a game. The Wildcats were 18-5 overall last year, losing to Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the quarterfinals. … Topeka West finished 14-8 last year in what proved to be Rick Bloomquist’s final year as head coach of the Chargers. He stepped down after the season and the program now belongs to Christian Ulsaker, who last coached at Wabaunsee. Ulsaker inherits a team that returns leading scorers Jalen Foy (13.5 ppg) and Keimani Paul (11 ppg) and five starters overall. … Last season was a bit of a down year for Basehor-Linwood with the Bobcats going 11-10 in the tough UKC. But with four starters back, the Bobcats look to return to their position as a contender this season. Senior guard Breckin McBride led the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game and fellow senior Peyton Brown added 12.6 points per contest, both earning second-team all-league honors. … Hutchinson was 15-7 a year ago and returns unanimous All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail I selection Terrell King, who averaged 13.8 points per game. … St. Thomas Aquinas was a 64-62 overtime loss to Shawnee Heights in the sub-state finals from being back at state. Coming off a 17-5 season, the Saints took a big blow when leading scorer and first-team All-Eastern Kansas League pick Will Goode, who averaged 13.3 points per game, transferred to New Hampshire. That leaves just two starters back with London Burton a second-team all-league pick last year after averaging 11.2 points per game. … Great Bend’s top challenger in the WAC will be Hays, which returns first-team all-leaguer Dawson Ruder off last year’s 13-8 team. He averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds per game working alongside departed WAC MVP Jack Weimer. … Andover Central went 14-8 last year and returns first-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail II pick Jayden Brown and two others that earned honorable mention. The bulk of the squad is just getting started on the hardwood after leading the Jaguars to the Class 4A state championship last weekend, the first for the program.
 

 
CLASS 4A
 
2023-24 State champion: McPherson
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Hugoton
 
2023-24 Review: After meeting for the Class 4A state title in 2023, Hugoton and McPherson spent much of last season on a collision course for a rematch. Hugoton brought an identical 20-2 record into the state tournament as it did in 2023 when the Eagles finished that off with a state championship courtesy a 67-58 win over McPherson in the title game. McPherson, meanwhile, went unblemished during the regular season and sub-state, taking a 22-0 record and the top seed for the state tourney. While McPherson handily returned to the title game with a 61-48 win over Fort Scott in the quarterfinals and a 62-49 win over Baldwin in the semifinals, Hugoton’s path to defend its title nearly took a detour. After handling Abilene 53-41 in the quarterfinals, the Eagles survived a big scare from Atchison in the semifinals, pulling out a 39-38 win when Isaac Martin hit the game-winner with 24 seconds left and the Eagles survived a last-second shot by the Phoenix. That set up the title-game rematch and if the first one was a thriller, the 2024 edition was a doozy. Though it didn’t necessarily appear headed that way when Hugoton went on a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to turn a 36-30 deficit into a 47-36 lead with less than four minutes to play. But Cory Muehler, Owen Pyle and Jett Pyle each hit 3-pointers to spark a Bullpup comeback and Muehler made three free throws with 16 seconds left to force overtime. McPherson outscored Hugoton 10-4 in overtime to take a 65-59 victory and complete a 25-0 season for the program’s 14^th state championship. Hugoton fell short of a second straight title and finished the season 22-3. Atchison shook off the heartbreak of its near-upset in the semifinals to beat Baldwin 61-50 for third and finish 22-3 while Baldwin went 20-5.
 
2024-25 Contenders: One of the most stories programs in state history, McPherson added title No. 14 to its collection. That broke a tie the Bullpups had with Newton for the second-most in state history behind Wyandotte, which has 20 state titles. Last year’s undefeated crown was the fourth for the Bullpups which also trails only Wyandotte, which had five. McPherson will have to replace an outstanding senior class if it looks to close the gap further on Wyandotte this year. Graduation claimed first-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail III picks Kyden Thompson and Cory Muehler with Thompson earning league MVP honors for the second straight year. Last year, he shared that award with Gabe Pyle, who is the lone returning starter this year and averaged 16.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Four other letterwinners also return, none of whom averaged more than 4 points per game. … Trey O’Neil has built something at Hugoton and this year will test just how strong that foundation is as the Eagles have said farewell to the last key contributors to the 2023 state title. Six seniors graduated off last year’s runner-up team including leading scorers Dasean Lewis and Izeyah Harris, both of whom were first-team All-Great West Activities selections. Senior Jay Acosta returns after averaging 7 points per game and will look to keep the Eagles flying high and in the hunt for another trip to state. … Making back-to-back state appearances for the first time in program history, Baldwin will look to make it three straight. The Bulldogs fell one win shy of matching the program’s best state finish, taking fourth after falling to McPherson in the semifinals and Atchison in the third-place game. Only two seniors graduated and the Bulldogs have one of the top guards in the state in junior Cooper Carr, who broke the single-season assist record. Oh, he can score as well as dish, leading Baldwin with 19.1 points per game. Both graduated guards – Talan Torrez and Joe Zeimbicki – broke school 3-point records last year so their complementary scoring will be missed. But the inside play is strong with juniors Leo Schoenberger and Colton Collum. … Atchison had only lost to Highland Park ahead of last year’s second straight state appearance and nearly pulled off a semifinal shocker before falling in the final seconds to Hugoton 39-38. The Phoenix rebounded to beat Baldwin for third, but now must replace three of their top four scorers from last year. Eric Smith III returns after averaging 12.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Atchison will benefit from getting a full year from senior Jace Richards, who missed a bulk of last season with a knee injury. … Returning to state for the first time since 2015, Fort Scott had to take on McPherson in the quarterfinals and saw its season end there with a 16-7 record. The Tigers have to replace three senior starters off that team, but returning senior Dierks Kegler was the second-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game and returning senior forward Dub Chipman was second in rebounding with 9.1 per game. … Moving to the North Central Kansas League this season, Rock Creek will see 4A competition on a more regular basis and is coming off a state trip that ended with a loss to Atchison in the quarterfinals with the Mustangs finishing 18-5. They won the Mid-East League title on the way out and will look to challenge for the NCKL crown this year after losing five seniors off last year’s state team. Leading scorer Coley Burgess (13 points per game) is back and can light it up from the perimeter in a hurry. Finding another proven scorer will be a key for Mustang coach Justin Smith, who won a state title as a player at Jackson Heights and is the son of Garry Smith, who won state titles at multiple coaching stops. … The NCKL had a representative at state a year ago with Abilene qualifying with a 19-3 mark. The Cowboys dropped their quarterfinal game to Hugoton. All-4A pick Brax Fisher graduated after averaging 17 points per game to lead the team. But Abilene was fluid with its starting lineup last year with eight different players starting at some point. That will help ease Fisher’s loss with plenty of experience back led by senior forward Tyler Holloway, who also was in double figure scoring last year. … Circle rounded out last year’s state field with the T-Birds ending a 12-year state drought with one of the best seasons in program history. Circle’s only losses prior to state came to Ark Valley Chisholm Trail III rival and unbeaten McPherson but the T-Birds couldn’t quite earn a rematch in the state semifinals, falling to Baldwin in the quarterfinals by 10, 63-53. Last year’s top two scorers – Connor Chadwell and Ethan Koehn have graduated, but Landon Boldra returns after averaging 10.5 points per game and earning second-team all-league honors. … A perennial contender, Ottawa came up just short of getting back to the state tournament, suffering a 48-44 overtime loss to Rock Creek in the sub-state finals. The Cyclones finished with a 14-8 mark overall but could be the favorite for the Frontier League title this year after winning it last year, especially with four starters returning. Junior Aiden McCullough, son of coach Clifton, led the Cyclones with 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game a year ago. Twin brothers Carter and Caleb Hepner combined for more than 15 points and 5 assists per game and senior Cole McGrath added 8.5 points per game. … Pratt went 18-4 last year, losing 47-42 to Abilene in the sub-state finals in a battle of 18-win teams. The Greenbacks have a big-time post presence in 6-foot-6 junior Arley Morrell, who averaged 17.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per game last year. Pratt lost standout guard Max Younie, who was a first-team All-Central Kansas League pick along with Morrell, who was unanimous. … Upset in the sub-state finals by Fort Scott, Chanute finished 16-6 last season and though two All-Southeast Kansas League selections have graduated, the Blue Comets return senior Eliott Stephenson, who averaged 10.3 points per game and was a second-team pick. … It was a down year for Bishop Miege a year ago with the Stags going just 5-16 and losing in the sub-state semifinals. The Stags traditionally are right in the mix for the 4A title, toughened by playing in the Eastern Kansas League against some of the top teams in the state. Miege lost standout Howard Peoples and its best player this season might be sophomore Liam Tesmer.
 

 
CLASS 3A
 
2023-24 State champion: Wellsville
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Goodland
 
2023-24 Review: With two-time defending champion Hesston not making it back to Hutchinson for state a year ago, the crown was there for the taking. And the list of candidates to assume the throne was deep with five teams in the state field with four losses or less. Of the top four seeds, only 21-2 Cheney was unable to escape the quarterfinals with the Cardinals falling to Southeast of Saline – not a true 7 vs. 2 upset given the Trojans had played in the title game in 2023. Southeast was denied a return trip to the title game by Goodland, which took a 55-38 win in the semifinals. Top-seeded Beloit, which entered state with one loss, fell victim to the hot hand of Wellsville in a 68-49 semifinal loss and the Eagles carried the momentum of that win all the way to the program’s first state title since 1994 – a 30-year drought – as they took down Goodland 68-58 in the championship game. Willie Dorsey led Wellsville with 23 points in the title game and had championship DNA in his veins with his father, Brent, the All-State star on Wellsville’s 1994 title team. Wellsville finished with a 23-3 record while Goodland – which was looking for its first state title since 1959 – finished 22-4. The third-place game was a North Central Activities Association showdown between Beloit and Southeast and Beloit won the Trojan battle, beating Southeast for the third time, 51-37, to finish with a 24-2 record. Southeast finished 15-11.
 
2024-25 Contenders: If last year’s state tournament was a wide-open affair, the race for the championship this year could be a dandy. The bulk of last year’s top state finishers suffered significant graduation losses. … Wellsville claimed last year’s free-for-all after two-time defending champion Hesston was bumped in the sub-state semifinals by Southeast of Saline in an early rematch of the 2023 title game. The Eagles’ title was their first in 30 years and defending it will be a huge task after graduation claimed seven seniors, including first-team All-3A pick Willie Dorsey. The Eagles had four starters score in double figures a year ago with one returning in senior Kenyon Gillins, who averaged 11.3 points a contest. Wellsville reached the state semifinals in football after suffering similar graduation losses in that sport from the previous season, so it’s not hard to picture the Eagles reloading in basketball as well. … Of all last year’s state teams, Goodland very well could be the one primed to make a repeat run after the Cowboys reached the state championship game last year before falling to Wellsville. Senior Brady Brumbaugh was the team’s leading scorer last year at 18.1 points per game, earning first-team All-3A honors. The Cowboys lost five seniors overall but also will return Linkon Cure, a 6-foot-6 specimen who was one of the state’s top football prospects, a five-star who recently signed with Kansas State. … Falling short of reaching the finals for the second straight year, Southeast of Saline has the pieces to get back to the title game this season. The Trojans only returned one starter a year ago and wound up finishing fourth. This year, two starters are back and both were the team’s top scorers a year ago with Owen Bailey averaging 11.6 points per game and Gannon Jacobson adding 11.1 points a game. The Trojans have some momentum going into the season with the football team capturing the Class 2A state title last week, the program’s first since 2005. … Southeast was one of three North Central Activities Association teams in the 3A field last year, joined by Beloit and Ellsworth with Beloit beating the Trojans in the third-place contest after seeing its hopes for a state title dashed by Wellsville in the semifinals. Beloit graduated leading scorer and rebounder Bryce Beisner, a first-team All-3A pick after averaging 16.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Also gone are two other starters, but Eli Johnson returns after averaging 10.3 points per game. … Ellsworth also lost its top gun, standout guard Will Cravens, who was first-team All-3A after averaging 21 points per game. The Bearcats were making their first state appearance since 1991 and not only have to replace Cravens but five other seniors. … Cheney looked like a potential title contender last year, qualifying for state with a 21-2 record with the lone losses coming to Class 4A Wellington and Pratt. But after winning 20 straight games, the Cardinals were clipped by Southeast in the quarterfinals, prematurely ending their title hopes. Standout Jackson Voth has graduated but returning seniors Josh Burdick and Carter Peintner each averaged 12 points per game a year ago and give the Cardinals a strong 1-2 returning punch. … Riverton avenged two regular-season losses to CNC rival Girard to earn a state berth a year ago and though five seniors have graduated, the Rams look tough again this season. Senior Terryk Richardson averaged a double-double last year with 15 points and 12 rebounds per game and junior guard Cale Forbes also scored in double figures at 11 points a contest. Tyler Reitz was a key reserve as a freshman. … After seeing its bid for a three-peat end prematurely with a sub-state semifinal loss to Southeast of Saline, Hesston should be hungry to get back to Hutchinson. The Swathers had been the sub-state’s top seed at 17-3 before Southeast got revenge for the 2023 title-game loss. Hesston returns leading scorer and first-team All-Central Kansas League pick Reed Friesen, who averaged 14.6 points per game last year, but he’s the lone returning starter back and the Swathers likely will have to dip into a talented sophomore class for production this season. … Many have Wichita Collegiate at or near the top of the rankings in Class 3A this year, hardly an unusual spot for the Spartans to be. Collegiate went 17-6 last season, falling in the sub-state finals to Cheney, 57-47. The Spartans have leaned on their junior class since their freshmen season with Sebastian Hines-Turner, Jaden Parker and AJ Batiste all being significant contributors in 2023. Last season was somewhat a lost one for the trio with Parker missing the entire season with a broken foot and Hines-Turner missing time early and Batiste most of the middle half of the season with injuries as well. When healthy, all three averaged in double figures scoring with Hines-Turner returning last year to average 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. Parker averaged 15.3 points per game his freshman season. They’ll be complemented by four senior returners, including Carter Drumright, a state tennis champion last spring who hit 44 3-pointers a year ago. … Haven was 16-7 last year and could challenge for a return to state with seniors Dalton Bontrager and Nash Wray back after earning second-team All-Central Kansas League honors last year. Both averaged right around 10 points per game last year. … Lakin reached the sub-state finals before losing to Goodland to end the season 18-5. Three-sport standout Colter Oldham averaged 15 points per game and was the Hi-Plains League MVP. He was one of three first-team all-leaguers for the Broncos with Adrik Gomez-Esquibel and Austin Ritesma also returning after combining for 22 points per game a year ago. … A 17-5 team a year ago, Norton has one of the top scorers returning in 3A in senior Eli Jones. He averaged 20.7 points per game a year ago, earning first-team All-Mid-Continent League and second-team All-3A honors. The Bluejays must replace first-team all-league post Roman Hauser, however. … Scott Moore helped Girard to a 17-6 record, but the Trojans were upset in the sub-state finals by Riverton, which they had beaten twice during the season. Moore averaged 8 points and 7.9 rebounds to back departed first-team All-CNC pick Aiden Troike. … After being the top seed in its sub-state with an 18-2 mark, Humboldt bowed out in the sub-state semifinals to Heritage Christian, leaving the Cubs with a sense of unfinished business. With all but one player returning from last year’s rotation, Humboldt will be in position to do something about that. Sam Hull’s departure leaves a big void as he was the leading scorer and rebounder, but returning senior Colden Cook wasn’t far behind with 14 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. … After going 14-8 a year ago, Perry-Lecompton has the firepower to claim a title in the newly formed Big East League and return to state. The Kaws return a pair of first-team All-Big Seven League selections in senior Eli Dean and junior Ronnie Baker with Baker the team’s leading scorer as a sophomore at 11.3 points per game. … Goodland will have plenty of challengers in the GWAC with Scott City, Holcomb and Colby all coming off seasons of 11 wins or more. Each has standout players to lean on – Guy Tubbs for Colby, Jackson Rumford for Scott City and Drayton Knoll for Holcomb.
 

 
CLASS 2A
 
2023-24 State champion: Moundridge
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Lyndon
 
2023-24 Review: After winning the 2023 Class 2A state championship, Moundridge was going to have a much different look to it for the 2023-24 season. For starters, longtime coach Vance Unrau had stepped down after a legendary career, going out on top with his seventh state title. His departure coincided with the graduation of All-2A picks Landon Kaufman and Logan Churchill, who were the leading scorers for the 2023 title team. But new coach Dustan Kanitz brought a strong pedigree with him as a former assistant at McPherson and brought in sons Kreighton and Kaizer with him to mesh with returning starters Bear Moddelmog and Henry Hecox to allow Moundridge to reload for another title run. It was Lyndon that spent most of the year with the spotlight, following up a football state championship in the fall with a dominating undefeated run to the state tournament – the only unbeaten team in Class 3A and below. While Moundridge cruised back to the title game, rolling past Jefferson County North 55-37 in the quarterfinals and Heart of America rival Sterling 56-45 in the semifinals, Lyndon had a battle on its hands in the semifinals before pulling out a 63-56 win over Sacred Heart. Moundridge held Lyndon standout Tanner Heckel scoreless in the first and third quarters of the title game. Lyndon was able to withstand that effort in the first half, trailing just 21-17 at halftime. But the third quarter proved to be decisive as Moundridge outscored the Tigers 19-8 in the period to open up a commanding lead on its way to a 58-44 victory. Moundridge won its eighth state title and finished the season 23-3 while Lyndon came up a win short of an undefeated season after going undefeated in football, finishing 25-1. Sacred Heart took third with a 58-51 win over Sterling, each team finishing with a 22-4 record.
 
2024-25 Contenders: Back-to-back champions in Class 2A, Moundridge could be poised to match the run of four straight state titles the program went on from 1990-93. The addition of the Kanitzes a year ago – head coach Dustan and sons Kreighton and Kaizer – helped bridge the gap for the Wildcats after graduation had claimed standouts Landon Kaufman and Logan Churchill off the 2023 title team. After knocking off undefeated Lyndon for the state championship last year, Moundridge will have the target square on its back all season this time around. While the loss of Kreighton Kanitz is a big one after he averaged 17.6 points per game in his only season at Moundridge, he’s the only graduate off last year’s title team. Moddelmog and Hecox were sophomore starters on the 2023 title team and Moddelmog averaged 13.4 points per game last year while Hecox was just under 10 points a game and showed his clutch gene by hitting the game-winner in the 2023 semifinals. Flat out, Moundridge is loaded to make it a three-peat. … Lyndon’s odds of returning to the title game are considerably slimmer after graduation claimed all five starters and head coach Michael Massey opted to step away from coaching basketball. The Tigers had eight seniors overall on last year’s state roster and much like in football, junior James Marcotte is the lone returner who was a significant contributor, though he didn’t have much production on the court a year ago. … Moundridge’s top challenger could come from within its own league as Heart of America rival Sterling is licking its chops for another shot at knocking off the Wildcats. The Black Bears suffered one of their two regular-season losses to Moundridge and then fell to the Wildcats in the state semifinals. Four seniors graduated, including first-team all-leaguer Isaac Briar, but fellow first-teamer Boston Ekart does return. … Coming off a third-place finish a year ago, Sacred Heart must replace seven seniors off last year’s state team that went 22-4, including first-team All-North Central Activities Association picks Max Ehrlich and Michael Matteucci. Junior Will Tuttle was honorable mention all-league and the lone underclassman in the rotation a year ago. … Conway Springs is coming off a state football championship last weekend and a state berth a year ago, finishing 15-9 after losing to Lyndon in the quarterfinals. The Cardinals lost four-year starters and leading scorers Taylor Wykes and Nash Johnson to graduation, but everyone else is back. Seniors Grant Fisher and Eli Howard and junior Logan Osner were starters last year who averaged between 5 and 7 points per game and will improve that production this year. … One half of Erie’s strong 1-2 punch returns after the Red Devils went 18-6 last year, losing in the quarterfinals to Sacred Heart. Leading scorer Ethan Dillinger graduated after averaging 20.2 points per game but Reid Duff is back after complementing him with 15.8 points a game. Erie knocked off ranked teams in sub-state play a year ago, including three-loss St. Mary’s Colgan and return two other starters to go with Duff. … Plainville returned to state for the first time since 2019 and will have to replace four seniors off last year’s team, including leading scorer JD Dintino. But younger brother Joey Dintino was a key reserve as a freshman and joins returners Isaac Stamper, Roy Bright Jr. and Jayden Morris to give the Cardinals a strong core to build around. … Jefferson County North rounded out last year’s state field but the Chargers were senior dominant and return only three players who factored into last year’s rotation, Eli Weishaar, Andy Baker and Will Elias. … St. Mary’s Colgan took a 19-3 record into the sub-state semifinals before falling 50-48 to Erie. The Panthers graduated the bulk of last year’s roster including standouts Tucker Harrell and Jack Schremmer. … Ell-Saline also will be a tough out in the Heart of America after going 18-5 last year, losing to Moundridge in the sub-state finals. The Cardinals return first-team all-leaguer Brogan Rowley and second-teamer Kas Kramer among others. … Upset in the sub-state semifinals by TMP-Marian, Hill City ended with an 17-5 record. The Ringnecks lost leading scorer Jaden Nuss and will turn to sophomore Carson Keith to lead the team this season. … Bennington was 19-4 a year ago but no longer has double-double machine Eli Lawson around after he averaged 19.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last year. Running mate Mister Smith (11.3 ppg) is also gone, leaving the Bulldogs in a bit of a rebuilding mode this season. … Medicine Lodge made a strong run at the state tournament in 2023, taking third, but missed out a year ago despite posting a 17-5 record, stuck in a loaded sub-state and falling to Meade 52-51 in the semifinals. Keveon Ruiz is a four-year starter who averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds per game a year ago. … Maur Hill saw its 17-5 season end with an upset loss to Jefferson North in the sub-state semifinals. The Ravens return their two leading scorers in seniors Luke Siebert (14 ppg) and Brody Kottman (12.1 ppg) with Kottman also averaging 10.2 rebounds a contest. … The Northeast Kansas League could be a battle with Valley Falls expecting to be back in the hunt after a 13-7 mark last year. The Dragons lost standout Zac Evans, but return Hayden and Collin Kearney, each of whom averaged double figures with Collin getting 12.1 points per game and Hayden adding 10.4 points a game. … Hillsboro is coming off a 13-9 season but returns a strong duo on Lincoln Wichert, who led the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game, and Seth Driggers. … Wichita Classical was 18-4 a year ago, getting upset by Remington in the sub-state semifinals.
 

 
CLASS 1A DIVISION I
 
2023-24 State champion: South Gray
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Bishop Seabury
 
2023-24 Review: Seemingly in position to deliver Mark Applegate his fifth state championship for the last several years, that crown had eluded South Gray. The Rebels were runner-up to Olpe in both 2021 and 2022 and when they finally got revenge on the Eagles in 2023, it came in the third-place game after a semifinal loss to eventual champion Macksville. Undeterred, South Gray stuck with it and when the opportunity presented itself to get that elusive title last year, the Rebels finally cashed in. The top seed in the tourney, South Gray flexed its muscle in a 79-43 blowout of Canton-Galva in the quarterfinals and then again had to get past nemesis Olpe in the semifinals, pulling out a 68-62 victory. The opponent in the title game had been even more impressive in getting to the final as Bishop Seabury rolled past La Crosse 72-50 in the quarterfinals and then blasted Quinter 73-45 in the semifinals. South Gray led by one at halftime and extended it to five by the end of the third quarter before Gavin Wahl took over in the final period for the Rebels, scoring 17 points to lead South Gray to a 76-63 victory. South Gray finished with a 24-2 record as Wahl and Joey Dyck each finished the title game with 26 points, matched by Seabury’s Jace Smith, who led the Seahawks to their best state showing ever and a 21-5 overall record. Olpe downed Quinter 46-33 in the third-place game to finish with a 22-5 record and Quinter finished 21-5.
 
2024-25 Contenders: After posting the best finish in program history with a runner-up showing a year ago, Bishop Seabury returns the most firepower of any team in Division I and is hungry to finish the deal this season. The Seahawks were dominant at state a year ago before falling apart late in the title game against South Gray. Jace Smith scored 26 points in that title-game loss and is a bona fide star, leading the Seahawks in scoring last year at 16.8 points per game. He’s the outside presence for Seabury, offsetting a dominant force in the middle in 6-foot-7 senior Chase Honarvar, who holds every blocked shot record for the school, averaging 7.8 per game last year to go with his 14.2 points and 15.6 rebounds. The Seahawks had four players average double-figure scoring with Hoffman adding 15.6 points per game. Departed guard Aiden Page was the other, but he’s one of only two players lost to graduation from last year’s 21-5 team. … South Gray finally got the title that had eluded them in trips to the state semifinals the three previous seasons, including runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022 to Olpe. The Rebels finished 24-2 overall last year and will lose first-team All-1A pick Joey Dyck, who averaged 21 points per game a year ago and had 26 in the title game. Three other seniors also have graduated, but the Rebels return a rising start in Gavin Wahl, who also scored 26 in the title game, including 17 in the fourth quarter that helped the Rebels pull away for a 76-63 win over Seabury. He averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds per game as a sophomore last year and will team with returning senior Sam Moore (8 ppg) to give the Rebels a solid core to reload around. … Olpe did its usual thing: win the Lyon County League regular-season and tournament titles and factor into the final four at state. The Eagles won back-to-back state titles in 2021 and 2022 before taking fourth in 2023. Olpe renewed its state rivalry with South Gray in the semifinals last year, falling 68-62 before bouncing back to finish third and with a 22-4 record. Post presence Blake Skalsky and heady guard Ethan Redeker will be missed after graduating, but sophomore Brecken McGuire led Olpe in scoring as a freshman with 17.6 points per game and fellow sophomore Abbott Bailey was just under 10 points per game. The Eagles get back senior Dexton Hoelting, who missed last season with a football injury but was a starter as a sophomore. … Coming off a fourth-place finish, a 21-5 season and its first state showing since 2010, Quinter is looking to build off that season that also featured an undefeated Northwest Kansas League title. The Bulldogs did graduate five seniors, but returning senior Shea Salyers shared the team lead in scoring last year at 11.3 points per game for a balanced squad that had six different players lead it in scoring in a game last year. A trio of juniors who saw time at sophomores will fill the holes. … After two straight quarterfinal losses, Clifton-Clyde would love to get back to state and stick around for the weekend this season. The Eagles finished 20-4 overall last year and tied for the Twin Valley League’s best record, taking second in the standings on a head-to-head tiebreaker with Centralia, which handed them their only league loss. Four seniors graduated including three that averaged double figures. But leading scorer Jack Skocny returns after averaging 16 points per game. Oliver and Luke Nobert will take on bigger roles this season. … La Crosse fashioned a 20-3 record last year in reaching the state tournament before losing to Seabury. The Leopards were a senior-dominant squad with six of them accounting for the bulk of last year’s production as the team set a school record for victories and ended a 32-year state drought, with Cade Morgan leading that departed crew. Senior Bradan Grumbein is the Leopards’ top returner. … Central-Burden ended an even longer state drought than La Crosse with last year’s berth the first in 37 years for the program. Like the Leopards, the Raiders leaned hard on their seniors last year with Ben Long leading the way with 15 points per game. Junior James Braun added 10.4 points a game last year as a sophomore and is one of four key returners along with seniors Ethan Boucher (8 ppg) and Martin Uik (6.1 ppg). … The party crasher for last year’s state tourney was Canton-Galva, which went into postseason play with a 9-11 record and knocked off the sub-state’s top three seeds, including an overtime win in the finals over a Solomon team that had beaten it by 21 and 25 points in previous meetings. Three freshmen factored into the rotation last year with Kustom Schamp and Ethan Brozek moving into starting roles at midseason. While leading scorer Wyatt Collins has graduated, younger brother Noah, a senior this season, returns after averaging 11.2 points and 7.4 rebounds to rank right behind Wyatt. … As impressive as Seabury’s state run was, the Seahawks nearly didn’t make it out of their sub-state. Burlingame took Seabury to overtime in the semifinals, falling 57-55 to end the season 14-7. The Bearcats return a strong 1-2 punch in junior Drake Skirvin (15.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg) and Dane Winters (14.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) with both earning first-team All-Lyon County League honors. The Bearcats are coming off a stellar football season and will challenge Olpe for the top spot in the LCL this season. … Centralia also nearly took down Seabury, going into the sub-state as the top seed before falling 52-51 in the finals to end the season with a 17-5 record. The Panthers graduated leading scorers Paxton Bowers and Reese Tanking but do return a double-figure scorer in Duke Timmel, who averaged 11.8 points and 9.1 rebounds. Centralia was the Twin Valley League champion and is coming off an appearance in the Class 1A football state championship game. … Solomon was 16-6 before getting upset by Canton-Galva in the sub-state finals. The Gorillas graduated unanimous All-Wheat State League pick Spencer Coup, but return second-leading scorer Carlos Duran and sophomore Calvin Mattison who was an honorable mention all-leaguer as a freshman. … Osborne had just one loss going into sub-state play, but ran into Twin Valley League’s Frankfort which despite being one game over .500 pulled off the 61-58 upset. After going 18-2, the Bulldogs must replace leading scorer Jonny Hamel (20.4 ppg), but return fellow first-team All-Northern Plains pick Dalton Garman, who averaged 13.8 points per game. … Central Plains has a big hole to fill as well with the graduation of leading scorer Peyton Ryan off last year’s 17-5 sub-state runner-up team. But Brodie Crites and Aiden Hekele return after each were double-figure scorers as well with Crites averaging 13 points per game as a freshman and Hekele chipping in 10.1 per contest. … The state champion in 2023, Macksville slipped back to a 14-7 mark last year, losing in the sub-state semifinals to Central Plains. But the Mustangs had one of the most dynamic scorers in the state in Diego Esparza, who averaged 25.8 points per game. He's back this year, as are two other players who earned All-Central Prairie League honors of some kind as Macksville looks to return to its place as a top challenger for another state title. … South Gray’s run at the title nearly didn’t come to fruition as the Rebels had to survive a 58-54 overtime affair in the sub-state finals with South Central, which had previously beaten them during the regular season. South Central finished with a 19-4 record and returns the bulk of that squad. The Timberwolves are on a roll with their boys teams as the football team reached the state finals in 2023 and this year went undefeated into the state semifinals before losing to eventual champion Hoxie. Post presence Heath Howell graduated, but Jack Herd and Jamie Sarmiento are back after averaging double figures a year ago. … Oxford spent last year in Class 2A and fell victim to Erie in sub-state play, ending a 17-5 season with a 69-59 loss to the Red Devils in the semifinals. Oxford returns senior Cordell Jordan, who averaged 13.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, earning first-team All-South Central Border League honors. … Meade also makes the move from 2A down to 1A Division I and last year finished 19-4 after beating Medicine Lodge in the sub-state semifinals before losing to Sterling in the finals. The Buffaloes lost leading scorer Brock Keith, who averaged 18.7 points per game last year.
 

 
CLASS 1A DIVISION II
 
2023-24 State champion: Cunningham
 
2023-24 State runner-up: Lebo
 
2023-24 Review: If the road to a state championship seemed like an improbable one for Cunningham a year ago, well, it was. The Wildcats were making their first state appearance in over a decade with the last trip coming in 2013. Every previous trip to state had ended shy of the championship game with a third-place finish the best for the program. But after winning a football six-man state championship in 2022, the Wildcats had players who knew what it took to win a state title. And what it took was some serious moxie. Cunningham fell down 17 points to Bucklin in the state quarterfinals before rallying for a 70-66 win. Facing top-seeded Dighton in the semifinals, the Wildcats surrendered 23 first-quarter points to the Hornets and trailed by eight at halftime before coming back for a 61-58 victory. In the championship game, it was more of the same as Lebo jumped out to a 9-0 lead and held the Wildcats scoreless for five-plus minutes to start the game. But Cunningham never wavered and answered Lebo’s opening salvo with a 10-0 run of its own and the game was tight until Cunningham pulled away late for a 60-55 win. Will Wegerer scored 27 and Luke Albers added 23 in the title game as the duo led Cunningham to its first-ever basketball state championship and a 22-3 overall record. Lebo finished as state runner-up for the second straight year after edging Northern Valley 59-56 in the quarterfinals and knocking off Axtell 45-38 in the semifinals. The Wolves finished 18-8. Axtell and Dighton waged a shootout in the third-place game with Axtell capping a 23-3 season with an 80-72 win over the Hornets, who finished 23-3 – two of the three losses coming at state.
 
2024-25 Contenders: Given its program history, Cunningham was a bit of a darkhorse going into last year’s state tournament despite being the No. 4 seed with a 19-3 record. That won’t be the case this year. The Wildcats lost just one starter, Luke McGuire, to graduation and only one reserve. Seniors Luke Albers and Will Wegerer were both first-team All-Division II picks after averaging 21.3 and 19 points per game, respectively. The Wildcats’ only losses last year came to a pair of 2A schools and a Division I and they’ve shown staying power on the gridiron with four straight appearances in the six-man championship game, taking runner-up the past two falls after winning the 2022 crown. … Many had pegged Axtell to arguably be the favorite for the title last year with the Eagles returning virtually everyone from its fourth-place team in 2023. After losing only two seniors off last year’s third-place team, the expectations are that the Eagles will be right there to challenge Cunningham for the crown this year as well. Axtell saw a potent offense stall in its semifinal loss to Lebo a year ago and its only losses prior to state came to Division I qualifier Clifton-Clyde and fellow Twin Valley League rival Frankfort with the Eagles also beating Clifton-Clyde in the TVL Tournament semifinals on the way to the title. Seniors Eli Broxterman and Brandon Schmelzle are four-year starters who have been the driving force behind the football team’s run of four straight undefeated state championships in Eight-Player Division II. Broxterman led the Eagles with 14.3 points per game a year ago, hitting the game-winner in the TVL title game, while Schmelzle, a University of Kanas football signee, was right behind with 13.2 points per game. Junior Colin Shaughnessy added 11.4 points per game and fellow junior Landon Schmitz is a full go this year after missing the entire regular season a year ago with an injury. … Runner-up each of the past two seasons, Lebo was able to capably absorb the loss of Landon Grimmett off the 2023 runner-up team to return to the title game a year ago after an up-and-down regular season. Now the Wolves will have to replace leading scorer Grayson Shoemaker, who averaged 19.3 points per game a year ago and was the Wolves playmaker on the perimeter. Dominic Risner is the only other loss to graduation, however, and the Wolves have a workhorse in the paint in senior Zach Oswald, who averaged 16 points and 9.5 rebounds and was unstoppable in last year’s title game, scoring 22 on 8-of-11 shooting. Andrew Konrade was third on the team in scoring last year with 7.2 points per game and guard Caleb Durst is a defensive hound and two-time state cross country champion. … The 1-2 punch of Daniel Cramer and Carson Shimer carried Dighton to a 23-3 overall record a year ago with two of those losses coming at state as the Hornets finished fourth. Shimer was the inside presence, averaging 18.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while Cramer ran the point and added 16.5 points per game, scoring 38 in the third-place game at state. Cramer will be looking for a new running mate after Shimer graduated but has a strong group of senior classmates back to pick up the load left by Shimer. George von Leonrod averaged 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and Payton Redburn and Boston Shimer each were over 5 points per game, numbers that should take a significant jump this year. … Graduation hit hard at Northern Valley, which went 21-3 a year ago, falling to Lebo in the quarterfinals. Seven seniors graduated for the Huskies, including all four players who averaged double-figure scoring a year ago. Juniors Gavin Thalheim and Owen Hammond are the lone returners who saw significant playing time last year for the Western Kansas Liberty regular-season and tournament champions, whose only losses came to 2A Hill City and Alma (Neb.) prior to state. The Huskies have plenty of tradition for longtime coach Keith Sides, winning four state titles. … A young Marmaton Valley team took its lumps throughout the regular season but found its way to state for the first time since 2001 and just the second time in school history. The Wildcats are still looking for their first state win after falling to Dighton a year ago in the quarterfinals to finish the season with an 11-12 record. The lone senior a year ago was Daniel Fewins, who was a starter but more of a role player. Everyone else is back, led by leading scorer Brayden Lawson (13 ppg). Jaedon Granere came off the bench for 12 points a game and Tyler Lord added 8 points and 8 rebounds a contest. A winning record not only should be in store for the Wildcats this season but another state berth is certainly within reach. … Bucklin has been a fixture at the state tournament the past three seasons and took fourth in 2022. The Red Aces nearly ended Cunningham’s title run before it even began, holding a 17-point lead in the game before seeing the Wildcats storm back for the win. There’s plenty of firepower to make it four straight years at state with last year’s top two scorers, Kaden Tilley (16.7 ppg) and Kolson Cook (13.7 ppg) returning. Five seniors did graduate, including double-figure scorer Andrew Bowman. … Beloit-St. John’s lost three seniors off last year’s state team that lost to Axtell in the quarterfinals including leading rebounder Jacob Winkler, who also ranked second on the team in scoring. But leading scorer Edward Horinek is back after averaging 15.2 points per game as a sophomore. Tyson Gates added 8.2 points a contest as the Blujays finished 14-8 a year ago. … After qualifying for state in Division I in 2023, Elyria Christian rolled through the regular season a year ago with a 19-1 mark. But the Eagles were denied a return trip to state in Division II as Lebo clamped down on them in the sub-state finals and took a 43-35 win, ending a 21-2 season for the Eagles. Elyria has one of the top scorers in the state in senior guard Ty Romero, who averaged 25.7 points per game a year ago in earning first-team All-Division II honors. Senior Andrew Huxman also returns after being an honorable mention All-Wheat State League selection with graduation claiming second-teamers Alex Robertson and Johnny Unruh. … Hanover gave Axtell all it wanted in their sub-state championship game, falling 61-55 to finish with a 17-6 record. The Wildcats, who also lost at the buzzer to Axtell in the Twin Valley League Tournament title game, lost only one starter to graduation and return the bulk of last year’s production. Braylon Meyn led the team with 14 points per game and was one of three starters in double figures along with Garrett Martin (11 ppg) and Tanner Bruna (10 ppg). … Logan-Palco finished 17-6 a year ago, losing to Northern Valley in the sub-state finals. The Trojans return leading scorer Rhett Kats, who averaged 20.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last year. Only one player graduated that saw significant time a year ago, second-leading scorer Cameron Morgan, and three other returners averaged at least 6.6 points per game to back Kats. … Fresh off capturing the Six-Player football state championship with an undefeated season, Weskan is ready to make some noise in basketball as well. The Coyotes went 14-8 in their return to KSHSAA postseason competition, losing to Wallace County in the sub-state semifinals. Senior guard Trey Allen averaged 24.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while Judah Crow added 9.5 points per game. Weskan only lost one player to graduation and leaned heavily on sophomores and freshmen to back Allen and Crow a year ago. … After losing by 14 to Cunningham earlier in the season, South Barber nearly derailed the Wildcats’ title trek in the sub-state finals, pushing them to the limit in a 50-48 overtime loss. The Chieftains graduated leading scorer Lukas Dunham (14 ppg), but return Oakley Duvall, who averaged 10 points per game and was the leading rebounder with 7 boards a contest. … Altoona-Midway fell victim to Marmaton Valley’s sub-state upset, losing 62-57 after winning by double-digits over the Wildcats earlier in the season. The Jets have their best player back with William Stackhouse averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game a year ago.