CLASS 1A DIVISION II GIRLS
 
At Barton Community College, Great Bend
 

 
BELOIT-ST. JOHN’S
 
Coach: Leah Bergmann
 
Record: 16-5 (No. 6 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Otis-Bison, 67-27; beat Pawnee Heights, 69-47
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Wallace County (3: 20-3), 8 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Carlie Brummer, jr.; Jenna Gengler, sr.; Aubrey Gengler, sr.; Lynelle Gengler, so.; Ava Brummer, fr.
 
Worth noting: Blujays have qualified for state for four straight seasons and finished fourth last year, falling to Hanover in the semifinals and Bucklin in the third-place game. … Blujays also tied for third in 2021. … Program captured lone state championship in 2015. … Blujays were Northern Plains League champions. … St. John’s started the season 2-4 with all losses to larger-class schools, including 3A Phillipsburg and Ellsworth. … .Lone loss in last 15 games came to Sylvan-Lucas by a point in mid-February. … Trip to state is eighth overall for the program. … Carlie Brummer leads team at 16.1 points per game and also adds 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.1 assists a game. … Jenna Gengler averages 15.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3 steals a game. … Lynelle Gengler adds 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds and Aubrey Gengler gets 7 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. … Ava Brummer adds 4.9 points and 3 rebounds a game.
 

 
BUCKLIN
 
Coach: Craig Bowman
 
Record: 20-3 (No. 4 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Deerfield, 52-17; beat Ingalls, 62-45
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Hanover (5: 20-4), 4 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Sydnie Jones, sr., G; Brooke Evans, sr., F; Emmerson Kirk, so., G; Isabel Bowman, so., G; Karlee Evans, so., F; Whitney Scott, jr., F; Tristan Stout, so., G.
 
Worth noting: Red Aces making sixth state appearance overall and third straight. … The Red Aces finished third at state last year, falling to Lebo in the semifinals and beating Beloit-St. John’s for third. … Bucklin also finished third in 2013. … Red Aces are young with just two seniors. … Only losses have come to 3A Hoisington, 1A ! qualifier South Gray and Spearville, two of the three by four points or less. … Red Aces also beat Spearville by 14 after losing to the Lancers by four. … Jones went over 1,000 career points this year and shares team lead in scoring with Kirk, each getting 13.8 points per game. … Evans adds 8.3 points per game while Bowman is at 6 and Stout 5.8 … Jones is leading rebounder with 6.7 per game. … Kirk leads team in assists (4.1 apg) and steals (3.0 per game).
 

 
HANOVER
 
Coach: Chris Beikmann
 
Record: 20-4 (No. 5 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Linn, 54-24; beat Axtell, 54-32
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Bucklin (4: 20-3), 4 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Tessa Lohse, sr., G; Anna Jueneman, jr., G; Kaydence Schotte, sr., F; Kate Klipp, sr., C; Drew Bruna, fr., F; Gracie Bruna, fr., G; Trinity Schlabach, sr., C; Hannah Zaribnicky, jr., F.
 
Worth noting: Wildcats are defending Class 1A Division II state champions, going 26-0 last year to win the program’s third state title and first since going back-to-back in 2017-18. … Wildcats routed undefeated Lebo 59-34 in last year’s title game and won their state tournament games last year by an average of 25.7 points per game. … Wildcats are 36-3 in the postseason under Beikmann, also finishing runner-up in 2019, third in 2022 and reaching the Forever Four in 2020. … Hanover finished in three-way tie for runner-up in the Twin Valley League and third at the league tournament. … Three of four losses came to state-tourney teams – 1A I qualifiers Centralia, Frankfort and Little River – and Wildcats beat Frankfort as well as 2A qualifier Valley Heights (twice). … Jueneman is only Wildcat averaging double-figure scoring at 17.1 points per game and also tops team in steals with 3.5 per game. … Klipp adds 9.4 points and 6.5 rebounds a game while Lohse chips in 8.3 points and 3 assists per game.
 

 
LEBO
 
Coach: Patrick Gardner
 
Record: 21-2 (No. 2 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Hartford, 38-17; beat Hutchinson Central Christian, 54-26
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Marais des Cygnes Valley (7: 14-9), 6 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Audrey Peek, sr., G; Saige Hadley, jr., F; Siara Crouch, jr., F; Abi Jones, jr., G; Katie Ott, sr., G; Emma Marsh, sr., G.
 
Worth noting: Wolves finished at state runner-up last season, losing to Hanover 59-34 for their only loss in a 25-1 season. … Program has made xxxx trips overall, capturing state championships in 1994 (2A) and 2001 (1A Division I). … Wolves shared the Lyon County League regular season title with 1A I qualifiers Olpe and beat the Eagles for the league tournament title. … Only losses came to Olpe and 3A Osage City by a combined three points. … Wolves are allowing just 27.1 points per game this season, the lowest in Gardner’s tenure as coach. … Hadley leads team at 17 points per game, just ahead of Peek’s 16 points a game. … Peek hit 1,000 career points this season and also averages 3 assists and 3 steals a game. … Hadley adds 7 rebounds and 3 steals a game. … Crough (7 ppg, 4 rpg) and Jones (6 ppg, 3 spg) have been solid complements to the dynamic duo. … Lebo senior class is 86-10 in their career.
 

 
MARAIS DES CYGNES VALLEY
 
Coach: Mike McDougald
 
Record: 14-9 (No. 7 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Southern Coffey County, 62-35; beat Waverly, 37-33
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Lebo (2: 21-2), 6 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Akyra Traver, so., G; Olivia Lacey, sr., F; Haylea Bethell, sr., G; Ella Reed, so., G; Colbie Cormode, so., F; Gracen Stahl, so.; Mady Rose, fr.; Trista DeCavele, so.; Taytum Gellhaus, so.; Kadence Masenthin, so.
 
Worth noting: Trojans ended 20-year state tournament with first appearance since 2004. … Trip is seventh overall for the program with the top finish a runner-up showing in Class 1A in 1995. … Trojans placed fourth in the Lyon County League regular season and tournament, their highest finish in the league in 10 years. … Biggest wins came against Burlingame, both come-from-behind victories over the 1A I sub-state runner-up. … Trojans played quarterfinal foe Lebo in late December and lost 64-35. … Two other losses came to 1A I qualifier Olpe. … Traver leads team in scoring at 17 points per game and also adds 6.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 5 steals per game. … Lacey averages 6 pints and 5 rebounds a game and Cormode adds 5 points and 6.5 rebounds a contest. … Trojans are young overall with just two seniors and no juniors.
 

 
NORTHERN VALLEY
 
Coach: Dean Lewis
 
Record: 12-11 (No. 8 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Golden Plains, 45-29; beat Thunder Ridge, 37-29; beat Wheatland-Grinnell, 54-50
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. South Haven (1: 21-2), 2 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Austyn Cox, sr., G; Braxton Cox, sr., G; Delaney Sides, jr., G; Audrey Bina, so., F; Jordyn Cox, fr., G; Jaycee Gebhard, fr., G; Iris Schemper, fr., F.
 
Worth noting: Huskies making just the second state appearance in program history with the other trip coming in 1994 when Northern Valley captured the Class 1A state title to cap a 25-3 season. … Huskies were just the No. 6 seed in their sub-state before upsetting No. 3 Golden Plains, No. 2 seed Thunder Ridge and No. 1 seed Wheatland-Grinnell, the title game win avenging two previous losses to the Thunderhawks. … A longtime coach in Missouri, Lewis in first year as head coach of the program and hit 200^th career win in sub-state championship. … Huskies started season 1-8 before winning 11 of last 14 games, which included three wins over perennial state qualifier Golden Plains. … Huskies took second in the Western Kansas Liberty League Tournament. … Huskies overcame loss of four-year starter Mary Baird to knee injury at midseason. … Austyn Cox leads team in scoring at 13 points per game while also adding 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals per game. … She’s averaged nearly 20 points per game during the late-season surge. … Sides is second on the team with 10 points per game and has hit 54 3-pointers. … Bina returned after Christmas after suffering a knee injury in volleyball and adds 8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game, .and had a triple-double this season with 16 points, 24 rebounds and 12 blocks. … Huskies have gotten big contributions from three freshmen.
 

 
SOUTH HAVEN
 
Coach: Mike Heater
 
Record: 21-2 (No. 1 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Cunningham, 43-22; beat Attica, 49-45
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Northern Valley (8: 12-11), 2 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Aubrey Pond, jr., PG/F; Jacee Theurer, sr., G; Kelly Theurer, so., G; Adele Helsel, so., F; Addison Heater, so., G; Alivia Bacon, sr., C; Rahlee Colwell, jr., G; Avery Strickland, fr., G; Makenzie Callison, fr., PG.
 
Worth noting: Cardinals have qualified for state for three straight years and six times overall. … All but one of previous five trips ended in quarterfinals, but South Haven claimed a state championship in 2007, going undefeated that season. … Cardinals were undefeated South Central Border League champions for the third straight year and also won the SCBL Tournament title, beating Flinthills in the title game. … Only losses came to 1A Division I qualifiers Olpe and Norwich in December and Cardinals have won 18 straight since. … Cardinals only have two seniors and start three sophomores. … Pond leads team at 11.5 points per game. … Kelly Theurer adds 9.3 points a game while Jacee Theurer and Helsel are both just under 7 points a game. … Pond also averages 6.6 steals per game. … Cardinals won back-to-back overtime games against Medicine Lodge and Attica early in season and Pond hit a buzzer-beater to beat West Elk in late January.
 

 
WALLACE COUNTY
 
Coach: Braydon Summers
 
Record: 20-3 (No. 3 seed)
 
Sub-state results: beat Western Plains, 64-18; beat Dighton, 62-48
 
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Beloit-St. John’s (6: 16-5), 8 p.m. Thursday
 
Key players: Jayelyn Daily, jr., F; Jyma Stafford, jr., G; Jersi Benisch, so., G; Aubree Richardson, sr., F; Ja’Asia Stafford, sr., C; Mary Carman, so., G; Jaelyn Ita, so., G; Makenna Gibbs, jr., C; Kallie Richardson, fr., F.
 
Worth noting: Wildcats return to state for second straight year and lost in quarterfinals to eventual champion Hanover last year, 63-32. … Trip is ninth overall for the program, which captured a state championship in 2012 in 1A Division II. … Wildcats were Northwest Kansas League Tournament champions. … Two of three losses came to 2A unbeaten Wichita County and other came to 2A qualifier Rawlins County by three points with Wildcats also owning a 16-point win over the Buffaloes. … Benisch leads balanced scoring attack with 11.8 points per game and also is tops with 2.6 assists and 4.5 steals per game. … Daily averages 10.1 points, 6 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game. … Richardson is just under double figures with 9.8 points per game and also is top rebounder at 6.3 per game. … She went over 1,000 career points this year and Dailey topped 500 career rebounds. … NWKL title was first since joining the league in 2013. … Wildcats force 32 turnovers per game this season with a high of 49 forced in a game.