2025-26 GIRLS BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW
 

 
CLASS 6A
 
2024-25 State champion – Blue Valley North
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Derby
 
2024-25 Review – State champion in 2023, Blue Valley North was denied a repeat title in 2024 when the Mustangs fell in the semifinals to eventual champion Shawnee Mission South. Returning the twin tower duo of Jaliya Davis and Aubrey Shaw, North was not going to be denied last March. North took four lossees in the regular season, but all came to out-of-state competition and the Mustangs ran the table in the ultra-tough Eastern Kansas League that produced 5A champion St. Thomas Aquinas and 4A runner-up Bishop Miege. North got its toughest test from a Kansas team in the state quarterfinals as Washburn Rural pushed the Mustangs to the limit in a 45-39 contest. From there, North was on cruise control, blowing past Wichita Heights 65-42 in the semifinals. North completely overwhelmed Derby in the finals, taking a 65-39 blowout victory to finish the season 21-4. Derby had beaten Olathe North 68-55 in the semifinals and like Derby finished the season 21-4. Wichita Heights also finished with a 21-4 mark, beating Olathe North in the third-place game.
 
2025-26 Contenders – Coming off three straight top three finishes and two titles in the last three seasons, Blue Valley North will have a much different look to it if the Mustangs can get back to state this year. Longtime coach Ann Fritz had the luxury of the state’s top post duo in Jaliya Davis, now at Kansas, and Aubrey Shaw, now at Harvard. With her six-footers gone, along with two other starters, Fritz will now lean on a smaller, quicker lineup led by the Schoering sisters, senior Tatum and junior Macy. Senior Gabi Hinson is the leading returning scorer with 9 points per game. … After falling short of a state title a year, Derby goes into this season as arguably the team to beat in Class 6A. The Panthers only had two seniors on last year’s team that finished 21-4 and four of five starters are back. Senior Macayla Askew has been one of 6A’s top players since her sophomore season and averaged just under 14 points per game last year. Aysia Fox added just over 10 points per game as well and senior Karlie Demel can be a deadly 3-point shooter. The Panthers took third in 2023 before moving up to second last year. Another step up could be in line this season. … Two of the best players in the state reside in Olathe and make Olathe North and Olathe South instant contenders. North beat South in the quarterfinals last year on its way to a fourth-place finish. … North’s standout is senior guard Asia Lee, who averaged 23 points per game last year and already has become the program’s all-time leading scorer with a season still to go. She was the Sunflower League MVP last year. Sophomores Daliyah Williams and Lailah Boyd emerged as strong complements last year as freshmen with Williams averaging 10 points per game. … As good as Lee is, the argument could be made that Olathe South’s Eve Long is the top overall player in the state. Last year as a sophomore, Long averaged 22.7 points and 11 rebounds per game and she’s already closing in on 1,000 career points. South also returns senior guard Macy Price and a solid junior class to go along with Long. The Falcons only lost twice to a Kansas team a year ago, both to Olathe North. … Wichita Heights finished third at state last year, also posting a 21-4 mark. The Falcons will have an entirely different look this season, however. Graduation claimed all five starters, including leading scorers Kennadi Jackson and Samiyah Ellis. Also gone is head coach Kip Pulliam, who stepped down as coach after last season replaced by Jen Pillich. A healthy return of Destiny Moore will ease the transition with Moore an all-league performer as a sophomore before missing the last half of last season with an injury. … Heights’ cross-town rival Wichita East enjoyed a breakthrough season in Willie Davis’ first year as head coach, returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2006, ending a 20-year drought. East won 14 of 17 going into the state tourney and then fell to Derby in the quarterfinals. Though leading scorer Heylei Davis has graduated, she was the lone senior in the rotation so everyone else that played key roles returns, five of whom averaged at least 8 points per game in the Blue Aces’ balance attack with senior Aniyah Davis leading that group. … Olathe produced three state qualifiers a year ago with Olathe West joining North and South. The Owls nearly pulled off a quarterfinal upset as well, falling 60-57 to Wichita Heights in the quarterfinals. The graduation of all-time leading scorer Emma Sales leaves a monstrous hole as she was the only Owl who averaged double-figure scoring last year. But everyone else returns and West will be senior driven this year led by Lexi Cooley and Molly Collins. … Washburn Rural gave eventual champion Blue Valley North its only true test at the state tournament last year, pushing the Mustangs to the limit before falling 45-39. The Junior Blues are a consistent contender in 6A and won a state title as recently as 2022 before posting back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2024. As big as the losses Rural suffered to graduation, namely guard Kate Hinck, the biggest offseason loss was that of first-team All-6A pick Maddie Vickery, who suffered a knee injury late in the summer and will miss the season after averaging 21.7 points last year as a sophomore. The Junior Blues may have to lean on freshman Brynn Anderson, who took on a lead role for the volleyball team in the fall. … Rural will have plenty of competition in the Centennial League from rival Topeka High, which returns three of the best players in the league. Junior Ashieyrhuajh Rayton averaged better than 21 points per game last year, while Keimara Marshall and Hailey Caryl were strong complements with just over 10 points per game each. The Trojan nearly picked off Wichita Heights in the sub-state finals last year, falling 55-50. … Manhattan also posted a winning mark in the Centennial League last year, going 14-8 overall with the season ending with a loss to Rural in the sub-state finals. The Indians return senior Kat Ball, who’s helped the golf team to two straight titles and averaged just under 10 points per game last year. Delaney Larson was right behind Ball in scoring and Bailey Busch could be primed for a breakout year as well. … Liberal reached the sub-state finals before getting knocked off by Wichita East. The Redskins return first-team all-leaguer Shamari Lewis, who averaged 17 points and 9.7 rebounds per game last year, and fellow first-teamer Kylie Rhine. … Shawnee Mission Southhad to replace a stellar senior class off its 2024 state championship team, but still fashioned a 14-8 mark last year, falling in the sub-state finals to Olathe West. The Raiders return first-team all-leaguer Kylena Potts, who averaged 14 points per game as well as guard Laila Berndt. … Just .500 going into sub-state, Gardner Edgerton upset Shawnee Mission Northwest to start the postseason before running into Blue Valley North. The Trailblazers have all-time leading scorer Landri Schaffer back for her senior year after she averaged 23 points per game a year ago.
 

 
CLASS 5A
 
2024-25 State champion – St. Thomas Aquinas
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Seaman
 
2024-25 Review – It was a somewhat different position in which St. Thomas Aquinas went into the 2025 state tournament. For the better part of the last decade, the Saints have been the hunted by the rest of Class 5A. Starting with a championship in 2016, the Saints won seven consecutive state titles. But that streak ended with an overtime quarterfinal loss in 2024 to Maize South, which wound up finishing runner-up to Seaman. The Vikings’ title was their first since 1991 and returning a large bulk of that team, Seaman spent the 2024-25 season on the fast track to capturing another, posting an undefeated 20-0 regular season. They weren’t alone as Hays enjoyed its best season ever, also going into the state tournament with an undefeated record. Hays actually wound up with the No. 1 overall seed, which pitted the Indians against Aquinas right away. It was every bit the game to be expected, but Aquinas’ experience at state won out and the Saints pulled out a 51-48 victory to begin their march to an eighth state title. Seaman’s quest for a second straight title began with United Kansas Conference rival Piper, which the Vikings had beaten at the buzzer just weeks earlier. The third meeting wasn’t nearly as close as Seaman won 66-54 and then took down Andover in the semifinals for the second straight year, winning 55-49. Aquinas won its semifinal with Spring Hill 68-54, setting up a battle for the title of the teams that had combined for the last eight championships. Tied at halftime, Aquinas slowly built a 12-point lead and then fought off Seaman’s late bid for a 68-61 victory, securing the program’s 12th state title overall. Andover won a 74-55 shootout with Spring Hill to finish third for the second straight year.
 
2025-26 Contenders – A fixture at the state tournament with 31 straight appearances, St. Thomas Aquinas has spent most of those seasons of late as the heavy favorite. That happens when you win 11 state titles, including seven straight from 2016-23. After seeing that run halted in 2024 when Seaman won the title, the Saints didn’t exactly carry the look of the favorite going into last year’s tournament, having lost seven games in the regular season and boasting a roster without a senior. But after returning to the top by beating two undefeated teams – Hays in the quarterfinal and defending champion Seaman in the finals – Aquinas is once again back in its spot as the favorite in 5A this year. The underclassmen came of age a year ago and played like a veteran team at state. Senior Alex Crouse led the team in scoring last year with 16 points a game while junior Laila Boylan wasn’t far behind at 12 points per game. The Saints have just three seniors this season so last year could have been the start of another multi-year streak for the program. … It was a heartbreaking end for Seaman as their big for an undefeated season came to an end with a 68-61 loss to Aquinas in the finals. The road back to state will be a little tougher for the Vikings this season as not only did they lost All-State Top 5 pick Anna Becker to graduation but three other starters as well. Returning senior Maddie Gragg is the lone returning starter and averaged 14 points per game last year. Junior Cara Beaton is the only other returners with senior Ryin Miller skipping basketball to get healthy for track after an injury wiped out her cross country season. … Hays was the other undefeated team Aquinas picked off on its way to the state title. The 22-1 season was the best in program history and the state appearance was the first for the Indians since 1996. The addition of freshman Jenna Schmeidler a year ago was the difference maker for the Indians as she stepped right in and led the team in scoring with 16 points per game. She’ll miss the leadership Molly Martin and a handful of other seniors that have graduated provided but senior Zoe Winter and junior Morgan Armbruster are expected to become bigger forces. … Andover has gone 37-3 over the past two seasons, but still doesn’t have a championship game appearance to show for it. The Trojans have fallen to Seaman in the state semifinals each of the past two seasons. This could be the year the Trojans get over the hump as they return Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division II MVP Bella Bouddhara after she had a breakout sophomore season in which she led the team in scoring with 17.1 points per game. She lost running mate Aliyah Green, who averaged a double-double with 13.3 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Four seniors overall must be replaced but Bouddhara led a talented sophomore class a year ago that should take over as the driving force behind a run at a title this season. … Runner-up to Seaman in 2024, Maize South tumbled in the quarterfinals last year, dropping a 61-56 decision to Spring Hill. That was just the fourth loss for the Mavericks. Having lost Ashley Singhateh as the leader of the runner-up team, Maize South filled the void with the addition of McPherson transfer Jaela Thompson, who led the team in scoring, assists and steals. The Mavericks return their top-three scorers with Ali Singhateh and Kaylee Brunton both averaging right around 10 points a game. … Spring Hill rode the standout duo of Sydney Buscher and Isla Herman to its best state finish since winning the state title in 2003. This year, more will fall on Herman after Buscher graduated. Herman averaged 17.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last year. Three other seniors that played key roles also return for the Broncos. … An 18-4 record earned Piper just the No. 7 seed at state last year and a quarterfinal game with United Kansas Conference rival Seaman, who beat the Pirates for the third time. Piper rode the playmaking abilities of the McCallop sisters – Grace and Faith – who transferred in after helping Bishop Miege capture two straight Class 4A titles. Though Grace has graduated after leading the team in scoring, there are still two McCallops for the Pirates to lean on as Faith is back after averaging 16.9 points per game and younger sister Hope, who saw limited playing time a year ago as a freshman, takes on a bigger role this season. Two other sophomores also saw time as freshmen last year. … St. James Academy set a program record with 18 wins last year, securing a state berth after rallying from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to upset De Soto. And that came after standout Reese Messer went down with an injury in the second game of the season and was lost for the remainder of the year. Riley Kerwin was the lone senior on the state roster a year ago, so the Thunder return everyone else. Returning senior Regan Becker led the team in scoring at 13.3 points per game and also was the leading rebounder. … Had De Soto not suffered its fourth-quarter collapse in the sub-state final, the UKC would have had three teams at state with the Wildcats coming off consecutive appearances. The league will be deep again this year. De Soto will have to replace the best player in program history with the graduation of Makenzie Farmer, who set school records across the board. The Wildcats also lost fellow first-team all-leaguer Quinn Carpenter. … While De Soto could take a step back, Shawnee Heights and Basehor-Linwood could take a step forward. Heights was 14-8 a year ago, losing to Piper in the sub-state finals. Not only do the T-Birds return junior KK Emmot, who had a big sophomore season with 17.1 points per game, and leading rebounder Reianna Vega, they’ve picked up a trio of newcomers that have the roster loaded with scoring options. Imani McGlory moved in from Topeka West after averaging 15.6 points per game and Pearmella Carter came over from Highland Park, where she was the Meadowlark Conference MVP and averaged a double-double. Heights also adds 6-foot-1 point guard Sami Baum, who was previously homeschooled. … Basehor-Linwood, meanwhile, returns all five starters from last year’s 10-11 team and will look to make some noise this season. Kinley Christopher nearly averaged a double-double with 11.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and sophomore Delaney Wittkop averaged 10.6 points per game as a freshman last year. … The addition of Zoey Buckner-Franklin, who led Wichita Independent to the Class 2A state title in 2024, was huge for Kapaun Mt. Carmel, which finished 16-6, losing to Seaman in the sub-state finals. She averaged 23.4 points per game for the Crusaders. McCoy Phister also returns. … Arkansas City enjoyed its best season in years, going 19-3 with the season ending with a 52-45 loss to Maize South in the sub-state finals. The Bulldogs had a dynamic duo in Saliyah Henderson-Johnson and Savannah Phillips, each of whom averaged more than 11 points per game. Both have graduated so the Bulldogs will have to find a new combination to build off last year’s success. … Bishop Carroll finished with a 16-6 mark last year after not having its top player from the previous season go out last year as Leah Henke opted to focus on soccer. Avery McCorry emerged as a force, averaging 13 points per game to rank only behind now-departed senior Megan Simon’s 14 points a game. Two other players who earned honorable mention all-league also return for the Golden Eagles. … Blue Valley Southwest can get a bit overlooked in the Eastern Kansas League but went 13-9 last year and reached the sub-state finals. The Timberwolves return second-leading scorer Mia Hansen and senior guard Kylie Cross. … Sumner Academy only finished one game over .500 last year but has a strong 1-2 punch in Ray-Auna Haywood, who averaged 22.1 points per game as a sophomore last year, and fellow junior Ariana George, who averaged 15.3 points per game.
 

 
CLASS 4A
 
2024-25 State champion – Wellington
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Bishop Miege
 
2024-25 Review – No team in Class 4A had put together a better win-loss record than Wellington over the previous three seasons, posting a 67-6 record. But for all that success, the Crusaders had come up empty at the state tournament, losing to a familiar foe each of those three seasons – Bishop Miege. That included a loss in the 2024 state championship game as Bishop Miege beat the Crusaders 75-62 to win their fifth straight state title and 25th overall. The state rivals wound up on opposite sides of the bracket at state last year, putting them on a collision course for another meeting in the state finals. Wellington turned away solid tests from Andale (52-40) in the quarterfinals and Buhler (46-30) in the semifinals, while Miege cruised past Eudora (68-35) in the quarterfinals and Hayden (59-42) in the semifinals. After seeing Miege spoil its previous seasons, Wellington finally conquered its nemesis. Led by All-State Top 5 pick Val Norwood, the Crusaders led from start to finish, taking a 53-48 win over the Stags for the program’s first-ever state title, capping a 24-1 season. Hayden took out its frustrations from its semifinal loss to Miege on Buhler in the third-place game, rolling to a 57-23 win to finish 22-3. 
 
2025-26 Contenders – Now that it’s gotten over its Bishop Miege hump, Wellington will look to show the staying power its had as one of 4A’s best programs over the last half decade. Replacing the senior duo of Val Norwood and Britt Zeka won’t be easy. Norwood averaged 15.5 points per game and Zeka was right behind with 14 points a game. But only one other senior graduated and the Crusaders are still loaded with talent, starting with juniors Dru Zeka and Kirstyn Gregory, who each averaged around 7 points per game in complementary roles last year with Gregory missing the end of the season with an injury. … Denied a sixth straight title, Bishop Miege will be hungry to start another streak this year. The Stags had won their last four titles with four different coaches but Mike Allen begins his third year in charge of the program and returns a veteran squad this year. Mary Grant hit 1,000 points last year as a junior and led the team in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Miege lost four-year starter Kirston Verhulst and three other seniors, but Jayla McClinton was an impact addition last year and averaged 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. … Hayden has placed third at state the past two seasons, in Class 3A in 2024 and in 4A last March. A strong senior class was complemented by a talented freshman class last year. The latter group will have to step up as the leaders this year after graduation claimed the likes of six-footers Amelia Ramsey and Brylee Meier, who led the team in scoring last year. Sophomore Hailey Schmidtlein already has Division I offers and averaged 13.5 points per game in backing Ramsey and Meier. She’s the lone returning starter but Hayden’s bench played key roles last year and will step up this season. … Ending a five-year state drought, Buhler placed fourth at state last year and finished with a 19-6 mark overall. The Crusaders graduated all five starters off that team including Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division III MVP Natalya Krafels. Senior Nyah Sewell and junior Ella Voss lead the returners looking to fill those voids. … Even with the loss of three senior starters, Clay Center has the pieces to return to state for the second straight year. Last year’s trip ended with a 56-44 loss to Hayden in the quarterfinals. Leading scorer Lily Edwards is back after averaging 16.5 points per game last year. … The Tigers have plenty of strong competition in the North Central Kansas League, suffering two of its losses last year to Rock Creek. The Mustangs went 17-5 last year, but were stuck in the same sub-state as Miege and fell 59-45 in the sub-state finals. The Mustangs would have had a strong 1-2 punch but returning first-team all-leaguer Brynna Zoeller isn’t playing this season after leading the team in scoring last year. Kylee Frazee was right behind with 12 points per game and will return and leads a junior class that will form the core of the team. … Fellow NCKL member Wamego got Lexi Hecht back healthy for a fulll season and posted a 16-6 mark. The Red Raiders reached the sub-state finals before falling to Eudora 41-35. Hecht averaged 15.3 points per game last year and is joined by sophomore Kendall Mayer, who stepped in and averaged 10.2 points per game as a freshman. The addition of Mia Meyer, a transfer from St. John, will give the Red Raiders another weapon. … A perennial qualifier, Andale made its fifth straight state showing last year, falling in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Wellington. The Indians only lost two seniors off last year’s state team, Maddie Lies and Taya Orth, but returns leading scorer Brooke Grimes and third-leading scorer Abbi Winter. Several players also helped Andale capture the Class 4A state volleyball title this fall. … Eudora returned to state last year for the first time since taking second to Miege in 2022. The Cardinals lost four seniors off last year’s 20-3 team, but they were led by their underclassmen trio of Brynn Deterding, Izzy Brunkow and Avah Dye. Deterding and Dye each averaged double figures last year while Brunkow ranked third on the team in scoring. Eudora won the Frontier League title and its only losses ahead of state came to 5A qualifier St. James Academy and 4A qualifier Eudora. … Avenging two regular-season losses to Southeast Kansas Conference rival Fort Scott with a win over the Tigers in the sub-state finals, Labette County earned its second straight state berth. The Grizzlies lost to Buhler 56-51 in the quarterfinals, falling in that round for the second straight year. Labette was senior-dominated last year, led by Landry O’Brien, who led the team in scoring, assists and steals. Returning seniors Amelia Carnahan and Amery Baker each averaged just over 6 points per game last year. … Fort Scott finished 17-5 and returns Abbie Gorman, who averaged 10 points per game. Graduation claimed leading scorer Kylee Comstock. … Tonganoxie was just 10-11 last year, but returns a strong duo on Alyssa Schoeneck, who averaged 17 points per game, and Addy Schooler. … Coffeyville and Baldwin went 14-7 and 14-8, respectively, and return key players – Kaylin Caron for Coffeyville and Chloe Neufeld for Baldwin. … A traditional power, McPherson endured a rare losing season a year ago, going 10-12. The Bullpups never stay down for long, however, and return Brooke Doile to get things going back the right direction. … Clearwater reached the sub-state finals before falling to Andale and returns Justine Berlin, who averaged just over 13 points per game last year. … Mulvane went 13-10 behind standout freshman Brittani Peschel, who averaged 13.1 points per game.
 

 
CLASS 3A
 
2024-25 State champion – Halstead
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Silver Lake
 
2024-25 Review – Even though Silver Lake didn’t carry an undefeated record into the state tournament as it did in 2024, the Eagles still loomed as the prohibitive favorite to defend its state title. Their losses had come to Centralia, which went on to finish as undefeated Class 1A Division I state champion, and Big East League rival Riley County, with whom they split. With the Falcons falling short of making the 3A tourney field, Silver Lake still had the edge as the team to beat, even with Hesston entering the tournament with a perfect 23-0 mark and Halstead coming in with a 22-1 record, its lone loss coming to Hesston. Osage City also had only one loss going into state as the dominant Flint Hills League champion. But the Indians were upset in the quarterfinals by Colby in a surprising 57-31 rout while the other three won by double digits to set up a high-powered semifinals. Silver Lake ended Hesston’s bid for perfection with a 65-58 win over the Swathers while Halstead denied Colby a second straight upset with a 46-33 win. It was the first-ever championship game for the Dragons and the moment appeared like it might be too big for them as Silver Lake built a 15-point lead in the third quarter of the title game. But Halstead chopped that deficit in half by the end of the third and used a stifling defense to hold Silver Lake to just six points in the fourth quarter as the Dragons rallied for a 48-45 victory and the program’s first-ever state title. That came on the heels of the Dragons winning the first volleyball state title on the same Hutchinson Arena floor in the fall. The basketball Dragons finished 25-1, same as Hesston, which took third with a 56-50 win over Colby. Silver Lake ended up 23-3 and Colby finished 22-4.
 
2025-26 Contenders – Following a historic season for its girls’ athletics, Halstead fell short of even getting back to state in volleyball, upset in sub-state. The Dragons will look to avoid a similar fate in basketball and should be in strong position to return to the state tournament. Graduation only claimed two seniors off last year’s roster, Dalaina Schutte and Kaci Young. Balance was the key for the Dragons offensively last year with no player averaging double-figure scoring, and Halstead leaned heavily on its defense, setting a team record for steals in a season. Junior Piper Schroeder was the leading scorer last year, but missed the postseason with an injury as the Dragons made their title run without her. Senior Addison Wills was the defensive heartbeat for the team and Schroeder leads a strong junior class that will keep the Dragons among 3A’s best. … Silver Lake replaced All-State Top 5 pick Makenzie McDaniel quite well off its 2024 title team and this year doesn’t have a hole quite like that to fill. Only three seniors graduated and the Eagles have the bulk of their firepower returning. Senior point guard Kailyn Hanni has run the point since her freshman season and last year averaged 17.5 points, 6 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in taking over as the primary scorer as the lone returning starter from the title team. Karys Deiter was an impact addition as a freshman last year, averaging just over 12 points per game. Silver Lake is hoping to duplicate Halstead’s 2024-25 season in which the Dragons won volleyball and basketball state titles with the Eagles capturing the volleyball state title this fall. … After being denied an undefeated season by Silver Lake last year, Hesston will have the monumental task of replacing all-time leading scorer Kendal Brueggen, who averaged 20.5 points per game last year. The Swathers also lost three other senior starters, including second-leading scorer Abby Proctor. Senior Callie Yoder is the lone returning starter. … Colby also has a huge hole to fill after placing fourth at state last year, its best state finish in more than a decade. Alisabeth Barton is gone after averaging 17.5 points per game. Two other starters who averaged better than 7 points per game also have graduated leaving senior Shaylee Holzmeister as the top returner this season. … It was a rather disappointing showing at state for Osage City, which went in with just one loss to 1A Division II qualifier Lebo, but were drubbed 57-31 by Colby to end with a 22-2 record. The Indians should be poised for a better result if they get back this season, losing just Lexi Boss and one other senior to graduation. There’s still a Boss lady around as Kaelyn Boss returns after having a huge freshman season that saw her average 23.4 points and better than 5 rebounds and steals per game. Senior guard Emory Speece added 13.7 points per game and Jewelia Kitselman came in with 7 points a contest. … Girard went 21-3 a year ago with a team made up largely of underclassmen, falling in the quarterfinals to Silver Lake, which handed the Trojans two of their three losses last year. Maddie Coester and Erika Boatman each averaged double-figure scoring last year with Coester leading the team with 12.4 points per game. They were also the leading rebounders. … Holcomb ended a decade-plus drought with its first state berth since 2013 last year, losing in the quarterfinals to Hesston. They shouldn’t have to wait that long to go again as only two seniors graduated, though one was leading scorer Halle Jones. Isabella Galliart added double-figure scoring at 10.3 points per game while Jaylee Wickwar was just under 9 points per game. … Overcoming late-season injuries to Samantha Stover and Kimmy Combs, Neodesha qualified for state for the first time since 2007, losing in the quarterfinals to Hasltead. The Bluestreaks will have to replace leading scorer and rebounder Prayer Roebuck and a big senior class. Combs is back after missing last year with an injury and sophomore Alison Stover also returns after starting as a freshman last year. … After handing Silver Lake one of its two regular-season losses, Riley County fell short of upsetting undefeated Hesston in the sub-state finals, falling 42-35 to finish the season 17-6. The Falcons have to replace double-double machine Anna Lambert but return second-team all-leaguer Riley Mitoska. … Southeast of Saline saw a 16-5 season end with a semifinal loss to Riley County, but the Trojans return a pair of first-team all-leaguers in senior Abigail Pearson and sophomore Kyiah Samuelson, who each averaged double-figure scoring a year ago. … Southwestern Heights was the top seed in its sub-state with a 16-4 record, but was upset in the semifinals by Beloit. The Mustangs return leading scorer Layla Kisner, who averaged 15.6 points per game. … Wellsvillewent 17-6 last year and lost to Silver Lake in the sub-state finals. The Eagles were set to return both first-team all-leaguers from a year ago in Alana Green and Savannah Viets with Green averaging 14.5 points per game and Viets averaging 13.6 points per game, but Green has opted not to play this season leaving Viets as the Eagles’ main threat. Two other starters do return as well. … Coming off a 16-7 mark and sub-state runner-up finish, Burlington shared the Pioneer League title with Wellsville last year and like the Eagles returns a pair of first-team all-leaguers in Mac Medlock and Alexa Splechter. Medlock led the Wildcats in scoring at 14.8 points per game while Splechter ran the point and added 10.9 points per game. Burlington returns four starters overall. … Perennial powers Cheney, Nemaha Central and Haven all were stuck in the same sub-state as Halstead, each going into the postseason with six or fewer losses. Cheney made the sub-state finals before falling to Halstead while Nemaha lost to the Dragons in the semifinals and Haven was upset in the quarterfinals by Marysville. Cheney returns first-team all-leaguer Raegen Black, while Haven must replace first-team all-leaguer Sienna DeFrain, but returns second-leading scorer Avery Brawner. Nemaha Central graduated three players who earned all-league honors and could be in a rebuild situation this season. … Cherryvale went 16-5 last year but was upset in the sub-state semifinals by Frontenac. Harmony John returns after averaging 14.6 points per game last year as a sophomore and Tatum Marchant also is back after adding about 9 points a contest. … Ellsworth returns a pair of first-team all-league picks in Alexis Moore and Lainey Peschka with Peschka leading the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game last year. The Bearcats fell in the sub-state semifinals to Goodland, which returns leading scorer Libby Cure.
 

 
CLASS 2A
 
2024-25 State champion – Moundridge
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Doniphan West
 
2024-25 Review – The Heart of America League has had a pretty good stranglehold on the Class 2A state title for the better part of the last half decade. Sterling started the run for the league with back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 and then passed the baton to Berean Academy, which claimed the 2023 title. After Wichita Independent ended the league’s reign in 2024, Moundridge and Inman were two of the top five seeds in the 2025 state tournament with Moundridge the No. 1 overall seed with a 21-2 mark. And once each won their quarterfinal game – Moundridge beating TMP-Marian 62-50 and Inman rolling past Phillipsburg 54-35 – the HOA was assured of having a team in the finals. That team was Moundridge, which suffocated Inman defensively to take a 46-26 win, the Wildcats’ third over the Teutons last season. On the other side of the bracket, St. Mary’s Colgan saw its state heartbreaks add another chapter. Despite having lost two or fewer games each of the last five seasons, the Panthers have fallen just short of capturing a state title, falling in the 2021 championship and losing in the semifinals in 2023 and 2024 as an unbeaten. After pulling out a tough 41-37 win over Valley Heights in the quarterfinals, the semifinals became a sticking point again for Colgan as Doniphan West pulled off a 61-60 double-overtime upset to return to the finals for the second time in three years, also capturing the 1A Division I championship in 2023. The energy conserved by Moundridge in its 20-point semifinal win combined with the energy exerted by the Mustangs in the double-overtime win showed as the Wildcats got out fast and never looked back in taking a 62-51 victory. The championship was the eighth for Moundridge in its rich history, but first since 2011, tying them with Central Plains for the fourth-most championships in girls’ state history. Moundridge finished with a 24-2 record, while Doniphan West posted a 19-6 mark. Inman topped Colgan for third to finish 21-4 and the Panthers finished 22-4.
 
2025-26 Contenders – Moundridge’s coronation as Class 2A champions a year ago might have come a year earlier than expected. Not only did the Wildcats not have a senior on last year’s state roster there were only three juniors as well, leaving the bulk of the roster as sophomores or freshmen. But the Wildcats came of age quickly, suffering their only losses a year ago to teams that were undefeated in the regular season, 3A Hesston and 1A Division I Little River. The expectations are through the roof this year with everyone returning. Senior Cammi Unruh was the unquestioned leader of last year’s title team, averaging 16.3 points per game. But she got plenty of help along the way. Returning senior post Macy Kaminkow was a first-team all-league pick while junior Hattie Hecox and sophomore Mackenzie Conkling came up big at the state tournament, as did senior Addy Patrick. The target is squarely on Moundridge this season as it looks to add its ninth state title for the program. … At some point, St. Mary’s Colgan is going to breakthrough and get the title that has eluded it despite being the winningest program in 2A over the last five years. The Panthers lost in the semifinals in an overtime game, last year in 2OTs, to see their bid end prematurely. The Panthers return one of the most dynamic scorers in 2A in senior guard Jakayla Davis, who averaged 26 points per game last season. She suffered a leg injury in the semifinal game last year that hampered her and the Panthers’ chances to reach the title game. Colgan lost five seniors, including top post player Mariah Harris, but return Davis’ twin sister, Janessa, and junior Bella Ascanio to make another run. … Runner-up last year, Doniphan West maybe caught some people by surprise after making the move up to 2A from 1A Division I. But the Mustangs, who won the 2023 1A I state title, proved the classification doesn’t matter and enjoyed a great ride to the finals. Junior Courtney Johnson had a big state tournament, keying the semifinal upset of Colgan and returns after leading a balanced Mustang offense in scoring with 10.7 points per game. Returners Belle Smith and Andi Foster each added just over 7 points per game and will called on to score more with the departures of Brennah Edie and Katie Johnson, who were second and third on the team in scoring last year. … West hails from the Twin Valley League, which also produced 2A qualifier Valley Heights, which gave Colgan everything it wanted in the quarterfinals before falling 41-37. The Mustangs might very well be the team to beat in the league this year after losing only two seniors to graduation. Senior guard Ava Smith can do it all and led the team in scoring and steals, getting 17 points and 3 steals per game.. Fellow senior Mia Vermetten returns after leading the team in rebounds (5.4 rpg) and assists (3.6 apg). A healthy return of Paige Miller, who missed the end of last year will help fill the holes and Lindsay Gray is back after being a key scorer off the bench last year. … Inman’s chances of challenging for a title again this year after finishing third a year ago took a major hit in the offseason when Suttyn Harris suffered a knee injury that will force her to miss her senior season. The Utah volleyball signee averaged 15 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last year and was the driving force behind the Teutons’ 21-4 season. The good news on the injury front is that senior Kenna Woods will return after missing last year with an injury after being an all-league pick her sophomore season. She’ll step in to join four returning starters that include first-team all-league selection Morgan Froese, who averaged 10.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last year and honorable mention picks Taylor Froese and Ellie Thimmesch. … Coming off its first state appearance since 2017, Chase County hopes to get back and stick around a little longer. The Bulldogs have a top post presence in senior Madelyn Wilson, who averaged 19.6 points and 12.4 rebounds per game last year. She’s one of four returning starters for the Bulldogs, who lost only three seniors off last year’s state team. Younger sister Ava, a sophomore, ranked third on the team in scoring with returning junior Lynnae Rains second at 8.3 points per game. … A fixture in the 3A tournament for much of the last half decade, Phillipsburg qualified in 2A last year, losing to Inman in the quarterfinals. The Panthers were the Mid-Continent League champions last year. Leading scorer Kayla Jacobs has graduated along with two other starters. But Ryleigh Seems returns after averaging better than 10 points per game last year, despite missing seven games with an illness. … A pair of sub-state upsets landed TMP-Marian at state for the first time since 2018. The Monarchs had a roster made up mostly of seniors and sophomores last year with Claire Schippers the lone returning senior off last year’s team. The junior class will step into the main roles this year after being a supporting cast last year, looking to fill the shoes of departed leading scorer Brooke Koenigsman. … It was a rare state tournament absence for Hillsboro a year ago after the Trojans had made runs at the title in recent seasons. They lost in the sub-state semifinals to eventual champion Moundridge 43-33, relying heavily on a sophomore class to carry the load. With the bulk of the team back, led by first-team all-leaguer and leading scorer Amyah Werth, the Trojans could find themselves back at state this season. … That same sub-state also housed Conway Springs and Remington, each of whom won at least 15 games last year. Remington reached the sub-state finals and returns leading scorer Emily O’Brien, who averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She’s one of four returning starters for the Broncos, two of whom also earned all-league honors of some kind last year. Conway Springs, meanwhile, returns leading scorer and rebounder and first-team all-leaguer Macie Hartman as well as three other starters for first-year coach Brett Gunderson. … Wichita County suffered just two losses last year, but one of those came in the sub-state semifinals to TMP-Marian, ending its bid to get back to the state tournament for the second straight year. The Indians have gone from three Rickes to two and now one with Breanne Ricke the last of the line after Ashlynn graduated in the spring. Both were first-team all-league selections last year. Audrina Marcy also returns for the Indians after being an honorable mention all-leaguer last year. … Hoxie also fell victim to TMP in sub-state play, losing in the finals to finish with a 19-4 mark. The Indians graduated first-team all-leaguer Emily Bainter. … Oakleyfinished with a 16-6 record, falling to Hoxie in the sub-state semifinals. The Plainsmen could end up being the team to beat in the Mid-Continent League this year, returning first-team all-leaguer Jade Beckman and second-teamer Alexa Weiser and coming off one of the best volleyball seasons the program has had in recent history. … If volleyball success can translate, then expect a big season for Ellinwood, which was the only undefeated volleyball team in the state this year, taking the Class 2A state title. The Eagles were pretty darn good on the hardwood last year anyway, going 19-3 with the season ending one win shy of state after falling to Phillipsburg in the sub-state finals. Ellinwood returns its entire team this year and should get a full year from Reece Stickney, who led the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game despite missing the last half of the season. Twin sister Addi also returns after missing last year with an injury and six other returners averaged at least 5 points per game. … Bennington went 19-4 last year but will have to replace leading scorer Rori Miles. Seniors Jordan Bartlett and Taleigh Watson are back after earning all-league honors of some kind last year. … The Heart of America is loaded with quality teams and Berean Academy is right there as well after going 15-7 last year. Fionna Morgan is back as the leading scorer at 14 points per game and is one of the last links to the 2023 championship team. … A mid-season injury to Brenna Rucker hampered Eureka a year ago, but the Tornadoes still managed to finish 16-6 and reach the sub-state finals before losing to Colgan 57-50. Rucker returns this year and averaged 19.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in her limited time last year. Three other returners got at least 6 points per game and the biggest graduation loss was first-team all-leaguer Laynie Winfreym who averaged 18 points per game. … Maur Hill has posted three straight winning seasons for the first time in program history and reached the sub-state finals in 2024 before falling in the semifinals last year to Valley Heights. The Ravens finished 17-5 overall, runner-up to 1A Division I qualifier Troy in the Northeast Kansas League. Three starters return led by leading scorer Capri Koechner (18.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg) and rebounder Kaitlyn Folsom (12 ppg, 9.6 rpg). … Kansas City Christian went 18-5 last year but graduated Kaw Valley Conference player of the year Macy Morsman. First-team all-leaguer Anna Stetler is the top returner and averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last year. … Cedar Vale-Dexter went 15-6 last year and is led by Zoe Davidson, who averaged 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last year.
 

 
CLASS 1A DIVISION I
 
2024-25 State champion – Centralia
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Little River
 
2024-25 Review – As the 2024-25 season progressed, it became pretty evident. Unless something crazy happened, Little River and Centralia were on a collision course to meet for a state championship. The two had met in the 2024 state tournament semifinals with Little River taking a 50-42 win before finishing runner-up to Centralia’s league rival, Frankfort. But last season, both were on a mission and each ran roughshod through tough scheduled to take an unblemished record into the state tournament, Centralia with a 23-0 mark and Little River with a 21-0 record. Not much changed once they got to state, either. After Centralia opened quarterfinal play with a 50-27 rout of St. John, Little River steamrolled Colony-Crest 76-27. In the semifinals, Centralia topped Troy by 18, 58-40 and Little River handled Quinter by 16, 68-52. That set up the showdown everyone had been waiting for, a battle of unbeatens for the state championship. The teams traded leads in the first two quarters with Centralia leading 13-8 after the first and Little River holding a slight 25-24 halftime lead. But the third quarter belonged to the Panthers, in particularly senior guard Oen Deters, who scored 15 of her game-high 29 points in the period to help Centralia outscore the Redskins 17-5 in the quarter and eventually take a 50-43 victory to cap a 26-0 season. Little River finished with a 23-1 mark and as state runner-up for the second straight year. Troy took third, beating Quinter 50-38 to finish with a 23-2 record while Quinter ended 21-5.
 
2025-26 Contenders – Runner-up at state each of the past two seasons, Little River is desperately seeking a state basketball title to go with the four straight volleyball championships the Redskins have won in the past four seasons. Those close calls – the Redskins have suffered their only losses of the last two seasons in the state finals -- serving as motivation, this could be the year Little River gets it done. Only one senior graduated off last year’s team and everyone that played key roles returns as Little Rivers sports a tremendous senior class. Arika Feldman leads that group and averaged better than 20 points per game last year. But the depth is impressive with five other players averaging at least 7 points per game with Havana Olander and Evie Look each just over 10. Little River has all the pieces to get the program’s first state title since 1998. … Once again, Centralia figures to be Little River’s top challenger for the title, even with the graduation of All-State Top 5 selection Oen Deters. She finished as the second all-time leading scorer in program history and all-time leader in steals, so obviously that’s a huge spot to fill.. But even in losing three other seniors as well, the Panthers have plenty of firepower back to make another run on the strength of a strong junior class. Tava Gibbs averaged 11.7 points and 8 rebounds per game last year while Hayden Kramer and Josie Haverkamp each came in at just over 9 points per game. … Until taking its state semifinal loss to Centralia, Troy hadn’t lost to a Kansas team last year, its only other defeat in a 23-2 season coming to St. Joseph (Mo.) Lafayette. The Trojans return the leading scorer in 1A a year ago in Harper Whetstine, who averaged 26.6 points per game and set multiple school records a year ago. Three senior starters graduated so some new complementary pieces will need to step up to keep Troy in the hunt. … The addition of freshman Braelyn Blackwill was an X-factor for Quinter, which posted its second top-three finish in three years after previously finishing as state runner-up in 2023 to Doniphan West. Blackwill came in and led the Bulldogs in scoring at 15.5 points per game. She had a strong complement in Bryn Gillespie, who added 15 points per game but has graduated. Only one other player was lost to graduation so Quinter returns more than enough to get back to state and challenge. … Taking a 21-2 mark into state, South Gray was knocked off by Quinter in the quarterfinals. The Rebels’ only other losses had come to Spearville. Four seniors have graduated, including leading scorers Kylie Stapleton and Allie Reed, but a lot of experience does return, led by senior Jacee Deges and junior Jonalee Zweygardt. … St. John lost only one senior off last year’s 18-6 team, leading scorer Lydia Reed. But it was other losses in the offseason that will hurt just as much. Combo senior Mia Meyer transferred to Wamego, taking away the Tigers’ other double-figure scorer from a year ago. And head coach Danny Smith took the job at Dodge City. Everyone else is back, however, and a healthy Gentri Bright will help after she missed eight games last year. … A perennial contender for a state title during Pat Stiles’ highly successful tenure, Central Plains fell to Troy in the quarterfinals last year and finished with a 19-4 record. The Oilers have been at state 12 of their 14 years of existence with eight straight state titles during that span. Only three seniors graduated but the loss of Marilyn Soeken is a big one as she led the team in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. Aevyn Siemsen was an impact freshman a year ago and could be the next Oiler star while Maggine Stourse is a force inside. … The undefeated Three Rivers League champion last year, Colony-Crest ended a 13-year state drought with its berth. The Lancers lost leading scorer Karlee Boots and three-point specialist Cursten Allen, but everyone else returns with Aylee Beckman the leader in assists and steals and second-leading scorer last year. … On its way back to state, Crest picked off perennial qualifier Olpe in the semifinals with a 36-34 win. The Eagles finished 13-8 and return leading scorer Lilly Skalsky and senior guard Kayla Steinke. … Flinthillswas the top seed in that sub-state but must replace leading scorer Paige Courter. All-leaguer Alex Scribner does return for the Mustangs. … Osborne finished 17-6 last year, losing to Quinter in the sub-state finals. The Bulldogs must replace Addison Poore, a second-team all-leaguer, but return leading scorer Leavie Riner, who averaged just under 12 points per game. … La Crosse lost to Osborne in the sub-state semifinals and returns Madison Morgan, who averaged 14.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last year. … If not for Centralia, Clifton-Clyde could have been a top contender at state with the Eagles suffering their losses in the tough TVL in a 17-6 season. Senior Sevy Wurtz has been a standout since her freshman season and averaged 23 points and 6 rebounds per game last year. She’s one of two returning starters along with Calyn Baker. … Spearvillemight have been South Gray’s achilles heel last year, but the Lancers couldn’t quite get past St. John to return to state, falling 53-43 in the sub-state finals to end a 16-7 season. The Lancers graduated leading scorer Faith Ackerman, but younger sister Cheyenne is ready to take the lead this year after being a second-team all-league pick last year. … Rock Hills only suffered four losses last year and fell to Troy in the sub-state finals. Three all-league selections return for the Grizzlies, led by first-teamers Halle Mizner and Bethany Simmelink, both seniors. … Rawlins County returns first-team all-leaguer Kayte Shively and second-teamer Camden Franklin to help offset the loss of Tayten Dewey off last year’s sub-state runner-up team to Central Plains. Shively led the Buffaloes in scoring at 14.9 points per game.
 

 
CLASS 1A DIVISION II
 
2024-25 State champion – Hanover
 
2024-25 State runner-up – Linn
 
2024-25 Review – The Hanover-Lebo rivalry has been a pretty high-level one over the past half decade, one Wildcat basketball coach labeled “Kong vs. Godzilla.” In volleyball, the two programs met for Class 1A Division II state championships for four straight years with each team winning two – Hanover taking titles in 2021 and 2024 and Lebo the two in between in 2023 and 2023. That rivalry carried over to the hardwood at state as well with the Wildcats beating Lebo for state championships in 2023 and 2024 and also topping the Wolves in the 2022 quarterfinals. A third straight meeting in the championship game wasn’t going to be possible last March as the rivals landed the tourney’s No. 2 and 3 seeds with one-loss South Haven taking the No. 1 overall seed with a 21-1 record. But sure enough they found their way to another meeting as Lebo rolled to a 44-24 quarterfinal win over Hodgeman County and Hanover cruised past Wallace County 64-49. And just as the 2024 title game was a thriller, so too was their semifinal game. Lebo trailed the entire game until Siara Crouch hit a 3-pointer with 4:12 left. But Hanover had a quick answer and though the Wildcats never trailed again, they never pulled away either, hanging on for a 37-34 win. On the other side of the bracket, Hanover’s USD 223 rival Linn was proving the Twin Valley League’s power ran deep. Despite coming into the tourney as the No. 8 seed with a 16-6 record, the Bulldogs hardly looked like an underdog. They controlled their quarterfinal in taking out top-seeded South Haven 51-39 and then was just as impressive in beating Attica 54-39 in the semifinals to reach the state championship game for the first time in program history. Though Linn put up a strong fight, Hanover’s experience was just too much and the Wildcats prevailed 46-35 to finish off its Division II three-peat. Hanover finished the season 23-2 while Linn ended with an 18-7 mark. Lebo (22-3) took third, beating Attica (21-5) 61-47 in the third-place game.
 
2025-26 Contenders – Since 2017, Hanover has been the powerhouse program in Class 1A Division II. The Wildcats have won five state titles and finished runner-up twice in that eight-year span (no tournament in 2020) and have compiled an impressive 44-3 postseason record under head coach Chris Beikmann. Hanover enters this season on a string of three straight state championships with the Wildcats beating Twin Valley League rival Linn for the title a year ago after topping Lebo for the first two of those titles. A fourth straight title is well within reach as the Wildcats only lost three seniors off last year’s state roster. The graduation of guard Anna Jueneman is a big one as she’s been the heart and soul of the team since her freshman year, keying the Wildcats’ relentless pressure defense while also leading the team in scoring. But the firepower that returns is more than enough to offset her statistical loss. Junior Drew Bruna was the second-leading scorer last year and could be a breakout star this season. She’ll lead a balanced offensive attack that gets a lot of scoring opportunities from its defense. … Linn was perhaps a bit of a surprise championship game opponent a year ago, going into state as the No. 8 seed and having never advanced to a title game in program history. But if the Bulldogs make it back, it won’t be a surprise. Even with the loss of leading scorer Marcela Huerta, Linn has more than enough returning to make another run and is fresh off advancing to the volleyball state championship in the fall. A junior class led by Baileigh Peters, Gretchen Bott, Geni Turk and Izzy Rogge was productive a year ago as sophomores with Peters second in scoring, less than a half point behind Huerta. A strong freshman class led by Sophia Hiltgen will add depth as well. Six of last year’s seven losses came to teams that played for state championships. … While Lebo has been Hanover’s main state rival for the past four years, the Wolves will have to have some of last year’s role players emerge as forces this year to stay in the hunt. Four-year starter Saige Hadley has graduated after averaging 20 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last year. She carried the team offensively and Lebo must also relace second-leading scorer Siara Crouch. Returning senior Allison Konrade is the leading returning scorer at 8 points per game. … Finishing fourth in just the program’s second-ever state appearance, Attica has enough back to make it two straight trips to state. Leading scorer Zoie Redgate has graduated, but returning junior Cady Hemphill was just off her team lead in scoring at 14.8 points per game. Fellow junior Liberty Swingle added 11.7 points per game and also shared the team lead in rebounding with Hemphill, each getting 6.8 per game. The Bulldogs only had eight players on its roster and two have graduated so finding some depth and staying healthy will be a key. … South Haven was the No. 1 seed for last year’s state tournament with the Cardinals’ lone loss going into the tourney coming to Attica. It marked the second straight year South Haven lost as the tourney’s No. 1 seed, also falling to Northern Valley in the 2024 quarterfinals. The Cardinals would love to rewrite that history and returning all but two players off last year’s team could have the chance to do it. One of the two graduation losses was leading scorer Aubrey Pond, who was the only Cardinal to average in double figures. They’ll be senior-led this year with Kelly Theurer, Adele Helsel and Addison Heater last year’s next-three leading scorers. … After going 20-4 last year and falling in the quarterfinals to Attica, Bucklin returns its entire roster. This is a go-for-it kind of year for the Red Aces, who will have seven seniors who led last year’s state team as juniors. Emmerson Kirk averaged 18 points per game while Karlee Evans was right behind with 14 points a game. Tristan Stout and Isabel Bowman are also proven scorers, giving the Red Aces plenty of weapons to make a run. … Hodgeman County was also a relatively young team last year with just three seniors. Like Bucklin, they’ll be senior-dominant with last year’s junior class accounting for a bulk of the offensive production. No Longhorn averaged double-figure scoring, but five came in between 6 and 9 points per game led by Kylie Reece and Mallorie Ruff. … Coming off a semifinal appearance in 2024, Wallace County couldn’t get past champion Hanover in the quarterfinals last year. Leading scorer Jersi Benisch is back and runs the point while looking to score, getting 15 points and 3.7 assists per game last year. She’ll miss fellow guard Jaelyn Daily, who was one of two Wildcats to graduate. But the Wildcats have good size with four returning players who are at least 5-foot-10 led by junior Kallie Richardson, who averaged 11.4 points and 6 rebounds per game last year. … Hartford was 15-6 last year and fell just short of upsetting South Haven, falling 32-31 in the sub-state finals. Lauryn Finnerty led the Jaguars in scoring and rebounding as a freshman last year with 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. She’ll carry an even bigger load as Hartford graduated its other two double-figure scorers. … Beloit-St. John’s lost to Linn in the sub-state finals a year ago to finish 14-8 but will have to replace standout Carlie Brummer, who led the team in every statistical category. She was the only player lost to graduation, however, and they will still be young with Lynelle Gengler the lone senior on this year’s team. … After seeing a scheduling situation deny Argonia a chance to compete in the volleyball postseason, Argonia should be extremely hungry for the basketball season. The Raiders were just over .500 last year but return virtually everyone, including first-team all-leaguer Tori Morrison and second-teamer Autumn Coleman. Morrison averaged a double-double last year. … Hutchinson Central Christian went 18-5 last year and fell in the sub-state finals to Lebo. The Cougars return four starters led by senior Jessa Lesow, who averaged 11.7 points per game, and Avery Kauffman, who was a first-team all-league pick. The loss of Belle Barnett is a big one, but the Cougars have a strong defense and plenty of experience. … Marais des Cygnes Valley has a new coach, but plenty of familiar faces on the court with the bulk of last year’s team that went 15-7 and fell to Hutchinson Central Christian in the sub-state semifinals. Senior guard Akyra Traver led the Trojans in every category, scoring 20.3 points per game and adding 8 rebounds despite her 5-3 frame. Gracen Stahl and Emily Criqui also averaged double-figure scoring a year ago and the Trojans have momentum from a state appearance in volleyball. … Perhaps the most explosive player in Division II resides in Cheylin where Taylor McCarty has been a scoring machine since her freshman season. Last year as a sophomore, she averaged 22.9 points, 8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.9 steals per game. The Cougars were the top seed at their sub-state, but fell to Hodgeman County in the sub-state finals to finish with a 16-6 overall. Senior Gabi Pochop and sophomore Brynlee Reid also were all-league selections last year to give Cheylin a strong trio to build around. … Axtellcan get overlooked in the deep Twin Valley League, but the Eagles had a breakthrough volleyball season in the fall and could be a factor in basketball as well. The Strathman sisters – senior Natalee and sophomore Maggie – were a tough inside tandem with Maggie averaging a double-double with 12.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and Natalee right behind at 10.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Guard play will be the key for Axtell’s success but all five starters are back from a 12-12 team that has played in the sub-state finals each of the past two seasons. … Wheatland-Grinnell had Wallace County on the ropes in the sub-state finals last year before falling late, 52-47. The Thunderhawks were led by sophomores last year with the trio of Aliviah Ball, Marissa Beckman and Natalie Bixenman each averaged double-figure scoring led by Ball’s 13.5 points per game. All three earned all-league honors with Beckman and Bixenman first-team picks. … Golden Plainsalso returns the bulk of its team that went 13-9 last year. All five starters are back led by Kailee Wessel (10.5 ppg) and Brenlynn Rath (8.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg). The Bulldogs have finished state runner-up twice in recent history and will be tested by a deep Western Kansas Liberty League that includes Cheylin and Wheatland-Grinnell.