HUTCHINSON – The expectations for the Hesston boys basketball team are as lofty as they are in any Kansas high school.

After winning three straight Class 3A state championships from 2021-2023, the Swathers were expected to make a run at an unprecedented fourth straight 3A title a year ago.

It never materialized. Hesston didn’t even make it to Hutchinson, falling in the substate semifinals at Southeast of Saline.

Undaunted, Hesston got back to work, won a bunch of games again, won another substate championship, and the Swathers are back in the state championship for a fourth time in five years. Friday, the Swathers dominated previously undefeated Galena 60-42 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in the state semifinals.

“It was a humbling moment for everyone in that locker room,” said third-year Hesston coach Garrett Roth, a 2016 Hesston graduate who fully understands the expectations for Hesston basketball. “Just knowing you were not in a good enough spot to succeed, and coming up short in the big moment, it was humbling. We wanted to show up this season and work on the little things that help us when we got to this weekend.”

In that stands that fateful evening at Southeast of Saline was sophomore forward Drew Bartell, who wasn’t a varsity player as a freshman. The returning players vowed the 2024-2025 season wouldn’t have a similar ending.

“To be honest, it didn’t sit well with any of us. It lit a fire,” Bartell said. “We won three straight state championships, and we wanted to go for four in a row. It lit a fire, but it also took some pressure off us because it’s hard to win that many in a row.”

Hesston had another strong regular season, losing only to 2A undefeated Moundridge and 3A state qualifier Cheney.

After holding off Burlington in Thursday’s first round, Hesston looked like many of those vintage Hesston teams on Friday. The Swathers buried Galena under an avalanche of sizzling shooting (25 of 44, 57%), dominance in the paint with 34 points there to 16 for Galena, and doubling up the Bulldogs in points off turnovers, 20-10.

Bartell was the catalyst in a dominant first half, which saw the Swathers lead 19-4 after one quarter and 35-17 at halftime. The 6-foot, 5-inch Bartell used a full menu of shots, as he scored all 14 of his points in the first half, including one 3-pointer.

“He’s only a sophomore, but he’s learned a ton and he’s ready for these moments,” Roth said. “He’s definitely a great weapon to have. Not everyone has a 6-5, 6-6 guy who can finish like he can.”

Hesston led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter and didn’t allow Galena to make a serious push.

Reed Friesen had another stellar game for Hesston, as the senior finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. Jack Perry countered for Galena with a mesmerizing exhibition, scoring a game-high 27 points on 10 of 15 shooting.

Hesston will look to bring home its seventh state championship when the Swathers play last year’s 3A runner-up, Goodland.

The championship game, after all, is the expectation set at Hesston year after year.

“It’s an honor to wear this jersey,” Bartell said. “I remember going back and watching the teams coached by Greg Raleigh, and seeing players like Casen Richardson, Jake Proctor and all those guys. This is what we play for.”

 

GOODLAND 66, SILVER LAKE 60 – Goodland, seeded sixth but ranked No. 1 in the final KBCA regular-season poll, had a strong fourth quarter in pushing past Silver Lake to reach its second straight championship game.

Goodland did thanks to great ball security, as the Cowboys turned the ball over just three times. Meanwhile, the Cowboys turned eight Silver Lake turnovers into 10 points. 

It was tight and tense throughout, as neither team led by more than seven points. There were 10 lead changes and three ties.

Brayton Mull led a balanced Goodland attack with 17 points. Brady Brumbaugh added 13 points, while Zach Thorson had another strong game with 10 points.

Dayne Johnson led Silver Lake with a dazzling display, scoring 28 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out two assists and not turning the ball over.

CLASS 3A BOYS SEMIFINAL BOX SCORES 

HESSTON 60, GALENA 42

Hesston ... 19 ... 16 ... 15 ... 10 ... – ... 60
Galena ... 4 ... 13 ... 17 ... 10 ... – ...  42

Hesston (23-2) – Deutschendorf 1-3 0-0 2, Unruh 1-1 0-2 2, Friesen 9-13 0-0 20, Lumbreras 2-4 0-1 4, Bartell 6-13 1-1 14, Larson 2-3 0-2 5, Humphreys 2-3 2-2 7, Gonzalez 0-1 1-2 1, Hansen 1-1 0-0 2, Haug 0-1 0-0 0, Landes 1-1 0-0 2, Shcrag 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-44 4-10 60

Galena (23-1) –  Perry 10-15 3-3 27, Botkin 1-5 1-4 3, Adams 0-2 0-0 0, Kimberling 1-4 1-1 3, Cox 2-3 2-2 6, Whittenmeyer 0-1 0-0 0, Laturner 0-0 0-0 0, GIlbert 1-2 0-0 3, Scarrow 0-0 0-0 0, Dixon 0-0 0-0 0, Buckaloo 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-32 7-10 42

3-point goals – Hesston 6-14 (Friesen 2-3, Unruh 1-1, Humphreys 1-2, Larson 1-2, Bartell 1-2, Deutschendorf 0-1, Lumbreras 0-1, Gonzalez 0-1, Haug 0-1). Galena 5-16 (Perry 4-7, Gilbert 1-2, Adams 0-2, Kimberling 0-2, Botkin 0-3). Rebounds: Hesston 23 (Friesen 9), Galena 16 (Perry 5). Assists: Hesston 16 (Deutschendorf 5), Galena 8 (Botkin 3). Turnovers –Hesston 9, Galena 15. Total fouls – Hesston 13, Galena 12.


GOODLAND 66, SILVER LAKE 60

Goodland ... 11 ... 11 ... 17 ... 27 ... --   ... 66
Silver Lake ... 10 ... 11 ... 21 ... 18 ... --... 60

Goodland (22-3) – Mull 6-13 4-4 17, Cure 3-5 0-4 6, Brumbaugh 3-14 4-6 13, Thorson 4-8 0-0 10, Linen 2-3 3-3 7, Sederstrom 1-4 6-8 9, Schlosser 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 21-49 17-25 66
Silver Lake (19-6) – D. Johnson 8-16 12-13 28, Razzano 3-4 0-1 6, Deiter 4-10 0-0 9, Whitehead 1-4 0-0 3, J. Johnson 2-3 0-0 4, Rooks 0-0 0-0 0, Coffman 1-4 2-2 5, Bergmann 0-0 1-2 1, Miller 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 20-43 15-18 60

3-point goals – Goodland 7-26 (Brumbaugh 3-10, Thorson 2-3, Sederstrom 1-4, Mull 1-8, Cure 0-1). Silver Lake 5-11 (J. Johnson 2-3, Deiter 1-1, Coffman 1-1, Whitehead 1-3, Miller 0-1, D. Johnson 0-2). Rebounds – Goodland 31 (Cure, Linin 6), Silver Lake 22 (D. Johnson 9). Assists: Goodland 11 (Mull, Brumbaugh, Thorson 3), Silver Lake 12 (Whitehead 5). Turnovers – Goodland 3, Silver Lake 8. Total fouls – Goodland 18, Silver Lake 19. Fouled out – D. Johnson.