DODGE CITY -- For Olpe, the feeling of winning a state title is nothing new. They’d already won two this decade. 

Now make that three. 

The Eagles overcame a sluggish start to pull away in the fourth quarter for a 47-34 win over South Central to add another trophy to the case.

Senior Dexton Hoelting led the Eagles with 24 points, including 15 in the final period, ending with a 10-for-10 showing from the free throw line in the closing 2:14.

It was a turnaround from how the game started. 

South Central went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-6 lead with just over three minutes to play in the first quarter. Then the Timberwolves opened up a 21-14 lead early in the second, closing out the half with a 23-17 lead. 

Olpe closed the gap with a 6-2 run to close to within a point at 28-27 after three quarters.

In the final period, the Eagles did not score on their first two possessions, but after that, it was a perfect final stretch that saw them score 19 points, including a 3-pointer, a field goal, and the 10 consecutive free throws from Hoelting.

The Timberwolves, on the other hand, managed to sink a 3-point play at the 5:18 mark and just two field goals in the final minute.

Following the game, Hoelten, who missed all last season with an injury, could not contain his emotions.

“I had a rough year last year tearing my ACL and missing the whole year and I felt like I really needed to get back on the court,” the senior said. “It kind of came out from me at the end and I couldn't hold it in.”

Defense is the key to this team, Hoelting said. They feel that if they keep teams under 40 and his team can score 40, he likes their chances every time. 

“Offensively there are going to be days when shots don’t fall, but there should never be a day the defense isn’t there,” he said. “We pride ourselves on that and I think everyone worked hard and we held (South Central) under 40 and that’s why we won the game.”

Early in the game when things were not clicking, Hoelten thinks the Eagles settled for shots early in each possession and they did not get the quality shots they like. 

“We’re obviously a pretty young team so I feel like nerves are a really huge part of being in a game,” he said. “But all year we’ve been a second-half team and once we get in a rhythm and once we get going we start clicking and our defense starts getting steals it makes everything better.”

Olpe coach Chris Schmidt praised his team’s defense in getting through this tournament.

“We’ve challenged them all year and we’ve gotten better slowly,” he said. “These three games we talk about defense winning championships. It starts with our leader Dexton and he sets the tone and everyone bought in.”

The first quarter miscues and lapses didn’t seem to bother his team, Schmidt said. 

“The composure of this team has been very good,” he said. “I just have a feeling they’re going to settle in and make the plays and come back. And I feel our defense wears teams down in the second half, and that’s just a tribute to how focused we are and locked in.”

South Central coach Bud Valerius complimented Olpe’s speed and fundamentals, as well as their physicality.

“We knew that going in we’d have to take some bumps and be physical on the offensive end,” he said. “They were a little tougher than us today. It’s just one of those games.”

Missed layups and free throws (6 of 14 from the line) caused his team frustration, Valerius added. And his team didn’t hit a 3-point shot (the Timberwolves were 0-7).

“It’s hard to win when those things happen,” he said. “I was proud of our kids for staying in the game. It was a 3-point game with three minutes to go, despite all that.”

Jack Herd led South Central with 16 points, but no other Timberwolves player had more than six points.

NOTE: This was Olpe’s 17th trip to state. After titles in 2021 and 2022, they finished fourth in 2023 and third last year.
 

THIRD PLACE

SOUTH GRAY 65, CENTRAL PLAINS 56

Until the final minute of regulation, it seemed as though Central Plains would emerge as the third-place boys winners.

But that’s why they play out the game. 

In overtime, South Gray prevailed, 65-56 over the Oilers.

With 58 seconds remaining in regulation, Central Plains held a 49-44 lead, and the Rebels had not scored since the 5:30 mark in the final quarter.

That’s when Rebels senior Dyson Winfrey buried a three to pull his team to within two. A pair of free throws later, the Oilers were up by four, but with 26 seconds remaining, Gavin Wahl hit a three and the lead was just one one.

Two free throws later and the Oiler lead was back to three, but Wahl hit another three with three ticks remaining to send the game into overtime.

And it was in overtime that the Rebels shined.

Wahl hit a two and South Gray hit six straight free throws to go ahead 61-53. Easton Huck hit a three for the Oilers – his team’s only points of the extra period – but South Gray hit four more free throws to seal the win.

While the Rebels were just 3 of 14 from three-point range in the first half, they nailed 7 of 11 in the second. They were also a perfect 19 of 19 from the free throw line for the game.

Wahl led the Rebels with 17 points and Sam Moore 14 as South Gray finished the season 21-5.

Central Plains got 22 points from sophomore Brodie Crites, 15 from Aiden Hekele and 14 from Camden Stiles. The Oilers finished the season 19-6.