The Sacred Heart girls basketball head coaching job wasn’t on Carl Hines’ radar when he first interviewed with school administrators in 2021. 

At the time, Hines was approached about helping coach the Sacred Heart junior high boys basketball team. He had coached boys basketball at Lakewood Middle School in Salina for the four previous seasons after a nine-year stint as assistant boys basketball coach at Salina Central under Doug Finch. 

A new opportunity at Sacred Heart presented itself when girls basketball coach Keenan Thompson resigned to take the boys basketball job at Liberal. Administrators then re-engaged with Hines, who accepted the position as Knights girls basketball coach. 

Five years later, Hines has been at the forefront of a monumental moment for the school, helping guide the Sacred Heart girls to their first state basketball title. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been as popular within the city,” Hines said with a laugh. 

Making their first state tournament appearance since 2009, the Knights were greeted with a gauntlet in the Class 2A state tournament. They navigated their way past St. Mary’s Colgan, defending champion Moundridge and top-seeded Ellinwood to claim the title and complete a 25-4 season. 

Hines is KSHSAA Covered’s 2025-26 girls basketball coach of the year. 

“The emotions and joy and everything surrounding it probably hit me the most on Monday (after the tournament),” Hines said of the championship. “It hits you the most when you realize what a special group you have and how happy you are for them and how proud you are. 

“We’ve been embraced by the school community and the greater community of Salina. It’s a fantastic feeling when you are supported like that.”
 

Prepared by a tough schedule that included three losses to state qualifiers (4A Chapman, 3A Ellsworth and 2A Rossville), the Knights peaked at state.

Each step of the state run presented a huge challenge. Colgan was led by all-state top-five selection Jakayla Davis. Powered by a strong defensive effort from freshman Emmy Lee, the Knights were able to limit Davis just enough and keep the rest of the Panthers contained in a 52-42 win at Kansas City Kansas Community College. 

Against reigning champion Moundridge in the semifinals at White Auditorium in Emporia, Sacred Heart rode a 26-6 second quarter to a 69-56 win for its second victory over the Wildcats this season, having also beaten Moundridge in the Hillsboro Trojan Classic final.

Addie Lee and Skylar Douglas combined for 50 points and 10 3-pointers in the semifinal win. 

The Knights then cleared one last hurdle against Ellinwood, comprised largely of players who helped the Eagles achieve a perfect volleyball season last fall. 

One of the lasting images of the Knights’ 43-34 title-game victory was Douglas hitting clutch shots down the stretch with a swollen and bloodied nose after taking a shot to the face that temporarily forced her out of the game. 

“We really didn’t know how much we would have left in the tank, playing full-court and not having a lot of depth,” Hines said. “We found a way to guard and hit some big shots. 

“Skylar smacked her nose pretty good, and we got some contributions from some girls that haven’t played a ton. Then she came back in and finished her high school career with a bang.”

During his nine seasons under Finch, Hines helped the Mustangs compile a 130-70 record with two league titles and two state tournament appearances, including a third-place showing in 2009. 

Hines then transitioned to the middle school level at Lakewood to free up time to watch his son play basketball before taking the coaching and history teaching position at Sacred Heart. 

“I’m just blessed that I was given that opportunity,” said Hines, a Nebraska native who was a basketball standout at Giltner High School. 
 

While all the pieces came together this season, Hines admits there was an adjustment period for the Knights in his first seasons. 

“We wanted the girls to be able to make plays and play in space,” Hines said. “We ran a four-out, one-in passing motion offense. We wanted the girls to be basketball players and not necessarily worry about making mistakes. Early on, that was a struggle for us, because they were used to running from point X to point Y and running things that were called out every possession. That wasn’t necessarily my philosophy. 

“I wanted them to be able to play the game that allows them to go make some plays on the offensive end. It was a little bit of a struggle, but we stayed the course.”

Hines is a firm believer in man-to-man defense. 

“Outside of one game, I don’t think we’ve played zone in five years, and I don’t know if we ever will again,” said Hines, who is 73-42 as Knights coach. “We’re not very big, and we just want to pick up full-court and make it a full-court adventure. This is really the first group where we’ve had six or seven girls that were willing to work that hard to go do it. And because they did it, they saw the rewards of it. That’s a huge piece to the puzzle.”

Hines has marveled at the support the Knights have received.

“We had so many alums travel with us to the games and cheer us on,” Hines said. “White Auditorium was packed, which was a fantastic environment for a state title game. The student body brought spirit bus after spirit bus. 

“Everybody was traveling with this team, I think starting to realize what we were starting to realize: We made it and we have a good shot at pulling this thing off.”

While the Knights will have to replace three seniors – Douglas, Holly Bonilla and Nicole Richards – Hines is bullish on next year’s squad. 

“Next year we’ll be more known,” Hines said. “This year I thought we went through most of this year as an unknown for people that don’t necessarily follow 2A basketball. 

“We lose three seniors and we’re going to miss all three of them. But I like what we have coming back. Everybody in the program got better this year. Early on, we’ll be figuring some stuff out, but hopefully by the end of the year we’ll be peaking and ready to make another run. That’s going to be the expectation moving forward.”