CLASS 1A DIVISION II GIRLS STATE QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN (1: 24-2) VS. WALLACE COUNTY (8: 11-12)
4 p.m. Wednesday, Kansas Wesleyan, Salina
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships – Wallace County: 1 (2012); Central Christian: 0;
State tournament appearances – Wallace County: 11 (last appearance: 2025); Central Christian: 7 (last appearance: 2023).
TOP PLAYERS
Wallace County: Jersi Benisch, 5-7, sr., G (16.8 ppg, 5.7 rbg, 4.7 apg, 4.5 spg); Kallie Richardson, 5-10, jr., F (14.5 ppg, 9.2 rbg, 2.1 apg, 2.6 spg).
Central Christian: Avery Kauffman, 5-4, jr., G (8.4 ppg, 2.8 apg)
; Jessa Losew, 5-9, sr., F (14.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg); Reese Swanson, 5-11, jr, C (8.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Wallace County: beat Otis-Bison, 77-29; beat Western Plains, 51-45; beat Cheylin, 59-58.
Central Christian: bye; beat Peabody-Burns, 57-6; beat Waverly, 55-47.
TEAM TIDBITS
Wallace County: This appearance marks first time any Wallace County team, boys or girls, have made state four seasons in a row. … Wildcats have fought injuries all season with Richardson missing six games, Benisch missing three games and sophomore Lyla Pearce suffering season-ending injury in mid-January. … Freshman Baylee Wagoner scored game-winning basket on assist from Abby Johnson in sub-state final vs. Cheylin. … Wildcats went 17-5 last season, losing to eventual champion Hanover in state quarterfinals.
Central Christian: The Cougars went 17-5 last season, falling to Lebo in sub-state title game. … Only losses came to Class 1A Division I contender Little River and Class 2A Berean Academy.. …. Cougars went undefeated in Heart of the Plains League play for second straight season. … Losew scored 19 points in the sub-state final vs. Waverly. … Losew is committed to Wichita State University for track and field. … This is first time Central Christian will send both boys and girls to state since 2017.
HANOVER (4: 23-3) VS. MARAIS DES CYGNES VALLEY (5: 22-4)
6 p.m. Wednesday, Kansas Wesleyan, Salina
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships – Marais des Cygnes Valley: 0; Hanover: 5 (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024, 2025)
State tournament appearances – Marais des Cygnes Valley: 8 (last appearance: 2024); Hanover: 14 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Marais Des Cygnes Valley: Emily Criqui, 5-11, so., G (16.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.7 spg, 1.0 bpg); Akyra Traver, 5-6, sr., G (13.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 4.0 apg, 4.3 spg); Gracen Stahl, 6-0, sr., C (11.0 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.6 apg).
Hanover: Drew Bruna, jr., F (11.8 ppg, 7 rpg); Nora Heiman, so., F (10.6 ppg); Einslee Stallbaumer, fr. G (9 ppg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Marais Des Cygnes Valley: bye; beat Altoona-Midway 81-15; beat Elyria Christian 67-44.
Hanover: bye; beat Natoma, 68-18; beat Axtell, 43-35.
TEAM TIDBITS
Marais des Cygnes Valley: Traver has over 1,400 points, 550 rebounds, 300 assists and 300 steals in career. … Traver scored 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 65-59 loss to Olpe in the Lyon County League tournament final, setting a LCL championship game record for points. … Traver notched a quadruple-double in sub-state semis against Altoona-Midway with 20 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 10 steals. … Stahl has 10 doubles-doubles on the season. … Criqui has been difference-maker in sophomore season, leading Trojans in points and blocks per game. … Trojan coach Kris Collins in first year coaching girls team after previously coaching in the boys’ program at the school.
Hanover: Wildcats are aiming for fourth consecutive state championship. … In addition to five titles, Hanover took second in 2019, third in 2022 and had a Forever Four in 2020. … The Wildcats topped Twin Valley league and school district rival Linn in last year’s title game, 46-35 … Hanover beat Linn 52-46 this season. … Only losses came to Thayer Central (Neb.), Blue Valley Randolph and Centralia … Three losses were by a combined five points. … Leigha Juenemann hit last-second 3-pointer to give Wildcats 39-37 win at Axtell on Feb. 6.
ARGONIA (2: 22-2) vs. LINN (7: 21-5)
8 p.m. Wednesday, Friends University, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State tournament appearances: Linn: 5 (last appearance: 2025); Argonia: 6 (last appearance: 2014).
State championships: Linn: 0; Argonia: 1 (2011).
TOP PLAYERS
Linn: Baileigh Peters, 5-4, jr., G (14 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.2 spg); Gretchen Bott, 5-7, jr., G (9.8 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.3 apg); Izzy Rogge, 5-9, jr., F (7.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.1 bpg).
Argonia: Tori Morrison, 5-8, sr., F (12.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg); Lindsay Coleman, 5-5, so., PG (11.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.2 apg, 4.7 spg); Kara Jones, 5-7, sr., G (6.7 ppg, 2.2 spg); Autumn Coleman, 5-7, sr., F (6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, 3.3 spg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Linn: bye; beat Tescott, 67-10; beat Blue Valley Randolph, 28-24.
Argonia: bye; beat Minneola, 60-28; beat Ingalls, 38-25.
TEAM TIDBITS
Linn: Bulldogs are averaging 52.3 points and giving up 34.7 per game. … Finished second in the Twin Valley League regular season and tournament. … Bulldogs have tied most wins in a season in program history. … Linn was state runner-up to TVL rival Hanover last season for its best finish in program history. … Losses came to Little River, Thayer Central (Neb.), Hanover, Centralia and Clifton-Clyde.
Argonia: Raiders have won 20 straight games since last loss on Dec. 12 to Norwich. ... Raiders beat Norwich in late January, coming from 12 down to start the fourth quarter to win 46-36, closing game on 24-2 run. ... Raiders have made 121 3-pointers as a team this season. ... Only other loss came to 1A I qualifier Pretty Prairie in five-point loss in second game of seson. ... Argonia was South Central Border League regular season and tournament champion. ... Lone state title came in 2011 and Raiders were state runner-up in 2010.
BUCKLIN (3: 21-2) VS. DIGHTON (6: 21-4)
4 p.m. Wednesday, United Wireless Arena, Dodge City
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships – Dighton: 1 (2016); Bucklin: 0.
State tournament appearances – Dighton: 12 (last appearance: 2021); Bucklin: 11 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Dighton: Lani Speer, 5-11, sr., F (15.3 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 1.5 spg); Rylee Myers, 5-7, sr., G (9.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.9 spg); Kenzie Zimmerman, 5-9, sr., G (7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 spg); Rielly James, jr., 5-8, G (10.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 spg).
Bucklin: Emmerson Kirk, 5-6, sr. (17 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.1 spg); Karlee Evans, 5-8, sr., 13.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg); Tristan Stout, 5-7, sr., (10.1 ppg., 3.1 spg); Isabel Bowman, 5-7, sr., (8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.5 spg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Dighton: bye; beat Pawnee Heights, 57-33; beat Wheatland-Grinnell, 54-35.
Bucklin: bye; beat Cunningham, 68-26; beat Ashland, 57-38.
TEAM TIDBITS
Dighton: Hornets captured their first Northwest Kansas League title this season. … Three sets of sisters (Lani and Carli Speer, Lily and Nora Beach, Rielly and Makenzie James) comprise six of team’s 10 players. … Rielly James scored 20 points in sub-state final. … Lani Speer is a three-sport standout committed to Fort Hays State for track and field. … Dighton went 12-10 last season with seven losses to ranked teams. … Hornets own eight wins against ranked teams with three of their four losses coming against ranked opponents. … Dighton also made state in volleyball last fall and played Bucklin in pool play.
Bucklin: Kirk has over 1,000 career points. … Only loss to a SPIAA opponent came to South Central in league tournament. Other loss was to Larned in overtime. … Bucklin beat SPIAA Tournament champion Ashland in sub-state final … Senior-laden Red Aces have notched their third 20-win season in program history. … Bucklin is making its fifth consecutive state tournament appearance. … Red Aces took third in 2023.