CLASS 3A GIRLS STATE QUARTERFINALS PREVIEW
HALSTEAD DRAGONS (1: 25-0) VS. MARYSVILLE BULLDOGS (8: 10-14)
2 p.m. Wednesday, Koch Arena, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Marysville: 1 (2001); Halstead: 1 (2025).
State tournament appearances – Marysville: 8 (last appearance: 2018); Halstead: 4 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Marysville: Kacy Roesch, 5-11, sr., C (15 ppg, 9 rpg); Aubrey Dressman, 5-6, sr., G (7 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg).
Halstead: Addisen Wills, 5-6, sr., G (12.4 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.6 apg, 5.5 spg); Jordy Schroeder, 5-7, jr., G (10.2 ppg, 3 rpg); Piper Schroeder, 5-4, jr., G (10.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg); Bailey Bernal, 5-10, jr., F (10.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Marysville: beat Oskaloosa, 50-29; beat Heritage Christian, 42-37; beat Hiawatha, 37-33.
Halstead: beat Wichita Collegiate, 58-31; beat Haven, 46-29; beat Garden Plain, 50-34.
TEAM TIDBITS
Marysville: Bulldogs ending seven-year tourney drought after upsetting No. 2 quadrant seed Hiawatha in sub-state finals. … Bulldogs started season 1-5 after returning only two players with varsity experience from last year. … Bulldogs played nine teams that have qualified for a state tournament and 14 against teams that played in the sub-state finals, giving them arguably the toughest schedule in 3A. … Hannah Whitesell and Kenley Holle hit big 3-pointers in sub-state finals upset of Hiawatha. … Bulldogs one of four North Central Kansas League teams that qualified for state.
Halstead: Coming off program’s first-ever state championship, Dragons posted first undefeated regular season in school history and are currently riding a state-best 37-game winning streak. … Dragons have allowed just 32.1 points per game this season and haven’t given up more than 50 points in a game this year. … All five starters have been team’s leading scorer in a game multiple times. … Wills has set school records for assists in a career and steals in a season and Dragons have set team record for steals in season with 285, forcing 24.7 turnovers per game. … Dragons had five games where they trailed in the second half and came back to win and had buzzer-beating wins over fellow 3A qualifier Hesston and Hillsboro in the same week.
OSAG CITY INDIANS (4: 23-3) VS. GIRARD TROJANS (5: 19-6)
8 p.m. Wednesday, White Auditorium, Emporia
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Girard: 1 (2017); Osage City: 0.
State tournament appearances – Girard: 9 (last appearance: 2025); Osage City: 7 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Girard: Erika Boatman, (10 ppg, 7.8 rpg); Maddie Coester (10.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg); Kennedy Keller (10.4 ppg, 2.4 spg); Karsyn Orand (6.6 ppg, 2.2 apg).
Osage City: Emory Speece, 5-2, sr., G (17.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.3 spg); Kaelyn Boss, 5-10, so., F (18.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.7 spg); Jayla Jenkins, 5-10, fr., F (14 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.3 spg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Girard: beat Osawatomie, 74-29; beat Riverton, 42-34; beat Jayhawk-Linn, 56-31.
Osage City: beat Columbus, 75-31; beat Frontenac, 68-57; beat Burlington, 62-43.
TEAM TIDBITS
Girard: Trojans return to state for third straight year and lost in quarterfinals. … All nine state appearances have come since 2009 and Trojans were 3A champions in 2017. … Defense is strength for team, holding opponents to 36.2 points per game and 37% shooting from 2-point range and 20% from 3. … Injuries and illness plagued team early and Trojans started season 8-5 but now have won 11 of last 12. … Coach Brad Herlocker in 20th year and has led program to 10 CNC League titles and all 9 state appearances. … All five starters have had a scoring game of at least 20 points this season and all average at least 6.6 points per game with Marli Sisney coming in with 7.2 points a game in addition to listed starters above.
Osage City: Indians return to state for second straight season and lost in quarterfinals to Colby. … Top state finishes are a pair of third-place showings in 1987 and 1990. … Speece has set school record for most 3-pointers made in season with 58 and went over 1,000 career points. … Indians tied school record with 90 points in win over Perry-Lecompton and have scored at least 60 in 15 games. … All three losses came in back-to-back-to-back games in late January while Boss was out with injury. … Indians were Flint Hills League regular-season champions.
SILVER LAKE EAGLES (2: 25-1) VS. HESSTON SWATHERS (7: 17-9)
6 p.m. Wednesday, White Auditorium, Emporia
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Hesston: 2 (2014, 2015); Silver Lake: 7 (1983, 1984, 1988, 2002, 2012, 2016, 2024).
State tournament appearances – Hesston: 15 (last appearance: 2025); Silver Lake: 19 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Hesston: Callie Yoder, 5-3, sr., G (10 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.7 spg); Jacy Proctor, 6-0, so., F (12.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg); Jaden Williams, 5-6, jr., G (7 ppg, 3.9 rpg).
Silver Lake: Kailyn Hanni, 5-6, sr., G (17.8 ppg, 7.6 apg, 7.4 rpg); Karys Deiter, 5-7, so., G (17.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg); Savanah Wende, 5-5, jr., G (11.5 ppg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Hesston: beat Chaparral, 66-12; beat Cheney, 35-21; beat Southeast of Saline, 48-31.
Silver Lake: beat Nemaha Central, 48-26; beat Riley County, 56-41.
TEAM TIDBITS
Hesston: After ending a near-decade long drought with state berth in 2024, Swathers have now qualified three striaght years. ... Hesston finished as state runner-up in 2024 to Silver Lake and last year finished third, losing to Silver Lake in semifinals. ... Program won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 before drought and has three total runner-up finishes as well. ... Swathers and Eagles met earlier this season at the Fury on Flush tournament at Rock Creek with Silver Lake winning 56-38. ... Swathers beat 4A qualifier Hayden at the tourney. ... Two of losses have come to 2A qualifier Moundridge and another to 3A unbeaten Halstead. ... Sub-state championship win over Southeast of Saline avenged loss to Trojans in first game of the season. ... Swathers graduated four starters from last season, losing 80% of their scoring and rebounding.
Silver Lake: Eagles were state runner-up a year ago, losing to Halstead 48-45 in the championship game after leading for bulk of the contest. … Eagles were undefeated state champions in 2024. … Trip to state is sixth straight for Eagles and 13th since 2001. … Hanni is four-year starter at point guard and set school record for points in a game this season with a 39-point outing as well as assists in a game with 12 (twice). … She also is program’s career leader in assists and steals and ranks fourth in career points. … Porter has led both Silver Lake and Royal Valley to Class 3A state titles in his career.
HOLCOMB LONGHORNS (3: 24-2) VS. ELLSWORTH BEARCATS (6: 17-6)
6 p.m. Wednesday, United Wireless Arena, Dodge City
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Ellsworth: 1 (1986); Holcomb: 0.
State tournament appearances – Ellsworth: 4 (last appearance: 1989); Holcomb: 7 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Ellsworth: Lainey Peschka, 5-7, sr., G (12 ppg, 2.1 spg, 2 rpg); Alexis Moore, 6-0, sr., F (11 ppg, 6.6 rpg); Elyse Haxton, 5-7, sr., PG (7 ppg, 3.1 rpg); Josie Kueser, 5-9, sr., F (6.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg).
Holcomb: Jaylee Wickwar, 5-8, sr., G (15.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.1 apg); Isabella Galliart, 5-5, sr., G (9.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.2 apg); Malia Ruda, 5-8, sr., F (4.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg); Delilah Galliart, 5-7, so., G (9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.4 apg, 2.5 spg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Ellsworth: beat Phillipsburg, 49-36; beat Lakin, 48-42; beat Beloit, 49-45.
Holcomb: beat Nickerson, 74-23; beat Colby, 51-34; beat Goodland, 52-36.
TEAM TIDBITS
Ellsworth: Bearcats ended 36-year state tournament drought with upset of North Central Activities Association rival Beloit in sub-state finals. … Ellsworth had lost twice to Trojans in regular season by 19 and 11 points. … Bearcats split with 2A qualifier Sacred Heart. … Bearcats took third at state in last appearance in 1989 and won lone title in 1986, beating Wabaunsee 49-42 in the title game. … Also finished runner-up in 1980.
Holcomb: Longhorns making second straight state appearance and fell in quarterfinals last year to Hesston. … Program still looking for its first-ever state tournament win. … Holcomb won the Great West Activities Conference for the first time since 2014 and also won the Gene Keady Classic title in Larned. … Team set school record for wins. … Only losses came to league rival Goodland and 2A qualifier Moundridge, the latter in the semifinals of the Hillsboro Trojan Classic where the Longhorns took third. … Wickwar has set school’s single season record for points score with 378.