CLASS 6A GIRLS STATE QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW
WICHITA HEIGHTS FALCONS (1: 24-0) VS. BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST (8: 11-13)
2 p.m. Tuesday, Koch Arena, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Wichita Heights: 7 (1979, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012); Blue Valley Northwest: 0.
State tournament appearances – Wichita Heights 25 (last appearance: 2025); Blue Valley Northwest: 4 (last appearance: 2015).
TOP PLAYERS
Wichita Heights: Destiny Maze, 5-8, jr., G (13.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.1 spg); Aaliyah Waller, 5-7, fr., G (13.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.9 spg); Aniyah Harris, 5-6, sr., G (13.1 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.8 spg); Jocelyn Rose, 6-2, jr., C (8.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Terri Brown, 5-6, sr., G (4.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg); Ashlynn Reed, 5-8, jr., F (6.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg)
Blue Valley Northwest: Regan Becker, 6-1, sr., G/F (21 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.7 spg); Rylie Edwards, 5-10, sr., G (12 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.1 spg); Kyra Becker, 5-9, jr., G, (9 ppg, 4 rpg, 2 spg); Molly Numrich, 5-4, sr., G (6 ppg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Wichita Heights: beat Wichita Northwest, 64-27; beat Wichita Southeast, 56-38
Blue Valley Northwest: beat Olathe North, 55-48; beat Gardner-Edgerton 52-33
TEAM TIDBITS
Wichita Heights: The Falcons are the lone undefeated team in Class 6A this season. ...They currently averaging 63 points per game and have scored 1,512 points this season. ...However, they have relied on their pressure defense this season as they allow just 33.5 points per game and have 302 steals on the year. ...Heights, which finished third at state last season, is under first-year coach Jen Pillich.
Blue Valley Northwest: Senior Regan Becker has paced the Huskies all season as she leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. ...Becker recorded her 1,000th career point earlier this season and reached the 500-rebound milestone. ...Huskies are in their first state tournament in 11 years and are under first year coach Jeff Piggie.
WICHITA EAST BLUE ACES (4: 20-5) VS. OLATHE SOUTH FALCONS (5: 20-5)
12 p.m. Tuesday, Koch Arena, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Wichita East: 0; Olathe South 1 (2010)
State tournament appearances – Wichita East: 8 (last appearance: 2025); Olathe South: 22 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Wichita East: Jada Davis, 6-2, fr., G (15 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 4 spg); Miya Respress 5-10, fr., F (12 ppg, 9 rpg); Quinacy Galbert, 5-3, sr., G (9.6 ppg, 3 apg)
Olathe South: Eve Long, 6-3, jr., F (32.6 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.3 spg, 1.5 bpg); Macy Price, 5-6, sr., G (9 ppg, 2.1 spg); Phoebe Pflumm, 5-10, fr., G (8.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg); Brooke Maupin, 5-6, jr., G (4.5 apg, 4.1 ppg); Alexis Allen, 6-1, jr., F (2.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Wichita-East: beat Dodge City, 68-15; beat Manhattan, 72-58
Olathe South: beat Shawnee Mission East, 59-36; beat Lawrence, 71-46
TEAM TIDBITS
Wichita East: The Blue Aces currently have the second most wins in prorgram history as they are currently tied with 20 wins with the 1980 team. ...The program's best finish was during the 1981-82 season when they finished third at state. ...East is led by a pair of freshmen in Jada Davis and Miya Respress, who are both averaging double figures.
Olathe South: All five of the Falcons’ losses are to out-of-state teams. ...Junior Eve Long reached the 1,000th point mark midway through this season and became Olathe South’s all-time leading scorer. ...Long also set the Sophie Cunningham single game scoring record with 44 and then set a school record for most points in a game (boy or girl) with 45 points against Shawnee Mission South in February. ...Olathe South also captured the Sunflower League title and has two wins over Shawnee Mission South, another state tournament team
DERBY PANTHERS (2: 22-3) VS. TOPEKA HIGH TROJANS (7: 17-8)
4 p.m. Tuesday, Koch Arena, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Derby: 1 (2018); Topeka: 2 (1981, 1982).
State tournament appearances – Derby: 26 (last appearance: 2025); Topeka: 11 (last appearance: 2022).
TOP PLAYERS
Derby: Macayla Askew, 6-1, sr., F (15 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.7 spg); Aysia Fox, 5-9, jr., G (12.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.3 spg); Siaunna Carter, 5-8, soph., F (8.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg); Karlie Demel, 5-10, sr., F (5.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg); Alex Dinsmore, 5-10, F (7.9 ppg, 3 rpg)
Topeka: Kei Marshall, 5-5, sr., G (10 ppg, 4 apg, 5 rpg); Shy Rayton, 5-7, jr., G/F (24 ppg, 4 rpg); Hailey Caryl, 5-10, soph., F (16 ppg, 11 rpg, 6 apg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Derby: beat Campus, 59-23; beat Washburn Rural 72-47
Topeka: beat Maize, 69-45; beat Liberal, 65-58
TEAM TIDBITS
Derby: Senior Macayla Askew has put her stamp on the Panther program as she scored her 1,000th career point and 500th career rebound earlier this year. ...Has set a school record in scoring as it averages 66 points per game. ...Panthers won a share of the AVCTL championship, which was their ninth straight. ...Has wins over three ranked teams this season -- Andover, Maize South and Shawnee Heights.
Topeka: Trojans started the season 0-4, but have finished the season strong as they won 17 of their final 21 games, including 11 games in a row. ...Are co-champions of the Centennial League. ...Rayton has been big for the Trojans all season as she averages 24 points a game and one of three Trojans in double figures. ...Caryl has been a presence on the inside as she averages a double-double.
SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH RAIDERS (3: 21-3) VS. BLUE VALLEY NORTH MUSTANGS (6: 20-5)
8 p.m. Tuesday, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Shawnee Mission South 2 (1995, 2024); Blue Valley North: 5 (1998, 2000, 2005, 2023, 2025)
State tournament appearances – Shawnee Mission South: 19 (last appearance: 2024); Blue Valley North: 19 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Shawnee Mission South: Riley Kramer, 5-6, fr., G (12.8 ppg, 2.7 spg); Amiyah Carter, 5-9, fr., G (12.1 ppg, 4.9 spg, 4 rpg, 2.5 apg); Kylenna Potts, 5-9, jr., G (9.1 ppg, 3.5 spg, 2.8 apg); Laila Berndt, 5-10, sr., F (9.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.1 apg, 3.3 spg); Micah Kirkwood, 5-5, sr., G (9.1 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.8 spg); Ella Jack, 5-8, jr., F (8.6 ppg, 2.5 apg)
Blue Valley North: Harper Winter, 5-9, fr., G (18 ppg, 4 apg); Tatum Schroering, 6-0, sr., F (9 rpg, 3.5 bpg); Gabi Hinson, 5-8, sr., G (10 ppg); Macy Schroering, 5-11, jr., F (13 ppg, 7 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Shawnee Mission South: beat Olathe East, 73-32; beat Olathe West, 53-42
Blue Valley North: beat Blue Valley, 53-38; beat Mill Valley, 67-45
TEAM TIDBITS
Shawnee Mission South: Raiders have been led by their defense most of the season as they currently have 493 steals on the season (20.5 per game), which is just behind the pace of the state record off 566 by Little River. ...Offensively, South has a balanced offensive attack that is led by two freshmen Riley Kramer and Amiyah Carter, who each average 12 per game, as the Raiders have six players that average from 8.6 to 12.8 ppg. ...Senior captain Laila Berndt has a career record of 81-13 and was a starter on South’s 2024 state championship team. ...If South advances, head coach Mark Western would earn career win No. 200.
Blue Valley North: Mustangs were named co-champs in the Eastern Kansas League as they had a double overtime win over state-ranked St. James Academy late in February behind 31 points from Winter. ...League title is second straight. ... Are looking for their second straight state championship. ...Tatum Schroering is North's all-time blocks leader and had three games this year with 10 or more, while Hinson broke the school's single game mark for 3-pointers made. ...Macy Schroering is one of the team's top defenders. ... Winter had a pair of 30-point games and is one of top prospects in the country for her class.