CENTRALIA (22-0)
Coach--Dusty Thompson
SUBSTATE--beat Onaga, 64-29; beat Clifton-Clyde, 54-43
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. St. John (7: 18-5), 2 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Oen Deters, sr., PG; Taya Gibbs, so., F; Hayden Kramer, so., G; Tatum Kramer, sr., G; Josie Haverkamp, so., C; Cora Thompson, jr., F; Keelyn Rempe, so., G.
NOTES--Panthers return to state after placing third in 1A Division I last year, losing to Little River in the semifinals 50-42 and beating South Gray in the third-place game. … Centralia finished as 1A Division I state runner-up in 2022 to Pretty Prairie with Thompson an assistant coach on that team before taking over as head coach. … Last state title came in 2016 and Panthers have won five overall, including three from 2000-05. … Panthers swept Twin Valley League regular-season and tournament titles for the second straight season. … Panthers handed 3A defending champion Silver Lake its first loss since 2023, one of its two losses this season, and also has two wins over 2A qualifier Doniphan West, a win over 2A qualifier Valley Heights, two wins over 1A II qualifier Hanover and a win over 1A II qualifier Linn. … Deters currently has 1,695 points in her career and averages 17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 4.8 steals per game. … Gibbs averages 11.7 points and 8 rebounds per game. … Hayden Kramer averages 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9
steals per game and Tatum Kramer adds 6 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. … Haverkamp gets 9.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
CENTRAL PLAINS (18-3)
Coach: Pat Stiles
Record: 18-3 (No. 6 seed)
SUBSTATE--beat Stockton, 63-29; beat Rawlins County, 58-48
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Troy (3: 21-1), 4 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Marilyn Soeken, sr., G; Aveyn Siemsen, fr., G; Grace Lamatsch, sr., G; Maggie Stourse, so., C; Izzy Hurley, jr., G; Ady Green, sr., G; Emery Siemsen, fr., G; Mary Griffin, fr., G.
NOTES--Central Plains has qualified for state 12 times in its 14-year existence since the consolidation of Claflin and Quivira Heights with last year one of the lone exceptions. … Oilers capture eight straight state championships, five in 2A and 3 in 1A from 2014-2022 and during that stretch set a state record with 138 consecutive victories. … Program also holds state record for consecutive state tournament victories (25), consecutive postseason wins (55) and state tournament winning percentage (92.8%). … Oilers lost in quarterfinals in last state appearance in 2023. … Oilers have two wins over fellow 1A qualifier St. John and also beat 2A qualifier Phillipsburg and 1A II qualifier Bucklin. … Lone losses came to 2A qualifier Inman, Ellinwood and Sunrise Christian. … Soeken went over 1,000 points in her career and averages 18.5 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals per game. … Aveyn Siemsen averages 12.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3 steals per game as freshman starter. … Stourse adds 6.2 points and 6 rebounds per game.
COLONY-CREST (14-7)
Coach: Steve Zimmerman
Record: 14-7 (No. 8 seed)
SUBSTATE--beat Sedan, 58-35; beat Olpe, 36-34; beat Flinthills, 37-34
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Little River (1: 21-0), 6 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Karlee Boots, sr., F; Cursten Allen, sr., G; Aylee Beckmon, jr., PG; Kinley Edgerton, jr., F; Jaycee Schmidt, so., G.
NOTES--Crest ended a 23-year state drought with sub-state title with last – and only other – state appearance coming in 2012. … Crest was undefeated Three Rivers League champion in 2023-24. … Lancers knocked off top-seeded Flinthills in sub-state finals after beating perennial state qualifier Olpe by two in semifinals. … Boots is leading scorer at 10.3 points per game. … Allen set 3-pointers made record in a single game, going 7 for 8 beyond the arc in a game this season. … Beckmon leads team in assists and steals and is second-leading scorer. … Edgerton leads in rebounds with 9.5 per game.
LITTLE RIVER (20-0)
Coach: Cy Rolfs
SUBSTATE--beat Central-Burden, 77-12; beat Madison, 71-57
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Colony-Crest (8: 14-7), 6 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Arika Feldman, jr., F; Havana Olander, jr., G; Adelynne Strecker, jr., G; Saelyn Raleigh, so., G; Evie Look, jr., G; Avery Lafferty, so., F; Lucy Wright, jr., F.
NOTES--Redskins came up one win short of capturing first state championship since 1998, falling 47-41 to Frankfort in the 1A Division I championship game, the only loss they suffered all last season. … The state title in 1998 finished a four-year run of championships during which the program set a state record for consecutive victories that has since been broken by both Hoxie and Central Plains. … Redskins have posted second straight undefeated regular season and are now 46-1 under Rolfs. … State berth is 19th overall for the program with the Redskins going 11 straight years from 1994-2004. … Redskins haven’t had a win closer than 12 points all season, that a 55-43 win over 2A qualifier and top seed Moundridge. … Little River also beat 2A qualifier Inman, 1A I qualifier St. John twice, 1A II qualifier Linn and won the St. John Mid-Winter Classic and Goessel Bluebird Classic titles. … Redskins also took the Wheat State League title for the third straight year. … Bulk of this year’s team has led Little River to three straight Division I volleyball state titles. … Feldman averages 20.2 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game. … Olander adds 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3 steals per game. … Strecker, Raleigh and Lafferty each average 7 points per game while Look comes off the bench for 10 points a game. … Strecker also gets 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals per contest.
QUINTER (19-3)
Coach: Matt Havlas
SUBSTATE--beat Greeley County, 54-24; beat Osborne, 60-39
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. South Gray (4: 21-2), 8 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Bryn Gillespie, sr., G; Braelyn Blackwill, fr., G; Serenity Smith, sr., G; Mia Briggs, jr., G; Shaylee Baalman, jr., C; Kamry Getz, so., F.
NOTES--Quinter back at state for second time in three years and finished as 1A I state runner-up in 2023 to Doniphan West. … Bulldogs captured state championship in 2018. … State appearance is eighth overall. … Quinter swept Northwest Kansas League regular season and tournament titles, beating 1A II qualifier Wallace County twice. … Also beat Rawlins County twice in three meetings. … Only other losses came to 1A II qualifier Hanover and Hoxie. … Gillespie scored her 1,000th career point and broke the program’s scoring record. … She also set single-game steals record with 14 in a game. … She averages 15 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.2 steals per game. … Blackwill leads the team in scoring as a freshman at 15.5 points per game and also adds 6.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 4.5 steals. … Getz comes off the bench for 11.5 points and 9.6 rebounds. … Briggs averages 5.7 points per game and Smith adds 4.7 points a game. … Baalman grabs 4.1 rebounds per game.
SOUTH GRAY (20-2)
Coach: John Wahl
SUBSTATE--beat Macksville, 57-39; beat Meade, 53-38
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Quinter (5: 20-3), 8 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Kylie Stapleton, sr., G; Allie Reed, sr., G; Jacee Deges, jr., G; Jonalee Zweygardt, so., G; Reegan Meairs, sr., G; Yasmin Cervantes, sr., F; Malia Hixon, fr.; Lakin Goosen, jr.; Alayna Wall, fr.; Kyndal Stapleton, fr.; Allie Beery, fr.; Heidi Barrios, fr.
NOTES--Rebels have qualified for state three straight seasons and have seven state appearances overall in program history, all coming since 2008. … Rebels also went three straight years from 2008-10, capturing the state championship in 2010. … South Gray placed fourth last season, falling to eventual champion Frankfort in the semifinals – the second straight season the Rebels lost to Frankfort at state. … Rebels have won two straight SPIAA regular-season titles in Wahl’s two years as head coach. … Rebels beat 1A II qualifier Hodgeman County twice and 1A II qualifier Bucklin once. … Rebels started season 13-0 before suffering first loss to Spearville. … Only other loss came to Spearville as well in the regular-season finale. … Kylie Stapleton averages 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game. … Reed adds 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.8 steals per game. … Meairs also is in double figures with 10.1 points per game. … Deges averages 8.2 points and Zweygardt adds 6.2 points a game. … Goosen adds 5 points a game.
ST. JOHN (17-5)
'Coach: Danny Smith
SUBSTATE--beat South Central, 55-25; beat Spearville, 53-43
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Centralia (2: 23-0), 2 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Lydia Reed, sr., C; Mia Meyer, jr., G/F; Jalyn Fisher, fr., G; Gentri Bright, so., G/F; Reagan Bonner, jr., G; Lily Brummer, so., G; Averi Fisher, jr., G; Karly Rockenbach, jr., G; Jenny Gracia, jr., G; Tara Dowling, so., G.
NOTES--Tigers making second straight state appearance after ending five-year drought last season. … St. John lost to eventual state champion Frankfort in quarterfinals last season. … Tigers won Class 1A state title in 2009 and had four top-four finishes from 2009-13, including a runner-up showings in 2008 and 2012. … Program now has 13 state appearances overall. … Tigers were co-champions of the Central Prairie League with fellow 1A I qualifier Central Plains, which swept the Tigers this season. … Two other losses came to 1A I unbeaten Little River and other loss came to 1A II qualifier Bucklin. … Reed averages 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4 blocks per game and holds all of school’s blocked shots records. … Meyer averages 11 points per game and scored 23 in the sub-state finals. … She leads team in 3-point percentage. … Bonner averages 8.1 points per game. … Bright averages 8 points and 5 rebounds per game and returned for sub-state finals after missing eight games with an injury. … Jalyn Fisher averages 6.2 points per game and Brummer averages 5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. … Reed is lone senior on roster.
TROY (20-1)
Coach: Derek Jasper
SUBSTATE--beat Blue Valley-Randolph, 59-50; beat Rock Hills, 43-31
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Central Plains (6: 19-3), 4 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Harper Whetstine, jr., G; Gracie Grable, sr.; Allie Franken, sr.; Alyson Grable, jr.; Emerson Weber, sr.; Nicole Judd, jr.
NOTES--Trojans making first state-tournament appearance since 2002, ending a 22-year drought. … That’s the only other state tournament appearance in program history with the Trojans falling in the quarterfinals. … Trojans haven’t lost to a Kansas team this year with lone defeat coming to St. Joseph (Mo.) Lafayette at the Hiawatha Invitational. … Troy was undefeated Northeast Kansas League champion, moving to the league this year from the Twin Valley League. … League title was first since 2004. … Trojans beat 2A qualifier Doniphan West and 3A St. Marys and tied school record for wins in a season. … Whetstine hit the 1,000-point milestone this season and set school records for points in a game (43), steals in a season 9137) and 3-pointers in a career (138). … She averages 26.6 points per game as well as 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 6.8 steals, the latter leading the entire state. … Gracie Grable averages 8.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game. … Franken averages 7.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. … Alyson Grable adds 5.2 points and 5 rebounds per game. … Jasper is six wins from 300 in his career.
