Class 1A Regional Preview: Central Plains, Rock Hills
Class 1A regional, post-season tournament action gets started Monday, February 24. Seedings were announced February 19 by KSHSAA. The remainder of this week’s games do not affect the announced seedings although win-loss records changes may confuse those unaware of the…
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Continue ReadingClass 1A regional, post-season tournament action gets started Monday, February 24. Seedings were announced February 19 by KSHSAA. The remainder of this week’s games do not affect the announced seedings although win-loss records changes may confuse those unaware of the set-in-stone brackets. This is the fourth set of two regionals being covered. In this article we take a look at the Central Plains and Rock Hills regionals. This is the first set of two regionals that feed into the Russell and Trego Community sub-state tournaments. Region first round games start Tuesday, February 25. The current standings are as follows:
Central Plains
|
Rock Hills
|
||
Central Plains |
(19-0) | Thunder Ridge |
(19-0) |
Otis-Bison | (18-1) | Osborne |
(11-7) |
Sylvan-Lucas |
(13-6) | Logan |
(11-9) |
Victoria | (10-9) | Lakeside | (9-8) |
Wilson | (6-12) | Stockton | (8-12) |
Lacrosse |
(4-15) | Rock Hills |
(7-12) |
Natoma |
(0-18) | Northern Valley | (2-17) |
Central Plains Regional
There is a substantial amount of bad news for the bottom five teams in this regional. They have to get through 6x defending state champion, who have not lost since February. 24, 2015. and #1 ranked Central Plains to reach sub-state. Or, teams have to get through once defeated #7 Otis-Bison. Central Plains has the bye locked up due to having beaten Otis-Bison. They await the winner of Victoria and Wilson. Victoria should have little trouble getting by a game but short-benched Wilson squad. And while they’ve been competitive in very two low scoring, losing affairs with Otis-Bison, they will not survive the pressure cooker that is Central Plains. The Oilers beat them by 72 in mid-January. Otis Bison opens with winless Natoma. They will not be challenged. Sylvan-Lucas is the lone team from the Northern Plains League in a region of Central Prairie League teams. They have not faced La Crosse but have lost to Otis-Bison by 28. Lacrosse lost to the Cougars by 24 and 18 points in low scoring affairs. The biggest difference is Slyvan-Lucas’ ability to score. Lacrosse does not have the offensive strength to put up big numbers. Six times this season they failed to reach 20 points. The Mustangs should run away from them by more than 20 but will go no further than the semifinals. Otis-Bison is too big and too deep to overcome. My picks: Otis-Bison was one of a few teams who have given Central Plains trouble. In their loss they were only down a point at half-time. They will have to play a complete game to have a chance again. These two teams are locks to advance to the state tournament again. Mustangs by 20.
Rock Hills Regional
This is another region composed of teams from multiple leagues. Five teams are drawn from the Northern Plains League. Stockton, the lone 1A school in the Mid-Continent League, and Logan, from the Western Kansas Liberty League, are the others. It is also a regional with a dominant top seed that, barring the wheels falling completely off, should advance unscathed to sub-state. In this instance it is #6 Thunder Ridge. The Longhorns will take on the winner of an interesting opening round contest between Lakeside and Stockton. Lakeside owns a win over higher seeded Logan. Stockton has been beaten on all year long by a very strong league filled with strong 2A teams and is arguably the second strongest team in the region. They own a four-point victory over Osborne; blew out Northern Valley twice; and only lost to #8 Golden Plains by eight. Stockton will not be intimidated and is my pick to advance to play the Longhorns. In the semifinal game Stockton will play tough but their lack of firepower to hang with Thunder Ridge will be the difference. On the other side of the bracket Osborne will advance to the semifinals easily. Third seeded Logan will get past Rock Hills but not get past Osborne to play Thunder Ridge in the finals. A key here is common opponents. Logan lost to Lakeside by nine, Osborne split with Lakeside – losing by five and winning by 17. Osborne is also on a small roll. Since losing to Lakeside at the end of January the Bulldogs have won five of six including over Sylvan-Lucas by 17.
My picks: Osborne has lost to Thunder Ridge three times already with no game closer than 15 points. The Longhorns will make it four in a row. Thunder Ridge by 25.
Players to Watch
Brynna Hammeke, Central Plains, 2023, 5’8″, G — Reign the Plains (July 2019) – When she was being double-teamed in the corner she dribbled around a defender down the right baseline to score. Good speed with the ball. Played with Wheat State Elite this past summer.
Delaney Rugan, Central Plains, 2020, 5’7″, G — All-tourney team Amos Morris Classic 12.19. Sports In Kansas 1A state all-tournament team. Kansas basketball Coaches Association (KBCA) 1A honorable mention all-state and Central Plains League second team selection.
Emily Ryan, Central Plains, 2020, 5’10”, PG — The Iowa State University commit is a 4-star ESPNU 2020 HoopGurlz ranked #83. She is a KBCA three time, first team all-state and Central Plains League first team. 2017-18 Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year. Has led her team to three consecutive state championships (1 1A and two 2A). Regarded as the most complete player in Kansas. She has strength to score after heavy contact and is unfazed when her shot is not falling – continues to take good shots without forcing. She plays within the team and creates good separation for step back threes. Has great elevation on her jump shots. Easy to overlook her defensive abilities especially against other teams’ shooters. Played with Wheat State Elite (Khaos) this past summer.
Bailey Baalman, Lacrosse, 2020, 5’6″, SG/SF — Lefty with strong ability with the ball to go end-to-end. Surprises as a shot blocker.
Grace Grady, Lakeside, 2020, 5’9″ — Averages 6.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.3 steals.
Camryn Greving, Logan, 2020 — Western Kansas Liberty League first team selection in 2019.
Rhyann Brown, Osborne, 2020 — Averages 9.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 steals, and 2.5 assists per game.
Trinity Lutters, Osborne, 2023 — Averages 19.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2 steals per game. Shoots 33% beyond the arc with 34 made. Played with Ohlde Elite this past summer.
Cora Anderson, Otis-Bison, 2020, — Central Plains League second team selection in 2019.
Maddie Wiltse, Otis-Bison, 2020, 6’2″, C — Played with Wheat State Elite this past summer. U. of Nebraska-Kearney. KBCA 1A all-state second team and Central Plains League first team selection in 2019.
Lauren Whelchel, Rock Hills, 2023 — Played with Ohlde Elite this past summer. Statistics inaccessible but leads the team in scoring.
Shae Griffin, Stockton, 2020, 5’7″, CG — Has 20′ range, often draws opponent point guard defensively. Slight build. Played for Ohlde Elite this past summer.
Keeli Knobbe, Sylvan-Lucas, 2023, 5’10” F — Averages 12 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game.
Candace Nondorf, Sylvan-Lucas, 2021, G — Averages 9.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2.4 assists per game.
Jalen Boden, Thunder Ridge, 2020, 5’11”, F — Sports In Kansas 2019 1A state all-tournament team. Northern Plains League honorable mention in 2019. In 2019 averaged 9.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 steals, and 1.3 assists per game.
Brennan Kirchoff, Thunder Ridge, 2020, 5’3″, G — In 2019 averaged 11.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.9 steals per game.
Kassi Webber, Victoria, 2022, 5’8″, SF — Perimeter shooter off the catch.
Melany Huser, Victoria, 2022, 5’6″, SG — Central Plains League honorable mention selection in 2019. Very fast with the ball going end-to-end. Finishes well with contact.
Macy Hanzlick, Wilson, 2022 — Northern Plains League third team selection in 2019.