Class 1A Regional Preview: Greeley County, Quinter
Class 1A regional, post-season tournament action gets started today. 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.…
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Continue ReadingClass 1A regional, post-season tournament action gets started today. 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 sixth set of two regionals being covered. This is the second set of two regionals that feed into the Russell and Trego Community sub-state tournaments. The first set of two previewed the Central Plains and Rock Hills regionals. The two being previewed now are Greeley County and Quinter, regionals that are both composed of Northwest Kansas League and Western Kansas Liberty League members. Region first round games start Tuesday, February 25. The current standings are as follows:
Greeley County
|
Quinter
|
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St. Francis |
(12-6) | Golden Plains |
(20-0) |
Cheylin | (11-9) | Rawlins County |
(14-6) |
Wallace County |
(11-9) | Wheatland/Grinnell |
(11-9) |
Weskan | (10-10) | Decatur Community |
(10-9) |
Greeley County |
(6-13) | Palco | (7-11) |
Tri-Plains/Brewster |
(2-16) | Western Plains/Healy (WPH) |
(7-12) |
Quinter | (6-14) |
Greeley County
St. Francis and Cheylin enjoy first round byes, leaving Wallace County to take on Tri-Plains/Brewster and Weskan to take on Greeley County. Wallace County ran over the Titans in December by 31 and by a few more in the season finale and it is unlikely that the outcome will be different this time. The semifinals pit the two identical record teams who met in their season openers. Cheylin won it by 17, which helped lock up the second seed. February has not been kind to the Cougars. They have gone 2-5 with bad losses to Golden Plains, Logan, and St. Francis. Wallace County’s has not been a great deal better, going 2-3. Their worst loss was by 19 to Oakley. Their loss to Golden Plains was by a respectable dozen. A win in their last game and a few extra days to shake off the gremlins should get Cheylin back in their groove. They will need to be because Wallace County will be up for them. In an energetic environment I pick Wallace County to even the score with a close win and reach the finals. Greeley County lost a 41-39 decision to Weskan six short days ago before falling to the top-seeded Indians by 22 in the season finale for both teams. Weskan has lost twice to St. Francis by low double figures each time. I give Weskan the edge as this time the match-up is on their floor, not Greeley County’s. Once into the semifinals a rested and eager St. Francis team should again dispatch the Coyotes by fifteen to reach the finals.
My picks: After a battle with Cheylin, Wallace County may not quite have the legs the more rested Indians have. That will be the difference. Like the first meeting, St. Francis by a dozen.
Quinter Regional
With seven teams in the regional only top seed Golden Plains has a bye. The Bulldogs will meet the winner of Decatur Community and Palco in the semifinals. They did not face Decatur Community in the regular season but hammered Palco by 35 in the season finale. The Red Devils have had an up and down season marked by stringing a few wins together followed by a string of losses. They and Palco do have three common opponents: Logan, Northern Valley, and Wheatland/Grinnell. Palco blew away Wheatland/Grinnell by more than 20, the Red Devils won a high scoring squeaker. Decatur Community blew out Northern Valley, the Roosters had a 19 point win. Their contests with Logan are a wash, leaving common opponents to be an unhelpful gauge of a favorite. Decatur Community does have a couple of things going for them that will get them a 10-point win, scoring from more positions than the Roosters and the size Anna Carter brings to the court along with her double-double points and rebounds averages. Decatur’s reward will be the undefeated Bulldogs. The Red Devils tandem will present problems for Golden Plains but the Bulldogs will not stumble enough, earning a double digit win to reach the finals. On the other side of the brackets Quinter gets another shot at Rawlins County. The Buffalos beat them less than two weeks ago by 8 so this rematch can be expected to be close as well. The teams combined for a 100 points making it unlikely that the rematch will be anything other than a high scoring affair. I have to give Rawlins County the edge. Senior Libby Mosely will be extra motivated to not have her season end in this round and returning Northwest Kansas League first team selection Kristin Beckman will do everything can for that to be the case. Buffalos to advance in another close one and play the winner of Wheatland/Grinnell and Western Plains/Healy (WPH). At home in late January the Thunderhawks tore apart WPH by 27. Eleven times this season WPH failed to score 25 points in a game and that limited offensive firepower will be too much of a handicap. Wheatland/Grinnell will advance to the semifinal game against Rawlins County by 25. While Rawlins County has the higher seed I think the Thunderhawks are a slight favorite for a few reasons: They beat the Buffalos in mid-December in Atwood and this semifinal rematch will be on neutral ground; the Buffaloes’ quarterfinal game was a tougher draw so Wheatland/Grinnell will likely be fresher; and Thunderhawks want another shot at Golden Plains. Rawlins will not go away but the Thunderhawks advance to the finals by 6. My picks: As eager for another shot at Golden Plains as the Thunderhawks will be I do not look for them to take down Golden Plains. Both will have escaped tough semifinal games but overall Golden Plains should be slightly fresher. Golden Plains by 10.
Players to Watch
Grace Sabatka, Cheylin, 2020 — Western Kansas Liberty League second team selection in 2019.
Anna Carter, Decatur Community, 2020, 6’1″, C — Northwest Kansas League second team selection in 2019. Averages 14.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Alyssa Van Vleet, Decatur Community, 2020, 5’9″ — KBCA 2A all-state honorable mention and Northwest Kansas League first team selection in 2019. Averages 12.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Shoots 31% from three with 39 made.
Brooke Stoll, Golden Plains, 2021 — Western Kansas Liberty League second team selection in 2019.
Mabel Lugo, Golden Plains, 2021 — Western Kansas Liberty League second team selection in 2019.
Laura Crottinger, Greeley County, 2020, 5’6″, PG — Averaged 10.2 points but had 5 turnovers per game. Has some quickness and speed.
Shaylee Benoit, Palco, 2020, 5’6″, G — Western Kansas Liberty League second team selection in 2019. Averages 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game.
Kayler Getz, Quinter, 2021, 5’8″ — Averages 13.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.
Ava Gillespie, Quinter, 2022, 5’4″, G — Averages 9.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 steals.
Kristin Beckman, Rawlins County, 2021, 5’5″, G — Northwest Kansas League first team selection in 2019. Averages 14.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game.
Libby Mosely, Rawlins County, 2020, 5’4″, PG — Averages 8 points, 3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
Abby Singhateh, Rawlins County, 2022, 5’7″, — Averages 10.2 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.
Karly Bandel, St. Francis, 2020, CG — Northwest Kansas League second team selection in 2019.
Emma Johnson, St. Francis, 2021 — Northwest Kansas League third team selection in 2019.
Haylee Hennick, Wallace County, 2020 — Northwest Kansas League third team selection in 2019.
Jobi Roemer, Western Plains-Healy, 2021, 5’4″, G — Western Kansas Liberty League honorable mention selection in 2019. Averages 6.7 points and 2.3 steals per game.
Jessi Bernbeck, Wheatland/Grinnell, 2020, 5’6″, G — Western Kansas Liberty League first team selection in 2019. Averages 10.9 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.3 steals per game. Shoots 33% from three with 22 made.
Morgan Zimmerman, Wheatland/Grinnell, 2020, 5’3″, G — Averages 10.5 points, 3.6 steals, and 2.7 assists.