1A-DII Players to Watch: Dighton & Moscow Sub-States
The road to the state tournament begins Thursday, February 25, with Class 1A sub-state games. Official seeding will be released by KSHSAA the day before. A basic overview of the 1A-3A post-season structure can be reviewed in the first article…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe road to the state tournament begins Thursday, February 25, with Class 1A sub-state games. Official seeding will be released by KSHSAA the day before. A basic overview of the 1A-3A post-season structure can be reviewed in the first article covering the Attica and Axtell sub-states. Suffice to say the structure of the road to the state tournament is vastly different in year’s past due to impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic.
This post is the second of four to look at the players of the 1A-DII regionals. Four more will also cover players of the 1A-DI regionals as well. The current standings for the Dighton and Moscow substates are as follows:
Dighton
|
Moscow
|
||
Weskan |
(14-5) | Ashland |
(10-7) |
Dighton |
(11-9) | Pawnee Heights |
(8-8) |
Grainfield-Wheatland/Grinnell |
(9-9) | Rolla |
(4-11) |
Otis-Bison |
(8-8) | Moscow |
(4-12) |
Wallace County |
(6-13) | Fowler |
(1-12) |
Western Plains-Healy |
(4-12) | Deerfield |
(1-16) |
Greeley County | (3-16) |
Dighton Sub-state
Despite the record separation between top seeded Weskan and the other teams, this regional is a toss-up. Should they avoid an upset from Otis-Bison, who most likely will get by Wallace County, in the semis it can be argued they will not be the favorite over who they meet in the finals. Dighton is led by point guard, a Northwest Kansas League first team, Traci Cramer Traci Cramer 5'7" | SG Dighton | 2022 State KS . And while they have lost four of their last five, including a low scoring loss to Otis-Bison, they have the capability of running the table here. They will meet Wheatland/Grinnell in the semis for a rematch of their mid-January 14 point win. Weskan lost a 3 point game to the Thunderhawks three days after the latter’s lost to Dighton. As I said, Weskan is the top seed but they are not a clear favorite. My pick: Weskan, led by first team Western Kansas Liberty first teamer JC Allen, will give either team a battle but in the end Dighton’s edge in free throw shooting percentage will send them to state in a close game. .
Moscow Sub-state
This sub-state will find the top two seeds in the finals. Ashland lost to Pawnee Heights by 13 in mid-December and I can imagine they might not have been prepared for the task of defending 6’3″ freshman Olivia Hands. Both teams have the capability of putting points on the board. Three players are averaging more than 16 points per game and a few more are not far behind. The difference maker is likely to be Ashland’s MacKenzie Walker MacKenzie Walker 5'5" | PG Ashland | 2023 State KS . Walker finishes well in transition and will use her threat as a three point shooter to help her get to the rim to, since she’s a high percentage free throw shooter, get three point plays the old fashioned way.
My picks: Ashland rolled over Moscow and Rolla after losing three close games to Otis-Bison, Hodgeman County, and Ingalls by a total of 16 points and did not score fewer than 44 points. Walker’s three point and free throw shooting and experience defending big teams will be the difference. Ashland to state.
Players to Watch
McKenzie Cramer, 5’6″, CG, Ashland, 2021 – Averaging 9.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1 steals. Is also shooting 63% from the line.
Victoria Milburn, 5’10”, C, Ashland, 2022 – Averages 8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2 steals.
MacKenzie Walker
MacKenzie
Walker
5'5" | PG
Ashland | 2023
State
KS
, 5’5″, PG, Ashland, 2023 – Averages 17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 steals, and 2.3 assists. Is shooting 32% from three with 24 made and 74% from the line. Finishes in transition and get three point shot off quickly. Second team Southern Peaks-Iroquois Activities Association in 2020.
Traci Cramer Traci Cramer 5'7" | SG Dighton | 2022 State KS , 5’5″, PG, Dighton, 2022 – Cramer is averaging 8.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.9 steals, and 4.7 assists. While statistics are unavailable, Cramer is a strong three point shooter and is 69% from the line. Northwest Kansas League first team in 2020.
Jessi Whipple Jessi Whipple 5'9" | PF Dighton | 2023 State KS , 5’9″, F, Dighton, 2023 – Averages 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Emily Wilms, 5’9″, F, Dighton, 2023 – Averages 9.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. She is also shooting 67% from the line.
Johanna Baalman, Otis-Bison, 2023 – Averages 8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game. Shoots 31% from three with 20 made.
Lauren Meier, Otis-Bison, 2021 – Averaging 10.5 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Hailee Morrison, Otis-Bison, – Averaging 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds
Jaden Carlson, 5’9″, CG, Pawnee Heights, 2021 – Averages 16.6 points per game. Second team Southern Peaks-Iroquois Activities Association in 2020.
Olivia Hands, 6’3″, C, Pawnee Heights, 2024 – Averages 16.6 points per game.
Madison Polson, 5’5″, PG, Pawnee Heights, 2021 – Averages 7.2 points per game.
Joss Benisch, Wallace County, 2023 – Averaging 12.5 points and 4.3 steals per game.
Jessi Carman, 5’7″, CG, Wallace County, 2021 – Averaging 9.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 2.5 assists. Third team Northwest Kansas League in 2020.
JC Allen, G, Weskan, 2021 – First team Western Kansas Liberty League in 2020.
Brielle Allen, Weskan, 2022 – Honorable mention Western Kansas Liberty League in 2020.
Carli Flax, 5’7″, W, Western Plains/Healy, 2021 – Incomplete season stats in MaxPreps show her averaging 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds for 5 games in January and early February.
Anna Godek, Wheatland-Grinell, 2022 – Averaging 12.1 points
Livia Schultz, Wheatland-Grinell, 2022 – Averaging 11.8 points