1A-DII Players to Watch: St. Paul & Wakefield 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…
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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 last of four to look at the players of the 1A-DII regionals. The second post previewed the Dighton and Moscow sub-states, the third previewed the Peabody-Burns and Golden Plains sub-states. Four more will also cover players of the 1A-DI regionals as well. The current standings for the St. Paul and Wakefield sub-states are as follows:
St. Paul
|
Wakefield
|
||
St. Paul |
(12-3) | St. John’s/Tipton |
(14-1) |
Waverly |
(13-5) | Southern Cloud |
(9-4) |
Chetopa |
(6-11) | Tescott |
(5-8) |
Southern Coffey County | (5-12) | Wakefield |
(6-10) |
Marmaton Valley | (4-11) | Wilson |
(4-10) |
Marais Des Cygnes Valley |
(1-16) | Natoma |
(0-15) |
Altoona Midway | (0-12) |
St. Paul Sub-state
The bad news for every other team in this sub-state is St. Paul is ranked #7 and Waverly #10. Altoona Midway unfortunately draws Waverly in the first round and will see their season end. An improved Marais Des Cygness Valley draws Chetopa for the right to face Waverly in the semi-finals. Chetopa can be pushed some but should advance with not too much trouble. The toss up game in the first round is Southern Coffey County and Marmaton Valley. Southern Coffey County was solidly beaten twice by Waverly. Marmaton only lost to St. Paul by 12 and 14 points. Marmaton should win a tight contest to face St. Paul. Going by the only readily seen measuring stick game to gauge the opportunity for an upset, Chetopa lost to St. Paul early in the season by 20. Waverly beat Southern Coffey County by 27 and 32 points. Behind a solid point guard in Macy Fairchild Macy Fairchild 5'3" | PG Waverly | 2021 State KS and a returning all-state pick in Sara McWilliams Sara McWilliams 5'9" | SF Waverly | 2021 State KS , Waverly will beat back Chetopa’s challenge. Beating a team three times in same season can be a difficult task and St. Paul will face a big effort from Marmaton. But playing on their home floor, St. Paul should prevail by maybe a slightly smaller margin. Playing at home again will help St. Paul and they’ll need it.
My pick: Waverly will escape St. Paul with a win by less than ten points.
Wakefield Sub-state
St. John’s/Tipton ends the regular season ranked #4 and beat the second seed Southern Cloud by 20 in December. Wakefield is a tough bunch. None of their losses have been by more than 17 points. They also beat Southern Cloud by 5 in overtime in December. Wilson will give a battle but in the end the visiting Bombers will get the chance to beat the Warriors again and meet St. John’s/Tipton for the right to go to state. In the meantime the Bluejays will dispatch Tescott with little trouble. St. John’s/Tipton has the most complete player in all of the 1A class, who is also ranked #24 overall in the senior class, in Lauryn Dubbert Lauryn Dubbert 5'7" | CG Beloit/St. John's-Tipton | 2021 State KS . The Newman University commit will not allow the opportunity to reach the state tournament get by.
My pick: Wakefield can beat Southern Cloud and playing on their home floor Wakefield would be a slight favorite to beat Southern Cloud again. Regardless of which team wins, St. John’s/Tipton will either one by 20.
Players to Watch
Mariah Stackhouse, F, Altoona-Midway, 2022 – 2020 Three Rivers League third team.
Braili Conard, 5’9″, Chetopa, 2021 – 2020 Three Rivers League second team while averaging 16 points and 4 rebounds.
Aly Ard, Marmaton Valley, 2022 – 2020 Three Rivers League second team.
Kaylee Becker, Marmaton Valley, 2021 – 2020 Three Rivers League third team.
Candyce Engling, 5’4″, CG, Natoma, 2023 – Averages 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Shae McMillan, 5’7″, PG, Southern Cloud, 2021 – Coach Perkins in Kansas Pregame Winter Ed says she works hard every day. Averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 2.1 assists in 2020. Northern Plains League second team.
Leah Brummer, St. John’s/Tipton, 2022 – 10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3 steals. Shooting 36% from three with 8 made and 80% from the line.
Lauren Dubbert, 5’7″, CG/SG, St.Johns/Tipton, 2021 – 2020 KBCA 1A first team, third team in 2019. 2020 Northern Plains League first team. Averages 22.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3.3 assists. Shoots 75% FT and 33% from three point land with 40 made. Transitions quickly with the ball. Good use of baby hook over big defender 6”-8′ from basket. Able to finish with strongly on either side of the basket with both hands. Shoots quickly on the pull up, off a rebound, and on the catch. 1.53 assists to turnovers ratio.
Paige Hollerich, St. John’s/Tipton, 2022 – 8.3 points 4.6 rebounds, 3 steals. Shooting 40% from three with 12 made.
Claire Bradshaw, 5’8″, St. Paul, 2022 – 2020 Three Rivers League third team while averaging 6 points and 2 rebounds.
Elisa Doherty, 5’8″, St. Paul, 2022 – 2020 Three Rivers League third team while averaging 5 points and 3 rebounds.
Emerald Struthers, 5’8″, St. Paul, 2022 – Averaged 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals a season ago.
Mallorie Church, 5’5″, CG, Tescott, 2023 – Averaging 8.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 steals, and 2.5 assists.
Raven Peterson, 5’11”, F, Tescott, 2022 – Averaging 8.3 points and 8.3 rebounds
Macy Fairchild Macy Fairchild 5'3" | PG Waverly | 2021 State KS , 5’3″, PG, Waverly, 2021 – Fairchild is a high IQ lefty with the ability to find seams in zones to create. She is also a solid three point shooter. Not explosive.
Sara McWilliams Sara McWilliams 5'9" | SF Waverly | 2021 State KS , 5’10”, W, Waverly, 2021 – 2020 KBCA 1A honorable mention. Two time Lyon County League first team. Reign the Plains (July 2019) – vs Ohlde Elite 2023 in transition off turnover looked left versus D, changed pace, then protected the ball to score over the defense. Point on the press.
Cara Criswell, 5’6″, G, Wilson, 2023 – Averaging 8.7 points and 8.7 rebounds.
Anna Thielen, 5’4″, G, Wilson, 2024 – Averaging 7.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.