Great performances abound in Kansas basketball championships

A long line of boys state basketball championships at McPherson grew by one more following a 79-68 win over second-ranked Washington (Kansas City) at the Topeka Expocentre Saturday.

The top-ranked Bullpups received 56 points collectively from Christian Ulsaker (30) and Jack Pyle (26) in flying past the Wildcats. Not only did Ulsaker want to win the school's first state title since 2003, he and his teammates expected it as well as anybody that's ever been involved in the McPherson basketball program.

"We feel like we've been there before, I mean past present and future – we expect to be back again," Ulsaker said of being a part of the Bullpup program. "This is the 11th state championship, and in 2011, which is huge. We couldn't ask for anything better."

McPherson, coached by Kurt Kinnamon, has now claimed Class 5A titles in 2011, 2003, 1999, 1996, 1994 and from 1990-1992 as well as Class 4A championships in 1972-1974.

Joining McPherson as 5A state champions were the Aquinas (Overland Park) girls. The Saints bumped Blue Valley Saturday with a 48-37 win. Senior guard Nelly Weledji said she had never experienced winning a state title before, but that it was an incredible feeling.



"It's awesome going 25-0," she said following the championship win. "It helped taking each game one by one and my teammates stayed focused and they kept me going. And I kept them going. We are just a great group of girls that are passionate and knowledgeable about the game. I am so proud of them.

"It didn't really feel different (than a regular season game) until the final buzzer because you know you have to stay focused the whole time. It was just like any other game. Then once the buzzer hit, the tears came. I mean my gosh we worked so hard for four years and we finally got it."

The 2011 title for Aquinas was the first one since the 2004 version of Saints basketball won the Class 6A title.

DOUBLE WINNERS FROM WICHITA HEIGHTS
In a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, the Heights (Wichita) boys squeezed out their third straight Class 6A state title, edging Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park) 58-51 Saturday. The Falcons have now won 44 straight games.

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the Falcon girls swept through the girls side of the bracket, equaling the boys' season record of 25-0. The Heights (Wichita) girls became the first Kansas high school to sweep both titles while finishing the season unbeaten.

"It just shows what great athletes we have, both on the boys and girls side," Falcon senior Evan Wessel told the Topeka Capital Journal. "It's rare and it's very special."



CARDINAL WIN STREAK COMES CRASHING DOWN
The Holton girls got a little defensive Saturday in their 41-21 championship win over defending Class 4A state champion Cheney. The Wildcats used tenacious defense to force 27 turnovers in the game and shut down Ally Nikkel, Merissa Quick and Kylie Patterson. The Cardinal trio managed just 16 points between them.

The 21 points allowed by the Wildcat defense set a record for the lowest point total by a losing team in a Class 4A state championship game. Holton also snapped the state's sixth longest winning streak at 52 games while winning its second girls state basketball title, and the first since winning 4A in 1994.

"Our defense carried us from game one until now. I think that showed tonight," Holton coach Jon Holliday told the Wichita Eagle following the win. "We had a monster task trying to guard Merissa Quick inside and Ally Nikkel outside. Those are two great players and I think we pretty much shut them down. My kids really came tonight."

OTHER BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
CLASS 3A – Scott (Scott City) 55, Minneapolis 53
Scott City: Brett O'Neil, 13; Ron Baker, 26. Minneapolis: Grayson George, 23; Dylan Crosson, 12.

CLASS 2A – Berean Academy (Elbing) 41, Lyndon 32
Berean Academy: Joshua Hoover, 10; Karlin Wiebe, 14. Lyndon: Chase Vande Velde, 6; Trey Brown, 6; Tyler Decker, 6.

CLASS 1A-2 – Greeley County (Tribune) 42, Hope 35
Greeley County: Jonathan Miller, 15; Stephen Houston, 10. Hope: Todd Kickhaefer, 19; Tyler Mudd, 10.

CLASS 1A-1 – Macksville 59, South Haven 56
Macksville: Kyle Bunker, 33. South Haven: Jarod Young, 20; Blake Wilkey, 11.



OTHER GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
CLASS 3A – Collegiate (Wichita) 43, Jefferson County North (Winchester) 41
Collegiate: Sydney Lower, 10; Ashia Woods, 17. Jefferson County North: Jordan Kramer, 13; Katie Noll, 10.

CLASS 2A – Moundridge 48, Ell-Saline (Brookville) 34
Moundridge: Brooke Holloway, 12; MacKenzie Suderman, 21. Ell-Saline: Mariah Jones, 13.

CLASS 1A-2 – Argonia 69, Central Christian (Hutchinson) 41
Argonia: Ali Brewster, 14; Ashton Stansbury, 15. Hutchinson Central Christian: Jamie Patrick, 27.

CLASS 1A-1 – Olpe 63, Hoxie 44
Olpe: Kendyl McDougald, 10; Jill Cole, 12; Kathryn Flott, 23. Hoxie: Sarah Farber, 13; Shelby Heim, 11.

Continue reading for top scorers{PAGEBREAK}TOP SCORERS
Kansas City-Washington's TraVaughn White and Hutchinson Central Christian stand out Jamie Patrick took home the tournament's single-game scoring honors. White poured in 34 points in a 68-63 Class 5A semifinal win over Lansing Friday after connecting on 18 of 24 free throws.

Patrick also ripped the cords for 34 points in Hutchinson Central Christian's 59-26 quarterfinal win over Logan. The 5-foot-11-inch junior also pulled down six rebounds, dished out five assists and swiped four steals in the decisive opening round win.



BOYS CONSOLATION RESULTS
CLASS 6A – East (Olathe) 64, Dodge City 63
CLASS 5A – Aquinas (Overland Park) 47, Lansing 34
CLASS 4A – Holton 53, Hayden (Topeka) 44
CLASS 3A – Collegiate (Wichita) 62, Atchison County (Effingham) 50
CLASS 2A – Washington County (Washington) 50, Nemaha Valley (Seneca) 38
CLASS 1A-1 – South Gray (Montezuma) 66, Victoria 61
CLASS 1A-2 – Otis-Bison 53, South Barber (Kiowa) 45

GIRLS CONSOLATION RESULTS
CLASS 6A – East (Olathe) 40, Washburn Rural (Topeka) 26
CLASS 5A – McPherson 49, Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh) 38
CLASS 4A – Basehor-Linwood 47, Ottawa 36
CLASS 3A – Hillsboro 53, More Prep-Marian (Hays) 27
CLASS 2A – Oxford 48, Jayhawk Linn (Mound City) 44
CLASS 1A-1 – South Central (Coldwater) 58, Little River 47
CLASS 1A-2 – Wilson 48, Ingalls 33

KANSAS BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT SCORING LEADERS
ALL CLASS
Tra'Vaughn White, Kansas City-Washington 79 (26.3)
Tanner Hines, Pretty Prairie 25 (25)
Semi Ojeleye, Ottawa 72 (24)
Christian Ulsaker, McPherson 69 (23)
Austin Bass, Olpe 23 (23)
Hunter Pittman, Pretty Prairie 23 (23)

CLASS 6A BOYS
Grant Greenberg, Leavenworth 22 (22)
Jake Ediger, Topeka Washburn Rural 20 (20)
Tyler Kalinoski, Olathe East 56 (18.7)
Perry Ellis, Wichita Heights 53 (17.7)
Cole Cook, Olathe East 46 (15.3)
Bruce Campbell, Dodge City 43 (14.3)

CLASS 5A BOYS
Tra'Vaughn White, Kansas City-Washington 79 (26.3)
Christian Ulsaker, McPherson 69 (23)
Jack Pyle, McPherson 64 (21.3)
Curtis Okafor, Bishop Miege 16 (16)
Jackson Perez, Emporia 16 (16)
Adam Wilks, Andover Central 15 (15)

CLASS 4A BOYS
Semi Ojeleye, Ottawa 72 (24)
Wayd Thomas, Smoky Valley 18 (18)
Elijah Alexander, Kansas City-Sumner Academy 52 (17.3)
James Jackson, Parsons 16 (16)
Brandon Givens, Buhler 15 (15)
Steve Jones, Parsons 14 (14)

CLASS 3A BOYS
Ron Baker, Scott City 66 (22)
Grayson George, Minneapolis 64 (21.3)
Austin Eckert, Effingham-Atchison County 54 (18)
Dustin Ohl, Hutchinson Central Christian 18 (18)
Kevin Richardson, Wichita Collegiate 43 (14.3)
Zak Martin, Burlington 14 (14)



CLASS 2A BOYS
John Clarke, Ness City 17 (17)
Trey Brown, Lyndon 48 (16)
Sam Gilbert, Pittsburg Colgan 15 (15)
James Burkett, Syracuse 14 (14)
Matt Mock, Washington County 40 (13.3)
Kevin Burdiek, Nemaha Valley 39 (13)
Ryan Fiser, Washington County 39 (13)
Ernesto Flores, Ness City 13 (13)
Braeden Simon, Syracuse 13 (13)

CLASS 1A-2 BOYS
Jacob Bott, Linn 19 (19)
Graham Droge, Bern 19 (19)
Jonathan Miller, Tribune-Greeley County 51 (17)
Cole Christensen, Golden Plains 17 (17)
Rilee Spresser, Golden Plains 16 (16)
Luke Yearout, South Barber 42 (14)

CLASS 1A-1 BOYS
Tanner Hines, Pretty Prairie 25 (25)
Austin Bass, Olpe 23 (23)
Hunter Pittman, Pretty Prairie 23 (23)
Kyle Bunker, Macksville 64 (21.3)
Connor Hynek, Hanover 21 (21)
Jarod Young, South Haven 55 (18.3)

KANSAS GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT SCORING LEADERS
ALL CLASS
Jamie Patrick, Hutchinson Central Christian 78 (26)
Laura Baumgartner, Bern 23 (23)
Kathryn Flott, Olpe 66 (22)
Karlie Steinle, Wilson 64 (21.3)
Cierra Ceazer, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights 58 (19.3)
DaShawn Harden, Aquinas 57 (19)

CLASS 6A
Jhasmin Bowen, Wichita Heights 46 (15.3)
Brittany Odom, Blue Valley Northwest 15 (15)
Lizzy Jeronimus, Shawnee Mission West 42 (14)
Brooke Katterhenry, Shawnee Mission West 42 (14)
Sanayika Shields, Olathe East 36 (12)
Brianna Caldwell, Wichita Northwest 12 (12)

CLASS 5A
Cierra Ceazer, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights 58 (19.3)
DaShawn Harden, St. Thomas Aquinas 57 (19)
Casyn Buchman, McPherson 54 (18)
Shanise Brooks, Topeka Highland Park 18 (18)
Katelyn Loecker, McPherson 53 (17.7)
Catherine Brugman, Wichita Bishop Carroll 13 (13)
Devyn Edwards, Topeka Highland Park 13 (13)



CLASS 4A
Jayde Reid, Topeka Hayden 18 (18)
Nicole Federico, Topeka Hayden 17 (17)
Megan Bergstrom, Basehor-Linwood 42 (14)
Jordan Baldwin, Ottawa 39 (13)
Ashley Rogers, Haven 13 (13)
Rachel Miller, Haven 12 (12)

CLASS 3A
Jordan Kramer, Jefferson County North 55 (18.3)
Rachel Jacobs, Hays-Thomas More Prep Marion 51 (17)
Marissa Cox, Richmond-Central Heights 17 (17)
Kelly Thomson, Riley County 17 (17)
Katelin Horstick, Richmond-Central Heights 16 (16)
Ashia Woods, Wichita Collegiate 44 (14.7)

CLASS 2A
Mariah Jones, Ell-Saline 47 (15.7)
Baylea White, Jayhawk-Linn 42 (14)
Landry Cordes, Meade 13 (13)
Kenzie Weiser, Oakley 13 (13)
Taylor Schrag, Moundridge 37 (12.3)
MacKenzie Suderman, Moundridge 36 (12)
Kinzie Friesen, Meade 12 (12)
Hannah Hubert, Oakley 12 (12)

CLASS 1A-2
Jamie Patrick, Hutchinson Central Christian 78 (26)
Laura Baumgartner, Bern 23 (23)
Karlie Steinle, Wilson 64 (21.3)
Ali Brewster, Argonia 51 (17)
Heidi Pletcher, Wallace County-Sharon Springs 16 (16)
Lakaya Steele, Wallace County-Sharon Springs 16 (16)

CLASS 1A-1
Kathryn Flott, Olpe 66 (22)
Megan Stagner, Little River 56 (18.7)
Alexis Hafenstein, Dexter-Cedar Vale 18 (18)
Brena Alexander, South Central 47 (15.7)
Jenna Kruse, Hanover 14 (14)
Michelle Haug, Centralia 13 (13)