Kansas: Predictions from Sunflower State's March Madness

Composed Tuesday, March 9

With the Kansas boys and girls state basketball tournaments getting started Wednesday and running through Saturday in six classifications, here is a quick look at which teams have a legitimate shot at winning boys and girls titles, and the players that will lead them.

Class 6A Boys
White Auditorium, Emporia

The trio of Evan Wessel, Perry Ellis and Dreamius Smith will be too much for other contenders to overcome. But don’t count out Leavenworth’s athleticism.

Also in the running: Dodge City.

Top Players: Will Spradling – Shawnee Mission South; Ryan Schultz – Maize; Terrence Williams – Dodge City; Nino Williams – Leavenworth.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Heights (Wichita) (20-2) over Manhattan (12-10)
No. 6 Maize (17-5) over No. 8 Leavenworth (16-6)
No. 3 Dodge City (19-3) over Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park) (15-7)
No. 10 Blue Valley North (Overland Park) (15-7) over South (Shawnee Mission) (17-5)

Semifinals
No. 1 Wichita Heights (21-2) over No. 6 Maize (18-5)
No. 3 Dodge City (20-3) over Blue Valley North (16-7)

Final
No. 1 Wichita Heights (22-2) over No. 3 Dodge City (21-3)

Class 5A Boys
Kansas Expocentre, Topeka

Bishop Miege is the easy favorite here with the return of Trevor Releford, Justin McCay and Rodney Givens. Anything but a Stag championship may be considered an upset in Topeka.



Also in the running: McPherson, Gardner-Edgerton.

Top Players: Tra’Vaughn White – Kansas City-Washington; Christian Ulsaker, Treg Fawl – McPherson; Marshall Miller – Andover Central.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission) (22-0) over Wichita Bishop Carroll (11-11)
No. 4 Gardner-Edgerton (Gardner) (18-4) over No. 9 Great Bend (15-7)
No. 2 McPherson (21-1) over Washington (Kansas City) (13-9)
No. 3 Central (Andover) (20-2) over West (Topeka) (14-8)

Semifinals
No. 1 Bishop Miege (23-0) over No. 4 Gardner-Edgerton (19-4)
No. 2 McPherson (22-1) over No. 3 Andover Central (21-2)

Final
No. 1 Bishop Miege (24-0) over No. 2 McPherson (23-1)

Class 4A Boys
Bicentennial Center, Salina



Sumner Academy sat atop the 4A rankings for much of the early portion of the season, and knocked off defending champion Basehor-Linwood 53-50, to become the obvious choice to win the boys 4A tournament.

Also in the running: Pratt, Coffeyville-Field Kindley.

Top Players: Reese Holliday – Sumner Academy; Adam Hasty – Ottawa; Ethan Cordray and Cameron Craig – Coffeyville-Field Kindley; Jordan Phillips – Towanda-Circle; Matt and Micah Swank – Pratt.

Quarterfinals
No. 4 Pratt (21-2) over Circle (Towanda) (14-9)
No. 2 Sumner Academy (Kansas City) (19-4) over No. 10 Hayden (Topeka) (18-5)
No. 3 Ottawa (20-3) over Holton (Holton) (17-6)
No. 6 Field Kindley (Coffeyville) (19-3) over Nickerson (17-6)

Semifinals
No. 2 Kansas City-Sumner Academy (20-4) over No. 4 Pratt (22-2)
No. 3 Ottawa (21-3) over No. 6 Coffeyville-Field Kindley (20-3)

Final
No. 2 Kansas City-Sumner Academy (21-4) over No. 3 Ottawa (22-3)



Class 3A Boys
Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson

Defending champion Wichita Collegiate has Blake Jablonski and Tre Bailey listed on its roster. Enough said.

Also in the running: Galena, Rossville and Southwestern Heights.

Top Players: Matt and Mitch Buhler – Rossville.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Wichita Collegiate (22-1) over Council Grove (13-10)
No. 5 Rossville (19-4) over No. 6 Halstead (19-4)
No. 2 Galena (21-2) over Kansas City Christian (17-6)
No. 4 Southwestern Heights (20-3) over No. 8 Minneapolis (19-4)

Semifinals
No. 1 Wichita Collegiate (23-1) over No. 5 Rossville (20-4)
No. 2 Galena (22-2) over No. 4 Southwestern Heights (21-3)



Final
No. 1 Wichita Collegiate (24-1) over No. 2 Galena (23-2)

Class 2A Boys
Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan

Any of the top four teams could win this classification. Top-ranked Spearville gets the nod for now, but don’t be surprised if Olpe, Pittsburg-Colgan or Berean Academy battle their way through the bracket.

Also in the running: Hill City

Top Players: Willie Cauley – Spearville; Bradley Argabright – Olpe; Jesse Watt – Pittsburg-Colgan.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Spearville (22-1) over Seneca-Nemaha Valley (14-9)
No. 3 Olpe (21-2) over No. 4 Pittsburg-Colgan (20-3)
No. 2 Berean Academy (22-1) over Lyndon (16-7)
No. 8 Salina Sacred Heart (19-4) over No. 10 Hill City (21-2)



Semifinals
No. 1 Spearville (23-1) over No. 3 Olpe (22-2)
No. 2 Berean Academy (23-1) over No. 8 Salina Sacred Heart (20-4)

Final
No. 1 Spearville (24-1) over No. 2 Berean Academy (24-1)

Class 1A Boys
Busch-Gross Colliseum, Fort Hays

Although defending champion Hanover is back to defend its title, undefeated Quinter gets the nod here. Brace yourselves for a classic battle in the finals in this one.

Also in the running: South Gray, Macksville, Baileyville B&B and Tribune-Greeley County.

Top Players: Kyle Haverkamp and Ryan Huerter – Baileyville B&B; Jerod Diederich – Hanover.



Quarterfinals
No. 1 Quinter (25-0) over No. 8 Pretty Prairie (21-4)
No. 3 South Gray (24-1) over No. 6 Macksville (22-3)
No. 2 Hanover (24-1) over Burrton (21-4)
No. 4 Tribune-Greeley County (24-1) over No. 7 Baileyville B&B (22-3)

Semifinals
No. 1 Quinter (26-0) over No. 3 South Gray (25-1)
No. 2 Hanover (25-1) over No. 4 Tribune-Greeley County (25-1)

Final
No. 1 Quinter (27-0) over No. 2 Hanover (26-1)

Class 6A Girls
White Auditorium, Emporia

If it materializes, the Wichita Heights – Olathe South match-up should be a classic. Heights in a tight one.

Also in the running: Shawnee Mission East, Topeka Washburn Rural



Top Players: Alexa Bordewick – Topeka Washburn Rural; Jhasmin Bowen, Mary Sims and Kamisha Richard – Wichita Heights; Ashli Hill – Lawrence Free State; Natalie Knight and Kelsey Balcom – Olathe South; Janna Graf – Shawnee Mission East.

Quarterfinals
No. 2 South (Olathe) (21-1) over No. 9 Blue Valley (Randolph) (15-7)
No. 3 Shawnee Mission East (19-3) over No. 6 Dodge City (19-3)
No. 1 Heights (Wichita) (22-1) over No. 10 Lawrence Free State (Lawrence) (15-7)
No. 4 Washburn Rural (Topeka) (19-3) over Maize (16-6)

Semifinals
No. 2 Olathe South (22-1) over No. 3 Shawnee Mission East (20-3)
No. 1 Wichita Heights (23-1) over No. 4 Topeka Washburn Rural (20-3)

Final
No. 1 Wichita Heights (24-1) over No. 2 Olathe South (23-1)

Class 5A Girls
Kansas Expocentre, Topeka

Defending champion Bishop Miege could surprise here. But undefeated Andover Central and St. Thomas Aquinas look like the finalists in this class, with the likes of Tiffany Bias and DeShawn Harden respectively.



Also in the running: Wichita Bishop Carroll, McPherson

Top Players: Adrianna Maurer and Shandelyn Stewart – Bishop Miege.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Central (Andover) (22-0) over Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh) (9-12)
No. 3 Carroll (Wichita) (20-2) over Newton (17-5)
No. 2 Aquinas (Overland Park) (21-1) over No. 10 Seaman (Topeka) (16-6)
No. 4 McPherson (20-2) over No. 8 Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission) (16-6)

Semifinals
No. 1 Andover Central (23-0) over No. 3 Wichita Bishop Carroll (21-2)
No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (22-1) over No. 4 McPherson (21-2)

Final
No. 1 Andover Central (24-0) over No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (23-1)

Class 4A Girls
Bicentennial Center, Salina



Concordia gets the nod here quite simply because they’re defending champions. Cheney and Holton are just as capable of winning it all.

Also in the running: Girard, Ottawa.

Top Players: Karly Buer – Concordia; Merissa Quick – Cheney; Carly Twarog – Girard; Jamie Baldwin – Ottawa.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Concordia (23-0) over Basehor-Linwood (Basehor) (16-7)
No. 4 Girard (Girard) (22-1) over No. 5 Ottawa (Ottawa, Kan.) (21-2)
No. 3 Holton (23-0) over Hesston (17-6)
No. 2 Cheney (23-0) over No. 6 Circle (Towanda) (19-4)

Semifinals
No. 1 Concordia (24-0) over No. 4 Girard (23-1)
No. 2 Cheney (24-0) over No. 3 Holton (24-0)

Final
No. 1 Concordia (25-0) over No. 2 Cheney (25-0)



Class 3A Girls
Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson

Fourth-ranked Thomas More Prep Marian is the highest ranked team in this eight-team field, with the best record, so they get the nod here.

Also in the running: Jefferson County North.

Top players: Kaylee Hoffman – Thomas More Prep Marian; Dakota Kaufman – Hillsboro.

Quarterfinals
No. 4 Thomas More Prep Marian (22-1) over Riley County (13-10)
No. 10 Garden Plain (18-5) over Hillsboro (18-5)
Jefferson County North (22-1) over Frontenac (17-6)
No. 9 Marion (18-5) over Beloit (18-5)

Semifinals
No. 4 Thomas More Prep Marian (23-1) over No. 10 Garden Plain (19-5)
Jefferson County North (23-1) over No. 9 Marion (19-5)



Final
No. 4 Thomas More Prep Marian (24-1) over Jefferson County North (24-1)

Class 2A Girls
Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan

With Kathryn Flott running the show undefeated Olpe is the easy pick here, but watch out for third-ranked Hill City. Pittsburg-Colgan always seems to have a championship caliber team.

Also in the running: Berean Academy, Spearville

Top Players: Lexi Hardiek – Hill City.

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Olpe (23-0) over Lebo (16-7)
No. 4 Berean Academy (20-3) over No. 5 Pittsburg-Colgan (20-3)
No. 3 Hill City (21-2) over No. 9 Valley Heights (18-5)
No. 6 Spearville (20-3) over No. 7 Osborne (18-5)



Semifinals
No. 1 Olpe (24-0) over No. 4 Berean Academy (21-3)
No. 3 Hill City (22-2) over No. 6 Spearville (21-3)

Final
No. 1 Olpe (25-0) over No. 3 Hill City (23-2)

Class 1A Girls
Busch-Gross Colliseum, Fort Hays

Fifth-ranked St. John returns to defend its 2009 title, but South Gray and Kayla Thomas gets the nod over Argonia in the final.

Also in the running: Frankfort, Argonia, St. Paul

Top Players: Chelsea Keating and Erica Dwerlkotte – Frankfort.



Quarterfinals
No. 1 South Gray (25-0) over Wilson (17-8)
No. 5 St. John (24-1) over No. 7 Frankfort (23-2)
No. 2 Argonia (25-0) over Lincoln (18-7)
No. 3 St. Paul (24-0) over Tribune-Greeley County (20-5)

Semifinals
No. 1 South Gray (26-0) over No. 5 St. John (25-1)
No. 2 Argonia (26-0) over No. 3 St. Paul (25-0)

Final
No. 1 South Gray (27-0) over No. 2 Argonia (27-0)