As time was running out in a pressure packed Kansas 5A boys state basketball title game, Topeka Highland Park senior Michael Copeland’s instincts kicked in and allowed the Scots to swipe victory away from a bigger and more athletic Bishop Miege squad.
It took Copeland two tries before the Scot faithful could relax and celebrate the school’s third straight 5A boys basketball title following the 54-52 win in the No. 1 vs. No. 2 classic.
Michael Copeland (center), Highland Park
Photo By Dean Backes
Stag big man Hal Payne appeared to send the game into overtime when he swatted Copeland’s first attempt at a game winning shot.
But the 6-foot-6 senior had the presence of mind to relocate the ball, grabbed it and go back up for the lay in as time expired causing a raucous Highland Park crowd to erupt into celebration and a stunned Bishop Miege following to fall into silence at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka.
“It was amazing,” Copeland said in reaction to his second game saving shot in as many nights. “There are no real words to explain it. Your adrenaline is pumping and your mind is going a million miles a minute.
“It was just automatic. When I had my shot blocked, I was just hoping to get the rebound. I knew if I could get it (put back) in we’d win.”
Top-ranked Highland Park trailed for much of the game, and with 4:11 left in the fourth quarter the Scots were down 48-41. Highland Park, however, responded with an 8-2 run that allowed the Scots to creep within 50-49 of the second-ranked Stags.
Copeland, who finished the contest with 12 points, then gave Highland Park its first lead of the second half at 52-50 when he completed a 3-point play. Stag junior Justin McCay made two free throws with 32 seconds left to tie the game at 52-52, setting up Copeland’s heroics.
“We knew we could still win,” Copeland said of the Scots' uphill battle. “It was just a matter of taking it easy and taking it play-by-play. We knew we had to put some haste into it, but that we had to stay calm.
“Each of us had to do what we knew we could do. If we were a shooter, then we had to get off of the screens and get an open shot. If we were a rebounder then we had to box out and get rebounds. We knew that if each of us played within our own strengths that the outcome would be a positive one.”
In Friday’s 52-50 semifinal win over Salina Central, Copeland sent the Scots into the much anticipated match with the Stags by taking a Canon Fields pass and converting a lay-up as time expired in overtime.
5A Girls: Bishop Miege claims another titleWith Saturday’s 69-48 win over Great Bend in the girls 5A title game, Bishop Miege coach Terry English picked up his 16th state title in the last 33 years at the school.
From 1977-2009 the Stags have appeared in 21 championship contests, nearly as many as the rest of the 5A field combined.
Bishop Miege's Shandelyn Stewart (left), Hannah Westhoff (right)
Photo By Dean Backes
English-coached teams won titles in consecutive seasons on four different occasions, including four straight from 1989-1992. During his tenure with the Stags, English also won back-to-back titles in 1984-1985, and went back-to-back-to-back from 1994-1996 and 2001-2003.
The longest state title drought for Bishop Miege from 1977-2009 is the four-year stretch from 1997-2000.
Double WinnersWith Bishop Miege’s loss to Highland Park in the boys 5A final, St. Marys became the only school in all six classes to net state titles in both the boys and girls divisions of its respective classification.
The Bears boys claimed the Class 2A championship by getting by Pittsburg Colgan 56-55, while the girls upended Ellis 60-46.
Other Crowned ChampionsClass 6ABoys- Wichita Heights over defending champion Wichita Southeast, 73-58
Girls- Topeka Washburn Rural over Olathe South, 57-47
Class 4ABoys- Basehor-Linwood over Girard, 53-48
Girls- Concordia over Topeka Hayden, 59-52
Class 3ABoys- Wichita Collegiate over Sabetha, 55-52
Girls- Southwestern Heights over Wichita Collegiate, 65-59
Class 1ABoys- Hanover over Quinter, 53-47
Girls- St. John-Hudson over South Gray, 46-35
Boys State Basketball Tournament Leading ScorersClass 6AJoe Mitchell, Wichita Southeast, 74 24.7
Steve Carver, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 52 17.3
AJ Spencer, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 50 16.7
Winn Clark, Shawnee Mission East, 46 15.3
Cecil Shaw, Wichita Southeast, 46 15.3
Perry Ellis, Wichita Heights, 41 13.7
Class 5ACanon Fields, Topeka Highland Park, 53 17.7
Trevor Releford, Bishop Miege, 48 16.0
Craig Knox, Salina Central, 47 15.7
Randall Vautravers, Andover Central, 41 13.7
Rodney Givens, Bishop Miege, 39 13.0
Alex Williams, Salina Central, 38 12.7
Class 4AJeff Reid, Topeka Hayden, 61 20.3
Adam Hasty, Ottawa, 52 17.3
Tanner Poppe, Girard, 52 17.3
Darian Kelly, Girard, 48 16.0
Kevin Barber, Ottawa, 47 15.7
T.J. McGreevy, Topeka Hayden, 47 15.7
Class 3ACaleb Kesler, Sabetha, 54 18.0
Ryan Mesh, Hutchinson Trinity, 41 13.7
Coner Reilly, Hutchinson Trinity, 38 12.7
Mitch Buhler, Rossville, 37 12.3
Mitch Allen, Sabetha, 37 12.3
Matt Buhler, Rossville, 36 12.0
Class 2ALuke Olsen, St. Marys, 81 27.0
Lucas Plunkett, Syracuse, 55 18.3
Stuart Jeck, Pittsburg Colgan, 47 15.7
Tate Housholder, Syracuse, 38 12.7
Patrick Strathman, Nemaha Valley, 38 12.7
Andrew Brown, Syracuse, 36 12.0
Class 1ABen Steinlage, Centralia, 85 28.3
Scott Ochs, Quinter, 51 17.0
Alex Bruna, Hanover, 44 14.7
Craig Banman, Goessel, 40 13.3
Edward Machen, Quinter, 38 12.7
Austin Unruh, Goessel, 33 11.0
Girls State Basketball Tournament Leading ScorersClass 6ANatalie Knight, Olathe South, 57 19.0
Kamisha Richard, Wichita Heights, 51 17.0
Alexa Bordewick, Topeka Washburn Rural, 37 12.3
Brooke Katterhenry, Shawnee Mission West, 37 12.3
Jhasmin Bowen, Wichita Heights, 36 12.0
LaSharra Riley, Topeka Washburn Rural, 34 11.3
Class 5AJulia Marshall, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 60 20.0
Shandelyn Stewart, Bishop Miege, 52 17.3
Alex Hartig, Great Bend, 44 14.7
Abby Fawcett, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 37 12.3
Adrianna Maurer, Bishop Miege, 36 12.0
Ashley Thayer, Bishop Miege, 35 11.7
Class 4AKarly Buer, Concordia, 68 22.7
Merissa Quick, Cheney, 59 19.7
Rachel Hanf, Paola, 58 19.3
Paige Champlin, Concordia, 44 14.7
Aubree Luebbe, Topeka Hayden, 42 14.0
Jayde Reid, Topeka Hayden, 42 14.0
Class 3AAshia Woods, Wichita Collegiate, 72 24.0
Vivian Olvera, Southwestern Heights, 51 17.0
Sara Schwaninger, Cherryvale, 47 15.7
Dana Elliott, Rock Creek, 41 13.7
Taylor Ebert, Rock Creek, 34 11.3
Deni Jacobs, Southwestern Heights, 33 11.0
Class 2A
Kathryn Flott, Olpe, 68 22.7
Whitney Taylor, Ellis, 63 21.0
Kendyl McDougald, Olpe, 58 19.3
Laura Kinderknecht, St. Marys, 44 14.7
Heather Perry, St. Marys, 42 14.0
Katelyn Schmidtberger, Salina Sacred Heart, 39 13.0
Class 1AAlisha Fanshier, St. John-Hudson, 55 18.3
Beth Cornwell, St. John-Hudson, 54 18.0
Kaylee Cramer, Dighton, 51 17.0
Mollie Winkler, Centralia, 47 15.7
Brigit Hesser, South Gray, 46 15.3
Ella Rethman, Centralia, 36 12.0
Class 6A Boys ResultsQuarterfinalsWichita Heights 63, Dodge City 56
Shawnee Mission Northwest 54, Goddard 44
Shawnee Mission East 54, Olathe East 51
Wichita Southeast 82, Olathe South 78
SemifinalsWichita Heights 65, Shawnee Mission Northwest 60
Wichita Southeast 80, Shawnee Mission East 63
Finals- Wichita Heights 73, Wichita Southeast 58
Consolation- Shawnee Mission East 53, Shawnee Mission Northwest 51
Class 5A Boys ResultsQuarterfinalsShawnee-Bishop Miege 64, Hutchinson 48
Andover Central 62, Liberal 57
Topeka Highland Park 54, St. Thomas Aquinas 41
Salina Central 57, Lansing 51
SemifinalsShawnee-Bishop Miege 64, Andover Central 40
Topeka Highland Park 52, Salina Central 50 OT
Finals- Topeka Highland Park 54, Shawnee-Bishop Miege 52
Consolation- Salina Central 64, Andover Central 51
Class 4A Boys ResultsQuarterfinalsGirard 62, Cheney 60
Topeka Hayden 66, KC-Sumner Academy 57
Ottawa 70, Hesston 68
Basehor-Linwood 61, Wichita-Trinity Academy 53
SemifinalsGirard 52, Topeka Hayden 49
Basehor-Linwood 65, Ottawa 50
Finals- Basehor-Linwood 53, Girard 48
Consolation- Topeka Hayden 81, Ottawa 44
Class 3A Boys ResultsQuarterfinalsHutchinson Trinity 46, Council Grove 39
Sabetha 70, Holcomb 66
Wichita Collegiate 59, Medicine Lodge 52
Rossville 70, Galena 66
SemifinalsSabetha 47, Hutchinson Trinity 38
Wichita Collegiate 51, Rossville 48
Finals- Wichita Collegiate 55, Sabetha 52
Consolation- Hutchinson Trinity 56, Rossville 32
Class 2A Boys ResultsQuarterfinalsPittsburg Colgan 44, Olpe 35
Nemaha Valley 55, Berean Academy 48
Syracuse 60, Salina Sacred Heart 50
St. Marys 63, WaKeeney-Trego 50
SemifinalsPittsburg Colgan 57, Nemaha Valley 37
St. Marys 63, Syracuse 62 OT
Finals- St. Marys 56, Pittsburg Colgan 55
Consolation- Syracuse 46, Nemaha Valley 43
Class 1A Boys ResultsQuarterfinalsCentralia 69, Colony-Crest 61
Quinter 65, Montezuma South Gray 55
Goessel 49, Kensington-Thunder Ridge 45
Hanover 64, Macksville 56
SemifinalsQuinter 65, Centralia 64
Hanover 62, Goessel 38
Finals- Hanover 53, Quinter 47
Consolation- Centralia 69, Goessel 63
Class 6A Girls ResultsQuarterfinalsTopeka Washburn Rural 68, Garden City 47
Shawnee Mission West 59, Shawnee Mission East 53
Wichita Heights 58, Olathe Northwest 45
Olathe South 50, Goddard 45
Semifinals Topeka Washburn Rural 55, Shawnee Mission West 45
Olathe South 60, Wichita Heights 54
Finals- Topeka Washburn Rural 57, Olathe South 47
Consolation- Shawnee Mission West 55, Wichita Heights 51
Class 5A Girls ResultsQuarterfinalsGreat Bend 42, Liberal 32
Emporia 38, Lansing 35
Wichita Bishop Carroll 70, St. Thomas Aquinas 54
Shawnee-Bishop Miege 51, Tecumseh Shawnee Heights 45
Semifinals Great Bend 39, Emporia 35
Shawnee-Bishop Miege 49, Wichita Bishop Carroll 44
Finals- Shawnee-Bishop Miege 69, Great Bend 48
Consolation- Wichita Bishop Carroll 70, Emporia 43
Class 4A Girls ResultsQuarterfinalsTopeka Hayden 38, Holton 33
Cheney 62, Girard 41
Concordia 63, Eudora 55
Paola 64, Rose Hill 51
SemifinalsTopeka Hayden 35, Cheney 30
Concordia 65, Paola 63
Finals- Concordia 59, Topeka Hayden 52Consolation- Cheney 66, Paola 47
Class 3A Girls ResultsQuarterfinalsSouthwestern Heights 49, Hillsboro 38
Cherryvale 56, Jayhawk Linn 37
Rock Creek 40, Riley County 32
Wichita Collegiate 54, Beloit 42
SemifinalsSouthwestern Heights 65, Cherryvale 52
Wichita Collegiate 42, Rock Creek 40
Finals- Southwestern Heights 65, Wichita Collegiate 59
Consolation- Rock Creek 48, Cherryvale 28
Class 2A Girls ResultsQuarterfinalsSalina Sacred Heart 46, Pittsburg Colgan 36
St. Marys 69, Berean Academy 38
Olpe 72, Elkhart 43
Ellis 45, Clifton-Clyde 43
SemifinalsSt. Marys 45, Salina Sacred Heart 31
Ellis 65, Olpe 61
Finals- St. Marys 60, Ellis 46
Consolation- Olpe 64, Salina Sacred Heart 47
Class 1A Girls ResultsQuarterfinals Montezuma South Gray 66, Frankfort 38
Dighton 62, LeRoy-Southern Coffey County 56
Centralia 72, Argonia 50
St. John-Hudson 57, Hoxie 50
SemifinalsMontezuma South Gray 48, Dighton 42
St. John-Hudson 49, Centralia 38
Finals- St. John-Hudson 46, Montezuma South Gray 35
Consolation- Centralia 57, Dighton 40
