By Dean Backes
Maxpreps.com
It was fitting that Wichita Collegiate guard Ashia Woods was able to secure a 50-44 Spartan win over Class 4A’s previously eighth-ranked Haven last week with a steal and a lay-up. After all, defense was the forte for Woods and her teammates against the Wildcats.
Wichita Collegiate forced 26 Haven turnovers and, led by Woods’ seven steals, the Spartans were credited with 14 steals from six different players. Kamri Phox and Molly Holden also had multiple thefts, with two steals apiece.
The Spartans were in good position to win the contest without Woods’ seventh steal. But with 20 seconds remaining in the contest, Spartan teammate Mariah Green distracted Haven’s Paula Stucky as Woods snuck up behind her and took the ball away.
Woods’ ensuing lay-up stretched Collegiate’s advantage to 49-43 with 17-seconds remaining.
“It was just a normal little, easy little thing,” Woods told the Wichita Eagle. “I was just trying to help my team out.”
With the win Wichita Collegiate took over sole possession of first place in the Mid-Central League standings with a 4-0 record. Haven, on the other hand, dropped behind the Spartans with a 3-1 mark.
The six-point win also allowed Wichita Collegiate to strengthen it’s top ranking over No. 2 Rock Creek in the Class 3A rankings. Haven fell two places to 10th in the 4A rankings.
Below is a look at the latest Kansas boys and girls basketball rankings.
Kansas Boys Basketball Rankings
Class 6A
1. Wichita Heights (9-0) 1
2. Wichita Southeast (8-1) 2
3. Shawnee Mission Northwest (8-1) 4
4. Wichita East (6-2) 5
5. Olathe East (7-1) 6
6. Leavenworth (7-1) 3
7. Olathe South (7-1) 7
8. Junction City (6-2) 10
9. Derby (6-1) –
10. Shawnee Mission West (6-3) –
Class 5A
1. Topeka Highland Park (9-0) 1
2. Bishop Miege (8-0) 2
3. McPherson (8-0) 3
4. Hays (6-3) 5
5. Lansing (7-1) 9
6. Great Bend (6-3) 4
7. Liberal (6-2) 6
8. Kansas City-Harmon (6-2) 8
9. Bishop Carroll (5-4) –
10. Topeka Seaman (4-4) –
Class 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (8-0) 1
2. Hesston (9-0) 2
3. Wichita Trinity Academy (8-0) 3
4. Sumner Academy (8-1) 4
5. Andover (7-1) 6
6. Girard (7-1) 7
7. Altamont-Labette County (8-0) 10
8. Clay Center (8-1) –
9. St. James Academy (7-2) –
10. Basehor-Linwood (6-2) –
Class 3A
1. Holcomb (8-0) 1
2. Wichita Collegiate (9-0) 2
3. Sabetha (7-0) 3
4. Hutchinson Trinity (8-0) 4
5. Galena (9-0) 5
6. Sedgwick (9-1) 6
7. Kansas City Christian (7-1) 7
8. Cherryvale (7-1) 8
9. Southwestern Heights (7-1) 9
10. Osage City (8-1) 10
Class 2A
1. Republic County (9-0) 1
2. Olpe (8-0) 3
3. Salina Sacred Heart (8-1) 2
4. WaKeeney-Trego (10-1) 5
5. Syracuse (7-1) 6
6. Oxford (6-2) 8
7. Meade (8-2) –
8. Nemaha Valley (6-2) –
9. Berean Academy (8-2) 7
10. Pittsburg-Colgan (4-2) 4
Class 1A
1. Colony-Crest (10-0) 1
2. Hanover (8-0) 2
3. Quinter (9-0) 3
4. South Gray (9-1) 4
5. Kensington-Thunder Ridge (11-0) 6
6. Macksville (9-1) 8
7. Claflin (11-1) –
8. Frankfort (8-2) 10
9. Centralia (7-1) –
10. Quivira Heights (7-1) 5
Kansas Girls Basketball Rankings
Class 6A
1. Washburn Rural (9-0) 2
2. Wichita Heights (8-1) 1
3. Olathe South (7-3) 6
4. Goddard (6-2) 8
5. Shawnee Mission West (7-1) 3
6. Blue Valley (5-3) 5
7. Olathe Northwest (5-3) 9
8. Shawnee Mission East (6-2) 4
9. Shawnee Mission North (5-3) –
10. Olathe East (7-2) –
Class 5A
1. Bishop Carroll (9-0) 1
2. Bishop Miege (8-1) 2
3. Liberal (7-0) 3
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (7-1) 4
5. Salina South (7-1) 5
6. Shawnee Heights (6-2) 6
7. Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel (7-2) 9
8. Andover Central (7-2) –
9. Topeka Seaman (5-3) –
10. Great Bend (7-2) 8
Class 4A
1. Rose Hill (9-0) 1
2. Holton (8-0) 2
3. Paola (9-0) 3
4. Concordia (10-0) 4
5. Cheney (9-1) 7
6. Basehor-Linwood (7-0) 9
7. Ottawa (8-1) 6
8. Buhler (7-1) 5
9. Eudora (7-1) 10
10. Haven (8-1) 8
Class 3A
1. Wichita Collegiate (9-0) 1
2. Rock Creek (8-0) 2
3. Hays-Thomas More Prep Marian (9-0) 4
4. Cherryvale (8-0) 5
5. Norton Community (6-1) 6
6. Jefferson County North (7-0) 8
7. Southwestern Heights (8-0) 3
8. Jayhawk-Linn (7-0) 9
9. Beloit (7-2) –
10. Osage City (8-2) –
Class 2A
1. Moundridge (10-0) 1
2. Salina Sacred Heart (9-0) 2
3. Pittsburg-Colgan (6-1) 4
4. Lebo (9-1) 5
5. Olpe (7-1) 6
6. Cedar Vale-Dexter (8-0) 8
7. St. Marys (6-2) 3
8. Clifton-Clyde (7-1) 9
9. Osborne (7-2) 10
10. Sublette (6-3) –
Class 1A
1. South Gray (10-0) 1
2. South Barber (9-1) 2
3. Frankfort (9-0) 3
4. Centralia (7-1) 4
5. Hoxie (9-1) 5
6. Argonia (9-0) 6
7. Claflin (10-1) 9
8. Burrton (10-0) 8
9. Dighton (9-2) –
10. Quivira Heights (7-1) 7
