After brushing back tears for a few moments, and accepting all kinds of hugs and congratulations, Olathe South junior Natalie Knight finally found two words that described the moment she was in after leading her team to the school’s first state basketball title.
“I’m overwhelmed,” she said before pausing for a few more seconds and taking it all in following the 54-49 win over Wichita Heights. “This is amazing. I’m so fortunate to play with this team. I wouldn’t want to play for any other team. This was a great season.”
The Falcons did come close to winning a title before. A year ago, South lost a 57-47 decision to Topeka Washburn Rural in the title contest. In 2007 and 2008 the Falcons finished second and third, respectively.
Olathe South also has a history with Saturday’s opponent. After falling to Wichita Heights 54-34 in the 2007 Class 6A title game, Olathe South knocked off Heights in each of the last three seasons.
Knight scored 13 of her game-high 23 points in the first half to keep up with Wichita Heights junior Jhasmin Bowen, who finished with 14 points at intermission. But in the third quarter, Olathe South bolted out to a 42-34 advantage.
Although Olathe South never trailed after that run, Heights did cut the deficit to a single point with two minutes, 57 seconds remaining. Knight, however, made two free throws and turned a defensive gem into a layup to stretch Olathe South’s advantage back out to 51-46.
“We just wanted to keep up the intensity,” Knight said of the hectic moments in the waning seconds of the Class 6A title game. “We have a lot of talented players on this team, so we knew somebody would step up. We just wanted to keep putting it to them.”
Olathe South's Natalie Knight (right) brings the ball up against a Wichita Heights defender.
File photo by Dean Backes
Class 5A Girls Championship – Andover Central 44, St. Thomas Aquinas 36
Tiffany Bias scored 24 points in leading Andover Central to its second state basketball title in three years with a 44-36 win over St. Thomas Aquinas. The win secured the school’s first Class 5A title. Kansas recruit Dashawn Harden led the Saints with 15 points.
Class 4A Girls Championship – Cheney 52, Concordia 49
Despite playing without the services of 6-3 junior Merissa Quick, who broke her foot in the fourth quarter of Cheney’s 64-52 semifinal win over Holton, the Cardinals knocked off defending champion Concordia 52-49 in the championship contest.
In the process, Cheney ended Concordia’s 51-game winning streak while posting its own undefeated season at 26-0. To replace the points lost to Quick’s injury, Kylie Patterson, Hailey Twietmeyer and Payton Scheer combined for 33 points. Concordia was led by Karly Buer’s 23 points. Quick had scored 37 points through seven quarters in the tournament.
Class 3A Championship – Thomas More Prep Marian 56, Marion 45
Thomas More Prep Marian never trailed in this contest and secured the 56-45 championship win over Marion by nailing a pair of 3-pointers and nine free throws in the final four minutes. Rachel Jacobs and Jessa Stramel led the Monarcs by scoring 18 and 13 points respectively. Senior Julia Zeiner paced Marion with 12 points. Kayley Heerey and Lindsay Hett added 11 and 10 points to the cause.
Class 2A Championship – Olpe 60, Hill City 48
Although Hill City made 11 3-pointers in the championship game, Olpe was still able to pull out a 60-48 win over the Ringnecks and post a 26-0 record in 2010. Kathryn Flott scored 20 of her game-high 30 points by halftime and pulled down seven rebounds. Kendyl McDougald scored 20 points for the victors, while Hill City was led by Lexi Hardiek’s 20 points and 12 more by Kelsey Keith.
Class 1A Championship – South Gray 57, Argonia 51 OT
South Gray wrapped up an undefeated season with Friday’s 57-51 overtime win over Argonia in the Class 1A title game. Mikayla Skidmore paced the Rebels with 18 points in the championship game. Brigit Hesser and Kayla Thomas added 12 and 10 points respectively. Ashton Stansbury and Allison Brewster led the Raiders with 14 and 13 points.
Broken records
Bias capped off her amazing high school career at Andover Central by leading the Jaguars to a girls Class 5A state title; and claimed the tournament scoring record with 89 points in three games in Kansas’ second-largest classification.
Stana Jefferson’s all-state point guard poured in 24 points in the championship game after scoring 31 and 34 points in a 57-49 quarterfinal win over Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights and a 63-54 semifinal triumph over Wichita Bishop Carroll respectively.
The 89-point outburst by Bias, who made 17 of 33 3-pointers in the tournament, just gets by the 88 points Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel’s Mary Kennedy posted in the 1980 tournament.
While leading Olpe to the girls Class 2A championship, Kathryn Flott connected on 37 field goals to tie her classification’s record for field goals in a tournament, set by Moundridge’s Laurie Koehn in 2000. Flott scored 80 points in the 2010 tournament, including 30 points in the 60-48 championship win over Hill City, for a scoring average of 26.7 points per game to lead all scorers in 2A.
State Tournament Leading Scorers By Class
Class 6A leading scorers by average
Maggie M. Holmberg, Topeka Washburn Rural 6-1 Sr. 70 (23.3)
Natalie Knight, Olathe South 5-6 Jr. 59 (19.7)
Nicole Gloor, Blue Valley 5-10 Sr. 16 (16.0)
Janna Graf, Shawnee Mission East 5-11 Sr. 16 (16.0)
Kelsey Balcom, Olathe South 5-11 Sr. 47 (15.7)
Jhasmin Bowen, Wichita Heights 6-1 Jr. 46 (15.3)
Tournament MVP: Natalie Knight, Olathe South
Class 5A leading scorers by average
Tiffany Bias, Andover Central 5-6 Sr. 89 (29.7)
Kate Lehman, Newton 6-4 Jr. 20 (20.0)
Casyn Buchman, McPherson 5-9 Jr. 19 (19.0)
Dashawn Harden, St. Thomas Aquinas 5-9 Jr. 54 (18.0)
Katelyn Loecker, McPherson 6-0 Fr. 14 (14.0)
Shandelyn Stewart, Bishop Miege 5-10 Jr. 39 (13.0)
Erin Maxwell, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights 5-9 Jr. 13 (13.0)
Tournament MVP: Tiffany Bias, Andover Central
Class 4A leading scorers by average
Megan Bergstrom, Basehor-Linwood 5-11 Jr. 21 (21.0)
Karly Buer, Concordia 5-7 Sr. 57 (19.0)
Kyrstie Ehm, Towanda-Circle 5-11 Jr. 19 (19.0)
Merissa Quick, Cheney 6-3 Jr. 37 (18.5)
Mallory Schroeder, Hesston 5-5 Sr. 18 (18.0)
Allyssa Nikkel, Cheney 5-8 Jr. 46 (15.3)
Tournament MVP: Allyssa Nikkel, Cheney
Class 3A leading scorers by average
Rachel Jacobs, Thomas More Prep Marian 5-8 So. 56 (18.7)
Kelly Thomson, Riley County 5-9 So. 18 (18.0)
Jordan Kramer, Jefferson County North 5-9 So. 52 (17.3)
Julia Zeiner, Marion 5-11 Sr. 42 (14.0)
Camille Hubert, Garden Plain 5-10 Sr. 40 (13.3)
Samantha Ledy, Garden Plain 5-11 Sr. 40 (13.3)
Tournament MVP: Rachel Jacobs, Thomas More Prep Marian
Class 2A leading scorers by average
Kathryn Flott, Olpe 6-1 Jr. 80 (26.7)
Janelle Rust, Berean Academy 5-11 Sr. 62 (20.7)
Lexi Hardiek, Hill City 5-8 Jr. 52 (17.3)
Kendyl McDougald, Olpe 5-8 So. 51 (17.0)
Mallory Zuercher, Berean Academy 5-8 So. 43 (14.3)
Kelsey Keith, Hill City 5-3 So. 41 (13.7)
Tournament MVP: Kathryn Flott, Olpe
Class 1A leading scorers by average
Jenna Farris, Lincoln 5-6 Fr. 28 (28.0)
Mikayla Skidmore, South Gray 5-5 Jr. 56 (18.7)
Megan Zelenka, Wilson 5-6 Sr. 16 (16.0)
Morgan Westhoff, St. Paul 5-8 Jr. 47 (15.7)
Teresa Wade, St. John-Hudson 6-0 So. 43 (14.3)
Kayla Thomas, South Gray 5-9 Sr. 42 (14.0)
Chelsea Keating, Frankfort 5-11 Sr. 14 (14.0)
Tournament MVP: Mikayla Skidmore, South Gray
Kansas Girls State Basketball Results
Class 6A Quarterfinals
Olathe South (21-1) 55, Blue Valley (15-7) 44
Dodge City (19-3) 50, Shawnee Mission East (19-3) 41
Wichita Heights (21-1) 64, Lawrence Free State (15-7) 45
Topeka Washburn Rural (19-3) 76, Maize (16-6) 44
Semifinals
Olathe South (22-1) 54, Dodge City (20-3) 41
Wichita Heights (22-1) 63, Topeka Washburn Rural (20-3) 49
Final
Olathe South (23-1) 54, Wichita Heights (23-1) 49
Consolation
Topeka Washburn Rural (20-4) 76, Dodge City (20-4) 61
Class 5A Quarterfinals
Andover Central (22-0) 57, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights (9-12) 49
Wichita Bishop Carroll (20-2) 43, Newton (17-5) 38
St. Thomas Aquinas (21-1) 48, Topeka Seaman (16-6) 32
Bishop Miege (16-6) 62, McPherson (20-2) 47
Semifinals
Andover Central (23-0) 63, Wichita Bishop Carroll (21-2) 54
St. Thomas Aquinas (22-1) 57, Bishop Miege (17-6) 49
Final
Andover Central (24-0) 44, St. Thomas Aquinas (23-1) 36
Consolation
Wichita Bishop Carroll (21-3) 51, Bishop Miege (17-7) 38
Class 4A Quarterfinals
Concordia (23-0) 45, Basehor-Linwood (16-7) 38
Girard (22-1) 56, Ottawa (21-2) 50
Holton (23-0) 54, Hesston (17-6) 44
Cheney (23-0) 60, Towanda-Circle (19-4) 36
Semifinals
Concordia (24-0) 51, Girard (23-1) 40
Cheney (24-0) 64, Holton (24-0) 52
Final
Cheney (25-0) 52, Concordia (25-0) 49
Consolation
Girard (23-2) 45, Holton (24-1) 39
Class 3A Quarterfinals
Thomas More Prep Marian (22-1) 57, Riley County (13-10) 47
Garden Plain (18-5) 55, Hillsboro (18-5) 47
Jefferson County North (22-1) 57, Frontenac (17-6) 39
Marion (18-5) 49, Beloit (18-5) 44
Semifinals
Thomas More Prep Marian (23-1) 52, Garden Plain (19-5) 42
Marion (19-5) 42, Jefferson County North (23-1) 41
Final
Thomas More Prep Marian (24-1) 56, Marion (20-5) 45
Consolation
Garden Plain (19-6) 61, Jefferson County North (23-2) 46
Class 2A Quarterfinals
Olpe (23-0) 54, Lebo (16-7) 40
Berean Academy (20-3) 64, Pittsburg-Colgan (20-3) 53
Hill City (21-2) 46, Valley Heights (18-5) 40
Osborne (18-5) 49, Spearville (20-3) 41
Semifinals
Olpe (24-0) 77, Berean Academy (21-3) 45
Hill City (22-2) 49, Osborne (19-5) 43
Final
Olpe (25-0) 60, Hill City (23-2) 48
Consolation
Osborne (19-6) 59, Berean Academy (21-4) 56
Class 1A Quarterfinals
South Gray (25-0) 60, Wilson (17-8) 55
St. John-Hudson (24-1) 43, Frankfort (23-2) 32
Argonia (25-0) 81, Lincoln (18-7) 50
St. Paul (24-0) 50, Tribune-Greeley County (20-5) 35
Semifinals
South Gray (26-0) 34, St. John-Hudson (25-1) 30
Argonia (26-0) 47, St. Paul (25-0) 30
Final
South Gray (27-0) 57, Argonia (27-0) 51 OT
Consolation
St. John-Hudson (25-2) 43, St. Paul (25-1) 35
