By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Salthawk varsity girls and boys basketball teams were swept by Maize South Tuesday night at the Salthawk Activity Center.
The Hutchinson girls lost to the Mavericks 35-27 and the Salthawk boys battled Maize before falling 55-51.
In the varsity boys game, Maize South jumped to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter and led the Hutchinson Salthawks 17-5 at the end of the frame.
In the second quarter, Hutchinson outscored the Mavericks 19-6 to take a 24-23 lead at halftime. Hutchinson led by 2 points (39-37) at the end of the third quarter. Maize South outscored the Salthawks 18-12 in the final frame.
“We competed and we played hard,” said Hutchinson boys basketball coach Bryan Miller during his postgame radio interview. “We couldn’t have got off to a worst start (Hutchinson trailed 13-0) We battled, but in the fourth quarter we had some breakdowns.”
Lamar Govain and Terrell King scored 14 points each to lead the Salthawks. Tramel Walker hit four 3-pointers for 12 points.
Jalen Batiste led the Maize South Mavericks with 20 points.
The Hutchinson girls led 8-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Salthawks trailed 17-12 at halftime and 23-17 at the end of the third quarter.
Maize South outscored Hutchinson 12-8 in the fourth quarter.
Grace Posch led Hutchinson with 9 points and Kaia Smith scored 8.
Kaylee Brunton led Maize South with 14 points and Ali Singateh added 11.
“It was a defensive slugfest in this one,” said Hutchinson High School girls basketball coach Kalen Hilst. “We really struggled to score against their pressure, but I am very proud of the way we guarded and competed against one of the best teams in Kansas.”
Hutchinson’s girls dropped to 7-5. Maize South, ranked sixth in the Class 5A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association improved to 13-1.
The Hutchinson Salthawk teams host Salina South on Friday on “Pack the SAC Night.”
HutchCC basketball games at Coffeyville postponed
Wednesday night’s Jayhawk Conference women’s and men’s basketball games at Coffeyville were postponed because of weather.
The make-up date for the games at Nellis Hall in Coffeyville has yet to be determined and will be announced when finalized.
Thid named NJCAA Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Hutchinson Community College sophomore David Thid was named the NJCAA Indoor Track and Field National Athlete of the Week on Wednesday for his performance at the After a tremendous showing last at the Washburn Open Saturday in Topeka.
The Blue Dragon sophomore from Ronninge, Sweden, broke a school record and qualified for the NJCAA national championships in two events on Saturday. He was named the KJCCC Indoor Runner of the Week on Tuesday.
Thid broke the oldest record remaining on the Blue Dragon indoor track record books, breaking a 38-year record in the men’s 400 meters to win the Washburn Open with a national qualifying time of 47.16 seconds.
Thid’s time in the 400 meters is currently the fifth-fastest in the NJCAA this season and fastest non-altitude converted time.
Thid also ran the anchor leg of the Blue Dragons’ fourth-place 4×400 relay team that qualified for nationals with the second-fastest Blue Dragon time in team history of 3:14.89. That is the eighth-fastest time in the nation for the 4×400 relay this season.
As a freshman Thid won a national championship last May in the NJCAA Outdoor 400-meter hurdles.
Currently, the Blue Dragon sophomore owns two Blue Dragon records (indoor 400, outdoor 400 hurdles) and four all-time Top 5 times in program history.
Hutchinson senior Kaia Smith honored by Ad Astra Radio
Hutchinson High School’s Kaia Smith was named as the Ad Astra Radio Athlete of the Week, presented by Hutchinson Community College.
Smith, a senior at Hutch High, played well in the Salthawks’ mid-season tournament in McPherson, where the Lady Salthawks finished in third place.
She had a 17-point, 7-rebound, 5-assist performance on Saturday in the third-place game. The Salthawks posted a 54-27 win over McPherson.
Smith is averaging 14.7 points and 10.6 rebounds a game for the Lady Salthawks, who improved to 7-4 after the win over McPherson.
Haven boys down Pratt, Wildcat girls fall to Greenbacks
The No. 3-ranked Haven High School boys basketball team (13-1) defeated Pratt 44-38 Tuesday night at the Haven gymnasium.
The No. 7-ranked Haven Wildcat girls basketball team (10-4) lost to Pratt 38-35 Tuesday night. The game was even through three quarters at 23-23, but the Greenbacks outscored the Wildcat 15-12 in the fourth quarter.
Avery Brawner led Haven with 11 points and Hadley Idacavage added 9. Hope Hughes led Pratt with 16 points and Quinn Thibault scored 14.
The Haven teams play Smoky Valley Friday in Lindsborg.
Buhler girls, boys defeat El Dorado
The Buhler High School girls and boys basketball teams defeated El Dorado Tuesday at the Jim Baker Fieldhouse in Buhler.
The Buhler girls (10-3) rolled to a 62-36 victory over the Wildcats and the Buhler boys (5-8) held on against El Dorado 62-53.
The Buhler girls, ranked sixth in Class 4A, led El Dorado 14-11 after one quarter, 28-19 at halftime and 46-32 affer three quarters.
The Buhler boys trailed El Dorado 9-8 at the end of the first quarter but led at halftime 26-22 and 51-39 at the end of the third quarter.
Hutchinson Trinity teams split with Wichita CCA
The Hutchinson Trinity Catholic High School boys basketball team rolled past Wichita Central Christian Academy 67-28 Tuesday night in Wichita.
Max Ryan paced the Celtic boys with 23 points. Aaron Gust added 12.
The Celtics host Sedgwick Friday night at the Trinity gymnasium.
The Trinity girls lost a heartbreaker to the Wichita CCA Lions 39-35.
Alex Suter-Tan led the Celtics girls with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Cienna Maskil scored 9 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
“We have had several freshmen step up and get really solid minutes in varsity games over the past few weeks,” said Hutchinson Trinity girls basketball coach Shannon Obermite. “We are just so young and inexperienced, but we are getting better every day. We hope to get a win at home on Friday vs. Sedgwick.”
Halstead teams swept by Hesston
The Halstead High School girls and boys basketball teams played Hesston Tuesday night at the Halstead gymnasium.
Hesston won the varsity girls game 41-23 and the varsity boys game 61-48.
No. 1 Hesston led No. 2 Halstead 18-6 after one quarter, 27-9 at halftime and 30-18 after three quarters. The Swathers won the fourth quarter 11-5.
In the varsity boys game, Hesston led Halstead 19-9 at the end of the first quarter, 31-23 at halftime and 44-33 at the end of the third quarter.
Hesston’s Reed Friesen led all scorers with 28 points. Drew Bartell added 13 points.
The Hesston boys improved to 11-1.
Nickerson teams fall to Andale
The Nickerson varsity girls and boys basketball teams were swept by Andale Tuesday night at Andale.
Andale won the girls game 57-14 and the boys game 81-29.
Six area high school basketball teams ranked by KBCA
The Buhler girls are one of six area teams (four girls and two boys) ranked in the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association poll released on Tuesday.
The Buhler High School girls team is ranked sixth in Class 4A, Halstead and Haven second and seventh in Class 3A and Inman fifth in Class 2A.
The Haven boys are ranked third in Class 3A and Sterling’s boys team is ranked fourth in Class 2A.
The No. 1-ranked girls teams in the KBCA poll are Blue Valley North, 6A; Topeka Seaman, Class 5A; Topeka Hayden, Class 4A; Hesston, Class 3A; Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan. Class 2A; Little River, Class 1A Division I; and Lebo, Class 1A Division II.
The No. 1-ranked boys teams in the KBCA poll are Shawnee Mission South, 6A; Topeka Highland Park, Class 5A; Ottawa, Class 4A; Wichita Collegiate, Class 3A; Moundridge, Class 2A; Coldwater-South Central, Class 1A Division I; and Cunningham, Class 1A Division II.
Cunningham defeated Macksville, the No. 5-ranked boys team in Class Division I, 81-59 on Monday.
Haven volleyball coach, players honored by KVA for academic success
Each year, the Kansas Volleyball Association honors varsity volleyball teams and players across the state for demonstrating academic success in addition to their work on the court.
All-Academic First Team is reserved for players with a 4.0, and those with a 3.75 to 3.99 are named Honorable Mention.
Haven High School had 12 individual players and two managers who not only had success on the court, but also in the classroom.
The Haven Wildcats volleyball varsity girls earned a Team Academic Award with a 3.96 team grade point average.
Honored were head coach Katie Wendler as well as Avery Brawner, Brooke Loop, Hadley Idacavage, Jaina Smith, Sienna DeFrain, Rilynn Patry, Mayzie Warden, Sierra Yoder, Sophie Faidley, Sydney Holzrichter, Trista Rogers, Grace Miller and Morgan O’Neal.
HutchCC women 6th in NJCAA Division I poll
Dodge City and Hutchinson Community College are ranked fifth and sixth in the latest NJCAA Division I women’s poll released on Monday.
Coffeyville is ranked 22nd. Butler Community College received votes.
KJCCC/Region VI teams ranked in the NJCAA Division I men’s poll are Cowley County and Coffeyville, ninth and 10th, and Butler Community College, 18th.
NJCAA Division I women’s basketball poll — https://www.njcaa.org/sports/wbkb/rankings/DI/index
NJCAA Division I men’s basketball poll — https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/rankings/DI/index
KJCCC Division I softball weekly honors go to HutchCC’s Bailey Backhaus, Aubree Thomas
The 2025 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference softball season is officially underway with Hutchinson Community College players Bailey Backhaus and Aubree Thomas sweeping the first KJCCC Division I Softball Player of the Week awards.
Sophomore shortstop Bailey Backhaus went 4-for-8 with a double, one run scored, two RBI and four stolen bases in No. 22 Hutchinson’s season-opening doubleheader sweep of Western Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon.
Backhaus had three hits in Game 1, including a two-run double to help the Blue Dragons win 6-3 in the season opener.
Making her collegiate debut, Aubree Thomas tossed six shutout innings in Hutchinson’s 4-1 win in Game 2 of a season-opening road doubleheader at Western Oklahoma State.
Thomas scattered just four hits and did not face more than four batters in any single inning.
The freshman struck out three and walked only one over her six innings while fielding her position flawlessly with three assists in three defensive chances.
Other players nominated were Chloe Enslinger, Barton; and Josie Oakley, Dodge City.
Barton’s Meleia Ingram was nominated for Pitcher of the Week.
Area high school wrestlers ranked by KWCA
Several area wrestlers are ranked in the latest Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings released on Tuesday.
In Class 5A girls, Hutchinson junior Sophia Zwickl is sixth at 125 pounds.
In Class 4A girls, Buhler junior Macey Parks is first at 145 pounds, Halstead senior Kahlyn Davis is third at 130 pounds, Buhler sophomore Lillie Ledford is fourth at 130 pounds and Nickerson junior Elizabeth Dick third at 235 pounds.
In Class 321A girls, Lyons freshman Jaclyn Boeken is first at 105 pounds, Lyons junior Kennedy Grizzle is third at 110 pounds, Haven senior Trista Rogers is third at 155 pounds and Lyons freshman Taylor Baxter is ranked fifth at 100 pounds.
In All-Class girls, Boeken is eighth at 105 pounds, Parks is ninth at 145 pounds and Rogers sixth at 155 pounds.
In Class 5A boys, Hutchinson senior Kade Smith is first at 165 pounds and sophomore Cruz Cannon is second at 113 pounds.
In Class 4A boys, Buhler junior Sammy Hershbeger is sixth at 132 pounds, Buhler junior Sammy Hershberger is second at 144 pounds and Halstead senior Connor Herman is fifth at 285 pounds.
In Class 321A boys, Lyons freshman Marius Lee is sixth at 106 pounds, Haven senior Jacob Moore is third at 126 pounds and Lyons sophomore Jace Grizzle is third at 150 pounds.
In All-Class boys, Cannon is sixth at 113 pounds, Cruz Hershberger is fifth at 144 pounds and Smith fourth at 160 pounds.