By John Mesh
The Hutchinson High School girls and boys basketball team celebrated “Pack the SAC Night” with a sweep over Salina South Friday night at the Salthawk Activity Center (SAC).
The Hutchinson girls defeated Salina South 46-32 and the Salthawk boys won 69-43.
The Hutchinson girls improved to 8-5 and Salina South’s girls fell to 8-6. The Salthawk boys snapped a seven-game losing streak and improved to 5-8. The Salina South boys are 5-9.
The Salthawk girls started the first quarter on a 9-2 run and led 14-7 at the end of the frame.
Hutchinson led 31-19 at the third quarter, but the Cougars started the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 7 points at 33-26.
The Salthawks took a 24-16 lead into the locker room at halftime. Senior guard Grace Posch, who will play basketball at Seward County Community College, made three 3-pointers (including two to start the game) and scored 13 points at the break.
Posch scored 22 points to lead all scorers and now has 860 career points. She finished with five 3-pointers.
Kaia Smith scored 11 points, Tenley Keeton 8 and Ava Krone 5.
Paityn Fritz led the Cougar girls with 16 points, including 13 at halftime. Brylee Moss added 11.
The Hutchinson boys jumped out to a 20-10 lead in the first quarter, thanks to 10 points from senior Terrell King, who will play football at Hutchinson Community College next year.
The Salthawk boys led 14-7 after one quarter, 36-17 at halftime and 50-32 at the end of the third quarter.
King led the Salthawks with 18 points. Jalen Crable scored 17 points before fouling int with 4:20 left in the game. Taishaun Govain tallied 15 points and Lamar Govain 8.
None of the 10 Salina South players that tallied points in the game scored in double figures. Jaxon Myers led the Cougars with 9 points.
The Salthawk girls and boys will play at Valley Center on Tuesday.
The Salthawk and Cougar teams will play again at Salina South on Feb. 18.
The ICT Aerobelles Granny Basketball Team (featuring women from the ages of 50 to 92) entertained the fans at halftime. The Blue Team defeated the White Team 17-16.
The Grannies play 1920s-era 6-on-6 basketball and shoot underhanded or “granny style.”
Graber Elementary School in Hutchinson was the “Pack the SAC” pizza party winner for the school with the biggest crowd.
Haven girls, boys roll past Smoky Valley
The Haven girls and bystanders basketball team swept Smoky Valley Friday night at Lindsborg.
The Haven boys improved to 14-1 with a 65-21 victory over Smoky Valley.
The Haven girls defeated the Vikings 46-16. Haven outscored Smoky Valley 19-1 in the second quarter and 15-4 in the third quarter.
Sienna DeFrain led Haven with 17 points and Avery Brawner scored 16 points.
Katja Blanchat let the Viking girls with 8 points.
The Haven varsity girls team improved to 11-4 and Smoky Valley dropped to 6-9.
The Haven junior varsity girls team defeated Smoky Valley 47-15 and remains undefeated.
The Hoisington JV boys teams competes in a tournament at Hillsboro Saturday. The Wildcats play games at 9 a.m. and noon.
The Haven teams host Hoisington on Tuesday.
Buhler girls down Circle, Crusader boys rally falls short
The Buhler High School girls and boys basketball teams split their games Friday night at Towanda-Circle.
The Buhler girls defeated the Thunderbirds 50-34 and improved to 11-3. The Buhler boys lost to Circle 59-55 and dropped to 5-9.
The Crusader girls jumped out to a 22-5 lead in the first quarter, led 33-21 at halftime and 42-30 at the end of the third quarter. Buhler outscored Circle 8-4 in the fourth quarter.
In the Buhler-Circle boys game, Circle led 16-10 after one quarter, 30-21 at halftime and 44-36 at the end of the third quarter. Buhler closed the gap with a 19-11rally in the fourth quarter before falling short.
Pratt Greenback teams sweep Nickerson
The Pratt Greenback girls and boys basketball team swept Nickerson Friday night at the Nickerson High School gymnasium.
The Pratt girls led Nickerson 24-11 at halftime en route to a 51-22 victory.
The Pratt Greenback boys led at halftime 31-21 and defeated Nickerson 74-47.
The Nickerson girls and boys host Kingman Monday in a pair of games rescheduled because of weather.
Halstead teams split with Hillsboro
The Halstead girls and boys basketball teams split their games Friday night at Hillsboro.
Halstead won the girls game 28-23 and the Dragon boys fell 61-45.
The Halstead girls led 6-5 after one quarter, 12-9 at halftime and 18-15 after three quarters. The Dragons outscored the Trojans
In the boys game, Hillsboro led 15-9 after one quarter, 26-16 at halftime and 46-34 after thee quarters. Hillsboro outscored the Dragons 15-10 in the fourth quarter.
Fairfield boys, girls teams swept by Attica
The Fairfield-Langdon High School boys and girls basketball team were swept by Attica Friday night at the Attica High School gymnasium.
The Falcon boys lost 49-43 and the girls lost 60-30.
Fairfield hosts Burrton Tuesday at Langdon and Pretty Prairie next Friday.
Blue Dragon baseball team takes two from Hesston College
The Hutchinson Community College baseball team took both ends of a doubleheader against Hesston College at home on the new Astro Turf Friday afternoon at Hobart-Detter Field.
The Blue Dragons won the season-opening first game 9-0 (7 innings, run rule) and the second game 15-4 (8 innings, run rule).
Hutchinson plays two games Wednesday and two games Thursday in Oklahoma.
The Blue Dragons play Eastern Oklahoma State College at 2 p.m. and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Wendell-Simmons Field at Central Oklahoma University in Edmond.
Hutchinson plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader Thursday against Rose State College at RSC Field in Midwest City.
Sports in Kansas recognizes ‘Forever Four’ high school boys, girls basketball teams from 2020
It was 5 years ago in March, the 2020 high school state basketball tournaments were canceled in Kansas after the quarterfinals due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This meant that no state champions were crowned in 2020.
In 2020, Sports in Kansas coined the phrase “Forever Four” to honor those 48 basketball teams that missed their shot at a state title.
Many of these team’s gyms have “Forever Four” banners to remember the season.
The “Forever Four” consists of 48 teams. The group includes the Nickerson girls basketball team in Class 4A, the Halstead girls basketball team in Class 3A, the Sterling boys basketball team in Class 2A and the Little River girls basketball team in 1A girls.
Sports in Kansas said the most memorable “Forever Four” team might have been Central Plains High School because the senior girls were going for four championships in four years without losing a game under legendary head coach Pat Stiles and 3,000-point+ star player Emily Ryan (now at Iowa State University).
Nickerson volleyball team members honored by KVA
Members of the Nickerson High School volleyball team were honored on the 2024-25 Kansas Volleyball Association All-Academic Team.
The award is granted to varsity volleyball players who have exhibited excellence in the classroom throughout the volleyball season.
Nickerson players honored were Delaney Childs, Denae Engelland, Sydney Clasen and Katelyn King.
The Panthers and head coach Hannah Schrag was honored with the Team Academic Award.
Halstead girls wrestling team 6th at CKL meet
The Halstead High School girls wrestling team traveled to Lindsborg for the Central Kansas League tournament and placed sixth in the nine-team field.
Because of Injuries, Halstead was only able to bring four girls.
The Halstead boys and girls competed in the 29-team Towanda-Circle Tournament Friday.
Kahlyn Davis placed second in the CKL meet with a 4-1 record, Ava Armstrong placed second with a 1-1 record, Addison Thompson paced third with an 0-2 record and Parker Meyoter placed seventh with a 2-3 record.
Buhler bowlers host Crusader Classic Saturday
The Buhler High School boys and girls bowling teams will host the Crusader Classic at 8 a.m. Saturday at The Alley in Hutchinson.
The format is a three-game series plus four Baker games for a total score to determine the winner.
The Crusaders hosted Mulvane and Circle in an Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League triangular on Thursday at The Alley.
Varsity Boys (+4 baker)
Mulvane: 2484 (3281)
Buhler: 2437 (3196)
Circle: 2169 (2809
High Game: Malachi Willis – 221
High Series: Malachi Willis – 630
Varsity Girls (+4 baker)
Buhler: 1871 (2439)
Circle: 1439 (1934)
Mulvane: 1351 (1867)
High Game: Aubrey Ewing – 181
High Series: Aubrey Ewing – 473
JV Boys
Buhler: 2226
Mulvane: 1946
Circle: 1577
High Game: Blake Mourn – 233
High Series: Blake Mourn – 612
JV Girls
Buhler: 1378
Circle: 1018
High Game: Juliette Shank – 147
High Series: Juliette Shank – 384
Series Scores
Varsity Boys
Malachi Willis: 221, 206, 203 = 630
Julian Morrison: 219, 206, 201 = 626
Dominic Gaede: 167, 215, 214 = 596
Logan Brown: 197, 207, 163 = 567
Trevor Trustian: 184, 166, 164 = 514
Carson White: 171, 183, 153 = 507
Varsity Girls
Aubrey Ewing: 135, 181, 157 = 473
Brayla Johnson: 162, 126, 178 = 466
Cheyann Geesling: 136, 169, 160 = 465
Macy Miller: 143, 157, 148 = 448
Madalyn Bohringer: 116, 132, 161 = 409
Eva Goertz: 109, 96, 115 = 320
JV Boys
Blake Mourn: 184, 233, 195 = 612
Gavin Bowers: 179, 189, 211 = 579
Kadin Glass: 141, 176, 191 = 508
Collin Schwartzkopf: 194, 127, 168 = 489
Keenen Johnson: 129, 118, 131 = 378
JV Girls
Juliette Shank: 147, 114, 123 = 384
Keelee Bryant: 133, 104, 108 = 345
Baylee Krase: 114, 109, 118 = 341
Lelani Strodtman: 91, 106, 111 = 308
Maysan VIce: 68, 51, 69 = 188
Lyons boys wrestling team 1st at NCAA league meet, Lions girls place 3rd
The Lyons Lions wrestling teams were in Minneapolis Thursday for the NCAA league tournament.
The Lyons boys are the NCAA champions and the Lions girls placed third.
The Lyons girls will head to Russell next Friday for their two-day super-regional. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class will punch their ticket to the state tournament.
The Lyons boys will head to Hoisington for their regional on Feb. 22. The top four wrestlers will advance to state.
Lyons results
League champions
100 pounds: Taylor Baxter 2-0
105 pounds: Jaycnn Boeken 3-0
106 pounds: Marius Lee 4-0
110 pounds: Kennedy Grizzle 2-0
150 pounds: Jace Grizzle 5-0
157 pounds: Nate Dold 3-0
170 pounds: Isabel Gonzalez 2-0
League runners-up
113 pounds: Ismael Chico 1-1
126 pounds: Juan Becerra 1-1
144 pounds: Isaac Fall 3-1
165 pounds: Xander Young 2-1
3rd Place
115 pounds: Austyn Bland 2-2
130 pounds: Nicole Becerra 1-2
175 pounds: Levi Galliart 2-2
285 pounds: Jorge Cereceres 0-2
4th Place
120 pounds: Lizzy Reazin 0-1 (injured)
125 pounds: Marah Kuhn 0-3
Also competing
132 pounds: Jackson Smith 1-4
138 pounds: Fred Chuen 0-5
St. Louis Cardinals acquire former Blue Dragon/Monarch Michael Helman from Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins traded utility player Michael Helman to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash, according to mlbtraderumors.com.
Helman played college baseball at Hutchinson Community College in 2016 and 2017 and Texas A&M University in 2018. He played for the Hutchinson Monarchs during the summer of 2016.
Helman, a Lincoln, Neb., native who played for Lincoln Pius X High School, will occupy a 40-man roster spot with St. Louis. The Cardinals had a vacancy, so no additional move was necessary.
An 11th-round pick in 2018, Helman reached the majors last year. He appeared in nine games and went 3-for-10 with a pair of doubles and played in a game against the Kansas City Royals.
The 28-year-old spent most of the season at Triple-A St. Paul.
Helman batted .271 in 314 plate appearances. Helman hit 14 home runs and went 12-for-13 on stolen base attempts.