By John Mesh
The Hutchinson and Buhler varsity and junior varsity girls soccer teams squared off in a Reno County dual Thursday at the Salthawk Sports Complex.
The Hutchinson Salthawk varsity team defeated Buhler’s varsity 3-2. The score was 0-0 at halftime.
Both varsity programs have 1-1 records.
Hutchinson’s Azul Maciel tied the game at 1-1 on a penalty kick goal. Rhyan Galyon scored on an unassisted goal to tie the score at 2-2.
Maciel’s second goal of the game on a penalty klck put the Salthawks ahead for good at 3-2.
Hutchinson assistant girls soccer coach Cidy Vargas said Hutchinson-Buhler games always to seem to be close and physical.
“A lot of these girls were teammates growing up and in club (soccer), so it’s a good friendly rivalry,” Vargas said. “Playing into the wind the second half, our girls were able to play a little calmer and knock the ball around more — which is more our style of play.
“That allowed us to create more chances, even with the wind in our face. Our forwards, Rhyan Galyon and Azul Maciel, are tough to slow down, but credit their goalkeeper (Sammie Brooks) — she had some fantastic saves.”
Madi McCool scored Buhler’s goals on a penalty kick and a free kick.
“I was proud of the girls,” said Buhler coach Randall Rank on the BHS Girls Soccer Facebook page. “They left it on the field tonight.”
Hutchinson won the junior varsity match over Buhler 1-0 on an unassisted goal by Alyana Parra. The halftime score was 0-0.
Both JV teams are 1-1.
The Hutchinson Salthawk varsity team competes at the Wichita South Titan Classic next week.
Hutchinson plays Classical School of Wichita at 6 p.m. Monday, Emporia at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and Wichita East at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Other schools competing in the Wichita South Titan Classic are Wichita South, Salina Central, Derby, Circle, Wichita East, Wichita Heights, Wichita Northwest, Campus, Winfield, Libera, Maize and Dodge City.
The Buhler varsity and JV girls soccer teams play at Great Bend on Monday. The Panther varsity girls soccer squad defeated Wichita Homeschool 10-2 at home Thursday night.
“We will bounce back and be ready to go for Monday at Great Bend,” Rank said.
Vype magazine listed its 2025 Girls Soccer Players to Watch list.
Making the list from Hutchinson were Rhyan Galyon, Mallory Hirst, Aylin Escobedo, Ayla Booe and Lily Rodriguez.
Buhler players making the list were Samantha (Sammie) Brooks, Madison (Madi) McCool, Juliette Shank and Claudia Taylor.
Hutchinson varsity, JV soccer teams fall to Andover Central
The Hutchinson High School varsity girls soccer team lost its season-opener 1-0 to Andover Central Tuesday at Andover.
The Hutchinson-Andover score was tied 0-0 at halftime. Andover Central scored the game’s only goal on a deflected shot off a corner kick.
“Plenty of good to build on from last night,” said Hutchinson High School girls soccer coach Cidy Vargas on social media. “Like usual, our support system on the road was top tier. I can’t wait to see the energy you all bring tomorrow.”
Hutchinson’s goal keeper is sophomore Baleigh Cousins and the offense is led by juniors Rhyan Galyon and Azul Maciel. Senior captains are Alayniah Johnson, Ayla Booe, Aylin Escobedo and Lily Rodriguez.
Several Salthawks made the official lineup for the first time in the Andover Central match: Juniors Breckyn Edwards, Keyla Fernandez and Kate Jackson and freshman Mia Vega.
The Hutchinson junior varsity girls soccer team lost its opener 2-0 to Andover Central.
The Salthawk JV features junior Perla Pena and sophomores Alyana Parra, Annie Keyser, Madison Fanning and Maritza Pineda.
Buhler varsity, JV soccer teams sweep Newton
The Buhler High School varsity and junior varsity girls soccer teams swept Newton Tuesday at Fischer Field-Athletic Park in Newton.
The Crusader varsity girls soccer team won 2-1 and the Buhler JV girls soccer team won 5-1.
In the varsity game, Buhler’s Mikaela Jarrett assisted on both goals. The goal scorers were Juliette Shank and Alyssa Berner.
In the JV game, Buhler’s Kennedee Applegate scored two goals on assists by Alexis Achatz and Maycee Kimble.
Lakin Yoder scored on a penalty kick, Zoey Dick scored on an assist by Abigail Cummins and Milli Burrola scored on an assist by Kylie Gregg.
Blue Dragon baseball team takes doubleheader from Allen County
The Hutchinson Community College baseball team swept a doubleheader from Allen County Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field at Carey Park in Hutchinson.
The Blue Dragons won the first game 11-1 (6 innings run rule) behind the pitching of Trent Roehler and AJ Doll. Roehler struck out 11 Red Devil batters in five innings.
Hutchinson also took the second game 20-4 (7 innings, run rule) and improved to 23-8.
Hutchinson’s Quinn Maher belted a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning, CJ Reid hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth and Anthony Mazza belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to end the game on the run-rule at 11-1.
Scotty Fegen added an RBI single and AJ Mustow had a two-RBI ground-rule double.
The Red Devils scored their run in the top of the second inning on an RBI double.
In Game 2 in the bottom of the first inning, Hutchinson’s Eli Duncan belted a grand slam homer that passed the players’ parking lot at Hobart-Detter Field. Hutchinson took a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, Hutchinson’s Tabor Stokes singled up the middle for an RBI single, Mazza belted a three-run homer to center field and Mustow added a sacrifice fly to make the score 9-3.
Leo Griffin gave HutchCC a 10-3 lead with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Hutchinson scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for an 18-3 lead. The Blue Dragons got a three-run homer from pinch-hitter Nick Glantz and a solo pinch-hit homer from Jack Gardner. CJ Reid had a two-run single.
The Blue Dragons and Red Devils play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at ACC Baseball Field in Iola.
Hutchinson hosts a 1 p.m. doubleheader next Thursday against Cloud County. The Blue Dragons play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, April 5, against the Thunderbirds in Concordia.
Blue Dragon softball team sweeps Barton
The Hutchinson Blue Dragon softball team swept the Barton Cougars in a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference doubleheader Wednesday at Fun Valley.
The Blue Dragons won the first game 6-0 and the second game 6-2.
In Game 1, Hutchinson jumped out to a 6-0 lead with one run in the bottom of the first inning, four runs in the third and one run in the fourth.
Hutchinson pitcher Morgan Tomlinson pitched 6 2/3 innings in the opener and allowed four hits. She struck out four, walked none and improved her record to 11-2.
Tomlinson was replaced on the mound in the top of the seventh inning by Jessica Schmidt with two outs and two Barton runners on base. Schmidt coerced a force for the final out.
Hutchinson scored six runs on nine hits. Bailey Backhaus and Tailor Golly both went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Blue Dragons. Bailey Backhaus had two RBIs. Brie Brawner drew two walks.
Melia Ingram and Alicia Goseland split pitching duties for the Cougars, with Goseland dropping to 10-4.
In Game 2, Hutchinson trailed 2-1 after four innings. Gabby Stauffer drove in the run for the Blue Dragons on a fielder’s choice.
Hutchinson scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead over the Barton Cougars. Kaibryn Kruger belted a two-run homer and Bailey Backhaus had an RBI triple.
HutchCC added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Aubree Thomas and Schmidt shared pitching duties for the Blue Dragons. Thomas improved to 8-2.
Brooklynn Angielski and Goseland pitched for Barton, with Angielski dropping to 8-4.
HutchCC collected nine hits. Bailey Backhaus had three hits for HutchCC with a double and triple and drove in a run. Kaibryn Kruger homered and drove in three runs.
Stauffer and Hailey Kruger also had RBIs. Bailey Backhaus and Kaibryn Kruger had stolen bases.
Barton picked up eight hits, including three by Karter Alvord and two each by Chloe Enslinger and Elina Bartlett. Alvord drove in both Cougar runs. Enslinger and Bartlett doubled.
Hutchinson improved to 21-5 overall, 14-1 KJCCC, 12-1 at home and has 12 straight wins.
Barton dropped to 19-9 overall, 13-3 KJCCC, 9-4 on the road and has lost three straight games.
Hutchinson plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Pratt Community College.
The Blue Dragons host a 1 p.m. doubleheader next Wednesday against Fort Hays Tech Northwest. HutchCC plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader Friday, April 4, at Butler Community College.
Barton plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader Sunday at Seward County and hosts 1 p.m. doubleheaders against Colby Wednesday and Garden City Saturday, April 5.
Dodge City advances at NJCAA I women’s tournament
The Dodge City Community College Conquistadors advanced to the quarterfinals (Elite Eight) of the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament with a 72-52 second-round victory over Arizona Western College Thursday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyo.
Dodge City led 12-11 after one quarter and 32-25 at halftime. The Conquistadors went on a 20-8 run in the third quartering outscored Arizona Western 20-19 in the fourth quarter.
Shorna Preston led the Conqs with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Tayah Morgan scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, Layla-J Cameron had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Mia Jordan and Morgan Ruff both scored 9 points.
Rita Gomes and Nyah Hardy led Arizona Western with 17 points each. Mable Doumbia scored 10 points. Gomes and Doumbia both grabbed 7 rebounds.
Arizona Western finished the season with a 26-5 record.
Dodge City (30-4) will play again at 3:30 p.m. Central time Saturday against the winner of the Friday second-round matchup between No. 5 New Mexico JC (29-3) vs. Florida Southwestern State College (25-5).
In other second-round games Thursday: Chipola College, Fla., defeated Kilgore College, Texas, 73-63; Wabash Valley, Ill., defeated the hometown hopefuls from Casper College, Wyo., 88-80; and Northwest Florida State College defeated Wallace State Community College-Hanceville 59-41.
In a second-round game Friday, the Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team (29-4), the No. 11 seed in the tournament, plays No. 6 Three Rivers CC (28-3) at 5:45 p.m. Central time.
In Friday’s other second-round games: No. 8 Shelton State CC (28-4) plays No. 9 South Plains College (26-4), 11 a.m.; No. 7 McLennan CC (28-3) plays No. 10 Eastern Arizona College (26-6), 1:15 p.m.; and No. 5 New Mexico JC (29-3) plays Florida Southwestern State College 25-5), 3:30 p.m.
Hutchinson Trinity baseball team opens season by sweeping Nickerson
The Hutchinson Trinity Catholic High School baseball team opened the 2025 season with a doubleheader sweep over Nickerson Tuesday at Krol Field in Nickerson.
The Celtics won the first game 10-8 in 8 innings and shut out the Panthers 5-0 in the second game.
In other area high school baseball games:
• The Hutchinson High School varsity baseball team split its season-opening doubleheader against Pratt Tuesday at Hobart-Detter Field in Hutchinson’s Carey Park.
Pratt won the first game 2-0 and the Salthawks won the second game 10-2.
Hutchinson plays Great Bend on Friday. The Panthers defeated Garden City 13-0 on Tuesday. Great Bend had 10 hits, including a home run by Carson Umphres.
• The Buhler High School baseball team swept a doubleheader from Winfield Thursday, taking the first game 17-2 and the second game 16-1.
• The Crusader varsity baseball team split its season opener Tuesday against Andover, losing the first game 10-4 and winning the second game 4-2.
• The Buhler JV baseball team defeated Winfield 4-1 in Game 1 Thursday and took the second game 11-5.
• The Halstead varsity boys baseball team lost to Kingman 5-2 Tuesday at Kingman. The Dragons’ JV team lost 14-5.
• The Little River baseball team swept two games from Ell-Saline Tuesday and will play at Inman Friday.
Nickerson, Hutchinson Trinity split softball doubleheader
Hutchinson Trinity Catholic and Nickerson spit a high school softball doubleheader Tuesday at Fun Valley.
Nickerson won the first game 8-7 and Trinity won the second game 14-2.
The Trinity Celtics play a doubleheader Tuesday at Moundridge
In other area high school softball games:
• Buhler split a doubleheader with Andover Tuesday, losing the opener 10-8 and winning the second game 9-6.
• On Thursday, the Buhler Crusader varsity softball team defeated Winfield 16-6 in Game 1 and 14-2 in Game 2. Buhler hit four home runs.
• The Buhler JV softball team shut out Winfield 10-0 in Game 1 Thursday and won the second game 14-5.
• The Halstead JV softball team lost to Hoisington 16-7 in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday night and fell 12-3 in the second game.
• The Little River softball team lost two games to Ell-Saline Tuesday and lost 5-4 and 9-8 Thursday at Pratt-Skyline. Little River will play a twinbill Friday at Inman.
Sports in Kansas lists top returning area track athletes
• Hutchinson Central Christian’s Jessa Losew and Belle Barnett are listed by Sports in Kansas as two of the Top 10 returning girls high jumpers in the state at 5 foot, 7 inches, and 5-6.
• Buhler’s Ava Koster is one of the top returning girls high jumpers in Kansas Class 4A from last year. She cleared the bar at 5-4.
• Buhler’s Zach Friesen has the 12th fastest returning time in the state of Kansas overall in the 110-meter hurdles (third in Class 4A). He was clocked at 14.99 seconds.
• Sterling junior Julia Kilgore has won two Class 2A state titles in the 400. She won her second state title last year in the event in a time of 57.88.
Kilgore also took second in the 200 with a time of 25.57 and was part of the Black Bears’ 1,600-meter relay team that took fifth.
Kilgore ranks seventh overall by SIK in the 200 and is second in Class 2A.
• Cunningham’s Will Wegerer is the No. 1 returning Class 1A boys pole vaulter, clearing 15-1. He ranks fifth overall in the state by SIK.
Ad Astra Athlete of the Week: Sterling High School junior Boston Ekart
Ad Astra Radio is proud to announce this week’s Athlete of the Week to Sterling High School junior Boston Ekart.
Ad Astra Radio’s Athlete of the Week is presented by Hutchinson Community College.
Ekart was instrumental in leading the Sterling Black Bears to the Kansas Class 2A state championship.
In three games, Ekart scored 53 points on 19-of-40 shooting.
Ekart had 22 points and sank 4-of-5 from 3-point range in a first-round 97-48 win over Chase County. Ekart scored 16 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a 76-59 semifinal win over Ell-Saline.
He then scored 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the championship game — a 56-42 win over Moundridge.
Ekart set the school’s single-season scoring mark with 516 points, averaging 19.6 points a game. He also averaged 7.6 rebounds a game.
Ekart added 40 steals, 30 blocks and 19 assists, helping Sterling win its second state championship.
Area athletes, coaches are Sports in Kansas Player, Coach of the Year finalists
Sports in Kansas named its girls and boys 2025 Player of the Year and Coach of the Year finalists.
Area girls players selected as finalists are Buhler senior Natalya Krafels (Class 4A) and Little River junior Arika Feldman (Class 1A Division I).
Area boys selected were Haven’s Dalton Bontrager (Class 3A), Sterling’s Boston Ekart (Class 2A) and Cunningham’s Will Wearer and Luke Albers (Class 1A Division II).
Area girls coaches selected as finalists are Buhler’s John Darrow (Class 4A), Halstead’s Derek Schutte (Class 3A), Inman’s Matt Harris (Class 2A) and Little River’s Cy Rolfs (Class 1A Division I).
Area boys coaches selected as finalists are Haven’s Lonnie Paramore (Class 3A), Sterling’s Derek Schneider (Class 2A), Little River’s Erik Base (Class 1A Division I), Hutchinson Central Christian’s Matt Clark (Class 1A Division II) and Cunningham’s Larry Eisenhower (Class 1A Division II).
Tre Richardson enters transfer portal
According to wibw.com, Washburn University wide receiver Tre Richardson announced via his X page that he has entered the transfer portal after one season with the Ichabods.
The Highland Park alum’s collegiate career started at Hutchinson Community College.
In his only season with the Blue Dragons, he finished the year ranked second in the nation with a 27.1-yard average on kickoff returns and a 16.2-yard average on punt returns.
After a successful season in Hutchinson, he took his talents back home to Topeka.
This past season, Richardson was named a unanimous first-team all-MIAA honoree at wide receiver and was an honorable mention all-MIAA pick as a return specialist.
He finished third in the MIAA in receiving touchdowns with 11, and as a kick returner, he was third in the MIAA in average yards per return at 24.1 on 16 attempts.
Richardson was a key player for the Ichabods, leading the team in scoring with 66 points, finishing 10th in the MIAA overall.
Pittsburg State women’s record-breaking season ends In NCAA II Final Four loss to Grand Valley State
Pittsburg State Sports Information
The Pittsburg State University women’s basketball team conjured up yet another amazing NCAA Division II National Tournament second-half comeback bid, but the Gorillas couldn’t quite entirely pull it off.
The Gorillas’ starting lineup consisted of five Kansans: Halstead’s Karenna Gerber, McPherson’s Grace Pyle, Maize’s Sydney Holmes, Goddard’s Maycee James and Eudora’s Harper Schreiner. Coach Amanda Davied is from Girard.
Top-seeded Grand Valley State University built a 13-point advantage early in the third quarter in the Final Four match-up Wednesday, then withstood a furious Pitt State rally that saw the Gorillas pull ahead midway through the third period.
The Lakers eventually wrestled the lead back from Pitt State in the fourth quarter and held off the Gorillas in the game’s final minute for a 68-61 victory at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
Grand Valley State (37-2) advances to the 2024-25 NCAA Division II National Championship Game Friday where the Lakers will meet No. 3 seed California State University-Dominguez Hills, which defeated Union (Tenn.) University 68-50 in its national semifinal match-up.
Pitt State’s record-breaking season ends with a 33-4 mark, a program record for victories (33) and winning percentage (.892).
Pitt State, which trailed by double-digit point totals in the Central Regional semifinals and finals at John Lance Arena earlier this month, exploded for a 15-2 third-quarter run that turned a 37-24 deficit into a tie game, 39-39, on Grace Pyle’s three-point play with 5:42 to play in the stanza.
GVSU’s Nicole Kamin made one of two free throws for a 40-39 Lakers edge, but Pitt State’s Harper Schreiner gave the Gorillas their first lead, 41-40, on an inside basket with 4:24 to play in the quarter.
Pitt State’s last lead came with 27 ticks remaining in the third quarter when Hannah Nilges hit a 3-pointer for a 46-44 Gorillas edge.
The Lakers tied the game at 46-46 in the final seconds of the period then held Pitt State scoreless for the first three-plus minutes of the fourth quarter to push in front, 54-46, with 6:41 to play in the game.
The Gorillas twice battled back to within two points – 58-56 on a 3-pointer by Pyle and 60-68 on a bucket by Karenna Gerber with 2:29 to play in regulation.
The Lakers pushed the lead back to four on a basket by Kamin with 1:28 to go and Pitt State’s Maycee James was called for an offensive foul to thwart a Gorillas possession at the 1:07 mark.
The two teams traded missed shots before GVSU’s Paige Vanstee made two free throws for a 64-58 Lakers lead with 18 seconds to go. GVSU added two more free throws for an eight-point cushion before Pyle hit a 3-pointer with six seconds left.
The Lakers, who owned a 14-2 advantage at the free throw line in the game, closed it out with two more charity shots with two seconds to play.
Pyle led all scorers with 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting. She made six 3-pointers in the contest. Gerber added 13 points and 8 rebounds. Nilges and James finished with 6 points apiece.
The Lakers, who forced the Gorillas into an uncharacteristic 20 turnovers in the contest, got 21 points from Kamin, 17 from Rylie Bisballe and 11 from Vanstee.