PITTSBURG, Kan. - The NCAA Indoor Track Nationals saw the Fort Hays State University Track &amp; Field teams roar with determination as they faced off against fierce competition Friday (March 8) in Pittsburg, Kan. The Tigers showcased their talent and resilience, setting the stage for an exciting Saturday lineup. The teams were able to finish day one with two All-American finishes, one for the men's distance medley relay (DMR) team and the other to Annabeth Baalmann in the pole vault.

In the heptathlon, Nolan Churchman displayed his athleticism and skill, finishing sixth overall through day one with a total score of 3114 points. Churchman's performance was highlighted by a stellar 60m time of 6.98 seconds, .02 seconds from a personal best, earning him 889 points. He also had an impressive high jump of 6-5.5 feet, adding 776 points to his tally. His solid showing positioned him well for day two's events, where he looks to build upon his success.

Annabeth Baalmann represented the Tigers in the women's pole vault, finishing eighth with a clearance of 12-10.25 feet. Baalmann's performance earned her a spot as a first team All-American, showcasing her talent and contributing valuable points to the FHSU women's team. This is her first All American honor as she looks for more All-American opportunites throughout her Tiger career.

In the men's 800m prelims, Ethan Lang gave a solid effort, finishing 14th with a time of 1:52.34. Although narrowly missing out on qualifying for the finals, Lang's performance showcased his talent and determination, setting the stage for success in the future. Hayden Albright was not able to make it to the finals in the men's 400m dash.

The men's DMR team consisting of Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, and Grant Bradley delivered a commendable performance, finishing sixth with a time of 9:50.67. Their efforts earned them recognition as first team All-Americans, adding three valuable points to the FHSU team's overall score. This marks the first All-American honor for Grant Bradley and Trever Medina, fourth All-American finish for Hayden Albright and third for Ethan Lang.

As Saturday's schedule loomed ahead, the Tigers remained focused and determined to showcase their best performances. The Tiger men are currently tied for 17th with three points to their name while the women sit at 28th with one point. The competition will continue tomorrow (March 9) at 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 9 Schedule of Events – FHSU Competitors Pentathlon - 10:00 a.m. - Taylor Savolt Heptathlon Day Two - Noon - Nolan Churchman High Jump - 3:30 p.m. - Dayton William Pole Vault - 4:00 p.m. - Jacob Clark

Friday Full FHSU Results Heptathlo 6th - Nolan Churchman – 3114 60m – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816 SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 60mH - PV – 1,000m –

Women's Pole Vault 8th – Annabeth Baalmann – 12-10.25 @

Men's 400m Prelims Hayden Albright – DQ

Men's 800m Prelims 14th – Ethan Lang – 1:52.34

Men's DMR 6th – Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, Grant Bradley – 9:50.67 @

@ indicates first team All-America performance &amp; indicates second team All-America performance Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710031090873.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Kelley Meyerr" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Kelley Meyerr</figcaption>
 </figure> FHSU AthleticsPITTSBURG, Kan. - The NCAA Indoor Track Nationals saw the Fort Hays State University Track &amp; Field teams roar with determination as they faced off against fierce competition Friday (March 8) in Pittsburg, Kan. The Tigers showcased their talent and resilience, setting the stage for an exciting Saturday lineup. The teams were able to finish day one with two All-American finishes, one for the men's distance medley relay (DMR) team and the other to Annabeth Baalmann in the pole vault.In the heptathlon, Nolan Churchman displayed his athleticism and skill, finishing sixth overall through day one with a total score of 3114 points. Churchman's performance was highlighted by a stellar 60m time of 6.98 seconds, .02 seconds from a personal best, earning him 889 points. He also had an impressive high jump of 6-5.5 feet, adding 776 points to his tally. His solid showing positioned him well for day two's events, where he looks to build upon his success.Annabeth Baalmann represented the Tigers in the women's pole vault, finishing eighth with a clearance of 12-10.25 feet. Baalmann's performance earned her a spot as a first team All-American, showcasing her talent and contributing valuable points to the FHSU women's team. This is her first All American honor as she looks for more All-American opportunites throughout her Tiger career.In the men's 800m prelims, Ethan Lang gave a solid effort, finishing 14th with a time of 1:52.34. Although narrowly missing out on qualifying for the finals, Lang's performance showcased his talent and determination, setting the stage for success in the future. Hayden Albright was not able to make it to the finals in the men's 400m dash.The men's DMR team consisting of Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, and Grant Bradley delivered a commendable performance, finishing sixth with a time of 9:50.67. Their efforts earned them recognition as first team All-Americans, adding three valuable points to the FHSU team's overall score. This marks the first All-American honor for Grant Bradley and Trever Medina, fourth All-American finish for Hayden Albright and third for Ethan Lang.As Saturday's schedule loomed ahead, the Tigers remained focused and determined to showcase their best performances. The Tiger men are currently tied for 17th with three points to their name while the women sit at 28th with one point. The competition will continue tomorrow (March 9) at 10 a.m.Saturday, March 9 Schedule of Events – FHSU Competitors Pentathlon - 10:00 a.m. - Taylor Savolt Heptathlon Day Two - Noon - Nolan Churchman High Jump - 3:30 p.m. - Dayton William Pole Vault - 4:00 p.m. - Jacob ClarkFriday Full FHSU Results Heptathlo 6th - Nolan Churchman – 3114 60m – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816 SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 60mH - PV – 1,000m –Women's Pole Vault 8th – Annabeth Baalmann – 12-10.25 @Men's 400m Prelims Hayden Albright – DQMen's 800m Prelims 14th – Ethan Lang – 1:52.34Men's DMR 6th – Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, Grant Bradley – 9:50.67 @@ indicates first team All-America performance &amp; indicates second team All-America performance Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals

👟Two Tiger All American finishes after day one of Indoor Nationals

HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead had 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Damian Dunn added 12 points and No. 1 Houston claimed the Big 12 Conference regular-season title in its first season in the league, dominating No. 14 Kansas 76-46 on Saturday.

L.J. Cryer scored 11 points and J’Wan Roberts had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (28-3, 15-3) shot 46% from the field and hit 6 3-pointers on the way to a 40-21 lead at the half. Houston shot 44% for the game and hit 11 of 29 shots from long distance, while forcing 18 turnovers and converting them into 30 points.

The Cougars closed out their regular season by winning their ninth straight game and extending their home winning streak to 22 games.

Kansas' Hunter Dickinson had 11 points and six rebounds but left with 11:08 remaining holding his right shoulder after battling for a rebound.

Kevin McCullar Jr., who tweaked his knee earlier in the week against Kansas State, was scoreless in 15 minutes in the first half. He didn’t play in the second half.

Kansas (22-9, 10-8) has lost three of its last four games. The Jayhawks shot 33% and were 3 for 21 from 3-point distance.

Houston controlled the first half, charging to a 34-9 lead. Kansas missed 10 straight field goal attempts at one point.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams' first meeting on Feb. 3 in Lawrence when Kansas jumped out to a 23-11 lead and shot 69% en route to a 78-65 win.

Kansas: The Jayhawks’ lost for the sixth time in seven games on the road.

Houston: The Cougars won their 12th regular-season conference championship and fifth in the last six seasons under coach Kelvin Sampson.

Kansas: Opens the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday or Thursday in Kansas City.

Houston: Opens the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 1 seed on Thursday in the quarterfinals in Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710029413143.png" alt="Houston Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Houston Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead had 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Damian Dunn added 12 points and No. 1 Houston claimed the Big 12 Conference regular-season title in its first season in the league, dominating No. 14 Kansas 76-46 on Saturday.L.J. Cryer scored 11 points and J’Wan Roberts had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (28-3, 15-3) shot 46% from the field and hit 6 3-pointers on the way to a 40-21 lead at the half. Houston shot 44% for the game and hit 11 of 29 shots from long distance, while forcing 18 turnovers and converting them into 30 points.The Cougars closed out their regular season by winning their ninth straight game and extending their home winning streak to 22 games.Kansas' Hunter Dickinson had 11 points and six rebounds but left with 11:08 remaining holding his right shoulder after battling for a rebound.Kevin McCullar Jr., who tweaked his knee earlier in the week against Kansas State, was scoreless in 15 minutes in the first half. He didn’t play in the second half.Kansas (22-9, 10-8) has lost three of its last four games. The Jayhawks shot 33% and were 3 for 21 from 3-point distance.Houston controlled the first half, charging to a 34-9 lead. Kansas missed 10 straight field goal attempts at one point.The game was a stark contrast to the teams' first meeting on Feb. 3 in Lawrence when Kansas jumped out to a 23-11 lead and shot 69% en route to a 78-65 win.BIG PICTUREKansas: The Jayhawks’ lost for the sixth time in seven games on the road.Houston: The Cougars won their 12th regular-season conference championship and fifth in the last six seasons under coach Kelvin Sampson.UP NEXTKansas: Opens the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday or Thursday in Kansas City.Houston: Opens the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 1 seed on Thursday in the quarterfinals in Kansas City.______

🏀 Houston claims Big 12 regular-season title with win over Kansas

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wbball&amp;id=13058">BOX SCORE</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team clinched its sixth trip to the MIAA Championship game with a 56-49 win over Northwest Missouri State Saturday in the semifinals of the 2024 MIAA Championship, presented by Southern Bank. The Tigers (24-6) never trailed in the second half, holding on over the last 60 seconds b y making their only field goal attempt and hitting their final four free throws.

Looking to lift its third MIAA tournament trophy, Fort Hays State will take on Pittsburg State in the conference title game Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium.

Neither side could gain much advantage in the first half, with the scoring margin staying at or below three points for the duration of the first 20 minutes. The lead changed hands eight times and there were two ties in the first half, with FHSU taking the lead for good late in the second quarter on Jessie Sallach's&nbsp;second 3-pointer of the game.

The teams traded punches in the first quarter, with neither side leading by more than two until the final minute when a Sydney Golladay&nbsp;free throw followed Sallach's first triple of the game, giving the Tigers a 15-12 lead. Northwest (23-7) scored the final points of the opening frame, closing within 15-14.

Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;put the Tigers up three early in the second quarter before the Bearcats scored six in a row to flip the script and take a three-point lead of their own, 20-17.

The Tiger defense clamped down after that run, allowing just one NWMSU field goal over the final five minutes of the first half. FHSU scored seven of the final nine points of the first half to go into the locker room up 24-22.

Northwest Missouri State tied the score on the first possession of the second half before the Tigers took the lead for good on a Katie Wagner&nbsp;3-pointer. The triple kickstarted a 10-2 Tiger run, giving FHSU a 34-26 lead midway through the third quarter.

The Bearcats responded with a 9-3 run of their own over the next three minutes, with the lone FHSU basket during the run coming on another long-range make from Sallach. After the lead was trimmed to two, Wagner and Brooke Loewe&nbsp;both scored in the final minute of the frame to give the Tigers a 41-35 lead.

The Tigers kept the run going, scoring the first five points of the final quarter to take their largest lead of the game, 46-35. Sallach continued her hot shooting from behind the arc, hitting her career-best fourth 3-pointer to give FHSU an 11-point lead with 8:49 to play.

Northwest Missouri State made a late push, using a 10-2 run over the heart of the fourth quarter to close within one possession, 50-47. Wagner ended the run with a layup with less than a minute to play, pushing the lead back to multiple possessions. The Bearcats closed within three with 22 seconds to go before the Tigers hit 4-of-4 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the win.

Wagner recorded her second-straight double-double, leading all scorers with 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. The Maize, Kan. native scored 13 of her points in the second half. She now sits in fourth on the career scoring list at FHSU with 1,673 points as a Tiger.

Sallach&nbsp;drilled 4-of-6 from behind the arc, totaling 12 points. The Callaway, Neb. native has now hit 11 3-pointers in the last five games, including three-straight games with multiple long-range makes.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/olivia-hollenbeck/7525">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;scored eight points but was most effective on defense, poking away a career-high five steals and blocking two s

scored eight points but was most effective on defense, poking away a career-high five steals and blocking two shots. The forward is now tied for second in program history with 166 career blocks.

Emma Ruddle&nbsp;scored five points and dished out a team-best five assists while adding three rebounds and one block.

The Tigers and Bearcats both hit an identical 20-of-55 from the floor (36.4 percent), while FHSU hit six more free throws. Fort Hays State turned the ball over just six times, tied for its fewest in a game this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710027574748.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Jessie Sallach attempts a 3-point shot over Northwest Missouri State's Jayna Green (32) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 9, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Jessie Sallach attempts a 3-point shot over Northwest Missouri State's Jayna Green (32) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 9, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wbball&amp;id=13058">BOX SCORE</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team clinched its sixth trip to the MIAA Championship game with a 56-49 win over Northwest Missouri State Saturday in the semifinals of the 2024 MIAA Championship, presented by Southern Bank. The Tigers (24-6) never trailed in the second half, holding on over the last 60 seconds b y making their only field goal attempt and hitting their final four free throws.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1770233187&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-postgame-press-conference-vs-nw-missouri-state-03-09-24" title="Fort Hays State Postgame Press Conference vs. NW Missouri State (March 9, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State Postgame Press Conference vs. NW Missouri State (March 9, 2024)</a></div></div>Looking to lift its third MIAA tournament trophy, Fort Hays State will take on Pittsburg State in the conference title game Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium.Neither side could gain much advantage in the first half, with the scoring margin staying at or below three points for the duration of the first 20 minutes. The lead changed hands eight times and there were two ties in the first half, with FHSU taking the lead for good late in the second quarter on Jessie Sallach's&nbsp;second 3-pointer of the game.The teams traded punches in the first quarter, with neither side leading by more than two until the final minute when a Sydney Golladay&nbsp;free throw followed Sallach's first triple of the game, giving the Tigers a 15-12 lead. Northwest (23-7) scored the final points of the opening frame, closing within 15-14.Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;put the Tigers up three early in the second quarter before the Bearcats scored six in a row to flip the script and take a three-point lead of their own, 20-17.The Tiger defense clamped down after that run, allowing just one NWMSU field goal over the final five minutes of the first half. FHSU scored seven of the final nine points of the first half to go into the locker room up 24-22.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1770233148&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-highlights-vs-nw-missouri-state-03-09-24" title="Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Northwest Missouri State (March 09, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Northwest Missouri State (March 09, 2024)</a></div></div>Northwest Missouri State tied the score on the first possession of the second half before the Tigers took the lead for good on a Katie Wagner&nbsp;3-pointer. The triple kickstarted a 10-2 Tiger run, giving FHSU a 34-26 lead midway through the third quarter.The Bearcats responded with a 9-3 run of their own over the next three minutes, with the lone FHSU basket during the run coming on another long-range make from Sallach. After the lead was trimmed to two, Wagner and Brooke Loewe&nbsp;both scored in the final minute of the frame to give the Tigers a 41-35 lead.The Tigers kept the run going, scoring the first five points of the final quarter to take their largest lead of the game, 46-35. Sallach continued her hot shooting from behind the arc, hitting her career-best fourth 3-pointer to give FHSU an 11-point lead with 8:49 to play.Northwest Missouri State made a late push, using a 10-2 run over the heart of the fourth quarter to close within one possession, 50-47. Wagner ended the run with a layup with less than a minute to play, pushing the lead back to multiple possessions. The Bearcats closed within three with 22 seconds to go before the Tigers hit 4-of-4 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the win.Wagner recorded her second-straight double-double, leading all scorers with 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. The Maize, Kan. native scored 13 of her points in the second half. She now sits in fourth on the career scoring list at FHSU with 1,673 points as a Tiger.Sallach&nbsp;drilled 4-of-6 from behind the arc, totaling 12 points. The Callaway, Neb. native has now hit 11 3-pointers in the last five games, including three-straight games with multiple long-range makes.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/olivia-hollenbeck/7525">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;scored eight points but was most effective on defense, poking away a career-high five steals and blocking two sscored eight points but was most effective on defense, poking away a career-high five steals and blocking two shots. The forward is now tied for second in program history with 166 career blocks.Emma Ruddle&nbsp;scored five points and dished out a team-best five assists while adding three rebounds and one block.The Tigers and Bearcats both hit an identical 20-of-55 from the floor (36.4 percent), while FHSU hit six more free throws. Fort Hays State turned the ball over just six times, tied for its fewest in a game this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 🏀 FHSU women advance to MIAA title game with win over Bearcats

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Arthur Kaluma scored 23 points, Cam Carter added 21 and Kansas State beat sixth-ranked Iowa State 65-58 on Saturday, giving the Wildcats' flickering NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost heading into the Big 12 Tournament.

David N'Guessan added 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds on senior day for the Wildcats (18-13, 8-10 Big 12), who blew most of a 17-point, second-half lead before holding on for their third win over a top-10 team this season.

Kansas State also beat No. 4 Kansas and No. 9 Baylor at home, where it went 15-3 this season.

Curtis Jones had 16 points and Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey 13 apiece for the Cyclones (24-7, 13-5), who couldn't replicate their rally from 14 down to beat BYU earlier in the week and had their four-game winning streak snapped.

Iowa State looked as if it would make senior day a forgettable day for Kansas State early on, relentlessly harassing one of the nation's most turnover-prone teams into offensive miscues and mental mistakes.

Fortunes suddenly flipped with the Cyclones leading 18-10 and about seven minutes left in the first half.

Kansas State held them without a field goal for more than six minutes, going on a 12-1 run to help take a 28-24 lead into the break. Then, the Wildcats scored the first nine points as part of a 15-2 run to begin the second half, stretching their lead to 17 while holding Iowa State without a field goal until Lipsey's lay-in with 13:30 to go.

The Cyclones finally got some momentum going, and a 10-0 run got them within 48-43 with 7:18 left.

Kansas State answered by pushing its lead back to double digits, though. And when Iowa State began to slap on full-court pressure in an attempt to mount a late-game comeback, Kaluma and Carter along with Tylor Perry were able to break it, and make just enough foul shots in the final minutes to wrap up the win.

Iowa State earned a double-bye for the Big 12 tourney and will play a quarterfinal game Thursday.

Kansas State will play a second-round game in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.

Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season.&nbsp;<a href="https://link.apnews.com/join/6nr/newsletters-cbb">Sign up here</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710019441112.png" alt="Photo K-State athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Arthur Kaluma scored 23 points, Cam Carter added 21 and Kansas State beat sixth-ranked Iowa State 65-58 on Saturday, giving the Wildcats' flickering NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost heading into the Big 12 Tournament.David N'Guessan added 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds on senior day for the Wildcats (18-13, 8-10 Big 12), who blew most of a 17-point, second-half lead before holding on for their third win over a top-10 team this season.Kansas State also beat No. 4 Kansas and No. 9 Baylor at home, where it went 15-3 this season.Curtis Jones had 16 points and Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey 13 apiece for the Cyclones (24-7, 13-5), who couldn't replicate their rally from 14 down to beat BYU earlier in the week and had their four-game winning streak snapped.Iowa State looked as if it would make senior day a forgettable day for Kansas State early on, relentlessly harassing one of the nation's most turnover-prone teams into offensive miscues and mental mistakes.Fortunes suddenly flipped with the Cyclones leading 18-10 and about seven minutes left in the first half.Kansas State held them without a field goal for more than six minutes, going on a 12-1 run to help take a 28-24 lead into the break. Then, the Wildcats scored the first nine points as part of a 15-2 run to begin the second half, stretching their lead to 17 while holding Iowa State without a field goal until Lipsey's lay-in with 13:30 to go.The Cyclones finally got some momentum going, and a 10-0 run got them within 48-43 with 7:18 left.Kansas State answered by pushing its lead back to double digits, though. And when Iowa State began to slap on full-court pressure in an attempt to mount a late-game comeback, Kaluma and Carter along with Tylor Perry were able to break it, and make just enough foul shots in the final minutes to wrap up the win.UP NEXTIowa State earned a double-bye for the Big 12 tourney and will play a quarterfinal game Thursday.Kansas State will play a second-round game in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.___Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season.&nbsp;<a href="https://link.apnews.com/join/6nr/newsletters-cbb">Sign up here</a>___

🏀 Kaluma scores 23 as Kansas State beats Iowa State

Fort Hays State (23-6) vs. Northwest Missouri State (23-6) Saturday, March 9, 2024 • 2:15 p.m. Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal Auditorium

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The Fort Hays State women's basketball team continues its postseason run Saturday&nbsp; against Northwest Missouri State in the semifinal round of the 2024 MIAA Basketball Championship, presented by Southern Bank. The third-seeded Tigers (23-6) and No. 2 Bearcats (23-6) will clash in the second semifinal of the day, slated for a 2:15 opening tip inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

The winner of Saturday's contest will advance to the MIAA title game on Sunday (March 10, 1 p.m.) where they will meet up with the winner of the other semifinal, top-seeded Missouri Western and No. 5 Pittsburg State.

The Tigers and Bearcats split the regular season series, with each team winning on its home floor. Northwest's win over the Tigers last month snapped a 10-game FHSU winning streak in the series.

Fort Hays State earned its spot in the semifinals thanks to a&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/news/2024/3/8/womens-basketball-tops-jennies-in-miaa-quarterfinals.aspx">gritty 65-63 win</a>&nbsp;over sixth-seeded Central Missouri in the conference semifinals on Friday. Northwest Missouri State secured its first trip to the semifinals since 2011 with a convincing 64-42 win over Nebraska-Kearney Thursday afternoon .

Fort Hays State is continuing its annual tradition of playing into the weekend in Kansas City in early March. The Tigers are playing in the semifinals for the 11th time out of the last 12 years, four more than any other women's basketball team during that span. FHSU's streak of seven-straight semifinals is the longest active streak in the league.

This is FHSU's 15th trip to the MIAA Championship since joining the conference 18 years ago in 2006-07. The Tigers are 21-12 all-time in the tournament, including a 5-5 record in the semifinals, a 4-2 record as the No. 3 seed, a 2-6 record against the No. 2 seed and a 16-11 record inside Municipal Auditorium. This is the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and the Bearcats in the postseason.

MIAA Player of the Year&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/katie-wagner/7531">Katie Wagner</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers with 21 points in Friday's win over Central Missouri, including 10 points in the first quarter. The Maize, Kan. native has scored 131 points in nine career games in the MIAA Championship, 10 points shy of cracking the top 10 in tournament history. Her 493 points this season are tied for ninth-most in a single season in program history, while her career total of 1,656 points is one shy of tying for fourth place in FHSU women's basketball history.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/olivia-hollenbeck/7525">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;also climbed up FHSU's all-time scoring list Friday, totaling 19 points to move into 11th with 1,361 career points. The forward has scored in double figures in all seven of her career games against Northwest Missouri State, averaging 15.7 points per game against the Bearcats.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jessie-sallach/7529">Jessie Sallach</a>&nbsp;poured in a career-high three 3-pointers in Friday's win over Central Missouri, giving the senior 10 points in the game. She has scored in double figures three times in eight matchups with NWMSU.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/sydney-golladay/7524">Sydney Golladay</a>&nbsp;is now less than 10 assists away from moving into sixth all-time at Fort Hays State. The Fremont, Neb. native distributed a pair of assists against UCM Friday, giving the point guard 348 for her career.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/emma-ruddle/7528">Emma Ruddle</a>&nbsp;knocked down a critical 3-pointer for the Tigers late in Friday's victory. The senior has now hit a 3-pointer in four-straight games and six of the last seven contests. She leads the team with 40 long-range makes this season.

Fort Hays State is 22-11 all-time against the Bearcats, with the teams splitting a pair of neutral-site matchups over 30 years ago. Northwest Missouri State snapped a 10-game losing streak against FHSU with a win in the most recent matchup. The Tigers are 1-1 against the Bearcats under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/talia-kahrs/1225">Talia Kahrs</a>. This is the first-ever postseason meeting between FHSU and NWMSU.

Northwest Missouri State tied for second in the MIAA regular season standings with a league record of 16-6. The Bearcats opened the postseason with a decisive 64-42 win over Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA quarterfinals Thursday. NWMSU ranks eighth in the league in scoring, averaging 67.6 points per game, while the defense is third with an average of 59.4 points allowed per contest. Molly Hartnett (12.7 ppg) and Caely Kesten (12.5 ppg) both average in double figures in scoring. The Bearcats had three All-MIAA honorees, with Hartnett earning second team accolades, Kesten picking up third team honors and Jayna Green joining Wagner on the MIAA All-Defensive Team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710008088286.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State (23-6) vs. Northwest Missouri State (23-6) Saturday, March 9, 2024 • 2:15 p.m. Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal AuditoriumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;The MIAA Network&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The Fort Hays State women's basketball team continues its postseason run Saturday&nbsp; against Northwest Missouri State in the semifinal round of the 2024 MIAA Basketball Championship, presented by Southern Bank. The third-seeded Tigers (23-6) and No. 2 Bearcats (23-6) will clash in the second semifinal of the day, slated for a 2:15 opening tip inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.The winner of Saturday's contest will advance to the MIAA title game on Sunday (March 10, 1 p.m.) where they will meet up with the winner of the other semifinal, top-seeded Missouri Western and No. 5 Pittsburg State.The Tigers and Bearcats split the regular season series, with each team winning on its home floor. Northwest's win over the Tigers last month snapped a 10-game FHSU winning streak in the series.Fort Hays State earned its spot in the semifinals thanks to a&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/news/2024/3/8/womens-basketball-tops-jennies-in-miaa-quarterfinals.aspx">gritty 65-63 win</a>&nbsp;over sixth-seeded Central Missouri in the conference semifinals on Friday. Northwest Missouri State secured its first trip to the semifinals since 2011 with a convincing 64-42 win over Nebraska-Kearney Thursday afternoon .Fort Hays State is continuing its annual tradition of playing into the weekend in Kansas City in early March. The Tigers are playing in the semifinals for the 11th time out of the last 12 years, four more than any other women's basketball team during that span. FHSU's streak of seven-straight semifinals is the longest active streak in the league.This is FHSU's 15th trip to the MIAA Championship since joining the conference 18 years ago in 2006-07. The Tigers are 21-12 all-time in the tournament, including a 5-5 record in the semifinals, a 4-2 record as the No. 3 seed, a 2-6 record against the No. 2 seed and a 16-11 record inside Municipal Auditorium. This is the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and the Bearcats in the postseason.MIAA Player of the Year&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/katie-wagner/7531">Katie Wagner</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers with 21 points in Friday's win over Central Missouri, including 10 points in the first quarter. The Maize, Kan. native has scored 131 points in nine career games in the MIAA Championship, 10 points shy of cracking the top 10 in tournament history. Her 493 points this season are tied for ninth-most in a single season in program history, while her career total of 1,656 points is one shy of tying for fourth place in FHSU women's basketball history.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/olivia-hollenbeck/7525">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;also climbed up FHSU's all-time scoring list Friday, totaling 19 points to move into 11th with 1,361 career points. The forward has scored in double figures in all seven of her career games against Northwest Missouri State, averaging 15.7 points per game against the Bearcats.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jessie-sallach/7529">Jessie Sallach</a>&nbsp;poured in a career-high three 3-pointers in Friday's win over Central Missouri, giving the senior 10 points in the game. She has scored in double figures three times in eight matchups with NWMSU.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/sydney-golladay/7524">Sydney Golladay</a>&nbsp;is now less than 10 assists away from moving into sixth all-time at Fort Hays State. The Fremont, Neb. native distributed a pair of assists against UCM Friday, giving the point guard 348 for her career.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/emma-ruddle/7528">Emma Ruddle</a>&nbsp;knocked down a critical 3-pointer for the Tigers late in Friday's victory. The senior has now hit a 3-pointer in four-straight games and six of the last seven contests. She leads the team with 40 long-range makes this season.Fort Hays State is 22-11 all-time against the Bearcats, with the teams splitting a pair of neutral-site matchups over 30 years ago. Northwest Missouri State snapped a 10-game losing streak against FHSU with a win in the most recent matchup. The Tigers are 1-1 against the Bearcats under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/talia-kahrs/1225">Talia Kahrs</a>. This is the first-ever postseason meeting between FHSU and NWMSU.Northwest Missouri State tied for second in the MIAA regular season standings with a league record of 16-6. The Bearcats opened the postseason with a decisive 64-42 win over Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA quarterfinals Thursday. NWMSU ranks eighth in the league in scoring, averaging 67.6 points per game, while the defense is third with an average of 59.4 points allowed per contest. Molly Hartnett (12.7 ppg) and Caely Kesten (12.5 ppg) both average in double figures in scoring. The Bearcats had three All-MIAA honorees, with Hartnett earning second team accolades, Kesten picking up third team honors and Jayna Green joining Wagner on the MIAA All-Defensive Team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN - FHSU women take on Bearcats in MIAA semifinals

Saturday, March 9 KKQY: Quinter boys vs. Olpe, 11:45am KAYS: Kansas basketball at Houston, 1:30pm KHAZ: Northern Valley girls vs. Wallace County, 1:45pm KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 1:50pm KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Pittsburg State/Central Oklahoma, 7:45pm&nbsp;

Sunday, 3/10
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women (if win 3/9) at MIAA Finals, 12:35pm KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/9) at MIAA Finals, 3:00pm

Saturday, March 9 KKQY: Quinter boys vs. Olpe, 11:45am KAYS: Kansas basketball at Houston, 1:30pm KHAZ: Northern Valley girls vs. Wallace County, 1:45pm KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 1:50pm KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Pittsburg State/Central Oklahoma, 7:45pm&nbsp;Sunday, 3/10
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women (if win 3/9) at MIAA Finals, 12:35pm KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/9) at MIAA Finals, 3:00pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

Hays Post Saturday marks the final day of the state basketball tournament.

Eagle Radio will provide coverage of the the Northern Valley Huskies and the Quinter Bulldogs.

Below you can find broadcast times and links to listen online.

Northern Valley vs. Wallace Co. 2p.m. tipoff at Great Bend – <a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE on 99.5
KHAZ</a>

Quinter vs. Olpe 12p.m. tipoff at Colby -&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KKQY">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE on 101.9 The Bull.</a>

Hays Post Saturday marks the final day of the state basketball tournament.Eagle Radio will provide coverage of the the Northern Valley Huskies and the Quinter Bulldogs.Below you can find broadcast times and links to listen online.Northern Valley vs. Wallace Co. 2p.m. tipoff at Great Bend – <a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE on 99.5
KHAZ</a>Quinter vs. Olpe 12p.m. tipoff at Colby -&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KKQY">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE on 101.9 The Bull.</a>

🏀🎧: LISTEN Eagle Radio's state basketball coverage

Class 6A Semifinals SM South 65, BV North 49 Washburn Rural 69, Derby 62

Class 5A Semifinals Topeka Seaman 49, Andover 45 Maize South 55, Emporia 47

Class 4A Semifinals Bishop Miege 61, Fort Scott 32 McPherson 65, Wellington 56, OT

Class 3A Semifinals Silver Lake 64, Topeka Hayden 49 Hesston 40, Goodland 31

Class 2A Semifinals Riverside 53, Valley Heights 45 Wichita Independent 48, Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 40

Class 1A Division 1&nbsp;Semifinals Little River 50, Centralia 42 Frankfort 48, South Gray 31

Class 1A Division 2 Semifinals Hanover 56, Northern Valley 28 Lebo 47, Wallace County 36

Class 6A Semifinals SM Northwest 63, Mill Valley 51 Wichita Heights 74, Wichita Northwest 32

Class 5A Semifinals KC Piper 61, Maize South 55 Kapaun Mount Carmel 67, Highland Park 64, OT

Class 4A Semifinals McPherson 62, Baldwin 49 Hugoton 39, Atchison 38

Class 3A Semifinals Goodland 55, Southeast of Saline 38 Wellsville 68, Beloit 49

Class 2A Semifinals Lyndon 63, Salina Sacred Heart 56 Moundridge 56, Sterling 45

Class 1A Division 1 Semifinals Bishop Seabury 73, Quinter 45 South Gray 68, Olpe 62

Class 1A Division 2 Semifinals Cunningham 61, Dighton 58 Lebo 45, Axtell 38

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709736782254.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GIRLS KSHSAA STATE TOURNAMENTClass 6A Semifinals SM South 65, BV North 49 Washburn Rural 69, Derby 62Class 5A Semifinals Topeka Seaman 49, Andover 45 Maize South 55, Emporia 47Class 4A Semifinals Bishop Miege 61, Fort Scott 32 McPherson 65, Wellington 56, OTClass 3A Semifinals Silver Lake 64, Topeka Hayden 49 Hesston 40, Goodland 31Class 2A Semifinals Riverside 53, Valley Heights 45 Wichita Independent 48, Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 40Class 1A Division 1&nbsp;Semifinals Little River 50, Centralia 42 Frankfort 48, South Gray 31Class 1A Division 2 Semifinals Hanover 56, Northern Valley 28 Lebo 47, Wallace County 36BOYS KSHSAA STATE TOURNAMENTClass 6A Semifinals SM Northwest 63, Mill Valley 51 Wichita Heights 74, Wichita Northwest 32Class 5A Semifinals KC Piper 61, Maize South 55 Kapaun Mount Carmel 67, Highland Park 64, OTClass 4A Semifinals McPherson 62, Baldwin 49 Hugoton 39, Atchison 38Class 3A Semifinals Goodland 55, Southeast of Saline 38 Wellsville 68, Beloit 49Class 2A Semifinals Lyndon 63, Salina Sacred Heart 56 Moundridge 56, Sterling 45Class 1A Division 1 Semifinals Bishop Seabury 73, Quinter 45 South Gray 68, Olpe 62Class 1A Division 2 Semifinals Cunningham 61, Dighton 58 Lebo 45, Axtell 38

🏀 Friday's State Tournament scores

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team secured its seventh-consecutive trip to the MIAA Championship semifinals with a 65-63 win over Central Missouri Friday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the 2024 MIAA Championship, presented by Southern Bank.

The Tigers (23-6) never trailed in the contest and hit 50 percent from the floor (22-of-44) while the Tiger defense forced 12 steals, blocked five shots and held the Jennies (21-8) to a season-low shooting percentage of 36.1 percent (22-of-61).Fort Hays State, seeded third in the tournament, took the lead on its first possession of the game when MIAA Player of the Year Katie Wagner&nbsp;dropped in a driving layup. UCM, the No. 6 seed, tied the score at 2-2 and again at 4-4 before the Tigers took the lead for good on a 3-pointer from Jessie Sallach.

Wagner scored the next six points for FHSU before Sallach buried another 3-pointer, giving the Callaway, Neb. native multiple 3-pointers for a second-consecutive game. Wagner followed with her ninth and 10th points of the game from the free-throw line, putting the Tigers up nine, 19-10, before FHSU led 21-13 at the end of the first period.

Two early second-quarter baskets from Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;helped the Tigers push the lead to 10 before UCM went on an 8-1 run to close within one possession, 26-23. Sallach helped FHSU bounce back with her third 3-pointer of the game, a new single game career-best for 3-pointers made.

Sallach's third triple kickstarted a 7-0 Tiger run that was anchored by a 3-pointer from Megan Earney&nbsp;that put the Tigers back up by 10, 33-23. The Jennies scored four of the final six points of the half to close within eight at halftime, 35-27.Central Missouri pulled within four early in the second half before an 8-0 Tiger run pushed the FHSU lead to a game-high 12 points midway through the third quarter, 45-33. Wagner opened the run with a jumper before Sydney Golladay&nbsp;scored her first points of the game with a step-back jumper. Hollenbeck followed with the next four points to put the Tigers up by 12.

The Jennies punched back by scoring the next eight points before a Katie Wagner&nbsp;basket pushed the lead back to seven. UCM scored the final bucket of the third quarter, closing within 48-43.

The teams traded baskets to start the fourth quarter, with FHSU hitting 4-of-6 over the first five minutes and UCM knocking down 3-of-5 from the floor. An Emma Ruddle&nbsp;3-pointer from right in front of the Tiger bench stretched the lead back to seven with 6:10 on the clock, 56-49.The Tigers then hit four of their next five free throws to push the lead back to double figures with 3:06 remaining, 62-51. The FHSU defense forced three turnovers and two missed shots over a three-minute span, giving the offense an opportunity to score six-straight to pad the lead to 11.Central Missouri made one final push, outscoring the Tigers 12-3 over the final three minutes close within two.

Fort Hays State made one final defensive stand, forcing the Jennies to miss its final three shots over the final eight seconds with a chance to tie the score. Sallach blocked the first attempt out of bounds before UCM had two shots rattle out in the final three seconds.

After scoring 10 points in the first quarter, Wagner finished with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season and her second-straight double-double in a postseason game. Wagner added five steals and four assists in the win. Hollenbeck totaled 19 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, pulling within two blocks of second-most all-time at Fort Hays State.

Sallach scored 10 points off the bench on 3-of-3 shooting while adding three rebounds and one block. Ruddle totaled six points, all in the fourth quarter, and added two steals and one block on defense. Ellie Stearns and Brooke Loewe&nbsp;each distributed three assists.

Fort Hays State scored 16 points off 16 UCM turnovers while the Tigers outscored UCM off the bench, 16-9. The Tigers hit 41.7 percent from behind the arc (5-of-12).

The Tigers will play in the semifinals for a seventh-consecutive season on Saturday (March 9) when FHSU battles No. 2 seed Northwest Missouri State beginning at 2:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium. The winner of that contest will take on either No. 1 seed Missouri Western or fifth-seeded Pittsburg State in the MIAA Championship game Sunday (March 10) at 1 p.m.Fort Hays State has the longest active streak of semifinal appearances in the MIAA, while the Tigers have reached semifinal Saturday in 11 of the last 12 tournaments, four more than any other school during that span.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709944609758.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Jessie Sallach (40) goes up for a shot against Central Missouri's Charley Bovaird (21) and Gracen Holden (20) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Friday, March 8, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Jessie Sallach (40) goes up for a shot against Central Missouri's Charley Bovaird (21) and Gracen Holden (20) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Friday, March 8, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team secured its seventh-consecutive trip to the MIAA Championship semifinals with a 65-63 win over Central Missouri Friday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the 2024 MIAA Championship, presented by Southern Bank.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1769450301&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-coach-interview-v-central-miss-march-8th-2024" title="Talia Kahrs Postgame vs. Central Missouri (March 8, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs Postgame vs. Central Missouri (March 8, 2024)</a></div></div>The Tigers (23-6) never trailed in the contest and hit 50 percent from the floor (22-of-44) while the Tiger defense forced 12 steals, blocked five shots and held the Jennies (21-8) to a season-low shooting percentage of 36.1 percent (22-of-61).Fort Hays State, seeded third in the tournament, took the lead on its first possession of the game when MIAA Player of the Year Katie Wagner&nbsp;dropped in a driving layup. UCM, the No. 6 seed, tied the score at 2-2 and again at 4-4 before the Tigers took the lead for good on a 3-pointer from Jessie Sallach.Wagner scored the next six points for FHSU before Sallach buried another 3-pointer, giving the Callaway, Neb. native multiple 3-pointers for a second-consecutive game. Wagner followed with her ninth and 10th points of the game from the free-throw line, putting the Tigers up nine, 19-10, before FHSU led 21-13 at the end of the first period.Two early second-quarter baskets from Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;helped the Tigers push the lead to 10 before UCM went on an 8-1 run to close within one possession, 26-23. Sallach helped FHSU bounce back with her third 3-pointer of the game, a new single game career-best for 3-pointers made.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1769450169&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-highlights-v-central-miss-march-8th-2024" title="Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Central Missouri (March 8, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Central Missouri (March 8, 2024)</a></div></div>Sallach's third triple kickstarted a 7-0 Tiger run that was anchored by a 3-pointer from Megan Earney&nbsp;that put the Tigers back up by 10, 33-23. The Jennies scored four of the final six points of the half to close within eight at halftime, 35-27.Central Missouri pulled within four early in the second half before an 8-0 Tiger run pushed the FHSU lead to a game-high 12 points midway through the third quarter, 45-33. Wagner opened the run with a jumper before Sydney Golladay&nbsp;scored her first points of the game with a step-back jumper. Hollenbeck followed with the next four points to put the Tigers up by 12.The Jennies punched back by scoring the next eight points before a Katie Wagner&nbsp;basket pushed the lead back to seven. UCM scored the final bucket of the third quarter, closing within 48-43.The teams traded baskets to start the fourth quarter, with FHSU hitting 4-of-6 over the first five minutes and UCM knocking down 3-of-5 from the floor. An Emma Ruddle&nbsp;3-pointer from right in front of the Tiger bench stretched the lead back to seven with 6:10 on the clock, 56-49.The Tigers then hit four of their next five free throws to push the lead back to double figures with 3:06 remaining, 62-51. The FHSU defense forced three turnovers and two missed shots over a three-minute span, giving the offense an opportunity to score six-straight to pad the lead to 11.Central Missouri made one final push, outscoring the Tigers 12-3 over the final three minutes close within two.Fort Hays State made one final defensive stand, forcing the Jennies to miss its final three shots over the final eight seconds with a chance to tie the score. Sallach blocked the first attempt out of bounds before UCM had two shots rattle out in the final three seconds.After scoring 10 points in the first quarter, Wagner finished with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season and her second-straight double-double in a postseason game. Wagner added five steals and four assists in the win. Hollenbeck totaled 19 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, pulling within two blocks of second-most all-time at Fort Hays State.Sallach scored 10 points off the bench on 3-of-3 shooting while adding three rebounds and one block. Ruddle totaled six points, all in the fourth quarter, and added two steals and one block on defense. Ellie Stearns and Brooke Loewe&nbsp;each distributed three assists.Fort Hays State scored 16 points off 16 UCM turnovers while the Tigers outscored UCM off the bench, 16-9. The Tigers hit 41.7 percent from behind the arc (5-of-12).UP NEXTThe Tigers will play in the semifinals for a seventh-consecutive season on Saturday (March 9) when FHSU battles No. 2 seed Northwest Missouri State beginning at 2:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium. The winner of that contest will take on either No. 1 seed Missouri Western or fifth-seeded Pittsburg State in the MIAA Championship game Sunday (March 10) at 1 p.m.Fort Hays State has the longest active streak of semifinal appearances in the MIAA, while the Tigers have reached semifinal Saturday in 11 of the last 12 tournaments, four more than any other school during that span.

🏀 Tiger women hold off Central Missouri in MIAA quarterfinals

By Jonathan Zweygardt Hays Post

The TMP-Marian girls basketball program will have a new coach heading into next season.

While the school would not confirm the personnel move, the
position has been posted on the state's Educate Jobs website. 

Rose McFarland had served as the head coach of the TMP girls
basketball program for the past 12 seasons and a total of 17 seasons where she
amassed a record of 257-107. 

She surpassed the 400 win mark for her career earlier this season
and has a career record of 407-219 in 27 years as a head varsity coach.

TMP-Marian Athletic Director James Harris said he could not
comment on personnel matters. 

McFarland was unavailable for comment on Friday at the time
this story was published. &nbsp;

By Jonathan Zweygardt Hays PostThe TMP-Marian girls basketball program will have a new coach heading into next season.While the school would not confirm the personnel move, the
position has been posted on the state's Educate Jobs website. Rose McFarland had served as the head coach of the TMP girls
basketball program for the past 12 seasons and a total of 17 seasons where she
amassed a record of 257-107. She surpassed the 400 win mark for her career earlier this season
and has a career record of 407-219 in 27 years as a head varsity coach.TMP-Marian Athletic Director James Harris said he could not
comment on personnel matters. McFarland was unavailable for comment on Friday at the time
this story was published. &nbsp;

🏀TMP-Marian begins search for new girls basketball coach

The TMP-Marian Monarchs had three boys and two girls named
to the 2024 All Mid-Continent League teams released Friday by the league.

TMP’s Brooke Koenigsman was one of two juniors named to the
girls first-team.

Koenigsman averaged a team-high 16 points and six rebounds per
game. She was a second-team selection as a sophomore.

She is joined on the first team by fellow junior, Hoxie’s
Emily Bainter and senior Josey Kennedy. Kennedy was also a first-team selection
last season. Bainter was named to the honorable mention team as a sophomore.

Also on the first team was Smith Center’s Dakota Kattenberg
and Jenessa Ruder from Norton. Both were second-team selections last season.

You can see the complete list of all-league selections below.

TMP’s Gracyn Schippers was an honorable mention selection.

The TMP boys had two three-team picks. Sophomore Caden
Dinkel and freshman Ty Schmeidler earned that honor.

Senior Griffin Schumacher was an honorable mention
selection.

Norton’s Roman Hauser and Eli Jones were named to the first
team along with Plainville’s JD Dintino, Hill City’s Dylan Gansel and
Phillipsburg Rad Rodriguez. 

Hays PostThe TMP-Marian Monarchs had three boys and two girls named
to the 2024 All Mid-Continent League teams released Friday by the league.TMP’s Brooke Koenigsman was one of two juniors named to the
girls first-team.Koenigsman averaged a team-high 16 points and six rebounds per
game. She was a second-team selection as a sophomore.She is joined on the first team by fellow junior, Hoxie’s
Emily Bainter and senior Josey Kennedy. Kennedy was also a first-team selection
last season. Bainter was named to the honorable mention team as a sophomore.Also on the first team was Smith Center’s Dakota Kattenberg
and Jenessa Ruder from Norton. Both were second-team selections last season.You can see the complete list of all-league selections below.TMP’s Gracyn Schippers was an honorable mention selection.The TMP boys had two three-team picks. Sophomore Caden
Dinkel and freshman Ty Schmeidler earned that honor.Senior Griffin Schumacher was an honorable mention
selection.Norton’s Roman Hauser and Eli Jones were named to the first
team along with Plainville’s JD Dintino, Hill City’s Dylan Gansel and
Phillipsburg Rad Rodriguez.

🏀 TMP lands three boys and two girls on MCL teams

By BRETT MARSHALL Western Athletic Conference

Work ethic pays off for Dodge City girls’ wrestlers to win WAC

Great Bend’s Gomez caps off Sr. year with state title, WOY

When the Dodge City High School girls’ wrestling program organized for the 2019-2020 season, nobody really knew just how fast the sport would grow, not only locally, but regionally, statewide and nationally.

But one thing is for certain, the DCHS program has developed into one of the premier programs in the Sunflower State, along with 6-5A rivals Garden City, Hays, Great Bend, and Liberal.

That would be the five-school Western Athletic Conference.

In the three years that the WAC has recognized girls’ wrestling at the varsity level as part of the conference’s Champions Cup standings, DCHS coach Tate Lowe has never seen his team lose a conference dual.

The 12-0 spotless record continued in the 2024 round-robin format for the Demons as they swept past all four conference opponents.

In this year’s round-robin, which usually includes two home and two away matches, the Demons defeated Liberal (62-18), Garden City (48-34), Hays (54-19) and Great Bend (48-30).

“I think a lot of success is a credit to our kids,” said Lowe, also named WAC Coach of the Year for the sport. “We have had a core group of girls who have passed their early success down to our current group. All of them have put in a lot of hard work.”

It’s not an easy road through the WAC to the conference title, Lowe said.

“I think the WAC is the toughest league in the state in the big classifications,” he said. “Just look at how we did at the state.”

Indeed, at the recent 6-5A state tournament at Park City’s Hartman Arena, Garden City took second, Dodge City third, Great Bend eighth, Hays 10th and Liberal 12th. There were 57 teams competing.

In the five seasons of state competition, the Demons have gone from not placing in the top 10 teams to a fourth (2021), first (2022), and two thirds (2023 and 2024) in the team standings.

“One of the reasons for our success is the kids believe in themselves,” Lowe said. “Dodge City and the other schools in the WAC are blue-collar communities and we have blue-collar kids who are hard workers with a great work ethic.”

Lowe described his wrestlers in more detail, talking about what separates the WAC teams from many others.

“Our kids are tough and don’t give up,” Lowe said. “It’s a sport that requires toughness. We do things in practice that focus on both the physical and mental part of grinding all the way to the end of the match. You can see it when our kids are competing.”

As the sport grows, Lowe said he eventually sees Classes 6-5A splitting into two classes to reflect and compare to the boys’ divisions.

“We had such a tough regional that some of the fourth and fifth place finishers there were good enough to be competing at state,” Lowe said. “Perhaps one day, we’ll see it split into two super regionals like the boys (8 qualifiers advance in that division).”

Lowe said he has developed a good relationship with the other schools’ coaches and sees it as a lot of fun, but also important to the success all teams have beyond the conference.

“It’s a fun conference to be a part of and I have great respect for them (other coaches),” Lowe said. “When you win in the WAC, you know you’ve accomplished something important. I think we’ve shown that you can be competitors but also be friendly. We have a lot of camaraderie in the conference.”

To develop a full roster of 14 wrestlers, Lowe has seen some of his girls wrestle up one weight division, thus being among the lightest in those weights.

“We have a lot of girls who just want to compete, and they’ll do what they can to get into the lineup,” Lowe said. “We just shuffle the girls around to find the best place for them.”

Lowe is excited for the 2024-2025 season as he graduates just one senior. State champion Ashley Alonso (110-pounds, 36-1) headlines the group of returners. He also had a runner-up and third-place finisher at the state tourney.

“We are not the only team that is young,” Lowe said. “The other schools have a lot of good, young wrestlers too, so I know it will be super competitive again next season.”

DAIZY GOMEZ, GREAT BEND, Sr.WAC GIRLS WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

Getting to the top of your sports accomplishment by winning a state championship is certainly a long and winding road, marked by potential detours and potholes.

Daizy Gomez of Great Bend knows this all too well, but the Lady Panther 130-pound senior, overcame some of those obstacles in her final campaign to capture the Class 6-5A state title, while also winning the Western Athletic Conference title during the four-match, round-robin format employed by the conference.

As a result of her 38-3 record, a state championship and the WAC title, Gomez was voted 2024 WAC Girls’ Wrestler of the Year.

In her freshman year, when only eight wrestlers qualified statewide, she failed to reach the finals. In her sophomore and junior years she placed fourth. She was determined to make her senior year a different outcome.

“Winning state was my No. 1 goal,” Gomez said in a recent interview. “Getting the WAC Wrestler of the Year is pretty cool, too. There are some outstanding wrestlers in our league.”

The postseason laurels didn’t come easily as she and rival Ariana De La Rosa of Dodge City went head-to-head four times this season, with each winning twice.

De La Rosa won a December match in the Christmas Clash hosted by Great Bend by an 11-2 major decision. Turning the calendar to 2024, Gomez responded with a pin of De La Rosa in the WAC dual at the 2:27 mark and then duplicated the win by pinning De La Rosa just 0:54 seconds into the final match of the Dodge City Invitational.

When the Class 6-5A regional brackets were set, the two WAC rivals were on opposite sides of the bracket and met in the finals where De La Rose eked out a 5-4 decision.

That put them on opposite sides of the 6-5A state tourney bracket. What had been anticipated as a rematch (fifth of the season) didn’t materialize as De La Rosa was defeated in the semifinals while Gomez advanced to the final and then won her first state crown with a pin of Gracie Oppeau of Spring Hill at the 2:29 mark of the second period.

“There’s always that part of me that wishes we (Ariana) could have wrestled in the finals,” Gomez said. “But things didn’t work out that way.”

In a twist of irony, Oppeau had defeated De La Rosa in her half of the semifinal bracket with a pin at 3:57 of the second. De La Rosa had been dominating Oppeau at the time, leading 11-3, before Oppeau got the stunning pin. Also, Gomez had pinned Oppeau at the Topeka-Washburn Rural Invitational earlier in the year, so she knew quite a lot about her finals’ opponent.

“She was super flexible and I thought would be difficult to turn,” Gomez said. “I used one of my best moves (chicken wing). I use my left arm to hold hers and crush it, the grab the right wrist and turn it and then keep pushing until I get her turned over.”

It all worked out perfect for Gomez and she said at the moment of victory she wasn’t sure how she would react. She immediately jumped into the arms of her coach, Gannon Reichart, to celebrate.

“I always wondered how I would react and I didn’t know if I’d do some crazy thing,” Gomez said. “I just felt happy that things worked out the way they did.”

That would have been quite a rematch with Gomez and De La Rosa. But it wasn’t meant to be. De La Rosa went on to place third at the state. Gomez was dominating against Oppeau, leading 7-1 when she pinned her finals’ opponent.

Gomez plans to continue her wrestling career at Friends University in Wichita and pursue a degree in business and arts with a focus on interior design while including a pursuit of a real estate license.

“These are things I want to see how they develop,” Gomez said. “I’m excited to see what happens at the next level.”

She began her wrestling career in the eighth grade, but said it wasn’t until she was a junior that she actually grabbed hold of many concepts to make her the successful wrestler she became.

“Honestly, I was pretty clueless at first about wrestling,” Gomez said. “My junior and senior years I just stepped it up.”

Things paid off in big dividends for the Lady Panther and she will have the memories for the years to come.

The overall depth of qualify wrestlers comes perhaps in the fact that four different individuals from four different WAC schools collect state championships this season.&nbsp;

In addition to Gomez at 130, Ashley Alonso of Dodge City won the 110-pound class; Maya Tarbet of Garden City won her second straight state title at 125 pounds, and Hayleen Martinez of Liberal won the 190-pound division.

On the first-team all-WAC list are five Dodge City wrestlers, three from Liberal and two each from Garden City, Great Bend and Hays. That reflects the balance and the toughness of the WAC girls’ wrestling programs in 2024 and likely beyond.

100 Elizabeth Ramirez 10 Dodge City 105 Isabela Gutierrez 11 Liberal 110 Ashley Alonso 11 Dodge City 115 Crystal Loera 9 Garden City 120 Tionna Napue 11 Hays 125 Maya Tarbet 11 Garden City 130 *Daizy Gomez 12 Great Bend 135 Hailey Ramos 11 Dodge City 140 Lexi Burton 12 Hays 145 Yareli Garcia 10 Dodge City 155 Liliana Arroyo 10 Dodge City 170 Kirra Stevens 11 Great Bend 190 Hayleen Martinez 11 Liberal 235 Aileen Figueroa 9 Liberal

100 Kaira Acosta 10 Garden City&nbsp; 105 Camdyn Post 9 Great Bend 110 Marina Loera 9 Garden City 115 Madison Poulson 9 Hays 120 Alytia Serrano 11 Garden City 125 Kaylea McMullen 10 Great Bend 130 Ariana De La Rosa 12 Dodge City 135 Katie Gutierrez 12 Hays 140 Amaya Caro 11 Garden City 145 Timber Lovewell 9 Hays 155 Lexi Barnett 10 Hays 170 Erika Sandoval 9 Dodge City 190 Natalee Daniel 10 Great Bend 235 Maribel Castro 10 Dodge City

By BRETT MARSHALL Western Athletic Conference<h2>Work ethic pays off for Dodge City girls’ wrestlers to win WAC</h2><h2>Great Bend’s Gomez caps off Sr. year with state title, WOY</h2>When the Dodge City High School girls’ wrestling program organized for the 2019-2020 season, nobody really knew just how fast the sport would grow, not only locally, but regionally, statewide and nationally.But one thing is for certain, the DCHS program has developed into one of the premier programs in the Sunflower State, along with 6-5A rivals Garden City, Hays, Great Bend, and Liberal.That would be the five-school Western Athletic Conference.In the three years that the WAC has recognized girls’ wrestling at the varsity level as part of the conference’s Champions Cup standings, DCHS coach Tate Lowe has never seen his team lose a conference dual.The 12-0 spotless record continued in the 2024 round-robin format for the Demons as they swept past all four conference opponents.In this year’s round-robin, which usually includes two home and two away matches, the Demons defeated Liberal (62-18), Garden City (48-34), Hays (54-19) and Great Bend (48-30).“I think a lot of success is a credit to our kids,” said Lowe, also named WAC Coach of the Year for the sport. “We have had a core group of girls who have passed their early success down to our current group. All of them have put in a lot of hard work.”It’s not an easy road through the WAC to the conference title, Lowe said.“I think the WAC is the toughest league in the state in the big classifications,” he said. “Just look at how we did at the state.”Indeed, at the recent 6-5A state tournament at Park City’s Hartman Arena, Garden City took second, Dodge City third, Great Bend eighth, Hays 10th and Liberal 12th. There were 57 teams competing.In the five seasons of state competition, the Demons have gone from not placing in the top 10 teams to a fourth (2021), first (2022), and two thirds (2023 and 2024) in the team standings.“One of the reasons for our success is the kids believe in themselves,” Lowe said. “Dodge City and the other schools in the WAC are blue-collar communities and we have blue-collar kids who are hard workers with a great work ethic.”Lowe described his wrestlers in more detail, talking about what separates the WAC teams from many others.“Our kids are tough and don’t give up,” Lowe said. “It’s a sport that requires toughness. We do things in practice that focus on both the physical and mental part of grinding all the way to the end of the match. You can see it when our kids are competing.”As the sport grows, Lowe said he eventually sees Classes 6-5A splitting into two classes to reflect and compare to the boys’ divisions.“We had such a tough regional that some of the fourth and fifth place finishers there were good enough to be competing at state,” Lowe said. “Perhaps one day, we’ll see it split into two super regionals like the boys (8 qualifiers advance in that division).”Lowe said he has developed a good relationship with the other schools’ coaches and sees it as a lot of fun, but also important to the success all teams have beyond the conference.“It’s a fun conference to be a part of and I have great respect for them (other coaches),” Lowe said. “When you win in the WAC, you know you’ve accomplished something important. I think we’ve shown that you can be competitors but also be friendly. We have a lot of camaraderie in the conference.”To develop a full roster of 14 wrestlers, Lowe has seen some of his girls wrestle up one weight division, thus being among the lightest in those weights.“We have a lot of girls who just want to compete, and they’ll do what they can to get into the lineup,” Lowe said. “We just shuffle the girls around to find the best place for them.”Lowe is excited for the 2024-2025 season as he graduates just one senior. State champion Ashley Alonso (110-pounds, 36-1) headlines the group of returners. He also had a runner-up and third-place finisher at the state tourney.“We are not the only team that is young,” Lowe said. “The other schools have a lot of good, young wrestlers too, so I know it will be super competitive again next season.”DAIZY GOMEZ, GREAT BEND, Sr.WAC GIRLS WRESTLER OF THE YEARGetting to the top of your sports accomplishment by winning a state championship is certainly a long and winding road, marked by potential detours and potholes.Daizy Gomez of Great Bend knows this all too well, but the Lady Panther 130-pound senior, overcame some of those obstacles in her final campaign to capture the Class 6-5A state title, while also winning the Western Athletic Conference title during the four-match, round-robin format employed by the conference.As a result of her 38-3 record, a state championship and the WAC title, Gomez was voted 2024 WAC Girls’ Wrestler of the Year.In her freshman year, when only eight wrestlers qualified statewide, she failed to reach the finals. In her sophomore and junior years she placed fourth. She was determined to make her senior year a different outcome.“Winning state was my No. 1 goal,” Gomez said in a recent interview. “Getting the WAC Wrestler of the Year is pretty cool, too. There are some outstanding wrestlers in our league.”The postseason laurels didn’t come easily as she and rival Ariana De La Rosa of Dodge City went head-to-head four times this season, with each winning twice.De La Rosa won a December match in the Christmas Clash hosted by Great Bend by an 11-2 major decision. Turning the calendar to 2024, Gomez responded with a pin of De La Rosa in the WAC dual at the 2:27 mark and then duplicated the win by pinning De La Rosa just 0:54 seconds into the final match of the Dodge City Invitational.When the Class 6-5A regional brackets were set, the two WAC rivals were on opposite sides of the bracket and met in the finals where De La Rose eked out a 5-4 decision.That put them on opposite sides of the 6-5A state tourney bracket. What had been anticipated as a rematch (fifth of the season) didn’t materialize as De La Rosa was defeated in the semifinals while Gomez advanced to the final and then won her first state crown with a pin of Gracie Oppeau of Spring Hill at the 2:29 mark of the second period.“There’s always that part of me that wishes we (Ariana) could have wrestled in the finals,” Gomez said. “But things didn’t work out that way.”In a twist of irony, Oppeau had defeated De La Rosa in her half of the semifinal bracket with a pin at 3:57 of the second. De La Rosa had been dominating Oppeau at the time, leading 11-3, before Oppeau got the stunning pin. Also, Gomez had pinned Oppeau at the Topeka-Washburn Rural Invitational earlier in the year, so she knew quite a lot about her finals’ opponent.“She was super flexible and I thought would be difficult to turn,” Gomez said. “I used one of my best moves (chicken wing). I use my left arm to hold hers and crush it, the grab the right wrist and turn it and then keep pushing until I get her turned over.”It all worked out perfect for Gomez and she said at the moment of victory she wasn’t sure how she would react. She immediately jumped into the arms of her coach, Gannon Reichart, to celebrate.“I always wondered how I would react and I didn’t know if I’d do some crazy thing,” Gomez said. “I just felt happy that things worked out the way they did.”That would have been quite a rematch with Gomez and De La Rosa. But it wasn’t meant to be. De La Rosa went on to place third at the state. Gomez was dominating against Oppeau, leading 7-1 when she pinned her finals’ opponent.Gomez plans to continue her wrestling career at Friends University in Wichita and pursue a degree in business and arts with a focus on interior design while including a pursuit of a real estate license.“These are things I want to see how they develop,” Gomez said. “I’m excited to see what happens at the next level.”She began her wrestling career in the eighth grade, but said it wasn’t until she was a junior that she actually grabbed hold of many concepts to make her the successful wrestler she became.“Honestly, I was pretty clueless at first about wrestling,” Gomez said. “My junior and senior years I just stepped it up.”Things paid off in big dividends for the Lady Panther and she will have the memories for the years to come.The overall depth of qualify wrestlers comes perhaps in the fact that four different individuals from four different WAC schools collect state championships this season.&nbsp;In addition to Gomez at 130, Ashley Alonso of Dodge City won the 110-pound class; Maya Tarbet of Garden City won her second straight state title at 125 pounds, and Hayleen Martinez of Liberal won the 190-pound division.On the first-team all-WAC list are five Dodge City wrestlers, three from Liberal and two each from Garden City, Great Bend and Hays. That reflects the balance and the toughness of the WAC girls’ wrestling programs in 2024 and likely beyond.<h2>First Team All-Conference Selections</h2>100 Elizabeth Ramirez 10 Dodge City 105 Isabela Gutierrez 11 Liberal 110 Ashley Alonso 11 Dodge City 115 Crystal Loera 9 Garden City 120 Tionna Napue 11 Hays 125 Maya Tarbet 11 Garden City 130 *Daizy Gomez 12 Great Bend 135 Hailey Ramos 11 Dodge City 140 Lexi Burton 12 Hays 145 Yareli Garcia 10 Dodge City 155 Liliana Arroyo 10 Dodge City 170 Kirra Stevens 11 Great Bend 190 Hayleen Martinez 11 Liberal 235 Aileen Figueroa 9 Liberal* WAC Wrestler of the Year<h2>Second Team All-Conference Selections</h2>100 Kaira Acosta 10 Garden City&nbsp; 105 Camdyn Post 9 Great Bend 110 Marina Loera 9 Garden City 115 Madison Poulson 9 Hays 120 Alytia Serrano 11 Garden City 125 Kaylea McMullen 10 Great Bend 130 Ariana De La Rosa 12 Dodge City 135 Katie Gutierrez 12 Hays 140 Amaya Caro 11 Garden City 145 Timber Lovewell 9 Hays 155 Lexi Barnett 10 Hays 170 Erika Sandoval 9 Dodge City 190 Natalee Daniel 10 Great Bend 235 Maribel Castro 10 Dodge City

🤼‍♀️Hays lands six on WAC teams; Two on 1st team

WAC title(s) provide pathway to postseason success for Buffs

Hays’ unbeaten Zimmerman tabbed WAC Wrestler of the Year

When Carlos Prieto assumed the reins of the Garden City High School boys’ wrestling program in the 2012-2013 season, his first goal was to get the Buffs back on the road to success at the state tournament.

The program had not experienced a state championship since 1999, and only a smattering of wrestlers captured individual state titles during that time frame. Success in the WAC had also been sparse with one outright and one shared team title in the previous seven seasons.

The path to that success would eventually lead to success in the Western Athletic Conference’s round-robin dual matches that determine the conference champion each year.

Having just completed his 12th season at the Buffaloes’ helm, Prieto watched his boys capture their eighth conference title with a 4-0 record.&nbsp;

The dual match wins came against Liberal (65-12), Great Bend (37-33), Hays (50-26) and rival Dodge City (56-12). The Great Bend match came down to the final two bouts at 215 and 285 pounds. The Buffs, who been short-handed due to injury and illness, trailed 33-28.

Junior David Holguin secured a 3-point decision at 215 pounds and senior Sebastian Lopez clinched the Buffs’ dramatic victory with a pin at 285 pounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709929431713.jpeg" alt="HHS 2024-Boys-Wrestling-POY.jpg" />
 <figcaption>HHS 2024-Boys-Wrestling-POY.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRETT MARSHALL Western Athletic Conference<h2>WAC title(s) provide pathway to postseason success for Buffs</h2><h2>Hays’ unbeaten Zimmerman tabbed WAC Wrestler of the Year</h2>When Carlos Prieto assumed the reins of the Garden City High School boys’ wrestling program in the 2012-2013 season, his first goal was to get the Buffs back on the road to success at the state tournament.The program had not experienced a state championship since 1999, and only a smattering of wrestlers captured individual state titles during that time frame. Success in the WAC had also been sparse with one outright and one shared team title in the previous seven seasons.The path to that success would eventually lead to success in the Western Athletic Conference’s round-robin dual matches that determine the conference champion each year.Having just completed his 12th season at the Buffaloes’ helm, Prieto watched his boys capture their eighth conference title with a 4-0 record.&nbsp;The dual match wins came against Liberal (65-12), Great Bend (37-33), Hays (50-26) and rival Dodge City (56-12). The Great Bend match came down to the final two bouts at 215 and 285 pounds. The Buffs, who been short-handed due to injury and illness, trailed 33-28.Junior David Holguin secured a 3-point decision at 215 pounds and senior Sebastian Lopez clinched the Buffs’ dramatic victory with a pin at 285 pounds.“Great Bend had a really good team with a lot of depth,” Prieto said of the Panthers. “The big thing during the dual season is to be healthy. You need everyone to wrestle to give yourself the best chance to win. For the most part, we were healthy for most of the duals.”Prieto, who has guided the Buffs to four Class 6A state team championships and six other top five finishes, says he always points to his team peaking at the regionals and state, so while the WAC is important, it is not the end-all.“I wouldn’t say it’s a high-water mark, but it is a goal that just comes naturally with the schedule,” Prieto said. “Don’t get me wrong, We’re happy to win WAC. But I think we always get a better sense of how our teams will do at state when we are competing in the bigger tournaments.”For only the second time in his dozen years, the Buffs came home from the state tournament without an individual champion. And yet, the Buffs had two runners-up, both juniors (Braydon Pacheco and Matt Long), and a third-place finish at 285 pounds in Lopez.“In the dual matches, you have to get your hammers in there to get pins for extra points,” Prieto said. “We were fortunate this year to have them in the early weights and then at the heavier weights. We bookended many of our duals that way.”Prieto also recognizes the historic quality of the WAC through the years, with many schools having a number of individual state champions.“You look back and you recognize that the league is really strong,” Prieto said. “Of the matches (duals) we had this year, the Great Bend one is the one that stands out. The crowd added to the excitement of the night.”HARLEY ZIMMERMAN, HAYS, SR.2024 WAC BOYS’ WRESTLER OF THE YEARWeight: 144; Record: 42-0/Class 5A State ChampionCareer Record: Won 138, Lost 15His high school career is now completed; it is easy to see the year-by-year progression of Harley Zimmerman’s improvement as a wrestler.He just finished his senior season with a dream campaign that was capped off with a Class 5A state title and finishing with an unblemished 42-0 record in the 144-pound weight class.His last time on the mat as a high schooler, though, was one that was filled with drama. He battled Kaden Allen of St. Thomas Aquinas through three periods before going into sudden victory overtime and recorded a takedown at 0:42 to capture the crown with a 5-3 decision.&nbsp;Zimmerman had won his first state title in his junior season with a 35-2 mark after a runner-up finish at 132 pounds in 2022 as a sophomore, where he went 41-3. His freshman year at 126 pounds saw him place fourth and finish a 20-7 season.&nbsp;“I think the reward comes from working hard in the practice room,” Zimmerman, who was chosen by the WAC’s coaches as the Boys’ Wrestler of the Year, said in a recent interview. “You strive to reach your goals, but you’ve got to put in the hard work or it doesn’t happen.”Zimmerman and Allen had faced each other earlier in the season, with Zimmerman winning that match, so he went into the championship match confident that he could do it again.“You just make a plan and go with it,” Zimmerman said. “I’d beaten him once and one of my buddies said&nbsp; I could do it again. You just have to have that positive mindset that you can do it.”In the concluding match, Zimmerman broke a 0-0 score after one period by taking the down position for period number two. He recorded and escape and then a takedown to go up 3-0 heading to the third period.With Allen selecting the same bottom position, Zimmerman was unable to keep him down and Allen got a 1-point escape. Then, for what Zimmerman said he believed was the first time he could remember, he was taken down from the neutral standing position.“It was a little bit of a surprise,” Zimmerman said. “He’s a really good wrestler (Allen is committed to the Navy). But I also knew going into overtime that all I had to do was to wait for the right moment to make my move. His shot into Allen came quickly and just like that he won his second state title and concluded a stellar prep career.”What awaits him in his future is still uncertain, Zimmerman says. He’s a top-notch bull rider in the rodeo ranks, and is hoping that whereever he lands, he can do both sports.“I’ve gotten some offers, but just haven’t made up my mind,” said Zimmernan, who helps on the family farm where they have cows and grow wheat and milo. “I’ll probably study ag business of some type and come back to the farm and help the family.”Zimmerman said he has always thought bull-riding was easier than wrestling, but both use some similar physical skills of strength and leverage. Which is safer? Zimmerman said he always thinks the bulls are more fun!“Wrestling practice is 10 times harder than practice on the bulls,” Zimmerman said. “But I”m just hoping to find the right school that will let me do both.”Zimmerman said he has been told by others that some of his strong attributes on the mat are his speed and quickness and ability to get a fast takedown.“I think one of my best moves is when I’m on the bottom and can make a quick switch,” Zimmerman said. “It has taken quite a long time to refine the move, but it’s been one of my go-to moves.”<h2>First Team All-Conference Selections</h2>106 Braydon Pacheco 11 Garden City 113 Elijah McCullough 12 Hays 120 Matt Long 11 Garden City 126 Raymond Hernandez 12 Dodge City 132 Kaiden Hoffman 12 Great Bend 138 Hayden Kelly 10 Great Bend 144 *Harley Zimmerman 12 Hays 150 Cooper Liles 12 Great Bend 157 Jace Schartz 11 Great Bend 165 Alan Flores 11 Dodge City 175 Jonathan Rigler 10 Hays 190 Trenton Kern 10 Great Bend 215 David Holguin 11 Garden City 285 Sebastian Lopez 12 Garden City<h2>Second Team All-Conference Selections</h2>106 Julian Orrantia 11 Liberal 113 Pace Plankenhorn 12 Garden City 120 Tristan Tomlinson 10 Great Bend 126 Zachary Long 10 Garden City 132 Dylan Wainscott 12 Dodge City 138 Ramses Ruiz 11 Dodge City 144 Logan Avalon 11 Garden City 150 Saben Herrera 11 Garden City 157 Corbin Luck 12 Hays 165 Ethan Allen 12 Garden City 175 Jayden Amaro 11 Dodge City 190 Ayden Juarez 11 Liberal 215 Matthew Johnson 12 Great Bend 285 Will Linenberger 12 Hays

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