By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — As the years pass by, it is becoming more difficult to remember a time when the Central Plains High School girls basketball team was not celebrating a state championship. What started with a late-game, baseline inbounds play against Jefferson County North at Bramlage Coliseum in 2014, continued this past Saturday at Barton Community College with a win over Golden Plains for another state title.
It wasn’t easy for Oilers’ coach Pat Stiles, with the game tied
going into the fourth quarter, but Central Plains found a way to win their 8th
straight championship.
"All we said going into the fourth quarter
was be patient, go side to side and good things will happen," said
Stiles. "They did it. They worked the ball a little bit. They refused to
lose. I could see it in their eyes. They weren't going to give this one
up."
The Lady Oilers have cruised to 20-plus win seasons, have won a Kansas-record 25
consecutive state playoff games and piled up a 229-5 record since 2014.
Stiles
understands the expectations for his team but also realizes the adversity his
team battled through.
"To see Madison (McGuire) sprain her ankle and battle through it," said
Stiles. "Brynna (Hammeke) had a bad back all year. We had Kassidy
(Nixon) puking in a trash can on the sideline. They're just warriors.
They refuse to lose."
Central Plains will graduate three seniors in May, including Nixon,
Kailynn Depperschmidt and McGuire.