Seaman, Silver Lake girls basketball win KSHSAA state championships

EMPORIA — Head coach Matt Tinsley has been preaching team basketball all season. Moving without the ball, setting good screens and playing unselfishly. He didn’t have to preach too much on Saturday as Vikings perfected all of those attributes in the 54-41 victory over Maize South in the Class 5A State Championship game.

“This is something that I have always wanted. Being a graduate of this school, we invested a lot into this and it’s nice to see the kids experience this,” Tinsley said. “I am proud to be their coach, I love them.”

The Vikings set the tone in the first half over the Mavericks en route to their first state title since 1991. They went on a 13-3 run in the second quarter to give themselves a 25-13 lead. Jaida Stallbaumer, Anna Becker and Maddie Gragg all hit 3-pointers during this run to send White Auditorium into a frenzy.

“It was out attitude coming into the tournament. We said, ‘we have nothing to lose, no pressure, let’s just have some fun,’” Becker said. “We were holding up the threes all over the place.”

The ball zipped around the 3-point line carving through Maize South’s zone defense. Seaman made them pay as they shot 35% from behind the 3-point line. When the Mavericks switched to a man-to-man defense, the low block was where the Vikings feasted. Ava Esser and Gragg were dominant as the team grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, 12 of them in the first half.

During the state tournament, Tinsley has been making the right adjustments and pushing the right buttons even if he denies the credit. Seaman outscored their opponents 57-28 in the third quarter alone.

Against Maize South, Seaman won the third quarter 18-11. The Vikings could not be stopped, it was their destiny to come away with the title. A late Mavericks run was thwarted by Seaman through precise passing and ball-handling skills that killed the clock.

As time expired, it wasn’t relief that some state champions feel, it was jubilation. The student section and fans alike funneled their way onto the floor hugging their favorite player. For senior Taylin Stallbaumer, it was her final game for the Vikings, but it couldn't have come at a better time and place.

“This is the best, every time hopes for this to win their last basketball game,” Taylin Stallbaumer said. “I think this was some of the best basketball that we’ve ever played.”

Three players reached double figures. Gragg led the way with 18 points, Becker followed with 15 and Jaida Stallbaumer scored 12. Gragg also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for the double-double.

When it mattered the most, Seaman played its best basketball at the perfect time culminating in a well-deserved championship. A title that many north Topekans were able to celebrate.

"I am so happy with how many people came here today and that we could get it for North Topeka,” Becker said. “I am just so proud of our team."

Topeka-area hoops: Three teams advance to KSHSAA state basketball championships

Silver Lake caps off undefeated season with Class 3A title

Words like flawless, perfection, immaculate, excellence can easily describe Silver Lake girls basketball. The Eagles were crowned the Class 3A State Champions following their 66-61 victory over Hesston on Saturday to finish undefeated at 26-0.

The coaching staff hugged tightly while the players jumped around in exaltation as the final horn blew inside the Hutchinson Sports Arena. It wasn’t an easy victory for Silver Lake. Hesston was a worthy opponent in keeping the game close throughout.

There were 11 lead changes as Silver Lake’s largest was nine points. The Eagles led 55-44 entering the fourth quarter. When the team needed key buckets, senior Makenzie McDaniel and sophomore Kailyn Hanni were there to lift the team.

McDaniel, the Emporia State signee, scored 25 points on 10-for-22 shooting. She also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Hanni was equally effective. The sophomore tied a game-high 26 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Hanni also went 14-for-15 from the free-throw line. She iced the game in the waning seconds to put Silver Lake ahead by multiple possessions.

It’s been true during the state tournament and all season, Silver Lake’s multiple threats on offense have been lethal. In the state title game, it was McDaniel and Hanni. But, McKinley Kruger, Kaibryn Kruger and Kaylee Dieter have all made important impacts when called upon.

“With our team, you can’t just stop one player. When teams overcompensate and put two-on-one, we’ve got to be able to find the open man and finish,” Silver Lake head coach Kyle Porter said on Friday night. “They have been doing that for the last four years.”

Silver Lake put all of it together in three days and was named the seventh state girls basketball champion in school history.  The undefeated record puts them into another echelon of greatness, one that will be remembered for their unselfishness in pursuit of a title.

KSHSAA state basketball: Scores, schedule, live updates from state tournament

Washburn Rural girls come up short in Class 6A state final

The third time was not the charm for Washburn Rural on Saturday. It was the team’s third straight trip to the Class 6A State Championship. The Junior Blues were defeated by Shawnee Mission South 47-37 as they had to settle for runner-up.

It was a defensive battle for both teams as points were hard to come by. Washburn Rural led for a total of 3:28 with their biggest lead of four points coming early in the third quarter. The Junior Blues shot just 32% from the field and 26.1% from behind the arc. Washburn Rural turned the ball over 17 times which did not allow for much of an offensive flow.

The duo of Zoe Canfield and Maddie Vickery were the only scorers to reach double-digits. Canfield finished with 18 points while Vickery added 11. This was the final game for Canfield before she heads to the University of Kansas to continue her basketball career.

Vickery, who is only a freshman, has been a bright spot for the Junior Blues all season. She averaged 19.7 points per game in the state tournament as her length and rebounding ability gave opponents fits.

“This one offensively is a little gifted,” Washburn Rural head coach Kevin Bordewick said about Vickery with a wry smile on Friday night.

The second-place finish for Washburn Rural marks back-to-back years taking the consolation prize. The Junior Blues did hoist the title in 2022.

Highland Park boys settle for third place

The third-place game showcases character and team culture more than anything. The Scots put aside their pride after a devastating semifinal loss to Kapaun Mt. Carmel on Friday night. They took down Maize South 66-55 on Saturday to finish as Class 5A’s bronze finisher.

Highland Park trailed by seven points in the final six minutes of the game, but they found a way to come away victorious. The Scots finished the game on a 20-4 run as Ja’Corey Robinson shined. Robinson, a junior, scored a team-high 19 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Head coach Mike Williams was most proud of his team’s effort in their season finale.

“When you sit back and you think about it, you can applaud and be happy with out we competed,” Williams said. “We were right there and it wasn’t because we didn’t give ourselves chances, we did that.”

Seniors Amari Taylor and Tamir Anderson shined for the Scots in their final game in uniform. Anderson finished with 14 points on 4-for-10 3-point shooting, while Taylor added 13 points.

It’s obviously difficult to win championships. It’s also hard to keep your team in contention year-after-year. This was the Scots second consecutive year taking third place and it’s all growing moments for the team according to Williams. It’s about putting themselves in these positions to later succeed, he shared.

“We will try to keep the kids sucked in and keep the a part of what we are doing,” Williams said. “The most important thing for us is that we show forth the best of our school and our community. Not just in the state tournament, but the whole year, the guys have done that.”

Hayden girls take third in Class 3A

Lastly, the Wildcats capped their season with a 50-39 victory over Goodland on Saturday. The win delivered third place to Hayden in Class 3A after losing to Silver Lake in Friday’s semifinal.

Hayden scored just three points in the first quarter, but they soon settled into the contest. They grabbed a 19-14 lead at half-time and never looked back. Hayden led by as much as 12 points in the fourth quarter. Hayden’s point guard Norma Greco led the team in scoring with 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting.

The defense for Hayden also performed at a high level. They forced 23 turnovers against Goodland which resulted in 20 points. Reagan Huscher, Avery Grunery and Lauren Sandstrom played their final game as seniors. The team wrapped up the season with a 21-5 record.

Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Two Topeka-area teams win basketball state championships