Both championship games from the class 2A sub-state in Ellis featured the number one seed versus number two. In the girl’s game it was a NWKL matchup between the Oakley lady Plainsmen and the Rawlins County Lady Buffaloes.
Rawlins County jumped out to an early 6-2 lead behind Hillary Chavatal who scored the first six points for Rawlins County. Oakley answered back with a 5-0 run of their own and took a 7-5 lead. With the game tied at nine Oakley went on a 6-2 run and built their lead to 16-15 after the first quarter . Oakley’s Laura Dennis had six first quarter points and Rawlins County’s Hillary Chavatal scored 12 of her game-high 24 in the first quarter. Oakley ended first and began the second quarter on a 10-4 run and built a 26-19 lead behind four from both Brooke Hemmert and Carrie Pilkington and led 26-21 at halftime.
Rawlins County got three-pointers from Keisha Green and Abbey Wolters and began the second half on a 10-4 and tied the game at 31. Marlee Rath hit a three-pointer and helped Oakley answer back with a 9-2 run and lead 40-33. Rawlins County cut the lead to 43-39 after three quarters and that would be the closest the Lady Buffs would get. Oakley closed out the fourth quarter outscoring Rawlins County 10-2 and picked up the 53-41 win.
Rawlins County’s Hillary Chavatal led all scorers with 24 . Oakley’s Laura Dennis scored a team-high 16 points, Brooke Hemmert added 14 and Carrie Pilkington had 10. Oakley improved to 18-5 and will play at the 2A state tournament in Manhattan next week while Rawlins County finished their season 16-7.
The boys championship game would come down to the final shot between the Plainville Cardinals and the Ness City Eagles. The top seed Cardinals started the game on a 9-2 run behind four points from Jameson Klein who scored seven in the first quarter. Ness City would hang around because of the play of Collin Foos. Foos had nine points in the first quarter and Plainville led 14-12 after the first quarter.
Ness City scored the first five points of the second quarter and took a 15-14 lead. Ness City extended their lead to 22-18 before Plainville forced back-to-back turnovers that led to Kyle Becker layups that kicked off a 6-0 run that gave the Cards a 24-22 lead. After four lead changes to close out the first half Ness City led 30-28.
Ness City began the third quarter on a 12-2 run sparked by a Dalton Gantz three-pointer, he hit three in the game and finished with nine points, as the Eagles lead grew to their largest lead of the game at 12. Plainville closed the quarter on a 6-0 run, four coming from Hadley Gillum, and the Cards trailed 42-36. After Ness City went back up by six, at 44-36 to begin the fourth quarter Plainville stormed back and took a 45-44 lead as Hadley Gillum scored six in the fourth quarter to finish with 12 points. Ness City answered with a Collin Foos layup and a Drew Clarke three-pointer to take a 50-45 lead. Plainville regained the lead with a 6-0 run to lead 51-50. Collin Foos then gave Ness City the lead with a pair of free throws, at 52-51. Ness City’s lead grew to 54-51 in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter before Plainville’s Jameson Klein complete on a three-point lead to close within one at 54-53. Plainville sent Ness City’s Koltyn Ratliff to the line for a one-and-one and he missed the front end. Plainville’s Kyle Becker rushed down the floor and put up a shot as time expired that came up short giving Ness City the 54-53 win.
Ness City’s Collin Foos led all scorers with 24 and Drew Clarke added 16 points. Plainville’s Andrew Casey had a team-high 14 points before fouling out early in the fourth quarter, Hadley Gillum added 12 and Jameson Klein finished with 10.
The Ness City Eagles improved to 19-3 with the win and will play at the 2A state tournament in Manhattan next week. The Plainville Cardinals finished the season 21-2. Plainville has a 40-4 over the past two years.
Girls Highlights
GOTW Girls Highlights 3-3
Boys Highlights
GOTW Boys Highlights 3-3