By JEREMY McGUIRE
Hays Post
Girls: TMP 38, Russell 36
MINNEAPOLIS, Kan.-Defense was the name of the game in the first half of Friday night’s 3A Sub-State Championship game in Minneapolis between TMP and Russell. The Lady Monarchs led 14-10 after the first quarter and trailed only once at 6-5. In the second quarter the two teams played even in the second quarter scoring 8 points each. TMP led 22-18 at the halftime break.
The Lady Monarchs would build their lead as high as seven points in the third quarter but that would be as high as it would get. Russell would score the next nine points capped off by a Tiffany Dortland three pointer to take only their second lead of the game, and their last. TMP answered by scoring the next six points of the third quarter to lead 31-27 after Emily Schippers used her shooter’s touch on a last second three pointer to end the quarter.
TMP would make it an 8-0 run with the first two points of the fourth quarter to go up six points and that’s when things got interesting. Russell scored the next five points to get to within one point at 33-32. A Savannah Yost bucket would give TMP a three point advantage with just over two minutes to play. TMP led 38-36 with just over two seconds remaining and would steal a Russell pass and pick up the win.
Jaclyn Schulte led Russell with 15 points. Sam Leiker added 12 for the Lady Broncos who finish their season at 19-4. Yost led TMP with 9 points on the night. The Lady Monarchs improve to 20-2 on the season and will go to their third consecutive 3A State Tournament next week in Hutchinson.
ROSE MCFARLAND INTERVIEW
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Boys: TMP 58, Ellsworth 55
MINNEAPOLIS, Kan.-The TMP Monarchs never trailed in their 3A Sub-State Championshipo victory over Ellsworth on Saturday night in Minneapolis. TMP led by 10 points midway through the first quarter but the Bearcats had an answer. Ellsworth cut the TMP lead to 18-12 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a couple of long three pointers from Remington Cravens.
TMP would light up the second quarter on both ends of the floor. Thanks to 17 first half points from Michael Lager the Monarchs led 35-20 at halftime. Trenton Mayo also chipped in with 10 points in the half.
The Monarchs built their lead to 17 points early in the third quarter on another Lager bucket. The Bearcats scored the next eight points to cut the TMP lead to nine. The Monarchs built their lead back to 17 after an 8-0 run of their own that was started by a Mayo steal and layup. TMP’s lead was 49-34 after the third quarter.
Things looked to be in cruise control for the Monarchs as their lead was 15 with seven minutes to play. Ellsworth would not back down. The Bearcats went on a 17-3 run to cut the TMP led to 54-53 with a minute and a half to play. Lager would knock down a couple of free throws to make it a 56-53 game and Ellsworth would answer right back to make it another one point game. After a couple of Mayo free throws and a three point miss TMP came out on top.
Cravens led Ellsworth with 21 points. Jordan Base added 15 for the Bearcats who finish their season at 16-7. Lager led TMP with 23 and Mayo 14 for the now 17-5 Monarchs. TMP will play in the 3A State Tournament in Hutchinson next week.
JOE HERTEL INTERVIEW
GAME HIGHLIGHTS