After Thursday night’s girls semifinal games, at the class 2A girls sub-state, Saturday’s championship game will feature two Northwest Kansas League teams.
In the first game of the evening the Rawlins County Buffaloes would prove to be too much for the Trego Golden Eagles. Rawlins County scored the first five points of the game and led 10-4 early behind four from Hillary Chavatal and three from Summer Castens. Trego trailed 12-8 after the first quarter.
The Golden Eagles opened the scoring in the second quarter and tied the game at 12. Trego’s Haley Dietz scored four of her 12 points in the second quarter but Rawlins Country used a 7-0 run to take a 19-12 lead and the led by seven, 21-14, at half.
It was much of the same coming out of the halftime break. Rawlins Country built their largest lead of the game at 32-20 in the third quarter but Trego put together a strong 7-0 run led by Hannah Dietz who scored eight of her team-high 20 and Rawlins County led 39-27 after three. Trego cut the deficit to 41-39 to begin the fourth quarter but they would get no closer and Rawlins Country advanced to the sub-state Championship game with a 52-46 win.
Rawlins County’s Hilary Chavatal and Trego’s Hannah Dietz tied for a game-high 20 points. Keshia Green, who had not scored all season for Rawlins County added 10 and Summer Castens had nine. Trego’s Haley Dietz added 12 points. Rawlins County improved to 16-6 on the season and will play Oakley in the Sub-state Championship game while Trego’s season ended at 14-8.
The second game of the night was just as close with the Oakley lady Plainsmen earning the victory over the Hill City Ringnecks. Oakley quickly jumped out to an 8-3 lead to begin the game behind Carrie Pilkington who had four first quarter points. Hill City answered right back with a 6-0 run spurred on by eight first quarter points from Kelsey Keith as Hill City took an 11-8 lead. Oakley led 12-11 after one.
In the second quarter Hill City kept firing on all cylinders and built a 21-17 lead. Keith added six more points, Haley Dinkel scored four points and Shelby Stewart knocked in a three all in the second quarter to give Trego a 28-19 lead at halftime. Oakley though would jump out of the gate in the third quarter and own the second half.
Kenzie Weiser hit a three to start the third quarter and cut the lead to 28-22. Brooke Hemmert and Carrie Pilkington added four more points to tie the game at 34 and then as the quarter came to an end Laura Dennis drained a three at the top of the key to give Oakley a 37-34 lead. The fourth quarter would belong to Oakley, outscoring Hill City 13-3 in the final period to earn the 51-40 win.
Oakley’s Brooke Hemmert lead all scorers with 15 points, Carrie Pilkington added 12 and Laura Dennis finished with 11. Kelsey Keith scored all 14 of her points in the first half and led Hill City in scoring. Haley Dinkel was the only other Ringneck in double figures with 12.
Oakley improves to 17-5 and will take on Rawlins County in the finals on Saturday evening at 6pm while Hill City ends their season 13-9.
Game one highlights GOTW Trego Highlights 3-1
Game two highlights GOTW Hill City Highlights 3-1