SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Game times and ticket information for the Central Regional in the 2018 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship were announced Monday (March 5) by Augustana, the host institution for this year’s regional tournament. Sixth-seeded Fort Hays State will kick things off with the first of seven games over four days, facing off with No. 3 Southwestern Oklahoma State at noon on Friday (March 9).
If the Tigers were to advance, their regional semifinal contest would begin at 5 p.m. Saturday (March 10) with the regional championship set to tip at 7 p.m. Monday (March 12).
Tickets are will be available beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday (March 6) at the following link. Single session tickets are available at a cost of $12 for adults and $5 for students with a valid school ID. Children five and under will get in free.
Additionally, a full-day pass is available on Friday only for $20. Tickets purchased in advance will not be mailed and will be available at will call. Tickets will also be available at the gate, with ticket offices opening one hour prior to the first game each day.
The full tournament schedule can be found below.
Friday, March 9 – NCAA DII Central Region Quarterfinals
Game 1 – Noon – #6 Fort Hays State vs. #3 Southwestern Oklahoma State
Game 2 – 2:30 p.m. – #7 Minnesota State Moorhead vs. #2 Central Missouri
Game 3 – 5:30 p.m. – #8 Lindenwood vs. #1 Augustana
Game 4 – 8:00 p.m. – #5 Northern State vs. Arkansas Tech
Saturday, March 10 – NCAA DII Central Region Semifinals
Game 5 – 5 p.m. – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
Game 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4
Monday, March 12 – NCAA DII Central Region Championship
Game 7 – 7 p.m. – Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6
INDIANAPOLIS – For the fourth time in program history, the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team heard its name called in the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Selection Show on Sunday (March 4). The sixth-seeded Tigers will travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. next weekend where they will take on No. 3 Southwestern Oklahoma State on Friday (March 9). Game times are to be announced.
This will be the Tigers’ third trip to the dance in the last four years. Fort Hays State earned the No. 1 seed and hosted the regional in 2015 before playing as the No. 5 seed in the 2016 tournament. The program’s other trip to the NCAA postseason came in 2005.
Fort Hays State earned an at-large bid into the Central Region Tournament after compiling a record of 25-6 so far this season. They are one of three schools representing the MIAA, with regular season champion Central Missouri earning the No. 2 seed and tournament champion Lindenwood securing the No. 8 seed. The NSIC also placed three teams in the tournament, while two teams from the GAC will head to Sioux Falls.
The winners in Friday’s four quarterfinal contests will advance to the semifinals on Saturday (March 10) before the regional championship is decided on Monday evening (March 12).
This year’s central regional will be held inside the Elmen Center on the campus of Augustana University, the top seed in the region.
The Tigers are 2-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with both wins coming in 2015 when FHSU hosted the central region tournament. FHSU is 2-2 in the tournament under head coach Tony Hobson.
Fort Hays State is 3-0 all-time against Southwestern Oklahoma State, with the most recent meeting coming in the 1991 NAIA Championship Game.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women got off to a quick start but couldn’t overcome cold shooting in the second half and lost 58-51 to Lindenwood in the MIAA Tournament title game Sunday at Municipal Auditorium. The loss ends the Tigers (25-6) six-game win streak. Lindenwood (20-12) has now won six straight and ten of eleven and are the first nine seed to win the conference tournament.
FHSU Postgame Press Conference
Game Highlights
Just like they did in the semifinals against Pittsburg State, the Tigers came out on fire, racing out to a 15-2 lead in the first five minutes. Lindenwood rallied to close the gap to one midway through the second quarter before a 9-0 Tiger run pushed the lead back to ten.
The Lions scored the final seven points of the second quarter to pull within three at halftime then used an 8-0 run to start the fourth to go up six and held on the rest of the game.
The Tigers once again struggled shooting the ball, hitting only 24-percent in the second half and 2-for-23 from three for the game.
Carly Heim, who played every minute of all three games in Kansas City, was the only Tiger to score in double-figures with 14 points.
Heim and Tatyana Legette were both named to the all-tournament team. Lindenwood’s Gabby Walker, who scored a game-high 17 off the bench, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player
FHSU University Relations
Dr. Andreas Maheras, track and field coach at Fort Hays State University, published an article in the February 2018 issue of “Techniques,” the official publication of the U.S. Track and Field Association.
“Biomechanical Observations in Hammer Throwing: Distinguishing the Static and the Dynamic,” analyzes the biomechanical aspects of the hammer throw event.
The article challenges existing coaching practices and presents little-known characteristics of the basic phases of the hammer throw.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State saw its 2017-18 season come to a close on Saturday (Mar. 3) as it fell in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals to Washburn 77-53. The Tigers finished with a record of 19-12, the 12th time in Mark Johnson’s 17 years as head coach that FHSU finished with at least 19 wins in a season. Washburn, now 22-8, moves on to the finals to play either Northwest Missouri State or Central Oklahoma.
FHSU Postgame Press Conference
Game Highlights
Fort Hays State’s only lead occurred on the first bucket of the game, a Hadley Gillum layup 40 seconds into the action. From that point it was all Washburn. The Ichabods went on a 14-2 run to take a 10-point lead and FHSU pulled the lead back to five twice. However, the lead grew to 21 by halftime, 41-20, when Washburn ended the half on a 22-6 run. The Tigers cut the lead inside 20 just once early in the second half and Washburn’s largest lead was 29 at the 14:27 mark.
Washburn hit 50.9 percent of its field goal attempts and limited the Tigers to just 30.6 percent shooting for the game. The Ichabods controlled the paint, outscoring the Tigers in low 46-10. The tough defense of the Ichabods forced the Tigers to shoot several long-range jump shots and they didn’t convert enough before the game got away quickly. Washburn outrebounded the Tigers 38-26.
Brady Skeens dominated the game in low for the Ichabods, going a perfect 9-of-9 from the field with 24 points and nine rebounds. He was 6-of-10 at the free-throw line. David Salach also played well in low, scoring 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting and a 3-of-3 effort at the charity stripe. Javion Blake added 13 points, while Tyas Martin finished with 12.
In the final game of his career, Gillum finished with 10 points, matching teammate Brady Werth for the team’s high-point honors for the game. Gillum ended his career with 1,079 points and 511 rebounds, the ninth player in program history to record at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career. He finished 17th on the career scoring list at FHSU. He became the program’s 20th 1,000-point scorer back on February 20 in a game at Nebraska-Kearney.
Besides the 10 points scored by Gillum and Werth, four Tigers finished with six points each. That group included Aaron Nicholson, Kyler Kinnamon, Trey O’Neil, and Jared Vitztum.
Fort Hays State reached the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament for the seventh time in the school’s 12-year membership with the conference (began in 2006-07).
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
By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Carly Heim scored a game-high 15 points and hit four free throws in the final 30 seconds to lead the Fort Hays State women to a 52-46 win over Pittsburg State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers (25-5) have won five straight and 12 of their last 14 and advance to their second championship game in four years. They will play Lindenwood who advanced with a 59-41 win over Missouri Western. Tipoff is at 1 pm Sunday at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
FHSU Postgame Press Conference
Talia Kahrs Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Emma Stroyan scored the Tigers first seven points helping them build a 19-6 first quarter lead. Pitt State (23-7) answered with a 12-2 run to pull within five with 3:24 left in the second and closed the gap to seven at the half.
After the Gorillas got within six early in the third, the Tigers closed the quarter with a 15-4 run to go up 17.
Just like they did in the quarterfinals against Washburn, Pitt State mounted a late rally, outscoring the Tigers 16-4 to pull within five with 2:23 to play.
After missing two free throws with 31 seconds to play, Carly Heim got her own offensive rebound and was fouled. She hit the next two free throws to push the lead to seven.
In addition to Heim’s 15 points, Emma Stroyan hit two threes and added 12.
Brenlee McPherson led the Gorillas with 13. Mikaela Burgess and Paige Imhoff were held to 3-of-28 shooting beyond the arc and combined to score nine as the Gorillas were held to their lowest scoring output of the season.
FAYETTE, Iowa – The Fort Hays State wrestling team dropped six spots to No. 22 in the latest Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Top 25 Poll on Friday (Mar. 2). In the individual rankings, the Tigers have three wrestlers ranked. Efe Osaghae (149 pounds) sits at No. 4, Brandon Ball (141) slipped to No. 12 and Rakim Dean (197) entered the rankings at No. 12.
Efe Osaghae held steady as the fourth-ranked wrestler in the nation at 149 pounds. Osaghae earned a runner-up finish at the West Super Regional in Las Vegas, N.M. on Saturday (Feb. 24). The redshirt-freshman is making his first trip to the NCAA Division II Championships next weekend (Mar. 9-10).
Brandon Ball slipped to No. 12 in the latest individual rankings after dropping two matches at the Super Regional. Ball earned a fourth-place finish to earn a trip to his second-consecutive NCAA Championships. The sophomore currently holds a 34-5 overall record to lead the Tigers.
Rakim Dean enters the individual rankings for the first time as a Tiger at 197 pounds. Dean earned a hard-fought fourth-place finish at the super regional, qualifying for his first trip to the NCAA Championships. Dean enters nationals with a 32-10 overall record, including a 28-5 clip against Division II opponents.
FHSU is one of five MIAA schools in the Top 25 as Nebraska-Kearney (No. 7), Central Oklahoma (T-10), Lindenwood (T-19) and Newman (No. 25).
The Tigers are preparing for the NCAA Division II Championships next weekend (Mar. 9-10) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team fell to Northwest Missouri State in the first game of a three-game slate this weekend on Friday (Mar. 2), 13-1 in seven innings. The Tigers dipped to 8-7 overall and 0-4 in MIAA play whereas the Bearcats improved to 7-6 on the season and 4-0 in conference play.
The Tigers fell victim to 13 strikeouts on the afternoon, with Joseph Hietpas going the distance for the Bearcats. FHSU was only able to plate one run in the game, an RBI double from Dayton Pomeroy that scored Alex Weiss in the home half of the first inning. The Tigers collected seven hits across seven innings, but were shut down the rest of the contest.
Pomeroy finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI. Addison Kaasch, Alex Weiss, Jordan Wilkerson, Marcus Altman and Jason Nicholson combined for the remaining five hits in the ballgame.
Hietpas earned the victory for Northwest Missouri State, improving to 3-1 on the season. Ben Ramberg suffered the loss after surrendering five runs, all in the second frame. Ramberg fell to 2-2 on the year. Kruse came on in relief, but allowed three Bearcats to cross home plate in one inning of work. In all, the Tiger bullpen was consumed in using four more pitchers in the game.
The Tigers and Bearcats will get set for the second game of the series on Saturday (Mar. 3) inside Larks Park.
Thursday afternoon, Mark Sandbo was announced as the Mustangs next head football coach, pending board approval.
Sandbo is a graduate of Fort Hays State University. He has been an assistant coach at Dodge City for the last seven seasons. Mark’s father, Gary Sandbo, was a coaching staple at Smoky Valley High School where Mark Sandbo played in high school.
Mike Hall resigned from the Central Head Coach position after 12 years on the job in the off-season.
BOYS PREP BASKETBALL
Class 2A Sub-State Semifinal
Bennington 61, Republic County 55
Burlingame 52, Olpe 46
Central Plains 55, Pratt Skyline 19
Hillsboro 61, Moundridge 50
Hoxie 83, Hill City 36
Inman 37, Berean Academy 29
Johnson-Stanton County 58, Hodgeman County 40
Lyndon 39, Jackson Heights 32
Macksville 67, Ness City 52
Maranatha Academy 76, Yates Center 68
Pittsburg Colgan 53, KC Christian 36
Plainville 81, St. Francis 75
Salina Sacred Heart 67, Smith Center 27
Sedan 46, Cedar Vale/Dexter Co-op 29
Spearville 47, Meade 38
West Elk 61, Medicine Lodge 49
Class 4A Division 1 Sub-state Semifinal
Andover Central 78, Rose Hill 49
Arkansas City 65, Wellington 34
Augusta 71, Mulvane 49
Basehor-Linwood 60, Atchison 25
Bishop Miege 68, Eudora 36
Bonner Springs 65, KC Sumner 59
Buhler 57, Hays 52
Circle 55, Abilene 53
Coffeyville 61, Winfield 41
Independence 60, Fort Scott 49
KC Piper 57, Tonganoxie 39
Labette County 61, Chanute 49
McPherson 75, Ulysses 32
Paola 47, Ottawa 42, 2OT
Spring Hill 41, Louisburg 33
Wamego 51, El Dorado 45
Class 4A Division II Sub-State Semifinal
Andale 46, Wichita Collegiate 41
Anderson County 70, Osawatomie 31
Baxter Springs 60, Columbus 47
Burlington 87, Baldwin 69
Chapman 60, Concordia 58
Frontenac 61, Iola 43
Girard 68, Prairie View 56
Holcomb 63, Pratt 27
Larned 62, Hugoton 56
Marysville 64, Holton 42
Parsons 55, Galena 42
Rock Creek 64, Clay Center 52
Santa Fe Trail 65, KC Bishop Ward 48
Smoky Valley 73, Nickerson 50
Topeka Hayden 71, Jefferson West 41
Wichita Trinity 63, Clearwater 31
Class 5A East Sub-state 1 Championship
Pittsburg 56, St. Thomas Aquinas 54, OT
Class 5A East Sub-state 2 Championship
KC Schlagle 61, Olathe West 50
Class 5A East Sub-state 3 Championship
Mill Valley 64, KC Wyandotte 63
Class 5A East Sub-state 4 Championship
Topeka Seaman 69, DeSoto 52
Class 5A West Sub-state 1 Championship
Goddard-Eisenhower 57, Andover 44
Class 5A West Sub-state 2 Championship
Wichita Heights 44, Emporia 36
Class 5A West Sub-state 3 Championship
Salina Central 40, Maize 30
Class 5A West Sub-state 4 Championship
Wichita Bishop Carroll 49, Topeka West 46
GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL
Class 1A Division 1 Sub-State Semifinal
Caldwell 56, Pretty Prairie 41
Chase County 46, Centre 33
Clifton-Clyde 47, Washington County 44
Frankfort 48, Centralia 37
Greeley County 61, South Central 13
Hanover 75, Pike Valley 29
Little River 44, Lakeside 37
Rawlins County 65, Triplains-Brewster 51
Rural Vista 56, Flinthills 40
South Gray 52, Minneola 34
Southern Coffey 41, Chetopa 28
St. John 43, Norwich 28
St. Paul 55, Lebo 29
Stockton 48, Dighton 42
Thunder Ridge 43, Osborne 40
Valley Falls 54, Doniphan West 30
Class 1A Division II Sub-State Semifinal
Axtell 52, Wetmore 25
BV Randolph 64, Southern Cloud 62, OT
Bucklin 59, Ashland 43
Cunningham 46, Argonia 36
Golden Plains 49, Wallace County 45
Hartford 61, Marais des Cygnes Valley 17
Hutchinson Central Christian 37, Elyria Christian 28
Moscow 39, Rolla 19
Northern Valley 70, Logan 46
Otis-Bison 47, Ingalls 38
Quinter 67, Pawnee Heights 38
South Barber 52, South Haven 40
St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 67, Palco 26
Waverly 55, Crest 49
Wheatland-Grinnell 48, Cheylin 38
Wilson 50, Stafford 45
Class 3A Sub-State Semifinal
Caney Valley 41, Southeast 38
Erie 48, Cherryvale 30
Eureka 68, Humboldt 52
Garden Plain 42, Cheney 31
Haven 53, Halstead 37
Hays-TMP-Marian 57, Riley County 38
Hesston 48, Sterling 46
Kingman 64, Conway Springs 34
Mission Valley 42, Rossville 39
Nemaha Central 48, Sabetha 36
Norton 47, Cimarron 23
Pleasant Ridge 45, Maur Hill – Mount Academy 35
Royal Valley 34, St. Mary’s 31
Russell 52, Beloit 49
Scott City 37, Colby 28
Wellsville 63, Council Grove 44
Class 6A East Sub-State 1 Championship
Olathe East 50, Blue Valley 33
Class 6A East Sub-State 2 Championship
Olathe South 53, Lawrence 47
Class 6A East Sub-State 3 Championship
BV North 51, Gardner-Edgerton 34
Class 6A East Sub-State 4 Championship
SM Northwest 48, Olathe Northwest 46, OT
Class 6A West Sub-State 1 Championship
Wichita South 42, Wichita Northwest 32
Class 6A West Sub-State 2 Championship
Derby 71, Dodge City 17
Class 6A West Sub-State 3 Championship
Manhattan 49, Hutchinson 40
Class 6A West Sub-State 4 Championship
Washburn Rural 56, Wichita East 35
By JEREMY McGUIRE
Hays Post
TMP 57, Riley County 38
MINNEAPOLIS, Kan.-TMP used a 12-0 first quarter run to take early control of their semi-final match-up with Riley County on Friday night in Minneapolis. The Lady Monarchs took a 15-7 after the first quarter. The momentum didn’t slow down in the second quarter as TMP outscored the Lady Falcons 17-8 to build a 32-15 halftime lead.
Aubrey Koenigsman scored 10 points to lead the Lady Monarchs in the first half. Jillian Lowe added 9.
TMP built their lead as high as 24 points in the third quarter and led 46-25 after three quarters. The Lady Monarchs cleared the bench for much of the fourth quarter and picked up the 57-38 victory. Lowe led four Lady Monarchs in double figures with 12 points, Adell Riedel and Kayla Vitztum with 11 and Koenigsman 10.
Riley County finishes their season at 14-7. TMP improves to 19-2 and will take on the Beloit/Russell winner in the sub-state championship game on Saturday in Minneapolis
ROSE MCFARLAND INTERVIEW
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
