By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's been an outstanding 2024-2025 high school basketball season for Shawnee County teams, with 10 of 20 making it to state tournaments in five different classifications.
Now we wait to see how many of those teams can achieve the ultimate goal of a state championship on Saturday.
For what it's worth -- and it's not much -- here's my take on what we could see in all 14 of this week's state tournaments across the state.
If I didn't pick your team don't fret because it could bode well for you.
If I did pick the team/teams you root for, good luck.
By Saturday night we'll know, and win or lose, it promises to be a fun week. Enjoy!
CLASS 6A BOYS
Finalists -- Shawnee Mission Northwest (4: 19-3) vs. Wichita Heights (3: 20-2).
Champion -- Wichita Heights. I give Heights, the 6A runnerup the past two seasons, a very slight edge in what could be a repeat of the 2024 title game, won by Northwest to cap a 25-0 season.
Other contenders -- Shawnee Mission South is the top seed at 21-1, with its lone loss coming against SM Northwest, while Derby is also 21-1 and the No. 2 seed. Washburn Rural (6: 18-4) is certainly capable of knocking off Wichita Heights while Derby could get a big test from No. 7 Olathe North (16-6).
CLASS 6A GIRLS
Finalists -- Blue Valley North (3: 18-4) vs. Olathe South (4: 18-4).
Champion -- Blue Valley North. It's worth noting that although North has lost four times, but none of those four losses came against Kansas teams. The Mustangs finished third last season after winning the championship in 2023.
Other contenders -- It's been an up and down season for Washburn Rural (6: 16-6) but never count out a Kevin Bordewick team in postseason. The Hall of Fame coach has led Washburn Rural to three straight 6A championship games (title in 2022, runnerup in 2023 and 2024) and the Junior Blues have won a pair of championships since 2019. Derby is the top seed at 19-3 and the pre-tournament team to beat.
Highland Park standout Ja'Corey Robinson and the 22-0 Scots will be looking for a Class 5A state title this week after back-to-back third-place finishes. [File photo/TSN]
CLASS 5A BOYS
Finalists -- Highland Park (1: 22-0) vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (2: 19-3).
Champion -- Highland Park. After making it to state three straight seasons and suffering back-to-back heartbreaking semifinal losses to the eventual state champions the past two seasons the 22-0 Scots will be looking to finish off their four-year title quest.
Other contenders -- I give at least six of the eight teams in the field a legitimate chance to win the championship, starting with defending champion Kapaun Mt. Carmel (2: 19-3). The winner of the first-round game between Shawnee Heights (4: 19-3) and last year's runnerup, Piper (5: 19-3), certainly is capable of making a title run, while Topeka West (7:14-8) has the athleticism to play with anybody in the field.
Seaman's girls will be looking for a Class 5A title repeat this week. [File photo/TSN]
CLASS 5A GIRLS
Finalists -- St. Thomas Aquinas (8: 15-7) vs. Seaman (2: 22-0).
Champion -- Seaman. The Class 5A field is absolutely loaded, but until someone proves otherwise I'm going with the defending champions. The Vikings are likely to get another tough first-round test from United Kansas Conference rival Piper (7: 18-4), with the Pirates and Vikings hooking up in two and one-point nail-biters in the regular season.
Other contenders -- The first-round matchup between Hays (1: 22-0) and St. Thomas Aquinas is an intriguing one, with Hays in the midst of a historical season while Aquinas had its seven-year championship run ended last season. Another first-round dandy could be the matchup between Andover (3: 21-1) and St. James (6: 18-4) while Maize South (5: 19-3) was the state runnerup a year ago.
CLASS 4A BOYS
Finalists -- Ottawa (1: 22-0) vs. Andale (3: 19-3).
Champion -- Ottawa. The Cyclones will be trying to finish off a perfect season and has had just four single-digit games this season and none closer than six points.
Other contenders -- McPherson has had a long legacy of success and Kurt Kinnamon has led the storied program to six state championships in two classes, including the 2024 4A crown.
CLASS 4A GIRLS
Finalists -- Wellington (1: 21-1) vs. Bishop Miege (6: 17-4).
Champion -- Bishop Miege. In a loaded Class 4A field, it's hard not to pick the team that has won five straight state championships. The Stags' three losses to Kansas teams have came against 5A powers St. James Academy (1 point) and St. Thomas Aquinas (3 points in overtime) and 6A power Blue Valley North (15 points).
Other contenders -- Wellington finished second to Miege a year ago (75-62) while Hayden is the No. 2 seed at 20-2, with the Wildcats' only losses coming against last year's 5A runnerup, Maize South (50-48), and 6A sub-state finalist Manhattan (50-47).
CLASS 3A BOYS
Finalists -- Hesston (4: 21-2) vs. Cheney (3: 22-1).
Champion -- Cheney. The Cardinals are back in the Class 3A tournament after dropping a three-point first-round decision to fourth-place Southeast Saline a year ago. Cheney's lone loss this season came against Haven.
Other contenders -- Six teams in the field have won at least 20 games, which makes for a long list of contenders. Top seed Galena is 22-0 while No. 2 seed Lakin is 22-1. The first-round game between Lakin and Silver Lake (7: 18-5) could be a dandy, with the Eagles capable of playing with anybody in the field after wading through a tough Big East schedule. Eagle junior Dayne Johnson is one of the top players in the class.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Finalists -- Hesston (1: 23-0) vs. Halstead (2: 22-1).
Champion -- Hesston. The Swathers' last loss was a 66-61 decision to Silver Lake in last season's Class 3A title game and Hesston has rolled through the current season, with just four single-digit games.
Other contenders -- Silver Lake (4: 21-2) graduated a very talented senior class, but junior point guard Kailyn Hanni and the Eagles have put themselves back in title contention, with their only losses coming against undefeated Centralia and Riley County.
CLASS 2A BOYS
Finalists -- Moundridge (1: 23-0) vs. Sterling (2: 20-3).
Champion -- Moundridge. The Wildcats are the two-time defending champs and undefeated this season. Enough said.
Other contenders -- Rossville (6: 16-7) faces a tough test in the opening round against Ell-Saline (3: 20-3), but a tough schedule has prepared the Bulldawgs to challenge in the class. Juniors Jack Donovan and Cameron Miller and senior Kameron Badura have turned in solid season for Brandon McDonnell's team.
CLASS 2A GIRLS
Finalists -- Moundridge (1: 21-2) vs. Pittsburg-Colgan (2: 21-2).
Champion -- Colgan. Shapes up as a tossup, but I'll go with the Panthers.
Other contenders -- Five teams in the field have at least 19 wins and all eight schools in the field have at least 15 wins. That makes everybody a contender.
CLASS 1A-DIVISION I BOYS
Finalists -- Olpe (1: 21-2) vs. South Gray (3: 19-4).
Champion -- Olpe. I give the Eagles the nod in a potential title-game battle between two of the state's most storied small-school programs.
Other contenders -- Seven teams in the field have at least 17 wins and South Central (2: 21-2) is definitely capable of making a run.
CLASS 1A-DIVISION I GIRLS
Finalists -- Little River (1: 21-0) vs. Centralia (2: 23-0).
Champion -- Little River. In a field that includes five teams with at least 20 wins and two unbeatens I give last year's runnerup a narrow edge.
Other contenders -- The winner of the first-round game between South Gray (4: 21-2) and Quinter (5: 20-3) looms as a dangerous contender for the championship.
CLASS 1A-DIVISION II BOYS
Finalists -- Cunningham (1: 23-0) vs. Axtell (2: 22-1).
Champion -- Axtell. The Eagles get the nod in what could be a classic title game.
Other contenders -- No. 3 seed Dighton (20-3) is capable of challenging Axtell in a potential semifinal clash.
CLASS 1A-DIVISION II GIRLS
Finalists -- South Haven (1: 21-1) vs. Hanover (3: 20-2).
Champion -- Hanover. Hard not to pick the two-time defending champion to make it three in a row.
Other contenders -- The first-round winner between Bucklin (4: 20-3) and Attica (20-3 could make a run to the crown. Lebo (2: 20-2) also looms as a title threat.
