By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
For the third year in a row, the Seaman Lady Vikings found themselves in the same position -- the sub-state final with a berth in the Class 5A state championships on the line.
Seaman is headed back to the Class 5A state tournament for the third straight season after winning Friday's sub-state championship with a 55-47 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman poses for a team picture after capturing a 55-47 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel in a Class 5A sub-state final Friday night at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And for the third year in a row -- and six times in eight years -- the Vikings will be heading to Emporia for the state tournament after a hard fought 55-47 victory over Kapaun Mt. Carmel Friday night at Seaman.
"This is always a tough game,'' Seaman coach Matt Tinsley said. "There’s so much on the line -- win and you go to state. Our mindset was to attack and take the game, not just to get through the game. That’s a good team and we knew they were a good team, but the girls stepped up to the challenge.”
The first quarter began with the Crusaders taking their only lead of the game in the first 20 seconds, but the Lady Vikes immediately went on an 8-1 run over the next two minutes to take an 8-3 lead. The Crusaders were able to cut the lead to one on two different occasions, but the Lady Vikes built the lead back to five, 16-11, at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter remained close for the first seven minutes, but the final minute saw Seaman hit two 3-pointers -- from seniors Kinley Wilhelm and Jaida Stallbaumer -- to extend the lead to 30-20 as the teams headed to the locker room.
In the third quarter, senior Anna Becker made her first field goal of the game with 2:30 left in the quarter and followed it up with a 3-pointer just 40 seconds later.
Those ended up being the only two field goals she made in the game. Yet, the strength of this Viking team is their togetherness and how the players will step up for one another.
“That’s the sign of a good team, it’s always been we over me and they are a tight knit group and competitors,” Tinsley said.
The Crusaders were able to out-score the Lady Vikes 16-11 and cut the lead in half heading into the final quarter, 41-36.
The first four minutes of the fourth quarter saw Kapaun cut the lead down to three on four different occasions. But with 3:46 remaining in the game, senior Ava Esser scored on a brilliant pass from junior Maddie Gragg to extend the lead back to five, 49-44.
Kapaun would get no closer as Seaman made 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch to win by eight.
The Lady Vikes' starting five all played a part in last year’s trip to state and commented on what this year means to them and the team.
“It’s an amazing feeling to play my last home game and get to play again in Emporia and with my teammates,” Stallbaumer said.
“I’m really proud of our team,'' Becker said. "It shows our hard work and commitment. We will take it one practice at a time and get ready for the state tournament.”
“We’re all super-excited,'' Esser said. "It’s a big accomplishment as a team and as a player. I’m really excited to go back.”
“It’s great to go back like last year and the year before,'' Wilhelm said. "It’s a good opportunity for us to come back for one last hurrah as a team.”
“I think we played really well together and our chemistry and ball movement was good,'' Gragg said. "I’m looking forward to being with the seniors one last week.”
Junior Maddie Gragg led Seaman with 19 points in Friday's 55-47 win over Kapaun-Mt. Carmel in a Class 5A sub-state final. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Lady Vikes were led by two in double figures. Gragg scored 19 points and Wilhelm dropped in 10. Esser grabbed 10 rebounds and Wilhelm had 5 boards.
The Crusaders were also led by two in double figures. Sophomore Zoey Buckner-Franklin scored 19 and junior McCoy Phister had 16.
Seaman advances to the state championships in Emporia at White Auditorium. The Vikings will play on Wednesday at a time and opponent to be determined over the weekend.
SEAMAN GIRLS 55, KAPAUN MT. CARMEL 47
Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 11 9 16 11 -- 47
Seaman 16 14 11 14 -- 55
Kapaun-Mt. Carmel (16-6) -- Orr 0-0 0-0 0, Hamilton 1-2 0-0 2, Keller 0-0 0-0 0, Romer 0-0 0-0 0, Spiers 1-3 0-0 2, Bezdek 0-0 0-0 0, Knipp 0-2 0-0 0, Laufer 2-4 0-0 4, Phister 4-8 6-6 16, Rudy 0-5 2-4 2, Jacobs 1-5 0-0 2, Buckner-Franklin 8-13 2-2 19. Totals 17-42 11-12 47.
Seaman (22-0) -- Frickey 0-0 0-0 0, Ketron 0-0 0-0 0, Stallbaumer 3-9 1-1 8, Miller 1-1 0-0 2, Spencer 0-0 0-0 0, Puvogel 0-0 0-0 0, Beaton 0-1 1-2 1, Becker 2-13 4-6 9, Wilhelm 3-3 2-2 10, Gragg 4-10 9-10 19, Esser 2-5 2-2 6, Dreher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-42 19-23 55.
3 point goals -- Kapaun 3 (Phister 2, Buckner-Franklin), Seaman 6 (Wilhelm 2, Gragg 2, Stallbaumer, Becker). Total Fouls -- Kapaun 20, Seaman 9. Fouled out -- Buckner-Franklin. Technicals - none.
