By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
In mid-February the goal for Hayden's boys basketball team was a modest one -- to just get into the Class 4A postseason playoffs.
But after five straight wins and six over its last seven games, Hayden, one of Kansas' storied 4A programs, is headed to Saliina for the state tournament.
"We were talking about just getting in (to the top 16 in the 4A East) and then it all ended up falling how we needed it to fall and we won some games and got on a roll,'' first-year Hayden coach Dwayne Paul said. "It's like I told my guys the other day, I wanted them to win in December and January, but at the end of the day late February going into March is when you want to play your best ball and we have some tweaking to do, but we're getting there. We're playing our best.''
Dwayne Paul's Hayden boys basketball team caught fire late in the year to earn a berth in this week's Class 4A state tournament at Salina. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Joe Otting scored 18 points to pace four double-figure scorers in Hayden's win over Wamego in Saturday's sub-state final. [File photo/TSN]
The No. 12-seeded Wildcats punched their ticket to state with a 52-37 road win at No. 4 seed Wamego on Saturday and will put their 9-13 record on the line at 6 p.m. Thursday against top seed Eudora (18-3) at the Tony's Pizza Events Center.
The Wildcats' only loss over their current hot streak was a 51-48 overtime loss at Topeka West, which is headed to its second straight 5A state tournament, and six of the Wildcats' losses came against teams in the 5A field. Hayden has a pair of wins over Manhattan, which advanced to the 6A tournament.
Junior Joe Otting led four Hayden players in double figures against Wamego with 18 points while junior Jake Muller and senior Peyton Bartlett added 12 points apiece and senior Trent Duffey had 10 points. Bartlett scored his 12 points on four first-half 3-pointers.
Hayden is an obvious underdog entering the state tournament, but that doesn't bother Paul, who is counting on the Wildcats' battles in the Centennial League to prepare them for state.
"Like I tell everybody, there's a reason why we have five teams from the Centennial going to compete at state,'' Paul said. "We're playing the best teams night in and night out and that doesn't mean we're going to win (Thursday's) game but we play hard and we don't fear anyone that we're going to go play.''
The Hayden-Eudora winner will advance to an 8 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 4 Abilene and defending champion Bishop Miege, both 16-6.
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Buhler (18-4) will face McPherson (13-9) and No. 3 Andale (16-6) will take on Paola (15-7).
The state championship game will be played at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Here's a look at the other six Shawnee County teams in state tournaments:
CLASS 6A GIRLS
Topeka High -- The 20-2 Trojans are the No. 3 seed and will square off against No. 6 Blue Valley (19-3) in a 4 p.m. first-round game Wednesday at Wichita State's Koch Arena.
The Trojans are making their fourth straight state appearance with a pair of second-place finishes, including last season.
With a win on Thursday Topeka High will move on to a 2 p.m. Friday semifinal to face the winner of the opening-round contest between No. 2 seed Derby (21-1) and No. 7 Shawnee Mission West (18-4).
On the other side of the bracket, No. 1 Olathe North (22-0) will play No. 8 Blue Valley North (13-9) and No. 4 Washburn Rural (20-2) will take on No. 5 Dodge City (19-3) in first-round games.
The tournament championshilp will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Washburn Rural -- Washburn Rural is returning to the state tournament for the first time since winning the state championship in 2019.
The 20-2 Junior Blues advanced to state with a 47-27 win over Centennial League rival Manhattan.
Washburn Rural is the No. 4 seed and will open its state bid at 8 p.m. Wednesday against No. 5 Dodge City (19-3).
The Rural-Dodge City winner will advance to a 6 p.m. semifinal on Friday to face the winner of the first-round game between top seed Olathe North (22-0) and No. 8 Blue Valley North (13-9).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 Derby (21-1) will face No. 7 Shawnee Mission West (18-4) and No. 3 Topeka High (20-2) will take on No. 6 Blue Valley (19-3).
The tournament championshilp will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
CLASS 5A BOYS
Highland Park -- The Scots (18-4) will be making their second state appearance over the past three seasons, advancing with a 89-52 win over Piper in a sub-state final.
Highland Park is the No. 5 seed in the 5A tournament and will play a first-round game at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Emporia's White Auditorium against No 4 Maize (18-4), which is the defending 5A state champion.
The Highland Park-Maize winner will advance to a 2 p.m. semifinal Friday to face the first-round winner between No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (21-1) and No. 8 Seaman (15-7).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Topeka West (21-1) will play a first-round game against No. 7 St. James Academy (15-7) and No. 3 De Soto (18-4) will face No. 6 Blue Valley Southwest (15-7).
The tournament championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Seaman -- The Vikings will take a 15-7 record and an eight-game winning streak into their 5A state tournament appearance.
The Vikings are the No. 8 seed and will face top seed Kapaun Mt. Carmel (21-1) in the opening game of the tournament at 2 p.m. Wednesday at White Auditorium.
The winner of that first round game will advance to a 2 p.m. semifinal on Friday to take on the first-round winner between No. 4 Maize (18-4) and No. 5 Highland Park (18-4).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Topeka West (21-1) will play a first-round game against No. 7 St. James Academy (15-7) and No. 3 De Soto (18-4) will face No. 6 Blue Valley Southwest (15-7).
The tournament championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Topeka West -- The Chargers are back in the state tournament after posting a runner-up finish to Maize in last season's state tournament.
Topeka West is the No. 2 seed in this year's state meet and will take a 21-1 record and 20-game winning streak into Wednesday's 6 p.m. first-round game against No. 7 St. James Academy (15-7). The Chargers' only loss of the season came in their second game of the season against Seaman, which is also in the state field.
The West-St. James winner will move on to a 6 p.m. Friday semifinal to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 3 seed De Soto (18-4) and No. 6 Blue Valley Southwest (15-7).
The tournament championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Silver Lake -- The Eagles survived a 59-54 overtime scare against Nemaha Central and are the top seed in the 3A state tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena with a 22-1 record.
A state quarterfinalist last season, Silver Lake will open this year's state bid at 2 p.m. Thursday aganinst No. 8 Cherryvale (15-8).
With a victory Silver Lake will advance to a 4 p.m. Friday semifinal to go up against the winner of the opening-round game between No. 4 Goodland (21-2) and No. 5 Southeast-Saline (20-3).
On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Nickerson (22-1) will play No. 7 Frontenac (15-5) and No. 3 Hugoton (21-2) will face No. 6 Santa Fe Trail (19-4) in the first round.
The tournament championship game will be played at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
