Sports

Myles Menges, Central Plains High School senior, has signed a letter of intent to play football at Fort Hays State University.

During his last two seasons, Menges has completed 136 of 207 passes for 2334 yds, 44 TD’s and only 8 Interceptions, 100 carries for 645 yds, 14 TD’s and 27, 2-pt conversions. This season Myles had 70 total tackles — 42 solo tackles and 1 tackle for loss; 7 interceptions for 130 yards and 1 TD; and 5 broken up passes. Team accomplishments include a state championship in 2018, sectional runnerup in 2017 and regional runner-up in 2016.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

DODGE CITY — The Central Plains-St. John rivalry is well-established in Central Kansas. The Central Prairie League powers have fought for the top spot in the league over the last seven seasons, often knocking one another out of substate and meeting in the Class 2A state championship game in 2015.

Saturday night in Dodge City the teams again met for a state title, this time in Class 1A. In 2015 the Tigers won 49-45 as part of their state-record 63 consecutive wins. Saturday night the Oilers prevailed 40-28 to extend their own win streak to 53 games.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

DODGE CITY— With the sound of the final horn Saturday at Dodge City’s United Wireless Arena, Central Plains senior Avery Hurley joined just a handful of other Kansas players in history to complete a perfect basketball career.

The Lady Oilers furthered their championship record to six with a 52-34 win over two-time reigning Class 1A champion Hanover.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

STERLING — For the second time in a week and the third time this season, the Ellsworth Bearcats boys’ team faced off against the Sacred Heart Knights.

But in the end, Sacred Heart came out on top, defeating Ellsworth 54-36 during the Class 2A substate semifinals Feb. 28 at Sterling High School.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

WaKEENEY — The top-ranked and undefeated Central Plains Oilers clinched the WaKeeney 1A Sub-State Championship Saturday with a 54-31 defeat of Sharon Springs-Wallace County in WaKeeney.

Game time was moved from the scheduled 7 p.m. tip-off to 5:30 p.m. start to accommodate the semi-weekly blizzard that has become prevalent on the tundra of New Antarctica (Kansas).

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

GREAT BEND — The Central Plains Lady Oilers didn’t just simply win Saturday’s Class 1A sub-state championship.

For them, the 69-13 victory over Atwood-Rawlins County was so much sweeter than that.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

The Ellsworth Lady ‘Cats gave a heart-stopping performance against Sacred Heart during the final minutes of the last regular season matchup Feb. 21 at Ellsworth.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Knights had an 11-point lead. But it all came down to Ellsworth needing only three points to tie the game.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

HAYS — Three Ellsworth grapplers competed with the elite wrestlers of the 3A-2A-1A classifications Friday and Saturday in Hays, despite blizzard and whiteout conditions that closed I-70 from Salina to Colorado.

Senior Tyson Hall, wrestling at 126 pounds, pinned Zacharias Lough of Douglass in the all-important first round. However Alec Segarra of Hill City, the eventual third-place wrestler, pinned Hall late in the first round to put him in the consolation bracket. Riley County’s Grayden Jackson won by fall in the third period to eliminate the tough Bearcat from the tournament and end his grappling career.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

Central Plains, like other Kansas Class 1A schools, ended its regular season Friday night as the Oilers prepare for this week’s regional tournament play.

At the end of the night, both the girls’ and boys’ teams ended their seasons undefeated, with identical 20-0 records. It’s a prestigious and select club as only 13 teams remain undefeated across the state.

But there’s little rest for the Oilers, who are the top-seeded favorites, receiving first-round byes and advancing right to the semi-finals.

The Lady Oilers are scheduled to play tonight (Thursday), while the boys will play Friday.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Ellsworth%20County%20Independent%20ReporterID559/

LINCOLN — The Ellsworth Bearcats boys’ and girls’ teams proved to be double trouble for the Lincoln Leopards Friday night, defeating the home team and earning two late-season victories. Both Ellsworth teams made their presence known early and often as they outscored Lincoln by more than 30 points in each matchup.

Ellsworth Bearcats (Boys) 58, Lincoln Leopards 26

Despite a slow start, the Bearcats led the game 14-8 by the end of the first quarter. That lead was enough to spark the Bearcats, which headed into halftime on top, 30-16. Even with the halftime break, Ellsworth only gained momentum, leading 44-20 by the end of the third quarter. In the final minutes of the game, Ellsworth shut down Lincoln’s attempts to close the gap. Leading the Bearcats were Bransen Schulte, with 14 points and John Kyler with 12 points. Avery Haxton and Braden Schulte each had 10 points while Hayden Rogers had eight points.