Sports

By Mark McCoy

HOISINGTON — The Central Plains Oilers won the Hoisington Invitational tennis meet March 30 with 30 team points, edging the Ellsworth Bearcat squad who placed second with 25. Five teams competed in the round-robin tournament including Larned, Hoisington and Trego Community.

It was a cold and blustery day with overcast skies threatening rain, but the precipitation did not fall and the meet forged ahead as scheduled.

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Cheyenne Hellebust, a senior at Ellsworth Junior/Senior High School, recently signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for the Lady Cardinals of Labette Community College in Parsons. From left is mother Shawn Hellebust, Hellebust, head Lady Bearcat coach Amy Johnson and step-father Sean Peterson. Not pictured is father Wayne Hellebust.

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By Mark McCoy

The Ellsworth Bearcat football team will enter the 2018 season under the direction of former University of Kansas linebacker and Northern Illinois University safety coach Josh Homolka.

Homolka was announced as the new Bearcat head football coach at the Feb. 13 meeting of the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo school board meeting.

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Freshman Emily Ryan, far left, and her sister, senior Janae Ryan (33), were both unanimous selections to the 2017 Central Prairie League’s first All-league team.

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Ellsworth senior Kaden Davis was named to the 2017 North Central Activities Association’s All-league first basketball team.

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By Mark McCoy

MANHATTAN — The Lady Oilers defeated a good Valley Falls team, 53-41, Friday in the semi-final 2A State championship game in Manhattan.

The patience and ball-handling skills of the Lady Oilers came into play early in the first quarter as the Lady Oilers struggled to open up the paint. Central Plains has a lot of girls that can hit the trey and utilizes those 3-ball shooting skills to get to the bucket.

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By Mark McCoy

MANHATTAN — The topranked, undefeated and threetime defending 2A champion Lady Oilers won the 2A girls’ basketball crown for a fourth consecutive season. The Lady O’s beat Wabaunsee County, 60-48, Saturday in the championship game of the 2A State basketball tournament at Bramlage Coliseum on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan.

It is hard for any team to repeat a State title, much less grab four consecutive State championship trophies. At the end of last season, head coach Pat Stiles told the I-R that it takes a lot of hard work, luck and getting through the season without injuries to achieve a State title.

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MANHATTAN — The top-ranked,undefeated and three-time defending 2A champion Lady Oilers of Central Plains defeated the Lady Chargers of Wabaunsee, 60-48, Saturday to claim a fourth consecutive 2A State basketball championship trophy in Manhattan.

Lady Oiler Kylee Kasselman, who injured her ankle in the middle of the fourth quarter in the victory over Valley Falls, iced her ankle throughout the night and returned to the hardwood for the gamer.

Read about the Lady Oilers at the tournament in the March 16 edition of the I-R.

MANHATTAN — The top-ranked,undefeated and three-time defending 2A champion Lady Oilers of Central Plains defeated the Lady Dragons of Valley Falls, 53-41, Friday getting one game closer to claiming a fourth consecutive 2A State basketball championship trophy in Manhattan.

It was a costly victory however, as Lady Oiler Kylee Kasselman, the team’s fierce rebounder and a top scorer, rolled her ankle in the middle of the fourth quarter and did not return to the hardwood.

The Lady O’s will compete against Wabaunsee for the title at 4 p.m. Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan.

On the boys’ side, the St. John-Hudson Tigers defeated Bishop Seabury Academy 52-51 in six overtimes — although the Warriors won possession of the ball at the tip-off and literally held the ball for three minutes and 45 seconds of several of the four-minute periods.

MANHATTAN — The top-ranked,undefeated and three-time defending 2A champion Lady Oilers of Central Plains terminated a good Chase County team, 60-30, Thursday on their quest to claim a fourth consecutive 2A State basketball championship trophy in Manhattan.

The Lady O’s dominated first quarter, scoring 15 points and holding the Lady Bulldogs to a mere four. Chase County never recovered from the full court press utilized by Central Plains early in the period.

The Lady O’s will compete against the victor of the Lady Dragons of Valley Falls versus Elbin Berean Academy at 3 p.m. Friday at Bramlage Coliseum on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan.

The halftime score of the Lady Dragon/Lady Warrior game was 17-12 at post time in favor of Valley Falls.

Keep up with the Lady O’s tournament results on this website and read about the games in the March 16 edition of the I-R.