Sports

By Jennifer McDaniel
For the Ellsworth I-R

The undefeated Central Plains Oilers are one step closer to the state championship after beating the Ness City Eagles 50-0 Friday night.

When the Oilers faced off against the Eagles in the first game of the season, Ness City managed to score two touchdowns. While it wasn’t enough to win the game (Central Plains won 30-14), the Eagles were only one of two teams to score any points this season against the Oilers. Victoria, which played Central Plains the following week, was the other.

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BY TAYLOR HOLECEK
For the Ellsworth County I-R

The Ellsworth Bearcats played their final game of the season against the Cimarron Bluejays Friday.

The final score was 52-14, with each of the Cats’ scoring plays coming in the final quarter. Those touchdowns were each on passes to Bransen Schulte. On the first, the Ellsworth offense run in a two-point conversion with just under five minutes left, and, on the second, PAT play was no good.

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By MARK McCOY
Ellsworth County I-R

CLAFLIN — Top-ranked Central Plains crushed the South Gray County Rebels 50-0 in the first round (or cross-bracket) of the 8-man Division I football title Friday, in Claflin.

The Oilers, as District 5 Champions, won home field advantage against the Montezuma Rebels, who placed fourth in the District 6 race.

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By JENNIFER McDANIEL
For the Ellsworth County I-R

Most cross country runners learn the challenges they’ll face on each course, and tuck that knowledge away to use year after year.

On some courses, it’s the hills. But on others, it’s the narrow straightaways that won’t afford runners the chance to pass their opponents. But for most runners, there’s always one course that seems to elude them. It’s the one that only the best of the best high school cross country runners in Kansas run each year.

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BY MARK McCOY
Ellsworth County I-R

WILSON — The Mustangs of Sylvan-Lucas Unified romped to a 46-0 win in an 8-man Division II District 5 football game Friday in Wilson. The win gave the Mustangs a 5-3 overall record; a third-place finish in the district with a total of 17 district points and a berth in next week’s cross-bracket playoffs. The Dragons finished last in District 5 with -105 points and were eliminated from the Kansas State High School Association football playoffs.

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By Taylor Holechek
For the I-R

The Ellsworth Bearcats blew out the Thomas Moore Prep-Marian Monarchs with a score of 48-0 for their second win of the season Friday at Shanelec Field. To begin the game, the Cats kicked towards the north and instantly made a tackle on the receiving Monarch.

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By JENNIFER McDANIEL
For the Ellsworth County I-R

The last time Ellsworth had a cross country team compete at the state meet was in 2008. That changed Saturday when the boys’ captured first place at the 2A regional cross country in Belleville. The win also made the team the first to be named regional champions since the Lady ‘Cats won the Ellsworth regional in 2005. Sophomore Noah Erichsen led the boys’ team with a 10 th -place finish, running 18:10. Erichsen led the pack for most of the first mile. Although he dropped back, Erichsen remained within top-10 contention, qualifying him for a run at the state meet in Wamego.

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By MIKE COURSON
For the I-R

The small things add up for a football team that has won its last 15 and 24 of its last 25 regular-season games, usually by wide margins. For the top-ranked Oilers Friday night, that small thing might have been a stop on fourth-and one. Central Plains halted Moundridge and on that drive and many times over as part of another mercy-rule win at 52-0.

“They’re not a bad team,” said Oiler coach Chris Steiner. “They fly around and they’ve got some good kids. (Moundridge running backs Daniel Kaufman and Cody Hazelton) both ran around really hard.

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By MIKE COURSON
For the I-R

Progress was made but it was not enough. Last fall, a pair of sophomores emerged as the new State powers in Class 3-2-1A. Kansas City Christian’s Lilly McNeill dominated Central Plains’ Emily Ryan for her first State title.

The rivalry renewed itself Saturday in Pratt in the finale of the Class 3-2-1A State Tennis Championships. After a 6-2, 6-0 loss to McNeill last year, Ryan opened this year’s title match with a quick 4-0 lead. “I came in strong and she had some jitters,” Ryan said. “She wasn’t hitting some of the shots she was hitting later in the match. She was amazing at the end.”

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By MIKE COURSON
For the I-R

The luck of the draw, or lack thereof, forced a showdown between both Ellsworth doubles teams in action at the Class 3-2-1A State tournament this past week at Pratt.

Seniors Kassie Sheridan and Cassidy Kroboth went on to earn State medals as sixth-place finishers. Junior Jaide Talbott and sophomore Jaycee Cunningham had a rough finish to medal in 12th.

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