High school state tournament notes

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 9, 1999

Class 6ABOYSWichita Southeast vs. Wichita Northwest --Wichita Southeast, the No. 2 seed in the field, certainly made a believer of Emporia coach Rick Bloomquist, whose Spartans absored an 80-61 beating at the hands of the Buffs Saturday night at Washburn Rural. "That was a very awesome basketball team we played (Saturday)," Bloomquist said of 20-2 Southeast. "I have nothing but compliments to say about them. They did everything to us that they wanted to do and there wasn't anything we could do. They did whatever they wanted. We were at their mercy, no question." Southeast is back in the state tournament field after a one-year absence. The Buffs were upset by eventual state runner-up Wichita Heights last year in sub-state competition. A top player for Southeast is Kansas State football signee Rashad Washington, an All-Stater in football. Washington and Dontaye McCoy scored 18 points apiece in the Buffs' win Saturday. Washington averages 16.5 points a game for Southeast. Wichita Northwest joins Southeast and Heights at state after routing Dodge City, 51-34. The Grizzlies are 13-9 and got 19 points from Booker Ray in the sub-state finals, while Jason Blevins added 12 points and seven rebounds. Blevins averages 14.9 points and eight rebounds a game.

Olathe South vs. SM North --Shawnee Mission North (17-5) and Wichita Heights are the lone holdovers from last year's state tournament in the eight-team field. North advanced to state with a 74-61 win over SM East in the sub-state finals. Olathe South (18-4) advanced with a 48-35 win over SM Northwest. Olathe South won the state title in 1997. Jeremy McFall, son of South coach John McFall, leads the Falcons with a 17.8 scoring average and also leads the team in assists and steals.