[ STATE HIGH SCHOOL NOTES ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 6, 2001 by Capital-Journal

Class 3A

BOYS

Riley County advanced to the state tournament with a 45-41 win over Hesston, which ended the regular season top-ranked in 3A. The Falcons (19-3) advanced to state for the first time in 36 years, with Weston Steiner leading Riley County with 19 points. ... All eyes at the 3A tournament will be on Halstead star Dennis Latimore, an Arizona recruit. Latimore scored 23 points grabbed six rebounds and blocked three shots in Halstead's 78-56 win over Medicine Lodge Saturday night. Josh Farmer also had 23 points. Halstead had early leads of 12-0 and 20-1 in improving to 19-4. ... Osage City (22-1) is back to defend its state championship and will face longtime 3A power Wellsville (9-14) in the opening round. ... Also back in the 3A field from a year ago is 21-2 Holcomb, another perennial state stalwart. ... Chris Pitts led Osage City with 22 points in a 56-45 win over Rossville in the sub-state finals. ... Sabetha advanced to state with a 50-41 win over Nemaha Valley. Josh Wertenberger paced the Bluejays with 16 points.

GIRLS

Only two teams from last year's field return this season. Silver Lake has been snake-bitten the past few years, losing three times to the eventual state champion in sub-state play. The Eagles were third in 1998 and should be a contender this year. Their lone loss is to 4A favorite Marysville and only three of their wins have been single- digit victories. ... Southwestern Heights was the Class 2A champion in 1992 and is the lone unbeaten in the 3A field. Cami Jacobs averages 19.1 points and 10 rebounds per game, leading a balanced attack that also gets double-digit scoring from Amanda Mead and Tami Dreitz. ... Frontenac might be the sentimental favorite as one of two teams back this year from a year ago. Salim Haden, the team's top player a year ago as a sophomore, was killed in a car accident last spring along with two classmates. The Raiders have fought back from the tragedy to try and duplicate or improve last year's third-place finish. ... Nemaha Valley might have the deepest team in the tourney as coach Mike Terpening rotates 10 players without much dropoff. Sophomore Ashley Glissman arguably is the team's top player and alternates starting and coming off the bench. The Raiders were 3A champs in 1992. ... Central Heights is led by Beccy Tooley and knocked off sub-state host Yates Center. ... Norton last won a state title in 1983 and beat Beloit to get to Hutchinson this year. ... Conway Springs is trying to duplicate St. Marys' 3A title sweep of a year ago. The Cardinals won the volleyball crown in the fall and have been on a roll since the return of top-scorer Ashley Holt, who missed two of the team's three losses with injuries. ... Hillsboro avenged one of its two losses with its sub-state championship win over rival Hesston. The Trojans won back-to-back crowns in 1995-96 and are led by Angela Herzet (10.4 ppg).

Class 2A

BOYS

Valley Falls made it to state with a 69-38 rout of Jackson Heights, improving to 23-0 on the year. Jordan Rider scored 17 points and Tyson Allen and Tyler Herbster added 15 each in the Dragons' victory. Valley Falls was in the 2A state tournament a year ago. ... Washington (13-9) is the only other repeater from last year's tournament field. ... Three teams in the field have at least 20 wins, with Remington (20-3) and Hoxie (20-3) joining Valley Falls as 20- game winners. ... Valley Falls drew the No. 1 seed and will take on Ness City (13-9) in the first round. Also on the Dragons' side of the bracket at Sublette (17-6) and Inman (16-7).