by KSHSAA recap website
HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Well, that was one bizarre Class 3A boys state semifinal Friday evening at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Hesston raced to a 11-0 first-quarter lead. The Swathers then wouldn't score for more than 12 minutes.
After falling behind TMP-Marian by three points, and seemingly unable to find any offense anywhere, the Swathers scored the next 15 points, en route to a 45-36 win over TMP.
The reigning 3A champion will look for its first consecutive state championships when the Swathers take on top-seed Royal Valley at 4 p.m. Saturday.
When asked the last time Hesston went scoreless in a quarter, coach Greg Raleigh shook his head.
"I don't think we've ever been shut out in a quarter," Raleigh said. "I've been here 12 years. We've attacked the zone well all year, and when (TMP) went to the zone, we got a little tight. Sometimes against a zone, you can get an offensive rebound, but I was disappointed we couldn't even get a stickback or free throw."
Hesston started well against the TMP zone as Brayden Schilling threw down a monster alley-oop dunk, giving the Swathers a 17-7 lead late in the first quarter. Jake Procter then hit a 3-pointer with a minute left, giving Hesston a 20-10 lead.
The Swathers wouldn't score again well into the third quarter.
Hesston's Nick Arnold (34) guards TMP-Marian's Bryce Seib during Friday's Class 3A state semifinal.
"I don't think I've been on a team go empty for a full quarter," Schilling said.
Kenton Ginther's 3-pointer gave TMP its first lead at 21-20 with 3:12 left in the first half. When Bryce Seib scored 49 seconds into the third quarter, TMP led 23-20, and Hesston was left wondering when, or if, it would score again.
The Swathers turned to defense to change their fortunes. Ty Schroeder's steal led to a layup with 4:35 left in the third quarter. Jake Proctor then stole the inbounds pass, missed a shot but was fouled. He sank both free throws, igniting a 15-0 run that gave the Swathers control again.
"That was huge," Schilling said about the steals and points from Schroeder and Proctor. 'I was pumped. It was crazy, because we couldn't score, and then we scored back to back. We were all excited about it."
Excited about a chance to win a second straight state title, too.
"I hope we're ready, because Royal Valley is good," Raleigh said.
Cason Richardson led Hesston with 12 points, six rebounds three assists and a blocked shot. Kade Harris led TMP with 11 points.
Royal Valley players celebrate after reaching the state championship game for the first time in program history.
ROYAL VALLEY 60, SOUTHEAST OF SALINE 52
The Royal Valley boys have been about making history the last two seasons.
Last year, it was the first time the Panthers won a sub-state championship. But the state trip was short-lived in a quarterfinal loss to Rock Creek, which was played at the higher seed's home due to Covid-19.
"It didn't even feel like the full state experience," said Royal Valley senior forward Brady Klotz. "Rock Creek was a really good team, and we had to play at their place. It was still state though, so I can't really complain."
This trip to the Hutchinson Sports Arena has lasted much longer for Royal Valley.
"We're excited because these guys have made a lot of history the last two years," Royal Valley coach Chris Brown said. "Last year, they were the first (Royal Valley) team to win sub-state, and this year is our first to win a game at state. We're glad to have the opportunity to have a chance on Saturday."
Royal Valley used a strong first quarter Friday to put Southeast of Saline in a hole the Trojans never climbed out of. Klotz's 3-pointer with 4:53 left in the first quarter gave the Panthers a 5-2 lead, and that sparked a 12-0 run.
Nahcs Wahwassuck helped lead Royal Valley to its first state championship game, scoring 16 points in a 60-52 win over Southeast of Saline.
Southeast of Saline steadied, and trailed 31-20 at half, but Royal Valley used an 8-0 run in the third quarter to build a 42-28 lead, capped by a KJ Miller layup.
Down 15 in the fourth quarter, Southeast of Saline mounted a charge. Luke Gebhardt sank a couple of 3s, and his last one with 16 seconds left closed the gap to 56-52.
But Klotz and Mason Thomas went a combined 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final 13 seconds.
"We know who to get the ball to," Brown said. "We're very confident in our free-throw shooting. We shoot 65%, which is good in high school, but that goes up when we have the right guys at the line."
Klotz led Royal Valley with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Nakari Morrical-Palmer had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Southeast of Saline.
HESSTON 45, HAYS-THOMAS MORE PREP 36
TMP-Marian ... 12 ... 9 ... 2 ... 13 ... -- ... 36
Hesston ... 20 ... 0 ... 11 ... 14 ... -- ... 45
TMP-Marian (20-5) -- Harris 4-12 2-3 11, Schwartz 1-2 0-0 3, Wentling 3-4 1-2 7, Unrein 1-4 0-2 3, Ginther 2-4 0-0 6, Seib 3-4 0-2 6, Werth 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 14-31 3-9 36
Hesston (24-1) -- Schroeder 3-8 1-1 7, Werner 0-0 0-0 0, Proctor 2-8 4-4 9, Schilling 1-8 5-6 7, Waltner 0-0 0-0 0, Richardson 2-6 7-8 12, Dahlsten 0-1 0-0 0, Arnold 4-6 0-0 10. Totals 12-37 17-19 45
3-point goals -- TMP 5-15 (Ginther 2-4, Schwartz 1-2, Unrein 1-3, Harris 1-5, Seib 0-1). Hesston 4-17 (Arnold 2-2, Richardson 1-4, Proctor 1-7, Schroeder 0-1, Dahlsten 0-1, Schilling 0-2). Rebounds -- TMP 21 (Werth, Seib, Wentlin 4), Hesston 21 (Richardson 6). Assists -- TMP 7 (Unrein 2), Hesston 10 (Werner, Proctor, Richardson 3). Total fouls: TMP 17, Hesston 10
ROYAL VALLEY 60, SOUTHEAST OF SALINE 52
Southeast of Saline ... 4 ... 16 ... 10 ... 22 ... -- ... 52
Royal Valley ... 16 ... 15 ... 14 ... 15 ... -- ... 60
Southeast of Saline (21-4) -- Sawyers 3-7 1-4 7, Morrical-Palmer 5-11, 6-6 17, Augustine 2-10 0-0 4, Kejr 4-5 0-0 11, Richardson 1-6 0-0 3, Lilley 0-2 0-0 0, Gebhardt 3-11 2-2 10, Isaacson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-52 9-12 52
Royal Valley (24-1) -- Murata 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas 1-3 7-10 10, Coleman 0-0 0-0 0, Wahwassuck, 4-17 7-7 16, Hammes 0-0 0-0 0, Kelly 0-1 0-0 0, McKinsey 0-0 0-0 0, Torres 0-0 0-0 0, Klotz 7-11 6-8 21, Miller 6-12 0-1 13. Totals 18-44, 20-26 60
3-point goals -- Southeast of Saline 7-21 (Kejr 3-3, Gebhardt 2-6, Morrical-Palmer 1-2, Richardson 1-6, Sawyers 0-1, Lilley 0-1). Royal Valley 4-11 (Klotz 1-2, Miller 1-2, Thomas 1-3, Wahwassuck 1-3, Kelly 0-1). Rebounds -- Southeast of Saline 35 (Morrical-Palamer 11), Royal Valley 29 (Klotz 12). Assists -- Southeast of Saline 7 (Sawyers, Morrical-Palmer, Gebhardt 2), Royal Valley 13 (Wahwassuck 5). Total fouls -- Southeast of Saline 21, Royal Valley 12. Fouled out: Sawyers, Morrical-Palmer.
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