Updated Jan 17, 2013 @ 03:19 PM
It is hard to believe that we are already half way through the high school basketball season. The mid-season tournament is taking place this week and there has been a bunch of high school basketball games played in the area with more to come and trophies to be earned. As I like to often do, I am taking a look back at my files from the games I have covered up to this point and added some of them to my blog. As it always is for me, it has been fun covering the area teams and I am looking forward to the second half of the season and the images yet to be made.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior guard Kaleb Owens laces a pass Friday night against Louisburg in a season-opening 53-45 win. Owens provided a lift off the bench with nine points (all on 3-point shots), two rebounds and two assists.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg seniors Lizzy Willis and Alaura Short hustle for a loose ball in the waning seconds of a tight contest Friday night against Louisburg. The ball ended up in the hands of junior Bethanne Elliott and she provided the game-winning basket in a 53-52 nailbiter.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
St. Mary’s Colgan senior Nichole Kolarik grabs one of her seven rebounds to go with 11 points during the Panthers’ season-opening 53-48 overtime victory over the Raiders Friday evening at Frontenac High School.
Sean Steffen
Pittsburg senior FeDor Lomax snags a second-half rebound during a 50-36 win for the Pittsburg boys against Girard on Tuesday night. Neither Pittsburg team ever trailed against Girard.
Sean Steffen
Pittsburg senior forward Lizzy Willis outbattles Girard senior guard Hadyn Herlocker for one of her game-high 19 rebounds Tuesday night at Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium. Willis had 13 points, 19 rebounds and four assists in an impressive 55-51 win for Pittsburg.
Sean Steffen
Pittsburg junior forward Bethanne Elliott shoots for two points during the 55-51 win over Girard last Tuesday at Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium. Elliott also made the game-winning basket against Louisburg in the season opener. Pittsburg (2-0) hosts Parsons on Tuesday.
Sean Steffen
Girard junior big man Austin O’Dell comes down with a rebound Friday night against Baxter Springs at Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium. O’Dell had seven points and seven rebounds for the Trojans during a 87-48 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Northeast junior Noah Popejoy puts up a shot over senior Eli Short of Liberal (Mo.) Monday evening at Northeast High School. Popejoy scored a game high 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds during the Vikings 44-36 defeat.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Northeast sophomore Kaylee Bogina drives the lane before scoring the basket and being fouled by sophomore Casey Perry of Liberal (Mo.) during the Vikings' 54-20 defeat Monday evening at Northeast High School. Bogina finished the game with 12 points.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior Stefon Rich throws down a dunk over a defending Cedric Taylor of Parsons Tuesday evening during the Purple Dragons' 54-35 victory at Pittsburg High School. Rich finished with a game-high 17 points.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg freshman Sam Bollinger competes for a rebound with Kenya Kelly of Parsons Tuesday evening at Pittsburg High School.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg junior Mercedes Vogel puts up a second half three-point shot Tuesday evening during a Purple Dragon 64-43 victory over Parsons at Pittsburg High School.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior Nick Vacca drives Friday night against Independence in the second half. Vacca helped spark a 13-4 run on the Independence lead but the Bulldogs answered with a 16-2 run of their own en route to a 58-36 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior forward Lizzy Willis dribbles Friday night against Independence. Her 20 points and 16 rebounds helped Pittsburg overcome 30 turnovers during a 41-34 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
St. Mary’s Colgan senior guard Conner Dayton goes in for a second-half layup during Colgan’s 43-42 win over Seneca (Mo.) Tuesday night at the St. Mary’s Colgan Fieldhouse. The Panthers outscored the Indians 29-19 after halftime with a combination of solid defense and improved offense.
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St. Mary’s Colgan senior forward Dyson Dechant grabs the ball against Seneca (Mo.) in December. Colgan pulled out a 43-42 win in that game to improve to 4-1 and the Panthers host the Columbus Titans on Friday in a battle of 4-1 teams.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Colgan senior Mariah Klenke (32) and sophomore Katie Kolarik (23) go after a loose ball Tuesday night. Kolarik finished with a game-high 13 rebounds and Klenke had five, as Colgan outrebounded Seneca (Mo.) 37-27 during a 42-38 loss.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Girard senior Nick George battles for a rebound Thursday night with Troy Williamson of Parsons. The Trojans made three 3-point shots late and dodged a three-game losing streak with a 41-38 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Girard senior guard Hope McLeod attacks the basket as Parsons guard Shay Kelly reaches out and fouls McLeod on the left hand. McLeod would make both her free throws and No. 21 scored 14 first-half points and dished out five first-half assists, sparking Girard to a 50-14 halftime lead en route to a 72-32 win Thursday night at Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium.
Sean Steffen
Southeast senior Daniel Peak drives for two points and the hoop portion of an old-fashioned three-point play Friday night against the Northeast Vikings, part of a critical 12-0 run to push the Lancer lead to 42-13 in the second half. Southeast went on to win 55-34.
Sean Steffen
Southeast junior Rachel Bole scores two of her 11 points Friday night during a 47-5 win over the Northeast Vikings.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Frontenac senior guard Ross Edge attacks the basket for two of his five points Monday night during a 54-30 win over Northeast at Northeast High School. Edge was one of six Frontenac players to score at least five points.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Frontenac junior post Bailey Flora elevates over Jaycie Polhlopek (15) and Morgan Maransani (2) of Northeast on Monday night. Flora scored a game-high 15 points and helped Frontenac to a 72-19 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior forward FeDor Lomax scores two of his 10 points and grabs one of his game-high 12 rebounds on a putback during a 68-55 loss at home Tuesday night to state-ranked Labette County.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior Lizzy Willis fights for a loose ball with a Labette County player during a 45-27 loss Tuesday night against Labette County. The Grizzlies, now 5-0 in league play, own sole possession of first place in the Southeast Kansas League.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Girard senior Trenton Stolte attacks the basket with Fort Scott guard Jash Pytlowany stretching out his right arm to challenge on the play. Fort Scott took a 9-1 lead after one quarter and outscored Girard 15-6 in the fourth to win 45-35.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Girard senior guard Hadyn Herlocker goes in for two of her 17 points Friday night against Fort Scott at Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium. Herlocker scored 11 of her points in the fourth quarter to help the Trojans claim a 39-36 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg sophomore guard Katy Short puts up two of her eight points Saturday afternoon against St. James Academy at Pittsburg High School. Short added four rebounds and four assists to help Pittsburg to a 53-37 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Pittsburg senior Brianna Maxwell goes up for two points after grabbing an offensive rebound Saturday afternoon against St. James Academy. Maxwell finished with eight points and five rebounds during a 53-37 win.
Sean Steffen
Southeast senior forward Josh Thompson launches a 3 over the outstretched hand of Columbus senior Jordan Morgan during a classic Lancer Classic game Monday night. Thompson led Southeast with 12 points but Columbus won 50-49 on a buzzer-beater by Aaron Bigando.
Sean Steffen
Marmaton Valley freshman Mackenzie Tynon and St. Paul sophomore Ashton Wood grapple for a loose ball during their Lancer Classic game Monday night at Southeast High School. St. Paul struck early, struck late and struck often during a 60-13 win Monday.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Southeast senior guard Travis Trayer dribbles his way through a tough Marmaton Valley defense Tuesday night in the Lancer Classic. The Lancers stormed out early and maintained late for a 56-43 win.
SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Southeast senior Tessa Robin pesters Sunrise Christian Academy post Leashja Grant in the Lancer Classic on Tuesday night. Grant scored a game-high 28 points and helped Sunrise Christian to a 62-39 win and the Buffaloes will play in the championship game Friday night.
