2A girls basketball semifinals: Merino, Sedgwick County, set for top seed showdown
By Jonathan Maness for CHSAANow.com
Photo: Barry Smith
LOVELAND – The Class 2A girls basketball semifinals took place Friday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland. No. 1 Merino and No. 2 Sedgwick County advanced to the championship game, defeating No. 12 Heritage Christian and third-seeded Burlington, respectively.
The two teams are back will return tomorrow to the Budweiser Events Center for the 2A girls’ basketball championship game, which will begin at 4 p.m.
(1) Merino 48, (12) Heritage Christian 36
Top-seeded Merino is heading back to the state championship for the first time since 2002.
The Rams held off a a feisty Heritage Christian squad 48-36 to advance to the 2A girls basketball championship.
“We have a great group,” Merino head coach Daniel Piel said. “They are young, but they do have a lot of experience.”
Many members of the Rams squad were part of the Merino’s volleyball team that won the state in November.
“They know what it takes to win,” Piel said. “I don’t look at them as underclassmen, but as competitors.”
It was a defensive battle from the opening whistle, as both squads struggled to find an open shot. Merino had an early 9-4 advantage thanks to big plays from Kya Piel. The freshman hit a three-pointer and scored a fast-break layup. Sydney Nichols scored five consecutive points for the Eagles to tie the game at nine after the first.
Heritage Christian took control late in the second, Avery Hughes made a pair of free throws and hit a fadeaway jumper to give the Eagles a 20-19 lead at halftime.
Merino adjusted to more of a press defense and that adjustment paid off as Heritage Christian was scoreless for the six minutes of the second half as Merino led 29-25 after three.
The Rams pushed the lead to 39-30 in the fourth and sealed the victory by hitting free throws down the stretch.
Makenna Sutter led all scorers with 16 points, while Kya Piel added 15 and Brooklyn Sutter chipped in 10. Hughes led Heritage Christian with 13.
(2) Sedgwick County 50, (3) Burlington 48
Sedgwick County is making its first trip to the Class 2A state title game after topping Burlington 50-48. The victory sets up a rematch a familiar foe in Merino. The two teams faced earlier this year with Sedgwick County winning 63-54.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Sedgwick County coach Scott Dille said. “I’m glad it is them; they have made adjustments since the last time we played, and it will be a good game.”
Sedgwick County’s Abigail Dille led all scorers with 23 points, while Kiyarra Williams led Burlington with 20.
Burlington jumped out to an early 9-2 advantage, but Sedgwick County responded back quickly. Dille hit a trey and Lainee Neil scored three points the old fashion way to give the Cougars a 10-9 lead halfway through the first quarter. Dille had a steal and basket to give Sedgwick a 14-13 advantage after the first.
Dille added another trey and basket in the second to push the lead to 24-18 and Kierra Ehnes putback gave Burlington a 25-19 lead at halftime.
Kiyarra Williams was on a terror in the third for Burlington. The sophomore scored 17 points in the quarter, doing most of her work near the basket. She sparked a 7-point run to open the quarter to cut the deficit to three. And then scored eight consecutive points to give Burlington a 40-36 advantage late. Burlington took a 41-39 lead into the fourth.
Coach Dille switched the defense up to zone in the fourth to slow Williams and the adjustment worked as Sedgwick battled back. Allie Bernardt hit a basket to give SCHS a 47-46 lead with 30 seconds left in the contest, and they went on to hang on for the two point win.
