Girls basketball ends season minus a state tournament
Senior Haileigh Harper dribbles down the court during the varsity sub-state basketball game. The Lady Indians won the game against Dodge City 54-36, their last home game of the year.
February 28, 2019
The three months of the girls basketball season came to an end on Saturday as for the third time this season they lost to Topeka High in a fourth-quarter showdown ending 41-52.
“Even though we had lost to them twice we still had confidence that we could beat them,” senior Taylor Johnson said. “Both games we had led up until the fourth quarter so we knew we that beating them was well within our reach.”
Senior Taylor Johnson works to guard her opponet during the Sub-State girls basketball game. The game was the final home game for the Lady Indians, the night was sucessfull, the Lady Indains won 54-36.
Manhattan started strong, taking the lead 16-10 at the end of the first only to lose it before the end of the half with allowing Topeka High to go on a 13-1 run. However, they ended the half down only one point.
“It was different to be down at half,” Johnson said. “[However,] I think it started fire in us more than anything knowing that we had to come out and win the next half.”
The third quarter would continue to be a battle and end with MHS down 33-36. The final quarter of the game would consist of the Manhattan High offense turning over the ball multiple times, allowing Topeka to run away with a short lead.
The well-experienced team’s actions shone through the clouds of the loss as seniors Haleigh Harper and Kia Wilson led the team. Harper ended the night with 14 points and Wilson led the team in scoring with 17 points, four of which came from free throws in the free quarter.
Senior Haleigh Harper shoots a free-throw during the MHS Sub-State basketball game. The Lady Indians won the game against Dodge City 56-34.
While the team did end before reaching state, they dominated Dodge City in the first round of the sub-state tournament on Thursday.
The team owned the first half ending it 31-8 and going on a 22-6 run in the second quarter. However, similarly to the Topeka High game, the domination would end there as they wouldn’t either quarters in the second half.
“We [were] kind of in this funk in the second half where it goes down hill,” senior Garrin Williams said. “We [were] going to work on that more during practice and come up with something to get in the game in the second half.”
The team would end the night with a win, 54-36. Wilson and Harper led the team yet again in very familiar fashion, ending the night with numerous deflections and steals a piece and 14 points each. Underclassmen and sophomore Jaiden Weixelman began to climb scoring the ladder ending the night with 8 points, directly behind Wilson and Harper.
With the competition season behind them, the team will say goodbye to their four starting seniors during their end-of-season banquet, the date which is still being determined.
