Sub-State, regional sites announced for basketball and wrestling

Before the winter sports season even began, high school basketball and wrestling teams across the state of Kansas gained a little more insight into their future as postseason sites for all classes were announced last week by the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

The outcome for Holton basketball was no surprise, as newly minted Class 4A-Division II foe (and rival) Topeka Hayden was grouped into its sub-state, along with Jefferson West and Rock Creek. Hayden (#3) and Rock Creek (#4) are both currently ranked in the top five of the 4A-DII polls, while Holton (#6) is the only girls team ranked.

Like the volleyball season, though, Holton will get the benefit of hosting its sub-state tournament, which will be held March 3-5.

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With the switch to Class 3A this season, one question loomed large for Royal Valley regarding its postseason fate. Would the Panthers be grouped with the Big Seven League teams to the north or go south with Mid-East League powers Rossville and Silver Lake like the fall?

The answer is a familiar one, as RVHS will be grouped with the Bulldawgs and Eagles again, along with Riley County and St. Marys. Royal Valley will also see several Flint Hills League teams in their sub-state tournament, including Council Grove, Mission Valley and Osage City. The sub-state will be hosted by Council Grove from Feb. 29 to March 5.

Two teams in both the boys and girls field are currently ranked in the top 10, with the Silver Lake girls sporting a number two ranking in Class 3A and Osage City sitting third in the boys poll. Meanwhile, Riley County’s boys (#10) and girls (#9) are both ranked just inside the top 10.

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Jackson Heights’ Class 2A sub-state tournament will have a familiar feel to it this winter as the Cobras will once again head to a nearby Northeast Kansas League school, Horton, and have several NEKL foes to contend with this postseason.

In the field of the 2A sub-state at Horton, besides the host and JHHS, are teams from McLouth, Olathe-Heritage Christian, Kansas City Christian, Shawnee-Maranatha Academy, Troy, Valley Falls and JCN.

The Valley Falls girls (#3 in 2A) are the only team in that group ranked at this moment. Sub-State competition will run from Feb. 29 to March 5 later this season.

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For the wrestling teams, there are no surprises as Holton will once again be in the northeast 4A regional tournament with familiar foes from Atchison, Baldwin, Basehor-Linwood, De Soto, Eudora, KC Bishop Ward, KC Piper, KC Sumner, Jefferson West, Ottawa, Santa Fe Trail, Bishop Miege, Spring Hill and Tonganoxie.

This year, the tournament will be held at De Soto Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20.

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Unsurprisingly, Royal Valley will be competing in the northeast regional tournament as well, only in Class 3A. That tournament will be hosted at Rossville on Feb. 19 and 20.

Other teams making that trip will include fellow Big Seven League teams, like ACCHS, Hiawatha, Perry-Lecompton, Sabetha and Riverside, as well as Maur Hill, Riverbend International, Burlingame, Council Grove, Pleasant Ridge, Mission Valley, Doniphan West, Immaculata, McLouth, Onaga, Oskaloosa, Central Heights, Rossville, Silver Lake, St. Mary’s, Troy, Wabausnee and Wellsville.

Check back in late February for more information on the postseason tournaments once brackets are released.