The Walnut Grove boys and girls came into the Class 1 – District 5 title games as heavily favored top seeds.
They did not disappoint, as neither team trailed once all night on the way to matching district titles.
The Lady Tigers kicked things off with a 49-39 win over the No. 3 seed Verona, but it was as close at 16-15 late into the second quarter.
"Our kids just kept battling and stuck to our game plan," Walnut Grove Head Coach Rory Henry said. "We wanted to get the ball inside. I though Raylie Hejna did a great job when we got her the ball. Verona did an excellent job defensively trying to take away our strengths."
Hejna was one of those strengths that Verona tried to take away in the first half, but struggled to contain in the second half as the junior scored 14 of her game-high 24 points in the second half, which included seven of Walnut Grove’s 16 third-quarter points.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GIRLS GAME
"We just kept talking about getting the ball inside. We ran some sets to get her open inside. We knew they would have a hard time with her with her size. She did a heck of a job of going up and finishing," Henry said.
The focus down low along with sophomore guard Bayley Harman helped Walnut Grove go on a 13-1 run to end the second quarter and start the second half and essentially ice the game. Harman scored 17 points and was the only other Lady Tiger in double figures.
"I am very proud of them. They did everything I asked and gave it all," Verona Head Coach Brenton Hyde said. "We just couldn't get the stops that we needed and couldn't get the basket that we needed, but we are going to keep our heads high."
Twillah Carrasquillo led the Lady Wildcats with 15 points. Tori Pinkly was the only other Lady Wildcat in double figures at 11 points.
This is the sixth district title in a row for Walnut Grove as the Lady Tigers chase a fourth straight state title.
"We are excited and I want them to celebrate it. This is a group that hasn't gotten to feel this with five freshmen and really only three kids coming back from last year," Henry said. "So we are going to celebrate it, but we have to go back to work. We know that was not the goal. Districts are nice, but it is not our goal. Our goal is to get back to the Final Four and win another one."
Walnut Grove will now face Wheatland on Tuesday at SBU with a trip to the quarterfinals on the line.
The boys’ game was much the same story as the girls with the Tigers icing the game late on the backs two players. This time is was Dallas Meinders and Logan Thomazin who put up a combined 69 of Walnut Grove’s 91 points in a 91-68 win over Fair Play.
"Those two kids are great players and they work well together. I feel like anytime we take the floor we have two of the best guards on the floor, and when you have good guards good things can happen,” Walnut Grove Head Coach Darin Meinders said.
Dallas Meinders put up 40 points, while Thomazin had 29.
Fair Play hung around a 10-point deficit for much of the game before the Tigers were able to put the game late.
"We played them a week ago…that's why I felt like we were a little sluggish early," Meinders said. "I thought they did a good job the second half of moving the ball and getting the ball where it needed to be."
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE BOYS GAME
Despite the loss, Fair Play head coach Lynn Long was happy with how his team battled.
"I thought we battled and I thought our effort was good. We knew it was going to be a struggle for us," Long said. "We were around that 10-point mark from the middle of the second quarter to the middle of the fourth quarter. I thought we were battling and hanging in there, but when you can't get stops it’s hard to get over the hump."
Junior Camden Welch led the Hornets with 31 points. Fellow junior Devon Roverstine chipped in 14 in the loss.
Long returns much of his team for next season, which has him excited for what the 2016-17 will offer.
"Basically we have everybody back. I think as our kids get stronger and more mature we will be much better next year than we were this year," Long said.
Walnut Grove now takes the next step as the Tigers look to get to the Final Four a year after falling in the quarterfinals.
"Our kids set a goal earlier in the year," Meinders said. "We are happy, but we know we have bigger goals to reach."
Walnut Grove will face the winner of Saturday’s Hermitage and Weaubleau district title game in Tuesday’s sectional at SBU.
