Road to State: A look at how each winter sports team is preparing for the post-season

Girls’ Basketball

With a new head varsity coach and a season record of 5-5, the girls’ varsity basketball team is optimistic headed into the playoff season beginning March 3. 

“I feel like we’re feeling pretty confident right now,” senior point guard Reese Althouse said. “We’ve won four of our last five [games], so we’re definitely on the right track, but we haven’t really beaten a top team yet this year, so I think [big wins over other good teams are] going to be important for us going forward.”

Varsity Coach Douglas Archer believes that learning to analyze the court and adapt when games are close will be the team’s deciding factor in getting through the playoffs. In addition, Archer feels a stronger offensive presence on the court will find them success during playoffs.

“We’ve had quite a few close games, so I think the biggest thing that we’re learning is how to play during crunch time and win down the stretch,” Archer said. “We’re trying to put in a few more offensive plays so that we can look to get our scores open. And then defensively working on our press and maybe throwing in a few more defenses to keep people on their toes.”

Boys’ Basketball

As substate nears on Feb. 27, the boys’ varsity basketball team knows they need to work on their defense — specifically boxing out opposing defenders.

“I think the basic for us is to be a consistent team on both ends of the floor,” varsity coach Shawn Hair said. “Offensively we’re very good. Defensively, and especially rebounding, we have to improve on.”

With a current record of 8-3, including some big wins against Rockhurst and Olathe South, junior Emmett Hill attributes their success to their high offensive scoring.

“We’re able to really put the ball in the hoop a lot,” Hill said. “But I would say we let in a lot of offensive rebounds. [Coach Hair] really emphasizes that [boxing out is key] because we give up a lot of offensive rebounds during games. We’ve got to limit [our opponent’s] points, and we’ll start winning those tough games down the road.”

Bowling

This year the bowling team’s new home alley, Mission Bowl in Olathe, is helping them practice specific techniques needed for state that were not available to them at their previous home alley — AMF College Lanes.

“At Mission Bowl we’re allowed to set up certain pins,” varsity bowler and junior Victoria Leal said. “Instead of just throwing [the ball] at all 10 of them, we can set up however many pins we want. So it really helps us practice our spares, which I think will really help us prepare for regionals and then state.”

However, due to COVID-19, the Sunflower League is not taking as many individuals and teams to state. This year, only the four highest girls, the four highest boys and the two highest teams will qualify for state.

Because the varsity girls’ team is currently in fourth place in the Sunflower League and the team’s scores are only getting higher, Leal is confident that the team will make it to state this year. 

“We just have a lot more experience [than other teams] because several of us have been to state before,” Leal said. “We’re always focused on going [to state] as a team — that’s always the goal for us.”

Boys’ Swim & Dive

After working hard to get back in shape after their two-week break in January, the boys’ swim and dive team celebrated a major high at their meet on Thursday, Jan. 28 when 13 swimmers individually qualified for state.

“After Thursday, I’m pretty sure a lot of us were really confident in the fact that we almost shocked ourselves with how well we swam,” varsity swimmer and junior Bo Kimmel said.

But the swimmers were also all exposed to COVID-19 at that meet, so the swimmers had to leave school on Monday, Feb. 1 to complete a required two week quarantine until they receive a negative test.

Even without access to a pool, Kimmel is confident that his team will work hard to stay in shape during this second, unexpected break from swim. When the boys return, they will be only two weeks out from state.

“I bet you that a lot of the guys are going to be running or lifting and trying to stay in shape [during the quarantine],” Kimmel said. “We’re going to have to return and instantly go into some very hard sets. I don’t know which way it’s going to go. Either we go into it with the mindset ‘We have to work so much harder’ or ‘Crap, our season might be over — this might be it.’”

Wrestling

This season, the wrestling team has specifically focused on conditioning and strength training to boost their performance on the mat as they approach regionals and prepare for state.

“[Conditioning] is a big part of wrestling because you’ve got to be in good shape to last a whole match,” sophomore and varsity wrestler Jahir Contreras said. “If not, you’re going to be drained real quick. We spend Tuesday and Thursday practices in the weight room to build up our strength and then we’re also sprinting and jogging — sprinting for 15 seconds and then jogging for 30 and then sprinting for 20, jogging for 45.”

Due to COVID-19, only four individuals will be selected from the region to compete at regionals, instead of eight.

“I think that our conditioning training will give us a leg up over the other teams and give us a chance at getting our guys qualified,” Contreras said.