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Kansas Hardwood, Volume 6
Meade banks on younger players
team-high 8.2 rebounds). The Larks have been 16-7 the last two winters. Hi-Plains On the boys’ side, Aaron Dardis took over the Meade program last year. Dardis notably eade girls’ basketball ended an era. • Cimarron led the Hoxie boys to its best run in school Coach Craig Batchman, the Buffs’ annals. Dardis first left for Sublette and then coach since 2009-10, moved east • Johnson-Stanton County went east before he came to Meade. Dardis and took over the Sylvan-Lucas girls’ basket• Lakin went 152-71 with the Indians, including a ball team. Batchman’s wife is from Sylvan, 24-2 squad and Class 1A, Division I runner• Meade and he is from central Kansas. Batchman up in ’14. Dardis led Hoxie to four state built one of the best Class 2A programs with • Sublette appearances, including a third-place showing. 20-5, 21-4, 22-2, and 23-3 the last four years. Meade had much different personnel Additionally, Meade graduated standout under Dardis than in previous seasons with point guard Jaylin Stapleton. She had interest Austin Lewis. The Buffs finished 25-1, 24-1, from multiple Kansas KCAC and junior col20-4, 13-8 and 16-6 with Lewis. leges and received a look from Fort Hays Dardis led Meade to an 11-11 mark. The State, a top-25 Division II team the last sevBuffs’ top-three scorers averaged between eral years. Stapleton ultimately signed with 10.3 and 10.9 points a contest. One of the Barton County Community College. three return with senior Martin Iglesias with The 5’6” Stapleton averaged 21.5 points, 10.5 points a game. He finished second with 3.8 steals and 2.2 assists a contest, which all 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals. led Meade. The top-four scorers were all Meade was much smaller than in recent seaseniors. sons with just one player above 6-2. Meade had just one junior who saw time “I told people before the season when they with Jenna Papay, who averaged 2.4 points asked about the team, I said, ‘Well, we are and 4.2 rebounds. Junior Shiane Wondra going to look different than any Meade team averaged 4.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, secand Lakin, Southwestern Heights and has in many, many years,’” Dardis said last ond-most on the team. Wichita County struggled to 5-16 marks. winter. “Because traditionally just a lot of The Buffs finished No. 90 nationally in The Stanton County girls, led by coach size, the 6-8 post for almost decades, and we free throws, according to MaxPreps. Meade Trevor Siebert, finished 7-14. Sophomore don’t have that. We don’t have the size and sunk 390 of 592 foul shots. Stapleton, Rylie Cook led the team with 10.3 points a athleticism as them, but we have got some known for her hard-nosed, aggressive play, contest and was second with five rebounds. guys that will fight, and we do have quicksunk 194 of 259 free throws. Seniors Grecia Caro (2.9 points, 3.6 ness.” She was No. 30 nationally in free throws. rebounds) and Meleny Jacome (1.8 points, Stanton County boys have a first-year In her career, Stapleton averaged at least 12.7 2.6 rebounds) return. Sophomores Chloe coach with Shane Traughber. The Trojans points per contest in every season. She tallied Chenoweth (1.8 points, 4.5 rebounds) and return all five starters with two seniors: 5-11 1,532 career points, including 413 on 593 Caelyn Cook are back, too. Alexis Molina and 5-8 Edgar Garcia. Three free throw shooting. “We will be extremely young this year, as juniors are in the starting lineup with Creed Meade defeated Hill City, 57-46, in the I’m expecting 3-4 freshmen to get playing Puyear, Francisco Corrales and Victor Molina. first round of the Class 2A state tournament time this year,” Siebert said. Puyear averaged 14.6 points and 6.9 and then eventually finished third after a Cimarron has been a consistent winner rebounds. Molina had 10.1 points and 5.2 48-47 loss against Alma-Wabaunsee and a under veteran coach David Ediger. Since ’07assists. Three key lettermen return with Jalen 51-40 win versus Valley Falls. 08, Cimarron has posted at least 12 wins In 2016, Meade lost to Hill City in the every season, including a pair of state runner- Tucker (5.2 points, 4.2 rebounds) and Erik Pantoja and junior Michael Aleman. first round of the state tournament, 74-69, in ups. Senior Taylor Jantz returns after earned All but six points came from non-seniors overtime. In ’15, Meade also took third with Class 3A all-state honorable mention. last year. a semifinal loss to Central Plains. In ’14, Sublette has junior Mia Kells (11.4 points, “We’ve got a talented team that Meade was fourth with a semifiMEADE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL is driven to have a good year,” nal defeat to Central Plains. Traughber said. “We just need to Tyler Flavin had moved to get a little bit better everyday, and Meade after a longtime run as focus on process, not goals. If we Wheatland-Grinnell’s football do that and play together, we will coach and girls’ basketball coach. have a shot to do some damage Flavin led W-G to a final four come the end of the year.” showing as the No. 8 seed in ’08 On the boys’ side, and posted four straight non-losSouthwestern Heights went 13-8 ing seasons to end his run, includoverall and 7-1 in league to share ing 14-8 in ’13-14, his last season. the title with Cimarron (13-9). Meade won the league crown SWH returns senior Raul over Cimarron (17-6, 7-1). Alvarado. He averaged 9.8 points, Sublette finished third at 16-7, Athletic Excellence: 4.2 rebounds and a team-high 2.7 6-2. Syracuse (13-8, 5-3) and FALL • WINTER • SPRING Elkhart (15-7, 4-4) each had solid Brought to you by the Meade Booster Club See HI-PLAINS, Page 53 years. Stanton County was 7-14
By CONOR NICHOLL For Kansas Hardwood
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Buffalo Tradition!
MEADE
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