It’s slow season in the sports world. Midway through July, roughly a month and a half since the final athletic event ended for the previous school year and a little more than a month before fall practice starts ramping up, there’s just not much going on.
Since that’s the case, it’s the perfect time to take a minute and look back at the year that was in high school sports before shifting our gaze toward the 2024-25 school year. There are plenty of highs to celebrate, along with other interesting and notable things that happened throughout last year that are worth remembering in our little corner of the state before we all officially move on toward new memories starting this fall.
Below are 10 of the biggest high school sports stories from The Mercury’s eight area schools (Manhattan, Wamego, Rock Creek, Riley County, Valley Heights, Wabaunsee, Frankfort and Blue Valley) over the 2023-24 school year, ranked and compiled by sports editor Tim Everson.
1. Manhattan High boys’ wrestling wins 5th state title
After falling just short at regionals, the Manhattan High boys’ wrestling team knew exactly what they needed to do to walk away with the program’s fifth state title. 13 wrestlers qualified to travel down to Park City for state and all 13 made it through to the second day of the meet to score points and give the Indians the extra push they needed to bring home the program’s first state title since 2017, and the first under third-year head coach Shawn Bammes. Senior Ezekiel Witt led the way with an undefeated 43-0 season and a state title, along with sophomore Caeleb Hutchinson, who also won his weight class and finished with a 41-5 record on the year.
Frankfort head girls’ basketball coach Brian Ebert and the team celebrate at midcourt with their state championship trophy after taking down Little River, 47-41, on March 9 in Colby. The Wildcats winning the state title ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
2. Frankfort girls’ basketball wins 1st state title
After an impressive regular season and a narrow sub-state championship win over Clifton-Clyde, the Frankfort girls found themselves as the No. 6 seed in a stacked 1A-I state championship field. That would not be a problem for the under-dog Wildcats as they opened things with a commanding win over No. 3 St. John-Hudson before knocking off No. 2 Montezuma-South Grey in the state semifinals by double-digits. That set up a state title bout for the Wildcats versus previously undefeated Little River. Frankfort trailed for most of the first half, but an 11-0 run to start the third quarter run gave the Wildcats the lead. Little River scored just 12 points in the second half and Frankfort held tight to their lead down the stretch as coach Brian Ebert and the talented, veteran-laden Wildcats took home the program’s first state title.
Rock Creek’s Brandon Krainbill pitches during a game April 25, 2023, in Flush. The Mustang baseball team winning a fourth state title ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
3. Rock Creek baseball wins 4th state title
Whenever you win a state title, it’s special. When you win a state title while also going 28-1, recording the most wins of any high school baseball team in the history of the state of Kansas, that raises the bar on special to another universe. Rock Creek was an absolute machine, and they led with one of the nastiest pitching staffs in the state, ending the season with a less than 1.5 ERA over 193 innings. With the exception on one hiccup versus a very talented Clay Center team, the Mustangs dominated their way through the regular season before finding a way to overcome multiple deficits in both the regional final and in all three games of the state tournament before coming out on top. Coach Shane Sieben has built a machine 20 minutes east of Manhattan, and Rock Creek returns more than a handful of high-level players to attempt a repeat, led by the All-Flint Hills Male Athlete of the Spring in catcher Drew Becker.
Wamego’s Alana McCarthy drills a home run in the state championship win over Andale/Garden Plain on May 24 in Salina. The Red Raider softball team winning a third state title in three of the last four seasons ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
4. Wamego softball wins 2nd straight state title
Two seasons ago, everyone expected Wamego to win the state title. They were senior-laden and came just short of winning the previous season. And they did so convincingly. But this past year, most everyone had counted the Red Raiders out of the possibility of a repeat. However, no one told junior star pitcher and All-Flint Hills Female Athlete of the Spring Peyton Hardenburger, the lone full-time varsity returner, coach Luke Meyer or the crop of young, but extremely talented Wamego players that took the field last season. It wasn’t always easy, and several teams made them work for every one of their 25 wins, but when the dust settled, state title No. 3 came home to Wamego.
Wamego’s boys’ golf team stands with their state championship trophy and medals at Turkey Creek Golf Course in McPherson on May 21. The Red Raiders winning their second straight state title ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
5. Wamego boys’ golf wins 2nd straight state title
To say the Wamego boys’ golf team decimated their competition this past season is probably underselling just how good the Red Raiders were. Not only did Wamego win its second straight state title, the Red Raiders won it by finishing a mind-melting 40 strokes ahead of second-place McPherson. All five of the Red Raiders’ golfers finished in the top 10, including senior Spencer Hecht (fourth), senior Cash Foltz (6th), freshman Breckin Miller and sophomore Regan Kueker (tied for seventh) and senior Talon White (10th).
Manhattan High’s Maddie Myers drives her ball on a fairway during the 6A state girls’ golf tournament Oct. 17 at Emporia Municipal Golf Course. The Indians finishing as runner-up ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
6. Manhattan High girls’ golf finishes 2nd at state
The MHS girls’ golf team put up their first top-three finish at the state tournament since 2008 back in the fall, finishing as runners-up with a roster made up of entirely of freshmen, sophomores and juniors. Led by freshman Maddie Myers and sophomore Kat Ball, the Indians improved upon their second-place regional finish and ended up behind only state champion Olathe Northwest. They’re running it all back again next season in pursuit of the program’s 12th state championship.
Frankfort had its first baseball season since 1962. This ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
7. Frankfort baseball plays 1st season since 1962
After a 60-plus-year hiatus, America’s pastime returned to Frankfort High School this past season. In a co-op agreement with nearby Centralia, the Wildcats were back to the diamond, and with a 13-5 record, including an appearance in a regional championship game, Frankfort showed that it was more than ready for baseball to be a mainstay again in the eastern half of Marshall County.
Manhattan High’s Mariano Palacian swims the 100-yard freestyle during the 6A state meet Feb. 17 at Hummer Sports Park’s Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka. The MHS boys’ swimming team taking third at state ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
8. Manhattan High boys’ swimming finishes 3rd at state
The Manhattan High boys swim team had their best finish at state in more than 20 seasons earlier this year after finishing third at the state meet. What makes the feat even more impressive is they managed to do it without a first-place individual finish or any points from diving. Of Manhattan’s six state qualifiers this past season, only first-team all-state senior Mariano Palacian won’t be returning next season, meaning the Indians should be able to use last season’s success as a springboard moving forward.
Manhattan High’s Delaney Larson drives against Shawnee Mission South’s Azailah Funches during their 6A state quarterfinal game March 6 at Koch Arena in Wichita. The MHS girls’ basketball team making an improbable run to the state tournament ranked as one of the top 10 high school sports stories of the year.
9. Manhattan High girls’ basketball makes run to state
After an up-and-down regular season, the sixth-seeded MHS girls’ basketball team had a tough task in front of them with a trip to No. 3 Liberal standing between them and a trip to state or the end of the season. It was tight through most of the game, but Manhattan was able to fend Liberal off early in the fourth quarter and hit free throws down the stretch to ice the game. The win earned them their first trip to state since 2018 where they faced eventual state-champion Shawnee Mission South. The Indians hung in there through the first half and even led heading into halftime, but couldn’t keep pace in the second half, ending their run.
Then-Wabaunsee girls’ basketball head coach Trevor Keller talks to his team during a 2A sub-state tournament Feb. 29 in Alma. An exodus of Charger coaches ranked as one of the 10 biggest area high school sports stories of the 2023-24 school year.
10. Wabaunsee loses 5 of its head coaches
There will be a lot of new faces patrolling the sidelines of a handful of different Wabaunsee High sports teams after the Chargers lost five head coaches from last season. Wabaunsee is in the process of replacing football coach Jess Rutledge, volleyball coach Chris Smart, boys’ basketball coach Christian Ulsaker, girls’ basketball coach Trevor Keller and baseball coach Lance Fuller. Some of the former Chargers are moving to larger schools. Rutledge is headed to Washburn Rural, Ulsaker to Topeka West and Keller to Rock Creek.
Just missed the list: Valley Heights girls’ basketball makes noise at 2A state tournament, Wamego boys’ cross country finishes 2nd at state, Rock Creek softball wins fourth straight regional and Wabaunsee girls’ track finishes third at state meet, Manhattan’s Sage Rosario wins third state wrestling title.
