Central thumps CHS, 64-31
SALINA — Taking the first step toward a nine straight appearance in the championship game of the Salina Invitational Tournament, the third-seeded Salina Central Mustangs overwhelmed the sixth-seeded Concordia Panthers 64-31 in the opening round Thursday night at Salina Central High School.
Salina Central (6-3) has played in the title game of the tournament each of the eight years it has been played.
The Mustangs have won the tournament four times.
Concordia (1-9) drops into the consolation bracket, and was scheduled to play second-seeded Abilene (8-1) this afternoon.
Abilene was upset by seventh-seeded Andover (4-7) 53-45 in the opening round.
Salina Central squared off against Andover in the semifinals.
In the other first-round games, Liberal defeated Wichita West, 51-29 and Salina South edged Buhler, 36-35.
Concordia fell behind 4-0 in the opening minute against Salina Central, but led by senior Katlynn Miller stayed within striking distance throughout the first quarter.
Miller scored the first six points of the game for the Panthers, and her jump 3:25 in tied the game at 6-6. She finished with 15 points.
“I thought Kaylynn had a nice game. She didn't back down from the moment. She was attacking and got us going in the first quarter,” Concordia coach Michael Wahlmeier said.
Aubrie Kierscht hit her second three-point shot of the the game and Central went three of four from the free throw line to open up a 12-6 advantage.
Baskets by Terin Rundus and Chloe Conway left Concordia trailing just 12-10 with 1:35 to play in the first period.
Selah Merkle connected on two free throws and Kierscht buried a jumper as time ran out in the quarter to give the Mustangs a 16-10 cushion.
Central would gradually stretch the lead to 13 points, 28-15, in the first five minutes of the second period.
Back to back threes by Kadyn Cobb and a jumper by Hampton Williams put the Mustangs up 36-15.
Central connected on 6 of 11 three-point attempts in the first half.
“We talked about how we wanted them to be contested threes. We wanted to force them to shoot from the outside. They were doing a nice job of getting some drives on us and then kicking to get that open three. We have just got to do a better job of rotating and closing out the shooters,” Wahlmeier said.
Concordia would get as close as 20 points, 38-18, when Miller made two free throws with 1:04 to play in the first half.
Another three by Cobb and a follow by Williams pushed Central's lead to 43-18 at halftime.
Miller connected on two threes in the third quarter, but the Panthers were outscored 15-11 in the period, and trailed 58-29.
With a running clock during most of the final period, the Mustangs added just six points to two points for the Panthers.
“I thought we battled. We played well, they are just bigger. They made their shots, and we struggled shooting a little, but I liked out attitudes in the game. I liked the way we played,” Wahlmeier said.
Miller was the only Concordia player to score more than five points.
Karlee Wahlmeier pulled down 10 rebounds for the Panthers and Emma Wahlmeier grabbed seven.
Merkle led three Central players in double figures with 13 points.
Kierscht and Cobb added 12 points each.
CONCORDIA (31)
Bechard 1-3-3 5, E. Wahlmeier 0-0-2 0, Conway 1-0-4 2, Reynolds 1-1-4 3, Strait 0-1-0 1, K. Wahlmeier 0-1-2 1, Kearn 0-0-3 0, Rundus 2-0-1 4. Miller 4-5-3 15. Totals: 9-11-22 31.
SALINA CENTRAL (64)
Opat 0-0-3 0, Cobb 4-1-0 12, Arcayan 1-0-1 2, Stewart 2-2-0 4, Griffin 1-1-2 3, Kierscht 4-1-1 12, Merkle 3-7-4 13, Nash 3-3-2 9, Williams 2-2-1 6, Sanderson 0-3-2 3. Totals: 20-20-16 64.