Moment of the Year: Carroll wins first boys basketball title with late drama
Varsity Kansas has introduced a new series, Moment of the Year. The series will highlight the top moment or performance from the 2017-18 high school sports season for each of the Wichita-area schools. And now, the Bishop Carroll Golden Eagles.
Carroll won four state championships in the 2017-18 school year, had five runner-up finishes with 10 regional or sub-state titles.
None were more theatrical than the Eagles' first boys basketball championship.
Carroll started the season 1-4 with losses to East and Northwest. After that poor push, coaches and players questioned the type of season they would have.
The Eagles won 19 of their last 20 games and won the Class 5A title game against Salina Central 43-41 in overtime. Carroll had beaten state powers Topeka West, KC Schlagle and Mill Valley to get there, but the Eagles came out cold in the championship game.
Salina Central had allowed 40.75 points on average over its past four games, and the Mustangs' defense was stifling again against Carroll. The Eagles shot less than 30 percent from the floor in the first half and made only five buckets. Still, the score was tied at 14 going into the locker room.
In the second half, both teams' offenses started to catch fire. Carroll couldn't get up by more than five points, which started to wear the Eagles down mentally.
With 17 seconds left in regulation, the score was tied at 35, and Salina Central had the ball. Sophomore Luke Larkin, who finished the game with no points, came up with a vital steal that sent the game to overtime.
In overtime, sophomore Tanner Mans hit a pair of free throws that give Carroll a two-point lead with 22.7 seconds left. Salina Central coach Doug Finch called his only timeout.
The Mustangs drew up a three-point play that would have given them the win and been their eighth three-pointer since halftime. Instead, the ball was fumbled on the inbounds pass. Salina Central gathered it, but Finch tried to call a timeout he did not have.
A technical foul was called, and Carroll senior Luke Evans was sent to the line to shoot free throws to seal the state championship.
Other key moments
- Carroll wins its fourth football state championship with a 38-28 win against St. Thomas Aquinas in Class 5A. Senior quarterback Braden Howell was 32-of-45 for 324 yards and a touchdown with 94 yards rushing.
- Carroll's boys track and field team crushes the competition for the 5A team title. The Eagles scored 119 points, the most in school history, beating Shawnee Heights and the field. Carroll won four individual events.
- The Eagles' girls bowling team wins the 5-1A state title with a 3,115-pin team series. No other school had more than 3,000 in 5-1A. Three players finished in the top seven, including junior Laura Seiler, who finished third.
- The Eagles' baseball team reaches the 5A title game. Carroll lost to Topeka Seaman 7-2 after wins against Mill Valley and Wichita Heights to reach the final.
- Carroll's girls basketball team reaches the 5A title game against eventual three-time champion Aquinas. The Eagles lost 54-40 after wins against KC Schlagle and No. 1 seed Liberal.
- Carroll's softball team finishes as the 5A runner-up to Shawnee Heights. The Eagles lost 11-1 after a City League title and state tournament wins against Eisenhower and Topeka Seaman.
- The Eagles' boys soccer team reaches the 5A final against Blue Valley Southwest. Carroll lost 1-0 in the final after beating Aquinas 2-1 in overtime in the state semfinal.
- Carroll's girls tennis team is runner-up at the 5A tournament to St. James Academy. The Eagles were four points behind. Junior Brittany Steven finished second in singles. Juniors Brayden and Laura Steven did the same in doubles.
This story was originally published June 18, 2018 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Moment of the Year: Carroll wins first boys basketball title with late drama."