Class 6A girls tournament preview
At Koch Arena
Thursday’s quarterfinals
3 P.M.: OLATHE NORTHWEST VS. MANHATTAN
No. 7 Olathe Northwest (15-7) – After losing 5 of 7 toward the end of the regular season, the Ravens rebounded to win their first sub-state title in four years. Sophomore leading scorer Sarah Beth Gueldner’s father, Jeff, was a starter on Kansas’ 1988 NCAA championship team.
No. 2 Manhattan (21-1) – Manhattan’s only loss was to Olathe South in the final of McPherson’s Mid-America Classic. The Indians feature a strong backcourt in junior Christianna Carr (14.1 points), a Kansas State commit, and Central Missouri signee Gigi McAtee (8.9 points, 3.6 assists).
4:45 P.M.: LAWRENCE VS. OLATHE SOUTH
No. 6 Lawrence (18-4) – The Lions are back at state for the first time since they edged Goddard for the 6A title in 2008. Junior forward E’lease Stafford is the top scorer at 13 points, while 6-3 sophomore Chisom Ajekwu has 67 blocks. Lawrence lost to Olathe South by 16 in January.
No. 3 Olathe South (18-4) – Olathe South is making its 13th consecutive state appearance, trailing only 5A qualifier St. Thomas Aquinas (23) for the longest active girls streak. Forward DejaNae Roebuck (12.7 points) and guard Kaiti Butaud (10.5) are the Falcons’ top scorers.
6:30 P.M.: WICHITA WEST VS. WICHITA SOUTH
No. 8 Wichita West (14-8) – West makes its first state appearance since 1981 after winning just nine games the previous 13 seasons. Pittsburg State signee Brianna Johnson averages 16.3 points for the Pioneers, who have won 11 of 13.
No. 1 Wichita South (22-0) – The Titans return to state in pursuit of their unprecedented fifth consecutive 6A title with a 53-game winning streak. Led by junior guard Tre’Zure Jobe, South has limited opponents to an average of 29.7 points.
8:15 P.M.: DERBY VS. OLATHE EAST
No. 5 Derby (18-4) – The Panthers won 15 of their last 16 to earn their second consecutive 6A berth and a chance to avenge a quarterfinal loss to Olathe East. Sophomores Kennedy Brown (16.5 points), a 6-6 center, and guard Tor’e Alford (10.3) are returning starters.
No. 4 Olathe East (18-4) – Olathe East has won nine straight and will try to improve on last season’s third-place finish. Sunflower League co-player of the year Sydney Wilson averages 13.2 points and Regan Schumacher, an Oral Roberts signee, averages 10.2.
Friday’s semifinals
Lawrence-Olathe South winner vs. Olathe Northwest-Manhattan winner, 3 p.m.
Derby-Olathe East winner vs. Wichita West-Wichita South winner, 6:30
Saturday’s finals
Third-place game, noon
Championship, 4 p.m.
Taylor Eldridge’s pick
Wichita South over Manhattan
This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Class 6A girls tournament preview."