By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
For the first time since 2016, the Southeast of Saline girls basketball team is headed to state after hanging on for a thrilling 37-30 victory over Riley County in the sub-state championship.
The Lady Trojans were tested by a defensive-minded Falcons team that kept things close until the closing minutes, but Southeast’s depth and experience won the day as the team wrapped up their 12th straight win to punch their ticket to Hutch.
Going into each quarter, the teams were separated by just a single point, but Riley County never subbed, and going into the closing minutes, the starting five began to run out of gas.
The Trojans frustrated the Falcons with clean, lockdown defense, and put the game away at the line late shooting 7-7 from the stripe while Riley County attempted just two free throws.
“We knew that we couldn’t get impatient or commit silly fouls,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “In the first half it took us some time to settle into what we wanted to do but in the second half I thought we did a really good job of defending them.”
Southeast was led in scoring by Karsyn Schlesener, whose 11 points don’t fully encapsulate the impact the senior had on defense and on the glass.
“Karsyn is the heart and soul of this team,” Smith said. “At the half, we talked to them about offensive rebounding and she really took that to heart. She really got in there and got us some second-chance points and that sparked some of the other girls to do the same.”
With an early three, Schlesener moved into third place all-time on the Lady Trojan career points list, a mark she is likely to hold for a long time.
Southeast also got 10 points, including six big free throws, from Reagan Goetz, who has really come into her own as the season has progressed.
Riley County was led by Hailey Sharp with 16 points in the loss but just four Falcons were able to score as the clock struck midnight on a still-impressive 10-11 campaign for RC.
Southeast of Saline will be one of the few teams in Kansas to send both teams to the state tournament after the boys clinched a spot with a win over Council Grove earlier on Saturday.
“It’s pretty awesome to see both teams going to state and it’s really been the talk of the school this week,” Smith said. “These kids always look after and support each other.”
The Lady Trojans will be one of the middle seeds in Hutch next week amidst a loaded state tournament in Hutch.
For continuing coverage of both Trojan teams throughout state, stay tuned to the Salina Post.