By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
Tonight was a busy one for our area schools in sub-state action, with three teams playing in semi-finals and two more participating in championship games.
The Solomon boys team got the party started with a 5:30pm tip against Sylvan-Lucas in a game that stayed close to the final buzzer.
When all was said and done the Gorillas emerged victorious, knocking out the Mustangs by a final score of 61-57.
Sylvan-Lucas wraps up their season at 14-4 while Solomon advances to the sub-state championship game to face Little River tomorrow at 5pm.
The second game to go final was a sub-state championship game that featured both Salina girls teams.
South and Central battled back and forth until the bitter end but it was the Lady Mustangs who emerged victorious eliminating their cross-town rival by a final score of 48-46.
Aubrie Kierscht led the way for the Lady Stangs with 20 points while Acacia Weis put up 14 for South in the heartbreaking loss.
The Lady Cougars wrap up their season at 10-12 while Central becomes the first local team to claim a sub-state title and advance to the state tournament.
While Central was the first team to punch their ticket to state tonight, they wouldn’t be the last, as the Abilene Cowboys knocked off the Concordia Panthers in their sub-state final 38-34.
Concordia made a late surge, outscoring the Cowboys in the fourth quarter, but Abilene held on, taking the sub-state hardware.
The Panthers finish their season at 10-11 while Abilene advances to the 4A state tournament.
Our final two games tonight featured the Southeast of Saline Trojans and the Sacred Heart Lady Knights.
The Lady Knights wrapped up their meeting with Moundridge first, falling short to the Lady Wildcats by a final score of 55-31.
Sacred Heart will end their season at 11-8 while Moundridge advances to play Hillsboro in the sub-state final tomorrow at 5pm.
The final game to wrap up tonight saw the Southeast of Saline Trojans end their 2020-21 campaign with a close loss to the Hesston Swathers.
SES had come a long way since losing to Hesston 71-34 in their season opener, but couldn’t overcome the Swathers, falling by a final score of 51-40.
The Trojans wrap up their season at 14-9 overall while Hesston advances to take on Haven in the sub-state final tomorrow.
Two teams have already punched their tickets to the state tournament next week and two more will have the opportunity to do so tomorrow as the boys teams from South and Solomon close out sub-state play.
Be sure to stay tuned to the Salina Post for continuing coverage of our four remaining area schools through the rest of the sub-state and state tournaments.