Bishop Miege girls beat Piper in Kansas 4A quarterfinal, but it wasn’t a smooth ride

The Bishop Miege girls didn’t reach a level of comfort in their Kansas Class 4A Division I state quarterfinal game until …. well, never.

Yet Miege defeated Piper 68-52 to advance to the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Salina Bicentennial Center. Miege will play the Topeka Hayden-Andale winner.

“I don’t think we were (comfortable),” Miege coach Terry English said. “I thought they did a good job. (Jessica) Wayne at the top of the zone did a good job all night bothering our passing. We really didn’t come ready to play. We weren’t in sync all night.”

Miege, 23-0, opened with an 11-2 run. Guard Tristen McFedders scored the Stags’ first nine points and finished with a game-high 21.

It should have been enough to put away Piper, which finished 17-6. It wasn’t.

Piper answered with two baskets by Alexsis Owens and another by Wayne to get to within 15-8. Piper got within 20-13 early in the second quarter before Miege went on an 11-0 run, sparked by three-pointers by Hunter Bentley and Courtney Harms.

“I’m a little frustrated that we got down in the first two minutes of the ballgame, and we had to fight our way back,” Piper coach Shane Stout said. “That was our key, to come into the ballgame and survive the first four minutes and not have to battle our way back the entire game. That’s exactly what happened. We got it back to six or four a couple times, but just couldn’t get over the hump.”

Piper trailed 53-44 after a basket by Wayne with 6 minutes, 7 seconds remaining. Wayne finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Maya Morrow added 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The Pirates plagued Miege with their quick hands, forcing 19 turnovers. And Piper outrebounded Miege 44-35.

“You know, we’re really pretty lucky to come out like we did,” English said.

Miege’s Lakesha Lamaster-Stephens had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and teammate Madeline Homoly had 10 points.

This story was originally published March 12, 2015 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Bishop Miege girls beat Piper in Kansas 4A quarterfinal, but it wasn’t a smooth ride."