Girls, boys basketball teams from Piper High lead charge to Kansas state hoops tourneys
The Piper High boys basketball team finished minutes away from a state title a year ago.
Now the Pirates will return to Emporia for another shot at a Kansas championship.
Host Piper outlasted United Kansas Conference rival De Soto 49-44 on Saturday in a Class 5A substate final. That outcome punched Piper’s ticket back to state.
“This team has been focused on getting back to state but knew there was work beforehand including tonight,” said Pirates coach Steve Wallace. “We had two tough games before with De Soto and they gave us all we wanted tonight. But everyone stepped up in the fourth quarter and fought until the end.”
De Soto led 38-35 early in the fourth when Piper senior PJ Moore took over. A steal and Moore stickback of his own miss pulled the Pirates within one. He later drove inside for another basket, finishing with a team-high 13 points.
Johnny Vogel hit two free throws and Alamar Brooks scored on a breakaway layup to ice it.
“PJ came up with some really big plays down the stretch,” Wallace said. “Our defense really stepped up when we needed it.”
Derrick Jackson added 12 points for Piper, while Pierce Krehbiel paced De Soto, and led all scorers, with 19.
Piper (19-3) next faces another conference foe — Shawnee Heights (19-3) — at 4 p.m. Thursday in Emporia. The Pirates swept the Thunderbirds in two meetings this year and also beat Shawnee Heights in the first round of last year’s state tourney.
Other Class 5A boys substate finals (Saturday):
- Bonner Springs 67, St. James Academy 47
- Highland Park 53, Basehor-Linwood 35
- Shawnee Heights 49, St. Thomas Aquinas 42
Girls: Piper 60, Shawnee Heights 46
The Piper girls basketball team is also headed to state. In fact, they’re embarking on the program’s first trip as a 5A team.
The Pirates racked up eight appearances at the 4A tourney before moving up to 5A in 2020-21. On Friday, they moved both up and on, pulling away from UKC rival Shawnee Heights for a 60-46 win in a substate final.
Now the Pirates (18-4) will face league rival Topeka Seaman in the first round of the state tournament on Wednesday.
Piper had blitzed Heights by 20-plus points in two meetings this season but rallied to lead 25-24 at halftime Friday. The Pirates’ press took over in the second half, leading to a multitude of Thunderbirds turnovers.
Junior Grace McCallop capitalized with 24 points, while senior Faith McCallop added 22.
Other Class 5A girls substate finals (Friday):
- De Soto 49, St. James Academy 47
- St. Thomas Aquinas 78, Highland Park 32
- Spring Hill 63, Blue Valley Southwest 54
For updated brackets, online broadcasts, stories and more, visit 810Varsity.com.