The postseason has arrived for the high school sports scene across the state of Kansas and the North Central Activities Association’s seven teams are leaving their marks in the different sports across the state.
The NCAA still has six basketball games remaining in the 2024-25 regular season which will be competed tonight when Sacred Heart plays at Ellsworth, Southeast of Saline plays at Republic County and Smith Center plays at Beloit, but none of those games will count towards anything other than momentum for the postseason, which has already been determined as opening round sub-state games will begin Thursday and Friday for each NCAA school.
The NCAA wrestling teams will also see their 2025 season come to a close this weekend when the Class 3-2-1A girls and boys’ state wrestling tournaments are competed.
The NCAA boys’ wrestlers saw their regional tournaments competed this past Saturday where the NCAA was led by Ellsworth’s Bearcat wrestlers, who earned five state qualifications and had one champion while Lyons had four state qualifiers with one regional champion, Minneapolis, Southeast of Saline and Beloit each had three individuals qualify for this weekend’ state tournament.
The NCAA basketball titles have been determined before tonight’s final regular season games. The Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans and the Sacred Heart Knight boys are the 2025 NCAA basketball champions.
The Lady Trojans go into tonight’s regular season finale with a 14-5, 9-2 record while Ellsworth is in 2nd place with a 13-5, 8-2 record. Sacred Heart is in 5th place with a 10-8, 6-4 record.
The NCAA boys’ title rides on tonight’s games as Sacred Heart currently holds a 1-game lead over the Beloit Trojans. A Beloit win combined with Sacred Heart’s first loss of the season would force a tie atop the standings, but the Knights control the tiebreaker in that scenario thanks to their victory against the Trojans in their lone contest during the regular season. The 2nd game between the two schools was canceled due to inclement weather.
Here is a look at what each NCAA team did this past week:
BELOIT
The Lady Trojan basketball team defeated Minneapolis 46-40 on Friday. The Lady Trojans will face Lakin on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Trojan boys’ basketball team defeated Minneapolis 63-29 on Friday. The Trojans will face NCAA rival Ellsworth in the opening round of sub-state on Friday. … The Trojan boys’ wrestling team finished in 8th place with 72.0 points on Saturday in the Class 3-2-1A regional tournament with three state qualifiers and two regional champions.
ELLSWORTH
The Lady Bearcat basketball team will face Kingman on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Bearcat boys’ basketball team will face NCAA rival Beloit on Friday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Bearcat boys’ wrestling team finished in 4th place with 102.5 points on Saturday in the Class 3-2-1A regional tournament with five state qualifiers and one regional champion.
LYONS
The Lady Lion basketball team closed out the regular season on Monday losing 64-22 against Minneapolis. The Lady Lions will face Southwestern Heights on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Lions boys’ basketball team defeated Minneapolis 45-41 to close the regular season on Monday. The Lions will face Norton on Friday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Lions boys’ wrestling team finished in 3rd place with 109.5 points with four state qualifiers and one regional champion.
MINNEAPOLIS
The Lady Lion basketball team defeated Smith Center 57-49 on Thursday. The Lady Lions lost 46-40 against Beloit on Friday. The Lady Lions closed the regular season on Monday with a 64-22 victory against Lyons. The Lady Lions will face Garden Plain on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Lion boys’ basketball team lost 56-42 against Smith Center on Thursday. The Lions lost 63-29 against Beloit on Friday. The Lions lost 45-41 against Lyons on Monday in the regular season finale. The Lions will face Cheney on Friday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Lion boys’ wrestling team finished in 13th place with 49.5 points on Saturday in the Class 3-2-1A regional tournament with three state qualifiers.
REPUBLIC COUNTY
The Lady Buff basketball team lost 56-31 against Sacred Heart on Friday. The Lady Buffs will face Conway Springs on Friday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Buff boys’ basketball team lost 57-41 against Sacred Heart on Friday. The Buffs will face Moundridge on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Buff boys’ wrestling team finished in 9th place with 58.0 points on Saturday in the Class 3-2-1A regional tournament with one state qualifier.
SACRED HEART
The Lady Knight basketball team defeated St. John’s-Beloit 46-43 on Thursday. The Lady Knights defeated Republic County 56-31 on Friday. The Lady Knights will face Hillsboro on Friday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Knight boys’ basketball team defeated St. John’s-Belit 91-59 on Thursday. The Knights defeated Republic County 57-41 on Friday. The Knights will face Inman on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament.
SOUTHEAST OF SALINE
The Lady Trojan basketball team will face Wichita Collegiate on Thursday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Trojan boys’ basketball team will face Garden Plain on Friday in the opening round of the sub-state tournament. … The Trojan boys’ wrestling team finished in 5th place with 98.5 points on Saturday in the Class 3-2-1A regional tournament with three state qualifiers and two regional champions.
2024-25 NCAA Girls Basketball Standings
NCAA Overall
Team W L W L
SE of Saline 9 2 14 5
Ellsworth 8 2 13 5
Beloit 7 3 10 8
Minneapolis 7 5 13 7
Sacred Heart 6 4 10 8
Republic County2 10 4 15
Lyons 0 11 2 18
Thursday, February 20
Sacred Heart 46, St. John’s Beloit 43
Minneapolis 57, Smith Center 49
Friday, February 21
Sacred Heart 56, Republic County 31
Beloit 46, Minneapolis 40
Monday, February 24
Minneapolis 64, Lyons 22
2024-25 NCAA Boys Basketball Standings
NCAA Overall
Team W L W L
Sacred Heart 10 0 18 0
Beloit 10 1 14 4
SE of Saline 7 4 10 9
Ellsworth 4 6 7 11
Lyons 5 7 10 10
Minneapolis 3 9 4 16
Republic County0 12 3 16
Thursday, February 20
Sacred Heart 91, St. John’s Beloit 59
Smith Center 56, Minneapolis 42
Friday, February 21
Sacred Heart 57, Republic County 41
Beloit 63, Minneapolis 29
Monday, February 24
Lyons 45, Minneapolis 41
