Sacred Heart blasts Erie in 2A Quarterfinals

DODGE CITY, KS – The Sacred Heart Knights returned to the State Tournament for the first time since 2018. Maxwell Ehrlich and Will Tuttle ensured that it wouldn’t be a quick appearance. The tandem combined for nine made three-pointers and 35 total points, matching the Erie Red Devils’ team total in a dominant 74-35 Knights victory.

Early in the contest, both teams struggled to find their offense, as Erie took a 4-3 lead midway through the opening period. From then on, the Sacred Heart Knights would embark on an onslaught of points rarely seen on a State Tournament stage. The Knights outscored Erie 46-12 over the final 12 minutes of first half action, hitting nine three-point baskets and shooting 62% from the field.

Will Tuttle made four of those nine first half threes for the Knights, coming off the bend to pour in 17 points in total. Maxwell Ehrlich was right by his side as well, making four additional treys and leading Sacred Heart with 18 points in the game.

All told, Sacred Heart would make 28 field goals in the game, with 13 from beyond the ark, allowing their offense to flow completely in rhythm, and the defense followed right along. The Knights held Erie to just 11/48 shooting in the game, for just a meager 22.9%. The Knights also forced 17 Erie turnovers that directly lead to 31 Sacred Heart points.

The performance was one of the Knights’ best of the season, with 74 points being the third-highest total of the year. The second highest in a game which ended in regulation, trailing only the 89 points the Knights hung on Republic County in the Sub-State Quarterfinal.

There will be little time to dwell on this high-level performance however, as Sacred Heart’s next task will be one of their largest this season. The #1 seed, and only remaining undefeated team in Kansas Class 2A Basketball, the Lyndon Tigers. Lyndon dispatched of Conway Springs 51-38 on Thursday afternoon. They’re lead by future Kansas State offensive lineman Kaedin Massey, and future Illinois Football Athlete Tanner Heckel, who is widely regarded as one of the best pure athletes in the state, at any level. The Tigers unloaded an undefeated State Title football season in 8-Man Division I this fall.

The Knights will make their first State Semifinal appearance since 2018, in search of their 10th Basketball State Title and their first since 2017.

#4 seed Sacred Heart and #1 seed Lyndon will square up at 4 PM on Friday afternoon from the United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. Live video coverage will be provided by KSHSAA on the NFHS Network.

Hear the postgame remarks from Knights’ Head Coach Brian Gormley, who met with Meridian Media Sports Director Jackson Schneider over the phone Thursday night to discuss the Quarterfinal win.