At the beginning of every year, each team starts with the goal of reaching the state tournament and on Saturday night in Horton the Valley Heights girls and boys each made that dream a reality claiming Class 2A Sub-State Championships.

Girls Championship: Valley Heights 40, Jackson Heights 11

The girl’s championship game was complete domination by Valley Heights from the start as the Mustangs led 13-3 after one and allowed just three total points in the second half in a 40-11 beat down of Jackson Heights.

In that opening frame the Mustangs forced four turnovers and had sophomore point guard Cat Toerber scored five points in the quarter while junior Emma Toerber added four.

Jackson Heights got the offense going a little in the second quarter but were still outscored 11-5 in the quarter as the Mustangs pushed their lead to 24-8 going into the halftime break.

The Cobras had plenty of chances again in the third quarter forcing 10 Valley Heights turnovers, but Jackson Heights turned the ball over six times themselves and couldn’t find the bottom of the net trailing 31-10 going into the fourth.

In the fourth the Mustangs defense again was great, holding Jackson Heights to just one point in the quarter while Emma Yungeberg went 3-of-4 from the free throw line to finish off the championship victory.

Jackson Heights suffered 18 turnovers in the loss and their year with a record of 20-3 sending off six key seniors in Jodi White, Makenzie Kennedy, Kylie Dohl, Abby Brey, Southern Raborn and Grace Roles.

The Mustangs improved to 21-2 on the year with the win and now await their first round matchup at the 2A State Tournament in Manhattan on the campus of Kansas State where Valley Heights should be either a three or four seed.

Valley Heights: Cat Toerber – 11, Emma Toerber – 9, Emma Yungeberg – 4, Maddy Vermetten – 5, Kennedy Stevenson – 3, Kate Wanamaker – 1.

Jackson Heights: Kylie Dohl – 4, Jodi White – 2, Amaya Marlatt – 2, Grace Roles – 2, Makenzie Kennedy – 1.

Boys Championship: Valley Heights 40, McLouth 37

Unlike the girl’s championship game, the boys was a thriller and went down to the wire with the Valley Heights Mustangs holding on for a 40-37 win over McLouth to cap off the Mustang sweep.

Early on it appeared that it could end up like the girl’s game as Valley Heights jumped out to an 18-6 lead after one as junior Cameron Beardsley scored 10 points in the quarter.

McLouth got it back to single digits at halftime with Tayshawn Barfield scoring six points in the frame, but the Mustangs still held a 25-16 at the break.

The Bulldogs pulled even closer going into the fourth quarter trailing just 34-27 after three and in the fourth clawed their way back to tie the game at 34 before going back-and-fourth late.

Despite getting the game tied the Bulldogs could never take the lead and after a bucket and a free throw in the final minute, the Bulldogs’ Matt Kuglin missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer as the clock expired giving the Mustangs the 3-point victory.

It was a well-played game by both sides throughout as in the loss the Bulldogs went a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line as they wrap up the 2020 season with a record of 17-6.

Valley Heights moves to 18-6 with the win and head on to Bramlage Coliseum for the State Tournament where they will likely be the seven-seed.

Valley Heights: Cameron Beardsley – 18, Jackson O’Toole – 7, Kadin Claycamp – 4, Evan Haines – 3, Jake Yungeberg – 3, Trenton L’Ecuyer – 2, Tyler Wagner – 2, Bryson Kenworthy – 1.

McLouth: Jaxson Pope – 16, Tayshawn Barfield – 8, Jerred Whillits – 4, Rylan Begaye – 3, Matt Kuglin – 2, Ben Arnett – 2.