The Lady Mustangs extended their current winning streak to six games with a dominant 53-29 win over Bennington in the 2A Sub-State Semi-Final at Alma.

Valley Heights planned to pressure Bennington from the jump, and pressure is exactly what they did. Forcing eight turnovers in the first quarter and turning those into quick buckets the other way, leading 11-2 at the end of quarter one. In the second frame, it was business as usual on the defensive end with some sharp shooting sprinkled in. The ‘Stangs put the game away by halftime, leading 33-12 at the break.

Sophomore Ava Smith led all scorers with eleven first half points while leading the charge on the defensive end, with Senior Maggie Toerber scoring eight and fellow Senior Audra Steinfort chipping in six. Everything went the way of the Mustangs in the first half as they forced fourteen total turnovers (including eight steals), shot 54% from the field offensively and dominated defensively holding Bennington to just 11% from the field.

Coach Jordan Broxterman’s crew never saw their lead get any less than 18 in the second half as Valley Heights punched their ticket to the Sub-State Finals on Saturday night. Smith paced all scorers finishing with thirteen points on the night as she was named our Farmers State Bank of Onaga Player to Bank on. Steinfort and Maggie Toerber both finished in double figures with ten each, while Senior Delana Murk and Sophomore Mia Vermetten each finished with eight. The Lady ‘Stangs finished the night shooting 46% from the field with ten assists, and dominated the glass with twenty-one rebounds, nine coming on the offensive end.

The top seeded Mustangs will take on the host school Wabaunsee in the title tilt on Saturday night at 5:00PM, as the Chargers upended the two-seeded Salina-Sacred Heart Knights 62-50 in their Semi-Final game. This will be the first time these two have matched up since Valley Heights knocked the Chargers out in the opening round of the state tournament back in 2021 It will be a rowdy environment as Valley Heights attempts to make it back to the State tournament for the fourth time in the last five years.