The year of 2017 has been one to remember for the Kanzaland area with high school teams from the KNZA/KMZA/KAIR radio listening area performing well in multiple sports. Below we take a look at the Top 5 2017 moments in the sports of football, basketball, volleyball, track and field, baseball, softball and other sports category for the remaining sports for area schools. 

Top 5 Categories include – High school football, High school basketball, High School baseball and softball, High School track and field, High School volleyball and High School Other Sports (wrestling, cross country, tennis and golf)

Top 5 Kanzaland Sports Moments

Football

1. Faith Family Football – Sabetha Bluejays capture the Class 3A State title with a 7-6 win over Marysville in Championship game. Bluejays finished the season 13-1 winning the school’s third football State title. (full story – click here & Faith, Family, Football) 

2. Hanover Wildcats repeated as 8-Man DII State Champs winning the title with 54-48 win over Hodgeman County, finishing the season 13-0. Wildcats claimed their fifth State title and finished the season riding a 25-game win streak. (full story – click here) 

3. Marysville finishes 12-2 and State Runner-up in Class 3A making the State title game for first time since 2009. Bulldogs find strong success on the gridiron just a few years removed from a 32-game losing streak. (full story – click here)

4. Nemaha Central finishes year 10-1 capturing Big Seven League title, finishing the regular season unbeaten for the third straight year and making the playoffs. (full story – click here)

5. KSHSAA Approves Classification changes – Starting 2018 football Classes will be restructured. Several area teams seeing a classification change in football and schedule changes. (full story – click here --- 2018 & 2019 Classifications)

Basketball

1. For second straight year a Twin Valley League school swept the girls and boys Class 1A-DI State basketball titles. Hanover girls won 1A-DI State title beating Olpe 50-47 on buzzer beating three by Tianna Lohse and finished the season 24-2 winning their first ever State title. Hanover boys also finished 24-2 and won their sixth State title beating South Gray 60-36 in the title game. (full story – Girls and Boys) 

2. Marysville boys captured their third State title in school history winning the 3A State title beating Cheney 45-37 in the Championship. The Bulldogs finished the season 22-4 as they won State title after getting back to State for the first time since 2003 (full story – click here) 

3. Jeff West girls post best finish in school history placing second in Class 4A-DII notching a 20-5 record and winning the Big Seven League title. (full story – click here)

4. Centralia Girls finish top three at State for third straight year claiming third place in Class 1A-DI, finishing 24-2 on the season and won the Twin Valley League regular season and tournament titles. (full story – click here)

5. Valley Falls Girls and Nemaha Central Girls both earn fourth place finishes at State in Class 2A and 3A, respectively. Valley Falls girls posted a 21-5 record on the season and earned a Top four finish at State for the third straight year, while Nemaha Central posted a 21-5 record and posted their best performance as a Thunder team at State. (full story – Valley Falls and Nemaha Central)

Volleyball

1. Centralia Panthers win their 14th State volleyball title capturing 1A-DI title for second straight year and for the fourth time in the last five years and finished the season with a 43-1 record. (full story – click here)  

2. Valley Heights Mustangs qualify for State for first time since 2009 and earn third place in Class 2A. Mustangs finished the season 31-12. (full story – click here)

3. Nemaha Central makes State for third straight year and advances out of pool play to finish fourth in Class 3A. Thunder won the Big Seven title for third straight year and finished the season 42-6 setting a school record for wins. (full story – click here)

4. Holton, Axtell & Hanover all qualified for State tournament. Holton Wildcats qualified for State for the first time since 2011 and finished the season competing in 4A-DII State tournament and posting a 24-19 record on the year. Axtell Eagles capped their year back at the 1A-DII State tournament posting a 19-21 record on the season as they were at State for the fourth straight year. Hanover Wildcats back at 1A-DI State for second straight year cap the season with a 30-12 record. (full story – Holton, Axtell and Hanover)

Baseball & Softball

1. Troy Trojans baseball finishes season with third place finish at 2-1A State tournament posting a 19-1 record on the season. Group of nine seniors capped their career with a 75-9 record, fourth trips to State and three Top four finishes. (full story – click here)

2. Marysville and Perry Lecompton softball teams duel for third place in Class 3A. The Bulldogs earned third place and finished the season 20-5 claiming their best finish since 2013, while Perry Lecompton finished the year 22-4 and fourth place capping their best year since 2008.  (full story – click here)

3. Doniphan County legion baseball qualifies for AA State tournament for fourth straight year. Doniphan County capped the season 23-10 making their ninth overall appearance at State. (full story – click here)

4. Holton baseball earns first ever trip to State competing in the Class 4A-DII State tournament. Wildcats finished the season 6-17. (full story – click here)

5. Oskaloosa baseball earns first ever trip to State competing in the Class 3A State tournament. Bears finished the season 15-7. (full story – click here)

Track (full story – click here) 

1. (tie) Nemaha Central girls won the Class 3A State Track team title led by 13 medals, including two individual State Champions.

1. (tie) Centralia girls repeat as Class 1A State Track team Champions led by eight medals including one individual State Champion with a new State record.

1. (tie) Valley Heights girls repeat at Class 2A State Track team Champions led by 11 medals including three individual State Champions and one new State record.

4. Hanover girls earn second place as team in Class 1A at State Track led by six medals including two individual State Champions.

5. Nemaha Central Thunder boys earn third place as a team in Class 3A at State Track led by seven medals including two individual event State Champions.

Honorable mention – Washington County boys take fourth in Class 2A; Centralia boys take fifth in Class 1A

 (18 individual State titles were won by area athletes between all the classifications and 155 total medals at the 2017 State Track meet)

Other Sports (cross country, wrestling, tennis, golf)

1. State Cross Country – Hiawatha girls win first ever team State title winning the Class 3A crown to lead area performances. Other Top team finishes – Frankfort boys fourth in Class 1A, and Hiawatha boys sixth in Class 3A and Axtell boys sixth in Class 1A. Total of 26 area runners finished in Top 30 of their classifications. (full story – click here)

2. State Wrestling – Marysville Takes 3rd in Class 3-2-1A as team led by five Top six finishes. Twelve area wrestlers finish Top six or better in Class 4A and 3-2-1A competition with two area State Champions as Hunter Ostertag of ACCHS and Jacob Mintzmyer of Marysville won 138lbs and 170lbs, respectively. (full story – click here)

3. Boys State Golf – Sabetha & Frankfort boy’s golf teams lead area performances at State placing fourth as teams in Class 3A and 1A, respectively. (full story – click here)

4. KSHSAA Approves Classification changes for all sports – Highlights: Changes to football Class structure, Class 4A no longer Divisions back to one class, Class 1A no longer Divisions and more. (full story – click here)

5. State Girl’s Tennis – Marysville finished sixth at 3-2-1A State. Shelby Downard finished fifth in singles competition, while the doubles tandem of Holly Holthaus and Avery Williams placed seventh. (full story – click here)