Each year the MSC Sports Radio Network recaps and celebrates the top 10 local sports moments of the year. We begin the 2023 highlights with these fantastic memories. 

# 10 - The Horton Boys Basketball Team

Coming off a seven-win-season, and under the direction of new Head Coach David Losey, the Horton boys posted a 15-9 turn-around campaign, which included their fourth state tournament appearance in school history.

The Chargers qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2008 with a dominating Sub-State Championship win against Riverside. Horton would fall in the opening round at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan against Hays TMP but won 10 of their final 12 games of the season with a roster that had only three seniors, none of which were starters.

# 9 - Frankfort Girls Basketball Team

With only one senior on the roster, the Frankfort girls put together a 22-4 season and finished with a pair of wins at the 1A State Tournament to claim third place honors. It was the second highest finish next to the 1981 state runner-up team for the Frankfort girls. The Lady Wildcats upset top seed Osborne 50-31 to win a Sub-State title and advance to state hoops for the first time since 2018.

Frankfort defeated South Gray 61-53 in the opening round of state at Dodge City as they made 24 of 30 free throws and shot 65 percent from the field in the second half. Sydney Wapp scored 19 of her 22 points in those final two quarters. The Wildcats were knocked off by Quinter 42-38 in a semifinal that they led most of the contests. However, Frankfort finished their season with a dominating Norwich 49-23 to claim a third-place trophy led by Hattie Gross with 22 points.  

# 8 - Jefferson County North Football Season 

It was the best season ever for JCN football in 2023, which included the Chargers initial trip to the state championship game in Class 1A. After starting the season 5-0, JCN suffered a setback against defending 1A champ St. Mary's.

The Chargers responded by winning six straight including an impressive 16-0 playoff shutout at Centralia and a 52-0 dismantling of Olpe to reach the state semifinals for the first time ever. JCN then went back on the road and upset # 1 seed and unbeaten Pittsburg Colgan 20-13 before falling to Conway Springs in the state championship. 

JCN finished 11-2 outscoring their opponents by a 45-10 average going into the title match with 11 seniors on the team. Senior R.B. Tweed was named the 1A Defensive Player of the Year as a standout lineman with more than 60 tackles and 17 behind the line of scrimmage including 9 sacks.