GREAT BEND — The Central Plains High School Lady Oilers basketball team won their eighth straight state basketball title March 12, during the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s Girl’s Class 1A Division II championship game against Rexford-Golden Plains, at Barton Community College in Great Bend.

The final score was 50-38.

With KSHAA celebrating 50 years of Title IX, bringing girls’ sports to life, Jackie Stiles, alltime leading scorer, former NCAA record holder and Women’s National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year, presented the game ball and trophies.

Jackie is the daughter of the Central Plains head coach, Pat Stiles, who has a 229-5 coaching record.

“It was so exciting to be here,” Jackie said. “I am so proud of my dad and all that he has accomplished. Nobody sees behind the scenes — he was up at 4 a.m. in the morning watch ing films. So nobody deserves it more, because he has earned everything he has. His team played with his work ethic and toughness. We saw on the court they fought through a lot. I was just proud to be able to witness it.”

“The kids had to fight through such adversity,” Coach Stiles said. “A sprained ankle, a girl throwing up, and a girl with a sore back. They just fought through it all. They are warriors. I’m so proud of them. I’m very lucky to get to coach them.”

Leading the scoring for Central Plains was Kayla Metro with 15 points. She was followed closely by Brynna Hammeke and Madie McGuire each with 11, Kassidy Nixon with 8, and Reese McGuire with 5.

The road to a state title

For Central Plains, the road to an eighth state title started March 9, with a 58-28 tournament win against the No. 7 seed Beloit-St. John’s-Tipton.

Hammeke led the scoring for the No. 2 seed Lady Oilers with 18 points. She was followed by Madie McGuire with

16 points, Nixon with 9, Reese McGuire with 5, and Mollie Steiner, Addy Ogle, Kyla Metro, Melissa Donecker and Marilyn Soeken each with 2 points.

On March 11, Central Plains was again victorious, this time against No. 6 seed Hanover, by a score of 49-44.

Leading the scoring for the Lady Oilers was Hammeke with 18 points. She was followed by Nixon and Reese McGuire, each with 8, Madie McGuire with 7, Metro with 5, Mollie Steiner with 2 and Donecker with 1 point.