Only a few weeks into the season and the Central Plains Lady Oilers already have been on a roller coaster ride.

In game against Phillipsburg at Russell’s Amos Morris Classic, the state’s longest winning streak in Kansas high school girls’ basketball came to an end this past week as Central Plains lost a close 49-44 game. In addition to the 136-game streak, the Lady Oilers also entered the 2020-21 season with records for scoring defense, the state record for average margin of victory, most undefeated seasons, single game field goal percentage, season field goal percentage and fewest fouls.

However, Central Plains will have to rebuild after losing four starters to graduation from last season’s state championship team. Kassidy Nixon returns as the only starter from last year’s team; however, Lexi Oeser and Jannah Jeffrey return with significant varsity experience.

“We will take on practice, one game at a time and continue to keep working to get better;’ said Coach Pat Stiles. “Our tough schedule should help prepare us for post season and we want to be playing our best basketball at that time. Success will depend on us maintaining the awesome culture the girls have created by playing hard, playing for each other, making the extra pass and sharing the ball. We call it ‘The Oiler Way.”

And there’s this for the week of Dec. 14, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association ranked the Central Plains girls at the top of the state’s 1A, Division II.

The Central Plains Oilers have their eyes focused on the top level of a talented Central Prairie League for the 2020-21 season.

The goal, said head coach Bryce Steiner, will be to “put ourselves in a position to win games in the postseason by playing our best basketball at season’s end.”

Returning starters are: Tyler Holmes, senior forward; Cole Lamatsch, junior guard; and Michael Laymon, sophomore guard.

Key reserves and newcomers are seniors Jacob Oberle and Michael Menges, guards; Karter Beck and Dylan Kitchen, forwards; and freshman Peyton Ryan, guard.

“We have a big senior class of leaders and some talented underclassmen,” Steiner said. Under a new coaching staff we are looking to get better every week and competing night in and night out.”