A Very Quick Preview, Heart of America League

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After joining the Heart of America League last year the 2024-2025 season marks the first season for Classical School of Wichita and Central Christian Academy to fully participate. The League now boasts 12 2A teams. Changes in the KSHSAA post-season structure now have the 64 2A schools divided into <a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Basketball/GirlsSSAssignments.cfm?Class=2A">four regionals</a>. Each region of teams are seeded and split between two sub-states. Every HOA team joins four other schools to make up the Moundridge regional. After shipping the state title three years running the League failed to send a member to the state tournament in 2024. Several teams have emerged as strong contenders to change that. Below, only a couple of days into the basketball season, is a quick look at the HOA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite being blown out by Hillsboro in a sub-state final last season Moundridge enters the season ranked eighth by KBCA. The only HOA member ranked, the Trojans return four all-league selections. None are seniors. Three sharpened their skills together playing for Lady PGUHoops in the Prep Girls Hoops Dynasty region. Expect [player_tooltip player_id='719106' first='Cammi' last='Unruh'] (1st), [player_tooltip player_id='719104' first='Addysen' last='Patrick'] (1st), [player_tooltip player_id='881007' first='Macy' last='Kaminkow'] (2nd), and [player_tooltip player_id='836267' first='Hattie' last='Hecox'] (2nd) to lead a deep, talented team that is my top pick to make noise at March's state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Inman is a close second pick to emerge. The Teutons return three all-league picks who also are not seniors for a team that only lost to Hillsboro by six in a sub-state semi-final. Watch out for Utah volleyball commit, and arguably the HOA's top player, [player_tooltip player_id='621258' first='Suttyn' last='Harris'] (1st); [player_tooltip player_id='719108' first='Kenna' last='Woods'] (2nd); [player_tooltip player_id='773201' first='Morgan' last='Froese'] (HM) and shooter [player_tooltip player_id='899333' first='Raynee' last='Eddy'] to lead a team talented, deep team to a state tournament berth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Including a loss to state champ The Independent School, Remington is on a 2 season streak of sub-state championship losses. Non-seniors [player_tooltip player_id='773202' first='Emily' last='O'Brien'] (1st) and <strong>Kynzee Klaasen</strong> return an experienced bunch looking to get over the hump and reach state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bennington is an upset special on any given night, led by senior two-time first teamer [player_tooltip player_id='872349' first='Rori' last='Miles']. Their season ended with a sub-state loss to state qualifier Valley Heights last season but I caught her on a night where she hung 20 points and 10 steals on Inman during the two-team's last regular season game. Senior <strong>Alyssa Wolf</strong> and junior <strong>Jordan Bartlett</strong> (HM) return a battle-tested squad that won 12 games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two newest HOA League members, The Lions of Central Christian Academy and the Saints of Classical School of Wichita, return competitive teams with experienced players. The Lions were dispatched by Remington in a sub-state semi-final while the Saints, new to 2A this season, were whacked by one-loss Norwich in a 1A D I sub-state final. Saints' senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1201690' first='Nevi' last='Wilkey']</strong> (1A D I honorable mention) leads a experienced team that only lost 11 points and 6 rebounds to graduation. Junior <strong>Maggie Neal</strong> (7 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and senior <strong>Addison Yost</strong> (5.7 ppg, 2.2 spg) are other standouts. The Lions, returning every player, are led by senior<strong> Avery Luckner</strong> and junior <strong>Laila Hernandez</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two rising teams to watch are Sterling and Trinity Catholic. The Black Bears of Sterling have been taking a whuppin (10 wins total) the past two years after shipping the 2A state title in back-to-back years. The Celtics should be improved if what I saw from a couple players playing club ball is an indication. [player_tooltip player_id='932976' first='Blaine' last='Locke'] (HM), [player_tooltip player_id='621242' first='Chloe' last='Garrett'], and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='994009' first='Aleya' last='Ravenstein']</strong> are young players Sterling will count on. The Celtics will be led by senior [player_tooltip player_id='539008' first='Mattie' last='Galliher'], <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267137' first='Cienna' last='Maskill']</strong>, and [player_tooltip player_id='932970' first='Alex' last='Suter-Tan'] (HM).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Losing a top player like Grace Hett (Wichita State volleyball) to graduation hurt but Marion returns nearly all of it's scoring and stats outside of Hett's. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1107859' first='Kenna' last='Wesner']</strong> (9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), <strong>Erin Regier</strong> (6.4 ppg, 3.5 apg) and <strong>Taryn Kraus</strong> (4.1 ppg, 4 rpg) lead the Warriors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Warriors of Berean Academy saw their 16 win season come to a screeching halt in sub-state last season. The 2023 season state champions still have playoff and big game experienced leaders in Tabor commit [player_tooltip player_id='616746' first='Taylor' last='Balzer'] and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1154660' first='Fionna' last='Morgan']</strong> (2nd).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ell-Saline suffered heavy graduation losses including three all-HOA players from a 11 win team. <strong>Isabelle Porter</strong> and <strong>Taelor Hardesty</strong> are top returners for the Cardinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sedgwick had been led by all-HOA Logan Stucky (Sterling) for many years. Now graduated, leadership falls to the returners to grow the 'Ws' after a two win 2024. [player_tooltip player_id='822731' first='Gaby' last='Peterson'], <strong>Logan Budde</strong>, and <strong>Alivia Burns</strong> are among the returners with the capability to shoot the Cardinals into several more wins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->