By Brad Hallier
The Roundhouse in McPherson will be hopping on Saturday.
One of the premier midseason high school boys basketball tournaments will feature an old-school rivalry for the championship.
Hutchinson vs. McPherson. Two rivals from the old Ark Valley League will meet up at 3:45 p.m. for the McPherson Invitational championship in what will likely be an electric atmosphere.
Hutchinson reached the championship game by beating Blue Valley 53-48 on Friday night, and the Salthawks also beat St. James Academy 45-34 in Thursday’s first round.
The Salthawks improved to 8-1 and will take on the undefeated Bullpups.
Girls basketball – Behind 19 points from Grace Posch, the Hutchinson High girls basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak Thursday by routing Maize 43-26.
The Salthawks defense shined all night, allowing just 15 points in the first half and a single point in the third quarter.
The Salthawks improved to 5-3 and will head to Emporia for a tournament next week. Hutchinson will take on Derby in Thursday’s first round at 5:30 p.m.
Bowling – Brody Ummel led the boys team in a triangular with Derby and Salina South on Jan. 12 at The Alley in Hutchinson.
Ummel, a senior, bowled a 653 series, just three pins from second. Jacob Bofink came in seventh with a 587.
On the girls side, the Salthawks were led by a second-place finish from Ariana Shankle, who had a 580 series.
Boys wrestling – The Salthawks finished in 13th at the Tournament of Champions in Newton on Jan. 13 with 77.5 points.
Three Salthawks finished in the top eight, led by Kade Smith’s second-place finish at 157 pounds. Smith won his first two matches by pin, and the next two by a combined score 10-1. He lost to Andale’s Owen Eck in the championship match 21-6.
Camden Jensen came in third at 285 pounds, only losing in the quarterfinals 3-1 to Newton’s Marcel Gonzalez.
Max Harris came in eighth place at 144 pounds. After losing in the first round, Harris won his next four matches before dropping two consolation matches.
Girls wrestling – Hutchinson finished in a three-way tie for 12th at the Newton TOC.
Three Salthawks placed in the top five, led by fourth-place finishes from Taylor Pubill (105 pounds) and Sophia Zwickel (130 pounds). Ruby Foster finished in fifth place at 115 pounds.
Boys swimming – Logan Most swam an automatic state-qualifying time in the 200-yard freestyle on Jan. 13 in Andover. Most finished fifth in the event.
Most also earned a state-consideration time in the 500 freestyle.
Trent McClelland swam a state-consideration time in the 100 freestyle.
