City League Sweep?

Wichita Heights and Bishop Carroll -- sometimes one wonders if any other girls teams play in the City League. Of course, that's not meant as a knock on the rest of the teams in the City League. South was strong last season, and North and Northwest won playoff games this year. And Kapaun will be back. But, for goodness' sakes, it's Heights-Carroll at the top so consistently. A year after going 21-4 and placing second at Class 5A state, Carroll took another stride forward this season on Jan. 13. Having been unable to beat Heights last season, Carroll not only remained undefeated after their first Heights match-up this season, they blew the Falcons away, 75-58. Five-foot-seven shooting guard Abby Fawcett was unconcious that night, scoring 34 points. But just when people put Heights on the back burner following that game, Kip Pulliam's relentless Falcons decided not to lose another game. In the championship game of their mid-season tournament up in Shawnee Mission, Heights handily defeated SM West -- which turned out to be an 18-4 state tourney team, by the way -- 69-53. Then, they reminded Carroll who they were on Feb. 24. Carroll built a lead at Heights that night, just like they had the previous season in 2007-08, but Heights showed why they're champions year-in, year-out, winning 82-76. Heights just rotates girls in and out of the program, and they continue to win, no matter what. Don't forget that the Falcons lost their top returning scorer in sophomore Mary Sims after the second game of the season; and, still, they're 21-1. Carroll never left the hunt, though. Many saw a sub-state upset brewing when Carroll, at 18-2 entering the playoffs, was grouped with Andover Central, made extra potent by guard Tiffany Bias. Didn't happen. Carroll beat Andover Central, 72-63, proving they're as solid as we thought they were. Let's not forget that they were that close to sweeping the season series against Heights. What would we be saying if that had happened? Carroll starts against St. Thomas Aquinas, the same team they dispatched in the first round last season, 58-46. Then they beat Miege last year, which is likely the team they'll meet again in the state semifinals on Friday. The similitude between this season and last will stop there, however, as McPherson, the defending champs who beat Carroll last season, weren't even close to making state this year. Maybe this is the year again for Carroll (they also won it all in 2004) and coach Don Racine, who won his 500th game this season. 6A Girls, Thursday at Emporia No. 1 Washburn Rural (21-1) vs. No. 8 Garden City (11-11) Washburn Rural Key wins: @Lawrence, 67-63; @Shawnee Heights, 55-46; @Lawrence (mid-season tourney), 54-42; SM East (mid-season tourney), 44-42; Shawnee Heights, 54-47; @Derby (Derby sub-state), 70-40 Bad losses: Topeka Seaman, 47-50 Garden city Key wins: @Northwest (Northwest sub-state), 46-45 Bad losses: Great Bend, 24-48; Salina South, 43-66 No. 4 SM West (18-4) vs. No. 5 SM East (18-4) SM West Key wins: @SM East, 46-43; @St. Thomas Aquinas, 47-41; @Lawrence (sub-state), 50-41 Bad losses: Wichita Heights, 53-69; SM East, 49-54 SM East Key wins: Lawrence, 63-55; Wichita Northwest (mid-season tourney), 73-42 Bad losses: @Olathe South, 44-59; No. 2 Heights (21-1) vs. No. 7 Olathe Northwest (16-6) Olathe Northwest Key wins: Wichita Collegiate (El Dorado mid-season tourney), 55-51 Bad losses: Blue Valley, 43-62; SM West, 32-46; No. 3 Olathe South (19-3) vs. No. 6 Goddard (17-5) Olathe South Key wins: SM West, 46-40; @Lawrence, 65-58; SM East, 59-44; Carroll (at Kapaun mid-season tourney), 63-40; Olathe Northwest, 42-39 Bad losses: SM North, 41-46; @Olathe East, 37-41 Goddard Key wins: @Salina South, 67-49 Bad losses: Buhler, 50-61; Salina South, 49-57; Carroll, 52-74; St. John (at McPherson mid-season tourney), 30-58; Derby, 36-55; 5A Girls, Wednesday at Topeka No. 1 Liberal (21-1) vs. No. 8 Great Bend (15-7) Liberal Key wins: Rose Hill (@Newton mid-season tourney), 68-51, Kapaun (@Winfield sub-state), 61-37 Bad losses: Omaha Marian (@Newton), 35-58 Great Bend Key wins: None Bad losses: Liberal, 37-57 No. 4 Lansing (19-3) vs. No. 5 Emporia (18-4) Lansing Key wins: None Bad losses: @Shawnee Heights, 38-54; Gardner-Edgerton, 45-55; Mill Valley, 45-48 Emporia Key wins: Olathe South, 52-45; @Shawnee Heights, 38-30 Bad losses: @Gardner-Edgerton, 29-41; Shawnee Heights, 40-55; No. 2 Bishop Carroll (20-2) vs. No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (16-6) St. Thomas Aquinas Key wins: None Bad losses: None No. 3 Bishop Miege (20-2) vs. Shawnee Heights (16-6) Bishop Miege Key wins: Aquinas, 33-27; Aquinas, 49-48 Bad losses: None Shawnee Heights Key wins: @Miege, 48-45; @Emporia, 55-40; @Lawrence, 48-42 Bad losses: Manhattan, 31-37; Wichita Northwest (mid-season tourney), 48-55; @Topeka Hayden, 42-50