The Winfield Viking boys basketball team let one slip away as Rose Hill left Ollie Thomas Gymnasium with a 59-56 victory. The Vikings raced out to a 15-6 lead, but saw it trimmed to 18-14 by the end of the first quarter. Isaac Hill kept the Rockets close early, scoring 10 of their 14 first-quarter points.
Winfield never trailed in the first half and took a 30-26 lead into halftime. The Vikings controlled much of the third quarter before Rose Hill closed the gap to 41-38 late. After scoring the final four points of the third, the Rockets opened the fourth with five straight points to take their first lead of the game at 43-41. The teams traded baskets over the final six minutes. Winfield had one last possession with two seconds remaining, but the final shot fell short.
“Give Rose Hill credit — their press and chaotic pace really sped us up,” Winfield coach Matt Shelton said, noting the Vikings’ 16 turnovers were likely the biggest factor in the loss.
Winfield senior Evan Hutto scored 13 of his game-high 20 points in the second half. Freshman Le’Gend Riley added 13, including nine in the first quarter, and senior Kellen Gibson finished with 10. Hill led Rose Hill with 14 points. Winfield, now 8-10, dropped to the No. 12 seed in the KSHSAA Class 4A boys West Sub-State standings. Rose Hill, also 8-10, moved to No. 11. Continue story below ad.
The Rose Hill girls basketball team extended its winning streak to four games with a 42-34 victory over Winfield.
The teams previously met in the seventh-place game at the Mulvane Tournament on Jan. 31, with Rose Hill earning a 41-33 win. The Rockets jumped out to a 19-6 lead Friday. Winfield answered with a 9-2 run, but two late first-half turnovers led to Rocket layups and a 25-15 halftime deficit for the Vikings.
Winfield cut the deficit to five points twice in the second half, but each time Rose Hill responded. Sophomore Karsyn Hutto sparked the Vikings in the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers and scoring 10 of the team’s 11 points in the period to trim the margin to 32-26. However, Rose Hill outscored Winfield 10-8 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
Hutto led all scorers with 13 points, while senior Addison Flaton added 10. Bridget Mohr paced the Rockets with 12. Winfield fell to 1-17 and sits three games out of the final playoff spot. Rose Hill improved to 6-12 and is seeded No. 13 in the KSHSAA Class 4A girls West Sub-State standings.
