MERINO GIRLS REGIONAL CHAMPS
Rams will face Wiggins Tigers Thursday in Great 8
After Merino girls basketball earned the No. 1 seed in the Class 2A state tournament, there was little doubt that the Rams would complete their first two rounds with ease.
They looked more like Battering Rams.
The Rams took little time burying No. 32 Addenbrooke Classical Academy in the round of 32 with a 72-28 final, only to take care of No. 16 Hoehne nearly as handily in the Sweet 16 with a 51-17 decision. Now, they’ll go head-tohead with No. 9 Wiggins — who earned two blowout wins itself in the first two rounds — at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The Rams enter the Great 8 with the No. 1 seed for a reason. After moving up a classification due to CHSAA’S statewide shakeup in basketball, Merino asserted itself early and often. The Rams began the season with a loss to 1A’s defending state champion Flatirons Academy, who itself only has one loss to date by a two-point decision.
After that, however, they were nearly unstoppable, winning the next nine contests before suffering their own two-point setback to Stratton with a 59-57 score. The only real competition they faced — and the only real challenge
— was second-seeded Sedgwick County, who defeated them 6354 at the end of February.
Those three losses only sharpened the Rams for what they’ll see against Wiggins on Thursday. They know the Tigers well, having defeated them twice this season already.
Merino boys end run in Sweet 16
The Merino boys nabbed the 10 seed for their tournament and, after defeating No. 23 Monte Vista with a 60-57 decision in the first round, couldn’t keep up with No. 7 Sanford before falling in the Sweet 16 with a 59-40 final.
They ended their season with a 15-8 record, going 6-1 in the 3A/2A Lower Platte League.