The Dodge City Civic Center has hosted a lot of impressive events over the years.
In recognition of youth art month in Kansas, the Globe continues its visit to the four visual arts departments at Dodge City High School.
A $500 scholarship has been established by PEO Chapter DZ for a graduating high school senior girl who is planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college.
The Soroptimist International of Dodge City club announces that applications for the Jane Robison Memorial Scholarship are now available
HAYS — South Gray High School fed off a 31-point performance from senior guard Chase Clancy to defeat Macksville 54-45 on Tuesday in the Class 1A state quarterfinals.
“I was getting to the rim easy,” Clancy said. “In the first half, I was able to drive. I think they were watching out for the 3-pointer.”
South Gray, the No. 2-ranked team by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, will get a rematch with top-ranked Quinter (26-0) at 4:45 on Thursday at Gross Memorial Coliseum on the Fort Hays State University campus.
Quinter eliminated the Rebels at last year’s state tourney.
Spearville High School girls’ basketball coach Lorie Stein formerly played at now-defunct St. Mary’s of the Plains in Dodge City after starring for Thomas More Prep-Marian in Hays.
Stein never got a chance to play in a state tournament, her high school team losing in a sub-state final.
Under Stein’s guidance, Spearville, after a 20-year absence, is back in the state tournament. The Lancers (20-3) play an opening-round Class 2A state tournament game tonight at 8:15 against third-seeded Osborne (18-5).
As top-ranked Spearville High School (22-1) held off Syracuse in overtime, 59-58, last Saturday to win a Class 2A sub-state championship at Leoti, Lancers head coach Jerrod Stanford could finally exhale.
"I really do feel that way," Stanford said. "There was a lot of pressure on the guys, and it's good to be a front-runner. It's good to have a target on your back. It means you are the best.
"There was so much pressure that we put on ourselves, not necessarily anybody else. This season didn't mean anything if we didn't make it to the state tournament. All of the success and work is wasted, if we didn't make it to state, we felt like.”
Now, it’s time to take it to the next level.
"We're there now, so let's go win three more games,” Stanford said. “That's kind of the mentality right now."
Spearville meets Seneca-Nemaha Valley (14-9) at 3 p.m. Thursday in an opening-round game of the 2A state tournament at Manhattan’s Bramlage Coliseum on the Kansas State University campus.
As his 23rd season winds down this week as head boys’ basketball coach at Dodge City High School, Dennis Hamilton’s Red Demons are headed to their 10th state tournament appearance during his tenure.
On Thursday, second-seeded Dodge City (19-3) travels to Emporia to play a Class 6A opening-round state tournament game against Overland Park-Blue Valley Northwest. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
The sense of urgency starts now.
“I have coached some teams that have been just happy going,” Hamilton said. “It’s a series of three one-game tournaments, as far as we’re concerned.
“We want to take advantage of it and make the most of it. Regardless of what happens, it’s been a very memorable year in Dodge High basketball.”
Of the eight-team state tourney field, half of them were in Dodge City at midseason for the Tournament of Champions.
Pairings for this week's Class 6A, 2A and 1A state tournaments.
This week, the South Gray High School boys’ basketball team is vying for a third Class 1A state championship in the last four years.
The Rebels won back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008, and lost to Quinter in the opening round last season.
“I want to get past that first round,” South Gray’s Bligh Schulte said. “ I don’t want to lose there again. We need to keep up playing hard.
"We are going to have to watch out for nerves to get past that first game.”
The Rebels will see its first action today, playing Macksville in the quarterfinals at 4:45 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum on the Fort Hays State campus in Hays.
