The season ended for the Emporia High boys basketball team in a Class 5A Sub-State semifinal against Maize South on Wednesday at Spartan Gymnasium.
In a back-and-forth game through three and a half quarters, Maize South took control during the homestretch for a 57-47 victory over the Spartans. Maize South started the game on a 9-0 run before the Spartans closed the first quarter on a 13-2 run to lead 13-11. Emporia High led by as many as five in the second quarter, however, trailed 27-26 at halftime. The Spartans led 32-31 in the third quarter before Maize South scored five straight to go up. Emporia High pulled within one but trailed 38-35 heading into the fourth. Maize South led by six midway through the final quarter before a Nolan Jacob 3-pointer cut the deficit in half, however, Maize South scored six straight to lead by nine and never looked back. Rylan Crowell led Emporia High with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Jacob added 14. Emporia High coach Lee Baldwin said his team competed despite Maize South’s Jalen Batiste being the best player on the floor.
Emporia High finishes its season with a 12-9 record, the third consecutive season the Spartans have recorded 10 or more wins. The Spartans graduate Jacob, Madden Seidl, Jash Rios and Kobe Franklin and return four key contributors for the 2025-26 season.
Two area teams played on Wednesday night. In Class 3A on the boys side, Osage City fell to Silver Lake, 64-62, ending its season with a 14-8 record. In Class 2A on the girls side, Chase County defeated Bluestem, 59-40. Chase County will play Lyndon on Saturday in Yates Center for a trip to the Class 2A State Tournament.
