WICHITA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - Coming into this 4A state title game, McPherson girls wanted to de-throne defending champs Bishop Miege after their win in 2019. But the second half got away from them...allowing the Stags to pull off the 15-point win, 51-36.

“We couldn’t get shots to fall, we didn’t rebound very well in the second half,” said McPherson senior Emma Malm.

McPherson senior Grace Pyle said, “Our confidence was a little down because we weren’t seeing the ball go through the net a lot but sometimes that happens and you just got to gut it through and we just came up a little short. Overall, our road to state was probably one of the toughest in the state.”

“We had to play number four at Nickerson for our sub-state final. First round, quarterfinal state we went to Clay Center, number two and undefeated,” said McPherson girls basketball coach Chris Strathman. “Then last night we had to beat number five which was Louisburg and so that left number one with Miege. So we had the most difficult road possible to get to this point but by golly we had an opportunity and that’s what we wanted.”

”It was heartbreaking. I love McPherson and it just makes me so sad this is my last time I’ve ever wear my jersey and play with my teammates that I’ve played with forever and I just love playing with them,” said McPherson senior Kassidy Beam.

Strathman said, “We didn’t come up short in the effort department and the leadership department, our seniors set a great tone for us this year and I couldn’t be any more proud of them.”

McPherson was able to come from behind and win the state title over Miege in 2018 and the Stags did not let that happen again this year.

McPherson falls short of a 4A state title