Gridiron Glory: The Heart-Stopping Finale – Heart of America Conference Week 11 Recap
The Heart of America Conference had a strong presence in the first round of the 2024 KSHSAA Football Playoffs, with five of the nine teams advancing to the tournament.
The Elsaline Cardinals led the way in the eight-man division, with Marion, Sedgwick, Hatch-Trinity and Sterling all advancing to the second round of the Class 1A playoffs. The match is scheduled to take place this Friday night.
In a disappointing development for the Bellaire Academy soccer team, their postseason journey came to an abrupt end Tuesday in the Class 4-3-2-1A state semifinals.
In volleyball, Sedgwick and Inman qualified for the Class 2A state tournament, with Inman advancing to third place from pool play.
As the 2024 fall season progresses, we have summarized the current status of each HOA team.
Bennington
The Bulldog football team ended the 2024 season on a disappointing note, losing 28-59 to Conway Springs in the first game of the Class 1A playoffs. Finishing the season 1-8, the Bulldogs fought hard but fell short in the end. Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs finished the season with a 26-13 record.
Elsarin
The Cardinals kept their hopes alive with a 56-8 victory over Rock Hills in the first round of the 8-Man I playoffs. They will play Madison this Friday night in the next round. Unfortunately, the Lady Cardinals finished the season with an 11-23 record.
Bellaire Academy
The Warriors defeated Independence 1-0 last Thursday to claim the regional championship. However, the trip ended with a 5-2 loss to Wichita Trinity in the state semifinals. The Lady Warriors finished the season with a 20-21 record.
hutchinson trinity
The Celtic football team also tied its season together with a 20-14 win over HOA rival Moundridge last Friday. The next round will be heading to Medicine Lodge this Friday. The Lady Celts finished the season with a 14-20 record.
inman
The Teuton football team unfortunately lost 28-0 to Plainville in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs, ending the season with a 4-5 record. However, Lady Teuton advanced to the Class 2A state tournament with a perfect 3-0 record in pool play. In the semifinals, they faced Valley Heights and took third place after a close battle, but they defeated Ellinwood and won the consolation final.
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Marion
The Warrior football team defeated Sacred Heart 70-31 in the first game of the Class 1A playoffs and will take on Conway Springs this Friday. The Lady Warriors finished the season with a 19-16 record.
mound ridge
The Wildcats lost 14-20 to Hutchinson Trinity, ending their season in heartbreaking fashion, finishing the season with a 7-2 record. The Lady Wildcats finished the season with an impressive 32-9 record.
remington
Although the Broncos football team did not advance to the postseason, they closed out the regular season with a 47-8 victory over Heringiton. The Broncos finished 2024 with a 3-6 record and the Lady Bronco volleyball team finished the season with a 9-24 record.
sedgwick
The Cardinal football team defeated Republic County 48-20 in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs and will play Plainville this Friday. The Cardinal volleyball team finished its season with a 36-7 record after pool play at the Class 2A state tournament.
sterling
The Black Bear football team kept its hopes alive with a 48-6 victory over Hayes Thomas More Prep in its first game of the Class 1A playoffs. They will play Valley Heights this Friday night in the next round. The Lady Black Bears finished the season with a 13-22 record.