Rockhurst Run Comes Up Short in District Championship Game
The Hawklets pulled off a pair of upsets en route to the final, but couldn’t make it three in a row against Lee’s Summit West.
March 9, 2023
The Rockhurst basketball season came to an end March 6 after a 55-39 loss to Lee’s Summit West in the MSHSAA Class Six District Six Championship at William Chrisman High School. The Hawklets defied outside expectations to make it that far, but couldn’t match up with the fourth-ranked team in the state.
The Hawklets started out strong, with freshman Cohen Robinson scoring the first basket of the game. Rockhurst kept it close throughout the first quarter, only trailing 10-7 at the first break.
Senior Hayden Spachman scored the first basket of the second quarter, but the Titans would slowly stretch their lead until junior Thomas Coppinger and Spachman hit back-to-back layups, making the score 17-15. Lee’s Summit West would once again extend their lead, however, going into halftime up 23-18.
Despite the deficit, the packed and rowdy Rockhurst student section was optimistic.
“[The Hawklets] struggled on the boards early on, but we out-hustled them for loose balls allowing us to still be in it heading into the second half,” junior Jacob Hoolehan said.
Out of halftime, the Titans quickly dampened hopes of an upset, though, outscoring the Hawklets 11-0, staking them to a double-digit lead they would only briefly relinquish. The Rockhurst players were able to pick themselves up with the help of a pair of free throws from junior Myles Carson and a three-pointer from sophomore George Effertz, but the top-seed in the district still closed the third quarter up 34-24.
In the fourth quarter, the Hawklets cut the deficit to 43-34 with 2:40 left in the game. But the Titans proved too much, outscoring Rockhurst 12-5 from there on to claim their 55-39 victory. The Titans will next compete against the Kickapoo High School Chiefs in the MSHSAA Class Six State Quarterfinals on March 10.
Despite the loss, players were still proud of how they were able to perform.
“We ran into a bigger and stronger team, but I couldn’t have asked for a better heart, effort, and defensive discipline as a team,” senior Brian Humphrey said.
This loss means the Hawklets’ final season record stands at 11-14. It’s their fifth season with a losing record since winning a state championship in 2013.
