In the opening round of the Missouri Class 6 District 6 playoffs, Rockhurst dismantled William Chrisman 76-34 on March 5, 2025.
Rockhurst was heavily favored in the matchup featuring the No. 1 seed Hawklets and the No. 8 seed Bears, who entered the game with a 3-24 record. Contrast that with Rockhurst’s 20-4 mark, and you could understand if the Hawklets didn’t exactly bring the intensity one might expect in the playoffs. But junior guard Max Moylan says that wasn’t the case.
“Obviously, it’s the playoffs, so we have to take them seriously,” he said.
It was apparent from the opening tip that Rockhurst significantly outsized the Bears, with Chrisman’s tallest player being listed at 6-foot-3. On the contrary, the Hawklets have four players taller than that mark, making points in the paint extremely difficult for Chrisman.
After opening the game with a layup, the Bears went on a six-minute scoring drought. Rockhurst took advantage, jumping out to a 14-2 lead.
By the time the first quarter came to an end, the Hawklets led 18-8.
However, the host team would really pull away in the second quarter. Sparked by their bench, Rockhurst opened the quarter on a 25-6 run. Sophomore guard Carson Green poured in eight of those 25 points. He ended up second on the team in points on the night with 13.
“He’s been a hard worker for us throughout this year,” Moylan said. “It was good to see him step up and have a good game.”
As the halftime buzzer sounded, Rockhurst had all but wrapped up the district quarterfinal. The Hawklets went into the break with a commanding 47-16 lead.
The second half was more of the same. Rockhurst opened the half on a 10-2 run before head coach Billy Thomas reinserted the Hawklets’ bench. With a strong grip on the game, Rockhurst’s reserves got significant playing time, and they capitalized on the opportunity, pushing the Hawklets’ lead to 69-27 by the end of the third quarter.
Both teams missed free throws frequently in the fourth quarter, though the game was already decided. Rockhurst went deep into their bench in the final frame, giving freshmen Jackson Raney and Braylon Edwards their first taste of varsity minutes in their young careers. Edwards scored four points in the fourth, helping to seal a 76-34 victory for the Hawklets.
Though overmatched, both physically and talent-wise, it was apparent Chrisman came in with a clear strategy in their effort to pull off an unlikely upset. For one, the Bears attempted numerous threes throughout the game. However, the team could never get hot, and Rockhurst’s size constantly disrupted them. Second, Chrisman tried to play faster than the Hawklets. This actually led to more turnovers, which allowed Rockhurst to dominate in transition all night.
Overall, Rockhurst took care of business in their first round matchup versus William Chrisman, something No. 2 seed Lee’s Summit North, No. 3 seed Lee’s Summit, and No. 4 seed Carthage can’t say they did. All three teams were upset in the opening round. That sets up a potentially easier path to a district championship for the Hawklets. Rockhurst will look to take another step in that direction when they travel to Lee’s Summit West to take on the No. 5 seed Titans on Friday.
