The Troy Trojans secured a hard-fought 33-25 victory over the Central Plains Lady Oilers in the quarterfinals of the Class 1A Division I State Basketball Championship on Wednesday at United Wireless Arena.
Both teams showcased strong defensive efforts, keeping the game low-scoring and tightly contested. Troy’s defense held Central Plains to just 25 points, stifling the Oilers’ offensive rhythm throughout the game.
Leading the way for Troy was standout junior guard Harper Whetstine, who scored a game-high 19 points while controlling the tempo on both ends of the floor. Senior forward Allie Franken contributed key rebounds and defensive stops to help seal the win for the Trojans.
For Central Plains, senior Aevyn Siemsen let the team with 10 points while senior Marilyn Soeken had 6 points and sophomore Maggie Strouse with 6 points, but the Oilers struggled to find consistent scoring opportunities against Troy’s suffocating defense. Despite a strong season under head coach Pat Stiles, the Oilers fell short in their bid for another state title.
Central Plains, a powerhouse program with eight state championships in 14 years, entered the tournament with high expectations. However, Troy’s disciplined play and defensive intensity proved to be the difference in the matchup.
With the win, Troy advances to the state semifinals, where they will face the Undefeated Centralia Panthers, who defeated St. John-Hudson earlier in the day.