Shawnee Mission Northwest's Ethan Taylor swats a shot during a 59-43 win over Springdale (Ark.) in 810 Varsity Showcase 32 on Saturday. (Photo: Darryl Woods, 810 Varsity)

Many Kansas City area teams received the gift of a victory before the holidays in 810 Varsity Showcase 32.

The second of four 810 Varsity events this season was held Saturday at Shawnee Mission Northwest. Among the seven games in the showcase included:

Shawnee Mission Northwest 59, Springdale (Ark.) 43

The Cougars answered the call from the start in a battle of two of the top teams in the region.

Northwest, ranked No. 3 in Kansas Class 6A and No. 6 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, jumped on the Bulldogs early and dominated until the final buzzer. Springdale returned key players from its Class 6A state runner-up team, including four-star recruit Isaiah Sealy, but were rattled by the Cougars on both ends of the floor.

The biggest force was 7-foot sophomore Ethan Taylor, who scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and swatted 7 blocks. Taylor scored 14 in the first half to help build a 28-15 lead, in which Springdale never seemed a threat.

The onslaught continued after intermission, as junior Keaton Wagler heated up with 11 points – including three trifectas – in the third period as the lead ballooned to 45-26 entering the fourth. The Bulldogs trimmed the lead to 12 with under six minutes left, but faded in the finale of the event.

Wagler netted 14, while junior Aiven Riley added 11 for Northwest (5-0). Sealy led the Bulldogs with 16.

Shawnee Mission Northwest (59)

Wagler 5 0-0 14, Riley 4 1-2 11, Salmon 3 1-2 9, Taylor 6 4-7 17, Collins 2 0-0 4, Nixon 0 2-2 2. 

Three-pointers: Wagler 4, Riley 2, Salmon 2, Taylor.

Bishop Miege 50, McPherson 46 (girls)

In a state rivalry usually saved for the state final, the Stags held off McPherson, 50-46, to improve to 2-1. Miege had beat McPherson in the Kansas Class 4A state championship in 2023 and 2021.

The Bullpups led 35-32 in a nip-and-tuck game with under two minutes left in the third period before Finley LeMay hit her second three of the quarter to tie the game at 35-35. A LeMay driving bucket and Grace McCallop layup and one kept the Miege edge at 40-39 entering the fourth.

Both teams opened the final period cold, before four consecutive McPherson free throws gave the Bullpups a 43-42 lead with 3:48 left. But a Faith McCallop layup, an MHS turnover, then a Grace McCallop three from the baseline pushed the Stags lead to 47-43 with 1:58 left.

McPherson followed with two empty-handed possessions on a turnover, and two missed shots, from which Miege’s Kirston Verhulst followed with hitting three-of-four free throws to keep the Bullpups at an arm’s distance for the final 50-46 margin.

McPherson (46)

Bower 3 1-2 8, McLeod 3 4-5 10, Moors 3 0-0 7, Thompson 3 4-4 10, Alvord 2 6-7 10, Doile 0 1-2 1. Totals 14 16-20 46. 

Bishop Miege (50)

LeMay 3 0-1 8, Grant 5 2-2 14, F. McCallop 2 0-0 5, Verhulst 1 8-9 10, G. McCallop 5 1-1 13. Totals 16 11-13 50.

Three-pointers: Bower, Moors; LeMay 2, Grant 2, G. McCallop 2, F. McCallop

McPherson 61, Bishop Miege 47

The Bullpups didn’t have to wait for a trip to Salina to face – and beat – Bishop Miege.

The two teams have faced off six times in the Kansas Class 4A state tourney since 2015, but McPherson took the lead early and held on throughout for a 61-47 win over the Stags. MHS held a double-digit lead in the second quarter, but Miege came back on the hot hand of Howard Peoples. The senior scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second and third periods – including a three to close the third quarter for a 43-38 deficit. A Liam Tesmer bucket and free throw pulled Miege to 44-41 with 6:45 left in the game.

But MHS junior Gabe Pyle went to work with a bucket, a three-pointer after a Bullpup miss, and a hoop on an in-bounds pass to push the lead back to 54-45 with 3:35 left. Pyle led McPherson – the No. 1 team in Kansas Class 4A – with 20 points.

McPherson (61)

O. Pyle 0 3-4 3, J. Pyle 1 2-2 4, Muehler 5 2-2 14, Thompson 3 6-7 12, G. Pyle 7 4-6 20, Brown 0 2-2 2, Wedel 2 0-0 4, Kazak 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 19-23 61.

Bishop Miege (47)

Moland 2 1-4 5, Peoples 8 2-2 21, Tesmer 6 1-1 13, Jones 1 1-2 3, Greene 1 0-0 2, Werner 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 6-11 47.

Three-pointers: Muehler 2, G. Pyle 2; Peoples 3.

Park Hill South 78, Blue Valley West 70

If one didn’t know, it was the Panthers who entered Saturday undefeated. But Park Hill South notched a win, which was in hand most of the way.

The Panthers (3-4) held a double-digit lead from the midway point in the second quarter, including a 37-23 halftime lead over previously undefeated Blue Valley West. Senior Colby Kiedrowski scored 16 of this team-high 23 points before intermission, while Keegan Feder canned four first-half three’s.

The Jaguars entered the day with a 5-0 record, but couldn’t cut into the Panthers double-digit lead until two free throws and a three from Cade Wysong pulled West to 64-56 with 5:34 left. Park Hill South hit 12-of-16 free throws in the fourth period to keep the Jaguars at bay.

Damon Stacker (16), Michael Good (13) and Cooper Oathout (11) rounded out the scoring for Park Hill South. Gavin Harvey netted a game-high 26 points for Blue Valley West, while Tate Nagy (16), Luke Goodale (10) and Wysong (10) also reached double digits.

Park Hill South (78)

Kiedrowski 7 8-12 23, Feder 5 0-0 15, Stacker 5 4-6 16, Good 4 4-6 13, Oathout 4 3-4 11. Totals 25 19-28 78.

Blue Valley West (70)

Goodale 2 4-4 10, Harvey 9 5-6 26, Nagy 7 0-0 16, Watson 3 0-0 6, Wysong 4 0-0 10, Kilian 0 2-2 2. Totals 25 11-12, 70.

Three-pointers: Feder 5, Stacker 2, Kiedrowski, Good; Harvey 3, Goodale 2, Nagy 2, Wysong 2

Blue Valley Northwest 76, Van Horn 41

The defending Kansas Class 6A state champions started slow, but showed why the Huskies will be in the mix again in Wichita in March.

Blue Valley Northwest, ranked No. 3 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, found itself in an early tussle with the Falcons after a 15-15 deadlock following one period. But the Huskies clamped down while scorching the nets in the second stanza for a 24-3 run to blow open the game, 39-18, at intermission.

Senior Joey Mattioni led all scorers with 28 points, while fellow senior Jake Fritz added 16 for the Huskies (4-0). Nick Wiley paced Van Horn with 20, while Za’Corrie Kerr netted 16.

Other finals

Blue Valley North 47, Barstow 36 (boys)

Barstow (36)

Matula 3 0-0 8, Carter 2 0-01 4, Darhoe 1 0-0 2, Whitfill 3 0-0 8, Lawlor 1 2-2 4, Thornton 3 1-1 7, Gennell 1 1-2 3. Totals 14 4-6 36. 

Blue Valley North (47)

Duson 1 1-2 3, Ballard 3 6-9 12, Lashley 6 2-3 15, George 0 4-4 4, Connelly 1 1-2 3, Benjamin 1 0-0 3, Davis 2 0-0 4, Hinson 1 0-0 3. Totals 15 14-22 47. 

Three-pointers: Hinson, Lashley, Benjamin; Matula 2, Whitfill 2
Shawnee Mission Northwest 61, Barstow 27 (girls)

The next 810 Varsity Showcase will be held Saturday, January 6 at Blue Valley North.