Saturday was a very long day in Hill City. The boys game was worth the price of admission and then some, even though I didn’t have to pay.

Ellis fell behind the Ringnecks by 10 with 3:39 to go in the third quater, but rallied to take the lead by the end of the period. The game was tied six times in the fourth quarter, so it was fitting the Mid-Continent League rivals went to overtime.

The Railers won 63-58 to move into the state tournametn for the first time in 12 years. Their reward? A date with reigning state champion St. John-Hudson tonight at 6:30. The Tigers have won 49 consecutive games, which includes last year’s state championship game victory over Plainville. 

The girls championship game at Hill City was not as competitive, which is what I expected. The Ringnecks won 54-34, their third victory over the Raiilers this season, all at Hill City. The Ringnecks play their first state tournament game in five years when they face Valley Falls tomorrow night at 6:30. 

I got back to Russell just before 11 Saturday night. I was exhausted–nowhere near as bad as it was after regional wrestling, but still, I got my fair share of sleep. 

I packed Sunday night hoping I could get out to Kansas City either Monday or Tuesday, but the work was too much. Besides, I didn’t have to spend on a hotel room. 

Nickole Byers, the editor at Ellis, called me at 2 p.m. Monday and asked me if I could get her stuff done that day. Fortunately, I was still home, so I got right to it. I was done before 5. She was ecstatic. 

Got my work for the Russell County News done before noon, and I was on the road at 1. It took only a shade over two hours to get to Bramlage Coliseum, and that was with stops in Junction City for gas, food adn to check into the Courtyard Marriott.

Right now, the first game of the four-game boys session, Olpe vs. Pittsburg Colgan, is in the third quarter. Game tied 20-20 midway through. 

I can’t believe how warm it is outside. There have been more than a couple of days when I would be bundled up in four layers walking into Bramlage and I still wasn’t warm. Today, I should have worn shorts, but I figured since this is state basketball, I’d stick with jeans.