It was a 9-0 run to start the second quarter that gave Royal Valley the lead for good on Saturday night and a terrific defensive effort with a strong fourth quarter finish that has the Panthers making history with their first state basketball tournament apperanace. RV used a 16-9 fourth quarter to pull away from Marysville for the 39-31 Sub State Championship win in Sabetha. 

The Panthers led by eight on three different occasions in the first half, but were only ahead 23-22 entering the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs tied the game at 23 and had about four possessions with a chance to take the lead in the game, but could never capatilize. Brady Klotz, who scored 19 in the semifinal win against Jeff West on Friday night, was scoreless until the 3:30 mark in the fourth quarter when he went on a 5-0 run including one of only two Panther tries on the night that turned a 27-26 lead into a 32-26 advantage and sealed the win.  

Nahcs Wahwassuck scored 17 points including the only four in the first quarter when the Panthers found themselves down 5-4. KJ Miller added nine points and Mason Thomas scored five of his seven in the fourth quarter to push the Royal Valley record to 20-3 on the season and advance to state in the first season with Chris Brown as head coach. 

Marysville ends their season at 18-4 with Jack Lauer having a team-high 10 points off the bench and fellow senior Jackson Rader adding 9. The Bulldogs played great defense and hit four treys, but could never get on any run of flow offensively as the win streak was halted at 12 straight. 

The Hoyt boys made state basketball in 1936 and Mayetta qualifed for boys state hoops in 1923 and 1940, but this will the the first appearance for the Panther boys after the girls made it to a pair of state titles and won it all two years ago in Hutchinson.  Royal Valley will play at Rock Creek (21-2) on Tuesday at 6:00 PM with live coverage on KNZA 103.9 FM.  

Click link to listen to game broadcast as well as post game interview with Coach Brown and Nahcs Wahwassuck.