By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Ken Darting’s retirement plans are on hold, at least for a few more days.
Ken Darting, who has coached three high schools to state tournament berths, including five state champions, will close out its Hall of Fame career in this week's Class 5A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
After back-to-back trips to the Class 5A state tournament in 2024 and 2025 and the graduation of significant players, you might not have expected Darting's Shawnee Heights T-Birds to be back in the dance this year.
“I know one that wouldn’t have expected that,” Darting said with a laugh after his T-Birds defeated Leavenworth Friday in the sub-state final game. The T-Birds survived graduations, injuries, suspensions and midseason player defections to punch their ticket for another state tournament.
Going to state has become a family tradition for the Dartings. This will be the 15th tournament for a Darting-coached team, spread across stints at Silver Lake, Highland Park and Shawnee Heights. Darting’s high school resume is interrupted by a decade spent coaching at Kansas State and Allen County Community College. But still, trips to state have been an important part of their lives. The Dartings cherish the memories from nine appearances in state title games, five which ended in championships.
This year’s state tournament will hold special significance as it will be Darting’s last. The tournament has been a place for him to reconnect with friends made during his lengthy career.
“Last year at the state tournament, we had just lost, and there’s 17 coaches from all over the state that came to our locker room,” Darting recalled. “I sat there and visited for an hour with them, those 17 different guys that came to talk. And that’s fun. I look forward to getting to do that again this year. You know, usually I want to go hide, to go out that hole and sneak out. But to see those former players and old coaches is a fun deal.”
Had his current T-Birds not qualified for the tournament, Darting said the sendoff given by the Shawnee Heights community was sufficient. But another trip to state will provide a chance to celebrate his retirement with other friends.
“Already this year, I’ve got calls from all over, from coaches that I knew 30 years ago,” Darting said. “And I’m proud of how many opposing coaches have sent me notes or come to see me for my last game. That means you did something.”
Still, Darting isn’t looking at the tournament as a farewell tour, but a business trip.
“You say, ‘Oh, it’s just another game.' But things like that, when you stop and think about it, when you get to this point, you’d like to go out as good as you can go out,” Darting said. “I’m not one that is holding myself hostage to a state championship. But whatever it is that we’re good enough to do, I want to do that.”
The tournament takes on a slightly different look this year. Rather than playing the quarterfinal round at the location of the semifinal and final games, KSHSAA has grouped teams in regional locations based on proximity for the higher-seeded teams, regardless of classification.
Shawnee Heights (17-8) will face top-seeded and two-time defending Class 5A state champion Kapaun Mt. Carmel at Koch Arena in Wichita at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The T-Birds face a tough task in the opening round, but Darting will remain dedicated to this year’s team until the final whistle. His feeling for this current group shows in his eyes.
“I think when they’re that age, yeah, celebrate, go on,” Darting said as he watched the current group celebrate their sub-state championship Friday. “They don’t even know it yet, but they’re gonna see in life, 10, 20 years from now, they’re gonna say, ‘Oh wow, was that fun?’ And when it’s a team that shouldn’t get it done and it gets done, that makes it even more special.”
Darting is invested not just in this current roster of T-Birds but what happens after he’s gone. He spoke passionately about freshmen Quincy Dixon, Fletcher Terrell and Sam Becker, each of whom played a significant role in reaching the tournament.
“I care so much about whoever takes over this job, because these kids deserve it,” Darting said. “There are a lot of good kids on the way up. I wanted to make sure that I left this program better for the next guy than I found it.”
TUESDAY'S OTHER STATE QUARTERFINALS
CLASS 6A GIRLS
DERBY (2: 22-3) vs. TOPEKA HIGH (7: 17-8)
Topeka High, the No. 7 seed at 17-8, will face No. 3 seed Derby (22-3) at 4 p.m. Tuesday in a Class 6A quarterfinal at Wichita State's Koch Arena. Tuesday's game is a rematch of the first-round Capital City Classic game at High in Jan. 29, with the Panthers taking a 65-57 win over the Trojans. Topeka High enters Tuesday's game with an 11-game winning streak while Derby has won nine straight games. The Derby-Topeka High winner will advance to a Thursday semifinal at Koch Arena to face the winner between No. 3 seed Shawnee Mission South (21-3) and No. 6 Blue Valley North (20-5).
CLASS 5A BOYS
MAIZE SOUTH (4: 21-4) vs. SEAMAN (5: 21-4)
Seaman, the No. 5 seed at 21-4, will face No. 5 seed Maize South, also 21-4, in an 8 p.m. Class 5A quarterfinal at Wichita State's Koch Arena. Seaman has won five straight games, including a 52-46 win over Hays in a sub-state final, while Maize South has won 18 of its last 19 games. Maize South advanced to the 5A quarterfinals with a 74-61 win over Emporia. The Seaman-Maize South winner will advance to a Thursday semifinal at Koch Arena to face the quarterfinal winner between two-time defending state champion Kapaun Mt. Carmel (25-0) and Shawnee Heights (17-8).
TOPEKA WEST (3: 22-3) vs. PIPER (6: 18-7)
The United Kansas Conference rivals will play for the third time this season in an 8 p.m. Class 5A quarterfinal at Emporia's White Auditorium. Topeka West, which won the UKC championship in a tiebreaker over Seaman, beat Piper 72-62 at West on Dec. 16 and dropped a 61-57 decision to the Pirates on Feb. 6 at Piper. Topeka West advanced to the 5A quarterfinals with a 60-46 home win over Bishop Carroll in a Friday sub-state final while Piper advanced with a 58-51 win over UKC rival Lansing. West lost to two-time defending state champion Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the first round of the state tournament a year ago while Piper finished third in 5A.
CLASS 4A GIRLS
HAYDEN (4: 19-6) vs. ANDALE (5: 17-6)
No. 4 seed Hayden (19-6), third in Class 4A a year ago, will open this year's state bid with a 6 p.m. Class 4A quarterfinal at Emporia's White Auditorium against No. 5 seed Andale (17-6). Hayden has won four straight wins and six of its last seven, advancing to the 4A quarterfinals with a 51-22 romp past Baldwin. Andale has won five straight games and nine of its last 10, advancing to state with a 43-39 victory over Hugoton. The Hayden-Andale winner will advance to a 4A semifinal on Thursday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena to take on the quarterfinal winner between No. 1 seed Wellington (22-1) and No. 8 Concordia (14-9).
CLASS 3A BOYS
HOLCOMB (4: 21-5) vs. SILVER LAKE (5: 20-6)
Silver Lake, third in Class 3A last season, is the No. 5 seed at 20-6 and will face No. 4 seed Holcomb (21-5) at 4 p.m. Tuesday in a 3A quarterfinal in Salina at the Tony's Pizza Event Center. The winner of the Silver Lake-Holcomb quarterfinal will advance to a Thursday state semifinal at the Hutchinson Sports Arena to face Tuesday's quarterfinal winner between No. 1 seed Wichita Collegiate (24-1) and No. 8 Wellsville (14-12). Silver Lake has won five straight games, including a 66-34 win over Perry-Lecompton in a sub-state final while Holcomb has won four straight games, including a 67-36 win over Lakin in a sub-state final.
CLASS 2A GIRLS
ELLINWOOD (1: 25-1) vs. ROSSVILLE (8: 15-10)
Rossville will put its 15-10 record on the line against No. 1 seed Ellinwood (25-1) in a 2 p.m. Tuesday Class 2A quarterfinal in Salina at the Tony's Pizza Event Center. Rossville has won four straight games and nine of its last 11, advancing to state with a 58-41 win over Maur Hill-Mt. Academy in a sub-state final. Ellinwood advanced to a state with a 46-44 win over Thomas More Prep and has won 13 straight games since a loss to Ellsworth. The Rossville-Ellinwood winner will advance to a Thursday semifinal at Emporia's White Auditorium to take on the quarterfinal winner between No. 4 seed Eureka (22-2) and No. 5 Oakley (22-4).
WEDNESDAY'S STATE QUARTERFINALS
CLASS 5A GIRLS
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3: 21-4) vs. BASEHOR-LINWOOD (6: 20-5)
Shawnee Heights earned its first trip to the Class 5A state tournament since 2011 with a 60-47 sub-state win over Pittsburg Saturday night and has won 10 straight games and 20 of its last 21. The T-Birds are the No. 3 seed in 5A and will put their 21-4 record on the line against No. 6 seed Basehor-Linwood, 20-5, in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Shawnee Heights will be facing United Kansas Conference rival Basehor-Linwood for the third straight time this season, with the T-Birds taking 69-46 and 64-51 wins in the earlier games with the Bobcats. Basehor-Linwood has won 12 of its last 13 games, with its last loss coming against Heights on Feb. 17. Basehor-Linwood advanced to state with a 51-47 win over Piper.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
SILVER LAKE (2: 25-1) vs. HESSTON (7: 17-9)
Silver Lake, the Class 3A state runnerup last season after winning the state title in 2024, is the No. 2 seed for this year's state tournament at 25-1 and will go up against No. 7 seed Hesston (17-9) in a 6 p.m. Wednesday quarterfinal at Emporia's White Auditorium. Silver Lake has won 12 straight games since a 55-53 mid-season loss to Rock Creek and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 56-41 win over Riley County. Hesston is in the midst of a five-game winning streak and has won seven of eight, taking a 48-31 win over Southeast-Saline in a sub-state final. The Silver Lake-Hesston winner will advance to a Friday state semifinal at the Hutchinson Sports Arena to face the winner of the quarterfinal game between No. 3 Holcomb (24-2) and No. 6 Ellsworth (17-6).
CLASS 2A BOYS
BEREAN ACADEMY (2: 22-2) vs. ROSSVILLE (7: 17-7)
Rossville is making its second straight appearance in the Class 2A state tournament. The Bulldawgs are the No. 7 seed at 17-7 and will face No. seed Berean Academy, 22-2, in a 4 p.m. Wednesday quarterfinal in Wichita at Friends University. The Bulldawgs have won seven of their last eight games and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 60-49 win over Kansas City Christian in a sub-state final. Berean Academy has won eight straight games, including a 44-38 win over Moundridge in a sub-state championship game. The Rossville-Berean winner will advance to a Friday semifinal at Emporia's White Auditorium to face the quarterfinal winner between No. 3 Wichita Classical (20-4) and No. 6 St. Marys Colgan (18-7).
