Farewell: Big School Seniors Exit First Round of Sub-state

Sadly, it’s that time of year.

Kids we’ve enjoyed watching, some of them for several years, had their high school careers come to a close in the first round of sub-state action. We don’t want the curtain to close without celebrating one more time some really good 2023s.

Dillon Mong Dillon Mong 6'6" | SF Shawnee Mission East | 2023 State KS , 6-foot-6 forward, 2023, Shawnee Mission East:

Shawnee Mission East was no match for their rival Northwest. They fell in the first round Monday by 20 points. The long, bouncy wing is headed to play football at Kansas next year. He was a versatile athlete who could get downhill on the dribble and get to the goal, or he could post up and get shots off with his length and explosion. He was a fun guy to watch in the open court, running to the rim for some highlight jams.

Will Rost Will Rost 6'3" | SG Aquinas | 2023 State KS , 6-foot-3 guard, 2023, Aquinas:

The sixth-seeded Aquinas was upset at home by Sumner Academy Wednesday night. Rost was surrounded by youth this year, and he did his best to lead the inexperienced group. He did his best to score while also getting his young teammates involved. He averaged 19 points and 7 boards, helping the team win 13 games. He was a versatile guard who could do some of everything.

Kellan Simoneau Kellan Simoneau 6'2" | PG Rose Hill | 2023 State KS , 6-foot-2 guard, 2023, Rose Hill (pictured):

The Rockets fell to Andale Tuesday, bringing a close to the career of one of the best point guards in 4A. He was a top-notch distributor and leader, but when his team needed him to take the scoring lead, he stepped up in a huge way as a senior. He had several games in the high-20s or 30s. He averaged 20 points per game this season.

Kaeden Bonner Kaeden Bonner 6'2" | SG Seaman | 2023 State KS , 6-foot-3 guard, and Aron Davis Aron Davis 6'4" | PF Seaman | 2023 State KS , 6-foot-5 center, Seaman:

This is not how you want to see guys’ careers end. The heroes of the 5A tournament had a disappointing end to their run at Seaman. Bonner finished his career on the bench, nursing a knee injury suffered late in the season. He averaged 16 points as a senior, having evolved from a pure shooter to a versatile leader. While Bonner finished on the bench, Davis finally was on the court after missing a lot of his career due to injury. Davis was the star of the 5A title game a year ago, but won’t repeat those heroics. He was an athletic big who averaged 15 points per game in limited action as a senior.

Cameron Doss Cameron Doss 5'11" | CG Bonner Springs | 2023 State KS , 5-foot-11 guard, and Tavian Cruse Tavian Cruse 6'4" | PF Bonner Springs | 2023 State KS , 6-foot-4 forward, Bonner Springs:

Seventh-seeded Bonner Springs fell flat in its final game, suffering a lopsided loss to Blue Valley Southwest. Doss and Cruse both popped on the radar with impressive senior seasons from a statistical standpoint. Doss averaged 19 points, 3 assists and 2 steals from the point guard spot. Cruse was a monster in the lane, tossing in 17 points while grabbing 13 rebounds.