Final Four Leaders
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Here’s one last look at Final Four groups of standouts in specific categories. So far, we’ve looked at foursomes of scorers, stat sheet stuffers and defenders. We’ll wrap up the series with a look at leaders. These are guys who…
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Continue ReadingHere’s one last look at Final Four groups of standouts in specific categories. So far, we’ve looked at foursomes of scorers, stat sheet stuffers and defenders. We’ll wrap up the series with a look at leaders.
These are guys who show the way to younger teammates, step up when the chips are down, are always positive and never take a night off. There’s no way to look at leaders without celebrating the leadership Jake Proctor Jake Proctor 6'3" | CG Hesston | 2023 State KS gave Hesston the past season. But since he was mentioned as a stat sheet stuffer, we’ll skip him on this list.
Here is a Final Four of the top leaders in the state (in alphabetical order):
One of the most relentlessly positive players you’ll find, Bachelor is a cheerleader for everyone who competes. You’ll find him in the stands at a volleyball or football game, going crazy for his school mates. He is equally willing to share the spotlight on the basketball court. But when Rural needed a play made, he was always ready to give it his all, even when thrust into games as an undersized freshman. When the school graduated a lot of talent two years ago, Bachelor willingly took on a much bigger role. It forced him to do things that might stretch his skill set, but he’ll do whatever it takes to help his team.
You really don’t need to look much further than Brandl’s diverse stat line to see how much he meant to the two-time state champs. He put together two seasons for the ages. But his humble approach and team-first attitude never changed. He led with words and actions, and never had an off game. We have written quite a bit about this kid, but since he played at a level that goes somewhat unnoticed, we want to make sure he’s recognized for his leadership of the two-time champs.
Stubblefield is sort of the opposite of Brandl. He played at the highest level and starred on the biggest stage. If you watched either of the past two 6A championship games, you couldn’t help but fall in love with Stubblefield’s intangibles. He never backs down, and never waves the white flag (as seen when he brought the Huskies back from a big deficit in the 2022 title game against Wichita Heights). He battles relentlessly, willing his team to success. He attacks the rim like a guy six inches taller, and has an impressive belief in himself. He inspires those around him to believe and to go all out. It paid off this year, as the Huskies avenged last year’s title game loss to Wichita Heights to take the championship.
The son of a coach, Dolloff has been a team-first point guard for four years, dishing out a remarkable number of assists and getting everyone involved even when he could have scored a ton more points if he had chosen to. Dolloff’s experience and knowledge of the game made him a tremendous leader for a team that came up just short of a 1A Div. I championship. While his stats didn’t pop out, Dolloff received a good amount of recognition on all-state teams throughout his career, a testament to how much people appreciate his game.