All roads lead to Hays
By GAYLE WEBER
Schools are cutting corners anywhere they can, but this week is the exception.
"Our girls have earned this," said Mark LaTurner, principal at St. Paul High School.
The St. Paul girls' basketball team will travel more than five hours from southeast Kansas to compete in the 1A state basketball tournament in Hays this week. And while the Chetopa-St. Paul school district has been finding ways to trim its budget, it will do everything possible to make sure the undefeated Indians are "comfortable and competitive," LaTurner said.
"Our boss has said, 'We're going, we're going to do it right,' " LaTurner said of his superintendent.
The school already has booked rooms for the team for tonight, Wednesday and Thursday, hoping the girls win their first-round game and make it to the Friday finale.
"It is really a scheduling nightmare, getting everyone there who needs to be there and still have school," LaTurner said.
While the team travels to Hays today, LaTurner, the school's cheerleaders, parents and the rest of St. Paul's fans will be traveling Wednesday.
"Several of our teachers, our paras, bus drivers and cooks have a daughter or a cheerleader or a niece," LaTurner said.
However, school still will be in session, even though the halls could be sparse.
"It's a good problem," LaTurner said. "It's something you wouldn't take away from these girls for anything."
Across the state, the story is much the same. Tribune-Greeley County High School qualified both boys' and girls' basketball teams for the 1A state tournament.
The tourney was moved up a day -- beginning today with boys' games -- because of the possibility of Fort Hays State University hosting the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
"We're doubly blessed," Principal Ken Bockwinkel said.
He said the district planned ahead budget-wise for the possibility that teams would qualify for state this year, but after the girls' and boys' cross country teams claimed 1A crowns in the fall, that planning has gone by the wayside.
"We'll make it work," Bockwinkel said, adding local businesses usually kick in money for the teams' meals or even hotel rooms when they qualify for state events.
And because both of the Jackrabbit teams will play the late games, school will be in session as scheduled. The Greeley County boys play Baileyville-B&B at 8:15 p.m. today.
The Jackrabbit girls play St. Paul at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.