TMP, Norton to meet again in scholars regional
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN
The competition has changed some. But their goal is the same.
Members of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School's Scholars Bowl team have only one intention in mind heading into Thursday's Class 3A regional meet at their own school -- advancing to state.
The Monarchs have just missed accomplishing that feat the past couple of years, despite highly successful seasons otherwise.
Once again, the regional field will be tough, especially with always-tough Norton coming to town.
Two years ago, TMP-Marian went 2-2 with Norton during the regular season, then beat the Bluejays at regionals, but both teams failed to qualify for state.
Last year, the Monarchs again split with Norton in the regular season but lost to their rival at regionals, and the Bluejays advanced to state while TMP-Marian stayed home.
This time around, the two schools ended up in the same pool for regionals -- teams are drawn for pool play by the state activities association -- and while one will fall to the other in pool play, both TMP-Marian and Norton still could make it into the finals.
The top three teams from each of the two pools advance to the finals, where those six teams battle it out in another round-robin format.
The top three from the finals then advance to the 3A state meet Feb. 13 at Cimarron.
At least the Monarchs and Bluejays don't have to contend with perennial power Lakin, which has finished in the top four at state three of the past four years.
The Broncs, who won the TMP-Marian 3A regional the past two years, are hosting their own regional meet this year.
So TMP-Marian's field will have several new faces this year.
"We've got some new teams from the east," said Don Hageman, in his fifth year as scholars bowl coach at TMP-Marian. "It'll be interesting."
The Monarchs will enter the regional fresh off a second-place finish at last week's Phillipsburg tournament that helped boost their season record to 50-9.
That is just four wins off the 54-11 mark of two years ago. Last year, TMP-Marian did even better percentage-wise, going 51-6 overall for an .894 win percentage.
But the Monarchs weren't able to get to state either year.
So this year, they're not thinking of the six top-two finishes in eight regular-season meets.
Hageman said his team doesn't care so much about numbers as long as they are first, second or third at the end of the night.
"We want to get to state," Hageman said. "That's been our goal since last year."
The Monarchs definitely will have some experience to rely on.
Juniors Alex Becker and Tanner Younie are in their third year on varsity and are part of that lofty 155-26 record the past three years.
Sophomore Kaleb Stark was on varsity last year as a freshman and, said Hageman, "is at ease this year after another year's experience."
Two newcomers in senior Nathan Lawson and junior Matt Applequist have added some quality depth.
So all but one of this year's postseason roster will return next year.
"Next year, I'm looking forward to us sweeping some things," Hageman said. "They're getting stronger, smarter every year."
But, he admitted, next year can wait.
Right now, the Monarchs are looking no farther than Thursday.