By Sharon Sahlfeld
Call Editor
Twelve years after the St. John’s Blujays 2014 State Championship win, St. John’s/Tipton Coach Lance Bergmann and 2014 player, now Assistant Coach Parker Gates team together in 2026 for the St. John’s/Tipton Class 1A Division I State Championship title.
The Blujays team made it an exciting win after trailing until the final fourth quarter with their first time 50-48 lead with just 56.9 seconds remaining, and held on for the extended 57-53 win over the South Central Timberwolves.The Blujays end with a 24-2 season as back to back League Champions, Sub-State Champions and State Champions.
“That game was one of the most exciting I have ever been a part of,” said Head Coach Lance Bergmann. “I am so incredibly proud of what the boys accomplished. I told them the scouting report to winning that game was exactly what we do. Pressure defense and transition speeding them up.”
State Championship
Against South Central they receive the tip off possession as they take the first two points for the lead in the first 30 seconds of the first quarter. Senior Jack Herd makes the next bucket and makes a trip to the free throw line for the Timberwolves and another two take them into the 7-0 lead, 1:15 into the game.
Gabriel Roderick makes the first score for the Blujays on a three point shot to close the gap but the Timberwolves land two straight shots for the 9-3 lead. Dominic Eilert’s two point Blujay shot is good for the 9-5 score at the 5:35 mark. Eilert drives for the next two to bring them back into the game at 9-7 before South Central answers for the 11-7 lead.
A Blujay turnover leads to another Timberwolf chance at the bucket for the 13-7 extended lead.
St. John’s/Tipton’s next possession results in a jump ball in their favor but a play would not transpire. South Central turned over the next possession and Eilert scores on a putback for the 13-9 trail with 2:00 showing but another South Central play adds another two.
Kaden Rabe scores on his signature shot off a three point shot to bring the Jays within three at 15-12. But the Timberwolves retaliated with the next two point play for the 17-12 ending first quarter lead.
South Central fouls for the next Blujay possession and Edward Horinek lands the two points to come back 17-14 in the start of the second quarter. Gabriel Roderick lands a field goal to bring the Jays within one point 17-16, but they were quickly answered back by the Timberwolves 19-16 at the 5:57 mark.
South Central is fouled on the shot in the next play and adds a point for the 20-16 lead. The Timberwolves are fouled on a made shot for the added two points 22-16 at the 4:17 mark. Another foul results in a two shot chance for the same 22-16 lead with 3:43 showing.
With 3:20 remaining, Eilert lands another two points but South Central quickly answers with two of their own for the 24-18 lead. Horinek answers with a key three point shot with 2:20 showing to bring the Jays back 24-20. Herd makes the next two points for the Wolves and the 26-20 score. With 1:20 remaining, Horinek lands a three point shot for the 26-23 gap. South Central draws a foul with 29.50 seconds remaining for the 28-23 lead and a five point contest. Eilert lands the putback for St. John’s/Tipton and brings the Blujays back within three, 28-25 at halftime.
“At halftime I told the boys I just wanted to be within 7 and we were within 3,” said Bergmann. “Dom was huge offensively in the first half.”
Junior Easton Huck starts the Timberwolves on the boards in the start of the third quarter for the 30-28 lead but Horinek lands a key trey. South Central quickly answers back with two to extend their lead 32-28. Both teams were causing fouls and South Central made the scores for the added 37-28 largest lead at the 4:19 mark.
Horinek executes a key four point play off a drawn foul on his three point shot to close the gap 37-32 but South Central quickly adds two for the 39-32 score. Eilert draws a foul off his next two point shot for the Blujay possession and Horinek drives for the two point jump shot and the 39-34 score.
South Central and Roderick exchange shots for the 41-34 score and Horinek lands another key shot for the 41-39 gap to end the third quarter.
“I said I wanted to win the 3rd quarter even if it was only by 1,” Bergmann said. “After all the ups and downs in the third quarter I looked at the scoreboard and told the boys at the end of the 3rd what just happened. Kaden Rabe said “we just won the 3rd quarter!” We stepped up the pressure in the fourth and started playing our game. Edward and Gabe continued to hit big shot after big shot.”
Roderick opens the fourth quarter with a two point shot to tie up the game with 7:25 remaining. Herd goes up on the other end for a three point play with a drawn foul but remains at two for the 43-41 South Central lead with 6:35 on the clock. Another Blujay foul leads Herd to the line for the remaining 43-41 lead. Eli Gurk lands a three point play for the extended 46-41 South Central lead.
The Timberwolves turnover the ball and Coach Bergmann calls a time out for the Jays at the 5:00 mark.
Eilert executes a key play to bring the Jays within three at 46-43.
Roderick lands a key three point shot for the Jays to bring the Blujay team within two points at 48-46. South Central takes a time out at the 2:40 mark.
Eilert forces a turnover for the Timberwolves off an awesome Grant Goodaker block and the Jays draw a foul for Horinek to add two points for a second tie at 48-48 with 1:57 remaining. Roderick added another two points for the 50-48 first time lead and 56.9 seconds remaining. The Blujays held the Timberwolves empty handed on the next two plays and St. John’s/Tipton lead 50-48.
With the Blujay possession, Roderick lands the shot for the 52-48 with 48 seconds remaining.
Hurd steps to the line for South Central added bonus point and the 52-49 score. With 45 seconds remaining. A stolen Blujay play leads to Eilert at the line with 32 seconds remaining. He shot 2-2 for the 54-49 St. John’s/Tipton lead. South Central receives the next possession off the Blujay turnover and with 22.2 seconds remaining close the gap at 54-51. Another Blujay turnover results in the Timberwolf two point play for the 54-53 with 12 seconds on the clock.
Horinek draws a foul for the next added two points to keep the Blujays in a safer zone 56-53.
Roderick draws the next foul for an added point before Coach Bergmann calls a timeout with 2.1 seconds on the clock as the St. John’s/Tipton Blujays win the 2026 Class IA Division I State Championship title at 57-53.
“When Gabe went to shoot the 15 fade away, that put us in the lead, I knew it was in before he ever got the shot off,” said Coach Bergmann. “Once we grabbed the lead it was ours to keep. I had the ultimate confidence the boys would finish it off.”
“The last timeout I called after Gabe made his first free throw I told the boys “You just won the State Championship, there is nothing they can do to comeback!!!! Just get out of the way and you can even come stand by me as the final 2 seconds run off.”
Edward Horinek led the Jays in scoring with 25 points followed by Gabriel Roderick at 15 and Dominic Eilert at 14. Kaden Rabe added a 3 point shot.
Dominic Eilert led on rebounds with 7 and Horinek 4, Roderick 3, Rabe 2; Grant Goodaker and John Mick 1 each.
Rabe led the Blujays on assists with 8; Horinek 3; Goodaker 2; Carson Thomas 1.
Horinek executed 2 blocks; Goodaker 1.
Senior Jack Herd scored 21 points for South Central and junior Eli Girk 20.
Semi-Finals
Blujays win over number three seed Norwich (23-4) with a score of 61-53
The Blujays hit big shots down the stretch for the 61-53 win over Norwich on March 12, 2026 to advance to Saturday’s Class 1A Division I title game against South Central in Dodge City.
“We stayed the course through the first half and kept the game within reach,” Coach Bergmann said. “We didn’t play well to start but battled through the first half. We fixed the rebounding issue and then we turned up the defensive pressure which got our offense going. We started hitting shots and making good decisions. We started playing our game and moved the ball well on offense creating better scoring opportunities and then limiting them to one shot on the defensive end. We executed very well to finish the game and got a great team win.
Against Norwich, the Blujays trailed 13-10 after the first quarter.
Horinek led with two field goals and a free shot for 5 points and Thomas landed a trey for three points. Rabe added two points of his own.
Both teams scored evenly in the second quarter 7-7 and the Jays trailed by two points 20-17 at halftime.
Horinek landed a three point shot and Eilert a field goal. Roderick was sent to the line for two free shots.
St. John’s/Tipton took over the two point lead in the third quarter, 35-33. outscoring 18-13.
Roderick dominated the boards with six points off four field goals. Thomas and Goodaker landed treys for three points each and Horinek and Eilert both added two points each.
The Blujays outscored 26-20 as Roderick dominated once again with 12 points off two treys, two field goals and two free shots. Eilert landed a field goal and was 3-4 from the line for 5 points. Horinek added a field goal and a trey for five points and Goodaker landed a field goal and two free shots for four points.
St. John’s/Tipton Blujays won over Norwich 61-53 to advance into the State Championship game on Saturday.
Gabriel Roderick led the Jays boards scoring 22 points followed by Edward Horinek with 15. Dominic Eilert scored 9 points; Grant Goodaker 7; Carson Thomas 6; Kaden Rabe 2.
Senior Jayden Benge scored 25 points for Norwich.
State game round 1
The St. John’s/Tipton Blujay boys advance in the Class 1A, Division I State competition as number two seed after a win over Flint Hills on Tuesday, March 10 at the Kansas Wesleyan Maybee gymnasium in Salina. They continued their journey with another State win over Norwich on March 12 to face South Central in the Championship game at the Dodge City United Wireless Arena on Saturday.
Against Flint Hills, we played excellent defensively and I was super proud of our communication with each other,” said Coach Lance Bergmann. “Offensively it took us a little bit to get going but once we were able to speed up the tempo things started going well. We played together and shared the ball very well. Every player was focused and ready to go.”
“We will need to play the same style and speed up the tempo against Norwich. Our defense must communicate well again and offensively we will need to move it quickly. We can’t get caught holding the ball and standing around. Defensively we must finish every possession with a rebound.”
In round one, against Flint Hills, Blujay senior, Kaden Rabe opened up the game with a three point shot that led the Blujays 3-0 with 6:36 on the clock in the first quarter. The Mustangs answered with two shots to take over the lead at 4-3 with 5:09 showing. The lead was short lived as senior Gabriel Roderick landed an inside shot for the Jays to take back the lead 5-4 at the 4:50 mark. Both teams exchanged shots with Roderick’s 2 pointer to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:04 remaining.
Rabe once again came up with a two point shot to take the lead for St. John’s/Tipton at 9-7 and 2:53 showing. Senior John Mick went up with a nice block on the other end but was called for a foul and the opponents added a free shot for the 9-8 ending the quarter.
Senior Edward Horinek hit his first shot on a three pointer at the start of the second quarter and Roderick made a nice pass inside to him for another two points to extend the Blujay lead 14-8 at the 5:45 mark. Flint Hills answered with a two point shot. On the next play Roderick landed another two points off a long pass on the fast break and Dominic Eilert landed two points inside for the 18-10 lead with 3:10 on the clock.
The Mustangs added a two point shot before Horinek drives inside for another two point shot of his own. He followed quickly with steal for the two point layup and followed with another drive for two. Roderick drove inside and was fouled on the next play for the added bonus point as St. John’s/Tipton led 29-17 to end the first half.
Rabe once again opened in the third quarter with another three point shot and Roderick followed with a put back to extend the Blujay lead 34-17 at the 5:22 mark. Flint Hills landed a field goal and was fouled for three point play to close the gap 36-20.
Roderick went up and landed an inside shot before the Mustangs hit another three point play off of a foul. The Blujays led 38-22 with 3:26 showing.
Rabe stood behind the paint and landed his third trey. Carson Thomas executed a nice pass to Rabe for a two point shot on the next play and St. John’s/Tipton extended their lead 43-22 with 2:01 remaining.
The Blujays showed a lot of great teamwork like on the next play with Thomas passing to John Mick to Roderick for another added two points. Flint Hills was added just two more points in the quarter as Mick landed an outside shot for the ending 47-24 third quarter score.
Horineck exchanged field goals with Flint Hills in the start of the final fourth quarter. He followed with a layup for the 51-31 lead at the 5:00 mark. Another Blujay foul allowed Flint Hills one bonus point before Horinek landed a three point shot for the 54-33 lead with 4:39 remaining.
Horinek executed a steal on the next play for a two point layup. Rabe stole possession but a play did not transpire. The Mustangs were allowed their last two points of the game, and Kaden Phillips added two points of his own. Roderick scored the last four points and St. John’s/Tipton won the first round of State competition over Flint Hills 62-41.
Edward Horinek led in scoring for the Blujays with 22 points followed by Gabriel Roderick with 15 and Kaden Rabe 11. Dominic Eilert scored 8 points; Grant Goodaker, John Mick and Kaden Phillips all 2 points each.
Senior Jake Hunter scored 23 points for Flint Hills.
