By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
Okarche likes when the lights are brightest, and the gymnasiums are the loudest. The fifth-ranked Warriors proved it again Friday night.
Hunter Mueggenborg scored a team-high 20 points and P.K. Harris added 15 points and seven rebounds as the Warriors erased an early 9-point deficit to beat Vanoss 70-66 to clinch a berth in the Class A state tournament.
“The kids didn’t want to lose. They played with a lot of passion and desire,” head coach Aaron West said. “It didn’t start off the way we wanted it to, but we settled in and played how we’re capable of playing.”
Jett Mueggenborg chipped in with 13 points and drilled a critical 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter. Freshman Easton Roby scored 12 points as the Warriors qualified for state for the first time since 2019.
“At Okarche, you expect to be there every year,” West said.
Okarche committed a season-low nine turnovers in the game while forcing the third-ranked Wolves (22-5) into 14 giveaways. Vanoss stars Layne Thrower and Carter Perry were limited to a combined 22 points on 9 for 22 shooting, well below their season averages.
“We did a really good job on their best players,” West said.
OHS (26-2) won for the 26th time in 27 games and captured its fourth championship game win of the season. The Warriors have now been victorious in championships games at the Garber tournament, the Coyle tournament as well as the regional and area title games.
“We’ve played in tournament finals with packed gyms all season,” West said. “The bigger the crowd, the better they play. I think our guys feed off that.”
Okarche will have another chance to play in front of what is likely to be a big, loud crowd on Wednesday when the Warriors face No. 2 Rattan in Class A quarterfinals at 9 a.m. inside State Fair Arena.
“Breakfast at the ‘Big House,'” West said. “We’ll take this one like all the rest. I don’t think the moment really ever gets too big for our guys. We hope the place is packed.”
Rattan was upset in the regional championship game by Liberty, but has rallied to win three straight following the loss.
“It’s a tough first round matchup. You’d like to see them a little further down the road,” West said. “But our guys will be ready to play.”
