by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Ok, Wellington sports historians may want to set us straight here, if this is wrong. But from all indications, the Wellington seventh grade boys and girls teams are the first to sweep the Pioneer Tournament League Championships for the first time… ever.

The Wellington girls defeated Winfield 34-24 in the Pioneer League Division III Championship. The Wellington boys then completed the sweep with a 42-34 win over Circle. Appropriately, Wellington first tournament sweep (allegedly) occurred at the Wellington Middle School Thursday evening in front of a capacity crowd. 

“I can’t find a time when it has ever happened,” said Brian Aufdengarten, who is an assistant principal and has been at the Wellington Middle School since the 1990s. “A few years ago the Wellington seventh and eighth grade girls swept their tournament in the same year. But never the boys and girls in the same class.”

Aufdengarten said he can’t remember a Wellington boys team getting into the finals since his arrival.

“It might have happened before me,” Aufdengarten said. “But I know it hasn’t happened since I’ve been here.

The girls opened with an 11-6 first quarter lead and led 24-12 at the half. In the third and fourth quarter, Wellington didn’t score too many points, 10 for the half. But Winfield only scored 12 and that wasn’t enough.

Wellington completed a sensational season in which if finished 16-1 for the season. Avery Rusk scored 16 points. Shayland French had 10. Zairen Warnock and Mekenna Adams scored 4 apiece.

Other players on the team were: Gracie Fink, Valerie Ast, Stormie Jones, Lexi Saffell, Abby Lowe and Kyla Hawks.

In the nightcap, Wellington battled Circle in a close-knit affair for three quarters. Wellington would pull away late outscoring Circle 10-2 in the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter, Circle eked out a 12-11 first-quarter lead, but Wellington turned the tables 12-11 in the second to make it 23-all at the half. The two teams exchanged baskets in the third quarter. Then Wellington would roar out in front scoring the game’s last 8 points.

A.J. Snipes was sensational scoring 20 points.  Cade Phelps had 5, R.J. Lara 4, Logan Jones 6, Jack Walton 5, and Brieden Buresh 2. Other eighth grade players included Derek Reynolds, Jaden Adams, Deyton Araujo, Sam Horn, Trey Cary and Ian Groom. The boys finished 12-3.

The eighth grade girls lost in Mulvane in their tournament championship. No score was available.

Seventh girls: Wellington 34 Winfield 24

Winfield 6 6 4 8 — 24

Wellington 11 13 4 6 — 34

Wellington scoring: Shayland French 10, Zairen Warnock 4, Avery Rusk 16, Mekenna Adams 4.

Seventh boys: Wellington 42 Circle 34

Wellington 11 12 9 10 — 42

Circle 12 11 9 2 — 34

Wellington scoring: A.J. Snipes 20, Cade Phelps 5, R.J. Lara 4, Logan Jones 6, Braiden Buresh 2, Jack Walton 5.

Wellington seventh grade girls.

Wellington seventh grade boys.