Avery Rusk is all smiles after a steal.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington girls basketball team has advanced to the sub-state championship game with a convincing 58-16 victory over Mulvane. It won’t be this easy from this point forward.

Wellington will play Rose Hill in the championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday. Rose Hill beat Winfield by a similar 46-19 score.

The Lady Dukes, 21-0, had little trouble disposing of Mulvane. After a rough first quarter in which the Crusaders held a mere 11-6 first quarter lead, Wellington would outscore Mulvane 26-1 in the second quarter. Wellington implemented a half court trap that created four steals to layups in less than a minute and the score quickly grew to 18-7, 28-7 and finally 37-7 at the half.

After a half-time ceremony honoring the the 1973-74 Wellington girls basketball team the first in its history, Wellington would continue its dominating performance with a 15-2 output in the third. Mulvane outscored Wellington 8-7 with a running clock in the fourth.

The Crusader defense was again phenomenal allowing just five field goals and three inside the paint. Mulvane was held in single digits until midway in the fourth.

Although Wellington easily beat Mulvane 67-32 and 65-46 during the regular season, neither game was that dominating.

Now comes Rose Hill which destroyed Winfield in rather eye-popping style. The Rockets opened with 17-0 run and was up 27-5 at the half.

This sets up what could be another classic showdown between Wellington and Rose Hill which have had a few the past year. Rose Hill toppled Wellington in the sub-state championship in 2015. Rose Hill almost eliminated the 2012 Wellington state tournament team in the semifinals.

The Lady Dukes are trying to break a two-game sub-state championship game losing streak.

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