State preview: Seaman girls learning from last season's early exit

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Once the young team with a bright future, Seaman girls' basketball wants to make a deep postseason push in 2024.

With a 20-2 regular season record and four-seed in the 5A state tournament, the Vikings are well on-pace to make something special happen.

"We're itching to put a banner up there. I feel like this is the season we can do it. Last year we got a taste of it, like coach keeps saying," senior Taylin Stallbaumer said. "But this year, we plan to get it done. We know how hard it will be, but we're ready."

In 2023, Seaman's season came to an end after a 65-42 loss to St. James Academy in the first round of the tournament. With the group a year older, everyone knows how the team needs to play in the postseason.

"We've all grown up with [a hard work ethic]. A lot of us have played together. Everyone's a leader on this team, we love supporting each other," junior Anna Becker said. "Overall, we like to play fast and play hard."

Seaman opens tournament play with De Soto, a team the Vikings beat twice in the regular season, but only by a combined eight points.