Playoff Putback

Kennedale The only local team to advance to the UIL state tournament, the Lady Kats came within a game of winning the school’s first-ever state championship. Kennedale knocked off previously undefeated Corpus Christi West Oso in the semifinals to reach the title game. However, the Lady Kats got off to a poor start, falling behind 20-3 to the eventual state champion Canyon, which won the game 59-43. Still, head coach Vance Hughes couldn’t be more proud of his girls. “We didn’t play as well as well as we could play, but we were there,” he said. “There were a lot of people watching us play that wanted to be on the floor. [The girls] got a chance to experience something most kids in their lifetime will never experience.” Kennedale finished the season with a record of 30-5. Four of those losses came against 5A competition and the other was in the state title game. Previously, the school had never advanced beyond regional play. Destini Hughes and Samantha Mahnesmith were headliners all season for the Lady Kats and will move on to play college ball having come up just short of this season’s ultimate goal. “You always want to win that last ball game,” Vance Hughes said. “But at least we put ourselves in a situation where we were playing the last day that you can play. “We did as much as we could do besides winning that ball game,” he added. “I tell you what, I’m very proud of those kids. It was an awesome year.” Crowley The Lady Eagles were expected to be strong this season, and they proved the pundits correct, flying to a 29-4 record and a district championship. Crowley’s lone loss in 8-4A play came at Cleburne just following the holiday break. The Lady Eagles didn’t lose again until the regional semifinals in late February, when they were eliminated by a tough Plainview team that went on to the state tournament. The Lady Eagles’ other two losses this season came to playoff teams, Arlington Seguin and Mansfield Timberview. Crowley advanced to the regional tournament by first dominating Wichita Falls, 76-39, before knocking off fellow 8-4A member Joshua in the regional quarterfinals 49-39. The Lady Eagles should be back in the mix again next year, considering they featured only three seniors on this season’s squad. Post Ryan Green, the 8-4A Offensive Player of the Year, wing Megan Dell and guard/wing Julie Graham will move on, but Crowley will return core players such as guard Ashley Stamp, who was named the district’s Defensive Player of the Year. Dunbar Winning only one of their first three games, the defending state champion Lady Wildcats didn’t look like the Dunbar people had come to know in recent years. Sporting only a 5-3 record entering district play, the Lady Cats found their game and proceeded to win 22 of their next 24, including an unblemished run through District 7-4A. Both of those losses were at the hands of Argyle Liberty, which went on to win the TAPPS 5A state title. Dunbar carried its district title to the regional semifinals before falling victim to Palo Duro, 68-43. While some might consider it a disappointing season for not making the state tournament, head coach Andrea Robinson disagrees. “We had a very good year,” she said. “I don’t think we underachieved at all. I think we actually overachieved…We were just young and I think it caught up with us.” Robinson knew coming into the season that Dunbar’s youth would be a factor. “Brooklyn [Pope] played with a lot of young kids around her, and I want to commend Brooke because she put that team on her back all year to win 30 games and to get us to the regional tournament. There were games she had to do everything because of a lack of experience out there. We had three freshmen and a sophomore.” Those underclassmen, including District 7-4A newcomer of the year Chelsea Prince, will return next year for the Lady Cats, while Pope, the district MVP, will be off to New Jersey after signing to play for Rutgers. Aledo Any season that includes 30 wins can only be considered successful. The Ladycats reached the 30-win plateau against only five losses, the last of those coming against Dunbar in the regional quarterfinals. Two of Aledo’s losses were at the hands of Crowley while another was against a tough 5A opponent in Granbury. “It was a really nice season,” head coach David Walker said. “Winning 31 games was a good accomplishment for us and getting to the quarterfinals coming out of that tough district that we were in. All things considered, it was just a really special season for us.” The Ladycats earned a second-place finish in District 8-4A with their 11-3 record. Junior Hannah Christian was named the district MVP and three of her teammates made the all-district first team: junior Taylor Hayes, freshman Logan Mittie, and senior Leslie Harris. Aledo knocked off Southwest and Denton Ryan before matching up with Dunbar in the playoffs. Joshua The Lady Owls were the third-place team from District 8-4A, but still managed to push all the way to the regional quarterfinals before being ousted by 8-4A champion Crowley, the third time the Lady Eagles handled Joshua this season. In its playoff run, Joshua first knocked off District 7-4A runners-up O.D. Wyatt, 69-63, before stifling District 6-4A champions Birdville, 40-36. Birdville had defeated Joshua earlier in the season in non-district play. “I was very excited for the girls here at Joshua this year,” head coach Jim Murphy said. “We tried to set our sights high, but the success and playoff experience was very new to them. The seniors did a great job leading us with very good work habits and the whole team bought into the new system.” One person those seniors helped lead was district Newcomer of the Year, freshman Brady Sanders. “I think what is special about this team is that I got to experience with them the new experience,” Murphy added. “ They had to make some changes in style of play and roles and did it extremely well. Once they were comfortable with the new program, they were free to play hard and enjoy what they accomplished.” Mansfield Timberview One of the local teams many thought might challenge for the state tournament was Mansfield Timberview. The Lady Wolves put themselves in position to do so, winning a tough District 4-5A title, losing only one game in district play. Timberview then dominated its early playoff opponents, dispatching of San Angelo Central 64-31 and El Paso Eastwood 63-40. The Lady Wolves then slipped past Amarillo, 41-35, before getting matched up with DeSoto. It took an extra period to determine the outcome, and DeSoto outlasted Timberview, 63-56 in overtime. “Any time you’re able to win a district championship, in a district that is as strong as 4-5A, you have to be awfully proud of that,” said head coach Candi Harvey, who was named 4-5A Coach of the Year. “We’re also proud of our two tournament championships. We’d never won a tournament championship in this program.” The Lady Wolves won the Colleyville Heritage Tournament and the Capital City Shootout. Timberveiw finished the season 34-3, and did so having lost two key players early in the season. “People forgot the fact that early in the season, we lost two very, very good players in Courtney Conwright and Mary Adefolarin,” Harvey added. “They were young ladies that were starting for us and were crucial parts to this puzzle. [I’m proud of] our ability to overcome that and do what we did for most of the season with three sophomores in the starting lineup.” Two of those sophomores earned district accolades. Keena Mays was named Offensive Player of the Year while Maegan Conwright was named Defensive Player of the Year. Still, Harvey doesn’t sugarcoat the team’s disappointment. “Obviously, we’re disappointed,” she said. “Anytime you have the courage like this program does, because we feel like we’re good enough to make it to the state tournament every year, to put that out there publicly, that we’re not afraid to say this is what we’re trying to accomplish, and not a lot of programs do that. So, I’m proud of our young ladies that they’re courageous enough to put that on their backs and say this is what we’re going to do.” Mansfield Summit Like its crosstown counterpart, Mansfield Summit was ousted in the regional semifinals. The Lady Jaguars were runners-up to Timberview in District 4-5A, but couldn’t oust perennial powerhouse Duncanville in the regional tournament. It was head coach Tammy Lusinger’s first foray in charge of the team after taking over for Samantha Morrow, and Summit didn’t seem to miss a beat despite a host of new faces. “I think any time you can get back to the regional tournament after losing nine players from the previous year, you have accomplished a great deal,” Lusinger said. “I was very satisfied with what our team accomplished.” With 29 victories on the season, it might be hard for some to choose the most memorable, but not for Lusinger. “The biggest highlight of our season was beating Lubbock Coronado 70-45 in the regional quarterfinals,” she said. “They have always given us a tough matchup with their style of play. Being able to dominate the game was exciting.” The Lady Jags were powered by District MVP Starr Crawford, who averaged better than a double-double every night out, providing 14.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. The 2007-2008 edition of Lady Jaguars basketball will always have a special place with Lusinger. “This team will always be special to me in that they made the transition of having a new coach so smooth. I am very thankful for the type of young lady that represents a Lady Jaguar here at Summit.” Trinity The Lady Trojans were among several local teams to be ousted from the playoffs by Duncanville. Trinity carried its district championship to the regional quarterfinals before falling to the Pantherettes, 67-30. The Lady Trojans knocked off Cedar Hill and Hebron before lining up against Duncanville. It was the second time Trinity had fallen to the Pantherettes in 2008, after meeting them once during the regular season. District play was much more accommodating for Trinity, which posted a 10-2 record in 7-5A play, finishing a game better than runner-up Irving MacArthur. The Lady Trojans finished the season with an overall record of 29-7. Arlington Bowie The New Year is a time for new beginnings, and that was certainly the case for the Arlington Bowie Lady Volunteers. The Lady Vols closed out 2007 by losing nine of 14 games. However, when the team returned to action in 2008, it appeared reborn. Bowie lost only two games after that, both to DeSoto, a team that qualified for the state tournament. The second loss to DeSoto came in the regional quarterfinals. Bowie began district play 0-3, but won 10 of its remaining 11 games to finish third in District 8-5A behind DeSoto and Duncanville. The Lady Vols’ run in the playoffs began with a victory over Irving MacArthur before they surprised Flower Mound Marcus in the area round. An unselfish team, Bowie had two players among the area leaders in assists. Amenemope McKinney and Sabrina McKinney both finished the season averaging more than four assists per game. “This team probably was one of my most improved teams,” head coach Wanda Talton said. “I was very pleased with our team this year. We made a lot of progress from the beginning of the season until the end. We did not have a true star or a main scoring threat. Each game a different player stepped up.” Southlake Carroll The Lady Dragons won only one playoff game, defeating Lewisville 70-48 in the bi-district round. Carroll then took Duncanville to the limit before falling in overtime, 59-53. Despite its lack of playoff success, the Lady Dragons reached a number of milestones this season, including their first 5A district championship. Carroll suffered only one defeat in District 5-5A play, finishing three games ahead of runner-up Haltom. The team’s 28 victories were the most ever for a starting five. Head coach Niki Gilley has plenty to look back on with pride. “This is only my second year to coach varsity basketball and I do believe that I will always cherish this season as incredibly special,” she said. “Our girls worked extremely hard and made this season one that I will never forget.” Granbury At one point, the Lady Pirates were sitting with a mediocre 8-4 record. However, Granbury then reeled off 14 consecutive victories, including an upset of district champion Timberview. Under the guidance of legendary coach Leta Andrews, the Lady Pirates finished third in District 4-5A, behind Timberview and Summit. The team’s stifling defense gave it a chance every night out. The Lady Pirates allowed an average of 40 points per game. They shut down Abilene in the first round of the playoffs, 63-30, and then held Amarillo to only 35 points, but couldn’t pull off the upset and fell to the Sandies, 37-35 in the area round. “This group of young ladies will always have a soft spot in my heart in their determination to be successful,” Andrews said. “I commend Micalyn Slemmons and Lauren Fleming for the great warriors they have been to the program. Both young ladies made the varsity team as freshmen. I wish I could keep them around for another season.” One of the amazing statistics to come from the season, Carla Hayworth hit better than 50 percent on her three-point shots, nailing 29 of her 54 attempts. Lacey Neu was among the scoring leaders in the area, posting 14.7 points per game for the Lady Pirates, while pulling down just under 10 rebounds per game. Tina Doughty was also a force on the boards, averaging better than 10 rebounds per contest.