Amarillo High’s Victoria Barrera makes a layup against Mansfield Timberview during a Region 1-5A Semifinal game at the Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls on Friday night. [Richard Cleaver/ For Press Pass Sports]
Region I-5A
Lady Sandies cruise past Timberview
The No. 5 Amarillo High Lady Sandies seem more and more determined with each postseason game to prove that last season was a fluke.
Friday evening at the Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls, the Lady Sandies made sure that they reached the region final for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Amarillo High jumped out to a comfortable early lead and rolled the rest of the way, routing Mansfield Timberview 73-50 in the regional semifinal.
This comes after Amarillo High was eliminated last year by Canutillo in overtime in the area round.
The Lady Sandies (31-5) will face Lake Dallas in the region championship game today at 2 p.m. for the right to go to the state tournament in San Antonio next week. Lake Dallas advanced by defeating Lubbock Monterey 66-53 in the day’s first region semi.
Timberview (26-9) led briefly at the outset, but by the end of the first quarter Amarillo High took a 12-5 lead. The Lady Sandies put the hammer down from there, particularly in the third quarter, when they put up 28 points to take a 58-37 lead and effectively put away the game.
Amarillo High had four players in double figures, as Taytum Bell and Lacey Rice had 13 points each. Mckenzie Smith scored 11 and Briley Barnes had 10 in addition to a game-high 18 rebounds.
— Lee Passmore
Man.Timberview 5 20 37 50
Amarillo High 12 30 58 73
MT— Kamryn Wilson 22, Chrishawn Coleman 10. AHS— Taytum Bell 13, Lacey Rice 13, Mckenzie Smith 11, Briley Barnes 10. Records: Timberview 26-9; Amarillo High 31-5.
Region I-4A
Canyon falls late to nemesis Argyle
Like Amarillo High, Canyon also saw some familiar results at the region tournament. Only they weren’t the kind of ones the Lady Eagles wanted.
Defending state champion Canyon, ranked No. 3 in the state, ran into No. 1 Argyle for the third time in the last four years in the region semifinals. And unfortunately for the Lady Eagles, the result was the same as the first two.
Argyle again eliminated Canyon in heartbreaking fashion, scoring the final six points of the game to beat Canyon 34-32. Canyon finishes the season 28-6 while Argyle stays unbeaten at 34-0.
It was a fairly typical slug-it-out playoff contest for Canyon, who trailed 14-8 at halftime. But Canyon found some offense in the second half, tying the game at 22 at the end of the third quarter, and scoring six straight points to take a 28-22 lead early in the second quarter.
Argyle chipped away and trailed 32-28. Canyon couldn’t score after that, as Argyle took the lead for good when Caroline Lyles scored on a three-point play.
Taylor Thomas finished her career at Canyon with a stellar game, scoring a game-high 19 points, including 15 in the second half. Lyles led Argyle with 12 points and Gabby Campbell had 11.
— Lee Passmore
Canyon 6 8 22 32
Argyle 4 14 22 34
C— Taylor Thomas 19, Abree Winfrey 7. A—Caroline Lyles 12, Gabby Campbell 11. Records: Canyon 28-6, Argyle 34-0.
Canadian’s Tinley Pennington goes over a Jim Ned defender for a basket during a Region I-3A Semifinal at the Tiger Pit in Frenship on Friday night. [Olivia Raymond/ Press Pass Sports]
Region I-3A
Canadian sneaks past Jim Ned
In a battle of two one loss teams, it was the No. 1 Canadian Lady Cats coming away with a thrilling 37-32 win over No. 4 Jim Ned in an intense Region I-3A semifinal at the Tiger Pit in Frenship on Friday night.
Canadian is now an eye-opening 35-1 on the season. The 35 wins are also a new school-record for a tradition-rich Lady Cat program. Jim Ned ends a stellar season dropping only its second game of the year, ending at 33-2.
Canadian will now face No. 8 Idalou (29-6) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the regional championship. Idalou defeated Peaster 49-31 in its regional semifinal Friday.
The Lady Cats led by 10 in the first half only to see Jim Ned rally back before half behind freshman Riley Grohman. Grohman scored 10 points in three minutes that put the Lady Indians up 19-17 at the break.
Canadian answered behind unsung hero Brooklyn Cochran. Cochran knocked down three huge 3-point buckets in the third quarter that put the Lady Cats back on top 33-28.
In the final 10 seconds of the game with both teams struggling at the line, senior Briley Merket was able to seal the win with two clutch free-throws giving Canadian the 37-32 advantage. Cochran had a team-high 14 points for the Lady Cats. Teammate Tinley Pennington added 14. Grohman poured in 14 for Jim Ned. — Kale Steed
Jim Ned 5 19 28 32
Canadian 8 17 33 37
JN— Riley Grohman 14, Claire Graham 9. C— Brooklyn Cochran 14, Tinley Pennington 9. Records: Jim Ned 33-2; Canadian 35-1.
Region I-2A
Gruver survives New Home upset bit
It was far from easy, but No. 1 Gruver was able to survive and advance to the regional final coming away with a 47-44 overtime win over the Lady Leopards in the Region I-1A semifinals at the Texan Dome in Levelland on Friday night.
Gruver led 36-32 only to see New Home score the final four points to send the game to OT. In overtime the Lady Hounds fought off the Lady Leopards knocking down key buckets to outscore New Home 11-7 in the extra frame. Senior Bailey Maupin went for a game-best 22 points, and teammate Callie Conyers added 10. New Home (29-7) was lead by Addy Burns with 21.
Gruver stays unbeaten at 30-0 and will see another test against Wellington at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the regional championship. — Kale Steed
Gruver 14 23 32 36 47
New Home 12 20 28 36 44
G— Bailey Maupin 22, Callie Conyers 10. NH— Addy Burns 21, Kelby Baccus 10. Records: Gruver 30-0; New Home 29-7.
Wellington wrangles Ropes
The Wellington Lady Skyrockets are headed back to the Region I-1A Tournament championship for a second year in a row.
Wellington took care of Ropes thanks to the stellar play of Kyla Kane 40-22 on Friday night in the regional semifinals at the Texan Dome on the campus of South Plains College in Levelland on Friday night.
Kane, a four-year standout for the Lady Skyrockets, was lights out against the Lady Eagles scoring 24 of Wellington’s 40 points. Kane had 14 of those in the first half alone.
The Lady Skyrockets defense did a tremendous job locking down Ropes, holding the Lady Eagles to only five second half points.
Wellington (29-5) advances to play No. 1 Gruver (30-0) for the regional championship at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. —Kale Steed
Ropes 9 17 19 22
Wellington 12 21 30 40
R— Falls 8, Latta 6. W— Kyla Kane 24, Asia Shrubs 6. Records: Ropes 29-6; Wellington 29-7.
Region I-1A
Sands dethrones Nazareth
For the first time in eight years Class 1A Region I will have a new representative at the UIL State Tournament.
Using the 1-2 punch of Elysa Martinez and Landry Morrow, the No. 1-ranked Sands Lady Stangs toppled No. 2 Nazareth 46-28 in a Region I-1A Tournament semifinal matchup Friday afternoon at the Texan Dome on the campus of South Plains College in Levelland.
Nazareth led 19-16 at the end of the first half until Sands stifling defense turned the momentum outscoring Swiftettes 14-0 in the third quarter and never looked back.
Nazareth ends the year 23-12, ending an incredible run of seven straight trips to the state tournament. Martinez led Sands finishing with 17 points, followed by Morrow’s 15.
The Swiftettes were paced by Presley Wheeler’s 10 points and senior Addie Dyer chipped in eight.
Sands (34-3) will face Valley (24-4) at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Region I-1A championship. — Craig Sperry
Sands 6 16 30 46
Nazareth 1 19 19 28
S— Elysa Martinez 17, Landry Morrow 15. N— Presley Wheeler 10, Addie Dyer 8. Records: Sands 34-3; Nazareth 23-12.
Valley pulls away from Borden County
Valley punched its ticket to the Region I-1A Tournament championship for the first time since 2012 by pulling away from Borden County 55-47 on Friday in a semifinal contest at the Texan Dome on the campus of South Plains College in Levelland.
In a back and forth contest, the Lady Patriots found themselves trailing 39-37 after three, but caught fire in the final eight minutes outscoring the Lady Coyotes 18-7 to get the win. Reese Cruse poured in a game-high 19 off the bench for Valley, and teammate Charlie Pointer had 11. The Lady Patriots (24-4) will face No. 2 Sands at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Region I-1A championship.
Borden County ends its year at 21-8.
— Craig Sperry
Valley 13 29 37 55
Borden County 10 28 40 47
V— Reese Cruse 19, Charlie Pointer 11. BC— Callie Edwards 14, Kenzie Edwards 11. Records: Valley 24-4; Borden County 21-8.