At left, Bryn McNair drives to the basket with Bridgeport’s Karlie Deaver in pursuit in Saturday’s SPVA championship game. (Johnson Publications photos)
It’s been awhile since the Chase County girls have posed with the SPVA Conference championship basketball plaque, but it happened Saturday as the Lady Longhorns defeated Bridgeport for the title. It’s been 37 years since the last Chase County girls’ SPVA basketball championship.
Alexis Richmond shoots with Bridgeport’s Ruthie Loomis-Goltl in her face Saturday night. While she may have missed this shot, Richmond made two key baskets on Thursday when she scored at the end of regulation to tie the game with St. Pat’s, then hit the game-winning trey in overtime. (Johnson Publications photo)
After 37-year drought, girls take SPVA title
It’s been a long time coming—37 years—but Chase County’s girls broke the drought Saturday, winning the SPVA basketball title.
After more than a generation without it, the Lady Longhorns took the conference championship in North Platte with a dominating 51-37 defeat of top-seeded Bridgeport in the finals.
But, it was Thursday’s semi-final overtime defeat of North Platte St. Pat’s, 55-53, that was the biggest game for Chase County.
A key basket by junior Alexis Richmond tied the game at the buzzer in regulation, then her three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left in overtime gave Chase County the win over No. 2 seed St. Pat’s.
Chase County entered the tourney seeded No. 3.
The last time the Lady Longhorns were SPVA champions came in January 1983, when they defeated Benkelman with Coach Bruce Vires at the helm.
The championship game score that year, 52-37, was just a point off this year’s.
Players in the 1983 tournament were Jacque Harms, Lori Humphreys, Anna Brauer, Laurie Bartels, Diann Austin, Carla Bartels, Terri Miller, Sherri Pankonin, Jill Adams, Amy Friemel, Lori McDonald and Trina Cooley.
Coach Randy Longoria said it was a joy watching the girls celebrate, especially after the St. Pat’s win.
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