Jan Schultz | Johnson Publications
Coach Randy Longoria looks on as the Lady Longhorns hoist their runner-up plaque after the district finals in Kearney Friday.
Jan Schultz | Johnson Publications
Alexis Richmond takes an outside shot in district finals action against Wahoo Friday. She led the Chase County scoring in the her team’s final game of the season with 11 points.
Jan Schultz | Johnson Publications
Faces on the Lady Longhorns tell the story as the fourth quarter was winding down and the outcome obvious, from left, Gisselle Acuna, Morgan Peterson, Bryn McNair, Jerzee Milner and Jordan Jablonski.
Jan Schultz | Johnson Publications
Mallie McNair, who’s going on to play basketball for the University of Nebraska-Kearney, goes up for two against Wahoo Friday. She scored nine in Chase County’s 51-36 loss.
Wahoo derails Chase County plans for state tourney
“It wasn’t our night.”
That’s the way Chase County Coach Randy Longoria described his team’s loss to Wahoo Friday in the district finals at Kearney High School.
Chase County’s 51-36 defeat derailed their advancement to the high school girls’ state tournament that starts today (Thursday).
It also stopped an 11-game winning steak, which was the fifth best string of wins in the state last week.
Longoria said the loss wasn’t because they hadn’t prepared for Wahoo, the same team that defeated Chase County in the district final last year.
“We were super prepared for them,” he said.
“There was nothing from their plays or sets we hadn’t prepared for.”
It came down to who was making baskets.
Chase County had a good start in the game, scoring on a bucket from senior Ashley Bubak and a trey from Sophie Spady, taking a 5-0 lead before Wahoo scored its first two at the 6:20 mark.
Knotted at 6-6 then 8-8, Wahoo scored four unanswered points, going up 12-8. But, Alexis Richmond sparked Chase County’s offense, hitting a three with 0:45 remaining in the quarter. That left Wahoo with a slim 12-11 lead at the end of one.
After a back-and-forth second, Wahoo took a 26-21 lead to the lockerroom at halftime.
It was a balanced third quarter on scoring, although Wahoo was up by as many as 11. But trailing 25-36, Chase County scored five straight before Wahoo hit a free throw late, and held onto a 37-30 lead at the end of three.
The final eight minutes of the game took its toll on Chase County’s offense as they scored just a free throw in the first six and a half minutes, while Wahoo dumped in 12.
Late in the quarter, Wahoo moved into a dribble exchange set, forcing Chase County to foul.
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