BALD KNOB -- Getting to the Class 3A state tournament semifinals against perennial power Greenland was a first for the Hoxie Lady Mustangs.
Hoxie on Saturday reached one more new frontier: the Class 3A state championship game.
Led by senior guard Devyn Pollard, the Lady Mustangs led Greenland wire to wire for a 58-45 victory.
"We really didn't do anything different to prepare for this game," Hoxie Coach Mike Chipman said. "We prepared for Greenland just like we do for any other team."
Hoxie jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first five minutes before Greenland, which went 4 of 22 from the field in the first half, posted its first points.
Hoxie led 17-6 after the opening quarter, with all six Greenland points coming on two three-pointers.
Greenland worked around the perimeter in the second quarter looking for an open shot, but Hoxie's defense kept the Lady Pirates off target.
Hoxie led 24-10 with 1:30 remaining in the first half on consecutive three-pointers by Sydney Gillham, who was held to 13 points after scoring 20 in each of Hoxie's first two games of the state tournament.
Greenland ended the first half by missing two three-pointers and committing a turnover to trail 26-12 at the break.
Greenland found its shot in the third quarter, hitting six consecutive baskets to cut Hoxie's lead to 10 points twice at 32-22 and 35-25. Sophomore shooting guard Fiona Wilson scored six of the Lady Pirates' 13 points in the quarter.
Hoxie pushed the lead back to 15 for a 40-25 lead to start the fourth quarter.
Gillham's three-pointer put Hoxie up 43-27, and Hoxie led 44-29 with six minutes left.
Greenland got within 10 points on four occasions in the fourth quarter, the last at 54-44 with 1:13 left.
Hoxie made 18 of 29 free-throw attempts in the second half. Greenland hit just 3 of 8 in the final quarter.
Pollard led the Lady Mustangs with 19 points while Kaitlyn Henson added 14 points.
Greenland got 14 points from Wilson, 11 from Hayleigh Pickett and 10 from Makayla Redmond.
VALLEY SPRINGS 57, MOUNTAIN VIEW 31
Valley Springs is going back to Hot Springs.
The Lady Tigers will face Hoxie in the Class 3A state championship game with a chance to defend last year's title and win the school's third title since 2010. In last year's state championship game, Valley Springs beat Greenland 48-40.
Valley Springs cruised over Mountain View after opening a 14-3 lead after one quarter and extending its advantage to 25-7 at the half as Mountain View struggled from the floor and foul line.
By the end of the third quarter, Valley Springs led 37-16. Valley Springs knocked down 12 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter.
Valley Springs junior guard Brylee Graddy and senior guard Ashlynn Taylor combined for 28 points, finishing with 15 and 13 respectively.
Mountain View sophomore guard Kaley Shipman Scored 12 points. No other Lady Yellowjackets had more than five points.
CLASS 1A
Bay 53,
Mount Vernon-Enola 50
MOUNT IDA -- The Bay Lady Yellowjackets have a shot at their first state championship after clipping the Mount Vernon-Enola Warhawks on Saturday in the semifinals of the Class 1A state tournament at Jeanne Smith Arena.
Bay (32-9) fought back from a five-point deficit early in the fourth quarter, pulling even at 43-43 on a steal, layup and free throw by Whitlee Layne with 6:55 left. The Lady Warhawks (32-11) regained a 47-43, but Bay came right back with a 5-0 run, going up 48-47 on a three-pointer by Sydney Higgins with 4:45 left to play.
Mount Vernon-Enola ran the clock down to 1:00 left when Gracie Raby nailed a three-pointer from the left wing to give the Lady Warhawks a 50-48 edge. With 30.9 seconds left, Mallory Hartley was fouled when she made a bucket from the lane and gave Bay a 51-50 edge with the free throw.
The Lady Warhawks had time to set up a final shot but a bad pass resulted in a turnover.
Hartley finished with 25 points and Layne had 21 to lead Bay.
Dixie Sherrill led Mount Vernon-Enola with 17 points.
Wonderview 54,
Norfork 47
The Lady Daredevils held off a fourth-quarter rally by the Norfork Lady Panthers to win the second Class 1A semifinal.
Almost everything was going Wonderview's way for three quarters in building a 44-21 lead, but things changed quickly.
Ivy McGowan hit a three-pointer to start the final quarter and kick-start a 26-4 run by the Lady Panthers. Norfork got the deficit down to a point when Marleigh Dodson converted a three-point play with 2:04 left to make it 48-47.
But Norfork could not score another point as Wonderview put the game away with six free throws in the final 1:41.
Brooke Zimmerman finished with 14 points to lead Wonderview (38-4). Shelby Reynolds scored 13, and Faith Byers and Kailey Gullett scored 10 apiece.
Dodson led all scorers with 20 points for Norfork.
-- Scott McDonald
Sports on 03/05/2017