The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Fleming Lady Wildcat fans got their money's worth in Saturday's State-qualifying Regional Tournament contest at Englewood High School. The Lady Wildcats made their way to the Regional Tournament following a 2-1 District showing two weeks ago where they defeated Caliche and Longmont Christian, but fell to Briggsdale. They entered Regional play as the second seeded team giving them the advantage of a round-one Regional bye.

Fleming's Regional bracket listed Lone Star and Front Range Baptist in round one. A contest where Lone Star advanced to round two after ending Front Range Baptist's season 45-31.

Saturday's contest would allow the winner to advance to State slated for the end of this week and the losers would hang up their jerseys for the season.

Fleming and Lone Star took the court at 11 a.m. at Englewood High School on Saturday to determine who would move on to State. Lone Star's offense opened strong putting the Lady Wildcats off their game. The Lady Longhorns put up 18 points in the opening quarter. Fleming's shots on offense failed to fall and the squad managed just seven points in the first.

The second quarter opened with Fleming down by 11. It was again Lone Star who took top offensive honors in the second quarter allowing them to go up by another seven points. It started to look like Lone Star would earn a State berth after Fleming's defense gave up 15 points to the Lady Longhorns while their offense added eight. Lone Star led 33-15 at the end of the half.

After returning from the halftime break, Lady Wildcat fans saw the more energetic and confident squad that they're accustomed to. Fleming Head Coach Randy Kirkwood implemented the Lady Wildcats' full-court defensive press in the third quarter - a move that allowed the Lady Wildcats to cause 19 turnovers.

Their steals coupled with quick offensive lay-ups put Fleming back in the game. The girls added 16 points in the third quarter while the defense held Lone Star to five knocking the Lady Longhorn lead down to seven, 38-31.

The Lady Wildcats continued with solid defensive pressure in the fourth quarter. Back-to-back steals resulting in points put them down by just four points with 20 seconds off the fourth-quarter clock. Fleming inched closer, chipping away at Lone Star's lead and evened the score at 41 with just over three minutes left on the clock.

With just under two minutes left, the Lady Wildcats took the lead, 43-41. They would go on to expand that lead to four with a minute left to play and sink free throws to go up by seven before the final horn.

The Lady Wildcats earned their high-scoring quarter of the game in the fourth with 21 points. Lone Star managed just seven points in the final minutes of play and the contest ended at 52-45.

Junior Kendyl Kirkwood earned a double-double against Lone Star and took top honors in points and rebounds for the Lady Wildcats. Kirkwood scored 26 points for the day after going two-for-two in three point shots, making eight two-pointers and shooting 100 percent from the free-throw line at four-for-four.

Under the net, Kirkwood grabbed 19 rebounds. She grabbed six offensive and 13 defensive boards. Kirkwood also led her team in steals for the day with five.

Chintala came in behind Kirkwood on the scoreboard with 12 points. She earned hers by means of seven free throws, one three-pointer and a two-point field goal. Chintala took four steals from Lone Star.

Freshman Lexi Schaefer tacked six points on to Fleming's score. Sophomore Zoey Vandenbark added four while sophomore Sam Pope and freshman Laney Schliesser rounded out the score with two points apiece.

Freshman Maddy Harms and Vandenbark each brought down six boards for the day. Harms grabbed two offensive and four defensive while Vandenbark split hers at four and two respectively.

With a 21-2 record on the year, the Lady Wildcats have now qualified for the 1A State Tournament set for Thursday, March 12-Saturday, March 14. They will enter as the number four seed behind Springfield, Briggsdale and South Baca. Seeds five through eight include Shining Mountain, Sangre de Cristo, Cotopaxi and McClave.

(Herald photo by Spring Atchison)

SOPHOMORE ZOEY Vandenbark, left, and Kendyl Kirkwood apply full-court pressure in the second half of Saturday's Regional game against the Lonestar Lady Longhorns. Fleming's defensive press resulted in several second-half turnovers.

Great Eight action is slated to to begin at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday at the University of Norhtern Colorado in Greeley. The Lady Wildcats are set to take the court that day at 11:45 a.m. against the number five ranked Shining Mountain Lady Lions.

Shining Mountain enters at 18-5 overall with two of those losses to Briggsdale. They entered Regional play behind Fleming in the third spot where they took a win over Flatirons Academy to advance to State.

A loss in Thursday's opening round would put Fleming on the consolation side of the bracket against the loser of a contest between Springfield and McClave at 8:45 a.m. on Friday. A win on Thursday would send Fleming to the Final Four to face off with the winner of Springfield/McClave at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Opening rounds of the 1A State Tournament are scheduled to be played in Greeley on the UNC campus. Saturday's Championship contests will be played at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland.