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

The end of the 2021 Lady Bulldog basketball season brought just as much uncertainty as the beginning as possible COVID-19 exposure threatened to change a Sweet 16 matchup between Haxtun and Briggsdale.

The Lady Bulldog team took down Idalia in the first round of the State playoff bracket to earn their spot as one of the top 16 teams in 1A. Despite rumors of cancelation, postponement and unknown of who would take the court in Briggsdale last week, the show went on with a contest between two skilled varsity teams.

Briggsdale, prior to their slated second round match up with Haxtun, played a team with a positive COVID case, putting the end of their season in uncertainty and leaving the Lady Bulldogs in the unknown in the days leading up to the contest. In the end, the Lady Falcons all tested clear with COVID rapid tests, allowing their starting five to take the court against Haxtun in the Sweet 16 contest that ultimately ended the Lady Bulldogs' season.

The Lady Bulldogs kicked off State playoff action as the 16th seeded team in a 24-team bracket. In game one, Haxtun took on the 17th seeded Idalia Lady Wolves at home last Tuesday. Haxtun earned a six-point lead against the Lady Wolves after the first quarter of play in a contest that would keep fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer. The Lady Bulldogs added nine points before half time while holding their opponent to five to hold the advantage at the midway mark.

Idalia closed in on the gap throughout the third, outscoring the Lady Bulldogs by two but an intense fourth quarter would bring the game to the final seconds as both teams battled for leads and advantages. The Lady Wolves added 17 points to Haxtun's 10 but the Lady Bulldogs' composure in the last minute, and free throws down the home-stretch, gave the home team Lady Bulldogs the 47-46 win to advance to the Sweet 16.

Two Lady Bulldogs put up double digits in the scoring column against Idalia led by senior Bella Tori and junior Taylor Schram, each with 12 points. Schram nailed three shots from beyond the three-point arch and one inside the paint while also sinking one free throw. In her final home court showing, Tori nailed four shots under the basket and four free throws.

As a team, the Lady Bulldogs connected with five of 14 shots from the charity stripe led by Allie Thompson and Cassidy Goodwin, each who went 50 percent for the night.

Tori earned a double-double, pulling down 12 rebounds in addition to her 12 points. She nabbed five on offense and seven on defense. Cassidy Goddard brought down 11 rebounds, eight offensively and three on defense.

Schram led in assists, with seven, while K'lyn Bornhoft grabbed four steals, the team high.

"This group of girls is amazing," Head Coach Arlan Scholl said of his team following last Tuesday's victory. "They just continually fight even when things aren't looking so good. We played a great game against Idalia and at the end when we needed a basket, we fought through and got the basket and the win. After leading the game comfortably, we hit a stretch where we struggled to score and let Idalia back in the game. We continued to work hard and hit some key shots and also rebounded the ball very well and brought home the one point victory. I am sure we could have just gone ahead and won easily, but we didn't want any of our fans to get bored and leave. What a win and I am sure it was hard on mine and everyone's heart, but it was fun in the end. What a great group of girls that truly exemplify the word team."

The win over Idalia sent the team to the Sweet 16 which pitted the Lady Bulldogs against the number-one ranked Briggsdale Lady Falcons. Despite the drama leading up to the contest with a possible COVID exposure threatening the Lady Falcons' season, the show went on as scheduled in Briggsdale Thursday night.

Briggsdale earned a commanding 17-9 lead after the first quarter but the Lady Bulldog offense outscored the home team by one in the second to leave the score 25-18, Briggsdale at the half. Briggsdale came out from the half-time break on fire, adding 20 points in the third and 12 in the fourth to earn a 57-29 win over the Lady Bulldogs. The win advanced the Lady Falcons to the Great 8 in State playoffs. They were scheduled to take on South Baca in a contest on March 16. The winner of that contest will join Fleming and Kit Carson in the final four as well as the winner between Kim/Branson and Flatirons Academy.

"We kept the game within reach, trailing by only seven points at half time. But as the game progressed our 18.4 percent shooting percentage from the field for the game, took its toll on us," Coach Scholl said. "We just really struggled to get the ball in the basket. Briggsdale is, and has been, the number-one ranked team in the State in the 1A classification this year. They are a very good team and we just could not stay with them as the game continued. After one of the toughest schedules around, we still finished a respectable nine wins and seven losses. It was a great season and we reached the Sweet 16 out of 69 1A schools. That is something this team can be very proud of."

Schram led the Lady Bulldogs with 10 points in Briggsdale, she connected with two three-point shots, made one basket inside the paint and sank two free throws. Goodwin added five points followed by Thompson with four.

The Lady Bulldogs connected with eight of 12 free throws for 67 percent on the night. Schram, Goodwin and Grace Gibson all shot 100 percent from the line.

Tori, in her final outing on the basketball court as a Lady Bulldog, pulled town the team high of 10 rebounds; bringing down six on offense and four on defense. Thompson brought down nine rebounds followed by Bornhoft, Gibson and Goddard, each with three. Thompson led in assists, with four, and Schram tallied the team high of four steals.

Throughout the 2021 season, the Lady Bulldog team earned a .56 winning percentage while going 5-4 in league play. The team will lose two seniors to graduation; Tori and Kylee Workman.