By GALEN WELLNICKI
Senior point guard Brooke Elliott scored six free throws and Georgetown held Cedar Park to just one point in the final one minute and 38 seconds to help lift the Lady Eagles to a 42-34 victory over the Lady Timberwolves on an unusual Tuesday night at Eagle Gym.
The victory, which gave GHS at least a two-game lead over the field in District 19-5A with nine games to play, was earned without the presence of head coach Rhonda Farney. Early in the day the Lady Eagles’ coach had reported for an appointment with her eye doctor in Austin and by mid-afternoon she was in surgery.
However, following the game with a patch on her eye, Farney, driven ny friend Andrea Kauitzsch, was parked behind the gym in her car to offer congratulations. She had listened to a broadcast of the victory, which improved GHS to 7-0 in district and 16-6 for the season. Her status for Friday’s 19-5A battle at Bastrop Cedar Creek (1-6) was uncertain on Tuesday night.
Veteran assistant Kristin Curtis steped in for Farney and along with assistants Kellye Richardson and Kevin Spruill directed the Lady Eagles to victory. In fact GHS swept all three contests — also winning the JV game. 42-28, and the freshman game, 44-24. The sub-varsities also are 7-0 in 19-5A competition.
The 7-0 record going into Friday night leaves GHS ahead of Bastrop, which at 6-2 has completed its first round, and Cedar Park and Rouse, both 5-2. East View currently is a distant 3-4, but expected to finish the first half at 4-4 with a home date on Friday against Elgin (1-6).
The Lady Eagles will have their second-round bye this coming Tuesday before opnening their eight-game drive for the district title at home on Friday, Jan. 13, against Pflugerville Connally, a team they bested 81-44 in their district opener on Nov. 29.
The Cedar Park game was not decided until the closing moments. A field goal by the Timberwolves’ Nicole Leff with 4:12 remaining cut Georgetown’s lead to 34-33. From the point the Lady Eagles outscored their opponent, 8-1, down the stretch, starting with a field goal by sophomore post Emily Jones with 2:47 to go and followed by Elliott’s six free throws.
A Georgetown team which was shooting only 60 percent from the free throw line for the season put down 15 of 18 from the line in the showdown with the Timberwolves.
The Lady Eagles led 16-11 after the first period, overcoming a 5-0 start by the Timbers, with a run of eight consecutive points in the final 1:36 of the quarter on a field goal by Dee Day, a 3-pointer by B. Elliott and a basket-and-one by Taylor Elliott.
The two teams scored a total of just nine points in the second quarter with GHS taking a 19-17 lead into halftime. A 3-pointer by T. Elliott with three seconds left gave the Lady Eagles a 32-27 edge after three. However, baskets by Chika Onyia and Shannon Hazard cut the lead to one early in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for Georgetown’s strong finish. After Hazard’s bucket with 5:01 to go, Cedar Park would score just three points.
“They (Cedar Park) did a good job on us defensively and we struggled inside,” Curtis said. “We hit our free throws at the end and Taylor did a good job on their No. 21 (Cami Rettinger, one of the district best 3-point shooters).”
Rettinger finished with just six points (two of foure beyond the arc).
“Going two games up in district is a big things for us — a cushion — bu
t this is a tough district and everybody will be improving and tougher the second time around. We can’t afford to relax.”
B. Elliott and Jones led the GHS attack with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while the 6-1 Day led rebounders with 10 as GHS posted a 28-19 edge. Elliott also had seven assists and four steals. T. Elliott also had four steals.
Onyia, in foul trouble late, led Cedar Park with 12 points.
Georgetown junior Maddie Vickers, who sustained a severe ankle sprain in last week’s Carolina Invitational, returned to action — although not at a 100 percent — and helped T. Elliott clamp down on Rettinger.
In the JV game, GHS led 33-28 with 3:18 to go, but then scored the final nine points of the contest to improve to 12-3 on the year. Cedar Park did not score a field goal in the final six minutes of the game. Sophomores Ali Isbell and Jade Smith each had 12 points for the Lady Eagles.
The Freshman Blue, improving to 14-1, outscored Cedar Park, 25-13, in the second half to secure the victory. Keiana San Miguel had 11 points for Georgetown.
TUESDAY’S DISTRICT 19-5A GAMES
At Eagle Gym
Varsity
GEORGETOWN 42, CEDAR PARK 34
CEDAR PARK (34) — Hanna Wheeler 0-1 0-0 0, Aubrey McCarty 0-3 0-0 0, Pujitas Shukla 0-1 0-0 0, Alex Maresca 0-1 1-2 1, Cami Rettinger 2-4 0-0 6, Chika Onyia 6-7 0-1 12, Kilee West 0-1 0-0 0, Gabrielle Nichols 0-0 0-0 0, Callie Copeland 0-0 0-0 0, Nicole Leff 1-3 4-8 6, Shannon Hazard 3-7 2-2 9. Totals: 12-28 7-13 34.
GHS (42) — Brooke Elliott 2-9 7-8 12, Josie Weirich 1-2 0-0 3, Taylor Elliott 2-9 2-4 7, Jaelyn Knight 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Vickers 0-2 0-0 0, Emery Herman 1-2 0-0 2, Dee Day 2-4 4-4 8, Emily Jonesd 4-9 2-2 10. Totals: 12-38 15-18 42.
Halftime: GHS, 19-15. 3-point shooting: CP 3-10 (McCarty 0-2, Reminger 2-4, West 0-2, Hazard 1-3); GHS 3-17 (B. Elliott 1-5, Weirich 1-2, T. Elliott 1-7, Vickers 0-2, Herman 0-1). Rebounds: CP 19 (Hazard 5, Leff 4, Onyla 4); GHS 28 (Day 10, Jones 8, B. Elliott 4). Assists: GHS 14 B. Elliott 7, Herman 6, T. Elliott 1). Steals: GHS 15 (B. Elliott 4, T. Elliott 4, Herman 3). Blocks: CP 2 (Shukla, Rettinger); GHS 0. Turnovers: GHS 12. Total fouls: CP 17, GHS 13. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Records: Cedar Park, 5-2 in 19-5A, 18-8; Georgetown, 7-0 in 19-5A, 16-6.
Sub-Varsity
(GHS scoring only)
GHS JV 42, CEDAR PARK JV 28 — Gracie Speer 4, Morgan Bruning 0, Ali Isbell 12, Samari O’Brien 0, Ashley Wickline 2, Shelby Jones 8, Miranda Gil 0, Emili Harris 2, Jade Smith 12. Halftime: GHS, 21-14. GHJS record: 7-0 in 19-5A, 12-3.
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 44, CEDAR PARK FRESHMAN 24 — Caroline Horton 0, Hailey Hanson 0, Na’Keia Cook 0, Hailey Smith 9, A’Brielle Abrams 0, Maya Perry 0, Kylie Ellsworth 8, Kylee Sander 2, Mercedes Robledo 2, Keiana San Miguel 11, McCall Hampton 4, MacKenzie Mouton 8. Halftime: GHS, 19-11. GHS record: 7-0 in 19-5A, 14-1.
SATURDAY’S NON-DISTRICT GAMES
GHS JV 37, BELTON JV 19 — Speer 4, Bruning 2, Isbell 6, O’Brien 2, Wickline 5, Jones 5, Gil 0, Harris 6, Smith 7. Halftime: GHS, 19-5. GHS record: 11-3.
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 47, BELTON FRESHMEN 21 — Hanson 0, Smith 2, Perry 2, Ellsworth 10, Sander 2, Robledo 2, San Miguel 10, Hampton 18, Mouton 1. Halftime: 15-9. GHS record: 13-1.
DISTRICT 19-5A GIRLS BASKETBALL
Standings — Georgetown, 7-0; Bastrop, 6-2; Cedar Park, 5-2; Rouse, 5-2; East View, 3-4; Pflugerville Connally, 2-5; Hutto. 2-5; Elgin, 1-6; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-6.
Tuesday’s results — Georgetown 42, Cedar Park 34; East View 53, Hutto 36; Bastrop 59, Elgin 34; Rouse 63, Connally 34. Bye — Cedar Creek.
Friday’s games — Georgetown at Cedar Creek, 7 p.m.; Elgin at East View, 7 p.m.; Connally at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.; Hutto at Rouse, 7 p.m. Bye — Bastrop.
(End of first round)
Tuesday’s games — East View at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Connally, 7 p.m.; Rouse at Elgin. 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Hutto, 7 p.m. Bye — Georgetown.
TABC 5A RANKINGS
(Released Monday)
1. Amarillo (22-1). 2. Mansfield Timberview (20-2). 3. Mansfield Summit (17-6). 4. Canyon (14-2). 5. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (18-3). 6. El Paso Burges (16-3). 7. Tomball Memorial (16-4). 8. Saginaw Boswell (22-3). 10. Frisco Lone Star (12-5). 11. Plainview (19-4).12. Kerrville Tivy (17-3). 13. Dayton (19-1). 14. The Colony (22-1). 15. Mansfield Legacy (14-7). 16. Georgetown (15-6). 17. Austin SFA (19-5). 18. Colleyville Heritage (15-6). 19. Prosper (15-6). 20. Tomball (13-5). 21. College Station (17-6). 22. Houston Madison (14-6). 23, Brownsville Veterans Memorial (15-5). 24. Sulphur Springs (17-3). 25. Laredo Cigarroa (17-7).
By region (in order):
Region 1 — Amarillo, Canyon, Burges, Boswell, Plainview, Heritage.
Region 2 — Timberview, Summit, Lone Star, The Colony, Legacy, Prosper, Sulphur Springs.
Region 3 — Barbers Hill, Tomball Memorial, Dayton, Georgetown, Tomball, College Station, Madison.
Region 4 — Tivy, SFA, Veterans Memorial, Cigarroa.
TGCA RANKINGS
(Released Monday)
1. Amarillo. 2. Mansfield Timnerview. 3. Canyon. 4. Dayton. 5. The Colony. 6. Georgetown. 7. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill. 8. El Paso Burges. 9. Frisco Liberty. 10. Kerrville Tivy. 11. Saginaw Boswell. 12. Frisco Lone Star. 13. Sulphur Springs. 14. Mansfield Summit. 5. Plainview. 16. Austin SFA. 17. Colleyville Heritage. 18. Red Oak. 19. Tomball Memorial. 20. Dripping Springs. 21. Rio Grande City. 22. Brownsville Veterans Memorial. 23. Tomball. 24.Laredo Cigarroa. 25 (tie). San Antonio Harlandale, Houston Madison, Rouse.