By GALEN WELLNICKI
Georgetown’s 13th-ranked Lady Eagles completed and punctuated their 8-0 run through the initial round of District 19-5A competition this past Friday night with a 77-29 victory at Bastrop Cedar Creek. It was their 12th victory in their last 13 games and maintained their two-game lead over their nearest challengers in the race.
How dominant was Georgetown’s first half run? The won by an average of 37.3 points a game and held the opposition to 29.4 points a game. All but two of the victories were by 17 points or more. The Lady Eagles held opposing offenses to a 28.1 shooting percentage (78 of 278), including just 23.2 percent (22 of 95) beyond the arc.
The Lady Eagles have Tuesday night off for their second-round bye. Their opposition is expected to be improved during the second half of the 16-game race, but GHS will play six of its final eight games in Georgetown — five home games and a battle with arch-rival East View on Friday, Jan. 27. The two actual travel games will be at Elgin and Cedar Park.
Going into the second round, Cedar Park, Rouse and Bastrop share second place at 6-2. East View remains alive at 4-4, but faces a key challenge in its bid to stay alive Tuesday night when it goes against Bastrop on the Bears’ hardwoods. As far as tie-breakers are concerned Bastrop beat Rouse (38-34), Rouse beat Cedar Park (43-42) and Cedar Park beat Bastrop (53-51).
Georgetown will return to action at 7 p.m. Friday at Eagle Gym against Pflugerville Connally, a team the Lady Eagles defeated 81-44 in their 19-5A opener on Nov. 29.
The victory over Cedar Creek, which finished the first half at 1-7, marked the return of head coach Rhonda Farney to the bench after missing the team’s 42-34 win over Cedar Park on Tuesday because of emergency eye surgery.
“I am very pleased that we finished the first round of district with an undefeated record for our freshmen, JV and varsity teams,” Farney said. “I am particularly grateful for the manner in which our coaching staff handled my absence on Tuesday night. Kristin (Curtis) did an outstanding job leading our coaching staff and team to victory against an excellent Cedar Park team.”
As for Friday night’s victory, Farney said, “Tonight, I was very pleased with the effort of our varsity team Cedar Creek. I felt that we played at 100-percent effort all night. I was particularly pleased with the manner in which EJ (sophomore Emily Jones) and Emery (freshman Herman) began the game. (Seniors) Brooke (Elliott), Dee (Day), and Taylor (Elliott) also contributed early. Others who played well were Maddie (Vickers), Josie (Weirich), and Jaelyn (Knight). Ali Isbell and Jade smith saw considerable action too since Cedar Creek did not have enough players for a JV game. Emili Harris and Miranda Gil also saw action.”
Georgetown jumped to a 22-3 lead in the first quarter, increased the margin to 40-14 at halftime and then outscored the hosts, 27-6, in the third quarter to lead by 47 points. Dee, a 6-foot-1 post, scored 10 consecutive points during the third-quarter outburst.
Day and Jones led GHS scoring with 16 points each, while B. Elliott and Herman added 11 each for a team that made 31 of its 54 shot attempts. The Lady Eagles took a 45-23 edge on the boards with Day and the 6-1 Herman each grabbing eight. Jones added seven and B. Elliott 6. Herman had a strong performance across the stat sheet with team highs of seven assists and four steals.
Defensively, Georgetown allowed Cedar Creek just nine successes in 44 shot attempts with Jaelyn Goodloe scoring 22 of her team’s 29 points. The Lady Eagles were credited with 18 steals.
Georgetown’s Freshman Blue finished the first half at 8-0 and now stand 15-1 for the season after a 68-23 victory over a combined Cedar Creek JV/Freshman squad. With no game on Friday, the GHS JV ended the first half at 7-0 in 19-5A. McCall Hampton led the Blue with 21 points.
DISTRICT 19-5A GIRLS BASKETBALL
Standings — Georgetown, 8-0; Bastrop, 6-2; Cedar Park, 6-2; Rouse, 6-2; East View, 4-4; Pflugerville Connally, 2-6; Hutto. 2-6; Elgin, 1-7; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-7.
Friday’s results — Georgetown 77, Cedar Creek 29; East View 56, Elgin 37; Cedar Park 64, Connally 43; Rouse 60, Hutto 28. 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.
Friday’s games — Connally at Georgetown, 7 p.m.; Bastrop at Rouse, 7 p.m.; Hutto at Cedar Creek, 7 p.m.; Elgin at Cedar Park, 7 p.m. Bye –East View.
FRIDAY’S DISTRICT 19-5A GAMES
At Bastrop Cedar Creek
Varsity
GEORGETOWN 77, CEDAR CREEK 29
GHS (77) — Brooke Elliott 3-4 4-4 11, Ali Isbell 0-2 0-0 0, Josie Weirich 1-2 0-0 3, Taylor Elliott 2-3 1-2 6, Miranda Gil 1-1 0-0 2, Jaelyn Knight 3-5 1-2 7, Maddie Vickers 0-2 2-2 2, Emery Herman 5-6 1-1 11, Emili Harris 1-1 0-0 2, Jade Smith 0-2 1-4 1, Dee Day 8-13 0-0 16, Emily Jones 7-13 2-5 16. Totals: 31-54 12-20 77.
CEDAR CREEK (29) — Jayla Kinney 0-0 0-0 0, Catalina Valladares 0-1 0-0 0, Karla Maradiaga 0-0 0-0 0, Serena Adams 1-4 0-0 2, Jasmyne Hubbard 0-10 1-2 1, M. Bandera 0-0 0-0 0, Jayla Gaines 0-0 0-0 0, Jaelyn Goodloe 7-18 8-13 22, Kiera Marlow 0-1 0-0 0, Ashlan Smith 1-7 2-4 4, DeShelle Welcome 0-3 0-0 0. Totals: 9-44 11-19 29.
Halftime: GHS, 40-14. 3-point shooting: GHS 3-8 (B. Elliott 1-1, Isbell 0-1, Weirich 1-2, T. Elliott 1-2, Vickers 0-2); CC 0-6 (Adams 0-2, Hubbard 0-4). Rebounds: GHS 45 (Day 8, Herman 8, Jones 7, B. Elliott 6, Weirich 4, Knight 4); CC 23 (Goodloe 9, Smith 8). Assists: GHS 26 (Herman 7, B. Elliott 5, Weirich 4). Steals: GHS 18 (Herman 4, B. Elliott 3, T. Elliott 3, Knight 3). Blocks: GHS 3 (Vickers, Herman, Day); CC 2 (Maradiaga, Welcome). Turnovers: GHS 8. Total fouls: GHS 16, CC 10. Fouled out: GHS, Smith, fourth. Records: Georgetown, 8-0 in 19-5A, 17-6; Cedar Park, 1-7 in 19-5A, 7-16.
Sub Varsity
(GHS scoring only)
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 68, CEDAR CREEK JV/FRESHMAN 23 — Caroline Horton 2, Tatiana Williams 0, Hailey Hanson 2, Na’Keia Cook 0, Hailey Smith 4, A’Brielle Abrams 0, Maya Perry 10, Kylie Ellsworth 4, Kylee Sander 4, Marney Hazel 0, Mercedes Robledo 2, Keina San Miguel 8, Rachel Heine 0, McCall Hampton 21, MacKenzy Moiuton 11. GHS record: 8-0 in 19-5A, 15-1.
Note: No JV game, Cedar Creek does not have a separate JV.
TABC CLASS 5A RANKINGS
(Released, Monday, Jan. 9)
1. Amarillo (24-1). 2. Mansfield Timberview (22-2). 3. Mansfield Summit (18-6). 4. Canyon (16-2). 5. Tomball Memorial (18-4). 6. Mont Belview Barbers Hill (20-4). 7. Saginaw Boswell (24-3). 8. Frisco Lone Star (16-5). 9. Frisco Liberty (16-6). 10. Plainview (20-5). 11. Kerrville Tivy (20-3). 12. The Colony (24-1). 13. Georgetown (17-6). 14. Dayton (20-2). 15. Austin SFA (21-5). 16. Colleyville Heritage (17-6). 17. Prosper (16-7). 18. College Station (19-6). 19. Mansfield Legacy (15-8). 20. El Paso Andress (19-3). 21. Sulphur Springs (19-3). 22. Corpus Christi Caroll (20-4). 23. Houston Madison (15-7). 24. Brownsville Veterans Memorial (19-7). 25. Laredo Cigarroa (19-7).
By region (in order):
Region 1 — Amarillo, Canyon, Boswell, Plainview, Heritage, Andress.
Region 2 — Timberview, Summit, Lone Star, Liberty, The Colony, Prosper, Legacy, Sulphur Springs.
Region 3 — Tomball Memorial, Barbers Hill, Georgetown, Dayton, College Station, Madison.
Region 4 — Tivy, SFA, Carroll, Veterans Memorial, Cigarroa.