By GALEN WELLNICKI
After a hiccup en route to the District 19-5A girls basketball championship in their previous start, Georgetown’s 11th-ranked Lady Eagles completed the task Friday night by dismantling Cedar Park, 57-28, before the host Lady Timberwolves’ combined Family and Senior Night crowd.
The victory improved the Lady Eagles’ district mark to 14-1 and dropped the Lady Timberwolves into a second-place tie with Rouse at 12-3. It also ended two consecutive seasons of second-place finishes to Vista Ridge in District 25-5A.
After Tuesday’s 7 p.m. regular-season and 19-5A finale with Bastrop Cedar Creek (4-11) at Eagle Gym, Georgetown will look toward a tenative bi-district game with Waller, the probable fourth-place finisher in 20-5A, at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at Hearne, a site of several Lady Eagle playoff games in recent seasons.
However, Waller (8-5) can still tie Magnolia (9-4) for third in 20-5A, if it beats Willis (1-13) and Magnolia is shocked by Brenham (5-8). Waller and Magnolia split homecourt decisions and both dominaed their final district opponents during the first round by 19 and 20 points, respectively.
Georgetown squeezed out a 42-34 victory over Cedar Park in the first meeting at Eagle Gym on Jan. 3, but the Lady Eagles deflated the possibility of any drama on Friday by breaking out of a 3-3 tie with a run of 18 consecurive points that gave them a 21-3 lead with 7:06 remaining the second quarter. The Lady Timbers only points in the first 10 minutes and 44 seconds came on a 3-pointer by Cami Rettinger in the game’s second minute.
The lead bounced up to 37-9 at halftime as the Lady Eagles drained six of their 10 successful 3-point attempts in the first 16 mintes — three by senior Taylor Elliott and one each by junior Josie Weirich, senior Brooke Elliott and junior Maddie Vickers.
Cedar Park never got closer than 21 points in the second half at 39-18. Georgetown’s largest lead was 30 points at 54-24 with 4:37 to go on a 3-pointer by B. Elliott.
Ironically, the game seemed to be a reversal of roles for the Lady Eagles and Lady Timerwolves, who have paid their dues over the long haul with the three-pointer. However, this time GHS made 10 of 14 and Cedar Park put down just a pair from beyond the arc (the early shot by Rettinger and one by Pujita Shukla that monetarily cut the GHS lead to 21).
The 10 3-pointers in a game surpassed the Lady Eagles’ season best of seven and tied for fourth on the all-time GHS listing. The school record is 19 in a 2003 game with Odessa in the Jack Frost Tournament. For the record, T. Elliott finished with 4, B. Elliott with three, Weirich with two and Vickers with one.
“I’m really excited about the way we played,” coach Rhonda Farney said of a victory that improved GHS’ season record to 23-7. “It was nice to see the kids regroup after the disappointment on Tuesday (a 56-44 loss to Rouse). We came out with passion and really shot the ball well.”
The victory over the Lady Timbers marked the ninth time in 15 district games that the Lady Eagles held their opponent to less than 30 points and the eight time the 19-5A opponents’ leading score has been limited to single digits.
Taylor and Brooke Elliott lead GHS scoring with 14 and 12 points, respectively, as the Lady Eagles shot 61 percent (19 of 31). Dee Day and Weirich each added eight points. Georgetown also took a 29-14 edge on the boards (eight by B. Elliott and six by Day) and made 15 steals (four by freshman guard Emery Herman).
Cedar Park hit just 11 of its 36 shots with Nicole Leff being the top scorer with eight points.
In closing out the regular season against Cedar Creek, GHS will be facing a team they bested 77-29 in the first round on the road.
Playing in a district with East View, Bastrop, Cedar Creek, Elgin, Hutto, Pflugerville Connally and Manor in 2013 and 2014, GHS posted 28-0 mark en route to back-to-back championships in Region III-5A, including the state title run in 2013.
With Georgetown having locked up the title and top playoff seeding in 19-5A, the district still boasts plenty of drama. Rouse and Cedar Park appeared headed for a tie for second and the same applies to East View (8-7) and Bastrop (9-7) in a probable deadlock for the fourth-and- final playoff berth. East View can tie the Lady Bears, who have the final night bye, Tuesday with a win at Elgin (1-13).
In the duel for second seeding, Rouse closes Tuesday at Hutto (4-11) and Cedar Park goes to Connally (4-11).
In 20-5A action, Waller pulled the upset of the season in Region III-5A this past Friday by beating No. 3 Tomball Memorial (12-1), which already had the district title wrapped up. Tomball (10-3) currently is setting in second, but could fall into a tie with Magnolia for the runner-up spot if it loses to Memorial and Magnolia beats Brenham. Tomball and Magnolia split one-point decisions in district.
College Station (11-1) has clinched the title and has the final playing-date bye in 18-5A. Rudder (9-2) appears headed for second with a game against College Station A&M Consolidated (2-9). Third-place Temple (8-3) faces fourth-place Bryan (6-5). The Tem-Cats are comning off a 23-point trouncing by College Station.
Lindale and Ennis, both 8-1, appear headed for a title tie in 17-5A. Nacogdoches (5-4) is a solid third and Corsicana and Jacksonville are in the running for fourth at 3-6. Corsicana appears to have the eassiest shot for fourth, playing Whitehouse (0-9). Lindale closes with Nacogdoches and Ennis with Jacksonville.
On the sub-varsity level, the GHS JV broke out of a 22-22 tie with 5:21 to go in the third quarter and then took control of the game by scoring 18 of the next 23 points en route to a 47-35 victory over Cedar Park and the 19-5A junior varsity championship. The Lady Eagles finished the district race with a 14-0 mark. Tuesday’s varsity opponent Cedar Creek did not field a complete JV this season. Sophomore Shelby Jones paced Georgetown against Cedar Park with 11 points. Ali Isbell added eight and Samari O’Brien and Gracie Speer had seven each.
The GHS Freshman Blue suffered its first defeat in 15 district games and only its second of the season (21-2) as it dropped a 38-34 decision to Cedar Park, which also stands 14-1 in 19-5A. The Lady Eagles and Lady Timberwolves appear headed for a co-championship if they both win on Tuesday. McCall Hampton and Keiana San Miguel led Georgetown with 10 and nine points, respectively.
DISTRICT 19-5A GIRLS BASKETBALL
Standings — xy-Georgetown, 14-1; x-Cedar Park, 12-3; x- Rouse, 12-3; Bastrop, 9-7; East View, 8-7; Hutto, 4-11; Pflugerville Connally, 4-11; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 4-11; Elgin, 1-14.
Friday’s results — Georgetown 57, Cedar Park 28; Bastrop 57, Elgin 43; East View 58, Hutto 43; Rouse 47, Connally 20. Bye — Cedar Creek.
Tuesday’sgames — Cedar Creek at Georgetown, 7 p.m.; East View at Elgin, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Connally, 7 p.m.; Rouse at Hutto, 7 p.m. Bye — Bastrop.
(End of regular season)
X–clinched playoff berth. y — clinched district championship.
OTHER KEY REGION III-5A DISTRICTS
(Districts 19-5A could face in early rounds of the playoffs)
17-5A — x-Ennis, 8-1; x- Lindale, 8-1; x-Nacogdoches, 5-4; Jacksonville, 3-6; Corsicana, 3-6; Whitehouse, 0-9. Friday’s results: Ennis 63, Nacogdoches 45; Lindale 64. Whitehouse 34; Corsicana 41, Jacksonville 40. Tuesday’s top matchups — Nacogdoches at Lindale, Ennis at Jacksonville, Corsicana at Whitehouse (all three games have playoff implications).
18-5A — xy-College Station, 11-1; x-Bryan Rudder. 9-2x-Temple, 8-3; x- x-Bryan, 6-5; Waco, 2-9; A&M Consolidate, 2-9; Waco University, 1-10. Tuesday’s results — College Station 61, Temple 38; Rudder 62; University 51; , Bryan 59, Waco 58. Bye — A&M Consolidated. Tuesday’s’s top matchups — Bryan at Temple, A&M Consolidated at Rudder (Rudder and Temple still battling for second place).
20-5A — xy-Tomball Memorial, 12-1; x-Tomball, 10-3; x-Magnolia, 9-4; x-Waller, 8-5; Brenham, 5-8; Huntsville, 4-9; Magnolia West, 3-10; Willis, 1-12. Friday’s‘s results — Waller 44, Memorial 41;, Magnolia 45, Willis 31; Tomball 34, Magnolia West 24; Huntsville 59, Brenham 41. Tuesday’s top matchups — Tomball at Memorial, Brenham at Magnolia, Waller at Willis.
x–clinched playoff berth. y — clinched district championship.
FRIDAY’S DISTRICT 19-5A GAMES
At Cedar Park
Varsitry
GEORGETOWN 57, CEDAR PAR 28
GHS (57) — Brooke Elliott 3-4 2-2 11, Josie Weirich 3-5 0-0 8, Taylor Elliott 4-4 0-0 12, Jaelyn Knight 1-2 0-0 2, Maddie Vickers 2-3 1-2 6, Emery Herman 2-4 1-2 5, Dee Day 2-6 4-5 8, Emily Jones 2-3 1-2 5. Totals: 19-31 9-13 57.
CEDAR PARK (28) — Hanna Wheeler 0-4 0-0 0, Aubrey McCarty 0-1 0-0 0, Pujita Shulka 2-4 0-0 5, Cami Rettinger 1-6 2-2 5, Chika Onyia 3-6 0-1 6, Kilee West 0-3 0-0 0, Gabrielle Nichols 1-1 0-0 2, Callie Copeland 0-3 0-0 0, Nicole Leff 3-6 2-2 8, Shannon Hazard 1-2 0-4 2. Totals: 11-36 4-9 28.
Halftime: GHS, 33-9. 3-point shooting: GHS 10-14 (B. Elliott 3-4, Weirich 2-4, T. Elliott 4-4, Vickers 1-2); CP 2-14 (Wheeler 0-1. McCarty 0-1, Shukla 1-2, Rettinger 1-5, West 0-2, Copeland 0-2, Hazard 0-1). Rebounds: GHS 29 (B. Elliott 8, Day 6, Vickers 4); CP 14 (Hazard 4, Onyia 4). Assists: GHS 19 (B. Elliott 6, T. Elliott 3), Weirich 2, Herman 2, Day 2, Jones 2). Steals: GHS GHS 15 (Herman 4, Vickers 3, B. Elliott 3). Blocks: GHS 0, CP 1 (Leff). Turnovers: GHS 6; CP 20. Total fouls: GHS 11, CP 9. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: GHS, coach Farney (5:31, fourth. Records: Georgetown, 14-1 (clinched 19-5A championship), 23-7; Cedar Park, 12-3 in 19-5A, 25-10.
Sub-Varsity
(GHS scoring only)
GHS JV 47, CEDAR PARK JV 35 — Gracie Speer 7, Morgan Bruning 0, Ali Isbell 8, Samari O’Brien 7, Hailey Wickline 0, Shelby Jones 11, Miranda Gil 4, Emili Harris 4, Jade Smith 6. Halftime: GHS, 18-17. GHS record: 14-0 in 19-5A (clinched championship, Cedar Park second at 12-2), 19-3.
CEDAR PARK FRESHMAN 38, GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 34 — Hailey Hanson 2, Hailey Smith 0, Maya Perry 4, Kylie Ellsworth 4, Kylee Sander 0, Mercedes Robledo 0, Keiana San Miguel 9, Hampton 10, MacKenzy Mouton 5. Halftime: CP, 24-19. GHS record: 14-1 in 19-5A, 21-2 (GHS and CP are both 14-1 with one game to play).