It’s nice to be a halfway home after a fairly comfortable beginning, but the concluding distance can be somewhat worrisome when at least six potential roadblocks stand in the way of a successful trek.
In our case, let’s plug the following information into the previously described adventure:
The subject: The Georgetown Lady Eagles.
The desired destination: One of the four berths from District 19-5A in the 128-team UIL Class 5A state girls basketball playoffs.
The completed first half of the trip: A third-place 6-2 record, two games behind front-running Cedar Park (8-0) and one game arears of second-place Rouse. They were two games ahead of Pflugerville Connally and Bastrop. Covention wisdom tells us that a 4-4 second-half record will carry our travelers into the promised land.
The upcoming second half of the trip: Eight games with at least six opponents that appear to have the talent to upend the proverbial apple cart. The schedule-maker did not construct a comfortable path for the the Lady Eagles. They must play five of those games in hostile territory — Connally, Hutto, Bastrop, Rouse and Bastrop Cedar Creek. Three games will be at home — Elgin, cross-toll road rival East View and Cedar Park.
On the surface, a 4-4 record does not appear to be a momentous challenge in its final eight games, but one must consider the location of those final eight games, the potential strength of at least six of the opponents, their desire to sully Georgetown, the Lady Eagles’ inconsistant play, at times, and the opponents’ ultimate goals.
When the inconsistancies of the Lady Eagles are mentioned, we’re talking about the tendencies to fall into a deep hole early, or build a big lead and have to battle in the second half to retain the advantage. Also, free-throw shooting, passed up open scoring opportunities and usual high-percentage shots (layups) that don’t go down with some regularity are questions for a group that started the year with NO returning starters.
Asked about where the Lady Eagles stood after the first round of play, coach Rhonda Farney said that her team was in a good position coming out of the first eight games, but faced a major fight in the seond half. She also pointed to East View, a 2-6 campaigner, in the first half as a key player in the second round.
That point of view already came into play Tuesday on the opening night of the second half as the Patriots placed an early dent in Bastrop’s hopes with a 37-29 victory in the East View Gym. The Patriots’ first-round losses came by a combined 6.8-point average, including a one-point overtime loss to GHS, a three-point loss to Rouse and a two-point loss to Connally. Surprisingly, their largest margin of defeat was to 13 points to struggling Elgin.
Tuesday’s loss to East View dropped Bastrop into fifth place at 4-5.
However, with just three wins to date, the Patriots probably would need to win at least six of their final seven games to have a decent shot at making the playoffs.
“They are a team to watch,” Farney said. “They were ahead in most of the games they played (in the first round).”
Both Cedar Park (9-0) and Rouse(8-1) opened the second half with one-sided victories over Hutto and Cedar Creek, respectively.
Georgetown, which had the opening-night bye in 19-5A, will return to action a 7 p.m. Friday at Connally, currently in fourth at 5-4 after beginning the second half with a 55-31 road win over Cedar Creek. The Lady Eagles won the first-half meeting, 51-41.
In additional to gaining another “W”, a victory in Friday’s matchup would open the second half on a positive for the Lady Eagles and would give them a sweep of the season series and the head-to-head tie-breaker if they were to deadlock the Cougars in the final standings.
Georgetown’s schedule is backloaded with East View, Rouse and Cedar Park in order on the Lady Eagles’ fifth, sixth and seventh playing dates. They weill close at Cedar Creek.
After Connally, GHS will go to Hutto on Tuesday, which always is a tough place for the Lady Eagles to play reguardless of the Lady Hippos’ record, before returning hope on Friday, Jan. 19, to face Elgin and host a ceremony honoring Georgetown’s 2003 state 5A finalists. The will follow that contest against Bastrop, which should be at full strength.
Hutto dropped a 36-27 decision to Georgetown in the first half and Bastrop fell, 68-8, with three starters on the shelf with the flu. The Lady Eagles beat Elgin, 65-17, in the first half on the road.
Two key games that also could play key roles in the final 19-5A standings will send Cedar Park to Rouse on Tuesday, Jan. 23, and Bastrop to Connally on Friday, Jan. 26.
Farney had been starting a lineup of 5-foot point guard Josie Weirich, 5-6 sophomore guard Kylie Ellsworth,5-7 senior guard Maddie Vickers, junior 5-11 junior forward Jaelyn Knight and 6-0 junior post Jade Smith with5-7 junior guard Ali Isbell and 5-10 forward McCall Hampton the initial players off the bench. The other two players on the varsity roster5-7 junior Samri O’brien and 6-0 sophomore post Mackenzy Mouton seeing increased action of late. Emili Harris, a 5-11 senior post, has been sidelined so far this season with a leg injury.
Knight has been the team’s leading scorer in 12 of its first 24 games, while Hampton is the leading rebounder. However, Ellsworth and Hampton share the team’s highest single-game scoring total with 21 points each. Ellsworth collected her 21 in the first meeting with Connally and Hampton scored her dozen plus nine against Baton Rouge Scotlandville Magnet in the recent Albany (La.) Invitational Tournament. Hampton has pulled down 12 rebounds in a game three times.
With the varsity having the bye in district play, the GHS JV and Freshman Blue posted victories over first-year Pflugerville Weiss on Tuesday night. Mouton, playing with the JV, scored 12 points to pace a 54-29 victory and Graci Harris scored 16 as the Blue stopped Weiss, 35-25. Both sub-varsity teams are 19-2 on the season.
DISTRICT 19-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
(Through games of Jan. 9)
Standings: Cedar Park, 9-0; Rouse, 8-1; Georgetown, 6-2; Pflugerville Connally, 5-4; Bastrop, 4-5; East View, 3-6; Hutto, 2-7; Elgin, 2-7; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-8.
Tuesday’s results — Cedar Park 64, Hutto 44; Rouse 52, Elgin 28; East View 37, Bastrop 29; Connally 55, Cedar Creek 31. Bye: Georgetown.
Friday’s games — Georgetown at Connally, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Elgin, 7 p.m., Rouse at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Hutto, 7 p.m. Bye: East View.
Tuesday’s games — Georgetown at Hutto, 7 p.m.; Rouse at East View, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Elgin, 7 p.m. Bye: Connally.
PRIMARY PLAYOFF CONTENDERS
First Half
CEDAR PARK (8-0)
Wins: Hutto (a), 56-43; Elgin (h), 58-24; Bastrop (h), 53-38; East View (a), 46-35; Rouse (h), 51-44; Cedar Creek (a), 75-34; Georgetown (h), 52-42; Connally (a), 55-31.
Losses: none.
ROUSE (7-1)
Wins: Elgin (a), 65-48; Bastrop (h), 67-38); East View (h), 42-39; Cedar Creek (h), 69-27; Georgetown (a), 45-41; Connally (h), 64-44; Hutto (a), 55-39.
Losses: Cedar Park (a), 51-44.
GEORGETOWN (6-2)
Wins: Connally (h), 51-41; Hutto (h), 36-27; Elgin (a), 65-17; Bastrop (h), 68-8; East View (a), 44-43; Cedar Creek (h), 56-36.
Losses: Rouse (h), 45-41; Cedar Park (a), 52-42.
BASTROP (4-4)
Wins: East View (h), 61-50; Connally (a), 64-57; Hutto (h), 50-42; Elgin (a), 57-42.
Losses: Rouse (a), 67-38; Cedar Park (a), 53-38; Cedar Creek (h), 58-56; Georgetown (a), 68-8.
CONNALLY (4-4)
Wins: Cedar Creek (h), 56-39; Hutto (a), 52-50; Elgin (h), 68-41; East View (h), 61-59.
Losses: Georgetown (a), 51-41; Bastrop (a), 64-57; Rouse (a), 64-44; Cedar Park (h), 55-31.
EAST VIEW (2-6)
Wins: Cedar Creek (a), 57-29; Hutto (h), 46-38.
Losses: Bastrop (a), 61-50; Rouse (a), 42-39; Cedar Park (h), 46-35; Georgetown (h), 44-43; Connally (a), 61-59; Elgin (a), 45-32.
Second Half
CEDAR PARK (1-0)
Schedule: Hutto (h), 64-44; at Elgin, at Bastrop, East View, at Rouse, Cedar Creek, at Georgetown, Connally.
ROUSE (1-0)
Schedule: Elgin (h), 55-31; , at Bastrop, at East View, Cedar Park, at Cedar Creek, Georgetown, at Connally, Hutto.
GEORGETOWN (0-0)*
Schedule: Connally (a), Hutto (a), Elgin (h), Bastrop (a), East View (h), Rouse (a), Cedar Park (h), Cedar Creek (a).
* — had opening round bye.
BASTROP (0-1)
Schedule: East View (a), 29-37; Rouse, Cedar Park, at Cedar Creek, Georgetown, at Connally, Hutto, at Elgin.
CONNALLY (1-0)
Schedule: Cedar Creek (a), 55-31, Georgetown, Hutto, at Elgin, Bastrop, at East View, Rouse, at Cedar Park.
EAST VIEW (1-0)
Schedule: Bastrop (h), 37-29; Rouse, at Cedar Park; Cedar Creek, at Georgetown, Connally, at Hutto, Elgin.
TUESDAY’S SUB-VARSITY GAMES
GHS JV 54, PFLUGERVILLE WEISS JV 29 — Kylee Sander 2, Hailey Hanson 7, Hailey Smith 9, Maya Perry 5, Mercedes Robledo 7, Kieana San Miguel 6, Aicia King 6, Mackenzy Mouton 12. Halftime: GHS, 30-9. GHS Record: 19-2.
GHS FRESHMEN BLUE 35, PFLUGERVILLE WEISS FRESHMEN 25 — Graci Harris 16, Skylar Neugent 8, Lauren Woodard 5, Grace Kearney 2, Megan Herring 2, Cheyenne Garcia 2. Halftime: GHS, 19-14. GHS record: 19-2.
EAST VIEW FRESHMAN B vs. GHS FRESHMAN WHITE, not played.
Sub-varsity source: Lady Eagles Basketball.
— By GALEN WELLNICKI