The Lone Star girls basketball team won the District 5 Tournament title, last weekend, and now is two wins away from advancing to the Class 1A Great 8.
The Longhorns, 16-5, are the fourth seed in Region 2, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Brush High School. They are in Bracket 3, and will take on ninth-seed Elbert, 13-7, at 10 a.m. Friday. The winner advances to the Region 2 Bracket 3 championship against third-seed Merino, 15-7, 10 a.m. Saturday.
Lone Star has advanced to the regional final each of the past two seasons, and held halftime leads both years, only to see their state dreams dashed in the second half.
The Longhorns swept through the District 5 field, last week.
They opened February 22 with a 45-33 home win over Genoa-Hugo/Karval. Alivia Weathers had 18 points, six rebounds and four steals, Alison Davis nine points and six rebounds, Lamya Kuntz six points and eight rebounds, Hailey Forry five points and two steals, Amanda Kubitz three points and two steals, and Aleighcea Kuntz two points and four steals. Ana Lockard added one rebound.
Lone Star played Hi-Plains in the district semifinal, last Friday in Brush. The Longhorns ran out to an early lead and never looked back in a 58-19 win. Aleighcea Kuntz had 22 points and five rebounds, Weathers 13 points and four assists, Kubitz 10 points and five rebounds, L. Kuntz five points, four rebounds and four assists, Lockard four points and three rebounds, and Davis three points and two rebounds.
They were back in Brush on Saturday to play Idalia in the championship game. The Longhorns trailed 19-16 after the first quarter, but outscored the Wolves 13-5 in the second for a 29-24 halftime lead. They continued to build on their lead in the second half. Davis had 23 points and 16 rebounds, Weathers 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, L. Kuntz 10 points and three assists, Forry nine points, Kubitz three points and two rebounds, and Lockard two points. Al. Kuntz had four rebounds.
Otis boys just miss
The Otis High School boys basketball team nearly got itself to regional.
The Bulldogs came up just a bit short, finishing fourth in the Class 1A District 5 Tournament, finishing 2021-22 with a 10-12 record.
Otis opened tourney play last Wednesday night, avenging an earlier loss to Arickaree/Woodlin with a 43-34 win. Jack Willeke had 16 points and 16 rebounds, Carter Wells 14 points and four rebounds, Sawyer Packer eight points and seven rebounds, Erick Thorn three points and seven rebounds, and Charlie Kendrick two points, five rebounds and six assists. Taylor Ringlein added three rebounds.
The Bulldogs went up against top-seed Genoa-Hugo/Karval in the semifinals, Friday night at Brush High School. They gave it a great battle, leading by eight points with 1 minute, 10 seconds left, but came up just short in a 70-66 loss. Willeke had 28 points and 16 rebounds, Wells 18 points, five rebounds and three assists, Thorn 10 points, five rebounds, and eight assists, Packer four points and five rebounds, Kendrick three points, four rebounds, and six assists,, and Ringlein three points and three rebounds.
Otis still had a chance to qualify for regional by winning the third-place game, Saturday against Stratton. The Bulldogs led 16-12 after the first quarter, but were outscored 20-4 in the second, and 13-4 in the fourth on their way to a season-ending 65-45 loss. Kendrick had 15 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, Willeke eight points and five rebounds, Wells seven points and three rebounds, Packer seven points and nine rebounds, Thorn six points and four rebounds, and Ringlein two points and three rebounds.