When an Edna turnover started a 5-0 run by Industrial, the Cobras seemed to have grabbed the momentum during the third quarter of Friday night’s District 25-3A showdown. But Edna sophomore reserve Skye Delgado splashed a three-pointer to turn a vulnerable 39-38 Cowgirl lead into a fourpoint margin, and the team responded with an 11-0 run to keep Industrial at bay and secure a 53-44 win in front of a loud, full gym.
Edna senior Shanti Guerra scored 18 points, senior Bella Plotini had 16, and junior Keira Santellano added 13 to lead the Cowgirls in scoring. Industrial senior Deziree Evans scored 18 points to lead the Cobras and sophomore Karli Stanush added 11.
As well as the starters played for each team, contributions off the bench provided the critical spark that Edna needed to gain the upper hand in an evenly matched, tightly contested game, Coach Dustin Durham said.
“I knew they were good,” Durham said. “I knew they were going to scrap and play hard. But I thought we had some good minutes off the bench, some girls that came in and made a huge difference, more so than just scoring points.
“Skye Delgado, she came in and hit a big three. She did an excellent job of getting steals when we needed them. I think, ultimately, that’s probably what made the big difference there.”
Throughout the first half and much of the third quarter, neither team could establish much offensive rhythm or separation in a hard-fought, physical defensive battle.
Edna edged a four-point lead into six, 39-33, when Plotini hit a jumper from the elbow with 4:45 to play in the third quarter. But a turnover led to a bucket by Stanush, then a putback by Evans under the basket, followed by a free throw from Stanush, and suddenly the Cowgirls’ lead was down to one point with 3:16 left in the quarter.
The teams traded turnovers and misses until Delgado buried her three-pointer with 1:45 left to bump the Edna lead to 42-38. Delgado followed that with a steal and outlet pass to Plotini for a layup, and Guerra scored in traffic under the basket to give Edna a 46-38 lead to start the fourth quarter.
A Plotini rebound and putback basket and a Santellano steal and layup widened the gap to 50-38 before Industrial scored again on a basket from Kyler Caskey to end the scoring drought.
But by then, the damage was done.
“It was a dogfight the whole way,” Industrial Coach Kathy Anderson said Sunday. “I think we were a little shell-shocked in the beginning. If some of our shots would have fallen, the outcome might have been different. Edna and Industrial are always going to play each other tough, and Friday night was no different!”
Durham felt like his team also needed to settle its nerves.
“That was two good teams going at it,” Durham said.
The teams meet again on Feb. 4 at Industrial in the final game of district play.
Edna Cowgirls
The Cowgirls beat Yoakum, 63-29, Tuesday in District 25-3A action as Guerra and Santellana combined for 37 points.
Edna built a 21-11 first-quarter lead and blew the game open in the second quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 12-2 to hold a 3313 halftime lead. The Cowgirls’ defense continued to stifle the Yoakum offense, holding the Bulldogs to single-digit scoring in the third and fourth quarters to seal the win.
Guerra led the Cowgirls with 22 points, Santellana had 15, and Plotini added eight.
Industrial Cobras
The Cobras picked up a 50-35 home win Tuesday over Hallettsville.
Anderson said her team played tough all four quarters against the Lady Brahmas and improved its free throw shooting.
Evans led the Cobras with 19 points, Stanush had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Cecilia Jalufka added five rebounds.
Ganado Maidens
Despite 24 points from senior Zoey Ybarra, the Ganado Maidens lost 7434 to 13th-ranked Flatonia Friday.
Flatonia powered its way to a 27-2 lead by the end of the first quarter, before the Maidens were able to get some shots to fall.
Earlier in the week, the Maidens lost to Shiner, 55-28, in Tuesday’s district play.
Ybarra led the team with 14 points Tuesday, and Anna Thedford and Isabel Tristan added four each.
District 25-3A Standings and Scores (as of Jan. 12)
Tidehaven continued to lead the girls’ district standings at 6-1, followed by Edna at 5-2, Columbus at 4-2, Industrial and Hallettsville at 4-3, Palacios at 3-4, Yoakum at 1-6, and Rice Consolidated at 0-6.
On Tue., Jan. 7, Edna defeated Yoakum, 63-29; Industrial beat Hallettsville, 50-35; and Tidehaven beat Palacios, 43-37. On Fri., Jan. 10, Tidehaven beat Rice Consolidated, 47-3; Columbus beat Yoakum, 61-39; Edna beat Industrial, 53-44; and Hallettsville beat Palacios, 55-39.
This week’s Tuesday games featured Hallettsville (8-14) at Rice Consolidated (1-20); Columbus (15-6) at Edna (20-7); Palacios (13-12) at Industrial (18-11); and Tidehaven (26-1) at Yoakum (8-15). Friday’s games include Industrial at Columbus, Edna at Tidehaven, Yoakum at Hallettsville, and Rice Consolidated at Palacios.
District 28-2A Standings and Scores (as of Jan. 12)
Flatonia led the girls’ standings after the first half of district with a 6-0 record, followed by Shiner at 5-1, Weimar at 4-2, Schulenburg at 3-3, Ganado at 2-4, Bloomington at 1-5, and Louise at 0-6.
On Tue., Jan. 7, Flatonia defeated Weimar, 65-31; Schulenburg beat Bloomington, 68-19; and Shiner beat Ganado, 55-28. On Fri., Jan. 10, Weimar beat Louise, 54-16; Shiner beat Schulenburg, 56-32; and Flatonia beat Ganado, 74-34.
This week’s Tuesday games include Schulenburg (14-9) at Flatonia (19-4), Bloomington (3-19) at Shiner (15-8), and Ganado (6-17) at Louise (4-18). Friday games include Weimar (15-10) at Ganado, Louise at Schulenburg, and Flatonia at Bloomington.
Area Girls in the Top 25 (as of Jan. 12)
TABC Class 3A: Tidehaven (24-1) No. 8; Class 2A: none TGCA Class 3A: Tidehaven (24-1) No. 2; Class 2A: Flatonia (17-4) No. 13 MaxPreps Class 3A: none; Class 2A: Flatonia (18-4) No. 24 TXHSGBB: not updated
