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Sports

Survive, advance: Lady Wolves claim Bi-District championship

Kammi Maddox hits shot with 2 seconds left for win

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

The Dalhart Lady Wolves played what ESPN would call an “instant classic” against the Littlefield Lady Cats in the Bi-District round of the playoffs at Canyon High School on Monday February 10, with Kammi Maddox hitting a jumper from about 18 feet away with two seconds remaining to complete a second half comeback for the win.

The first quarter went back-and-forth, with the Lady Wolves ultimately taking the lead by the end of the period. Littlefield was unable to stop Maddox in the paint in the first, and she led the team with 10 points during the period. Arianna Chacon added two points, and Dalhart led 12-11 when the buzzer ended the first quarter.

Littlefield used hot outside shooting to take the lead in the second quarter, hitting three three-pointers as they scored 19 points during the stanza. Maddox nailed a three and led Dalhart again, this time with six points. Joie Read scored five points, and Emily Gaines added two points. At halftime the score was 30-25 in favor of Littlefield.

The Lady Wolves closed the gap to a single point by the end of the third quarter, outscoring Littlefield 7-3 as they clamped down on defense. Maddox scored three points in the third to lead Dalhart. Read added two points, and Evelyn Quiroz and Gaines each hit a free throw in the third. Littlefield’s lead was 33-32 as the third period came to a close.

The teams exchanged possession of the ball multiple times in the first minute of the fourth quarter, including two tied balls. Gaines drained a threepointer with just a little over six minutes remaining to give Dalhart a 35-33 lead. Read stole the ball on Littlefield’s next possession, but was called for an offensive foul as she tried to drive for the layup, and after a timeout Littlefield tied the game at 35-35.

The Lady Cats scored again fairly quickly to take a 37-35 lead with five minutes in the game. Gaines was fouled after rebounding the ball and attempting a layup, and hit both free throws to tie the game again at 37-37 with four minutes in the game, but Littlefield took back the lead at 39-37 about 20 seconds later.

 score on its next possession, but Read knocked the ball away from a Littlefield dribbler to Gaines, and Gaines then fed the ball back to Read on the fast break for a layup to tie the game again at 39-39.

 Littlefield scored off of a steal to take a 41-39 lead, but the Lady Wolves came right back down the court and Gaines hit her second three-pointer of the period to give Dalhart a 42-41 lead with just over a minute to play. After a timeout, Littlefield scored with 54 seconds left to take a 43-42 lead. The Lady Wolves fouled to stop the clock over the next 30 seconds or so, with Gaines ultimately fouling out.

 After getting to four team fouls, Chacon and Maddox were able to tie the ball up instead of putting Littlefield on the free throw line, and the possession arrow gave Dalhart the ball with 18 seconds left. Maddox threw the ball in to Quiroz, and it went from Quiroz to Teresa McDaniel in the corner to Read to Maddox in the lane, whose shot was partially blocked. Chacon, McDaniel and Maddox all fought for the rebound with a Littlefield player, and the ball came loose with Maddox grabbing it, dribbling to just in front of the three-point line, and then draining an 18- foot jump shot with two seconds on the clock as Littlefield called timeout. Chacon intercepted the inbounds pass after the timeout to end the game, with the Lady Wolves winning a nailbiter 44-43 as the team and crowd celebrated.

 Maddox scored 21 points to lead the team, with the final two being the most important. Gaines scored 11 points, with eight coming in the final period, and Read added nine points.

 The Lady Wolves were scheduled to play Denver City in the Area/ Regional Quarterfinals last night in Dimmitt. The winner will play the winner between Clyde and Early either Monday February 17 or Tuesday February 18 in the Regional Semifinals.

Wolves beat Tulia to finish regular season

Dalhart starts playoffs against Shallowater

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

The Dalhart Golden Wolves played their final regular game of the season at home on Tuesday February 11, taking on the Tulia Hornets. The Hornets put up a tough fight for much of the game, but the Wolves ultimately pulled away for the win to claim second place in District 1-3A.

Dalhart took the lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Hornets by four points during the period. Maddix Blanco and Hunter Trusler each hit a three-pointer during the first. Talon Garcia, Cash Schniederjan and Kyler Read each added two points, and Anthony Rodriguez hit a free throw. Dalhart held a 13-9 lead as the first period came to a close.

The Hornets outscored the Wolves 19- 14 during the second quarter to take a lead into halftime. Garcia led Dalhart with six points in the second. Trusler scored four points, and Read and Schniederjan each added two points. At halftime the score was 28-27 in favor of Tulia.

The Wolves came out after halftime to blow the game open in the third quarter. Garcia scored six points again to lead the team during the stanza. Read had five points, Coltin Carnesecca nailed a three-pointer, Bryden Lemer, Trusler and Schniederjan each added two points, and Zach Drew hit a free throw. Dalhart outscored Tulia 21-4 during the third, and the Wolves led 49-32 as the period ended.

Tulia closed the gap a little during the fourth quarter, but was unable to come all the way back. Garcia, Trusler, Lemer, Drew, Read and Blanco scored two points apiece during the final period as the Wolves spread the ball around. Tulia scored 17 points while Dalhart had 12 during the fourth, and the Wolves won the game by a final of 61-49. Garcia led the team with 16 points, and Trusler and Read each had 11 points. Nine Dalhart players scored during the game.

In other district games, Bushland beat Childress 67- 46 and River Road surprised Canadian 50-45. Bushland finished the season 8-2 and won the district championship, and will be the first seed in Division I. Dalhart is 7-3 and in second place, and will be the second seed in Division I. Childress is 5-5, Canadian is 4-6, and Tulia and River Road both finish 3-7. Childress will be the first seed in Division II and Canadian will be the second seed in Division II.

Dalhart will play Shallowater in the Bi-District round of the playoffs on Monday February 17 at Randall High School in Amarillo, with the game starting at 6 p.m.