Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Mena Squad Defeats Wolverettes In Finals Of 7AAA District

Beating one team twice in a row is tough, beating the same team three times is even tougher.

Prescott's Wolverettes had beaten Mena's Lady Bearcats twice during the regular season. They won at Mena by three and at Prescott by two.

When these two teams met in the finals of the 7AAA district tourney Saturday night at Bismarck, everyone expected another close game, and it was exactly as anticipated, with one exception the outcome.

The Wolverettes lost 55-54 in a heartbreaker.

Early foul trouble took Prescott out of its pressing defense and allowed the Lady 'Cats to build and maintain the lead for most of the game.

The game opened with Mena getting the tip, Jeania Haynie being called for a foul and the Lady 'Cats taking a 3-0 lead.

However, the foul was committed before the shot, with the officials allowing the play to continue and giving Mena a free throw instead of the ball being brought in from out of bounds.

Mena utilized a smothering defense to shut down Andrea Cossey, who ended the game with 12 points, but only managed two field goals.

Throughout the game Cossey had two or three Lady 'Cats in her face when she touched the ball.

Traci Graham, who finished with a game-high 34 points, took up the slack, but was unable to carry the entire load alone.

The Wolverettes, after falling behind 5-0 early, scored with 6:20 left after Cossey tipped the ball to Graham, who raced downcourt for the layup.

With 5:55 showing Jennifer Ingram was called for a foul and Mena went to the line. Both free throws were missed, but the Lady 'Cats managed to pull down the board and score for a 7-2 lead.

The Wolverettes responded with Cossey nailing a seven-footer for her first bucket of the came.

This cut the lead to 7-4, with Mena to go on an 8-4 run for the remainder of the period.

Fouls piled up early as the officials called a tight game, not letting the girls get into their regular rhythm.

The first quarter ended with Mena in the bonus and leading 15-8.

Prescott's Ingram was in trouble with three fouls in the opening eight minutes.

The Wolverettes got the ball to start the second quarter, and were called for traveling right off the bat.

Once again Prescott was called for a foul, sending the Lady 'Cats to the line where one of two was hit to make it 16-8.

Fans were kept busy screaming for their team as the action was wild on the court.

The game could be compared to a championship fight where two heavyweights tried to pound each other into the ground.

Prescott fought back, cutting Mena's lead to 17-13 with 5:53 left in the half and 17-16 when Graham nailed a three with 5:21 showing.

The two teams were in each others collective faces, hands slapping at the ball, shots being blocked (primarily by Cossey) and fouls being called relentlessly.

Graham gave Prescott its first lead, 18-17, with 3:05 left, only to see Mena fight back and go up 19-18.

Haynie pulled down a rebound, put it back and gave the Wolverettes a 20-19 lead with about two minutes left.

This was the last scoring Prescott would do in the half, while Mena added seven to its total.

Halftime arrived with the Lady 'Cats up 26-20, mostly on the strength of late free throws.

With 0:05 left in the half, though, Cossey dished the ball behind her back to Graham, who scored. At this point the score was 25-20 and could have been 25-22.

However, Cossey was called for pushing, the bucket was wiped out and Mena was again at the line.

When the Wolverettes came out of the locker to start the third quarter, there was fire in their eyes.

Unfortunately, the frame got off to a bad start as Haynie missed her shot, the ball bounced off Cossey to a Mena player, who managed to score.

Graham responded by driving the baseline, dropping the ball through the hoop and getting fouled. Her three points cut the lead to 28-23.

Shortly thereafter Graham hit another bucket to make it 28-25.

The game was tied at 29-29 when Haynie stole the ball, got it to Graham, who again scored.

Defensive intensity was evident as Prescott forced a 10-second violation by Mena, not allowing the ball to cross midcourt in the allotted time.

The Wolverettes clawed their way to a 34-29 lead with 5:03 showing, but were outscored 12-6 for the remainder of the period.

The Lady 'Cats, to combat the press, began spreading the floor, making it harder for Prescott to maintain its pressure defense.

Period three ended with Mena up 41-39.

With the title and a No. 1 seed in the regional tournament on the line, the Wolverettes reached deep in the final eight minutes.

The fourth quarter opened with Prescott showing five fouls and Mena with two.

Cossey got the Wolverettes within one at 41-40 by hitting one of two free throws at the start of the period.

From there it was back and forth as neither could pull away from the other.

After tying the game at 44-44, Prescott saw Mena go up 48-44 and Donisha Williamson foul out.

The lead was extended to six as the Lady 'Cats scored to make it 50-44 with 3:42 left.

From there, the Wolverettes outscored Mena 10-5, as Graham provided most of the offense.

Prescott cut the lead to 52-51 with 1:28 showing as Cossey was fouled in the act of shooting a three. This gave her three free throws, with all finding the bottom of the net.

The Lady 'Cats tried to run the clock, but Haynie committed her fourth foul with 0:52 left putting Mena at the line.

The free throws were missed with Cossey pulling down the rebound.

Haynie was fouled with 0:41 left and at the line for two. The Lady 'Cats tried to ice her by calling a pair of time outs. Haynie missed the first, but nailed the second to tie the game.

Mena was stripped with 0:36 left, with Graham scoring again to give Prescott a 54-52 lead.

On the ensuing play, Mena managed to fire a long three, which found the bucket and put them ahead 55-54.

There were thirteen seconds remaining in the game.

The ball was inbounded, fired to Graham who raced downcourt, veered to her right and drove for the basket.

She went up, fired the ball and was knocked down. The shot missed and no foul was called as time expired.

"There was no call at the end of the game," Coach Bill Cossey said. "We did what we wanted, just didn't get the call.

"We knew it would be a good, tough game. The only thing that upsets me is let the kids win or lose, and not have the referees or spectators involved."

Prescott was 11 of 19 at the line during the game, while Mena hit 18 of 31 free throw attempts.

Kahl and Cunningham led Mena with 14 each, while Turbyville scored 11.

Graham led all scorers with 34, while Cossey added 12.

"I feel like Rodney Dangerfield," Cossey said, "we can't get any respect and I don't know why."

Prescott is now 26-3. The Wolverettes will tangle with Drew Central at 4 p.m. Thursday in the regional tournament at Fordyce.

In order to make it to the state tourney again, they have to win at least one game in the regionals.

Once again, the 7AAA will play teams from the 8AAA in regional action. "With the regional at Fordyce," Cossey said, "it's more of an advantage for them than us. It's closer for them."

Next year, Fordyce will be a member of the 8AAA as Ashdown joins the ranks of the 7AAA.

PRESCOTT 61

BISMARCK 48

Prescott earned a trip to the finals by hammering Bismark 61-48 in their semifinal game.

The Wolverettes jumped out to an 18-9 lead at the end of one and were up 29-20 at the half.

Both teams played even in the third quarter, scoring 15 apiece, to make it 44-35 heading in to the final eight minutes.

Cossey was deadly beyond the arc as she hit six three-pointers and led all scorers with 26 points.

Graham followed with 15.

Dyer led Bismarck with 20.

The Wolverettes were 16 of 26 at the line, while the Lady Lions hit five of 10 free throws.