Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolverettes Finish 3rd In Regional Action

Two business-like games sandwiched a defensive letdown by the Prescott Wolverettes.

This kept them from repeating as regional champs as they traveled to Fordyce last week for the Class AA Regional Tournament.

The Wolverettes opened play by whipping the Dermott Lady Rams 66-37. They closed play in the tourney with a 54-37 hammering of Bismarck.

However, the middle game was the one which hurt the most as they fell to the Lady Bulldogs of Star City 69-65 Friday night in the semi- final game.

Regardless, the Wolverettes will make the trip to Clarksville for the state tournament. Prescott had Hoxie's Lady Mustangs as its first round opponent Tuesday afternoon.

PRESCOTT 66

DERMOTT 37

The Wolverettes played a well-balanced game as they feasted on roasted goat meat with a 66-37 win.

The Lady Rams never knew what hit them as they trailed 12-2 at the end of one and were own 29-13 at the break.

The Wolverettes didn't ease up any in the third frame as they pushed the score to 49-24.

Coach Cecily Butler cleared the bench to get all of her team some valuable post-season playing time in the contest.

The Wolverettes were led by the duo of Stacy Stockton and Laura Culpepper, each scoring 13. Leslie Hines was next with 10, including a three-pointer.

Gladies Gulley cleaned the glass seven times in the outing as well. Culpepper had six boards, five steals and four assists.

Nelson paced Dermott with 12.

The Wolverettes did well at the charity stripe, connecting on 12 of 16 attempts. The Lady Rams were nine of 20 at the line.

PRESCOTT 65

STAR CITY 69

While the Wolverettes despise losing, this game could be pivotal as they enter play in the state tourney.

This was the first game of the year where, Butler said, the defense didn't live up to its reputation. The Lady 'Dogs were able to post up for rebounds against the Wolverettes, something other teams have been unable to do all year.

The Wolverettes started the contest in their usual workmanlike fashion, but found scoring to be a problem early.

In fact, after the Lady 'Dogs won the toss, Prescott was able to score the first two points of the game.

From that point, Star City's offense took over and the Lady Dogs went on a 10-0 run.

The Wolverettes had problems with Star City's 3-2 zone, and getting position for rebounds.

But the Prescott crew fought back and trailed 12-8 with :51 left in the first. The period ended with Star City leading 12-10.

From start to finish, the game was brutally physical, with the officials letting the girls play. However, this rough-and-tumble style proved controversial late in the contest.

No matter how hard Prescott battled, Star City was able to stay just ahead. The Wolverettes fought to within 22-20, but saw the Lady 'Dogs go up 28-20.

However, Prescott scored the final seven points in the first half to go to the lockers trailing 28-27.

At the start of the third, Prescott's offense was slightly out of kilter. Still, the Wolverettes made use of hard work and solid play to stay close.

With time running out in the third, Culpepper did something she rarely does. She stepped outside the arc and busted a trey to cut the score to 49-47.

In spite of this, the Wolverettes found themselves down by eight with 4:10 remaining as the Lady 'Dogs led 61-53.

Butler's Brawlers, though, have never given up on any game this season, no matter what the score.

Trailing 65-58 with 1:29 to go in the game, the Wolverettes began what looked like one of their patented comebacks.

They hustled, fought, dove for every loose ball and refused to roll over and die.

Late in the game, Culpepper dove for a steal, inadvertently knocking down one of the Star City players. The Lady 'Dog involved, belted Culpepper in the eye, but the official made no call.

He later said he had turned his head and didn't see the infraction.

Had the call been made, the player would have been assessed a technical foul and ejected. Prescott would have gotten two free throws and the ball back. This could have turned the game in Prescott's favor, but it just didn't happen.

Down the stretch, the Wolverettes were unable to hit the shots they needed, but Star City couldn't buy a free throw.

Following the game, while the Wolverettes were on the bus waiting to go home, players from the Star City team started mouthing off in an apparent effort to get a fight underway.

However, the Wolverettes showed their poise and refused to be baited.

Gulley led the Wolverette offense with 18 points. Culpepper followed with 17, while Stockton added 10.

S. Wainwright paced Star City with 21. B. Wilkerson had 20 and N. Maddox scored 12.

Jessica Hildebrand had five assists in the game, while Stockton recorded two steals.

From the free throw line, the Wolverettes were 10 of 12, while the Lady 'Dogs were a pathetic eight of 25.

PRESCOTT 54

BISMARCK 37

There was little the Lady Lions could do except survive the wrath of Prescott's Wolverettes in the consolation round played Saturday.

Butler's Brawlers were filled with bloodlust after falling in the semi-final round and not getting the chance to repeat as regional champs.

Bismarck was in the wrong place at the wrong time, after losing to Drew Central earlier Friday evening.

Prescott's crew was fired up in the first, outscoring the Lady Lions 22-6, and continued pounding away in the second. At the half, the Wolverettes led 35-15 and showed no signs of feeling merciful.

While Saturday's tornado didn't hit Bismarck, the Wolverettes did enough damage to make up for it. By the time the buzzer sounded ending the third frame, Prescott was up 49-27.

Culpepper and Gulley were the leading scorers for Prescott with 14 apiece, while Stockton ripped the cords for 10.

Jessica Wooten was the leading scorer for Bismarck with 12.

The only negative for the Wolverettes was their free throws. Prescott was only six of 12 at the line. Bismarck, on the other hand, had free throws as a highlight. The Lady Lions hit seven of nine.

Now, the Wolverettes will be the third seed team from the 7AA. They opened play in the state tourney Tuesday at 1 p.m. against the Hoxie Lady Mustangs of the 3AA North.

Depending on the outcome of this game, the Wolverettes either stay home or play again Thursday in the second round of the tilt at 7 o'clock.

A win Thursday puts them in the semi-finals at 7 p.m. Saturday. Should the Wolverettes win Saturday in the semis, their next date would be on March 15 in the Pine Bluff Convention Center, where they will play for the Class AA State Championship.

The title game is set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 15. This is the ultimate goal for the Prescott Wolverettes.