(Springfield) A heroic run to the state championship game for the West Plains Lady Zizzers didn’t end the way they had hoped. The Whitfield Lady Warriors defeated West Plains 50-34 Saturday in the title game to claim their first state championship.
West Plains trailed 14-12 after the first period. Early in the second, West Plains senior Mackenzie Brunson, playing on an injured right knee, had to leave the game for good after suffering a fall. At that point, the Lady Warriors picked up their game. Leading 30-19 in the last seconds of the first half, West Plains connected on a three-point shot by sophomore Zoey Williams to go in at the half down by 8.
West Plains responded well in the third period, cutting the deficit to 36-33. But the Lady Zizzers would not score another field goal for the rest of the game. Whitfield outscored West Plains 11-1 in the fourth and took the title.
Ashton Judd of West Plains led all scorers with 14 points and completed the double-double with 11 rebounds. Scoring was thin elsewhere as Drew Harris was the second leading scorer with 8.
Turnovers, many unforced, was a big issue as West Plains totaled 17 for the game.
But a trip to the final four was a great experience for a young basketball team like West Plains. There will be a lasting memory of how well the team played through the regular season while raising it up a level in their post season run. And anyone who saw the last two games saw all-stater Mackenzie Brunson display a toughness and will to play the game for her teammates that won’t soon be forgotten.
The record of 28-5 and the run to the championship game will preserve this team’s spot in Lady Zizzer basketball history.
Coach Scott Womack said afterward it was very difficult to get the team’s offense going against Whitfield.
