The Wellston Lady Tigers blew the doors off Wetumka in the second quarter Saturday and put an exclamation mark on their first district championship in the Chad Hutchison era.
After a tight first period, the WLTs went on a 26-6 run in the second quarter and won, 71-39. The victory moved them into the winners’ bracket of the regional tournament, where they will face Rattan at 6 p.m. Thursday at Indianola.
“This came from a lot of hard work,” Hutchison after the game. “We were just talking in the locker room about how this has been a lot of nights and days that were put into this from last summer until now.
“And you can go further back than that because we have three seniors that are three-year starters. And we have a wealth of young kids who all contribute.”
The Lady Tigers were 12-14 in Hutchison’s first year and 16-12 last season, and fell in the district finals both seasons.
This season, they bolted out of the gate, winning their first 21 games.They’re ranked No. 9 in the state and still haven’t hit their ceiling, Hutchison said.
“It’s as high as they want to take it,” Hutchison said. “We’re still pretty green tonight’s games, there were some rough spots.
“So I don’t think we’ve seen our best basketball yet. When we do, it’s going to be really exciting.”
Savanah Gaylord and Josie Murray led Wellston with a dozen points each and Natasha Ballew added 11.
The WLTs were one of four district champions in our area.
Dale’s boys and girls both went over the century mark in their district finals against Mounds, the girls winning, 101-16, and the boys, 105-23.
They will host their own regional beginning Thursday. The girls face Pawnee at 6 p.m. and the boys play at 7:30 p.m.
In Class B, Carney beat Geary, 76-54, in the district finals.
They will face Dover at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Dover.
Playoff Results Class 2A Girls
Dale 101, Mounds 16 Cashion 61, Stroud 24 Pawnee 48, Meeker 44 (OT)
Boys
Dale 105, Mounds 23 Cashion 66, Stroud 49 Pawnee 62, Meeker 55
Class A Girls
Wellston 71, Wetumka 39 Quenton 57, Davenport 20
Boys
Wetumka 50, Wellston 49 Quenton 55, Davenport 52
Class B Girls
Lomega 91, Agra 14 Lookeba-Sickles 76, Carney 11
Boys
Lomega 70, Agra 16 Carney 76, Gracemont 18 Carney 76, Geary 54
This week’s schedule Class 4A Girls
Byng at McLoud, 6p.m. Saturday Seminole at North Rock Creek, 6 p.m. Saturday
Boys
Byng at McLoud, 7:30 p.m. Saturday Seminole at North Rock Creek, 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Class 3A Girls
Beggs at Chandler, 6 p.m. Friday Jones at Prague, 6 p.m. Friday
Boys
Beggs at Chandler, 7:30 p.m. Friday Jones at Prague, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Class 2A Girls
Pawnee at Dale, 6 p.m.Thursday Meeker vs. Mounds at Dale, 1p.m. Thursday Luther at Stroud, 1 p.m. Thursday
Boys
Pawnee at Dale, 7:30 p.m. Thursday Meeker vs. Mounds, 2:30 p.m. Thursday Luther at Stroud, 2:30 p.m. Thursday
Class A Girls
Wellston vs. Rattan at Indianola, 6 p.m. Thursday.
Davenport vs. Regent Prep at Mvskoke Dome, Okmulgee
Boys Class B
Boys Carney at Dover, 7:30 p.m. Thursday