Saturday was a time to crown District 25-5A champions before an ample and energetic pandemic crowd at Eagle Gym. The visiting Cedar Park Lady Timberwolves completed their perfect 14-0 run through the varsity division with a 39-20 win over the Georgetown Lady Eagles in a battle between the state’s top-ranked 5A team and the fifth-ranked hosts. On the junior varsity level, things were reversed as the young Lady Eagles downed the Lady Timberwolves, 44-31, to claim that title with a 12-0 mark and one game remaining in the regular season. Despite the second loss of the season to Cedar Park, coach Rhonda Farney’s Lady Eagles will advance to the 5A playoffs for the 31st-consecutive season as the 25-5A runners-up and the eight-team alignment’s second set in the 128-team pre-season derby. Georgetown’s 20-4 record also gives it 32 consecutive 20-win seasons.
While Cedar Park, which won 10 district games on the court and four on forfeits, concluded their regular season, Georgetown still has two 25-5A contests remaining — both on the road. The Lady Eagles are scheduled to face Leander at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Leander Rouse at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The identities of GHS and CP’s bi-district opponents in the playoffs are still in doubt. The Lady Eagles will face the third-place team from 26-5A and the Lady Timberwolves will face the fourth-place finisher. At the current time it appears that San Antonio Veterans Memorial (10-4) and Kerrville Tivy (9-4) are battling for the third- and fourth-place spots behind New Braunfels Canyon (13-2) and Boerne Champion (12-2), A key clash Tuesday will send Tivy, believed by some to be the district’s best team at the present time, against Champion. Saturday’s varsity battle between Georgetown and Cedar Park was much different than the first contest at the Timberdome in early January. The Timbers claimed that victory by 38 points (63-25). The second game was by far the closest 25-5A game played by Cedar Park. The closest previous game was a 28-point win against Leander Glenn. It also was the first time in the district the Lady Timberwolves were held to fewer than 52 points.
“Everybody had their share of mistakes,” Farney said. “We made strides and the outcome wasn’t near as bad as the first meeting. It was great to hold a team like that under 40 points. Our shot selection was better, but the shots didn’t go down (eight of 41 attempts, 19 percent). I love the energy we played with. It’s time to go get better for the playoffs.” Cedar Park coach Donny Ott said that Georgetown “gave us the hardest game we’ve had in a long time.” He also said that he had seen all the contenders in 26-5A and that the Lady Eagles should do well in the playoffs. While Georgetown was having trouble getting the ball to go down, the Lady Timberwolves hit 15 of 42 for 35 percent. Cedar Park took a slim 26-23 edge on the boards and made three fewer turnovers than GHS, 13-17. Georgetown’s 6-foot-4 junior Niah Williams had nine rebounds and three blocks. Offensively, Cedar Park received 30 of its 39 points from two players — 6-2 junior Shelby Hayes scored 16 points and 5-10 senior Alisa Knight added 14. Senior guard Jordyn Stout led GHS scoring with six points on a pair of 3-point shots. Standout sophomore Gisell Maui had an off night, making just one of a dozen shots. Georgetown fell behind early at 13-1 before Stout made her first 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining in the first quarter, which ended 13-4. The Lady Timberwolves advanced the lead out to 24-11 and then followed the lead of Hayes to go up by 17 after three periods. CP completed the victory by outscoring the Lady Eagles, 7-5, in the fourth quarter.
The GHS JV used a 12-4 edge in the second quarter to go up by 10, 24-14, at the half. The Lady Eagles increased the lead to 11 in the third quarter. The Lady Eagles completed the win with a 10-8 edge in the final period. Jane Butler with a trio of 3-pointers led GHS with 11 points and Avery Lopez add nine points. Coach Corey Cunningham’s JV will take a 24-0 season record into Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. season finale. “I’m so proud of our JV and the job done by coaches Cunningham and (Tosha) Doherty,” Farney said. “I thought all our kids stepped up to the situation.” Players on the championship team are Natalie Rivera, Erica Ramthun, Brooke White, Avery Lopez, Taylor Meyners, Ainsley Pelczar, Madelyne Furr, Amiya Gonzales, Jane Butler, and Abby Brent. Wednesday’s program at Leander is scheduled to include a freshman game at 5:15 p.m. with the GHS Freshman Blue hoping to conclude its schedule with a perfect district mark.
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SATURDAY’S VARSITY GAME
At Eagle Gym
CEDAR PARK 39, GEORGETOWN 20
CP (39) — Molly Ly 2-4 0-0 4, Sarai Estupinan 0-3 0-0 0, Elaine King 0-1 0-2 0, Gisella Maui 2-12 0-0 4, Megan Woods 1-2 0-0 3, Alisa Knight 3-8 4-6 13, Rece Merrill 0-0 0-0 0, Shelby Hayes 7-11 1-2 16, Angie Sacco 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 15-42 (35 percent) 5-10 (50 percent) 39.
GHS (20) — Ella Vickers 0-0 0-0 0, Niah Williams 1-5 1-2 3, Jacqui Spencer 1-8 0-0 2, Sam Folsom 0-0 0-0 0, Morgan Larson 0-0 0-0 0, Graci Harris 2-13 0-0 5, Megan Herring 2-3 0-0 4, Jordyn Stout 2-6 0-2 6, Lauren Woodard 0-3 0-0 0, Sheila Lee 0-3 0-0. Totals: 8-41 (19 percent) 1-2 (50 percent) 20.
Halftime: CP, 24-11. 3-point shooting: CP, 4-13 (Ly 0-1, Estupinan 0-1, Maui 0 4, Woods 1-2, Knight 2-3, Hayes 1-2); GHS, 3-14 (Spencer 0-3, Harris 1-5, Stout 2-6). Assists: GHS, 4 (Harris 2, Woodard 1, Spencer 1). Rebounds: GP, 26, 10 offensive (Hayes 5, Knight 4, Estupinan 4); GHS, 23, 6 offensive (Williams 9, Larson 3, Herring 3, Spencer 2, Stout 2, Lee 2). Blocks: CP, 1 (Estupinan 1); GHS, 4 (Williams 3, Harris 1). Steals: CP, 10 (Knight 4, Maui 3); GHS, 6 (Larson 2). Turnovers: CP, 14; GHS, 17. Total fouls: CP, 11; GHS, 10. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Records: CP, 14-0 in 25-5A, 20-1 season; GHS, 10-2 in 25-5A, 20-4 season. Note: Records include 25-5A forfeits.
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SATURDAY’S SUB-VARSITY GAME
At Eagle Gym
(GHS scoring only)
Junior Varsity
GEORGETOWN 44, CEDAR PARK 31
GHS (44) — Natalie Rivera 0 0-0 0, Erica Ramthun 1 2-4 5, Brooke White 1 0-0 3, Avery Lopez 3 3-5 9, Taylor Meyners 3 1-1 7, Madelyne Furr 3 0-0 6, 4 0-4 11, Abby Brent 0 0-0 0, Caroline Rutledge 1 0-0 3. Totals: 16 6-14 44. Halftime: GHS, 24-14. 3-point baskets made (6): Butler 3, Ramthun 1, White 1, Rutledge 1. GHS record: 12-0 in 25-5A, 24-0 season.
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DISTRICT 25-5A AT A GLANCE
(Schedules subject to change)
STANDINGS DO NOT INCLUDE ALL FORFEITS
Standings — c-Cedar Park, 14-0; r-Georgetown, 10-2; Leander Glenn, 6-4; East View, 5-6; Leander Rouse, 4-6; Liberty Hill, 4-8; Marble Falls, 2-9; Leander, 1-9.
c– Clinched championship and top playoff seeding (completed regular season).
r — Clinched second place and No. 2 playoff seeding.
REVISED 25-5A SCHEDULE
Thursday — Georgetown at Liberty Hill, LH forfeited to GHS, Covid-19.
Friday — East View 54, Marble Falls, 50.
Saturday — Cedar Park 39, Georgetown, 20.
Wednesday (Feb. 3) — Georgetown at Leander, 8 p.m
Thursday (Feb. 4) — Georgetown at Rouse, 6:30 p.m.; Leander at Liberty Hill, 6:30 p.m.
Friday (Feb. 5) — Marble Falls at Rouse, 7 p.m.; Glenn at Leander, 8 p.m.
Saturday (Feb. 6) — East View at Rouse, 6 p.m.; Marble Falls at Glenn, 2 p.m.
Monday (Feb. 8) — Rouse at Marble Falls, 6:30 p.m.; Liberty Hill at Glenn, 8 p.m.; Leander at East View, 8 p.m.
Tuesday (Feb. 9) — District play-in game (if needed).
Thursday (Feb. 11) — Bi-district playoffs begin and can continue through Saturday).
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DISTRICT 26-5A STANDINGS
(Based on San Antonio Express-News, Max Preps reports)
(25-5A plays 26-5A in bi-district).
New Braunfels Canyon, 13-2; Boerne Champion, 12-2, San Antonio Veterans Memorial, 10-4; Kerrville Tivy, 9-4; Dripping Springs, 4-6; Seguin, 2-8; Buda Johnson, 1-5; Kyle Lehman, 1-9; Alamo Heights, 0-14.
Friday’s results — Kerrville Tivy 34, New Braunfels Canyon 25; Boerne Champion 65, Seguin 40; Dripping Springs 41, Kyle Lehman 32, San Antonio Veterans Memorial 54, Alamo Heights 31; Buda Johnson, bye.
Tuesday’s games — Kerrville Tivy at Boerne Champion, 6:45 p.m.; Buda Johnson at New Braunfels Canyon, 6:45 p.m.; Seguin at Dripping Springs, 6:30 p.m.; Kyle Lehman at Alamo Heights, 6:30 p.m; San Antonio Veterans Memorial, bye.
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UPCOMING LADY EAGLES SCHEDULES
(Subject to change)
VARSITY
Wednesday (Feb. 3) — at Leander, 8 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 4) — at Rouse, 6:30 p.m. (End of the regular season).
JUNIOR VARSITY
Wednesday (Feb. 3) — at Leander, 6:30 p.m. (End of the regular season).
FRESHMAN BLUE
Wednesday (Feb. 3) — at Leander, 5:15 p.m. (End of the regular season).
FRESHMAN WHITE
Season completed.