1A GIRLS: Lund girls win 15th straight, advance to 1A Southern Region title game

After falling one game short of making state the last two seasons, the top-seeded Lund girls basketball team had a case of the nerves to start Friday’s semifinal game of the Class 1A Southern Region tournament at Durango.

But in the second quarter, the Mustangs settled down, turned up the defensive pressure and won their 15th straight game, defeating Beatty 58-44.

Lund advances to face Pahranagat Valley in the championship game at noon Saturday at Desert Oasis.
Both teams have clinched a berth in the state tournament.

Lund senior Keisha Stewart, who led the Mustangs with 20 points and 10 rebounds, said the thought of not making state for the third state year affected her team.

“I think the first quarter we were kind of nervous, because the last two years we have lost this game to go to state,” Stewart said. “Then we just kind of got our nerves out and played our game.”

After Beatty took a 12-10 lead early in the second quarter, Lund seized control with a 12-2 run. Stewart scored seven points during the outburst, including a 3-pointer that put Lund in front 22-14 with 2:55 left in the first half.

Beatty cut the lead to 27-23 early in the third quarter before the Mustangs scored 11 straight points to take a 38-23 lead. Katie Whipple scored the last seven points of the run on her way to finishing with 18 points.

Autumn Spicer scored 11 to lead Beatty, which lost 65-38 at Lund in January. While the Hornets gave the Mustangs problems early, they could not overcome Lund’s pressure defense.

“When we played them at home, the game was nothing like this, so we weren’t expecting what they brought out,” Stewart said. “But we just picked it up and decided to get into our game.

“We try to get rebounds and steals and pick up our defensive pressure. That’s what we did.
“Now after two years of not going to state, it’s very exciting.”

Pahranagat Valley 39, Round Mountain 23 — At Durango, Mary Higbee had 12 points as the Panthers downed the Knights to move into the 1A title game.

Halie Lewis added 11 points for Pahranagat Valley, which outscored Round Mountain 12-4 in the fourth quarter to pull away.

Kattrena Akers had eight points to lead Round Mountain.