Entering the game, both St. Paul High School and Argonia were undefeated. Leaving the game, Argonia would be the only one to stay perfect.
“We worked hard all year and all we wanted was to make it to state,” Argonia’s Tracy Morgan said. “To stay undefeated is awesome.”
Argonia, the No.-2 ranked team by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, walked off the court 27-0 with the 47-30 victory in the Class 1A state semifinals on Thursday.
The Raiders will play undefeated and No.-1 ranked South Gray in the state championship game today at 5:30 p.m.
“We have been rated one and two all season and we wanted an opportunity to get to this game,” Argonia head coach Dixie Brewster said. “(Our girls) will rise to the occasion, I know.”
The Raiders had a balanced attack offensively as three players scored in double digits. Allison Brewster and Davi Peetoom both had 11, and Ashton Stansbury put up 10.
The two teams would be tied at half time, but it was Argonia who came through in the second half.
St. Paul had trouble finding offense in the second half as Argonia outscored them 30-13.
“Our girls were focused defensively,” Brewster said. “They know what it takes to win the game.”
Argonia forced 20 turnovers in the game and stole the ball 11 times.
St. Paul’s Morgan Westhoff, who had stitches above her left eye from a cut she suffered the night before, led the Indians with a game-high13 points. She scored 10 of the Indians’ 17 first half points.
“She came out like a fighter,” St. Paul head coach Doug Tuck said. “She got after it.”
Walking out of the locker room at halftime tied at 17, Argonia started the second half on a 5-0 run to go up 22-17.
Trailing 24-19, Westhoff nailed a trey to put the score at 24-22.
St. Paul could not tie the score as Argonia went on another 5-0 run.
The Indians’ Allison O’Brien would put an end to the scoring streak, making a basket while being fouled, then going to the line where she converted the 3-point play to place the score at 29-25.
Brewster made the first two baskets of the fourth quarter. After her first made field goal, teammate Brooke Boatright intercepted a St. John pass and dished the ball to Brewster who made the bucket to go up 33-28.
Argonia would not let up, starting the fourth on a 12-0 run.
O’Brien again would be the one to end the streak, grabbing her own rebound and getting the putback to fall to place the score at 45-30.
By that time, it was too late and Argonia would go on to win.
Check back with the Wellington News for the latest development's in Argonia's fight for the state title.
