Girls Basketball: Grace Lady Cougars season ends in final four

Published 8:00 pm Thursday, February 23, 2023

The Grace Community Lady Cougars concluded a standout basketball season on Thursday in Waco.

Grace, ranked No. 9, earned its first state tournament appearance in five years, but fell in the TAPPS Class 5A state semifinals to No. 1 Argyle Liberty Christian, 65-23, at University High School.

The Lady Cougars end their season with a record of 31-11. The Lady Warriors (34-6) advance to the state championship game to meet Houston Second Baptist at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Robinson High School. Second Baptist, ranked No. 3, scored a 70-42 win over No. 4 San Antonio Saint Mary’s Hall in the other semifinal contest.

After falling behind 16-5 in the first quarter, the Lady Cougars battled Liberty Christian evenly in the second period as both squads scored 11 points. At halftime, the Lady Warriors led 27-16.

The Argyle team pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Grace 20-3.

Reece Porter, a senior guard, led the Lady Cougars with eight points. She was followed by freshman forward Paige Gilmore with five points.

Others scoring for Grace were sophomore guard Brenna Hill (3), senior guard Abigail Roach (3), sophomore guard Macie Mathis (3) and junior forward Olivia Clark (1).

Hill and Gilmore swished 3-pointers for the Lady Cougars. Grace was 11 of 19 at the free throw line.

Other members of the Grace team are junior guard Kalynn Giffin, sophomore guard Lucy Loftis, senior forward Ashley Brown, junior post Harper Auringer, junior forward Kate Glenney and sophomore post Elizabeth Prosperi.

Sarah Bazzell is the manager, and McKenna Lucas is the trainer.

Devan Loftis is head coach of Grace with assistants Brittany Brunson and Kaylee Loftis.

The Lady Cougars opened the playoffs with a 70-27 win over Fort Worth All Saints and then followed with a 39-37 victory against Austin St. Michael’s to earn the state berth.

The loss snapped Grace’s four-game winning streak.

Senior guard Emma Kay Martin led the Lady Warriors with 28 points with sophomore guard Elizabeth Egger adding 12 points as the squad won its 12th consecutive game.

Others scoring for Liberty Christian were freshman forward Jazzy Powell (9), senior guard Lauren Ullrich (8), senior guard Marisa Martin (3) and senior forward Austen Goodgion (2).

The Lady Warriors hit nine 3-pointers (Egger, 4; E. Martin, 4; M. Martin, 1). Liberty Christian was 9 of 13 at three free throw line.

Also members of the ALC team are junior guard Tally Grissom, freshman guard Madison Saul, junior guard Madison Gee, sophomore guard Charlotte Lilly and freshman guard Mary Jane Searcy.

Ken Burroughs is head coach of the Lady Warriors. Assistants are Kelly Whisenhunt and Jodee Dougherty with manager Chloe Harrison.