Through two quarters of Saturday’s Class 3 state quarterfinal against California, the Lady Hornets of Penney High School remained right in the game with the Lady Pintos, looking to spring a second upset of a state-ranked team in as many weeks.
However, California’s tandem of Elizabeth Lutz and Brittney Ellington proved to be too tough for the Hamilton girls to handle, with Lutz scoring 30 points and Ellington adding 24, sending California to the “Show-Me Showdown” in Springfield this weekend, ending the season of the District 16 champion Lady Hornets. McKauley Prothero led Penney with 14 points in a game that saw California outscore Penney 38-17 in a decisive second-half rout, handing Hamilton its eighth loss of the season (3 to Trenton, 2 to Mid-Buchanan, and one each to California, Lafayette, and Savannah).
California will play Clark County in the Class 3 semifinals on Friday afternoon at 4:30. Clark County (Kahoka, MO) is 28-1 after edging Lutheran South on Saturday, 50-48.
Van-Far, the team that ended Milan’s season on Saturday afternoon in the Class 2 boy’s state semifinals, will play Mid-Buchanan (Faucett, MO) on Thursday night at 8:30, after the Dragons edged Sedalia Sacred Heart in Saturday’s quarterfinal game at Liberty North High School, 48-46.
Grand River Conference member North Andrew (Rosendale, MO), undefeated in 28 games this season, faces Walnut Grove on Friday night at 8:10 in the boys Class 1 state semifinals. North Andrew rallied for a dramatic 67-61 win over Worth County on Friday night at the St. Joseph Civic Arena. Walnut Grove, on Saturday, beat Lakeland 87-66.
In Class 1 boys, Slater lost to Chamois at Salisbury High School, 51-48. Chamois will play Eminence in the state semifinals on Friday night at 6:20. Eminence, losers in only one game this season, beat Advance in the quarterfinals, 78-62.
The Maryville boys lost to Hogan Prep in Saturday’s Class 3 quarterfinals at Lee’s Summit High School. Hogan Prep will take on Transportation & Law (St. Louis) on Friday night at 8:10 in the semifinals. Transportation & Law defeated Christian High School (O’Fallon, MO) in the quarterfinals, 53-33.
The Mid-Buchanan Lady Dragons will join the boys squad from the Faucett-based school district in the “Show-Me Showdown”, after Mid-Buchanan walloped Tipton on Saturday afternoon at Liberty North, 70-37. Mid-Buchanan will face Northeast (Cairo, MO) on Thursday night at 5:10 in Springfield, after the Lady Bearcats won in Moberly over New Haven, 38-36.
At Salisbury High School, the Norborne Lady Pirates dream of a Final Four appearance disappeared against Glasgow, with the Lady Yellowjackets claiming a 60-41 win. Glasgow will play Bradleyville in the state semifinals, Friday morning at 11 o’clock.
The other semifinal for Class 1 girls involves Mound City versus Wheatland. Mound City beat Worth County on Friday night at the St. Joseph Civic Arena, 50-24.
The state semifinals and finals will be played at the Hammons Student Center and JQH Arena on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (March 8th through 10th).
