Strong starts can be pivotal in the playoffs, and no team is more prepared for a big game then tradition-rich Nazareth.
The perennial power Swiftettes showed no signs of nerves as they used a 13-2 on the way to taking down Texline 59-49 on Thursday night to win a second straight Region I-1A Division II championship.
Nazareth (29-6), has now one 10 straight postseason games dating back to last year, is now one win away from defending its state championship when they take on the Gordon-Jayton winner in the state semifinals next week.
Nazareth coach Eric Schilling, who has led the Swiftettes to eight state championships, talked about the importance of that strong start.
“Getting out to a fast start was huge,” Schilling said. “It calms you down a little bit because they are such a good defensive team. We hit some big shots early on and that’s been the case with this team all season”.
A packed house Thursday night saw both teams go back and forth for four quarters but the first five minutes of the contest was the difference maker.
Jolee Pigg knocked down two shots from behind the arc and Kate Brockman was opportunistic inside with four points as the Swiftettes raced out to that 13-2 lead.
Taylor Mann finally found life for the Lady Tornadoes as she took a steal coast to coast for a layup and foul shot after being hacked to cut the lead to 13-5. Nazareth answered right back with a 5-0 run before Texline cut the lead to nine at the end of the quarter thanks to another basket from Mann on a missed shot.
Size was a difference maker for the Swiftettes in the first half as they outrebounded the Lady Tornadoes 17-2.
Lexy Ramaekers was a key cog down low registering six of her 10 rebounds in the first half as Nazareth dominated Texline on the boards pulling down 28 rebounds to only six for the Lady Tornadoes. The senior paired with the only other senior on the roster, Madison Brockman, who grabbed six boards and had a team high six assists.
“The leadership those two provide us can allow us to go a long ways” Schilling said. “They are going to do everything they need to and more and they keep everyone else composed”.
Texline cut into the lead as Jada Clay scored seven of her team high thirteen in the second quarter to pull within seven at half, 29-22.
With a strong second quarter, the Lady Tornadoes were poised to make a run at Nazareth as Alexandra Montes made two free throws to get Texline as close as they had been since the outset, down 29-24.
It’s at that point the defending state champions righted the ship and showed their playoff mettle. Kate Brockman and Kambri Cleavenger fueled a 15-0 run with eleven combined points to build a 44-27 lead at the end of three.
That run was pivotal as the Lady Tornadoes got hot in the fourth. Prezlee Potter poured in her only eight points of the game in that quarter as Texline nailed six three-pointers to cut the final score to ten.
Kate Brockman led the Swiftettes with 17 points while Cleavinger finished with 16.
Texline finished its impressive season with a 23-12 record and a second straight trip to the regional championship.