Abilene Cooper   Ballinger   Killeen Tournament   Odessa High  Odessa Permian  Midland Greenwood Tournament
   Midland Lee  Lubbock Coronado  Midland Greenwood  Amarillo High  Lubbock High  Copperas Cove Tournament
Amarillo Tascosa  Midland High  Lubbock Monterey  Odessa High  Lubbock High  Midland Lee  Lubbock Coronado
                             Odessa Permian  Amarillo High  Midland High  *Amarillo Tascosa  Lubbock Monterey

 

CHS seniors say goodbye to home court in loss

Saturday marked the last home game for three Central girls basketball players.

That's the bad news.

The good news for the Lady Cats is that means eight players (including four starters) will be back next year.

It was in that bittersweet mix of goodbyes and future promise that the Central girls lost to Amarillo Tascosa 56-36.

The three seniors were Rachel Robinson, Caitlin Hodges and Nailah Jernigan, who was unable to play because of an injury.

"It means a lot that they have stayed with us," said Central head coach Jan Wakefield, who is also losing senior student manager Jill Cummings. "They've been the heart and soul of our team all season long, and they'll leave big shoes to fill."

"It's kind of sad, but it really hasn't hit me yet," said Robinson, who along with Chelsea Howard led the team in scoring with eight points each. "I'm sure it will later when we're not playing anymore. I just tried my hardest."

Tascosa (21-9, 13-4) made sure that senior trio couldn't celebrate one final win in the Lady Cats' gym.

The Lady Rebels broke open a game that was close early by going on an 11-0 run late in the first quarter and early in the second to open up a 22-7 lead. They never looked back, as Tascosa officially clinched a playoff berth with the win.

"They were so fast and athletic," Wakefield said of the Lady Rebels.

Tascosa was led by 12-point performance by Shaniqua Samuels.

Even in defeat, there was plenty for Wakefield to be excited about, especially the way her team bounced back from Tuesday's 18-point performance.

"We showed a lot more heart and fight. We were scrappy," Wakefield said. "We had too many turnovers again, but it was from trying to do the right things."

While Saturday's game was the home finale for the Lady Cats (14-18, 7-10), the Central girls have one more game this season when they play at Lubbock Monterey on Tuesday.

"It will be a challenge playing the twin towers again," Wakefield said, referring to Monterey's pair of 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-4 sisters. "We're going to go in and throw everything at them and have some fun."

"We just want to go there and play the best basketball we've played all season," Hodges said.

Amarillo Tascosa girls 56, Central 36