It’s the final score that counts in sports, and although the Paton-Churdan girls led for the first 28 minutes of their first round Class 1A Region 2 game against CAM in Anita Thursday evening, it was the Cougars who were ahead at the final buzzer. The Rockets closed their season with 51-46 loss to the Cougars and a 14-7 record.
The Rockets and the Cougars had split their regular season games, with each team winning on its home court. CAM won a December meeting 49-43 in Anita and P-C won a January game 43-29 in Churdan.
In the district game, the Rockets built a 10-7 lead in the first quarter. That included two Sydney Koch 3-point shots. Score at the half was 24-17.
The Cougar defense slowed the Rockets’ scoring pace in the third quarter, holding them 10 points while the offense put up 14 points to shrink the Rockets’ lead to three points, 34-31. Two quick baskets for the Cougars in the first minute of the fourth quarter, as the Rockets made one free throw, tied the game at 35 with seven minutes left to play. The score was tied at 37 with six minutes left, and at 39 with five minutes.
With three minutes to play the Rockets held a one point lead, 42-41. In those last important minutes, the Cougars scored a 2-point basket, two 3-point baskets , and two free throws for 10 points. The Rockets were able to muster only one free throw and a 3-point shot for four points for the final score of 51-46 with CAM advancing in the region.
CAM’s Felicity Jackson led all scorers with 23 points, including nine for nine shooting from the free throw line.
Carleigh Paup led the Rockets with 21 points including one 3-point shot. Kasey Lane scored 12 points, Koch finished with seven points, Gracie Geisler scored four points and Reilly Niles scored two.
