It took almost three minutes for either team to score in the Missouri Class 5, Sectional 6, Girls' Basketball Championship held on March 10 at McDonald County High School.
But Carl Junction warmed up after its slow start and McDonald County never did, as the Lady Bulldogs went on to claim a 56-34 win to advance to the Class 5 quarterfinals.
When Carl Junction's Destiny Buerge hit a short jumper with just over five minutes left in the first quarter, it began an 18-point period for the Lady Bulldogs.
It was almost halfway through the first quarter before Adasyn Leach hit a free through for McDonald County's first points of the game. The slow start was a sign of things to come for the Lady Mustangs.
McDonald County's only other points of the period came on buckets by Samara Smith and Kristen Penn as Carl Junction built an 18-5 lead after the first period.
The Lady Mustangs were able to score eight points in the second quarter, but Carl Junction totaled 15 for a 33-13 lead at intermission.
Both teams struggled offensively in the third quarter, McDonald County was held to five points in a quarter for the second time in the game as Carl Junction took a 41-18 lead entering the final period.
Carl Junction stretched the margin to 46-22 early in the fourth, but the Lady Mustangs used an 11-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 46-31. Carl Junction closed out the game by outscoring McDonald County, 10-3, down the stretch for a 56-34 win.
"We could not score," said coach Sean Crane. "We don't think we played bad basketball, but we just could not make a basket. We kept searching, but could not get anything to fall. I think we played better than the first two times we played them. They are really good, Usually, their pressure kills us right off the bat and puts us away, but tonight it really didn't. We were down 15 with five or six minutes to go, so it wasn't ridiculous like it has been. We just couldn't score. If the rim had been as big as the gym, I still don't think it would have gone in."
Senior Sydney Killion scored 12 points, eight in the second half, to lead McDonald County in her final game as a Lady Mustang. Penn, McDonald County's only other senior except for the injured Caitlyn Barton, added eight points.
"Our seniors did a great job," Crane said. "Kristen played incredibly well against Monett and Logan-Rogersville to help get us here. Sydney is our rock. She keeps us under control and does a lot of great things. She ended her career at MCHS on a very, very high note. Caitlyn is a great kid for us. She got hurt, so obviously it wasn't the way she wanted to finish. She is an awesome, awesome kid."
Leach finished with five points, followed by Smith with four, Carlee Cooper and Kloe Myers two each and Megan Elwood one to round out the scoring for McDonald County.
Buerge took game honors with 26 points to lead Carl Junction. The total included the sophomore's 1,000th point of her young high school career.
McDonald County closed out its 2020-2021 season with a 12-15 record.
"We made bigger steps this year than we thought we would," Crane said. "We thought we would be able to do some good things, but we progressed quicker than we thought we would. We had some kids who didn't even play tonight who are a huge part of making us better. We just have to keep working and good things will happen. I told the youngsters that it is not necessarily that we are here every year, but always to be in consideration."
