Arlington Lamar crashes through playoffs

By Jarret Johnson

jmjohnson@star-telegram.com

There is a lot riding on Arlington Lamar's Class 5A Region I quarterfinal playoff matchup against Amarillo tonight at Burkburnett High School.

The Lady Vikings (24-12) have already matched the program's single-season record for wins (1997, 2011) and deepest postseason jaunt by making it to the regional quarterfinals for the third time in school history (1996, 2003).

Lamar also picked up its first two playoff victories since 2004 after beating San Angelo Central and El Paso Bel Air by a combined 59 points last week.

A win tonight over the Lady Sandies (27-6) would make this season's team the best in the Lady Vikes' 40-year history.

"I'm really excited for the girls, I think it would speak well about their tenure here at Lamar," Lamar coach Errin Levels said. "The opportunity to break the school records means a lot to them and a lot to me as well."

Lamar rolls into tonight's game on a 10-game winning streak behind a balanced attack that is capable of both running the floor with guards Brooke Grant, Hunter Woolridge and Jasmine Dubose or throwing it inside to 6-foot-1 center Janay Keys to get an easy bucket.

Add Elizabeth Spence, who has made 40 3-pointers this season, and the Lady Vikings have a potent offense.

All five players average double digits in scoring.

"That's a whole lot wrapped up into one game," Levels said. "I think the girls are prepared to go out and play and I'm ready to go out and coach so I just hope we give it our best shot."

Revved up rivalry

There is no love lost when Mansfield Summit and Arlington Seguin meet in any sport. Girls basketball is no different.

The schools are separated by less than three miles, so many of the players are neighbors. They are also District 7-4A foes who admittedly pick it up a notch when they face off on the court.

Tonight they fight for their playoff lives in a Class 4A Region I quarterfinals matchup at Mansfield Legacy High School. The winner will move on to the regional tournament in Snyder and hold bragging rights, while the loser will see its season end at the hands of a fierce rival.

Summit (32-3) swept Seguin (26-10) en route to its second straight undefeated District 7-4A season. The Jaguars won at home 43-34 on Dec. 13 and at Seguin 39-33 on Jan. 17.

"The odds aren't always in your favor to beat a team three times in a season but the approach we're taking is that this is the playoffs," Summit coach Tammy Lusinger said. "Whoever loses this goes home, so we're not worried about what happened in district. This is for all the marbles, so we'll see."

Getting it done

Granbury's Lilley VanderZee has been on a roll in the playoffs.

The 6-foot-3 junior center is averaging 28 points, 15 rebounds and 3.5 blocks through two postseason games.

VanderZee had 26 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the Lady Pirates' 52-32 bi-district victory over Waco on Feb. 14.

She followed that up with a 30-point, 15-rebound and four-block performance in a 54-32 win over Western Hills on Friday in the area round.

The Lady Pirates (28-8) face Stephenville (19-16) tonight in a Class 4A Region I quarterfinals clash at Glen Rose High School.

Jarret Johnson, 817-390-7760

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