MORAN — Signs of spring: flowers emerging from the ground, birds chirping and Southern Coffey County and Marmaton Valley High battling down to the wire in a tense playoff game.
For the second consecutive year, the two rivals squared off in the Class 1A-II Substate Playoffs.
And for the second consecutive year, Southern Coffey County hit a late basket to sink the hometown Wildcats.
This year’s hero is SCC’s Kyra Ohl, whose baseline shot with seconds remaining gave the Lady Titans a 32-30 victory.
The win propels Southern Coffey County (6-12) to the substate semifinals against top seed and tournament host St. Paul at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The defeat ends Marmaton Valley’s season at 4-12.
The Wildcats knotted the score with under 10 seconds left on a pair of free throws from freshman Janae Granere.
The Lady Titans brought the ball up the length of the court. Ohl, who had missed four straight free throws that would have sealed the win, got free on a screen in the low post.
Marmaton Valley defender Kendall Scharff pressured Ohl as she put up the shot that rimmed in.
A last-gasp effort to inbound the ball for the Wildcats went awry, resulting in a traveling call.
As has become custom in Titan-Wildcat affairs, points were at a premium from the outset.
Marmaton Valley was ahead 5-4 after one period before SCC forged ahead 18-14 at the break. The Lady Titans maintained the slight advantage through the second half, leading to the dramatic finish.
Sophomores Josie Weers and Jalea True led Southern Coffey County with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Granere scored nine to pace Marmaton Valley, which bids adieu to seniors Mykayla Ard and Kaylee Becker. Ard scored eight and Becker five in their high school finales. Aly Ard also scored five.
Southern Coffey County (4-13-7-8—32) (FG/3pt): Snovelle 2-0-4-4, Weers 3/1-2-5-11, Hall 0/1-0-2-3, Ohl 2-0-3-4, Lather 0-0-1-0, True 3-4-2-10. TOTALS: 10/2-6-17-32.
