Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Mabank’s Honey Aldridge (right) goes up for a jump ball to start the third overtime against Kennedale Feb. 21.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Bailey Litchfield of Mabank takes her turn cutting down the net with help from Mabank High School Principal Michael Rowland.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Mabank’s Jayda Searcy goes to the floor in the corner of the court to scrap with Kennedale players for a loose ball.

MESQUITE–The Mabank Lady Panthers clinched the Class 4A Division I Region II Championship Feb. 21 at Mesquite Horn High School over the Kennedale Lady Kats, winning 54-51 in three overtimes. It is the first Regional Championship (and is the first State Semifinal berth) for the Lady Panthers program since the 1986-87 season, when Mabank was Class 3A.
The win over Kennedale set up a Feb. 25 State Semifinal match with Decatur, played after this issue’s press time at Mansfield Timberview High School. With a victory over Decatur (who was 34-2 entering the game), Mabank (31-6 after the win over Kennedale) would advance to the Feb. 28 Class 4A Division I State Championship game at San Antonio’s Alamodome against La Vega or Fredericksburg, with tipoff at 7 p.m. For results of the Mabank-Decatur State Semifinal, check The Monitor’s Facebook page.
After falling behind to Kennedale at halftime by 16-11 (and early in the second half by 18-11), Mabank’s Bailey Litchfield hit a 3-pointer to get her team within 18-14. After two Kennedale free throws, Lady Panther Kalli Smith made another 3-pointer to get her team within 20-15. Then, Jayda Searcy drove to the hoop for a bucket, Honey Aldridge made a hoop in the lane and Searcy swished a 3-pointer, all of which gave Mabank a 22-20 lead with 1:51 left in the third period.
After a Kennedale 3-point play to put the Lady Kats back up 23-22, a Searcy free throw tied the game at 23-23. A Kennedale steal and bucket with 15 seconds left in the third period had the Lady Kats ahead 25-23, which they extended to 27-23 early in the fourth period.
The tight game continued with Mabank down 2 points as time wound down on regulation, when Litchfield was fouled with 23.5 seconds left in the fourth and the Lady Panthers down 38-36. Litchfield sank both free throws to tie the contest at 38-38, eventually sending the game to its first overtime.
During that first overtime, Smith drove the baseline for a hoop with 41 seconds left to tie the game at 45-45, then Aldridge blocked a Kennedale shot in the lane that would’ve put the Lady Kats in front. Instead, the contest continued.
In the second overtime, Searcy’s left-handed basket put Mabank ahead 49-48 with 1:18 remaining, then Kennedale made a single free throw with 33.3 seconds left to tie the game once more and send it to a third overtime.
During that third extra period, Aldridge’s offensive rebound and bucket had the Lady Panthers ahead 51-49. Kennedale followed with two free throws to knot the game again, but two separate Aldridge free throws had the Lady Panthers back in front, 53-51, with 1:58 on the clock. Searcy’s free throw with 2.8 seconds left in the third overtime extended that to 54-51, the prevailing score.