Cowgirls make another regional quarterfinal trip




McMullen County’s Caina Sneed in the area playoff against Prairie Lea on Feb. 14. TOM FIRME | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

McMullen County’s Caina Sneed in the area playoff against Prairie Lea on Feb. 14. TOM FIRME | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

McMullen County’s girls basketball team returned to the regional quarterfinal. There, the fifthranked Cowgirls (28-5) lost 50-24 against seventhranked Moulton at Judson High School in Converse on Feb. 19.

The Cowgirls held off Prairie Lea (13-9) to win its area playoff 38-35 in Falls City on Feb. 14.

“We’ve got such a young team,” McMullen County head coach Shannon Taylor said, explaining that it’s new for the team starting three juniors and two freshmen with no previous playoff experience. He said that the team played good defense.

McMullen County trailed early, but Caeli Taylor hit a three-pointer from the left wing to tie it at 7 with 15 seconds left in the first quarter and inspire a 12-0 run. The Arrows scored the last five points of the second quarter as the Cowgirls entered halftime with a 16-12 lead.

Taylor and Brenda Beyer hit outside shots early in the third quarter, pushing it to 21-12, but the Arrows responded with a 7-0 run.

The Arrows’ rebounding advantage allowed them to come close to tying, but missed one of two free throws at the end of the third quarter, keeping the Cowgirls ahead 25-24.

McMullen County went 0-of-7 from the freethrow line, missing six in the fourth quarter. Still, Caeli and Chloe Taylor hit enough shots to pull off the victory. After the Arrows scored five straight points to tie it at 31 midway through the fourth, Caeli Taylor made a driving layup. Chloe Taylor pounded the lane and hit one with 2:40 left. But the Arrows made a threepointer and a free throw to tie it. Caeli Taylor, who finished with 19 points, made the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:01 left. The Cowgirls forced a missed threepointer at the buzzer.

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