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Girls basketball teams thriving in joint district
BY ANDREW MAY, Staff Writer
If the playoffs began today, all four Frisco ISD girls basketball teams would earn a berth in the postseason. And while hypothetical scenarios are as valuable as snow boots in an avalanche, the fact that Frisco, Wakeland, Centennial and Liberty are the only District 9-4A schools with winning records is impressive, even if it amounts to nothing more than a pat on the back at this point.
When Centennial struggled in its infancy with the tougher competition in Class 4A, FISD athletic director David Kuykendall and the district decided to start the other schools out in a lower classification so they could build experience and find their footing.
In Wakeland and Liberty’s first season at the higher level, both are in position to score repeat playoff berths.
The Lady Raccoons are again the hunted after beginning league play with a 6-0 record. The defending undisputed, undefeated district champs have reeled off 25 consecutive victories in conference action, including Tuesday’s 77-56 smothering of McKinney North. Frisco (21-3, 6-0), which boasts an ungodly 34 point margin of victory in district, has won 23 of its games by double digits during the current win streak.
Senior guard Shay Cooney-Williams and junior forward Tiffany Moore both register in the top 20 in area 4A scoring. Moore is averaging 17.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game for Frisco, which is second in area scoring at 62.6 an outing and sixth in defense (40.7).
Wakeland had high hopes of toppling the Lady Raccoons when the two teams met last week for just the second time. But the Lady Wolverines were jack-hammered in the final three periods after holding a 12-8 lead after the first quarter, eventually succumbing to Frisco’s tempo and athleticism, 56-40.
Behind 16 points from senior forward Khristina Clemons, who is averaging 13.5 points per game in district play, the Lady Wolverines bounced back Tuesday with a 47-42 decision over Liberty. Sophomore speedster Haley Texada and junior Ravyn Terry also hit double figures for Wakeland (16-8, 5-1), which used a 20-6 run in the second quarter to take the lead for good.
Though Liberty (3-3, 11-10) holds just a one-game lead on McKinney and McKinney North for the fourth and final playoff spot, the Lady Redhawks have lost to the top three schools in 9-4A, also known as the FISDistrict.
Head coach Grace McDowell is getting contributions from a variety of players. Three different girls have led the team in scoring the last three games. Sophomore guard Haley Pilcher flipped in 14 points in the Wakeland loss. Leading scorer Emily Mital, seventh in area scoring at 16 points a game, narrowly missed a double-double Friday in a 47-40 victory over Sherman. She finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, while senior post Elana Frank was also knocking on the door with 10 points and nine boards.
Freshman Jasmine Vasquez dropped a dozen on the Lady Titans the game before.
Centennial, the only FISD team that failed to qualify for the playoffs last year, seems like a shoe-in to make its first postseason appearance this season. The squad is tied for second in the standings with Wakeland, the only team it has lost to so far in district. That could all change tonight when the Lady Titans face Frisco, an opponent they have never beaten. Though the Lady Raccoons hold an 8-0 all-time edge and a winning margin of 23 points per game, Centennial (13-10, 5-1) gave Frisco all it could handle in the first district meeting a year ago before falling by a single point.
Wesley Charles’ troops have won four straight since bottoming out to Wakeland and have a dangerous three-headed monster in the form of Katie Braker, Brittanie Barton and Jenika Sanchez, all three of whom hit double figures Friday against McKinney (54-43) and Tuesday against Denison (72-33).
All four FISD schools will close out the first half of district play tonight. With nearly a month remaining in the regular season, a multitude of scenarios still exist. None would be more fun than if the current standings stuck.
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