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Back on track: Sunnyvale girls blast Callisburg in opening-round playoff game
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
The Sunnyvale girls basketball team did not enter the playoffs the way they would have liked.
The Raiders dropped their final two games in the regular season, which is not a sign that a team is peaking at the right time.
But Sunnyvale understands that the start of the playoffs is a new beginning, and they put those setbacks behind them on Monday as they rolled to a 63-36 victory over Callisburg in a Class 2A bi-district playoff game at Anna High School.
The Raiders (23-7) move on to the area finals where they will face four-time defending state champion Brock on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Fort Worth Nolan High School.
Sunnyvale was methodical in its handling of Callisburg. They led 36-25 at halftime and then allowed only 11 points in the second half to easily pull away.
"I thought we played well, especially on defense," Sunnyvale head coach Howard York said. "I think they really wanted it after having a bad taste in their mouth from last year (lost playoff opener), so they came out ready."
The Raiders quickly quelled any notion that they were in a late-season slump, leading 18-12 after one quarter and pushing the advantage to 11 by halftime.
While Sunnyvale's confidence never wavered, it was still a good sign to see the team get off to a quick start.
"I thought it was huge" York said. "Anytime you can get out there early on and make two or three shots it is big for confidence and that is what we were able to do in the first quarter."
Sheridan Lewis led the way for the Raiders with 20 points with Grace Goodhart adding 17.
Sunnyvale now draws perennial power Brock in the next round. York said that while Brock does not have the big star power it has had in previous years, they still deserve the moniker of 'the team to beat.'
"We need to shoot the ball well and play good defense," York said. "The defense has really been our bread and butter all year long, so if we can hold them to round 36 or 40 points, which I think we are capable of doing then I think we can score enough to pull the upset."
The Raiders dropped their final two games in the regular season, which is not a sign that a team is peaking at the right time.
But Sunnyvale understands that the start of the playoffs is a new beginning, and they put those setbacks behind them on Monday as they rolled to a 63-36 victory over Callisburg in a Class 2A bi-district playoff game at Anna High School.
The Raiders (23-7) move on to the area finals where they will face four-time defending state champion Brock on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Fort Worth Nolan High School.
Sunnyvale was methodical in its handling of Callisburg. They led 36-25 at halftime and then allowed only 11 points in the second half to easily pull away.
"I thought we played well, especially on defense," Sunnyvale head coach Howard York said. "I think they really wanted it after having a bad taste in their mouth from last year (lost playoff opener), so they came out ready."
The Raiders quickly quelled any notion that they were in a late-season slump, leading 18-12 after one quarter and pushing the advantage to 11 by halftime.
While Sunnyvale's confidence never wavered, it was still a good sign to see the team get off to a quick start.
"I thought it was huge" York said. "Anytime you can get out there early on and make two or three shots it is big for confidence and that is what we were able to do in the first quarter."
Sheridan Lewis led the way for the Raiders with 20 points with Grace Goodhart adding 17.
Sunnyvale now draws perennial power Brock in the next round. York said that while Brock does not have the big star power it has had in previous years, they still deserve the moniker of 'the team to beat.'
"We need to shoot the ball well and play good defense," York said. "The defense has really been our bread and butter all year long, so if we can hold them to round 36 or 40 points, which I think we are capable of doing then I think we can score enough to pull the upset."
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