The Kingston Lady Redskins came up just short of a return to the state basketball tournament while the boys’ squad also saw its season end in the area playoff round last week.
Coach Chad Rumer’s girls eliminated Silo (50-24) and Bethel (55-47) before coming up just short of fifth-ranked Anadarko in the area consolation finals, falling 46-32 in overtime.
Kingston’s boys meanwhile ended the year with a 53-44 loss to Washington.
Girls
The Lady Redskins ran away and never looked back in the area tournament opening contest, blowing by Silo with a dominant defense leading the charge.
Kingston was in front 11-3 through one period, 31-9 at intermission and 38-18 heading to the final stanza.
Jaci Herndon pumped in 11 of her game-high 16 points in the second period and canned four three pointers. Joley Heydon hit for 14 points while Avery Ludrick also hit double figures with 11.
Another early blitz got Kingston off and running while facing Bethel as the Lady Redskins rolled to the 14-3 edge through the first quarter. Bethel managed to make a game of it by narrowing the gap to 22-17 at halftime. The Lady Redskins took a 32-29 advantage into the final frame and were able to ice the victory and hold off the comeback by sinking 11 of 11 free throws down the stretch.
Herndon poured in 21 points with Cassidy Walker and Heydon both contributing 13. Ludrick also scored sevenbyhittingsevenofeight free throws in the stretch run.
Kingstonwasplayingfrom behind throughout the first halfintheAnadarkorematch but got it together after the break.
Anadarko held a 10-8 edge after one period and 20-12 at halftime as well as 27-19 through three periods. That’s when things turned on a dime.
Walker hit three buckets and Heydon added two more in a final period surge as they outscored the Lady Warriors 13-5 in the quarter while forcing overtime.
Kingston however didn’t have much left in the extra frame as they were outscored 14-0 in that session.
Leading the way offensively was Walker with 12 points as the Lady Redskins were fairly balanced once again. Ludrick and Herndon poured in seven apiece, Heydon tallied four and Coby Davis ended with two points.
Boys
A slow start dug the Redskins a hole from which they could never fully recover in the loss to Washington.
TheWarriorswereup10-5 through one period, 23-13 at halftime and 39-19 following the third stanza. Kingston closed the contest on a 25-14 run,morethandoublingtheir scoring from the first three quarters in the last frame.
Brock Rumer pumped in 10 points in leading a balanced scoring attack. Hudson EverhartandHaydenSeeney contributed eight apiece, Sam Walker notched seven, Lander Burkhalter had six with Reid Patterson scoring three and Blane Henry two.